Senior Spotlights (V-Z) - West Lyon Comm School District

Savannah Van Beek

By Katelyn Berentschot

Savannah Van Beek, also known as Sav, was brought into this world by her parents Scott and Kimberly Van Beek. Savannah is the oldest of her siblings: Joeli (16), Jameson (14), and Bowdrie (9). Savannah's biggest role model is her mother. Throughout her entire life she has watched her model so many invaluable skills and traits. She teaches Savannah to be hardworking, compassionate, and empathetic towards others and she also is her children’s biggest supporter and advocate.

Throughout high school Savannah has been involved in FCCLA, NHS, Student Council, Battle of the Books, Individual and Large Group Speech, Volleyball, Golf, and Play Crew. Even being involved in these organizations, FCCLA is where Savannah really shines. Savannah competed at the National Level in the Knowledge Bowl Competition. In this event, Savannah and her team placed in the top 16 her freshman year and in the top 10 her sophomore year. Some other highlights from her sophomore year were placing first in the Toys That Teach Iowa Event, receiving the Governors Traffic Safety Bureau Education Award for her traffic safety project, placing in the top 12 for Teen RSA, and placing 1st for the National FACTS Award. Following the high of her sophomore year came her junior year where she also placed top 8 for Knowledge Bowl at nationals. Throughout her high school and 8th grade years, Savannah has gone to the national level for her Focus on Children STAR event. Even though Savannah loves FCCLA, her favorite high school memory was when she dressed up as president Trump for a football game. She then proceeded to give a speech at half time motivating the student section for the second half. When asked what she will miss most about high school she commented, “being in FCCLA.”

More memories that were a part of Savannah’s years were the elementary holiday parties they had every year along with the History classes because of the knowledgeable and passionate teacher making it exciting. Academically, Sav has been on the A honor roll all four years of high school and being Student of the Month her junior year.

Outside of school Savannah stays active working at the daycare in Inwood and as a CNA at Fellowship Village, lifeguarding at Inwood Aquatic Center, being an Inwood Kids Club teacher, and volunteering at Manna Market and Special Olympics. Being actively involved in helping the community, it makes sense that she plans to pursue a degree in Nursing at the University of Iowa and then go on to become a family nurse practitioner. Her advice to the underclassmen is, "don't take anatomy and physiology and chemistry at the same time.”

Nevaeh Van Dyke

By Savannah Smith

Proud new parents Tessa and Matthew welcomed Nevaeh Faye Van Dyke into the world. Her parents were filled with so much joy as Nevaeh enjoyed her short lived time as the only child. It wasn’t long until her brother Memphis (14) decided to steal the spotlight. Nevaeh’s role models are both of her parents; they both make the most of the little things. They give her the biggest hope that she’s got somewhere to go in life. Another important person was her Uncle Tyler. He's been a big inspiration to her. He really inspires her to be like him. Nevaeh also really values the time she spends with her cousin Ava Van Dyke.

Throughout high school Nevaeh has stayed busy being involved in many different activities. In school Nevaeh was involved in marching band, concert band, speech, Book Bash, musical, play, and the prom committee. Outside of school Nevaeh also involves herself in Youth Group and works at Fellowship Village in Inwood. Clearly, Nevaeh really does like to stay involved. Nevaeh’s favorite subject in school was science; she was very good at science and it’s always going to be a passion she has.

Whether in the classroom or out of the classroom Nevaeh excelled tremendously, earning academic letters and medals. In her extracurricular activities she has received honor band acceptance, a band letter, a speech letter and pins, and an All State nomination for large group speech. Another impressive accomplishment is that Nevaeh has only received one detention in her life. She received this detention for two reasons. First of all, she would read with her head down, which made Mrs. Dewandel think she was asleep. Second, she kept losing homework. Luckily, Nevaeh learned her lesson from this and never even came close to getting another detention.

Nevaeh has lots of great stories from elementary, but her by far best story from elementary school is when she would go to play ga-ga ball with the older kids and got to watch them get really mad. It made her laugh a ton. She also adds that the sarcophagus project in Mr. Johnson’s 6th grade class was very interesting to learn about and fun to do, something she’ll never forget.

Nevaeh’s favorite memory with a teacher is again with Mr. Johnson in his history class. She asked if Christmas happened in July in the southern hemisphere and he laughed, which made her laugh. Nevaeh truly loved making great memories every day but her favorite overall West Lyon memory is running around with her friends at the most random times.

After high school, Nevaeh plans to attend Augustana University to study biology and genetics. She hopes to become a genetics counselor. Nevaeh will miss her favorite school lunch of building your own tacos, but what she will miss the most about her time at West Lyon is getting to be around everyone all the time. Nevaeh’s advice to underclassmen is don’t think you’re done growing, high school shouldn’t be your fondest memories when you’re in your 40s. You’ll continue to grow, don’t stop now.

Chloe Van Essen

By Nevaeh Van Dyke

It was an eventful day in January when little Chloe ‘Clorri’ Beth Van Essen was born. Ever since then she’s been a fun-loving go-getter with every person she’s made a friend with. In her family is her mother Amber Van Essen and father Heath Van Essen. Chloe said her dad was a big role model in her life, expressing that she loves how he will always be there for her at performances and concerts. She also has a little sister Kendra, forever ten years old and loved.

Chloe has gone to West Lyon her entire life, being the best student she could ever be while never getting in trouble. Her exact words were “I’m too good for detentions.” One memory Chloe has from her elementary years is getting to race out to the blue tire swings with her friends Cooper Carolan, Alec Kock, and Sidney Huyser, all three wanting that pristine new swing for themselves during recess. On the high school side, her favorite memories revolve around the recurring construction: getting to leave class for the occasional fire alarm, stopping class to giggle at the jackhammers or drill noises from the other side of the wall, and even moving classrooms around when the construction took the old room. Chloe went through those days thinking how funny it was that these temporary walls were taking her classes all around the school.

In high school, Chloe is involved in quite a lot of activities such as marching band, concert band, concert choir, chamber choir, speech, and she was in the crew for the fall musicals and spring play. In these activities, Chloe has achieved many things. She earned her band letter, and speech letter and has also received speech pins. She has gotten into the Iowa Honor Choir and gotten many, many certificates for musical and play.

Chloe has a love for band, saying it’s her favorite class. Getting to always be in the band room while something’s going on is the best way to keep her busy. Speaking of busy, she started off every school year with the marching band, waking up way too early to come to school and march around on the blacktop or the dew-covered football field while their teacher, Ms. Bolin, helps them become better players. She also enjoyed band because she got to see her friends so often in the day. It was sometimes maybe even the only class she would see them until the end of the day when she would leave.

Chloe will most miss the idea of a schedule and getting to see all her friends during the school day and getting to talk over her favorite lunch, chicken tortilla soup, specifically with the garlic knots the lunch ladies give. If Chloe could give one piece of advice to her underclassmen it would be “don’t complain about the little things, because one day they won't matter.”

Drendan Van Wyhe

By Alyssa Hoogestraat

Drendan Van Wyhe was welcomed into the world by his loving parents, Mychal and Dawn Van Wyhe. Drendan was also blessed to have his older siblings, Megan (24), Jordan (22), and Devan (21). Later on, Drendan became an older brother to Tristan (14), Kiersten (11), and Coltan (8). His family grew even more throughout the years when he gained a brother-in-law, Dalton; sister-in-law, Emily; and two nephews, Beckham and Briggs. One person in his family had a great impact on him and became his role model, his dad. “He has always been a great example, taught me how to work hard and do my best, and has always put others before himself,” he explains.

Drendan had a very eventful time during high school, whether it was being difficult in class or acing his tests. In fact, his best reason for getting detention was doing sign language in study hall to communicate with friends after the teacher demanded silence. We are unsure if this was proper sign language, but I’m sure it was followed by some laughter which got them their detention. In elementary school, Drendan also had to sit on the bench at recess for playing too rough in touch football. Mr. Caven straightened him up during his later years, which is Drendan’s favorite memory with the teacher. Drendan explained the story as, “Mr. Caven made Carter and I do push-ups during PE for not listening to instruction.” Ever since that day, Drendan made sure to follow all instructions very carefully, which led him to get on the A honor roll. He also excelled in his favorite class, Anatomy and Physiology. Drendan enjoys Anatomy, because he loves learning about the human body and “Mrs. Wiertzma has always made class very enjoyable.”

As Drendan leaves West Lyon he will miss seeing his classmates at school. I’m sure he will also be reminiscing about his favorite lunch, garlic cheese bread, and his favorite West Lyon memory, “the comical discussions we had in Mr. Rentschler’s science class.” Drendan’s future plans are to work at Dutchland Foods. Drendan leaves with this advice, “Always try your best”.

Claire Vandenbosch

By Eliana Kooi

Being born in, 2008, Claire, also known as “Claire Bear,” “Clyde,” or “Mama,”--to her close friends–has since brought excitement and happiness to everyone who loves her.

Blessed to have brought Claire home were her parents, Shannon and Dominic (Nick) Vandenbosch. With her siblings, Jonathan (12) and Grace (15), and her cats, Cleone and Jeff, joining a few years later to complete the family.

When asked, Claire said that her mom is her role model saying, “My mom shows me every day how to be kind to everyone even if you don't agree with them. She has given my siblings and I a perfect life. My mom works so hard for us and she is my role model.” Another person in Claire's life who has shown great kindness is her second grade teacher, Mrs. Martinson. Saying her favorite memory from West Lyon was the time she has spent in her classroom and that she will never forget the guidance and kindness she showed to every student.

As Claire began to grow up and experience all of what school has offered, she said that her favorite subject was Culinary/Chowdown because she loves to cook and also likes the business aspect of the class. Claire also mentioned that she loves the lunch with pepperoni pizza from the school cafeteria.

Throughout her first few years of high school, Claire participated in both the track team and cross country team. Then during her junior year she decided to join FCCLA, in which she ended up competing at a National event in Orlando, Florida. While also in FCCLA, Claire has gone to the Capital Leadership Conference in Washington DC, which was this November, along with other FCCLA members in her class.

While talking about a funny story from her elementary years, one of those members, although being a close friend of hers now, wasn’t always as supportive of Claire's decisions. In third grade, Claire and her close friend, Jacob Morgan, had something called, “The Coffee Club,” where they would bring coffee creamers to recess, sit under the playground, and drink them. But her now friend, Meg Lapka, and Hannah Meyer didn’t think that was something that they should be doing and told on them to the teacher.

After that mishap, Claire and Jacob had to stop bringing their “coffee” to recess though it didn't stop Claire from continuing her food smuggling career. In eighth grade, Claire, Savannah Smith, Emery Koch, and Alyssa Hoogestraat skipped twenty minutes of their eighth hour band class — which Alyssa did NOT want to do— so that they could sit and eat hot Cheetos in the locker room.

Claire has now learned where and when food can and can’t be eaten, and can now be seen working at the Green Rail with her very close friend, Emersyn, who she loves to work with.

Claire’s advice to the underclassmen is to, “speak your mind and stand up for what you believe in.” Next year, Claire plans to attend the University of South Dakota to major in social work and Spanish.

After graduation Claire is going to attend the University of South Dakota to major in Social Work with Spanish classes.