WHS students compete in canned food sculpture competition

The sophomore class wanted to "Fill the Barn" with food.

The Class of 2014 collected 14 cans.

Results of the canned-food drive will be combined with the score from the penny wars to determine which grade level will be awarded cider and donuts.

NHS candidates must turn in applications today

It is crucial that applications be turned in to Mr. Nicolai TODAY.

Football players to meet at lunch in "old" weightroom

Attention all players soph thru Senior who played varsity football this fall there will be a short meeting in the "old" weight room during both lunches MONDAY.

 

Also, Commitment sheets for returning players are due by Thanksgiving.  See Coach Ennis for a sheet or to turn yours in.

Spread the Word

This week's broadcast filmed and edited in its entirety by the Deliverers: Taylor Johnston, Hannah Boyt, Madison Cooper and Alyssa Cinpak.
"Give them due props when you see them," Mr. Sponsler said.

Message to basketball student section:

Hey Students!

 Our Goal: To be the BEST STUDENT SECTION IN JACKSON!  

 The Athletic Department is running a contest to see who could come up with the best Student Section Slogan!!

 We need all ideas and slogans by: Wednesday November 14th at 1:35pm!

 Voting will be Friday, November 16^th at lunch time.

 Winners gets a $20 Gift Card to Best Buy and a free Student Section T-shirt!

 Write down your ideas and bring them to the Athletic Office today!

Academic Boosters looking for help with Craft Show

The Western Academic Boosters are short student volunteers to help set up and work their annual craft show this weekend.  

Students are needed during the 7-9 shift Friday night (helping vendors unload) and the 3-5 shift on Saturday.  They are asking any athletes or other students who aren't busy with sports Friday or Saturday if they would be interested in helping.  They do receive community service hours for helping so that might be an incentive.

Western Drama Club bringing Grease to the stage

Lions Club selling fruits and nuts

   Sharlene Carroll, who works in the Western School District Administration Office, will be taking orders through Nov. 16 for the Parma/Spring Arbor Lions Club Fruit and Nut Sale. 
    Items are listed with prices below.  Folks interested in placing orders should please respond email Mrs. Carroll at Sharlene.Carroll@westernschools.org.  She will need payment by Nov. 30, and delivery scheduled the first week in December.  Checks should be made payable to the Parma/Spring Arbor Lions Club. 

Oranges         10#  $14.00
                          20#  $19.00
                          40#  $27.00
Grapefruit    10#  $14.00
                         20#  $19.00
                         40#  $27.00
Tangelos       10#  $14.00
                         20#  $19.00
                         40#  $27.00
Mixed            10# (6-8 oranges, 5 grapefruit) $14.00
                         20# (16 oranges, 9 grapefruit) $19.00
                         40# (32 oranges, 18 grapefruit) $27.00
3 in 1              (12 oranges, 12 grapefruit, 12 tangelos) $27.00
Nuts             1# bags of whole cashews OR pecans OR mixed nuts $ 9.00 per bag

Transitional weight room available to classes, sports teams

In an email message to coaches and teachers Athletic Director Jason Porter announced that strength training can resume in what was once the "high tech" classroom in the middle school. The text of his message is reprinted below.

The weight room is open for business!  When you get the opportunity please go down to the “Make-Shift Weight Room” by the Middle School Cafeteria and check to see if you have access (keys) that work to get in to it.  If not please let Tonya or myself know as soon as possible. 

There are some stipulations on the weight room that you should know about:

1. No student athletes are to park back by the weight room.  They are to park in front of the middle school or Admin building and walk back to the weight room.
2. No student or athlete is to be let into the weight room to lift without “Coaching” or “Teacher” Supervision.  I stress this because this is NOT a community weight room at this time.  So parents and graduated alumni are not allowed to use it or supervise current Western Athletes.  Coaches have already asked about lifting before and after school and this rule applies at all times.
3. There has been a created lane in the weight room leading from one door to another and to the shop class.  This lane needs to stay open and handicap accessible at all times.  Their can be nothing obstructing this lane. 
4. All equipment needs to be re-racked and put away, lights shut off and doors locked after each and every use.  Coaches are responsible for this at all times as well as PE Teachers, this is not negotiable and needs to be done
5. PE Teachers and Coaches please stress to your students and athletes the importance of the type of conversation and language being used in the weight room by your students, as well as the type of music that is played along with the explicit language content.  There are classrooms close by and impressionable youth and we don’t want to send the wrong message about what Western High School and its Athletic Department are about.

Landon Hollow all-state in tennis

Congratulations to Landon Hollow for being selected to the 2012 Division 3 All-State Tennis Team! A big congratulations on a great year and great career at Western High School.

Yearbook class to distribute senior packets 7th hour today

Yearbook will bring packets for seniors to their 7th hour classes today. These are only for seniors and are due to us Friday. Teachers are not being asked to allow class time for students to complete the packets. Perhaps they could do that during PowerPlay if they have the time.

Students with NO 7th hr will have them delivered either 1st or 3rd hr today or tomorrow.

Sunday's Hello, Yeti! brings bikers, runners to Western Nature Trail

   The Western Nature Trail was host today to the first running of the Hello, Yeti! Klunker-Cross & Trail Run.

     "Everything went impressively well," Western Middle School track coach Jim Rissi said. 

     Forty-seven competitors took their pick of three options: a 30-minute cyclocross race, a five-kilometer trail run, or, for the hearty few, both. 

     Winning the multi-sport event was Marshall Randall, a Western High School alumnus who now lives in Grand Rapids. He second second in the cyclocross and and second the trail run.

     Typically, a cyclocross race is contested on a course a mile or less in length, with a variety of terrains and barriers. Riders race to complete as many laps as possible in a set amount of time. For the Klunker-Cross, riders finished whatever lap they were on at the 30-minute mark.        

      Klunker-Cross winner Ed Millenaar, of Sarnia, Ontario, was the only rider to complete seven laps.

Derek Easton completes a flying dismount as he approaches a barrier on the Klunker-Cross course.

     Trail Run winners were Katsune Nakashima among the women, and Ashten Griswald among the men.

     "It felt good out there today," Griswald said. "It was just cold enough, and I like running on the trail."

     Competitors and spectators alike had positive things to say about the overall experience.

     "For this being the first time, it went really well," multi-sport competitor Dustin Burdick said. "The drums and cowbells were super sweet. You could hear them no matter where you were on the course."

Seth Amburgey, Jack Tallman, and Gabe Rowlison, members of Western High School's drumline, perform during the Hello, Yeti!

     After covering expenses associated with organizing the event, the Western Runners Club will donate proceeds to the Melanoma Research Foundation.

     "Melanoma is a sneaky skin cancer," varsity track and field coach Lucas Sponsler said. "The key is catching it early. So it's important people know what to look for, and don't hesitate to have any weird moles or lumps checked out."

     Sponsler said the lives of several Western athletes and coaches have been touched by skin cancer. "It became clear we needed to do something extra."

     Burdick said he and his fiance, Courtney Head, who ran the 5k, would have participated regardless, to support the MRF, but, "it was just plain fun."

     

Special thanks to the sponsors listed in the above photo, who provided materiel and financial support. Especially deserving of recognition are Corey Grazul of P&T Fitness, who withstood the brisk November air to provide free tune-ups and pit repairs to bike racers, Dan Powell of Portland Desgin Works, who donated the PDX Beanies and other goodies, and Courtney and Dustin Burdick, of Jackson Coffee Co., for keeping us warmly caffeinated.
 Thanks also to volunteers like Parker Brue, Alex Sponsler, Sean Burns, Hannon Morgan, Dave Cole, Jacob Sponsler, Colby Sharp, Linda Scholl, Cole Sharp, Ralph Rice, Ben Engelter, Kristin Kiebler, Mike and Martha Palmer, and everyone else who made this event a success. This fall's Yeti Committee consisted of Jim Rissi, Alaina Sharp, and Lucas Sponsler.

Results of senior class voting announced, meetings planned

Results of Senior Class Voting:

Color-Purple

Flower-Venus Fly Trap

Song-Whenever You Remember -Carrie Underwood

Motto-"Hakuna Matata"

 

Seniors-There will be a class meeting Friday Nov. 9, after school in Profe Male's classroom to design senior shirts. Bring your ideas.