Issue 36
August 4, 2020
HC Alumni News
The summer of 2020 will be forever remembered by the effects of COVID-19. During this time, many HC students, alumni, faculty and staff have marked time by developing new skills, like gardening, painting and binge-watching Netflix, and many have found ways to continue to educate themselves and focus on how to serve others during this time. Through online classes, seminars and interactive freshman orientation events, our community has stayed engaged and involved, making the most of the moments while looking to the future. 
  
The Class of 2020 scheduled their first alumni event before they headed off to college! Hannah McClure '20 & Taylor Allen '20, wanted to plan a fun way to handout yearbooks for our recently graduated seniors. We had 52 recent grads stop by to pick up & sign yearbooks before starting their college journey this fall! The "Yearbook Pick Up & Signing" event for the Class of 2020 was on July 28 at the Live Oak Grill on Hempstead Highway. A special "thank you" to the Ganim family for making this event possible!
CLASS OF 2020 SENDOFF!
CONGRATULATIONS!
BEST OF LUCK!
HC Athletics - Called to Lead
76% of HC students have found success on the field and in the arts - translating into students who become well-rounded managers of time, energy, and schedules.

HC has entered the final phase of athletic facility improvements - and we hope to finish strong with this last project: new girls and boys locker room facilities. Updated with newer paints, better airflow, and anti-microbial materials that will promote healthy athletes.
Alumni News
Ellie Ashby '20 & Isabella LeBlanc '20 are active with an organization called Youth for Justice. Below is an opportunity to attend a Criminal Justice Crash Course Series via zoom this summer. They will be covering a lot of different topics and having conversations about the realities of injustice in the criminal justice system. 

It is a great opportunity to learn more about the criminal justice system in general, which is something everyone should have knowledge about! They are hosting a lot of different speakers, from Houston lawyers to members of the Law Center at the University of Houston.

You can see the syllabus for these crash courses attached to this email, and you can sign up for any of these sessions at www.restoringjustice.org/yfj

You can also reach out to Ellie Ashby '20 at ellie@restoringjustice.org if you have any questions!
Catch Up with the Gruens
The Gruen Family have been serving in Africa for two years and ministering to their community through EMI. Learn more about what life is like, and read through regular updates on their blog - or sign up for their own monthly newsletter!
Mustang Stories
Allyson Joyce '19
Allyson Joyce '19 is a sophomore Speech Pathology major and Social Work minor at Texas Christian University and a member of Alpha Chi Omega.

"Alpha Chi Omega’s philanthropy is Domestic Violence Awareness and one of our partners is The Women’s Center of Tarrant County. I have a huge heart for people and when I learned about the Victim Advocate program I just knew it was something I needed to do. My passion for marginalized people, and love for the Lord helped me in achieving this goal. After 40 classroom hours of training, hospital visits, readings and an exam I am now an Office of the Attorney General certified Victim Advocate for The Women’s Center of Tarrant County. I am one of the youngest advocates and could not be more grateful for all of those who encouraged and believed in me to do this. 

I am so passionate about seeking out marginalized people and giving them hope. Proverbs 31:8-9 says “Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!”As an advocate, my role is to provide emotional support, safety, resources and information for victims. Through this position, I get to help people in the darkest moments of their lives and be that light for them. This is not an easy job. I ask for prayer from whoever is reading this that the Lord will speak through me, that I will feel His peace, presence and heavenly guidance in these situations as I answer hotline calls and go to various hospitals in the area to be with victims during medical exams and meetings with law enforcement.

Houston Christian provided me with a place that I felt safe and loved. During my time at HC the Lord placed teachers in my life like; Mr.Linhart, Mrs.Brown, Mr.Bailey, Mr.Sweger, Mrs.Metoyer, Coach Eisenman, Mrs.Lindsay, Mr.Malouf, and Leslie who inspired me to always do what is right, put others first, and follow my gut instincts. I am so thankful for these incredible men and women who know what they stand for and WHO they stand for and the massive influence they have had on my life making me the person I am today. They all are phenomenal role models and if you don’t know them yet, you should. I am also thankful for my peers from HC including; Sydney Greene, Kaylin Alexander, Kristiana Alaniz, Jillian Stewart, Allison Spiers, and many more who always loved me unconditionally and who continue to love and support me now that we are all at different colleges. Thank you Houston Christian for your love for your students, priority for safety and community oriented environment."

*Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Allyson has continued to answer the domestic violence hotline on her cell phone weekly. She has worked with CPS and the police department filing reports. While she can't visit victims in the hospital, she volunteers 2-3 times per week as a certified victims advocate.
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