Write On! - Timothy Christian Schools
Transcription
Write On! - Timothy Christian Schools
I N S I D E : G R A N D PA R E N T S ’ D AY 2 0 0 9 A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T I M OT H Y C H R I S T I A N S C H O O L S Write On! FALL 2009 34 Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s Cover Story 4 Write On! Beyond Belief A PUBLICATION OF TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS FALL 2009 We don’t know how many we may have missed, but we’ve discovered a significant number of Timothy alumni who are published authors and thought you should know about them and their work. Two are featured in a far-ranging interview: Travis Thrasher ’89 and Caryn Rivadeneira ’90. Editor The Reflector is published twice each year and is a publication of the Timothy Christian Dave Larsen Schools Board of Directors. Timothy is a member of Christian Schools International and News Reporter Special Feature Insert Cindy Van Kampen Grandparents’ Day 2009 Every other year we welcome Grandparents for a special day celebrating God’s faithfulness to his people through the generations of faith. Catch a glimpse of this wonderful day in our photo insert. Photography Rudi Gesch is accredited by the Commission on Schools of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Reflector is mailed free of charge to Timothy alumni, members of the Timothy Christian School Society, and supportive friends. Jim Hartgerink The purpose of this publication is to foster strong ties between Timothy Christian Schools Cindy Van Kampen and its alumni/society members, to nurture Christian education in the school and in the family, and to better inform its readers of the activities of Timothy Christian Schools. Design and Layout CHANGEffect Printing Darwill Press Letters to the Editor 2 Reflection Board of Directors 11 Campus News 21 Elementary and Middle School News President Bob Van Staalduinen Lombard Christian Reformed Director Knollcrest Funeral Home 28 Board of Directors’ News 29 Support Group News 30 Alumni News 34 From the Archives Alumni are especially encouraged to submit news and photos. We reserve the right to edit. High School Principal Clyde Rinsema P-8 Principal Dr. Tim Hoeksema P-8 Assistant Principal Susan Schemper Advertising rates: Full page: $400 1/2 page: $225 1/4 page: $150 1/8 page: $75 new addresses. 2 High School News gesch@timothychristian.com. Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen Please inform the school of any change of address by providing both the old and Departments 24 We welcome letters and comments to the editor, addressed to the school or by e-mail: 188 W. Butterfield Road Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone: (630) 833-4616 Fax: (630) 833-9238 www.timothychristian.com Vice President Julie Huisman ’90 Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst Homemaker and Not-for-Profit Volunteer Secretary Bob Stoll ’87 Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church Operations Manager Metavante Corporation Treasurer Steve Loerop ’89 Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church Owner and Manager Drummond Industries, Inc Financial Secretary Jim Allen ’86 Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst Major Account Executive Allied Waste Chicago John Bone Trinity Presbyterian (PCA), Hinsdale Managing Director Dispute and Forensic Services Stout Risius Ross Russ Clousing Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church Financial Representative New England Financial Services Diana De Boer Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst Homemaker and Volunteer David DeVries Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church President S.E.T. Environmental Services Steven Denny Christ Church of Oak Brook Attorney Jake Groenewold ’75 Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church Vice President of Supply Chain University Health Systems Consortium Luis Hernandez Willow Creek Community Church, South Barrington Mortgage Planner 1st Advantage Mortgage Denise Stob Western Springs Christian Reformed Church Homemaker and Volunteer Bill Terpstra Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church Program Management and Global Documentation Motorola, Inc. Deb Torringa ’75 Fountain of Life Church, Lombard Orthodontics Treatment Coordinator Faith Lee ’77 Christ Church of Oak Brook Writer and Editor Nancy Van Dyke ’77 Lombard Christian Reformed Church Owner, Budget Blinds Tom Lubben Christ Church of Oak Brook Vice President, Corporate Secretary Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Floyd Vander Meer Wheaton Christian Reformed Church President K-V Applied Systems Caryn Rivadeneira ’90 Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church Author and Editor Paul Zigterman Lombard Christian Reformed Church Attorney Allstate Insurance Company L e t t e r s t o t h e E d i t o r R e f l e c t i o n Timothy Reflector, I receive and enjoy reading the Reflector. As both a TCS graduate and home schooling mother of three, Christian education is of utmost importance to me. Therefore I was saddened to read in the spring edition that President Obama was the focus of the Black History Program. This man is a strong supporter of abortion rights and holds many views that are diametrically opposed to Biblical values. I would rather have seen a focus on someone such as Clarence Thomas as a positive role model, a black man achieving our nation’s highest court in a lifetime appointment. God bless you as you continue to lead our current generation of students in these times. Maureen Moore Barnes ’73 School Response: Last year our Black History assembly did focus on the history making election of President Barack Obama. The program was not political in nature. Given the long and difficult history of race relations in our nation, the election of the first African-American president was worthy to note and celebrate. Clyde Rinsema, High School Principal R e f l e c t i o n The Power of the Written Word A recent television newsmagazine featured a unique book club. The story of its unlikely origin is compelling. On his walk to work each day a Boston lawyer came to know a homeless person. They exchanged greetings and pleasantries but eventually ran out of things to say beyond the weather or the latest sports news. One day the lawyer gave his friend a favorite book of his. As they discussed the book a friendship developed. Later the lawyer learned that his homeless friend gave the book to another homeless person, a fellow reader. Together the lawyer and the homeless person started the Homeless Book Club, and the concept and results are being replicated across the nation. The Homeless Book Club meets every Tuesday in a church conference room. The books are purchased by the lawyer. He wanted to buy lunch, too, but the other members declined. They wanted the group to be something greater than a free lunch—a different kind of nourishment. 2 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 “The power of the written word shouldn’t surprise Christ followers. God revealed himself in creation, in his Son Jesus Christ, and in a special form of incarnation, through words of very human authors guided by the Holy Spirit.” What did they notice? It was a place and time to escape. They talked about and questioned things. They felt a dignity because their thoughts were listened to and honored. Somehow all of them were more human together. You might say that this particular experience also had a happy—almost fairytale—ending. The homeless man had a moving violation on his record, which disqualified him for subsidized housing. The lawyer assisted. The homeless man is now in housing and working as a church custodian. This edition of the Reflector features the work and callings of alumni authors. You’ll note the rich variety to their craft. In the midst of the diversity, however, is the unifying belief that words have meaning, ideas are worth discussing, and the creative imagination has everything to do with being in the image of God. We’d like to believe—and some of them say so—that Timothy Christian Schools played a role in equipping and inspiring these authors. One of the elements of our mission and vision for Timothy is precisely that: “We prepare students to be articulate defenders and models of the Christian faith in thought, word, and deed.” As the lawyer and the homeless person discovered, words have power. The power of the written word shouldn’t surprise Christ followers. God revealed himself in creation, in his Son Jesus Christ, and in a special form of incarnation, through words of very human authors guided by the Holy Spirit. Ever since those words were commissioned, the truth has been plain to see. Good writing at the hands of Christians and non-Christians alike has the power to help us see life more truthfully. Editor’s Note: I inherited this plum assignment from legends Rose and Everett Van Reken and Larry Vander Leest ’66. I shared with them the privilege of telling the story of how busy God is at Timothy Christian Schools, and tried whenever possible to serve as a cheerleader for Christian education. As I leave Timothy for service elsewhere, it is my prayer that Timothy Christian Schools will continue to develop academically prepared Christian disciples of Jesus Christ, ready and willing to live their faith beyond belief. I have been blessed to be part of that process. And now I pass this wonderful task to friend and marketing director Rudi Gesch. Please welcome him as the new Reflector editor. Dave Larsen FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 3 F e a t u r e A r t i c l e An Interview with Timothy Authors Caryn Rivadeneira ’90 and Travis Thrasher ’89 Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted over Thai food in a Glen Ellyn restaurant. I was impressed with the depth of interest the authors had in each other’s work and the encouragement given to their sense of calling. What follows is an edited version of our 70-minute conversation. T: “A big step for me was working at Tyndale House Publishers learning the business side of writing. I worked in author relations, serving as a liaison between the publishing house and the author.” Thrasher: “I’ll let you talk first since you have a mouth full.” Rivadeneira: “For me it was when I was seven at Jackson School in Elmhurst. We were learning about poetry, and we were writing limericks in class, and I loved writing those. I wrote a book of limericks then, and my teacher mimeographed it and put a copy in the library, and that did it for me. That was my first memory of that creative process.” R: “I came to realize through editing and writing for magazines for Christianity Today how crazy the business side of writing can be! One of the hardest parts is putting together the proposal for a book. Once that’s accepted, it’s almost as if the book part is easy.” E: “So that was someone actually affirming your gift.” T: “I know mine exactly, too. It was at Munich Germany International School, and I remember my third grade teacher encouraging me in my writing. I think she saw that I liked writing, and I wrote these cool pirate stories. I was always interested in telling stories. I wrote my first novel in ninth grade. It was an awful story about the Mob. Now I tell people who ask about writing to ‘finish what you’ve started’ because, while that one was never published, I knew that if I did it once I could do it again.” R: “I can point to teachers and professors who affirmed my gifts as a student. When I began editing magazines after college, I found that other side of writing to be fascinating. 4 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 R: “That’s a good point. My husband is very encouraging and incredibly supportive. There is something different about the writing life. It takes a lot of my focus and energy. So it’s important to have your family understand that.” E: “Was there a point at which you first thought that your love of writing could possibly be a career for you?” Editor: “Let’s start with this: What are some of your earliest recollections of wanting to become a writer?” E: “You mentioned some people—teachers—who got you started in your career. Who else would you point to as influential in your writing careers?” T: “In some sense I came from a family of writers. Both my parents write non-fiction and encouraged me along the way, even though my father is not a fiction lover. And my wife, Sharon, in practical ways, validated that writing was not just a hobby for me. Writing takes time.” E: “I’m hoping that there are Timothy students or alumni who will read this interview and believe that writing is within reach. You’ve both talked about having writing space and the discipline it takes to do your work. Tell me more about that.” In a way being an editor of other people’s writing, and working with some of the best editors and ‘word people’ around, influenced my writing. That’s where I really got the ‘craft part’ of communicating thoughts clearly on paper.” R: “A lot of it has to do with personality. I’m always gathering my thoughts and reacting to what I see and hear for future reference. I’ll come home from worship services with all kinds of scribbled notes full of ideas for writing. So it’s not necessarily sitting down and thinking about what to write. I’ve already started in my mind. I try to write something everyday; the time when I do it varies.” T: “Everybody has their own voice and worldview. I tell people I’m a good writer—not the best and not the worst. But I’m probably one of the most disciplined. I’m not necessarily disciplined in a lot of things, but I am when it comes to writing.” R: “If I ever feel that I have nothing to write about I’ll go through a writing exercise to get things going. I’ll write until I find a great sentence, for example, and then move on from there. It also helps to have a writing group who can validate if what you’re writing is worth it or not. They come to know my voice and style.” T: “I would guess that your editing background helps you also. I know editors who would also be great writers.” E: “Do either of you ever feel trapped in a Christian ghetto of sorts, wishing for a mainstream audience?” R: “Well, of course, it’d be great to have Christians and non-Christians alike reading my stuff. But especially since I write non-fiction based largely on my own experiences, it’s hard to hide the Jesus stuff. It just comes out. Often more strongly than I intend.” T: “I get that question sometimes at book signings. For me a door opened for writing in the Christian arena, but people have different expectations of what that means. Like you Caryn, I can’t help but write as a Christian. My job first and foremost is to tell a good story. Anytime I do that my worldview will come out.” E: “Who do you enjoy reading regularly and why?” R: “I just finished two Anne Tyler novels. Now I’m reading Scot McKnight’s The Blue Parakeet.” T: “The last great novel I read was The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zaphon.” E: “Is there anything that you can suggest that would encourage children to become good writers?” R: “I guess I would want that rephrased. I wouldn’t want to encourage all children to become writers . . . “ T: “Hey, we’re talking about competition here . . .” continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 5 F e a t u r e A r t i c l e R: “I think it’s important for all children to be able to recognize good writing and for us to encourage kids in their writing. When my son, for example, writes something that’s really good, I’ll make copies and hand them out to friends and family. That’s a real encouragement to him.” E: “Interesting. Our second grade granddaughter just produced her first newsletter and stuffed mailboxes up and down her street with a call to arms about neighborhood vandalism.” T: “To me, persistence is the key. It’s one thing to dream about wanting to be an NBA player, but either you have that talent or you don’t. But in writing, you can hone your skills. You don’t have to be the most talented writer to be successful.” T: “By the way, Caryn, didn’t you write in Timothy’s fine arts book?” R: “I did. In fact, I mention the Fine Arts anthology in my book.” T: “You have to have thick skin to deal with critics and criticism.” R: “And to deal with teachers and editors.” E: “My hunch is that both of you have the next book or project in view. Is that right?” R: “I’ve got a bunch in view, but the one that’s being shopped is about how to love your life even when it’s nothing like it was supposed to be.” 6 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 T: “It would take another hour to share all the projects I have in the works. I have three works coming in the next year, including a special love story coming out this December.” Got a Fake I.D.: How to Reveal the Real You Behind All That Mom was published in 2009. Caryn lives with her husband and their three children in Elmhurst, Ill., and she recently was elected to the Timothy Board of Directors. E: “One last question: Is there anything else about Timothy that you would like our Reflector readers to know?” After college, Travis Thrasher ’89 landed a job at Tyndale House Publishers as Author Relations Manager. He worked for over a decade in that position, acting as liaison between the publisher and the authors. But writing always came first, and Travis was fortunate to have his first novel published in 2000. R: “I was at Timothy from fourth grade through high school. Timothy’s greatest impact was on my view of life. And it was always a very ‘writer-friendly’ place.” T: “I would agree.” R: “And when I went on to Calvin College I felt very well prepared as a writer in comparison with my other classmates. I also feel—now as a parent of Timothy students—that careful thought is given to what appears on reading lists and in the libraries. I find it to be a very Reformed view of literature.” T: “I was at Timothy for a year and a half. I got the sense— and still do—of a Christian heart in what it stood for. I had attended three high schools before Timothy, so to discover the emphasis on Christians in art was very refreshing to me. There was always a clear love of art, not just literature. I remember so many of my classmates loving art, loving acting. And in it they were seeking to honor the Lord. I’m glad I can say that I graduated from Timothy.” E: “Well this sounds like a very good place to wrap it up. Thanks to both of you for this conversation and God’s blessing on you as you continue to serve him with your considerable gifts.” Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira ’90 is the former managing editor of Marriage Partnership and Christian Parenting Today. She has been writing for and speaking to women for more than a decade. Today she is the managing editor of GiftedforLeadership.com, an online community for Christian women in leadership. Her first book Mama’s Home) to suspense (Gun Lake; Admission; Blinded) to drama (The Second Thief; Sky Blue) to even adventure (Out of the Devil’s Mouth). Travis is married to Sharon Noorlag ’89. At the end of the interview with Caryn and Travis a mutual admiration society had developed, and they exchanged signed copies of their books and best wishes to each other. They also hinted at becoming regular readers of their respective blogs. You can find out more about Caryn and Travis by doing a Web search or finding their work on Amazon.com. Travis’s drive has allowed him to see a variety of books published: from love stories (The Watermark; Three Roads Alumni Authors This edition of the Reflector introduces you to a group of “an excellent legal suspense novel, with a strong biotech talented alumni who share a love for writing. Some do it for backdrop. It reminded me of Michael Crichton’s latest novel, a living, some alongside their living. Their collective body Next, except that Blood Brothers is better.” Rick is also the of work is quite diverse. We hope you’ll take the time to author of the well-reviewed Davis Detective Mysteries, a read about them and even consider reading something by series of adventure, mystery novels for “tweens.” them. Many of their titles may be found at Amazon.com or Rick is a transplanted Chicagoan who spent 35 years in the through your local bookseller. Midwest before finally trading the certainty of winter and mosquitoes for the risk of earthquakes. He now lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Annette, their four Rick Acker ’84 children, and two cats. Rick Acker writes his novels while Rick says this, “It’s fair to say that my writing career commuting to started at Timothy. Mrs. York, who taught English at and from his “real Timothy, first encouraged me to write for publication. She job” as a Deputy praised my short stories and essays (probably more than Attorney General they deserved) and gave me the confidence to try to get in the California something in print. Department of Justice. His most recent novel, Blood Brothers, is an intense continued on next page u sequel to the legal thriller Dead Man’s Rule. Christy awardwinning author Randy Ingermanson calls Blood Brothers, FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 7 F e a t u r e A r t i c l e Timothy was also my first publisher. I started my writing career in my junior year (1982-83) when I became a columnist for the Timothy Trumpet. That led to a 10-year career as a political commentator in a number of papers and magazines. And it was during my years as a columnist that I developed the skills that helped me become a published novelist.” Betty Birner ’78 Betty writes, “After my graduation from Timothy in 1978, I attended Hope College in Holland, Mich., where I worked on the Anchor, the campus newspaper, serving as editor my junior year, and also wrote for the local newspaper, the Holland Sentinel. After graduating with my B.A. in English, I worked for two years as associate editor of Wood and Wood Products Magazine. In 1985, I entered the Ph.D. program in Linguistics at Northwestern University, where I received my doctorate in 1992. From 1993-1995, I held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Institute for Research in Cognitive Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2000, I have held a position in the English Department at Northern Illinois University, where I am currently a full professor and serve as the Director of Graduate Studies in English. In the summer of 2007, I co-taught a course at the Linguistic Institute at Stanford University. I have authored or co-authored five books and 32 journal articles and book chapters on linguistics, and am currently writing a textbook on pragmatics. I live in Arlington Heights, Ill., with my husband, Andrew, who works in network security at W.W. Grainger, Inc., and my daughter, Suzanne, who just completed her freshman year at the California Institute of Technology. We are members of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Arlington 8 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Heights, where I serve as church president and Andy plays in the contemporary worship band. As for Timothy’s role in all this, I’m grateful to John Harkema, Joan Stob, and Marvin Wolterstorff for encouraging my writing efforts while I was in high school. And being co-editor of the Trumpet with Meredith Veldman helped to kick off my brief career in journalism, while Meredith herself was a great influence in my decision to go to graduate school.” Some of Betty’s most important publications are these: 2006. Birner, B., and G. Ward, eds. Drawing the Boundaries of Meaning: Neo-Grecian Studies in Pragmatics and Semantics in Honor of Laurence R. Horn. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 2002. Pullum, G.K., and R. Huddleston, in collaboration with L. Bauer, B. Birner, T. Briscoe, P. Collins, D. Denison, D. Lee, A. Mittwoch, G. Nunberg, F. Palmer, J. Payne, P. Peterson, L. Stirling, and G. Ward. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [Winner of the Linguistic Society of America’s Leonard Bloomfield Book Award for 2001-2003.] 1998. Birner, B., and G. Ward. Information Status and Noncanonical Word Order in English. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 1996. Birner, B. The Discourse Function of Inversion in English. Outstanding Dissertations in Linguistics. NY: Garland Publishing. William Lenters ’59 Dr. Bill Lenters is a clergyman ordained in the United Methodist Church. In addition to writing extensively for denominational publications throughout his pastoral career, Bill is the author of The Freedom We Crave, Addiction the Human Experience, and The Church Cares. David Van Drunen ’89 James Pethokoukis ’85 James is the Money & Politics columnist and blogger for Reuters where he covers the nexus of Washington and Wall Street. Previously he was the economics columnist and business editor at U.S. News & World Report magazine. Pethokoukis is also an official CNBC contributor and appears frequently on the network’s Kudlow Report, Power Lunch, and The Call shows. In addition, he has appeared numerous times on MSNBC, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN, and Nightly Business Report on PBS. James is a 1989 graduate of Northwestern University where he double majored in Soviet politics and American history and a 1991 graduate of the Medill School of Journalism. He is also a 2002 Jeopardy! champion. Mario Parker ’98 Ginger Huizenga Jurries ’60 Ginger is a graduate of Hope College and a member of Christ Memorial Church in Holland, Mich. After taking a Stephen Series course, she became interested in all aspects of caregiving. A former teacher and a mother of two grown children, she has served as a counselor at a local Christian pregnancy center and, with co-author Karen Mulder, gives caregiving seminars based on their co-authored book The Compassionate Congregation: A Handbook for People Who Care, published jointly by Faith Alive Christian Resources and the Reformed Church Press. the globe, including the Washington Post, New York Times and Christian Science Monitor. I credit this all to my former Timothy English teacher, Mrs. Tornow, who prodded and encouraged me to join the school newspaper. It wasn’t until years later that her words of support would echo in my mind and lead me to pursue a career in journalism. To this day, when deadlines beckon and assignments appear especially daunting, I reach back for those words of encouragement.” “I’m a Chicago correspondent for Bloomberg News, where I cover breaking news in the Midwest and also focus on U.S. Energy policy. Prior to joining the Chicago bureau, I was stationed in the company’s Washington D.C. office where I was on the general assignment desk and often covered stories on Capitol Hill and the White House. In addition to Bloomberg, my byline has appeared in newspapers across David Van Drunen is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, an attorney, and Robert B. Strimple Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at Westminster Seminary California. He earned a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago. He and his wife and son live in Escondido, Calif. David writes, “As of July 2009 I have authored or edited four books, most recently A Biblical Case for Natural Law and The Law is not of Faith: Essays on Works and Grace in the Mosaic Covenant. I will have three new books published over the next 15 months: Bioethics and the Christian Life (coming in October 2009); Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms: A Study in the Development of Reformed Social Thought (coming in January 2010); and Living in Babylon: A Two Kingdoms Vision for Christianity and Culture (coming in Fall 2010). For the reader without theological training, the books of most interest would be: A Biblical Case for Natural Law, Bioethics and the Christian Life, and Living in Babylon. I’ve also had dozens of articles and reviews published, a number of which are available somewhere online.” continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 9 F e a t u r e A r t i c l e Meredith Veldman ’78 Meredith describes herself as one of the “Veldman boys.” She is the sixth child of Rich and Edith Veldman, the sister of Rick, Randy, Russ, Ron, C.J., and Carol. She is also the aunt of former and current Timothy students Randy and Chris Veldman; Jason, Lissa, Rachel, Josh, Kristen, and Jessica Veldman; James, Katherine, and Meredith Van Den Berg. She attended the Western Suburbs Christian School K-6 (1965-72), and Timothy Junior High and High School (1972-78), where she played flute in the band and worked on the Trumpet, ending up as co-editor with Betty Buikema Birner her senior year. Growing up in the Western Springs Christian Reformed Church, she was active in the youth group, making a strong impression on her youth pastor, Dave Larsen, as a bright and dedicated young Christian. After earning a B.A. in history from Calvin College, Meredith went straight into a Ph.D. program in modern European history, specializing in modern Britain at Northwestern University and was awarded a Ph.D. She went straight to Louisiana State University as Assistant Professor in European history, where she is now an Associate Professor specializing in 20th-Century European and 19th-20th Century British history. She is also active in international education on campus and was the winner of LSU College of Arts and Sciences Undergrad Teaching Award. She is married to Randy Nichols who is the Director of the Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless, still dealing daily with the ongoing tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. Meredith’s books: Fantasy, the Bomb and the Greening of Britain: Romantic Protest, 1945-1980. (Cambridge University Press, 1995). Cultural history of modern Britain—first section sets the work of C.S. Lewis and J.R. R. Tolkien within its wider historical context. She writes: “It’s out of print, but I’ve got copies, should anyone actually want one!” C a m p u s The West: Encounters and Transformations (Pearson—3rd edition due out next year). Co-author: This is a history of Western Civilization, used in college history courses. I write the first two chapters on ancient history, the chapter on the Roman Empire, and all the modern chapters (1870-present). Meredith writes: “A Timothy influence? Oh, absolutely. I think the holistic approach of a Timothy education and its commitment to the Calvinist doctrine of “sovereignty of spheres”—that God is sovereign over all aspects of life and so that all work is (or should be) a holy calling—helped shape my approach to studying, writing, and teaching history. More specifically, I owe two teachers an enormous debt. Joan Stob was my sophomore American Literature and my senior English Literature teacher, as well as the faculty advisor on the Trumpet. Joan helped me to recognize where my intellectual gifts lay and encouraged me to pursue an academic career. And John Harkema as well. Through four years of Latin, a variety of literature and creative writing courses, his wholehearted pursuit of excellence in teaching, and his emphasis on a life worth living, John taught me how to read, how to write, how to think, how to see. His influence was and is incalculable.” Phyllis ’64 and Ken ’63 Wezeman This husband and wife team are prolific authors, primarily in publications focusing on children, counseling, church education, and worship. Their titles are too many to mention, but a Google or Amazon search will uncover vast resources for anyone working in these areas of church life. Phyllis is currently working to revise and update her outof-print book on HIV and AIDS for a different publisher, which will be published with the title Through the Heart: Creative Methods of HIV and AIDS Education. She points to teacher Bess Tolsma as a significant influence: “She encouraged me to explore and also encouraged projects that met the interest of each of her students.” N e w s Some Assembly Required By: Mary Sytsma Editor’s Note: Elsewhere you will read in Rudi Gesch’s column about the new “Worldview” program, encouraging the presence of international students at Timothy. The following article by former Timothy parent Mary Sytsma describes their recent experience. If you have ever purchased a piece of furniture that came in a box with some complicated instructions in several languages, you probably recognize the words “some assembly required.” Imagine that box contains the parts of a small stool. You pull out the top, see that it has potential to be something useful, but it is still not going to hold the weight of a person sitting on it, or give them much of a vantage point, if they do sit on it. You pull the first leg out of the box and fasten it to the seat. Putting that leg on the ground, you let go and the stool falls over. You attach the second leg, with the same result, although the stool has slightly more stability than it did before. You attach the third leg, and there it is! It’s a recognizable, usable, weightbearing stool. “Our philosophy has always been that if God sends young people to us, we take them in. It is part of what it means to live out our family motto, ‘Be an includer.’” Our exchange daughter came to live with us in the fall of 2003. We had met her once or twice the spring before that because she had called us to ask us to be her host family. She had been in an exchange program at Waubansee High The Sytsma family with Tina and her sister, Julie. School in Naperville and wanted to stay in the U.S. to finish her high school education. We agreed to meet her and eventually to have her stay with us. Our philosophy has always been that if God sends young people to us, we take them in. It is part of what it means to live out our family motto, “Be an includer.” That was something we said to Jonathan every day before he got on the bus to go to Timothy during his school years. Including Tina in our family was a natural choice for us. Tina is from Seoul, Korea, the eldest of two girls in her family. She is bright, funny, loving, and she would be Jonathan’s big sister for her junior year—we thought. Until we found out from the counselor at Timothy that Tina would need to attend Timothy for two years in order to continued on next page u 10 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 11 C a m p u s N e w s get all the necessary credits for a diploma. Essentially, she started her junior year over again. In the middle of the year we told her she could stay for her senior year, too, if she wanted. We loved her and we wanted her to relax and be herself, without feeling like she was with us on a trial basis. Since we were not part of any official exchange program, such as Timothy’s new Worldview program, we charted new territory for our own situation. Sometimes Tina needed help with her homework, not that she couldn’t grasp the concepts, but the language was difficult for her. Dan helped her understand story problems in her math course. I read novels and short stories out loud to her so they would make more sense. One night she came to me with a Bible assignment. She sat down on the couch next to me. She explained that she was supposed to read a passage from the Bible and write a personal reaction to it. I asked her which passage she was supposed to read. She thought the teacher had said the students could choose the passages for themselves. Tina came to us without much knowledge of the Bible. Her parents didn’t attend church much. Her grandmother was a devout Catholic, but Tina’s experiences with church, faith, and the Bible were pretty limited. I told her that I thought we should read selected passages from Romans, what some people call “the Romans road.” They are very familiar passages to many of us, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus,” and later, “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” When we finished, I asked Tina if she understood what we had just read. She nodded. I asked her if she believed it. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, “yes,” she whispered. I said, “then you are a Christian. You belong to Jesus. We are sisters in the Lord.” Things came together that night for Tina in exactly the way God had planned all along. She had plenty to write about in that paper. 12 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Later when I saw Timothy Bible teacher Mac Wiener, I told him what had happened when Tina did her Bible assignment. He told me the assignment had been to read a section from an Old Testament prophet and write about that. Tina had misunderstood the assignment completely, but we had done the assignment the Holy Spirit had prompted. Tina soaked everything in that Timothy had to offer. She was involved in all kinds of activities, like Homecoming court, soccer, and the musical. Her Christian education at Timothy helped her to fill in her worldview. She was also involved at church, going on a summer SERVE project with the young people, becoming a part of the leadership team of the youth group, and eventually making profession of faith. She continued to be involved in our family, thriving at the love of her new cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents— all who modeled for her what living the Christian life looks like. She absorbed the Christian faith like a sponge. Her faith has had to bear the weight of some disappointments. She has had some struggles along the way. But six years after she moved into our home, Tina is still a part of our family. In May she will graduate from Calvin College with a major in Economics. During her years at Calvin, she has been an active member of the Korean Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. She is a vibrant and amazing Christian young woman—one that God has plans to use in his kingdom. Tina came to us with all of this amazing potential. Remember the three-legged stool? Once all the legs were on the stool, that stool reached its full potential. For Tina and so many other young people, that potential is reached when church, home, and school work together. Welcome to New Staff and Farewell to Old Kate Adams Seventh Grade Science Hello, my name is Kate Adams, and I am excited to have the opportunity to teach at Timothy Christian! Throughout my life I have always been in awe of God’s great creation and look forward to sharing this wonder with my students. I grew up in Sheboygan, Wis., with my parents and two younger siblings. I love doing things with my family like playing games, camping, and laughing a lot. I attended Sheboygan Christian School and Sheboygan County Christian High School and then moved on to Calvin College. While I was at Calvin, I was able to play on the women’s soccer team for three years. I am excited to use my knowledge of the game to do some coaching here at Timothy. The education I received at Calvin was very formative and made me even more aware of how much I love the area of science. I give credit to my biology professors who helped me take a deeper look into creation and constantly discussed with me the role Christians should have in caring for this world. This is something I am very passionate about and look forward to having many great discussions with my students about Christianity and creation. I graduated this past spring in secondary education with a major in biology and minor in health education. I was married on August 7, 2009, to Vinnie Adams, who is finishing up his last year at Trinity Christian. We are currently living in Palos Heights. For student teaching my last semester at Calvin, I was placed at Holland Christian Middle School. I was leery about the placement and not looking forward to the long drive in Michigan winters. I contemplated requesting another placement, but I am glad I did not. Through that placement I was introduced to Dr. Hoeksema and made aware of the opening at Timothy in the area of seventh grade science—the same grade level in which I was doing my student teaching. God had a plan for me all along. When I was first introduced to Timothy and the people here, I felt so welcomed. I was comfortable and excited for the opportunity to teach in such a great school. Being able to teach seventh grade science here at Timothy really is a blessing from God, and I am looking forward to all the excitement, challenges, and rewards of teaching the middle school students at Timothy Christian. Angela Gordon ’98 First Grade Hi, I am Angela Gordon and I have the awesome privilege of teaching first grade this year. I attended Timothy Christian for my high school years and could not have asked for a better experience. Who knew that 11 years later I would step foot back into the halls of Timothy Christian? I grew up in the inner city of Chicago in an African-American neighborhood. My father is the pastor at Lawndale Community Church, so yes, I am a preacher’s kid! When I arrived at Timothy as a young 14-year-old girl, I was in culture shock. I had attended the same Chicago public school for nine years before God led me to Timothy. The students and teachers welcomed me with open arms. My faith has always been important to me and was deepened when I came to Timothy for high school. Having small class sizes and intertwining our relationship with Christ to all of our learning was tremendous. After attending Timothy Christian I traveled to Upland, Ind., to Taylor University and experienced another culture shock, as Taylor is located in the middle of the cornfields. This again proved to be an amazing experience, educational opportunity, and faith journey for me. I studied elementary education with a minor in early childhood. I have always desired to be a teacher. I still remember as a little girl making my brothers and neighbor friends endure my early stages of teaching practices. I think lots of bossing around took place, too, so I thank them for allowing me to practice on them as I pursued my dream. continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 13 C a m p u s N e w s After graduating from Taylor I returned to Chicago and began teaching at Circle Rock Preparatory School in the Austin Community, a similar neighborhood to Lawndale, where I grew up. I taught second grade for one year and then pre-kindergarten for two years. This was an inner city Christian school. I had the privilege to teach children about Christ while teaching them the skills they needed academically. I loved every minute of it. During my third year of teaching a deep desire grew inside of me; I wanted to learn more about how to be a better teacher. I wanted more strategies and skills for understanding the whole child and learning to build better relationships with my students’ families. After researching, there was no better place in my mind than the Erikson Institute. I have just completed a three-year program at the Erikson Institute and earned my masters in early childhood education. I can hardly believe that I have been given the opportunity to teach at Timothy. I was never familiar with the elementary school side of Timothy, but as I have walked the halls and met so many amazing people, I am in awe of God’s presence. Everyone has been so welcoming and loving just as they were when I was 14. God is good! Ben Iwema High School Mathematics I am excited to join the strong Christian community at Timothy. I grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich., and attended college right down the road at Calvin College. I entered Calvin with thoughts of becoming a chemical engineer. God quickly made it clear that this was not where he wanted me. I switched into education after one semester, and that has been the best decision of my life. I graduated this past spring with a secondary education degree with a major in mathematics and a minor in physical education. It has been a real blessing to live close to my family for my entire life. My family has been and will continue to be a major support system for me. My parents will officially be 14 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 “empty-nesters” in the fall as Laura, my younger sister, will be attending Kuyper College; Sara, my older sister, will be starting her second year of teaching English as a second language in South Korea, and I will be here at Timothy. I am a little nervous to move into White Sox country as a diehard Detroit Tigers fan and a big Detroit sports fan in general. I will likely find additional rivals as a big Michigan Wolverines fan. I love to play and watch all kinds of sports. Much of my free time is spent playing soccer, basketball, tennis, golf, softball, or any other outdoor activity. I hope to use my athletic gifts to coach at Timothy. I have spent the past two falls coaching boys’ junior varsity tennis. I am very excited to coach girls’ junior varsity soccer in the spring at Timothy. I am also passionate about Christian education. I have been blessed to go to Christian schools my entire life. I hope to be able to instill the strong Christian values and Christ-like lifestyles that my teachers instilled in me. I look forward to exploring with students how God has magnificently created our world. Math provides a great context to explore the beauty and perfection of our great God. I am excited to be able to prepare the students at Timothy academically, but I am most excited to prepare the students to be strong followers of Christ. It is truly special to have an eternal purpose in our lives that goes well beyond the classroom. I cannot imagine a better place for a first-year teacher to begin a teaching career. I have already experienced the amazing Christian community at Timothy. When I visited Timothy for my interview I was struck by the genuine kindness I was shown by the entire staff. After I was offered the position at Timothy, I was uncertain where God was leading me. I was amazed to see an inbox full of emails from the Timothy staff encouraging me in my decision and hoping that I would join the staff. I was so impressed by this genuine care that I knew this is where God was leading me. I am excited to become a part of the amazing staff at Timothy. Doug Pelt High School and Middle School Band Timothy Christian has already been a great blessing in my life. I have taught band to grades 4-8 for seven years in public schools here in Illinois. While I have greatly enjoyed working with kids and teaching them music, something always seemed to be missing. As a follower of Christ, I know that people can serve Him in many ways (see Colossians 3:23), but recently I have felt the call to serve in a Christian environment. In July I received news of the open band position here at Timothy. Through prayerful consideration, I came to see that this is where God was leading me. I am so very excited about starting a new chapter in my life here at Timothy Christian! I have had several experiences inside the walls of Timothy prior to becoming a member of the staff here. As a close friend and colleague of my predecessor Kevin Schoenbach, I have been invited to adjudicate the Solo and Ensemble festival in the past. I also played with the pep band at a basketball game a few years ago and wrote several of the song arrangements the pep band performs. Most recently, I was invited to give a clinic to the middle school band this past December. At all of the events mentioned, I was struck by the friendliness of the staff members I met and the high level of musicianship exhibited by the students. Over the past few weeks, I have been coming to Timothy for various meetings and to make plans for the coming school year. Every time I walk the halls, I am met with friendly greetings and smiling faces. I’m sure it is difficult to see Mr. Schoenbach go, but all of the people I’ve spoken with in recent weeks have been overwhelmingly welcoming to me. Regarding my personal life, I have been married for five years to my wonderful wife, Barbara. We live in scenic Streamwood, Ill., and enjoy eating at good restaurants, traveling together, and watching the Food Network. We both attend Grace Lutheran Church in Streamwood, where I serve as Music Minister and she teaches Sunday Kids Club. I enjoy a few hobbies in addition to music, including photography, cooking, and web design. I eagerly anticipate meeting the parents and students I will be teaching this year! Jenie Pries Fourth Grade I feel extremely blessed to be teaching fourth grade at Timothy this year! My first impressions of Timothy were as a parent when we moved here three years ago in the middle of the school year. Due to the Christian love shown by the administration, staff, teachers, and students, our three kids adjusted easily. I knew immediately that Timothy was a very special place. Since then, I have seen many other ways that Timothy is indeed a place where their mission is truly carried out, and we have felt very blessed that our children are being educated and nurtured here. This year, I am excited to transition into a teaching position at Timothy, where I can play a part in helping to fulfill the mission. Since kindergarten, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, and that desire only grew over the years. I attended public school in eastern Iowa and then went to Concordia University Chicago where I received a degree in elementary education with a middle school social science endorsement. I then moved to southern California to teach middle school and had a wonderful experience there. After getting married that summer, I moved to Florida where my husband was living, and I taught there for three years. My husband’s job then took us to his hometown in Wisconsin (Go Packers!) where I taught for three years. By this time we had three children, and I enjoyed staying home with them for a number of years. Three years ago my husband’s job led him to the Chicago area, and that is when we joined the Timothy community. While taking classes to attain my Illinois teaching certification, I switched over to working in the business world temporarily—specifically in international sales and running a nonprofit organization. I am thankful for the broadened experience that these jobs afforded me and now am eager to get back into the classroom. After teaching a variety of subjects to grades 3-12, I am very excited to be at the fourth grade level! At Timothy, I hope to instill my own love of learning into the students and learn each of their individual learning continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 15 C a m p u s N e w s styles in order to teach and nurture them accordingly. I also hope to deepen their understanding and love of their Savior by teaching from a Christian perspective. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year with my students and their families! Bill Ridder ’03 Seventh Grade Mathematics Hello! I will be teaching seventh grade math in place of the legendary George Bosman, a daunting task to face as I begin this school year. I heard there were potential openings at Timothy as I finished working as a teacher aide at Willowbrook High School second semester last year. I contacted the high school about an opening, which then referred me to the middle school for this position. I am very excited to be on board back at my Timothy home, and hope to continue the excellent work being done in the middle school math classes. I have been looking forward to being a teacher since I wandered the halls of Timothy as a student. I was blessed with amazing teachers all through high school, especially in the area of math where I was strongest. I will never forget the things Mr. Zylstra and Mr. Snoeyink taught me in their respective classrooms. It was in those rooms where I decided I would use my skills in math to pass on this blessing to others as a teacher myself. I graduated from Timothy in ’03, moving on to Taylor University in Upland, Ind. There I continued in my path of quality Christian education, receiving the tools I needed not only to teach mathematics at a high level, but also to be a well rounded person ready to shape other’s lives, too. Since graduating from Taylor, I have been substitute teaching in districts 88 and 86, as well as my most recent teacher aide position in district 86. I have also been tutoring one-on-one in math and standardized test preparation. I have been trying to stay in education as much as possible as I have been looking forward to a permanent school home. I am very excited to have found just that, and am ecstatic to be able to call Timothy that home. 16 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 I truly feel that God has given me patience to wait for this position that he has called me to now that I am where I need to be professionally and spiritually. All throughout my life I have always been taught, sometimes the hard way, that everything that happens has a meaning. God has a plan through all, and I am so happy that plan is falling into place for me now. I look forward to seeing how He plans on using me. and climbing enormous mountains. After living in Phoenix for two years, I decided to move back to the Chicagoland area. The move back was brought upon by a special person the good Lord suitably placed into my life. I met Bryan shortly after I moved to Arizona, and we made the west our adventure. In January, Bryan asked me to marry him with the help of my second graders, and we tied the knot on August 15 of this year. We are ecstatic to start our lives together in a new place with new opportunities. Laura Shaw Fourth Grade When I told my younger brother, a member of our long line of Chicago Christian graduates, that I was going to be teaching at Timothy Christian, he had one word for me: “traitor.” I smiled at him and laughed; he sensed my excitement and gave me a giant brother hug. I grew up at Southwest Christian and transitioned to Chicago Christian as a high school student. The culture, friendships, and leaders at a Christian school have made me who I am today. When I walked into the doors of Timothy I felt at home. I felt the security I did as a kid in school. I saw pictures and verses on the walls that reminded me of the teachers and friends I had in my youth. I can’t put into words how excited I am to be teaching in such a strong Christian community. After high school my heart was pulling me to Hope College—camping up in Holland, Mich. as a kid held great memories for me. That very first day of college (and probably a long time before), I knew I wanted to be an elementary school teacher. Kids are my cup of tea. While at Hope I was lucky enough to spend a year in Australia and broaden my education. I experienced a lot of joy and some challenges living on my own in another country, and it allowed me to find my true strength and fall into my place in God’s world. After graduating from Hope College in 2007 I decided to follow my dreams of living in the west and moved to Phoenix, Ariz. I was blessed with a unique second grade teaching position at a Title 1 school. I spent much of my extra time experiencing Arizona, camping in the desert, Megan Venhuizen High School Academic Support/ English My name is Megan Venhuizen, and I am very excited to be joining the Timothy Christian staff as the Academic Support teacher in the high school. I grew up in a family of four girls in Manhattan, Mont. on a cattle ranch. I attended Manhattan Christian School all my life, and during my senior year of high school I spent some time volunteering with two children with special needs. I had always wanted to be a teacher, but this experience pushed me to go into Special Education, something I had never considered before. I went on to Calvin College, and as I took more classes my desire to become a teacher grew stronger. After spending a Farewell Principals Tim Hoeksema and Clyde Rinsema had this to say in bidding a fond farewell to the following staff members: George Bosman George was featured as a retiree several issues ago, but returned to Timothy on a part-time basis since then. He says he is officially retired now, but you will be able to see George and Carolyn often at Timothy events watching their very active grandchildren. summer teaching English in Eastern Europe, I felt a passion to teach internationally upon graduation. God led me to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to teach at the International School of Tegucigalpa. Living and working in Honduras was an incredible experience for me. Throughout my three years there, I gained valuable teaching experience, but I also learned to see God through a much wider lens. I gained a more global perspective on God and the transforming work He is completing in a different culture and nation. Living in a Third World country also brought a lot of questions, most of which I still don’t have the answers to, but I was blessed to be surrounded by a community of believers in which we could discuss those questions and grow together in our continual search to know God more. Leaving Honduras was a very difficult decision for me, but experiencing the welcoming nature of the staff at Timothy made it easier. Upon visiting Timothy for the first time this summer, I immediately appreciated the friendliness of other co-workers, as well as their clear devotion to their students. I was encouraged by Timothy’s commitment to providing the best Christian education possible for their students, and I am excited to be part of a strong community dedicated to helping students go out and transform the world around them. It is evident that God is working at Timothy Christian, and I am excited to see what He has in store in this new adventure ahead. Jeff Powers Jeff served Timothy for 15 years and did a superb job teaching science to seventh graders. He developed a science curriculum that was highly engaging for students and activity oriented. As a result, kids loved science. Jeff also coached basketball for many years. He is now at Naperville North High School teaching physical education and coaching varsity basketball. Jeff always has had a passion for coaching and was looking for an opportunity to coach at a large public school. He will be missed. continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 17 C a m p u s N e w s Emily Tillery Emily taught fourth grade at Timothy for three years and is leaving to be a full-time mom, as she and her husband are expecting their first child. She quickly became an outstanding teacher, loved by students, and appreciated by parents. Sara Vander Plas Sarah served Timothy for one year and taught first grade. She is leaving to be a stay-at-home mom. She is currently pregnant with their first child. She taught previously at other Christian schools for three years. She served Timothy very well in her short career here. Mary Clauss Mary leaves after teaching part-time for one year in the English department. We wish her well and thank her for the quality instruction she provided in her two freshmen English classes during the 2008-09 school year. Amy DeWit Amy served as our Academic Support teacher. She married and moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Amy held this position for two years, and her leadership will be missed by both her students and their parents. Oliver Hersey Oliver leaves after teaching at Timothy for four years. He taught geometry, algebra, and, this past year, introduced a new media course. He will be remembered for his quick smile, his love for his students, and his passion for sharing his insights about faith. Melanie Lumkes Melanie was blessed with a second child and left Timothy after teaching here since 1997. She recently worked parttime teaching two classes of Western Civilization. For many years she taught physical education. She also concludes a successful career as our girls’ varsity volleyball coach. In 2007-08 Melanie was named the Private School League volleyball Coach of the Year. She will be greatly missed by her colleagues, students, and athletes for her quiet but firm demeanor and her commitment to excellence both in and out of the classroom. Despite the scheduling mishaps, the volunteer leaders put on a great event. Many Timothy students got involved, and along with more than 550 participants, the event raised $166,000 for cancer research. Congratulations to all participants! Marketing Matters This recurring column is written to keep the greater Timothy community informed of our progress in the fields of marketing and recruitment. Enrollment Update We can all be very thankful for the work that God is doing at Timothy—not only in the dayto-day interactions of students Rudi Gesch and teachers, but in the many new families that He is bringing to our community. As of the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, Timothy has a K-12 population of 1,090 students. This is up from the 1,069 students at the same time last year. In an economic time where many Christian schools are seeing 10-30% enrollment declines, or even considering closing their doors, Timothy has continued a slow but steady five-year growth trend—from 1,032 in 2005 to 1,090 today. Timothy Enrollment Trends National Healthy Schools Day Relay for Life Timothy students Relay For Life Becomes Off-Campus Event, Big Success Timothy Christian Schools was scheduled to be the host site for the American Cancer Society’s annual “Relay for Life” event. Unfortunately, a myriad of rainstorms forced the event indoors. The Relay For Life typically takes place at York High School, but with track remodeling taking place, it was originally moved to Timothy. However, when the event needed to be indoors, it was moved back to York High School’s gymnasium. 18 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Everyone had a great time! As far as who had the most points, well, EVERYONE is a winner when they get active and eat healthy! A portion of the international student program allows for the creation of a new part-time position at Timothy— the WORLDV I E W International Student Program Coordinator. Timothy parent Laura Hernandez has stepped into this role and has already done an outstanding job with the Timothy students, the international students, and the host families. After a successful first year, we hope to expand this program to our initial target of 10 international students or perhaps even beyond. If you’d like to learn more about this program, Mrs. Hernandez can be contacted at Hernandez@timothychristian.com. The 3 Loves About a year ago, I met with the high school teachers and gave them a survey. One question on the written survey asked them an open-ended question: what makes Timothy excellent? Their responses were amazingly similar. Almost every teacher indicated in their own words that Timothy is an excellent place because of: 1. Our community’s relationship with God. On Monday, April 27, our K-8 students joined with schools from all over the country to celebrate National Healthy Schools Day. This was an important day to promote and celebrate healthy school environments that are conducive to learning. Students were encouraged to bring in healthy snacks, and the staff enjoyed a beautiful buffet of fruits and veggies in the faculty lounge. Classes earned points throughout the day for making healthy choices ... drinking a bottle of water, visiting websites during computer class that taught good nutrition, participating in outdoor activities, or even hopping on one foot while practicing multiplication tables. families. While we were unable to meet our initial goal, we were able to bring in five international students. This means that five Timothy families have taken the exciting step of opening up their homes to these students. 2. The fact that we love learning and setting the highest academic goals. 3. The relationships between teachers and students. In reflecting on these responses for almost a year now, not only are these responses obviously true, but also, they perfectly capture the heart of Timothy in “the 3 loves”: the love of God, the love of learning, and the love of students. WORLDV I E W International Student Program Update In the previous Reflector, I mentioned that one of the goals of the marketing committee would be to develop an international student program that would bring 10 students from around the world into the homes of Timothy host Not only is this a good message for our current families to hear and know about, but also new families should hear this message loudly and clearly. When a new family asks the question, “why should I send my child to Timothy?” a continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 19 C a m p u s N e w s simple response might be, “Because this is a community that loves God, loves learning, and will love your child.” In a culture that increasingly turns away from God, with many academic standards dropping in our nation’s schools, and when students feel like “just a number” in their teacher’s classroom … this message speaks. To this end, be on the lookout for the launch of a new website: the 3 loves blog (www.the3loves.com). Here’s the concept—we want Timothy families to tell the world about how the 3 loves at Timothy have had an impact on their family. We’re anticipating video, picture, and text testimonials. This should be a fun way for everyone in our community to get involved (there are also rumors of a Timothy T-shirt for participants). Word of mouth has always been Timothy’s best form of advertising. The3Loves. com will be like word of mouth 2.0. E l e m e n t a r y M i d d l e S c h o o l Author Visits Campus Thank you for your interest in the marketing and recruitment efforts of Timothy. If you know of any prospective families who would like to be contacted regarding a change of schools, or if you have any ideas to advance our marketing efforts, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Rudi Gesch Director of Marketing and Recruitment 630.833.4616 ext. 108 gesch@timothychristian.com a n d Author D. J. McHale On Tuesday, May 19, Timothy was privileged to welcome D.J. MacHale, author of the popular children’s book series Pendragon. He is also a writer, director, and producer of several popular television series and movies that include Flight 29 Down; Are You Afraid of the Dark?; Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective; Tower of Terror; and Ghostwriter. Mr. MacHale spoke to the students in the fifth through eighth grades and captivated them with his warm and enthusiastic storytelling. He shared stories about his youth, and how he hated to write and would do anything to avoid writing assignments. He encouraged our students to find their talents and to be creative, be it sculpting, acting, singing, painting, drawing, or writing. The Timothy Website: Making Life Easier The website staff wants to make the online experience as smooth and easy as possible. They’ve created “Parent Central,” your go-to place for the information that you need. We have linked all of the areas that parents regularly ask about in the left hand column. All of these links will open in a new window (or tab depending on your browser), so you can keep Parent Central open in your primary window (or tab) to get to the most important information to you. N e w s Judy began her teaching career in 1966 and taught for eight years at several public schools. She spent the next eight years at home, raising her family. But you couldn’t keep her out of the classroom during that time and she subbed in various schools one day a week. She re-entered full-time teaching at Medinah Christian Schools where she worked for four years. In 1986, she was hired by Timothy Christian Schools to teach fourth grade where she has been ever since. Students past and present credit Judy with being an important spiritual mentor in their lives. Her current fourth grade students put together a memory book and a common theme was how she had influenced them in their spiritual walk and how she encouraged them to learn and grow as Christians. Whether dealing with the loss of her husband, Dwight, in 2006, or her son’s recent diagnosis of cancer, Judy can always be counted on to bring her joyful spirit to school every day. He then took questions from the audience. Timothy students grabbed this opportunity to talk to one of their favorite authors and asked many intelligent questions about his book characters, plotlines, and upcoming projects. After the presentation, he graciously signed books and posed for pictures. Thank you to Barnes & Noble Oak Brook for giving us this opportunity to host Mr. MacHale. It was one that our students will not forget! Making An Online Donation Mrs. E’s last class We want to remind you that it is now possible to make a donation on our website. All donations are safe and secure and very easy to do. Be the first on your block to do it! Check it out on “Donations” on the website homepage. Stay Informed: Read the TCSNews Email Newsletter If you’d like to keep in touch with news from Timothy and you live at some distance, one way that more than 1,100 people choose to do so is by subscribing to the TCSNews, an email newsletter that comes to your inbox each Monday. Filled with updated news, a thought for the week, prayer requests, and a mildly amusing joke or story, the TCSNews is a quick read that keeps you informed, inspired, and invited. Sign up by visiting our website: www.timothychristian.com. Click on TCSNews and follow the directions! 20 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Goodbye and thanks Goodbye and Thanks, Mrs. E! “Mrs. E.” has enjoyed her years at Timothy and said she is grateful for the wonderful parents, students, and teachers she has worked with throughout the years. “After working in the public schools,” Judy explains, “the camaraderie of teachers who love serving the Lord has been such a blessing.” She said one of her favorite things has been to watch her students make a commitment to the Lord and then see it carried through to high school and beyond. Judy has also appreciated what she has learned from the students. “They have taught continued on next page u The last day of school really was the last day of school for Mrs. Judy Ellefsen, a beloved fourth grade teacher. After 24 years of teaching at Timothy Christian Schools, Judy retired. FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 21 E l e m e n t a r y a n d M i d d l e S c h o o l me patience, living out the fruit of the spirit, how to enjoy life, and how to pray with child-like faith.” Retirement plans include taking care of her parents and watching her grandchildren. However, she is already looking forward to coming back to Timothy next year to help lead the wing sings and possibly do some substitute work. Friday, May 30, the fourth grade class threw a surprise retirement party for Mrs. Ellefsen. The students sang some of the songs she had taught them during wing sing and also performed skits and sang some original compositions for Mrs. Ellefsen. The party ended with cake and a lot of hugs. N e w s Science Olympiad Science Olympiad Team Second in State Math Triathlon Timothy Math Triathlon Team Champs Again Middle School Play a Hit The middle school drama production “Foibles and Folly,” was a hilarious yet heartwarming account that told the story of teenager Amanda McGowen and her move to Distinctive Manor. There, she met a man who walks an invisible dog, a would-be movie star, twins who speak using amusing and adorable alliteration, an elderly gentleman who hides behind the couch from “them,” an eccentric nearsighted woman who loves to sing, and a very tolerant Building Manager. Amanda’s scientist dad, Peter, and Uncle Brain don’t help matters as they spend their time in the muddy field next door trying to develop a “super soil.” The cranky owner of the building decides to sell, against the advice of her level headed assistant, which would leave this loopy band of tenants homeless. Peter McGowen develops a plan that saves the day, 22 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Ninety-two eighth grade students took the stage for this year’s Middle School Graduation. Rev. James Larkin, father of graduate Jim, opened the ceremony in prayer followed by the class singing the Class Song, “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord.” The cast did a fabulous job bringing all these “loopy” characters to life and made for a very enjoyable production. Congratulations to the cast, crew and directors Judy Sytsma and Casey Strauss! Mrs. Ellefsen, we are “in-right, out-right, up-right, downright happy” that you have been with us here at Timothy for so many years. The case of “Foibles and Folly” Graduation Ceremony convincing the developer that the land causes some strange behavior, which allows the tenants to stay put. In the end, Amanda comes to tolerate and care about the tenants and decides Distinctive Manor is not that bad after all. Timothy once again took first place in the Trinity Christian College Middle School Math Triathlon, a competition for Chicagoland Christian Schools held at the college in Palos Heights. Team members were Andrew Groenewold, Matt Huizinga, Daniela Girotti, Grace Berens, Bonnie Van Dyk, Matt De Jong, Logan Byrne, Kate Berens, Kaylie Pries, Jason Kuiper, Kyle Groters, Randall Harris, Kurt Munson, Stephanie Groenewold, Jenna Lodewyk, and Tim Huizinga. Congratulations to team members and teacher and triathlon coach Michelle Berens. Timothy’s awards: Individual competition: First Place – Grace Berens; Third Place – Andrew Groenewold; Fourth Place – Bonnie Van Dyk; Fifth Place – Kurt Munson; Team Competition: First Place (team members Andrew Groenewold, Grace Berens, Daniela Girotti, and Matt Huizinga) Relay Competition: Second Place Triathlon Overall: First Place Three students in the class were Valedictorian. Bonnie Van Dyk and Katie Berens spoke together, remembering fun memories and thanking parents, staff, and friends, followed by Andrew Groenewold who reminded the students to never give up. Dr. Tim Hoeksema recognized the recipients of various Class Honors (see below). He also acknowledged departing staff members Mr. Jeff Powers and Mr. George Bosman. Mr. Bosman, who is retiring, received a standing ovation in honor of his 42 years of teaching at Timothy. Timothy’s middle school Science Olympiad team came home with a second place trophy in the State Class A competition at the University of Illinois. Congratulations to the 16 team members and coach Mrs. Berens who received a plaque and was named “Outstanding Coach” as well. Team awards were given in the following categories: one first place (Pentathlon); two second place (Road Scholar & Compute This); one third (Experimental Design); one fourth (Fossils). In addition, 11 of our 16 members medaled at state. Team members were Brian Barker, Grace Berens, Kate Berens, Brendan Biesboer, Riley De Haan, Andrew Groenewold, Stephanie Groenewold, Jack Hennel, Mike Hennel, Emily Huizenga, Tim Huizinga, Jason Kuiper, Kurt Munson, Kelly Powers, Sam Sticha, and Bonnie Van Dyk. Congressman Roskam Speaks to 8th Grade United States Congressman Peter Roskam came to talk to the eighth grade class last May. It was a great time, and the hour was filled with lots of questions. Congressman Roskam started his talk with a story that brought home the point that our vote counts, and that he does care about what the voters of Illinois and, in particular, his district feel about the issues. The eighth graders asked him many questions, among them what it is like to be a Republican working with a Democratic majority, how difficult it is to be a Christian in Washington D.C., and if there are any issues that he cannot compromise on regardless of what his district feels. The students felt that his answers were heartfelt, honest, and very informative. After the question and answer time every student was given a copy of the constitution, which Mr. Roskam autographed for the students. Dr. Tim Hoeksema offers congratulations Rev. Harris, Graduation speaker Rev. Randall Harris, father of graduate Randall, gave this year’s address. He joked about the dangers of allowing a Baptist Minister to speak at a graduation and promised to keep it brief. He reminded the students that Timothy is preparing them to be disciples of Christ and that God has already equipped them for the work He has planned for them in the future. Congratulations to our Middle School Graduating Class of 2009! Class Honors Baptista Family Valedictorian Scholarship - Kate Berens, Andrew Groenewold, Bonnie Van Dyk Christian Leadership Award - Kate Berens, Phillip Stanton Lorraine Daniels Music Scholarship - Kate Berens Theodore De Jong Science Scholarship - Andrew Groenewold Charles Haack Mathematics Scholarship - Andrew Groenewold Ken Huizinga Athletic Award - Kelli LeGrand, Phillip Stanton FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 23 H i g h S c h o o l N e w s “Cuckoos on the Hearth” This year’s spring play was a classic “whodunit” that kept the audience guessing until the very end. Don and Charlotte Carlton, along with their cousin Lulu Pung, entertain some very interesting characters during a New England blizzard in the 1940’s. The Sherriff reports that a patient has escaped from a nearby asylum and is headed in their direction. In the meantime, eccentric author Zadoc Grimes arrives and is insistent on renting a room at Harmony Hearth. Then, a knock at the door brings three “stranded” men who are seeking refuge from the storm. Is one of them the escapee, or are they really just after the secret project Don is working on? The final twist reveals our “hero” is actually not who we thought she was. Engineering Graphics), Simon Wang (tied for first in Physics and sixth in Math), and Victor Yang (first in Math and third in Physics). Daily Herald All Area Team: Shannon McNeil Student Council Sponsors Speaker on Immigration Policy Varsity Scholastic Bowl Team Ends Successful Season Congratulations to director Tom Day and entire cast and crew for bringing this intriguing and highly entertaining play to Timothy’s stage! Cast Abby Rodick....................................................Caitlin Williams Lulu Pung..........................................................Caroline Hayes Charlotte Carlton.....................................................Katie Eiten Sherriff Preble.....................................................Krista Wielard Don Carlton......................................................Corey Van Dyk Zadoc Grimes...................................................Peter Matthews “Doc” Ferris............................................................Jon Engbers The Professor...........................................................Dan Denby Rev. Clarence Underhill..................................Danny Huizinga Beulah Peck............................................................Audie Smith Dr. Gordon..........................................................Alexa DeVries State Trooper..............................................................Joe Meigs Student Director...................................................Jackson Mills 24 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Girls’ Basketball Honors Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Week Shannon McNeil, Meghan Leach, Anneke Stremler, Katie Dirkse, Kari LeGrand Walter Payton’s Player of the Year Nominee: Shannon McNeil Matthew Soerens, co-author of the InterVarsity Press publication Welcoming the Stranger; Justice, Compassion, and Truth in the Immigration Debate, spoke at Timothy on April 28. Matthew works for World Relief in the department of immigration legal services. He speaks across the country on the development of a Christian response to the issue of immigration and undocumented immigrants. This event was sponsored by the high school student council. “Cuckoos” cast We would also like to recognize all the honors that our basketball players and coaches received during the season. Congratulations to the Varsity Scholastic Bowl team on their Regional championship. This is their fourth Regional championship in 13 years of participation in Scholastic Bowl. Our last championship was in 2005. The team ended the year with a 23-19 record. Congratulations to the team and coach Carlton Rink. WYSE Team Places Second in State Congratulations to Carlton Rink and the WYSE (Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering) team on their second place finish at State competition on Wednesday, April 9, in Champaign, Ill.. They set several Timothy records with their total points scored and nine individual medals. This was the highest amount of points any Timothy WYSE Team has ever earned in the school’s history. Winners included: Dan Denby (second place in Physics and fourth in Chemistry), Jon Proctor (sixth in Computer Science), Corey Van Dyk (tied for first in Physics and fifth in Private School League All Conference: Shannon McNeil, Meghan Leach, Anneke Stremler – Honorable Mention WYSE Second in State Other team members include Justin Barak, Steven Barre, Rachel Groters, Marissa Hegel, Danny Huizinga, Moon Su Kang, Julie Schram, Adam Van Kampen, and Ben Zigterman. Timothy Basketball Athletes Play Well and Do Good If you know your grammar, the above title might make you wince. But actually, it is correct. This year, in addition to having a strong year on the court, our players were able to “do good” by participating in the “Free Throws for Heroes” program. Timothy players raised $2,968.70, which will go to military families that are in need of financial assistance. Here is an excerpt from the letter we received from the Executive Director of Free Throws for Heroes. “On behalf of our Illinois military families, I want to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT of your Timothy Christian High School basketball program in ‘Making Free Throws That Make A Difference To Our Illinois Military Families In Need.’ While over 100 Illinois high schools participated in our ‘Free Throws For Heroes’ program and their contributions are certainly very much appreciated, Timothy Christian High School and your basketball players have certainly distinguished yourselves as exemplary in this very important initiative.” 4th Team All State Shannon McNeil Co-Coach of the Year for District 7 Ryan DeKoekkoek Boys’ Basketball Honors Walter Payton’s Roundhouse player of the week Reggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert White, Robert Stein, Peter Tameling Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Month (November and January) Reggie Greenwood Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Year Nominee Reggie Greenwood Daily Herald Player of the Week Reggie Greenwood Daily Herald All-Area Team Reggie Greenwood Private School League All-Conference Reggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert White Private School League Coach of the Year Jack LeGrand FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 25 H i g h S c h o o l N e w s Student Rob Stein Second in State Congratulations to junior Rob Stein who finished second in the Shot Put in the Boys 1A State Track Meet at Eastern Illinois University. Rob’s best throw was 55’ 5¾”, which was a personal best. High School Awards Night Rob Stein Second in State The TCHS Awards Night was held May 19. This wonderful evening recognizes students who have done so much to make the school year a success. Athletic Awards Intramural: Jake Schemper All Conference Volleyball: Anneke Stremler All Conference Boys Soccer: Jeb Nash, Jake Schemper, Jonathan Voss All Conference Golf: Andrew Woodhull All Conference Cross Country: Leah Bosman, Katie Dirkse, Jeff VanderKamp All Conference Girls’ Basketball: Meghan Leach, Shannon McNeil All Conference Boys’ Basketball: Reggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert White All Conference Boys’ Tennis: Justin Groenewold, Ryan Hoff Athletic Achievement Awards: Allison Bolt, Leah Bosman, Elizabeth DeGroot, Katie Dirkse, Samantha Goedeke, Lauren Hansberger, Marissa Hegel, Jacquelyn Iwema, Meghan Jensen, Natalie Kuick, Mary Beth Langkamp, Shannon McNeil, Jessica Michnowski, Jeb Nash, Jake Schemper, Anneke Stremler, Katie Vanderveld, Laura Vanderveld, Andrew Woodhull Outstanding Senior Male Athlete: Justin Groenewold Outstanding Senior Female Athlete: Katie Dirkse, Shannon McNeil Scholarships Betty Beyler: Will Roelofs Beryl Bean: Maggie Larkin Jessica Freundt: Female: Audie Smith, Male: Reggie Greenwood Global Vision Scholarship: Jessica Michnowski, Becky Kim, Bruce Larkin 26 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Don Greenfield Student Athlete: Female: Nikole Pizzello, Male: Jeff Vanderkamp Barney and Grace Hoeks: Ava Jokich Henrietta Kingma: Chelsea Bardolph Rev. Carl Reitsma: Jon Engbers Eric Robisch: Tori McBride Bertha Wezeman Huizenga: Olivia Doig Henry and Evelyn Tazelaar Music: Mike Iwema Ella Taylor Technology Scholarship: Adam Van Kampen Pamela Joy Day: Julia Pattison Donna Ven Housen: Rita Clousing Industrial Technology/Craftsman: Thomas Huiner Special Recognitions Walter A. Glos VFW Post 2048: Rachel Groters National Merit Commended Students: Katherine Akre, Rachel Groters, Caroline Hays National Merit Finalists: Dan Denby, Corey Van Dyk Valedictorian: Rachel Groters Salutatorian: Thomas Huiner American Legion: Rachel Groters, Bruce Larkin Outstanding Senior Female: Caroline Hays Outstanding Senior Male: Jon Voss Graduation Ceremony This year’s High School Graduation took place the evening of Thursday, June 4, 2009 at Christ Church of Oak Brook. The graduates entered the sanctuary to the traditional “Pomp and Dr. Cindy Tamminga and Alumni Circumstance” in what would Director Jay Evenhouse be the final memory of their time at Timothy Christian Schools. Dr. Timothy Bowman, father of graduate Hannah, opened in prayer. Salutatorian Thomas Huiner shared memories of what made their class unique and said although their departure would leave a gap, next year’s class would continue to learn, grow, and serve God as well. Valedictorian Rachel Groters thanked teachers who had invested their time, care, and concern throughout the years. She quoted from the book The Little Prince, “It is the time you have spent with your rose that makes your rose so important” and was grateful that the teachers always made them feel important. Reggie Greenwood accepts Jessica Freundt Award Activity Awards Drama: Dan Denby, Katie Eiten, Caroline Hays Quill & Scroll: Rachel Groters, Sabrina Lee, Ben Zigterman Academic Awards Art: Jeff Stein Bible: Becky Kim English: Katie Eiten, Rachel Groters, Marissa Hegel, Sabrina Lee Family and Consumer Science: Emilia Medema Physical Education: Katie Dirkse, Jon Voss Instrumental Music - Band: Marissa Hegel Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Becky Visser John Philip Sousa: Becky Visser Instrumental Music-Orchestra: Laura Vanderveld Choral Music: Dan Denby History: Jon Proctor Math: Corey Van Dyk Science: Jon Voss Industrial Technology/Draftsman: Adam Van Kampen Working hard Senior Serve For the past nine years, Timothy seniors have stayed overnight in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago for Senior Serve, an extensive immersion in inner city culture, worship, and ministry. This is the culminating service project required of all seniors. The goal of such a policy is to engage students in our mission of, “serving God and his people.” Timothy seniors had the privilege of partnering in ministry with the community of Lawndale and assisting them in the work they do for the Kingdom of Christ. The students were formed into work groups and assigned a task at Lawndale Community Church, Chicago Westside Christian School, Lawndale Christian Reformed Church, or Humboldt Community Christian School. The students also enjoyed fellowship through Small Group Bible Studies, corporate worship, and pizza at a famous downtown eatery. Various high school staff members also participated, worked (and played!) alongside the students. It is definitely a capstone experience for our Timothy seniors. This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Dr. Cindy Tamminga, Class of 1979. She took the audience on a walk down memory lane and reminisced about her years at Timothy and teachers who had made an impact on her life. She then spoke of her career as a Naval Commander and Doctor at Bethesda Medical Hospital. Rev. Daniel Meyer, Senior Pastor at Christ Church of Oak Brook, gave the address and used a plane analogy of how the graduates were “taking off” into the world after graduation. He advised them that when the storms come, as they always do, to hold true to their compass, the Word of God. By following that, they will always have a Kingdom Flight Plan. The joy of graduation Diplomas were handed out by School Board President Mr. Bob Van Staalduinen. After a closing prayer by Dr. John Kim, father of graduate Becky, the graduates exited the sanctuary to receive congratulations from friends and family members. Congratulations and God’s Blessings to the Timothy Christian High School Class of 2009! FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 27 B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s ’ N e w s Leadership Succession Annual Society Meeting Held Timothy Foundation News Announced The Annual Meeting of the Timothy Christian Schools Society was held in the Huizenga Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27. At the meeting the budget for 2009-10 was approved and the following Board candidates were elected: Julie Huisman (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst); Faith Lee (Christ Church of Oak Brook); Caryn Rivadeneira (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church); Cathy McNeil Stein (Rock of Ages Baptist Church, Maywood); Bill Terpstra (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church), Floyd Vander Meer (Wheaton Christian Reformed Church); and Paul Zigterman (Lombard Christian Reformed Church). IRA Charitable Rollovers - Give up to $100,000 to Charity and Obtain Favorable Tax Treatment Early last spring Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen shared this note with his colleagues on campus. “For more than 30 years now I have had the privilege of serving Timothy Christian Schools in a variety of capacities. After reviewing past milestones and the challenges ahead, I have come to realize that it is Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen time to begin the transition toward new leadership for the institution. It’s my goal to work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure that this transition is accomplished seamlessly. I look forward to a new chapter in my life and a continued bright outlook for Timothy Christian Schools.” In light of Mr. Van Prooyen’s announcement, the Board of Directors, at its April meeting, established and finalized membership of a Leadership Succession Planning Committee. This committee will focus its efforts on the search for a new superintendent. Representing the Board on the committee are Robert Stoll and Robert Van Staalduinen. Chairing the committee is former Board president Dave DeVries. Other members include Timothy Foundation trustees Bastian Knoppers, Rob Petroelje, Terry Van Der Aa, and former Education Committee chairs Tracey Jarzombek and Cindy Vander Woude. The Board is grateful for Mr. Van Prooyen’s dedication to the school, its students, and constituents. For more than 30 years he has served in key administrative capacities and will continue to do so throughout the transition until the new superintendent is able to assume all responsibilities. We ask for your prayers for the work of this committee, the board, and for Mr. Van Prooyen as we together seek to identify a new leader for Timothy Christian Schools. 28 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Also, Carrie Tazelaar (President) and Barb Huizenga (Treasurer), representing Partners in Education and its many volunteers, presented Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen with a check for $80,000 in support of projects to enhance education at Timothy. At its first full meeting the 2009-10 Board of Directors elected the following officers for the year: Bob Van Staalduinen (Lombard Christian Reformed Church) – President Julie Huisman (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst) – Vice-President Bob Stoll (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church) – Secretary Steve Loerop (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church) – Treasurer Jim Allen (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst) – Financial Secretary Please remember to pray for these leaders in their work on behalf of the Timothy Christian Schools Society this year. Grant News: Timothy Awarded Grant for Science Labs In mid-July Timothy Director of Advancement Dave Larsen received official notice of a $300,000 grant from the Richard D. Van Lunen Foundation for new science laboratories. This grant is the largest in Timothy’s history, surpassing the $212,000 received from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001. Until December 31, 2009, if you are at least 70 1/2, you can give up to $100,000 from your IRA to a qualified charity and avoid paying income tax on the distribution. In a nutshell, you will be able to exclude from gross income up to $100,000 of what would otherwise be a taxable distribution of a traditional or Roth IRA, provided you make a qualified charitable distribution in 2009 and you are age 70 1/2 at the time of the gift. S u p p o r t G r o u p Here is how the IRA Charitable Rollover provision works: • The gift amount is limited to $100,000 • You must be 70 1/2 or older at the time of the transfer; and • The transfer must pass directly from your IRA custodian to a qualified charity. Make sure you give your IRA custodian enough time to complete the transfer by year-end. Contact Timothy’s Advancement Office for more information. N e w s Harlem Wizards Take on Timothy Stars Andra Hersey gives guidance counseling at Wizards game The IRA Charitable Rollover provision was part of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and was originally set to expire on 12/31/2007 but extended to 12/31/2009. Since 1962 the Harlem Wizards have played more than 6,000 games in both the United States and abroad, thrilling millions of fans along the way. The Harlem Wizards’ current winning streak exceeds 2,800 games and miles of smiles. The Wizards faced off against Timothy Faculty and high school seniors on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. with Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen serving as referee. Congratulations to Partners in Education (PiE) for the great community event they organized and sponsored. The Harlem Wizards played to a standing room only crowd, and put on quite a show. While the faculty, staff, and students put on a show of athletic prowess of their own, the Wizards prevailed. In an “everything goes” kind of game, the Wizards entertained the crowd with their biggerthan-life personalities and truly impressive basketball skills. The game began with the singing of the National Anthem by fourth grader Camron Brady, and then it was game on! The Timothy home team took the court and the Wizards emcee bestowed nicknames upon our players such as “Shaggy,” “Doogie Howser,” “Justin Timberlake,” “Air-Grandma,” “Mini-Me,” “Little Red Robin Hood,” and “Bruce Jenner.” The Wizards harassed late-comers, performed slamdunks, and were just generally silly! Of course, the home team was equally impressive and held their own with their own antics. One of our teachers literally High Fives at the Wizards game brought down a Wizard player, but did receive a foul from our good-natured referee, Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen. Half-time entertainment was provided by the TC Pommers who “lit’ up the evening. A contest, involving kids from the audience, was a half-time highlight. After the game, the Wizards were available for photos, autographs, or just to talk to the spectators. Thanks to all PiE board members and volunteers who brought the Wizards to Timothy. It was a lot of fun and a great community-building event. FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 29 S u p p o r t G r o u p N e w s New to You Resale Store Timothy senior Nate Puchalski is the 2009 New to You Student Volunteer of the Year. Through his work at the store, Nate has developed expertise in testing and repairing electronics and audio equipment. Nate and his grandpa, Chuck Haack, volunteered most Thursday evenings for several years. The board acknowledged Nate’s A l u m n i A l u m n i contribution with a surprise presentation on one of those Thursday nights. The store continues to bless four schools—Timothy, Chicago West Side Christian, Daystar, and Humboldt Community Christian—with its regular contributions and revenue sharing. N e w s Alumni Invited to Join the Timothy Facebook Movement Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Dr. Cindy Tamminga ’79 Timothy Christian High School Alumni are encouraged to visit www.facebook.com, open an account, and join “Timothy Christian High School Alumni.” If you’re already a Facebook member, visit this group and join the crowd. The Alumni Board thinks that this will be an effective way to reunite with classmates and keep in touch. Check it out! Editor’s Note: Dr. Cindy Tamminga was this year’s recipient. The edited remarks she shared at high school graduation follow. Yearbook Distribution Night An annual summer tradition is the Yearbook Distribution and Signing Night, sponsored by Yearbook advisor Jim Hartgerink. It’s often a mini-reunion of graduated seniors just before they head off to college. Yearbook signing Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Dr. Tamminga and her former teacher Tom Day I also thank the Alumni Committee, Timothy Board of Directors and Administration for this great honor. where experts in the field from all over the world were in attendance. I was more than a little nervous, but as I was traveling to Baltimore for the conference, I realized that I really only cared about what one person in the audience thought about the presentation. I was performing for an audience of one. It struck me that as Christians, we should be living our lives for an audience of one and that is God. It was a fun experience for me to see so many friends and former teachers in the reception room. Some I have not seen since I graduated in June of 1979. My graduation from Timothy took place on a very warm, June evening in the high school gymnasium. That is where a lot of the activities, such as this, took place at that time. I also thought about the reasons why I cared so much about what that one person thought of the presentation. It was because of the time and energy that he has invested in me with the goal of developing me as a researcher, physician, naval officer, and person. In other words, he has acted as my mentor. I receive and read the Reflector, and Timothy has changed a lot in many ways—buildings, curriculum, computer labs, and SmartBoards. God has been very good to us. And now there is the challenge of “Building the Campus, Restoring the World.” I noticed in the campaign booklet that Michelle, a middle school student, is talking about her day at school. She says, “I am working on a project with three other classmates on the causes of malaria and how Christians can help with research.” This was very interesting to me, as this is pretty much where I spend 60% of my time these days, doing research on developing a vaccine to prevent malaria. The other 40% of my time is spent at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, seeing patients, some from the present day war zones. I then began thinking of other individuals who have had a significant impact on my life, many of whom are here tonight. In the reception earlier I talked with Mrs. Franz. As my third grade teacher, she taught me to write in cursive, something that the nurses I work with say I do not do very well. I am sure that is because my penmanship has deteriorated since I was in the third grade. But what she really did for me was to help me, through her kindness and interest in me, as a person—a shy and intimidated third grader—adjust to life in a ‘big school in a big city.’ “Thank you, Mr. Evenhouse for that very kind introduction. I appreciate it. As part of my current responsibilities, I recently presented at a large, international vaccine research conference 30 N e w s See, before I moved with my family to the Chicago area, I had attended a small country school in Iowa where my dad was the principal, teacher, janitor, and part-time bus driver. At that school, three grades were taught by the same teacher and in the same room. You can imagine how intimidating Timothy was, with 25 kids in a class, and some grade levels having two classes. I also see Mrs. David here. She was my fifth grade teacher and no doubt taught me all the things a fifth grader is supposed to know. But what I remember is how she taught us to play marbles at recess and how she set up softball and basketball games for us to play at recess or after school. She impressed upon me the gift of living life with enthusiasm, energy, and joy. Mr. VanProoyen, as my biology teacher, taught me biology and how to dissect a fetal pig. That is when I realized I loved science and that medicine might be a good career path for me. What I remember most, however, is how, as my basketball coach, he taught me the values of hard work, perseverance, and team work. He also taught me that bench sitters have as much value as stars and starters. Mr. Slager taught me a lot about American history, much of which I have forgotten. But what I have not forgotten is what he taught me as my softball coach, and that is that there is at least one White Sox fan in the world that a Cubs fan can respect and look up to. Dr. Cindy Tamminga is greeted by classmates My parents, George and Henrietta Tamminga, have had the most influence on my life as they have shown me by word and example what it is to live for Jesus Christ. When I heard that I had been chosen to receive this award, my first thought was that my sister, Kristy, deserved it much more than I do. That is because I see her consistently making wise choices based on the Christian values that she learned from our parents and from the Timothy School continued on next page u FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 31 A l u m n i N e w s family. She quietly sacrifices time, energy, and finances so that her three sons can attend Timothy. She is both my mentor and hero. I know there are many other people in this audience who do the same. I have been very blessed as God has opened doors and provided opportunities that I could never have imagined when I graduated from Timothy. I have had the privilege of participating in several military deployments. One brought me to Guantanamo Bay where I witnessed the detainees being treated fairly and with compassion by the young men and women of our Armed Forces. I have also had the privilege of participating in a humanitarian mission, which brought us to Vietnam, where the USS Peleliu became the first Navy ship to return to the shores of that country since the war. These experiences have developed a passion From the ’60s Robert G. Ottenhoff ’66 is the President of GuideStar, which operates the largest database of financial information on nonprofit organizations and foundations. From 2000-2002, he started high tech companies for Linsang Partners and operated his own international management consulting practice. He has more than 25 years of experience in broadcast management and strategic leadership. From 1991 to 1999, he was Chief Operating Officer of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). While at PBS, Mr. Ottenhoff was Chairman of the Board of PBS Enterprises and President of NABA, an organization representing broadcasters and other telecommunication companies in the US, Canada, and Mexico. From the ’90s Thomas Feller ’95 and Melissa Feller announce the birth of their second daughter, Celeste Hope, born May 16, 2009. Tom works as the Assistant The Feller family Principal of Farmville Middle School in Farmville, NC and also serves on staff as the Music Director of Landmark Baptist Church in 32 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 within me for international humanitarian work, which I hope to pursue after my navy career. I am grateful for my parents, teachers, siblings, and others, those who mentored and assisted me along the way. I am sure that each of you graduates can identify similar mentors in your lives and that God will provide wonderful opportunities for you as well. A verse that my Dad gave me when I was deployed to Guantanamo Bay was Jeremiah 29:11, which I noticed last evening was the class verse for the eighth grade graduating class. That verse says, ‘For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ It is my prayer that each of you graduates will find this to be true in your lives.” Greenville, NC. They reside in Greenville, NC and can be reached at mrandmrsmusic@mac.com. From the ’00s Alex Jokich ’05 graduated from Pepperdine University Magna Cum Laude on May 2, 2009. She also received the Pepperdine University Department of Communications Outstanding Broadcast Student of the Year Award. Jessica Cook ’05 graduated from Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL on December 6, 2008, with academic honors and a Bachelor of Science. She was also awarded “The Outstanding Marketing Graduate of 2008.” Katrina Denny ’06, a Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.) senior from Chicago, fulfilled an internship last summer across Germany. A double major in engineering and German, Denny did an internship in Magdeburg, just west of Berlin, on a project to make older apartment buildings more energy efficient by retrofitting them with photovoltaic arrays. The project is part of a national competition in Germany focused on reducing energy consumption. Denny, elected this past spring to be one of nine student senators in 2009-2010, also participated in Calvin’s summer study program in Bremen in 2007. career. A native of Elmhurst, Illinois, Van Kampen has been named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, and named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second team in the men’s cross country/track and field college division. John Sianghio ’04 had the privilege of delivering the commencement speech at his graduation from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 16, 2009. If you would like to view it you can log on to YouTube and search John Marc I. Sianghio. Van Kampen is one of 45 individuals that were named to either the first, second, or third teams in the college division. Van Kampen is receiving ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America accolades for the first time in his collegiate career. A chemical engineering major, Van Kampen carried a 3.56 grade point average at Calvin. During his running career, Van Kampen was a three-time, NCAA III All-American in cross country, finishing 17th at 2006 NCAA III Championships, 35th at the 2007 national meet and 23rd at the 2008 nationals. Van Kampen’s finish in 2006 helped Calvin win the national title. Van Kampen was also a three-time All-MIAA and threetime Great Lakes All-Region selection in cross-country. At the 2008 Great Lakes Regional meet held at Ohio Northern University, Van Kampen took second place individually, helping the Knights take first place as a team with 32 points. A two-time All-MIAA selection in track and field, Van Kampen was the MIAA champion in the 10,000 meters in 2007 and 2009. He participated at the 2009 NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing 10th in the 10,000 meters. Krista Hoff ’05 graduated from Taylor University in December ’08 in International Business and Spanish and is currently serving for five months as a volunteer with Hope International in the Dominican Republic. She works for Kiva, a micro finance organization that connects people though lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Krista will also be translating for the US Navy, when the medical ship Comfort arrives in Santo Domingo at the end of this month. She will continue her studies this fall at American University, Washington, D.C., for a graduate degree in International Development. She also served as a Development Intern with CRWRC in Nigeria last summer. Brandi McNeil Wheaton College senior Brandi McNeil ’05 earned All-American recognition in the women’s javelin throw for the fourth time in her career. McNeil qualified for the finals with a throw of 136’ 7” in the preliminary round that was fourth in her flight and ranked seventh among 19 competitors in the two flights. With her second throw of three in the finals, McNeil launched the javelin 151’ 2” for a toss that would be good enough for second place. It marked the second consecutive year that McNeil finished second in Division III at Nationals and was the fourth time that she placed in the top-8 to earn Division III All-American honors. She becomes only the second female Wheaton track and field athlete to earn All-American recognition all four years of her collegiate career. Recent Calvin College graduate Erik Van Kampen ’05 added one last honor to his collegiate distance running FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 33 F r o m t h e A r c h i v e s s FINANCIAL SERVICES Specializing in: s Retirement Planning s College Funding s Sound Investment Programs* s Cost-Effective Insurance s Estate Planning James Veenstra CLU, ChFC PARAGON ADVISORS, LLC 715 Enterprise Dr. s Oak Brook, IL 60523 (630) 571-2205 s Jim.Veenstra@tfamail.com *Securities offered through Transamerica Financial Advisors, a registered broker/dealer member FINRA/SIPC. 1939 Timothy Christian School First Row: Alice Lindeman, Henrietta Dykstra, Evelyn Zeilstra, Mr. J. Van Bruggen, Anna Mae Modder, Carol Lubben, Pauline Huisjen Second Row: John Wiltjer, Harry Vander Vliet, Frances Zeilstra, Henrietta Teeuws, Ethel Havenga, Simon Boeringa, Martin Olthof Third Row: Howard Van Stedum, John Bossenga, James Visser, Edwin Visser, Clarence Wierenga, Gerrit Teune, John Wiersum, Edward Vos If you are looking for a home, office, or commercial space, let my 15 years of real estate experience go to work for you. In honor and memory of… Timothy Christian Schools gratefully acknowledges gifts given in memory or honor of an individual. These gifts assist us in supplying tuition assistance to families in need. Memorials: March 23, 2009 – August 31, 2009 Gifts in memory of . . . Sam Hamstra, Sr. Ron Rottschafer Sherri Venhousen 34 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 Welcome to the 2009-10 school year! So many reasons to be looking or selling ... and so many reasons to contact me. Let Schiller’s 40 year positive reputation create your home / business comparative market analysis. My family is proud to be members of the Timothy Christian Community for over 10 years. I pledge a portion of my earnings to the future of Timothy Christian Schools. Diane M. Karpman Licensed Realtor Diane M. Karpman Direct: (847) 636-0200 Office: (630) 617-6030 540 S. York Road | Elmhurst, IL 60126 || (630) 834-0582 diane.karpman@schillerhomes.com FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 35 A d v e r t i s e m e n t s AL DIEPSTRA, D.D.S. 342 Sherwood • La Grange Park, IL 60525 708-482-4610 DeYoung’s Insurance Service, Inc. Knollcrest Funeral Home Robert Van Staalduinen, Director 1500 South Meyers Rd. • Just North of 22nd Street (630) 932-1500 All types of insurance • • • • • • Business Home Auto Life Health Motorcycle / Boat Call us for a quote Celebrating our third generation! John E. DeYoung III (630) 850-9300 16w065 Jeans Rd • Lemont, IL 60439 DeYoungsInsurance.com 36 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 37 A d v e r t i s e m e n t s 38 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 39 A d v e r t i s e m e n t s 40 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 41 A d v e r t i s e m e n t s Beyond Belief The Reflector is a free publication. Gifts to help produce it are most welcome. Please use the enclosed envelope for your donation. To place an ad in the Reflector, please contact Rudi Gesch at 630-833-4616 ext. 108. Advertising rates: Full page: $400 1/2 page: $225 1/4 page: $150 1/8 page: $75 42 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 43 Timothy’s Timothy’s Serving God and His people, Timothy Christian Schools develops academically prepared Christian disciples who embrace Christ’s call to transform the world. Timothy Christian Schools will be distinctly Christian in its community, curriculum, character, and convictions. Mission: Vision: ONE We reflect God’s kingdom by serving Christian families from diverse economic and cultural backgrounds and students who possess a wide range of abilities. TWO We cooperate with Christian homes and churches in the education and faith development of our students. THREE We demonstrate love for one another in our work and play. FOUR We challenge students to serve in a global community. FIVE We teach and study in the Reformed Christian tradition which drives us to be Biblically based, culturally engaged, and always reforming. SIX We nurture creativity and curiosity through meaningful curriculum and effective instruction. SEVEN We develop and encourage the gifts and talents of one another to serve Christ and renew His creation. EIGHT We seek wisdom that applies knowledge to gain understanding and spiritual discernment. NINE We prepare students to be articulate defenders and models of the Christian faith in thought, word, and deed. TEN We inspire all students to be counter-cultural disciples who are beacons of light in the world. 44 Reflector FA L L 2 0 0 9 FA L L 2 0 0 9 Reflector 45 “One good word for this deeper and richer kind of knowing, the kind that does with the deeper and richer kind of truth, is ‘love.’ But before we can get to that we must take a deep breath and plunge into the center of the story which, according to the Christian tradition, makes sense of our longing for justice, spirituality, relationship, and beauty, and indeed truth and love. We must begin to talk about God. Which is like saying that we must learn to stare at the sun.” N.T. WRIGHT IN “SIMPLY CHRISTIAN: WHY CHRISTIANITY MAKES SENSE” Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Elmhurst Permit No. 306 188 W. Butterfield Rd. Elmhurst, IL 60126 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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