#1StudentNWI: Westville Wears Pink

#1StudentNWI: Westville Wears Pink

Student Spotlight

The start of the new school year is always exciting, but the start of senior year is even more extraordinary than most. After all, it is the last year of high school for all seniors alike.

Lacey Nichols provided some insight into what it’s like to start your last first day of school and jump into your senior year.

Nichols has gone to Westville Schools since she was in kindergarten and has lived in Westville her entire life. She is involved in numerous clubs and sports including Poms, Leo Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, FFA, and much more. Lacey was very excited to get back to school and continue participating in the many activities in which she is involved. She said she even enjoys having a lot to do and was looking forward to it.

Starting off her senior year, Lacey said she was looking forward to “enjoying what senior year has to offer and bonding with her (poms) team.”

Lacey also excels academically and is currently taking multiple dual credit courses. She said the experience started off a little rough, but she is excited to learn some of the challenging material.

Along with being very involved in her high school, Lacey has ambitious plans for the future. Her goal is to attend Valparaiso University and pursue a degree in social work. She is definitely an outstanding student, athlete, and member of the community: a true Blackhawk, through and through.

Teacher Spotlight

1Student-Westville-September-2017-04This month’s teacher spotlight is middle school science teacher, Mrs. Joll. She is a very fun and engaging teacher at Westville who makes learning science an exciting experience.

Walking into her classroom, students are greeted by all things science. With her hands on approach to teaching, visitors will find rocks, minerals, animals, and an assortment of science projects in her classroom.

More than just fun, Mrs. Joll also brings sixteen years of teaching experience to the classroom. Throughout those sixteen years, she has taught science and chemistry at Valparaiso High School, Willowcreek Middle School, Chesterton Middle School, and Westville Middle School.

She says her favorite part about teaching is “helping students reach their full potential and their life goals.”

Some of the things that Mrs. Joll is looking forward to in the upcoming year is integrating more technology into the curriculum and trading textbooks for more online learning.

Along with being very engaging in the classroom, Mrs.Joll is also very active in other areas of the school. She is currently the head of her department, the Union president, and the sponsor for Westville’s Science Olympiad team. Even though she does a lot with the school, Mrs. Joll still makes time to enjoy some of her many hobbies including camping, canoeing, cooking, and gardening. As anyone can see, Mrs. Joll does it all and has fun while doing it. She is a wonderful teacher who makes learning fun for all.

Hamilton

1Student-Westville-September-2017-01On August 29th, a group of students and teachers from Westville High School had the opportunity to go to Chicago and see the popular musical, Hamilton.

The play tells the story of Alexander Hamilton as he was introduced to several of the founding fathers and how he contributed to the American Revolution. Along with portraying the political aspects of Hamilton’s life, the play also delves into some of Hamilton’s personal struggles. One very interesting thing about the play is how it uses music to represent the different views of the characters and their stance on the revolution. Students and teachers at Westville were able to experience all of this first hand.

On the day of the play, they piled onto the bus and headed to Private Bank Theater in Chicago where they would be seeing the show. Once they arrived, the group enjoyed some free time during which they visited a booth selling all sorts of Hamilton souvenirs. They also enjoyed discussing the play with each other during intermission.

At the end of the show, the cast stayed on stage to talk to the audience about the devastations of Hurricane Harvey and how the show was raising money for the cause. People put donations into a bucket on their way out the door as the night came to a close. It was a great experience for all, and everyone had a great time.

Dig Pink

1Student-Westville-September-2017-02Westville High School’s Girls Volleyball Team will be holding their annual Dig Pink game on Monday, September 18th at 6:30.

The Dig Pink event is one of the most highly attended games of the volleyball season. It will take place at Westville High School and be against Calumet Christian School. This annual game is a tradition at Westville and is a fun way to help raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

The entryway and hallways to the school will be decorated with pink streamers and banners to welcome everyone to the game. As attendees walk in, they can support the cause by bidding on an item in the silent auction or buying one of the many pink decorated items at the bake sale.

Upon entering the gym, everyone will immediately notice a sea of pink in the stands. Everyone is encouraged to wear their most extravagant pink attire, while some people even wear pink from head to toe. For those who do not have any pink attire at home, no need to worry. The girls on the volleyball team collect t-shirt orders prior to the game so everyone has the chance to participate in this tradition.

Before the game, each of the players will dedicate their game to someone with cancer and present that person with a pink carnation. All of the volleyball players on the Westville team also trade their usual black and orange uniforms for special pink ones. The sight of all of the people supporting the cause is very uplifting and is something not to be missed.