When students attend school, they’re learning more than Academics. They’re also learning how to navigate social situations. Calvin Christian aims to nurture a campus culture where students learn to thrive as they maneuver through the routines and expectations of their daily schedules, especially those outside of the classroom. The block schedule for the Junior High and High School students was deliberately constructed with time built into the school day for fostering student life activity. The more students are the “culture-carriers” of the positive, Christ-centered, fun things happening on campus, the more there will be an authentic and powerful student life experience.
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Junior High Student Life
Team411
The Junior High Student Life program is built around a student leadership council called Team411. Team411 gets its name from 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Of course there is a double entendre in that “getting the 411” means being in the know, getting direction, etc. The council consists of student representatives from each class. They meet to plan social activities, service opportunities and lunch-time activities. They also play a role in the weekly “Monday Rally” where junior high students assemble to hear announcements, a short devotion, sometimes sing a song, and have fun playing crazy games.
Fine Arts Festival
In the spring, students in grades 5-8 have the opportunity to showcase their creative talents in the Fine Arts Festival.
Junior High Mixer
Near the beginning of each school year, junior high students participate in the mixer event which includes fun activities that encourage the students to get to know one another better, work together as a team and just have fun together.
Junior High Retreat
In the spring, junior high school students will attend an over night retreat. The retreat will provide opportunities for students to grow their relationship with the Lord through small group bible studies and personal devotions as well as having fun with their friends participating in games and activities.
Junior High Dress Up Days
To promote school spirit and have a bit of fun CCS Junior High students have the opportunity to dress up in a particular theme once a month. Neon Day, Valentine Day, and Decades Day are just a few of their fun days.
High School Student Life
High School students are in a dynamic stage of development where they strongly desire to speak into their spheres of influence and develop their God-given “voice” amidst their peers. They long to be winsome and helpful and need an environment where staff provide Godly, Biblical guidance and support while being patiently and consistently trusted and believed-in to test new ideas, take risks, forge new “traditions” and attempt to color and influence their sub-culture in God-honoring ways. Each student in the high school, as well as each high school teacher, is permanently assigned to one of the six Houses, which together establish the House Covenant Community. The Houses are split into two groups — the Hebrew Houses and the Greek Houses — and there are three Houses in each group, named with the respective Hebrew and Greek words for Truth, Beauty & Goodness (Hebrew: ĕmĕt, yafĕh, tōv / Greek: alāthĕs, kalon, agathon).
Each House has an official House crest, displaying the name and symbols for the House, as well each House’s color scheme. The Houses meet formally once a week but will engage many times per month in various activities, from spirit rallies to service projects. All House members share the same locker area as to capitalize on unique moments of “in-between time” for creating bonds, mentoring and thriving in inspired student campus life. The first week of the new school year kicks off with a three-day high school “House Retreat,” where morning, mid-day and evening times of devotion and prayer focuses on humbly asking our Father in Heaven for His blessings of unity and His Spirit’s presence in the new year; all of this is mixed with a whole lot of fun and memory-making!
High School Student Clubs
Time is built into the new schedule two times a week for students to participate in Clubs. Student-led clubs offer great opportunities for students to develop leadership, explore learning that is not occuring on campus in any other way, make new friends, and even uncover aspects of their unique, vocational life-calling. Students may launch a club by writing a short proposal outlining the vision for the club and specific objectives to be worked on in the school year. Students find peers to endorse their proposal and a staff member who will serve as an advisor. At the end of each semester, Club student leaders provide an oral report in front of the student body at the Club Forum. Also, twice a year, clubs have the opportunity to write a grant and compete for small funds for needed capital to help them achieve club goals.
Clubs
Students at CCHS have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of clubs. Some of the clubs include Art Club, Spirit Club, Chapel Committee, and Christians in Action.
High School Mixer Retreat
At the beginning of every year the high school student council plans this event which includes fun activities that encourage high school students to get to know one another better, and provides opportunities for spiritual growth.
Spiritual Emphasis Week
Is a special time that we set aside to encourage our high school students to examine their spiritual walk in a more direct way. We suspend regular afternoon classes for a week to host a variety of speakers and small group discussions/activities. This is done to challenge the students to grow in the knowledge of what it means to be a Christian and to respond with greater commitment to God in their daily walk. We also concentrate on service projects, setting aside one day for community service.
CCHS Interim Week
Students will have the opportunity to register for classes outside the normal scope of learning during the semester break. Some of the past courses offered were Photography in the Southwest, L.A. & The Movies, Fencing, Sports Officiating and Art, Coffee & Faith.
Travel Abroad
Nothing replaces seeing first-hand the wonders of God’s world. Since 2004, high school history and social studies teacher Steve Whitener has organized various summer international tours for students.
We The People Congressional Hearing Competition
As part of their American Government class, all Calvin Christian High School students study the history, philosophy and application of the Constitution. In addition to classroom work, Calvin participates in the annual We the People Congressional Hearing Competition. This year’s competition was held on December 18th at Grossmont College in El Cajon, California.
“Understanding the fundamental principles of our Republic and being able to apply them to the challenges in our nation is what this program is all about. Our goal is to help students become enlightened, responsible, and thinking citizens,” said Steve Whitener, Calvin Christian High School’s government teacher.
Beyond the Classroom
Being able to navigate life as a believer is one of the most important lessons students can gain from attending Calvin Christian. We host many events throughout the year to facilitate community involvement.
