THE MASTER’S SCHOOL MAGAZINE VOLUME II, ISSUE I

VERITAS

Winter 2014-2015

2 Bird’s-EyE ViEw Ray Lagan, Head of School 4 CritiCal thinking Curator Interview with Steven Roes 6 CollEgE rEport

8 lowEr sChool Father Daughter Dance Grandparents Day12 MiddlE sChool Learning Roles Guidance in the Transition

16 uppEr sChool International Relations Senior Chapel20 athlEtiCs Josh Lebo- My Soccer Journey22 FinE arts Ceramics- Remembering Our Hands Navigating Cyberspace26 aluMni Katie Garrett- Taught to Teach Nicole Rodriguez- Steps in God’s Plan30 annual Fund VERITAS

THE MASTER’S SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Veritas Magazine is produced by The Master’s School Communications Department

graphiC dEsignEr, CoVEr photographs and additional photographyKristen Kerwin

ContriButing photographErsStefen TurnerChristy NeagleKate TortlandLisa-Brit WahlbergCorey Garrett

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WELCOME Chief exeCutive OffiCerV

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Bird’s-eye VieW

ray Lagan

hEad oF sChool

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Recently, The Master’s School contracted an aerial photographer to shoot some awe-inspiring photos of our campus during the height of fall foliage. What a beautiful place to go to school and to work every morning.

I think God knew what he was doing when he created trees, leaves and even the seasonal transformation to winter. Whether it’s the beauty of the landscape or the fear of slipping when we walk, I think there are times it is good to slow down and enjoy the ride. We can bring honor to God by stopping and reflecting on his many blessings and abundant goodness to us. I think God takes great joy when we intentionally choose to notice his handiwork and say “thank you” for the colors and aromas of the autumn season. I think God may laugh when we make and throw snowballs. He may even chuckle when we slip around in our cars and make believe we’re in control.

As we begin 2015, please stop to take time and rejoice with us in the beauty of this place we call The Master’s School. Please pause and look for the beauty of his creation as you crest the hill of the driveway and start to cross campus.

We all have important things to do every day. The pace can overwhelm us, but it can also rob us of breathing in the joy of the journey and the value of the vision. Don’t let this season pass you by without taking charge of your day and your time for a few moments, and join with us as we pause to give God thanks for the place we call home. Throughout this newsletter you will see stories of student, faculty and alumni work and effort spent. You will read about sports and academics and clubs. I hope you can get a glimpse of campus life through the eyes of the students and how they are being intentional in their efforts to see God at work at The Master’s School.

© Stefen Turner

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© Stefen Turner

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT IntervIew wIth Steven roeSV

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CritiCaL thinking Curator What bought you to the position of Upper School Biology Teacher at The Master’s School?

The story of how I arrived at The Master’s School is a story of God’s leadership in my life. I grew up in northern New York State, and I moved here to work at The Master’s School three years ago. My calling to this place has been clear.

One of my best professors at Houghton College closed the first day of the

class by telling us, “Start praying today for God to prepare a place for you to serve after you graduate. Pray as well that you and your family are prepared to move and follow his leadership.”My season of job searching was sometimes challenging for me and for those around me as I sought God’s direction. Ultimately, God closed one door while opening a conversation about the Upper School Biology Teacher position that I currently serve in at The Master’s School. I moved to Connecticut a few weeks later without any idea of the fullness that God had in store for me here.

It has been said that we pursue an “Uncommon Core” here at the school. What does that mean to you?

I consider my role as a teacher to be one who curates responsive learning environments that support the development of critical thinking skills and foster intellectual resiliency. We use low-risk, high-impact lessons to allow students to grow to become increasingly effective communicators and problem solvers. When I build instructional material for my courses, I am not constrained to a list of standards; instead, I use the content of my courses as tools to foster higher-order thinking skills which are highly transferable to real-world challenges.

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How do you incorporate technology in your daily teaching?

The past year and a half have been transformative for my teaching. Because of programs like OneNote and websites like Quizlet and Schoology, students are able to collaborate and communicate their developing understanding in new and novel ways. We rarely use paper any more; my students have shown leaps forward in their ability to organize class materials with meaningful systems. If you told me when I was in college that I could go through an entire marking period without printing new copies of lost assignments, I would not have believed you, but that is exactly has happened this year. We continue to grow and redesign our systems for digital content and rethink how we want our students to participate, and I am thrilled with our progress.

What keeps you teaching at The Master’s School?

The Master’s School is a place to grow. I have known for many years that teaching is my calling and I am so grateful for that fact. What has surprised me most during my tenure here is how greatly I am supported and encouraged to grow to become an increasingly effective teacher and more passionate follower of Christ.

Let me be clear in saying that I find teaching here outrageously fun. I am convinced that I work with some of the brightest and most enjoyable students in the world. God always surprises me with the gift of joy I find in teaching here.

summer aCademy eCoLogy CLass

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PREPARED College RepoRt

CoLLege FairThe Master’s School annually hosts the NACCAP Christian College Fair on our campus in early October. This year we had 25 representatives from Christian institutions present that met with all of our Upper School students. Included in this year’s fair were Gordon College, Messiah College, Palm Beach Atlantic University, North Park University, Nyack College, to name a few. NACCAP (North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals) is comprised of admissions and guidance personnel from over 350 Christian high schools, liberal arts colleges and universities, Bible colleges, graduate schools and seminaries throughout North America. NACCAP exists to provide professional development, support and encouragement for its members. NACCAP strives to advance enrollment in Christian higher education through administering the Christian College Fairs, with more than 130 fairs hosted globally each year to bring students and Christian institutions together. This year, our Christian College Fair drew close to 300 attendees, which included 100 of our own students as well as groups from local Christian schools and churches, as well as parents and students from around Connecticut, parts of Massachusetts, and New York. Both students and college representatives benefit greatly from this fair. Many representatives remarked on the great attendance and the quality of conversations with students. Meeting with college representatives (often admissions counselors that appraise student applications) is an important way for students to be able to ask specific questions about the college’s academic programs, campus life, and spiritual growth opportunities. In addition to our Christian College Fair, about 25 college representatives from non-Christian institutions visit TMS each year to meet one-on-one with interested students. Some of the schools that visited this year were Boston University, Hofstra University, Pennsylvania State University, University of California-San Diego, Syracuse University, and the University of Connecticut.

denise domBroWski

CollEgE plaCEMEnt CounsElor

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LOWER SCHOOL Father-Daughter DanceV

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Cutting Loose

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A few weeks ago I had the privilege of escorting my seven-year-old daughter, Audrey, to The Masters’ School first Father-Daughter Dance. I was a little nervous because I don’t exactly have a reputation as a good dancer, and I was under strict instructions from Audrey not to break out any of my go-to moves (the Robot, the Mashed Potato, the Moonwalk, and the like).

As it turns out, we had a blast! Not only were there even worse dancers than me there, but I could see how much Audrey loved wearing her fancy dress, being escorted in and photographed with her dad, and cutting loose on the dance floor. I was ready to drop from exhaustion after about three songs, but fortunately, even seven-year-old girls ‘excuse themselves’ in packs - for a long time - so I was able to catch my breath and get my energy back with some punch and cookies.

As Audrey and her friends boogied out on the dance floor toward the end of the evening, all the dads had an opportunity to write a card, which we gave our girls at the end of the evening along with some beautiful flowers. As I wrote out Audrey’s card, it occurred to me that I don’t take too many opportunities to tell my daughters how special they are to me, and how proud I am of them. In the middle of life and work and raising a couple crazy kids, it’s easy to overlook opportunities to really connect with them and let them know exactly how special they are. Yes, the dancing was fun, the cookies and punch were great, and the cards and flowers were nice - but the best thing about this Father-Daughter dance was the chance to spend some time with my beautiful little girl and show her how special she is to me. I can’t wait to bring her little sister, Sophia, along with us next year!

Chris madin

FathEr oF lowEr sChool studEnt

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LOWER SCHOOL Grandparents day

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more than oBserVersOn Friday, October 31, my wife Anne and I attended our 31st Grandparents Day at The Master’s School. For the past nine years we have attended as TMS grandparents, and the previous 22 years as staff members. At this special occasion we witnessed firsthand the love the teachers have for our grandchildren. Our grandchildren are constantly talking about their teachers and all the creative things they are doing in and out of the classroom.

We witnessed why the students are so excited about school; the teachers demonstrated their desire and commitment to invest in the individual lives of their students. The faculty went out of their way to make each of the grandparents feel special as well. Several of these teachers have been at The Master’s School for a number of years and yet their approach was fresh, lively and stimulating. We wanted to go back to school…as students!

We weren’t just observers, we were participants; in Mrs. Neagle’s class, my grandson and I interviewed each other using some well thought out questions. What a treat!

Anne had the joy of being with our granddaughter in kindergarten. It was so special to meet those who touch her life in the school setting – her classmates whom she adores and the staff who invest so much into her life. It was also a blessing to touch base with other grandparents as we swap stories of love and excellence that is being poured into our grandchildren. It thrills our hearts to

hear about and see parents and staff working together as a team to train our grandchildren from the inside out. We are truly grateful that our grandchildren have the opportunity to attend The Master’s School!

Grandparent’s Day is the kind of experience that everyone connected to education should have the privilege of enjoying. Praise God that our children are willing to make the sacrifices needed so that our grandchildren can have the best education possible.

don steeLe

grandparEnt, rEtirEd hEadMastEr

Photograph by Christy Neagle

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more than oBserVers

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MIDDLE SCHOOL Drama Club

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This fall the Middle School launched a new program to provide the students with another outlet for their creativity. With the inauguration of the Middle School Drama Club, students in grades 6 through 8 now have an opportunity to get theatrical! The club meets once a week to play theatre games, learn basic stagecraft, build acting skills, and rehearse short plays. These activities allow the students to work together as a team: strengthening their ability to communicate with each other and collaborate to create a final performance. The holiday themed skits provide the students with a constructive outlet for their boundless energy.

Drama Club is also a safe environment for the students to use their imaginations, gain confidence in their public speaking abilities, create interesting characters, and enjoy one another’s company. The Thanksgiving skit, entitled “Thanksgiving for Silas”, told the story of modern day children learning from past events that Thanksgiving is truly a time to be grateful. Twenty-seven students participated and did a wonderful job of learning their roles and throwing themselves into the experience. Our next rotation will take place in the spring of next year, and we hope to see all of them involved in future endeavors!

Learning roLes

hannah Blough

MiddlE and uppEr sChool MusiC and draMa tEaChEr

MIDDLE SCHOOL CAP TimeV

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Guidance in the transitions which occur in the early adolescent years is a central goal of the Middle School program at The Master’s School. All guidance and all work require time, the finite resource which is at a premium. Instituting the block schedule last year provided time for extended learning opportunities and in-depth work. As the year came to a close, and the next year’s schedule came into focus, a new “CAP” time was developed to provide additional opportunities to guide Middle School students in personal, community, and academic growth.

“CAP” time is a daily, structured opportunity for Community, Advisory, Academic Access, and Preparation time, hence the name “CAP”. This end of day time provides students with the opportunity to grow together through purposeful community building, allows them to access and meet with their advisors who review progress and set goals, meet with teachers for academic support, and organize themselves and their resources before they head down the hill on their way home. The daily rotation of advisory, academic access, community, and preparation provides intentional time which has proven to be beneficial to both students and teachers.

The chance to slow down at the end of the day, recap what has been done, as well as what is yet to be done, and the ability to connect with teachers and peers, has provided a great benefit to Middle School students. While time will always be resource in high demand, these students continue to use it well in this new addition to their schedule.

guidanCe in the transition

Jon Bishop

dirECtor oF thE MiddlE sChool

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UPPER SCHOOL InternatIonal relatIons

Photographs courtesy of Lisa-Brit Wahlberg

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mission BrieFing: kuWait

Students from The Master’s School Model United Nations (UN) class attended a mission briefing with Kuwaiti diplomats in New York, NY. They were treated to a special saffron tea blend and were given gifts celebrating Kuwait’s independence. Students asked focused questions on foreign policy, petroleum, and culture in preparation for an upcoming Model UN Conference at the University of Hartford sponsored by the World Affairs Council.

A chaperone for the excursion, Meg Wright, stated, “The trip clearly provided the opportunity to see, experience, and extend all the in-depth learning that is occurring in the International Relations class and Model UN club. The students were fully engaged, and their questions and comments at the Kuwait Embassy and outside the United Nations were thoughtful and purposeful. They represented our school well!”

The Master’s School delegation will represent Kuwait and Cambodia at the Model UN Conference this coming winter.

mission BrieFing: kuWait

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UPPER SCHOOL Senior Chapel

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senior Leadership

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“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12 I know that most of you probably know this verse, or at least you recognize it. Too often I just glaze over it, thinking “I get the main idea”, and move on. However, when I began to take it apart piece by piece, I saw how well it fit both with our senior goals and with the goals of the school as a whole. Paul begins immediately with a command: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young…”. No one likes to be called young – it implies childishness, naiveté, or a distinct lack of knowledge. As high school students, we especially

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marissa Fenn

Class oF 2015

hate being called young – at this point, school work and responsibilities have made us feel much older than we are. Some of us are getting our driver’s licenses, applying for jobs, or even just patting ourselves on the back for making it through those middle school years. However, the truth is that we are still very young. Adults might look at us with disdain or even fear, as if expecting us to spontaneously make a stereotypical, idiotic decision. These fears are not completely without reason; however, starting with the senior class, we need to change these presumptions.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you…but set an example for the believers…”. Instead of leaving us with a negative command, Paul follows up with the solution. If we don’t want to be seen as the weak link just because we’re young, we need to prove ourselves otherwise. Setting an example implies a certain leadership, a leadership that is placed specifically on the shoulders of us seniors. We cannot be called leaders simply because we are the oldest – we must reflect in our speech, life, love, faith, and purity that we are in fact leaders. Our speech and our lives need to reflect our idea of the open community, a place in which not just our speech but others’ can be heard as well. Our faith needs to reflect the integrity of an intentional leader, a desire to uphold the moral framework Christ laid out for us. We lead by an example of the purity of our intentions, with nothing meant to mislead or destroy. Even though we are young, we can do all of these. It doesn’t matter if we’re the oldest in the room – if we want to be known for something other than the class that stood by and watched, we need to find a way to be an example. What better place to start than in 1 Timothy 4:12.

ATHLETICS Josh Lebo

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Throughout my whole existence two things that have always been a part of me are soccer and The Master’s School. These two have been so intertwined and interconnected that it is impossible for me to speak about one without speaking of the other. I have been deeply impacted by both The Master’s School and soccer, and from them have learned many lessons that will be of invaluable worth as I move on to the next stages of life.

I entered the world of TMS and soccer as the four-month old son of the boys’ soccer coach, and for the rest of my life I was to be “coach’s son”. A few years later I began to play soccer for a town team, but what I really enjoyed was practicing with “the team”. The soccer team was always

excited to see me (at least, that is how it seemed to me) and help me improve my soccer skills. Once I was able to keep up with the pace of the games I began to do conditioning work - running the lines as ball boy during soccer games. I would spend the whole game dribbling up and down the sidelines trying to stay in control of the ball while quickly returning to the play.

Before I knew it, I was playing on the Middle School soccer team at TMS, proudly wearing The Master’s School uniform I had dreamed of since I could walk. I really enjoyed my time playing soccer in Middle School; more importantly, I was challenged by my coaches to do better in school and to not focus singularly on sports. Thus, I began my journey as a scholar-athlete, an identity carried by a great number of students at the school. This continued into my freshmen soccer year, coached by my father, a unique experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Soccer continued to bring me joy and also teach me things that so often cannot be taught in the classroom throughout my sophomore year. I learned resilience, how to accept my failures and view them as a way for me to improve. I also learned one of the most important skills there is, how to work with others: to anticipate what they are going to do, improvise when they don’t do what you anticipated, and communicate without words.

true VaLue oF sports

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When I became a junior, many things changed: harder classes, more homework, a new schedule, looking at colleges, and greater responsibilities both in and out of school. With all of these other things to worry about, I fell out of love with soccer. I would be at practices and games, but I didn’t have a passion for soccer and enjoy the game like I used to. This past summer I watched the World Cup and rediscovered my passion for soccer and the joy I find in the game. I also realized that this would probably be my last season playing organized soccer and wanted to have the best season that I could. With this in mind, I have had the best season yet, enjoying playing the game that I love and spending time with my teammates and coaches.

This year the whole team had a lot of fun and enjoyed working together; we were able to make it all the way to the HVAL championship. Although we lost in a very close championship game, we came away from this season viewing it as a positive experience. Looking back on how soccer has affected my life I realized that the true value of sports in high school is not getting trophies and awards, but lies in their didactic and impactful ability.

Josh LeBo

Class oF 2015

Boys’ Varsity soCCEr tEaM

at hVal ChaMpionship

gaME

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FINE ARTS CeramiCs

Photographs by Kate Tortland

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This is the age of smart phones and computers, when it is more common to swipe than it is to hold a physical piece of paper. In such a society where tactile learning is becoming less common, it is absolutely vital that we remember what it means to use our hands, and physically move, mold, and create. Working with clay is unlike anything else - it is something so deeply intuitive and yet foreign in our increasingly sleek, clean, and metallic society. The possibilities of clay are truly limited only by imagination and the skills possessed to realize the workings of the imagination. At the beginning of this class, we all started by building and binding books using the ancient method of Coptic stitching, first used by medieval monks. This activity prepared our minds and hands for clay, by forcing our hands and minds to collaborate to create a functional, beautiful, and useful piece of art. Bookmaking is a lost art, and now even physical books are disappearing. I believe it is so important for us to experience creating something that is now considered old-fashioned and technologically vacant. It is always surprising to see how intricate and ingenious such an “outdated” thing can be.

We then used our books to sketch out ideas for our one big clay project – a realistic clay sculpture. I decided to have the students work for most of the semester on just one project for a number of reasons, but by far the most important one is that in this technological age, most things are accomplished in a flash. We have lost the ability to focus on something over a long period of time and are unable to stick with things longer than the interest they hold over us does. With this project the students have realized that this was not something to be completed in an hour, but something they had to spend time, thought, and effort on, and that they would have to get their hands very, very dirty.

At the beginning, each sculpture was a big blob of compact clay. Gradually, as the students progressed through the weeks, their chosen subjects began to materialize. It is so very enthralling to witness a recognizable shape emerge slowly from a lump of nothingness, and know that it was your hands and mind that made it happen. Nothing else compares. It is because we are made in the image of God, who is the most fantastic Creator. When we in some, small, tiny, rough way imitate what He did in creating us, we are experiencing more closely the fullness of humanity.

rememBering our hands

katie tortLand

middLe sChooL art

and CeramiCs teaCher

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preparing students For CyBerspaCeIs it possible to grow both towards technology and away from it simultaneously? This is the conundrum I find myself in. The paradigm is no longer shifting in education…it has shifted to all-things-digital, especially the lens through which we view primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Our students are not merely incorporating technology. They are now considered digital citizens.

I gave a presentation entitled Creativity in the Digital Age at a technology conference recently. During the question and answer portion, a professor in the audience told me that he sees the world through the lens of Venn diagrams (labeled, intersecting circles to explain complex content simply). At the end he handed me a business card with a Venn diagram sketch of my talk with two merging circles…one labeled “art,” the other labeled “digital,” and the intersection of the two was labeled “creativity.” The

professor was well intended, but I asked myself, ‘Can creativity really be summed up in a simple Venn diagram, so easily explained?’

Of course, it is the natural inclination for educators to seek clear and simple understanding of complex subject matter, and just as natural for this overly-sensitive-artist-type to yell to the heavens about the value of creativity! But this whole digital thing in education needs a plan of action. I get it. Policy and creativity must play-well together so that we may best prepare our educational systems for the 21st century.

I recently led a brief meeting with colleagues to start the formal conversation in our school on digital responsibility. I asked a friend, a PhD in science (and Master’s candidate in Curriculum Development), to share his presentation with the faculty based on a curriculum entitled “Digital Citizenship” by Mike Ribble. The key points of the curriculum are valid: teaching students digital law, etiquette, rights, responsibilities, and so on. The presentation described a “Digital Citizen” as one who is in good standing as a resident, sharing common space with others and abiding by impartial laws.

FINE ARTS Technology and The arTs

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To earn citizenship usually requires that one is a member by birthright or has taken an oath of loyalty. There are certainly gray areas of citizenship, but the concept is easily understood. Cyberspace is not so easily understood. It is nebulous, not linear. Cyberspace is our new frontier: wild and untamed. As educators, we are in a time like no other. My three-year-old daughter can now navigate an iPad, gaining instant access to the world via the Internet!

No ceiling can limit the height of student achievement, and no floor can limit the depth of failure. Cyberspace is exponentially expanding and unpredictable. We may call it digital citizenship (or whatever buzz-term we wish) to give it understandable form. The truth is we are asking students to stake their claim in a land where there is no actual fixed position.

Let us prepare students to explore this foreboding digital realm by treating cyberspace more like outer space. Help each not to fear cyberspace, but to respect it’s elusive, erratic, unconstrained, unpredictable, and volatile nature.

Just as importantly, arm students with the ability to cultivate creativity, to tell their unique story, to find purpose, to discover unique gifting, to build empathy and to seek truth. Encourage students in these ways to be well-prepared space travelers...to be Cybernauts!

I believe we can move toward technology and away from it simultaneously by reinvesting our energy on the character development of our students along with curriculum development and policy.

Jim deCesare

uppEr sChool FinE arts tEaChEr

Digital Art and Lego Starship by: Jim DeCesare

ALUMNI Katie tindall Garrett

26 Photographs by Corey Garrett

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I always wanted to be a teacher; maybe it was because I had so many good ones when I was a student. I have clear memories of setting up my stuffed animals in a row at home when I was nine years old and “teaching” them. I even made up worksheets by hand for each teddy bear and then filled in the answers for them! That was the year I started attending The Master’s School - my third grade year. Throughout the next ten years I sat under many great teachers at TMS. Mrs. Tomkiel taught me the mechanics of writing in sixth grade and I’ll never forget her telling me, in her quiet firm voice, that I could grow up to be anything I wanted to be. Mrs. Deckert modeled good coaching, which is an integral part of teaching anything. Mr. Dietrich pushed me to read and write well and encouraged me to put my faith into practice. Mr. Naher challenged me to think deeply. And Mrs. Coonley is the one who first taught me French words and conjugations that I still use every day. From eighth through twelfth grade, she fed my fascination with foreign language and culture. By the time I graduated, I could communicate in French and I knew I wanted to live and teach overseas. Today I am living that dream, which was built on the skills and values my parents and the teachers at The Master’s School cultivated in me.

I first came to Senegal in 1997 to do my student teaching at a missionary school in the capital city, Dakar. For most of the past fourteen years, my husband Corey and I have lived further inland here in Senegal as missionaries with the international, interdenominational, evangelical mission called Serving in Mission (SIM). Teaching has been, and continues to be, a huge part of my life.

taught to teaCh

1Although French is the trade language, Wolof is the language spoken by 80% of the people in Senegal and it is the heart language of the people with whom we work.2Only about 50% of the population of Senegal is literate.

Photographs by Corey Garrett

taught to teaCh

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Living in a poor, rural area of West Africa, sometimes in huts without running water or electricity, often as the only English speakers and non-Muslims around, the educational options for our children have been limited. I have spent a lot of time teaching our three daughters: Emma, now 12, Molly, 11, and Julia Wheaton, 9. In many of the villages where our family has been, the people have never before read any part of the Bible or heard teaching about Jesus. Even though 99% of Wolof people are Muslim, most villagers welcome our friendship and are open to hearing what we believe. Corey and I have both taught the 52 Chronological Bible stories in Wolof at least a dozen times, usually one story a week, beginning with Genesis and going through Jesus1. I am now teaching Sunday School in the fledgling church here in Kaffrine, and I have taught Wolof literacy to adult women who have never had the opportunity to learn to read and write2.

Teaching is a key part of the Great Commission. Jesus said to “go and make disciples of all the nations” and “teach these new disciples to obey all of the commands I have given you,” so it makes sense that as missionaries we would do a lot of teaching. Jesus also said that “when someone has been given much, much will be required in return.” I know that I have been given much. The reality of how much I have been given sometimes overwhelms me here. Just recently I started teaching a friend from the little church we attend here how to read and write. She is about my age and we have been friends for several years. She is a godly, competent mother of four whose husband is in full-time ministry. Her family lives in a brick home with electricity and indoor plumbing; she is my peer in every way. I didn’t realize until we sat down for our first Wolof literacy lesson that she doesn’t know how to write her own name or read a phone number. Now I understand why she doesn’t feel confident enough to lead our women’s group meetings or teach Sunday school. (Yet!)

We live in a region where only 6% of the youth attend secondary school and a country where only 3% of the population attend college. This lack of education has consequences that are felt in every area of life in this country - economic, medical, and spiritual. For this reason, since 2007 our SIM team here has run a scholarship program, paired with Bible teaching, which is enabling a group of Senegalese children and youth to attend school and to learn the Bible. Our prayer is that the education these young people are getting today will empower them to be church and community leaders for the next generation. Jesus entrusted me with an education so that I can use it to serve Him, my gracious and generous Master, and to help others. I am just one person who has been blessed by The Master’s School. It is exciting to think of how God can use all of us as He continues to teach us and to enable each of us to serve Him in different places around the world!

For more information about Corey and Katie (Tindall ‘93) Garrett’s ministry in Senegal, or to contact them, visit their website: http://garrett.with.sim.org/

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Life is a learning process. From the moment we are born we begin learning how to survive; learning to breathe and to eat are just some of the important lessons we must learn from the onset. For me, soccer has been the most influential lesson bearer and it has taught me some of the hardest and some of the best lessons in my life.

I began playing soccer in the Avon youth league when I was five years old. My love for the sport was immediate. According to my parents and coaches, I was a “natural”. It was not until the 8th grade when I realized that if you really want to be good at something, you must work incredibly hard and be a true student of the game. I was fortunate enough to be able to play with the Varsity team at TMS in my 8th grade year. Being the youngest member of the team, I was physically and mentally put to the test that season. In playing with and against some incredibly talented players, I learned valuable Life Lesson #1: If you think small, you will play small. At that point in my life, this lesson only applied to my game, but in just a few short years, I learned the many ways in which it applied to life outside of soccer.

In my sophomore year of high school, I was able to try out for the U-17 Puerto Rican National Team. The opportunity to try out for that team came out of the blue, and I truly believe that it was God’s hand orchestrating my coming to that team. The team was preparing to make roster cuts for the U-17 World Cup qualifiers which would be held in Trinidad and Tobago the following summer. After the tryout, I was invited back for summer training with no guarantees of making the final roster. The coach wanted me to increase my fitness level, something no other coach had ever put an emphasis on. I was presented with a choice: rise to the challenge and work harder than ever before, or continue what I was doing and hope that it was enough. Training for that summer brought me a life lesson that has driven everything I have done since the day I started training. Life Lesson #2: If you put a little in, you will get a little out, your effort is the one thing that you have 100% control over. I am a firm believer that anyone who is successful is determined and willing to work harder than anyone else. I have always prided myself on being the hardest working player. This mindset and firm resolve to work hard lets me know that if I fail there is nothing else I could have done; I refuse to fail because I did not try hard enough.

Shortly after playing in the World Cup Qualifiers, I began to look to my future. I wanted a school that was challenging academically as well as athletically. I found the perfect combination of both at the University of Notre Dame. After attending the summer camp and many conversations with the head coach, I was finally recruited to be part of the team’s “Class of 2014”. I applied and waited for my acceptance letter. The letter never came. There was a miscommunication and I was denied admission to the university; because of certain regulations, the decision could not be reversed. I was now faced with the challenge of having to choose to attend a new university and play for a different program, or waiting a year to go to Notre Dame. The decision was one of the hardest I have made and after much prayer and discussion with people I trust, I decided to attend UConn for a year and transfer to Notre Dame for my sophomore year. My freshman year consisted of many adjustments, hard work and an injury that kept me off the field for 6 months.

When I finally arrived at Notre Dame, it was a wakeup call. I had never been around such high-caliber athletes or such a professional program. My sophomore season was less than encouraging and the spring off-season brought more discouragement. At the end of my sophomore year, I was done with soccer; I was ready to quit. Despite my plans, God had different plans.

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inter 2014-2015 He brought a coach into my life that summer who renewed my confidence and helped me realize that despite the criticisms I had received during the season from my head coach, I had what it took to continue on and reach a high level. I owe the fact that I am still playing soccer to Coach Dave. I went into my junior season confident and ready to play. This season brought the team into the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, my first collegiate goal, as well as the opportunity to play in front of my friends and family at UConn. With my newfound confidence and all of the blessings that my junior year brought, I went into my senior year energized and ready for a great season. During one of my practices in September I hit a ball into the net and something did not feel right in my knee. I continued to play until late in September when finally the pain of cutting was unbearable; I was brought to tears from the excruciating pain after several practices. I had to get several MRIs, but the doctors could not find anything wrong with my knee; the pain I was feeling was

inexplicable and I was missing my senior season for a problem that seemingly did not exist. I was not able to play the rest of the season, and it was finally determined that I had partially torn my lateral meniscus and would need to get surgery in November. My role on the team became one of an encourager and mentor, rather than the role I thought I would have as a player on the field. My injury presented another challenge: how would I attain my goal of playing professionally if I was having surgery and my college career was ending? I struggled with this question as I watched my teammates fall in the Sweet Sixteen match and saw my college career come to an end. I graduated a semester early from college and began to think about the next step. Life Lesson #3: When everything seems to be going wrong, God is in control. He orchestrates every aspect of our lives to shape us into the person that will bring Him the most glory.

On August 27, 2014, I signed my first professional contract to play soccer with FC Honka, a team in the top division of Finland (we are currently ranked third with six matches left to be played). By the grace of God, I am now part of a highly successful team, with amazing teammates and a very knowledgeable coach. I have incredible resources available to me and I cannot help but recognize that God has placed me here to allow me to prepare for the next step in my journey. Physically, this is a very grueling process with twice-daily practices, four days every week, along with lifting workouts and games on Saturdays. It is another step up, and I am learning more about the game and about myself every day. Life Lesson #4: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” –Romans 12:12. Lesson #4 may be the most important lesson of them all. I know that without God, none of this would be possible. I also know that prayer is a huge part of how I received my direction. The journey of life is not easy, but when we are joyful in what the future holds, patient during our darkest days and faithful in communicating with God, we can rest assured that every step that we take is a purposeful step in God’s plan. niCoLe rodriguez

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ADVANCEMENT The AnnuAl Fund 2014-2015

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We have already passed so many of the traditional landmarks for this academic year. In addition to many other events, we successfully hosted the Back to School Picnic, Homecoming, Academic Open Houses, Spiritual Focus Week, Story, Story Night, Grandparents Day, and Job Shadow Day. We also sent out the first wave of report cards.

The Master’s School holds two fundraising events each year, the Golf Classic and the Gala and Auction. This year we had about 80 golfers join us in September for the 10th Annual Golf Classic at the Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. Almost $16,000 was raised from the raffle, mulligans and putting green contest. Please plan to join us at The Riverview for The Master’s School Gala and Auction on Friday, March 20, 2015. Not only is this an enjoyable evening of food and fellowship, it is our largest fundraiser for The Master’s School Annual Fund. We hope to see you there! The hallmark of everything we do at The Master’s School is truth, integrity, and excellence. Every day of every year the faculty and staff strive to be God honoring in our personal and professional lives. We strive to be role models for those you have placed in our charge for education “from the inside out.” We commit to support you in your effort to raise up the next generation of godly young men and women. At this time of thanksgiving and rejoicing your generosity has a profound impact on our students, faculty, and campus.

The Master’s School budget is almost $5 million this year. Of that amount, $409,000 is raised from unrestricted funds. Tuition dollars fund almost 70% of The Master’s School operating budget; the Annual Fund helps make up that difference. The Annual Fund raises money used to support and enhance programming otherwise not possible. Donations to the Annual Fund allow us to continue the work we mutually do for the benefit of all students.

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Thank you to those of you who have contributed to the Annual Fund in the past. The Annual Fund supports the day-to-day operations of the school and funds scholarships, arts, athletics, music, languages, chapel programs, science, and faculty compensation and development. If you have not yet participated, we warmly invite you to consider joining us this year as we secure the financial future of The Master’s School.

Your gift of any amount will make a significant difference as our students are “well loved, well known, and well taught” by the dedicated faculty and staff at The Master’s School. You can make your gift by going online to www.masterschool.org/donate.

Every gift has an immediate impact on The Master’s School and makes a difference in the lives of our students and the teachers who inspire them. Today, more than ever, the world needs The Master’s School students. They seek, wonder, delight, marvel, and question. They refuse to sit still in the face of injustice and need. They pray and trust, challenge themselves and others, and know and refuse to deny God. They make a difference in the world.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss other ways to financially support The Master’s School, please contact Laura Major, Development Manager, by email at lmajor@masterschool.org or 860-651-9361 x5004.

We look forward to seeing you at the annual Gala and Auction on March 20, 2015!

Thank you for your loyal support to The Master’s School and investing in the lives of our students. Laura maJor

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