Academic Stories
Stay up to date with the latest stories about academics! From student projects to student successes, see what's going on with our academic department.
Our Academic Clubs have been very busy over the past months! ESports, Model UN, DECA, Speech and Debate, and Math Club have been actively competing this semester, proudly representing Valor with great success. TSA and Mock Trial have been preparing for an exciting competition season this coming spring semester.
Esports
Esports Playoffs started November 18 with six of our seven Valor teams qualifying! Our returning Rocket League state champion team got to participate in an invitational with Air Force Academy, CSU, and School of Mines. They prepare to head to in-person finals on December 10 where they hope to repeat last year's success with our current senior captain Evan Hackard leading the team. In Super Smash Bros, our Valor Eagles sent two different teams into the playoffs, a first for the program. Our A team who was ranked #28 upset the #5 seed to tie the school record for the deepest in playoffs they have ever made. Additionally, Chess, Fortnite, and Splatoon all qualified for our regional competitions for the first time ever! Cheers to the teams as they keep battling in the playoffs.
Model UN
The 2024 Model UN team posing on stage after successfully hosting a tournament at Valor.
Model United Nations allows students the opportunity to compete academically in simulations of the real United Nations while promoting international cooperation and understanding. Our delegates develop knowledge of international affairs, global issues, and diplomacy while growing in their ability to speak and negotiate confidently. So far this year, Valor's Model United Nations club has participated in three conferences covering contemporary topics like the global conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as well as historical issues like the Cambodian Genocide and the Great Recession. As one of the state's leading Model United Nations programs, we hosted over 250 students from 22 schools at our conference on November 18. Through our efforts to find solutions to global issues, our club has worked hard to put into practice Christ's declaration: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9).
This coming March, our Valor Model UN team will be representing the Republic of Malta at the national competition held at the United Nations in New York. With a rich history heavily influencing European politics from the Punic Wars through the Crusades and the Second World War, Malta has remained one of the world's most Christian countries since its visit by Saint Paul in the Bible (Acts 28). Today, though a small nation, Malta remains at the forefront of human rights advocacy and Christian cultural identity. Our opportunity to represent Malta is thus a perfect opportunity to see our club live out the vision and mission of Valor in the field of international diplomacy.
DECA
Our DECA competitors have truly shined brightly at competitions this semester! At the Buffalo Stampede, out of the 24 students who competed, an impressive 10 placed at the top of their categories, and six achieved the highest overall test scores. At the Wolverine Invitational, 15 students placed at the top of their categories, with 4 students taking first place in their categories. At the District 4 Championships, Valor continued to excel with 36 out of 110 students qualifying for State Championships in Role-plays. We couldn't be prouder of our DECA members and their remarkable performance. Their dedication and talent have set a high standard, and the future looks incredibly bright for this talented group.
Valor DECA State-Qualifiers in Role Plays
TSA
Valor TSA (Technology Student Association) has been busy and productive so far this year. More than 40 students show up on Friday mornings to work on events in preparation for the Colorado TSA State Conference in mid-February. We are excited to have Valor students preparing to compete in 27 different events, including Animatronics, Architectural Design, Fashion Design, Coding, Robotics, and more. Additionally, we had our first Social Event in October, a Scavenger Hunt that sent students all over campus solving riddles and completing challenges. It has been a terrific year so far and we look forward to attending the conference in February!
Speech and Debate
October brought the conclusion of the Novice Speech and Debate season. We had 18 students competing as pairs in Public Forum Debate. These students had a truly terrific season. Our students battled (with words, of course) students from all over the state and managed to achieve an impressive 32 total awards by winning their debate rounds! They did a tremendous job and have learned a lot along the way. November marked the beginning of the Varsity season where our students have been hard at work crafting their debate cases and speeches, and gaining an overflow of knowledge on various topics so that they can speak confidently and clearly. They have competed at two tournaments so far and have achieved excellent marks! Many of our debaters have only lost one round and numerous speakers are placing in the top positions in their rounds! There is great excitement for the season and our next venture will be competing at Princeton in December as we wrap up the fall semester.
Speech and Debate team posing after a tournament in Fall 2024.
Math Club
The Mathematical Association of America leads the nation in strengthening the mathematical capabilities of the next generation and fosters a love of mathematics through a series of friendly competitions. Today, the competition has grown to over 300,000 students participating annually, in over 4,000 schools. This year Valor had 30 students try their hand at this challenging competition, our largest group to date! We had some very high scorers in both AMC 12 (juniors and seniors) and AMC 10 (freshmen and sophomores). Great job to all who participated!
Math Club students competing at Valor
We look forward to continued success in all of our Academic Clubs, and are excited about upcoming competitions this spring semester that will include Mock Trial, TSA, and more. Go Eagles!
More Academic Stories
Congratulations to the nine seniors who have been named National Merit Semifinalists!
Congratulations to all DECA students who competed at Internationals. Valor had 6 out of 7 groups finish in the Top 10 in the world!
Congratulations to all Latin students for earning honors after taking the National Latin Exam in March.
Congratulations to all students who received an award or were recognized at Academic Awards Night.
Practicum Week 2024 has come to an end. Come read about all the exciting things that took place.
Congratulations to our Poetry Outloud Winners from our school-wide competition. The top two winners go on to compete at Regionals and then State.
On March 7, 2024, Lauren was honored by the Highlands Ranch Rotary Club for her resilience, entrepreneurship, and creativity.
Congratulations to our Poetry Outloud Finalists who will compete at our school-wide competition on February 2. Everyone is welcome to come watch these amazing students perform two poems.
On November 30 2023, Kelly was honored by the Highlands Ranch Rotary Club for his academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and community service. This is an incredible honor to be chosen out of many outstanding high school students in the community.
The Global Seal of Biliteracy is an international award that recognizes when students have attained Functional or Working proficiency in two or more languages.
Valor is pleased to announce that we have three National Merit Semifinalists! Valor students Cadin Dinneen (‘24), Carter Himango (‘24), and Ethan Cheung (‘24) have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists for their outstanding scores on the PSAT/NMSQTⓇ. These three students scored in the top 1% of all juniors nationwide.
Our Academics team takes immense pride in the outstanding performance exhibited by our students in the 2022-23 Advanced Placement (AP) exams. It brings us great pleasure to announce that an impressive 91% of our AP students achieved a score of 3 or higher on the AP exams, surpassing the national average by nearly 23%. Furthermore, Valor has overseen a record-setting administration of AP exams, with a total of 705 exams administered.
Valor families had the chance to open their homes to host six Brest, France high school students -- and Valor warmly welcomed them to campus.,
We are proud of these fourteen Valor students who are being recognized for earning academic honors from the College Board’s National Recognition Programs
Congratulations to the the more than 100 Valor World Language students who were recently accredited with the Global Seal of Biliteracy distinction. Students were awarded medals and certificates on November 16 during a lunchtime recognition ceremony.
Dean of Academics Mrs. Rebecca Thomas, and Dean of Academic Services Dr. Zach Gautier went to Washington D.C. last week to accept the National Blue Ribbon School award on behalf of Valor and its community
Congratulations to Dylan Daniels (’22) for being named the 2021 Outstanding Youth of Lone Tree Award.
Congratulations to Anthony Curcio ’22 for placing 3rd in the World in the DECA International Championships this month, the highest win in Valor history!
In the same week the world celebrated women in science, Victoria McBroom ’21 earned Best of Show in the Valor Arts Show for her animatronics piece she affectionately calls Crouton.
In a national STEM competition, Valor students Nicolette Jamison (pictured left), Claire Kim, (pictured right) and CJ Mote (not pictured) took first place, announced last week, for their design of special functionality in a prosthetic hand.
As the college acceptances, waitlists and denials begin to roll in, decision making time is just around the corner. May 1 is the date by which colleges expect admitted students to make their final decision, committing to attend by submitting the required deposit to hold the student’s spot.
Tis the season to learn all about Advent and the true reason for the season.
Read a deep dive into why we have Valor Rhetoric Porgram and all about what its purpose it.
Known for having just as much or sometimes more impact on the nation than her husband, Eleanor Roosevelt – First Lady to President Franklin D. Roosevelt – let her voice be heard.
Working as an artificial intelligence and robotics engineer has given Timothy Werder ‘13 a fascinating opportunities!
This installment of “Why I Teach” comes from Dr. Javier Arias, Spanish teacher. A Valor teacher since 2018, Dr. Arias spent most of his life teaching and studying in Europe before arriving at Valor.
This installment of “Why I Teach” comes from Dr. Kristine Wolberg, English teacher. A Valor teacher since 2009, Dr. Wolberg has also taught English and literature courses at the collegiate level.
Charged with creating a marketing plan for a fictitious apparel company’s loyalty program, Juliana Carpinelli ‘21 and Morgan Schmid ‘21 were instructed to present their business plan to their boss for allowing gift cards to be used at competitors’ stores during the Legend Titan DECA Invitational on October 26.
Tucked in the basement of the Academic Building, a team of Academic Support tutors works with Valor students day in and day out to help them succeed in the classroom and beyond.
When you cut off an appendage or arm from a starfish, it grows back. Similarly, scientists are taking cells from the body and regenerating damaged tissue to create healthy tissue.
Over the course of about three weeks and roughly 1,000 man-hours, Valor’s IT and Facilities Teams prepared 51 classrooms for a unique year.
Connecting God’s divine stamp — Imago Dei — on our lives and a pursuit to innovate and create, is one of the key aspects of Valor’s STEM endorsement. During her research, Liana Hase-Penn ’23 learned how her faith and interest in science intersect.
Most days after school the methodic sound of drumbeats emanates from the basement of Valor’s Academic Building. The sound comes from a small but mighty group of students who meet regularly with Mr. Jake Hovis and Mr. Rick Russon as a part of Valor’s “Blue Crew” to explore the world of percussion.
STEM jobs in today’s workforce are continuing their upward climb, averaging a 75% higher job growth rate compared to other industries and occupations; and, it’s no wonder.
A desire to grow academically and in her Christian faith drew Jesca to Valor before her freshman year. At the time, school personnel wondered if they could accommodate Jesca’s learning needs and give her the support she needed to succeed.