Great Sand Dunes 2014

Hiking for miles with 50+ pound packs. Learning to cook an entire meal in one pot over a tiny stove. Climbing a 13,000 foot peak. Hiking over a mountain pass in a howling windstorm. Learning to keep walking even when cold, wet, and hungry. Struggling with altitude sickness. Discovering giant seesaws made from fallen trees. Worshipping together under a blanket of stars. Laughing, laughing, laughing. Learning to trust. Becoming vulnerable. Letting go of burdens. 

These are a few of the many adventures that Ekklesia Mountain High students and teachers experienced on The Great Sand Dunes backpacking course, August 18-28. Ten juniors and seniors, three instructors, and one instructor-in-training spent ten days in the wilderness in the first of their four core courses. 

“This is the foundational course for the year, and we went into it wanting to establish what kind of community we are going to be,” said EMH Director Ben Little.  “We want to be intentional in creating a community centered on openness, trust, growth, and encouragement. We want the students to see themselves as a family...”

The students were challenged in many ways during the 10-day course.  One commented:

 “I learned a lot about myself through this course. God reminded me of several areas he wanted me to grow and develop in as a daughter of God, such as my true identity, my dependency on Jesus, and how I need to work on putting Christ first in my life.”
 
There's more! To continue reading  the full article, and see more of the course photos, click here to continue to the EMH blog page.

Ekklesia Mountain High is a boarding and day-student program for high school juniors and seniors at Darren Patterson Christian Academy, in which approximately forty days of wilderness experience and leadership training is integrated with rigorous academics in DPCA's Biblically-centered environment.  To learn more, please visit the school's website at www.dpcaweb.org, and the EMH program's website at www.emhweb.org.

To Serve...

Seth works on a log rack  for a fall 2013 service project

Last year's spring fundraiser event was called "Aim to Serve" and though it was named to describe the elements of the event, the clay shoot and the food-gathering service project involving our students, the name is appropriate in a much larger context:  it is one of our core values at DPCA that we teach students to be increasingly others-oriented.  Our goal is to develop an attitude in our school that is consistent with Philippians 2:3-5  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..."

As our students learn to see and identify with the needs of others, we hope that translates into the growth of a lifelong attitude of "see the need - be part of the solution."

So again this year we are "aiming to serve" - setting our sights on places in our community where DPCA students can help out and make a difference with their energy and abilities.  Service projects undertaken so far this year include a quick few minutes helping at Shirley Smith's house, and a full Friday afternoon with the 7th - 12th grade students helping with a landscaping project at Trail West.

Another afternoon at Trail West is planned for this coming Friday, and our fall school-wide community service chapel is scheduled for September 26th.  Readers who have ideas for places where DPCA students can serve are encouraged to call the school office at 395-6046 to share suggestions.  Meaningful projects are needed for all of our age groups, so ideas are welcome!

Fall Mini-Retreat

Sam, Jacob, and Cailyn at the video exercise bikes

Is Tanner working out or just relaxing?

A climbing wall, water-slide, racquetball court, gym, running track, weight machines and exercise bikes - all were available and put to fun use by DPCA's 7th through 12th grade students at last Friday's Fall "Mini-Retreat".  "We've done a number of different things over the years to help our junior and senior high students grow together as the school year begins," said Mr. Ben Little, who works through his roles as teacher and secondary chaplain to help students and staff build a healthy and dynamic school community.  "We'd done a trip to the Breckenridge 'Rec' Center a few years ago, and the students really enjoyed it, so we decided it was a good year to do that again, and to focus on building up the community just by giving the students and staff an opportunity to play together and enjoy each other's company." 

Students and staff traveled to Breckenridge on Friday afternoon, September 5, and played at the recreation center for several hours.  A pizza dinner at Extreme Pizza rounded out the afternoon. 

Hawk and Joel take on Mr Euler and Mr. Little

Alli and Sydney enjoy the water slide...

"It Feels like Wet Dryer Lint..."

Mr. Hoppen shows how to do it...

What do you get when you mix recycled paper and water and run it through a blender?  Mr. Hoppen's 5th and 6th grade class discovered today that it turns into a pulp that "feels like wet dryer lint."  After Mr. Hoppen gave a quick demonstration, each of the students in the class then took some of that pulp, screened it, patted it out, and rolled it flat.  When it finishes drying, they'll have made new paper from old!

... and then Michael and Lily get started.

Samuel pressing out the extra water.

"It feels like wet dryer lint!"

Eli looks on as Kevin presses his paper.

 Meanwhile down the hall, our 9th and 10th grade students were also in "hands-on" mode in science today, collecting and pressing plant specimens. Biology class begins the year with the study of plants and plant life, and the students gained some active experience collecting, pressing, and cataloging their plant specimens.

Shelby works at identifying one of her specimens.

Nathan gets ready for pressing.

Second Day...

OK, OK, we probably can't (and wouldn't want) to keep this up all year long, but first days of school normally get all the attention.  Each day of school at DPCA, though, is packed full of learning, activities, friendships, fun, challenge, rigorous work, and playful moments. So on our second day of the year, we have gotten down to business! Here's a brief look at our second day of school as a photo essay...

Bre and Maddie working on their studies.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy... Students enjoy leftover donuts during a short break from class.

Pre-Algebra class is underway...

Mrs. Ritschard introducing students to the new digital math texts.

1st and 2nd grade PE with Coach Navarrette

Mr. Hoppen's sign reminds the 5th and 6th graders...

... and inside the room, Lily and Nathan are clearly diligent. (And not whining!)

Kindergartners working with their pattern blocks.

Declan and Abram are doing some drawing, while Mrs. Euler works one-on-one

And out on the trail, our EMH group is approaching the half-way point of their first course.  (Photo courtesy of Angela Lundy.  Actually this is from Monday the 18th when the group gathered at the trailhead to start hiking.)

First Day!

Mr. Hoppen captured the morning rainbow...

The day began with a double rainbow, followed by free coffee and donuts:  good any morning - and a fun part of welcoming students and parents to DPCA for the 2014-2015 school year. Staff and volunteers greeted students and parents coming into the building, manned the donut and coffee stations, and helped with remaining paperwork needs.

First day of school!

As the day began, everyone gathered in the cafetorium for a brief opening chapel featuring some singing, Psalm 19, and prayers of thanksgiving for the summer and petition for a new school year together. The elementary students headed down the hall to their new classrooms, while junior and senior high did a brief orientation and reviewed some school policy and ideals.

With the secondary students, Mr. Ritschard reviewed some of our school's commitments, including that "we honor and care for everyone in our school community: we don't call names, pick on others, exclude those who want to join us, or harass, haze, or bully in any way."  Mr Ritschard noted, "if we just stopped there - if we just worked diligently on our commitment as a school to honor and care for everyone in our school community - we would be doing well.  And really, all the rest of this if just elaborating on what care and honor look like."

Following orientation, secondary students received their schedules and began the first classes of the year.

At the end of the day, we asked several students, "What did you think of your first day?"

Royal did an awesome job as our mascot this morning

"We didn't do any work"  Nathan, 6th grade

"Tiring - I usually sleep until noon."  Heather, 10th grade

"It was fantastic!" Lily, 6th grade

"We did music class and we got the rules." Liam, Kindergarten

"It was fun - do I get to go back tomorrow?" Mikayla, Kindergarten

"Awesome" Malachi, 5th grade

"It was actually pretty good." Marshal, 8th grade

"I was upset because we didn't get language or spelling homework - but otherwise it was fun."  Misty, 6th grade

Well, Keely looks happy to be at school...

"It went by fast and easy."  Adam, 8th grade


"It was good - it went by really fast, and I saw a lot of new faces."  Shelby, 10th grade.

Big thank you's to parents Vanessa Durbin, Cindy Lewis, and Courtney O'Neill for helping out this morning, as well as student volunteers Royal and Sydney.  We're looking forward to 171 more great school days to come this year.  Go EAGLES!

Mrs. Akers and Mrs. O'Neill help parents and students get settled.

Welcome New Busy Bees Staff!

Busy Bees Preschool is “busy” preparing for its 32^nd year serving young students and their families in Buena Vista.  For the past 31 years, the preschool has been under the direction of Joyce Markham, who has just retired at the close of the 2014 spring term.  “We’re deeply, deeply grateful for Joyce’s years of dedicated and loving work with our preschool students,” commented Erik Ritschard, DPCA Administrator, “and for all the staff at Busy Bees over the years who have made it such a great place for our preschoolers. We’re also grateful for new staff who will continue moving us forward with fantastic programming for our youngest students.”

 Monica Holick

The board and administration of DPCA are very pleased to announce that effective July 15, 2014, Busy Bees will be under the direction of Monica Holick.  Monica has recently moved to Buena Vista from Wichita, Kansas,  where she completed her Master of Arts in Teaching degree (Early Childhood Unified) through Wichita State University.  Monica also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Administration and Health Science from Wichita State, and is a 1986 graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center.  In addition to church and public and private school experience with preschool and elementary students, Mrs. Holick has years of experience in business administration in non-profit organizations.  Regarding joining the DPCA staff at Busy Bees, Monica says, “I am excited to be part of Busy Bees Preschool and the Buena Vista community.  I have served the Lord all my adult life and now I can serve Christ in my career as an early childhood teacher and director. I believe I have the best job ever!”  Monica has two grown daughters, both residing in the Wichita, Kansas area. Monica also enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities and serving her community.

In addition to a new Director for Busy Bees, DPCA is delighted to be adding a new assistant director as well.  Andrea Vijverberg has been a Buena Vista resident since 2012 and has been working for Young Life at Frontier Ranch.  Andrea is currently completing both her Director credentials through Colorado Mountain College, and a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership through Eastern University.  Andrea notes, “I am thrilled to be starting this school year with Busy Bees! Teaching preschool has been a dream of mine for some time and I have spent years volunteering with little ones. I have been drawn to teaching my entire life and especially love the preschool years. Preschoolers possess a natural curiosity and openness to learning; these years are the prime time to instill a love of learning in a child.”

Andrea Vijverberg (VI-ver-berg)

Andrea has four children, the youngest of whom  just graduated from Chaffee County High School, and in addition to her family and preschool students, loves gardening and enjoying “the complexity of God’s creation” so evident in and around Buena Vista.

“We are grateful and blessed to be adding two such exceptional women to our DPCA and Busy Bees staff,” says Ritschard. “Both Monica and Andrea are highly energetic, enthusiastic, and experienced staff who are going to be phenomenal at building on Miss Joyce’s legacy at Busy Bees and helping our preschool program thrive and grow.  They are both deeply committed to preschool students and their parents, and we couldn’t be happier to be welcoming them both to our DPCA community.”

Busy Bees Preschool is enrolling students for fall 2014 and will be holding an Open House August 7^th.  More information is available by calling 395-2661, or by emailing info.busybees@dpcaweb.org