Make Your Own Sunshine

As I write this article, outside it is one of those days that my dad would say, “make your own sunshine.”  January in Illinois is that kind of month on many days – cold, dreary, snowy, rainy, and football playoffs that are disappointing .  Along with my dad’s comment, he always added, “rain is needed, and God is our sunshine.”  Can you imagine as a kid…..I would roll my eyes and respond, “sure Dad.”  However, as I have matured (thankfully), “I get it.”

Whether cloudy or sunny, our lives are blessed.  Your students/grandchildren enjoy the freedom of being able to attend a Christian school where administration and staff provide a safe environment for your students to not only receive an education but also are encouraged to be catalysts for impacting God’s world as Christ-centered citizens.

Whether cloudy or sunny, Yorkville Christian High School is blessed.  We have dedicated, caring administration and staff that willingly work with your students to provide the tools and experiences necessary to empower them to be Christ-centered citizens.

Whether cloudy or sunny, Yorkville Christian High School is blessed and grateful.  We have dedicated, caring parents, grandparents, and friends who support us with prayers, attendance at events, and dollars.  An Annual Fund is year round, but the majority of donations appear in the fall/winter.  For 2022 we were blessed with positive response from our community who provided dollars for our Tuition Assistance Fund.  We are blessed with recurring and new donors whose lives have been empowered to be Christ-centered citizens, who wish to support with their dollars so that Christian education is available to Christian families who struggle financially.  Thank you!!!

Not had the opportunity to be a blessing?  How can I give?  Thanks to technology, there are several options available — online giving at yorkvillechristian.com, drop off at school, and US Postal Service are all available.

Whether cloudy or sunny, we can echo my dad’s words, “God is our sunshine.”  The January weather will flip flop between mild to cold, sunny to dreary, clear to snowy, but we all know that God is our sunshine.  He never changes, He is always present in our lives, He is forgiving, and He cares for each of us.

Thank you for supporting Yorkville Christian High School with your time, talents, and dollars.  It takes all of us – administration, staff, parents, grandparents, alumni, friends – working together and supporting one another to prepare our students for a life of Christian service.  We thank God for each of you.

Connie Brott

Director of Mission Advancement

Interested in Hosting a Foreign Exchange Student

Click on the links below to learn more information on hosting a foreign exchange student!

Host Families Search

Info for Host Parents

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL TO OFFER HOMESCHOOL PARTNERSHIP FOR 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

Yorkville Christian High School is happy to announce it will offer a homeschool partnership for the 2023-2024 school year.  Students will be allowed to take up to three classes for $4750, with one of the classes being a required Bible class.  Homeschool students will be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities and will be required to attend the school’s mission days.  Financial assistance and discounts will not be available for homeschool partnership students.  This partnership will not include the Yorkville Christian Middle School.  For more details or information, please call our Director of Outreach and Enrollment, Mr. Tim Schnyders, at (630) 708-7927 or email him at tschnyders@yorkvillechristian.com.

If you are interested in enrolling your student for the homeschool partnership, you can complete the following enrollment application link:

https://yorkvillechristian.com/enrollment/

FFA News

Agriculture Scholarships Available

When students are involved in FFA, they are presented with many wonderful opportunities in and out of the world of agriculture. One of these opportunities for our seniors is being exposed to scholarships. The scholarships available to high school students, especially our seniors, are plentiful right now with graduation right around the corner. These are a good way to invest in your, or your student’s future. They are simple to apply for and the benefits can make a big dent in college tuition. 

Illinois Pork Producers Scholarship:

For residents of Illinois that are members or have been members of 4-H or FFA, and are currently attending college or planning to attend in the fall, the Illinois Pork Producers Association provides many scholarship opportunities ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. They are easily accessible and all done electronically on their website at ilpork.com under the “youth” tab. The deadline for the IPPA scholarship is 3/1/2023. 

 Illinois Beef Foundation Scholarship: 

The non-profit Illinois Beef Foundation offers scholarships to college students and high school seniors that have family that is a member of the IBA and are actively involved in the beef industry. Scholarships are due by February 15, 2023 and can be found at illinoisbeef.com under the “IJBA” tab.

Kendall/Grundy County Foundation Scholarships:

There are scholarships for residents of Kendall County due by March 17th ranging from $500 to $2,000 at kendallgrundyfb.com . For residents of Grundy county, there are scholarships found at kendallgrundyfb.com as well that are a part of the Grundy County Foundation. 

By: Ellie Stewart, Yorkville Christian FFA Reporter

Upcoming Yorkville Christian FFA Events:

The Yorkville Christian FFA will once again be selling flats of strawberries! Florida strawberries are in peak flavor in March, and so delicious! The strawberries come packed in sealed one quart plastic containers and there are eight quarts to the flat! A full flat (contains 8 quarts) is $28 and a half flat (contains 4 quarts) is $18. Order forms & money must be turned into Mrs. Wiesbrook by February 17th at 3:00 pm. Checks can be made out to Yorkville Christian FFA. Delivery will be the week of February 27th. The exact delivery date will be communicated with students & families as soon soon as the information is shared with Mrs. Wiesbrook. Please be sure to deliver strawberries immediately. Strawberries left out will go bad quickly! This fundraiser helps reduce the costs of Agriculture class field trips & upcoming FFA trip costs and also helps support the costs of all activities done in the classroom. Please let Mrs. Wiesbrook know if you have any questions or concerns! 

On February 11-12 is the Illinios Little Britches Rodeo held at Mustang Arena at Spirit Farms in Sheridan. Students interested in working the FFA Rodeo Concessions, please sign up on the FFA Bulletin Board in the Ag Classroom. 

National FFA Week will be February 21-24. The Yorkville Christian FFA Officer Team is busy planning the various activities such as dress-up days and the annual school-wide breakfast! 

FFA members interested in competing at the Meat Evaluation CDE will begin practicing in the next few weeks. The contest will take place on March 1st. During this team event, students evaluate beef carcasses for quality and yield grade; identify various meat cuts and place carcasses; and identify wholesale and/or retail cuts. 

FFA members interested in competing at the Public Speaking CDE will begin practicing the next few weeks. The contest will take place on March 11th. Students are able to choose from the following areas to compete in: Creed Speaking, Prepared, & Extemporaneous. Participants interested in Creed Speaking are expected to recite the FFA Creed from memory. They are then asked a series of questions to assess their understanding and knowledge of the Creed.  Participants interested in the Prepared Public Speaking will be involved in the selection of a topic, preparation of a written manuscript, delivery of a six- to eight minute oral presentation using a problem-solution style, and oral response to judges’ questions at the conclusion of the speech. The extemporaneous public speaking CDE format requires the participant to select a topic, prepare notes for a speech during a 20-minute period, give an oral presentation lasting a minimum of 3 minutes, and field questions from judges.

CLASSROOM CORNER

Geometry

Students in Mrs. Tickel’s Geometry class used their knowledge of transformations to perform reflections, translations, and dilations using magazine pictures.  This was a fun and creative way to review these concepts.

Introduction to Drawing and Painting

Students, under the direction of Mr. John McDavitt, recreated Monet’s Lily Pond painting to build color matching and composition skills.  The students did a great job with their work!

Introduction to Drawing and Painting

Students in Mr. McDavitt’s Introduction to Drawing and Painting completed their final semester projects.  Students were given an image that was a color breakdown of their final project as prep for matching color to reference.  Below are some photos of the students’ final projects.  The black and white hands are part of the final projects as well, as this part of the assessment focused on painting in values – shades (dark to light).  The students did an outstanding job!

Biology

 Biology students, under the direction of Mrs. Schnyders, completed an “Egg Osmosis Lab” to gain a visual understanding of the selective permeability of a cell membrane.  After using a chemical reaction to dissolve the egg shell, students placed their eggs in various solutions (hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic), made predictions as to what would happen to the egg in each solution, and then documented their observations over the following days.  Students ended the lab by testing whether their shell-less eggs would “bounce” or “burst” when dropped.  It was a great learning activity for the students and provided an excellent visual learning tool.

Health and Wellness Class

 Students in Mrs. Schnyder’s Health class learned their blood types through the use of the Eldon Blood Typing Kit.  This activity increased their personal health knowledge and was a final step toward their graduation from Health and Wellness class!

English 3

English 3 students, under the direction of Ms. Alyssa Taglia, practiced giving presentations by rotating around a horseshoe and giving their presentations one on one three different times in preparation for their final presentation of the semester.  It was a fun lesson and provided an excellent opportunity for each student to gain valuable experience in preparation for their class presentations.

Mustangs in the Community 

LADY MUSTANGS TAKE 3RD PLACE AT EARLVILLE TOURNAMENT

The Lady Mustangs basketball team competed in the Earlville Christmas tournament at the end of December, and ended up finishing third in the tournament.  The team played three games and finished 2-1 in the three-day tournament.  Congratulations to Grace Allgood and Danielle Bulson, who were named to the All-Tournament Team!  GREAT JOB LADY MUSTANGS!

BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYS IN THE 59TH ANNUAL PLANO CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

The Yorkville Christian High School boys’ basketball team participated in the 59th Annual Plano Christmas Classic from December 27-30.  The boys played some great competition during the week, and finished the tournament in 6th place with a record of 2-2.  The team defeated Sandwich High School and Ottawa High School, while dropping contests to Kaneland and Northridge Prep.  Congratulations to senior guard, DJ Douglas Jr., who made the All-Tournament Team, while averaging over 30 points a game during the tournament.  The team is excited to start the second half of the year, as they make a run to defend their state championship in March!

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM CAPTURES SILVER TITLE AT FLAVIN INVITATIONAL

The Yorkville Christian High School wrestling team captured the Silver Division Championship at the Flavin Invitational the weekend of December 30-31.  The team went 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Silver Division to capture the crown.  Here is a list of the teams the Mustangs wrestled against and the final scores:

Yorkville Christian – 60

Hinsdale Central – 23

Yorkville Christian – 18

Marmion Academy – 48

Yorkville Christian – 54

West Aurora – 24

Yorkville Christian – 37

Washington High School – 32

Yorkville Christian – 39

Chatham/Glenwood – 33

Yorkville Christian – 51

Father Ryan – 20

The Mustangs defeated two ranked 2A teams and a nationally ranked team that travels the country to compete (Father Ryan).  GREAT JOB MUSTANGS!!

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER IN NAMED AN IHSA PORK POWER PLAYER OF WEEK

Yorkville Christian senior basketball player, DJ Douglas Jr., was recently named an IHSA Pork Power Player of the Week following his performances at the Plano Christmas Classic.  The IHSA selected 10 players for the team based on their performances at their perspective Christmas tournaments.  DJ celebrated his nomination by going out that very night and scoring a school record 56 points against Ottawa Marquette, while leading the varsity boys to a thrilling 83-80 OT win!  Great job DJ!

TEAM CHAMPION IS CROWNED FOR FIRST EVER “MUSTANGS HOOPS” LEAGUE

The inaugural “Mustangs Hoops” League ran on Saturday mornings in December and January.  Over 50 boys participated in the league, and it was a huge success.  We concluded the league with “Championship Saturday” on Saturday, January 7.  After weeks and several games of competitive play, the White Team walked away with the championship!  “Mustangs Hoops” League started every Saturday with a devotional led by Yorkville Christian High School head coach, Aaron Sovern, and then consisted of a short warmup and drill time and three full competitive games each week.  The teams were coached by current Yorkville Christian High School players, and Yorkville Christian players also manned the score tables and concession stand.  It was a great experience for the boys who joined us, but also for our players and coaches.  Thank you to all who participated, and we look forward to seeing everyone again in December!

LADY MUSTANGS WIN BIG AT HOME

The Lady Mustangs basketball team had a home game on Tuesday, January 10, against Hiawatha High School, and the ladies came away with a big victory.  The team dominated the game from start to finish and ended up winning by a score of 44-15 to improve their record to 8-7 on the season.  The team was led by Danielle Bulson with 17 points and Grace Allgood with 16.  Great job ladies!

LADY MUSTANGS NAMED TO EARLVILLE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Yorkville Christian High School basketball players, Grace Allgood and Danielle Bulson, were named to the Earlville Christmas Tournament All-Tourney Team.  The Lady Mustangs finished in 3rd place in the tournament.  Congratulations to Grace and Danielle for being recognized for their efforts during the tournament. 

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HOOPER REACHES A MILESTONE

On January 12, 2023 against Westminster Christian, Yorkville Christian High School senior, DJ Douglas Jr., reached a career milestone by scoring his 1,000 point in a Yorkville Christian uniform.  Only three other players in Yorkville Christian High School history, Noah Lewis, Christian Sovern, and Jaden Schutt, have scored 1000 points during their Mustang careers.  Congratulations DJ! 

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM COMPETES AT CHEESEHEAD INVITATIONAL

The Yorkville Christian High School wrestling team headed north the weekend of January 6-7 to compete in the prestigious Cheesehead Invitational in Kaukauna, WI.  39 teams from eight different states traveled to compete in one of the toughest high school tournaments in the nation.  Yorkville Christian was one of 10 teams from Illinois competing.  This mid-season tournament is a meat grinder, designed to test the wrestlers against the very best the sport has to offer.  College coaches from across the country attend to not only evaluate future collegiate talent, but to watch entertaining matches from ranked wrestlers from each state.  Getting victories at Cheesehead is not easy, but the experience the team is able to take back to their competitions going forward makes the trip well worth it. The Mustangs finished third amongst the Illinois teams and 20th overall.  Here is a look at some of the individual performances from the Mustang team.

Aiden Larsen finished 14th

Ty Edwards finished 9th (going 4-3)

Noah Dial finished 11th (going 5-2)

Grason Johnson finished 15th

Drew Torza finished 15th

Tyler Martinez finished 9th (going 5-2)

Jackson Gillen made the gold bracket and finished 8th

Chris Durbin finished 18th

Jeremy Loomis finished 22nd

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN WRESTLER COMMITS TO NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Yorkville Christian High School senior wrestler, Tyler Martinez, recently committed to Northern Illinois University to continue his academic and athletic career.  Tyler has been a major cog of the success the Yorkville Christian wrestling program has experienced over the past few years, and we are very excited to see him continue his career at the next level.  Congratulations Tyler, and may God continue to bless your path!

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING PROGRAM CELEBRATES SENIOR NIGHT

The Yorkville Christian High School wrestling program honored nine seniors this past weekend during a dual meet against Brother Rice. The Mustangs defeated Brother Rice 46-30. Prior to the meet, they acknowledged the achievements and dedication of their senior group, many of whom were part of last year’s IHSA state championship team, and who hope to be part of a similar run this season. 

Senior recognition included the following wrestlers…

Noah Dial, Drew Torza, Tyler Martinez, and Jack Gillen (all with 100+high school wins), were winners on senior night as was Jackson Mehochko. Chris Durbin, Jeremy Looms, Collin Callahan, and Edoardo Tibaldeschi rounded out this special group of seniors who will leave a lasting legacy on this young program that made history a year ago. The Mustang family looks forward to seeing how these young men make a difference in the world they are about to set their sights on.

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN WRESTLING TEAM COMPETES AT TOM LAHEY INVITATIONAL

On Saturday, January 21, the Yorkville Christian High School wrestling team competed at the Tom Lahey Invitational at Stagg High School in Palos Hills, IL.  The team finished 2nd out of 19 teams, and Yorkville Christian was the only 1A school at the tournament.  The following wrestlers placed in their respective weight classes:

Aiden Larsen – 4th place

Ty Edwards – 3rd place

Noah Dial – 5th place

Drew Torza – 5th place

Tyler Martinez – 2nd place

Jack Gillen – 1st place

Great job Mustangs!

SENIORS ENJOY A DAY OF GREAT ACTIVITIES WHILE UNDERCLASSMEN COMPLETE STATE TESTING

On Monday, January 23, the underclassmen at Yorkville Christian High School took the Pre-ACT tests during the morning hours.   While those students were testing, our seniors participated in a day of leadership and spiritual activities, as well as some fun and games.  Seniors participated in a breakfast, motivational talks by Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Vester about finishing the year strong and taking every opportunity available to them, as well as trusting God and His plan for their future. Students also participated in a leadership activity with Mrs. Wiesbrook and received information about senior graduation projects! Seniors then had a fun time at the Main Event in Warrenville, where they spent the afternoon bowling, playing pool, laser tag and bonding with their classmates! 

YORKVILLE CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL NEW ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR!

**DON’T MISS THE EARLY ENROLLMENT DISCOUNT!  ENROLL BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2023 AND SAVE $250!! ** CURRENT FAMILIES – REFER A FAMILY TO YCHS AND RECEIVE A $250 TUITION DISCOUNT! **

How Do You Enroll?

I wanted to share with you a few pieces of information regarding enrolling at Yorkville Christian High School.  We are already accepting enrollment applications for the 2023-2024 school year, and we are offering an EARLY ENROLLMENT DISCOUNT of $250 for any family who enrolls before January 1, 2023.

There are two steps to the enrollment process:  The first is our enrollment application, which can be completed using this link:

https://yorkvillechristian.com/enrollment/

The second part of the enrollment process is the tuition down payment.  Once the tuition down payment is made, your student is officially enrolled for the 2023-2024 school year.  Tuition at Yorkville Christian High School is $9500 ($9250 with the early enrollment discount), which includes ALL costs.  The tuition down payment is $600, which is deducted from your total tuition amount.  The tuition down payment can be made using this secure link:

https://yorkvillechristian.com/product/enrollment-fees/

Once you complete the enrollment application, you are welcome to apply for tuition assistance.  All you have to do to apply for tuition assistance is email your last two tax returns to the following email address accounting@yorkvillechristian.com.  Your records will be reviewed by a small, confidential committee, and you should receive an answer on whether or not you qualify for assistance and how much you qualify for within 48 hours.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns regarding the Yorkville Christian High School enrollment process!  WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR FAMILY JOIN THE MUSTANG FAMILY!

Serving Him,

Tim Schnyders

Yorkville Christian High School

Director of Outreach and Enrollment

Proverbs 21:31 — The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord!

Upcoming Events

• February 9 – Agriculture Shadow Day

• February 16 – Math and Science Shadow Day

• February 20 – NO SCHOOL – President’s Day

• February 21-24 – FFA Week

• February 23 – Fine Arts Shadow Day

• February 27-March 3 – MAP Assessments

• March 6 – Mustang Shadow Day

• March 14-15 – Re-Enrollment Nights for CURRENT students (FR and Sophomores on March 14 and Juniors on March 15)

• March 27-31 – NO SCHOOL – SPRING BREAK

• April 3 – School Resumes

Proverbs 21:31 – “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.”