World Champions! Robotics Brings Home the Gold

The Valley Christian High School Robotics team, Valley X, captured the World Championship at the 2015 FIRST FTC Championships. The three-day event held in St. Louis at the Edward Jones Dome and America's Center was the culmination of the robotics season and brought together three separate robotics competitions for the ultimate Sport for the Mind. 

Valley X, one of two VCHS Robotics teams this year, captured the Regional/State Championship to advance to the Super Regional competition in Oakland. At the Super Regionals, the team advanced to the finals and finished runner-up, earning a trip to the World Championship competition. 

"This is an unprecedented accomplishment for our school," Valley Christian Principal Dan Kuiper said. "We could not be more proud of what this team accomplished this season. It is a testament to their hard work, teamwork, determination, and resourcefulness."

This year, there were approximately 3,800 FTC teams competing from North America and numerous countries around the world. Out of those teams, only 128 were invited to the World Championships.

At the competition, the robot competes in a two and half minute challenge. The first 30 seconds are controlled only by the robot, with points being gained for completing tasks successfully. Teams are ranked by their ability to score the highest points, while working with an Alliance Team Member. The teams also undergo judging sessions where they share with officials about how they have worked through the engineering process and spread awareness of what they do in the community, along with how they embrace the concept of "gracious professionalism."

 This was the fifth overall trip to the World Championships for the Valley Christian Robotics team. 

Students who participated on the Valley X team this year were: Warren Campbell, James Turensky, David Gasson, AJ Bierly, Michelle Pomerenke, Chape Shiel, Luciano Cappellano, Justin Ree and Wyatt Halchishick. The team is led by Valley Christian faculty member Nick Bacon. Team mentors include Paul Bierly, Bob Gasson, Laurie Rainey and Matthew Rainey.

Our preferred STO partner, ACSTO, hosted their annual "Celebration Lunch" this past Friday and shared YTD donation totals through Arizona tax credit program.

Valley Christian families ranked #1 in average ACSTO donations per student at $3,796.

VCHS also ranked #1 in total ACSTO donations specific to high schools ($1.3 million), and #3 for all Christian schools (with two K-12 schools ranking #1 and #2).

Praise God for the Arizona tax credit program, and thanks to ACSTO for being a wonderful partner! Congratulations to our families for taking advantage of the program and making Christian education affordable. 

Check out more on ACSTO:

• ACSTO 101, a guide for parents in sharing the program
• Donate now through ACSTO
• Tax credit info page on VCHSAZ.org

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Valley Christian senior Evan Western '15 has been selected as one of 25 participants in the statewide Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF). 

The AZYLF is an innovative six day training program featuring career exploration and leadership development learning opportunities to assist each individual to maximize their potential. AZYLF provides educational programs on topics such as: positive self-concept, options after high school, the history of disability as a culture, and leadership responsibilities. Presenters who engage with the youth include disability community leaders, advocates, legislators, and numerous other professional role models who have disabilities.

Youth are assisted in developing a Personal Leadership Plan which includes specific action items as they return to their communities. Youth also become a voice for their peers as they serve to inform the Arizona State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) and are assigned a mentor for on-going support for one year after completing AZYLF.

The event successfully integrates youth who represent the diversity of both disability and culture of our state. The AZYLF will be held at the ASU Downtown Campus in Phoenix on June 21-26, 2015. 

If you are a senior and have not submitted any scholarships or awards you have received from colleges to Mrs. Cefola yet, please do so.  We are putting together the Commencement program and are finalizing the scholarship and awards list for each student.  Please note that you do not have to be accepting the scholarship or award in order to submit it, we want to honor all of your accomplishments!  

To submit a scholarship or award or if you have any questions, please email Mrs. Cefola, mcefola@vchsaz.org.   

The opening week reviews are in and they all say that this year's spring play is a must-see event! 

There are three remaining performances of "Love's Labour's Lost": Thursday, April 30; Friday, May 1; and Saturday, May 2. All of the shows begin at 7:00pm in Barnes Hall. 

 
Don't miss out on this incredible student performance that will have you laughing until you cry. 

 
You can purchase tickets online for the performances or at the door.  

On Tuesday, April 28, VCHS hosted our third annual Trojan Welcome Night for new students and their families.  This fun event hosted by Student Council had record attendance this year with more than 200 in attendance.  We are looking forward to all of the new families and students joining the VCHS community next school year as we continue to grow.

In 2014, we hosted the biggest Homecoming Week in Valley Christian history, with more than 1,700 guests.

We are expecting more than 2,000 guests during Homecoming Week 2015.

Mark your calendars for October 22-24 as we bring back the Night of Worship (10/22), Homecoming Block Party & Football game (10/23), and Alumni Flag Football Tournament (10/24). 

Take a look at this year's promo video, as well as pictures and videos from last year's events.

If you are interested in sponsoring Homecoming Week 2015 and getting your brand in front of thousands (at the event, print invitations, emails, social media, etc), please contact Troy Thelen at tthelen@vchsaz.org. You may also view the VCHS Sponsorship Catalog online.

You are invited to the annual Valley Christian Spring Art Show on Monday, May 5th. The event begins at 7:00pm and runs until 9:00pm. There will be live demonstrations, splatter painting and examples of student art work from the school year. 

 
The show is free to attend and is held in Barnes Hall. 

In addition to the Spring Play and Art Show, the Fine Arts Department has several other events coming soon.

The Choir's Spring Showcase, "Music Man" and Top 10 Performances are on Monday, May 11 in the Music Hall. There are two performances of "Music Man", one at 6:00pm and one at 8:00pm. In between the musical reviews is the choir's Top 10 Showcase at 7:00pm. Tickets can be purchased online and begin at just $5 per show.

The Valley Christian Instrumental Spring Concert is next Thursday, May 7 at 7:00pm in the Music Hall. Come listen to Jazz Band, Valley Rhythmics and Concert Band play selections that earned them top ratings at the Biola University Music Festival.The instrumental concert is free to attend. 

The Trojan golf team captured the High Desert Invitational team championship at Antelope Hills in Prescott last weekend.

In what is a preview event for next month's state championship tournament, the Trojans outpaced the second place team by 31 strokes. Valley Christian had four boys finish in the individual top ten. RJ David led the way with a second place finish, Gavin deFisser finished 3rd, Trevor Lampson finished sixth and Garrett deFisser finished in ninth place.
 

The state championship will be held on May 15-16 at Antelope Hills in Prescott. The Trojans will be heavy favorites for their third consecutive state championship. 

Are you going to be participating in a sport at VCHS next school year?  If so, you will need a physical specific to the 2015-16 school year in order to practice and play.

Valley Christian will be hosting sports physicals on Saturday, May 2 from 9:00am until 11:30am in the Bradley Gym for only $20.  If you will be playing a sport next year we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, fulfill your physical requirements and get it out of the way early so you are ready to go in the fall.