Spring break is a time many high school students are looking forward to a week of relaxation, catching up on sleep and spending time with friends. But, for a group of 17 WCS high schoolers and 3 teachers, this year’s spring break was a time to do something more. The group took a 5 day spring break mission trip to New Iberia, Louisiana to work on beautification projects in the area.
The group of students and teachers had been planning for this trip for months coordinating travel, and preparing for the work they would do. They were excited to use their time off from school to make a difference in the lives of others.
Upon arrival in New Iberia, our students were warmly greeted and welcomed by the New Iberia Church of Christ team. They were briefed on their assignments and quickly got to work. The group was tasked with planting trees and painting houses in a New Iberia neighborhood. Despite the physical labor, the group found joy in working together and seeing the progress they made. “We got to see God’s fingerprints all over this trip,” said Middle School Bible Teacher Mr. Josh Hatfield. “People were just blown away that we came from Houston to New Iberia to work on their houses.”
As they worked, the students got to know the people they were helping. The connections they made with the families reminded them of the importance of service and how it can make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. “You can hear the gratitude in their voice to the people we talked to. Like Ms. Caroline whose house we painted and Mr. Brandon. I met so many people who cared so much about me without even knowing me. I meant nothing to them two days before the trip, but now I am changing their entire world.” says Senior, Luke Packard.
One highlight of the trip were delicious meals prepped after a hard day’s work. The group also had special crawfish dinners. In the evenings, they participated in nightly devotions, where they studied the Bible, shared stories of their days and reflected on the impact their work was having on the community. “When I watched our group work, it reminded me of John 13 when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. I shared this with them on the last night of our trip. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet the last night he was alive. This job was for the lowest of the low. Nobody wanted to do this job but Jesus spent his last night doing that. I can promise you scraping paint is not the glamorous or wanted job. We may have to do things that are not very enjoyable but that work makes a huge difference and a huge impact in the Kingdom of God that we are trying to serve.” said Mr. Josh Hatfield.
By the end of the trip, the group had scraped old paint and freshly painted two houses, planted 9 trees, and graveled a driveway and made a lasting impact on the community. They were tired and sore but felt fulfilled in knowing that their work had made a difference. At the end Ms. Caroline gave all of us a hug and broke into tears because of her gratitude at that moment. It was really cool,” adds Luke Packard.
Our students and teachers have learned the importance of service, the power of community, and the impact that a group of dedicated individuals can make in a short time. They shared their experiences in High School Chapel this week and encouraged their classmates to continue serving others and making a difference in the world. Senior Faith Jonesia said, “It was really awesome to get to serve and get closer to my friends on the trip. Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors, I recommend you all take this opportunity to go next year. Seniors, even though we are all going to different schools next year, I recommend you guys go to one if you get the chance. It was awesome.”
February is Black History Month, a time to give additional attention to the accomplishments, cultures, contributions and history that the Black and African American community has had in shaping the United States. Led by our administrators, teachers, and students, all of our classes from Preschool to 12th grade have been studying and celebrating the achievements of African Americans. As February comes to an end, our goal is to continue to celebrate and honor the contributions and impact of African Americans on American society beyond the month of February.
Here are a few highlights from the month across Lower School, Middle School and High School.
SAGE Dining highlighted renowned Black chefs from the US and Canada who’ve made a powerful impact in the culinary world. Each Thursday, Chef Terry selected a chef to feature in his own cooking. Chef Terry says, “What I really enjoy the most about Black History Month is showcasing the different chefs from Matthew Raiford to Carla Hall.” To learn more about how Chef Terry has brought the celebration to our meals, watch here.
Chapel speakers have made connections with students.Dr. Robertson, a professor of English at the University of Houston-Downtown, spoke at middle and high school chapels about ethnic diversity in the Bible. Middle School science teacher and varsity soccer coach Babatunde Ogunseinde spoke at Lower School, Middle School and High School chapels, sharing his Nigerian culture and the Yoruba language and singing fun songs for our students to learn. Several elementary students also shared about their Nigerian culture.
Hallway Decorations: Lower School students created a Black History Hall of Fame in their hallways, writing essays, making posters and creating artwork about the accomplishments and contributions that the Black and African American community has had in shaping the United States. In Middle and High School, students and teachers created a similar display with doors “wrapped” with images and information about key individuals from First Lady Michelle Obama to Benjamin Banneker.
Guest speakers and presentations have inspired our students. Dr. ErinWilliams presented to Middle School Social Studies classes about her experience as a pediatric anesthesiologist and African American trailblazers in medicine. She encouraged our students to be “the BEST at whatever you become.” The Intuitive African Dance and Drum Culture also shared a special presentation with the entire student body. Students from Pre-K3 through 12th grade enjoyed a fun, interactive and educational performance. To see highlights from the performance, watch here.
In March, we will be celebrating and recognizing Women’s History Month. Be sure to check out WCS’s FacebookTwitter, Instagram and YouTube to see the happenings taking place on our campus to educate, celebrate and reflect upon women’s history.
The Westbury Christian Lady Wildcats are roaring about their new locker space. Thanks to a generous donation by the Chance family, the girls’ locker room has a new look.
“I am really excited for our girls athletics programs. It is great to see their hard work and commitment rewarded and recognized by the staff and parents at Westbury Christian School,” says Athletic Director Russell Carr.
The girls locker room will benefit all Westbury Christian girls sports including Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Track and Softball. Middle school teams will be able to use the locker room on competition days.
“With the new design, we hope to reflect the immense pride we have in our female student-athletes, their coaches, and our alumni,” says Head of School Nathan Wagner. “We want to create a space that highlights the hard work, diligence, and determination that they put into their athletic pursuits.”
The new design includes a backlit brushed aluminum logo and a wall wrap featuring key words for Wildcat athletics. The Scripture Colossians 3:23 features prominently as well.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Darby, who plays volleyball, basketball and softball, added, “I love how big and open the new locker room is. I can’t wait to prep with my team on game days.”
Freshmen Macauley Miles added, “I feel like it’s a place now where we all can bond and be comfortable. We can strengthen our teamwork”
Girls athletes are able to use the space immediately.
To watch how our Varsity girls basketball team reacted to the unveiling, view here:
High school art teacher, Mrs. Keese and elementary art teacher, Mrs. Okwuonu are known for inspiring and challenging their students to create and think outside the box.
In January, our students submitted over 50 artwork pieces from Pre-K through 12th grade to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Competition and the TAPPS Fall Photo Contest.
The School Art Program through the Houston Rodeo has challenged students for more than 5o years. The program provides Pre-K through 12th grade the opportunity to compete, learn from summer workshops and earn scholarships during the Houston Rodeo. The School Art Program supports approximately 130 different school districts including private and parochial schools in the Houston area. Each year, thousands of entries from around Houston are submitted for the competition.
Two of our 8th grade students, Agnes T. and Alexis C. were awarded finalist ribbons in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Competition. Eight elementary students received blue and red ribbons for their artwork.
The High School photography class entered over 30 pieces from our Wildcat photographers, and two of our Wildcats won medals in the TAPPS Fall Photo Contest: Congratulations to Wolfgang K. (12th) for winning a 2nd place medal in the Still Life category and Evelyn C. (9th) for winning a 1st place medal in the Cityscape/Architecture category.
“Elementary and Middle School students have been exploring the country of Italy and are creating some beautiful pieces reflective of the region. I am excited to display their W.O.W. (Wonderful Original Work) during the Spring Showcase!” says Mrs. Okwuonu. You are invited to join the WCS Community on Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 6:30 pm for a night celebrating the arts! More details to follow.
Lunar New Year celebrations began on Thursday, January 17, 2023, at Westbury Christian to usher in the Year of the Rabbit (Chinese calendar) and the Year of the Cat (Vietnamese calendar). One of the most important celebrations among East and Southeast Asian cultures, Lunar New Year will be celebrated by more than one billion people throughout the world with a variety of traditions. WCS international students from China, Vietnam and Thailand shared their celebrations with their fellow classmates.
During chapel on Thursday, January 17, middle school and high school students observed a special performance led by our international students. Student leaders Moyan (9th), Changliang (9th), Jiaxin (10th), Dina (10th), Feiran (11th), and Agnes (8th) planned and led the Lunar New Year presentation. The presentation included performances of traditional dances by Jiaxin and Changliang, songs by Feiran and Moyan, and the playing of the guzheng, a traditional Chinese instrument, by Dina.
On Saturday, January 21, middle school and high school students celebrated with their annual Lunar New Year celebration and dumpling-making workshop. Students and teachers came together to make dumplings from scratch, learn about calligraphy, and enjoyed a time of fellowship with one another. Jiaxin, who serves as the WCS Student Council International Representative, planned and coordinated the event with the help of Tony, Agnes, Daniel, Zack, Jason, and Felis.
“Saturday was a beautiful example of our students coming together to celebrate each other’s cultures,” says High School Principal Kaitlyn Ballard. “It was special and unique, and these events don’t happen everywhere. It’s fun to highlight our students’ cultures and diversity.”
“I think that WCS is such a special place that students who are away from their families, homelands, and native language feel comfortable enough to share their beautiful light with their peers,” says Middle School Social Studies Teacher and WCS Cultural Coach Mrs. Jackie Roman. “They know they are loved and respected as the wonderful individuals God made them, and they want to welcome us into their customs and traditions. I am so proud of our students and proud to be part of this wonderful community. I also loved all the delicious food, music, and fellowship.”
Check out our social media pages for more images of celebrations!
To watch our Lunar New Year Celebrations, watch here.
To learn more about our International Students, visit here.
If you’ve been on our campus this year, you’ve probably seen Faith Jonesia in her element—competing on the court, playing the alto saxophone in a band concert, or throwing a shot put. Faith has an impressive resume. A five sport athlete, member of the Westbury Christian Jazz Band and Drumline, and an academic scholar, Faith models what it means to be a Westbury Christian Wildcat.
Faith came to Westbury Christian School in the 4th grade. Nine years later, the high school senior has taken every opportunity to pursue her interests and flourish, receiving dozens of honors in academics, athletics, and fine arts.
She credits the opportunities at Westbury Christian shaped her into who she is today.
“Participating in sports and band strengthened my trust in people,” says Faith. “It has really opened me up to be extraverted and provided a way for me to socialize with people. It’s fun to get better at what you do during practice, but I love getting to do that with my friends and grow closer to them in those settings outside the classroom.”
With the basketball and soccer seasons currently in district play, Faith hopes to help advance the teams further in the playoffs this year. She also looks forward to track and field in the spring. A captain of both teams, Faith leads by example and serves her teammates with humility.
“Faith is unselfish, dependable, and a servant leader. I can always count on her to give her best and be there for her teammates,” says Coach Kayla Rogers, Varsity Girls Basketball Coach.
Faith’s teachers and coaches praise her for modeling what it means to be a Westbury Christian Wildcat.
“Faith is an exceptional example of living out Ephesians 2:10 in her daily life. She is faithful in all things she sets out to do,” says High School Principal Kaitlyn Ballard. “Though she is a competitive athlete, a gifted artist, and a curious learner, one of my favorite things about Faith is how she loves and serves others around her. Recently, someone saw her picking up a few pieces of trash in the hallway then throwing it away. Faith was unaware that anyone had witnessed this. It’s just one example that speaks volumes about how Faith cares for her school and school family.”
Faith speaks just as highly about her school. “My experience at Westbury Christian has been so nice,” Faith shared. “I like the community the school builds for us because no one acts like they are above anyone. There’s no seniority or bullying. We are a nice family together and it’s not like the freshmen are scared to talk to seniors and the seniors are too ‘good’ to talk to the freshmen. We just don’t have that here. This even goes to elementary and middle school. Everyone’s together. It’s my family.”
Outside of school, Faith is also an active member of her synagogue, Congregation Beth Messiah, where she plays the alto saxophone and serves as a worship leader during the youth worship and main services.
After she graduates from Westbury Christian, Faith aspires to major in computer programming and minor in art.
“I really want to stay in Houston and go to the University of Houston,” said Faith. “Houston is home. Athletics have been a huge part of my life and they are fun! I hope to continue to play in some capacity. I also hope I can travel to Japan. But I am going to miss this school a lot. It’s been so impactful for me.”
On December the 8th, Westbury Christian’s 4th grade visited Evergreen Commons, a retirement home in Southwest Houston. They were able to minister to the residents there by sharing Bible verses, singing Christmas songs, reading to them, and showing them Christ’s love.
Fourth grade teacher Mr. McDonald says, “I am thankful to God that all went well and the senior citizens were blessed by our students. Our theme verse for the year, Ephesians 2:10, is something we want to live by- For we are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus for good works. I am very proud of our 4th grade!”
Lower School Principal Amanda Archer says, “It fills me with joy to think about how our lower school students are courageously sharing the love of Jesus with our surrounding community. As we seek to develop the next generation of Christian leaders here at WCS, our fourth graders provided a great example for all of us to follow in how they ministered to the residents of Evergreen Commons in December, serving the senior community and blessing their lives with love, hope, and acceptance. For many of our students, it was the first time they had ever visited a senior citizens’ home/facility. While they were a bit nervous, they reported back about how great it felt to read books, sing songs, and visit with the residents.”
About Project HUG: Westbury Christian School’s preschool through fourth grade students have embarked on a new path of service called Project HUG (Hearts Understanding Goodness). The Lower School initiative promotes the idea that kids can serve in mighty ways. Students are learning how to give back to the community, to support one another, and to encourage those both near and far.
Each grade level has chosen a theme project for the year. For example, fourth grade is focused on cancer awareness in October and will be writing encouraging notes to those dealing with this disease; third grade will have a food drive for the Houston Food Bank; and second grade will visit a nursing home to encourage the residents through song. Even the school’s 3-year old class will take part in Project HUG by planning a donation drive for the House of Tiny Treasures in Houston. In Wednesday chapel, students report on their Project HUG progress by sharing “bucket fillers” – stories of moments when students have done something kind or helpful for other students or staff on campus.
WCS Lower School Principal Amanda Archer says the school’s young students are increasingly using words like compassion and mercy as they discuss and plan opportunities for serving others. “Our students’ hearts are being changed as they learn the value of giving back to the school and surrounding community while following the model of Jesus,” Archer said.
WCS Ranked #19 Out Of 100 Small Size Companies This Year, Improving From Its #63 Ranking in 2017.
Westbury Christian School was one of just 200 local public/private entities or nonprofit groups — and one of just 100 in the small company category, for organizations with 50-149 employees — to be named to the Houston Chronicle’s Top Workplaces list for 2022. Only two other private primary/secondary schools — The Westview School, which specialize in serving students with learning differences and high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder, and St Vincent De Paul Catholics School respectively — made the list for 2022. These Top Workplaces awards are determined on quantitative employee feedback, as well as the statements and demographic information that Energage collects within the Workplace Survey from more than 23 million surveys at over 70,000 organizations. This year, out of 4,974 organizations in the greater Houston area that were invited to have their employees take the survey, only 200 companies were recognized as Top Workplaces – including 100 in the small size category.
Employees rated their companies in areas such as potential for culture, advancement, flexibility of work schedules, pay and benefits, and leadership, via an online survey conducted for the Chronicle by Energage, a Philadelphia-based research and consulting firm.
“It’s exciting to receive this recognition as it affirms what we experience each day at Westbury Christian,” says Nathan Wagner, Head of School. “Our Wildcat faculty love our students, our mission, and one another. They are committed to our students and spiritual growth. That level of cohesiveness and support for one another makes WCS a special work and serve.”
To join our team, please visit https://www.westburychristian.org/employment/
Founded by Rotary International, Interact Club strives to serve the community on global, national, and local levels. Westbury Christian’s Interact president Joseph Tillman initiated a project to create cards for the children at Texas Children’s Hospital.
“TCH is a local hospital and a tremendous asset to Houston and the nation, treating children, some of whom have debilitating and terminal illnesses,” says Interact Club Sponsor Carole Booker. “I especially like this project because it serves the most vulnerable and helpless in our community.”
The project returned for its second year at WCS with the help of Interact members. The Interact Club reached its goal to create over 100 cards for children at Texas Children’s Hospital in an effort to brighten their days and pass the time while undergoing treatments.
“I was so proud of our Interact members for the great job they did in preparing and leading our students in such a heart-warming project. Our high school students seemed to put much thought and love into the cards for the children at the hospital and accomplished so much working together,” says Interact Club Sponsor Karen Keese.
During chapel time, the WCS High School student body enthusiastically participated in creating 138 cards, which were delivered to patients at TCH over the weekend by Interact Club members.
“It was really fun to see everyone work so hard on it,” says Interact Club President Joseph Tillman.
“Thank you to our Interact Club members for planning and leading chapel last week,” says Principal Kaitlyn Ballard. “It was impactful to witness our students caring and loving on others through writing encouraging cards. I am extremely proud of our high school Wildcats and how they serve others!”
In its first performance of the year, the Westbury Christian Theatre program presents the historical drama Radium Girls from December 1-3.
The play opens Thursday, December 1, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The upcoming shows are Friday, December 2, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 3, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is $15 for reserved seating, $10 for general seating. Student tickets are $5. Purchase tickets at the door or here
In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage—until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not just with the U.S. Radium Corporation but also with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire. Written with warmth and humor, Radium Girls is a fast-moving, highly theatrical ensemble piece. Called a “powerful” and “engrossing” drama by critics, Radium Girls offers a wry, unflinching look at the peculiarly American obsessions with health, wealth and the commercialization of science.
Q&A with Directors Ronnie Blaine and Malaika Lund
What do you hope the audience experiences while watching Radium Girls?
RB: Amazing courage and bravery can rise from the most underestimated and underappreciated. Grace [the lead character] is a young girl, only in her teens who never spoke up for herself and always did what she was told because that is how her parents raised her. Yet, once the shameless and unjust actions of a huge corporation claim the lives of her friends, she summons strength from within to do what’s right and hold them accountable against all odds.
ML: There is no such thing as being too young or not being educated enough to make a change. These were young girls from poor backgrounds and little education that stood up for what they believed in, regardless of all of the odds stacked against them. Their sacrifices and bravery shaped so much of what we take for granted today.
Is there a specific scene you are looking forward to seeing? If so, why?
RB: Grace has a monologue directed to her mother that sums up the message of the play for me. She tells her mom that the company knew that she would consider herself too small and insignificant to make a fuss about what was going on even though she knew. This speech hits home for me because too often our youth, specifically our young women are made to feel like they have no voice and they need to stand down no matter how righteous their cause may be. “That is what they were counting on.”
ML: There is an amazing scene with Kathryn, Grace and Landon as Kathryn is searching for answers at the records office. In that moment we learn just how much these girls suffered as well as the obstacles they faced from the public and government. In this scene, Kathryn’s persistence and desperation sets the tone for how Grace later responds to their situation.
What is one of the biggest challenges of the show?
RB: Definitely one of the biggest challenges for most of our productions would be scheduling. Trying to coordinate a cast of 20 students who all have different extracurricular obligations is never easy. It truly takes a village. Thankfully, our athletics department, as well as the VEX, engineering and fellow fine arts departments all make a concerted effort to be as flexible with scheduling as possible to allow our students to participate. Still nothing is as important as all of our amazing parents! Along with our incredible PTO, our cast parents are the glue that holds this entire show together. From feeding us amazing meals on those late tech nights to setting up seats for our audience to sit in, it is without a doubt the WCS Families that make it happen!
ML: I would say one of the biggest challenges of the show is also one of our biggest blessings. We have so many new students participating in the production this year. This includes students new to Westbury Christian School as well as students who have never done a production before. Our veteran students have done an excellent job with supporting the newer cast and crew members and “showing them the ropes.” The new actors and crew members have done amazing jobs with reaching out for assistance when needed and building relationships with the veteran cast and crew members in order to ensure success with this production.
How have students been preparing? How would you describe the preparation?
ML: This has been a demanding process for our cast, especially for our younger students as the play is very serious in tone due to its historical context. Mrs. Hatfield and Mrs. Román worked with our cast members to help them to understand the context of the show and what informed the decisions the different characters made. The students have worked hard to support one another and it has been amazing watching them research more into their individual characters and connect to the show.
I heard the 5th grade class is doing the stage crew! How are they doing?
ML: It has been great seeing the 5th grade class step up and join the stage crew. I had the opportunity to work with many of these young students in Mary Poppins Jr. last year, and it is amazing to see how much their love of theater has grown. They are working very hard, and it is often difficult to tell that this is the first time they have ever done stage crew for a show!
Anything else you would like to share?
RB: I cannot overstate what a privilege it is to watch these young people grow in self-confidence and self-assuredness. It is truly a blessing.
ML: I am so excited to see Westbury Christian School’s interpretation of Radium Girls. This is my third time working on this show, and each time has been from a different perspective. It has been fun to see how these students and Mr. Blaine take this show and put their own stamp on it!
We have been blessed to have three of our alumni return to participate in the crew for Radium Girls. Jill Chauvin ’22 has returned in the position of Stage Manager, and is fully utilizing her experience from Fourth Wall Theater to elevate the theater program here at WCS. Sarah Asteriou ‘22 has returned to act as our props master and has been thriving taking what she has learned in the WCS theater program to guide the young crew members and create amazing props for the show. Finally, Andrew Archer ‘20 has returned as our lighting designer and has brought with him his training from University of Houston as well as the professional work he has done with lighting and sound design.
Lunar New Year celebrations began on Thursday, January 17, 2023, at Westbury Christian to usher in the Year of the Rabbit (Chinese calendar) and the Year of the Cat (Vietnamese calendar). One of the most important celebrations among East and Southeast Asian cultures, Lunar New Year will be celebrated by more than one billion people throughout the world with a variety of traditions. WCS international students from China, Vietnam and Thailand shared their celebrations with their fellow classmates.
Employees rated their companies in areas such as potential for culture, advancement, flexibility of work schedules, pay and benefits, and leadership, via an online survey conducted for the Chronicle by Energage, a Philadelphia-based research and consulting firm.
