The Blazing Times

The 4th / 5th grade boys basketball team has received the Sportsmanship Award from the Chambersburg Parks and Recreation Department.  The award noted their exceptional example of loyalty, respect, teamwork and fairplay.  Cumberland Valley Christian elementary participates in several of the parks department youth leagues.  

Mrs. Sugden has won a technology innovation challenge grant give by Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation.  The grant of $1500 is for the purchase of a SMART board for her class room.  This grant will provide CVCS with our first interactive whiteboard.  The SMART board will bring a new level of interaction into her class room.  

On Friday, April 17, Mrs. Sugden’s 6^th grade math class celebrated “Pi” Day.  The students learned how to find the circumference of a circle using the irrational number pi (3.14).  We learned about the history of pi, the approximate number it represents, and the Greek symbol we use to represent it.  After measuring some circles, the students got to enjoy some real pie!  We had 11 different pies to choose from.  They enjoyed sampling different kinds of pies with a little ice cream and cool whip.  Thanks to all the parents who took time to bake or buy the pies.  We had a great day!

In March, 6^th grade learned about South America.  We had the privilege of having Mrs. Kathy Smith and her son, Gabe, come to our classroom and talk about Ecuador.  Mrs. Smith grew up in Ecuador and gave a wonderful presentation on this South American country.  She told us about the history, culture, religion, and environment of this beautiful country.  They shared fried plantains with us and showed us dolls, blankets and other items made in Ecuador.  Gabe dressed up in an outfit a fan would wear to a soccer game in Ecuador.  We learned a lot about this country and thanks again to the Smiths for their willingness to share their experiences with us. 

CVCS is now the proud owner of 10 new digital cameras, 2 new digital video cameras, and 1 new video projector.  The purchase was made possible with money from Act 195/90/35.  The digital cameras will be used by: yearbook staff, students for projects, students to take fieldtrip pictures, reporters in newspaper club, and  students in computer class.  The digital video cameras will be use for: student plays, computer class projects,  and next year- a small, in school television program.  The projector will be use in conjunction with the cameras and video camera to show PowerPoint, videos in the class room, and student presentations.  

1. God sees great potential in each of us and it is our responsibility to take our specific God given gifts, regardless of our specific situations, to become everything God wants us to be.

2. Though Nebuchadnezzar had created his own curriculum so the candidates could fulfill the mental and physical requirements of being in the king’s court, the Hebrews did everything to the best of their ability.

3. Pursue excellence to very end. It requires character to become everything God desires you to be. They swam against the stream. They were able to stand up for what they believed in contrary to a king who could have them killed with single wish.

4. God will bless your efforts of obedience. God blessed them when they obeyed with the food diet; they looked better than everyone else and later they obeyed God by not bowing to the idol. Other missionaries were able to visit different classrooms and share about the unique cultures they ministered to as well as their work to win souls for Christ’s kingdom.

The students of CVCS, in August, were informed they had the opportunity to research any person in history. And so they did. On February 23, 2009, the gymnasium hosted its second History Day. As I wandered around the gym, there were projects on inventors, presidents, singers, athletes and business leaders and each student’s impression of how that particular person had an effect on history.

Students were given the opportunity to create a documentary movie, perform an original skit, produce a website, write a research paper or build an exhibit. By far, the most popular form of expressing their research was the exhibit. If you have trouble imagining it, think science fair meets history. Students also had the opportunity to work in groups or to work on their own. As a result, seventy different mini-museum exhibits presented the life and times of different historical figures. In total, there were ninety-nine different projects including research papers, documentaries, performances and websites.

Thanks to the CVCS faculty and some guest judges, each project was evaluated and rated for the opportunity to compete against other local schools in the regional competition which is held at Messiah College. Guest judges Bob Windemuth and Connie Strunk represented the Franklin County Historical Society and reported how impressed they were the quality of work completed by the students. Another guest judges was alumna Sierra Schnable, who represented CVCS at last year’s regional competition and was awarded an honorable mention, the highest ever rating for any CVCS student. The last guest judge was Randy Taylor, a former Social Studies teacher at Chambersburg Areas Senior High School and Greencastle Area Senior High School and is currently the head boys basketball coach of the Scotland School for Veteran’s Children and a director of the Drew Michael Taylor Foundation which is aimed toward providing grief counseling and other activities for children who lose a sibling. An unplanned assistant, Brad Ray (Class of 2008) stopped by and was a tremendous help with the some of the administrative work necessary for the successful day.

Students took time to look at other students’ work for the entire morning while the judging took place. After the dust settled, winners were announced to the student body.

Performance – Emilee Quesenberry, Kacie Marsh, Kayla Kipe (1)

Documentary – Ashley Reinhardt, Jessi Torzillo (1)

Jr. High Individual Project –

Emilee Bard (1),

Derek Murr (2),

Morgan Keck (3),

Ally Reinhardt (HM),

Phillip Fulmer (HM)

Jr. High Group Project –

Austin Bock, Seth Heckman, Sean Mummert (1);

Tanner Propst, Brad Scruggs, Chris Wertz (2);

Olivia Peters, Ruby Monn (3);

Tommy McClelland, Brendan McHugh (HM);

Tyler Riedy, Dan Hartman (HM)

Sr. High Individual Project –

Ben Schlotter (1)

Uriel Hostetter (2)

Scott Levy (3)

Josh Stouffer (HM)

Carly Swartz (HM)

Sr. High Group Project

Jena Rosenberger, Alexa Barrick (1)

Megan Townsley, Julia Shields (1)

Taylor Martin, Alexander Rosenbaum, Matt Frey (3)

Pauli Tobias, Sami Heckman (HM)

Nathan Watson, Rachel Watson, Silvya Petitfrere (HM)

Papers (Sr. High) Elysa Lugo

A great big thank you goes out to the students for the great work and to the teachers and guest judges for evaluating the different projects and seeing what CVCS students are capable of . . . greatness.

by Tony Johnson

The CVCS winter sports season is coming to a close.  It has been an exciting winter for the Basketball teams.  Our Jr. High Girls Basketball team, led by Coach Mike Sanders won the Mason Dixon Chr. Conference Championship this season.  Entering the playoffs the girls were the #3 seeded team.  It took two very exciting and close games against Shalom and Heritage to prevail but in the end our girls were able to win title of league champs.  Our girls played with intensity all season and their hard work was rewarded in the end.  Coach Sanders encouraged the girls to “forget what was behind, and to press on” during the playoff stretch.  Coach Steve Myers and the Jr. High Boys posted a second place finish in the league this season.  Armed with many talented players the boys fell just short in the championship game.  The Jr. High Boys had one of their best seasons in years posting a record of 12 wins and 4 losses.  Both of our Jr. High teams have developed many strong players that will be able to contribute at the Varsity level in the very near future.

Both varsity basketball programs were led by first year coaches this season.  For the girls, I had the privilege to lead the team as coach.  Dan Larson, a CVCS alumnus and parent, was given the job of Boys Varsity Basketball Coach.  For the girls it was a year of transition as the team members were put into new roles and asked to contribute in new ways to the team.  The Varsity Girls team finished third in the league due to an exciting come-from-behind win over New Life in the consolation game of the MDCC Final Four.  For the fourth consecutive year the boys were in the MDCC Championship game and they gave Heritage all they could handle before eventually dropping a hard fought game.  The Boys Varsity team will continue their season as they travel to the National Christian School Athletic Association Division 2 and 3 Basketball Tournament in Erie, PA from March 4^th-7^th.  The team will be matched up against some very competitive Christian School programs from around the Northeast United States.  All the teams appreciated the support of the many fans who were able to attend our games this season.  All the players and coaches are looking forward to working hard during the off season to improve their teams for next year. 

By Paul Lundy

Former National Football League star Don McNeal spoke to a chapel that combined students from CVCS and Shalom on Feb. 4.

            McNeal played cornerback for two national championship University of Alabama football teams and then went on to have a stellar career with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He now travels the country speaking to teenagers as part of the Sportsworld outreach ministry.

            CVCS invited Shalom’s sixth through 12^th grades to attend the assembly. Around 400 students heard McNeal speak about decision and how they shaped his life and career.

After months of preparation, the CVCS Mock Trial team traveled to Harrisburg to present their case. Juniors John Irwin, Jacquie Hartman, and Elysa Lugo were the attorneys of record in presenting the defense of Parker Plane.

In its 25th year, the Pennsylvania Bar Association Statewide Mock Trial Competition features high school students staging simulated jury trials.

The experience gives students a better understanding of the legal profession, as well as the judicial system. Last year, 290 high school teams participated — making the competition one of the largest in the nation.

Each team consists of at least five students who play the roles of lawyers, litigants and witnesses — all in an actual courtroom before a judge. Students are assisted by a faculty coach and an attorney advisor. Volunteer attorneys and community leaders serve as jurors in the trials.

The juries determine the winners in each trial based on the teams’ abilities to prepare their cases, present arguments and follow court.
                             – qtd from Pennsylvania Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division

 The team also provides two witnesses for the trial. Sophomore Devin Slimmer portrayed the defendant, Parker Plane, and junior Collin Murr portrayed Brody Crisdale, Parker’s brother-in-law.

 The team competed against West Perry High School as we tried to prove Parker Plane was not responsible for the death Jaya Hansbra.

 The Mock Trial team usually gets under way in late October when the Pennsylvania Bar Association releases their fictional case. The students start to prepare by learning all the information in the case file provided by the Bar Association in addition to learning how to present themselves in public as well as prepare their cases, present arguments and follow court procedures.

 After the dust had settled, the team presented itself admirably, completing an outstanding job. The case went to the jury and they returned a verdict (based on score, not facts) for West Perry. The West Perry team named Elysa Lugo Outstanding Advocate (attorney) and Collin Murr Outstanding Witness.

 The next trial for the team will be sometime during the week of February 9^th at the Dauphin Cty Courthouse. Collin Murr, Sami Heckman, and Paulie Tobias will be the attorneys of record and Silvya Petitfrere and Jacquie Hartman will be the witnesses.

 by

Tony Johnson