![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![All smiles. The group poses for a photo with last year’s book, “This is Our House,” along with their award for third Best in Show. Meikle, who was an Editor-in-Chief for the yearbook last year as well, holds both and stands at the center of the group. “That was an amazing feeling, going and grabbing the third place award,” Meikle said. “All of it paid off. I cried so much over that book, being able to receive [the award] was one of the highlights of my high school career, it was like the coolest thing ever.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/8bookpose_philly-1200x800.jpg)
On Dec. 10, Ramses Jimenez, 17, and Paula Ramirez, 16, traveled to Oregon with 18 other students from Heredia, Costa Rica. Jimenez and Ramirez will be staying in West Linn until Feb. 4, while the other students are staying in various homes around Oregon.
“I would like to be friends and have good relationships with everyone here in West Linn,” Jimenez said.
Compared to the grueling class schedule that Jimenez and Ramirez are a part of in Costa Rica, the six-period school day at WLHS seems less strenuous and chaotic.
“The biggest difference is that in Costa Rica we take 12-16 different subjects every week and the schedule is very hard,” Jimenez said. “At the end of senior year you have to take a test. If you do well on the test you will get a good job.”
The daily schedule was not the only thing that was surprising for the new students. For Ramirez, the rare occurrence of snow in West Linn caught him off guard.
“I was very surprised by the snow. I had never seen it before I came here,” Jimenez said. “I am most looking forward to going to Mount Hood.”
However hectic the last few weeks of school have been, the students are adjusting to their new schedules. Ramses and Paula will be at the next International Club meeting next Thursday. They would love to make as many new friends as possible.