the cavalier july 2013

8
CVC TEACHER PERSPECTIVE – by Blake Hiemstra, CVC Middle School English Teacher Beauty in Brokenness S ometimes the light flashes in tears, and the beauty of those tears buoys this world out of its weariness. A few weeks ago we celebrated perhaps my favorite day of the school calendar. We take the one-week-from-graduation eighth graders off campus for a retreat, a day of celebrating who they are and who God has made them to be. We call it The Next Step, symbolic of the giant leap they’re soon to make to high school and the next phase of their lives. As part of the festivities we bring kids into an elegantly lit room where parent volunteers await them sitting at round tables decorated with more elegance and charm than Martha Stewart could produce. The kids eat. They fellowship. They do some improv. They hear teaching about God’s plan for their lives. They eat some more. They worship. They go to their separate gender-specific corners to hear the truth about the other corner, their potential prom dates. They eat some more. We treat them like the adults they’re becoming with the result being a day of memories and healthy pondering of the future. We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, this year at The Next Step, to ratchet up the poignancy and allow kids to touch and smell community, we invited the whole village. That is, for the month prior to Next Step we encouraged each student’s vil- lage – parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, relatives, youth leaders, baristas (with the ever- present venti frappuccino in some kids’ hands I sometimes wonder if Starbucks has more of an influence on their lives than I do) – to write letters with the general theme of “As you move on to this next stage of life.” Call it a covert compositional mission. In the afternoon each kid got a file folder to open and some solitude to read the notes. As I walked around outside and viewed kids reading the letters, beauty showed up. Smiles abounded. Heads nodded. Kids read and got faraway glazes in their eyes. And with one girl in particular, the light truly flashed. Normally she’s as cool as an assassin’s ice cubes. Don’t get me wrong. She’s pleasant, and I enjoy her immensely. She simply is not prone to the theatrics or emotion that sometimes characterizes eighth grade girls. As I walked around the corner I saw her sitting there reading the flood of notes from her village. As she read, she wiped the tears from her eyes. She was moved. Overwhelmed by community. Flooded with love. Shattered by grace. (“Beauty” continues on page 2) J U L Y 2013 God is Faithful What an amazing, change-filled, God-led 15 years of leading and learning I’ve been blessed to ex- perience with many people sharing this chapter and journey during my tenure here. With so many experi- ences and stories, I can’t single one out but rather an over arching reflection: God provides. God is faithful. God is in control. I know the future is full and bright and in His hands. Mixed emotions swirl through my mind as I write these words. It’s an honor to write in the last issue and give the “last word,” but also a re- sponsibility to encapsulate an entire school year. The words of Proverbs 21:19 come to mind, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” We all have accomplished ‘Something Greater’ this year. We’ve all expe- rienced God’s greatness and grown in the ways our Lord ordained. The rearview mirror teems with assumed accomplishments, surprising let- downs and inspirational successes. Despite planned and unplanned twists and turns, the Lord’s purpose has prevailed. Two final thoughts linger in my mind, the first concerning this high school graduating class of 2013. This class opened our preschool doors and is the first group to walk through 14 years of CVC, enjoying many accomplishments and adven- tures. We know they are prepared, and we wish them well. The second flows from the many sweet and sin- cere “thank-yous” and “good-byes” shared on the last day of school at the “surprise” assembly given at the elementary (see page 3). The honest, loving and sincere sharing by all the students and staff was a priceless gift and is now a cherished memory. – Randy Postmus, CVC Elementary Principal

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The Communique of Central Valley Christian School

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Cavalier July 2013

• C V C T E A C H E R P E R S P E C T I V E– by Blake Hiemstra, CVC Middle School English Teacher

Beauty in BrokennessSometimes the light flashes in tears, and the beauty of those tears buoys this

world out of its weariness.A few weeks ago we celebrated perhaps my favorite day of the school calendar.

We take the one-week-from-graduation eighth graders off campus for a retreat, a day of celebrating who they are and who God has made them to be. We call it The Next Step, symbolic of the giant leap they’re soon to make to high school and the next phase of their lives.

As part of the festivities we bring kids into an elegantly lit room where parent volunteers await them sitting at round tables decorated with more elegance and charm than Martha Stewart could produce. The kids eat. They fellowship. They do some improv. They hear teaching about God’s plan for their lives. They eat some more. They worship. They go to their separate gender-specific corners to hear the truth about the other corner, their potential prom dates. They eat some more. We treat them like the adults they’re becoming with the result being a day of memories and healthy pondering of the future.

We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, this year at The Next Step, to ratchet up the poignancy and allow kids to touch and smell community, we invited the whole village. That is, for the month prior to Next Step we encouraged each student’s vil-lage – parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, relatives, youth leaders, baristas (with the ever-present venti frappuccino in some kids’ hands I sometimes wonder if Starbucks has more of

an influence on their lives than I do) – to write letters with the general theme of “As you move on to this next stage of life.” Call it a covert compositional mission. In the afternoon each kid got a file folder to open and some solitude to read the notes.

As I walked around outside and viewed kids reading the letters, beauty showed up. Smiles abounded. Heads nodded. Kids read and got faraway glazes in their eyes. And with one girl in particular, the light truly flashed.

Normally she’s as cool as an assassin’s ice cubes. Don’t get me wrong. She’s pleasant, and I enjoy her immensely. She simply is not prone to the theatrics or emotion that sometimes characterizes eighth grade girls. As I walked around the corner I saw her sitting there reading the flood of notes from her village. As she read, she wiped the tears from her eyes. She was moved. Overwhelmed by community. Flooded with love. Shattered by grace.

(“Beauty” continues on page 2)

JU

LY

• 2

01

3

God is FaithfulWhat an amazing, change-filled,

God-led 15 years of leading and learning I’ve been blessed to ex-perience with many people sharing this chapter and journey during my tenure here. With so many experi-ences and stories, I can’t single one out but rather an over arching reflection: God provides. God is faithful. God is in control. I know the future is full and bright and in His hands.

Mixed emotions swirl through my mind as I write these words. It’s an honor to write in the last issue and give the “last word,” but also a re-sponsibility to encapsulate an entire school year. The words of Proverbs 21:19 come to mind, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” We all have accomplished ‘Something Greater’ this year. We’ve all expe-rienced God’s greatness and grown in the ways our Lord ordained. The rearview mirror teems with assumed accomplishments, surprising let-downs and inspirational successes. Despite planned and unplanned twists and turns, the Lord’s purpose has prevailed.

Two final thoughts linger in my mind, the first concerning this high school graduating class of 2013. This class opened our preschool doors and is the first group to walk through 14 years of CVC, enjoying many accomplishments and adven-tures. We know they are prepared, and we wish them well. The second flows from the many sweet and sin-cere “thank-yous” and “good-byes” shared on the last day of school at the “surprise” assembly given at the elementary (see page 3). The honest, loving and sincere sharing by all the students and staff was a priceless gift and is now a cherished memory.

– Randy Postmus,CVC Elementary Principal

Page 2: The Cavalier July 2013

2(“Beauty” continued from page 1)

Cultivatingresponsible

Christianadults

Valuingacademic

excellence

ConnectingBiblical truthswith everyday

living

ShapingChrist-likebehavior

Sometimes brokenness is beautiful.It showed me again the intrinsic power of the written

word to bless and move hearts in ways that the spoken word is incapable of. Perhaps it’s the permanence of it. Maybe it’s the fact that the writer took the time to pen the words. Perchance it’s more. Maybe there’s simply a mystical, un-explainable sway in the written word, a lithe power to stir the soul. Whatever it is, it makes me thankful for the gift of words and the opportunity to incite or encourage fellow pilgrims on this planet.

And grateful, of course, for yet another flash of light in this weary world.

– by Blake Hiemstra, CVC MS English Teacher

• • ▲ • •

experience. It is essential that young writers have an opportunity to share their work. Recognizing this, Mrs. Irene Hooyer (second grade teacher) and Mrs. Teri Girard (third grade teacher) decided to start a new tradition in the elementary school by organizing an annual “Celebra-tion of Writing” event for the CVC first through sixth graders. The students’ creative writing was on display in the elementary MMC for parents and students to enjoy one rainy afternoon in April. Guests had the opportunity to post encouraging comments in response to each story written. Some students even chose to read their work on the stage. It was obvious that there are numerous budding authors in our midst!

CVC Alumni Accomplishments Stephen Vogt (‘03) was promoted to the Oakland Athletics on June 24, 2013, and on June 25, the CVC graduate responded by collecting the first RBI of his major league career. In his first plate appearance

for Oakland, Vogt lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that plated Josh Donaldson to extend the A’s lead over the Cincinnati Reds to 2-0 in the second inning. Vogt has been one of the better hitting catchers at the Triple-A level all season. In 58 games for Sacramento, Oakland’s Pacific Coast League affiliate, Vogt hit .325 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs. He had 17 doubles to go with an OPS of .934.

Stephanie Messinger (’04) was promoted to Captain in the U.S. Army last year and will complete her nine-month tour in Afghanistan in July 2013.

Kylee Rogers (’10) is currently serving an internship with Students International in Guatemala.

Hannah Anderson (’11) left on April 7, 2013 for Hernhut, Germany, to be a missionary equipper. She is assisting in equipping those heading out to the mission field. On June 9, 2013, she and Mac John, her leader from her first YWAM mission, left for Uganda, Africa, where they will be speaking in churches. They will then head to Yei, South Sudan, where they will teach for a week in the Discipleship Training School. They plan on speaking in four conferences in Yei and then holding a conference in Juba, South Sudan. A conference is typi-cally four days of teaching on whatever topics the church asks them to cover.

Joni Van Bockel (’11) had her first solo art exhibition entitled “Touchy Feely” in the Nazareth Gallery at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, MN, where she is attending school. She is currently preparing to go to Florence, Italy, to study art history this fall.

— More CVC Alumni News on page 6 —

A Celebration of Writing

Page 3: The Cavalier July 2013

3

Congratulationsto the 79 members of the

CVC Class of 2013

ValedictorianAndrew Gong

SalutatorianTara Zwart

Future Plans for the Graduates

Christian Colleges and Universities21

State Colleges and Private Universities27

Community Colleges27

Technical Schools3

Employment1

CSF Lifetime Members40

Class Verse“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

and your plans will succeed.”– Proverbs 16:3

Scholarships and AwardsPlease see “Of Note” on page 7

Thank You, Mr. Postmus!With eager excitement, lines of students filed into the

elementary MMC and prepared to surprise their principal. Throughout the last week of school, students in K–6 wrote personal letters to Mr. Postmus, expressing their appreciation for all his work at Central Valley Christian School. As the students entered the building, they dropped off their cards into an ever-increasing pile of gratitude.

It was not difficult to quiet the students down as they sat patiently waiting for Mr. Postmus’ arrival. A sudden hush fell over the children before an excited SURPRISE erupted with cheers and applause. Mr. Kornelis explained to Mr. Postmus that we were all here to honor him and to thank him for the influence he has had on so many lives. To do this, many students wrote letters, but also a few sixth graders wanted to read their notes out loud.

“Thank you for encouraging me...

for sharing your faith...

for cheering me on at Field Day...

for being a faithful role-model...

for being a second dad to me...

for making me feel welcome as a new student...”

A group of twelve sixth graders shared their hearts about their favorite memories of Mr. Postmus and also what they admired most about his character. “Thank you for encourag-

ing me...for sharing your faith...for cheering me on at Field Day...for actively participating in events...for being a faithful role-model...for being a second dad to me...for making me feel welcome as a new student...for caring and listening...for truly being something greater.”

One student shared a beautiful verse from 1 John 2:17. “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Certainly, Mr. Postmus has touched many lives with his love for children and his desire to carry out God’s will. We are confident that God will continue to use Mr. Postmus in furthering His kingdom. Thank you Mr. Postmus for blessing us with your service for so many years. You will be missed!

– by Julie Cardoza, CVC Sixth Grade Teacher

Page 4: The Cavalier July 2013

4

Sports Wrap UpBaseball • The Cavaliers had a promising pre-season but struggled in the

highly competitive Central Sequoia League. The Cavaliers return many players and should have an outstanding 2014 campaign. The team was led by All-Cen-tral Sequoia League selections Caleb Flores (first team) and Shane Marshall (second team).

Softball • The Lady Cavaliers had their best season in recent memory. They were led by CSL Co-MVP Demi Danell and seniors Savannah Garbani, Alanna Jameson, Kylie Colburn, Maddie Potts, Rachel Postmus and Jamie Dykstra. The team won the pre-season tournament in Strathmore and won a play-off game to advance to the Division 5 Section Semi-Finals for the first time in many years.

Swimming (Boys) • The Cavaliers continued to dominate in the pool as the boys completed their fourth straight undefeated season in the CSL. They continued their run to the Division 2 Section Finals where they finished in third place. The following boys excelled throughout the season: Josh Koster (league champion in four events), Jimmy Koster (league champion in three events), Jeremiah Tiemersma (league champion in three events), and Hans Gilkey (league champion in three events).

Swimming (Girls) • The Lady Cavaliers had a strong season that finished by taking third place in the Central Sequoia League. Stand-out swimmers and divers included Cheyenne Penn (SCL Diving Champion), Megan Taylor, Tara Zwart and Lauren Walters.

Track and Field (Boys) • There is a good group of boys with the potential for some competitive success in the next few years. Junior Bronson Espinoza (shot put) was the lone CVC boy to qualify for the Central Section Masters Meet.

Track and Field (Girls) • The Cavaliers were undefeated in league dual meets this year and finished third at the CSL meet for an overall finish of third place. The girls then advanced to the Central Section Division 2 Meet where they finished in second place. The following girls were league champi-ons: Nicole Bouvia (four events), Lauren te Velde, Rainey Mayo, Veronica Nederend (two events), Shani Slabber, Gabby Satterlee and Katie Udell. Nicole, Lauren, Rainey, Veronica, Shani, and Gabby also were champions at the Division 2 Section Meet.

Tennis (Boys) • After winning the Central Section Division 5 Champi-onship in 2012, the boys were promoted to Division 4, and they were able to capture that championship this year. For the second straight year the Cavaliers went through Central Sequoia League play without a loss. Leading the way were the Gong and Thomas brothers. Andrew Gong won his third consecutive CSL Singles Title and capped off his season by winning the Central Section Singles Championship. His brother, Bailey, had a great freshman season as he finished second in the CSL and advanced to the Central Section Quarter-Finals.

Golf (Boys) • The boys were rarely challenged in league play this year as they won the Central Sequoia League Championship and the Central Area Championship. They advanced to the section tournament where they finished as the Division 2 Runner-Ups. They were led by seniors Jordan Koelewyn and Kyle Vizzolini. Koelewyn, Alex te Velde, and Jacob Haynes all advanced to the Central Section Individual Championships. Koelewyn continued his strong play with a top 10 finish at the Central Section Individual Tournament and a second place finish at the Southern California Regional to become the first CVC golfer to advance to the State Tournament in Carmel.

– by Ryan Tos, CVC Athletic Director

Page 5: The Cavalier July 2013

AUGUST12 K-8 New Family Orientations - MMC13 HS New Family Orientation, 7 pm14 School Begins - 11:30 dismissal 8:15 am - First Day of School

Mother’s Club Meeting - HS Gym MS New Parent Orientation - MPR,

7 pm15 MS New Parent Orientation - MPR,

7 pm16 School Pictures HS Back to School Dance26 HS CSF Fall Drive (continues

through Sept. 6)27 K-6 Back to School Night 29 MS Back to School Night

SEPTEMBER2 Labor Day - No School3 HS Back to School Night9 College Night for HS Seniors, 7 pm27 Homecoming Football Game28 Homecoming Dance, 7 pm

OCTOBER3, 4 Teacher In-Service (No School)11 Fall Festival/Grandparents’ Day14–17 K-8 ITBS Testing14 Fall Choral Concert, 7 pm17 Pastors’ Breakfast, 8 am18 End of 1st Quarter21 MS/HS Fall Band Concert - Chapel,

7 pm24, 25 K-8 Parent/Teacher Conferences

No school for K-8 ONLY28 College Night for HS Juniors, 7 pm

Transitions Dear Cavalier Family,

We have several teachers that will not be returning to CVC next school year. We would like to thank them for their service to us and wish them the best as they pursue other endeavors.

Mr. Randall Postmus has served as our elementary principal for the last fifteen years. We want to thank Randy for all the time he has invested in our children and staff over these years. Randy will be remembered for his calm demeanor, godly leadership, and his crazy, unique ways of celebrating events. We will miss Randy and

his family but wish him the very best as he takes over the leadership of Provi-dence Christian School in Merced. He will have a great opportunity to lead a young growing school into the future.

Mrs. Lisa Anderson has served us well over these past six years as one of our high school resource teachers and as a women’s fitness trainer. Lisa was a team player who was willing to help wherever needed. She was a spiritual leader who kept the staff informed of upcoming enriching events. Her humor and graciousness will be

missed at the high school.

Miss Jennifer LaMar has been our high school Art instructor for the past two years. She was very involved with her students and got many of them interested in art outside of the classroom. Through her work, our art room and students have been seen twice on TV, once as a special on local art and another as part of a featured

Teacher of the Week award.

Miss Darcy Miedema previously taught in CVC’s elementary school before taking a couple of years off to teach in a mission school in Central America. She returned to us four years ago and has once again felt the call to missions, this time working locally in our own inner city with children and young people. We will miss

Darcy’s wit, charm and smile, but we wish her the best as she seeks to serve the Lord in a different capacity within our own city.

Mr. Dan Branderhorst will be returning to his home town of Pella, Iowa, after spending two years with CVC as our business department leader. He became very well-liked by both his peers and students. He was a hard worker who was willing to help wherever needed. He not only upgraded our business department but was also active

as a basketball coach, including leading our boys varsity basketball team this past season. Dan came to us out of a business background and will do well at whatever he pursues.

Miss Abbie Wright, our half-time math teacher and assistant volleyball coach, has the unique opportunity to be a volleyball coach at her alma mater, Biola University. We will miss her smile and sense of humor.

– by John De Leeuw,CVC Administrator

CVC Phone NumbersPreschool Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-2050

Elementary (K–6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-2684

FAX for Elementary Office . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-2051

Middle School Office (7–8) . . . . . . . . . . . 734-5273

FAX for Middle School Office . . . . . . . . . . 334-5283

High School Office (9–12)/

Administration/Superintendent/

Business Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-9481

FAX for High School Office . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-7963

Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-2018

Athletic Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-8160

CVC Web Site: www.cvc.org

Page 6: The Cavalier July 2013

6

CVC Alumni News Graduations

Jeffrey Gilkey (’05) graduated from CSU Fresno, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He is currently working as an EIT at Summers Engineering in Hanford, CA.

Kirstie Kampen (’06) graduated from the UC Davis, on June 1, 2013, with her Master of Public Health degree. She plans on working in the field of public health for a few years and waiting to see where God leads her.

Michael Kornelis (’06) graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary on May 18, 2013, with a Master of Theology degree. Both Michael and his wife, Ally, have accepted teaching positions at charter schools in Phoenix, Arizona, teaching Latin.

Ariel de Jong (’08) graduated from CSU Fresno, with a Bachelor of Science in Business with an emphasis in Marketing in December, 2012.

Leah (Fynaut) Guerrero (’08) graduated from the U.S. Military Academy on May 25, 2013, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geo-spatial Information Sciences. She will be on active duty in the U.S. Army for the next five years as a commissioned office. Her first duty station in is Fort Lewis, WA

Nico Slabber (’08) graduated from Cal Poly Pomona June 15, 2013, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with minors in Material Science Engineering and Energy Engineering. He plans to explore South America this summer and then find a job.

Parker Anderson (’09) graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Fresno Pacific University in December, 2012. He is working for Family Tree Farms as a produce salesman.

Tim Andreas (’09) received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electri-cal Engineering, graduating with Highest Honors from UC Davis, College of Engineering, on June 14, 2013. He was also selected as a member of Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honor society, and was elected for membership in Phi Kappa Phi, the oldest inter-disciplinary honor society in the country.

Mason Brady (’09) graduated magna cum laude from Fresno Pacific University on May 4, 2013, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management. He plans to attend law school and become a business con-sultant lawyer for agricultural and dairy farmers.

Ryan Boertje (’09) graduated from CSU Fresno on May 17, 2013, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business. He plans to continue working in the agricultural industry and on his family’s dairy.

Danica Bowers (’09) graduated from Azusa Pacific University on May 4, 2013, with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design.

Micah De Groot (’09) graduated on June 16, 2013, from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo with a degree in Dairy Science. He is planning on returning to this area to work on a dairy.

Thys De Hoop (’09) graduated from Dordt College on May 10, 2013, with a degree in Agricultural Business. Thys recently joined the staff of The Navigators. He plans to leave this fall to go to the Netherlands for two years to help pioneer an international student ministry in Amsterdam.

Matthew Gilkey (’09) graduated on June 16, 2013, from UC Santa Barbara with his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. He will be entering the PhD Program in Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware in August.

Jared Irvine (’09) graduated from Biola University summa cum laude on May 24, 2013, with a Bachelor Degree in Communications and a minor in Biblical Studies. He will work at Grace Community Church as an intern to explore ministry.

Kevin Kampen (’09) graduated from UC Davis, on June 14, 2013, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He will have a six-month internship with Intel for circuit design after which he plans on working towards his Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in Analog Circuits at UC Davis.

Darren Kornelis (’09) walked in graduation at Calvin College on May 18, 2013. He will “officially” graduate in December with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion.

Kevin Kornelis (’09) graduated from Calvin College on May 18, 2013, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and a minor in History. Kevin has accepted a teaching position at a Christian school in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, in Israel/West Bank, teaching Bible and history to 7th, 8th and 9th graders.

Megan Labor (’09) graduated from Azusa Pacific with her Bachelor Degree in Journalism on May 4, 2013. She is working for The Drislyn in Los Angeles, CA.

Erica Nederend (’09) graduated cum laude May 26, 2013, from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics, with an emphasis on Industrial and Systems Engineer-ing. She is moving to San Francisco to work as a business development consultant with Oracle.

Chad Reenders (’09) graduated from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo on June 16, 2013, with a Bachelor of Science degree in BioResource and Agricultural Engineering. He will be doing farm optimization and management for Zonneveld Farms.

Lance Reeves (’09) graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science from The Master’s College on May 10, 2013. He is currently working as the Youth Intern at Visalia CRC and will be doing some coaching at CVC for the 2013–2014 school year. He is planning to attend a school of podiatry in the fall of 2014.

Adam te Velde (’09) graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business and a minor in Eco-nomics. Adam plans to travel in South America and then take a short-term job at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange until December. Once finished, Adam will move back to the Valley and begin working in some type of agricultural venue.

Chelsea Underwood (’09) earned her RN degree from COS on December 13, 2012. She is currently working towards her BA degree at Fresno Pacific University while working as a nurse at Kaweah Delta Hospital.

Blake Van Grouw (’09) graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on June 16, 2013, with a Bachelors of Science degree in Agricultural Business. He will be working for Rabobank Agribusiness in Santa Maria as a relationship/credit analyst.

Anthony Vander Schaaf (’09) graduated from CSU Long Beach on May 23, 2013 with a double major in Psychology and Human Develop-ment. He is currently employed as a Behavioral Therapist at Cornerstone Therapies in Huntington Beach, CA.

Jaclyn Visser (’09) graduated from Pepperdine University on April 27, 2013, with a degree in Intercultural Communications. She will be at-tending the University College of London this fall and working towards a graduate degree.

Mark Weststeyn (’09) graduated magna cum laude on May 11, 2013, from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. He will be attending Northern Arizona this fall to work towards his doctorate in Physical Therapy.

Heidi Witschi (’09) graduated from Azusa Pacific University on May 4, 2013, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She is cur-rently employed at We Care Veterinary Clinic in Visalia as an assistant office manager. Heidi will travel to Ireland and Holland in August to hold soccer camps with a Christian emphasis for Ambassadors in Sports.

Jacob Owens (’10) graduated summa cum laude from UC Santa Barbara on June 16, 2013, with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He received the A. Russell Buchanan Award from the UC Santa Barbara History Department. He will attend law school in the fall.

Byron Vander Weide (’11) graduated from Reedley College on May 16, 2013, with an Airframe and Powerplant License. He is working at the Visalia Airport as a jet mechanic at Aircraft Mechanical Services.

More graduations, marriages and births in the next issue!If you would like to see your alumni news in print, please send

an email with all information to: [email protected]

Page 7: The Cavalier July 2013

Tulare County Charter of Association ofCalifornia School Administrators

Summer Freeman

Visalia Breakfast Lions Club ScholarshipKayla Stock

Visalia Fire Fighters AssociationAlison Vidal

Visalia Sequoia Lions Club ScholarshipJessica Parker, Alison Vidal

World Wide SiresHans Gilkey, Marilyn Van Beek,

Jay Te Velde, Kyle Vizzolini

DEPARTMENT AWARDS

ArtMadison Di Meo

ASB Student Leadership AwardRachelle Riezebos

BibleEileen DeRaadt, Kyle Vizzolini

BusinessAdam Danielson

DramaKatie Udell

EnglishMorgan Stoneroad

ImpactTaylor Boyle

MathAndrew Gong

ScienceAlexa Blundell

Social StudiesKatie Udell

SpanishMatt Supancic

John Philip SousaJamie Dykstra

National School ChoralCamila Mora

Industrial ArtsKees Knevelbaard

TOP OF THE CLASS ACADEMIC AWARDS

JuniorEmma Johnson, Craig Kampen

SophomoreSebastian Elsenbroek, Peter Toms

FreshmanBailey Gong, Shani Slabber

EIGHTH GRADE AWARDS

Gerrit Griffioen Memorial ScholarshipCoby Thomas

Cavalier of the Year AwardJacob de Jong, Megan Mueller

• • ▲ • •

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLREADING AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students who met or exceeded the 250 point goal: Evan Burton (4th), Dan-iela Earnest (6th), Ethan Hansen (5th), Jacie Hiemstra (5th), Jenna Lopes (5th), Campbell Moons (6th), Carter Moons (4th), Marshall Moons (6th) and Luke Tiersma (6th). Three students met the 500 points goal: Samuel Lopes (6th), Simon te Velde (6th) and Sara Tiersma (5th).

The Peter Toms Award is given each year to the student with the highest AR points. This award is given in honor of the student holding the school record for the highest points. Peter accom-plished this record as a sixth grader in 2008–09 with 1,501 points in one year! Congratulations to the recipient of this year’s award – Samuel Lopes!

7

Of Note... HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS

Congratulations to the following CVC High School students in their accomplishments and awards (All the students listed in Scholarships and Department Awards are seniors unless otherwise indicated):

SCHOLARSHIPS

Brad Bosler Memorial ScholarshipRachel Postmus

Buckman-Mitchell ScholarshipLauren Walters

Central Valley Optimists ScholarshipBailey Collins

Comcast ScholarshipKatie Udell

Corey D. White Memorial ScholarshipJessica Parker

CSF Lifetime Member ScholarshipsTara Zwart, Andrew Gong

CVC Boosters ScholarshipsNicole Bouvia, Kyle Vizzolini, Lauren Walters, Jay Te Velde

CVC Mothers’ Club ScholarshipsRachel Postmus, Lauren Walters

CVC Step-Up ScholarshipRachel Postmus, Tyler Thomas

Dr. Jonathan RainbowMemorial Scholarship

Emily Brown and Peter Toms (10th)

Fine Arts Enthusiasts ScholarshipAudrey Henken, Cami Mora,

Rachel Postmus, Rachelle Riezebos,Katie Schotanus

Jodi Bos Memorial ScholarshipMegan Taylor

PPAV ScholarshipJessica Parker

Ron Bates Memorial ScholarshipRachelle Riezebos

Visalia Medical ClinicKelsey Lemstra (“Of Note” continues on page 8)

Page 8: The Cavalier July 2013

• • ▲ • •

In This IssueBeauty in Brokenness . . . . . . 1

God is Faithful . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Alumni Accomplishments . . . 2

Thank You, Mr. Postmus . . . . 3

Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Sports Wrap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Looking Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Of Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 8

Of Note (continued from page 7)... State Chess Championship

Matthew Lewis (fifth grade, pictured at right) participated in the 38th California State Chess Cham-pionship in Santa Clara this April. He won four of his five matches and placed third in state!

Matthew plans to continue devel-oping his chess skills by attending chess camps this summer. Matthew’s advice to beginning chess players is “to have fun and keep trying to get better.” Congratulations Matthew!

Valley Singer ChallengeOn May 11, two CVC graduates participated in the Valley Singer Challenge

hosted by the Tulare County Symphony. Camila Mora (’13) and Abby Sherrill (’09) were among ten semi-finalists who sang in the Fox Theater accompanied by the orchestra. The audience voted for the top three finalists. Both Camila and Abby were selected as finalists. After singing again, Abby was chosen as winner by the panel of judges. She received a $1,000 prize and will perform as a soloist with the symphony later this fall. Congratulations to both of these CVC alumni singers for performing so well at this prestigious event!