Top 10 Amador moments of 2022

Nadya Carreira, AVT Page Editor|January 23, 2023

2022 was a big year for Amador Valley, filled with new additions, time-honored traditions, and tons of school spirit. Here are the top 10 most memorable Amador moments of 2022. 

On a daily basis, construction workers are trying their utmost to finish the new building on campus by installing cabinets, pouring concrete, doing electrical work, and more. (Zenil Koovejee)

1. The new R building finishes construction 

Amador Valley kicked off the year with a brand new addition to campus: the R building. Construction started during the summer of 2021 and the building was in use by Feb. 2022. Now it sits near the back parking lot and houses classes mostly in the science and Special Day Class (SDC) departments. 

 

 

 

 

Sleek and compact, these mounted projectors not only free up space but allow for a more stable projection. (Ritika Ghosh)

2. New projectors installed in classrooms 

Following the district-wide initiative to modernize Amador Valley, new projectors were installed in classrooms across campus. The new technology furthered interactive learning and greatly assisted teachers in explaining difficult concepts. The projectors fueled discussions about whether the benefits outweigh the costs, seeing as every projector came with a price tag of twenty thousand dollars. 

 

 

 

 

 

As the day of the rally neared, Leadership began wrapping up all their preparations while finalizing the schedule and decor. (Aileen Hu)

3. First Donversity rally since COVID pandemic 

Students expressed elation when attending the first Donversity Rally since COVID struck in 2020. The Bollywood and Dance teams’ performances were the most anticipated events, and the Black Student Union made an inspirational speech. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We the People team members Lois Hong (’22), Honore Alexander (’22), Jasmine Chen (’22), and Margaret Huang (’22) listen to feedback from judges from across the country. (Soraia Bohner)

4. AV Competition Civics team wins nationals 

After a year of preparation and hard work, the AV Competition Civics team won the We the People National Final in April. The competition was held online, in which 45 other teams from around the country participated. Amador’s victory marked the first time they had won nationals in 27 years. 

 

 

 

 

Jasmine Torres is the new counselor overseeing students with last names Lb to Ol. (Aashi Jain)

5. New principal and four new counselors join Amador Valley 

Amador Valley saw four new counselors join the counseling team at the start of the new school year. Benjamin Moua, Amanda Maloney, Jasmine Torres, and Kimberly Tran worked tirelessly to support students through their first semester. In addition, Amador welcomed new principal John Fey to campus. 

 

 

 

 

Amador held the largest Pigskin event to date on Sep. 19, 2022. (Sarah Yan)

6. Amador hosts biggest Pigskin to date 

Over 50 clubs participated in Amador Valley’s largest Pigskin event in Sep. 2022. The event also saw a record turnout in attendees, in part because of the football game that took place on campus afterwards. As one of the first events of the school year, Pigskin is an important event to attend for incoming freshmen, who get the chance to socialize with their peers and familiarize themselves with their new school. 

 

 

 

Amador seniors performed well in the PSAT/NMSQT test held last spring, with 36 semifinalists selected. (Diana Schwartz)

7. 36 seniors announced as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship 

Amador Valley was proud to announce that 36 seniors made it to the semi-finals for the National Merit Scholarship. These students represent the top 1% of seniors in California, and will go on to compete in the next round. Results will be announced on Feb. 13, 2023. 

 

 

 

 

Don Squad members pose in their Minions dress-up attire for the Homecoming rally. (Max Kiyoi)

8. Homecoming rally held on Amador’s 100th anniversary 

Amador Valley celebrated its 100 year anniversary with a rally to remember. As per tradition, the homecoming theme was revealed with grandeur, this time to the tune of custom floats built on the backs of four cars. The Cheer team, Dance team, Bollywood team, marching band, and other student groups performed before the student body. 

 

 

 

 

Montana Parkinson-Lubold (’24) stays focused as she strikes a backhand in a match against Monte Vista. (Vincent Ma)

9. AV Girls Tennis wins NCS for the first time and qualifies for CIF 

The AV Girls Tennis Team solidified their position as number one in North Coast Section Championships (NCS), winning the title for the first time in Amador history. The tournament took place over four days in Nov. and the girls were excited to see their hard work pay off. After winning first place in NCS they moved onto California Interscholar federation (CIF), and made it to the semifinals. 

 

 

 

 

Upon arriving home, the eight winners hold their official JEA certificates. (Not pictured: Albertine Combs) (Wendy Connelly)

10. AV Journalism wins big at JEA convention 

Eight out of 18 journalism students who traveled to the JEA conference in St. Louis, Mo. placed in the National Student Media Competitions that took place in Dec. During the three-day trip, students took classes and listened to lectures from award-winning journalists. They submitted news stories, photos, videos and online packages that received praise from a panel of judges. Three won the online news package Excellence Awards, two took first place in the online broadcast package category, the Excellence in Commentary was awarded to one other, and two more received an honorable mention.