In this issue:
Principal’s Perspective
Fun’d Night Followup
Prayer and Praise
Just My Thoughts
Counselor’s Corner
Teacher Feature
Art News: Edible Creations
Ag Department Updates
Fun and Festive Contest
Dance Team State
Wolfpack Football
Volleyball Summary
Two Students Share Summer 2017 Experiences
Fast Facts from the Pack Chamber Singers Schedule
Faculty & Staff Greeting
In 2017 Western Christian High School went through a number of strategic planning sessions to take a look at the future of Western Christian and establish initiatives that would guide the Board of Directors, staff, faculty, students, and friends of Western Christian over the next 5-10 years. One of the initiatives that surfaced was the desire to create additional revenue streams that would assist in the operation of the school.
Many Christian schools similar to Western Christian have opened thrift stores that have been successful in supporting the mission of their schools. Sioux Falls Christian, Lynden Christian in Lynden, Washington, and Central Wisconsin Christian in Waupun, Wisconsin, are schools that Western Christian contacted to gather more information about their thrift store operations.
Now that Western Christian has taken possession of the building there is going to be a lot of work necessary just to get it ready to open as a thrift store. The bowling alley area, pin setting equipment, kitchen area, and restaurant area all have to be removed before Western Christian can start the process of setting it up as a retail center. Western Christian is looking for volunteers to help with the demolition. Bulletin announcements with available dates will periodically be shared with the churches. If anyone is interested please let the office know at 712-439-1013 or email wes.fopma@westernchristianhs.com.
After determining that this was something that Western Christian might be interested in and the desire to locate such a store in Hull, a search of the Hull community was done. The bowling alley, which had been vacant three years, surfaced as a possible opportunity because of its downtown location and approximately 10,000 square feet of floor space.
Western Christian hopes to hire a manager and assistant manager to run the store and hopes to be able to use many volunteers in the operation of the store. Western Christian has talked about the educational possibilities that might arise for students as well in the operation of the business, but it is still way too early for any of those determinations to be made. Western’s hope is to be operational by late spring or early summer. Store hours have not yet been determined.
Department lines we hope to sell include clothing, toys, furniture, appliances, housewares, sporting goods, seasonal decor, hardware, and other lines.
It’s a new year and another exciting start for Western Christian. At the beginning of the new year Western Christian took possession of the old bowling alley in Hull with the purpose of beginning a thrift store, the proceeds of which will be used to create a new funding stream that will support the school, its programs, and the families that utilize Western Christian for the purpose of educating their children in the light of God’s word. Do we have it all figured out? Not yet. We are doing some learning on the job, but this model has been successfully used by various other Christian schools around the country and we have been consulting with some of them to learn whatever we can to make this new venture as successful as it can be.
I want to take a moment and thank Wes Fopma for having the vision and energy to taking ahold of this idea and running with it. Wes’ initiative and relationship-building has been integral to getting this idea going, and I believe it will ultimately be one of his legacies at Western.
We covet your support, prayers and also your help as we begin the demolition process and then begin reforming the building in a way that will make it inviting, functional, and yes, we hope profitable. Be looking for additional information and opportunities to serve as well as we continue walking down this path. Volunteer help will be necessary to make this venture all we want it to be for the sake of our school and community.
I hope you too have exciting new opportunities in your life as we begin a new calendar year. Blessings to you and your family as we continue to journey the path of Christian education together! May God find us faithful in 2018!
In His Service,
Dan Barkel Principal, Western Christian High SchoolOn Friday, November 17, Western Christian High School held their annual Fun’d Night dinner, auction, and kids carnival.
After all the proceeds were counted, over $133,000 was raised through proceeds from meat sales, the meal, the carnival, the bake sale, and the auction. A big thank you to all of those businesses and individuals who attended and gave generously that evening. Western would also like to thank the auctioneers, clerks, and volunteers who served the meal and ran the bake sale, and to our board members for their work in asking for donations from area businesses. We also want to thank Te Slaa Trucking from Hull for supplying a refrigerated trailer that we used for the meat sales.
We thank God for blessing Western through the continued support of so many!
Please lift your praise to God for . . .
• the time of service by Kyle Roelofs on our custodial staff as well as providing someone to fill that empty role at Western, Tim Mulder.
• a time of celebration, rest, and renewal during our Christmas break.
Please lift your prayers to God for . . .
• His continued blessing and guidance on the new Thrift Store endeavor.
• God’s leading for our Board and staff as they make decisions regarding next year.
• continued safety for our students, bus drivers, faculty and staff as they drive to school each day and various school activities.
The deadline for the Witness and grading semester tests happened to fall on the same weekend this year, so as I was reading over my students’ responses to various questions on their Bible tests, I was also contemplating what I wanted to write about for this installment of Just My Thoughts. The more I read their responses, the more I wanted to somehow share with a broader audience the challenges and the joys set in front of our young people as they live out their faith, and in all reality, the challenges and the joys set in front of every Christ follower as we await His return.
My juniors in Church History were asked to consider the Great Commission given to the Church by Christ right before His ascension. They were asked to trace the Church’s obedience and disobedience to it throughout history. They were also asked to offer a present day evaluation of how we are striving to carry it out today. My seniors were asked to evaluate which of the essays and activities that we read this semester will continue to impact their ideas, decisions, and actions as young Christians moving on in the near future from a Christian high school. What I found, as I read over numerous student responses, was that those ideas intertwined more than I had ever intended, and it was a blessing for me to read!
The juniors acknowledged that the Great Commission calls us to reach the unreached, to encourage and support missionaries, participate in various and numerous service opportunities, and to always be ready to share the gospel with those around us. Those are great and obedient responses to Christ’s Commission in our lives. Some students dug a little deeper though. They recognized that the Great Commission happens every day in the life of a Christ follower. Every act of obedience to Him is a clear message about the transforming power His Spirit has in the lives of very flawed followers. Some students recognized that when we love others well–our families, our classmates, and our fellow church members–we are carrying out His Commission. A few pushed themselves further–when we extend that sincere love to those we don’t know, those who work in service to us, those who move into our communities but do not look or live like us, those who are difficult to appreciate or understand–then we are carrying out that Great Commission.
My seniors listed a number of different selections to highlight what stood out to them most from our semester together. A common theme was often shared–the challenge to carry out our faith with truth and grace, living and speaking in truth and in love. We discussed that idea often and we were reminded that following Christ’s perfect example of truth and grace in all interactions can be so very difficult for us. We fall short every day, and yet, because of God’s promise to fill us with godly fear and wisdom when we ask, we can show the world His truth and His grace as we live in obedience to Him. What a powerful testimony and impact when we do that!
The Great Commission sets before each of us, and we continue to seek ways to be obedient to it and claim the world for Christ until He returns. The world around us is in desperate need of the gospel; with truth and grace, Christ followers continue to touch the world–the world across oceans and in remote villages and the world right next to us, in our hometown and even under our own roof. May we all strive to share the good news in obedient reverence to Him, always extended with His truth and His grace.
The first semester has drawn to a close. It was filled with meeting with seniors to discuss their college plans, meeting with freshmen to discuss their adjustment to high school and develop a three year class plan, sophomores and juniors attending career days, and testing for juniors. Now with second semester starting schedules will be adjusted, and more student meetings will begin. Once students have settled into second semester, we will register for classes for next year. I will speak with each class about graduation requirements and elective options. After registration is complete, I will begin meeting with juniors to discuss their interests and plans for after high school. As I move forward with these plans, I will also assist seniors as they continue making plans for college and applying for scholarships.
Karinda de Boom Career CounselorOur Teacher Feature this month will focus on two new faces to Western this semester–our two student teachers. Welcome to Western, Mr. Van Surksum and Miss Dadisman.
Mr. Calvin Van Surksum grew up in Rock Valley and attended the Netherlands Reformed Christian School, K-12. He is currently in his final year at Northwestern College majoring in biology with an endorsement in chemistry and a secondary education certification. He is student teaching biology, chemistry, and honors chemistry. He and his wife, Sarah, are members of the Netherlands Reformed Church in Sioux Center. In his free time he enjoys golfing, fishing, and spending time with family.
What first interested you in teaching?
In high school I became interested in science. I realized that by teaching science I can share my passion for science with students, so they can appreciate the world around them and realize the complexity of God’s creation.
What are you most looking forward to as you begin to student teach?
Being able to develop a professional relationship with my students and helping my students become interested in science.
What were your first impressions of Western?
I feel very welcomed by the friendliness of the teachers and students. I enjoy the updated science rooms and awesome labs. Overall, I have a very positive first impression of Western Christian High School.
What are one or two specific goals you have for yourself as you spend some time at Western?
“I feel very welcomed by the friendliness of the teachers and students. I enjoy the updated science rooms and awesome labs.”
One major goal I have is learning the skill of professional collaboration as I work with my cooperating teachers and receive guidance from them. I also hope to learn how to develop time management skills and find a balance between preparing for class and spending time with family.
What is your “dream job” be as you look to your future?
I would like to teach biology, honors biology, chemistry, and honors chemistry in a Christian high school setting.
Do you have a favorite Bible passage?
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV)
The week following Thanksgiving has the art room smelling and looking like a candy story. Students take the week to create edible sculptures made with graham crackers, gingerbread, rice crispy bars, candy, cereal, pretzels and crackers–all “building materials” the students bring in. Mrs. de Boom provides the edible glue (icing) and the boards and platters that serve as the base for the sculpture. All creations are taken uptown to the Hull Community Building at the end of the week to be entered into the Hull Gingerbread Contest sponsored by the Hull Public Library and Foreign Candy Company.
Thirteen creations were entered into the contest this year in the teen division. Without the entries from Western students, there would not have been any in the teen division this year. Second place went to “The Candy Bowl” created by Ashtyn Veerbeek, Cori De Jong, and Aubrie Van Bemmel. Grand prize went to “Up, Up and Away” created by Tori Wynja, Macay Van’t Hul and Abby Postma. Following the contest, all creations are brought back to school and put on display in the LMC where the student body has a chance to vote on their favorite sculpture, which was also “Up, Up and Away.”
Miss Lynae Dadisman also comes to Western from NWC, where she will graduate in May with a BA in mathematics and a secondary education certification. She is from West Des Moines and attended Des Moines Christian preschool-12th grade. While at NWC, she has been a math TA and a math tutor for college and high school students. During the summers, she works as a teacher at a daycare and an instructor at Mathnasium. Her assignment for seven weeks at Western will be student teaching with Kayla Bartman in her Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, and Geometry classes. Outside of school, she enjoys playing clarinet in NWC’s Symphonic Band, reading, watching movies and playing games with friends, creating art, or listening to musical soundtracks. She is currently a member of American Reformed Church in Orange City.
What first interested you in teaching?
I loved school as a child and always wanted to be just like my elementary teachers. But once I discovered I could teach only math in junior high, I was hooked.
What are you most looking forward to as you begin to student teach?
I look forward to seeing more aspects of teaching as a profession and getting to know the students.
What were your first impressions of Western?
The staff at Western has been extremely welcoming to me which makes the transition from college classes to teaching easier.
What are one or two specific goals you have for yourself as you spend some time at Western?
My first goal is to learn all 120 students names, but as I start teaching more classes, I also hope to grow in planning my lessons for my students and balancing my work, spiritual, and personal life.
What is your “dream job” be as you look to your future?
“I loved school as a child and always wanted to be just like my elementary teachers. But once I discovered I could teach only math in junior high, I was hooked.”
I hope to teach math (preferably upper-level) at a Christian high school in NW Iowa or close to Des Moines. After teaching for a while, I am interested in becoming an instructional coach.
Do you have a favorite Bible passage?
My favorite Bible verse is I Thessalonians 5:16-18, which states, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
During the November-December season, students within the Western agriculture program were able to enjoy the season of the year that is a little more laid back. After returning from FFA National Convention in Indianapolis in October, our chapter was able to wrap up another successful year of fruit sales, and make deliveries at the beginning of December. We were blessed this year on delivery day and ended up having the opportunity to sort fruit in t-shirts!
Aside from the normal of meetings during the last two months, chapter members were able to have a little bit of time to enjoy some fun with our Christmas party at Air Madness! While we didn’t have a huge turnout, it was great to spend a little extra time together celebrating the many gifts and blessings that He has given us in 2017.
Now as we look at 2018, we begin the last trek--the biggest and longest trek for any FFA chapter throughout the state. It begins the season of competition, practice, FFA week, Envirothon, drive-your-tractor-to school day, districts, sub-district, and state convention, our chapter banquet, and so much more. While it most certainly is our busy season, we are pretty excited to begin to dig into the opportunity to showcase our gifts, talents and abilities during this season.
Within the classroom walls, as always there are a variety of agricultural skills and topics being discovered through student-based, experiential learning opportunities. Currently in AFNR (Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources/also known as Intro to Ag) students are in the middle of their soils unit. Gaining skills and abilities related to discovering permeability, texture, and forming factors.
Agricultural Business has been working hard on their end-of-the-year finals and got to enjoy outside input and involvement with community members through their job interview, and upcoming team ag sales projects. Students also were able to travel to K&K in Sioux Center for a chance to gain wisdom from Brad Kooima about the futures market, and what goes into the work that he does each day.
Natural Resources and Ecology has been rolling through their unit on air quality. Several labs and activities have been going on within the classroom, and it has been exciting to see how air affects all areas of the earth.
Animal Science is nearing the end of their beef cattle unit! One of our final projects was to create a cattle ranch designed in a way that appealed to them. Students had to decide on their management decisions, methods, and materials that they would use on their potential ranch that they could have in the future. In the near future, we plan on visiting a beef cattle farm in the area and hearing from producers about the practice here in northwest Iowa.
Lastly, Ag Power and Technology has ended the semester with a quick unit on electrical work. Students have been practicing wiring outlets using basic set-ups and praying that they don’t blow any fuses. Prior to this mini-unit, students spent the bulk of the semester exploring the topic of mechanics by tearing apart and putting back together small gas engines.
As always, there are so many great things going on within the agricultural program here at Western Christian, and as the advisor, I find that awesome. There are days where it can be tough to balance all of these opportunities and events, but when I have the opportunity to see these kids dig into what they love, dig into something they didn’t even know they loved, it is such a joy. As we look towards finishing Year Three of Western Christian Agriculture, we are excited to see how God is going to bless us, and work through us through this program. We are confident that there are amazing things to come.
Reading is a skill needed for life, but all too often many students would much rather spend time looking at the stories on SnapChat or watching Netflix instead of escaping into the storyline of a good novel. In an effort to encourage more reading, the Library Media Center (LMC) has had some different opportunities to earn some fun prizes.
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” in the LMC was a fun contest in which students (and staff) had the opportunity to answer a trivia question. Each day a different book or short story about Christmas was the answer to the trivia question. Some works were well-known, such as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, but other days the students needed to use some research skills to come up with “ A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote.
Thank you to the Booster Club for donating Ice Cream Cones and Rootbeer Floats for some daily prizes. Also the Booster Club generously donated a gift certificate to the Pack Shack for the Grand Prize. Some other prizes awarded were donated or purchased with library fines; those included coffee, Mt. Dew, and a flashlight/spotlight.
Pictured are students Sydney Stiemsma and Ashya DeGroot who were two of the daily prize winners.
The Iowa State Dance Team Competition was held in Des Moines on November 30 and December 1. The Western Christian Dance Team competed on Thursday, November 30, with the other small schools in Iowa. The team competed in the Class VII pom category and Class II Lights. They earned a Division I rating in the pom category and 1st place State Champion in the lights category which was choreographed by one of the team captains, senior Delanie Van Bemmel. While in Des Moines the team, had some quality team bonding during meals at The Cheesecake Factory and Buzzard Billy’s, shopping and team devotions.
The team started practicing their state routines in September and spent many hours going over small details and making sure everyone was the same. Before state, the team hosted a state preview night to gain experience performing the two routines they would be competing with before they were in front of judges at state. The dance teams from Dordt College and West Sioux also performed their routines. The Sioux Center dance team also hosted a state preview night. The team really benefited from those two nights and learned what they did really well and what they could improve on in the two weeks before state competition.
Two members of the dance team have done extra events this fall. Senior Kaylee Mulder competed at the Iowa State Solo competition in November. She competed with a jazz solo and earned a Division I rating! Junior Payton Oostenink was part of the All- American halftime show at the Citrus Bowl in Florida on New Years Day! Both of these girls did an outstanding job representing the Western Christian Dance Team!
Thank you parents and other family members who came to Des Moines to support the team! Your support and encouragement throughout the day was very much appreciated! Thanks to the moms who drove the team down to and around Des Moines. Lastly, thank you to the girls for all your hard work this year. You have made so much improvement individually and as a team. This year has been so much fun and it is hard to believe that after starting the season in June that we are nearing the end.
Coach Megan Kooima
“Never Finished” was our theme for this fall and as the season passed, it ended up being a great theme and rallying phrase. The 2017 Wolfpack football team faced a lot of adversity throughout the year with injuries and hard-fought, tough games; through all the adversity we grew together as a team and we truly never finished working hard and getting better one day at at time.
We had a lot of success this season. We finished second in the district with a 6-1 district record and an 8-3 record overall. Our three losses came to teams that were ranked #1 at the time we played them. The 2017 Wolfpack football team made it to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, with our 9th appearance overall in the playoffs. We have made the playoffs 9 out of 14 years we have had football, what a great tradition!
I, first, want to thank all our players, freshmen through seniors for their hard work and dedication to the Wolfpack football tradition that grows bigger and bigger every single season. You, the players, are what makes each football season so special with your efforts and hard work both in the off-season and during the season. If there is one compliment that I share with people, it is that you, the players, always played as hard as you could and left everything you had on the field, every practice and every game.
I would like to thank the parents for a great season. Each week with meals and also during the playoff run, there was a lot of planning and preparation that the parents did behind the scenes, and I want to thank you for that. Also the chance for us as coaches to work with great, young Christian men is a testament to their parents and how you are raising your sons. Thank you to the captain’s moms as well for your extra work for doing a lot of the planning for the meals.
I want to thank all my assistant coaches for their hard work and dedication to Wolfpack Football. They did a tremendous job getting the team ready each and every week. I want to thank Mark Fenchel for all the work he did with stats and managing the equipment throughout the year. I would also like to thank Bill Harmsen for all his setup and time he put into the season this year as AD. Thank you Jamie Van Zee, Chad Kooima, Darin Granstra, and Mike Christians for helping with the defensive stats on the sideline. Jerry Zomermaand, Trent Geleynse and Ashley Altena did all of our sideline training work throughout the year, along with Leah DeStigter helping with our injuries throughout the year, so a big thank-you to Jerry and his staff for all their hard work. It is clear that there were a lot of people who contributed to this season, and I truly thank all of you for helping make Wolfpack Football what it is each season.
Our season ended with another trip to the quarterfinals and being a part of the final 8 teams in the state in class 1A. We had great senior leadership throughout the year and we will miss the seniors and the hard work they brought to practices and off-season workouts. We had numerous players earn post season honors, but the best part of football is that it is the ultimate team sport and this group didn’t care who got the credit, just so we made every effort each day to get a little better as a team.
Football is about relationships, and the bonds and memories that were made this season by this team are going to last a lifetime! Thanks again to all that helped make this season a great season; each year is special and this team kept up the tradition that is Wolfpack Football. Wolfpack football truly is all about faith and family!
Coach K.
The 2017 Volleyball team had another terrific season having a record of 39-7 for the season. They won the Lakes Conference for another year going undefeated in matches, making it 21 years straight winning the conference.
The team competed in several tough Saturday tournaments and came away champions at the Sioux County Tournament, Sanford Pentagon Tournament, and the Western Kooima-Kaemingk tournament.
For the 17th straight year, our school qualified for the State Volleyball Tournament. We felt extremely blessed with the opportunity to represent our school and more importantly Christ. The girls beat Iowa City Regina 3-0 in the first round and then knocked off Grundy Center 3-0 to advance them to the championship game. In the finals they faced Dike New Hartford and fell 0-3 to a very tough opponent!!
This year’s theme verse was found in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the game goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” This verse was a great reminder to the team during the season–the crown we truly seek is everlasting life with Jesus Christ and no wins or trophies will ever take the place of that!
Leading the way were seniors Ashtyn Veerbeek, Avery Van Kley, Jessi De Jager, Madison Byl and Cori De Jong. We thank them for their leadership, work ethic and dedication to the volleyball program the last four seasons. They will be greatly missed!! Junior team members were Madison Hofman, Emma Bousema, Kayla Zevenbergen, Emma Gulker and Chandler Schemper. Sophomores members were Olivia Granstra, Tori Wynja, Abby Postma, Macay Van’t Hul and Makenna Kooima. We also had two great managers–Shayla Klarenbeek and Allison Jansen. We thank all the awesome fans who supported us and a special thanks to the parents who do so much for the team. We couldn’t do it without you! We always remembered to thank God for the opportunities and the abilities He blessed us with.
Coach Veerbeek
Individual Awards:
Elite All-State- Ashtyn Veerbeek
All Tournament Team at State- Ashtyn Veerbeek and Jessi De Jager
1st Team All-State- Ashtyn Veerbeek
2nd Team All-State- Jessi De Jager
Class 2A NW All-District- Ashtyn Veerbeek, Jessi De Jager and Olivia Granstra
1st Team All Conference- Jessie De Jager, Madison Hofman, Olivia Granstra and Ashtyn Veerbeek
2nd Team All Conference- Cori De Jong, Emma Bousema and Tori Wynja
Honorable Mention All-Conference- Chandler Schemper and Avery Van Kley
Earlier this year, the Witness featured two students’ summer experiences. In this issue, two more student experiences will be featured. Western encourages students to apply for and participate in a wide variety of leadership and learning opportunities and thanks all participants from Western for representing our school in outstanding ways!
Trenton Hoekstra, son of Lance and Jennifer of Sheldon, participated in HOBY, which stands for Hugh O’Brian Youth and was created to inspire sophomores to be leaders in their own communities. Trenton represented Western at Drake University in Des Moines, where HOBY is held each summer. Trenton stated, “When I arrived, I knew absolutely no one, so it really pushed me to go out of my comfort zone.” Once everyone arrived, they were divided into groups and every group had about 10 students in it as well as 3 leaders, who were a year older than the participants and had attended HOBY the year before. Trenton appreciated one of his student leaders and enjoyed his interaction and leadership for the group. HOBY hosts many speakers who address how young people can be leaders, and other leadership issues such as working hard and attaining goals. Trenton added, “Although HOBY isn’t a Christian-based program, it allows young people to really excel and push towards being more active in our hometowns. As a Christian, it was important for me to realize that in order to be a good leader, I need God and His help.”
Rachel Heynen participated in The Sanford PROMISE Scholars Program. She responded to the following questions about that summer-long experience.
How did you become involved in that experience?
I first heard about this opportunity on our field trip to Sanford Research for sophomore biology. I had to submit an application to Sanford Research and then was selected as one of six interviewees for the program. I was interviewed by the program directors as well as the primary investigators of multiple labs who were willing to open their labs to a high school student between their junior and senior years over the summer. I was then selected by Dr. Kristi Egland to be part of Egland Lab during the summer.
Where was it located?
Sanford Research Center in Sioux Falls
When did it happen?
June 2- August 11. I worked weekdays from 9-5.
What was the goal/mission/purpose of the experience?
The goal of Egland lab is to identify and characterize proteins for use as immunotherapy targets or diagnostic tests for breast cancer. My role in the lab over the summer included the characterization of a protein called sushi domain containing 2 (SUSD2). This protein is overexpressed in cancer cells and so was of interest to Egland Lab.
As shown in previous research, increased levels of the protein I investigated seemed to increase survival rates of ovarian cancer patients (subtype: high grade serous) while decreasing survival rates and increasing tumor growth in a breast cancer study using mice. My summer project was to help determine why the protein seems to have opposite functions in these two cancers. I explored the hypothesis that the difference in functionality of the protein may be due differences of its localization within the cell. Immunofluorescent staining and subcellular fractionation for the use of SDS-PAGE and western immunoblot were the procedures I used to determine the localization and relative concentration of the protein in breast and ovarian cancer cell types. I found the protein to be in the cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria, and nuclei of breast and ovarian cancer cells; more concentrated within the nuclei of ovarian cancer cells than the nuclei of breast cancer cells; and more concentrated within the cytoplasm of breast cancer cells than the cytoplasm of ovarian cancer cells.
The hope is that these findings and continued research with SUSD2 will lead to the protein’s use as an immunotherapy target, target for diagnostic testing, or use as a treatment in ovarian and/or breast cancers.
What was one of your personal highlights?
My favorite parts of this experience were getting to know the other 3 Sanford PROMISE Scholars as well as the other members of Egland Lab; gaining enough experience as the summer progressed to complete experiments independently; and creating, presenting, and taking home my own poster to outline my study and findings.
How did you learn, grow, expand your understanding of something, make goals for your future plans from this experience?
Through this experience I learned incredible amounts about molecular biology and biomedical research. I also learned how to better communicate with people with wide ranges of education, personalities, and backgrounds. This experience has increased my awe in God’s creation and increased my drive to be part of the restoration of His creation. I plan on pursuing a major in biology or biochemistry and hope to go on to med school or PA school.
• Emilee Heynen made Juniors Honor Orchestra in Ames which occurred in November. She also made the Northwest Iowa Honors Orchestra which performed at Dordt on January 25th. (Pictured below)
• Western’s Faith Packs sent out over 150 personal Christmas greetings. Some students selected the recipient for their cards, while others selected names from a shared list of service members, nursing home residents, grieving families, individuals with health concerns, and more. It was great to reach out and share Christ’s love.
• Western’s students and staff enjoyed our traditional Christmas Chapel. Students and staff were encouraged to share the message of HOPE and the season of JOY by participating in the chapel. It was a time of shared praise and heartfelt worship!
• Kaylee Mulder competed in the Solo State Dance Competition and received a Division 1 rating. Payton Oostenink recently returned from dancing in the All American Halftime Show at the Citrus Bowl in Florida.
• Spanish 1 students each wrote a “Poema en diamante” or “Poem in Diamond” just before Christmas break. (A few of Mrs. Hoekstra’s top picks are listed below).
• Students were once again encouraged to send one another CandyGrams before our Christmas break. Students can purchase a CandyGram with a short note to be delivered by Western’s festive Student Council members. Funds raised through the candy cane deliveries are donated to the American Heart Association.
• Tim Mulder of Sioux Center has joined Western as part of our custodial staff. Tim will be featured in the next Witness in our Teacher (Staff) Feature.
• The January Faith Pack activity was each student and teacher selecting and sharing a personal theme word for 2018. Many teachers found creative ways to remind and encourage their students of their word selections. (Pictures below)
• Sixty-two sophomores attended the 4th annual Your Future at Work career day at Northwestern College the beginning of January.
• Art class numbers are up due to the required six class minimum per semester for students.
• The Western Christian Concert Choir led by Darren Van’t Hul was the featured high school choir at this year’s Northwest Iowa Honor Choir Concert. The January 15 concert included selections from The Northwest Iowa Honor Choir and Western’s Concert Choir.
• Karen Christians, Bible teacher, was selected to attend the CSI Bible Instruction Symposium Teaching the Word. Making an Impact, which will be held February 14-16 in Washington D.C at the Museum of the Bible.
• At a recent home basketball double-header, WCHS alumni were invited to join the Pep Band. Two performances were included in the night, as well as an informal reception in the student commons. Thanks to the 20 alums who came out and shared their love for music once again!
Emilee Heynen
Soy Brianna. En general, soy artistica y reservada
A veces, soy impaciente, graciosa, o desordenada. No soy ni atrevido ni deportista Yo soy yo!
Translation:
I’m Brianna.
In general, I am artistic and shy. Sometimes, I’m impatient, funny, or messy. I’m neither daring nor sports-minded. I’m me!
Soy Dalton. En general, soy deportista y sociable
A veces, soy atrevido, graciosa, o impaciente. No soy ni artistico ni paciente. Yo soy yo!
Translation:
I’m Dalton.
In general, I am sports-minded and friendly. Sometimes, I’m daring, funny, or impatient. I’m neither artistic nor patient. I’m me!
“Poema en diamante”
