Graduating Class of 2015

This year marks the 13th graduating class from WAIS. As a campus, we continue traditions of honoring these students who've earned their high school diplomas and are now ready for higher education, technical training, military service, and the workforce.

Students announced their plans post-graduation Wednesday, May 20th, and were further recognized during the senior awards ceremony. This year marks the biggest group of IB Diploma Candidates we've had to date, the largest number of IB and AP Exams for a grade level, and more than a million in scholarships earned and awarded. This included several scholarships from the WAIS Alumni Association.

This year's graduates will be attending institutes of higher education including CalPoly, Carleton, Cornell, Ringling, St. Edwards, Texas A&M, Trinity, University of Texas, and serving in multiple branches of the military.

WAIS Graduates of 2015 will have the graduation commencement Monday evening, June 1st at the Don Coleman Coliseum.

Yearbook Distribution

This year's WAIS Yearbook, Miacis v.32, has arrived and is ready for distribution. Students may pick up their books Monday, June 1st during their lunch and after school. Students should have their student ID with them.

Extras are available for purchase at $75.
Supplies are limited; most years we completely sell out.

This year's book is the official 32nd volume of the Miacis, starting back from when Westchester originally opened in 1968. The year's book was planned and created with leadership from student editors Mallika Dargan and Nancy Tran of the class of 2015. Dargan & Tran worked under previous student editors Ariel Denbow in 2014, and Nicole Son on 2013- both books received recognition from our publisher. Recognition is given to ~15% of books, and is announced about a year after a book's printing.

Students named Jones Scholars

Thirteen Spring Branch Independent School District students have been named 2015 Jones Scholars by the Houston Endowment and qualify for significant annual scholarships during college and university years ahead.

As Jones Scholars Award winners, these high school seniors are eligible to receive up to $16,000 toward a bachelor's degree.

This year's Jones Scholars includes WAIS senior Nancy

See the original posting on Chron.com

related: SBISD's School Zone posting on the 2015 Jones Scholars

SBEF awards 89 scholarships

Eighty-nine Spring Branch Independent School District seniors received $118,000 in scholarships at the Spring Branch Education Foundation 2015 Bright Stars of SBISD, Celebrating Academic Excellence awards program on May 15 at The Westin Houston, Memorial City.

This includes WAIS seniors Alex, Alexus, Alyssa, Elizabeth, Felipe, Konnie, and Nancy.

See the full article on Chron.com

Imaginative west Houston students compete in world contest

Chron.com recently published an article about Odyssey of the Mind teams that are advancing to the World Finals. WAIS, among multiple other schools, are mentioned in the article.

excerpt:
Several other teams from west Houston schools are headed to East Lansing. Spring Branch ISD's Westchester Academy for International Studies is fielding two teams, while Ridgecrest elementary, Memorial middle and Spring Woods high are each fielding a team. A third team from Westchester advanced but is not going.

See Annette Baird's article on Chron.com

Counselor recognized with Walter Kase Award

At Westchester Academy for International Studies, middle school counselor Steven Schlabach works hard to remind students they are in a No Place for Hate school. Schlabach was recognized with a Walter Kase Teacher Excellence Award during the Anti-Defamation League’s annual luncheon on May 6.

Schlabach was introduced by WAIS eighth-grader Cindy Vargas, the school’s Character Without Question winner.


Excerpts from the SBISD Snapshots Blog.
Read the full article at SbisdSnapshots.blogspot.com.

Valedictorians and Salutatorians Announced

Spring Branch ISD’s five high schools announced valedictorians and salutatorians for the graduating Class of 2015 recently.

The Class of 2015’s co-valedictorians are Caroline Marie Bik and Konnie Le. Salutatorian is Cristhopher Edgardo Nunez.

excerpts from SbisdSnapshots.blogspot.com

Help WAIS Raise Funds from Target's Thanks a Billion

If you have a Facebook account, you can help WAIS raise money with Target's Thanks a Billion campaign. Target intends to give up to $6 million to education. For each user that thanks a teacher through their site, Target will give $25 to their school.

Update: The campaign was promoted by Ellen and other well-know tv personalities, as such Target has already met the $6 million for education.

Visit Target's Thanks a Billion

WAIS German Program featured on Just Add German.

Just Add German aims to increase understanding of the benefits of learning German as a second language, supported by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany. Just Add German includes a Success Stories section that highlights German educational programs in the US.

Wais has been added to their Success Stories.

Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS) has found that the chances for motivating children for German language study is increased when early language study is required. All incoming 6^th graders at WAIS who choose German as their foreign language study must take at least five years of it.

Read the full story

WAIS Students Attend OTC Houston

"More than 94,700 attendees from 130 countries gathered at the annual conference, demonstrating OTC’s position as the leading forum to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for the safe, environmentally friendly and sustainable development of offshore oil and gas resources. It is the sixth largest attendance in the 47-year history of OTC.

The sold-out exhibition was the largest in show history at 695,005 ft², including outdoor exhibits, up from 680,025 ft² in 2014. This year’s conference also had 2,682 companies exhibiting, up from 2,568 in 2014, representing 37 countries. International companies made up 42 percent of exhibitors."

That ~94,700 attendees includes more than 20 students from WAIS. A group of WAIS upper school students interested in pursuing a STEM career spent most of today at the Houston Off Shore Technology Conference. These students were able to participate in activities simulating science principles important in energy production and research, as well as speak to more than 20 different professionals from companies including NOV, Weatherford, Oceaneering, and Mobile. 

We're even pictured on OTC's official Instagram page (above) and twitter feed (below right).

This opportunity was made possible for WAIS Students by the organization Energy4Me.

WAIS takes 2nd in State 4H Agribotics at PVAMU

 WAIS participates in PVAMU's 4H Extension Agribotics State Invitational on the Prairie View campus. The invitational is a follow up to the PVAMU 4H Extension Harris County Qualifier at the end of March and has two divisions, elementary and secondary. Participants not only competed in a robotics competition, but also were able to interact with goats and try there hand at throwing a lasso.

Three middle school students from WAIS competed in this year's invitational, and placed 2nd in the secondary division.