School: Middle School

2024 Christmas Program

On Tuesday, December 10, the sanctuary of The MET Church was filled with the sounds of Christmas. Our youngest TK Warriors opened the evening with a song, followed by amazing performances from the secondary choirs. With the help of high school drama students, our K-5 students honored the Lord Jesus while performing “Wrapping All the Way.” Thanks to the CCS fine arts directors, faculty, staff, students, volunteers and the staff at The MET Church for making this event a joyful and God-honoring occasion. Merry Christmas! 

Bridgeland Campus Groundbreaking

We were blessed to hold the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, February 23 for the new Cypress Christian School campus in Bridgeland, opening in August 2025. Dr. Jeff Potts and the Board of Directors prayed over the campus before the ceremony.

Mike Slabic, Dr. Potts and Scott Mestayer spoke, fifth-grader Berkleigh Elsner led the pledges and junior Ryan Fisk said a prayer over the ceremony. The ground was broken by the Board and Dr. Potts and Board Member Stacy Fransen closed the ceremony in prayer. “We are not only here today to celebrate groundbreaking, we are also here to recognize that there has never been a greater need in our nation for what will be happening under the roof of this building and out on the fields of this campus. Increasing the scope and impact of Christian leadership in our community and our country through an academically rigorous and Christ-focused education experience is what we believe this new campus will do.” – Mike Slabic, Chairman of the CCS Board of Directors

Community Impact article

Chapel Speaker Al Jowdy

This week in chapel, middle and high school students had the unique opportunity to hear the amazing story of Mr. Al Jowdy. Mr. Jowdy was born in San Antonio in 1927. He was the sixth of nine children, growing up in a two-bedroom, one-bath home. At the age of 15, he altered his baptismal certificate to say he was 17 and enlisted in the Navy. In his first six months of duty, he recovered bodies from the Pearl Harbor bombing and two different ships he was stationed on were torpedoed, resulting in him twice having to survive on life rafts in the South Pacific. 

Our students were mesmerized by his stories and storytelling. It is a rare gift to have a 96-year-old be so clear in thought with the ability to clearly describe some of America’s most important stories. The students walked away with an even greater appreciation for the “Greatest Generation”. A seventh-grader was quoted to say, “I could listen to him forever.”

We are grateful to the Granato family for making the introduction of Mr. Jowdy to Mr. Williamson and CCS.

Learn more about Mr Jowdy – https://www.jowdy.com/_Cart/al-jowdy/home/.

TAPPS Solo & Ensemble Competition

CCS singers wowed judges at this year’s TAPPS Solo and Ensemble competition! The CCS middle school ensemble came home with a I-Superior Rating (highest possible) for their performance of the French chanson, “Je le vous dirait”.

Cypress Christian School took a total of 41 soloists to competition, middle school and high school combined, 30 of which were first-time soloists at TAPPS Solo and Ensemble. Of these singers, the following students received a I-Superior Rating (highest possible) from the TAPPS judge for their solo performances:

• Middle School – Molly Ahrendt, Amanda Atkins, Ethan Bryon, Kira Farrington, Owen Layton, Chelsea Scott, Elliana Sproule and Sydney Swan
• High School – Dyllen Baptiste, Jaeda Dumas, Erica Davenport, Pepper Eichelberger, Evan Ellington, Daniel Hamm, Rayne Harris, Melody Janz, Maddie McCown, Emily Muse, Madison Mynes, Jeykei Ortiguero, Caleb Poirrier, Aidan Salazar, Bella Thomas, Ashleigh Townsend, Noah Utley, Jadie Weatherly and Camille Zemke.

The following students received the TAPPS All-State Honor Award, given to students who received a I-Superior Rating when singing a solo at the most challenging level:

• Pepper Eichelberger, Rayne Harris, Emily Muse, Madison Mynes, Caleb Poirrier, Ashleigh Townsend and Camille Zemke.

Congratulations, students! CCS Chamber Choir will travel to Waco for TAPPS State Large Ensemble contest in April. 

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Winners 2024

Mrs. Eichelberger is so proud of the secondary art students and their participation in the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Contest. 

High School Winners:

• First place – Cailea Chalton
• Second place – Anya Hull, Rayne Harris, Connie Quaglia, Brooke Intrau
• Third place – Corinne Keim, Reagan Lubs, Sasha Farrington, Bria Lloyd, Caden Clinton

Middle School WInners:

• Second place – Aemilia Crawford, Audrey Petru, Katie Krueckeberg, Lucas Wolfswinkel
• Third place – Emma Oliverson, Max Bernhart, Mason Bickle, Allie Kate Stovall, Camille Allain, Bailey Hickey

Great job, Warrior artists!

Spiritual Emphasis Days 2024

Monday and Tuesday, January 22-23, CCS held Spiritual Emphasis Days to provide students with a pause from their ordinary academic schedules in order to hear from God’s Word, participate in worship through song and think through what it looks like to follow the Lord with their everyday lives. Champion Forest Baptist Church graciously hosted both days, providing hospitality, a worship team and a myriad of activities for students to participate in. 

Middle school welcomed Mr. Taylor Stricklin, middle school pastor at Champion Forest, as the keynote speaker. He passionately unpacked lessons from the Bible that all dealt with individuals who fell asleep and the consequences that came to them and others. Whether exploring the story of Eli from the Old Testament or Eutychus, who fell asleep as Paul preached and then fell to the ground from the third story window, Taylor’s impassioned plea was for students to encounter the Lord Jesus and not spiritually sleep. After each of his talks, students gathered into discussion groups to dig in to the teaching. Forty juniors and seniors served as small-group leaders. Ten middle schoolers publicly committed their lives to following Jesus during the last large group session on Tuesday. 

An important idea for elementary students was that we need to confess (spit out) our sin. If we confess, Jesus promises to forgive us and Satan can’t make us feel guilty. We can also struggle with the idea of turning the other cheek, being slow to anger and being loving to others.

Takeaways from elementary students/classes:

• TKA: We learned about God and being a real Christian.
• KD: Being an authentic Christian means you’re the real deal. Christians feel bad when they don’t obey God. They always say sorry. They walk away when people are rude.
• 1A: Being an authentic Christian means to be a real Christian. A real Christian loves God, loves others, prays, reads the Bible and follows God’s commands. 
• 1B: Being an authentic Christian means you are the real deal. You can ask God for forgiveness when you sin. You love and forgive others. 
• 2C: God is the Lord and Savior. Authentic Christians share the gospel, feel bad when they sin and are doers of the Word. 
• 4B: To be an authentic Christian, you have to love others, believe Jesus is Lord, be a real deal Christian, be a “doer” for Christ. 
• 5B: Being an authentic Christian, aka the real deal, means being doers of the Word. You can see from one of their journal entries what it means to be a doer of His Word. 
• Kendall’s friends in their own words: Being an authentic Christian is to be the real deal, to lay your life down for God, to love one another. If you want to be an authentic Christian, God has to be the King of your life. Authentic means you are the real deal. I learned how to know God and come closer to Him. We are to love one another and be kind.

CCS would like to thank the entire Champion Forest Baptist staff and volunteers who contributed to welcoming us and caring for our students for these two days. Our prayer is that each student who participated will find their walk with God deepened as they take the next step toward Christlikeness.

Super “SONIC” Reading Incentive

Since school began in August 2023, Mrs. Baldwin’s seventh-grade English Language Arts students have had the opportunity to participate in a reading incentive program. To encourage a lifelong love of reading, each quarter students are required to select one book to read for independent reading. Assignments associated with independent reading are designed to “advertise” and promote the books to other students in the hopes that other students will also want to read the same book – “peer advertising.”

In addition to the required reading, students are challenged to read more books. Students earn a Sonic drink for each extra book they read. Books must be of a challenging reading Lexile and meet CCS guidelines. Students earn a small size drink for the first book, and each additional book read bumps the size of the drink with the ultimate goal of earning a “Route 44” drink.

At the end of the first quarter, 29 students participated in the Super “SONIC” reading incentive, and seven of these students earned a Route 44 drink. Drinks were delivered to the students during lunch, and they were allowed to take their drinks to class in the afternoon. A total of 82 books were read by these 29 students!! As part of the incentive program, students also attend a “lunch bunch” small reading discussion with Mrs. Baldwin where various topics are discussed such as favorite childhood books, favorite genres, favorite novels and favorite characters. The goal is to promote a fun and safe place to talk about BOOKS! During the second quarter, 14 students participated in in the Super “SONIC” Reading Incentive program, and a total of 53 books were read by these 14 students! Mrs. Baldwin applauds and congratulates each student for their dedication to reading.

“Houston Welcomes Refugees” Guest Speakers Visit CCS

In mid-December, seventh-grade ELA classes began reading Alan Gratz’s best-selling historical fiction novel, “Refugee”. The novel follows the lives of three characters, on three continents during three different time periods, but all three of the characters have left their homes in search of a better life. Although the novel is historical fiction, many of the circumstances and references throughout the book are historically accurate. Reading about the harrowing challenges faced by the characters has raised the students’ awareness of the lengths to which others will endure to pursue a life of freedom and safety.

To help make current day connections, guest speakers from the non-profit organization, Houston Welcomes Refugees, visited seventh-grade ELA classes. Students learned many sobering facts: ½ of all refugees are children, less than 1% of the refugees are permanently “resettled”, refugees usually spend years in refugee camps in squalor conditions. Guest speakers, Allison Clayton and Becca Lehde, also led the students in a “loss” simulation exercise to drive home what it is like to lose loved ones, valued possessions, roles and one’s home.

In addition to visiting ELA classes, Allison Clayton and Becca Lehde led the middle school chapel and educated students about the life of refugees in Houston and how their organization helps refugee families during the difficult transition period by providing welcome kits to outfit their living quarters, move-in teams and partnering welcome teams to befriend refugees over longer periods of time. Leviticus 19:34 reminds us all, “The foreigners residing among you must be treated as native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

All middle school students will be participating in the coming weeks in a service project led by Bible teachers to gather and assemble welcome kits for refugees right here in hometown Houston! To learn more about the organization, visit HoustonWelcomesRefugees.com.

New Swim Records Set

The Warrior high school swim team competed on Saturday in the Houston Area Private & Parochial Invitational Swimming City Championship (HAPPI) at the University of Houston. The meet had 359 competitors and was a good test for our swimmers as they prepare for the TAPPS East Regional meet on January 25.

Although the Warriors did not have any top five finishers, a few school records were set. For the boys, the 200 Free Relay team of Brody Johnson (12), Will Simcik (12), Reagan Lubs (12) and Noah Utley (11) set a new school record with at time of 1:47.56 beating a record set in 2018. For the girls, the 400 Free Relay team of Jadie Weatherly (11), Katie Schmitt (11), Kayla Geyer (10) and Alexa Stamos (9) set a new school record with a time of 4:36.30 beating the record set in 2020 by almost 30 seconds. Another individual school record was set last week at the Bay Area Invitational by Zoe Brashier in the 100 Breast with a time of 1:27.57 beating the previous record of 1:28.98 set in 2017.

All seniors in the Houston area were recognized at the APPI meet on Saturday. Ayden Farrell, Brody Johnson, Reagan Lubs, and Will Simcik were recognized for CCS.

The Warriors are preparing for state competition with the Regional TAPPS meet taking place on Thursday, January 25, at the University of Houston with many swimmers expected to advance to the State meet in San Antonio on February 14.

Swim Teams Compete at St. John 23 Holiday Classic

Last Saturday, the Warrior swim teams, both high school and middle school, competed in the St. John 23 Holiday Classic at Katy High School. The Warriors were competitive as they work toward Regionals and State competitions next month. Two school records were broken at the meet, both in the 200 Free. For the girls, junior Jadie Weatherly broke her own record with a time of 2:18.60 and placed first in the event. For the boys, junior Noah Utley broke the record set in 2016 (2:31.59) with a time of 2:22.34, placing third. There were many top five finishers, particularly in the middle school division where the Warriors had 15 finishes in the top five, including first place finishes by Aiden Leyrer in two events, Brooks Johnson, Sophie Boctor and two relays.

Top five finishers in high school:

• Girls 200 Free – Jadie Weatherly – first place
• Girls 100 Free – Jadie Weatherly – first place
• Boys 200 Free – Noah Utley – first place
• Girls 200 IM – Ali Richard – third place
• Girls 500 Free – Katie Schmitt – fourth place
• Boys 200 Free Relay – Noah Utley, Ayden Farrell, Will Simcik, Brody Johnson – fourth place

Top five finishers in middle school:

• Boys 100 Free – Aiden Leyrer – first place
• Boys 100 IM – Aiden Leyrer – first place
• Girls 100 IM – Remi Brashier – second place
• Girls 50 Free – Sophie Boctor – first place, Mary Ellen Southall – fifth place
• Boys 50 Free – Landon Hamm – third place, Henry Southall – fourth place, Tate Lubs – fifth place
• Girls 50 Back – Ava Rogers – fifth place
• Boys 50 Back – Brooks Johnson – first place, Jackson Connelly – third place
• Girls 50 Breast – Remi Brashier – third place, Sophie Boctor – fifth place
• Boys 50 Breast – Landon Hamm – fourth place
• Boys 50 Fly – Tate Lubs – second place
• Girls 200 Medley Relay – Ava Rogers, Remi Brashier, Sophie Boctor, Karis Hamm – second place
• Boys 200 Medley Relay – Brooks Johnson, Landon Hamm, Aiden Leyrer, Tate Lubs – first place
• Girls 200 Free Relay – Sophie Boctor, Remi Brashier, Mary Ellen Southall, Karis Hamm – first place
• Boys 200 Free Relay – Brooks Johnson, Landon Hamm, Aiden Leyrer, Tate Lubs – second place

The Warrior swim team next competes on Saturday, January 6, at the Bay Area New Year Exhibition at the Clear Springs High School Natatorium at 12 p.m. The meet will again be a combined high school and middle school meet.

2023 Christmas Program

On Thursday, December 7, the sanctuary of The MET Church was filled with the sounds of Christmas. Our youngest TK Warriors opened the evening with a song, followed by amazing performances from the secondary choirs. With the help of high school drama students and members of the drumline, our K-5 students honored the Lord Jesus while performing “The Little Drummer Dude.” Thanks to the CCS fine arts directors, faculty, staff, students, volunteers and the staff at The MET Church for making this event a joyful and God-honoring occasion. Merry Christmas! 

CCS-Hosted Swim Meet

The CCS swim team hosted a combined high school and middle school swim meet on Monday, December 4, at the Cy-Fair Natatorium. There were 11 schools represented and 239 total swimmers in the competition. Both divisions of the swim team were competitive and there were several top five finishers.

High School:

• Girls 200 Medley Relay – second place – (Lexi Stamos, Zoe Brashier, Ali Richard, Jadie Weatherly)
• Girls 200 IM – fourth place – Katie Schmitt
• Girls 100 Free – fifth place – Jadie Weatherly
• Boys 500 Free – fifth place – Noah Utley * School Record 6:51.59
• Girls 200 Free Relay – fourth place – (Ali Richard, Katie Schmitt, Jadie Weatherly, Lexi Stamos)
• Boys 200 Free Relay – fourth place – (Will Simcik, Reagan Lubs, Ayden Farrell, Brody Johnson)
• Girls 100 Back – fourth place – Jadie Weatherly
• Girls 100 Breast – fifth place – Zoe Brashier

Middle School:

• Boys 200 Medley Relay – fourth place – (Brooks Johnson, Landon Hamm, Aiden Leyrer, Tate Lubs)
• Girls 100 IM – third place – Michelle Leyrer
• Boys 100 IM – third place – Aiden Leyrer
• Boys 50 Free – fourth place – Landon Hamm
• Boys 100 Free – fifth place – Aiden Leyrer
• Boys 50 Back – third place – Brooks Johnson

The Warrior swim team next competes on Saturday, December 8, at the SJ23 Holiday Classic at the Katy High School Natatorium at 1 p.m. The meet will again be a combined high school and middle school meet.

Cross Country Awards Banquet 2023

The middle school and high school cross country teams celebrated the end of their season with their annual banquet to honor all runners and highlight team award recipients. The first group to be recognized were the WARRIOR MILE CLUB recipients who reached milestones by running over the summer. Next, the team recognized the high school Skull Crushers and the middle & high school Timothy & MVP award winners.

100 – mile Warriors: Alise Andrade, Lorelai Waller, Michaela Smith

150 – mile Warriors: Joy Anderson, Caleb Burgos

200 – mile Warriors: Maddy McKnight, Ali Richard

Skull Crusher Award (High School Only):

Audrey Fransen, Ben Hensley

Timothy Award:

Lorelai Waller, Carter Boul, Audrey Fransen, Gray Layton

MVP Award:

Michaela Smith, Jackson Connelly, Maddy McKnight, Caleb Burgos The coaches are so proud of everyone this season and would like to wish our outgoing seniors the absolute best! Enjoy the offseason and we look forward to seeing you next year!

Middle School Cross Country Team Competes in HAPS District Meet

Last Saturday, the middle school cross country teams competed at the HAPS district meet in Conroe. Both girls’ and boys’ teams earned second place – the highest ranking since Coach Begnoche started at CCS!

Individual medal winners:

Middle school boys

• Jackson Connelly – seventh place
• Carter Boul – 10^th place

Middle school girls

• Michaela Smith – ninth place

Congratulations on a terrific season! The coaches are grateful for everyone’s dedication and help throughout the fall and wish them the best as they continue into their next sports. 

Middle School Volleyball 2023

The middle school volleyball program took a clean sweep in their last game! They played Westbury’s middle school volleyball program; they were good opponents and a wonderful team to play! They made a great effort to try and win, but so did CCS. A, B and C teams all tried gave their best effort and took home wins. Thank you to the coaches who encouraged the teams to win this game and never hung their heads whether the teams were losing or winning.

A Captivating Journey Through Literature

In Ms. Murrill’s sixth-grade English Language Arts (ELA) classes, students recently embarked on a captivating journey through literature. As a cumulative project for their summer reading novels (“Ungifted” by Gordon Korman, “Al Capone Does My Shirts” by Gennifer Choldenko or “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio), students were given the exciting opportunity to express their understanding through a variety of alternative assessments that allowed them to showcase their creativity, critical thinking and comprehension skills. Ms. Murrill’s innovative approach to assessing her students’ comprehension and literary analysis skills involved providing them with six diverse choices for their projects. Each project option encouraged students to explore their summer reading novels from a different perspective. Here are the options students could choose from:

1. Beyond the Pages: Crafting a Captivating New Chapter: In this project, students were challenged to write a new chapter or epilogue for their chosen novel, seamlessly integrating their own creativity while staying true to the author’s style and themes.
2. Imaginative Pages: Transforming a Novel into a Picture Book Adventure: Students could choose to convert their novel into a captivating picture book, using their artistic talents to illustrate key scenes and moments from the story.
3. Novel Melodies: Transforming Stories into Song: For those musically inclined, this project option allowed students to compose and perform an original song inspired by their summer reading novel, highlighting its core themes and characters.
4. Literary Assessment Adventure: Crafting a Comprehensive Story Test: This option required students to design a comprehensive story test, challenging their peers with thought-provoking questions that delved into the plot, characters and literary elements of their novels.
5. Seussify Your Story: Creating a Dr. Seuss-Style Book: Students had the opportunity to reimagine their novels in the whimsical and rhyming style of Dr. Seuss, making their books engaging and accessible to a younger audience.
6. Visualizing the Story: Creating a Graphic Novel Scene: For the visually inclined, this project allowed students to craft a graphic novel scene, capturing the essence of a crucial moment in their novel while paying attention to details, character expressions and panel layout.

Each of these alternative assessments challenged students to apply their knowledge, organize their thoughts and analyze the plot and relationships within their novels. They were encouraged to synthesize their understanding, evaluate literary elements and ultimately create something unique that showcased their deep connection with the text.

To explore the amazing projects created by Ms. Murrill’s sixth-grade ELA classes and witness their creativity in action, click on the links below:

1. Beyond the Pages Project – Aiden Leyrer
2. Imaginative Pages Project – Emma Buckson
3. Novel Melodies Project & Song – Connor Michalak
4. Literary Assessment Adventure – Clara Boerboom
5. Seussify Your Story Project – Justice Potts
6. Visualizing the Story Project – Paxton Malone

This approach not only engaged students in a meaningful exploration of literature but also empowered them to reach the highest levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, promoting critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the texts they read. Congratulations to all the students for their outstanding work and creativity in Ms. Murrill’s ELA classes!

2022-2023 Eighth-Grade Awards

Fifty-eight eighth-grade students said “Goodbye, Middle School!” with a brunch followed by an awards assembly and celebration on Wednesday, May 24, in the East Gym. Students marked the end of middle school and the beginning of a great new adventure in high school by reminiscing about favorite CCS memories and thanking those who helped along the way. Mrs. Rhea, Middle School Principal, and Mrs. McGrath, middle school math teacher, began the ceremony by recognizing students who excelled in Math Olympics, achieved membership in National Junior Honor Society and maintained all A’s during their last year of middle school.

Mrs. Mary Johnson from the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter presented Katelyn Bienko the DAR Youth Leadership Award, and Mr. Bruce Williams recognized Katie Hirth and Philip Belanger for their Christian character and athletic leadership during middle school by honoring them with the Sword & Shield award. Mrs. Rhea honored Madison Mynes for her outstanding academic achievement as she received the Academic Excellence Award for having the highest grade average in eighth grade.

Eighth-grade teachers chose one student to honor with an Excellence in the Classroom award. Each teacher shared special comments about the individual who received the honor and presented a certificate to mark the event.

The final part of the program featured sweet pictures of each eighth grader as a toddler, an elementary child and finally a young teenager. Mrs. Rhea read special quotes from each student about his/her eighth-grade year; Mr. Colchado and Dr. Layton presented each student a certificate of completion of middle school. Last, Mr. Frankio, eighth-grade Bible teacher, led a prayer of protection and blessing over the eighth graders as they stepped out of middle school.

Classroom awards:

• Bible 8 – Max Ferrell
• Advanced ELA 8 – Maddie McCown
• ELA 8 – Lydia Duphorne
• Intro. to Algebra – Brooke Intrau
• Advanced Algebra I – Elizabeth Montalbano
• Science 8 – Madison Mynes
• US History – Connie Quaglia
• Spanish 1 – Jaeda Dumas
• Architectural Drawing – Heather Haesley
• Theater – Jack Moore
• Music – Jaeda Dumas
• Outstanding Fine Arts Student – Madison Mynes

2023 National Junior Honor Society Induction

The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Induction Ceremony was held Monday, April 24.

New members:

Eighth grade

• Jack Moore

Seventh grade

• Camille Allain
• Jane Belanger
• Sophie Cavazos
• Raleigh Durham
• Emma Estrada
• Kayden Gardner
• Anastasia Harkless
• Bailey Hickey
• Brooks Johnson
• Reagan Laidlaw
• Owen Layton
• Michelle Leyrer
• Maddy Kate Murray
• Emma Oliverson
• Somto Onyekwelu
• Maximus Payton
• Juliette Robinson
• Britten Rundell
• Chelsea Scott
• Henry Southall
• Allie Kate Stovall
• Sarah Swan
• Sydney Swan
• Jacoby Tackett
• Faith Veillon
• Addie Wilhelm
• Bella Wright

Math Olympics 2022-2023

Our Middle School Math Olympics Team competed in the ACSI Math Olympics on February 2. Eighteen students were selected based on their high scores in the categories of computation and reasoning. We are so proud of the team’s hard work!

2022-2023 Math Olympics Team

Sixth Grade Computation: Cory Jai Crawford, Harmony Smalls, Micah Yaw

Sixth Grade Reasoning: Gabriel Aziz, Thomas Cullum, Michaela Smith

Seventh Grade Computation: Jane Belanger, Emma Estrada, Owen Layton

Seventh Grade Reasoning: Aemilia Crawford, Michelle Leyrer, Chelsea Scott

Eighth Grade Computation: Elizabeth Montalbano, Zach Powers, Caitlyn Waller

Eighth Grade Reasoning: Matthew Belanger, Philip Belanger, Brandon Trieu

Lessons from Spiritual Emphasis Days – Bill Paige

In Ezekiel, Scripture describes one who has encountered God as someone who has come in from one direction but leaves toward a new direction. Mark 2 describes the healing of a paralyzed man whose friends lower him to Jesus as Jesus is teaching in a home. The friends believed that Jesus could change the direction of the paralyzed man’s life. The Bible recounts that the man came in the house through the roof, but he left through the door; the direction of his life was changed when he encountered Jesus. All have areas of life where we are unable to move or change ourselves like the paralyzed man. We are stuck in old habits, beliefs, views or patterns and cannot move on our own. We need to lay down our “stuck-ness” at the feet of Jesus. He will free us to go out a different way than we entered.

Mark 4-5 tells several stories of Jesus taking someone to a new place of freedom, peace, healing and forgiveness. Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, He cast demons out of a man who was consumed with evil thoughts, He brought a young girl back to life and He healed a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. In each situation, Jesus knew the truth of the hurt and pain. He knew when and how to show up for each individual. Jesus’s power is never diminished; His forgiveness is never weakened; His promise of peace never lessens; His faithfulness never slips away.

Middle School Girls Basketball 2023

The theme of the Lady Warriors basketball program for the 2022-2023 season has been Elevate-to rise above and utilize the gifts the Lord has gifted each player and coach in order to work together to be successful. The MS girls basketball program wrapped up their season with an awards and celebration time on Monday, February 6, 2023. Each player was given a certificate to recognize the character trait the coaches most observed being developed in her throughout the season.

The C team finished strong with a competitive last game on January 24 against St. Mark’s Episcopal. The B team finished second in the south in the HAPS division II bracket when they fell short of a win in the semi-final game to advance to the championship game. The A team finished first in the HAPS division I bracket with a solid win over Covenant Christian School in Conroe.

Players were also recognized for their leadership in several key areas which helped to Elevate the teams to have successful seasons.

A Team award recipients, pictured left to right:

Elevate Award – Katie Hirth

Defensive Player – Kyra Davis

Warrior Award – Elizabeth Montalbano

Offensive Player – Audrey Petru

Warrior Award – Lydia Duphorne

Timothy Award – Isabella LeSpade

Coach Tate

B Team award recipients, pictured left to right:

Offensive Player – Jolie DeLongchamp

Timothy Award – Faith Laidlaw

Defensive Player – Ava Rizzutto

Most Improved – Evan Neelen 

Coach Dimitric Murph (Coach D)

Warrior Award – Sloan Tucker

Sportsmanship – Addison Wilhelm

C Team award recipients, pictured left to right:

Timothy Award – Claire Berens (not pictured) 

Offensive Player – Cora Aguirre 

Most Improved – Mallory Fivecoat

Coach Wilhelm

Warrior Award – Dany Joseph 

Defensive Player – Michaela Smith

Strawberry DNA

Seventh graders finished their genetics and DNA unit in Life Science class by completing the strawberry DNA extraction lab. Students worked together to learn how simple household ingredients could help them extract the DNA from strawberries in a thick strand that could be seen without a microscope!

MS Boys Basketball Awards Program

Middle school boys basketball had their team awards program on Monday, January 31, to cap off the 2022-2023 season.

A Team award recipients, pictured from left to right:

Jacoby Tackett – Most Improved Award

Levi Hroch – Timothy Award

Philip Belanger – Defensive Award

Brandon Trieu – Sportsmanship Award

Matthew Belanger – Warrior Award

Ben Cearley – Team MVP

Luke Sengbusch – Offensive Award

B Team award recipients, pictured from left to right:

Houston Davis – Team MVP

Raleigh Durham – Offensive Award

Perry Dziubarczyk – Timothy Award

Colten McMullen – Defensive Award

Jackson Connelly – Sportsmanship Award

Uriel Smith – Warrior Award

Reagan Laidlaw – Most Improved Award

C Team award recipients, pictured from left to right:

Hunter Wanic – Offensive Award and Team MVP

Cory Crawford – Timothy Award

Lucas Wolfswinkel – Defensive Award

Landon Hamm – Most Improved Award

Jett Ligon – Warrior Award

Brayden Briker – Sportsmanship Award

HAPS Championship Game

Congratulations to the MS B Team boys basketball team and Coach Austin on having a stellar season and making it to the HAPS Division 2 championship game. It was a competitive game from start to finish with our Warriors coming up just short of the win falling to the Legacy Prep Lions 39-33. Throughout the game, the boys battled through injuries, sickness and foul trouble, but they never gave up. This was evident by all in attendance as even a Legacy Prep parent complimented our boys on how well they were coached and how hard they played. We are so proud of all the boys and look forward to building on what was accomplished this season for next year.

Spiritual Emphasis Days 2023

Last Thursday (1/19) and Friday (1/20), CCS held “Spiritual Emphasis” days to provide students with a pause from their ordinary academic schedules in order to hear from God’s Word, participate in worship through song and think through what it looks like to follow the Lord with their everyday lives. Champion Forest Baptist Church – Champions Campus graciously hosted both days, providing hospitality, a worship team and a myriad of activities for students to participate in. 

Elementary students enjoyed learning about the importance of being a Warrior for God, starting and ending each day with large group sessions full of worship and biblical lessons led by the Champion Forest Baptist Church elementary and preschool staff. Students learned how to pray using the acronyms TPPP (Time, Place, Plan & Person) and PB&J (Prayer, Bible & Journal). Students also enjoyed making prayer bracelets and journals in small group sessions, connecting the lessons to their science knowledge by making elephant toothpaste (when you fill yourself with the Lord, it bubbles over into everything you do) and slime (prayer can make messy situations better) and getting their wiggles out with a scavenger hunt to find all the pieces to the armor of God.  

Middle school and high school were blessed to welcome back Mr. Bill Paige as keynote speaker, and he passionately unpacked lessons from the ministry of Jesus. Whether exploring the restoration of a demoniac or the healing of the sick (and even the dead!), his impassioned plea was for students to encounter the Lord Jesus and leave these two days “a different way than they came in”. After each of his talks, students gathered into smaller, faculty-led discussion groups to respond to the teaching and to receive prayer and encouragement from their teachers and peers. 

CCS would like to thank Stephanie Chase, Justin Holcomb, and the entire Champion Forest Baptist staff and volunteers who contributed to welcoming us and caring for our students for these days of “Spiritual Emphasis”. Our prayer is that each student who participated will find their walk with God deepened as they take the next step toward Christlikeness.

MS Boys Basketball Season

The CCS middle school boys basketball program competes in the Houston Area Private School Conference (HAPS) and is comprised of an A, B and C teams. Each team began its season back in November 2022 and now has culminated the last week of January 2023.

C Team was led this year by Coach Ken Rose. B Team was led by Coach Brad Austin and A Team was led by Coach Craig Cleveland. Players on all three teams worked hard each week in practice to improve their skills and understanding of the game. The hard work in practice was evident on the court as you could see growth and improvement with each game.

The C Team started their season off strong and maintained stellar play all season long finishing with a 12-3 overall record and only one loss in conference play. Similar to C Team, the B Team also started their season on a strong note finishing with a 13-2 overall record and going 8-0 in conference play. B Team’s outstanding conference play also earned them a spot in the season-ending playoffs.

The A Team had a lot of new faces on the team this year and had to learn how to play and compete with each other. Although they did not start off the season the way they planned, A Team found some team chemistry and won the last five games of the season finishing with an overall record of 8-10.

The middle school coaching staff is proud of all the players and their accomplishments this season. It has been an honor to coach each one of them, and we look forward to next season.

Go, Warriors!

Strong Season for the Warrior Swim Teams

The Warrior Swim team had a busy schedule the past week. First, the high school team competed in the Houston Area Private and Parochial Invitational on Saturday at the University of Houston. The meet includes all divisions of high school swimmers from across the area, including 17 girls’ teams and 14 boys’ teams in TAPPS and SPC. This was great competition leading up to the TAPPS Regional Meet this coming Saturday, also at the University of Houston. Many of our Warrior swimmers had their best times of the season at this meet as they were able to fine tune relays and improve upon individual performances.

Second, CCS hosted the Cypress Christian Invitational at the Cy-Fair ISD Natatorium. The Warriors, both high school and middle school, competed against five other schools and finished in second place overall. Highlights for the high school team include top three finishes by both the girls’ medley and free relay teams, individual top 3 finishes for Zoe Brashier, Brody Johnson and Katie Schmitt and a first place finish in the 200 Free by Grace Melancon. Middle school highlights include top three finishes by the girls’ free relay team and the boys’ medley and free relay teams. Individual top three finishes for the middle school were made by Tate Lubs and Henry Southall and first place finishes for Alexa Stamos in both the 50 Fly and 50 Back and for Bowman Price in both the 50 Free and 50 Breast.

Up next for the Warriors are the TAPPS Regional Swim Meet for the high school team on Saturday, January 21, at the University of Houston and the Greater Houston Athletic Conference Swimming Championships for the middle school team on Tuesday, January 24, at Lamar High School in HISD.

Sixth Grade Visits Natural Bridge Caverns

CCS sixth-grade students went on an amazing field trip to The Natural Bridge Caverns outside of San Antonio. They took a guided tour and traveled a half-mile and 108 ft. below the ground of the largest and most spectacular show cavern in Texas. First semester, they learned about different types of rocks, the rock cycle, weathering, erosion, deposition and the processes that occur to rocks over time. Through their learning, they discovered that groundwater can cause erosion through a process of chemical weathering. Over time, this process gradually hollows out pockets in rocks which then develop large holes underground, called caves or caverns. What a unique experience this was for our students to go outside of the classroom and explore this in person!

Word of 2023

Students in Ms. Lazar’s seventh-grade ELA class reflected on God’s goodness over the past year and set goals for the new year by choosing a word to guide them in their academic, spiritual and personal lives. Words such as Commitment, Faith, Productivity, Confidence, Courage and Patience were added to the Word Board with a definition and Bible verse. Students prayed and asked God to help them remember their word in times of need and committed to work hard and do their best for God’s glory.

Middle School Christmas Play 2022

The middle school drama class recently presented the play “The Second Annual Christmas Telethon Spectacular”. The show featured the Cypress Christian School middle school choir, a comedy routine and a puppet show. Although the “telethon” didn’t go exactly as planned, in the end all the characters realized the true meaning of Christmas, the love of our Savior, Jesus. 

Christmas Program 2022

On Thursday, December 8, the sanctuary of The MET Church was filled with the sounds of Christmas as K-12 students honored the Lord Jesus through drama and song performing “All About that Baby” at the annual Christmas program. Thanks to CCS fine arts directors, faculty, staff, students, volunteers and the staff at The MET for making this event a very joyful and God-honoring occasion. Merry Christmas!

View Performance Video

MS A-Team Shuts Out Lutheran South

Last Thursday, the Warriors defeated Lutheran South 8 – 0 for their first victory of the season. The Warriors played tough defense throughout the game, keeping the Pioneers out of the end zone, to post the first shut out of the season as well.

The Warrior offense was led with key plays by Gabe Pandosh and Luke Sengbusch and ultimately the game’s only touchdown was scored on a pass from Bowman Price to Ayden Arasin. Arasin also completed the extra point kick for the middle school rules’ two-point conversion. The Warriors are at home again this week, hosting Trinity Klein tonight.

Middle School Schedules: MS A Team | MS B Team

2022 Junior Pep Squad

Last week, the varsity cheer team hosted their annual Junior Pep Squad event for all elementary girls. This year, the Junior Pep Squad had 112 participants – our biggest number yet! Each grade level, from TK-fifth, had at least two varsity cheerleaders and two middle school cheerleaders to play games and teach them cheers and a dance.

On Friday, all of the participants performed at halftime at the varsity football game. The CCS cheer program is grateful for the fun-filled week with elementary girls and we are so proud of all their hard work!

Middle School B-Team Football Season Begins

Middle school football B-team fell to River Oaks Baptist School on Tuesday, September 6 in their first game of the regular season. The Warriors played hard all four quarters with maximum effort. This was a great team game with exceptional individual standouts. Cory Crawford was recognized for his effort; not giving up and make a defensive tackle on a long run. Landon Kyrish went above and beyond filling in a defensive position and making a great tackle. Come root on the Warriors next game at home versus Western Academy on September 13 at 5 p.m.

2022 Eighth-Grade Awards

2022 NJHS Induction Ceremony

The Cypress Christian School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony was held on April 25, 2022. The National Honor Society was organized in 1921 to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership and to encourage the development of character in the nation’s secondary school students. It is the front runner of organizations and societies that recognize students for their outstanding accomplishments in the areas of scholarship, character, leadership and service. We are so proud of our new members! Below are the names of each student inducted into NJHS:

8th  Grade

Rachel Czagas

Conley Martin

Maddy McKnight

Grace Melancon

7th Grade

Philip Belanger

Ava Benningfield

Katelyn Bienko

Emerson Bonin

Ben Cearley

Jaeda Dumas

Lydia Duphorne

Max Ferrell

Daniel Hamm

Michael Hawryluk

Brooke Intrau

Maddie McCown

Elizabeth Montalbano

Lauren Murray

Madison Mynes

Caleb Poirrier

Zach Powers

Constanza Quaglia

Caitlyn Waller

Middle School Math Olympics Team

Eighteen students were selected to compete in the ACSI Math Olympics competition based on their high scores in the categories of computation and reasoning. Many on the team placed in this competition. We are so proud of the team’s hard work and accomplishments!

2021-2022 Middle School Math Olympics Team

Sixth Grade Computation

• Jane Belanger
• Emma Estrada
• Kira Farrington

Sixth Grade Reasoning

• Reagan Laidlaw
• Rex Schraeder
• Chelsea Scott

Seventh Grade Computation

• Elizabeth Montalbano
• Zach Powers
• Caitlyn Waller

Seventh Grade Reasoning

• Matthew Belanger
• Philip Belanger
• Connie Quaglia

Eighth Grade Computation

• Addie Basham
• Sophie Fransen
• Finn Howren

Eighth Grade Reasoning

• Keaon Chalton
• Riley Chelette
• Michael Conomos

ACSI Middle School Math Olympics Results

• First Place MEDAL – Philip Belanger, Seventh Grade Reasoning

• Second Place – Jane Belanger, Sixth Grade Computation
• Second Place – Zach Powers, Seventh Grade Computation
• Second Place – Chelsea Scott, Sixth Grade Reasoning

• Third Place – Matthew Belanger, Seventh Grade Reasoning
• Third Place – Michael Conomos, Eighth Grade Reasoning
• Third Place – Emma Estrada, Sixth Grade Computation

• Fourth Place – Caitlyn Waller, Seventh Grade Computation

• Fifth Place – Keaon Chalton, Eighth Grade Reasoning
• Fifth Place – Elizabeth Montalbano, Seventh Grade Computation
• Fifth Place – Connie Quaglia, Seventh Grade Reasoning

NJHS Thanks Our Firefighters

Eighth-Grade Supreme Court Simulation

Eighth-grade U.S. history students partook in a Supreme Court simulation on Tuesday. Students were assigned different roles, such as Justices, clerks, prosecutors Solicitor Generals, and journalists. Each role was vital to the success of the project and presented each student with a unique challenge that helped them see firsthand how a Supreme Court hearing is conducted. The simulation was a success and students worked hard preparing for their case arguments.

Eighth-Grade Girls Bless the Homeless

On Monday, the eighth-grade girls’ Bible study gathered during lunch for their weekly Bible study. They combined the study with a mission project to show Agape love to those who are often unseen on this Valentine’s Day. 

Mrs. Mynes, Mrs. Potts and Mrs. Fransen assembled “blessing bags” with the girls for the homeless. The bags were stuffed with food, water, a “Jesus Loves You” bracelet and a “Plan of Salvation” tract. The girls wrote cards of encouragement for each bag, telling the recipient that they are loved and known by Christ!

It’s never too late to join! All eighth-grade girls always welcomed on Mondays during lunch in Room C2.

MS Boys Soccer are District Runners-Up!

The middle school boys soccer team had a great and ever-improving season. From November 18, 2021, the young Warriors went on an eight-game winning streak, which the team was able to achieve by their sheer willingness and determination to be the best and learn the wonderful game of soccer. The team only sustained three losses, regarded as lessons, which brought a sense of hunger and fight to these talented young men. These lessons enabled everyone to step up and become leaders in their various positions, enlightened each and every player to see their significance to the team and opened their minds to push themselves past their limits.

One out of the three lessons came in the championship game where the Warriors learned to have heart, bravery and mental toughness. Even though the team lost a few players during the season, they did not allow this to discourage them, but rather they found strength in that and fought to the very end. 

The definition of a Warrior is someone who finds bravery in adversity, someone who even when faced with trials, never gives up, and who shows resilience in whatever it is they are doing. These young men showed this entire season that they are the true definition of Warriors. Their coaches cannot wait to see what each of them will accomplish next season.

Middle School Boys Basketball Awards

The middle school boys basketball team had their team awards program Saturday in the East Gym.

The middle school boys A Team was coached by Craig Cleveland.

Award winners (pictured left to right):

William Iler – Defensive Award

James Reeves – Warrior Award

Charles Rizzutto – Warrior Award

Ben Cearley – Most Improved Award

Finn Howren – Offensive Award and MVP

Blake Hummel – Timothy Award (not pictured)

The middle school boys B Team was coached by Ryan Leatch.

Award winners (pictured left to right):

Matthew Belanger – Warrior Award

Damian Reyna – Offensive Award and MVP

Philip Belanger – Defensive Award 

Kyler Khuong – Timothy Award (not pictured)

Brandon Trieu – Most Improved Award (not pictured)

The middle school boys C Team was coached by Darryl Phipps.

Award winners (pictured left to right):

Perry Dziubarczyk – Offensive Award

Jackson Connelly – Timothy Award

Uriel Smith – Warrior Award

Houston Davis – Defensive Award and MVP

Maximus Payton – Most Improved (not pictured)

Genetics and DNA

Seventh-graders completed their genetics and DNA unit in their life science class by completing the strawberry DNA extraction lab. Students worked together to learn how simple household ingredients could help them extract the DNA from strawberries in a thick strand that could be seen without a microscope!

MS Girls Soccer are District Champions!

What a wonderful season the Lady Warriors middle school soccer team had!

The season began with the Lady Warriors losing the season opening game. The Warriors put this first game behind them with dignity, dedication, poise and hard work. They finished the season with a record of 9-2-2, winning all of their district games and securing first place in the district and a place in the championship game.

The championship game was intense from kickoff with the Lady Warriors striking at the opponent’s goal within the first five minutes of the game. The game was back and forth even with the Lady Warriors having ball possession 90% of the game. The Warriors had a difficult time putting a goal in the back of the net and the spectators were at the edge of their seats with every strike on goal. The Northland defensive line was formidable but with persistence and composure the Lady Warriors pressed and with skill found the back of the net and put the Warriors up 1-0.

The Warriors played the remainder of the game as if the score was 0-0, winning the district championship with a final score of 1-0.

Congratulations, Lady Warriors !!!

MS Girls Basketball Teams in the Playoffs

The middle school girls basketball program has had a great season with both teams advancing to the playoffs. The B-Team girls are first in their district and host Covenant Christian Academy in the West Gym tonight. The A-Team girls are second in their district and will travel to Huntsville to play Alpha Omega.

Winning teams will advance to the championship game that will be played on Saturday, January 29.

Middle School Swim Had a Great Season

The CCS middle school swim team ended its 2021-2022 season with a very strong performance at the Southeast Texas Private Middle School Championships on January 20. The Warriors finished fourth in the team competition, and most impressively set 20 personal best times during the meet. Top 10 finishes in individual competition were:

David Achterkirch – 6th (100 Free)

Remi Brashier – 6th (100 Individual Medley), 5th (50 Back)

Zoe Brashier – 8th (50 Breast)

Grace Melancon – 6th (200 Free)

Lexi Stamos – 6th (100 Free), 4th (50 Butterfly)

Guy Stamos – 2nd (50 Back), 3rd (50 Butterfly)

Peyton Whitmarsh – 1st (50 Butterfly), 1st (50 Back)

Other team members included: Madeline Boctor, Sophie Boctor, Lydia Duphorne, Kayla Geyer, Arianna Guajardo, Mariella Lee, Caitlin Melancon, Emma Oliverson, Sarah Swan and Sydney Swan.

Way to go, Warriors! Congratulations on a great swim season!

Middle School Christmas Play “Operation Christ Child”

CCS middle school theater is back! This week, the Intro to Theatre class presented the play “Operation Christ Child” to their friends and family. The show gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look as the angels arrange one of the greatest events in history, the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Characters included the angels, the shepherds, King Herod, the wise men, the innkeeper, Mary and Joseph. Thanks to everyone who came out to support these actors. 

Cross Country Awards

The CCS varsity cheer team competed in the TAPPS State Cheer Competition this week and placed 4th, earning a superior rating.

Abbie Hirth & Ashlyn Jackson were named First Team All-State. Claire Achterkirch & Addison Petru were named Second Team All-State. Evie Greenberg was a finalist in individual tumbling.

Great job, Warriors!

Christmas Card Contest Winners

Earlier in the fall, CCS announced the annual Christmas Card Contest and asked elementary and secondary students to submit artwork depicting the story of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This year, eight works of art were selected to create Christmas cards to be sent to preschools, vendors, donors and fellow Christian schools.

Congratulations to these talented artists!

In no particular order:

1. Cailea Chalton – Grade 8

2. Lilyana Balderas – Grade 11

3. Reagan Lubs – Grade 10

4. Victoria Weaver – Kindergarten

5. Regina Hernandez-Rodriguez – Grade 10

6. Rachel Czagas – Grade 8

7. Mary Ellis Shappley – Grade 1

8. Colton Fields – Grade 5