A first timer tries Panera

My friends are always talking about how delicious Panera Bread is. Unfortunately I was never able to agree with them because I had never had Panera Bread. That all changed last Friday.

I’m not sure why I've never had it--maybe just because it never came to mind when wanting something new. When I went there I got a turkey and cheese panini and a cup of New England clam chowder soup. The turkey and cheese panini was a great choice. It had chopped oven-roasted turkey and I believe 3 or 4 different kinds of melted cheese. The sandwich was put on a griddle of some sort and was warmed up to a crisp. The sandwich looked so appetizing. When I took my first bite I was taken over by a delectable taste. It was one the best sandwiches I had ever eaten.

And don’t even get me started on the soup. The soup was scrumptious. The clam was not too overwhelming, but it was plentiful. What made it even better was the side of bread they gave me to dip in the soup--exquisite. I would one hundred and ten percent recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a small, but filling meal. I can’t complain about the price either. The pricing is quite affordable. If you have never had Panera Bread before, I advise you to try it!

By: Ashley Kivikoski

Reconsider our American duty

In the past ten years, the United States has helped Afghanistan tremendously, and now President Obama is planning on taking the troops out of Afghanistan. Our troops will be leaving even though they are essential in helping train Afghan soldiers how to capture and kill terrorists, so they know how to defend themselves. Although the U.S. has been a great help to Afghanistan, they still have a long way to go and will have a hard time fighting off terrorists and other hostile countries without us.

Clearly, this war has taken a toll on our economy. We have plenty of our own problems to worry about; however, it would be cowardly and un-American to bail on them now when they have already come so far. It puts a bad name on our country to think that just because we are now having complications here, our country believes we can leave the people we are helping, and that rely on us.  No, Americans stand up for what’s right. We don’t leave people behind for our own benefit. If we had no intention of helping them push through to the end, we should not have gotten involved in the first place. What happens if they retaliate after we leave and try to get back at us for not helping them when they needed it most? That would cause a greater conflict than what we’re already dealing with. Obama has good intentions, but he should seriously reconsider what he might be getting the United States into.

By Kelly Beecher

Westminster Now Involved With Uganda Community

The Westminster community has recently connected with a family in Uganda. David, the father, lost his parents at a young age and grew up living on the streets. Because of his childhood experiences, David made it a point to reach out to kids who have been orphaned and are forced to reside in the sufferings of the streets. He and his wife Esther currently have nine children living with them; three of their own and six that were previously living as street kids. Their family works to spread the love of God throughout their primarily Muslim community. In addition to helping street kids, Esther has made it a focus to help girls escape the traps of prostitution for economic provisions.

There is high anticipation for the relationships being built between our school community and theirs. Last Wednesday, students gathered to write letters to the children living with David and Esther. Any students not able to make it on Wednesday still has an opportunity to send a letter, but it must be given to Ellie Fink by Friday, Oct, 29.

In addition to writing letters to David and Esther’s children, Westminster is also going to sell bracelets and necklaces. These were made by AIDS widows that have connections to David and Esther. Purchasing these necklaces and bracelets will help women provide for their family's daily needs.  The items made by the AIDS widows will be sold Nov. 5 at the Fellowship Dinner. Further sales will be taking place throughout the year at different school events. Any students interested in helping will have the opportunity to sign up for days to sell.

Westminster looks forward to God’s plans for their involvement with David, Esther, and the community!

By Ellie Fink

Cast announced for fall play

"You Can't Take It With You" cast

Martin Vanderhof – Alex Howell

Alice – Allie Sleeting

Penelope Sycamore – Bekah Sunday

Paul Sycamore – Zack Sullivan

Essie – Anais Tabor

Ed – Jerod Miller

Rheba – Alivia DeHaan

Donald – Tyler Greene

Mr. De Pinna – Brian Pohlmeier

Tony Kirby – Bryce McAuliffe

Mrs. Kirby – Katie Pluymert

Mr. Kirby – Jimmy Chapman

Gay Wellington – Joy Guge

Henderson – Brooke Bertsche

Kolenkhov –  Taylor DePola

Olga – Shirley Irwin

Three Investigators – Claire Kuda, Dylan Scully, Kelsey Richardson

Origins of Halloween

The controversial holiday of Halloween has been celebrated for many decades. It is believed that Halloween began way back from the Celtic people on Samhain. The folks believed that during this time the border between the dead became thin. The people believed that the spirits of the restless dead would visit them if they dressed up as the spirits themselves. During this time families would try to make ancestors feel welcome, but they struggled with how to ward off evil spirits. Thus the costumes. They believed that they could ward off the evil spirits by dressing up and their family members would know it was them and would still feel welcomed.

The actual name “Halloween” recently came around in the 16th century. The name derives from Old Irish and roughly translated means, “Summers End.” The part of “trick-or-treating” came along later. Children would dress up as ghosts and spirits and go around asking for treats. “Trick” refers to a threat to the house owner if a treat is not given.

A Christian perspective on this holiday is commonly celebrated as All Saints Day or Reformation Day. The controversy between the holiday is evident due to the fact of welcoming spirits to your home and dressing as evil spirits. Still the moral questions remains, if one is dressed as a princess or a knight and asking for candy, is it welcoming and celebrating spirits?

By Anais Tabor

Soccer sectionals end in an upsetting loss

This past weekend, our Warrior boys soccer team played at Sectionals. The game was against Chicago Latin, and held at Lisle Jr. High. The teams were evenly matched. The Warriors scored one goal, made by Josh Beachler, while the opposing team scored two goals. There were plenty of opportunities for the each side to have scored more. However, they all played fairly well. Even though this game was a loss, the rest of the  boys’ season makes up for it. 

    By: Becky Welc

Cold weather leaves school in a melancholy mood

One exciting privilege of being a student at Westminster is the opportunity to eat lunch outside. Outdoor lunch is a thing that students look forward to during the week. Usually there are two days, Tuesday and Thursday, when lunch is held outside in the school yard, weather permitting. Sometimes, if the weather is especially wonderful, there will even be more than that. Unfortunately, as the weather gets colder, the outdoor lunches grow fewer. This Monday marked one of the last outdoor lunches to take place this year. It was a little chilly and windy, but most students took this chance to enjoy eating outside. Besides the cold change in climate, the fewer number of outdoor lunches is one way students at WCS will be able to tell that winter is coming.

- By Brittany Booth

Regionals mark the end of the Cross Country season

The cross country team had their last meet on Saturday at the regional meet in Seneca, Illinois.

Everyone was ready to run at 10 that morning, but there was a short delay on the race because of a small thunderstorm. The girls’ race was first, and senior Brittany Booth ran alone as an individual for Westminster.

Promptly after, the boys’ race began, and Greg Benson, Josh Cleghorn, and Isaac Benson also ran as individuals for WCS. Everyone ran through rain, mud, and puddles to get to the finish, and thankfully, everyone did finish. Each runner was supported by their family, and Mr. and Mrs. Palmer also came to cheer on the racers.

This has been a great season for the WCS cross country team despite not having a full team. Larry Cochran, especially, has been a wonderful coach devoted to the success of his team. The athletes have also been blessed with no major injuries, and great weather to run in. And most importantly, for all of these athletic blessings and talents, let the praise and glory go to God.

By Brittany Booth

Warriors' season end against Chicago Latin

The Warriors took on Chicago Latin in the Sectional Semifinal matchup.  The Warriors took the lead early off a Josh Beachler free kick.  The goal was Beachler's 41st of the season.  The game was tightly contested throughout the first half.  Chicago Latin, however, responded with 2 goals before the half ended so Latin led the Warriors 2-1 at half.  The second half was much like the first half with both teams having opportunities on goal.  Unlike the first half, though, neither team would score despite several good chances by both teams.  Chicago Latin moves on to play Lisle in the Sectional Championship.  This game marked the end for the Warriors season.  The Warriors achieved their goal of consecutive regional championships, they were hoping to advance farther but overall it was a successful season.

'Social Network' not just about Facebook

“The Social Network” is about Mark Zuckerburg, the creator of Facebook, and all the social and emotional difficulties he goes through while he makes what is now known as the world's greatest social website.

Contrary to popular belief, “The Social Network” is not a movie about Facebook. Instead, it is about Mark Zuckerburg’s loneliness and desperation for social acceptance, and how out of this desperation Facebook is created. The feeling of loneliness that is displayed throughout the film is magnified tenfold by Trent Reznor's soundtrack that captures the feelings and emotions perfectly with every electronic beat.

In this film the extremely talented director David Fincher tells a fantastic and engaging story, but also a story that is applicable because of Facebook's extreme popularity. Everyone can relate with the emotions and social angst that the main character goes through when he decides to create this web site. At first I was skeptical with Fincher’s choice of casting Justin Timberlake, but Fincher did a great job of reigning Timberlake in and actually forcing him to act. Fincher did a fantastic job of bringing out the best, not just in Timberlake, but of everyone in the cast. This is a testament to how incredible a director Fincher really is because he can get everyone to perform at their best. With all the actors at their peak, a remarkable director and a recent, relevant story, this film adds up to be very powerful.

In conclusion, “The Social Network” is a film that portrays the social angst of one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. Even if all the events in the film aren’t true they are depicted with a grace that only David Fincher could bring to the table, and it gets a very real point across. Since the film deals with why people really join Facebook, hopefully everyone who leaves the theatre after this film and inevitably opens their Facebook account will think about why they have a Facebook account and if Facebook deals with problems, or just make things worse.

4 out of 4 stars

--By Ben Stevenson

Chocolate for a Good Cause

Chef Alan Roby is the executive pastry chef of the Hyatt Hotel chain. He also owns a chocolate shop in Geneva called Chef Roby’s.  He has traveled around the world and has a Master's degree in the pastry arts.  In 2006, he made the world's largest chocolate sculpture. For every purchase made at his shop, money is donated to the Saving Tiny Hearts Foundation.   His oldest son collapsed while playing football and it turned out to be a heart defect.  Chef Roby and his wife didn’t suspect anything was wrong with him--he seemed completely healthy.  Chef Roby learned that he wasn’t alone, that congenital heart defects are the number one birth defect.  Chef Roby joined the foundation because it was so helpful in his time of need.  He is an amazing sugar artist, and he works with chocolate as well. Currently, he is working on a life size chocolate replica of his kitchen. 

--By Claire Kuda

JV volleyball comes to a close

Thursday, Oct. 21, the JV volleyball team had their final game of the season. They won the first game, came close to winning the second, and lost the third, but never gave up.  The junior varsity had a year filled with many games and lots of fun.  Some of the girls’ best memories were the car rides to and from different schools, the inside jokes and team bonding. The team loved working together, particularly in the last practice.  

The players had mixed emotions about the season ending.  Many girls said that they are relieved to be able to come home right after school,  to have time to relax and do their homework. However, the girls all said that they will miss the season as well.  Alexis Brenner said, “I'm also going to miss it a lot, though. I love volleyball and all the girls on the team. I feel like it gives me something else fun to do during the school week other than homework. And all of the girls had so much fun together.”  Another player, Alison Howey, said, “For the most part, I'm so sad the season is over.  It was such a fun time with learning new things and bonding with our teammates.”

Several junior varsity players will be part of the new varsity team next season.  “I’m looking forward to being pushed harder and really improving personally and as a team,” said Sarah Schiesser as she looks forward to next season.  Shirley Irwin said, “I’m looking forward to reconnecting with different people.”  The girls are excited to move up a level and to expand their volleyball skills in the season ahead of them. For the time being, they are thankful for more time to relax.

As the volleyball season comes to a close, junior varsity volleyball is pleased with their outcome at the end of the season. Looking to the season ahead,  they hope to be even more successful next year.

Warriors lose lost home game

Last night was the last home match for many Warrior seniors. These girls have meant a lot in building up the Warrior volleyball program.

Hannah Graves had 8 kills and 5 assists and Katie Surratt added 9 assists and 3 digs for the Warriors (18-9-1) in a 25-20, 25-12 nonconference loss. Whitney VandenBos added 3 aces, 5 digs for Westminster. 

(Daily Herald report contributed)

"Inventions" is a beginning

No one can play "Fantasie Impromptu" without practice. To play difficult piano notes, one must start with basic skills. This is why many pianists, such as Czerny and Hanon, wrote and published lesson books for students. Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the Baroque composers and famous organists, also wrote compositions for his pupils. Inventions, one of his many works, played an important role in classical music.

Bach composed 15 Inventions (two parts) and 15 Sinfonias (three parts) of short piano compositions that start from C major to B minor, and usually people call these 30 notes "Inventions." Although he was not the one who invented the genre, Bach did elevate this genre through this work. He composed these to help students develop their techniques and composition skills.  Inventions are usually used for exercising rather than performing.

Inventions and Sinfonias are arranged in an identical fashion, in ascending order by key. They are similar but much simpler than Fugue. The notes do not look complicated; however, they require intense concentration to play because of the slurs. They are so elaborate and precise that when I read the notes, I often feel that I'm looking at math equations. They don't sound enormous like others, but they definitely have beautiful sounds from their unique characters.

Now Inventions is one of the most important courses for people who want to play piano. As you follow the steps that Bach walks you through in his lesson books, you will realize that your skills are improving so much and that your fingers are now making beautiful music.

Westminster Warriors Win Regional Title

The Warrior boys soccer team took on North Shore Country Day for the Regional Championship. North Shore quickly proved to be the Warriors most challenging opponent that they have faced thus far in the regional playoffs.

Westminster began the game with a slow start, with most of the shots taken by North Shore.  However, a shot from Steve Baier brought the ball form the post into Josh Beachler's good positioning, giving the Warriors the first goal of the game.

Going into the second half Westminster was leading 1-0. After recovering to the slow start, the Warriors quickly extended the lead by a goal from Tim Rodgers; making the final score of the game Warriors 2 North Shore 0.

The Warriors victory brought Westminster its second consecutive Regional Title. Their Sweet 16 game takes place Saturday, October 23 at 4 pm. Come and support the Warriors at Lisle Junior High as they play for a spot in the Elite 8!

By Ellie Fink

WCS captures regional championship

The Westminster Christian soccer team is continuing the legacy of Warrior sports.

The Warriors took down a fiesty North Shore Country Day team 2-0.  The first half was evenly contested for the most part.  North Shore had ball possession in the Warriors' territory for much of the half, but the Warriors were the ones who came away with a 1-0 lead at half. 

The Warrior's Josh Beachler scored a rebound goal off of a Steven Baier shot that hit the left post.  In the second half, the Warriors were the ones with possession in North Shore's side for much of the half.  The Warriors managed another rebound goal, this time it was Tim Rodgers scoring for the Warriors. 

The Warriors would hold the lead the rest of the way, and win their second consecutive Regional Championship.

By Andrew Mason

Disaster strikes Hungary and surrounding countries

On Monday, Oct. 4, a containment reservoir containing toxic red sludge ruptured, releasing its contents into Western Hungary. Three of the nineteen counties in Hungary have declared a state of emergency. This sludge, containing heavy metals such as aluminum, nickel, and lead, is a byproduct of a process performed at a nearby aluminum plant. Due to its chemical makeup, this sludge is highly toxic and has already taken at least eight lives. In addition to these, approximately one hundred and twenty were injured with chemical burns, eleven of which are in critical condition.

However, the main concern with this great flood of chemical sludge is its effect on the Danube River – the second-largest river in Europe. The Danube flows through ten countries including Germany, Austria, Hungary and Ukraine, but the water in its streams is used as drinking water for much of Europe. The toxic leak has already wrought environmental havoc on the Marcal River and the Raba River - western tributaries of the Danube - killing all plant and animal life.

However “upon entering the Danube, the sludge has been diluted such that its alkalinity has fallen from 13 to around 10 on the Ph scale,” the Associate Press reports. Due to this decline in alkalinity, the effects on life in the Danube have not been as severe as those seen in the smaller branches of the river. Further efforts are being made to lower the toxicity of the sludge by pouring plaster into the river. Officials are constantly monitoring the river and taking PH tests to deduce whether the treatments are working.

The long-term effects of the toxic flood could go on for years. Some of the Hungarian villages which were closest to the dam were written off by the country’s Prime Minister as unable to be refurbished. Military forces are aiding with disaster relief and repair, but the process is still projected to take months, if not years, to fully repair the devastated country.

This has been the worst chemical disaster in all of Hungary’s history.

By: Anne Lehan

It's shower time!

Showers are loved by all, whether people want to admit it or not. Most people spend anywhere between ten and twenty minutes soaking in the warm water.

Some, however, take much longer, anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes. The heat simply feels good and they want to spend as much time as possible in it.

In addition to standing around in the warmth, everyone sings at one point in their life in the shower. There’s even the occasional person who sings every time they’re showering! Also, it’s a simple known fact that girls typically spend more time in the shower than boys do. Yet that doesn’t imply anything! Guys take their dandy time when it’s a weekend or day off of work/school. Lots of time is spent in this sacred place because it’s the time when people can relax and contemplate everything that is going on in their life.

However, the trouble is that, sadly, water consumption increases every year by about 1 percent. And even worse, no one acts like they care. Eventually, the message to shrink down shower usage will spread and fun in the shower will minimize to a lower time span.

By: Becky Welc

Warriors win, reach chapionship game

The Warriors took on Elgin Academy in this regional semifinal matchup.  It was all Warriors from beginning to end. 

Josh Beachler scored a whopping 5 goals, and Steven Hoeflich, Josh Sanders, and Tim Rodgers each added a goal. 

The Warriors take on North Shore Country Day at 4 p.m. today for the Regional Championship.

"Cuckoo's Nest" is cast

In case you haven’t already heard the past week there have been auditions for the one act play version of “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest,” and after a week of rigorous try outs we have a pretty good idea of who is going to play each character.

Most of the characters in the play are male, so I'll start with the female parts. Allison Sleeting will play Nurse Ratched, Alivia Dehaan is going to play Nurse Flinn, and Joy Guge is going to play Candy.

The male characters include Bryce Mcauliffe who is going to play R.P. McMurphy, Alex Howell as Harding, Travis Thomason will play Billy Bibbit, Zach Sullivan will play Scanlon, Jerad Miller is going to play Cheswick, and Paxson Kelly is going to play Martini.

As of right now all of the spots except for one have been filled; we are still trying to figure out who will play Chief, but we have a good  idea for who could fill the role and by Monday the whole cast list should be finished.

--By Ben Stevenson

Family Feud: A game or an addiction?

Throughout the last month or so many of us facebook users have tumbled upon the game Family Feud.  It starts out as a simple curiosity for the game.  You start playing it for fun or maybe because many of your friends are playing it.  Next thing you know your checking out who needs help winning fast money or playing your free episodes every time you log in to facebook.  Before you know it, it's a full blown addiction for the game.  Then you’re the one trying to be at the top of the leader board each week with the most points.  You’re sending out as many fast money requests to your friends as possible.  Once you have reached this point you will have a hard time stopping this peculiar addiction. 

My advice for facebook users who have not yet started this highly addictive game would be to never start playing this game. Family Feud may sound fun at first but once you get going it will be nearly impossible to stop. 

By Andrew Mason

A shoe can save a life

TOMS Shoes is a company that is trying to make a difference.  The goal is to give children living in poverty around the world shoes. 

Living without shoes can cost a child his life because of the injuries and infections he can get.  It can even keep children out of school because shoes are a part of the uniform.

For every pair of shoes TOMS sells, they give a pair of equal value to a child who needs them.  The shoes are a little pricey, but when you think about it, you are possibly saving a child’s life.  The pay off is worth the cost in my opinion.

Every year an event is held called “One Day Without Shoes.” This event is to raise awareness about the impact shoes can have on a child’s life.  You go all day without wearing shoes to feel what it is like, just for a day, to live without shoes.  If you want to be a part of this event you can register for it at http://www.toms.com/. 

The simple act of buying a pair of shoes can change a child’s life, don’t you think it’s worth it?

By Claire Kuda

Cross Country ends season with joy

The strong but lonely cross country team has been doing great this year.

Since they only have about ten people they are not considered a team. Each player has achieved his or her own special goals. For example, Greg Benson, a senior on the team, has said that, “I have improved two minutes in running the three mile race. My original time was twenty minutes thirty seconds and now is down to eighteen minutes thirty-seven seconds.”

According to Benson, the team has done great despite the fact that they do not have enough people. Cross country is said to be a blast. So you should give cross country a try too!

By: Ashley Kivikoski

Warriors win first regional game

Westminster boys’ soccer regional began October 13. The team faced off against St. Martin de Porres. With no history of playing the opponent, the Warriors entered the game with little knowledge of what to expect.

After the game started, the anticipation continued to rise when St. Martin scored the first goal. However, Josh Beachler quickly stepped up with 2 goals, giving the warriors a 2-1 half time lead. Steven Hoeflich opened the second half with the third goal. St. Martin, however, quickly gained its second goal with a made penalty kick.

The game was 3-2, Warriors leading with 25 minutes to go. Beachler extended the lead with a penalty kick, followed by goals by Josh Sanders and Tim Rogers.  The Warriors pulled through with a 6-2 victory and a positive start to the season regional.

When asked about how the first win, felt captain Luke Carani said that he simply felt, “relieved.” Josh Beachler and Steven Hoeflich added, “We play for God and everything else just falls into place.”

The Warriors play Elgin Academy at 11 a.m. this Saturday, Oct. 16, on the Westminster home field. Come and support the Warriors as their hunt for sectionals continues!

By Ellie Fink

WCS girls athletes honor parents

Besides players and coaches, what does a sports team really need?  To make a good sports team, there needs to be more than skill and hard work. A good sports team needs fans, a group of people coming together to support and encourage a team. This group of people is essential to any good sports team. However, there is a group even more necessary and essential to a good sports team: parents. The parents of athletes are responsible for taking them to games, practices, encouraging them, and sometimes helping them nurse injuries. 

The fall sports season is wrapping up and all of the WCS sports teams have had great seasons up to this point regarding their athletes. They have worked hard to achieve their goals and have shown improvement. And behind all their efforts, there were always the parents.

At the volleyball game on Oct. 12, the gym was filled with participants from the Girl's Cross Country, Golf, and Volleyball teams to honor their parents for Parent Night. To show appreciation for their support and encouragement to our athletes, Westminster made time for the parents. With an announcement from Mr. Palmer, each athlete walked across the gym to the bleachers, found their parents, and brought a rose to them. This event provided recognition to parents and gave a boost to the team, which will lead them to finish their season strong.

By Yoha Lee

Pastor Larry speaks about evangelism

Tuesday started the week off here at WCS, and included a very interesting assembly. Not many students were sure why an assembly was called, but at the end of seventh period, everyone made their way over to the sanctuary to gather. Pastor Larry Vanderaa was the special speaker who came to talk about his experiences with a particular Islamic ethnic group in West Africa.

Mr. Vanderaa has been a missionary for quite some time and has focused his ministry on reaching out to Muslims. The specific group that he spoke about on this day was a nomadic Muslim tribe called the Fulani. He began saying how he and his family moved and lived with the Fulani group for many years. This involved eating with them, dressing like them, spending time with them, and respecting them.

Mr. Vanderaa wanted to make sure that they knew he cared for them before he told them about the message of Christ. After 12 years of devotion to these people, one member of the Fulani converted to Christianity. Sixteen years after that, the majority of their tribe was now following Jesus Christ.

After this inspiring story, Pastor Larry played a video slideshow of pictures from his experiences along with a worship song praising Allah. He then pointed out the similarities between how we view Christ and how Muslims view Him.

Pastor Larry Vanderaa then started to make his main point. He encouraged everyone to be loving towards people of different groups, religions, and backgrounds. If we learn to welcome in those who have different beliefs or perceptions, we may get the chance to teach them about God’s love and the great news of Jesus Christ.

By Brittany Booth

Dance influences the nation

Over time, the popularity of dance has increased greatly. This is true because of quite a few reasons. For starters, ninety-nine percent of all households in the U.S. own at least one television set, which means most, if not all, of that percent watches television at some point in time.

New shows catch the interest of those who watch cable daily or weekly. These shows include dance series such as “So You Think You Can Dance,” “America’s Best Dance Crew,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and sometimes “America’s Got Talent.” All of these are aimed at different age groups but are enjoyed by all.

Another example of the increase in knowledge of dance is being friends with a dancer. Many people are influenced by their peers and hear of the types of dances their fellow peers participate in.

Also, dance is a great way to stay in shape. It gets you moving and helps you to maintain a rhythm. Ballet is considered to be the hardest class to take. It builds up muscles, flexibility, and balance. Other kinds of dances include Hip-Hop, Jazz, Musical Theater, Lyrical, Tap, etc. The styles also vary in different countries.

Dance has become well-known to many. More and more people talk about it, watch it, or join in on it. No matter how hard people may try, dance will never die.

By Becky Welc

Golf wrap-up

For the first time in a while, the boy's regional golf match was played in good sunny weather.  However, the sunny weather was the only bright side for many of the golfers at Elgin Country Club.  It is a tough course with hills basically everywhere on the course, which is what tricked up many golfers on this day.  It also has a multitude of trees right off the fairway, so it was a must for the players to get in the fairway. 

For the Warriors, Christian Benson advanced on to sectionals as an individual.  The boys team as a whole didn't score high enough to qualify. 

It was a good season for the team and this senior class that is now leaving.  The future golf teams will look to build on this senior class' legacy.

The Hawks attack Warriors

Thursday, October 7 resulted in a loss for the WCS Warriors soccer team.

With the seniors gone, the team’s spirit was knocked down, which ended up being a reason for the defeat of our team.

The game started ten minutes early and had a score of 0-1 not even half way through the first period. The game ended with a score of 2-4, a victory for Kirkland’s Hiawatha Hawks.

The seniors were missed and will be welcomed back with much happiness from both the soccer team and many other students. Our pride was knocked down, but not all the way. There’s always basketball season to get revenge on the Hawks!

By Becky Welc

Senior trip update

Hey, everybody back home! This is Katie Pluymert, writing from the senior class trip at Deer Run Retreat just outside of Franklin, Tennessee. We have had an exciting experience filled with adventure and meaningful moments, and there is still plenty of weekend left to enjoy. We have been paintballing, rock climbing, navigating through high ropes courses, and team building. Last night we spent time as a class around the campfire for hours, sharing memories and encouraging one another in our plans for the future and in the time we have still together.

We had a scare on Thursday afternoon when our classmate Alex Rogers took a trip to the emergency room after a paintballing accident. He was left with a chipped collarbone and a hole in his shoulder after taking a heroic dive on the field. He underwent many stitches and even went into surgery. Alex is doing well, however, and has re-joined the group to finish out the week building community with his classmates. Please keep his recovery process in your prayers, and thank the Lord that his injury did not have more dire consequences!

All in all, the senior trip has been an impactful experience for every student and teacher that is participating. We’re having a great week!

--By Katie Pluymert

Landslide hits Mexico

During the month of September, landslides have been happening left and right in southern Mexico.  Authorities think the landslides are occurring because of all the rain they have been getting.  One specific town that was hit hard by a landslide was Oaxaca, a small village on a mountain.

The landslide started Tuesday, Sept. 28, at around 3:40 a.m.  It was dark and raining hard.  The governor, Ulises Ruiz, was called by the mayor and was told that several people and hundreds of houses may have been buried.  Later that day Ulises Ruiz appeared on television and said that the number of deaths could be as high as 1,000.  Later authorities announced that they thought there were seven casualties and 100 missing.  But Ulises Ruiz soon announced that there were only four dead and twelve missing.  Later, they finally announced the real facts.  First, the deaths were not confirmed and 200 houses were evacuated.  Three houses were completely buried, while two were only half buried.    

The search continues for those who were buried and those waiting to be rescued, and Mexican workers will spend a great deal of time clearing out the debris.  Help was needed immediately, but now they are overpopulated by rescuers. Reports are saying that because there are so many of them, it is making it harder to dig and clear out debris.  As they are clearing up debris there is going to be a lot of work ahead for the residents of Oaxaca, Mexico, to build up their village to what it was before. 

--By Elizabeth Farwell

Oh, it's "You Again"

A good comedy is always fun to see during the school year. It’s nice to unwind, relax, and laugh it up! Although it might be hard to find any free time during the week, I would suggest trying to make your way over to a theater near you to see a movie. Perhaps the most talked about comedy in theaters right now is “You Again”, starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, and Betty White. Despite its PG rating, this movie seems to be more of a movie for teens and adults.

The story starts off with the main character Marni, played by Kristen Bell, telling her story about the tragic days of high school. The plot really starts getting going when Marni finds out that her brother is marrying the girl who bullied her all throughout school. Not long after, Marni’s mother, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, discovers that her very own high school rival (Sigourney Weaver) is also going to become a big part of their life when the wedding occurs. As anyone would assume, a complicated web of grudges and resentment is spun, making this a very interesting movie.

This film is funnier than most other comedies I have seen recently. Funny lines were often delivered by Betty White, who predictably played a kooky and strange grandmother. The story was tied together nicely and was somewhat original. Like most comedy films, the acting was not phenomenal, but it was effective, and the actors made the movie enjoyable. Unfortunately, this story line seemed a bit familiar to me. Some elements have been presented in other movies and were not exactly new ideas. However, “You Again” has a great cast and is a movie I would recommend. It’s not something you need to see in theaters, but is definitely worth watching.

3 out of 5 stars.

By Brittany Booth

Golf Season Ends with Historic Regionals

The Westminster Boys Regional took place Oct. 5 at Elgin Country Club.

After a successful season record, the team was prepared to take on their 18 hole challenge.  David Lindberg finished with a 101, Andrew Mason and Caleb Gannon with a 99, and Christian Benson with a qualifying score of 89. Christian will be one of the contenders continuing on to sectionals.

Oct. 6 was Westminster’s first girls’ golf team regional. The event took place at the challenging course of Golf Club of Illinois.

Although no girls qualified, the team was pleased with the historic results. Anne Lehaan missed qualifying by a mere 3 strokes and Ellie Fink by 1.

The top individual results were Kaitlyn Dahlman with a 153, Mckaila Conforti with a 141, Anne Lehaan with a 132, and Ellie Fink with a 130.

Overall, both teams had a strong finish to the seasons. The boy’s sectionals will be held at the golf club of Illinois on October 11. Come and support Christian as he begins his fight towards state!  

--By Ellie Fink

Outdoors Club announces camping trip

The Outdoors Club is full of many different kinds of people. It has kids from all grades and many different backgrounds.They all come together for a grander purpose; to enjoy the outdoors.

This year's excursions consist of many camping trips (including snow camping), hiking, and much more. Coming up soon in October, the group is heading down to the Chain Of Lakes here in Illinois. They will be meeting at school early in the afternoon to take off on the adventure. Once they arrive they are going to go hiking, cook outdoors, set up camp, and of course, make s'mores.

The club is led by Dr. Marsh, and the students all give their input about what they want to do, then he makes it happen. The vision of the club is to enjoy God's creation and immerse themselves in it; having fun with it is simply implied. The enthusiasm within this diverse group is promising, and they are all going to be bonding and enjoying one another's company.

---By Anais Tabor

Ride for Refugees raises funds

The Ride for Refugees is a fundraiser raising money for orphans, widows, and street kids. It is a huge bike ride using pledges to raise money. This event was held on Oct. 2nd in Geneva, Illinois.

This event is getting bigger every year. It is now hosted in many communities across Canada, the USA, and Australia. People can participate in a few different ways: by giving money to a rider or a team, by riding a bike in a team or individually for 5 to 60 miles, or helping as a volunteer for ride day.

Last Saturday in Geneva,  201 people finished the ride in the freezing cold weather. Some Westminster students and Mrs. Dutcher participated in the event as volunteers.  Students helped at the stops where riders could take a rest and have some food. Event coordinator Mrs. Victoria Grant said she, “appreciated all the help from the students.”

In 2010, they estimate that nearly $1,000,000 in grants will be disbursed to over 200 churches and charities applying for this program. The ability to help the Ride for Refuge campaign is not over yet and anyone can still participate. For more information please visit http://www.rideforrefuge.org/.

By Yoha Lee

"Catfish" full of surprises

“Catfish” is a movie about a guy and his relationship with a girl he met over the internet. He lives with his brother and friend who are both filmmakers. They decide to make a film about his relationship. This may not sound like a very intriguing premise, but don’t let it fool you--the last forty minutes of the film are easily some of the most unsettling footage you will see for some time.

I am aware that now I have told you this you will try and think of every possible way this movie could end. After a few minutes of brief thought you will just give up and look it up on the internet. But, for the few people that don’t do this and decide not to ruin the movie for themselves, I will say this: the movie does a great job of sucking the viewer in, and when the plot does start to thicken, it takes every twist and turn very smoothly and creates a great atmosphere.

So, in the end, “Catfish” is an unconventional movie that leads to an unsuspecting and deeply unsettling conclusion that will keep the audience thinking over the shocking outcome that they have just seen.

3 out of 4 stars  

--By Ben Stevenson

Trinity visits WCS

“College” is the focus this week for Westminster’s high school. Colleges from all over the country have come to show the students what they are all about.

Yesterday, Trinity Christian College was one of the three schools to visit. The representative from Trinity was Rachel Van Ort. She was extremely helpful and really knew the college well. Trinity Christian was formed based on the Reformed faith and is extremely solid in its doctrine. The college is on 30 minutes from Downtown Chicago, which makes resources provided in the City accessible and convenient.

All in all, Trinity Christian has the basics of every good college; good academics, great food, and fun extracurricular activities. It is set apart by its laid-back atmosphere and strong desire to see young adults grow in their spiritual walk.

--By Sarah McIntyre

I can’t wait for the senior trip! The bus ride there, on the other hand, I'm not so excited about. 

The bus will be completely full of high school students and chaperones all night long, with basically no leg room. Most people will try to sleep, as will I, but there will be those who will be loud and keep  the rest of us up.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know everyone even better and to all the games we will get to do. I love high ropes courses so I can’t wait for that, and I have always wanted to go paint-balling. There will be three groups for that and I want to go with the hardcore group. I really hope that everyone has a good time and that we come away with even stronger relationships with each other that will last.

By Claire Kuda

WCS introduces new research site

For all the students out there who are tired of spending hours and hours searching for a topic to no avail on ProQuest, your cries have been heard! The old is gone and the new has come with the new Gale research site. 

Mrs.Debbie Layne, WCS Curriculum and Media Specialist, commented about the new system and the reasons for the switch. 

ProQuest (as many of you can attest to) was not easily accessible. The site was unattractive to the eye, and to put it bluntly, completely boring. Many students and teachers found that it took too many steps to find simple information on a topic. 

Gale, on the other hand, is modern, inviting, and easy to access. Its articles are organized by professionals based on students' priorities, so it is likely you will find what you need quickly, with less time used flipping through pages. 

So far the only question about Gale is whether or not there will be the depth of information as there was in ProQuest. The only way we can answer that is to try it out! "How do I do that?" you might ask. There are a few ways to access the Gale site. Probably the easiest way is through the link on the WCS homepage. In addition you can find a link on your teacher's RenWeb page. 

I encourage all of you to go check out the new Gale site!

By Anne Lehan

Three golfers awarded all-conference

The NAC mens golf conference tournament was held at the Highlands in Elgin.

Going into the day, three teams were tied at the top of the standings (Rockford Christian, IMSA, and Westminster). Rockford Christian came in first on this day with Rockford Christian Life in second, Westminster in third, IMSA in fourth, and Keith in fifth.

The Warriors had three players make all-conference. Christian Benson took 6th place, Mason McGannon took 9th, and Caleb Gannon took 10th place. The Warriors will play in regionals on Tuesday Oct. 5.

Drama Club gets underway

If you just cannot wait for the school play to begin, and you love to act, you can now join Westminster’s newest addition: Drama Club!

This brand new club was started by Miss Shloss and has a lot to offer. Students who are involved will be able to experience an array of drama-related performances, such as a one-act play, improvisation, comedy, and much more.

Helping put together the events for this club are two experienced students who will be working alongside Miss Shloss, Allison Sleeting and Ben Stevenson. They will be partly leading the casting and directing for the activities of Drama Club. This is definitely a club for anyone who likes to act, talk, direct, and perform. If you are interested in working behind the scenes, you can also join to do lights, make-up, set up, and more.

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about this club is that the focus is not just local. In fact, students will get to compete against other drama teams for different schools. There has been one informational meeting for the Drama Club so far, and there is expected to be another meeting soon. The amount of students interested in joining is plentiful; this will surely be a great cast.