Coronavirus Information

Updates in Response to COVID-19

In an effort to publicly communicate the current status of any school-associated cases COVID-19, as required by MDHHS MCL 333.2253, Lenawee Christian School provides the following information. Note that additional documentation, including operational plans, cleaning protocols, and expectations for our staff and students can be obtained by contacting our school office staff at (517) 265-7590.

1/15/2021

We continue to pray for the health and care of our students, families and community. We appreciate your prayers and support as well. This report reflects what happened this past week. Thank you for your continue prayers for our football team as well as all of our students and staff.

Updates for the week ending 1/15:

Positive Tests:

One positive secondary student

New Close Contact Quarantines:

Two Little Cougar students
One staff member
One elementary student
Two secondary students

1/8/2021

We continue to pray for the health and care of our students, families and community. We appreciate your prayers and support as well. This report reflects what happened this week but majority of quarantines are a result of close contact prior to the return of school. Through two weeks of football team participating in the MDHHS pilot program so that they can play tomorrow, we have had one positive case which is reported below.

Updates for the week ending 1/8:

Positive Tests:

One positive secondary student

New Close Contact Quarantines:

One Little Cougar student
Two staff members
Five elementary students
16 secondary students

12/18/2020

We have made it to Christmas break. Praise the Lord! We continue to pray for the health and care of our students, families and community. We appreciate your prayers and support as well. Today, MDHHS, re-opened high schools as of December 21. This does not affect us as we are on break, but unless otherwise directed, we will see all students in-person on on January 4th. Please pay attention to email prior to the 4th for any updates.

Updates for the week ending 12/18:

Positive Tests:

No new positive tests to report.

New Close Contact Quarantines from outside of school:

One Little Cougar student
Two Little Cougar staff members
One elementary student

12/11/2020

This week’s report is much shorter. Praise the Lord! We continue to pray for the health and care of our students, families and community. We appreciate your prayers and support as well. Secondary students will end their semester on December 15 with middle school in-person and high school in remote learning. Elementary students will conclude classes for 2020 on Thursday, December 17.

Updates for the week ending 12/11:

Positive Tests:

No new positive tests to report.

New Close Contact Quarantines:

One secondary staff member
Two elementary students
One Little Cougar student

12/4/2020

The last report I sent was on 11/20 and I did not send out an update because of the short week with Thanksgiving. We continue to pray for the health and care of our students, families and community. We appreciate your prayers and support as well. With the new CDC guidelines on quarantines coming out this week, I have contacted the Lenawee County Health Department and asked for clarification if that impacts the length of our quarantines yet. As soon as I hear from them and if it impacts a length of quarantine for your student, then I will contact you as soon as soon as possible.

High school students remain in remote through December 8. As soon as we know more about the direction of this, we will contact families. An email went out today from Mr. Crafts about possible scenarios concerning the calendar and course work.

Positive Tests:

Four high school students tested positive who are in remote learning but reported it to us.
One elementary student tested positive which resulted in the class being quarantined for two weeks. They will return on December 7.
One staff member tested positive in the elementary. The class was quarantined but was allowed to return this week.
One elementary staff had multiple COVID symptoms. A test was not done, but out of caution, remote learning for the class was implemented and the situation was treated as a positive case. They will return to in-person on December 9^th.
A daycare staff tested positive. A total of four staff quarantined along with 12 kids for contact tracing.

Close Contact Quarantines

11 secondary students including four middle school students
In the elementary, 10 students in quarantine in addition to the two classrooms
One student in Little Cougars
Two staff members

We are continuously blessed by our other students attending in-person learning. We pray to have everyone back healthy at some point next week.

11/20/2020

It has been a different type of week than we’ve experienced this year, but God continues to richly bless us. Our high school students were mandated to go remote learning by MDHHS through December 8th. We had one of early elementary rooms quarantined after a staff member tested positive for COVID on Monday. There were also four other staff members in quarantine due to contact tracing. These four are non-symptomatic and one can return on 11/23 and the other three will return post-Thanksgiving. These are from three separate contact incidents. We have six students who are added to our contact tracing list. All of these were from contacts outside of the school. Praise God for his continue protection of LCS! This is not the week we expected, but we know that God is not surprised by anything and He is still on the throne! As a reminder, please continue to do the health screening each day prior to school and if your student is sick, please keep them home. We appreciate your continue prayers and support.

11/13/2020

As we transition into next week, we have students returning from quarantine. All of these students were symptom-free. We have four different students and one non-classroom staff member in quarantine due to close contact protocols that happened outside of school. These students are currently non-symptomatic. Praise God for his continue protection of LCS! As a reminder, please continue to do the health screening each day prior to school and if your student is sick, please keep them home. We appreciate your continue prayers and support. Our cross country teams placed 13th (girls) and 14th (boys) at the state meet last weekend and our boys soccer team won the state championship! Our football team plays tomorrow in the regional final in Morrice at 2:00. We give all glory to God for this historic fall sports season. Have a blessed weekend.

11/06/2020

We are very pleased to share that we only have four students in quarantine due to close contact protocols that happened outside of school. These students are non-symptomatic and two will return next week. Praise God for his continue protection of LCS! As a reminder, please continue to do the health screening each day prior to school. We appreciate your continue prayers and support and pray you all have a wonderful weekend. Go Cougars as cross country and soccer are in the Finals tomorrow, and football plays in the Regional semi-final tonight at 7:00.

10/30/2020

We are very pleased to share that we only have one student in quarantine due to close contact protocols that happened outside of school. The student will be cleared to be back in school on Monday. Praise God for his continue protection of LCS! As a reminder, please continue to do the health screening each day prior to school. We appreciate your continue prayers and support and pray you all have a wonderful weekend.

10/23/2020

Last week we shared we were monitoring some students who were in quarantine due to close contact protocols. We’re pleased to share they never had symptoms and will be done with their quarantine. We also have a non-classroom staff member who was quarantined this week because of close contact. The staff member has not had any symptoms and will be out of quarantine on Monday. We are monitoring one other student in quarantine and following close contact protocols. Praise God for his continued protection of LCS! As a reminder, please continue to do the health screening each day prior to school. We appreciate your continue prayers and support and pray you all have a wonderful weekend.

10/16/2020

As of today, we are monitoring a few students who may need to quarantine due to close contact with a COVID positive person outside of school. Praise God for his continued protection of LCS! As a reminder, please continue to do the health screening each day prior to school. We appreciate your continue prayers and support. We pray that you all have a wonderful weekend.

10/09/2020

As of today, we are pleased to report that we do not have any students in quarantine or any being monitored due to close contact possibilities. Praise God for his continue protection of LCS! We pray that we you all have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. As a reminder, there is no school for students on Monday, October 12th, due to professional development for teachers.

10/02/2020

As of today, we do not have any students in quarantine or any being monitored due to close contact possibilities. Praise God for his continue protection of LCS! We pray that we you all have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Remembering Mrs. Ruth Merillat

Photographs of Ruth Merillat During Her Life

August 19, 2020

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Mrs. Ruth Merillat died this afternoon surrounded by her family in Charlevoix, Michigan. She was 99.

As a seven-year-old girl, Ruth accepted the call to follow Jesus Christ, her source of hope and life. Today, she is worshiping and celebrating her Creator in heaven and is reunited with her husband, Orville, for the first time since his departure in 1999.

Ruth was born January 18, 1921 to Wilbur and Edna Meller on their farm east of Wauseon, Ohio. She learned the value of hard work as a young girl as she and her older sister helped her father run the family farm. During her senior year of high school, she spent time with friends at a local ice cream parlor. One day, a young man from the small village of Tedrow, Orville D. Merillat, happened to be in the parlor and was immediately taken by her. He asked Ruth to go out with him, and she said no to his first few requests. Eventually, she gave in to the persistent young man’s request and went on a date.

After high school, Ruth moved to Toledo where she attended beauty school. Upon her graduation as a beauty operator, she remained in Toledo working at a local beauty parlor. Over the next two years, Orville drove to Toledo on the weekends to visit Ruth and continue his courtship. On January 19, 1941, they were married in a small wedding surrounded by family and friends.

For God and Country

Over the next eleven months, Ruth and Orville made their home in Wauseon. On December 7, while driving home from a meal with church friends, they heard over the radio about the attack on Pearl Harbor. They knew their lives and their world would never be the same. Mr. Merillat signed up to serve in the Coast Guard where he was offered the opportunity to serve as a first-class carpenter. His first station was in San Francisco, California, where they moved after his basic training.

While in San Francisco, Ruth was hired at a small factory that repaired damaged fighter planes. The planes would arrive with bullet holes, and Ruth worked as a riveter to repair the holes and return the planes to active service. Orville’s unit was later deployed on a Navy LST (Landing Ship, Tank), which delivered troops and tanks to various islands in the Pacific ocean. Knowing that Orville’s deployment would last years, Ruth moved to Adrian, Michigan, joining her mother who was employed in a local factory.

A Small Cabinet Shop

Over the next few years, while separated by thousands of miles, they saved their wages in hopes that someday they could begin to pursue their dreams. After Orville was discharged from the Coast Guard in October of 1945, Ruth and Orville purchased a small lot on Springbook Avenue in Adrian where they would later fulfill their dream of owning a small cabinet shop. They began building a 60 by 40-foot structure the following spring. Ruth served as the first bookkeeper because it was a subject she loved in high school. They opened for business on September 1, 1946 with a simple plan, “If it was made of wood…we would make it,” Ruth said.

While in the process of building, the young couple welcomed their only child, a son, Richard, in June of 1946. Richard would grow up learning every aspect of the family business. “He grew up too fast,” Ruth said. “He was always working with us, sweeping the floor when he was little.” Richard would later become the president and lead the family business to unparalleled success. “He enjoyed the business,” she said.
After Orville’s health started to decline in the 1980’s, Ruth and Orville decided it was time to retire from leading the family business and invest their time and attention into their new dreams of supporting Christian education and starting a Christian ministry for youth and family.

New Dreams Realized

In 1977, Ruth and Orville co-founded Trenton Hills Christian School, now Lenawee Christian School, led by their desire to see children raised with an understanding of life through a biblical worldview and to value our country as a place where we can worship God without fear or persecution. “We felt it was important to have a godly foundation in the lives of our youth so that their influence in the future will help our country stay strong and grounded in the truth and strength of the Lord,” Ruth said. “On a personal note, we wanted all these things for our granddaughters who were very young at the time the school started. We realized that the good we wanted for them was also the good we wanted for all youth everywhere. So we invested some time and money to establish a Christian school that we hope will produce significant, Christian leaders in Lenawee County and literally throughout the world.”

Testing God’s Promise

Ruth’s work as bookkeeper, wife, and mother was secondary to their involvement in their ministry. “Church was the priority in our life. We got such a blessing from helping, which made us work harder. We wanted to do more [to help the Church]…and we made sacrifices to do it.”

During her life, Ruth and Orville used their time, talent, and treasure in service to the Lord all over the world. They desired to see as many people as possible come to know Christ through church ministry, education, healthcare, and in support of healthy families. Their faithfulness to support the work of the Lord around the world stemmed from the challenge found in Malachi 3:10, which says,“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it,’” (NIV)

They faithfully tithed and tested God’s promise and God fulfilled it. During Ruth’s life, she certainly saw financial and corporate success, but those successes merely were supports to their true goals, to see people grow closer to Jesus Christ and to lay a godly foundation in the lives of future leaders. As a result of Ruth and Orville’s work in ministry, she saw thousands of students develop an understanding of life through a biblical worldview, hundreds of thousands of lives improved at the Christian Family Centre they founded, and countless lives touched through the colleges, hospitals, churches, ministries, and universities they supported. “We wanted to make a difference,” Ruth said.

Leaving a Legacy

Today, Ruth Merillat received her eternal reward, to be together with her Savior, Jesus Christ, in her heavenly home. She leaves behind her son, Richard, his wife, Lynette, their three daughters, Wendy R. (Craig) Lyon of Naples, FL, Collette C. Merillat of Northville, MI, and Tricia (David) McGuire of Ann Arbor, MI, and seven great-grandchildren.

“As the co-founder of our ministry, we are so incredibly thankful for the heart of service, example, and care that Ruth exemplified during the time we shared with her on Earth,” said Dr. Jim Colman, CEO of Lenawee Christian Ministries. “For nearly a century, Ruth lived in service to Christ, and in love toward others. The true impact of Ruth’s life will never be known, this side of heaven, but we know that the lives of anyone who knew her are forever changed because of her leadership, love, kindness, and selflessness.”

A Request from the Merillat Family

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Ruth Merillat Memorial Scholarship Fund at Lenawee Christian School. Donations can be made online below or via mail to LCS Advancement, 111 Wolf Creek Hwy, Adrian, MI, 49221.

Make a Memorial Contribution

Love Your Neighbor

Dr. Jim Colman, Mrs. Heather Holsopple, and Dr. Ben Bempong share their perspectives, hopes, and introduce our plan for addressing racial and ethnic injustice.

July 8, 2020

The past few weeks have clearly shown that much hurt and injustice remain in our country and our world. Since the founding of Lenawee Christian School, our core values have included a commitment to train our staff and students that every individual shares equal worth before God, but recent events have shown us that we haven’t done enough. In response to this realization, we have turned our focus inward to discover ways we are unwittingly contributing to the problems so clearly identified in our culture and society. Our inward reflection has identified two key areas we want to address. First, we want to make much stronger statements with our words to support those who face injustice and discrimination. Second, we want to take intentional actions that will contribute to solving the problems of injustice and discrimination. While crafting these efforts, we want to inform and shape our decisions with the insights of those who can personally relate to the issues we’re trying to address.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Mrs. Heather Holsopple and Dr. Ben Bempong, two of my esteemed colleagues. They both have hearts that desire to see racial, cultural, or ethnic injustice and discrimination end. I encourage you to take the time to hear from them in the video message above. They will work closely with me as we improve or implement each of the statements shared below.

As a faith-based organization that seeks to glorify God in all things, the administration and staff at Lenawee Christian School unequivocally state the following:

Every student at LCS, regardless of race, culture, or ethnicity, is created in the image of God and has equal value in His eyes.
Every student at LCS, regardless of race, culture, or ethnicity, will have access to equal opportunities for spiritual enrichment, academic advancement, emotional support, and social engagement.
LCS administrators and staff will do everything in their power within the boundaries of their oversight to identify, oppose, and correct any student, teacher, or staff member who speaks or acts in a way that demonstrates racial, cultural, or ethnic bias, insensitivity, or ignorance.
LCS administrators will develop intentional programs designed to increase racial, cultural, and ethnic sensitivity among students and staff members.
LCS administrators and staff will seek to identify and change procedures and practices that contribute to systemic racial, cultural, or ethnic discrimination or injustice.
LCS administrators will seek the input and advice of parents, pastors, and professionals who identify with the school’s racial minority populations or who have a significant connection to individuals from racial minority populations.
LCS administrators will appoint a staff member who identifies as a racial minority or who has a significant connection to individuals from racial minority populations to serve as a student and staff liaison. This staff member will provide a safe place for students and staff to discuss uncomfortable situations they are experiencing or to report potential abuse of LCS’ race, culture, and ethnic standards.
The leaders of LCS recognize that racial, cultural, and ethnic discrimination and injustice have terribly stained society in the past, that these discriminations and injustices continue to raise their ugly heads in our current society, and that these discriminations and injustices have no place in an organization whose employees are committed to loving others as Jesus Christ loves us.

As an organization, we have much to learn, but we desire to better understand the pain that racial minorities, especially the black community, have felt and are feeling so we can take action to help. If you have questions or constructive comments regarding our plans, please contact me.

Thank you for taking the time to listen as we share from our hearts on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jim Colman
CEO, Lenawee Christian Ministries

The Piano Lab

A New Music Program Begins at LCS

At the 2018 LCS Dinner & Auction, a challenge was issued to raise funds for a new music training program which incorporated the use of pianos in a classroom setting. The “Piano Lab,” as it was dubbed, would allow students from elementary through high school to be introduced to instrumental music and music theory using one of the most iconic instruments on earth.

Within weeks of the funds being raised, our plan suddenly changed when the original manufacturer discontinued the entire program we had planned to implement. Our vocal music teacher, Mrs. Zeng, and our director of advancement, Mrs. Black, and our CEO, Dr. Colman worked to specify a solution that would provide the benefits of the original plan, but with even better technology. As of this November, the vision of the piano lab was realized.

Students in first through fifth grades were given a “sneak peek” of the lab space in early November, as the new training program will begin this month, in January. “The students of all ages are very excited about the lab and we are very thankful we have this amazing resource,” said Mrs. Zeng.

Each piano “station” can provide training for one or two users simultaneously. Users wear headphones to follow along as they play. According to the manufacturer, the keyboards have three modes of operation; Lecture, Practice and Group. In Lecture Mode, students hear the teacher’s microphone and instrument as well as their own instruments. In Practice Mode, students hear only his or her own instrument and the teacher has the option of eavesdropping or initiating two-way communication. In Group Mode, students can listen to the instruments and microphones of other group members. Each keyboard can also connect to more advanced equipment (computers, etc.) as the program develops.

“Music education like the piano lab has been proven to improve language skills, test scores, listening skills, math skills, relieve stress, improve creativity, and raise self-esteem,” said Mrs. Black. “Thank you to all who helped us provide this exciting new learning opportunity for our students! We look forward to seeing and hearing the fruits of this investment in our school community!”

Give. Love. LCS.

Today is #GivingTuesday! When you make a gift to LCS, you fund opportunities that transform the lives of our students and their families. You support scholarships that enable deserving, motivated young students to thrive within a Christ-centered environment. Your support TODAY will help to bring top-notch faculty to our campus, support families who lack the resources but who desire to attend our school, and provide state-of-the-art technology for labs and classrooms.

We are grateful to those donors who choose to show their love for LCS through generous financial support. Will you show your love for LCS by giving a gift to our students today?

Every day, the amazing stories we hear from our students and families are made possible by your support. Thank you for joining us this #GivingTuesday! As 2019 rolls to a close, we look forward to sharing stories of LCS families with you.

Donate Today

LCS Launches Robotics Club

We recently began a new Robotics Club after school program for our upper elementary and middle school students! Mr. Chris Nelson, the club leader and our director of technology, shared about the successful launch of this exciting new initiative. “It is amazing! Our plan was to provide enough robots for up to 24 students. So far, 48 students have joined the club!” We asked how the program has gained momentum so quickly. He shared that the robotics leaders hosted a showcase night a few weeks ago where students could try out three areas of the robotics experience. Students drove fully-functional robots through various challenges on a competition table. Students could also see an example of how to program the robots to achieve the desired results in a competition setting. Robotics kits were also available so that students could become familiar with how the robots are built. Parents then signed up their students for the program if they were interested in moving forward. “We were really excited to see so much interest,” said Mr. Nelson.

At the first official meeting last week, students began learning how to build a robot using a competition-ready kit from Vex Robotics. “We started by giving students the opportunity to work together in small groups to build a robot using an instruction manual similar to what you would find in a Lego kit,” Mr. Nelson explained. Since the building process takes a few sessions to complete, the group leaders are using the time to form functional teams. in the second week, teams continued to build the robots they started the first week and additional groups were created as new students joined. Since some students will gravitate more toward driving or programming, Mr. Nelson and his team are identifying those students who really enjoy the building process. Each team will need to have people to program, build, and drive, especially if those teams desire to compete in robotics competitions.

Mr. Tom Durbin, LCS Head of School explained the two tracks that robotics club members can choose. “The first track is designed for students who are just exploring robotics. Those students will come to our weekly meetings and enjoy learning and experiencing the process of building, programming, and driving robots. For students who want to get more involved, there is a competition track,” said Mr. Durbin. “Students who want to compete will work with a coach and likely have additional practice time outside of the larger weekly club meeting. They will design, build, and program their own custom-designed robot within the specifications allowed by the robotics competition. They will then enter and compete against other schools in area robotics events which could lead to higher levels of competition at state, national, and even international levels.”

This robotics program provides such a fantastic opportunity for our students. It creates opportunities to learn about teamwork, responsibility, accountability, design strategy, problem solving, the importance of communication, relationship-building, and certainly provides growth opportunities in science, engineering, and math. Mr. Nelson said, “I’m a sports guy, and I’ve been surprised to see robotics provide more powerful team-building opportunities than sports! It’s unbelievable to see how these kids work together, communicate, and grow.”

This club robotics initiative was funded by our spring Jog-A-Thon. The club is an addition to our existing in-school robotics program which was funded by our 2018 Dinner & Auction event. Our Director of Advancement, Mekeisha Black, commented on the impact of the gifts given toward the robotics programs. “I’m so grateful for the donors who provided the funding so we can offer these programs. Their generosity is allowing our students to begin this exciting journey of exploration in the world of science, technology, engineering, and math. To see such an overwhelming response from our students is a beautiful affirmation of the timeliness of those gifts. On behalf of all our students, ‘Thank you!’”

We will continue to follow the progress of our club over the next few months. We look forward to celebrating the adventures this new program brings to our students and to LCS!

Little Cheer & Future Playmaker 2019

Future Playmaker

Train along side our football team and coaches! Participants will learn various techniques, drills, and fundamentals that will give your child and edge on game day! Led by our middle school coaches and players, your Pre-K* through Fifth Grade students will enjoy time on the field learning from our very own Cougars! Future Playmaker participants will also take the field with our Varsity Cougars before they take on Athens HS!

Registration Includes:

Future Playmaker Jersey
Interaction and Instruction from our Football Staff and Team
Homecoming Day Admission for Participant and One Parent

Age Requirements:

Pre-K – Fifth Grade (*Pre-K Students must be accompanied by an adult)

Time and Dates:

Practice: Thursday, September 26 from 3:30-5 PM
Game Day: Friday, September 27 from 5:30 PM to Start of Game

Locations:

Check-In: LCS Practice Field
Practice and Game Day: LCS Practice Field (between Cougar field and the varsity baseball field)

Program Fees:

Little Cheer

Meet and train with the Cougar Cheerleaders! Participants will learn various formations and cheers! Led by our very own Cheer Coaches and Cheer Team, your Pre-K* through Fifth Grade students will enjoy learning from our very own Cougars! Little Cheer participants will also take their new cheer skills to the sideline and join our Varsity Cougars on game day!

Registration Includes:

Little Cheer Shirt
Pom-Poms
Interaction and Instruction from our Cheer Team and Coaches
Homecoming Day Admission for Participant and One Parent

Age Requirements:

Pre-K – Fifth Grade (*Pre-K Students must be accompanied by an adult)

Time and Dates:

Practice: Thursday, September 26 from 3:30-5 PM
Game Day: Friday, September 27 from 5:30 PM to End of Q1

Locations:

Practice and Game Day Check-In: LCS Gym (Elementary/North Side)
Game Day Activities: Cougar Field (Meet in the LCS gym)

Program Fees:

Excellence Achieved – A Look Back at the 2018-2019 School Year

As days turn into weeks and then into years, it’s easy to forget the moments of real progress. Each photo in this album is evidence of students striving toward their full potential. The collection of photos is like the “pile of stones” that Joshua asked the Levites to build as a way to remember when God miraculously made a way for the Israelites to enter the promised land (Joshua 4). LCS focuses on achieving two outcomes in the lives of students, spiritual maturity and academic excellence. It’s only fitting that we stop and remember some of the moments when excellent learning and signs of maturity occurred this school year. We call it “Excellence Achieved.”

Live Love

Throughout the school year, we focused our attention on a passage in Romans 12:9-21 which gives us instructions of how to live out our faith and love others. Our students, staff, and parents took this theme to heart and put it into action in countless ways. While we don’t know all the moments when our students were living out love, we do know that they spent more than 4,300 hours serving needs in our community. We are so thankful for the many times students, teachers, administrators, and parents “lived love” this year by caring, serving, sacrificing, and supporting others.

$4 Million in Scholarships

When graduation day came, our secondary principal, Mr. Crafts, announced some of the achievements of the class of 2019. He shared about their positive impact on the school through their innovative ideas, wise spiritual guidance, exceptional co-curricular performance, and their academic success. As evidence of their diligence, the class was awarded over $4 million in college and university scholarships – a sign of the desire for these leaders to become innovators and influencers in the classrooms, clubs, and communities at many colleges and trade schools around the world. Congratulations to the Class of 2019!

Les Misérables

When an epic story pairs with a cast of talented stage actors, musicians, and crew, a magical creation is formed. In our spring production of Les Misérables, the story of redemption, love, and justice shone through the darkness of war. Crowds were captivated by the tale of Jean Valjean – a prisoner whose life was transformed by one simple act of mercy. This act served as the pivotal moment when Valjean left his destructive past and chose to “live love” to those around him. One local critic compared the quality of the show to those he’d seen on the stages of New York and Chicago. To those actors, directors, crew members, costumers, makeup artists, and set builders, congratulations on telling the tale in masterful fashion.

Haleigh Adams – All-State Cross Country

Haleigh Adams continued her winning ways this Cross-Country season, taking home her second consecutive All-State honor. Haleigh placed 22nd overall in the MHSAA Division 4 State Finals and currently holds the fourth spot in our list of all-time fastest Cougars. Congratulations on a momentous year, Haleigh!

Adam Baker – All-State Football

LCS Junior, Adam Baker, put on quite a show this year for the LCS varsity football team. On defense, Adam made 6 tackles for loss (73 tackles total), one sack, two interceptions, five pass-break-ups, and recovered a fumble. On offense, he passed for 1,618 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 64.7% of his 204 pass attempts. Adam also rushed for 419 yards and 5 touchdowns, averaging 4.9 per carry. On special teams, Adam punted 16 times for 482 (30.1 yards/punt). He was named to the Division 7-8 All-State defensive squads by the AP and Detroit News, earned Defensive Player of the Year from the Daily Telegram Sports, and earned All-SCAA honors on offense, defense, and special teams. Congratulations, Adam, on a remarkable season!

Middle School 3D Design & Printing

After the addition of three-dimensional (3D) printers in our middle school this year, students enjoyed the opportunity to pair their creativity with programming. Using various digital tools to develop and test their ideas, students sought to solve problems by designing and printing 3D objects. One example is in the lower-right corner of the graphic, a flowerpot designed to house a succulent plant. What a joy to see such engagement and excitement in the students who used this innovative technology! Thanks to all our donors who contributed to offer these new tools to our middle school students.

Libby Miller – All State Basketball

There are few moments more thrilling than a 3-point basket in those “clutch moments” of a tight game. During this basketball season, Libby Miller seemed to live for those moments. This season was record-breaking for Miller, who set two new marks for the Cougars with threes-made in a season (69) and in a career (130 and counting). She also etched her name into many post-season award lists including the All-State rosters from Detroit News and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. Of the many memories we have of this season, few are brighter than seeing Libby’s signature smile in the closing moments of the State Final game… evidence of her poise in yet another pressure situation. Thanks for leading well, Libby, when your team needed “calm” and “cool” in the “clutch.”

670 College Credits - Class of 2019

Over the past four years, members of the Class of 2019 spent a considerable amount of time exploring ideas beyond the scope of a typical high school curriculum. By taking college-level coursework, students gained valuable knowledge while earning credit toward a college degree. These courses also provide them with the potential of saving time and reducing the cost of their college experience. Many of our graduates use these savings to enter their advanced degree programs sooner or reduce their degree completion time. Congratulations to the members of the class of 2019, who earned 670 college credits through our dual enrollment program!

Bree Salenbien – All-State Volleyball

This past fall, LCS sophmore, Bree Salenbien, was named All-County, All-Region, and All-State for her effective performance during the varsity volleyball season! Bree led our state-ranked Cougars to a Regional Championship and led the team with 385 kills. Way to go, Bree!

Hunter Adams – All-State Cross Country

When Hunter began his senior season, he was in reach of becoming the fastest male to ever put on the Cougars Cross Country uniform. On October 20, at the Michigan Class D State Championships, his personal record time of 16 minutes and 24 seconds placed him into the top spot, edging the ten-year-old record previously set by Will Brown in 2008 (16:25.5). At the MHSAA State Finals, Hunter capped his career with All-State status after placing ninth in the race.

Middle School Honors Band

Four LCS middle school students, Grace S., Heidi S., Madi B., and Carlie B. accepted their nomination to join the Lenawee County Band Directors Association 2019 Middle School Honors Band. These gifted musicians joined more than one-hundred Lenawee County middle school students to prepare and perform for a concert last March. Congratulations, ladies, on being recognized as four of the best middle school musicians in Lenawee County!

Girls Cross Country – Academic All-State

One of the challenges of being involved in the many opportunities outside of the classroom is effectively managing schoolwork. Our girls #LCSXC team this year showed how well they managed their studies by earning Academic All-State honors! The Cougars placed second in team GPA at the Class D State Cross Country meet, earning them this honor. Thanks for setting a great example both in the classroom and on the course, ladies! #ExcellenceAchieved #LCSStories

Jameson Chesser – All-State Football

When looking back on the 2018 #LCSFootball season, one might wonder if the Cougars were playing a video game instead of on the gridiron. As a case in point, sophomore Jameson Chesser racked up 81 tackles in only 8 games and sent opponents backwards on 13 of them. He sacked opposing quarterbacks twice, forced two fumbles, and recovered two more. When in the backfield on offense, Jameson ran for 354 yards and scored 8 touchdowns, 4 rushing and 4 receiving. He also returned a kickoff for a touchdown, kicked two field goals, and added 18 extra points on 21 attempts. For those keeping score, that’s 78 points on the season! For his efforts on the field, Jameson earned Division 7-8 All-State honors from the Detroit News and the Associated Press, All-County (Linebacker), and All-Conference on offense and defense. What a memorable season!

Isaac Goniea – State Honors Choir

This past winter, LCS Senior Isaac Goniea was selected to join the 2019 State High School Honors Choir. Only 300 high school students in Michigan were bestowed this honor based on their performance at several regional events. After months of practice at home, the TTBB choir joined together for two days of practice and performance in the DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids. What an incredible honor! Congratulations, Isaac!

Dani Salenbien - All-State Basketball

On the day before the State Championship game, Coach Salenbien spent time with the team practicing strategies that they would employ against the Saints of St. Ignace. Near the end of the practice, the team imagined that they had a small lead and leaned on the point guard, Dani Salenbien, to lead the team to the final buzzer. The next day, the Cougars found themselves in that exact scenario. With only a few minutes remaining, and a four-point lead, Coach Salenbien trusted the plan and let the girls play. “She’s the floor general,” coach Salenbien said. “We trust her.” He watched Dani take command of the offense and lead the Cougars past the attacks of the scrappy Saints. After the buzzer sounded, the Cougars were Champions again. Congratulations on a phenomenal season, Dani! We look forward to seeing “The General” lead the Cougars again this year!

Tucker Rupp - All-State Soccer

LCS Junior soccer player Tucker Rupp turned in one of the more exciting individual performances in recent memory. Because of his performance, he earned All-ISL East Division first team honors and was named to the MIHSSCA All-State team! Despite being out for a week with an injury and playing the last third of this season with an arm in a cast, Rupp recorded 21 goals and 20 assists for the Cougars. His perseverance during such a trial showed his grit and team-first attitude. Congratulations, Tucker!

Vocal Music Concerts

As anyone who has ever enjoyed a recent performance by a LCS choir will tell you, plan to leave with a greater appreciation and understanding of vocal music. This year’s concerts were no exception! Using a unique blend of education, vocal performance, and art, Mrs. Zeng led the elementary, middle, and high school students to perform in outstanding ways this year. Thank you, students, for working so diligently to share your musical gifts with us!

Varsity Volleyball - Academic All-State

Our volleyball team had an incredible run this season, earning our first regional championship in many years. Their diligence extended beyond the court and into the classroom as well! Michigan Volleyball coaches recognized their efforts with Academic All-State honors! Way to go, Cougars!

Jameson Chesser - All-State Track & New School Records

Jameson Chesser really hit his stride this year. In the fall, he earned All-State status in football and then earned All-State honors in the 200m dash in track. Over the course of the spring, Jameson broke two 18-year-old school track records in the 100m and 200m races, both previously set by 2001 alumnus Lee Pennington during his senior season.

Secondary Band - District Competition

Members of our middle and high school bands performed this winter at the district event for the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association. Judges at the event scored our band in four skill areas, rating each area on a 1-to-5 scale. (One is a superior rating, two is an excellent, three is average, etc.) Our band this year scored 2, 2, 1, and 2 in the four areas, with an average rating of “excellent.” We would like to congratulate our musicians and our director, Mrs. Rubio, on their excellent rating!

Zach Riordan - All-State Soccer, LCS Record Holder

Over the past three seasons, Zach Riordan has built a significant resume of accomplishments as a player on the varsity soccer team. Coming off the 2017 campaign, which was cut short by injury, Zach led the Cougars to conference and district titles. After three seasons of scoring more than 30 goals, Zach ranks 17th in Michigan history for goals in a career (129), 12th in career points (goals+assists, 159), and holds the #8 spot for most goals in a single season (61, 2018). He has earned spots on All-State rosters for three years straight and was named the 2018 Player of the Year by The Daily Telegram!

Bree Salenbien - AP Player of the Year

When you think of the many impact players who have played in a LCS uniform, it doesn’t take long before someone mentions Bree Salenbien. In her first two years of high school, she has broken records and received recognition that few have the chance to experience. The remarkable thing about Bree is that, when getting to know her, she is humble, joyful, and unassuming. When asked about the best memory from the season, she didn’t mention the State championship, breaking the thousand-point mark, or her new record for free throws in a single game… she mentioned the time she spent bonding with her teammates at the hotel on championship weekend. “That was one of our highlights for sure. It was just so much fun, staying with everyone. That was a really great time.” After the season was over, Bree earned at least six All-State nominations for her performance on the hardwood, including being named by the Associated Press as the Player of the Year in Division 4 for the second-straight year. To meet her, you’d never know about her records or recognition, but you’ll never forget her humble nature, fearless faith, and friendly demeanor. Congratulations, Bree, on being “All In” both on and off the court.

A Christmas Carol

This past November, our drama students gave life to Charles Dickens’ classic tale, A Christmas Carol, and took us on a supernatural journey through of the life of Ebenezer Scrooge. We experienced the joys and sorrows of his past, the harshness of his present, and the projected legacy of his greed and cruelty. We were guided by spirit-characters who showed Scrooge kind-heartedness through Bob Cratchit, inspiration and love through Tiny Tim, joy through the Fezziwigs, and grace and forgiveness through Scrooge’s nephew, Fred. Through these scenes, Scrooge’s hardened heart was broken and made new A reminder that even the most undeserving can find redemption and eternal hope through repentance and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are so thankful for the care that our cast showed when ushering us through such a convicting, yet motivational adventure. Congratulations to all who worked so hard to share such a powerful story!

Hunter Adams – Fastest Distance Runner in School History

Over the past year, Hunter Adams has become the fastest long-distance runner in LCS history. In the fall, he set a new mark in the LCS record book running the 5000m Cross Country race in 16:24, breaking the previous mark set by Will Brown in 2008. He finished his #LCSXC career with All-State honors and then placed his focus firmly on track season. During the spring, Hunter broke two #LCSTrack records in the 1600m and 3200m long-distance events, both also held previously by Will Brown. He completed his running career with the Cougars by placing 2nd in the 1600m at State Finals and earning All-State honors. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, we are challenged to run our race to win. Hunter’s focus, discipline, and heart provided a great example of how to “…Run in such a way as to [win] the prize.” (9:24b, NIV) Congratulations on a great high school career, Hunter!

Back-to-Back State Champions - Girls Basketball

In the final four minutes of the 2019 Division 4 State Title game, those who wore black and gold or blue, white, and red were teetering on the edges of their seats. Reality had lived up to the expectations, and no one could predict how it would end. An experienced and undefeated team was wrestling with the battle-hardened defending champ and an entire arena was glued to the action. As the seconds passed, the chess match played out in dramatic fashion until the final buzzer sounded, which turned tension into joy for the Cougar faithful. LCS had won back-to-back titles! As we’ve reviewed the many moments of excellence from the last school year, many will recall where they sat when that buzzer sounded. Winning a State title is such a rare feat of endurance and grit. The moments shown here are just some of the many that were captured at the end of the game. They tell only some of the stories that will be remembered by the players, fans, and coaches. We’re so blessed to have been a part of such an event at the end of a remarkable season. Congratulations to the Cougars for playing “All In” and giving those wearing blue, white, and red the thrill of a lifetime.

LCS is an amazing place where a culture founded on the belief that we have a God-given responsibility to work with parents to bring up a child in “the way they should go,” based on the passage found in Proverbs 22:6. The outcome of this partnership between LCS, parents, and area churches is the achievement of excellence in school activities, studies, and spiritual formation.

Are you curious to know more about how a partnership with Lenawee Christian School can provide an excellent environment for your child? Contact our admissions team at admissions@lenawee.org or call 517-438-8820.

School Tours – Weekdays at Noon

Are you, or is someone you know exploring options in education? We are now offering school tours for prospective families every weekday at noon! Come and learn about our safe & stable environment, scholarships, spiritual formation, learning opportunities, and so much more!

There is no need to RSVP. Just show up at our High School entrance (just a short walk north of The Centre’s main entrance) and our friendly staff will guide you.

If you would prefer a personal tour, please schedule a visit with Heather at 517-438-8820 or via email at admissions@lenawee.org. We look forward to serving you!

Run for the Roses – Dinner & Auction

White horses are shown running in a race, layered over top of a painted watercolor rose. The text "Run for the Roses" sits to the left of the horses.

Run for the Roses - Annual Dinner & Auction Event

Join us for an unforgettable evening when we Run for the Roses!

This year’s Dinner & Auction event is themed after the famed Kentucky Derby. Break out the hats and dress to impress as we all support the school we love, LCS!

The event will take place at LCS on Saturday, March 2. Gates open at 5 pm and the Run for the Roses will begin at 6 pm.

For more information, call Mekeisha Black at 517-438-8830 or reach her via email. See you at the race!

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