Airi Nomura

26 May

STUDENTS’ HARD WORK RECOGNIZED AT CAMPION AWARDS NIGHT

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … As the school year came to a close, students gathered for a final Saturday evening program on May 21. Their teachers recognized their hard work by giving them awards in many fields: sports, humor, and of course, academics.

Michael Taylor, Campion Adventist Church associate pastor, began the evening with a worship thought. Reflecting on that thought, Kylie, a senior, said, “He reminded all of us that although our athletic and academic achievements are important, they cannot compare to what God can achieve through us and our willingness to use those achievements for his glory.”

Then, it was time for the students to be recognized.

“It was nice to get up there and see the hard work pay off. I enjoyed getting the sports awards because I could look back at all the fun I had playing soccer and basketball,” exclaimed Colton, a junior.

Kylie echoed Colton’s sentiment. “It was really cool to see all my fellow teammates and classmates get recognized for all their hard work this year! What most surprised me is getting the College Writing award. I honestly hate writing because it takes me so long, but I was glad that my hard work showed through!”

Many teachers gave awards to the students with the top three grades in their classes. Eldridge, a freshman, who got one of the awards, commented, “Seeing my first awards night was surprisingly fun! It made me feel like I should start trying [harder] in sports and school for the awards and appreciation. When my name got called just for one award, that was greatly appreciated, but I want more! Overall, awards night was really enjoyable!”

During the program, the deans announced the new resident assistants (RA’s) for next year.

“The program was really cool; it was really nice to recognize the people who put in all the hard work. For me, it was super fun when I got called up as a new RA because I had been dreaming about getting this position since Freshman year. Overall, it was a very fun night,” said Faith, a junior.

In Campion’s tradition, the end of the year video produced by Noah, a senior, culminated the program.

“The highlight of the night had to be the video made by one of my friends. I already knew he was good at his video making, but he completely outdid himself,” said Edward, a senior.

He added, “There were clips of times I don’t even remember, and it was a good reminder of all the fun I’ve had here at Campion. I know I’m going to be looking back at that video many years in the future.”

–Airi Nomura is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied

19 May

GOSPEL OF JOHN SHARED AT STUDENT WEEK OF PRAYER

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … Skits, charades, modern-day connections, an interactive video-game presentation, and going deeper into the Gospel of John were the highlights of the recent student-led week of prayer at Campion Academy.

Senior class members led the students each afternoon through the gospel by sharing valuable insights and creative lessons from the life of Jesus.

For some of the presenters, speaking in front of their peers made them apprehensive. Reflecting on the event, Lizzie, a senior said, “Being a speaker for the Week of Prayer was nerve-wracking, but fun at the same time. I was glad to have the opportunity to spread the word of God and dive deeper into the influential chapter of John. I hope what we shared touched someone’s heart.”

Students enjoyed the variety of presentations and seeing a different side of Jesus’ life.

“This Week of Prayer was pretty fun and exciting, especially seeing all the seniors participate and summarize their chapters in John. Having their different views on each chapter really helped me see a different perspective of the story. It was interesting listening to their thoughts and their conclusions, and also seeing many of their skits,” commented Denisse, a Campion student.

Another Campion student, Joaquin, echoed Denisse’s sentiments, “I really like Week of Prayer because not only do we get out of class a little early, but most importantly because it’s a week where we can learn about Jesus and the things He did.”

Joaquin added, “It was fun because the seniors were presenting their creative projects to teach us. I really liked their skits, but I also learned more about the book of John, thanks to them.”

–Airi Nomura is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied

28 Apr

CAMPION SENIORS GO TO TEXAS, MAKE LIFELONG BONDS ON CLASS TRIP

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … Campion seniors enhanced lifelong friendships and memories on their class trip to Texas, enjoying some time away from the classroom in April.

During the week-long senior class trip, they immersed themselves into Texas culture by visiting natural caves, taking in SeaWorld, enjoying the beach, and checking out several restaurants. Arriving in San Antonio, they divided into four groups to navigate the Riverwalk, shop at the mall, and enjoy time together.

“I really loved being with my friends on the Riverwalk. It was fun goofing around, talking with my friends, taking pictures, and skating around with the guys. It was really peaceful and a nice small adventure,” said Jahir.

Visiting SeaWorld on the last day in San Antonio was the highlight of the trip for some. Brianna reflected on the trip saying, “My favorite part of the trip was getting to watch the Orca show at SeaWorld. It was awesome getting to see them do tricks while learning about how they survive in the wild.”

The students relaxed on the beach in Port Aransas before returning to campus. “I really enjoyed the last two days we spent at the beach,” Gabriel commented. “The house we stayed at was really comfortable and I had fun with my friends playing ping pong, watching movies, and swimming in the pool.”

Nicole reflected saying, “My favorite part about the trip would have to be the night stroll at the beach right after we went out for pizza. It was our last night to really get to do anything. Of course, we had a choice to go or not, but I felt encouraged to just enjoy this last night. What made it so fun was that I got to have nice conversations and enjoy the people I was with. We went from running along the beach to collecting shells to screaming at crabs. It was a night I’ll never forget.”

The trip was special according to Noah.“Even though we live in the dorm together, going out on a trip and experiencing life together with our class helped us to bond and create memories.”

–Airi Nomura is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied.

10 Mar

World Cultures Celebrated at Campion Church

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Adventist church recognized and celebrated the many cultures that make up the church during their annual International Sabbath, March 5.

The special event, anticipated by many, provided the opportunity to highlight different cultures through dress, song, prayer, and sharing.

The service began with a procession of country flags, which were placed on the platform, followed by greetings from students and church members in 13 languages.

Reflecting on the event, Campion freshman Samuel said, “This Sabbath was an incredibly special experience. From hearing all the different languages and looking at the flags, it truly was endearing to see the church do something like this. I personally held the American flag, which meant I had to be the first one who walked on stage. Diverse ethnic groups uniting for one service was an awe-inspiring experience.”

The praise team led worship songs in various languages, and several individuals prayed and read Scripture in their native language. During the congregational prayer, each member was invited to take a small flag and pray over that country. A special prayer was held for the conflict in Ukraine.

“Diversity is one of the most beautiful aspects of humanity. It was as if a little bit of the world had come to one place. Singing songs in Swedish, French, Portuguese, and many other languages was not the easiest thing, but I was overjoyed at the opportunity,” said Tiffany, Campion junior. “My favorite part was getting to wear my African Kitenge and seeing my schoolmates dress in their distinct traditional clothing. I look forward to seeing another day like this next year,” she added.

Leandro Bizama, Campion’s worship pastor, led the praise team and organized the different aspects of the service. “It was simply very fun to experience. I felt nervous to sing in all other languages at first, but I loved every minute, and I felt the church singing together in a special way. It was a great opportunity for everyone to feel comfortable with their differences and to reflect on how God sees all of humanity,” said Bizama.

–Airi Nomura is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied

27 Jan

Five Important Ways to Help Friends Through Struggles

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … At Campion Academy, many of the students and staff are grieving the loss of their friend, Timothy, a fellow student who recently died unexpectedly. Not only that, but teenagers, in general, are increasingly struggling with depression, anxiety, and social disconnection.

We naturally want to help uplift friends in challenging situations, but sometimes don’t know what to say or what to do for individuals who are going through a crisis of grief or mental health.

Sandy Eickmann, Licensed Professional Counselor, has been volunteering at Campion as a grief counselor over the past few weeks since Timothy’s death. She shared some important ways to support individuals dealing with grief.

1. Listen to them and validate their feelings

“Listening is probably the most important thing you can do,” reflected Eickmann. Pay attention to what your friends are going through. “It’s nice to just be there, sit with them and listen. The times in my life where I grieved the most, I don’t remember anything anybody said to encourage me. I do remember some people that cried with me.”

2. Ask what they need and be specific

It is important to know that everyone is different, and each individual needs different support or help. Instead of assuming what they want, ask them specifically what they need. Eickmann shared, “If you think you have something that would be meaningful, just ask them if that would be helpful.”

However, she advised, “The questions ‘What do you need?’ or ‘How can I help?’ can often feel too vague and difficult to answer. Sometimes people don’t have a clue what they might need, or they don’t want to ask you because they don’t want to burden you. So, it helps to come up with something specific.”

3. Check in with them

You can remind them that you care by keeping in touch and asking how they are doing. However, with some people, it can be dangerous to overcheck and not give them space when they need it. “It’s ok to get feedback from people, to say ‘Would you like me to give you a call tomorrow?’ or ‘Do you want to come and hang out with me for a while?’ to see what they want while giving them an option,” said Eickmann.

At the same time, she continued, “It needs to come as ‘Do you want to talk about it?’, not as ‘Let’s talk about it,’ or ‘I want to hear about it,’ because some people are not ready to talk about it. Pushing them to talk can actually be a problem.”

4. Give them time and freedom

“It’s a process to grieve. It’s important to give them some freedom so that they have some sense of control,” mentioned Eickmann. Some people might need their time alone, while others don’t. Know that each individual takes their own time to process. It’s important to think about what you would need if you were in their circumstance.

5. Know that not everyone has the same way to solve problems

Each person will have different reactions to coping with emotional stress. “It’s really important for people to realize and identify what the person is going through,” said Eickmann.

Some people take more time than others to overcome their challenges. “It’s very human to compare yourself and someone else because we do have a lot of things in common, but then there are always those little things that we don’t know about, so we need to be very open-handed,” explained Eickmann. You might hurt people’s feelings by telling them about your similar situation from the past when you actually meant to encourage them. Everyone is different and has different ways to grieve.

–Airi Nomura is a senior at Campion Academy; photo supplied

01 Dec

PRESCHOOLERS ARE BACK AT HMS RICHARDS SCHOOL

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … HMS Richards Adventist School’s preschool program is back and growing.

Last year, the preschool program was suspended due to the pandemic, and many families were choosing to keep their youngest children at home.

Since its reopening in August, the program has seen a steady influx of students. Currently, there is only one full-time and a few part-time openings available.

Kristie Smith, preschool director and kindergarten teacher, reflecting on the influx, said, “I see God working as we keep getting more students. We are expecting two more in the next month. We need to have a certain number of students to be able to pay for our teacher’s salaries, and the Lord just keeps sending the students that we need to have here.”

The preschool program is partly combined with the kindergarten class; the unique curriculum allows the preschoolers to learn in a fun and advanced educational environment.

“We have kids in this classroom from ages three to six. For some subjects, such as math, we separate students according to age level, but for most subjects, they are combined,” Smith said.

She also explained that the teachers can adapt the curriculum for each student’s individual needs, but the combination allows younger students to work on a higher level. “Since the preschool students are often in the same class as the kindergarten students, I am able to challenge them more as they are ready,” Smith remarked.

The HMS preschoolers and kindergartners take full advantage of their unique location on Campion Academy’s campus. They walk and explore the grounds of the campus every day, as they learn outside of the classroom.

“We do a lot of outdoor education. We are learning about different types of plants or trees, and [we] identify them by their leaves,” said Smith. “We often go on letter walks, where we go over to the church, and we get to find things that begin with the letter that we are learning about.”

When asked what she loves about the school, one of the preschoolers shared, “I like being at my desk and learning. I enjoy playing with my friends, eating lunch, and playing on our playground.”

One of the greatest needs preschool and kindergarten classrooms have is substitute teachers. If you feel you could help meet this need, please email [email protected]

–Airi Nomura is a Campion Academy senior; photo supplied

11 Nov

CAMPION STUDENTS ENJOY AN ENCHANTED EVENING AT BANQUET

In

By Airi Nomura – Loveland, Colorado … Campion students took a trip to an enchanted forest in the gym transformed for the annual student association banquet on November 7.

The student association officers worked to make the transformation by lining the walls with lighted evergreens, hanging sparkling lights overhead, draped with ivy, and decorating the tables with woodsy decor.

“I thought it was very pretty; all the decorations were very beautiful. The most fun thing about the banquet was just spending time with people,” Sierra, Campion junior, said. “I thought the live music was really nice; I liked it a lot. It was a great addition because it felt romantic.”

The night finished with a scavenger hunt around campus. After completing all the missions, students loaded onto a decorated party bus and went for a ride. Seth, a sophomore, reflected, “I had a lot of fun. I enjoyed spending time with my friends on the party bus because we sang a lot of songs, and it was pretty loud, which made me feel good.”

“It went very well. We were able to set it up in a quick and efficient manner. Despite a few minor issues, it seemed like we were able to pull it off and make it fun for everybody. We stayed on task and focused, and all worked together as a team,” Clark, SA president, said.

Reflecting on the evening, Erin Johnson, the SA sponsor, said, “There were a lot of hours put into [it] beforehand to get the look we were going for, and then it was hours of setting up, but the SA did a really great job. It looked like everyone was smiling and having fun, and that’s what it’s all about.”

To view a student-produced video highlight of the banquet, please click here: https://youtu.be/t_yryVnQzZc

–Airi Nomura is a senior at Campion Academy; photos Jill Harlow and Gwyn Reeves

30 Sep

KARAOKE, FLANNEL, AND EVERYTHING FALL ON DISPLAY AT CAMPION

In

By Airi Nomura  — Loveland, Colorado … Fall arrived in typical Campion style on September 25. Students decked out in flannel, enjoyed hayrides, face painting, pumpkin pie, games, and karaoke at the annual student association fall party.

Karaoke was a favorite activity of the evening among the students. “It was definitely fun and very homey. I enjoyed karaoke the most, just singing with everybody all gathered around. It was nice because I didn’t feel self-conscious singing in the crowd,” Kloe, freshman, said.

The night included the highly anticipated announcement of the November banquet, which included a surprise plea from the stage when Camas, a student, thought it was good to ask for his date. “I asked Kylie, and I was very happy when she replied, ‘Heck yea.’ Overall, the fall party was a success, and I can’t wait to help with the next event.”

Even though they put a lot of work into the event, the student association officers took the time to enjoy the evening. “As an SA officer, I expected to be working all night, and I did, but what I didn’t expect was to have so much fun! SA had a blast setting up and had even more fun serving and helping,” Edward, student activities director commented.

Concluding the party, seniors gathered together on stage for the yearly tradition of singing “See You Again.”

“I really liked the fall party because of the time that I could chill with my friends and the pictures we took,” reflected Gabriel, senior. “These will be good memories that I will always remember because it’s my last year at Campion.”

–Airi Nomura, campion senior; photos by Josh Jackson

To view a student-produced video by Noah Sturges, please click here

02 Sep

ALL CAMPION SENIORS SURVIVED GVR WEEKEND

In

By Airi Nomura – Ward, Colorado … All Campion Academy seniors have made it through some difficult times in their lives–the first day of school as kindergartners, those awkward years in middle school, Zoom, and the first three years of high school–but could they survive their greatest test yet? Like a weekend in the outdoors with no camping tents and working together as a team to survive the elements.

In late August, seniors boarded the bus to depart the luxuries of campus for Glacier View Ranch for the annual senior survivor weekend, where students would bond with each other and get to know Jesus more.

Their survival in nature started after dividing the seniors into groups. The first task was making their shelter in the trees and rocks with only tarps. After the perilous-looking tarp bedrooms were finished, the groups worked together to cook all their meals.

Reflecting on the adventure-filled weekend, new Campion senior student Gabriel Olvera commented, “It was nice to make new connections and new friends. The activities were fun, and it was fun cooking for myself and everyone.”

Every night, all the seniors gathered around the campfire to discover and go deeper with Jesus. “It was super fun to experience senior survival because it’s known as a bonding experience, and I think that’s what it did for our class,” reflected Regan Garman, Campion senior. “I really enjoyed our last worship together on Saturday night. That was really special to me when we did communion and washed each other’s feet.”

Students participated in activities designed to build cooperation and trust between them, including trust falls, a spider web, and nitro crossing. “The activity I enjoyed the most was the trust fall because I felt like I could actually trust my classmates. At the beginning, I was very scared, but it was relaxing and relieving when they caught me,” Duda De Oliveira Campion senior said.

As the seniors departed GVR, they were different from when they arrived.  New friendships had been formed, trust was created, and they were not only individuals who attended classes together, but a close-knit senior class.

To view a student-produced video of the event, click here.

–Airi Nomura is a Campion Academy senior; photos by Jacqueline Kobagaya