The Write Side

Best wishes to Madison Russell, Miss West 2021, who will compete Saturday in the Portsmouth River Days Pageant held at SSU's Vern Riffe Center for the Arts. Being the River Days candidate is more than just wearing gorgeous dresses and vying for the crown, however. Through her reign as Miss West, she has amassed hundreds of community service hours by attending and assisting with every other River Days candidate's community service event. Russell also held her own community event, "Coping with Colors." Russell explained, "Through my platform and community service event, Coping with Colors tie dying event, I had an amazing opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of coping: recognizing social dilemmas/hardships, identifying triggers, finding coping techniques that work for each individual, and developing a support system. I also created a scholarship fund, “The Scholarship for the Unshakable Student,” for a Scioto County high school graduating senior who exemplifies courage, having overcome their own social dilemmas/hardships. I worked with experienced individuals in the community as well as my school district to implement a positive approach to teaching coping skills."

Again, we wish Madison Russell the best of luck this Saturday. She has represented this school with the utmost class, integrity, and spirit and PWHS proudly supports our Miss West 2021!

Portsmouth West High School established a new mentorship program this year with staff and students. The program's focus is founded in our desire to foster the social and emotional health of our students. The ultimate goal is to cultivate positive, trusting relationships with and among students. Pictured below was a team building activity in which students were tasked with building the tallest structure using uncooked spaghetti noodles and marshmallows.

Getting involved in high school activities is so important for many reasons, and there are several clubs and activities that PWHS offers students. Sports are great way to work on physical fitness and be part of a team. We also have clubs that any student can join. Go to the PWHS website and select menu to view some of the clubs available to students.

One club that students are encouraged to join is Key Club. This is a service- or volunteer-based club. Not only does it feel great to be a help in the community, but also service hours look great on scholarship applications and college admissions applications.

Look below for more opportunities. Don't see a club you like? Start one yourself! Find several other like-minded students and get with Mr. Rapp or Mr. Ralstin to share your club idea.

CLUBS

• Bass Fishing Club - Advisor: Mr. Estep. This club is for students who like to fish! It’s not like most school clubs where you meet every couple weeks or every month. The goal of this club is to compete in the two State tournaments in April and May. We only meet a couple of times in the spring. When we meet, we talk about how to fish competitively and we plan trips to tournaments. For more information about the Bass Fishing Club, email Mr. Estep.
• Beta Club - Mr. & Mrs. Smalley, Advisors. The Beta Club is a national organization that promotes academic excellence and competition in a wide variety of areas (for example: photography, woodworking, creative writing, sculpture, agriscience, social studies, Spanish, and art). In order to qualify for Beta Club, you must have at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average and to remain in Beta Club you must complete a specific number of service hours each year. At West, you must also be ranked in the top 10% of your graduating class. Beta Club participates in both State and National competitions. We meet after school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from February through May, and we take a 2-day trip to Columbus for the state competition in May. We have an award-winning Beta Club at West. For a look at our Beta Club members and the awards they have earned recently, see https://www.westsenators.org/o/portsmouth-west-high-school/page/beta--6
• Class Officers - Every September, each high school grade level (freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors) elects four people to represent them as their Class President, Class Vice President, Class Secretary, and Class Treasurer. The four class officers represent their grade level to the administration as members of our Student Government. When the students as a whole have a concern or a suggestion, they contact their class officers to discuss it. Then the class officers present the concern or idea to the administration (the principal, vice principal, guidance counselor, etc.). If the idea is approved but requires money, the class officers can propose a fundraiser that the students can do to raise the money for their proposal. See our website for more about our student government at
• https://www.westsenators.org/o/portsmouth-west-high-school/page/class-officers
• Honors Club - Membership in the Honors Club is automatically granted to any student at West who is not in Beta Club but who earns a g.p.a. of 3.0 or above for the first three 9-weeks of the school year.
• Key Club - Mrs. Blevins, Advisor. Key Club is a student-led service organization sponsored by Kiwanis International, a large group of service-minded, volunteer-oriented people around the world. The Key Club at West High School organizes activities that help our school and our community, such as a pancake breakfast to raise money for a student who has cancer and an Easter egg hunt for our elementary students. Membership in Key Club helps students develop leadership skills, a heart for volunteering, and an attitude of service. Key Club is open to all interested students grades 9-12. Key Club meets approximately twice a month to discuss activities. For more information, see our website at https://www.westsenators.org/o/portsmouth-west-high-school/page/key-club--17
• Mock Trial - Mrs. Sites, Advisor. West has an award-winning Mock Trial team. Mock Trial is a national organization at the elementary, high school, and college levels. Any high school student who is interested and is passing all classes is welcome to join our team. We meet Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons from October until January. As of now, we have no membership dues as our school graciously supports our team and fees. Each high school team in the U.S. is given the same information about a “crime.” We study the information and assign different members of our team to be the lawyers, plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, etc. We also have time keeper positions and understudies for those who are interested but may have a bit of stage fright. We prepare for the “trial” and then “perform” it at competition in front of competition judges. For more information on what Mock Trial is like, go to https://blog.collegevine.com/a-high-school-students-guide-to-mock-trial/
• For information on Mock Trial accomplishments and members at West, go to https://www.westsenators.org/o/portsmouth-west-high-school/page/mock-trial--5
• Quiz Bowl - Mrs. Callihan, Advisor. Quiz Bowl is open to all students 9-12 who are interested in (and competitive in) a variety of topics, including American Literature, World Literature, Math, World History, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Geography, Fine Arts, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. Our Quiz Bowl team competes five times a year from September-November against other high school teams in our area. There is an opportunity for the team to advance to regional and state competitions. For more information, see https://www.scoesc.k12.oh.us/AcademicCompetition.aspx
• Science Bowl - Mrs. Callihan and Mrs. Bazler, Advisors. Science Bowl is for students in grades 9-12 who enjoy (and are good at) upper-level math and science topics. We have two Science Bowl teams. The teams meet occasionally after school and sometimes during school from February through May to study together and practice for the 1-day regional competition, which is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Energy. The team that wins the regional event advances to the national competition. For more information, see https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb/Regional-Competitions/High-School-Regionals/OH_South-Central-Ohio-Regional-High-School-Science-Bowl
• Poetry and Creative Writing Club - Join the Google Classroom with the code: x77n22w
• HPAC-Anatomy students who wish to join a health community service program. Community Service projects are completed throughout the year related to supporting community health.

SPORTS

We have a lot of different sports teams at West. Here is a current list:

• Baseball (boys) - Coach Larry Goodwin.
• Basketball (boys team-Coach Caleb McClanahan., girls team-Coach: Megan Artrip). Open gyms begin in early April this year. Anyone who is interested can come to open gyms. Tryouts are the first week of November to decide who is on the team. Basketball is typically September-October (Open Gyms/Lifting) November-March (Season) April-June (Open Gym/Summer Ball).
• Cheerleading (girls) -Advisor Robin Hileman. Tryouts are in March. Cheerleading season lasts all year.
• Cross Country - Coach Larry Goodwin (boys team), Coach Julie Conrad (Girls team).
• Maybe some conditioning during the summer, start practicing on August 1st. If you are interested in joining Cross Country, email the coach in the beginning of July to get put on the list. Practices are after school from 3:00-4:00, Monday through Thursday. First meet is around the first week of September and the last one around the end of October. Meets are all on Saturday mornings and we are back before 2:00. Usually about 7 meets, including SOC and district. You don’t have to be a good runner as much as you have to be willing to work hard to get into shape so you can run 3.2 miles (5K).
• Football - (boys) No official tryouts. If you are interested in playing football for West, you should show up for the after school weight lifting sessions which start in December. There are summer workout sessions in June and July, and practice officially begins August 1st. The official season runs from August to October, with playoffs in November.
• Golf (coed) - Coach Charlie Cooper. sign ups in March, season starts in September
• Soccer (boys team Coach Bryan Craft, girls team-Coach Tom Hoggard)
• Softball (girls)- Coach Dani Coleman. The season runs from the end of March through the end of May. Workouts are approximately 3 days/week, all school year. Tryouts are in late February.
• Swim Team (boys team & girls team)- Coach Eric Nichols, Asst. Coach Carolyn Callihan. You don’t already have to know how to swim to join us. If you know how to tread water, we can teach you how to swim competitively. Sign-ups for the swim team are officially in mid-October, but we may have some open swim events and swim camp opportunities in the summer. The competitive season runs from late October through mid-February.
• Tennis (coed) Coach Carolyn Callihan
• Track (boys team-Donna Conley, girls team-Coach Tom Hoggard). Sign ups start in February and meets start in late March. We have a week or two of conditioning and practice, and then meets usually go from late March to mid-May. District meets are in mid-May, regional meets are in late May, and state meets are in early June. We don’t have tryouts--anyone who wants to join and is willing to work is welcome.
• Volleyball (girls)-Coached by Brittney Sessor and Assistant Coach Dani Coleman

MUSIC/DRAMA

• PRIMA- elite singing group for young women
• Singing Men of West-elite singing group for young men
• Tour of Hope - coed singing group
• MUSICAL - We have an annual production of a musical drama which is performed at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University. We need singers/performers, backstage help, sound & lighting help, etc. Contact Mrs. Tieman, our vocal music director, for more information.
• BAND - We have a marching band and a pep band. Contact Mr. Blevins, our band director, for more information.
• Guard - A subsection of the band that spins flags and travels with the band.

Please be sure to complete your digital forms through the districts FinalForms web page. It is important that that these be completed ASAP. These forms have replaced the typical paper forms (i.e. emergency medical forms and handbook sign off forms), students would have received on the first day of school.

https://washingtonnile-oh.finalforms.com/

Biology and Environmental Science students (pictured below) are completing an escape room activity to review the scientific method.

Washington-Nile LSD Speech and Language Pathologist, Courtney Cox (pictured above), recently visited Senior Life classes at the high school to discuss her career field and educational journey. Numerous speakers and representatives are scheduled to speak this year to seniors to discuss college and other post-secondary options and expose students to numerous occupations and majors.

Prepare for College - 9th Grade Checklist

To Do:

• Take challenging classes in core academic subjects. Most colleges require four years of English, at least three years of social studies (history, civics, geography, economics, etc.), three years of mathematics, and three years of science, and many require two years of a foreign language. Round out your course load with classes in computer science and the arts.
• Work with one of your parents to estimate your financial aid using FAFSA4caster and be sure to save for college.
• Get involved in school- or community-based activities that interest you or let you explore career interests. Consider working, volunteering, and/or participating in academic enrichment programs, summer workshops, and camps with specialty focuses such as music, arts, or science. Remember—it’s quality (not quantity) that counts.
• Ask your guidance counselor or teachers what Advanced Placement courses are available, whether you are eligible, and how to enroll in them.
• Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s career search tool to research your career options.
• Start a list of your awards, honors, paid and volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. Update it throughout high school.

To Explore:

• Check out KnowHow2Go: The Four Steps to College, which suggests some actions you can take as you start thinking about education beyond high school.
• Learn about managing your money.
• Explore reasons to consider college and don't be afraid to ask for help from your parents, school counselor, and older students as you prepare.

Prepare for College - 10th grade checklist

To Do:

• Meet with your school counselor or mentor to discuss colleges and their requirements.
• Consider taking a practice Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), or check out the ACT Aspire exam "sandbox."
• Plan to use your summer wisely: Work, volunteer, or take a summer course (away or at a local college).
• Go to career information events to get a more detailed look at career options.
• Research majors that might be a good fit with your interests and goals based on your results from the U.S. Department of Labor’s career search.

To Explore:

• Learn the differences between grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships.

Prepare for College - 11th grade checklist

To Do:

All Year

• Explore careers and their earning potential with the Occupational Outlook Handbook search tool. Or, for a fun interactive tool, try this career search.
• Learn about choosing a college and find a link to our free college search tool.
• Go to college fairs and college-preparation presentations hosted by college representatives.

Fall

• Take the PSAT/NMSQT. You must take the test in 11th grade to qualify for scholarships and programs associated with the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Spring

• Register for and take exams for college admission. The standardized tests that many colleges require are the SAT, the SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT. Check with the colleges you are interested in to see what tests they require.
• Use a free scholarship search to find scholarships for which you might want to apply. Some deadlines fall as early as the summer between 11th and 12th grades, so prepare now to submit applications soon.

Summer Before 12th Grade

• Create a username and password called an FSA ID that you’ll use to confirm your identity when accessing your government financial aid information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents. Learn about the FSA ID, and create yours. Note: You must create your own FSA ID; if your parent creates it for you, that’ll cause confusion later and will slow down the financial aid application process. (By the way, you can watch a video about creating your FSA ID below.)
• Narrow down the list of colleges you are considering attending. If you can, visit the schools that interest you.
• Contact colleges to request information and applications for admission. Ask about financial aid, admission requirements, and deadlines.
• Decide whether you are going to apply for admission under a particular college’s early decision, early action, or regular decision program. Be sure to learn about the program deadlines and requirements.
• Use the FAFSA4caster financial aid estimator, and compare the results to the actual costs at the colleges to which you will apply. To supplement any aid FAFSA4caster estimates you might receive, be sure to apply for scholarships. Your goal is to minimize the amount of loan funds you borrow so you have less to pay back later.

To Explore:

• Find out what government financial aid you can apply for, and how, in Federal Student Aid at a Glance.
• Learn how to avoid scholarship scams and identity theft as you look for financial aid and then attend college.

Prepare for College - 12th grade checklist

To Do:

All Year

• Work hard all the way to graduation—second-semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility.
• Stay involved in after-school activities, and seek leadership roles if possible.

Fall

• As soon as possible after its Oct. 1 release, complete and submit your FAFSA® form at fafsa.gov, along with any other financial aid applications your chosen school(s) may require. You should submit your FAFSA formby the earliest financial aid deadline of the schools to which you are applying, usually by early February.
• After you submit the FAFSA form, you should receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) within three days to three weeks. This document lists your answers to the questions on your FAFSA form and gives you some basic information about your aid eligibility. Quickly make any necessary corrections and submit them to the FAFSA processor.
• If you haven’t done so already, register for and take the standardized tests required for college admission. Check with the colleges you are interested in to see what tests they require.
• Apply to the colleges you have chosen. Prepare your applications carefully. Follow the instructions, and PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO DEADLINES!
• Well before your college application deadlines, ask your counselor and teachers to submit the required documents (e.g., transcript, letters of recommendation) to the colleges to which you’re applying.
• Complete any last scholarship applications.

Spring

• Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll.
• Review your college acceptances and compare the colleges’ financial aid offers.
• Contact a school’s financial aid office if you have questions about the aid that school has offered you. In fact, getting to know your financial aid staff early is a good idea no matter what—they can tell you about deadlines, other aid for which you might wish to apply, and important paperwork you might need to submit.
• When you decide which school you want to attend, notify that school of your commitment and submit any required financial deposit. Many schools require this notification and deposit by May 1.

To Explore:

• Understand the FAFSA process better by watching the videos in the “FAFSA: Apply for Aid” playlist at YouTube.com/FederalStudentAid.
• Follow or like the office of Federal Student Aid at Twitter.com/FAFSA and Facebook.com/FederalStudentAidto get regular financial aid tips.

• Make informed decisions about student loans; the following resources are important at this point:

  • Federal Versus Private Loans
  • Federal Student Loans: Basics for Students

Email: kristie.copley@westsenators.org
Website: https://www.westsenators.org/o/portsmouth-west-high-school
Location: 15332 U.S. 52, West Portsmouth, OH, USA
Phone: (740) 858-1103
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePWHS/