West Side Story

IHSPA awards 4 of its 5 top awards to West journalists, names WSS staff 2022 News Team of the Year finalist

Staff • April 14, 2022

The Iowa High School Press Association awarded five “Best of the Year” trophies this week, with four of them coming to West High. IHSPA named Alaina Greenlee ’23 Videographer of the Year, Kailey...

WSS print co-editor-in-chief named Iowa’s Journalist of the Year

Staff • March 11, 2022

The Iowa High School Press Association and the Iowa Newspaper Foundation chose Kailey Gee ’22 as Iowa’s Journalist of the Year. Along with the honor, Gee receives a scholarship and is now eligible...

NSPA names West Side Story an Online Pacemaker finalist

Staff • March 2, 2022

The nation’s top scholastic news sites were recognized March 2 by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 47 finalists in its annual Pacemaker competition. The West Side Story's wsspaper.com is one of two Iowa news sites recognized. Owen Aanestad '22 is the WSS online editor-in-chief.

West Side Story staff receives Pacemaker award

November 14, 2021

Honoring the nation’s best, National Scholastic Press Association named West Side Story one of its 29 prestigious Pacemaker winners Saturday, which honors scholastic student newspapers, newsmagazines...

NSPA names WSS staffers as top 10 finalists in national contests

November 1, 2021

National Scholastic Press Association announced finalists for its 2021 individual contests, with each contest category including up to 10 finalists nationwide. Winners will be announced at NSPA/JEA’s...

WSS named 2021 All-Iowa News Team of the Year

October 21, 2021

The Iowa High School Press Association recognized both the Trojan Epic yearbook and West Side Story staffs at its state journalism conference Oct. 21. The West Side Story staff was named a 2021 All-Iowa...

NSPA names West Side Story a Pacemaker finalist

October 21, 2021

The National Scholastic Press Association named the 2020-2021 West Side Story staff a Newspaper/Newsmagazine Pacemaker finalist on Oct. 21. Pacemaker finalists will be recognized and the Pacemaker winners...

D.C.’s Freedom Forum Institute names Hanah Kitamoto Iowa’s Free Spirit Scholarship winner

April 29, 2021

The Freedom Forum Institute in Washington, D.C. awarded West Side Story staffer, Hanah Kitamoto ’22, as Iowa’s winner in the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference for 2021. The program...

INF names Alyssa Skala scholarship winner

April 29, 2021

The Iowa Newspaper Foundation offers a limited number of college scholarships for students preparing for careers in journalism. Alyssa Skala '21 received one of those scholarships. Skala is currently...

IHSPA names WSS staff 2021 News Team of the Year finalist, winners announced this fall

April 14, 2021

The Iowa High School Press Association determines News Team of the Year finalists by choosing the schools with the highest number of individual award winners from its annual writing, photography, design...

Quill and Scroll awards WSS staff in annual writing, photography and multimedia contest

March 23, 2021

Quill and Scroll, a journalism honor society, recognized West Side Story members in its 2021 International Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest. Students from five countries submitted 2,508 entries and...

NSPA names a record-breaking number of WSS staffers as finalists in national contest

November 13, 2020

National Scholastic Press Association announced finalists for its 2020 individual contests, with each contest category including up to 10 finalists nationwide. Winners will be announced at NSPA/JEA's national...