‘25-26 Theme Verse: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” - I John 1:7
“LEARNING . . . TO SERVE THE KING”
A WORD FROM THE HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
WIPE DOWN YOUR TABLE
At Western, we talk often about service. It’s even built into our tagline, Learning… to serve the King, and it shapes much of what we do as a community. Each year, we encourage students to live this calling, whether through organized events like Stewardship Day or in the ordinary rhythms of daily life. This year, we’re asking them to notice service in a fresh way: not only in the “big” moments, but in the small, everyday choices that form a life of selflessness.
That’s where the simple phrase “wipe down your table” comes in.
On the surface, it doesn’t seem very significant. Anyone can grab a cloth and swipe a tabletop. But it’s not really about the table. It’s about the heart behind the action. It’s about noticing what needs to be done and doing it without being asked. It’s about lifting one another’s burdens and discovering that the joy of service is just as real in the ordinary as in the extraordinary.
This year, we’re encouraging students to take responsibility in small but meaningful ways: stacking their own chairs, cleaning up after lunch, pitching in with cleanup after athletic events. These actions save our custodial staff countless hours, but more importantly, they cultivate a mindset of service and responsibility
Education today is more than gaining information; it’s also about formation. When a student wipes down a table, they are being shaped into someone who notices others, who takes ownership, who thinks of the good of the whole rather than only themselves. That’s the
kind of formation that lasts well beyond the classroom or cafeteria.
We live in a culture that prizes selfexpression, but Christ calls us to selfgiving. “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). True greatness, Jesus taught, is found in humility and love. The best training ground for this isn’t necessarily a faraway mission trip or a once-a-year project. It may be in the faithful, daily decisions to serve right where we are.
Imagine if “wiping down your table” became a way of life. Classrooms would be marked by students who think first about blessing those around them. Athletic events would end with joyful teamwork in clean-up, not reluctant obligation. Our community would shine with countless small acts of kindness, each pointing beyond itself to the One we ultimately serve.
So when we remind students to “wipe down your table,” we trust they know that it’s more than a task. It’s an invitation. An invitation to grow into a people who reflect Christ’s love in the small things, who see that service isn’t reserved for grand gestures but is lived in the 1% moments of every day.
May this year be marked by these small steps of love, shaping us all into servants of the King.
Dr. Brian Verwolf Head Administrator
ABOUT THE COVER
Western Christian is experiencing its highest enrollment in 18 years! This year 316 students, 250 families, and 42 churches are walking together in faith, growth, and community. As we fill our hallways with life and learning, we celebrate the gift of new beginnings and the intentional steps being taken to build a strong, hope-filled future.
Leaving A Legacy FFA Update
The Pack Edge Wolfpack Athletics
Snapshots from School Homecoming Week Stewardship Day Memorials
Just My Thoughts Student Perspective Upcoming Events
FFA UPDATE
The FFA chapter is excited to continue building on the strong foundation of events, committees, and competitions already in place. This year, the goal is to increase member participation and provide more opportunities for everyone to experience all that FFA has to offer.
The year kicked off with the annual FFA BBQ, an event designed to welcome and inform potential new members about the benefits of joining the organization. The officer team held a retreat, tackled an escape room challenge, and planned out the vision for the upcoming year.
The first teams competing this year were the Milk Products team and the Dairy Evaluation team at a competition in Manchester, Iowa. Both teams scored well! Taija Van Niejenhuis placed 7th individually out of over 100 contestants.
THE PACK
EDGE
SUPPORT ONE ASK – ONCE A YEAR
The PACK EDGE Level – $5,500
Ads on the New Gymnasium Digital Score Table! Scrolling Varsity Bound Ad (WCHS had 100,000+ views last year!)
4 Individual Season Passes Gymnasium Television Ads
Golf Sponsorship (hole sponsor & a foursome)
Athletic Program Advertising
Wolfpack Livestream Ads
The MAROON Level – $3,000
Ads on the New Gymnasium Digital Score Table!
4 Individual Season Passes Gymnasium Television Ads OR Athletic Program Advertising
The WHITE Level – $1,500
2 Individual Season Passes Popcorn Sponsorship at a Home game
The INDIVIDUAL Level – $500
1 Individual Season Pass Recognition on Sports Programs YOUR SPONSORSHIP WILL SUPPORT ALL ACTIVITIES AT WESTERN CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
WOLFPACK ATHLETICS
BASEBALL
This year’s team had to overcome many challenges. We were young and inexperienced, but the guys seemed to learn and grow throughout the year. The idea of toughness was talked about within the team a lot this year, and the idea that being tough is not only physical but even more mental. As the year progressed, we were more resilient and learned to play towards that idea.
This led to many fun plays and highlights throughout the year. From guys getting their first hits of their high school career and making plays in positions that they have never been in before. We also had some incredible experiences, such as playing two games on the Canaries field in Sioux Falls and a tough win against West Sioux. However, most of all, they became closer as the year went on. Becoming good friends and embodying what it means to be brothers in Christ. Staying humble in the highs and keeping their heads up during the tough times. We would like to extend
a special thank you to all the players, parents, and fans who made this year possible, and we look forward to doing it again next year!
Coach Logan Cline
SOFTBALL
This season has been nothing short of special for us coaches. The girls welcomed us with open arms and trusted us, and for that, we could not be more thankful. One motto we wanted to implement into this season was GBG, or Go Be Great.
Go Be Great related to many things other than softball. Go be a great teammate, Go be a great daughter, Go be a great competitor, and Go be a great follower. GBG was not just a saying, but a way to live our lives while bettering ourselves each day.
These girls taught us way more than we could have ever imagined; their patience, passion, and dedication did not go unnoticed. Beyond being great softball players, they are even better humans who do things the right way.
Coaches Jori Hajek, Abby Pate, and Ravyn Krachey
SNAPSHOTS FROM SCHOOL
Every August, the Verwolfs invite the seniors to a picnic at their home, giving the students a chance to reconnect, socialize, and be challenged to become great leaders during their final year of high school.
Western Christian’s newest faces to the faculty: Mrs. Lesley Chachere (Math), Mrs. Megan Kooima (Learning Center), and Aubrey Van Briesen (Agriculture/FFA).
Mrs. Christians and Mr. Verwolf started a tradition in the fall of 2020 that they look forward to each summer! It is unofficially called the ‘Pom Pom Squad.’ They put on many miles and encounter plenty of smiles delivering Theme t-shirts to the incoming freshmen and officially welcome them into the ‘Pack!’
What does it look like to be a ‘Flourishing Community?’ What keys can we grab onto to grow our faith and expand God’s kingdom here? And who is our ‘circle of lights?’ Am I a light to others? These challenging questions were posed to students and staff by the chapel speakers during the opening three weeks of school—great thought-provoking questions for everyone. Please consider joining Western for chapel by subscribing to Western Christian High School’s YouTube livestreams.
Pictured is a powerful moment of students from Rock Valley and the Cross Country team forming a circle of light, while all were invited to pray for those hurting in our surrounding communities and sing ‘He Will Hold Me Fast’.
Meet Maverick, a recent addition to Western’s social work services, currently undergoing training to become a therapy dog. The primary objective of his presence at the school is to enhance social-emotional support for students. Maverick offers a positive and calming presence, providing students with a constructive break during the school day. His role has proven influential in reducing fear and fostering a sense of comfort, making it easier for students to seek support and engage in meaningful conversations. We are excited to see how he continues to serve in this role and provide extra support for our students!
Make plans to attend the Fall Production of Fiddler on the Roof, November 13-14. Auditions took place last May, and rehearsals are in full swing.
HOMECOMING WEEK
COUNTRY vs COUNTRY CLUB- Monday
Chapel Speaker: Mrs. Katie Dorhout, Class of ‘03
Alumni Led Worship: Lydia Van Kley and Sierra Nielson, Class of ‘22
JERSEY DAY - Tuesday
Powderpuff Football Yard Games
HOMECOMING REPRESENTATIVES
Christopher Vande Brake, Bentley Bliek, Kolby Heemskerk, Sage Kuperus, Teigen De Kam, Miranda Ten Pas, Benjamin Haan, Kendra Kooiman, Landon De Stigter, Piper Hanson, Josh Petitt, and Maggie Van Schepen
TWIN/GROUP -
Thursday
Anything but a Backpack
Family Feud
SPIRIT DAY -
Friday
Chapel Speakers: Living Room Chats with Greg and Jasmine Boer, Class of ‘13
Co-ed Volleyball / Ping Pong and UNO Tournaments / Bingo / Disney Movie / Pep Rally / Football Game
STEWARDSHIP DAY
Fun Homecoming activities paused on Wednesday of Homecoming week for Faithpacks to go and serve in the surrounding communities. Annual Stewardship Day continues to bless many different organizations and locations, such as Mid Sioux., Royal Family Kids Camp, L.O.V.E. Inc., Justice For All, Inspiration Hills, and many more. Students canvassed for food donations, cleaned up homes and yards, assembled freezer meals, and participated in other projects.
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Western Christian High School is grateful to receive memorial gifts in honor and memory of:
Murial Visser - Sioux Center, IA. Murial and her husband, Peter, had four children who attended Western. Stan (1966), Ruth (1969), Dean (1976), and Melissa (1985). They also had a son, Gregory, who passed away as a child.
Gertrude Boer - Sioux Center, IA. Gert (1950) and her husband, Harold, had five children who attended Western. Ron (1974), Doug (1975), Barb (1977), Brad (1981), and Patty (1987).
Dolores Rylaarsdam - Sioux Center, IA. Dolores was a 1955 graduate of Western Christian. Her mother, Elsie “Vander Meer” Van Otterloo, was a 1923 WCHS graduate!
Joan Van Maanen - Rock Valley, IA. Joan (1950) and her husband Gerrit A. (1954) had five children who attended Western. Sherry (1973), Karen (1974), Arlys (1976), Don (1978), and Connie (1983).
Kathleen (Bousema) WesslingOrange City, IA. Kay (1959) and her husband, Henry, had three sons who graduated from Western. Mark (1982), Joel (1989), and Nathan (1993).
The Class of 1975 also gave a memorial gift.
JUST MY THOUGHTS
ABOUT ME OR ABOUT OTHERS?
Western’s Student Council plans many events during our year, but they work overtime during Homecoming week. One of their planned events this year was a school-wide game of Family Feud--(shout-out to the senior team who took the championship this year). The whole game was fun, but a specific Family Feud question caught my attention. To be honest, this question reinforced something I had been thinking about since Stewardship Day, which is another great tradition of Western’s Homecoming Week.
The Family Feud question went something like this: Name a student most likely to be seen wiping tables in the cafeteria. It was fun to hear some of the names suggested by the contestants. The teachers standing near me also shared some names. We all noticed that even if the names we guessed weren’t on the board, the names that made their way up there didn’t surprise any of us. Even if we don’t share a lunch shift with the identified students, we could easily imagine those kids being quick to help out and wipe tables at the end of their lunch break.
I learned something similar about some of my Faithpack students on Stewardship Day, as we did some cleaning, sorting, and repair/
maintenance work. On each of our tasks, I noticed some students digging right into the work and finding more to do as soon as their previous task was complete. They didn’t need a motivational talk or demonstration; they just did the stuff that needed to be done. When we moved from one place to the next, and our work assignment changed, I observed that it was often those same kids again, who got to work and stayed at it until the task was completed or something else needed to be done.
Mr. Negen summarized it perfectly as he and I discussed my observations over lunch in the cafeteria during Homecoming Week. Mr. Negen noted, “Some students are just othersfocused, and they look for ways to be a blessing.” That’s it! That’s precisely what the Family Feud contestants noted about their classmates when they offered their answers to that question, and that’s what I saw when I noticed the hard workers in my Faithpack group.
That leaves me with a great question for each of us to ask ourselves (and maybe for parents to consider about their kids): Are you others-focused? Is your family other-focused? When you are given opportunities to help others, serve others, show patience
with others, love others…do you? Does your family come alongside each other and also others in ways that are helpful and selfless? We may wonder if this is something that just comes naturally to some people, but for other individuals, it’s just not there. While I do think some people have been taught and led by example on this, I think we are all quite me-centered; we all tend to be more selfish than selfless. It comes more naturally for each of us to consider what we want, what will make our lives easier, and how others should be willing to help us? So, is there anything we can do about this? Can we as families live differently? I think so.
I think we can ask God for open eyes, along with open hands and hearts. I think we honestly admit that this doesn’t come naturally, and we may need lots of practice before we get very good at it. And then we practice. We practice with intentional moves in the direction of being others-focused. We look for opportunities to serve. We look for tables that need to be wiped, chairs that need to be stacked, stray pieces of garbage that need to be picked up, students who need a kind smile and warm greeting, neighbors who need a meal, and individuals who need to see and hear Jesus in us. We show up when it would be much easier to walk away. We stay until the entire task is done well. And then, if other people notice that we are there, helping, going above and beyond the expectation, we smile humbly and thank Jesus because He is our best example of being truly “othersfocused.”
Just my thoughts, KC
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
PASSION FOR STUDENT LED WORSHIP
I remember the first day of my freshman year; I was put on the praise team to play guitar and sing; I was honored and terrified. Not only was it my first day of high school, which in itself is a scary event, but I had to sing and play in front of all my new peers and teachers. Little did I know then how praise and worship would become such a big part of my life. I am also grateful to share that I have been a part of every beginning-of-the-year chapel since then.
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 16 Fall Music Concert
Music is a passion of mine. When I found out Western had student-led worship, I jumped at the opportunity to join. Over the years, my role with worship has transitioned from being a singer/guitarist whenever needed to being allowed to plan the entire worship segment of chapels by myself. It is such a blessing to have this leadership role because it combines a passion of mine and also a tool God uses to draw me close to Him, worship. As I look at my future, I envision myself working in the Worship Arts field.
Over my time at Western, my faith has grown, but this past summer, I felt significant growth in my relationship with God. Opportunities presented themselves both extremely far from home and not very far away. First, I went on a mission trip to Guatemala with Paradise Bound Ministries, and then I experienced a service trip in Lincoln, Nebraska, with my youth group. I also participated in a Bible study with other young women. At the end of the summer, I was a little bit worried that coming back to school meant that the progress I had made in my relationship with God would be paused. The opposite happened because
Western is a community that fosters growth in faith.
Teachers, along with fellow students, encourage my faith, especially Mrs. Christians. I visited with Mrs. Christians before school started to talk to her about how much growth God had given in my faith journey this summer, and how I didn’t want it to stop. We discussed how God had laid on my heart to start a girls’ Bible study, like the one I had been a part of during the summer. Mrs. Christians was so excited to hear this, and she encouraged me to be bold and start it! She went above and beyond by helping me plan out announcements, meeting times, and setting the structure. I am so excited that I get to be in community with other girls who have the same goal: to build a stronger relationship with God! I can’t wait to see how God will use this time together to bring us closer to Him. It is only the end of September, and my faith continually grows… my prayer is that by Graduation in May, I feel even closer to God and confidently move forward in life proclaiming His Name.
Miranda Ten Pas
Be watching for more information through email and social media
November 13-14 Fiddler on the Roof Performances
October 17 Gridshock / Panel Assembly
October 24 End of the 1st Quarter
November 3-4 Parent Teacher Conferences
November 18 Explore Western
November 26 Thanksgiving Break Starts - Noon Dismissal
December 15 Christmas Concert