Westbury Christian School (WCS) is more than just a place of education; it’s a community of believers who are faithful, wise, and diverse. It’s not uncommon for students to develop deep connections with their high school alma mater, but when alumni return as educators, it takes the concept of “coming full circle” to another level. For the 2023-2024 school year, WCS has 11 Wildcat alumni working on staff in a variety of different roles. Among the returning alumni are Sam Waltemeyer (’06) and Walt Hill (’14), who shared their perspectives on their WCS homecoming.
Sam Waltemeyer (’06)
Sam Waltemeyer, a WCS graduate of 2006, rejoins WCS as the new 5/6th grade social studies teacher. He received his bachelor’s degree from West Texas A&M University and his master’s from the University of Alabama. Mr. Waltemeyer also serves as the youth pastor at Westbury Baptist Church and is an enthusiastic curling player.
Walt Hill (’14)
Class of 2014 alumnus Walt Hill is now back at WCS as a high school math teacher. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston Downtown. Beyond the classroom, Mr. Hill is engaged in writing a book that chronicles his spiritual journey.
Why Westbury Christian?
SW: “I love teaching due to the opportunity to make an impact on the next generation. Multiple teachers from my K-12 years authentically cared about me and enabled me to grow. To be able to have the same impact is what I am most excited about this year. Having worked with students in both the school and church setting, my “why” is that nothing is more exciting than seeing a young person develop into who God has called them to be. I am excited to come back to WCS and serve in the community that helped me grow through some of my most transformative years.”
WH: “I am excited about this year because this is the first year I will be working at Westbury Christian School and I feel God has called me here.”
What is your favorite WCS memory as a student?
SW: “Too many to specify one. My first memory was making the playoffs my junior year of baseball, because of how hard we had worked over the two years once Coach Villareal started. A second memory is just about every class I ever had with Mr. Duncan and Mr. Crider. They developed my love of the social sciences. Lastly, my class was really special. We all got along well and had fun together. During our senior year homecoming week, we did a lot of fun group dress-ups as a whole class.”
WH: “My most favorite memory at WCS was at my graduation. I was awarded the title of Mr. WCS. I had no idea, and it came as a total surprise for me. In fact, out of all my life, that is the most surprised I have ever been. I will cherish that memory and am honored to be back with the Wildcat family now serving here as a teacher.”
What are you most looking forward to this year while working at WCS?
SW: “Working with the middle schoolers and the high school baseball players. These first weeks with them have been awesome.”
WH: “The change coming from a public school system to WCS has been a wonderful and spirit-filled change. I look forward to helping my students improve their math skills and introduce new material to them. I will enjoy working with smaller class sizes, having better-behaved students, and a supportive admin team that puts their all into what they do. I will also enjoy singing to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during the school day during chapel. Lastly, I felt God was calling me back here for a reason, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for me here at WCS.”
Savannah Chinn, a 7th-grade student at Westbury Christian, embarked on her first international mission trip this summer. She raised money to serve in Ghana with Crossover Bible Fellowship.
“I believe God is now calling me to go beyond the boundaries of my local community and to share His love with people around the world,” said Chinn.
Ghana holds a special place in the hearts of the Chinn family. Savannah’s grandparents, Lloyd and Janet Chinn, have dedicated over 15 years of their lives as full-time missionaries in Ghana.
“I had this feeling that I should just go! It was my first international trip and new for me,” said Chinn.
Chinn spent two weeks in Ghana with the CBF ministry Front Door to Frontier (FD2F). She served along a 15-person team and immersed herself in service.
“In Ghana, we went to two schools, the Shamayim International School and New Life School. I met quite a few kids there, I will admit! We went to a few churches, and we also explored the area.”
Her mission team worked with Justice and Mary Kabuja, founders of a small Christian school called Shamayim International School in Odumase, Ghana. The city has a large Muslim community, and the Christian school had challenges of not being accepted within the community. Over the past two years, the school grew from 25 to 300 students because the community saw a positive difference in the children.
As the school grew, it developed a need for people to encourage the teachers, teach English, build new buildings, and engage the community in community development.
“We mainly played with the kids, and one day we led the teaching. It was pretty fun to teach them. I taught about love and gratefulness. I taught the smaller kids, which was really fun. On the last day, we got to have free time and explore everywhere,” Chinn recalled. “The most impactful part of the trip was helping the schools and playing with the kids. It taught me to be grateful for what I have.”
Chinn shared some of the challenges the team faced in Ghana, especially the time spent traveling between locations. To get to Ghana from Houston, Chinn traveled a total of 21 hours on multiple flights.
“It took a while to get to most places. It was a seven-hour drive to get to Shamayim from New Life. The drive was very challenging, but the flights were worse.”
While there were several memorable moments and experiences on the trip, Chinn will miss one aspect more than the others.
“I will definitely miss the people. They were so nice and always happy even with the little they did have at the school. It made me think of people here. If they were in that environment, they would not be as happy. But the people were so grateful for everything.”
Chinn leaves a trail of light and love wherever she goes.
Middle School Principal Annette Turner said, “Savannah is a light to those around her; her smile brightens up a room. She is an enthusiastic, positive young lady who shines her light for Jesus!”
Watch Savannah’s Journey: For a recap of Savannah’s transformative mission trip, view the video here.
Marion John “MJ” Nelson has always had a passion for music. He loves spoken word, rapping, and music production. After high school, God called him to the West Coast to pursue a music career, ultimately becoming a missionary serving Central American youth through his unique gifts and passion for music.
“My favorite years of school ever were 7th and 8th grade. Every single day I laughed so extremely hard. It’s great to be in an environment where you are around your friends every single day,” reminisced Nelson. “It’s so much harder as an adult.”
At Westbury Christian, Nelson was extensively involved in the WCS Fine Arts department through theater performances, musicals, and band.
“I had a High School Musical Troy Bolton entrance into Fine Arts. I suffered an injury in basketball, and while on the sidelines, I became interested in what was happening in theatre.”
In addition to representing the school at state competitions in oratory and spoken word, his most impactful experience in high school was serving on the campus ministry team and going on missions trips to Oklahoma City.
“That was a huge part of my experience at WCS, and the mission trips had a huge impact on my life that led me to what I am doing now. I even rapped in Westbury Christian chapels.”
After high school, Nelson received multiple scholarships to pursue musical production. He decided to attend Shepherd University of Los Angeles for Musical Production. During his senior year, Nelson faced an unexpected situation when his college closed.
“It’s such a clear example of God at work in that situation because I was able to get a job as youth director at Christian Assembly Church where I attended.”
Nelson’s time in Los Angeles became a pivotal point for him in his relationship with the Lord and his career. He interned at a production company and had the opportunity to work with multiple Grammy-nominated producers and artists. He released a Christian rap album, performed at events and local schools in the area, and worked as a youth leader at his local church. It became clear that his passions of working with youth and music were his calling.
This past year, Nelson prayerfully decided to volunteer with InnerCHANGE where his love for kids, music, and the Lord intertwined. Through those volunteer experiences, God led Nelson to join the InnerCHANGE Los Angeles team as the Assistant Director for the ICLA Music Collective. His daily tasks include cultivating a music curriculum, strategizing youth outreach, and immersing himself in Central American culture.
“Growing up in Texas I have always been familiar with Latino culture, but definitely now I am more immersed and more aware of these kids’ stories,” says Nelson. “The studio is a safe place for our kids. I am very intentional with Biblical mentorship.”
“I remember Mr. Wagner did this exercise in high school my senior year. He said, ‘If you know who you are go to this side of the room, and if you don’t know who you are go to the other side of the room.’ All of my peers went to [the side indicating that] they didn’t know who they were and I was the only one on the side who knew who I was. In my mind, of course I know who I am. I am an artist.
“When I first moved out [to Los Angeles], I wanted to pursue a career in the music industry. But God really wanted a space where he saw a chance to pursue me here even deeper. Over the past couple of years, I have had a heart for kids and the Lord. My favorite part of my job is sharing God with them and because of God’s love for me…. I just can’t help it!”
“Being a first-time missionary, I have to completely trust in God for raising support,” Nelson said about one of the challenges in his new life. “I have also had to branch out to build partnerships with supporters.”
Nelson still recalls a long list of teachers at Westbury Christian who made an impact on his life. He gives credit to teachers like Coach O, Coach Hawley, and Mr. Wagner who helped prepare him for this new work.
“It was a combination of so many things that led to where I am today. Westbury Christian School just gave me so many opportunities to help me get to where I am today.”
Every year, the College Board Advanced Placement Program recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement for their performance on multiple AP Exams. Westbury Christian School had 7 students from the Class of 2023 that earned AP Scholar awards.
“We are so proud of our AP Scholars for their hard work and dedication to academics! They join a group of 187 Wildcats on the David Lacey AP Program Board for their outstanding achievement on the College Board exams” says High School Principal Kaitlyn Ballard.
These alumni received an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams and earned the title of AP Scholar with Distinction: Emily Goldstein, Katelyn Thompson, and Daniel Zhu.
These alumni received scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams and earned the distinction of AP Scholar: Faith Jonesia, Alexandra Kunetka, Madison Shorter, and Sam Wang.
About the David Lacey AP Program The program was named in May 2015 to honor the retiring upper school principal and co-founding teacher of the WCS AP program in 2001.
At WCS, we equip our students to be Christian leaders, lifelong learners, and Christian servants.
A beloved annual fundraising drive to benefit impoverished children in the Western Hemisphere continued for its 25th year at WCS in 2022-2023. During the spring semester, students from kindergarten through the senior class collected spare change in specially designed water bottles to benefit underprivileged orphans in the Western Hemisphere. This year’s bottles were designed by our third graders in this voluntary outreach for WCS students and families. HISTORY
Westbury Christian Middle School and High School Bible Teacher and Middle School Girls’ Basketball Coach Steve Hawley spearheaded the collection which originated in Lebanon, Tennessee at Friendship Christian School in 1995.
Coach Hawley with WCS Kindergartners ’22-23 showing their new water bottles for coin collection.
Honduras has a special place in Coach Hawley’s heart. His first mission trip to Honduras occurred in July 1998, weeks before his arrival at WCS. A few months later in October, Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras and the project was introduced to the Westbury family. The change receptacles evolved from used drink containers to Powerade bottles to unique bank bottles donated by a generous WCS family. For twenty years, this family supplied WCS students with bottles, which include the WCS crest, logos of the partnering charities, and James 1:27, the theme verse for the program. All 21 coin bottles are on display, tied into a mural commemorating these efforts, in Coach Hawley’s classroom.
MISSION LAZARUS HOPE FOR HAITI’S CHILDREN
The funds raised at WCS provides support to two nonprofit Christian organizations: Mission Lazarus, a holistic ministry focused on community development in Honduras through spiritual, educational, medical and agricultural outreaches; and Hope for Haiti’s Children, which utilizes in-country educators and professionals to nurture, educate and train poverty-bound Haitian children to become spiritual leaders. As in recent years, WCS has chosen to support the Hope for Haiti’s Children school lunch program. “The children at these schools are fed lunch every day. For some kids, this is the only meal they will get so this is incredibly vital,” says Coach Hawley. Mission Lazarus earmarks the WCS contribution towards a different need annually: one year, our donation purchased a pickup truck for the orphanage. This school year, the total donation was $9,149.65 divided between Hope For Haiti’s Children and Mission Lazarus. As always, the change was sorted and counted by WCS students. “The thing I am most…I hate to use the word proud… but the thing I am most proud of as a teacher and a coach is that we’ve been able to keep this project going for 25 years.” says Coach Hawley.
“We are so grateful to the students at Westbury Christian for their compassion, generosity, and prayers for the children in Haiti. Since 2010, they have raised thousands of dollars through their coin collection campaign to help feed the hungry and care for the needs of the orphaned children at the Cazeau Christian School and Orphanage. Thank you, Westbury, for spreading God’s love to the children in Haiti – you are making an eternal difference!! Your 2023 gift will pay for 12,000 meals! This will feed all 400 students at the Cazeau Christian School (grades K-10th) a school lunch every day for one month! For many, this is the only meal that they eat that day. Again, we are so grateful!” Tonya Hunt, Vice President, Hope For Haiti’s Children
“The partnership between Westbury Christian School and Mission Lazarus that’s held strong for over a decade is special, across two countries. Our 7th grade students make the cross necklaces in their carpentry class and it goes a long way in helping them learn more about the importance of precision in cutting and finishing wood. Then at WCS, the gift of a cross necklace to all newly enrolled students goes a long ways as well, reinforcing a culture from day one for a new student. The subsequent donation of the proceeds from the coin drive is an investment directly back into our ministry in Honduras and the Mission Lazarus Refuge children’s home. Some of the residents of the home are the same students helping to make the cross necklaces every year. Proof that an intentional simple idea can have a far reaching impact, even an eternal one. Thank you WCS!” Jarrod Brown, President, Co-founder Mission Lazarus
At our end-of-year faculty luncheon, Steve Hawley–affectionately Coach Hawley to all, whether they’ve had him as a coach or not–was recognized for 25 years of service at Westbury Christian. During that time, he has taught hundreds of Westbury Christian students and has made an eternal impact that is beyond measure.
Tell us about your career path and what led you to WCS.
SH: Originally, I thought I was going to play in the NBA. I was a good high school player on a good team, but everyone in college was a good high school player. On my first day of college practice, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I decided I was going to be the head of the history department at UCLA by the time I was 30. I realized that was not going to happen. I played basketball and baseball for a couple years at York College, got my BA and my Masters, and got certified to teach. During summers, I coached American Legion Baseball in York, Nebraska, my hometown. A small Christian school in Georgia needed a history teacher and a baseball coach. The principal was from my hometown and had been my college professor. When I got there, the boys’ basketball coach found out I played college basketball and asked me to be an assistant coach. That’s how I got started. I said I would never coach girls, but we had an emergency come up and the rest is history. I coached the girls’ basketball team for four years and baseball for six years. I started working at a basketball camp at Lipscomb University. Through those connections, I had the opportunity to be the girls’ team coach at Friendship Christian in Lebanon, TN. I was there for 13 years. I knew Greg Glenn from Lipscomb University basketball camp. He brought me for an interview in Houston that included the 1998 graduation, which was fascinating. I fell in love with the place and with the mission of school. I have taught Bible 8 and Gospels for 25 years. It doesn’t happen anywhere else that you teach the same two classes for two and a half decades.
Any year from the 25 years that is memorable?
SH: One of my favorite memories here is preaching nine weddings of players/students/co-workers. Being asked to be part of someone’s very precious day is both humbling and an honor almost unmatched! In 2008-2009, my parents died, less than a year apart. The way the school wrapped their arms around me is very memorable. I also think March 12, 2020, a Thursday. We stacked it up at the end of practice and I told the girls, “See you tomorrow!” and then I didn’t see them again for six months due to COVID. Within a week, we were online. I had to learn Google Classroom, ZOOM, FlipGrid, and Screencastify on the fly. The school was really good about helping us through that.
My favorite year is usually the most recent year. The first year is also a favorite. It’s like being on a mission trip: you never forget the first one. My first year here was special. I had never coached middle school girls, and I did not think we would win a game; we ended up 24-2. We also introduced the Honduras project my first year. The school let me have an All School Chapel to share about the project, which we started in Tennessee. We raised about $12,000 the first year. The thing I am most proud of is keeping that project going for 25 years! Another point of pride would be the mural in my classroom painted by our AP Art students from different national backgrounds. It has become a kind of showplace over time. I’ve had this room for 24 of the 25 years I’ve been at WCS!
How have you seen the school change?
SH: We make very good use of the facilities and resources. Some great examples of upgrades are the addition of Mundy Hall, the building and turfing of the elementary playground, replacing the rubber gym floor with a wooden court, buying and refurbishing the West Campus, and the use of technology. Another great difference is SAGE Dining. It is a huge blessing we sometimes take for granted!.
How do you motivate your students?
SH: I wish I did a better job. I try to make the Bible and spiritual teachings applicable in their lives. We do a lot of writing, and I use videos to stimulate thought. I try to give my students a chance to be involved; 85-90% of our students in the past 25 years have been involved in the Mission Lazarus and Hope for Haiti’s Children outreach, including 100% of the 8th graders-11th graders this year.
When you are at Westbury Christian, what do you love to see that happens at our school?
SH: I love to see our older kids interact with our younger kids. My classes have had a lot of those interactions. This year, I had it with the 1st grade and my 7th period Old Testament Survey class. What was neat is that Sarah Romain, their teacher, had been one of my students and had participated in the same work her children engaged in, helping us sort change. I really think our older kids are great role models. We have an excellent student body. Our kids get along with their teachers and like their teachers which is not the case everywhere. Our kids blend well. You see kids from our different ethnicities and interest groups hanging together!
What do you do in your free time?
SH: I work out with weights and on the treadmill as well as reading.
Tell us about vacations or trips that meant a lot to you
SH: Two things I look forward to are seeing my brothers at Christmas and Thanksgiving and going to Vietnam. Even starting a checklist for my Vietnam mission is something I enjoy. It’s out of my comfort zone to travel alone, but it’s better for me than to go in a group. I used to just hang with other Americans when I went to Honduras, Haiti, and China. I can do that in Houston. When I receive notice of a donation for my mission, I start to think, “Okay that’s 2.5 girls’ bikes or 2 boys’ bikes. It changed the way I think.
Have you ever met someone famous?
SH: I worked with Charlie Ward when he was the football coach at WCS. The interesting thing about Charlie was that the kids treated him like every other adult. Whenever we had families on campus, the dads were in awe of his fame!
After graduating from Westbury Christian School, Jasmine Matthews (’09) earned her undergraduate degree in theatre from Spelman College and her Masters at UNLV. Today, she is known for her acting roles in The Tomorrow War (2021), The Man from Toronto (2022), and Big George Foreman (2023). She loves acting for its exploration in humanness, connection to humanity, and travel. What was once an extracurricular at Westbury Christian School is now her profession.
Matthews currently is an actress in Sherman Oaks, California. As an actress, her day-to-day responsibilities look different. Some mornings she may be up at 3am to prepare for a day of filming. Other days she may be preparing for auditions with the possibility of facing rejection.
“My job has many rewards and challenges. I love being able to inspire little girls by being a strong role model they can look up to. At times it can be challenging because of rejections in auditions. I have to put my faith in God, trust Him and be patient.”
She credits Westbury Christian for giving her the spiritual formation in an industry that can be difficult for believers to work in.
“I often think back to my days at Westbury Christian and how it gifted me with such a firm faith based structure that has served me well in an industry that can be, well, frankly put, full of rejection and superficiality. I think it’s important for kids to continuously be fed the reality that their dreams are not only attainable but also that the grounded spiritual foundation that WCS instills is vital to fulfilling their ultimate success and purpose.”
When she looks back on her time at WCS, she reminisces about her Chick-Fil-A lunch days with friends, learning about Shakespeare with Mr. Wagner, and the formative relationships with faculty, several who are still at WCS.
“Mr. Wagner was so cool because he would reassure me that there is nothing weird about loving Shakespeare. His class allowed me to have my moments full of expression and authenticity. I cherish that moment. He taught me to embrace what you love when no one else loves it. [Coach Hawley] was really impactful while I was there. I never had him as a teacher, but his kindness, compassion, openness and availability made such an impact on me. He was just a light.” Matthews adds, “Mrs. Annette Turner received me with open arms and created a safe space for me even when I wasn’t a student of hers. She made me feel seen, heard, and gave me a safe space during the day. I look back at my time at Westbury Christian and they just inspired me that I could do anything. I got the encouragement I needed from faculty and staff.”
Each graduating class leaves a unique mark on Westbury Christian and has played a special role in their time at the school. The Class of 2023 is no different, and their memory and influence will last for years. Take a closer look at some of their defining traits and moments:
The Class of 2023 left a lasting legacy at Westbury Christian. Of the 32 graduating seniors, five students – Piper, Leah, Luke, Trina, and Emily – have been at WCS since preschool.
The Class of 2023 will be making an impact across the country next fall as they head to college. From the University of San Francisco (Madison) to Hampton University (Justin), studying degrees from pre-dental (Fernando) to aviation management (Wolfgang), our graduating Wildcats will have an influence far beyond Houston. This year’s top collegiate destinations have been Sam Houston State University, Houston Christian University, and the University of Houston.
The Class of 2023 has had service in their heart for years. In high school, they’ve collectively recorded over 3,000 hours of community service across a variety of different organizations and projects. But this group has been serving the community together since middle school, frequently working in local ministries and other community organizations. There are no doubt hundreds of unrecorded hours that have been spent serving across our community.
The Class of 2023 has earned over $3.4 million in scholarships. They were accepted into 83 unique colleges and universities across the country.
Over the past several years, the Class of 2023 has benefited from learning from other perspectives to enrich their understanding of the world. This includes eight classmates from other countries, including China (Tony, Sam, Binbin, and Daniel), Vietnam (Britney and Nam) and Thailand (Vanda and River), who have learned alongside their American peers for the past four years.
The Class of 2023 left a lasting legacy for Wildcat athletics. Two female athletes have signed their national letter of intent to play collegiate sports. Piper will play soccer at the University of St Thomas and Emily will play volleyball at Wellesley College. Faith, Trina, and Lexi played four or more sports during their high school career. Jalen and Jeremiah led the boy’s basketball program to multiple state tournament appearances and Final Four finishes. Mary, Sophia M., Katelyn, Cara, and Parker led the cheerleading team to new heights, going to the state tournament for the first time in school history and finishing 4th overall.
The Class of 2023 has been involved in a wide range of activities on campus. Nathan, Madison, and Emily starred in Aladdin Jr. this spring. Luke, Trina, and Sophia G’s participation in the WCS band, pop choir, and drumline has taken the band program to new heights, earning superiors and 3rd place at the TAPPS Band Championships. Ella has spent a lot of time serving and managing our athletic teams as a student manager and perfecting her golf game, and Katelyn has served in leadership roles as the senior president for many years. Cara, Sophia G. and Gabby have impacted HOSA and found their passions in health careers.
Joseph became the first student in school history to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams of opening up a coffee shop at school. Hannah published her own articles for the Bellaire Buzz as a student reporter for Westbury Christian. They have had the pathway to pursue their own interests and inspire others along the way.
Perhaps most importantly, the Class of 2023 has grown closer over the years. They’ve overcome tragedies and challenges and shared exciting accomplishments and joys.
We will certainly miss the Class of 2023, but we know they will continue to grow as they depart WCS. We look forward to hearing how they make a Kingdom Impact in the future. Congratulations to all the members of the Class of 2023!
Piper C. | University of St. Thomas | Sports Medicine
Tony C. | Houston Christian University | Cyber Security Engineering
Mary D. | Houston Christian University | Computer Science
Emily G. | Wellesley College | Neuroscience
Trina G. | University of Houston | Business/Finance/Hospital Management
Fernando G. | University of Houston-Downtown | Pre-Dentistry/Biology
Sophia G. | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Nursing
Hannah G. | University of Houston | Sports Administration
Faith J. | University of Houston | Computer Science Technology & Engineering
Ella J. | Baylor University | Business/International Business
Wolfgang K. | Embry Riddle Prescott | Aviation Management
Lexi K. | LSU- Honors College | Kinesiology
Jeremiah L. | Arizona Christian University | Mechanical Engineering and Business
Britney M. | University of Houston | Nursing
Nathan M. | Schreiner University | Biology or History
Sophia M. | Grand Canyon University | Communications
Cara M. | Sam Houston State University | Nursing
Luke P. | Houston Christian University | Cyber Security
Gabby P. | Sam Houston State University | Kinesiology
Parker P. | Louisiana State University- Eunice | Psychology
Vanda P. | University of Houston | Biochemistry
River P. | University of Texas at Arlington | Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering
Justin S. | Hampton University | Aeronautical Sciences
Madison S. | University of San Francisco | Advertising
Katelyn T. | Howard University | Political Science
Joseph T. | University of Houston | Entrepreneurship & Business
Jalen T. | Prairie View A&M University | Business or Finance
Leah T. | Southern University & A&M College | Mass Communications
Nam V. | Houston Community College | General Studies
Sam W. | Marymount Manhattan College | International Trade
