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THE SYCAMORE TREE
All photography is courtesy of our amazing photography students: Mikayla T., Ryan D., Makena H., Hesi M., Miguel A., Zachary H., & Hannah
K.
SARAH RADKE P2 TRENDING NOW! P3 SYCAMORE STUDIES P4 CRAFTS & COOKING P5
Another month has arrived, and this school
year’s end is nearly in sight. However, another
holiday is creeping up on us: Valentine’s Day, a
holiday dedicated solely to love.
Rumored to have been named after the Roman
priest St. Valentine, this holiday originated when
couples were married to keep the men from
going to war. According to one legend, it was St.
Valentine himself who performed these secret
matrimonial ceremonies. Eventually, these secret
marriages ceased, and St. Valentine paid the
price for them via his martyrdom. Now, he is a
saint to the Roman Catholic church because he
kept war from stealing the lives of young men. By
marring couples who loved one another, he saved
countless lives. Hundreds of years later, we
celebrate the modern Valentine’s Day as a day to
celebrate the love people show to one another.
Now, gifts of chocolate, flowers, and letters are
not uncommon. However, God commanded us to
“love one another, as I have loved you” (John
15:12). When God asked us to love others in the
same way, He was referring to the love that
Christians show towards one another. However, displaying this love does not have to come in the form of physical presents, but
of deeds. When Jesus walked this earth, He showed love to others through his deeds: healing the blind, curing the lepers, and
raising the dead. Christ and St. Valentine have one major thing in common – they both showed Christian love to others through
their deeds. This Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, not only the love of spouses and families but also the Christian love
that people show to one another.
Our 2019-2020 school yearbook is almost complete. To help us complete it, please turn in a yearbook photo to
lori@sycamoreacademy.com.
There will be no school on February 17, 2020 for Presidents’ Day.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The Sycamore Tree | 1
February 2020
THE SYCAMORE TREE VOLUME 8 ISSUE 5
SYCAMORE ACADEMY’S DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
SARAH RADKE
Striving Towards Excellence, Helping Others
By Keren Linares
If anyone has ever visited Mrs. Lori Nicholas’s study hall during any weekday morning, they will most certainly be sure to
catch a glance of Sarah in the room. At any given moment, if her help is ever needed, Sarah D. Radke will always be ready to
step up and willingly give her best in whatever circumstance that might require her attention. Finishing her senior year at
Sycamore Academy, Sarah is able not only to help her own classmates but also younger high schoolers; all this while she
steadily progresses towards her own academic excellence. Moreover, whether she is coaching a student on using a new Word
feature for his or her English paper or helping another one solve his difficult algebra problem, Sarah’s kind disposition will
always shine through her actions.
Sarah Danielle Radke was born in the city of Roanoke, Virginia on the 24th of May of the year 2003. While she was still young,
her family, for work reasons, moved from her birthplace. This move would be the initiation of a set of moves that would
eventually end up giving young Sarah’s family a home in the capital of the western state of Montana. Currently, Sarah resides in
the “Treasure State’s” capital city of Helena, alongside her parents and younger brother. As she describes, her family is one that
possesses a wonderful, great sense of humor. Her father is the one who usually cracks the jokes while her mother joins in the
general laughter. Her tall, younger brother, Ryan, is depicted as being an ebullient kind of fellow with a kind and considerate
heart. A description of the family is not complete without mentioning the family pets: two cats (Ruger and Ryiah) two family dogs
(Ellie and Sasha) and of course lizard Yoda.
Sarah possesses her own special personality with her own distinctive set of likes and preferences. Those who have met and
worked with Sarah can confirm that her kind and loving disposition towards them is immediately apparent. Her enthusiastic
willingness to help others constantly shines through her actions. Sarah enjoys fun, interactive group learning and feels she
benefits from helping other students as much as they benefit from being tutored. While helping others, Sarah always finds the
time to study and excel in her own studies. Sarah’s tendency to be a perfectionist, both inside and outside of school, could be
the contributing factor to her academic accomplishments. Whereas others see her as a thoughtful, knowledgeable, helpful, and
friendly person, Sarah considers herself an introvert.
Sarah’s general likes and favorites are also a set of intriguing choices. Her favorite color is a dark shade of purple, while her
affection for cats has transformed her into a lovable cat lady. English being her favorite school subject, she relishes writing
school papers and reading classics. Her current position as editor of the Sycamore Academy newsletter was made possible by
her special love for writing and editing.
Besides English, Sarah also enjoys her literature and Culinary Arts classes. As previously mentioned, English, particularly
writing, is the thing she most enjoys out of all her core classes. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that she has set herself
on acquiring an English major with an emphasis on writing in college. This, she hopes, will help her open the door to a career as
a technical writer in the future. Even though she loves to write, Culinary Arts is her second favorite pastime. Even though Sarah’s
earliest recollections in the kitchen weren’t exactly a successful or tasty experience, she learned to enjoy and even love baking
as well as cooking for friends and family alike. Her favorite dish to make is cream puffs. When it comes to eating, black beans
and rice topped with horseradish and blue cheese is her favorite food.
Sarah Danielle Radke, a very special person who is always striving toward excellence, is always willing to lend a hand to
those that may also be in need of aid in their journey towards success. Sarah’s influence, even from her home, can be felt
throughout Sycamore Academy and beyond. Through her writing, patient aid, kind demeanor, and delicious recipes, Sarah’s
endearing nature makes her an ideal student. Her advice to her peers is to work and study hard. A firm believer that God has a
reason for every single thing, whether good or bad that might arise, Sarah’s favorite scripture is Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV). It reads,
“For I know the thoughts I have towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of good and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Sarah believes that even when the journey through life may seem rocky, God will always work out his purpose for our lives.
The Sycamore Tree | 2
February 2020
THE SYCAMORE TREE VOLUME 8 ISSUE 5
-THE DIGITAL NEWSPAPER -
TRENDING NOW!
BY SHEMILY M-L ORTIZ
It’s February, and love is in the air! As we all know, Valentine’s Day is February 14th of each year. Most people enjoy this
tradition because it means they can receive and give gifts. Teddy bears, roses, cards, and red hearts full of chocolates are given to
a spouse, loved ones or a secret admirer. As we take a deeper look into Valentine’s Day, we realize it’s much more than that.
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate those closest to you and show them how much you care. It can be by exchanging of gifts,
spending some quality time with the family, or even making up traditions. Following are some special traditions found in the
United States and other countries. Some of the traditions I found were very unique, some interesting and some a bit more daring.
Let’s start with the Danish culture. On Valentine’s Day, they give friends and lovers pressed white flowers called Snow Drops.
These flowers are very beautiful and look like white upside-down street lamps. I was very impressed at the appearance of this
flower as I have never seen a flower quite like this one.
In Denmark, the Valentine’s Day tradition gets a bit funny. Literally! The men will either write a funny joke or poem on detailed
cut papers, similar to paper snowflakes. He is not to sign his name on the paper. Instead, to sign the letter he uses a set of dots
representing the order in which the letters in his name appear on the alphabet. Per the tradition, if the lady correctly guesses who
sent her the poem or joke, she will receive an Easter egg that same year.
In the Philippines, it has become extremely popular to get married on Valentine’s Day. In recent years, hundreds of couples
have participated in mass public weddings. Others have chosen to renew their vows on this day.
In South Africa, the tradition gets a bit daring. The women pin a paper heart no bigger than a post-it note onto their sleeve. The
paper heart may contain their crush’s name on it. They also celebrate Valentine’s Day by gifting chocolate and roses to friends
and family.
Japan is different. In Japan, the ladies give the guys chocolates. It is important to know their gifts carry a bigger significance
according to whom they are gifting. Chocolate is definitely part of the tradition, but the kind of chocolate you receive shows your
place in their life. For example, a cheap chocolate is given to an acquaintance. Friends or co-workers receive mediocre
chocolates. A boyfriend or husband receives a special chocolate carefully selected or even homemade chocolate as a way for the
lady to express her love to him. In return, on March 14th of the same year, also known as White Day in Japan, the men who
received chocolate give the ladies white colored treats. White Day is celebrated in several other countries such as Vietnam and
South Korea. The only difference is South Korea considers these holidays a couples only holiday. In Japan, the value is placed on
the chocolate received. However, going out on a date, giving flowers, or sending cards is not part of their Valentine’s
Day traditions.
These were just a few of the Valentine’s Day traditions around the world. In our family, traditions have always been very
important. We like to create new traditions and embrace other cultures’ traditions as well. It was so exciting to explore all these
traditions around the world, but I am truly grateful for the ones we have in my home. Our family tradition on Valentine’s Day has
been to show love and appreciation to each family member individually. We each purchase a small inexpensive gift for each
member of our family, exchanging the gifts as soon as the sun rises and before breakfast. As we exchange gifts, we give each
person a hug, saying “Happy Valentine’s Day!” It is our way of appreciating each other. Whether you choose to start your own
tradition or embrace some of the ones mentioned above, remember to always show love to those special people in your life and
let them know how valuable they are. Happy Valentine’s Day, Sycamore Academy!
Meet the Authors and Editor!
Angelina Castillo is a Keren Linares is a Shemily M-L Ortiz is a junior
freshman at Sycamore sophomore at Sycamore at Sycamore Academy.
Academy, and she loves Academy, and her favorite Traveling tropical islands is a
playing the violin and piano class is Biology. She loves pastime that Shemily
in her free time. science, but her dream is frequently engages in.
to become a firefighter! However, knitting and other
crafty hobbies are enjoyable to her as
well!
Hannah Klingbeil is a Nicole Deoso is a sophomore Sarah Radke is a senior who
freshman at Sycamore at Sycamore Academy. adores her Culinary Arts class
Academy. Training Volleyball and basketball are at Sycamore Academy.
horses and playing the some sports that she enjoys
flute are some of doing in her spare time.
Hannah’s hobbies.
The Sycamore Tree | 3
February 2020
THE SYCAMORE TREE VOLUME 8 ISSUE 5
SYCAMORE ACADEMY’S DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
SYCAMORE
Our students are doing amazing things every
month! This month, we would like to
highlight the special accomplishments of
THE SPIRITUAL
STUDIES
Ethan (top). Additionally, we are very proud
of our students in Culinary Arts, who are
cooking up some tantalizing dishes and
making some beautiful tablescapes CORNER
(middle). Elementary also had a lot of fun on BY NICOLE DEOSO
their geode dig (bottom)!
God communicates to us every
TRUMPET & TALENT day through the Bible, the world, and
By Angelina Castillo the actions of others. Through his
communication, we learn that He
The Missouri Symphony is a very special youth cares about us. He cares about us so
orchestra with about twenty-six players. This year, much that each person not only has
twelve-year-old Ethan Erickson did something the wisdom of God available but also
incredibly special. After playing the trumpet for nearly a guardian angel. However, we only
three years, Ethan tried out for the only trumpet have one way of talking to Him:
position in the entire orchestra. To his excitement, he prayer. Prayer is our direct line to
was accepted! God, and without it, many would feel
Upon trying out, Ethan had to play two scales, play a estranged from God.
piece of music, and sight-read music. According to As a fun exercise to show how
Ethan, the most difficult part was sight-reading the important our communication with
music. Since being accepted, Ethan now practices with God is, have each member of your
the symphony every Monday. With dedicated practice, family pick their favorite Bible verse
the symphony will perform three or four times a year. Music challenges and motivates without telling anybody. Then, give
Ethan, and his love for the trumpet is clearly displayed in his dedication to this each person a piece of paper and a
symphony. Congratulations, Ethan, from Sycamore Academy! pencil. Have them draw a
representation of the verse (without
words) on the paper within five
minutes. When the five minutes are
finished, allow each family member
one minute to guess what the verse
was or what it said.
That was difficult, wasn't it?
Without words, it was hard to convey
the meanings, ideas, and feelings
behind the verse. Without words,
communication was difficult. Unlike
the pictionary game, we do not have
to struggle to communicate with God.
To directly speak to God, all we must
do is pray. The Bible says, "The Lord
is near to all who call upon Him, to all
who call upon Him in truth. He will
fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save
them" (Psalm 145:18-19). By praying
and communicating to God, He hears
our thoughts, feelings, requests, and
gratefulness. We may have one main
line of communication to God, but that
one way can bring us closer to Him.
The Sycamore Tree | 4
February 2020
THE SYCAMORE TREE VOLUME 8 ISSUE 5
SYCAMORE ACADEMY’S DIGITAL NEWSLETTER
CRAFTS & COOKING Whoopie Hearts with Raspberry Buttercream
Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching, and there are always the thoughts of “What should I make?” or “What should I buy?”
Well, this is a delicious and fun recipe that is perfect for Valentine’s Day! It does not require much time and is simple to make.
Ingredients:
For the Cookies
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Buttercream
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 pints raspberries, pureed (or about 1/4 cup raspberry jam)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the baking sheets or line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined.
3. Add buttermilk. Mix until combined.
4. Add flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix until combined.
5. Dissolve the baking soda in hot water. Add the baking soda mixture to the batter and mix until liquid is incorporated.
6. Place batter in a piping bag or in a large sealable bag with the corner cut off. Create heart shapes by piping two V-shapes,
using about 1 tablespoon of batter per heart.
7. Bake for 8 minutes, or until they are just set. They should not be crispy.
8. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to cooling racks.
9. If using fresh raspberries, puree them in a blender with about 1/4 cup of water. Add to a small saucepan and cook on
medium heat, stirring regularly, until liquid reduces and thickens.
10. Press the fruit through a fine mesh sieve and set it aside.
11. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and raspberries (use either ¼ cup jam or ¼ cup of the freshly
cooked raspberry puree). Mix until well-combined. If the frosting is too thick, add more puree or jam. If the frosting is too
thin, add more powdered sugar. (Err on the side of thick for this recipe, so the frosting does not ooze out of the whoopie
pies).
12. Place frosting in piping bag or a large sealable bag with the corner cut off. Pipe onto one cooled heart cookie, and then top
with another heart cookie. Repeat until all cookies are used.
Handprint Valentine Card
This handprint valentine card craft is a wonderful way to show someone that you love them! I love
that you can personalize the message inside! It only requires scissors, a pen, and three colors of
card stock paper. I’m sure that whoever gets this will keep it as a keepsake for many years! For
detailed instructions, please reference https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/handprint-valentine/.
EDITOR’S REMARKS
February is here! Along with it comes Valentine’s Day, a day renowned for chocolate hearts and roses. Valentine’s Day is
celebrated for the image of loving families and spouses. However, the greatest image of love is often obscured: the image of
agape, or the ancient Greek idea of the love people show toward one another solely from compassion. The Bible tells us to “be
kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love” (Romans 12:10, KJV), which reflects a similar idea to that of agape. As it is a
love that extends to all people, the concept of agape is more than the love of family and close friends. This is the type of love
shown to neighbors, strangers, friends, peers, and colleagues by lending a hand, offering advice, and brightening their day. This
Valentine’s Day, remember to love those closest to you, but don’t forget to extend agape to the nearby stranger.
The Sycamore Tree | 5
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