The Inkling: our student newspaper is now online!
We’re kicking off the new year by bringing back The Inkling. Mrs. Filicetti, our Journalism teacher, and Paige England, Inkling Editor, have been working hard to resurrect the school paper. Now in digital form, The Inkling will be reporting on the myriad goings-on here at Ambrose by putting our journalism students to work submitting articles on news, events, sports, academics, and student life. The paper is currently blog-style with future plans to add additional pictures, school videos, and more as our journalism team grows. You can get to The Inkling by clicking on Student Life on the main school website, or going directly to http://inkling.theambroseschool.org. You can send story ideas to inkling@theambroseschool.org.
The 2014 Traditional Christmas Program: Watch it online!
Our “traditional” Christmas program took on new meaning this year, as our music students performed many traditional Christmas compositions from throughout the centuries. The program explored how Christians throughout the last 2,000 years have celebrated and sang the birth of Christ. The 2014 Traditional Christmas Program was performed at The Brandt Center on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University on December 5th. It was aired on the local NBC affiliate, KTVB Channel 7 on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Morning. The program features the choirs, orchestras, and musicians of The Ambrose School. Enjoy!
Drama students get big laughs with ‘The Man Who Came to Dinner’
Last Friday and Saturday, the Ambrose halls and gym were filled with jazz music, swing dancing, and lots of laughter. Our talented drama students, led by our fearless drama teacher, Anna Clark, put on an ambitious production of The Man Who Came To Dinner by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. “We weren’t sure we could do it,” says Noah Pauls, who played the lead character, Sheridian Whiteside, “but Mrs. Clark was there encouraging us the whole way.” Mrs. Clark was impressed with how willing the students were to be vulnerable with each other, trust each other, and really become a team. “I was standing at the back, watching with everyone else, because these students ran the play like a machine; I didn’t need to do a thing.” The results were impressive and their dedication was obvious. Below are photos from the production. Many thanks to everyone involved in putting on such a fun show!
The third grade goes Greek!
What is an Ambrose third grader’s favorite day of the school year? Greek Olympics Day! As students learn about Greek culture, they get to re-enact, in third grade style, some of the ancient Greek Olympic events. The events, which include shot put, relay race, wrestling, long jump, and chariot races, are followed by a Greek feast, after the athletes have worked up a good appetite. Enjoy these images from this exciting day.
Seniors return from whirlwind trip through Europe
Every fall, our seniors obtain passports, pack their bags, and get on a plane headed for Rome. Ambrose seniors have spent many years working toward this 12-day journey, a culmination of our school’s educational experience. Their route follows the history cycle taught from second grade on: ancient/medieval/modern. They start in Rome because it is the ancient city. They begin at the catacombs then visit the Rafael rooms at the Vatican. A typical tour at the Vatican does not include seeing Rafael’s “School of Athens.” However, there is keen interest from our students since this work is reproduced on our school’s Providence Room wall. Reuben White, the seniors’ tour director, always comments how much he enjoys the Ambrose students because they actually know what they are seeing and are ready with detailed questions at each site. From Rome, the students travel to Florence and San Gimignano, a medieval village locked in time and surrounded by towers. During this leg, one stop into modern history was made when they visited a U.S. war memorial built for the 4,000 U.S. servicemen buried in a field, a sobering reminder of our part in World War II. Florence brings reminders of the birth of Renaissance. Students get to see Michelangelo’s David, and hike up to the medieval cathedral Duomo there. The trigonometry-architecture (mathematical and architectural study of buildings) students have already made detailed studies of these sites. From there, our seniors were packed like sardines on a memorable night train trip from Florence to Paris through Switzerland, which led to The Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower. They traveled on into London where you can still see a few vestiges of when Romans occupied the land. The British Museum held many fascinating artifacts such as the Rosetta stone and Egyptian mummies. What is truly inspirational about the trip is that these students not only are getting a hands-on look at the forming of our world, but they have learned through the years all about delayed satisfaction. Most of our students must earn at least part, if not all, of the cost for this trip. Lawnmowing, babysitting, bake sales, and odd job earnings inevitably go toward their Europe trip fund rather than the immediate gratification of new clothes, music, or movies. Various fundraising events abound throughout the year as the current junior class scrambles to raise the last dollars needed for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. As a part of our core curriculum for seniors, the Europe trip ends up teaching our students much more than history.
Chili Fest Fun!
An Ambrose parent reports: His daughter told him that Chili Fest is her second favorite day of the year, right after Thanksgiving. Judging by the smiles and excited running, she might not be the only one who thinks so. The students have SO much fun! The carnival games, which are run by our wonderful upper school students, are a huge hit. Every game wins you a piece of candy, so who wouldn’t want to do football toss, cupcake walk, fishing hole, ring toss, sack race, or any of the other games amid shouts of encouragement from the “carnies.” Cue the dramatic Western movie music and in comes Sheriff Davies Owens, hauling a load of scoundrels (who also happen to be teachers at our school) to our “jail.” These scoundrels enjoy some tea and cookies while their students scurry about, soliciting donations to bail them out. Students and parents can again raise funds and have another arrest warrant issued, throw their teacher back in jail, and the fun begins again! And then there’s the chili. In between the carnival, teacher jail, line dancing, and cornhole tournament, chili and hot dogs are served up to all the hungry Fest-goers. Our kindergarten and first grade students close out the evening with the cutest rendition of “Happy Trails” you’ve ever seen. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard and contributed their time, talent, and dollars to this fundraising event. We are so blessed by our teachers and are excited to bless them back with the money raised from this favorite Ambrose event.
Celebrating Our Volleyball Seniors at Senior Night
Senior night is always a little bittersweet. We’re so thankful to our senior athletes for the countless hours of practices and driving to games, encouraging their teammates and mentoring younger athletes. But we’re going to miss them. The example they set for the students following behind them can be the difference between a successful, positive program, and one that flounders because other kids aren’t attracted to the culture of the team. Seniors Olivia Filicetti and Veronica Fedorchuk were honored at the varsity girls last home game of the season. Their families were also in attendance and presented their daughters with flowers. Mark Schiebout also presented them with Archer plaques to signify their dedication to their team and school. Mr. Schiebout pointed out the pelican in our crest on the gym floor which is a traditional Christian symbol of self-sacrifice and a fitting way to point out the self-sacrifice of our seniors. Thank you Olivia and Veronica!
36 Ambrose Fathers Gather to Pray for Our School
The first Ambrose Fathers Prayer group of the year brought 36 faithful men together to fellowship, encourage each other, and pray for our school. Once a month, fathers gather on a Friday morning at the school. The coffee is brewed, a short devotion and testimony is shared, and the fathers pray for the various needs of our school, students, and other fathers. “This is truly one of the blessings of being at a school like Ambrose,” says Davies Owens, Head of Vision and Advancement, and leader of Fathers Prayer. “We want all Ambrose fathers to join us, even if they can’t make it every time; even if they’re not comfortable praying in a group. Just join with us and pray silently. You’ll be encouraged and our school will become stronger.” The next Fathers Prayer meeting is Friday, October 17th beginning at 7:45 am and dismisses promptly at 8:25 am so fathers can get back on the road to work. If you have any questions, email Davies Owens.
