News

Houston Christian High School proudly celebrates alum Ellie Ashby '20, on being selected for a prestigious journalism fellowship jointly hosted by Religion News Service and the Texas Tribune. This fall, Ellie will cover religion and public life in Texas during a pivotal election cycle — a role that reflects years of dedicated scholarship, a gift for storytelling, and a deep commitment to helping others understand the role of faith in everyday life.

Raised in Houston as the daughter of a pastor, Ellie's roots in faith and community shaped the questions she would carry with her long after leaving Houston Christian's halls. After graduating in 2020, she went on to Harvard College, where she studied Social Studies — an interdisciplinary concentration combining history, sociology, anthropology, and economics — and wrote about religion and campus life for the Harvard Crimson. It was there that a single course on religion and American history changed the course of her academic journey.

"I found that so many of the theoretical questions I had been building found an even deeper home within the lens of religion," Ellie said.

That realization led her to Harvard Divinity School, where she earned a Master of Theological Studies with a focus on American evangelicalism, scripture, pluralism, and public religion. Her graduate research explored how evangelical Christians interpret and embody their faith in everyday life — not just as a political phenomenon, but as something deeply personal and meaningful. Along the way, she co-founded a campus writing community, led a student literary journal as editor-in-chief, and collaborated with Harvard's Pluralism Project.

Through it all, one question has remained at the center of her work: How do people live what they claim to believe?

Now, through journalism, she is bringing that question to a wider audience. "I don't think this work should exist independently from the public," Ellie said. "I want to understand how real people integrate faith into their lives and help tell those stories."

Houston Christian celebrates Ellie's achievement as a reflection of her character, her curiosity, and the foundation she built here. We look forward to following her bylines and watching her make an impact on one of the most important conversations in public life today.

 

Houston Christian High School proudly celebrates alumna Sofie Jones on being named the 65th Masked Rider at Texas Tech University, one of the university’s most prestigious and recognizable traditions.

The announcement was made during the annual Transfer of Reins ceremony held at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center, where Jones officially assumed the role following the tenure of the 64th Masked Rider, Rose Rosas. The Masked Rider tradition, established in 1954, symbolizes the grit, determination, and spirit of Texas Tech.

A Houston native, Jones began riding at just three years old, following in her mother’s footsteps. Over the years, she has developed extensive experience competing in barrel racing and other equestrian events. Her passion for horses played a significant role in her decision to attend Texas Tech, where she is currently pursuing a degree in animal science.

Jones is an active member of the campus community, participating in the Honors College and the Texas Tech Rodeo Team. Despite a demanding academic and extracurricular schedule, she credits her time with horses as a source of balance and motivation. “It doesn’t feel like work,” Jones shared. “Taking care of them has never really felt like work to me. I actually feel like it helps me with my drive for school.”

A third-generation Red Raider, Jones comes from a family deeply rooted in Texas Tech tradition, with more than 20 alumni spanning back to the 1930s. She now steps into a role that not only honors that legacy but also carries influence for future generations.

“The biggest thing that resonates with me is there’s going to be a lot of little girls looking up to me,” Jones said. “A lot of little girls who will want to do this one day.”

Jones becomes the 33rd woman to serve as the Masked Rider and will ride a new horse, “Matador,” as Texas Tech continues its longstanding tradition.

Houston Christian celebrates Sofie’s accomplishment as a reflection of her dedication, character, and passion, and looks forward to watching her represent Texas Tech in this historic role.