We shouldn’t have had too much in common, but we did. She was from Madrid’s upper class, whereas I was a Cuban immigrant who thought Madrid was my home until my parents told me otherwise. Music class brought us together at El Instituto de Madrid, where we became the best of friends. Her name was Carli, short for Carlota. She hated to be called that. Carli had a temper which matched her red hair, as well as a red scarf that she never took off, even in the dry heat of summer. If it wasn’t around her neck, the red scarf found its way into her purse or maleta (backpack). She never did tell me why she loved it so, only that she did. So, I grew to love my funny friend, red scarf and all.

A month before Christmas in the winter of 1974, my parents received word that we had been approved for an American Visa. I didn’t understand what that meant, until my parents explained that we would be moving to America at the end of the month. When I told Carli the news, she cried. We had promised each other to be ‘friends forever,’ and now we were unsure of what ‘forever’ was. Since we were seven, we had spent Christmas together, and now? Determined to celebrate it no matter what, on November 15, a week before my trip overseas to a new world, Carli and I met after class and celebrated Christmas under a tree.

We exchanged gifts, something that’s uncommon in Madrid, at least with friends; the tradition is best reserved among family members. I didn’t have much money, so I wrote her a poem, and she loved it. She had been my first reader when I started writing short stories, always telling me to hurry up and write the next chapter! My gift from Carli left me speechless. I opened the small pink box and looked directly into her eyes. There, through a puddle of tears, I saw the love of a good friend, one I’ll never forget. I lost the red scarf some time ago, but I’ll forever remember  my first friend, the girl in the red scarf.

In this issue, this very special Christmas edition, you will read stories that will make you laugh, cry, and even think of that best friend or loved one who made you remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. It’s all about love. It started with a baby in a manger. And even though it’s been a long time since He came to earth to dwell among us, His touch, His love, His everlasting peace and promise is still new.

The Messenger Staff and I wish you a very merry Christmas. Our prayer is that all your wishes come true, that you get to cherish old and new memories, as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Merry Christmas!

If you were to define them now by their favorite gadgets, you could say that this generation is not easily impressed. They despise fakes: both people and things. And on the latter—well, things have to be epic for them to pay notice. Technology visionary, Steve Jobs, sparked a technology revolution by placing Apple innovations in the hands of our next generation. He knew they were a discriminating audience and he paid notice as his developers designed some nifty toys. Jobs died earlier this month, leaving a legacy that impacted all of us greatly, especially this next generation who has grown up on Apple Macbooks, ipods, ipads, and even before that, digital CD players—an epic invention even adults found totally cool.

Word up: “Cool,” “Smooth,” “Fail,” “Epic,” and “Epic fail,”—not necessarily in that order—take on all kinds of unidentifiable forms: from the movies and music teens watch and listen to, to parties and fashion trends they follow, to the way they make fun of each other. Vampire books and movies is another epic craze—a bizarre teen trend you should know about, as it has been sweeping the nation like avian flu.

This next generation has spirit. They love in epic proportions. If you’ve seen our Christian school on the missions field—on or off campus—you know what I’m talking about. This is a revolutionary generation, who knows what they belief and why they believe it, and are not afraid to shout it out loud—in fact, they want to be heard.

So, yes, we think we have this next generation all figured out. Until… you watch them closely and really listen to what they have to say. If you do, you’ll be surprised, because they’re smarter than we think they are.

Teens in America—Christian and non-Christian alike—have similar expectations and goals: They want to fit in. They want to be loved. They want a future marked by success. But where they draw apart, marking a fine line on the sand, it’s in the way they lead their lives. They’re different. While one focuses on society’s trends mindlessly, the other follows their dreams, depending on the path their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has for them.

In this issue, you will hear some fresh voices. That’s the sound of the next generation. In a way, The Messenger’s first edition of the school year is an illustration of who they are. Listen to how teens talk, what they wear, what issues concern them, and what matters most to them.

Don’t ignore them. Rather than pulling on earphones and listening to music as a teenager might, transform their voices into “prayers.”  After all, this epic generation is our future. Let’s invest in them.

We sadly but proudly say goodbye to our managing editor, Aileen Alegre who will be part of the 88 graduating seniors walking across the stage to receive their high school diplomas on this day. To Aileen and the rest of the Class of 2011… congratulations for a job well done! You’re about to go on a major part of life’s journey and we wish you the best in everything you do.  Come back to tell us your accomplishments, you may just be one of our cover features!

This news magazine has been a creative outlet, which allowed our student staff to explore their talents and learn new skills. They began the year as a group of inexperienced Journalism I students and now they leave as writers, copy editors, graphic designers, and photographers. They’ve overcome many obstacles, re-writes, critics,  and through it all managed to stay on task. The deadlines were a hard lesson to learn but I hope it prepared them for the rest of their life experiences.

As our staff brainstormed about what our last edition would be about, “Summer is Here!” seemed like an excellent theme because it is in everybody’s minds.  So, sit back, relax and enjoy our last issue of the school year.

Grace & Peace,

Maritza Cosano Gomez

If you don’t know what your talent is yet, let me give you a hint: name a few attributes you possess. If you say, “I would place persistence and creativity on top of that list,” maybe you are an artist!

For those artists out there, let me just say… CCA believes in the power of your 
creativity, and is proud to offer an education that helps you hone your artistic skills. If you even wonder about that, you don’t need to look further than the cover of this issue to see what I see: a beautiful ceramic pot created by an extraordinary artist. Senior, Skylar White, did an amazing job creating this piece, which she submitted to our sister publication, Journey, and CCA’s first annual literary magazine’s writing, art, and photography competition. (Read pages 10 and 11 to take a sneak peek of other cool submissions.)

Now, did Skylar always know that she had that creative talent and that she wanted to pursue a life in the arts? Or did someone, like a teacher, saw something in her that made her go and explore it further?

That’s often the case when it comes to a student, who at some point said,  “I got 
involved in this by just meeting an elective need, to be honest, but this class has become one of my all-time favorites.  I’ve discovered it’s my talent!“ If that’s you, don’t ignore it. That might just be the journey God has prepared for you.  Perhaps it’s a surprise to you, but it certainly isn’t to Him. Start now. It’s never too early to develop your gift. I wrote my first play when I was in middle school. Back then, I dreamed of being a famous author, seeing my stories on the bookstore shelves and my plays being produced on Broadway, but I was unsure of how to start.  I dabbed in Journalism and Yearbook class while in high school, I majored in Screenwriting and English in college, but it wasn’t until a few years later that I met my mentor, a college English professor who pushed me to be the best writer I could be, to really pursue my dream, even though the odds were against me. Let’s face it, the Arts is a competitive world and many times, much has to do with whom you know versus how talented you are. Still, God calls us to be faithful with those things He’s entrusted to us.

This lesson is not limited to the Arts, of course. But when it comes to this field…well, all I can say to all the CCA students interested in it is this: Never lose faith. Do not ever, ever give up on a talent you believe is good—a story that needs to be read, a portrait that needs to be painted, or a photograph or film that needs to be seen around the world.

Commit today to invest in your talents. CCA is providing the rigorous academics, fine arts programs, and unparalleled resources that will turn your talents into a real future…into the journey God had in mind for you all along.

Merry Christmas!

Maritza Cosano Gomez

The reason is simple. I am an optimist. I really believe that we, as a community, and our student communicators as Christ’s messengers, are capable of
changing the world. Looking at some of the world’s population, running around on its axis without a sense of direction, I began to contemplate the possibility that our publication needed to change its direction—to be sure that you—our next generation—was using all the resources and the training available to you. As a professional writer, I have a burden to pass the passion and power of the written word to you. As an advocate of the arts in all its forms, I’m suggesting a whole stream of communication solutions all high school students interested in the arts may explore, suchs as Writing, Design, and Photography. The Journalism Class that produces this publication offers that. This year, we’re also introducing Journey, a sister publication and our new literary magazine, which will be distributed in the Spring of 2011. Check out our ad on page 20 for more details.
As you look at this issue, you will see that our nation is coming into an age of change too. If you are old enough to vote—do it! This is a right you have as a citizen of this amazing country, and as an individual that’s something you can do right now. The Election on November 2, offers choices. So be wise as you make yours. Prepare by reading about all the elected candidates, and learn who’s who and what they believe in. Compare that to what God’s Word says. Then, pray and vote fearlessly.
Although this is the first printed edition of The Messenger, and the voices you’ll hear here are different from other years, much does remain constant. Like the others, almost every word you find in this publication is written by one of your peers.  And, just like other editions, we are constantly looking for freelancers. So, who will be tomorrow’s great writers, authors, graphic designers, and photographers who will help communicate His message through their art? Is that you? If God has gifted you with the art of writing, designing, or photography, don’t hide it. Write to us at MessengerEditor@ccamessenger.org and submit your work.

Enjoy a good read!

“These students are incredible. But I hope they leave the legacy that you might not always be the most talented group, or you might not have the best voice, but hard work can get you where you want to be.”

That parent nailed it. I think if we had had time, I would have offered this reply:

Hard work can definitely get you far. And every person who hopes to leave a good legacy should also know that the effort doesn’t stop once a high achievement has been attained or once their high school career is done. The rest of that person’s story, of course, evolves over time. Successful high school students, who are now CCA alumni, will tell you that a good legacy, just like a good book, takes time to write, with a good dose of perseverance, tenacity, effort, and the willingness to be corrected by God and those people He’s placed in your life. But
unlike a book, a person’s life is not meant to be simply read lightly, lest we miss that person’s heart as we flippantly turn the pages over a hot caramel latté.  No, a person’s life is meant to be studied carefully, because there may be hidden lessons between the lines that could offer us a chance to edit our own lives.

In years to come, when we look at the CCA alumni from the Class of 2010 and ask, “So, what’s your story?”  We hope each of them has a good story to tell, because we expect good things from each and every one of them. We pray their hard work turned into bestsellers, unencumbered with unnecessary re-writes or unfinished drafts that were left collecting dust on a cluttered desk in an unused room; a book filled with good words strung together by seasoned wordsmiths, whose works prompted us to spread the word that it was a good read.

As I listened to the beautiful voices and music coming from the stage, that parent’s comment resonated in mind. I looked over. She smiled. Little did she know how her words had inspired me to write this editorial note to you. After all, Legacy is the theme of this Graduation Issue. Just then, my daughter’s beautiful singing voice interrupted my thoughts. I was blown away by her performance, knowing full well all the hard work that she had poured into that song—all the days—all the seasons—that had led to that night. It had not been in vain. And now, she, along with her peers was glorifying God with eyes closed and hands held high!

Later that night, I thought of a friend long gone. Her hard work took her far. And it was her reliance on God that carried her to her eternal home. And so, I thought: God takes your hard work and your willing heart and takes you to places you never imagined or hoped for.  I’ve seen it in my class, with my awesome band of journalists! This past year, there were times when deadlines were tough to meet. When stories were hard to write and interviews were harder to conduct. Sometimes circumstances made us re-think an issue that we had already “put to bed” (journalism talk for “sent to print!”). But tenacity and willingness to bend to God’s will was key. Lazy people quit. Successful individuals don’t. That’s a lesson I hope my students learned this year. Yes, I know… that’s a hard lesson to learn at such a young age. But that’s life.  Better they learn it now in the comfort of a light-touch school newsroom than later, under the hard city lights.

In this special edition of The CCA Weekly, we’ve brought together some of the best voices from the Class of 2010 that have appeared in our publication the last three years, and many others from different grades. Their stories are not finished, so don’t forget to write their names and store them in your heart. And as you pray, lift them up! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and provision. Give Him thanks for our incredible kids and for the time that He’s given us with them.

In the meantime, enjoy a good read.

Grace & Peace,

Maritza Cosano Gomez
Editor-in-Chief

And it’s not just the national publications that get read. While we’ve seen industry reports showing that newspaper circulations across the nation have been falling faster than a comet, the CCA Weekly was not among that number; in fact, it has remained in orbit, increasing its numbers dramatically over the past three years. How much in percentage, we’re not certain, but suffice to say that when we decided to go from a four-page to a single-page format last year, we heard from you—our readers—asking us to please reconsider.

As most of you know, it was not a premier newspaper trend that our publication was trying to follow by going online, but rather, a wise decision that was two-fold: to allow our student writing staff to write more articles and stories through The Messenger, our new high school online newspaper, and to bring down weekly publishing costs. We didn’t ignore your e-mails in the process; in fact, as the new school year began, we brainstormed about ways that we could satisfy both our needs and yours. The result? A printed bi-weekly, four-page, full-color publication that includes a set of complete articles and a variety of others that can be read fully online via The Messenger. 

This mix of “new and old” format will take effect in the New Year, starting with our January 14, 2010 edition. Our hope and prayer is that it better serves our community, and that our paper will increase its readership, as that has always been part of its mission—to tell the CCA story well so that the whole wide world can read about all the things that God is doing in our midst! For it is with every story that you read that God’s story is told and thus causes people to change, or at least, to think harder. It’s in the story of the athlete that gains popularity for giving God credit for his or her grand achievement; it’s in the story of an eighth grade class that learns to be a real “body of Christ,” through the suffering of one of their classmates; and it’s in the story of a teacher, whose dedication to her calling brings us to recognize that what we do here at CCA on any given day is… priceless.

The other part of our mission is equally important, as student writers are finding their purpose in life and learning to write His message well. Although we are a local school newspaper, we are connecting with readers globally. When we wrote about various religions last year, we heard from a reader all the way from Norway, who had different views from our Christian beliefs. And while his comments were not good, the fact that we, a school newspaper, paused him to read and think, was.

Technology is setting industries in every market on a course of hairpin turns at breakneck speeds, challenging even the most lucrative of companies such as Conde Nast Publications, the publishers of The New Yorker, Vogue, and Wired from changing their course. Likewise, our newspaper is taking another turn and we hope you’re in for a good ride!

We hope our writing continues to inform you, inspire you, and entertain you.  Writing His message is an important feat, one that we welcome any day of the week. Can writing change the world? We certainly believe so. God’s Word inspires us to do just that.

“What does it mean to know God—to really know Him?”  Finding the correct words to make us think, he said, “My relationship with Him is built by talking to Him (prayer) and listening to Him as He talks back to me (reading the Word.) But more than anything, (students) need to know just how much He loves them. Everyone is on a search for true love and acceptance in this life. I believe that when a person truly and fully (understands) the depth of God’s love for them, they will respond to it. And when they do, that love will become the foundation for everything else that they’re going to need to learn, know, and do.”

Part of sharing Christ’s love with the students at CCA is emphasizing our fallen nature and desperate need for a Savior. Otherwise, it is hard for students to understand why they should surrender to God in the first place. “(Students) need to see our mourning over anything less than the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their life,” says CCA Superintendent, David Salvatelli.

It is easy to sink into a culture of spiritual apathy because the culture itself—a culture of using “Christian” words, and doing “Christian” things; a culture that only talks about knowing God, without truly knowing and dining with Him—does not ask us to deny our personal sins and ambitions.

“Why do people have spiritual apathy?” Mr. Salvatelli questions. “Because there’s a cost to pay. Because there’s pain involved. Because there’s personal sacrifice and dying to self that naturally we don’t want any part of…you cannot have Christ on your own terms.”

And yet, truly knowing Christ and experiencing His eternal salvation is worth sacrificing our lives. “It’s an issue of Christian culture…” explains Dr. Bryan, CCA Dean of Administration. “That’s why the battle begins with repentance as the first part of the Gospel. And then when you peel back all of the façade, all of the religious make-belief, we get to see Jesus more clearly and He has an opportunity to confront us with Who He really is.” 

On any given day, we can see CCA alive with a high-energy buzz of excitement, from every football game to every drama performance. But if we fail to keep Christ as the vine of this culture, we have made a grievous mistake. As Pastor Bob said during chapel, we do not have to wait for some dreadful tragedy to bring us closer to God and to recognize our need for salvation. We must take time now to be with our Savior, our Friend, our God: Jesus Christ.

So, at the end of each day, what we can learn at CCA—through this community—is that God reveals again and again His power to work out His magnificent plan. The story of every student, faculty, and parent is CCA’s story; and the thread that runs through the fabric of this story tells of the love relationship that God has with us.

Somewhere along the line of trying to understand purity, I think we have missed the point.

The world does not help either. Turn on any given channel, besides Animal Planet or the Weather, and in minutes you are bombarded with promiscuous scandals of people having sex before marriage, moving from one relationship to the next, or even juggling multiple relationships at once. In fact, according to the online Guttmacher Institute, 46% of teenagers, 15-19 years of age, in America have had sex at least once. We live in a culture that downplays the sacredness of purity and glorifies the unconstrained desires of the individual. It does not help that the institution of marriage itself has now become a fuzzy image, as divorce frequently occurs. It is as though purity has become a dead language—a subject people talk about, but does not really exist. Some Christians may even question the importance of remaining pure in the first place. Maybe this is because we have turned into a law book the fundamental condition of the heart.

I once heard someone say that instead of asking ourselves how far we can stretch the boundaries of purity, we should strive to stand as close to absolute purity as possible. These two philosophies each reflect a distinct attitude toward God. One is an attitude of reverence and obedience, while the other is an attitude of, well, seeing how far one can push the limits. Purity is not just about abstinence, or making sure your clothing is appropriate, or placing limits on dating; it is about living as though Christ is standing right next to you. The Lord tells us in Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”

God wanted us to experience the sacred joy of a bride and groom joining together in full purity—spiritual, physical and emotional intimacy with only one other person. He wanted to protect us from broken hearts and sexually transmitted diseases. It is time to stop smirking at these truths as if they were unimportant elementary suggestions, and it is time to step up our faith. Marriage is something worth waiting for, though many have taken matters into their own hands. Do not be tricked by the standards of the world, or by a list of purity rules. Instead, realize that the God of the universe, who breathed into you life and loves you unconditionally, wants you to give your heart to Him. And this is purity.