The Friday Finish - Love & Serve Like Jesus - Meal Uncertainty Continues - Young Alumni Reconnect - Alumni Awards - Coach Sizemore Honored

October 17, 2025

Taught to Love and Serve Like Jesus

Jon (’08) and Samantha (’09) North delivered a well-prepared, moving, “tag team” address to 98 alumni, staff and friends in attendance at the Red Bird School Alumni Association’s (RBSAA) Annual Homecoming meeting on Saturday. Their stories connected with and echoed the stories of the diverse range of graduates representing the past 50 years of Red Bird School history.

Working together is a strength for this couple that is gaining notoriety in the mountain region as staff in the Pineville (KY) Independent School District. Sam is head coach for Varsity and Jon assists her coaching JV for Pineville Volleyball. They also have built a strong record in their roles of moving students in academics and career development. Sam is the Literacy Coach for Grades 6-12 and Jon, currently Public Relations Director and Family Resource & Youth Service Center Assistant for the District. Jon has worked with the Gear Up program preparing students for post-secondary education and careers.

The inspiring address took the audience through the fruits of the Spirit listed in the Book of Galatians lifting up teachers and coaches that exemplified and taught these life-guiding values to them through their experiences at Red Bird School. They also shared multiple instances of how Red Bird School’s motto - “Enter to Learn. Leave to Serve.” – still influences them today.

Samantha emphasized throughout how she was taught to “love like Jesus”, and closed her comments saying,

“Every person at Red Bird taught me how to love like Jesus and to be a servant like Jesus. It is not enough to have been given the tools to accomplish this myself. I hope I can live up to the challenge to “Leave to Serve” so that my kids [students] can tell the same stories about me that I’ve been able to tell about my experiences at Red Bird.”

Jon also closed crediting the people at Red Bird with the foundation for his success stating,

“Every single success I’ve had – every broadcast, every win on the volleyball court – it doesn’t just belong to me. It belongs to the investment made by those here who walk by faith and poured themselves into the community. It belongs to Red Bird.”

Homecoming Challenge Pushes Past $60,000

Donations received during the Alumni Homecoming weekend and this week have pushed the fall campaign funds raised to $62,156. The fall campaign goal of $100,000 for Red Bird Christian School is definitely within reach. Alumni and friends are encouraged to take action to give now to keep the momentum going, by giving online, or mailing gifts to Red Bird Mission, Inc., 70 Queendale Ctr, Beverly, KY 40913-9607 marked Homecoming Challenge. Now is also a good time to begin planning to make significant gifts from investments or retirement funds before the end of the calendar year. Contact Tim Crawford, Development Director if you would like to transfer stocks or funds directly to Red Bird Christian School. 

Give to prepare another generation of RBCS leaders

Confusion, Uncertainty Shroud Continuation of Elderly Meal Delivery

“As of Friday, we have not received any correspondence that anything has been solved through the state government.  We are continuing to operate on private donations at this point. We are seeking additional donations so we can lengthen how long we're providing the home delivered meals to the 60 clients 5 days a week,” 

said Tracy Nolan, Red Bird Mission Community Outreach Director, when asked about the status of elderly meal delivery.

Red Bird Mission DeWall Senior Center Coordinator Tammy Adams hopped in the meal delivery vans after cooking them on Friday and Monday to deliver letters to meal clients to explain the situation in an effort to calm fears. Red Bird Mission has committed to continue vital meal delivery to isolated, elderly people living in remote locations.

Tammy said,

“There was a lot of confusion even after I summarized it and explained it. There were some still totally confused because one gentleman was just like, ‘Well, I guess I won't be seeing you all no more.’ And we're like, no, no, no, no, we're still gonna be bringing your meals as long as we can. I assured them that Red Bird was doing everything that it could to continue the meals.”

Tracy added,

“So, even though we were trying to sound hopeful, and that we had a call to action, and we're speaking to our donors and supporters, and they have a call to action, they understand we did not give them a certain deadline or date [to end the program]. We don't know either.”

You can help keep the meals going out and prevent hunger for these 60 elderly people by giving $180 per month to sponsor meals for one person, or any amount that you are able to give. Give a one-time gift or set up a recurring gift online, or mail your gift to Red Bird Mission, Inc., 70 Queendale Ctr, Beverly, KY 40913 marked “Elderly Meals.”

Give today to prevent elderly hunger

Young Alumni Reconnect

Patty Vance and Tonya Dickerson-Asher, Red Bird School Alumni Association (RBSAA) officers, worked to help Jon and Samantha North organize a special event for this year’s Alumni Homecoming Weekend. Social media posts and direct contacts to graduates from 2000 through 2025 were made inviting young alumni to the Cardinal House Friday night on the Queendale Campus for a meal sponsored by the RBSAA prepared by Red Bird Mission’s Cardinal Café. Several of those attending were enthusiastic about the event celebrating young alumni. They also gave approval of the idea of bringing together multiple classes because friendships at Red Bird School overlap alumni classes before and after each graduation year.

RBSAA 2025 Alumni Awards

The Red Bird School Alumni Association (RBSAA) formally recognizes individuals that make a difference at Red Bird School. The following were recognized Saturday by the RBSAA for their contribution to the excellent educational environment at Red Bird Christian School:

• Teacher of the Year: Angela Crawford

• The Bischoff Award: Jamie Collett

• Alumni of the Year: Jackie Moody

• The Living Legend Awards: Shirley and Phyllis Crouse

Congratulations to all of the award recipients! You exemplify the best of the Red Bird spirit.

Daugh Sizemore Honored with Field and Scoreboard Dedication

When a student mentions, “Mr. Sizemore”, or “Coach Sizemore”, there’s no doubt they are referring to Daugh Sizemore, an institutional icon at Red Bird School. Jon North lauded Mr. Sizemore’s influence in his life on Saturday during his keynote address. Countless others have given unsolicited testimony of the positive impact Daugh made on their lives as a student, athlete, or dormitory resident.

The Red Bird Mission Board of Directors had approved the naming of the baseball field, Daugh Sizemore Field, a few years ago, and the Red Bird School Alumni Association closed out the annual meeting day on Saturday with a first class ceremony for one of their own. Daugh led the alumni association as a member, officer and board president spearheading fund raising and alumni recognition for decades until stepping down and handing over responsibilities to the current leadership.

Many of his former players came to Alumni Homecoming to honor Daugh sharing stories of positive encouragement. They also included humorous events on the baseball field and basketball court that set Coach Sizemore apart from most coaches today. Family members, former players and other Red Bird community members present shared in a litany of dedication that honored Coach Sizemore’s service to his students and community.