“I especially like the challenges here at University Christian High School. It’s not just in the classroom, academically, I’m also challenged intellectually and spiritually. I’m thinking about things in ways I haven’t thought before.”
—Troy Barker, 11th grade

College preparation in high school is hugely important for young people. Students want to be prepared for the rigors of college application and study. They want to embark on a successful college career so their hopes and dreams are achieved in their life. At the same time, many students believe that their higher education journey involves not just intellectual pursuits, but also emotional, physical, and spiritual development. Students who want to support their academic study with a strong Christian faith can find that environment at University Christian High School, a partner of Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory.

The school has its foundation in the strong history of quality Lutheran higher education that goes back to the late 1800s. UCHS offers an academically based, traditional liberal arts education in a small, but well-supported environment in St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church. “We have 33 and a quarter students,” Principal Jerry Willard said with a smile. “Our quarter student is a home schooler who is taking her Health and Physical Education classes here. We offer enrollment to all academically qualified students seeking a parochial high school education in the greater Hickory region.”

The typical students at UCHS are bright, have a strong connection with their faith, and want challenging academic work. These teens want to learn, and they want to go to school with other students who enjoy school. “Our kids complain about how hard the work is, but they’ll brag about how well they are doing,” Principal Willard shared. “We have two girls from Burke County who had attended both private and public schools, but they were bored. Now they want to take extra classes because they can. They’ll do well with the added work.”

SMALL CLASSES, HUGE VALUE
“I really like that the teachers know me personally,” senior Lisa Emerson says. “Also, dual enrollment with Lenoir-Rhyne University helped me find out if I’m ready for college, and I was able to enroll in advanced placement classes, too.” Lisa also transferred to UCHS after several years in public school where she was doing very well, but needed more challenge. She plans to study Biology and Psychology at either the Honors College of Drexel University or Dartmouth. The class of 2012 is the first senior class to graduate from UCHS. Other seniors plan to attend Texas A&M, Lee University, N.C. State University, and Appalachian State. PSAT scores at UCHS are over 100 points higher than the national average. Certainly the combination of small classes, teachers who challenge students and inspire learning, the special partnerships with Lenoir-Rhyne and St. Andrews Lutheran Church, coupled with a faith supported curriculum are developing successful, college-bound young adults.

THE TEACHING TEAM
“Our faculty is very unique,” Jerry Willard explained. “They understand the difference between schooling and learning. They’re all about making sure our kids are engaged at a level that results in true learning and understanding.” Principal Willard’s faculty is a small, but highly trained and experienced team, fully dedicated to their students. Jerry wears several hats: principal, coach and Social Studies teacher. The foundation for his 41 years as an educator is his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees in Social Science Education from Appalachian State University. He is a graduate of the Principal’s Executive Program at UNC-Chapel Hill and the recipient of the Newton-Conover City Schools Teacher of the Year award and Principal of the North Carolina New Schools Project Innovator School of the Year in 2009.

Founding teacher, Cheryl Brinn, teaches English and Literature. “I know I love teaching here because I feel creative again,” Cheryl told me. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to build an English program from the ground up. Our starting point in developing the curriculum is the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, but we all work hard to raise the bar and deepen the value for our students. I believe it’s important for us to prepare young people to move into the real world for a life of service with the foundation of their strong faith.” Cheryl has been teaching since 1986, with a Master of Arts in English from the University of Nevada.

Jesse Beane, a Lenoir-Rhyne graduate with a B.A. in Mathematics Education, recently made the transition from bank administrator to Math teacher at University Christian High School.

Spanish teacher Paige Campbell studied Spanish Language and International Health at Clemson University. She has a background in pediatric and orthopaedic medicine at the Hospital General Virgen de las Nieves in Spain, the Linville Latino Clinic and Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists. She has been accepted into medical school at Wake Forest University.

Patricia Williams earned her Bachelor of Science degree at King College and Master of Arts degree at East Tennessee State University. She is currently an adjunct professor of Science and Biology at Lenoir-Rhyne University and teaches Science at UCHS.

Lori Bedder is registration counselor and school office manager at UCHS.

EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
University Christian High School’s founding developed from strategic planning led by Lenoir-Rhyne University’s president, Dr. Wayne Powell, in partnership with Concordia Christian Day School’s principal, Bill Unverfehrt, St. Stephen’s Lutheran Day School’s former principal, Jon Guelzow and other community leaders. Their dream to continue traditional Lutheran education beyond the 8th grade resulted in the high school opening at Concordia Christian in 2009. St. Andrews Lutheran Church stepped up with the offer of their education building to serve as UCHS’s main campus when they realized that more space was needed. The church’s location adjacent to Lenoir-Rhyne’s campus was an added bonus. “St. Andrew’s commitment to Christian education and all that they do to support our school is outstanding,” Cheryl Brinn shared. “They put us on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus to allow our vision to move forward.”

The school’s placement on campus and the affiliation with Lenoir-Rhyne also provide a strong academic partnership between the two schools. “Our dual enrollment program adds great value for our students,” Principal Willard explained. “Once our kids are in 11th and 12th grades, they can take their remaining high school coursework through Lenoir-Rhyne University. They will graduate with up to 30 hours of college credits to transfer to the university they attend after high school.”

AN INSPIRING MISSION
University Christian High School is a small institution with a large mission. Parents are especially appreciative of the benefits for their children. “My child is a freshman…and although the work is demanding, the teachers encourage her to excel,” parent Cindy Bare says. “From a parent’s perspective, you feel someone cares about your child the way you do, and what parent wouldn’t want that in school?” Comments from parents are consistently positive: “personal attention and encouragement,” “innovative teaching,” “demanding work and strong academics,” “Christian environment,” “She’s very excited about school now!” The inclusion of religion classes, starting each day with devotions and prayer and weekly chapel, as well as student participation in servant leadership and a requirement for community service with human services organizations like Samaritan’s Purse and the Battered Women’s Shelter all make UCHS the perfect choice for many families. The impact of this strong, traditional, faith-based education on young people’s lives is invaluable. Success in life is in their future, and it is beginning now at University Christian High School.

University Christian
High School
602 7th Avenue NE • Hickory
www.uchigh.com
828.855.2995