Month: December 2018

Today right after school, the quad was blanketed in white snow. A machine atop the office building dispenses snow all across the campus for students to play in and enjoy. The snow is very clean because as it hits the floor it evaporates onto the floor. For the students that have never seen snow before you can say that it a pretty great experience. Some students also expressed that, “It really made the day more special right before winter break”.

Valencia High School is known for its festive traditions, and for spreading joy this holiday season. What students enjoy the most about our Valencia traditions is our snow that the ASB elves provide to bring holiday cheer before getting sent off to enjoy their Winter Break. Fellow tigers mentioned that it was “the closest thing to actual snow” and “It really showed off the Christmas Cheer that Valencia is known for.” No matter if it was fake or real snow, it brings the same amount of enjoyment as the rest of our VHS traditions.

Teachers and administrators compose the foundation that Valencia High School (VHS) is built upon. The time, the effort, and the dedication, put into their work guides the school towards success. From memorizing all of their students’ names from class to class, and to preparing in-depth lectures and fun assignments each day for their many students, VHS’ Orchestra decided to repay the teachers’ labors with the annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast on December 14, 2018.

The event took place at Valencia’s Quad and Multi Purpose Room during zero and first period, which enabled many teachers to hop in and out of their morning routines. Orchestra performed a variety of Non-Denominational songs, Christmas Carols, and Jazz Music for all of the teachers to enjoy. While tuning in to the festive melodies, Orchestra provided the faculty with a diverse breakfast buffet to savor. To make the celebration possible, members committed hours into practicing and pitched in many different types of foods, either bought or cooked. Students brought a wide variety of cuisine to share with everyone who attended this spectacular event. All of the items provided for potluck were laid out on five 6 foot long tables, where teachers  full of many different foods, and the teachers sat around them to eat the food that was provided. Following the performance, there were still massive amounts of boxes full of warm donuts, fresh fruits, crispy bacon, and much more for anyone else to savor for the continuation of his or her day.

Newest Winter Edition!

There are three types of people in this world. Those who think of jury duty when they hear the word “court”, others, the infamous Law and Order theme song, and Valencia High School (VHS)’  Mock Trial, of their incredible performance in the 2018 playoffs.

Over the past four months, Mock Trial’s Gold team took weeks of practice and turned it into courtroom dominance. In the process, they garnered an impressive record of six wins to one loss, the best season performance VHS has ever seen. Gold team attorney, Aditya Mody (11) credited this year’s accomplishment to “preparedness, and, above all, our teacher and attorney coaches. They are really the ones behind this victory.” Coaches expressed similar sentiments, taking special notice of their seniors’ contributions. Looking to take this year’s achievements and turn it into valuable experience, Coach and Librarian Joy Millam optimistically claims to “have cracked the code — the kids now understand what they need to do to be successful.”

Photo courtesy of Joy Millam

Photo courtesy of Joy Millam

Photo courtesy of Joy Millam

Don’t be fooled by their fearless demeanor, it was no mere stroke of luck VHS’ stunning success came in 2018. Looking to encompass a more intensive practice regiment, Mock Trial employed 90 to 120 minute sessions after school three times a week. To put that into perspective, they added another day of preparation on top of the 100% increase in total session time. During practices, the team focused on dissecting each case into its various pieces. From there, they assigned roles and began to cultivate their performance. At this point, a divide and conquer tactic was employed by all members of the Gold team. While students individually formulated their own presentations, they heavily depended on one another for both advice and encouragement. They also took time to discuss elements of previous years’ competitions and ways to improve in order to perfect this year’s act. Crucial, yet often underestimated by inexperienced teams, presentation was one of the largest challenges VHS’s Mock Trial faced. Before competing, it was imperative they make an effort to always “practice and polish our public speaking” said Mody. With these obstacles in mind, each member was forced to challenge themselves by maintaining self-confidence, thinking critically, and utilizing communication and teamwork during practices.

Though season may be short lived, Mock Trial’s tenacity for competition is not. While their Seniors are preparing to enter the realm of higher education, the underclassmen have taken in this year’s playoffs performances and internalized the experience. Millam confidently declared,  “Next year is going to be great– we have some incredible kids coming up from the Blue team combined with our underclassmen on Gold; we will be a force to be reckoned with.”