Reflector- Fall 2009 - Timothy Christian Schools

L e t t e r s t o t h e E d i t o rR e f l e c t i o nTimothy Reflector,I receive and enjoy reading the Reflector. As both a TCSgraduate and home schooling mother of three, Christianeducation is of utmost importance to me.Therefore I was saddened to read in the spring editionthat President Obama was the focus of the Black HistoryProgram. This man is a strong supporter of abortionrights and holds many views that are diametricallyopposed to Biblical values. I would rather have seen afocus on someone such as Clarence Thomas as a positiverole model, a black man achieving our nation’s highestcourt in a lifetime appointment.R e f l e c t i o nGod bless you as you continue to lead our currentgeneration of students in these times.Maureen Moore Barnes ’73School Response: Last year our Black History assemblydid focus on the history making election of PresidentBarack Obama. The program was not political in nature.Given the long and difficult history of race relations in ournation, the election of the first African-American presidentwas worthy to note and celebrate.Clyde Rinsema, High School PrincipalThe Power of theWritten WordA recent television newsmagazine featured a unique bookclub. The story of its unlikely origin is compelling.On his walk to work each day a Boston lawyer came toknow a homeless person. They exchanged greetings andpleasantries but eventually ran out of things to say beyondthe weather or the latest sports news. One day the lawyergave his friend a favorite book of his. As they discussed thebook a friendship developed.Later the lawyer learned that his homeless friend gave thebook to another homeless person, a fellow reader. Togetherthe lawyer and the homeless person started the HomelessBook Club, and the concept and results are being replicatedacross the nation.The Homeless Book Club meets every Tuesday in a churchconference room. The books are purchased by the lawyer.He wanted to buy lunch, too, but the other membersdeclined. They wanted the group to be something greaterthan a free lunch—a different kind of nourishment.“The power of the writtenword shouldn’t surprise Christfollowers. God revealed himselfin creation, in his Son JesusChrist, and in a special form ofincarnation, through words ofvery human authors guided bythe Holy Spirit.”What did they notice? It was a place and time to escape.They talked about and questioned things. They felt adignity because their thoughts were listened to and honored.Somehow all of them were more human together.You might say that this particular experience also had ahappy—almost fairytale—ending. The homeless man had amoving violation on his record, which disqualified him forsubsidized housing. The lawyer assisted. The homeless manis now in housing and working as a church custodian.Editor’s Note: I inherited this plum assignment from legends Rose and Everett VanReken and Larry Vander Leest ’66. I shared with them the privilege of telling thestory of how busy God is at Timothy Christian Schools, and tried whenever possibleto serve as a cheerleader for Christian education. As I leave Timothy for serviceelsewhere, it is my prayer that Timothy Christian Schools will continue to developacademically prepared Christian disciples of Jesus Christ, ready and willing to livetheir faith beyond belief. I have been blessed to be part of that process. And nowI pass this wonderful task to friend and marketing director Rudi Gesch. Pleasewelcome him as the new Reflector editor.This edition of the Reflector features the work and callingsof alumni authors. You’ll note the rich variety to their craft.In the midst of the diversity, however, is the unifying beliefthat words have meaning, ideas are worth discussing, andthe creative imagination has everything to do with being inthe image of God. We’d like to believe—and some of themsay so—that Timothy Christian Schools played a role inequipping and inspiring these authors. One of the elementsof our mission and vision for Timothy is precisely that: “Weprepare students to be articulate defenders and models ofthe Christian faith in thought, word, and deed.”As the lawyer and the homeless person discovered, wordshave power. The power of the written word shouldn’tsurprise Christ followers. God revealed himself in creation,in his Son Jesus Christ, and in a special form of incarnation,through words of very human authors guided by the HolySpirit. Ever since those words were commissioned, thetruth has been plain to see. Good writing at the hands ofChristians and non-Christians alike has the power to helpus see life more truthfully.Dave Larsen2 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 3

F e a t u r e A r t i c l eAn Interview with Timothy AuthorsCaryn Rivadeneira ’90 andEditor’s Note: This interview was conducted over Thai foodin a Glen Ellyn restaurant. I was impressed with the depthof interest the authors had in each other’s work and theencouragement given to their sense of calling. What followsis an edited version of our 70-minute conversation.Editor: “Let’s start with this: What are some of your earliestrecollections of wanting to become a writer?”Thrasher: “I’ll let you talk first since you have a mouth full.”Rivadeneira: “For me it was when I was seven at JacksonSchool in Elmhurst. We were learning about poetry, andwe were writing limericks in class, and I loved writingthose. I wrote a book of limericks then, and my teachermimeographed it and put a copy in the library, and that did itfor me. That was my first memory of that creative process.”E: “So that was someone actually affirming your gift.”T: “I know mine exactly, too. It was at Munich GermanyInternational School, and I remember my third gradeteacher encouraging me in my writing. I think she saw thatI liked writing, and I wrote these cool pirate stories. I wasalways interested in telling stories. I wrote my first novelin ninth grade. It was an awful story about the Mob. NowI tell people who ask about writing to ‘finish what you’vestarted’ because, while that one was never published, Iknew that if I did it once I could do it again.”E: “You mentioned some people—teachers—who got youstarted in your career. Who else would you point to asinfluential in your writing careers?”R: “I can point to teachers and professors who affirmed mygifts as a student. When I began editing magazines aftercollege, I found that other side of writing to be fascinating.Travis Thrasher ’89In a way being an editor of other people’s writing, andworking with some of the best editors and ‘word people’around, influenced my writing. That’s where I really got the‘craft part’ of communicating thoughts clearly on paper.”T: “In some sense I came from a family of writers. Both myparents write non-fiction and encouraged me along the way,even though my father is not a fiction lover. And my wife,Sharon, in practical ways, validated that writing was notjust a hobby for me. Writing takes time.”R: “That’s a good point. My husband is very encouragingand incredibly supportive. There is something differentabout the writing life. It takes a lot of my focus and energy.So it’s important to have your family understand that.”E: “Was there a point at which you first thought that yourlove of writing could possibly be a career for you?”T: “A big step for me was working atTyndale House Publishers learningthe business side of writing. I workedin author relations, serving as aliaison between the publishing houseand the author.”R: “I came to realize throughediting and writing for magazinesfor Christianity Today how crazythe business side of writing can be!One of the hardest parts is putting together the proposalfor a book. Once that’s accepted, it’s almost as if the bookpart is easy.”E: “I’m hoping that there are Timothy students or alumniwho will read this interview and believe that writing iswithin reach. You’ve both talked about having writingspace and the discipline it takes to do your work. Tell memore about that.”R: “A lot of it has to do with personality. I’m alwaysgathering my thoughts and reacting to what I see and hearfor future reference. I’ll come home from worship serviceswith all kinds of scribbled notes full of ideas for writing. Soit’s not necessarily sitting down and thinking about whatto write. I’ve already started in my mind. I try to writesomething everyday; the time when I do it varies.”T: “Everybody has their own voice and worldview. I tellpeople I’m a good writer—not the best and not the worst.But I’m probably one of the most disciplined. I’m notnecessarily disciplined in a lot of things, but I am when itcomes to writing.”R: “If I ever feel that I have nothing to write about I’ll gothrough a writing exercise to get things going. I’ll writeuntil I find a great sentence, for example, and then move onfrom there. It also helps to have a writing group who canvalidate if what you’re writing is worth it or not. They cometo know my voice and style.”T: “I would guess that your editing background helps youalso. I know editors who would also be great writers.”E: “Do either of you ever feel trapped in a Christian ghettoof sorts, wishing for a mainstream audience?”R: “Well, of course, it’d be great to have Christians andnon-Christians alike reading my stuff. But especially since Iwrite non-fiction based largely on my own experiences, it’shard to hide the Jesus stuff. It just comes out. Often morestrongly than I intend.”T: “I get that question sometimes at book signings. For me adoor opened for writing in the Christian arena, but peoplehave different expectations of what that means. Like youCaryn, I can’t help but write as a Christian. My job firstand foremost is to tell a good story. Anytime I do that myworldview will come out.”E: “Who do you enjoy reading regularly and why?”R: “I just finished two Anne Tyler novels. Now I’m readingScot McKnight’s The Blue Parakeet.”T: “The last great novel I read was The Angel’s Game byCarlos Ruiz Zaphon.”E: “Is there anything that you can suggest that wouldencourage children to become good writers?”R: “I guess I would want that rephrased. I wouldn’t want toencourage all children to become writers . . . “T: “Hey, we’re talking about competition here . . .”continued on next page u4 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 5

F e a t u r e A r t i c l eR: “I think it’simportant for allchildren to be ableto recognize goodwriting and for usto encourage kids intheir writing. Whenmy son, for example,writes somethingthat’s really good, I’llmake copies and handthem out to friendsand family. That’s areal encouragementto him.”E: “Interesting.Our second gradegranddaughter justproduced her firstnewsletter and stuffed mailboxes up and down her streetwith a call to arms about neighborhood vandalism.”T: “To me, persistence is the key. It’s one thing to dream aboutwanting to be an NBA player, but either you have that talent oryou don’t. But in writing, you can hone your skills. You don’thave to be the most talented writer to be successful.”T: “By the way, Caryn, didn’t you write in Timothy’s finearts book?”R: “I did. In fact, I mention the Fine Arts anthology inmy book.”T: “You have to have thick skin to deal with critics andcriticism.”R: “And to deal with teachers and editors.”E: “My hunch is that both of you have the next book orproject in view. Is that right?”R: “I’ve got a bunch in view, but the one that’s beingshopped is about how to love your life even when it’snothing like it was supposed to be.”T: “It would take another hour to share all the projectsI have in the works. I have three works coming in thenext year, including a special love story coming out thisDecember.”E: “One last question: Is there anything else about Timothythat you would like our Reflector readers to know?”R: “I was at Timothy from fourth grade through highschool. Timothy’s greatest impact was on my view of life.And it was always a very ‘writer-friendly’ place.”T: “I would agree.”R: “And when I went on to Calvin College I felt verywell prepared as a writer in comparison with my otherclassmates. I also feel—now as a parent of Timothystudents—that careful thought is given to what appearson reading lists and in the libraries. I find it to be a veryReformed view of literature.”T: “I was at Timothy for a year and a half. I got the sense—and still do—of a Christian heart in what it stood for. I hadattended three high schools before Timothy, so to discoverthe emphasis on Christians in art was very refreshing tome. There was always a clear love of art, not just literature.I remember so many of my classmates loving art, lovingacting. And in it they were seeking to honor the Lord. I’mglad I can say that I graduated from Timothy.”E: “Well this sounds like a very good place to wrap it up.Thanks to both of you for this conversation and God’sblessing on you as you continue to serve him with yourconsiderable gifts.”Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira’90 is the former managing editorof Marriage Partnership andChristian Parenting Today. Shehas been writing for and speakingto women for more than a decade.Today she is the managing editor ofGiftedforLeadership.com, an onlinecommunity for Christian women inleadership. Her first book Mama’sGot a Fake I.D.: How to Reveal the Real You Behind AllThat Mom was published in 2009. Caryn lives with herhusband and their three children in Elmhurst, Ill., and sherecently was elected to the Timothy Board of Directors.After college, Travis Thrasher ’89 landed a job at TyndaleHouse Publishers as Author Relations Manager. Heworked for over a decade in that position, acting as liaisonbetween the publisher and the authors. But writing alwayscame first, and Travis was fortunate to have his first novelpublished in 2000.Travis’s drive has allowed him to see a variety of bookspublished: from love stories (The Watermark; Three RoadsAlumni AuthorsThis edition of the Reflector introduces you to a group oftalented alumni who share a love for writing. Some do it fora living, some alongside their living. Their collective bodyof work is quite diverse. We hope you’ll take the time toread about them and even consider reading something bythem. Many of their titles may be found at Amazon.com orthrough your local bookseller.Rick Acker ’84Rick Acker writeshis novels whilecommuting toand from his “realjob” as a DeputyAttorney Generalin the CaliforniaDepartment ofJustice. His most recent novel, Blood Brothers, is an intensesequel to the legal thriller Dead Man’s Rule. Christy awardwinningauthor Randy Ingermanson calls Blood Brothers,Home) to suspense (Gun Lake; Admission; Blinded) to drama(The Second Thief; Sky Blue) to even adventure (Out of theDevil’s Mouth). Travis is married to Sharon Noorlag ’89.At the end of the interview with Caryn and Travis a mutualadmiration society had developed, and they exchangedsigned copies of their books and best wishes to each other.They also hinted at becoming regular readers of theirrespective blogs. You can find out more about Caryn andTravis by doing a Web search or finding their work onAmazon.com.“an excellent legal suspense novel, with a strong biotechbackdrop. It reminded me of Michael Crichton’s latest novel,Next, except that Blood Brothers is better.” Rick is also theauthor of the well-reviewed Davis Detective Mysteries, aseries of adventure, mystery novels for “tweens.”Rick is a transplanted Chicagoan who spent 35 years in theMidwest before finally trading the certainty of winter andmosquitoes for the risk of earthquakes. He now lives in theSan Francisco Bay area with his wife, Annette, their fourchildren, and two cats.Rick says this, “It’s fair to say that my writing careerstarted at Timothy. Mrs. York, who taught English atTimothy, first encouraged me to write for publication. Shepraised my short stories and essays (probably more thanthey deserved) and gave me the confidence to try to getsomething in print.continued on next page u6 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 7

F e a t u r e A r t i c l eTimothy was also my first publisher. I started my writingcareer in my junior year (1982-83) when I became acolumnist for the Timothy Trumpet. That led to a 10-yearcareer as a political commentator in a number of papersand magazines. And it was during my years as a columnistthat I developed the skills that helped me become apublished novelist.”Betty Birner ’78Betty writes, “Aftermy graduation fromTimothy in 1978, Iattended Hope Collegein Holland, Mich.,where I worked on theAnchor, the campusnewspaper, serving aseditor my junior year,and also wrote forthe local newspaper,the Holland Sentinel.After graduating withmy B.A. in English, I worked for two years as associateeditor of Wood and Wood Products Magazine. In 1985, Ientered the Ph.D. program in Linguistics at NorthwesternUniversity, where I received my doctorate in 1992. From1993-1995, I held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Institutefor Research in Cognitive Science at the University ofPennsylvania. Since 2000, I have held a position in theEnglish Department at Northern Illinois University, whereI am currently a full professor and serve as the Directorof Graduate Studies in English. In the summer of 2007, Ico-taught a course at the Linguistic Institute at StanfordUniversity. I have authored or co-authored five books and32 journal articles and book chapters on linguistics, and amcurrently writing a textbook on pragmatics.I live in Arlington Heights, Ill., with my husband, Andrew,who works in network security at W.W. Grainger, Inc., andmy daughter, Suzanne, who just completed her freshmanyear at the California Institute of Technology. We aremembers of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in ArlingtonHeights, where I serve as church president and Andy playsin the contemporary worship band.As for Timothy’s role in all this, I’m grateful to JohnHarkema, Joan Stob, and Marvin Wolterstorff forencouraging my writing efforts while I was in high school.And being co-editor of the Trumpet with Meredith Veldmanhelped to kick off my brief career in journalism, whileMeredith herself was a great influence in my decision to goto graduate school.”Some of Betty’s most important publications are these:2006. Birner, B., and G. Ward, eds. Drawing theBoundaries of Meaning: Neo-Grecian Studies inPragmatics and Semantics in Honor of Laurence R. Horn.Amsterdam: John Benjamins.2002. Pullum, G.K., and R. Huddleston, in collaborationwith L. Bauer, B. Birner, T. Briscoe, P. Collins, D. Denison,D. Lee, A. Mittwoch, G. Nunberg, F. Palmer, J. Payne,P. Peterson, L. Stirling, and G. Ward. The CambridgeGrammar of the English Language. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press. [Winner of the Linguistic Society ofAmerica’s Leonard Bloomfield Book Award for 2001-2003.]1998. Birner, B., and G. Ward. Information Status andNoncanonical Word Order in English. Amsterdam: JohnBenjamins.1996. Birner, B. The Discourse Function of Inversion inEnglish. Outstanding Dissertations in Linguistics. NY:Garland Publishing.Ginger Huizenga Jurries ’60Ginger is a graduate of Hope College and a member ofChrist Memorial Church in Holland, Mich. After taking aStephen Series course, she became interested in all aspectsof caregiving. A former teacher and a mother of two grownchildren, she has served as a counselor at a local Christianpregnancy center and, with co-author Karen Mulder, givescaregiving seminars based on their co-authored book TheCompassionate Congregation: A Handbook for PeopleWho Care, published jointly by Faith Alive ChristianResources and the Reformed Church Press.William Lenters ’59Dr. Bill Lenters is a clergymanordained in the United MethodistChurch. In addition to writingextensively for denominationalpublications throughout hispastoral career, Bill is the author ofThe Freedom We Crave, Addictionthe Human Experience, and TheChurch Cares.James Pethokoukis ’85James is the Money & Politics columnist and blogger forReuters where he covers the nexus of Washington andWall Street.Previously he was the economics columnist and businesseditor at U.S. News & World Report magazine. Pethokoukisis also an official CNBC contributor and appears frequentlyon the network’s Kudlow Report, Power Lunch, and TheCall shows. In addition, he has appeared numerous times onMSNBC, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN,and Nightly Business Report on PBS.James is a 1989 graduate of Northwestern University wherehe double majored in Soviet politics and American historyand a 1991 graduate of the Medill School of Journalism. Heis also a 2002 Jeopardy! champion.Mario Parker ’98“I’m a Chicago correspondentfor Bloomberg News, whereI cover breaking news in theMidwest and also focus on U.S.Energy policy. Prior to joining theChicago bureau, I was stationedin the company’s Washington D.C.office where I was on the generalassignment desk and often coveredstories on Capitol Hill and the White House. In addition toBloomberg, my byline has appeared in newspapers acrossthe globe, including the Washington Post, New York Timesand Christian Science Monitor. I credit this all to my formerTimothy English teacher, Mrs. Tornow, who prodded andencouraged me to join the school newspaper. It wasn’tuntil years later that her words of support would echo inmy mind and lead me to pursue a career in journalism. Tothis day, when deadlines beckon and assignments appearespecially daunting, I reach back for those words ofencouragement.”David Van Drunen ’89David Van Drunen is an ordainedminister in the OrthodoxPresbyterian Church, an attorney,and Robert B. Strimple Professor ofSystematic Theology and ChristianEthics at Westminster SeminaryCalifornia. He earned a J.D. fromNorthwestern University Schoolof Law and a Ph.D. from LoyolaUniversity Chicago. He and his wifeand son live in Escondido, Calif.David writes, “As of July 2009 I have authored or editedfour books, most recently A Biblical Case for NaturalLaw and The Law is not of Faith: Essays on Works andGrace in the Mosaic Covenant. I will have three newbooks published over the next 15 months: Bioethics andthe Christian Life (coming in October 2009); NaturalLaw and the Two Kingdoms: A Study in the Developmentof Reformed Social Thought (coming in January 2010);and Living in Babylon: A Two Kingdoms Vision forChristianity and Culture (coming in Fall 2010). For thereader without theological training, the books of mostinterest would be: A Biblical Case for Natural Law,Bioethics and the Christian Life, and Living in Babylon.I’ve also had dozens of articles and reviews published, anumber of which are available somewhere online.”continued on next page u8 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 9

F e a t u r e A r t i c l eC a m p u s N e w sMeredith Veldman ’78Meredith describes herself as one of the “Veldman boys.”She is the sixth child of Rich and Edith Veldman, thesister of Rick, Randy, Russ, Ron, C.J., and Carol. Sheis also the aunt of former and current Timothy studentsRandy and Chris Veldman; Jason, Lissa, Rachel, Josh,Kristen, and Jessica Veldman; James, Katherine, andMeredith Van Den Berg.She attended the Western Suburbs Christian School K-6(1965-72), and Timothy Junior High and High School(1972-78), where she played flute in the band and workedon the Trumpet, ending up as co-editor with Betty BuikemaBirner her senior year.Growing up in the Western Springs Christian ReformedChurch, she was active in the youth group, making a strongimpression on her youth pastor, Dave Larsen, as a brightand dedicated young Christian.After earning a B.A. in history from Calvin College,Meredith went straight into a Ph.D. program in modernEuropean history, specializing in modern Britain atNorthwestern University and was awarded a Ph.D. She wentstraight to Louisiana State University as Assistant Professorin European history, where she is now an Associate Professorspecializing in 20th-Century European and 19th-20thCentury British history. She is also active in internationaleducation on campus and was the winner of LSU College ofArts and Sciences Undergrad Teaching Award.She is married to Randy Nichols who is the Director of theCapital Area Alliance for the Homeless, still dealing dailywith the ongoing tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.Meredith’s books:Fantasy, the Bomb and the Greening of Britain: RomanticProtest, 1945-1980. (Cambridge University Press, 1995).Cultural history of modern Britain—first section sets thework of C.S. Lewis and J.R. R. Tolkien within its widerhistorical context. She writes: “It’s out of print, but I’ve gotcopies, should anyone actually want one!”The West: Encounters and Transformations (Pearson—3rdedition due out next year). Co-author: This is a history ofWestern Civilization, used in college history courses. I writethe first two chapters on ancient history, the chapter on theRoman Empire, and all the modern chapters (1870-present).Meredith writes: “A Timothy influence? Oh, absolutely. Ithink the holistic approach of a Timothy education and itscommitment to the Calvinist doctrine of “sovereignty ofspheres”—that God is sovereign over all aspects of life andso that all work is (or should be) a holy calling—helpedshape my approach to studying, writing, and teachinghistory. More specifically, I owe two teachers an enormousdebt. Joan Stob was my sophomore American Literatureand my senior English Literature teacher, as well asthe faculty advisor on the Trumpet. Joan helped me torecognize where my intellectual gifts lay and encouragedme to pursue an academic career. And John Harkema aswell. Through four years of Latin, a variety of literatureand creative writing courses, his wholehearted pursuit ofexcellence in teaching, and his emphasis on a life worthliving, John taught me how to read, how to write, how tothink, how to see. His influence was and is incalculable.”Phyllis ’64 and Ken ’63 WezemanThis husband and wife team are prolific authors, primarilyin publications focusing on children, counseling, churcheducation, and worship. Their titles are too many tomention, but a Google or Amazon search will uncover vastresources for anyone working in these areas of church life.Phyllis is currently working to revise and update her outof-printbook on HIV and AIDS for a different publisher,which will be published with the title Through the Heart:Creative Methods of HIV and AIDS Education. She pointsto teacher Bess Tolsma as a significant influence: “Sheencouraged me to explore and also encouraged projects thatmet the interest of each of her students.”Some Assembly RequiredBy: Mary SytsmaEditor’s Note: Elsewhere you will read in Rudi Gesch’scolumn about the new “Worldview” program, encouragingthe presence of international students at Timothy. Thefollowing article by former Timothy parent Mary Sytsmadescribes their recent experience.If you have ever purchased a piece of furniture that camein a box with some complicated instructions in severallanguages, you probably recognize the words “someassembly required.” Imagine that box contains the parts ofa small stool. You pull out the top, see that it has potentialto be something useful, but it is still not going to hold theweight of a person sitting on it, or give them much of avantage point, if they do sit on it. You pull the first leg outof the box and fasten it to the seat. Putting that leg on theground, you let go and the stool falls over. You attach thesecond leg, with the same result, although the stool hasslightly more stability than it did before. You attach thethird leg, and there it is! It’s a recognizable, usable, weightbearingstool.“Our philosophy has alwaysbeen that if God sends youngpeople to us, we take them in.It is part of what it means tolive out our family motto, ‘Bean includer.’”Our exchange daughter came to live with us in the fall of2003. We had met her once or twice the spring before thatbecause she had called us to ask us to be her host family.She had been in an exchange program at Waubansee HighThe Sytsma family with Tina and her sister, Julie.School in Naperville and wanted to stay in the U.S. tofinish her high school education. We agreed to meet herand eventually to have her stay with us. Our philosophyhas always been that if God sends young people to us, wetake them in. It is part of what it means to live out ourfamily motto, “Be an includer.” That was something wesaid to Jonathan every day before he got on the bus to goto Timothy during his school years. Including Tina in ourfamily was a natural choice for us.Tina is from Seoul, Korea, the eldest of two girls in herfamily. She is bright, funny, loving, and she would beJonathan’s big sister for her junior year—we thought. Untilwe found out from the counselor at Timothy that Tinawould need to attend Timothy for two years in order tocontinued on next page u10 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 11

C a m p u s N e w sget all the necessary credits for a diploma. Essentially, shestarted her junior year over again. In the middle of the yearwe told her she could stay for her senior year, too, if shewanted. We loved her and we wanted her to relax and beherself, without feeling like she was with us on a trial basis.Since we were not part of any official exchange program,such as Timothy’s new Worldview program, we chartednew territory for our own situation.Sometimes Tina needed help with her homework, not thatshe couldn’t grasp the concepts, but the language wasdifficult for her. Dan helped her understand story problemsin her math course. I read novels and short stories out loudto her so they would make more sense. One night she cameto me with a Bible assignment. She sat down on the couchnext to me. She explained that she was supposed to reada passage from the Bible and write a personal reaction toit. I asked her which passage she was supposed to read. Shethought the teacher had said the students could choose thepassages for themselves.Tina came to us without much knowledge of the Bible. Herparents didn’t attend church much. Her grandmother was adevout Catholic, but Tina’s experiences with church, faith,and the Bible were pretty limited. I told her that I thoughtwe should read selected passages from Romans, what somepeople call “the Romans road.” They are very familiarpassages to many of us, “all have sinned and fallen short ofthe glory of God,” and, “for the wages of sin is death, but thegift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus,” and later, “there isno condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”When we finished, I asked Tina if she understood what wehad just read. She nodded. I asked her if she believed it. Shelooked at me with tears in her eyes, “yes,” she whispered. Isaid, “then you are a Christian. You belong to Jesus. Weare sisters in the Lord.” Things came together that night forTina in exactly the way God had planned all along. She hadplenty to write about in that paper.Later when I saw Timothy Bible teacher Mac Wiener, I toldhim what had happened when Tina did her Bible assignment.He told me the assignment had been to read a section froman Old Testament prophet and write about that. Tina hadmisunderstood the assignment completely, but we had donethe assignment the Holy Spirit had prompted.Tina soaked everything in that Timothy had to offer. Shewas involved in all kinds of activities, like Homecomingcourt, soccer, and the musical. Her Christian education atTimothy helped her to fill in her worldview. She was alsoinvolved at church, going on a summer SERVE project withthe young people, becoming a part of the leadership team ofthe youth group, and eventually making profession of faith.She continued to be involved in our family, thriving at thelove of her new cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents—all who modeled for her what living the Christian life lookslike. She absorbed the Christian faith like a sponge.Her faith has had to bear the weight of somedisappointments. She has had some struggles along theway. But six years after she moved into our home, Tina isstill a part of our family. In May she will graduate fromCalvin College with a major in Economics. During heryears at Calvin, she has been an active member of theKorean Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. She isa vibrant and amazing Christian young woman—one thatGod has plans to use in his kingdom.Tina came to us with all of this amazing potential.Remember the three-legged stool? Once all the legs were onthe stool, that stool reached its full potential. For Tina andso many other young people, that potential is reached whenchurch, home, and school work together.Welcome to New Staff andFarewell to OldKate AdamsSeventh Grade ScienceHello, my name is Kate Adams, andI am excited to have the opportunityto teach at Timothy Christian!Throughout my life I have alwaysbeen in awe of God’s great creationand look forward to sharing thiswonder with my students.I grew up in Sheboygan, Wis., with my parents and twoyounger siblings. I love doing things with my family likeplaying games, camping, and laughing a lot. I attendedSheboygan Christian School and Sheboygan CountyChristian High School and then moved on to CalvinCollege. While I was at Calvin, I was able to play on thewomen’s soccer team for three years. I am excited to usemy knowledge of the game to do some coaching here atTimothy. The education I received at Calvin was veryformative and made me even more aware of how muchI love the area of science. I give credit to my biologyprofessors who helped me take a deeper look into creationand constantly discussed with me the role Christiansshould have in caring for this world. This is something Iam very passionate about and look forward to having manygreat discussions with my students about Christianity andcreation. I graduated this past spring in secondary educationwith a major in biology and minor in health education. Iwas married on August 7, 2009, to Vinnie Adams, whois finishing up his last year at Trinity Christian. We arecurrently living in Palos Heights.For student teaching my last semester at Calvin, I wasplaced at Holland Christian Middle School. I was leeryabout the placement and not looking forward to the longdrive in Michigan winters. I contemplated requestinganother placement, but I am glad I did not. Through thatplacement I was introduced to Dr. Hoeksema and madeaware of the opening at Timothy in the area of seventhgrade science—the same grade level in which I was doingmy student teaching. God had a plan for me all along.When I was first introduced to Timothy and the peoplehere, I felt so welcomed. I was comfortable and excited forthe opportunity to teach in such a great school. Being ableto teach seventh grade science here at Timothy really is ablessing from God, and I am looking forward to all theexcitement, challenges, and rewards of teaching the middleschool students at Timothy Christian.Angela Gordon ’98First GradeHi, I am Angela Gordon and I havethe awesome privilege of teachingfirst grade this year. I attendedTimothy Christian for my highschool years and could not haveasked for a better experience. Whoknew that 11 years later I wouldstep foot back into the halls of Timothy Christian? I grewup in the inner city of Chicago in an African-Americanneighborhood. My father is the pastor at LawndaleCommunity Church, so yes, I am a preacher’s kid! WhenI arrived at Timothy as a young 14-year-old girl, I wasin culture shock. I had attended the same Chicago publicschool for nine years before God led me to Timothy. Thestudents and teachers welcomed me with open arms.My faith has always been important to me and wasdeepened when I came to Timothy for high school. Havingsmall class sizes and intertwining our relationship withChrist to all of our learning was tremendous.After attending Timothy Christian I traveled to Upland,Ind., to Taylor University and experienced another cultureshock, as Taylor is located in the middle of the cornfields.This again proved to be an amazing experience, educationalopportunity, and faith journey for me. I studied elementaryeducation with a minor in early childhood. I have alwaysdesired to be a teacher. I still remember as a little girlmaking my brothers and neighbor friends endure my earlystages of teaching practices. I think lots of bossing aroundtook place, too, so I thank them for allowing me to practiceon them as I pursued my dream.continued on next page u12 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 13

C a m p u s N e w sAfter graduating from Taylor I returned to Chicago andbegan teaching at Circle Rock Preparatory School in theAustin Community, a similar neighborhood to Lawndale,where I grew up. I taught second grade for one year andthen pre-kindergarten for two years. This was an innercity Christian school. I had the privilege to teach childrenabout Christ while teaching them the skills they neededacademically. I loved every minute of it. During my thirdyear of teaching a deep desire grew inside of me; I wantedto learn more about how to be a better teacher. I wantedmore strategies and skills for understanding the whole childand learning to build better relationships with my students’families. After researching, there was no better place in mymind than the Erikson Institute.I have just completed a three-year program at the EriksonInstitute and earned my masters in early childhoodeducation. I can hardly believe that I have been given theopportunity to teach at Timothy. I was never familiar withthe elementary school side of Timothy, but as I have walkedthe halls and met so many amazing people, I am in awe ofGod’s presence. Everyone has been so welcoming and lovingjust as they were when I was 14. God is good!Ben IwemaHigh School MathematicsI am excited to join the strongChristian community at Timothy.I grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich.,and attended college right downthe road at Calvin College. Ientered Calvin with thoughts ofbecoming a chemical engineer. Godquickly made it clear that this was not where he wantedme. I switched into education after one semester, and thathas been the best decision of my life. I graduated this pastspring with a secondary education degree with a major inmathematics and a minor in physical education.It has been a real blessing to live close to my family for myentire life. My family has been and will continue to be amajor support system for me. My parents will officially be“empty-nesters” in the fall as Laura, my younger sister, willbe attending Kuyper College; Sara, my older sister, will bestarting her second year of teaching English as a secondlanguage in South Korea, and I will be here at Timothy.I am a little nervous to move into White Sox country as adiehard Detroit Tigers fan and a big Detroit sports fan ingeneral. I will likely find additional rivals as a big MichiganWolverines fan. I love to play and watch all kinds of sports.Much of my free time is spent playing soccer, basketball,tennis, golf, softball, or any other outdoor activity. I hope touse my athletic gifts to coach at Timothy. I have spent the pasttwo falls coaching boys’ junior varsity tennis. I am very excitedto coach girls’ junior varsity soccer in the spring at Timothy.I am also passionate about Christian education. I have beenblessed to go to Christian schools my entire life. I hope tobe able to instill the strong Christian values and Christ-likelifestyles that my teachers instilled in me. I look forward toexploring with students how God has magnificently createdour world. Math provides a great context to explore thebeauty and perfection of our great God. I am excited tobe able to prepare the students at Timothy academically,but I am most excited to prepare the students to be strongfollowers of Christ. It is truly special to have an eternalpurpose in our lives that goes well beyond the classroom.I cannot imagine a better place for a first-year teacher tobegin a teaching career. I have already experienced theamazing Christian community at Timothy. When I visitedTimothy for my interview I was struck by the genuinekindness I was shown by the entire staff. After I was offeredthe position at Timothy, I was uncertain where God wasleading me. I was amazed to see an inbox full of emails fromthe Timothy staff encouraging me in my decision and hopingthat I would join the staff. I was so impressed by this genuinecare that I knew this is where God was leading me. I amexcited to become a part of the amazing staff at Timothy.Doug PeltHigh School andMiddle School BandTimothy Christian has alreadybeen a great blessing in my life.I have taught band to grades 4-8for seven years in public schoolshere in Illinois. While I havegreatly enjoyed working with kidsand teaching them music, something always seemed to bemissing. As a follower of Christ, I know that people canserve Him in many ways (see Colossians 3:23), but recently Ihave felt the call to serve in a Christian environment. In JulyI received news of the open band position here at Timothy.Through prayerful consideration, I came to see that thisis where God was leading me. I am so very excited aboutstarting a new chapter in my life here at Timothy Christian!I have had several experiences inside the walls of Timothyprior to becoming a member of the staff here. As a closefriend and colleague of my predecessor Kevin Schoenbach,I have been invited to adjudicate the Solo and Ensemblefestival in the past. I also played with the pep band at abasketball game a few years ago and wrote several of thesong arrangements the pep band performs. Most recently,I was invited to give a clinic to the middle school band thispast December. At all of the events mentioned, I was struckby the friendliness of the staff members I met and the highlevel of musicianship exhibited by the students.Over the past few weeks, I have been coming to Timothy forvarious meetings and to make plans for the coming schoolyear. Every time I walk the halls, I am met with friendlygreetings and smiling faces. I’m sure it is difficult to see Mr.Schoenbach go, but all of the people I’ve spoken with inrecent weeks have been overwhelmingly welcoming to me.Regarding my personal life, I have been married for fiveyears to my wonderful wife, Barbara. We live in scenicStreamwood, Ill., and enjoy eating at good restaurants,traveling together, and watching the Food Network. We bothattend Grace Lutheran Church in Streamwood, where I serveas Music Minister and she teaches Sunday Kids Club. I enjoya few hobbies in addition to music, including photography,cooking, and web design. I eagerly anticipate meeting theparents and students I will be teaching this year!Jenie PriesFourth GradeI feel extremely blessed to beteaching fourth grade at Timothythis year! My first impressions ofTimothy were as a parent whenwe moved here three years ago inthe middle of the school year. Dueto the Christian love shown bythe administration, staff, teachers, and students, our threekids adjusted easily. I knew immediately that Timothy wasa very special place. Since then, I have seen many otherways that Timothy is indeed a place where their missionis truly carried out, and we have felt very blessed that ourchildren are being educated and nurtured here. This year, Iam excited to transition into a teaching position at Timothy,where I can play a part in helping to fulfill the mission.Since kindergarten, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, andthat desire only grew over the years. I attended public schoolin eastern Iowa and then went to Concordia UniversityChicago where I received a degree in elementary educationwith a middle school social science endorsement. I thenmoved to southern California to teach middle school andhad a wonderful experience there. After getting marriedthat summer, I moved to Florida where my husband wasliving, and I taught there for three years. My husband’s jobthen took us to his hometown in Wisconsin (Go Packers!)where I taught for three years. By this time we had threechildren, and I enjoyed staying home with them for anumber of years. Three years ago my husband’s job ledhim to the Chicago area, and that is when we joined theTimothy community. While taking classes to attain myIllinois teaching certification, I switched over to working inthe business world temporarily—specifically in internationalsales and running a nonprofit organization. I am thankfulfor the broadened experience that these jobs afforded meand now am eager to get back into the classroom. Afterteaching a variety of subjects to grades 3-12, I am veryexcited to be at the fourth grade level!At Timothy, I hope to instill my own love of learning intothe students and learn each of their individual learningcontinued on next page u14 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 15

C a m p u s N e w sstyles in order to teach and nurture them accordingly.I also hope to deepen their understanding and love oftheir Savior by teaching from a Christian perspective. I’mlooking forward to a wonderful year with my students andtheir families!Bill Ridder ’03Seventh Grade MathematicsHello! I will be teaching seventhgrade math in place of thelegendary George Bosman, adaunting task to face as I beginthis school year. I heard there werepotential openings at Timothy as Ifinished working as a teacher aideat Willowbrook High School second semester last year. Icontacted the high school about an opening, which thenreferred me to the middle school for this position. I am veryexcited to be on board back at my Timothy home, and hopeto continue the excellent work being done in the middleschool math classes.I have been looking forward to being a teacher since Iwandered the halls of Timothy as a student. I was blessedwith amazing teachers all through high school, especially inthe area of math where I was strongest. I will never forgetthe things Mr. Zylstra and Mr. Snoeyink taught me in theirrespective classrooms. It was in those rooms where I decidedI would use my skills in math to pass on this blessing toothers as a teacher myself.I graduated from Timothy in ’03, moving on to TaylorUniversity in Upland, Ind. There I continued in my path ofquality Christian education, receiving the tools I needed notonly to teach mathematics at a high level, but also to be awell rounded person ready to shape other’s lives, too.Since graduating from Taylor, I have been substituteteaching in districts 88 and 86, as well as my most recentteacher aide position in district 86. I have also been tutoringone-on-one in math and standardized test preparation. Ihave been trying to stay in education as much as possible asI have been looking forward to a permanent school home. Iam very excited to have found just that, and am ecstatic tobe able to call Timothy that home.I truly feel that God has given me patience to wait for thisposition that he has called me to now that I am where Ineed to be professionally and spiritually. All throughoutmy life I have always been taught, sometimes the hardway, that everything that happens has a meaning. God hasa plan through all, and I am so happy that plan is fallinginto place for me now. I look forward to seeing how Heplans on using me.Laura ShawFourth GradeWhen I told my younger brother, amember of our long line of ChicagoChristian graduates, that I wasgoing to be teaching at TimothyChristian, he had one word forme: “traitor.” I smiled at him andlaughed; he sensed my excitementand gave me a giant brother hug. I grew up at SouthwestChristian and transitioned to Chicago Christian as a highschool student. The culture, friendships, and leaders at aChristian school have made me who I am today. When Iwalked into the doors of Timothy I felt at home. I felt thesecurity I did as a kid in school. I saw pictures and verses onthe walls that reminded me of the teachers and friends I hadin my youth. I can’t put into words how excited I am to beteaching in such a strong Christian community.After high school my heart was pulling me to HopeCollege—camping up in Holland, Mich. as a kid heldgreat memories for me. That very first day of college (andprobably a long time before), I knew I wanted to be anelementary school teacher. Kids are my cup of tea. Whileat Hope I was lucky enough to spend a year in Australiaand broaden my education. I experienced a lot of joy andsome challenges living on my own in another country, andit allowed me to find my true strength and fall into my placein God’s world.After graduating from Hope College in 2007 I decidedto follow my dreams of living in the west and moved toPhoenix, Ariz. I was blessed with a unique second gradeteaching position at a Title 1 school. I spent much of myextra time experiencing Arizona, camping in the desert,and climbing enormous mountains. After living in Phoenixfor two years, I decided to move back to the Chicagolandarea. The move back was brought upon by a special personthe good Lord suitably placed into my life. I met Bryanshortly after I moved to Arizona, and we made the westour adventure. In January, Bryan asked me to marry himwith the help of my second graders, and we tied the knoton August 15 of this year. We are ecstatic to start our livestogether in a new place with new opportunities.Megan VenhuizenHigh School Academic Support/EnglishMy name is Megan Venhuizen,and I am very excited to be joiningthe Timothy Christian staff as theAcademic Support teacher in thehigh school.I grew up in a family of fourgirls in Manhattan, Mont. on a cattle ranch. I attendedManhattan Christian School all my life, and during mysenior year of high school I spent some time volunteeringwith two children with special needs. I had always wantedto be a teacher, but this experience pushed me to go intoSpecial Education, something I had never considered before.I went on to Calvin College, and as I took more classes mydesire to become a teacher grew stronger. After spending aFarewellPrincipals Tim Hoeksema and Clyde Rinsema had thisto say in bidding a fond farewell to the following staffmembers:George BosmanGeorge was featured as a retiree several issues ago, butreturned to Timothy on a part-time basis since then. Hesays he is officially retired now, but you will be able to seeGeorge and Carolyn often at Timothy events watching theirvery active grandchildren.summer teaching English in Eastern Europe, I felt a passionto teach internationally upon graduation. God led me toTegucigalpa, Honduras, to teach at the International Schoolof Tegucigalpa.Living and working in Honduras was an incredibleexperience for me. Throughout my three years there, Igained valuable teaching experience, but I also learnedto see God through a much wider lens. I gained a moreglobal perspective on God and the transforming work Heis completing in a different culture and nation. Living in aThird World country also brought a lot of questions, mostof which I still don’t have the answers to, but I was blessedto be surrounded by a community of believers in whichwe could discuss those questions and grow together in ourcontinual search to know God more.Leaving Honduras was a very difficult decision for me, butexperiencing the welcoming nature of the staff at Timothymade it easier. Upon visiting Timothy for the first time thissummer, I immediately appreciated the friendliness of otherco-workers, as well as their clear devotion to their students.I was encouraged by Timothy’s commitment to providingthe best Christian education possible for their students, andI am excited to be part of a strong community dedicatedto helping students go out and transform the worldaround them. It is evident that God is working at TimothyChristian, and I am excited to see what He has in store inthis new adventure ahead.Jeff PowersJeff served Timothy for 15 years and did a superb jobteaching science to seventh graders. He developed a sciencecurriculum that was highly engaging for students andactivity oriented. As a result, kids loved science. Jeff alsocoached basketball for many years.He is now at Naperville North High School teaching physicaleducation and coaching varsity basketball. Jeff always has hada passion for coaching and was looking for an opportunity tocoach at a large public school. He will be missed.continued on next page u16 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 17

C a m p u s N e w sEmily TilleryEmily taught fourth grade at Timothy for three years and isleaving to be a full-time mom, as she and her husband areexpecting their first child. She quickly became an outstandingteacher, loved by students, and appreciated by parents.Sara Vander PlasSarah served Timothy for one year and taught first grade.She is leaving to be a stay-at-home mom. She is currentlypregnant with their first child. She taught previously atother Christian schools for three years. She served Timothyvery well in her short career here.Mary ClaussMary leaves after teaching part-time for one year in theEnglish department. We wish her well and thank her forthe quality instruction she provided in her two freshmenEnglish classes during the 2008-09 school year.Amy DeWitAmy served as our Academic Support teacher. She marriedand moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Amy held this positionRelay for Life Timothy studentsRelay For Life Becomes Off-Campus Event, Big SuccessTimothy Christian Schools was scheduled to be the host sitefor the American Cancer Society’s annual “Relay for Life”event. Unfortunately, a myriad of rainstorms forced theevent indoors.The Relay For Life typically takes place at York High School,but with track remodeling taking place, it was originallymoved to Timothy. However, when the event needed to beindoors, it was moved back to York High School’s gymnasium.for two years, and her leadership will be missed by both herstudents and their parents.Oliver HerseyOliver leaves after teaching at Timothy for four years. Hetaught geometry, algebra, and, this past year, introduceda new media course. He will be remembered for his quicksmile, his love for his students, and his passion for sharinghis insights about faith.Melanie LumkesMelanie was blessed with a second child and left Timothyafter teaching here since 1997. She recently worked parttimeteaching two classes of Western Civilization. For manyyears she taught physical education. She also concludes asuccessful career as our girls’ varsity volleyball coach. In2007-08 Melanie was named the Private School Leaguevolleyball Coach of the Year. She will be greatly missed byher colleagues, students, and athletes for her quiet but firmdemeanor and her commitment to excellence both in andout of the classroom.Despite the scheduling mishaps, the volunteer leaders put on agreat event. Many Timothy students got involved, and alongwith more than 550 participants, the event raised $166,000for cancer research. Congratulations to all participants!National Healthy Schools DayOn Monday, April 27, our K-8 students joined with schoolsfrom all over the country to celebrate National HealthySchools Day. This was an important day to promote andcelebrate healthy school environments that are conduciveto learning. Students were encouraged to bring in healthysnacks, and the staff enjoyed a beautiful buffet of fruits andveggies in the faculty lounge.Classes earned points throughout the day for makinghealthy choices ... drinking a bottle of water, visitingwebsites during computer class that taught good nutrition,participating in outdoor activities, or even hopping on onefoot while practicing multiplication tables.Everyone had a great time! As far as who had the mostpoints, well, EVERYONE is a winner when they get activeand eat healthy!Marketing MattersThis recurring column iswritten to keep the greaterTimothy community informedof our progress in the fields ofmarketing and recruitment.Enrollment UpdateWe can all be very thankful forthe work that God is doing atTimothy—not only in the dayto-dayinteractions of studentsRudi Geschand teachers, but in the manynew families that He is bringing to our community.As of the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, Timothyhas a K-12 population of 1,090 students. This is up from the1,069 students at the same time last year. In an economictime where many Christian schools are seeing 10-30%enrollment declines, or even considering closing their doors,Timothy has continued a slow but steady five-year growthtrend—from 1,032 in 2005 to 1,090 today.Timothy Enrollment TrendsWORLDV I E W International Student Program UpdateIn the previous Reflector, I mentioned that one of thegoals of the marketing committee would be to develop aninternational student program that would bring 10 studentsfrom around the world into the homes of Timothy hostfamilies. While we were unable to meet our initial goal, wewere able to bring in five international students. This meansthat five Timothy families have taken the exciting step ofopening up their homes to these students.A portion of the international student program allowsfor the creation of a new part-time position at Timothy—the WORLDV I E W International Student ProgramCoordinator. Timothy parent Laura Hernandez has steppedinto this role and has already done an outstanding jobwith the Timothy students, the international students, andthe host families. After a successful first year, we hope toexpand this program to our initial target of 10 internationalstudents or perhaps even beyond. If you’d like to learn moreabout this program, Mrs. Hernandez can be contacted atHernandez@timothychristian.com.The 3 LovesAbout a year ago, I met with the high school teachers andgave them a survey. One question on the written surveyasked them an open-ended question: what makes Timothyexcellent? Their responses were amazingly similar. Almostevery teacher indicated in their own words that Timothy isan excellent place because of:1. Our community’s relationship with God.2. The fact that we love learning and setting the highestacademic goals.3. The relationships between teachers and students.In reflecting on these responses for almost a year now, notonly are these responses obviously true, but also, theyperfectly capture the heart of Timothy in “the 3 loves”: thelove of God, the love of learning, and the love of students.Not only is this a good message for our current families tohear and know about, but also new families should hearthis message loudly and clearly. When a new family asksthe question, “why should I send my child to Timothy?” acontinued on next page u18 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 19

C a m p u s N e w sE l e m e n t a r y a n d M i d d l e S c h o o l N e w ssimple response might be, “Because this is a communitythat loves God, loves learning, and will love your child.”In a culture that increasingly turns away from God, withmany academic standards dropping in our nation’s schools,and when students feel like “just a number” in theirteacher’s classroom … this message speaks.To this end, be on the lookout for the launch of a newwebsite: the 3 loves blog (www.the3loves.com). Here’sthe concept—we want Timothy families to tell the worldabout how the 3 loves at Timothy have had an impact ontheir family. We’re anticipating video, picture, and texttestimonials. This should be a fun way for everyone inour community to get involved (there are also rumors ofa Timothy T-shirt for participants). Word of mouth hasalways been Timothy’s best form of advertising. The3Loves.com will be like word of mouth 2.0.Thank you for your interest in the marketing andrecruitment efforts of Timothy. If you know of anyprospective families who would like to be contactedregarding a change of schools, or if you have any ideasto advance our marketing efforts, please don’t hesitate tocontact me.Rudi GeschDirector of Marketing and Recruitment630.833.4616 ext. 108gesch@timothychristian.comAuthor D. J. McHaleAuthor Visits CampusOn Tuesday, May 19, Timothywas privileged to welcome D.J.MacHale, author of the popularchildren’s book series Pendragon.He is also a writer, director,and producer of several populartelevision series and movies thatinclude Flight 29 Down; Are YouAfraid of the Dark?; EncyclopediaBrown, Boy Detective; Tower ofTerror; and Ghostwriter.Mr. MacHale spoke to the students in the fifth through eighthgrades and captivated them with his warm and enthusiasticstorytelling. He shared stories about his youth, and how he hatedto write and would do anything to avoid writing assignments. Heencouraged our students to find their talents and to be creative, beit sculpting, acting, singing, painting, drawing, or writing.Judy began her teaching career in 1966 and taught for eightyears at several public schools. She spent the next eight yearsat home, raising her family. But you couldn’t keep her outof the classroom during that time and she subbed in variousschools one day a week. She re-entered full-time teachingat Medinah Christian Schools where she worked for fouryears. In 1986, she was hired by Timothy Christian Schoolsto teach fourth grade where she has been ever since.Students past and present credit Judy with being animportant spiritual mentor in their lives. Her current fourthgrade students put together a memory book and a commontheme was how she had influenced them in their spiritualwalk and how she encouraged them to learn and grow asChristians. Whether dealing with the loss of her husband,Dwight, in 2006, or her son’s recent diagnosis of cancer,Judy can always be counted on to bring her joyful spirit toschool every day.The Timothy Website: Making Life EasierThe website staff wants to make the online experienceas smooth and easy as possible. They’ve created “ParentCentral,” your go-to place for the information that you need.We have linked all of the areas that parents regularly askabout in the left hand column. All of these links will open ina new window (or tab depending on your browser), so youcan keep Parent Central open in your primary window (ortab) to get to the most important information to you.He then took questions from the audience. Timothystudents grabbed this opportunity to talk to one of theirfavorite authors and asked many intelligent questionsabout his book characters, plotlines, and upcomingprojects. After the presentation, he graciously signed booksand posed for pictures.Thank you to Barnes & Noble Oak Brook for giving usthis opportunity to host Mr. MacHale. It was one that ourstudents will not forget!Making An Online DonationWe want to remind you that it is now possible to make adonation on our website. All donations are safe and secureand very easy to do. Be the first on your block to do it!Check it out on “Donations” on the website homepage.Stay Informed: Read the TCSNews Email NewsletterIf you’d like to keep in touch with news from Timothy andyou live at some distance, one way that more than 1,100people choose to do so is by subscribing to the TCSNews,an email newsletter that comes to your inbox each Monday.Filled with updated news, a thought for the week, prayerrequests, and a mildly amusing joke or story, the TCSNews isa quick read that keeps you informed, inspired, and invited.Sign up by visiting our website: www.timothychristian.com.Click on TCSNews and follow the directions!Goodbye and thanksGoodbye and Thanks, Mrs. E!The last day of school really was the last day of school forMrs. Judy Ellefsen, a beloved fourth grade teacher. After 24Mrs. E’s last class“Mrs. E.” has enjoyed her years at Timothy and said she isgrateful for the wonderful parents, students, and teachers shehas worked with throughout the years. “After working in thepublic schools,” Judy explains, “the camaraderie of teacherswho love serving the Lord has been such a blessing.” Shesaid one of her favorite things has been to watch her studentsmake a commitment to the Lord and then see it carriedthrough to high school and beyond. Judy has also appreciatedwhat she has learned from the students. “They have taughtcontinued on next page uyears of teaching at Timothy Christian Schools, Judy retired.20 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 21

E l e m e n t a r y a n d M i d d l e S c h o o l N e w sme patience, living out the fruit of the spirit, how to enjoylife, and how to pray with child-like faith.”Retirement plans include taking care of her parents andwatching her grandchildren. However, she is already lookingforward to coming back to Timothy next year to help leadthe wing sings and possibly do some substitute work.Friday, May 30, the fourth grade class threw a surpriseretirement party for Mrs. Ellefsen. The students sang someof the songs she had taught them during wing sing and alsoperformed skits and sang some original compositions forMrs. Ellefsen. The party ended with cake and a lot of hugs.Mrs. Ellefsen, we are “in-right, out-right, up-right, downrighthappy” that you have been with us here at Timothy forso many years.The case of “Foibles and Folly”Middle School Play a HitThe middle school drama production “Foibles and Folly,”was a hilarious yet heartwarming account that told the storyof teenager Amanda McGowen and her move to DistinctiveManor. There, she met a man who walks an invisible dog,a would-be movie star, twins who speak using amusing andadorable alliteration, an elderly gentleman who hides behindthe couch from “them,” an eccentric nearsighted woman wholoves to sing, and a very tolerant Building Manager.Amanda’s scientist dad, Peter, and Uncle Brain don’t helpmatters as they spend their time in the muddy field next doortrying to develop a “super soil.” The cranky owner of thebuilding decides to sell, against the advice of her level headedassistant, which would leave this loopy band of tenantshomeless. Peter McGowen develops a plan that saves the day,convincing the developer that the land causes some strangebehavior, which allows the tenants to stay put. In the end,Amanda comes to tolerate and care about the tenants anddecides Distinctive Manor is not that bad after all.The cast did a fabulous job bringing all these “loopy”characters to life and made for a very enjoyable production.Congratulations to the cast, crew and directors Judy Sytsmaand Casey Strauss!Math TriathlonTimothy Math Triathlon Team Champs AgainTimothy once again took first place in the Trinity ChristianCollege Middle School Math Triathlon, a competition forChicagoland Christian Schools held at the college in PalosHeights. Team members were Andrew Groenewold, MattHuizinga, Daniela Girotti, Grace Berens, Bonnie Van Dyk,Matt De Jong, Logan Byrne, Kate Berens, Kaylie Pries,Jason Kuiper, Kyle Groters, Randall Harris, Kurt Munson,Stephanie Groenewold, Jenna Lodewyk, and Tim Huizinga.Congratulations to team members and teacher and triathloncoach Michelle Berens.Timothy’s awards:Individual competition: First Place – Grace Berens; ThirdPlace – Andrew Groenewold; Fourth Place – Bonnie VanDyk; Fifth Place – Kurt Munson;Team Competition: First Place (team members AndrewGroenewold, Grace Berens, Daniela Girotti, and MattHuizinga)Relay Competition: Second PlaceTriathlon Overall: First PlaceScience OlympiadScience Olympiad Team Second in StateTimothy’s middle school Science Olympiad team came homewith a second place trophy in the State Class A competitionat the University of Illinois. Congratulations to the 16 teammembers and coach Mrs. Berens who received a plaque andwas named “Outstanding Coach” as well. Team awards weregiven in the following categories: one first place (Pentathlon);two second place (Road Scholar & Compute This); one third(Experimental Design); one fourth (Fossils). In addition, 11 ofour 16 members medaled at state.Team members were Brian Barker, Grace Berens, KateBerens, Brendan Biesboer, Riley De Haan, AndrewGroenewold, Stephanie Groenewold, Jack Hennel, MikeHennel, Emily Huizenga, Tim Huizinga, Jason Kuiper, KurtMunson, Kelly Powers, Sam Sticha, and Bonnie Van Dyk.Congressman Roskam Speaks to 8th GradeUnited States Congressman Peter Roskam came to talk tothe eighth grade class last May. It was a great time, andthe hour was filled with lots of questions. CongressmanRoskam started his talk with a story that brought home thepoint that our vote counts, and that he does care about whatthe voters of Illinois and, in particular, his district feel aboutthe issues. The eighth graders asked him many questions,among them what it is like to be a Republican working witha Democratic majority, how difficult it is to be a Christianin Washington D.C., and if there are any issues that hecannot compromise on regardless of what his district feels.The students felt that his answers were heartfelt, honest,and very informative. After the question and answer timeevery student was given a copy of the constitution, whichMr. Roskam autographed for the students.Graduation CeremonyNinety-two eighth grade students took the stage for this year’sMiddle School Graduation. Rev. James Larkin, father ofgraduate Jim, opened the ceremony in prayer followed by theclass singing the Class Song, “Blessed Be the Name of the Lord.”Three students in the class were Valedictorian. Bonnie VanDyk and Katie Berens spoke together, remembering funmemories and thanking parents, staff, and friends, followedby Andrew Groenewold who reminded the students to nevergive up. Dr. Tim Hoeksema recognized the recipients ofvarious Class Honors (see below). He also acknowledgeddeparting staff members Mr. Jeff Powers and Mr. GeorgeBosman. Mr. Bosman, who is retiring, received a standingovation in honor of his 42 years of teaching at Timothy.Dr. Tim Hoeksema offers congratulationsRev. Harris, Graduation speakerRev. Randall Harris, father of graduate Randall, gave thisyear’s address. He joked about the dangers of allowing aBaptist Minister to speak at a graduation and promisedto keep it brief. He reminded the students that Timothy ispreparing them to be disciples of Christ and that God hasalready equipped them for the work He has planned forthem in the future.Congratulations to our Middle School Graduating Classof 2009!Class HonorsBaptista Family Valedictorian Scholarship - Kate Berens,Andrew Groenewold, Bonnie Van DykChristian Leadership Award - Kate Berens, Phillip StantonLorraine Daniels Music Scholarship - Kate BerensTheodore De Jong Science Scholarship - Andrew GroenewoldCharles Haack Mathematics Scholarship - Andrew GroenewoldKen Huizinga Athletic Award - Kelli LeGrand, PhillipStanton22 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 23

H i g h S c h o o l N e w s“Cuckoos on the Hearth”This year’s spring play was a classic “whodunit” that keptthe audience guessing until the very end. Don and CharlotteCarlton, along with their cousin Lulu Pung, entertain somevery interesting characters during a New England blizzardin the 1940’s. The Sherriff reports that a patient has escapedfrom a nearby asylum and is headed in their direction. Inthe meantime, eccentric author Zadoc Grimes arrives andis insistent on renting a room at Harmony Hearth. Then,a knock at the door brings three “stranded” men who areseeking refuge from the storm. Is one of them the escapee,or are they really just after the secret project Don is workingon? The final twist reveals our “hero” is actually not who wethought she was.“Cuckoos” castCongratulations to director Tom Day and entire cast andcrew for bringing this intriguing and highly entertaining playto Timothy’s stage!CastAbby Rodick....................................................Caitlin WilliamsLulu Pung..........................................................Caroline HayesCharlotte Carlton.....................................................Katie EitenSherriff Preble.....................................................Krista WielardDon Carlton......................................................Corey Van DykZadoc Grimes...................................................Peter Matthews“Doc” Ferris............................................................Jon EngbersThe Professor...........................................................Dan DenbyRev. Clarence Underhill..................................Danny HuizingaBeulah Peck............................................................Audie SmithDr. Gordon..........................................................Alexa DeVriesState Trooper..............................................................Joe MeigsStudent Director...................................................Jackson MillsStudent Council Sponsors Speaker onImmigration PolicyMatthew Soerens, co-author of the InterVarsity Presspublication Welcoming the Stranger; Justice, Compassion,and Truth in the Immigration Debate, spoke at Timothy onApril 28. Matthew works for World Relief in the departmentof immigration legal services. He speaks across the countryon the development of a Christian response to the issue ofimmigration and undocumented immigrants. This event wassponsored by the high school student council.Varsity Scholastic Bowl Team EndsSuccessful SeasonCongratulations to the Varsity Scholastic Bowl team ontheir Regional championship. This is their fourth Regionalchampionship in 13 years of participation in ScholasticBowl. Our last championship was in 2005. The team endedthe year with a 23-19 record. Congratulations to the teamand coach Carlton Rink.WYSE Team Places Second in StateCongratulations to Carlton Rink and the WYSE(Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering) team ontheir second place finish at State competition on Wednesday,April 9, in Champaign, Ill.. They set several Timothyrecords with their total points scored and nine individualmedals. This was the highest amount of points any TimothyWYSE Team has ever earned in the school’s history.Winners included: Dan Denby (second place in Physicsand fourth in Chemistry), Jon Proctor (sixth in ComputerScience), Corey Van Dyk (tied for first in Physics and fifth inEngineering Graphics), Simon Wang (tied for first in Physicsand sixth in Math), and Victor Yang (first in Math andthird in Physics).WYSE Second in StateOther team members include Justin Barak, Steven Barre,Rachel Groters, Marissa Hegel, Danny Huizinga, Moon SuKang, Julie Schram, Adam Van Kampen, and Ben Zigterman.Timothy Basketball Athletes Play Well and Do GoodIf you know your grammar, the above title might make youwince. But actually, it is correct. This year, in addition tohaving a strong year on the court, our players were able to“do good” by participating in the “Free Throws for Heroes”program. Timothy players raised $2,968.70, which will goto military families that are in need of financial assistance.Here is an excerpt from the letter we received from theExecutive Director of Free Throws for Heroes.“On behalf of our Illinois military families, I want toexpress our sincere gratitude and appreciation for theOUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT of your TimothyChristian High School basketball program in ‘Making FreeThrows That Make A Difference To Our Illinois MilitaryFamilies In Need.’While over 100 Illinois high schools participated in our ‘FreeThrows For Heroes’ program and their contributions arecertainly very much appreciated, Timothy Christian HighSchool and your basketball players have certainly distinguishedyourselves as exemplary in this very important initiative.”We would also like to recognize all the honors that ourbasketball players and coaches received during the season.Girls’ Basketball HonorsWalter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the WeekShannon McNeil, Meghan Leach, Anneke Stremler, KatieDirkse, Kari LeGrandWalter Payton’s Player of the Year Nominee:Shannon McNeilDaily Herald All Area Team:Shannon McNeilPrivate School League All Conference:Shannon McNeil, Meghan Leach,Anneke Stremler – Honorable Mention4th Team All StateShannon McNeilCo-Coach of the Year for District 7Ryan DeKoekkoekBoys’ Basketball HonorsWalter Payton’s Roundhouse player of the weekReggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert White, RobertStein, Peter TamelingWalter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Month(November and January)Reggie GreenwoodWalter Payton’s Roundhouse Player of the Year NomineeReggie GreenwoodDaily Herald Player of the WeekReggie GreenwoodDaily Herald All-Area TeamReggie GreenwoodPrivate School League All-ConferenceReggie Greenwood, Jaaron Holmes, Robert WhitePrivate School League Coach of the YearJack LeGrand24 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 25

H i g h S c h o o l N e w sRob Stein Second in StateStudent Rob Stein Secondin StateCongratulations to junior Rob Steinwho finished second in the Shot Putin the Boys 1A State Track Meet atEastern Illinois University. Rob’sbest throw was 55’ 5¾”, which wasa personal best.High School Awards NightThe TCHS Awards Night washeld May 19. This wonderfulevening recognizes students whohave done so much to make theschool year a success.Athletic AwardsIntramural: Jake SchemperAll Conference Volleyball: Anneke StremlerAll Conference Boys Soccer: Jeb Nash, Jake Schemper,Jonathan VossAll Conference Golf: Andrew WoodhullAll Conference Cross Country: Leah Bosman, Katie Dirkse,Jeff VanderKampAll Conference Girls’ Basketball: Meghan Leach,Shannon McNeilAll Conference Boys’ Basketball: Reggie Greenwood, JaaronHolmes, Robert WhiteAll Conference Boys’ Tennis: Justin Groenewold, Ryan HoffAthletic Achievement Awards: Allison Bolt, Leah Bosman,Elizabeth DeGroot, Katie Dirkse, Samantha Goedeke,Lauren Hansberger, Marissa Hegel, Jacquelyn Iwema,Meghan Jensen, Natalie Kuick, Mary Beth Langkamp,Shannon McNeil, Jessica Michnowski, Jeb Nash, JakeSchemper, Anneke Stremler, Katie Vanderveld, LauraVanderveld, Andrew WoodhullOutstanding Senior Male Athlete: Justin GroenewoldOutstanding Senior Female Athlete: Katie Dirkse,Shannon McNeilScholarshipsBetty Beyler: Will RoelofsBeryl Bean: Maggie LarkinJessica Freundt: Female: Audie Smith, Male: ReggieGreenwoodGlobal Vision Scholarship: Jessica Michnowski, Becky Kim,Bruce LarkinDon Greenfield Student Athlete: Female: Nikole Pizzello,Male: Jeff VanderkampBarney and Grace Hoeks: Ava JokichHenrietta Kingma: Chelsea BardolphRev. Carl Reitsma: Jon EngbersEric Robisch: Tori McBrideBertha Wezeman Huizenga: Olivia DoigHenry and Evelyn Tazelaar Music: Mike IwemaElla Taylor Technology Scholarship: Adam Van KampenPamela Joy Day: Julia PattisonDonna Ven Housen: Rita ClousingReggie Greenwood accepts Jessica Freundt AwardActivity AwardsDrama: Dan Denby, Katie Eiten, Caroline HaysQuill & Scroll: Rachel Groters, Sabrina Lee, Ben ZigtermanAcademic AwardsArt: Jeff SteinBible: Becky KimEnglish: Katie Eiten, Rachel Groters, Marissa Hegel,Sabrina LeeFamily and Consumer Science: Emilia MedemaPhysical Education: Katie Dirkse, Jon VossInstrumental Music - Band: Marissa HegelLouis Armstrong Jazz Award: Becky VisserJohn Philip Sousa: Becky VisserInstrumental Music-Orchestra: Laura VanderveldChoral Music: Dan DenbyHistory: Jon ProctorMath: Corey Van DykScience: Jon VossIndustrial Technology/Draftsman: Adam Van KampenIndustrial Technology/Craftsman: Thomas HuinerSpecial RecognitionsWalter A. Glos VFW Post 2048: Rachel GrotersNational Merit Commended Students: Katherine Akre,Rachel Groters, Caroline HaysNational Merit Finalists: Dan Denby, Corey Van DykValedictorian: Rachel GrotersSalutatorian: Thomas HuinerAmerican Legion: Rachel Groters, Bruce LarkinOutstanding Senior Female: Caroline HaysOutstanding Senior Male: Jon VossSenior ServeFor the past nine years, Timothy seniors have stayedovernight in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago forSenior Serve, an extensive immersion in inner city culture,worship, and ministry. This is the culminating service projectrequired of all seniors. The goal of such a policy is to engagestudents in our mission of, “serving God and his people.”Timothy seniors had the privilege of partnering in ministrywith the community of Lawndale and assisting them in thework they do for the Kingdom of Christ. The students wereformed into work groups and assigned a task at LawndaleCommunity Church, Chicago Westside Christian School,Lawndale Christian Reformed Church, or HumboldtCommunity Christian School.The students also enjoyed fellowship through Small GroupBible Studies, corporate worship, and pizza at a famousdowntown eatery. Various high school staff members alsoparticipated, worked (and played!) alongside the students. ItGraduation CeremonyThis year’s High SchoolGraduation took place theevening of Thursday, June4, 2009 at Christ Church ofOak Brook. The graduatesentered the sanctuary tothe traditional “Pomp andDr. Cindy Tamminga and AlumniCircumstance” in what wouldDirector Jay Evenhousebe the final memory of theirtime at Timothy Christian Schools. Dr. Timothy Bowman,father of graduate Hannah, opened in prayer.Salutatorian Thomas Huiner shared memories of what madetheir class unique and said although their departure wouldleave a gap, next year’s class would continue to learn, grow,and serve God as well. Valedictorian Rachel Groters thankedteachers who had invested their time, care, and concernthroughout the years. She quoted from the book The LittlePrince, “It is the time you have spent with your rose thatmakes your rose so important” and was grateful that theteachers always made them feel important.This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award was presented toDr. Cindy Tamminga, Class of 1979. She took the audienceon a walk down memory lane and reminisced about her yearsat Timothy and teachers who had made an impact on herlife. She then spoke of her career as a Naval Commander andDoctor at Bethesda Medical Hospital.Rev. Daniel Meyer, Senior Pastorat Christ Church of Oak Brook,gave the address and used a planeanalogy of how the graduates were“taking off” into the world aftergraduation. He advised them thatwhen the storms come, as theyalways do, to hold true to theircompass, the Word of God. Byfollowing that, they will alwayshave a Kingdom Flight Plan.Diplomas were handed out by School Board President Mr.Bob Van Staalduinen. After a closing prayer by Dr. John Kim,father of graduate Becky, the graduates exited the sanctuaryto receive congratulations from friends and family members.Congratulations and God’s Blessings to the TimothyChristian High School Class of 2009!is definitely a capstone experience for our Timothy seniors.26 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 27Working hardThe joy of graduation

B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s ’ N e w sLeadership SuccessionAnnouncedEarly last springSuperintendent Dan VanProoyen shared this notewith his colleagueson campus.“For more than 30 years nowI have had the privilege ofserving Timothy ChristianSchools in a variety ofcapacities. After reviewingpast milestones and thechallenges ahead, I haveSuperintendent Dan Van Prooyen come to realize that it istime to begin the transitiontoward new leadership for the institution. It’s my goal towork closely with the Board of Directors to ensure that thistransition is accomplished seamlessly. I look forward to anew chapter in my life and a continued bright outlook forTimothy Christian Schools.”In light of Mr. Van Prooyen’s announcement, the Boardof Directors, at its April meeting, established and finalizedmembership of a Leadership Succession Planning Committee.This committee will focus its efforts on the search for a newsuperintendent. Representing the Board on the committeeare Robert Stoll and Robert Van Staalduinen. Chairing thecommittee is former Board president Dave DeVries. Othermembers include Timothy Foundation trustees BastianKnoppers, Rob Petroelje, Terry Van Der Aa, and formerEducation Committee chairs Tracey Jarzombek and CindyVander Woude.The Board is grateful for Mr. Van Prooyen’s dedication tothe school, its students, and constituents. For more than 30years he has served in key administrative capacities and willcontinue to do so throughout the transition until the newsuperintendent is able to assume all responsibilities. We askfor your prayers for the work of this committee, the board,and for Mr. Van Prooyen as we together seek to identify anew leader for Timothy Christian Schools.Annual Society Meeting HeldThe Annual Meeting of the Timothy Christian SchoolsSociety was held in the Huizenga Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.on Wednesday, May 27. At the meeting the budget for2009-10 was approved and the following Board candidateswere elected: Julie Huisman (Faith Christian ReformedChurch, Elmhurst); Faith Lee (Christ Church of OakBrook); Caryn Rivadeneira (Elmhurst Christian ReformedChurch); Cathy McNeil Stein (Rock of Ages BaptistChurch, Maywood); Bill Terpstra (Elmhurst ChristianReformed Church), Floyd Vander Meer (Wheaton ChristianReformed Church); and Paul Zigterman (LombardChristian Reformed Church).Also, Carrie Tazelaar (President) and Barb Huizenga(Treasurer), representing Partners in Education and its manyvolunteers, presented Superintendent Dan Van Prooyenwith a check for $80,000 in support of projects to enhanceeducation at Timothy.At its first full meeting the 2009-10 Board of Directorselected the following officers for the year:Bob Van Staalduinen (Lombard Christian Reformed Church)– PresidentJulie Huisman (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst)– Vice-PresidentBob Stoll (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church) – SecretarySteve Loerop (Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church) –TreasurerJim Allen (Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst) –Financial SecretaryPlease remember to pray for these leaders in their work onbehalf of the Timothy Christian Schools Society this year.Grant News: Timothy Awarded Grant for Science LabsIn mid-July Timothy Director of Advancement DaveLarsen received official notice of a $300,000 grant fromthe Richard D. Van Lunen Foundation for new sciencelaboratories. This grant is the largest in Timothy’s history,surpassing the $212,000 received from the Bill andMelinda Gates Foundation in 2001.Timothy Foundation NewsIRA Charitable Rollovers - Give up to $100,000 to Charityand Obtain Favorable Tax TreatmentUntil December 31, 2009, if you are at least 70 1/2, you cangive up to $100,000 from your IRA to a qualified charityand avoid paying income tax on the distribution. In anutshell, you will be able to exclude from gross income up to$100,000 of what would otherwise be a taxable distributionof a traditional or Roth IRA, provided you make a qualifiedcharitable distribution in 2009 and you are age 70 1/2 at thetime of the gift.S u p p o r t G r o u p N e w sAndra Hersey gives guidance counselingat Wizards gameHarlem Wizards Takeon Timothy StarsSince 1962 the HarlemWizards have playedmore than 6,000 gamesin both the UnitedStates and abroad,thrilling millions offans along the way.The Harlem Wizards’current winning streakexceeds 2,800 gamesand miles of smiles.The Wizards faced off against Timothy Faculty and highschool seniors on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. withSuperintendent Dan Van Prooyen serving as referee.Congratulations to Partners in Education (PiE) for thegreat community event they organized and sponsored. TheHarlem Wizards played to a standing room only crowd,and put on quite a show. While the faculty, staff, andstudents put on a show of athletic prowess of their own,the Wizards prevailed. In an “everything goes” kind ofgame, the Wizards entertained the crowd with their biggerthan-lifepersonalities and truly impressive basketball skills.The game began with the singing of the National Anthem byfourth grader Camron Brady, and then it was game on! TheTimothy home team took the court and the Wizards emceebestowed nicknames upon our players such as “Shaggy,”The IRA Charitable Rollover provision was part of thePension Protection Act of 2006 and was originally set toexpire on 12/31/2007 but extended to 12/31/2009.Here is how the IRA Charitable Rollover provision works:• The gift amount is limited to $100,000• You must be 70 1/2 or older at the time of the transfer; and• The transfer must pass directly from your IRA custodianto a qualified charity. Make sure you give your IRAcustodian enough time to complete the transfer by year-end.Contact Timothy’s Advancement Office for more information.“Doogie Howser,”“Justin Timberlake,”“Air-Grandma,”“Mini-Me,” “LittleRed Robin Hood,”and “Bruce Jenner.”The Wizardsharassed late-comers,performed slamdunks,and were justgenerally silly!Of course, the hometeam was equallyimpressive and heldtheir own with theirown antics. One ofour teachers literallyHigh Fives at the Wizards gamebrought down aWizard player, but did receive a foul from our good-naturedreferee, Superintendent Dan Van Prooyen.Half-time entertainment was provided by the TC Pommerswho “lit’ up the evening. A contest, involving kids fromthe audience, was a half-time highlight. After the game, theWizards were available for photos, autographs, or just totalk to the spectators.Thanks to all PiE board members and volunteers whobrought the Wizards to Timothy. It was a lot of fun and agreat community-building event.28 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 29

S u p p o r t G r o u p N e w sA l u m n i N e w sNew to You Resale StoreTimothy senior Nate Puchalski is the 2009 New to YouStudent Volunteer of the Year. Through his work atthe store, Nate has developed expertise in testing andrepairing electronics and audio equipment. Nate andhis grandpa, Chuck Haack, volunteered most Thursdayevenings for several years. The board acknowledged Nate’sA l u m n i N e w sAlumni Invited to Join the Timothy FacebookMovementTimothy Christian High School Alumni are encouragedto visit www.facebook.com, open an account, and join“Timothy Christian High School Alumni.” If you’realready a Facebook member, visit this group and jointhe crowd. The Alumni Board thinks that this will be aneffective way to reunite with classmates and keep in touch.Check it out!Yearbook Distribution Nightcontribution with a surprise presentation on one of thoseThursday nights.The store continues to bless four schools—Timothy,Chicago West Side Christian, Daystar, and HumboldtCommunity Christian—with its regular contributions andrevenue sharing.Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Dr. CindyTamminga ’79Editor’s Note: Dr. Cindy Tamminga was this year’srecipient. The edited remarks she shared at high schoolgraduation follow.“Thank you, Mr. Evenhouse for that very kindintroduction. I appreciate it.I also thank the Alumni Committee, Timothy Board ofDirectors and Administration for this great honor.Dr. Tamminga and her former teacher Tom Daywhere experts in the field from all over the world were inattendance. I was more than a little nervous, but as I wastraveling to Baltimore for the conference, I realized that Ireally only cared about what one person in the audiencethought about the presentation. I was performing for anaudience of one. It struck me that as Christians, we shouldbe living our lives for an audience of one and that is God.some grade levels having two classes. I also see Mrs. Davidhere. She was my fifth grade teacher and no doubt taughtme all the things a fifth grader is supposed to know. Butwhat I remember is how she taught us to play marbles atrecess and how she set up softball and basketball gamesfor us to play at recess or after school. She impressed uponme the gift of living life with enthusiasm, energy, and joy.Mr. VanProoyen, as my biology teacher, taught me biologyand how to dissect a fetal pig. That is when I realized Iloved science and that medicine might be a good careerpath for me. What I remember most, however, is how,as my basketball coach, he taught me the values of hardwork, perseverance, and team work. He also taught methat bench sitters have as much value as stars and starters.Mr. Slager taught me a lot about American history, muchof which I have forgotten. But what I have not forgotten iswhat he taught me as my softball coach, and that is thatthere is at least one White Sox fan in the world that a Cubsfan can respect and look up to.An annual summer tradition is the Yearbook Distributionand Signing Night, sponsored by Yearbook advisor JimHartgerink. It’s often a mini-reunion of graduated seniorsjust before they head off to college.It was a fun experience for me to see so many friends andformer teachers in the reception room. Some I have notseen since I graduated in June of 1979. My graduationfrom Timothy took place on a very warm, June eveningin the high school gymnasium. That is where a lot of theactivities, such as this, took place at that time.I also thought about the reasons why I cared so muchabout what that one person thought of the presentation.It was because of the time and energy that he has investedin me with the goal of developing me as a researcher,physician, naval officer, and person. In other words, he hasacted as my mentor.Yearbook signingI receive and read the Reflector, and Timothy has changeda lot in many ways—buildings, curriculum, computerlabs, and SmartBoards. God has been very good to us.And now there is the challenge of “Building the Campus,Restoring the World.” I noticed in the campaign bookletthat Michelle, a middle school student, is talking abouther day at school. She says, “I am working on a projectwith three other classmates on the causes of malaria andhow Christians can help with research.” This was veryinteresting to me, as this is pretty much where I spend60% of my time these days, doing research on developinga vaccine to prevent malaria. The other 40% of my timeis spent at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, seeing patients,some from the present day war zones.As part of my current responsibilities, I recently presentedat a large, international vaccine research conferenceI then began thinking of other individuals who have hada significant impact on my life, many of whom are heretonight. In the reception earlier I talked with Mrs. Franz.As my third grade teacher, she taught me to write incursive, something that the nurses I work with say I do notdo very well. I am sure that is because my penmanship hasdeteriorated since I was in the third grade. But what shereally did for me was to help me, through her kindness andinterest in me, as a person—a shy and intimidated thirdgrader—adjust to life in a ‘big school in a big city.’See, before I moved with my family to the Chicago area,I had attended a small country school in Iowa where mydad was the principal, teacher, janitor, and part-time busdriver. At that school, three grades were taught by thesame teacher and in the same room. You can imagine howintimidating Timothy was, with 25 kids in a class, andDr. Cindy Tamminga is greeted by classmatesMy parents, George and Henrietta Tamminga, have hadthe most influence on my life as they have shown me byword and example what it is to live for Jesus Christ. WhenI heard that I had been chosen to receive this award, myfirst thought was that my sister, Kristy, deserved it muchmore than I do. That is because I see her consistentlymaking wise choices based on the Christian values thatshe learned from our parents and from the Timothy Schoolcontinued on next page u30 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 31

A l u m n i N e w sfamily. She quietly sacrifices time, energy, and financesso that her three sons can attend Timothy. She is both mymentor and hero. I know there are many other people inthis audience who do the same.I have been very blessed as God has opened doors andprovided opportunities that I could never have imaginedwhen I graduated from Timothy. I have had the privilege ofparticipating in several military deployments. One broughtme to Guantanamo Bay where I witnessed the detaineesbeing treated fairly and with compassion by the youngmen and women of our Armed Forces. I have also had theprivilege of participating in a humanitarian mission, whichbrought us to Vietnam, where the USS Peleliu becamethe first Navy ship to return to the shores of that countrysince the war. These experiences have developed a passionFrom the ’60sRobert G. Ottenhoff ’66 is the President of GuideStar,which operates the largest database of financialinformation on nonprofit organizations and foundations.From 2000-2002, he started high tech companies forLinsang Partners and operated his own internationalmanagement consulting practice. He has more than 25years of experience in broadcast management and strategicleadership. From 1991 to 1999, he was Chief OperatingOfficer of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Whileat PBS, Mr. Ottenhoff was Chairman of the Board ofPBS Enterprises and President of NABA, an organizationrepresenting broadcasters and other telecommunicationcompanies in the US, Canada, and Mexico.From the ’90sThomas Feller ’95and Melissa Fellerannounce the birth oftheir second daughter,Celeste Hope, bornMay 16, 2009. Tomworks as the AssistantThe Feller familyPrincipal of FarmvilleMiddle School in Farmville, NC and also serves on staffas the Music Director of Landmark Baptist Church inwithin me for international humanitarian work, which Ihope to pursue after my navy career.I am grateful for my parents, teachers, siblings, and others,those who mentored and assisted me along the way. Iam sure that each of you graduates can identify similarmentors in your lives and that God will provide wonderfulopportunities for you as well. A verse that my Dad gaveme when I was deployed to Guantanamo Bay was Jeremiah29:11, which I noticed last evening was the class verse forthe eighth grade graduating class. That verse says, ‘For Iknow the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans toprosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hopeand a future.’ It is my prayer that each of you graduateswill find this to be true in your lives.”Greenville, NC. They reside in Greenville, NC and can bereached at mrandmrsmusic@mac.com.From the ’00sAlex Jokich ’05 graduated from Pepperdine UniversityMagna Cum Laude on May 2, 2009. She also received thePepperdine University Department of CommunicationsOutstanding Broadcast Student of the Year Award.Jessica Cook ’05 graduated from Southeastern Universityin Lakeland, FL on December 6, 2008, with academichonors and a Bachelor of Science. She was also awarded“The Outstanding Marketing Graduate of 2008.”Katrina Denny ’06, a Calvin College (Grand Rapids,Mich.) senior from Chicago, fulfilled an internship lastsummer across Germany. A double major in engineeringand German, Denny did an internship in Magdeburg,just west of Berlin, on a project to make older apartmentbuildings more energy efficient by retrofitting them withphotovoltaic arrays. The project is part of a nationalcompetition in Germany focused on reducing energyconsumption. Denny, elected this past spring to be one ofnine student senators in 2009-2010, also participated inCalvin’s summer study program in Bremen in 2007.Recent Calvin College graduate Erik Van Kampen ’05added one last honor to his collegiate distance runningcareer. A native of Elmhurst, Illinois, Van Kampenhas been named an ESPN The Magazine AcademicAll-American, and named to the ESPN The MagazineAcademic All-America second team in the men’s crosscountry/track and field college division.Van Kampen is one of 45 individuals that were namedto either the first, second, or third teams in the collegedivision. Van Kampen is receiving ESPN The MagazineAcademic All-America accolades for the first time in hiscollegiate career.A chemical engineering major, Van Kampen carried a 3.56grade point average at Calvin.During his running career, Van Kampen was a three-time,NCAA III All-American in cross country, finishing 17th at2006 NCAA III Championships, 35th at the 2007 nationalmeet and 23rd at the 2008 nationals. Van Kampen’s finishin 2006 helped Calvin win the national title.Van Kampen was also a three-time All-MIAA and threetimeGreat Lakes All-Region selection in cross-country.At the 2008 Great Lakes Regional meet held at OhioNorthern University, Van Kampen took second placeindividually, helping the Knights take first place as a teamwith 32 points.A two-time All-MIAA selection in track and field, VanKampen was the MIAA champion in the 10,000 metersin 2007 and 2009. He participated at the 2009 NCAA IIIOutdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing 10th inthe 10,000 meters.Krista Hoff ’05 graduated from Taylor University inDecember ’08 in International Business and Spanish andis currently serving for five months as a volunteer withHope International in the Dominican Republic. She worksfor Kiva, a micro finance organization that connectspeople though lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.Krista will also be translating for the US Navy, when themedical ship Comfort arrives in Santo Domingo at theend of this month. She will continue her studies this fallat American University, Washington, D.C., for a graduatedegree in International Development. She also served as aDevelopment Intern with CRWRC in Nigeria last summer.John Sianghio ’04 had the privilege of delivering thecommencement speech at his graduation from University ofIllinois in Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 16, 2009.If you would like to view it you can log on to YouTube andsearch John Marc I. Sianghio.Brandi McNeilWheaton Collegesenior BrandiMcNeil ’05 earnedAll-Americanrecognition in thewomen’s javelinthrow for thefourth time in hercareer. McNeilqualified for thefinals with a throwof 136’ 7” inthe preliminaryround that wasfourth in herflight and rankedseventh among 19competitors in thetwo flights.With her second throw of three in the finals, McNeillaunched the javelin 151’ 2” for a toss that would begood enough for second place. It marked the secondconsecutive year that McNeil finished second in DivisionIII at Nationals and was the fourth time that she placedin the top-8 to earn Division III All-American honors. Shebecomes only the second female Wheaton track and fieldathlete to earn All-American recognition all four years ofher collegiate career.32 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 33

F r o m t h e A r c h i v e ssFINANCIALSERVICESSpecializing in:s Retirement Plannings College Fundings Sound Investment Programs*s Cost-Effective Insurances Estate PlanningJames VeenstraCLU, ChFCPARAGON ADVISORS, LLC715 Enterprise Dr. s Oak Brook, IL 60523(630) 571-2205 s Jim.Veenstra@tfamail.com*Securities offered through Transamerica Financial Advisors,a registered broker/dealer member FINRA/SIPC.1939 Timothy Christian SchoolFirst Row: Alice Lindeman, Henrietta Dykstra, EvelynZeilstra, Mr. J. Van Bruggen, Anna Mae Modder, CarolLubben, Pauline HuisjenSecond Row: John Wiltjer, Harry Vander Vliet, FrancesZeilstra, Henrietta Teeuws, Ethel Havenga, SimonIn honor and memory of…Boeringa, Martin OlthofThird Row: Howard Van Stedum, John Bossenga, JamesVisser, Edwin Visser, Clarence Wierenga, Gerrit Teune,John Wiersum, Edward VosTimothy Christian Schools gratefully acknowledges gifts given in memory or honor of an individual.These gifts assist us in supplying tuition assistance to families in need.Memorials: March 23, 2009 – August 31, 2009Gifts in memory of . . .Sam Hamstra, Sr.Ron RottschaferSherri VenhousenWelcome to the 2009-10 school year!If you are looking for a home, office, or commercial space, let my 15 yearsof real estate experience go to work for you.So many reasons to be looking or selling ... and so many reasons to contactme. Let Schiller’s 40 year positive reputation create your home / businesscomparative market analysis. My family is proud to be members of theTimothy Christian Community for over 10 years. I pledge a portion of myearnings to the future of Timothy Christian Schools.Diane M. KarpmanLicensed Realtor540 S. York Road | Elmhurst, IL 60126 || (630) 834-0582Diane M. KarpmanDirect: (847) 636-0200Office: (630) 617-6030diane.karpman@schillerhomes.com34 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 35

A d v e r t i s e m e n t sAL DIEPSTRA, D.D.S.342 Sherwood • La Grange Park, IL 60525708-482-4610DeYoung’s Insurance Service, Inc.Knollcrest Funeral HomeRobert Van Staalduinen, Director1500 South Meyers Rd. • Just North of 22nd Street(630) 932-1500All types of insurance• Business• Home• Auto• Life• Health• Motorcycle / BoatCall us for a quoteCelebrating our third generation!John E. DeYoung III(630) 850-930016w065 Jeans Rd • Lemont, IL 60439DeYoungsInsurance.com36 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 37

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A d v e r t i s e m e n t sBeyond BeliefThe Reflector is a free publication. Gifts to helpproduce it are most welcome.Please use the enclosed envelope for your donation.To place an ad in the Reflector, please contactRudi Gesch at 630-833-4616 ext. 108.Advertising rates:Full page: $4001/2 page: $2251/4 page: $1501/8 page: $7542 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 43

Timothy’sMission:Serving God and His people,Timothy Christian Schoolsdevelops academicallyprepared Christian discipleswho embrace Christ’s call totransform the world.Timothy’sVision:Timothy Christian Schools will be distinctly Christian inits community, curriculum, character, and convictions.ONEWe reflect God’s kingdom by serving Christian families from diverse economic andcultural backgrounds and students who possess a wide range of abilities.TWOWe cooperate with Christian homes and churches in the education and faithdevelopment of our students.THREEWe demonstrate love for one another in our work and play.FOURWe challenge students to serve in a global community.FIVEWe teach and study in the Reformed Christian tradition which drives us to beBiblically based, culturally engaged, and always reforming.SIXWe nurture creativity and curiosity through meaningful curriculum and effectiveinstruction.SEVENWe develop and encourage the gifts and talents of one another to serve Christ andrenew His creation.EIGHTWe seek wisdom that applies knowledge to gain understanding and spiritualdiscernment.NINEWe prepare students to be articulate defenders and models of the Christian faith inthought, word, and deed.TENWe inspire all students to be counter-cultural disciples who are beacons of light inthe world.44 R e f l e c t o r F A L L 2 0 0 9 F A L L 2 0 0 9 R e f l e c t o r 45

“One good word for this deeper and richerkind of knowing, the kind that does with thedeeper and richer kind of truth, is ‘love.’ Butbefore we can get to that we must take a deepbreath and plunge into the center of the storywhich, according to the Christian tradition,makes sense of our longing for justice,spirituality, relationship, and beauty, andindeed truth and love. We must begin to talkabout God. Which is like saying that we mustlearn to stare at the sun.”N.T. WRIGHT IN “SIMPLY CHRISTIAN:WHY CHRISTIANITY MAKES SENSE”188 W. Butterfield Rd.Elmhurst, IL 60126Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGEPAIDElmhurstPermit No. 306ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED