NewsNuggets Page 6

Eva Resz – Loveland, Colorado … The select choir, Koinonia, at Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, traveled to the Colorado Indonesian-American Seventh-day Adventist Church (CIASDAC) in Denver, Colorado, April 13 to lead out in the service and perform several special songs for a Students with a Testimony (SWAT) trip.

This SWAT trip was special for Mabel Cabandon, Campion Academy senior, who grew up attending CIASDAC. “It was super cool being a part of the service in a church that was so influential in my childhood,” Cabandon explained. “Most of the Indos that come to Campion grew up with each other in this church, so it was really special being able to perform with them.”

Indonesian students from the Denver area make up make up about 12% of Campion’s student population, a significant portion of the very diverse student body. In general, Campion Academy Indonesian students are well-known for their talents in singing, as 40% of Koinonia members are of Indonesian descent.

After traveling about an hour to Denver, the Koinonia choir group was greeted by the church members who led them downstairs to a breakfast feast. After breakfast, the group was able to experience an Indonesian service before they led out in the second service that is provided in English.

The Koinonia choir group opened with praise songs, followed by a call to offering and then children’s story given by Toby Quillin, a junior at Campion Academy. Quillin reflected, “My children’s story was about different types of feathers and how they work together to make one bird. In music, we must work together to make one song. I hoped to demonstrate that the most important thing in any group isn’t how good you sound individually, but how you work together.”

The service was centered around music with the intention of giving the audience a “glimpse of heaven,” according to Cecilia Simmons, Campion Academy’s music director. The choir performed a large selection of songs that the group had prepared. Between songs, students shared stories, scripture, and prayer.

Following the service the students joined the congregation for food and fellowship. Dominic White, Campion Academy senior, expressed, “This was my first time trying Indonesian food. It was delicious, absolutely exquisite, and they offered us both breakfast and lunch!”

—Eva Resz, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

Linda Jackson and Kathy Guagliardo – Pueblo, Colorado …  Pueblo First Seventh-day Adventist Church in Pueblo, Colorado, hosted a medical and health ministry weekend led by David and Sylvia Nicodemus, April 12-14. David and Sylvia completed five months of training in 2022 in the Medical Missionary Evangelism Program at Eden Valley Institute of Wellness* in Loveland, Colorado. Since that time, they have been traveling to Texas, Georgia, Colorado, and New Mexico to spread the message related to Medical Missionary work.

The weekend had been postponed a couple of times, but “God prevailed at just the right time.” They became grandparents to a baby girl and would be able to see her before heading home.

On April 12, David and Syliva began their presentation discussing the NEWSTART lifestyle-change program and why it has become essential in recent days. They explored all the letters: Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust in God. Around 20 individuals were in attendance.

The April 13 Sabbath morning’s Divine Service message focused on the transformation of the mind and body through healthful living and the teachings of the Three Angels’ Messages. David shared a message from Ellen G. White:

“Medical missionary work is the right hand of the gospel. It is necessary to the advancement of the cause of God. As through it men and women are led to see the importance of right habits of living, the saving power of the truth will be made known. Every city is to be entered by workers trained to do medical missionary work. As the right hand of the third angel’s message, God’s methods of treating disease will open doors for the entrance of present truth.” (Testimonies for the Church vol. 7:59.1).

The afternoon continued with learning home remedies such as poultices, the use of essential oils, how to do chair massages, and hydrotherapy. Around 30 individuals were in attendance for this program. If you remember reading in your Bible about Jesus applying clay to the blind man from birth in John 9:6-7 (NKJV), Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with His saliva. He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and the man came back to sight after washing his eyes.

One participant applied a ginger poultice to her right hand for hand pain that afternoon and stated the next morning that, “When the poultice was removed, the hand pain was gone.”

David and Sylvia presented a cooking demonstration to the 23 participants of Granola, Tofu scramble, BBQ tofu, and Chai pudding, which were sampled and enjoyed, April 14.

* Please note that Eden Valley Institute of Wellness is not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) nor the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

—Linda Jackson is the outreach coordinator and Kathy Guagliardo is the outreach director at Pueblo First Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photos by Kathy Guagliardo.

Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … While the wind howled and the power was out throughout the region, hundreds gathered in the dimly lit Campion Academy gymnasium in Loveland, Colorado, to hear the final concert of the Rocky Mountain Music Festival, April 6.

Around 130 middle grade students from 12 Adventist schools and homeschool programs from across Colorado and Kansas came to participate in the festival featuring choir and orchestra performances.

Cecilia Simmons, Campion Academy music director, was the primary organizer of the event as well as the orchestra conductor. Guest clinician LeeAnna McMullen, an opera performer, pianist, and vocal educator with over 25 years of experience, led the students in choir.

Lola, a sixth-grade student at HMS Richards Adventist School in Loveland, Colorado, shared her experience participating at the festival: “I think she [McMullen] really knew what she was doing, and she was really fit for that job. I liked it that all the schools came together to sing. It sounded really pretty, and it gives more diversity to help us prepare for heaven.”

The festival kicked off on Friday morning with the participants spending about six hours rehearsing their pieces in groups. Campion Academy’s select choir and orchestra students spent the day practicing and mentoring the younger students.

Toby Quillin, currently Campion junior student and a member of Koinonia, has been attending the RMC Music Festival every year since he was in middle school. Quillin reflected, “When I was younger attending Music Fest, I remember looking up and listening to the high schoolers singing and trying to follow them, and now I am one of the ones that the children listened to. It was interesting and fun to work with the kids around me.”

In between afternoon rehearsals, the students were able to attend breakout sessions such as soccer, gymnastics, games, and art.

Friday evening, the Campion Academy Music Department along with Mile High Academy’s middle school choir, performed for a vespers concert in the Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loveland, Colorado.

The festival choir and orchestra performed a few selections for the church Sabbath service, but their main performance was at 7:00 p.m. in the Campion Academy gym. A few hours before the students were set to perform, the power company turned off all electricity to many areas of the Front Range including Campion’s campus. There was concern over the fire danger due to downed power lines from the high winds that were predicted to continue to increase overnight.

Campion staff members and volunteers scrambled to gather generators for the kitchen crew to provide the evening meal, as well as some light and power to the sound system in the gym. Despite the outage, all of the participants were well fed, and the show went on.

Simmons recalled, “The second my phone started ringing off the hook, I knew something was wrong. No power! How on earth were we going to perform in the cold and in the dark!”

“I called the clinician and the first words out of her mouth were, ‘We’re not going to let the devil win.’ From that moment on, it was on! Students excitedly brought their personal headlamps along with extras for anyone who might have needed them,” she continued. “Parents loaned batteries for stand lights. Everyone came together to make sure the concert was a success. And boy was it. The lights being out added an extra glow (pun intended) to the proceedings. It was a beautiful way to cap off two intense days of rehearsing and performing.”

Simmons concluded by saying, “On Sabbath, the pastor talked about using the opportunity to perform as a moment to self-reflect on what we individually needed to surrender, so our worship through music was pure and holy. God used all of the trials and tribulations of the weekend to remind me that I needed to trust Him through the good and the bad. He was and always will be in control.”

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

Catie Fairfield – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy students served their community by planting at Eden Valley, cleaning up Glacier View Ranch (GVR), sorting donations at Habitat for Humanity, picking up trash on the highway, or rejuvenating the campus, April 5. Students in select choir and orchestra also worked with middle school students in preparation for the musical performances.

One of the groups got to do ground keeping on campus. This consisted of mowing the lawns, weed-whacking, planting flowers, and adding mulch to the beds. Grace Garman, Campion senior student, elaborated, “I loved doing community service because I got to be outside and enjoy the weather. I got the luxury of planting flowers, and I am glad I got to make the campus look nice.”

Another group traveled about 20 minutes to Eden Valley, a Seventh-day Adventist wellness institution in Loveland, Colorado. They planted rows of onions and learned more about the lifestyle of the people there. Yolanda Han, Campion junior student, reminisced, “My favorite part of the trip was getting to interact with the staff. I got to see what it was like living there, and I really learned a lot from the groundwork.”

The students in the highway clean-up crew picked up trash along the two-mile stretch of Highway 60 that Campion has adopted for over 10 years.

Carlos Santana, Campion Academy chaplain, took a group of students to spend the day at Glacier View Ranch. They had jobs that ranged from cleaning, shoveling snow and dirt, hammering down door heads, and using wood varnish on older doors.

Santana commented, “This service impacted me in a great way because it felt good to know we could make a difference to people who needed it. They had a new crew who were still learning how things go. Also, they have a big pastor’s weekend coming up and we were able to help make things look nice and ready.”

Campion students participate in school-wide service days each semester, in line with Campion’s mission of training students to serve and make a difference in their communities.

—Catie Fairfield, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

Karrie Meyers – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Mile High Academy (MHA) celebrated another successful year of community support and fundraising at its annual benefit auction, Eat, Mingle & Give, held at Topgolf Centennial, April 7. More than 150 attendees gathered for a morning in support of MHA’s mission to provide a Christ-centered education.

This year was the school’s twenty-third event, making it one of the largest and longest-held fundraisers for the school. Families braved the unusual wind and chilly elements, showcasing their unwavering commitment to ensuring all students have the opportunity to attend MHA.

The doors opened at 9:30 a.m. with golf, brunch, and a silent auction featuring items generously donated by local community businesses, the MHA school board, and private donors. Items included an official Broncos helmet, Rockies tickets, various food items, gift baskets, a custom motorized Radio Flyer cart, gift cards, essential gardening tools, a signed Nikola Jokic picture, a signed Clayton Kershaw jersey, and much more.

The live auction never disappoints. Emceed for the fifth consecutive year by Chase Aalborg, and with lots of laughter, attendees eagerly bid on classroom auction items, with this year’s offerings exceeding expectations through the handmade items crafted by the individual classes. These unique items not only showcased the creativity and dedication of MHA’s students but also underscored the community’s commitment to supporting the school.

The event raised over $90,000, a remarkable demonstration of the generosity and dedication of the MHA community.

Reflecting on the auction, Jocelyn Aalborg, MHA’s vice principal of finance and development, remarked, “Eat, Mingle & Give stands not only as a testament to the generosity of the Mile High Academy community but also as a celebration of the bonds that unite us. This event served as a reminder of the collective strength and commitment shared among students, families, faculty, and supporters, all working together to ensure the success and growth of our school.”

Attendees also expressed their joy in gathering as a community. Brodie Philpott, MHA parent, alumnus, and current school board member, commented, “It was heartening to see everyone come together, despite the windy weather. The auction has evolved into a family-friendly event that speaks volumes about the sense of camaraderie and support that defines the MHA community.”

MHA is dedicated to its mission of providing a Christ-centered education. Therefore, when discussions arose regarding the creation of a fund to alleviate some of the financial stress on families paying tuition, the annual fund was established. The intention was to earmark these funds so that all students could attend MHA without financial limitations.

This year, the school’s fundraising goal is $250,000. While additional funding is still needed, it is through events like the annual auction that makes it possible for more than 40% of MHA’s students to attend the school.

One former financial aid student commented, “Because of the donations, I was able to stay at MHA with my friends.”

Aalborg continued to say, “Thank you to everyone who made Eat, Mingle & Give a success. Together, we are shaping futures and changing lives.”

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

Julia Santiago – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy, Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church, and HMS Richards School in Loveland, Colorado, worked together to produce the annual Easter pageant “Journey to the Cross.” The interactive event drew over 800 visitors and had more than 100 volunteers for the five different showings in both English and Spanish, March 30.

The audience started the program at the church watching a skit entitled “Call the Man” in which each actor demonstrated different problems in the world such as abuse, war, violence, political strife, teen pregnancy, suicide, and death. In the end, Jesus is depicted comforting and helping each person.

Lillian Resz, a Campion Academy drama student acting in the skit, shared, “We can try to solve the problems of the world, but we can’t do it alone. We must call on Jesus to help us and that’s exactly what the presentation was about. Jesus came to solve each and every problem and make peace. This can happen in our everyday life as well.”

Then the group was led to the HMS school gymnasium which was set up as a market during Jesus’ era. People received a few coins that could be used to buy goods in the village. Students from Campion Academy helped in the village with their Bible classes.

The next event was the disciples calling everybody to follow them in Jesus’ triumphal entry, ending at the Campion Academy gymnasium where the audience watched an emotional act about the final events of Jesus’s life here on Earth. The play depicted the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the trial, death, and finally the resurrection of Jesus.

Ekenna Nwankwo, a Campion Academy senior who played the role of Jesus, commented, “It was a really great experience, especially getting to do it twice last year and this year. It opened my eyes to what Jesus really went through.”

Eddie Camacho, 2020 Campion alumni, portrayed Jesus in the Spanish versions of the play, and many bilingual Campion students also switched roles for this version. “It is important to have this option because there are several communities in the area of Spanish-speaking families,” explained Leandro Bizama, associate pastor of Worship and Evangelism at Campion Church. “We hope to help grow and reach their communities and having Spanish events in our programs provides a great way to do that.”

The ultimate goal of the event was to help people remember Jesus’ sacrifice and understand his love for us. The interactive program was able to impact people’s lives in a meaningful way.

Daneil Camas, Campion Academy senior, expressed, “I felt so overwhelmed with emotions that I ended up watching the play three times. I would have to say that this year’s [Journey to the Cross] was the best representation of Jesus’ sacrifice that I’ve seen.”

—Julia Santiago, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos by Jeff Koska, Erik Stenbakken, and others supplied.

Cinthya Miranda – Denver, Colorado … I wore my “Once an Adventurer, Always an Adventurer” shirt to my first doctor’s appointment. It’s a comfortable shirt. I found that I look nice in the color puce, I love that it was a gift from Lacinda Hopkins, and it’s a valuable mission tool as people sometimes ask, “What is an Adventurer?”

After so many tests, I finally had a diagnosis: Endometrial Hyperplasia/Carcinoma. Don’t bother looking it up; it’s just a fancy way to say, “precursor to uterine cancer.” Due to my results, I was scheduled for surgery.

I came home that day and lay on the couch to wait for my husband. Breaking the news to him was harder than receiving the news. My mind played games with memories I’m yet to have and would possibly miss: Liam graduating pre-school; Kaylon and Kyleigh getting baptized at the International Pathfinder Camporee; my husband, Daniel Gonzalez, making silly jokes or intelligent remarks during a sermon he prepared; of his smile that takes my breath away every time.

After he heard what I had to say and the initial shock went away, he said, “stop being silly.” My jaw dropped, but his remark brought me back to reality. Talk about God knowing the right person for you … He was right, I was being silly. I was dwelling on the cup-half-empty verses. I decided to smile even though my heart was breaking.

Daniel and I started walking together. I would have moments that we called ” waves.” Waves was my safe word that meant that I needed to get out of that place so everyone would not notice how ugly I cry. During these walks, we talked about life, treatment, and what I wanted done (and not done) in case treatments did not work.

One day, Daniel was sleeping, and I didn’t have the heart to wake him up so early. I went alone for my sunrise prayer walk, using my “Once an Adventurer, Always an Adventurer” shirt. I needed to ask God “what’s next?”

I walked to a small hill where a medium pine tree lives. It felt so inviting to sit down. As I was doing so, I felt a cool, gentil breeze envelop me. To some it was just that, wind. To me it felt like a hug with the promise that, regardless of the outcome, I would be fine. I felt a little more lighthearted, but still a little gloomy.

Suddenly, some hawks landed on the ground with a thud, fighting over some food. I had never jumped up so fast. Looking up to the sky, I knew God was just trying to help me snap out of the doom and gloom.

The day before my surgery, an opportunity came up to financially help a child in need of surgery. I was debating in my heart whether I should help her. I wanted to, but I also needed the money for my out-of-pocket surgery.

I gave the aunt $100. It’s very little compared to what the kiddo needed, but it was literally all I had left from all my appointments. I figured that God always provided, and she needed it more.

That very night, someone I wasn’t expecting told me to put the surgery bill on their card with lower interest rates so that I could make smaller payments. And the morning of my surgery, someone called me out of nowhere and helped me a little too. I didn’t even ask.

Yuris Robles brought me soup and a visit. My church family Three Angels, Lacinda Hopkins, Karolina Montano, Nataly Lerma, and Waleska Valdez texted me words of comfort and prayer.

My sister-in-law Silvia Sainz Gonzalez took Liam to school and brought him home so that I could have a moment to rest. The blessing I gave to the little girl came back to me twice fold. I still have a long way to go both financially and physically, but “do you see the blessings?”

I wore my “Once an Adventurer, Always an Adventurer” shirt one more time for my surgery. Now it wasn’t just a mission statement, it was for my own comfort. I needed to feel once again enveloped, and I knew that the ones that knew my situation would pray every moment for me.

After the surgery, I was in pain, but cancer free.

Confirmation of God’s love came to me one more time when my husband was taking me to an urgent CT scan because the doctors believed I was showing signs of sepsis. I felt apprehensive as I knew this meant a serious surgery that I wasn’t ready to go through again.

On the drive to the scan, I saw a car pull up with the license plate “JSHUA19.” I opened my Bible and read it out loud: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9, NIV).

The full force of God’s word hit me. I have experienced wonderful things throughout my life that let me know God is with me, but this takes precedent.

My “Once an Adventurer, Always an Adventurer” shirt became a symbol of comfort and of hope for me. It reminds me of what I went though, how I felt, what Jesus did for me, and of all those who took the time and prayed for me.

I’m thankful for the blessing the Lord gave me and continues to do so. I hope my story also blesses you. Know that, regardless of what you are going through, you are never alone, and you have me and Jesus. Please take a moment to pray for all our sisters going through some sort of hardship.

—Cinthya Miranda is RMC Adventurer coordinator. Photos supplied.

Sandy Hodgson – Denver, Colorado … Four educators from the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) joined Mid-America Union Conference (MAUC) educators in Washington D.C. for the annual Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Conference, March 22-25.

Among the RMC attendees was Jennifer Angeles Mendiola, head teacher at Springs Adventist Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Reflecting on her experience at the conference, Jennifer said that “it was a very empowering experience and I learned programs and perspectives that I can apply at our school. If we want to be innovative and bring new ideas to our students, we need to embrace and consider change.”

Mendiola’s reflection echoes the overarching theme of the conference. Throughout the event, the educators were immersed in discussions, workshops, and keynotes that fostered critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. The ASCD Conference provided exposure to learning strategies that provide transformative experiences for children to thrive in their learning.

Karen Espinola, head teacher at Lighthouse Christian Seventh-day Adventist School in Fort Morgan, Colorado, found herself “rethinking my use of technology to provide the best learning experience for my students in a small school environment.” Karen commented, “I can better visualize a more interactive, inclusive, and innovative approach to my teaching and am already planning what I can do next year to strengthen the programming already in place.”

The time at the ASCD Conference provided breakout opportunities for the participants to connect and exchange ideas that are specific to the mission for education in the Rocky Mountain Conference.

Soriya Szilagyi, head teacher at the Laura E. Mason Christian Academy in Cheyenne, Wyoming, found that attending the conference was a great opportunity to connect with her colleagues. “We were able to exchange ideas and strategies for educating the whole student,” commented Soriya. “Through the sessions at ASCD, I was reminded not to get distracted by the highs and lows of teaching and focus on all the learning opportunities available throughout the year for my students.”

While not connected with the conference, a highlight event sponsored by the Mid America Union Conference was a Sabbath visit to the Museum of the Bible. Touring five floors of exhibits and rare artifacts spanning 4,000 years of history, the attendees experienced the Bible’s ongoing impact in our world.

Armed with fresh perspectives, the RMC educators returned home inspired to continue the positive journey in our individual schools. They also came back with the knowledge that they are supported at the conference and union levels to make a difference for the students they interface with.

—Sandy Hodgson is the RMC education assistant director. Photos supplied.