Fresh off the second of back-to-back state titles, five-time state champion coach Jordan Thompson and senior captains from the ECS girls soccer team join Equip to celebrate their triumph. Sarah Grace Clinton, Riley Davis and Essie Richardson share about the special opportunity they had to take on leadership roles this season, and how last year’s success prepared them to do it again.
164: Mentoring Moms: Two Truths and a Lie About Being a Mom
Lower School art teacher and mother of three ECS graduates Anne Smith, joins the podcast to discuss the recent Mentoring Moms event where she hosted a Paint Party. The evening was about a whole lot more than just putting brush to canvas, as ECS parents and alums Drace Tigert and Wren Robbins sit down with Anne to share how they were encouraged by her message.
163: Preparing Students for Success on College Admissions Tests
ECS college counselors Alicia Armes and Tina Greene just walked our 9th-11th graders through PSAT testing. They share about the importance of practice tests, such as PSAT, and how our new ACT Prep class is helping students prepare for critical college admissions tests. They also celebrate the academic accomplishments of senior Sam Scull, who was recently recognized as a National Merit Scholar semifinalist.
162: "An Unexpected Reset: The Way a Plane Crash Shaped Our Perspective on Parenting."
Harvest Church Lead Pastor and ECS dad Dr. Kennon Vaughan joined us on campus for a Dads Discipleship lunch to discuss how a tragic event dramatically shifted his perspective on parenting. He sits down with Equip host Brandon Artiles to walk us through what God has impressed upon him and shares what he has learned with fathers in our community.
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161: Joy of Reading Ignited Through New Upper Elementary Library
ECS Academic Dean Jenny Shorten and Upper Elementary principal Luke Matzke join host Brandon Artiles to discuss the recent debut of the new library for our 4th-6th grade students. They share how the library and its variety of options has ignited a love for reading.
160: Sips: Serving Tea, Coffee and Community
ECS alumna Stacey White operates our on-campus, student-managed tea and coffee shop, Sips. Stacey joins the podcast with some of her team, seniors Shelby Callaghan and Natalie Regel, and juniors Louise Harris and Kate Kizer, to share how this unique space has become a special place for community building and life skill development.
159: An Abundant Life in Christ with guest Barrett Jones
ECS Class of 2008 alumnus Barrett Jones returns to his alma mater to share with our young men a vision for biblical manhood. He wants students to know the abundant life (John 10:10) God desires for them, which offers them contentment, victory (over sin) and purpose. Jones also encouraged teachers to seize opportunities to make disciples of the students they impact every day.
158: Fostering a Love of Learning in Early Childhood Education
ECS Early Childhood Director Bess Farris describes the vision and passion behind our Little Eagles, Pre-Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten classes at Lower School. Farris shares insights from recent brain research and how a quality early childhood program sets a child up for success, academically and beyond.
157: Teaching for Spiritual Formation
Director of Curriculum Alignment & Worldview John Grant discusses the content he is guiding our faculty through as part of their ongoing professional development. He shares how “Teaching for Spiritual Formation” is inviting teachers and coaches to examine their approach and inspire students to answer the call to be virtuous, according to God’s Word.
156: Students Kick Off Season 2 of Sports Podcast
ECS seniors Jed Dorrill and Kyle Mabie, and junior Ford Crane join Equip to talk about the launch of season two of their student-driven sports podcast, The Eagle Huddle. In addition to the podcast, they share about the variety of opportunities they have been exposed to, which has maximized their ECS experience.
155: Honor: Creating the Art for This Year’s Theme
David Butler walks us through his creative process in bringing the concept of “honor” to life. He shares about the significance of each element represented in this year’s theme art. He also discusses some of the exciting opportunities for students in the arts, including the return of ceramics.
154: Hauss Rules: Pursuing Honor in 2024-2025 with new Head of School Scott Hauss
Scott Hauss welcomes students back to school for the first time as Head of School. In this episode he shares why Honor is our theme for the school year, and how he hopes to see that theme lived out in our students, teachers and community.
153: Welcoming New ECS Head of School Scott Hauss
While he embraces a new title, Scott Hauss is no stranger to the ECS community. Scott joins host Brandon Artiles to share how God has prepared him for his new role as Head of School, and how the mission of ECS has eternally impacted his daughters and family.
152: ECS Lacrosse - “Everybody Has Got Something to Give”
The 2024 ECS Lacrosse team recently wrapped-up a fantastic campaign, which included a deep postseason run, four All-League player selections, and Coach Kyle Story being chosen as Division 2/AA-A coach of the year. Coach Story and rising seniors Lucas Cox and Grant Mariencheck join the podcast to share how an, “everybody has got something to give” mindset made this team special, and how unfinished business is motivating them for the year ahead.
151: Track & Field Triumph
Two Eagles returned from the 2024 TSSAA Track and Field Championship meet with gold medals! Pole Vaulter Campbell Pallera and sprinter Malik Truitt join host Brandon Artiles to celebrate their state titles, and share about the years of preparation and hard work that made their achievements possible.
150: ECS Trap Athletes Set Sights on Postseason
ECS trap coach Robert Hastings is joined by sophomores Andy Holler and Meredith Lyle to share about how they are preparing for the region and state championships in June. They also celebrate how the program has grown over the years.
149: Sparking Imagination and Deep Thinking with Seth Holler
Senior English teacher and ECS English Department Chair Dr. Seth Holler joins host Brandon Artiles to share how the art of literature inspires thinking in our students. He also discusses how he weaves biblical truths through the texts they are studying and how God is revealed through creativity.
148: Mr. Brady’s Farewell
Head of School Braxton Brady joins host Brandon Artiles to say goodbye to the ECS community as his family prepares to start a new chapter in Texas. He shares some of the memories he’ll cherish the most, celebrates how he has seen student culture improve, and expresses thanks to all the people who have made his time as Head of School a joy.
147: Ready to Fly: Class of 2024 Top Scholars
With graduation just days away, ECS’ Class of 2024 Valedictorian Graham Carpenter, Salutatorian Savannah Lofton and Bartusch Scholarship recipient Noelle Brink join Brandon Artiles to share about their most cherished experiences in their time at ECS. They also celebrate some of their favorite teachers and give a little advice to the students coming up behind them.
146: Tracking Teen Trends in American Culture
ECS Director of Curriculum Alignment & Worldview John Grant joins host Brandon Artiles to offer insight on some concerning trends amongst teens and adolescents in our culture in regard to mental health, life priorities and technology/social media. He compares national data with what we are seeing with our own students in how culture is influencing them.