Throughout Legacy’s 20 years there has been one constant:
Mrs. Lin Mayberry.

While her roles and positions at LCA have varied, her dedication to and influence with her students and their families, as well as her colleagues and friends, has not. Mrs. Mayberry stands as a testament to the love and faithfulness to which we should all aspire.

Legacy Christian Academy middle school art teacher Lin Mayberry together with school founder Jody Capehart and another womanIn 1999 Lin Turner (at the time) was a third-grade teacher at a local private school when she received a call from recently named Founding Head of School, Mrs. Jody Capehart. “She was the first person I talked to when we knew we were starting LCA,” recalled Jody. Lin and Jody already enjoyed a great rapport and mutual admiration, having worked together at three different schools. Their relationship dated back to Lin’s first year of teaching when Jody’s son Christopher was a student in her fifth-grade class and Jody served as Lin’s room mom.

Lin’s response was simple and genuine, “I’m going with you,” and together they set up shop in the second floor of the Abbey Grille, a now-defunct restaurant in downtown Frisco at the corner of 7th and Main Street, that served as the school’s summer home. Lin fondly remembers welcoming prospective families into the Abbey’s small office that also housed a bathtub. “To many, the bathtub may seem an eyesore, but it dutifully served its purpose,” shared Jody. As some of Legacy’s first families were interviewed, the kids were happily tucked into the bathtub, reading books and playing. It was a charming addition and perpetuated a sense of tenderness and trust that has remained a cornerstone at Legacy.

Lin Mayberry teaching in her 3rd grade classroom at Legacy Christian AcademyLegacy first opened its doors to students in the fall of 1999 inside Frisco Bible Church. As she often does, Lin humorously quipped, “We were the ‘cows and corn’ school.” Frisco Bible Church, still in its present location, was then entirely surrounded by fields. As the students walked down one hallway, they would look out the window and see cornfields. Down the other hallway, you guessed it; cows. The students naturally gave them the moniker the “Corn Hall” and the “Cow Hall.” Indeed, Lin has seen marked changes in Legacy during her tenure, from the “cows and corn” school to a sprawling 28-acre campus with state-of-the-art facilities. Lin has been along for the ride every step of the way.

In her twenty-year career at Legacy, Lin has worn many hats. Initially, Lin served as principal and Latin teacher. She welcomed the move from the classroom to administration because, while she believed that she was a teacher at heart, she felt that gaining experience as a principal would make her a better teacher. Lin was outside every day working the carlines at both Frisco Bible Church and the subsequent expansion to Parkway Hills Baptist Church in year two. In 2002, when Legacy moved to its current location, Lin made her own move – back into the classroom to teach third grade. Embracing the ability to dig deeply into different subjects, she created an elaborate three-dimensional Reformation timeline and transformed her classroom into a castle. To this day, LCA veterans point to Lin’s room as the model by which classrooms should be measured.

Lin Mayberry and Robin Buffington, two long-time teachers and friends at Legacy Christian Academy standing behind a tableWhile she adored teaching third grade, in 2006 Lin gratefully accepted an invitation to join the art department, first in Lower School and then in Middle School. In each school, she once again found the ability to inspire and impact both her students and fellow colleagues. For Lin, teaching art has been a calling, the fulfillment of her birthright. Art is truly in her blood, as her father was an artist and she herself has a degree in art and had plans to become a commercial artist before she discovered her destiny in teaching.

Mrs. Pam Dyer, who has taught art with Lin for twelve years, describes her as an incredibly dedicated person who does everything with excellence. “She knows that art is the vessel. Through art, Lin can minister to these kids spiritually. She has an innate peace that translates into everything she does and her classroom becomes a sanctuary for a lot of kids.”

Cortlyn Plunk ’23, now a freshman, is one such student. In Mrs. Mayberry’s art classes for grades 5 through 8, Cortlyn fondly recalled, “Mrs. Mayberry gave me compliments that were believable. You knew she wasn’t just giving you a false sense of confidence. She is truly a mentor to me and has shaped who I am, not just as an artist, but as a person.” Lin always finds that delicate balance – whereby she challenges her students and pushes them to reach as high as they can go without allowing self-doubt or frustration to enter their minds.

Lin Mayberry, Legacy Christian Academy middle school art teacher. surrounded by a group of studentsMrs. Mayberry has not only been an incredible teacher for her students, she has inspired and mentored her fellow teachers over the years. The respect her colleagues have for her is evident in the words they use to describe her: wise, contemplative, innovative, dedicated, faithful, treasured, hilarious, and calm. Mrs. Kim Slyman, now in her 14th year at LCA, described Lin as having “this ability to create order and beauty around her. She has a very keen sense of recognizing the needs of kids, both personally and academically. She literally sets the bar in developing strategies that deserve to be published.”

Lin Mayberry, middle school art teacher, working with a male studentMrs. Mayberry’s middle school art program is currently recognized as the All-Time #1 Art School in Texas by Celebrating Art. Lin, full of grace and humility, as always, is quick to credit her Savior and her students. In her own words, “There was a tangible feeling of the Holy Spirit. You could just feel His presence in the room, and whenever you can be where that is, you just feel on top of the world, why would you want to be anywhere else?” Her dedication and excitement for art have clearly taken hold in her students, and accordingly, their artwork has garnered recognition by the art community at large.

At a recent art competition, a teacher from another school spotted Mrs. Mayberry’s LCA name tag and remarked, “I have been noticing your success for a while. So you’re Legacy?”

Yes, it is fair to say, Lin Mayberry IS Legacy.

Legacy Christian Academy Fine Arts inspires students to discover, develop, and express their creative talents for the glory of God, while fostering a lifelong appreciation of the arts. For the latest information on Legacy fine arts, subscribe today. For more information on Legacy, visit our admissions page.