Grads from Oaks Christian have faith in the future




JANN HENDRY/ Acorn Newspapers THREE CHEERS- Oaks Christian High School grads enjoy their big day. From left, Daniel Auten, Kayla Bailey and Ryan Balikian. Grads from Oaks Christian

JANN HENDRY/ Acorn Newspapers THREE CHEERS- Oaks Christian High School grads enjoy their big day. From left, Daniel Auten, Kayla Bailey and Ryan Balikian. Grads from Oaks Christian


The 150 students at Oaks Christian School who make up the class of 2007 are going placesAlmost all of the graduates at the June 7 commencement at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village will attend college in the fall.

College choices were revealed through a slide show. Each graduating senior was showcased through baby pictures and senior photographs, underscored by their college choices.

Grads chose a wide range of colleges- and challenges- in the United States and abroad. One student plans on moving to Italy to attend college, while another was accepted into the Rotary Youth Conference in Japan. One young man will join the Ice Dog Hockey team in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Many students will attend California schools, including the range of University of California and state schools, and private schools, including the University of Southern California, the Claremont Colleges- one student will attend Stanford University.

The students’ outofstate college choices were equally broadSome will attend Dartmouth, Texas A&M, Purdue, Notre Dame, Northeastern, Lehigh University, Johnson and Wales University, University of Oregon, University of Tulsa, Merrimack College- just to name a few.

Many students opted for Christian colleges, including the Masters College and Seminary in Toronto, Azuza Pacific University, Catholic University, Westmont College, California Lutheran University, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine University and others.

Three students will attend top military academies- the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis and the United States Air Force Academy.

Faith is central

Commitment to their faith was a theme throughout the commencement. Patrick Carder presented a “senior testimony” on his personal, subtle experiences with God and the duty of his classmates to rid the world of “scarcity” through the elimination of poverty, hunger and war.

“Scarcity in our world is caused by greed and selfishness,” Carder said. “We must counter it with love and generosity. . .”

Brian Nelson also testified at the ceremony. He encouraged every student to continue to serve others after graduation. Nelson suggested students serve their fellow man through small gestures.

“Little things make the biggest difference in people’s lives,” he said, adding that true happiness is found by helping others. “Now is our time to step up and have a positive impact in this world.”

Top students

Valedictorian Leslie Small encouraged her classmates to not “dwell” in the future but to live in the present. “Out of peace and contentment comes a readiness for action,” she said.

The Salutatorian award went to Meredith MacGregor for earning the second highest grade point average.

Promise Keepers

Bill McCartney, founder of the ministry Promise Keepers, gave the keynote address. He challenged students to set a course in their lives where heaven would be “guaranteed.”

McCartney encouraged students to become “unstoppable” and illustrated his point with a story about an unstoppable student when he was a college football coach.

A student begged to be in the starting lineup of the season’s final game, even though he had never done so the entire season.

The football coach granted him the opportunity and said the young man “played possessed, obsessed” and was responsible for winning the game.

After the game, the student wept and told McCartney his father, who was blind, had just died, and the game was the first time his father had the chance to “see” him play.

“He was unstoppable,” McCartney said, because of his faith. He said 80 percent of students raised in the church leave the church. “The lure of the world has never been more overwhelming and taken more casualties,” McCartney said. “It’s the word of God that will rescue you.”

McCartney challenged the Class of 2007 to return to their 10year high school reunion without one divorce among them. He told the young men to fight for their wives and lay down their lives if necessary. He told women to “submit” to their husbands. “It’s the only way it works,” he said.

Awards

Tom Konjoyan, vice president of development, and Headmaster Jeffrey presented Nelson with the David G. Price award for leadership.

The Weinberg Spiritual Leadership Award was presented to Elizabeth Gill. The Dallas Athletic Distinction Award went to three exceptional student athletes- Jessica Taylor Schlopy, Marc Anthony Tyler and James Richard Clausen Jr. Schlopy received a full scholarship to the University of Georgia for softball. Tyler, a four-time CIF champion for football, league MVP, AllState Player, Junior AllAmerican, USA Today AllAmerican and Parade All-America, will attend USC.

Clausen, named the number one football player in the nation, All-State Player of the Year, CIF Player of the Year and Army AllAmerica, will attend the University of Notre Dame on scholarship.

Patrick Carder received the Dallas-Price Van Breda Award for Artistic Expression for his extensive work in theater arts.

Nicole Russo was presented with the Headmasters Award. The award is given to the one student who embodies the mission of the school.

The Atsinger Teaching Excellence Award was presented to Bible teacher Beau Brannan.

Caps in air

Senior James Cassell played Chopin’s Scherzo Opus 31 on the piano, and the school’s orchestra and choir also performed throughout the ceremony.

After the grads were presented with their diplomas and caps were thrown into the air, a prayer of blessing brought the event to a close. The orchestra played the “Triumphal March from Aida” for the recessional march.

Oaks Christian High School Class of 2007

Oliver John Allnatt, Katherine Jean Anderson, Daniel Anthony Auten, Kayla Michelle Bailey, Ryan Michael Balikian, Samantha Emily Bartley, Madison Diane Bates, Adrienne Elizabeth Bayles, Michael Everett Blanchard, Rebecca Anne Block, Austin Eugene Block, Emily Elizabeth Blumenthal, Kimberly Anne Boone, David Andrew Brand Jason David Brooks and Tyler Bradley Brueckner

Zachary Rene Cabrera, Shawn Patrick Carder, Robert Logan Carroll, Christine Marie Carter, Michael Anthony Casca, Neil Jordan Casey, James Alexander Cassell, Sara Maria Cavicchioli, Margaret Frances Cindric, Caroline Winter Cislo, Michelle Margaret Clark, James Richard Clausen, Jr. Erika Leigh Coble, Christopher Martin Cohen, Denver Jamison Coleman, Kelly Kathleen Crommelin, Andrew Clyde Crownover, Casey Lynn DaSilva, Brandon Michael Dittmar, Patrick Anson Doheny III, Michael Connor Ebbitt, Thaddeus Timothy Ekstrand and Lewis Alexander Elliott

Elizabeth Rose Feiner, Neille Helen Fenderson, Chase Alfred Fiedler, Suzanne Darlene Louise Fleitz, Rachel Marie Flores, Julianne Marie Freedman, John Bradley Freeman, Matthew Brian Fuld, Lindsay Jo Garcia, Kimberly Lauren Garner, Eulia Aurora Garrolini, Anthony Joseph Gildon Elisabeth Anne Knapp Gill, Mark Gregory Gose, Thomas Andrew Grillo III, Haley Bettina Hacker, Kelsey Nicole Hall, Allison Lauren Hall, Stephanie Brianna Hamilton, Harrison Evans Hill, Lauren Rose Hirsh, Kylie Rose Hughes, Zabrina Marleah Janda, Kristen Michelle Jenewein, Ryan James Jocoy, James Parker Johnson, Hilary Rene Johnson, Elizabeth Alisa Johnson and Marshall Thomas Jones, Jr.

Chase Colby Kahmann, Alexandra Mae Kaplan, Colby Lane Keslarm, Nicholas Theo Kimball, David John Kingsbury, Alex Jonas Kirsonis, Kyle Robert Knapp, Daniel Michael Kozlowski, Justin Kevin Landseadel, Joseph Vincent Lee, Edwin Kun Lee, Courtney Ariel Lee, Kristofer Duke Lemmens, Kyle David Leonard, Kiera Marie Lloyd and Alison Atalya Lubin

Meredith Brite MacGregor, Lindsay Marie Mandel, Victoria Diane Martin, Casey Christopher Matthews, Stephanie Kaitlin McBeth, Ryan Gibson McDaniel, Chelsea Marie McGrath, John Colby McKee, Garrett Patrick Meikle, Nathan Joseph Meinert, Ryan Matthew Milner, Trent Arthur Minor, Matthew Charles Moore, Caitlin Sarah Needham, Brian John Nelson,Alexandra Cole Nelson, Jordan Michael Nistico, Laine Alexander Norelius, Kailie Shannon Palmer, Jonathan Paul Pare’, Jacqueline Nicole Perry, James Paul Phillipps, Genevieve Powers-Absey, Neal Joseph Prosser and Mackenzie Joseph Qualey

Raman Kaur Randhawa, Nina Katherine Ratzenberger, Jeremy Mark Reed, Thomas Baxter Reiten, Nolan Mark Renner, Skylar Wayne Ritchie, Neidy Natalie Robles, Alexa Joy Rohde, David Joseph Ross and Nicole Ashley Russo

Brady Christopher Salcido, Jason Andrew Salter, Ryan David Schiedermayer, Jessica Taylor Schlopy, Holly Nicole Schultz, Hannah Margaret Mack Selleck, Matthew Brian Singelyn, Leslie Rebecca Small, Julia Rae Smith, Jennifer Kay Sterling, Charles Maximillian Stiegler II, Nicole Helene Sweetman, Brett Thomas Taylor, Tyler Noble Temanson, Miles Jaymes Thorson, Loretta Ann Toso and Marc Anthony Tyler

Brandy Marie Uhl, Stephen Lain Venardi, Brett Alexander Vollert, Sean Evan Wallace, Cullen Randall Wallace, Zachary Charles West, Afton Nicole Whiddon, Sean Tracy Wiser, Robert Alexander Wolfe, Matthew John Wroblewski, Kali Brianna Yahn, Cory Michael Yriarte, Joshua Warren Ziska and Dasha Kae Zumwalt.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers TOUCHDOWN- Football  star Jimmy Clausen will attend the University of Notre Dame. F P 25A-

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers TOUCHDOWN- Football star Jimmy Clausen will attend the University of Notre Dame. F P 25A-

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *