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

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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)

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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!