SMVS 3rd Grader Wins Catholic Charities Art Contest

Congratulations to third grader Bianca Robison on her selection as the First Place Winner of the Annual Catholic Charities Christmas Card Contest. Bianca’s win marks the sixth year in a row that St. Mary of the Valley School students have placed first, second or third in this contest!

The Annual Catholic Charities Christmas Card Contest is open to Catholic school and religious education program children in grades K-6 in all in the whole Archdiocese of Portland. Bianca competed with nearly 1,000 student artists.

Bianca’s art work (pictured below) will be on the front of this year’s Catholic Charities Christmas Card. She will also receive a $100 Fred Meyer gift card, an award certificate, an uncut print shop sheet of Christmas cards as a souvenir, plus packages of cards and envelopes for her family to send out during the holidays. 

Bianca and her parents, her teacher, Sister Barbara Rose Sohler and SMVS Principal Susan Friesen will attend a Catholic Charities luncheon on December 6, where she will receive her award. Archbishop John Vlazny will be one of the honored guests and featured speakers.

If Bianca’s name sounds familiar, it is because she is also this year’s Valley Catholic Community Auction logo contest winner! Bianca’s logo design for the 2007 auction, Vegas in the Valley, is featured prominently throughout the year on the printed materials and online on the auction website.

SMVS Art Literacy Program

In Elizabeth White's fifth grade class on Thursday, October 19, the students enjoyed a fascinating presentation on the renowned artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci. The students then worked on designing an invention of their own, focusing on perspective and drawing in the style of da Vinci.

The St. Mary of the Valley School Art Literacy Program is underway and going strong! Leonardo da Vinci is the first of four artists the school has been studying for the 2006-2007 school year.

“The students love Art Lit.,” says parent coordinator Bevery Bruer, who gives initial presentations to the roughly 40 parent volunteers involved with the project. After the presentation on each artist to the parent volunteers, they discuss and refine the best projects that fit classroom time constraints, the budget for art supplies and age-appropriateness of the presentation and project.

“We try to select artists we have not presented in the past six years,” says Beverly, whose oldest child is a fifth grader at SMVS. “We also try to reflect a range of eras in the art world, interesting projects for the kids and some diversity in the artists and their media, as well as how long the cycle is for that particular artist in the School District's schedule.” SMVS Art Literacy Program is linked in with the Beaverton School District which supplies the artist background information, including slides, books and project recommendations.

The team of parents for a particular class tailors their presentation to the age and skill level of the students with knowledge of what worked in the past for that class. Working together throughout the year, they then present four artists to the 14 classes. The students then create an art project mirroring and interpreting that artist's techniques, style or hallmarks. Each classroom session is about 60 to 90 minutes long.

Other artists that will be studied this school year are Georges Seurat, Jennifer Bartlett and Marc Chagall.

Jog-A-Thon 2006

On October 6, 2006, the Valley Catholic School track was packed with students, faculty, friends and family for Jog-a-thon 2006. Volunteers pitched in to provide organization, music, moral support and essential hydration for the participants of this annual event.

The total amount pledged is $36,100, which beats last year's record-breaking amount of $30,000. Top fundraisers this year each received a medal, a Jog-a-thon t-shirt and a gift card. Also, students who submitted $100 or more in pledges or donations were eligible for a grand prize drawing to win an Apple iPod Nano, Nintendo DS-Lite, piano keyboard and portable DVD player.

Congratulations to all of the following big winners!

TOP FUNDRAISERS

Top Fundraiser in the entire school: 6th grader Haley Huggins $945

TOP FUNDRAISING CLASS

Mrs. White's 5th graders -- $3254
2nd place: 5H -- $3191
3rd place: 2G -- $3123
4th place: KA -- $3060

LAP WINNERS

TOP FUNDRAISING FAMILIES
Lam $1720
(won a pass to the Nike employee store
donated by the Tomich family)

Huggins $1674
Sunderland $1211
Alfieri $828
Dolan $810
Bruns $771
Cober $600
Louie $550
Kays $528

SPECIAL AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING EFFORT
Frankie Floyd
Grace Mannen
Noelle Mannen
Zachary Stark

The prize drawings were held during an assembly on Wednesday, October 25. Nearly 100 prizes were given away. Students who had $50 or more in pledges/donations were eligible.

WINNERS OF THE GRAND PRIZES
($100 or more in pledges to be eligible)
iPod Nano: Madeleine Moldenhauer
(Donated by Best Buy)
Nintendo DS-Lite: Kathryn Snodgrass
(Donated by the Louie Family)
DVD Player: Christopher Rapp
Keyboard Piano: Erin McLoughlin

Special thanks to organizer Kelly Alfieri and all the amazing volunteers who donated their time and energy to help out with this important SMVS event!