Top 10 Highlights from 2014-2015
As the teachers and staff at RCS plan and prepare for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year, we can’t help but look back at the 2014-2015 school year, smile, and thank God for what an awesome year we had.
1. Rise Up Retreats
Not one, but two! Following the annual Fall retreat, RCS Student and Senior Class Leadership Team dreamed of adding a winter retreat to the school calendar. After lots of planning, dreaming, and praying, RCS Secondary students and staff headed up to Camp Ghormley for a spiritually-driven two day retreat. Although there was no snow, our students enjoyed several outdoor games, worship and break out sessions, and student and staff mini-sermons.
2. New Mathematics Curriculum
This past year RCS adopted ACSI’s Purposeful Design Mathematics Program for grades Kindergarten through Pre-Algebra. Initial results from this new curriculum showed an increase in math scores across the board and RCS teachers really enjoyed the real life application embedded in the Purposeful Design materials.
3. Expanding the Lunch Program
If you dropped by for lunch at RCS this past year, you would know how unique and delicious our lunch program is. Lisa the Lunch Lady and Super Matt Powers, as we like to call them around here, worked very hard to serve a great lunch program that provides our students and our staff with healthy homemade options. Accompanied with a salad bar, and often a hot from the oven dessert, every lunch was made and prepared in the RCS kitchen, so our students are served with fresh food to energize them for the second half of the school day. We are really looking forward to the menu items Lisa and Matt will deliver this year!
4. Robotics Team competes in World Competition in Kentucky
What started as an after school club, and grew into a secondary elective, resulted into Riverside Christian’s first appearance in a World Competition. Riverside Christian Rogues had an electrifying season that resulted in giving twelve RCS students the opportunity to travel to Kentucky, compete in several rounds of qualifying matches, and placed 25th out of 90 teams in their division!
5. Mission throughout the Yakima Valley
Each year, secondary students have the opportunity to take an elective class called Missions, led by Mr. Herring. This year our missions class served during their 7th period class at several places in the Yakima Valley including Habitat for Humanity, Rod’s House, Chandler House, Volunteer Chore Services, and Northwest Harvest.
6. Team Haiti
Speaking of missions, RCS embarked on its 6th annual mission trip to Haiti. Eighteen students and two staff traveled to Haiti serve the people of Terra Blanche through a children’s vacation bible school, house visits, and a dental clinic. “God is everywhere in Haiti constantly changing peoples lives. Just hearing the children sing bible songs in VBS showed how God is working in the village,” reported RCS ’15 grad, Katie Shields. Read more from their 2015 trip here.
7. State Tournament Appearances and Championship
Crusader’s fought their way to victory in multiple sport seasons this past year, leaving Crusader fans prouder than ever. Crusader Volleyball started the year off with an exciting appearance at the state tournament which led to a 7th place finish. Crusader Basketball played a strong season with new coach Drew Edgerly, leading to the District Championship.
Both the Crusader Track and Field and Baseball team finished out the year with valiant performances in the WIAA State Tournament, bringing home the 1B Baseball State Championship and multiple track and field wins including: Nicole Nobbs 1st in Javelin, Micah Tranch 1st in High Jump, 2nd in Javelin, Danica Bazilme, Elyse Kuelber, Nicole and Jenny Nobbs taking 1st in the girls 4×100, Elyse Kuebler taking 4th in the 2oom, and Victoria Coles 7th place finish in the girls 1600, amounting to an overall 5th place team finish for the Crusaders Track and Field. Our Knowledge Bowl team also placed 3rd in their State Competition!
8. New RCS Faces
The start of the school year brought many new faces to Riverside Christian. We welcomed Calvin Howe, Patty Lee, and Kaleen Goodeill to our staff. Jocelynn Bohannon, Jacob Edler, Tanya Anderson, Bob Spain, and Drew Edgerly joined our teaching team. Kim Dunham, Tammy Cherry, and Matt Powers came on to supplement our support team. Each of these individuals have added greatly to the RCS team with their gifts and abilities.
9. Partnership with Red Comet, Grand Canyon, BYU and expanding AP Courses
Options, options, and more options! This past year we partnered with Red Comet, out of Toppenish School District to offer 50+ online electives available to our high school students, allowing us to expand our AP Courses. On top of the 5 AP Courses offered on campus, students now have the option of taking AP Statistics, MicroEconomics, MacroEconomics, Human Geography, and Psychology. RCS has also partnered with Grand Canyon University in a dual credit program offering students specific courses to gain both high school and college credit as well as a partnering with BYU to expand our foreign language offerings.
10. 100% of RCS Grads headed to college! 
To cap off this incredible year, 100% of Riverside Christian’s 2015 graduating class is headed off to college this Fall. We are so proud of their achievements and leadership this past year and wish them the very best as they enter this new season! Check out where they are headed here.
As you can see, 2014-2016 was a very exciting school year and we continually give God all the credit! Follow along this year as we enter into another year of learning, growing, and lots of fun!