Jill Harlow Page 2

03 Jun

CAMPION ACADEMY CELEBRATES CLASS OF 2021

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado …At a three-day event, Campion Academy’s graduating class of 2021 celebrated their accomplishment of thriving through it all after more than a year of masking, social distancing, and switching between in-person and online classes. While attendance was limited and by-invitation only, the 29 graduates were able to continue Campion’s traditions of the tribute, Baccalaureate, class night, and Commencement in the gymnasium with a crowd of family and friends.

In a speech addressed to her classmates, class president and student chaplain Milka Mendonza-Sanchez stated, “We have all had rough patches in our personal lives, and this year may not have been our ideal senior year, but I know that on this campus we’ve been able to grow spiritually, and together we’ve learned how to keep going through the difficulties of life.”

Donavan Reeder, Campion Academy principal, commended the class as well, remarking, “I’m so proud of our students this year at Campion Academy. We threw them curve-balls left and right, and they were able to handle every pitch.”

A historically small class throughout their four years at Campion, the class of 2021 was known for their closeness, diversity, and spirituality. Mendoza-Sanchez, Class of 2021 alumni explained, “Our class is small, but I know that I can take any one of you aside and say ‘Hey, I’d like to pray with you,’ or ‘I need prayer today’ and it will happen.”

With more than half the graduates able to speak a language other than English, it was unique to hear five different languages during the Friday evening parent tribute. The class includes six international students from Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and many others from Spanish, Indonesian, and Tagalog-speaking families.

Carlos Santana, husband to head dean of women Molly Santana, and speaker for the Commencement service, explained to the students and those gathered that “this class is special; it really is. No matter what field you are going into, the class of 2021 is a class full of ministers; you are going to do beautiful, wonderful things for the glory of God.”

During Commencement, representatives from Union College presented the graduates with a total of $576,000 in scholarships. The highest award, the Presidential Scholarship, valued at $46,000, was awarded to both Tiffany Dien and Samantha Hodges.

While it poured rain outside, the ceremony was capped-off with an indoor reception filled with joyous tears, celebratory hugs, and many photos.

–Jill Harlow is communication director for Campion Academy; photos supplied

22 Apr

SPANISH CULTURE CELEBRATION AT CAMPION

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy’s Spanish classes presented a celebration of culture on the evening of April 16, that included live musical performances, authentic cooking videos, food samples, and recreated artwork from the Spanish-speaking world.

The audience had an experience which delighted the senses: “I really liked that there was a variety of different foods, dances, and arts from the Spanish culture,” said Sofie, a junior. “It was very fun and I enjoyed it a lot.”

The students appreciated the break from mostly focusing on language to incorporating culture.

Olivia Jordan, Campion student created a cooking video on how to make empanadas. “I enjoyed learning about the different types of foods from Spanish-speaking countries. It was fun to try to recreate the empanadas. Regan, [Campion student] and I,” Jordan explained, “had a really good time in the kitchen trying to follow the recipe and video ourselves at the same time. In the end, I think our empanadas turned out great. They were delicious!”

Poe Hla Hla, Campion student performed the song “Recuerdame,” commenting, “I am proud of myself for pushing myself out of my comfort zone and singing a song that is very dear to my heart.”

Angel Villalobos, the Spanish department’s student worker, assisted Hla Hla in the performance. “I give thanks to Angel,” Hla Hla expressed, “because I couldn’t have done this without him. He really helped me out,” she said.

The audience rose to their feet when Sandra Arlt gave a lesson on the basic steps of the well-known Latino dance, the salsa.

“One of the things I majorly enjoyed is how many vibed with my presentation. I was scared at first, and then everything just fell perfectly into place,” Arlt reflected. “I thought all of the presentations went very well. I was very proud of what we all pulled off. Overall, it was just really fun!”

At the end of the performances, the audience had the opportunity to sample food from each of the cooking shows and visit the art exhibition.

“It was a memorable day for our Spanish classes; the songs were beautiful, the videos were funny, the dances were interactive, the artwork was exceptional, and the food was delicious. I’m very proud of the students and the work they put in to make this program a success. I hope to make this an annual event at Campion,” Jill Harlow, Campion Spanish teacher said.

–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy’s communication director; photos supplied

15 Apr

CAMPION FRIENDSHIPS WARM UP ON THE SNOW

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Sunny smiles and slushy snow made for epic spring-skiing conditions for the 18 students on Campion’s annual trip to Copper Mountain.

The students spent three days skiing and snowboarding together during the four-day trip based out of Leadville. “With COVID disrupting a big part of the year, it was refreshing to get off campus and enjoy God’s creation,” Kylie Wehling, Campion junior reflected.

Coming from Kansas, Jared Marcenaro was one student who experienced skiing in Colorado for the first time. “What made the trip great for me was being able to learn and fail around friends,” Marcenaro remarked. “They always helped me back up and told me what I could do better. They also pushed me to do more difficult runs and tricks.”

The students were in agreement that the relationships formed from time spent together were the highlight of the trip. “The people who were there made the trip fun,” said Love Pickle, Campion junior. “On the slopes, we were cheering for each other, which was so ‘sick,’” she explained.

Reflecting on the adventure, Campion junior Karson Lee said, “I think the relationships between friends and even people that didn’t hang out before grew so much on the trip. I had a great time with my friends, but I also had an amazing time hanging out, laughing, and getting to know people who I hadn’t known very well before.”

Aside from skiing and snowboarding, the students spent Sabbath together in an intimate setting worshipping and studying the Bible. After church, they took in the mountain views while tubing down the local sledding hill.

The evenings were spent catching up on homework and enjoying some rowdy ping pong tournaments.

The ski trip had been rescheduled due to COVID quarantine restrictions after spring break, but even in April, Copper still had sufficient snow to keep all of the runs open, and the students appreciated the warmer-than-usual temperatures. Pickle commented, “Honestly, the fact that the weather wasn’t freezing cold was the finishing touch.”

–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy’s communication director; photos supplied

30 Mar

HMS RICHARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE PLANNING THEIR FUTURE

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … HMS Richards middle school seventh and eighth graders had an unusual visitor in March—a college recruiter. While it may seem unusual for college recruiters to reach out to students before high school, Jessica Williams, recruiter from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, spoke to the students about the ways they can prepare in high school for a successful transition to college.

Casey Jordan, seventh and eighth grade teacher, originally made contact with Williams when she reached out to all the Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities to ask for logo mugs for students to use for hot drinks while they work on writing in the classroom. That connection sparked the idea for Williams to visit with the class when she came to meet with Campion Academy seniors.

Williams emphasized two things in high school that students can do when planning for college.

First, she said, “Do your best right away. Don’t wait until you are a junior and then wish that you hadn’t gotten that low grade because you didn’t care when you were a freshman.” Second, “Get involved, be a well-rounded person, try music, sports, leadership, student association, church involvement and more.”

Jordan reflected, “The students had a lot of questions and enjoyed the conversation with Miss Jessica. It was a great experience as it allowed the kids to see how their futures are affected by the choices they make today.”

–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy’s communication director; photo supplied

01 Mar

HMS RICHARDS “Can Do” STUDENTS Dissect Hearts

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado… The science unit on the circulatory system came to life for fifth and sixth-grade students in Paul Bragaw’s “Can-do” themed classroom at H.M.S. Richards school in Loveland, Colorado, when they dissected lamb hearts this month.

For many students, this was the first experience with a dissection.

“At first I thought it was going to be disgusting and I was afraid that I was going to faint,” said Zachary, fifth grader. “But then when we cut it open, it wasn’t so bad, and it was cool that we could actually touch it and move it, so we could understand hearts better.”

It is not often that fifth-grade students can experience a dissection, and it made a big impression.

“It did smell bad,” said Natalie, another fifth-grade student, “but I was surprised how it looked so much like my own heart. I think it was fun learning more about how the different parts of the lamb’s heart relate to the human heart, and how important all the little different pieces are, even though they are so small.”

Bragaw finds it important to include a variety of hands-on activities, especially in science class, because he sees that they capture the students’ attention and make them excited to learn. “They were very careful and took their time with the details of the dissection. Students were in awe of how God has created the body, especially the heart.”

–Jill Harlow is a member of the Campion church; photos supplied

11 Feb

Campion students return to campus – round two

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Following three weeks at home after four residence hall students tested positive for COVID, Campion Academy students have once-again returned to campus.

While students were home, Campion administration met with public health officials to put a more comprehensive plan in place to avoid a shutdown even when positive cases occur.

All students and staff were given a PCR COVID test upon their return to campus on Monday, a test which can detect both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. After the test, students were isolated in residence halls with their roommates, continuing classes on Zoom until the results come back. In-person classes are expected to resume on Friday, February 12.

Students are happy to be back on campus. “It definitely feels weird being back and being stuck in your room, but there’s promise we’re gonna see everyone very soon. I’m very excited to be back and am hoping we can stay in-person and healthy for the rest of the year,” said Gwyn, one Campion student.

Sam, another student expressed his feelings on returning to campus by saying, “Being back on campus is a very strange feeling, especially when you can’t see your friends as much as you used to. I really do miss that. But I’m sure that it’s just a rough start to something that will be amazing for all of us.”

Students returned to new COVID precautions. Previously, in the event of a positive COVID case, it was impossible to completely separate the boys because of their shared residence hall bathrooms. Now, however, the administration has created a designated isolation room on the third floor of Hankins Hall. In addition, the administration has increased their efforts to keep track of close contacts, minimizing the effects of possible contamination on the bulk of the student body.

Finally, Campion’s nurse Jenny Gann has access to rapid COVID tests that give same-day results. Having these tests on hand will decrease the amount of time students spend in isolation when it is not COVID and allow quick isolation of close contacts when positive.

During this time of isolation, staff are delivering meals to the students’ rooms, and students have a designated class period for outdoor recreation. In the evening, Chaplain Meszaros hosts a daily worship on Zoom followed by light-hearted, interactive games online.

“I feel very happy to be back at Campion. The one thing I missed the most about being away was not having my friends around. Although I can’t see them just yet, just being on campus is enough,” enthused Poe, a just-returned Campion student.

–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy communication director; photos supplied

The administration and staff are helping out delivering meals to the students in the residence halls.
19 Jan

CAMPION ACADEMY GOES ONLINE DUE TO COVID CASE

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy has had to move to remote learning for a period of at least two weeks due to a residence hall student testing positive for COVID-19 last Friday, January 15.

Following protocol, the student and his roommate were isolated and then tested last Wednesday, January 13 when the student first displayed symptoms, and the results came back on Friday afternoon. Completing contact tracing the school’s administrators isolated others who were close contacts. By Saturday morning, three of those close contacts had come down with similar symptoms, so the administration acted quickly to protect the other students and staff by sending all students home beginning Saturday evening and Sunday.

The students affected have remained in the residence halls under the care of the deans and school nurse and currently have mild symptoms.

Following Larimer County guidelines, after an outbreak of COVID-19, all classrooms have to move to online learning and quarantine for a minimum period of two weeks.

“It is unfortunate that we’ve had to send our students home for the time being. However, this is a situation that we have had to anticipate and plan for this year,” explained Principal Donavan Reeder. “Most importantly, we want to keep our students and staff safe, so we had to be proactive in preventing a further outbreak.”

The administration will be further monitoring the situation and is seeking out best protocols to bring students back to campus as soon as safely possible. Reeder is working closely with the Thompson Valley School District Safety coordinator to follow county guidelines in returning to in-person learning.

“We were blessed to have had a COVID-free first semester, and we trust that God will carry us through this experience as well and bring us back together soon,” said Reeder. “Please continue to pray for the ministry of our school.”

–Jill Harlow is communication director for Campion Academy

10 Dec

3.2.1 ACTION – CAMPION STUDENTS INTRODUCED TO FILM MAKING

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado…When Campion Academy’s Digital Journalism and Communication class heard that Enrollment Director Jessica Rios was holding a contest for videos that would give potential students a glimpse into campus life, they were ready to step up to the challenge.

The class spent the first part of the semester focused on news reporting and other types of writing, so filming and editing was a fresh experience.

“I liked filming, although it’s honestly really complicated. For me, it was difficult to get the right angles or shots I envisioned, but it’s definitely a fun process,” Tiffany Dien, Campion senior said.

Students partook in the process with mixed emotions.

“Going into the project I was thinking I was not going to like it, and I thought I would do a terrible job,” commented Jayce Treat, Campion senior, who had never made a video before. “Once I started working on it though, I really enjoyed myself and ended up having a really good time editing. Watching all the clips come together and form a finished video was extremely satisfying.”

During the month of October, Jenny Sigler, former Campion teacher instructed the class in the basics of planning and filming. Darcy Force also lent her expertise to help students navigate editing software.

“Mostly, I love teaching video editing because it’s fun,” explained Sigler. “Also, it’s fulfilling to watch kids become more informed about the media that we consume all the time, but don’t necessarily create that often. Once they know what goes into making a video, they’ll never watch one again without thinking about it more critically.”

The students worked in two groups to tackle the project and were able to learn from each other as well. “I was very lucky to have Sami as one of my partners as she taught me a lot about editing and helped me with getting the best film shots,” reflected Bentlee Barry, Campion senior. “One of the biggest lessons I learned by far was time management. By the time we came up with our plan, we had two days to finish. It was very stressful; nonetheless, I’m happy with the way the video turned out!”

The two videos produced by the class received first and second place in Rios’ contest and each member received Amazon gift cards as prizes.

The students concluded that the project was a success and a good learning experience. “I enjoyed being able to make some of my creative ideas into reality,” said Barry.

Dien commented, “It was really cool to create a video to represent one student’s life and spiritual experience at Campion. It was very encouraging to listen to her story about being vulnerable. Hopefully others outside of campus will see and experience that part of Campion for themselves.”

—Jill Harlow, is Campion Academy’s communication director; photo supplied

 To view Video 1 please click here
To view Video 2 please click here 

25 Nov

Campion Academy earns #1 ranking again

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … “Campion excels at providing an environment where students can grow socially, physically, mentally, and spiritually,” Jayden Anggormas Campion senior said, reflecting on why Campion topped Niche.com’s ranking of annual best private school in Larimer County for the second consecutive year.

Niche.com, a nationally-recognized education ranking site, based this ranking on a rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents. Ranking factors include SAT/ACT scores, student-teacher ratio, and data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, Niche users, and the schools directly.

“I love how it feels like a second home. When I’m here, I get homesick, but my friends always cheer me up. They keep me going and are the reason why I came back. Campion is a school that’s more than a place for you to learn; it’s a family,” Blet Htoo, Campion sophomore commented.

Reflecting on the spiritual aspect of the school, Sami Hodges, Campion senior said, “One of the things I really value about Campion is the inclusion of spirituality into everyday life. Teachers have worship and prayer before every class, which puts God first. Not only is spirituality incorporated into academics, but vespers and worship services allow everyone to grow closer to one another, and people form bonds here that will most likely last a lifetime.”

Odalis Mata Campion senior echoed Hodges comment, “I really enjoy how I can be in a place where people are my age and they influence me to want to know God more and keep consistent in my beliefs.”

“For me, the best part about Campion is the amount of help the staff members give you,” Haley Enochs, Campion Senior stated. “In other schools, some teachers don’t care if you fail or succeed, but here, the teachers go above and beyond to make sure you succeed. They will give you their phone numbers, meet with you outside of class, and work with you when you are behind or struggling.”

Others find dorm life most rewarding at Campion.

“My favorite thing is the dorm life because I love how my friends and I interact with each other and still hang out even with COVID policies and with masks. We still make it work and have fun,” Mark Zelaya, Campion senior said.

There are currently 32 private schools in Larimer County.

–Jill Harlow is the communication director for Campion Academy; photos supplied.

02 Nov

CREATIVE OUTREACH AT HMS RICHARDS SCHOOL

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado…Even though personal contact is limited these days, HMS Richards Adventist School teachers are still finding unique and creative ways for their students to serve the community.

Kari Lange’s first and second graders are using their budding handwriting and artistic skills to share Bible verses through the mail. A staple of the curriculum, students write a Bible text each week on a paper and color the border themselves. Lange mails these out to church members who are feeling isolated during these difficult times.

“During stay-at-home orders, it was so exciting [for me] to get personal mail that I thought my class could encourage our church members through their writing,” Lange explained.  “Our church supports us in so many ways; this is a simple way my class can give back. They sign a cover letter and have learned how to address the envelopes all by themselves. So far, we have mailed out some thirty Bible verses.”

When asked about the project, Callista Jahn, 2nd grader, said, “It makes me feel happy to be helping someone else.”

COVID isn’t stopping the students in fifth and sixth grade from their work at Lon Hagler Reservoir. The pupils spend about two hours almost every month wandering two-and-a-half miles of trails around the shore collecting trash and keeping this natural space a pleasant reprieve for visitors.

Zachary Harlow, fifth-grade student said, “I think cleaning up the lake is a good way for us to serve because it gives our community a clean place to go. I feel good when we clean it up because there is always a lot of trash.”

“The class usually averages twenty to thirty bags of trash each time we go. Our very first time cleaning the lake, we found thirty-five-quart containers of used motor oil,” Paul Bragaw, fifth and sixth grade teacher commented. “Students are awesome with cleaning the lake and love to find treasures, except none of us like the dirty diapers, cigarette butts, or beer cans! But that being said, students have learned that even the smallest trash matters and shouldn’t be thrown down on the ground.”

The teachers at HMS Richards continue to recognize the importance of teaching students the value of serving others. Through their service, there are many valuable spiritual lessons to be learned, Bragaw explained. “Our class has discussed how sin in our lives can relate to the trash we pick up around the lake. Jesus takes all the sin or trash in our lives and throws it away forever!”

–Jill Harlow is the communication director at Campion Academy; photos by Kari Lange and Paul Bragaw

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