Update from Friday, June 14: The students enrolled in the Harvest Cool School program enjoyed a field trip to Ypao Beach today. While at the beach, students enjoyed a time of fun exploring the sand and ocean, big ball kickball, and even enjoyed eating lunch outdoors under the pavilion.

The fun and learning of Cool School began on Monday, June 3rd and will continue for students from kindergarten to rising 7th graders until July 12th. Each day begins with some students showing up at 7:30a to begin working on “seatwork.” After everyone arrives by 8am, Cool School students participate in phonics and math and Bible plus special clubs like drama and music. In the afternoon the fun of Cool School continues with a variety of activities like game time, art, plus science and discovery. Around 80 students participated in the first week of Cool School in age groups of kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade, 3rd and 4th grade, and 5th through 7th grade. Cool school continues into July and you can register for the next week of activities on Monday mornings or throughout each week.

The Guam Pacific Daily News published a story on June 13th revealing a new partnership that enables young athletes from countries like Korea and Japan to live and train on Guam while also receiving their education. Harvest Christian Academy is a partner in this new program helping with the educational aspects. Read more about the Jack Nicklaus Academy coming to Guam on the Pacific Daily News website. Photo above by Masako Watanabe/PDN.

Harvest is hosting the 1st Annual Oasis Christian Educators Conference from June 10-12, 2013. Current HBBC students, HBBC alumni, and Christian school educators, pastors, and missionaries throughout the islands have been invited to attend. The conference includes two breakout sessions each afternoon from 1:00-5:00 p.m. The participants may choose the administrative or teacher track. Some of the topics being presented include: Classroom Management, Mentoring, Discipling Students, Leadership by Example, Gradebook Upkeep, and Making Lesson Plans. This conference provides a great opportunity for students and teachers throughout the islands to learn from the administration and faculty of Harvest Christian Academy, a beacon of Christian education throughout this region of the world since 1975.

The second week of volleyball camp is under way in the Family Life Center of Harvest as Coach Dave Herron works with Jr.High and Sr. High boys. This follows the first week of volleyball camp which took place June 3-7 in the Family Life Center Gymnasium of Harvest Christian Academy. Junior high and senior high girls worked with Coach Dave Herron of Northland International University during sessions throughout each morning. The training sessions will continue through Friday of this week.

The Family Life Center of Harvest Ministries welcomed over one thousand guests on Friday evening, May 24, 2013 to witness the graduation ceremony of the Harvest Christian Academy class of 2013. Sixty-nine graduates gathered together all in one place for most likely the final time as they met in the classrooms on the second floor of the FLC to put the final touches on their gaps and gowns and pose for numerous photos. As the familiar sounds of “Pomp and Cirumstance” began to play over the sound system, the HCA Administration and Faculty and Staff led the graduates into the gymnasium which was packed with family and friends to witness this momentous occasion. After the Class of 2013 made their way to their seats on the stage so that they could look out over the audience, four members of the HCA Faculty sang “The Star Spangled Banner” followed by graduate Dolores Santos singing “The Guam Hymn.” Salutatorian Sue Jeong Kim and Valedictorian Ivy Lung both had the opportunity to address the audience and their fellow classmates during the ceremony. Guest speaker Dr. Sam Horn (President of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota) challenged the graduates with a message from Philipians 1:21 on the topic of “The Total Estimate of Life” and how to live and not to be satisfied with just making a living. Then each graduate had the opportunity hear their name called before walking to Dr. Doug Abels and Dr. Marty Herron to receive the diploma that signified a successful conclusion to over twelve years of hard work and education. Mr. John McGrew also announced the plans for each graduate after graduation. Over sixty different colleges and universities accepted the graduates of HCA into their institutions of higher learning. The entire ceremony was a reminder that students at HCA receive a complete preparation for life after high school–both in the academics that prepare them for college and in the Bible-based training and philosophy that prepares them for life. After receiving their diploma, each graduate posed for a photo with their loved ones before returning to the stage. After all the graduates marched out of the FLC at the conclusion of the ceremony, the packed gymnasium quickly emptied as guests made their way outside to find the graduates they came to see as they worked their way through the multitudes to bestow upon graduates a variety of leis and gifts. Before the evening was over, nearly every graduate was completely covered in flowers, candy, money, and other items–a testament to that fact that not many places celebrate graduation quite like the island of Guam.

How do you get hundreds of students and parents to return to school after they had all just departed during the last day of school just one day earlier? The answer is the annual Jr. High and Sr. High Awards Programs. Starting with awards for 7th and 8th grade at 6pm in the main auditorium and continuing with the awards for 9th-12th grade in the Family Life Center at 7:30pm, students return in their school uniforms to learn if they made Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance or if they will receive special awards like Citizenship, Outstanding Student, and Biblical Character. Other awards were given out in the areas of art, music, sports and much more. Although the final program seems to go long into the night, parents still beam with pride as their children, even the ones in 11th and 12th grade, receive their awards and stand smiling on stage while posing for pictures. The parents realize that their children are growing up quickly and just like the school year itself, the time seems to go by much too fast. The awards program is one final opportunity to treasure the children of HCA and recognize their accomplishments for the year.

The Kindergarten students of Harvest Christian Academy had their shining moments during their graduation ceremony on Monday evening, May 20th in the Harvest Auditorium. The classes of Mrs. Schallhorn, Mrs. Lovmo, and Miss Bashore all sang together to begin the program and then each class shared what they had learned throughout the year with songs and poems. The program brought out many smiles and laughter from the hundreds of family and friends in attendance. After the program from each class, every student’s name was called as they marched out to their teacher to receive a shell lei and then stand in front of the crowd all by themselves to enjoy a personal few seconds of celebration as a K5 graduate. Afterwards, the students, teachers, and family members gathered in the Family Life Center for snacks, photos, and the giving of gifts. The K5 graduation is one of the highlights of the year for everyone involved and is one of the last stops on the schedule before the last day of school and the commencement ceremony for the Senior class of Harvest Christian Academy.