Canoe Trip 2011!

Welcome back, intrepid canoeists!  This year's students braved rain and rapids, sun and spiders on our annual DVHS Co-op Canoe Trip--and lived to tell the tale.  This enthusiastic account from Emma R shows why the Canoe Trip is such a highlight of the DVHS year.

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 This past Wednesday morning, twenty-one students and four leaders gathered at the Pypkers' house before it was light out. We packed our bags and barrels into trailers and piled canoes on top. At about 8:30, we climbed into the vehicles and started on the three-and-a-half-hour drive up to our starting point. Everyone was excited for the trip, but I don't think we knew how incredible it would be.
    One of the great things about the co-op canoe trip is how much responsibility the leaders allow the students to have. Every day before we started paddling, they would tell us a bit about where we'd be paddling, give us directions, and tell us things to look out for. The leaders let us know our limits, but they let us try things too. On one portage, Kurtis and I decided to try to pull the canoe through the swifts and waterfalls rather than portage, and they told us to go ahead. On Friday, a few of us were sent to scout out campsites where  all the students took part in cooking meals, doing dishes, collecting
firewood,  setting up tents and tarps, filtering water, and everything else necessary.
      We had plenty of time for fun, however. Despite rain, everyone was cheerful. While we were paddling, people were singing, reciting riddles, telling jokes, and laughing a lot. At the campsites we'd sit around the fire and talk, watch the stars, go swimming, play games, and even learn how to tie knots. We had four student-led devotion sections during the trip, each about a chapter in Jonah. One group even did a skit and gave out marshmallows as rewards for correct answers.  This year over half the students were new,  so it was good to have time out of the canoes where we could all talk and get to know each other. It was amazing to see how gracious and kind everyone was. If you were having trouble with carrying your canoe or bags or setting up your tent, somebody would appear and help you. Everyone carried their fair load and helped others when they needed it.
    Another beautiful aspect of the trip was the nature surrounding us. We heard loons call and saw cormorants drying out, and someone even said they saw a beaver. We were amazed by the beautiful rocks, almost black water, and the hundreds of frogs at our first docking place.
        On Saturday afternoon, we drove home. We stopped at Wendy’s for dinner where we were happy to feed our cravings for greasy, salty food after being in the backwoods for four days.  In the fluorescent lights, everyone suddenly looked exhausted and sunburnt. We pulled into the Pypker's driveway at about 8 p.m. and were reunited with our families. Perhaps we were glad to have warm showers and sleep in our own beds again, but personally I wish the trip could have gone on forever.

DVHS Co-op Fall 2011

Welcome to a new year at DVHS Co-op!  Fall is in the air as the weather gets crisper, the leaves begin to turn, and enthusiastic students come pouring back through the doors at St Paul's United Church in Dundas on Thursdays, eager to plunge into exciting new courses such as Civics, Spanish, and Essay Writing.  Well, okay....maybe they're a little more eager to renew old friendships and grab lunch at Tim Horton's, but we're glad that students old and new have signed up for the full package  : )

And this year we've hit a record enrollment with a total of 50 students registered for DVHS!  We're grateful to have found our beautiful venue at St Paul's (29 Park St. W., Dundas) and look forward to another year of interactive learning.  Registration is now closed for the Fall semester.  Classes begin September 29 and will run until December 15.  The Winter semester will run January 19-April 12.

News flash!  Logo Contest!  It's time for a new logo to represent our recent name change to DVHS Co-op.  All students are invited to submit entries by September 29.  Please note that all entries must be via email to me so must be digital in nature, not hand-drawn.  The winning logo will be used on our student and faculty ID cards and letterhead, and the winning designer will be  presented with that ever-cherished prize, a $20 Tim Horton's card  ; )   ID cards for students and faculty/ parents will be made in one batch in early October; you will receive an email indicating when you are to email a digital photo of yourself.

See you at DVHS!

Fall Semester:

Civics
Time:  9:00-10:30
Fee:  $50
Minimum class size: 10

This course examines what it means to be a responsible citizen in a democratic country. It explores the various levels of government (local, provincial, federal, global), and looks at ways to get involved in the political process. It also examines the diverse ways in which various Christian groups understand political involvement.

Assignments range from the theoretical (e.g. understanding systems through reading and the writing of essays) to the practical (e.g. writing letters to politicians and engaging in class debates). Students are to come to class prepared to express and defend their own views. Special attention will be given to the Ontario Election (October 6th). The class may include a field trip near the end of the semester.

Required readings will be available online so no text needs to be purchased..


Gym
Time:  9:00-10:30
Fee:  $30
Minimum class size: 12

In the Fall semester, we will spend six weeks each on volleyball and basketball skills. Each class will involve 1/2 hour of drill/skill practice followed by games for one hour.  Proper gym attire (modest T-shirt, modest shorts or sweat pants and non-marking running shoes) is mandatory. No jeans or hoodies as they are a safety issue. For volleyball--knee pads are highly recommended.

Spanish I
Time:  9:00-10:30, repeated 10:45-12:15
Fee:  $50
Maximum:  10 students

After finishing the course the students will be able to understand, read, speak and write grammatical sentences in the past and present tenses, understand short dialogues, greetings, colors, days of the week, months of the year, and seasons. We will also discuss the verb “to be” in all its forms. We will also learn the names of different foods, family members, hobbies, clothing and parts of the house.

My name is Carmen Garcia. I was a high school Spanish teacher in Colombia for fifteen years. There I taught Spanish grammar, literature and drama. Since coming to North America I have taught in a variety of teaching environments such as homeschool groups, private tutorials and translation work with seniors. I look forward to working with the parents and students of the DVHS Co-op.


Ballroom Dance
Time:  10:45-12:15
Minimum/ maximum number of students:  8-12
Fee:  $200 (based on number of students; lower fee if more than 8 students)

Join in this unique opportunity as a certified instructor teaches you the basics of ballroom dancing with such dances as waltz, foxtrot, cha cha, and merengue.  Students will gain confidence to dance at weddings, gala fundraisers, and other special events while having fun and getting fit.


Writing: The Elegant Essay
Time: 10:45-12:15
Fee: $60 per student
Maximum class size: 16

This course will cover all aspects of essay writing--thesis statements, organization, introductions, conclusions, transitions, etc-- and will focus at the end on the persuasive essay.  Elements of writing style will also be addressed and liberal doses of humour will be included  : ).  Students will be encouraged to develop their written communication skills in creative and winsome ways that honour our God-given gift of language.

Prerequisite: Students must be able to identify all basic parts of speech (basic grammar terms) and to write a coherent paragraph with a topic sentence, concluding sentence, and no serious grammatical problems.  I will require by e-mail at registration a sample paragraph and if possible a sample essay of any type (except creative writing/ fiction) written by the student in the past year.

Please note: This is the same course which was offered in Fall 2010.  A  Literary Analysis course is planned for Winter 2012.

Required texts (Students/ families are responsible for purchasing the required texts before the course begins):

 The Elegant Essay, by Lesha Myers (available from  http://excellentresources.homestead.com or 1-877-825-7414).  Cost: $ 30 CDN.  One per student.

Student Resource Notebook (available as a download from http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/SRN-E).  Cost: $7.00 US.  One per family.

The Pen Commandments, by Stephen Frank (available from Amazon.ca or Chapters.ca).  Cost: ~ $14 CDN.  One per family.


Acting Fundamentals
Time:  1:00-3:00
Fee:  $75

In this introduction to acting, students will learn techniques for strengthening the body in preparation for performance on stage, exercises to free inhibitions and expand range of movement,  and processes to build trust between performers and develop bonding as a troupe.  All exercises and lessons will reflect a Christian perspective on theatre arts.  The biblical emphases on caring for one’s body and  applying it to its fullest potential, fostering harmony within community, and developing such character qualities as honesty, courtesy, kindness, gentleness, courage, respectfulness, perseverance, and  patience will all inform the course.

 Theatre Arts can be seen as a means to honour God through mutual trust and respect as well as the dramatic exploration of the truths of the human condition in both its  brokenness and beauty. This course will be an open and trusting forum that I will cultivate together with the students in light of a Christian worldview. The environment will offer students the opportunity to walk in the words of God together. The utmost positivity is encouraged in the classroom, and this will allow these students to express themselves fully without the fear that negativity can sometimes espouse within young creators. This positive environment, coupled with the exercises run in class, will help them to free their inhibitions. The level of trust that will develop as a result will truly provide these students with the freedom to be open and honest individuals while working towards accomplishing common goals.

Missions
Time:  1:00-3:00
No fee

For those not interested in Acting, an opportunity for missions service will be provided in the afternoon time slot.  The Good Shepherd Centre in Hamilton is able to accommodate a group of teens to help out in their warehouse.  The duties include sorting through clothing, food, and small household goods and repackaging of multi items into individual packages for distribution to the homeless and other clients who are in need. 

In addition to these regular Thursday afternoons, Mrs. Harrison plans to arrange monthly service projects on days other than Thursday, such as to the Ontario Christian Gleaners and Operation Christmas Child.  OCG is a Christian, interdenominational charitable organization where many volunteers clean, dice, dry, mix and bag surplus produce such as onions, carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, beans, lentils, apples, and pears into a nutritious soup mix and fruit snack ready for distribution.  The OCG donates the soup mix to reputable relief organizations with logistics to distribute the food where it is needed.  For Operation Christmas Child, students will join in at the shoe box processing center in Kitchener-Waterloo where they will help sort and process gift-filled shoe boxes. Other service possibilities will be discussed.

Parents of students involved will be asked to assist with transportation when possible.

Year-End Party!

Over 30 current members and alumni turned out for a terrific end to the DVHS Co-op year--pizza and burgers, lemon meringue pie and fruit salad, swimming, soccer--and, of course, whipped cream ; )  See you in September!

Back From the Shaw!

On June 1, several the co-op drama students attended the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake to see My Fair Lady. It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun for all!

PICTURES!

This year's play Pygmalion was a great success! Thanks to all the students who participated for their hard work. Thanks to the parents for their support and a big thanks to A.J. Haygarth for his time and dedication in directing this year's play.

Photos by PB Photography

Drama Production 2011

2011 Drama production

By Emma Royce

Here we go again! A brand new theatrical production for 2011!



This year’s Co-op production is Pygmalion, written in 1912 by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. The play is about the British social classes, phonetics and most ultimately; love. A Mr. Henry Higgins is convinced that he can make Eliza Doolittle, a ragged, whiny cockney woman from the streets turn into a properly defined, distinguished lady. However, he may have a few lessons to learn himself.
Pygmalion is perhaps best known as My Fair Lady, a musical adaption of the original play. It was also famously adapted into a 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

Here is the list of the cast and crew:

Production Crew

Director: A.J. Haygarth
Stage Manager: Brianne Gayfer
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Rusby-Bell
Assistant Stage Manager: Jade Harrison
Lighting Design, Costumes: Alex Teeuwsen
Sound Design, Costumes: Joshua Horvath

Cast

Clara Eynsford Hill - Natasha Vanderkruk
Mrs. Eynsford Hill - Emma Royce
A Bystander - Matthew Horvath
Freddy Eynsford Hill - Daniel Vanderkruk
Eliza Doolittle - Corina Fleet
Colonel Pickering - Ryan Bruer
Henry Higgins - Matt Johnson
A Sarcastic Bystander - Kurtis Rossdeutscher
Mrs. Pearce - Kristen Luimes
Alfred Doolittle - Gregory Baker
Mrs. Higgins - Natasha Heath
Parlormaid - Anna Pypker

Winter 2011 Classes

Here are our course selections for the Winter term (Jan-May) 2011

9:00-10:30:

Art: Drawing
Instructor: James Tughan
This is an introductory 1st year college and university level (but not
for credit) drawing course, offered for high school students,covering
a range of drawing styles including gesture, contour (many kinds),
figure drawing, perspective and parallel axonometric drawing, abstract
and realist chiaroscuro rendering in a range of drawing materials. In
this course we explore the pleasure of various kinds of drawing used
to construct images in any other medium, as well as to complete
drawings as finished works of art in themselves. Drawing should be
fun. It should build confidence in one’s imagined visual ideas. It is
a way of touching the world around us with our eyes. That is how I
approach it. This is also an opportunity to work with a seasoned
professional and instructor who is familiar what it takes to succeed
in both business and at the college or university level, and to
prepare portfolios for the post-secondary interviews and portfolio
reviews involved. The drawing exercises in this course are also
designed to give a student a head start on the workload and creative
challenges involved at that level.

Fencing
Beginners will learn the fundamentals by practicing and competing with
each other. This class teaches basic fencing movements, techniques,
and rules. Fencing equipment is provided. The instructor is an NCCP
certified fencing coach and qualified teacher (OCT).

10:45-12:15

Woodworking
Build a Night Table – In this class, students will build a night table
and learn different types of joinery techniques in woodworking. They
will also learn how to use various shop tools to complete their
project. At the end of the semester, each student will take home
their night table.
Practical skills learned: Shop safety, safe and effective use of hand
and power tools, cutting wood, joinery, reading blueprints/plans, hand
and power sanding techniques, wood finishing and staining.


Painless Poetry
This course will both introduce students to poetic analysis, covering
such elements as rhyme scheme, meter, and figurative language, and
allow students to experiment creatively with traditional poetic
forms. Just because it’s a sonnet doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy!
There are no required texts; poetry and materials to be used will be
available online or will be provided in handouts.

1:00-3:30:

Drama
Production, tech, and acting--students will develop a full
understanding of the process of theatre production. The main goal of
this course will be to put on a polished theatrical production. The
actors will receive instruction in practical aspects of theatre as an
art form. Attention will be focused on vocal training, acting styles
and techniques, character development, stage movement, creative self-
expression, improvisation, and theatre games. The technical team will
learn and be responsible for all backstage aspects of the production
including costuming, set design, lighting, sound, and stage management.

Please note: Acceptance into Drama performance will be based on
auditions. Students who do not receive acting roles may then opt for
technical positions or register for another afternoon course.


DVSA Arts and Crafts Sampler
Kathy Cope is a textile artist and children's art and crafts teacher
with over 20 years experience. Her main areas of interest are weaving,
basketry, papermaking and fabric design. She is a long-standing member
of the Burlington Handweaver's and Spinner's Guild. After obtaining
her BSc from Queen's University, Kathy took numerous courses in the
Creative Art and Design program at Mohawk College. She is currently an
instructor at the Dundas Valley School of Art.

In this course, the students will experience a variety of Arts and
Crafts with emphasis on personal expression. The course will begin
with an introduction to the Elements and Principles of Design using
drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking techniques. The second
half of the course will focus on hands on crafts such as basketry,
weaving, papermaking, surface design on textiles, felting, and wire
sculpture.