Sky High

It’s recess time at Sky Valley Academy. Preschoolers spill out of a classroom onto the mats of the main gym, where they tumble, bounce on trampolines, swing on ropes, and swan dive into foam-block pits.

BY ADAM WORCESTER

Teacher Zoey Moya attends to her flock like a mother hen, guiding, cajoling, helping, cautioning. It wasn’t that long ago Moya herself was a Sky Valley preschooler. Now she works there along with her mom and aunt.

“I’ve basically grown up here,” Moya says. “This was my first job, when I was 14 or 15. It felt effortless to come back to.”

Moya exemplifies alumni of the academy, which has been serving the Monroe community for almost 30 years. Not all are teaching preschool, but many can be spotted helping at the front desk, volunteering for a summer camp, watching a gymnastics meet, or dropping off and picking up their offspring. “It’s like a family,” Zoey says. “There’s a feeling of being close.”

Kia Pemberton was Zoey’s Sky Valley preschool classmate. She also later taught at the academy, and has now signed up her son, Waylon. “What I really like is the majority of the preschool teachers have their own kids here,” Pemberton says. “It’s a very closeknit, very safe, very comfortable atmosphere.”

When Sky Valley started as a class at the Sultan Boys & Girls Club, founders Jennifer Sonneveldt and her sister Jody Harcrow used old wrestling mats donated by Sultan High School. Jody’s husband, Rick, crafted wooden beams. There were four initial students: Jennifer’s two children and a pair of neighborhood friends.

Today Sky Valley Academy occupies 18,000 square feet, with classes for children ages 18 months to 18 years, and has competitive gymnastics squads. There are 800 kids in the gymnastics program and 120 enrolled in preschool. And it’s still growing.

“We could probably double (the enrollment) we have now,” says Jennifer. As soon as construction crews are finished knocking out a rear wall to connect the main gym with a smaller one housed in an adjacent building, “It will give us way more usable space.”

Sonneveldt is an ex-high school gymnast who launched Sky Valley after having a dream. Literally. “My husband was washing the car,” she recalls. “I said, ‘I had a dream last night that I was coaching gymnastics.’ He said, ‘You should do it.’ I thought about it. I worked at Albertson’s. I had two kids. I never thought it would work.”

Her high school gymnastics coach in Lakeland, CA, also influenced her decision. “She had a huge influence in my life,” Sonneveldt says. “She said, ‘Jenn, you’re a leader. You can lead them astray, or you can lead them down the right path.’”

Sonneveldt reached out to Harcrow, who lived nearby. The sisters posted flyers and handbills all over town and participated in Sultan Shindig Parades to promote their new venture. But after Sky Valley outgrew the Boys & Girls Club, and then the old Valley Rally Fitness Center building, Harcrow left to pursue other ventures. “She said, ‘This is your dream, not mine,’” Sonneveldt says.

Twelve years on, Sky Valley Academy continues to thrive. It has academic classes from ages 2 through 4; tumbling, Ninja warrior and Parkour classes; recreational and team gymnastics; summer camps; and open gyms. It also hosts Friday Parents’ Night Out and can be rented for birthday parties and special occasions. It used to include cheerleading, which was recently dropped in favor of a stronger focus on gymnastics.

Parents are attracted to the combination of traditional half-day preschool plus a half hour of ageappropriate gymnastics, which allows caregivers more time to shop or run errands between drop-off and pick-up. Students are taught beginning skills on vault, bars, beam, floor, and trampoline, as well as how to use a tumbling pit and scale the rock wall. But parents can opt for classes only, without gymnastics.

All preschool classes have accredited teachers, and curriculum meets state core standards. There is an emphasis on prewriting skills, STEM activities, cultural exploration, and literature. Students are exposed to sign language, and even learn beginning Spanish. “We don’t do childcare, we do school,” Sonneveldt says.

Still, some of the most important lessons are learned on balance beams, bars, and floor mats. After a fall or misstep, gymnasts have to determine their reaction. “One of the biggest keys is what can you do about that?” says Sonneveldt. “One of the biggest influences we have on kids is building character, building self-esteem. If you build that when you’re little, it carries you through.”

While gymnastics classes are coed, many boys tend to opt for the Ninja warrior and Parkour classes. The former teaches the fundamentals of navigating obstacles while building agility, speed, cardio health and overall body strength. A main goal is to climb the warped, 14-foot tall wall at the rear of the gym. Parkour concentrates on efficient movement around obstacles.

Sonneveldt coaches team gymnastics, one of about a dozen academy instructors. The Sky Valley Flight program fields competitive and recreational gymnastics squads – for both boys and girls -- and hosts meets at each level. There are typically two credentialed meets for serious competitors each fall, and six meets for recreational gymnasts. She also teaches a pair of preschool gymnastics classes. “I need to stay active,” she says. “It keeps me relevant.”

Sonneveldt says she’s not ready to retire. She’d like to add new classes to fit the needs of Monroe’s fast-growing population. Down the road she hopes to sell Sky Valley to employees, but in the meantime, she’s having too much fun. She drops in on classes, answers phones at the front desk, promotes the academy in elementary schools, and helps out wherever she’s needed.

As Moya’s preschoolers frolic around the gym, Sonneveldt watches with a grandmotherly sense of pride. All preschoolers get to use the gym during open play time, whether they are taking gymnastics or not. There are hula hoops on hand, and a large parachute that can be broken out.

“We don’t think as parents how important it is for them to have free play,” Sonneveldt says. “One of the key things to running a gym, it’s so important being a role model and having staff being role models.”

“I want them to have a good take on it,” she says, gesturing toward the children. “It’s something that changed my life.”

Local Kids Activities

High Flight Gymnastics and Athletic Center

13675 Roosevelt Road NE www.highflightgymnastics.com

Trampolines, inflatables, a rope swing, a rock wall, gymnastics, cheer, and tumbling classes, open gyms and playtimes, monthly Parents Night Out (PNO) events, birthday parties, and summer camps galore!

High Flight offers all this and more at its 18,000-square-foot facility. Founded in 2019, its motto is to help children “gain confidence and strive for their goals.” There are private gymnastics lessons for all levels, as well as competitive gymnastics teams.

Jitz Life & Fitness

111 West Main Street www.jitzlifeandfitness.com

From simple self-defense to competitive Jiu Jitsu, Jitz has classes for all ages. It features four categories – self-defense, Muay Thai kickboxing, wrestling/ submission wrestling/no gi, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Head instructor Danny Melillo has won medals in multiple international competitions. “His main focus,” states the Jitz website, “is preparing his students to become better people and helping them achieve whatever goals they are striving for and anything else along the way.”

Jump, Rattle & Roll

17631 147th Street SE Ste 6 www.jumprattleroll.com

Need a place for your kids to play for a couple of hours? Look no further! An assortment of inflatables and climb-ables provide a safe, fun space for kids age toddler on up to let their bodies jump, rattle, and roll!

There’s a new laser maze, and the entire 8,500-square-foot play space can be booked for parties and events. A unique twist: party-goers can rent snack machines and giant games for their celebration.

Master Ji’s Taekwondo

17150 West Main Street www.masterjitkd.com

Master Ji’s mission is to help students achieve their objectives, whether to just stay in shape or to compete at the highest levels, “through the lessons and skills of Taekwondo.”

Hwan Ji is a former Taekwondo trainer for the South Korean Marines and has won national and international championships. Classes range from “Little Kids” (age 4-6) all the way up to competitive teams. A yoga class is also available.

Monroe/Sky Valley Family YMCA

14033 Fryelands Blvd SE www.ymca-snoco.org

Did you know that the YMCA has a swim team? Or personal fitness training? Or virtual classes? It even offers “Kids Night Out” events throughout the summer: drop off your charges, then relax and enjoy your evening.

Of course, there’s plenty of daytime fun too. The Y has weights, cardio equipment, a swimming pool, sports courts, gym, kids’ activity room, childcare, and a jaw-dropping array of classes and camps.

NorthWest Sport Taekwondo

223 South Lewis Street www.nwsporttaekwondo.com

“Train with passion, fight with honor, live the sport.” Its motto summarizes what Northwest Sport is all about: Taekwondo. Its instructors total more than 30 years’ experience and have won many national and international competitions. They aim to build not only strong bodies, but “a foundation built to instill confidence, leadership, and individual drive that defends against the pressures we face in our everyday lives.”

Body Therapeutic Healing Center

117 W. Main Street, Monroe WA

Hellerwork Structural Integration Bodywork Injury Treatment / Lymphatic Drainage

Occupational Therapy / Insurance Accepted Also Featuring Massage Therapy by Michelle Taylor, LMP, Wellness Rising Within Colleen Barker - Energy Healing

Janaki Rose. OTR/L

360-863-2701 or 206-799-6771

Stress & Tension Relaxed Balance

Monroe, Index and Seattle

Platinum Dance Center

14582 172nd Drive SE www.idance247.com

“I don’t know but I’ve been told If you keep on dancing you’ll never grow old.”

Platinum owners Rachael Park and Jessica Vick would agree with the Steve Miller Band. They bill the center as Monroe’s premier dance studio, with recreational and competitive classes for students ages 2 to 18.

Lessons include pre-dance, ballet, tap, Latin, jazz, lyrical, musical theater, and combos, which look toward “the sole purpose of bringing dance into the Sky Valley Community and in turn taking dancers out into the vast world of dance.”

Stray Dogs Club

365 Butler Ave. www.straydogsclub.com

Here, practicing martial arts is more than a hobby; it’s “a way of life,” according to its website, the club will become a student’s “second home.” Stray Dogs offers mixed martial arts classes –Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, and Kids’ MMA – as well as a self-defense class.

All new customers get a free trial class, and military personnel, first responders, corrections workers, and senior citizens get a free whole month!

T3MA TS Martial Arts

19915 US-2, Suite B-1 www.t3ma.com/monroe

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes are tailored for pee wees (ages 3-6), youth (7-14), adults (15+), and females of all ages. Students indicate their desired intensity level with colored wrist bands. There is specialty training for students wanting to compete in local and national tournaments.

Besides learning valuable selfdefense skills, the studio promises students will acquire confidence and discipline while having “a ton of fun.”

Let’s Play Café

214 North Lewis Street www.letsplaycafe.com

Nostalgic for your 1970s/80s childhood? Let’s Play Café is the place for you! There’s a video arcade replete with new pinball games such as Rush and classics such as Pac Man, and a game room featuring board and fantasy offerings to play and purchase.

Bring the whole family and spend an evening playing Catan, or ditch the kids and indulge yourself in Dungeons & Dragons. Parties can be booked for groups of eight to 90 people.

Monroe Boys & Girls Club

261 Sky River Parkway www.bgcsc.org/clubs/monroe-club

Since 1946, the Snohomish County Boys & Girls Club, located in Monroe, has provided youngsters ages 5-18 with “a safe and positive place to spend their time before and after school and during the summer,” boasts its website.

A flat membership fee entitles access to a multitude of programs, classes, camps, and activities, including organized sports leagues, all guided by the Boys & Girls Clubs’ philosophy to do “whatever it takes” to ensure kids have a bright future.

Skyhawks Summer Sports Camps

City of Monroe Parks www.monroewa.gov/863/SkyhawksSummer-Sports-Camps

The City of Monroe partners with Skyhawks to offer week-long day camp programs for kids ages 4 to 12. Campers can choose from basketball, soccer, cheerleading, tennis, lacrosse, Mini-Hawk (soccer, baseball, flag football) and Multi-Sport (soccer, baseball, flag football) options.

Skyhawks has been running nationwide summer camps for more than 25 years. Sessions are offered at local schools and parks from June through August. Participants receive free T-shirts, merit awards, and a ball or pom-pom.

Kid’s Country Child Care and Learning Center

14943 North Kelsey Street www.kidscountryinc.com

Discover, grow, and explore are the three keywords at Kid’s Country, which has programs for children ages six weeks to 12 years, as well as a summer camp for 5- to 12-year-olds.

In the main K-5 classrooms students lead most activities, balancing STEM schoolwork with outdoor games such as kickball and soccer, plus arts, crafts, and reading projects. Children are placed in classes that best meet their individual needs.