Day 121 - Proud to be part of DART

Today's post is from MWHS Media Specialist Anitra Trapp

There hasn’t been a day since I started as the Media Specialist at MWHS ten years ago that I haven’t turned the corner onto Sunnyfield Road and driven past the school sign and thought to myself, “Yep. I’m lucky.” And yes, sometimes I turn back out onto Sunnyfield at the end of the day and pass that same sign and think, “Man. I’m tired!”

The people that surround you can make or break your work experience and in this environment, I’ve made it! The staff are so supportive of one another and spend so many hours giving back to the students and the school. The students at MWHS work hard. They are tolerant. They are kind. And they very rarely give their Media Specialist any grief.

The building itself has always been a source of pride for me. It has distinctive layout not found in many schools. Built in 1971, this building was designed by Hammel Green and Abrahamson and won the AIA Minnesota Merit Award in 1972. It was designed to be a flexible structure that would lend itself to expansion and changing use with an upper level “mall”, moveable partitions, courtyard, and skylights. Many of these design features have served us well, but after 40 years some areas of the school needed rejuvenation.

Over the years, a few of us teachers have thought, “Gee, wouldn’t it be nice if . . . “ and rattled off our ideas of ways to improve areas of the building. In the Spring of 2012, I decided we should try to achieve those ideas and formed DART (Design And Refine Team). DART members brainstormed ways we could showcase the pride we have in MWHS. We spruced up some old display cases to highlight our Student Activities as well as the history of those that came before us. We worked with our facilities to improve the signage in the building, touch up the painting and plan for more painting in the future. A new office display space is taking shape to honor student achievements throughout the year. We added some benches at the entrances so students have a place to sit while waiting for a ride. Our group donated our time and money to complete many of these projects and most have been small or subtle changes.

Could these improvements been done by a small scrappy committee at any other school? Maybe, but I wager that no other committee would have received the acceptance and counsel we did. Keith Randklev and Marty Fischer encouraged us, offered advice, asked for advice, embraced changes, attended meetings, worked with others in the district on our behalf and never stood in the way of our enthusiasm.

Being a part of DART is one way I show the pride I have in MWHS and just another reason for me to say, “Yep. I’m lucky” when I come to school each morning.

Old memorabilia 

New memorabilia -- Mrs. Trapp

Other new changes happening in the building 

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 120 - WALA Helps out our Community

Today's post is from the 2013-14 WALA Class

WALA, Westonka Area Learning Academy, is a second chance and home to approximately 25 Mound Westonka High School students. We as a family not only help the school but we also help the Mound community and each other. WALA is an alternative learning program within the school that allows students to continue in classes with smaller sizes and receive more academic help. By being in a smaller classroom with less students it gives us the opportunity to have one on one time with teachers and helps further our education. One component of our program is service learning that we call Service Learning “Outings.” By participating in outings it helps to improve our service learning opportunities and increases our interaction with others and the community. Our most recent outing was to Feed My Starving Children.

On March 14th all of WALA went to Feed My Starving Children. We are so lucky to get the opportunity to do this every year. Other MWHS students don’t have the same opportunity to give back to community as we do in WALA. We measured the food portions, bagged and sealed the bags, and then boxed them for shipping. We had a fun time, and some may not know it but we saved a lot of lives just by packing little amounts of food for these poor and unfortunate children from around the world. We all helped feed 25 children; 3 meals a day for a whole year and it only took us an hour and a half to complete the work necessary to complete this task! It was a very humbling experience getting to package food for others in need. We felt a great sense of pride getting to represent MWHS and the WALA program!

WALA Class of 2013-14

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 119 - Pride Snowball!

Today's post is from parent and community member Teresa Boser

I have been reading the White Hawk Pride Blog every day and have so enjoyed all of the entries! "Way-to-go" to the student blog creators: Alex and Courtney!

Since September, I have been trying to decide how to contribute to this inspiring project. There are SO many things to be thankful and prideful for here.

After reading 100+ heartfelt blog entries, it occurred to me that MY pride grows every time I read about a student, parent, teacher or community member's Westonka experience. These positive experiences and attitudes have created a "Pride Snowball" here in White Hawk country! The more of this positive spirit that is generated -- the more everyone else's pride grows. So, share and spread your White Hawk pride around!

Hopefully, it is not "cheating" when I say that I am most proud of the all of the prideful White Hawk spirit in our school and community!

It's a great day to be a WHITE HAWK!!

From L to R-- Teresa, Siena (11th grade),Tim, Marshall (8th grade), Weston (10th grade)

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 118 - A Look Back

Today's post is from 2010 grad Charlie Crea

A lot has happened since graduating from MWHS in June of 2010. It’s been almost four years, and in that time I’ve persued 2 years of college education, held multiple jobs, owned a company or two for a bit, moved out on my own, discovered what bills are like, etc. Yet so much of who I am and what I’ve become was shaped by my time at Mound Westonka. From late nights and full weekends running rehearsals in the Little Theatre, to early morning all day races on the Alpine Ski Team (and possibly loosing feeling in my toes for a few days), to pulling off daily announcements even when it seems there was no news to be told. All of these things have helped me survive this place I’m in now called, “The Real World.”

There are the obvious ways my high school days have helped me out with my current life, I.E. all of my time running sound and lights for various plays, musicals, and events. But more than that, it was directors like Mr. Bulman that taught me discipline and respect for superiors. It was coaches like Coach Smiley that taught me how to strive for improvement while never losing the enjoyment of something you love. It was teachers like Mrs. Simonson that taught me to be thorough, as there can be one variable wrong in your programming code and your entire program will fail miserably. (A really good life lesson right there!). It’s the unconditional love that these coaches and teachers have for kids, and for their role as educators, that really makes me proud to be a graduate of MWHS.

I talk to many people all around the country and I can’t help but get this feeling from some of them that they didn’t get the same solid upbringing that I did. It’s in their actions, their speech, and their treatment of others around them. Mound Westonka graduates are taught a higher level of respect, and honor. They are taught a higher level of common sense and problem solving. Let’s just say, there’s something to be said about being a White Hawk. As for myself? I’m proud to call myself a White Hawk, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for my peers that graduated with me.

Charlie

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 117 - Proud to be called a White Hawk!

Today's post is from sophomore Julia Rivers

I am proud to be a student at Mound Westonka High School. There is nothing better than
walking into a classroom where everybody knows everybody and where the teachers all at least recognize you when you walk into their classroom for the first time. I love the feeling of a small school where we all are a unique kind of family. I am proud of the successes of our school. Even if the state competition isn’t won or the best award given, the students at Mound Westonka High School have a smile on their face and they have a positive attitude. 

So many times at games and assemblies, the crowds are on their feet. The students here are so proud of each other and they are there for each other’s support. During homecoming week and the days that we could dress up, I am always astonished at how dressed up and involved that everyone is. So many kids are fully decked out in their funky costumes and they are there to support each other at the football game, the parade and all the homecoming festivities. There is nothing better than knowing you have a school that cares and backs you up. 

Another thing that I am extremely proud of are the teachers here at our school. They are always willing to work with me and all the other students. They would stay here until midnight if it was necessary to our understanding of the subject. They are always willing to go one on one with the individual students and it isn’t one bit intimidating to go up to any teacher here and ask for help. They are so willing to give it. 

As an individual, I feel accepted by everyone. The huge popularity barriers that are at some schools don’t seem to exist here. I am extremely proud to be a student at Mound Westonka High School and to call myself a White Hawk!

Lindsay & Julia

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 116 - Creating Costumes & Pride for MWHS Theater!

Today's post is from Jamie Harms, Costume Director for MWHS Theater

Pride is defined as being especially proud of a particular quality or skill, it is a feeling of satisfaction taken in something done by one self. After I finish any project I have a small sense of pride in myself, I hold it up and take a look at what I have created. I don’t recall a time I have not been proud of my work, even my first pieces sewn together with muslin in college. But the sense of pride I have felt working with the MWHS Theater program is like one I have never felt before.

Copacabana was my first show with MWHS, it was hard work and at times stressful. I was up way too late some nights altering costumes and sewing fabric but as the lights came up to see this array of colors on stage... all the exhaustion was quickly swept away. I was overcome with emotions watching proudly from the back of the theater knowing that I had something to do with making that production a smashing success.

I was given the opportunity once again during the spring play of The Odd Couple. The play gave me the chance to work much more closely with the students and the directors. I had the task to bring the 80’s decade back to life for our stage, and what a treat that was! The students rocked rolled up sleeves on their suit jackets, white Nike’s, pink tights and shoulder pads. We completed our looks with blue eye shadow, hot pink blush, bright lipsticks and bigger than ever hair (I think we killed at least 2 bottles of hairspray!).

During both Copa and The Odd Couple I spent the entire show backstage helping with numerous costume changes, helping make sure everyone had what they needed for their parts and even helped with a set change. Being backstage working (literally) side by side with our students has allowed me to truly develop a strong camaraderie with them, I am able to watch as they encouraged each other before stepping onto the stage. I witnessed high fives, hugs, laughter, tears of joy and pure excitement among a group of extremely talented students. Watching these things take place while they thanked me and hugged me for the work I put in for them, was in itself enough pride for me.

Being part of the MWHS Theater has been an incredibly humbling experience for me, I am proud of the work I put on the stage each show and overjoyed by the kinships I have formed thanks to this program. I have found a home working here; as I stood in the “wings” backstage and watched the final curtain call wrap up our spring play, I felt as though I was holding up a piece of work and smiling about the good job I had done. I am proud each and everyday to say that it is a GREAT day to be a White Hawk!

The two different casts of "The Odd Couple"

 Jack Curti, Zach Martin, Nate Barnes, Hogan Kelly and Jamie Harms  

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 115 - Proud Wrestling Brotherhood

Today's post is from senior MWHS Wrestling Captain Bryan Tierney

There is a certain bond that is formed in each and every sports team. It's like nothing else; you aren't just teammates or classmates. In wrestling, our team had something special -- we were brothers. That may be difficult for people to understand because most people view wrestling as an individual sport. However there are 13 other individuals battling for the same purpose, not just to win but more importantly for each other. In that sense we are more like brothers than anything else. We ride on each others successes, we pick each other up when we fail, and we inspire each other to achieve greatness.

During the State Tournament this brotherhood was more eminent than ever. The team enjoyed delicious post weigh-in meals together in downtown St. Paul and staying up late in the luxurious Embassy Suites. Together we warmed up and prepared for our final matches of the year, for the seniors the final matches of their career. Wrestlers who did not make it to "The Tourney" were begging coaches to tag along to help their teammates warm up and be there for support. We picked each other up when we lost a heart breaker and sat on the edge of our seats cheering during an intense victory. Together we sweated, we bleed, we cried; and when it was all said and done, I can not be more proud of our team and how we competed. I realized as I stood on the podium for the last time how much I am truly going to miss this sport and everyone who I have shared all the unforgettable memories with.

Bryan

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!

Day 114 - More MWHS Art Pride!

Today's post is from senior Trevor Omann

This year art students at MWHS and from all over the state of Minnesota were able to take part in a contest called The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This contest is known to be one of the longest-running, most prestigious recognition programs for creative teens in the U.S. In 2013, more than 2300 works of art and writing were submitted in the state of Minnesota alone. There are three types of awards that are given at this state level. The first is the Gold Key, about 7 – 10% of the works submitted receive this award. The next is the Silver Key and about 10-15% of the work submitted receive his level. Finally there is Honorable Mention, which about 15 – 20% receive. 

Congratulations to senior Carly Koch who was honored with a Gold Key Award for her drawing, Melancholy and seniors Ryan Flesher who won a Silver Key for his photograph Vacancy and Trevor Omann who won a Silver Key for his sculpture Withered. Carly, Ryan & my artworks were on exhibit with the other Gold & Silver Key award winning artworks at Perpich Center for Arts Education from February 5th – 22nd.

Congratulations to junior Lily Durand and seniors Aurora Fenzl & Trevor Omann who won Honorable Mention Awards for their artworks: Lily’s photograph, Girl, Aurora’s drawing A Red Pen Edit and my Necromancer's Tea Pot. And three of our seniors, Carly Koch, Lily Frenette & Leah Pinault won Honorable Mention Awards for their portfolios (a collection of 8 artworks each) submitted to the MSAA contest.

These awards were not easily won. It takes talent and determination which the students of the Mound Westonka Art Department truly have. I would also like to complement the excellent staff that ever so carefully guide the developing minds of the students -- Ms.Blanchard and Ms.Hensley. THANK YOU for everything you do! I can truly say that the art at MWHS give me MWHS PRIDE! 

Mrs. Hensley, Ryan Fletcher, Carly Koch, Trevor Omann & Mrs. Blanchard

If you have a story that you would like to share, please email mwhspride@277apps.org for more information! We would love to hear from you!