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3.21.2024 Construction Update

3.21.2024 Event Center Construction Update - Some photos were taken from the Football Field exit facing the back of the current gym. In others, you can see the back of the current MPR and the side of the Lower School. And we can't forget to mention capturing a shot of one of the Nashville Ready Mix Trucks!

The Upper School Rope-Holder for the Week

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the week is…Ms. Anna Grace Brons!

Her Peers Shared:

Anna Grace has a been such a wonderful addition to the counseling department.  She is full of joy and grace.  She relates so well to our students.  You can tell that they feel comfortable coming to her and talking to her.  They know that they can trust her to help them with whatever they are facing. She brings a peace and positive energy to the counseling department and to our student body. 

Ms. Brons has worked hard to get to know her students in her first year at NCS! She spends time with students each day, helping them talk out their problems and find solutions. Students feel comfortable talking with her and she is a positive influence on the students she serves. She provides an example of an optimistic outlook from a Christian perspective and is a great role model for our students.

Congratulations Ms. Anna Grace Brons!

The Faculty Excellence Award Winner

NCS is proud to introduce the Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks... Jeanne Graham.

Her Peers Shared:

Patience, kindness, and a calm nature...when I think of Jeanne Graham these words immediately come to mind. When I see her with students, she always takes the time to stop, look, and listen to them...no matter what is going on. She rolls with whatever happens and is quick to step in where needed.

Everyone needs a Jeanne Graham in their life! Jeanne is a true gem. She is so caring and has such a peaceful presence. Not only is Jeanne an amazing teacher, but she is also a wonderful friend. She is always there if you need a listening ear, advice, prayers, or a hug. Jeanne has a servant's heart and radiates the love of Christ to others.

Jeanne is such a wonderful inspiration of patience and Godly love towards everyone she encounters. When I watch her interact with students, I am in awe. She is such a calming presence. At all times, Jeanne directs me to Christ with a kind word or a scripture. I am thankful she is in my life. She is a valuable asset to NCS!

Jeanne is a rock! She is solid in her faith, grace-giving, a great communicator, thoughtful, and authentic. I am grateful to work alongside this teacher every day and love to see her be the hands and feet of Christ with her students and colleagues.

Jeanne is always there to help if I need it. She always notices others and keeps up with students and coworkers well.

Mrs. Graham has been nothing but an incredible example of Jesus for the children she has taught over the years.It is an honor to work alongside someone who carries out the true character of a teacher with a calling. She is such a light, and she radiates the mission of NCS!

Mrs. Graham is such a calm and nurturing presence within our school. She is a constant source of encouragement for her students and her fellow teachers as well. Most importantly, she puts Christ first in her classroom. There is nothing sweeter than watching our 3rd graders learn and memorize scripture through sign language.

Jeanne always has an encouraging word and is a fierce prayer warrior. I am blessed to call her friend and coworker!

Congratulations Mrs. Graham!


 

The Upper School Excellence Award Winner

NCS is proud to introduce the Upper School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks…Hal Reasor.

His Teachers Shared:

Whether it is a smile, a nod, or a fist bump in the hallway, Hal is always excited to interact with others. He is a great young man who makes everyone's life better! His smile lights up a room, and we all loved watching him be the star of the Senior/ Faculty Basketball game. Hal always has a smile on his face and a great attitude, and I am proud of the young man he is.
Hal always gives 100%. He tries very hard in everything that he does. He always has a smile for everyone he meets and has a great sense of humor. I have had the pleasure of working with him throughout his high school career, and it has been such a joy to see the growth that he has made.

Hal makes everyone's day better!

Hal has been walking our hallways since middle school. Every day throughout those years, he walked the halls with a smile and greeted everyone with a nod. Hal always seems to have a positive attitude, no matter what his struggles may be. He is a model for all of us as we strive to stay positive when we have hard times. I am grateful that Hal has been a part of our campus for so many years and I know that we have all benefited from our relationships with him.

Congratulations Hal!

The Middle School Excellence Award Winner

NCS is proud to introduce the Middle School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks... Sloane Williams

Her Teachers shared:

Sloane is an excellent student and friend. She is kind to all, and her smiles brighten up our hallways. She is a hard worker and an asset to the middle school.

Sloane has a happy heart, works hard, and has a great presence on stage. She is an excellent example of an NCS student because she is willing to try new things, is happy to support her friends, is respectful always, has a great sense of humor, and does it all quietly to the glory of God.

Her positive and respectful attitude and behavior with others and teachers are to be commended.

Sloane has completely blown me away with her amazing talent as a singer. She has been in the Middle School Choir, in both Talent Shows, and in multiple theater productions. I believe she is one of the most talented students in the entire school, and I am thankful that I get to work with her.

Sloane is hard-working, respectful, and works well with others. She is trustworthy, thoughtful, and easygoing. She is active at NCS outside of the classroom, giving her time and talents to the play, and both the golf and track teams.

Sloane comes to class each day with a bright smile and a positive attitude. Her gentle and kind spirit is a blessing to each of her classmates and teachers. She works well with everyone, gives her best effort on everything and quietly leads our classroom in how to serve others.

Sloane is always there to step in whenever she is called upon and is a great example to other students. She is always pushing herself to participate in different activities to expand her skills and love for all that she does. She has been such a blessing to have in our theatre department. She always has a smile and shines in all she does. She is the prime example of what it is to be an NCS student.

Congratulations Sloane!

The Lower School Excellence Award Winner

NCS is proud to introduce the Lower School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks…Faith Holland.

Her Teachers Shared:

Words commonly used to describe Faith are: respectful, patient, remarkably kind and empathetic, ready to learn, ready to help, hard worker, and strong work ethic. She gives consistent effort in all areas.

Faith never complains, she is a wonderful example to her peers.

Faith is joyful and practices joy by putting others before herself.

Faith is an exceptional student who never fails to impress. With her positive attitude, she sets a high standard for herself and inspires others. She makes sure everyone feels included and valued, creating a supportive and welcome environment in the classroom. Her dedication and compassion make her a true asset to the Fifth Grade Family.

Congratulations Faith!

SALT TEAM

The NCS Student Ambassador Leadership Team (SALT) consists of 5th - 12th grade student leaders who represent our student body and Mrs. Shelton's office at a variety of events throughout the year.  

They also have the unique opportunity to meet with leaders from the Nashville community who have been tasked with teaching them characteristics of leadership.  

This week, they had the opportunity to meet Governor Bill Lee and Senator Shane Reeves who spoke on the topic of Servant Leadership. 

Upper School Spring Retreat

This past weekend 76 Upper School students attended Spring Retreat. The theme was based on Psalm 23:6, "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

God blessed the weekend with good weather, lots of fun, and three students declared Jesus as Lord in baptism. 

On Monday, we celebrated those students in an assembly as we prayed for their new walk with Jesus.

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the Week is...Mr. Andrew Atkins

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the week is…Mr. Andrew Atkins! 

His Peers shared:  
Mr. Atkins' commitment to his students' academic growth and personal development is truly commendable. His innovative teaching methods not only engage students but also foster a deep understanding of complex concepts. Andrew's dedication extends beyond the classroom as he consistently goes above and beyond to support his students, whether it's through one-on-one assistance or creating inclusive learning environments. Andrew Atkins embodies the qualities of an exceptional educator, and his impact on the school community is invaluable.

Year after year, Mr. Atkins quietly does so many important things behind the scenes. He attends countless athletic events because he is supervising the students behind the streaming cameras. He keeps us abreast of advances in classroom technology, and if you have a question about Google, he probably has your answer. Mr. Atkins also still looks for new and creative activities to challenge his students each year.

When our students return to campus after they have graduated, they always mention Mr. Atkins in a positive light and appreciate the challenges he provided for them to prepare them for college. I never doubt that Mr. Atkins will hold the rope, whatever is asked of him!

Congratulations Mr. Atkins!

PreK-12th Chapel during Christian Emphasis Week

A Special PreK-12th Grade Chapel during Christian Emphasis Week included the Kindergarten Class (and Kindergarten Teachers) teaching the words and hand motions of Psalm 23 to the Senior Class.

Construction Update 2/15/24

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the week is…Coach Kobe Davis!

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the week is… Coach Kobe Davis!

His Peers Shared:

From the day he started, Coach Davis has jumped in and exemplified servant leadership. His positive attitude and eager spirit are noticed by the students, and he is influential in our community. He is a great addition to Nashville Christian; we are lucky to have him! 
 

As a basketball coach, he has formed great relationships with the boys on the team while having their respect as their coach. 
His enthusiasm and love for what he does is evident every day. He is always willing to go the extra mile to meet our students' needs. We are honored to have him in our NCS family. 

Congratulations Coach!

NCS Theatre Department Members are headed to New York

Members of the NCS Theatre Department are headed to New York this week and will be performing at Lincoln Center on Sunday, February 18th as part of The Manhattan Broadway Concert Series Production of Children of Eden.

NCS Theatre was invited and students auditioned to be a part of this opportunity to perform alongside Broadway professionals. Our students will be performing as a part of the ensemble which vocally supports the story being told. 

NCS Students attending are Rebecca Hansen, Jackson Eatherly, El Sheehan, Mia Ryckman, Sam McWright, Hailee Elizer, Hollie Horner, Ellie Cook, Caleigh Posavac, Abby Hurley, Helen Morton, Harmony Sanders. Not pictured: Zeke Eckert, Maci DiPasquale

We are extremely excited for the opportunity presented to NCS Students. For more information about the performance:
https://www.mcp.us/upcoming-events/2024/2/18/children-of-eden-in-concert-zz3sp

 

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the Week

The Upper School Rope-Holder of the Week is…Mrs. Leann Fergueson

Her Peers shared:

Mrs. Fergueson is always eager to jump in when anyone needs help. So much of what goes on here at NCS wouldn't be possible without her hard work and heart for this school. She frequently offers a listening ear to many of our students. We are so lucky to have her here at NCS!   

Since joining our staff this year, Mrs. Fergueson has been a calm and pleasant presence at the front desk. She handles students, teachers, and parents with grace and kindness. She is always professional.  

Mrs. Fergueson came to NCS this year as a new employee. While she has only been with us for a few months, it feels like she has been part of our NCS family for a long time. She is willing to help anyone and ALWAYS presents a positive presence for our students and families who come to campus!

Congratulations Mrs. Fergueson!

NCS Class of 2021 Alum, Julia Thompson

NCS Class of 2021 Alum, Julia Thompson, is one of 9 UT- Knoxville students selected to attend Super Bowl LVII as a member of the Big Orange Combine. 

This group was created to allow students to work at the largest sporting event of the year and visit companies in the area of the hosting city. 

During the Super Bowl Weekend, Julia and her cohorts will meet and connect with various athletic and business entities. In an article in the Knox County News Julie is quoted as saying "Networking with professionals there will put us ahead even after college."  

Click here to read more https://www.wate.com/news/knox-county-news/9-ut-students-earn-once-in-a-lifetime-chance-to-attend-super-bowl-lviii/

Seniors vs. Faculty Basketball Game

Another Seniors vs. Faculty Basketball Game is in the Books! 

Faculty with the WIN! 

Final Score Faculty 63 - Seniors 37!

 

 


 

The Upper School Rope Holder of the Week

The Upper School “Rope-Holder” of the Week is…Ms. Sonja Shelton

Her peers shared:

Sonja is an expert at the balancing act of holding students to high standards to be their best selves and also having a strong enough relationship with them that they can confide in her.  This is no easy feat!  

Sonja has been a great assistant coach, a great champion for the seniors in her new position, and a great asset to the school. 

Sonja is not only a rock star as the College Counselor but is also a wonderful coach. Her middle school players adore her.  She cares deeply for her players and wants the best from them.  

Showing what a true team player she is, she wore an NCS School Uniform for today's “Throwback” Coming Home Dress Up Day and agreed to stand in front of her 2017 Class Composite for her Rope-Holder picture!

Congratulations Ms. Sonja Shelton!

Coming Home Attendees and King

Congratulations to the Coming Home Attendants 

Seniors: Anna Pierce and Brandon Smith, Jaleigh Powell and Tan Nguyen, Jenna Baggett and Bowen Grohovsky.

 Juniors: Ellie Calvert and Lawson Andrews. 

Sophomores: Ellie Johnson and Landon Travis. 

Freshman: Poppy Duke and Paxton Nash. 

Brandon Smith was crowned the Coming Home King!

Basketball, Wrestling and Cheer Seniors

Congratulations to the Basketball, Wrestling and Cheer Seniors who were honored last night with their families during Senior Night.

Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Congratulations to the newest inductees into the NCS Athletic Hall of Fame from the Classes of 2010-2014. 

Pictured below: Brooks Taylor, Nick Walker, Savannah Womack McKay, Kayla Baker, Kendall Lewis. 

Not Pictured: Tori Hulan, Thomas Lance, Haley McCormack Dean, Cody Hartley, Jacob McDowell, Dakota Priest, Corey Givens, Jacob Burns, Jason Emery, Bryant Fox, Jenna Graham, David Hill, Natalie Irwin, Nealey Espinoza, Bailey Maddox, McCarty Forte. 

We loved having several of the inductees plus additional family members back on campus!

NCS Alum Tollie Boone

We are happy to announce that NCS Alum, Tollie Boone, will be designing the lighting for the NCS Production of Seussical JR as a contract employee for Irwin Entertainment. 

Tollie is currently working as a technical theater professional in NYC and her schedule allows her to come back for our show. Tollie started her theater experience at NCS in Kindergarten. 

It’s always great to have Alum back on campus!

Upper School Teacher of the Week...Coach Andrew Shaw

The Upper School Teacher of the week "Rope-Holder" is...Coach Andrew Shaw!

His peers shared:

Coach Shaw quietly goes about his job with the passion of a hurricane. He loves his students and wants them to constantly push for improvements. He's tough, but his students respect him and love him for it. He places himself in the middle of the students during chapel, holding them responsible for the sanctity of the chapel moment. He is constantly interacting with his students in a caring way. He holds the Rope every week!

Coach Shaw is driven to do everything he does to the best of his ability. More than that, he truly cares about the success of his students. He challenges them to be better each day and pushes them to achieve things they may not have thought they could accomplish. He builds relationships with them and is a model for our students through his leadership in chapel, small groups, and his support of our athletic programs.

Congrats Coach Shaw!


 

Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks…Coach Ronnie Seigenthaler

NCS is proud to introduce the Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks…Coach Ronnie Seigenthaler!

His peers shared: Coach Seig epitomizes what a positive attitude looks like. His optimistic outlook towards circumstances is both refreshing and contagious. He defines a true servant leader by giving so much of himself unselfishly to NCS and the athletic department in time, effort, and action. This is why he inspires me, why he operates in excellence, and why I consider it an honor to call him Coach Seig and my friend.

Coach Seig is the epitome of what it truly means to be an eagle. He is devoted, driven, impactful, and mindful. He is always positive and I enjoy our constant banter. He takes pride in being called the new Donnie Keeton of Nashville Christian School and I am forever grateful that he has stepped into that role. He is supportive, caring, kind, and one of my favorite parts of Nashville Christian. I am thankful for Coach Seig’s leadership and guidance throughout my first years here.

Coach Seig is by far the best boss, colleague, and friend I could ever ask for. Not only is he a rich resource for valuable professional growth, but more importantly he is a friend who is compassionate, supportive, and genuine. It is clear by his daily actions, routines, and habits that he truly loves and cares for Nashville Christian and the faculty, staff, students, and families that embodies it. I am forever thankful for our relationship.

Coach Seig is one of the most passionate individuals I've ever had the pleasure of working with. His desire to win, grow, and motivate is infectious. He will always be my first phone call when trying to fill a golf foursome. I'm honored to call him my friend.

Coach Seigenthaler organizes his team in a great way to accomplish what is necessary and also completes so many detailed tasks on his own to support the athletic program. He greets the officials, sets up the venue, manages the student section, supports coaches, assists the visiting team, and ensures that every event is conducted well. He has a vision for athletics and always looks to improve...and he does all of this with only a number 2 pencil and a legalpad. He is a blessing to our campus!

I have had the pleasure to know Coach Seig from a student perspective as well as a coworker. Coach Seig was the most positive, energetic teacher that I remember from my high school years. I have watched Coach Seig impact so many students’ lives throughout the years. When he went to Brentwood High School and made his mark in the world of girls basketball, I admired him from afar. A smile would always cross my face when his name was brought up. Then, as God does, he moved in amazing ways to bring Coach Seig to NCS.  As a colleague, I was quickly amazed at how Coach Seig became the epitome of a team player. There was never a task too big or too uncomfortable that he was unwilling to conquer. However, I was utterly amazed to watch him grow our track program. He is the EPITOME of TEAM, COMMITMENT, PASSION, PERSEVERANCE, CREATIVITY, and SELFLESSNESS.

Congrats Coach Seig!
 

Upper School Excellence Award Winner...Bailey Reagan

NCS is proud to introduce the Upper School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks…Bailey Reagan!

Her Teachers shared:

Bailey is one of the kindest and most respectful students I have ever had. She goes above and beyond with all that she does inside and outside the classroom. Her classmates know they can come to her with questions, and she will always be there for them.

Bailey goes above and beyond what is asked of her, is always willing to help explain concepts to her peers, and has a great attitude every day.

Bailey is an extremely hard worker who pursues excellence in everything she does. Whether she is writing a term paper, filling water bottles for the boys' basketball team, or working at a coffee shop, you can rest assured that Bailey is going to put forth maximum effort, and the work is going to be excellent. As successful as Bailey is at everything she does, her humility, kindness, and compassion are the character traits that draw others to her. Bailey is a blessing to everyone who knows her and works with her.

When I think of a portrait of a Nashville Christian student, Bailey has all of the qualities to represent this "picture." Integrity, character, manners, academic fortitude, work ethic, and determination are just a few qualities that come to mind. I have had the privilege to teach Bailey this year in Bible, and I appreciate her thoughtful, reflective responses. I look forward to seeing Bailey's success next year in college. She is prepared and has the will to succeed.

Congratulations Bailey!

Middle School Excellence Award Winner...Brady Irwin

NCS is proud to introduce the Middle School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks….Brady Irwin!

His Teachers shared:

Brady is a person of integrity and shines in and out of the classroom.

Brady is a joy in the classroom and helps others, leads by example and genuinely enjoys learning. While he is quiet by nature, he leaves a large impact by being authentically good.

Brady is a hardworking and honest student. He sets a good example for his classmates and teammates. He is a genuine friend, a reliable student, and an ideal representative of NCS character expectations. He is a light in our middle school hallway!

Brady is exceptional and strives to do his best every day he steps into the classroom. He has a positive attitude and is a great leader in his class. In addition to all of these great attributes, he treats his classmates and peers with respect and is always willing to offer a helping hand.

Brady continuously displays the utmost level of respect for both his peers and teachers. He models perfect behavior in class while contributing appropriately to classroom discussions and activities. He is kind to everyone around him, and we are blessed to have him here at NCS.

Brady is dependable, caring, respectful, and a great role model for his peers. He brings a fun, competitive spirit to the ESports Club while keeping a humble attitude.

Congratulations Brady!
 

Lower School Excellence Award Winner...Lydia Burba

NCS is proud to introduce the Lower School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9-weeks…Lydia Burba.

Her teachers shared:

Lydia has a heart for others. Her feelings are big especially when it comes to serving the less fortunate.

I love to hear Lydia pray...her prayers are pure and from the heart.

This year, Lydia asked to organize a coat drive to help those in need. This is just one example of how she is always thinking of others. What a servant for the Lord she is to come up with that idea and make it happen!! Lydia has a heart of gold. She is an excellent example to her peers and we are so thankful she is at NCS!

Lydia loves the Lord with her whole heart and it shows! She takes the initiative to make NCS a better place than it already is. She challenged my class to be extra thankful during November. She also single-handedly created a service project for December! She is already changing the world. I can't wait to follow her as she grows! She's an inspiration to us all!

Congratulations Lydia!

Ellis Drake HS Basketball Coach of the Game

As the winning bidder on last years Auction item "HS Girls Basketball Coach for a Game" Ellis Drake fulfilled his duties well last night and helped lead the Lady Eagles to a Victory! Looks like he had a great time!

National Honor Society Inductees

Congratulations to the 2024 Junior Class Inductees into the National Honor Society: Libby Carter, Ellie Cook, Ansley Demonbreun, Maci Dipasquale, Aubrey Hollahan, Hollie Horner, Isabella Jennings, Ben Kubiak, Kat Lacy, Sam McWright, Helen Morton, Addison Oberbreckling, Hunter Primm, Mia Ryckman, Vasili Santas, Cameron Tiller.

Construction Update January 5th, 2024

Coach Brothers took a group of Staff Members for a "behind the scenes" look at the Event Center Construction site today. 

We even got to wear hard hats in the Construction areas! A lot of work took place over the Break. 


 

Shout out to 2022 NCS Alum, Josh Strickland Jr.

Shout out to 2022 NCS Alum, Josh Strickland Jr. He and his teammates at Harding University won the Division II championship on Saturday. Congrats Josh!

Congrats to 2023 Alum, James Warmbrod, IV

Congratulations to James Warmbrod IV, this weeks Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Men's Freshman Athlete of the Week.

James won the 400-meter dash at the Air Force Holiday Open with a meet-record time of 48.63. His time leads the Mountain West and ranks 30th in the NCAA.

Dec. 7th Construction Update

LS Principal for the Day

As the Top Earner in the Fun Run, Gatlin Wakefield is the Lower School Principal for the day. 

One of his duties this morning was helping with traffic duty where he was heard to say "I can't feel my ears but I'm ok!"

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is... Mrs. Mariah King.

Her Peers Shared:

Mariah is always willing to step in to get the job done. The variety of tasks she completes is vast. She tends to bumps and bruises while pouring into students mentally, socially and spiritually.

Mariah consistently goes above and beyond. She develops deep relationships with our students. She is a great listener, encourager and mentor.

Mariah wears many hats from teacher, photographer, small group leader, coach and nurse. She is a true blessing to both the faculty and student body.

Congrats Mariah!!!


 

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is… Mrs. Rose Valdez!

Her Peers shared:

You would never know Mrs. Valdez was a first-year teacher at NCS. She has incorporated herself into the life of the school and built relationships with her students.

Being new to a school can be daunting but Mrs. Valdez has thrown herself into NCS and the community here. She has helped chaperone the bonfire and the US Fall Retreat, attends sporting events and has already developed good relationships with students. 
She is kind and holds her students to a high standard.

You can tell Mrs. Valdez is excited to be here and we are thankful she is!

Congrats Mrs. Rose Valdez!

Nov. 28th Construction Update

Cherie Stivers Abner

Last night NCS Alumni, Cherie Stivers Abner, coached what is believed to be the first-ever Tennessee game with both boys basketball teams coached by women. 

Cherie coaches for Westmoreland and Katrina Carter is the Hunters Lane boys coach. 

Westmoreland won 53-40. 

Congrats on Making History!

Nov. 20th Construction Update

The Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the week is … Ms. Stephanie Harper.

Her peers shared:

Ms. Harper has worked so hard for months for the school accreditation. She handled the additional responsibilities with grace while teaching a full load of classes.

Ms. Harper is always willing to help her coworkers with whatever they need.

I am ever thankful for Ms. Harper's advice and friendship.

Ms. Harper is a hidden gem on this campus and we are lucky to have her!

Congrats Ms. Harper!

Coach Jeff Brothers

Congratulations to Coach Jeff Brothers, recipient of the 2022-2023 TSSAA A.F. Bridges Award for Male Coach of the Year for District 5.

This award recognizes traits associated with Mr. A.F. Bridges, the TSSAA's first executive secretary.

Mr. Bridges displayed firmness and fairness as well as the high ideals of ethics and integrity. This also accurately describes Coach Brothers.

We are blessed to have Coach Brothers at NCS!

11.8.23 PM Construction Update

11.8.2023 PM Construction Update -  We love having Nashville Ready Mix at the Construction site!


 

Middle School Girls Soccer

We are SO PROUD of this year's MS Girls Soccer Team plus the history of the Program. 

Check out these AMAZING stats.



 

11.8.23 New Construction Update

The Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the week is… Coach Gary Van Atta.

His peers shared:
Coach Gary Van Atta is a new addition to our staff this year, but it feels like he has been here for years. It is obvious that he loves his job and loves working with students and getting to know them.

Coach Van Atta has become a true NCS EAGLE since day one. I hear him each morning say, “It’s a great day to be an Eagle.” 

Coach Van Atta will do whatever is asked of him and go above and beyond, even in the smallest tasks. He is always positive, and it has encouraged me to do the same. 

Congrats Coach Van Atta!


 

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is... Mrs. Abbie Moroney!

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is … Mrs. Abbie Moroney.

Her  Peers shared:

I have sat in on Mrs. Moroney’s class several times this school year and each time students have been engaged and I have also learned a thing or two.

Mrs. Moroney is always more than willing to help and surpasses all the requirements when assigned a task.

Mrs. Moroney is personable and a very equipped educator.  

Mrs. Moroney’s response is always, "Oh, I can help with that."  

We are so lucky to have her on our team.  Congrats!

October 25th New Event Center Construction Update

A few pictures from today! Progress continues!

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is...Mrs. Amy Payne!

Her peers shared:

Mrs. Payne has been instrumental in building our AP Math courses. She spends a lot of time outside of school building these courses, all while in Grad School.

Mrs. Payne teaches in a way that makes very difficult concepts understandable to her students.

Even students who are not huge fans of Math say that Mrs. Payne is, hands down, their favorite teacher.

Congrats Mrs. Payne!

October 18th Event Center Construction Update

Check out a few pictures from today!

Rock Band Performance

The NCS Rock Band performed during today's Pep Rally. GREAT JOB!!!

The Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks…Katie Ryckman.

The Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks…Katie Ryckman.

Her peers shared:

Katie wears many hats and does so with EXCELLENCE! She holds down the fort in the lower school front office, writes tardy slips, keeps everything organized with labels, post-it notes, fun signs and posters. She is the best!

Katie is the ultimate team player. She is a proficient coordinator, a reliable consultant, and an irreplaceable cog in our machine.

Katie daily exemplifies professionalism, efficiency and integrity.

Congrats Katie!


 

The Upper School Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks…Kate McClary!

The Upper School Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks…Kate McClary!

Her teachers and coaches shared:
Kate is an excellent student. She collaborates well with her classmates and contributes important ideas to discussions.  She is always respectful and willing to work.

Kate plays sports with a humble heart and a good Christian attitude.

Kate is a natural leader. She leads in a quiet manner which is very positive and effective.

Kate always works hard, she always welcomes a challenge, and she always supports and loves her teammates. I cannot wait to see all that she accomplishes in this life.

Kate is an excellent young woman, and I am proud to call her a Lady Eagle.

Congratulations Kate!
 

The Middle School Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks….Easton Ellis!

NCS is proud to introduce the Middle School Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks….Easton Ellis!

His teachers shared:
This is Easton’s first year at NCS and he is already making an impact. He comes to class eager to learn. He is kind and respectful and gets along well with his fellow classmates.

Easton understands how to make his first year at NCS a great one: find your people, work hard, and most importantly stay committed to who God has called you to be.

Easton always has a smile on his face. He is kind to others and has a quick sense of humor.

Easton knows how to joke and have fun, but also understands when to stop. This self-control is beyond his years as a middle school student.

Easton treats everyone with kindness and consideration, creating a positive class experience. He is a great addition to our already amazing small group.

We are so glad Easton has joined out Nashville Christian community.

Congrats Easton!

The Lower School Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks…Sarah Johnson

NCS is proud to introduce the Lower School Excellence Award Winner for the first 9-weeks…Sarah Johnson.

Sarah was nominated for being a role model for excellent behavior and achievement in everything she does. She is gentle and kind and a joy to be around.

Her teachers shared:
Sarah always tries her best. She strives to have a positive attitude and sets an amazing example for her peers.

Sarah loves to leave notes to say thank you or just have a good day. I am truly blessed to have taught her.

Sarah is a special gift to our small group. She is a great role model for the younger students in our group. She has a patient, gentle, calm and supportive nature.

This scripture describes Sarah’s spirit: Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic – be on fire in the spirit as you serve the Lord! Romans 12:11

Congratulations Sarah!
 

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is …Mr. Michael Peters.

His peers shared:

It has been a joy working with Coach Peters over the past year. He makes learning fun with both humor and knowledge.

Coach Peters has done well establishing relationships with students across a number of different grade levels.

Coach Peters teaches the Bible boldly and clearly to our students and is a great rope-holder to our faculty!

Congrats Coach Peters!

Sept 25 Event Center Construction Update

Another Busy Week!

Upper School Rope Holder of the Week...

This week's Upper School Rope-Holder is ... Blake Mauldin.

His peers shared:

Mr. Mauldin is an amazing teacher. Not only does he take on the role of music teacher/director, he assists in a huge way with the theater department.

Mr. Mauldin works to grow multiple programs at NCS - Band, US and MS Choir, and Rock Band. He never misses a beat (literally!)

He carries the rope for himself and for others and does everything with joy!

Congrats Mr. Mauldin!

Take a Titan 2 School

Thanks to Channel 2, MTSU, and Hattie B's for sponsoring "Take a Titan 2 School" and for picking Madden Sanders as this weeks' recipient! 

The 5th Graders had an Amazing Morning with Malik Willis and Hattie B's provided an amazing lunch for them!

MTSU Dean of the College of Education, Neporcha Cone and Malik joined in this group photo!


 

September 19th Construction Update

More construction progress being made in the area between the US and LS Buildings. 

HUGE MACHINERY!


 

Homecoming Dress Up Day 4

Homecoming Dress Up Day 4 Theme was Soccer Moms and BBQ Dads.

The Girls Soccer Team went all out! Seniors remain in the lead!


 

The Upper School Teacher of the Week

This week's Upper School Rope-Holder is...Ms.Rachel Bartlett!

In addition to showing her Eagle spirit by dressing for today’s Homecoming Theme, her peers shared:

Ms. Bartlett has added an AP class and a Senior Girls Bible class to her work load this year. She prepares her students for difficult material and is always available when needed.

Ms. Bartlett never fails to exceed the expectations placed upon her. She handles many things gracefully and without complaint.

Ms. Bartlett is a valuable member of our community.

Congratulations Ms. Bartlett!!!

The Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Ms. Katie Sholl.

Her peers shared:

Ms. Sholl is a leader among our teachers. She is part of the "Training Trio," spending extra time supporting other teachers while managing her own load of AP classes.

Ms. Sholl has rigorous expectations for students while making classes enjoyable.

Congratulations Ms. Sholl!

Change is in the air...

Check out some of the recent changes underway on the NCS Grounds in preparation for the NEW EVENT CENTER...

 

Upper School Teacher of the Week...August 24th

This weeks Upper School Teacher of the Week is… Mr. Jim Carlucci.

His Peers shared:

Mr. Carlucci has taken on more than a full load of classes to help a coworker and to keep our kids on track for the year.

Mr. Carlucci is always willing to go the extra mile and he does it without complaint. He just jumps in and helps. He is the epitome of Christian service.

We are so blessed to have him on our campus.

Congratulations to this weeks Rope-Holder, Mr. Carlucci!

Upper School Teacher of the Week August 17th

This year the Upper School Teacher of the Week Award will be known as the “Rope-Holder”.  Recipients will be awarded a graduation cord to wear for the week.

The first Upper School Faculty/Staff Member of the week for the 2023-2024 school year is… Mrs. Janet King. 

Her Peers shared:

Janet King is the definition of perseverance. She has worked endless hours over the Summer and the start of the school year to train two new Counselors and make the class schedule for each US student (not an easy task). 

Mrs. King puts the needs of others first and she is always available to answer students questions. She is devoted spiritually and is a great example of a Christ-like woman. I am very fortunate to work with Mrs. King and look to her as a positive example in my life.

Congrats Mrs. Janet King!

Class of 2024

First Day back for our Seniors. We are so excited for this class!

SALT

The 2023-2024 SALT (Student Ambassador Leadership Team) assembled this weekend for a retreat to kickoff the new school year. 

We look forward to watching them lead this year!

 

Gary Van Atta joins NCS as Head Girls' Basketball Coach

We are excited to announce the hire of Coach Gary Van Atta as the new head coach of the high school girls’ basketball program.

Coach Van Atta has 44 years coaching experience at the high school, junior college, and four-year collegiate (NAIA, D-1, and D-II) levels. He spent the last 7 years as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Montevallo (Montevallo, AL) where he had coached earlier in his career. During his UM career, Coach Van Atta compiled an overall record of 244-161, the winningest coach in program history. His career also includes Head Women’s Basketball Coach positions at UT Martin and at his alma mater, Trevecca Nazarene University.

At the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season, Van Atta ranked 12th among active NCAA Division-II head coaches with 565 wins and was the winningest active coach in the state of Alabama.

Coach Van Atta is known as a great teacher of the game and is well-known throughout the basketball community. In addition to coaching, he will work in our Fitness department, teaching high school Strength Training.

Van Atta shared, “I am excited for this next chapter. I love basketball and I will continue to teach and grow the game.”

Coach Van Atta joins Katie Beth Allen and Mariah King who will continue in their roles as assistant coaches. 

Track and Field State Champion, James Warmbrod

Congratulations to James Warmbrod IV, STATE CHAMPION in the 400 Meter Dash with a time of 49.13!

James also placed 3rd in the State 200 Meter Dash with a time of 21.97 and 6th in the State 100 Meter Dash with a time of 10.94!

Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner

The Administration is pleased to recognize Bill Miller as the Faculty/Staff Excellence Award Winner for the past 9 weeks. This information was shared:

Sarge goes above and beyond to create an environment where we feel safe.

Mr. Miller is such an asset to our community. He not only makes the safety of our children a top priority he also has a calm, reassuring presence.

Sarge shows quiet confidence, vocational capability and Godly character. He is well-connected and stays current with local news and reports so that he can be proactive. He is a man of character of integrity, but more than that is a man who loves God and values the Christian education that NCS provides.

We are so fortunate to have Sergeant Miller on our campus and a part of our NCS family.

Congratulations Mr. Bill Miller!

Upper School Excellence Award Winner

The Upper School faculty, staff and administration is pleased to recognize Cathy Phung as the Upper School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9 weeks. This information was shared:

Cathy is such a bright light at NCS. You can always count on her to greet you in the hallways and give you the biggest smile. She is determined to always do her best and will do the right thing even when no one is watching. She is involved in everything here and she perfectly represents the mission of NCS. The way she encourages those around her and her wellness to go the extra mile is inspiring.

Congratulations Cathy Phung!

Middle School Excellence Award Winner

The Middle School faculty, staff and administration is pleased to recognize Eli Adams as the Middle School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9 weeks. Several Teachers submitted statements to explain his bright light in our hallways:

Eli daily gives his best in all that he does. He is always quick with a polite, kind word. He is inspiring!

Eli is one of the most respectful, attentive, and kind students we have in the middle school. He cares about his peers and is diligent in all he does.

Eli is very creative and a great artist as well.

Eli is incredibly thorough in all his work and continually strives for excellence.

Eli is a true example of what authentic and dynamic leaders look like.

Congratulations Eli Adams!

Lower School Excellence Award Winner

The Lower School faculty, staff and administration is pleased to recognize Eliza Melton as the Lower School Excellence Award Winner for the past 9 weeks. Several Teachers submitted statements regarding her performance and positive attitude:

Eliza is full of positive energy all day, every day.

Elisa is a ray of sunshine. She always has a positive attitude and a sweet spirit. She is encouraging to her classmates.

I love having Eliza in Spanish class. She is always ready to work and will volunteer to help whenever needed.

When I think about our student pledge Eliza is all of these things!

Congratulations Eliza Melton!

Habitat for Humanity Build

NCS participated in its first Habitat for Humanity build on May 6th and 7th.
 

Generously sponsored by Thrivent Financial, a group of thirteen faculty, staff and students worked alongside future first-time homeowners to frame two homes during the weekend.  
 

Leaders from Habitat and Thrivent met with the students several times before the build, explaining why Habitat exists, why this work matters, and why it is important to serve.  
 

Senior Jack McIntosh (pictured below) said, "It was so much fun working with my friends, doing something we've never done, to bless a deserving family.  It made me feel great!"  NCS is planning to participate in another Habitat build next year.  

Upper School Teacher of the Week...Ms. Rachel Bartlett

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Ms. Rachel Bartlett.  

Her Peers shared: I have heard countless alumni complement Ms. Bartlett and tell her they are doing well in college because of what she taught them in high school. 

She seeks new ways to engage her students and structures her lessons so everyone's needs are met. 

We are lucky to have her as part of our math department. Congrats Ms. Bartlett!

2023 Auction

The 28th Annual NCS Auction was held this past Saturday with the theme Evening Under the Stars. 

Guests were treated to beautiful decorations, a great catered meal, photo booth, rousing Online and live auction and a Writers' in the Round. 

It was a great night of fun!


 

Emma Sharlow

Congratulations to NCS Junior, Emma Sharlow, First place winner in the 2023 District 7 Congressional Art Competition sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives and District 7 Congressman Mark Green. 

This competition recognizes one student in each Congressional District across the Country. 

Emma's work "Typography Matthew 10:7" will be hung in the US Capital building for one year. By placing first, she has been invited to attend the special reception in Washington, D.C. and also qualifies for a number of scholarship opportunities. 

Congratulations on this accomplishment Emma!


 

Five 2023 Senior Girls Records

Shout out to these 5 LADY EAGLES: Millie Boone, Charley Harper, Julia Belle Sisemore, Grayson Bonds, Ava Pomeroy. 

During their high school years, all participated in both Basketball and Soccer and accrued many RECORDS in those sports. Julia Belle and Ava also added a State Track Appearance to the list. 

Congrats to all!


 

2023 Spring National Honor Society Inductees

We are proud to present the 2023 Spring Inductees into the National Honor Society: Seniors - Millie Boone, Mitchell Frankum, Jr. Juniors - Lauren Agee, Jenna Baggett, Charlie Brothers, Ainsley Dancer, Mayz Delavergne, Margret Dobbs, Zeke Eckert, Hailee Elizer, Jacob Ellis, Bowen Grohovsky, Ariana Guy, Raelyn Heightman, McKenzie Jennette, Hannah Johnson, Raegan Johnson, Aubrey Kimbro, Zoja King, Reagan Locke, Wyatt Martin, Kate McClary, Damon Mos, Kailey Nichols, Bridgett Page, Megan Parker, Ty Petty, Cathy Phung, Anna Pierce, Bailey Reagan, Walter Reisinger, JT Robbins, Jaelynn Simmons, Brandon Smith, Daniel Whitaker, Neely Woodard .

Senior Class Easter egg hunt

Today the Senior Class participated in the Annual Easter egg hunt. They had a BLAST!

 

NCS Middle and Upper School Art Show Award Winners

Congrats to the students who received Top Awards in the Middle and Upper School Art Show. Upper School Awards include Most Awarded:
Art 1 - Abby Hurley
Art 2 - Ansley Petty
Art 3 -  Megan Parker
Art 4 - John Draper

Principals Award - Megan Parker (Clown)
Best in Show Faculty - Bridgett Page (Truck)
Best in Show Overall - Ansley Petty (Airplane)

Art Show

There is  a lot of excitement in the NCS Visual Arts Department over the upcoming High School and Middle School Art show which is Sunday, April 2nd from 2:00 - 4:00. 

The reception and awards ceremony is at 2:30. 

The Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is.. Mrs. Amy Payne.
Her Peers shared: Mrs. Payne works every day to ensure her students have time to meet with her and master the content. The classes she teaches are not easy and students are challenged, but supported through her efforts. She pushes students to reach their full potential.
We are blessed to have her in our Math Department.
Congratulations Mrs. Payne!

Mrs. Julie Littrell, Faculty Excellence Award Winner

Congratulations to Mrs. Julie Littrell, Faculty Excellence Award Winner for the past 9 weeks!

Her Peers shared: Julie always goes above and beyond! She is an amazing teammate. 

She gives so much of her time and energy to the drama department, helping with the plays. She works to provide the best experience for her students each day. She has a servant heart. 

Julie's blood bleeds NCS orange and blue. She is an incredible Kindergarten teacher. She truly loves NCS and we love her!

Congratulations Mrs. Julie Littrell!

Cutler Stubblefield, Upper School Excellence Award Winner

Congratulations to Cutler Stubblefield, Upper School Excellence Award Winner!

Teachers shared the following: Cutler is always willing to help other students understand the material, always polite and respectful to both students and teachers. 

He is one of the most positive students I have taught. 

His kindness is infectious and I know it makes those around him have a better day. Cutler never misses an opportunity to say a kind word, lend a hand, or go the extra mile.

Congratulations Cutler!

Will Gibbs, Middle School Excellence Award Winner

Congratulations to Will Gibbs, Middle School Excellence Award winner for the past 9 weeks!

Several teachers submitted statements to explain the bright light Will exhibits in our hallways: He has been a calm, kind, and solid presence in and out of the classroom. I've been impressed with his self-control, honesty, and desire to do the right thing no matter the situation. Will is a natural leader! Will has a constant smile on his face. He shows leadership in the classroom by his quiet spirit and respectful behavior. We love having him as part of our NCS middle school!

Congrats Will!

Knox Brim, Lower School Excellence Award Winner

Congratulations to Knox Brim, Lower School Excellence Award winner for the past 9 weeks!

Characteristics used to describe Knox include Mature, Respectful, Kind, Encouraging, and Mindful.

His Teachers shared: Knox is extremely respectful and kind to all. He is on task all the time, ready to learn, and ready to do his work. I can always count on him to listen and participate. He is kind to his peers and to his teachers. He is a great addition to the theatre family. Knox is a pleasure to have in class - he brings me joy every day! Congratulations Knox!

Charley Harper

Congratulations to Charley Harper for being chosen the Bellevue Exchange Club Student of the Month. 

Charley is joined by Terry Scott, Karen Whelan and Stephanie Harper.

BCAT District All Academic Team

Congratulations to Charley Harper, Whitley Miller, Grayson Bonds, Millie Boone, Reese Dugger, Ava Pomeroy, Julia Belle Sisemore for being selected to the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee District All Academic Team. 

To qualify for this award, they maintained a 3.5 GPA or higher for their academic career. 

They are truly Scholar-Athletes!

Optimist Club Essay Contest Winners

Three NCS Students were winners in the Bellevue Optimist Club Essay Contest and were recognized in a ceremony last night. 

Ava Rudolph (8th Grade) received 3rd place. Kathryn Rogers (12th Grade - not pictured) received 2nd place. 

Charley Harper (12th Grade) received 1st place. 

Congrats to Ava, Kathryn and Charley!

Middle School Small Groups

Middle school small groups went to the lower school and preschool this morning and taught Bible lessons as part of Christian Emphasis Week.

They did many things including putting on skits, singing songs, and coloring together!

Christian Emphasis Week begins today

Christian Emphasis Week begins today at NCS. 

Campus Minister, Jeff Palk, introduced the Theme: Jesus is King in a special Upper School Chapel. 

Small groups were encouraged to sit together and many groups had a special prayer at the conclusion of Chapel. 

Can't wait to see what this week brings.

The Upper School Teacher of the Week...

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Coach John Pierce.

His Peers shared:

I have only heard good things about Coach Pierce as both a Coach and Teacher.

Coach Pierce has been a great addition to both the Bible Department and Basketball program. His daily interactions with students on campus is excellent.

Coach's Basketball players respect him and agree to the high standards he has set for the program.

We are blessed that NCS students have the opportunity to learn from Coach Pierce.

Congratulations Coach Pierce!

National Merit Finalist...Brett Posavac

Nashville Christian School is excited to announce Brett Posavac has been named a National Merit Finalist. 

The nationwide pool of finalists represents less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. 

Brett plans to attend Belmont University and study Pre-med. 

Congratulations to Brett Posavac!


 

Donovan Smith

Congratulations to Donovan Smith for being selected to represent NCS as the Scholar-Athlete, Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation. 

This award recognizes Donovan's outstanding Academic Achievement, School and Community Leadership and Football Performance. 

Donovan is pictured with Steve Hutchinson and Kelly Holcomb.

Congratulations Donovan!


 

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is...Mrs. Nicole Arnold

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Mrs. Nicole Arnold!

Her Peers shared:

Mrs. Arnold has proven she has a long-term commitment to NCS. She is a "fan in the stands" and a leader on stage.

She takes on a number of roles on campus including being a Dual Instructor and working with the theater department.

Mrs. Arnold put a lot of work and research into the Harlem Renaissance cross-cultural unit which several classes participate in. We are grateful for all her hard work!

Congratulations Mrs. Arnold!

State Wrestling Results

Thanks go out to Jaden Potts and Peyton Woodard for setting the benchmark for future NCS Wrestlers to follow. 

Jaden finished Runner-Up in the 220 weight class and Peyton finished 5th in the 195 weight class.

Their dedication and hard work showed in their State Performance. Congrats!

The Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is... Coach Mike McPherson.

His Peers shared: 
Coach McPherson's commitment to the school extends beyond the classroom. While watching sports in person is great, hearing his play-by-play commentary makes the game even better. Families and friends have come to rely on his one-of-a-kind color commentary!

Our freshman appreciate the wit and humor Coach brings to the classroom. We are privileged to have him at NCS.

Coach Mike is a legend!

Gregory Williams

Alum Spotlight - Gregory Williams - NCS class of 2016

Gregory will be attending the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in the Fall. 

He graduated magna cum laude from UAB with a degree in Biomedical Science. 

Gregory has helped publish 3 scientific papers on colorectal cancer and hopes to pursue a specialty in Hematology/ Oncology.

Congrats to Gregory on his accomplishments thus far; we look forward to more great things to come!


 

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the week is... Mr. Ian Harris

His Peers shared:  
Mr. Harris works diligently and never complains. He models servant leadership daily.

He has worked hard from day one stepping on the NCS campus. He has taken time to get to know the students and find various methods for teaching them math. He spends so much time coaching and mentoring the high school and middle school wrestling teams. 

He has spent countless hours coming up with new projects for his physics class to help them not only understand the material but to put it into practice.  Congrats Mr. Harris!

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is... Ms. Stephanie Harper.

Her Peers shared:

Ms. Harper was my mentor during my first year at NCS and continues to be a mentor to me.

She is quick to help with any problem or question and offers endless aid when it comes to teaching students to be better writers.

Her students love her, and she holds them to a rigorous academic standard.  

She is a leader, a sounding board, and a friend. 

We are blessed to have her on our team. Congrats Ms. Harper!

NCS Alum, Tollie Boone

NCS Alum, Tollie BooNE joins the Creative Team for the Off-Broadway run of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof this Spring


NCS Alum Tollie Boone is a senior lighting design student at Samford University. 

This spring, Tollie is headed to New York City to design the lighting for the Off-Broadway return of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, at the Theatre at St. Clements, Feb. 24-March 3. She will be joining Samford’s assistant professor of theatrical design, Christian Specht. 

The opportunity came about through Specht’s connections in the industry. “I knew if I got the contract, that I wanted to figure out how to bring Tollie along as an assistant lighting designer,” said Specht. “This is such a great opportunity for Tollie to gain real world experience while accomplishing her senior capstone.” He praised her work, “Tollie has an eye for design. She can see what lighting ideas and moments can do to create an atmosphere.”

This opportunity is allowing Boone to realize her goal to design lighting on Broadway. “When I was younger, I wanted to be on the stage but as I’ve grown in the technical world, my dream is to design lights for Broadway shows.”  She is looking forward to “meeting people in the field and to feel the energy and excitement of the professional setting.

Tollie enjoys lighting design and notes, “Lighting has always been fascinating to me. I am also an artist and I enjoy painting. With lighting it’s very similar to painting but in more of an abstract sense. With lighting I am able to create a world with color through light and shadow to help encourage a story and its setting. I still get excited when I design in new spaces because it challenges my limits.”

Excerpt from original Article published January 10, 2023 by Ashley Smith, Marketing and Communication Manager, Samford University.

 

100th Day of School

Kindergarten Classes Celebrate the 100th Day of School Today!

Upper School Transition Breakfast

8th Grade Students and Parents were out bright and early this morning for the Upper School Transition Breakfast. Thanks to everyone for coming!

January 22nd Preview Day

It may be gloomy outside but the sun is shining inside NCS at todays Preview Day.

Thanks to all the families who visited. We loved meeting you!

2023 Seniors vs Faculty Basketball Game

2023 Seniors vs Faculty Basketball Game. Faculty WINS 58 to Seniors 42. Congrats to the Faculty!

Upper School Teacher of the Week...Cristin Bryan

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Ms. Cristin Bryan!

Her Peers shared:

Ms. Bryan always stops whatever she is doing to help others and lend a hand. She will do whatever it takes to solve problems and supports her students academically and personally.  

She consistently seeks new ways to engage her students in learning. She takes the time to develop relationships with them, and they know she cares.  Our students are so lucky to have her pouring into their academic and spiritual lives!

Congrats Ms. Bryan!


 

Coming Home Court

NCS "Coming Home" Celebration included the Presentation of the Court and crowning of the King...Donovan Smith!

Hall of Fame Inductees

Congratulations to the Winter and Spring Hall of Fame Inductees from the Classes of 2000-2009

Brandon Hodge - class of 2000 - Wrestling
Josh Belcher, class of 2001 – Basketball & Baseball
Jeff Bolander - class of 2001 - Football & Soccer
Ryan Harris, class of 2001 – Football & Basketball
Justin Lowry, class of 2001 - Basketball & Baseball
Meredith McGinnis, class of 2001 - Volleyball & Basketball
Lauren Evan La Rue Kuet, class of 2002 - Basketball
James Meadows, class of 2002 – Football & Wrestling
April Piper, class of 2002 – Basketball & Track and Field
Chris Coleman, class of 2003 – Football
Matthew Pace, class of 2003 - Football & Basketball
Ashley Womack Say, class of 2003 -  Basketball & Track and Field
David Anderson, class of 2004 – Basketball
Brandon Bridges, class of 2004 - Wrestling
Grant Sandler, class of 2004 -  Bowling
Ashley Ingram Skinner, class of 2004 – Basketball
Jay Skinner, class of 2004 – Basketball
Amanda Stinnett, class of 2004 - Cheerleading & Bowling
Chris Walker - class of 2004 - Basketball
Haley Light Breedlove, class of 2006 – Cheerleading & Softball
Andy Givens, class of 2006 – Basketball
Jessica Womack Grogan, class of 2006 – Basketball
Holly Lewis Haynes, class of 2006 – Basketball
Eric Vick, class of 2006 –Track and Field
Brittni Walker, class of 2006 –Basketball & Track and Field
Davis Fleming, class of 2007 - Golf
Russell Frazier, class of 2007 - Basketball
Cassie Hutcherson Hardy, class of 2007- Softball
Alex Jenkins, class of 2007 - Bowling
Wesley McDowell, class of 2007 - Baseball
Kathryn Surber, class of 2007 - Basketball
Caden Anderson, class of 2008 – Basketball
Woody Hartley, class of 2009 - Baseball


 

US Teacher of the Week

Congrats to Mrs. Katherine Lee, Upper School Teacher of the Week.

Her peers shared:

Mrs. Lee works with the freshman and sophomore classes with patience and grace.

Not only is she helpful with students around campus, she is also readily available to answer questions all while setting up programs across campus.

She interacts with each student compassionately and responds to her colleagues with similar kindness and helpfulness.

We are lucky she is part of our NCS family.

Congrats Mrs. Lee!

Excellence Chapel

Today was a very special day at NCS with Excellence Chapel where Grades K4 - 12th gathered together. Songs were sung, a lesson was given including a visual of Large and Small, and awards were given out to Excellence Award Winners for the second nine weeks. 

Innovative Models of Mitosis

Mrs. Moores' 7th and 9th Grade Students made Models of Mitosis from Oreos and Sprinkles. Who Knew! 

YES: Youth Equipped to Succeed

NCS was blessed today to have 2 Former College and Professional Football Players, Keith Davis (USC and New York Giants) and Jamar Reid (UTEP and Seattle Seahawks) speak to the Lower, Middle and Upper School students and faculty in three assembles.

They are part of YES:Youth Equipped to Succeed which has the goal of "Growing value and vision in youth by combating isolation and imparting hope."

The message they shared was excellent…


 

Art-Driven Leadership Project

Ms. Donna Torrez pulled out all the stops today as she taught an Art-Driven Leadership Class to Faculty and Staff Members as a part of Personal Development.

Each person was tasked with painting an Eagle (of course!) and a surprising amount of talent was shown. 

Credit is given to Ms. Torrez for her fantastic Teaching skills!

Pre-K Christmas Program

Family and Friends gathered to celebrate the Christmas Story as portrayed by the Pre-K class. Adorable!

Reindeer Games and Gingerbread Houses

The Upper School Boys enjoyed playing Reindeer Games, hosted by Coach Brothers; while the Girls decorated Gingerbread Houses within their small groups!

Fine Arts Christmas Concert

Last evening, the Fine Arts department  presented "At the Movies" a Christmas Concert featuring the Concert Band, MS Choir, String Ensemble and Chamber Choir. 

Great Job by the Performers, Mr. Mauldin and Ms. Stefaniak!

Upper School Christmas Art

Ms. Torrez shared the Upper School Art Students Talents and Wintry scenes so everyone could enjoy!

Upper School Teacher of the Week

This weeks Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Ms. Katie Sholl. 

Her peers shared: She is a very helpful coworker. She spends her planning time and lunch helping her AP students prepare for their tests. She maintains high expectations in her classroom and pushes her students to think on their own. It is clear she means a lot to her students. 

Congratulations Ms. Sholl! 

12 Days of Christmas Chapel

Today we celebrated the season with an All School Chapel including songs, scriptures, candles and even a visit from Dr. Santa who led the group in a rousing rendition of "The 12 Days of Christmas". 

 

Elf Jr Fine Arts Production

Four performances of Elf Jr were performed between December 2nd - 4th. The actors did an OUTSTANDING job!

 

The Upper School Teacher of the Week...

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is ... Courtney Richardson! 

Her peers shared: I have many sophomores who are so complimentary of Mrs. Richardson. 

She is always prepared and stays late every day to ensure she gives high-quality lessons. 

Her students talk about how kind she is and that they can tell by her actions and how she treats them that she genuinely cares about them. 

Congrats Mrs. Richardson!

Praise and Thanksgiving

NCS Students and Families gathered together today for a Praise and Thanksgiving assembly followed by lunch. It was truly a joyful and blessed occasion.

Golf Practice Facility Check Presentation Ceremony

 PGA Touring Pro Brandt Snedeker (The Snedeker Foundation) and TN Golf Foundation contributed $55,000 to NCS to construct a golf practice facility on the campus that will be used in a collaborative effort with NCS and the Tennessee School for the Blind. It was an amazing day with almost 50 people gathering for the Dedication and Check Presentation Ceremony. 

 

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is…Coach Andrew Shaw.

His peers shared: I appreciate Coach Shaw's attention to detail for the defense each week on Friday nights. The defense consistently performs extremely well under his leadership. I appreciate his hard work and dedication to both the strength program and the football team.

Congrats Coach Shaw!

Veterans Day at NCS

Veterans Day events at NCS included: the NCS Chamber Choir sang the National Anthem and a selection of songs at the Veterans Breakfast held at the Bellevue Y; the Toddler Room in the Preschool made over 60 cards and Mrs. Kalina (Active Military) is delivering them to her post; and second and third graders welcomed Marine Corps veterans Jack Spence and Tom Seals to speak to the classes. 

Thank you to all veterans for your service and sacrifice.

A.F. Bridges Contributor of the Year

Congratulations to the AF Bridges Contributor of the Year award recipient: Nashville Ready Mix.  

A big thanks from Nashville Christian School to Steve "Frog" Meadows and the entire Nashville Ready Mix family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the Week is… Dr. Jeff Vore.

His peers shared: 

Dr. Vore continues to spread joy wherever he is! He is respectful and kind to all of our students, and they love him! He is a man who easily and naturally shares his faith every day.

Dr. Vore consistently has a great rapport with his students. He attends events, supports students, and prays with them daily. He is a model of a Christian man for our students to follow.

Thank you, Dr. Vore, for all you do! 


 

November 22nd Preview Day

Thanks to the many families who shared part of their Sunday afternoon with Administrators, Teachers, Staff and Coaches learning about ALL THINGS NCS. 

Mrs. Sharon Bartlett - Upper School Teacher of the Week

This weeks Upper School Teacher of the Week is...Mrs. Sharon Bartlett. 

One of her peers shared - Mrs. Bartlett is always available to students before and after school to make sure they stay on track and understand the content. We are lucky to have her! 

Congrats Mrs. Bartlett!


 

NCS Career Day

Over 35 different careers, across a wide variety of industries, were represented yesterday during NCS Career Day. 

Thanks to everyone who took time to invest in our students!

 

SALT Members meet with Burke Nihill

NCS SALT (Student Ambassador Leadership Team) Members met with Burke Nihill, CEO of the Tennessee Titans, to discuss leadership characteristics and what it means to be a leader.

Upper School Teacher of the Week

The Upper School Teacher of the week is...Coach Dustin Patton. 

His peers shared - Coach Patton is always willing to offer a helping hand and encouragement to both students and co-workers alike. And another stated - Jesus gave us an example of servant leadership, and I love how Dustin follows his example as a coach, teacher, and co-worker. Congrats Coach Patton!

Wrestling Practice Facility Ribbon Cutting

This morning, the dream of a NCS Wrestling Practice Facility was realized with an Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Many family members, friends, teachers, and staff gathered with the Wrestling team and coaches to officially thank those who supported this effort. We look forward to following the progress of this team in the coming months. 

 

 

  

 

Upper School Fall Retreat

The Upper School Fall Retreat 2022 is in the books! 

The theme was Pray More, Worry Less. 

They spent the weekend exploring the Lords Prayer.

 

Landscaping Club

Members of the Upper School Landscaping Club spent time this morning sprucing up several areas of the school. NICE WORK!

National Merit Scholar Semifinalist - Brett Posavac

Brett Posavac has been named one of only 16,000 Nationwide Semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program.

This program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Brett will have an opportunity to continue in the competition for one of 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 Million which will be offered next spring.

Congratulations Brett!

Jeff Palk reenacts Matthew 5-7

Campus Minister, Jeff Palk, reenacts Matthew 5-7 during Upper School Chapel today. It was very powerful!

All Region Soccer Team

Emily Campos and Ava Pomeroy were selected to the All Region Girls Soccer Team. Well-deserved!

Upper School Teacher of the Week

Each week, a Teacher in the Upper School receives “Teacher of the Week”. This award is given based on nominations made by their peers. Mr. Bishop announces the winner at the weekly Upper School Faculty Meeting and awards the recipient with a “Gold” Necklace with $ Emblem to honor the occasion.

Hendrick Shelton, shown here wearing his award, is the most recent recipient. 

Comments included in the Nomination - Mr. Shelton consistently exemplifies to our students that hard work and dedication will deliver great results. A student added, Mr. Shelton is a very talented teacher and he makes learning fun!

Congrats to the newest Teacher of the Week  - Hendrick Shelton

 

 

And a Big SHOUT OUT to the prior Teachers of the Week:

September 29th - Donna Torrez - Comments with Nomination - Homecoming week has been very successful. It is a great reminder of how hard Donna works with the students for this week and how much time she puts into making this week special for everyone. 

September 22nd - Andrew Atkins - Comments with Nomination - Mr. Atkins runs programs that are essential and add value to our school. He works with the E-Sports, Broadcasting, and Yearbook programs while maintaining a full class load.

September 15th - Abbie Moroney - Comments with Nomination - I appreciate Abbie's initiative to create the sustainability class and to making our campus “greener”. The recycling collection is appreciated. I can't wait to see all her students do this year.

September 8th - Catherine Lowe - Comments with Nomination - Catherine is an incredibly creative and talented teacher. She is conscientious to plan lessons that contain rigor and are differentiated. She is a humble, godly example of a truly gifted educator. 

September 1st - Colin Wright - Comments with Nomination - Colin's work with the senior activities and his enthusiasm for building relationships are great examples of our school community. I see him every morning and between every class period outside his door greeting students and having genuine conversations. 

August 25th - Jeff Palk - Comments with Nomination - Jeff has worked so hard to develop small groups and chapel into important focal points of student life. He clearly cares about the students and the Christian culture of the school!

 

Excellence Chapel

At 8:00AM on October 5th, Grades K-12 gathered together for Chapel. It is SO Special to be together in one place.

 

Excellence Award Recipients

Congratulations to the 4 Excellence Award Recipients for the 1st 9 Weeks! 

The Presentation of Certificates was made during the October 5th Excellence Chapel. 

Callie Grimenstein - Lower School, Several Teachers shared - Callie is a bright ray of sunshine into whatever room she enters. She notices her classmates in a way that is far beyond her years.  Although she was a new student to NCS last year, she jumped right in with her friendly and bubbly personality. She always works hard and does it with a smile on her face.

Baker Drumm - Middle School, One Teacher shared ... Baker is a very kind and hard-working student. He comes to class every day ready to learn and always does an outstanding job of contributing to class lectures. Several teachers commented that his house election speech is one to always be remembered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Megan Parker - Upper School, One Teacher shared ... Megan is not only a fantastic student who works hard to do top-tier work, she goes out of her way to make other students feel welcome. Megan is a shining example of the kind of culture we want to have at NCS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbie Moroney  - Teacher, Comments from others include... Abbie has taken on many new responsibilities this year including planning a community garden for our school and creating the school's first sustainability class. Her goals for our campus are inspiring, and I look forward to what the future holds because of her willingness to serve. We are blessed to have Coach "Mo" in our high school.

 

Jr. Eagle Football Night

A number of Lower School Students enjoyed special events during the September 30th Home Football game including Cheerleading and Flag Football. 

Dedication Ceremony

Tonight, Sept. 29th, the US Girls soccer team held a Dedication Ceremony for Leon Wright (Morgan) and Cindy Hemby (Amelia). A tree was planted and the team placed a memory plaque to honor the lives of these two. The dedication service was held between tonight's JV and Varsity Games. 


 

Newest NCS Hall of Fame Inductees

The newest Inductees into the NCS Hall of Fame were announced during the Homecoming Celebration on September 23, 2022.  They represent the Fall Sports from the 2000-2009 Graduating classes. Congratulations!

William Berg, class of 2008 – Football
Zach Bledsoe, class of 2008 – Football
Jeff Bolander, class of 2001 – Football
Haley Light Breedlove, class of 2006 – Cheerleading
Jennifer Yuchnitz Garner, class of 2004 – Volleyball
Michael Gray, class of 2009 – Football
Ryan Harris, class of 2001 – Football & Basketball
Holley Koob Willover, class of 2005 – Cross Country & Track
Luke Jerkins, class of 2005 – Football
Justin Lessard, class of 2002 – Football
Matthew Loveless, class of 2002 – Football
Meredith McGinnis, class of 2001 – Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Track & Field
James Meadows, class of 2002 – Football
Matthew Pace, class of 2003 – Football, Basketball & Baseball
Matthew Pruitt, class of 2001 – Football
Anna Claire Raines, class of 2005 - Cross Country
Ashley Ingram Skinner, class of 2004 – Volleyball
Jake Tiesler, class of 2002 – Football
Jason Vanatta, class of 2005 – Football
Eric Vick, class of 2006 - Cross Country

US and Kindergarten PE classes

Coach Mariah King's Upper School PE Class helps Coach Richardson's Kindergarten PE class work on their Soccer skills today.

It doesn't get much better than this!

 

Homecoming Week Day 4

Theme: Fake an Injury, not a pretty sight!

Homecoming Week: Dress Up Day 3

Theme: Costumes

In this case, a Picture truly is worth a thousand words.

PreK and LS Chapel

PreK Students and Parents joined the Lower School today for Chapel in the Main Gym.

The Students were adorable as they enjoyed interactive Songs with Dr. Fincher and a brief Bible Lesson from Mr. Palk.

 

 

Homecoming Week: Dress Up Day 2

Dress Theme for Today - Holidays

Freshmen: Show Green for St. Patrick's Day 

Sophomores: Pink, Red and Hearts for Valentine's Day 

Juniors: Stars and Stripes for 4th of July 

 

Seniors: Santa and his Elves shout Christmas

Homecoming Week: Dress Up Day 1

Did we really look this in the early 2000's???  Sweatbands & Gold Chains seem to be the “uniform” of the day.

College Fair

On September 13th, a number of Upper School students attended the College Fair hosted by Lipscomb University.

Pep Rally September 9th

Upper School students enjoyed their first Pep Rally of the year in recognition of the Fall Sports. 

The Rock Band kicked off the festivities, followed by a Tic-Tok challenge, Cheer Squad, introduction of the Teams, a prayer led by Coach Brothers, and ended with the student body participating in the Breakdown Chant. 

IT was LOUD! A truly unforgettable experience.

Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

A Ribbon Cutting Celebration was held in the early morning on September 9th to acknowledge the many people who made the new Outdoor Classroom a reality. 

The celebration included moments of reflection, giving thanks, visiting with friends, plus lots of coffee and donuts! 

A beautiful morning in a Sweet, Sweet Place.

 

 

NCS Football Homecoming

Football Homecoming Game is Friday, September 23rd.

NCS Eagles face off against Davidson Academy.

Homecoming Dance Tickets on Sale Now

Homecoming Dance September 23rd, after the game.

Click here to order your tickets.

 

Peter and the Star Catcher - NCS Theatre Production

NCS Theatre will present Peter and the Star Catcher October 1 - 3.

 

Homecoming T-Shirts - On Sale Now

Prices range from $15.50 - $22.50 and there are several Short Sleeve and Long Sleeve options.

The Deadline to order is Friday, Sept. 9th at 3:00 PM. 

Click here to place your order!

 

Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting - Sept. 9th at 7:15 AM

The Revlon Girl - Upcoming Theatre Performance

The Revlon Girl
NCS Theater Performance
Saturday, September 3rd @ 4:00 PM 

Reservations are not required and there is no cost to attend the performance.

Donations to the Skylar Rose Foundation are encouraged and will be accepted at the door. All funds raised will go directly to the foundation to provide resources to families affected by infant loss.

Due to difficult concepts addressed, this show is considered PG-13 with strong caution. If you have any questions about the presentation or fundraiser, please contact Mrs. Arnold.

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Posts Tagged "high school"

Senior Job Shadow Day 2021

October 28, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

On October 26th, the NCS seniors spent the day career shadowing. This one-day event gives them the opportunity to spend the day with someone employed in a possible career area of interest. Students "shadow" this individual at his or her place of work in order to gain valuable insight about what a given career involves before committing time, energy, and money on training and/or on a post-secondary degree. It also helps them gain information and build connections with people in their field of interest.

The class of 2022 spent time learning from dentists, bankers, teachers, graphic designers, realtors, speech and physical therapists, entrepreneurs, and other business professionals. We can’t wait to see where God leads these students and they graduate and choose a career path!

job shadow day Sophie
Sophie Barlar - WKRN-TN, Graphic Design

job shadow day Cannon
Cannon Anderson - Dr. Sarah Deed, Dentist

job shadow day Riley
Riley O'Connor - Harpeth Middle School, English teacher

job shadow day Jake
Jake Foster - Parks Real Estate

job shadow day Nicole
Nicole Radford - Signs First, Graphic Design

job shadow day Deion
Deion King - Heritage Medical Associates, Ultrasound Tech

job shadow day Madison
Madison Gupton - Drive Social Media, Senior Copywriter

job shadow day Lizzie
Lizzie Lacy - Earl Swensson Architects, Design Manager

job shadow day Lindsay
Lindsey Morton - Harpeth Valley Elementary, Speech Therapist

job shadow day Hunt
Hunt McClary, Josh Strickland - Resilient, Physical Therapist

job shadow day Sophia
Sophia Vance - Harpeth Chiropractic

job shadow day Philip
Philip Reasor - First Farmers and Merchants Bank, Banking

job shadow day Jadyn
Jadyn Bushman, Emma Taylor - American Centered Building, Insurance Company

job shadow day female student
Mallory Vineyard - Bank of Dickson

job shadow day Luke
Luke Page - Holston Gases, Sales

Track Training Area Ribbon Cutting

October 22, 2021
By Ronnie Seigenthaler, Athletic Director

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to officially open the Track Training Area was a fun and successful event! As the guests arrived, we had our track coaching staff and some of our male and female track and field student-athletes demonstrated how we plan to utilize the area. There were sprinters coming out of the starting blocks, hurdlers hurdling, jumpers jumping, and warm-up drills being executed. Those in attendance were board members, Head of School Connie Jo Shelton, development team members, school administrators, donors, parents, and family members. Several spoke and shared their gratitude for all that helped to make this vision a reality. NCS Chief Development Officer Jeff Fincher said, "We are really excited to provide this much-needed training space for our men's and women's track teams. And we are exceedingly grateful to our donors who brought this one-of-a-kind facility to fruition. Those supporters are proof that it is our people who truly make this a unique and special place." Food was prepared by Debbie Seigenthaler and there was a time for great fellowship after the ribbon was cut. It was a great evening for NCS Athletics!

Students Hear About Digital Impact

October 19, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

Today our high school students had the privilege of hearing from Jason Frost, co-founder of the nonprofit Wired Human, an organization dedicated to empowering youth to combat digital exploitation and build value-driven screen habits.   

He spoke about the downstream pull of social media and our devices and encouraged students to know that their purpose is upstream. They must fight against the tech industry who acknowledges the destructive nature of their business, but whose mission is to assign a value measurement to humans based on likes, reach, and followers, no matter the cost.

In a powerful analogy, Josh compared the internet to a modern-day Colosseum where the user is just a commodity placed at the center of the arena for all to watch, judge, and destroy.

Josh encouraged our students to know their infinite worth and value as God’s people and to not only strive towards their core values but to begin wiring their brains towards the plans that God has for them. He brought it back to scripture by referencing Romans 8:15-16 - The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him, we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Fall 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees

October 11, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

At this year’s Homecoming game on October 8th, we were excited to have our alumni family back on campus. At halftime, we had the honor of inducting several more of our Hall of Fame Athletes. The alumni athletes are the cornerstone of the Nashville Christian School athletic program. We were excited to celebrate many of the athletes from the 90’s in a special induction ceremony. See those most recently inducted below:

Mark Smith - Golf
Scott Moss - Football, Baseball
Tim Cooper - Football, Track & Field
Jay Harris - Football, Baseball
Jeremy Moore - Football, Basketball
Chris Amonette - Basketball, Football
Byron Page - Football, Baseball
Brandon Shanks - Football
Jody Duncan - Wrestling, Football
Stephen Elizer - Football, Baseball
Chris McCall - Football, Basketball
Jon Parsons - Football
Shane Sanders - Football
Brad Shanks - Football
Brent Morris - Football
Patrick Moss - Football, Basketball, Baseball
Kerry Byrum - Football
Winston Gaffron - Football
Michael Perkins - Football
Craig Bedore - Golf
Justin Graff - Football
Mike Mundy - Football
Ryan Perkins - Football, Track
Drew Tyner - Football, Basketball
Josh Vanatta - Football

Our next induction ceremony will be on January 14th between the boys and girls basketball games vs. DCA. Stay tuned for more details on that event!

 

Nolan Arnold Named National Merit Commended Scholar

October 06, 2021
By Brian Bishop, High School Principal

Each year, our students take part in the PSAT test in October along with a few million other students in the U.S. Our students take this test for a variety of reasons. Underclassmen in grades 8, 9, and 10 take the test essentially for practice purposes. For juniors, they have the opportunity to take the test and potentially earn a National Merit Scholarship. This year, we were notified that one of our students scored very well on the PSAT when compared to her peers all over the country. Nolan Arnold has been named a “Commended Student” in the National Merit Scholarship Program. She has received a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which means that she scored one of the top 50,000 scores in the country. Approximately 3.5 - 4 million students take the PSAT nationwide each year. Although she did not score high enough to continue on in the Merit competition to be designated a National Merit Semifinalist, this achievement places her among the best high school seniors in the country. Congratulations Nolan!

NCS Gives to Help Flood Victims

August 26, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

When record-breaking rain flooded Humphreys County, leaving thousands of families without even the most basic needs, the giving spirit of the Eagles was overwhelming. Nashville Christian families were eager to show their support, so faculty and staff prepared to accept donations during drop off and pick up. The halls of NCS were overflowing with dry goods, cleaning supplies, paper products, clothing, diapers and so much more!

The family of one of our football players was devasted by the flooding with the loss of two family members and multiple homes. Our 5th and 6th grade football team huddled up to raise funds to support that family, and together they gave more than $4,500!

We were able to take multiple truckloads of supplies to various locations throughout the Waverly and Dickson areas. Special thanks to Coach Brothers and Mrs. Brasel for leading the effort to collect these supplies and deliver them where they were needed, and to the Kubiak family for helping us transport the supplies.

Thanks to everyone in the Nashville Christian community for your support of the recovery effort for those affected by the flooding in Humphreys County. We are NC!

Great 8 Invitational

April 28, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

On April 27, we had five athletes participate in the Great 8 Invitational Track Meet. Since 2000, the Great 8 Invitational has seen the best eight high school athletes from middle Tennessee in each event duke it out. There is only one section of each event, so making this meet is a real badge of honor. Coach Ronnie Seigenthaler said, "Everyone that was in the competition did well. We were honored and excited to be in a position to qualify for this elite meet. We jumped well and ran well into a strong headwind. Our times were good considering the windy conditions. This meet hopefully sets us up to do well in the region in a couple of weeks. All in all it was a great night for NCS track and field." Here's how we finished:

100m : Deion King placed 7th (11.36)

200m : Jaelyn Marsh placed 6th (22.78)

4 x 100m : Deion King, Jamel King, Jaelyn Marsh, Donovan Smith placed 5th (43.21)

High Jump : Carson Guthrie placed 6th (6-00.00)

Great job Eagles! We are proud of you!

3rd Quarter Excellence Awards 2021

March 26, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

Congratulations to all of our Excellence Awards winners for the third quarter! You are all so deserving, and we are proud of you!

Elementary - Tyler Irwin (2nd Grade)

Middle School - Isaac Simpler (7th Grade)

High School - Adam Harper (12th Grade)

Faculty/Staff - Carroll Boatman (School Nurse)

Introducing the Eagle Lecture Series!

March 04, 2021
By Brian Bishop, High School Principal

We recently began a new program to bring some of our alumni back to campus to speak to our students about their experiences and successes. In March, we invited Ray West, a graduate from the class of 1984, to speak with our seniors on the topic of, “The Perfect College Student. In his time at Nashville Christian School, Mr. West made three trips to the State Finals in track and participated in the State Wrestling Tournament twice while also being a part of a successful football team. Currently, Mr. West owns his own financial firm, Rayburn West Financial, after being an original founder of Pinnacle Bank and working in other financial institutions. It was great for our seniors to hear insight from Mr. West about his success over the past 30 years in the financial industry. He shared tips for our seniors that they can use during their college years to set themselves up for success in their careers. We will have more alumni on campus in the near future and look forward to the information that they will share with our students.

Wrestling Recap

March 02, 2021
By Ian Harris, HS Math Teacher/Assistant Wrestling Coach

Wrestling is not, and never will be a sport for the faint of heart; and that proved to be especially true this season. From the very beginning of the season our boys learned how to fight as the underdog. Our team was especially young this year with Jonathan Hamilton, Chris Mitchell, and Davis Boatman moving up from the 8th grade to wrestle varsity. Our large freshman class of Logan Shoemaker, Myles Macdonald, Nate Thompson, and Jo-Jo Herring-Woods give us a lot of hope for where NCS wrestling will be heading in the years to come. We had no seniors, but our leadership came from Peyton Woodard, Richmond Flowers, Daniel Duncan, Logan White, and Hunter Bailey, a strong group of sophomores and juniors that continued to push both each other and their teammates throughout the season. The youngest member of the Nashville Christian Wrestling team was 6th grader, Chance Ford. Chance was the team manager and was one of the hardest workers on the mat, showing up to put in the hard work even though the middle school season had finished months ago. We are very proud to see hard work paid off with 3 state medalists this year.

At the state tournament Peyton Woodard, Richmond Flowers, and Daniel Duncan taught us the very definition of down but not out. All three suffered tough losses in the quarterfinals which made the road to the medal stand a long one. The consolation quarterfinals matched our wrestlers up with some tough competition, but after a big "win or go home" speech by Coach Satt our boys came back focused and ready to finish what they started.

Peyton Woodard moved on to the consolation semifinals with a third period pin over Montgomery Bell. This moved Peyton to the medal round where he pinned a former state medalist from Battle Ground Academy to take 5th place at the 195 weight class.

At the 220 weight class, Richmond Flowers faced Jackson Wells, this year's region champion from Brentwood Academy. Richmond had lost to Wells when the two faced at the Region Tournament, but came out ready to fight and pinned Wells halfway through the second period. Flowers went on to take 6th.

Daniel Duncan, the lightest heavyweight in Division II, went head-to-head with an experienced senior from Christian Brothers in the consolation quarter-final. The two went back and forth all match until Duncan pinned him late in the 3rd period with some great work on bottom. Duncan went on to place 6th at heavyweight.

Thank you to everyone at Nashville Christian that has supported us all season, and we're so excited to see where this program goes.

 

Basketball Highlights 2020-2021

February 26, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

Most of the time, only family members were there to cheer on the Eagles basketball teams in person, but we are thankful to have played a full season and celebrate the success of these athletes. Congratulations to Donovan Smith, Cannon Anderson, Whitley Miller and Ava Pomeroy for being named to the regular season All-District team. Congratulations to Charley Harper for being named to the regular season All-District team and the District All-Tournament Team. Way to go Eagles!

  

  

Here's what our coaches had to say about the season:

The high school boy’s basketball team finished the season 12-7 and finished the regular season with a 3rd place finish in the district. Throughout the year, this group continued to improve, winning 7 of their final 8 games of the season. Much of the credit goes to our seniors Adam Harper, Martease Edwards, Matt McClary and Blake Vaezi for their leadership! – Dustin Patton, Head Boys Basketball Coach

The Lady Eagles persevered through a season unlike any other despite their youth and numerous injuries. At one point in the season, Sophomore Ava Pomeroy stated that, "Every game just seems like a scrimmage."  With no summer practices or camps, and with the ever-changing restrictions, regulations, and cancellations, and limited crowds, this season was certainly different. The girls handled it very well, however, which is a testament to their character and their families. There were no seniors on the team and with all five of the team's juniors suffering injuries (torn ACL and meniscus, pulled hamstring, concussion, broken leg, broken hand), the youthful squad still managed a successful season (17-7), making it to the Region Tournament where they were eliminated by eventual state runner-up, PCA. I love getting to work with this very special group of young ladies and coaches!  -Dan Wilkerson, , Head Girls Basketball Coach

NCS Celebrates Black History Month

February 26, 2021
By Nashville Christian School

We were excited to once again celebrate Black History Month at Nashville Christian School and teach our students about the achievements of Black Americans and their central role in U.S. history.

One Black History Month activity the preschool did was learn about Astronaut Ron McNair, then counted down a balloon rocket launch! They used apples to demonstrate how we may look different on the outside, but we are the same on the inside. They loved reading about Wilma Rudolph and running on the track.

Elementary students did lots of projects and activities. Fifth grade did a research project on prominent figures in Black history and created banner research pages as the hallway display. Second grade took quotes from famous Black people throughout history and created a “voices of freedom” quilt. The students took their quotes and illustrated them to create a quilt square and put their squares together to create the quilt.

Josh Barnett’s middle school Bible class completed projects on notable people and their lives and contributions. Mr. Barnett also shares a devotional each morning with our middle school, and in February, he spoke about notable Black people who were influenced by the Bible including Frederick Douglass with Psalm 137, and Thomas Andrew Dorsey with Isaiah 41:13.

Seventh and eighth graders presented their projects on a historic Black American in history class. Students were also asked to write a short reflection about their project and Black History Month.

"Black History Month is a very important month that represents the discrimination and unfairness that African Americans have faced. This month doesn't only represent the hardships, but celebrates what people have overcome and are still fighting to overcome. In school we were told to pick a person who has done a lot for Black history or is a role model for other activists and people who are brought down by the color of their skin. People should be reminded to be accepting of everyone." - Addie Latham, 8th Grade

"I think that Black History Month is important because we have to remember what they [African Americans] went through. For my project, I intentionally chose Malcolm X because I had heard his name, but never really knew who has was. It was really interesting to learn about him and the Nation of Islam. Even though I am Christian, it is still important to recognize other religions and their beliefs." - Jack Ferrier, 8th Grade

Ms. Sholl’s high school history classes did group research projects about different topics involving Black history like “Impact of the Black Athlete” or the “Harlem Renaissance.” They then shared them with each other on Google Classroom for discussion.

In World History, high school students studied many African Americans who made large impacts on America. Through this, they did research on certain individuals and then used that information to create Google Slide presentations that they presented to class.

Christmas at NCS

December 18, 2020
By Nashville Christian School

Though it hasn't always been easy or fun having school in a pandemic, the Christmas season brought some joy to the halls of NCS. Faculty, staff and students all came together to celebrate. Mrs Shelton visited classrooms to read The Polar Express, middle school had their traditional house games, students learned about Christmas traditions in other countries, and held class parties.

 

Though it looked a little different, we were still able to hold our annual Christmas programs. The kindergarten classes sang their hearts out at the Kindergarten Christmas program. 1st through 5th graders hosted Christmas caroling and a prayer walk throughout the campus. Parents went from place to place where they encountered either a group of students singing, or a staff member to lead them in specific prayers for different parts of the school. The middle school and high school choral groups and bands held a Christmas concert in the main gym, and one student under quarantine played her instrument with the group via video feed.

Christmas is always a time of service for our students at NCS, and this year was no exception. Middle school students partnered with The Ark in Pegram to provide stockings for the children in their Angel Tree program. The students went above and beyond to bless these children and pray over their stockings. The high school students partnered with Gower Elementary School to provide some fun Christmas spirit to young children. Through your donations, they were able to provide Christmas gifts for some students and families who are in need. The student government officers shopped for items and delivered the gifts to Gower. What wonderful reminders that we should give because God first gave to us! 

 

And we can't forget our preschool! They shared some songs and their telling of the Christmas story via video. You can't help but smile watching and listening to these precious little ones. Enjoy!

NCS Preschool Christmas 2020 from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Football 2020 Awards

December 01, 2020
By Nashville Christian School

This football season was one that no one was sure would happen. With the pandemic leaving so many uncertain, all athletic and school activities were hanging in the balance. Thankfully, with new practice and game procedures and protocols in place, and a lot of prayer, the Eagles managed to stay healthy and complete the season in full, playing every scheduled game.

Things got off to a bit of a rough start, but the Eagles worked their way through, made adjustments, and went all the way to the semi-final round for the eighth time in nine years. Many of our football athletes received post season D2A-West All-Region awards!

Defensive Player of the Year: Harris Adams
First Team Offense: Martease Edwards (RB), Carson Guthrie (WR), Darian List (OL)
First Team Defense: Darian List (DL), Kevin Bradley (DL), Martease Edwards (DB), Tyler Morris (DB)
Second Team Offense: Matt McClary (QB), Aiden Humes (OL)
Second Team Defense: Nick Bozich (LB)
Second Team Specialists: Martease Edwards (Returner), Macy Crampton (Kicker)
Honorable Mention: Cam Carden, Josh Strickland, Devin Ray
Academic All-Region: Matt McClary, Nick Bozich, Cavin Phung

The Tennessee Sports Writers Association named Darian List (OL), Martease Edwards (DB) and Harris Adams (DL) to their All-State team. 

 The Tennessee Football Coaches Association named Matt McClary (QB), Martease Edwards (RB), Darian List (OL) and Harris Adams (DL) to their team.  

615Preps named a Small Class Team for all divisions, choosing Martease Edwards as Special Teams Player of the Year, Darian List (OL) and Harris Adams (DL).  On the second team, they named Matt McClary (QB), Carson Guthrie (WR) and Tyler Morris (ATH).

Coach Brothers said, "I am particularly proud of this year's team for all that they had to overcome in achieving the level of success that has come to be expected in our program. The leadership that our seniors provided was instrumental in our ability to train and perform from spring until late November amidst all the uncertainty. We very much appreciate their efforts, as well as the tremendous support from the families and school community."

Congratulations Eagles! We are proud of you!

Volleyball

October 06, 2020
By Nashville Christian School

Through the challenges of not knowing whether we would have a season, to the day-to-day adjustments for everyone’s safety, this year's Lady Eagles Volleyball Team showed fortitude, a winning spirit, and unending support for their team. The best part of this team was their love for each other and their determination to keep going in the face of so much adversity. This team was tough, faithful, incredibly talented, and worked hard from day one!

The Lady Eagles finished their season with a regional showing and an impressive record of 13-3.

Four players were chosen for the All-District Team:

Sr. Hailey Hackett who finished the season (and her high school career) with over 1,000 digs.
Jr. Mackenzie Steele with 50+ kills for the season and 22 aces
Jr. Sophia Vance with a 2.5 serve receive percentage, 256 digs, 32 kills, and 38 aces
Sr. Lynnlee Page with 12 blocks for the season and 30+ kills

Two players made the District All-Tournament Team:
Jr. Mackenzie Steele
Sr. Whitley Miller with 200+ assists

Let's show our support for these young ladies and congratulate them on a great season!

Eagles Football Teams Soars Again This Season

December 09, 2019
By Nashville Christian School

Congratulations to the Eagles varsity football team on another great season! “This team won our first Region championship since moving into Division II three years ago, going 11-1 on the season. We showed great resilience throughout the season, and I think our senior leadership was the catalyst for that. With only six seniors, we had a very young team. However, those six all played key roles in our success on offense, defense and special teams. Heading into the off-season, our returning players are dedicating themselves to improving on our semifinal appearance from this season,” said Head Coach Jeff Brothers.

Many members from this year’s team have received additional accolades for their performance this year.

Division 2A West Region Defensive Player of the Year - Harris Adams

Division 2A West All-Region Team

1st Team - Dakota Owens, Martease Edwards, Darian List, Micah Fann

2nd Team - Jaelyn Marsh, Aaron Gray, Nick Bozich, Matt McClary, Jacob Bates, William Spence, Brayden Bonds, Lucas Kline

Honorable Mention - Josh Strickland, Aiden Humes

Division 2A West All-Academic Team - Nick Bozich, Matt McClary, Cavin Phung

Tennessee Sports Writers D2A All-State - Harris Adams, Martease Edwards, William Spence

Tennessee Football Coaches Association All-State - Dakota Owens, Micah Fann, Harris Adams, Aaron Gray

National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Award – Aaron Gray

Burlsworth Award -Aaron Gray

Nipper-Hancock Civitan Award – Brayden Bonds

Academic Achievement Award – Matt McClary

Senior Eagle Award – Micah Fann

Seniors Micah Fann, Dakota Owens, and Aaron Gray all have offers to play at the collegiate level.

We are so proud of all that these talented young men have accomplished this year and look forward to great things ahead! Go Eagles!

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Fall Sports Update

October 31, 2019
By Nashville Christian School

The fall sports season has been great for the Eagles, with many teams and individuals making great strides! Sophomore golfer Chase Wright had a great season and finish 4th in the district which qualified him for the region tournament where he finished 4th out of 60 golfers.

Our high school girls soccer team finished 3rd in the district and made it to the 3rd round of the region tournament. This is the farthest an NCS girls soccer team has gone in the history of the program. They also made history with an overall record of 11-3, giving them the most wins ever in a season. The middle school girls soccer team is 5-0-1 and will play in the semi-finals of the TIAA on Tuesday.

Another record-setting program was our girls high school volleyball team. These athletes went deeper into the tournament than they ever have before making it to the first level of the state tournament. Their overall record of 27-9 gives them the most wins in the last five years. Another highlight of their season was winning their way to the finals at a gold level tournament held at Kenwood High School.

The cross-country teams continue to grow as well. New NCS 7th grade runner, Alexis Redmond, placed 16th out of 72 at a big meet. The middle school team had a great showing at the Division A finals overall with Jacob Ellis coming in 7th place and winning a medal in the varsity boys' race. The NCS boys' team placed 6th in boy's overall.

In football, our 5th and 6th grade Eagles had an outstanding season with a record of 7-1, tying for first in their league this season. The middle school football program worked hard and continued to build towards future success. Our high school football team finished the regular season undefeated with a record of 10-0 with a win against Trinity Christian. They are in great position going into the playoffs and hope to make another trip to Cookeville to prove themselves as state champions.

We are so proud of all of our athletes and look forward to continued growth and future successes! Go Eagles! We are NC!

Cooperative Learning Increases Student Engagement

October 23, 2019
By Elementary Principal Lauren Brasel and Middle School Principal Anissa Demonbreun

Last summer, the NCS teachers began training in Cooperative Learning through Kagan Cooperative Learning Workshops. Cooperative learning is a way to increase student engagement by organizing lessons so that students are involved in showing what they know by speaking because we know that we "retain a great deal more of what we say than what we hear." Cooperative learning structures also support social/emotional development and classroom management. When using cooperative learning structures the students have positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and simultaneous interaction. This picture shows a team building game with a balloon. Through team building, students come to know, like, and respect their teammates. In the process, a group of virtual strangers becomes a powerful learning team.

What Does it Look Like?

A cooperative learning structured class would include healthy noise rather than just a quiet class.  Instead of students being told to “keep your eyes on your paper” the students are engaged with one another by helping their partner or group to solve the problem. Students may be up looking around at what classmates have accomplished and produced rather than sitting quietly. 

Basic Principles

When cooperative learning is properly implemented, it is a powerful approach resulting in positive outcomes. This success is based on four basic principles. When these principles are in place, cooperative learning produces positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and simultaneous interaction. As these principles are implemented in the classroom, we, as teachers, unleash the full potential of cooperative learning. This empowers NCS to create classrooms where students work together, acquire social skills, care about each other, and achieve more. This helps NCS educators be effective teachers where students learn to their full potential. 

Positive Outcomes 

Cooperative learning has the potential to be a solution for four different crises: achievement crisis,  achievement gap crisis, race relations crisis, and social skills crisis. Kagan says, “Cooperative learning provides in the school a surrogate, stable community in which prosocial values and skills are nurtured and developed.” In addition to these positive outcomes, cooperative learning also can improve communication and language acquisition skills, self-esteem, increased motivation, decreased discipline issues, and improve critical thinking. 

Our teachers here at NCS are using cooperative learning strategies in their classes. Check out these strategies in action in the videos below!

Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies - Part 1 from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies - Part 2 from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies - Part 3 from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

NCS Actors Bring Bloody Sunday to the Stage

September 26, 2019
By Nicole Arnold

Nashville Christian high school students brought the events surrounding Bloody Sunday to the main stage. Set in Ireland during the Troubles of the 1970s, Laura Lundgren Smith’s The Shape of the Grave introduces us to Colleen who is desperate to find meaning in her own life after tragedy has taken half of her family. NCS actors spent weeks exploring Irish history, eating Irish food, and interviewing the author of the play. When asked why Lundgren Smith chose to write this historical play for young actors she replied, “because people underestimate teenagers.” NCS actors also worked with renowned acting and dialect coach Jill Massey on their Northern Irish accents to accurately portray this historical piece of literature that has modern-day relevance. Veteran US Marine Jordan Pritchard shared his experience behind the wire in Afghanistan, and our actors have found the insights he offered extremely valuable in informing their acting. 

This was a fantastic show for anyone who wants to open a dialogue about the power of understanding history, the importance of avoiding violence, or the despair that can accompany circumstance. Madison Gupton, a junior, played the main character Colleen and stated, “It’s important to see this play, especially today since the world is so divided, and there is so much fighting everywhere. This play makes you step back and think about the bigger picture.” 

The Shape of the Grave was performed in conjunction with Annie Jr. on October 5th and 6th. 

Scotland and Ireland

July 29, 2019
By Sydney Cantrell, Class of 2019
                    Sydney Cantrell, Class of 2019

15 days. 47 people. Innumerable hours traversing Ireland and the United Kingdom by bus. Less than innumerable bathroom breaks. Nashville Christian students, teachers, parents, and faculty set off to Scotland, Ireland, England, and Wales this summer to explore some of the notable sites these countries have to offer. Here’s what you missed on the 2019 NCS International Trip.

We started off in Ireland on a tour our bus driver Francis called the “ABC tour” (another bloody castle tour). We saw many castles, all of which were striking and worth exploring. To get a unique view of Ireland we did a jaunty tour at Killarney. We piled into the horse-drawn carriages and enjoyed picturesque views of the Irish countryside. The color green seemed different in Ireland: brighter, cleaner. No one could deny how beautiful the country was.

After our adventures in Ireland, we took a ferry to Wales. We went to an unfinished castle and struggled to find a staircase that actually led anywhere. Getting lost in a castle in Wales was a treat. Speaking of treats, at nearly every stop, somebody (or everybody) bought some ice cream. This sweet treat was the featured dessert of our trip. It seemed like every city had the best ice cream in the world. 

Now in the UK, we boarded a new coach and started our trek. We drove through Wales and stopped a few times to enjoyed the views before we arrived in Edinburgh, our home for the next few days. With our free time in the city, we shopped, hiked, and ate. A few of us climbed Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano. Our tour guide Margaret left us for a few days to have tea with the Queen. We helped her with her fashion choices before the big day, too. Personally, Edinburgh was one of the best stops for me, and I really enjoyed goofing around with friends and teacher. That was the best part of the trip, honestly. I was able to bound with my old teachers on a more personal level and also got to know people from school that I had very few interactions with before this.

In the last days of the trip we saw Stirling Castle and Windsor Castle. We also explore Anne Hathaway’s cottage and Shakespeare’s birthplace, as well as English poet William Wordsworth’s house and garden. I loved seeing the homes of people I have learned about in history and English class. It was a fascinating way to connect the past to the present. Walking Wordsworth’s garden, I understood why he was inspired to write so much poetry about the value of life and living it truly. I never wanted to leave.

All in all, this trip was one of the best of my life. I got to bond with everyone, and I saw some of the magnificent wonders this world has to show us. It inspired me to keep exploring. I encourage you to go on one of these trips. I learned a lot about the United Kingdom and its history, but I learned even more about the people I so often interact with without truly getting to know. I think it’s a great opportunity for anyone who can take advantage of it. I’m truly glad that I did. 

   

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National Honor Society Prom Drive

May 23, 2019
By Nashville Christian School

For the past couple of months, the NCS National Honor Society has asked our school community to donate items to Becca's Closet. Becca's Closet began in South Florida when a young woman named Rebecca Kirtman launched a dress drive to provide prom dresses and accessories to high school girls who could not afford them. That first year, Becca collected and donated over 250 dresses and helped hundreds of girls attend prom. Rebecca was killed in a tragic car accident in 2003, but her mission continues, with multiple chapters being formed across the United States. The National Honor Society at NCS decided to join the cause and the Nashville Christian community came through! Yesterday, the NHS officers were thrilled to take all the donated items to a local chapter of Becca's closet. We want to send a big THANK YOU to all who gave! For more information about Becca's Closet, go to www.beccascloset.org.

Interview with Valedictorian Abby Shivers

May 08, 2019
By Nashville Christian School

This year's valedictorian, Abby Shivers, is ready to head to the prestigious University of Chicago in the fall to double major in neuroscience and psychology with a minor in Spanish. The University of Chicago had a very selective 5.9% acceptance rate this year (tied with Yale University), but Abby will get to go for free with over $748,988 in college scholarships awarded to her! We recently sat down with Abby to talk about her journey through high school and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:

What made you decide to go to the University of Chicago?

I was really torn between Emory and the University of Chicago for about a year and a half. When it came down to it, Emory was closer to home, but the University of Chicago was more academically rigorous, and they have a lot of opportunities for research and internships. They have revamped their entire career advancement program, and when I get there, I’ll have a college counselor and a career counselor. They have more undergrad internships with Chicago-based companies available for U of Chicago students than they actually have students at the university. All of their internships guarantee that you will get actual work experience, and they are all paid internships.

At what point in your high school career did you realize you were in the running for valedictorian and how did that drive your decision-making?

I always had the mindset that Sydney Cantrell would be the valedictorian because she was ahead of me in math. It wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year that I realized if I took all the hardest classes available, that I might be able to pass her. I knew I wanted to apply to a strong academic school, and I knew taking all the hardest classes would help me towards that goal as well.

What was the college application process like?

U of Chicago’s application process is a little different from the rest. This year, they changed to where they don’t require standardized test scores, though you can send them in if you feel they are a good reflection of you as a student. I ended up sending mine in. They also look at your transcript to see if you are taking the most advanced classes offered at your school and how you did. They look at your common application essay, which goes to every college, but they also have their own writing supplement with two questions. First is the “Why U of Chicago?” essay where you explain why you want to go to their school and what makes you a good fit for them. When I was doing that one, I made sure to mention specific classes and campus events I knew they had that I wanted to participate in. The other writing portion is called the “U of Chicago Supplement,” which is one of the things they are known for. They give you some very strange prompts to choose from. The one I ended up doing was, “Find x.”  That was all it said. It was so vague, I thought this was an opportunity for me to show them how I could take nothing and make it go to something.

How did you feel when you found out you got accepted?

I wasn’t expecting to get in. I knew I had the capability. I had the scores, I had the numbers, I had extra-curricular activities. But with hard colleges, if you’re not the exact type of puzzle piece they’re looking for, you’re not in. I knew the day I would find out and that it would be afternoon. I was getting ready to go home, and I knew I hadn’t received an email, but I decided to log in to my portal and see, and it said “status update.” I clicked on it, and it said, “Congratulations,” and I just started screaming. It was a really big shock.

In what ways did Nashville Christian prepare you that made a difference?

I think the major thing that influenced my application was the ability to be involved. At really big schools, it’s hard to be involved in a lot of different things and still try to get good grades. Here I can do a lot of things, TSA (Technology Student Association), National Honor Society, Spanish, Thespian Society, and be able to do them all well. And Mrs. Harper. She’s a really good writing teacher. I always hated writing, but my junior year I ended up getting really good at writing in her class, and I just always loved her as a teacher. During the application process, she sat down with me and really helped me go over my essays.

So you were awarded quite a lot of scholarship money. Tell us about that process.

I was pretty scared about money because U of Chicago is very expensive. But they are very good about giving merit-based scholarships. They gave me quite a bit of merit-based scholarship money. I also applied for a big scholarship called the Elk Most Valuable Student Scholarship. I made it all the way to the national level, and they gave me $1,000 per year. But through that process, your district also looks at the applications and gives local scholarships. For our county, they chose three males and three females, and I was chosen as one of those for $2,000. The other big scholarship I applied for was a Scarlett Family Foundation STEM Scholarship. They ended up giving me $15,000 per year.

How did you find scholarships?

Our college counselor, Mrs. King, uploads a lot of scholarships through Naviance, a college-planning tool that we use. Then some weekends I would spend a couple of hours looking up scholarships, and I applied for a lot of those. That’s how I found the Elk Most Valuable Student Scholarship.

What advice would you give to younger students who are driven and want to go to a prestigious school?

You have to try really hard. And you have to take ownership. Once you get to your junior and senior year, all of your classes will be college level. So you have to have self-awareness. You have to take a lot of time outside of class. Right now, I’m getting up at 5:00am every morning to do AP Calculus review because the exam is in a couple of weeks. There’s a lot of outside effort you have to put in so you have to have a certain level of commitment. And definitely go ahead and start looking at colleges your sophomore and junior year to figure out what would be a good fit for you.

What are you looking forward to the most about going to college?

Probably just being in Chicago itself. It’s a very “foodie” city and that’s exciting. The school is really close to Hyde Park, which is nice. And I’m just excited to get going with my future.

Soccer Team Success

May 08, 2019
By Nashville Christian School

It was a tough loss last night for the NCS boys varsity soccer team, but what they have accomplished this season has been historic! In 2018, the Eagles won only one of their seven district games, scored only nine goals, conceded 32 and were ranked sixth going into the first regional round where they lost 6-2 to BGA.

But this season tells a different story. Again, the Eagles played seven district games, but they won five, scored 23 goals in regular season district play and only conceded eight! Junior Tristan Hogan and senior Zach Clark scored eight goals each! Our winning record gave the Eagles a number four seeding going into tournament play, allowing us to bypass the first round for the first time in school history. On Saturday, May 4th, we hosted the Eagles from Ezell-Harding at and won 4-1!  Last night their season ended with a tough loss to a talented CPA team in the regional quarterfinals. About this year’s season and team,

Athletic Director Ronnie Seigenthaler said, “It has been a pleasure to watch our boys soccer team compete this season. I am proud to say that when they take the field, you see a competitive skill level and a strong chemistry on this year’s team. I am proud of all they have accomplished.”

We are all so proud of these players and coaches for all of their incredible growth and achievements! Go Eagles!

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Senior Annmarie Alexander Chosen for Prestigious Art Exhibit

January 10, 2019
By Nashville Christian School

The Belmont University Department of Art and Tennessee Art Education Association is proud to announce the 11th Annual Middle TN Regional Student Art Exhibition. This year, they received a total of 790 received student entries, only 96 were selected for the exhibition. One of those students was our very own senior, Annmarie Alexander!

This year's panel of jurors included Dr. Jeremy Blair (Assistant Professor of Art Education at TN Tech’s School of Art, Craft & Design), Jianna Mirabelli (Art Educator at Inglewood Elementary School), Tom Stanford (Photography Coordinator at Nossi College of Art), and Caitlyn Henneberry (Belmont University Art Education student). They were presented with quite the challenge, selecting works to represent the Middle TN region. We are so proud of Annmarie and her incredible talent, guided under the leadership of NCS art teacher Donna Torrez.

Annmarie's artwork will be on display in the through January 25th at the Leu Center for the Visual Arts located at 1900 Belmont Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37212. Congratulations Annmarie!

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Only Yesterday

October 03, 2018
By Tollie Boone

With bullying, school shootings and teen suicide on the rise, NCS senior Tollie Boone was inspired to create this powerful spoken word and song in response – Only Yesterday.

"When I started writing this, it was just a short little poem that I really thought nothing about. It was just something to get off my brain to help me fall asleep. After I finished writing, I realized that this world isn’t as safe as it was when I was younger. I used to be able to go outside and not have to worry if someone was going to hurt me. Now in today’s society, we have to increase security and make rules more strict. Keeping people out only invites more problems in. The only way we can help someone is if we ask. We can’t keep ignoring one another thinking that one day we will say something to them. That 'one day' we have now might not always be there. Galatians 6:10 says, 'Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people…'"

Only Yesterday - Tollie Boone from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

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NCS Thespians Reach Highest Honors

September 25, 2018
By Nicole Arnold, MS/HS Teacher
International Honor Thespians Jack Forte and Tollie Boone

Act well your part; therein lies all the honor.  This quote from Alexander Pope is the motto of the International Thespian Society.  The ITS group at each school is called a troupe and is usually led by the theater teacher.  Students are inducted into this theater honor society based on points earned in a variety of areas including technical theater, production, and performance.  Nashville Christian School has both a Junior Thespian Troupe for 6th-8th grade students and a High School Troupe for 9th-12th grade students.  Induction qualifications for the junior troupe are 50 points, while 100 points must be earned for induction into the International High School troupe.

Students are recognized for theatrical achievements and also earn scholar recognition for maintaining high GPA’s during their stage productions.  Here at NCS it is not unusual for our thespian students to be on the honor roll and president’s list!  We have had a few seniors graduate with the highest honors offered by the ITS.  Jack Forte (2018) and Laura Pickard (2016) both graduated as International Honor Thespian Vice President's List Scholars.  Joey Hendricks, Hendrick Shelton, and Maggie Shivers all graduated in 2016 as National Honor Thespian Vice President's List Scholars.  The time it takes to reach these levels of excellence means that the thespian troupe members spend a lot of time together.   Senior Tollie Boone says, “The thespian club at NCS has given me a group of people that I consider my family. They have helped me overcome many obstacles in my life and also helped me become more confident in myself. I can always count on my thespian family to have my back through everything.” 

Tollie is a great person to speak to about the troupe. Last year, she became our first student to reach the level of International Honor Thespian during her junior year. She earned this honor while maintaining a scholar level GPA, playing basketball and being a hydration engineer for the football team!  Her passion for performing and love for technical theater have combined to keep her involved in nearly every performance on the NCS stage.  Tollie started her theater career with minor roles such as a munchkin in Wizard of Oz, but grew to lead shows as James in James and the Giant Peach and Adelaide in Guys and Dolls! Most recently she was seen as Kyler in Bring it On!.  What many people don’t know is that Tollie is an exceptional lighting designer and brings her expertise to almost all of the shows that are produced at NCS.  She plots and programs the lighting for every scene in each production.

Taylor and Tollie Head to New York

When asked about her reaction to achieving this level of recognition as a junior, she replied, “I was super happy. Being the first junior to achieve that as well made it even more special. It took so much time and dedication to the theater department performing and helping backstage but it paid off.“  Tollie spent a week this summer with fellow thespians Helina Butler, Taylor Dahl, Michael Dubois, and Megan Parker training in Princeton, New Jersey at the New Beginnings workshop with Peter Sklar.  That experience culminated in a showcase where they performed monologues on stage at the Orpheum theater in New York.   Tollie and Taylor will be returning for another intensive session over the Christmas and New Year’s break.  Tollie plans to major in theater in college.

NCS is proud of both our current thespians and aspiring actors and their work on and off the stage. As each of them strives to follow the path God sets before them, we know that they will continue to use the talents He has given them to glorify Him.  Make sure to catch this year’s performances and support the fabulous young people that make up the Fine Arts program at Nashville Christian School.
 

Bring It On at NCS

April 09, 2018
By Chandler White (Class of 2018)

The Eagles were flying high, literally, in this year’s spring musical, Bring It On. The cast came together with an unforgettable, high-energy performance with a perfect combination of adolescent humor and gravity-defying stunts. There were several newcomers to the stage as well as some seasoned veterans to round out a dynamic crew. We asked senior Chandler White to tell us more about his experience as a first-time participant in an NCS drama performance. Here’s what he had to say:

Rapping. Basketball. Dancing. Stunts. Cheerleading. How could I possibly say no to that combination? I have always been a super athlete, playing sports at any time of the day against anyone. However, I have never tried a play or even wanted to be a part of anything related to theater. However, this year proved to be a little different.

After weeks of my friends convincing and pushing me, thinking about my opportunity to try something new, and Coach Kayce encouraging me non-stop, I decided to audition for “Bring It On: The Musical!” This decision proved to be the best decision that I have ever made!

There are plenty of ups and downs with everything in life. However, I can honestly say that this play was coasting up the entire time. The best part of this play was the community that we were able to create. The message of the production was, simply put, “Make the most of your opportunities and be the person that you want to be.” Each and every individual in the play made the most of the moments we had together and have now taken themselves and created the person that they wanted to be.

The time that we put into this play was almost unbelievable! We spent hours, days, weeks, months practicing all the different lines, choreography, stunts and motions. I would probably say that the most difficult part of this play was breaking out of my comfort zone to sing and dance. However, after taking a few lessons in both and realizing that everyone supported me and was there for me, I was very surprised that I could do it! Before I knew it, I had become a true showman!

The messages behind this play were so impactful and powerful that most people overlook them. However, they stuck with me. I have taken away many valuable lessons that have allowed me to strengthen relationships, develop my individual self, and enjoy the life that I have been given. If I could leave anyone with one small thing that would impact their lives forever, I would tell them this — try a play. It’ll be one of the greatest decisions that you ever make.

Click here to view all of the great photos from the show!

Teacher Spotlight - Mr. Caleb Goff

January 30, 2018
By Nashville Christian School

We have a few new teachers who joined the Nashville Christian School staff this year, and we wanted to help you get to know them a little better. Mr. Goff teaches Algebra and Pre-Calculus in the high school, but here are a few things you might not know about him:

Tell us a little about your background:
I grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and went to school at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, where I met my wonderful wife, Colleen, in a Biology class. Colleen works in interior design and architecture, and together we have two puppies - Mies and Mobi (9 and 8 months old). Mies is a Mini Australian Shepard (named after Mies van Der Rohe, a famous German architect), and Mobi is an Australian Cattle Dog (named after August Mobius, a famous mathematician).

What is your favorite thing to do?
My (two) favorite things to do are to cook, and to play the board game Patchwork with my wife.

What is the best part of your job?
Seeing a student's face when they realize they understand a difficult math concept.

What is your least favorite part of your job?
That I can't bring my dogs with me.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I would love to work in journalism or be a political commentator.

You teach high schoolers – if you could go back and give your high school self any advice, what would it be?
Don't pressure yourself into knowing what career you're going to have or what major you'll be before you graduate high school. As of 2013, the average college student changes their major 3 times, and the average person changes careers 5-7 times over their lifetime. Be flexible, take classes in subjects you love, and make strong connections with your teachers in high school (and professors in college).

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?
I mean... can I just be Spider-Man?

What is the best book you have ever read?
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, followed very closely by One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
Throughout high school, I got better grades in English than in math (and I won 5 different poetry contests my junior and senior years).

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Wrestling Team Continues to Make Strides

January 29, 2018
By Jerry Morrison, Assistant Wrestling Coach

The NCS High School Wrestling team wrapped up a successful first regular season in  DII this past weekend in Memphis. The Eagles wrestlers competed against the top 8 teams in the DII West region for a shot to go to the State Duals Tournament in Williamson County. The team fell just short, losing by one match to a tough BGA team. The team finished out their inaugural DII regular season with a 7-2 record against regional opponents. 

Highlights of the season include:

- Junior Joseph Curley setting the school record for takedowns in a season with 80 (and counting!)
- Junior Adam Young being ranked in 1st in the state in his weight class. 
- The team showing well in the Charlie Bruce Duals in Alabama, placing 3rd in their pool and 5th overall, beating Tate HS out of Florida.
- The team had medalists in all 3 individual tournaments they competed in this season, including Joseph Dyer getting a 7th place finish at the Father Ryan Invitational, widely regarded as the toughest tournament in the area.
- Several 8th graders moved up and contributed to the varsity team this season, with several scoring match-winning pins and being named wrestlers of the week.

The team now focuses its attention on the DII West Region Individual Tournament which will be held at Christian Brothers HS in Memphis next Friday and Saturday (Feb 9th and 10th). The top 4 wrestlers from each weight class will advance on to the State Tournament to be held Feb 15th - 17th at the Williamson County Ag Center.

Highlights From the 2018 Junior Theater Festival

January 16, 2018
By Nashville Christian School

For the 3rd year in a row, Nashville Christian took a group of thespians to compete and perform at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA. This year’s event included more than 6,000 students and educators from 130 educational musical theater groups representing 30 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Student groups perform 15 minutes from MTI’s Broadway Junior Collection for adjudication by leading theater professionals. Groups are rated in the areas of music, acting, dance and overall performance. The adjudicators offer constructive criticism to each group to encourage further learning in key areas. NCS students earned high praise for their performance from James and the Giant Peach, Jr. You can see their performance below.

Throughout the weekend, NCS staff and students attended workshops taught by broadway professionals. Senior Jack Forte and junior Annmarie Alexander were chosen as festival All-Stars and got the opportunity to attend a special workshop and participate in the awards ceremony. 8th grader Justin Littrell and sophomore Emily Batty were selected to participate in the Broadway Jr. Slam where they had just one hour to rehearse a song and dance for presentation on the main stage.

Nashville Christian senior thespian Ryan Leflar said, “As a senior going to JTF I was very devastated that last night and the last day. This experience has given me such a unique opportunity with a talented group that has become a family. I will miss everyone dearly and I hope to take this experience with me to college to better myself.”

See the group's full performance for adjudication below!

Junior Theater Festival from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Plans are already being made for next year’s trip to the Junior Theater Festival with hopes of earning a trophy and a spot with other top performers onstage on the final day of the event. Stay tuned for information about upcoming auditions! 

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NCS High School Students Make Christmas Special for JE Moss

December 15, 2017
By Kylee Boen, Class of 2018

The process of planning this event for the kids was something we were really working hard to achieve and looking forward to doing. We started off thinking of ways to gather and fundraise for all of the items to take to the kids, and this is when we got the idea to involve the whole student body. However, we also wanted to give the students some incentive for helping out with this project. We asked each of the math teachers individually if they would consider giving the students two points on their midterm if they were to donate, and it was a success. Immediately after making this announcement, the items started flowing in, and soon after it was time to pack up and take off.
 
It was 7 AM, but I have never seen everyone so energetic. We were so excited to walk through the doors of JE Moss and see those children. I knew immediately that this was going to be a great experience. We all split up into different classrooms, there were four in total, and got started with our day. On top of the gifts, we provided them with a variety of foods. The classroom Jolie and I were in happened to be most excited about the donuts. The kids were so grateful for every little thing, and the look of pure excitement on their faces was one I will never forget. However, just when they thought it was over, we brought out the presents. Immediately, the kids were screaming and jumping up and down with joy, and you couldn't help but smile. They all got seated and opened their presents only to scream even louder. 

This experience was so humbling and inspirational all around. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for being given the opportunity to be a part of this. 

NCS High School Makes Christmas Special for JE Moss from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Interview With the Cast of Steel Magnolias

December 05, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

This year, the Fine Arts Department added an additional show to their schedule with a special presentation of Steel Magnolias. Faculty and staff were invited to audition for the show and the final cast included Nicole Arnold as Clairee, Julie Shaver as Truvy, Kathy Gupton played M’Lynn, and Kayce Green doubled us as director of the show and Ouiser. The role of Shelby was played by senior Makenna Paszek and Annelle was played by junior Tollie Boone.

Their performances did exactly what they were meant to do, drawing “laughter through tears” from mesmerized audiences. We interviewed the cast members about the experience:

What made you decide to audition for this show?
Makenna:  I decided to audition for the show because my mom had said she really loved the movie and thought I would make a great Shelby. I hadn’t heard of it before auditions, but decided to watch the movie and fell in love with the story.

Tollie:  The movie is one of my all time favorites that I love watching with my mom. Also I wish to continue in acting as a career and I had never done a straight show before and so I thought this would be the best show to learn another way to act. 

Nicole:  My decision to audition for the show was based on the enjoyment I get from being on stage and the insights that putting myself back in "acting shoes" gives me when I direct students.  Reminding yourself of all the apprehensions and challenges that your students face helps you to relate to them more when mentoring and instructing.

Kathy:  Steel Magnolias is one of my favorite movies.  My friends and I quote lines from it all the time.  When I saw that NCS was planning to do a high school/faculty production of it, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.

Julie:  Actually, Kathy Gupton signed me up for the audition and printed out a monologue for me to use! ☺

Kayce:  I wanted to just direct but in the audition Nicole and Trisha made me read for Oiuser.

What was the best thing about the experience?
Makenna:  Throughout auditions, rehearsal, and the show, I grew in my relationships with the other cast members. Having a small cast means a lot of bonding. It was really great to see the faculty members outside of their jobs. We all became super close during the time spent on this show. They all made it a wonderful last show for me.

Tollie:  Getting to know the teachers involved during and after the show and being able to go to them if I need anything.

Nicole:  The best thing about the experience was the camaraderie developed between the cast and the support that we were able to give one another.

Kathy:  Getting to know the other cast members better and being able to work with them on the stage was the best experience.  I literally laughed my way through every play practice.  I also enjoyed watching myself grow and improve from beginning to end.

Julie:  It sounds cliché, I know, but the best thing was definitely the camaraderie among the cast and crew. What an amazing group of people!!

Kayce:  The best thing was the therapy it provided when it comes to how and when to grieve. I think that was the biggest part that everyone that was in the show and in the audience related to. Everyone has had to grieve, and we are never done grieving the loss of a loved one. The more opportunities we have to experience such a strong emotion together, the more people realize how much we all have in common. 

What was the biggest challenge?
Makenna:  The biggest challenged I faced was being pushed as an actress. I have never done a show as serious as this one was and I had to overcome some obstacles. I had to really get in the mindset that diabetes is something that seriously affects some people in the world and it wasn’t something I could take lightly. This show was a very emotional one for sure.

Tollie:  Having to act like I was pregnant was probably the hardest thing for me. It was so uncomfortable sitting and even standing. I had to learn how to walk with the belly and it was just an overall strange experience. 

Nicole:  The biggest challenge was balancing time and schedules while being a mom, teaching, directing the elementary show and working on our JTF performance.

Kathy:  Learning all the lines and cues and ways to deliver the lines was a challenge.  Trying not to laugh when Makenna and I were doing the scene where we argue after she tells me she is pregnant may have been the biggest challenge.  There was a time during the last week of practices where we could not look at each other and say our lines at the same time without laughing.  Thankfully Mrs. Arnold gave us some exercises to do to get through the giggles.  While not necessarily a challenge, effectively portraying M’Lynn’s grief in the last scene was something that I worked the hardest on.

Julie:  Definitely learning my lines: I didn’t realize how many lines Truvy had in the play! Oh! And all the late nights at practice. I am usually in bed by 8:30!

Kayce:  The challenge for me was seeing this from both perspectives. Being on the stage as a director, while acting was totally challenging. Two hats, one very specific and one very broad, figuring out the story and telling it and also, designing it so others can tell it was very hard. It was like plotting the map and then manning a portion of the ship was very difficult.

Anything else you want to say about your experience or that you want people to know?

Tollie:  Another thing I loved about this show was being able to perform it for my bible teacher Coach McPherson and his wife and seeing their faces all smiling while watching the show. Being able to put a smile on their face was very heartwarming.

Nicole:  I want people to know that  we have very talented faculty and students and we need to get more people on campus to experience the impact of quality live theater.

Kathy:  I think that everyone can identify with each of the characters in some way or another.  I see people that I know in each of the characters and the other actors did a phenomenal job of bringing them to life. I hope that the play and characters touched everyone in some way that was helpful for them. The theater department does an amazing job.  There were nights that they did not leave until after midnight to get the stage and costumes completed. It is hard to fully cover everything that they did to prepare for the play. A huge shout out to Kayce’s amazing direction and set design skills and Mrs. Arnold’s spot-on costume design! 

Julie:  It was truly an amazing first acting experience. I really appreciate my castmates and especially Kayce’s expertise and advice!

Kayce:  I would like to say thank you to my husband and my daughter. They are my world. Thank you to: Kathy Gupton, whose calm, reflective, and quietly strong M’Lynn broke my heart in auditions. Julie Shaver’s clear, unapologetic Truvy, who steers us all along, Tollie Boone for her artist’s heart, Makenna Pazeck for her brilliant, fiery stubborn portrayal of Shelby, and Nicole Arnold, whose Clairee is beautifully timed, and is certainly the yin to my Ouiser yang. And to God, for the incredible way he steers my life every day. He is in and behind every story that we tell. Everything leads back to Him.
 

Steel Magnolias from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Meet Nashville Christian's Own Beauty Queen

November 27, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

Earlier this week, America watched as a new Miss Universe was crowned for 2017. Did you know Nashville Christian has its very own beauty queen – Miss Tennessee Jr. Teen, sophomore Emily Batty! We recently spoke to her about her journey to Miss Tennessee Jr. Teen and what the future holds for this reigning queen.

When did you start doing pageants?
I started doing pageants when I was a baby, because my mom did them when she was a little girl.

What is your favorite thing about competing in pageants?
My favorite thing is definitely the opportunities that come with being in pageants. Just recently I won $1,000 and a trip to Disneyland and with my family over thanksgiving where I will get to meet girls from all over the country.

Besides Miss Tennessee Jr. Teen, what other titles or awards have you won?
Miss Middle Tennessee Jr. Teen and World’s Universal Beauty have been my most recent titles.

What are your responsibilities as National American Miss Tennessee Jr. Teen?
My biggest responsibility is to go out and serve my community.I have done things like the ALS Walk, Buddy Walk, and donated and read to the elementary schoolers so far this year. I am also expected to be a positive role model for young girls and represent Tennessee at the National Pageant in Hollywood, California.

What is your most memorable moment in competing in pageants?
My favorite memory is definitely hearing my name called as the NAM TN Jr. Teen. I had absolutely no idea that I had won, and it was so awesome to feel all the love and support from my family and friends.

What are your future pageant plans?
this year, I plan to compete for Miss Tennessee Teen USA and ultimately Miss Teen USA.

Praise and Thanksgiving 2017

November 22, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

The Praise and Thanksgiving service was once again a special time for the Nashville Christian family to worship and share a meal together. 

After a short morning of classes, students, parents, staff and friends dropped off their delicious dishes and gathered in the gym for a special program. The first graders were dressed in their newly-designed handprint turkey shirts for their reading of Psalm 100. We also enjoyed performances by the NCS Entertainers and the Middle School Chorus. 

Our special speaker this year was a new Nashville Christian parent, Dennis Ferrier. Mr. Ferrier is a reporter with Nashville’s Fox 17 and has won multiple prestigious awards for his investigative work. He told us the story of Black Hawk pilot, Michael Durant, and his hero, Gary Gordon. Gary Gordon knew from the age of 10 that he wanted to be a military hero and set out to research how to do it. Mr. Ferrier encouraged everyone, even the very youngest Eagles, to make their own mission statement and to ask for guidance and help from the Lord as we set about serving Him. 

After some final words and a prayer, everyone headed for the tables full of Thanksgiving favorites – turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and so much more. Following the feast, the leftovers were packed up by a group of students and staff and taken to the homeless. It was a wonderful day of reflecting, expressing thanks and serving others. Here are some photos from the day:

  

  

  

  

  

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Many Accolades for the 2017 Football Team

November 18, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

The Eagles football team ended their season with a lot to celebrate and be proud of. The team boasted not one, but two Mr. Football finalists, with senior Brant Lawless being named the Tennesse Titans Division II – Class A Mr. Football for 2017. Brant had 35 tackles for the regular season, 10 1/2 tackles for a loss, 9 1/2 sacks, and one fumble recovery. Brant was also selected for the 2017 Toyota East/West All Star Game and was named an Army All-American. We are so proud of Brant and can't wait to see him on Saturdays next year playing for the University of Tennessee.

Junior Xavier Myers was our second Mr. Football finalist, and while he may not have won it this year, his accomplishments on the field left everyone impressed. For the regular season, he had 31 touchdowns, with 185 carries for 2,174 yards rushing.

The All-Region Team was recently named, and there were lots of talented Eagles on the roster.

D II – 1 A West All-Region Team 

Offensive Player of the Year:  Xavier Myers #26 
Defensive Player of the Year:  Brant Lawless #34 
Athlete of the Year:  Jesse Watson #4

1st Team Offense: 

OL:  Jack Elliott #76, Maverick Marlin #79 

1st Team Defense:

D-Line:  Jack Elliott #76 
Linebacker:  Sid Morris #22
DB’s:  Bobby Bowling #3, Zach Young #12 

2nd Team Offense: 

WR:  Bobby Bowling #3 – Nashville Christian  
OL:  Warren Hanson #64 – Nashville Christian  

2nd Team Defense:

D-Line:  Aaron Gray #73 – Nashville Christian  
LB:  Jesse Parrish #50 – Nashville Christian 

Honorable Mention: 

Will Irwin #5, Hayden Jarrell #53

Academic All-District Team: 

Jack Elliott #76, Chad Kinnard #16, Will Irwin #5

Great job Eagles! We are proud of you and look forward to another great season in 2018. We are NC!

Senior Job Shadow Day 2017

October 26, 2017
By Nashville Christian School
                 Makenna Paszek

An important part of senior year is Job Shadow Day. Not only are our seniors trying to decide where to go to college, but what they want to do for a living. This year's students explored lots of different careers and here's what some of them had to say about what they learned:

I loved job shadow day! I got to meet an up and coming country music artist, Jay Allen, and got to sit in the recording studio with him. I also got to learn a lot about promotions in the music business.  - Makenna Paszek

I shadowed a professor of music at Lipscomb University. I took his music theory and classical piano classes. - Will Batty

Job shadowing a dance teacher was actually very informative for me. Seeing the varying levels of communication between Payton with the little kids, the middle school kids, and the advanced kids was really interesting because that is something I have a hard time with. I learned about the realities of doing something in the arts for a career, not just the fun hour classes at the studio, but the work that goes into it. Overall it was a really fun experience. - Ryan Leflar

I job shadowed my youth minister and friend David Lee who is a building contractor, and also works for the Gospel Advocate. My experience was fun and entertaining, as I followed him around and helped put up dry wall, mail packages, and other things. I spent abou 4 hours with him doing this and enjoyed it. - Will Connelly

                 Cade Thompson

I enjoyed my job shadow day. I shadowed the finance department at Healthtrust. I learned how what I'm learning in statistics class relates to the real world. - Warren Hanson

I had a great time at Dr. Manning’s dentist office for shadow day. I was able to watch a hygienist clean teeth, and Dr. Manning put in a couple crowns for people who needed them. I also was able to watch a tooth be made, very cool. - Cassidy Rice

I went to see the post production center of CMT. I watched an experienced editor work on an interview of the new American idol judges. It was a fun and interesting experience.  - Cade Thompson

My job shadow experience made me feel somewhat amazed. I never thought that even a business as relatively small as where I shadowed (Compass Cinema) could be so productive.  - Ford Hulgan

I enjoyed going to Hunt Memorials with my dad and Charlie Hunt. We went to a location and put up monuments. We then went back to their office, and my father showed me how to design stones on his computer. - Maverick Marlin

                 Sara Wilson

I spent my job shadow day with an actor that is married to my mom’s friend. He has been in multiple films and tv shows; his most recent being Barb’s father in season 2 of Stranger Things. - Jackson Forte

On my job shadow day, I shadowed Seth Gunnells, a web developer at GS&F. He has helped develop many high caliber websites, such as LP’s website. Throughout the day, I met with several different people who explained what a typical work day would be like. It helped me determine that computer science is actually what I want to major in. - Chad Kinnard

For my job shadow at Bellevue Animal Hospital, I was able to help out with a dental appointment on a dog, assist with antibiotics for a dog with an ear infection (turns out it was Libby Weatherly’s bulldog), help re-bandage an 8-week-old puppy’s broken leg, and sit in on regular checkups with other cats and dogs. I really enjoyed spending my day at the vets office, and it really solidified my decision to major in pre vet next year. - Sara Wilson

I shadowed an eletrical engineer for job shadow day. He works from home so I went to his house, shadowed what he did, and then had lunch and asked him some questions about engineering and Tennessee Tech. - Nick Mynatt

My Job Shadow experience was quite interesting! I shadowed my Dad's team, which included IT Auditors, Cyber Security phishers, and data analysts who worked for LifePoint Hospitals. I spent a full day, from 8am-5pm, learning about the job, the company, and the specifics. Overall, I had a great day learning about Computer Sciences and enjoying a day to live in the real world. - Chandler White

                 Libby Weatherly

For my job shadow I went to Civil Sites Design group. They have a new building that overlooks downtown and I got to go see some Job sites. I learned a lot about the different architecture and engineering jobs that are out there and I think that’s what I would like to do when I get older. - Brooks Cummings

I got the opportunity to shadow two home health nurses and go on two home visits in the low income public housing area. These mothers are faced with multiple social issues due to their low socioeconomic status therefore they welcome the nurses to come into the home to teach them parenting skills and child development. While on the visits, I watched and listened to the nurses carefully on how they acted with the children and spoke with the mothers. I enjoyed being able to learn about the struggles that some people face in my very own home town. I cannot wait to become a nurse and help these people in my surrounding area! - Libby Weatherly

I was able to job shadow a Engineer for Skanska construction company. I got to see what it was like being a higher chained engineer on a job site. We were working on the new LifeWay building downtown and I was able to meet the owners of the building. It was an insightful experience that I will never forget. - Nathan Gaidos

"Stand" Shows NCS Students the Other Side

October 19, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

On Monday, October 9th, several of our English students had the privilege of watching a powerful performance of Stand, a new play by Jim Reyland that brings a new perspective to homelessness. Stand has only two characters: Mark, a salesman, and Johnny, a homeless man struggling from years of drug addiction. It is a true story based on Reyland’s relationship with John Robert Ellis, a homeless man he befriended and tried to help for nearly a decade before Ellis was killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2011. 

The show is part of TPAC’s Humanities Outreach in Tennessee and ticket sales benefit Room in the Inn, a Tennessee organization that offers emergency services, transitional programs, and long-term solutions to help people rebuild their lives. The Founding Director of Room in the Inn, Charles Strobel, was in attendance and spoke to our students after the performance and answered their questions. Here’s what some of our students had to say about how they were impacted by Stand.

The thing about the play that was so impactful to me was the realistic portrayal of recovery, showing how it’s more of a two steps forward one step backwards kind of process rather than a straight line constantly going upwards. I liked how the two characters helped each other equally, and the relationship they shared. – Jolie Harper

I like that the man [Mark] stepped out of his normal routine and helped the homeless man. I learned that sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone and help others. – Hampton Taron

It was super eye-opening as to how we should treat others no matter the circumstances they are in.  - Anna Jones

I thought the play was very deep on how you may think you are better than homeless people, but you are really just the same but with more money. And other people who may be homeless don't always have the childhood and conditions it takes to be successful, and they end up that way, all by things they can't control.  - Hope McWright

I learned that homelessness isn't easy to get out of. It is not necessarily about being lazy, but about falling into a cycle of hopelessness. Homeless people aren't treated with the same respect as other people are and that was really impactful to me.  –Annmarie Alexander

I found the fact that the man took a lot of time to befriend and take care of the homeless man very impactful. I see homeless people people all the time, but this man had the courage to help him on a personal level.  – Riley Griffin

Addiction is a serious thing, and its not easy to walk away from as people may think. Also, homelessness is a serious thing that many people ignore, but there are those who recognize it like Mark did. What we don’t realize is that the homeless can help us too. They give us a whole different view of life. – Ben Simpson

The act of helping someone is where the real worth is, not whether or not they've recovered. It's a 'journey is more important than the destination' type situation.  – Nate Lewis

This was my second time seeing Stand as I first saw the play on a drama field trip freshman year. I believe that this time I put more thought into the idea that it may not have been Jonny's fault for the situation he was in. I took away that some people may have genetic traits that simply make them more likely to become addicted to substances and that substance abuse may be less of a choice and more of a trap people fall into. – Dominic Stephens

“Stand” performed at NCS from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Charles Strobel encouraged students that the best way they can help right now is to support the larger systems which are already in place and change the conversation about the homeless. Room in the Inn currently has 190 congregations in Middle Tennessee that provide food and shelter, a downtown campus, and over 6,500 volunteers. To learn more about how you can help Room in the Inn, go to roomintheinn.org.

An Interview with Student Director Anna Jones

September 29, 2017
By Nashville Christian School
        Anna as General Cartwright

This past weekend, NCS elementary, middle and high school fine arts students performed in the One Act Weekend featuring Alice in Wonderland Jr. and Schoolhouse Rock Live! The middle school performance of Alice in Wonderland Jr. was directed by one of our very own students, junior Anna Jones.

Anna has performed in many shows at NCS, including Lion King Jr.(Rafiki), Into the Woods(Little Red), Guys and Dolls(General Cartwright), and James and the Giant Peach Jr.(Earthworm). This was her first time acting as student director of an NCS performance. We recently interviewed Anna about the experience and here is what she had to say.

Why did you decide to take the role of director for Alice in Wonderland Jr.?
I have always wanted to be in the staged version of Alice in Wonderland and when I heard the middle school was doing it, I knew that I have to be involved somehow. I applied for a position on the team by writing an essay, and here we are.

How is directing different from acting in a show?
It is completely different from acting. Directing is super hard. There are so many things that the director has to do that I didn’t even expect. I have learned so much from directing this show that will actually help in acting.

What has been your biggest challenge in directing this show?
Probably being able to communicate my vision for the show to little kids. When you are imagining something for a scene and you want it done, it becomes challenging trying to get kids to do it right.

You are directing students from elementary and middle school. Tell me about your experience with the cast.
It has been amazing. They all have so much energy that has been fun channeling into their passion for theater. The middle schoolers have been such good influences on the elementary students as well.

What should audiences know about this show before coming to see it?
That I just wanted the kids to have fun during this show. Above anything else, I wanted this to be a fun and positive environment for these kids. 

Is there an underlying message or thought you want audiences to take away from this show?
The big question in this show is “whooo areee youuuu?” Alice goes through wonderland and changes a lot and however much she changes, she always finds out that somebody doesn't like her, and she doesn't quite fit in. Through the show she learns who she is. I want audiences to think about that question throughout the show and find out what it means to them. 

What are your hopes for the future of NCS theater?
I really hope that we keep growing and blossoming like we have these past two years. I really want people to keep joining the theater program and experiencing what's it like to be in the middle of it. 

If you missed the performance, you can watch it here!

Alice In Wonderland (junior)_Nashville Christian Middle School Production 2017 from patrick sheehan on Vimeo.

 

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NCS Goes to Europe

August 01, 2017
By Cristin Bryan, English Teacher

Ask any one of the NCS students who spent two weeks in Europe what their favorite part of the trip was, and you’ll likely get many different answers.

Maybe it was the last night in Normandy, when we walked barefoot on Gold Beach, where the British forces landed on D-Day, the cool winds of the English Channel not enough to stop one student from diving head first into the frigid water and swimming to the remains of the artificial harbors.

Maybe it was the next night, in Paris, when we all ventured to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and made it down just in time to see the light show, some of us thinking, in hindsight, the elevator really would have been better than the stairs.

Or, for some, it was the morning in the Alps, driving past the crystal blue rivers on the way to Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s mountain retreat, where he only visited fourteen times to entertain people of significance, but many of us would have stayed forever given the chance.

And, in between, the moments no less significant: walking where bunkers once stood at Dachau Concentration Camp and feeling the emotional pull of the events that occurred there decades ago; a moment difficult to label as a favorite, but still meaningful in its own right. Or the American Cemetery, in Normandy, hearing the Star Spangled Banner play as the waves of Omaha Beach rolled in the distance. Touring through Notre Dame during mass, as the late afternoon sun streamed through a stained glass window onto a priest in red robes, or having our first (and possibly last) sauerkraut on the last night in Munich.

Maybe it was running after a train in London after spending too much time gazing at Big Ben and the Elizabethan Tower lit up at night, watching the Glockenspiel in Munich perform its nightly show, seeing the Mona Lisa, or touring the gardens at Versailles.

Or, maybe, the best part was looking around at dinner, seeing the exhausted, happy looks on everyone’s faces, and the agreement that, even after two weeks together, we could have gone two more.

For two weeks, NCS students toured five countries with the purpose of experiencing the history of World War II firsthand. They explored Churchill’s London war room, touched the Nazi bunker walls in the Alps, and stood in foxholes Allied soldiers used during the Battle of the Bulge. They wondered how a cathedral in Cologne escaped destruction from Allied bombing, and learned how a country learns from its mistakes at the Topography of Terror Museum in Berlin before laying hands on what remains of the wall that once divided a country in two.

Ask any one of the NCS students who spent two weeks in Europe what their favorite part of the trip was, and you’ll likely get many different answers. Ask them if they’d do it again, and you’ll likely only get one answer.

For a student perspective on the trip, see junior Hope McWright's story here.

Meet the Skeet and Trap Shooting Squads

May 31, 2017
By Kathy Gaidos (Class of '92)

The Nashville Christian Skeet and Trap Team currently has two High School Squads and one Middle School Squad which consists of 11 student shooters. All squads are focused on the sport of trap shooting. The team has been shooting each weekend at either the Nashville Gun Club or Montgomery County Shooting Complex. These shooters shot several weekends in April in windy, rainy, cold conditions. They are dedicated!

NCS will be represented at this upcoming weekend's TN Scholastic Clay Target Program (TNSCTP) Regional Shoot. The high school will have one team consisting of Nate Lewis, Chase Morris, Luke Robbins, and Nathan Gaidos, and the middle school will have two shooters, McClure Gill and Devin Ray.

In late June, the TNSCTP will host the TNSCTP State Shoot. SCTP Teams from all over the state will compete. Shooters must have certain qualifications to shoot, and our team members are currently working toward the qualification goals. The team’s goal is to represent NCS at the SCTP National Championship in Ohio. There are college scholarships and lots of opportunities to grow with the sport.

This program is all about discipline. All shooters are required to have passed the TWRA Hunters Education and several safety meetings prior to getting on the range. Our shooters have really bonded and work together as a team. We have parents, grandparents, and friends come out weekly to support the team. Mr. Carlucci is the only NRA Certified Shotgun Coach currently, but this fall NCS parents Randy and Kathy Gaidos (Class of '92) plan to be NRA Certified Shotgun Level 1. This will allow the program to expand as there must be an NRA Certified Coach on the field at all times. Currently, Mr. Carlucci and Mr. and Mrs. Gaidos spend about three hours at the range each week working with the shooters. They hope to have multiple squads in trap, skeet and possibly sporting clays as well in the future.

Anyone interested in joining the team in the fall needs to pass the Hunter's Ed class over the summer. You will also find a sign up table with more information on registration day in August. The team plans to shoot on Sunday afternoons at least once a month in the fall. We look forward to watching this great new program grow! You can view their full schedule by clicking here.

NCS's Award-Winning Yearbook

May 08, 2017
By Andrew Atkins

Congratulations are in order for the yearbook staff! The 2016-2017 yearbook has been chosen by the employees at the Walsworth printing plant to be included in Walsworth’s Gallery of Excellence! This is the 4th time the Nashville Christian School yearbook has been included in the gallery, and it means that our yearbook will be one of the example books used by Walsworth’s sales representatives to show their schools and workshops. It will also be displayed at regional, state, and national conventions and workshops, and parts of the book may also be used as examples in Walsworth’s educational materials. Congratulations Cate Maclellan, Matthew Magrum, Warren Hanson, Sara Wilson, and Karen Montesinos!

Guys and Dolls Rolls the Dice and Comes out a Winner

March 27, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

Once again, the NCS drama department produced a fantastic show with Guys and Dolls, an award-winning musical based on two short stories of Damon Runyon written in the 20’s and 30’s about some lovable hustlers, gamblers and showgirls in historic New York City.

The plot highlights the lives of these characters with a storyline based around the romances of two oddball couples. One comedic couple is nightclub performer Adelaide who has been engaged for 14 years to Nathan Detroit who runs “the oldest established, permanent floating crap game in New York.” The other couple is big-time gambler Sky Masterson and innocent mission worker, Sister Sarah Brown.

Leading the well-cast ensemble were seasoned NCS performer Jack Forte as Nathan Detroit and newcomer to the stage, Bryce Pemberton as Sky Masterson. Bryce is regularly recognized as Nashville Christian’s starting quarterback; however, he showed he is multi-talented with his sly, charming and loveable portrayal of the Bible-quoting gambler. Many other first-time performers stepped off the ball fields and gym floors, and ultimately out of their comfort zones, to try the stage.

“It was great to step out of my comfort zone and see another side of NCS besides athletics. It was cool to see the actors in their element and how they carried themselves. Also the amount of work that they put in to put on a show is insane.” - Will Irwin

“It was very different from what I'm used to, but very fun and funny. It was definitely a good experience!” - Slater Howard

Maggie Shivers (Nicely-Nicely Johnson) and Annmarie Alexander (Benny Southstreet) played the sidekicks to Nathan Detroit with charm and moxie. Leading lady Abby Shivers played the stiff then liberated missionary, Sarah Brown, so believably, and Tollie Boone was perfect as the ever-frustrated and long-engaged Adelaide. Another newcomer to the stage was Tanner Goodman as Big Jule, a serious gambler from Chicago. Tanner was a great combination of grouchy gangster and gentle giant against stage veteran Justin Littrell’s hilarious performance as Harry the Horse. All the guys and dolls are too numerous to name, but they brought the laughs and wowed the audience like never before.

Here’s what Fine Arts Director Joey Boone had to say about the show:

“Once in a while a show comes along where it feels like God smiled a little extra on you, and things just fall into place. While it still takes LOTS of hard work on everyone's part, it just seems like everyone is in the right role both on and off stage. Well, in my opinion, that was Guys and Dolls. From the costumes to the cast to the students working backstage…the set, the lights, the parents helping behind the scenes at rehearsals, I just could not be more pleased. In the twelve years I have been here, that was the smoothest running show to date. Everyone put their best foot forward, and it paid off. I am proud of them all.” - Joey Boone

Kayce Greene directed the show and was proud as well. This is Kayce's first year in the drama program, and she has helped take it to another level. Here’s what she had to say about her first run directing an NCS production:

“I wanted to personally thank everyone for being involved in the show, whether you were in it, came to see it, you donated, you helped labor a little bit or a lot…I can't tell you how much you made a huge impact on the show and these kids' lives. The show came off better than I think any of us could've imagined, and I am extremely grateful to the kids and to all of you. I dream of a school filled with athletic and arts programs that span all grade levels and grow a REAL sense of community! These kids and everyone involved helped that come to light. This particular production will live in my memory forever for so many reasons. I can’t wait for the next one!” – Kayce Green

Enjoy these photos from the show and stay tuned for “Luck Be A Lady” at the end.

Guys and Dolls from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Here are some fun facts about the production. Did you know?

  • Number of people in the cast and crew = 65
    • Number of 6th graders = 6
    • Number of 7th graders = 10
    • Number of 8th graders = 4
    • Number of Freshmen = 4
    • Number of Sophomores = 9
    • Number of Juniors = 7
    • Number of Seniors = 11
  • Students working behind the scenes during the show = 9
  • Number of lights on the stage = 358
  • Number of costumes originally built = 37
  • Number of costumes “pulled” = 104
  • Number of buttons sewn = 127
  • Man hours to create a Mission Cape = 4 
  • Mission Capes and Jackets created = 14
  • Props in the show = 32
  • Man hours to make the Roxy sign = 10 
  • Number of batteries used in the show = 1,632
  • Average time to block a scene = 2.5 hours
  • Hours of rehearsals = 122

Spiritual Emphasis Week 2017

March 06, 2017
By Nashville Christian School

February 27th through March 23rd was Spiritual Emphasis Week at Nashville Christian School. Elementary students used a theme of SOAR (Seek God, Obey Him, Attitude of Service, Respond to Him). They kicked off the week with a program from SOAR South, an organization who educates about birds of prey by sharing the birds they have rescued and worked to rehabilitate. The students learned about the different attributes the birds were created with that make them unique and able to thrive in the wild. 

Throughout the week, middle school and high school Bible classes taught Bible lessons and prepared skits to share with elementary classes. Students also wrote prayer requests and praises on cards posted in the commons area in the high school and in the main hallway of the middle school. Several classes also be made cards to take to a local nursing home.

We had a week filled will special speakers for all students. High school students enjoyed a special chapel with Christian magician Steve Bargatze who shared his magic along with his powerful testimony in one of our most moving chapels to date.

At the end of the week everyone enjoyed a whole-school chapel lead by Jimmy Hampton. Mr. Hampton is a former NCS campus minister. He taught on walking with Jesus and keeping Him as your companion through times of challenge and times of victory.

On Friday afternoon, high school students left for the Spring Spiritual Retreat. The theme of the retreat was “There Is No BC.” Students were encouraged to look at the Bible in a new light, seeing it as one story that is all about God’s redemptive plan through Jesus. There was also time for fun and relaxation with an intense game of Family Feud, a skit competition, and a few brave souls who zip-lined into the icy cold waters of the lake. Here’s what some of them had to say about the retreat:

“The retreat was very fun. I was a big fan of the food. I really enjoyed the amount of free time we got, and I felt the reflection on the last day brought everyone that went a little closer together. I had a really great time and look forward to going next year.” – Kayli Mothershed

I thought the retreat was enlightening. I was happy with how many people opened up in the end and talked out loud to the group. Finally I loved how much more we worshipped God when we were there.” – Charlie White

“My favorite part of the retreat was when Coach Kayce led the singing in the worship part. Also, on the last day when all the seniors got up and spoke was both moving and inspiring.” – Kylee Boen

“The retreat this year was really fun. I think this year we had a more tight-knit group, and it was all around a great time. The message throughout the whole week was really good because I had never thought of the Bible in that way. I really enjoyed the quiet time and how Mrs. Robinson came up with the whole activity we did. I also really enjoyed doing the skits and getting to impersonate the teachers. I also loved getting to play handball with Coach Brothers and Coach McClary and getting to play cards during free time with them and Mr. Morrison. I just loved getting to hang with them and stuff.” – Bobby Clark

“I went on the retreat, and I had a great time. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with friends and with God. My favorite part was the alone time we got to have after each devotional message, it really helped me think about what we had just learned.” – Warren Hanson

Overall it was a great week for spiritual growth at Nashville Christian School! Here are some additional photos from Spiritual Emphasis Week for you to enjoy!

Spiritual Emphasis Week from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

 

Physics Students' STEM Field Trip

February 27, 2017
By Dr. Melody Noah

Seventeen Nashville Christian physics students were excited to attend the annual Lipscomb STEM Day event last month. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

On this field trip, our students experienced hands-on activities in biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, physics, engineering, and psychology. In one session, they learned basic computer coding, and in another, built models to demonstrate how civil engineers add strength to buildings with trusses. The students then spent some time in the lab learning about the chemistry of fireworks, flame-testing various chemicals to record their unique colors! They also used spectroscopes to identify the absorption spectrum of elements.

Careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics play a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy. Through STEM, Nashville Christian Students are becoming critical thinkers, increasing science literacy, and becoming the next generation of innovators!

NCS Competes at TSA Regional Conference

January 21, 2017
By Jerry Morrison, Technology Director

On January 20th 2017, the NCS TSA took part in the Middle Tennessee Regional Conference. TSA stands for the Technology Student Association and they compete in three STEM related competitions throughout the school year. This was the 3rd year that the High School TSA team competed and placed at the Regional Conference. This year’s High School Quiz Bowl team, comprised of Kobe Word, Dominic Stephens and Maggie Shivers, placed 2nd after losing a close match in overtime. Quiz Bowl is a game show type competition where students are asked STEM related questions. The team looks to carry on their winning performance to the State Conference in April. 

For the first time ever, NCS was able to take a Middle School team to compete this year. Six students competed in three events, with all three events placing and bringing home hardware. Emma Nguyen took part in Digital Photography and placed 3rd. Mikey Dubois and Cavin Phung took part in Technology Problem Solving also placed 3rd. McClure Gill, Griffin Moore and Tate Allen took part in a competition called Inventions and Innovations where teams came up with an invention or a process to help solve a problem. The team then pitches their idea to an “investor” Shark Tank style. The NCS team’s water filtration device brought home a 2nd place plaque. 

The High School and Middle School teams are now preparing to compete in the State Conference in Chattanooga in April. The State Conference will offer a larger venue and more students will be competing in a larger number of events. The teams will compete in the same events as they did in Regionals plus a handful more. 15 or more students are looking to make the trip and compete in events like Flight, Video Game Design, Forensic Technology and Stem Animation. 

NCS also recently purchased two brand new Vex Robotics kits for Middle School and High School. Vex is a partner with TSA and will hold a competition at the State and National conferences this year. NCS looks to take both High School and Middle School teams to compete this year. 

Team members open up the new robotics kit

Sonja Shelton Joins the 1000 Point Club

December 27, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

Congratulations to senior Sonja Shelton on scoring her 1000th point this season! She joins a very prestigious group of talented basketball player here at Nashville Christian, and we are so proud of her achievements both on and off the court. Here is what Coach Brandon Wood had to say about Sonja:

“Sonja is a 4-year starter that's made first team all district the past two years. She's also led the team in scoring and steals the past two years and leads the team in points, assists, blocks and steals so far this year. Sonja is a very skilled player and has played every position in her 4 years, from point guard to post. As a freshman and sophomore, Sonja guarded the other teams best player in almost every game. Sonja was a good scorer then, but by putting extra time in the gym working, she has turned herself into a great scorer. In the end though, I believe she would trade every point for a district championship with the team, and that's really what makes her special.”

Congratulations again Sonja, and thank you for all you do for your teammates and Nashville Christian School!

Sonja Shelton 1000 Points from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Christmas at NCS

December 15, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

The Christmas season at Nashville Christian School has been full of festivities. Students have been seen from preschool through the 12th grade wearing Christmas pajamas, giving gifts, eating cookies, singing carols, and taking pictures with Santa Claus! But more importantly, our students have remembered the true meaning of Christmas by serving others.

Elementary students have collected Change for Children to be donated to Timothy Hill Ranch to buy presents for at-risk children. They also filled boxes with goodies for Hope for Haiti, collected can tabs for The Ronald McDonald House, collected donations for Children and Adolescents at Vanderbilt Behavioral Health Hospital, and sang Christmas carols to residents at The Meadows retirement home. Middle school students led the charge to provide Christmas stockings for the 200 Angels on the ARK Angel Tree in Pegram, TN.

High school students were rewarded with milk and cookies, dress up days and photos with Santa during morning break for bringing in their Toys for Tots. Class officer Katie Cain said, “I think it went really well! When I went to deliver the toys to a Toys For Tots receiver, they had nothing so far. So it was so nice to see that we were not only helping the kids but helping them. I think it got everyone in the spirit, and everyone loved break.”

It gives us great joy to see our students growing spiritually, evidenced by their heart to serve others during a time when many are thinking of what they want for themselves. We are so grateful for the Nashville Christian family and we wish you a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year! 

Christmas from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Eagle Wrestlers off to a Good Start

December 12, 2016
By Jerry Morrison, Assistant Wrestling Coach

The Eagles Wrestling program kicked of their 2016-2017 season this past October. The Middle School got things started with a record turnout of 15 kids, including many 6th and 7th graders who were new to the sport. The young Eagles squad also moved into a new conference this season, wrestling in the HVAC against other area private schools. With their numbers up, NCS was able to field a wrestler at just about every weight class, making them extremely competitive in their inaugural HVAC season. The Eagles defeated DCA, Grace Christian, FRA and Ensworth. NCS wrestlers wrapped up their season with an excellent showing at the HVAC tournament. Three wrestlers, Ian Rogers, Joshua Cottrell and Richmond Flowers, brought home hardware.

The High School Eagles wrestling team has had several wrestlers place in the State Tournament over the last two seasons and look to build on that success this year. The team most recently traveled to the Charlie Bruce Duals Tournament in Fultondale, Alabama to compete with teams from all over Alabama and Florida. The team won 70 percent of its head to matches with dominant performances from several wrestlers. Adam Young, Joseph Curley, Joseph Dyer, Aaron Gray and Cade Thompson all finished the weekend undefeated. 8th grader Ian Rogers went 4-1 over the weekend.

The High School team will be working Christmas break in preparation for four tough regional matches at the beginning of January. NCS will host Hume-Fogg and MLK on January 5th and East Lit and Stratford on January 10th. These matches will be pivotal in the Eagles’ goal of a regional championship and earning a trip to the State Duals Tournament. Also in February, the team will take part in the Region 3 Individual Tournament at Page High School. This tournament will determine who will wrestle in the State Tournament in mid February.

 

Nine New National Honor Society Inductees

December 08, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

Congratulations to the accomplished students inducted into Nashville Christian School’s chapter of the National Honor Society this morning! Caroline Armstrong, Grace Curley, Nathan Gaidos, Maverick Marlin, Cassidy Moore, Emily Osborne, Abbie Page, Bryce Pemberton, and David Whelan were recognized in a special ceremony today followed by a small reception with family and friends.

The National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, the NHS serves to recognize students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

These nine distinguished students have certainly excelled in each of these areas, and we are so proud of their hard work and example. They have worked with diligence in the classroom, and served their school and community with passion and distinction.

We are proud of you!

Tristan Hogan Scores with State Title

November 28, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

This is NCS freshman Tristan Hogan's second year playing soccer with Aris FC Black U15 based out of Brentwood, TN. His team was recently the first from this club to win a state title!

Over the summer Tristan's team qualified to play in the Tennessee State Cup on November 4 - 6 in Murfreesboro, TN. On November 6th, the finals were played at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro, and Tristan’s team, Aris FC, won against Lobos of Memphis, TN 3-0! The team is coached by Diego Figueroa of Peru. Coach Figueroa played at Belmont for four years at Belmont and this is also his first state championship with an ARIS FC team.

Tristan and five of his teammates are also the Southeast Regional Champs for 3v3 Live in the U15 boys bracket. This is where you have only 3 players on the field at a time with no goalie. Over the Thanksgiving holidays, they played in the Nationals Finals in Nashville at Edwin Warner Park and took 1st in the Silver Division! 

The team is now preparing to play in the Region 111 South Presidents Cup June 13 - 18 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Mohawk Soccer Complex. Tristan would like to go on to play college ball and perhaps make the Olympics Development Team one day.

Congratulations Tristan! We're so proud of you hard work and great accomplishments! 

Senior Abbie Page Helps Fight ALS

November 04, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

In late October, Lisa McPherson, wife of our high school Bible teacher and basketball coach Mike McPherson, was diagnosed with ALS. ALS is a terminal disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and eventual failure. Currently, there is no cure for ALS.

The McPhersons learned of a treatment not yet available in the U.S. that showed some promise and planned a trip to a hospital in Bangkok. It was going to be expensive, but Nashville Christian School senior Abbie Page was so impacted by the news, she had to help.

“One day we were sitting in Bible class and Coach McPherson was in tears telling us that his wife had been diagnosed with ALS. He is such a strong person and to see him break down like that really let us know that he needed our help. He told us a little bit about the trip they were going to have to go on, and a little bit about how much it would cost. He asked all of us to keep his wife in our prayers, so for many weeks we did. I prayed almost everyday not only for Mrs. Lisa’s health, but also that God would show me a way to help them. I figured even the littlest thing could help. So I decided to put together this fundraiser for Coach Mike and his wife because if I was in their situation, I would want someone to do the same thing for me,” Abbie said.

Many are familiar with the popular ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral in the summer of 2014, and Abbie decided to bring it to the forefront once again.

“It was a bit of short notice, but my mom helped me out a ton by getting the flyers out, getting t-shirts made, and helping me organize the whole thing,” she explained.

On November 3rd, many supporters from the NCS family gathered on the football field to take the challenge. Several students raised money for the event and got icy cold water dumped on their heads. Meanwhile, Coach McPherson got his own bucket of ice dumped on him on the other side of the world in Bangkok, Thailand.

Abbie was overwhelmed at the show of support saying, “I’m very thankful for everyone who donated and participated in this because it could not have happened without them. Everyone who contributed made a huge difference, and I am so thankful I had so much help from our NCS family with getting this together. Many people were there before to help me set up and some of the participants were some of the football players, the whole girls basketball team, some coaches and administrators, and a few others. There were so many donations and we raised over $2200.”

We are so thankful for the loving, supportive Nashville Christian community who helps carry and lift each other up in times of need. Please enjoy this video of the special event, and hear a special thank you from the McPhersons.

Ice Bucket Challenge for Lisa McPherson from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Going Deeper on the 2016 Spiritual Retreats

October 31, 2016
By Brian Tipps

The High School Spiritual Retreat at Deer Run in Franklin, TN was an incredible opportunity for experiencing a deeper connection with God and stronger relationships with peers and adult mentors. Students selected three activities to do from low-ropes course, high swing, paintball, climbing tower, archery, and leap of faith. Campus Minister Brian Tipps said, “I feel humbled by how open our teenagers were to new experiences and seeking God in a variety of activities and settings while at Deer Run. I am proud of them for how inclusive and supportive they were of each other through the challenges presented to them. I also feel grateful that our school’s leadership and community of parents promote and support these unique spiritual efforts and opportunities for our teens and adults to build stronger relationships with God and each other.”

Here’s what some of our high school students had to say about the Fall Spiritual Retreat:

I thought that the retreat was one of the best ones yet! It was really cool how everyone no matter what grade was able to bond with each other and build one another up. My favorite memory will be all the Seniors sitting around the campfire and getting to spend quality time together as a class. - Elizabeth Mays

As I expected, I had a great time on the retreat. I bonded with people I didn’t know, and I learned a lot about new people. - Noah Schurman

I had a really good time getting to hang out with all my classmates and teachers outside of school. I never regret going on the retreats. - Katie Cain

This retreat really opened my eyes to the true potential of all the people I thought I knew. With relaxation and free time on our side, we were able to make bonds with people that we never even get to talk to during a normal school day. God moves in mysterious ways, and one way He moves (on these retreats) is through others. - Chandler White

The following weekend, our 7th and 8th graders had their Spiritual Retreat at Camp Lake Benson in Bon Aqua, TN. Once again, it proved to be an incredible time to grow spiritually and bond with each other outside of the normal classroom structures and academic pressures. We took the largest group of student campers and adult counselors in five years, so the energy in the group was noticeably at a high level. The focus was on seeking God through different opportunities during time together.

"The middle school students had a great time on the retreat. They loved the human foosball court, scavenger hunts and team-building activities. They were also able to connect with teachers and staff on a spiritual level discussing what it looks like to seek God in their lives. As one kid said, 'The food was good, the games were fun and I hardly slept,' said Middle School Counselor, Melissa King.

Our students were extremely cooperative and engaged in the activities and devotionals alike, which were all designed to engage their hearts, push their thinking, and encourage them to grow in their understanding of themselves in relationship to God. About 20 of our students indicated they had never participated in a retreat, so we are glad this was a fun and positive first experience for them!

Here are some photos from each of these great weekend events:

Spiritual Retreats from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Fall Athletic Accolades

October 26, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

This fall, our athletic teams once again enjoyed great success and won some well-deserved accoclades. Here are the teams and individuals who received special recognition for their hard work this fall:

High School Volleyball 
Sonja Shelton - District Offensive MVP, District Tournament Team, All Region Team
Rachel Wiley - District Defensive MVP 
Abby Varner - All District Regular Season Team 
Kallie Nixon - All District Regular Season Team, District Tournament Team
Brittan Jarrell - All District Regular Season Team, District Tournament Team

High School Volleyball Team

 

Middle School Volleyball - HVAC A Champions - Beat Ezell Harding in Round One, Harding Academy in Round Two and DCA in the championship game. 

Middle School Volleyball Team - HVAC Champs

 

High School Girls Soccer
Ebby Jones - All District
Grace Curley - All Tournament

Middle School Soccer
Emma Oberbreckling - All District

Emma Oberbreckling

Fall Field Trips Are Fun!

October 20, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

This fall was full of fun for Nashville Christian School students. Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade visited Honeysuckle Hill Farm where they took a hayride, picked a pumpkin, visited a petting farm, jumped on some giant jumping pillows, and even learned to milk a cow!

3rd Grade had an awesome time at Kentucky Down Under – a park full of Australian animals! Students got to feed a baby kangaroo, and saw emus and a giant tortoise just to name a few. Some lucky 3rd graders got to feed and pet an Australian mountain cavy who was rather shy and skittish. Another highlight was visiting Mammoth Cave.

4th and 5th Graders had an amazing time at Discovery Park of America - a world-class entertainment and educational experience with more than 70,000 square feet of exhibits focused on nature, science, technology, history, and art. Students also enjoyed beautiful weather while exploring the 50 acres of gardens, grounds and exhibits focused on history.

Middle school students made a service field trip this month. They filled 2000 backpacks with 7000+ meals (8799 lbs. of food) at Second Harvest and packed supplies at the Disaster Relief Center for hurricane relief.

Freshmen and sophomores went to TPAC to see a performance of Romeo and Juliet, while seniors spent a day job shadowing with surgeons, teachers, airline pilots, business professionals, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and so much more!

From Kindergarten through 12th Grade, Nashville Christian is a fun place to learn, offering many once-in-a-lifetime experiences. When you start at Nashville Christian School, you can go anywhere, and these talented students are certainly going to go far!

Fall Field Trips from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Senior Shadow Day 2017

October 19, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

The NCS seniors recently spent the day career shadowing. This one-day event gives them the opportunity to spend the day with someone employed in a possible career of interest. Students "shadow" this individual at his or her place of work in order to gain valuable insight about what a given career involves before committing time, energy and money on training and/or on a post-secondary degree. It also helps them gain information and build connections with people in their career field of interest.

The class of 2017 spent time learning from surgeons, teachers, airline pilots, business professionals, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists just to name a few. Brendan Batts followed attorney Matt Milligan. “I learned the relationship between defense and prosecuting attorneys and how each one’s role is important, as well as how they should treat people…He told me about how an attorney can influence people the way Jesus did.”

Caroline Armstrong shadowed at Fox 17. “I ended up shadowing someone in each department so that I could experience the entire studio,” she said. Blake McKinney and Abby Glaus shadowed with Alaska Airlines and got to do just about everything but fly a plane! Blake said, “I got an amazing opportunity. Most people are not able to get as close and personal with planes as I did. We got to see the airline industry from prep for a flight until departure.” Abby said, “It broadened my perspective of the jobs available in and surrounding the airline industry, and I can safely say it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever been able to do.”

When you start at Nashville Christian School, you can go anywhere, and these talented students are certainly going to go far! Here are just a few of these amazing seniors:

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Brittan Jarrell - Athlete of the Week

September 28, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

"Brittan has been a steady performer all season for our volleyball team. She has helped lead our girls to the #2 seed in the district tournament and served as a water girl for the football team. She has a servant's heart and a genuine love for her temmates and classmates here at Nashville Christian. " – Jeff Brothers, NCS Athletic Director

The Check Your Game Athlete of the Week is a program designed to encourage young athletes by not only recognizing their efforts on the field but equally, or more importantly, acknowledging their actions outside of the game.  

This program is designed for coaches to use to encourage and inspire athletes to give their best in their sport as well as in life. Coaches might nominate a Check Your Game Athlete of the Week for things like working exceptionally hard, demonstrating outstanding teamwork, overcoming personal obstacles, good educational performance, standing up to peer pressure or anything else that shows great sportsmanship or integrity.

“Brittan is an exceptional athlete and teammate. She is determined, analytical, and hungry to know every aspect of the game. She is a natural leader and risk taker, making excellent offensive decisions and fearless defensive moves. In the last three years, she has played on varsity as the DS/Libero leading in serving aces and secondary in digs per set. Her serve receive for the last 4 years is a 2.6. (Most D1 liberos are expected to pass at a 2.5 or above out of 3.0) This year for the better of her team has moved to the very difficult and demanding setting position and opposite (right side) hitter. She has worked tirelessly to understand the offensive part of the game and to technically perfect her sets. She has helped her team advance their offense to a faster pace than NCS volleyball has seen in the past. While setting for three rotations she leads and maneuvers the Lady Eagles into success, and while passing and hitting for three rotations she helps her team start or finish the offense by being an outstanding passer or a smart controlled hitter. Outside the court she is in high demand as a softball player, she excels in the classroom, and is strong in her spiritual leadership. We are very proud of this joyous, caring young woman.” – Kayce Green, NCS Volleyball Coach 

Congratulations Brittan! We are proud of you!

Meet This Year's Student Directors

September 26, 2016
By Trisha McWright

Caroline Armstrong, Abby Shivers, and Maggie Shivers are some of Kingston Springs most talented teenage residents who have been working hard as first-time student directors for the upcoming one-act weekend at Nashville Christian School. The two productions, both featuring Roald Dahl’s famous work, are Fantastic Mr. Fox and James and the Giant Peach Jr.

Maggie Shivers, Caroline Armstrong, and Abby Shivers

 

Caroline Armstrong is a senior and is new to the drama program at NCS and is the student-director for Fantastic Mr. Fox. Caroline is no stranger to foxes or any other wild animal for that matter. Her family owns Armstrong Animal Adventures, a company that provides animal education programs for children. When asked why she wanted to direct, Caroline explained, “I originally wanted to direct for the experience; however, after I started, I learned how much fun it was to work with such a diverse group of people. I love to work with the kids and help them further their knowledge and skills.” 

Abby Shivers is a sophomore and has been a part of the NCS drama program since elementary school. While typically found on the stage in a starring role, she took her first turn at directing the middle school production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Jr. as a freshman. Now she is undertaking the direction of James and the Giant Peach Jr. with her older sister, Maggie. “It’s definitely different directing than it is actually performing on the stage. I’m used to just memorizing my lines, learning choreography and music, and then performing on stage. There are so many more responsibilities for a director! Instead of just worrying about yourself, you have to organize the whole show. Every week, working around actors’ schedules in order to plan out the week is so much harder than one would think! Then, following up everything with microphone lists, prop lists, costume lists…so many lists!” Abby shared. 

Maggie Shivers, the second half of the directing duo for James and the Giant Peach Jr., is a senior who has been on the stage even longer than her sister and makes great contributions to set design with her artistic abilities. Last summer Maggie was selected to participate in the iTheatrics Summer Broadway Workshop in New York City. Maggie shared, “I wanted to direct a show before I graduated from high school, and as a senior this was my last chance. I wanted to have the opportunity to lead and work with younger kids in our drama department. I will take the memories and lessons from being in charge of this show, and being able to direct with my sister will give me a great memory as well.”

The Nashville Christian School One-Act Weekend takes place on Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2. On Saturday, Fantastic Mr. Fox will be at 2 pm and 6 pm, and James and the Giant Peach Jr. will be 4 pm and 8 pm. On Sunday, Fantastic Mr. Fox will be at 2 pm and James and the Giant Peach Jr. at 4pm.

Tickets may be reserved by going to: https://www.nashvillechristian.org/fine-arts/one-act-weekend-2016.cfm  

 

Drew Taylor, Athlete of the Week

September 22, 2016
By Jeff Brothers, Athletic Director

Congratulations to sophomore golfer Drew Taylor on being named this week's (September 19th - 23rd) Checkyourgame.com athlete of the week. Drew overcame a tough first hole score to regain his composure and finish the district golf tournament in 5th place to qualify for the regionals. Drew is a fine student and a great ambassador for Nashville Christian School. We are very proud of his accomplishments so far this season. Here is what his coach, Kevin Forte had to say:

"I want to congratulate Drew on being chosen for the 'Check your Game Athlete of the Week.' Drew is fine young man, who lives out his faith daily in the way he carries himself and interacts with people. I think his situation in the district golf championship this week speaks volumes about how Drew handles not only golf but the challenges life puts in our path. Drew has put a ton of time and energy into working on his golf game this past summer and has put himself in position have a successful run in post season tournament play. However, on his opening hole of the district championship he was faced with making a twelve on a par 4. At that point it would have been easy to get angry and give up. But Drew was able to quickly put it behind him, move on to the next hole and continue to play out the rest of round. At the end of the day, Drew played his remaining seventeen holes in two over par and was able to capture the fifth and final qualifying spot to advance to the regional championship. Congratulations Drew!"

Drew will compete in the region tournament tomorrow, September 23rd beginning at 8:00am. We wish Drew the best and know that he will make Nashville Christian proud.

Xavier Myers, Athlete of the Week

September 15, 2016
By Jeff Brothers, Athletic Director

Congratulations to sophomore Xavier Myers on being named September 12th - 16th Checkyourgame.com athlete of the week for his performance in the football game against Pickett County. Xavier scored three touchdowns in the first quarter to help us establish an early lead. He averaged 28 yards per carry for the game! Xavier is an excellent student and a Christ-like servant to his friends, coaches and teachers at Nashville Christian. He is a pleasure to teach and coach.

The Check Your Game Athlete of the Week is a program designed to encourage young athletes by not only recognizing their efforts on the field but equally, or more importantly, acknowledging their actions outside of the game.  

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Abby Varner - "Check Your Game" Athlete of the Week

September 08, 2016
By Jeff Brothers, Athletic Director

"We are excited to recognize Abby Varner as our CheckYourGame.com athlete of the week for her contributions to the volleyball team last week. She is a great student as well as a great player. I am proud of the leadership and godly example she provides to her teammates and peers at NCS." – Jeff Brothers, NCS Athletic Director

The Check Your Game Athlete of the Week is a program designed to encourage young athletes by not only recognizing their efforts on the field but equally, or more importantly, acknowledging their actions outside of the game.  

This program is designed for coaches to use to encourage and inspire athletes to give their best in their sport as well as in life. Coaches might nominate a Check Your Game Athlete of the Week for things like working exceptionally hard, demonstrating outstanding teamwork, overcoming personal obstacles, good educational performance, standing up to peer pressure or anything else that shows great sportsmanship or integrity.

“Abby is the epitome of a great leader. She leads by doing, by encouraging, and by demanding excellence of herself and her teammates. She is studious and excels in the classroom. She is empathetic, positive, determined and extremely faithful.  The score, the pressure of the game, the ebb and flow of emotion never dictates her attitude or play. She is composed in the most difficult situations and applies coaching immediately. She has played as an outside hitter with the most consistent stats for the last three years, and then stepped up into a completely different, faster, and physically demanding position as a middle. She has worked hard to change her directional speed, her jump height and has studied to understand this new position to be the best for her team. She plays this position with confidence, making aggressive plays on offense and key blocks on defense.  She is consistent in both avenues giving us the ability to run a fast offense and an impressive, set defense.” – Kayce Green, NCS Volleyball Coach 

Congratulations Abby! We are proud of you!

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Faculty Workroom Gets a Facelift

August 29, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

Each year in May, during Teacher Appreciation Week, NCS students and their families express their love and gratitude for their teachers in a number of creative ways. Because high school students have multiple teachers, NCS parent Ashley Cantrell and the EPA came up with an idea to bless all the upper school faculty and staff. Generous contributions were made and the high school faculty workroom got an entire redesign! The space received new flooring, was repainted, and it is now equipped with a new microwave and large refrigerator. Everyone loves the new space! 

   

Thanks to Ashley Cantrell, the EPA, and all who gave toward this effort to impact the entire faculty and staff with a wonderful daily reminder of appreciation. If you did not get the chance to contribute last May, the room is still in need of a table. Please contact Karen Whelan at 356-5600 or whelank@nashvillechristian.org to make contributions.

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A Great First Day!

August 11, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

The school year kicked off on August 10th with lots of smiles, hugs, laughter and fun. Kindergarten parents were invited to visit at the Boo Hoo Breakfast before leaving their babies to start the year. First graders toured the school and made a map while the “Sorting Hat” sorted middle schoolers into their class houses. Seniors came to the first day of school wearing decorated crowns and looking ready to rule the school! Here are some photos from around campus on our first day of school.

Game Changers - The Class of 2016

August 01, 2016
By Connie Jo Shelton

The Class of 2016 began their senior year devastated by the loss of a friend, brother and teammate. Before the first day of school even started, they began living out their theme verse John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

As they lived out these words, they got busy achieving great things. They truly became “game changers.” This class accomplished great things that most people though could never be at Nashville Christian School and they established a new way of believing around our campus. Here are some of their game-changing accomplishments that have left a legacy at NCS:

  • They were the largest senior class to ever graduate from Nashville Christian School
  • They earned the most dual enrollment hours in one year of any class - 279 college credits!
  • They completed 6,412 community service hours around the city of Nashville
  • They were accepted into 60 different colleges in 17 different states in the US
  • They were offered $6.7 million in college scholarships
  • They won the first football state championship in the history of the school
  • They had the first Mr. Football in the history of the school
  •  They sold out five performances of Mary Poppins, and Lion King, Jr. had the largest cast in school history with approximately 100 students participating
  • They had the first student from our theater department chosen to study in New York City
  • The girls volleyball team was undefeated in district, was district tournament champion, and competed in state sectionals
  • The boys basketball team appeared in the state basketball tournament for the first time in 35 years
  • They had the largest wrestling team in school history and a participant in the state tournament championship
  • Thye had the state champion in shot put

A 19th century American author, Orison Swett Marden, once said, “Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.”

Class of 2016, you seized common occasions and made them great! You are leaders in character, integrity and work ethic. Thank you for being game changers and for leaving a legacy for all others to strive to attain. God bless you!

Tags: high school

NY Missions Day 4

June 09, 2016
By Austin Bishop, Brady Simpson, Andrew Sullivan

NCS Graduate Austin Bishop and rising Seniors Brady Simpson and Andrew Sullivan share about Day Four on the NY Mission Trip!

Austin Bishop - Group One

Today, we began the morning with a devotional, where we were reminded that no matter how tired we may be, we are to not grow weary from being the hands and feet of God as we serve those who need it. First we went to a food pantry in Harlem, where we had the opportunity to assist people in shopping for their food. We had an interesting challenge because of the language barriers between us Nashvillians and the people of Harlem. 98.6 percent of the people spoke Spanish and zero English. Because of this, we had to work together to understand what they wanted in order to help them shop. Next we went to an Arab-American after-school program and had the opportunity to play games with kids and assist them in their homework. All in all, we grew together as a team to accomplish the mission that was set for us.

Helping locals shop at the food pantry

 

Brady Simpson and Andrew Sullivan - Group Two

Yesterday we went on a prayer tour. We started in China Town and Little Italy. We then made our way through Grand Central Station, Upper East Side, Harlem, Madison Square Garden, and the 911 Memorial. We were told not to speak but to observe the surroundings. We stopped in parks, under bridges, in the subway station, etc. Our guide would read us facts and statistics about the area. We learned about serious issues that affect God's people...labor trafficking, sex trafficking, poverty, homelessness, conflicts in community, and took a moment to reflect on September 11, 2001. We then took hands and prayed about the issues these areas face everyday. We are grateful to CSM and their focus on prayer. New York City is prayed over every single day of the summer. 

Praying in Penn Station

 

Day 3 of the NY Mission Trip

June 08, 2016
By Michael Pope and Hendrick Shelton

NCS Graduates Michael Pope and Hendrick Shelton report on Day Three of the NY Mission Trip!

Michael

We started an early day by leaving at 7:45. We went to a church and led a worship where Brady opened the service with prayer followed by Ebby singing songs of praise. Ben, Bobby and I gave testimonies about life struggles and how the scripture has helped us through it. Coach Brothers led the sermon and Katie then prayed for the offering. To end the service, Andrew prayed for all of us.

Ebby leads the singing

 

After that we gave out cans of food to those who attended the service.

Giving food to those in need

 

Our next stop was Coney Island where we were challenged to go up to random strangers and start conversations with them and ask them questions like how the New York life is, how they were affected by hurricane Sandy, etc. We met some great people and were able to share why we were in NY.

Boardwalk bubble ministry!

 

We wrapped up the day by eating Nathan's famous hot dogs and riding Deno's wonder wheel and seeing an amazing view of the beach and city.

Riding the Wonder Wheel

 

Hendrick

Today could be summed up simply by the word: "humbling." We started out our day serving at the World Vision New York Warehouse. Now at first I that this was an optometrist office, but when we arrived I realized that wasn't the case. What's so amazing about this place is that large companies like Target, Costco, and many others donate their surplus supplies. We packed backpacks filled with school supplies that the company would donate to schools and after-school programs. It's a humbling place because at home we don't face the issue of "do I buy school supplies OR food for my kid?" I mean it's a blessing not to have to deal with this problem, and I'm glad that we were able to help 600 families.

Our team stuffed 600 backpacks!

 

The other part of our day was very interesting, in that we got to have a closer look at homelessness through their eyes. Each person was allowed $2 each, and that was all the money we had to pay for four of us and another homeless person. Thanks to the help of $1 slices of pizza we were able to accomplish it, but it was very difficult looking at places I regularly eat, and not being able to have it because all I have is $2. It was a very eye-opening and humbling experience. Stay tuned for more, this is Hendrick Shelton signing off!

Please keep this amazing team in your prayers as they continue to serve!

New York - Day 3 from Nashville Christian on Vimeo.

Day Two for the NY Mission Team!

June 07, 2016
By Connie Jo Shelton, Kendall Lewis

On day two of the trip, the team divided up to conquer the city, serving in several different capacities. Group One's word of the day was "Good". Mr. Barnett lead our devotional and told everyone to think about and try to see the good in the day ahead. They began their adventurous day by boarding the subway to Queens to begin a prayer tour. They stopped at different locations to pray for the people, the city, the injustices going on throughout the city and so on. A big issue in Queens is human trafficking. At one point in the tour the team was not allowed to talk was asked to imagine what it is like to not have a voice - just like the victims of human trafficking. Next, Group One went to the New York Common Pantry to serve dinner to the homeless and those that are on welfare. This was eye opening because the people were so grateful for whatever they were served. 

Getting ready for the Queens Prayer Walk

 

Helping the church get organized

Group Two began their day of service with a quick devotion led by Coach Brothers. Their word for the day was “Yes!” After taking the subway to Manhattan, they joined Meals on Wheels at the Stanley Isaac Senior Citizen Center and took hot meals to those in need. The kids loved it, even though it included marching up 25 flights of stairs. Wow! Next they went to South Bushwick Reform Church in Brooklyn. They spent time with Reverend Martin and helped him organize the office, including working with him on his finances. The boys on the team did some handiwork throughout the church building.

Food delivery for Meals on Wheels

 

Doing some handiwork around the church

 

Everyone finished up this day of service by indulging in a Venezuelan dinner and a devotional back at their home church. What a special way for team members and recent graduate Michael Pope to spend his birthday – serving others and then celebrating with cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery.

Enjoying a Venezuelan dinner after a long day of service

 

It was a great day for our mission team!

NYC Mission Trip 2016 - Day One

June 06, 2016
By Connie Jo Shelton

Saturday's goal was to spend the day touring the Big Apple! We began the morning in Central Park to enjoy the diversity of this wonderful city. We were able to visit the following spots:  the chess and checker house, the "Friends Fountain," Bethesda Fountain, and the statue of Balto.

Mr. Barnett defeats a local in Central Park

 

We headed to the Stanton Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. Our ferry was escorted by the United States Coastguard and we were all reminded of how blessed we are to live in America. What an amazing sight to see Lady Liberty!

A view of Lady Liberty

 

Another reminder of this blessing came while we visited the 911 memorial. We were humbled by this beautiful tribute to the lives lost on September 11. We had time to take an audio tour narrated by Robert DeNiro which helped to understand the overwhelming circumstances of the time.  Stories of heroism, bravery, strength, and sacrifice allowed us to connect with such a difficult time in our nation's history. God bless the USA!

The only tree to survive 9/11

 

We ended the night eating the best cheesecake that New York City has to offer! If you ever get the chance to visit, be sure to find Junior's in Times Square.

Times Square

 

On Sunday morning, we gathered to worship and share opportunities that we had experienced God on our trip. Mr. Barnett shared a passage from 1st Corinthians 12 that reminded us to celebrate our diversity and allow God to bless us through our differences.

Sunday morning worship service at the hotel

 

Reflecting on the past couple of days, He has shown is the beauty of diversity within our group and within this city. As we prepare to head to Brooklyn to begin our service, please pray for opportunities for our students to bless others by using their unique gifts.

NCS TSA Chapter has Another Successful Year

April 10, 2016
By Karen Shivers

Imagine students building manufacturing prototypes from their own design plans, writing and producing their own technical videos, and engineering and building solutions to a proposed problem using minimal classroom supplies. Imagine students answering STEM questions about flight, structural design, and leadership protocol, and holding state level offices in an international organization. Now imagine students competing and winning awards at the regional and state levels! This is the reality of our Nashville Christian School chapter of the Technology Student Association, TSA - only in its second year. 

This year’s TSA (Technology Student Association) State Conference was another success! Nashville Christian Junior Blake McKinney was the 2015-16 State President and is running for a national office for next year. Junior Maddie Spitzer was elected next years Sergeant-at-Arms for the State. Maddie and Maggie Shivers placed third at state for HS Problem Solving. Blake, Maggie and Maddie also placed third in HS Digital Video at the state level. Kenny Nguyen and Dominic Stephens also attended and competed at the state level in technology bowl and HS manufacturing prototype. We are so proud of these students and how hard they have worked this year. This is a huge amount of recognition at the state level for such a new, small chapter! To learn more, read Amanda Breeden’s recent interview with Maddie Spitzer here.

Our chapter is very excited about competing at the National Conference again this year and helping our own Blake McKinney run for a national office! We are currently fundraising for the conference - a great opportunity for these students to compete against other students from across the nation in STEM-based events. TSA members will be selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts to be delivered on Friday, April 29th. To order doughnuts, please see a TSA member or Ms. Shivers. They are $8 a dozen for glazed or $9 a dozen for chocolate, raspberry-filled or Kreme-filled. The TSA will also have a garage sale and are asking for donations. If you have any donations for the garage sale, please give them to Ms. Shivers by Thursday, April 28th!

   

Any students interested in being a part of the NCS TSA, contact Mr. Morrison or Ms. Shivers about joining next year. We would love for more students to experience the thrill of STEM learning and competition!

 

 

Megan Moreaux Shares Powerful Testimony at Spiritual Emphasis Week

March 24, 2016
By Nashville Christian School

As part of Spiritual Emphasis week, our middle and high school students enjoyed hearing the music and powerful testimony of singer-songwriter Megan Moreaux. 

Megan was abandoned by her mother at birth and was raised by her drug-dealing father in California. She was often abused by her father’s girlfriend, and found an escape from her traumatic childhood through country music. Though Megan never got involved with drugs herself, she struggled through many abusive relationships and even attempted suicide.

Megan shared that although she was not raised in church and had not heard the gospel, she had an imaginary friend growing up who encouraged her and showed her the right way to live. She now knows that imaginary friend was Jesus who was with her even through her darkest days. Eventually Megan was invited to a Bible study where she came to know Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

Megan now writes inspirational songs of hope, healing and love and shares her testimony with others. Her story really penetrated the hearts of many of our students. Here’s what some of them had to say:

I think that Megan was right when she said that the definition of love is when we help and are interested in everybody, even the ones who hate us. We need to be like Jesus and forgive those who hurt us, just like Megan did with both her parents. She broke the chain to her dad’s lifestyle, because of Jesus in her life. I think that she is a living testimony to why God is real. 

A lot of people use the word love all the time, but I understand her explanation of love. It is when you put stuff aside and do something for a person. I'm the kind of person that really doesn't like to talk about struggles and really get into detail about my problems, but hearing her story today makes me want to really open up more, because her just standing up there sharing her story was really brave. 

I feel like she was talking just to me. I have been dealing with a negative relationship and have similar emotional stuff to work through. The way she emphasized God’s love being unconditional and how He is always with us really helped me. 

I believe Megan’s life story was very inspirational. If she can get through that and commit her life to God, then we can get through whatever we are having trouble with, and commit to Him as well. She turned a life that may not have any upside to a life filled with joy and happiness with the love of God. 

Megan’s story kind of shocked me a little when I first heard it. How could a child know to stay away from all the drugs and alcohol that she was so used to seeing? She had to have somebody. So, when she told us that the imaginary friend was Jesus, it all kind of made sense. God is our father, and it definitely showed in the story that she told us. If we did not have Him in our life it would be a mess. No matter where you’re raised, what kind of parents you had, and or where you graduate from college, you need Him. That really stood out to me, and I hope that it did for others. 

Megan now has a flourishing singing career and has opened for major acts like ZZ Top, Loretta Lynn, and Martina McBride. She continues to write with some of the industry’s top songwriters and shares her story of hope with others. Thank you Megan for being a part of Spiritual Emphasis Week at Nashville Christian School and encouraging us with your unyielding faith and uplifting words and music.

For more information about Megan, and to hear some of her music, go to www.meganmoreaux.com.

Senior Leadership Takes Wrestling Team to New Heights

February 17, 2016
By Jerry Morrison

The Nashville Christian wrestling team enjoyed another year of success, finishing out the season with 14 dual match wins. The team also had success in individual tournaments with Michael Coley, Gregory Williams, Sid Morris and Adam Young all collecting hardware along the way this season. Participation is also higher than it has ever been in previous years, almost tripling numbers from several years ago. "I have to give credit to our current seniors," said Assistant Coach Jerry Morrison. "Last year as juniors, they really hit the hallways and talked guys into coming out for the team. Our team wouldn't have been nearly as competitive as we were had they not stepped up. I told those guys at the beginning of the season that their legacy at NCS was helping build and shape our wrestling program for years to come."

Seniors Gregory Williams, Michael Coley, Parker Goodson, Joey Hendricks and Sam Palmer all formed the core of an otherwise young team. "Our team is 75% freshman and sophomores," said Head Coach Alan Clark. "The successes our seniors have had this year and last year really set the tone for our younger guys. They were great examples of leadership for our team. It was not uncommon to see our upperclassmen stepping in to help mentor and teach the younger guys during practice." 

Leading the way this year were seniors and team captains Michael Coley and Greg Williams. Between the two of them, they have put together quite the wrestling portfolio. Michael had a record of 30-7 this year and is undefeated at the 132 lb. weight class since dropping there in January. He won the Creek Wood Invitational Tournament and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler. Gregory suffered a knee injury during football season and couldn't compete until January. Since returning, he is undefeated with a record 18-0. Gregory and Michael were also named to the Mid-State A/AA Dream Team, which recognizes the top wrestlers in the Mid-State. 

The team competed this past weekend at the Region 3 Individual tournament to qualify for state. Michael and Greg were both tournament champions in their weight classes, securing high seeding for the State Tournament, which begins this weekend at the Williamson County Ag Center. Wrestling for A/AA starts Friday Feb 19th at 10am.

Introducing Eagle Eye - The NCS Student-Led News Magazine Show

December 17, 2015
By Nashville Christian School

Feeling clueless about what’s going on in the Nashville Christian community? We have the cure - Eagle Eye, Nashville Christian’s student-led news magazine show! Eagle Eye is the latest way, using current technology, for you to stay informed about all things Nashville Christian.

The Media & Broadcasting class has put the finishing touches on its latest edition of Eagle Eye, and the video is now available for viewing. Click below and hear what’s happening at Nashville Christian School.

NCS TV: Eagle Eye from NCS Student News on Vimeo.

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An Interview with Daniel Bituli

August 24, 2015
By Nashville Christian School
NCS Senior Linebacker and Future Vol - Daniel Bituli

Daniel Bituli has been recruited by the top football programs across the country from Oregon to Miami, but it was his home state of Tennessee that won him over in the end. Daniel has committed to the University of Tennessee but it’s his Nashville Christian football team he is focused on right now. We recently sat down with Daniel to talk about his goals and dreams for this year and in the future as a Tennessee Volunteer…

Why UT?

They have a great future. It’s kinda close to home to where I can come back and spend time with my family and friends but far away enough too. UT has some really good recruits coming in, and I’ve already built a relationship with some of them, so it’s a nice feeling that I’m going to school, and I know some of the players and how they work.

 

Your parents recently visited UT for the first time, what did they think?

Oh they loved it. They thought it was a great school. I’m glad they enjoyed it, so that definitely helped me choose. They spoke to the man who does chapel for the team and obviously my dad is a very religious person so he really enjoyed that. They liked the facility in general. We saw the psychology facility and it was really good, and the way they set up your schedule really works out.

 

So you want to major in psychology?

Psychology and social work. I love to be around kids, and I feel like both of those majors would help me in assisting kids, so that’s why I chose it.

 

What are you looking forward to most about college?

Getting a good education, winning a bowl game and eventually a championship. Oh, and unlimited food. I’m definitely excited about that.

 

Have you gotten a lot of feedback from UT fans?

Oh my goodness yes. I’m grateful for it. They see my talent, and it’s a really good feeling that so many people say so many good things about me. I love that.

 

Why make your commitment to UT now?

I wanted to get it done before the season so my teammates and I would not get too distracted by all that. We have a bigger picture of trying to get to state right now. So I wanted to make my decision and then try to focus on the important things for our team right now.

 

Tell me about Nashville Christian football. It’s your senior year, so what are your hopes and expectations for this year?

Winning the state. That’s all. I want to make my teammates happy, win first in district, go undefeated and, God willing, win the state championship.

 

What do you think it takes to make a successful football program?

First off you have to have great coaches who really care about you as a player. Coach Brothers knows what he’s talking about. He’s smart on and off the field. He disciplines you as a player and wants you to think smart. Coach Brothers also knows how to develop a great staff. Coach Montgomery knows the game of football. He played in college and has been coaching a long time. He’s seen every level of football. He’s sent players to the league. He definitely knows what he’s doing. Coach McClary was a beast in college. I wish I could have seen him play. He definitely knows what he’s talking about. He’s just a cool guy. Every guy in the locker room just loves having him around and having a great conversation with him. Coach Crosby will push you further than you think you can go. He knows defense really well. And Coach Anderson is a great D-line coach. He played in college so he’s also seen higher levels of football, and he can relate to us because he’s younger.

You also have to have a successful weight program. One of the things I really like about Nashville Christian is we don’t really have one of those amazing weight rooms, but we have Coach Crosby who pushes us further than we think we could go. It just shows that you don’t need a state-of-the-art weight room to get big. It just takes hard work.

And then there are the players. The players all have a good relationship with each other. We all understand each other. We hang out all the time off the field. The guys on our team have a great work ethic. We push each other. We help each other when we’re feeling down. We compete all the time. 

And we have an amazing fan base who has supported us through good and bad. Family and friends…all of this is what makes a great football team.

 

What’s going to be the difference this year? How are we going to win a state championship?

Everyone working as a team. We’ve seen what it takes to make it to the semi-finals. We’ve worked hard the past couple of seasons, but it just showed us how much harder we needed to work to achieve our final goal. We also need to be smart off the field, keep each other safe, and not make dumb decisions.

 

Tell me about your teammates.

It’s just a good feeling knowing I have my best friends around me all the time. I’ve needed advice so many times and these guys were always there for me. I only see greatness in all of them, and I always tell them that because I might be getting all this attention but that doesn’t mean that they’re not good because they’re good too. They made me, so I want to help them become whatever they want in life. I sure am blessed to have friends like this, and I thank God for that.

 

What would you tell young guys coming up about the recruiting process? What have you learned from the process?

Stay level-headed and be humble, because the only reason you’re getting as much attention as you are is because of the wonderful teammates you have. To single yourself out would be selfish. You could never achieve your goals without your teammates.

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