WCS Gets Ready To 'Pursue Dreams And Enrich The Lives Of Others' As School Year Starts
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
A current Warsaw student spoke about his dreams to be a motivational speaker, while a recent graduate talked about how WCS teachers helped her pursue her dreams. Two teachers spoke about how they are working to enrich the lives of malnourished children in the world.
Lorinda Kline, professional learning communities coach for WCS, introduced student Matt Metzger. As he moved to the center of the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center stage in his wheelchair, the crowd ecstatically cheered for him. Metzger is a former Washington STEM Academy and Edgewood Middle School student and a current WCHS student.
“He’s a success story we’re telling, who is living our mission,” Kline said.
She first met Metzger when he was in eighth grade. Since then, she said he’s changed her life and inspires her to be and do more.
Metzger said people go through challenges in life, like his dad who has battled testicular cancer the last two years, but you get through them. He said his mission was to inspire and equip all people, and he wants to be a motivational speaker so he can be “a shining light to the world.”
At WCS, he said everyone is part of the team. He thanked everyone from Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert to the cafeteria staff for being on his team and giving him a chance to fulfill his dream.
Vanessa Malagon is a 2014 WCHS graduate. On Aug. 23, she will start her college career at Butler University to study entrepreneurship and innovations and healthcare management.
“Both of my parents immigrated to the United States when they were both young and newly married because they wanted to start a family in the land of opportunities. Soon after, my older brother was born, then I came along, and finally my younger brother,” she said.
In elementary school she learned Spanish and English simultaneously. She would struggle with English at school, and her schoolwork was something her parents could rarely help her with.
“The support I could not get at home I received from teachers at school. They understood the struggles I was encountering, and taught me with patience, wisdom and with a kind heart. Teachers continously inspired me to do better by showing me that even the smallest progress was still progress and equipped me with the necessary tools needed to move forward to the next big step in my life,” she said.
In middle school, she said teachers reached out and taught her that what she was wearing and who she was dating did not matter as much as everyone thought. They showed her more important things like exploring interests she had and forming new ones. Thanks to her English teacher, her love for public speaking started in middle school.
“Encourage all students who walk through your classroom to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills, and you will find that you will show them new interests and you will show them that they don’t have to fit in because they already belong,” Malagon said.
In high school, she participated in many clubs and sports. She pushed her mind and body to new limits and made “incredible” friends.
“Teachers, you saw that I was an ambitious student, who wanted to test my limits. You noticed me,” she said. “Tomorrow, look at each one of your students and know that each one wants to be noticed; each one wants to be not only encouraged, but also tested.”
In her senior year, she tore her ACL on her senior night soccer game, and for a while she thought her high school career was over. She lost her ambition. Then her marketing and internship teacher showed her that things do not always go as planned and that she could conquer great things without playing any sports or being in as many clubs.
“Warsaw teachers, you have helped me pursue my dreams by pushing me to do my best. Every single one of you teachers here was chosen for a reason; you don’t have to be named the corporation’s teacher of the year to be the teacher of the year to your students. Every single teacher I have ever had has truly cared about me and wanted me to succeed,” Malagon said. “I know many of you are not teachers but you, too, impact students daily and you can notice and challenge them whether you are a bus driver, secretary, cafeteria worker, custodian or a paraprofessional.”
She finished by thanking everyone who impacted her life in a positive way.
“Tomorrow, continue to do that with every student you meet,” she said.
Teachers Scott Sterk and David Wayne spoke about their efforts to feed starving children in the developing world through a partnership between Warsaw Community MobilePack and Feed My Starving Children.
Sterk explained that volunteers will prepare 1 million life-saving meals at the FMSC MobilePack™ Oct. 9-11 at Madison Elementary School. They’re raising the money now and will need about 5,000 volunteers to pack meals.
In 2000, a UNICEF study reported that about 18,000 children died every day from malnourishment and related diseases. That dropped by two-thirds in 2010, but there are still over 6,000 children dying every day.
Wayne said the number of children dying every day is close to WCS’s student population.
“But we are the solution – by donating and volunteering,” Wayne said.
For more information, visit FMSC.org
Hoffert has been superintendent for about 1-1/2 months, but he said Monday’s program was his first day “on the job.” He recalled being a student at WCHS, then a history teacher and how that affected him.
He spoke about how there’s something special about WCS and its mission statement. “Every employee here today is living within our mission statement every single day,” he said.
He concluded his remarks by challenging all of WCS to change the world for all of its students. “They’re looking for someone to make their world better,” he said.
On behalf of the school board, President Jennifer Tandy welcomed back everyone and told them that each one matters.
“When you’re having a tough day, remember you matter in the lives of these students,” she said.
The program also recognized the Support Staff, Special Services and Teacher of the Year. Pictures and information on those recognized can be found on page 5A of today’s newspaper or at timesuniononline.com[[In-content Ad]]
A current Warsaw student spoke about his dreams to be a motivational speaker, while a recent graduate talked about how WCS teachers helped her pursue her dreams. Two teachers spoke about how they are working to enrich the lives of malnourished children in the world.
Lorinda Kline, professional learning communities coach for WCS, introduced student Matt Metzger. As he moved to the center of the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center stage in his wheelchair, the crowd ecstatically cheered for him. Metzger is a former Washington STEM Academy and Edgewood Middle School student and a current WCHS student.
“He’s a success story we’re telling, who is living our mission,” Kline said.
She first met Metzger when he was in eighth grade. Since then, she said he’s changed her life and inspires her to be and do more.
Metzger said people go through challenges in life, like his dad who has battled testicular cancer the last two years, but you get through them. He said his mission was to inspire and equip all people, and he wants to be a motivational speaker so he can be “a shining light to the world.”
At WCS, he said everyone is part of the team. He thanked everyone from Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert to the cafeteria staff for being on his team and giving him a chance to fulfill his dream.
Vanessa Malagon is a 2014 WCHS graduate. On Aug. 23, she will start her college career at Butler University to study entrepreneurship and innovations and healthcare management.
“Both of my parents immigrated to the United States when they were both young and newly married because they wanted to start a family in the land of opportunities. Soon after, my older brother was born, then I came along, and finally my younger brother,” she said.
In elementary school she learned Spanish and English simultaneously. She would struggle with English at school, and her schoolwork was something her parents could rarely help her with.
“The support I could not get at home I received from teachers at school. They understood the struggles I was encountering, and taught me with patience, wisdom and with a kind heart. Teachers continously inspired me to do better by showing me that even the smallest progress was still progress and equipped me with the necessary tools needed to move forward to the next big step in my life,” she said.
In middle school, she said teachers reached out and taught her that what she was wearing and who she was dating did not matter as much as everyone thought. They showed her more important things like exploring interests she had and forming new ones. Thanks to her English teacher, her love for public speaking started in middle school.
“Encourage all students who walk through your classroom to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills, and you will find that you will show them new interests and you will show them that they don’t have to fit in because they already belong,” Malagon said.
In high school, she participated in many clubs and sports. She pushed her mind and body to new limits and made “incredible” friends.
“Teachers, you saw that I was an ambitious student, who wanted to test my limits. You noticed me,” she said. “Tomorrow, look at each one of your students and know that each one wants to be noticed; each one wants to be not only encouraged, but also tested.”
In her senior year, she tore her ACL on her senior night soccer game, and for a while she thought her high school career was over. She lost her ambition. Then her marketing and internship teacher showed her that things do not always go as planned and that she could conquer great things without playing any sports or being in as many clubs.
“Warsaw teachers, you have helped me pursue my dreams by pushing me to do my best. Every single one of you teachers here was chosen for a reason; you don’t have to be named the corporation’s teacher of the year to be the teacher of the year to your students. Every single teacher I have ever had has truly cared about me and wanted me to succeed,” Malagon said. “I know many of you are not teachers but you, too, impact students daily and you can notice and challenge them whether you are a bus driver, secretary, cafeteria worker, custodian or a paraprofessional.”
She finished by thanking everyone who impacted her life in a positive way.
“Tomorrow, continue to do that with every student you meet,” she said.
Teachers Scott Sterk and David Wayne spoke about their efforts to feed starving children in the developing world through a partnership between Warsaw Community MobilePack and Feed My Starving Children.
Sterk explained that volunteers will prepare 1 million life-saving meals at the FMSC MobilePack™ Oct. 9-11 at Madison Elementary School. They’re raising the money now and will need about 5,000 volunteers to pack meals.
In 2000, a UNICEF study reported that about 18,000 children died every day from malnourishment and related diseases. That dropped by two-thirds in 2010, but there are still over 6,000 children dying every day.
Wayne said the number of children dying every day is close to WCS’s student population.
“But we are the solution – by donating and volunteering,” Wayne said.
For more information, visit FMSC.org
Hoffert has been superintendent for about 1-1/2 months, but he said Monday’s program was his first day “on the job.” He recalled being a student at WCHS, then a history teacher and how that affected him.
He spoke about how there’s something special about WCS and its mission statement. “Every employee here today is living within our mission statement every single day,” he said.
He concluded his remarks by challenging all of WCS to change the world for all of its students. “They’re looking for someone to make their world better,” he said.
On behalf of the school board, President Jennifer Tandy welcomed back everyone and told them that each one matters.
“When you’re having a tough day, remember you matter in the lives of these students,” she said.
The program also recognized the Support Staff, Special Services and Teacher of the Year. Pictures and information on those recognized can be found on page 5A of today’s newspaper or at timesuniononline.com[[In-content Ad]]
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