MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS LIFE

FASTER THAN FAST

Now you see him…and now you don’t! Whether it’s running 5k’s or one mile races in and around Riverside, 7 th grader Eyan Turk is always on the move. Already finishing in the top 7 in our region, Eyan recently became an All American Athlete with his 4 th place finish at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) finals. He recently ran at the AAU Junior Olympics that took place in Knoxville, TN in December 2019. His current personal record for the two-mile race is 10 minutes and 3 seconds, which makes him #1 in the nation! Eyan says, “[Running is] the gift that God gave me and I love the gift He gave me. So, I want to nourish it and use it to the best of my abilities and honor Him. Anything less than the best is to sacrifice the gift.” Eyan has big plans for the future, including conquering the Junior Olympics and then, one day, the Olympics. He says he wants nothing more than to “give God the glory.”

MANY BOOKS BUT ONLY ONE STORY

What is the big story of the Bible? What does the Old

Testament have to do with Christmastime? Ask a 7 th

grader, and they might whip out a laptop to give you the full scoop. These students take an Old Testament Survey course for Bible Homeroom. A central critical thinking piece of the course culminates at the end of the first semester right before Christmas. Students create a Google Slides presentation that synthesizes their knowledge of the Old Testament timeline and shows how all of the books of the Bible make up one big story. Students design their presentation and assemble information and imagery to effectively communicate their ideas. They receive ongoing feedback from their teachers and also collaborate with peers on content accuracy and presentation methods. This allows them to become more comfortable with making productive learning mistakes and helps to develop a growth mindset.

The presentation is ultimately intended to be shared with friends and family at home for the holidays. The story presentation ends on the importance of Christ’s life, the New Covenant, reflections on the student’s understanding of salvation, and an invitation to accept the Gospel. It is incredible to see our young Bible scholars make real-world applications with their understanding of God’s Word and impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.

What do you get when you mix a godly woman and a love of writing? You get Mrs. Breed! This year Mrs. Breed announced her retirement after 23 years of teaching. Throughout her time at WCS, she taught students, year after year, how to write well and think critically. In collaboration with Mrs. Figueroa, she established an amazing writing program for all of our students. Her impact and love for WCS and her students never went unnoticed and she will be missed in the years to come.

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CLUB LIFE 1.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Join the club”? Well this year, WCMS students did just that! As of this year, students have ten different clubs to pick from Mountain Biking to Board Games. Each of the clubs serve their own purpose with the ultimate goal of providing a glimpse into the world God has created for us to enjoy. Twice a month at lunchtime, boys and girls Bible studies are offered for students to stop and take time to read God’s Word. Meanwhile, the Yearbook Club strives to teach students about design and photography as they work on the MS yearbook together. Middle schoolers also have the chance to study for upcoming tests or quizzes in Study Club! Finally, to encourage respect and kindness, the Debate Club ensures that students are able to effectively discuss important and relevant topics in a Christlike manner.

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1. Photography Club. 2. Worship Team. 3. Board Game Club 4. Creative Writing Club

SEEING DOUBLE...X4

No, you don’t need to schedule an eye exam—there really are four sets of twins in our middle school this year! The Gfeller and Viene twins are currently in 7 th grade, while the Onyedika and Poptelecan twins are in 8 th grade. But, that’s not the only interesting thing about this year. We also have an unusually high number of sibling sets. While most families have kids at least two or more years apart, there are 17 sibling sets (totaling 34 students) out of 220 total middle school students. So, next time you’re on campus, see if you can spot a set of siblings!