The 26th annual West Geauga Senior Citizens Recognition Dinner will be held on May 10 at 4:30 p.m. in the West Geauga Middle…
Senior Citizens Recognition
The 26th annual West Geauga Senior Citizens Recognition Dinner will be held on May 10 at 4:30 p.m. in the West Geauga Middle School cafeteria, 8611 Cedar Road in Chester Township.
Sponsored by West Geauga Local Schools and the Rotary Club of Chesterland, the evening promises to be both entertaining and full of friendly faces. Please join to honor and recognize Geauga County Sheriff Daniel McClelland and Midge.
Payment of $5 per person will be collected at the door. For reservations, call the West Geauga Board of Education Office at 440-729-6812 by May 3.
For more information, visit www.westg.org.
Hillcrest Student Athletes of the Month
Congratulations to West Geauga High School seniors Brittni Mason and Dakota Medley in recognition of Hillcrest Insurance Group Student Athletes of the Month. Mason and Medley both competed in the Ohio Indoor Track Championships at the University of Akron on March 5.
Mason finished first place in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.56, setting the new state record Division II/III. She also finished in second place in the 200. Mason is a captain of the girls track team and maintains a 3.5 GPA. Mason recently signed her letter of intent to continue her track career at Eastern Michigan University.
Medley finished in the fifth place with a time of 1:59.25, earning him ALL-OHIO honors in the 800. He trained at the Spire Institute over the winter and dedicated himself to become a stronger, faster runner. Medley also ran cross country in the fall for WGHS. He is currently a member of the boys track team and recently named captain of the boys track team. Medley maintains a 3.7 GPA.
Interacting With the Community
With over 150 general members, the West Geauga High School Interact Club is fast growing in its popularity. The Interact Club is a self-governing, self-supporting non-profit volunteer organization at WGHS through Rotary International. The club promotes leadership skills through hard work, individual responsibility, and an advanced understanding of global goodwill.
The Interact Club participates in many fundraisers and volunteers at many events inside and outside of the district. Club members have performed over 1,000 hours of community service and that number continues to increase daily, according to club advisor Chelsea Talty.
Their most recent fundraiser, painting a bookshelf and holding a book drive, was in collaboration with Interact clubs in the Rotary District 6630. As part of the district project, they held a book drive to collect enough books to fill the bookshelf they painted. They well surpassed their goal and collected approximately 700 books.
At the Rotary District Conference on April 23, the WGHS Interact Club presented the bookshelf and books. They will be distributed to children in communities who otherwise would not have access to books.
Yoga at Lindsey
Instead of their regular gym class, students in Kristyn Nicolsi’s fifth-grade class at Lindsey Elementary School had a yoga class led by Christine Song, yoga instructor at the Geauga County YMCA. Song has been practicing yoga for 20 years and teaching for five years. Students learned some of the basic poses and principles of yoga.
“It was my intention that the students experience a different type of activity that helps improve strength and flexibility,” Nicolosi commented, adding that strength and flexibility are two components covered under the physical education state standards. “Students appreciated the opportunity to learn yoga.”
WGHS Celebrates Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month. Statistics from the CDC identify 1 in 68 children on the autism spectrum. Autism occurs along a spectrum, meaning it can affect each person differently. Some common characteristics among people with autism are difficulty communicating and forming relationships.
Many may be familiar with the Autism Awareness Ribbon. The puzzle piece pattern of the ribbon reflects the mystery and complexity of autism. The different colors and shapes represent the diversity of the people and families living with autism. The brightness of the ribbon represents hope – hope through research and increasing awareness to people in the community.
West Geauga High School has many students on the autism spectrum both in the traditional and self-contained classrooms. This year, the students and staff in West Geauga High School are celebrating thanks to the organizing efforts of STARS program intervention specialist Sara DeMuch. STARS stands for Specialized Teaching for students with Autism and Resource Support.
To help raise awareness and support the students that are on the spectrum, WGHS will be connecting acts of kindness to form a kindness chain that spreads throughout the school for the entire month of April. The STARS students passed out strips of paper in different colors to teachers in each grade level. The STARS students have been busy tracking all the acts of kindness to determine which grade(s) will be the “kindest” during the month of April, according to DeMuch.
“With less than a week left, it looks like the seniors are taking the lead as being the kindest class with the sophomore class close behind.”
The STARS students also created a “take what you need” board that is displayed in the main hallway of the high school. Filled with inspirational quotes and messages for students to take or add a message of their own. “We have already refilled the board four times.”
The kindness theme throughout the month has allowed for more exposure, awareness and interactions between the students on the spectrum and their peers.
“It is my hope that we continue to form some connections and encourage students to come and visit our class on a regular basis,” said DeMuch. “Through these connections, their peers will have a better understanding of students on the spectrum and some of the difficulties they face daily.”
Special Person’s Day
The kindergarten students at Westwood Elementary School celebrated with songs and memories for those they adore. Guests were treated to a musical performance by the kindergarten students and a slide presentation. After the presentation, the students and their “special person” took a tour of the school and kindergarten classrooms. All enjoyed the delicious refreshments and goods donated by many local businesses.
