Introducing X Squad Gap Year 2019!
On July 21, I returned home from an 11-day training camp in Gainesville, Georgia. Besides spiritually, emotionally, and physically preparing to launch in September; I also met everybody in person that I will be spending the next year with. So without further ado, let me introduce you to them! Crazy that I launch on Monday with these people!
Team Parameno! This is the team I am on!
Abbie Rogers: Abbie is from Texas! She is an incredible artist & such a loving person. A fun fact about her is that she is missing two knuckles.
Abi Dolihite: Abi is from Florida! She seeks truth and is constantly looking to further her relationship with Christ and know Him better. Something interesting about her is that she likes to collect random things such as cool rocks, dried flowers, & postcards.
Anna Horst: Anna is from Texas! She is passionate about spreading the Gospel and is a woman of boldness! A fun fact about her is that she has a fake tooth. She also has bangs due to playing what are the odds at training camp, but you can’t see them in this picture.
Emalani Higdon: Emalani is from Colorado! She has so much wisdom and is firmly rooted in Scripture, always seeking out Biblical truth & basis. A fun fact about her is until here recently she didn’t know that cows had tails, she thought they just had stubs.
Kate Anderson: Kate is from North Dakota! She has a heart of gold and cares deeply for other people. A fun fact about her is that she has an adorable accent and it is so sweet.
Team Anthem!
Angelica Ortiz: Gel is from New Jersey! She is 4’11 of sassiness and boldness, who makes everyone laugh and feel loved. Her personality brings life to the group, even when it’s been a rough day. A fun fact about her is that she cannot properly cut a steak and it always ends up falling off her plate when she tries.
Annalise Garfield: Annalise is from Nevada! While Lise is easy-going, she is also passionate about things close to her heart and steps out in boldness. Something interesting about her is that she was born on pi day (3.14)!
Emily Sherear: Emily is from Colorado! She is down to earth and is intentional in her friendships. Her smile is contagious and she has so much joy. A fun fact about her is that she has done missions work in the Bahamas.
Jenay Leese: Jenay is from California! She is incredibly mature for her age (16) and brings so much wisdom to the group and seeks to make others feel comfortable. Something interesting is that a few years ago she broke her middle toe on a big industrial sized fan.
Maddie Chase: Maddie is from North Carolina! She is an encourager and always has a positive attitude, even when things are frustrating and hard. She is full of love and makes others feel seen. A fun fact about her is that she can’t whistle or roll her tongue.
Megan Baugh: Megan is from Washington! She has the ability to bring new perspectives to the group and loves to have fun! A fun fact about her is that she has a Deathly Hallows tattoo from the Harry Potter series.
Nikki Jacobson: Nikki is from Wisconsin! She is a peacemaker and loves others deeply. She is so intentional and makes each person feel known & heard. Something interesting about her is that she is double jointed.
Team Hygge!
Emily Patton: Emi is from Texas! She cares deeply for other people and walks with them during hard times. You can count on her for encouragement and as a safe place to open up. A fun fact about her is that she has a great appreciation for poetry & art. A bonus fact is that she sometimes cries at flowers because of how beautiful they are.
Kylah Umbarger: Kylah is from Minnesota! She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and is always full of encouragement & positivity. Although she is quiet at first, once you get to know her she is so funny and full of life. A little known fact about her is that she cannot ride a bike.
Mackenzie Larsen: Mackenzie is from Oregon! She is compassionate and has an eagerness to help & love others. She has a lot of wisdom and offers amazing insight and advice to others. A fun fact about her is that she still has two baby teeth!
Paige Canova: Paige is from Iowa! She is gentle, patient, joyful, wise, and so much more. The love this girl has for the Lord is so evident by the way she talks and interacts with others. An interesting fact about her is that she has a twin sister, Taitlyn.
Sumer Furlong: Sumer is from Florida! I could type a whole essay about Sumer and her character, but maybe I’ll do that some other time. She is kind, incredibly smart, hilarious, talented, and so much more. She is an amazing friend and I cannot wait for this next year with her & to see how our friendship grows. A fun fact about her is that she can solve a Rubix cube in under a minute (it’s actually mind blowing).
Valerie Maddox: Valerie is from Texas! She’s authentic and confident in who Christ has made her. She is hilarious and always down for a dance party, so count on having a good time when she’s around. A fun fact about her is that she’s a theatre kid.
Team Xanadu!
Daniel Vaughan: Danny is from Michigan! He is kind and willing to step in and help others when they need it. He is sure to make you laugh and can quote movies like no other. He texted me a whole list of facts, but my favorite was that he used to do ballet.
Kyle Chapman: Kyle is from Florida! He is a leader and cares deeply for others. He is hilarious and seems to have endless energy, which came in handy at training camp. I’m pretty sure everyone by the end of training camp knew him because of his sprint up the hill for food every single meal. An interesting fact about him is that he survived a dog attack when he was 7 years old.
Nathan Mullis: Nathan is from North Carolina! He’s a man of wisdom and peace. He radiates joy and clearly lives for Christ and obeys Him. He is gifted in writing, photographs, and also makes really good playlists. A fun fact about him is that he has fallen out of a moving car.
Leadership Team!
Squad Mentor – Kate Goeler: Kate is from New York, but lives in Georgia now! She is a woman of boldness and SO much wisdom. She is strong in the Lord and lives with a fiery passion to seek Him everyday & build the Kingdom. I just want to get coffee with her and have her talk about anything in life because I’m sure to have a takeaway from every conversation with her. A fun fact is that both of her feet can feet into one of Shaquille O’Neal’s shoes.
Squad Coaches: Brian & Cathy Gray: Brian & Cathy are full time missionaries in Honduras! They bring wisdom and deeper inside to the squad. They will be like surrogate parents to us throughout the race. A fun fact about them is that they have lived in Hawaii.
Squad Leader – Taylor Upchurch: Taylor is from North Carolina, but now lives in Georgia! He is an encourager and brings motivation to situations that seem impossible (like that fitness hike…). If you like dad jokes, he’s the man. An interesting fact about him is that his name is actually Charles.
Squad Leader – Olivia Wouters: Olivia is from Michigan, but now lives in Florida! She speaks truth into peoples life and creates a safe space for vulnerability. A fun fact about her is that she had to eat a goldfish when she lost to what are the odds.
Squad Logistics – Aimée Dias: Aimée is from Canada, but now lives in Georgia! She is strong in the Lord and multiple other ways. Boldness comes to mind when I think of Aimée. A fun fact about her is that she is one of the coolest people ever and she has a really cute baby, Anthem, who has a team named after her on our squad.
Alumni Team Leader – Kori Moon: Kori is from Georgia! She is incredibly caring, authentic, and creative. She speaks truth into others and is sure to fill your heart with words of affirmation, but will also fill your cup with coffee that is the BEST. A fun fact about her is that she’ll straight up eat an onion like an apple (I feel some sort of way about this…).
Alumni Team Leader – Cami Ramon: Cami is from Texas! She is the epitome of a people person. She loves others so well and is intentional in her relationships. You can count on her for a hug or a laugh. If sunshine were a person, it’d be Cami. An interesting fact about her is that she used to do barrel racing in a rodeo.
Alumni Team Leader – Aidyn Carnes: Aidyn is from Kentucky! She is so sweet and down to earth. She reminds me of an 80 year old because she holds so much wisdom and her heart is so kind, but also of an 8 year old because she is an example of of what it means to have childlike faith and stands in awe of the Father. A fun fact about her is that she used to want the nickname “Aidy”, but never signed letters that way because she was afraid people would just think she spelled her name wrong.
Alumni Team Leader – Philip Wilson: Philip is from Texas! I didn’t talk to him much, but what I gathered from observation and how others spoke about him is that he is deep thinker and seeks to know the Father deeper through the Word and prayer. An interesting fact about him is that he mostly spoke in sign language when he was a child, but cannot remember any of it now.
Alumni Team Leader – Jacob Lewe: Jacob is from Virginia! He brings joy and laughter to the squad. He also brings affirmation and encouragement. A fun fact about him is that his laugh sounds like a seagull.
