April 2015 - Sunshine Bible Academy

Spring 2015
Holton to Deliver
Commencement Address
F
ormer Army Ranger Chuck Holton will deliver the commencement
address for Sunshine Bible Academy’s commencement ceremony on
Sunday, May 24.
Holton, who travels the globe as a war and news correspondent, is
literally on the frontlines of today’s headlines, including Haiti, Iraq and
Afghanistan, and has also traveled on multiple missions with LtCol (ret)
Oliver North, author and host of the Fox News TV show, “War Stories.”
As an international speaker, author, and Military/Adventure Correspondent for the Christian Broadcasting Network, Holton shares compelling
real life stories from his extensive travels to the world’s hotspots that challenge believers to embrace the truth of God’s Word.
After eight years in the U.S. Army--four as a Ranger with the elite 75th
Ranger Regiment and four flying helicopters as an Aeroscout Observer in
the National Guard--Holton went on to a successful job as a stockbroker.
After a decade in that safe, comfortable job, Holton made the decision
to leave that life and live his priorities--no matter the cost. The experience he gained with that leap of faith encourages listeners of all ages
to eradicate the passivity that holds them hostage and take risks that will
free them from a fear-saturated culture. When he’s not reporting from
Afghanistan or covering disasters around the globe, Holton is enjoying
his greatest adventure as husband to Connie and father to five homeschooled children, on their farm
in West Virginia.
Holton’s books include A
More Elite Soldier, Bulletproof:
The Making of an Invincible
Mind, Making Men: Five Steps
to Growing Up and the Task
Force Valor series. Most recently he is working as editor
on Oliver North’s American
Heroes series of books. Holton
also maintains the blog Boots
on the Ground.
SBA Commencement
Sunday, May 24
2:30 p.m.
2 | The Crusader
School Board
Tom Young, Chairman
Onida, SD
Doug Clark, Vice Chairman
From Our Superintendent
4
A New Face
5
“A Thing of Beauty”
6
Fellowship Groups
7
Small Group Contest
PTF Pie Auction
8
9
Nisland SD
Paul Beckwith, Secretary
Pierre, SD
Phil Hamburger, Treasurer
Seneca, SD
Gaven Banik
Hartford, SD
Kent LaDue
Meadow, SD
Daniel Paul
Carson, ND
Andy Michaelis
Wessington, SD
Ken Shay
Pierre, SD
God’s Truth for Today’s Youth.
According to its Articles of Incorporation, Sunshine
Bible Academy exists to provide “for the general
education of youth in the essentials of culture and in
the arts and sciences, giving emphasis to the Christian doctrines and the ethics revealed in the Holy
Scriptures; combating all atheistic, agnostic, pagan,
and so-called scientific adulterations of the Gospel;
unqualifiedly affirming and teaching the Inspiration
of the Bible (both the Old and New Testaments); the
birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; His identification as the Son of God; His vicarious atonement
for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood
on the cross; the resurrection of His body from the
tomb; His power to save man from sin; the new birth
through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and
the gift of eternal life by the grace of God through
faith in Jesus Christ.”
Science and Math
10
Pierre Trip
11
St. Paddy’s Skate
12
Poems
13
Academic Challenge
14
“I Am Blessed”
16
Jr. High Science Fair
17
Elementary Update
18
FFA Corner Post
19
MegaTeen 2015
20
Poem 21
Crusader Athletics
22
SBA Foundation
26
Livestock Program
27
Alumni
30
The Crusader | 3
From our
Superintendent
T
o be perfectly honest, the past few
months have been difficult ones at Sunshine Bible Academy. A number of students
left the school, by their parents’ choice, for
various reasons, and losing students always
has an impact on morale. A number of
students still at the school have made some
poor personal choices that have resulted in
unpleasant consequences individually and,
at times, have negatively impacted others.
To put in bluntly, these few months have not
been fun, and I have not been the only one asking, in turns, “What is going on?” and “What are we not doing that we need to be doing?”
I am not sure that I have come up with satisfactory answers to those two
questions, but I have been reminded of two absolute truths as I have reflected on them. One, God refines His people...and His schools. This point
is made several times throughout Scripture, but I like Zechariah 13:9,
which says, “And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one
refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say,
‘The Lord is my God.’” This passage is referring specifically to the nation
of Israel, but I believe its principles are just as applicable to believers
today; God will do what is necessary to remove the impurities from our
lives. Brian Doerksen has written a beautiful song meditating on this idea
called “Refiner’s Fire.”
The second truth I have been reminded of is that Satan never grows
weary of attacking God’s people...and His schools. I Peter 5:8 reminds
us that Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to
devour.” “Roaring” and “prowling” are not friendly terms, and Satan
embodies all of the terror represented in those verb choices.
I know many of you pray for SBA regularly, and we covet your
prayers. Please redouble your prayers on our behalf as we approach
the end of this school year. Thank
you for standing with us as we
teach, and defend, God’s Truth for
Today’s Youth.
4 | The Crusader
A New face
SBA is pleased to welcome Shannon Roer as
its new art teacher (grades K–12 ). Shannon
studied Studio Art with an emphasis in two
dimensional composition at Bob Jones University. Before coming to SBA, Shannon worked
at the Greenville Museum and Gallery on
the educational staff. She especially enjoyed
giving children’s tours and traveling to different schools in the area with the gallery’s
“Museum on the Move.” Shannon said, “This
experience, along with other summer teaching
opportunities, led me to pursue art education
after graduating. Coming to SBA has been
a wonderful experience, and I am blessed
to be part of a school that places a high
emphasis not only on academic excellence,
but also on the importance of a personal
relationship with God.”
An example of Shannon Roer’s
own artwork is included below.
To see some of the art projects
being completed by SBA students, visit the online gallery at
http://www.artsonia.com/
schools/school.asp?id=153274
Nominations Sought
John Deal, chairman of the SBA Advisory Council, is seeking nominations
for candidates to serve on the Advisory Council. The thirty members of the
Advisory Council serve three-year terms, and the school board is elected
out of the Advisory Council. If you have a recommendation for someone
who would be interested in serving as an active member of the Advisory
Council, please contact John Deal by e-mail at [email protected] or
by phone at 605.680.2239. Thank you!
The Crusader | 5
“A Thing of Beauty”
Grace Germain (‘17)
very year SBA students have the opportunity
to participate in One-Act Play. One-Act is an
acting competition and performance opportunity
in which students first perform for the school and
then go on to compete against other schools at
the district contest. Sunshine hosts two plays each
year, One-Act, which is held in January, and
Spring Play which is of course (hence the name),
held in the late spring.
As with other co-curricular activities, the students who participate in the One-Act Play spend
lots of time and effort memorizing scripts, blocking movements,
and getting props ready. This
year was no different, as the
actors performed a serious play,
“A Thing of Beauty.” Each year,
according to regional rules,
schools are required to alternate
between serious and humorous
pieces. For 2015, a serious play
was required; next year, you can
bet your bottom dollar that you
will be in for some laughs!
“A Thing of Beauty” is a contemporary play, and is set in a
city park. It focuses on the inherent beauty that is contained in
even the simplest natural objects
as creations of God. SBA’s OneAct team performed their piece
for the school on January 26 and
then continued to the district competition in Huron on January 28. Unfortunately, Sunshine did not make it to
regionals (the top two schools advance), and after being giving a premature exit by the judges, the group was not even sure where they placed.
But they did their best and look forward to their next opportunity.
E
Grace Germain; Andrew Shumake and Daniel Seaman; Lauren Haun and Elizabeth Schultz.
6 | The Crusader
Fellowship Groups
Andrew Shumake (‘15), Grace Germain (‘17), and Marco Guerra (‘15)
F
or one night each month, the students of SBA break into groups of six
to ten, and meet in the various staff homes around the campus. Meals
and activities are provided for the students, with a focus on fellowship
and unity. These are what we call “fellowship groups.” Students agree
that fellowship groups are one of their favorite on-campus activities to
look forward to every month. Many students wish that fellowship groups
were held more frequently. “I really love fellowship groups; I love Mrs.
Seaman’s cooking and the games,” said student Brook Ferede. Another
student agreed, “Mrs. Seaman’s cooking is really good and we have a
different theme every time,” said junior, Alaina Stangle.
The “games” or activities this year have varied greatly. From one group
who played a game involving shooting rubber bands at a Kleenex box to
knock out ping-pong balls, to a group
that manipulated paper tangrams into
rabbit shapes, and a group that watched
a documentary about Abraham Lincoln,
food and activities have spanned a divide of themes and interests.
For staff, fellowship groups are about
creating a “real life” bond with their
students. “(Fellowship groups are) a good
opportunity for students and teachers to
get to know each other in a more relaxed environment,” said English teacher,
Amanda Beckler. “I have enjoyed getting
to interact with the students in our group
(she hosts with the Watsons), especially
the youngers ones as I don’t have them in my classes yet.”
In all, fellowship groups are a great experience for SBA students, and
a way to keep spirits up throughout the year and beyond. As Sunshine
Alumni Preston Liebelt commented on the SBA Facebook page recently,
“(They are) one of the many things that I greatly miss about Sunshine!!!
Fellowship groups were the BEST!!!”
Not many of the current students would disagree.
Denver Paul trying to bounce a ping pong ball into a cup during fellowship group games.
The Crusader | 7
Small Group
Music Contest
Andrew Shumake (‘15)
O
n February 11, SBA
music students went to
Aberdeen to compete in a
small group music contest. This
year’s competition had nineteen entries which consisted of
eight instrumental solos, three
vocal solos, one instrumental
duet, four vocal duets and
three ensemble performances.
Many performers began practicing during the first semester,
resulting in good scores for
the hours of work and dedication that the students put into their music. The
performances are graded from best to worst on a scale of one to five.
Overall, the results of the music contest were excellent. Twelve SBA entrees received a score of “1”, six received a “2”, and one received a “3”.
When they were not busy performing, many of the Sunshine students
supported their fellow schoolmates by attending those performances as
well. Heather Deal expressed herself, saying, “My favorite part of the
music contest was seeing so many brother and sister duets. It was also
encouraging to see so many younger (students) taking an interest in extracurricular music.” All of those involved in music
had a great day despite leaving at a bright
and early 6:15 a.m. in order to reach the
venue on time for the earliest performances.
At the end of the day, the music students
enjoyed a meal and conversation at Pizza
Hut.
Each year, the small group contest provides
a valuable lesson for everyone involved: It’s
not about getting a perfect score, but about using our differing talents
and abilities to bring glory to God through hard work and determination.
Top: All SBA participants. Bottom: Joshua Hofman performs a trombone solo.
8 | The Crusader
PTF Pie Auction
Su Sybesma, PTF President
W
e had our best Pie Auction ever! Thank you to everyone who made
this year’s Pie Auction a success--those who made and donated
pies and those who bid, purchased, and ate pies! To God be the Glory!
Each year, PTF raises money through the Pie Auction, as well as the
Lunch Stand at the SBA Auction (December), to purchase items requested
by the teachers and staff or for facility improvements. Last year, we paid
for periodical shelving for the library, a staff training seminar, FFA materials, a bread proofer for the kitchen and projection equipment, as well
as multiple smaller items. We also helped pay for the new ice machine in
the cafeteria. All together, PTF raised and spent over $13,000 in 2014.
This year’s pie auction was held on Friday, February 13 during and
after the varsity basketball games against Wolsey/Wessington. We were
blessed to have decent weather and had a very nice variety of fruit,
cream and nut pies, as well as several other dessert offerings. We sold
twenty-eight pies in our silent auctions during the varsity games, allowing
those who could not stay for the Live Auction to still participate and take
home a tasty treat.
The FFA students did a marvelous job of setting up, showcasing the
baked goods and helping clean up--eliminating the need for adult helpers. The parents and PTF board thank you very much! Thank you, too, to
Todd Waring and his helpers for auctioning for us again this year. They
did a great job!
Here’s a recap of this year compared to the last two years:
2015
2014
2013
Total Items Sold
116
99
119
Total Proceeds
$16,833
$9,845
$11,860
Average per Item
$145.11
$99.44
$99.66
Total Bidder Numbers
62
55
50
Total Purchasers
45
41
42
Highest Selling Item**
$850 Bing Candy
$450 Strawberry
Rhubarb Pie
$550 Black Forest Pie
**An additional note from this year: we had 4 pies go $300+, 4 pies $400+, and 3 more
Bing Bars go for $800 each, bringing up the average price per item up significantly.
The Crusader | 9
Science Bowl
Elizabeth Schultz (‘17)
O
n February 21, Dylan Bowar, Elizabeth Schultz, Staci Seaman and
Daniel Seaman traveled to the Huron Event Center with their coach,
Mr. Todd Seaman, to compete in the 2015 Science Bowl. For the previous
month, they had been running through practice questions with each other,
but now it was time for the SBA team to face the test that they had been
preparing for.
The team arrived at an early 8:30 a.m. to check in and wait with the
competitors from other schools in one of the hotel conference rooms. After
some time, the organizers of the competition explained the rules of the
Science Bowl and assigned teams to different rooms throughout the center
for the team matches. Quickly, the students found their competition rooms
and were seated to begin the first match.
After the first round, SBA was on the block to match wits with a competing team. The officials gave contestants a total of twenty-five questions
that fell into the categories of Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
Math, Energy and General Science. If a question was answered correctly
after the team was verbally recognized as being the first to come up with
an answer, the team would gain four points and have a shot at answering
a ten point bonus question.
After a tough round of competition, the SBA students were disappointed
when they did not advance into the double elimination finals, but they
were proud that they had given the competition their best shot.
Now that the students have gained some competition experience, they
will be better prepared to face their challengers at the Science Bowl next
year.
Math Olympics
F
ifteen SBA students in grades 4-8 participated in the ACSI Math Olympics event this year. Students compete in either Reasoning or Computation categories and complete a series of four timed tests. Jakki Burma (4),
Abby Haun (6), Ruth Lopez (6), Jade Burma (7), Aaron Hoffman (7) and
Hannah Appel (8) competed in the Reasoning category. Titus Deal (6),
Taylor Michaelis (6), Cassidy Watson (6), EJ Big Eagle (7), Shariah Brockel
(7), Ross Engle (7), Jace Burma (8), Ben Deal (8) and Autumn Hoffman (8)
competed in Computation. Abby Haun earned a fourth place finish and
Aaron Hoffman placed third.
10 | The Crusader
Pierre Trip
Isaac Clark (‘16)
T
he junior and senior students were privileged to examine the happenings in our state’s legislature in Pierre on February 20, 2015.
In the morning, the students were able to listen to committees discussing
bills. Around midday, we enjoyed a nice meal at Pizza Hut. In the afternoon, we sat in on the House and the Senate.
There were many different bills being discussed in committees that were
available to sit in on and mull over. Timmy Morgan, a senior, thought that
House Bill (HB) 1220 was the most interesting because it was on the topic
of religion. HB 1220 was about the Religious Freedom Reformation Act
(RFRA), and the right to declare an emergency based on an individual’s
religion. Staci Seaman, a junior, also listened in on HB 1220 and a bill
about education and school district regions. Staci’s favorite bill, however, was one that she did not have the opportunity to listen to, involving
doctors informing parents about the health issues of a baby with Down
syndrome before birth.
After lunch, we headed back to the capitol building to listen to the
House and the Senate. The House procedures were significantly different than the procedures for the Senate. In the House, when voting on bills,
representatives would yell, “Yea!” or “Nay!” when the speaker would call
out for them to voice their opinion. In the Senate, the speaker would go
through the list of senators in alphabetical order and ask their opinions
one at a time.
Though the events interested Seaman, she has no personal interest in
pursuing a political career; however, she does think that being a page
would be fun. Timmy Morgan, on the other hand, said, “To be honest, I
would not mind being a politician. I have thought about it before, and
going to Pierre really
showed me what the job
entails.”
All in all, the capitol
adventure was a success.
Timmy’s favorite part was
learning what the political
figures do and how they
go about their tasks, but
our breakfast muffins ran
a close second!
The Crusader | 11
St. Paddy’s Skate
Marco Guerra (‘15)
O
n Tuesday, March 17, students from SBA were dismissed from their
afternoon classes at 3 p.m. After a quick snack and preparation,
students boarded a bus and traveled to the ice rink in Huron for the annual St. Paddy’s Skate (formerly known as “Sweetheart Skate”). This fun
afternoon and evening activity was sponsored by the student council (led
by Mr. and Mrs. Hofman) and involved not only a trip to the rink, but pizza as well. During the skate, students played the usual skating games like
“the limbo” and had various types of skates (“couples skate”, “free skate”
etc.). Toward the end of the event, at least twenty pizzas were brought
in for students to eat. After the pizza had been served, the members of
the junior class who were voted St. Paddy’s Skate royalty were crowned.
This year, there was a tie for the title of queen, and Staci Seaman and
Samantha Rogers shared the crown. Denver Paul was crowned king, and
Yohanis Ferede was named the “runner up.”
As the students packed to return to SBA, it seemed the students had enjoyed their time at the skating rink. Grace Germain said, “It was fun, but
could have been more fun if I were a better skater!” While it was a good
time for all of the students, the out-of-state students were especially glad
to have had the chance to leave campus and do something fun outside of
the school building.
Skating Royalty: Denver Paul, Staci Seaman, Samantha Rogers, Yohanis Ferede.
12 | The Crusader
Poems
“After reading some nineteenth-century pioneer poetry, the Jr. High students were asked
to write their own poems about South Dakota
in a similar style. Autumn Hoffman, Tierney
Connell and Shariah Brockel wrote exceptional poems. However, I was very impressed with
each of the poems that I received. The current
Jr. High students are promising writers and I
am excited to see what they will accomplish
as high school students.” ~ Amanda Beckler
(See Tierney’s poem on page 21).
South Dakota is a beauteous state
With its gorgeous golden cornfields,
With its plains that seem to never end,
With its sunrises and sunsets of many colors,
South Dakota is a good place to be.
From city to farm,
From field to field,
It is the place for me.
I love South Dakota
For its pretty countryside,
For its many wild animals,
And it’s pretty sunflowers.
I know South Dakota is where I belong:
Even in the winter
When it snows and the wind howls,
Even if it is bitterly cold.
I know this is a great place
Because God made it
Perfectly like it is,
And this is my South Dakota.
by Shariah Brockel
South Dakota the beautiful:
With its wide open spaces,
Cloud-streaked, blue skies,
And gorgeous places.
Alone on the prairie,
You hear the grass speak.
Whispering “swishes”
With voices so meek.
The stoic whitetail stands
With proud head held high,
Scouring the tree-line
And scanning the sky.
Pheasants lie waiting
Crouched to the earth,
Guarding their nests,
And awaiting new birth.
The sun starts to set,
And the heavens alight,
The painted horizon
Becomes an emotional sight.
As dusk turns to dark,
Grasslands come to life,
“Buzzing”, “Croaking”, “Chirping”,
Oblivious to all strife.
The howl of the coyote
Rises up in the night.
As if to reach up to the moon
And silence its light.
This is South Dakota,
Powerful and vast,
That which open the future
And re-writes the past.
by Autumn Hoffman
The Crusader | 13
Academic
Challenge
Daniel Seaman (‘15)
O
n March 25, twenty-eight Sunshine students were able to test their
knowledge in a gauntlet of tests at the Academic Challenge hosted
by Miller High School. Of the eight schools represented, Sunshine placed
second in overall score. The score is calculated by the students’ placing in
each respective test subject. A first place rank is worth the most points and
the point totals go down from there. Each school may enter two students
per test, but only the top three places are recognized with medals. SBA
had eleven students receive at least one medal this year. In order of
grade, the rankings were: Dylan Bowar tested for 2nd place in Physical Science, Joshua Hofman played out a 3rd place in Sports, Andrew
Hofman fixed up a 1st place in Ag Mechanics, Jed Konechne made his
mark in World History by achieving 1st place, Jiwon Park calculated out
a 2nd place win in Algebra II, Elizabeth Schultz was classified as a 2nd in
Biology and was written up for a 2nd place in Grammar II, Lauren Haun
wrote a series of correct answers in order to achieve 1st in American
Literature, Malachi Clark invested in 3rd place in Economics, Heather Deal
harvested a 2nd in Natural Resources and a 3rd in Plant Science, Daniel
Seaman thought up enough answers for a 2nd in Psychology and was
elected for a 1st place in US Government all the while embodying the 1st
place winner for Anatomy, and Andrew Shumake scribed enough answers
to adequately partake in 2nd place for English Literature and composed
a score sheet worthy of 2nd place in Music.
Among the number of students who didn’t receive medals, most all enjoyed the day. Susan Wilken, who is a newbie to the academic challenge
this year, says, “I’d like to do [Academic Challenge] again next year, but I
didn’t enjoy taking four tests. I’d rather focus on a few tests than taking all
four. Besides the tests, the highlight was beating Joey [Lane] in a game of
‘Lightning.’”
Overall, the students gave a valiant effort in their battles against the
questions that stump even the strongest of them. Sadly, this year’s Quiz
Bowl team, generally comprised of four seniors who excel in their studies,
was not victorious. In their first round against Northwestern, Sunshine lost
5-3. Northwestern continued to the Championship round where they won
against their opponents, JVC. All four contestants agreed their loss was a
fair one, and were not disheartened because of the fact that they fought
14 | The Crusade
so handedly against the future victors.
Although we cannot predict the outcome, we can always hope to live up
to the proclamation of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: To fight the good fight, to
finish the race, and to keep the faith should be our goal in hopes of the
day that God comes and crowns us with crowns of Righteousness and says,
“Well done, Good and Faithful Servant.”
SBA’s Academic Challenge Participants:
Back L to R: Jana Hunt, Andrew Shumake, Cassie Beckwith, Staci Seaman,
Heather Deal and Lauren Haun.
Third Row: Samantha Rogers, Andrew Hoffman, Daniel Seaman, Sarah
Pedersen, Denver Paul, Yohanis Ferede, Susan Wilken.
Second Row: Elizabeth Schultz, Joshua Hofman, Jed Konechne, Malachi
Clark, Felipe Sawaki and Alexis Lane.
Front: Brook Ferede, Jaden Brockel, Joseph Lane, Rebecca Spangler, Jessica Kim, Jiwon Park, Hannah VanHeuvelen, Dylan Bowar.
ACSI Creative Writing
Seven SBA students entered a Creative Writing contest sponsored by
the Association of Christian Schools
International in January. All seven
students received a rating of “Excellent” on their entries. Pictured, L to R:
Andrew Shumake, Grace Germain,
Brook Ferede and Cassidy Watson.
Not pictured: Joshua Hofman, Elise
Mollenbeck and Camrynn Wagner.
The Crusader | 15
“I am blessed!”
Amanda Beckler
H
e was born dead: no heartbeat, no life. A doctor threw his body out
of the way of the medical team, and he lay in a corner for 18 minutes. Then he lived.
So begins the miraculous story of David Ring’s life. It is a story that has
only become more miraculous as he has continued to live: the diagnosis of
cerebral palsy, a speech impediment, physical ailments, the death of both
parents before he was 15, abuse and multiple suicide attempts.
But David Ring is not a victim; he is blessed.
Despite his brutal beginnings, Ring attended college, he was married,
and he welcomed the arrival of the four children that he was told he
would never have. He now embraces his life as a public speaker--encouraging his audiences to see the blessings in their lives as well.
No matter how bad things are, you are blessed.
SBA was fortunate to host Ring as a special speaker on Friday, March
20. Students, staff and a number of visitors crowded into the chapel and
listened intently to Ring’s message of the hope that he has found in living
since accepting Christ as a high school student; the message of life that he
shares as he travels the world.
Though Ring has previously held engagements in each of the fifty states,
he had apparently never been outside of Sioux Falls in South Dakota.
“How far away is the nearest Wal-Mart?” he asked. When someone told
him it was over 60 miles away, he responded, “You all live in the boondocks!” His listeners
quickly realized that
not only is David Ring
passionate about
encouragement, the
man is funny. As one
student quipped while
walking back to the
school after the service, “He should have
been a comedian!”
Perhaps, but Ring’s
humor does not seem
contrived or scripted;
rather, it is evidence
16 | The Crusader
of a joy that has been born of contentment and a zeal for living. “God
never says ‘Oops’ about any of His creations…everything that you have
been through, God put you through because He knew that you could
handle it. ‘I am blessed’ is the story of everyone!” Ring went on to spur his
listeners to the action of encouraging others while being continually joyful
and content: “If you need encouragement, be encouragement; if you need
joy, be joyful. Everyone is in the ministry of encouragement.”
Senior Andrew Shumake commented on the presentation, saying afterward, “(Ring) used his unique story to share what God has done in his life.
His story is different and that makes him interesting to listen to…he didn’t
just jump right into his message, he took time and connected with us.”
Overall, the reactions to Ring’s presentation were overwhelmingly positive,
with many commenting on the possibility of him visiting SBA again in the
future. Maybe Mr. Ring will be headed back to “the boondocks” sooner
than he thinks!
Visit www.DavidRing.org to learn more about David Ring’s ministry.
Jr. High Science Fair
Shariah Brockel (‘20)
O
n the afternoon on March 23, the SBA 7th and 8th graders had the
privilege of presenting the annual Jr. High Science Fair.
We had many kinds of projects, from electricty to guns to basketball,
but overall, the whole class did an outstanding job preparing, displaying
and presenting their projects. Autumn Hoffman commented, “I learned that
writing out, executing and concluding a Science Fair project takes a lot
longer than I first thought.” Aaron Hoffman said, “I learned it takes a lot
of concentration to do a Science Fair project.”
There were four awards given out for the projects. The first award was
given for the “Coolest Board Design.” This prize was awarded to Hannah
Appel. The “Coolest Idea” was awarded to Shariah Brockel. The Overall
Runner-up was presented to Autumn Hoffman and Best Project Overall
was given to Shariah Brockel.
Through all the projects, the goal was to give God the glory, which was
the theme chosen for the Science Fair this year. Revelation 4:11 is a good
verse to remember. It says, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive
glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will
they were created and have their being.”
The Crusader | 17
Elementary Update
Megan Hall
I
n the last three months in the lower elementary class, we have celebrated our 100th Day of school, had some super readers in the “Follow the
Yellow Brick Road” reading challenge and celebrated finishing our novel
by having our first annual second grade fair. Along with all the fun things
we have done, kindergarten has started reading paperback books and
even having spelling words each week along with the rest of the class.
First graders started learning two-digit addition and subtraction and
are becoming better readers
each day. Second graders
read their first novel together
this year and learned some
important lessons on hard
work and dedication. We
ended the novel by planning
a county fair. Each student
had to come up with a game
for the fair and could bake a
pie to compete for the prize of best tasting pie, which Dominic Kalacinski
won by a total of one vote! We enjoyed seeing some of the parents and
having the other elementary class participate in the event, playing each
game with real tickets.
Lastly, if you have a chance and see one of the lower elementary students, ask them what they are learning about all the different animals in
God’s creation; you might be surprised to learn something new about an
animal you thought you knew well.
Above: The second
grade boys welcome
guests to their fair.
Left: Celebrating the
100th Day of School
are, from left, Tate
Michaelis, Jimmy
Burma, Daraby
Boersma (front),
Owan Watson, Jesse
Lane, Julia Kalacinski,
Cole Anderson and
Domonic Kalacinksi.
18 | The Crusader
FFA Corner Post
Andrew Boersma
S
pring is in the air and it has already been
a productive spring semester for the FFA
program at SBA. A couple of highlights from
the semester so far include the PTF Pie Auction,
FFA Week and Spring CDE’s.
The FFA has come alongside the PTF to help
with the annual PTF Pie Auction. Students assisted by setting up the gym, checking in pies
and displaying pies at the live auction. This
is a great opportunity to involve the students
in the auction, promote the FFA program and
raise money for the school.
New this year was the school-wide celebration of National FFA Week,
which takes place the week of George Washington’s birthday in February. The celebration started with an art contest to promote FFA and agriculture. Students (and adults) created wonderful pieces including metal
sculptures, intricately designed wood pieces, and beautiful drawings that
captured the spirit of FFA and agriculture. A pep rally was held to award
the art contest participants and celebrate the week with a couple of
games that had everybody laughing for quite some time!
FFA students also organized a live animal exhibit and an equipment
safety demonstration during FFA Week. High school students offered
“hands-on” animal demonstrations to the elementary and junior high
students, which included sheep, steers (with Sammi Rogers, above), and a
horse. Equipment safety included tractors, skid-steers and four-wheelers
and highlighted the dangers of PTO’s (with Andrew Hoffman, below).
Currently, students are competing in Career Development Events. Many
of the students are new to these events, but they have been learning
fast! The horse judging team finished third out of fourteen teams and the
livestock judging team placed fourth
out of sixteen teams at the Redfield
event. Ag mechanics and farm/ranch
safety quiz bowl are two new events
that we have teams in this year.
Thanks for tuning in and be sure to
check out exploresdag.blogspot.com
for pictures and updates!
The Crusader | 19
MegaTeen 2015
Alexis Lane (‘15)
T
he gray clouds hung low in the sky on Friday, March 27, when approximately 270 students, sponsors and teachers came together in hopes
of a fun, God-centered weekend. Thus began MegaTeen 2015, a youth
retreat that has been hosted by SBA since its beginnings in 1994. MegaTeen draws students and youth groups from
around the state of South Dakota. While
at the retreat, students attend worship sessions (led this year by internationally known
speaker and author, Mark Cahill), participate in sports tournaments and scheduled
activities like movies and glow-in-the-dark
dodge ball, take part in workshops led by
SBA staff and youth sponsors from throughout the state and enjoy delicious meals.
While the hope is that each of the students have an enjoyable time, the focus is on learning more about God
and growing in a relationship with Him. Over the years, many students
have given their lives to Christ during MegaTeen, and this year was no
different. As Mr. Cahill presented his messages on evangelism and the
gravity and importance of sharing our faith with the lost, several students
made commitments to accept Christ. Mr. Cahill left students with the challenge to, “keep (their) guards up and always let (their) love of God trump
the fear of man.” He also gave students the assignment to share their faith
with at least one other person in the following 24 hours.
In all, MegaTeen was an event-filled, enjoyable weekend with plenty
of activities and time for serious worship. Though MegaTeen takes a lot
of work to host, the spiritual growth that occurs and the decisions that students make to give their lives for Christ make the work more than worthwhile for everyone involved.
20 | The Crusader
HOME
My home is old South DakotaWhere the cows graze and the winds stay.
Winter comes and goes as it pleases,
And dirt roads cover the earth as far as the eye can see.
Hills upon hills covered with cattle and horses,
Yet the next dirt hill brings new adventure
With the whistling wind and a hawk soaring,
What could you possibly want more?
An old, abandoned house with creaks and clatters
Held to show how settlers came upon these plains.
These plains are unique with several little streams of water.
Life in South Dakota came about by the settlers.
What hardship came about in this old but memorable land;
Land roamed by majestic herd of wild buffalo.
Not only were the beasts powerful, but they were mesmerizing.
And the thunder that came from powerful feet!
At such noise from the buffalo,
The little buck would leap with such joy and excitement.
Through the mighty travel that laid before the determined farmers
Became old South Dakota;
The place that gives me the chance to call this place home.
Many things have changed since the day the settlers came,
But one thing is for sure,
Nothing will ever change in the coyote’s howl in the distance,
Or the little cotton tail that hops around.
This is what we call freedom,
The love and determination of all who suffered and gave me my home,
My place where I belong.
by Tierney Connell
The Crusader | 21
Crusader Athletics
SBA’s winter sports seasons have concluded. Here, the head coaches
reflect on their seasons...
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL by Lindsey Hettich
fter losing ten players from last season’s team, seven of whom were
varsity players (including a career 1,000 point scorer), many expected the Lady Crusaders to be in a rebuilding year. However, the Lady
Crusaders had other plans and after working hard in the off-season they
came out ready to show that they were a competitive team. With a number of young and inexperienced players, there was a strong emphasis on
fundamentals and basic game knowledge this year and a lot of growth
occurred for the team throughout the season. In addition to sharpening
their basketball skills, the team spent time studying the book of I Thessalonians. Through these devotions, and their time spent working together, the
team built stronger relationships with the Lord and with each other; qualities that will reap benefits for years to come.
Through their 9-10 record on the season,
The Lady Crusaders were led by their seniors:
Cassie Beckwith, Heather Deal, Jana Hunt, Rebekah Konechne and Jessie Roghair. The team
used their strengths, defense and rebounding,
to keep their opponents in check and relied
on their posts and some three point shots in an
effort to out-score the other team. According
to Cassie Beckwith, “Basketball this year was
wonderful. So many of the girls worked hard
before and during the season and I was so
blessed to be a part of such a God-honoring
team!”
Some of the highlights of the season were
earning the number three seed for districts, as well as having four players earn all-conference nominations: Cassie Beckwith and freshman Susan
Wilken were awarded third team and Rebekah Konechne and Sarah
Pedersen earned honorable mention.
Despite graduating a great senior class, the future remains bright for
the Lady Crusaders. The seniors left a legacy by putting considerable
time and effort into helping the next group of players improve in their
skills in preparation for what is to come.
A
22 | The Crusader
BOYS’ BASKETBALL by Jamie McClain
he SBA Boys’ basketball team finished
the season with a record of 9-12. The
Crusaders entered the district 4B tournament as the fourth seed and defeated
Lower Brule 76-46 in the first round.
The season ended the next evening with
a loss to Hitchcock-Tulare in the district
semi-final.
Jaden Brockel led the team in scoring
average this season with 22 points per
game, while Malachi Clark pulled down
11.6 rebounds a game. Brockel was a
281 Conference first team all-conference
selection.
The guys made great strides in the
face of many challenges throughout the
season, played hard every game, and represented SBA admirably.
T
All-Conference Selections
Jaden Brockel (below right) was named to the 281 All-Conference First
Team.
All-Conference girls’ team members included , left to right, Susan Wilken
(third team), Sarah Pedersen and Rebekah Konechne (honorable mention)
and Cassie Beckwith (third team).
The Crusader | 23
WRESTLING by Jason Burma
he definition of perseverance is remaining diligent in spite of difficulty or opposition. The five wrestlers who competed in wrestling this
year were challenged to persevere not only in the wrestling room, but in
competition also. A smaller team for the 2015 brought challenges to the
practice room, but also proved to be a blessing as using a “hands on”
teaching approach was much easier. Assistant coach Justin Hunt stated
that “Sometimes with sickness and injuries it was hard to find practice
partners but the number issue was actually a blessing when we were
teaching technique. We could actually teach, critique, and then reinforce
techniques we otherwise would
have missed trying to help other
groups.” Juniors Denver Paul
(bottom) wrestling at 138, and
Chris VanHeuvelen at 152 led
the group this year in the practice
room and at duals and tournaments. Chris ended with 21-13
record, while Denver ended with
a 26–18 record. Assistant coach
Hunt also said that sophomore
Jed Konechne and Jace Burma,
an eighth grader, made huge
strides in their wrestling abilities. Hunt concluded by saying,
“It was fun to watch the younger
wrestler’s progress and start to
understand situations. They were
able to pull off some big wins
because of this.” Jed Konechne (top) ended with a 13 -21, while Jace
Burma ended his season with a 10 -19. Freshmen Evan Lopez sustained
a season ending knee injury in practice and had to sit out the remainder
of the year. Head coach Jason Burma highlighted some of the achievements of the year by saying. “I was proud of these guys’ willingness to
come in and work hard each and every day. Watching them win a dual
by winning each match was a highlight for me. Also seeing the amount of
other wrestlers we had beaten throughout the year who made it to state
in other regions showed not only me, but also the young men that despite
difficulty and delays, we were a lot closer to achieving that state berth or
placing.”
T
Top: Jed Konechne. Bottom: Denver Paul.
24 | The Crusader
2015 Girls Track Team
Back, L to R: Staci Seaman, Emily Chaney, Cassie Beckwith, Sarah Pedersen, Helen Wilkinson, Alexis Lane
Front, L to R: Tierney Connell, Susan Wilken, Shariah Brockel, Hannah Appel, Savanna Roghair
2015 Boys Track Team
Back, L to R: Joseph Lane, Jaden Brockel, Joseph Lopez, Christopher Hass,
Dylan Bowar, Ben Deal
Front, L to R: Denver Paul, Jace Burma, Travis Hass, Jade Burma, EJ Big
Eagle
The Crusader | 25
SBA
Foundation
David Paul, Chairman
I
nterest rates at the banks
in the mid 1980’s were high, 15 to
18 percent or higher. For bank depositors these were good times. For
borrowers such as farmers and ranchers, these were hard times. As a
rancher then I envied those who had “money in the bank” and were
receiving those high interest rates. Today, my wife Janet and I have some
“money in the bank.” But it’s just not the same now. The banks don’t really
pay interest on savings or CDs any more. So, we could invest money in
stocks and bonds. But we will need to keep in mind that this could be a
plus or even a minus investment.
Investing God’s money in the students at SBA has the biggest payout of
any investment we can come up with. Each graduating senior class is the
highest return ratio for dollars invested. For Christ’s sake, we invest here.
What is
that?
We had only one correct response to the picture in our last
issue, making the winner of the
t-shirt SBA alum Brady Brockel.
The picture was of of the locks
on the student mailboxes in the
dining hall.
If you think you know what this
picture is, e-mail your answer,
along with your name, to:
sunshinebibleacademy
@gmail.com by June 6.
Have fun!
26 | The Crusader
Livestock
Program
Stephen Frusher, Director
O
nce again spring is here, or so it seems.
Winter weather could still be in the
forecast, but we are enjoying warm days at present. Baby calves, lambs,
and colts are running around and kicking up their heels. There should not
be significant loss of baby calves due to bad weather. However, I sense
a palpable concern that the weather will stay too dry and hot, which can
cause a shortage of water, hay and pasture. A wise rancher once told me
that if he did not lose 5% of his calves to bad weather, he would not have
adequate feed for the other 95%.
As I thought about that, I wondered if there was a spiritual application.
The bad weather or spiritual adversity could cause difficult times in our
lives. How will we allow difficult times to affect us? Will we draw closer to
the Lord as he is the one to supply all our needs? How will we allow good
or easy times to affect us? Will we rely on the Lord or on our own strength
when cattle prices are high and gas prices are low? Whatever our circumstances, we should not allow it to change our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and
whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat
comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of
drought nor cease to yield fruit.”
Wheat farmers tell me that some drought or stress is good for the
wheat plant as it forces the roots to go deeper in search of moisture and
sustenance. What are our spiritual lives rooted in? Are we rooted deep
in Jesus Christ and God’s Word or are we superficially rooted in worldly
pursuits? Only Christians rooted deep in the Lord will survive the winds of
adversity that come our way.
One way to help young people become grounded and stay rooted in
Jesus Christ and His Word is to help support Christian education at SBA.
The faithfulness of the SBA Livestock Program supporters is greatly appreciated and helps with SBA finances.
We are thankful for the high cattle prices at this time. Thank you for
donating places for me to stay and for the delicious food provided to me
while I am traveling for SBA. Please pray for rain for the coming spring
and summer. I plan to see all the cattle supporters next fall.
The Crusader | 27
Gifts
Gift Given By
In Honor of
Given to General Fund John & Vicki Healy
Victoria Healy
Owen & Delaine Shay
Ken Shay
Gift Given By
In Memory of
Given to General Fund
Lorraine Augspurger Jim DeGeest
Daniel & Deanna Bartkowski
Lenanda Swaney
Ronald & Donna Ehlers
Allen & JoAnn Kellogg
Andrew & Carol Brantley
James T. Rudesill
Andrew & Carol Brantley
Donald Weiss
Kent & Janet LaDue
Jesse Moreland
Kent & Janet LaDue
Jean Brockel
Lyle & Joyce Wyatt
Wilma Wyatt
Terie Beasley
Millard Seaman
Harold & Thelma Grimm
Allen & JoAnn Kellogg
Larry & Sherry VanZee
Tom & Helen VanZee
Dale & Ruth Paulson
Jack & Arla Veldheer
Frank & Mary Roraff
Joe Saboloni
Harold Delbridge
Jesse Moreland
Jack & Ramona Ufen
Arla Veldheer
Gale & Denise Svennes
Ardis Elenkiwich
John & Vicki Healy
Ellwyn Healy
Grace Evangelical Free Church
Michael Weems
Carroll & Janis Brockel
Zane Dickinson
Carroll & Janis Brockel
Joe Burns
Carroll & Janis Brockel
Virgie Stulken
Carroll & Janis Brockel
Dennis Beitelspacher
William & Sarah Brindley
Jesse Moreland
Kathryn Spring
Jesse Moreland
Wes & Sue Labrier
Jesse Moreland
Steve & Margaret Frusher
Virgie Stulken
Craig & Lori Brockel
Virgie Stulken
Gaven & Martha Banik
Edna Banik
Steve & Margaret Frusher
Ardath Hinman
28 | The Crusader
Given to Building Fund
The following families gave memorials in memory of Richard Warner:
Mark & Shirley Barber, Catherine Kindt, Dwayne & Verda Hofer, Merlyn
&DeAnn Hilmoe, David & Barbara Gulk, Del & Joyce Bauer, Mary Ellen
Howard, William & Phyllis Zimmerman, Mark & Denise Venner, Buddy
Welch, John Whitney, Terry & Julie Hutchison, James Feeney, Kathy
Hutchison, Travis Hutchison, Melvin & Linda Shipley, Dan Todd, Craig &
Lori Brockel, Tom & Nancy Lorenzen, Steve & Margaret Frusher, Tom &
Joanne Young, Harry & Kay Thomas, Neil & Mary Lou Goucher, Kendall &
Sharon Smith & Lois Warner.
Given to Scholarship Funds
Robert & Janice Morgan
E. Stanley Morgan Scholarship
David & Janet Paul
Roger Paul Memorial Scholarship
Given to Foundation
Ken & Jean Shay
Roger Paul Memorial Scholarship Fund
Dan Todd
Amy Warner(Warner-Todd Scholarship Fund)
Your gift to SBA is an investment in the future. Every dollar is used to help fund our mission, providing God’s Truth
for Today’s Youth.
For information on planned giving and estate planning,
visit www.sunshinebible.org and click on “Giving.”
For the convenience of online giving anytime,
visit www.sunshinebible.org and click on the
“Donate to SBA” button in the upper right hand
corner of any page.
The Crusader | 29
Alumni News
BIRTHS
LIFE CHANGES
A 6 lbs 9 oz baby girl, Gabrielle
Lynn, was born to Nicholas & Kaylyn (Burma ‘06) Doney on January
26, 2015. She joins her 2-yearold brother, Gatlin James. The
family resides in Rapid City, SD.
Grandparents are Lynn Doney of
Chamberlain and Preston & Amy
Burma of Platte.
Don Ehrismann (‘63) and his wife,
Pam, have been hosting state campgrounds in Missouri the last two summers. “It’s been fun helping people
enjoy God’s great creation and nature,” Ehrismann said. This year is
their 50th anniversary, and they are
planning on going to Alaska with
their 5th wheel camper.
HOMEGOINGS
REUNION
Wally Hellesvig, husband of Beverly (Knels 1965) went home to
be with his Lord and Savior Feb
2, 2015.
The SBA Class of 1995 will be having
a reunion this summer.
The reunion will be July 17-19 at
Cedar Canyon Camp and Retreat in
Rapid City.
Shiloh Appel (‘12) with a new friend she met in
Kathmandu, Nepal. Shiloh concluded six months of
mission work in Jaipur, India at the end of March.
30 | The Crusader
Calendar
Upcoming events...
APR
14
SBA Track Meet
Huron High School
APR
24
Junior/Senior Banquet
Pierre
APR
30
Spring Play - “The Old Faith, Hope and Charity”
7:15 p.m. - East Gym
MAY
1
Track & Bible Day - Elementary Students
Visit www.sunshinebible.org for more information.
MAY
7
Awards Night
7:00 p.m. - Event Center
MAY
13
Junior/Senior Dedication
7:45 p.m. - Chapel
MAY
15
Spring Concert
7:15 p.m. - Event Center
MAY
18-20
Final Exams
MAY
24
Baccalaureate/Commencement
10:30 a.m./2:30 p.m. - Event Center
A complete calendar can be found at
http://www.sunshinebible.org/Calendar.html
The Crusader | 31
Address Service Requested.
400 Sunshine Drive | Miller SD 57362
SUNSHINE BIBLE ACADEMY
For more information:
www.sunshinebible.org | 605.853.3071