West Catholic High School - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Band - Darren LaPrise
The West Catholic Band represents a cross section of the high school population. Students in band are also members of various sports teams, including, Football, Cheerleading, Ski, Tennis and Soccer. We are Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. Band is a Fine Arts credit and meets daily. Please click on the following link to the WC Band Website.

C.S.I West Catholic - Paul Guild
C.S.I. (Catholics Seeking Insight) is a group of students who meet together every Friday during lunch and teamroom to share food, fellowship. They seek to focus on particular aspects of their faith so that they can grow deeper in their relationship with Christ and understanding of the teaching of the Church in a less formal, non-classroom setting. Catholics Seeking Insight always welcomes new members.

FIRST Robotics - Tom Kutzli
FIRST robotics is a competition between high schools to create a robot that will achieve a particular goal. West Catholic is joining the FIRST robotics competition this year. It is our goal to make robotics a part of the entire educational process here at West Catholic High School. To accomplish this task, the team will work in cooperation as coaches, mentors, administrators, and parents to offer the best possible educational experience to our students.

French Club - Connie Marshall
The French Club is an opportunity for students studying French to meet and explore the culture in a variety of ways. Some activities include a Mardi Gras celebration and preparing and enjoying French foods. All students interested in French culture are welcome to join!

H.T.N (Help the Needy) - Cathy Pearce
All the religion classes work together to raise funds through out the school year. Thousands of dollars annually are donated to various organizations and individuals as needs arise within and outside of the West Catholic community. Students answer the call for a wide variety of talents. They look for opportunities that use their particular talents and for time commitments that fit their schedule. They hear of a need and step in to help.Annually students and staff from West Catholic join with volunteers from Catholic Central to travel on a National Relief mission trip. Students who successfully complete the Service Program suggested hours will receive a yearly endorsement on their transcripts. Every grade level has a minimum number of documented hours expected:

9th Grade = 20 hours
10th Grade = 30 hours
11th Grade = 40 hours
12th Grade = 40 hours

These hours reflect a combination of service to home/school and service to church/community. No more than 10 hours of service to home/school will be counted towards the transcript endorsement per year.

Math Challenge - Sandy Golembiewski

National Honor Society - Sharon Piers / Gerri Wesorick
West Catholic High School maintains a local chapter of the National Honor Society, whose three standards are service, character and leadership. Juniors who have achieved a 3.6 cumulative grade point average are invited to join the National Honor Society in the fall of their junior year. That grade point average must be maintained throughout the junior and senior years. National Honor Society members must exhibit good character by adhering to the school rules as stated in the Parent-Student Handbook. All members and candidates for membership are required to contribute a minimum of twenty hours per year of community service. In addition, members are expected to take leadership roles at West Catholic.

Peer Ministry - Cathy Pearce
The mission of the Peer Ministry Program is the formation and development of the emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of individual students through an emphasis on community. The program seeks to help students realize their potential in making a positive contribution to their community and ultimately to society as a whole. Through students helping students, the program seeks to instill active, living, and conscious faith in all its participants, bringing them to a greater awareness of Christ present in the members of their immediate community. Furthermore, the program seeks to foster the building of healthy Christian relationships throughout the students’ lives.

Principal’s Advisory - Stan Spetoskey
Students have the opportunity to address concerns with the principal and also for the principal to get feedback from students on administrative issues.

Quiz Bowl - Pat Nugent
Open to all students who are interested, Grades 9-12. The team competes in the Grand Rapids Metro Quiz Bowl League. Competitions are held from January to April, with practice starting in November. The team has qualified for the State Tournament every year since its inception in 1999.

Students Against Destructive Decision - Becky Cortes
SADD is a student-led organization of young people helping their peers make positive decisions during what can be a very challenging road to adulthood.

Science Olympiad - Diane Ysasi
The Science Olympiad is a team that competes in various science related competitions. There is a yearly Regional Competition at Grand Valley State University and if the team does well a chance to move onto to State or National Competitions. Events can be fact based challenges or building events. West Catholic participates in the largest Science Olympiad Regional Competition nation wide and more national winners come from our district than any other.

Spanish Club - Gloria Coste/Connie Marshall
Each year Spanish club elects officers to lead our Spanish activities. They are usually seniors and they try to plan an activity each month. Some activities that we have done the past are: Mexican restaurant field trip to Little Mexico, fiestas at Sra. Cuesta’s house (we could only speak Spanish!), art projects, and lunch at school catered by Maggie’s Kitchen. Activiteis planned for the future are: Salsa Dance lessons, tortilla making, Spanish mass field trip. Ideas are always welcome!

STAND - Nancy Beadling
The goal of S.T.A.N.D. is to provide valuable tools to students in grades 5 through 8 that will cultivate leadership skills. Students will learn how to respond to peer pressure, gain confidence and understanding to resist destructive decisions, and learn how giving of their time and talents to the community will build their self-esteem and enrich the lives of the people around them.

Student Ambassadors - Nancy Beadling
The role of the student ambassador is vital to the efforts of the Catholic Secondary Admissions Department. Student Ambassadors are utilized during Parent Information Nights, Junior High Visit, 5th and 6th grade Music Fest and potential student shadows.

Student Government - Cynthia Kneibel
Student government: All students at West Catholic are invited to participate in student government. Meetings are held in the Media Center during lunch and team room on Wednesdays. We are involved in many activities such as spirit week, Powder Puff football, Pretty in Pink Day, Senior Rent-a-Day, the Talent Show, Battle of the Bands, and many others. Officers for 2007/2008 are: Rob Abid, President, Matt Brechting, Vice President, Tyler Baldwin, Treasurer, and Kenzie Clark, Secretary.

Students for Life - Pat Nugent
Open to all students who are interested, Grades 9-12. The club meets very other week throughout the school year. Students participate in pro-life activities such as the Grand Rapids Life Chain, Focus on Life Dinner, Grand Rapids Right to Life Drama Team, Washington DC March for Life, West Catholic pro-life t-shirt sale, National Pro-Life T-shirt Day.