C UY A HO G A V A L L E Y C HR I S TI A N A C A DE MY
WI NTE R 2 0 15
A Publication of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy for Alumni, Parents, and Friends
A Very Royal Evening
at the CVCA Auction
E D UC A TI NG A ND C UL TI V A TI NG S E R V A NTS F O R C HR I S T
CVCA
TRUMPETER
WINTER 2015 ISSUE
President:
Dr. Roger Taylor
Vice President, Institutional
Advancement and Programs:
Jason Spodnik ’88
Public Relations Coordinator:
Jocey Bolender
Designer:
Anna (Jones) Lile ’84
Photography:
Woodard Photography
CVCA Yearbook Staff
CVCA Board of Trustees:
Paul Moncrief ’80, President
Eric Bosshard ’88
Brad Deetscreek
Paul Eck
Roger Emerson
Craig Keslar ’75
Rich Millisor
Dave Petno ’84
Sam Prentis
Don Richards
Kerry Sullivan
David Wright
The Trumpeter is published
three times a year for friends
of CVCA. If you would like
your name removed from
the mailing list, please phone
330-929-0575, ext. 331, or
e-mail pzaubi@ cvcaroyals.org.
In this issue:
4 A Well-Deserved Retirement
5 J-term Adventures
6 An Exciting Season for Fine Arts
8 Development News
10 CVCA Summer Camps
12 Royals Winter Sports Review
24 Echoes Alumni News
Why I Love our School’s
Mission Statement
Educating and Cultivating Servants for Christ
The reason I periodically talk about CVCA’s mission statement in this Trumpeter column is not
because school presidents are supposed to write about “mission.” I write about it because I love
CVCA’s mission! I think it perfectly describes what we do, why we do it, and why it matters.
Educating and Cultivating Servants for Christ contains a strong and specific implication. It implies that
our mission is preparing students to make a difference—to serve, to be meaningfully engaged in activity that is “others focused,” that contributes to society and advances the Kingdom of Christ.
I love that CVCA’s mission aims to shape the mind and the heart, and in that sense I believe it is consistent with Christ’s command to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). This compels intellectual development in an environment of academic excellence, but also suggests the need for “hands on” service
opportunities. As any of our Diakonos students can attest, the joy of service is only experienced in the
context of service. In Desiring the Kingdom, James K.A. Smith writes compellingly that Christian
education is as much about “formation” as it is about “information.” In a culture of unlimited choices
and incessant voices, we need to be sure we’re teaching our students and giving them opportunities to
“love the right things.”
We need to keep our mission front and center. Anyone who is paying attention can see that the world
needs what our mission aims to produce—educated/influential difference-makers committed to the
ideal and reality of Christian service. So our mission matters. And because it matters we need to work
to ensure that it is sustained.
At CVCA I’m privileged to serve with a remarkable group of dedicated faculty and staff who support
and sustain our mission directly by serving the students and families entrusted to us. But the long
term sustainability of schools like CVCA is also vitally and increasingly dependent on the support of
friends, families, and alumni who believe in (and have been shaped by) the school’s mission. We’re
grateful for your support.
I want to conclude this message with a special invitation to CVCA alumni. Did you know that you
are nearly 4,000 strong and that we’d love to have you join CVCA’s Alumni Association? Joining is
easy and membership is a great way to stay connected. Just go to CVCA’s website at cvcaroyals.org/
alumni. It’s exciting for us to see membership grow each week. “Once a Royal, always a Royal”—we
hope to hear from you soon!
A WORD FROM
OUR PRESIDENT
Roger Taylor, Ph.D.
President
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
3
THANK YOU, MR. BOVA!
CVCA’s 7th Headmaster Retires from
a Career of Remarkable Service
Mike Bova is undoubtedly one of the
most committed proponents of Christian
education whom I have encountered. Like
the man in Matthew 13:44 who bought
the field which he knew contained a treasure, Mike left the perquisites of public
education (in which he had served for
eleven years) in 1979 so he could devote
himself tirelessly to making a Kingdom
difference in the lives of young people in
Christian educational settings. As we have
served together at Cuyahoga Valley
Christian Academy for the past eight
years, I’ve been privileged to see his “difference-making” firsthand.
It’s an honor for me to acknowledge Mike’s
remarkable record of service and to thank
him for being an invaluable member of the
leadership team at CVCA. This year marks
Mike’s 46th year in education and his 35th
year in Christian education. His service
and contributions really speak for themselves, but I’m pleased for this chance to
express our gratitude for his leadership and
the exemplary dedication he has modeled
during his tenure at CVCA.
If an anecdote can capture the essence of a
Christian educator’s career, what I heard
from a CVCA student some years back
surely does. In the first year or two after
Mr. Bova’s arrival at our school, I enjoyed
randomly asking students what they liked
about CVCA’s new headmaster. I can’t
recall all of the varied responses I received,
but I will never forget the girl (one of 850
students) who paused, thought for a few
He has devoted “himself tirelessly to making a Kingdom
difference in the lives of young people…”
4
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
seconds, and responded by simply and
thoughtfully saying: “…he knows our
names.”
Thank you, Mr. Bova, for your innumerable contributions to CVCA and for your
legacy of faithfulness in the vital work of
Christian education.
Roger Taylor, Ph.D.,
CVCA President
“I went to Boston with the School of Ministry. This trip is one I will never
forget. From the very long bus rides, to cold walks, and even dressing up
like Puritans, we all grew so close as a group, had so many great laughs,
and learned about the roots of our faith.”
– Yukari Becker, Junior
m
r
e
t
J
ADVENTUREs
“Culture Con Cuisine allowed me
to try a plethora of ethnic foods
and understand the cultures
they come from.”
– Al Oliver, Senior
2015
“The Boston trip was a blast. We
laughed, we loved, we learned.
#partylikeapuritan”
– Delaney McRitchie,
Junior
“I went on rediscovering Cleveland trip
and even though I have grown up in this
area my whole life I was able to see and
learn new things that I had never experienced before.”
– Hannah Hall, Senior
“On the basketball J-term I was
able to bond and grow closer to
my team.” – Nate Peters, Junior
“The SOMP J-term gave me the
experience to explore many medical fields and opened my eyes to
what I could possibly do in the
future.”
– Emma Olzak, Junior
“On the Belize trip I had the chance to
cave tube, snorkel, and play with monkies
– something you never get to do in Ohio!”
– Jacob Schwartz, Senior
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
5
Privileged to Perform at
“The Most Magical Place on Earth”
The CVCA Symphonic Band was privileged to travel to Disney World in late March and perform at the beautiful lakeside venue in
Downtown Disney. Disney World requires excellence and professionalism from all performing groups, and the Symphonic Band students delivered! The appreciative audience enjoyed each piece, but the toe-tapping, snappy rendition of Zippity Do Da at the program’s conclusion seemed to be a favorite.
In addition to the performance, the students participated in a two and a half hour instrumental workshop
at Disney. During the workshop, students worked with
Disney musician and University of Tampa professor,
Scott Devlin, and recorded the accompaniment to a
portion of Disney’s animated film, Aladdin!
Aside from the first-rate musical experiences, students
also enjoyed the blessing of some warm Florida sunshine while enjoying time in each of the Disney parks.
6
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
COME LAUGH WITH US!
Enjoy a Memorable Evening of Music, Dance,
Comedy, and… PIRATES with the Royal Theatre
The CVCA Royal Theatre presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of
Penzance on April 24, 25, and May 1 at 7:00 p.m. and on May 2 at
2:00 p.m. This year’s musical is a first for the Royal Theatre.
“Attempting one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s hundred-year-old masterpieces has long been on my bucket list of to-dos. I believe this year’s
students have not only matched my expectations, but exceeded them,”
says Mrs. King, director of the Royal Theatre. The Royal Theatre is a
place of memories and memory making!
The Theatre has enjoyed the return of over twenty alumni in the past
few years who offer their help in a variety of capacities such as drama
camp, music and drama coaching, guest critics, set, costume, hair and
make-up, patron support, and parenting a new crop of theatre students. We thank all of you for your continued support.
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
April 24-25 and May 1-2, 2015
Tickets available at itickets.com
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
7
Thank you for supporting A Royal Evening: The Kingdom Awaits!
Many friends and family of CVCA as well as those in the community
attended our sixteenth annual Royal Evening and shared a common love and appreciation for CVCA. Without your support we
would not be able to continue Educating and Cultivating Servants
for Christ.
Junior Paul Gunsalus, Sam and Brenda Prentis
We appreciate each and every one who attended, donated, volunteered countless hours, prayed for us, and supported our efforts to
assist students and Christian education.
Thank you for helping make this important evening both fun and
impactful for CVCA students!
The Sommers, Sophomore Austin Eck, Robin Brown,
Kim and Rob Bush ’87
“
Thank you to all the families who attended the Royal
Evening and made it a great success! Your giving
impacts the lives of CVCA students for years to come.
Thank you, also, to the many parent and student
volunteers for your servant hearts. Without you, this
event would not have been possible.
Crystal Wilson, Barb Edmonds and Mariko Becker with
CVCA Development office
8
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
Susan Tomich, Development Events Coordinator
”
Giving Back to the School they Love
Please welcome these new members of our Development team
Making Christian
Education Accessible
THE CVCA ANNUAL FUND
Sara (Colledge) Koons ’94
started as the Alumni Relations
Coordinator in the Fall of 2014.
Building on the foundation laid by
Mary Taylor, Sara is looking to
help alumni connect or reconnect
with CVCA. From social media
posts and Homecoming to giving
or mentoring, there are many great
ways to stay plugged in at CVCA.
CVCA is built on a foundation of Christ
with a commitment to accessibility. This
means providing a Christian education for
each student and making it possible for
families. Providing education in a
Christian environment allows students to
grow in both their academic knowledge
and their walk with Christ.
Sara graduated from CVCA in
1994 between her sisters Stephanie
(’92) and Katy (’96). It was here that she met her husband, Matt Koons ’94. Sara and
Matt now have four children: Noah and Jacob (age 12), Hannah (age 9), and Naomi
(age 5). The Koons family lives in Kent and are a part of Christ Community Chapel in
Highland Square.
The Annual Fund is a big part of our
success in Educating and Cultivating
Servants for Christ. This yearly campaign
supports ongoing needs and allows for the
long term strength of CVCA and a wellrounded education for our students.
Susan Tomich, a former CVCA student, joined the Development Office as our Events
Coordinator in the summer of 2014. With her main focus on CVCA’s Royal Evening
fundraising event and the Christmas Fair, Susan has had a great first year.
We have raised $203,000 out of our
$280,000 goal this school year. Help
support the Annual Fund and make an
eternal impact on students’ lives and
educations. Every gift matters!
Susan and her husband Randy (’84), have four children; Matthew and Aaron (’14),
Sarah (’17), and Samuel (age 10). The Tomich family is part of Christ Community
Chapel’s Hudson Campus and resides in Cuyahoga Falls.
To make a gift, visit cvcaroyals.org/giving
or contact Ryan Crocker at rcrocker@
cvcaroyals.org for more information.
A fun afternoon and great way to support CVCA!
• Get a Foursome Together
• Pick Scramble or Best Ball Format
• Sign-up as a Royal or President’s Sponsor
Net proceeds will benefit need-based
financial aid for the 2015-16 school year.
Questions? Contact Ryan Crocker at rcrocker@cvcaroyals.org
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
9
CVCA SUMMER CAMPS
Ready for a fun-filled summer? CVCA Summer Camps offer an opportunity for student(s) to make friends,
have fun, and learn new skills while in a safe, Christian environment. The camp registration deadline is May 30,
2015. A late fee of $5.00 will be added after May 30. To register, go to CVCA’s website at cvcaroyals.org.
SPORTS
CAMPS
Baseball
extra emphasis on scoring. Bring your
water bottle.
Cheerleading
August 3–5, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Girls Ages 7–14
$90.00
June 22-25, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys Ages 7–14
CVCA Baseball strives to mold young men
into ball players who impact the world for
Christ, on and off the field. Directed by Paul
Muklewicz, CVCA Head Baseball Coach,
camp will focus on fundamentals of the
game and integrating the fundamentals of
Godly character. Bring your equipment:
glove, spikes, catcher’s mitt, etc.
Boys’ Basketball
$90.00
Age 11–14: June 15–18, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
Age 7–10: June 15–18, 12:30–3:30 p.m.
The Boys’ Basketball Camp will be directed
by CVCA Head Coach Jay Peters who has
led CVCA to four District Championships
and two trips to the Regional Finals.
Remember to bring your water bottle.
Girls’ Basketball
$90.00
June 22–25, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Girls ages 7–14
Directed by CVCA Head Girls’ Coach David
Robinson, camp will help develop strong
basketball skills and teach girls how to
implement Godly character into sport.
Game fundamentals will be covered, with
10 WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
$55.00
CVCA High School Coaches Margie Kever
and Jen Ward will instruct basic cheer
techniques, jumps, and routines. Campers
will perform their new skills at a CVCA
home football game in the fall.
Football
$90.00
June 9–12, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys Ages 9–14
Be part of a new era of Royals football.
CVCA’s Head Coach Dan Larlham and the
CVCA coaching staff will teach basic fundamentals and techniques with emphasis
on passing, receiving, blocking and tackling, and defending the run and pass.
Hockey
$160.00
August 4–6, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Ages 7–14
Directed by CVCA Head Coach Doug
Fairchild, hockey camp provides an engaging and well organized regime designed
to challenge campers in body, mind, and
spirit with a solid Christian message. Each
camper will receive a jersey, Bible, hot
lunch daily, 3 1/2 hours of ice time daily,
dry-land training, and daily Chapel.
Camp will take place at Baron’s Arena:
5310 Hauserman Road
Cleveland, OH 44130
Lacrosse
$90.00
July 6–9, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys Ages 7–14
Under the direction of CVCA Head Coach
Rob Atwood, campers will learn the basics
of lacrosse and be given an opportunity to
compete and grow as athletes. Bring your
own equipment and water bottle!
Soccer
$90.00
July 20–23, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys & Girls Entering Grades 1–8
CVCA Boys’ Head Coach Angelo Finelli and
other members of the coaching staff bring
extensive experience at both the club and
high school levels. They will lead campers
to develop their dribbling, passing, control,
and shooting skills. CVCA boys and girls
soccer team members will assist. Bring
your own ball and water bottle.
Softball
$90.00
June 22–25, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Girls Ages 7–14
Directed by Varsity Softball Coach Jeff
Johnson who has coached at CVCA for 19
years with three league championships,
this camp will be a great place to learn,
play, and have fun. Bring your equipment!
Tennis
$90.00
July 6–10, 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Boys & Girls Ages 7–16
Directed by CVCA Varsity Women’s Coach
Lois Bradford, a USPTA-P1 tennis profes-
sional who has produced many top-ranked
players in NE Ohio, Tennis Camp will work
on drills and conditioning. Bring a water
bottle, tennis shoes, and tennis racket.
Volleyball
$90.00
June 15–18, 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Girls Entering Grades 4–9
CVCA’s volleyball coaching staff will lead
drills and instruction for both individual
and team skill development. Campers will
have the opportunity to learn how to
honor God through sport and competition
as devotions are shared each day. Assisting
the coaches will be alumni and current
team members. Bring a water bottle.
Wrestling
$90.00
August 3–6, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys Ages 7–14
CVCA Wrestling will partner with Ohio
Lightning Ministries to offer an affordable
camp that emphasizes high level technique, goal setting, and developing young
men of character that honor God through
the sport of wrestling. The camp will be
staffed by current CVCA coaches and
wrestlers and alumni currently wrestling at
the collegiate level. Wrestlers of any experience level are encouraged to attend.
CREATIVE ARTS
CAMPS
Adventures in Photography
$90.00
June 15–18, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys & Girls Entering Grades 5–8
Includes a field trip to the Akron Zoo
Learn how to use your digital camera and
tell a story with photos. CVCA teacher
Marian Stofsick will cover photo composition techniques and how to use light to
your advantage. Basic photo editing and
cropping will be explored as we print and
discuss our photos. Bring a digital camera
(may be point and shoot) and a 6-8 GB SD
card. Camera must have zoom capabilities.
Adventures in Art
$90.00
June 22–25, 9:00 a.m.–noon
Boys & Girls Entering Grades 5–8
Come explore art with CVCA art teachers
Mrs. Oster and Mrs. McSparran. All students
will experience two days of drawing and
painting and two days of 3D art.
Musical Theatre
Schoolhouse Rock
$220 each
July 20–31, 9:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m.
Final Performance: July 31, 7:00 p.m.
Boys & Girls Ages 7-14
(25% discount for sibling groups)
Take the stage and be a star! All students
will have an opportunity to sing, dance,
create, and have an amazing time while
learning about musical theatre. The twoweek camp will culminate with a production for friends and family to enjoy! The
show this year is the highly celebrated
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
MATH & SCIENCE
CAMPS
Exploring Nature
Mr. Shall. Each day, we will look at a
specific habitat and go outside to see the
types of life found in that habitat. A good
portion of each class will be spent outside,
so dress appropriately!
Math Boot Camp
$90.00
August 3–6, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Boys & Girls Entering Algebra 1 in the Fall
Your child can have the confidence it
takes to succeed in High School Algebra 1!
CVCA teacher Mr. Muklewicz has 11 years of
Algebra 1 teaching experience. Join him
for a fun, high intensity workout that will
engage your learner in the top ten
Algebra concepts. Give your student a
head start to math success this upcoming
school year.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
CAMP
Exploring Foreign Languages $100.00
July 13–17, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
Boys & Girls Ages Entering Grades 4-8
Campers will have the opportunity to
experience various languages and cultures
for the very first time. Each day, they will
be introduced to a different language and
culture (French, Spanish, Latin, and
Mandarin) with the final day culminating
in a cultural experience of food and customs from some of the countries they
explored.
$90.00
July 13–16, 9:00 a.m.– noon
Boys & Girls Entering Grades 4–7
Learn about biology by exploring the
world around us with CVCA teacher,
REGISTER FOR CAMPS AT
www.cvcaroyals.org
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER 11
A NEW COACH FOR CVCA FOOTBALL
Ray Carroscia and we are excited to support him in this process.”
CVCA has named Dan Larlham as the
Royals new head football coach for the
2015 season. Dan joins CVCA with 11
seasons of coaching experience, most
recently working as the Defensive
Coordinator at Walsh Jesuit High School.
Jon Young, CVCA Athletic Director,
states, “We are so excited to have Dan lead
the football program at CVCA. As we have
gotten to know him during the interview
process, we have found Dan to be a man of
high character and integrity with a strong
desire to integrate his faith in Christ into
his program. Dan will continue to build
on the foundation built by former coach
Dan and his wife, Candace, along with
their three sons, Gideon (5), Judah (2),
and Titus (10 months) are active members
of Christ Community Chapel’s Stow campus. Alongside leading student-athletes on
the football field, Dan has led church
Community Groups, Men’s Christian
Leadership Concepts, and service trips.
“I am thrilled to be taking over as head
football coach at CVCA. I look forward to
working with the entire Royal community
to build upon the solid foundation that
Coach Carroscia has established. In all we
do, our football players will exemplify the
masculinity of Christ. That will be the
vision of our program as we seek to make
the greater CVCA community proud to be
Royals. I know I speak for my wife and our
three boys when I say we can’t wait for
Friday nights this fall,” shared Larlham.
Dan is a graduate of Walsh Jesuit High
School and Baldwin Wallace University.
He received his MS degree from The
University of Akron. After an impressive
football career at Walsh, Dan received a
scholarship to play at Michigan State. He
finished his football career as team captain
at Baldwin Wallace.
Connor Cook, Michigan State
Quarterback, shared his thoughts on
Coach Larlham: “Being able to play for
him in high school was an awesome experience and I would do it over again if I
could. His passion and love for the game is
obvious and his knowledge of the game
and the care he has for his players is what I
believe separates him from most people.
He is a motivator, and that’s what you
want from a head coach, a man that can
get his players going and be the fuel
behind each individual. CVCA is very
lucky to have him and there is no doubt he
will bring great success to your program!”
2013 CVCA Graduate NATHAN TOMASELLO now competes for the Ohio State University
wrestling team. As a CVCA wrestler Tomasello was a State Champion all four years of
high school. He compiled the most career victories ever for a CVCA wrestler, including a
stretch of three straight undefeated seasons. He graduated from CVCA with a 4.15 GPA
and was planning on doing great things in college; but no one anticipated that he would
do so well so soon, except for maybe Nathan.
Alum Claims
National
Championship
as a Buckeye!
Congratulations Nathan Tomasello ’13
12 WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
On March 21st, as a redshirt freshman, Nathan won the NCAA Division 1 National
Championship at the 125 lbs. weight class for the Buckeyes. Nathan is an amazing leader
and an extraordinarily hard worker, so it was no surprise that he was named one of the
team’s captains at the beginning of the season. He experienced a few setbacks during
the year, but had not lost a match since early January. At the Big Ten tournament Nathan
defeated the two-time defending national champion from Illinois and another great
wrestler from Iowa to earn a Big Ten Title leading into the national tournament. As the
fourth seed at nationals, Nathan defeated his first three opponents handily before knocking off an undefeated redshirt senior from Missouri in exciting fashion at the semifinals.
Then, on the big stage, Nathan defeated his opponent from West Virginia in the championship match by a score 9-5 to become National Champion. His championship helped
lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to their first ever team National Championship.
On top of his extraordinary wrestling ability and excellence in the classroom, Nathan
makes it very clear that his relationship with Christ is most important. In his post-match
press conference Nathan was quoted saying, “Ultimately having God in my life and putting Him first every single day helped me have the confidence to come out here as a redshirt freshman and just compete at a high level.” He is very grateful for the experiences
and relationships he built at CVCA and wants to thank everyone who has supported him
as a wrestler, friend, classmate, and most importantly follower of Christ over the years.
YOUR CVCA ROYALS
W I N T E R
S P O R T S
S E A S O N
with come-frombehind heroics and
stellar plays. This
team was emblematic of Royals basketball as they
played great pressure defense, holding teams to just 43
points per game
while scoring 57 per
game. The undersized but tenacious
cagers out-rebounded
their opponents
Michael Peters
663 to 451, and
their up-tempopressing style of play
was thrilling to
watch. The Royals finished out the year
with another fine tournament run defeating Akron East, John Hay, and Tallmadge,
earning another District Finals appearance
with Cleveland Central Catholic – their
third straight trip to the finals.
BOYS’BASKETBALL
The boys’ basketball team completed
another successful year while becoming the
fourth team in CVCA history to total 20
or more wins in a season. The Royals finished with 22 wins and only four losses
while providing fans with some very exciting basketball. They finished second in the
PAC, going 12-2 throughout the campaign, while winning some tough games
Several individuals had a great year for the
Royals and several completed some fine
R E V I E W
careers. Senior Captain Michael Peters
(20.9 ppg) earned several post-season
accolades including being named the PAC
Player of the Year, First Team All NEInland District, and Third Team All-Ohio.
Michael finished his career with 1364
points placing him as CVCA’s second alltime leading scorer. Also earning postseason recognition were senior Luke Peters,
(10.6 ppg) First Team PAC, Honorable
Mention NE Inland District, and junior,
Nate Peters, (10.6 ppg) who was
Honorable Mention PAC and Honorable
Mention All NE Inland District as well.
Sophomore Ryan Foguth (5 ppg) was also
named to the Honorable Mention All NE
Inland District team. Senior Jeff Britton
overcame an early season injury and battled his way back to be a big contributor
and finish out a fine three-year varsity
career. He will be missed in the future.
Seniors Deion Morrison and Caleb
Broadus provided great team leadership
on and off the court along with several
other players who made huge contributions, including juniors Jake Stull and
Dallas Woods and sophomores Steven
Taylor and Austin Eck. – Coach Peters
GIRLS’BASKETBALL
2014-15 saw the Lady Royals continue to
take steps forward in their growth and
maturation as a program. Sadly, we say
goodbye to seniors Taylor Headley,
Amanda Wesley, and Angelica Owen.
These seniors invested enthusiasm, passion, intensity, communication, and selflessness to the program. There was a lot of
growth in between the lines as the team
doubled its win total from last season,
improved in almost every statistical category, and beat rival Manchester. Senior
Angelica Owen was selected First Team
All-Conference and sophomore Elisa
Bartel was named Honorable Mention.
The future looks bright for the Lady
Royals as they will
return seven players
with varsity experience and a JV
squad that experienced a good deal
of success this season. Coach
Robinson is pleased
as he feels that the
program is right on
schedule. “I love
the way this team
began to embrace the core values we talk
about, get after it defensively, and share
the basketball offensively.” “If we continue
to work hard and do those things, great
things could be on the horizon.”
– Coach Robinson
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER 13
WRESTLING
Senior wrestlers Ryan Bennett and Andy
Dobben ended their careers competing for
CVCA in 2015. Both young men became
three-time state place winners for the
Royals. Ryan Bennett finished as the State
Runner-Up at the 138-lb. weight class. In
the State Championship match, Ryan
competed with drive and determination,
but lost a very close 5-4 decision to
returning state champion Nate Hagan of
Andy Dobben
and Ryan Bennett
HOCKEY
Tenacity, the quality or fact of being very
determined – synonymous with persistence and perseverance – were qualities of
the 2014-15 CVCA Royals hockey team.
Although wins were hard to come by,
posting a 7-23-2 record, the scores were
close in most games and the team never
quit. Coach Fairchild, speaking of the
team, stated, “I’m as proud of this group
of players as any I’ve ever coached. They
Charlie Anderson and Josh Polanski
Toledo Central Catholic. Ryan
became CVCA’s 25th State Finalist
and continued the tradition of having
a CVCA wrestler compete in the state
finals for the seventh straight year.
Andy Dobben also had a tremendous
senior campaign being named the
PAC Wrestler of the Year and becoming a Top Gun Tournament
Champion and a Brecksville Holiday
Tournament Runner-Up. At the state
tournament, Andy competed very
tenaciously and finished fourth in the
state at the 145 lbs. weight class.
Andy finishes his career sixth on the
all-time career wins list for CVCA
with 148 career victories. Together
Andy and Ryan led the team to a
13th place finish at the State
Tournament. They represented our
school and our Savior tremendously
well. Our program has been very blessed
gave everything they had game in and
game out.” Playing with a short bench and
out matched on most nights, the Royals
showed their true character with their
unrelenting effort. “When players play
that hard each night regardless of the score
or circumstance, they bring glory to their
team, school, and most importantly the
Lord Jesus Christ,” Coach Fairchild said.
Season highlights were making the finals in
the Parma MLK Tournament and seeing
veteran players and players with limited
hockey experience
improve throughout
the season.
The team was led
by senior captain
Tucker Anderson.
Tucker topped off
his outstanding
CVCA career by
being named AllLeague and AllDivision First Team
for the fourth consecutive season.
Senior goaltender
14 WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
Ryan Bennett
to have these young men compete for
CVCA Wrestling the past four years.
– Coach Bergen
Moe Sloan backstopped the Royals with
an 82% save percentage. Senior Will
Lowenkamp, four-year letterman and
assistant captain, brought a physical presence to the ice and seniors Sam Dietrich
and Bowe Andrews were key players
adding experience to the first line. First
year seniors Joon Jang and Caleb Rosati
showed outstanding improvement
throughout the season.
Junior Josh Polanski, assistant captain,
lead the Royals in scoring an impressive
44 goals and six assists for 50 points, landing Josh on the All-Division team for the
second year in a row. Junior Matt
Greenwood was indispensable playing
both forward and defense the entire season. Sophomore Hayden Dickerson, assistant captain, had an outstanding season
establishing himself as a player to be reckoned with through his physical play.
Sophomores David Kovalsky, David
Krickhan, John O’Connor, and freshman
John Rybka were all contributors.
Freshman Bayley McRitchie had an outstanding season showcasing his intelligent
play all season.
– Coach Fairchild
BOWLING
Improvement is the key word for our boys
and girls squads this year. There was overall team improvement as both squads
raised their team average by more than ten
pins over the 2013-14 teams. Individually,
both the boys and girls saw improved
scores as they worked weekly.
The Royals boys varsity team was led by
seniors Joey Dibiasio and Stephen
Hargreaves, junior Nick Armstrong, and
sophomores Joey Budrevich and Will
Seiple. Budrevich lead the squad with an
impressive 174 average for the season and
a high game of 254 at League
Tournaments where they finished seventh
overall out of 16 teams. Seiple enjoyed the
highest season series with a 437.
Newcomers, junior Paul Gunsalus and
sophomore Tyler Knisely also added to a
strong 6-9 season for the varsity team.
With strong D1 teams in Green, Ellet,
and Nordonia, the CVCA boys varsity
improved their own personal best scores.
Dibiasio set a school record for most
career pins of 16,586 and most career
games of 110. He’s also the first four-year
SWIMMING
The CVCA swim team grew this year,
adding five new swimming athletes as well
as many veteran swimmers. The team
Maddie Carroscia
varsity boy to finish on the bowling
team. Budrevich was honored by his
teammates as MVP for the season.
Our girls varsity team was led by
senior Riana Pogue, junior Kendyll
Kowalski, and sophomores Maddie
Cowley, Julie Gorbach and Hannah
Knapp. Kowalski led the team with a
147 average, Gorbach had a team
leading season high game of 203 and
Knapp had the highest season series
with a 362. Newcomers senior Joidan
Dunlap and sophomore Melissa
Stone helped the team to a sixth place
finish at League Tournaments – six
pins short of fifth place. The varsity
girls finished 8-8 for the season with
impressive wins against Firesetone,
Buchtel, and Hoban. Currently,
Cowley owns the school record for
highest career game at 211. Riana
Pogue is the first four-year girl to finish on the bowling team, enjoying two
years on varsity. Gorbach was honored by
her teammates as MVP for the season.
We are so excited about our future as we
have several young players coming up who
are improving their games. Next year will
worked extremely hard this year – many
hours and miles in the pool plus five hours
a day practices over Christmas break
required a large commitment from each
swimmer. The hard work and perseverance
paid off as CVCA
swimmers swam
their personal best
times at Sectionals.
Six of our CVCA
Royals advanced to
Districts, including
the girls 200 medley relay of Maggie
O’Keefe, Morgan
Burnell, Maddie
Carroscia, and
Mikaila O’Keefe
along with individ-
Nick Armstrong
be a true growing phase as we work to
improve our freshmen and sophomore
players. We are also thankful to
Stonehedge Bowling Center for hosting us
again this season.
– Coach Fishel
ual swimmers Maddie Carroscia in 100
Fly, Morgan Burnell in 100 Breaststroke,
Caleb Hobart in 50 Free and 100
Breaststroke, and James Hancock in 200
IM and 100 Fly. Our District swimmers
finished strong with many personal best
times.
The team, led by seniors Maddie
Carroscia, Lauren Baker, and Ethan
Durfee, did a great job working together
and encouraging one another. I was
amazed while observing the help the veteran swimmers gave to the new swimmers
and the improvement we saw in the team.
We learned this year the importance of
using our talents and gifts for the Glory of
God and keeping our eyes, actions, and
goals laser-focused on Christ.
– Coach O’Keefe
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER 15
ECHOES alumni news
ONCE
A ROYAL
ALWAYS
A ROYAL
We valued your time here as a student at CVCA and continue to value
you now as an alumnus. As a result, we would love to stay in touch and
want you to stay connected with your alma mater.
Take this opportunity to join a community of CVCA graduates and see
how you can get connected, be involved, and receive special benefits as
part of the CVCA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
Also, please keep us updated with your most recent contact information and
watch for our monthly alumni newsletter via email. You can update your email address and join
the CVCA Alumni Association at cvcaroyals.org/alumni.
Class Notes:
1980s
Jodi White Matthews ’86,
Founder/Director of Urban
Vision, is loving and reaching
children and families with
the good news of the Gospel
in the North Akron community. She loves the diversity
and the people, but most of
all loves learning to love
Jesus more and more. “I am
thankful for my education
and mentoring that was
poured into me to equip me
for what I am doing today.
Thank you CVCA!”
1990s
Derek DuRoss ’91 is married
to Hope and they have three
children: Selah (10), Judah
(8), and Mercy (6). He graduated from the University of
Toledo and works at the
Enerco Group, Inc. as a
Demand Planning Manager.
2000s
Jordan Fairfax ’04, Director
of Development at Urban
Vision, writes: “My wife
Rachel and I have had a year.
We sold our first home to
16 WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
relocate to the area in which
we serve. We purchased a
house in North Hill and are in
the process of fixing it up.
Ministry at Urban Vision has
been great and the families
are great to work with. While
there have been many challenges in the adjustments, it
has been very cool to see
God blessing our steps and
ministry at every turn. One of
our highlights this year was
our daughter accepting
Christ. We are now tasked
with helping her understand
the fullness of that. The latest
news is we are adding to our
family with baby number
three on the way. Coming
October 2015, watch out for
more insanity at our place.”
Kevin Gaul ’06 writes: “Jen
Goforth and I are getting
married on July 18th at St.
Paul’s Chapel on the campus
of Columbia University in
New York City. Jen got her
Bachelor’s of Science in
Biology at Cornell University
and her master’s in
Education at Columbia
University and now teaches
middle school science at InTech Academy in the Bronx.
Abercrombie & Fitch in
Columbus, Ohio. She is currently in the role of Visual
Merchandising Coordinator
for the Hollister brand.
In addition to my day job, I
am doing standup at various
clubs in NYC. Most recently I
did a show at Gotham
Comedy Club in Manhattan. I
also do a weekly comedy
podcast called Ninjas Vs.
Podcast that was featured on
iTunes’ New and Noteworthy
list when it debuted.”
Alex Doll ’08 recently completed his first year as a
Portfolio Manager in the
Private Bank/Wealth
Management department at
First Merit Bank in Akron. He
manages investment portfolios for individuals, private
trusts, and not-for-profit
endowments.
2010s
Laura Doll ’10 graduated
from Mount Vernon
Nazarene University with a
degree in Fashion
Merchandising/Business. She
accepted a position in June
at the world headquarters of
Sam Poppenhouse ’10
shares: “When I graduated
CVCA I went to college at the
University of Toledo where I
started as a bio-engineering
major. After my first year, I
knew engineering wasn’t for
me. After three and a half
years I decided to graduate
with my Associates Degree in
Business Administration and
try something new. I was
then accepted to culinary
school in Las Vegas. Since
moving here I have had a lot
of fun learning new pastries
and techniques for baking.
After school I want to specialize in organic vegan baking.”
You can find CVCA
alumni on Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram
at cvcaalumni, so make
sure to like, follow,
and favorite us.
fli
Engagements:
Kevin Gaul ’06 to Jennifer Goforth; wedding July 18, 2015
Denny King ‘08 to Katie Port; wedding June 27, 2015
Weddings:
Millie King ‘10 to Logan Talley ‘11
Kevin Gaul ’06
Briana (Jentner) Carlson ‘00
Briana (Jentner) Carlson ‘00 writes: “Charlie and I were married on June
16, 2012 in Akron. We live in Minnesota where Charlie is a VP for Chase
Bank and I am a Sr. Sales Manager for a leading software-as-a-service
company called SPS Commerce. We both enjoy our work and are very
thankful for our jobs. We both still play hockey and I’ve picked up the
sport of bandy which is a whole new adventure and allowed us to travel
to Finland last year for the World Championships. We are doing well and
feeling blessed!”
Brittany (Williams) Armstrong ’05
Mark O’Brien ‘09
Brittany (Williams) Armstrong ’05 and Adam Armstrong were married
on September 26, 2014 at Christ Community Chapel in Hudson, Ohio.
They are both currently teaching at CVCA. Brittany teaches 9th and 10th
grade Geometry and Adam teaches Senior Apologetics. They have three
beautiful daughters: Paige (10), Hayleigh (7), and Mollie (5).
Alex Sosler ’08 and Lauren Cardwell were married on March 7, 2015 in
Washington D.C. Many from our CVCA family were present, including: (pictured l to r) CVCA teachers Rick and Chrisi Thompson and alumni Jack
Thompson ’11, Logan, Thompson ’09, Nick Thompson ’07, Danny
Thompson ’08, Angelo Finelli ’10, Jacob Risma ’10, Anthony Finelli ’07,
Nina Finelli ’12, Nick Finelli ’07, Kris Kasiguran ’11, Ben Lunka ’07, Becca
(Stover) Hoffman ’10, Andy Hoffman ’09, Matt Koons ’94, and Sara
(Colledge) Koons ’94
Alex Sosler ’08
Births:
Mark O’Brien ‘09 and Brittany Wilson married on January 2, 2015 in
Nashville, Tennessee. The couple now live in Lakewood, Ohio.
Sarah (Horak) Pullin ’02 shares: “Jason and I welcomed our son, Jacob
Matthew, into the world on June 17, 2014.”
Jacob Pullin
Elisabeth Gross
Julia (Koons) Gross ’97 writes: “We are pleased to announce the arrival of
our fourth child, Elisabeth (Elly) Rae Gross. She was born on February 20 and
joins her older siblings: Joshua (4), Kate (3), and Danny (2).”
Alex ’03 and Emily (Sinchok) Zaubi ‘03 shares: “We welcomed our first
child Nathan Alexander on August 17, 2014. Nathan weighed 7 lbs. 5 ounces
and was 20.5 inches long. He is a sweet little boy who loves to smile.”
DO YOU HAVE A STORY? We would appreciate information on alumni whose stories should be
shared with the CVCA community. Please contact alumni@cvcaroyals.org with suggestions for future
issues. Please include graduation year and maiden names, if applicable. Photos should be the highest
resolution possible and submitted as email attachments or mailed hard copies.
Nathan Zaubi
The Trumpeter reserves the right to edit alumni news for clarity, appropriateness, and space limitations.
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER 17
ECHOES
We asked our Alumni Staff:
What do you love about CVCA?
“Everything. But more specifically, the
relationship between teachers and students we are able to have in this environment. My teachers from CVCA were
some of the greatest influences in my
life, so I’d like to think I’m returning the
favor and impacting my students in the
same way!”
Amy (Fisher) Mucha ‘05
“One thing I love about CVCA is how
encouraged I am throughout the day.
When I was a student, I loved knowing
that each day I was walking into a loving community. For me that was such a
blessing as years prior I had struggled in
the public school environment. As a
teacher, I love seeing my students, hearing their stories, and seeing them develop hearts for the Lord and minds that
better understand His world. Teaching
them is a privilege.”
Brittany (Williams) Armstrong ‘05
“It’s hard to put my feelings about CVCA
into words. CVCA offers a one-of-a-kind
environment, a place where students
receive a creative, disciplined, relationship-driven education within a strikingly
Christ-centered, servant-oriented community. CVCA provides a unique context for learning and maturing, whether
as a student or as a professional in service of CVCA’s mission. It’s a home, really, where people from diverse backgrounds can immerse themselves in the
dynamic beauty of Christian community. And like any home, it’s not a perfect
place, but it’s a place where people
grow up into themselves and into the
larger family they were designed by
God to crave.”
Matt Fleagle ‘99
“CVCA teachers have always been as
passionate about WHO they teach as
much as what they teach. As a student
at CVCA, I can recall many times when a
student asked a question that was
answered with a story, and turned into a
life lesson. Now, as a CVCA teacher, I
love that part of my job is to use my students’ questions as a springboard to
prepare them for life, both in the subject
I teach, as well as in the many other
things on their hearts and minds.”
Laura (Weaver) Chadima ‘97
“I love CVCA because of its devotion to
the formation of souls in love with all
aspects of God’s character; this gives
the student purpose and an affection
deeper and more important than any
formation they may receive from a secular institution.”
Grant Currier ‘05
“It is a thorough privilege to have the
opportunity to serve at CVCA. There are
so many things that I love about the
Academy. Particularly, I am often overwhelmed by the way in which God can
use the educational process at a
Christian school to impact the spiritual
trajectory of students.”
Matt Koons ‘94
CVCA ALUMNI FACULTY AND STAFF
ROW 1: Laura (Weaver) Chadima ’97, Amy (Fisher) Mucha ’05, Liz Wides ’00, Joy (Habeck)
Meszaros ’89, Sara (Colledge) Koons ’94, Sarah (Walker) Pence ’07
ROW 2: Kaelie (Kasiguran) Eernissee ’06, Brittany (Williams) Armstrong ’05, Taylor (Bissonette)
Lombardi ’04, Grant Currier ’05, Meredith (King) Riordan ’90, Carlene (Knirk) Marchand ’91,
Susan (Rice) Abramson ’70, Paul Charvat ’01
18 WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER
ROW 3: Ryan Crocker ’05, Randy Tomich ’84, Angelo Finelli ’03, Matt Koons ’94, Alan Walker ’07,
LT Newland ’04, Jason Spodnik ’88, Matt Fleagle ’99, Scott Isaacs ’86, Maggie Astrino ’04
ECHOES
“There are so many things that I love
about CVCA. If I had to narrow it down, I
would say that I love being around the
amazing students that I get to interact
with every day and the value that it
places on educating these students in a
Christ-centered environment. Every
aspect of everything that we get to do
here is based on the foundation of
God’s truth, and it is truly a privilege to
be a part of that.”
Paul Charvat ‘01
“As a student at CVCA in the eighties, I
felt that CVCA provided me with a great
network of classmates who shared my
values: we wanted to grow in our faith,
to learn more about multiple subjects,
to develop various skills, and to form
lasting friendships. CVCA encouraged
us in all of these pursuits, especially
through faculty, staff, and administrators who clearly cared about us as individuals. It’s been a great blessing to be
able to return to CVCA as a teacher,
helping students to experience the
same benefits I received from my own
CVCA education.”
Meredith (King) Riordan ‘90
One thing I love about CVCA is being a
part of the community that nurtured my
faith when I was in high school. As I
remember the teachers who poured so
much wisdom into my own life, I get to
watch my students grow in knowledge.
Liz Wides ‘00
“The comradery amongst the faculty is
one of the joys of coming to work every
day. It is a privilege to be able to give
back to a community that poured a lot
into me as a high school student. My
teachers were willing to invest in me
outside of class, caring for me as an
individual and genuinely interested
in my spiritual growth. I love CVCA’s
dedication to the gospel, and the
opportunities it allows for discipling students through the classroom, chapel,
connections, and missions trips.”
LT Newland ‘04
“What I love about CVCA is that as I get
older, it is apparent that the urgency to
prepare this generation to step into its
future roles is urgent. If we don’t help
our students have a sound biblical base
with a defined moral compass that God
perfectly designed, hope diminishes.
But CVCA does just that, prepares the
next generation to be part of God’s plan
for a hope filled future.”
Susan (Rice) Abramson ‘70
“I have so many reasons that I love
CVCA My memories of my time here are
so great – teachers, friends, my husband
– I loved it here as a student! My fellow
faculty and staff are amazing, and I am
so grateful for their support, prayers,
and laughter. My memories of my children’s time here are also truly a blessing. I praise the Lord that they could
come here.”
Joy (Habeck) Meszaros ‘89
“Every aspect of everything we get to do here is
based on the foundation of God’s truth, and it is truly
a privilege to be a part of that.”
FOREIGN
LANGUAGES
ENGLISH
BIBLE
MATH
WINTER 2015 • THE TRUMPETER 19
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
4687 Wyoga Lake Road
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44224
(330) 929-0575
www.cvcaroyals.org
ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED
J-TERM ADVENTURES IN BELIZE
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
DATABASE
MARKETING INC.