“God is Real” Catching up with TCS Alumni Natalya Manhertz

“God is real”

Catching up with TCS Alumni Natalya Manhertz

By Samantha DePriest

Natalya was voted Class of 2024 Prom Queen by her peers.

(Natalya is pictured with Mrs. Kimmy Jones and prom king Connor DePriest.)

It is always a pleasure to catch up with our students after they graduate. Spending time with Class of ‘24 Alumni Natalya Manhertz truly reminds you of the goodness of God. In May of 2023, Natalya was experiencing symptoms of sepsis that caused her to be life flighted to the emergency room at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Over the next 100 days, Natalya fought for her life in the ICU. She underwent numerous surgeries to remove parts of both her arms and her legs and spent weeks in physical therapy.

Meanwhile her dear friends and loving, prayerful community back home worked hard to prepare a beautiful and accessible space for her return home to. Natalya shared how much her family and friends have meant to her and have been there every step of this difficult journey.

While this type of life changing event may stop someone in their tracks, it didn’t hold Natalya back from returning to school, attending her senior prom, and crossing the stage at graduation with her class in May of 2024.

Image submitted by Natalya Manhertz

Natalya’s point of view watching her friends share with the reporter from 11Alive News during the filming of her documentary.

Image by Natalya Manhertz

After graduation, the news channel 11Alive in Atlanta reached out and asked to share her story. They spent time interviewing her, her family and friends, and nursing care team to learn more about her journey. Natalya’s positive attitude and gratitude was and continues to be evident. She shares, “I am so thankful that I survived. I do have breakdown moments of asking God ‘why me?’ and sometimes I don’t understand why this happened to me, but I trust that God has a plan.” Natalya’s 30 minute documentary will air on 11Alive this coming December.

Natalya modeling adaptive clothing sent to her from Anthropology.

Summer can often be a time for students to rest but Natalya has kept busy. The clothing company Anthrolopology reached out to her about her participation in a campaign for adaptive clothing. They sent her a box of beautiful new clothes to try on. Her friend and classmate Braelin Patterson took pictures of her in the outfits and sent them back to Anthropology and Natalya was even able to keep the clothes. She has also been in conversations with local companies about possible job opportunities as well in between her weekly doctors appointments with her care team. There is no slowing Natalya down, that is one thing that is for sure.ne

Just yesterday Natalya was able to try on her new prosthetic legs for the first time. She chuckled as she shared, “It was the weirdest thing ever to stand up. It’s been over a year since I have and I wondered if was I ever this tall?” Adjustments need to still be made to the prosthetics and she still is doing physical therapy as she awaits them but she is looking forward to more independence. She is also eagerly anticipating getting a car one day with modifications so that she may return to driving. The hospital provides a course for patients who have undergone amputations to assist in returning them to driving. Natalya shared that the first place she will go when she can start driving again is most likely to surprise her dear friends at their homes.

Lovingly, Natalya shared how her friends have stuck by her side. She said they told her. “Even though you look different, your personality is exactly the same and we love you.” Natalya shared how she teaches them how to fold up her wheelchair and put in their car. Her friends take her out to lunch, to the movies, shopping, and even to graduation parties over the summer. One of Natalya’s dear friends, Sarabeth Odom, and her family even made a ramp for her to get into her house for her grad party so she wouldn’t miss a thing. Natalya had tremendous support in the community and shares that “without the amount of prayers, I wouldn’t have made it.” She recalls the “Smile-a-grams” friends and strangers in the community sent to her hospital room at CHOA and how she read every one of them. One stuck out in her mind that read, “Our little lion is in 3rd grade and before dinner every night we pray for you.”  

Natalya and Sarabeth Odom at her graduation party.

Image by Odom family.

Natalya’s friend Sarabeth Odom and her parents shared, “We have been greatly inspired by Nat's perseverance and strength.  Though our countless prayers for her throughout her journey it has strengthened our Faith.  During the darkest hour with little hope, God's healing power shined though.   We have been so thankful to share her story of healing with our small group at church, with friends and with family.  We were so excited that she was able to come to our home for Sarabeth's graduation party.  It gave us the opportunity to introduce her to some of the many friends and our family that had been praying for her for so long.  They too were so inspired by her miraculous story. She is such a blessing to our family's lives by the example she continues to set.  Her kindness, amazing personality and huge smile brings great joy to our lives. We are so thankful that she and Sarabeth are such close friends. Her Mom is amazing as well and sets a great example.  We have been blessed to be able to get to know her better during the past year. We anticipate God using Nat and her story in amazing ways for many years to come and can't wait to she what the future holds for her.”

Natalya has a bright future ahead. She seeks God in all she does and loves sharing her testimony. She is grateful for her Mom and little sister, the nursing team, and her friends for being beside her throughout this chapter. One thing is for sure is that when you spend time with Natalya Manhertz, you know that “God is real.”

Where are they now: TCS Alumni Mattie McCracken

Where are they now: TCS Alumni Mattie McCracken

By Samantha DePriest

For as long as Mattie McCracken can remember, TCS felt like home. She recalls numerous teachers, coaches, and mentors at Trinity Christian School speaking into her life and encouraging her along the way.  Mattie shared how grateful she is for Bible teachers who answered questions about Faith and helped prepare her for life after high school. 

During her time at Trinity Christian School, Mattie competed and excelled in basketball, softball, and golf. Mattie is no stranger to hard work and her academics reflected that. She served in both the National Honor Society as well as Beta Club.

Like many students in physical therapy, Mattie McCracken experienced an injury that initially peaked her interest in the career path. Through her own recovery and return to play, she discovered how much she loves to help people overcome their own setbacks. She is currently attending High Point University in North Carolina and working on her Master’s degree. Mattie works with sports teams, gathering research on physical and mental health, and spends time in the Adidas Biomechanics lab on campus. She is involved in campus ministries and a sorority.  

During her last year of graduate school, Mattie will take classes at HPU and serve as an athletic trainer at a college of her choice.  She is passionate about her field and sees herself as a first responder to athletes. Her hope is through her hard work, commitment, and experiences that one day she will land her dream job of serving in the NBA.  We are so excited for you Mattie and look forward to what God has in store next for you.

TCS Middle School Students Compete in the Great History Challenge

TCS Middle School Students Compete

in the Great History Challenge

By Samantha DePriest

(pictured l to r) Ian Stewart, Kai Szopa, and Nicholas Litzenberger pictured with Mr. Eric Huff, Founder and Executive Director of the Great History Challenge. 

Trinity Christian School students traveled this past Memorial Day weekend all the way up to Chicago to compete in the 2024 Great History Challenge National Championship. TCS middle school students Nicholas Litzenberger, Ian Stewart, and Kai Szopa represent the top 1% of the 40,000 participants from across the US.

TCS Middle School student Kai Szopa at the Great History Challenge.

TCS Middle School English teacher Mrs. Huddleston shared “The Great History Challenge is a competition that creates questions from national Social Studies curriculum standards. All middle school students at TCS, grades 6-8, competed individually in an online interactive quiz to test their history knowledge. About 25 students were then invited to a regional event in Atlanta where they competed in a buzzer-style round. Several students from regional were then invited to the national event.”

The Great History Challenge website states, “Students enjoyed meeting Abraham Lincoln and an excursion to Millennium Park, but the main event of the weekend was the over 300 games that pitted students' knowledge of history against each other. Two days and more than 7000 questions later, the top nine students faced off on the big stage!”

TCS Middle School students Nicholas Litzenberger and Ian Stewart at the Great History Challenge.

TCS Mom Laura Litzenberger shared “The kids competed in multiple quiz style rounds and received 1, 2 or 3 points depending on how many “clues” it took to answer. The top 30 from each grade level moved on to finals. They also enjoyed eating their way around Chicago and hanging out during “downtime” between their rounds. Many other TCS students qualified for Nationals as well but were not able to make it up to Chicago that weekend.” 

What an incredible opportunity for these stand out Lions! We celebrate their academic achievements and look forward to what God has in store for them this coming school year.

Top 30: Nicholas Litzenberger placed 14th and Ian Stewart placed 28th.

“The moment you and your buddy realize you made the top 30.” Image submitted by Melissa Stewart

TCS Bible Team attends the International John Owen Convention

TCS Bible Team attends the

International John Owen Convention

By Samantha DePriest

This past week we had an opportunity to lean in and learn about the memorable experience some of our TCS Bible team had abroad this summer in Ireland. Mr. Moore, Mr. Lassiter, and Mr. Higgins took a memorable trip together to Ireland to attend the International John Owen Convention. Seventh grade Bible teacher Mr. Moore shared, “Almost two years ago we discovered the Union Theological College, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and I have been in their MA in Theology program as a student since then. Their degree path is offered via an online platform called Bible Mesh. Last fall, Wesley decided to transfer from pursuing his Masters through another seminary and also joined the program at UTC. Our college announced last fall that they would be hosting an international conference in partnership with Crossway and BibleMesh, and they put out a call for speakers to come to present their research. Wesley decided he would go out on a limb and submit a proposal and it was accepted! Since January the three of us began planning this trip together to support Wesley’s endeavor to present his paper at his first theological academic conference.” 

TCS Bible teachers Mr. Higgins, Mr. Lassiter, and Mr. Moore (pictured l to r).

Eighth grade Bible teacher Mr. Lassiter shares, “In November, they announced a call for papers for the first annual International John Owen Convention. The goal and purpose of the conference was to explore new directions in John Owen, the 17th century British Puritan, studies. There was a total of 21 academic papers given and 3 plenary papers by Owen scholars. This conference included presenters from several European and North American countries and numerous denominations represented as well. I had the privilege of presenting my paper which was accepted. This paper was the beginning thoughts of my Master's degree research dissertation and what I am pursuing for my PhD research. While my paper would probably bore most people, the end goal is to take this high and lofty theology and apply it to the everyday Christian. The title of my paper was "For Though We See In Part: John Owen's Pastoral Apprehension of Blessedness in the Beatific Vision." I explored John Owen's works to show he was a pastor at heart who lived in troubling times. His congregation as well as the students he taught at Oxford University lived in tumultuous times as well. He simply wanted to show hurting, suffering, and sinful people that we can find satisfaction in Jesus now and we will experience it in full in eternity.” 

TCS 8th grade Bible teacher and Director of Spiritual Development for UE/MS Mr. Lassiter presents his paper at the International John Owen Convention.

Mr, Lassiter goes on to share, “I loved the opportunity to participate in this conference with some of the world's leading Owen scholars. This was an immensely humbling experience that helped me to continue to shape and refine my academic studies. I was able to represent my research school (Union Theological College), the program that makes this distance degree accessible (BibleMesh), the church I pastor (The Rock Church, The Rock, Georgia), and of course the school I have the privilege to teach at (Trinity Christian School). I will be working to provide my paper in two formats for reading. First, BibleMesh will be publishing a summarized and accessible version of the paper. Second, a few publishers are looking to publish a John Owen academic journal with some of the papers from the conference. I am so thankful for the support of my co-workers and the administration of Trinity Christian School for encouraging me along the way for this opportunity. I am thankful for Trinity's encouragement to teachers for continued education and learning. I will now be working on the next steps of my research and the next academic paper to continue this theological thread in John Owen.

I am extremely grateful Tyson Moore and Dylan Higgins were able to join me on this trip. They were constant encouragers and talking partners leading up to the delivery of the paper. We also thoroughly enjoyed exploring parts of Ireland. We had the joy of exploring many church history sites as well as historical Irish sites. The Lord was gracious to give us time together to explore another part of the world where the Lord has worked through his people. No doubt this trip served to not only enrich our spiritual lives but also to enrich our classrooms as we can share how different people from different places around the world have made a gospel impact. 

I pray this trip continues to impact others in our influence. Entering into my new role of teaching 8th grade Bible and as the Director of Spiritual Development for UE/MS, my goal is to urge our students to look to Jesus. Whether we are struggling in sin, we are suffering through the effects of sin, or a student is lost and wandering, the goal is to point them to Jesus where they will find eternal satisfaction. Our only salvation is in Jesus. True joy can only come through Jesus. Let us look to him as the giver of God's glory by which we can look upon him and live!”

School's Out For The Summer!

School’s out for the Summer!

By Samantha DePriest

That’s a wrap! Trinity Christian School celebrated another wonderful school year. Our Lions came into the school year back in August ready to learn, grow, and develop a better understanding of God’s calling on their lives. They were warmly greeted by teachers, staff, and coaches who saw potential in each of them and had been praying for them by name while preparing spaces for them to thrive in. Our students joyfully made new friends, developed meaningful relationships with new teachers and mentors, tried new foods, visited new places, studied new scriptures, mastered content in a variety of subject areas, participated in many extracurricular activities, and hopefully grew stronger in their Faith walk. Whether this school year year was their best yet or a year of striving to overcome adversity, one thing is for sure, every one of our TCS staff has been cheering on each and every one of our Lions along the way as they seek God’s purpose.

Dr. Anthony shared in a recent all school Campus Development meeting, “With over 230 churches represented in our school, we are united in investing in the emerging generation and see that they have the ability to hear a strong Gospel message and to live out what it means to be a faithful Christian and a Christ follower and do it in a strong, safe, and secure environment. To reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our core Christian beliefs. At the heart of our school is the belief that each one of our children bear the image of God.“

What a gift and blessing to be surrounded by other like minded Christians as our students develop a firm Faith foundation. This is important not just for after Senior graduation, but also as our children go out into the world over the next 8 weeks of summer. We hope each of our students and parents will find rest in the margins of all the fun and adventures planned in June and July. We pray that our familiies will enjoy time to reconnect without car line, calendars, and the crazy that comes along with a school year rich in activities and to do lists. We pray our students stay strong and committed to their beliefs and all that has been poured into them during the school year.

Each summer we hear about our families seeking ways to keep students connected to God’s word while they are away from school. Many of them have shared their own tips or ones shared by their youth pastors over the years for helping their students stay close over the summer. Below are just some of the ways we can help our students to continue growing closer to God:

1) Hang 10 - Students are encouraged to “hang out with God” for 10 minutes each day through Bible reading and prayer. They can set an alarm at the same time every day as a reminder that it’s time for “Hang 10”,

2) Put a sticker on a calendar every day your child reads his/her Bible. At the end of the summer, count up the stickers and celebrate your child’s Bible reading success with a simple treat, like an ice cream cone or an afternoon in the park.

3. Go God scouting. Visit a nature preserve, a zoo, an art museum, or a family reunion armed with a pencil and notebook (or a camera). Record everywhere you see God–in a friend’s laugh, in a cardinal’s wing, in a cool cloud formation. Consider keeping a God scouting journal or bulletin board for keeping all your summer God-sightings in one place.

4. Keep a prayer journal.

5. Visit a nursing home. Make cards for the residents. You might also gather a group of kids and plan a mini-concert. Just call ahead and see if your kids can perform in the cafeteria at lunch.

6. Pass out bottled waters to the homeless on a hot day or make care packages with energy bars, crackers, mouthwash and a handwritten Bible verse.

7. Attend a VBS other than the one at your church.

8. Take balloons and a cupcake to someone who’s feeling discouraged

9. Read a book about a Christian who made or is making a difference in the modern world (Corrie Ten Boom, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Joni Erickson…).

10. Order a copy of “A Faithful Student’s Survival Guide to the Summer” written by our very own TCS Bible Teacher and TCS Dad to 4 Lions, Mr. Chris Paschal. This wonderful resource for students can be found online on Amazon.

Middle School Market Day

Middle School Market Day

By Samantha DePriest

Preparing students to impact tomorrows world has been and remains the mission and focus of Trinity Christian School. Each year our middle school students are given multiple elective classes to choose from to take during their 6th, 7th, and 8th grade years. Providing our students with engaging classes and curriculum that teach necessary skills and healthy habits that could impact their long-term financial success and quality of life are essential.

The Business and Finance elective class is led by Ms. Emily Walter. Ms. Walter shared, “The Business/Finance class has studied personal finance as well as Entrepreneurship. They’ve learned about savings, credit, bank accounts, investing, and budgeting. They also created their businesses, designed logos, made and priced their products, and so much more! I am so proud of their hard work!”

Students in the Business Finance and Entrepreneurship were able to put into practice the skills they have learned this year by hosting a Market Day for our 4th and 5th grade classes. The event was held in the gymnasium and very well attended. The middle school students planned, budgeted, and marketed their businesses and were able to sell their products. Meanwhile the Upper Elementary students had a blast shopping from table to table supporting their fellow Lions. The market day came at the perfect time just before Mother’s Day and provided students with an opportunity to shop for gifts for their Mom’s, Grandmother’s, and other special people in their lives. Most of the students sold out of their items and many of them made more than $50 in real money.

Many of Ms. Walter’s students shared how they loved learning how they could turn their creativity into profit by selling items they made or bought and marketed. Many TCS parents shared how they appreciated opportunities like these for their students to learn real world skills that will benefit their children later in life. Our 3rd grade students also hosted a Market Day during the month of May, however pretend money was used.

TRINITY MIKE FITZPATRICK FORD STUDENT

“ATHLETE OF THE WEEK” AWARDS

By Samantha DePriest

Trinity Christian School is honored to have Mike Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Ford in Newnan recognize several of our Fall student athletes with the “Athlete of the Week” Award. We join Mr. Fitzpatrick in saying that we are wholeheartedly proud of these athletes who demonstrate qualities of leadership, character, and determination in their sport and on their teams. Below are our most recent recipients of the Fitzpatrick “Athlete of the Week Award” for the month of May. Way to go Lions!!

Abigale Smith

Track and Field

5/6/24

Abigale has been a part of the track and field program since middle school at TCS. During her time in high school, Abby has participated in sprinting and relay events, along with competing in the horizontal jumps. She is a postseason qualifier multiple years in the 100m dash, 4x100m, and 4x200m Relay events, and in the long and triple jump. Abigale plans to compete at the next level in track and field, possibly Truett McConnell University being her final destination.  

Preston Ziobro

Track and Field

5/13/24

Preston has been involved with the TCS track and field and cross-country program throughout his high school career. During this time, he has participated in distance events as a student-athlete, seeing much success in competition over the years. Preston has qualified in multiple events to compete in postseason action which includes the 3200m run and 4x800m Relay. He plans to attend Auburn University in the fall.  

TCS hosts 1st Annual Art Walk

TCS hosts 1st Annual Art Walk

By Samantha DePriest

It’s not a little known secret that Trinity Christian School has been developing an Arts program for quite some time. Art is woven throughout all grades in our school and the growth is evident in students work from our advanced art classes. Middle School and High School Art teachers Mrs. Hackworth and Mrs. Simonton were instrumental in launching the Arts at TCS during their tenure here. Since then the baton has been passed to Mrs. Cook, high school Art teacher, and Ms. Boone, middle school art teacher who are passionate about developing artists. Providing students with artistic confidence and knowledge is empowering and key in cultivating creativity as they tell stories through their artistic expression. The idea was presented to incorporate an Art Walk during the Spring Concert Series. What better way to celebrate and honor these talented students for their hard work than by hosting the 1st Annual TCS Art Walk.

High School Principal Mrs. Jones shares, “This past week, TCS High School Art Department presented their first Annual Spring Art Walk showcasing the talents of our Art students in both Middle and High School. They were pleased to show a piece from each art student, from Visual Arts 1 classes to the Honors Studio Art class, and the AP/AP+ class. The artwork was displayed in the Student Lounge of the High School in Building 5, one hour before the Spring Concerts. We hope you had a chance to check it out, but in case you missed it, here is a glimpse of the talent that was on display.”

Mrs. Cook, High School Art teacher, shared “This years Art walk, our first ever for TCS, was such a meaningful event! It was an honor for me to get to be a part of showing all the talent growing here at TCS. We had artwork displayed from 60 high school students ranging from 9th - 12th grade. We showed paintings, drawings, sculpture, mixed media, and pastel work - and it was a joy to show off these students‘ talents and skills. It meant so much to each artist to see their work matted, standing on an easel, and receiving praise from all the crowds coming through each night of the walk. There are so many artistic opportunities here in our high school art department. I’m beyond proud of these students and their God-given talents and I can’t wait to see all what they will do next!“

Ms. Boone, Middle School Art teacher, shared, “This show meant so much to the Art Department at TCS. It gave our students a change to show all of these amazing, God given talent to others. This was their chance to shine. They have never had the chance to see their work hung up on a wall and that gives an artist a sense of pride. My students were able to hear how well they are were doing. These artists will now be encouraged and feel like they have their own place of belonging at TCS.”

Ms. Boone was inspired by the various mediums their students used, “We had various different mediums in the students work. They used colored pencils, water colors, acrylic paint, markers, crayons, sketching pencils, and one of my students used sand from her recent beach trip.”

Some of the middle school art students shared:

“The art show made me feel important.”

“Being a part of the first annual art show was meaningful.”

“Having my piece in the art show challenged me to always do better.”

“It made me feel proud.”

When asked what advice they would share with other students interested in art, middle art students shared:

“You have to practice in order to get better.”

“Don’t be nervous and doubt yourself. Challenge yourself to put in the work. Don’t be afraid to try art.”

Ms. Boone encourages upper elementary students moving up to middle school in the fall to consider taking her art class. “I would say to rising 6th graders to not be afraid to try out Art. My Art class is a place they are all welcome to express their own creativity. God has given all of us different talents. My classes are a place you can join in at any level. It is a place to feel like you belong. MS Art is fun! We laugh and have fun together. Art club is also a great way to have time drawing and creating crafts. Art is fun and I want all of my students to feel welcome. I want more than anything for them to know they are loved by Jesus and created for His purpose. I hope they feel that in my classroom.”

The Road to Boy’s Volleyball at TCS

The Road to Boy’s Volleyball at TCS

By Samantha DePriest

For years, Trinity Christian School has had a competitive Girls Volleyball program. However, a couple of years back our High School Student Council hosted a Boys Powderpuff Volleyball event in May of 2022. Multi-sport athletes learned the basics of how to play and came out ready to compete from grades 9 - 12. That was all it took for the sport to take off at TCS.

Powder Puff Boys Volleyball Game, May 2022

TCS Boys Volleyball Coach and TCS Dad Greg Price shares how it all started. "Who would have thought a legitimate Boys Volleyball program and college scholarships would’ve come from this event? Once the fire was lit, a few boys made a path for development and to play the game at a high-level.”

With these core group of boys, TCS parents and coaches Greg and Erin Price have worked hard to lay a foundation for Trinity to have a boys high school volleyball program. Coach Price goes on to share, “The athletic department was very supportive and allowed the program to have resources to give the program some wings. In its second year, the program doubled in size and had a JV and varsity team for 2024. We were blessed to have a few multi-sport athletes, who also played in the Powderpuff game, join the team and gave us a competitive edge. Drake Price and Sam Taylor have been blessed with college offers to play at the next level. Currently, the team is poised to make a run for the state championship this year. We thank God and the Trinity Lions family for making this dream come true."

Mr. Lance Duncan, TCS Athletics Director, shares “I love that we can continue to offer more sports and activities to our student body to get involved in. I am excited for the development of the boys volleyball program inside of GHSA and look forward to when this sports moves from a Club sport until a fully recognized GHSA school sport in the coming months and years.”

Senior Drake Price has been at TCS since 1st grade. He has competed and excelled in Boy’s Volleyball, Basketball, and Golf. This past Thursday night during the Boy/s Volleyball Senior night and home match, he officially committed to play at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. Drake was surrounded by family, friends, teammates, his Youth Pastor, and even by Coach Alfonso Alvarez, Head Volleyball Coach from Campbellsville University, on Facetime. Coach Alvarez called Drake a “difference maker” and expressed his excitement for him joining the family.

Drake Price (pictured center) surrounded by his family and friends at his signing.

Samuel Taylor has been at TCS for 7 years and has competed with both Soccer and Boys Volleyball. Samuel also had his official signing after the match on Senior Night and was surrounded by family and friends. Samuel will be attending Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia. Coach Joe Herrera also attended along with some of the TMU men’s volleyball players and spoke words of encouragement over Samuel for his future plans.

Sam Taylor (pictured center) surrounded by his family and friends at his signing.

Mr. Duncan goes on to share, “It is so great that we have players going on to represent our school and getting to play at the next level. We are super excited for them as they get  to go impact their new campuses!” The sky is the limit for our Boys Volleyball Program at TCS and we can’t wait to cheer on these two student athletes next year as they compete at the college level.

TRINITY MIKE FITZPATRICK FORD STUDENT

“ATHLETE OF THE WEEK” AWARDS

By Samantha DePriest

Trinity Christian School is honored to have Mike Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Ford in Newnan recognize several of our student athletes with the “Athlete of the Week” Award. We join Mr. Fitzpatrick in saying that we are wholeheartedly proud of these athletes who demonstrate qualities of leadership, character, and determination in their sport and on their teams. Below are our most recent recipients of the Fitzpatrick “Athlete of the Week Award” for the month of April. Way to go Lions!!

Daisy Hill

Golf

4/8/24

Daisy shot the lowest score in our match against ELCA! Her hard work and excellent performance helped lead us to the win! 

Ryan Melton

Baseball

4/15/24

Ryan is a superb athlete and catcher on our baseball team. He has a great Christian character and is an awesome teammate. He goes above and beyond to help the team win at any cost. He is very coachable and always striving to be better. He has the potential of being a very good player in college at a D1 school.

Addison Schriks

Tennis

4/22/24

Addison is our first-line singles player for the Trinity Girls Varsity tennis team, and had an impressive record of 7-0 versus region match opponents. She led the Trinity Lions through regional playoffs and into the state tournament, where she will take on Bainbridge HS's top player the week of April 17.  As well as being an exemplary student-athlete, Addie inspires her teammates and cheers on every match in progress when she's not on the court. 

Campbell Askew

Tennis

4/29/24

Campbell Askew is a student-athlete and a leader on the TCS Varsity Tennis Team. As Trinity's line-one singles player, he plays the toughest opponents in our region and approaches each match with exemplary character, attitude, and heart. Campbell enters the GHSA state tournament as Trinity's top-ranked boys player with a 4.62 Universal Tennis Rating. 

Celebrating the Arts at TCS!

Celebrating the Arts at TCS!

By Samantha DePriest

If you have been around Trinity Christian School for any length of time, you likely have seen the exponential growth in our Performing Arts department. Our student participation is steadily climbing, new programs are being added each year, and along with that come new talented staff investing in and training up the next generation of performers. As the school year comes to a close, our students are given numerous opportunities to showcase their gifts and talents in more than a dozen shows, recitals, and awards presentations. Just this past week, several of our Musical Theatre students attended and participated in the Shuler’s Awards show in Atlanta. our Performing Arts students celebrated another incredible year and received recognition at the TCS Performing Arts Awards Night, and this weekend our 1st - 5th grade Lion Cub Performers put on the most amazing production of The Lion King JR. Over the next two weeks, there are many more opportunities to enjoy the sights and sounds of our talented Performing Arts students in the 2024 Spring Concert Series and The Spongebob Musical.

Shuler's Awards

This year two of our high school students and one staff member recieved Shuler Awards Nominations out of 75 public and private high schools last Saturday night.

Isabelle Johnson - Nominated, Best Featured Actress (Top 6)

Keira Moore - Honorable Mention, Best Leading Actress (Top 12)

Stacie Moore - Honorable Mention, Best Musical Director (Top 12)

Not only did several of our musical theatre students attend the Shuler Awards, but some even participated in the show on stage in both the opening and closing acts as well as assisting with technical. The program “celebrates excellence in high school musical theatre. The awards are named in honor of actor/singer and Georgia native, Shuler Hensley, winner of the prestigious Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award.” The ArtsBridge Foundation provides arts education opportunities and is responsible to hosting the Shuler Awards as well as many other events through the school year.

Performing Arts Awards Night

This past week the Performing Arts department gathered together to celebrate the many accomplishments of our students. Awards included:

Outstanding Female: Lila Chitwood Outstanding Musician: Anna Manwaring

Outstanding Male: Kenneth Russell Leadership Award: Kylee Beckman

2023-2024 Lion Award: Kaitlyn Robinson. Outstanding Engineer Award: Autumn Chitwood

Practice Competition: Jane Jung. Athletics Media Excellence: Christian Smith

Outstanding Musician: Asher Griffin Excellence in Film: Roman Arcadia

Director’s Award: Joshua Schatzberg Rising Team Member: Ethan Pruiksma

Director’s Award: Mia Moreno Outstanding Band Member: Josh Harper

Director’s Award: Isaiah Ware Outstanding Vocal Member: Elly Dallas

Excellence in Broadcasting: Brett Rogers Rising Tech Star: Addison Davis

Outstanding Vocal Leaders: Keira Moore Best Actress: Alina Cola

2024 Rising Star: Lila Chitwood Best Actor: Gage Torning

2024 Standout Performer: Henry Cook Outstanding Actor: Stephen Nussbaum

Outstanding Technical Theatre: Noah Williams Outstanding Actress: Keira Moore

Oustanding Set Design: Chloe Cook 2024 Roaring Ovation: Isaiah Ware

Outstanding Costume Design: Charlotte Osterhage 2024 Spotlight Leadership: Lilla Wise

Outstanding Technical Theatre: Brett Rogers 2024 Starving Artist: Kasara Haynes

The Lion King JR 

Also this week, our Lion Cub Performers put on an unforgetttable production of The Lion King JR that received standing ovations at every performance. Putting on a production of The Lion King JR with a almost 100 students in 1st - 5th grade is not small feat. If you were blessed enough to catch one of the 4 incredible shows this past weekend, you likely saw the incredible talent of our Lion Cub Performers.

A very special thanks goes to the many TCS parents and student leaders who assisted Mrs. Perez in the production. Mrs. Perez shared these supporters were instrumental in the success of the show., Tim Hurt, Amber Poelman, Megan Dixon, Grace Kanja, Mark Cannon, Paige Curtis, Rose Russo, and AB Perez. She also praised the many performing arts servant leaders who took the lead in everything from technical to dance and beyond in grades 9 - 12.

The Spongebob Musical

This coming week our ManeStage and Roaring Dramatics 6th - 12th grade students will be performing The Spongebob Musical this week as they take us all the way to Bikini Bottom! There are two casts for this show. Casts can be found on the description of each GoFan Link.

CAST 1:

Thursday, May 2nd at 7pm: https://gofan.co/event/1479804?schoolId=GA72962

Friday, May 3rd at 7pm: https://gofan.co/event/1479805?schoolId=GA72962

CAST 2:

Saturday, May 4th at 2pm: https://gofan.co/event/1479806?schoolId=GA72962

Saturday, May 4th at 7pm: https://gofan.co/event/1479807?schoolId=GA72962

TCS Student Athletes Selected as part of "Baseball 4 Christ"

TCS Student Athletes Selected as part of “Baseball 4 Christ “

By Samantha DePriest

The mission of Trinity Christian School is to “prepare today’s student to impact tomorrow's world: by educating minds for cultural engagement, equipping hearts for character development, and empowering hands for compassionate service.” Our hope for each student is that they lean in and listen to God’s calling on their lives and seek to be a blessing to others around in them using the gifts and talents that He has given them. This coming June, we are excited to share that two of our high school students will be going on mission with local ministry “Baseball 4 Christ” to serve and spread the Gospel in a village in Mexico.

TCS student athletes Logan Moss (L) and Ryan Melton (R) selected to join the 2024 “Baseball 4 Christ” team

The mission of Baseball 4 Christ “To spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to impact and foster the players and those they serve into action while growing the Kingdom of God. The ministry consists of using the game of baseball to share the message of hope and faith while spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As part of the ministry, the Baseball 4 Christ teams play against community baseball teams, conduct instructional clinics for children of all ages, and work with local churches, public and private schools, and the government of Mexico while serving on mission. The team shares the Gospel and personal testimony throughout their journey while on a mission in Mexico and back home in the United States. Baseball 4 Christ’s Ministry is not just about playing baseball; it’s a journey of faith, service, and transformative impact” as mentioned on the Baseball 4 Christ website.

Ryan Melton

RYAN MELTON

Ryan Melton, a junior at TCS and plays catcher on our Varsity Baseball team, has been selected as one of the 2024 Baseball 4 Christ (B4C) Mission Team Captains. Ryan has been a Varsity player since his freshman season. He is a defensive specialist behind the plate and was recently chosen as Athlete of the Week.

Ryan learned about baseball for Christ through his friend Cole Gilmore at Newnan High School. He shares, “I hope to grow in my faith by strengthening my relationship with God. I will hopefully realize how much God has blessed me with talent and possessions. In service I hope to learn new things from a different perspective. Working on houses and such will be a new experience than the service I tend to do locally.”

Ryan Melton

When asked what he would say to inspire students learning about this opportunity to step outside of their extracurricular activities and seek out mission minded activities, he shared “I would say to keep an open mind to opportunities that arise and take them. You never know when another chance will come to participate in mission work. God opens opportunities for a reason not only for those you serve, but for us to grow as well. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to be part of such an amazing trip. I can’t wait to go and just grow spiritually with people who have a passion for Christ and baseball.”

Mrs. Erin Melton, Erin’s Mom, shares “It's hard to express in words how proud we are of Ryan to be chosen as one of the members of the Baseball4Christ mission team. His decision to participate in this mission trip reflects his desire to live out his faith and be the light of Christ to others. Ryan and his teammates will spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know this trip will be transformational for him. We are thankful for this opportunity for Ryan and cannot wait to see the Lord work through him and the entire Baseball4Christ team!  To be able to pair two of his life passions, the Lord and baseball, into a mission trip to Mexico is an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Logan Moss

LOGAN MOSS

Logan Moss, a junior multi position player at TCS, was also selected as one of the 2024 Baseball 4 Christ. He has been a Varsity player since his freshman season and is quite versatile as he plays multiple positions. Logan is also a former Little League World Series player and is well known in the area.

Logan shared, “I learned about the Baseball 4 Christ organization and trip through a connection in FCA. Every year our football team goes to a FCA camp and it was there that I met Coach Morgan. Coach Morgan works alongside Coach Winslett to make this amazing trip possible. During this highschool baseball season, I was able to reconnect with Coach Morgan and he told me about the Baseball 4 Christ organization, and how they are starting missions trips again this year!”  

Logan Moss

He went on to share, “I hope to grow spiritually by becoming bold and unashamed to preach the Gospel wherever I am at. I believe going into a foreign country to bring the Good News to those people is a great opportunity to grow in that. Not only do I want to grow in my faith, but I also want to have a huge impact on the kids and adults of Mexico. Through our service, I hope to be a light to the people and bring the message of Jesus Christ to them. These people, especially the kids, don’t live the same kind of lives we are blessed to live, so I want to love these kids deeply in the short time we have there.”

“I truly believe mission minded activities have big impacts on the people you serve, but they have an even bigger impact on those that are serving. I have been blessed to serve through a passion of mine, which is baseball, but there are so many other opportunities to get involved in serving others. I think that students and parents should have open hearts to being the hands and feet of Jesus through serving others. "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13.

Logan’s Mom, Mrs. Lindsey Moss, shares “We hope that through this experience with Baseball4Christ that Logan and all the boys will encounter God in an authentic way that will grow their faith. We are so excited and expect God to use them to do big things! We are praying for them to be a light to everyone they encounter. We are also praying for the organizers, coaches, players, the kids in Mexico, and for the other baseball teams. I have heard that through this program lives have been changed and we are hoping that this has a life long impact for Logan and for everyone involved! It is such a blessing for him to be able to go!“

2024 Baseball 4 Christ Mission Team

PASTOR JOEL SMELLEY

The Smelley family

Pastor Joel Smelley, Trinity Christian School Dad and Senior Pastor at Heatherwood Baptist Church, will be also be a part of the B4C Leadership team in 2024, serving at the Mission Team Pastor. He is a graduate of Jacksonville State University, Southeast Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Joel and his wife Kim have three daughters, Lilly Kate, Gracie, and Avery. Pastor Smelley has a strong desire to invbest in and train the next generation of pastors and church leaders. He shares, “I consider it an honor to be invited to serve alongside Mike, Brian, coaches, mentors and players to make the name of Christ known in Mexico.”

Pastor Joel shares, “Mike and Cindy Winslett joined our church, Heatherwood Baptist Church, within the last couple of years. It was early on in the membership process that Mike and I had conversation about a ministry that He and Brian Morgan began some time ago. At the time, he informed me that Covid prevented them from getting back on the mission field like they wanted, but that they were actively praying and preparing for a future trip.” 

When asked how he hopes to grow and impact others through this experience, he shared, “You know, from early on in my spiritual walk, the Lord has convicted my heart about missions. It is my belief that missions isn’t just what one does “over there,” but what a person does “right here,” wherever he or she is at the time. Another conviction God has laid upon my heart is the relentless, continuous pursuit of discipleship toward men of all ages. Obviously, this can be most evidently seen within the context of the local church God allows me to lead. However, upon hearing the passion that Mike and Brian have toward investing in young men for God’s glory, my interest went from piqued to, “How can I be involved?” 

Pastor Smelley goes on to share, “My hope is that the Lord would give me an opportunity to spiritual invest in not only the baseball players who participate in this trip, but also the coaches and mentors. As I understand it, the hope isn’t just that these players and coaches will have a spiritual experience laboring alongside churches and other baseball players and coaches, but that God would grip their hearts and transform their priorities, their goals in life, and their involvement back into the community of Newnan and Coweta County. I pray that God would allow me to build lasting relationships with these men and help challenge them spiritually on the mission field in such a way that they would treasure Christ above all else.”

When asked what he would say to inspire students and parents reading out this opportunity to step outside of their extracurricular activities and seek out mission minded activities, he shared, “There are a couple of things that come to mind. First, I would encourage students and parents to put their “yes” on the table, displaying a willingness to give God control of their “free time.” I tell my church frequently, “Serving God’s Kingdom is time you will not look back on with regret.” It will never be time wasted. Second, my challenge would be to schedule time as family each year to engage in missions; whether local, domestic, or even international. Those will be memories that you will always look back on with fondness. It will also display a heart and willingness to obey God’s call to “make disciples of all nations,” as our Savior commanded. Last, don't wait! I’m certain that in one’s own church, there is likely some degree of missions strategy. If not, begin one for your family - start with ministries within our own county.”

TCS Assistant Head of School Inducted into Coweta County Sports Hall of Fame

TCS Assistant Head of School Inducted into

Coweta County Sports Hall of Fame

By Samantha DePriest

Mr. Blake Bass at the 21st Coweta Sports Hall of Fame

Congratulations to our very own Mr. Bass on a lifetime of service to the community. We are so very grateful for him for all he does for Trinity Christian School and are blessed to celebrate his most recent achievement. The Coweta Sports Hall of Fame hosted its 21st Annual Banquet this past Saturday, April 13th at the Coweta County Fairgrounds and Conference Center. The 2024 Coweta Sports Hall of Fame Class included Blake Bass, Michael Cheever, Walter Drake and Lisa Skelton.

“The Coweta Sports Hall of Fame was born as an idea in the late 1990s by former Newnan Times Herald sports writer Johnny Brown. It came to fruition in 2001 and the inaugural class was inducted in February 2003. The mission for the Hall of Fame is to recognize amateur and professional, athletes, coaches, sports writers, referees, and other sports figures who have brought distinction and credit to themselves and Coweta county.”

Mr. Bass accepting his honor in front of a room of family, friends, past players and employees.

Upon receiving the honor, Coach Bass thanked his wife, Mrs. Lila Bass of 45 years, his Mom for his determination and drive and his Dad who was his first coach and taught him everything he knows about sports. Mr. Bass went on to share, “This award means so much to me because it’s very special. This is where it all began. If not for football and Max Bass, more than likely I would have had a different life. I wouldn’t have gone to Villa Rica and brought home my wife Lila. I wouldn’t have built relationships over the years that were helpful for me in my career as an administrator. I am grateful to everyone for their support.”

Coach Blake Bass sharing words of encouragement with his football team.

Mr. Bass doesn’t just talk the talk when it comes to serving his community, he walks the walk and has for more than 45 years. As taken from the Coweta County Sports Hall of Fame Induction program: Blake Bass is a native of Newnan, Georgia and in 1971 he graduated from Newnan High School where he played several sports however, football was always his favorite. As a result of the consolidation of schools in Coweta County, Blake was a member of the last class of the Newnan High Tigers and the first class of the Newnan Cougars.

His senior year Bass received several athletic awards including being named captain of the NHS football team. As early as high school Blake was a student of the game. This caught the eye of his high school coach, Max Bass. During his senior year Coach Bass had a discussion with Blake about his future. He encouraged him to go to college, get a degree and come back to Newnan to coach.

Coach Blake Bass (pictured right) during a Newnan High School football game.

Blake followed his advice, graduating from West Georgia College in 1976 and then connected with Coach Bass about a job. Max assured he would get him a job but wanted him to go somewhere else to coach for two years before returning home. The reasoning was to see how good we have it here in Newnan.

Two years later Blake returned to Newnan to teach and coach. Coach Bass was an instrumental factor in Blake’s career as a coach and administrator. In total, as a player and coach, Blake was with Max 16 years, longer than anyone else during the 29 years Max was the head coach at Newnan. Blake had opportunities to go to other schools to further his career in coaching but never had the desire to leave Newnan and Coweta County. During his coaching career, countless players left Newnan High to play at the collegiate and professional level. In 1979, Blake became defensive coordinator for the Cougars and held that position until he left coaching in 1990. In 1981, Newnan played for the Class AAAA State Championship at Drake Stadium.

Blake had a 35-year career in education. After teaching for 14 years, he begun his tenure as an administrator. He served as Assistant Principal at East Coweta High School from 1990-1994; Principal at Central Middle School from 1994-1997 and then as Director of Human Resources for the Coweta County School System. In 2004, Blake was named Superintendent of the School System. As a system administrator who also coached, Blake knew the importance athletics play in the development of student successes. From 1997 until he retired in 2011, he was a part of every decision affecting the athletic programs in Coweta County School System including coaching hired, Title IX issues, coaching pay schedules, and facility upgrades.

2024 Inductees (picture l to r) Blake Bass, Michael Cheever, Walter Drake, and Lisa Skelton.

A significant building program was also accomplished during his tenure as Superintendent, including the construction of ninth-grade campuses at the county’s three high schools. In addition, two new elementary schools, a new middle school, and establishment of a new system central office on Wert Industrial Boulevard were built.

Over the years Blake served his community through civic work. He is a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Newnan. He was named the 2011 Citizen of the Year by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce. For his support of the Arts in Coweta County, “The Patrons of the Nixon Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts” recognized Blake with its highest honor, The Richard Brooks Visionary Award of Distinction. In 2021, the Coweta County School System honored Bass by naming its seventh and newest middle school, “Blake Bass Middle School.”

Following his retirement, Mr. Bass worked as a program director for the University of West Georgia before joining us at Trinity Christian School as the Assistant Head of School in 2022. What a life well lived! We are honored to celebrate Mr. Bass and the work he has done and continues to do in education. May God continue to bless his efforts and desire to make a positive impact within our student body and school community.

TCS Hosts Inductions into Thespian Troupe 8184

TCS Hosts Inductions into Thespian Troupe 8184

By Samantha DePriest

This past Thursday, TCS honored a record number of performing arts students at the induction into the International Thespian Society. The International Thespian Society is an honor society that honors excellence in Theatre. This past Thursday evening, 20 high school students and for the first time in TCS history, 20 middle school students were inducted into Troupe 8184.

2023-2024 Troupe 8184 Thespian Board Members

Thespian Board members Chloe Cook, Stephen Nussbaum, Tori Pullin, and Lily Wozniak accompanied Roman Arcadi, Vice President, and Lindsey James, Troupe 8184 President. TCS Theatre Director Mrs. Lizzie Perez shared “Being a Thespian at Trinity is more than just loving theatre, or even being good at it. It is about giving your all and using your God-given talents to show those around you the light of Jesus.”

This year TCS had the honor of inducting our first class of JR Thespians. Twenty incredible 6th through 8th graders who have completed at least 100 hours of excellent theater both here at TCS and in the community were celebrated. The induction honors all the hard work that is put into completing those hours. Mrs. Perez shared, “As middle schoolers, it is easy to look forward to many opportunities that the High School Thespians have to lead. As you look up to them, the kids in Elementary Drama Club are looking up to you. We urge you to be a leader starting now and carry those abilities into high school. We also want to encourage you to grow closer in your relationship with Christ and your abilities in theater as you take on this new role.”

Lindsey James pins one of our first TCS JR Thespians during the induction ceremony.

The high school inductees participated in Induction Week completing tasks every day with meaningful themes preparing them for induction. On Monday, students learned the pledge preparing for the commitment being a Thespian means. On Tuesday, students learned the choreography they performed at the beginning of the ceremony, practicing preparation. On Wednesday, students practiced the tech side of theatre, remaining silent all day, emphasizing the relationship that is necessary and present in theatre between tech and performers. On Thursday, students were given an accent to use all day, reminding them that sometimes we have to work to grow our capabilities, and that is not always perfect the first time. Theatre is a process of growth and trying hard things, and something takes us out of our comfort zone. On Friday, students wore yellow and blue to represent the colors of the Thespian Society.

Lizzie Perez shares words of encouragement with Thespian inductees.

Lindsey James shared on stage, “The goal of the International Thespian Society continues to be guided by the principles of its founders; a believe that participation in the arts is an essential means of widening students’ cultural horizons enriching their lives.” She went on to share, “Tonight we honor all that is drama, from the use of artistic lighting to focus attention, to the painting of the scenery or the sculpture of a costume or the makeup on an actor’s face, from the soundless movements of acting to the rhythmic movements of dance, from the playwright’s script that will heighten our awareness of the world to the spoken speech, we honor all the arts that are theatre.”

In closing, Mrs. Perez shared “Through hard work, sacrifice, and dedication, the candidates have earned sufficient points on a scale dictated by the International Thespian Society to have the right to. be called Thespians. It is a title of honor, signifying a commitment to an art as old as humanity. As we honor all that is drama, it is important to remember where our TRUE honor lies. We strive to work toward excellence in our storytelling, because we believe as a Christ-centered troupe, that the story we have to tell points others back to Christ. While you consider the many accomplishments you have and will attain in theatre, may you motivation be worship returned to the Lord as thanks for the gifts He has given you.” What an exciting time it is for our students to be involved in Performing Arts at TCS!

TCS Soccer Coach Announces USWNT Match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

TCS Soccer Coach Announces

USWNT Match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

By Samantha DePriest

Jessica Charman pictured with Jason Upshore before the SheBelieves Cup.

The first thing you may notice about Jessica Charman is her distinct English accent but quickly you realize that her voice is just a part of who she is. Jessica Charman is 110% heart. Coach Jess’s passion for service, mentorship and soccer along with her high energy and knowledge of the game is a combination worth more than gold for our TCS Lions. She has a full plate these days between assisting with coaching teams with our TCS soccer program, leading soccer camps for littles in and around Coweta county, and traveling up and back to North Carolina on match days to serve as the Charlotte FC radio color commentator for the MLS team. She is actually the first full-time female radio color commentator in MLS history.  You can find her on WFNZ 92.7 FM on game days as she has commentated every single game since the start of the club.

Calling the US Women’s National Soccer team was a dream come true for Jessica. The game drew quite a crowd and set a new record ever to watch a domestic USWNT friendly and the largest crowd for any USWNT home match since the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup final. A whopping 50,644 fans were in attendance on Saturday afternoon in the Mercedes - Benz stadium to cheer on the ladies. Jessica goes on to share, “This match was one of the biggest moments in my career so far. It was already going to be special, but having so many Trinity students in attendance just added to that. I am so proud to be a role model and lead by example. I want to show that with. Faith, commitment, and dedication anything is possible. I am grateful to have a chance to utilize my God given gifts to inspire others. I will never take that for granted!”

Several members of our TCS Lady Lions high school team were in attendance.

Coach Jess’s future TCS Lady Lions were in the crowd as well.

Coach Jess pictured centered with TCS Goal Keepers Lily Wozniak (left) and Kendra McCord (right)

Coach Jess serves as Goalie Coach for both our middle and high school girls and boys soccer programs and has been working diligently on training and developing players over the last two years at TCS. She provides the perfect balance of encouragement and ability to draw out strengths in our student athletes

SheBelieves Cup Community Series

(pictured l to r) Dylan DePriest, Kendra McCord, Coach Jess, Connor DePriest, and Colin DePriest at SheBelieves Cup Community Series in Fayetteville.

In continued efforts to develop student leaders, Coach Jess encouraged some of our Trinity Lions soccer players from past and present to join her in serving in the community to help lead a soccer camp held by AYSO in partnership with US Soccer in Fayetteville this past Monday. Coach Jess shares, “I had an incredible time serving as a coach and MC’ing the first US Soccer and AYSO collaboration camp in Fayetteville ahead of the SheBelieves Cup. It was even more special serving alongside friends and some of my student athletes from Trinity.” Senior Captain Connor DePriest shares, “I loved getting to serve with Coach Jess at the soccer camp on Monday. She is a great mentor for our team and brings a lot of energy to our sidelines.” On Thursday, TCS Alumni Dylan DePriest served at the Home Depot Backyard helping to lead the last soccer camp in the Community series. Dylan shares, “I am so grateful to Coach Jess for the opportunity and had a lot of fun this week serving at both camps. Coach Jess truly cares about her players, even after we have graduated TCS, and wants us to reach our fullest potential.”

Coach Jess speaking to campers at the SheBelieves Cup Community Series in Fayetteville on Monday.

Coach Jess encouraging soccer players at camp at the close of camp on Monday.

SheBelieves Cup Community Series soccer camp at Home Depot Backyard.

TRINITY MIKE FITZPATRICK FORD STUDENT

“ATHLETE OF THE WEEK” AWARDS

March 2024

By Samantha DePriest

Trinity Christian School is honored to have Mike Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Ford in Newnan recognize several of our student athletes with the “Athlete of the Week” Award. We join Mr. Fitzpatrick in saying that we are wholeheartedly proud of these athletes who demonstrate qualities of leadership, character, and determination in their sport and on their teams. Below are our most recent recipients of the Fitzpatrick “Athlete of the Week Award” for the month of March. Way to go Lions!!

Jordyn Rawlings

Soccer

3/4/24

Jordyn is a team captain and has been a leader on the field and off. She is our top defender and playmaker for the team. She is leading the team in passing efficiency along with steals per game. She has scored 3 goals and 4 assists. Jordyn has learned to play a new role and has established herself as a top player on the team. We are grateful for her and the work she is putting in to make Trinity a strong team this year.

Kyva Holloway

Lacrosse

3/11/24

Last week, Kyva had a 100% shooting percentage and dominated on the draw circle, winning 9/9 draws. Not only is she a great player, but she makes everybody around her better through her encouragement and strong leadership. 

Micah Cobb

Lacrosse

3/18/24

Micah consistently illustrates his value as a teammate by giving 100% effort, staying positive, and picking up other players. He is always willing to play any position the team needs him in and does it full-heartedly. 

Caden Allen

Golf

3/25/24

Caden has been working hard all off-season and has been one of our most improved golfers. In a recent practice round, he hit a hole-in-one! This is a testament to his hard work and dedication. I believe God has honored the work of his hands with this exciting and rare blessing! 

TCS Soccer: Growing the Game

TCS Soccer: Growing the game

By Samantha DePriest

Did you know that Soccer is the most popular sport on the planet with over 3.5 billion fans around the world? Since the inception of the MLS (Major League Soccer) founded in 1993, the soccer fan base in the US has grown larger than ever. Atlanta United joined the MLS in 2017 and won the 2018 MLS Cup in just its second season. With the recent announcement to build the National Soccer Training Center in Fayetteville just 10 miles from the TCS campus, exponential growth of the sport in Georgia is anticipated over the coming years. The National Training Center will cover 200 acres in Trillith and be home to over a dozen soccer fields, over 100,000 square feet of indoor courts, and more than 200,000 square feet of high-performance facilities. And the icing on the cake for soccer fans was when Atlanta was chosen to host 8 matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Annual TCS Youth Night is a beloved event each Spring.

Back on our TCS campus, the sport of soccer is experiencing significant growth as well. In the summer of 2022 Coach Mike Townson joined Trinity as Director of Soccer Operations and serves as the Varsity Boys head coach. Coach Townson brings years of experience with him to develop and grow a successful program at TCS. He came from Central Carrollton where he has coached the last 7 years prior to his move to TCS. He has been in education for more than 20 years and this Spring celebrated 175 coaching wins. He shares, “Learning how to support our student-athletes in participating in multiple sports and extracurriculars while maintaining a focus on our sport. It is so rewarding to see so many of our athletes success on the field, on the court, the stage, and in the classroom.” Coach Townson has brought several new members of the coaching staff along side him to continue growing a strong program from our youngest to our oldest student athletes.

Varsity Girls Soccer

2024 Varsity Girls Soccer team

One of the newest members to the coaching staff is Varsity Girls head coach Dan Robertson who came from Trinity Baptist College in Florida. In speaking with Varsity Girls Coach Dan Robertson, he shared his vision for the season, “Considering how far this group of girls went last year. We want to continue to build upon that success and improve our skill to get us to the Final four or State Championship game. We are learning a new system and style of play for the season. We have had a great start to the season with some big wins. We know we have tougher competition coming up and are pushing ourselves to get ready both physically and mentally for those games.” 

The team verse for the year is Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not men."  Coach Dan goes on to share, “We are striving to have the attitude that God deserves our best. He has blessed us with talent and abilities and we are to use those talents and abilities in such a way that He gets the glory and not us. Each week we have a character word of the week that we call blocks. These "blocks" are foundational characteristics that championship teams have. Along with these character building terms we try to relate them to the scriptures and how they can impact our walk with Christ and how having this character built into my spiritual life will also make us Champions for Christ as well as Champions on the field.” 

2024 JV Girls Soccer Team

With regards to player development, Coach Dan shared that, “We are not only training our bodies to be physically ready and technically proficient with the ball, but we are also training the brain. A part of our training process is to challenge the players to use the muscle between the ears and read the game. The challenge is to see the open spaces and see the channels where we want to play the ball through. All the while training those off the ball to see the spaces around the person with the ball and connect with them. To do this we have to be confident and comfortable with the ball at our feet. So we take time everyday to develop individual technical ability on the ball along with our ability to pass and connect to each other through possession.”

The best way to keep up on all the latest of our Varsity Girls Soccer is by following their Instagram page: www.instagram.com/tcslionsgsoccer/

Middle School Girls Soccer

2024 MS Girls Soccer

The TCS Lady Lions Soccer Program has been blessed with an amazing group of talented girls. These 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are not only using their athletic abilities to create a phenomenal season but they are also passionate in representing Christ in every aspect of the game. Their leadership and drive will impact our program for many years to come. My goal as the head coach is to bring these girls together as individuals and as a team. My motto is to "Show Up, Show Out, and Show Respect". Holding these girls accountable to these three simple tasks will help them in everyday life. Not only am I a coach but I look at myself as a leader to help them grow on and off the field. I want each and every player to know that they are enough because God created them and He doesn't make mistakes. I am so blessed to be given this opportunity to work with twenty of the most faith driven, hard working, and talented group of girls that will impact our program for years to come!” 

Varsity Boys Soccer

2024 Varsity Boys Soccer team

Coach Mike Townson shares, “Our vision is to develop a winning tradition and help our players to be successful after graduation. Our training sessions are based off college practices , high energy and work rates while training all of our players together. This allows them to develop great practice habits at an early age. The most important part is developing good young men that will be great husbands and fathers that love the Lord. Being strong in our Faith out weighs wind and losses any day. ” 

One sign of a successful athletics program is the number of student athletes committing to play next level ball. Last year Dylan DePriest, Class of ‘23, committed and now plays on the LaGrange College soccer team and this Fall will be joined by brother Connor DePriest, Class of ‘24, and Noah Schloegel, Class of ‘24, on the pitch.

(pictured l to r) Lions from past and present: Connor DePriest, Dylan DePriest, Ty Kopca, Josh Taylor, and Noah Schoegel

The number of alumni athletes who come back game after game to offer support and assistance on the sidelines and from the stands is also a tremendous win for the soccer program. Coach Mike shares his love for welcoming back past players to pour in and mentor his current team. Several of them serve in the TCS Soccer camps that are held throughout the school year and during the summer. Ty Kopca, Class of ‘21, has joined the coaching staff this season and assists Coach Townson with both the MS, JV, and Varsity Boys teams while Dylan DePriest, Class of ‘23, assists with MS boys team. Josh Taylor, Class of ‘23, has been spotted at several Varsity home games cheering on the Lions when he isn’t busy practicing on the Georgia Tech football field.

The best way to keep up on all the latest happenings in our Trinity Boys Soccer program is by following their Instagram page: www.instagram.com/tcs_boys_soccer/

Middle Boys Soccer

2024 MS Boys Soccer Team

Coach Mike Townson goes on to share, “This year we changed our middle school program to resemble a developmental training academy. This allowed us to keep anyone that wanted to be of our program. These young men get the opportunity to develop their skills along with growing a love for the sport. Since we train all levels it allows our older guys to mentor our middle school players. They get to learn at an early age to give God all the glory and play for Him!!”

TCS Soccer camp

It’s the perfect time if your little Lion is interested in getting involved in the TCS Soccer program. The 2024 TCS Summer Camp landing page includes various camps for students as little as 2.5 years old and up. Click the button below for a comprehensive list of academic, athletic, and arts camps this summer happening on TCS Sharpsburg campus for all ages.

TCS Students Honored at Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show

TCS Students Honored at

Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show

By Samantha DePriest

TCS High School principal Mrs. Jones (center right) pictured with art student Ava Leonard (center left) and parents at the Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show.

This past weekend seventeen of our TCS Advanced Arts students were honored by being selected to have their artwork displayed in the Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show. The mission of Kiwanis is to “empower communities to improve the world by making lasting differences in the lives of children.” Kiwanis’ vision is “to be a positive influence in communities worldwide — so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.”

Ms. Boone pictured with TCS middle school Advanced Art students.

Ms. Boone, our Lower/Upper/Middle School art teacher shares, “I am so proud of my Advanced Art students. Last weekend they were able to show their talent and they put the time and effort into their individual art work. These students all represented our school so well. The advanced students each chose their own medium and chose their own style of art. I love seeing how each student has their own style and I am so proud of how they are using their talents to glorify God. Jack McCloud placed 1st place in his grade level and will go onto to Macon to compete in the state art show and Anderson Shuler placed 3rd place.”  Middle School Advanced Art students whose art work was selected and recognized were Mary Callaway Brezina, Kennedie Callen, Lila Chitwood, Ava Leonard. Sam Malenius, Jack McCloud, Emmy Roth, and Anderson Shuler.

Mrs. Cook pictured with TCS high school Art students.

Mrs. Cook, our High School Art teacher shares, “I am so proud of these 10 students who were able to submit their work to the Kiwanis Art Show this past weekend. TCS is so full of talent and I’m so impressed with each artist and all that they’ve created this year. Kyra Hill won Honorable Mention for 11th grade and MJ Poling won 2nd Overall for 10th grade. All of these students are such talented artists and it is an honor to be in the classroom with each of them this year!” High School Art students whose work was selected and recognized was seniors Kylie Beckman and Emily Varela, juniors Grace Scruton, Lauren LaFleur, and Kyra Hill, sophomores Anna Craven, Luciana Arango, and MJ Poling, and freshmen Pleng Kludcharoen and Chloe Coffey.

Four of our art students were chosen out of dozens at schools all over Coweta County to receive special recognition and TCS high school principal Mrs. Jones was excited to personally congratulate each of our students and their families on such honors.

1st place - Jack McCloud (7th grade)

3rd place - Anderson Shuler (7th grade)

3rd place - Maddie Jane Poling (10th grade)

Honorable Mention - Kyra Hill (11th grade)

Jack McCloud, 1st place, “Acuna Jr” Mixed medium

Anderson Shuler, 3rd place, “Alone in a Crowd” Mixed

Maddie Jane Poling, 3rd place, “Untitled” Acrylic

Kyra Hill, Honorable Mention, “Untitled” Acrylic/mixed

(pictured l to r) Middle School Advanced Art students Ava Leonard, Mary Callaway Brezina, Ms. Boone, Anderson Shuler, and Sam Malenius

Mary Callaway Brezina, “Why Are You Looking At Me?” Pencil

Sam Malenius, “Troll Warts” Inking

Emmy Roth, “Scarecrow” Charcoal

Ava Leonard, “Sequoia Sanctuary” Oil & pencil

Kylie Beckman, “Self-portrait” Colored pencil

Emily Varela, “Beautiful Little Moments”, Graphite on paper

Grace Scruton, “Naivete” Acrylic/Mixed

Anna Craven, “Passion” Acrylic/Charcoal/Mixed

Luciana Arango, “Desayuno” Acrylic

Lauren LaFleur, “The Spring Series” Carved Linoleum blocks/Printing ink

Chloe Coffey, “The Colesseum” Pencil/graphite

Pleng Kludcharoen, “Untitled” Acrylic

Lila Chitwood, “Autunn” Graphite

Empowering Students Through Art Education

Empowering Students Through ARt Education

By Samantha DePriest

The Arts program at Trinity Christian School has been in growth mode over the last several years and the recent recognition of students in both Performing and Visual Arts is evidence of the creative talent and drive within our student body. Mr. Tim Hurt, TCS Performing Arts Director, shared, “We are encouraged that this school year about 19% of Middle School students are currently involved in the Arts out of 371 students and about 25% of High School students are involved in the Arts out of 519 students.” This is a direct result of the focus and funds that have been put into the Arts program through the hiring of incredible leaders as well as Annual Fund contributions to purchase necessary equipment to support the program. Trinity Christian School focuses on developing creative and confident Christian leaders with opportunities to grow in the arts, academics, and athletics.

This week our students have been recognized in three local events. The Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show, The District Fine Arts Festival, and The Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards (GHSMTA) Shuler Awards all happen each March and students from TCS received honors in all three. To God be the glory!

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KIWANIS OF COWETA ART SHOW

This past weekend seventeen of our TCS Advanced Arts students were honored by being selected to have their artwork displayed in the Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show. The mission of Kiwanis is to “empower communities to improve the world by making lasting differences in the lives of children.” Kiwanis’ vision is “to be a positive influence in communities worldwide — so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.”

1st place - Jack McCloud (7th grade)

3rd place - Anderson Shuler (7th grade)

3rd place - Maddie Jane Poling (10th grade)

Honorable Mention - Kyra Hill (11th grade)

Jack McCloud

Anderson Shuler

Maddie Jane Poling

Kyra Hill

Middle School Advanced Art students whose work was featured in the Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show.

Ms. Boone, our Lower/Upper/Middle School art teacher shares, “I am so proud of my Advanced Art students. Last weekend they were able to show their talent and they put the time and effort into their individual art work. These students all represented our school so well. The advanced students each chose their own medium and chose their own style of art. I love seeing how each student has their own style and I am so proud of how they are using their talents to glorify God. J ack McCloud placed 1st place in his grade level and will go onto to Macon to compete in the state art show and Anderson Shuler placed 3rd place.” 

High School Advanced Art students whose work was featured in the Kiwanis of Coweta Art Show.

Mrs. Cook, our High School Art teacher shares, “I am so proud of these 10 students who were able to submit their work to the Kiwanis Art Show this past weekend. TCS is so full of talent and I’m so impressed with each artist and all that they’ve created this year. Kyra Hill won Honorable Mention for 11th grade and MJ Poling won 2nd Overall for 10th grade. All of these students are such talented artists and it is an honor to be in the classroom with each of them this year!”

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DISTRICT FINE ARTS

Trinity Fine Arts is a growing group of students who share the gifts and talents that God has given them through various expressions. Some students start practicing in the Fall while others start in January, depending on the coaches and level of difficulty. There are twelve volunteer coaches who help students fine tune their performances and submissions made up of Trinity parents, Trinity Church volunteers, and even grandparents. On average students spend between 45 minutes to an hour per week practicing on Sunday afternoons at Trinity from January to March in preparation for the festival. Performances range from vocal, instrumental, and dance to short sermons and photography.

Students can choose if they would like to join a group or enter as an individual and how many groups to be a part of. Over 24 churches participate and this year over 275 students from all over Georgia participated. Once selected during the District Fine Arts Festival, students are invited to attend the National Youth Convention where they are joined by 10,000 to 12,000 students from all over the country. To learn more about Fine Arts: https://youth.ag.org//finearts

TCS Performing Arts Director Tim Hurt shared, “This past weekend we hosted right here on our Trinity campus the Georgia District Fine Arts Festival.  We had 274 students from 24 different churches participate.  From Trinity itself we had 60 students participate and they were involved in 72 different entries.  The weekend was a huge success!  Congratulations to all on a job well done, and on the ministry and heart with which you presented.  We are proud of you all!!”

In the month of April, the Trinity Fine Arts students will be taking their show on the road and traveling around the state of Georgia sharing the Gospel through the Arts. Stay tuned to “Inside the Pride” for details on where they are performing as well as how to get involved. An informational meeting will be held this Fall at TCS and students may reach out directly to Trinity Church Fine Arts Director Stacie.Moore@tcslions.org about getting involved.

FINE ARTS RESULTS 2024

72 entries presented from Trinity

Of those 72, 63 received invites to the National Festival in August

Of those 59, 33 were in the top 3 (first, second and third place)

Of those 33, 20 were merit (first place)

Merit Groups

• Choir (Tania Anand, Emma-Grace Andrews, Greg Brezina, Hannah Catlett, Lila Chitwood, Riley Cook, Addison Davis, Aria Davison, Brandon Edson, Samuel Fader, Sophia Fader, Madison Miller, Ethan Heilman, Sophia Hurt, Gracie Little, Jenna McConnell, Keira Moore, Faith Mullins, Owen Osborne, Ayana Palmer, Tori Pullin, Mia Rodriguez, Aria Schatzberg, Sophia Selleck, Hank Woody, Wyatt Woody, Emberlynn Wozniak, Evan Wozniak, Lily Wozniak, Sophie Young, and Pierce Ziobro

• Shout Large Worship Team - Austin Cannon, Josh Savoy, Keira Moore, Sophia Hurt, Hank Woody, Riley Cook, Madison Faith, Greg Brezina, and Isaiah Ware

• Fire & Rimstones - Percussion Traditional

• Scripture Therapy Large Drama (Mia Rodriguez, Tania Anand, Pierce Ziobro, Emberlynn Wozniak, Lily Wozniak, Faith Mullins, Keira Moore, and Joshua Schatzberg

• Lily & Keira - Small Musical Theater Ensemble - Lily Wozniak and Keira Moore

• TC Trio - Keira Moore, Tania Anand, and Riley Cook

• TC Puppets - Sam Fader, Sophia Fader, Tristian Schatzberg, Joshua Schatzberg, Cameron Fader, Gracie Little, Sophie Young, and Aria Schatzberg

• Twin Tales - Children’s Literature - Rebecca Savoy and Kristen Savoy

Merit Solo

• Ava Anthony - Photography Digital SR

• Sam Fader - Photography Mobile SR

• Aria Davison - Poetry JR

• Rebecca Savoy - Book Chapter SR

• Lila Chitwood - Musical Theater Solo JR

• Tania Anand - Dramatized Quoting and String Solo

• Keira Moore - Worship Team Leading Solo; Female Vocal SR; Vocal Solo Classical SR; Songwriting; Short Sermon SR

Top 3 Groups and Solo

• One Voice Large Vocal Ensemble - Tori Pullin, Keira Moore, Lily Wozniak, Emberlynn Wozniak, Madison Miller, Tania Anand, Aria Davison, and Lila Chitwood

• Made New - Worship Dance Small - Emberlynn Wozniak, Sophia Fader, and Madelyn Wells

• Sophia & Keira - Worship Team Small - Sophia Selleck and Keira Moore

• Faith & Pierce - Drama Ensemble Small - Faith Mulins and Pierce Ziobro

• Sophia Hurt - Piano Classical SR

• Rebecca Savoy - Flash Fiction & Poetry SR

• Emberlynn Wozniak - Mobile Photography SR

• Samuel Fader - Digital Photography SR

• Aria Davison - Musical Theater Solo JR

Superior With Invitation Groups and Solo

• Rebecca (Grace) Salvanera - Poetry SR

• Keelin O’Pry - Woodwind Solo and Poetry SR

• Vincent Mullins - Piano Classical SR

• Brandon Edson - Photography Mobile JR

• Lily Wozniak - Photography Mobile SR; Musical Theater Solo SR

• Emma-Grace Andrews - Poetry SR; Musical Theater Solo SR

• Madison Miler - Musical Theater Solo JR

• Elly & Jenna - Vocal Ensemble Small - Elly Dallas & Jenna McConnell

• Elly Dallas - Female Vocal Solo SR; Short Sermon SR; Songwriting

• Tania Anand - Short Sermon SR; Visual Art 2-D; Spoken Word

• Emberlynn Wozniak - Musical Theater Solo SR; Short Sermon SR

• Sophie Young - Musical Theater Solo SR; Short Sermon SR

• Madelyn Wells - American Sign Language Solo

• Sophia Fader - American Sign Language Solo

• Isaiah Ware - Musical Theater Solo SR

• Lila Chitwood- Female Vocal Solo, JR

• Aria Davison- Female Vocal Solo, JR

• Madison Miller- Female Vocal Solo, JR

• Ayana Palmer- Female Vocal Solo, JR

• The King’s Chamber - Instrumental Traditional - Anna Manwaring, Grace Salvanera, Rosi Bowling, Morgan Tishaw, Sophia Hurt, Savannah Jackson, Allesanda Trejos, Sophie Young, Autumn Mankus, Keelin O’Pry

• 20 Strings - Instrumental Traditional - Jane Jung, Keiran Godfrey, Kori Leake, Elle Jerger.

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SHULER NOMINATIONS

(pictured left to right) Shuler Awards Nominees Stacie Moore, Isabella Johnson, and Keira Moore.

This past week the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Award (GHSMTA) Nominees and Honorable Mentions were announced. Mrs. Perez, TCS High School Drama Director, shares, “It is the literal high school version of the Tony Awards.” Out of 75 public and private high schools, TCS received nominations in three categories. The program “celebrates excellence in high school musical theatre. The awards are named in honor of actor/singer and Georgia native, Shuler Hensley, winner of the prestigious Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award.” The ArtsBridge Foundation provides arts education opportunities and is responsible to hosting the Shuler Awards as well as many other events through the school year made possible by funding from partnerships with the Fox Theatre Atlanta and Broadway Across America along with generosity of many sponsors.

The growing Arts community at TCS is thrilled about the recognition of the Performing Arts program at TCS as it grows, attracts more students and staff, develops more talent, and showcases the gifts God has blessed our school with. The three nominees from TCS are:

Stacie Moore, Music Direction Honorable Mention

Keira Moore, Leading Actress Honorable Mention

Isabella Johnson, Featured Performer Nominee

Stay tuned on ArtsBridge website and TCS weekly newsletter “Inside the Pride” for more details about the GHSMTA Shuler Hensley Awards on Thursday, April 18th at 8pm on GPB. It sure is a great time to be a Lion!

TCS Student Owen Osborne honored in the 2024 Inaugural Cohort of Youth LEAD in Georgia

TCS Student Owen Osborne honored in the 2024 Inaugural Cohort of Youth LEAD in Georgia

By Samantha DePriest

Owen Osborne, Junior at TCS and 2024 Inaugural cohort of Youth LEAD of Georgia member.

(Image by Lifetouch)

God’s plan for His children and the opportunities He brings forth are the assurance of His compassion, care, and attention to detail. “Preparing students to impact tomorrows world” has been the mission of TCS since the very beginning. This year one of our rising seniors, Owen Osborne, was selected to participate in the 2024 inaugural cohort of Youth LEAD Georgia (YLG).  YLG is a statewide leadership program designed to equip youth with the skills and competencies necessary to be the future leaders of our state. Putting skills into action, young leaders will connect leadership practices to current issues facing Georgia. 

TCS student Owen Osborne “has distinguished himself as a promising young leader. He was one of only thirty students in grades 10th and 11th selected for YLG from more than 300 nominations from around the state. What an honor it is for him to take part in this prestigious and educational program.“ High School Principal Mrs. Jones shares her excitement in congratulating Owen, “We are so proud of you and excited to see what God does through this wonderful opportunity.” 

Owen Osborne and Youth LEAD pictured with UGA President Jere W. Morehead

Youth Lead of Georgia was “Developed as a partnership between Chick-fil-A, the Same House, and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, a unit of Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia, Youth LEAD Georgia will include interactive conversations with business and civic leaders; in-depth dialogue on current issues and challenges facing Georgia; and peer-to-peer sharing and action planning.  All programming will be facilitated by expert faculty through the lens of relevant leadership theories and frameworks and be complemented by experiential activities and local tours at locations around Georgia.”

Interview with Owen Osborne

How did you hear about Youth LEAD in Georgia? 

I was nominated by Councilwoman Cynthia Jenkins and the city of Newnan.

What was the process like to apply? 

The process included essays, a review of my transcripts, as well as detailing my personal history, aspirations, and college and career plans. 

What are your hopes that Youth LEAD will lead to for your future?

I first must say that it is an honor to be a member of this inaugural class, and I am so blessed and favored to be one of the 30 students chosen, out of over 300 applicants. This program is offering the opportunity to expand my working knowledge and exposure to leadership, legislation, Georgia history and planning. All of these tools will empower me to prepare a better Georgia and United States for my generation.  In the future, no matter what community I am in, I will be able to promote positive and effective change in all forms. 

Owen Osborne (5th student from left) pictured with some of the members of YOUTH LEAD of Georgia.

You recently had amazing experiences at the Tellus Science Museum, Georgia Highlands Cartersville campus, and Phoenix Air Group recently with YLG. We would love to hear more about these.

I traveled to Cartersville to dine with dinosaurs at Tellus Science Museum and study how advances in science are impacting communities and classrooms in the state. I experienced the Georgia Highlands Cartersville campus, heard from local leaders, and discovered one of the most unique Georgia businesses – Phoenix Air Group, a company with clients such as the U.S. State Department, Department of Defense, and NATO.

Owen Osborne leading worship in High School Chapel.

What other things are you involved in here at TCS and outside of school? 

I’m a member of Beta Club, Chapel worship team, as well as the Varsity Swim team. Recently I added the Trinity Theatre Department to my roster of activities at the school (I’m Plankton in our spring production of SpongeBob the Musical), and joined the volleyball team.  Outside of school, I am on a swim team and I am currently preparing for the summer league and the start of our long course season. 

You have had some pretty incredible opportunities early in life, can you tell us a little about them?

I won Mrs. Obama’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and was therefore invited to attend the Kids’ State Dinner at the White House. I met kid chefs from other states, and culinary geniuses such as Tanya Steel and Rachael Ray.  Rachael’s team reached out to my parents because she remembered me from the White House and wanted to have me on the Rachael Ray Show. I spent a fun day with her in the studio, and the aired footage caught the eye of a director. This led to my first movie role, for which I won my first Young Artist Academy Award! I have been blessed to take my advocacy for allergy safe foods to appearing on Food Network, serving as an ambassador and panelist for FARE, and being named the Healthiest Kid Chef in America. I also won the Ben’s Beginner Contest for $45, 000. You could say that the White House launched my public career: I’ve been on stages and in tv and films ever since.