HOUSTON, Texas – Three Westbury Christian seniors–Trina Gonzales, Faith Jonesia and Lexi Kunetka–gained real-world experience on Election Day. They volunteered their time to work the polls, and some of them cast their own ballot for the first time.
The AP Government students were at three different locations across Houston from 6AM – 6PM.
“I’m proud of our student volunteers who are getting to see the inner workings of democracy firsthand,” says Courtney Hatfield, Social Studies Department Chair. “I think we can take our election workers for granted, and it’s easy to overlook the amount of work that goes into putting on an election in each county. Our students get to work with people who care so much about your right to vote (regardless of which political party you are supporting) that they are giving up their time to ensure that the election runs smoothly.”
For Trina, the recognition and appreciation shared by complete strangers stood out to her.
“I was shocked that people didn’t even know me, yet they stopped to tell me that they were proud of me and of my being involved in politics somehow. Despite how hot it was and how long the lines were, everyone was so nice. It was a really wonderful experience.”
Faith also had a positive experience with voters, and she learned important lessons through volunteering.
“Make sure to register in the right spot. Volunteering was fun and informative. I loved helping the age range from young to elderly.”
Spending time at the ballots before casting their votes helped clarify the confusing parts of the voting process. Lexi shared that she grew more confident in her understanding of the election process.
“Everyone was confused walking into the polls and now I know what to do and the process of how to vote. I learned all about the voting process.”
The opportunity to work the polls enriched the learning that had taken place in their classroom over the preceding weeks. The classroom lectures and discussions came to life as they saw the process up close.
“We start out every class with a discussion about current events, so of course we are discussing election results today. One of my favorite things about teaching seniors is that I have many students who are first time voters,” adds Mrs. Hatfield. “Voting is so important! Voting leads to results that can impact every person living in this country. Historically, 18-to-29-year-olds are the least likely age group to vote. If students can understand the importance of voting early on, we can create lifetime voters who will make sure their voices are heard. I’m so glad that I get to play a small role in each student’s political journey by encouraging students to be politically active and vote and celebrating with all of our first-time voters.”
Westbury Christian is diverse like the Kingdom, a school where students, faculty and families contribute their unique backgrounds, talents, and experiences in growing together. The school is recognized by Niche.com as the fifth most diverse private school in Houston (2022). We view this as an opportunity to reflect God’s glory and the beauty of His Kingdom.
Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as we celebrate the heritage rooted in all Latin American countries. It also allows our students to grow in their understanding of and experiences with different cultures, especially the cultures and heritage of many of their classmates and teachers.
To kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month, a guest speaker from the Holocaust Museum Houston spoke to our middle school students to share how and why the the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was established. The WCS 5th and 6th grade classes are reading Refugee, a story of three middle school-age children from different eras: Nazi Germany, 1990s Cuba, and modern day Syria.
“The guest speaker and the novel prompt students to think through connections between the text and the world and the text to themselves,” says middle school teacher Jackie Román. “It enforces reading strategies and skills beyond the classroom.”
In our Lower School, National Hispanic Month has been celebrated in the classroom and in art and library enrichment classes. Kindergarten students practiced scultiping in the style of Romero Britto, a Brazilian artist, painter and sculptor. Students have read books celebrating Hispanic and Latin American cultures such as ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat by Raúl the Third, ¡Bravo! Poems about Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle, and The Three Little Tamales by Eric Kimmel.
Lower School students also experienced a performance of baile folklórico, “folkloric dance” in Spanish, a collective term for traditional cultural dances that emphasize local folk culture with ballet characteristics – pointed toes, exaggerated movements, and detailed choreography.
“This was an amazing presentation for our students,” says Lower School Principal Amanda Archer. “I could see the joy on their faces and feel the energy in the room as our students watched the performance. They recognized the music that they had been listening to and learning about in their classrooms. I could see the connections they were making with that learning. It was wonderful!”
Middle and high school students have raved about Mrs. Lund’s Spanish classes. As one activity, students worked on a research project about Latin American countries and influential Hispanic and Latino Americans.
“We drew pictures of our country of origin and pictures of important people we have studied in our countries of origin,” explains Spanish I student Caylee B. “My favorite person to study so far has been Ellen Ochoa. Did you know she was the first minority woman and first Hispanic woman to go into space and become one of heads of NASA? That’s amazing. She worked so hard and learned everything.”
In our high school, students in Spanish III learned the history of Alberto “Beto” Pérez, the creator of Zumba. To celebrate, students learned a part of a Zumba routine.
“Hispanic Heritage month is a time to celebrate and recognize the achievements and influence of Hispanics and how they have championed change in the United States. Hispanic culture is so intertwined with our daily lives through music, history, language, art and more, especially living in Houston which has a large and thriving Hispanic population,” says Spanish teacher Malaika Lund. “God created a world full of beautiful cultures and communities and this is just one opportunity to celebrate the diversity we have in Westbury Christian School. This month gives us a change to highlight the amazing changes that have occurred in communities through people who persevered and stood for what they believed in.”
The intentional focus on Hispanic heritage this month has an impact on students. Many students observe that the events and activities provide an opportunity to celebrate their peers and recognize an important part of our history.
“To me, it means being able to celebrate my culture even more than I do now,” shares one high school student. “Celebrating Hispanic heritage month means a lot to me because it represents who I am, my culture and my people.”
The WCS STEM Department opened an expanded Wildcat Makerspace this fall to engage the entire student body in STEM exploration.
Makerspaces are dedicated spaces for making things. Every makerspace looks different depending on the resources available to the school. In the past, these classrooms and labs may have been woodshops or the industrial tech areas of campus. In many schools today, the technology and tools used by students feature new advancements in manufacturing technology, engineering, and design; and makerspaces are usually full of crafting and construction supplies.
WCS STEM Coordinator and teacher Colleen Leeson has been dreaming of a high-quality Makerspace for WCS students for more than a decade, and over time, she’s been building and maximizing space on campus for this project.
Many current and former middle and high school students know Mrs. Leeson’s room has always been a workshop for the robotics teams. Her walls are lined with motors, wheels, driveshafts, and spare parts for the VEX Robotics teams. An ever-changing competitive robotics field dominates most of her classroom space. The work done in this room has inspired more than 35 teams over the years and spawned a full robotics program at the school.
But Mrs. Leeson wanted all WCS students and classes to have access to this type of discovery space. The first Makerspace was developed in a portion of the high school science lab, a collection of work tables and resources in a limited space, approximately 640 square feet. Many middle and high school science classes used the space, but the size limited its use.
When a classroom became available this summer, Mrs. Leeson and Kenneth Okwuonu, a STEM teacher and robotics engineer, seized the opportunity to build something bigger and better for students. They relocated the Makerspace into this classroom and stocked it with all the tools and resources currently available at the school. The new space doubled the square footage, allowing more students the opportunity to explore STEM through the Makerspace.
Since that expansion, Mrs. Leeson has worked on encouraging the use of the space by all our Wildcat students–especially our Lower School students–as a hands-on introduction to STEM. One of the first Lower School classes to visit the space was our first grade students, who spent time learning about electricity through their use of Snap Circuits as they built a series circuit to spin and launch a motor operated propeller.
Today, the WCS Makerspace is stocked with three 3D printers, several drones, specialized cutting tools, materials and tools for electronics, hardware items, building kits, strategy and coding games and puzzles, and an assortment of up-cyclable materials. The new space will be a great opportunity for our students, but Mrs. Leeson is always dreaming of more ways to connect Wildcats with a love of learning and future careers and technologies.
What traits reflect the best of our Wildcat faculty? How do we ensure those traits are consistent experiences at Westbury Christian?
These two questions inspired the creation of a new set of core values over the past year for our Wildcat faculty. After months of development, revision, and feedback, the final list includes relationships, commitment, teamwork, growth, and creativity.
“We realized that we needed to make an intentional effort to capture the traits and values that have defined the best of WCS faculty over the years,” says Nathan Wagner, Head of School. “Our people are our most valuable assets. They work in the classrooms, on the sidelines, and throughout the building to shape and mold our students. We want the experiences and interactions that students and families have with our faculty to be consistent and predictable.”
The initial draft of core values was developed by campus leaders at an off-site retreat last winter. The list was derived by identifying distinguishing traits of Wildcat faculty members, including teachers, coaches, administrators, and staff. In the following months, the leadership team spent many hours revising the list.
“When working on the core value development process, it was so encouraging that many of our teachers and staff already embody certain values that make Westbury Christian such a special place,” says High School Principal, Kaitlyn Ballard. “It was challenging to identify the specifics of each trait, but the time working together to reach this goal was well worth the investment for our school and culture.”
After making revisions, the leadership team presented the list to the faculty for their feedback and questions. The faculty adopted the core values in the spring and officially implemented them this fall.
“The new core values are really no different than how we live as disciples of Christ,” says kindergarten teacher Maria Reynolds. “These traits mirror our faith and describe the Christian ethic we pursue each day.”
Through the summer, more extensive examples and descriptions of the core values were shared with faculty, and these traits were the focus of daily in-service training.
“We have to be disciplined in our hiring practices, in our talent development, and in crafting our culture,” says Mr. Wagner. “We are making a concerted effort to emphasize, repeat, clarify, and illustrate these values with our faculty. They’ve also begun to shape our hiring practices and processes. Over time, our goal is to have our entire faculty embrace and eagerly reflect these core values. We want every student and family to have a consistent and predictable experience at WCS. When you are on our campus or interacting with our faculty, you will know exactly what to expect.”
New habits and change are developed over time, and the initial efforts can be challenging. The core values are talked about regularly on campus, and the faculty is becoming more familiar.
“No matter the quality of the adjectives, a list doesn’t change anything. An organization, starting at the top, has to be disciplined in the pursuit and application of those traits. They are intended to be descriptive of our best qualities, but also aspirational to guide our growth.” Mr. Wagner adds, “We are in the early months of this new work, but it is exciting to see glimpses of the impact this will have on our campus.”
Co Written by Student Bellaire Buzz Correspondent, Sophia Martinez
Joseph Tillman became a Wildcat in 2016 and is currently a senior at Westbury Christian. Joseph has shown a strong spirit of entrepreneurship during his time at WCS. He has taken every business course offered at WCS and is taking advantage of the WCS Dual Credit Course offerings by enrolling in Introduction to Business for college credit. A standout student-athlete, Middle School soccer coach, member of National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society, and President of the Interact Club, Joseph is constantly serving his peers, classmates and faculty but now in a different way… by serving coffee.
When asked what motivated Joseph to start a coffee business, he reminisced, “After making a cup and giving it to a friend, and seeing them light up after just one sip, I thought this is fun. That’s been my favorite part and inspired me to make more coffee for others. I just love to watch people’s reactions.” Instead of waiting for graduation to start his dream business, Joseph took the initiative to start the roots of his dream in high school, delivering home made coffee directly to the hands of his consumers, his classmates. “I have now made over 500 cups of coffee. I have the method down” says Joseph.
With limited experience and no name recognition, Joseph has taken an unique approach to spreading the word about his business. He is giving out free coffee to friends and his WCS family but he gladly accepts tips. “The cup of coffee really speaks for itself. I haven’t had to spend any money on advertising” says Joseph. “Word spreads fast.”
Joseph has kept the secrets of his trade. No one is quite sure what is in the coffee, but what we do know is that his coffee is delicious. Westbury Christian Head of School, Mr. Nathan Wagner even had a compelling review of Joseph’s coffee. “Joseph’s coffee was a surprise treat this morning” says Mr. Wagner. “Initially it’s the rich smell that grabs your attention as you bring the cup to your mouth to drink. The enticing smell matches the silky smooth texture of the cold drink. It’s a true Java experience. The only drawback is the rich decadence that tells you not to drink too fast. 10/10”
“I want to do this when I get older. Starting my coffee business now allows me to learn how to operate a business and learn how to become a sole proprietorship” says Joseph.
Joseph hopes to further his coffee company and major in business after he graduates from Westbury Christian. When asked what businesses he admires, he replied, “Everywhere I look I see a small business. I have read Atomic Habits by James Clear and learned a lot from him. I get many of my business ideas from social media. I have watched a lot of Youtube videos on different businesses”
When asked what his favorite coffee shop is in the area, Joseph immediately said, “I don’t have to go to a coffee shop. I like my own coffee. But I do enjoy Starbucks’ cake pops”
Be on the lookout for a future coffee stand in the hallways of WCS! We are excited to watch Joseph’s coffee business grow beyond WCS!
There is no doubt that lunch time remains our students’ favorite time of day. Besides the variety of nutritious offerings our SAGE dining staff provides, lunch remains a time to form connections amongst students, teachers and staff. This year, students have seen a new smiling face behind the counter.
Chef Terry Fontenette comes to WCS from Awty International School. He has been in the culinary industry for over 10 years with experience ranging from the Houston Country Club to a private chef. During his short time on campus, he has already proven to be a perfect fit for the Wildcat family.
Get to know Chef Fontenette
What do you enjoy the most about being a chef?
TF: “For me, cooking has always been reminiscent of my family, like the big gatherings and get-togethers. It was just a wholesome experience to see everyone put aside all of our differences, just for the sake of food. So, that is what I want to offer to the people I cook for every day. ”
When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
TF: “Outside of family, I was mentored by relatives and uncles. I never really pursued cooking or being a chef until I took a culinary class out of intrigue in high school. When I took that class it really sparked something in me. It made me want to pursue more.”
Do you have a favorite meal or food item to cook?
TF: “That is really hard to say because I have experienced a little of everything. I do not have one particular thing. I want to try everything. I am definitely the type of person who is open minded. So, anything that is new, I want to try it.”
How have you enjoyed your time at WCS?
TF: “Westbury Christian has been absolutely fantastic. Everyone has smiles on their faces. Everyone has been so hospitable and welcoming. I am enjoying it very much. I really just hope to get to know everyone here. It’s a great family. You all have created and cultivated an amazing environment. I hope to contribute to that. With the same feeling I get from food, I hope to spread to everyone else through the food I cook.”
Jill Chauvin ‘22 was a theatre standout during her time at WCS. It is no surprise that she is now showcasing her abilities on the professional stage. Jill made her professional stage managing debut with the prestigious 4th Wall Theatre Company. From Thursday, July 21 to Saturday, July 23rd, the 4th Wall Theatre Company presents the Summer Shakes Showcase production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Summer Shakes is a rigorous Shakespearean actor training program hosted by 4th Wall Theatre. The Program Director, Philip Lehl, is also the Artistic Director of 4th Wall and alumnus of Juilliard. The Summer Shakes Showcase features performances of students from the Juilliard Drama School and Houston-area high schools. “Jill has earned this opportunity through years of hard work and dedication.” says Mr. Ronnie Blaine, WCS Theatre Director.
If you would like to support Jill, 4th Wall Theatre show times are July 21 at 7:30PM, July 22 at 7:30PM, July 23 at 7:30PM. You can purchase tickets here: https://houston.culturemap.com/eventdetail/4th-wall-theatre-company-shakespeare-twelfth-night/
CHAUVIN AT WCS
“When you graduate big leaders, you always wonder ‘Am I ever going to get that again?’ or ‘Who is going to be in the pipeline to fill those shoes?” says Mr. Ronnie Blaine, WCS Theatre Director. Jill Chauvin was the answer to his question. She joined the theatre program at Westbury Christian School (WCS) when notable WCS Fine Arts alumni such as Victoria Tillman ‘20, Madison White ‘20, Aliya Robertson ‘20 and Andrew Archer ‘20 performed. While most students would have been intimidated by these stellar performers, Jill spent her time learning from them. Today, she is showcasing all that she has mastered from WCS alums and her teachers.
Jill initiated the conversations with Mr. Blaine to learn more about set design. At first, she was amazed that set design was a role in theatre. She became curious and wanted to learn how she could incorporate her passion for art in theatre.
“I have always been passionate about art. I remember in elementary school that art was my favorite subject,” Jill recalls. “My dad is the main person who influenced me to be in art. He always took me to Hobby Lobby to get sketchbooks or new colored pencils for Christmas.”
For the production of Little Women during her senior year, Jill was truly the visionary behind the scenes. Mr. Blaine refers to her as the “Swiss army knife” to the theatre department.
“She designs sets, she paints the sets, she is the stage manager, and she wants to learn more about stagecraft and building. She has light and sound design in her too. The biggest thing she does is the glue. She is organized and on task. She even keeps me on task,” says Mr. Blaine.
Jill enjoys the challenge of being a leader for WCS performances, and the responsibility is great. “I am in charge of how the set looks and everything, which in my opinion is my favorite part, just the best part,” she adds with a smile. “As far as I know, Jill is the first person in school history from start to finish to complete a full set for a show.” says Mr. Blaine.
Besides designing theatre sets, Jill has also designed the programs and posters for multiple WCS theatre productions the past few years. At the 2022 TAPPS 4A Art Contest, Jill received multiple awards for her graphic design pieces.
“I admit: freshman year I took the Stage Crew class because I didn’t know what else to take,” says Jill. “The Addams Family was my first and favorite production. I loved it. I decided to join every single one that I could after that experience.” What was once an unintentional course enrollment became the trek for her future.
“I now plan to study Graphic Design and go to University of Houston to become part of the theatre program there.”
Mr. Blaine hopes to hire Jill in the future for every theatre production. “God willing, I really am going to hire her to be our stage manager in the future. She is that gifted.”
At WCS, we don’t emphasize a day of service with our students, but rather live lives of service.
A beloved annual fundraising drive to benefit Mission Lazarus and Hope for Haiti’s Children continues for its 24th year at WCS. During the spring semester, students from kindergarten to seniors in high school, collected spare change in water bottles to benefit underprivileged orphans. The 2022 collection included donations collected in 2020 and 2021. “What makes this project extra special is that every penny has been counted for 24 years by the students and goes straight to the charities, ” says Coach Steve Hawley, leader of the project. “We don’t take it to a change machine, we don’t bring in outsiders,100% goes straight to the charity.” This project is completely voluntary for WCS students and families. They are not required to participate. Each year students are excited for the distribution of the water bottles.
HISTORY
Westbury Christian Middle School and High School Bible Teacher and Middle School Girls Basketball Coach, Steve Hawley spearheads the spring long collection. While the project has continued for 24 years at Westbury Christian, the project originated in Lebanon, Tennessee at Friendship Christian School in 1995 with Coach Hawley.
Honduras is a special place in Coach Hawley’s heart. His first mission trip to Honduras occurred in July 1998, a month before his arrival at WCS. A few months later in October 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras. Coach Hawley felt compelled to act and serve. Previously at Friendship Christian School, Coach Hawley and a fellow teacher and cheerleading coach initiated the project. After a successful collection in its first year, Coach Hawley recognized there was still work to do. Year after year, Coach Hawley shared the mission of Mission Lazarus and Hope for Haiti’s Children and encouraged participation. He brought the project with him to WCS. Coach Hawley and the former WCS football coach, Chris O’Neal, searched through trash cans to find empty Powerade bottles to pass out to students to collect change. In an attempt to be resourceful, Coach Hawley wrote to Powerade to provide bottles for the fundraiser. Powerade generously donated 600 bottles for WCS students to collect change for Honduras for the 2000-2001 school year. In 2002, a WCS family bought the bottles for WCS students, which included the WCS crest, Mission Lazarus and Hope for Haiti’s Childrens logos. This family has continued to supply WCS students with water bottles for the past twenty years. Coach Hawley’s room has all 20 water bottles on display for all to see.
MISSION LAZARUS AND 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 and Haiti 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. This year, WCS has chosen to support the Hope for Haiti’s Children school lunch program. Coach Hawley has visited a few of the schools on his past mission trips. “The children at these schools are fed lunch every day. For some kids, this is the only meal they will get.” says Coach Hawley “So it is vital they get some nutrition everyday.” says Coach Hawley. Mission Lazarus has not shared what they plan to do with the funds yet. In the past, our donation has helped supply a pick up truck or any community needs. This school year, the total donation was $11,740 with two checks split to each organization. “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 24 years.” says Coach Hawley.
