Summer 2023 Crusader The
2 | The Crusader The Building Committee has been working with Puetz Design+Build to develop plans for the next phases of construction at SBA. Since the recently-constructed boys’ dormitory is not at capacity, the plan is to take part of that dormitory and use it for girls while adding an addition (shown in the top photo) that would include a staff apartment, restroom and laundry facilities, a lounge/safe room, four dorm rooms and a mechanical room. A new entryway on the side of the existing dorm would be added for the boys to enter the building. This would be Phase I. Phase II would be a new kitchen, dining hall and commons area which would connect the dorms and the west gymnasium. This is shown in the picture immediately above. Phase III would be the completion of the new girls’ dorm to full size (also evident above) and returning the full current boys’ dorm to use for boys. Based on current construction costs, the estimated cost for each phase is: Phase 1: $1,328,400 - $1,405,000 Phase 2: $3,428,000 - $3,596,400 Phase 3: $1,676,200 - $1,748,200 We hope to announce in the Fall issue what the plan is for fundraising and starting construction. In the meantime, gifts to the Building Fund are welcome! Excitement is BUILDING!
School Board Brad Haun, Chairman Miller, SD Clint Sandness, Vice Chairman Miller, SD Jim Hofman, Secretary Miller, SD Brad Ufen, Treasurer Miller, SD Craig Hinman Carter, SD John Paul Faith, SD Doran Hamburger Seneca, SD Quentin Gerbracht Faith, SD Kevin Triebwasser Volga, SD God’s Truth for Today’s Youth. According to its Articles of Incorporation, Sunshine Bible Academy exists to provide “for the general education of youth in the essentials of culture and in the arts and sciences, giving emphasis to the Christian doctrines and the ethics revealed in the Holy Scriptures; combating all atheistic, agnostic, pagan, and so-called scientific adulterations of the Gospel; unqualifiedly affirming and teaching the Inspiration of the Bible (both the Old and New Testaments); the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; His identification as the Son of God; His vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross; the resurrection of His body from the tomb; His power to save man from sin; the new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and the gift of eternal life by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.” From Our Superintendent 4 Junior/Senior Banquet 5 Senior Tea 6 Spring Play 7 Student Testing 8 Fourth Quarter 9 Awards Night 10 Track & Bible Day 12 Concert 13 Commencement 14 Crusader Athletics 18 Development Corner 21 Crusaders Around the World 22 SBA Foundation 24 Giving 25 SBA Family News 26 Calendar 27 > Front cover: Kindergarten students Eloise Van Vuuren and Jovie Hall show off the caterpillars and leaves they made in art class. > Back cover: Abby Hinman running in the 400m prelims at the State Track and Field meet in Sioux Falls. The Crusader | 3
From Our Superintendent I recently received a letter from a friend of mine who leads a Christian ministry in another state. In that letter he said, “We are in a battle for the heart and soul of the next generation,” referencing the ongoing effort to “normalize, inflitrate and indictrinate the next generation.” Interestingly, I received his letter the day after the annual joint meeting of the SBA school board and Advisory Council--a meeting at which I reminded those in attendance why we (SBA) do what we do. I shared a quote from the founder of the company at the heart of the recent opposition to Target’s Pride product line, a quote that begins, “Satan loves you and respects who you are,” and ends, “for me, Satan is hope, compassion, equality, and love.” Of course, that is not at all who Satan is; quite the opposite, in fact. The Bible tells us that Satan is like a roaring lion, “seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). It is, I said at the meeting, imperative that we continue to be faithful to the mission of the school and to help our students to develop their worldview, knowing how to apply God’s Word to their lives and to the world around them. Sunshine Bible Academy has been doing that for more than seventy years now and, Lord willing, will continue to do so for many years to come. That is not at all a task reserved to SBA--or any Christian school. It is the responsibility of every Christian parent, every Christian school and every church. SBA is a partner to parents and churches, and we are, collectively, in a war. It is a war for truth. One of the faithful soldiers in that war is Ken Shay. As you will read later in this issue, Ken and his wife Jean were named to the SBA Hall of Fame in May. Thank you, Ken, for your commitment to the cause of Christ. Another necessary part of the ministry of Sunshine Bible Academy is housing for our boarding students. The building committee has been working with a design firm and now has detailed, three-phase plans for the next steps of SBA’s facility improvements. Be sure to take a look at those plans and pray about how you might help us to make those plans a reality. Summer is always an important time of rest and renewal, but the start of the 2023-24 school year will be here before we know it. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to fight the good fight. In Him, 4 | The Crusader
The Crusader | 5 Junior/Senior Banquet L to R, top to bottom: Brielle Jeffery & Garrett Van Zee; Kalyn Sarchet & Kaleb Sarchet; Kim Robbins & Anthony Mitchell; Charity Freed & Trevor Laschkewitsch; Sadie Konechne & Trevor Nelson; Rylee Nelson & Nolan Triebwasser; Betra Amare & Parker Jones; Anna Van Dusseldorp & Abram Shaeq; Lydia Lo & River Jones; Abi Hartog & David Hague; Addison Pearl & Daniel Gerbracht.
6 | The Crusader The annual Senior Tea was held the evening of April 3rd. This was a special evening honoring the ladies graduating with the class of 2023, Charity Freed, Rylee Nelson, Kimberly Robbins and Anna VanDusseldorp. These ladies had been looking forward to an evening with a good cup of tea, fellowship around the tea party table and encouragement as they anticipate life after graduation. With the tables set and teacups waiting, the ladies attending, including SBA staff and friends, were quickly able to enjoy delicious tea party delicacies. There were fancy fruit trays, vibrant vegetable trays, charming cheese and cracker plates, tasty tea sandwiches, scrumptious scones and satisfying sweets prepared by the staff ladies. Everyone enjoyed the fellowship while sampling all the different food options and having a cup of tea. A special time in the evening was having alumna, Cassie Beckwith (‘15), share an encouraging devotional challenge that was inspired by personal experieince. Cassie’s devotion, “How to Pack When You Leave SBA,” was filled with encouraging, helpful advice for the senior ladies as they prepare for the next phase of life. The first advice was about what not to pack. The challenge was to leave behind Expectations and Blame from self or others. Leaving these things behind would create room for the necessary items that need to be packed to help with focusing on God’s purpose for life. Cassie’s encouragement was to pack three key items. First, pack the Good Friendships made at SBA. These friendships will continue to provide encouragement throughout life. Second, make sure to pack God’s Word. Cassie stated, “God’s Word will help you know what is real in the real world.” Lastly, pack Identity. This is not just any identity but the identity that we have in Christ. It is an identity that is maintained by cultivating our relationship with our Savior. With these foundational items in their suitcases, Cassie encouragingly told the senior ladies they would be well prepared for leaving SBA after graduation. The Senior Tea is always a special and encouraging evening. Thank you to each lady who helped prepare for the evening and to Cassie for sharing during our time together. Senior Tea Kristina Watson
The Crusader | 7 Spring Play This year we had the opportunity to tell Corrie ten Boom’s story through “The Hiding Place” by Bradley Winkler, adapted from the book by John and Elizabeth Sherrill. Cornelia “Corrie” ten Boom was a Dutch christian who, along with her father and other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. Through Corrie’s life, we see the way God provides for her family and the way His Word was spread in trying times. I have been involved with spring play since my eighth grade year so when Miss Haun told us we were doing a serious play, I was not thrilled. About a week into practice I knew I had been wrong and this was going to be a powerful play. Miss Haun truly wanted us to understand the deepness and reality of what we were portraying and that’s what happened. I had the opportunity to play Corrie’s sister, Betsie, in the second act of the show. In the beginning, that truly scared me. I have always looked up to Betsie’s great faith, her willingness to serve others and ability to love her persecutors seemed impossible. The more we worked on character development, the more I started to learn about how Betsie still struggled with a lot of the same things we do, and it was her dependence on the Lord, not on herself that got her through. She knew that God was greater than the trials she was facing. Betsie’s ability to forgive and love came directly from God. As we prepared for our performance, working with the ten Boom family’s story gave us an appreciation for this family who made tremendous sacrifices to serve the Lord. More than that, it reminded us of God’s provision both throughout history and in our own lives. As Corrie says in the play, “When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.” God is so good. I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with this story and be reminded of His incredible work in our lives. Kim Robbins (‘23)
8 | The Crusader For the past eleven years, SBA students have completed the Terra Nova, Third Edition (TN3) test each April. This year, following the recommendation of ACSI, SBA made the switch to the Iowa Assessments. The Iowa Assessments have an efficient test design that measures student achievement against more recently updated norms (2017) in a shorter testing time. The results also provide detailed reports with accurate and actionable information at skill and item levels. The Iowa Assessments provide student scores in eleven areas: Reading, Written Expression, Vocabulary, ELA Total, Mathematics, Computation, Math Total, Core Composite, Social Studies, Science and Total Composite. In addition, seven test areas are broken down into specific skill domains, providing insight into specific areas where students may struggle. In reading there are ten skill domains, in Written Expression and Mathematics there are eight each, in Computation there are four, in Social Studies there are seven, in Science there are six and in Information Literacy there are three, meaning that student performance is reported in forty-six different skill domains. The National Percentile is considered the best score for presenting test results because of its straightforward explanation. Percentile ranks range from a low of 1 to a high of 99. The number is the percent of students in the standardized sample that earned lower scores on a test. Put differently, if a student scores in 87th percentile, he or she scored as well as or better than 87% of the students in the sample group in that specific area. The following students scored in the 99th percentile in individual areas: Jovie Hall (K): Language, ELA Total Kate Ufen (K): Language Eloise Van Vuuren (K): Language, ELA Total Dakota Boersma (7): Vocabulary, ELA Total Katie Kruse (9): Reading Soleil Mickelson (9): ELA Total, Core Composite Joshua Stomprud (10): Social Studies Owan Watson (10): Vocabulary, ELA Total, Core Composite, Social Studies, Complete Composite Rylee Nelson (12): Written Expression, ELA Total The 99th percentile is the highest possible rating, and we commend the students above for achieving that rating in their respective subject areas. Overall, twenty-three students scored in the 90th percentile or higher in a total of 131 test areas! Special congratulations to Katie Kruse (9), Soleil Mickelson (9) and Owan Watson (10) for scoring in the 90th percentile or higher in all eleven areas! Student Testing
The Crusader | 9 At the State FFA Convention April 16-18, SBA’s Natural Resources team of Lydia Lo, Rylee Nelson, Charity Freed and Jimmy Burma placed first, earning them a trip to the National Convention in Indianapolis in November. Rylee also placed first individually, while Charity, Jimmy and Lydia were 5th, 9th and 19th respectively. The annual Crimson vs Gold basketball games took place on April 24. There were four teams, two for younger elementary students and two for older elementary students, and an enthusiastic crowd! Jacob Hague, Patrick Nelson and Reagan Sandness participated in the 5th-8th Grade Instrumental Contest in Miller on April 29. Six elementary students competed at the James Valley Christian Spelling Bee on May 2: Benson Grummet, Ausia VanHolstyn, Aiden Boersma, Jaxon Hall, Avery Hall and Reagan Sandness. Third grader Aiden Boersma placed second. On May 3, faculty, staff and students walked twenty miles of roadside ditches for the Spring Clean-a-Thon. Generous responses to the fundraiser mailing brought in just over $28,000! On May 10, Trevor Laschkewitsch and Joshua Stomprud were elected Student Body President and Vice President respectively for 2023-24. Elementary students took a field trip to the Children’s Museum of South Dakota in Brookings on May 11. The preschool program was held on May 11. We had five preschool students this year. Elementary students presented a wax museum on May 12. Kindergarten students presented different countries, the second and third graders did historical figures, and the fourth through sixth graders did different states. Top: the Natural Resources team; middle: Aiden Boersma with his second place trophy at the JVC Spelling Bee; bottom: Brenden Koth as Chuck Yeager for his wax museum presentation about West Virginia. Fourth Quarter
10 | The Crusader -Academic AwardsSocial Studies - Kimberly Robbins Bible - Abram Shaeq Math - Rylee Nelson Science - Rylee Nelson English - Owan Watson Computer - Katie Kruse Industrial Arts - Daniel Gerbracht Art - Rylee Nelson -Fine Arts AwardsOutstanding Instrumentalist - Abram Shaeq Outstanding Vocalist - Kimberly Robbins, Jimmy Burma Director’s Award - Daniel Gerbracht Outstanding Jr High Leader - Patrick Nelson All-State Choir Members - Betra Amare, Jimmy Burma, Addison Pearl, Owan Watson All-State Alternates - Natasha Appel, Tanner Fox, Ethan Hamburger, Anna VanDusseldorp Outstanding Actor - Owan Watson Outstanding Actress - Anna VanDusseldorp Outstanding Oral Interpreter - Anna VanDusseldorp -Character AwardsBiblical Quality Character Awards: David (Godly Leadership) - Abram Shaeq Daniel (Personal Integrity) - Trevor Nelson Peter (Spiritual Growth) - Parker Jones Barnabas (Tireless Encourager) - Addison Pearl Jonathan (Loyal Friend) - Betra Amare -Diligence and Attendance AwardsGratis Award - Natasha Appel Girls Dorm Leadership - Rylee Nelson Boys Dorm Leadership - Nolan Triebwasser Diligence Award - Betra Amare, Jimmy Burma, Charity Freed, Sadie Konechne, Katie Kruse, Trevor Laschkewitsch, Lydia Lo, Rylee Nelson, Trevor Nelson, Abram Shaeq, Joshua Stomprud, Owan Watson Awards Night The annual Awards Night ceremony was held on Thursday, May 4.
The Crusader | 11 -Athletic AwardsFootball Most Improved - Anthony Mitchell Hustle Award - Trevor Laschkewitsch Mr. Defense Award - Parker Jones Crimson & Gold Award - Nolan Triebwasser Volleyball Most Improved (C Team) - Danae Ferguson Most Improved (JV) - Charity Freed Most Improved (Varsity) - Abby Hinman Crimson and Gold - Rylee Nelson Assists Leader - Betra Amare (49) Aces Leader - Betra Amare (21) Kills Leader - Anna Van Zee (53) Digs Leader - Betra Amare (58) Receives Leader - Kennedy Keck (293) Cross Country State Qualifiers - Rylee Nelson, Abigail Weaver, Jimmy Burma Wrestling Most Improved - Troy Paul Outstanding Wrestler - Jimmy Burma Roger Paul Award - Trevor Laschkewitsch Boys Basketball Most Improved (JV) - Abram Shaeq Most Improved - Henrik Wipf Practice/Hustle Award - Jensen Wipf Best Defensive Player - Parker Jones Leading Rebounder - Daniel Gerbracht Best Free Throw Percentage - Nolan Triebwasser Best Assist/Turnover Ratio - Owan Watson Crimson and Gold - Nolan Triebwasser 281 All-Conference - Nolan Triebwasser (Honorable Mention) -Athletic AwardsGirls Basketball Most Improved (JV) - Dakota Boersma Most Improved (Varsity) - Abby Hinman JV Defensive Award - Addison Pearl Leading Rebounder - Abby Hinman Defensive Award - Betra Amare and Lydia Lo Crimson and Gold - Rylee Nelson Senior Honor Athletes - Daniel Gerbracht, Parker Jones, Rylee Nelson, Nolan Triebwasser -ScholarshipsSteele-Mickelson Communications Scholarship - Kalyn Sarchet, Joshua Stomprud, Kaleb Sarchet, Abram Shaeq E. Stanley Morgan Scholarship - Lydia Lo, Anthony Mitchell, Trevor Laschkewitsch Kea Ufen-Dearing Character Award (Scholarship) - Anastasia Mitchell -FFA Awards (presented at FFA Banquet on May 1)- Discovery Degree - Dakota Boersma, Danae Ferguson, Ethan Hamburger, Angelica Montileaux Greenhand Degree - Daraby Boersma, Erika Hamburger, David Hague, Tate Michaelis, Trevor Nelson, Kalyn Sarchet, Ezra Stiegelmeier, Abigail Weaver Chapter Degree - Natasha Appel, Jimmy Burma, Tanner Fox, Abby Hinman, Kennedy Keck
12 | The Crusader Track & Bible Friday, May 5, brought home schooling families from around the state and beyond to join our PK-7th grade students for a day of friendly competition, fellowship and encouragement at the annual Track and Bible day. This year we had 118 students and 8 PK students in addition to our SBA students participating in three academic and three athletic events. Although no records were broken in any of the athletic events, we did have record participation this year with seven new families joining us! We had a beautiful day for the event and more activities for students to participate in outside while waiting for their long jump or soft ball throw. It was a great opportunity for the students to get to know each other better. New friends were made, old friends reunited. One SBA student recalls meeting a “new friend” from across the state seven years ago at Track and Bible and they are now classmates here at Sunshine. A HUGE thank you goes out to all the students, staff members and community members that gave their time to listen to verses, proctor trivia tests, organize results and label ribbons, lead the students to each the students to each activity, and measure softball throws and long jumps. Their help is greatly appreciated! Tresa Paul also blessed the moms and many others by opening the coffee bar. It was such a special treat for all! The memoery passage this year came from 2 Timothy 3:14-4:8 challenging all of us to continue in what we have learned, remembering God’s word equips us for every good work, and to be ready to preach God’s word with complete patience! It was encouraging to see that thirty-one students memorized the entire passage earning the mastery award. We are so grateful for the families who take the time to work on the academic subjects during their school year, travel long distances, and continue to encourage other homeschool families to join in the fun! We look forward to another beautiful and fun day on Friday, May 3rd, 2024. Second graders awaiting the start of their spelling bee; nine square in the air during free time. Heidi Seaman
The Crusader | 13 Concert On May 12, music students performed a themed concert titled “All in the Name of Jesus.” This concert was a night of celebration and worship using gifts that God gave to students and staff. To begin, the elementary students performed a musical titled “Because He Lives,” which had five different songs as well as Scripture detailing the importance of having a risen Savior. The 2nd through 6th graders had lines, and students Alice Grummet, Autumn Grummet, Avery Hall, Jaxon Hall and Annabella Sandness had vocal solos during the performance. After the musical, the 5th and 6th graders played a band arrangement of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” The high schoolers followed, and started with the men’s ensemble “All in the Name of Jesus,” featuring Owan Watson as a soloist and their contest piece “Psalms of Praise.” The handbell choir did a peaceful arrangement of “Amazing Grace,” and finished with a malleted arrangement of “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder.” The first half of the concert ended with Small Vocal performing “We Are More Than Conquerors” and a very moving rendition of “Nearer, My God to Thee.” After intermission, the choir performed six pieces. They ranged from a slow ballad of “Agnus Dei” which featured Anastasia Mitchell as a soloist, to the livelier “Psalm 103” which featured Anthony Mitchell accompanying the choir. “Jesus Paid It All” was the auction song from this year, and it featured Kimberly Robbins as a soloist. The choir ended with a fast spiritual by Rollo Dilworth called “Jonah.” The Ladies Ensemble followed with “I Won’t Turn Back,” which featured Natasha Appel and Addison Pearl as soloists. Their final piece was “How Great Thou Art” which they performed at contest. The first band piece, “Aggressivo,” also included staff members Lauren Haun, Randy Sarchet, Joie VanHolstyn and Ruth Waller. The middle pieces of the band included “Celebration and Song” and “Londonderry Air.” The band finished the concert for the night with “The Battle of Jericho.” The concert was filled with lots of music and fun, and the students did a great job working on the music to praise the Lord. This concert was a lot of fun for me personally as well, especially with the bonus of having my mother play with the band. Heidi Seaman Kevin Waller
14 | The Crusader Commencement There was a slight haze in the air on the morning of May 21--smoke from the wildfires in Canada had been around off and on for a few days. By the time baccalaureate was over, though, the skies were clear and it was a beautiful day to celebrate. Baccalaureate included the Crusader Choir singing “Psalm 103,” the recognition of four kindergarten graduates (Jovie Hall, Kate Ufen, Eloise Van Vuuren and Ayden VanHolstyn) and six eighth grade graduates (Devon Bauman, Jerome Big Eagle, Ethan Hamburger, Madelyn Koth, Angelica Montileaux and Patrick Nelson) and reflections shared by seniors Kimberly Robbins and Nolan Triebwasser. The worship team led a time of congregational worship before the Small Vocal Ensemble sang “We Are More Than Conquerors.” The message was given by Tom Young. Tom and Joanne Young have been actively supporting SBA for twenty years, including Tom’s tenure as chairman of the school board for eight years. He talked about milemarkers and used the seniors’ class verses, Romans 12:4-5, as a way of encouraging the seniors to recognize that God brought them together as a class and as a part of the body of Christ. “We are not meant to live our life alone,” Young said, stressing the importance of unity with diversity, embrassing our differences while fulfilling God’s purposes for each of our lives. Young also encouraged the seniors to know what their beliefs are and to stand firm in them. He also reminded them to set achievable goals and not to be afraid to reach out for help. While social media and technology can bring wonderful opportunities and insights, it must be used wisely. “Remember,” Young said, “that face to face and the spoken word is something that cannot be replaced.” Commencement began at 2:30 p.m., following lunch and the annual Friends of Sunshine meeting. Superintendent Jason Watson welcomed everyone and Lucas Hall gave the invocation. After the Small Vocal Ensemble sang “Nearer, My God to Thee” several scholarships and awards were presented. The E. Stanley Morgan Scholarship was presented to Rylee Nelson, the Kea Ufen Dearing Memorial Scholarship was presented to Abram Shaeq, the Mill & Carole Seaman Leadership Award was also presented to Abram Shaeq, the Citizenship Award was presented to Nolan Triebwasser and the Crusader Award was presented to Rylee Nelson. Paul Beckwith introduced the 2023 inductees into the SBA Hall of Fame, Ken and Jean Shay. The Shay’s three children graduated from SBA- -the youngest in 2011--but Ken has remained active at SBA in the twelve years since. Not only has he served on the Advisory Council and then the school board, he was a shepherding presence in the establishment of SBA’s sentinel program and he has faith-
The Crusader | 15 fully traveled the 70 miles from Pierre just about every Wednesday night during the school years to attend chapel and to lead a Bible study for junior and senior guys. His tenure on the school board ended this year, but he has accepted an appointment to the SBA Foundation board and he will surely continue to be an active part of SBA. Charity Freed and Rylee Nelson delivered the salutatory and valedictory addresses respectively and then the senior class sang “We All are One in Mission.” John Stiegelmeier, the longest-tenured and winningest football coach in South Dakota State University history, delivered the commencement address. He talked about four areas that are unbelievable to God--the number of people in the world who die from hunger, what’s happening in our churches today, the number of babies who have been aborted in the United States and the number of people who are shot every year in the U.S. He encouraged the seniors to get involved and to make a difference in those areas. Following Stiegelmeier’s address, the Class of 2023 received their diplomas. As they did so, the first seven students surreptitiously handed Mr. Watson something while shaking his hand. The eighth senior, Anna VanDusseldorp, then presented Watson with a pair of blaze orange Crocs as she accepted her diploma. After a slide show of pictures of the senior class, shown while the seniors distributed flowers to individuals who had made a special impact in their lives, school board chairman Brad Haun congratulated the seniors and told them that they could turn their tassles. The Crusader Choir and alums sang “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” and then Jim Hofman gave the benediction. To the surprise and delight of all, Watson slipped on his new Crocs for the recessional. The most common question after the ceremony was, “What’s the backstory behind the Crocs?” “No real story,” Watson said. “I like orange and I don’t like Crocs, so I think they were just having some fun.” As for what the first seven seniors handed him, they were Jibbitz, the decorative charms that people use to adorn their Crocs. “This was a one-time show,” Watson said of his sporting the Crocs. “From here on out, I’ll be sure to keep them in pristine condition!” After the seniors got a picture with Watson in his Crocs, they went out on the FFA Plaza and tossed their caps before forming a receiving line. The parents of the seniors hosted a lovely reception in the east gym with hot and iced coffee, a charcuterie table, Indian tacos and a dessert station. Each of the seniors had a table displaying pictures, awards and other memorabilia. As always, graduation day at SBA was like a second homecoming, something noticed immediately by Coach Stiegelmeier upon his arrival. “When I saw all those cars and knew there were only eight graduates,” he said, “I knew there was something special about this place.”
16 | The Crusader Charity Freed is the daughter of Dan and Cammie Freed from Mesa, CO. She plans to take a gap year and then attend Frontier School of the Bible. Daniel Gerbracht is the son of Quentin and Sunshine Gerbracht of Faith, SD. Daniel plans to move to Sioux Falls to work as a brick mason. Parker Jones is the son of Eric Big Eagle of Ft. Thompson, SD, and Erica Jones of Ramsey, MN. Parker plans to move to Sioux Falls and work building decks and fences. Rylee Nelson is the daughter of Travis and Cindi Nelson of Richland, MT. Rylee plans to attend SDSU in the fall to pursue a degree in Animal Science. Kimberly Robbins is the daughter of Joseph and Georgina Negron of Boca Raton, FL. This summer she will be doing an internship in Puerto Rico with Youth for Christ. Abram Shaeq is the son of Najib and Rona of Tucson, AZ. His plan is to take a gap year to pursue welding, drones, music and online business. Nolan Triebwasser is the son of Kevin and Tanya Triebwasser of Volga, SD. Nolan plans to return home and work on the family farm. Annabelle VanDusseldorp is the daughter of Gabriel and Mandi VanDusseldorp of Rapid City, SD. Anna plans to take a gap year to work, travel and do missions work.
The Crusader | 17 Clockwise from top right: Tom Young delivers the baccalaureate message; Ken Shay accepting the Hall of Fame award; Coach John Stiegelmeier giving the commencement address; Jason Watson sporting his orange Crocs; the Class of 2023 tossing their caps; eighth grade graduates; kindergarten graduates.
18 | The Crusader Crusader Athletics GIRLS’ TRACK Greg Pedersen Our girls’ track and field team of 16 girls participated in six varsity meets and one junior high meet prior to the State meet. Our theme verses for the season were Ephesians 4:1-3. A goal was to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” of the LORD in our practices and classrooms, in the cafeteria and dorm, and at our track and field meets. Another goal was to qualify for the State B meet held at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls by being a top 24 Class B entrant in an individual event or relay. The medley relay team of Natasha Appel, Dakota Boersma, Abby Hinman and Betra Amare placed 1st (4:40.05-FAT) at the Region 6B meet in Gettysburg, qualifying 24th entering the State meet. They improved greatly and finished 10th (4:33.29) in the medley relay prelims! Each improved her time from the Region 6B meet, and each ran a personal season best for the medley. The 800m relay team of Tessa Hinman, Betra Amare, Dakota Boersma and Abby Hinman placed 1st (1:53.64-FAT) at the Region 6B meet which qualified them 21st for State. They placed 10th (1:52.46) in the 800m relay prelims and missed the finals by 0.51 seconds. Abby Hinman ran 62.74 placing 2nd in the 400m dash at the 281 Conference meet which qualified her 12th. Abby ran a personal best (62.06-2nd best in SBA history) for the 400m and placed 10th in the State B 400m prelims! She was 0.57 seconds from qualifying for the finals. Dakota Boersma ran 64.04 placing 5th in the 400m dash at the 281 Conference meet that qualified her 21st. She also ran a personal best (63.51) for the 400m placing 15th in the State B 400m prelims! The 1600m relay team of Abby Hinman, Betra Amare, Tessa Hinman and Dakota Boersma placed 2nd (4:22.24) at the Miller Invitational track meet, qualifying 19th for State B. They later set a meet record (4:22.34) placing 1st at the 281 Conference track and field meet! Abby, Betra, Tessa and Dakota finished 8th and qualified for the finals at State with a school record (4:15.51) in the 1600m relay prelims!! Each ran her personal best, and they lowered their school record (4:12.99) placing 6th in the 1600m relay finals!!! Other notable performances and personal bests at the 281 Conference or Region 6B track and field meets: * Abby Hinman – 100m (281-13.74) * Rylee Nelson – long jump (6B -13’ 2”) * Abby Hinman – 200m (281-28.74) * Lydia Lo – discus (6B - 78’ 10”) * Betra Amare – 400m (281- 65.84) * Brielle Jeffery – triple jump (281- 27’ 4½”) * Daraby Boersma – 400m (6B - 66.66) * Natasha Appel, Abigail Weaver, Daraby Boersma, Abby Hinman – 400m relay (6B - 56.16)
The Crusader | 19 BOYS’ TRACK Denver Paul There were twenty-two 7th-12th grade boys that went out for track this year, and two 6th graders that practiced with the team and were able to compete at a junior high meet. The season seemed to have a cycle of two steps forward and one step back. There was great improvement across the team in maturing as runners and decreasing time in races, but setbacks kept appearing as we had struggles with injuries and ineligibility. The season finished with seven boys making a trip to the State track meet, including: Jimmy Burma (3200m run, 4x800m relay), River Jones (400m dash, 4x800m relay, 4x400m relay), Daniel Gerbracht (4x400m relay), Troy Paul (4x800m relay, 4x400m relay), Jensen Wipf (4x800m relay, 4x400m relay), Parker Jones (alternate) and Owan Watson (alternate). Crusaders at State - clockwise from top left: The record-breaking 1600m Relay team of Abby Hinman, Betra Amare, Tessa Hinman and Dakota Boersma; Boersma finishing strong in the 1600m prelim; River Jones in the 400m dash; Troy Paul in the 4x800m relay; Jimmy Burma in the 3200m.
20 | The Crusader TRAP SHOOTING Wes Fisher This year was the first year of SBA’s new Clay Target team. Twenty-five students initially signed up, and twenty finished out the season. Even though we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into this year, I would say it was still a huge success. At the start of the season in the spring we were searching for solid/dry ground to practice on, but by the end of the season we had a home in the back pasture, west of the school. There was some initial concern about fitting another activity into SBA’s already busy schedule, so we had a pretty strict practice/competition schedule that we had to stick to. The way the program works is that each week, all the students shoot 50 shells at 50 clays. Once the rhythm of loading and becoming ready was learned, the practice really only took about 30-45 minutes. Set up and clean up took a little longer, but we had a great crew that helped though out the 8 weeks. The competition as a state program is fierce, and I knew that as a first-year program, and with the majority of our students who had never competed in this way before, we had to come up with other ways to have fun and be competitive between one another. We started to compete against each other and ourselves, striving to set PRs each week. The students looked forward to the list of top shooters to be posted each week, and they would try to do their best and break their own record and make the PR list. Out of the twenty students who finished the year, ten set new personal records in the last two weeks, and fifteen met the requirements to letter by hitting over 50% of the targets. I am so thankful for the help that we had this year with the assistance of Jade Burma as range safety officer, Tori Schlatter as score keeper, and Amos Grummet who did all the work to become an assistant coach and who lead five of our students to the State tournament June 10th. Lastly, it is important to mention that this is a very expensive program to run, and we are extremely thankful for a grant of $15,000 given by Great Plains Outdoorsman. When we explained how we were moving to dry ground each week for practice they saw the need to help us build an actual trap house for our thrower. We are excited about this partnership and look forward to growing our program with their help.
The Crusader | 21 Development Corner Jamie McClain In the spring of 1977, SBA had a competitive boys’ two mile relay squad. It was somewhat unique in that it included two sets of brothers – Carlton and Joneth Stayer, and Tim and Jamie (yours truly) McClain. Carl and Tim were seniors, Jon was a junior, and I was a sophomore. As the youngest, I was also the “slow leg,” or, the person with the slowest ½ mile time. I felt a bit sensitive about that, feeling that as the slowest I was somehow letting the team down. This was unnecessary; after all, someone will be in that position. I took this memory with me, and when I became the head boys’ track coach at Sunshine I wanted to assure the members of the relay unit that their effort in the contribution was the bottom line. If it was their best, I couldn’t ask more of them. The beauty of a relay is the effort on the part of each runner to maximize the team’s performance. To draw an analogy, the effort to support SBA includes those who can provide much or little, in human terms. But in God’s eyes it is the heart attitude of the giver that ultimately matters. Whether great or small from our perspective, it is the dedication and commitment to the task and participation in its completion that matters. When a relay race is finished, the only numbers that count are the time and place of those four individuals. In the same way, as we work to support SBA, a goal is reached as each does the part consistent with his or her stewardship calling. What cannot be directly measured or seen with the eye is the blessing received for having offered one’s best. If you would like a personal visit to discuss how you would like to support the school, you may reach me at 605-450-9830 or Cheryl at 605-450-1412. We trust you have a blessed summer.
22 | The Crusader Crusaders Around the World taught me and showed me is that there is alot of comfort in being uncomfortable. I remember sitting in my bunk bed just thinking and trying to process it all. I was in a place I did not know with people I did not know but I still felt like I was supposed to be there. I felt alot of comfort in being there because I knew God wanted me there and provided for me--even though I would wake in the middle of the night be- cause I was hot and wanted meat and not veg- gies. I still knew the same God that was with me in the States was with me in South Africa. While I was there I also thought alot about the students that come from different countries to SBA and all the changes they go through that we don’t realize. At the same time, I was so grateful to have gone to SBA and made friends with people from all around the world. - Jakki Burma (‘22) On February 6, after sunset, my MAPS Global Frontier Missions School team and I arrived in Eurasia. The long-term team came to meet us at the airport and guide us through the streets to our apartments, where we would be unpacking and beginning our three-month mission to “pray, When I graduated in May of 2022 I did not really have a plan other than to work, but as the seasons changed I knew I needed to continue growing spiritually. So I reached out to Youth For Christ International and next thing I knew I was fundraising to go to Knynsa, South Africa, with Youth For Christ Knynsa. So, January 28, I got on a plane headed to South Africa for three months. I did not know anybody there or what I would be doing exactly; I just knew I would be working with kids. But it was really good and I would go back in a heartbeat. While I was there I lived in a house with six girls from Germany. They went from strangers from another part of the world to some of my best friends. I got to work with kids alot. We would help teachers in the classrooms, do some after school ministries, go to a children’s home, and help out with a local Youth Group. One of the projects I will never forget is the children’s home. The first time I went there, all these kids came running towards me and gave me hugs. That gave me a small glimpse of what God’s love for us is. He does not care what we have done or who we are, when we come to Him, He just loves us. Another thing that God
The Crusader | 23 preach and sing” in an unreached people group. February 6 was also the day of the massive earthquake that shook the country we had arrived in. That first week was set aside as a week of mourning for the entire country. As the weeks went on, God continued to reach out to the people in the midst of the heartache that united everyone. While there, we spent many hours in prayer and worship with indigenous believers and went out to the parks to share the gospel. My friend met a woman in the park and God gave her a message to give to her: that God wanted to be her Father. The woman burst into tears and said she had been to a conference the day before and the conference was all about how God is a Father. She said she didn’t have faith to believe it that day, but when my friend came up to her in the park and said the same thing, it was a confirmation to her. She gave her life to Jesus there in the park. Another person we met had come across Christian advertising online and found a Christian church. They went to church (as a Muslim) for four years before making the decision to give their life to Christ. I also met and became friends with several Muslim women who are curious about Christianity. I am continuing to pray for them. I have much more I could share, but for the sake of space, I would encourage you to talk with me in person. I am currently fundraising to go back to the mission field for two years in the same location. If you would like to partner with me or hear more, you can contact me at 804-312- 6536 or shiloh. appel@mapsglobal. org. << Shiloh Appel (‘12) I got the wonderful opportunity to go to Brazil in March, to the state of Amazonas. For three months I served at a Christian boarding school, very similar to Sunshine! It was started for the purpose of educating missionary kids while their parents were working in the tribes, and that is still its main goal! I got to teach PE, help with an English class and mainly work In the kitchen. From chopping seemingly thousands of onions, to swimming almost daily in the Amazon, I truly enjoyed my time there. I got the opportunity to meet and learn about many of the missionary kids’ lives and families. It was super cool to see the way they can grow and thrive even while being without their parents for very long periods of time, and it’s all because they have learned to depend on God and look to Him first for comfort and a home. - Mallary Backes (‘22)
24 | The Crusader SBA Foundation David Paul Joy of Giving There are moments in life that bring more expression of feelings to you than you have the words to describe the emotions you are experiencing. When you have watched a small child receive a gift, whether it be their birthday, Christmas or such, it most often brings you a smile. In this scenario, the child is anticipating a gift coming and there is excitement in the occasion. Now I will ask you to think back to a particular time or instance when you witnessed a small child presenting their special gift to grandma, a friend or special neighbor. In this moment, did you not experience a deeper feeling of what you saw in the child as the child gave the gift than when the child received the gift? The gift the child was giving was very special to the child as was the person to whom the child was giving the gift. To me, that moment is the “act of giving” in its finest form. The world has not yet tarnished the purity of simplicity in heart-led giving. On the first Saturday of December, at the SBA Auction, I have witnessed these children bringing their special crafted gifts to the auction. Dale Paulson is beaming like a three year old as his shop-made furniture is sold, as is Maurice Hinman with his gift. The display of impressive gifts of pies to quilts and all imaginable in between are brought in love by these young-in-heart supporters of Sunshine Bible Academy. The list of ways that people give to Sunshine are like the paths in the pasture leading to a water source from all directions to the same common objective. The SBA Foundation is just one of these paths and within the Foundation are several smaller paths. A family endowment is a chosen path for some. As of March 31, the value of endowments held in trust by the SBA Foundation totaled $841,000. This invested amount paid out $40,305 in July to Sunshine. Each year we see growth in the endowments. In 2022, individuals contributed $63,000 to endowments, the gift that keeps on giving. And as these family endowments go forward in generations, I pray that there always remains that childlike joyfulness in that family endowment gift that is supporting God’s Truth For Today’s Youth each year.
The Crusader | 25 Gifts Given to the SBA General Fund Gift Given By In Memory of Charity Stahl Jake Seaman Kelly & Gwen Hettich Larry Koth Kelly & Gwen Hettich Stanley Gravett Kelly & Gwen Hettich Gary Konechne Roger & Kendra Weiss Gary Konechne Philip & Vicki Hahn Gary Konechne Virgil Nelson Rod Dahl Edith Crosby John Olinger Virgil & Judy Nelson Ben Math William (Bill) Pullman Foresta Pullman William (Bill) Pullman Wade Pullman Daniel Brody Mia Philstrom Given to Restricted Memorial Fund Loretta Crosby David Ambrose Given to the SBA Foundation Gift Given By Given To Ardella Hettich Hettich Family Endowment On April 24, in conjunction with Gov. Kristi Noem, the Associated School Boards of South Dakota invited students who were identified as the top one percent of their senior class from South Dakota’s public, private and tribal schools, to celebrate their academic accomplishments at the annual Academic Excellence Banquet. Rylee Nelson was the attendee from SBA, and is pictured with Gov. Noem and Lt. Gov. Rhoden (SBA, ‘77). Congratulations, Rylee!
SBA Family News MARRIAGES Gage Davis (‘21) and Anna Schroeder were married on May 20. ENGAGEMENTS Naomi Roghair (‘19) and Watson Snyder were engaged on April 26. BIRTHS Brad (‘99) and Ashley Ufen welcomed Logan Scott on May 22. Logan was 6 lbs 6oz and joins older siblings Kate and Hunter. Brady (‘13) and Kamber Brockel welcomed Hallie May on June 10. Hallie arrived weighing 8 lbs and measuring 20.75 inches. Hallie joins her older sister, Aubrey. HOMEGOINGS David Ambrose (‘90) went home to be with the Lord on May 28. Dave is survived by his wife, daughter and son in law, his granddaughter, his parents and extended family. NEWS Kim Robbins (‘23) is doing a three-month internship with Youth for Christ Puerto Rico. Preston Liebelt (‘09) has joined Youth for Christ Puerto Rico as a full-time missionary. He arrived back in Puerto Rico in early April. He is still seeking supporters for his regular monthly support. You can contact Preston at preston.liebelt@yfcpr. org or you can find his page, including a link for donating, at https://yfci.org/ team-member/preston-liebelt/ 26 | The Crusader REUNIONS The Classes of ‘82, ‘83, and ‘84 will be gathering at SBA for a reunion on the weekend of July 21-22. If you were a member of those classes for any amount of time and would like more information about the reunion, please contact LuAnne (Letellier) Beckwith at 605-222-9211. The Classes ‘70 and ‘71 will have a reunion in Sturgis on September 22-24. Contact Mary Hanson at 360-580- 8130. The classes of ‘77 and ‘78 are having their class reunion October 13-15, 2023, at Cedar Canyon Camp in Rapid City, South Dakota. All are welcome. This includes the classes of ‘77 and ‘78, along with former staff and all other classmates who wish to attend. For more information, contact Lorie Rhoden Hausmann at 605-209-2076 or Linda O’Bryan Hilgemann at 605- 519-4865, or loriemayhausmann@aol. com or [email protected]. ALUMNI GATHERINGS On June 10, Jamie and Cheryl McClain hosted a gathering in Piedmont, SD for SBA alums in the Black Hills area. As part of their plans for connecting with alums, the McClains are planning to host similar gatherings in the near future in the Sioux Falls, Omaha and Denver areas. Be watching for more information on those gatherings! We love to share family news! Send your news to sunshinebible@k12. sd.us.
The Crusader | 27 AUG 7 AUG 10 AUG 14 AUG 18 AUG 24 AUG 28-9/1 AUG 31 SEP 1 SEP 5 SEP 15 OCT 6 Football Practice Begins Cross Country and Volleyball Practices Begin First Day of School First Football Game vs Viborg-Hurley at Viborg (7:00 p.m.) First Volleyball Match vs Faulkton Area at Faulkton (6:30 p.m.) Spiritual Life Emphasis Week First Cross Country Meet - Redfield Invitational at Fisher Grove State Park (10:00 a.m.) First Home Football Game vs Sully Buttes (2:30 p.m.) First Home Volleyball Match vs Highmore-Harrold (6:15 p.m.) Parent/Teacher Conferences Homecoming FB vs Oldham-Ramona/Rutland
SUNSHINE BIBLE ACADEMY 400 Sunshine Drive | Miller SD 57362 Address Service Requested. For more information: www.sunshinebible.org | 605.853.3071