The first day of school is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to seeing all of our DCS families once again. Attached please find the Summer Messenger, our school’s seasonal e-newsletter. We hope you will enjoy reading about all of the noteworthy happenings of the summer.
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COLLEGE LIFE! DCS students share their summer experiences at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Rollins College, & Stanford University 25 THINGS YOU’D NEVER GUESS About Secondary Principal, Jeff Perrin ON THE MISSION FIELD Students & Alumni making a difference around the world WELCOME, STEVE FITZGERALD Athletic Director & Head Basketball Coach CRUSADER ATHLETICS What we can look forward to in the coming season THE NEW DCS Summer renovations & facility improvements AUGUST 2015
Transcript
COLLEGE LIFE! DCS students share their summer experiences at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Rollins College, & Stanford University
25 THINGS YOU’D NEVER GUESS About Secondary Principal, Jeff Perrin
ON THE MISSION FIELD Students & Alumni making a difference around the world
WELCOME, STEVE FITZGERALD Athletic Director & Head Basketball Coach
CRUSADER ATHLETICS What we can look forward to in the coming season
THE NEW DCS Summer renovations & facility improvements
AUGUST 2015
EMILY GONZALEZ, 10th
GRADE First and foremost, without the teachers at Dade Christian, my love of learning would not have expanded the way it has in the last two years. I had the opportunity to travel to Stanford University with People to People as part of a Technology Summit that allows students interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to learn more about those fields.
As part of a group of 157 students from around the world, I got to work closely with a lot of wonderful people on various projects, one of which involved robotics. Using Lego EV3 robots, my team and I decided to create a functioning prosthetic leg as a prototype that could be recreated using more powerful technology. It was incredibly difficult considering I was faced with a brand new coding software, but I spent my first days learning it, and in the end our robot worked, and it worked well.
Apart from the projects, the people I met at Stanford changed my life. Representatives from the university, Apple, NASA, and EA lectured us in the school’s very own engineering quad. They each gave me advice and taught me things that allow me to see the world from a whole new perspective. This experience has taught me that I can do absolutely anything I set my mind to. The resources this generation has are spectacular. I can learn anything I want with the click of a button, and so can you. Become diverse, interesting, and passionate about something you really love and your life will be so different. I encourage everyone to learn and enjoy it!
JULIET HASSAN, 10th
GRADE I am still very excited about my week at Harvard and all the new things I experienced. As part of an international program with students from all around the world, we stayed in the dorms and gained insight into college life from a group of recent Harvard graduates and had our questions answered by a panel of global students. We toured the Boston Freedom Trail and the JFK Museum & Library, as well as the MIT campus. Through the workshops and motivational speakers, I learned that a leader's purpose is to serve. As an assignment, we had to create a community service plan that we felt passionate about and present it on the last day. I was nominated by a teacher for the People to People Leadership Ambassador Program and will always hold this experience very close to my heart!
DCS STUDENTS SHARE THEIR SUMMER
AMANDA ACEVEDO, 10th
GRADE The NYLF Advanced Medicine and Health Care summer program was a great experience, and one I would recommend to those interested in the field of medicine. At the ten day program, I got to visit Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland School of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and the Cowley Shock Trauma Center. At the Cowley Shock Trauma Center, I visited the helipad, where critically injured patients are brought in by helicopter (and while I was there I was actually able to see them bring a patient in and talk to the pilots about their missions!). During the program, I was able to examine an actual medical training facility and take part in a simulated patient encounter. In this encounter, my team practiced resuscitation on a dummy and discovered the importance of the teamwork needed to save a patient’s life. I learned how to interview a patient and was actually able to practice with a mock patient that medical students at Johns Hopkins use during their studies. Eventually, I diagnosed the patient and developed a plan for their care. I also was able to get involved in a simulated six-phase epidemiology case study, in which my team had to find the source of a serious outbreak and develop a plan to manage it. While there, I learned how to do a head-to-toe assessment, take blood pressure, check for vital signs, and was shown a human cadaver that the medical students use to study anatomy. At the medical school, I was able to meet and talk with current medical students about college life. I was also able to speak with college admissions representatives to find out what I need to do to get into medical school. Professors also taught us about different topics including Neuroethics, Telemedicine, and Tele-ICU. The program allowed me to explore a broad range of educational pathways and careers in health care. This program was truly great because it provided me with a critical advantage in making important decisions about college and career. More importantly it helped me dive deeper into my passions and discover skills I never knew I had within me.
MIGUEL TAVERAS, 8th
GRADE Duke TIP was an amazing experience. I learned many different concepts and skills in the subject area I chose to study, Mathematical Problem Solving. We took a field trip to MindQuest Live, where we used math to get back the missing diamond. We had Fox Fest, which is similar to a field day, and we were put into one of four teams. I was on the Red Team and we placed 3rd! We had a TIPsync and three dances, one at the end of each week and they were all great. All the education and the events were really fun, but my favorite part was the friends I made. I loved the fact that I got to meet so many different people that have similar interests as me. This was great because we got to share
ideas about whatever it is we wanted to talk about. Even now that camp is over and we live miles apart, we still keep in touch by using social media. Overall, Duke TIP was a phenomenal experience, and I definitely encourage my fellow classmates to work hard and get the opportunity to go to this 3-week program where there are students just like us from across the country. Thank you to Duke TIP, Rollins College, Dade Christian School, and my family for helping me embark on this journey and achieve my goals.
EXPERIENCES AT TOP UNIVERSITIES
1. He was once peacefully retired for a whole year before he
got "the call" from Dr. Bryan.
2. He has worked in over 15 public and private schools in
five different states.
3. He went on an African safari with his wife last fall.
4. He has worked in eight different private schools with his
wife, Mrs. Sandy Perrin, who is an AP history teacher.
Guess who's joining him at DCS?
5. He and his wife have owned 13 different dogs including a
Great Dane.
6. He has worked at three different schools with Dr. Bryan.
7. He has lived in 11 different residences since he was
married and six of them had swimming pools.
8. He was once a human resource manager for a small
division of a Fortune 500 company.
9. He once kept a flock of 40 chickens in a residential
neighborhood and sold eggs to his friends and neighbors.
10. He has three married children all of whom went to
Christian schools and Christian colleges.
11. He once built a three-story, 2,400 square-foot house with
his two sons.
12. While living out in the Midwest, he built a corral on his
property and bought two horses. One was an Arabian
which he broke in for riding.
13. He loves working with teenagers and has been a camp
counselor, a Sunday school teacher, a camp director, a
youth leader, a guidance counselor, a teacher, and of
course, a principal.
14. He enjoys body surfing since board surfing was barely
invented when he was a kid in New Jersey and on at
least two occasions has surfed over 40 waves in a row
while in his 60s.
15. It might be on his bucket list to be the oldest high school
principal in South Florida.
16. Last year he spent 80 days in East Africa helping to start
up a brand new million dollar American school.
17. He once bought two sheep because he didn't like cutting
two acres of grass every week. He also loves lamb
chops.
18. His first job was scooping poop at a dog kennel. He also
delivered mail as a part-time job while in college and
was the manager and owner of a soft ice cream store.
19. He met his wife to be when she was 18 while both
standing in a class registration line in college.
20. He loves mangoes and owns two mango trees which is
the main reason Dr. Bryan hired him at DCS. Dr. Bryan
and his wife may love mangoes even more than
Mr. Perrin.
21. In the last two years he became a little creative and
composed over 160 poems. These he published in 16
different booklets which included many of his personal
photos.
22. He and his wife have eight grandchildren, a couple of
whom are more mischievous than he was at their age.
Well, maybe not quite.
23. He owns a kayak and canoe and occasionally takes
them out into the ocean.
24. He and his wife once opened and ran a natural food
shop.
25. His favorite part of working at DCS is not the 45 minute
drive down the turnpike.
SAVANAH SANCHEZ ‘16, NICARAGUA
“This summer I went on a mission trip to spread the gospel to the people of Nicaragua. My team and I stayed in San Juan Del Sur and Managua for two and a half weeks with a local missionary from our church. There and in other locations, we performed mime dramas that present the message of Christ and demonstrate hope. Besides performing dramas, my team and I got to spend time with the local youth and help repaint an old community center. Our impact on the community opens new doors for the missionary and expands his outreach opportunities. Through each trip I discover how magnificent God is and I get to see first hand how He works in the lives of others and uses me as a vessel for His message.”
AKLESSO AGAMA ‘12 KENYA
“I honestly don’t know where to begin. It’s crazy how you go across the world to help people, who in our eyes have nothing, but in fact have everything. I went on a mission trip to Kenya with some teammates of mine for two weeks and we got to see God really move, not just in their lives, but ours. Most of these kids don’t have food to eat, shoes, or a decent place to lay their head, but they love Jesus so much and have so much joy in their lives. Man I have so many stories to tell about this trip, but I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been praying for me – somehow I made it back in one piece.”
LENORA MOORE ‘15 PERU
In preparation for the upcoming football season, Coach Nick Martinez has held daily training sessions since July 1. The goal was set – to win a state championship – and the team has committed to position itself for success. Jose Valdivia, 11th grade, is a player to look out for on the field. He has been a two year starter, and is looking to lead his teammates during the 2015 season. “Pepe is one of our hardest workers, smartest players, and great leaders of this team. He will be doing a little bit of everything and I can’t wait to see what he does this year,” said Martinez. Valdivia is only one of many starters in the Junior class. “We have added a couple of talented players to what was already a solid class. The majority of those guys have been in the program for a while and know how to win.” Since the start of Spring Training, the coaching staff has been in the process of searching for captains. “The captains will be the leaders of the team, point blank. They are the guys I count on to always do the right thing, on and off the field. It is as important to me as anything else, and it is why it has been a four month process”. Coach Nick also added, “This year, you will be able to identify the captains as they will have a “C” on the back of their helmets.”
Welcome, Steve Fitzgerald Athletic Director & Head Basketball Coach
Born in Tokyo, Japan to missionary parents, Fitzgerald and his family moved to the United States when he was five years old. His father became the basketball coach at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and eventually, Fitzgerald attended and graduated from Covenant College where he played basketball under the coaching guidance of his father. As a resident of South Florida for the past 22 years, Fitzgerald spent each one of those years working in Christian education as a boys varsity basketball coach earning him a career record (359-240). Having spent 15 years at Coral Springs Christian Academy (CSCA), he was able to develop a successful athletic program in a short amount of time. During his nine year tenure as Athletic Director, CSCA won 18 district titles, three regional titles, and four individual state championships. “My goal for our athletic department at Dade Christian is to be Christ centered while producing championship caliber teams. We will define success as the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that comes from knowing I did the best I was capable of doing for the team, before God. We intend to mold disciples of Christ that will be equipped through athletics to make a positive impact on the world.” This year, the purpose of Crusader Athletics will be to provide an opportunity for student athletes to use their abilities and talents for God’s glory and to further the kingdom of God by being a shining light within the community, through spirited and principled competition. Coach Fitzgerald and his wife Teri have been married for 22 years and have eight children: Austin (Florida State University), Alaowei (Broward College), Liam (12th), Abule (11th), Jackson (10th), Mackenzie (9th), Aiden (6th), and Dublin (3rd). Please join us in welcoming the Fitzgerald family to DCS!
At DCS, summer is a time for renovations. The
maintenance department has been hard at work
transforming our school into a beautiful space. In keeping
with the Main Hallway Redesign, completed during Spring
Break, Maintenance Director, Jesus Corral and Miguel De
Coro have extended the light and bright tones of the main
hallway throughout the entire school. In addition, you will
soon discover that the elementary school, EC-5th grade, is
now housed completely on the first floor.
We welcome you to come and visit the new DCS during
