Many teachers and staff members have faithfully contributed to the growth and expansion of Westminster Christian Academy over the course of its decades long history. However one family in particular has had a huge impact on the Westminster community. The Lewis family has affected the Westminster community greatly through the careers of both Mrs. Lizzie Vogel, one of Westminster’s most beloved art teachers, and her mother, Mrs. Florence Lewis. Both women have made many great contributions to Westminster, including starting the school’s summer seminar program and Spirit Week!

While Mrs. Vogel is a well-known face within the Westminster community today; fewer current students are aware that her mother also taught at Westminster and helped the school get on its feet.

Mrs. Lewis or as her students called her “Madame Lewis”, was a passionate teacher who loved her students and enjoyed educating her students on the intricacies of the French language. She taught French, Latin, and Bible during her tenure at Westminster and put her heart into every lesson she gave. When she was not teaching a class, she could always be found helping or chatting with her students. Mrs. Vogel can attest to just how profound her mother’s impact was:

“She had a love for the students, and for what she taught, that’s something that everyone loved about her.”

Mr. Haas, a calculus teacher well acquainted with Mrs. Lew, also spoke to her dedication to WCA:

“Mrs. Lewis was an amazing leader, she had great school spirit and she helped the students get excited about our school! She loved teaching her students and was always very energetic.”

However, Mrs. Lewis did more than just connect with her students, she also founded many of the programs and events Westminster offers today. Not only did she start the foreign language program with the introduction of Latin and French classes, but introduced school spirit events such as the homecoming carnival and spirit week as well.

When Mrs. Lewis first started the tradition of the homecoming carnival, it was referred to as the junior carnival because the junior class ran the event and worked the various booths. The booth that Madame Lewis ran was called “Cafe de France”, and through that booth she allowed her French students to run a cafe with traditional French treats to promote French culture and cuisine.

In 1984, Mrs. Lewis expanded her list of contributions to Westminster by taking the lead of the hospitality committee. Mrs. Vogel speaks on how her mom made a special impact by designing an engaging fundraiser for WCA:

“My mom made a special fundraiser called: Light the Way. It was to raise money to rewire and light the hallway! She was very creative and clever in that way.”

Thanks to her clever innovation, Mrs. Lewis was able to help the school raise enough money to completely rewire and light the hallways of the old campus. No matter where she went or what she did, she was always open and generous to anyone who needed help. Even though she has sadly passed away, her loving nature left an indelible mark on the Westminster community, and serves as an example of how the love of Christ can be displayed in every aspect of one’s life.