Two weeks of school left this year!
Raven Report: April 29, 2020
Save the Date for the Class of 2020's Graduation Ceremony

The Summit is happy to announce that we have set a date for graduation! This year, graduation will be held at the Springfield Art Museum on Tuesday, July 14th. We look forward to celebrating our seniors and their achievements with their families. Additional details will be released to The Summit community in the coming weeks. 

If you have not already done so, please consider sharing a few words of encouragement to our graduating seniors: Celebrating the Class of 2020.

Get Ready for #GivingTuesdayNow!

Next Tuesday, The Summit will be participating in Giving Tuesday Now, a national day to support your favorite not-for-profit organizations. We hope you will show your support for The Summit and join our Annual Campaign with a donation on Tuesday, May 5th.
 
The Annual Campaign for The Raven Fund is one of our most important fundraising activities. The Raven Fund underwrites vital activities that benefit all of our students, faculty, and staff. The fundraising goal has almost been met, and now we would like to surpass last year's family participation goal of 70%!

Please click the link below to make your pledge to The Raven Fund today (all pledges from now through Tuesday 5/4 at midnight count towards Giving Tuesday Now). Feel free to contact Vince Currao, Summit Development Officer, if you have any questions.
Senior Spotlight: Evan Mason

Q&A with Evan

What grade were you in when you joined The Summit?
Kindergarten

What are you looking forward to most after graduating?
I look forward to meeting new people from all over the country/world with unique perspectives and experiences which will hopefully help me to grow as a person. I am also very excited to have the opportunity to take such a wide variety of classes, as well as to participate in research on the collegiate level.

Where will you be attending college/university? 
I will be attending either Baylor University or Villanova University.

What major or course of study do you plan to pursue? 
I was admitted to Baylor as a neuroscience major and Villanova as a chemical engineering major.

Why did you choose that? 
I attended two lectures over the summer from a professor of neuroscience while I was at Johns Hopkins University. I thought his presentations were fascinating, and I immediately wanted to learn more.


I think chemical engineering would provide a great opportunity to use my love of chemistry and other similar subjects, and apply it towards the mass production of raw materials like pharmaceuticals. 


I think that both degrees would give me a valuable perspective going into medical school.


 

What is your favorite color of uniform polo and why? 

I really enjoy seeing classes dressed in red polo shirts, because you know that they must be going on a field trip or some other outing. This is especially true during the concerts where the whole school is wearing red. I think that is a great unifier.

What is your favorite Summit memory or defining moment? 
My favorite Summit memory has to be Math Club in the 4th Grade with Mrs. Anderson. We came for the donuts and chocolate milk, but we stayed because Mrs. Anderson made learning math a fun way to bond with your classmates.

How have you grown in the past four years? 
My self-confidence in my abilities to interact with strangers, whether students or adults, has definitely grown over the last four years. I would also like to think that my skills as a leader have improved as well.

What advice do you have for younger Summit students?
High school is going to fly by, and from what I'm told, time only goes faster from here. You will be afforded many opportunities to learn, grow, and have fun and I encourage you to try your best not to take them for granted. It is easy to watch the seconds pass by as you eagerly try to win the war of attrition against finals week, but soon you will be going off to college and wondering where exactly all those seconds disappeared to.

Teacher Memories from  Señora Leighninger

My first memory of Evan is the very first day of school. I was on carline duty, and it was pouring down rain. Despite the rain, his mother couldn't miss out on a photo opportunity of Evan's first day of Kindergarten. So, we posed together in the rain under a giant umbrella. Our first day of school picture became a tradition, and we have now been taking a picture for every first day of school since then. 
Dear Evan... Love Mom & Dad

Dear Evan,

When the school asked us to write a letter about you in honor of your graduation, the thought seemed overwhelming. Where do we even begin?! We were married for 14 years before we had you, and we had A LOT of fun! But, that fun was nothing compared to the joy and fulfillment we experienced once you were born. The meaning of life and unconditional love was revealed.

You woke up happy every morning, greeting us with your amazing smile. You were always moving, exploring, observing, learning. You never sat still. You wore us out. And, (with the exception of a brief phase when you were 3) we loved every minute of it! We remember one early pediatrician appointment when the doctor asked if you were putting 2 or 3 words together yet. You, not wanting to sit there while we answered questions, sat up and said, "I want to go back to the big room and play with the other kids." I guess you answered that question!

When you were working on your college applications, we asked some of your teachers and friends what they thought were your greatest strengths. They responded with your motivation, work ethic, leadership skills. That everything you do, whether its academics, sports, music, volunteer work, you give it 100% and do it well. We agree with all of those statements. But, the thing that we are most proud of is that you use your strengths for good. You are kind, thoughtful, empathetic, always thinking of others before yourself. You are never jealous or resentful, and are better at keeping things in perspective than anyone we have ever known. You are a good person, a good friend, a good citizen, and an amazing son.

We could not be prouder and cannot wait to see what your future holds. We know that whatever you do, you will give it your all and will do it well. We pray that you find your life's passion and that you live to the fullest. We have cherished every moment of being your parents.

We love you with all of our being!

Mom and Dad
Celebrating the Class of 2020

We need your help to celebrate the Class of 2020! We would love to gather some words of encouragement from The Summit community to share with our seniors in the Raven Report in May.

If you would like to contribute an inspirational message or quote, please fill out the following form through the button below:

Counselor's Corner

Free Viewing of Angst Documentary for All Summit Families

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and research shows anxiety disorders are among the most common childhood and adolescent mental illnesses. To shed light on this, The Summit Prep is offering a complimentary screening of the IndieFlix Original documentary Angst to our community. This 56 minute film is appropriate for ages 10 and up and is "designed to raise awareness around anxiety... and includes interviews with kids, teens, educators, experts, parents and a very special interview with Michael Phelps." Click here to watch the trailer for Angst. The goal of the documentary, and accompanying materials, "is to help people identify and understand the symptoms of anxiety and encourage them to reach out for help."

The link to view this documentary will be emailed to all Summit families in early May and will be active for 7 days. We encourage families to take the time to watch this film with their student(s) and to start/continue the conversation about anxiety. If you have questions or would like additional resources, Counselor, Becky Breckner, is available to support our Summit families.
Image from "Coping Through COVID Self-Care for Adult Supports" Presentation By Burrell Behavioral Health

Burrell's "Coping Through COVID" Resources

Last Friday, faculty and administration attended a professional development webinar with Burrell Behavioral Health to focus on wellness and self-care during the COVID-19 crisis. We encourage our families to review the following slideshow and to consider the weight of your glass each day. Check in with one another and ask "The Four Gs" to open a conversation about stress, emotions, and coping during COVID-19.

A "Special" Celebration
Spanish
Get ready to celebrate The Summit's Spanish Program next Friday, May 8th during our annual Culture Day! More information will be sent to families via email regarding our virtual Culture Day on 5/8.

Follow along on the Spanish blog!
Art 
Mrs. Murphy is enjoying seeing all the beautiful and creative Art projects Summit students are working on at home! Here are just a few of the middle school editorial cartoons she's received via email this week.

Follow along on Mrs. Murphy's Art blog!

by 6th grader Leah M.
by 6th grader Emily C.
by 6th grader Sydney W.
Our Summit Community
Pictured above, Summit students who competed at the Regional MathLeague Contest this academic year.

Summit Mathletes Competing at State this Weekend

This weekend, three Summit students will be competing virtually in the MathLeague State Championship! Please join us as we share well wishes and good luck with sixth graders Grayson S., Cadence G., and Leah M.!

Middle Schoolers Make Virtual Science Fair Presentations

Summit sixth grader, Will B., conducted his virtual Science Fair presentation on Tuesday, April 28th.  Will's research compared the growth and nutrient content of soil grown, aquaponically grown, and hydroponically grown plants such as basil, parsley, and kale. He made his presentation in his makeshift home studio, pictured above. 

Will is the first of The Summit Prep Middle Schoolers to present for the Ozarks Science and Engineering Fair. Sixth grader Leah M. and eighth grader Chloe S. will also be making virtual Science Fair presentations.

Great job, Will, and good luck to the rest of our Summit presenters!
New US Flag Waving at School

Some of you may have noticed that we have a new United States flag flying in front of The Summit campus. What you may not have noticed, is that the flag has flown every day while we have been under the stay-at-home order.

A special thank you to the Wes & Erin Anderson family for donating our new flag and helping us convey a little sign of strength and consistency during these challenging days!

To Do List
Spend Your Summer at The Summit

Camp Raven is the summer program at The Summit for incoming Beginner through 5th grade students. These camps provide a fun and stimulating way for your child to continue learning over the summer break. Each camp is themed to a different topic and encompasses several subject areas, from science and art to music and history. Campers will have fun while learning and making new friends!
Donate to The Raven Fund
Questions? Contact Vince Currao, Development Officer.

As you know, the 2020 Annual Campaign for the Raven Fund is off and running! If you have questions, feel free to contact Vince Currao at The Summit, or consult with your financial advisor.
STEM Connection

Stay Creative While You Stay At Home with Destination Imagination
(Information from Destination Global Finals website: globalfinals.org)

In these days of social distancing and stay-at-home guidance, it's more important than ever to connect with friends and family members and to continue expressing your creativity.

Destination Imagination's Global Finals 2020 Virtual Tournament (GF20) is a one-of-a-kind collaborative problem-solving experience that takes place 100% online and is open to all students and families (yes, you read that right!) who enjoy being creative, collaborative, and solving fun challenges that require out-of-the-box thinking. Teams are NOT required or encouraged to meet in person. All components of GF20 can be completed virtually with the use of video conferencing platforms and other means of digital communication.

You do not need to have been on a Destination Imagination (DI) team for the 2019-20 DI season in order to participate. GF20 is a whole new experience and is open to EVERYONE!

For GF20, you will work with your DI teammates, friends, or family members online to participate in several different Challenge Experiences:
  • All-new Virtual Team Challenge
  • 3 all-new Virtual Instant Challenges
  • Team Challenge Showcase for your team's solution to any of the Team Challenges from the 2019-20 Challenge season (with multiple options for submitting your solution, none of which require your team to meet in person!)
The cost to participate in the Global Finals 2020 Virtual Tournament is $199 per team. Your team may participate in as many or as few of these Challenge Experiences as you choose. We're excited to welcome everyone to the Summer of Creativity!
Support The Summit

AmazonSmile: Shop & Support The Summit

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice, The Summit Prep. You must go through smile.amazon.com (not amazon.com) to log into your Amazon account for the benefits to work.

Questions? Contact  Kristin Walker, Finance & Operations Officer.

Online Options for Growth Fund Credits with Scrip!

Shopping online? Be sure to check out  www.shopwithscrip.com for your shopping needs!


As always feel free to reach out to Phil Isley, Summit Dad and Scrip Coordinator, with any questions.
Mabel's Labels
Mabel's Labels are great, adhesive labels for everything: uniform shirts, water bottles, lunch boxes, pencil cases, laptops, etc. They stick and won't come off in the wash! 

Questions? Contact   Ellen Chindlund, SPO Treasurer.
New: Box Tops App! No more clipping!    
Box Tops is changing to fit today's families. The new and improved Box Tops mobile app uses state-of-the-art technology to scan your store receipt, find participating products, and instantly add Box Tops to your school's earnings online. Click here to learn more about the app.

Don't forget to keep collecting all your Box Tops, labels, and Tyson product codes! We have a clear bucket in the lobby to collect these labels all year long. Please be sure to ask your family and friends to collect theirs as well. The Summit gets credit for every label turned in! 

Click on the links below for more information on each program:
Summit Family Business Directory: Available to View Family Businesses

Use the link at the right, or visit

If you are interested in being listed in the Business Directory, please use this link to submit your information .

Questions? Contact Vince Currao, Development Officer. 
The Summit Preparatory School | 417.869.8077 | Fax: 417.986.3777
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