The Official Publication of Metro Christian Academy Tulsa, Oklahoma OCTOBER 2013

Congratulations to the cast members and crew of Metro’s One Act Play “Sweet Nothing In My Ear.” Cast members include Anna Beck, Chandler Benzinger, Rebecca Black, Abby Boegh, Matt Briggs, Sam Damato, Bailey French, Emily Horton, Katie Jacobson, Nicole Johnson, Lily Lohrey, Casey Meyer, Reed Mullican, Rachel Queensbury, Peighton Trook, Kaitlyn Tucker, Isaac Tupy, John Tupy, Dawson Sorrels, Max Walton, Haileigh Warren, and Caleb Wilson.

This talented cast was named State Champions for their outstanding performance at Kiowa High School on October 26th. Three students were named All State winners: Chandler Benzinger, Rebecca Black, and Abby Boegh.

The group qualified for the state competition when they took 1st place at 4A Regionals on October 12th. Five students were named Regional All Stars: Chandler Benzinger, Rebecca Black, Abby Boegh, John Tupy, and Caleb Wilson.

The play is a story about a hearing impaired family, requiring an acting blend of American Sign Language and spoken English. The two happen simultaneously through the performance of the play. Led by Drama teacher Abby Phillips and our American Sign Language teacher Janee McCrate, our students were able to capture each character’s personality.

Catching the Vision“Where there is no vision, the people

perish…” (Proverbs 29:18). Critical to keeping any organization moving forward is vision, because vision is forward looking. If we aren’t looking forward, we aren’t moving forward. King Solomon, the writer of proverbs, knew that any visionless individual or visionless organization was not far from its demise.

Simply stated, Metro Christian Academy’s vision is to be a regionally-recognized, Christian, college-preparatory institution noted for its Christian culture, academic achievements, innovative approaches to learning and

successful programs in the arts and athletics.We have a vision to do all things well and be

recognized for our academics, arts, and athletics. We need facilities that accommodate these promising programs. Metro is defined by the sum of all our parts. In continually working towards improving each of our individual programs, facilities and endowments - we work towards advancing the excellence of Metro as a whole.

This year’s Annual Appeal provides the opportunity for our parents and patrons to support specific initiatives helping us attain our global vision. Many of you are passionate about our academic programs and technology. Others are passionate about athletics or the arts. Still others are passionate about facilities or the expansion of our endowment. The format of this year’s campaign allows individuals to designate their gifts towards specific areas and projects they personally want developed. It is truly a merging of Metro’s overall vision with the passions of our parents and patrons.

I am asking that you strongly consider giving to this year’s campaign. You have heard the phrase “a rising tide lifts all boats” (John F. Kennedy, 1963). A thriving school, advancing in its innovation and successful programs benefits each student and the Metro community. Therefore, I am asking for 100% participation and that each family contribute financially in this endeavor. Some will do much and some will do less, but all will help us attain the vision.

I am humbled by the opportunity to partner with you towards the accomplishment of our vision. Our children are our most precious resource and the investment into their preparation for the things that the Lord has ahead for them is a worthy cause.

With sincere appreciation,

Roger GerstenbergerHeadmaster

One Act Play Wins First Place at State!

From the desk of Roger Gerstenberger, Headmaster

Catch the Vision!

Congratulations to our Distinguished Students

Distinguished Students have been chosen for the months of August, September, and October. These Seniors have demonstrated excellence in academics, leadership, and Christian character.

AUGUST: Peter Lee and Rebecca Black

SEPTEMBER: Danny Burke and Katie Volak

OCTOBER: James Randall and Abby Buffington

Congratulations!

Lee Black

Burke Volak

Randall Buffington

Upper Classmen RetreatsThe parking lot was empty on September 23rd as the upper classmen enjoyed a day away from school to

participate in class retreats. The trips have been a tradition for many years. They began as a way to promote fellowship and bonding between the students as they enter their last years at Metro.

The Junior Class went to the HelmZar Challenge/Ropes Course in Tulsa for a day filled with various activities and challenges. The different activities the students participated in helped them learn “hands-on” building, problem-solving, trust and communication.

The seniors loaded motorcoaches on Sunday afternoon and traveled to Camp Lutherhoma, outside of Tahlequah, for a late afternoon and evening filled with fun, fellowship, and shaving cream fights. The following morning they filled the Illinois River with rafts as they navigated, tipped and laughed their way down the river.

IN THIS ISSUE High School News ........... 2

Middle School News ........ 4

Elementary News ........... 5

Athletics News .............. 6

Fine Arts News .............. 7

Retro Metro .................. 8

Metro Christian Academy

Hall of Fame 2014

Nomination forms coming soon via email, facebook,

and metroca.comStart thinking now of

nominations for each category Alumni, faculty,

administration/staff, and board members/founders

PAST WINNERS:2008

Dr. Rod Goodsell

Dr. Matt Kimberling

Mr. Bob Beard

Mr. Richard Eldridge

2011

Dr. Wanda Hartman

Bennie and Carole Crowder

Stuart Sullivan

Carol Kelley

high school news

New Science Class: ForensicsMrs. Blake and Mrs. Pyron have teamed up to provide an alternate lab

science option for juniors and seniors. The Botany/Zoology class has been replaced with the new Forensics and Nutrition combination. Each class is offered for one semester.

Mrs. Blake is pioneering the curriculum for Forensics with the goal of teaching students how to effectively gather evidence, think critically, and use the biology and chemistry lab for investigation. Lab class activities are designed to interest and engage the students. Guest speakers are also part of the curriculum. Our own Tim Thomas visited the classroom with a fellow police officer to discuss and demonstrate the effects of alcohol on an individual’s ability to react. Special goggles were used for the demonstration. While wearing the goggles, students experienced impaired vision and balance which made it very difficult to walk in a straight line. Recently, Lori Fulbright from KOTV channel 6, came to the Forensics class to talk to the students about crime investigation. Mrs. Blake has many exciting activities planned for the remainder of the semester.

Mole DayCelebrated annually on October 23 from 6:02 a.m.

to 6:02 p.m., Mole Day commemorates Avogadro’s Number (6.02 x 1023), which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. Mole Day was created as a way to foster interest in chemistry. Schools throughout the United States and around the world celebrate Mole Day with activities related to chemistry and/or moles. Students in Mrs. Warner’s Chemistry classes were assigned an element from the periodic table to research and present using a three-dimensional mole made of either clay or fabric. The mole had to represent the element assigned to the student and had to define its unique properties and uses. The projects proved to be very creative and educational.

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Ancient CivilizationMrs. Gastineau’s 6th grade World Civilization classes are practicing

to be archeologists. They designed symbols representing themselves and then painted them on small clay pots. The next day, the students came into class and found their pots broken into pieces. The students worked to put the pieces together, simulating reconstruction after an archeological discovery. Many of the pots even had a few missing pieces since archeologists don’t always find a full artifact!

Another project this year was a study of the Olmec civilization in Mesoamerica. This group left behind 10 massive stone heads. All of them were unique, but all had very similar facial features. Each student was given a mound of clay to recreate one of the stone heads.

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Middle School Pep RallyMiddle School celebrated the fall sports in a recent pep rally. The cheer and pom squads performed, as well as, the middle school band. Members of the

6th, 7th, and 8th grade football teams and the cross country team were recognized. STUCO officers led the pep rally and a dance-dance revolution game. A boy and a girl from each grade were selected to compete and the crowd was encouraged to participate by cheering for the dancers representing their grade. Another pep rally is planned for the Spring semester to recognize the remaining sports.

Middle School Ropes Course RetreatEarlier in the semester, the sixth grade class participated in a ropes challenge course to

build teamwork, leadership, trust, and bonding. They travelled to Tulsa’s HelmZar Challenge / Ropes Course, which is an experiential adventure program offering groups an opportunity to participate in a series of activities involving mental, physical, and emotional risk in a safe environment. The course consists of a specifically designed series of ropes, cables, steel, and logs creating challenges that might be encountered in a natural setting. The specific challenge takes the group through various obstacles to identify common reactions, insights, and emotions that occur as a result. The students experienced feelings such as joy, fear, fatigue, compassion, and laughter together which is what creates bonds and builds strong teams.

National Punctuation DayAnnually, September 24th, classrooms around the country

celebrate National Punctuation Day. Mrs. Pebsworth’s 8th grade English classes joined in the “celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotation marks, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever-mysterious ellipsis,” according to nationalpunctuationday.com. In this day and age where a punctuation mark can be considered a fashion accessory, these English students took time to recognize the importance of proper punctuation in a fun and interactive way with games and snacks.

middle school news

Elementary Walk-A-ThonParent Teacher Fellowship hosted the annual Walk-a-thon on a beautiful Fall day in October. It was not only a successful fundraiser, but a fun day for our

students and families. Round and round the track, the students walked and ran. Students will receive prizes for the most laps completed and most money collected. PTF will use the money raised for the purchase of technology for the elementary school. Items on Mr. Buffington’s wish list include four SMART boards, an iPad Cart, 21 Netbooks with a security cart, and 14 stand-alone iPads. Also on the list, if funds allow, is playground equipment including balls and jump ropes.

Thank you to Julie Condry and Kristin Spencer for organizing this event and to all the parent volunteers, staff, and faculty who help to make this a success.

A Gift from Cookie Sales

Girl Scout Troop 54 began in the fall of 2009 with a group of 18 Metro Kindergartners. Since then, they have sold thousands of boxes of Girl Scout cookies. The group is now moving on and as their last act of service they used the funds they have raised to purchase an iPad for their 4th grade class. On behalf of Mr. Buffington and the 4th grade teachers, thank you Troop 54!.

Health WeekThe Elementary students were “Fueled” up during Health Week October 7th – 11th. A group from the

Youth Philanthropy Initiative, a local three year leadership program for high school students, brought FUEL to Metro. The 18 member team is on a mission to give students the knowledge and tools to engage in healthy eating practices. They brought a curriculum with video lessons and activities which encourage students to make healthy choices each day.

FUEL launched health week in an assembly on Monday morning. The students caught on very quickly to the 3-2-1 point systems used for rating food: the higher the point value, the healthier the food. Each day of the week, the teachers used FUEL’s video lessons to review the importance of good eating and life choices. The week included serving, sharing, and introducing a variety of healthy snacks in the classroom. Students also participated in activities such as competitions for the highest food points, a poster contest for Food as Fuel, and walks on the track before school. The 5th grade Science classes saw a presentation by a Metro mom, Dr. Regina Lewis, of a healthy and a diseased lung. The week wrapped up with the annual Walkathon, which raised money for Parent Teacher Fellowship.

Making a DifferenceRachel’s Challenge, to start a chain reaction, has

become more than an adopted program integrated into the elementary school. Making a difference is a core value among our students, as evidenced by the hundreds of chains already hanging in the hallways and the participation in service projects offered after school.

One of the recent service projects was making no-sew fleece blankets for Emergency Infant Services. This non-profit organization provides assistance to thousands of families a year who have children five years and under. The fleece was donated and cut by generous Metro families and the students, spread throughout several classrooms, diligently tied the blankets together. The 52 blankets made by our students will be placed in the “boutique” at EIS where many needy families shop for items for their children.

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elementary news

Middle School Cross Country

The middle school cross country teams finished their season with spectacular results at the Junior High All Star Championship Meet in Oklahoma City over Fall Break.

The girls’ team won 2nd place with Ally Stoner and Caroline McKee finishing 1st and 3rd overall. Six additional runners received metals for finishing in the top 30: Anna Watson, Kiersten Hall, Ashley Barnes, Sydni Eagleton, and Julia Thigpin. Other team members include Avery Ethridge, Gillian Gallant, Kelcy Mayes, Gina Rokisky, and Hallie Sutton.

Jonathan Horton (10:46) and Ryan Gary (10:49) led the boys team, placing 1st and 2nd overall and breaking the middle school 2-mile record time! The boys team finished in 4th place and includes other runners Nathan Daniels, Caleb Freese, Graham Jameison, Jerry Oquin, Carson Rose, and Bill Wilson.

Undefeated PatriotsWeek after week, the Patriots continue to dominate the football field.

Most teams have not been able to score against us! The scores in October were 46-0 against Sperry, 42-0 against Verdigris, 42-2 against Dewey, and last Friday night we beat Blackwell 35 -0.

There are two regular season games left and they are HOME games. Friday, November 1st is our Homecoming game against Claremore Sequoyah. We will celebrate and recognize our senior players November 8th when they play Berryhill. Join us for some exciting football games!

Go Patriots!

Karina Keck

Metro Junior, Karina Keck, was among five young women across the United States selected to represent Team USA in Argentina at the Youth Parapan American Games. The games were held from October 14-19 in Buenos Aires, where Team USA women went undefeated in a 3x3 basketball tournament. The team brought home a gold medal despite the fact that none of the members had played together previously. They quickly developed strong chemistry during their five days abroad, enabling them to beat teams from Argentina and Canada.

Cheer Regional ChampsEarlier in September, Metro Varsity Cheerleaders placed 4th at the 5A State Competition in

Stillwater. A week prior to State, they earned their competition qualification by winning the Regional Championship in Bixby! The squad blew away their competition with sharp moves and excellent stunts. We are so proud of their dedication and hard work!

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athletics news

Ornaments for Oklahoma TreeHigh School Art teacher, Ruth Vesanen, was selected by Ronda

Roush Studios of Tulsa to create ornaments to adorn the State of Oklahoma Christmas Tree in President’s Park in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Vesanen’s AP and Honors art classes used small silver cowboy hats and boots, enclosed in a clear globe decorated with writing and drawings that represent Oklahoma’s heritage, culture, and people to create ornaments that tell Oklahoma’s story. Each unique work of art, adorned with silver tensil, will hang on the tree located on

the Pathway to Peace at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place at the beginning of December. The trees can be viewed throughout the month.

“Metro Christian is thrilled to be selected to provide the artistic design for the ornaments that will hang on the State of Oklahoma Christmas Tree at the nation’s capitol. We have an outstanding art program led by Mrs. Vesanen, which continues to receive state and national recognition. This is a wonderful opportunity for our young artists to display their talents,” stated Roger Gerstenberger, Headmaster.

Choir BusinessMetro’s Choirs have been busy with performances and fundraisers. Earlier in the school

year, Concert Choir sang concert selections at the University Village Nursing Home and got to know some of the residents. All choirs performed at the Fall Fine Arts Preview night and at their Fall Concert, “Homeward Bound.”

Many thanks go out to Metro families and friends who bought fall plants and ate at Taco Bueno during their choir night. Funds raised will help the Vocal Music Department to pay for visiting musicians that accompany and collaborate with our talented singers.

10x10 Art SaleThe annual 10x10 Art Sale held on October

10th at 10:10 a.m. was another huge success. Once again the canvases were a hot commodity as students and family members rushed to be the first in line to purchase their favorite 10x10 canvas. One hundred twenty-nine painted canvases were available to purchase. The works ranged from complex scenery to simple graphics. The show was so popular that all but 14 were sold. The funds from the ticket sales will be used to purchase colored glass to create a fused glass plate to be designed by all the high school art students.

Student Art at Gilcrease

Thirty-seven high school art students have the privilege of participating in a special exhibit at Gilcrease Museum. The Metro art exhibit will be on display through November 10th. Gilcrease is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free for students and $8 for adults. While you’re at Gilcrease, you can visit exhibits such as the internationally acclaimed “The New Frontier” and “Dreams and Visions” art collection which explores the artists’ views of the land, the myths and the realities that make up the American story of western expansion.

Students represented at Gilcrease:

Lauren Rippy

Emily Barnes

Margo Marsh

Katie Cripe

Bailey Wyatt

Emily Rose

Abby Henry

Carter Link

Lauren Tedford

Mason Smith

Chase Turner

John Voth

Claire Zhuang

David Pierce

Jay Smith

Elise Engles

Shelby Smith

Zoe Rose

Rachel Stacy

Aimee Lewis

Jenna Hasz

Carly Robinson

Sammi Lawson

Natalie Gary

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fine arts news

Retro Metro Lisa Mask Bull - Class of 2005

What’s your favorite Metro Memory?

I have great memories from the state tennis team tournaments and just hanging out with friends in between classes and outside of school.

What did you do after graduating from Metro?

I completed my undergraduate education at The University of Tulsa with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. After this I went to medical school at The University of Oklahoma and graduated in 2013. Halfway through medical school, I married my husband Nick Bull!

What are you doing now?

Currently I am in Tulsa completing my internship in Internal Medicine. At the end of this year I will be moving to Texas where I will complete an additional three years of residency training in Dermatology.

Do you keep up with any of your friends from high school?

I have maintained close friendships with many of my Metro classmates. Whenever we get together, it always feels like no time has passed since our days at school. It’s fun to reminisce about old memories and continue to create new ones together. Overall, it’s been very cool to witness the success of my friends and to see them start families.

How did Metro prepare you for your future?

My experience with Mrs. Vesanen and the Metro AP art class gave me a very strong background in art and ultimately influenced my desire to pursue Dermatology as a medical specialty. Dermatologists must recognize subtle changes in texture, shape, color and form—I learned how to analyze all of these things in art class! The cat dissection from Mrs. Blake’s pre-AP biology class was also very helpful preparation for my future anatomy courses. At the time I was more interested in naming my cat (Chontrelle) but the

OU LeadersMetro 2012 graduates Caleb McGuire,

Aarol Parks, Colton Richardson, Emma Rokisky, and Jordan Wilson were accepted into OU’s JC Penney’s Leadership Program this year. The students chosen are among the top-level leaders in various student organizations within Price College and throughout the OU community.

The JCPenney Leadership Program at Price College of Business offers students learning experiences designed to bridge the gap between their academic and professional lives. Students participate in workshops and seminars and interact daily with faculty and staff. Students benefit from meeting leaders and executives from government, corporate and non-profit organizations. Associates are encouraged to develop their peer network and thus develop strong bonds that last well after college.

UPCOMING EVENTS Save the Date

Fall Choir Concert October 10, 7:00-8:00 pm

Elementary Walkathon October 11

P-3 – 2nd grade, 9:00 – 10:00 am 3rd – 5th grade, 10:30 – 11:30 am

10 x 10 Art Show Sale October 12

Show begins at 10:10 am, Sale begins at 3:00 pm

One Act Play and Fine Arts Preview October 22, 5:00-9:00 pm

Fall Open House Tuesday, October 22, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Headmaster’s Town Hall Meeting October 24 , 7:00 – 8:00 pm November 21, 8:15 – 9:15 am

Cow Patty Bingo/Homecoming November 1

MCA Bazaar November 15

Headmaster’s Annual Appeal: Where Vision Meets Passion

INCENTIVES/BENEFITS:

Donations of $350 (or increments of $350) will be entered into a drawing for a $3,000 tuition waiver that will be given away for

the 2014-15 school term.

THREE NEW OPPORTUNITIES

If 100% of the families in a grade make a gift to the Appeal, at any donation amount, the entire grade will receive

an additional Free Dress Friday in February, March, and April.

Gifts of $100 (or increments of $100 up to $200) will be entered

into a drawing for an iPad2.

Gifts of $5,000 or greater will receive a reserved parking spot for

the 2014-15 school year.

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