The Wildcat Roar -- Vol. 1

THE WILDCAT ROAR VOL. 1

STAFF

ELIJAH SCHMIDT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, JUNIOR

IVEY WANG

DESIGN EDITOR, JUNIOR

JOEY FENTRESS

SPORTS EDITOR, JUNIOR

CARISSA MITCHELL • GIDEON SCHWAMB • BELLA THIES

• ELISE SNYDER • SADIE SCHMIDT • RHOADS HALL •

MIA SCHUELEN • JAKE KEANE • AUSTIN MCCARTHY • CHARLIE MATHIS JOEY SCHLOSS • ANDREW CAHILL • BEN WOOLDRIDGE • GENEVIEVE

SELK • COCO FRANCISCO • ETHAN MARTIN •

HUNTER CUNNINGHAM

NEWS

Students Engage in Controversial Poker Activites, Pg. 6-7

New Faith in Action Program Takes Root, Pg. 10

New Trash Can Locations Strike Controversy in the WCA Community, Pg. 12

The AI Epidemic: How ChatGPT Has Changed the Classroom

Forever, Pg. 22 Got Beef? Settle it in Smash, Pg. 23

FEATURES

A Bite and Back, Pg. 8

The Faculty Fellow Phenomenon, Pg. 13

The Story Behind the Stuffing, Pg. 16 Students Become Teachers, Pg. 18-19

Putting the “W” in Westminster, Pg. 21

OPINION

The Hidden Fees of Attending Westminster, Pg. 9 I Don’t Get No Respect, Pg. 14 When You Got to Go, Pg. 17

CONTENTS

Christian Stigmas

Within Christian spaces and communites there are many stigmas and controversies. Whether those issues be political, social, or cultural they are all important and should be addressed as needed.

Our cover for the first volume of The Wildcat Roar is a news story covering the recent Lunchtime activites of Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. The group of students were playing poker at lunch and it brought up many questions to the moral character of the students.

The morality of students or their christianity should not be dependent on what card game they play and what stigmas it has surrounding it. And to clarify said students were not gambling or playing with money, they were just passing the time during lunch with a fun activity that they all enjoy.

While this issue has been resolved and the students are free to play as they want during lunch, this brought up the issue of stigmatized activities in the christian world.

A simple card game does not decide your faith or your value as a christian. Poker in and of itself is not a bad thing, and it is clear that there are unhealthy stigmas around just the word “poker”. If you said “card games” the reaction from many christians would be very different.

Of course there are times that the secular world takes things and corrupts them, sometimes that even includes poker. But at their heart they are wonderful activites that encourage the building of community. We can take the activity and seperate it from the secularized version of it.

All things can be used to glorify God. He loves to see us in community with other christians and bond over a shared like or activity.

John 15:12-13 says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is important to understand within contentious issues that we are still brothers in Christ, each one made in His image. So I encourage you to stay empathetic and kind as you read this volume of The Wildcat Roar.

Contact us at 800news@wcastl.org if you have any ideas, questions, or concerns.

Students Engage in Controversial Poker Activities

Carissa Mitchell

During lunch, it isn’t uncommon to find students passing the time talking, studying or playing games such as nine square, wall ball, or more recently, playing poker. Texas Holdem, a commonly played version of poker, has worked its way into the walls of the Academy.

“It was a really hot day and they wouldn’t let us go outside […] I had some cards in my backpack. […] Abel Tucker had the idea to play poker so I brought some chips […] but no we’re not gambling or anything like that, just good clean fun” said Charlie Mathis, Junior.

Although poker usually has a negative connotation, especially in Christian circles, these students have found a way to participate in a fun way with a driving impetus of enjoying each other’s community.

“I think it’s really fun to be doing something different than just sitting on cell phones. It’s a good way to have something fun and different, and as long as they’re not breaking any rules, then why not?” said Mike Rohlfing.

Even so, the students did receive some backlash from teachers and staff members. They play in the upstairs fishbowl, right outside Luke Davis’ classroom where many teachers spend their lunchtime. Because of this, many teachers were quickly informed of this, and while some do not mind this,

From Left: Students gather around a table to play poker; Shepherd Perkins wins the poker game by a landslide and stands victoriously

such as Stephen Hess, Mike Rohlfing, and Marjan Kempen, others disapprove of their involvement.

The group sought to plead their case on the basis of truth that because no money is involved, they cannot be accused of gambling and that it is merely a form of fellowship that helps them take a break from schoolwork during the day. With the assistance of Kempen, Mathis and Isaiah Smith appealed to Dan Burke.

“Burke said [he does] agree it’s not gambling if there’s no real money involved (which there’s not) and so we got clearance” said Mathis.

Though understandable why a game of poker might not be the best image for Westminster, these students have not dishonored WCA’s beliefs by their actions. Rather, they have diplomatically dealt with disapproving eyes and cleanly laid out their argument.

These students took a gamble by playing poker openly during lunch, and though they received mixed reviews, they will continue to play.

Photos by Ivey Wang and Carissa Mitchell

A Bite and Back

Sadie Schmidt

Students have 40 minutes for lunch each day, and for some juniors and seniors this time provides the opportunity for lunch off campus. However, with traffic jams, crowded lunch venues, and under-staffed restaurants, eating lunch away from Westminster can be fraught with challenges.

“I never know how long traffic is going to take and it’s so annoying trying to make it back on time for 6th hour,” says Monica Knapp, senior.

To solve these problems, 800 News researched the nearest fast food and sit down restaurants in the area, exploring the distance, and wait times for each establishment. The Town and Country area boasts thirteen different restaurants within a 5-12 minute radius of Westminster. Below is a list of restaurants in the Westminster community as well as a there and back drive time assessment (not including traffic). As far as time goes 800 News has estimated that stu-

FEATURES

dents should drive to locations no further than 15 minutes away in order to return on time. Some fast math would place students at a total drive time of approximately 30 minutes. Next, after accounting 5 minutes for traffic, and 5 to eat, students should be back on campus around 1:15. However, people who are more cautious (or slow eaters) might want to choose a restaurant no further than 13 minutes away. As most restaurants fall into that category this is probably the best decision to give students the most leeway.

Additionally, another less popular venture explored by students is the idea of a sit down lunch. However, as shown by the table, several options are available and possible time-wise as long as the meal is ordered ahead of time or the restaurant has limited traffic. This means crowd favorites like The Shack and Circle 7 are on the table.

“The Shack has great food, and it’s totally possible to get there and back to school on time as long as you order online.” says Rebecca Rothrock, senior.

In reality, the options for lunch are really unlimited ranging from a classic Big Mac to fresh local food at UKRAFT and even Mexican food at Qdoba. Westminster students are truly lucky to live in an area with so many diverse options right at the tips of their fingers. Finally, while students should enjoy their culinary freedom, they also should try to grab a bite and get back before the bell.

A list of places to go and eat. Image by Sadie Schmidt

The Hidden Fees of Attending Westminster

We all love to wear merchandise from our school. Whether polos, hoodies, or quarter zips, wearing clothing that identifies us as a Wildcat makes us feel like we’re part of a bigger community. However, many students in the Westminster community believe that the prices of Westminster merchandise and food are too high.

First of all, families at Westminster already pay $20,000 per year for their education. Although this may be an inconsequential amount for some families, many families with students at Westminster have to make big sacrifices in order to afford tuition.

Secondly, some students report that the cafeteria is overcharging them for consistently inconsistent products.

“The size of the cookies just aren’t the same everyday,” says sophomore Ava Fichter, “one day you’ll get a nice big one and the next day it’s tiny.”

While these homemade offerings are delicious, there appears to be growing inconsistencies among them. The standard price for all cookies is $1.75, the sizes can vary.

Finally, the price of merchandise at Westminster is considered unreasonably priced by the students because they believe that Westminster could make its merchandise cheaper while still making a profit. Most of Westminster’s merch comes from well-known and reputable brands such as Adidas, Nike, and Under Armor just to name a few. Perhaps if Westminster sourced materials from different brands, they could provide more affordable options.

However, Mrs. Teresa Ingram, the manager of Westminster’s bookstore, believes that the prices at the bookstore and lunch line are fair because they are well below market value, fund Westminster’s scholarship program, and have only increased in price due to market wide inflation.

When dealing with highly reputed brands as Westminster does, they have a certain standard for the sales and quality of their products. Just like any other retail company, Westminster has to pay a high price for quality sportswear brands and in order to make a profit, they have to upcharge the price of their garments. Furthermore, the funds accumulated from bookstore sales are dedicated towards paying off the tuition of families that cannot afford to send their children to Westminster. The price of tuition is fairly high and many families with lower income cannot spend $20,000 on an education for their children, so as a solution for these families struggling to pay tuition, Westminster founded its tuition assistance program.

“Over the past year, the prices of paper, food stuffs, and apparel production have risen significantly across the market, which has increased the price we have to charge for paper products as well as outerwear,” said Ingram.

Bella Thies

Inflation has always been an element of the American economy, and the prices of goods on the market are constantly rising. In order for the bookstore to make a profit in light of the rising material rates they have to lower the prices of the products.

The prices of food and merchandise may seem extreme to some students, but Westminster charges the prices it does for a reason. Inflation and production costs are unavoidable parts of running a business and adaptations in pricing are how businesses make a profit in the face of such changes. So the next time you see a new piece of overpriced Westminster swag, consider the factors that make the price high.

Prices at Westminster are sometimes overly expensive. Image by Bella Thies

New Faith in Action Program Takes Root

Elise Snyder

This school year, a brand new service program called “Faith in Action” promises to offer Westminster students of all grade levels an opportunity to learn through their service. Each student will be required to perform a certain amount of service time based on their grade level.

“Starting with ten hours for seventh and eighth grade, and then twenty hours for ninth, tenth, and eleventh, and then senior service is fifty hours,” said Susie Brown, Director of Student Life.

Faith in Action has an app called MobileServe, which can be found on student iPads. MobileServe allows students to easily input their service hours, as well as proof that the hours were completed. The Faith in Action app is meant to be as simple as possible; however, many students are having issues. It seems that the requirements to verify service hours are not made entirely clear to students.

“I’d say [it’s] pretty easy, but apparently you have to take pictures and get a signature from the people you complete the service hours with […] I wish they would make that more clear.” said Camille Wittock, Junior.

There has been a lot of confusion surrounding the requirements, which has led to some students being unable to log hours they completed because they were unaware that they had to take a picture.

“You have to provide the organization name and then someone who supervised who can confirm your service, and their contact information. Then we randomly choose those and then call them and verify. So it’s not necessary [to have a] signature, but their contact.” said Dr. Dani Butler, Head of Student Development.

Many students find it difficult to fit service hours into their schedule between homework, school and club sports, and other after-school activities.

“I understand how important they are, but when you have a busy schedule, it’s difficult to fit them in. I haven’t been able to do any work yet […] with all the work as a junior, it’s hard.” said Wittock, who is on the varsity cheer team.

Fortunately, this was an expected issue. There are on-campus opportunities and after-school programs such as Spanish Club; serving at homecoming carnival in the booths or concession stands is another way to complete more hours.

“We are going to announce all the opportunities on school; also, we’re going to have a group project every quarter that we can do […] as a big group to go somewhere or they come here and we do it, working with the other non-profit organizations,” said Butler.

Despite the new program, the overall purpose of service remains the same.

The spanish club booth bustles at the annual homecoming carnival.Image by 800 Staff

New Trash Can Locations Strike Controversy in WCA Community

Bella Thies

All across the school, trash cans have been removed from classrooms. Now, both staff members and students alike must leave the classroom if they want to dispose of their garbage. This change has created much conversation among faculty and students as they cope with a new routine of trash removal.

“It’s annoying. You go to throw something away and you worry whether or not you’ll interrupt class by just getting up,” says tenth grade student Audrie Bockman.

In instances like these the situation just begs the question: Why did this change have to occur in the first place?

“We only get about four or five night-crew workers per night, and unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to clean the whole school. With the trash cans outside the classroom, our maintenance crew is able to take out the class for the whole school every night and can clean our classrooms more frequently.” Todd Fuller, WCA’s head of finance explains. .

One of the major factors leading to the removal of the trash cans has been the struggle to fill vacant custodial positions at Westminster. According to Mr. Collison, the director of facilities here at Westminster, “This isn’t just an issue with our school, it’s a country-wide staffing problem.”

Maintenance crew members in the US make an average of 10-20 dollars an hour, so it’s almost not worth the trouble to go to work. The reason that no one wants to work as a maintenance staff member is because of the low wages.

Overall, the responses to this school-wide change have been varied. Some teachers and students are against the change due to the

inconvenience it poses, but others do not seem to mind this minor adjustment. Todd Zell, a high school math teacher, openly expresses his desire to assist the cleaning staff: “Honestly, I don’t mind walking an extra two steps from my desk to the trash can if it makes our maintenance staff’s jobs a little easier.”

Although the students and staff of Westminster may not appreciate the new trash can locations, it is safe to say this is an excellent opportunity for them to display how much they appreciate the cleaning crew that WCA has.

The trash cans have been on everyones mind as they move out of the classroom. Image by Elijah Schmidt

The Faculty Fellow Phenomenon

Over the past decade, a decline in college graduates entering the teaching profession has resulted in a nationwide teacher shortage. Although Westminster appears to have weathered this storm, the school has struggled to fill empty teaching positions. In response, Westminster has implemented a new program designed to fill these gaps and encourage new teachers to enter the education profession.

Two such aspiring teachers have joined the full-time staff at Westminster, and they have been dubbed “Faculty Fellows.”

Micah Gall, Head of Academic Development at WCA, was instrumental in creating the Faculty Fellows program.

He wants to “find young people who are interested in getting into teaching […] and train them up in what it looks like to teach in a christian school,” said Gall. The Fellows Program is fundamentally similar to a traditional student-teacher position.

His dream resulted in the hiring of Caleb Laschinski, and Colton Albers. These two men were picked in accordance with Gall’s standards. Laschinski is a SLU graduate, and Albers is a Missouri Baptist University graduate.

Both Fellows have a “College degree, […] an interest in education, and excitement,” said Gall. These qualities are necessary for any aspiring Fellow.

“Most of my teaching experience is more on a theoretical side in terms of like the principles of teaching, […] different strategies […] how you engage kids, that kind of thing,” said Laschinski, a Fellow in the history department. While most of Laschinski’s experience is theoretical, his zeal and determination led him to serve as a substitute teacher last year. His time at SLU and his past experiences at Westminster are traits that caught Gall’s eye.

Gideon Schwamb

“I’ve taught through subbing, I worked [….] over at Missouri Baptist University […] I decided to apply for a substitute job [at Westminster] last year,” said Albers, the other Fellow. Albers has not only been a sub at Westminster, he also served at Camp Westminster, the summer camp that is held annually on campus. In addition to this, he is now the middle-school girls volleyball coach. His devotion to the Westminster community is what drew Gall to call on him.

The Fellows have quickly become normal fixtures of the classroom. Students and teachers alike have welcomed these aspiring educators into the Westminster community. “He’s organized, and he makes class fun,” said Delaney Haskell, Junior, when asked about Laschinki’s work so far. This feeling of acceptance and community is what initially drew these fine educators to Westminster.

The Fellows, even in these early weeks of school, have proven their mettle and lived up to their credentials. Their support has been a life saver for their teachers, and we cannot wait to see the impact these Fellows will no doubt have on our community. Micah Gall’s endgame for the Fellows Program is that those “who go through this program really love it and develop into great young teachers who we can hire full time.”

Laschinski talking with his mentor Dr. Gall about class work. Image by Elijah Schmidt

I Don’t Get No Respect

School spaces are getting mistreated.

Elise Snyder

Westminster is being grossly disrespected by students and perhaps even faculty who leave messes behind them wherever they go. These unnecessary cleanups cause extra work for our already busy, understaffed maintenance crew.

For whatever reason, students take poor care of our school spaces, leaving messes behind that someone has to clean. Without fail, the task will fall to our maintenance workers. Many may think, is that not what the maintenance workers are here for? But that is a shallow, self-centered excuse for a lack of responsibility.

Westminster may not be a dump, but one doesn’t have to look far to spot trash and messes around the building.

“There have been a lot of times where I’m walking the halls and I see food and wrappers […] it really doesn’t take that much work. […] People don’t feel sad at all for trashing the school, which is kind of sad to see.” said a junior who requested to remain anonymous.

The time it took our hardworking, understaffed maintenance crew to clean up a preventable and unnecessary mess could have been spent doing the work they are supposed to be here for.

In an attempt to avoid overworking the maintenance staff further, the Hub began closing during lunch in 2022.

“We were seeing a pattern of the same mess in the same spot […] students were just not picking up after themselves. […] That’s not why we closed the Hub; it was just an additional space that needed cleaning.” said Marjan Kempen, who is in charge of supervising the Hub and watched it while it was open for lunch.

This change forced students that ate lunch in the Hub to relocate; some of these students believe that it was the fault of a

few specific groups of people ruining it for the majority.

Despite what many students believe, the decision to close the Hub was much bigger than punishing students for the mess they were leaving.

“This was not a form of punishment. Administration decided to close the hub because we didn’t have the manpower to keep it clean. […] Westminster is a big campus, and there’s a lot to keep clean.” said Kempen. She did not contribute to the decision to close the Hub during lunch.

Between the absorptive carpet, the sticky tables, and the trash from Pawprint and lunch, the Hub became too demanding. Westminster did not, and still do not, have enough maintenance workers to keep such a large, tedious area clean every day. The decision was born out of concern for the maintenance team; however, it would not have been necessary if all students had taken it upon themselves to be good stewards of this shared space.

Fingers cannot be pointed at any one person, or even a specific group of people. If every student is responsible and cleans up after themselves, it may not reverse the changes that have been made. However, it will make the job of our hardworking maintenance staff a little less strenuous. Instead of focusing on what we stand to gain from being more respectful, the Westminster community should be thinking about how their responsibility will help others.

A girl throws trash behind her into the 9/10 Commons at WCA Image by Elise Snyder

The Story Behind the Stuffing

The origins behind Mr. Knerr’s mutilated cat

Elise Snyder

Like some other teachers, Mr. Knerr, a sophomore Western Civilization teacher who has worked at Westminster for twenty-one years, has a class pet–but it’s not what you would think. Mr. Wolfe has his snail, Mr. Hall has his fish, and Mr. Knerr has his cat. Atop a bookshelf in his room sits a stuffed wildcat with glass eyes.

Like Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia, Knerr and his friend opened a closet at the old campus and discovered a land ruled by a mysterious cat. They decided to take their new friend from his world to theirs.

“My friend Warren Smith who used to work here, we were just […] going around the school just being goofy, and we opened up a closet and there he was. So we took him.” said Knerr.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. Knerr and Smith did not have the best of intentions with the wildcat. Instead of keeping him in their own rooms, they decided to let others have the joy of meeting their new friend.

“What we used to do is take him around the school and hold his little face in windows and listen to everybody scream. So that was […] very entertaining. But since then, he’s kinda started to fall apart a little bit.” said Knerr.

Unlike students taking honors chem, the wildcat actually has a life outside of Westminster. He has traveled across the country and even visited Mount Rushmore. Sadly, these extravagant adventures have taken a toll on the stuffed cat’s health.

“I’ve taken him to South Dakota […] I think I took him to Oregon once, just so the cat could be a part of

Mr. Knerr poses and holds his wildcat. Image by Elise Snyder

that and experience that. I think that was the beginning of the end. His little paws are falling off, and his arms are falling off.” said Knerr.

“I never named him. I should have. I don’t know. Probably now his best name would be […] Stumpy.”

In his current decomposing state, the cat now stays atop the bookshelf, watching over the class with his glassy gaze. Perhaps angry at his fate, students claim they can feel his stare on them.

“I can feel him watching me. All the time, his eyes are on me. It haunts me even in my sleep.” said sophomore Adison O’Brien, a student in Knerr’s sixth hour class.

We may never know the possibly tragic or perhaps even heroic origins of the wildcat. However, he has led a long, fulfilling life as a stuffed mascot. He will live the rest of his days on his perch on the bookshelf, forever haunting students through his green, glass eyes.

FEATURE

When You Got to Go

What are Westminster teachers’ bathroom policies?

The bell sounds to begin class, when suddenly your body reminds you of all the water you drank earlier. What should you do? Raise your hand and see if the teacher will let you or pray you can hold it until the passing period?

In most cases the answer likely varies depending on the teacher. Some teachers allow students the freedom to go whenever they need. While others, leaning heavily on personal experiences, have decided to count trips to the bathroom as unexcused tardies.

Due to the wide spread variety in bathroom policies, 800News set out to interview several teachers about their personal approach, how they arrived at it, and why they think their system works best.

Up first was Mr. Boesch, who clearly states his policy through his class syllabus.

“Students will receive one free trip to the restroom each quarter and anything after that will be counted as a tardy.”

According to him, seniors abusing their bathroom privileges gave rise to this strict policy. He also asks all students to leave their phone in a container before visiting the restroom.

On the other hand, Dr. Berry and Dr. Winchester, science teachers, take a different approach. Dr. Berry allows students to go to the restroom whenever they need as long as they go one at a time and take a bathroom pass with them. She also asks students to leave their phones in their backpack before they go to prevent distractions. Along the same lines, Dr. Winchester also allows students to go whenever they need, however she prefers they go during the first five minutes of class or towards the end.

Another key issue in regards to bathroom usage is during tests.

“During tests I ask that students leave their phones in their backpacks if they need to use the restroom.” says Dr. Winchester.

Sadie Schmidt

To me, this seems like an important aspect of bathroom policy to prevent cheating and giving some students an unfair advantage.

So which way is best? We can probably guess students’ opinions on the subject.

“Going to the bathroom is a basic human need, we shouldn’t have to ask permission.” says senior, Corinne Plumb.

While having the freedom to go whenever a student deems necessary might appear like an obvious answer, in my opinion, teachers face many factors when deciding their personal policies.

After listening to teachers’ policies I have a better understanding of how difficult it can be to trust students after watching their policies get abused in the past. Because of this, I would suggest that perhaps the best policies are based on the relationship that teachers forge with students. Specifically, I believe that students should be able to use the restroom freely (doing their best to be considerate to the teacher’s class time) and, I wouldn’t worry about phones except during test days. However, I would make this policy susceptible to change at any moment. For example if a teacher suspects that a student is wandering around or attempting to skip class then bathroom trips for that specific student would be counted as tradies. I encourage teachers to trust us more, because as young adults we have a pretty good understanding of when we can hold it and when we got to go.

Pastor David stands in front of the men’s bathroom holding his arms in defiance. Image by Sadie Schmidt

Students Become Teachers

What is Westminster’s PC program and why is it valuable?

Sadie Schmidt

Being the new kid at a new school can be difficult and overwhelming at first, especially when you don’t know anyone. To remedy this, the PC program was created over 30 years ago with the goal of connecting new students to each other and to upperclassmen leaders.

Specifically, PC, an acronym for peer connect groups, are led almost exclusively by juniors and seniors and composed of ten seventh or eighth graders. The groups meet every other Friday in the Cafe to connect over games and breakfast.

PC originally stood for peer counselor. However, this year brought about a shift in not only the name but the program as a whole. To learn more about the direction of the program and why it’s beneficial for students, 800 news interviewed director of student life, David Ottolini and upper school counselor, Shauna Collision as well as several PC leaders and participants.

The first and most significant point of interest surrounding PC was the name change.

Clockwise: A group of PC girls sit around during a meeting; a PC leader triumphantly raises his hand to celebrate; PC leaders talk with their girls at the PC retreat. Images by Sadie Schmidt and Ivey Wang

FEATURE

“We wanted the name to align with the fundamental purpose of PC.” Ottolini explained.

According to him, the primary role of PC groups isn’t “peer counseling” instead, it was intended to form and strengthen the relationships of incoming middle school students. For this reason, Mr. Ottolini believed PC should stand for peer connector to truly reflect the goal of the program.

Mr. Ottolini further explained that in essence, this year is the expansion of the PC program. Specifically, small changes are being instituted that will hopefully have a huge impact on strengthening the foundation of the program which is ultimately honoring Jesus Christ in all things. For example, one of these small changes will be devotional cards that start with an ice breaker and end with thoughtful provoking questions.

For upperclassmen, PC offers a chance to step up and exhibit servant leadership. This year specifically saw a huge increase in the number of seniors who applied to the program.

“A lot of seniors applied this year and so we accepted all of them because we know that they have the capacity to lead.” said Collison.

Students PC leaders also recognize the importance of their role for their own leadership development.

“I think that this year is going to be super fun and formative for both me and the girls.” said senior, Betsie Barnes.

“PC is already so awesome and I loved getting to spend time with my friends at the retreat and getting to know my leaders.” explained eighth grader, Olivia Whitley.

The PC program has been enhanced this year by changing its name, re-centering its foundation and allowing the upperclassman the opportunity to go from students to teachers.

Putting the “W” in Westminster

The Academy’s finest share their secrets to having “W Rizz”

Do you find yourself alone on Saturday nights? Are you planning on going to homecoming “with a group of friends”? Do you constantly get told you have “L Rizz”?

Westminster is full of people who have mastered the For those who are not in the know, “L Rizz” is a tendency to get shot down when asking people out, while “W Rizz” is the opposite.

We surveyed many rizz pros, as well as people with little to no rizz, to gather the best information and advice available at the Academy. There were people who claimed to have “W Rizz”, but also some who thought of themselves as having “L Rizz”.

When questioned about his secrets to having “W Rizz”, Alex Shoemaker, a senior who claims to have 10/10 rizz, answered, “[I] repeat everything that Kirk Cousins says and does”.

Caleb Laschinski, US History teacher, rated his rizz a 10/10 as well. “When my cousin, who was 14 or 15 at the time, learned that I got a girlfriend […] he called me ‘the rizzly bear’. […] I do have a girlfriend, and she says I have pretty good rizz […] so I would say a 10/10.”

Upon hearing that Shoemaker rated himself a 10/10 in rizz-ness as well, Laschinski chuckled and said, “Of course he did.”

Even middle schoolers consider themselves to have “W Rizz”. “[…] my classes are allowed to name themselves, and they’ve named themselves “The Rizzlers”. And one of my scholars calls himself “rizzly”, and another calls himself “the rizzard of Oz”.” said Ken Wolfe, middle school English teacher and unicycle rider.

When questioned about his own rizz, Mr. Wolfe said, “In

Elise Snyder

my day? if it comes down to charisma that was enough to charm […] this girl in high school, and my rizz was good enough to, five years later, have her marry me, so… I’d say an eight.”

Those with “W Rizz” were kind enough to provide help for those with “L Rizz”.

“Boesch will train you to be the ultimate rizzler,” said Shoemaker.

“What are my secrets? Being personal and intentional with compliments […] be willing to do anything in terms of service […] do every little thing right.Pay attention to details.” said Laschinski.

Sadly, more people surveyed considered themselves to have “L Rizz”. Many of those surveyed placed themselves in the 1-5 range, having little to no rizz. Some expressed their sadness at their failure to succeed in their rizz.

Wolfe may have had rizz back in the day, but he doesn’t think he would be considered rizzy today.

“[…] in today’s context of rizz? Maybe a three. Doesn’t really matter.” said Wolfe.

Perhaps the best advice is found in the words of Wolfe: “The people who really have rizz are not concerned about whether or not they have rizz. […] They are themselves, and that’s the confidence […] and the swagger that comes from rizz. […] if you’ve got it, you’ve got it; and if you don’t, you don’t.”

Maddox Rosenberg looks into the camera *with rizz*. Image by Elijah Schmidt

The AI Epidemic: How ChatGPT Has Changed English Classrooms Forever

Johnson, a high school English teacher at Westminster Christian Academy.

Bella Thies

On November 30, 2022, an invention was released that would completely alter the way humans write and communicate forever: ChatGPT. For the past year, colleges and schools worldwide have been struggling to cope with the invention of essay-generating AI. Westminster is not exempt from the list of schools that have needed to face the new reality brought on by ChatGPT and as a result fear and anxiety have spread throughout the community.

“It’s very tempting for students to use when they’re stressed to cut corners which can undermine critical thinking and learning the writing process,” said Gina Rosenberg, Upper School English and Drama teacher when questioned about her thoughts on the entrance of ChatGPT into the Westminster community.

It’s no secret that Westminster is an academically rigorous school. Students get loaded with tons of homework assignments every night and it’s understandable that it would be very tempting to take the easy way out on a tedious task like writing an essay. In light of students’ temptation to use ChatGPT, teachers have had to adapt their methods by which they assess their students’ writing capabilities.

This unfortunate change in essay writing has not only led to increased test anxiety among the general student body, but it’s also tanked the grades of students who struggle with writing on demandand need time to process their thoughts before putting them down on paper.

Although the invention of ChatGPT has clearly had a negative impact on the process of developing critical thinking and writing skills, it can also be a helpful tool in the classroom that makes it easier for teachers to manage their classrooms.

“Personally, I’m pro-ChatGPT when it comes to small things. I think that it can be a very helpful tool when it’s used for miniscule tasks, ” relates Mrs. Rosenberg.

Despite its negative effects, perhaps ChatGPT can still find a place as a helpful tool in the classroom. Many teachers in the Westminster community have already begun to pioneer ways to use ChatGPT practically, such as for planning events, as Mrs. Rosenberg did with the staff Christmas party last winter. Furthermore, there are other applications of the AI tool in the classroom that have yet to be explored, such as lesson-planning, creating examples for projects, and perhaps even paper grading some time in the near future.

The hard truth is that this AI has been introduced to the world, and now that its usage has become widespread in highschools across America, there’s no going back. Although AI has garnered a bad reputation over time, perhaps it can actually have a positive impact on our world. One thing is for sure, AI technology will continue to advance in the coming years, and the further it advances, the further it will change the education system and the world as we know it.

“So ultimately what’s ended up happening over the course of last spring is that we will end up doing a lot more in class essays.” said Cherie ChatGPT

by Bella Thies

is constantly evolving and changing how writing works. Image

Got Beef? Settle it in Smash

In Westminster’s past, both the Gaming Club and the retired E-sports Club have been student favorites. Recently though, a new club has joined the lineup to great fanfare among many students. Smash Bros Club is a place for any student who loves to compete and hang out with their friends all while smashing their opponents with cartoon violence.

Students are able to engage in any form of playing, but often enjoy competing in head-to-head battles. This club supplies video gamers with an outlet to improve their skills.

“Gaming club […] kinda misled me because I thought ‘gaming’ meant x-boxes and playstations so i didn’t expect to walk into a room full of board games, so super smash bros club to me is kind of the

Carissa Mitchell

more definitive gaming club because its console gaming” said Daniel Holt, junior.

A bit different from WCA’s traditional gaming club, Smash club provides a different area of engagement. Students are welcome to bring in their own equipment such as a Nintendo Switch, but the club also provides students with a variety of devices.

“[We meet] every Thursday from 3:15-4:15 and it’s open to middle school and upper school. [They bring] their switch […and] we’ve got a lot of monitors and equipment and a lot of room for as many people to show up […and] we meet in room B128” said Chris Knerr, sponsor of the club.

Students involved view this time as vital when playing together because it builds community and creates connections between Upper and Middle school otherwise unlikely to form. New friendships are forming and bonds within the Westminster community are strengthening.

“A cool thing about smash brothers clubs is that you meet new people there that share the same interest as you and play super smash brothers” said Holt.

It is open to students of any level of expertise and would be a great place to pick up a new hobby in Smash. With growing popularity, it might be worth considering stopping by the Super Smash Bros club. Or if you gotta beef with someone, work it out in Smash Club.

From Left: A smash club member holds up an Old Skool controller; Several club members look on at the monitor. Images by Gideon Schwamb