Our Wayland High School News Team is partnered with the Grand Valley State University's Student Reporting Labs. This partnership provides our news team with equipment, training, and yearly prompts our reporters can work with. A recent prompt, "Letter to the President," resulted in two WUS students, Oscar Sessions and Jacob Crater, being chosen to have their video circulate on GVSU's social media and youtube channel's. The resulting stories have the possibility of being aired at the local, state, or national level through PBS NewsHour. Congratulations to Oscar and Jacob for making it to the local level!

On Wednesday, January 29th, teachers and local community members were invited to participate in our high school's 'Problem-Based Learning, Design Thinking Challenge!'

Students in Mr. Bakker's "Unplugged and Outdoors" class were given the following challenge: "How can we as Wayland High School students design a multifunctional survival tool to solve a problem for outdoor enthusiasts, first responders, police, and our military?"

Throughout this challenge, students will collaborate, ideate, brainstorm, build a prototype, test, and pitch their tool. The first step was to learn from those who would be impacted by the innovation. Students were able to ask questions and gain insight from local experts in their respective fields, which brought an authentic piece to our students' design process.

We are grateful for the collaboration with local agencies and can't wait to see what tools our students come up with!

Wednesday, January 29th was the annual school spelling bee at Pine Street. The top 23 spellers from 4th and 5th grade competed for a chance to advance to the regional spelling bee. Congratulations to our top four finishers that move on to compete in Otsego next month.

4th place- AJ Winters

3rd place- Phoebe Snyder

2nd place- Lorelei Miller

1st place- Emmett Katje

Students in Mrs. Shafer's third grade class celebrated over 1,000 Green Lights on Reflex Math with a Green Light Celebration! Reflex Math is a math fact fluency app. Third graders have a goal of reaching at least 80% multiplication and division fact fluency, and green lights on the app are earned each day as they practice their facts. The party included our green & white dress-up day, green foods, green bingo, and a green minute-to-win-it game. Way to go students! If students reach their goal as a class and get to 2,000 Green Lights by the end of the year they will earn another celebration!

A group of high school Student Council members attended the MASC Regional Connect Conference at Craig's Cruisers on Thursday, January 30th. They participated in leadership games and lessons and listened to student showcase presentations to bring new ideas back to Wayland.

Six Student Council members went above and beyond by preparing a Student Showcase Presentation for the regional competition.

Jake VanDuine, Teagan Robinson, and Mason Babiak presented on Harvest Hop, and Raegan Cardosa, Macy Schwartz, and Addie Huston presented on Coaches vs. Cancer. There were 11 total student presentations and both Wayland groups placed in the top 4, earning the opportunity to present again at the State Conference in February. They have a chance to win a $1,000 prize!

Mrs. Boyce's 4th grade classroom won a "truck load" of books from Consumers Concrete! Greg Bytwork came to deliver the books and read “How to Walk Your Dumptruck.” We love partnering with local business!

• Friday, January 31st, Varsity Hockey, TBA, TBA
• Friday, January 31st, Coaches vs Cancer, 6pm, High School
• Saturday, February 1st, Varsity Hockey, TBA, TBA
• Saturday, February 1st, Varsity Bowling, 9am, Away at Hudsonville
• Saturday, February 1st, Varsity Dance, 1pm, Away at Davenport
• Saturday, February 1st, Snowcoming Dance, 7pm, High School
• Monday, February 3rd, Varsity Bowling, 3pm, Home
• Monday, February 3rd, Girls 7th Basketball, 4pm, Away at East Kentwood
• Monday, February 3rd, Girls 8th Basketball, 4pm, Away at Valleywood
• Monday, February 3rd, Girls 7th & 8th Basketball, 4pm, Home
• Monday, February 3rd, Parent Teacher Conferences, 4pm-6:30pm, High School
• Monday, February 3rd, WEPA Meeting, 6:30pm, Steeby Library
• Tuesday, February 4th, Varsity Bowling, 3pm, Away at Northview
• Tuesday, February 4th, MS Wrestling, 4pm, TBA
• Tuesday, February 4th, Boys MS Swim, 4pm, Away at Northview
• Tuesday, February 4th, Boys Freshman Basketball, 4pm, Away at Grand Rapids Union
• Tuesday, February 4th, Parent Teacher Conferences, 4pm-6:30pm, Middle School
• Tuesday, February 4th, Boys JV Basketball, 5:30pm, Away at Grand Rapids Union
• Tuesday, February 4th, Girls JV Basketball, 5:30pm, Home
• Tuesday, February 4th, Boys Varsity Swim, 6pm, Home
• Tuesday, February 4th, Girls Varsity Basketball, 7pm, Home
• Tuesday, February 4th, Boys Varsity Basketball, 7pm, Away at Grand Rapids Union
• Wednesday, February 5th, Varsity Hockey, TBA, TBA
• Wednesday, February 5th, Varsity Bowling, 3:15pm, Home
• Wednesday, February 5th, Girls 8th Basketball, 4pm, Home
• Wednesday, February 5th, Girls 7th Basketball, 4pm, Away at Hamilton
• Wednesday, February 5th, Varsity Wrestling, 5:30pm, Away at Hamilton
• Thursday, February 6th, MS Wrestling, 4pm, TBA
• Thursday, February 6th, Boys MS Swim, 4pm, Away at Forest Hills Eastern
• Thursday, February 6th, Boys Freshman Basketball, 4pm, Away at Wyoming
• Thursday, February 6th, Boys JV Basketball, 5:30pm, Away at Wyoming
• Thursday, February 6th, Girls JV Basketball, 7pm, Away at Wyoming
• Friday, February 7th, Muffins in the Morning, 8:25pm, Baker Elementary
• Friday, February 7th, "Tuck Everlasting", 7pm, FAC