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Cat Tracks 
The Westwood Wildcat Update
Westwood Happenings
A Night with the 12th Knight 
Fifty Westwood students marked the end of the academic year by participating in the school’s 11th Annual Shakespeare production, 12th Knight, taking a few liberties with Shakespeare’s original. Guided by Kristi Abene and Kim Worthen, students in grades four through eight produced and directed the play, including light and sound systems, set design and construction, costume design and creation, and make-up. Weeks of preparation culminated in two outstanding performances at the Plaza Theater in Garland. Every year students add a twist to Shakespeare’s masterpieces and the selected play is set in another era--12thKnight set amid an American Western motif with an errant, medieval knight wandering through. Students not only learn to perform Shakespeare, but also the songs and dances of the era chosen. Through the annual production, students participate in a project that allows them to use their skills in the real world—whether these skills relate to public relations and publicity, carpentry, or design. By the time they complete eighth grade, students have studied and produced five Shakespeare plays. “One of the main facets of The Westwood School is its sense of community, and nowhere is this aspect more evident than in the support and respect the students give each other in preparing for their roles and production responsibilities,” said Pam Butler. A big thanks to the third grade ushers and concession workers who helped raise money for next year’s production and to all the parents who made the production’s success possible!
2007 Graduation/Promotion Ceremony 
As you may have heard, our graduation ceremony this year was amazing! The 2007 Graduation/Promotion Ceremony was held Wednesday, May 30th, amidst the torrential, spring storms. Students were promoted to the 1st, 4th and 7th grades. The 1st and 4th graders looked very grown up as they each placed a flower in a bouquet to “join” their new classrooms. The new 7th graders were given the “torch of leadership” in a moving candlelight ceremony. Ms. Abene briefly spoke to the graduates, because they were her first class of students at Westwood. She gave each student a “part of herself”, to carry with them to their new high schools. A new tradition was started, as Westwood Alumnae Meghan Mahaney and Sami Schwendeman, joined the graduates delivering their commencement speeches about, “How Westwood Has Prepared Me for Life”. There was not a dry eye in the audience, as each student eloquently expressed all the wonderful lessons and gifts that Westwood has given them. Meghan (graduating from The Parish Episcopal School) and Sami (graduating from The Episcopal School of Dallas) gave attending parents reasons why a Westwood education truly prepares students to learn. Congratulations to all our graduates! We wish you the best of luck in high school and college! Meghan Mahaney Westwood Class ’03 University of Rochester Sami Schwendeman Westwood Class ’03 New York University, Tisch School of the Arts Josh Coughennower Westwood Class ’07 Bishop Lynch High School Brier D’Arcy-Brain Westwood Class ’07 John Paul II High School Lara Kakish Westwood Class ’07 Ursuline Academy Jessica Miller Westwood Class ’07 John Paul II High School Shelby Sloan Westwood Class '07 Booker T. Washington School for the Performing Arts & Visual Arts
* Excerpts from Ms. Abene’s and the students’ speeches will be available in the 2007-2008 Student Packet |
