As another school year goes by, many of us find ourselves reflecting on how quickly the time has passed. A comment I hear frequently is, “Each year seems to go by faster!” Would you agree? If so, this phenomenon isn’t just your imagination. Experts explain that our perception of time changes significantly as we age, making some periods of our lives seem to fly by. Cindy Lustig, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, offers insight into this experience. “Our perception of days, weeks, years, and other units of time is heavily influenced by our perspective: whether we’re fully immersed in the present moment or looking back on past events,” she explains.
Memory and life experience play crucial roles in how we perceive time. For my 6-month-old son, a week represents a substantial part of his life. In contrast, for the three 87-year-old WC alumni I met with at Western’s graduation, a week is a much smaller fraction of their life, which contributes to the sensation that it passes more quickly. I enjoyed listening to their responses to my question, “What stands out in your mind as you think about your high school days from 70 years ago?” One shared about a teacher’s routine prayer at the start of each class.
God is clearly a God of the present. Do you remember when Moses asked Him what His name was, and God told him to say, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14)? He is – not He will be, or He has been. He is now – always in the present. Because God is outside the time/space continuum, He is not bound by the past, the present, and the future like we are. For Him, everything is in the present. We would all confess that no matter how hard we might try, we simply cannot get our minds around the enormity of this thought.
As we celebrate the past and prepare for the upcoming school year, let’s remember to cherish each moment and seek out new experiences, both for ourselves and our students, to make the most of the time we have. God is good today.
Thank you for supporting Western Christian in all the ways you do.
For Christian Education,
Mr. Brian Verwolf Head Administrator
Sixty seniors graduated from Western Christian on Tuesday, May 14. Pictured is Taeten Kollis being congratulated by his mother, Tracy, who is retiring as Board Trustee after serving two terms. Taeten is Tracy’s youngest and last child of three to experience K-12 Christian education. We’re grateful for partnerships with families that extend beyond a typical school-home relationship.
IN THIS ISSUE
Class of 2024
Goodbyes, Hellos
The PackEdge
Spring Drive Results
Wolfpack Athletics
Snapshots from School Memorials
Just My Thoughts
Student Perspective
Upcoming Events
Claire Elizabeth Altena
Taylor Marcus Altena
James Thomas Andringa
Braden Sean Baccam+
Miles Kham Baccam
Emery Kay Blankespoor+
Donovan Scott Boer
Mya Vaughn Brands+
Rylan Matthew De Groot
Megan Joelle De Jong
Kylan Jeffery De Weerd
Noah Stanley De Weerd
Caleb James Douma+
Amelya Elise Dunn
Ashley Joy Fedders+
Jacob Dean Gulker
Dylan Dean Hanenburg
Apiyo Nevaeh Harberts
Uchan Beniyam Harberts
Maeva Ann Haveman+
Makayla Ruth Hoekstra+
Ashlyn Jo Hulstein+*
Aaron John Kamstra
Taeten Benjamin Kollis+
Lucas Lee Kooima
Cambrie Jade Krikke
Tyler Jeffrey Mantel
Harrison Robert Brooks McFarland
Meagan Alexis Mulder*
Aidan Jay Ouwinga
Jonathan Dean Petitt+
Bryson Cole Sandbulte
Aidyn Mattea Schemper+
Laremy Ray Schreurs
Viktor Tantsura
Ryder Kane Van Bemmel
Maile Rae Vande Hoef
Megan Joy Vander Pol+
Aubrey Sue Vander Ziel*
Shayna Lea Van Dyken
Cameron James Van Ess
Hannah Rae Van Ginkel
Breya Reann Van Kley+
Lily Kathryn Van Maanen+
Carson David Van Meeteren
Kaase Jan van Niejenhuis
Jenna Lynn Van Otterloo+
Kayla Beth Van Otterloo+
Ethan Jon Van’t Hul
Laney Kay Van Voorst+
Jared Alan Veldman
Teague Andrew Ver Velde
Kaily Lynn Verhoef+
Summer Therese Vis+
Kaleb Alan Visser
Anna Jean Visser
Kyra Lynn Visser+
Haley Anne Wielenga+
Keana Ley Wynja+
+Graduating With Honors
*Life Serve Blood Center Donor of Distinction
A heartfelt goodbye to five staff members……
Did you know Western’s vehicle fleet puts on over 125,000 miles annually? Between regular bussing routes, FFA activities, sporting events, and numerous other opportunities that our students are involved in, we have been blessed with transportation safety. We have Rog De Groot to thank for maintaining our growing vehicle fleet! After nearly two decades of faithful service, Rog will no longer be Western’s Director of Transportation.
Tex De Hoyos will say goodbye after serving as a maintenance employee and football/basketball coach for four years. Tex came to Western at a critical time of need and has played a significant role in the lives of many of our student-athletes.
Bill Elgersma is retiring after four years of helping Western students figure out their futures. Bill has been instrumental in shaping innovative programs and partnerships that will impact Western students for years down the road.
Stacy Gustafson has decided not to return to a Western math classroom after teaching Algebra and Geometry for one year.
Thomas Soodsma will be transitioning to his new appointment as Youth Director at Faith CRC in Sioux Center. We have known of Thomas’ move for almost a year now, and the time is upon us. Thomas has served as a full-time teacher for five years.
Western Christian is preparing for moderate enrollment growth, building a comprehensive capital campaign, and enhancing the student experience! With ambitious goals ahead of us, we are excited to announce several new additions to our staff.
Andrew Hoekstra will be Western’s new worship leader! His main responsibilities will be working with Karen Christians and student leaders to plan weekly chapels and to support student engagement and leadership with music offerings.
Andrew works full-time as a loan officer at American State Bank in Hull, Iowa. He is excited to re-engage with Western’s learning community in this part-time role (~5 hours/week.)
Haley Jager is joining our office team!
With a master’s degree in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership (MBA) through the University of Sioux Falls, Haley will bring a wide variety of expertise to her new and dynamic role at Western Christian. She will be on campus part-time during the week, and most of her role is behind the scenes as Director of Communications and Marketing. She will also be heavily involved in providing frontoffice support on campus. Starting in August, Haley will be primarily responsible for managing Western’s new website, social media marketing, and schoolwide newsletters and helping plan school events and fundraisers, promotional items, donor campaigns, and other front office duties as assigned.
The PACK EDGE Level – $5,000
Scrolling Varsity Bound Ad (WCHS had 40K views last year!)
4 Individual Season Passes
Signage at Baseball/Softball Fields
Gymnasium Television Ads
Golf Sponsorship (hole sponsor & a foursome)
Athletic Program Advertising
Wolfpack Livestream Ads
The MAROON Level – $2,500
4 Individual Season Passes
Gymnasium Television Ads OR Athletic Program Advertising
The WHITE Level – $1,500
2 Individual Season Passes
The INDIVIDUAL Level – $500
1 Individual Season Pass YOUR SPONSORSHIP WILL SUPPORT ALL ACTIVITIES AT WESTERN CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Molly Khang is eager to join Western as Career and College Guidance Counselor. Molly moved to Iowa in 2023 from Holland, Michigan. She attended Kuyper College for her undergraduate studies and completed her graduate studies at Western Michigan University in 2017 with her MA in School Counseling. Molly is also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She has worked six years as a School Counselor in Michigan and loves working with teens to support them academically, socially, and emotionally. Molly feels it is essential to provide support for all of our students to succeed in their academics and in all areas of their lives. As Western’s Career and College Counselor, she looks forward to helping our students discover their gifts and interests throughout their high school years. Molly desires to support students as they navigate life’s transitions to discern their callings and prepare for life beyond high school.
Officer Waylon
Pollema will be Western’s Director of Campus Safety
and Student Support. The main purpose of the role is to maintain a safe, educational environment for all students, faculty, and staff by performing a wide variety of supervision and youth education duties according to established school policies and standard procedures, making independent decisions, and taking authoritative action in response to situational demands. Waylon will oversee and manage the discipline of all students, including supervising student behavior based on Western’s schoolwide discipline plan.
Austin Van Vleck will be teaching Government, Geography & World Cultures, and another social studies elective (TBD). Austin comes from Illinois to Western Christian and Northwest Iowa. He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and recently finished his student teaching and training at Northern Illinois University with endorsements in social studies.
Danelle Wolf will be teaching Algebra 1a, Algebra, and Consumers Math.
The theme for the 2024 Spring Drive was “Let it Rain.” The hope was that this theme would connect the Spring rains to God’s blessings and our opportunity to bless others with our resources.
The Spring Drive “went public” on April 1. Mr. Verwolf and I greeted one another that Monday morning with a “Let It Rain” as the Spring rains began. A few farmers have shared with me that we have received over 12 inches of rain this Spring. Wow! Praise God!
She is from Nebraska, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Doane University and her Master’s in Education from Northwest Missouri State University. The 24-25 school year will mark Danelle’s 16th year as a classroom teacher and 21st in education.
Danelle shared, “The primary reason for my interest in Western Christian is the Christian worldview and culture, growth and encouragement it provides. Having taught in public and other private schools has allowed me to see the desperate need for the next generation to have a solid Christcentered foundation as they look to the future. I am excited about the prospect of working with students from various feeder schools and backgrounds and bringing them together under a Christ-focused curriculum that can break mathematical concepts down into understandable (even enjoyable) pieces and where they will continue to grow both academically and spiritually.”
God’s Creation has exploded with beauty this Spring, a testimony to His Greatness and Faithfulness. God has also used so many to bless the Western Christian Spring Drive, which has totaled over $155,000 to date. To God Be the Glory!
Thank you for your continued love and support of the mission here at Western Christian!
In His Service,
Brad Vis, Director of Mission Advancement
Spring soccer once again reminded us of the few constants in Iowa weather. After a wonderfully warm week to start our preseason, we returned from spring break to discover that winter was not over. And we battled through the shivers and then the wind, forever the wind, then rain, until late April.
A recap of the weather forecast is not the soccer season in some ways, but certainly it is in others. We had to cancel our first game and worked around a flexible schedule for most of the season. In all, we canceled three games and had to reschedule several others. Regardless, we played well with a complement of seniors who showed what four years of soccer looks like at its close. We demonstrated vast improvement, even from last season, and although they felt like
they had more to give, the season was over before we were done. As the coach, I can’t ask for more.
– Coach Bill Elgersma
Stronger Together. Our captains chose this motto for our team this year. We loved this choice because it shows who we are as a program, and it’s not about individual accomplishments; it’s about the team and that we move forward together as a whole. We had another great season, and it was such a blessing to be able to coach this group of young men.
We had 42 boys in our program; each one played an important role in our season and our success. We had so many different highlights, but one of the biggest was watching the daily interactions with the guys and seeing the growth in each player. The season was capped off with our 4th consecutive trip to the state tournament, and it was wonderful to have so much
support from so many people. We are blessed to be a part of such an amazing, supportive community and school, and it was an honor to represent them at the state tournament.
– Coach Sou Baccam
We had two senior girls on our team this year who have participated at a high level for all four years. These young ladies were the backbone of our team this year as they led by spirit and example. Kayla Van Otterloo has qualified for 11 events at state over her four years on the track, and Megan Vander Pol qualified for the state meet twice in the discus.
This year, we had a young track team consisting of 15 girls. They worked hard individually in their own events and participated well as teammates.
Three relays (Distance Medley, 4 x 400, and 4 x 800) qualified for state and competed well with some amazing athletes from across Iowa. A highlight of the year was our athletes’ continually bonding and improving their performances at each meet. The relay participants were Kyrin De Groot, Avery Dykstra, Addi Van’t Hul, and Kayla Van Otterloo.
– Coach Mark Fenchel
The boys’ track and field team was small this spring, but we did some big things with our small team. Our two seniors led us this spring, Jacob Gulker and Taeten Kollis, both got to end their careers at the state track meet at Drake Stadium.
We had a tough spring with windy weather, but what I love about our team is they never complained and kept working and getting better each time we got on the track or competed in our field event. In Matthew, Chapter 23, Jesus talks about always being a servant, and this team exemplified that. I want to thank our coaches, Kyle Fykstra and Adrianne Wiekamp, for their work and dedication to track and field; they did a tremendous job all spring with our athletes.
Ty Groeneweg made the state meet in the open 100, Taeten Kollis made state in the shot and discus, and our 4x200 team consisting of Jacob Gulker, Taeten Kollis, Ty Groeneweg, and Tristan Rozeboom all had the opportunity to run on the “Blue Oval.”
– Coach Travis Kooima
The 2024 Girls’ Golf season started with several new faces. In fact, Junior Reagan Roetman was the only individual returning from the 2023 season with 5 seniors on the team. This season, Reagan was joined by fellow Juniors Kiah Van Der Brink, who played as a freshman, and Addie Terpstra. Our varsity team was rounded out by two Freshmen from Rock Valley, Brynn De Weerd and Kendyll De Yager. Sophomore Piper Hanson also picked up a club for the first time this season and competed at the JV level for us. While we missed some mid-season meets due to weather, our new players adapted quickly and showed significant improvement over the course of the season. At our first meet of the year, we shot a team score of 246; four weeks later, we shot our season-best 215 at Spencer. The girls competed in Regionals on a beautiful day at Landsmeer in Orange City, and when all of the scores came into the clubhouse, we were one stroke away from advancing as a team to the Regional Final. Reagan advanced as an individual out of the first round and finished 15th overall at the Regional Final. With no seniors on our team, we look forward to having everyone back next year to build off of a season of growth and welcoming new girls to Wolfpack Golf!
– Coach Justin Negen
It has been a season full of improvement and success for the Wolfpack boys golf team. This year, the Wolfpack had a full lineup with many new faces on the roster, combined with some key returners from last year’s state qualifying team. Through the highs and lows of the season, this team competed their way to the district meet in Orange City. Although we fell short of the goal of making it back to Ames this year for the state meet, the golf team had a great year of building relationships and providing the golfers valuable meet experience, coinciding with a team environment.
Donovan Boer and Caleb Douma were our two seniors. They helped advance the Wolfpack golf program in ways much more than golf scores. These guys were consistent in their daily approach, understanding the purpose of Wolfpack athletics and striving to compete with passion. Caleb Douma was named to the Class 2A IAHSGCA 1st Team All-State.
– Coach Derek Keizer
The WCHS Chamber Singers, for the first time, traveled to Denver, CO, for their annual tour. The students were able to bless several groups by sharing their music and singing at Sioux Center Christian, three different assisted living facilities, and Calvary URC in Loveland, CO. The Chamber Singers also enjoyed time building community with each other and exploring. The group spent time checking out locations like the Red Rock Amphitheatre and Denver Museum of Nature and Science, as well as enjoying a monster truck show at the Broncos stadium and hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. This tour was an excellent experience for students to use their gifts and enjoy God’s creation together!
The FFA Chapter sent a great group of students to the State Convention, where WC was very well represented. Drew Tiedeman placed 16th individually out of over 400 students in the Poultry judging contest. The poultry team earned a gold rating. Carter Mulder and Aiden VanRoekel were on the team with Drew Tiedeman.
The Farm Business Management team (Tyson Van Voorst, Matt Alons, and Logan Westra) placed 15th out of 100 teams and received a Gold rating.
Allie Wielenga was selected to sing in the State FFA Chorus. From there, she auditioned for a solo during the 4th General Session. She was selected as the soloist to perform during their song. Over 6,900 people were in attendance at the session, and she did an amazing performance.
Four members received their Iowa Degrees: Alyvia Bleeker, Ashlyn Hulstein, Meagan Mulder, and Breckyn VanVught.
Ten students and two teachers from Western Christian traveled to Spain over spring break this year. They visited the cities of Madrid and Toledo to experience the culture, architecture, language, food, and much more. The students grew in their knowledge and appreciation of the people and the world that God created. One student said, “Experiencing a different culture made me appreciate the different things we do, and I feel like I have a more well-rounded understanding of Spanish culture.
This Spring, twelve students from Western Christian had the unique opportunity to spend three immersive weeks in the Netherlands. They experienced firsthand the Dutch way of life, honing their biking skills in all weather conditions, whether it was for school, exploring the town, or on an overnight retreat. The learning experience extended beyond the classroom, with visits to significant Holocaust sites in the Netherlands and a day trip to Paris, providing a comprehensive understanding of European history and culture.
For the third year in a row, some students spent their Spring Break in Mexico, but the trip’s purpose was not to enjoy the sun but serve. Ten students, along with two WC staff members, spent a lot of time painting, playing with the children, and enjoying the culture of Mexico.
For the first time in Western’s history, students qualified and competed at the state level for the National History Day Competition. Students first competed at the local level, and the top three entries in each category advanced to the state competition in Des Moines. The top two entries in each category then advance to the national competition at the University of Maryland. Western had one group and one individual entry advance to the state competition this year in only our second year of participation. The state competition was the result of a lot of time and effort on behalf of the students, and they represented Western well. Autumn Wolfsinkel, Maggie Van Schepen, Scarlet Winterfield, Madi Krikke, and Allie Wielenga were the students who qualified for the State competitions. Overall, it was a great experience, and I look forward to next year’s competition!
- Mr. Brandon Broersma
Spain
The Netherlands
Mexico
Not much makes a grandparent happier than spending time with their grandchildren.
On April 16th, Seniors invited grandparents and/ or special friends to school for a chapel and tours of the building.
Juniors and Seniors dressed formally for the annual Junior/Senior Banquet. The Grand March took place in the Big Gym, with the banquet following at the Terrace View Event Center in Sioux Center.
Western Christian High School is grateful to receive memorial gifts in honor and memory of:
Marv Van Den Top - Boyden, IA. Marv (1981) and his wife LaDonna (1981) had four children who attended Western. Jessica (2004), Krista (2007), Kelsey (2009), and Trevor (2012).
Tim Kooima - Hull, IA. Tim and his wife Clarine had six children who attended Western. Melinda (1972), Sharon (1974), Steve (1976), Glen (1981), Kevin (1986), and Mark (1993).
Luella Krommendyk - Hull, IA. Luella and her husband Bernard (1947) had three children who attended Western. Glenda (1970), Don (1971), and Laura (1978).
Gladys De Weerd - Sioux Center, IA. Gladys and her husband Gerald had 5 children who attended Western. Stan (1970), Mary (1971), Arlin (1975), Roger (1978), and Pam (1980).
Nancy Buning - Hudsonville, MI. Nancy is the mother of current Spanish teacher, Bobbi Jeltema.
Western’s class of 2024 recently celebrated crossing the finish line to their high school experience. If I am counting correctly (which is a real challenge for me), I think I have attended at least 27 WCHS graduation ceremonies; that’s a lot. Three of those were occasions when one of my own kids graduated. Every year, as a group of young adults moves their tassels from one side of their mortarboard to the other, we are prompted to be more reflective. Have we prepared them for what’s next? Do they possess the skills needed to transition smoothly into the next phase of adulthood? Is their faith real? Can they endure hard things without abandoning their beliefs? Have we done enough?
This is not unique to Christians or to adults when young people in their lives graduate. Anytime we (or our loved ones) face change throughout life, we wonder (and hope and pray) that they are ready for the next step and that we have done all we can to prepare them for what’s next.
On my way to work today, I heard about a man facing his own death–he is dealing with the final stages of colon cancer. Being only 61, he is processing so many hard questions.
He isn’t ready to leave his family, and he fears he won’t have enough time to say everything he wants to say before his own death. So, he did what he believes is his best option. He purchased an account from Eternos.life and created an Artificial Intelligence (AI) version of himself to live on long after he was gone. He has recorded hours of answers to questions; he has shared life lessons, personal stories, and special memories. He is thrilled with the results so far and is confident that his loved ones will enjoy “him” long after he passes away.
As I heard the details of this story, I became more uncomfortable with the whole thing. I understand our desire to stay with and around our families as long as possible. I understand a parent’s desire to stay connected to his or her children. But, I don’t understand how Artificial Intelligence is a parent’s best option for the legacy they leave behind. At the heart of this matter is what he wants his children to access and maybe even cling to after he’s gone–him. He wants to be available and cherished by them. Maybe that’s not completely wrong, but I think it’s definitely misdirected. As Christ-followers, our number one desire for those who come behind
us is not for them to cherish us but to cherish Jesus. It is not for them to lean on our wisdom but to lean on His. Ultimately, we don’t want them to desire more of us but rather more of Him.
So, in a world where crazy things are possible, parents and grandparents can now consider creating an artificial but very realistic persona that lives beyond their own graveside service. As for me, I will decline. I will leave behind pictures (sorry to my three kids–I will leave behind LOTS of pictures); I will leave behind some written words; I will leave behind my Bible where my loved ones can see my notes and underlines. But ultimately, I will leave. I will not remain in bodily form or in AI form with them. Instead, I pray that everything I do now and everything I leave behind points them to Jesus, so when I am gone, they don’t want more of me; they want more of Him. And that will be another sweet, sweet reality of eternity–those who live and die in Jesus will live with Him and with each other for all of eternity.
Just my thoughts, KC
As my senior year was coming to a close, I started to remember all of the things that happened during high school. The good, the bad...they all returned to mind, and I realized that high school flew by faster than I had expected. I also noticed how different of a person I am now than who I was when I came to Western Christian as a freshman.
I remember that during freshman orientation in 2020, I was so excited to get to high school finally. The Covid pandemic had just ended, and I was glad that I got to see my friends every day at school again. Mr. Verwolf and Mrs. Christians spoke to us with the same excitement that they always have. That day, they told us freshmen that we should try new things and take risks while we are in high school. As a freshman, I did not try new things or take risks at all. We just came back from lockdown, where I could do almost anything I
wanted at home, and getting out of my comfort zone scared me, so I never left it.
It’s crazy how God can work in somebody’s life because He completely changed mine. In my sophomore year, I decided that I was going to play soccer for the first time. This was me trying to take a risk from my normal everyday life. I decided to play goalie because that’s where I felt like I could succeed the most. Playing soccer was just something to fill my time during the spring. Growing up, I never liked soccer much, so I wasn’t expecting to get much out of it. However, I quickly realized that the soccer team was different. The atmosphere around the soccer team was way different than anything else I had ever been a part of. I loved going to practice more and more every day.
Being the goalie, your coaches have to trust you a lot. When the other team
takes a shot, the coaches believe that I will be there to stop it. As the goalie, this helps me understand the importance of trusting God and the plan that he has for us. We might have an idea of what we want to do and who we want to be in our lives, but ultimately, God is the only one who knows. I can see it in my life. I never would have thought that I would be a state champion in soccer and going to play soccer in college. This change from who I thought I would be in high school to who I am now just clarifies how God is working in my life and making me into the person He wants me to be.
The last thing I want to say is to try new things. Take risks. You never know; it might be God telling you who He wants you to be. Put full trust in Him and know that His plan will work out for you in your life.
– JD PetittBe
Tuesday, July 9 – Registration Day for ‘24-’25 School Year
• Online and in-person
Friday, August 9 – Wolfpack Edge Luncheon
– Booster Club Golf
Thursday, August 22 – Freshman Orientation
Friday, August 23 – 1st Day of School Sept 16-20 – Homecoming Week