amplighter - Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Transcription

AMPLIGHTER
2011
CHRISTOPHER DOCK MENNONITE HIGH SCHOOL
Commencement
Senior Presentations
Homecoming
SUMMER/FALL 2011
In this
ISSUE
Moving On
The Dock
Difference 14
Marketing experts define a tagline as “a brand
promise expressed in shorthand.” What does our new tagline say about the Dock experience?
28
Campus Happenings
10
Chef Bob Kulp and Campus
Pastor Marlene Frankenfield
have both been part of the
Dock campus community
for more than a decade.
Lamplighter visits with
them to talk about their years at
Dock, and the new opportunities
that lay ahead.
22
3
Senior
Presentations 2011
A fun-filled day to kick off the first week of school
for freshmen; Dock student-athletes excel; Dock
junior explores her leadership gifts; new faculty
and staff; 2011 award winners.
All Chinese people eat rice
13
…and other myths
Dock faculty
member Gail
Anderson reflects on
the blessings she and
her family have both
given and received by
hosting an international student.
16
Baccalaureate 2011:
17
Commencement 2011:
The High Value of Relationships
Why Wouldn’t You?
Alumni Notes
Alumni of the Year announced; Homecoming
2011 activities; The Dock Gift shop
Christopher Dock Mission Statement
32
Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, in partnership with the family and the
Principal’s Message
A Valuable Asset
On the cover: Sam Thalathoti was among the 94 graduates in the
Christopher Dock Class of 2011.
church, seeks to develop the God-given abilities of students in preparation for
responsible stewardship of life as members of God’s people in a global society.
Christopher Dock serves youth and families of Franconia Mennonite Conference,
Eastern District Conference, and those who share Anabaptist values.
Christopher Dock Board of Trustees
J. Philip Bergstresser, Chair; Warren Tyson, Vice Chair; Ruth H. Yoder, Secretary; Henry W. Longacre
(’60), Treasurer; Henry B. Bergey, Sharon L. Fransen, P. Scott Heckler, David G. Landis (’59); Steven
Lamplighter is published by Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, Lansdale, PA. It is entered as
third class matter at the Lansdale Post Office. Editor: Jay Gordon • Graphic Designer: Lauren Carline
2 • Christopher Dock Lamplighter
E. Landis; Rina Rampogu
Campus
HAPPENINGS
Freshman Fun
Christopher Dock’s Class of 2015 came together on
September 1 for Freshman Orientation, a day of fun
and fellowship designed to help students make new
friends, build community, and orient them to the new
opportunities they will have in high school. Students
spent the day in their advisor groups, playing group
games and attending workshops in art, music, science,
computer lab and other areas. A number of juniors and
seniors also participated in the day to enhance relationships with upperclassmen. Orientation is part of Dock’s
“Building Community” curriculum.
www.dockhs.org • 3
Dock Robotics kicks off 2011-12 season
The Dock Robotics team held a beginner's workshop for
students and parents the Saturday before school started. Steve Rhoads of STEM Robotics showed us how to
set up the field and run the tournament controls and we
brainstormed for the new Gateway competition which
Vex robotics is running this year. The robotics team is
looking forward to starting on its new robots during
activity periods. Dock’s team will also participate in a
regional league leading up to DockBots, the big annual
tournament that Dock will host on January 21.
Kyle Martin dominates regional
junior golf scene
Dock’s Kyle Martin (’12) continues to establish himself
as one of the best junior golfers in the region. Kyle took
first place in an American Junior Golf Association national preseason tournament at Basking Ridge Country
Club in Basking Ridge, NJ, where he shot a 72 to overcome a three-shot deficit and capture the championship
trophy (above). More recently, Kyle won the Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour win at Applebrook Golf
Club, and finished in first place (after one playoff hole)
at the Montgomery County Juinor Amateur Championship at Plymouth Country Club.
Dock creates a resource for
international students
A new feature at Dock this fall will be a resource room
created for the benefit of Dock’s international students.
English teacher Kathy Moyer will be the faculty contact
for this new room. Any international student may come
to D-5 during lunchtime any day to ask questions and
receive additional help with homework.
A nice “Surprise” for Dock senior
Dock senior Kenny Hansell hopes it’s a treat that awaits
him when he travels to Surprise, AZ, over Halloween
weekend for the United States Tennis Association Junior
Team Tennis national championships. Hansell plays on
an advanced 18-and-under club team out of Tennis Zone
in Quakertown. He and his teammates (three boys and
four girls) were undefeated in their league
this summer, and then
won both district and
regional tournaments
to earn a trip to Arizona. Good luck, Kenny!
Dock junior explores leadership gifts
A four-letter word (or 4-word phrase, if you’d like to get
technical) changed my life: HOBY. It stands for Hugh
O’Brian Youth. In 1953, actor Hugh O’Brian’s life was
changed as a result of time he spent with the renowned
Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer told O’Brian that “the
most important thing in education is to teach young
people to think for themselves.” Hugh O’Brian returned
to the United States and founded HOBY, an organization
devoted to developing the future leaders of the world.
I recently attended a four-day HOBY seminar at Temple
University as an “ambassador” of Christopher Dock.
The other ambassadors and staff quickly became a
family. HOBY meant the freedom to be who you really
are, or for some, the freedom to become who you want
to be. The weekend was absolutely amazing. We had
undergone this amazing awakening to the potential that
lay within us, and we were all so galvanized to change
things!
Get your
Touring Choir
CDs
The 2011 Christopher Dock Touring
Choir CDs are here!
This full-length disc
features most of the
songs from the choir’s
2011 repertoire and
makes a perfect gift
for birthdays, Christmas, or just to brighten someone’s day. Limited quantities of Touring
Choir CDs from previous years are also available. You
are invited to pick up your copy for $10 at Detweiler
House, or call 215.362.2675.
Check out Dock
Lightbox
Dock Lightbox is the
new
online
home
for photos taken by
Dock's talented amateur
photographers.
Access Dock Lightbox
through the Dock web site and view downloadable
slide shows from our student photographers.
Dock junior Beth Curtis (second from right) and some of her fellow “ambassadors” at the Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) seminar she
attended at Temple University.
The list of things that HOBY did for me is endless: a
huge network of friends who share my passion and dedication to change the world; confidence and enthusiasm; a new way of looking at goals; a challenge to lead
my community through service; and the awareness of
the possibilities open to me. HOBY was an amazing experience, and it’s not over for me. I’m now a member
of the alumni association that has regular events; I’m
looking forward to returning to the seminar next year
as a volunteer, and I left HOBY with a challenge to complete 100 hours of community service in the next year.
One speaker’s remarks particularly stick in my mind. He
told us that HOBY doesn’t really teach us leadership;
most of us have already developed that on our own.
Instead, HOBY directs our leadership gifts in a positive
direction. He pointed out that some of the best leaders
in the world don’t do good things; just look at gang
leaders. They are very effective, but not at all productive. HOBY aims to make sure that we know the responsibility that is attached to the leadership gifts we have
been given. If people are going to follow us, we have
to be sure to lead them in the right direction. After my
HOBY experience, I’m convinced that I, along with the
170 ambassadors at my seminar, will change the world.
The only question that remains is, how?
— Beth Curtis, ‘13
Dock Theater to perform
Beauty and the Beast
Dock Theater will perform Disney’s Beauty & the
Beast for its fall musical this year. Based on the
1991 Disney film of the same name, Beauty ran on
Broadway for 5,464 performances between 1994
and 2007, becoming the eighth-longest running
production in history. Performances will be November 10, 11, and 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for
adults, $5 for students and can be reserved by calling 215.362.2675.
New faculty & staff
Jeremiah C. Denlinger has been hired
as the part-time Spanish teacher replacing Caleb Franks. Mr. Denlinger has
a B.A. in History/Social Science with a
Spanish minor from Eastern Mennonite
University, and an M.A. in History from
the University of Delaware. He is certified in Pennsylvania to teach both Spanish and Social Studies. Mr. Denlinger has
teaching experience at Lancaster Mennonite High School, University of Delaware and Hodgson Vocational Technical
High School. He is a member of Ridgeview Mennonite Church in Lancaster.
Mr. Denlinger comes with numerous cross-cultural experiences. He has a passion for helping young people
connect learning to their own life experiences.
William S. Lorah has been hired as
the Director of Food Services, replacing
Bob Kulp. Mr. Lorah studied Culinary
Arts at the Art Institute of Philadelphia
and is Serve Safe Certified. He worked
as personal chef for Christian Brothers at La Salle High School for several
years, and with Williamson Hospitality/CulinArt, Inc. as Sous Chef/Manager’s Assistant at Montgomery County
Community College and, most recently, as Chef/Manager at Waldron Mercy
Academy. He currently attends Saint
Andrew’s United Methodist Church in
Warminster. Mr. Lorah enjoys working with food as an
avenue to connecting with people.
Invite a friend to Open House!
Dock students visit Panama
Christopher Dock will host an Open House for prospective students and their parents on Saturday, October 22,
from 12:30 - 3 p.m. Coinciding with Homecoming Weekend, this Open House is a great opportunity for prospective families to meet faculty, staff and other students,
tour the Dock campus, and learn about curriculum, financial aid, athletics and other parts of the Dock experience. Please take time to invite a friend or neighbor to
come to one of these Open House events. Your invitation
can make all the difference! Call 215.362.2675 or e-mail
[email protected] for details.
Dock Spanish faculty member Señor Eldon Miller and his
wife, Gem, led a group of 11 Dock students on a study
tour to Panama in June. The group learned about the
history of Panama; the engineering wonder of the Panama Canal and its importance to the economies of that
country and the world; visited Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute locations and learned about Panama’s
unique ecosystems; and spent time on a Caribbean island where students went kayaking and observed sea
creatures in a coral reef. The group also spent several
days at three different schools, painting classrooms and
interacting with school children. Perhaps most interesting were several days spent travelling back in time, via
dugout canoes, to visit two groups of remote indigenous people. The students were enchanted by the relaxed, simple lifestyles of these people.
Softballers support
Dock alum Erik Kratz
The Dock girls softball team recently attended a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game in support of Dock grad Erik Kratz (‘98)
son of Dock volunteer softball coach Floyd Kratz. Erik is presently the leading hitter on the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, hitting right around .300, and this season played in his third
consecutive Triple-A All-Star game. Erik was called up to
the Phillies’ in mid-September. Members of the Dock softball
team met Erik (center) after the game, including (l to r) Aly
Shilling, Rachel Ryder, Megan Bolton, Sarah Ryder, Maddie
Parvin and Holly Seiz.
What we did on our summer vacation
Many Dock faculty members use part of their summer
to continue their own education as a way to
enrich their classrooms during the school
year. Find out what other Dock faculty
did on their summer vacations online at
dockhs.org
Faculty recognized for service
A number of Dock faculty were recognized for their service to the school at a special luncheon in June, including (below, l to r) Joan Grega, Karen Johnston, and Kathy Adams (all 10 years); Jane Clemmer (five years); Jeff
Ambrose (15 years); Rod Derstine (25 years); and Nicole Sylvester (five years). Also recognized for their service
were departing faculty and staff members, including (below right, l to r) Marlene Frankenfield, Caleb Franks, Bob
Kulp, Kim Wieder, and Mary Beth Rush.
Pasta for Pennies
Dock students once again participated in Olive Garden’s “Pasta for Pennies” program, a national fundraiser in partnership
with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over a three-week
period, students filled collection jars in their classrooms
with spare change. The class
collecting the most money was
awarded a pasta party, delivered to their classroom by their
local Olive Garden restaurant.
Since 1994, more than 3 million
students nationwide have raised
more than $53 million to support the fight against blood-related cancers. Right: Aaron Wile
(’11, left) and Chris Fretz (’11)
celebrate Dock’s $850 contribution to “Pennies for Pasta.”
MWR editor
shares with
DockuNet staff
Sheldon Good, assistant editor
and web editor for the Mennonite
Weekly Review, gave a presentation to DockuNet staff about
journalism and his role on the
newspaper. DockuNet is the student voice of Christopher Dock
and can be found at www.christopherdock.org/dockunet.
Dock names 2011 award winners
Academic Awards & Scholarships
Christopher Dock Award
The Christopher Dock Award is
presented to one senior boy and girl
in recognition of all-around campus
citizenship, leadership and scholarship
during high school. The 2011 winners
of the Christopher Dock Award are
Jade Kang and Emily Lambright.
Subject Area Award winners
Career Work Study
Mary Long
Charles Clemmer Art
Eddie Nieto
Paul R. Clemens Bible
Katie Martin
Paul R. Clemens Bible
Sam Thalathoti
Technology
Kevin Weiss
Drama
Breanna Yates
Mathematics Jade Kang
Spanish
Emily Lambright
Social Studies
Emily Lambright
English
Josh Neal
Writers
Matt Walters
Family & Consumer Sciences Kristen Kauffman
Physical Education
Andrew Gordon
Physical Education
Janine Powis
Music
Brandi Brubaker
Science
Jonathan Drescher-Lehman
Science Fair
Kayla Alderfer
Citizenship Award
The Christopher Dock Citizenship Award for 2011 was
presented to (l to r) Kayla Benner (’11), Kayla Alderfer (’14), Derek Godshall (’12), and Amy Bergey (’13).
The Citizenship Awards are sponsored by Roland and
Dottie Yoder and Lee and Ruth Delp. Kayla Alderfer
also won the Christopher Dock Science Fair Award,
sponsored by Merck & Co.
Sam and Helen Lapp
Peacemaking Award
This year’s recipient of the Sam and
Helen Lapp Peacemaking Award from
Christopher Dock Mennonite High
School is Jihun (Jade) Kang. Jade
was selected as this year’s recipient
because of the ways he bridges connections between the school and the
greater community. He is a member of
the school’s International Club and
has participated in the community’s International Festival held annually for the North Penn community.
L. Travis Bechtel Memorial
Scholarship
Jocelyn Young was awarded this
scholarship, named for the ’91 Dock
grad and awarded for excellence in
academics, athletics and business.
The award is sponsored by business
advisors Baum, Smith & Clemens,
LLP.
Daniel Reinford Scholarship
Subject Area Award Winners included (kneeling, l to r) Sam Thalathoti,
Jonathan Drescher-Lehman, Eddie Nieto, Kevin Weiss, Josh Neal, Matt
Walters. Standing (l to r) Janine Powis, Andrew Gordon, Emily
Lambright, Brandi Brubaker, Mary Long, Breanna Yates, Kristen
Kauffman, and Jade Kang.
Kayla Benner received this scholarship, named for the former Christopher Dock teacher.
Clayton Kratz Scholarship
Matt Hershey received the Clayton Kratz Award and Mennonite
Economic Development Associates
(MEDA) Scholarship.
Additional scholarship winners
Penn Suburban Chamber of Commerce Travis Moyer, Jocelyn Young
Hatfield Women’s Civic Club Alyssa Alderfer
Harleysville Rotary Club Scholarship Carolynn Choinski
The Medical Staff at Abington Health/Lansdale Hospital Scholarship Lindsey Hoover
American Association of University Women/Lansdale Branch Scholarship Carolynn Choinski, Jade Kang
Montgomery-Bucks Family & Consumer Sciences Association Samantha Ferrier
John Fisher Citizen Scholar Award Emily Lambright
North Penn Rotary Club Award Taylor Halteman, Adam Spinozzi
Athletic Department Awards
Athlete of the Year Award
The Christopher Dock Athlete of the Year Award is given to
a junior or senior male and female and is selected on the basis of outstanding seasons in more than one sport. The 2011
winners are Karli Balmer (field hockey, track & field) and
Drew Mininger (golf, bowling, and baseball).
Outstanding Athletic Achievement
Nominees for this award are recognized in the broader athletic community as outstanding athletes during their season(s),
and for bringing highly valued team-oriented contributions
leading to league, district or state championships. The 2011
winners include (above, l to r) Travis Moyer (volleyball);
Megan Evans (field hockey); Jenessa Derstine (basketball),
Janine Powis (cross country, track & field); Karli Balmer
(track & field); and Drew Mininger (golf and baseball).
David J. Clemmer Memorial Award
Rachel Ryder (softball) was the 2011 recipient of this award,
which is based on outstanding performance during two or
more seasons of at least one sport, as well as good sportsmanship and positive leadership.
Senior Athlete Award
This award is given to seniors who have lettered in two or
more sports as both a junior and a senior. Recipients for
2011 include (bottom right, l to r): Jenessa Derstine (field
hockey, basketball, cross country, soccer); Karli Balmer (field
hockey, track & field); Janine Powis (cross country, track &
field); Emily Lambright (cross country, track & field); Montana Mitchell (basketball, track & field); Rachel Ryder (field
hockey, softball); Drew Mininger (golf, bowling, baseball);
Andrew Gordon (soccer, bowling, baseball); Travis Moyer
(soccer, bowling, volleyball). Not pictured: Courtney Hunsberger (field hockey, track & field); Allegra Inciardi (field
hockey, track & field); Hannah Loux (field hockey, track
& field); Maria Schweizerhof (field hockey, soccer); Kate
Swartz (volleyball, bowling); David Brelsford (soccer, basketball, tennis); Matt Hershey (basketball, track & field);
Steve Nase (soccer, track & field), Mason Pakhtigian (soccer, bowling).
Chef Bob and his staff do what comes naturally:
share a laugh together. With Bob are (l to r) Jeanne
McClincy, Fran Weber, Kim Wieder, Sandy Detweiler,
Nicole Sylvester, Mary Beth Rush, and Joy Gross.
Missing from photo: Jane Seaman, Tammy Landis
A Dock institution
Dock’s ‘Top Chef’ moves on after 14 years in the kitchen.
Very few schools can use their cafeteria food as a
strategic advantage when it comes to marketing the
school to new students. But Christopher Dock is an
exception, and for the past 14 years, Bob Kulp has
been a big reason why.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Roast beef and
mashed potatoes. Creamed turkey. Taco salad.
Chicken Pot Pie. These have been the most popular
items on Bob Kulp’s menu for the past decade and
a half, when students and faculty often found Bob’s
food too good to pass up.
Now, “Chef Bob” has found an opportunity he found
too good to pass up. He resigned as director of food
services in June to take a new position as a private
chef and property manager.
“I’ve been here 14 years,” he says. “It’s time to move
on and do something different.”
Chef Bob’s presence on campus goes way beyond
the kitchen, and it’s much more than the food on his
menus that has made him a Dock institution.
More likely, it’s the 10 p.m. run to a Chinese restaurant during Social Issues trip that has endeared him
to the Dock community (“I was hungry. They gave
me an envelope full of money. What was I supposed
to do?”). Or the epic rubber band battles between the
kitchen staff and Mr. Kabakjian, one of Dock’s guidance counselors (“He took a hostage one time and
hid behind one of the girls. Ken is definitely a wimp.
I hope that makes it into the story.”) Or his performance in last year’s Cardboard Boat Race, when, he
Chef Bob’s special relationship with Dock students goes way beyond
grilled cheese, roast beef, and taco salad.
led a boat as “Captain Crunch” (“It’s a shame I waited so long to do that.”)
Stories like those and many others have made Chef
Bob a legend inside and outside Dock’s kitchen.
Or maybe it’s the special bond Chef Bob shared with
his cafeteria staff. “One experience that stood out for
me was when Bob challenged me to donate produce
from my garden rather than to sell it to the school,”
says cafeteria assistant Jane Seaman (’76), who
worked with Chef Bob for almost seven years. “The
next day I brought in 20 lbs. of butternut squash and
said, ‘Here you go, Bob.’ He was quite pleased. The
next day he donated an old flour sifter to the bakery
department, saying, ‘I want to be just like Jane.’”
“You have to make it fun,” he says. “You spend more
time here than you do at home some days, so you
have to want to get up and come in. I really enjoyed
communicating with the students, faculty and staff
here. They’re the customers.”
To read reflections from Chef Bob’s
cafeteria staff, and see a slide show, go to
dockhs.org or the Christopher Dock page
on Facebook.
God at work
Marlene Frankenfield reflects on the ways she has seen God at work during her years as
Dock’s campus pastor—and what she will miss the most.
In the 12 years she has been Christopher Dock’s
campus pastor, Marlene Frankenfield has helped to
encourage the spiritual growth and development of
Dock students. That position has afforded her opportunities to see God at work in ways that may not be
obvious to those who aren’t on campus every day—
in moments of crisis; through the creativity and artistic expression of students and faculty; and in the
life-long relationships that develop and grow during
students’ years at Dock.
As Marlene moves to a new season in her own journey, we asked her to reflect on these areas:
You have seen students grow spiritually
through moments of crisis. Can you give an
example?
The example that comes to mind is the way the Dock
community walked with [former faculty member]
Jeanine Musselman and her family during her illness.
She really gave us a gift in the way she faced her
illness with a strong faith. One of her sons was here
then and I remember how this community surrounded him and his friends during that difficult time.
Another time a student was very ill, and we had a
candlelight vigil for her during lunch. I was amazed
how many kids came out for that. I know that faculty
members have prayed in class for students’ family
members who were sick or in crisis. Students remember moments like that vividly.
“There is a sense of anticipation when students walk in: Something is going to happen today in chapel.
There’s an energy, an air of expectation that God’s Spirit will be present. I will miss that.”
You believe there is a deep spiritual dimension
to the ways students express themselves creatively here. What do you mean by that?
Art and creativity sometimes get missed by the
church in terms of spiritual expression. I remember
one time when our chapel theme was the book of
Revelation and we asked our chapel speaker, Dave
Stevens, who was pastor at Blooming Glen at the
time, to select four images to accompany his talk.
The art department selected four students to paint
these images, and Dave had them up front draped
with a cloth. As he told the story, he revealed each
image, and it was inspiring to see how students had
interpreted those images. That to me was very powerful. He gave them the scripture reference, and they
used their God-given talent to bring it to life.
We can really help students grow by encouraging
them to use their gifts of creativity in art and music. Touring Choir, for example, is a deep spiritual
experience for many students. Over the years, students often mention their choir experience in senior
speeches as a time of significant spiritual growth.
So what will you miss the most about your Dock
experience?
The relationships with faculty
place is amazing, and at times
my church community because
a week and we’re worshipping
and students. This
this campus felt like
we’re here five days
together three days
a week. The deep connections you make, watching
kids grow and become more thoughtful and articulate about their faith. Watching students who never
envisioned themselves leading in chapel, and then
to see them do a great job in that role. To be part
of that and walk alongside students in that way and
encourage them is great.
The other thing I love after all these years is when
I’m over [in the auditorium] getting ready for chapel, nobody else is in there and it’s so quiet. Then
the bell rings, and in five minutes that place is just
full of energy. There is a sense of anticipation when
the students walk in: Something is going to happen
today in chapel. There’s an energy, an air of expectation and faith that God’s Spirit will be present.
One of the things I realized these last few days without the students here is that this place is nothing
without them. I miss their voices, laughter, and energy in the hallways. A big part of what makes this
place special is the energy of the students and the
faculty. I will miss that feeling of energy that students bring to chapel and to campus.
I’ll also miss being able to sit at my desk and look out
the window, especially when the bell rings at the end
of the day, and to watch students walk out of here
and hang out in the parking lot, and see the relationships that emerge. I see a lot out my window, and I
will miss that.
To read the full interview (and learn which chapels
are Marlene’s favorites) go to www.dockhs.org
All Chinese people eat rice
…and other myths
Dock faculty member Gail Anderson reflects on the blessings her family both
gave and received by hosting an international student
Did you know rice is a part of the daily menu only for
Chinese people living in the southern half of China? Up
north, the climate is better for wheat growing, so the
staple is wheat, generally in the form of noodles, but
also as bread. Also, when a Chinese person is addressed
as “Ou Lun,” Ou is her family name and Lun is her given
name – even family members address each other in this
way (unless they’re using another more personal nickname, such as “Didi” for “little brother”). These are only
a couple of the many things I learned during the past 18
months while serving as a host mom for a Dock student
from China.
At Dock, we believe the best way to learn is by doing.
Through our experience with our “Chinese daughter,”
my husband, two daughters, and I learned fascinating
lessons about Chinese culture, politics, society, geography, food, family relationships, and history. I believe
these lessons will stick with us far longer than any of the
second-hand information we learned previously.
In many ways, Ou Lun was just like an average teenager; we had to remind her to put away her dishes and
clean her room and not stay up all night on the phone.
Our heart broke along with hers as she received rejections from colleges, and we rejoiced along with her in
her successes—a perfect Math SAT, finally a TOEFL (Test
of English as a Foreign Language) score above the college’s cutoff, and rolling her first strike on the bowling
team!
Of course, while she was with us, Ou Lun told us much
about China; her background, her family, her beliefs.
But you really don’t understand a place until you’ve
been there and seen it with your own eyes, and we were
blessed to have that opportunity last June. Her family
welcomed us to China, and set about ensuring that we
experienced as much as possible during our two weeks
there. We hiked the Great Wall, explored the Birds’ Nest
stadium, ate Peking duck in Beijing (formerly known as
“Peking”), took overnight trains to Xi’an to see the terracotta soldiers and to Suzhou to see beautiful rock gardens and silkworms at work, and explored the “forest of
skyscrapers” that is Shanghai (courtesy of Peter Zhao,
another Dock exchange
student!), just to name
a few!
Besides the sights and
tastes we experienced
Dock faculty member Gail Anderson
during our two weeks,
(above, far right) and her family (husband Paul and daughters Abigail and
we also had a lot of
Livia) with Chinese student Ou Lun at
time to talk with the Ou
Dock’s graduation last June.
family and get to know
them, and Ou Lun, better. It was great to see her in her home element, where
she was clearly more comfortable and at ease, and that
made me realize just how hard it had been for her to
be away from home, on her best behavior, for so many
months. No wonder she was so anxious for graduation
to arrive! We also realized how much her English had
improved; she far outshined any of the professional
English guides we hired to show us around outside of
Beijing!
It was fascinating for me to talk with the Ou’s about
politics. Another myth people may have about Chinese
citizens is that either a) they’re all communists (less
than 10% of the population are card-carrying party
members – it’s actually not that easy to get in), or b)
all Chinese hate their oppressive government. What we
have been taught to call “vibrant democracy,” they have
been taught to call “anarchy.” Explained this way, it’s
easier to understand how people could be so loyal to
a strong central government, even one they admit has
made grave errors, and be convinced that theirs is the
only system that will last.
The most significant thing, in my opinion, about hosting
an international student is the privilege and challenge
of sharing our faith with someone who has never before heard the Gospel. Ou Lun shared with me that one
valuable opportunity she had as an American exchange
student was to not only learn of Christianity in school,
but to see it first-hand as part of a Christian church. I
know that it was not always easy for Ou Lun to be interested in the long, English sermons and Sunday school
lessons, and it was very difficult for her to constantly be
surrounded by people who take Christianity and knowledge of Bible stories for granted. Our family was not
always the perfect example of loving, living faith, but I
do believe that, through our love and that of others in
our church and at Dock, seeds were planted, and God’s
Word will not return void.
So, if you’re looking for a way to challenge your stereotypes, your cultural norms, and your faith, consider
opening your home to an international student this year!
Over the summer the Andersons visited with Ou Lun
and her family in her home country, here visiting
Shanghai.
If you are interested in learning more about hosting an
international student, contact Tim Kennel at 215.721.9479,
or email [email protected].
The Dock Difference
tagline noun \'tag-,līn\
1: a final line (as in a play or joke); especially: one that serves
to clarify a point or create a dramatic effect. 2: a reiterated
phrase identified with an individual, group, or product; slogan
w
hat is a tagline, and why is it important? A tagline
is a slogan typically used in marketing materials and
advertising. The idea is to create a memorable phrase
that will sum up the premise of a brand, and reinforce
the audience's memory of a product. One marketing
expert says a tagline is “a brand promise expressed in
'shorthand.' ”
Over the summer, the Advancement
Team had a brainstorming session
to update Dock’s tagline (right). We
considered past taglines such as,
Knowledge with Reverence, Building
Faith, Expanding Minds, and others. Then we considered what we wanted a new tagline message to be.
We shared stories of how Dock makes a difference in
students’ lives; how faculty impart not only facts, but
encourage students to think and reason for themselves;
how faculty nurture students to own their faith, and prepare students for life experiences beyond high school;
and how the Dock experience helps students develop
leadership skills.
Dock Principal Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber says the new
tagline expresses well the mission of Christopher Dock
to “develop the God-given abilities of students in prepa-
ration for responsible stewardship of life as members of
God’s people in a global society.”
“To be successful in that mission, we must ignite each
student’s passion,” says Dr. Swartzentruber. “Only
teaching information will not be complete. A goal of
simply graduating will fall short of our mission. We must
collaborate with parents and churches to help discover
and ignite the passion of our youth for learning so their
quest for knowledge and wisdom does not end upon
graduation. We must ignite their passion for faith so
they will continue to grow spiritually and be prepared to
lead our churches in this community
and beyond. We must foster a passion for life so each youth sees the
connection between growth and a
meaningful involvement in society.”
Director of Advancement Susan Gingerich says her team
found that choice and order of words was important.
“While we affirmed the original Knowledge with Reverence tagline, we felt that different words could be better understood by our changing constituency,” she says.
“The words learning, faith, and life quickly surfaced as
ones that explain the elements that are important and
central in a Christian school environment.”
As one team member pointed out when the Advancement team reviewed the order of words, faith is aptly
placed in the middle “because faith is in the middle of
what we do at Dock.”
Dock teachers “feed the flame” of curiosity
“There is nothing better than watching a
student’s eyes light up when he or she
‘gets’ the concept you have been working to get across. I love seeing the WOW
moment on their faces when they learn to
make connections between what they are
learning in English and what they’ve just
read in social studies. Those moments
make me understand that we are helping students to
navigate the world in front of them by understanding
the literature of the world that is behind them. Those
moments renew my faith in the ability of humans to
make a difference in this world.” Charlene Rauch
“When
a
student
comes to me, I try to
do whatever I can,
through my curriculum
and instruction, to feed
that flame of curiosity,
and then trust others
to add their fuel, here
at school, at home and
in the congregation.”
Dr. J. Eric Bishop
Igniting Passion for
Learning
“Chemistry class with Mrs. Adams was always an adventure. If you would have asked me in the
beginning of the year if I enjoyed chemistry, I would have laughed and said no. I guess Mrs.
Adams’ sing-alongs to mole songs in class changed my mind.” Karissa Good (right)
“I enjoyed Mrs. Rauch’s enthusiasm in the classroom. She made English fun and interesting for
me—interesting enough for me to go into an Honors English class the following year.” Kayla
Benner
“[In Global Eras], Mr. Bower was intriguing to listen to, and it was obvious that
he deeply loved what he was teaching.” Hannah Loux
Faith
“Faith Walk [with Dr. Bishop] was an important class for me because I wanted to find my
faith…Dr. Bishop got me on track with my faith; he supported me in my decisions, and
was a great mentor for me. I am glad I took Faith Walk because I found and still have a
new relationship with God.” Bryan Melendez
“The discussions [in Mr. Bush’s Bible class] forced me to think for myself and were
a jump-start into what I would call the beginning of my own personal faith.” Kevin
Weiss (right)
“I was challenged to talk about my faith and understand others’ faith in Bible II, which
provided a space where we could ask questions, read about another religion, or even
talk face to face with a classmate of another religion. I can remember coming home with topics on my mind that
I would talk about with my parents. Going through this process helped me strengthen my faith.” Travis Moyer
Life
“The passion and encouragement of Mr. Derstine has been inspiring. He has always
encouraged us to not only sing the songs but listen to the words and harmonies to feel
the chills move down our spine. Through this I have learned a greater appreciation of
music and lyrics.” Joanna Landis (right)
“I have come to see [Mr. Moyer] as a great coach and a great man. He taught me
many things over the years, not only about soccer, but about life as well. Not only
did he teach me the skills needed to be successful on the soccer field, he was also
devoted to making me a better person.” Kevin Detweiler
“Our students are excited about
learning and the opportunity to experience new information in handson ways. Whether students are making the best soft pretzels known to
humankind in Culinary Arts I, decorating the most beautiful cupcakes in
Culinary Arts II, designing the perfect home in Housing and Design, or
caring for babies in Family Living, I
see eager students trying to do their
best. That doesn’t always mean
things go perfectly. Sometimes we
put too much flour in pretzel dough,
our house plan gets lost in cyberspace, or the baby cries all night. But
with failure comes help from peers
and the teacher, feeling God’s grace
in significant ways, and trying again.
It is a blessing to be with students
every day in this significant learning
environment.” Rose Lambright
2011 Baccalaureate &
The high value of
Relationships
Colonial schoolmaster Christopher Dock wrote
a book about his teaching philosophy, which rejected harsh disciplinary methods in favor of a
gentler approach which placed a high value on
the relationship between teacher and student, a
relationship rooted in mutual respect, trust and
love.
Parents joined their
graduating seniors
for dinner prior to
the Baccalaureate
service. Pictured (top
to bottom, l to r) are
Rod, Lisa and Courtney Hunsberger;
Eliza, Robin and Dean
Nafziger; Jessica,
Taegun and Jade
Kang; and Jocelyn,
Tracy and Erik Young.
‣
Senior Brandi Brubaker
provided the prelude for
the Baccalaureate service.
Faculty member Ron Hertzler, (bottom right,
along with students Eddie Nieto and Maria Schweizerhof), referred to those relationships as he
addressed students during Dock’s Baccalaureate service on Friday, June 10.
“As I listened to many of your senior presentations, I believe I speak for the faculty when I
say we love when you share of yourself and the
meaningful moments that have occurred during
your time at Dock,” Hertzler said told students.
“Hopefully, you have experienced love and grace
and peace through the relationships you have
developed here, and I trust you will remember
them fondly as you grow and stretch to become
the persons God has intended.”
Commencement
Karli J. Balmer
Carolynn M. Choinski
Jonathan B. Drescher-Lehman
Adella Ha
Courtney R. Hunsberger
Allegra M. Inciardi
Jade Kang
Emily R. Lambright
Travis J. Moyer
Jessica A. Myers
Matthew T. Walters
Why Wouldn’t You?
That simple question has the power to
change our world view, and the way we
respond to new opportunities, Assistant
Principal Martin Wiens told Dock graduates in his commencement address.
Many of us have been in a similar situation:
We are presented with an opportunity to
serve in some way, and we begin to make a
list of the reasons we should say no. I don’t
have time, the money, or the energy.
Having been asked to serve on the board of
a Mennonite college, Martin Wiens had made
his list, too. Then he called his father to talk
it over.
“He listened patiently to me without interruption,” Wiens told graduates during his address at Dock’s 56th commencement on June
11. “And when I was done, he simply asked,
‘Why wouldn’t you?’ Your church school asked
you to serve. Why wouldn’t you?’”
Wiens says all the planned answers simply
left his head, and he went blank. He could
think of nothing to say.
“That one simple question—Why wouldn’t
you?—has allowed me to look at the world
and my place in it in a completely different manner,” Wiens said. “That one simple
question has opened up my world view and
allowed for opportunities that I might have
otherwise declined. That simple question has
also allowed me to see those opportunities in
a completely different light.” Answering that
question, he added, helped him say “yes” to
an opportunity to serve with Mennonite Mission Network in South Africa for eight months
of his 2010-11 sabbatical.
SUMMA CUM LAUDE
(Cumulative G.P.A. of 4.00 or above
during all four years of high school)
Wiens left graduates with a fresh perspective
on the challenges and opportunities that lay
ahead of them:
“In terms of attitude, I would encourage you to
remember this:
You don’t have to, you get to.
You don’t have to graduate from Dock, you get to.
You don’t have to thank your parents and
churches for sacrificially providing you the
opportunity of a Dock education, you get to.
And as you move from this space tonight,
You don’t have to get a job, or do service, or
go on to higher education, you get to.
You don’t have to work for peace, you get to.
You don’t have to fight injustice, you get to.
You don’t have to feed the hungry, you get to.
You don’t have to clothe the naked, you get to.
You don’t have to heal the sick, you get to.
You don’t have to work to build the Kingdom of
God on Earth here and now, you get to.
So if you have the opportunity to do all these
things, my question to each of you is:
Why wouldn't you?”
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
(Cumulative G.P.A. of 3.85-3.99
Katie M. Martin
Alyssa R. Alderfer
Diana M. Gasiewski
Karissa G. Good
Lindsey R. Hoover
Rachel H. Kauffman
Mary R. Long
Whitney J. Longacre
Montana M. Mitchell
John S. Neal, III
Amanda C. Prussack
Rachel A. Ryder
Jennifer Xu
Jocelyn B. Young
CUM LAUDE
(Cumulative G.P.A. of 3.70-3.84
Natalia P. Derstine
Monte C. Cato
Andrew S. Gordon
Taylor N. Halteman
Joanna R. Landis
Emilee R. Laverty
Lun Ou
Corina R. Reeser
Taleh R. Rittenhouse
Sallie J. Rosenberger
Morgan A. Skapik
Kathryn L. Swartz
Graduate Plans
While there are certainly times when we
should and must say ‘no,’ Wiens said we need
to respond to opportunities we sense are
from God with one question: “Why wouldn’t
you?”
Alyssa Alderfer
Wiens went on to describe the ways his life
had been touched by the people he met in
South Africa. “There are many people out
there who need you and the gifts you have to
offer,” he told graduates. “Our world is desperate for the works and deeds you can and
will perform. But you need the people of this
world as much as they need you. Give freely
and generously to those around you, but also
allow them to give freely and generously to
you.”
Karli Balmer
Marywood University
Music Therapy
Denali Althouse
Bloomsburg University
Chemistry
Gordon College
Spanish/Social Work
Joseph Bates
Montgomery County
Community College
Finance
Kayla Benner
Eastern Mennonite
University
Music/Psychology
Michael Bergin
Montgomery County
Community College
Geology
David Brelsford
Montgomery County
Community College
Work at SEsquared inc.
Brandi Brubaker
Goshen College
Music Performance
Alexander Campo
Employment
Gulf Gas Station, Lansdale
Monte Cato
Penn State University Mathematics
Carolynn Choinski
Alleghany
College
Jenessa Derstine
Eastern Mennonite University
Physical Education
Natalia Derstine
Liberal Arts
Nicholas Derstine
Penn College of Technology
Civil Engineering
Kevin Detweiler
Montgomery County
Community College
Work at B&H Industries
Jonathan Drescher-Lehman
Biology
Megan Evans
Lock Haven University
Elementary Education
Samantha Ferrier
Messiah College
Family & Consumer Science
Brett Firely
Montgomery County
Community College
Work at Firely Pediatrics
Foundation
Nursing
Christopher Fretz
Rutgers University
Astrophysics
Diana Gasiewski
Drexel University Communications
Karissa Good
Messiah College
Andrew Gordon
Mennonite Missions Network
Radical Journey Program
Kyle Groff
Montgomery County
Community College
Business Administration
Work at B&H Industries
Jae Hyun (Adella) Ha
Moravian College
Taylor Halteman
Eastern University
Undeclared
Matt Hershey
Hesston College
Business
Jacob Hill
West Virginia University
Mechanical Engineering
Lindsey Hoover
Misericordia University
Medical Imaging
Courtney Hunsberger
Muhlenberg College
Dance/Math Education
Jeffrey Hunsberger
Elizabethtown College
Computer Science
Andrew Hunt
Bucks County
Community College
Design
Allegra Inciardi
Penn State University
Mathematics
Emily Jenkins
Temple University
Psychology
Sung Hyun (Steve) Joung
Montgomery County
Community College
Jihun (Jade) Kang
Northeastern University
International Business
Kristen Kauffman
Work as a Nanny
Rachel Kauffman
Arcadia University
Secondary Education
Emily Lambright
Moravian College
Economics/Political Science
Jackie Landis
Bucks County
Community College
Nursing
Joanna Landis
Bucks County
Community College
Early Childhood Education
Work at Dock Meadows
Emilee Laverty
Grove City College
International Business
Rebecca Lawlor
Penn State, Reading Campus
Hospitality Management/
Occupational Therapy
Christopher Lee
Computer Science
Mary Long
Shippensburg University
Secondary Math Education
Whitney Longacre
Messiah College
Business Administration/
Marketing Minor
Hannah Loux
Monmouth University
Undeclared
Katie Martin
True North - Three Springs
Ministries Camp
Brooke McDanel
Montgomery County
Community College
Undeclared
Cynthia McDonnell
Bucks County
Community College
Physical Therapy
Jessica McNally
Kings College
Undeclared
Serena Mease
Drexel University
Engineering
Bryan Melendez
Health & Physical Education
Drew Mininger
Messiah College
Undeclared
Abigail Mitchell
Elon University
Political Science
Montana Mitchell
Bucknell University
Undeclared
Adam Moyer
Undeclared
Alex Moyer
Vocational School
Work at J.I. Landis
Darren Moyer
Work at Alderfer's Poultry Farm
Travis Moyer
Messiah College
Mathematics Education
Jessica Myers
Arcadia University
Forensic Science
Eliza Nafziger
Eastern University
Undeclared
Stephen Nase
Messiah College
Computer Science
Thomas Natalini
Susquehanna University
Political Science/Philosophy
John Neal III
St. John's College
Liberal Arts
Eduardo Nieto
Savannah College of
Art & Design
Industrial Design
Lun Ou
University of Illinois at
Urbana/Champaign
Undeclared
Mason Pakhtigian
Geneva College
Undeclared
Janine Powis
Slippery Rock University
Athletic Training
Amanda Prussack
Muhlenberg College
Business/Communications
Corina Reeser
Temple University
Special/Elementary Education
Nikki Reichert
Montgomery County
Community College
Science
Taleh Rittenhouse
Undecided
Sallie Rosenberger
Messiah College
Nursing
Dillon Ross
Penn State - Abington Campus
Electrical Engineering
Rachel Ryder
Gordon College
Kinesiology
Dong Hoon (Andy) Ryou
University of Nevada
Hotel Management
Maria Schweizerhof
Kutztown University
Undeclared
Laura Siewert
Arcadia University
First Year Study Abroad London
Biology
Morgan Skapik
University of Pittsburgh
Materials Engineering
Sean Solomon
Traveling
Adam Spinozzi
Messiah College
Education
Kathryn Swartz
Radical Journey Program
Samuel Thalathoti
Pre-medicine
Sarah Vezzetti
Delaware Valley College
Biochemistry
Matthew Walters
English Education
Eleah Weber
Bluffton University
Youth Ministry and Recreation
Kevin Weiss
Work
at MJW Landscaping
Constance Wildonger
Mansfield University
Nursing
Aaron Wile
Cole Wilkinson
Bloomsburg University
Liberal Arts
Jennifer Xu
University of Pittsburgh
Pre-dentistry
Breanna Yates
Hofstra University
Musical Theater/Elementary
Education
Jocelyn Young
Belmont University
Music Business
Senior Presentations 2011
Members of the Class of 2011 reflect on their high school
journey, and the experiences that shaped them for a future
of learning and service.
Rebecca Lawlor
“I worked with Mrs. Grega [freshman year] to help improve my grammar and
spelling. She noticed how strong I was in writing and getting my ideas on
paper, but my grammar held me back. At the end of my freshman year, Mrs.
Grega gave me wings, bumped me out of her learning support English class,
and sent me packing for mainstream English classes.
“Mr. Bush’s Bible class brought me closer to God because of our 12-hour community service project. Mr. Bush believed that community service was a way
for us to reach out to God by helping others. I did my service at Peter Becker
Retirement Community. There I met a woman, Mary, who was passionate
about God and the world. Talking to her helped my faith grow as we would
have conversations about Christ as I pushed her to church every Sunday. Mr.
Bush’s Bible project helped me step up my spiritual life and become a great
friend to Mary, who I still see almost every Sunday as I continue my community service at Peter Becker.
“I never will forget the amazing education and the opportunities that Dock
offered me over my four years here. I [received] educational, social, and spiritual blessings that I will always carry with me.”
Megan Evans
Diana Gasiewski
“Because of Ms. Clemmer, I am
now more confident in my ability
to learn, I can handle a challenging
workload and I can write a mean
scientific paper. Every teacher here
is so passionate about their work
and what they do for students. It’s
remarkable. I had only been at
Dock for several months, but by
the end of my sophomore year, I
knew there was something special
about the faculty here.”
“I am so thankful that my parents
allowed me to go here. This school
has changed me and made me a
better person in so many ways. I
think many of you take for granted
what we have here. The sense of
community at Dock makes everyone feel welcome, and you actually
[feel] trusted. I really appreciated
the student-teacher relationships.
All teachers here are looking out for
your best interest. Everyone just
tries to push you to become the best
person you can possibly be and succeed to the best of your ability. Having the opportunity to experience all
of this on a wonderful outdoor campus was just a bonus.”
Joe Bates
“[I came to Dock because] I knew
I wanted something different. I remember my new student interview
with Mr. Wiens. I can still say today
that I have never met anyone like
him. He made me feel so welcome.
He is the type of person that you feel
comfortable telling everything to,
and even when he knows all those
things about you, good or bad, he
still cares about you as a student.
“Senior experience gives [students]
the opportunity to experience a specific field of interest or the opportunity to do service for the week.
I think all schools should have this
opportunity that Dock seniors have.
It gives [students] a taste of what
the working world is like.”
Joanna Landis
“My junior year I began to realize and better appreciate the student-teacher relationships. The teachers are always willing to put in extra time to help
you. Mrs. Andress always helped me with Biology,
Mrs. Lambright always showed excitement in her
family and consumer sciences, Mr. Yoder was more
than happy to put extra time into answering our
questions during Algebra II, Environmental Science
turned out to be more interesting due to Ms. Johnston's lively personality, and Mr. King was anxious
to hear our thoughts during Story of the Church.
I understood that it was okay to speak up, and
my opinions would be respected, listened to, and
maybe even challenged. Thank you Dock faculty for
your enthusiasm, and for the time and energy you
put into your teaching every day.”
Abby Mitchell
“I met God in the form of a math teacher who saw
beyond a ‘C’ student and pushed for an ‘A.’ I met
God in a physics teacher who cared more about the
young lady I was becoming than the answers to
[test questions].
“In Faith Walk class, I revealed [a personal struggle] during my testimony...Supportive is not a
strong enough word for the love my classmates extended to me after I shared my story. When it came
time for a few people to share their testimonies in
chapel, my classmates encouraged me to do so…I
shared my story of struggle with the entire student
body, here in this chapel, eight months ago. It’s
true that you don’t know what you have, until it’s
gone, and sometimes that’s a good thing; I didn’t
know how heavy the burden of my secret was until
it was no longer there. It was as if Dock had said,
‘Let me shoulder some of this for you.’ I still mark
speaking in chapel as one of my greatest accomplishments.”
Breanna Yates
“The classes I had with Mr. King
became some of my favorites
not only because of the subject
matter, but because of the discussion he encouraged. These
classes showed me how engaged
one can become in class when
given the opportunity to talk
about it with classmates, forcing
you to think, and not just listen.
“Touring Choir is the experience
many anxiously await at Dock.
The pieces Mr. Derstine picks
are moving and memorable. The
countless hours in class, on Sunday mornings, and away on trips
form a strong bond between all
of us as musicians. I felt like I
had a place there.”
Karissa Good
“To Mr. Derstine, and everyone involved in Touring
Choir: You have encouraged me and supported me
through music at Dock. Truly, the music program at
Christopher Dock has been a life-changing experience.”
Carolynn Choinski
“Whatever I wind up doing, I am confident that I
will be successful. I have the tenacity and integrity
to become anything I want. Dock has empowered
me and given me every opportunity to get a head
start in my career and adult life.”
Emilee Laverty
“I loved singing in choir and drawing in art class.
The arts at Dock allowed me to express myself, improve my skills, and get to know others with the
same interests. By the end of senior year, I had
taken nearly every art class available and made all
sorts of friends and memories through them. Art
class was always my favorite part of the school day,
and I want to thank Mr. Swartz for making it an
awesome experience and encouraging me to keep
up with it.
Matt Hershey
“Christopher Dock has helped to shape my values
and interests. At this school you are surrounded by
friends and teachers who want to see you succeed. I
could constantly feel others supporting me and caring for me. The relationships I built here with faculty
and peers I will always remember. Even though I am
going far away, I will still cherish and try to live out
the core values Dock has taught me.”
“I have learned a lot in my classes at Dock, but
many of the things I learned here were life lessons,
big things that stretch beyond the classroom and
beyond my high school years. I’ve grown as a person and in my beliefs. I’ve learned a lot about myself and others, and I’ve found a direction in life.
On my first day of high school, I never imagined I
would grow so much, in every aspect of the word.”
Maria Schweizerhof
“When I first visited Dock,
the atmosphere here was
completely different than
what I was used to. There
were better student-teacher
relationships, and there was
more trust and respect given to faculty. In return, that
trust was given to students.”
Jacob Hill
“Over my high school years I have seen how quickly things can change. I experienced two deaths of
close loved ones…This was the first
time I really had to think about
my faith. It showed me that I
had more faith and more people
who cared about me than I previously thought. I had teachers ask
me if I was okay, and they weren’t
just exchanging pleasantries,
they were genuinely concerned
about me. I have recently
come to realize that I am a
part of a community that
genuinely cares for me.”
Tom Natalini
“From my first time on campus, I knew this was the
place for me—it was one of those moments when
things just feel right. School had never been exciting to me, for I had never seen within myself any
obvious academic abilities. When I came to Dock,
this all changed. As opposed to my schoolmates
at [public school], here at Dock I was encouraged
by my classmates who all had their special interest—and if mine happened to be history, then more
power to me!
“I was honored to be invited into the National Honor
Society. To be honest, I never felt I had the capability of achieving this—and without the help of some
amazing teachers who helped me grow within the
classroom as a scholar, and outside the classroom
as a person, I never could have. It seems as though
everything here at Dock is a [new] beginning.”
Lindsey Hoover
“[Before coming to Dock], I had no confidence in
my singing, and it took a few voice lessons from Mr.
Derstine before I really began to open up and sing
with more enthusiasm and power. Thank you, Mr.
Derstine, for giving me a safe environment to test
out my vocal capabilities.”
“Dr. Bishop and Mrs. McTavish gave me a safe environment to grow in my writing ability. Mrs. McTavish gave me helpful criticism with my writing and
pushed me to take honors my sophomore year. Dr.
Bishop made English interesting and encouraged
me to keep up my love for reading.”
“Mr. Derstine’s Bible class…gave me a place to grow.
The way he taught the class gave me a newfound
love for the Old Testament and its many stories. His
class gave me the opportunity to think more seriously about what I believe.”
Amanda Prussack
“[When I came to Dock], the atmosphere was welcoming and the transition was surprisingly smooth.
All of my stresses, worries, and anxieties faded; I fit
in. I became a social butterfly, and school became
fun.”
Mason Pakhtigian
“[Our soccer team] made it to the
state finals, which was a big deal…
Experiencing the support we as a
team received the whole season
really made me realize how lucky
we were to have such a great
school community.”
Kyle Groff
Jessie Myers
“I never would have done as well in Advanced Math
had I not been able to come after school and get
help from Mr. Yoder. I really appreciated his willingness to help me when I had questions. I understand
things best in a one-on-one situation rather than
a large group…[He gave] me a chance to go at my
own pace.”
“Wow! What a difference between here and
public school. From day
one, I loved my new
freedom and the trust
that was given to me.
“Mr. Wiens was a great
mentor for me coming
into Dock. He always
had an interest in my situation, and I could go to
him with any questions I had.”
Alyssa Alderfer
“Entering into Dock was
a breath of fresh air for
me…I found myself enjoying World Cultures
with Mr. Bush. Through
the class, my eyes were
opened up to the world
around me. After watching the movie Invisible
Children about Ugandan
child soldiers, I began
to take on the mindset
that I could change the
world.”
Andrew Gordon
Courtney Hunsberger
“Señor Miller is one of the many teacher role-models I have developed a relationship with at Dock,
and I will always value the love he has for the students here, and the soft-spoken enthusiasm he has
for teaching.
“I decided to take Chorale because Mr. Derstine was
the teacher. His laugh and the colorful shards of his
life he gave to us always left me viewing the rest of
the day a bit more optimistically. Coach Wikerd was
another friend and role-model, and someone who
never let me settle for less than my best. Thank you
to Dock. The teachers are fantastic and the community, or better put, family, I have here has had a
huge impact on me.”
One thing I found to
hold true during my
senior year was that
relationships
came
first, whether it was
family, church family,
teammates,
teachers, or coaches. This
year I went from being achievement-focused to relationshipfocused, and my year
benefitted from this
change.
Coming off a banner
year of sports, both
soccer and baseball
fell short of the accomplishments of the previous
year. That said, I would not trade away the experiences I had this year in both sports, because they
were valuable in aspects other than getting another
medal to hang up in my room. I look back on this
season with great memories of getting to know both
fellow seniors and underclassmen much better. We
bled together, we sweated together, and we experienced polar extremes of happiness and disappointment together. I came to love soccer as a game this
year because I got to share it with you guys.
Another bit of evidence that senior year was focused
on relationships was our Senior Christmas Chapel. I
will never forget the practices and preparation that
every last person put in to make that chapel happen. We performed Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown
as true to the TV special as we could, and it was a
blast. Everyone was committed to making sure the
production was successful, and it was fun to mix
things up a bit and deck out the chapel in Christmas
décor.
Kevin Detweiler
Bryan Melendez
“[On my first day at Dock] I felt like I had been
there for years. Everyone was really nice to me, and
I did not want the day to end. High school has been
by far the best experience I have had in my whole
life, and a big part of that is coming here to Dock.”
“I have come to see [Mr. Moyer] as a great coach
and a great man. He has taught me many things
over the years, not only about soccer, but about life
as well. Not only did he teach [me] the skills needed
to be successful on the soccer field, he was also very
devoted to making [me] a better person and always
strove to do that in different ways.”
Laura Siewert
“Dock is not like any other school I have ever been
to…I know that I am leaving here with great spiritual growth, and I have the foundation to stick to
my beliefs, whenever I may be tested.”
Sarah Vezzetti
“There was one class that always got me thinking,
and that was Kingdom Living with Mr. Hertzler. He
was always bringing up situations that would put
our minds to work to see what we were thinking. It
made me think more about what I believe and why
I believe it. He helped me clarify my viewpoints on
war and violence.
“Track made my senior year. It gave me something
new to do, and I got to know people that I probably
wouldn’t have talked to without track. I loved going
to practice.
“The most influential part of my high school [career]
was joining the AV club…I am truly blessed to have
[had] the opportunity to learn in AV club, and I will
miss it.
“I would like to thank my parents for…how blessed
I am to be able to attend a school like Dock. I’ve
learned so much at Dock these past four years, and
I’m grateful for all of it.”
Kayla Benner
“I’m glad I took the risk of being in honors English
classes because they have provided me with the opportunity to improve my writing.
“The main thing National Honor Society taught me
is how important, and how much fun, service can
be. There were many service opportunities I participated in and, I always enjoyed them, even Adopt-aHighway (which is a lot more fun than it sounds!).”
Jackie Landis
“I really believe
that this school has
the best teachers a
student that wants
to succeed and feel
cared about could
ask for.”
Karli Balmer
“[My hockey coaches] cared about us as people,
and they helped me more than they know in thinking about my future, including helping to get me
plugged into job shadowing an ESL teacher.”
1988
Maribeth Longacre Benner, Telford, became associate pastor at Salford Mennonite Church in February.
1991
Lavonne (Stutzman) and Ron Miller
welcomed their 3rd child, Jesse Lee,
on December 6, 2010. He joins big
brothers Ryan and Levi.
1992
1964
Ruth Lapp Guengerich became coexecutive director with Rhoda Keener
for Mennonite Women USA on May 1
after serving as its board chair since
2009. She will focus on MWUSA programs and administration.
1970
Dawn Ruth Nelson authored A
Mennonite Woman, Exploring Spiritual Life and Identity, released in 2010
by Cascadia Publishing House. Her
book is a resource for exploring Mennonite spirituality. Nelson suggests
that we look within our own traditions
as well as others to discover what
shaped Mennonite spirituality in the
past, then move forward by holding onto some of the old and adding
some new. 1979
Roger Hoover and Sharon Sibel
were married on April 15 in Stowe,
Vermont. They now reside in Perkasie.
1997
David and Michelle Guengerich,
Pennsburg, welcomed Hezekiah Jude
on August 30, 2010.
Eric and Anne Shelly welcomed Kaelyn Hannah on April 25. They live in
Centennial, Colo.
1993
Amanda Fenchel and David Gotwals were married May 27. Amanda is
a graduate of Messiah College, works
in Marketing Services Project Sourcing at ICG Commerce and volunteers
with the Helping Hand Rescue Mission
in Philadelphia. They live in Bridgeport, PA.
Barbara (Nebenfuhr) and John
Hoffer of Charleston, SC, welcomed
John Peter on January 4. JP joins
sisters Gabby and Ava.
Dr. Brian Yothers is Associate
Professor of English and Director and
Graduate Advisor in Literature
at the University
of Texas at El
Paso. His second
book, Melville’s
Mirrors (right),
will be published
this fall.
1999
2000
Adam Sadler was awarded the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree
from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in June
2010. Dr. Sadler is continuing his
medical training in orthopedic surgery throughout the greater Philadelphia area.
2001
1995
Megan Histand and Ryan Robinett
of Santa Monica, Calif., welcomed
Yates Sherman Robinett on April 21.
Amy Lyons and Vinay Kini, Philadelphia, became parents on May 8 to
Riya Lyons.
Jim Bishop recognized at EMU
Jim Bishop (’63) recently was recognized for 40 years of
service to Eastern Mennonite University as Public Information Officer. Jim (second from right) and his brothers (l to
r) Eric (’74), Bob, and Michael (‘77) sang “Guide My Feet”
at EMU’s recognition event.
Jim is the only one of the Bishop brothers who attended
Dock all four years. He credits Dock’s first English teacher,
Pearl Schrack, with changing his perceptions about what
was possible in his life and future.
Kenya Peterson and Dyukon Karnga
were married on March 7. Kenya met
Dyukon while she was on a mission
assignment in Liberia last year. They
now reside in Quakertown.
Rebecca Dengler and Josh
Kaufman, Goshen, Ind., welcomed
Emilia Joy (Emi) on March 26. She
joins Maya and Zakai.
1975
Garland Meyers’ wife Janice died
on April 26. Garland and daughters
Katelyn ('07) and Alicia ('09) live in
Schwenksville.
1996
Emily (Livrone) and David Hershey
welcomed Junia Elizabeth on April 28.
Junia’s name comes from Romans
16:7. Emily, David and Junia live in
Reading, PA.
2004
Rachel Edmonds and Stephen
Bachman were married on April 29 in
Philadelphia. They live in East Norriton.
2005
Caitlin Gifford graduated from
Duquesne University School of Law,
cum laude, on June 5. She received
the National Association of Women
Lawyers Outstanding Graduate
Award.
2011 Golf Committee
13th Annual
Christopher Dock
Golf Outing
The 13th Annual Christopher
Dock Golf Outing took place
at Mainland Golf Course on
Monday, May 16. Thanks to
all of this year's sponsors and
golfers. This year we raised
over $44,000 for tuition assistance for Dock students! To
see pictures from this year’s
outing, go to: www.dockhs.
org/golf. Next year’s outing
has already been scheduled
for May 21, 2012, at Mainland
Golf Course. For further information, call the Alumni Office
at 215.362.2675, ext. 107 or
email [email protected].
2002
Michelle (Zonetti) and Tom Palmer,
along with their son, Thomas Ayden
Palmer V, recently relocated to Ventura, California. Michelle is a 2006
graduate of Penn State University.
2003
Dana Moyer and Tabatha Collum
were married on November 21, 2008,
in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. They welcomed Aiden James on December 31,
2009. Dana, Tabatha and Aiden live
in North Wales.
Alumni
of the Year
Recipients
for 2011
2006
Kristin Richter and Kevin Jones
were married June 25 at Schwenksville, PA.
2007
Lauren Derstine and Ryan Moyer
were married on June 18 at Blooming
Glen, PA.
Outstanding
Achievement Awards:
William H. Meyers (’59) and
Eileen (Landis) Brothers (’61)
Jessica Hedrick and Caleb Benner
are teaching in a new Christian high
school in Albania through Virginia
Mennonite Missions. The school’s
website is: http://www.albanianchristianschool.org/ACS/Home.html.
Rachel Kolb and Daniel Mast, graduate of the Pennsylvania College of
Technology, got engaged in March.
The wedding will be in October.
Steven Rittenhouse was one of 10
Eastern Mennonite University seniors
named “Teachers of Promise” based
on their academic credentials, their
commitment to the teaching profession and their exemplary character.
Steven was among those recognized
at the 8th annual Teachers of Promise
(TOP) Institute held at James Madison University last spring.
Distinguished Service
Awards: Leonard M. Dow (’82)
and Ruth Ann (Rush) Moyer (’59)
Brooke Snyder and Jason Sprunger
were married June 25 at Blooming
Glen, PA. Brooke has been accepted
into the master’s program at the
University of London for the 2012-13
academic year.
Former Faculty
Joe Hackman (’04-’06) is lead pastor at Salford Mennonite Church.
Beth Yoder (’77-‘85, ’99-’01) is associate pastor at Salford Mennonite
Church.
Young Alum of the Year
Awards: Jonathan D. Moyer
(’98) and Rachel Miller (’00)
Awardees will be honored during
the Fall Concert on October 21 at
7 p.m. in Clemens Auditorium,
with a “meet and greet” reception
to follow.
Homecoming 2011
Make plans to attend this year’s Homecoming Weekend. Events include: Fall Concert with Alumni of the Year
presentations, open house, Li’l Dockers camp, class reunions, campus tours, and all-alumni dinner. If you have
any questions about Homecoming or your class reunion,
contact Kevin in the Alumni Office at 215.362.2675, ext.
107 or [email protected].
www.dockhs.org/homecoming
Class Reunions
Reunions will be held during Homecoming for the
classes of 1956, 1961, 1966, 1976, 1981, and
2006, at various times and locations. The following
classes have already held or will hold their reunion
on a different weekend: 1971, 1986, 1991, 1996,
and 2001. Check the website (www.dockhs.org/
reunion) or contact the Alumni Office at alumni@
dockhs.org for details about your class reunion. ALL
alumni are welcome to participate in Homecoming
Weekend activities and attend the alumni dinner.
Li’l Dockers Mini-Camp,
October 22, 3-5 p.m.
Rosenberger Academic Center
Children can participate in a variety of workshops that resemble classes they may take at Dock in the future. Workshops include the following: science, art, food, computer,
music, PE, theater, and robotics. Parents are welcome to
tour campus during Li’l Dockers camp. Please register online (www.dockhs.org/register) or call 215.362.2675 ext.
107 for more information.
All-Alumni Dinner, October 22, 5:30 p.m.
Clemens Dining Hall
ALL alumni are invited to the dinner, whether your class has a reunion this year or not. There will be designated
tables for grad years. A $10 donation will be accepted at the dinner. Please register online (www.dockhs.org/register) or call 215.362.2675 ext. 107 for more information.
“Ap
hing
proac
n”
Autum
The Dock Gift Shop
(’83)
inbach
e
L
e
in
d
By Ber
Giclée
50
Edition
aper
d
up to 2
e
it
Lim
6.75” p
bered
1
m
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”
2
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and
4.5” on
Signed
20” x 1
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iz
s
ck cam
Image
the Do
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to
a vie
$135
concep
shows
ith the
tumn”
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o,
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laye
lose
achin
and is
draw c
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ting, a
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ange
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li
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pre
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to take
or
year.
flecting
wledge
a new
new re
,
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g
n
in
a
h
full kno
as a
old
oac
the air
hint of
is appr
o
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The
wat
color
sends
praise.
in the
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G
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tud nt
chin
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9
These Dock keepsakes
make perfect Christmas gifts
9
“The Springhou
se”
by Berdine Leinb
ach (’83)
Limited Edition Lit
hograph
Signed and num
bered up to 500
Image size: 12.7
5” x 18” on 16" x
20" paper
$65
“The Springhouse
” shows the view
on Christopher
Dock’s campus fro
m the Detweiler
Ho
use steps
toward the sprin
ghouse when the
rh
od
odendrons
are in bloom. Th
e four blossoms
represent the
growth from fresh
man to sophomor
e to junior to
senior year. The
large tree repres
en
ts
the wellrooted faculty an
d staff working to
ge
ther.
The springhouse
represents
the strength
and stability of CD as an
educational
institution. The
spring itself
represents
the life-giving
power of the love
of God.
Christopher Dock
Byers’ Choice Caroler
The Advancement Office has commissioned Byers’ Choice (Chalfont, PA) to create
more figurines of Christopher Dock, the Skippack schoolmaster (1718-1771) who
prayed daily for his students, and for whom Christopher Dock Mennonite High School
is named. Profits from this figurine will be used for the Rosenberger Academic Center campaign—providing facilities for our students’ education, just as Christopher
Dock provided for his students over 200 years ago.
The figurine is available now at Detweiler House, just in time for that special Christmas gift. The Christopher Dock caroler is $75 for one figurine and $70 each for an
order of three or more. All pricing includes tax and packaging. Phone the office
(215.362.2675) to place your order before they’re all gone.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
LANSDALE, PA
Permit 170
1000 Forty Foot Road
Lansdale, PA 19446-4398
215-362-2675
www.dockhs.org
If you are a parent receiving your child’s mail,
please inform Dock of the correct address.
A Valuable Asset
“God has blessed
our school with
faculty members
who see deeper
than the surface.
They bring life to
our curriculum.
Their passion… is
a key ingredient
to a positive
year.”
“I met God in the form of a math teacher who saw beyond a ‘C’ student and pushed
for an ‘A.’ I met God in a physics teacher who cared more about the young lady I
was becoming than the answer to [a test question].” This reflection from a recent
graduate during her senior speech reminds us of the significance of this place as
we begin a new school year.
Numerous books and articles describe the importance of finding, living with and
soaring with our strengths. We are encouraged to identify our gifts and focus on
the development of each one. At Christopher Dock, the faculty is a key strength.
Each year during senior speeches I hear of the impact individual teachers had on
our students. As alumni return to visit campus, I hear of particular faculty members
who helped shape their life decisions.
This past year faculty members completed graduate courses to improve professionally. They attended conferences and conventions. They served on accreditation
teams for other schools. Others traveled with students to competitions and festivals. They wrote and reflected in various ways; one faculty member was published
in a recent book.
On August 23, our faculty gathered to begin another year. It was obvious they had
been preparing for classes throughout the summer. The energy and growing enthusiasm was contagious. Teaching is not easy work, but it carries great rewards and
fulfillment for our faculty. God has blessed our school with faculty members who
see deeper than the surface. They bring life to our curriculum. Their passion for
helping each student experience success is a key ingredient to a positive year.
We are grateful for the Dock teachers, one of our most valuable assets.
— Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber, Principal

amplighter - Christopher Dock Mennonite High School

Transcription

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