text: Excitement was in the air as twelve Campion students arrived in Spain after spending most of the past school year preparing for the trip by saving their money, working extra jobs, and completing lengthy applications. The students flew into Valencia on the Eastern coast of Spain and then traveled 30 miles north to the ancient city of Sagunto where they will be spending the next six weeks studying Spanish at the Adventist Colleges Abroad institution, Escuela Superior de Español de Sagunto (ESDES). “You get to be around a lot of Spanish-speaking people and you get to really get into the language,” said Jessica D, incoming junior at Campion. “All of the teachers and monitors just speak in Spanish, so without even realizing it, you are being absorbed in the language, and you get all these new words in your brain, even if you don’t really know what they all mean. It makes me think, I could really get into this and learn the language!” Around 70 students total are in the summer program from different Adventist universities and a few academies, with Campion having the largest group from any one school. On the first day, students had an orientation and took a Spanish placement test. In the afternoon, they visited the beach in Sagunto. The town is situated on the Mediterranean Sea and the water is warm and calm which makes it ideal for swimming. “My favorite part about being here so far, is going to the beach and meeting lots of new people,” said Megan M. The typical day includes classes in the morning and either a trip to the beach or a selection of cultural workshops in the afternoon. An important aspect of the program are the monitors, or student workers, who plan fun activities and interact with the American students throughout the day in Spanish. Delanie K. commented, “I appreciate that the monitors take us in as their own and they welcome us to their school as their friends. They don’t make it seem like there is a language barrier because they are just so kind to us.” The program is also full of excursions to various tourist locations nearby. In the first week, students spent a day touring Valencia, the third largest city in Spain, which is only about 30 minutes from the school. Valencia has beautiful architectural sites in the center of the old city, as well as a very modern arts and science district. The next trip was a tour of the ancient castle in the local town of Sagunto, parts of which were built during the Roman empire nearly two thousand years ago. “My favorite part of this trip is experiencing a new culture and being exposed to a different side of the world,” concluded Delanie K. The students in Spain have many more adventures to come, so watch for some of our highlights on Campion’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Article by Jill Harlow While students were just beginning their summer break, Campion teachers and staff headed back to class. Chris Wolf, of Fort Collins Poudre Fire Authority, instructed teachers in the Federal Emergency Management System’s (FEMA) National Incident Management System (NIMS) which also includes included the Incident Command System. Campion Academy’s campus is being designated as a potential shelter area in the case of a major incident, such as a flood or fire, in which large groups of people need to be evacuated and cared for.
  Principal Don Reeder says, “Our staff needed to be trained in order to effectively respond in the event of a disaster and know what their roles and responsibilities are. We have the appropriate facilities and we want to be able to support our community in times of need.” In order to appropriately respond to an incident, each volunteer needs to be aware of the overall plan and respect the chain of command. The teachers learned about how the organizational structure set in place by NIMS can help us to better prepare for and respond to an emergency. “You can either be part of the solution by following the appropriate procedures, or you may be part of the problem by self-deploying,” said Cathy Kissner, Rocky Mountain Conference Adventist Community Services Director. Following this course, Kissner spoke to the teachers about the role of Adventist Community Services (ACS) in assisting victims of disasters. “We are the state of Colorado’s preferred donations manager in an event that reaches the state level,” she explained. “By getting trained and being involved in donation management, Campion Academy teachers and students can show the love of the Father by meeting the needs of people in the community in a disaster.” Through this training, Campion Academy has sought to learn from and partner with emergency responders in our area. Our aim is to improve our ability to keep students safe and reach out to help others in the community when they are in need. Article by Jill Harlow Photo Credit: Don Reeder 6/7/2018 Warmly known as “Everybody’s Mom,” Marilyn Jackson served Campion Academy for 13 years by connecting with alumni and drawing their thoughts back to their beloved alma mater. Jackson and her husband, Bob, will be moving to Carlisle, Ohio this month to be near their children and grandchildren. “I am excited because it is a new adventure; we’ll get to be by grandchildren, some great friends, and family,” Jackson commented. Jackson was known as a tireless and efficient worker who kept everyone going. “God gave her the gift of hospitality. Marilyn made everyone feel welcome at Alumni Weekends, Chapter meetings and Donor dinners,” principal Don Reeder commented. “Students loved to be in her Faculty Family. She prepared great food for them and treated them special.” Jackson will have fond memories of her time at serving at Campion. “I enjoyed the connections with the alumni. Through chapter meetings, I really formed good relationships with them, and they hold a place in my heart. Their support has meant a lot to me.” Both she and her husband will continue working when they move to the Carlisle area, but they are ready to reduce the amount of responsibilities they’ve had and have a bit more time to relax. As her passion for Adventist Education hasn’t diminished, Jackson also plans to volunteer at the local Adventist elementary school. One thing that Jackson was most pleased to see happen during her tenure at Campion was the reconstruction of Hankins Hall. “I know how much meant to the older alumni. That building was their whole school,” she reflected. She will be deeply missed by all of the Campion family but we know she will keep in touch. “I wish only the best for Campion and that the Lord will bless the school with more students and the financial ability to support them. Primarily, I pray the students will come out of academy with a closer walk with God that will stay with them the rest of their lives.” Thank you for your service to Campion, Marilyn. We pray that God continues to bless you on your journey. (Article written by Jill Harlow) Daniel Force, the Men’s dean at Campion Academy, is engaged to Roxanne Faber. Roxanne was born in Orlando, Florida and has lived all over the east coast. She is the oldest of three siblings, and her parents run the year-round retreat center/summer camp Nosoca Pines Ranch in South Carolina.
  She currently teaches 2nd grade at Mile High Academy. Next year will be her 7th year teaching elementary school. She has many hobbies including reading, playing games and sports of all kinds, watching movies, being outdoors, and hanging out with her friends. She spent a year as a student missionary in Honduras and a summer in Spain taking Spanish classes and traveling around Europe. Roxanne has worked at different summer camps for the past 17 years, working the last 5 of those years as an assistant director. She loves her family, friends, and Dean Force, but above all she loves God. We are so excited for these two and pray that the Lord blesses their marriage! [article written by Ashley Herber] |