WHAT'S GOING ON AT CHRISTIAN

Brad Lomenick Chapel

Brad Lomenick Chapel – March 8, 2023

By Diego Duarte

Diego Duarte is a Junior at Christian High School, an editor-in-chief of Christian High School’s newspaper, The Genesis, and the founding chairman of its current Young Americans for Freedom Chapter.
Brad Lomenick, founder of BLINC, and author of the ‘Catalyst Leader’ and ‘H3 Leadership’ spoke to Christian High students about what is needed to be a great leader. To start, he gave some background into his life. He spoke how in 1995, he was working at a guest ranch and the owner there gave him advice that how his life in his 20s would establish how his life would become into his 70s. Then, he introduced his main question to students of what they want people to say about them after they die.

Flashing forward in his life, he talked about how he leads an organization and young interns always ask him about how to be a great leader. He would tell them that to be a great leader it was vital for them to stay humble, be hungry, and always hustle. He then went on to further explain in-depth these three attributes.
In explaining what he meant about being humble, humility is about making others part of the story. The most humble leaders are able to understand their environment and be self-aware of themselves and most importantly, understand the way God has wired them.

Then, he tuned in on what he called as “working on your why” and what was the Lord calling someone to do. Humble leaders are dialed in on their calling and talents, undergirded by God’s story. He proceeded to give an example of him finding out his own why from when he was young. He told how he was a part of a rap group in Oklahoma and they rapped about the amounts of trash and littering plaguing the state at a Senate hearing. He had a lot of passion but very little strength and though his group’s career rap career didn’t work out, many other opportunities had opened up to him within his life. He encouraged students to say yes to opportunities that open up to them. Brad Lomenick’s “why” was to collect and gather influencers. Finally, when you know your “why,” you walk with confidence.

The second leadership attribute he explored was the aspect of a leader’s hunger for learning and improving within his life. He informed the audience that a leader always believed there’s more for him and room for improvement and a leader will be the one to walk into a room and take notes on what’s around him and what people are saying. Everywhere they go is a classroom. Curiosity and question-asking is a short cut for this because curiosity gives oneself credibility.

He gave example of this of a time when he was invited to the White House for breakfast in the East Room. While this was going on, he was sitting next to his hero in life. Since no one knew who he was, he remembered that asking good questions furthered one’s credibility. He asked his hero questions and his hero then introduced him to his friends due to finding him interesting because of his questions. Asking questions got him further than he ever imagined. One last thing he added was that you should honor people with good questions and actually listen to them. This way those in your life feel appreciated.

The final major attribute he focused on was the ‘hustle’ and drive a leader should have. To set some ground rules on what he meant by ‘hustle’ he shared that the Biblical perspective on hustle is that you’re willing to set a standard based on excellence. Following Jesus means you’ll follow Him onto the next excellence of life and will not leave you living in mediocrity. But most importantly, one must also be faithful to God and exactly where they are in life.

To give an example of this he spoke again about his job as a cowboy at the guest ranch. He had to be faithful in his job even if it meant doing seemingly juvenile tasks. For being faithful with little will turn into faithfulness with much.

A minor attribute of a leader he also mentioned when closing off his message was about a leader always embodying hope. For if you give a little hope to somebody it’ll make a huge difference. To give hope is to become an injector of courage. To be a great leader you’ll inject courage into others. And anyone can do this because everyone has an influence on somebody.

He then ended his chapel with a Q&A, allowing students to put to use the valuableness of asking somebody questions. Through this, Brad Lomenick equipped students with the knowledge needed in order to be a great leader among their peers and within their community.

Chapel Highlights

Chapel is an integral part of the student experience at Christian High School. A wide range of speakers offers perspective and advice, insight and wisdom. Some, like Toni Collier, are particular standouts. Why? They speak to, not at, the students. Speakers like this validate the experiences and struggles of the assembly of high schoolers in front of them by sharing their own stories of struggle and redemption.

“My favorite part of chapel is definitely the worship at the beginning. The feeling of unity that is created within the chapel gives me a lot of peace, and feelings of thankfulness that are otherwise hard for me to get.” This statement from freshman Lylah Ensley is a perspective shared by many students. The contemporary worship that the student worship team, Patriot Praise, provides is very special to the students and staff at Christian High. Students share that it is the most significant part of chapel, helping them feel connected to God and engaged throughout the rest of chapel.

Patriot Praise consists of four female singers and one male singer: Brooke Mansy, Nora Benitez, Savannah Hall, Molly Peel, and Evan Escamilla. The instrumentalists are rounded out by piano player Jeleyna Balares, Gracie DeLillo on keyboard, Evan Escamilla playing acoustic guitar, and Garret Carter who shreds on the electric guitar. Patriot Praise practices and masters their material for Wednesdays during their sixth-period class. The band and vocalists operate under the direction of Ms. Preleyko, who is the choir department head, as well as Mrs. Codding, who is the head of the drama department. This year they will perform at Disneyland with the concert choir, as well as Point Loma Nazarene University.

By Madelynn Bryan and Garret Carter

Dodgeball Tournament

Dodgeball Tournament

On January 28th, ASB held its annual dodgeball tournament where students assembled into teams to play against each other in stiff competition, involving a wide range of strategies and lots of fun! When asked about his experience, sophomore Brady Eads said, “It was a fun time!” And when it came to his team’s strategy to win, he said that “We saw the team’s best players, right? And we’re like, for our match we need to get this guy and target them.”

Even people who went as spectators got the opportunity to play on a team. Junior Sarah Chiasson was one of these students and remarked, “It was a fun experience. I didn’t know I was going to play until I was playing because I was on that team that was chosen randomly.” She said her team’s strategy was “To dodge the ball as long as we could so that when we called time out, we could have the best players back in and we have more people to play.”

After some intense matches, the Incrediballer girls’ team and Wild Card boys’ team won the championships in their respective leagues. If you want to get involved with others at Christian High, the dodgeball tournament is a great event!

By Diego Duarte

Senior Parking Spots

As soon as students at Christian get their licenses and complete the Smart Start class, they earn the honor of parking on campus. The Senior Lot, however, is the most coveted place to park.

Getting a spot this exclusive isn’t easy! On an early August morning before school started in the fall, seniors had to wake up early to send an email requesting a place in line to choose their spot. A week later, students came to campus, met with their friends, and strategized to get spots near one another.
Finally, it was painting day. Students showed up to school at 8:00 am on October 8 for the first painting round. It was up to the students to supply the paint, sweep the spot, tape off the spaces, and create the design. They came prepared with paint, brushes, tape, chalk, buckets, and their parents! In total, students had four hours to complete their spots. In the beginning, there was a lot of standing around, but pretty quickly, the ideas started to flow.

The CHS Senior Parking lot showcases many different artistic styles and concepts. Ideas range from American culture and flags to cartoon paintings, Bible verses, and much more. The diversity in design creates a patchwork of creativity, putting on display the wide range of gifts and perspectives found at Christian High. And one day not too far in the future, just like every year before, it will be covered over to make way for the vision and inspiration of the next senior class.

By Matthew Huden

Jennie Lusko Chapel

Jennie Lusko Chapel – February 22, 2023

By Diego Duarte
Diego Duarte is a Junior at Christian High School, an editor-in-chief of Christian High School’s newspaper, The Genesis, and the founding chairman of its current Young Americans for Freedom Chapter.

Jennie Lusko, wife of Pastor Levi Lusko of non-denominational Fresh Life Church, preached about the importance of keeping Jesus at the center of one’s life at Christian High School. In years past, her husband has preached at Shadow Mountain Community Church.

To start off her message, she focused on Martha in Luke 10:38-42, when Martha was more concerned about preparing her house for Jesus, then on Him, unlike Mary who sat with Him. She then proceeds to relate this to the audience by discussing how just like Martha, our worries in our own lives distract us from focusing on Jesus. She pointed to how many things people value in life such as having a job, friends, a family, and hobbies like sports can be easily taken away.

Then, she connected this to Joseph when he was stripped of his coat of many colors by his brothers and sold into slavery. But despite his earthly possessions being taken from him, the Lord was with him and as noted in Genesis 39:2-3, Potiphar “saw that the Lord was with him and how the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.” For God’s presence cannot be taken away and how even though Joseph was sold into slavery, he fulfilled the Lord’s purpose for him (Genesis 45:5).

She tied what she said about Joseph with her comments on Martha and spoke how when living a life of God, His good will show through you whether at home, in a sport, or at a job. She then shared how in her own life, her father had an affair when she was 13, and that in this difficult situation she endured by turning to the church for guidance.

While wrapping up her message, she made two final points. Her first one was once establishing the importance of keeping Jesus and His Word in the center of your life. She referenced Minister Henry Halley’s quote about how “The Bible is the most priceless possession of the human race.” She also shared 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which stated that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” as well as Psalms 119:9-11, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” To end her point, she used the acronym S.O.A.P. standing for Scripture, Observe, Apply, and Pray to give our students steps on how to read the Bible and to heed its words.

Her last point was how we need to keep our identity and community as a crucial part of our lives, and not be conformed to this world. The Church is “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9). When Peter phrased the Church using language originally attributed to Israel, he is emphasizing how the Church will also be an important part in God’s kingdom, though differing from Israel.

She closed out with Hebrews 10:23-25 which states “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” This message left students walking out equipped with the knowledge and affirmation needed to go into God’s Word and properly understand it in order to fulfill the roles God has made for us.

Melvin Adams Chapel

Melvin Adams Chapel – February 25, 2023

By Madelynn Bryan
Madelynn Bryan is a sophomore at Christian Unified High school and is an editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper. She enjoys writing and takes an interest in political science. She is very excited to be writing for the school’s newspaper and uses it as an opportunity to spread the word of God.

Melvin Adams delivered a motivational and humor infused message to the students at Christian Unified using his life experiences and knowledge of the Bible. His biggest goal when speaking to his audiences is to inspire others to achieve their dreams.

Melvin was a professional basketball competitor and member of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters. He graduated from San Jose Christian college, where he was a two-time NCAA all American basketball player. He remains their leading scorer and assist leader. Soon after, he had the opportunity to play professionally, and he joined the Harlem Globetrotters. Melvin retired from playing on the team on March 17, 2000, due to his calling from God to reach out and inspire youth in the name of Christ. Melvin is currently a communicator and entertainer. His energetic and engaging presentation style make him a popular and memorable speaker.

Melvin began his message with a story from when he was in elementary school. He talked about when he had to get the paddle or “pops” at school as a punishment. One boy told him to “just suck it up” and go into the swing because the less space you put between you and the paddle, the less momentum the paddle will gain and the less it would hurt. Melvin ties this to the beginning of his message by claiming, “There are many people in life, where when things get hard, they run.” They run because they are afraid to be hit but in reality, the thing will just catch up to them and hit them harder. It is better to dive right in because the sooner you confront your fears and conflicts, the softer the hit will be in the end.

He adds to this message by going into the story of the Woman at the Well from John 4. Melvin shared that “Jesus could have went anywhere but he chose that particular town where the people didn’t like Jews and Jews and Samaritans didn’t even talk… yet here He is with this woman drinking the same water.”Jesus chose this woman, just like he chooses to be invested in our life. She had committed adultery and was shunned by society, though, “Jesus was more concerned about her character” rather than with what others thought of her. “Jesus knows what is really going on in your life,” says Melvin. He addressed specific struggles that might be relevant to some of us such as “[feeling] alone even though you are surrounded by 700 kids”and asked “When you look in the mirror, do you love what you see?” in order to remind students that Jesus created each of us. He is the only one who truly knows you. He can elevate you and help you to overcome struggles in life. Melvin told the students to face their fears, and to just “go for it.” You are already beautiful in the eyes of Jesus, and through Him, you can do anything.

As students, you can apply this to your life by keeping God’s word in mind. James 1:22 says, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.”

Brooks Buser Chapel

Brooks Buser Chapel – February 8th, 2023

By Madelynn Bryan
Madelynn Bryan is a sophomore at Christian Unified High school and is an editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper. She enjoys writing and takes an interest in political science. She is very excited to be writing for the school’s newspaper and uses it as an opportunity to spread the Word of God.

Missionary and Bible translator, Brooks Buser delivered a phenomenal message using his experience as a missionary as well as his extensive knowledge of the Bible to the students of Christian Unified High school. He reflected upon the experience of dedicating himself and his life fully to God.

Brooks is the president of Radius National, a supporter of the evangelical church and missions community that “[provides] pre-field missions training that equips cross-cultural workers to establish healthy, indigenous, reproducing churches among unreached language groups.” He is also a graduate from San Diego Christian college, where he met his wife Nina. Both Brooks and his wife participate in teaching at Radius National. They had a son together, who they brought with them on their missionary trip. Prior to his missionary work, Brooks worked as the CFO for a large company with generous benefits. Him and his wife were both very successful, however, they decided to leave their comfortable lives behind to submit to God’s calling for them.

Brooks’ message began with a description of what it meant to leave his life behind in order to serve God. He described his journey to the Yembiyembi people, an isolated people group located in Papua New Guinea, in 2013. These people had hardly been in touch with the outside world for a while, and up until 7 years prior to Brooks’ arrival, had practiced cannibalism. Despite their far from civilized civilization, the Yembiyembi people still felt that they needed something. They reached out for the gospel, so God brought them Brooks.

After an initial visit and much discussion amongst his peers, Brooks decided to take the Yembiyembi people on.

“We told them that we were going to come, and that we were going to be your missionaries. We’re going to do four things. We’re going to learn your language, we’re going to learn to speak how you speak. Number two, we’re going to teach you how to read and write in your own language; they didn’t have a written alphabet, so we had to develop an alphabet for them. Number three, we’re going to take this really important book and we’re going to translate this book into your language. And then number four, we’re going to teach you the meaning of this book.”

So Brooks did exactly that. He started from Genesis 1:1 all the way to the end of the Bible, and taught it to the Yembiyembi people. His hard work paid off. On April 21, 2008, the Yembiyembi people finally heard the message of the gospel in their own language. It’s very important to bring God’s word to unreached people groups, Brooks explains. He debunks the belief that “good hearted” people will go to heaven, despite never knowing Christ,as a theological fallacy.

“People don’t understand that the marching orders of the church are to get to the ends of the Earth. That’s why we exist as a church… [Some people] don’t understand that lost people like the Yembiyembi people and similar, go to hell if no one ever reaches out to these people. They will go to a Christless eternity. Some people don’t understand that. They believe, “Well there’s the third option that God will do for people who will never hear the gospel.” But that’s not true. We don’t find anything in the Bible, that’s a theological fallacy.”

He continues to say that the issue is that people don’t understand that it is our responsibility as Christians to reach out to people who have never heard of God. However, if we get too wrapped up in worldly things, we get lost, instead of following the plan that God has made for us. God plans on using his followers to bring others closer to him, but if his followers lose sight of what He wants them to do, other people pay the price. Brooks continues on to explain why he thinks Christians can be led astray and how to fix it.

“You know what I think is why people walk away from Christian Ministry? Why they walk away from living like Christains? I think it’s because we buy into the things that we want more than the things that our father wants.”

He ties this into the chapter of Luke 18.

“We find this in the story of a rich young ruler and how this was reconciled. Luke 18:18 it says this, “And a ruler asked him, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and Jesus said to him “Why do you call me good, no one is good except for God alone. You know the commandments.” And the young man said, “All of these I have kept from my youth.” So the young man didn’t understand the way that Jesus was phrasing the question, he didn’t understand that when you look at something and you look at something and you lust, or you look at something and you covet, or you look at someone and you’re angry, you’ve committed murder, theft, and adultery already. He said, I’ve lived a good life. And Jesus is going to peel back one more layer of the onion. Jesus said to him, you still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, distribute to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven.” But the young man, not wanting to give up his life, walked away.”

When Brooks finished his message, Grant Todd, a youth pastor at Shadow Mountain closed the chapel with his takeaway.

Girls Volleyball: A Big Hit!

Girls Volleyball at Christian Unified is a huge hit! This year, coaches saw a huge increase in talented girls wanting to try out this August. Predictably, a large number of hopefuls always means large cuts. Out of the whopping 115 girls who tried out this year, only 40 made it onto one of the three teams our school offers. But a big talent pool always spells good things for the upcoming season.

What gives the girls volleyball program at CHS so much success and attention? The answer lies in how competitive our teams are, and the environment of the volleyball program.

Last year, girls varsity volleyball won all but two games the entire season and made it to CIF divisions. Their games attracted huge crowds and were exciting to watch. The varsity team’s games inspired even more school spirit than football games, and it’s no wonder! These athletes are looked up to both on and off the court by many, and the positive attitude that the volleyball teams have at CHS is well known on campus, motivating more interest than ever before.

“My team is resilient, passionate, and talented,” said team member Kilee Keegan. “Everyone works so hard for the joy of playing volleyball together, and they improve because of it.”

In an interview, head coach Susie Willet discussed her main goals for this year’s season. “I want to be able to build competitive Christian girls on and off of the court. I think that that is the most important thing. I also am focusing on team chemistry or team bonding. Having a team that you can have fun with and rely on, on and off of the court, is an amazing school experience.” She also wants to build the girls’ love for the game. “I feel so blessed and honored to be the head coach of the volleyball program at CHS. Honestly, it’s humbling being able to coach such talented girls this season.”

This school year, the varsity team is seeing lots of new talent. And with the aid of the amazing coaches here, the team is bound to see great success this season! Let’s go, Patriots!!!

By Madelynn Bryan

Varsity Football

After a solid 2021 season, the varsity football team is taking new steps toward becoming an even stronger team and program.

Last year, the football team saw a huge season of success as they moved up a division and also made it to the second round of playoffs. This season, the team means to live up to the new legacy and even surpass it. Under the new football coach, Patrick Bugg, discipline and hard work will be vital. Coach Mitchell’s legacy last year is something that will certainly be carried on by Coach Bugg this year. Bugg has already proven his coaching knowledge and leadership, and his coaching principles combined with the determined spirit of the athletes this year look to be a recipe for success.

The team’s determination revolves around the fact that this year most of them are seniors: this is their last year to play, and they have resolved to make it their best season yet. The admirable willpower of the upperclassmen athletes played a large role in the sheer size of the two teams.

The juniors and seniors on varsity have proven to be large role models to the underclassmen, both on and off the field. This has made a lot of younger athletes feel inspired to play.

The environment of the football program has become increasingly positive and serious about the game, but time will tell how this will play out. Or, as Coach Briggs puts it (referring specifically to Homecoming), “We have one of the most talented teams we’ve ever had. I think the difference is gonna come down to if we think winning is important or if the lip sync is more important.”

For the athletes in football, prioritization is a huge component that will significantly affect the success of the season. The recent victory against Patrick Henry High for the homecoming game shows how the athletes are quickly learning how to balance the chaos of school and sports – looks like the lip sync competition took a back seat after all!

All in all, this season is shaping up to be a good one. Make sure to come support our team at their home games!

By Forrest Brunetto and Madelynn Bryan

A Fresh Start at an Old School

Christian Unified was happy to welcome Bob Ruhlman to the staff this year as our new Superintendent. Though a graduate of Christian Heritage College, he grew up in the quaint town of Everson, Washington, which is located only a few miles from the Canadian border. He then lived and taught in Seattle, Washington for 28 years, but this campus and Shadow Mountain Community Church remained near and dear to his heart.

He is truly happy for the opportunity to return and serve Christian Unified, saying, “To be associated with SMCC and Pastor Jeremiah is a treasure.”

As for his time here at Christian, he said he got “a very quick sense of the spirit of the community,” and is eager to become familiar with it. Ruhlman considers the student and faculty bodies remarkable, saying that his first impressions were nothing short of incredible. As our superintendent, his biggest goal this year is to break the ice with the still-wary student body – a change in leadership is no small thing, and he means to make his first year an enjoyable one for all of us.

We are excited about what this has in store!

By Wesley Todt

CHS Remembers 9/11

It may be hard for many to grasp, but every student of Christian Unified was born after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This is why it is so important to continue to stir conversation among students about what happened on that day so as to never forget.

To commemorate the 21st anniversary of 9/11, the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter at CHS placed 2,977 American flags, one for each of the 2,977 lives lost on that tragic day, on the lawn of the Administration Building. YAF is a conservative activist group with chapters on high school and college campuses throughout the country. YAF seeks to bring attention to the foundational American ideals of individual freedom, limited government, strong national defense, the free market, and traditional values.
Our on-campus YAF chapter aims to build a movement through activism and information.

By Diego Duarte

Clue!

Join Christian High School’s Patriot Theatre for a night of mystery and lots of laughter as we step into The Boddy Manor! CLUE is based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth – the butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out…WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!

Woodshop Makes Furniture for Refugees

By Henry Kim and Diego Duarte

Year over year, the world strains under a growing problem: refugees, displaced from their home countries in ever-increasing numbers. The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-2021 resulted in that number increasing exponentially. Meanwhile, John Houston, the woodshop teacher for Christian High was having a hard time finding a meaningful project that would help his Woodshop 4 students develop and practice their skills. Senior Kai Damata and juniors Nolan Johnson, Kona Strong, Travis Billie, and Garrett Thompson are, according to Houston, “very gifted and dedicated to the subject.” 

While searching for the perfect project, Houston discovered a website for refugees and was astonished by the number of people who were in need. What he found was that these people have a specific need for sturdy furniture because their previous lifestyle had been extremely nomadic as they were constantly moving. Houston realized that this opportunity would help his talented students expand their woodworking skills, while also learning the importance of serving others. 

Houston said the current cost of timber needed to build one of these projects runs about two hundred to three hundred dollars; meaning that the whole project costs at least a thousand dollars. Additionally, the materials require careful handling. All the measurements need to be exact, so that every joint fits perfectly, resulting in items that are strong and reliable. Houston said, “If the joints do not fit correctly, the students would need to modify the whole project, meaning more tedious work.” While the project is challenging, Houston hopes to inspire his students to continue to help those in need using the skills they’ve developed in woodshop.

With an aim toward serving with excellence, these CHS students are meeting the real needs of real people and offering something that a refugee may not have felt in years: a sense of home.

CHS Cheer: Bigger and Better Than Ever Before!

By Berlyn Balelo

The Christian High School Cheer Squad is making history! This is the largest squad CHS has ever seen and the cheerleaders are thrilled to have opportunities to try things they haven’t been able to in the past. Squad Member Bella Hernandez loves the change. She says, “We get more opportunities to do more. There’s more people with more experience which means that there are many more things we get to try out. It’s so easy to make memories since we are all so close to each other.”

Despite its size, this team is also more bonded than ever. They get together and uplift one another, pray, and do devotions at team dinners every other Monday, and carry that experience into their practices as they work together and challenge each other to be and do better. The new coaches play a big role in fostering this community, supporting and truly caring about this team’s wellbeing.

“I love the new changes we’ve had this year,” says Charlize Sou. “Our new coaches really have made a huge impact on the cheer program itself and you can genuinely see such an improvement amongst the entire squad and have really felt all the love. Our coaches really do care about us and have done so much already.”

Members feel the best part of having a big team is how much they get to do with it. There are so many opportunities and so many friendships whether new or old. Having a large team that gets along so well makes it easy to love practice, which means taking on new challenges with confidence and excitement.

Bursting at the Seams

By Sarah Hufnagle

As most of you have noticed, our school’s growth this past year has been considerable. In a twelve month’s time, the district enrollment has increased by thirty percent! To put that in perspective, last year Christian Elementary School East (CESE) enrolled 222 students. This year they have 419! Christian Junior High School saw an increase from 142 students to 181. Christian High School also grew, jumping from last year’s enrollment of 349 students to this year’s 433… and counting! What caused this sudden growth? Christian Unified’s Director of Admissions, GayLynn Heinrich, said it’s a matter of values. Families simply aren’t happy with the public school education system and they want their kids to receive a Christian education. 

Due to the sudden influx of students, thirty new teachers and staff members were added to accommodate the school’s growth. Many are wondering what will happen if this pace continues.

Will there still be enough room for all K-12 students on one campus? What actions will the school have to take in order to accommodate more students when many are concerned we are already bursting at the seams? Will an additional campus be opened? Will we stop enrolling new students? As of right now, the decisions are yet to be determined so that still leaves us with more questions than answers. 

When asked how the rapid growth of our elementary student enrollment would impact the potential growth of CHS, Heinrich stated, “Most successful Christian schools grow their high school by growing the elementary. Growth looks or works best when you do it with the young, but ultimately we don’t want to exclude any families from having a Christian education.” In other words, today’s elementary students are tomorrow’s high schoolers. And Christian Unified is here for them all.

Family Statement of Faith

  • The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs.  The Bible itself, as the inspired, inerrant, plenary, and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  For purposes of CUSSD’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, Shadow Mountain Community Church is CUSSD’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
  • We believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  • We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, and His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through the shedding of His blood, in His bodily resurrection on the third day, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and In His personal pre-millennial return to rapture His Church before the Tribulation and His glorious appearing to set up His Millennial Kingdom.   
  • We believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith, apart from works by the merit of the shed blood of Christ, and that the born-again believer is eternally secure in Christ.
  • We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
  • We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
  • We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • We believe in the individual priesthood of the believer.
  • We believe life begins at conception.
  • We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning; the uniting of one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen. 2:18-25.)  We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a biological man and a biological woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4.)  We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
  • We believe that the Scripture dictates standards of sexual behavior. The unique roles of the male and female are clearly defined in Scripture. Any promiscuity, homosexuality, gender identity issues or other deviations from Biblical principles is a sin that is offensive to God (Matt. 5:18-19; I Cor. 6: 9-10, 19-20; Eph. 5:3-5; 1 Thess. 4:3-8).

SCHOOL-WIDE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

We expect our students to be:

Influential Christians who:

  • Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
  • Apply Biblical principles as the foundation for moral and spiritual living.
  • Develop and maintain an informed Biblical worldview that shapes their lifestyle choices.
  • Demonstrate God’s love through acts of service and sharing the gospel.

Investigative Learners who:

  • Master a body of knowledge, vocabulary, and skills.
  • Understand, analyze, and order relationships among facts.
  • Assess their needs and apply appropriate strategies to learn concepts and skills.
  • Actively use the tools of learning throughout their lifetime.

Perceptive Thinkers who:

  • Identify, analyze, discriminate, prioritize, and apply information.
  • Have the ability to solve problems by thinking independently and logically.
  • Make responsible and well-reasoned decisions.
  • Actively seek and apply absolute truths.

Effective Communicators who:

  • Demonstrate the ability to accurately understand, interpret, and exchange information.
  • Communicate with eloquence, creativity, and persuasion in writing and in speech.
  • Develop and utilize artistic expression.
  • Proclaim and defend the gospel with wisdom, wit and respect.

Quality Producers who:

  • Demonstrate a growing knowledge of curriculum.
  • Develop their God-given talents and abilities.
  • Display standards of excellence in all pursuits.
  • Work well with others toward a common goal.

Responsible Citizens who:

  • Respect and submit to authority.
  • Actively protect and promote freedom and democracy.
  • Enjoy God’s creation and live as good stewards within it.
  • Recognize and contribute to meeting the needs of others.    

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY MINIMUMS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

GradeTOEFL JrTOEFLiTEPDuolingo
6700NA3NA
7750NA3NA
8800503.380-85
985050-603.385-90
10NA60-703.590-95
11NA70+3.895+

research links & INformation

Web Research Links:

Grolier Online (includes Encyclopedia Americana)
User ID: christianhs
Password: patriot

EBSCO Host Research Databases – Full-text Periodical and Reference Articles Online
User ID: christianhs
Password: patriot2019!

SIRS Knowledge Source – Periodical articles online
User ID: CA3906
Password: PATRIOT

San Diego County Library Website
Enter library card number; enter last four digits or phone number for PIN or, for newer users, make your own PIN.