Day 41 - Proud to be a Student at MWHS

Today's post is from Jake Tapper, freshmen at MWHS

When I moved to Mound in 4th grade I was nervous about my new school. Knowing that Shirley Hills was a blue ribbon school reassured me about my first year at Westonka. All of the staff and students including my teacher Mrs. Henkels were all very friendly and inviting. 

Now that I’m at the high school the teachers and staff are still very good at what they do. In my experience they teach their curriculums very well and in a way that makes sense. This shows by Westonka’s MCA test scores. Westonka also has a lot of elective choices that I enjoy. 

One of my favorite memories from school was the Future Cities class in 7th grade. We had to design a city that was energy efficient and unique. Our city was called Cidade do Vulcao which means Volcano City in Spanish. Our city was built next to a very big volcano that acted as our energy source. Our groups city was won our class competition and competed at a regional level.  We made a model of our city using chicken wire, plaster, and water bottles along with other household materials. 

Overall I think Westonka is a very good School District and I am proud to a student at MWHS.

Day 40 - Mound Westonka as a Student

Today's post is from Alex Wells, sophomore at MWHS

I have been a part of the Mound Westonka school district since day one of kindergarten and I have had a great experience so far - especially here at the high school. The teachers and classes that I’ve had have been great. I love the variety of classes that MWHS offers to its students from Strength and Conditioning all the way to Wood Shop. We have a large variety of teachers that make learning their subjects enjoyable. 

Also the students are very welcoming. Starting at the top with our juniors and seniors. Many of them are a part of Link Crew that helps the younger high school students transition from Grandview into MWHS.  My peers in my grade have helped me find classes or even helped with something as simple as a question I had about the homework. 

Another great part of MWHS besides the school is the incredible amount of activities that are offered to its students. We have everything from Trap Shooting to Football and even the Science Olympiad. I personally am involved in three sports; football, wrestling and baseball and I have had a great experience with my coaches and fellow athletes over the years. MWHS has plenty more to offer to students, so I think it’s safe to say that MWHS is a great school.

Alex & Mr. Wardlow

Day 39 - Best Four Years of My Life

Today's post is from Paige Beyer, a 2013 graduate of MWHS
Nostalgia provides a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of joy and an insurmountable amount of pride. At Mound Westonka High School a sense of community is created with a place to relish in our accomplishments and to cherish and embrace the way they make us feel. Even though our trophies can break and certificates can fade, we must always make an effort, wholeheartedly, to remember and cherish our school's success, as it is a result of our very own MWHS pride.

Growing up, you always hear “college will be the best 4 years of your life.” As a student of Mound-Westonka High School, I was always skeptical. I was blessed to have an amazing high school experience that I doubted my college experience could possibly beat my time at Mound-Westonka. As a current freshman at the Carlson School of Management - University of Minnesota I am eternally grateful for everything Mound-Westonka taught me and have yet to be convinced that my college experience may possibly be better than high school.

Mound-Westonka prides itself upon its unique ability to provide ‘small school advantages’. As a student I struggled to grasp what this truly meant until I was a part of a university nearly 50 times larger. At Mound, I was taught the importance of forming meaningful relationships. It is evident that teachers work hard to make themselves both approachable and available to students. I am proud to say my teachers at Mound are some of the most inspiring and influential role models in my life, and I am fortunate to have formed lifelong connections with them.

The connections made at Mound-Westonka will be nothing short of everlasting as there is a ceaseless amount of camaraderie. The close-knit community I was apart of is rare and one that should be treasured. At MWHS I was taught the importance of interpersonal relationships, how to effectively communicate, and each interaction I had there positively impacted me and better prepared me for my future. So now the questions remains, will college be the best 4 years of my life, or has Mound Westonka impacted me in a way that’s too tough to shake? Assuming it’s the latter, I am confident I will forever have pride in Mound Westonka High School. 

Paige and Willie

MN DECA State Officers

Day 38 - A Reasonable or Justifiable Self-Respect

Today's post is from Mary Jo Blancard, Art & English teacher at MWHS

A definition of pride in my old 1993 hardcopy of Miriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is "a reasonable or justifiable self-respect".  This is a perfect description of what I see and feel in Mound Westonka High School.  All of the previous blog entries I have read in MWHS Pride are reasonable and justifiable examples of why hundreds of students, teachers, and parents respect our school and are proud to be affiliated with it.

I, personally, get excited every day when I enter the building.  Student Aides in the office always greet me, students and teachers in the halls always say hello, and the display cases for the clubs, teams, and arts remind me that this place holds a wealth of talent and energy.  Then as the day goes on, my students consistently prove to me that my expectations for them are only the top of the iceberg.  When I challenge them to create and perform, I am always impressed and sometimes surprised by the results of their efforts.  I recently assigned my advanced ceramics students to create sculptures in which planes and space are dominant features.  They each spent many extra hours in the studio and produced a variety of original pieces that are above and beyond what I would have done in high school.

This leads me to what really impresses me.  Our students are not flat, or one-dimensional.  Most students pursue several interests and participate in multiple activities.  It is not at all unusual for a student to be in Math League, band, swim team, Spanish Club, and more.  They are multifaceted individuals who pursue their interests because they have the opportunity to do that here at MWHS.  And because of that, we can all feel a reasonable and justifiable self-respect.

Mrs. Blanchard helping her ceramics students

Day 37 - Proud to be Part of this School and Community

Today's post is from Tatum Anderson, freshmen at MWHS

I am proud to call myself a White Hawk and show up at MWHS everyday. Everyone at school is accepting and kind. I never feel scared or threatened here at MWHS. There isn’t any bullying at this school because we take it very seriously. There are posters all around that say “Stop Walk Talk.” Everyone is nice to one another and very inclusive. No one ever disrespects anyone and they treat everyone the same.

Because Mound is so small, you get to know people in other grades above and below you. You also get to play high school sports sooner. Last year there were four eight grade girls who made varsity hockey. This year four freshman girls made varsity soccer. It is great playing with better competition and being with all the older girls. They are so nice and accepting.

Not just Mound Westonka High School is welcoming but also the community. Every year Our Lady of the Lake has a carnival and the whole community shows up. Everyone hangs out and has a great time. Mound is a great place to live and grow up and I am proud to be part of this school and community!

Lila, Claire, Ryann & Tatum at DECA Fall Leadership