First Day Monday, August 15th
Shen-Val-Lore The Student Voice of Shenandoah Valley Academy
Shenandoah Valley Academy
March 9, 2018
Volume 87, Edition 3
Upcoming Events March 9
3rd Quarter Ends
10
Music Outreach
11
SAT
13
Upperclassmen leave for Peru
15-26
Mission Trip / Spring Break
April 2-6
Spring Week of Prayer
6-7
30 Hour Famine
10-12
ASPIRE Testing
12-14
Potomac Conference Music Festival
14
AcroStars Home Show
15
ACT Test
19
Senior Tree Planting Ceremony
20
Alumni Golf Tournament
When Students Pray (Student-Led Week of Prayer) Miranda Benton
Student-led week of prayer this year stretched through the week of January 22. It was a powerful event for our school, but most readers were there so I want to share my perspective, my testimony. This is the second week of prayer I have helped plan at SVA. Right before Christmas break, Pastor Harley filled a bus with students who want to be involved in WOP and took us to cabins in the woods to pray, study the Bible, and make plans for the week of prayer. Last year we filled a bus up for Camp Blue Ridge, and the planning session went
off without a hitch. A lot of seniors came who were strong leaders, we worked together well, and in a few hours we had our plan of action. This year things didn’t go as smoothly. The prayer and Bible study were great, but as soon as we started planning, conflicts arose. We couldn’t find common ground on the theme, and every suggestion that arose was met with more criticism than growth. It felt as though people were more worried about whether or not we could clap in church than deciding a theme. I personally came ready to lead, with ideas
I had been working on since last year’s week of prayer, and watched every one of them get shot down with almost no consideration. People were getting discouraged, the room was tense, and then someone suggested we pray again. Prayer didn’t immediately solve our problem, but people calmed down, started really discussing, and the theme and plan of action were decided on. About five weeks after this planning session, we started our week of prayer, themed C.H.O.S.E.N. I was so stressed and scared. I had
assigned all of the speakers, had chosen to speak twice myself, and was planning an interactive prayer time for every morning. I knew the speakers would be good, but there were a few I was worried about because when I had last talked to them, they still had no idea what they were doing. Then, to add to my stress, at the second meeting people kept coming up to me and asking, “Hey Miranda, what order are things happening in? Can I do this?” I answered as best I could, and made a few executive decisions and then PH came up and started
asking me similar questions. I paused and asked him if he should know since he was managing us, or maybe Lori. That’s when he said, “Oh no, you’re in charge of this week of prayer, you’re SA pastor. Didn’t you know that?” Instantly my panic skyrocketed. I knew it didn’t really mean I had to do more than the small role I was already playing, but now if anything went wrong I knew the blame would fall on me. Continue on page 3
20-21
Alumni Weekend
22
Spring Picnic
23
Sophomore History/Religion Field Trip
25-29
Homeleave / Music Tour
MAY 3-7
New England History Tour
11 ROK Hayride
Table of Contents
1 When Students Pray (StudentLed Week of Prayer) 2 Class Parties 3 SWhen Students Pray (StudentLed Week of Prayer)
4 Boys’/Girls’ Club Activity 5 Spirit Week / Advice Column 6 WAU Band Fest 2018 7 Andrews Choir Fest 8 Birthdays / Shout-outs
12
Spring Concert
13
Junior/Senior Banquet
15
AP Calculus Test
19
Best of Everything
20-23
Senior Class Trip
21-23
Final Exams
24-25
Graduation Practices
25 Consecration 26 Staff & Senior Breakfast / Parent Tribute / Baccalaureate / Class Night & Reception 27 Commencement