Idaho Statesman writer, Anna Webb, has written a wonderful article about One Stone, the student-run, service learning organization that was started at Riverstone by the Poppen family in 2002. Kylie P explains the significance of the One Stone name, “Wonderful acts can be similar to a stone thrown in a river – ripples that can build upon each other to change the world.”

A testament to the enthusiasm for their projects and dedication to others, One Stone has twice received national recognition for their collaboration with the Idaho Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Read the full article about One Stone at http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/06/13/1229045/one-stone-causes-many-ripples.html

Competing on the team this year:
Dave Beck: Team manager and all round race guru
Will Northrop
Jill Beck
Nicole Toeldte
Andrew Derry

Starting with the Senior Dessert on Thursday evening and ending with the formal ceremony on Friday, graduation is a community event in which students, family members, faculty and friends share stories, words of advice, and well wishes with the graduates.

You can see photos at:

RIS Graduation 2010

Some of you may have seen the following article about the IB in northern Idaho.

click here for the statesman article

Since Riverstone is mentioned in the comments, I though I would remind you all of the following post from my blog last year. Although this one is about celebrating Christmas, the message applies to all American culture and values.

Far from being anti-American, Riverstone and its IB programs are proud to offer an international outlook from an American foundation.

Andrew

Does Santa come to International Schools too?

As I watch the Christmas decorations spring up in the yards and malls around Boise, it reminds me of the perennial discussion that faces so many International Schools around the world; should we celebrate Christmas? Won’t it offend some members of our international community? Wouldn’t it be insensitive?

There are two ways of approaching internationalism. The first is to take the “lets offend no-one” theory, in which we celebrate nothing at the risk of offending one cultural group or another. This is the ‘dumbing down’ approach in which we take the lowest common multiple as our guide.

The other, and to my mind, more understanding, more sensitive and more educative approach is to “develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect” (IBO, 2005). This is the Highest Common Factor approach in which we learn about, appreciate and celebrate as many cultural festivals and events as we can.

In a truly internationally minded school, history, religion and culture are best approached on a series of levels in which students are firstly taught to appreciate and understand their own cultural heritage. This serves as the strong foundation on which an appreciation of other cultures is built. Secondly, they are exposed to the history and religion of other cultures around the world. Finally they learn to be able to compare, contrast and appreciate the wonderful diversity of peoples and cultures around the world.

I stress, the importance of the first point in my list, for I have too often heard this approach being called “anti-American’. To really build an appreciation of other cultures and an ability to compare, contrast and appreciate the diversity in this world requires a deep-rooted sense and appreciation of your own culture.

So yes, Riverstone will be celebrating Christmas and helping our international students understand and appreciate its significance. At the same time, our international students will be helping us understand and indeed, celebrate other cultural events such as Diwali, Hanukkah, Eid Al-Adha and the Chinese New Year.

At Riverstone, we will not close our students eyes, but open their minds to the cultural richness and diversity this world has to offer. International understanding is a far better option than mistrust and misunderstanding.

Andrew Derry

click here to listen to the NPR report

click here to read the newspaper article

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the ceremony such a great success, and an even bigger thank you to the entire school community who made our new building a reality!
Andrew

I am very, very pleased to let you know how our students did at the statewide NHD competition yesterday. We have three students advancing to the national competition in Washington DC during the week of 13 June!

Grace G was the overall winner in the Senior Exhibit category with her work on Wilson’s idea of self-determination.  In addition to winning first in her category she also won a $150 dollar award from the BSU History Department and the 20,000 dollar Herodotus Scholarship from the College of Idaho.

Sarah S finished second in the senior exhibit category with her work on propaganda’s role in Hitler’s rise to power.

Regan B finished second in the senior paper category with his work on nuclear weapons’ use as a deterrent to war.

Jack J competed in the Youth Individual Documentary category.  Students in the youth division are not eligible to compete nationally.  However, I am extremely excited to tell you that he won first place with his work on the Bolshevik’s early attempts to govern Russia differently using the principles of Marxism.

Asher T – 4th place overall in the senior exhibits, but won the “Best Military History” project of the competition.  He had LOTS of competition in this category.

Zach S – finished fourth in the junior exhibits.  There were a TON of junior exhibits this year.  Competition was fierce.

Lucas M – finished third in the senior papers.

Roan B – finished third in the senior documentaries with his work on micro-lending.

Finally, I want to wrap up by saying that all of the Riverstone students who competed had very strong projects.  Additionally they were competing against other very strong students.  I was impressed by the level of competition this year.

Andy Johnson

for placing 4th at our regional competition today to advance to the

State Competition next Tuesday, March 16th.

Davis Gilton and Ian Cherny also won the prestigious all regional team

member awards (2 of possible 8 team members selected from over 80

students)!!

Please congratulate the team when you see them: Ian C.,

Davis G., Kylie P., Marin A., Remy N., Tatjana T., Will M., Ian R.,

Becca Q., Pragna N., Ryan S., and Paul M.

Our next competition is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16th and will include an all day seminar

series and competition set at Boise Center on the Grove.  As always,

please contact Scott or me if you have any questions.  Thanks for

sharing in our excitement!

Scott and Alex

This year’s competition was far larger than previous years with approximately 250 students competing from across the Treasure Valley. From that, Riverstone has 10 students advancing to the State competition on April 16 at the College of Idaho.

Individual Results were as follows (please congratulate these students if you see them):

Youth Individual Documentary – Jack Johnson, 2d place

Senior Individual Documentary – Roan Berg, 1st place

Senior Individual Papers – Regan Bell, 1st place, Lucas Macha, 2d

Place, Andrew Roan, 3d Place

Junior Individual Exhibits – Ava Macha, 1st Place (in her flight),

Mackenzie Roan, 2d Place (in her flight), Zach Snow, 3d Place (in his

flight), Maddi Nelson, 4th Place (in her flight)

Senior Individual Exhibits – (by flight)

Grace Guryan, 1st Place, Sarah Schaff, 2d Place, Elena Snow, 3d

Place, Emma Guzman, 4th Place

Reyada Atanasio, 1st Place, Asher Trapp, 2d Place, Alex Rose, 3d Place.

Congratluations to all the students, these results are remarkable.

Also, thank you to Andy Johnson for taking on the NHD this year and guiding our students through the process.

Andrew

Andrew

The awards recognize “ordinary people doing extraordinary things to insure the vitality of Idaho communities”

This year a total of 67 organizations and individuals were nominated for the 6 major awards.
I am delighted to announce that Riverstone received two nominations in the categories of “School of the Year” and “student of the year” (Kylie P)

The awards ceremony was very well attended in the Simplot Ballroom at BSU with Governor and Lady Otter making the presentations.
Riverstone was very well represented by several teachers and students.

Now the big news……we won BOTH categories…School of the Year and Student of the Year!!!
Yes, Riverstone managed a clean sweep!

Thank yo to all of you who do so much for our community in so many ways. Riverstone is truly both and International School and a Community School.

Also, congratulations to Kylie P, who won the 2009 Student of the Year award.

Andrew

The Trophy!