Let's Talk TCA Podcast Trinity Christian Academy

TCA is a college preparatory school, and that preparation begins long before college applications are filled out. In this episode, Tracy Bartholomew, part of TCA’s college counseling team, discusses how parents can help their children start thinking about the future and taking their first steps towards college and career decisions. Tracy and host Cynthia Yanof talk about:
How parents can help their children discover God’s calling for their lives. How students can begin exploring different interests and fields of study. How TCA’s college counselors help students each year along the way. An easy way for students to document their activities and achievements throughout Upper School to aid in the college application process. When students should start visiting colleges. The honors leadership class that Tracy teaches. A reminder that college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Tracy also lists some recommended resources, including the College Essay Guy (collegeessayguy.com); Never Enough by Jennifer Wallace; and Untangled, Under Pressure and  The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.

In this episode, host Cynthia Yanof talks with people all over TCA to get the scoop on some new things that have happened or will happen soon. This top 10 list includes:
An increased emphasis and investment in biblical worldview The addition of a full-time athletics chaplain  Upgrades to the baseball and softball fields The addition of a new preK section and a new playground New dining options in the cafeterias Invisible security upgrades to the campus Adjusting the cell phone policy to improve student well-being An upcoming month of prayer on the TCA campus The first class of senior prefects Updates on leadership hires We appreciate your prayers and support as we continually strive to make the TCA experience the best it can be.

In this episode of Let’s Talk TCA, the tables are turned as our regular host, Cynthia Yanof, becomes a guest on the podcast. TCA student Ella Eubanks interviews Cynthia about her new book, “Life Is Messy, God Is Good,” and her experiences as a podcaster, a foster mom, and a TCA parent.
 
Life is hard, and it often goes “off script.” Cynthia talks about having a theology that lines up with reality and finding God at work in the middle of our messes. She shares “messy truths” from her book, heartwarming stories from the TCA community, and insights from being “the oldest mom on the playground.”
 
As a special treat to our listeners, we are also giving away 20 signed copies of Cynthia’s book. To enter your name into a drawing for the books, simply email podcast@trinitychristian.org with a suggestion for a future podcast topic or guest. Out of everyone who emails an idea, 20 people will be randomly selected to receive a free book.
 
You can order Cynthia’s book and find more of her podcasts at cynthiayanof.com.

Dr. Tim Elmore joins the podcast to talk about cultivating leadership in our children and equipping them to be future leaders. 

Dr. Elmore is the founder of the global nonprofit Growing Leaders and has written more than 35 books, including “Habititudes,” “Generation Z Unfiltered” and “12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid.”
An expert on leadership and the younger generations, he believes that the problems we face today will be solved by kids who are now in school.
In this episode, Tim Elmore and host Cynthia Yanof discuss:
How Generation Z and Generation Alpha are defined, and how they are different from previous generations The impact of smartphones on younger generations The four ways kids become leaders How parents can develop leadership in their kids Ways in which parents inadvertently stifle leadership in children Positive steps parents can take and mistakes they can avoid Tim Elmore’s latest book, “I Can’t Wait!” contains 52 stories of kids who took leadership to solve problems or serve people. Each short story includes discussion questions and an online
video families can watch together.
You can learn more about the book here, and find other
resources from Tim at growingleaders.com.

 
Bob Goff, the bestselling author of “Love Does” and “Everybody Always,” joins the podcast to discuss loving people, dreaming big, and living an undistracted life.
 
Answering questions submitted by TCA students, Bob talks about:
His work building schools in 13 countries The difference between teachers and educators How to love people who are difficult to love Using your platform or influence to make a lasting difference How to deal with distractions Making plans for life versus going with the flow How students can take leadership in building a better, more loving world The phone number you can use to call The White House (202-456-1414) Getting into adventures at any age  
You can find Bob Goff’s books and videos, including his latest bestseller, “Undistracted,” on his website, bobgoff.com.

In this episode, host Cynthia Yanof talks all things athletics with Chief Administrative Officer Tonja King. Tonja and Cynthia cover a range of topics, including:
The mission and philosophy of TCA athletics How TCA measures success in athletics Recent coaching hires The new position of athletic chaplain Athletic department leadership Changes in the strength and conditioning program TAPPS’ and TCA’s policy on recruiting Improving athletic facilities How you can help  
If you would like to learn more about opportunities to support TCA athletics financially, please contact Becky Lewis at the TCA Foundation.