In Gratitude

As we reflect on all that the Lord has done at TRA over the past school year, we produce a Gratitude Report—also known as an Annual Report—to not only showcase evidence of His provision to our beloved school, but also to provide financial transparency to our families and donors. Created with deep appreciation for all who give selflessly to help make our mission a reality, this report acknowledges we could not stay on mission without your generous support. You should have received a printed copy of this report in the mail last week, but check out the flipbook below if you haven’t had a chance to thumb through your copy yet.

In light of this season of gratitude, we have three very important groups we’d like to thank.

First, we want to thank you—our parents—for choosing The River Academy. We know you have a choice when it comes to your child’s education. Thank you for trusting us to partner with you to equip your child(ren) to become the next generation of Christian leaders. We take this charge very seriously, and it is an absolute joy to see them grow in truth and wisdom throughout their years here at TRA.

Some of the many parent volunteers at our Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch field trip this year.

Second, we want to honor our parent volunteers. We have several parents who consistently volunteer in various capacities throughout the week, whether that be as a recess or lunch monitor, assisting Cyndi Noyd in Art Studio, driving for field trips, or leading a literacy station in their child’s classroom. We also rely on you to help us execute our favorite TRA traditions, which are critical to our sweet culture, including Reformation Day or Grandparents Day. Many hands make light work, and without you, we simply could not enjoy these special events. Lastly, we have families who give of their time by donating in-kind services such as pest control, HVAC maintenance, or academic support. Thank you for blessing us with your time and talents.

“Praise the Lord, from whom all blessings flow.”

Finally, as outlined in the Gratitude Report, we are grateful for our faithful and generous donors. The majority of our supporters are current and former families, and this past year we had 80 individual donors contribute in one way or another. You saw the need to continue classical, Christian education in our valley, and you said “Yes!” Your generosity signifies your confidence in The River Academy as a school worthy of your trust and investment. 

We can’t adequately express how thankful we are for all three of these critical groups and the different ways they keep our beloved school thriving; it is truly a privilege to be on mission with you! But most of all, we are thankful for the One who makes it all possible. Praise the Lord, from whom all blessings flow.

In Gratitude,

Andie Johnson
Director of Development

House Humility; Our Students Reflecting Christ

I love my job teaching science. I love watching our students grow in Christ-likeness and joy in our school. But most of all I love how our students’ actions reflect the gospel to me and others in their actions week in and week out, especially during our House events, games and activities. I'm constantly blown away when I see them modeling the kind of love and humility found in this passage in Philippians. 

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”  -Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

Let’s face it, it’s kind of surprising to see this kind of Christian character in the average adult these days. But I get to see it shine out in our students over and over in ways which thoroughly take me by surprise and humble me. In class, yes, but surprisingly, more often in house games and activities.   Each week, there are examples of students calling each other higher, encouraging one another, and providing support. 

“I probably would have laughed in the face of any opponent if I was asked to share my supplies, but this student just nicely said “sure” and handed it over.”

Once, standing in the kitchen during a House competition, I watched the teams intensely creating autumn drinks that were to be judged on how beautiful and delicious the drinks turned out to be. Supplies were brought from home, time was tight, and the competition was in full gear.  Yet, there in the middle of the battle, I watched one House member share her can of whipped cream with another team that hadn’t brought any.  Crazy, right?  I probably would have laughed in the face of any opponent if I was asked to share my supplies, but this student just nicely said “sure” and handed it over.  Impressive.  To that young woman, the relationship mattered more than the competition. 

It is fun to see our student leaders taking the time to really get to know other people in their Houses.  It is so meaningful when an older student takes the time to learn a younger student’s name, likes and dislikes, and to truly hear them.  The House leaders ask the new 7th graders questions to find out what they like to do, what skills they have and how the team can foster those skills for the good of the whole team and the good of each person. 

Sometimes the younger students want to participate in events where the leaders know they will not really help the House be victorious. STILL, the House leaders encourage them on and let them choose where to participate. Those young men and women regularly put their preferences aside and value the feelings of others over a simple win.  Oh, at times, I know those same leaders were dying to push the younger ones aside and get the win… but I’ve seen them resist that temptation and cheer them on anyway.  Putting others' interests before your own? Before winning? That’s true leadership.  

House Fridays are a time commitment that could be used for learning more about science.  But, each teacher here gladly donates class time for the deeper life lessons and Godly maturity being modeled each week during our games and competitions.  Do we make mistakes?  Yes.  Do we let each other down?  Yes.  But, we also apologize and forgive.  We work through winning and losing well and that wouldn’t necessarily be nurtured in class.  

May this be another great year of competition (Go Tyndale!)  May we encourage one another, be tender and compassionate, show joy without selfish ambition or vain conceit.  May we win and lose with humility and value others about ourselves.  Honestly, the world would be a much better place if we all lived this way.

-Tracy Baker

Why Uniforms?

Uniforms are a traditional part of the classical and Christian education movement across our nation and even worldwide.  I think our students look especially sharp! But it’s not just about looking nice, TRA students wear uniforms for several very important reasons. 

Uniforms indicate a purpose, a job: Just as many people wear uniforms to designate the focus of their work, so do we don them for our focused day of school work.  Be assured, what we wear affects how we behave.  You may ask any seasoned teacher and they will tell you that on non-uniform days, the amount of focus for learning is greatly diminished. Students who put on a uniform set themselves up as ready to attend a place of learning. 

Uniforms help students focus on learning:  While I would always prefer to wear my joggers and my awesome sneakers, those items indicate that I’m prepared to go work-out or drop everything and play a game of hoops. In the same way, wearing a Spiderman costume or a princess dress to school would be distracting for the wearer as well as the other students.  

Uniforms are inclusive: When everyone has the same options for clothing the divide between those who have less and those with great wealth is decreased.  All are equally dressed to learn. 

Uniforms let teachers focus on teaching: Without a uniform, in order to assure modest attire, a complicated dress code would have to be enforced. Teachers want to focus on teaching, and not degrade their relationships with students by having to police clothing that doesn’t fit a confusing dress code. 

Uniforms simplify dressing:  As a mom, I loved that I didn’t have to go through a big hassle of helping my kids find appropriate clothing for school.  “Blue polo or white today?” Fewer choices meant less stress for everyone in the mornings, and no worries about being teased or singled out because of clothing.  

A couple of related notes:  Please help your student remember that the uniform shoes for Monday are to be dressier, as in;  all brown, black or gray.  Also, we have a new plan for boys who forget or lose their ties. We will have rental ties in the office for students who lose or forget theirs, the family FACTS account will be charged $5/day. (If the tie doesn’t come back to the office by the end of the week the full cost (plus shipping) will also be charged to the FACTS account so we can order more for the next kids.)  

As I’m sure is true at the many other classical schools around the nation and the world, there will always be students who wish they could wear their fashion jeans, or boy band t-shirts. However, the well dressed students who can focus on learning and let the teachers focus on teaching speak to the value of wearing uniforms to school. 

-Tonya Griffith, TRA Principal

Why Our Chapel Theme for the Year is ‘Abide in Christ’

It’s dark, and the disciples are shaken. Their Master–the one whom they’ve seen silence storms and raise corpses, the one from whom horrific demons flee and to whom tiny, trusting children flock–the God-Man who has spoken light and love and healing right down to their very bones–the One who has promised to give them life everlasting–this Jesus, has just told them (again) that He must leave them–tonight. Rising from their passover supper, this trek will take them to that shadowy garden, Gethsemane. Perhaps now passing in cool midnight air through a ghostly vineyard, Jesus gestures to the tangled rows of vines and branches, heavy with fresh-grown clumps of good grapes. “Already you are clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me…” He begins (Jn. 15:4).  

We’re all familiar with the metaphor. (What a brilliant teacher our Lord is!) As the branches have no prayer of producing sweet grapes if they don’t stay connected to the life-giving flow of nutrients and water from their vine, so we have no prayer of living our days as God has commanded–with compassion and courage, honesty and generosity, forbearing patience and bold faith–if we don’t stay connected to Jesus, and the life-giving flow of his Spirit. Christians must ABIDE in Christ. 

But what does that mean, exactly? And what does that look like here in Wenatchee, WA in 2022? Combing through the extended conversation between the Lord and his disciples on that fateful night should give us some clues: 

“Believe” (14:1) “Do the works that I do” (14:12) “Ask in my name” (15:7) “keep my commandments (15:10)” “keep my word”(14:23) “bear much fruit” (15:8) “Love me” (14:21) “love one another as I have loved you” (15:12) “remember the word I said to you” (15:20) “take heart when you have tribulation” (16:33) be guided by the Holy Spirit (16:13) “know the Spirit, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (14:7) “Because I live you also shall live” (14:19)

Clearly, at the heart of our Christian living is a deep reality of connectedness, of bright, living relationship, of union and communion with our Christ. Yet, many of us–students and staff alike–struggle through our storm-tossed or sleepy days with how exactly to walk this out. Like the disciples, we too can be shaken at the charge to cling in real relationship to a Savior we cannot currently see or touch or hear. This is why we’ve chosen a careful study of ABIDE IN CHRIST for our Secondary School chapel theme for the year. 

Here’s a peek at the roadmap: 

• Abide…because you KNOW HIM, LOVE HIM, TRUST HIM! [testimonies]

• Abide…BY HIS WORD

• Abide…IN HIS SPIRIT 

• Abide…SIDE-BY-SIDE w/ EACH OTHER 

• Abide…THROUGH THE STORMS & SHADOWLANDS OF SUFFERING

• Abide…ON HIS TERMS

• Abide…COME WHAT MAY

As we walk this road together this year at TRA, would you join in prayer and heart that Jesus, our true Vine, would nourish and strengthen us afresh, to bear good fruit, full of life, and flowing from His Spirit? 

-Nathan Hettick, TRA Chaplain

Why Reformation Day?

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther–a law student turned monk–nailed his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany. In short, these Theses (a thesis is an argument or an assertion–ask your TRA junior-higher or high schooler!) were Luther’s way of protesting against corruption within the Catholic Church and reminding the church of an oft-forgotten truth: that by grace and grace alone have we been justified from the consequences of our sins (Galatians 2:21; 2 Cor. 5:21). Any good works we might do are the reflection of our God-given grace upon our sinful state of being (Eph. 2:8-10). The sound of his nails fastening the Theses to those church doors was also the sound of the Protestant Reformation bursting forth. 

Nine hundred years earlier, Pope Boniface IV sought to confront a spreading pagan practice, originating in the land of the Celts, of Samhain (among other non-Christian festivals). Samhain marked the end of harvest and the start of winter, with bonfires being lit and a belief that spirits roamed the earth for that night. So, people would disguise themselves out of a desire to hide from those spirits. Pope Boniface instituted All Saints Day on November 1, followed by All Souls Day the next day in an effort to turn people’s attention to honoring the saints who came before. As we can see, this distraction worked swimmingly, and Halloween has entirely been eradicated from the public consciousness. Not so much.

Instead of enmiring ourselves in those syncretistic holidays, The River Academy joins the long tradition of focusing on and celebrating a momentous occasion within the church: the day when we turned our attention to the work that God did through Martin Luther. He reminded us that, without the grace of God in our lives we have no hope for our salvation and that we can’t bridge that gap between our sinful state and the Perfection in which God exists. We echo Luther’s argument that “The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God” (Thesis 62). October 31st is not about costumes or candy or carnivals–those are tricks of distraction–but about remembering the truest treat out there: the grace and peace that comes from our Savior.

So, even though we do dress up–in the classical school tradition as literary characters or historical figures–we do so in honor of the Lord and the saints like Luther who came before us. We feast as our forefathers did, we fellowship as Christ commanded, and we frolic about in the joy of the Lord, remembering what He has done for us rather than honoring any pagan holiday. 

Blessings,

Tyler Howat, Dean of Academics

Partner With Parents

The mission of The River Academy is to partner with parents to educate the next generation of Christian leaders. This happens by building on the foundations you have laid as your child’s primary educator.  Parents teach and train their children to be obedient and to love and honor God, then those students are naturally primed to want to learn more about God, and to listen to their teachers. Such students learn to honor their teachers and classmates by being responsible for their own actions and become able to think of others more than themselves, which are key traits of Christian leaders. 

Partnering with parents at the elementary level means we teach them about spelling, math, and history, how to write a paragraph, and eventually a 3 point essay.  But we couldn’t do any of that if kiddos hadn’t already learned to listen to adults. They come to us ready and eager to learn because you have set them up to be excited for school. They obey when we ask them to do hard work because they have already been trained to do chores and work hard at home.  And they are able to own their mistakes, apologize, and ask forgiveness when there is conflict because you have modeled such grace and humility at home.  

With secondary students, partnering with parents generally means coming alongside the young men and women whom you are already discipling to be adults. It means walking with them, as you do, and practicing living in a vulnerable and authentic Christian community where hard work is the norm,  mistakes and mishaps are commonplace, and forgiveness is asked for, and given, regularly. 

I see 3-5 students a day who have misbehaved. My focus for every disciplinary visit is to help each student take responsibility for their own actions by acknowledging that they made a mistake and then choosing to restore the relationship with their teacher or classmates, ask forgiveness, and then make plans to do better. True repentance and relational restoration are always the goals.  I have the joy of talking with parents about each of my disciplinary conversations with their child and almost every time they express thankfulness for the call and gratitude for our investment in their family and partnering with them. It makes my heart happy and literally makes my day.  

This little school community is a place where students are encouraged and equipped to take responsibility for their actions, especially when they have hurt others, and ask forgiveness from others and from God. We all need to practice these things, but it is essential for leaders. This work is done best in a safe place where others are brave enough to be vulnerable too. Mistakes are normal and in fact a very necessary part of learning! We want this school to be full of great grace for each person to be different and grow into the individual that God created them to be. 

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you on your child’s journey to becoming a Christian leader! 

-Tonya Griffith, School Principal

Elementary Music Update

Prior to all the disruptions to learning caused by Covid, The River Academy had a budding school-wide music program. As with many schools, Covid killed the music program at TRA and we lost our music teacher. Last fall, TRA began advertising and praying for a new music teacher to revive our music program. We had few applicants and the one who best met all of our qualifications and matched our distinct classical, Christian culture was Jessica Morlan. 

When Mrs. G and I met Jessica last May, we knew she belonged at TRA. Her love for Jesus, experience and passion for putting Scripture to music, love for children and teaching all shone brightly from the moment she started talking. Jessica rearranged her June family schedule and cut short a visit with her out of town best friend to attend our Faculty Retreat. She blended in immediately and was welcomed and loved by our entire faculty team as we learned to sing new Psalms together and dreamed and planned for the new school year.

Our dreams, and hers, were unexpectedly shattered in August when Jessica shared her cancer diagnosis with us. It took time for doctors to learn the exact diagnosis, treatment regimen, and prognosis for her cancer journey. Shortly before school started, Jessica shared with us that her Stage 3 T Cell Lymphoma was aggressive, fast growing, rare, and by worldly accounts and predictions, terminal. BUT OUR GOD is a Miracle Worker, and His supply of miracles never runs out. We want to invite you, the TRA parent community, to join us in praying for a complete and miraculous healing of Jessica.

We also would LOVE to have the TRA family complete her GoFundMe fundraiser to help pay for her family’s many needs and expenses as she endures six rounds of chemo, followed by a bone marrow transplant that requires her and her husband to find a place to live in the Seattle area for 1-2 months this winter (and a local home for their youngest son, who is a high school senior). As the Lord leads you, please consider giving to her GoFundMe page and include “(TRA)” after your name/anonymous so Jessica can see all of the support from her TRA family.

We realize that Jessica most likely will not join us at TRA this school year, but are holding out hope that she will be healed and able to join us next fall. Will you please join us in prayer for that? As Jessica walks through this valley called cancer, she continues to encourage and bless those around her with her steadfast faith in God, joyful countenance, and authentic and transparent heart and persona. When Mrs. G and I spoke with her recently on Zoom, hoping to encourage her, we found she was encouraging us, and the conversation ended with Jessica volunteering to speak at both elementary and secondary chapels (which were AMAZING!) and asking how she could pray for us. She carries a beautiful light of Jesus that we hope continues to shine on earth and at TRA much longer than any doctor’s guesses or predictions – and that God will get ALL the glory. Amen!

Elementary Chapel

Chapel is a time to gather weekly as an entire elementary team, grades K-6.  We will pray, worship God by singing psalms, learn more about God and the Bible, sing the TRA Mission Statement as well as elementary Scripture memory verses, and celebrate the good works students have been doing around the school each week to bless others. We are also learning a 13 minute history timeline song together this year so we’ll have a common reference point for what students will be learning about in history and Bible throughout their years at TRA. Occasionally chapel will be replaced with an assembly on a specific topic (like why we celebrate Reformation Day or to showcase some of the memory work learned in different classrooms). 

On chapel days, a teacher or staff member (and perhaps on occasion a secondary rhetoric student) will explain God’s Word on a specific topic so that kids can begin to see how the Bible applies to their lives and be able to cultivate their personal relationship with Jesus. 

TRA’s mission is to partner with parents to educate the next generation of Christian leaders equipped to shape culture through faithful, wise, and joyful Christian living. In the elementary years, leadership training means teaching, encouraging, and giving lots of opportunities for students to practice and develop the habits of respect, obedience, attentiveness, and responsibility (ROAR). When teachers or staff notice a student showing exceptional leadership in one of these areas, the student is sent to my office to celebrate the good work that God prepared in advance for him or her to do at school to bless others. (Ephesians 2:10) This celebration involves getting a big cheer from the office staff when he or she arrives, and writing his/her name, date, and description of the “good work” in my special book. The star students are then given a big gold star sticker to wear on his/her shirt for the rest of the day, and - new this year - will receive a raffle ticket for a monthly drawing among all gold star winners. The winner of our Good Works raffle receives a pizza party on the first Friday of the month for his/her entire class during school lunchtime, courtesy of Domino’s Pizza! We want students to know that thinking of others and developing the ROAR habits and leadership skills are a big deal here at TRA and something to be celebrated! Gold Star students are recognized weekly at chapel so that others can learn from and celebrate their good works too.

Click on the link to Elementary Chapel Schedule in Parent Resources on the TRA website for information on chapel dates, speakers, and topics. We hope to see you there!

-Lisa Hysom, Interim Head of School

Why the Classical Learning Test?

As a Classical Christian school, we pride ourselves on a few things: wrestling with difficult scientific and mathematical concepts, delivering eloquent speeches, and–of course–reading many, many hard books. We also live in a world in which standardized exams for things like scholarships and college entrance have long been the norm (though that might be changing!). The problem with previous standardized tests, particularly for schools like The River Academy, is that they do not reflect the type of learning that we do here. So we had to look for an alternative, which we found in the CLT–the Classic Learning Test.

For years, we administered the ERB test to students throughout our school which helped to determine growth in various skills. While the ERB is a common private school test, we wanted something more in keeping with the way that we purposefully teach our students, using primary sources and exploring the transcendental concepts of truth, goodness, and beauty, as well as the human experience. And so, we found the Classic Learning Test, which aligns firmly with those aims.

The CLT, rather than being remade and revamped according to the latest educational (or political) trends, utilizes great works of literature in its readings and questions, and engages students according to time-tested standards respected by hundreds of institutions of higher learning (over 200 colleges and universities accept the CLT). According to their website, “CLT offers the only standardized tests that are 100% online, emphasize intellectual aptitude and achievement, and are grounded in the liberal arts tradition.” 

Moreover, their passages are selected from the greatest writings of great authors from throughout history, including Homer, Aeschylus, Thucydides, Sophocles, Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Cicero, Caesar, Livy, Virgil, Plutarch, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, the Beowulf poet, The Magna Carta, Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Baccaccio, John Wycliffe, Geoffrey Chaucer, Sir Thomas Malory, Niccolò Machiavelli, William Shakespeare, Nicolaus Copernicus, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Thomas Hobbes, John Milton, René Descartes, John Locke, Jonathan Edwards, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, Sojourner Truth, Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Mark Twain, Friedrich Nietzsche, J. R. R. Tolkien, F. Scott Fitzgerald, C.S. Lewis, George Orwell, Dorothy Sayers, Martin Luther King Jr., to Name a few…

Each of these authors appears in our curriculum at The River Academy, and we train our students to engage with some of the most famous (and infamous), greatest thinkers of all time. Why wouldn’t we want our students to be tested using the same kinds of criteria that we expect and teach?

At the moment, the CLT applies only to our secondary students (though we’re working with them as they create a test for elementary students!). Our 7th-8th graders take the CLT 8, our 9th-10th graders take the CLT 10 (like the PSAT), and our 11th-12th graders take the CLT (like the SAT or ACT). The CLT has directly helped some of our students with scholarships–a Class of 2022 Senior was able to gain thousands of dollars in college scholarships just by raising her score.

If we hope to continue training our students to be the next generation of Christian leaders, we should test them accordingly, according to timeless Classic traditions, examining primary sources, and engaging with the Big Questions throughout the history of the world. 

Tyler Howat, Dean of Academics

Why Tall Timber?

Each September, while the students (and teachers) are shaking the summer from their minds in hopes of focusing on the newborn school year, the TRA Secondary students (7th-12th graders) head into the mountains for their Fall Retreat, traditionally at Tall Timber Ranch. It’s a time of resetting, renewal, and relationship-building, and it’s possibly the most important event of the secondary school year.

You may ask–as many of us do from time to time–why do we take two to three days out of the beginning of the school year to go on a retreat? Isn’t the beginning of the year integral for establishing the routines and rhythms inherent in a school’s healthy life? Don’t students need consistency? Shouldn’t they start doing homework? Yes to all those things. As the Principal and Academic Dean, you’d think we’d strive to stay in the classrooms at all costs. That should tell you exactly how important Tall Timber Retreat is, that we’re willing (eager, even) to postpone such critical classroom time to go have fun, to reconnect, to bond with one another. As highly as we value education from our grand old books, we have learned that our core value of relational teaching has to come first in order to lay the groundwork for all the hard, valuable things we do throughout the school year.

The amount of growth we see from students just over that two to three day span is shocking. We have seen new students who arrive on day one of school, trying their best to hide in the corners, start to come alive in the brisk air of the mountains while playing nighttime capture the flag, or scream in joy (or terror?) while they zoom down the zip-line. Some students do not shine as brightly in the classrooms, but in settings like Tall Timber or House, they exude joy (another TRA core value), reveal previously hidden leadership traits, and forge lasting friendships.

Our Fall Retreat at Tall Timber takes place over three days (the past two years have been strange because of the pandemic). On Tuesday night, House Leaders head up to the Ranch to start their own bit of bonding. This is an important time because, being leaders, they need to be on their games from the moment the 10th-12th graders arrive on Wednesday. These upperclassmen get to go through the ropes courses and to soak in the nature around them, to be spoken to at their level a bit more. Then, on Thursday, the 7th-9th graders arrive en masse. Seventh graders and new students are sorted into their houses via house shirts being flung in their general direction via giant slingshot , then it’s off to the races with activities, prayer, worship, and bonding galore.

Tall Timber is one of the primary ways that we set the tone for the year. We intentionally foster fellowship through our House-building activities and worship, establish our themes for the year through our speakers, and integrate the new secondary students into the student body through House Games. This aligns with our core values in every way: it promotes joy-filled relationships, Christian fellowship, even classical modeling of behavior from the staff to students and from the older students to the younger.

So, while we could get a few more Math problems taught, some more logical fallacies learned, many more pages read in Beowulf, our time at Tall Timber on our Fall Retreat is irreplaceable.

-Tonya Griffith, Principal, and Tyler Howat, Dean of Academics.

Welcome: God’s Goodness

300 plus students arrived this morning with big smiles, and a few sleepy eyes and jitters, to catch a glimpse of all that God has planned for them as part of The River Academy (TRA) community. They met new teachers, learned new routines, visited our new lunchroom (and new locker areas for secondary!), and started their 2022-23 journey of growth here at TRA. 

The Lord is in this school, His Spirit has been present all summer as He called amazingly talented new faculty and staff to help teach and shepherd children’s hearts towards truth, goodness, and beauty. We truly believe we have the most excellent team ever and are so excited to see the fruit produced in our classrooms and in each of your children this year. We have brought on 25 new families who discovered our school and desire the TRA distinctives of a Christ-centered, joyful, and relational community in which truth, goodness, and beauty are taught and celebrated. 

Those of you who came to our Parent Kickoff Night learned just how faithful God has been to provide for ALL of the many needs our growing school had over the summer: 15 new employee hires, the sale of the church building to TRA for well below market value, 62 gallons of paint to perk up the classrooms, offices, and halls, 17 new toilets to prevent flooding, the installation of new security features for our building (with more on the way!), and over 700 hours of volunteer help weeding and moving furniture and supplies around to get the building ready for the start of school. We hope that each of you will continue or start investing in the TRA community this year, first by coming to Elementary and/or Secondary Curriculum Night(s) (on 9/13 and 9/20, respectively) and finding a way to give some of your time and talents to volunteer in your child’s classroom, at lunch or recess, or hosting a TRA community building event or activity outside of school hours. Second, please join us at all five of our planned Bridge Nights sprinkled every month or two throughout our school year to enjoy some teaching, community building, and FUN! The first Bridge Night will be on Monday, October 10. 

I am so excited for us to share this year together as we grow in community and partner together to educate and train up your children - these unrepeatable miracles God has created and prepared in advance to do good works, this year, to bless others. Please join us throughout the year as we celebrate God’s goodness and enjoy together the very first year of The River Academy owning and thriving in its own building!

With joy,

Lisa Hysom

Interim Head of School

A Season of “Lasts at TRA”

Dear TRA Families,

We (The DeVries family) have had a season of “lasts at TRA” over the last few days. Last Wednesday was my last senior dinner, last Friday was my last chapel, Saturday was my last TRA graduation, and this morning was my last TRA Psalm Sing.  Wow... it's a lot to take in.  

And this is officially my last Monday afternoon Current note.  

While I thought about using this space to give you one last parting word of wisdom or some tasty nugget to leave you with, instead, I have just two words.

Thank you.  

Thank you for entrusting me to lead your children.

Thank you for letting me speak weekly into your homes (through writing and investing into your children). It’s been a true joy to serve and partner with you.  

Thank you for allowing me to grow up as a leader; I started leading here when I was 32. At the time, I was the second youngest person on staff. I’m not even close to this anymore. :)

Thank you for allowing me to make mistakes as a leader, learn from those mistakes, grow, and hopefully NOT make the same mistakes next time. And then, when I did make the same mistake, thank you for again giving me grace to learn and grow. 

Thank you for weathering many challenges with me over the last 13 years of leadership (18 years total). Here are a few that come to mind:

• The annual school floods which have—to one degree or another—caused us to cancel school, move classrooms, mop up poopy water, and set off fire alarms because the water is running down through the lights and triggering the alarm system.  

• Leadership and board transitions that were sometimes well-led and sometimes not well led, but in the end, worked for the good of the organization.  

• Financial challenges where we wondered if we would finish the school year able to pay all of our teachers.  

• Growing pains associated with adding more students to our numbers. When I began at TRA, we had 87 students. Now we have over 300. That's a lot of growing pains to endure. Thank you.  

• Facility challenges - like portables that weren’t done on time, no place for kids to do indoor recess or PE, classrooms that were less than perfect, and walls that needed to be removed to accommodate for social distancing.

• Covid…need I say more about this? Wow.

Thank you for embracing my family and my children. We are a quirky and imperfect bunch, but we have truly felt loved by all of you.  

Thank you for investing in my children (especially all of you teachers). They have been indelibly and undeniably shaped by each of you. 

And thank you most of all for allowing me the privilege of leading, loving, and learning as TRA’s leader over all these years. I’ve grown up as a human, a leader, a man, a father, and friend as a direct result of being here at TRA.

And so I close with this:  “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”  (Phillipians 1:3-6)

Eric

Graduation: Celebrating Growth and Grit

We wait for years to see our students walk across that stage, receive their diplomas, and turn that tassel. But why do we do it? Why spend that time on a ceremony when we could just mail the students their diplomas? Why do parents each not hold their own ceremonies with friends and family? Because graduation at The River Academy is about celebrating both the past and the future–and we are a family that celebrates together.

For just about everyone involved, graduation is a chance to celebrate a changing of seasons and a chance to reflect on the years of work–of blood, toil, tears (not always sad ones!), and sweat–that our students do to get to this point. Students who graduate from The River Academy have done something special: they’ve developed grit and they’ve grown up. 

Of course they’ve grown up, you scoff–they’re high school graduates! But in so many more ways than physical age, those who have crossed that finish line have grown in maturity and grit. If you look at 3rd or 7th or 9th graders, you might wonder–will they ever get there? The answer is yes, with God’s help and a little time. We, the TRA faculty and staff and parents, have invested hundreds of hours and many dollars to not merely produce students with skills that they can take into the workforce. We have toiled right alongside our students to train thinkers and lifelong learners who will be stalwart lights in the darkness of this ever-wavering world. 

They’ve also grown as people, as humans who know how to relate to one another not as images to post on social media or screeds to read on Reddit, but as empathetic, ethical, reasonable humans who know, write, speak, and defend the truth in a civilized, Godly manner. We focus on our students’ holistic education, not just test scores. We read hard things to discuss difficult subject matters in a safe context so that, when the time comes, they’ve thought through and discerned between right and wrong, truth and falsehood. They’ve examined our world and learned that, yes, God made it, but have also studied how He did so. They’ve worked through (for some of us) nearly impossible math problems–not so they can use it directly in whatever job they have, but so that they have developed a diverse set of critical thinking tools to prepare them for lifelong learning. 

So, why do we take time to celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments? Because earning a diploma from a Christian, classical school is a laudable achievement. It’s also our chance to say goodbye, to send them into that bright future with prayers and Psalms and words of encouragement and reminders of how far they’ve come.

Come celebrate our graduates with us this Saturday at Sage Hills Church at 2pm.

Tyler Howat

Dean of Academics

2022 Graduates

Lizzy

Lizzy (Elizabeth) has been a part of The River Academy since she was an infant. As the daughter of our Head of School, she has grown up within the walls of our school, though she officially became a student in Kindergarten.

Lizzy enjoys spending time with her classmates and the younger students. It is during those times that her kindness and joy in the Lord truly shine. She also loves to spend time outdoors playing with her dog and visiting National Parks.

Favorite TRA Tradition

It was very hard for Lizzy to choose just one tradition that she will miss most, but Reformation Day and Tall Timber are the two at the top of her list. Both of these traditions have strong elements of community and team building while learning and having a lot of fun. These relational activities are very important to Lizzy; she takes a lot of joy in spending time with her classmates and younger students.

Advice for Next Year's Seniors

Lizzy advises next years seniors, “Seniors should know that senioritis is real, but they shouldn’t let it bother them. They need to enjoy each other and everyone else around them. Senior year is really busy, but also insanely fun!”

Most Influential Staff Member

When asked to name an individual who has had a lot of influence during her time at TRA, she couldn’t choose. “All of the staff members have been amazing! They’ve all influenced me in different ways and I am extremely grateful for how much they’ve been a part of my life.”

Future Plans

There are big changes this next year for Lizzy; not only will she be attending Covenant College in Georgia where she plans to major in International Studies, but her family is moving to Birmingham, Alabama. She is excited about the change and the new adventures this next year will bring. Just think of all the new National Parks she will now have access to!

We will miss having Lizzy visiting the halls of The River. We love you and can’t wait to see what God has planned for you!

Jonah

Jonah joined The River Academy in the sixth grade and has shown amazing growth and abilities as a leader. His character shines during House activities, playing sports, in the classroom, and during time spent with friends.

Most Influential Teachers

He credits the faculty and staff for their part in helping him grow personally, “I would have to say everyone at TRA has helped me grow into the person I am today. I would, however, like to give a special shout out to all the teachers that have had me since I was younger, because they know that the person they initially met and the person standing here now are two different people. I just want to say, thank you for always believing in me and helping me become a better Christian man.”

Favorite TRA Tradition

His love of outdoor activities and working out lend themselves well to one of his favorite parts of TRA secondary culture: House Fridays. Jonah has served as an elected House Leader in Wilberforce House (go Phoenixes!) and a dedicated player and encourager in House games.

Favorite Scripture

Jonah takes inspiration from the verse 2 Timothy 4:17, “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.” He has chosen this verse because it reminds him that no matter what he is going through, he has God supporting and encouraging him.

Advice to Younger Students

His advice to younger students is to enjoy the time you have at school because it goes by fast.

Future Plans

Jonah will remain in the area for the next 2 years as he attends Wenatchee Valley College.

We will miss your enthusiastic energy and contagious smiles around The River and we pray that God watches over you in the days to come.

Soren

Soren has attended The River Academy since Kinder Prep and has been a lively and animated part of our student body throughout his time here. Soren has been a strong, vocal member of Tyndale House over the years, lending his humor and physicality time and again to his House.

Favorite TRA Tradition

His favorite part of TRA traditions is singing Psalms, which is also a part of his advice to younger students, “Sing the Psalms with enthusiasm. Enjoy your time at the River; it ends quickly.”

Hobbies

When he's not singing Psalms or making us laugh, Soren spends most of his spare time outside doing something physically active. His hobbies range from motorbike building and riding, to RC car and drone operations, to playing Ultimate Frisbee.

Most Influential Person at TRA

Soren credits Mr. DeVries as one of the most influential parts of his time at TRA, sharing that DeVries has offered great advice and correction over the years.

Future Plans

For the past two years, Soren has enjoyed being a part of the zero period TEALS Computer Science class. He will be applying the skills learned during those classes with Mrs. Baker as he studies Computer Science at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, where he received a Dean Scholarship.

We will miss both your energy and contagious laugh around TRA, Soren. It has been a joy watching you grow spiritually, academically, and relationally over the last 14 years. May God bless your time at GCU!

Conor

Conor started attending The River Academy his Kindergarten year, and ever since that very first day he has been a friendly, kind, and positive influence on the other students at TRA. Twice he received The Spirit of the River award, chosen by a vote of students and teachers. He has also been a House Leader for 5 years running.

Physical activities and sports are important to Conor. He played on the varsity football team at Wenatchee High School, part of that time as the starting quarterback. In his free time, he loves to paddle board on the Columbia, hike any mountain with a view, and collect sports cards.

Favorite TRA Tradition

The beloved House Wanda Bowl!

Advice to Younger Students

Conor advises younger students at TRA to enjoy their time at school and to not procrastinate when doing assignments. "The time goes by so quickly and you do not want to have regrets about how you used the time you have," he shared.

Most Influential Teacher

Conor credits Mr. Hettick as one of the most influential people during his time at TRA. “[He] has been so influential to me all of high school! The Holy Spirit just radiates out of him and his prayers have helped me more than he will ever know.”

Favorite Scripture

Isaiah 41:13: "For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." His reason for this reassurance is, “As a young child, there is no greater security than the comfort of holding mom or dads' hand. This same type of security is found when the creator of the universe stretches out his hand toward me. This is so calming and reassuring to my soul when I need it most.”

Future Plans

Conor is still deciding where he will attend college next year, and is considering a career as an EMT... as long as he doesn't have to work with feet. We will miss you, Conor!

Annelise

Since her very first year, Annelise has been an integral part of The River Academy’s student culture. Even as a first grader, her fiercely competitive yet kind nature has shone through.

Annelise has shown exceptional leadership at both TRA and Eastmont High School, where she has played several sports and served as captain of both the girl's basketball (junior and senior year) and soccer (senior year) teams.

Favorite TRA Tradition

As a Tyndale House Leader, her most-loved activity at TRA is House Fridays.

Advice to Younger Students

Annelise encourages younger students to take the time to enjoy each other's company, “It goes by SO fast. Embrace your time at TRA with all the amazing staff, but especially your class. Take the time to hang out; it doesn't need to be anything big. The simple moments are some of my best memories.”

Favorite Scripture

Her favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 40:31 because, “At a time in life when there are so many stressful decisions, deadlines, and worries, this verse always reminds me to hold on to and hope in God. Even if it's not in the way I thought, He has a plan and provision far greater.”

Most Influential Staff Member

When asked who has been an influential person at TRA during her 12 years attending she couldn’t pick just one, “Honestly, there are too many to count. I have been blessed to be surrounded by encouraging, wise, and laughter-filled teachers and staff throughout my time at TRA. I am beyond grateful for them all and the impact they have had on my life.”

Future Plans

Annelise has signed a letter of intent to play soccer at Central Washington University this coming fall where she will be pursuing a degree in education.

We will miss your strong leadership and Christ-like impact, Annelise, and we can’t wait to see all that the Lord has planned for you!

Rianne

"Rianne has attended The River Academy since preschool. During that time, she has been a consistent source of encouragement to both students and staff. Her love for others and genuine kindness have always been the first qualities people notice about Rianne.

Hobbies

Rianne's favorite activities are spending time outdoors running, fishing, and taking part in all water sports. She also enjoys dancing and spending time laughing with her friends.

Favorite TRA Tradition

Her favorite tradition at TRA is Spirit Week: the House tradition of dressing in a different theme each day for one week. This year features Patriotic Day, Twin Day, 70’s/80’s Day, Meme Day, and Hawaiian/Tacky Tourist Day. As a proud member of Wilberforce House, we are sure she will go all out for her last year!

Favorite Verse

Rianne’s favorite Bible verses remind us how in our weakness we are made strong in Christ. “But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong,” (2 Corinthians 12:9 and 10).

Advice to Younger Students

“When you risk and you fail, you’re not a failure. You’re a risk-taker!” This is something Rianne has put into action herself this year. When she decided to take the risk and run for the Apple Blossom Royalty Court this year, she did not think she would have a chance to win, but knew she need to make the leap and try. This paid off when she was crowned the 103rd Apple Blossom Queen! We are so proud of the way she has represented our valley, our school, and our Lord in this role.

Most Influential Staff Member

She has been greatly influenced by Mrs. O, who has been an incredible encouragement to Rianne, consistently offering advice and prayer.

Future Plans

Rianne will be attending Grand Canyon University and plans to major in Business Administration.

Rianne, your kindness and quiet leadership will be missed this next year at TRA. God bless you as you adventure outside of our walls.

Jazmyn

When Jazmyn joined The River Academy seven years ago, her kind and joyful spirit quickly won the hearts of her classmates and teachers. During her time at TRA, her faith in God has deepened and her perseverance has helped her academically.

Favorite TRA Tradition

Her favorite tradition at The River is Reading Buddies “[It] is something I will forever cherish. It has been a blessing to read to the younger kids. Every time I see them [it] is a reminder of God's work in our lives. It is amazing to hear about their days and their lives. I will truly be sad to leave the school, not getting the opportunity to see them grow in their relationship with God.”

Advice to Younger Students

She has a lot of great advice to offer younger students: “My advice is simple, but it takes work. Create and build relationships. It will make life at the River Academy so fun. Once you build relationships with your class, school becomes a place that you want to go to--Not just for messing around, but it makes it more fun to talk about books and assignments with your class. It makes everything so much more exciting. Do not take teachers and the wonderful ladies in the office for granted. They are not just there to set up events and take attendance, they will truly help you make it through your high school career. They want you to succeed.”

Most Influential Staff Member

Jazmyn credits Mrs. Johnson as one of the most influential people for her this last year, “I have an endless list of people that I would like to thank. I wish I could mention each and every one of them. The person who really got me to where I am is Mrs. Johnson. She has become a person I can talk to about anything and everything. I am so glad to have her in my life.”

Hobbies

During her spare time, Jazmyn enjoys taking pictures, something she has enjoyed since she was a little girl. She plans to keep this as a lifelong hobby.

Future Plans

Jazmyn is planning to attend a four-year university; she is still deciding on the goal of becoming a Child Life Specialist.

We will miss your bright and cheerful smile around TRA this next year. May the Lord bless you.

Olivia

OJ" began attending The River Academy in her 3rd grade year. It has been fun watching the seemingly shy and quiet girl become the involved and vocal young lady we know today. In fact, OJ is in the running for being the LOUDEST senior this year; keep in mind this is a class that has our beloved Soren in attendance.

Favorite TRA Tradition

Olivia's favorite TRA tradition is House activities, especially “Synchronized Swimming” (when a group of students choreographs a dry land version of synchronized swimming to a favorite song). Olivia loves being a part of Tyndale House!

Advice to Younger Students

“Have fun with your classmates, both in school and outside of school. You are with them a lot and it is so much better when you spend time together and actually enjoy your time together. I have been in my class for 10 years and it wasn't until my junior year that I actually spent time with all of them and actually enjoyed it and it definitely made my high school experience much better.”

Most Impactful Teacher

“So many teachers have influenced me and shaped me into the person I am today. However, if I have to pick one, I would 100% pick Mrs. Packer. I was nervous going into my 6th grade year, but due to her personality and love for teaching, my nerves quickly went away. That experience taught me to not worry about tomorrow. Because of her endless joy and love for students, I want to do the same to others that she did for me. I want to be an Elementary teacher because of her. However, I would also say that my friends have been a major reason I am the person I am today. My friends and family are more important to me than anything else.”

Hobbies

The amazing amount of energy that Olivia has lends itself well to her love of the outdoors; skiing, mountain biking, camping, playing soccer, and swimming are just a few of the activities she enjoys. However, she does love her quiet time. Watching 1950’s sitcoms and playing the piano are two ways she unwinds after a hard day.

Favorite Verse

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all," (2 Corinthians 4:17). Reflecting on this, she shared, “It puts in perspective our problems and the glory will we see on the other side of them. In perspective, our life is short and our problems may be great, but the glory and reward far outweigh them.”

Future Plans

Olivia will be attending Central Washington University in Ellensburg where she will be in the Honors College seeking a degree in Elementary Education.

We will all miss your joyful, boisterous, and kind spirit at TRA!.

Noah

Noah has been a part of TRA since Kindergarten and for every one of those years, his kindness to others has shown through. He offers a quiet and unassuming presence to his classmates: rarely speaking, but when he does, it is always insightful and impactful.

Favorite TRA Tradition

His favorite tradition at The River Academy is Protocol. The opportunity to dress in a nice suit, attend a special dinner, and show or event with his classmates has been impactful for Noah.

Most Influential Teacher

During his time at TRA Noah has been greatly impacted by Mr. Hettick, who offers a point of view coming from a Christian Worldview. Their discussions about everything from historical events to how to navigate the day-in-day-out minutiae have been precious to Noah.

Favorite Verse

Noah’s favorite verse is found in John verse 11:35: “Jesus wept.” The simplicity in this is very powerful to Noah. That Jesus, because of His love for us, is impacted by the frailties of man.

Future Plans

Noah is taking a gap year to focus on his family and work to prepare for college.

We will miss Noah’s sound tech skills this next year; he has been a great help to Mr. Howat and Mrs. Lane during recordings for The River Academy Radio recordings. This skill fits nicely with Noah’s love of films and movie critiquing.

May the Lord bless you in your endeavors. You are greatly loved by your TRA Family!

Why Thesis Defense?

Why Senior Thesis?

Every year, TRA Seniors anxiously yet capably ready themselves for the culmination of their classical Christian education. They’ve written their (at least) twenty-page paper; they’ve delivered speeches all year in preparation; they’ve practiced and practiced and practiced some more. Then, each takes the stage and delivers a twenty-minute speech based on their paper followed by at least twenty minutes of question-and-answer defense–all in front of a panel of four teachers and a large portion of the student body. Why do we put our Seniors through Thesis Defense?

It largely comes down to a Roman rhetorician named Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (we just call him Quintilian, though). Throughout the first volume (of twelve) of his Institutio Oratoria, Quintilian says that a true rhetorician is a good person who speaks well. Note what Quintilian does here: it’s not enough just to say good words, but to be able to stand upright and full-chested (as Lewis might say) and speak Truth. The Apostle Paul wrote letters to churches, but he also stood on the Areopagus (Acts 17) and spoke to nonbelievers using ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade them of the truth of the Gospel. He was a good man who spoke well.

At The River Academy, our students spend years in their classes reading great literature and philosophy and theology and history, participating in discussions and debates, and writing papers and reflections. But that’s just the groundwork for sending them out into the world–not just when they graduate. We educate our students to speak and live out the Truth well, beyond the safety of the four classroom walls. Each class discussion is geared toward this, all with the eventual goal of stepping onto the stage to defend a Thesis (an argument) that they’ve developed for a year.

So, just before graduation, Seniors deliver a shortened version of their Thesis Paper, because only a few people read that paper, and we want them to speak to their peers and underclassmen, to say something meaningful that will resonate with and inspire them. Moreover, when the Seniors deliver and defend their Thesis, we hope to demonstrate the rhetorical and logical skills that all our classes have honed and sharpened in them. They’ll answer questions from their teachers, poking and prodding at their logos and ethos and pathos (logic, morality/spirit, emotion) to see if their arguments hold together.

The purpose and spirit (the telos and ethos) of Thesis Defense is to turn a spotlight on a core classical value of The River Academy: educating the next generation of Christian leaders who will influence the world around them by being good men and women who speak the Truth well.

Tyler Howat

Dean of Curriculum

Senior Thesis Defense Schedule

Lizzy's Thesis:

"Am I My Tyrant's Keeper?"

Thursday, May 26 | 8:00-8:50am

In recent years, leaders have become less focused on the people and more on their own gain. To recognize their faults, leaders need accountability. Leaders without accountability fail and bring others down with them. Leaders without checks and balances become tyrants. While tyrants might be effective in achieving their goals, they cannot be considered morally good (and therefore should not be followed). Good leadership relies not on prideful autonomy but on humble accountability to ensure that leaders have the true best good of humanity in mind. Distractions are in front of the leaders every day and they need accountability to keep them from following the distractions. This paper argues why accountability is necessary because of what happens to leaders that do not have it.

Jonah's Thesis:

"A Christian's Guide to Handling the Fear of the Unknown"

Thursday, May 26 | 8:55-9:45am

In March of 2020, this unknown virus started spreading and it had us all worried. The question then arose: should a Christian be truly worried about worldly problems? This propelled me to research the topic of fear for Christians. Focusing on fear has become a problem not just for Christians, but for all people. Fear and anxiety have started to dictate how people respond, and react to certain things. This does not exclude Christians, however. Christians, of all people, should be the ones not reacting wrongly to fear-based things because we know God is in control.  Christians should be reassured of God’s sovereignty in the midst of their fears. I have found through my own experiences of fear, anxiety, and worry, that if you truly put all your trust in God and believe that there is a bigger picture than what is on earth, then life will be less stressful and more fun. People need to learn how to deal with fear before it causes the downfall of  humanity. There are two simple choices: let yourself be controlled by fear, or control your response to fear. Which will you choose?

Soren's Thesis:

"The Sneetching of the Modern Church"

Thursday, May 26 | 9:50-10:40am

Churches around the United States, some even right now, are deciding whether or not to follow the controversial Critical Race Theory. CRT is an intellectual idea based on the belief that the United States of America was founded upon racial bias, and those running the country are still perpetuating such institutional biases. CRT has the end goal of equity, which Vice President Kamala Harris defines as “we all end up in the same place.” Unfortunately, equity is the core idea of Marxism. Therefore, CRT does not fit with the Church’s mission because the Church’s job is the administration of word and sacrament and fulfilling the Great Commission. Churches that adopt Critical Race Theory are not holding true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because Critical Race Theory is a doctrine of its own and its end results are distinctly unbiblical.

Conor's Thesis:

"Forging Battle-Ready men: The Role of Contact Sports in Cultivating Godly Virtues"

Thursday, May 26 | 10:45-11:35am

This argument targets the need for strong men in our society, in which there is a dangerously dwindling amount. To solve this problem, the character development of sports proves to be an efficient way to build strong young men who can defend and protect. It is obvious that young men who develop upstanding character traits and a hard work ethic more easily grow into better friends, fathers, and husbands. All young men should play physically demanding sports in order to develop these skills. If young men in our society can develop the traits that produce Godly character, then our cities and country would be a much better place.

Annelise's Thesis:

"The Other Pandemic"

Thursday, May 26 | 12:15-1:05pm

We live in a world obsessed with body image. Both internally and externally, we tend to focus on ourselves. This self-obsession, along with the blurring of facts and feelings now allows dangerous health repercussions to ripple through society. Our nation’s cultural promotion of negative mentalities such as personal happiness, self-fulfillment, and the desire for instant satisfaction is based on self-centered, post-Truth ideals and causes a body-image pandemic. Society must work to flip these toxic ideals and embrace true fulfillment and unity of mind, body, and soul not through oneself but through God. Will we fight to correct the physical, mental, and spiritual deterioration in our country or will we fall to this other pandemic?

Rianne's Thesis:

"The Unmappable Maze"

Thursday, May 26 | 1:10-2:00pm

Failure is an inevitable obstacle that every single person has to face. Fear of failure often chains people from the truth of what their failures can teach them. Learning from failure grows and blossoms people into strong, firmly-rooted individuals who will not simply fall due to life's winds, but will deepen their roots against life's inevitable blows. So, how do we clothe our minds, souls, and bodies against this lie of failure and its common view of negativity on our lives? When strengthened, a growth mindset, perseverance, and a strong work ethic will all be part of the armor guarding us against inevitable failure. People will grow, but only through the refining fire of failure. This fear of failure can often hold people back from the anointing dream which God has for their lives and who He has created them to be. We need to learn to put on this armor in order to fully break free from the shackles of our past failures, all through grace and the wisdom gained through our scars.

Jazmyn's Thesis:

"Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair: A Christian's Guide to Discernment and Horror Films"

Friday, May 27 | 8:00-8:50am

When watching a horror movie, encountering evil is expected. Some think the horror genre should be completely thrown out as a whole because of the evil portrayed. What some people do not see is that there can be redeeming qualities, good conquering evil, and real lessons shone through these films. Christians should be able to watch horror films if they use Godly discernment. Such films should have redemptive qualities, should clearly portray evil as evil, and should not be stumbling blocks to faith. With personal discernment, knowing what will affect your heart and cause you to stumble in your faith, you can answer the question, “Should Christians watch horror films?”

Zach's Thesis:

"Of Mobs and Men"

Friday, May 27 | 8:55-9:45am

There are men in movements, yet none in mobs. This corresponds to the potential failure of the modern Christian leader, one who ought to lead in light of Christ rather than self. Furthermore, the meaning of manhood is being challenged by cowardice and the creation of mobs. Mobs eliminate the faculties of peace that Christian values hold dear, and all too many are flocking to mob mentalities rather than standing like men. However, there is a solution to this issue. Christian leaders are called to lead movements in peace and not influence fear-mongering mobs. There is a contrast of mobs and men in this wild world, Christians are called to lead toward peace over conflict.

Olivia's Thesis:

"The Father: 'Tis Here, 'Tis Here, 'Tis Gone"

Friday, May 27 | 9:50-10:40am

Why is the father image so important? What’s the big deal about entertainment portraying a goofy dad? This thesis unpacks the hidden effects of TV dumbing down the dad; effects that hurt the intended family dynamic as described in Scripture. Shows such as Modern Family, and Everbody Loves Raymond hurt the

biblical importance of the father, unlike their predecessors who depicted a biblical father. This is damaging to society because people unconsciously imitate fictional characters. What might happen if all the fathers are imitating these characters? Children seek a role model and without a biblical father in that place, they choose their own role model. Without biblical fathers, children seek attention and choose their own paths, which is damaging to society because the lack of fathers is directly correlated with the increase in violence, drug use, and teen pregnancy, to name a few. Instead of searching to television to define fatherhood, Christians need to look at the biblical definition. Through discernment and a biblical understanding, Christians can re-establish the true father figure, so that children can grow up in a proper home, ultimately benefiting society and glorifying God.

Noah's Thesis:

"From Pages to Panels"

Friday, May 27 | 10:45-11:35am

Ever since its founding, The River Academy has prided itself on the literature they teach us their students. We have read amazing works such as Hamlet, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Great Gatsby. But there are many great literary works that our school and many others have ignored for too long: graphic novels. I know what you are thinking: aren’t Graphic Novels just comic books? What could someone learn about literature through those? With great writing and beautiful visual storytelling graphic novels provide a deep and unique way to experience themes, characterization, and pathos. Stories like Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and Maus (and many others) offer the same literary depth as many of the classics do.

Elementary Class Placement

The Lord is blessing our school with wonderful growth! For the 2022-23 school year, we will be adding a second class to second grade. This raises the question of how TRA will place students into the two classes each year for grades 1 and above. As a parent of children who previously attended a school with three classes per grade, I know that this annual class shuffle can create a temptation to worry, as we all want what we think is best for our own kids. My hope is that this information will help to give your heart peace as you trust in God’s plan and wait for class lists to be announced sometime in August. 

Our goal at TRA is to have two well-balanced classes for each grade. This means we strive to have a balance of genders, students from different classes the prior year for new friendship opportunities, and other factors to provide a positive learning environment in each classroom. I will be working closely with Mrs. Fox to place current Kindergarten students in each of the grade 1 classes for the 2022-23 school year, and with Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Creek to place the current first graders into two new second grade classes. Ideally each class in each grade would have 18 students, but due to our current classroom size constraints, some may have a couple more and some less depending on the grade. 

I realize that each parent has in mind the best teacher and friend group for his or her child. However, TRA will not be letting parents choose their child's teacher or classmates for any grades that have two classes. I know from personal experience how difficult this can be to trust the school and the Lord to place children in the "right" class. Please know that the teachers and I will be prayerfully considering a lot of factors to make sure each student is in a healthy learning environment where he or she can thrive. We will do our best to make sure each child has at least one friend in his or her new class. We also had an amazing group of fantastic teacher applicants, so I know you will love all of our new teachers who will be announced in the coming weeks!

Thank you for your understanding and support as we take this big step forward to grow as a school. It is an exciting time of growth at TRA!

 Lisa Hysom

Elementary Principal

TRA House System

Dear TRA Family,

Our House System organically grows student leadership in both joyful and relational ways: two of our four core values.To create our House System, we divided our secondary classes (7th-12th grades) into four Houses named after historical prominent Christian leaders representing different virtues (Lewis, Tyndale, Wilberforce, and ten Boom). These Houses help us reach some lofty culture and leadership growth opportunities for our student body. 

One of our Four Core Values at TRA is joyful learning and growing, which is fleshed out in colorful glory during House Games each Friday. Students may be gleefully chased by staff members during the dinosaur egg hunt game or might engage in a food-frisbee competition on the field. And can you imagine anything more joyful than a hundred students running and hunting through a cherry orchard for their teachers, who are all hiding in the trees?  

The second core value that House has been crafted to embody is that of relational connection between students as well as between faculty and students. Having a few students from every grade grouped into each house is intentional as we strive to move kids out of their usual circles and their comfort zones to provide opportunities for building friendships and esprit de corps with students from other grades.This is especially important for the younger middle school students who might otherwise feel distanced from the larger secondary student body during their first year.  

The House system also provides challenges and growth opportunities outside of a purely academic setting. House competition games on Friday usually have 3-4 components that are meant to give opportunities for all kinds of students to shine. While there is usually an academic challenge such as a spelling bee, sudoku challenge, or word game, there is also an athletic team game, such as ultimate frisbee, kickball. But because these are the kinds of skills and talents that are often highlighted at school and in school sports, we add art and drama challenges as well. Students might create a painting that represents the house mascot, or an entry for the yearbook cover competition, or compete in a song challenge singing the Psalms, or create a play about the history of the house myth. All of this is accomplished in the one hour of House games each Friday. When students choose to compete in an area outside of their usual strengths, they launch themselves—for the good of their team—into an area of risk, and growth for the sake of their House. 

Considering our mission is to partner with parents to educate the next generation of Christian Leaders, likely the most important character trait we grow through our House System is student leadership. The elected house leaders have a special elective option in the fall that focuses on teaching them leadership, they have weekly lunches to plan the upcoming Friday events, and lead by example in the games and seasonal service projects.  

In a nutshell, The River Academy House system is a means for character development, leadership training, and meaningful connections across grades and with the faculty. In House activities, everyone contributes and everyone belongs.

Have a great week!

Tonya Griffith

Psalm Singing

Dear TRA Families,

Have you ever wondered why we sing these “old songs” out of a book that looks like a hymnal but is instead fondly referred to as the “Psalter?”

Why don’t we sing more modern worship songs that are more of a reflection of the churches most of us attend on Sunday mornings?  
Singing is a big part of life at The River Academy. As I write this note, I am being serenaded by the third grade class singing a song about the book of Judges in the Old Testament. What a beautiful sound! And while singing is a fun way to make learning enjoyable, it actually has ancient roots in the realm of education—particularly the inculcation of spiritual truths into the hearts and minds of young people.

If you look in your Bible at the heading of most Psalms, they give a description of who wrote it, what the circumstances were surrounding it, and often when to sing it. Psalms 120-134 all have the heading titled “a song of ascents.” These psalms were the ones that all of Israel would sing on their way “up” to Jerusalem to celebrate the various festivals each year. Picture this: a huge caravan of people walking up the hill toward Jerusalem singing “I lift my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth,” (Psalm 121:1-2) or, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord,’” (Psalm 122:1).

What a beautiful picture; God’s people walking and singing on their way up the mountain to worship and feast with one another.

Though not quite as dramatic of an image, this is similar to the view I have each Monday morning when we gather in the sanctuary to sing Psalms. Psalm singing has been a rich tradition at TRA over the last 24 years. Here are three reasons why I LOVE singing the Psalms with our students:

1. The Psalms are the prayer book of the Bible. By regularly singing these Psalms, we are teaching our students to pray without them even knowing it. I can say that even for me, I find myself regularly calling out to God in the words of a Psalm that we sing here regularly.  

2. Singing is the most powerful tool for putting things to memory. Finish this sentence:  “Here comes the… “ or, “But I still haven’t…” I bet you were able to name both of those songs I just quoted. We don’t even have to try to memorize songs; it happens naturally. By singing these Psalms with students every morning, we are hiding God's word in their hearts.  

3. The Psalms help us process life's ups and down in a way that reflects God’s heart.  The Psalms contain the entire spectrum of life’s emotions:  “O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,” (Psalm 8:1).  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me,” (Psalm 23:4).  By regularly singing these songs, we are helping our students process the gamut of emotions that life will undoubtedly throw at them, through the lens of faith—and more importantly—God’s faithfulness.  

We sing Psalms together as an entire school every Monday morning. Now that we are using the church sanctuary for Psalm singing, we have more than enough room for parents to join. Next time you drop your children off on a Monday morning, stick around and be blessed by hearing these students sing their hearts out to God through the Psalms.  

Have a great week,

Eric

Grandparents Day

Dear TRA Family,

Spring is in the air! Okay, last week didn’t feel like that after waking up to snow on multiple days, but when I look at the calendar, Spring ought to be in the air. By far, one of my favorite events at TRA every spring has been Grandparents Day.  

We are happy to report that for the first time in two years, we will be once again celebrating our amazing grandparents by hosting them on-site in May.  

First, I can’t even begin to express how excited I am to be able to host grandparents again after a two-year break from this event due to Covid. Grandparents play such a vital role in the lives of the students.  It is such a joy to be able to host them and give them a glimpse into the education their grandchildren are receiving.  

Second, we have structured the day as a ½ day event that will officially begin at 9 am (for grandparents). Students will come at 8 am like they normally would and then conclude at noon.  We have pushed back the arrival time of grandparents this year due to the parking limitations - especially at that critical drop-off time frame.  

Third, grandparents will have the opportunity to visit classrooms from 9 am-10:10 am. This will be followed by a brief reception from 10:10 am-11 am and then an assembly with special performances from 11:15 am-noon. Due to our much larger size, seating in the auditorium will be reserved for parents and grandparents only. All students will remain in their classrooms and then be staged in the fireside room prior to their performance.  

Fourth, parents are invited.  We would love to host you too! 

Fifth, we need your help. Would you first invite your child’s grandparents to attend? We would love to host them. Next, consider volunteering to help with the reception set up, serving, clean up, and/or baking. Look for more information coming shortly on how you can volunteer to help us pull this off.  

Lastly, we are so excited to again be able to engage with your children’s grandparents. We hope that the day will bring them great encouragement and hope as they get a small glimpse into the education provided here at TRA. 

Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks,

Eric 

How Exactly Does TRA Educate Future Leaders?

Dear TRA Families,

The mission of The River Academy is to partner with parents in educating their children to become the next generation of Christian leaders to shape culture through faithful, wise, and joyful Christian living. Two questions I often get asked with regard to this mission statement are:

1.  Why Christian leaders; are all people destined for leadership?

2.  How exactly does TRA educate leaders? Isn’t this an academic institution, not a leadership training center?

Great questions - here are my answers to both.

First, why would we make it our mission to educate Christian leaders? I usually answer this question by first defining leadership. John Maxwell regularly defines leadership as “influence.”  At The River Academy, we believe all of our students will be influencers regardless of where they end up in life. Whether by being mothers and fathers, or employees, or employers, we believe and desire for our graduates to influence the world for good—more importantly, to influence the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this way, we desire every student at TRA to aspire towards influence in whatever sphere they find themselves in in their future.

For this reason, we believe it critically important to equip our future leaders with the tools necessary to influence well. Some of this is simply encouraging them to be well grounded in their faith. But some of this is also giving them specific tools like the ability to think critically and articulate themselves well. It also means that we want to give them opportunities to actually practice leadership while at TRA.  

This leads to my second question: how do we actually help our students grow into leaders?  As mentioned above, some of how we do this is by giving them a well-rounded education, but we also equip them by giving them opportunities to lead. Here are a few examples:

1. Reading Buddies. Students regularly tell me that when they were in their early years here at TRA, they had junior and senior students as reading buddies. They remember thinking to themselves, “When I get older, I can’t wait to be just like them.”  Reading buddies serve as a two-way street. On the one hand, it gives our older students the opportunity to invest in students who are younger than them. It helps them get outside of themselves and serve. This is hugely helpful and important for their development as leaders.  But it is also a huge blessing to the younger students.  Not only do they love the interaction, but it gives them inspiration for how they want to do likewise when they are older.

2. All-school activities and games. It has been delightful to reinstate after school sports this year. We really missed this during Covid, and it was delightful to see students young and old all playing Eagles Nest together. This does several things to develop leadership.  First, the older students can merely play to win; they do this too, but it is not their primary focus. They all go into the games knowing that their first job is to make it enjoyable for the younger students. Leadership is ultimately about putting others’ needs above our own (at least this is Christ’s model for leadership). After school sports and activities help our older students place the good of the whole above their individual desire to win.  

3. House System. Our house system has been a huge help in developing leadership skills in students. Because students are placed in houses with ages ranging from 7th through 12th grade, the older students naturally learn to take a leadership role in their houses.  This gets accentuated when students are elected to an official house leadership position, but honestly I am often most encouraged when I see juniors and seniors leading who don’t hold official leadership positions. House has been a game changer for us here at TRA in helping develop future leaders.  

4. In the Classroom. We are educating kids who know how to organize their thoughts, work hard and develop grit, debate persuasively, and convey their convictions and beliefs winsomely. This begins in elementary with students presenting to their classmates through show & tell, oral book reports, spelling bee, and speech meet. These skills are polished in secondary classes such as logic, rhetoric, senior thesis, and apologetics. 

I can’t imagine a greater calling right now than investing in the next generation of Christian leaders. Thank you for entrusting your children to us to help partner with you in this endeavor.  

We love working with your children and partnering with you in this all-important mission.  

Have a great week!  

Eric