Drama Club Conducts Auditions for Spring Play
The Drama Club held auditions on December 10-12 for the Spring Musical Annie, a Broadway favorite. They are still seeking a strong male lead. Both middle and high school students are needed for the show and encouraged to participate. If you are interested, please see Mr. Putt. Performance dates are tentatively set for May 2-4, 2025.
Tomorrow's Teachers Participate in Poverty Simulation
The Poverty Simulator is an event that IU - Kokomo holds every year for the Tomorrow's Teachers program, and it can be very impactful. Students have to work jobs, pay housing, pay for food, pay off debt, pay for transportation, and so much more, but all with the little amount of money that they get from the jobs they go to. People who might not fully grasp the hardships of poverty can finally see how difficult it is to live paycheck to paycheck or to wonder if they’ll have enough money for food. The first-year students (usually juniors) are the families who live in poverty while the second-year students (seniors) act like businesses or officials with whom the families interact. At first, the event seemed like a challenging “game,” but afterwards, people started to realize that this “game” is actually how some people live. At the end of the simulation, many "families" were left homeless or had little money left; they were barely able to get by. The simulation also included other expenses that life brings, like medication payments, school expenses for field trips, and accidents that could cost a family a lot of money. In the simulation, the students felt frustration and anxiety, but that did not even compare to what people who face real poverty feel.
Aralynn Hughes, 12
December Student of the Month
KAIDENCE WORTHINGTON has been chosen as the December Student of the Month. She was nominated by Mrs. Pemperton, who said, "Kaidence works hard every day and brings her best effort. She may not understand concepts right away, but asks questions and doesn't wait to start on her assignments. She is very enthusiastic about learning and is always the first one in her class to turn in projects. Her positive attitude and diligent work ethic is a wonderful example to everyone around her. She is also very kind to others, and I can always count on her when I ask for assistance."
LUISA COLOM KASTEL - SPAIN
Luisa is from the country of Spain, from the coastal town of Alcudia. She is a senior at WHS and participates in girls wrestling, something she does not have the opportunity to do at home. She’s "always wanted to become an exchange student” and chose the United States because she wanted to improve her English and wanted to experience living in a completely different country. She says the United States, and in particular, Russiaville, is really different from Spain, and that's why she decided to come here. "Living in a town without being able to see the sea has been kind of different." (The beach in her town is classified as one of the best beaches in the world!) Luisa is enjoying her time in the United States, but she still misses her family and the traditional Spanish meals.
GATHER ◾ GROW ◾ GO
Western High School
Principal Steve Edwards
2600 S 600 W
Russiaville, IN 46979
P (765) 883-5541
F (765) 883-7946