The Year in Review

In the fall of 2024, Concordia Prep launched the Academic Pathways program, which is designed to prepare students for careers in advanced mathematics and health sciences in addition to an honors pathway. Students enrolled in the Academic Pathways program participate in field-specific enrichment activities, including seminars, field trips, and internships. Before the start of school, the first Upper School students in the program attended an orientation with Program Coordinator Ms. Melissa Weldon.

Ms. Tornabene's AP Physics class learned about static electricity through a unique experiment. “Harnessing the power of electrostatic force, AP Physics C E&M students demonstrate the surprising strength of static electricity by attaching a classmate to a tree using only cling wrap. The interplay between physics and nature often reveals unexpected and profound insights,” she said.

Pastor Couser, Mrs. (Stradtmann) Miller, Mr. Wendling, Mr. Kesar, and members of NewThing Church organized the first Middle School Meet Up of the school year in mid-September. After prayers and a discussion of this year's theme verse Joshua 1:9, students participated in a campus-wide scavenger hunt. A few teachers, Ms. Heckel and Mrs. Jahnke, joined in the fun.

In late September, the juniors and seniors celebrated at the Sunrise Service – an annual tradition where members of the junior and senior classes arrive on campus at 6:30 a.m. for a special prayer service led by Pastor Couser and to watch the sunrise. Many thanks to the amazing PTL who provided warm refreshments during the service and breakfast afterward.

In early October while Upper School students took the PSAT, Middle School students performed acts of service. While the seventh and eighth grade students traveled off campus, the sixth grade students remained on campus. After playing Bible trivia, they made sandwiches that were then donated to those in need, wrote letters to veterans thanking them for their service, and picked up trash on campus.

In mid-October, Mr. W. Scott Monks (parent of Jeremy, Class of '27), MPAS, PA-C visited the students in the new Academic Pathways program to discuss his career in military medicine. Mr. Monks is a board-certified physician assistant who served nine years in the Maryland Army National Guard with the 175th Infantry Battalion and the 104th Area Support Medical Company.

His presentation touched on the many aspects of a medical career in the military, outlining the levels of care from battlefield to state-side, follow-up care as well as opportunities for various medical careers with the military, from doctor, nurse, or surgeon to research scientist or support technician. Following the presentation, he gave the students a hands-on demonstration of the equipment and supplies in a medic's bag for urgent care use in the field.

After the Open House for Prospective Families, the campus shifted to celebrate Homecoming. Concordia Prep honored the Distinguished Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees during halftime. This year's Distinguished Alumni inductees were Ms. Suzanne Giguere ‘88, Mr. Brandon Hardesty ’05, Dr. David Hughes ‘97, Ms. Jessica Waicker ‘97. This year's Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees were Mr. Joel Armes ‘07, Mr. John Nunes, Jr. ‘12 (not present at the ceremony), Ms. Jordan Certeza Putney ‘09, and Ms. Pam Hess Schirmer ‘76.

In late October, Pastor Couser, Mr. Kesar, and members of the Concordia Prep Chapel Leaders class visited St. Paul Lutheran Church and School - Catonsville for a special chapel.

Concordia Prep was excited to welcome members of the fifth grade class at St. Paul Lutheran School - Catonsville for a special "Saint for the Day" visit. Director of Admissions, Mr. Stephen Berger answered questions and posed for a few photos before they shared an ice cream treat and headed home.

The Theatre Department presented All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten in October. This tightly woven adaptation of Robert Fulghum's book was an evening of theatrical storytelling in 20 short vignettes that were enhanced through the use of live piano underscoring.

Miss Maier's ‘02 Forensics class took a field trip to the BCPD Forensics Services Lab. They met Director Lawrence and toured the entire lab including ballistics, latent prints, chemistry, biology, and cyber technology. Students participated in demonstrations regarding latent fingerprints on a car, identifying prints using UV light, and running chemical tests on samples suspected of containing drugs. The goal was for students to compare what they already know and see on TV to real-life scenarios. Students ascertained information regarding college or job training to prepare for a career in forensics.

In celebration of Veterans Day, CPS welcomed the Rev. Dr. David R. Maack '75 to a special assembly. Pastor Couser conducted an interview with Rev. Maack who described his experiences serving as a chaplain in the Air Force and the impact his ministry had on the many young men and women who serve our country.

In early December, 55 CPS students and chaperones attended a one-day trip to Broadway to participate in masterclasses led by Broadway professionals and to see the musical & Juliet. Students who participated in the Broadway Bound workshop also received a behind-the-scenes look at life as a Broadway performer. John Patrick Hayden, a professional fight choreographer who has numerous Broadway/TV/Film/Commercial credits, led other students in The Stage Combat workshop through safe, simulated combat techniques used on stage and in film.

Christmas was in the air in early December – A Concordia Christmas had an excellent turnout with over 20 vendors, the annual Cookie Walk, Winter Art Show, and music from small group vocal and instrumental ensembles. Many thanks to the parent and student volunteers whose efforts helped raise funds for the music and theatre arts programs at Concordia Prep.

On Friday, December 8 the Middle School Drama Class presented 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. Students in the class not only designed the artwork for promoting the show, they also acted, created their own costumes and makeup techniques, and ran the tech and stage crews for the performance.

The annual Poetry Out Loud compeition organized by English Department Chairperson Mr. Gary Doede was held in December. In order to compete at the school-wide competition, students must first win top placings in their English class competitions. Students pictured from left: Dasha Frech, Ana Fadrowski, Dani Cassell, Natalie Sklar, Simone Tyson, and Denice Scurry. Senior Caleb Contreras recited “Desde mi pequeña vida” (From My Small Life) by Margarita Carrera. Congratulations to Dani Cassell (winner) and Natalie Sklar (runner-up) who went onto represent Concordia Prep at Regionals.

Making Joyful Noise unto the Lord! The Middle School and Upper School music ensembles, under the direction of Mr. Avery Kesar, celebrated Christmas during the Christmas Concert at Immanuel Lutheran Church. The grand finale was “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” which featured the Upper School band, both choirs, and an audience sing-along.

On the last day before Christmas break, the Concordia Prep campus was invaded by some unlikely visitors who had their calendars opened to the wrong month. 

Ms. Mattes’ Middle School English classes celebrated Black History Month with an assignment about prominent African Americans. Each student selected an African American to research and shared a report about their life and achievements with objects and photos that demonstrated their history.

Concordia Prep celebrated Black History Month on Thursday, February 29, at a student-led assembly entitled “Role Models for Excellence.” Students shared Black individuals’ outstanding contributions in the areas of science, athletics, and the arts; the assembly also included dance and song performances and a poetry reading of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” by Denice Scurry. The assembly was organized by the following students: Corey Bradley, Morgan Brown, Riley Cephas, Jacob Conway, Taylor Dorsey, Zoey Ervin, Zora Holmes, Sade Johnson, Kori Potts, Eric Rose, Denice Scurry, Kaylen Tatem, Joseph Telewoda, and Simone Tyson. The Black Student Association (BSA) is moderated by Ms. Anna Heckel ‘10.

Students in Mrs. Ross’ Earth and Space Science classes studied plate tectonics and the formation of volcanoes. The students worked in teams to design and build a volcano and simulated a chemical reaction to demonstrate a volcanic eruption.

In March, Concordia Prep sponsored two teams in the International MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge. In a 14-hour window, students collaborated to research, categorize, and construct mathematical models to quantitatively analyze, make predictions about, and suggest action plans on a particular topic.

On a beautiful day in the spring, Concordia Prep welcomed a visit from Kezia – an LCC (Lutheran Church Charities) comfort dog. Kezia has over 2,000 hours of training to assist in providing mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus to those who are suffering and in need. Her handler is Mr. Richard Durham – father-in-law of our own Mr. Doede – with Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Many thanks to the amazing Concordia Prep PTL for organizing the annual Senior Dinner in March. The Senior Dinner is now an annual tradition to kick off the last few months for the seniors.

Another one for the record books! The 2024 Bids for Kids Dinner and Auction held in late March was a great success in raising money for Concordia Prep and air conditioning in the gym. The evening included decor, music, and games fit for James Bond himself. Thank you to all the supporters and volunteers, especially student volunteers who entertained and supported activities throughout the evening. It was a great night to be a Saint!

The Final Four teams competed in the 2024 Social Studies Bowl during a school-wide assembly in late March. Students competed in three preliminary rounds to advance to this competition. From left to right, with Ms. Weldon, the Final Four teams included: AJ Anderson, Justin Dixon, Noah Robinson, and Christian Okenkpa, Ellie Stout and Lillian Ebert (runners-up), and Jake Fussell and Riley Bilger (winners).

Concordia Prep celebrated the Solar Eclipse with a watch party after school. A parent generously donated the official glasses, so students and faculty were able to safely view the eclipse.

After spring break, Concordia Prep held an all-school chapel led by Pastor Couser with a special message by the Rev. Dr. William Harmon ‘90, President of the Southeastern District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. After chapel Rev. Harmon spoke to a group of students about ways to serve God through vocations in church work including as pastors, teachers, Christian educators, directors of ministries, deaconesses, directors of Christian outreach, directors of life ministries, and directors of parish music.

The Class of 2025 celebrated receiving their class rings and becoming the future leaders of the school.

The Theatre Department presented an outstanding production of Matilda to sold-out crowds the last weekend in April. The cast, crew, and pit consisted of Upper and Middle School students.

Several of our Pathways students (escorted by Ms. Weldon and Mr. Holtmeier) had the opportunity to tour a variety of medical and science facilities at Aberdeen Proving Ground, including the U.S. Army Medical Research in Chemical Defense lab facilities and the Maryland National Guard 29th Combat Aviation Brigade (MEDEVAC) unit. Students learned about important scientific research in counteracting the effects of chemical weapons globally and toured a virtual reality training facility for combat medics. Students were also able to explore several helicopters, including a Chinook and a UH-60 “Blackhawk” Medevac helicopter. Army and National Guard personnel explained what they do and how they came to work in their fields, including educational and non-military career paths.

Concordia Prep’s Middle and Upper School bands and choirs, under the direction of Mr. Avery Kesar, performed in the Music in the Park music festival in May at Hershey Park. All four ensembles received excellent ratings. The Middle School choir received a first-place ranking and the Middle School band received a second-place ranking. The Upper School band and choir each received a third-place ranking. After the performance, the students had a fun but damp time enjoying Hershey Park.

A small group of students led by senior Ellie Stout created the vision for a mural in Mrs. (Stradtmann) Miller’s classroom during the 2021-2022 academic year. They spent hours designing and painting, finally finishing on May 7, 2024 – after three years! The other students who participated were fellow seniors Lily Ebert, Emma McGraw, and Chloe Shertzer as well as Rob Levering (‘23) and Maddie Buttion (‘23).

In May, the entire middle school embarked on exciting field trips in Maryland and Virginia. The sixth grade traveled to Annapolis where they toured the state capital, the US Naval Academy, and took a boat ride down the Severn River. The seventh grade visited Mt. Vernon and toured the mansion and grounds, which included a working farm. The eighth grade went to Gettysburg and with the help of a guide, toured the battleground and learned about the history of the battles there.

On the last day for the eighth grade students, Middle School Principal Mr. Curtis Miller, Pastor Couser, and Mr. Kesar welcomed the eighth grade class to a Sunrise Service celebrating all God is doing and will continue to do for them. The following evening they celebrated Affirmation, which is an opportunity to affirm the students of the eighth grade class as they leave the halls of the Concordia Prep Middle School and take the next step in their lives.

Before the Upper School Awards night, several students were inducted into the Concordia Prep chapter of the National Honor Society. These students have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

From left: Eric Regenelle Johnson, Jr., Isabella B. Coniglio-Commisso, NHS Moderator Mr. Gary Doede, Guillermo Ramirez, and Galyne Grace Ayinka Williams.

View all the Upper Awards

On Thursday, May 23 at Baccaularate, and Friday, May 24 at graduation, Concordia Prep bid farewell to the Class of 2024. Visit the Congratulations to the Class of 2024 new page for all the details of their outstanding achievements: Class of 2024

For the second time in three years, the football team walked away with the MIAA B Conference crown, besting John Carroll, 35-0, in the final to complete an undefeated league season. The Saints (11-1) came within a late rally by MIAA A champions Archbishop Spalding (10-2) of finishing the season at a perfect 12-0. Keshawn Mister, who was named the MIAA B Conference Athlete of the Year, led the way offensively, producing 1,222 total yards and 16 total touchdowns from his dual-threat quarterback position. He was joined by Cameron Allen-Jones (94 total tackles), Geulius Cornish (430 rushing yards, eight TDs), Daniel Cousler, Camerin Gross (94 total tackles), Jaylin Harcum (197 receiving yards, three TDs), Darian Hill (two interceptions), Jaden Marine (64 total tackles, 14.5 TFL), Sidney Stewart (eight sacks), and current Wisconsin Badger Ernest Willor (seven sacks) on the all-conference team.

A lack of depth on the bench and a rugged schedule in the MIAA A Conference left the boys soccer team staring up at the rest of the league as the Saints finished at 1-9-7 overall and 0-9-7 in league play. Concordia produced a tie in six of its first nine matches and suffered a heart-breaking 6-5 setback to Archbishop Spalding to open the year, but the squad seemed to wear down as the season progressed, leading to the last-place finish. Senior midfielder Vitor Andrade was named to the all-conference team.

The girls soccer team experienced a difficult 2023 campaign as the Saints finished the 2023 season with a 2-7-1 overall and a 1-7-1 mark in the IAAM B Conference. Senior center back Haylee Kurek earned all-conference honors. She was one of several key seniors, including center back mate Brodie Russ, forward Ceanna McGirt, midfielders Emma Pyles and Rachael Vernarelli, and defender Jordan Zopp.

Overcoming a slow start, the volleyball team secured six victories in their final eight regular season matches to finish at 7-7 overall and 5-5 in the IAAM C Conference to earn a spot in the conference playoffs. The Saints concluded the season with a 3-0 decision to Gerstell Academy in the conference quarterfinals. Senior pin hitter Corey Bradley earned all–conference honors.

With five league wins in the team’s final six regular season games, the boys basketball team captured the top spot in the MIAA B Conference’s Red Division and a place in the tournament semifinals, where it fell to Gerstell Academy. The Saints (14-9, 9-6 MIAA B) could be even stronger next season with the expected return of most of this past season’s roster, including all-conference selection Noah Robinson. Robinson, a combination guard, paced Concordia with an average of 18 points per game.

Heavy graduation losses in the form of top players Hailee Ford ('23) and Cori Barnes ('23) took a heavy toll on the girls basketball team, as the Saints went from a 19-7 mark during the 2022-23 season to 3-15 in 2023-24. Corey Bradley, senior captain, shared the following about the season: "we learned a lot throughout our tough losses...we found a way to make the best out it."

The cheer team participated in the Independent Schools of Maryland Cheerleading Competition held at Archbishop Spalding in the spring. Working through their nerves, the cheerleaders hit every stunt in their routine and received zero deductions, earning 6th place out of 11 teams, with a score of 96.4.

Caleb and Jonathan Couser guided an inexperienced baseball team to within a win of playing for the MIAA C Championship. Caleb, a senior outfielder-pitcher, batted .515 with 33 runs, 26 RBIs, and 12 extra-base hits. Jonathan, a sophomore catcher-infielder, produced a .656 batting average, 30 RBIs, eight home runs, 10 doubles, and 27 runs. The Saints finished at 11-10-1, falling, 6-5, in eight innings to Pallotti in the MIAA C Conference semifinals.

The boys lacrosse team avenged its only league loss of the 2024 campaign in the final game of the season, and in doing so, the Saints (13-2) captured their first league crown since the 2011 season. Concordia scored an 11-10 double overtime victory against St. John’s Catholic in the MIAA C Conference final on a goal by senior Josh Cruikshank off an assist from Colten Seifert. Junior long stick midfielder Noah Hauf was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.

After capturing the IAAM C Conference Championship title in 2023, the girls lacrosse team moved up to the B Conference for 2024 and the result was a tough season as the Saints finished at 4-8 overall and 1-7 in league play. Midfielders Molly Clapp and Sloan Hubbard were named to the all-conference team.

The track and field team set six school records while the boys squad captured third at the MIAA B Conference meet that was highlighted by first-place finishes by VJ Hines in the high jump (6 feet, 8 inches) and the 110-meter hurdles (16.19 seconds) and Darian Hill in the 100-meter dash (10.9 seconds). Hill, Harris, Jaylin Harcum, and Travis Holmes-Hale as well as Angel Farabee were named to the all-conference team.

Welcome Back! Concordia Prep welcomed young alumni back to campus in early January for the first annual Young Alumni Night. Alumni who were in the area for the holidays were invited to spend the evening reconnecting with former classmates, friends, and CPS faculty and staff.

Alumna Ashley Wade ‘05 – the Head Softball Coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington Seagulls advanced to the NCAA Softball “Big Dance” in May.

Concordia Prep welcomed members of the Class of 1974 on May 23 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Baltimore Lutheran School. Former faculty member Mr. Dave Kluge and current students were on hand to greet them and share stories about Baltimore Lutheran and Concordia Prep.

In June, members of the 2019 Varsity Men’s Championship Soccer Team organized an alumni soccer reunion game. The photo includes members of the 2019 championship team, members of the 2022 varsity squad, alumni playing professionally in Europe and New York, and past and present coaches.