DECA Qualifies for State

Students from West Valley High School competed at the DECA regional competition this winter.  The top Business and Marketing students from across the Yakima Valley came together all vying for a spot at the DECA State Conference.  

Big congratulations to West Valley students meeting the mark. 

• 1st place - Cara Edwards - Start Up Business Plan
• 1st place -  Carl Stampe - Sports & Entertainment marketing 
• 1st place -  Daniel Marinace & Gracie Evans - Sports & Entertainment Team
• 1st place  - Nina Okubo - Professional Selling - Financial Consulting
• 1st place  - Leah Hawkins - Apparel & Accessories marketing
• 2nd place -  Rachel Argento - Accounting
• 2nd place  - Jasleen Hans - Hotel & Lodging
• 2nd place  - Isabella De La Combe - Human Resources Management
• 2nd place  - Allysa Miles - Hospitality & Tourism Professional Selling
• 2nd place  - Teryn Bunting - Professional Selling
• 3rd place  - Taylor Nelson - Human Resources Management
• 3rd place  - Emma Dunn - Hospitality & Tourism Professional Selling 
• 3rd place  - Abigail Pitts - Professional Selling
• 3rd place  - Kiana Griffiths - Restaurant & Food Marketing

WASA Hotline Feature Story on AIR/AASA Visit to West Valley

West Valley Team - This is a feature in the recent WASA Hotline that goes to all 1,000 or so members of the Washington Association of School Administrators. This article highlighted our recent visit by the American Institute of Research researcher on behalf of the American Association of School Administrators. Congrats to Cottonwood Kindergarten teacher Abigail Ferguson and her student Noah for being the face of our visit! 

This was just one of the many visits that were provided to the AIR researcher during her December 10-12 visit to West Valley. Thank you again to everyone who did such a great job those days in providing the interviews necessary for our story on Personalized Learning! 

The Students Have Become the Teachers.

In a pilot, West Valley Computer Science Teachers, Devina Khan and Arin Lee, have partnered with Minerva Pardo and the West Valley Family Engagement Department. 

For the last five years, West Valley Junior High has been a state and national leader in job skill development with Microsoft Certification.  All seventh graders earn their MOS Certification in Word, Excel and PowerPoint while eighth graders take courses earning their Python certifications in Computer Science.

As an extension of the English Classes already available for families, certified students from West Valley High School and West Valley Junior High are volunteering to teach courses in Spanish for families to earn their own Microsoft Certification.  

Thanks to these students for volunteering.

- Elayna Orwin,  10th

- Cara Connelly,  10th

- Evelin Martinez, 7th

- Angelina Orwin, 8th

If we are truly committed to changing the lives of our students it begins with improving the lives of our families.  Students in West Valley are already leading the way in Computer Science and in Office Production.  Why shouldn't our students help the whole family?

One night in and this is definitely a program we plan to expand.  Classes are Tuesday and Thursday nights at 7pm.  This course is full but are looking for interest in future course offerings.   

JROTC Wins Big at Home Drill Meet

For the fourth year in a row, the West Valley School District has hosted the Cascade Mountain League Drill Meet and arguably, West Valley's most successful.

West Valley precision marksmanship team swept the competition, winning the top four spots and earning medal with first through third places.

• 1st Place - Precision Marksmanship Team
• Gold Medal - c/CPT Samantha Lamb
• Silver Medal - c/2LT Angelina Gutierrez
• Bronze Medal - c/CPT Dakotah Goodlake

West Valley Drill Teams also came up with many first time awards.  With heavy practice accommodations being made due to West Valley freshman joining the high school and a squeeze on facility space, practice accommodations did not hold the JROTC team back in anyway.  

Drill Teams placement

• 3rd Place - Dual Armed Exhibition Drill - c/SGT Kaleb Howerton and c/1SG Austin Pomerenke 
• 4th Place Dual Unarmed Exhibition Drill c/CPL Kassie Morales and c/SGM Able Tinajero 
• 6th Place Individual Armed Exhibition Drill c/SGT Gabe Lovelass 
• 4th Place Armed Drill Down c/CPL Jackie Fitzgerald
• 6th Place Unarmed Drill Team 
• 6th Place Unarmed Drill Team Commander c/CSM Kyle Black
• 6th Place Armed Drill Team 
• 4th Place Armed Drill Team Commander c/1SG Austin Pomerenke 
• 6th Place Color Guard Team Commander c/CPT James O'Shea

West Valley's Physical Fitness team is also off to new heights with both teams place.  

• 6th Place Physical Fitness First Team
• 6th Place Physical Fitness Second Team 

West Valley Junior ROTC is grateful for the support received from the West Valley Community in hosting this drill meet with fifteen JROTC programs and five-hundred cadets.  The West Valley JROTC program is reaching new heights and we are excited for the future of the program. 

West Valley JROTC Qualifies for National Championship

The West Valley High School Precision Rifle Team competed in the JROTC Service Postal Competition on the 10^th of December and shot their highest score ever for this match with an 1130 points out of 1200. This has earned them an invitation to compete at the 2020 JROTC Regional Service Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio this coming February. The Civilian Marksmanship Program hosts the JROTC Regional Championships each year in three different locations in the country. From these three matches the top scoring teams and individual athletes from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force will be selected compete in the National JROTC Air Rifle Championships held in Anniston, AL 19 -21 March 2020. This is a first in the history of the Ram Battalion that the rifle team has secured a spot at the regional championships for this particular event and they are well on their way to the road that leads to the national match.

 They have been extremely successful this year winning their division in the National Air Rifle League and moving forward to win the conference match that earned them the title as the Precision Distinguished JROTC Conference champions within the National Air Rifle League. This team has the ability to make it to the National JROTC Service Championships, the Civilian Marksmanship Program National Championships, and the Junior Olympic Air Rifle Championships. 

CWU 'On-the-Spot' Admissions

In the first step of an even greater partnership with West Valley High School, Central Washington University launched an 'On-the-Spot' admissions for seniors. 

In the first like it's kind, CWU committed admissions counselors to meet with and assist WVHS students in filling out college applications.  Seniors could apply and learn whether they were admitted in under one hour.  

Admissions counselors could personally work with students on building a pathway from West Valley to CWU helping them understanding, course registration, housing, food, and campus life.  

By partnering with WVHS, admission counselors and West Valley staff are able to develop personalized infrastructure and supports for first time college goers.  

This is a great partnership which will only continue to grow. 

West Valley JROTC Top in the Nation

West Valley AJROTC defeated SGT Eugene Ashley NJROTC 1528.6 to 1496.6 last week in the National Air Rifle League. Their second win in a row. With the win, West Valley AJROTC is in first place overall and first place within their 'Jrotc' conference.  They currently have a 6 - 0 record. West Valley AJROTC was led by, Samantha Lamb who shot a 384.0. The remaining contributing members were Stephanie Ruelas, Ayanna Solis-Torrico, and Angelina Gutierrez. West Valley AJROTC is from Yakima, Wa, and is coached by 1SG Jeff Parks.

Snapping a two game win streak SGT Eugene Ashley NJROTC currently has a 5 - 2 record. After the loss they are in third place overall and second place within their 'Jrotc' conference. SGT Eugene Ashley NJROTC was led by, Brandon Brown who shot a 382.8. The remaining contributing members were Jeremiah Jordon, Jayden Kline, and Lance Autry. SGT Eugene Ashley NJROTC is from Wilmington, NC, and is coached by Thomas Frost. 

This coming week West Valley AJROTC has a bye week. While SGT Eugene Ashley NJROTC also has a bye week.

These two teams are competing in the Junior Rifle Club Precision Distinguished Division of the Orion National Air Rifle League. Sponsored by the Orion Scoring System, the league is a national team league for high school teams and junior rifle clubs. The league has two parts. An 8 week regular season going on now. Followed by a single game conference title game for the top two teams in the JROTC and Junior Rifle Club divisions.

In each game the teams compete in what is known as a Standing Air Rifle match. The match is almost identical to the air rifle events in the Olympic Games. Each athlete shoots 40 shots in the standing position, the most difficult position in rifle competitions. Each shot is worth a maximum of 10.9 points. The sum of points scored in the 40 shots is the athlete's total. The team score is comprised of the best four athletes from each team.  

For more information on the league, including complete standings, visit https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.orionscoringsystem.com%2fAirRifleLeague&c=E,1,zJaM7i6C4Dpz7zwmExijG9bUFORa099G8MgIVS5oaPmFX4mVguBHXWHZDRZO7WzbEF0W3W2uDSY63rBErdwfEGjG3CtgNKL6VSfzCS1LGyUXcnQ,&typo=1

Box Score: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.orionresults.com%2fteam%2fGamePage.aspx%3fMatchID%3d1.1.922540669.1&c=E,1,DrbIUvlAGPoyy5W7rFxi-UGmvD45wwPkE_ZcnJl9vneArctOAN32b6Gm_KE0AcTFS8GMqiX_rIfTNLdLZiqO4Cdk2tx5dfW0TrnlhgBjSBDhl8wDqw0,&typo=1

West Valley AJROTC team page: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.orionresults.com%2fteam%2fLeagueTeam.aspx%3fTeamID%3d1174&c=E,1,PxivDFbQn4pWAsMoGRNb6LATNqVs5xrbLhQPd8A_LXKNbVdwMG0YlvmsoXZRFRtoZSmGE7ZYEv_AY4M58__O38nMq6f-y6sQFPn4sMPaULmEsaWe44_phVc,&typo=1
SGT Eugene Ashley NJROTC team page: https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.orionresults.com%2fteam%2fLeagueTeam.aspx%3fTeamID%3d1168&c=E,1,jUinE67H9rq2K-FLgk1BHYoQ3tz1o1Pg5f03Xg2HCP_2FYNXYkX7FM--8but6_4KfU2Sa0RzKu2jGV22es-KbvaXsFB8sGlB4UNIBSlqiPaMmiQmz7AK&typo=1

11 - 17 Nov 2019