Westfield High School

BOYS VOLLEYBALL Westfield def. Saint John’s (Shrewsbury), 25-12, 25-18, 25-18 Westfield swept Saint John’s (Shrewsbury) on May 2 to remain unbeaten. The Bombers improved to 13-0 overall, 6-0 North. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/05/the-westfield-news-scoreboard-bombers-boys-volleyball-enjoy-sweeping-success.html

The Westfield High School softball team may have had an eye toward the weekend, but they had to work extra hard to finish off the school week. Westfield survived an extra inning thriller on the road Friday, escaping Hampshire Regional with a 3-2 win in 10 innings. Bombers senior Moja Premny delivered the game-winning hit in the top of the 10th. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/05/westfield-softball-escapes-hampshire-with-3-2-win-in-10-innings.html

There is something historic happening on Montgomery Road in the City of Westfield. On Thursday, the Westfield High School boy's lacrosse team defeated Minnechaug at home, 11-7, to improve to a club best 11-0 record and capture the Valley Wheel title (6-0). It is the best start in school history for the program. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/05/westfield-boys-lacrosse-holds-off-minnechaug-11-7-to-continue-best-start-in-school-history-at-11-0.html

On Wednesday, the Westfield High School baseball team saved the best for last. Westfield sophomore pitcher Josh Wagner tossed a three-hitter, striking out nine batters and senior Ethan Johnson delivered a pinch-hit, walk-off base hit to lift Westfield to a thrilling 1-0 win in the bottom of the seventh inning at Bullens Field. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/05/ethan-johnsons-walk-off-hit-lifts-westfield-baseball-to-dramatic-1-0-win-over-west-side.html

What is the best medicine to remedy a three-game losing streak? How about a blowout victory. Westfield’s Gabi Ritter scored six goals and delivered one assist, and Kara Racicot (3 goals, 3 assists) and Kayli Bush (2 goals, 4 assists) each tallied six points as the Bombers soared to a 20-3 win over Hampshire on Monday in the Whip City. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/westfield-girls-lacrosse-ends-slide-with-convincing-victory.html

If it seems like the Westfield High School baseball team had another big game to play, that’s because they did. Westfield beat another quality opponent Thursday, shutting out Pope Francis on the road 7-0. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/josh-wagner-nick-lenfest-help-westfield-silence-pope-francis-7-0.html

Members of the community are invited to immerse themselves in the work of talented art students of all ages adorning the walls of Westfield High School at “Into the Arts” Saturday, April 27, and then gather in the gym and enjoy student musicians from elementary to high school perform in “Bandtastic.” Artwork by students in second and fourth grades on up will be on display from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. throughout the school, and at 1 p.m. in the gym, musicians from elementary, intermediate, middle and both high schools will be showcased. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/westfield-student-artists-musicians-getting-ready-for-combined-showcase.html

The Westfield High School baseball team found the solution to ending to their first losing streak of the season. His name is Colin Cusack. Westfield senior pitcher Colin Cusack scattered five hits, two walks, and two runs, striking out four over seven innings; and the Bombers played a bit of small ball to defeat rival Pittsfield 5-2 Tuesday at Bullens Field. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/colin-cusack-westfield-turn-back-rival-pittsfield-5-2.html

Don’t miss this week’s match as Westfield High School goes up against Rockville High School on the campus of Westfield State University this Saturday at 7pm, only on New England Public Media!

Aniyah Bailey delivered a walk-off hit in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the defending Division 1 state champion Taunton High School softball team to a dramatic 4-3 victory Wednesday, handing Westfield its first loss of the season. It was a game worth remembering though for one Bomber. Westfield junior pitcher Shea Hurley celebrated her 500th career strikeout, striking out 14 Taunton batters. She entered the game needing just 10 Ks to reach that hallowed milestone. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/bombers-pitcher-celebrates-milestone-lauded-for-effort-in-extra-inning-loss.html

The Westfield High School baseball team did not take the holiday off to rest on their laurels. Instead, the Bombers kicked off a five-game homestand on Patriots’ Day with their fifth straight win to begin the season. Westfield sophomore Josh Wagner tossed a one-hitter, striking out nine batters in an 11-1, mercy-shortened win over Agawam early Monday afternoon at Bullens Field. The Bombers exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/josh-wagners-one-hitter-westfield-baseballs-10-run-first-inning-culminate-in-teams-fifth-straight-win.html

Four hundred seniors and juniors from Westfield High School, Westfield Technical Academy, Southwick Regional School, St. Mary’s High School, Smith Academy, White Oak School, Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative and Gateway Regional High School gathered in two sessions on April 3 at the Credit for Life Fair at Westfield High School for an exercise in “real-world” finances from experts in the field. When they entered the gym, students could either choose or were randomly assigned a profession, a likely salary and a credit score, which they had to display on a tag hanging around their necks. “A lot of them are given really terrible credit scores. For the first stop, they can take a quiz to increase their credit scores. They’re also offered a credit card,” Taylor said. At the “Credit” booth, they get advice on how to maintain a good score, including not ever missing a payment. She said the students are surprised that even prospective landlords will look at their credit scores. Students are also tempted by broadcasted announcements from the “Fun, Fun, Fun” booth to go on vacations and purchase other extras. She said at the end, they returned to the Credit booth to see what “trouble-trouble” they got into. “The goal is to give students some education on what it’s like in the real world, and to learn prices, such as for cell phones. It’s not just about buying a car and expenses. At the ‘Part-time Job’ booth, they go on an actual interview for the job,” Taylor said. Westfield High School senior Milana Camilleri said she was supposed to be 25 years old and a medical resident, with a lot of debt. “I have to be frugal. I’m trying to figure out how to boost my credit score and plan for when I become a doctor,” she said. Wunnyuriti Ziblim, an environmental engineer, said he had gotten an additional part-time job as a math tutor to help pay his bills. Susan Borsella, financial literacy teacher at Gateway, brought 25 seniors to Credit for Life in the Huntington school’s first year participating. “This is it, they’re seniors on the edge of being adults. Most of them are walking around saying, ‘I’m broke already.’ They’re all getting jobs.” Borsella, whose class teaches students how to write checks, the difference between banks and credit unions, loans and credit cards, and hourly and salary wages, said a lot of what she teaches is out of her own experience and mistakes. Gateway seniors Abigail Madru and Kai Rahilly were finding the exercise worthwhile. They had just bought phones and a streaming service at the “Multimedia” Booth from Al Lieb of Otis Ridge. “It’s really fun and useful to help kids see how much they actually have to spend,” said Rahilly. “It’s really valuable to go through this before going through it in the real world,” Madru said, adding, “It’s a shock to go from having to pay for nothing to buying a car.” Kate Perez, math supervisor for Westfield Public Schools, said the fair is put on by Western Mass Credit for Life, which raises funds throughout the year to pay for it. Sponsors include MassHousing, Berkshire Bank, Bank ESB, Polish National, Westfield Bank and Westfield Gas & Electric. Volunteers also came from the Westfield Education to Business Alliance, and the Westfield Chamber of Commerce. https://www.thereminder.com/localnews/westfield/credit-fair-teaches-greater-westfield-teens-to-bal/

It’s tough enough that the Westfield High School softball team has all of Western Massachusetts gunning for them as winners of three straight Western Massachusetts crowns. On Thursday, the Bombers were tasked with overcoming two opposing forces. Westfield junior pitcher Shea Hurley tossed a two-hitter, striking out nine batters in defeating Pittsfield – and the rain – 3-2 at home. Hurley walked four and hit two by pitch with intermittent showers raining down on the field. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/shea-hurley-westfield-softball-hold-off-pittsfield-for-3-2-victory.html

The Westfield High School softball team is just two games into the 2024 season, but it appears the three-time defending Western Massachusetts champion Bombers already have that look. Westfield junior pitcher Shea Hurley already appears to be in mid-season form, throwing a perfect game and striking out 14 batters in Tuesday’s 22-0, mercy-shortened shutout of Longmeadow at home. The Bombers exploded for 22 runs over just four innings. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/westfield-softball-begins-title-defense-with-pair-of-shutout-victories.html

Now that the solar eclipsed has passed, Westfield’s public schools are passing on the special viewing glasses to students in South America. Westfield school district Curriculum and Instruction Director Susan Dargie said the schools are working with the Holyoke Fire Department to collect glasses to be donated to Argentina and Chile, where an annular solar eclipse will be visible on Oct. 2. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/westfield-students-will-donate-used-eclipse-glasses-to-kids-in-south-america.html

It is quite obvious that the road has not been a stumbling block for the Westfield High School boys varsity lacrosse team. One week into the 2024 season, the Westfield High School boys varsity lacrosse team is perfect. The Bombers latest win came Saturday on the road against East Longmeadow, an 11-5 victory. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/westfield-boys-lacrosse-emerges-from-three-game-road-trip-3-0.html

Western Mass News was on the front field over at Westfield High School where the Space and Astronomy Club held a viewing event for students and community members. Now, it really was a party here at Westfield High School, people brought their picnic blankets and outdoor chairs all to view the eclipse in Westfield. We spoke with some students who told us what got them so excited to see the eclipse! “Defintiely the peak and also just seeing outside it kept getting progressively darker and darker throughout the eclipse,” expressed Mirabella Prefontaine. “I just wanted to make sure that no one gets vision loss,” said Andy Liu “That was one of my main concerns because we’re not in the path of totality so no one could really take off their glasses during the eclipse.” https://www.westernmassnews.com/2024/04/08/students-astronomy-enthusiasts-gather-westfield-eclipse/

Lauren Cadigan, supervisor of science, technology and engineering for Westfield schools, and K-6 STEM coach Lyndsey Ayers, said they are ready to distribute more than 5,700 solar eclipse safety glasses, a pair for every student and staff member in the public school system. Any leftover glasses will be given to the preschools at the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club. “Students won’t get them until Monday,” Cadigan said. She said 3,000 of them were donated from UMass Amherst, and the district purchased the rest. Administrators made sure these glasses have been tested to protect eyes from the intense rays of the sun. https://www.masslive.com/westfieldnews/2024/04/safety-glasses-pinhole-viewer-project-have-westfield-pupils-ready-for-eclipse.html

Tonight's SEPAC Meeting is now being held virtually only. Thank you.

Students from Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy participated in our annual "Credit for Life" Fair on Wednesday, April 3. Students learned about credit cards, housing and transportation costs, budgeting, and more. Thank you to all of the volunteers that made this authentic learning experience possible for our students. Did you know? A course in Financial Literacy is a graduation requirement for all WPS students? #AchievingExcellenceTogether