State of School
Watch 2022 School System Update
What's Happening in the PCA School System?
PCA Plano
- Academic Excellence
- Arts Excellence
- Communication Arts Excellence
- Athletics Excellence
- PCA Campus Ministry Team - A Difference Factor
Academic Excellence
- National Merit Scholars
- Class of 2021 Standardized Test Scores
- Class of 2021 AP Test Scores
- 2020 AP Scholars
- Class of 2021 Scholarship
- Class of 2022 Grade Point Average
- Academic Co-curriculars
National Merit Scholars
Class of 2022
- National Merit Commended - 2
- National Hispanic Scholar - 3
- National African American Scholar - 4
Class of 2021
- National Merit Commended - 6
- National Hispanic Scholar - 2
Class of 2020
- National Merit Commended - 5
- National Hispanic Scholar - 1
Class of 2019
- National Merit Semifinalist - 2
- National Merit Commended - 3
- National Hispanic Scholar - 2
Class of 2018
- National Merit Semifinalist - 1
- National Merit Commended - 2
Class of 2017
- National Merit Semifinalist - 1
- National Merit Commended - 7
- National Hispanic Scholar - 1
Class of 2021 Standardized Test Scores
SAT Scores:
| PCA Top 25% | PCA | Natl | TX | |
| 2017 | 1335 | 1182 | 1002 | 944 |
| 2018 | 1359 | 1222 | 1060 | 1020 |
| 2019 | 1374 | 1244 | 1059 | 1020 |
| 2020 | 1318 | 1228 | 1059 | 1020 |
| 2021 | 1385 | 1217 | 1059 | 1022 |
ACT SCORES:
| PCA Top 25% | PCA | Natl | TX | |
| 2017 | 29.3 | 25.5 | 21 | 20.7 |
| 2018 | 29 | 25.8 | 20.8 | 20.6 |
| 2019 | 29 | 25 | 20.7 | 20.5 |
| 2020 | 29 | 25.5 | 20.6 | 20.2 |
| 2021 | 30 | 25 | 20.7 | 20.2 |
Class of 2021 AP Test Scores
2020 AP Scholars
Class of 2021 Scholarship
Prestonwood Christian Academy’s Class of 2021 was offered $14.5 million in scholarships for achievement in scholastics, athletics and the arts. Since the first graduating class in 2002, PCA graduates have been offered more than $154 million in scholarships and have matriculated to universities near and far.
Class of 2022 Grade Point Average
Academic Co-curriculars
Our Middle and Upper School students continue to participate in many enrichment opportunities and academic competitions. Activities such as Destination Imagination, ACSI Speech Meet, Spelling Bee, ACSI Math Olympics, Mock Trial, TAPPS Academic Competition, Future Problem Solvers, STEM Honors, Lions Scholar Program, and more all offer students an opportunity to stretch themselves through innovative learning experiences which extend beyond the classroom. While some of these competitions were canceled in the Spring of 2020, many went virtual and are continuing in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021.
88% of PCA parents agree/strongly agree that co-curricular options are of value according to the most recent PCA Parent Survey.
In 2019-20, Upper School Future Problem Solving had a substantial increase in participation with 94 students, the highest number of students involved in FPS in more than 12 years.
Upper School Science Olympiad also had a record-breaking year with 17 students earning the opportunity to advance to State competition. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, the State competition was not held.
Arts Excellence
Visual Arts Awards
TAAPS Photo Competition - Sean Lee, 3rd place in “Landscape” Photography
VASE Regionals
Out of 35 entries this year, 30 received the highest score possible and a regional medal & won regional medals by receiving level 4 ratings- the highest score at VASE Regionals .
STATE VASE 2019-2020
Nine pieces advanced to state, all of which acquired state medals.
Katie Addis
Ishawnia Christopher (2)
Libby Dastugue (2)
Hayley Lineberger
Janice Park
Sarah Sign
Sami Sulzer
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
40 students participated, 20 students were recognized at the regional level with awards, and five students received the top award of a gold key.
The Scholastic winners of Silver Key:
Alex Bishop
Emily Pope
Shea Reeves
Emma Rosal
Samantha Sulzer
The Scholastic winners of Gold Key:
Alex Bishop
Janice Park
Sarah Sign
Kennedy Taylor
Davis Works
The ACSI Art Festival in spring 2020 was cancelled.
Young American Talent
This is the first year PCA has taken part in this competition. It is highly competitive and is a North Texas Juried competition that has over 1000 submissions with only around a 100 that are selected to be exhibited at El Centro College in Dallas, Texas. From the 100 selected. a handful are given top awards. This year our very own Sami Sulzer received 3rd place for her painting entitled “The Missing Link.”
Instrumental Music Awards
Instrumental Arts Awards in 2019-20
TPSMEA North Region Band – Roger Jin, Liesel Smurawa, Laurel Smurawa and Noelle Smurawa
TPSMEA All-State Band – Roger Jin, Liesel Smurawa, Laurel Smurawa and Noelle Smurawa
*Please note that many of our 2020 Spring Competitions were canceled due to coronavirus closures.
Vocal Awards
Upper School Choir students prepared and auditioned for the 2019-20 TPSMEA All-Region choir, and these students were selected:
Allison Blackwell
Emma Chen
Emma Kay Clay
Bettina Devadoss
Mia Dorsett
Hunter Hall
Claire Lunceford
Collin Mayo
Audrey Meece
Lauren Meece
Selise Phillips
Alexandra Pingsterhaus
Emily Pope
Maddie Pratt
Trey Reynolds
Ashley Ring
Nicky Rudd
Grace Rutherford
Samantha Seal
Isabelle Simpson
Gracie Smith
Chloe Willhite
Upper School Choir students prepared and auditioned for TPSMEA All-State choir, and these students were selected:
Emma Kay Clay
Mia Dorsett
Hunter Hall
Audrey Meece
Emily Pope
Maddie Pratt
Isabelle Simpson
In February, 2020, the Upper School Choir competed in the ACSI Choir Festival and received an Excellent rating for their performance.
School Year 2020-21
Upper School Choir students prepared and auditioned for the 2020-21 TPSMEA All-Region choir, and these students were selected:
Lili Alexander
Joanna Anil
Maddie Araman
Mishka Arredondo
Allison Blackwell
Graham Carpenter
Emma Chen
Emma Kay Clay
Logan Daugherty
Mia Dorsett
Kylie Lamm
Cort Letcher
Claire Lunceford
Collin Mayo
Kaylee McCrary
Audrey Meece
Cassidy Payne
Selise Phillips
Ashley Ring
Nicky Rudd
Grace Rutherford
Gracie Smith
Chloe Willhite
Olivia Wilson
Upper School Choir students prepared and auditioned for TPSMEA All-State choir, and these students were selected:
Emma Kay Clay
Mia Dorsett
Audrey Meece
Grace Rutherford
PCA Middle School Choir had a fantastic 2019-20 school year. Seventeen Sixth Grade students participated in the TPSMEA (Texas Private School Music Educator Association)
Children’s Honor Choir Festival held in November, and two Seventh and Eighth Grade students qualified and participated in the TPSMEA Regional Middle School Honor Choir, including:
Sydney Whorten
Lili Alexander
In February, 29 Fifth through Eighth Grade students participate in the regional Solo and Ensemble Festival held in Arlington. We had 16 Fifth and Sixth Graders and 13 Seventh and Eighth Graders perform in an ensemble. Both groups received a superior rating for their performance (the highest!) There were 17 Fifth and Sixth Graders who performed solos and received superior ratings, and 11 Seventh and Eighth Graders who performed a solo and received superior ratings! It was a very successful event for PCA and the most students we’ve ever had participate in Solo and Ensemble!
2020-21
While the in-person TPSMEA regional event was canceled, auditions were still held remotely and students were ranked. A big congratulations to Eighth Grader Ashlyn Hardy who ranked as the #1 soprano in the North Texas region. Also, congrats to Audrey Letcher who ranked as the #7 soprano and Jadyn Moses who ranked as the #17 soprano. We are so proud of these girls and their hard work preparing for this.
Theatre Awards
During the 2019-20 school year PCA Plano’s Theatre Department again produced amazing shows.:Godspell and the senior show, Silent Sky. Silent Sky was nominated for Best Play at the Betty Lynne Buckley Awards and Lauren Meece was nominated for Best Leading Female Actor for her role in Silent Sky while Hunter Hall was nominated for Best Leading Male Actor for his role as Jesus in Godspell. Lauren won the award for the second year in a row. The spring musical White Christmas and the MS one-act play The Secret Garden were cancelled due to state Covid-19 restrictions.
PCA’s ITS troupe attended the Virtual International Thespian Festival in June. Avery Doyle received a superior ranking for her solo musical and Graham Carpenter received close to 30 college callbacks.
In the fall of the 2020-21 school year, PCA Theatre students performed two shows, The Importance of Being Earnest and It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Both shows were filmed and edited by PCA’s Film and Broadcast Department and then were streamed for five performances each. The Importance of Being Earnest aired online in November and It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play aired in December. Both were viewed by audiences from all over the country as well as our own community.
ITS students competed at the 2020 Virtual Texas Thespian State Festival. Large Group Musical, Duet Acting, Monologue, two Solo Musical events, and Makeup Design entries all received superior rankings and qualified for nationals to be held virtually in June. One MS student qualified for nationals as well in Solo Musical.
This year, during the fall of 2020, the following students competed in various categories at the Virtual Texas Thespians Festival. Blake Dunham advanced to nationals in Solo Musical! He sang "Middle of a Moment" from James and the Giant Peach by Pasek and Paul.
Aidan Abrams
Blake Dunham
Ava Grace Harbison
Ashlyn Hardy
Avery Johnson
Alli Pasant
Abby Penny
Audrey Shivers
Fine Arts Banquet Awards
Fine Arts Banquet - AWARDS
PCA Fine Arts students gather every year for the annual end-of-year Fine Arts Banquet. All of the major Fine Arts awards for the school are given at this very special event. This was a virtual event for the 2019-20 school year.
Here are the award winners:
ART
2-D Artist of the Year Sean Lee
3-D Artist of the Year Libby Dastugue
AP Art Award Heather Gray
BAND
Most Outstanding Woodwind Award Samuel Xie
Most Outstanding Brass Award Nathan Coles
Most Outstanding Percussion Award Rebekah Bynum
Director’s Award Donovan McManus
CHOIR
Outstanding Choir Student Nicky Rudd
Outstanding Choir Student Maddie Pratt
Outstanding Choir Student Emily Pope
Director’s Award Hunter Hall
THEATRE
Outstanding Technical Theatre Achievement in PCA Theatre production Joshua Rutherford
Best Supporting Actress in a PCA Theatre production Isabelle Simpson
Best Supporting Actor in a PCA Theatre production Davis Works
Best Leading Actor in a PCA Theatre production Hunter Hall
Best Leading Actress in a PCA Theatre production Lauren Meece
Techie of Prestonwood Leighton Strawbridge
Prestonwood Actor’s Guild Hunter Hall
Artist Scholar Awards
Freshman Kathryn Arnett
Sophomore Allison Blackwell
Junior Courtney Brooks
Senior Samantha Seal
Audience of One Award
Ishawnia Christopher
Donovan McManus
Communication Arts Excellence
The Communication Arts Department continues to grow in the area of Film and Broadcasting with the addition of a small studio space, and collaboration with Fine Arts through filming and producing the fall play productions this year!
Additionally, football game live streams were of the utmost importance in order to allow all of the Lions’ fans to enjoy the athletic season.
Lower School students continue to give their Stand Up and Be Heard Speeches in spite of not having the opportunity for parent volunteers! We are grateful for the use of technology and teachers going above and beyond to make sure our students still receive quality feedback as they practice their public speaking skills.
The Speech and Debate team has competed in over 11 online tournaments this fall and qualified two students to the Texas Forensics State competition.
Yearbook and Newspaper classes continue to work hard to produce quality print media and online content to represent PCA Plano and North campuses.
The Mock Trial team welcomed Speech & Communications teacher Mrs. Kim Stidham as the new Legal Lions coach and have begun online scrimmages to prepare for the upcoming spring competition.
We are so grateful for the support of our parents and grandparents for this important program that is a difference factor at PCA!
Athletics Excellence
In 2019-20, Prestonwood Christian Academy won the following State and National Championships:
- Competitive Cheer - NCA and FCC National Champions
Additionally, PCA teams were successful in other sports throughout the fall and winter seasons:
- Volleyball - District Runner up and State Runner Up
- Boys Basketball - District Runner Up
- Girls Basketball - District Champions and State Runner Up
- Football - District Runner-up
Due to the suspension of the 2020 spring sports season our teams did not have the opportunity to complete their season. We are proud of all of our spring sport athletes and look forward to seeing them compete in the spring of 2021.
At the end of the 2019-20 school year, PCA Athletics hosted its first virtual awards banquet where we honored athletes from each of the PCA sports programs as well as outstanding individuals with our special awards:
- Female Lion Heart Award Winner- Caroline Stogner
- Male Lion Heart Award Winner- Dennis Phillips
- Female Apostle Paul Award- Brooklyn Pruitt
- Male Apostle Paul Award- Luke Savage
- Female Lion Scholar Athlete- Ansley Dale
- Male Lion Scholar Athlete- Nathan Coles
PCA Campus Ministry Team - A Difference Factor
PCA North
PCA North has expanded this year to serve PK-3 through 10th Grade, and it has been an incredible year of "firsts!"
One Act Play: PCA Theatre North competed in the regional TAPPS One-Act Play competition. Their young ensemble of Freshmen and Sophomores performed and served on the crew of the play, Leaving Iowa, by Tim Clue and Spike Manton. They came in second at the regional competition and placed third in the State competition. They also received an Honorable Mention Cast award for Noah Smith, All Star Crew for Tyler Moses, All Star Cast for Madigan Matthews and Freshman Kaelin Eckels won Best Actress out of the entire competition.
6-Man Football Team: Our first football team made it to the playoffs in our first year to compete!
MS/US Percussion Program: PCA North was excited to unveil its first Percussion and Drum Line made up of Middle and Upper School students!
Communication Arts: The Communication Arts Department added two new North Upper School courses of Speech and Yearbook. Several North students rigorously and successfully competed this fall on the Speech and Debate Team. And, for the first time, the PCA North yearbook will be produced by PCA North students beginning with the 2020-2021 school year!
Spirit Cheer Team: We are excited to announce that in addition to the Middle School Spirit Cheer Team, PCA North will have an Upper School Spirit Cheer Team next year!
North Homecoming: PCA North started its own HOCO traditions with a parade and pep rally on the North Campus!
St. Timothy Christian Academy
In October 2020, STCA was honored to be invited to a virtual showcase with the United States Department of Education. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, Frank Brogan, Congressman Van Taylor, representatives from the offices of Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Plano Councilman Rick Grady, talked with a panel made up of John Klingstedt, Interim Head of School at PCA; Lee Phegley, St. Timothy’s board president; Vicky Warren, wife of founder Dr. Paul Warren; and STCA students, parents and staff.
The Department is interviewing schools that have created the necessary protocols and accommodations to safely and successfully reopen for face-to-face learning. Assistant Secretary Brogan said, “As we were looking at schools, St. Timothy bubbled up as extra-special based on the very special students who attend and also because of the special needs that have to be accommodated with that many different learning styles; especially in the middle of a global pandemic.”
The King's Academy
$500 PCA SOS Contest Winner!
Congratulations to Mrs. Sharon Ratcliff for being randomly chosen out of the hundreds of contest submissions with all three correct answers!