NN Feb 2024 Page 2

Jose R. Alarcon – Aurora, Colorado … The Aurora First Seventh-day Adventist Church in Aurora, Colorado, celebrated their first Pathfinder induction service as the “God’s Warriors Club,” their newly adopted name, together with the host Pathfinder club from the Denver South Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church in Denver, Colorado, January 27. The event was well attended by both churches with almost 90 participants.

The Aurora First Pathfinder club is striving forward as they prepare for this year’s International Camporee in Gillette, Wyoming, with the celebration of their first Pathfinders’ Sabbath under their renewed identity, February 10. Club members participated during the Second Service as the praise team, deacons and deaconesses, and by providing the special music. They invited Bob Miller, Elder at Aroura First, as their speaker who addressed them from the subject of Honor based on the fifth commandment of Exodus 20:12.

During the evening, the God’s Warrior Club conducted a very successful fundraiser to those in attendance who were there to convey their support. The well-coordinated event had food for sale, table-games, basketball, soccer, a game of Bible Pictionary, crafts, and an inflatable slide. Among the attendees was the Denver South Pathfinders club, that showed its full support, and local members and guests.

Many local church members shared their appreciation for the camaraderie and the reenergized atmosphere that the club’s members and staff have brought to the church. They congratulated Jonathan Dominguez, club director, and his staff for coordinating such a spiritual and well put together event.

Anchoring in this new identity is a strong commitment to God and to the Club’s guidelines, as the club members and staff engage in ministry and service. The Psalmist wrote, Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle (Psalms 144:1, NIV). The Aurora First Church fully supports their club and their efforts as they prepare for the International Camporee and beyond.

—Jose R. Alarcon is the lead pastor at the Aurora First Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photos supplied.

Sandy Hodgson – Denver, Colorado … Educators and administrators from Campion Academy, HMS Richards Adventist School, Mile High Academy, and Vista Ridge Academy attended the High Reliability School (HRS) Summit in San Antonio, Texas, January 29-31. The summit, attended by over 1,500 participants, served as an opportunity to collaborate and continue on the path to “Something Better,” the motto for Adventist education across North America.

At the heart of the summit were the keynote speeches and breakout sessions, which provided invaluable insights into the HRS model. The HRS framework is built upon the premise of fostering high reliability in schools through a systematic approach to continuous improvement. It emphasizes the cultivation of a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment for both students and staff.

Many of the keynote and breakout session speakers were present at our North American Division (NAD) Educators’ Convention this past August. This summit provided opportunities to dive deeper into principles and practices that speak to the mission of Adventist education—a commitment to the redemption and restoration of mankind.

“My time in San Antonio was very encouraging to me,” reflects Erin Johnson, Campion Academy English teacher. “The breakouts and meetings gave me clear and tangible ways to not only be a more effective and engaging teacher but also how to improve the mission and vision of my school.”

Even though each day was packed with back-to-back sessions, Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) educators created time to come together to share experiences, strategies, and best practices as a collaborative team. This time was also to engage in productive discussions within their own schools to underscore the commitment to excellence for the culture that is unique on their campus.

Carey Jordan, principal at HMS Richards Elementary School, was reminded of the importance of fostering a positive teacher team culture. “The training I received helped me become intentional about enhancing collaboration, fostering growth, and creating an environment conducive to the success of educators and students, ultimately strengthening the learning environment for each student.”

By implementing strategies and principles gleaned from the HRS model, these educators are not only shaping the future of their own institutions but also contributing to the broader landscape of education in the RMC and beyond.

Contributing to the broader landscape of Adventist education beyond the borders of the RMC is already taking place. Barely back from San Antonio, a group of teachers from Mile High Academy, along with RMC superintendent Diane Harris and RMC associate superintendent Paul Negrete, were invited to Lincoln, Nebraska, February 6 to lead in professional development for the Kansas-Nebraska Conference educators on the integration of standards-based learning.

These educators shared insights, strategies, and best practices to empower teachers in embracing this approach to learning as directed by the NAD. The collaborative effort between our conferences signifies a commitment to educational excellence within the Mid-America Union.

“It was encouraging and enlightening to work together with RMC teachers and leaders,” stated Casey Prindle, principal at College View Academy in Lincoln. “As our schools are learning about, developing, and implementing Standards Based Learning (SBL), it was incredibly helpful to collaborate with those who have experience.”

Prindle continued, “The RMC team was insightful and reassuring. Coming into the meeting, many educators felt the transition to SBL was confusing or even overwhelming, yet, when the time was done, many felt hopeful about the process and encouraged that this work to better support learning was possible. We are so thankful to our Rocky Mountain colleagues and hope we can work together again.”

The cost to train, advance, and implement strategies for student success in the Rocky Mountain Conference encompasses countless hours of professional development, often pursued outside of regular work hours, as well as the continuous process to review and refine. This commitment demands personal sacrifice, as educators dedicate themselves to refining their practice to meet the needs of their students. Our commitment to the Rocky Mountain Conference allows us to continue to improve Adventist education as we serve the needs of our students.

—Sandy Hodgson is the RMC education assistant director. Photos by Carey Jordan, Sandy Hodgson, and Diane Harris.

Miloš Tomić – Arvada, Colorado … It’s been three months now since Arvada Adventist Church in Arvada, Colorado, started providing weekly aid to the Venezuelan refugees in the way of food, clothes, hygiene products, hugs, and prayers.

As the refugee crisis grows in the city of Denver, these families turned out to be the worst “collateral damage” in a highly politicized humanitarian struggle involving immigrants. Even the followers of Christ have not been immune to falling victims to such a mentality and succumbing to not offering a helping hand because of the way these people are being portrayed in the media.

Members of the congregation had an opportunity and the privilege to get to know some of these immigrants. And guess what, they are just like us. They want to raise their kids in the safety of freedom; they want to make enough money to sustain their families.

They just want to live. They don’t want handouts. They want to work. They don’t understand our immigration system or our laws. All they knew when they left their homes was that there is hope ahead and not behind them. And now they are here, and we must not sit idle.

Obviously, they need help. If you would like to be involved and donate, children’s clothes, hygiene products, and adult work clothes suited for winter are in great need. The kids get excited about receiving a winter jacket and gloves. There are small things that make a difference, and you can witness a big smile on a child’s face when they receive a doll or a toy car.

As Jesus embraced a small child, so can we. Please reach out to me Miloš Tomić at [email protected] to see how you can help.

—Miloš Tomić is the associate pastor at Arvada Adventist Church. Photos supplied.

Heidi Carpenter – Denver, Colorado … LifeSource Adventist Fellowship hosted “Nourish,” an event focused on healthy cooking demonstrations, food sampling, and useful health information, January 21. The 28 attendees were a mix of church members, their friends, and guests from the community who all sat down together to learn and enjoy.

Stephen Harris, long-time cook and personal trainer, took the time to share from his experience in the kitchen. Harris shared recipes for four delicious entrees and four soups, all using a variety of vegetables and grains. His insight into food preparation was inspiring.

Attendee Rebecca Barcelo said, “I learned some patterns that can make meal prep easier.” An anonymous attendee commented on the follow-up survey: “Stephen’s presentation was excellent. Loved his tips on how to prep and adjust things for recipes.”

Kira Street, LifeSource member, helped prepare some of Stephen’s delicious entree recipes in the kitchen behind the scenes. Street shared what she learned in this hands-on space: “It didn’t take a lot of time or much prep work, and it came out to be a delicious, healthy dish. It’s something I can easily incorporate into my own cooking routine, probably using pre-chopped veggies to make it go even quicker.”

As a part of the program, Dr. Laura Candia shared insights into the connection between adopting a Mediterranean diet and strong mental health. Her presentation stimulated thought and left the attendees wanting to make the healthy choices that would lead to optimal brain health.

Attendees are looking forward to more mingling, tasting, and learning at the next LifeSource “Nourish” event this coming Fall.

—Heidi Carpenter is the LifeCycle Coordinator at LifeSource Adventist Fellowship. Photos supplied.

Debbie Miranda – Lincoln, Nebraska … Four Upper School student instrumentalists from Mile High Academy (MHA) participated in a music festival at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, January 31-February 3. They joined other students from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, and Colorado to rehearse some challenging and inspiring music pieces.

The string orchestra was directed by Joseph Choi, the music director at Sunnydale Adventist Academy in Centralia, Missouri. Steven Hutchison, the instrumental professor at Union College, conducted the band.

In addition to hours of group and sectional practice, the festival was highlighted with delicious meals at the cafeteria, group worship, and tours of the Union College music department. The participants also performed a beautiful and exciting evening concert, February 2.

“My favorite part was the people,” said Danny Luna, MHA student, who bonded with students from other schools during the breaks. He also reported that the beds were comfortable: “I slept pretty good.”

Brendan Howe, MHA student, enjoyed playing the songs. He said, “My sight-reading improved.” His favorite song at the event was Randall Standridge’s “Choose Joy.” Ellen Chandra, MHA student, appreciated having her own room in the dorm and liked performing Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Natchmusik” (1^st Movement) the most. Austin Huenergardt, also a student from MHA, said the festival was tiring, but that “The songs are all pretty good.” All of the MHA students who attended commented that they would come again.

One of the highlights of the festival were the instrument clinics, where professional musicians from the area came and gave master classes to each instrument group. Debbie Miranda, MAH music teacher, led out the flute sectionals. She learned how to explain vibrato more effectively, the correct way to triple-tongue, and the best fingering for a couple of trills.

“I was very impressed with the level of musicianship and the caliber of the students. Our own students represented very well too,” commented Miranda.

“The variety of instruments was fun,” she continued. “There were four oboe players! We also had two bass clarinets, eight trombones, a bassoon, a string bass player in the orchestra, and someone playing an instrument called a mellophone that plays like a trumpet but sounds like a French horn. Armies of flutes, trumpets, saxophones (including tenor saxophones), clarinets, and a handful of euphoniums and tubas all added their part to the collective sound. The college musicians brought their expertise to the mix as well. They performed for vespers Friday night too, which was lovely.”

Another highlight was meeting a professional composer. Andelena Jackson’s moving work, “Lullaby of the Martyrs,” was performed by the string orchestra. Jackson is an already a published composer at the age of 25. She is also a former student of Mr. Choi where she played oboe in the band.

Outside of rehearsals, the participants enjoyed checking out the Union gymnastic team practices, exercising, geocaching, video games in the dorm, doing sharpie art, and enjoying some delicious local ice cream.

—Debbie Miranda is the Mile High Academy music teacher. Photos supplied.

Catie Fairfield – Loveland, Colorado … Staff members honored Campion Academy senior students at a special Vespers program where students received individual recognition, January 26. This event celebrated not only the students’ accomplishments but also acknowledged that they are on the last stretch of high school.

Many got a special Bible verse dedicated to them. Lily Testardi, senior student, expressed, “Having this Bible verse: ‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans,’ Proverbs 16:3, served as a comfort in this upcoming chapter of my life.”

Following the Vespers program was a reception with food and drinks. Many parents of the students came from all around to celebrate their children’s achievements.

The seniors also got the opportunity to lead out the church service at Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church, January 27, in addition to the senior recognition program. All the seniors sat on the stage, and every aspect of the service was conducted by the senior class members.

The service included special music by Ekenna Nwankwo and Shawn Ferguson, children’s story by Eva Resz and Elizabeth Shannon, a testimony from Sharon Vasquez, and prayer by Catie Fairfield and Sue Helm. Andrew Kramer presented the sermon with a message about trusting in God with your future.

These activities were a great way to recognize the seniors and their impact on Campion Academy. Eva Resz, senior student, expressed, “This weekend was really meaningful to me not only because my family came out, but also because I got to see the growth of the senior class since our freshman year. It’s awesome to see how God has worked in all of our lives.”

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