Let's Talk TCA Podcast

Chief Innovation Officer Lisa Wong rejoins the podcast to talk about TCA's first-ever Discover Week, which will take place February 23-27, 2026. Some Middle School and Upper School students will be taking part in Discover Week travel experiences, which they already registered for last spring. Most MS and US students will get to take special Discover Week classes that cover a wide variety of interests. Fifth-graders will have their own fifth-grade Discover Week experience, while students in grades 6-8 will choose from one of five themes for the week: Fitness and Health, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Creation and Craftsmanship, Performing and Literary Arts, or Food and Culture. Upper School students will have 36 Discover Week classes to choose from, where they can learn new subjects, life skills or hobbies. Most of these are half-day classes, so US students will get to take two classes that week. Juniors and seniors have the option to sign up for a Discover Week internship in fields of their choice; they will be paired with local businesses to gain hands-on experience and insights while being mentored by TCA parents or alumni.   TCA parents can download a full list of classes on the Discover Week resource board. Students will sign up for classes themselves during school the week of October 13-17, 2025. If you have any questions, you can email discoverweek@trinitychristian.org.

A group of eighth-grade girls, led by MS Science Teacher CeCe Scott '00, met throughout the school year to read and discuss the book 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know by author Kari Kampakis. On this episode of the podcast, some of those TCA eighth-graders interview Kari and ask her questions about the book and about life. Kari shares some great advice that can be helpful not only for girls, but for parents who are raising daughters. You can learn more about Kari and her books, including 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, her new devotional Yours, Not Hers and the upcoming Is Your Daughter Ready? 10 Ways to Empower Your Girl for an Age of New Challenges, at KariKampakis.com.

In this episode, Upper School Bible Teacher and Community Time Coordinator Jeremy Gregory talks about Upper School Bible classes, Chapel, apologetics and spiritual formation. As part of the new academic schedule for the 2025-26 school year, TCA is adding stand-alone Bible classes for freshmen and sophomores to go along with the existing Bible classes in other grade levels. Mr. Gregory explains how the new class sequence will teach students the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, over the course of three years. For senior year, students will be prepared to engage with others in college and the future by learning about different worldviews and apologetics. Mr. Gregory also talks about Upper School Chapel and the changes that already been implemented during community time this school year. Finally, Mr. Gregory and host Cynthia Yanof discuss how parents can respond when kids ask hard questions about theology, faith or life in general.

Starting in February 2026, the week before spring break will be Discover Week—a week in which TCA Upper School and Middle School students can discover new passions, learn new skills and explore the world. Besides taking on-campus classes or having a local internship, one of the things that students can choose to do during Discover Week is to travel. In this episode of Let's Talk TCA, Zoe Ellen Azzi joins the podcast to talk about plans for Discover Week trips. Mrs. Azzi, who teaches Modern Humanities in the Upper School, has led multiple trips over the years for TCA students and serves as trip coordinator for Discover Week. Listen as Mrs. Azzi discusses the travel options for Discover Week, including trips to Europe, Latin America and U.S. cities. Mrs. Azzi also explains four reasons why kids should travel and shares some of her favorite stories from past TCA trips.

It may still officially be winter, but preparations for the upcoming summer are in full swing at TCA. In this episode, Director of Auxiliary Programs Justin Zappia joins host Cynthia Yanof to talk about the many different classes and camps available at TCA this summer. Listen to learn about the Summer@TCA options for 2025. From flying drones to flying discs, from playing board games to playing sports, and from taking classes for fun to classes for credit, there is something for every child from kindergarten through senior year. You can get all the details in our Summer@TCA catalog. 

TCA's Lower School Counselor Emily Eyre joins host Cynthia Yanof to talk about how families can set their own holiday traditions. Christmas is a popular time for setting family traditions, but you can have traditions around any holiday, as well as having traditions that do not focus on any holiday at all. Emily and Cynthia talk about why we have traditions, the benefits of keeping traditions simple and the importance of emotional memories. They discuss how to think through the messages that you are communicating to your family through your traditions. Since holidays are not always happy times for everyone, they also talk about what to do if a holiday is hard for you and how to start new patterns for your family when old ones aren't working.

TCA's varsity basketball coaches, Rodney Belcher and John Price, both join the podcast for this episode. This is Coach Belcher's first year at TCA after years spent coaching at both the high school and college levels. Coach Price is in his fourth year at TCA and 26th year coaching overall. The coaches talk about their families, their faith and their coaching careers. Listen to hear how they leverage the lessons of winning and losing to prepare students for future successes and failures.

TCA's Head of Middle School Cindi Di Iorio and Head of Upper School Craig Wilson join the podcast to talk about where they come from and what brought them to TCA. Get to know our new heads of schools better as they share about their families, their faith and their hearts for helping educate children.

This summer, Tom Landry Stadium had new state-of-the-art turf installed that is arguably the best playing surface at any school, anywhere. In this episode, Steve Hayes, TCA's football head coach and newly appointed athletic director, talks about the new playing field and other recent improvements to the athletics facilities. He is joined by TCA alum and former football player Jason Delph '07, the co-founder (along with fellow '07 classmate Nick Pavey) of ForeverLawn Texas, as well as ForeverLawn's Director of Marketing Derek Taylor and Installation Support Team Leader Aaron Gressel. Together, they explain what makes the new field best-in-class. The new combination of padding and turf provides better safety and traction than other fields, reducing the potential for injuries and fatigue and helping our athletes perform better. It is approved by both the NFL and FIFA, and TCA is the first school in Texas to have this new turf.

Are you addicted to your phone? As parents, how should we be thinking about smartphone use? In this episode, host Cynthia Yanof talks with Joey Odom, co-founder of technology company Aro, about how to build a healthy relationship with your smartphone. Many of us often find ourselves distracted by our phones, focused on social media or other apps instead of interacting with the people around us. Phones can take our attention away from being present with our spouse or kids, and our kids themselves run the danger of being the first generation to die with more of other people's memories than memories of their own. We may think we are addicted to our phones, but this is not an addiction we are powerless over; it is a habit that we can change. Mr. Odom talks about the importance of modeling healthy smartphone use for our children, as well as the realization that smartphone use can take away from the limited and precious time we have with our kids before they are grown. When you change your relationship with your phone, you change your relationship with everyone around you, including yourself. Mr. Odom lays out four simple ways to change your relationship with your phone: 1. Start with yourself and what you are modeling for others. 2. Spend one hour a day physically distant from your phone. 3. Establish sacred times and spaces that are phone-free. 4. Search for moments of connection with your family or friends. Joey Odom's company, Aro, helps people change phone habits throught the use of an app and a device that stores and charges your phone. You can learn more about it at goaro.com.

TCA is a college preparatory school, and that preparation begins long before college applications are filled out. In this episode, Tracy Bartholomew, part of TCA's college counseling team, discusses how parents can help their children start thinking about the future and taking their first steps towards college and career decisions. Tracy and host Cynthia Yanof talk about: How parents can help their children discover God's calling for their lives. How students can begin exploring different interests and fields of study. How TCA's college counselors help students each year along the way. An easy way for students to document their activities and achievements throughout Upper School to aid in the college application process. When students should start visiting colleges. The honors leadership class that Tracy teaches. A reminder that college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Tracy also lists some recommended resources, including the College Essay Guy (collegeessayguy.com); Never Enough by Jennifer Wallace; and Untangled, Under Pressure and  The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.

In this episode, host Cynthia Yanof talks with people all over TCA to get the scoop on some new things that have happened or will happen soon. This top 10 list includes: An increased emphasis and investment in biblical worldview The addition of a full-time athletics chaplain  Upgrades to the baseball and softball fields The addition of a new preK section and a new playground New dining options in the cafeterias Invisible security upgrades to the campus Adjusting the cell phone policy to improve student well-being An upcoming month of prayer on the TCA campus The first class of senior prefects Updates on leadership hires We appreciate your prayers and support as we continually strive to make the TCA experience the best it can be.

In this episode of Let's Talk TCA, the tables are turned as our regular host, Cynthia Yanof, becomes a guest on the podcast. TCA student Ella Eubanks interviews Cynthia about her new book, "Life Is Messy, God Is Good," and her experiences as a podcaster, a foster mom, and a TCA parent.   Life is hard, and it often goes "off script." Cynthia talks about having a theology that lines up with reality and finding God at work in the middle of our messes. She shares "messy truths" from her book, heartwarming stories from the TCA community, and insights from being "the oldest mom on the playground."   As a special treat to our listeners, we are also giving away 20 signed copies of Cynthia's book. To enter your name into a drawing for the books, simply email podcast@trinitychristian.org with a suggestion for a future podcast topic or guest. Out of everyone who emails an idea, 20 people will be randomly selected to receive a free book.   You can order Cynthia's book and find more of her podcasts at cynthiayanof.com.

Dr. Tim Elmore joins the podcast to talk about cultivating leadership in our children and equipping them to be future leaders.  Dr. Elmore is the founder of the global nonprofit Growing Leaders and has written more than 35 books, including "Habititudes," "Generation Z Unfiltered" and "12 Huge Mistakes Parents Can Avoid." An expert on leadership and the younger generations, he believes that the problems we face today will be solved by kids who are now in school. In this episode, Tim Elmore and host Cynthia Yanof discuss: How Generation Z and Generation Alpha are defined, and how they are different from previous generations The impact of smartphones on younger generations The four ways kids become leaders How parents can develop leadership in their kids Ways in which parents inadvertently stifle leadership in children Positive steps parents can take and mistakes they can avoid Tim Elmore's latest book, "I Can't Wait!" contains 52 stories of kids who took leadership to solve problems or serve people. Each short story includes discussion questions and an online video families can watch together. You can learn more about the book here, and find other resources from Tim at growingleaders.com.

  Bob Goff, the bestselling author of "Love Does" and "Everybody Always," joins the podcast to discuss loving people, dreaming big, and living an undistracted life.   Answering questions submitted by TCA students, Bob talks about: His work building schools in 13 countries The difference between teachers and educators How to love people who are difficult to love Using your platform or influence to make a lasting difference How to deal with distractions Making plans for life versus going with the flow How students can take leadership in building a better, more loving world The phone number you can use to call The White House (202-456-1414) Getting into adventures at any age   You can find Bob Goff's books and videos, including his latest bestseller, "Undistracted," on his website, bobgoff.com.

In this episode, host Cynthia Yanof talks all things athletics with Chief Administrative Officer Tonja King. Tonja and Cynthia cover a range of topics, including: The mission and philosophy of TCA athletics How TCA measures success in athletics Recent coaching hires The new position of athletic chaplain Athletic department leadership Changes in the strength and conditioning program TAPPS' and TCA's policy on recruiting Improving athletic facilities How you can help   If you would like to learn more about opportunities to support TCA athletics financially, please contact Becky Lewis at the TCA Foundation.

In this episode, host Cynthia Yanof discusses AI (artificial intelligence) with TCA Chief Academic Officer Fran Legband and Director of Technology and STEM Lisa Wong.   Love it or fear it, AI is a game-changer, and it's here to stay. Listen as Fran and Lisa explain the basics of how artificial intelligence works, including its potential benefits and its limitations. They talk about how AI can influence education and the way subjects are taught, such as focusing student work more on critical thinking skills that AI cannot replicate. They also explain how TCA is guarding against the use of AI-generated content in school assignments.   As an example of how this new technology is rapidly developing, ChatGPT's capabilities changed soon after this episode was recorded. ChatGPT can now search the internet to answer prompts, which gives it access to more data.      

This week on Let's Talk TCA, we have the privilege of hearing from one of the leading voices of Christian worldview, Michael Craven. Mr. Craven is an author, speaker, and the Vice President of Equipping at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He's passionate about helping Christians align current-day cultural issues with biblical truth, a focus TCA is also highly committed to providing its students. A few of the topics covered on today's podcast include: - Mr. Craven's journey from corporate CEO to Christian worldview apologist - The importance of having a Christian worldview - The call to engage our culture with truth rather than abandoning hope - A reminder that our children are seeking a larger purpose in life, which the Bible offers We are so fortunate to have Michael Craven joining us for today's podcast, as well as next week live on our campus.  Join our TCA family on September 26 at 7 p.m. to hear Mr. Craven discuss the hope we have in an oftentimes hostile culture, and how to fulfill the call to be Christ's witnesses to the ends of the earth.

      We are so excited to have Sissy Goff joining us today on Let's Talk TCA. Sissy is a sought-after author, speaker, and Licensed Professional Counselor in Nashville, Tennessee.    More and more we're seeing anxiety become an epidemic in our culture, and that's especially true with our kids. Statistics show that one in four children deal with anxiety, with girls being twice as likely to suffer. The onset age of anxiety is now down to six or sever-years-old, and one in three teens and adults will also face anxiety (again, with women being twice as likely to suffer).    Anxiety is so pervasive that Sissy Goff has focused her practice on ways to identify and work through it with our families.    Here are a few of the topics we cover in today's podcast:   Identifying symptoms of anxiety in our kids Anxiety calming techniques  Navigating social media  Practical back-to-school tips for anxious kids   It's such a blessing to have Sissy Goff speaking to our TCA community. Don't miss this must-hear conversation!      Links:   The Worry-Free Parent by Sissy Goff   Raising Boys and Girls Podcast   Daystar Counseling Ministries 

In today's episode, we talk with three of our graduating seniors: Caitlyn Hackney, Alana Soileau, and Max Merrifield. These students tell us about their experiences throughout their time at TCA including involvement in activities, how teachers have influenced them, school trips, preparing for college, and most importantly how TCA has impacted their faith. Their advice to their freshmen selves is priceless. Whether you are a current TCA student or parent, are joining the Upper School this fall, or considering TCA for the future, you won't want to miss this advice and wisdom from our seniors! Congratulations to our Class of 2023!