Write On! - Timothy Christian Schools

Transcription

I N S I D E : G R A N D PA R E N T S ’ D AY 2 0 0 9
A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T I M OT H Y C H R I S T I A N S C H O O L S
Write On!
FALL 2009
34
Ta b l e
o f
C o n t e n t s
Cover Story
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Write On!
Beyond Belief
A PUBLICATION OF TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
FALL 2009
We don’t know how many we may have missed, but we’ve discovered
a significant number of Timothy alumni who are published authors
and thought you should know about them and their work. Two are
featured in a far-ranging interview: Travis Thrasher ’89 and Caryn
Rivadeneira ’90.
Editor
The Reflector is published twice each year and is a publication of the Timothy Christian
Dave Larsen
Schools Board of Directors. Timothy is a member of Christian Schools International and
News Reporter
Special Feature Insert
Cindy Van Kampen
Grandparents’ Day 2009
Every other year we welcome Grandparents for a
special day celebrating God’s faithfulness to his people
through the generations of faith. Catch a glimpse of this
wonderful day in our photo insert.
Photography
Rudi Gesch
is accredited by the Commission on Schools of the North Central Association of Colleges
and Schools.
The Reflector is mailed free of charge to Timothy alumni, members of the Timothy
Christian School Society, and supportive friends.
Jim Hartgerink
The purpose of this publication is to foster strong ties between Timothy Christian Schools
Cindy Van Kampen
and its alumni/society members, to nurture Christian education in the school and in the
family, and to better inform its readers of the activities of Timothy Christian Schools.
Design and Layout
CHANGEffect
Printing
Darwill Press
Letters to the Editor
2
Reflection
Board of Directors
11
Campus News
21
Elementary and Middle
School News
President
Bob Van Staalduinen
Lombard Christian Reformed
Director
Knollcrest Funeral Home
28
Board of Directors’ News
29
Support Group News
30
Alumni News
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From the Archives
Alumni are especially encouraged to submit news and photos.
We reserve the right to edit.
High School Principal
Clyde Rinsema
P-8 Principal
Dr. Tim Hoeksema
P-8 Assistant Principal
Susan Schemper
Advertising rates:
Full page: $400
1/2 page: $225
1/4 page: $150
1/8 page: $75
new addresses.
2
High School News
[email protected].
Superintendent
Dan Van Prooyen
Please inform the school of any change of address by providing both the old and
Departments
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We welcome letters and comments to the editor, addressed to the school or by e-mail:
188 W. Butterfield Road
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Phone: (630) 833-4616
Fax: (630) 833-9238
www.timothychristian.com
Vice President
Julie Huisman ’90
Faith Christian Reformed Church,
Elmhurst
Homemaker and Not-for-Profit Volunteer
Secretary
Bob Stoll ’87
Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church
Operations Manager
Metavante Corporation
Treasurer
Steve Loerop ’89
Owner and Manager
Drummond Industries, Inc
Financial Secretary
Jim Allen ’86
Elmhurst
Major Account Executive
Allied Waste Chicago
John Bone
Trinity Presbyterian (PCA), Hinsdale
Managing Director
Dispute and Forensic Services
Stout Risius Ross
Russ Clousing
Financial Representative
New England Financial Services
Diana De Boer
Elmhurst
Homemaker and Volunteer
David DeVries
President
S.E.T. Environmental Services
Steven Denny
Christ Church of Oak Brook
Attorney
Jake Groenewold ’75
Vice President of Supply Chain
University Health Systems Consortium
Luis Hernandez
Willow Creek Community Church,
South Barrington
Mortgage Planner
1st Advantage Mortgage
Denise Stob
Western Springs Christian
Reformed Church
Homemaker and Volunteer
Bill Terpstra
Program Management and Global
Documentation
Motorola, Inc.
Deb Torringa ’75
Fountain of Life Church, Lombard
Orthodontics Treatment Coordinator
Faith Lee ’77
Writer and Editor
Nancy Van Dyke ’77
Lombard Christian Reformed Church
Owner, Budget Blinds
Tom Lubben
Vice President, Corporate Secretary
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Floyd Vander Meer
Wheaton Christian Reformed Church
President
K-V Applied Systems
Caryn Rivadeneira ’90
Author and Editor
Paul Zigterman
Lombard Christian Reformed Church
Attorney
Allstate Insurance Company
L e t t e r s
t o
t h e
E d i t o r
R e f l e c t i o n
Timothy Reflector,
I receive and enjoy reading the Reflector. As both a TCS
graduate and home schooling mother of three, Christian
education is of utmost importance to me.
Therefore I was saddened to read in the spring edition
that President Obama was the focus of the Black History
Program. This man is a strong supporter of abortion
rights and holds many views that are diametrically
opposed to Biblical values. I would rather have seen a
focus on someone such as Clarence Thomas as a positive
role model, a black man achieving our nation’s highest
court in a lifetime appointment.
God bless you as you continue to lead our current
generation of students in these times.
Maureen Moore Barnes ’73
School Response: Last year our Black History assembly
did focus on the history making election of President
Barack Obama. The program was not political in nature.
Given the long and difficult history of race relations in our
nation, the election of the first African-American president
was worthy to note and celebrate.
Clyde Rinsema, High School Principal
R e f l e c t i o n
The Power of the
Written Word
A recent television newsmagazine featured a unique book
club. The story of its unlikely origin is compelling.
On his walk to work each day a Boston lawyer came to
know a homeless person. They exchanged greetings and
pleasantries but eventually ran out of things to say beyond
the weather or the latest sports news. One day the lawyer
gave his friend a favorite book of his. As they discussed the
book a friendship developed.
Later the lawyer learned that his homeless friend gave the
book to another homeless person, a fellow reader. Together
the lawyer and the homeless person started the Homeless
Book Club, and the concept and results are being replicated
across the nation.
The Homeless Book Club meets every Tuesday in a church
conference room. The books are purchased by the lawyer.
He wanted to buy lunch, too, but the other members
declined. They wanted the group to be something greater
than a free lunch—a different kind of nourishment.
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“The power of the written
word shouldn’t surprise Christ
followers. God revealed himself
in creation, in his Son Jesus
Christ, and in a special form of
incarnation, through words of
very human authors guided by
the Holy Spirit.”
What did they notice? It was a place and time to escape.
They talked about and questioned things. They felt a
dignity because their thoughts were listened to and honored.
Somehow all of them were more human together.
You might say that this particular experience also had a
happy—almost fairytale—ending. The homeless man had a
moving violation on his record, which disqualified him for
subsidized housing. The lawyer assisted. The homeless man
is now in housing and working as a church custodian.
This edition of the Reflector features the work and callings
of alumni authors. You’ll note the rich variety to their craft.
In the midst of the diversity, however, is the unifying belief
that words have meaning, ideas are worth discussing, and
the creative imagination has everything to do with being in
the image of God. We’d like to believe—and some of them
say so—that Timothy Christian Schools played a role in
equipping and inspiring these authors. One of the elements
of our mission and vision for Timothy is precisely that: “We
prepare students to be articulate defenders and models of
the Christian faith in thought, word, and deed.”
As the lawyer and the homeless person discovered, words
have power. The power of the written word shouldn’t
surprise Christ followers. God revealed himself in creation,
in his Son Jesus Christ, and in a special form of incarnation,
through words of very human authors guided by the Holy
Spirit. Ever since those words were commissioned, the
truth has been plain to see. Good writing at the hands of
Christians and non-Christians alike has the power to help
us see life more truthfully.
Editor’s Note: I inherited this plum assignment from legends Rose and Everett Van
Reken and Larry Vander Leest ’66. I shared with them the privilege of telling the
story of how busy God is at Timothy Christian Schools, and tried whenever possible
to serve as a cheerleader for Christian education. As I leave Timothy for service
elsewhere, it is my prayer that Timothy Christian Schools will continue to develop
academically prepared Christian disciples of Jesus Christ, ready and willing to live
their faith beyond belief. I have been blessed to be part of that process. And now
I pass this wonderful task to friend and marketing director Rudi Gesch. Please
welcome him as the new Reflector editor.
Dave Larsen
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Reflector
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F e a t u r e
A r t i c l e
An Interview with Timothy Authors
Caryn Rivadeneira ’90 and
Travis Thrasher ’89
Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted over Thai food
in a Glen Ellyn restaurant. I was impressed with the depth
of interest the authors had in each other’s work and the
encouragement given to their sense of calling. What follows
is an edited version of our 70-minute conversation.
T: “A big step for me was working at
Tyndale House Publishers learning
the business side of writing. I worked
in author relations, serving as a
liaison between the publishing house
and the author.”
Thrasher: “I’ll let you talk first since you have a mouth full.”
Rivadeneira: “For me it was when I was seven at Jackson
School in Elmhurst. We were learning about poetry, and
we were writing limericks in class, and I loved writing
those. I wrote a book of limericks then, and my teacher
mimeographed it and put a copy in the library, and that did it
for me. That was my first memory of that creative process.”
R: “I came to realize through
editing and writing for magazines
for Christianity Today how crazy
the business side of writing can be!
One of the hardest parts is putting together the proposal
for a book. Once that’s accepted, it’s almost as if the book
part is easy.”
E: “So that was someone actually affirming your gift.”
T: “I know mine exactly, too. It was at Munich Germany
International School, and I remember my third grade
teacher encouraging me in my writing. I think she saw that
I liked writing, and I wrote these cool pirate stories. I was
always interested in telling stories. I wrote my first novel
in ninth grade. It was an awful story about the Mob. Now
I tell people who ask about writing to ‘finish what you’ve
started’ because, while that one was never published, I
knew that if I did it once I could do it again.”
R: “I can point to teachers and professors who affirmed my
gifts as a student. When I began editing magazines after
college, I found that other side of writing to be fascinating.
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R: “That’s a good point. My husband is very encouraging
and incredibly supportive. There is something different
about the writing life. It takes a lot of my focus and energy.
So it’s important to have your family understand that.”
E: “Was there a point at which you first thought that your
love of writing could possibly be a career for you?”
Editor: “Let’s start with this: What are some of your earliest
recollections of wanting to become a writer?”
E: “You mentioned some people—teachers—who got you
started in your career. Who else would you point to as
influential in your writing careers?”
T: “In some sense I came from a family of writers. Both my
parents write non-fiction and encouraged me along the way,
even though my father is not a fiction lover. And my wife,
Sharon, in practical ways, validated that writing was not
just a hobby for me. Writing takes time.”
E: “I’m hoping that there are Timothy students or alumni
who will read this interview and believe that writing is
within reach. You’ve both talked about having writing
space and the discipline it takes to do your work. Tell me
more about that.”
In a way being an editor of other people’s writing, and
working with some of the best editors and ‘word people’
around, influenced my writing. That’s where I really got the
‘craft part’ of communicating thoughts clearly on paper.”
R: “A lot of it has to do with personality. I’m always
gathering my thoughts and reacting to what I see and hear
for future reference. I’ll come home from worship services
with all kinds of scribbled notes full of ideas for writing. So
it’s not necessarily sitting down and thinking about what
to write. I’ve already started in my mind. I try to write
something everyday; the time when I do it varies.”
T: “Everybody has their own voice and worldview. I tell
people I’m a good writer—not the best and not the worst.
But I’m probably one of the most disciplined. I’m not
necessarily disciplined in a lot of things, but I am when it
comes to writing.”
R: “If I ever feel that I have nothing to write about I’ll go
through a writing exercise to get things going. I’ll write
until I find a great sentence, for example, and then move on
from there. It also helps to have a writing group who can
validate if what you’re writing is worth it or not. They come
to know my voice and style.”
T: “I would guess that your editing background helps you
also. I know editors who would also be great writers.”
E: “Do either of you ever feel trapped in a Christian ghetto
of sorts, wishing for a mainstream audience?”
R: “Well, of course, it’d be great to have Christians and
non-Christians alike reading my stuff. But especially since I
write non-fiction based largely on my own experiences, it’s
hard to hide the Jesus stuff. It just comes out. Often more
strongly than I intend.”
T: “I get that question sometimes at book signings. For me a
door opened for writing in the Christian arena, but people
have different expectations of what that means. Like you
Caryn, I can’t help but write as a Christian. My job first
and foremost is to tell a good story. Anytime I do that my
worldview will come out.”
E: “Who do you enjoy reading regularly and why?”
R: “I just finished two Anne Tyler novels. Now I’m reading
Scot McKnight’s The Blue Parakeet.”
T: “The last great novel I read was The Angel’s Game by
Carlos Ruiz Zaphon.”
E: “Is there anything that you can suggest that would
encourage children to become good writers?”
R: “I guess I would want that rephrased. I wouldn’t want to
encourage all children to become writers . . . “
T: “Hey, we’re talking about competition here . . .”
continued on next page u
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R: “I think it’s
important for all
children to be able
to recognize good
writing and for us
to encourage kids in
their writing. When
my son, for example,
writes something
that’s really good, I’ll
make copies and hand
them out to friends
and family. That’s a
real encouragement
to him.”
E: “Interesting.
Our second grade
granddaughter just
produced her first
newsletter and stuffed mailboxes up and down her street
with a call to arms about neighborhood vandalism.”
T: “To me, persistence is the key. It’s one thing to dream about
wanting to be an NBA player, but either you have that talent or
you don’t. But in writing, you can hone your skills. You don’t
have to be the most talented writer to be successful.”
T: “By the way, Caryn, didn’t you write in Timothy’s fine
arts book?”
R: “I did. In fact, I mention the Fine Arts anthology in
my book.”
T: “You have to have thick skin to deal with critics and
criticism.”
R: “And to deal with teachers and editors.”
E: “My hunch is that both of you have the next book or
project in view. Is that right?”
R: “I’ve got a bunch in view, but the one that’s being
shopped is about how to love your life even when it’s
nothing like it was supposed to be.”
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T: “It would take another hour to share all the projects
I have in the works. I have three works coming in the
next year, including a special love story coming out this
December.”
Got a Fake I.D.: How to Reveal the Real You Behind All
That Mom was published in 2009. Caryn lives with her
husband and their three children in Elmhurst, Ill., and she
recently was elected to the Timothy Board of Directors.
E: “One last question: Is there anything else about Timothy
that you would like our Reflector readers to know?”
After college, Travis Thrasher ’89 landed a job at Tyndale
House Publishers as Author Relations Manager. He
worked for over a decade in that position, acting as liaison
between the publisher and the authors. But writing always
came first, and Travis was fortunate to have his first novel
published in 2000.
R: “I was at Timothy from fourth grade through high
school. Timothy’s greatest impact was on my view of life.
And it was always a very ‘writer-friendly’ place.”
T: “I would agree.”
R: “And when I went on to Calvin College I felt very
well prepared as a writer in comparison with my other
classmates. I also feel—now as a parent of Timothy
students—that careful thought is given to what appears
on reading lists and in the libraries. I find it to be a very
Reformed view of literature.”
T: “I was at Timothy for a year and a half. I got the sense—
and still do—of a Christian heart in what it stood for. I had
attended three high schools before Timothy, so to discover
the emphasis on Christians in art was very refreshing to
me. There was always a clear love of art, not just literature.
I remember so many of my classmates loving art, loving
acting. And in it they were seeking to honor the Lord. I’m
glad I can say that I graduated from Timothy.”
E: “Well this sounds like a very good place to wrap it up.
Thanks to both of you for this conversation and God’s
blessing on you as you continue to serve him with your
considerable gifts.”
Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira
’90 is the former managing editor
of Marriage Partnership and
Christian Parenting Today. She
has been writing for and speaking
to women for more than a decade.
Today she is the managing editor of
GiftedforLeadership.com, an online
community for Christian women in
leadership. Her first book Mama’s
Home) to suspense (Gun Lake; Admission; Blinded) to drama
(The Second Thief; Sky Blue) to even adventure (Out of the
Devil’s Mouth). Travis is married to Sharon Noorlag ’89.
At the end of the interview with Caryn and Travis a mutual
admiration society had developed, and they exchanged
signed copies of their books and best wishes to each other.
They also hinted at becoming regular readers of their
respective blogs. You can find out more about Caryn and
Travis by doing a Web search or finding their work on
Amazon.com.
Travis’s drive has allowed him to see a variety of books
published: from love stories (The Watermark; Three Roads
Alumni Authors
This edition of the Reflector introduces you to a group of
“an excellent legal suspense novel, with a strong biotech
talented alumni who share a love for writing. Some do it for backdrop. It reminded me of Michael Crichton’s latest novel,
a living, some alongside their living. Their collective body
Next, except that Blood Brothers is better.” Rick is also the
of work is quite diverse. We hope you’ll take the time to
author of the well-reviewed Davis Detective Mysteries, a
read about them and even consider reading something by
series of adventure, mystery novels for “tweens.”
them. Many of their titles may be found at Amazon.com or
Rick is a transplanted Chicagoan who spent 35 years in the
through your local bookseller.
Midwest before finally trading the certainty of winter and
mosquitoes for the risk of earthquakes. He now lives in the
San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Annette, their four
Rick Acker ’84
children, and two cats.
Rick Acker writes
his novels while
Rick says this, “It’s fair to say that my writing career
commuting to
started at Timothy. Mrs. York, who taught English at
and from his “real
Timothy, first encouraged me to write for publication. She
job” as a Deputy
praised my short stories and essays (probably more than
Attorney General
they deserved) and gave me the confidence to try to get
in the California
something in print.
Department of
Justice. His most recent novel, Blood Brothers, is an intense
sequel to the legal thriller Dead Man’s Rule. Christy awardwinning author Randy Ingermanson calls Blood Brothers,
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F e a t u r e
A r t i c l e
Timothy was also my first publisher. I started my writing
career in my junior year (1982-83) when I became a
columnist for the Timothy Trumpet. That led to a 10-year
career as a political commentator in a number of papers
and magazines. And it was during my years as a columnist
that I developed the skills that helped me become a
published novelist.”
Betty Birner ’78
Betty writes, “After
my graduation from
Timothy in 1978, I
attended Hope College
in Holland, Mich.,
where I worked on the
Anchor, the campus
newspaper, serving as
editor my junior year,
and also wrote for
the local newspaper,
the Holland Sentinel.
After graduating with
my B.A. in English, I worked for two years as associate
editor of Wood and Wood Products Magazine. In 1985, I
entered the Ph.D. program in Linguistics at Northwestern
University, where I received my doctorate in 1992. From
1993-1995, I held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Institute
for Research in Cognitive Science at the University of
Pennsylvania. Since 2000, I have held a position in the
English Department at Northern Illinois University, where
I am currently a full professor and serve as the Director
of Graduate Studies in English. In the summer of 2007, I
co-taught a course at the Linguistic Institute at Stanford
University. I have authored or co-authored five books and
32 journal articles and book chapters on linguistics, and am
currently writing a textbook on pragmatics.
I live in Arlington Heights, Ill., with my husband, Andrew,
who works in network security at W.W. Grainger, Inc., and
my daughter, Suzanne, who just completed her freshman
year at the California Institute of Technology. We are
members of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Arlington
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Heights, where I serve as church president and Andy plays
in the contemporary worship band.
As for Timothy’s role in all this, I’m grateful to John
Harkema, Joan Stob, and Marvin Wolterstorff for
encouraging my writing efforts while I was in high school.
And being co-editor of the Trumpet with Meredith Veldman
helped to kick off my brief career in journalism, while
Meredith herself was a great influence in my decision to go
to graduate school.”
Some of Betty’s most important publications are these:
2006. Birner, B., and G. Ward, eds. Drawing the
Boundaries of Meaning: Neo-Grecian Studies in
Pragmatics and Semantics in Honor of Laurence R. Horn.
Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
2002. Pullum, G.K., and R. Huddleston, in collaboration
with L. Bauer, B. Birner, T. Briscoe, P. Collins, D. Denison,
D. Lee, A. Mittwoch, G. Nunberg, F. Palmer, J. Payne,
P. Peterson, L. Stirling, and G. Ward. The Cambridge
Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. [Winner of the Linguistic Society of
America’s Leonard Bloomfield Book Award for 2001-2003.]
1998. Birner, B., and G. Ward. Information Status and
Noncanonical Word Order in English. Amsterdam: John
Benjamins.
1996. Birner, B. The Discourse Function of Inversion in
English. Outstanding Dissertations in Linguistics. NY:
Garland Publishing.
William Lenters ’59
Dr. Bill Lenters is a clergyman
ordained in the United Methodist
Church. In addition to writing
extensively for denominational
publications throughout his
pastoral career, Bill is the author of
The Freedom We Crave, Addiction
the Human Experience, and The
Church Cares.
David Van Drunen ’89
James Pethokoukis ’85
James is the Money & Politics columnist and blogger for
Reuters where he covers the nexus of Washington and
Wall Street.
Previously he was the economics columnist and business
editor at U.S. News & World Report magazine. Pethokoukis
is also an official CNBC contributor and appears frequently
on the network’s Kudlow Report, Power Lunch, and The
Call shows. In addition, he has appeared numerous times on
MSNBC, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN,
and Nightly Business Report on PBS.
James is a 1989 graduate of Northwestern University where
he double majored in Soviet politics and American history
and a 1991 graduate of the Medill School of Journalism. He
is also a 2002 Jeopardy! champion.
Mario Parker ’98
Ginger Huizenga Jurries ’60
Ginger is a graduate of Hope College and a member of
Christ Memorial Church in Holland, Mich. After taking a
Stephen Series course, she became interested in all aspects
of caregiving. A former teacher and a mother of two grown
children, she has served as a counselor at a local Christian
pregnancy center and, with co-author Karen Mulder, gives
caregiving seminars based on their co-authored book The
Compassionate Congregation: A Handbook for People
Who Care, published jointly by Faith Alive Christian
Resources and the Reformed Church Press.
the globe, including the Washington Post, New York Times
and Christian Science Monitor. I credit this all to my former
Timothy English teacher, Mrs. Tornow, who prodded and
encouraged me to join the school newspaper. It wasn’t
until years later that her words of support would echo in
my mind and lead me to pursue a career in journalism. To
this day, when deadlines beckon and assignments appear
especially daunting, I reach back for those words of
encouragement.”
“I’m a Chicago correspondent
for Bloomberg News, where
I cover breaking news in the
Midwest and also focus on U.S.
Energy policy. Prior to joining the
Chicago bureau, I was stationed
in the company’s Washington D.C.
office where I was on the general
assignment desk and often covered
stories on Capitol Hill and the White House. In addition to
Bloomberg, my byline has appeared in newspapers across
David Van Drunen is an ordained
minister in the Orthodox
Presbyterian Church, an attorney,
and Robert B. Strimple Professor of
Systematic Theology and Christian
Ethics at Westminster Seminary
California. He earned a J.D. from
Northwestern University School
of Law and a Ph.D. from Loyola
University Chicago. He and his wife
and son live in Escondido, Calif.
David writes, “As of July 2009 I have authored or edited
four books, most recently A Biblical Case for Natural
Law and The Law is not of Faith: Essays on Works and
Grace in the Mosaic Covenant. I will have three new
books published over the next 15 months: Bioethics and
the Christian Life (coming in October 2009); Natural
Law and the Two Kingdoms: A Study in the Development
of Reformed Social Thought (coming in January 2010);
and Living in Babylon: A Two Kingdoms Vision for
Christianity and Culture (coming in Fall 2010). For the
reader without theological training, the books of most
interest would be: A Biblical Case for Natural Law,
Bioethics and the Christian Life, and Living in Babylon.
I’ve also had dozens of articles and reviews published, a
number of which are available somewhere online.”
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F e a t u r e
A r t i c l e
Meredith Veldman ’78
Meredith describes herself as one of the “Veldman boys.”
She is the sixth child of Rich and Edith Veldman, the
sister of Rick, Randy, Russ, Ron, C.J., and Carol. She
is also the aunt of former and current Timothy students
Randy and Chris Veldman; Jason, Lissa, Rachel, Josh,
Kristen, and Jessica Veldman; James, Katherine, and
Meredith Van Den Berg.
She attended the Western Suburbs Christian School K-6
(1965-72), and Timothy Junior High and High School
(1972-78), where she played flute in the band and worked
on the Trumpet, ending up as co-editor with Betty Buikema
Birner her senior year.
Growing up in the Western Springs Christian Reformed
Church, she was active in the youth group, making a strong
impression on her youth pastor, Dave Larsen, as a bright
and dedicated young Christian.
After earning a B.A. in history from Calvin College,
Meredith went straight into a Ph.D. program in modern
European history, specializing in modern Britain at
Northwestern University and was awarded a Ph.D. She went
straight to Louisiana State University as Assistant Professor
in European history, where she is now an Associate Professor
specializing in 20th-Century European and 19th-20th
Century British history. She is also active in international
education on campus and was the winner of LSU College of
Arts and Sciences Undergrad Teaching Award.
She is married to Randy Nichols who is the Director of the
Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless, still dealing daily
with the ongoing tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.
Meredith’s books:
Fantasy, the Bomb and the Greening of Britain: Romantic
Protest, 1945-1980. (Cambridge University Press, 1995).
Cultural history of modern Britain—first section sets the
work of C.S. Lewis and J.R. R. Tolkien within its wider
historical context. She writes: “It’s out of print, but I’ve got
copies, should anyone actually want one!”
C a m p u s
The West: Encounters and Transformations (Pearson—3rd
edition due out next year). Co-author: This is a history of
Western Civilization, used in college history courses. I write
the first two chapters on ancient history, the chapter on the
Roman Empire, and all the modern chapters (1870-present).
Meredith writes: “A Timothy influence? Oh, absolutely. I
think the holistic approach of a Timothy education and its
commitment to the Calvinist doctrine of “sovereignty of
spheres”—that God is sovereign over all aspects of life and
so that all work is (or should be) a holy calling—helped
shape my approach to studying, writing, and teaching
history. More specifically, I owe two teachers an enormous
debt. Joan Stob was my sophomore American Literature
and my senior English Literature teacher, as well as
the faculty advisor on the Trumpet. Joan helped me to
recognize where my intellectual gifts lay and encouraged
me to pursue an academic career. And John Harkema as
well. Through four years of Latin, a variety of literature
and creative writing courses, his wholehearted pursuit of
excellence in teaching, and his emphasis on a life worth
living, John taught me how to read, how to write, how to
think, how to see. His influence was and is incalculable.”
Phyllis ’64 and Ken ’63 Wezeman
This husband and wife team are prolific authors, primarily
in publications focusing on children, counseling, church
education, and worship. Their titles are too many to
mention, but a Google or Amazon search will uncover vast
resources for anyone working in these areas of church life.
Phyllis is currently working to revise and update her outof-print book on HIV and AIDS for a different publisher,
which will be published with the title Through the Heart:
Creative Methods of HIV and AIDS Education. She points
to teacher Bess Tolsma as a significant influence: “She
encouraged me to explore and also encouraged projects that
met the interest of each of her students.”
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Some Assembly Required
By: Mary Sytsma
Editor’s Note: Elsewhere you will read in Rudi Gesch’s
column about the new “Worldview” program, encouraging
the presence of international students at Timothy. The
following article by former Timothy parent Mary Sytsma
describes their recent experience.
If you have ever purchased a piece of furniture that came
in a box with some complicated instructions in several
languages, you probably recognize the words “some
assembly required.” Imagine that box contains the parts of
a small stool. You pull out the top, see that it has potential
to be something useful, but it is still not going to hold the
weight of a person sitting on it, or give them much of a
vantage point, if they do sit on it. You pull the first leg out
of the box and fasten it to the seat. Putting that leg on the
ground, you let go and the stool falls over. You attach the
second leg, with the same result, although the stool has
slightly more stability than it did before. You attach the
third leg, and there it is! It’s a recognizable, usable, weightbearing stool.
“Our philosophy has always
been that if God sends young
people to us, we take them in.
It is part of what it means to
live out our family motto, ‘Be
an includer.’”
Our exchange daughter came to live with us in the fall of
2003. We had met her once or twice the spring before that
because she had called us to ask us to be her host family.
She had been in an exchange program at Waubansee High
The Sytsma family with Tina and her sister, Julie.
School in Naperville and wanted to stay in the U.S. to
finish her high school education. We agreed to meet her
and eventually to have her stay with us. Our philosophy
has always been that if God sends young people to us, we
take them in. It is part of what it means to live out our
family motto, “Be an includer.” That was something we
said to Jonathan every day before he got on the bus to go
to Timothy during his school years. Including Tina in our
family was a natural choice for us.
Tina is from Seoul, Korea, the eldest of two girls in her
family. She is bright, funny, loving, and she would be
Jonathan’s big sister for her junior year—we thought. Until
we found out from the counselor at Timothy that Tina
would need to attend Timothy for two years in order to
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get all the necessary credits for a diploma. Essentially, she
started her junior year over again. In the middle of the year
we told her she could stay for her senior year, too, if she
wanted. We loved her and we wanted her to relax and be
herself, without feeling like she was with us on a trial basis.
Since we were not part of any official exchange program,
such as Timothy’s new Worldview program, we charted
new territory for our own situation.
Sometimes Tina needed help with her homework, not that
she couldn’t grasp the concepts, but the language was
difficult for her. Dan helped her understand story problems
in her math course. I read novels and short stories out loud
to her so they would make more sense. One night she came
to me with a Bible assignment. She sat down on the couch
next to me. She explained that she was supposed to read
a passage from the Bible and write a personal reaction to
it. I asked her which passage she was supposed to read. She
thought the teacher had said the students could choose the
passages for themselves. Tina came to us without much knowledge of the Bible. Her
parents didn’t attend church much. Her grandmother was a
devout Catholic, but Tina’s experiences with church, faith,
and the Bible were pretty limited. I told her that I thought
we should read selected passages from Romans, what some
people call “the Romans road.” They are very familiar
passages to many of us, “all have sinned and fallen short of
the glory of God,” and, “for the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus,” and later, “there is
no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” When we finished, I asked Tina if she understood what we
had just read. She nodded. I asked her if she believed it. She
looked at me with tears in her eyes, “yes,” she whispered. I
said, “then you are a Christian. You belong to Jesus. We
are sisters in the Lord.” Things came together that night for
Tina in exactly the way God had planned all along. She had
plenty to write about in that paper.
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Later when I saw Timothy Bible teacher Mac Wiener, I told
him what had happened when Tina did her Bible assignment.
He told me the assignment had been to read a section from
an Old Testament prophet and write about that. Tina had
misunderstood the assignment completely, but we had done
the assignment the Holy Spirit had prompted.
Tina soaked everything in that Timothy had to offer. She
was involved in all kinds of activities, like Homecoming
court, soccer, and the musical. Her Christian education at
Timothy helped her to fill in her worldview. She was also
involved at church, going on a summer SERVE project with
the young people, becoming a part of the leadership team of
the youth group, and eventually making profession of faith.
She continued to be involved in our family, thriving at the
love of her new cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents—
all who modeled for her what living the Christian life looks
like. She absorbed the Christian faith like a sponge.
Her faith has had to bear the weight of some
disappointments. She has had some struggles along the
way. But six years after she moved into our home, Tina is
still a part of our family. In May she will graduate from
Calvin College with a major in Economics. During her
years at Calvin, she has been an active member of the
Korean Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. She is
a vibrant and amazing Christian young woman—one that
God has plans to use in his kingdom.
Tina came to us with all of this amazing potential.
Remember the three-legged stool? Once all the legs were on
the stool, that stool reached its full potential. For Tina and
so many other young people, that potential is reached when
church, home, and school work together.
Welcome to New Staff and
Farewell to Old
Kate Adams
Seventh Grade Science
Hello, my name is Kate Adams, and
I am excited to have the opportunity
to teach at Timothy Christian!
Throughout my life I have always
been in awe of God’s great creation
and look forward to sharing this
wonder with my students.
I grew up in Sheboygan, Wis., with my parents and two
younger siblings. I love doing things with my family like
playing games, camping, and laughing a lot. I attended
Sheboygan Christian School and Sheboygan County
Christian High School and then moved on to Calvin
College. While I was at Calvin, I was able to play on the
women’s soccer team for three years. I am excited to use
my knowledge of the game to do some coaching here at
Timothy. The education I received at Calvin was very
formative and made me even more aware of how much
I love the area of science. I give credit to my biology
professors who helped me take a deeper look into creation
and constantly discussed with me the role Christians
should have in caring for this world. This is something I
am very passionate about and look forward to having many
great discussions with my students about Christianity and
creation. I graduated this past spring in secondary education
with a major in biology and minor in health education. I
was married on August 7, 2009, to Vinnie Adams, who
is finishing up his last year at Trinity Christian. We are
currently living in Palos Heights.
For student teaching my last semester at Calvin, I was
placed at Holland Christian Middle School. I was leery
about the placement and not looking forward to the long
drive in Michigan winters. I contemplated requesting
another placement, but I am glad I did not. Through that
placement I was introduced to Dr. Hoeksema and made
aware of the opening at Timothy in the area of seventh
grade science—the same grade level in which I was doing
my student teaching. God had a plan for me all along.
When I was first introduced to Timothy and the people
here, I felt so welcomed. I was comfortable and excited for
the opportunity to teach in such a great school. Being able
to teach seventh grade science here at Timothy really is a
blessing from God, and I am looking forward to all the
excitement, challenges, and rewards of teaching the middle
school students at Timothy Christian.
Angela Gordon ’98
First Grade
Hi, I am Angela Gordon and I have
the awesome privilege of teaching
first grade this year. I attended
Timothy Christian for my high
school years and could not have
asked for a better experience. Who
knew that 11 years later I would
step foot back into the halls of Timothy Christian? I grew
up in the inner city of Chicago in an African-American
neighborhood. My father is the pastor at Lawndale
Community Church, so yes, I am a preacher’s kid! When
I arrived at Timothy as a young 14-year-old girl, I was
in culture shock. I had attended the same Chicago public
school for nine years before God led me to Timothy. The
students and teachers welcomed me with open arms.
My faith has always been important to me and was
deepened when I came to Timothy for high school. Having
small class sizes and intertwining our relationship with
Christ to all of our learning was tremendous.
After attending Timothy Christian I traveled to Upland,
Ind., to Taylor University and experienced another culture
shock, as Taylor is located in the middle of the cornfields.
This again proved to be an amazing experience, educational
opportunity, and faith journey for me. I studied elementary
education with a minor in early childhood. I have always
desired to be a teacher. I still remember as a little girl
making my brothers and neighbor friends endure my early
stages of teaching practices. I think lots of bossing around
took place, too, so I thank them for allowing me to practice
on them as I pursued my dream.
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After graduating from Taylor I returned to Chicago and
began teaching at Circle Rock Preparatory School in the
Austin Community, a similar neighborhood to Lawndale,
where I grew up. I taught second grade for one year and
then pre-kindergarten for two years. This was an inner
city Christian school. I had the privilege to teach children
about Christ while teaching them the skills they needed
academically. I loved every minute of it. During my third
year of teaching a deep desire grew inside of me; I wanted
to learn more about how to be a better teacher. I wanted
more strategies and skills for understanding the whole child
and learning to build better relationships with my students’
families. After researching, there was no better place in my
mind than the Erikson Institute.
I have just completed a three-year program at the Erikson
Institute and earned my masters in early childhood
education. I can hardly believe that I have been given the
opportunity to teach at Timothy. I was never familiar with
the elementary school side of Timothy, but as I have walked
the halls and met so many amazing people, I am in awe of
God’s presence. Everyone has been so welcoming and loving
just as they were when I was 14. God is good!
Ben Iwema
High School Mathematics
I am excited to join the strong
Christian community at Timothy.
I grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich.,
and attended college right down
the road at Calvin College. I
entered Calvin with thoughts of
becoming a chemical engineer. God
quickly made it clear that this was not where he wanted
me. I switched into education after one semester, and that
has been the best decision of my life. I graduated this past
spring with a secondary education degree with a major in
mathematics and a minor in physical education.
It has been a real blessing to live close to my family for my
entire life. My family has been and will continue to be a
major support system for me. My parents will officially be
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“empty-nesters” in the fall as Laura, my younger sister, will
be attending Kuyper College; Sara, my older sister, will be
starting her second year of teaching English as a second
language in South Korea, and I will be here at Timothy.
I am a little nervous to move into White Sox country as a
diehard Detroit Tigers fan and a big Detroit sports fan in
general. I will likely find additional rivals as a big Michigan
Wolverines fan. I love to play and watch all kinds of sports.
Much of my free time is spent playing soccer, basketball,
tennis, golf, softball, or any other outdoor activity. I hope to
use my athletic gifts to coach at Timothy. I have spent the past
two falls coaching boys’ junior varsity tennis. I am very excited
to coach girls’ junior varsity soccer in the spring at Timothy.
I am also passionate about Christian education. I have been
blessed to go to Christian schools my entire life. I hope to
be able to instill the strong Christian values and Christ-like
lifestyles that my teachers instilled in me. I look forward to
exploring with students how God has magnificently created
our world. Math provides a great context to explore the
beauty and perfection of our great God. I am excited to
be able to prepare the students at Timothy academically,
but I am most excited to prepare the students to be strong
followers of Christ. It is truly special to have an eternal
purpose in our lives that goes well beyond the classroom.
I cannot imagine a better place for a first-year teacher to
begin a teaching career. I have already experienced the
amazing Christian community at Timothy. When I visited
Timothy for my interview I was struck by the genuine
kindness I was shown by the entire staff. After I was offered
the position at Timothy, I was uncertain where God was
leading me. I was amazed to see an inbox full of emails from
the Timothy staff encouraging me in my decision and hoping
that I would join the staff. I was so impressed by this genuine
care that I knew this is where God was leading me. I am
excited to become a part of the amazing staff at Timothy.
Doug Pelt
High School and
Middle School Band
Timothy Christian has already
been a great blessing in my life.
I have taught band to grades 4-8
for seven years in public schools
here in Illinois. While I have
greatly enjoyed working with kids
and teaching them music, something always seemed to be
missing. As a follower of Christ, I know that people can
serve Him in many ways (see Colossians 3:23), but recently I
have felt the call to serve in a Christian environment. In July
I received news of the open band position here at Timothy.
Through prayerful consideration, I came to see that this
is where God was leading me. I am so very excited about
starting a new chapter in my life here at Timothy Christian!
I have had several experiences inside the walls of Timothy
prior to becoming a member of the staff here. As a close
friend and colleague of my predecessor Kevin Schoenbach,
I have been invited to adjudicate the Solo and Ensemble
festival in the past. I also played with the pep band at a
basketball game a few years ago and wrote several of the
song arrangements the pep band performs. Most recently,
I was invited to give a clinic to the middle school band this
past December. At all of the events mentioned, I was struck
by the friendliness of the staff members I met and the high
level of musicianship exhibited by the students.
Over the past few weeks, I have been coming to Timothy for
various meetings and to make plans for the coming school
year. Every time I walk the halls, I am met with friendly
greetings and smiling faces. I’m sure it is difficult to see Mr.
Schoenbach go, but all of the people I’ve spoken with in
recent weeks have been overwhelmingly welcoming to me.
Regarding my personal life, I have been married for five
years to my wonderful wife, Barbara. We live in scenic
Streamwood, Ill., and enjoy eating at good restaurants,
traveling together, and watching the Food Network. We both
attend Grace Lutheran Church in Streamwood, where I serve
as Music Minister and she teaches Sunday Kids Club. I enjoy
a few hobbies in addition to music, including photography,
cooking, and web design. I eagerly anticipate meeting the
parents and students I will be teaching this year!
Jenie Pries
Fourth Grade
I feel extremely blessed to be
teaching fourth grade at Timothy
this year! My first impressions of
Timothy were as a parent when
we moved here three years ago in
the middle of the school year. Due
to the Christian love shown by
the administration, staff, teachers, and students, our three
kids adjusted easily. I knew immediately that Timothy was
a very special place. Since then, I have seen many other
ways that Timothy is indeed a place where their mission
is truly carried out, and we have felt very blessed that our
children are being educated and nurtured here. This year, I
am excited to transition into a teaching position at Timothy,
where I can play a part in helping to fulfill the mission.
Since kindergarten, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, and
that desire only grew over the years. I attended public school
in eastern Iowa and then went to Concordia University
Chicago where I received a degree in elementary education
with a middle school social science endorsement. I then
moved to southern California to teach middle school and
had a wonderful experience there. After getting married
that summer, I moved to Florida where my husband was
living, and I taught there for three years. My husband’s job
then took us to his hometown in Wisconsin (Go Packers!)
where I taught for three years. By this time we had three
children, and I enjoyed staying home with them for a
number of years. Three years ago my husband’s job led
him to the Chicago area, and that is when we joined the
Timothy community. While taking classes to attain my
Illinois teaching certification, I switched over to working in
the business world temporarily—specifically in international
sales and running a nonprofit organization. I am thankful
for the broadened experience that these jobs afforded me
and now am eager to get back into the classroom. After
teaching a variety of subjects to grades 3-12, I am very
excited to be at the fourth grade level!
At Timothy, I hope to instill my own love of learning into
the students and learn each of their individual learning
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styles in order to teach and nurture them accordingly.
I also hope to deepen their understanding and love of
their Savior by teaching from a Christian perspective. I’m
looking forward to a wonderful year with my students and
their families!
Bill Ridder ’03
Seventh Grade Mathematics
Hello! I will be teaching seventh
grade math in place of the
legendary George Bosman, a
daunting task to face as I begin
this school year. I heard there were
potential openings at Timothy as I
finished working as a teacher aide
at Willowbrook High School second semester last year. I
contacted the high school about an opening, which then
referred me to the middle school for this position. I am very
excited to be on board back at my Timothy home, and hope
to continue the excellent work being done in the middle
school math classes.
I have been looking forward to being a teacher since I
wandered the halls of Timothy as a student. I was blessed
with amazing teachers all through high school, especially in
the area of math where I was strongest. I will never forget
the things Mr. Zylstra and Mr. Snoeyink taught me in their
respective classrooms. It was in those rooms where I decided
I would use my skills in math to pass on this blessing to
others as a teacher myself.
I graduated from Timothy in ’03, moving on to Taylor
University in Upland, Ind. There I continued in my path of
quality Christian education, receiving the tools I needed not
only to teach mathematics at a high level, but also to be a
well rounded person ready to shape other’s lives, too.
Since graduating from Taylor, I have been substitute
teaching in districts 88 and 86, as well as my most recent
teacher aide position in district 86. I have also been tutoring
one-on-one in math and standardized test preparation. I
have been trying to stay in education as much as possible as
I have been looking forward to a permanent school home. I
am very excited to have found just that, and am ecstatic to
be able to call Timothy that home.
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I truly feel that God has given me patience to wait for this
position that he has called me to now that I am where I
need to be professionally and spiritually. All throughout
my life I have always been taught, sometimes the hard
way, that everything that happens has a meaning. God has
a plan through all, and I am so happy that plan is falling
into place for me now. I look forward to seeing how He
plans on using me.
and climbing enormous mountains. After living in Phoenix
for two years, I decided to move back to the Chicagoland
area. The move back was brought upon by a special person
the good Lord suitably placed into my life. I met Bryan
shortly after I moved to Arizona, and we made the west
our adventure. In January, Bryan asked me to marry him
with the help of my second graders, and we tied the knot
on August 15 of this year. We are ecstatic to start our lives
together in a new place with new opportunities.
Laura Shaw
Fourth Grade
When I told my younger brother, a
member of our long line of Chicago
Christian graduates, that I was
going to be teaching at Timothy
Christian, he had one word for
me: “traitor.” I smiled at him and
laughed; he sensed my excitement
and gave me a giant brother hug. I grew up at Southwest
Christian and transitioned to Chicago Christian as a high
school student. The culture, friendships, and leaders at a
Christian school have made me who I am today. When I
walked into the doors of Timothy I felt at home. I felt the
security I did as a kid in school. I saw pictures and verses on
the walls that reminded me of the teachers and friends I had
in my youth. I can’t put into words how excited I am to be
teaching in such a strong Christian community.
After high school my heart was pulling me to Hope
College—camping up in Holland, Mich. as a kid held
great memories for me. That very first day of college (and
probably a long time before), I knew I wanted to be an
elementary school teacher. Kids are my cup of tea. While
at Hope I was lucky enough to spend a year in Australia
and broaden my education. I experienced a lot of joy and
some challenges living on my own in another country, and
it allowed me to find my true strength and fall into my place
in God’s world.
After graduating from Hope College in 2007 I decided
to follow my dreams of living in the west and moved to
Phoenix, Ariz. I was blessed with a unique second grade
teaching position at a Title 1 school. I spent much of my
extra time experiencing Arizona, camping in the desert,
Megan Venhuizen
High School Academic Support/
English
My name is Megan Venhuizen,
and I am very excited to be joining
the Timothy Christian staff as the
Academic Support teacher in the
high school.
I grew up in a family of four
girls in Manhattan, Mont. on a cattle ranch. I attended
Manhattan Christian School all my life, and during my
senior year of high school I spent some time volunteering
with two children with special needs. I had always wanted
to be a teacher, but this experience pushed me to go into
Special Education, something I had never considered before.
I went on to Calvin College, and as I took more classes my
desire to become a teacher grew stronger. After spending a
Farewell
Principals Tim Hoeksema and Clyde Rinsema had this
to say in bidding a fond farewell to the following staff
members:
George Bosman
George was featured as a retiree several issues ago, but
returned to Timothy on a part-time basis since then. He
says he is officially retired now, but you will be able to see
George and Carolyn often at Timothy events watching their
very active grandchildren.
summer teaching English in Eastern Europe, I felt a passion
to teach internationally upon graduation. God led me to
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to teach at the International School
of Tegucigalpa. Living and working in Honduras was an incredible
experience for me. Throughout my three years there, I
gained valuable teaching experience, but I also learned
to see God through a much wider lens. I gained a more
global perspective on God and the transforming work He
is completing in a different culture and nation. Living in a
Third World country also brought a lot of questions, most
of which I still don’t have the answers to, but I was blessed
to be surrounded by a community of believers in which
we could discuss those questions and grow together in our
continual search to know God more.
Leaving Honduras was a very difficult decision for me, but
experiencing the welcoming nature of the staff at Timothy
made it easier. Upon visiting Timothy for the first time this
summer, I immediately appreciated the friendliness of other
co-workers, as well as their clear devotion to their students.
I was encouraged by Timothy’s commitment to providing
the best Christian education possible for their students, and
I am excited to be part of a strong community dedicated
to helping students go out and transform the world
around them. It is evident that God is working at Timothy
Christian, and I am excited to see what He has in store in
this new adventure ahead.
Jeff Powers
Jeff served Timothy for 15 years and did a superb job
teaching science to seventh graders. He developed a science
curriculum that was highly engaging for students and
activity oriented. As a result, kids loved science. Jeff also
coached basketball for many years.
He is now at Naperville North High School teaching physical
education and coaching varsity basketball. Jeff always has had
a passion for coaching and was looking for an opportunity to
coach at a large public school. He will be missed.
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Emily Tillery
Emily taught fourth grade at Timothy for three years and is
leaving to be a full-time mom, as she and her husband are
expecting their first child. She quickly became an outstanding
teacher, loved by students, and appreciated by parents.
Sara Vander Plas
Sarah served Timothy for one year and taught first grade.
She is leaving to be a stay-at-home mom. She is currently
pregnant with their first child. She taught previously at
other Christian schools for three years. She served Timothy
very well in her short career here.
Mary Clauss
Mary leaves after teaching part-time for one year in the
English department. We wish her well and thank her for
the quality instruction she provided in her two freshmen
English classes during the 2008-09 school year.
Amy DeWit
Amy served as our Academic Support teacher. She married
and moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Amy held this position
for two years, and her leadership will be missed by both her
students and their parents.
Oliver Hersey
Oliver leaves after teaching at Timothy for four years. He
taught geometry, algebra, and, this past year, introduced
a new media course. He will be remembered for his quick
smile, his love for his students, and his passion for sharing
his insights about faith.
Melanie Lumkes
Melanie was blessed with a second child and left Timothy
after teaching here since 1997. She recently worked parttime teaching two classes of Western Civilization. For many
years she taught physical education. She also concludes a
successful career as our girls’ varsity volleyball coach. In
2007-08 Melanie was named the Private School League
volleyball Coach of the Year. She will be greatly missed by
her colleagues, students, and athletes for her quiet but firm
demeanor and her commitment to excellence both in and
out of the classroom.
Despite the scheduling mishaps, the volunteer leaders put on a
great event. Many Timothy students got involved, and along
with more than 550 participants, the event raised $166,000
for cancer research. Congratulations to all participants!
Marketing Matters
This recurring column is
written to keep the greater
Timothy community informed
of our progress in the fields of
marketing and recruitment.
Enrollment Update
We can all be very thankful for
the work that God is doing at
Timothy—not only in the dayto-day interactions of students
Rudi Gesch
and teachers, but in the many
new families that He is bringing to our community.
As of the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, Timothy
has a K-12 population of 1,090 students. This is up from the
1,069 students at the same time last year. In an economic
time where many Christian schools are seeing 10-30%
enrollment declines, or even considering closing their doors,
Timothy has continued a slow but steady five-year growth
trend—from 1,032 in 2005 to 1,090 today.
Timothy Enrollment Trends
National Healthy Schools Day
Relay for Life Timothy students
Relay For Life Becomes Off-Campus Event, Big Success
Timothy Christian Schools was scheduled to be the host site
for the American Cancer Society’s annual “Relay for Life”
event. Unfortunately, a myriad of rainstorms forced the
event indoors.
The Relay For Life typically takes place at York High School,
but with track remodeling taking place, it was originally
moved to Timothy. However, when the event needed to be
indoors, it was moved back to York High School’s gymnasium.
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Everyone had a great time! As far as who had the most
points, well, EVERYONE is a winner when they get active
and eat healthy!
A portion of the international student program allows
for the creation of a new part-time position at Timothy—
the WORLDV I E W International Student Program
Coordinator. Timothy parent Laura Hernandez has stepped
into this role and has already done an outstanding job
with the Timothy students, the international students, and
the host families. After a successful first year, we hope to
expand this program to our initial target of 10 international
students or perhaps even beyond. If you’d like to learn more
about this program, Mrs. Hernandez can be contacted at
[email protected].
The 3 Loves
About a year ago, I met with the high school teachers and
gave them a survey. One question on the written survey
asked them an open-ended question: what makes Timothy
excellent? Their responses were amazingly similar. Almost
every teacher indicated in their own words that Timothy is
an excellent place because of:
1. Our community’s relationship with God.
On Monday, April 27, our K-8 students joined with schools
from all over the country to celebrate National Healthy
Schools Day. This was an important day to promote and
celebrate healthy school environments that are conducive
to learning. Students were encouraged to bring in healthy
snacks, and the staff enjoyed a beautiful buffet of fruits and
veggies in the faculty lounge.
Classes earned points throughout the day for making
healthy choices ... drinking a bottle of water, visiting
websites during computer class that taught good nutrition,
participating in outdoor activities, or even hopping on one
foot while practicing multiplication tables.
families. While we were unable to meet our initial goal, we
were able to bring in five international students. This means
that five Timothy families have taken the exciting step of
opening up their homes to these students.
2. The fact that we love learning and setting the highest
academic goals.
3. The relationships between teachers and students.
In reflecting on these responses for almost a year now, not
only are these responses obviously true, but also, they
perfectly capture the heart of Timothy in “the 3 loves”: the
love of God, the love of learning, and the love of students.
WORLDV I E W International Student Program Update
In the previous Reflector, I mentioned that one of the
goals of the marketing committee would be to develop an
international student program that would bring 10 students
from around the world into the homes of Timothy host
Not only is this a good message for our current families to
hear and know about, but also new families should hear
this message loudly and clearly. When a new family asks
the question, “why should I send my child to Timothy?” a
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Reflector
19
C a m p u s
N e w s
simple response might be, “Because this is a community
that loves God, loves learning, and will love your child.”
In a culture that increasingly turns away from God, with
many academic standards dropping in our nation’s schools,
and when students feel like “just a number” in their
teacher’s classroom … this message speaks.
To this end, be on the lookout for the launch of a new
website: the 3 loves blog (www.the3loves.com). Here’s
the concept—we want Timothy families to tell the world
about how the 3 loves at Timothy have had an impact on
their family. We’re anticipating video, picture, and text
testimonials. This should be a fun way for everyone in
our community to get involved (there are also rumors of
a Timothy T-shirt for participants). Word of mouth has
always been Timothy’s best form of advertising. The3Loves.
com will be like word of mouth 2.0.
E l e m e n t a r y
M i d d l e
S c h o o l
Author Visits Campus
Thank you for your interest in the marketing and
recruitment efforts of Timothy. If you know of any
prospective families who would like to be contacted
regarding a change of schools, or if you have any ideas
to advance our marketing efforts, please don’t hesitate to
contact me.
Rudi Gesch
Director of Marketing and Recruitment
630.833.4616 ext. 108
[email protected]
a n d
Author D. J. McHale
On Tuesday, May 19, Timothy
was privileged to welcome D.J.
MacHale, author of the popular
children’s book series Pendragon.
He is also a writer, director,
and producer of several popular
television series and movies that
include Flight 29 Down; Are You
Afraid of the Dark?; Encyclopedia
Brown, Boy Detective; Tower of
Terror; and Ghostwriter.
Mr. MacHale spoke to the students in the fifth through eighth
grades and captivated them with his warm and enthusiastic
storytelling. He shared stories about his youth, and how he hated
to write and would do anything to avoid writing assignments. He
encouraged our students to find their talents and to be creative, be
it sculpting, acting, singing, painting, drawing, or writing.
The Timothy Website: Making Life Easier
The website staff wants to make the online experience
as smooth and easy as possible. They’ve created “Parent
Central,” your go-to place for the information that you need.
We have linked all of the areas that parents regularly ask
about in the left hand column. All of these links will open in
a new window (or tab depending on your browser), so you
can keep Parent Central open in your primary window (or
tab) to get to the most important information to you.
N e w s
Judy began her teaching career in 1966 and taught for eight
years at several public schools. She spent the next eight years
at home, raising her family. But you couldn’t keep her out
of the classroom during that time and she subbed in various
schools one day a week. She re-entered full-time teaching
at Medinah Christian Schools where she worked for four
years. In 1986, she was hired by Timothy Christian Schools
to teach fourth grade where she has been ever since.
Students past and present credit Judy with being an
important spiritual mentor in their lives. Her current fourth
grade students put together a memory book and a common
theme was how she had influenced them in their spiritual
walk and how she encouraged them to learn and grow as
Christians. Whether dealing with the loss of her husband,
Dwight, in 2006, or her son’s recent diagnosis of cancer,
Judy can always be counted on to bring her joyful spirit to
school every day.
He then took questions from the audience. Timothy
students grabbed this opportunity to talk to one of their
favorite authors and asked many intelligent questions
about his book characters, plotlines, and upcoming
projects. After the presentation, he graciously signed books
and posed for pictures.
Thank you to Barnes & Noble Oak Brook for giving us
this opportunity to host Mr. MacHale. It was one that our
students will not forget!
Making An Online Donation
Mrs. E’s last class
We want to remind you that it is now possible to make a
donation on our website. All donations are safe and secure
and very easy to do. Be the first on your block to do it!
Check it out on “Donations” on the website homepage.
Stay Informed: Read the TCSNews Email Newsletter
If you’d like to keep in touch with news from Timothy and
you live at some distance, one way that more than 1,100
people choose to do so is by subscribing to the TCSNews,
an email newsletter that comes to your inbox each Monday.
Filled with updated news, a thought for the week, prayer
requests, and a mildly amusing joke or story, the TCSNews is
a quick read that keeps you informed, inspired, and invited.
Sign up by visiting our website: www.timothychristian.com.
Click on TCSNews and follow the directions!
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Reflector
FA L L 2 0 0 9
Goodbye and thanks
Goodbye and Thanks, Mrs. E!
“Mrs. E.” has enjoyed her years at Timothy and said she is
grateful for the wonderful parents, students, and teachers she
has worked with throughout the years. “After working in the
public schools,” Judy explains, “the camaraderie of teachers
who love serving the Lord has been such a blessing.” She
said one of her favorite things has been to watch her students
make a commitment to the Lord and then see it carried
through to high school and beyond. Judy has also appreciated
what she has learned from the students. “They have taught
The last day of school really was the last day of school for
Mrs. Judy Ellefsen, a beloved fourth grade teacher. After 24
years of teaching at Timothy Christian Schools, Judy retired.
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21
E l e m e n t a r y
a n d
M i d d l e
S c h o o l
me patience, living out the fruit of the spirit, how to enjoy
life, and how to pray with child-like faith.”
Retirement plans include taking care of her parents and
watching her grandchildren. However, she is already looking
forward to coming back to Timothy next year to help lead
the wing sings and possibly do some substitute work.
Friday, May 30, the fourth grade class threw a surprise
retirement party for Mrs. Ellefsen. The students sang some
of the songs she had taught them during wing sing and also
performed skits and sang some original compositions for
Mrs. Ellefsen. The party ended with cake and a lot of hugs.
N e w s
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad Team Second in State
Math Triathlon
Timothy Math Triathlon Team Champs Again
Middle School Play a Hit
The middle school drama production “Foibles and Folly,”
was a hilarious yet heartwarming account that told the story
of teenager Amanda McGowen and her move to Distinctive
Manor. There, she met a man who walks an invisible dog,
a would-be movie star, twins who speak using amusing and
adorable alliteration, an elderly gentleman who hides behind
the couch from “them,” an eccentric nearsighted woman who
loves to sing, and a very tolerant Building Manager.
Amanda’s scientist dad, Peter, and Uncle Brain don’t help
matters as they spend their time in the muddy field next door
trying to develop a “super soil.” The cranky owner of the
building decides to sell, against the advice of her level headed
assistant, which would leave this loopy band of tenants
homeless. Peter McGowen develops a plan that saves the day,
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Reflector
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Ninety-two eighth grade students took the stage for this year’s
Middle School Graduation. Rev. James Larkin, father of
graduate Jim, opened the ceremony in prayer followed by the
class singing the Class Song, “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord.”
The cast did a fabulous job bringing all these “loopy”
characters to life and made for a very enjoyable production.
Congratulations to the cast, crew and directors Judy Sytsma
and Casey Strauss!
Mrs. Ellefsen, we are “in-right, out-right, up-right, downright happy” that you have been with us here at Timothy for
so many years.
The case of “Foibles and Folly”
Graduation Ceremony
convincing the developer that the land causes some strange
behavior, which allows the tenants to stay put. In the end,
Amanda comes to tolerate and care about the tenants and
decides Distinctive Manor is not that bad after all.
Timothy once again took first place in the Trinity Christian
College Middle School Math Triathlon, a competition for
Chicagoland Christian Schools held at the college in Palos
Heights. Team members were Andrew Groenewold, Matt
Huizinga, Daniela Girotti, Grace Berens, Bonnie Van Dyk,
Matt De Jong, Logan Byrne, Kate Berens, Kaylie Pries,
Jason Kuiper, Kyle Groters, Randall Harris, Kurt Munson,
Stephanie Groenewold, Jenna Lodewyk, and Tim Huizinga.
Congratulations to team members and teacher and triathlon
coach Michelle Berens.
Timothy’s awards:
Individual competition: First Place – Grace Berens; Third
Place – Andrew Groenewold; Fourth Place – Bonnie Van
Dyk; Fifth Place – Kurt Munson;
Team Competition: First Place (team members Andrew
Groenewold, Grace Berens, Daniela Girotti, and Matt
Huizinga)
Relay Competition: Second Place
Triathlon Overall: First Place
Three students in the class were Valedictorian. Bonnie Van
Dyk and Katie Berens spoke together, remembering fun
memories and thanking parents, staff, and friends, followed
by Andrew Groenewold who reminded the students to never
give up. Dr. Tim Hoeksema recognized the recipients of
various Class Honors (see below). He also acknowledged
departing staff members Mr. Jeff Powers and Mr. George
Bosman. Mr. Bosman, who is retiring, received a standing
ovation in honor of his 42 years of teaching at Timothy.
Timothy’s middle school Science Olympiad team came home
with a second place trophy in the State Class A competition
at the University of Illinois. Congratulations to the 16 team
members and coach Mrs. Berens who received a plaque and
was named “Outstanding Coach” as well. Team awards were
given in the following categories: one first place (Pentathlon);
two second place (Road Scholar & Compute This); one third
(Experimental Design); one fourth (Fossils). In addition, 11 of
our 16 members medaled at state.
Team members were Brian Barker, Grace Berens, Kate
Berens, Brendan Biesboer, Riley De Haan, Andrew
Groenewold, Stephanie Groenewold, Jack Hennel, Mike
Hennel, Emily Huizenga, Tim Huizinga, Jason Kuiper, Kurt
Munson, Kelly Powers, Sam Sticha, and Bonnie Van Dyk.
Congressman Roskam Speaks to 8th Grade
United States Congressman Peter Roskam came to talk to
the eighth grade class last May. It was a great time, and
the hour was filled with lots of questions. Congressman
Roskam started his talk with a story that brought home the
point that our vote counts, and that he does care about what
the voters of Illinois and, in particular, his district feel about
the issues. The eighth graders asked him many questions,
among them what it is like to be a Republican working with
a Democratic majority, how difficult it is to be a Christian
in Washington D.C., and if there are any issues that he
cannot compromise on regardless of what his district feels.
The students felt that his answers were heartfelt, honest,
and very informative. After the question and answer time
every student was given a copy of the constitution, which
Mr. Roskam autographed for the students.
Dr. Tim Hoeksema offers congratulations
Rev. Harris, Graduation speaker
Rev. Randall Harris, father of graduate Randall, gave this
year’s address. He joked about the dangers of allowing a
Baptist Minister to speak at a graduation and promised
to keep it brief. He reminded the students that Timothy is
preparing them to be disciples of Christ and that God has
already equipped them for the work He has planned for
them in the future.
Congratulations to our Middle School Graduating Class
of 2009!
Class Honors
Baptista Family Valedictorian Scholarship - Kate Berens,
Andrew Groenewold, Bonnie Van Dyk
Christian Leadership Award - Kate Berens, Phillip Stanton
Lorraine Daniels Music Scholarship - Kate Berens
Theodore De Jong Science Scholarship - Andrew Groenewold
Charles Haack Mathematics Scholarship - Andrew Groenewold
Ken Huizinga Athletic Award - Kelli LeGrand, Phillip
Stanton
FA L L 2 0 0 9
Reflector
23
H i g h
S c h o o l
N e w s
“Cuckoos on the Hearth”
This year’s spring play was a classic “whodunit” that kept
the audience guessing until the very end. Don and Charlotte
Carlton, along with their cousin Lulu Pung, entertain some
very interesting characters during a New England blizzard
in the 1940’s. The Sherriff reports that a patient has escaped
from a nearby asylum and is headed in their direction. In
the meantime, eccentric author Zadoc Grimes arrives and
is insistent on renting a room at Harmony Hearth. Then,
a knock at the door brings three “stranded” men who are
seeking refuge from the storm. Is one of them the escapee,
or are they really just after the secret project Don is working
on? The final twist reveals our “hero” is actually not who we
thought she was.
Engineering Graphics), Simon Wang (tied for first in Physics
and sixth in Math), and Victor Yang (first in Math and
third in Physics).
Daily Herald All Area Team:
Shannon McNeil
Student Council Sponsors Speaker on
Immigration Policy
Varsity Scholastic Bowl Team Ends
Successful Season
Congratulations to director Tom Day and entire cast and
crew for bringing this intriguing and highly entertaining play
to Timothy’s stage!
Cast
Abby Rodick....................................................Caitlin Williams
Lulu Pung..........................................................Caroline Hayes
Charlotte Carlton.....................................................Katie Eiten
Sherriff Preble.....................................................Krista Wielard
Don Carlton......................................................Corey Van Dyk
Zadoc Grimes...................................................Peter Matthews
“Doc” Ferris............................................................Jon Engbers
The Professor...........................................................Dan Denby
Rev. Clarence Underhill..................................Danny Huizinga
Beulah Peck............................................................Audie Smith
Dr. Gordon..........................................................Alexa DeVries
State Trooper..............................................................Joe Meigs
Student Director...................................................Jackson Mills
24
Reflector
FA L L 2 0 0 9
Girls’ Basketball Honors
Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Week
Shannon McNeil, Meghan Leach, Anneke Stremler, Katie
Dirkse, Kari LeGrand
Walter Payton’s Player of the Year Nominee:
Shannon McNeil
Matthew Soerens, co-author of the InterVarsity Press
publication Welcoming the Stranger; Justice, Compassion,
and Truth in the Immigration Debate, spoke at Timothy on
April 28. Matthew works for World Relief in the department
of immigration legal services. He speaks across the country
on the development of a Christian response to the issue of
immigration and undocumented immigrants. This event was
sponsored by the high school student council.
“Cuckoos” cast
We would also like to recognize all the honors that our
basketball players and coaches received during the season.
Congratulations to the Varsity Scholastic Bowl team on
their Regional championship. This is their fourth Regional
championship in 13 years of participation in Scholastic
Bowl. Our last championship was in 2005. The team ended
the year with a 23-19 record. Congratulations to the team
and coach Carlton Rink.
WYSE Team Places Second in State
Congratulations to Carlton Rink and the WYSE
(Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering) team on
their second place finish at State competition on Wednesday,
April 9, in Champaign, Ill.. They set several Timothy
records with their total points scored and nine individual
medals. This was the highest amount of points any Timothy
WYSE Team has ever earned in the school’s history.
Winners included: Dan Denby (second place in Physics
and fourth in Chemistry), Jon Proctor (sixth in Computer
Science), Corey Van Dyk (tied for first in Physics and fifth in
Private School League All Conference:
Shannon McNeil, Meghan Leach,
Anneke Stremler – Honorable Mention
WYSE Second in State
Other team members include Justin Barak, Steven Barre,
Rachel Groters, Marissa Hegel, Danny Huizinga, Moon Su
Kang, Julie Schram, Adam Van Kampen, and Ben Zigterman.
Timothy Basketball Athletes Play Well and Do Good
If you know your grammar, the above title might make you
wince. But actually, it is correct. This year, in addition to
having a strong year on the court, our players were able to
“do good” by participating in the “Free Throws for Heroes”
program. Timothy players raised $2,968.70, which will go
to military families that are in need of financial assistance.
Here is an excerpt from the letter we received from the
Executive Director of Free Throws for Heroes.
“On behalf of our Illinois military families, I want to
express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the
OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT of your Timothy
Christian High School basketball program in ‘Making Free
Throws That Make A Difference To Our Illinois Military
Families In Need.’
While over 100 Illinois high schools participated in our ‘Free
Throws For Heroes’ program and their contributions are
certainly very much appreciated, Timothy Christian High
School and your basketball players have certainly distinguished
yourselves as exemplary in this very important initiative.”
4th Team All State
Shannon McNeil
Co-Coach of the Year for District 7
Ryan DeKoekkoek
Boys’ Basketball Honors
Walter Payton’s Roundhouse player of the week
Reggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert White, Robert
Stein, Peter Tameling
Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Month
(November and January)
Reggie Greenwood
Walter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Year Nominee
Reggie Greenwood
Daily Herald Player of the Week
Reggie Greenwood
Daily Herald All-Area Team
Reggie Greenwood
Private School League All-Conference
Reggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert White
Private School League Coach of the Year
Jack LeGrand
FA L L 2 0 0 9
Reflector
25
H i g h
S c h o o l
N e w s
Student Rob Stein Second
in State
Congratulations to junior Rob Stein
who finished second in the Shot Put
in the Boys 1A State Track Meet at
Eastern Illinois University. Rob’s
best throw was 55’ 5¾”, which was
a personal best.
High School Awards Night
Rob Stein Second in State
The TCHS Awards Night was
held May 19. This wonderful
evening recognizes students who
have done so much to make the
school year a success.
Athletic Awards
Intramural: Jake Schemper
All Conference Volleyball: Anneke Stremler
All Conference Boys Soccer: Jeb Nash, Jake Schemper,
Jonathan Voss
All Conference Golf: Andrew Woodhull
All Conference Cross Country: Leah Bosman, Katie Dirkse,
Jeff VanderKamp
All Conference Girls’ Basketball: Meghan Leach,
Shannon McNeil
All Conference Boys’ Basketball: Reggie Greenwood, Jaaron
Holmes, Robert White
All Conference Boys’ Tennis: Justin Groenewold, Ryan Hoff
Athletic Achievement Awards: Allison Bolt, Leah Bosman,
Elizabeth DeGroot, Katie Dirkse, Samantha Goedeke,
Lauren Hansberger, Marissa Hegel, Jacquelyn Iwema,
Meghan Jensen, Natalie Kuick, Mary Beth Langkamp,
Shannon McNeil, Jessica Michnowski, Jeb Nash, Jake
Schemper, Anneke Stremler, Katie Vanderveld, Laura
Vanderveld, Andrew Woodhull
Outstanding Senior Male Athlete: Justin Groenewold
Outstanding Senior Female Athlete: Katie Dirkse,
Shannon McNeil
Scholarships
Betty Beyler: Will Roelofs
Beryl Bean: Maggie Larkin
Jessica Freundt: Female: Audie Smith, Male: Reggie
Greenwood
Global Vision Scholarship: Jessica Michnowski, Becky Kim,
Bruce Larkin
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Reflector
FA L L 2 0 0 9
Don Greenfield Student Athlete: Female: Nikole Pizzello,
Male: Jeff Vanderkamp
Barney and Grace Hoeks: Ava Jokich
Henrietta Kingma: Chelsea Bardolph
Rev. Carl Reitsma: Jon Engbers
Eric Robisch: Tori McBride
Bertha Wezeman Huizenga: Olivia Doig
Henry and Evelyn Tazelaar Music: Mike Iwema
Ella Taylor Technology Scholarship: Adam Van Kampen
Pamela Joy Day: Julia Pattison
Donna Ven Housen: Rita Clousing
Industrial Technology/Craftsman: Thomas Huiner
Special Recognitions
Walter A. Glos VFW Post 2048: Rachel Groters
National Merit Commended Students: Katherine Akre,
Rachel Groters, Caroline Hays
National Merit Finalists: Dan Denby, Corey Van Dyk
Valedictorian: Rachel Groters
Salutatorian: Thomas Huiner
American Legion: Rachel Groters, Bruce Larkin
Outstanding Senior Female: Caroline Hays
Outstanding Senior Male: Jon Voss
Graduation Ceremony
This year’s High School
Graduation took place the
evening of Thursday, June
4, 2009 at Christ Church of
Oak Brook. The graduates
entered the sanctuary to
the traditional “Pomp and
Dr. Cindy Tamminga and Alumni
Circumstance” in what would
Director Jay Evenhouse
be the final memory of their
time at Timothy Christian Schools. Dr. Timothy Bowman,
father of graduate Hannah, opened in prayer.
Salutatorian Thomas Huiner shared memories of what made
their class unique and said although their departure would
leave a gap, next year’s class would continue to learn, grow,
and serve God as well. Valedictorian Rachel Groters thanked
teachers who had invested their time, care, and concern
throughout the years. She quoted from the book The Little
Prince, “It is the time you have spent with your rose that
makes your rose so important” and was grateful that the
teachers always made them feel important.
Reggie Greenwood accepts Jessica Freundt Award
Activity Awards
Drama: Dan Denby, Katie Eiten, Caroline Hays
Quill & Scroll: Rachel Groters, Sabrina Lee, Ben Zigterman
Academic Awards
Art: Jeff Stein
Bible: Becky Kim
English: Katie Eiten, Rachel Groters, Marissa Hegel,
Sabrina Lee
Family and Consumer Science: Emilia Medema
Physical Education: Katie Dirkse, Jon Voss
Instrumental Music - Band: Marissa Hegel
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Becky Visser
John Philip Sousa: Becky Visser
Instrumental Music-Orchestra: Laura Vanderveld
Choral Music: Dan Denby
History: Jon Proctor
Math: Corey Van Dyk
Science: Jon Voss
Industrial Technology/Draftsman: Adam Van Kampen
Working hard
Senior Serve
For the past nine years, Timothy seniors have stayed
overnight in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago for
Senior Serve, an extensive immersion in inner city culture,
worship, and ministry. This is the culminating service project
required of all seniors. The goal of such a policy is to engage
students in our mission of, “serving God and his people.”
Timothy seniors had the privilege of partnering in ministry
with the community of Lawndale and assisting them in the
work they do for the Kingdom of Christ. The students were
formed into work groups and assigned a task at Lawndale
Community Church, Chicago Westside Christian School,
Lawndale Christian Reformed Church, or Humboldt
Community Christian School.
The students also enjoyed fellowship through Small Group
Bible Studies, corporate worship, and pizza at a famous
downtown eatery. Various high school staff members also
participated, worked (and played!) alongside the students. It
is definitely a capstone experience for our Timothy seniors.
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to
Dr. Cindy Tamminga, Class of 1979. She took the audience
on a walk down memory lane and reminisced about her years
at Timothy and teachers who had made an impact on her
life. She then spoke of her career as a Naval Commander and
Doctor at Bethesda Medical Hospital.
Rev. Daniel Meyer, Senior Pastor
at Christ Church of Oak Brook,
gave the address and used a plane
analogy of how the graduates were
“taking off” into the world after
graduation. He advised them that
when the storms come, as they
always do, to hold true to their
compass, the Word of God. By
following that, they will always
have a Kingdom Flight Plan.
The joy of graduation
Diplomas were handed out by School Board President Mr.
Bob Van Staalduinen. After a closing prayer by Dr. John Kim,
father of graduate Becky, the graduates exited the sanctuary
to receive congratulations from friends and family members.
Congratulations and God’s Blessings to the Timothy
Christian High School Class of 2009!
FA L L 2 0 0 9
Reflector
27
B o a r d
o f
D i r e c t o r s ’
N e w s
Leadership Succession
Annual Society Meeting Held
Timothy Foundation News
Announced
The Annual Meeting of the Timothy Christian Schools
Society was held in the Huizenga Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
on Wednesday, May 27. At the meeting the budget for
2009-10 was approved and the following Board candidates
were elected: Julie Huisman (Faith Christian Reformed
Church, Elmhurst); Faith Lee (Christ Church of Oak
Brook); Caryn Rivadeneira (Elmhurst Christian Reformed
Church); Cathy McNeil Stein (Rock of Ages Baptist
Church, Maywood); Bill Terpstra (Elmhurst Christian
Reformed Church), Floyd Vander Meer (Wheaton Christian
Reformed Church); and Paul Zigterman (Lombard
Christian Reformed Church).
IRA Charitable Rollovers - Give up to $100,000 to Charity
and Obtain Favorable Tax Treatment
Early last spring
Superintendent Dan Van
Prooyen shared this note
with his colleagues
on campus.
“For more than 30 years now
I have had the privilege of
serving Timothy Christian
Schools in a variety of
capacities. After reviewing
past milestones and the
challenges ahead, I have
come to realize that it is
Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen
time to begin the transition
toward new leadership for the institution. It’s my goal to
work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure that this
transition is accomplished seamlessly. I look forward to a
new chapter in my life and a continued bright outlook for
Timothy Christian Schools.”
In light of Mr. Van Prooyen’s announcement, the Board
of Directors, at its April meeting, established and finalized
membership of a Leadership Succession Planning Committee.
This committee will focus its efforts on the search for a new
superintendent. Representing the Board on the committee
are Robert Stoll and Robert Van Staalduinen. Chairing the
committee is former Board president Dave DeVries. Other
members include Timothy Foundation trustees Bastian
Knoppers, Rob Petroelje, Terry Van Der Aa, and former
Education Committee chairs Tracey Jarzombek and Cindy
Vander Woude.
The Board is grateful for Mr. Van Prooyen’s dedication to
the school, its students, and constituents. For more than 30
years he has served in key administrative capacities and will
continue to do so throughout the transition until the new
superintendent is able to assume all responsibilities. We ask
for your prayers for the work of this committee, the board,
and for Mr. Van Prooyen as we together seek to identify a
new leader for Timothy Christian Schools.
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Also, Carrie Tazelaar (President) and Barb Huizenga
(Treasurer), representing Partners in Education and its many
volunteers, presented Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen
with a check for $80,000 in support of projects to enhance
education at Timothy.
At its first full meeting the 2009-10 Board of Directors
elected the following officers for the year:
Bob Van Staalduinen (Lombard Christian Reformed Church)
– President
Julie Huisman (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst)
– Vice-President
Bob Stoll (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church) – Secretary
Steve Loerop (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church) –
Treasurer
Jim Allen (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst) –
Financial Secretary
Please remember to pray for these leaders in their work on
behalf of the Timothy Christian Schools Society this year.
Grant News: Timothy Awarded Grant for Science Labs
In mid-July Timothy Director of Advancement Dave
Larsen received official notice of a $300,000 grant from
the Richard D. Van Lunen Foundation for new science
laboratories. This grant is the largest in Timothy’s history,
surpassing the $212,000 received from the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001.
Until December 31, 2009, if you are at least 70 1/2, you can
give up to $100,000 from your IRA to a qualified charity
and avoid paying income tax on the distribution. In a
nutshell, you will be able to exclude from gross income up to
$100,000 of what would otherwise be a taxable distribution
of a traditional or Roth IRA, provided you make a qualified
charitable distribution in 2009 and you are age 70 1/2 at the
time of the gift.
S u p p o r t
G r o u p
Here is how the IRA Charitable Rollover provision works:
• The gift amount is limited to $100,000
• You must be 70 1/2 or older at the time of the transfer; and
• The transfer must pass directly from your IRA custodian
to a qualified charity. Make sure you give your IRA
custodian enough time to complete the transfer by year-end.
Contact Timothy’s Advancement Office for more information.
N e w s
Harlem Wizards Take
on Timothy Stars
Andra Hersey gives guidance counseling
at Wizards game
The IRA Charitable Rollover provision was part of the
Pension Protection Act of 2006 and was originally set to
expire on 12/31/2007 but extended to 12/31/2009.
Since 1962 the Harlem
Wizards have played
more than 6,000 games
in both the United
States and abroad,
thrilling millions of
fans along the way.
The Harlem Wizards’
current winning streak
exceeds 2,800 games
and miles of smiles.
The Wizards faced off against Timothy Faculty and high
school seniors on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. with
Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen serving as referee.
Congratulations to Partners in Education (PiE) for the
great community event they organized and sponsored. The
Harlem Wizards played to a standing room only crowd,
and put on quite a show. While the faculty, staff, and
students put on a show of athletic prowess of their own,
the Wizards prevailed. In an “everything goes” kind of
game, the Wizards entertained the crowd with their biggerthan-life personalities and truly impressive basketball skills.
The game began with the singing of the National Anthem by
fourth grader Camron Brady, and then it was game on! The
Timothy home team took the court and the Wizards emcee
bestowed nicknames upon our players such as “Shaggy,”
“Doogie Howser,”
“Justin Timberlake,”
“Air-Grandma,”
“Mini-Me,” “Little
Red Robin Hood,”
and “Bruce Jenner.”
The Wizards
harassed late-comers,
performed slamdunks, and were just
generally silly!
Of course, the home
team was equally
impressive and held
their own with their
own antics. One of
our teachers literally
High Fives at the Wizards game
brought down a
Wizard player, but did receive a foul from our good-natured
referee, Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen.
Half-time entertainment was provided by the TC Pommers
who “lit’ up the evening. A contest, involving kids from
the audience, was a half-time highlight. After the game, the
Wizards were available for photos, autographs, or just to
talk to the spectators.
Thanks to all PiE board members and volunteers who
brought the Wizards to Timothy. It was a lot of fun and a
great community-building event.
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29
S u p p o r t
G r o u p
N e w s
New to You Resale Store
Timothy senior Nate Puchalski is the 2009 New to You
Student Volunteer of the Year. Through his work at
the store, Nate has developed expertise in testing and
repairing electronics and audio equipment. Nate and
his grandpa, Chuck Haack, volunteered most Thursday
evenings for several years. The board acknowledged Nate’s
A l u m n i
A l u m n i
contribution with a surprise presentation on one of those
Thursday nights.
The store continues to bless four schools—Timothy,
Chicago West Side Christian, Daystar, and Humboldt
Community Christian—with its regular contributions and
revenue sharing.
N e w s
Alumni Invited to Join the Timothy Facebook
Movement
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Dr. Cindy
Tamminga ’79
Timothy Christian High School Alumni are encouraged
to visit www.facebook.com, open an account, and join
“Timothy Christian High School Alumni.” If you’re
already a Facebook member, visit this group and join
the crowd. The Alumni Board thinks that this will be an
effective way to reunite with classmates and keep in touch.
Check it out!
Editor’s Note: Dr. Cindy Tamminga was this year’s
recipient. The edited remarks she shared at high school
graduation follow.
Yearbook Distribution Night
An annual summer tradition is the Yearbook Distribution
and Signing Night, sponsored by Yearbook advisor Jim
Hartgerink. It’s often a mini-reunion of graduated seniors
just before they head off to college.
Yearbook signing
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FA L L 2 0 0 9
Dr. Tamminga and her former teacher Tom Day
I also thank the Alumni Committee, Timothy Board of
Directors and Administration for this great honor.
where experts in the field from all over the world were in
attendance. I was more than a little nervous, but as I was
traveling to Baltimore for the conference, I realized that I
really only cared about what one person in the audience
thought about the presentation. I was performing for an
audience of one. It struck me that as Christians, we should
be living our lives for an audience of one and that is God.
It was a fun experience for me to see so many friends and
former teachers in the reception room. Some I have not
seen since I graduated in June of 1979. My graduation
from Timothy took place on a very warm, June evening
in the high school gymnasium. That is where a lot of the
activities, such as this, took place at that time.
I also thought about the reasons why I cared so much
about what that one person thought of the presentation.
It was because of the time and energy that he has invested
in me with the goal of developing me as a researcher,
physician, naval officer, and person. In other words, he has
acted as my mentor.
I receive and read the Reflector, and Timothy has changed
a lot in many ways—buildings, curriculum, computer
labs, and SmartBoards. God has been very good to us.
And now there is the challenge of “Building the Campus,
Restoring the World.” I noticed in the campaign booklet
that Michelle, a middle school student, is talking about
her day at school. She says, “I am working on a project
with three other classmates on the causes of malaria and
how Christians can help with research.” This was very
interesting to me, as this is pretty much where I spend
60% of my time these days, doing research on developing
a vaccine to prevent malaria. The other 40% of my time
is spent at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, seeing patients,
some from the present day war zones.
I then began thinking of other individuals who have had
a significant impact on my life, many of whom are here
tonight. In the reception earlier I talked with Mrs. Franz.
As my third grade teacher, she taught me to write in
cursive, something that the nurses I work with say I do not
do very well. I am sure that is because my penmanship has
deteriorated since I was in the third grade. But what she
really did for me was to help me, through her kindness and
interest in me, as a person—a shy and intimidated third
grader—adjust to life in a ‘big school in a big city.’
“Thank you, Mr. Evenhouse for that very kind
introduction. I appreciate it.
As part of my current responsibilities, I recently presented
at a large, international vaccine research conference
30
N e w s
See, before I moved with my family to the Chicago area,
I had attended a small country school in Iowa where my
dad was the principal, teacher, janitor, and part-time bus
driver. At that school, three grades were taught by the
same teacher and in the same room. You can imagine how
intimidating Timothy was, with 25 kids in a class, and
some grade levels having two classes. I also see Mrs. David
here. She was my fifth grade teacher and no doubt taught
me all the things a fifth grader is supposed to know. But
what I remember is how she taught us to play marbles at
recess and how she set up softball and basketball games
for us to play at recess or after school. She impressed upon
me the gift of living life with enthusiasm, energy, and joy.
Mr. VanProoyen, as my biology teacher, taught me biology
and how to dissect a fetal pig. That is when I realized I
loved science and that medicine might be a good career
path for me. What I remember most, however, is how,
as my basketball coach, he taught me the values of hard
work, perseverance, and team work. He also taught me
that bench sitters have as much value as stars and starters.
Mr. Slager taught me a lot about American history, much
of which I have forgotten. But what I have not forgotten is
what he taught me as my softball coach, and that is that
there is at least one White Sox fan in the world that a Cubs
fan can respect and look up to.
Dr. Cindy Tamminga is greeted by classmates
My parents, George and Henrietta Tamminga, have had
the most influence on my life as they have shown me by
word and example what it is to live for Jesus Christ. When
I heard that I had been chosen to receive this award, my
first thought was that my sister, Kristy, deserved it much
more than I do. That is because I see her consistently
making wise choices based on the Christian values that
she learned from our parents and from the Timothy School
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31
A l u m n i
N e w s
family. She quietly sacrifices time, energy, and finances
so that her three sons can attend Timothy. She is both my
mentor and hero. I know there are many other people in
this audience who do the same.
I have been very blessed as God has opened doors and
provided opportunities that I could never have imagined
when I graduated from Timothy. I have had the privilege of
participating in several military deployments. One brought
me to Guantanamo Bay where I witnessed the detainees
being treated fairly and with compassion by the young
men and women of our Armed Forces. I have also had the
privilege of participating in a humanitarian mission, which
brought us to Vietnam, where the USS Peleliu became
the first Navy ship to return to the shores of that country
since the war. These experiences have developed a passion
From the ’60s
Robert G. Ottenhoff ’66 is the President of GuideStar,
which operates the largest database of financial
information on nonprofit organizations and foundations.
From 2000-2002, he started high tech companies for
Linsang Partners and operated his own international
management consulting practice. He has more than 25
years of experience in broadcast management and strategic
leadership. From 1991 to 1999, he was Chief Operating
Officer of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). While
at PBS, Mr. Ottenhoff was Chairman of the Board of
PBS Enterprises and President of NABA, an organization
representing broadcasters and other telecommunication
companies in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
From the ’90s
Thomas Feller ’95
and Melissa Feller
announce the birth of
their second daughter,
Celeste Hope, born
May 16, 2009. Tom
works as the Assistant
The Feller family
Principal of Farmville
Middle School in Farmville, NC and also serves on staff
as the Music Director of Landmark Baptist Church in
32
Reflector
FA L L 2 0 0 9
within me for international humanitarian work, which I
hope to pursue after my navy career.
I am grateful for my parents, teachers, siblings, and others,
those who mentored and assisted me along the way. I
am sure that each of you graduates can identify similar
mentors in your lives and that God will provide wonderful
opportunities for you as well. A verse that my Dad gave
me when I was deployed to Guantanamo Bay was Jeremiah
29:11, which I noticed last evening was the class verse for
the eighth grade graduating class. That verse says, ‘For I
know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.’ It is my prayer that each of you graduates
will find this to be true in your lives.”
Greenville, NC. They reside in Greenville, NC and can be
reached at [email protected].
From the ’00s
Alex Jokich ’05 graduated from Pepperdine University
Magna Cum Laude on May 2, 2009. She also received the
Pepperdine University Department of Communications
Outstanding Broadcast Student of the Year Award.
Jessica Cook ’05 graduated from Southeastern University
in Lakeland, FL on December 6, 2008, with academic
honors and a Bachelor of Science. She was also awarded
“The Outstanding Marketing Graduate of 2008.”
Katrina Denny ’06, a Calvin College (Grand Rapids,
Mich.) senior from Chicago, fulfilled an internship last
summer across Germany. A double major in engineering
and German, Denny did an internship in Magdeburg,
just west of Berlin, on a project to make older apartment
buildings more energy efficient by retrofitting them with
photovoltaic arrays. The project is part of a national
competition in Germany focused on reducing energy
consumption. Denny, elected this past spring to be one of
nine student senators in 2009-2010, also participated in
Calvin’s summer study program in Bremen in 2007.
career. A native of Elmhurst, Illinois, Van Kampen
has been named an ESPN The Magazine Academic
All-American, and named to the ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-America second team in the men’s cross
country/track and field college division.
John Sianghio ’04 had the privilege of delivering the
commencement speech at his graduation from University of
Illinois in Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 16, 2009.
If you would like to view it you can log on to YouTube and
search John Marc I. Sianghio.
Van Kampen is one of 45 individuals that were named
to either the first, second, or third teams in the college
division. Van Kampen is receiving ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-America accolades for the first time in his
collegiate career.
A chemical engineering major, Van Kampen carried a 3.56
grade point average at Calvin.
During his running career, Van Kampen was a three-time,
NCAA III All-American in cross country, finishing 17th at
2006 NCAA III Championships, 35th at the 2007 national
meet and 23rd at the 2008 nationals. Van Kampen’s finish
in 2006 helped Calvin win the national title.
Van Kampen was also a three-time All-MIAA and threetime Great Lakes All-Region selection in cross-country.
At the 2008 Great Lakes Regional meet held at Ohio
Northern University, Van Kampen took second place
individually, helping the Knights take first place as a team
with 32 points.
A two-time All-MIAA selection in track and field, Van
Kampen was the MIAA champion in the 10,000 meters
in 2007 and 2009. He participated at the 2009 NCAA III
Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing 10th in
the 10,000 meters.
Krista Hoff ’05 graduated from Taylor University in
December ’08 in International Business and Spanish and
is currently serving for five months as a volunteer with
Hope International in the Dominican Republic. She works
for Kiva, a micro finance organization that connects
people though lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Krista will also be translating for the US Navy, when the
medical ship Comfort arrives in Santo Domingo at the
end of this month. She will continue her studies this fall
at American University, Washington, D.C., for a graduate
degree in International Development. She also served as a
Development Intern with CRWRC in Nigeria last summer.
Brandi McNeil
Wheaton College
senior Brandi
McNeil ’05 earned
All-American
recognition in the
women’s javelin
throw for the
fourth time in her
career. McNeil
qualified for the
finals with a throw
of 136’ 7” in
the preliminary
round that was
fourth in her
flight and ranked
seventh among 19
competitors in the
two flights.
With her second throw of three in the finals, McNeil
launched the javelin 151’ 2” for a toss that would be
good enough for second place. It marked the second
consecutive year that McNeil finished second in Division
III at Nationals and was the fourth time that she placed
in the top-8 to earn Division III All-American honors. She
becomes only the second female Wheaton track and field
athlete to earn All-American recognition all four years of
her collegiate career.
Recent Calvin College graduate Erik Van Kampen ’05
added one last honor to his collegiate distance running
FA L L 2 0 0 9
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33
F r o m
t h e
A r c h i v e s
s
FINANCIAL
SERVICES
Specializing in:
s Retirement Planning
s College Funding
s Sound Investment Programs*
s Cost-Effective Insurance
s Estate Planning
James Veenstra
CLU, ChFC
PARAGON ADVISORS, LLC
715 Enterprise Dr. s Oak Brook, IL 60523
(630) 571-2205 s [email protected]
*Securities offered through Transamerica Financial Advisors,
a registered broker/dealer member FINRA/SIPC.
1939 Timothy Christian School
First Row: Alice Lindeman, Henrietta Dykstra, Evelyn
Zeilstra, Mr. J. Van Bruggen, Anna Mae Modder, Carol
Lubben, Pauline Huisjen
Second Row: John Wiltjer, Harry Vander Vliet, Frances
Zeilstra, Henrietta Teeuws, Ethel Havenga, Simon
Boeringa, Martin Olthof
Third Row: Howard Van Stedum, John Bossenga, James
Visser, Edwin Visser, Clarence Wierenga, Gerrit Teune,
John Wiersum, Edward Vos
If you are looking for a home, office, or commercial space, let my 15 years
of real estate experience go to work for you.
In honor and memory of…
Timothy Christian Schools gratefully acknowledges gifts given in memory or honor of an individual.
These gifts assist us in supplying tuition assistance to families in need.
Memorials: March 23, 2009 – August 31, 2009
Gifts in memory of . . .
Sam Hamstra, Sr.
Ron Rottschafer
Sherri Venhousen
34
Reflector
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Welcome to the 2009-10 school year!
So many reasons to be looking or selling ... and so many reasons to contact
me. Let Schiller’s 40 year positive reputation create your home / business
comparative market analysis. My family is proud to be members of the
Timothy Christian Community for over 10 years. I pledge a portion of my
earnings to the future of Timothy Christian Schools.
Diane M. Karpman
Licensed Realtor
Diane M. Karpman
Direct: (847) 636-0200
Office: (630) 617-6030
540 S. York Road | Elmhurst, IL 60126 || (630) 834-0582
[email protected]
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35
A d v e r t i s e m e n t s
AL DIEPSTRA, D.D.S.
342 Sherwood • La Grange Park, IL 60525
708-482-4610
DeYoung’s Insurance Service, Inc.
Knollcrest Funeral Home
Robert Van Staalduinen, Director
1500 South Meyers Rd. • Just North of 22nd Street
(630) 932-1500
All types of insurance
•
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Business
Home
Auto
Life
Health
Motorcycle / Boat
Call us for a quote
Celebrating our third generation!
John E. DeYoung III
(630) 850-9300
16w065 Jeans Rd • Lemont, IL 60439
DeYoungsInsurance.com
36
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38
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Beyond Belief
The Reflector is a free publication. Gifts to help
produce it are most welcome.
Please use the enclosed envelope for your donation.
To place an ad in the Reflector, please contact
Rudi Gesch at 630-833-4616 ext. 108.
Advertising rates:
Full page: $400
1/2 page: $225
1/4 page: $150
1/8 page: $75
42
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43
Timothy’s
Timothy’s
Serving God and His people,
Timothy Christian Schools
develops academically
prepared Christian disciples
who embrace Christ’s call to
transform the world.
Timothy Christian Schools will be distinctly Christian in
its community, curriculum, character, and convictions.
Mission:
Vision:
ONE
We reflect God’s kingdom by serving Christian families from diverse economic and
cultural backgrounds and students who possess a wide range of abilities.
TWO
We cooperate with Christian homes and churches in the education and faith
development of our students.
THREE
We demonstrate love for one another in our work and play.
FOUR
We challenge students to serve in a global community.
FIVE
We teach and study in the Reformed Christian tradition which drives us to be
Biblically based, culturally engaged, and always reforming.
SIX
We nurture creativity and curiosity through meaningful curriculum and effective
instruction.
SEVEN
We develop and encourage the gifts and talents of one another to serve Christ and
renew His creation.
EIGHT
We seek wisdom that applies knowledge to gain understanding and spiritual
discernment.
NINE
We prepare students to be articulate defenders and models of the Christian faith in
thought, word, and deed.
TEN
We inspire all students to be counter-cultural disciples who are beacons of light in
the world.
44
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45
“One good word for this deeper and richer
kind of knowing, the kind that does with the
deeper and richer kind of truth, is ‘love.’ But
before we can get to that we must take a deep
breath and plunge into the center of the story
which, according to the Christian tradition,
makes sense of our longing for justice,
spirituality, relationship, and beauty, and
indeed truth and love. We must begin to talk
about God. Which is like saying that we must
learn to stare at the sun.”
N.T. WRIGHT IN “SIMPLY CHRISTIAN:
WHY CHRISTIANITY MAKES SENSE”
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Write On! - Timothy Christian Schools

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