The MVS middle school tennis team finished second in their flight at the 2024 Miami Valley Tennis Coaches Association (MVTCA) tournament. Seventh grader Max L. won the singles bracket, taking home the gold medal for first place.

MVS seventh grader Emma M. was selected for the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) National Youth Treble Honors Choir, a highly competitive audition-only ensemble. The OAKE choir performed on March 16 at the prestigious Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall, singing songs spanning the English, Spanish, Norwegian, and Latin languages. Emma was the only singer from Ohio selected for the choir, which underwent a rigorous four-day rehearsal process before their final performance as part of OAKE’s national conference for music educators. Congratulations, Emma!

The Miami Valley School upper school quiz bowl team won the Ohio Small School State Championship on March 23, emerging victorious from a field of 32 teams.

Playing shorthanded due to Spring Break, the two-person team of Arshaan Kahlon ’24 and Ben Dannemiller ’25 compiled a record of 9-1 at the tournament, defeating Batavia High School A in the championship game to claim the first small school state championship in MVS history.

The team was also named Best in Class for the Open Division as the highest-finishing non-public school in the tournament, MVS’ second consecutive Open Division title.

Senior captain Arshaan Kahlon finished as the highest-scoring individual in the tournament with 96.00 points per game, earning a place on the All-Ohio Small School First Team.

Congratulations, and Go Rams!

Two MVS swimmers recently competed in the OHSAA Division II State Tournament!

KATELYN SMITTLE ‘25 made it to the “A” final in both the 200 IM and 100 fly, where she finished 7th and 8th, respectively, placing herself on the All-State podium in both events.

CIARA DWYER ‘26 swam both the 200 IM and 100 fly, finishing 29th and 20th in the state, respectively.

Congratulations, swimmers, and Go Rams!

The Miami Valley School has received a $250,000 grant award from the Ohio Department of Development for energy efficiency improvements, the largest environmental sustainability grant in the school’s history.

This historic grant for MVS is part of a collective $8 million in grant funding awarded to 35 projects in 18 Ohio counties to benefit municipalities, educational institutions, businesses, and nonprofits. The school will use its grant award to upgrade its facilities to LED lighting, resulting in a projected utility savings of 16 percent. 

MVS Director of Environmental Sustainability Anne Griffith spearheaded MVS’ grant application, with essential support from Director of Facilities & Grounds Joe Smith, Assistant Head of School Deb Spiegel, Chief Financial & Operating Officer Ann Smith, Director of Advancement Heather Leppla, and Head of School David Long. 

The grant funding was awarded through the Energy Efficiency Program for Ohio Communities (EEPOC), which was created to help municipalities, businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions complete energy efficiency retrofits in existing buildings.  

“Projects like these not only contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future, but they also play a crucial role in bolstering local economies and enhancing quality of life,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “Something as simple as installing LED lights can create enough savings that will allow these Ohioans to reinvest their money in what really matters, like growing their business or supporting their residents.”

“We’re grateful to the Ohio Department of Development for this EEPOC grant, which will be incredibly impactful in helping The Miami Valley School achieve its overall objectives in environmental sustainability,” said Anne Griffith, Director of Environmental Sustainability. “We look forward to making our campus more energy efficient and using the opportunities created by this grant to reinvest in our students, families, and Dayton community as we grow our role in serving the Dayton region,” said David Long, Head of School.

MVS swimmers Ciara Dwyer ’26 and Katelyn Smittle ’25 are headed for a repeat trip to the OHSAA Division II State Tournament for swimming! Both student-athletes qualified for the 2024 state meet in the 200 IM and 100 fly. This marks the second year in a row that Ciara has qualified for state, and the third year in a row that Katelyn has qualified for state. Qualifying times from the district meet are below. Go Rams!

200 IM

Katelyn Smittle 2:08.32

Ciara Dwyer 2:14.73

100 Fly

Katelyn Smittle 57.34

Ciara Dwyer 59.46

For the first time in school history, MVS boys’ varsity basketball are co-champions of the Metro Buckeye Conference! The team finished the regular season 8-2 in conference play and 14-5 overall, good for a share of the league crown with Legacy Christian. The Rams return to action in the sectional tournament this Saturday, February 24, at 4:00 p.m. vs. Fort Loramie at Piqua High School. Go Rams!

Congratulations to eighth grader Sydney, who won third place at the district Power of the Pen Tournament at Jacob Coy Middle School!

Since 1986, Power of the Pen has offered Ohio students the opportunity to participate in the state’s leading interscholastic writing league. Competitors are sorted into rooms of 6 and given 40 minutes to craft a story based on a surprise prompt, and the stories are evaluated by judges on-site.

MVS’ fourth and fifth grade boys’ basketball team are CYO tournament champions! The team earned a thrilling overtime victory over St. Luke in the tournament finals, capping a brilliant run that also featured wins against St. Peter and Incarnation. Congratulations to the team and Coach Michael Wilson!