Meet the Team -- Part V

Our 2013 Costa Rica mission team includes a variety of ready and willing, enthusiastic and able high school students. We want you to meet them, and just as we—the leaders—are getting to understand their hearts and abilities, we wish to have you see, too, those same loving souls and what brought them to our team.  (A complete list of team member testimonies can be found at 2013 Team Members.) 

Nathan Tighe

A senior at Dayton Christian, Nathan Tighe, plans to attend Wright State University after graduating. He will study in the pre-physical therapy program and later enter a physical therapy program at a different university.

This trip to Costa Rica will be Nathan’s first mission trip.  Nathan shares, “My older brother and older sister have both done missions trips and said that they were amazing, life-changing trips. I have also heard that from several other people who have gone on missions trips.” Not playing basketball this year, Nathan decided to take advantage of the time and opportunity to serve.  

Nathan looks forward to the trip, particularly to experiencing another culture and learning how to share his faith with others. He expresses the importance of working as a team and working together to make life easier for each individual: “I'm hoping to be able to contribute a lot to the physical work that our team will need to do.”

Nathan says that he is a very competitive person, so his other interests usually include “well, competitions with people!” Basketball, dodge ball, or whatever the game may be. Even if he may not be particularly skilled at some activities, Nathan still loves the competition and athleticism involved.” Besides sports, Nathan also plays the guitar. Having played for four years, he enjoys both acoustic and electric.

“All people need encouragement in different ways,” Nathan shares, “because we are all in different situations and have different life stories...but we all do need encouragement.” For all team members, this trip will produce many opportunities to encourage.

Chris Harr

Christopher Harr, aka Coach Harr, is another of our fearless leaders (in fact, perhaps he is our most fearless leader). Coach Harr has taught math at XCHS for six years; he is married to his lovely wife Jamie, and he would someday like to be a cowboy.

Also a veteran leader of the Costa Rica mission trip, Coach Harr’s reason for joining the team is because he remembers the impact that short term mission trips had on his own growing faith experience. The chance to be a part of that in someone else’s life is a great opportunity. “Costa Rica kind of chose me,” he shares. “There was a need for a male leader, and after I prayed about it, I was in.”

These trips to Costa Rica have certainly not been his first opportunities to work in short-term ministry. Other trips include ministries in Quebec, Canada; Trinidad; four times in Malawi, Africa; and in India. This will be his ninth trip as such. He is looking forward to seeing what the Lord does through these students and in these students’ hearts.

Other interests of Coach Harr’s include strength and conditioning, which he also uses as a ministry outreach to young people at XCHS. He is either training others or working out himself seven days a week. Most any outdoor activities interest Coach – particularly hiking, camping, and white water rafting.

Coach Harr encourages young people to “stop comparing yourself to others. Just worry about how you are using the gifts and abilities God has given you to glorify Him.”

Tia Reilly

The last of our four teacher-leaders in the group, Tia Reilly, is a third-year teacher at Xenia Christian High School. Three-and-a-half years ago, Tia moved back to Ohio with her family after serving overseas with the mission agency ABWE.  They first worked in Paraguay, South America, and then most recently, in Costa Rica for four years.  The opportunity to return to the ministry, culture, and language of “home” is also an opportunity to encourage young people in their current spiritual walk as well as a chance to share with them what life and ministry looks like outside of the United States.

Having lived there, Costa Rica was an obvious choice for Tia last year when asked to go along as a teacher-leader. Being a part of the team enables her to get to know better the young people of the school where she teaches and encourage them in current and future ministries.

Tia has also participated in missions trips to Chile, South America.  Retired Cedarville University professor Dr. Bev Monroe leads trips to English-speaking seminaries and Christian schools around the world in order to organize and digitally catalog their institute libraries.  Tia has worked on four such projects with Dr. Monroe’s team, and may travel with them to Croatia this coming summer.

Married to Kevin Reilly, who teaches history in the middle school, the couple has four children and one grandchild. (The youngest two—Cole and Tara—are also XCHS graduates.) Tia’s other interests include reading and writing, piano and choir ministries, photography, and mindfulness.

Meet our 2013 team -- part IV

Our 2013 Costa Rica mission team includes a variety of ready and willing, enthusiastic and able high school students. We want you to meet them, and just as we—the leaders—are getting to understand their hearts and abilities, we wish to have you see, too, those same loving souls and what brought them to our team.  (An almost complete list of team member testimonies can be found at 2013 Team Members.) 

Katie Miller

Every year Katie would hear all the stories of people returning from mission trips, and they always seemed to be more on fire for the Lord when they came back.  The teams always came back with great stories, accomplished tasks, and a deeper love for the Lord.  Katie shares, “I want to make a difference in a child’s life by going on this mission trip.  I have a passion for children and ministry, and this will be a great adventure for me as I seek out God more and more as well as have the opportunity to minister to the people of Costa Rica.”

A junior at Xenia Christian, Katie decided on the Costa Rica trip because she can speak Spanish and also knew several of the people on the team already.  When she heard that the team would primarily be working and ministering with children that “sealed the deal” for her.  “I am so looking forward to ministering with kids!” she states. “I absolutely love children, and I am so excited that I will be able to teach them about the Lord while I am in Costa Rica.”

Other pursuits of Katie’s include anything in the arts—whether its drama, art class, or music. She has especially enjoyed drama and has been involved in the XC drama Department for the past five years—both as an actress in four productions and as student director for two productions.  To top off her interests, Katie loves watching movies and eating popcorn while hanging out with friends.

Excited about this opportunity having come from the Lord, Katie shares, “Take the chance!  Grab at every opportunity that comes your way!  God wants each and every one of us to live our lives to the absolute max.  As John 10:10 states, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ Live like there is no tomorrow, and give everything, all you do, all you say, all you think, give it all to the Glory of God.”

Dan Griffith

A junior at Xenia Christian, Dan Griffith chose to join a short-term mission team this J-term because, as he states it, “I felt like God was calling me to break my non-interest for overseas missions.”  He chose Costa Rica because he has been studying Spanish. 

While this trip is Dan’s first mission trip experience, he is particularly looking forward to the work days and street outreach.

 

Enjoying most sports, Dan loves to play golf and does it frequently.  He also enjoys watching and playing “American” football, and basketball and baseball, as well.  He also likes playing video games, eating food, and spending time with his friends.

In sharing encouragement, Dan reminds us to trust God through the storms of life.  Like the song says, "It doesn’t rain everyday; it won’t rain forever. " Troubles come and go, but God is steadfast and can be trusted through any storm.  

 

 

Maria Howarah

A senior at Xenia Christian, Mariah Howarah looks forward to graduating next year and going to college --although she hasn’t settled on where yet.  One thing she is certain of, however, is her desire to return to Costa Rica.  A veteran of the trip, Maria had a wonderful experience last year. She knew God was calling her to return and do the work He had called her to do. “It is such a wonderful opportunity,” she shares, “that we get to go and help people who need not only the love of Christ but just simple things that we can do for them.”

Her first mission trip—Costa Rica 2012—taught her how important discipleship is in a Christian’s life, and that trip got Maria to start a Bible study with a 7th grader every week. She encourages others to do the same: it makes a huge impact in your life and helps you grow as you share. 

Maria’s favorite parts of her first trip were holding Bible programs with the children. Maria shares, “Just being able to smile and talk to them—as best as I can in Spanish, growing closer to the other members of the team, and also growing more in my relationship with Christ. Trying to fix the things He has been wanting me to change.”

Other interests of Maria’s include playing soccer and basketball. She loves watching movies with her sister—constantly. She also enjoys going to the mall with friends and just interacting with people.

Maria states that “Even when you feel like you cannot go on any longer, just push through. Things may look impossible and you may question God about what He is doing, but there is an ultimate purpose which gives him glory in the end. It will also make your relationship stronger which will show Christ to others through your own life.”

Miss Camille Clements

Our fearless leader, Camille Clements, comes from a family of teachers and felt the Lord calling her to teach even as a young person. She has been teaching at Xenia Christian High School for fifteen years. Before that, she spent two years as a missionary in Barcelona, Spain teaching at an international school. She has been going on ministry trips to various Spanish-speaking countries with Dayton Christian Schools since 2001--but only as a co-leader, never the leader.

A few years ago, the opportunity presented itself to her and another trip leader to set up a trip to Costa Rica. Another co-worker, who had spent several years there as a missionary, connected Miss Clements and the other trip leader with the Salley family, serving as church planters in Costa Rica. The Costa Rica Ministry trip came into being. At that time, Miss Clements was only planning on playing a support role, as a co-leader, but God had other plans. 

Miss Clements recalls, “I became the trip leader through a series of events that only the Lord could have orchestrated. I am generally a behind-the-scenes kind of person who enjoys serving and supporting, but the Lord wanted to grow and stretch me, which he has done by putting me in charge of this trip. I am always amazed that God continues to choose to use me and give me the opportunity to take part in overseas ministry. It is both humbling and exciting to be able to take young people on ministry trips and to see how God works in and through them to change lives and to draw people to himself.”

Beyond teaching and using the Spanish language, Miss Clements also enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and participating in half marathons.

“When the Lord calls you to do something,” states Miss Clements, “trust that He knows what is best for you, and do it. Also trust that He will equip you to do whatever he calls you to do. I have found that he has called me to things that I would not naturally choose to do because in my weakness He is proved strong.”

Meet our 2013 team -- part III

Our 2013 Costa Rica mission team includes a variety of ready and willing, enthusiastic and able high school students. We want you to meet them, and just as we—the leaders—are getting to understand their hearts and abilities, we wish to have you see, too, those same loving souls and what brought them to our team.

Menna Yohannes

A junior at the Dayton Christian campus, Menna Johannes is not a veteran of the Costa Rica mission team, but she does have experience in short-term missions. In eighth grade, during spring break, she had the opportunity to go to Guatemala—a country also in Central America as is Costa Rica. The trip opened her eyes to the fact that so many people in the world are less fortunate than we are in the United States. Menna shares, “It helped me realized how blessed I am and how thankful I should be for the life I have.” 

Menna loved her trip to Guatemala. The people were great, and she loved helping the kids and making people smile because of the help Menna’s team provided. “It was an all around inspiring trip,” she states. For these reasons, Menna chose to partake in another mission trip, and specifically Costa Rica because of her studies in Spanish at DCS and because the locale is similar to that of Guatemala.

With fellow team member and friend Savannah

On this trip in January, Menna looks forward to hanging out with and teaching the kids. She loves working with children and currently volunteers with children’s ministries at her church. Menna also looks forward to developing her relationship with the Lord and with the “wonderful people” with whom she is traveling.

Menna enjoys playing the piano and has been taking lessons since third grade. Practicing and going to recitals and competitions take up most of her time. She also enjoys reading all kinds of books. “Give me a good one,” she states, “and I won’t be able to stop reading.”

Menna encourages others to “TRUST GOD.” It’s important that each person follows what he or she believes God wants for that person. “It's impossible to describe the amount of love God has for you, and He only wants what’s best for you, so trust Him,” she encourages. “It may seem like you're going through hard trials and that you'll never get out of them, but you will get through with God's help. He'll never leave or forsake you, so just follow Him and trust everything He says. In the end it'll all be okay.”

Stephen Panosian

All four of our adult leaders have been on this trip before—this will be Stephen Panosian’s second trip as a leader. But before that, as a XCHS senior, Steve went on the first missions trip to Costa Rica—and it his life.

Currently a sophomore nursing student at Cedarville University, Stephen plans on graduating in two more years with a BSN and would then like to attend graduate school in order to become a nurse practitioner. His ultimate goal with his career is to use that skill on the mission field.

During his first trip to Costa Rica, Stephen fell in love with the people, and also with serving the Lord in a foreign country. Having spent a significant portion of my childhood in Europe and having studied Spanish throughout junior high and high school, Stephen sees how God has been preparing him through each of these steps. Steve looks forward to God continuing to do so in the future, just as He has given him a positive disposition to foreign culture and the ability to adjust to different situations.

Besides these trips through Xenia Christian, Stephen has taken an independent trip to serve in Costa Rica, and this summer, he plans on returning as an intern to a career missionary there. Stephen says, “I think that mission trips have developed compassion in my life. Being a nursing student, it’s part of my DNA, but this type of compassion is different--it's a compassion for those that Christ has compassion for, the hurting and the lost.”

On this trip, Stephen looks forward to serving in a new part of the country and also seeing and working with many Tico friends with whom he has worked before. Furthermore, with all the new faces on this year’s team, Steve feels that it will be great to get to know and work with these new high school team members throughout our time of preparation, as well as in country. He also enjoys and speaks Spanish fairly well and hopes to be able to communicate well with the Costa Ricans we meet.

A lot of Stephen’s life is taken up with soccer, as he both plays and coaches. “A soccer player is what many of my friends know me as,” he shares, “and I help coach the soccer team here at XC.” He also plays the guitar and will help with the music ministry on the trip. 

Stephen encourages others with the truth that God uses unique situations to influence your life--let Him do so. “I didn't plan on going on a mission trip my senior year, but my sister encouraged me to go with her to Costa Rica. Now I feel called to the mission field (using medicine) and it all started with going to Costa Rica as a senior.” 

Evan Ramey

Several of the guys on our team actually work with Steve Panosian on the XCHS soccer team. Such is the case of one our veteran team members, Evan Ramey.  Evan is a senior at the Xenia campus and plans on studying nursing at Wright State University after graduating this coming May. 

Evan first went to Costa Rica last year and shares that it was an “eye-opener.” Through the trip, God distinctly showed him that God wants him involved in missions. Evan states, “I’m interested in short term missions because I want to do long term missions after college.” Doing short term missions, for Evan, is a great transition toward career missions. He chose the Costa Rica trip because he had gone before and because he aims to work in missions in Central or South America.

 “I’m looking forward to returning to Costa Rica,” Evan says, “because I’m looking forward to seeing the happiness on children's faces when they realize we’re there to spend time with them.” Children’s ministries are the focus of the majority of our team’s time both on the ground and in preparation.

As stated earlier, Evan’s other interests include all sports, but as he states, “I can never get enough soccer.” This year at Xenia Christian, he has participated in both the soccer and golf teams.

“No matter what season of life you are in,” Evan encourages, “Rejoice and don’t worry. God is there even if it doesn’t seem like it. Just look for him every day. You will find him.”

Andy Urschel

Another of our soccer player team-members, Andy Urschel is a senior at Xenia Christian planning to study engineering after graduating in May. His belief that we as Christians have been blessed with understanding of the Bible and God's love was the motivation for participating in a mission trip this year. “I feel that we shouldn't just let that knowledge sit and gather dust,” Andy shares, “And having taken Spanish classes, I felt that this Costa Rica trip would be a great way to share the gospel and use everything I've learned.”

In 2010, Andy participated in a mission trip to Washington, D.C., on the 4^th of July. While there, the team was able to present the gospel by handing out CDs with the message of salvation translated into hundreds of different languages. On this trip to Costa Rica, Andy looks forward to growing closer to God and to his fellow teammates through the preparation and efforts involved. He prays that God will use this new experience to reshape his perspective on life. 

Andy’s other hobbies include playing sports and doing crazy things with my church youth group. One of his favorite hobbies is art, particularly drawing.

Andy reminds us that we don't always know what plans God has for us, so we should not get frustrated when things go wrong. “The small problems we face are only temporary compared to the eternal plans God has,” he encourages

Meet Our Team 2013 -- part II

Our 2013 Costa Rica missions team includes a variety of ready and willing, enthusiastic and able high school students. We want you to meet them, and just as we—the leaders—are getting to understand their hearts and abilities, we wish to have you see, too, those same loving souls and what brought them to our team.

David Dupont

As a senior on the Xenia Christian campus, David Dupont, hopes to attend Wright State University to study engineering. David enjoys sports a lot, especially soccer. At XCHS, he is involved in soccer and swimming. He also enjoys reading (when time is available), but his favorite thing to do is to spend time with friends.

Having seen his friends go on the Costa Rica mission trips these past years has encouraged David to do the same.  “I have seen my friends come back from the trip changed and more oriented towards God and His plan for their lives,” David states. 

With the purpose of serving local community in Cincinnati, David has gone on local ministry trips for several summers. David remembers, “It was great to go and help the community, and it showed me how much I can give back to the community.” On this upcoming trip, David looks forward to being able to help the people of Costa Rica and to impact their lives for eternity.  

Overall in life, David has learned and wants to share with others: “I would say that no matter how bad something seems, God has a plan to turn it into our good, and He will turn it around in some way.”

Rachel Graver

Our youngest team member, a sophomore, had never imagined undertaking a mission trip until two years ago when her older sister Sarah decided to go to Costa Rica.  In fact, not only did Sarah go once, but she went twice before graduating, and the stories and adventures she shared with Rachel really excited her to think of taking the same trip one year herself. “I guess you could say,” Rachel shares, “that my interest in going to another country for a short term mission trip is all the life-changing memories my sister brought back with her; I would love to experience the same for myself. I chose Costa Rica because I have heard so much about the country.”

Rachel looks forward to working with the children’s Bible schools and helping the Ticos. In her own life, she looks forward to growing closer to the Lord through sharing His love with others while putting her trust in Him and allowing him to choose the best agenda to do so.

Among Rachel’s other interests, first comes soccer, and she hopes to play in college after graduating.

Whether by people or by God, Rachel loves being reminded time and time again, and she wants to encourage others with the fact that if we can just learn to put our trust and faith in the Lord, He will never leave us. Rachel states, “His mighty plan for all of our lives is in His control, and He will not give us more then we can handle. He is always in control when we feel like we can't control anything else.”


Savannah Slaton

A junior at the Miamisburg DCSS campus, Savannah Slaton, chose to join the Costa Rica team after experiencing a trip to Peru with her youth group in 2011.  She really feels that God is calling her to go on another trip to spread his Word while doing things she loves.  After considering a variety of mission trip options, Savannah felt like God really wanted her to go to Costa Rica. 

Savannah shared that her trip to Peru in 2011 really showed her how to be grateful and thankful for everything God has given her--everything from her family to her house to her church and everything between. On this trip, Savannah looks forward to sharing God's word in every way she can and to building strong relationships with the other team members. 

Savannah’s other interests include . . . well, pretty much just cheerleading. As she states, “I love cheerleading and it pretty much consumes my life so I don't really have time for many other hobbies.” Savannah does enjoy encouraging friends with cards or candy, particularly to remind them that they are loved and appreciated.

ARIN WILGUS

Arin Wilgus—or as most of us know him—“Dash” is a junior at the Xenia campus.  When asked about his reasons for wanting to go on a missions trip, Arin shared that he wants to serve God, and in particular, he wants to share the gospel with the “Ticos” (Costa Ricans) in their native language.  

An enthusiastic student in Spanish III, Arin states that one of the reasons he chose to go to Costa Rica is because “me encanta” the Spanish language. He also saw this as an excellent opportunity to serve the Lord. He looks forward to teaching kids about God and to growing more in his own faith.

Other interests of Arin include reading and outdoor activities. He participates in sports, particularly swimming and track. He also enjoys his pet, a bearded dragon named Torch.

To encourage all of us, Arin reminds us that “God will use you in ways you will never believe.”

Meet the team 2013

Our 2013 Costa Rica missions team includes a variety of ready and willing, enthusiastic and able high school students. We want you to meet them, and just as we—the leaders—are getting to understand their hearts and abilities, we wish to have you see, too, those same loving souls and what brought them to our team.

Mariah Smart

One of our veteran team members, Mariah Smart, has actually been to Costa Rica twice before. A senior this year, Mariah plans to study Spanish at Cedarville next school year. Mariah believes in the importance of using God-given abilities and passions to meet the needs of others—for her, this specifically involves children, and specifically in an Hispanic culture. For those reasons, she has been excited to participate in these ministry trips to Costa Rica. 

Even though both trips were to the same Central American country between Nicaragua and Panama, Mariah shares that each trip stretched her and taught her in distinctly different ways. For her, the first year impacted Mariah with a new view of the world. She states the she saw the world “a little more like the way God sees it and was able to see his love across border lines.” On her second trip, Mariah learned the importance of hard work and looking outside of herself for the sake of helping others in their life and faith.

This year, Mariah anticipates being able to interact even more with those we work with since she has seen increases in both her Spanish and her confidence each year.  “I cannot wait to see what God is going to do in the lives of our team members and those we are serving,” Mariah states.

Mariah’s other interests include both people and solitude. She spends a lot of my time being with friends, reading, acting in school productions, and messing around in a variety of artistic hobbies.

I have found the greatest encouragement is in looking outside my own life and problems and instead encouraging and interacting with others. When you get a better glimpse of the bigger picture of life, and see God working in entire groups of people, it puts you in perspective and makes living in a way that is responsive to the gift of salvation a more natural thing to do.

Sierra Cole

One of the special benefits of these mission teams is the fact that both campuses come together to work toward a common goal. This year’s Costa Rica team includes four students from the Miamisburg campus of Dayton Christian School Systems (DCSS). Sierra Cole, one such team member, plans on majoring in Spanish and in International Relations at the University of New Mexico after graduating this year from Dayton Christian High School. 

Besides working toward this trip in January, Sierra is also involved on the tennis team and she does  make-up for the high school drama productions. Sierra has been playing the piano for seven years and has participated in gymnastics. In whatever she is involved, Sierra enjoys being with her friends and wants to be ready to help in whatever way possible. 

The Costa Rica trip interested Sierra as it has always been on her heart to take a missions trip, and every year when the ministry is brought up, Costa Rica has been the one to particularly pique her heart.  She also knows Spanish and loves working with children, which fits this trip’s purposes perfectly. As a personal goal, Sierra prays that the trip will enable her to grow as a person and to grow closer to God. To others, Sierra encourages “to not lose focus. No matter what you are going through, keep your head up and push through it.”

Danny Kolota

A junior at Xenia Christian High School (XCHS), Danny Kolota, wanted to join this year’s short-term mission trip because he has seen many of his friends’ lives change after they returned from mission trips. Danny states, “They seemed more focused on accomplishing God’s purpose, and they seemed more joyful as well.  I hope God will use this trip to shape me into the man He wants me to become.”

            Danny decided on joining the Costa Rica team because he knew the leaders and because his friends going on the trip are people he wants to grow closer to as fellow believers. He also believes that Costa Rica was a good destination as it is a Spanish-speaking country, and that is the language he has been learning through school. Having never been on a missions trip before, he wants to “seize the opportunity” before finishing high school.

Danny especially looks forward to trying the different food choices Costa Rica has to offer (“I love trying interesting and sometimes weird food items from different countries,” he states.)  He also looks forward to working with kids through the various Bible school programs the team will help with.

Danny’s hobbies begin with soccer, by far his favorite sport, although he does enjoy any activity outside or any other sport. But soccer is definitvely his favorite outdoor pasttime.  In areas of music, Danny played alto saxophone for five years after playing the clarinet for 2 years in elementary.  Other free time is spent enjoying comedy movie/shows.  Danny’s favorite TV show is The Bill Cosby Show, closely followed by The Dick Van Dyke Show and Family Ties.

In Danny’s personal life, he shares a teaching from his youth pastor in reference to fighting temptation.  The pastor reminded him that “it is okay to tell the enemy ‘Yeah, you’re right.  I do love my sin, and I know I can’t fight it on my own, but Jesus Christ is at the throne of God right now interceding for my sin and taking God’s wrath in place of me.’” Danny stated, “Every time I am about to sin I think of this and think, why would I want to give this incredible act of love and grace up for the shame of sin.  People today too often forget the importance of Jesus’ role right now (interceding for us), and it is arguably the most incredible part of His ministry.  He not only removed the sins of the world, but He continues to do so.  That’s incredible.”

This is the bottom line of carrying the news we carry to Costa Rica. Even in our Western Hemisphere, people still live without the personal knowledge of Jesus’ intercession and God’s incredible love and mercy for them. That is why we go.

Meeting 03: We claim our mission!

Please continue to keep the Costa Rica 2013 missions team in your prayers. Every two weeks, team members gather together in Maria's home (thank you, Howarah family!) and continue toward the goal of humbly serving the Lord while sharing His love across the borders and connecting others to Christ. -- That is now officially our team mission statement, one of the many decisions we made during the meeting this past Wednesday afternoon.

Team members have been working hard to raise support toward the trip in January, and on our meeting agenda Miss Clements reminded us all of our team verses, Galatians 6:9-10. How applicable these words are in regard to the perseverance we need in raising funds, prayer support, and learning to be a unified team.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Top--David D., Coach Harr, Danny K.; Middle--Miss Clements, Savannah S., Andy U.,
Evan R., Dan G.; Front--Menna Y., Mariah S., Katie M., Maria H., Arin W., Rachel G.,
Nathan T., Stephen P., and Mrs. Reilly (Not pictured--Sierra C.)

Although we were missing one of our team members (we hope you are well, Sierra), we took this opportunity to take a team photo.  Surely, this picture will be the first of many as we travel through the next two months (Miss Clements pointed out that two months from that very date--November 14--we would be on our way to Costa Rica), and while this photo shows a group that knows each other pretty well, when we take that last photo in January, we will be at a whole 'nother level of unity--an even tighter unity than we know now.

And none of our meetings would be complete without a building-up-the-team activity led by Coach Harr.  This time we learned the importance of strategy, of adjusting, of focusing, and --as always--of communicating clearly.