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Northland Christian celebrates homecoming and anniversary
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| These Northland Christian high-schoolers make up a colorful combination. The students dressed up on "Superhero Day." Each day of the week has a different theme during Homecoming Week. |
By VALERIE JONES
Northland Christian School is buzzing with excitement this week. Not only is the school celebrating homecoming, but 2008 also marks the school’s 35th anniversary.
Academic counselor Deanna Graves was at the school when it began and has seen the strides made throughout the past 35 years.
“We began in the Bammel Church of Christ building,” Graves said. “We added the gym facility in ’78 or ’79 and that’s when we were first accredited by the Texas Education Agency.”
In 1988, the school purchased the facility known as the secondary campus where grades 6-12 attend school. Students 18 months through 5th grade still attend class at the church.
Graves said Northland Christian students successfully find a balance between academics and athletics.
“Athletics has always been a priority, next to academics,” she said. “Our athletic program has always been sound and vital to our school. Often times students will participate in as many as three sports and be involved in other school activities as well.”
This year’s theme for homecoming is “Heroes” and students dress up each day of the week with a different theme.
Principal Cliff Kraner, who is a Northland Christian alumnus, said homecoming is a great time to celebrate school spirit and students “really get fired up about their school.”
This year’s homecoming pits Northland Christian against Travis High School, a 4A public school from Austin.
“This is a non-district game, but we’re preparing for it as if it were,” said head football coach Nate Sanford.
Sanford said before 2001, soccer made up the homecoming game for the school and spectators watched from 3-row bleachers. He’s seen homecoming go through a complete transformation since then.
Sanford said his wife Daysha played a major role in the increase of school spirit when she served as spirit coordinator for five years.
“I know of no other school that has more fun with homecoming week than Northland does,” he said. “Each day is different and it all helps for the school to be whipped into a frenzy by Friday.”
Northland Christian and Travis will face off Friday night. A homecoming dance for high-school students will take place Saturday night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Greenspoint.
Academic counselor Deanna Graves was at the school when it began and has seen the strides made throughout the past 35 years.
“We began in the Bammel Church of Christ building,” Graves said. “We added the gym facility in ’78 or ’79 and that’s when we were first accredited by the Texas Education Agency.”
In 1988, the school purchased the facility known as the secondary campus where grades 6-12 attend school. Students 18 months through 5th grade still attend class at the church.
Graves said Northland Christian students successfully find a balance between academics and athletics.
“Athletics has always been a priority, next to academics,” she said. “Our athletic program has always been sound and vital to our school. Often times students will participate in as many as three sports and be involved in other school activities as well.”
This year’s theme for homecoming is “Heroes” and students dress up each day of the week with a different theme.
Principal Cliff Kraner, who is a Northland Christian alumnus, said homecoming is a great time to celebrate school spirit and students “really get fired up about their school.”
This year’s homecoming pits Northland Christian against Travis High School, a 4A public school from Austin.
“This is a non-district game, but we’re preparing for it as if it were,” said head football coach Nate Sanford.
Sanford said before 2001, soccer made up the homecoming game for the school and spectators watched from 3-row bleachers. He’s seen homecoming go through a complete transformation since then.
Sanford said his wife Daysha played a major role in the increase of school spirit when she served as spirit coordinator for five years.
“I know of no other school that has more fun with homecoming week than Northland does,” he said. “Each day is different and it all helps for the school to be whipped into a frenzy by Friday.”
Northland Christian and Travis will face off Friday night. A homecoming dance for high-school students will take place Saturday night at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Greenspoint.
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