FWC Alumni Newsletter - August 2023

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FWC Alumni Newsletter - August 2023

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KEEPING THE FWC TRADITION ALIVE THIS SCHOOL YEAR!

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ALUMNI FEATURE: DAREN MILLER '93

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Daren Miller '93 soon begins his 20th year in the classroom. "If I am being honest, I did not set out to be a teacher," said Daren. "I received my Bachelor's Degree in Human Communication from ACU, and never thought I would be in a classroom again. But, God! The Lord opened so many doors." In 2021, Daren earned his Master of Arts in Education from York University.

Daren is starting a new role this fall teaching and coaching in Rising Star ISD, about 50 miles from Abilene, Texas. Daren and his wife, Kylie, will celebrate 25 years of marriage this month! They have 2 children, Maylen (FWC Class of '21), who will begin ACU nursing school next month, and Manning, who will be a Sophomore at Rising Star High School. Recently, Daren served as Athletic Director, Head Football Coach, and Bible teacher at Abilene Christian School. Daren credits the faculty at Fort Worth Christian with shaping him into the teacher he is today. "My teachers at FWC taught me more than math, science, and reading. They taught me grit, compassion, and grace. Athletics came easy to me, academics did not. My struggle in the classroom has turned out to be one of my biggest blessings in life since I was shown patience and love by many of my teachers, and I can now pass that on to my own students."

Daren spent 15 years at Fort Worth Christian School, teaching Bible and serving as Middle School Athletic Coordinator as well as Varsity Defensive Line Coach. Daren also enjoyed the experience of 4 football state championships as a Cardinal. Two of these were as a captain ('91 and '92), winning the State Championship in 1992. Later, Daren was on the coaching staff when the Cardinals earned their bid to the State game in 2010 and then again in 2015 when the Cards beat Dallas Christian 24-21 to win the TAPPS Division II State Championship. While at FWC as a Teacher/Coach, Daren received Middle School Teacher of the Year as well as Coach of the Year.

Daren was a twelve-year senior, starting at FWC in 1981 in First Grade. After graduating in 1993, Darren returned to FWC in 2005. "FWC has a special place in my heart as it is a family school. "When I look back on my time at FWC, I'm reminded how much the school has been a part of my life. I spent more than half my life there, 12 years as a student and 15 years as a teacher/coach. It's been my home away from home for as long as I can remember. There are a lot of good schools out there but none like Fort Worth Christian. I thrived in its family atmosphere as a student-athlete. Most of the friendships that you make are for a lifetime. The teachers and coaches found their joy and success in caring for their students, spending more time with them than they did with their own families and children." While at FWC, Daren played football all four years of high school, earning 1st Team All-District his junior and senior years, and being named All Mid-Cities Running Back his senior year. In his junior year, Daren was named Most Valuable Offensive Back, and in his senior year, Daren was named 2nd Team All-State Running Back. Outside of football, during his senior year, Daren was a Student Council Class Representative, participated in Chorus and Show Choir, and was a nominee for Best All-Around. Alongside classmate Cara (Potter) Thames, Daren was recognized with the Citizenship Award during his senior year.

The Miller name is a name well-known throughout the Fort Worth Christian family for the life of our school. Daren's grandfather, Robert Bankes, served on the Board of Trustees. His mother, Karen (Bankes) Miller, graduated from FWC in 1971. Both of his uncles, James Bankes '68 and Calvin '74 graduated from FWC. Daren's father was a part of the Cardinal Football coaching staff for 14 years. Daren's brother Kevin '97 served as Booster Club Chair. Kevin's wife, Elizabeth Miller, currently serves as the Director of Admissions and they have one student currently at FWC. Numerous other Miller family members have in the past or are currently attending FWC.

"I did not have just one favorite teacher or coach," added Daren. "These people played a huge role in helping me be successful as a student-athlete at FWC. Norma Jones was my 2nd-grade teacher, she was patient and taught me how to read. Janice Collins was my 5th-grade teacher, as well as my 6th-grade and 7th-grade English and Reading teacher. Mrs. Collins was a close family friend and always treated me as if I was one of her own boys. Rexanne Thomas was my Middle School and High School principal. If it wasn't for her help and support in school, I probably would not have gone to college. Tony McCoy was my first Middle School coach and is a big reason why I love being a teacher and coach today. Sarah Fallis and Kelly Williams were my math teachers in High School. Like Mrs. Jones, they were patient, understanding and served more like hope merchants. Larry Calvin taught me biblical life-learning skills that I still use today and that I teach my students. Bobby Duke, John Anderson, and Kenny Davidson all played a huge role in the success we had in our athletic program. These men are now my friends and would do anything for any of their athletes."

When asked about Daren, Coach Kenny Davidson, coach of FWC's 1992 State Championship team and current Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Graham ISD, responded in this way: "Daren was a pleasure to coach. Seeing him coach and impact young men has made me proud. He was a star running back on the 1992 State Championship team. A story I can remember about him was that he was injured in the State game and could not continue so teammate Jeremy Hodo was called on to finish what Daren had started. Jeremey had a great game and helped us win the State Championship. What I remember about Daren was that he never felt sorry for himself but instead cheered on his team and was so proud of Jeremy. What a great quality! I have kept up with Daren for the past 30 years and spoke to him often, mentoring him on coaching. I love Daren and his family and am proud to have him as a friend."

[ Coach Kenny Davidson and his wife, Susan, join Daren and Kylie at the 1992 State Championship Football Reunion gathering last fall. ]

When asked about the value of a Fort Worth Christian education, Daren said, "All FWC students are taught from a Biblical worldview and attend chapel and/or Bible classes on a daily basis. Many members of this year's senior class expect to leave FWC with at least 12 hours of college credit. At many private universities, those 12 hours could cost more than a full year of tuition at FWC. At FWC high school students have the opportunity to be a part of mission trips locally, nationally, and internationally. The school now provides speech therapy and additional academic support for students with identified needs. FWC also maintains a student-teacher ratio that is significantly lower than public schools. FWC is on the cutting edge of educational technology.... its one-to-one computer initiative has been a great success and has expanded to the middle school. From football to golf, volleyball to soccer, FWC offers many different sports for its students to participate in each year. FWC also offers many Fine Arts courses for all grades including music, art, and drama. Considering the current economic environment, the board strives to keep tuition competitive while maintaining an exceptional educational experience. Fort Worth Christian School remains an impressive value!"

HOMECOMING 2023 DETAILS: "LIGHTS, CARDINALS, ACTION!"

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR ANY OF THE HOMECOMING EVENTS - CLICK BELOW FOR HOMECOMING GOLF TOURNAMENT DETAILS

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Golf registration deadline: September 12

Shirt size submission deadline: September 1

RUSTY GREER, THE NEW CARDINAL BASEBALL COACH

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Last month, we featured '18 grad Morris Austin who was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers (if you missed it, see all previous newsletters here). Now the MLB comes to campus! Former Texas Ranger and Hall of Famer, Rusty Greer, was announced this summer as our new Head Baseball Coach. We expect all our Alumni, especially our Baseball alums, to make it to a game this upcoming season. Follow all Cardinal Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for all the details.

1993 GATHERS FOR REUNION IN FORT WORTH

ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETS IN AUGUST

Members of our FWC Alumni Council met earlier this month to review our Alumni Network data to improve communication, connection, and collaboration with all our Cardinals. Click here to view the list of Alumni Council members.