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A few of our teachers stopped by and decided to give our seniors a final farewell and goodbye. These are the comments they left:

Mr. Godfrey – Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Mrs. Peterson - Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.”, “P.S. Do yourself a favor – get at least eight and one half hours of sleep in your college days – protect your ability to learn.”

Mr. Williams - “I pray that your stay focused on God’s path for your life. If you do make tough or bad decisions in your college years always go back to God no matter the result. Finally always get connected to a college church group wherever you go.”

Mrs. Piper - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart (trust God with all you’ve got) and lean not on your own understanding (your “good” ideas), in all your ways acknowledge Him, (Your will God, not mine) and He shall direct your path (can’t go wrong with this). Do not be wise in your own eyes; (think you can do this life without God) Fear the Lord and depart from evil (‘nuf said) Proverbs 3:5-7 A praise worthy, God directed and obedient life is worth more than anything this world can offer you. Keep your eyes fastened on the Author of Life!”

Mr. Fast - “Looking back to my first day as a brand new teacher, I saw an eager and intelligent group of 7th graders! Some of you can remember that day as well. This same group of students will now be graduating and I am very proud of each and every one of your accomplishments, as individuals and as a class. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives these last six years. You have all been a blessing to me and my family. Follow God with all your heart and your life wil undoubtedly be full and exciting. I have loved the opportunity God has given me to teach, instruct, discipline, weep, encourage, and laugh with you each step of the way. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 God Bless!”

Mrs. Davis - God is all-knowledge, all-wisdom, all-power and all-love, all at the same time.
Therefore… even when you do not understand His hand, you can trust His hand.
I am so proud of how you have all grown since you were my “Freshman babies.” Now get out there and reflect Jesus to your world, with your attitudes, actions and reactions. We Love You!

A high school student dreams about their senior year throughout their entire high school career. Then when you finally reach senior year…BAM! They slam you with the senior project.

The senior project is an 8-12 page paper about a controversial topic, which requires a 10-15 minute power-point presentation. This counts as a test grade for 3 of your classes, English, Government/Econ, and Bible. The teachers started doing the senior project because seniors were getting separate essays assigned; the teachers thought it would be good idea to have one long paper instead of three short ones, and that is how the senior project was birthed into the lives of TC Seniors.

Each student is assigned to a room where he or she presents the project to four judges. This year the head judges were Mr. Fast, Mrs. Piper, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Hernandez, and Mr. Williams. The top 9 are selected to present the project again, in front of a different panel of judges, for the purpose of vying for a scholarship.

This year’s top nine were, Morgan Andre, Hiliary Sharp, Demsina Babazadeh, Geoffrey Retemeyer, Morgan Mcintire, Rebekah Godfrey, Garret Allison, Amy Wright, and Natalie Sanders. In the end, Demsina Babazadeh received third place, Hiliary Sharp received second and Morgan Andre won first place. Each student in the top three received a scholarship to further their education.

Demsina Babazadeh 3rd Place

Topic: Gay Marriage: The Battle Between Right and Wrong

Student Tip: Do it early, do not procrastinate it’ll getcha! Do all your ‘note cards’ in English the right way, the first time, research as much as you can and just get it out of the way…earlier. I spent time every day working on my presentation so, it never piled up for the last minute.

Nervousness? Oh I was definitely nervous doing it the 2nd time in front of the judges, but I think it was harder that way cause it was just the judging panel of (4) your tech partner and you. So it’s way less nerve racking when other classmates are in there.

Improvements: I guess I could have made the presentation longer, and had some handouts or something, but I was overall happy with how my presentation was different then my paper so it wasn’t like I was repeating the information over and over.

Scholarship-$500

Hiliary Sharp 2nd Place

Topic: Effects of Pornography on Society

Student Tip: Pick a topic that you are curious about, something that interests you and is controversial. You WILL spend a lot of time researching. Also, I would recommend choosing a topic that no one else is doing because this gives you a boost as far as the competition aspect goes. Another thing: Google Scholar is great for referencing books and articles.

Nervousness? I always get most nervous waiting to go up, but once I’m up, the nerves die down pretty fast.

Best Part: I think my topic in itself is my favorite part. At first, I was nervous pursuing this topic because I thought it would be really difficult to research, but I really felt that God laid it on my heart to pursue, and in the end it worked out really well. He used the experience to help me grow as an individual, while also (hopefully) impacting the lives of others.

Improvements: All in all, I feel very confident in my work. I gave it my all. I don’t think I’d change anything. I do wish I had started drafting my paper sooner, though. It takes a lot of time.

Scholarship: $700

Morgan Andre 1st Place

Topic: Media Bias and whether it is in favor of Liberal views or Conservative views.

Student Tip: A tip for students next year: is to work really hard on your first draft because after that all you have to do is revise and it’s easy. Also, make an interesting PowerPoint with graphs. They love the graphs.

Nervousness? I was extremely nervous. Presenting and public speaking is completely out of my comfort zone.

Best Part: I think the best part of my presentation was the interview with the Modesto Bee’s editor and Vice President, Mark Vasche. It allowed people to relate to media on a local level.

Improvements: I could definitely improve my public speaking ability and also I wish I had a more interesting introduction.

Scholarship: $1000

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and those who attended TC’s Drama Production of Don’t Kick the Turkeys got a healthy dose. The comedy under the direction of Dawn Davis, had the audience rolling with laughter. This year the drama class performed two plays- Cakes Galore and Don’t Kick the Turkeys.

It’s only Pastor Clark’s (Geoffrey Retemeyer) third day as pastor of Mission Baptist Church when his secretary, Joy (Kristen Tillotsen), starts laying down the laws of the office, while the janitor (Jesse Gray) is “fixing” everything in sight with duct tape. The most prestigious member of the congregation (Hiliary Sharp) is on the warpath, and an eccentric choir director (Ashlee Burnam) presents some far out ideas for Sunday morning’s special.

Calamity and humor escalates when a daycare moves into the church building after the pipes in their own building burst. Can God work in such a situation? A message is brought unexpectedly by way of a homeless man, and the members of the church realize there are more important things than keeping a squeaky clean image. Alongside the laughs, Don’t Kick the Turkeys offered striking similarities to almost every church.

The second performance of the night, Cakes Galore, featured Helen and Fern (Megan Brown and Morgan Andre) as two elderly women devoted to serving the poor every Tuesday and Thursday. They attend the small Mission Baptist church. Their “competition”, Southside Baptist has all the money they need to serve the poor extravagant dinners that consist of things like steak, meanwhile Mission Baptist is struggling to serve soup and sandwiches.

With depleting funds, the Mission church will soon be forced to suspend the ministry. Helen and Fern hold a fundraiser consisting of a 50’s theme with music and a cakewalk, which is headed for disaster when undermined by the Southside Baptist candlelight thanksgiving dinner. Eventually the two churches join forces with great success.

“I laughed through the whole thing; it was really professionally done” says Junior Jordan Gustafson. Each play had a unique message; Don’t Kick the Turkeys dealt with the issue of taking the road less traveled. The pastor had to take the lead for the other church members to follow him. Also, the play confronted the issue of homelessness. Don’t Kick the Turkeys taught the audience that we need to help those who are less fortunate than us. Cakes Galore also dealt with homelessness and taught us that we need to help the poor even if they are dishonest because we are called by God to help others.

The cast loved being part of the comedy troupe. “Playing Helen was really fun and I loved hanging out back stage with my fellow cast members,” said Megan Brown. Morgan also enjoyed her part saying, “Portraying Fern was a really exciting and different experience.”

Lead actor Geoffrey Retemeyer was appreciative of the director’s hard work. “Mrs. Davis is an awesome director and I am really happy I had the opportunity to work with her”.

Drama is a very special class filled with very special students. Each student had the opportunity to get something out of drama and to give great and memorable performances.

After receiving their dose of laughter; it’s safe to say that TC is a healthy group.

1. What is the longest day of the year?
   1. July 4
   2. June 21
   3. August 19
   4. July 30
2. What is the National Ice Cream Month?
   1. June
   2. July
   3. August
   4. September
3. What was the original Frisbee?
   1. Pie tin
   2. Pizza dough
   3. Vinyl record
   4. Dartboard
4. What was the original summer blockbuster?
   1. Star Wars IV
   2. St. Elmo’s Fire
   3. Jaws
   4. Iron Man
5. What is the most popular ice cream flavor?
   1. Chocolate
   2. Vanilla
   3. Strawberry
   4. Pecan
6. How many private swimming pools are in the U.S.?
   1. 50,000
   2. 1,000,000
   3. 10,000,000
   4. 25,000,000
7. What was the temperature on the hottest day ever in the U.S.?
   1. 110 degrees
   2. 117 degrees
   3. 129 degrees
   4. 134 degrees
8. When did Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S.?
   1. August 15, 2005
   2. July 29, 2004
   3. August 20, 2005
   4. August 28, 2005
9. How much is the import value of fireworks to the U.S. from China on July 4?
   1. $20 Million
   2. $57 Million
   3. $128 Million
   4. $298 Million
10. The watermelon is most closely related to the:
    1. Peaches, apricots, and almonds
    2. Cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash
    3. Lemons, Oranges, grapefruit
    4. Apples, pears, cherries
11. The average American eats_________ gallons of ice cream every year.
    1. 3
    2. 4.5
    3. 5.5
    4. 7
12. The most popular flavor of popsicle is:
    1. Root Beer
    2. Fruit Punch
    3. Strawberry
    4. Cherry

Answers: 1-b, 2-b, 3-a, 4-c, 5-b, 6-c, 7-d, 8-d, 9-c, 10-b, 11-c, 12-d

“Masquerade Paper faces on parade” invaded the Assyrian Civic Club for the annual Junior/Senior Banquet. The theme for the May event was The Phantom of the Opera, so of course the seniors were serenaded by the likes of Christine, Raoul, Carlotta, and even the Phantom himself.

The Junior/Senior Banquet (JSB), a tradition at Turlock Christian, dates back to the ‘90s. This year, Mrs. J Burnam was the main overseer of the event, and really tried to incorporate God into every aspect of the banquet. “The most fun aspect of running the JSB was all of the relational aspects with students, parents, and outside people we have contacted.  I also keep learning the important lesson to give ALL things to God and Trust Him.  I incorporated I Corinthians 10:31 as the theme verse of JSB ‘…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.’

Burnam was pleased just how well the junior class planed the event. “It has been our goal to ultimately glorify God with JSB as we honor our seniors. The junior class held a lot of responsibility as well, and really put all of their effort into making the night a perfect one for the seniors.”

The evening began with a bang as the seniors made their way through the phantom’s cave, entering into the “Opera House.” The banquet hall was decorated lavishly in black and gold, and the sparkling chandeliers accented the grandeur of the room. The juniors, who served the seniors, could be found darting from table to table, delivering food, filling up glasses, and clearing plates, their identities kept a secret by the exuberant masks upon their faces’.

After the first course of the meal, the Phantom (Kurt Lemos), Christine (Molly Farrar), and Raoul (Chase Ulrich) performed some of their favorite songs for the audience. Another source of entertainment for the night was a dance put on by the juniors, which was a re-enactment of the masquerade scene from the movie, The Phantom of the Opera. Carlotta, the Prima Donna of the opera house, also sang some of her favorite songs to tables upon request.

A slideshow of the seniors was shown, which reflected on their transition from childhood into adulthood. Parents were teary eyed while the seniors preferred to giggle at each other’s baby pictures. Later in the night, an open mic was presented so that the seniors could share their favorite high school memories. As usual, Cody Aldrin, Beau Warda, and Trevor Starn provided laughs, while other such as Hiliary Sharp, Jina Daniel, Matthew Davoodian, and Robbie Smallwood chose to be more serious with their reflections on their high school years.

All in all, it was a great night, and a perfect way to sum up the year for the seniors. As they transition from high school to college, it’s time for them to take off their masks and begin a new stage in life.

New York Fashion Week was a crazy memorable event this year. This is the last season where Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will be held at Bryant Park, next season; it will be held at the new Lincoln Centre instead. This year menswear, which usually takes a back seat to the women’s collection, came out strong.

Some new and important trends noticed this year include the British sartorial expat–the bespoke suit. Whether it’s done slightly more traditionally like BESPOKEN’s tailored double breasted suit topped with lapel pins, Simon Spurr’s indigo rendition, or with a Lower East Side twist, like J. Sabatino’s all over plaid, designers are encouraging men to suit up.

At most shows it was layers galore as men began to take the layering concept beyond the three-piece suit. Robert Geller takes the idea of layering on items to a classy level as he pulls unexpected pieces from the wardrobe together. In Geller’s world, it is perfectly fine to wear a puffy vest over a pea coat, with a sleek plum dress shirt underneath and topped off with an embellished silk ribbon tie. Then, pull everything over shredded denim for the finale. Geller proves that men too, can handle fashion.

In fashion it seems like there is one decision maker, and her name is Anna Wintour. Anna Wintour, editor in chief of American Vogue, attended upcoming designer Prabal Gurung along with Rachel Zoe, Fern Mallis, along with other shows. If Anna Wintour is behind you and likes your designs you can go far in the industry.

Alexander Wang presented his latest collection for a fresh and young look that fare away from the eighties influences, using a wall street touch by revisiting the traditional banker’s suit and cropped blazer and vests with legwarmers.

Marc Jacobs also showed his fall 2010 collection followed by his usual after party and said” it is not about Fashion, it’s about style.” Jacobs introduced a 56-look collection with pieces modeled by two girls who did not fit the mold of the skinny model, quite refreshing.

Next Fall/Winter seems like a season to layer generously, suit up whenever appropriate or whenever you can, and to go larger than life in stretched out silhouettes or attention winning slogans. All in all, be brave; go ahead and dress up for fall!

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the Treasure that I seek
You are my all in all

What would a church service be like without its worship songs? Would it be quiet? Perhaps a naptime? Would we sense God’s presence? Its funny how much we take for granted, such as the songs that prepare our hearts for God’s word. That is one of the reasons Chelsy Carlson serves on the Praise and Worship team every Wednesday.

“Worship is a fantastic way to honor God,” says Chelsy. “Worship is essential in a Christian’s life. Coming before God and worshiping Him is simply giving back all the love He poured out on us at the cross, and in everyday that we live our lives. Worship is out of Love. And more than anything we want to see God glorified at Turlock Christian.”

Schyler Johnson agrees, believing that worship helps us acknowledge God for who he is to us, “This is a very good way to honor God. He commands it and we should love doing it as His children.”

The worship team consists of: Schyler, Chelsy, Trevor, John, Jesse, Ashlee, Julia, Morgan, Rachel, and Jordan. Chelsy summarized what each member brings to the worship team:

• Trevor definitely is the backbone of our musicians. Besides being obviously gifted in music, he’s probably one of the greatest men of God that I know.
• Schyler is probably grown the most out of everyone so far this year, both spiritually and musically. He is always himself, and I appreciate it. It’s cool to see him finally become comfortable with who he is.
• John always perseveres. Literally, he doesn’t give up and I love the kid for it.
• Jesse is his own guy. He brings such a different dynamic to the group and we all love him for it.
• Ashlee has such a good heart and a heart for worship. She is definitely a silent leader and her faith is really encouraging
• Julia is a very strong woman of God and truly worships God just because she loves Him. There’s really no gray area with her. Her love for God makes it easy for her to worship Him. She’s a breath of fresh air.
• Morgan is a worship leader. She’s incredibly driven and desires to honor God with her music. She’s definitely gifted, and I can’t wait to see how far she goes in worship.
• Although Rachel doesn’t do chapels or concerts with us, she is a great member of the team. The technical stuff is crucial, and she handles it like a champ.”

Some people argue whether hymns are better then the contemporary worship songs. But in truth, we’ll probably never know with certainty whose songs (or which songs) exalt God most. But it’s not our place to decide. Worship should not be a time of fear, of wondering whether or not God will accept our sacrifice. In Psalms 51:17 it states: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” So basically we need to open our hearts to God and give our whole selves to him in any way that we can.

Funworks? Really? This is what was going through the minds of the Turlock Christian student body as ASB announced Homecoming 2010 during chapel. The ASB members began by parading through the gym in a cardboard bus, exclaiming that they needed to get to Funworks in Modesto. Groans were heard throughout the gym as students began to comprehend the fact that they would be spending their homecoming a mere twenty minutes from their campus, riding go-carts and bopping gophers with mallets.

But, the joke was on the students. The cardboard school bus was flipped around to reveal a charter bus, and The Wicked Witch and The Good Witch appeared to inform the students that they would be traveling to San Francisco to see the award-winning play Wicked at the Orpheum Theater.

Wicked is the untold story of the friendship between the Wicked Witch, Elphaba, and the Good Witch, Glendal Elphaba, the villain in the (year’s) version of the film “The Wizard of Oz,” is actually a gentle, yet misunderstood (and very green), woman who wants the best for the animals of Oz. The Wizard wants Elphaba, who has great powers in sorcery, to assist him in ruling Oz.

In reality, The Wizard of Oz is the villain. He begins to capture the animals of Oz and make them forget how to speak, including one of Elphaba and Glenda’s teachers, Dr. Dillamond, who is a goat. When Elphaba discovers what terrible things the Wizard is doing, she refuses to partner with him. The Wizard and Madame Morrible, the owner of Elphaba and Glinda’s school, convince Oz that Elphaba is wicked, turning the whole town against her.

Tie-ins to the original “The Wizard of Oz” were frequent, such as a friend of Elphaba’s becoming the tin man and a love triangle between Elphaba, Glinda, and a handsome young suitor, Fiyero, who ultimately became the well-known Scarecrow. Dorothy eventually kills Elphaba, just as in “The Wizard of Oz,” but there was a twist that no one was expecting. A wandering scarecrow, Fiyero, appears. He then knocks on the floor, saying, “It worked!” In the floor is a trap door, and out of it emerges Elphaba, who was never really melted by Dorothy. Elphaba and Fiyero embrace, and decide that they can never return to Oz. Elphaba pleads with Fiyero that she must tell Glinda she is alive, but Fiyero says that the danger is too great, and Glinda must never know. The two of them leave Oz together, and Elphaba looks longingly to the North, in the direction of her best friend.

The play featured sensational music, and the talent of the actors was immeasurable. The most breath-taking song of the night was “Defying Gravity,” in which both Glinda and Elphaba hit nearly impossibly high notes, sending shivers down the backs of many audience members. As a whole, the student body was very pleased with the musical.

After the play, everyone was treated to dinner at the Macaroni Grill. The students entertained themselves by drawing on the paper tablecloths, and were entertained by opera singers. The food was great, and the students had fun chatting as they waited for their food. After dinner, everyone was allowed to mingle and walk around the huge shopping center that the Macaroni Grill was located in. Some students treated themselves to Cold Stone, while others huddled in the warmth of Starbucks. Soon, it was time to leave, and everyone piled onto the buses.

The bus ride home seemed much shorter, mostly due to the fact that the students got to watch “The Wizard of Oz.” Everyone was in high spirits, and it was obvious that the homecoming event was a success. In fact, the day was so awesome that some could even call it wicked.

“I’ve always wanted to see Wicked, so I was really excited that we got to see it. It was a perfect first homecoming.” - Arin Morelli, Freshman

“Homecoming was amazing, and Wicked was wicked!” - Rebekah Muller, Sophomore

“Dinner was fun. It was cool being able to eat at big tables with everyone.” - Kaisa Spycher, Junior

“The play was satisfying. I had a lovely date.” - Kyron Loving, Senior

12►

As Gisele spoke the words “I Do” to her now husband Bobby, her dating history flashed before her eyes. She thought about all the times she had been hurt, all the secrets she had told, and all the lying it took to hide the relationship from her parents. Was it all worth it? Sure at the time, she thought it was a great idea, but now looking back on it she realizes the mistakes she made. Gisele’s mind began to wander, would Bobby hurt her the same way Taylor did? She began to doubt her marriage and her feelings.

Seventy-six percent of teens say they have dated in high school; yet only 27% of those students actually marry their high school sweetheart. The controversy of dating in high school has become an epic battle between parents and teens. Teens obviously want to have relationships, but why date? Where does the drive to date come from? Our wise Math teacher, John Godfrey, says the influence comes from pop culture and peer pressure.

One has to admit his observations aren’t without proof. Television shows convey scripts filled with stories about who is hooking up with whom. And some of the situations are less than moral, with shows like Secret Life of the American Teenager, containing dramas about out-of-wedlock sex and unplanned pregnancies. Even movie themes revolve around high school girls attempting to find love with the popular boys. One can’t help but wonder if teens are programmed to think that remaining single in high school is abnormal.

Mr. Godfrey believes that teens today don’t look at the big picture. He said that every time he considered dating a girl he would think to himself first “Can I see myself marrying this person?” Teens might argue saying the relationship it’s not that serious, and that they are not looking to get married. So if you’re not looking to get married then why date? Of course the answers says Godfrey are in written in God’s word, the Bible.

“Matthew 6:33 tells us, ‘ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ When we seek God first everything else will come into play,” says Mr. Godfrey. “God promises that as long as we seek him first, other things will be given to us.”
Still the question remains, Does dating in high school affect your marriage/ adult dating life? Mr. Godfrey says most definitely. “Every experience affects how you will process things in the future. When you have a bad experience, and someone hurts you, you will try to protect yourself next time and not open up to someone else.”

Mr. Godfrey warns that dating in high school adds on to our “baggage”. “Baggage” is something that you have to carry with you for the rest of your life, through every relationship you have.”
Mr. Godfrey added that there is only one person you can give your ‘first kiss’ too. “You will remember that kiss for the rest of your life, because there are some things that can never be returned,” he said.

Fortunately for those who’ve made some unwise decisions in the past, there’s no time like the present to give God your dating life, and seek him first.

Below, some of the TC students weighed in on their dating opinions concerning dating.

“Experience means nothing if it comes with regrets and hurt. Guard your heart and do not leave it out in the open.” - Freshman, Alysia Warda

“I want to be older the next time I date, and also I want to put God in the center of the relationship.” -Junior, Ashlee Burnam

“What I learned from my last relationship is that the girl is always right.” -Sophomore, Schyler Johnson

“Teen dating is fun as long as it’s within the law. Listen to your heart when he’s calling for you, listen to your heart there’s nothing else you can do.” -Senior, Kyron Loving

George thought suicide was his only option. He owed the bank too much money; he’d lose his home, maybe even his freedom. Perhaps he would join the lament of the biblical character Job, what if he’d never been born?

So begins the plight of George Bailey in Turlock Christian’s drama ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ first produced and directed by Frank Capra. This beloved Christmas favorite portrays the importance of each human life, as George is given the opportunity to see what life would have been like had he never existed. Good deeds went undone and a life that George saved didn’t happen, rendering terrible consequence for all involved.

It was our own Geoffrey Retemeyer, who stunned audiences at Denair Gaslight Theater in the lead role, with a superb impersonation of the great Jimmy Stewart. The entire cast transported the audience back to the original version of the movie first released in December of 1946, presenting the play in black and white.

Casey Franco did an excellent job portraying Clarence, the bumbling angel who must enlighten George as to his true worth in order to earn ‘wings’. Other notable performances were Leon Fox portraying the menacing Henry Potter, and Julia Chamberlain portraying the lovely Mrs. George Bailey.

Before the drama began, Kristen Tillotson treated audiences to a special Christmas monologue celebrating the birth of Christ. It was moving and nicely set the scene for the main drama.

Director, Dawn Davis, is to be commended for leading her troupe, and serving up such an amazing rendition of a well-loved play.

The story closes with George realizing that his life matters. That each person’s life touches and blesses another; definitely something to reflect upon this holy holiday season.

Questions

1. When did God send the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee?
2. Who was Caesar during the time of Jesus’ birth?
3. When was Mary found to be with child?
4. What was Joseph going to do when he heard of Mary’s pregnancy?
5. Where was Jesus born?
6. How many magi came and what gifts did the magi give to Jesus?
7. How will the Shepherds find baby Jesus?
8. Why did Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem?
9. What did Herod ask the Magi to do?
10. What prophesy was fulfilled through the birth of Christ?

Answers on the Page 2.

Once upon a time in small land far far away, students at TC attended MORP in Palo Alto, California. MORP originated quite a long time ago, when the students were sick of not having any kind of homecoming, so they came up with the term “MORP”, which is prom spelled backwards.

The first MORP was held at Discovery Zone in 1998, but since then MORP has come a long way. This year TC students attended a football game at Stanford Stadium, enjoying Stanford’s 33-14 win over Arizona State.

The theme for this year was Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes so students donned creative and whimsical costumes. Junior Jordan Gustafson was impressed with one costume in particular. “Morgan Andre and Geoffrey Retemeyer’s Goldilocks and the 3 bears costume was pretty clever,” he said. Others agreed that Candice Balswick and Garret Yagi also made a big splash with their Jack and Jill costume.

Sophomore Schyler Johnson, and Freshman Mackenzie Spycher, both agreed that the best part of MORP was watching the game, but they didn’t know some would think they were part of it, “Someone saw my Alice in Wonderland outfit and asked me and my friends if we were the half time show,” said Spycher.

Of course part of the fun of any trip is the journey up. Students busied themselves on the 100-mile bus trip with storytelling, mass text messaging, and watching out for Mr. Fast’s hand checks.

Students agreed the tailgate party before the game provided an excellent opportunity to bond. “I really enjoyed eating on the grass with my friends during the tailgate,” said Junior Haley Myer.

But for some MORP was bittersweet. “ “I’m sad that I will never get to experience a MORP again. It’s always really fun to ask creatively, dress up, and go to an event with all your friends. But four is a satisfactory amount,” said Senior Morgan Andre.

Overall MORP was a fun day of spending time with schoolmates, and all the students at Turlock Christian lived happily ever after!