Middle School

2023 Sherwood Cup

Sophomores earned bragging rights to the Sherwood Cup trophy this year by beating the class in 2nd place by 40 points!

The 8th graders were declared the middle school Sherwood Cup winners yesterday at the 2023 Sherwood Cup closing ceremony.

Sherwood Cup points are earned all year by 6th-12th grades and culminate in a day-long game day of competitions and relay races. Sherwood Cup games included gaga ball, ping pong, eating contests, human battleship, video games, dodgeball, kickball, catapult contests, a Just Dance off, ultimate frisbee, and tug-a-war.

It was such a fun day for our secondary students and their teachers! The Sherwood Cup tradition boosts team building and unity within SCA’s middle school and high school classes.

Scroll to see the photo gallery from Sherwood Cup Day on May 5, 2023.

Middle School Boys Soccer Team Win State Championship

Congratulations to SCA’s middle school soccer boys team, Coach Roger Russell, and Coach Juan Vilchez for winning the 2023 GAPPS Middle School State Championship on April 25, 2023!

The team beat Eastside Christian School in Marietta in the GAPPS middle school soccer state championship game.

Students, teachers, and parents lined up in the hallways and breezeway for a special send off on the morning of the game.

We are proud of this team that includes SCA athletes in 5th through 8th grade!

Sherwood Christian Athletics Hosts 1st Annual Catalyst Sports Awards – Suits & Sneakers Gala

Athletes and parents alike dressed to the nines in their Gala attire and favorite pair of sneakers on April 15, 2023, at the 1st annual Catalyst Sports Awards to celebrate the SCA sports season and award outstanding middle school and high school athletes. Gala guests enjoyed posing on the red carpet, a delicious catered meal, and entertainment and commentary by gala hosts SCA Athletic Director Jay Flynt and SCA Headmaster Kenny Roberts.

The awards show highlighted the 2022-2023 sports season’s greatest accomplishments and outstanding individual athletes including Most Thrilling Moment, Best Game, Dynamic Duo, Best Team, Biggest Fan and more! True to an awards-style show, students and coaches presented winners with illuminated sneaker trophies after sharing video clips and photos of the nominated athletes in action. Each winner shared an acceptance speech and their gratitude to their family, teammates, and coach. It was a great night of fellowship, laughter, and fun!

The winners of the 2023 Catalyst Awards:

Biggest Fan: Vance Carter
Breakthrough Athlete: Easton Enfinger
Difference Maker: Maddox Powers
Dynamic Duo: Owen Henshaw & Alex Harris
Most Thrilling Moment: State Championship Touchdown
Best Game: State Championship vs Unity
MS Female Athlete of the Year: Julia Kendrick
MS Male Athlete of the Year: KJ Bevel
MS Team of the Year: MS Cheer
Coach of the Year: Kenny Roberts
Female Athlete of the Year: Olivia Keith & Addie Hemmings
Male Athlete of the Year: Owen Henshaw
Team of the Year: Varsity Football

It was a night and an event that is here to stay at SCA! We can’t wait for next year!

SCA TEACHER SPOTLIGHT | Mr. Matthew Sheets

Meet Mr. Matthew Sheets! He is a veteran Pre Algebra/Algebra/Geometry teacher, Math Bowl Coach, and MathCounts Coach at Sherwood Christian Academy. Chances are, if you’ve gone through high school in the past 15 years at SCA, you’ve had Mr. Sheets for mathematics, and you know he loves routine — consistently beginning class by reading from Proverbs. Mr. Sheets is also known for his massive tie collection (he wears a unique tie to school every day!) and regularly reminds his students truths from Proverbs 14:23 and Proverbs 21:25.

One of his current 9th grade students said, “Mr. Sheets is patient and helps me understand math when I don’t get it the first time.”

Her fellow classmates agreed. “He’s a great teacher and a godly man,” added another freshman.

EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Science from Toccoa Falls College in Education with a concentration in math and science

YEARS LEADING IN EDUCATION: 22 years overall; 15 years at SCA

AWARDS & HONORS:
Graduated Suma Cum Laude
STAR teacher

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS?: Seeing them grow both academically and in spiritual maturity.

FAVORITE FOOD: Pizza or hot dogs

FAVORITE HOBBIES: I collect Jeff Gordon NASCARS and Nolan Ryan baseball cards.

AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?: I was going to be quarterback for the Cleveland Browns when I was in elementary school.

SPECIAL MOMENT AS A TEACHER AT SCA: It is always special when former students come back to thank you for the part you played in their education.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT? When I was growing up I went to a public school and then a private school before getting a chance to go to a Christian school beginning in 9th grade. I experienced the difference it made in my life not only academically, but also socially and spiritually.

We’re grateful for all the math and Proverbs Mr. Sheets has taught our students over the past decade and a half!

New High School Principal Announced

We are excited to announce that Mr. Jonathan Dyal has accepted the position of High School/Middle School Principal at Sherwood Christian Academy beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. Mr. Dyal will begin his duties at SCA this July. He has served in education eleven years and has been an administrator for five of those years. He has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and will be completing his Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership this summer. Mr. Dyal has served as a math and social studies teacher, coach of multiple sports, athletic director, and most recently as assistant principal at Lee County Middle School West. 

Mr. Dyal has been married to his wife Claire for almost eleven years. Jonathan and Claire have five children (Iris 9, David 6, Camille 4, Adah 3, and Reynolds 1). Iris and David will join their dad at SCA next year as they enter second and fourth grades. The Dyals spent two years serving on mission at Kyiv Christian Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine 2015-2017. Their time in Ukraine deepened their passion for foreign missions and their desire to share Christ’s love with lost and hopeless people they encountered there. We are thankful God has brought their heart for missions abroad to SCA. The Dyals prayer for their family is to focus on things that are of eternal value, to glorify God in all they do, know and love God deeply, and to let that love for God drive their love for others.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Dyal to SCA!

SCA TEACHER SPOTLIGHT | Mrs. Jessica Hardin

Mrs. Jessica Hardin is new to Sherwood Christian Academy this year, but not new to education! She teaches 6th, 7th and 8th science classes and uses a fun hands-on approach to learning like erupting model volcanoes, eating cell models after identifying organelles and functions, and experimenting with Newton’s three laws of motion. We’re excited to welcome Mrs. Hardin as part of SCA’s middle school faculty. Here are some interesting things to note about Mrs. Hardin:

Graduated Cum Laude with a BA from Mercer University
Major: Psychology (Biopsychology)
Minor: Chemistry and Art

YEARS LEADING IN EDUCATION: This is my 13th year teaching!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT TEACHING?: One of my favorite things about teaching is when I see a student’s face light up when they understand a little bit more about the world that God created for them. Seeing a child help another child understand something they love is also a wonderful moment for me. But most importantly, I get to witness kids grow up and grow closer to Christ in their daily walk. This is my prayer for all students everywhere!

FAVORITE SNACK: I love anything coconut and honey mustard pretzels. (I know, I’m weird!)

HIDDEN TALENT: I have played bluegrass music for about 16 or 17 years. My husband and I are in a group that travels to various churches and functions in Georgia playing music. I also love to sing with my husband too! I also enjoy drawing and painting.

TEACHING AT SCA: God very clearly opened the door for me to teach at SCA one year after my daughter Sarah came in 3rd grade. Ever since I made the decision to walk through that door and grasp onto His will, I have been so blessed by the staff and families at SCA.  I hope to grow in my position as middle school science teacher and do my part to foster the love of God’s creation! Thank you all for the support I have received so far!

Welcome to SCA, Mrs. Hardin!

6th Grade Students Experiment with Volcanoes

Volcanoes are fascinating to learn about and Mrs. Jessica Hardin’s 6th grade General Science students are now volcanic experts! They can identify the parts of a volcano, name the eruption style and destruction level, and determine whether it is dormant, active, or extinct.

Not only did the 6th graders learn about volcanoes, they took a virtual reality trip and watched drone footage of an actual eruption! At the end of their volcano studies, the students had a fun, hands-on experience with their own miniature model volcanoes while their classmates identified the eruption style and type of volcano. Can you guess which volcano eruption was Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, or Plinian?

The Great Turkey Race Provides Food for the Hungry

Director of the Lord’s Pantry Tom Wilburn is presented with $1,871.40 and 2,054 food items on November 19 by SCA Student Council Sponsor Tiffany Carter, and seniors Cohen Kendrick, Victoria Vega, Caroline Dougherty and Phillip Shayeb.
 

In this season of giving and gratitude, Sherwood Christian Academy middle and high school students set out to bless the Southwest Georgia community this Thanksgiving through SCA’s annual Great Turkey Race. The Great Turkey Race raises canned food and money for people in need and operates like a competition between grades. Students donate a certain number of nonperishable foods and cash and are awarded a turkey feather. The grade with the most feathers is the winner of the “race.” It is possibly the largest single annual food drive campaign in the Southwest Georgia community. Over the years SCA has raised thousands of dollars and food items through this event. 

2021 is no exception to giving! Sherwood students raised $1,871.40 and 2,054 food items for The Lord’s Pantry, a food and clothing ministry located in Albany at 219 W. Society Avenue. Seniors from the SCA student body student council presented Director Tom Wilburn of The Lord’s Pantry with the donations on Friday, November 19. SCA seniors and the seventh-grade class were awarded for most donations this year. Thank you to all who participated and gave this year for this worthy ministry feeding the hungry in Southwest Georgia!

SCA Welcomes New Teachers

We welcome three new teachers at Sherwood Christian Academy for the 2021-2022 academic year!

Miss Kelsey Hudson

Miss Kelsey Hudson is our Spanish teacher. Miss Hudson is a graduate of Bob Jones University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and hails from Anderson, SC. She spent considerable time as a missionary in Mexico and has a passion for Spanish ministry within the local church. 

Mrs. Dawne Beck

Mrs. Dawne Beck is our 9th-10th Grade English teacher. Mrs. Beck both attended and was a previous faculty member of SCA with 12 years of teaching experience. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Georgia Southwestern State University and earned a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. 

Mrs. Victoria Lane

Mrs. Victoria Lane is our Elementary PE Coach. Coach Lane is a 2002 graduate of SCA and is from Albany. She graduated from the University of Mobile with her bachelor’s degree in Religion and a minor in Sports and Recreation. She has three children enrolled at SCA, and previously served as a substitute at SCA for several years.

We are blessed to have these three talented women join our faculty! Please welcome them when you see them around school.

Middle School Awards Ceremony

These students were recognized at our Middle School Awards Ceremony for their outstanding achievements this year!

Christian Character:
6th Grade – Addie Hemmings and Malachi Russell
7th Grade- Josie Davidson, Sarah Fedrick and Jude Ham
8th Grade – Sydney Sanders, Hudson Carter and Connor Mathis

DAR Good Citizens Award:
6th grade – Brandon Haire
7th grade – Jude Ham
8th grade – Anna Kroll

Woodmen of the World – American History Award: Ahlias Pobre

Duke TIP Talent Identification Program:
6th grade – Bob Baranko, Luke Bergrab, Vance Carter, Alexandra Collins, Miles Dobson, Jordyn Gibson, William Greene, Brantley Griffin, Brandon Haire, Mason Johnson, Caleb Kendrick, Madyson Mims, Addison Mingo, Kaitlyn O’Neal, Malachi Russell, Lydia Sancinito, Keegan Swilley, Ariana Whitmire, David Willard, and Ellie Western

7th grade – Hannah Albano, Kaelin Bush, Josie Davidson, Ethan Eldridge, Sarah Fedrick, Peter Kendrick, Emerson Montgomery, and Jude Peavey

Math Counts: Eric Bergrab, Hudson Carter, Hope Usher and Kaelin Bush

GICAA Math Bowl Region Champions: Eric Bergrab, Hudson Carter, Patrick Shayeb, Ahlias Pobre, and Michaela Hudson

GICAA Spelling Bee Region Champion: William Greene

Geography Bee: Makayla White, Rebekah NeSmith, Hannah Albano, Josiah Reeves, Ahlias Probre, and Anna Kroll

Geography Bowl:

Minutemen: Mason Johnson, William Greene, Brantley Griffin, Jordyn Lee, and Katie Rolle
Patriots: David Willard, Vance Carter, Jordynn Gibson, Madyson Mims, and Malachi Russell

GICAA Quiz Bowl Region Champions:
Eric Bergrab, Hudson Carter, Anna Kroll, Ahilas Pobre, and Mikayla White

GICAA Chess Team: Eric Bergrab, Mason Johnson, Caleb Kendrick, David Willard, and Luke Bergrab

Congratulations to these middle school students on their academic achievements this year. We are very proud of you!

Highest Numeric Averages:

6th Grade:
Highest Numeric Average: Luke Bergrab
2nd Highest: William Greene
3rd Highest: Jordyn Gibson
3rd Highest: Addie Hemmings
3rd Highest: Mason Johnson

7th Grade
Highest Numeric Average: Hannah Albano
2nd Highest Numeric Average: Peter Kendrick
3rd Highest Numeric Average: Josie Davidson
4th Highest Numeric Average: Kaelin Bush
5th Highest Numeric Average: Sarah Fedrick

8th Grade
Highest Numeric Average: Eric Bergrab
2nd Highest Numeric Average: Ahlias Pobre
3rd Highest Numeric Average: Alana Waters
4th Highest Numeric Average: Ethan Johnson
5th Highest Numeric Average: Mikayla White

Headmaster’s Scholars – A Honor Roll:

6th Grade: Luke Bergrab, Noah Butler, Alexandra Collins, William Greene, Jordyn Gibson, Brandon Haire, Addie Hemmings, Mason Johnson, Caleb Kendrick, Ellie Western, and Ariana Whitmire

7th Grade: Hannah Albano and Peter Kendrick

8th Grade: Eric Bergrab, Mallory Homes, Ethan Johnson, Rebekah NeSmith, Ahlias Pobre, Alana Waters and Mikayla White

Principal’s Scholars (A/B Honor roll)

6th Grade: Collyer Alderman, Henry Anderson, Miles Dobson, Brantley Griffin, Ayana Hills, Victoria Huckaby, Addison Mingo, Madyson Mims, Josiah Reeves, Malachi Russell, Lydia Sancinito, Daniela Quinones Velez, and David Willard

7th grade: Kaelin Bush , Josie Davidson, Sarah Fedrick, Bryce Fortson, Jude Ham, Emerson Montgomery, Raelyn Porter, Hope Usher, and Joseph Williams

8th grade: Kennedi Berry, Shelby Brinson, Kenna Brooks, Hudson Carter, Kennedy Daniels, Arabella Davidson, Walker Flowers, Owen Henshaw, Anna Kroll, Connor Mathis, Madeline Nowicki, William Price, Sydney Sanders, Patrick Shayeb, and Audrey Skidmore