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.”
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.
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.”
The United States Marine Corps, in collaboration with the American Volleyball Coaches Association, announced Monday that the Westbury Christian High School volleyball program has earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the first time in school history.
The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale. Over 1,200 collegiate and high school teams earned the award this season, including 425 high schools.
“We are so proud of everything these girls have accomplished on and off the court,” said Coach Haley Chance. “The time and commitment they put into their academic and athletic success is what makes them great student athletes.”
As a team the Wildcats earned a 3.665 cumulative GPA for the 2021-22 academic year.
Westbury Christian will officially open up the 2022 season on Thursday, Aug. 11 at Spikedown Tournament at the Game On Sports Complex.
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.
