V A L U E S S C H O L A R S H I P C H A R A C T E R

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDKnoxville, TN

Permit No. 447

529 Academy WayKnoxville, TN 37923Phone: 865.690.4721, ext. 143Fax: 865.690.4752E-Mail: JBlackwell@CAKmail.orgwww.CAKWarriors.com

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The “Spirit of Praise” Ensemble had an exciting trip this past spring in which they visited New York where they performed at Carnegie Hall. This was the sixth year the CAK ensemble, under the direction of Peggy Filyaw, has been invited to perform as part of the Association of Christian Schools International Chorale at Carnegie Hall. This was the group’s fifth concert at Carnegie Hall, (the other New York performance was in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center). Of the eleven Christian schools participating, CAK was one of two schools representing Tennessee this year.

The choir was comprised of 300 sing-ers including the thirteen members of CAK’s “Spirit of Praise” Ensemble. Members of the Ensemble this past year were: (Soprano) Kayla Allsop, Paige Berry, Kelsey Broyles, Amy Jones, Hannah Oster; (Alto) Eleanor Angel, Rebekah Angel, Jordan Duncan, Jenny Hamrick; (Tenor) Keenan Kolinsky, Tim Stanfield; (Bass) Jordan Cross and Andrew Frazer.

Students hit the ground running with rehearsals starting almost immediately. When not rehearsing, they were able to take in some New York sites and events including multiple theatre performanc-es on Broadway, shopping in Times Square and Chinatown, a walking tour of Ground Zero, Wall Street and Bat-tery Park to view the Statue of Liberty, exploring Greenwich Village, So-Ho,

and Little Italy. They enjoyed dining in some of New York’s famous restaurants including the Carnegie Deli after the performance. It was a fast-paced, fun and rewarding trip for CAK’s talented “Spirit of Praise” Ensemble.

Spirit of Praise Returns To Carnegie Hall

SUMMER 2008

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TODAYA publication of the Christian Academy of Knoxville

BiBlical WorldvieW integration

2 Letter From the Superintendent

3 A New View: Christian Education and Worldview Philosophy

5 Jonesing For Some Change? Meet CAK Elementary School’s New Principal

6 Bringing Light To The Invisible Children

6 Marching Through A Season of Victories

7 Unless The Lord Build The House...

9 Today’s Choices Shape My Future

10 Class of 2008

11 Athletic Highlights

15 Alumni Notes

17 Elementary School Updates

19 Middle School Updates

21 High School Updates

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CONTENTSSummer, 2008

Senior Trip ‘08 Focuses On MinistryBy Joseph Sills

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High School

Although some view Senior Trip as an opportunity for the senior class to have one last hurrah together, Senior Trip should not be limited to a week of sight-seeing and shopping in anyone’s mind. On Senior Trip 2008, we were privileged to co–labor with the New York School of Urban Ministry (NYSUM) to minister to the city of New York.

We split up into seven teams each with about twelve students and supervised by a faculty member. Monday night NYSUM workers took each group out in a van and spread us across the city from downtown Manhattan to the subway system to the Bronx. Equipped with blankets, toiletry kits, sandwiches, waters, and Bibles, we reached as many homeless people as we could find. We thought that giving them the food and clothing gave us an avenue to communicate with them the Gospel. They appreciated what we had to bring them, but even more they appreciated that some kids from Knoxville, Tennessee wanted to talk with them and help them.

As we hung out with a couple living on the street, I saw their need and their pain, but more importantly I was reminded of how alike we are. A friend told me later, “The only difference between them and us is that we were blessed enough to be born into a financially stable situation.” I felt a common bond with these strangers because we all felt pain and joy, we were all striving for something better, we were all living in this world, we were all hu-man. And we, just as much as they, can only be saved by the blood of the Lamb. Only He can move the mountains and give us freedom. They spoke this truth to me, while I had come to speak truth to them.

Tuesday the seven teams again were sent out on different missions. These included the Bowery Mission Chapel, a hospital, a cerebral palsy home, and NYSUM itself. Our group, led by Susan Stanford, went to the Iglesia Evangélica Española del Bronx (Bronx Evangelical Spanish Church). This church has a soup kitchen program that feeds lunch to almost two hundred hungry people every day. Instead of soup, they serve chicken and rice on Tuesday. We arrived in time to eat lunch and then serve lunch to others. What a blessing to have such a deli-cious meal! Afterward we conducted a church service for those who came to eat. Despite being limited to thirty minutes, we sang praise and worship songs in Spanish and had two speakers. Jonathan Beckner spoke from II Corinthians 4 about the treasure we have in jars of clay.

Then I spoke about Jesus’ love toward the woman caught in adultery. Both messages were clear: God loves each one of you, and He does not condemn you for what you have done, but rather He forgives and restores. Many responded, and we prayed over those in need.

I remember especially one young man named Marcos. He came wanting to be free from alcohol, which had thus far consumed his life. For thirty minutes he poured out his soul to the Lord in desperation, asking for forgiveness and freedom. I will never forget the passion with which he sought our Savior and the complete surrender he was willing to make. I got to talk with him until it was time to leave, and I wish I could be there with him through the hard times. I left him with a promise that I would remem-ber him and pray for him.

My final moments in New York were spent at a prayer and worship service at Times Square Church. I was still burdened by Marcos’ need and the need of all I had met on this trip. During the service an opportunity is given for the whole church to cry aloud to the Lord for the destitute in their city. I cried aloud for Marcos and asked the Lord to be with him. Later, we sang a worship song that

will stay with me for a long time. Its cho-rus was a confirmation to me that God had not left or forsaken those in need, that He would take care of the orphans and widows, that Marcos would be all right. It went:

Savior, He can move the mountainsMy God is mighty to save, He is mighty

to save.Forever, Author of salvation

He rose and conquered the graveJesus conquered the grave!

God sent us out to do his work. We went to serve as Jesus commanded us to serve. His will was done; a seed was planted in many hearts. He calls us to pray, trusting in Him who can do far more than we can ask or imagine to save those we care for. Blessed be His name!

Letter From the SuperintendentFrom the Principal’s Desk...

The Hands and Feet of the Student BodyBy Jennifer Gibson

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As the 2007 – 2008 school year comes to an end, I am once again re-minded of God’s faithfulness to CAK. It seems with each passing year we are able to recount God’s blessings in different ways. Whether it’s the addition of fine arts opportunities, athletic facilities and teams, new class offerings, staff or student additions, God remains faithful to our school.

This year, the high school commu-nity is rejoicing over a new building addition that was completed during the spring semester. Students, teach-ers and maintenance staff worked together to accomplish the move in time for the fourth quarter to start. I can honestly say that having every-one in one building again made the school much easier to manage.

Construction on the new building started the day after school finished last year. Evans Construction worked diligently to complete phase 1(office re-modeling) of the project before school started in the fall. At the same time, construction was beginning on phase 2 (the classroom addition) in the back of our current building. All year long construction continued as our faculty and students adjusted to different requests from Evans Con-struction. The construction process could not have gone more smoothly. Everyone cooperated in such a man-ner that you hardly knew a building project was taking place.

When the building was completed in early March it was easy to recognize

how much this addition would complement our school. Ten new classrooms, along with a computer room, music room, science lab, com-mons extension and restrooms all awaited our faculty and students. It’s hard for me to say which part of the addition has benefited the student body most, however, the commons expansion certainly comes to mind.

This addition has allowed for chapel times to be more relaxing times of worship. Before the addition, ap-proximately 500 students, faculty, staff, and visitors crammed into the commons for a time of worship. Needless to say, this was not the best atmosphere for our weekly chapels. With the addition, students were able to experience more personal space for worship and reflection. Spiritual Emphasis and Monday night wor-ship times were both enhanced by this addition. I am certainly looking forward to next year and the excit-ing things God has in store for our student body.

Another area of the building I am very excited about is the new computer lab. Although our students already graduate with great writing skills, this lab will enhance our teachers’ ability to teach writing directly using the computer. Teachers will sign up for class time with the specific purpose of teaching research and writing skills. This lab will serve to complement the computers already located in the library and the original computer lab.

Also, the addition of a new outdoor commons area (where the modulars were located) will be completed this summer. This area will be approxi-mately three times larger than our current area, allowing for students to enjoy a relaxing lunch time experi-ence outside as weather permits.

Obviously, I am very excited about the endless possibilities the new building addition provides for our student body. Now it is our respon-sibility to use this resource in a man-ner that reflects Christ and Christ-centered education. Actually, with or without a new building, this is an on-going challenge for our school. That is, in every activity, regardless of grade level, to bring honor and glory to His name.

Donald SniderHigh School Principal

BIBLICALWORLDVIEW

Who has a worldview? As you ponder this question let me give you some definitions of what a worldview is. Dr. Ronald Nash of the Reformed Theological Seminary states: “In simplest terms, a worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life”. George Barna states a worldview is, “A filter you use to put things into context and facilitate an appropriate response to the reality you experience.” Again, who has a worldview? The answer is EVERY-ONE. Everyone has a worldview BUT not everyone has a Biblical worldview. George Barna defines a Biblical worldview as, “A means of experiencing and interpreting reality in relation to Biblical perspectives.” I like Mr. Barna’s simple definition which states that it is, “Our best effort to think like Jesus.”

At Christian Academy of Knoxville we are striving to make sure that ev-ery student graduates with a Biblical worldview. You may think because we live in a Bible belt state that we would have a high percentage of peo-ple who have a Biblical world view. This is simply not true. According to the research done by the George Barna group, only 9% of believers in North America have a Biblical world-view. Other common worldviews that people hold all or part of are: atheism, existentialism, humanism, material-ism, postmodernism, socialism and theism, just to mention a few. Since a Biblical worldview will impact a person’s daily behavior, we feel that it is one of the most important goals of our school. Scripture verifies that our worldview is very important. Isaiah 55:8 states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.” Colos-sians 2:8 states; “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Many people divide worldview into categories, as follows: politics, economics, education, religion and social issues. Think of all the issues which will concern each one of us in this country and which will be discussed in the upcoming presiden-

tial campaign. What Barna’s research suggests is that all but 9% of us will make decisions based on the political arguments that the media and the political parties put forward rather than going to Scripture to decide what God’s Word says we should do. Economically, the net worth of Chris-tians in the United States is believed to be in the trillions of dollars. Yet the overwhelming majority, who believe the Bible to be the inerrant Word of God, do not give at all to the Church. Educationally, how many Christians believe secular education is the best option when in the United States our secular schools are anti-Christian in their approach to education? Take a look at the social issues in our coun-try. Is Scripture clear on abortion, gay marriage, healthcare, and taking care of the poor and other issues of the day? If you have trouble answer-ing that question may I suggest you spend time in Scripture seeing what it says about these very important issues.

It is because of the importance of a Biblical world and life view that our school has been offering more than just Bible classes and chapels, but has been working hard over the years to fully integrate our curricu-lum with Biblical truths. It is critical that church, school and home join together in this quest to make sure our students graduate with a Biblical world and life view. Thank you for your support of Christian Academy of Knoxville and our efforts to join with you and your church to make sure our students graduate with a Biblical world and life view so they can make a difference for the Kingdom of God in whatever endeavor they choose.

In His Grip,

Scott Sandie, SuperintendentChristian Academy of Knoxville

High School

Reflecting on my years as a CAK student, so many sweet memories jump to the forefront. I feel so blessed to have had committed teachers who left such a lasting impression on my life, to have enjoyed such meaningful friendships with fellow believers, and to have grown so much in all facets of life.

But the memories that will remain most vivid in my mind are the times when other students have reached out to serve the student body. I could not count the number of times I have seen the genuine love of Christ pouring out of their words and actions.

One day during my sophomore year, I was feeling overwhelmed with frustration, and my friend could tell. When she asked me what was the matter, I broke down crying right in the middle of the hallway. My friend let me cry on her shoulder until I had no more tears, demonstrating her

selfless concern. There was another time when I was cleaning out my locker. Before I could shriek, there were shards of glass scattered across the floor in front of me. A young man then came to the rescue, helping me collect the larger pieces and requesting that someone bring a broom and dustpan to get the smaller ones. He did not mind getting his hands dirty for the sake of helping a fellow student.

I am blessed to have friends who under-stand the power of prayer, but there is one in particular who truly makes every effort to “pray without ceasing.” I was strug-gling one day and told her so. She took my hands and prayed for me out loud in the midst of all the students eating their lunches. She has boldness and urgency for spiritual matters that I not only admire but for which I strive.

I have another dear friend to whom I will never be able to fully communicate my

gratitude. This year has been a difficult year for my health. I often felt very faint, but he was always willing to offer his strength and a helping hand. Sometimes he had to carry me to a place where I could rest. Through it all, he truly was the hands and feet of Jesus, willing to give of himself for the good of others.

These students and so many others showed selfless love that touched my heart. Even the simplest acts of kind-ness proclaimed Christ. It is a joy to be reminded that the student body at CAK is, in fact, the body of Christ, ministering in unique ways.“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the oth-ers. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us...” (Romans 12:4-6)

A New View: Christian Education and Worldview Philosophy Final Days In 8th GradeBy Rebecca Roberts

Spring is an exciting time for all 8th grade students. Summer vacation is just around the corner and the next year is the beginning of their high school experience. Before our 8th grade students left middle school, in their last few days and weeks, many fun events took place.

In early May we took a trip to Char-lotte, N.C., for three days and two nights of fun and educational activi-ties. The attractions were designed to enrich the curriculum in all their classes. These attractions included a tour and interactive presentation at Historic Brattonsville. Miss Kitty, a three-time winner of the best tour guide in South Carolina, always asks to meet our group and again direct-ed the tour. Meeting Miss Kitty has become a favorite memory for many of our students. Our next attrac-tion was the Billy Graham Library, a wonderful way for our students to experience and understand the importance of World Missions. The next stop on our first day’s journey was the dinner theatre at NarroWay Productions. This year we saw an off-Broadway musical about the miracles in the book of John.

On our second day we spent the morning at Camp Canaan partici-pating in team-building activities and low ropes initiatives. From Camp Canaan it was on to Lowe’s Motor Speedway for a trip around the track and demonstrations of the physics behind racing. This year the Richard Petty Driving School of-

fered to take some of our parents and teachers who were interested in a once-in-a-life-time ride around the track in a race car. Students were thrilled to see some of their parents and their teachers, Ms. Smith, Mr. Braun, Mrs. Cun-ningham and Mrs. Chesney take a ride at approximately 160 miles per hour. After a brief stop at Victory Circle it was on to the NASCAR Park for dinner and an evening of rock climbing, go-carts, laser tag, games and fellowship together.

On the last day our final attrac-tion was a special educational day at Carowinds. Our day included the physics of roller coaster rides as well as demonstrations, exhibits and hands-on activities presented by the History Channel, Discovery Channel, ESPN and Animal Planet. All of this in just three days and two nights. We were really busy and tired, but had a great time. The students may not remember all the information they acquired on this trip but they will remember friend-ships they strengthened and special moments they spent with parent chaperones and teachers.

Final days in the 8th grade not only included special memories from their 8th grade trip but also a banquet which was given in their honor, in celebration of all their ac-complishments and memories from their time in middle school. This was their night to cement friend-ships, say some good-byes and remember the blessings God has given them while at CAK. Our final days were spent honoring graduat-ing 8th grade students, recogniz-ing the academic excellence of all middle school students for this year, and sending our graduates on with a prayer for God’s continued guidance and blessings as they continue on their journey to high school.

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Often in education there are “hot topics,” issues and questions that gain importance in the minds of educators and parents. Lately there seems to be a lot of talk about worldview. But what exactly is a worldview and why is it important?

We borrowed the term from the Ger-man word “weltanschauung” which lit-erally means “world view.” Webster de-fines it as “a comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint.” That means there is not one worldview shared by all, but that there can be, and in fact are, many different worldviews determined by each individual’s standpoint, or point of reference.

The purpose of a worldview is to guide us as we are faced with circumstances and decisions in life. Belgian philoso-pher Leo Apostel was at the forefront of the study of worldview. He developed a list of seven fundamental components to a worldview.

1. A Model of the World Who are we? This is the question which should be answered here. Our model of the world will encompass everything around us: physical, emotional, cultural, and so on. We will determine how this world is structured and where we fit into the big picture.

2. ExplanationThis component builds on the first one in that it attempts to explain why the world is structured as it is. Included in this explanation is the answer to where

the world comes from and where we come from.

3. FuturologyWhere are we going? We know how the world is structured and decided on the “why” it is so structured which means we know where we came from. Now we must decide where we are going. This offers us a choice as we must decide which paths/options to pursue and which to avoid according to our view of the world and our place in it.

4. ValuesThis is the point at which we decide what is good and what is bad. We begin to look at ethics and morals. We de-velop or adopt a system of rules of belief and rules of conduct. These values give us direction.

5. ActionNow that we have our values in place, we can determine how best to act. We know what actions are in line with our values and which ones are not and this will determine our behavior.

6. KnowledgeThis is the point in which we deal with the epistemological question of what is true and what is false. As we are constantly bombarded with informa-tion it is necessary to sift through that information to determine, based on our model of the world, our future goals and our values, what we believe to be true.

7. Building BlocksWorldviews are not created in a vacu-um. There is always a starting point.

In his final point, Apostel explains that building blocks for different worldviews are found scattered throughout various disciplines and ideologies.

Today there are several schools of thought which are influencing educa-tion, politics and culture. Some of the philosophies influencing the world today are:

Functionalism - this philosophy maintains that mental states are valu-able only in as much as they fulfill a function.

Logical Positivism - combines empiri-cism, the philosophy that knowledge can be gained only through observa-tion, with rationalism.

Moral Particularism - a philosophy which states that there are no absolute moral or ethical principles as moral judgements must be made on a case-by-case basis.

Naturalism - the scientific method is the only way to investigate reality.

One of the dangers of these philoso-phies is that they have led to the death of the Absolute. These days it is rare to find an individual, especially a young individual, who believes in any kind of Absolute Truth. All things today are relative, must be proven, must have a useful function. There is no more room for Divine Intervention by the Almighty, or morals which are constant, independent of situation. continued on page 4

Middle School

From the Principal’s Desk...

The 2008 Middle School track season is in the books! It was a very suc-cessful campaign! The girls’ team was in the competition every meet, and the guys, despite having only 13 athletes, were also very competitive. Our girls team, for the first time ever, won the KISL Championship Track Meet, defeating Webb 97-95.

Awards were given to some of the athletes as follows:

9:24 Award: This is our most coveted award and is given to the athletes who best exem-plify I Corinthians 9:24, “Run in such a way that you may win.” The award goes to the athlete with a consistently Christ-like attitude, who works hard in practice without complaining, and who blesses and encourages others. This year’s 9:24 athletes were Cath-erine Bowen, Tessa Piety, Brandon Row and Jeff Braswell.

Most Improved Athlete Awards: Maddy Braswell and Will Montgom-ery.

Others First Award: This award is given to the athlete who most encourages others. This year’s recipient was Katie Johnson.

Coach’s Award: This award is for the athletes who scored the most points in our track

meets this season. This year’s award went to Laura Foster and Cody Brooksbank.

MS Track Team Has Outstanding Season

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The Middle School has had another great year. Our “renewed” and expanded building was truly a blessing to all of us. We were under one roof for the first time in many years. We truly are blessed to have such wonderful facilities campus wide.

This year we had our largest enroll-ment of two hundred ninety one and our eighth grade class was the largest class with one hundred students.

Each year at this time, we reflect on our year and ask what we can do to improve, what we did that worked well and what can we change. We also challenge the staff to do the same within their class-

room. We are continually working to be the best that we can.

We also are seeking how we can do more to integrate Biblical worldview in everything that we do. Our focus this year for our in-service meetings has been how to better implement God’s word in our classes, extra-curricular activi-ties, and with our parents.

We are looking forward to next year and ask for your continued prayer support.

Debbie MoyeMiddle School Principal

continued from page 3

What does this mean for our students? According to research by the Barna Group, Christian adults and teenagers are just as likely as non-believers to say that they believe moral truth is relative to the circumstances.

This past school year CAK brought in Dr. Marti MacCullough, dean of the school of education of Philadelphia Biblical University, to lead one of the teacher in-service days. She discussed with the CAK faculty the importance of integrating Biblical worldview through-out the entire curriculum to avoid the development of such moral relativism in our students.

“The answers to these worldview ques-tions should penetrate our lives,” said MacCullough. “A teacher who is alive spiritually will be an integrated person whose worldview colors everything he or she does. This will carry over into the classroom. It is important that teachers model an integrated Biblical worldview for their students. You can’t fake it.”

MacCullough stressed that the value in integrating a Biblical worldview is that all knowledge is unified and whole. This in turn develops the mind because it forces students to draw conclusions

based on their observations filtered through their worldview. In short, it develops critical thinking skills while instilling the core Biblical values we all desire our students to have.

Integration does not mean that we have chapels and scheduled Bible classes for our students. While chapel and Bible classes are an important part of developing a Biblical worldview in our students, they are only a piece of the puzzle. By definition, integration is “an act or instance of combining into an integral whole.” The goal of Biblical worldview integration is that one’s worldview should be so much a part of how we think about the world and everything happening around us that Biblical principles are applied to all subjects from English and history to math and physics.

“CAK’s curriculum has been strategi-cally designed to integrate a Biblical worldview,” said Mary Beth Jones, CAK elementary school principal. “Biblical integration is not a one-year issue. We are equipping these students to go out and make a difference in the world.”

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their

duplicity.”Proberbs 11:3

Middle SchoolIs moral truth absolute or is it relative to individual circumstances?

Source, The Barna Group.

Suggested ReadingsAre you interested in learn-ing more about Biblical worldview? Below are a list of books recommended for further reading on the subject.

The Question of God Dr. Armand M. Nicholi, Jr.

A Christian ManifestoFrancis August Schaeffer

What’s So Great About Christianity?Dinesh D’Souza

The Closing Of The American MindAllan David Bloom

Total TruthNancy Pearcey

Philosophical Foundations For A Christian WorldviewJ.P. Moreland andWilliam Lane Craig

Dear Parents,

This is an unusual letter for me this year as I normally close out the year with recaps and sum-mer information. As you know I am retiring after 24 years here at CAK. I do not plan to fade away but to move on to the

next plans that the Lord may have for me.

My life has been enriched by the ministry of CAK. I have been privileged to witness the power of the Lord in the growth in property, facilities, personnel, families and children. As a result of my wonderful years here, I have truly found that children are a gift of the Lord.

I have grown in the Lord as I have been loved (and hugged) daily by students at all levels. The

Lord has commanded His angels to guard me in all my ways. (Ps. 91:11) I have definitely been guarded as the Lord has used you to minister to me in so many ways.

Thank you for being partners with me in the awesome task of teaching children to know and love the Lord. May you continue to seek the Lord for the best for your children. May He be the guide for your family. The Lord promises to be our right hand, our fortress, our shield, our light, our rock and much more, but the greatest of all is that He is our shepherd.

In God’s Grace,

Ms. Jane R. Williams Elementary Principal 1984-2008

Jonesing For Some Change? Meet CAK Elementary School’s New Principal From the Principal’s Desk...

It has been my privilege to serve these past four years as assistant principal of CAK Elementary School. It is my desire to build on the strong foundation that has been placed here through the efforts of many of you but especially Ms. Jane Williams for she has given her life to establish one of the finest elementary programs to be found.As I look back over my shoulder and continue to move ahead, I want to share with you just a bit of what the 2008-2009 school year holds for us. This is the theme we have chosen for this year:

“From head to heart, to hands to feet.Freedom through Christ makes my life complete.”

Our theme verses are taken from II Pe-ter 1:3-8, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowl-edge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We have a divine opportunity here at CAK to prepare and model for each child the Christ life. As we teach and instruct students we are giving them the

tools they need to face the world they live in. What we say and what we do strongly impacts the way they look at the world before them. It is imperative that we continue to instruct them as we present the information to be learned through the filter and lens of the Bible. As our children view the world through God’s Word at school, at home and at church, they begin to focus more clearly on the information they have learned. as it is translated through the lens of God’s word and applied to their hearts. It is here that the very presence of Christ impacts their lives. It is important that we help our students know what it means to capture every thought that comes in their minds and to guard their hearts. These are the things that determine what their worldview will be. If we are to be about our Father’s busi-ness then these are the things that will impact their minds and their hearts and ultimately the world for Christ!

I know with my head and my heart that our children can and will impact the world for Christ in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine. It is our responsibility to teach from a worldview that is Biblical and accept the fact that you and I are the living curriculum as we model the Christ life before them each and every minute of the day. What an awesome responsibility. What a gift, and WOW, what a call!!

And so…….we must be about our heavenly Father’s business and stoop down, roll up our sleeves, pitch in, help out, and become the hands and feet of Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us. We must always remember that in the doing of these things, teaching and going and living and learning before our children, that we are doing these things

unto Christ Jesus.

As our children live their lives guided by His wisdom from their heads to their hearts, to their ‘open’ hands, to their beautiful chubby feet, I ask that you pray daily for them and for the year ahead. Pray for each child and for each teacher and administrator and staff member who will be teaching and leading your child. It is a call and a commission to change the world for the cause of Christ. Thank you for allowing me to participate with you in the shaping and molding of your child’s life. I join heads and hands and hearts and feet with you as we partner together to teach and lead and learn and love in Jesus ‘name.

From my Heart to Yours,Mary Beth JonesElementary School Principal

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Change. Except for death and taxes it is one of the few sure things in life. Change will happen. Now change has come to CAK’s elementary school.

For the past 24 years Ms. Jane Williams has led the elementary school with grace and wisdom. With her recent retirement, a new principal has been installed, Ms. Mary Beth Jones. But Jones is not an unfamiliar face. She has served as the elementary school’s assis-tant principal for the past 4 years.

Jones came to CAK from Concord Christian School where she served for seven years, two years as assistant prin-cipal and five years as principal. She loved CCS and was not looking to make a move, but God was already working to begin the next phase of her career. At the time CAK was seeking an expe-rienced administrator to take over as the assistant principal of the elementary school. Jones’ two cousins, Rebecca Roberts and Linda Shell recommended her to middle school principal Debbie Moye who in turn passed her name on to Ms. Williams. And so it was that one day, out of the blue, Jones received a call about coming to CAK. Soon she had received a second and a third call. It was not long before she began feeling the Lord leading her to consider mov-ing to CAK.

“When it’s time for things to happen, when He starts working, it’s fast,” said Jones.

While things will be different at the elementary school under Jones leader-ship simply by virtue of the fact that she is not Ms. Williams, the fact that she has been at CAK for four years provides continuity. There will be no learning curve as she is already familiar with the school, the students and the families.

“It is very visionary to place in the assistant principal position the person you want to mentor to take over at the appropriate time,” said Jones. “It will be a benefit to the families. CAK’s Board of Directors and Mr. Sandie are investing in the lives of the families by looking ahead and making these kinds of strategic decisions.”

Jones, who has been in Christian edu-cation for 33 years and in Christian

school education for 12 years is currently working on her Ed.S. in school administration. As the new principal of the el-ementary school, she now faces the challenge of building upon Ms. Williams’ 24-year legacy. It is a challenge she is looking forward to tackling head on.

“Ms. Williams’ knowledge of curriculum and her intuitive-ness with people are but two of her greatest attributes. I know that I will never be able to fill her shoes. But I have been given a pair of shoes with my name and size attached,” said Jones. “My shoes are ones that only I can wear, shoes that guide me as I follow God’s call for my life. I know there will be thousands of Ms. Williams’ footprints all along the way, for she has touched the lives of so many. I, too, will make my own footprints in and on the lives of students for years to come.”

During her career Jones has without a doubt already touched the lives of many people. Whether through her work in Christian education, her time serving in campus ministry, or her time as a Christian recording artist (yes, she even sings!), Jones has been leaving her own “footprints on the sands of time.” As she begins this new phase of her life and career, she contemplates all of CAK’s past blessings, but knows there is still so much more to come.

“We shouldn’t forget the past but we need to, as the verse says, press on. There’s more to do,” said Jones. “We are impacting kids’ lives. We are in the business of faith formation. That’s exciting because that’s what changes the world.”

Elementary School

Jane Williams being presented the ACSI Career Service & Achievement Award by CAK Superintendent Scott Sandie at her retirement celebration.

Bringing Light to the Invisible ChildrenBy Jennifer Gibson

The life of a child is something so precious that it must be cherished and protected at all times. With reports of missing children in the news, their safety is of the utmost concern to par-ents across the country. However, for Ugandan families, the idea of children being abducted is certainly not a new one, and it is one that makes them constantly fearful and uncertain.

Invisible Children is an organiza-tion that aids the children who have been affected by the civil war in Uganda. This war has been ravaging the country for twenty years, causing the rebel army, the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army), to uproot Ugandan children as young as five years old from their families to force them to fight as child soldiers.

The children are brainwashed and become desensitized to the violence of war, witnessing murder and mutila-tion, and are trained to fight and even to abduct other children to fight for the rebels. For this reason, all Ugandan children fear being abducted and must hide themselves during the night.

In addition, the war has uprooted a ma-jority of the people of northern Uganda from their homes and moved them to refugee camps. Some have been away from their villages for nearly a decade.

“Invisible Children works against this in every peaceable way,” 2008 CAK graduate Jenna Sewall says, “doing ev-erything from helping kids find safety at night, giving them a better educa-tion, to hosting peace talks between the Ugandan government and the LRA, and getting [American] politicians involved and aware.”

Creating peace is Invisible Children’s number one priority, which is best achieved by getting the government involved. Jenna is responsible for initiating CAK’s involvement in the Invisible Children organization. During a high school chapel service this spring, she showed a convicting video from the organization that depicted a first-hand encounter with the dire consequences of the civil war in Uganda.

She then delivered a speech regarding CAK’s future involvement through the Invisible Children Schools for Schools campaign, which funds schools in northern Uganda. A school that do-nates money to the campaign is linked to a specific school in Uganda. CAK will be officially linked to a Ugandan school on September 8, 2008.

The money raised through the cam-paign is then tracked to show precisely the impact it is having on the children at that particular school. The Invisible Children website, www.invisiblechil-dren.com, even shows pictures and blogs from the sponsored school.

Funding the Ugandan educational sys-tem is vital to supporting the futures of their children, who unfortunately must sometimes stop coming to school due to their families’ lack of finances. Too often they are unable to achieve their dreams of a future career because the necessary money simply is not there.

For this reason, donating to the Schools for Schools program gives the Ugandan people hope, a vision for a brighter future that they otherwise would not have.

CAK has already begun to raise money for Schools for Schools by selling Invis-ible Children t-shirts. More fundrais-ers will take place next year that will allow any CAK student or parent to participate in supporting the Ugandan school. In addition, anyone can make a private donation by contacting Jenna Sewall at 865-660-6071. All the profits from fundraising will go directly to the school with which CAK will be connected.

While fundraising will be the main fo-cus of the Schools for Schools program at CAK, prayer is an even more vital part of making a difference in Uganda. The country is in desperate need of peace.As one Ugandan man said in the Invis-ible Children video, “The question of life is for all, regardless of color. Life is a gift from God. It is a gift to be protected, defended, promoted.” By getting involved in Invisible Children, CAK now has the opportunity to restore Ugandan lives in the name of Jesus Christ.

2008 International Festival Brings The World To CAK

“It’s a small world after all, It’s a small world after all,It’s a small world after all,It’s a small, small world.”

While it may be a small world, CAK’s 2008 International Festival was big fun!

Every other year the CAK elemen-tary school immerses itself in other cultures. If you happened to visit the elementary school during the last month or two of school you would have felt like you were in another country. All the halls were decorated with flags and images from around the world.

This is how the International Festival works. Each grade has a country which they learn about. The students learn about their country’s language, food, music, holidays, sports.... you name it! Often special guest speak-ers from the country being studied will join the students to give them a real-life account of their experiences. Other times the students will learn from books and films. Teachers often plan a fun meal for their students so they can actually try some of the foods common to the country about which they are learning.

As they learn about their country, the students are also learning a song and/or dance which showcases their

country’s culture. Each grade will then perform their routine at the end of the school year at the International Festival. Parents, siblings and grand-parents fill the Campus Center to watch the show.

The show begins with the Parade of Flags. Fathers march into the auditorium carrying the flags of the countries on display. Then the show begins with each grade performing their routine.

This year the following countries or states were studied:

Pre-K HawaiiKindergarten SpainPre-1st Netherlands1st Italy2nd Egypt3rd Brazil4th Greece5th Japan

The students and teachers did an amazing job with help from some very special people. A special thanks to Mrs. Laurie Bowles, Mrs. Gina Grubbs and Mrs. Regina Helton for

their assistance with choreography. Another big thank you to Mrs. Lois Barto, Ms. Stephanie Sapp and Philip Hagood for their help with the music and sound.

It was a great night of big fun which brought the world a little closer.

“There is just one moon And one golden sun And a smile means Friendship to ev’ryone Though the mountains divide And the oceans are wide It’s a small world after all”

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CAK alumnus Jenna Sewall speaks about Invisible Children at a CAK high school chapel.

Marching Through a Season of VictoriesBy Jennifer Gibson

The air was thick with anticipation as the army of blue and black approached the football field for their first halftime performance. As the crowd burst into heartfelt cheering, each member of the band was well aware that the expecta-tions were high.

After the last note had been played, the standing ovation they received spoke volumes of the respect for the band program at CAK and particularly for its faithful director, Mr. Greg Wilson.

Mr. Wilson, director of all band students in fifth grade through high school, is intensely committed to driving his students to excellence. His goal in the band program is “to honor God with

the talents He has given us.” All who attended the halftime performances would certainly agree that the March-ing Warriors possess a wealth of God-given talent. However, Mr. Wilson realized that taking this step would not be an easy one.

“Marching a halftime show is hard. It is a physical, mental, and artistic exercise, all at the same time. It is no easy task to memorize all the music, remember all of your drill moves, march and play at the same time, and perform at a high level of energy and musical excellence in front of several hundred of your friends and family.”All with connections to the band

program felt that the inaugural perfor-mance was a great achievement, but former drum majors Elisa Platillero and Elizabeth Stewart, who were in their second year leading the band, continued on page 7

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Unless The Lord Builds The House...Notes

1986Beth Darrow Harrington just finished her first year of nursing school at Roane State Community Col-lege. She will graduate in May 2009 and take the NCLEX-RN shortly thereafter. She has been married 20 years and has two teenagers and an 11-year-old.

1989Leah Williams Blurton and her hus-band Clay welcomed Alexander Clay Blurton on October 30, 2007. Big sister Katherine Nicole Blurton was born March 12, 2004.

David Massengill and his wife Alyson welcomed a baby boy, Owen, last November. The family currently re-sides in Arlington, VA, where David works as a Project Manager for the Discovery Channel. Alyson works part-time as a neonatal intensive care nurse at Virginia Hospital Center.

1991John Strange and his wife Geralyn have moved from Clemson Univer-sity to the University of Kentucky in Lexington where John serves as the campus director. While this is a new role, John and Geralyn are still serv-ing on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. Their mission is to provide an opportunity for “every student at the University of Kentucky to hear the Gospel from a vibrant, Spirit-filled follower of Christ.”

1996Bethany Lane graduated from Samford University in 1999. Since college Bethany has made her home in Birmingham, AL. She is currently the Production Manager at Details Communications, a marketing and design firm that specializes in work with churches, ministries and Chris-tian colleges.

Rhiannon Collier Oberg and her husband Jeff reside in Chicago.

1997Amanda Travis Wertheimer and her husband are expecting their first child this July. The little boy will be named Aidan Patrick Wertheimer.

Bonnie Riddle Bruce and her hus-band are expecting their second child this July. He will be named Dylan Cole and will join his big brother Ayden James who turned 2 in May.

1999Matt Curtis married Courtney (CAK class of 1998). They will celebrate their 8th wedding anniversary this summer. The two UT graduates have two children, Calli Katriel born July 2004, and Bryce Alexander born August 2006. Two years ago Matt be-gan a career in real estate. He works from Huntsville, AL, where he invests in property in AL, TN and TX. He primarily focuses on new homes sales for the area’s largest builder, Woodland Homes. He was their New Home Sales Professional of the Year last year for selling 50 new homes valued at more than $20 million.

Erin Lilly is currently teaching spe-cial education at Sterchi Elementary in Knoxville.

2000 Jessica Volrath will be getting mar-ried this summer. She is marrying Dr. Joshua Hamblen of Russellville, AR. The couple will wed on August 2, 2008, at Cedar Springs Presbyte-rian Church. They will make their home in Knoxville, TN, where Jessie works as an interior designer and her husband is a nuclear physicist.

Emily Riddle Fowler married Peter Fowler on April 26, 2003. The couple now have three children: Julianna, age 4; Owen, age 3; Ava, 15 months. The couple is currently completing requirements to serve on the mission field in Europe.

2001 Dana Wilson Litke recently com-pleted a master’s degree in music education from the University of Central Florida, Orlando.

2004 Theresa Maholic will graduate this December with a BSN from Carson Newman Nursing Program. She will then be commissioned as a 2nd Lieu-tenant in the Army Nurse Corps.

2005 Upon graduating from CAK, Lindsay Sayres traveled with the professional music group Living Proof/Primary Focus and went to Pellissippi for a year. She then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. In July 2007 she went to bootcamp and has recently graduated from military occupational specialty school (MOS). Lindsay will be stationed at 1st Ma-

rine Division Camp Pendleton, CA, as an active duty combat photogra-pher. She is a Lance Corporal and says she loves being a missionary in the military.

Abby Henson traveled to France dur-ing Spring Break this year to travel, see the area and visit fellow CAK graduate Kate Hamilton who was studying in France for the semester. Last year Kate studied in Africa. Kate is a French and international business major. Some of the sights they visited included Grenoble, Beaune and Dijon where they experi-enced a mustard-tasting tour.

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2008 HomecomingSave the date:

Friday, September 12, 2008Check the CAK web site for

updates and details at:

www.cakwarriors.com

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If you are a CAK graduate or a friend or relative of a graduate, we would like to hear from you! Let us know what has been happening in your life by contacting us at (865) 690-4721, ext. 143, or at JBlackwell@CAKmail.org. Or submit your comments and/or announcements directly online on the Alumni Page of the CAK website at www.CAKWarriors.com.

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Alumni Notescontinued from page 6

were especially thankful that their hard work paid off.

As Elisa said, “The band’s unexpected dedication…both surprised and humbled me.”

Last summer, the band persevered through exhausting summer practices in the hottest part of the day in addition to time spent practicing during and outside of class. The drumline, captained by 2008 alumnus Thomas Gentry and arranged by CAK alumnus Will Burkhart also went above and beyond by practicing many extra hours throughout the year.

The CAK Dance Team played an important role in the halftime perfor-mances, as well. Mrs. Gina Grubbs, their instructor and choreographer, and Mrs. Lilabeth Parrish, the faculty sponsor, did a wonderful job in creating the perfect complement to the band’s performance. Emma Parrish as the captain and Hannah Walker and Casey Smith as co-captains provided excellent leadership.

Stepping out on the field for the first time was the reward of their labor. The band sported brand new blue and black uniforms for the performance.

Elizabeth said, “Mr. Wilson…saved up his money and the money we get from dona-tions at concerts for many years now in order for us to have these new uniforms.”

Mr. Wilson is thankful to be at a school with so much support behind the band program.

“Many people in our school have been very supportive of our band in this new phase of performance,” he said. “Mr. Sandie and Mr. Snider have been really encouraging to me, and I feel the whole school family is behind us, cheering us on.”

As the band looks toward next year’s foot-ball season, summer practices are already in full swing. Senior Melanie Rankin and junior Molly Muecke will lead the March-ing Warriors as drum majors.

Although this was only the first year in the tradition of halftime performances, Mr. Wilson said that he “will always re-member this band as a group who made history at CAK. God bless them for their fearlessness and faithfulness.” The March-ing Warriors will certainly continue to bless CAK with their talents for many years to come.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 127:1 that “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

For the past couple of years CAK has been expanding and improving our facilities. The result of that effort can be seen in the halls of the middle and high schools which have both been renovated and expanded. God has indeed built these buildings through the generous and faithful gifts of you, the CAK family.

Let us not forget these many blessings and say as the author of Isaiah, “I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us...according to the abundance of His steadfast love.” Isaiah 63:7

New miiddle school science classroom.New miiddle school music room.

New miiddle school computer lab.

New miiddle school science lab.

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Exterior of high school showing the new entrance and additional parking spaces.

New high school computer lab. New high school classroom.

New high school science lab.

From the Classroom to the Forest to the Press:Two Former CAK Teachers Publish a Book about their Journey on the Appalachian Trailby Stephen Otis

The Appalachian Trail is the lon-gest continuous footpath in North America. It spans 2,175 miles and touches fourteen states. It travels through six national parks and eight national forests. It is home to more than 2,000 rare plant and animal species. Thirty trail clubs and multiple partnerships work together year round to maintain it. To date, about 9,000 people have taken the five million-step trek from Maine to Georgia.

In 2002, fellow CAK teachers Stephen Otis (8th grade Bible) and Colin Roberts (9th grade English) strapped all possessions needed for five months to their backs, hitched a ride up to Maine and began the long walk home. Why? The answer lies within a lifelong goal and is lost somewhere in the heart of Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness. Soli-tude, prayer, a sense of journey—these are some words of intention. Blood, sweat and tears, brokenness, simplicity—these are the words that headline their lessons.

Since completing it six years ago, Stephen and Colin have been writ-ing a book about their journey. In May of this year, Sunnygold Books published their work, called A Road More or Less Traveled. Part memoir, part novel, part adventure narrative, Road is a book about humanity and religion in the raw. A big theme throughout the book is searching toward a deeper grasp of faith, prayer and the church in

America. It is an hon-est expose of this search, revealing deep longing and brokenness—physically, mentally, and spiritually. It takes place among trees and bears and owls and forests and towns and barns and communes. You will find in the book, despite the overall natu-ral setting, a roaming within the small towns of America—like New York City! A common misconception about the Appalachian Trail is that it is completely isolated from civiliza-tion. While it does pre-serve the wilderness by trekking through it, the Trail neverthe-less winds through the Appalachian Mountain chain near and through many towns and cities. This chain is a remnant of wilderness in our own backyards. The juxtaposition of forest and building highlights the effects urbanization has had on faith. Life in the mainstream often clouds this recognition. In other words, being in the trees for days on end and emerging into clouds of exhaust and noise begs the Why of what we are building.

The questions of faith, prayer, church and existence are found among interesting characters. An astral-projecting hippie searches for G.O.D. A struggling artist uses her own forsaken Bible-belt religion as the subject of her photography, and New York hails it as “Original!” and “The Last of Its Kind!” A conspiracy theorist traces the origin of all disease to guilt. An Ivy League Catholic cynic theorizes about power and parsonage with a mega-church youth pastor. A Deep South Zionist hell-fire preacher calls on the pale rider, and it seems to work. A stay at a hyper religious commune for a week shows what sharing possessions looks like. To read the book is to go on a search

for oneself. It is to ask ques-tions about the Christian faith in hopes of arrival at an apologetic within an increasingly pluralistic world.

The book can be purchased on Amazon.com or by visiting www.aroadmoreorlesstraveled.com.

After finishing the Trail, Stephen Otis went on to receive a Master’s in Church History from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He recently married Sara Stanford, another CAK graduate. They live in Knoxville, TN (among other places). They are striving to under-stand and live communally with other believers.

Colin Roberts is finishing up a Master’s in Theology and Educa-tion at Covenant Theological Semi-nary. He married Elisa Roberts one year after finishing the Trail. They live in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Today’s Choices Shape My FutureBy Lauren Loy

From time to time, when the world is not treating me as I would like, I flip through the scrapbook of my mind and reminisce. I watch myself at five running through the sprinklers with my cousin, overwhelmed with giggles and sunshine. I see myself at eight sledding down the icy road with my dad, a smile spreading across my face as we gain speed. At thirteen, I ride the swings at the fair with my best friend, content with the world and my place in it. I wonder why I do not risk living as freely now, why life seems more disappointing than it did then. I realize I had an unparalleled happiness in those days because I chose to take risks and open my heart. I made instinctive decisions that may have seemed crazy, but today yield a beauty in my life.

My future stretches before me like a beautiful, dangerous canyon. As I stand on the precipice, endless

adventures and mistakes await me. Through all of this though, I know I will succeed if I choose now to maintain a child-like hope, an uncondi-tional love, an inspiring passion; I know that I will not have regrets in the future if I decide today to truly live.

I am not naïve enough to believe that hard times will not find me, but my days of make-believe have taught me to dream, imagine, and hope. I want to live my life to the fullest now, so that I will be filled with child-like zest, passion, and hope for my pursuits in the future. Therefore, I choose to risk loving someone, even if that love might end

in loss. I choose to tell my friends how much they mean to me. I choose to take risks.

With this mindset, I have begun making bold choices. I have started putting my fragile heart on the line and my radical ideas on the table. I have applied to colleges that I could never afford in hopes of wonderful scholar-ships. I have pursued an incredibly long-distance relationship that grows stronger every day. I have told a close friend how much he means to me even though we have never been emotionally open with one another. I am learning each day that these choices fill my life with a freedom and serenity that will last forever, a constant reminder that I have seized every opportunity in

my path.

Even when my choice

seems risky or painful, I know that it will make a difference in my future. I could end up at the college of my choice because of my incred-ible hope. I could find a lasting relationship because I chose to open my heart. I could solidify a lifelong friendship because of my courage to lay myself bare. In the future, I will not have to wonder “what if;” I am opening myself to all opportuni-ties now, so that my future will be brimming with every possibility imaginable.

CAK Tennis Teams Have Strong 2008 SeasonThis season 35 athletes participated in varsity tennis from the eighth grade through twelfth grade. CAK rented courts at Smokey Mountain Tennis Academy for practice and home matches. The era of renting and begging for court time is soon to end. Thanks to many of you and the Booster Club, tennis court construction is about to begin.

Girls Tennis The varsity girl’s tennis team had an outstanding season finishing as the state runner-up. In the finals, CAK lost to Chattanooga Christian (State Champs for the past 4 years) with a score of 3-4. Brooke Griffith, battling knee problems, held tough to win her key match at spot 5 giving CAK a 3-2 lead over Chattanooga

Christian after wins from Kathleen Burg and Ruthie Edmunds. The state championship was not to be had when CAK dropped both doubles matches to Chattanooga Christian’s seasoned girls’ doubles teams. With only losing one senior, Sarah Hamilton, the girl’s team hopes to return next year to be given another opportunity to qualify for state. In order to make it to the state finals, CAK defeated University School of Jackson in the state semi-finals, Elizabethton in sectionals, Seymour in

the region and Kingston in the district. The girls team only had one loss to Webb School 3-6. The state team was comprised of Sarah Hamilton, Kia Batiste, Kathleen Burg, Ruthie Edmunds and Brooke Griffith with alternates Morgan Arrants and Alison Burg. In addition to the team’s success, Kathleen Burg and Ruthie Edmunds made it to the state semi-finals in doubles after win-ning district and region.

Boys Tennis The varsity boys tennis team came in second in district to Knoxville Catholic. Catholic then proceed-ed to win the state tournament. The boys team was comprised of mostly underclassmen with the exception of Logan Kerr, a senior. The boys defeated AAA schools during their season including

Bearden, West, Karns and South Doyle. The boys team top six included Will Sparks, Jonathan Allen, Logan Kerr, Jared McPherson, Greg Allen and John David Arnett.

In the state individual tournament, freshman Will Sparks made it to the quarterfinals before losing to senior Ben Gaines of University School of Jackson, this year’s state runner-up. Will won the district and region titles.

The following awards were presented at the Tennis Banquet: Most outstanding players Sarah Hamilton & Will SparksCoaches award Kathleen Burg & John David Arnett Most Improved Morgan Arrants & Jared McPherson

Both teams are coached by Betsy Sparks, head coach and Jim Blackwell, assistant coach.

CAK Can Now Hold Court Thanks To Parents’ DedicationTennis Courts Groundbreaking Set To Begin

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Lauren Loy being presented the award for 1st place in the state Optimist’s Club Essay Competition.

From left: Lauren Loy, Nancy Childers, Jenny Hamrick. These young ladies placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the District Optimist Club Essay Contest.

CAK senior, now a CAK gradu-ate, Lauren Loy was the first CAK student to win the state Optimist Club Essay Contest.

Over the years we have had many students place in the dis-trict competition, with several first-place finishes. The last two years CAK students have swept 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place at the district level of the contest.

It has finally happened! Thanks to a group of dedicated parents, enough money has been donated and pledged for six tennis courts to be completed over the summer. The paperwork is being com-pleted and construction will soon begin. While the plans will also allow for future expansion able to accommodate two additional courts, the goal is to have the six courts available for use when school begins this fall.

We are excited that we are very close to breaking ground on our tennis courts and want to thank all the people over the years who prayed and made personal

donations for the tennis courts. Many people had the dream of tennis courts at CAK long before I arrived in 2001 and became involved in this project. Our involvement began as parents when our oldest daughter played tennis in middle school in 2002. I was asked to take over the middle school tennis in 2004 by Cindy Bergenback and continued the dream of many others to build courts at CAK. Today I am happy to say that this dream is becoming a reality. The tennis courts will soon be a terrific new addition to the many wonderful facilities at CAK. We will be able to host

our high school matches, offer clinics, and conduct CAK gym classes, summer camps, summer interclub and much more. The Tennis Court facility will benefit all CAK students. Thank you for all your help and prayers,

Jacqueline Burg (CAK parent)

If would like more information about the tennis courts please contact Jacqueline Burg at 257-1624 or at jacquelineburg@aol.com.

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Class of 2008

High School graduation is a major milestone in one’s life. This year 108 students graduated from Christian Academy of Knoxville High School. Joseph Sills was the Valedictorian. Molly Zaczyk served as Salutatorian. A total of 41 members of the CAK Class of 2008 achieved Valedictory Status (GPA of 3.7 or higher).

Quick Facts About The Class of 2008:

• All 108 graduates will attend college in the fall.• Honors abounded in the Class of 2008 with 14 students graduating Cum Laude (3.5-3.65GPA), 2 graduating Magna Cum Laude (3.65- 3.8 GPA), and 41 graduating Summa Cum Laude (3.8 GPA or higher).• The Class of 2008 contained 26 TN Scholars.• The Class of 2008 also boasted 51 students who are members of the National Honor Society.• To date, the Class of 2008 has been awarded more than $3.3 million in scholarships.

The Class of 2008 will attend the follow-ing colleges this fall:Asbury College (4)Auburn University (1)Belhaven College (1)Belmont University (3)Carson-Newman College (4)Clemson University (3)Davidson College (1)East TN State University (4)Georgia Southern University (1)King College (1)Lee University (1)Lipscomb University (2)Mercer University (1)Middle TN State University (1)Pellissippi State Community College (20)Point Loma University (1)Reuben-Allen (1)Rhodes College (1)St. Olaf College (1)U.S. Military Academy (1)Union University (1)University of Chicago (1)University of Mississippi (1)University of South Carolina (1)University of TN, Chattanooga (5)University of TN, Knoxville (42)University of TN, Martin (1)Washington and Lee University (1)Winthrop University (1)

Special Awards and Recognitions:

Excellence Award .........Nancy ChildersIntegrity Award ..................... Billy HighLeadership Award ......... Luke BonewitzServant Award ............Jonathan BerubePrincipal’s Award ...........Philip HagoodAgape Award................. Billy High & Kristen Horner

David McAlister Music Scholarship...... Elisa Platillero & Elizabeth Stewart

Nancy Vick Memorial Scholarship................................................ Amy Jones

CAK Baseball Field Gets A Face-Lift

The CAK campus has undergone many exciting changes over the past two years. If you drive by the CAK Baseball Field, you will see more changes and improvements. CAK players, their families, coaches and several avid CAK Baseball fans have worked hard physically and given over and above monetarily to make sure that the baseball facility is one of the best in this area.

The 2008 CAK Baseball Improve-ments have totaled more than $90,000. From the beginning of the renovation until now $54,700.00 has been spent on the improvements, with the remaining $35,800 having been donated through materials and labor.

The new facilities include a home dugout, a visitor dugout, batting cages, a bull pen area (home and visitor), a field drain, site drain (from concessions to left field), an outfield fence, and a safety fence in front of the dugouts.

The project cost was kept to a minimum due to the fact that many service hours were donated by the players, coaches, their families and friends of CAK Baseball. Also, many building materials were donated or purchased at cost due to the generos-ity of friends of CAK baseball. Many thanks are in order to the CAK baseball parents who spearheaded the facility improvement project.

The CAK baseball facility is not the only thing that is new and improved. The CAK Baseball Team had a great 2008 season with a 21-10 record, and tied for 3rd in the district. The CAK sluggers battled to win over Webb,

Kingston, Scott County, Coalfield, Loudon, Rutledge, Union County, Stone Memorial, Alcoa and Tellico Plains. Over Spring Break they enjoyed playing at Disney’s Wide World of Sports and proved victori-ous against schools from Maryland, Mississippi, Texas and California. The CAK Baseball Team was coached by Head Coach Kent Matthews, and Assistant Coaches Dwight Smith and Brian Hochevar. The 21 member team included:

Senior PlayersTyler Bowland, Chris Cates, Matt McCoy, Joseph Sills

Junior PlayersMichael Fromke, Charlie Holland, Keenan Kolinsky, Tyler McCoy, Chandler Tarr

Sophomore PlayersAaron Collett, Zach Duncan, Blake Houser, Brandon Morris, Alex Pat-ton, Chris Shields, Will Stogner

Freshmen Players Quinn Epperly, Devin Gray, Walker Howell, Jonathan Johnson and Kyle King

Every home game CAK parents, Gary Morris and Todd Duncan, prepared freshly grilled burgers, hot dogs and homemade desserts. Home-cooked specialties such as beans and cornbread or chicken and dumplings were available some evenings as well. The new improve-ments to the CAK Baseball Field will only add to the enjoyment of the game and the fellowship of the CAK family in years to come.

Emerson Races To The Top Of His Game

From an early age Justin Emerson loved to run. He would run around the house, the playground, all over. He had one speed: full throttle!

As a freshman, Justin placed 5th in the 100m dash, competing against 59 other 15-16 year old runners. July of 2007 the freshman phenom competed at Duke University in the Southeastern Invitational. All of the participating runners had to make a stiff qualifing time in order to compete. Students were from 29 U.S. states as well as from Mexico and Bermuda. Later that same summer Justin competed in the AAU Jr. Olympics. He competed in the 100m and came in 24th place. As a result he was ranked the 24th fastest 15-16 year old in the nation.

Now the CAK sophomore is the fastest 10th grader in region 2A in 100m and 200m dash accord-ing to Tennesseerunner.com. His personal record is currently 10.97 seconds in the 100m.

“I just love to run,” said Justin. “I enjoy the competition and the feel of the crowd. There’s nothing like it.”

Although he was only a sophomore, most of Justin’s competition during the 2007-2008 season were seniors. He beat senior running back Derek Boyce from Webb, along with junior and senior runners from all the other Knoxville area schools three times this track season.

In April Justin competed in the Knoxville Interscholastic League, or KIL, track competition, running against students from all Knoville area public and private schools. He took home the first place medal in the 100m dash with a time of 10.98 seconds. It would not be an overstatement to say that CAK’s Justin Emerson is the fastest high schooler in Knoxville.

Also in April, Justin ran in the 45th Volunteer Track Classic. He won a medal in the 200m with a time of 22.64. This was his first year running the 200m. In the first track meet of the season, Justin broke CAK’s 200m record. He also broken his own 100m school record

several times this season.

Justin currently is one of the top eight performers in the Metro 8 competition in both the 100m and 200m runs. This competition features the top eight performers in track and field in Knoxville and surrounding areas.

Justin competed in the 100m in both the Regional and Sectional Meets to qualify for the State Meet. He placed 1st in the Regional Meet and 2nd in the Sectional. He went on to earn a 5th place finish in the State Meet in the 100m. Interest-ingly the young man ranked #1 in the 100m for the state of Tennessee is a young man Emerson beat in the state tournament.

Justin is a member of the Knoxville Track Club. He plans to run in college and also plans to try out as a sprinter for the 2012 Olympic games.

Justin Emerson after competing in a meet at Duke University. He is flanked by his parents and a great-aunt and great-uncle who drove in from Fayetteville, NC, to watch him run.

CAK Grad Honored

CAK graduate Crissy Cannon has always believed in dreaming big. Since her 2004 high school graduation those dreams have been bigger than she could have imagined. She is currently in her 4th year at the University of Kentucky where she is working towards a double major in social work and international studies.

While studying occupies a lot of her time, Crissy has been busy with other activities as well. An accomplished gymnast, she is a member of the Wildcat Gymnastics team. She is used to receiving medals and athletic awards. This past year, however, she received awards of a different kind.

She was awarded the Frank G. Ham Society of Character Award. Recipients of this award are nominated by coaches and staff members before being chosen by a committee. The award recognizes student-athletes who display the follow-ing characteristics: academic excellence, athletic participation, personal develop-ment, commitment to being a role model and preparing for the work force.

Crissy was also named UK’s Miss Wildcat this year for her all-around commitment to excellence in athletics, academics,

character and service. These qualities also earned her a nomination to the SEC Good Works Team.

Her commitment to serving others earned her additional honors, the first be-ing the Community Service Award which brought with it a $1,000 post-gradu-ate scholarship. She was also awarded the Darrell A. VanMeter Award for her volunteer work. Some of Crissy’s many volunteer activities included reading to children in elementary schools, volun-teering for Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House and the UK Hospital to name a few. In 2006 she gave a semester to serving in Pemba, Mozambique where she taught methods of self-sustaining farming and gave medical assistance to the widows. She also provided food for the villages.

This outstanding young lady has no plans to slow down. In fact, her future plans are only getting bigger. She plans to build a refuge for women and children in Africa who are dying from AIDS and malaria.

“It’s been amazing because I never thought this would happen. When I

decided to go to Africa I felt I was giving up a lot because I dropped out of school and my sport for a semester,” said Crissy. “But people’s reaction has been very opposite of what I thought it would be. As I obeyed God, He has just turned it around. It’s been a huge blessing.“

This summer Crissy is returning to Mozambique for 2 weeks along with six others to do outreach and activities with kids.

CAK Track and Field Teams Have Best Season in School History

Athletics

The girls track and field team had their best finish ever in the Regionals with a 2nd place finish. They also had their best finish to date at Sectionals finishing 3rd out of 28. They also scored the most points in the State Meet finishing 10th out of 40 teams. During the season they placed 3rd in the KIL Meet beating Far-ragut, Austin East, and Bearden.

Mary Thompson continues to make her mark at CAK. She received All-KIL honors by placing 1st in the 800m, made the Prep-Xtra Team, placed 2nd in the state in the 800m, set school records in the 400m and 800m, and was a key member of the 4 X 400m and 4 X 800m relay teams.

Also receiving KIL honors with a 1st place finish was the 4 X 800m relay team consisting of Alyssa Bryson, Leah Giles, Julie Thompson, and Mary Thompson. They also placed 2nd in the State Meet. The girls team was blessed this year with several outstanding newcomers. Fresh-man Callie Heitzman proved herself a valuable asset to the team placing 3rd in the state in the 300m hurdles. She also set school records in the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles. Hannah Cox provided some much needed help in the field events this year setting school

records in the long jump and triple jump. She placed 4th in the State in the long jump. Another newcomer Kayce Campbell placed 7th in the State in the high jump and was a valuable member of several relay teams. The 2008 Girls Warrior Award went to Alyssa Bryson.

The boys team had their best finish ever in the Regionals with a 3rd place finish. They also had their best finish to date at Sectionals finishing 4th of 33. At State they came in 9th of 47. The boys made a strong showing this year in the field events.

School record holder Joseph Bennett placed 2nd in the State shot put after being narrowly edged out by the last throw of a competitor. God blessed CAK with a pole vault pit and equip-ment this year. He also provided an outstanding pole vaulter to go with it. Nelson Pinkstaff, an 8th grader, placed 3rd in the State meet, received All-KIL honors by placing 1st, and also made the Prep-Xtra Team. Senior Bradley Smith decided to give the pole vault a try and ended up placing 7th in the State Meet. Making a strong appearance this year was standout sophomore sprinter Justin Emerson. Justin received All-KIL

honors by placing 1st in the KIL Meet, placed 5th in the 100m in the State Meet as well as set the 100m and 200m school records. Another outstanding performance came from senior middle distance runner Ryan Kitts. Ryan set school records in the 400m and 800m and was a key member of the 4 X 800m relay team. This relay team, consisting of Bo Sanford, Billy High, Taylor Oakley, and Ryan Kitts, placed 3rd in the State Meet. The 2008 Boys Warrior Award went to Billy High.

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Justin Emerson after the State Meet.

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