Students Spend Lent in Prayer and Reflection
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West Catholic High School, 1801 Bristol Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 West Catholic High School Volume 48 Issue 4 April 1, 2011 Students spend Lent in prayer and reflection Take a look at how WC sports teams finished up the winter season with Brendan on page 11 Check out the “Battle of the hot dogs” with Brendan, Noah and Andy on page 12 Find out about some of your class- Get some funny April mates’ unique hobbies and talents Fools’ Day prank with Katrina and Mackenzie on page 7 ideas on page 4 W estword 2 Opinion April 1, 2011 Meet the staff FIRST thing’s FIRST: technology thrives Editor in Chief When we were younger, programming and marketing computers, technology is forever Tiffany Boorsma the toys we played with were meld to create one final product. seeking to make our lives easier. Co-Managing Editor fun, multi-colored objects Gracious professionalism and And, naturally, we embrace such with internal characters which “coopertition” (a combination efforts with open arms. But we Mackenzie Bush emanated directly from our of the words competition and must remember that technology candy-rushed minds. Whether cooperation) as Dean Kamen has a face--or rather hundreds of Opinion Editor the toys became truly animated patented the word in 2009, thousands of faces--behind it. Katrina Marks and conversational in our also find strong holds here. At Engineers have long been Feature Editor absence was a matter for the a FIRST competition, when the propelling forces in the Mackenzie Bush cinema-inspired imagination. the stress is high and the parts development of society and the Sports Editor However, now we know always seem to break or go shifting of the future. In 2010, the truth behind the plastic. missing, there is no shortage of US News reported that, with a Brendan Kosnik The inner mechanics of those assistance from opposing teams. 72% growth rate since 2008, News Editor memorable figures is no longer “The FIRST program biomedical engineering tops Clare Coddington a mystery. And with that introduces high school students the list as the fastest-growing Staff Writers knowledge, we can delve deeper to the demands, challenges, and occupation. Following that Andy Woodruff into the world of technology and exciting opportunities of the number is computer software Noah van Hartesveldt engineering, creating more and business world,” FIRST mentor engineering with 34% growth. more complex devices which Dave Price said. According to the U.S. Bureau of are able to focus far beyond the Finally, we come to what Labor Statistics, job prospects simple entertainment of one may be the most valuable for engineers are projected to person. skill development in FIRST: increase by 11% in the year These pursuits find innovation. Whether you have 2018. It is a growing industry; encouragement in the many the ability to build a mini-bot one which our society thrives educational programs in out of 65 rubber bands and upon, from childhood to place for the development of have it climb a nine foot pole maturity. engineering skills in students. in 4.89 seconds, or you create a We are virtually surrounded, FIRST Robotics is a program plastic and plywood spider-like every millisecond of every day, which allows students to take on device which picks up game by shooting particles and radio The Westword is pub- the role of engineers, working pieces to place on goal-boards, waves, flying past our eyes lished by the journalism with dedicated mentors in order you must understand that, in without our recognition—unless, robotics, there are very few of course, that recognition is students of West Catholic to complete a challenge and build a functioning robot. The ideas which evade the standard brought about by a sensory High School, 1801 Bristol organization was the vision of of unorthodox thinking. This stimulant. The suggestions are Ave., N.W. It is a member Dean Kamen, the founder of imagination and innovation is everywhere, from the movie of the Michigan Interscho- FIRST and a multi-millionaire the skill which makes FIRST theaters to the science fiction lastic Press Association, with over 440 US and foreign students most appealing to section of the library. Will and a recipient of the patents, and his co-founder universities, engineering technology invade our world 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, Woodie Flowers, an emeritus programs, scholarship programs to its deepest core, enslaving mechanical engineering and employers. And after humanity forever? An interesting 2000, and 2006 Spartan professor at MIT. graduating from the FRC thought, but here’s the catch. Award. As far as our local team is (FIRST Robotics Competition) Technology has already invaded concerned, their vision has come glory, this innovation opens our lives. Our daily routine Supscription rate is $10. to fruition. doors which lead to projects has become something like Advertising rates are “It helps me to learn design that will affect the world and all this: Open eyes, locate cell available upon request. strategy,” robotics build team those people who live within it. phone, get dressed, check cell member Anna Brechting said. As our parents never fail to phone, consume sustenance, Her sentiment is complimented remind us, the technology of open Facebook, turn door-knob Letters to the editor: The by Kris Zakfeld, who says “it today vastly outshines that of 45 degrees clockwise, don’t Westword, through its let- improves your technology skills yesterday. We’ve all seen them. forget your cell phone! It is a ters to the editor, offers and critical thinking.” The block phones with the six- slight exaggeration, I admit. a forum to the students, However consuming the inch antennae, the cherry-topped But only slight. What must be faculty and community. technological aspect of FIRST Atari game systems--your remembered as we utilize this Submission letters to the may be, the life skills learned parents can probably give you most effective resource of our some more examples if you world is that it is a product of editor gives no guarantee here are broad in scope and eternal in relevance. need them. These are pieces hours of thought and effort on of publication. All letters Teamwork, perhaps the most of the past, good for a nice the part of dedicated human must be signed and may advocated adolescent life lesson, chuckle once in a while, but beings. It is a tool for us to be edited for length, or to serves as the binding factor in utterly unthinkable as practical use and improve upon, not eliminate possible libel- the development of the robotics functioning devices. something which should dictate ous materials. team, as building, designing, From touch-screens to super the order of our lives. W estword April 1, 2011 News 3 Team Enigma fries the competition’s circuits MACKENZIE BUSH at Skyline High School for the students who Managing Editor Ann Arbor competition. all work on Every year, FIRST robotics the robot, As the finals are about to introduces a new game that the either in the begin, the entire crowd is going robots have to play. This year, Programming, crazy. The awaiting teams are the alliances of three robots Build or huddled at either side of the each had to hang inner tubes Marketing field, strategizing and preparing shaped like circles, squares and departments. for the upcoming match. On the triangles on pegs. Each tube was Students with track around the field, audience worth points. During the last all different members are dancing to the 15 seconds of the match, robots talents can booming music over the PA. would deploy mini-bots that work on This competition is just like would attempt to climb a pole the team, any other sporting event. There to earn substantial bonus points. regardless are fanatics screaming in the These last 15 seconds often of how well- stands, dejected team members could make or break the match. versed in sitting on the bench as the other After these two competitions, technology players break down and ample the team is ranked 101th in they are. All action to entertain every person the state. Although this is not members of in the stands. The only catch is high enough to enter into the the team are that the quarterback, the pitcher, state competition, the team still enthusiastic the point guard is not a human: performed extremely well. about FIRST it’s a machine. At the Ann Arbor robotics. Team Enigma, West competition, they were picked to “Robotics Catholic’s robotics team, be in the finals and won a match is fun because competed at two competitions against the number four seeded I like all of like these this year. Their first alliance. Throughout the course the people Last minute fixes The team checks up competition was on March 18-19 of their two competitions, Team in it and at Grand Valley, and their next Enigma also won the Judge’s nerds are on the mchanics before the big game. Photos competition was on March 25-26 Award and the awesome,” by M. Bush Safety Award, senior and two prestigious scouting Although Enigma won’t go honors that captain Danny Selgo said. on to state this year, the team has increased their “Robotics is a place for nerds had a lot of fun bonding with score. like us to think they’re cool,” their classmates and learning Two years sophomore Dominic Frazine about technology, and they’ve ago, West’s said. Frazine is part of the Build even started fundraising for next robotics and Programming Teams. year. team went to When asked about how the Many of the students on Nationals in team has improved in the past the team plan to go on to be Atlanta, GA.