WHS CALENDAR 

Tuesday, November 12

Girls Basketball - Varsity, JV, Fr.

vs. Stratford @WHS 4 p.m.

 

Swimming vs. North Shore
@WHS 5 p.m.

  

Wednesday, November 13

Wrestling vs. Kincaid

@Kincaid 5 p.m. 

 

Thursday, November 14  

Boys Basketball Fr. vs. Furr

@WHS 4:30 p.m

 

Boys Basketball JV vs. Furr

@WHS 6 p.m.

 

Boys Basketball Varsity vs. Furr

@WHS 7:30 p.m.

  

Friday, November 15  

Debate

@WHS 4 p.m.

  

Saturday, November 16
Girls Basketball Varsity vs. Lamar

@Pavillion 11:30 a.m. 

  

Click here to access the WHS Calendar for more events.   

FACEBOOK

The Westside facebook page is better than ever!  Drop by and catch up on events through pictures and posts.

Don't forget to like us.  Click here to go right now! 

SENIORS

Please stop by A205 and check your name and size for the senior t-shirt.  The list is posted on the "Senior Information Board" outside of A205.  The list comes down at 12:00 p.m., sharp on November 15. 
WESTSIDE SUCCESS

Your support of this wonderful school and everything it has to offer our students is greatly needed.  The PTO supplements and enhances the school's operating budget by providing support for - Capital Improvements, Technology Upgrades, Scholarships, Professional Development, Homecoming Week Activities, Back to School Bash, Open House, College Night, Campus Beautification, and Teacher Appreciation.

Support now by donating to Support Westside Success either by credit card using the PTO Webstore Page or by printing this form and sending in your donation. All donations received by October 31, will have their names on the PTO Website and on the donor acknowledgement sign to be displayed prominently next to the main office.   
 
WHS PTO is a 501c3 organization.   Your donation is tax deductible according to the current tax code.  Many employers offer matching programs for charitable contributions. Please check with your HR department and mail us forms if applicable. Your donation is greatly appreciated!  

 

UNDERCLASSMAN PHOTOS

 
CLOTHING DRIVE 

The GSA and Ecology Club are hosting a clothing drive for homeless youth from November 4-15. There are boxes outside of each house.

 

Items that we have been told is most needed:

-Jeans

-Sweaters

-Jackets

-Underwear (only new, please)

-Shoes

-Sleeping bags

-Blankets

 
We will take any clothing item that you are willing to part with. 
YEARBOOK

Yearbooks may be purchased on-line by clicking here. 

 E-NEWS ARCHIVES 

The Wolf E-News archives are now posted on the Westside website. If you ever need access to an older edition for information or entertainment, you can now have it with the click of a mouse!  

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QUICK LINKS
NOVEMBER 11, 2013
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
  • STUDENT SPOTLIGHT  
  • FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
  • PICTURE DAY: UNDRCLASSMEN
  • ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
  • CRIME STOPPERS: WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING?
  • CHOICES CORNER
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: MINH NGUYEN

Leonardo da Vinci once said, "It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." 

 

While revered as an artist, da Vinci was more than that, he was a genius. He was an engineer and an architect; he was a botanist and a geologist; he was a mathematician and a musician.  

 

Senior Minh Nguyen is a young woman whose drive, optimism, and passion only exemplify her intellect. She and da Vinci are cut from the same mold as both have excelled in many pursuits. Minh is in the Student Spotlight because her accomplishments are truly a testimony to how she has "rarely sat back" and how she has influenced many who have been honored to be around her. She is at the top of the Class of 2014 because she has never settled for mediocrity.


Minh, like da Vinci, was very skilled in regards to maps-that's what has to happen when a young person leaves her homeland. Just before fourth grade, she moved from Vietnam to the United States with her mother. This entire experience was at first "overwhelming" because of the language barrier. Her understanding of English was so choppy that it was difficult for her to even interact with people socially or intellectually. 
 
"The sentences [at school] that I could understand were so fragmented that I could guess what was going on but not have a clear understanding," Minh said. "I felt like that at the beginning [of my time in the United States] the phrases I used the most were: 'sorry I can't speak English' or 'can I go to the restroom?'" 
 
Minh quickly adjusted. In less than a year, she was receiving compliments on her writing. In fifth grade, she had mastered enough English to assist another student who only spoke Vietnamese. Yet, for Minh, she realized that she had successfully transitioned into an English speaker when "I started thinking in English, not Vietnamese." 
 
Of course, it is impressive enough that Minh has gone from an ESL student to an AP English Literature student. She also is an exceptional member of the UIL math and science academic teams. While her success in the classroom as a student is commendable, her success teaching others is also noteworthy. Minh is a tutor at Kumon where most of her satisfaction comes from "[being] able to help and answer questions that [students] have." She also has been a teacher during the summer camps at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences; she taught science-related lessons to kids ranging from age 5 to age 13. Obviously, Minh's compassion for others and passion for learning make her unique!

Minh has also proven that academics and art are not necessarily opposites. Art seemingly has been quite therapeutic in her life, but she has always taken the subject quite seriously. She has been in advanced art classes since elementary school and has helped to create individual masterpieces as well as backdrops for school productions.
 
"While I am a bit of a perfectionist...I tend to be looser [as an artist] and not put as much emphasis on perfecting it," Minh said. 
 
Yet, she still insists that having a goal as an artist is quite similar to having a goal as an intellectual. These goals act as "motivation" to achieve and succeed. Minh's overall goals are at the forefront of her mind. She plans on pursuing a degree in biochemistry, biology, or another science-related field; she is considering attending medical school as well. No matter what the future has in store for her, her biggest supporter will indubitably be her mother, who is her role model. 
 
"My mom is a single mother," Minh said. "There have been hardships but she still wants the best for me. Sometimes, there is a high expectation for me to do well but I feel like she is always supporting me to do better and improve." Obviously, strength and resolve runs in the family!
 
Minh is in the Student Spotlight because, just like any work of art, she is multi-layered and insightful. Minh's leadership will help her to trace a path to success, no matter where the map takes her!
FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Come out and support our Wolves as they take on the Memorial Mustangs this Friday night in the opening round of the State Playoffs.  Kick-off is at 7:30 p.m. at Tully Stadium.

Pre-sale tickets are available during Wednesday lunch and are $4 for students and $6 for adults. Tickets at the gate are $5 and $10.  
UNDERCLASSMAN PHOTOS
Next Monday and Tuesday, the underclassman will be taking their class pictures in their English classes.  On Monday, all of the sophomore English classes and junior prep-English classes will take their photos.  
 
On Tuesday, all of the freshmen English classes and junior AP/Pre-AP English classes will take their photos. Ordering information can be found here.  Check the Westside website to see which day your underclassman takes their photo. When ordering, use the Picture Day ID: PB013269Y0.  Don't let your underclassman be left out of the yearbook!
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ROBERT HATTER IV
Class of 2013 Westside alumnus and Cornell freshman guard Robert Hatter IV made a big impression in the first two games of his collegiate career in the Big Red's opening games against Syracuse and Loyola (Md). 

Hatter opened his career with a solid nine-point, two-rebound, two-assist effort in just 14 minutes of action at #7 Syracuse. He answered that with a sensational 32-point, six-rebound, five-assist effort in the overtime loss to Loyola (Md.). He scored 20 points in the first half, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer off an offensive rebound and connected on a pair of free throws with three seconds to play to tie the game and send it into overtime.
CRIME STOPPERS: DO SOMETHING

Crime Stoppers of Houston released the first in a series of interactive web videos that ask Houstonians to Do Something when crime affects their community. 


Do Something, asks every day citizens, students, neighbors and friends to make the tough decision to step in and ensure the safety their community. The network of Crime Stoppers subscribers have been leveraged to answer the question, "How do you Do Something for Houston?" Through a series of interactive videos, endorsements from local political leaders and through the empowerment of individuals, Crime Stoppers seeks to enlist a corps of citizen crime fighters in Houston. Do Something is one of the many steps Crime Stoppers takes to keep Houston safe.  

Click here to check it out.
CHOICES CORNER: SOCIAL MEDIA MONTH

As we progress through Social Media Month, take time to go over some of the discussion questions with your family. The questions can be found at the bottom area when you click here.
  
To learn more, contact the Choices Counselor, Ms. Parsley at mparsley@council-houston.org. 
We value your feedback!

Please direct comments or questions to Craig Malinsky
at cmalinsk@houstonisd.org.

Visit us on the web at www.westsidewolves.org.

It is the policy of the Houston Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, handicap or disability, ancestry, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sex, veteran status, or political affiliation in its educational or employment programs and activities.