Westbury Christian School College Preparatory Houston Texas

With many parts of the state at 35 days and counting since the mercury last failed to hit triple digits – with crops and cows succumbing in equal measure to the Biblical combination of scorching sun and wilting earth, and with no relief in sight – Texas would seem ill-suited for planting seeds.

Charlie Ward doesn’t think so.

Ward, the former Heisman Trophy winner and 10-year Knick backcourt staple, is busy preparing for another season at the helm of the Westbury Christian varsity football squad. A few months from now, he’ll be coaching his son Caleb – now in sixth grade and the oldest of Ward’s three children – on the hardwood. Between work and family (wife Tanja, daughter Hope, 8, and son Joshua, 2, round out the Ward roster), any time he allots to a writer – a blogger at that – is purposefully cast beside the good work that defines the better half of Ward’s daily clock. Which is fine by me. Anything, and any amount of time, to not write KBlogger Report Cards for a few weeks.

This fall will mark Ward’s fifth with the Wildcats (and his fourth as Head Coach), a position he took after leaving his post with the Houston Rockets, with whom he’d been an assistant since retiring from the NBA in 2004 . Despite a number of other job offers from around the league, Ward decided instead to take on the dual role of Assistant Football and Basketball Coach at Westbury, a 500 student K-12 Christian school in Houston. Surely, the opportunity to spend more time with his family, and to watch his young children grow up, were motivating factors. But the chance to lead again was anything but a distant second.

“I wanted to have a more hands-on experience,” explains Ward in his characteristically even, calm Southern drawl. “I wanted the chance to put game plans together, implement those game plans, and really mentor kids. Those are the main reasons I am where I am today. That’s my focus.”

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The 2011 Junior/Senior preview and formal took place Saturday, May 7. Students attending the banquet, and their parents, were invited to the WCS cafeteria for a small ceremony announcing each junior or senior and their date, before a police escort led the caravan of vehicles en route to the formal.

Held at Safari Texas Ranch, in Richmond, TX, this year’s theme was “Masquerade.” Students were greeted with a commemorative mask, beverages, and appetizers before the seated dinner began. Following the meal, licensed hypnotist, Mr. AJ Lahaye entertained the crowd. During his performance Mr. Lahaye placed 8 WCS students under hypnosis and offered suggestions and instructions for them to carry out to the delight of the crowd. The evening ended with an awards ceremony where Juniors Chase Kimble and Haley Munoz were named Duke and Duchess, and Seniors Tiffany Capao and Cody Glenn were crowned King and Queen.
Click to see event photos.

The Westbury Christian School administration is pleased to announce Dr. Glen Schultz as the commencement speaker during the WCS graduation ceremony Friday, May 27th. Dr. Schultz has worked in education for 43 years. He currently serves as Headmaster of Sherwood Christian Academy, and as an associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church. According to Mr. Greg Glenn, WCS Head of School, “Dr. Schultz has a unique passion for educating young people according to biblical standards. I am excited for the class of 2011 to have the opportunity to be inspired by his philosophies as they enter the next phase of their lives’.”

In 1998, Dr. Schultz published the book Kingdom Education: God’s Plan for Educating Future Generations which outlines his belief of parents and educators being in line with the church to provide a strong foundation for every boy and girl. An advocate for Christian education, his philosophy of Kingdom Education is a life-long, Bible-based, Christ-centered process of leading our children to Christ and building them up in Christ, so that they are equipped to serve Christ.

“God has placed on my heart the burden to help unite the home, church and school through kingdom education, an educational process where God reigns completely,” explains Dr. Schultz. “I pray that millions of Christians will join me in this eternal battle for the hearts and minds of future generations.”

Graduation ceremonies for the WCS class of 2011 will be held on Friday, May 27th in the WCS gymnasium beginning at 7 PM. According to Mr. Glenn, “my hope is for all WCS graduating seniors to be equipped with the knowledge of Christ, always keep Him at the center of their lives’, and most importantly always seek His kingdom as they go forth. I am confident that our students, parents, and WCS faculty/staff will be encouraged by Dr. Schultz’s powerful message.”

Saturday April 9, 2011, select Westbury Christian School student’s artwork was featured during the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra’s Season Finale performance held at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church. Following a ROCO performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, directed guest conductor Mr. Robert Moody, the audience was invited to attend a reception which included pieces from WCS students among the Featured Visual Artists.

ROCO is a professional chamber orchestra of 40 all-star musicians, distinguished guest conductors and composers who come together from all over the world to present engaging performances of classical and original compositions. Founded in 2005 by oboist, Alecia Lawyer, ROCO is considered to provide “the most fun you can have with serious music.”

The season ending reception was attended by over 500 ROCO members, sponsors, and art supporters from around the Houston area. WCS art teacher Mrs. Karen Keese taught art classes to the children in attendance while guests viewed artwork from several organizations throughout the Houston area and took the opportunity to mingle with the talented musicians involved with the organization. WCS artwork was the only student exhibit included in the visual arts display and included pieces from Annie Han, David Han, Betsy Kelly, Danielle Hamrick, Kellie Keese, and Remington James. Their work covered an array of different subjects including colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic, graphite, pastels, oil pastels, prints, clay, and photography.

According Mrs. Keese "it was a blessing to be able to display our students' work in such a beautiful setting. I felt very honored to be able to showcase their pieces in front of the professional musicians and their patrons, and in addition, be able to teach a couple of classes to some of the children there."

This year Funathon went digital! No more mailing out letters. We are so much cooler online!

Each student had their own personal webpage for Funathon 2011 and was part of their class team which also had a page. Personal and team pages tracked fundraising goals, donation amounts and supporters. You could email links to family and friends and any other potential sponsors, share the link through a Facebook or Twitter account and thank your donors via email.

It was so exciting to watch the thermometer rise as donations began coming in. Today we are at 136% of our $30,000 goal - That is over $40,800!! And donations are still coming in!

Thank you to the parents and volunteers who helped set up the course, provide snacks and drinks, passed out rubber bands, and cheered on our students! Thank you to the families, friends, and supporters who donated time and money to this cause! Thank you so much for making this year's Fun-A-Thon a huge success!

Check out our progress.

Click to see event photos.

Click here to donate.

Following each 9-week grading period we hold an All-School chapel to celebrate our outstanding students, faculty, and staff. Students are nominated by their teachers, coaches, and/or other members of the WCS staff.

"Student of the Third Nine Weeks" honors were awarded to:
Primary- Sydney Johnson: Sydney's teachers expressed how joyful and kind Sydney is to her classmates and how she always takes the time to make sure her work is done right.

Elementary- Drew McCleod: Drew is described by his teachers as a modern-day Abe Lincoln; he loves to read, he encourages his classmates, he is a hard worker, and he is honest.

Intermediate- Madelyn Tolopka: Madelyn's teachers appreciate her gentle, sweet spirit, and attention to detail. She is always prepared and works hard on all tasks she is assigned.

Junior High- Autumn Oliver: Autumn's teachers feel that she is a worthy recipient of this honor because of her tenacity, persistence, dedication, and excitement for learning.

High School- Laura Watson: Laura is described as a rare breed of student who always contributes mature, thought provoking comments. Her teachers are confident that her work ethic and talent will take her very far.

Teachers and Employee of the 3rd Nine Weeks honors were awarded to:
Lower School: Jan Villerreal
Upper School: Megan Gilbert
Employee: Mrs. Debbie Curtis, Lower School Secretary

After impressive regular season results from both teams, the girls finished 38-1 and the boys finished 37-1, respectively, they each earned a first place seed and were set to meet Lubbock Trinity Christian in the semi-finals, on the campus of Mansfield Legacy High School, Friday, March 4.

The girls defeated Trinity Christian 61-37 which allowed them to advance to the state finals Saturday afternoon. The boys were also successful, defeating the Lions 50-43, and earning a spot in the state championship game. The Lady Wildcats faced district foe Concordia Lutheran in the title game, which marked their third meeting this season. WCS defeated Concordia 68-48, and clinched their third state championship in a row. Seniors Fallon Ellis, Ayramis Glenn, and Amber Orrange, along with freshman stand-out Brianna Turner, received All-State honors after their impressive performances throughout the tournament, and this season. Collectively, the Lady Wildcats ended with a record of 39-1, and with a rank of number four in the state of Texas, and number thirty in the United States.

The Varsity boys played Arlington Grace Preparatory immediately following the girl's victory Saturday afternoon. After trailing by four points at halftime, Grace Prep rallied to defeat Westbury Christian 37-42. Three WCS players, seniors Anthony Collins and Cody Glenn, and junior Delvin Dickerson, were named to the State All-Tournament Team following competition. The Wildcats ended ranked number sixteen in Texas, and sixty-seven nationally, with a final record of 37-2.

On Tuesday night, March 8, the WCS stage was alive with the sounds of crooning voices and dancing feet. The WCS choirs presented "Broadway Beat", a review of favorite musical theater songs and dances. The Honor Choir sang and danced to "42nd Street" and "One," while the middle school shared music from Singing in the Rain and Newsies. To round out the performance, all of the choirs joined together and performed selections from Grease and Hairspray. Charming the audience with beautiful standards, various Honor Choir members performed solos and duets, and the acting cast of Amy Curtis, Olivia Swasey and Drew McLeod entertained between songs. This production allowed students to be immersed in the full Broadway experience of singing, acting and dancing.

Westbury Christian School senior Deandra Renaud has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President's Volunteer Service Award. Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities. More than 310,000 students have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995. The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country and is presented through the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program on behalf of President Barack Obama.

Deandra was chosen for this honor after completing 175 hours of service work in her community as a student at WCS. "The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities," said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. "In recognizing these students and placing a spotlight on their volunteer service activities, we hope to motivate others to consider how they can also contribute to their community." Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the NASSP added "the young people recognized by the Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need. "We are proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation's schools today."

The WCS family is filled with generous, faithful friends who firmly believe in our mission, and actively work to help our students live "Life in 3D." This is constantly proven through the generous acts of service bestowed upon our students and our school, largely by your efforts. On behalf of the students, faculty/staff, and WCS Board of Directors, we would like to THANK YOU for your continuous support, and faith in our mission!

In addition to the support received through our fundraising efforts, we are sometimes awarded in other, special ways. The late Mr. and Mrs. Cleve Fowler recently blessed Westbury Christian School with a legacy donation that we are humbly thankful for. This tremendous gift allows us to improve the structure and appearance of the school building, and in turn provide an environment that is more conducive to advancing our student's ability to learn and grow into strong Christian leaders. Together with family friend Mr. Bill Ferguson, the Fowler's decided to include WCS in their wills and leave their legacy for the further development of future WCS students, and for the continued growth of our school. We want to acknowledge the Fowlers for their generous contribution, and for providing a shining example of the selfless, charitable attitude we work to instill in the hearts and minds of our students.

Thank you for being such an amazing WCS family. Your efforts and support are invaluable to the advancement of our school and in the lives of our students.

During a special edition of All-School Chapel, Bible teacher Steve Hawley was presented with the 2011 National Christian Schools Association Teacher of the Year Award. NCSA member schools across the United States nominate one member of their faculty based on his/her outstanding contributions to Christian education, and demonstrated Christian impact on the lives' of students. The candidates are then evaluated by an independent, nine-member selection committee before a winner is chosen.

Coach Hawley has been a blessing to Westbury Christian School for 13 years, delivering the word of God in his classroom daily, and filling students' with the knowledge of Christ. According to Head of School Mr. Greg Glenn, "Steve Hawley has been an amazing presence on this campus and has earned a respect from the students and faculty that is second to none. Along with being a fantastic classroom teacher, his influence continues way beyond those walls and into the hearts and minds of our students to make a transformational difference."

Seasoned performer, Mr. Joe Wiegand, began chapel entertaining WCS students, faculty and staff with his uncanny portrayal of President Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Weigand has performed his one man theatre show in front of audiences across the United States, including a show at the White House for Former President George Bush and his wife Barbara. The show chronicled President Roosevelt's adventures as rancher, Rough Rider and father of six in the White House, along with the story behind the very first "Teddy" Bear, and relived the establishment of America's great National Parks, Monuments and Wildlife Reserves.

Toward the end of his performance, Mr. Weigand surprised Coach Hawley with the news of his award, and presented him with his very own Teddy Bear. Amid the applause and cheers from his WCS family, Coach Hawley revealed the moment as being the first time he was ever "speechless." "We have an incredible, diverse group of kids which makes teaching the greatest profession in the world," he said. "I appreciate how WCS allows us to teach from our strengths and be creative. This is a wonderful honor, I am very humbled."

Steve Hawley, Greg Glenn, and Upper School Principal David Lacey will travel to Austin in March for the annual NCSA convention where Coach Hawley will officially be presented with his award.

Westbury Christian School senior guard and Stanford signee, Amber Orrange has been selected to participate in both the 2011 McDonald’s High School All-American basketball game and the Nike WBCA All-American game this spring. Since 1978, The McDonald’s All-American Basketball Games showcase the best of the best in both girls and boys basketball, in an East vs. West format. Participation instantly brands each player as one of the top senior recruits in the United States. With the exception of the 2002 Maryland Terrapins, each NCAA team to win a national championship since the inception of this contest has had at least one McDonald’s All-American on it’s roster. March 30, 2011, Amber will travel to Chicago, Ill to compete with the West Team in an exhibition game at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls. She will play alongside fellow Stanford signee Bonnie Samuelson of Huntington Beach, CA.

The WBCA All-America Team is comprised of the top 20 players in the country. WBCA member coaches submit nominations, with the final rosters chosen by a nine-member selection committee comprised of the top high school basketball coaches from around the country. The game will be held April 2, 2011, at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.

Amber has been a member of the WCS Varsity basketball team since 2008. In her sophomore and junior seasons, she totaled 1,191 points, 556 assists, and 378 steals. So far, in the 2010-11 season, Amber has tallied 438 points and leads the team with 282 assists and 160 steals. She currently ranks number 15 overall among 2011 signees in the United States on the prestigious ESPN Hoop Gurlz To Watch list. Amber’s talents in the classroom rival her basketball abilities, as she currently sits amid the top 3 students in her class with an un-weighted GPA of 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. According to Head Coach Josh Bailey, “Amber is not only a tremendously talented, hard worker on the basketball court, she is also extremely committed to giving 100 percent effort in the classroom. Stanford is getting a true student athlete.”

Collectively, the Wildcats rank #1 in the TAPPS 4A District, #3 in the state of Texas, and #21 nationally, with a current record of 31-1. They will face Concordia Lutheran in the District Championship game Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 7 PM at WCS. For all Wildcat sport schedules visit www.HighSchoolSports.net, or www.westburychristian.org/athletics.html for more information.

Head baseball coach Ricky Watkins has high hopes for the 2011 WCS varsity baseball team. As the season gets underway, the Wildcats are excited to prove how far they can excel beyond their record-setting 2010 finish, the best in school history. All nine starters from last year's team will return, including 2010 First Team All-State outfielder Dillon Thomas and Honorable Mention All-State pitcher Cody Glenn.

The team unity amongst the players is apparent, and aligns with the three principles Coach Watkins requires his players to practice. "Consistency, accountability and teamwork define our program," he explains. "We stress the importance of going hard every day and bringing the same attitude and work ethic to everything we do, whether it's on the field, at home or in the classroom. We all work hard for each other, hold each other accountable, celebrate each other on our successes, and pick each other up when things go wrong." Having players in sync with the goals of the coaching staff creates an overall understanding of team unity and benefits the program tremendously. "The guys are bought in to this philosophy and have definitely formed a special bond, more so than any other group I have coached previously. They are truly a team."

Adding to the list of accomplishments within the baseball program are the five players already committed to compete on the collegiate level after making early commitments this fall. Mike Davis and Chris Lopez will head to Texarkana Jr. College, Cody Glenn will attend Louisiana State University, Keegan Sanford will play at the University of Houston, and Dillon Thomas will attend Texas A&M next fall.

To follow the baseball season click here.

The Spring semester marks the commencement of "competition season," for academics, as the majority of contests are held beginning in January and run through June. January 29, 2011, 26 Westbury Christian Upper School students traveled to FBBA to participate in the TAAPS district meet. Students competed individually in 39 different events. With an emphasis on Academics and Speech, the competition includes writing events, such as Number Sense and Literary Criticism, and speaking events such as Duet Acting and Original Oratory. The participants individual, combined scores were well enough to earn WCS a 4th Place finish overall. Six students earned 1st-4th place in their respective categories, which secures an invitation to the State Competition, April 1-2 at Concordia University in Austin, TX.

Qualifying students, including their event(s) and final ranking, are as follows:
Michelle Fang- 1st place in Mathematics
Jeffery Guillott-1st place in Number Sense,1st place in Calculator, 1st place in Advanced Math
Andrea Guevara- 3rd place in Spanish
Giselle Johnson- 2nd place in Solo Acting, 2nd place in Poetry Interpretation
Jasmine Lewis- 4th place in Poetry Interpretation
Lia Li- 2nd place in Mathematics

Congratulations to the entire WCS team!

The Junior Ring Ceremony is a memorable occasion for WCS Upper School students. Once a year family and friends are invited to celebrate students in the Junior class as they receive the gift of their class ring. Each recipient is invited to the front of the room while their special guests offer a blessing or encouraging sentiments, as they look forward to their senior year and life beyond high school graduation.

"Being able to share this moment with Alexis is something I have waited for ever since I learned of the tradition when we first began attending WCS," explained Catherine Tinkler, mom of Junior student Alexis Fuller. "There are so many things parents try to teach their children that we sometimes forget to stop and tell them what a blessing they are, how proud we are of them, and what we believe for their future. It was very special to be able to have that moment with my daughter."

Kelvin Brown, Upper School Principal, organizer and host of the service noted, "parents continually convey their thanks for having such an opportunity to speak publicly about their child while still being held in an intimate setting. We want this custom to be a meaningful part of our students' high school experience."

Congratulations to all students who participated in the TAPPS District Academic Meet on Saturday. All students performed well and contributed to our overall score, putting us 4th place over all. Those who made it to finals in speaking events had to stay and perform a second time Saturday night. These students are: Giselle Johnson, Rachel Strom, Jeannie Sandefer, and Jasmine Lewis. Special congratulations to those who will continue on to State in their individual events. They are:

Jeffery Guillott with first place in Number Sense, Calculator, and Advanced Math
Giselle Johnson with 2nd place in solo acting and 2nd place in Poetry Interpretation
Andrea Guevara with 3rd place in Spanish
Jasmine Lewis – 4th place in Poetry Interpretation
Michelle Fang – 1st place in Mathematics
Lia Li – 2nd place in Mathematics

Remember this is the first of several academic competitions this spring. We are just warming up. If you have a talent and are not using it, and would like to compete in TCSIT or Science Olympiad, please see Mrs. Greer.

Ten Westbury Christian School 7th and 8th grade students participated in the American Mathematics Contest 8, November 16, 2010. AMC 8 is an exam that gives students an opportunity to apply concepts taught at the junior high level to problems which range from easy to difficult, and cover a wide variety of applications. Questions are designed to challenge students while offering problem solving experiences beyond those provided in most junior high school mathematics classes. The 25 question, 40 minute exam does not allow the use of calculators, and high scoring students are invited to participate in the AMC 10 their freshman year of high school.

The test was administered to over 153,000 students in 2,342 schools nationwide. Math Department head Mrs. Tammy Farris lead WCS participants in afternoon practice sessions for the short time they had to prepare for the exam, and in the WCS inaugural year of participation, she said she “witnessed the potential we have to grow strong Math students who seem to be up for the challenge.”

Eighth grader Wade Hill finished on top among WCS participants, earning a 12 out of the possible 25 points, followed by seventh graders Peyton Gibson and Alex Williams, who tied for second place after finishing with a score of 10. Third place went to Bryce Newby who accumulated 8 total points. The average score among the 4,229 participants in Texas was 9.78, only .2 lower than the National average of 9.98. “Our top three finishers scored above both the national and state averages, which is excellent considering our lack of experience, limited preparation time and the degree of difficulty,” explained Mrs. Farris. “Also, Peyton and Alex will have an opportunity to take the test again as eighth graders which will really help them in preparation for high school.”

The other students who attempted the exam are Shay Ajiboye, Bruse Boudreaux, Justin Chiu, Matthew Douglas, Autumn Oliver and Catherine Smith. “I am extremely proud of the results,” said Mrs. Farris, “and I appreciate the effort our WCS students’ put in to succeeding on the exam and in representing our school, community and God to the best of their ability.”

Six Westbury Christian School seniors signed national letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at various, reputable Universities around the country. “Having six student athletes participate in the first signing day is unprecedented at Westbury Christian. “This group of students has worked hard to earn these offers and the entire WCS community is proud to celebrate this accomplishment with them,” noted Head of School Greg Glenn. Joined by family, friends and the entire Upper School student body, these athletes signed their letters, finalizing their commitment, and solidifying their position on his or her respective team during a press conference held on November 10, 2010.

Two members of the nationally ranked WCS girl’s basketball program will continue on to play college ball. Fallon Ellis, last year’s team leader in field goal percentage and currently ranked among the top ten players in the city, has committed to Iowa State University. Senior guard Amber Orrange has committed to Stanford University. “Amber is not only a hard worker on the court, being ranked 15th in the nation according to ESPNU, but she is as diligent in the classroom carrying a 3.8 GPA including various Advanced Placement courses. Stanford is getting a true Student Athlete!” commented girl’s varsity basketball coach Josh Bailey.

The baseball team celebrates the accomplishments of three players. Pitcher Cody Glenn has committed to Louisiana State University, Keegan Sanford will play at the University of Houston, and Dillon Thomas has committed with Texas A&M University. “I’m excited to see what these guys can do on the collegiate stage. They are extremely talented, I have no doubt each of them will be successful,” says Varsity baseball coach Ricky Watkins.

Senior center Hasani Sumbry will continue his basketball career at Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, TX. According to Varsity basketball Coach Russell Carr, “Hasani is a great student who has worked to put himself in a position to play college basketball and get an education. He is a team guy, with a desire to be the best he can be.”

Additional signing periods for other sports and junior colleges are yet to take place. There are currently three other WCS students with collegiate offers that will make announcements later in the school year.

Eleven Westbury Christian middle school students qualified to participate in The Duke University Talent Identification Program based on his or her Stanford Achievement Test scores from the 6th grade. The Duke TIP 7th Grade Talent Search identifies academically gifted students and provides them with innovative programming to support their development. Over 67,000 students enrolled this year. Only those students who score in the 95th percentile or better, compared to the national average, qualify for a spot in the program making this a tremendous honor for all who are recognized. Candidates are then invited to take the ACT or the SAT as 7th graders, alongside college-bound 11th and 12th graders, which allows them greater insight into their academic abilities.

Through Duke TIP's talent search, gifted students and their families gain a far better understanding of where the student stands in relation to his/her gifted peers and what level of educational challenge is appropriate. According to Upper School counselor Mike White “being involved with this program is a big deal. These students have great talent and we are blessed to have them at Westbury Christian.”

Duke TIP also provides participants with suggestions for using their ability more effectively as well as a variety of educational programs and publications. These publications, including an online directory of educational opportunities around the country, help students learn more about fulfilling academic opportunities available to them and about the needs and interests of people like themselves. “This program helps families provide gifted students with tools they need to reach their academic potential,” says Mr. White. “The 2011 7th Grade Talent Search will support the families of these children to enable them to excel in middle school, high school, and in life."

Student’s being honored: James Bistodeau Jared Chauvin Derrick Cyprian James Douglas Cory Garza Peyton Gibson Trey McLeod Autumn Oliver Catherine Smith Lindsay Turner Alexander Williams

WCS seniors Jeffrey Guillott and Paris Lake have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their outstanding performance on the 2009 PSAT exam. Each year, the NMSC conducts two nationwide academic competitions for high school students—the National Merit Scholarship Program and the National Achievement Scholarship Program—through which more than 10,000 distinguished winners receive recognition and college scholarships. Students enter by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

Jeffrey Guillott was named to the list of Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation after placing among the top five percent of the 1.5 million students who entered into the 2011 competition. “Commended Students represent some of the most scholastically gifted young adults in our country,” says WCS counselor Mike White. “Jeffrey is dedicated to his academic success and we are proud to see him recognized among this group of talented individuals.”

Paris Lake has been acknowledged by the National Achievement Scholarship Program as an Outstanding Participant after scoring among the top three percent of more than 160,000 African Americans students taking the 2009 PSAT exam. The NASP provides a letter of reference to about 1,500 colleges and universities to enhance these students’ educational opportunities by recognizing their achievements. “Paris is another model student focused on accomplishing her academic goals in preparation for college,” says Mr. White. “She is enthusiastic about learning and willing to work hard to excel in the classroom.”

The success of the NMSC's programs is validated by the accomplishments of scholarship winners who go on to do extremely well in challenging undergraduate work and successfully embark on a wide array of graduate programs and career paths. Head of School, Greg Glenn, believes these achievements exemplify the tremendous talent and intelligence within the student body of WCS. “I am extremely proud to have two WCS students listed among such an exclusive group in their respective categories,” he says. “I sincerely hope this recognition will enhance their educational opportunities and encourage them in their pursuit of academic success.”

Nine students at Westbury Christian School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievements on AP Exams. The College Board’s Advanced Placement program (AP) provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18% of the more than 1.8 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.

The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on student’s performance on AP Exams. At Westbury Christian School, Yingge “Ingrid” Guan, qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average score of 4 or high on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. During her time at WCS, Ingrid represented the model student excelling academically, spiritually, and socially. She was a member of the varsity golf team, yearbook staff, and was named the Class of 2010 salutatorian. Ingrid also competed with other WCS high school students in various academic competitions around the state, including the 2010 Science Olympiad Regional where she earned two 2nd place finishes in the Number Sense and Advanced Math categories, ultimately qualifying for the State competition and helping her teammates garner a 25th place finish. After being accepted by several prestigious universities around the country, including Georgia Institute of Technology, and The University of Texas respectively, Ingrid decided to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA.

Luis Chung qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning 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. He also was a competitor on the WCS Science Olympiad, TAPPS, and TSCIT academic teams. Since leaving WCS, Luis has enrolled at Texas A&M University.

Two students, Chenwei “Annie” Pan and Chenxin “Emily” Pan received the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all exams taken and grades of three or higher on at least four exams. Annie was the WCS Class of 2010 Valedictorian and along with her sister, Emily, enrolled to attend the University of Texas at Austin this fall.

The final 5 students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by earning a score of three or higher on three or more exams. These students are: Luke Aschermann, Kassie Gurnell, Paris Lake, Preston Meyers, and Chris Milner. Air Force Academy, Rice University, Texas A&M University, United States Military Academy at West Point, University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Houston are among the college acceptance letters received by these five students.

Westbury Christian School is a private, college preparatory, fully accredited, culturally diverse school offering unique educational opportunities for pre-k, elementary, middle and high school students. The school is located at 10420 Hillcroft at Willowbend.

For more information contact Phylis Frye in the Admissions Office at 713-551-8100.

On Wednesday, October 27 at 6:30PM, Dr. Tim Elmore will be coming to the campus of Westbury Christian School to speak on connecting with today's youth to help them reach their full potential. In his latest book, Generation iY, Our Last Chance to Save the Future, Dr. Elmore uses his experiences working with more than 300,000 students, faculty and staff across hundreds of campuses across the country, to draw shocking conclusions about the future of the youngest of the Millennial generation, and the tangible, negative impacts of the “I” world, while also providing specific tactics adults must take now to prepare them for the real world. Dr. Elmore’s presentation will draw on applications outlined in Generation iY and will include a brief question and answer period.

Dr. Tim Elmore is the founder and President of Growing Leaders, Inc, an Atlanta-based non-profit organization created to develop emerging leaders. An internationally recognized leadership expert and speaker, and author of more than 20 books, including the best selling series Habitudes, Dr. Elmore is often described as a dynamic communicator who uses principles, images and stories to equip young leaders.

The free educational seminar is open to the public. For more information contact Phylis Frye in the Admissions Office at 713-551-8100

While parents are enjoying Dr. Tim Elmore speak, your children will be enjoying a night full of Veggie Tales fun! With a craft, activity and a movie they will learn about how special and unique they are! We will have activities for children ages 6 months through 5th grade. Parents will be required to sign each child in and out for safety.

Click here to register for childcare.

We invite you to join us for worship led by the faculty and staff at WCS, and immediately following we will serve lunch and begin the Legacy Tile Decorating Event. We are inviting current WCS students and their families, and even grandparents to participate in this event. Make your mark on the playground leaving your family’s legacy for many years to come.
We are offering 2 Tile Decorating Packages at this event, as well as an opportunity for a larger donation option to sponsor a bench for the playground. We will be permanently displaying the decorated Legacy Tiles on the wall by the playground to be enjoyed by current, past and future students, parents, teachers and visitors. Proceeds from this event will go directly towards covering the cost for the new Lower School Playground. As Believers, we are promised that God will direct our steps, work all things to our good and give us of His goodness. Learning to trust and depend on God is essential. Be a part of this historical event and leave a lasting mark on the new playground!

Download the Information Packet

Sunday October 17th
11:30am-1:00pm
at the Westbury Church of Christ Courtyard
Lunch will be provided

Tile Decorating Packages:
Family Legacy Package
$100
Two 4 inch Tiles

Wildcat Legacy Package
$100
One 6 inch Tile

Add additional tiles to both packages:
Smaller 4 inch tile - $30
Larger 6 inch tile - $50

Register & pay for your Tile Package today by clicking the "Donate Online" button on the left side of the page.

Led in Pied Piper fashion by the trumpet call of band director Mike Smith, the preK3 through 1st grade students were called from their classrooms at 9:00am on Wednesday morning to a special ceremony on the new primary department playground. Principal Casey Farris opened with a prayer for safety and enjoyment of the new equipment and was followed by a special ribbon cutting by Cody Glenn, Ian Frank, and John Adams (senior and junior students who used the old playground equipment when they were in preschool) using preschool safety scissors. Mrs. Sheila Kaldis wrapped up the formal portion of the ceremony with, “I now declare this playground open” as preK3 and preK4 students ran to play while Kindergarten and 1st grade students blew celebratory bubbles around the festivities.

“The construction of the playground is a huge step of faith. We wanted a safe play area for the primary department at the beginning of this school year; but, we didn’t have all the funds collect yet to pay for it. Mr. Glenn basically said to build it and that God would find a way,” said Farris. A few efforts took place at the end of last school year to start the fundraising process, including a gift from the PTO and a portion of the proceeds from the Fun-a-thon, but to date only 25% of the funds needed have been raised. One way WCS parents are being asked to aid this effort is through the support of this year’s magazine sale with a share of the revenue benefiting this project. Two ladies, Shara Carr (wife of AD Russell Carr and mother of future students) and Jennifer White (wife of guidance counselor Mike White and mother of two current students), are in the process of organizing a tile project to run after the magazine sale concludes in mid-September that will raise funds specifically to help pay this expense. Parents are encouraged to participate in the magazine sale, look for the tile project information and/or contact Catherine Tinkler, Director of Development, to support this effort.