Seventh grader and PSIA State Champion Tiffany Lu

Fine Arts Director Misty Baptiste

Approximately 2,500 students from across Texas qualified for the 2010 Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA) Academic State Meet held Saturday, April 24, at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Students qualified for the PSIA State Meet by placing first or second individually in one or more contests at the PSIA District Meet held at 24 area tournaments. 

Science and Bible Teacher Sue Gallo

“Congratulations to the following students for all of their work,” said Misty Baptiste, Fine Arts director. 

The Liberty winners are:
First grader Drennan Ryan – fifth place – Creative Writing
Fifth grader Brianna Lentz – second place – Listening Skills
Seventh grader Tiffany Lu – state champion – Music Memory
Seventh grader Blair Croce – third place – Ready Writing 

Seventh Grader Blair Croce

“These students are to be recognized for using the gifts God gave them,” said Sue Gallo, science and Bible teacher. 

First Grader Drennan Ryan

“I know we are all proud of them, but most especially their Lord God is proud of their obedience to Him.” 

PSIA serves 247 member schools this year and continues to provide the most comprehensive academic extracurricular program in the nation for privately-schooled students in first through eighth grades, offering 19 contests and 55 grade-level event awards. 

Contests include a wide spectrum of advanced curricula in mathematics, science, social studies, listening, reading, vocabulary, speaking, writing, art, music, and drama. 

The purpose of the PSIA academic program is to use competition to further develop students’ higher order thinking skills. 

“Inspiring student achievement through academic competition remains our primary goal,” said Dr. Patricia Walters, PSIA executive director. 

Walters also said that PSIA serves to honor and reward academic achievements, while using competition as a tool to prepare students for citizenship and successful adulthood, and to provide them an incentive to excel in academics. 

Fifth Grader Brianna Lentz

Science and Bible teacher Barbara Snowden praised Liberty students for their achievements. “Yea for these students … I know they have worked hard for this. 

Science and Bible teacher Barbara Snowden

“I am so proud of them.”

Statistical research has shown that students who participate in academic extracurricular activities score higher on achievement and assessment tests. In addition, student participants whose parents are actively involved in working with their children in extracurricular academic programs have the greatest success in competition, as well as in their future academic studies. 

First Grade Teacher Jaime Michael Coordinates PSIA

PSIA motivates students in a number of ways, including: 

• Affirming self-worth
• Bringing new excitement to learning
• Developing teamwork and a sense of fair play
• Experiencing a sense of pride and dignity
• Appreciating that rules, when consistently applied, create order and discipline
• Experiencing the joy of achievement in a wholesome environment
• Fostering self-discipline and perseverance
• Achieving recognition for academic excellence
• Making better choices of after-school activities
• Enjoying camaraderie with students from other schools, and
• Receiving tangible awards for the academic ability

PSIA in the Liberty Cafeteria

Dedicated volunteers and teachers put in countless hours of hard work towards making the event a success. First grade teacher Jamie Michael said, “As my first year coordinating the Lower School portion of PSIA, I was blessed and encouraged by the amount of parents who were willing to step up and serve. 

“So many parents put in hours of work ahead of time, as well as the day of competition, to help Liberty shine as we hosted PSIA for nine other schools.” 

On March 27, the Saturday contest included 19 academic categories that covered a wide range of disciplines. A large number of Liberty students competed, with several qualifying for the state competition April 24 at Texas Christian University. 

Michael added, “I look forward to making more improvements and additions in the years to come as we strive to do our best at whatever we do, giving the glory to Him.” 

Congratulations to the Liberty PSIA winners below: 

Art Memory
Fifth grader Morgan Page – Sixth Place 

Liberty's PSIA Team

Creative Writing
First grader Drennan Ryan – First Place
First grader Hayden Black – Fifth Place 

Dictionary Skills
Fourth grader Sadler Engel – Sixth Place
Seventh grader Tiffany Lu – Fourth Place
Eighth grader Ian Brown – Fifth Place
Eighth grader Matt Marrs – Sixth Place 

Listening Skills
Fifth grader Brianna Lentz – First Place
Fourth grader Josiah Liszewski – Third Place
Seventh grader Jason Clemons – Third Place 

Maps, Graphs, and Charts
Fourth grader Cole Shiflet – Second Place
Fifth grader Kevin Wissink – Second Place
Fifth grader Shannon Russell – Fifth Place
Seventh grader Neiman Walker – Second Place

Mathematics
Fourth grader Jacob Wiederrich – Fourth Place
Fourth grader Madison Sanford – Sixth Place 

Music Memory
Third grader Ashleigh O’Neal – Third Place
Fifth grader Dillon Lewis – Second Place
Seventh grader Tiffany Lu – First Place 

On-Site Drawing
Seventh grader Maddie Ramirez – First Place
Eighth grader Maddie Stiles – Second Place

Poetry
Fourth grader Audrey Earley – First Place
Fourth grader Anna Sitzes – Fifth Place
Fifth grader Cole Porter – Tied for Third Place 

Ready Writing
Third grader Bella Lovalvo – Fifth Place
Fourth grader Reya Snyder – Fifth Place
Seventh grader Blair Croce – Second Place
Seventh grade Natalie Belokin – Sixth Place 

Science
Seventh grader Tiffany Lu – Second Place 

Spelling
Second grader Anthony Goss – Sixth Place
Fourth grader Lauren Hunter – Sixth Place

Story Telling
First grader Avery Spitler – Third Place
First grader Zach Salter – Sixth Place
Third grader Lauren Walsh – Sixth Place 

Vocabulary
Fifth grader Cole Porter – Sixth Place
Sixth grader Mary Jane Stidham – Second Place
Sixth grader Madeleine McMillan – Fifth Place