Whitney Vanden Bos

Whitney Vanden Bos is an eighteen year old senior at Westminster Christian High School. Her days in High School are coming to an end on May 25^th when she graduates. She has achieved much during high school but will achieve so much more as she grows up and becomes an event planner; the most successful event planner to ever walk the face of this earth. Whitney is someone many look up to because of her good looks and wonderful personality. Throughout high school, she blossomed into the person that she is today, and she is wonderful. She led her teammates in volleyball, basketball, and softball. Although she only played softball for two years, she made those two years great for her softball team. She is someone that people love and admire because of her pure talent. Her flawlessness is frustrating to those around her that can’t possibly be as great as she is. She has a fire in her heart to be the best that she can be and she won’t stop until she is that person. I will never forget her beautiful face every day in the hallways, or her loud and adorable laugh booming from the bathroom stall as she reads a funny text in secret, she has inspired me to be the person I am today, and she has inspired so many others.

Rachel Fugiel

Rabbit

The cause of every family’s garden being demolished is due to the cute, cuddly, and furry little speed demon, the rabbit.  Rabbits are very small quick mammals that often live in holes underneath the surface of the earth.  Male rabbits are called bucks, female rabbits are called does, and their young are most often referred to as a kitten or kit.  Rabbits like to live in forests, meadows, grasslands, and other areas of the earth that closely resemble these.  More than half the rabbit population in the world resides in North America. The rest mostly live in South America and Eastern Asia.  Rabbits have extremely elongated ears which allow them to hear with immense clarity.  Rabbits have egg shaped bodies and long powerful hind legs.  They have great eye sight and amazingly impressive swallowing abilities.  They usually swallow their prey whole.

Wil Woodhouse

Platypus

The Platypus is a semi-aquatic egg, laying mammal of action.  The platypus finds its dwellings in the Eastern Regions of present day Australia. The platypus is not your average everyday mammal.  This is because unlike most mammals, the platypus lays eggs instead of having live babies.  The platypus is a strange looking creature with the bill of a duck, webbed feet, and the tale of a beaver.  The platypus also has a bunch of barbs that secrete a deadly venom that to other animals can be lethal but to humans it will just leave them impaired for a short period of time.  The Platypus uses electro location to find its way around, much like that of other sea dwelling creatures.  The Platypus is so much of a symbol to Australia that it is located on the reverse side of their twenty cent piece.  The platypus is a very graceful creature but remember it should also be handled with care. 

Colin Brandon

Kristen Bell's Sloth Meltdown

Last summer, Kristen Bell’s darling husband Dax Shepard gave her the gift of a lifetime for her 31^st birthday. Apparently, Kristen is an avid sloth fan and had spent her entire life eagerly waiting for the day when she could play with one of these adorable creatures. She recently described her emotional birthday experience to Ellen Degeneres on her show, releasing a hysterical video of the moment. She freakishly sensed that a sloth was in her midst before her husband even showed her the gift. Kristen says that she had a “full-fledged panic attack” and immediately flung herself onto her bed in the fetal position, sobbing uncontrollably. This went on for a few minutes as she tried to contain her joy while her husband told her that the sloth, named Melon, was staying for her birthday party. The video has since been released on YouTube and has reached over 9 million views. Kristen admitted that she is a ridiculously emotional person. She started to tear up while simply telling the story to Ellen and almost had another breakdown when Ellen jokingly tells her there’s a sloth in the building.  Some find the video annoying, but I simply find it adorable and incredibly funny. I love Kristen Bell for allowing us to enjoy this embarrassing moment and embracing it. The girl has a thing for sloths; let her be.

Alexis Brenner

Westminster Christian Seniors

It’s that time of year again when Westminster Christian Baseball is only a month away and seniors Ray Adame,Colton Jeralds, Zach Edwards, Tyler Greene, Dylan Scully, and half of ambidextrous stand out Ryan Perez. Perez suffered an injury in the off season during a showcase event.  Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery on his right arm. Unfortunately, that was the least of the Warriors worries when Kevin Elder mysteriously left Westminster Christian School to go to Burlington Central and now will not play his senior year due to the transfer. Dylan Scully, who has stepped up in the outfield, is going to be a key element in the Warriors pitching rotation. Tyler Greene, who plays the infield with confidence, will either continue to patrol the infield or will become the new catcher at the varsity level. Zach Edwards, a dominating right hander with a side arm delivery as well as an over hand motion, will be another element to the rotation this season. Ray Adame, who DH’ed for Aaron Wiewel last year in the play offs, is a powerful left handed hitter who has a lot of potential his senior year. Lastly, Colton Jeralds will be a key player wherever he ends up, and has a good arm and swing. With a new season awaiting and two consecutive regional wins and one state championship title, can the Warriors battle there way to another after all that they have been through in the off season?

Andrew Ryan

My Morning

Every morning, I take a shower. However, I usually don’t know what is going on in the morning because I just wake up. This morning, when I got in the shower, I saw this mysterious creature. So, I rubbed my eyes and I saw a gigantic spider! I was so scared that I jumped and screamed. I hate spiders or anything similar to spiders. I tried to spray water on the spider but it didn’t work, which disappointed me. So, I got out of the shower but I had no idea what to do. I was panicking. A few minutes later of thinking and freaking out, I got an idea. I got 5 feet of toilet paper. Then I killed it. That was my morning.

Charlie Ji

LINSANITY!

America loves the underdog. The story where the protagonist defies the odds, beats the champ, and comes out on top. It’s the basic plot of every Disney sports movie. No one portrays this scenario better the New York Knicks, Jeremy Lin. Lin graduated under the radar from Harvard University and went undrafted in the 2010 NBA draft. After being signed at the league minimum salary by the Golden State Warriors and traded around the league, he ended up with the New York Knicks. It wasn’t until multiple substantial injuries occurred that Lin got his chance to play, and he took full advantage of it. In his first 10 games Lin averaged nearly 25 points per game, which is MVP caliber in the NBA. When the Knicks lost their star player, Carmello Anthony, Jeremy Lin lead them to 6 wins in their next 7 games. One month ago no sports writer in their right mind would have guessed the Knicks would win 40 games. Now, it is possible that the Knicks could make a play-off run. Only Lin will tell.

Dylan Scully

What Season is it?

A normal winter in the Chicago area is full of 30 degree temperatures, 2-3 inches of snow, and snow storms. Last year it was cold and snowy and there also were huge snow storms where the Chicago area got almost 10-12 inches of snow. This year there is no snow! But the temperature is the same. Weird, right?  There are some pros and cons of the there being no snow. The pros are: it’s easier to drive in, no ice to slip and slide on, its easier on elderly people, you don’t have to stomp through the snow to get from place to place and there is not a lot to shovel. Some of the bad things are; there is not enough snow for snow days, no sledding, no snowman building, no snowboarding, and no snowball fights. This year’s winter seems more like a long spring, not super cold and not warm.

Elisa Hill

Changing Schools

Most people don’t like changing school’s, whether it’s because of grades, moving to a different place, for better academics or transitioning from middle school to high school. Usually people are afraid to change schools because they either don’t know anyone or they are afraid they won’t be accepted. Unless you have been at the same school from middle school into high school you are leaving the group or friends you have been with for years. You are also leaving all your normal routines you are used to. When you go to a new school it’s scary because there are a lot of things that can go wrong, like getting lost, sitting by yourself at lunch, dropping all your books in the hallway, falling down stairs, spilling your lunch on someone and many more embarrassing things that can ruin your day. Changing schools isn’t so bad once you get used to the school. Finding friends might be a little hard but once you find them its a lot easier. Eventually you will wonder why you were even worried in the first place.

Elisa Hill

Baseball is Right Around the Corner

For our Westminster Christian Warriors, baseball is coming up in a matter of weeks and everyone is putting in a huge amount of effort and hard work. The Warriors have had devastating losses of Arizona Wildcat committed, Kevin Elder, and half of ambidextrous, Ryan Perez, during the off season. Elder left the school and moved into Burlington Central boundaries and Perez had Tommy John surgery his right arm over off season. This unfortunate turn of events leaves Westminster ’s seniors, Tyler Greene, Dylan Scully, Zach Edwards, Colton Jeralds, and Ray Adame, the role to take leadership. Joining them is center fielder, Wil Woodhouse, who will patrol the outfield along with Dylan Scully this year. This year’s baseball season should be filled with excitement and thrill, so this spring come out and support your Warriors.

Andrew Ryan

BAZINGA!

Have you ever seen Big Bang Theory? If you haven't, you should watch at least one episode because it is a great show. Sheldon is one of the main characters in the television series. He is a physicist who works for a university. Usually, Sheldon is serious; however, when he tells a joke or pulls a "prank" on someone, he says, "Bazinga." Bazinga means "fooled you." After Sheldon pulls a prank, he says Bazinga after. The joke itself may not be funny, but it's funny when Sheldon says bazinga afterwards. Bazinga is a fun word. There is an episode where Sheldon asks his roommate where he got his shoes. And then goes on to say, "Bazinga! I don't care." That was one best episode I saw. In conclusion, Bazinga is a fun, catchy word to say. Big Bang Theory is a very funny show and if you actually took Physics, you will understand what Sheldon is saying.

Charlie Ji

The True Story Behind "The Vow"

Last weekend, the new romantic film “The Vow” shot to the top of the box office, bringing in $42.7 million. More people rushed to see this love story in its first weekend than any other movie all year. Theaters were filled with hundreds of resounding “awws” as the tragic story of a man (Channing Tatum) desperately trying to make his wife (Rachel McAdams) fall in love with him again after she loses her memory played out. But did you know that the movie was inspired by real-life couple Kim and Krickitt Carpenter? In fact, the story of their actual journey is about 100 times more powerful and inspiring than the characters in this movie. Kim and Krickitt Carpenter (Yes, these are their real names, and Kim is the husband) had their world turned upside down on November 24, 1993. A mere two months after their wedding, Krickitt got in a horrifying car accident and was in a coma for weeks. When she awoke at last, she couldn’t remember anything about Krickitt or their relationship. Kim quickly realized that her personality had changed, too; this was no longer the same person he married two months ago. The couple had to start anew as Kim tried desperately to make his wife fall in love all over again, which was not a simple task. They credit their faith in Christ for getting them through these difficult times. Krickitt said, “I would love to say that I fell in love with him again because that’s what everybody wants to hear. I chose to love him and that was based on obedience to God, not feelings.” The details of their incredible journey can be found in their book, also entitled “The Vow.”  If you were touched by the film, you’ll be sobbing for weeks after reading the book. Today, the happy couple can be found living with their two children in Farmington, New Mexico, where Kim is a deputy CEO and Krickitt is a substitute teacher. Their story of faith, even during the darkest of times, makes this book something worth reading.

Alexis Brenner

Capybara

The Capybara, a semi-aquatic mammal, lives primarily in heavy forests near bodies of water like lakes, ponds, rivers, swamps, and marshes in South America.  They are a heavy, barrel shaped animals with short heads and reddish fur on the upper part of their body that becomes yellowish on the lower to underside of its body.  Capybaras grow to about 4-5 in length and 20-25 inches tall.  They typically weigh about 80-150 pounds depending on their gender and breed.  They have slightly webbed feet which allow them to swim faster, their hind legs are longer than their front legs, and their snouts are stubby and rounded.  Capybaras are herbivores, they feed on mostly grass, occasionally fruit, and sometimes even tree bark.  This intense little creature usually lives in groups of about 10-20 of its kind.  However, some of these Capybaras will live by themselves for various reasons.  They are excellent swimmers and can stay under water for up to 5 minutes at a time.    

Wil Woodhouse

The Anaconda

   The anaconda is a species of snake that can grow up to thirty feet long.  The anaconda is a very stealthy creature that dwells around the waters in the tropical regions of Central America.  The anaconda usually does its hunting at night, where it can take advantage of the cover of darkness.  The anaconda preys on medium sized mammals, small rodents, and sometimes even a crocodile.  There have been some reports of anacondas that are 40 feet long or longer and there is a 50,000 dollar reward to anyone who captures one of these massive beasts of reptilian descent.  Just recently were people allowed to start hunting these bad boys for sport because Floridians, also known as TPOF or the people of Florida, were feeling threatened by the increasing anaconda population.  Although the anaconda may seem like a devilish creature that would just love to devour your flesh, it really is a magnificent animal full of grace and beauty.

Colin Brandon

NBA Rookie of the Year

NBA has seen a lot of young rookie talent that has stunned the crowd, fans, and teammates of the rookies, but at the end of the year only one rookie can walk away with the trophy and the honor of being the Rookie of the Year. In my opinion, the four nominees on the ballet would be Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight, Ricky Rubio, and Kemba Walker. All of these players not only play well in the NBA, but have had outstanding college carrers. Now all the nominees are guards and have the jump shot, dribble, speed, agility, heart, and passing smarts to win this award. However, I am predicting that Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavilers would win the award, with all due respect to Knight, Rubio, and Walker. After last years rough losing streak the Cavs suffered. They have been needing some young talent to dig them out of the hole that they have dug themselves into and Irving has definitely gone about and beyond the expectations of most fans. In their own unique way, each of the four players have that "it" factor that fits into their teams style of play. So in a way, they all win the award and earn their own credit that they have worked for all season long.

Andrew Ryan

The Honey Badger

The Honey Badger is a species of badger that lives in the deserts of Africa and parts of India.  The Honey Badger is fearless and will attack anything.  When a honey badger attacks a king cobra after the honey badger gets bit all it does is simply fall asleep for a few minutes to regain its energy to devour the slippery serpent.  Honey Badgers love honey and they will go straight to the bee hive to get some.  Even though the honey badger is stung many times while he is getting his honey he doesn’t care, honey badger takes what he wants.  The honey badger will even attack animals that are way bigger than it is, like wild dogs and other animals of prey.  The honey badger is an amazing animal that has tremendous courage; it is not afraid of anything and lets nothing stop him from taking what he wants.  The honey badger is quite possibly the most interesting animal in the world.

Colin Brandon

The Naked Mole Rat

The naked mole rat is a very attractive and lovable little creature.  It is a burrowing animal that lives primarily in the deserts of East Africa. The naked mole rat is often called the sand puppy or the desert mole rat.  This very unusual yet awesome mammal is able to survive in very harsh and unbearable conditions due to its thick skin which protects it from being hurt easily. It’s extremely high pain tolerance and very low metabolism allows it to go for significant periods of time without food and water.  The naked mole rat, on average, is 8-10 centimeters long and weighs about 30-35 grams.  Their legs and arms are very short and thin but they can move very quickly underground by scooting backwards.  They also have very bad eye sight and super small eye balls.  They have very little hair which is how they acquired their famous name.

Wil Woodhouse

Does your friend ever trick you with a food wrapper? I don't like when there is a wrapper and it looks like there is food, but there is no food! Tricking people with a wrapper is not nice. If the victim has anger issues, it can make them mad and find you. Then, they might jump you or tell you not to do that again. You would be so scared that you will never do that. However, some people don’t care about it and do it over and over again. That's what makes me mad. Of course, I tricked people with wrappers at least once. But I don't do it over and over again. So, I think people should actually care about other people's feelings and stop doing it. Doing it once can be funny and they can get over it, but if you keep doing it, it can make them angry and grumpy like some old people and you won't be friends with them anymore.  Charlie Ji

Headlines have been made today by a Staten Island mom who is suing the city of West Brighton for $900 trillion dollars. That’s right, $900 trillion. She is suing because allegedly the city improperly placed her two children in foster care. To help put this number into prospective, the entire United States debt is just over 14 trillion.  The city claims that because of a mental illness, she is not able to give her children proper care. Ogunbayo, the mother, is accusing child services of causing "economic hardship, substantial economic injuries, and violating her and her children's civil rights." She states the city "recklessly disregarded her right to family and integrity." The interesting part of the story is that according to the court, "the youngsters had near perfect attendance in school and were doing well, even thriving academically while in their mothers care,” the appellate division said. In addition, “the boys were up to date on their medical examinations and vaccinations and their heights and weights were appropriate for their ages." It seems like the mom should have a pretty good chance in court, but whether she will get her $900 trillion remains to be seen. Jimmy Chapman

Home of the Sparrow Provides Hope of the Homeless

Home of the Sparrow is a non-profit organization that provides housing and support for more than 100 homeless women and children in McHenry County each year. It was founded in 1986 by Sister Moira Traeger, along with founders from seven interfaith churches, who discovered the horrible reality of homelessness in McHenry County. It was the first shelter for homeless women and children in the County. Today, it has grown to include two shelters and five transitional apartments. Its mission is to “provide Hope, Opportunity and Support that empowers women and children, as they journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency.” To date, it has helped transform the lives of over 2,300 women. This wonderful organization gives hope to women who have nowhere else to turn. You can help support their mission by shopping and/or donating at one of their four Sparrow’s Nest Thrift Stores or by donating your time as a volunteer. Make a difference by getting involved and take a stand against homelessness in our community.

Alexis Brenner