The Signal

Miss Salenbien is a 2021 graduate of Lenawee Christian School and is excited to be back home and serving in the LCS community! She earned her degree in Psychology and her Elementary Education teaching certification from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where she also played basketball for all five years of her college career. She later graduated from Ball State University with a certification in Curriculum and Leadership. After years of learning and growing away from home, Miss Salenbien is excited to be back with her family and back in the community that helped shape her journey!

Alongside our Homecoming celebration, we’ve been celebrating 50 years of LCS by sharing the stories of 50 LCS alumni. We are so blessed at Lenawee Christian to have a legacy of exceptional alumni whose lives and stories reflect the lasting impact of keeping Christ at the center of all they do. We invite you to read a couple of their stories below and celebrate with us!

Interested in sharing your LCS story? We’d love to hear from you! Click the button below to share your story and be part of our 50 Faces, 50 Stories celebration.

Brian Auten graduated from Lenawee Christian School in 1994 and now lives in Northern Ireland, where he runs a business and raises his family. He credits the caring teachers and Christ-centered ethos of LCS with making a lasting impact on his life, with Mark Eckel being one of the teachers who especially influenced him. Brian also hosted the Apologetics 315 podcast, which is available on Apple Music.

Alex Nichols graduated from Lenawee Christian School in 2013 and is now the owner of Nichols Lawn and Landscaping. Coach Thompson had a significant impact on Alex during his time at LCS, helping amplify the wonderful memories he made playing high school sports. Those experiences also led to a close group of friends who continue to get together several times a year. Alex encourages current students to “work hard, but enjoy your time. Life is long, but those early years fly by, and you'll look back one day with a great desire to be in those shoes again.”

Lynsey (Perry) Rye graduated from Lenawee Christian School in 2000 and recently celebrated her 22nd wedding anniversary. Today, she owns a private practice where she provides counseling to teens and adults. She is also the founder of H.E.R. Refuge, a nonprofit committed to establishing a long-term residential treatment program for teenage girls in Lenawee County.

Lynsey reflects on the significant impact Celeste Jaimes had on her life, sharing that Celeste’s investment in her as a student profoundly influenced her emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. “Part of who I am today is because of Celeste and my experiences at LCS,” Lynsey says. “I will always be grateful for the difference she made in my life.”

Our alumni continue to do incredible things, and we would love to celebrate those accomplishments in the Winter Edition of The Signal!

Achievements might include college graduations or honors, athletic accomplishments, career milestones or promotions, service projects, mission work, artistic performances, marriage, the birth of a child, publications, awards, or other meaningful personal or professional successes.

Your stories inspire and help strengthen the connection between past, present, and future members of our school community. Submissions are welcome now and will be considered for inclusion in the Winter Edition of The Signal.

As we marked 50 years of Lenawee Christian School, it was especially meaningful to see so many alumni and former LCS employees back on campus and reconnecting with the school they helped shape. The alumni tent was a wonderful place to be throughout Homecoming, welcoming more than 100 visitors alongside dozens of former LCS employees. The memories and fellowship were a beautiful reminder of the many people God has used to make LCS what it is today.

Before the game, we were honored to recognize Richard and Lynette Merillat, alongside the entire Merillat family, for their lasting impact and investment in the ministry of Lenawee Christian School. Their faithfulness and generosity have played a significant role in the story of LCS over the past 50 years, and it was a special moment to celebrate that legacy together.

Congratulations to Drew Kirkendall and Hannah Acuna Holloway, who were crowned our 2026 Homecoming King and Queen by Zyan Breznik and Lynette Merillat! We are grateful for everyone who came home to celebrate with us and helped make this 50th Homecoming one to remember. Here’s to 50 years of Cougar pride, and to the generations still to come!

There's something special about seeing current Cougar athletes follow in the footsteps of their alumni parents. Across our athletic programs, these families share a lasting connection through Lenawee Christian athletics, carrying on a tradition of faith, teamwork, and school pride from one generation to the next.

On the football field, you’ll find Judah Penney, Elijah Paschal, and Levi Miklos battling offensive and defensively - Ivy Lange, Natalie Martin, Kaylin Rodosalewicz carrying the Cougar spirit on the sidelines. In the gym, Brynn Davis and Shiloh Paschal are making an impact for our volleyball team. On the golf course, you'll find Emilia Parker swinging away. Our boys soccer program is also rich with legacy athletes, including Wyatt McEldowney, Aiden McClellan, Micah Jameson, and Caleb Vandersteen.

We love celebrating these connections that highlight the strength of our community and the lasting investment of LCS families. Seeing alumni cheer on their own children in Cougar uniforms is a beautiful reminder of how God has blessed Lenawee Christian across generations.

Go Cougars!

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, our goal is to raise $500,000 to provide 50 tiered, full-tuition scholarships for new families! These funds will create opportunities for families who desire a Christian education but need financial assistance to begin their journey with Lenawee Christian School.

Through a tiered scholarship model, qualifying families will receive complete first year tuition assistance, along with a graduated tuition plan that allows them to transition into our current tuition assistance program.

With growth comes opportunity. Every new student represents another life shaped by biblical truth. By welcoming new families today, we are strengthening the foundation for the next 50 years of ministry. Whether you’re interested in making a one-time gift, a recurring commitment, or a legacy investment, your generosity helps open the door for families across Lenawee County.

To learn more, follow the link below or contact Mekeisha Black, Director of Advancement & Enrollment. Give today and help us open the door to a Christian education for 50 new families!