2017 – 4th Quarter Winner and Announcement of the Covenant Cup Champion

The CCS Awards Ceremony is the time when both the 4th quarter winner as well as the Covenant Cup winner are announced.

4th Quarter was not the “nail biter” in closeness of points as earlier quarters had been because one house just turned up the heat in all categories in hopes of winning the quarter.  The final result was House Sapientia clinched the win for 4th quarter with 1437 points. Congratulations to them for working so hard when it might have been bit tempting to coast the rest of the year.
House Audacia placed 2nd with 1387 points
House Fides placed 3rd with 1254 points


A visual aid was needed because  the CCS Covenant Cup winner is determined a bit differently than the quarter winners.  It is not a sum of points accumulated over each quarter that determines the winner, but rather the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd placement that each House has in the quarters as well as the placement in the Fall and Spring House Games.  It is not only important to have the most 1st place wins, but equally important is to not have too many 3rd place finishes. So the winner is determined by the House with the most 1st place wins and fewer 2nd and 3rd place positions.

Audacia Fides Sapientia
1st Qtr 1 2 3
2nd Qtr 3 2 1
Fall Games 2 3 1
3rd Qtr 1 3 2
4th Qtr 2 3 1
Spring Games 2 1 3
Final Total for Covenant Cup 11 14 11

You could hear the crowd stirring and see the Captains, Prefects, and Advisors turning their heads to look at the board to add up the points and see that two Houses – Audacia and Sapientia – were tied!!
The tie breaker is determined by the total sum of CORE VALUE points a House as earned over all 4 quarters.  Core Value points are submitted by teachers and staff as they witness House members demonstrating values like KINDNESS, FAITHFULNESS, REVERENCE,  SELF-CONTROL, PATIENCE, HONESTY, SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, INITIATIVE, EXCELLENCE, CHIVALRY, HUMILITY, among others.  

So after adding the yearly total of Core Values for Audacia and Sapientia … the 2016-17 Covenant Cup Winner is…HOUSE AUDACIA!

Total Audacia Core Values =1315
Total Sapientia Core Values =1210

CONGRATULATIONS HOUSE AUDACIA!!!!  Their crest will be framed and hung in the lobby and their flag will be hung on the flagpole under the American flag for all of the 2017-18 school year until the next Covenant Cup winner is determined.

The House System is 3 years old.  Excitingly, each House has now had a Covenant Cup victory!  I believe it is going to be quite fun next school year watching the Houses work hard to be the 1st House with their name on the trophy twice!

CCS Core Values: May 8-May 15

Thank you House Audacia for continued acts of kindness:

  • One Member expressed her HEART of GRATITUDE by sending a parent a text thanking her for volunteering during Spring Games.
  • One Member was gracious and HELPFUL by taking out the trash for Miss Leland.
  • One Member displayed THOUGHTFULNESS when he waited patiently and specifically to hold the door for Miss Leland.
  • One Member demonstrated a HEART to SERVE by helping Coach Similton set up the gym for the day.
  • One Member demonstrated THOUGHTFULNESS by taking out Mr. Morton’s trash.
  • Two Members demonstrated CHIVALRY by holding open the door for students and faculty.
  • One Member showed his initiative and KINDNESS by loading Mrs. Haycox’s car for her with supplies from Spring Games.
  • One Member displayed SERVICE by moving boxes for Mrs. Sneed.
  • One Member went over and beyond to show GRATITUDE to a teacher.
  • One Member continually displays his heart to SERVE Mr. Wilmoth.

Thank you House Fides for continued acts of kindness:

    • One Member demonstrated a HEART to SERVE by helping Coach Similton set up the gym for the day.
    • Two Members showed LEADERSHIP with organizing a group gift for a friend.
    • One Member displayed a HEART of WORSHIP by playing and singing two songs with the teachers during the Land Dedication ceremony.
    • One Member demonstrated THOUGHTFULNESS by taking out Mr. Morton’s trash.
    • One Member displayed SELFLESS SERVICE by helping Sapientia during their tailgate party.
    • One Member displayed SERVICE by moving boxes for Mrs. Sneed.
    • Two Members went over and beyond to show GRATITUDE to a teacher.

Thank you House Sapientia for continued acts of kindness:

  • One Member demonstrated a HEART to SERVE by helping Mrs. Sneed with several housekeeping needs.
  • One Member demonstrated THOUGHTFULNESS by taking out Mr. Morton’s trash.
  • One Member displayed KINDNESS by holding open the door for Mr. Morton.
  • One Member demonstrated THOUGHTFULNESS by replacing Mr. Morton’s trash bag.
  • One Member displayed SERVICE by volunteering to help Mr. Morton clean his classroom when he noticed Mr. Morton and ended up doing it all for him.
  • One Member displayed THOUGHTFULNESS by bringing Mr. Morton a jar of salt back from her Death Valley vacation.
  • One Member displayed SERVICE by sweeping the entire gym floor after Spring Games.
  • Five Members demonstrated acts of SERVICE by cleaning Mr. Wilmoth’s and Mrs. Nethken’s whiteboards, as well as wiping down tables, vacuuming, and taking our Mrs. Nethken’s trash.
  • Five Members demonstrated acts of SERVICE by offering to clean up the back field after Spring Games.
  • Five Members demonstrated acts of SERVICE by cleaning Mr. Morton’s classroom, vacuumed and wiped off tables.
  • Five Members demonstrated acts of SERVICE by cleaning Mrs. Sneed’s classroom, vacuumed, etc.

Spring House Games 2017

The Spring House Games (aka Upper School field day) did not let the threat of rain showers dampen the House spirit!  The air was filled with excitement, students came ready to compete, and everyone was having FUN and being flexible where needed.

The morning started with each House in their “home room” working on some critical thinking word puzzles.  Then all three houses convened in the library for a surprise.  We didn’t want to let this day start without recognizing a special teacher… MR. WILMOTH!

For the last 4 years, Mr. Wilmoth has not only being an integral part of the Humanities program at CCS, but he has also been the advisor for House Audacia.   He was presented with a red “Grand Poobah” hat to wear for the festivities – hoping it would turn into a “rally hat” for Audacia to pull out a big win!

The leaders of his House as well as all of the class leaders in Student Government stood up and shared sweet stories from the past, sincere words of gratitude, and expressions of respect and admiration for a teacher that has taught them so much and pushed them to grow in ways they never imagined.  They each voiced how much they will miss him and wished him the best in his next venture.  I know all the adults in the room were moved by the students hearts for a dear teacher.

Audacia House Captain, Kirby Thigpen, presented Mr. Wilmoth with a gift and a card signed by the whole house. And then…the games began!

Below are pictures from the various events:

Beach Ball relay – proved harder than it looks!

Bling Man Snake Challenge

“Yank It and Suck It Up” relay

Dueling Dragons

Baton Leap Frog Relay

Tug of War

Round 1 – Sapientia vs Fides

Sapientia with the win.


Round 2 – Sapientia vs Audacia

Sapientia with the win again!

Banana Relay

And the Winner of 2017 Spring House Games was ….

HOUSE FIDES! Congratulations!

House Fides – 34 pts
House Audacia – 39 pts
House Sapientia – 43 pts
(Lowest score wins – like in golf – meaning that the House had the most first place finishes in the various games)

Fides “kept the faith” and came out on top!
Congratulations!

New Building and Land Dedication Ceremony

It was a special night as Covenant Classical School held our New Building Land Dedication Ceremony on the grounds of where our new addition will be built. Mrs. Jane Dearing spoke of the history of our school and reminisced about the land dedication that took place 20 years ago under the leadership of our founders, David and Ann Drye. Mrs. Stephanie Prince shared Psalm 127 and spoke about our commitment to allowing the Lord to build this house. Brylan Gann, Head of our Board of Directors, spoke about the beauty and richness of the classical tradition that takes place at our school from the grammar through the rhetoric stages. Families then entered a time of corporate prayer, which was followed by the singing of two hymns, “In Christ Alone” and “How Great Thou Art.”

House Points for Students Attending:
Audacia 18pts, Fides 21pts, Sapientia 15pts

Class of 2017 – Senior Thesis

What a joy it was to watch the Class of 2017 present their senior theses!!! I know the audience learned so much.  It was evident that all of the seniors knew their material and research well and were able to confidently, eloquently, and humbly defend their theses to the distinguished panel of upper school faculty (Mr. Morton, Mr. Wilmoth, Mr. Leland) and administration/mentors (Mrs. Dearing and Mrs. Crouch).  The culmination of their classical high school education as displayed through this rigorous rhetorical exercise was a beautiful moment to behold.

Well Done SENIORS!  We are all so proud of your maturity, dedication, and hard work.


Kirby Thigpen – The benefits of having a relationship with horses through the art of dressage.
Mason Cregger – The relationship between the American cinema and the rise of the 19th century nihilism.
Nick Deane – Adjusting the Standard: an exploration of the connection between truth and money, and how our money today reflects a devaluation of objective truth.
Daniel Haycox – Wisdom in the world of dreams: a critique of dream interpretation methods.


Evan Prince – How Marxism has molded our modern culture and its effect on morality.
Emily Goddard – How the overuse of social media has shaped Generation Z.
McKenna Bandy – The effects of cultural exports on undeveloped countries.


Chandler Lawing – The importance of beauty in the life of a Christian.
Anna Johnson – The overmedication of Modern America
Sara Beth Jewell – How reconstruction in the South after the Civil War was a failure and the effects it has on America today.
Braeden Gann – The demise of modern masculinity.


Thank you House Audacia for your thoughtful gift of a “survival bucket” of water bottles for the panelists each senior thesis day.  15pts


College Commitment Day was May 1st!
Our seniors celebrated their big decision by sporting a shirt announcing their future college.
McKenna Bandy – John Brown University
Mason Cregger – College of Charleston
Nicholas Deane – Boston University
Braeden Gann – Liberty University
Emily Goddard – NC State
Daniel Haycox – Lipscomb University (Honors College)
Sara Beth Jewell – NC State
Anna Johnson – Central Piedmont Community College
Chandler Lawing – College of Charleston (Honors College)
Ashley Nault – Palm Beach Atlantic University
Evan Prince – Liberty University
Kirby Thigpen – Hillsdale College


Above, senior Ashley Nault signed her National Letter of Intent to run cross country and track with Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. Ashley has run cross country all four years at Covenant Classical School, being coached by Charity Leland and Cindy Gann. She also trains with the North Charlotte Running Academy under Coach Jim Bennett. Ashley’s success on the course was complemented by her recognition as Most Valuable Player all four years as well as being chosen as Captain her junior and senior years. Ashley plans to study Cross Cultural Studies and Spanish while attending Palm Beach Atlantic University. Congratulations, Ashley!


Please join us this Saturday, May 20th, at 2pm to watch and celebrate with us as these amazing young people graduate!  CCS Board Chairman, Brylan Gann, will give the commencement charge.