At Challenger, we help students recognize the benefits they gain from the hard work of their academic pursuits. We guide students to discover how acquired knowledge and skills can enhance their lives and help them learn to live and think independently.
We appreciate students who recognize that it is through their hard work and achievement, rather than the award given, that they find the rewards of joy and self-worth. In the May and June issues of Challenger News, we highlight some of the recent, top student achievements. We simply cannot acknowledge every student’s achievement, but we readily congratulate the students listed, as well as all students who continue to strive to attain worthwhile goals. Some events and awards are still being finalized, so check back in June for additional announcements.
Spring Programs are an exciting time for students to culminate their year of learning with an impressive presentation for their families. Each preschool through fifth-grade class performs a program filled with songs, dances, and recitations, and our middle school students display their developing abilities with theatrical presentations (except in California, where we are unable to perform Spring Programs due to continued governmental restrictions).
While on campus, take note of the Young Author student books on display, and peruse the Computer Programming Fair projects and Art Fair winners.
It’s an exciting time to be on campus and witness the amazing abilities of Challenger students!
Students will participate in our annual math contest that begins May 15. Throughout the year, students study math by building one concept upon the next in logical sequence. Students practice what they have learned by solving problems that require extending their knowledge to higher levels. This event offers students the opportunity to apply their math skills in an enjoyable, quick-paced contest.
There will be no school on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29. On May 26, kindergarten–grade 8 students will participate in an assembly and hear selections from speeches to help students understand and appreciate the price millions of Americans have paid to preserve freedom and individual rights.
Eighth graders and their families are looking forward to Challenger graduation ceremonies. Watch for an invitation to be mailed in May.
Last month, nearly 200 Challenger eighth-grade students toured American historic landmarks and sites from Boston to Gettysburg. It was exiting to offer this opportunity once again to students after a three-year hiatus.
It can be very inspiring for students to personally connect themselves to significant events in America’s history that fueled man’s quest for freedom. And traveling with informed Challenger chaperones helps bring to life some of the knowledge, ideals, and values learned in the classroom.
In addition, by traveling across the country unaccompanied by parents, students practice independence and the joy of self-management. This trip was a wonderful learning experience for many of our soon-to-be graduates!
Because of their superior performance on the American Mathematics Competition 10 (AMC 10) last fall, Andrew C. (Sunnyvale, CA), Joseph L. (Almaden, CA), and Kaitlin Y. (Middlefield, CA) received Certificates of Distinction that also qualified them to compete in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination.
Fifth through eighth-grade students participated in the American Mathematics Competition 8 (AMC 8) test this spring, and the following students received the Honor Roll of Distinction commendation for scoring in the top 1% of all AMC 8 test takers nation-wide.
The following students received the Honor Roll commendation by scoring in the top 5% of all AMC 8 test takers nationwide.
The International Academic Competition (IAC) consists of both team and individual competitions in geography, history, and science. The competition is open to elementary through high school students in over 25 countries. The following students placed in the top three for their grade’s online regional competition and have qualified for this year’s national and international levels. We wish them well as they continue to compete in June.
Each year, Challenger fifth through eighth graders participate in the Daughters of the American Revolution American History Essay Contest (DAR). Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness.
Challenger students traditionally perform extremely well in this contest, and this year was no exception. Many campuses reported chapter award winners from the contest, and in some chapters, Challenger students swept the awards for every grade.
The following students won their chapter and advanced to win at the DAR state and/or region levels!
The following students are the DAR winners from their respective chapters.
Several Challenger students received top honors for their art and essay submissions to America’s Freedom Festival. Irene C. garnered first place in her respective category. Student work for this optional contest occurs at home. Freedom Festival is one of America’s largest patriotic celebrations and is sponsored by a private, non-profit, non-political foundation whose mission is to celebrate, teach, honor, and strengthen the traditional American values of God, family, freedom, and country.
The following students won awards for their Freedom Festival art submissions.
The following students won awards for their Freedom Festival essay submissions.
This year, Challenger students continued the tradition of achievement in the field of science.
The following students were nominated to compete at the Thermo Fisher Junior Innovator Challenge. (This competition was formerly known as Broadcom MASTERS but has a new title sponsor starting this year.) Nomination to the Thermo Fisher JIC is a great honor as it designates the top 10% of middle school science fair projects from nearly 275 fairs in the United States. Entries are judged during the summer, and the top 300 projects are announced in the fall. We congratulate the nominees and wish them the best in the upcoming competition.
Congratulations to the following first-place winners in their various regional Science Fair events.
Each year, Challenger hosts Speech Festivals at the classroom, campus, and region levels to test students’ oratorical abilities.
The following students are the 2023 Nevada Region Speech Festival winners.
The following students are the 2023 Utah Region Speech Festival winners.
Challenger’s summer program is designed to review academic concepts while offering meaningful interaction with teachers and other students.
Half-day and all-day programs are available and begin June 12 and 13. Students will engage in unique learning exercises, drills, and activities using methods that have proven successful for six decades—it’s the perfect way to enrich your child’s summer days!
If you have not yet enrolled your child in an on-campus summer program and would still like to do so, follow the steps below. A $25 application fee will be assessed.
It’s that simple! Click here to see the payment schedule, and contact your campus office with any questions. We look forward to a summer of fun and learning with your child.
Mark your calendars now for our two main breaks during next school year.
Challenger will not be in session during the dates listed below: