The fallout of this kind of pressure often involves a scenario where students are tempted to slack off in class and cheat their way through.

“You can break man’s laws, but you can never get away with breaking God’s laws,” observes David Salvatelli, CCA’s Director of Academics. “We need to develop who we are in Christ so that we don’t give in to temptation. CCA students who are diligent and true to the Lord and themselves set themselves apart from the world.”

And, dishonest devices are not the only counter-productive practices employed in the quest for success. The overcrowded schedules of the majority of students can cause them to cave in to the time crunch by cramming, rather than following a methodical course of study. Often the turnover of material is so fast and furious, that  “in one ear and out the other” is still considered ‘learning.’

“Students need to plan ahead and work diligently to glorify the Lord with what they’ve accomplished,” Mr. Salvatelli contends. “Plan the work, and work the plan—don’t just continue to “deal” with it. Stop and make a plan.”

According to Mr. Salvatelli, CCA is trying to break the cramming cycle by teaching our students to focus on and absorb the material instead of just memorizing it, as if it were a script for a play.

“Getting students back on the path to real learning as opposed to just getting grades, will take everyone’s concerted efforts—from parents, teachers, and mentors to students themselves,” he says. “They need to wake up and learn for themselves, and learn for the plans that the Lord has for them.”

According to the CollegeView, a website filled with expert advice on the college admissions process, “Most competitive colleges value standardized tests more than ever. Over the last 25 years, more and more competitive colleges have EMPHASIZED high test scores because it gives them a way to evaluate students with disparate school records.”

If you didn’t know, college admissions offices compete with one another for applicants. The most prominent survey, US NEWS, makes SAT / ACT scores a huge category for ranking the schools. Incoming GPA is not ranked in the US News survey. This means that students with high GPAs often lose in the admissions game to students with lower GPAs but higher SAT or ACT scores.

“Admissions offices also compete by offering the strongest candidates money, and the last 20 years have seen the flowering of MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS. Prior to 1990, scholarship money was awarded only to athletic recruits and to students with high financial need. Today, almost every competitive 4-year college awards scholarships to entice academic talent, and their assessment of “talent” is the SAT / ACT score.  Awards of $2,000 – $200,000 are based largely on SAT or ACT scores.”

So, you may think, well okay, SAT scores matter, but ACT scores? Reports show that the ACT’s are if not equal, more important than the SAT’s, depending on your learning style.  The SAT is a test that measures your ability to reason where as the ACT is a test that measures your acquired learning. So what exactly is the ACT? The ACT is a standardized test used to measure your acquired learning in a specific subject. The Sat is an intelligence test, which measures potential ability or learning capacity. The SAT also reflects how well you analyze and solve problems and literary writing skills.

The ACTs and SAT are both available for students because colleges realize that students do better on different kinds of tests. High school English Teacher, Mrs. Monica Remer, said, “ I would really encourage you to take both tests because colleges accept both test and you never know which one you will do better on.”

The Act is accepted at all colleges for admission. What most colleges do is take a cumulative score based on your best scores from each time you take the test. When you take the ACT, the writing portion is not required but is highly recommended even though some colleges may not use this portion of the test in their initial evaluation. Some colleges even compare this essay to your essays on your application. Colleges see these writing portions as proof that students can write at a college level and that they are prepared for college work.

The college readiness benchmark scores are a set of scores that give you a general idea on what your scores should be in order to get into a successful college. These scores are really the minimum scores that you should have when you apply to colleges. Your scores are suggested to be at least 18 for English, 22 for math, 21 for reading, and 24 for science. The highest score you can receive on an ACT test is 36.

In order to get bright futures, the scores needed to attain this scholarship increase per year. For instance, for the graduating class of 2012 and 2013, the cumulative required score is a 28. Where as in 2014 the required cumulative score is 29.

Calvary invests in many programs that help prepare students for both the SAT and the ACT, such as New England test prep and Aleks. For more materials to practice for your ACT’s, go to www.actstudent.org/sampletest.  If you are interested in taking the ACT’s, CCA is offering it on Febuary 11, and April 14, 2012.

Mrs. Reeder’s classroom always smells like fresh baked cookies, but don’t mistake it for being a junk food haven, because here students not only learn how to cook, but also all about nutrition, and making…monkeys! Stuff animals, that is.  “We had so much fun making the felt monkeys,” said senior, Alex Rynard, formerly from Fort Lauderdale Christian School and new to CCA this year. “The whole time we were making them we were thinking about who we were giving it to. It encouraged me to make mine better.” The felt monkeys were a huge success, as they were seen all around campus, with their intended owners.

While today’s high school home economic courses have enough challenge just teaching students to boil noodles and scramble eggs, Mrs. Reeder’s class is learning how to do all that, plus how to be generous with the provisions that God has given us. That’s a good recipe. If you would like to test it, take Mrs. Reeder’s class!

Some students might say that the information can be found easily online by visiting those colleges’ websites. So, they raise the question: are college fairs really important? The answer is YES! College fairs not only give high school juniors and seniors, as well as underclassmen, the chance to learn more about schools they are interested in, but they get to discover new schools they didn’t know about.

On September 21, CCA hosted the annual Fort Lauderdale Christian College. Juniors and seniors were invited to attend to explore their options, and many took advantage of the offering. “It gives me an insight into various colleges and the information I need to make a wise decision, plus…I get free pens!” said junior, Melissa Longoria.

For those who missed this past college fair, be sure to attend the next one coming to CCA on March 7, 2012. Remember: these events are created for the convenience of students, parents, and high school counselors, who are your best allies to prepare you for life after high school.

Many high school students feel this way about studying. Teachers tell students to study, but they don’t say which way is right, because there isn’t just one way to study. There are, however, specific tools and styles of studying that can help students remember and recall the information before a test. Here are some you should consider:

• organizational tools—day planners, daily reviews schedule
• visual organization—use index/notecards, post-it notes
• memory improvement—read the information out loud
• study environment—find the best place for you
• goals, will, and motivation—create a plan and commit to it
• time management—spend time reviewing your notes
• procrastination—avoid it like the plague
• listening—class participation is key
• textbook reading—short-term memory begins here; read, then re-read
• library research—use outside resources to support what you are studying
• concentration—focus on the work
• stress management—take breaks, have fun, eat well, and exercise often
• learning styles—everyone has one, find yours

Aside from the above guidelines, there is a model that explains how the brain works, helping us understand what we need to do before a test. Did you know that it takes seven times for information to go from short-term to long-term memory? Let’s say you’re in Science class. The teacher gives you a chapter to read and you wonder how you’re going to retain this material. Follow this studying process as seen in the next table, and watch in amazement at how your brain works.

Visual Organization

The Index card method is many students’ favorite choice. Serena Rubin says, “I love index cards. In my opinion, they are the best way to memorize words and definitions.” Some teachers require students to make notecards for their classes and take it as a grade. Although some students complain about notecards, they still find they really do help. “One of my teachers requires us to make notecards and put a picture on it. It doesn’t matter what the picture is, it just helps you associate things with the term,” Mackenzie said.

Time Management

Working out when to study is another problem students face. Most students have activities after school, so finding time is hard. “I make sure to limit my activities to a reasonable amount. I’m always working my schedule around my study time,” says Serena.

Don’t waste time. Bring index cards or notes when waiting in line, at a doctor’s appointment, or even between classes. Use every spare minute. Spreading out studying time is proven to help students remember, instead of cramming the night before the test. Sports take up a large amount of student’s time, but most students can figure out a study schedule that works for them.

The Study Cycle:

1. The information comes to your brain from a textbook. You read it, you take notes, and then you even consider outside reading—background knowledge that might help you understand what you have just read.
2. Before this information can pass from your short-term memory to long-term memory, you rehearse the information using visual resources (index cards, post-it notes, etc.).
3. You rehearse the information by reading it out loud to yourself, family or friends.
4. You then create a feedback loop—ask your friends to ask you about the information. Consider this a mini quiz.
5. Review your notes and this will be recorded on your Long-term memory.
6. Review again. Long-term retrieval is activated when…
7. You take the test as a confident student who knows their stuff.

• Read, read, and…read some more! The more you read, the better you will understand your subject and the easier the class will become.

• Do the work. No excuses and no procrastinations. For an AP class you have to be on top of your assignments. The classes are fast paced and the teachers cannot stop to guide someone who has no intention to move along.

• Stay organized. Find a system that works well for you. Keep your notes in a binder or in folders in your computer. Whatever works for you, make it happen…well.

• Use resources to your advantage. Use the school media center or stop by your local bookstore, such as Barnes and Noble, where you can find everything from flash cards to review books, and… a caramel macchiato for late study nights.

• Don’t freak out when you don’t understand something. If you don’t understand a topic, ask your teachers; they are there to help you.  Ask for help sessions after school…and as a last case resort, STALK them on Edmodo!

• Don’t let the grades affect you. Getting a good grade in an AP class is important, just like in any other class. But AP classes are hard. You many not get a perfect score in all assignments, but that’s okay. Colleges look for students who challenge themselves and AP classes are the best way to do it. If you are in the class and working hard, it will pay off.

• Balance your life. Don’t push yourself too hard and give yourself a break now and then. Consider your workload and what things in your life you need to put on a shelf for this season.

• Study Hard. Get into the habit of studying hard. Find ways to motivate you to study. You may want to consider starting a study group. Two minds are better than one… really! Get together with your friends to work on the assignments. It will make the studying less tiresome, and your friends will be able to help you understand the material.

• Have fun with the class, and fun in general. It’s a balancing act… haven’t you heard? Don’t ignore your social life or extracurricular activities. Enjoy what you are learning in your AP class and socialize with your peers, as they too are experiencing this class and the skills you are learning, which will be useful later in life, especially if they are related to your intended career. Senior, Rebecca Vitcus says, “If you don’t like the subject, don’t take the class. You’ll just make yourself miserable!” Take AP classes you are interested in, or think might help your future career. For instance, if you want to be a writer, consider taking an AP English class. The writing exercise will help you immensely.

Overall, colleges look for students who are learning at a higher level, who socialize while doing it, and have a rounded education, and that includes sports and other extracurricular activity, such as drama, music, or clubs. So, don’t ignore the life that’s happening outside your AP classes.

Like everything in life, it’s a balancing act. Find ways to include cookie breaks with your friends or make time for Friday night outings, like dinner and a movie. Try your hardest to do well in your AP class. Don’t procrastinate. Commit yourself to the three t’s: talent, tenacity, and training. Most importantly, give it your all, and then trust God for the results!

The judges selected five winners from each category for publication in Journey, which will be distributed this week. We sat down with Journalism teacher, Maritza Cosano Gomez, who put the team together to produce CCA’s first literary magazine.

AG: How many entries were submitted into the literary magazine and what were some of the highlights?
MCG: Over 60 entries were received among the three categories. Art had the most submissions, with paintings, sculptures, and drawings, varying in size and medium. Many of these were from art students whose art pieces were also showcased at the Middle School’s Inaugural Art Exhibition on March 8 – 31, and at the 5^th Annual K-12 Art Show on April 7 – 17. The Writing category included some great fiction and non-fiction, as well as poetry pieces. I can tell you, there are some future authors here! The Photography category also displayed some beautiful compositions, from landscapes, to people and objects. Mr. Pearcy commented on some as having “outstanding treatment!”

AG: How were the entries scored?
MCG: The judges were given a list of all the entries, along with a form outlining the judging criteria, each containing a maximum value. They critiqued all the pieces, totaled the percentages, and those artists with the highest scores were selected as the winners. Since the scores were not to be made public, the judges were encouraged to leave notes for the student artists, who will be receiving these along with a copy of Journey when that is published this month.

AG: Do you consider Journey a success?
MCG: Oh, yes, I consider it to be a huge success! I never envisioned receiving so many entries. The caliber of the talent completely surpassed any expectation I could have had. It just goes to show you that we serve a VERY gifted CREATOR!

AG: Will Journey be available next year?
MCG: God willing, this will be the first edition of many more to come. There are so many young talented artists at CCA, and there were many students who didn’t submit their work to this year’s competition for one reason or another. I hope that when they see what their peers have done, they will find the time and courage to share their gifts with the rest of us.

AG: Anything you would like to add?
MCG: Only that you can write, paint, or take a photograph for your own enjoyment, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But God gave us talents to be shared with others, not to keep them to ourselves. God is the Master of creation, and yet it was not enough for Him to design something good. He created mankind and shared His creation with us, and we in turn glorify Him for His kind gesture. Art is also a way to tell others who God is and what He’s done for us and through us. We’re each so unique in design and that’s the beauty of art, too. Journey is a perfect illustration of that.

Writing:

Senior, Anisa Stechert won First Place for her “Me” dramatic essay; Freshman, Alexandra Gomez won Second Place for her “Until the Whole World Hears” poem; Freshman, Jessica Gushue won Third Place for her “A Pure Heart” poem; Senior, Brynn Burgess won Fourth Place for her “Winter” poem; and eighth grader, Connor Walcott won Fifth Place for his “The Ballad of Cedric the Brave,” short story.

The following students also received honorary mentions for their pieces: Senior, Jordan Glindomrong, for his poem “Sonnet for a Hero”; freshman, Alexandra Gomez for her article, “Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh, My!” Senior, Melissa King for her article, “Horror: Rules or a Matter of the Heart?” Senior, Mike Hornsby for his poem “His Work in Me”; Freshman, Jessica Gushue for her poem “Rescued”; and Senior, Anisa Stechert for her essay “Redeemed.”

Art:

The judges critiqued the different art mediums and selected the winners accordingly. First place winners included: Sixth grader, Jacob LeMaire for his “Harmony” line pen drawing; Senior, Skylar White for her “Impressionistic Tree” oil painting; Junior, Jessica Byrd for her “Oliotchya” ceramic red pot; Sophomore, Jamie Sedeyn, for her “Jungle Flower” watercolor drawing; Sophomore, Hailey Tweed for her “Revelation 13” dragon illustration; and seventh grader, Ariel Westerburger for her “Untitled” conte crayon on brown paper large portrait.

Photography:

Sophomore, Heather Wroth’s “Love” and “God Stands” photographs, tied for First Place; Sophomore, Avery Reeder’s “Flicker” won Second Place; Sophomore, Jamie Warsager’s “Untitled” photographs won Third Place; Sophomore, Avery Reeder’s “Quintessential Haiti” won Fourth Place; and senior, Kyle Lackore’s “Christmas Shimmer” tied Fifth Place with Jamie Warsager’s other “Untitled” photo submission.

Honorary mentions were awarded to senior, Melissa King’s other work and senior, Josh Rich’s “Marco Island” photographs.

Judging Pannel: Writing: Mrs. Lisa Flay, Drama Teacher, and Krissy Brown, Secondary English Teacher.

Art: Sheri Hecocks, Fine Arts Director,  and Elaine Panella, Elementary Art Teacher.

Photography:  Rod Pearcy, CCA parent and Pastor Bob Coy’s Assistant.

Criteria: 1. Creativity & Originality (50pts)

2. Presentation, Composition & Craftsmanship (30pts)

3. Christian Message Content (20pts).

A perfect score for any given entry was 100 points.

Before the program began at 7pm, CCA families, teachers, and administrators had a chance to spend some time at The Grill, where hor’s douvres and drinks were served as part of the night’s celebration.

Subject awards at every high school grade level were announced, as well as other awards including: the Honor Roll, Silver Knights, ACSI Writing awards, History Day awards, President’s Academic awards, Distinguished Leadership, I Dare You awards, and Citizenship awards.

Secondary English teacher, Mrs. Monica Remer, oraganized all the logistics of the event, including collecting the teachers’ votes, which assisted in nominating the award recipients that were honored during Tuesday evening’s event.

ACSI AWARDS
The ACSI Creative Writing Contest was open to 4th through 12th graders, but, unlike most ACSI competitions, the student’s work rather than the student travels alone to the contest site where three judges evaluate the effort. The writing contest for the Jupiter region is notorious for its selectivity in assigning ratings.

“This year, out of 88 total entries, only five Superior ratings were earned and CCA garnered two of them—exceptional work,” said Melodie Womble, ACSI Creative Writing Coordinator, Silver Knight Coordinator, and Direct Studies teacher.  “An ‘Excellent’ rating is considered an outstanding effort while a ‘Good’ is recognized as a tremendous achievement.”

• Kyle Stevens, 4th Grade—Good
• Megan Salsamendi, 4th Grade—Excellent
• Brett Herbert, 5th Grade—Excellent
• Willow Rachels, 5th Grade—Excellent
• Kaitlyn Conner, 7th Grade—Excellent
• Shelby Groenveld, 7th Grade—Good
• Jacob Losego, 8th Grade—Good
• Jon Frevola, 9th Grade—Excellent
• Alexandra Gomez, 9th Grade—Excellent
• Katie Gottfried, 11th Grade—Good
• Knox Poole, 11th Grade—Superior
• Daniel Garces, 11th Grade—Good
• Brynn Burgess, 12th Grade—Good
• Jordan Glindomrong, 12th Grade—Superior
• Mike Hornsby, 12th Grade—Excellent

Silver Nights
Seniors Drew Anderson and David Vendrell won honorable mention awards at the prestigious 53rd Silver Knight Competition last month (May 18). This is CCA’s third year competing and its first win. Vendrell created a video to get the word out on Golden Acres, an impoverished Section 8 Housing Community to earn the $500 prize in the New Media category. Anderson shared his dream of being a pastor and the fulfillment he receives leading small groups as well as his impact through Souper Bowl of Caring to win recognition in the social science category.

Silver Knight is an esteemed honor bestowed on high school students in Dade and Broward Counties by The Miami Herald.  Colleges across the country recognize winners for their scholarship, community service, leadership and character. High schools in the two counties are able to nominate their best achievers in up to 15 different categories.  The process includes extensive scrutiny of applications and rigorous interviews. A winner and three honorable mentions are awarded cash prizes and the distinction of being a Silver Knight.

CCA entered 10 categories this year. Department heads and academic teams recommended nominees who were then selected by a team of sponsors and approved by the administration.  They are: General Scholar, Macie Sweet; Art, Melissa King; Athletics, Tyler Middlebrooks; Drama, Erika Toderic; English and Literature, Jeri-Nichole Kendall; Mathematics, Vinnie O’Hare; New Media, David Vendrell; Science, Meagan Kreisel; Social Science, Drew Anderson and World Languages, Brianna Marecki. Representing CCA as a Silver Knight nominee becomes a part of a student’s permanent transcript.

 “Next year we have so many outstanding candidates whom teachers have recommended that we plan to ask the nominees to compete to represent CCA more along the lines of what the public schools do.  Juniors Suzi Trick and Johnny Jones accompanied CCA Administrator, Naomi Peyton, to the Gala to get a taste of the honor.  Both students have been identified in at least five of the fifteen categories as a potential future representative.” — Melodie Womble, Silver Knight Coordinator

Melissa King, Valedictorian 2011

Valedictorian. Top of the class, highest grade point average, and an all around student. Who wouldn’t want to be this person at graduation? The valedictorian gets into the best colleges and basically has success written all over them. But the road to becoming one is less than glamorous. How do valedictorians become valedictorians…anyway?

Becoming a class valedictorian is a major accomplishment in your high school career. It takes determination, focus, and discipline. You have to start from the beginning, and by the beginning I mean freshman year of high school. A student that pursues such a highly esteemed honor has to excel academically above all others throughout their high school years. One who achieves this award can gain major benefits including scholarships from certain schools. It helps their chances getting into the school of their choice and also looks good on any resume.

From the day you sign up for courses, your quest for number one begins. First, the basics. Class rank, which determines valedictorian and salutatorian, is determined through your GPA. Every course has a certain weight, usually regular courses weigh in at 4pts (if they receive a mark of an A), honors courses weigh 5pts and Advanced Placement (AP) courses weigh in at 5.5 – 5.8pts.

All of the weighted points are added together and divided by the number of courses taken, resulting in the GPA. This is cumulative over the four years of high school, so it is crucial to establish it your first and second years.

There is not a lot to it but to try to get straight A’s while simultaneously having the hardest course load possible. Yet, it is also very important that you do not overload yourself and end up getting lower marks in classes where you should be getting A’s. If you feel you have too much on your plate, then maybe being valedictorian is not what you were cut out to be or more importantly, what God called you to be.

Macie Sweet, Salutatorian

The pursuit of academic excellence proves to be quite competitive as seniors strive to become their class valedictorian. Calvary Christian Academy is no exception.  We recently spoke to Secondary Principal, Mr. Rob Lofthouse, about these high positions as decisions over the candidates were being made.

CL: When is the new valedictorian decided on?
RL: We look at the GPA right up until the first of May. That is when we factor in their courses that they have this semester and predict by their quarter marks if the person that is leading will continue to lead.

CL:  Why is the winner kept a secret until the end of the year?
RL: It’s close enough that we have to do that. If it were one person that was way out in front and not even close we would just announce it. That’s our policy. If it’s close, we try to go as late as possible.  Melissa King is the Valedictorian and Macie Sweet is the Salutatorian for the Class of 2011.

CL:  Aside from the GPA, what other criteria do you look into?
RL: We look at the person with the highest GPA, but  they also must meet the criteria of character, spiritual life, and leadership. If for some reason that person doesn’t meet the criteria they may be disqualified. The GPA is what drives it, but it is not the only factor.

CL:  How close does it normally come?
RL: Ever since I’ve been here it’s always been down to the last few weeks. We’ve never had a clear-cut winner by Christmas. It’s always been so close between two to three,  possibly even four candidates. Depending on their last quarter of their senior year, it could go one way or the other. It’s nice because it’s competitive and it spurs students on. It helps them to continue to work hard and not slack off or get senioritis too much.  We are very proud of Melissa and she deserves that title. She worked really hard and now she will be leading her class.

Many people will tell you that in order to be successful in your final exams, you should start reviewing way in advance; try not to cram it all in at the last minute. So, if you didn’t know, the senior exams are on May 18 – 20 and for the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, exams are on May 31 – June 2.

So, why do we even need to take exams, anyway? Can’t teachers take our word for it that we learned all the material they taught us? “I wish we could,” was Secondary History teacher, Sandy Perrin’s soft reply while Bible teacher, Bill Schott, offered a more direct approach: “Because we already took your word for it that you were paying attention in class and not texting; your tardy was excused; and you really, really, really did have to go to the bathroom, which wasn’t always trustworthy.”

All jest aside, the bottom line is: exams prepare you for the next level in your education, especially college. If you succeed there, chances are you will succeed later in life. “In school, teachers want you to succeed,” said Sports Injury Management Secondary teacher, Cori Thompson. “Part of that success means evaluating your understanding of the material covered. Tests stimulate your knowledge and allow a teacher to better gauge a student’s progress. For this reason, I am a fan of practical skill tests, as well as written exams.”

Director of Academic Advancement, David Salvatelli, is not only a fan but an advocate of final exams, as they “develop valuable personal traits including preparation and performing under pressure.”

“Practice makes perfect,” he adds. “Our students will go on to a higher education where their performance on “finals” will be critical. It’s best they learn how to perform well on them now. Even after college, our students will be faced with continual challenges and “tests.” It’s not restricted to academics alone.”

The final say on finals is this: “They are a measure of whether students retain what they learn—at least until the end of a semester, as opposed to just knowing information to pass a one-time test,” concludes Mr. Salvatelli.

CCA is all about real learning, not just passing the time or grade. Final exams are important, and while cramming for a quiz early in the semester is not the solution, studying hard is. So, hopefully you’ve been studying, taking notes, and doing the hard work during the entire semester. If not, it’s not too late to get ready for finals. Get ready to work!