NewsNuggets Page 18

Karrie Meyers – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Mile High Academy (MHA) has recently garnered remarkable ratings from Niche.com, solidifying its position as a leading institution among Colorado’s private schools. The school not only earned an impressive overall Niche grade of A but also claimed the coveted top spot among 63 of the “Most Diverse Private High Schools in Colorado” and was ranked as the #1 “Best Private High School” in Douglas County.

Reflecting on these achievements, Andrew Carpenter, principal of MHA, expressed his gratitude in an email to the teaching staff following the announcement of the rankings during the monthly school board meeting. He stated, “While these rankings do not define our ultimate success, they serve as an external validation of the unwavering dedication that all of you have invested in making our school an extraordinary place of learning.”

MHA has already witnessed the tangible outcomes of a successful school year. The first day of classes marked a milestone with the highest-ever enrollment on the opening day, and this positive trend in student enrollment continues to date. Additionally, the school year has seen a series of successful events, including the recent Alumni Reunion Weekend.

Carpenter emphasized, “As we commence each day at MHA, we begin with a moment of prayer over the intercom. This commitment to our faith is evident not only in our enrollment numbers and rankings but also in our daily activities, underscoring the divine purpose that guides our school as we diligently carry forward His work and mission.”

—Karrie Meyers is the marketing and development coordinator at Mile High Academy. Photos supplied.

Vashty Segovia Santos – Ward, Colorado … The Campion Academy Girl’s Club took a break from campus, spending the weekend in the cabins at Glacier View Ranch (GVR) in Ward, Colorado, learning about different ways to study God’s Word, September 22-24. The girl’s head dean, April Riseley, and assistant dean, Cherie Haffner, planned the weekend full of activities and worship services in GVR’s Long House.

Carol Turk, the speaker for the retreat, explained a variety of ways that she studied the Bible. She talked about the different ways everyone thinks and how not all bible study techniques will be beneficial for everyone. Ariel Patterson, senior student, shared, “Something I learned from the speaker is that your relationship with God is personal, and that you can express it in your own way. Everyone has a different way of glorifying Him.”

Turk expressed that, when she was younger, she also didn’t enjoy just simply sitting and reading the Bible. She enjoyed studying the Bible in depth with art and sharing that with others.
Turk taught the students some techniques to study the Bible through art, including making decorative booklets to write down important messages. Olivia Arizola, junior student, recalled, “I loved learning how to make little books. It was so unique and fun to try and do.”

The girls bonded with each other discussing spiritual topics and creating art. They ended the weekend having a fun board game night while enjoying hot chocolate and chips.

The girls were able to not only reconnect with each other, but also with God’s nature.
There were lots of outdoor activities available to do like paddle boarding, hiking, and star gazing. Beatriz Moraes, student, expressed, “I liked seeing the beautiful sunrise on the hike. We were able to have time to sing and worship God.”

—Vashty Segovia Santos, Student News Team. Photos supplied.

Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … The entire Campion Academy student body left the classrooms behind to learn from nature at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), September 13. The teachers each led a group of students to study a variety of topics including elk ecology, orienteering, park history, junior ranger, and front range floods, while also exploring the top sites of the park.

One of the groups tested their endurance on a nine-mile round trip hike to Sky Pond. Jack Ramos, student, shared that they found wild raspberries to enjoy on the hike saying, “They tasted so good! I’m glad that I experienced these moments with friends.”

The elk ecology group not only observed bugling elk, but also saw a variety of animals including a bear, bighorn sheep, and marmots. “I learned all about the different animals that live at RMNP and how the park is trying to protect and regulate the elk and other animals,” recalled Sarah Rushhold, junior student.

In addition to the learning components, one of the objectives of the day was to allow all of the students to experience the Rocky Mountains. Eriane Saraiva, a senior student from Brazil, explained, “This trip was my first time in the mountains, and, for me, it was a very fun and different experience. One of the parts I enjoyed most, apart from spending time in nature, was taking a break from studying and school, and I also had the opportunity to talk to people I hadn’t gotten to know before.”

—Jill Harlow is the Campion Academy communication director. Photos supplied.

Karen Bowen – Farmington, New Mexico … International speakers and grief coaches, Steve and Karen Nicola, from Comfort for the Day provided a three-day training seminar for the Aztec and Piñon Hills Adventist Church congregations and participants from the community, September 22-24.

Learning about developing grief support teams was not just passively listening to instruction. Table Talk paired activities, brainstorming, and individual heart searching were all integral parts of the seminar. Further team development plans are being scheduled in both Aztec and Farmington, New Mexico.

The presenters were very open with their story of grief due to the Leukemia death of their 3-year-old son and their journey of healing from grief. The seminar participants were drawn closer to each other through conversations and activities about personal grief.

One seminar participant said, “Oh, if only I had known these valuable ideas ‘back then’ and had a team like this to help me! Since grief is a part of life, it is a privilege to find resources that can help us support each other in finding healing.”

—Karen Bowen is an elder and deaconess at the Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photos supplied.

Karrie Meyers – Highlands Ranch, CO … Mile High Academy (MHA) hosted a heartwarming Alumni Reunion, September 22-24, bringing together alumni, students, and staff, showcasing the strong bonds that continue throughout the MHA community.

The weekend kicked off with Grandparents Day on September 22, with over 90 grandparents participating in classroom activities alongside the students. This unique intergenerational experience provided grandparents with an up-close look at the outstanding education and nurturing atmosphere that MHA is renowned for.

The campus came alive on Saturday with the Alumni Reunion Sabbath. The day featured a special church service with alumni roll call, musical performances by MHA students, and a touching tribute to Maxine Gerst, former MHA teacher who passed away last October after a long battle with cancer. The tribute was followed by a message from former staff member Leandro Bizama, who spoke about the significant importance of returning “home” to one’s roots.

Following the church service and the annual honor class photos, everyone enjoyed an enchilada lunch generously provided by community families. The afternoon was filled with tours of the campus and visitation, allowing alumni to reminisce about their time at MHA while seeing the school’s growth and development over the years.

The first-ever 3-on-3 alumni and friends basketball tournament was held on Saturday night with fifteen teams battled it out on the courts in an atmosphere of friendly competition and camaraderie. The tournament crowned champions in three categories: men’s, women’s, and student teams, with each team showcasing their basketball skills and school spirit. The evening was a huge success and will be added to next year’s alumni weekend activities.

Sunday featured the annual Mustang Classic golf tournament at Raccoon Creek Golf Course, with 52 golfers enjoying beautiful weather. The winning team shot an impressive 14 under par, and the event was a success thanks to the support of nine generous sponsors.

Jocelyn Aalborg, who serves as the vice principal of finance and development and primary contact for alumni, conveyed her joy after the successful weekend, saying, “Our alumni hold a cherished space in our hearts, strengthening the family and community spirit that defines Mile High Academy. This weekend highlighted the profound significance of alumni reunions. They offer a chance for former and current students to unite and commemorate their shared journeys, all while our school progresses in fulfilling its mission.”

MHA’s next Alumni Reunion Weekend will be held September 27-29, 2024.

—Karrie Meyers is the marketing and development coordinator at Mile High Academy. Photos supplied.

RMCNews – Ward, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) Youth Ministries and Education Departments conducted their first joint Outdoor School event involving students and teachers from several Adventist schools in its territory. It was our first. “In the time that I’ve been part of the RMC, we’ve never done a conference-wide Outdoor School,” explained Diane Harris, RMC director of education.

The Glacier View Ranch in Ward, Colorado, welcomed nearly 180 young visitors, teachers, and chaperones to the RMC inaugural Outdoor School, September 17-20. The camp was open to fifth grade through eighth grade students. Lots of excitement and laughter was heard among 117 students in grades five through seven, and 45 eighth graders in attendance.

The event became a joint effort between the RMC youth and education departments. Diane Harris remarked on the collaboration with Brandon Westgate, RMC director of youth, and his team, “Brandon came with experience. He was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ The collaboration between both departments has been amazing and provided for an excellent experience for our students.”

Harris identified the “CHERISH” theme of RMC education as focus for all activities at the Outdoor School. The organizers brought kids together from nine different schools and the activities were a “witness to students who may not understand our Adventist culture.” As a camp chaplain, Brandon Westgate presented Gospel lessons for fifth through seventh grades that “God wants to have a relationship with us … and desires to give you an opportunity to be close to him.”

The participants at both the fifth- through seventh-grade camp and the eighth-grade camp enjoyed a variety of activities from orienteering, survival skills, fire starting, model rockets, bird and tree identification, and more.

When asked if they thought the activities at camp were useful, Melanie and Elizabeth, sixth-grade participants, commented on the fire-starting activity they were coming from. Elizabeth said, “It’s interesting to learn how to build a fire. It’s fun.”

This would be an important learning activity for the eighth graders who were camping out at the GVR’s Pathfinder Village. One of the sixth graders commented that she was hoping to experience “sleeping in a tent. I will have to wait two more years.” Elizabeth remarked, “I feel a little bad for the eighth graders,” while Melanie followed with, “they have to sleep outside in a tent, so it must be freezing cold out there.”

Elisa, an eighth-grade participant, had just finished up activities on fire starting and learning how to use a compass. She commented on what she liked about camp: “I like hiking and everything like that. And I like learning how to survive since I’ve never done this before. I’ve only stayed in a camper.”

Zoey, another eighth-grade participant, was enjoying her time at camp and remarked, “Since you’re here with your school, and there’s also new people, you’re able to make new friends and have new connections. The sponsors here are really nice, and you just have a lot of freedom here [to explore].”

She continued, talking about her favorite activity of the day: “Identifying plants [was useful]. Because you never know if there could be poison ivy or poison oak or if you can eat that berry or not eat it.”

Benjamin, also an eighth-grade participant, was enjoying camp and commented, “It’s fun to hang out with your friends in the tents. It’s a bonding experience. And it was fun to do the fire-starting activity.” When asked how it has been staying in the tents, he said, “It has been cold!”

Middle School teachers, chaperones, and RMC youth ministries and education leaders also had high school teachers from Campion Academy and Mile High Academy join the eighth-grade camp in survival skill training. Even though they were learning important skills, there was also time scheduled to come to the main camp for swimming and warm showers.

Under the watchful eye of the teachers in both camps, there was much excitement when they created a recipe to make ice cream, and the eighth graders “connected with the wild,” gathered bearberries, and tasted their freshly made jelly.

As both camps were packing up to leave, Harris asked some eighth graders what their favorite part of the experience was. Many students replied, “rappelling, the food, and the tea parties!”

Paul Negrete, RMC associate superintendent for education, participated in the eight-grade camp site activities and reflected, “RMC schools are blessed with amazing students. It was fun to see our students collaborate, persevere through challenges, and have deep conversations about faith and God. I’m excited to see what God will do in the lives of these extraordinary individuals.”

Ericsson, a sixth-grade student, was eager to return to camp next year. He remarked, “[I have liked] everything. I would definitely come back. It’s been fun to hang with everybody.”

—RMCNews. Photos by Rajmund Dabrowski, Liz Kirkland, and Mic Thurber (group photos).