HC Alumni Campus News

Issue 17

December 18, 2018

HC Alumni News

Is this Santa's Delivery Map?

Well, yes, it is, if you are filtering it based on our HC alumni addresses! Help us make this map even better by making sure we know where you are.

For instance, we show 110 people in central Kansas. That's right, KANSAS! We need those 110 alumni to clue us in to tell us what we are missing!

If you update your address and help us supply Santa with a better map, we will send you a special alumni gift. We look forward to hearing from you!

Update Your Mailing Address

Campus Updates:

We wish all of our families and alumni a very Merry Christmas. We have been decking our halls with beautiful Christmas trees trimmed with Mary Poppins ornaments and tiny umbrellas! We have also been donning some wonderfully tacky Christmas sweaters to get into the holiday spirit!

Houston Christian's traditions of winter concerts, parties, and toy drives are in full force. Our students were called to help collect toys to donate to Spring Spirit. Their donations of new and gently used toys were then delivered to Spring Spirit's Holiday Market. They were available for parents with limited resources to purchase gifts for their own children at a generously reduced rate. It really warms the heart to know that our students, while so busy in class prep, studying, and college essay writing, still made time for the important things this season and gave back to the community.

How have you been giving back to your own community this season? Let us know! And if you are looking for more ways to get involved as an alumni, check out the upcoming alumni events below, or contact Alumni Relations to see what opportunities are available!

Remembering George H.W. Bush

President George H.W. Bush was an inspiration for all who had the privilege of being touched by his profound influence throughout history, and that is especially true for our students here at Houston Christian High School.

About six years ago, President Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush granted us the honor of using their names on our leadership center, The George and Barbara Bush Center for Scholars and Leaders. We requested the naming rights from the Bush family after our board decided Houston Christian students needed a living example of ethical and courageous leadership to emulate.

It is because of this special relationship with the Bush family that Houston Christian students and faculty were invited to attend the arrival ceremony of the recently passed president at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base. We were extremely grateful and honored to be included in these ceremonies. We thank the Bush family for allowing us to participate in this way.

Many of our alumni wrote beautiful tributes to President Bush. We posted those stories on Facebook, Instagram and our website. We were so touched by their remembrances that they are being included in the condolence book we had available on campus for our community to sign. The condolence book will be making its way to the Bush Presidential Library later this year as a memento from Houston Christian High School.

See How HC Honored 41

Alumni Happenings

Praises for the Gruen Family

Please keep Kelsey and Tom in your prayers as they prepare to move their family to Uganda.

Tom will be serving EMI (Engineering Ministries International) as a structural engineer. They are pictured here speaking to members of their church about what their lives will look like once they are in Africa.

Remembering Ron Thompson

Our hearts are warme d this season knowing that Addakin Thomas '18 raised money with his lacrosse team at Chatham University. Their team raised $6,610 in the “vsCancer” fundraiser. Addakin dedicated his fundraising in loving memory of his senior bible teacher, Mr. Ron Thompson, who passed away on November 1. Since the team exceeded their goal, the coaches shaved their heads!

HC AlumNight in EaDo

Dr. Livingston and his wife Becky had a blast hearing about all the great things our alumni are up to in life and at work!

We had a great night at the Truck Yard with cheesesteaks and fellowship!

Let us know where we should host the next AlumNight!

Ryan DeLongchamps '18 , Jake Fritsche '18 , and Sam Whitaker '18 connected at the Baylor vs UT game in Austin. Way to go Mustangs!

Clay Corbin '04 , Chris Livingston '04 and friend up at Lake Tahoe, with a monster rainbow trout!

Fine Arts Christmas Concert

Our Fine Arts Department spoiled us with some great music at the Christmas concert.

From Charlie Brown's Christmas theme to Fum Fum Fum, and other classic Christmas songs, our Fine Arts Department hosted another lovely evening of music and refreshments that made you feel that the Christmas season had finally arrived!

Upcoming Events - Join us!

Save the Date - APRIL 6, 2019

This year our gala theme is "An Evening in the Secret Garden." We hope you and your fellow alumni will join us as we support Houston Christian and celebrate all of the things that make it an essential experience for its students.

Make your plans now to bid on homes in Canyon Lake, Punta Mita, or Round Top with friends! Join us for the best auction yet! Take advantage of your alumni pricing and plan a fun night out with your friends!

Questions?

Contact: Sherrie Webb

[email protected]

Teacher Spotlight

Heidi McCurdy

Visual Arts Department Head

Houston Christian (and Northwest Academy) has been my life for the past 27 years. I have enjoyed teaching the over 2000 students I have had—and still enjoy the ones I have now. I think they just keep getting better. I have been through 3 headmasters, 5 principals, 7 Dean of Students and too many teachers to count. Over the years, I have taught Algebra 1, Calculus, AP Calculus, Intro to Computers, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, Accounting, Yearbook, Newspaper and Video Technology. I also have been the Visual Arts Department Chair, NHS Adviser, Student Council Adviser, Senior Sponsor and Cheer Sponsor at some point over the years!

Many of my classes have been my favorites, but two years really stand out because my children graduated from HC during those years—2008 and 2010. I really knew most of the students in those classes because they were friends of my kiddos. Alex, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Biomedical Science and a Masters in Public Health in 2014, is now working at MD Anderson and married to a fabulous girl named Blair. Meghan, who graduated from Texas A&M University in 2015, currently teaches science at Cypress Christian.

Some of my favorite HC memories are going on trips with students overseas, to Disney and on cruises. One in particular involved a long trek down to a waterfall in Costa Rica.

Our principal at the time was wearing a rather large backpack, and a student was delighting in adding rocks to the backpack all the way down the mountain! Others include a very fun prankster of a Dean who delighted in pulling practical jokes on students (and teachers) on every trip—including the daughter of one of our Board Presidents!

Other special times include Newspaper and yearbook pancake breakfasts, getting a video from George HW Bush that he recorded especially for our VideoTech class, spending til midnight during musical practices at Hobby Center, hearing the choir and show choir sing conducted by Mrs. Crenshaw, and performing Fruitcake * with the teachers! I’m sure there are many others that I just can’t think of right now!

I love to see my former students, and follow many on social media. I love to see their families grow and how well they are just living life. Contact me…come see me! I can’t wait to find out all about you.

*Note from HC: Ms. McCurdy and other faculty and staff will be performing Fruitcake again on December 19 at 11 a.m. Come see Ms. McCurdy and others reprising their role!

SAVE THE DATE!

Alumni Relations | 713.580.6055 | Email | houstonchristian.org