The old adage that you can never go home again isn’t true at Trinity Classical Academy. On the first day of school when the transitional-kindergarten through twelfth grade school entered its sixteenth year, there was a new but familiar face greeting the sixth grade class. Kaeli Massetto, a graduate from the class of 2012, returned to her alma mater to begin her teaching career.

Miss Massetto has spent the last four years at Northwestern Christian University in Eugene, Oregon where she received an academic scholarship and a merit scholarship, as well as an athletic scholarship to play softball. An exceptional student who remained on the NCU Dean’s List every semester, Miss Massetto graduated Honors Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Teacher Education, along with an Endorsement in ESOL, Speakers of Other Languages and an Endorsement in Mathematics. She also received the Champion of Character Award, which is awarded to the one female and one male athlete each year who have displayed exemplary character and sportsmanship on the field, on campus, and in the community while exhibiting the core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.

“The administration, faculty and staff couldn’t be more excited that a student from our first graduating class has chosen not only to pursue a career in education, but to come back and teach at Trinity Classical Academy,” said Kevin Seitz, Grammar School Principal to whom Miss Massetto will report. “We are confident that our students will thrive under Kaeli’s tutelage in this pivotal year of transitioning into Logic School as she has the unique advantage of intimately knowing the classical, Christian education model and how it can impact a student’s academic abilities.”

While playing catcher for the NCU Beacons’ softball team, which competes at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, Miss Massetto received the Coach’s Award in 2014, along with Most Improved for the 2015 season; was awarded the NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete Award in 2015 and 2016 which recognizes excellence in the classroom by student-athletes that maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher; and was selected for the Academic All-Cascade Collegiate Conference in 2014 and 2015.

A gifted athlete throughout high school as well, she was awarded the Omega League’s Most Valuable Player two years straight and was selected as Trinity Classical Academy’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Forever linked to the Trinity Knights Athletic Department, Miss Massetto was the first student to ever receive an athletic scholarship to play sports at the collegiate level, so naturally Trinity has also offered her a coaching position in addition to her grammar school duties.

Throughout her tenure at NCU, Miss Massetto’s communication skills and leadership abilities were continuously sought-after and utilized by the university as she was selected to represent NCU as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where she communicated with Athletic Directors on behalf of the softball team, and also held the position of Chaplain Captain, steering her teammates toward a stronger relationship with God. At the end of her junior year, Miss Massetto and several other Beacon student-athletes joined the NCU Missions Team where they spent a month in Cambodia hosting Vacation Bible Schools. Apparently Miss Massetto doesn’t require much sleep as she also worked part-time as a Beacon Backer, where she would keep the scorebook or run the scoreboard for different university sporting events.

“Kaeli is another wonderful example of how the intersection of the classical, Christian model and the Trinity culture produce articulate young men and women with a strong foundation determined to make a meaningful impact on the world and in the lives of others,” said Liz Caddow, Founder and Head of School. “From its very inception, we have continuously prayed for the Lord’s covering over our students, families, faculty, and staff, and we always seek His guidance when making decisions that impact the life of our school and the Trinity community. We continue to be humbled by the Lord’s provision and are overwhelmed that His will was to bring Kaeli Massetto back to Trinity as a grammar school teacher.”

Through NCU’s rigorous course study and teaching requirements, Miss Massetto has spent over 600 hours in elementary school classrooms ranging from first grade to fifth grade, as well as teaching seventh grade math. She has also worked as a teacher’s aide at Trinity during breaks from college.

“Through my experiences in the classroom and the training I received at NCU, my decision to teach at a classical, Christian school was solidified, and I am so incredibly honored to be offered a position at Trinity,” said Miss Massetto. “I look forward to being in a classroom where I can emulate the incredible and impactful teachers I was so blessed to experience while I was a student, and create an environment where students’ passion for learning is nurtured and I can help foster their relationship and knowledge of God.”

Going home again takes on a whole new meaning for Miss Massetto when she returns to Trinity Classical Academy, as one of her new “colleagues” will also have a larger role in her life – mom.

“We couldn’t be more proud of all that Kaeli has accomplished during her time at NCU and applaud her dedication, hard work and ability to stay focused on her goals while maintaining her GPA, training for and playing softball as a NCU Beacon, as well as holding down a part-time job,” said Wendy Massetto, Upper School Principal, who also happens to be Kaeli’s very excited mom. “Kaeli is an inherent leader with a natural ability to build up those around her, she is a determined young woman who consistently exhibits how staying true to God’s word and remaining on His course can impact your life as well as the lives in your sphere of influence.”

Trinity Classical Academy is a coeducational, college preparatory, independent, liberal arts transitional kindergarten through twelfth grade school that was founded in 2001 with 28 students on the classical, Christian educational model. With enrollment of over 575 students, Trinity is one of the largest classical, Christian schools in the country. The mission of Trinity Classical Academy has remained consistent: to offer a challenging education, grounded in the Christian faith and the classical tradition, to produce young men and women of virtue, wisdom, purpose and courage.