The West Liberty-Salem Chapter of the National Honor Society names their 2023-2024 officer team after they were sworn in earlier this week. The following students will assume the roles of officers:
President: Madeline Cole
Vice - President – Lillian Weaver
Secretary – Mallory Bostick
Treasurer – Lily Smith
Historian – Ashley Yoder
Parliamentarian – Addison McAuley
Senior Representative – Carter Titus
Congratulations, new National Honor Society officers!
Mrs. Carrie Smith's Environmental Science, Biology, and Zoology students hosted animal tours for elementary students today. Elementary students were introduced to class pets including a bunny, rats, snakes, ferrets, and hissing cockroaches. They learned that the bunny really loves carrots, and the ferrets are both sleepy and playful.
The Science wing is also home to several species of fish, turtles, and frogs. Students were eager to learn about their habitats and watch them swim, jump and "sun" themselves on their log. Thank you, Mrs. Smith and her students, for a fun and educational tour!
Mrs. Symmat's sixth grade science students took advantage of the beautiful weather and practiced graphing outside!
Please help us congratulation the final Seniors of the Month for the Class of 2023. Congratulations Phillip Marr and Aubrey Laing!
NAME: Phillip Marr
SCHOOL: West Liberty-Salem
PARENTS: Peter and Lori Marr
School Activities and Awards:
My school activities from this year consist of Marching, Pep, Jazz, and Concert Band, along with Varsity Choir and Show Choir. I’ve received certificates, pins, and varsity letters for participating in Varsity Choir, Marching and Concert band for three years of high school.
If I were principal for a day:
If I were principal for a day, I would probably make Principal Johnson take my place in all of my classes simply because I think it would be funny.
Favorite school memory:
My favorite school memory may, in fact, have to be at band camp this year. For the night of our senior prank, seniors had all agreed to meet outside of the dorm building by a huge bell at 2:30 AM to get started. Knowing that I would struggle to wake up with out waking any of the other boys (to make this more interesting, I was the only senior guy) I would have to stay up. Now, in order to keep from being bored while I waited, I stayed up with other kids watching the movie Ted until it was time to sneak out. When that time came, I told the the only other person still up that I was going to hang up my pool towel (which had my shoes hidden within it) in the bathroom. Once I was in there, I snuck out of the dorm room through another door in the bathroom and never came back. Once I got out of the room, I had a staring contest with a racoon who stared into my soul when we made eye contact from opposite sides of the outer doors. Luckily, I was able to sneak around it and make my way outside to the bell. Once 2:30 hit, I had been sitting outside by my lonesome. No one else showed up. THE OTHER SENIORS DIDN’T GET UP IN TIME AND LEFT ME ALONE IN THE DARKNESS UNTIL 3:00 AM! So, what did I do? I recorded a video of a bat that I saw and started blogging on my phone about how I was going to do the whole prank by myself. Eventually, they finally woke up, and we all finished the prank together by around 5-6 AM, and getting up at 8:00 – 8:30, leaving me to march in the morning with about 2 hours of sleep. It’s funny how well one’s brain works on that little amount of sleep…BECAUSE IT DOESN’T.
People who have been an inspiration to me include:
People who have been an inspiration to my life would be my best friends; both from school, and not.
Because: They are two people that have a different outlook on life than anyone else I know, and this allows them to always act comedic and goofy in ways that I enjoy, and it never gets old. I wish that, I too, could be like them.
Lately, I have been reading:
Lately, I have been reading Heart of Darkness; though not so much reading as listening to it, because I’m not a good reader.
My advice to parents:
My advice to parents would be: Don’t ever feel like you can’t tell your kids no for anything or any reason. I learned important lessons while growing up because my because my parents would tell me no.
My biggest regret:
My biggest regrets are usually not exploiting every possibility I see to achieve or obtain something that I really want, such as joining Show Choir during my underclassmen years. If only I had put more effort into my auditions, I may have made it in. Once I made it in my junior and senior years, I realized that I truly should have just tried a little harder.
Next year I will be:
Next year I will be hopefully growing more in God, working, and saving towards my first car.
AND....
NAME: Aubrey Laing
SCHOOL: West Liberty-Salem
PARENTS: Harlan and Andrea Laing
School Activities and Awards:
I am the reporter in FFA, I am on iPad committee, and I also video for the high school girls basketball team.
If I were principal for a day:
If I were a principle for the day a I would let everyone probably have a free for all and all hangout and get to know each other better, and I would let the high schoolers go back and spend time with the elementary teachers.
Favorite school memory:
My favorite school memory is going to all of the football games with friends.
People who have been an inspiration to me include: My family
Because: They have always been there for me when I needed them the most, and they have taught me to be the person I am today.
Lately, I have been reading:
I have been reading A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
My advice to parents:
To show your kids that you don’t always have to be perfect, and we learn from our mistakes. Always treat others with respect and open arms.
My biggest regret:
My biggest regret would have to be not getting involved in other school activities and getting to know the younger classmen.
Next year I will be:
Next year I will be attending Clark State for Occupational Therapy.
Over the last 14 weeks, Mr. Stoner’s English 12 class and HS counselor Molly Smith, worked on employability skills outlined by the Ohio Means Job Career Readiness Graduation Seal. Throughout this process they used student’s real life working, academic, or future plans as discussion points. Classmate Samantha Schwaderer was able to share about her experiences of working towards obtaining her pilot’s license. The class decided to take a field trip to the Urbana Airport to learn more about local opportunities within aviation, mostly planned out by Samantha herself. They enjoyed breakfast at the Airport Café, met with Samantha’s flight instructor and airplane mechanic at the Mad River Air Hangar, toured the Aviation Museum, and got an up-close experience to see and learn more about the Grimes Fyling Lab airplane.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CAREER SEEKING SENIORS:
Seniors entering the workforce after graduation and looking for local employment or internship opportunities may sign up to participate in 'Senior Interviews' open to all graduating Seniors from Champaign County schools. This event will be May 17th, from 8a-4p at the Champaign County Library. Student must sign up at the link below to reserve a time slot. The following businesses will be hosting interviews:
• Champaign County YMCA
• London Correctional Institute
• Active Day
• CRSI
• Downsize Farm
• Green Hills Community
• Vancrest of Urbana
• Bundy Baking/American Pan
• Orbis
• Sutphen
• Weidmann
• Rittal
• Madison-Champaign ESC (paraprofessionals & a Videography intern)
Link to sign up for interview time slots: https://s.surveyplanet.com/xwvkv6b8
View more information here: file:///C:/Users/Allison/Pictures/Internship%20and%20Senior%20Interviews[2][16642].pdf
Seventh grade Science classes enjoyed the beautiful spring weather yesterday by learning in the beautiful landscape in front of our school!
West Liberty-Salem administrators Kraig Hissong, Greg Johnson, Andy McGill, and educator Crystal Johnson, alongside graduates Addalyn Cole and Logan Cole continue to impact the national school safety initiative at the School Safety Symposium in California. Click to read the full story: https://www.wlstigers.org/article/1109951
For students, parents and family members who were not able to attend Senior Awards Night, the video of the evening is available on the school website. Please visit wlstigers.org, choose “Live Events” and then click on VOD Library in the bottom right corner. Senior Night is the top option. Congratulations to the Class of 2023!
http://www.mldistrict.com/districts/oh/libertysalem/vod/
The West Liberty-Salem girls track and field team took an early lead at the Ohio Heritage Conference Championships at Triad Tuesday evening. In the North Division the Tigers lead with 42 points followed by Triad with 32 points and Fairbanks with 28.
The Tigers took home two first place finishes on day one with Elise Longshore winning pole vault (9’0”) and the 4x800 relay team of Ashley Yoder, Gwen McCullough, Teagan Boyd and Breece Gullett winning in 10:06.96.
Isabella Hardwick placed second in discus (96’04”). Sophia Hardwick place third in discus (92’04”). Lena Kauffman placed third in pole vault (8’0”), and Claire Longshore placed fifth in high jump (4’04”).
Finals will take place Thursday at Triad.
West Liberty-Salem softball is on to round 2 of the OHSAA tournament! They play Wednesday, May 10th at Arcanum HS. Tickets for the game MUST be purchased online prior to the event. Get your tickets at the link below.
https://www.ohsaa.org/tickets
Photo credit: John Coffman
Congratulations to this week's Educator of the Week, Mrs. June Seymour!
The '22-23 high school yearbook is on sale now through May 19th! The yearbook is 128 pages of wonderful memories for $45, and you can add your name to the cover for an additional $5. Delivery will be in September. Please complete and return the attached order form. Printed copies of the order form are available in the office.
Also, a few remaining 21-22 HS yearbooks are available in the office for a discounted price of only $20.
Seniors are invited to bring their family to lunch on Tuesday, May 16th! Mark your calendars and join us from noon-1 PM!
Don't forget to sign up! All proceeds will benefit this year's Show Choir expenses.
Let's celebrate our seniors with another Senior Shoutout! Today, we are honoring Maddox Havens, Christian Herron, Timothy Hobart, and Kiersten Holtvoigt!
"There is no passion to be found in playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." —Nelson Mandela
DJ Yoder, son of Roberta and Jeff Yoder, enlisted into the Ohio Air National Guard on April 27, 2023, to pursue a career in Aircraft Maintenance. He will go to basic training at Lackland, Texas and then to technician school. Congratulations, DJ, and thank you for your service!
High school Physics students hosted a two day physics club with third graders last week during lunch recess. They made catapults, and on Friday they practiced launching paper balls with their friends! Each student received a certificate for participating and had fun working with our older students while learning a fun lesson in physics! Thank you, Mrs. Roberts and students! We look forward to this again next year!
Reese Oder had all the right stuff on Friday for West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers, allowing zero runs and besting Fairbanks Junior Varsity Panthers by a score of 15-0
West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers secured the victory thanks to eight runs in the sixth inning. Nick Shifflet, Sam Strapp, Ian Cox, Aaron Campbell, Oder, and Shifflet each had RBIs in the frame.
West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers got things started in the first inning. Oder drove in one when Oder doubled.
West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers notched eight runs in the sixth inning. West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers offense in the inning was led by Shifflet, Strapp, Cox, Campbell, Oder, and Shifflet, who each had RBIs in the inning.
One bright spot for Fairbanks Junior Varsity Panthers was a double by Aidan Luellen in the second inning.
Oder was the winning pitcher for West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers. The bulldog went six innings, allowing zero runs on two hits, striking out 13 and walking one.
Jacob Woody toed the rubber for Fairbanks Junior Varsity Panthers. The pitcher went three innings, allowing four runs on two hits, striking out two and walking one. Luellen and Chase Shope entered the game from the bullpen, throwing two innings and one inning respectively.
West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers scattered nine hits in the game. Owen Deere and Oder each managed multiple hits for West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers. Oder and Deere each managed two hits to lead West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers. West Liberty-Salem Junior Varsity Tigers stole five bases during the game as two players stole more than one. Dallas Koons led the way with two.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we will be celebrating our educators every day! We are so thankful for the work they do to guide our students through their academic journey, but we are equally thankful for the way they care, love, and nurture young minds.
“Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.” - Rita Pierson
