by admin | Apr 4, 2024 | Senior Spotlight
Senior Richard Chandler takes the stage again this spring in one of the lead roles of Freaky Friday, the WCS spring musical.
This leading role is not new for Richard. Throughout his time in high school, he has consistently taken leadership positions, demonstrating his courage and desire to serve others and be an influence. He served on the Student Council for two years, currently as the StuCo President, and the National Honor Society for three years, including terms as both President and Vice President. He’s also a member of the National Spanish Honor Society and Thespian Society. In addition to these service organizations, he participated in football, basketball, soccer, and track and field. Last spring, he found time to play the lead role of Aladdin in the WCS theatrical production of Aladdin Jr.
His six years at WCS have shaped him into the person he is today and inspired him to encourage and serve others.
“My favorite memory is going to the Middle School Retreat at Camp Cho-Yeh. It was so fun to do,” Richard said. “This year I got to go on the Middle School retreat to Camp Glenn and I loved watching others live through the same thing I did.”
Richard credits WCS for the growth of his spiritual walk during his time at WCS.
“My spiritual walk has grown a lot,” he explained. “One reason is our required yearly Bible classes. The eighth-grade boys’ Bible class taught me what it means to be a man and lead. I have also learned a lot from other Bible teachers during my time at Westbury Christian like Coach Hawley, Mr. Reid, Mr. Santos, and Mr. Wagner. They’ve truly shown me what it means to live and be a Christian in today’s society.”
When asked if a teacher had inspired him, he immediately credited Social Studies Department Head, Mrs. Courtney Hatfield. “She’s very proper and very smart! She motivates me. That’s what I want to be like in college.”
After Westbury Christian, Richard plans to study computer science and enter the tech industry.
“WCS has given me the resources that I need to gain experience beforehand. This year I am taking AP Computer Science, which is a class not a lot of people get to take. I am very grateful for that class. They also helped me get a year ahead in math, which helped me prepare for computer science. I truly value that.”
“The entire school is a very welcoming environment and everybody is so accepting. No matter what you do, where you come from, or your background, they always accept each other with open arms. It’s a community where everyone knows each other and says hello to everyone.”
Being part of the Wildcat family means everyone is willing to serve and help each other out. The students are genuinely involved and welcome those who are new and want to be a part of it.
When asked if he had any advice for new students, Richard said, “A lot of new students think Westbury Christian is like every other school where it will be hard to make friends. It’s not. That’s just not true. You are going to be immediately welcomed by one of our students. All you have to do is talk to them and say hi and you have a new friend now. It’s really easy to make friends here.”
“I appreciate being able to spend all my high school here, and if I got the chance to do it all over again I would do it here again.”
We are looking forward to seeing all that Richard accomplishes beyond Westbury Christian School.
by Kayla Rogers | Nov 9, 2022 | Around Campus, High School News, Senior Spotlight, WCS Service
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.”
by Kayla Rogers | Sep 30, 2022 | Around Campus, Senior Spotlight
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!
