October Home Leave

October Home Leave was really nice, although it involved a lot of driving!  We went up to Boston and visited New Hampshire and Vermont as well.

October 10 - SVA ELL Class Work

Hi Class,

I understand there was no teacher in my classes yesterday, October 9.  I am sorry about that.  Today I will make sure you have a teacher by sending Mrs. Rivera to class!  You will enjoy her.  :)

Please read and follow the plan below.  I have also shared some photos from Washington, D.C. at the end.  

Blessings and Happy Sabbath!

Mr. Rivera

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Tuesday, October 7 was Community Service Day.

On Wednesday, October 8, we went to the international admissions for tours of James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University. 

On Thursday and Friday, October 9-10, I will be out of town, so you will have a substitute teacher.  

Here is the work you will need to do THURSDAY and FRIDAY.  I will be back in class on Monday, October 13.  

Mr. Rivera
andy.rivera@sva-va.org
413-325-4656 (text/call)

CLASS PLANS FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 (and Friday, October 10)

5th Period B - English Fundamentals 1 (5th period B) 

A. Chapter 3 - Study Charts 3-1 to 3-10 (use powerpoint, grammar speaks, and youtube)

B. Speaking Exercises/Activities with Teacher from Textbook, Ch. 3

C. Students must finish workbook Ch. 3 through chart 3-5 (due Tuesday, October 14)

D. Possible Quiz on Charts 3-1 to 3-5 on Tuesday

6th Period B - English Fundamentals 2 

A. Chapter 3 - Study Charts 3-1 to 3-4 (use powerpoint, grammar speaks, and youtube)

B. Speaking Exercises/Activities with Teacher from Textbook, Ch. 3

C. Students must finish workbook for all Ch. 3 (due Tuesday, October 14)

D. Possible Quiz on Charts 3-1 to 3-4 on Tuesday, October 14

7th Period B - Writing/Reading Lab 1&2

Journal Questions:
Friday - Write about Community Service Day (who, what, when, where, why, how)
Monday - EMU/JMU Tour - Compare these two schools to each other and colleges in your country

B. Read Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (online) AND/OR

Read Autobiography of Frederick Douglass (online)

TOEFL Prep

SVA Homework

UNASP Work

Vocabulary Book - due Friday, October 10 (ALL STUDENTS)

CLASS PLANS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
6th Period A - U.S. History & Culture

A. Research and prepare your Presentation on a famous American Indian or American Slave (due Wednesday, October 15)
What to present:

Slaves - name, family, colony/state, type of work done, fame and life story

Indians - name, meaning of name, tribe, region of tribe, fame and life story

B. Read Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (online) AND/OR

Read Autobiography of Frederick Douglass (online)

C. Chapter 3 - Watch each videos below:

1) Economy of New England Colonies 

2) Economy of the Middle Colonies 

3) Economy of the Southern Colonies 

7th Period A - Listening/Speaking Lab 1&2

TOEFL Prep on ELL computers

Listening Exercises on englishclasssva.blogspot.com

Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.

 Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Worth Every Penny

I loved September Home Leave.  We spent it at Virginia Beach as a family.  (Julia, Valentina, Sofia, Diego, Nicholas, and Andy).  It was worth every penny!

Summer is Over and a New Year Has Begun!

What a summer it was!  On May 27, I took a group of SVA students to Instituto Superior Adventista de Misiones (ISAM) in Argentina to learn Spanish.  ISAM was wonderful, and Argentina is awesome!!!!

In July, I taught a Summer ESL program in Massachusetts to a group of 42 Argentinian high schoolers and 26 Japanese girls!  We visited Boston and New York City.

Finally, in August, we made it back to good old New Market and SVA!

So, summer is over, and the new year has begun!  We have a great batch of ELL students this year from several countries.  I am looking forward to the best year yet at SVA!

Proverbs 3:5,6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

The Rivera Family in Times Square, New York City - August 2014
(left to right: Diego, Julia, Nicholas, Andy, Sofia, and Valentina)

2014 SVA Tennis Champion

Jeffry Vergara (Peru) def. Giovanni Rossi (Brazil) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4

 Jeffry is an iron man triathlete from New Market, Virginia and a member of the New Market Seventh-day Adventist Church. He made his way through the SVA Tennis Tournament defeating Sara Lim (6-0, 6-1), Danny Jimenez (forfeit), Andy Rivera (6-1, 6-3), and tournament finalist and runner-up, Giovanni Rossi. Congratulations Jeffry! You are 2014 SVA Tennis Champion!!! See you next year!!! :)

SVA Tennis Tournament Semi-Final Update

This is the first tennis tournament I have ever organized, and it has been rough in spots - mainly having to do with scheduling.  So, it has been extended.  But we have enjoyed it, and I would invite those interested to come and watch the semifinal and final, today and tomorrow, after supper and during rec.  It is a lot of fun to have spectators.  I will be taking a minibus to the park.  By the way, I am looking for someone to help me with supper supervision at the cafeteria today...  :)  4:45-6:15 p.m. 

Monday - Semi-finals
Match 1
Giovanni Rossi  (#1) Brazil
versus
Juan Camilo Rodriguez (#2) Colombia

Match 2
Andy Rivera (#8) U.S.
versus
Jeffry Vergara (#11) Peru

Tuesday - Final
Match 1 winner
versus
Match 2 - winner

Why Did I Come to SVA?

This is what I came to SVA for.

This group went to the Winchester Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church this past Sabbath to worship and fellowship with God's people up there.  We preached, sang, testified, ate, fellowshipped, and visited His Saints in Spanish, English and Portuguese!

Every person was totally positive, engaged, cheerful, brave, and helpful.  We harmonized in word, deed, and song all day long.  The folk were absolutely blessed and impressed with our youth and Shenandoah Valley Academy.

Thanks River, Karina, Sarah, Robert, and Giovanni.  It was fun to spend the Sabbath with you, and I'm not going to forget it.  You are God's Agents of Redemption, too!  A shout out to Pastor Orlando Newball!

Now, that is what I came to SVA for.  :)