The West Ottawan

Most/Least Expensive Prom

He walked up to her door, butterflies full flight in his stomach. He rang the doorbell, palms sweaty. The door opened, a… Read more →

Transgender Policies

On May 6, The West Ottawan published an article called “Michigan's Transgender Policies.” The article included … Read more →

WOSO state finals

The glimmer of the bright LED lights reflected off the GVSU blue tarp. “Firing in 3-2-1…. Thu Wump!” The golf ball… Read more →

Fresh from our newsroom

Scoots and Tanks
WO hole-in-one stories
Baseball wins District championship
Learning to learn
Teacher reward systems
What hurts your grade? At the beginning of the school year, students tell themselves, “This year, I’ll do better than last year.” However, there’s usually
Ghosts are real: Point/Counterpoint Chris’ Point: On its own, the radio turns on and tunes to 93.3 FM with no one around. For some like Mac, it is just a coincidence. But, f
WO’s talent on a new stage
We all judge, but we shouldn’t
The grand gender selection debate
WO students have too many chances
Tulip Time quiz
Peak era of television
Teacher starter packs Almost every student spends roughly 180 hours with each teacher every school year. With that much time, students should become familiar with
Left-handed discrimination: an actual problem

News

WO Graduation 2016

The Senior Class President of 2016, Maggie Becker, delivered an inspirational message to her class on May 26. Her body l
Magic Battle

Magic Manning stands at the podium, hands shaking, Kleenex in hand, audience watching. She begins her first performance
WOGLAX program thrives

WO Sr. Drew Jansma sets her feet, angles her hips outward, and matches the pressure against her stick from the opposing
21st century Eagle Scouts: more than fire starters

The determined scout gathered up his papers and confidently walked into the meeting with his plans to aid in a local pro
A search for the spiciest dish in Holland

I have shared many moments with Alex Lindemann out in public; however, he and I have never cried in a restaurant tog
Prom: A money trap… or is it?

He walked up to her door, butterflies full flight in his stomach. He rang the doorbell, palms sweaty. The door opened, a

Student Life

Scoots and Tanks

After much deliberation, the Supreme Court ruled against Scoots and Tanks early Sunday morning in a case concerning whet
WO hole-in-one stories

12,500 to 1. These are the odds of the average golfer hitting a hole in one. But every once in awhile the odds are
Learning to learn

My legs shake anxiously as my teacher hands back our tests in 8th-grade science. I’m .05% away from having an A
What hurts your grade?

At the beginning of the school year, students tell themselves, “This year, I’ll do better than last year.” However
Big money but low satisfaction: before Mr. Detter was a teacher

As crazy as it seems, teachers haven’t been teachers for their entire lives. Most of them had more than one jobs befor
WO choirs learn the true meaning of “great acoustics”

A glorious chord echoes through the Cathedral of St. John the Divine as the West Ottawa Vocalaires finish their piece �

Opinion

Ghosts are real: Point/Counterpoint

Chris’ Point: On its own, the radio turns on and tunes to 93.3 FM with no one around. For some like Mac, it is just a
We all judge, but we shouldn’t

Nervous and timid, a freshman at WO walked into his very first day of high school. Hesitant and excited, he walked a
The grand gender selection debate

The acceptability of family balancing By Mireya Torrero A family of six needs a new vehicle, so they head to the dealers
WO students have too many chances

A student got in a fight and was subsequently suspended. Just a week after returning to West Ottawa, the student was sus
Peak era of television

For three years, I walked into Instructor Ken Strobel’s room, and saw a small poster on the wall that said, “Televis
Left-handed discrimination: an actual problem

I sat down in a booth at Olive Garden with my family. I didn’t wander fully into the booth because I sat next to my si

Sports

Baseball wins District championship

At 5:45 in a slight drizzle, right fielder Trevor Fairfield positioned himself under a routine fly ball and watched
WOGLAX program thrives

WO Sr. Drew Jansma sets her feet, angles her hips outward, and matches the pressure against her stick from the opposing
Golf preview

Sr. Alex Wuerfel squares up to the tee and prepares to swing. He gazes over the hole, trying not to be nervous. But, the
Baseball: working hard to repeat

This year the Varsity baseball team is looking to make another run for the OK Red Conference title. But with key players
Spring sports

For the past two years, WO spring sports haven’t had the ability to practice outdoors until after spring break. Teams
Boys basketball: When I’m old I’ll remember…

This year, our varsity basketball team went on a tremendous 15-0 run before losing a few games in a row. Although the st

We are The West Ottawan

The West Ottawan is a publication run by journalism students at West Ottawa High School in Holland, Michigan.

WO Alumni

West Ottawa throughout the decades

The foundation and progress of the 60’s By Ethan Israels A yellow, scratched, and rusted Caterpillar bulldozer rumbled
Pardue credits family to success at Aquinas

College Frosh. Kailey Pardue stares intensely at the head pin, clearing her mind before approaching her lane to throw he
Vanderzwaag finds success at University of Michigan

the view is blue💙🌀 A video posted by Dani VanderZwaag (@danivanderzwaag) on Jun 20, 2015 at 7:34am PDT During an a
Alumni share their IB experience

On Thursday, December 17, WOHS Alumni who took part in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) came
Tips for college from WO alumni

Jessica breathes a sigh of relief after unpacking her last box. It is finally time to start her first year of college an
United States Naval Academy experience

She sent out the envelope enclosing her last application essentials on a Wednesday afternoon in 2013. Caroline Fender, W

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The West Ottawan is this Project chapter's publication. Its content is created and updated by students at this school, and supported by a faculty advisor.

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WO Graduation 2016

Magic Battle

WOGLAX program thrives

21st century Eagle Scouts: more than fire starters

A search for the spiciest dish in Holland