Briarcrest Christian School has released the following news about its students and a new employee.
Spelling bee winners announced
Briarcrest middle-schoolers competed in a recent spelling bee, and among the winners were:
- First place: Taylor Kearbey of Lakeland, 8th grade, winning for the second year in a row
- Second place: Marianna Luce of Bartlett, 6th grade
2018 National Junior Honor Society announced
Among the recent inductee into the 2018 National Junior Honor Society are the following eighth-grade students: Tyler Bryan and Kathryn Miller, both of Arlington; Gabby Pence and Drew Sullivan, both of Bartlett; and Grace Barek, Olivia Cheng, Landon Haywood, Taylor Kearbey, Gabby Pence, Sydney Spann and Drew Sullivan, all of Lakeland.
Classroom projects abound with creativity
Heather Blount’s third-grade class worked for two weeks on a social studies project-based learning assignment. Students first researched a historic landmark using resource books and iPads in the library. Then, they designed a way to recreate their landmark. All projects were made and completed in class by the students. Each student then shared his or her landmark with a presentation.
The junior kindergarteners have been talking about the Winter Olympics a lot over the past few weeks, learning about the different sporting events. Students have learned about good sportsmanship and using your talents for God’s glory. All received a “gold medal.” As a concluding activity, JK assistant Elise Roach and her father constructed a luge/sliding track for a mock race with Lego people frozen inside an ice cube. They learned about gravity and friction while discussing the events of luge, skeleton and bobsled.
Earlier this year, Dawn Oakes’ junior kindergarten class had “snow much” fun with snowballs, snowmen and playing in the real snow. Beth Rooks, director of communications for Briarcrest, wrote, “Our snow days were a reminder to look at the beauty the snow brings to all of God’s creation.”
As part of Briarcrest’s 100 days in school celebration, Oakes’ class released balloons with 100 prayers for the school. The children have been learning that prayer is communicating or talking with God. Rooks wrote, “We may not be able to call God on the telephone or text Him a message, but prayer is just as real as e-mail or newspapers. Prayer makes our relationship with God stronger.”
New head varsity volleyball coach appointed
Briarcrest has announced the appointment of Carrie Yerty as the head coach of the high school volleyball program. In addition to coaching volleyball, Yerty also teaches elementary physical education and computer classes at Briarcrest.
She has coached volleyball at the collegiate level at Eastern Washington University, University of Arizona, University of Memphis and The University of Wyoming. While at the University of Memphis, Yerty was the most winning volleyball coach in UM’s history. She also led the University of Wyoming to three back-to-back 20 win seasons and had the most conference wins in school history.
Throughout her high school and college career, she was named All-PAC 10, PAC 10 All-Decade team and named as a High School and Collegiate All-American. She received a National Team invitation and trained with the U.S. National Volleyball Team. In college, she was a Pac 10 All-Time Record Holder in numerous categories and was a Washington State All-Time Record Holder.
She has a bachelor of arts degree in physical education from Washington State University and earned a master of science degree in athletic administration and sports and leisure commerce from the University of Memphis.
She is married to Coach Lee Yerty, who is a speed training coach at Briarcrest, and they have three children: Wes, Jace and Cade. The family attends Hope Church.
