FREE ALUMNI TICKET - November 15th

DC has authorized the Alumni Relations office to offer a block of 50 free alumni tickets for the Thursday, November 15th performance of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" on a first-come, first serve basis. "Charlie Brown" was the very first musical presented by Dayton Christian back in the fall of 1973. It was last performed in 1981 by an all-faculty cast that included Paul Pyle as Schroeder, Bob Clements as Snoopy, Terry Chamberlain as Linus, Phil Hayes as Charlie Brown, Susan Neal as Lucy and Carole Reeves as Patty.

To reserve your free ticket, please contact the DC Drama Director, Dean Sellers before 9:00pm on Tuesday, November 13th.  He can be reached via phone at : (937) 291-7220 or e-mail at : dsellers@daytonchristian.com

Here's the official press release...

The Dayton Christian Drama department will be presenting the 1967 Broadway musical “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” on November 15, 16 and 17. The evening performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will start at 7:30pm and there will also be a 2:00pm Saturday matinee.  The show features the famous Peanuts characters – Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Patty and everyone’s favorite beagle – Snoopy, in a delightful and nostalgic musical comedy about childhood in the early 1960’s.

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, October 31st, (just in time for the arrival of the “Great Pumpkin”) and are $10 for adults and $6 for students. To reserve your seats contact Kelly Green at kgreen@daytonchristian.com or call (937) 291-7285. Seating is limited – so, good grief, don’t be a blockhead - order today! Join us for this exciting DC fall attraction and discover what “Brown can do for you”…

DC Alumni T-Shirts

As the DC Alumni Council prepared for the October "All-Alumni Reunion" we received several suggestions for t-shirt designs from our grads. However, these are the shirts that won the friendly competition.  With Christmas right around the corner, right now is the best time to place an order for your favorite Dayton Christian alumni!

CRUSADER FOOTBALL
It's true that we never had a varsity football team while we proudly cheered our beloved "Crusaders" - but that's precisely why we can claim that we've been "Undefeated Since 1963". These medium weight  90/10 preshrunk cotton polyester blend shirts come in sizes S-M-L-XL and XXL. Show your purple pride!
$12 for pick-up at the Miamisburg campus
$15 for delivery in the continental USA via "Parcel Post".

DAYTON CHRISTIAN ALUMUS
Our Anniversary Alumni shirt...  "Celebrating 50 Years of God's Faithfulness".  Featuring vintage school-jacket lettering with a contemporary "golden anniversary" twist, this is a great way to celebrate your DC heritage!  The medium weight preshrunk 100% cotton tees and cotton/polyester blend hoodies are available in S-M-L-XL and XXL.
T-Shirts :  $12 for pick-up / $15 delivered
Hoodies :  $26 for pick-up /  $30 delivered
(Thank you Michelle Riley Johnson '76 for modeling!)

Please send a check or money order made out to Dayton Christian Schools at :
9391 Washington Church Road
Miamisburg, OH  45342
Attention : W. Dean Sellers / Alumni Relations Office

HOMEWOOD BRICKS

The Dayton Christian Alumni Council has acquired 100 bricks from the high school side of our dear old 325 Homewood Avenue campus.  We are making them available as a fund-raiser for our "Alumni Scholarship" fund.  This initiative was started in order to partner with local graduates to help make a DC education possible for their children or grandchildren.  Applications will be available at the DC Alumni website in early spring.

These original "Wyandot" bricks have been collected, cleaned and labeled with a commemorative brass plate.  We invite you to own a small piece of our history and contribute to a very worthy cause!  Quantities are limited, so don't delay.

The suggested donations are :
$25  for pick-up of the brick at the Miamisburg campus.
$35  to have it delivered in the continental USA via "Parcel-Post" shipping.

Please send a check or money order made out to Dayton Christian Schools to :  9391 Washington Church Road / Miamisburg  OH  45342 / Attention : W. Dean Sellers.  Thank you!

DCHS ALL-ALUMNI REUNION TIME!

The plans are finally set for our first-ever DC All-Alumni Reunion!

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Dayton Christian School System, we will be welcoming back our graduates for an exciting weekend of alumni events.  It all begins on Friday with a tailgate party and ends on Saturday evening with our own special "Farewell" event...  Here are the details :

HOMECOMING KICK-OFF

FRIDAY, October 12th, 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Where :  West Carrollton High School Football Stadium

     5833 Student Street, West Carrollton, Ohio 45449

Cost :  Free for graduates, former students, faculty and spouse.

What :  A tailgate party, packed with tasty gridiron favorites, will be held outside the main entrance to the West Carrollton High School football stadium.

DC WARRIORS FOOTBALL

FRIDAY, October 12th, 7:15pm - 9:45pm

Cost :  $6.00 per adult / $4.00 students at the gate.  Also, a $10.00 "Family Pass" will be available to graduates at the "Alumni Reunion" registration table.

What :  Members of our alumni family will lead the National Anthem, prayer before the football game and will be the "Honorary Team Captains".  Sit in the reserved "Alumni Section" and cheer on our Warriors was they face the Meadowdale Lions, and then enjoy all of the Homecoming half-time festivities.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

SATURDAY, October 13th  9:00am - 11:30am

Where :  Dayton Christian School

              9391 Washington Church Road, Miamisburg, Ohio 45342 

Cost :  Free for graduates, faculty and spouse.

What :  Chris Cakes “the Pancake Guy” will be flipping flapjacks and serving up a hearty breakfast for our graduates and former teachers in the DC Cafetorium.  The event will provide entertainment from current students, fellowship, and school building tours.

ALUMNI SOCCER MATCH

SATURDAY, October 13th  4:00pm - 5:30pm

Where :  Dayton Christian School

     9391 Washington Church Road, Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

Cost :  Free for everyone.

What :  We will host a “throw-back” Alumni Soccer match pitting Team Purple (odd graduation year classes) vs. Team White (even graduation years). 

“FAREWELL” PARTY

SATURDAY, October 13th  5:30pm - 9:30pm

Where :  Dayton Christian School

     9391 Washington Church Road, Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

Cost :  Free for everyone.

What :  A farewell party in the courtyard of the Dayton Christian Miamisburg campus with music, games, and camaraderie.  Please bring your own lawn chairs and picnic fare.  The DC Alumni Council will also have food available for purchase. 

 

Start making plans to join us for this extraordinary weekend.  And please spread the word to all of your former classmates and teachers…  It’s going to be a blast and a blessing!

For more information, or to inquire about special group rates at area hotels, contact :

W. Dean Sellers  ‘76

DCSS Alumni Relations Coordinator

E-Mail :  dsellers@daytonchristian.com

Phone :  (937) 291-7220

 

"Breakfast with Bud" August 11th

One of the "Founding Fathers" of Dayton Christian School would love to meet you for breakfast!  Mr. Claude "Bud" Schindler cordially invites you to join us for an informal time of alumni fellowship at Mimi's Cafe at the Greene in Beavercreek. 

We will meet on Saturday, August 11th at 9:00am in the "Winery Room".  You're welcome to just drop by to say hello, stay for a cup of tea, or order off the menu.  We'd love to hear about what's happening in your life, and to share all of the exciting DCSS 50th Anniversary celebration events that are in store for the coming school year. 

If you cannot attend this gathering, we hope to announce more "Breakfast with Bud" opportunities in the coming months.  For more information contact the DCSS Alumni Relations Coordinator, Dean Sellers, by phone (937) 291-7220 or via e-mail at :  dsellers@daytonchristian.com

50th Anniversary "Prayer & Praise" Gathering

We will start the celebration of Dayton Christian Schools' 50th Anniversary at 3:00pm on Sunday, August 26^th, 2012 with a “Prayer and Praise” gathering in the original Patterson Park Church building, located at 600 Patterson Road, Dayton, Ohio 45419.  The site is now home to the Dayton Chinese Christian Church.  The service will run about 75 minutes and will feature Xenia Christian and Dayton Christian Alumni, former teachers and current staff – offering scripture, prayer, praise, and music from each of our five decades.  Refreshments will be served afterwards by the DC Alumni Council, in the church basement  where the first kindergarteners started school in 1963...  Please join us!

The Dayton Christian "Hall of Faith"

In conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Dayton Christian Schools, we are announcing the establishment of our very own "Hall of Faith".  Through this initiative, we intend to thank God and to remember His faithfulness through the decades, by recognizing those individuals who were associated with the DCS ministry and contributed to its legacy.  We also wish to acknowledge and appreciate their successes after DCS, as well as their diligent work in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being "salt and light" in our world today. 

To read more about the "Hall of Faith", and to nominate candidates for our Dayton Christian inaugural class of  inductees, go to :  http://daytonchristian.com/alumni/resources/dcss-hall-of-faith .

The DC "AWANITA VALLEY" SENIOR TRIP

The 36th anuual pilgrimage by Dayton Christian Seniors to Awanita Valley, South Carolina was a roaring success with the class of 2012!  Ever since Terry Chamberlain and Dan Grabill chaperoned the first class in May of 1976, students have been mudsliding, rafting, jeeping and Biltmoring for their senior trip...

What do you remember about your adventures to the camp at Lake Awanita?  Please share your stories!

Paul Pyle's ('74) Charge to the 2012 DC Graduates

Every other year I get to have the last word with the graduating seniors at Dayton Christian High School, my alma mater and the school where I have taught since 1977. Below are the words I gave to the Class of 2012 right after they moved their tassels.

Congratulations! This is a most significant achievement in your life. In fact, graduating from high school is a lifetime achievement award.

Do you remember how old you were when you first recognized the importance of the year 2012? You’ve been working toward this night for more than a decade, and tonight you can finally breathe a sigh of relief: you’ve done it. Most of you will go on to further studies, but you will never again work for this many years to get a diploma. The next time you finish something that takes you eighteen years to complete will probably be when your own child graduates from high school. And you will feel a great sense of accomplishment that night as well.

I'm going to speak frankly now. If you go on from here to get a good education, get a good job, find a good person to marry, settle into a nice neighborhood, find a good church, be a good mom or dad, a good neighbor and a good employee… and if you’re satisfied with behaving yourself well and living comfortably… we will have failed you miserably.

I haven’t given the past 35 years of my life to help teenagers learn to behave themselves. Your parents haven’t sacrificed so much for so long just so that you would turn out to be a well-adjusted and productive member of society.

It was my mother who first coined the phrase “Educating for Eternity.” And that’s not just a slogan. It’s what we’re all about at Dayton Christian School. I love my work. I love the fact that I get to spend all my professional energy creating in people’s lives a change that will matter not just for decades but forever. I may not see some of you again in this life, but I’m looking forward to seeing you in the next life and hearing how God used you to build His Kingdom.

Between now and then some of you will live comfortably, some of you will suffer terribly, some of you will be called to professions and ministries that will be difficult and discouraging, as teaching sometimes can be.

But none of that matters. It doesn’t matter whether you make a lot of money or a little; it doesn't matter whether or not you live in comfort and security.

All that matters is that you follow Rabbi Jesus, that you discover your role in God’s Story, and that you play it well. Everything else is details. Don’t get distracted, don’t get discouraged, by the details.

You often heard me thank God for letting me have a part in what He has been doing in your life. I meant those prayers. I really am grateful for that opportunity to make some small contribution to His work in you.

Thank you, parents, for your sacrifice and your commitment, for entrusting your children to us, to my classroom.

And now, my blessing, from the Epistle to the Hebrews:  Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.   Amen

Honoring 18 Years of Coaching at DC!

1977 graduate John Sharp has been a mainstay in Dayton Christian sports for the past eighteen years - coaching both soccer and baseball.  However, due to some health issues, John stepped down as boys varsity baseball coach after last season.

The DCS Warriors family want to say "thank you" for his many years of service, and will be honoring him by having John throw out the first pitch at the Thursday, April 19th game vs. Troy Christian.  The contest will be played at Wright State Universities' Nischwitz Stadium starting at 6:30pm.  Admission is free!  So come join the Warrior faithful and cheer for Mr. Sharp and the Dayton Christian baseball team...

Here are the details :
*  Varsity Boys Baseball
*  Thursday 4/19/12 @ 6:30pm
*  Free Admission!
*  First pitch to be thrown by alumnus (and former skipper) John Sharp
*  Concession proceeds will help the class of 2012 fund their gift to DC
*  Senior Lauren Cruz will be singing the National Anthem

Directions :  
Take I-675 to Exit 17
Follow the sign for "WPAFB Areas A&C" and "Wright St. Univ." / Exit at Wright State University exit / Turn left onto University Boulevard / Turn left onto Raider Road / Turn left into Nutter Center Parking Lot #8, which is the lot just past the big hill on the left side / Nischwitz Stadium is located east of the parking lot.

HOMEWOOD Prayer & Share

On Sunday, March 25th, twenty-nine former students, teachers, parents and administrators of Dayton Christian School, gathered at 325 Homewood Avenue to say goodbye to the place that served as their school home from 1974 – 2004.  The grand old Julienne building is slated for demolition this spring after a judge in Columbus denied an injunction on March 28^th to save the structure.

Mr. Schindler started by declaring Psalm 103 : 1-2 “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits”.   Then he shared from Joshua chapter 4 : 1 -9, where the Lord had commanded Joshua to, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan…  to serve as a sign among you.  In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’…  Tell them that… these stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”  He went on to say that we were not there to worship a building – but to gather together as believers to remember Gods’ faithfulness through the years, and to humbly thank Him for the heavenly work that was accomplished during our thirty year stay.

We proceeded to share memories, joined together in prayer several times and sang three hymns – led by 2002 graduate Isaac Pittman – “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “How Great Is Our God”…  It was truly a blessed time!  After more than an hour of “prayer and share” several alumni walked the perimeter of the property, continuing to reminisce and recall stories from “back in the day…”

Karla Putnam Enix ’82 related, “I really enjoyed the Prayer and Share service at the Homewood campus last Sunday. I thought many times about going back to that place that was filled with so many wonderful memories for me. But time got away and I didn't get to visit.  I guess I thought that it would always be there. Once I heard it was going to be demolished, I really didn't think I wanted to go at all. It made me very sad to think of such a beautiful building coming down. Somehow I thought that if I went, all those wonderful memories would be overtaken with grief.  I almost had to force myself to attend, but I knew it would be my last chance to see the school and I might regret not going one last time.

I am so glad that I went!  Hearing everyone share what an amazing impact the school had on them was so refreshing.  Hearing Mr. Schindler read scripture and pray over the lives that were touched there and the many more that would be touched in the future through the ministry was very healing for me.  Healing in a way that I did not expect!  I realized that instead of grieving, I was feeling blessed for being a part of something so wonderful.  I felt a closure when I left that I no longer had to be sad for that old building - but felt more like rejoicing for the ministry that was, and still is, such an important part of my life.  Thank you to all who made this service happen!  It was definitely important for many.  Even those who couldn't attend have expressed their deep gratitude." 

"Brigadoon" - A Return to the Highlands of Scotland...

“Once in the Highland, the Highlands of Scotland…”  began the familiar chorus from the 1947 Lerner & Lowe musical “Brigadoon”.  Twenty-seven Dayton Christian graduates had gratefully accepted the schools’ invitation to return to their alma mater and enjoy the production for the first time since it was performed on March 6^th, 1976.  Among the alumni in attendance, five were members of the original cast – Dick Reynolds ’77 (Jeff Douglas), Tammy Smiley Czyzewski  ’76 (Chorus), Dan Tackett ’78 (Stuart Dalrymple), Dale Miller ’76 (Andrew MacLaren), Dean Sellers ’76 (Archie Beaton), and one, David Kennedy ’78, was part of the orchestra.  They were all treated to a talented group of young actors and actresses and a boat load of nostalgia -which included a display just outside the theatre with photos and memorabilia from the 1976 show.   Overall, it was a fun evening recalling the past and appreciating the present.  Some of the former cast members, that could not attend, shared their memories :

From Tracy Watkins Barber ’78  (Meg Brockie)  “I have so many memories of our trip to the “highlands" that year!  They have stayed dear to my heart and brought many a smile.  More than anything that always comes back to me is the closeness we all shared during that production.  We grew in friendship and love.  We came to know each other and grow together in the Lord during our highland games!  Yes! Especially on closing night!  How many pranks we pulled!  It's a wonder the production came off!  But it surely did!!  All the cast members never missed a beat.  If a cup was filled with "something suspicious" or a character perhaps changed a line, put on too much lipstick during a friendly stage kiss or moved a prop - everyone stayed right on cue!  What great memories!   "Brigadoon" and the stories from the ’76 production are truly a legend in our home and with our children.  It has been the source of many laughs, heart-warming smiles and a blessing to us in so many ways...”

From Cindy Adkins Matthews ’76  (Fiona MacLaren)  “Being a part of the cast of Brigadoon was such a great experience.  I have wonderful memories of working with everyone:  orchestra, chorus, directors, those who did the make-up and costumes.  I must say that I will forever hold dear the memories of working with Kent Anderson (Tommy), who is now with the Lord.  He was a dear friend and I miss both him and his father, John Anderson, who was a musical mentor to me.  This experience was part of my preparation for a career in music education, and I'm very grateful for those at DCHS who provided opportunities for us to learn and grow."

From Sandy Stephens Jackson ’76 (Jane Ashton)  “ I have a very fond memory of the practices for Brigadoon.  I am hesitant to share but here goes…   As you know, Kent Anderson (who played Tommy Albright) and I had a "kissing scene".  He had to kiss me once as his girlfriend in New York.  Well, his dad Mr. John Anderson was one of the directors, he advised that Kent and I "practice" our kissing scene outside of the school.  So, we had a couple of authorized "practice sessions".  What a hoot!” 

From Rob Campbell ’77 (substitute Mr. Lundie)  “Memories from Brigadoon?  As you might expect, it was a whirlwind.  I got a call from Gus Dallas the Sunday before the performance asking if I'd fill in as Mr. Lundie!  Got the script from him and stayed up until about 3:00 in the morning memorizing it.  Spent most of Monday and Tuesday learning the blocking.  I think there was a dress rehearsal Tuesday night?  Then performances Friday and Saturday.  It was all last minute.  I don't think my name was even in the program?  And by the next weekend, I'm sure I couldn't remember a line.  Disappeared into the Highland mists - just like Brigadoon…  But it was a great experience!”

From Cherie Adkins ’78 (Chorus)  “As a member of the Brigadoon chorus back in 1976, I remember how fun it was to interact silently on stage with other members when the main characters were speaking in the town-scenes…  I remember mouthing over and over again, "asparagus, asparagus" to make it look like we were really talking, using all sorts of exaggerated gestures, cracking-up with silent laughter when we thought how silly we must look!  I remember everyone rehearsing the music with dear Mr. Anderson;  his spirit of fun and sincere dedication to the students' success really made it wonderful.  I enjoyed watching my sister, Cindy, portray Fiona with sweetness.  And the crazy antics between Kent Anderson and Dick Reynolds...  Well, let's just say I always looked forward to what those two would come up with!  How fortunate we all were to be able to participate in the Brigadoon of 1976...”   

"HOMEWOOD PRAYER & SHARE" : Sunday, March 25th at 2:00pm

The Dayton Christian Alumni Council is sponsoring a "Homewood Prayer & Share" gathering at the old campus (before the building gets torn down) next Sunday, March 25th at 2:00pm. Mr. Bud Schindler will help facilitate this event, and we'll also be joined by 2002 DC graduate Isaac Pittman (musician and worship leader) who'll lead us in a few hymns.

The event will be held rain or shine, and we'll meet in the Corpus Christi Church parking lot at the bottom of the hill near the driveway exit.  The building is prepped for demolition and is completely surrounded by a security fence.  The Dayton Board of Education has given us permission to assemble on the property, but has asked us to please stay away from the building...

So let's gather as many of us together as possible!  Let's remember the past, and pray for those special individuals who taught us, cared for us, and helped us build a strong foundation on God's Word during those 30 years that we called 325 Homewood our home!  Please spread the word to all of our Dayton Christian graduates, former students, parents, teachers - everyone...  Hope to see you there!  :>)

For more information, contact :
Dean Sellers  '76
DCSS Alumni Relations Coordinator
E-Mail :  dsellers@daytonchristian.com
Phone :  (937) 291-7220  B

"ALL-ALUMNI REUNION"

OCTOBER 12th - 13th, 2012

ATTENTION DAYTON CHRISTIAN GRADUATES :

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Dayton Christian Schools (1963 - 2013), the DC Alumni Council will be sponsoring our schools' first-ever, "All-Alumni Reunion"!  The planning has already begun and details will be available by this summer.  In the meantime, circle the dates on your calendar and make arrangements to join your former classmates and teachers for an amazing celebration!

BRIGADOON - Scott Free!

The musical "Brigadoon" is being presented by the DC Drama Department, appearing for the first time since March 6th, 1976.  And now Dayton Christian would like to invite their alumni to join them for an evening in the highlands of Scotland - for free!

Here's the scoop :

1.  This free ticket offer is for the Friday, March 23rd performance and applies only to DC graduates.

2.  Reservations must be made through the Dayton Christian Alumni Relations office before noon on Wednesday, March 21st.  E-mail Dean Sellers at dsellers@daytonchristian.com or call (937) 291-7220. 

3.  Additional tickets for a spouse, student or guest are $10, and can be purchased through the DC ticket office (937) 291-7201 starting March 5th. 

4.  We encourage you to plan early - the cafetorium only accommodates a total of 350 people.  Hope to see you there!

"Brigadoon" is the story of a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years, though to the villagers, the passing of each century seems no longer than one night.  The enchantment is viewed by them as a blessing rather than a curse, for it saved the village from destruction.  According to their covenant with God, no one from Brigadoon may ever leave, or the enchantment will be broken and the site and all its inhabitants will disappear into the mist forever.  Two American tourists, lost in the Scottish Highlands, stumble upon the village just as a wedding is about to be celebrated, and their arrival has serious implications for the village's inhabitants.

The original production opened on Broadway in 1947 and ran for 581 performances.  "Brigadoon" was the first hit written by the famous musical team of Lerner and Lowe.  They went on to write "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot" - some of the most highly acclaimed musicals in Broadway history.  Songs from "Brigadoon", such as "Almost Like Being in Love" have become standards.  A 1954 film version starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, and a 1966 television version featured Robert Goulet and Peter Falk.

Homewood Campus Collectible

Allison Bender French '87 has commissioned "Cat's Meow" to produce a collectible wooden likeness of our former Dayton Christian campus at 325 Homewood Avenue.  If you're interested in obtaining your own copy - please contact Allison via e-mail at : Whimzicallie@aol.com by April 15th, 2012.  The final price will depend upon the total quantity ordered, but they're currently about $10?

Here is Allison's description : "They are blocks of wood, about 4-6" tall, and how ever wide to be proprotionate to what they represent.   They are collectors items, originally starting in, I believe, the 70's somewhere in Ohio.   They started out with sets such as colonial Williamsburg, then moved into international sites.   They are homes, buildings, schools, etc., based on the actual architechture. You can browse the website : www.catsmeow.com to see examples. I have mine set up on the tops of my doors...they fit nicely there.  Each one has a tiny black cat (her name is Faline) somewhere on the front."

A Cat's Meow sample of Allegany High School built in 1925.

Cat's Meow® has been turning special moments into lasting memories for over 24 years with our unique wooden keepsakes. Our keepsakes make the purr-fect gift, preserve history, and add a special touch to any decor. With Cat's Meow®, you can hold precious memories, cherished moments, and the times of your life in the palm of your hand.