COURTESY PHOTO
The Texoma Christian School academic team posed for a group photograph before being treated to a special lunch Tuesday. Fifteen members of the team qualified to compete at the TAPPS state level.
They came into the gymnasium with a quiet and happy excitement, some hugging their coaches and others calling out their cheerful hellos. Fifteen of these Texoma Christian School students are going, in academics, to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ state finals. The finals will be held at the Concordia University in Austin on March 30 and 31.
Administrator Jeff Burley teased about having the problem of finding transportation for this crew, as he spoke with them before a special luncheon in their honor Tuesday. One of the students later explained that usually only four or five make it to the state level, and so the transportation this year does issue a challenge. “That’s a good challenge, a good problem to have,” Burley said about hoping to find ways to transport them all by bus.
Challenges are normal to the TCS students, and they seem to accept them with enthusiasm. They traveled to the TAPPS 2A District competition on Feb. 9 and 10, and came away from that by winning over their nearest competitor by 50 points.
The students gathered first, in the gym, Tuesday for a group picture, not just of the 15 students moving on, but of all the academic team. The smiles in the photograph were real, placed there by all the good-natured joking and laughing between them while getting set up for the photograph. Then, they went to a second-story room for lunch.
Burley said the students are much like a big family, full of siblings who care for one another. “We are so blessed by each student at this school,” Burley and staff member Julie Bentsen both said. Some have attended the private school since Pre-K, and others have only been there a shorter time.
“You cannot know how impressed and proud we are of you guys and how you stepped up this year (for TAPPS contest). We are excited about all of you who participated, and for those who are going on to state,” Burley said, before asking student Marina Montano if she would say grace before they ate. “Oh, I would love to,” an excited Marina said as she stood to offer the prayer.
Those moving on to compete at the TAPPS state level are: Persuasive Speaking — Blake Burley; Spelling — Andrew Caver; Current Events — Trey Cogswell; Number Sense — Jacob Watson, Tyler Steele; Solo Acting — Sam Watson, Anna McGowan; Spanish — Citlaly Rangel, Alejandra Centeno, Marina Montano; Prose Interpretation — Marina Montano, Katy Branch; Current Events and Issues — Blake Burley; Social Studies — Crystal Johnson, Kathryn Sild; Duet Acting — Luke Maher & Carter Haney, Sam Watson & Garrett Gayoso; and Poetry Interpretation — Katy Branch.
Students who also brought home points in these categories from the district level were: Prose Interpretation — Julianna Hou; Poetry Interpretation — Madison Brown and Marina Montano; Spelling — Rachel Smith; Ready Writing — Luke Maher, Jackie Panos; Calculator — Richard Olmstead, Shelby Weatherly; Duet Acting — Katy Branch & Julian Hou; Science — Trey Cogswell; and Current Events and Issues — Dalton Tidwell.
Ciclaly, Alejandra, and Marina sat together, enjoying their chicken sandwiches at the lunch, and talked about the upcoming state contest. They agreed that they will be reviewing and practicing their Spanish between now and then, not having an exact list of questions, words, or meanings to study, but will be prepared. Katy, competing in Prose Interpretation, said it’s important to be ready, but not so much so that she passes the elements of spontaneity and emotion, important to her category.
