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Valor Mock Trial Team Competes at Regionals

Endorsement Stories

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Valor Mock Trial Team Competes at Regionals

Valor Mock Trial Team Competes at Regionals

Valor 'Legal Eagles' competed in the annual Douglas Elbert Bar Association (DEBA) mock trial competition at the Douglas County Courthouse in February. Valor sent two teams to compete against eight other schools.

It was the largest DEBA tournament to date! Students spent the past four months preparing a case of negligence where the plaintiff allegedly contracted Covid-19 at a New Year's Eve party hosted by the defendant. Students not only learned the facts of the case but also worked through the elements of negligence, rules of evidence, and courtroom procedures.

After four rounds, arguing both sides, one Valor team placed fourth place, narrowing missing qualification for State competition. Valor's other team won the competition, becoming back-to-back Regional Champions and qualifying to compete at the State tournament at the Jefferson County Courthouse in March. In addition to the team placement, four students received Outstanding Attorney awards: Ellie Stairs, Mason Walters, Christopher Dudzic, and Haley Cornella. 

We are so proud of our 'Legal Eagles' for their hard work and stamina amidst tough competition!

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Monkey in a tree

The Ecuador and Galapagos Discovery trip this past summer is an excellent example of how Discovery experiences extend our students' learning into the real world. When talking about Ecology in Biology class, students learn how ecologists study ecosystems and the challenges they face in preserving our natural world. Are certain species endangered? Do they need particular conservation action? How are we impacting them? However, none of these questions can be answered until we know the types and population levels of species that exist there. This is a challenging but essential job that our students were able to participate in! 

Read More about Galapagos Island Discovery Experience
Two students teaching at the front of a first grade class with students on the ground and one raising her hand

Mrs. Herscovici's Entrepreneurship class finished their unit on "Exploring Opportunities" by researching famous entrepreneurs. In small groups, students researched an entrepreneur of their choice and were made aware of how many times these entrepreneurs had to fail before their ideas became successful. In the midst of this research, we have been discussing the importance of being able to explain our learning. Essentially, “If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it well enough yourself.” ― Albert Einstein.

Read More about “If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it well enough yourself.” 
A student holding a speed gun during a Calculus class

If you travel 40 miles per 60 minutes, what’s your average speed per hour, or what’s your average rate of change (the change in distance over the change in time)? Are they different? Students in AP Calculus played cops and speeders last week in class. Students had the opportunity to use real radar guns and math to try and see if they could catch their classmates speeding along Fairview.

Read More about Calculus Speed Trap
A boy in a collared shirt on a white backdrop smiling

The Humanities program honored its first class of graduating students this past May 2023 during Valor’s commencement ceremony. We want to regularly include comments from graduates to help give a sense of how the Humanities program prepared them for the next phase of their lives. For our first alumni check-in, we asked Ben Leikam to reflect on how his time in the Humanities program prepared him for college. Here are his thoughts...

Read More about Humanities Alumni Update
Spectators looking at the different STEM projects

STEM Night was a great success, as students showcased their work through capstone projects, clubs, and competitions. Over 30 projects and interactive demos were highlighted during the evening. In addition, select students received awards for their innovation, creativity, and service through STEM. 

Read More about STEM Night 2023