Alumni News
Post by admin on Tuesday, October 13, 2009
89th Annual Alumni Weekend
April 2-4, 2010
The Alumni of Arizona Academy and Thunderbird Adventist Academy
Are invited to attend the 89th Annual Alumni Weekend
On the Campus of TAA in Scottsdale Arizona
During the weekend of April 2-4, 2010
Honor Classes of Arizona Academy
1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, 1950
Honor Classes of Thunderbird Adventist Academy
1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005
Special Recognition during Church for the 50-year (1960), the 60-year (1950) and all Arizona Academy alumni
- Friday vespers provided by the 10-year class (2000)
- Sabbath School provided by the 25-year class (1985)
- Church provided by the 50-year class (1960)
Alumni Weekend Schedule
Friday, April 2
4 PM Campus Tours
5 PM Principal’s Supper (RSVP only)
7:30 PM Vespers
Saturday, April 3
9 AM Registration begins front of Gym
10 AM Sabbath School in Gym
11 AM Church in Gym
Honor Class Pictures end of Church
1 PM Potluck lunch
3 – 5 PM Campus Tours
7:30 PM Varsity Women’s’ Volleyball vs. Alumni
9PM Varsity Men’s’ Basketball vs. Alumni
Sunday, April 4
8 AM Young Alumni vs. TAA Flag Football
10 AM Brunch in Cafeteria
There are limited rooms available in the dormitories on a first-come, first-serve basis. Six rooms in the girls’ dormitory and one room in the boys’ dormitory. To reserve a room, call the Alumni Office.
Local Hotels in the Area
Marriott Fairfield Inn across the street from the Arizona Conference office (13440 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale 85254 Phone 480.483.0042) until March 15th. Please call the Fairfield Inn directly to reserve a room at a special rate and it’s so close to TAA. When calling this hotel state that you are with Thunderbird Adventist Academy Alumni group and you will receive a lower nightly rate of $69.)
Extended Stay Motel – 15501 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale 85254 Phone-480.607.3767. Standard room is 1-queen bed-studio apartments, kitchens, and $59.99 (special Alumni rate of $56.99) nightly. King bed rooms $64.99 (special rate of $61.74 for Alumni rate), 2 double beds $74.99 ($71.24 for Alumni Rate). Mention that you are part of the Thunderbird Adventist Academy Alumni group to receive the special rates.
Scottsdale Thunderbird Suites – 7515 E. Butherus Drive, Scottsdale 85260 (Near Kierland Mall & near Scottsdale airport). Phone-480.951.4000. Standard room has living room and separate bedroom, either one king bed or 2- queen beds, reclining chairs. Restaurant on-site. Complimentary breakfast buffet every morning. Free shuttle between hotel and TAA. The next newsletter will have the updated rates.
Comfort Inn – 7430 E. Gold Dust Ave., Scottsdale 85260 (just south of Shea and Scottsdale Rds). Phone – 480.596.6559.
Sleep Inn - 16630 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale 85254 (north of TAA on Scottsdale Rd to Frank Lloyd Wright/Bell Rd). Phone 480-998-9211.
Class Agents
Some of our honor classes still need either class presidents or historians or other volunteers who will help contact each of the members of the classes over the next few months. If you would like to help with this, please call the Development/Alumni Office at 480-948-3300 ext 204 or email at alumni@thunderbirdacademy.org.
REUNION PARTIES
The Alumni Office will help the honor classes find a location to have their own parties/get togethers or even open up some classrooms for Sabbath afternoon lunches on campus. Contact the Alumni Office for more information.
OUT & ABOUT WITH ALUMNI
We have had a good representation of TAA alumni that have come back over the past five years to serve as interns or work as part and full time staff positions. This year the following alumni are part of the staff: Jake Thimsen (2000) teaching Spanish, Acro, and English as a Second Language (ESL); Scott Blake (1982) Plant Services; and Barry Warren, Principal. TAA is also thankful and excited to have back on campus as part-time Physics and Calculus teacher, Mr. Ken Albertsen.
Nicole “Nikki” Shorter (1989) was visiting the Phoenix area last Friday and dropped in to have a tour of campus. She had not been back on campus in quite a few years, so got to see the changes that occurred and was excited to see the “new” wood floor in the gym and the changes happening in the sports complex area with the completion of the baseball and softball fields.
Last Friday, I also had a great opportunity to talk with Isabel Sullivan Smith, a 91-year old alumni from the class of 1937 who lives in Clovis CA. Isabel attended Arizona Academy during all of her elementary and high school years. She then attended La Sierra College and received an AA in Business Administration and has been married to the same wonderful man all these years. (I think that Isabel is one of a few of our oldest alumni). She is going to try to make it back to TAA for Alumni Weekend this spring.
Amber Mackey (2008) spent last year as a student missionary in Laos. Read more about her story in the upcoming print edition of the TAA Alumni newsletter, which will be sent out later this month.
MUD-MADNESS SPRING TRIATHLON 2009
NOVEMBER 8, 2009
Under the direction and encouragement of Pastor Ben Lundquist, Mark Tamaleaa (alumni of TAA and administrative intern this year), and Youth Director Eric Vandenburgh, TAA and Thunderbird Christian Elementary along with the Camelback Youth.com group, the Arizona Conference and many of the local SDA churches are asking you to become actively involved in supporting Christian education.
You may get involved as a participant or as a sponsor.
The triathlon is open to young people and adults (ages 7-adult) to swim 5 laps (125 yards), 4-mile road bike , and a 1.5 mile run to support the worthy student scholarship funds of both schools.
For more information, check out the website at www.camelbackyouth.com or call the Arizona Conference Youth Department .
Young Alumni 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament
For all the young alumni and the young at heart, keep Saturday December 12 open. This is a special day on campus at TAA. During the day, the Arizona Conference is sponsoring a Youth Rally and then that evening, the third annual Young Alumni 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is scheduled to begin at 7 PM should be done by midnight.
Teams of three can register either over the phone at 480-948-3300 ext 204 or by email for reduced early registration rates of $30 per team. The fee covers a t-shirt, trophies for winning teams and refreshments.
Men’s’ and women’s’ teams are encouraged to participate. This fun evening is open to TAA students, staff, alumni, and the youth (ages 14-35) of the Arizona Conference.
UPDATE ON SCOTTSDALE THUNDERBIRD CHURCH
Crews have been busy since early summer on the new Scottsdale Thunderbird SDA Church, located on the campus of Thunderbird Adventist Academy. This church is the dream of many people over the past forty years. The church is located on west side of the main entrance to TAA off of Sutton Drive. The building is almost enclosed and the stucco is planned to be installed later this week or next.
Pastor Jay Warren, Pastor and alumni from the class of 1982, says that this church is going to be the first SDA Church within the city of Scottsdale. “Each year Scottsdale has over 100 students that are ready to either give back to the local community or even be personally active in evangelism, and the church building will provide a beautiful location for these students to have a hands-on experience in outreach.”
The local church members are the stimulus and support of this building project.
Arizona Tax Credit Program
It is not too late to start planning for your 2009 gift to the Arizona Adventist Scholarship fund also known as the AZ Tax Credit program. Over 30 of the 133 TAA students receive some type of financial aid, and your gift to the tax credit program goes directly to help one of our students remain enrolled throughout the year.
The impact of your tax-credit donation to TAA and its students is tremendous. For more information on how you can donate through the Arizona Adventist Scholarship fund, please call the Academy Office.
Copy of the Fall ’09 Tbird Fund Appeal Letter
A copy of the latest Tbird Fund Fall appeal follows. As you read about two of our students, remember that TAA is not done educating the young people of the Arizona Conference, but to continue its mission, your gift is needed.
September 25, 2009
Dear Friends:
When I picked up my ten-year old daughter from school last week, she jumped in the car and asked, “Mommy, do you believe Jesus is coming soon?”
“Of course, I do. Why do you ask?” I responded.
“Well, the most important thing to Jesus, I think, is people. And if people are what Jesus wants in heaven, we need to be doing everything we can to make sure people know about Jesus.”
Then, as most conversations go, it rapidly moved onto what happened at school that day, what assignments needed to be finished, and where they were going on their field trip the next day. But I kept thinking about what my daughter said, “ It’s the people.”
Why is TAA here? It’s the people – the youth of our church. TAA’s 133 students have stories to tell about how the opportunities offered here are changing them.
Attending TAA has been Amy’s** dream for two years. Amy is on fire for Jesus. She has gone on two Share-Him mission trips, and she has also held an evangelistic series at her home church. She has written letters and made public appeals in her home church for financial assistance or Arizona Tax Credit donations. Amy knows what she wants. With a lot of prayer, hard work, and the help of many people, Amy is at TAA. She is enjoying every opportunity that TAA can offer. Her plan is to give back to others when she’s older.
Mary** was resisting her parent this summer on attending TAA. Her parent pleaded for her to just give it a try. Reluctantly she showed up on registration day. Then God went to work on her. After four weeks of school, Mary is a different person than she was this summer. Mary discovered a new purpose for her life through Bible class discussions on the needs of those less fortunate. Immediate plans are being made to start a local service project, as she wants to help others. She plans on studying international law so she can make a difference in the world around her. Mary has decided that TAA is the best place for her to be as she learns about those who are in need and how she can help them.
Many of our students can share amazing, life-changing stories. Some have been exposed to the unpleasant realities of living in the 21st century and they want something better. Some of our parents want to provide something better for their kids: a high school diploma, a quality college prep education, service opportunities, mission trips, and attending a school that offers a safe environment. There are a multitude of reasons that our students choose TAA.
To continue offering these experiences, TAA needs your immediate help. TAA has cut staffing and continues to find ways to reduce expenses. There is nothing more to cut without reducing the quality of programs TAA offers. Won’t you help TAA continue to keep its doors open for students like Mary and Amy?
To keep all of our current students, TAA needs to raise $85,000 for our TAA Scholarship fund this year. Your tax-deductible gift will help. Your tax-deductible gift can be spread out over the next nine months by pledging a monthly of $50 from October to June 2010 or a one-time gift of $500 will allow TAA to continue its mission of educating young people. Your gift will help Amy and Mary fulfill their dreams. Your gift will make a difference!
Thank you for supporting Seventh-day Adventist education,
Sherrie Warren ** names have been changed