Student Spotlight
There are few people with the drive, determination, motivation, and leadership skills of Lashon Patterson.
Lashon is currently a senior at West Side Leadership Academy who is avidly interested in helping other people. She is involved in numerous groups, including the Honor Society in which she is the Vice President. She is also Co-Captain of the Table Tennis Program, the Baseball Teams manager, the Student Representative for the Student Council, and is a part of the Principal’s Advisory Committee.
Over the past months she has also contributed time to community service, such as raising money for a fellow senior in need, Senior Class fundraisers, giving gifts away for Christmas and is heavily involved in everything Class of 2018 does. She always makes an earnest effort to do her best at everything she attempts and is an upstanding person with a kind heart.
Students address Lashon when they have new ideas to liven up the school and make the class of 2018 something to be remembered. If her achievements are not impressive enough, she is also enrolled in AP classes and Dual Credit classes for the second year at Indiana University Northwest, and continues to get good grades day in and day out.
She is currently involved in creating the next retreat for students and ensuring it is a success. Truly, she is an example of everything a Cougar should be, and she definitely does not go unnoticed for all her great achievements.
When asked how it feels to be looked at as a role-model by the teachers and students she replied, “It is a privilege and responsibility and you hold that with you forever and you have to uphold that privilege because it is an honor. I’m happy to know that little ol’ me can hold that honor!”
What's Coming Up:
The month of February brings lots of romance, awareness, food, and change.
While the seniors are taking on their last year of high school, all of the underclassman are getting ready for next year by going over PSAT scores and picking classes.
Every week meetings will be held with the teachers, parents, and students grades 9-11 to go over PSAT scores, ISTEP scores, and to get information on which classes they should be looking at taking next year. By going over their scores, the students will receive a great indication of which areas they are excelling in and which areas they are struggling in. This will help them know what to focus on when studying for upcoming SAT or ACT tests, making them more prepared for the long run.
Also in the future: May 4th 2018, the seniors will be going to the Kalahari Resorts for a two night, three day senior trip full of fun, laughter, and memories.
For Westside sports, the Boys’ Basketball regular season comes to finish with their last few games on February 13th, 16th, 20th, and 23rd and Senior Night on Friday, February 16th, against Chesterton. The Varsity seniors of Boys’ Basketball and Cheerleading will be honored at the event.
Preparation for Westside’s spring sports is in full swing, with softball, baseball and girls’ tennis conditioning coming to a close and official practices beginning. All three of these teams have their sights set on a start to their season in March, looking to improve with an influx of young athletes.
What's Happening:
Despite losing a phenomenal player last year, Westside girls’ basketball didn’t let that keep them from having a successful year. Dana Evans was one of the best girls basketball players Gary has had thus far. Unfortunately for the Cougars she graduated with the class of 2017. Although they didn’t have a star player anymore, they still had faith they could go far with the team they had. With that kind of faith they have found a new superstar in Dash Shaw, who averaged 26 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5 assists. This season they have gone 17-7 with most of their losses coming down to the wire. The best thing about this is that recently they won their fourth sectional championship in the past 5 years. The players were ecstatic, in total disbelief.
Coach Rod Fisher danced in a midcourt circle of players afterward. He smiled and did so numerous times.
After asking Coach Fisher about the game his response was, “I feel like I’m 35 years old again. This was a great game between two outstanding players. We both made plays, and we never felt untouchable. Daijah is a great ballplayer who can score at the drop of a hat. To hold her to just 27 is something.”
“Our team never gave up," added Dash Shaw. “We wanted this game, especially at home. I told everyone to listen to Coach Fisher. He might yell, but we were never going to give up no matter what the score was.”
This was a fairy tale ending that doesn’t happen often, but these young ladies worked hard to make their hopes into a reality.
Teacher Spotlight:
Head basketball coach Christopher Buggs has gone through a lot of trials and tribulations for the last couple of years. Mr. Buggs has been the head coach for Westside high school since the 2015-2016 seasons. It has been really rough; being a first year coach with a young team is hard to deal with. His first year his team went 3 -21, the second year he went 8-14.
“We are a young team that needs a lot of growth, I have faith that these kids will start to learn and understand the game then generate it on the court into wins," explained Buggs when asked about his previous years coaching.
Though he's received backlash from alumni on the losing seasons, Mr. Buggs continues his role as a History teacher for Westside. Despite tough losses, he continues to teach the following day with his students.
This year, unlike the other seasons, he has a stacked roster that is the best he’s had thus far. His team is respectively 9-5 and doesn’t feel like they're stopping there. Before every game the coaches scream out “GOD IS GOOD!” and the players respond with “ALL THE TIME”. The faith they have this year is something the school hasn't had before.