WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY PRESENTS Windows · windows westminster christian academy presents fall 2015 wca student named national merit scholar alumni feature a love for teaching

WindowsWESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY PRESENTS

FALL 2015

WCA STUDENT NAMEDNATIONAL MERIT

SCHOLAR

Alumni FeatureA LOVE FOR TEACHING

AROUND THE WORLD

HomecomingSeptember 25th

VIETNAMSTUDENTEXCHANGEHeadline Story:It’s A Small World After All

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FALL EDITION 2015Editor: Lori-Ellen HudnallPublication Specialist: Cheri MaddoxCommunication Coordinator:Laura RichesonDesigner: Dee Dee JohnstonUPPER SCHOOL6th - 12th Grades237 Johns RoadHuntsville, Alabama 35806256-705-8000LOWER SCHOOLK4 - 5th grades375 Mount Zion RoadMadison, Alabama 35757256-705-8300www.wca-hsv.orgAccredited by Southern Associationof Colleges and SchoolsMember of Association of ChristianSchools InternationalMember of Alabama High SchoolAthletic AssociationADMINISTRATIVE STAFFRon KleinHEAD OF SCHOOLEmily DonaldsonDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONSDick SpybeyDIRECTOR OF ATHLETICSLeslie ParkerDIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONSLori-Ellen HudnallDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONSDiane BlockerDIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTIONKathy HightowerUPPER SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALKerry St. JohnUPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPALMaria LymanLOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPALAlma HustonDIRECTOR OF COUNSELING AND STUDENT SERVICESWCA BOARDStacy Murphree, PresidentJohn Hamilton, Vice PresidentJohn Jeff ery, TreasurerRhega Gordon, SecretaryNathan CoxNathan EldridgeTodd Hayes

Simple Suppo t

1. Publix Partners Cards. If you shop at Publix, please stop by either school campus’ main offi ce and pick up a Westminster Publix Partner Card. Next time you shop, have the sales associate swipe the card before you check out, and Publix will donate a portion of the sale directly to Westminster.

2. Kroger Community Rewards. If you shop at Kroger, you probably already have a Kroger Plus card, which saves you money on groceries. Use your card to log onto https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards and select Westminster Christian Academy as your benefi ciary. When you shop, Westminster gets a percentage back!

3. Target Red Cards. Next time you shop at Target, ask for a Target Red Card or visit www.targetredcard.com for more information. The card can be set up as a credit card or a debit card, and you can select Westminster as your school. When you apply your purchases to your Target Red Card, Target will donate up to 1% of your RED card purchases.

4. Smile.Amazon.com. When you make purchases at Amazon.com log onto www.smile.amazon.com instead, and select Westminster as your benefi ciary. Don’t worry! All the benefi ts from your already established Amazon account will transfer over. When you make a purchase through smile.amazon.com, Westminster receives a percentage of the sale.

Keep in mind, there are several extremely simple ways you can support Westminster all year long:

DearWestminsterFamily,

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We’re well underway on a new school year. Substantial work has been completed to enable us to have an exemplary

year. Our three principals and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction are all in their second year of their positions. Furthermore, none of them have teaching responsibilities. This stability, along with crisp organizational practices, provides a fi rm leadership foundation.

In July, the School Board approved a new WCA Strategic Plan and the fi ve-year Westminster Improvement Plan. These documents will aid all of us in being aligned on priorities. The semi-annual report card (with 56 metrics) and the annual budget are the other primary governing documents that provide the School Board with the information and transparency it needs to perform its responsibilities.

It should be evident that we’ve completed several facility upgrades at both campuses. In addition, excellent procedures and internal coordination are in place. This base now enables us to devote greater attention to improved student learning. We are collecting more student achievement data and paying close attention to academic trends and longitudinal results. Teacher groups, called Professional Learning Communities, are assessing empirical data and collaborating to determine how we can constantly pursue improvement. “Becoming better than we were,” is our new mantra.

I’m optimistic about this school year. This year, we have several new programs at both the Lower and Upper School. One example is the new Senior Series, a class designed to prepare our seniors for life after WCA. Another example is our ongoing emphasis to develop a nationally recognized speech and debate program. Speaking well is, in itself, a valuable skill, but it is in speaking and writing that we can assess whether our students are orderly in their thinking. I’m also optimistic about the long-term course. We have the school governance, leadership,

administration, faculty, staff , and practices to accelerate a culture of continuous improvement. Most importantly, we are prayerful. We fully understand that we are engaged in God’s work and He calls us to excel.

I am grateful for the opportunity to join in God’s work. As I see the rapid cultural changes occurring, I am reminded of the great need to prepare our students to infl uence the times for which they were chosen.

In His service,

CONTENT2 Annual Report4 It’s a Small World After All7 Admissions: It’s an Inside Job8 Alumni Updates9 Who’s Who & Who’s New10 Lower School Highlights11 Athletics12 Upper School Highlights14 Back to School Fun16 The Reviews Are In17 WCA Graduate Chosen as National Merit Scholar18 Facilities: Behind The Scenes20 Alumni Feature21 Homecoming22 WPC Dreams Finally Becoming Reality24 Westminster Students: Missionaries in The Making

WCA is a covenantal school that provides quality education from a Biblical perspective.

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WCA School R E P O R TCARD

Thank you to our generous donors listed on the next page.

Date of this report: July 1, 2015

1. The academic achievement level of our students is our priority. The ACT/SAT scores of our students are a valid indicator of how well we are academically preparing our students to leave Westminster. Improving the academic achievement levels is a multi-year endeavor. We continue to see measurable growth through improvements in college readiness exams.

2. During the 2014-2015 school year, the following A.P. classes were off ered:

1. AP English Language and Composition (11th) 2. AP English Literature (12th) 3. AP Statistics 4. AP Calculus 5. AP US History 6. AP Government 7. AP Biology

3. Boosterthon fundraiser raised over $19,000 and was used to purchase two new pieces of playground equipment for Lower School.

4. Teacher-student ratio and average class sizes for elementary, middle, and high school.

This does not include study halls, aides, or tutoring in class sizes.

Average Class Sizes Elementary 16.3 Middle School 22.4 Upper School 17.6

Average Bible Class Sizes Elementary 17.5 Middle School 24 Upper School 26.5

5. What was the number of sports played in 2014-15?

15 sports

6. What was the number of athletic team opportunities for students in 2014-15?

40 teams

7. List the co-curricular programs off ered. Athletics, Band, Chemistry Club, Choir, Debate

Team, Destination Imagination, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Flag Corps, Key Club, Latin Club, Lego Club (Lower Campus), Lincoln Village Ministry, Music Appreciation, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Student Council, and Student Government.

8. Over $108,000 was given out in tuition assistance for the 2014-15 school year.

9. What other audits, inspections, reviews, (property, personnel, operations, or other) were conducted during the previous 12 months? What were the results?

The Westminster Athletic Department received a perfect score of “100%” on their annual Alabama High School Athletic Association Campus Audit.

2014-2015 Finances

Total Operating Income $ 5,875,745 Total Advancement Income $ 417,429 Total Income $ 6,293,174

Operations Expenses Operating & Employee Expenses $ 5,215,266 Interest Expense $ 303,077 Depreciation $ 360,000 Total Operating Expenses $ 5,878,343 Annual Fund Purchases $ 258,399 Total Expenses $ 6,136,742

Net Operating Income $ 156,432

*Unaudited fi gures

Mr. & Mrs. Terry AbbottDr. & Mrs. Timothy Adams, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Adams Ms. Jessie Darlene AebersoldMrs. Jennifer Grimes AhiaRev. & Mrs. Paul Alexander Mr. & Mrs. Emile Alt, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Steve AlversonMr. & Mrs. Michael Aughtman, Sr.Mrs. Karen Looger BabbMr. & Mrs. Brian Baeder Mr. & Mrs. Colin Bagwell Mr. & Mrs. Shaun Baker Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Baker Mr. & Mrs. Nickolas Barkley Mr. & Mrs. Doug BartlettMr. & Mrs. Ted Baudendistel Mr. & Mrs. James Baugher Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bauman Mr. & Mrs. Rick Baxley Mr. & Mrs. Mark Bell Mrs. Carolyn BellMr. & Mrs. Richard Benson Mr. & Mrs. Jerry BentleyDr. & Mrs. Robert Benton, Jr.Ms. Janice BerkompasMr. & Mrs. Cecil Best Mr. & Mrs. Zachary Best Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Betts Dr. Julian & Dr. Amy BillingsRev. & Mrs. Larry Billiter Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Black Dr. John & Dr. Nancy Blevins Mrs. Diane BlockerMr. & Mrs. James Bocking, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. William Bolton Mr. Barry BolyardMr. & Mrs. S. Ben Bosma Ms. Karin BosmaMr. & Mrs. Matthew Bounds Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Bowden Mr. & Mrs. James Bowman Mrs. Karen BoydMs. Shirley A. BradfordMiss Lauren BrasherMr. & Mrs. Paul Brashier Mr. & Mrs. Paul W. BrashierMr. & Mrs. David Bray Mr. & Mrs. Bob Breazeale IIMr. & Mrs. Rickey Brewington Mr. & Mrs. Frank Brown Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Brown Mr. Vincent BrunoMr. & Mrs. Jared BrunsMs. Sandra C. BryantMr. James BuchananMr. & Mrs. R.M. Buchanan Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Bumpas Mr. & Mrs. Lee ButlerMr. & Mrs. Scott ButlerMr. & Mrs. Andrew Callan Mr. & James Cambron Ms. Barbara CanupMr. & Mrs. Ronald Carbaugh Dr. & Mrs. James Cartwright Ms. Alitta S. CauseyMr. & Mrs. Jake Childers, Jr.Ms. Ann ClarkMr. & Mrs. Elwood Clark Mr. & Mrs. Billy Claunch Mr. & Mrs. William Claunch Mr. John ColeyMr. & Mrs. Kenneth Collier Ms. Tijuana Deonderia CollierMr. Donald T. ComerDr. & Mrs. Rex Conners Mr. & Mrs. Echol Cook

Rev. & Mrs. Keith Cook Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Coombe Mr. Nathan & Dr. Melanie Cox Mr. Jim CoxMr. & Mrs. William Craven Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Crawford Mr. & Mrs. Lynwood Cyr Mr. & Mrs. Deke Damson Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Damson Mr. & Mrs. Roy DarnellMr. & Mrs. Bart Darwin Mr. & Mrs. Sam Darwin Mr. & Mrs. Rick Dau Mr. & Mrs. Bertrand Davis Mr. & Mrs. J. Andrew Davis Mr. & Mrs. Derrick Dean Dr. & Mrs. Scott Denny Mr. & Mrs. Lanny DeVaney, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Butler R. Dillon Mr. Gil DobbsMr. & Mrs. Murrel DonaldsonMr. & Mrs. Jeremy Donaldson Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Dowling Mr. & Mrs. Harold Dowling Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy Dunn Mr. & Mrs. Clay DurrettMiss Bertha DykstraMr. & Mrs. Charles Edgar Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Edwards Dr. & Mrs. Mark Eich Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Eldridge Dr. & Mrs. Kevin Ellis Mr. & Mrs. Will Ellis Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Emmons Mr. & Mrs. William EmrichMr. & Mrs. Tim Eno Mr. & Mrs. Steven Erickson H. L. ErnestMr. John EysterDr. & Mrs. Bryan Fancher Ms. Tracey FarrMr. & Mrs. Jack FarrisMr. & Mrs. Jon Farris Mr. Basil & Gina FeeMr. & Mrs. Michael Feld Mr. James Flinn, IIIMr. & Mrs. Valmore FogleMs. Sheila FogleMr. & Mrs. Douglas Fooshee Mr. & Mrs. Barry Ford Mr. & Mrs. Gary ForsterMr. & Mrs. E. Phillip Fox, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. O.C. Furgerson Mr. & Mrs. David Furtwengler Ms. Wendy K. GallegosMr. William Heath GallowayMrs. Jeannie M GallowayMr. & Mrs. Robert Gamble Mr. & Mrs. Chadwick Gipson Mr. & Mrs. Jason Glasgow Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Goode Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Goode Mr. & Mrs. Greg Gore Mr. & Mrs. Frank Gossett Mr. & Mrs. John Gossett COL & Mrs. Jackson Graham, IIIDr. & Mrs. Kenneth Graham, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Charles GrayMs. Vickie Griffi nMr. & Mrs. William Grimes, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. John Gunn Mr. & Ms. Donald Hachen Mr. Richard Haggard Mr. Greg HaggardMs. Tonya HaggardMr. Charles HagoodMr. & Mrs. Dewey Hakes

COL (Ret) & Mrs. John Hamilton Mr. & Mrs. Louis Hamilton, Sr.Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Hammond Rev. & Mrs. David Hammond Mr. & Mrs. Nolan Hardin Ms. Pamela S. HarndenMr. & Mrs. Kelly Harness Mr. & Mrs. Carl HarperMr. & Mrs. John Harrington, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Brian Harris Mr. & Mrs. Norm Harris Mrs. Becky HartleyMr. & Mrs. Christopher Hayes Mr. & Mrs. Elon Hayes Mrs. Sandy HayesMr. Ralph HaygoodTerry HaygoodMs. Mary HendricksMr. & Mrs. Lafett Hendrix Mr. & Mrs. Phil Hendrix Ms. Cynthia HendrixMs. Elizabeth HewlettMr. & Mrs. Joel Hightower Mr. & Mrs. Mike Hill Mr. David HillMr. & Mrs. Bruce Hiller Mr. & Mrs. Jefferson Hinely Mr. Brian Hinson Mr. & Mrs. Michael Holbert Mr. Franklin HoldrenMr. & Mrs. Thomas Hollingshead Mr. & Mrs. Joe Hollingsworth Mr. William HoodMiss Mary HoogwerfMr. & Mrs. Stephen Hooks Mr. & Mrs. Scott Hopkins Mrs. Linda A. HornMr. & Mrs. Jermie Howell Mr. & Mrs. Bobby HubbardMr. & Mrs. Kyle Hubbard Mr. & Mrs. John Hubert Mr. Mark Hudnall Mrs. Lori Ellen HudnallMr. Perry HudsonMr. & Mrs. Jim HughesMr. & Mrs. Mark Hutchison Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Hutchison Mr. & Mrs. Brian Irons Mr. & Mrs. Jason Irvin Mr. & Mrs. Scott Isreal Mrs. Mary Lou IveyG. M. JacksonMr. & Mrs. Robert Jassey Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Jenkins COL & Mrs. Lewis Johnson, Jr.Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Johnson Dr. & Mrs. Steven Johnson Dr. Dean Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Graham Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Michael Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Michael P. Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Robert Johnson, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Alan JudgeMr. & Mrs. Alan Kaufmann Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Kelley, Sr.Dr. & Mrs. F. Kelly IIMr. & Mrs. Charles Kelly Mr. & Mrs. Shawn Kelly Mr. & Mrs. Jason Kennedy Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Keys Mr. & Mrs. Steven Creg Killen Mr. & Mrs. David Kimrey Mr. & Mrs. Brian KingMrs. Peggy Ann KinneyMr. & Mrs. Ron Klein Mr. John KnightMr. & Mrs. Jeff Korotky

Ms. Gene KorotkyMr. & Mrs. Bryan Kubishta Mr. & Mrs. John KuiperMr. & Mrs. Justin Kyser Dr. & Mrs. Todd Lackey Mr. & Mrs. Russ Lakin Mr. & Mrs. Shea Lakin Mr. Alfred LambertMr. & Mrs. Christopher Landers, Sr.Mr. & Mrs. John Lange Mr. & Mrs. Bruce LaPaugh Mr. Ben LauderdaleMr. & Mrs. Louis LeBlanc IIIMs. Dorothy M. LeeMr. Jerry LeeMr. John D. LeeMr. & Mrs. Alfred Lewis Mr. & Mrs. Ted LewisMr. & Mrs. Christopher Lindberg Mr. & Mrs. Roger Locke, Jr.Dr. & Mrs. Jason Lockette Ms. Gail LovejoyMr. & Mrs. Chris Lovejoy Mr. & Mrs. Mark Lovejoy Mr. & Mrs. John Micah Lyman Mr. & Mrs. Fred Lyon Mr. & Mrs. Paul Shannon Mabry Dr. & Mrs. Kyle Maddox Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Maddox Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Madison Mr. & Mrs. James Maffett, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Jon Damon Manders Mr. Steve Mann Mr. & Mrs. David Mansfi eld Mr. & Mrs. Mark Mantooth Mr. & Mrs. William Martin Mr. & Mrs. Phil Matthewson Mr. & Mrs. Frank MattoxMr. & Mrs. George Mayer Mr. & Mrs. Robert MayesCOL & Mrs. Dariel Mayfi eld Mr. Gregg & Dr. Cindy McAdams Mr. Landon McAfee Mr. & Mrs. Kelly McCartyMr. & Mrs. Scott McCoy Ms. Debbie McCutchenMr. & Mrs. J. David McCutchen, Jr.David & Linda McFaddenMr. & Mrs. John McFarland Mrs. Gail McKeeMrs. Betty Shipman McKelvyStacie McLainMr. & Mrs. A.J. McMahon Mr. L. Thompson McMurtrieRev. & Mrs. Brian Milby Mr. Charles O. MilesCharles & Brenda MillerMr. & Mrs. Matthew Keith MillerMr. & Mrs. Kevin Miller Mr. & Mrs. William Mink Mr. & Mrs. Glen Miskovish Mr. & Mrs. Harry Miskovish Mr. & Mrs. Jay Miskovish Mr. & Mrs. Rusty Miskovish Miss Bobbie MitchellMr. & Mrs. Michael Mize Mr. & Mrs. Robert Moore Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Morris Dr. & Mrs. Charles Mullins Dawn MurksMr. & Mrs. Michael Murphy Mr. & Mrs. Charles Newman Ms. Amy NguyenMr. & Mrs. Todd Noren Ms. Kathy NormanMr. & Mrs. Rick Norris Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Norris

Mr. & Mrs. Steve NorrisMr. & Mrs. Paul O’Donnell Mr. & Mrs. Ae Ran Pak Mr. Matthew PannkukMr. & Mrs. Wayne Parker Ms. Tabitha J. ParkerMr. & Mrs. Wade Patterson Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Patton Mr. & Mrs. Mark Payne Mr. & Mrs. Raul Paz Mr. & Mrs. Isidor PeMrs. Emma PeaceMr. & Mrs. Mark Pearsall Mr. & Mrs. Ken Peavy Mr. & Mrs. Joseph PelfreyMr. & Mrs. Alton Phillips, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Phillips Kay W. PlemonsDr. & Mrs. Garrett Poe Mr. & Mrs. Richard Pomnitz Ms. Varonica PorostoskyMrs. Jane PoseyMr. & Mrs. Chris Powell Mr. Stephen PriceMr. & Mrs. Harvey PrideMr. & Mrs. James Quillin Mrs. Linda RagusaMrs. Arlene RakestrawDr. & Mrs. Richard Randall Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Randall Mr. & Mrs. Darryl Rawlings Mr. & Mrs. Howard Raymond Ms. Mary Nell RectorMr. & Mrs. Jason Reinhardt Mr. & Mrs. Eric Renner Mr. & Mrs. Brian RentzMr. & Mrs. Tracy Reynolds Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Richeson Mr. & Mrs. David Rigby Ms. Patricia RigbyMrs. Namibia RobertsonMr. & Mrs. Alan RobisonMr. & Mrs. Justin Rock Mr. & Mrs. Doug Ross, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Rowell Mr. & Mrs. Ray Rowley Mr. & Mrs. Bill RufferMr. & Mrs. Stephen Schmidt Ms. Connie SchneiderMr. & Mrs. John Schoen Mr. & Mrs. Mark Schoen Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Schultz Mr. & Mrs. Brent Scott Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Scott Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Scruggs Mr. & Mrs. John Serrano Mrs. Gwendolyn Acker SeuellMr. & Mrs. James Sexton Dr. Wyatt Edward ShankleMr. & Mrs. Jeff Shepherd Mr. & Mrs. Johnston Shimer Rev. & Mrs. Michael Shipma Kenneth & Frances ShipmanMr. & Mrs. William Shirley Mr. & Mrs. John Shoemaker Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Shoemaker Mr. & Mrs. Gene Shreve Mr. & Mrs. Richard D. Siler Janice SimsRobin SimsDr. Robert & Dr. Elizabeth Skidmore Dr. & Mrs. Jeff Skinner Mr. & Mrs. Ray Smith Mrs. Heather SmithMr. & Mrs. Thomas South Mr. & Mrs. Brad SparksMr. & Mrs. Richard Spybey

Mr. Kerry St. JohnMr. & Mrs. Bobby Steadmon Mrs. Tammy StenderMr. & Mrs. Ken StierwaldMr. & Mrs. Michael Stokes Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Stover Mr. & Mrs. Brian Suggs COL (Ret) & Mrs. Robert Sullivan Mr. & Mrs. Van Sullivan Mr. & Mrs. Ronald SwaimMr. & Mrs. Don Swaney Mr. & Mrs. SwartzMr. & Mrs. Michael Sylvester Mrs. Judy SylvesterMr. & Mrs. Christopher Talley Mrs. Donna TalleyMr. & Mrs. Daniel Tate Mr. & Mrs. Courtney Ryan Taylor Mr. & Mrs. Orville Taylor Mr. & Mrs. William Taylor, Jr.Mr. Douglas TellerMr. Floyd TellerDr. & Mrs. Andrew Thies Mr. Chris & Dr. Amy ThompsonMrs. Cydney ThomsonMr. Steve ThorntonMr. & Mrs. Mark Thurston Mr. & Mrs. Shannon Thurston Mr. & Mrs. Jim TillisonMr. & Mrs. Eric Tishaw Mr. Tim TravisMs. Sheila Denise Triplett-HowardMr. & Mrs. David Tritt Mr. Arthur F. TuckerMr. & Mrs. G.C. Turner Mr. & Mrs. Paul E. TurnerMrs. Lois Van DykeMr. & Mrs. Jack VanKirk Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Vaughn Ms. Monique F VinelliEdie VoorheesMr. & Mrs. Ellis Waldon Ms. Dana Carol WalkerMr. Henry H Waller, IIIMr. Bentley WallsMr. & Mrs. Andy Warren Mr. & Mrs. Dwight Weaver Mr. & Mrs. Robert Webber Mr. Steve WeberMr. & Mrs. Christopher Weekley Constance WeisMr. & Mrs. Michael Weis Ms. Lorraine WestMr. & Mrs. Morse Westerfi eld Ms. Mindy WhitakerMr. & Mrs. Brooks Wilbourn Mr. & Mrs. Bert WilliamsMr. & Mrs. Haden Williams Mr. & Mrs. Joe Williams Mr. & Mrs. Roger Williams Mr. & Mrs. Woodrow WilliamsMrs. Judi WilliamsDr. & Mrs. Dean Willis Mr. & Mrs. Mike Willis Mr. & Mrs. James Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Neal Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Robert Wilson Mrs. Dianne WittkopMr. & Mrs. Fletcher Woo Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Wright Mr. & Mrs. Wayne WrightMr. & Mrs. David Wyatt Dr. & Mrs. Henry Younes Mr. & Mrs. Bret Young Mr. Louis C. ZanatyMr. & Mrs. Jonathan Zecher

The above fi gures are unaudited and do not refl ect annual debt service requirements. We do not charge tuition suffi cient to replace buildings. Rather, when new building construction is required, we use a capital campaign to raise funds.


After a short stay in Saigon, the city of DaNang was the next stop on their adventure. Students received a warm welcome at the airport by Hai Huynh from Fisher’s SuperKids, an educational institution specializing in teaching English as a second language, and eight Vietnamese exchange students who would be traveling back to Huntsville.

Hai came to the US in 1997 through a connection with World Vision. He applied for a scholarship, went through the program, met his future wife Teresa Fisher, and began teaching in California. In 2001, he returned to Vietnam because he felt God calling him to help the Vietnamese people. Teresa came over in 2002, and they

In the early morning hours of June 2nd, nine students and four chaperones left WCA’s campus to begin the adventure of a lifetime. Almost 38 hours later, they touched down in Saigon, Vietnam.

Seniors Ali Dutch, Katie Hayes, Jae Jung, Sarah Manders, Caleb Murphree, Bre Richeson, Preston Rowley; and juniors David Brashier and Emma Lynn, joined Head of School Ron Klein; Upper School Principal Kerry St. John; Director of Curriculum

and Instruction Diane Blocker; and Assistant to the Head of School Erica Hammond; on the fi rst-ever Westminster student exchange trip. The objective of the trip was to support the WCA mission by expanding one’s perspective through exposing our students to another culture, meeting Vietnamese teenagers, and contrasting the commonalities and distinctions between the two countries.

“It was a great cultural experience for our students. It allowed them to get out of their comfort zone and see how others live and gain an appreciation for what they have at home,” said Kerry. “We believe our goals were met. Our students were confronted by situations that were not normal for them – the intense heat, limited food choices, traffi c, noise, entire families riding on a motorbike with six people at a time. They were able to experience how others provide for their family and problem solve. Family is very important in the Vietnamese culture but a lot of them are in survival mode. It may be a necessity for the entire family to help earn money by working at their pottery shop or having their young children sell postcards.”

I t ’s A Small Wo ld After All

were married. In October 2005, they founded Fisher’s SuperKids English Center. Both Hai and Teresa graduated with a Master’s Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Azusa Pacifi c University (USA) and have over 30 years of combined experience in teaching English in the United States and Vietnam. Hai and Teresa live with their four children in DaNang.

“We stand out as a school because we teach more than English and art. We teach character development and practical skills, such as speaking in front of others, how to tie a tie and tie their shoes. We also teach social etiquette including table manners. Most importantly, we want our students

to feel loved and cared for by someone,” Hai explained.

Hai and his eight students accompanied the WCA group on their travels in DaNang and helped engage our students in a true cultural experience. On Sunday, they attended church in Vietnam. “The service was surprisingly touching,” Preston Rowley remarked. “Even though we couldn’t understand what they were saying, we could still feel the power of worship and fellowship with other Christians. I feel like the church we visited appreciated that Americans had come all this way and wanted to fellowship with them.”

Afterwards, Hai invited everyone to his home for lunch. “It gave


IT’S AN INSIDE JOBAdmissions:

of Westminster. I have three children who have been here, and they have benefi tted in all aspects of their life. I want that for all the children who come through Westminster,” she said.

Leslie’s son, Jacob, graduated in 2014 and is a walk-on for the Alabama Crimson Tide football program. Her son John is a senior this year, and Michael is a sophomore.

If you know a family who is inter-ested in joining the Westminster family, please have them contact Leslie at 256-705-8229.

With 102 new students being admitted this year and over 85 interviews being conducted as a part of that process, our Admissions Department is a critical piece of keeping our mission on track as a covenantal school.

Leslie Parker, Director of Admissions, understands and values our covenantal mission as both a parent and an employee. Leslie and her husband, Wayne, chose Westminster for their three children in 2000. That same year, she began working for Westminster as a substitute teacher and has worked in various capacities since then.

“When I was 18, I inherited an insurance offi ce from my father, and I began running that offi ce myself. When I became a mother, we decided it was best for our family for me to stay home and be involved in the daily lives of the children,” she said.

“We felt led to have our children attend Westminster, and I wanted to plug in as a parent. I started substituting as a teacher, and then I started working in the offi ce,” Leslie said.

She has been the Director of Admissions for fi ve years. During spring, she juggles hundreds of phone calls and family interviews. The process consists of receiving initial inquiries, setting up tours and shadowing for students, and tracking it all. If a family is interested, they fi ll out the application online from our website and have an interview. While it can be a time-consuming and hectic position, she says it suits her perfectly.

“I love working with and meeting new people. I love meeting students and getting to know families. It’s easy for me to sell the school because I believe in it. It’s been such a blessing to our family,” Leslie said.

“Working in this capacity is an opportunity for me to exercise my spiritual gift of hospitality. I enjoy making new families feel welcome and comfortable. I enjoy interacting with people. I want to help in their transition from wherever they are coming from and make it as easy as possible.”

Leslie says the interview is a critical part of ensuring the mission at Westminster is carried out. “This is the opportunity to make sure the family has an active relationship with Christ. One thing I see with every family is that they are searching for the best fi t for their child. I want to help them in the search because I want to see the children succeed. I want to see them grow spiritually and academically,” she said.

“I would like parents and students to know that even though I’m not in the classroom, my heart is to be a part of the success

us an opportunity to discuss religion,” Kerry said. “Our students were able to experience people who were living a Christian lifestyle, which is less than 2% of their population.”

Vietnam is an atheist state as declared by its communist government. “This opportunity caused our students to think, ‘God gave me the opportunity to go on this trip, now what do I do with it’,” Kerry refl ected.

Our students were able to visit a Buddhist Temple, the

Independence Palace, a pottery museum, a silk- making embroidery store, a marble sculpting factory and spend their dong (Vietnamese currency) in the market place.

“I loved the market place in Hoi An. I had an Ao Dai made as a souvenir for myself. This is a traditional silk dress that women in Vietnam wear. The high school teenage girls wear a white Ao Dai to school.” said Sarah Manders. “This trip was a great opportunity to broaden our view of the world.”

The fi nal leg of the journey ended with a visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia, where our students explored the temples of Angkor Wat. The ruins were constructed in the 12th century by the Khmer civilization.

Our Vietnamese friends traveled to the States and spent a week in Atlanta, Georgia, before arriving in Huntsville for a week of adventure. Several gracious WCA families hosted Hai and the eight exchange students. WCA Instructor, Barika Williams, served as their guide. Hai’s objective was

for students to experience life in a Christian household. Our visitors toured historic Lowe Mill, and their visit was covered by local media.

“From the Vietnamese prospective, it has been beyond my expectations. I did not expect this much love, support, and hospitality. It was a very positive experience for me and all eight of our exchange students,” said Hai. “Several of the students made observations about Americans praying before their meals. They enjoyed being a part of it. They also noticed that American drivers follow the rules of the road while driving and there is no honking.”

“I think it benefi ted both sets of kids. Two diff erent cultures were able to mesh quickly, get out of their comfort zones, learn to get along together and become friends. Both were able to see people are alike everywhere,” Kerry said. “Our students have a new appreciation for some of the advantages they have here, both through education and luxuries. I hope this is a practice we continue. As an outgrowth, we can recruit some Vietnamese students to join us at WCA for a year.”


Lori Martin – K4 Assistant, grew up in Hoover, AL, and studied child development at Auburn. Upon graduation in 1995, she joined the staff of Sav-a-Life, Inc. in Auburn as Counselor Coordinator. After fi ve years, she felt led to pursue a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. During her

student teaching she met her husband, Evan, and they married and moved to Huntsville. They currently live in Madison with their two children, Luke (WCA 3rd grader) and Elle (WCA 2nd grader). She says, “I’ve always thought very highly of Westminster and am honored to be a part of such an amazing Christian school family.”

Joanna Lindberg – Lunchroom, is a new addition to the Lower School lunchroom staff . She is married to Chris Lindberg, and they have fi ve children at WCA, ranging from 1st grade to 9th grade. Joanna has a degree in social work from Georgia State, and she worked at a battered women’s shelter in Atlanta

for several years before getting married and becoming an Army wife. After the Army, their family relocated to North Alabama, and Joanna was a stay-at-home mom. She said, “I am excited to be part of the WCA family in a new way this year, and I look forward to working with such a great staff at both campuses!”

Emily Montgomery – Spanish, is new to the Huntsville area. She is originally from Florence, Alabama, where she has lived her entire life until moving to Madison in June of this year. She attended the University of North Alabama, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education, Spanish, and Eng-

lish as a second language. She also has a Master’s degree from Auburn University in Foreign Language Education. (“War Eagle!” from Emily) She taught Spanish at Rogers High School in Lauderdale County for eight years and was chosen as Lauderdale County’s Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2014. She and her husband Chris (an asso-ciate pastor at Asbury UMC) have been married for eight years, and they have a little boy named Eddie Ray. “I love teaching Spanish and believe that God has called and gifted me to share my love for the Spanish language and culture with each student He puts before me.”

Mandy Hiller – Administrative Assistant to Upper School Principals, is from South Carolina. She has lived in Alabama since 2000 when she and her husband Brandon married. The have three daughters, Holly (WCA 7th grader), Edee (WCA 5th grader) and Julianna (WCA 1st grader). She has a BA in

Early Childhood Education and taught 2nd grade before becoming a stay-at-home mother after her fi rst child was born. “It has been 12 years since I worked full time, and I am so happy and blessed to have the opportunity to work at Westminster Christian Academy,” she said.

Trey Bunrick – HS Bible, is a Huntsville native who has returned home. After graduating from Huntsville High, he attended Ole Miss, where he received a BA in Psychology. He then worked for three years with Reformed University Fellowship before attending Reformed Theology Seminary in Charlotte, where

he graduated with a Masters of Divinity and – more importantly – met his wife Mary Grace, who was working with RUF at Davidson College. From seminary, Trey was called to be the RUF campus minister at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR, where he lived before coming to WCA. Trey teaches 11th grade Bible and 8th grade Logic.

Beth Sullivan – Alumni Relations, joins the staff in this new, part-time position. Her family has been involved with Westminster since their oldest child started kindergarten at the Lower Campus in 1996. After a million homework assignments and even more happy memories, their youngest

graduated in 2014. With several alumni in her own family, a background in public relations and a degree in communications, Beth says she is delighted to help alumni and alumni families stay connected with the WCA community.

Andrew Ingram – Middle School Science and Boys’ Varsity Soccer Coach, was born in Lancaster County, PA, but shortly thereafter moved to Poland where his parents served as missionaries for seven years. After moving to Germany and living there until 2011, he

received a soccer scholarship to play for UAH. He studied there for four years, graduating in May 2015 and earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology. He has a brother, Peter, who lives in Italy and a sister, Megan, who will be graduating from The University of Alabama in December. His parents still live in Germany.

Aaron Hammond, Boys Middle School Basketball, is a 1993 graduate of WCA, where he was named to the 1A All-State team and All-Tournament team. After graduating from WCA, he played basketball at Covenant College. Then he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History from UAH. (He also has a Master’s

Degree in Management Information Systems). He and his wife Erica (Assistant to the Head of School), have four living children (all WCA students): Carter (7th), Jackson (5th), Clara (3rd) and Julia (1st). In his day job, he is a software developer for Advance Auto Parts and a deacon at North Hills Church in Meridianville. His parents, David and Dixie Hammond, are school founders, and his sister, Emily Hammond Donaldson, is WCA’s Director of Operations. “I am grateful for the opportunity to help coach in Coach Stapler’s program.”

Who’s Who and Who’s NewAlumni2015 graduate, Braxton Conners, was recently named to the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team. The annual award is given to high school student athletes who maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and achieve the time standard in individual swimming events. Braxton qualifi ed with a 3.8209 GPA and a 100 Breast-Stroke time of 58.40.

Amber Newman (‘14) has been honored as a Peach Bowl Conference Residential Scholar for the 2014-2015 academic year. She runs cross country and track for the University of Montevallo, and her major is kinesiology.

Recent Graduates Isabelle Lynn (‘15) and Sydney Wilkerson (‘15) received $1,000 scholarships from the Kiwanis Club of NE Alabama. They were awarded the scholarships for their outstanding leadership in WCA’s Key Club.

WCA Director of Counseling and Student Services, Alma Huston, was in North Carolina when daughter Megan (Huston) Carter (‘01) and husband, Chris, texted from Orlando, “We’re going to the hospital!” Happy grandma got there in time to meet Lillian Kai Carter in the delivery room at 12:40 a.m. on July 24th.

Caroline Campbell (‘11) is now Caroline Bivens after marry-ing Nathan Bivens at Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Both are Lee graduates and met in a summer honors program.

The wedding party included Amelia Greising, Joyce Hwang, and Kyla Lumpkin, all 2011 Westminster graduates.

Andrew Murphy (‘11) graduated from Auburn and was commis-sioned in the United States Navy as an Ensign. His rank was

pinned on by his parents, Mike and Valinda Murphy. Mike is the Assistant Wrestling Coach at WCA. Andrew has just begun fl ight

training and is stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Big brother Brayden Brake is thrilled to have a little sister, Brylee, born June 21st. Parents Michael and Catherine (Sexton) Brake

(‘04) rejoice in her healthy arrival, especially since Catherine is currently fi ghting a cancer battle, with several months of chemo to go. Catherine is greatly encouraged that her mother, Upper School Receptionist Tracey (“Hi Sugar!”) Sexton recently celebrated three

years of being cancer free.

UPDATESTo update your contact information,

email [email protected]. If you have an update for us, email

[email protected].

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Clay Mills (‘07) works on Capitol Hill for Con-gressman Mo Brooks. His position as Staff Assistant/Legislative Correspondent consists of supervising Congress-man Brooks’ Washing-ton offi ce internship program and managing incoming and outgoing constituent correspond-ence regarding legisla-tive issues.


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Lower SchoolThis past year’s 4th and 5th graders participated in the National Math League Contest. The 4th grade team placed 71st out of 698 teams. The top 294 students were recognized at the competition, and Hannah Benton (current WCA 5th grader) made this top list.

This past summer, WCA off ered mini-enrichment camps at the Lower Campus. Seven classes were off ered, all taught by WCA teachers. The engineering class, taught by Mrs. Howell, experienced the engineering process through testing diff erent types of parachute

material and diff erent types of objects to put in a submersible. The music and drama classes, taught by Mrs. Bass and Mrs. Boyd, respectively, combined their talents to present an original play, written by Mrs. Boyd and 9th grader Madison Emmons. Students in the drama class memorized lines, learned stage directions, helped create props, scenery, and costumes, and learned seven songs. Students in the music class learned musical terms, memorized seven songs, played instruments, and created instruments. Together, the two groups presented A Modern Take on Fairy Tales: What if Fairy Tale Creatures Found the Bible? The play culminated with a beautiful original song, Respect, written by 5th Grader Ivy Feld and arranged by Mrs. Bass. Mrs. Matthewson’s computer programming class used the Scratch Curriculum, developed by the MIT media lab, which is designed with the intent to encourage fearless exploration of creative possibilities. Scratch introduces the basic concepts and practices of programming using Lego like coding blocks. Using these concepts, students used aspects of animation, script and narration, drawing and music to design stories, art, and games that refl ected their personal creativity. Students in Reading Rangers, taught by Mrs. Webber, cooked up some fun with literary favorites. After enjoying a good book, they got to cook! They enjoyed making macaroni salad, strawberry shortcake, popcorn balls, and homemade ice cream. The camp concluded with a “Fruits of the Spirit” placemat and a cookbook with all their recipes. Mrs. Madison’s Ready, Set, Refresh was a basic skills refresher course. Its purpose was to review fundamental math and reading skills to prepare students for the upcoming school year and to create an excitement for learning. Students enjoyed team building activities, singing skip counting songs, reading stories and identifying the characters, setting, and sequence of events. Mrs. Williams led the students in Art. The students had a great time working in diff erent media. They used clay with acrylic paint and glaze, canvas with acrylic paint, watercolor painting, watercolor pencils, and color pencil drawing with tissue paper borders applied with Modpodge. The also had several projects, including creative expression in clay and Young Monet’s painted canvas of an impressionistic Field of Tulips.

B

AthleticsAnnie Willis, Lauren Talton, and Olivia Aycock made the All Tennessee Valley (Softball) Team with Annie Willis leading the region and the state in both strikeouts (495) and wins (40). Olivia Aycock led the region in stolen bases (40). Annie (1st Team), Lauren (2nd Team), and Olivia (Honorable Mention) were also named to the 4A All State team. In addition, Annie was named to the First Team Super All-Team (1A-7A players).

Both middle school and high school cheer teams went to UCA camp this summer. Middle School attended a local camp at Sparkman 9th grade. Varsity went to camp at University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. There were about 50 squads and over 500 cheerleaders at the camp in Tuscaloosa. Our girls won several awards, and most notably were All-American Cheerleaders as chosen by UCA staff : Sophie McRoy, McKenzie Hardiman and Bradley Plott. Varsity Squad won the Leadership Award for the 2nd year in a row. This award is voted on by the other squads and the staff .

Fourteen of WCA’s 18 varsity teams advanced to last year’s playoff s. Seven of those 14 teams fi nished in the top fi ve in the State! Top teams were Boys Basketball and Swimming, both state runners-up; Cross Country placed 3rd; and Softball placed 4th.

Reading Buddies is a program off ered at Lower Campus in which older students adopt a younger reading buddy for the year. Older students can read with younger students and help model good reading habits. Reading is a skill that needs to be practiced on a

regular basis. This program encourages students to improve their skills together.

“I love that Reading Buddies gives the older students ownership in teaching and helps them to be better readers,” said Maria Lyman, Lower School Principal. “It sets a wonderful example for the younger students.”

A reading buddies program allows older students the opportunity to develop reading fl uency as well as a sense of pride in their accomplishments. Both students discover the value of reading while promoting good practices and gaining self-esteem. Studies show repeatedly reading easier books improves reading abilities, and this program provides students with a reason to read easier books.

“My reading buddy likes to sit in my lap and read to me,” said fi fth grade student, Ava Richeson. “I love to read and I enjoy reading to my buddy.”

Reading to younger students can help them develop a love of reading and a greater motivation to read. Younger students should also read to their older buddies each week, as this allows younger readers to feel a sense of accomplishment while they build fl uency.

“Ideally, our goal is for older and younger students to become familiar with one another and nurture a mutual interest in reading,” Lyman explained.

“The Reading Buddy program is a fantastic mentoring experience. I love how the older student takes responsibility to take care of the younger one. I love the interaction and beautiful friendship that develops during the year,” said Wanda Mullins, WCA 3rd grade teacher.

HIGHLIGHTSFOR THE LOVE OF

READING


NHS STUDENTS BUILDING BRIDGES

AT UPPER

HIGHLIGHTSUpper School A The 2016 Senior Class traveled to Mentone, Alabama, August 7th-9th for their annual Senior Retreat. While there, they participated

in the high and low ropes course, which is designed to build unity and camaraderie among the class members. They also had free time for swimming and relaxing. The students spent time in devotions and prayer, and as a group, chose their class verse for the year – 1 Peter 3:8-9.

B WCA held its annual Back to School Bash August 14th. The Festivities began in the gym with free pizza, face painting, infl atables, and a host of school organizations providing information. The bash moved to the stadium to introduce the fall sports teams. The dance team, band, color guard, and cheerleaders all performed for the crowd.

A

B

National Honor Society members held an Ice Cream Sundae Social for our 6th grade class on Wednesday, July 29th, in the Upper Campus Cafeteria as part of the NHS Buddy Program.

This program pairs a NHS member with at least one 6th grade student to guide and mentor throughout the school year. “Our mission for the program is to make the transition to Middle School smoother as the 6th graders join our Upper Campus,” said Bre Richeson, 2016 NHS President. “We paired the students through common interests discovered by their answers to a questionnaire we had them complete during the summer.”

While enjoying an ice cream treat together, our 6th grade students, along with their NHS Buddy, learned a little about each other. The NHS member shared their contact information with their 6th grade buddy to facilitate on-going communication during the school year. They were given a campus tour, located their specifi c classrooms and were introduced to some of their instructors. “Our hope is to ease some of their fears by seeing a familiar face in the halls as they learn their way around Upper Campus,” Bre said. “We will continue to provide little treats throughout the year to keep communication going between the students.”

“I felt more comfortable after meeting my buddy, Emma Lynn,” said 6th grade student, Megan Serrano. “She was very friendly and told me I could ask her questions anytime.”

The National Honor Society is a group of high school students who have shown a positive refl ection of high standards based upon four principles: scholarship, leadership, service, character. Students must have a 3.5 grade point average and show active involvement volunteering in the community. The beginning point for measuring these activities is at the start of the freshman year. During their sophomore year, students can apply to join NHS. Once inducted, members will participate in volunteer opportunities as a group and work to be a positive infl uence to the school. If you want to learn more about NHS, please visit www.wca-hsv.org.



I am proud to represent my school, my family, and my faith,” said Louis Hamilton, 2015 WCA National Merit Scholar recipient. “I dis-covered with enough determination, you can accomplish what you put your mind to. Hard work is crucial, and it is okay to fail as long

as you learn from your mistakes. The important thing is never give up.”

Becoming a National Merit Scholar does not happen overnight. To qualify as a National Merit Semi Finalist, one must score above your individual state’s cutoff score on the PSAT in your junior year of high school. The Semifi nalist then writes an essay as well as provides a recommendation from their high school counselor. An intense essay is required, which must evoke the appropriate emotions while providing scientifi c data to support the argument. The fi nalist must also take the SAT and receive a score that validates their PSAT score and continue to demonstrate strong academic performance in high school.

“Louis is a young man well deserving of the honors he has achieved,” said Mrs. Alma Huston, WCA Director of Counseling and Student Services. “To look at grade point average and test scores for Louis Hamilton is to see a very small part of what makes this young man so exceptional. He is not only academically gifted, but he has a true servant’s heart, a desire to help others and a humility that makes him deserving.”

Service has always been a huge part of Louis’ life. It became even more important to him when his younger sister was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

“I believe it is important to help others who are dealing with something you have already been through,” Louis stated. “I want to help people who deal with chronic pain in their everyday life.”

As a result, Louis is exploring a degree in Biomedical Engineering at Mississippi State University. This is an area that will combine engineering with his passion for helping others who have health issues.

“He believes in giving back,” Alma stated. “Louis can see the big picture and draw conclusions, not just in an instructional setting, but in life situations as well.”

WCA GRADUATE CHOSEN AS

National Merit Scholar

“I am grateful for the support of my parents, my Nana Whittle and my WCA instructors,” Hamilton stated. “WCA has been a comfortable place to learn. I have had challenging classes, but all of my instructors have wanted to see me succeed. They have inspired my love of math and science.”

As a result of his award, Louis earned a National Merit Scholarship to Mississippi State University, which includes an out-of-state tuition scholarship and a housing scholarship. Louis has earned other awards as well:• Wendy’s Heisman Award

for WCA (for Athletics and Academics)

• Senior Male Representative - Discipleship Award for WCA

• Engineering Excellence – for Mississippi State

• Valedictorian Scholarship – from Mississippi State for being a valedictorian at WCA

Congratulations, Louis! God speed!

“

The Reviews Are In!


When people think of Westminster, they most commonly think of teachers and children busily maneuvering their way through the halls on their regular trek from one class to the next. While this is a very accurate mental picture, with over 700 students and over 100 employees, it takes an army behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly for those hurried teachers and students.

One of the keys that turns that wheel behind the scenes, is Facilities Manager, Bobby Steadmon. Bobby has been working to keep us up and running for the last fi ve years, and he has been a great blessing to WCA.

Bobby previously held the position of Director of Environmental Services at Martin Methodist College for 12 years. He came to WCA fi ve years ago when, “A friend of mine had the grounds contract for the athletic fi elds that are under Dick Spybey. Dick mentioned to my friend that WCA had a position open in the maintenance department. So, I contacted Dick, and here I am,” he said.

He says he enjoys his position at WCA, “I get satisfaction in getting things done. Also, I enjoy the people I work with here.”

He’s been working in this fi eld for so long, he says he feels prepared for anything that comes his way. “But, when major pieces of equipment go down at the same time, it is defi nitely a challenge to get them back up and going...quickly,” he said.

While most families, teachers and students are enjoying summer off , it is Bobby’s busiest time of year!

“As soon as one school year ends, we start getting ready for the next one. This is when all the preparation for the next school year takes

place. Floors are waxed, rooms are painted, repairs are made, etc. We have a limited time frame, and these tasks have to be done before the teachers and students return.”

There is no typical day when you are dealing with facilities. Anything can happen, but Bobby says he likes his job ‘behind the scenes.’ His position supports the mission of Westminster in the most critical of ways, “a school can’t run without electricity, water, and working equipment,” he said.

And, Bobby has a vested interest in making sure our students and teachers have what they need because he is not just on staff at WCA, he’s also the parent of a WCA 7th grader.

If you see Bobby around, give him a big wave and big ‘thank you!’

This summer at Lower School, we:• Replaced entry way sign• Put in new landscaping and

irrigation• Installed new stackstone

mailbox• Painted the exterior of the

building and replaced outdated trim

• Poured new concrete to repair potholes and widened entrance and exit to accommodate more vehicles

• Upgraded the phone system• Installed a new security camera

At Upper School, we:• Poured two new sidewalks• Installed irrigation system with

new sod and landscaping• Put in a new storage unit• Painted all classrooms and

hallways• Added exhaust fan in the

chemistry lab• Installed three new sinks and

an eye wash station in the biology lab

• Had drainage issues repaired

FACILITIES Behind the Scenes


see lions, and see real donkeys used to teach the triumphal entry–opportunities I try not to take for granted,” she said.

“Bingham is similar to WCA in many ways. They are both schools that desire to provide a quality Christian education. We just have people from all over the world as teachers and students. Bingham also uses British curriculum, so there are often funny vocabulary diff erences.”

For WCA students interested in overseas missions or teaching, LauraKay encourages them to… “Just GO!”

“You think that you are the one going to serve and bless people, but you will come home a diff er-ent person. One of my favorite things about living overseas is serving alongside believers from all over the world. We come from diff erent places, but through Christ, we are united. We all have one goal—to make His name fa-mous and share His love.”

LauraKay is part of Serving In Missions (SIM), and you can read more about her life in Ethiopia at www.teachlearnadventure.blogspot.com

While many WCA graduates go on to academic-related careers, most don’t move halfway around the world to do so. LauraKay Richardson, WCA Class of 2010, did just that and is now teaching kindergarten at Bingham Academy in

Addis Abbi, Ethiopia.

“Bingham is an international school that provides a quality Christian education for families in Ethiopia,” LauraKay explained. “Many of our students are missionary kids, and they come from all over the world. One reason many missionaries leave the fi eld is to provide a strong education for their children. Bingham provides a way for those families to stay in Ethiopia. My students’ parents are from 10 diff erent countries. They work as Bible translators and church planters, minister to displaced people groups and the urban poor, and serve in medical missions. Bingham comes alongside these Christian families and partners with their ministries by educating their children.”

LauraKay attended Westminster all 13 years, where she says her teachers refl ected what her parents were teaching her at home… “how to love Jesus, His Word and His people.”

“I became interested in teaching in late elementary school. Attending WCA defi nitely helped prepare me for teaching at a Christian school. Today, my parents are my greatest prayer warriors, and I am so thankful that they provided me with a Christian education,” LauraKay said.

“As I got older, I could not wait to go on my fi rst mission trip. After going to Romania in 11th grade, I knew that I would live overseas one day. Later that year, I traveled to Zambia, and from that point on, Africa has held a special place in my heart. My Westminster teachers were always gracious enough to allow me to go on those trips, which played a large part in my call to full time missions.”

After WCA graduation, LauraKay attended Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and quickly got involved in local ministry opportunities. As an education major, she was encouraged to see her classroom as a mission fi eld. “That changed how I viewed my future profession. Every day is an opportunity to show a child the love of Christ, even for teachers who cannot speak the name of Jesus out loud.”

“Through Union - and a series of crazy events - I ended up here at Bingham as a student teacher and was later off ered a full-time position. It wasn’t an easy decision, but after a lot of arguing with God, I accepted a job as an elementary teacher. God is good and faithful, and I love the really unique experiences here. I have been able to work with teachers from all over the world, take fi eld trips to

Around the Wo ld

Give now at wca-hsv.org

If your child graduated from Westminster, you spent plenty of hours in classrooms and lunchrooms and stadiums and gymnasiums with fellow WCA parents. Add in fi eld trips and meetings and class parties and phone calls about homework...friendships and memories were made through involvement at WCA.

The Alumni Offi ce wants to help alumni parents stay connected to Westminster, each other and our grads. It is our prayer that alumni parents, grandparents and friends will keep praying for and encouraging WCA graduates as they continue their education, get married, raise children and grow in their profession and ministry.

We hope to see you at Homecoming 2015 on Friday, September 25th! Register to attend at wca-hsv.org.

CALLING ALLALUMNIPARENTS

ONE WCA GRAD TAKING HERLOVE FOR TEACHING

Come home to

Homecoming Activities September 24, 2015 (all activities at Upper Campus) 5:30 p.m.— Food Trucks 6:30 p.m.— Community Pep Rally with Home coming King Presentation Sundown— Bonfire September 25, 2015 5 p.m.— Alumni Tailgate 7 p.m.—Homecoming game Halftime— Homecoming Queen Presentation

Westminster.

wca-hsv.org


One ask. One gift.

The Annual Fund…

Celebrate success.

Giving Levels Ivy League—$25,000 & above Collegiate—$10,000—$24,999 Valedictorian—$1,000—$9,999

Salutatorian— $250—$999 Most Likely to Succeed—$250 & below

WPC Dreams

It is inspiring to drive by the Westminster Campus and see the construction progress of a beautiful new church

building. After a very long wait, Westminster Presbyterian Church is fi nally seeing their facility built on the 42-acre Brockway Campus. From the beginning of the construction of the Brockway campus, it has been the plan to have both school and church facilities on the property. The path for the church, however, has had lots of twists and turns.

In late 1997, Westminster Church took a critical look at who they were and determined the church had been founded on membership drawn from the surrounding community. However, the community around the church had changed

dramatically since the church and school had fi rst been moved to the Evangel Campus. Over the years, the church had become a “commuter church,” and God began showing them that their mission was elsewhere.

In 2001, both the school and the church performed separate evaluations to determine the feasibility of moving to a new site, but there were still hurdles to be navigated. Over the next several years, a number of “blessings” occurred. First, the Brockway property became available at well below market value, and the church and school were able to purchase the acreage. Then, the Downtown Rescue Mission was able to purchase the Evangel Site with funds from the sale of their property. Because the Rescue Mission needed to occupy the facilities as soon as possible, WCA and WPC relocated. The school moved to the old Heritage Christian School facilities and Faith Chapel, both located on Pulaski Pike, while the church met at the Oakwood University Seventh Day Adventist Church.

The church and school hoped to build simultaneously, but construction costs were rising at alarming rates. The project became cost prohibitive. The project was scaled back, and the church agreed to use most of their proceeds for the construction of the school. Unfortunately, the fi nancing was not suffi cient to fi nish the second fl oor of the school’s classroom wing. In God’s providence, the negotiations of the amount of church funds needed to secure the school’s loan left just enough money to complete the second fl oor classrooms. The church congregation overwhelmingly supported lending the money to the school to complete the second fl oor, thus deferring the sanctuary until the school could repay the loan.

After three redesigns of the facility and committing almost every dollar the church and school possessed, the church and school were able to move into the new facilities in August 2009.

In 2013, the school was able to refi nance their loan and eliminate the need for church funds to secure the fi nancing. The school was able to repay the loan, which allowed the church to move forward with their sanctuary.

WPC’s new facilities will have slightly more than 20,000 square feet on the fi rst fl oor. This includes a sanctuary, offi ce spaces, and gathering areas for the congregation. The sanctuary will seat about 575 people and has a cruciform, or cross, shape. The second fl oor will be fi nished later, but it will ultimately hold fi ve additional rooms for Sunday school classes. The facilities are expected to be completed by Easter 2016. The architect is Chapman-Sisson and Associates, the same architects who designed the WCA Brockway facility. The construction company is Woodward Construction. Keith Johnson, a member of the church planning committee and the design and constructions committee, has

FINALLY BECOMING REALITY

worked on many construction projects. He says, “Thus far, the sanctuary has been the easiest project I have worked on. There have been almost no problems, and they all were solved in a matter of days. This is a testimony to both a great design team at Chapman-Sisson as well as a fantastic general contractor in Woodward Construction.”

These facilities will not only impact the church, but will also impact the school. The most obvious change is Westminster Church will not be worshipping in the school’s gym. If you listen carefully, you will hear a tremendous sigh of relief from some very faithful church members who set up and take down over 300 chairs every weekend. Some of the adult Sunday school classes will be able to meet in the new sanctuary rather than in school classrooms, and the nursery will no longer be in the modular building.

WINDOWS | FALL 201524 WINDOWS | FALL 2015

Missionaries in the MakingFew teenagers are willing to sacrifi ce the comforts of home, socializing with friends, and the familiarity of what they know. The ones who are willing to give up those things are a special group.

This year one of our students falls into that special group. John Carl Lorick, son of Keith and Glenni Lorick, left to attend Colegio Americano in Colombia, South America. As a junior, he walked away from the starting position as the kicker on WCA’s football team, a goal he has worked to achieve since 7th grade. He also left friends and peers who respect him.

John Carl recently shared with his coaches the call he feels God has placed on his life regarding this move. This past summer, he traveled to Colombia for the 185th Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly, which was held at the Colegio Americano, a private school that was founded by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1925. The school currently has around 120 students in 9th – 11th grades. In Colombia, students graduate after 11th grade instead of 12th in the United States.

John Carl said that when he fi rst arrived at Colegio Americano, “I was astounded by the campus grounds, the teachers, and all the students helping out for the General Assembly.” He thought that attending school there would be amazing. When he shared this idea with his mom, she thought that perhaps he should come down again the next summer for a few weeks to see what school was really like in Colombia. He, however, knew in his heart that he wanted to attend the school for the year and graduate from there.

John Carl shared that he “had always wondered what God’s calling feels like…I wondered how to know exactly what the Lord wants.” Over the course of the next three days, he clearly heard God speaking

to him during the church services he attended, during which he says he felt God showing him the path He wanted him to take. One sermon was how to listen to God’s call and to go and make disciples of all nations. Another service recognized missionaries who were serving throughout the world.

The key sermon for John Carl’s decision was on Monday night. A Colombian pastor spoke of letting go and being willing to accept God’s will. This pastor had urged his child to fi nish law school before going to seminary even though God was calling his son into the ministry. In order to please his father, the son fi nished law school, then he became a pastor. That night the father

WESTMINSTER STUDENTS:

apologized to his son for not allowing him to immediately follow God’s calling on his life. After the sermon, John Carl found his mother. They sobbed together because they both knew this “was exactly what God wanted for me.”

John Carl’s family served on the mission fi eld years ago, fi rst in Costa Rica, then in Peru. He was born in Lima, Peru, and lived there until he was fi ve years old. Although he says he doesn’t remember much of living there, he does remember the heartbreak the entire family felt when they had to leave the mission fi eld. John Carl had not been back to South America since he and his family left Peru until his recent trip to Colombia. He had dreamt of going back to Peru and perhaps living there again, but he didn’t realize how much he longed to be back in South America until this recent trip. He said, “Colombia feels like the place I want to be, the place I need to be.”

Although John Carl says he does not know all God has planned for him, he does know that if he follows God’s will and His guidance, he will be fi ne.

John Carl fi nished his testimony by saying, “Someday I pray that I will be able to go to many countries in order to serve and proclaim the name of Jesus to those who are in the darkness, looking for light.”

Non Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDHuntsville, ALPermit No. 41

Westminster Christian Academy237 Johns RoadHuntsville, Alabama 35806

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

WCA is a covenantal school that provides quality education from a Biblical perspective.Westminster Christian Academy is a ministry of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Documents

WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY PRESENTS Windows · windows westminster christian academy presents fall 2015 wca student named national merit scholar alumni feature a love for teaching