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LCS INSPIRES A LIFETIME OF LE ADER SHIPKatherine Schichtel Carves Her Own Path to the Top

I N S I D E feature >

{ SPRING 2016 }

DR. MIKE SLIGH, Headmaster

ON THE HORIZON

“AND DAVID SHEPHERDED THEM WITH INTEGRITY OF HEART; WITH SKILLFUL HANDS HE LED THEM.”

Psalm 78:72

This one-line overview of King David’s leadership features three essential attributes. Shepherding infers

both giving direction and protection to the flock. Leaders care about the folks they lead. They offer guidance

toward the desired destination with a view to safety of those entrusted to their care.

In the best-seller, The Speed of Trust, Stephen M. R. Covey defined leadership as “getting results in a way that

inspires trust.” The psalmist description of David as a leader with “integrity of heart” presents the picture of

a leader who was trustworthy. He was not perfect, but he dealt with his failures with a contrite heart before

the Lord. He was trustworthy because he was honest, even when addressing his own shortcomings. When

the people followed his leadership, the nation experienced remarkable blessing.

Covey also noted that, “trust is equal parts character and competence.” David was not only trustworthy, he

was skillful. He was proficient at leading others. As important as character is, there are skills that are required

to get the desired results. As a military leader, David’s trustworthiness was based not only on his character,

but on his grasp of military tactics and his skill as a commander.

The focus of this issue of Engage is leadership. We trust you will enjoy reading about these leaders who

demonstrate the heart of a shepherd, trustworthy character and skill in delivering results.

MAGAZINEMagazine Editor Sandy Johnson,

Communications Specialist

Creative Design Clark/Nikdel/Powell

Cover Photography Alex Donalson

ADMINISTRATORS:

Dr. Mike Sligh | Headmaster

Steve Wilson | Director of Advancement

Luci O’Byrne | Elementary Principal

Nancy Bradley | Assistant Elementary Principal

Wayne Shimko | Secondary Principal

Darren Copeland | Assistant Principal - High School

Keith Overholt | Assistant Principal - Middle School

Julie Rice | Director of Enrollment

Matt Green | Chief Financial Officer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Kevin Knowlton – Chairman

Jim Wilbanks – Vice-Chairman

Beth Patteson – Secretary

Payton Albritton

Kristen Bolter

Dan DeLange

Dan Green

David Miller

Bill Mutz

Dean Nederveld

Cory Petcoff

Steve Sligh

John Tucker

magazine is published quarterly by

Lakeland Christian School and is distributed free

of charge to parents, grandparents, alumni and

friends of the school.

Send correspondence to:

Lakeland Christian School

Attn: Sandy Johnson

1111 Forest Park Street

Lakeland, FL 33803

You may send emails to sjohnson@lcsonline.org.

This magazine is printed by Area Litho, Lakeland, FL.

LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 1111 Forest Park Street, Lakeland, Florida 33803 | Phone 863-688-2771

Fax 863-682-5637 | lcsonline.org | facebook.com/LCSVikings | twitter.com/LkldChristian

I N T H I S I S S U E :

WHY Engage ?

engage v. to commit; to involve intensely; to begin action

The title for the LCS magazine describes – in one word – a

great deal about our passion for Christian schooling and the

effectual results. This active verb reflects our commitment to

fostering lives of vibrant faith, active learning and intentional

influence. Teachers engage students, students engage in their

studies and co-curricular activities, and children and young people

are prepared to engage their culture for the Kingdom. Engage will

share encouraging stories of commitments to Christ, engagement

in learning and active applications of faith for a lifetime.

Feature: Katherine Schichtel { 6 }

Side Feature: Jesse Larson { 12 }Campusclamor@LCS { 14 }Athletics Feature: Todd Radford { 17 }Expressions@LCS { 20 }Sportszone@LCS { 23 }Staff Scoop { 26 }Alumni@LCS { 27 }Faculty Feature: Jennifer Canady { 28 }Cheerfulgivers@LCS { 30 }

{ 4 }

T H E M I S S I O N O F L A K E L A N D C H R I S T I A N S C H O O L

{ 5 }

{ }is to educate students in the light of God’s Word to equip them for a

lifetime of learning, leadership, service and worship.

{ 6 }

F E A T U R E

KATHERINE SCHICHTELImproving Healthcare in the Lakeland Community

Some people choose the path of least resistance, the easiest route from point A to point B.

But when ’06 alumna Katherine Schichtel couldn’t find a college major that fit her career goal,

she created her own.

If you know her, that likely does not surprise you. Driven, competitive, hard-working and

always up for a challenge – all characteristics that have gotten Katherine to where she is

today, a leader at Lakeland Regional Health and in the Lakeland community.

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THE LCS FOUNDATION

Katherine came to LCS as a high school freshman

and quickly made her mark as a leader in various

capacities. She was on the swim and softball teams,

served as a school tour guide, was part of the

Distractions R’ Us Club, served on the Junior/Senior

Banquet committee, was treasurer of the National

Honor Society, President of the Student Ministries

Club and was the Community Liaison for the Student

Council. Outside of school, Katherine was actively

involved in the First United Methodist Church Fire

House, Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine and the

Lakeland Assemblies Cotillion Club.

During her time at LCS, Katherine’s most influential

teachers – Mr. Steve Livesay and Mr. Geoff Stabler –

also gave her some of her best memories.

“Mr. Livesay always made class fun and engaging,”

Katherine said. “We also were able to work in ‘pods’

or teams. This setup helped students learn to work

together and learn to learn from each other. This is

something that has helped me today where all I do is

work with others.”

“My best memories are the thoughtful biblical

discussions we would have with Mr. Stabler. We had

a small group who took Chemistry II and physics

classes. Often times, toward the end of class, we

would bring up different, controversial topics to

discuss. He allowed us to discuss and debate ideas

openly. I always looked forward to these conversations

because we could learn without judgment.”

Looking back, Katherine can see how LCS helped

prepare her for college and shape her into who she

is today.

“LCS instilled excellent study habits,” Katherine said.

“This is what made all the difference academically.

Furthermore, I felt prepared to make wise decisions

for myself and live a balanced college life. With college

comes a new level of independence and so many

choices. LCS provided the knowledge and confidence

for me to make sound decisions through my

college career.”

“I thank LCS for the strong Christian foundation they

gave me throughout high school. LCS helped create

a solid footing for my faith to grow upon. Since high

school, my walk with Christ has only strengthened

and my relationship with Christ has shaped who I

am today.”

HER COLLEGE YEARS

Although Katherine knew in high school that she

wanted a career that would help others, she didn’t

know what she wanted to study when she arrived at

Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. She

explored different options in psychology, neuroscience

and business, but felt that none of the majors fit what

she wanted.

“I wanted to find a career path where I could apply

my creative, organizational and managerial skills, as

well as support and serve others. After hours upon

hours of research of possible majors, with the help of

Myers-Briggs and Books-A-Million, I discovered that

my key interests could be combined in the major of

Healthcare Administration.”

“I had not heard of this major before nor did Furman

offer it as a major or a concentration. I knew that if I

were to explore this career as an option, I would need

to find some way to surround myself with a curriculum

that would foster my interest.”

So instead of settling on a major or transferring to

a different school, Katherine created her own major

through Furman’s Individualized Curriculum Program.

“Two of my strengths are highlighted through my

commitment to create my own major—my tenacity

to construct the major and my resourcefulness in

creating and successfully producing an approved

major. This process required that I research, create,

modify, gain support and submit my proposed major

E N G A G E F E AT U R E continued

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{ 9 }

to a committee. Through this six-month process,

I found where my interests met my strengths. I

found a career path where this job would not simply

be a job, but a lifetime goal to daily improve and

contribute to the healthcare system.”

During the time that Katherine was carving her own

path through college in her individualized major,

she also spent much of her time at college in various

leadership and volunteer positions. She served on

the Residential Life Council and was a member of

Delta Delta Delta. She was also an AED Associate

Member in the pre-health organization. Katherine

volunteered with Furman Friends (working with

fifth graders from a Title 1 elementary school), The

Woodlands at Furman (a retirement community)

and with Safe Harbor, a home for children who were

rescued from violent homes.

Katherine also gained valuable experience through

internship opportunities, including a summer

spent working with the president of North

Greenville Hospital.

After graduating from Furman in 2010 with her BA

in Healthcare Administration, Katherine went on

to graduate school at Medical University of South

E N G A G E F E AT U R E continued

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Carolina. As she pursued her master’s degree in

Healthcare Administration, Katherine continued

to work in various healthcare facilities where she

looked for ways to improve patient care and create

more efficient organizations.

In addition to her job training, Katherine further

developed her leadership skills by getting involved in

several organizations and being mentored by those

in her chosen field.

“Mr. Meacham, a professor at the Medical University

of South Carolina, took me under his wing and

spent countless hours mentoring students like

myself,” Katherine said. “We would have sessions to

practice presenting for national case competitions,

to review long-term goals and how to best approach

applying for residency. Additionally, he often spent

Saturday mornings holding mock interviews to help

prepare me for real interviews to come. I admire his

generosity and commitment to students and am so

thankful for all of the time he dedicated to spend

with me.”

A CAREER SHE LOVES

All the hard work Katherine went through to create

her own degree program paid off as she currently

holds a job she loves at Lakeland Regional Health

(formerly Lakeland Regional Medical Center).

Her knowledge and experience in healthcare

administration as well as her extensive leadership

training have given her a solid footing as she leads a

team through various projects for the hospital.

“I work in Ambulatory Informatics. Informatics is a

growing field that combines information technology

and communications to improve quality outcomes

for patients. Many people may not know what this

means, so to put it simply, I work with Lakeland

Regional Health’s outpatient clinics on providing

higher-quality patient care.”

In her job, there is no average day. Each one is

different, but they all lead to the same goal:

patient-centered care.

“Last month, I primarily worked on attesting all

of our providers for Meaningful Use. This is a

CMS Medicare and Medicaid program that offers

incentives to hospitals and eligible providers for

using an electronic health record to improve overall

patient care. Each of our providers must meet a

number of quality measures in order for us to receive

the incentive payment.”

“Another major project that is ongoing is our patient

portal. This portal allows patients to see their

medical information from recent doctors’ visits as

well as have the ability to send and receive secure

messages from their providers. We have also

been working to onboard community practices to

the portal with the goal to offer patients a health

information exchange. This would be a place where

patients can come to one site and access all of their

medical information, regardless of where the care

was provided.”

While Katherine’s job, like any, has its challenges,

she enjoys working with people who have the goal to

improve patient care in the Lakeland community.

HER ADVICE TO UNDERCLASSMEN

Though Katherine didn’t know exactly what she

wanted to do when she graduated from LCS in 2006,

she knew that serving people was in her future.

By determining her strengths and personality

characteristics, Katherine was able to cut a path to a

career that she loves.

Her advice to underclassmen is to do the same,

as well as to seek out every opportunity to gain

practical experience and to serve the community.

“Begin learning about yourself,” she said.

“Understand your natural strengths and capitalize

on them. These strengths are what make you unique

and will help you become successful.”

“Take advantage of your summers during college.

Internships offer valuable experience and

connections.”

“Volunteering makes an enormous impact on our

community. We can improve our schools, support our

youth and beautify our community. Volunteer time

is an investment to our community’s future and the

people who live in it. It is a joy and an honor to give

back to the community where I grew up.”

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If you are from Lakeland, then you are definitely familiar with Publix Super Markets. You are probably also familiar with the tearjerker commercials that come out around Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, and most recently, graduation. But what you may not know is that Jesse Larson, a 2005 graduate of LCS, is the one responsible for making you cry.

Now an art producer for Publix, it was a Media Productions class that Jesse took during his senior year of high school at Lakeland Christian that set him on a career path that has developed his leadership skills and given him the opportunity to do what he loves.

Jesse was active in sports during his time at LCS. He played soccer and tennis, was a member of the track and field team and was a swimmer. Although he didn’t hold any official leadership roles, Jesse was a leader on his sports teams and among his friends. One of his favorite memories was being part of the soccer team that won the state championship.

A self-professed class clown, Jesse’s favorite classes were the ones that allowed him to express his creativity – art class with Connie Christensen, media productions

with Joe O’Brien and mechanical drawing with Dean Johnson. He is also grateful for the Christian influences he had in his other teachers like Dr. Mike Sligh, Steve Wilson and Steve Livesay.

“Having the Christian influence in everything I did was really important in building a solid foundation for life,” Jesse said.

The media productions class that Jesse took during his senior year led him to pursue film and video production after high school. Jesse went to Valencia Community College for two years for a video production degree and then finished at Florida Southern College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising. During his college years, Jesse interned for a talent agent in New York City and had the opportunity to study abroad in England and Spain. He also led a nonprofit called Surfers of Faith; the group held weekly Bible studies and organized surfing missions trips.

Now as an art producer for Publix, Jesse works in the creative services department and leads a team of people in various marketing efforts.

{ 1 2 }

FROM MEDIA PRODUCTIONS TO PUBLIX: How Alum Jesse Larson’s Favorite High School Class Set His Career Path

SIDE FEATURE

“I am responsible for managing the production budget and managing all photography, illustration, video and broadcast projects from concept to delivery,” Jesse said. “I work hard, so I expect others to work hard, too. You can’t bug me, so I always tell people to ask questions and interrupt me if necessary. I love what I do so I think people enjoy working with me because I make it fun.”

“Each project presets its own challenges, but the rewarding part is seeing really great creative [ideas] get produced on time and under budget!”

To be a good leader, a person needs to have encouraging mentors in his or her life. For Jesse, he credits his parents and the guys at NFocus – a film and video production company in Lakeland – with being the great influencers in his life. Jesse has also developed his leadership skills by being a part of Leadership Lakeland and as a board member of the Plant City young leaders group.

“I lead people every day in everything I do,” Jesse said. “I think it’s a natural thing for me to lead. I don’t think there is any one way or organization that has developed my leadership skills. I believe it’s a combination of everything I’ve done and experienced in life. I learn a little bit from everything I do, and that’s what makes me understand people and circumstances and helps me to be a leader in those situations.”

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Jesse Larson and his wife Jesse (yes, they’re both named Jesse!) were married this past fall and live in Lakeland. When he’s not busy working for Publix, Jesse likes to fish, surf and hunt.

JESSE’S ADVICE FOR CURRENT LAKELAND CHRISTIAN STUDENTS IS TO GET OUT AND DO AS MUCH AS YOU

CAN: “THE MORE YOU CAN EXPERIENCE, THE MORE WELL-ROUNDED YOU WILL BE. FORCE YOURSELF OUT

OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND GO MEET SOME NEW PEOPLE.”

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Congratulations to the Lakeland Christian School

Elementary Academic Team for winning the Polk County

Championship on April 6, 2016. Six teams competed in

the championship round, which was held at the Bartow

Civic Center. Highlands Grove Elementary finished in

second place, and Berkley Charter earned third place in

the tournament.

This season, there were 52 teams initially competing for

a spot in the championship. The LCS team won their first

round of competition in late January and the semifinal

round on February 24.

Coached by fifth grade teacher Heather Rhoden, this

group of students is competing for the first year. The

team is made up of Emily Gravitt, Neil Dave, Meliza

Diaz-Palma, Wenjo Lai, Sean Cardosi and Eli Curls.

Congratulations to the LCS Archery teams on their

outstanding performances at the State NASP (National

Archery in Schools Program) tournament in late February.

The elementary team finished in third place with a team

score of 2,646 points. Jacob Stoltz (fifth grade) won first

place in the Elementary School Male Division by shooting

a 273/300.

In the Middle School Division, Lakeland Christian took

second place with a team score of 3,161. Eighth grader

Sean Stoltz won first place in the Middle School Male

Division with a 287/300.

The high school team finished in second place with

a score of 3,200. Senior Jessie Andrew won the High

School Female Division by shooting a 285 out of 300.

She also won an $800 scholarship. Sophomore Agnes

Prather won second place with a 283/300.

Coach James Moore won the Coaches Cup for the third

year in a row. By winning, Coach Moore won $2000 to

help the team go to the National tournament later

this spring.

LCS fifth grader Neil Dave won the Polk County Spelling

Bee in early April. He competed against students in

grades 5-8 from across the county, and he will now head

to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps National

Spelling Bee in late May against more than 280 students

from across the United States.

Congratulations to our elementary spellers on their

outstanding job at the ACSI Regional Spelling Bee. It

was held at Foundation Academy in Winter Garden.

First Grade: Lauren Remmer (4th Place)

Second Grade: Lucas Patterson (1st Place),

Matthew Batson (2nd Place)

Third Grade: Caroline Morin (1st Place),

Sarah Remmer (2nd Place)

Fourth Grade: Elle Spivey (2nd Place)

Congratulations to seventh grader Madi Jones for

winning first place in the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest for

Post 2297. Eighth grader Adalene Collier won second

place. Mrs. Gaye Lene Hasha, middle school English

teacher, was recognized and presented with a certificate

for promoting American citizenship within the classroom.

This is the sixth year in a row that LCS students have been

winners in this essay contest.

Five students in the LCS Rise Institute recently presented

projects at the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair.

Congratulations to the following students on their

outstanding accomplishments:

Julia Canady:

2nd place Category Award in Plant Science for “Weed

Warfare: Investigating Allelopathy Year 6”

University of Florida College of Agriculture and Life

Science $10,000 scholarship over 4 years

New College of Florida scholarship $8,000 over 4 years

Finalist certificate

Emma Galbraith:

Dr. Benjamin Cole Award for Outstanding Research and

Creativity in Biochemistry – $100 cash award for her

project “Biofuel Bounty: Investigating Strategies for

Increasing Algal Lipid Production”

Finalist certificate

Peyton Miller:

Suwannee Valley RSEF Award for Outstanding Research

and Innovation – $50 cash award for her project “Child’s

Play: A Study of the Factors Impacting Temperature on

School Playgrounds”

Finalist certificate

Jacob Fuller:

Recognition Award for his project “Cu Later: Investigating

Aversion Behavior in Channel Apple Snails”

Finalist certificate

Christian Herman:

Finalist certificate

{ campusclamor@lcs }

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{ campusclamor@lcs }

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Four Lakeland Christian seniors were awarded Elk’s

Scholarships in late March. Congratulations to Olivia

Overholt, Bria Aqui, Kara Stacy and Christian Bedwell.

Christian advanced to the state level and won another

$4,000 scholarship from the Elk’s Club.

Senior Jessie Andrew was chosen by the LCS faculty and

her peers for the Daughters of the American Revolution

(DAR) Good Citizen Award. She participated in the DAR

scholarship essay contest and won second place. Jessie

was recognized for her achievement in mid-February.

The LCS RISE Mock Trial Team won the Circuit 10

competition against the George Jenkins Law Academy in

late February and went on to represent the 10th Judicial

Circuit at the Florida State High School Mock Trial Finals

in Orlando in mid-March.

At the state tournament, the Vikings finished tenth

overall in Florida. Freshman Abby Branham was

awarded the prestigious “Best Attorney” award – one

of only four in the competition. She was selected by vote

of the judges in each round. The team won the Stephen

C. Shenkman Professionalism Award for the third year

in a row. This award is selected by the other teams and

recognizes the team that demonstrates the highest

standards of professionalism and collegiality. The team

also hosted the third annual Karaoke Party, providing an

opportunity for teams from around the state to get to

know each other.

The team is comprised of Addy Crosby, Ashlyn Joyner,

Julia Canady, Reese Overholt, Lauren Latimer, Abby

Branham and Kristy Smith. They are coached by

Chasity Branham (attorney coach) and Greg Cawood

(teacher coach).

Eighth grader

Christian Herman

recently won second

place at the Young

Entrepreneurs

Academy Investor

Panel held at

Southeastern

University in early

April. He presented

a custom-made pencil grip with an LED light to six

investors. The panel was made up of six local business

people and was developed by the Polk County chapter

of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. Christian,

along with the other student presenters, also had the

opportunity to receive advice and guidance from these

business people.

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ATHLETICS FEATURE

LOVE THE LORD, LOVE THE SPORT, LOVE THE KIDS:

LCS Alum Todd Radford’s Passion for Athletics Goes Beyond Winning Championships

Player. Coach. PE teacher. Athletic director. Athletic advancement. Football

operations. Ever since he was a seven-year-old boy on the Little League fields

of Bartow, Todd Radford’s life has always revolved around sports. The 1988

LCS alum has experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, and he

is grateful for the impact of sports in his life.

Baseball was Todd’s first love, and he played in the Bartow

Little League program until he started high school. During

his middle school years, he also began to play basketball.

Todd continued playing both baseball and basketball when

he transferred to Lakeland Christian School for his junior

year. During his senior year, Todd played soccer in the fall,

basketball in the winter and ran track and played baseball

in the spring.

Todd was recruited to play basketball for Grace College in

Winona Lake, Indiana. He also received a partial scholarship

to play baseball. After his sophomore year of playing both,

Todd decided that he needed to make a choice and stuck

with baseball for the final two years of his college career.

He graduated from Grace College in 1992 with a degree in

physical education and a minor in business administration.

After a job opportunity in Florida fell through in the summer

of 1993, Todd returned to Indiana with the goal of pursuing

his master’s degree.

“In late August of 1993, well after school had started, I

received a call from my high school baseball coach, Jeff

Karns, informing me that he heard of a possible opening

at Bradenton Christian School,” Todd said. “He gave me

a name and number of who I should contact. I called the

number the next morning around 7:15 AM and someone

actually answered. It turned out to be the superintendent of

the school who confirmed they did have a position open and

proceeded to interview me on the phone for the next hour.”

“I was invited to fly down for an interview the following day,

and I went through the interview process the week prior to

Labor Day weekend. I returned to Indiana on Labor Day, and

I received a call on Tuesday morning. I was offered not only a

teaching position, but also the athletic director position.”

In 1995, Todd married his wife Patches. The couple stayed in

Bradenton until 2000 when they were expecting the second

of their three children and made the decision to move

back home to Lakeland. Todd spent two years working in

construction, but he knew that his calling was education.

{ 1 8 }

“In the spring of 2002, I started reaching out to some friends

at local schools, seeking any openings that may be available.

The first school I contacted was Out of Door Academy in

Sarasota,” Todd said.

He was hired at ODA in 2002 and remained as the athletic

director and head boys’ basketball coach until his

resignation in the summer of 2006.

In 2007, Todd was hired by Lakeland Christian School as a

teacher and coach. Now in his ninth year at LCS, he no longer

teaches, but holds several sports-related titles: Assistant

Athletic Director, Director of Football Operations, Athletic

Advancement Associate and Varsity Boys’ Basketball Coach.

Todd’s task list is a long one. For football, he works with the

coaches on scheduling, orders equipment, handles home

and away game management, coordinates ad sales, handles

the reserved seating and gets everything ready on game

day. He also runs the elementary flag football league in

September and October. He schedules the facility usage and

works with outside organizations that use LCS facilities for

different events.

As basketball coach, Todd works on developing and

implementing a competitive program on a year-round basis.

His team plays in a fall league in September. The varsity

season begins in November and runs through February, and

the summer program runs the entire month of June. Todd

also runs two camps for elementary and middle school kids.

For Todd, sports are important in developing character and

serving as a springboard for success.

“For as long as I can remember, I have always had a deep

love for sports … any and all sports. I truly believe that

sports can have a positive influence on young people as long

as the perspective is kept in check. Sports can lead students

to work hard, to be committed to something, to learn

teamwork, to learn how to deal with failure and success,

to develop what it means to trust in others as well as have

others trust and depend on you.”

“Even though it may be cliché, it is true that many life

lessons can be learned on an athletic team. There is nothing

like sharing a big win with your teammates or grieving a

tough loss that truly hurts. You can learn to be disciplined

and to take on a challenge. You can push yourself to levels

you never thought possible, and you can even find success

in losses. Sports can shape who we are and what we

can become.”

Because of the importance that Todd places on sports, he

wants the LCS athletic program to be successful. But more

importantly, he wants people to see that LCS athletics are

about more than winning championships.

E N G A G E F E AT U R E continued

PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNE KOEHLER

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“My wish is that people would see young people who are

committed to something excellent, who are respectful

and who are willing to accomplish success. That our

athletes would not expect anything to be given to them,

but rather that they earn everything they get through hard

work and dedication.”

“I want people to look at LCS and see coaches who love the

Lord, love the sport, love the kids and who are committed

to being successful in competition. I want people to see

Lakeland Christian as the shining example of what a truly

Christian sports program looks like, understanding that

winning championships is not the most important thing.

Winning is what we are striving for, and we don’t apologize

when we do win.”

“To sum it up, I will use a statement that I say to my teams

all the time: we want to be humble in victory and gracious

in defeat.”

The mission of Lakeland Christian – to educate students in

the light of God’s Word to equip them for a lifetime of learning,

leadership, service and worship – impacted Todd as a student

in the late 1980s and directs his efforts now that he’s a

staff member.

“I could not be more thankful for the life lessons I learned as

a student at LCS. I was surrounded by adults who lived out

what they preached. Those examples of men and women who

loved me when I didn’t deserve it, helped me when I didn’t

earn it and who supported me when I was both successful and

struggling have helped shape who I am today.”

“My career path was chosen because of those I truly respect at

LCS, and the impact of their support and encouragement after

high school has been a driving force behind any success I may

have today. Watching how they handle situations biblically

and deal with tough circumstances with grace has given me

the desire and encouragement to seek true Godliness in

everything I do.”

Coach Radford and his wife Patches have three kids – Cole

(18), Morgan (15) and Taylor (11). He earned his BS in Physical

Education from Grace College in 1992 and his Master’s of

Education from Covenant College in 2011. If you wish to

contact Todd, you can email him at tradford@lcsonline.org.

LCS 6th Grade and Junior High choirs had the opportunity

to participate in a workshop and concert with the American

Boychoir at First Presbyterian Church Lakeland in –late

February. The Boychoir performs regularly with world-

class orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic,

the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony

Orchestra. The American Boychoir is frequently invited

to join internationally renowned artists on stage, and the

list of collaborators reflects the extraordinary range of the

ensemble: from great classical artists such as Jessye Norman

and Frederica von Stade to jazz legend Wynton Marsalis and

pop icons Beyoncé and Sir Paul McCartney. As an icon of

American musical excellence, the Boychoir has been invited

to sing for every sitting U.S. President since John F. Kennedy.

Boys in fourth through eighth grades, reflecting the ethnic,

religious and cultural diversity of the United States, come

from across the country and around the world to pursue a

rigorous musical and academic curriculum at the American

Boychoir School in Princeton, New Jersey.

Eight secondary students were selected to perform

with the All-State bands and choirs at the Florida Music

Educators Association (FMEA) conference in late January.

High School Concert Chorus: Christian Bedwell,

Kara Stacy, Vaviel Verner

Middle School Concert Chorus: Carter Chaplin,

Carter Ferguson, JT Stacy

High School Honors Band: Rachel Chapman

Middle School Honors Band: Hannah Miller

Congratulations to kindergarten student William Phillips

on winning 2nd place in the Elementary Art category at the

Platform Kids Art Showcase on February 13. His piece will

be on special exhibit at Lakeland City Hall for several weeks.

Several elementary art students had work on display at the

Platform Kids Show:

5th grade: Madison Kellogg, Gretchen Caswell, Emily

Smith, Carley Hampton, Sarah Bayes. Kylah Blough,

Andi Cochran, Wenjo Lai, Emily Gravitt

4th Grade: Adam Webb, Grace Rodda, KJ Straub, Aleena

Peter, McKenna Gravitt, Brooke Srivastava

3rd Grade: Belle Medina, Grace Hames, Halle Johnson

2nd Grade: Henry Varnum, Sarah Workman, Lydia Stabler,

Bella Lazenby, Matthew Batson

1st Grade: Owen Williams, Bailee Grant, Brody Brenneman,

Jordan Vargas, Keleigh Broxton

Kindergarten: William Phillips, Emma Wilkinson, Jackson

Green, Bay Jarrell, Isaac Alt, Carigan Rogers, Katie Coleman

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Congratulations to high school art students Shelbie

Adams (senior), Fareed Khamitov (senior) and Molly

Sharpe (senior). These students had work accepted in to

the Polk Museum of Art’s 15th Annual Congressional Art

Show. The show ran from March 12 through April 17.

The awards were held on April 16, and Fareed received

a Merit Award and the Museum Purchase Award for his

piece, “The Man Who Sold the World.” His piece is now

part of the permanent collection at the Polk Museum

of Art.

Congratulations to the following elementary art students

who had work on display at the Bloomin’ Arts Festival in

Bartow in early March:

5th Grade: Wenjo Lai, Emily Gravitt, Ava Wood

and Brooklyn Bultman-Powers

4th Grade: KJ Straub, Adam Webb, Aleena Peter

and Gabriela Davis

3rd Grade: Lauren Bayes, Ansley Houghton and

Isabella Cano

2nd Grade: Annabelle Miller, Marin Barranco,

Lydia Stabler, Henry Varnum, Emma Green,

Ellie Johnson and Sophie Drost

1st Grade: Fiona Elliott, Brody Brenneman

and Sara Kate Lewis

Kindergarten: Jackson Green, Carigan Rogers,

Audrey Hiott and Jackson Gilbert

Fifth grader Andi

Cochran was one

of six finalists

honored at a special

awards ceremony at

LEGOLAND® Florida

for her Lego-themed

design for the Kids

Tag Art competition, a

county-wide program

for fifth graders put on

by the Tax Collector’s

Office of Polk County.

Alyssa Stahl and Carley Hampton were recognized at an

awards ceremony at Florida Southern College for their

designs; they each received an Award of Distinction.

Congratulations to our band and choir students

for an outstanding performance at the State Solo &

Ensemble competitions this spring.

SUPERIOR WITH DISTINCTION – Selected to

sing at the Honors Recital

Duet: Kristen Davis & Abigail Garrard

SUPERIOR

Chamber Ensemble

Women’s Ensemble

Duet: Kara Stacy & Vaviel Verner

Solos: Christian Bedwell, Kristen Davis,

Brooke Hammack and Kara Stacy

EXCELLENT

Duet: Shelby Bedwell & Taylor Mills,

Brooke Hammack & Sarah Tucker

STATE BAND SOLO & ENSEMBLE

SUPERIOR

Flute solo: Marybeth Boulerice

Flute solo: Kacee Strickland

Trumpet solo: Craig Heacox

Trombone solo: Rachel Chapman

Flute duet: Marybeth Boulerice & Kacee Strickland

Flute quartet: Mollie Tew, Alex Barrow,

Marybeth Boulerice and Kacee Strickland

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{ expressions@lcs }

For the first time in LCS history, all six bands and choirs

earned straight superiors at their Music Performance

Assessments (MPAs). This “Straight Superior Sweep”

means that every single judge gave each of the groups

a superior rating in all categories. Our fine arts students

were treated to a special ice cream social with the

administrators.

Seven LCS musicians performed with the Polk All-County

bands at a special concert at Florida Southern College

this spring.

Rebecca Chapman and Annie Bolter performed

with the 9th and 10th Grade All-County Band.

Marybeth Boulerice, Kacee Strickland and

Rachel Chapman played with the 11th and

12th Grade All-County Band.

Hannah Miller and Katherin Grubb were part of

the 7th and 8th Grade All-County Band. These

students were chosen by audition.

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Congratulations to the following Viking athletes who

were chosen by Polk Preps as part of the Fall and Winter

All-County teams:

FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE TEAM:

Second Team – R.B. Marlow

Third Team – B.J. Sirmons, Reed McKown, Larenz Deshazor,

Josue Blanco

Honorable Mention – Mitchell Green, Wilson Grooms,

Tyler Wilkerson

FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE TEAM:

Second Team – Logan Mason

Honorable Mention – Xander Elliott, Mitchell Green,

Wilson Grooms, Turner Miles

VOLLEYBALL:

Second Team – Holly Cameron

Honorable Mention – Bria Aqui, Libby Norman

CROSS COUNTRY:

First Team – Nathalie Saldana

Second Team – Bryson Yamnitz

Honorable Mention – Breanna Skladanek, Victoria Kelley,

Abby Riley, Caroline Kitchens, Britain Musick, Kennedy

Lewis, Seth Martinez, Sam Riley, Cole Naughton

SWIM/DIVE:

First Team – Tori Green

Honorable Mention – Chloe Wineinger, Maverick Gordon

GOLF:

First Team – Ashlynn Joyner

Second Team – Jake Albritton, Will Richert

Honorable Mention – Kate Joyner, Caleb Wickenkamp,

Cameron Carroll, Chase Weeks

GIRLS’ SOCCER:

Player of the Year – Bri Folds

1st Team – Mary Peace, Nathalie Saldana

2nd Team – Vivian Streets

Honorable Mention – Kylie Williams, Jayden Bayes,

Amelia Jackson, Taylor O’Byrne

BOYS’ SOCCER:

1st Team – Tanner Molony

Honorable Mention – Jonathan Lehman, Jake Koretchko,

Chase Walters, Moses Rocha, Michael Tippel

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL:

2nd Team – Jessie Andrew

Honorable Mention – Allisan Brown, Kristen Schaedel,

Gloria Tabb

BOYS’ BASKETBALL:

3rd Team – Adam Webb

Honorable Mention – Tyler Horne

The Florida All-State Class 3A football team was announced

recently, and three Viking athletes received recognition for

their performances.

Congratulations to senior wide receiver R.B. Marlow and

sophomore linebacker Logan Mason on being named to the

second team and to senior running back B.J. Sirmons on

earning an honorable mention.

Marlow finished second in Polk County with 38 receptions

for 856 yards and nine touchdowns. Mason led the team

with 29 solo tackles and 82 total tackles and tallied two

interceptions this past season. Sirmons rushed for 1,104

yards with 16 touchdowns on 128 carries.

The Lady Viking

track and field

team won the

district title and

finished fourth

in the regional

tournament. At

the FHSAA 1A

State Track & Field

Championship,

eighth grader Britain Musick finished fourth in the 300

hurdles. Senior Tori Green (pictured above) finished

second in the state in the pole vault, and 10th grader

Sydney Cabrera was third in the state in the triple jump.

The boys’ team finished second in the district and fifth in

the region. At the State meet, freshman Remington Musick

placed 13th in the pole vault.

{ sportszone@lcs }

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{ sportszone@lcs }

Congratulations to the four Lady Vikings who signed

letters of intent this spring. The girls will continue their

athletic careers at various colleges around the country.

On National Signing Day, senior soccer standout Bri Folds

committed to Auburn University. Bri led the county by

tallying 56 goals and 51 assists during her senior year.

She finished her high school career with 173 goals and

155 assists.

Pitcher Kristen Beacham will continue her softball career

at Florida Southern College in Lakeland next year. Kristen

led the Lady Vikings to their first-ever Class 3A state title

last season as a junior and again this year as a senior.

Jessie Andrew has

signed with Simmons

College in Boston,

Massachusetts, an

NCAA Division III

school that plays in

the Great Northeast

Athletic Conference.

Andrew led the

Vikings in scoring this past season with 16.9 points per

game. She has played five varsity seasons and finished

with a career scoring average of 12.7 points per game.

Skyler Streets will continue

her soccer career at Samford

University in Birmingham,

Alabama.

Congratulations to

senior Reed McKown

on finishing 12th in the

1A State weightlifting

meet in mid-April. He

benched 350 lbs. and

cleaned 305 lbs.

{ 2 4 }

The Lady Viking

softball team earned

its second consecutive

3A State Championship

with a 9-1 win over

University Christian

of Jacksonville on

Thursday, May 5. At

Historic Dodgertown

in Vero Beach, senior

Kristen Beacham’s

stellar pitching and

solo home run helped

her team force the

game into extra

innings. Freshman

Camryn Wineinger’s three-run home run in the top of the

ninth gave the Lady Vikes the momentum they needed

to clinch the title. Earlier in the day, the Vikings shut out

John Carroll Catholic in the State Semifinal, winning 3-0.

Coached by Sue Wilsman, the Lady Vikings finished the

season with a record of 19 wins and seven losses.

Congratulations to Bri Folds on being named the Florida

Athletic Coaches Association 1A, District 13 Girls’ Soccer

Player of the Year. The senior forward, who has committed

to Auburn University, was also named the MVP of the All-

Star Players.

The Lady Viking varsity soccer team had a great season,

winning the District and Regional Championships on their

way to the State Semifinal, where they lost to defending

state champ St. John’s Country Day by the score of 6-0.

It was the Lady Vikings’ seventh appearance in the state

tournament. The girls finished with a record of 20 wins,

three losses and one tie. They are coached by

Jason Streets.

{ sportszone@lcs }

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{ staffscoop@lcs }

Third grade teacher Seth Miller and science

resource teacher Fred Wiechmann recently traveled

to Nashville, Tennessee, to attend and present

at the National Science Teachers Association

Conference. Mr. Miller presented a workshop

on running a summer science camp.

Lakeland Christian School is saddened to report

that our dear friend and colleague, Mrs. Karen

Latimer, went home to be with the Lord in late April

after a long battle with cancer. Please continue

to pray for her husband, Robert, and daughters

Lauren and Anna who are both students at LCS.

She was dearly loved by her family as well as all

who were in her classroom, served with her on our

staff, and worshiped and served with her at Trinity

Presbyterian Church.

This spring LCS celebrated the retirement of

Lawrence Pigg, who served on the maintenance

staff for more than 17 years. Lawrence was

responsible for keeping the LCS buses safe and

well maintained. He joined the LCS staff in 1999

after retiring from the Polk County Schools Bus

Maintenance Department. Lawrence and his wife

Mary had two daughters who graduated from LCS –

Connie in 1974 and Donna in 1978. We are grateful

for his faithful service and wish him well

in retirement!

{ 2 6 }

2010s

Brooks Wilson (’14) received the Stetson Outstanding

Pitcher Award for the 2015 season at the annual Stetson

Hatters First Pitch Banquet held in February.

He is pictured with (l-r) the previous winner Kurt

Schluter, head coach Pete Dunn and pitching coach

Dave Therneau.

Kirsti Mutz (’13) while an undergrad at Southeastern,

researched society’s attitudes towards individuals with

intellectual disability and the best advocacy strategy to

assist this largely misunderstood issue. With the help

of many, it has matured itself into a non-Profit called

“People Like Us” and a documentary that premiered

March 22 at the Polk Theater. Kirsti is thankful for the

foundation LCS made for her which empowered her to

accomplish this. PeopleLikeUsDocumentary.com.

Erica Baker (’12) was

recently inducted into

the Florida Blue Key at

the University of Florida.

This elite organization

recognizes leadership,

and Erica was inducted

alongside a US senator

and other prominent

political figures. Erica is

a senior at UF.

Eric Ebersole (’11) graduated from Stetson University

May 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business

Administration with a double major in finance and

economics and a minor in applied statistics. Eric

participated in the Roland George Investments Program,

a student-led program which invests $3.4 million of

the school’s actual endowment into both stocks and

bonds. He is employed by Steve L. Petersen, CFP as an

Associate Financial Advisor.

2000s

David Suich (’06) has completed his Doctorate in

Physical Chemistry at the University of California,

Berkeley and is pursuing a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at

the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Chase Mansfield

(’02) and Lauren

Wells Mansfield (’04)

welcomed their first

child, Wells Harrison,

on July 3, 2015. Chase

is in the cattle and

trucking business and

is the owner/manager of Harrison Boone, LLC and the

manager of Curt Wilson Company. Lauren works from

home for Montgomery Retirement Group. The couple

resides in Ardmore, OK.

1980s

Raul Mosley (’88) is the founder and director of the

Fort Worth Portrait Project, a venture which highlights

people, organizations and events in Fort Worth while

using a visually-based narrative approach. The project

aims to explore the international connections between

north Texas and the rest of the world through the

FortWorld section of the project. You can view the

project at www.fortworthportraitproject.com. Better

yet … share your story with FortWorld if you have any

connections to DFW.

{ alumni@lcs }

To view even more alumni updates, please

visit www.lcsonline.org/alumni/alum-notes/

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FACULTY FEATURE

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE:RISE Director Jennifer Canady Finds Ways to

Make School Work Better for Students

Engage: Walk us through the path your career has taken

since you graduated from Florida State University.

Jennifer: I spent a number of years as a fifth grade teacher,

including teaching at Carlton Palmore Elementary and

Cleveland Court Elementary in Lakeland. After Charles

and I were married nearly 20 years ago, I retired from the

classroom and spent four years focused on supporting

him in his then role as United States Congressman.

This included managing his campaign and working with

constituents in Washington and back in the District. Julia

(now a junior at LCS) spent many mornings with me at the

White House meeting constituents for Congressional tours

and learned to stand while pulling up on the red velvet

curtains in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol.

After he honored his self-imposed eight-year term limit, my

husband served as General Counsel to Governor Bush, and

we moved to Tallahassee where our daughter Anna was

born. My focus during the Tallahassee years was our

busy family.

We moved back to Lakeland. As our daughters got older,

we wanted an education for them that offered high-quality

academics, a nurturing family environment and would train

them to think critically and Biblically. I came to teach at LCS

when Anna started kindergarten.

IN THE WORDS OF JENNIFER CANADY, IT TOOK JUST ONE LOOK AT THE TURTLE POND FOR HER TO KNOW THAT

LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL WAS WHERE SHE WANTED HER GIRLS TO GROW UP – AND THAT IT WAS WHERE

SHE WANTED TO TEACH. NOW, 10 YEARS AFTER SHE “TALKED MR. WIECHMANN INTO HIRING HER,” MRS. CANADY

IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE RISE INSTITUTE. ENGAGE INTERVIEWED JENNIFER TO TALK TO HER ABOUT THE FUTURE OF

THE RISE INSTITUTE.

Engage: How did the idea for the RISE Institute develop?

Jennifer: In my Master’s program in gifted education

at the University of South Florida, I realized that what

the research (and common sense) says is best practice

doesn’t actually happen very often in schools. We had the

potential to create something very special for students

at Lakeland Christian School that doesn’t exist anywhere

else. Helping kids dig into their areas of interest and

affinity, building expertise and solving real-world problems

is a great way to learn.

Engage: Tell us about the different facets of RISE and

how the RISE Institute has evolved since the start?

Jennifer: When RISE began, I was a middle school science

teacher. We started with independent scientific research

and have since expanded, responding to student interests.

RISE programs now include robotics, entrepreneurship,

film production/marketing, and the Center for Law and

Public Policy’s Mock Trial team with more expansion

happening all the time.

Engage: Where do you see the program going

in the future?

Jennifer: The program will continue to look for ways to

make schoolwork even better for students. We have

plans to expand college credit options and to offer

more flexible seminars and workshops for students not

currently enrolled in RISE courses. We plan to do more

with supporting patents for student inventions and

grants to support student work. Our film production and

entrepreneurship programs will grow.

Engage: What have been the greatest challenges and the

greatest rewards?

Jennifer: The greatest challenge is finding enough hours

in the day! The greatest reward is watching kids grow into

confident, highly-skilled young men and women who are

ready to transform the world.

Engage: The mission of LCS is to educate students in

the light of God’s Word to equip them for a lifetime of

learning, leadership, service and worship. How do you

feel you fit into helping LCS accomplish this mission?

Jennifer: We glorify God when we do whatever we are

called to do with excellence. RISE is just one more place

for LCS kids to find who God made them to be.

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A native Lakelander, Jennifer received her

B.S. in Elementary Education from Florida

State University in 1995 and her M.A. in Gifted

Education from the University of South Florida

in 2013. Jennifer is married to Charles, a

Lakelander who has served in all three branches

of government including the Florida House of

Representatives, the United States House of

Representatives, as General Counsel to Governor

Jeb Bush and currently as a Justice on the Florida

Supreme Court. Her daughter Julia is an 11th

grader at LCS, and Anna is a 9th grader. The

Canadys are members of Covenant Presbyterian

Church. You can reach Jennifer by email at

jcanady@lcsonline.org. For more information on

the RISE program, visit www.lcsrise.com.

{ cheerfulgivers@lcs }

Campus, Students to Benefit from Viking Fund Giving

What if ...Every person with some connection to LCS provided a gift

– of any amount – to the school’s annual fund, every year?

What a wonderful world it would be!

As comprehensive and strong as Lakeland Christian already

is, imagine if the school were able to provide even more

benefits to children and young people – enhancements LCS

is just not able to provide through tuition funding.

As the school goes through the lengthy and thorough

budgeting process each year, there are always a number of

items that just don’t make the cut. LCS leadership carefully

and prayerfully plans for the coming school year, always

desiring to keep tuition increases as gentle as possible.

That’s why regular gift revenue is so important. And

this is precisely where the Viking Fund comes into play.

Throughout each school year, LCS families and friends

provide financial gifts to help provide important school

opportunities that can be provided in no other way.

Contributions to the Viking Fund are given in addition to

tuition and fees and help LCS continue to provide a vibrant

experience for children and young people.

The response to this year’s Viking Fund has been

tremendous. Although the percentage of response from

school families is not where we hoped, those who have

given – including students! – have given generously.

In fact, due to the amount already in the Fund, LCS is

planning some great campus enhancements in the

coming months.

For instance, the school architect is drawing plans for the

exciting social pavilion that will cover the area between

the gym and cafeteria. Translation – more space for lunch!

And, depending on how much is given between now

and the end of June, even more improvements will

be implemented.

Remember, the goal of the Viking Fund is to positively

impact students across all grade levels. And you can still

do just that by providing a gift to the Viking Fund between

now and the end of this school year.

Will you join so many others who have stepped up on

behalf of the next generation – to make Lakeland Christian

an even better place for students? Bear in mind there is

no amount that’s too small. Simply consider an amount in

keeping with your capacity to give. We hope you are moved

to provide gift support to LCS each year as part of your

partnership with the school.

To give, simply provide a check to LCS and note “Viking

Fund.” Or, even easier, give online at www.lcsonline.org by

clicking on Donate Now.

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Under twinkling lights on a

beautiful brisk night, 300 people

gathered at the Lake Mirror

Promenade for the first-ever

Voyages and Victories Gala on

February 18, 2016. Hosted by the

LCS ShieldMaidens, this event

raised much-needed finances for the LCS Financial Aid

Fund. The event was sponsored by Publix Super Markets

Charities, Sweet Life Farms and Patterson Companies.

The evening kicked off in the Lake Mirror Auditorium

with hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction featuring more

than 100 items and live musical entertainment by The

Brian Sutherland Band. Throughout the evening, LCS art

teachers Kari Clever and Emily Johnson each created live

artwork to be auctioned off at the end of the night.

Guests moved to the promenade for a delicious dinner

featuring pastas, prime rib, Creole grits and sausage,

1905 salad and more. The Lakeland Christian community

enjoyed mingling with family and friends and listening to

Alumna Kristen Grafton, alumni parent Dot Latimer and

alumni parent Paul Imig as they shared their testimonies

of the impact that financial aid made. Conrad Johnson

and Kristi Brown provided musical entertainment

between speakers.

The evening concluded with a live auction that featured

vacation destinations, hunting packages, several special

LCS items and more.

Thank you to the generous corporate and individual

sponsors, the LCS ShieldMaidens, auction item donors

and donors who made this “Maiden Voyage” a great

success. The evening raised more than $210,000 toward

student financial aid.

Visit the event Facebook page (facebook.com/

VoyagesAndVictoriesGala) for more photos and

information on future events!

{ cheerfulgivers@lcs }

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Voyages and Victories Gala Raises More Than $210,000 for Financial Aid

“COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING; KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS;

WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS.” – HENRY FORD

LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL1111 Forest Park Street, Lakeland, Florida 33803

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLakeland, FLPermit No. 1

S h a r p e ni ng M i n d s a n d S h e ph e rd i ng He a r t s .

As Lakeland Christian School begins to build an endowment for future generations, please consider including us in your legacy plans. If you have already included LCS in your will,

please contact the Advancement Office.