Iowa City Speaks moves online
Renee Gould, Reporter
May 4, 2020
With the Iowa City Community School District announcing that school was going to be canceled until at least April 13, Spoken Word club, better know as Iowa City Speaks (IC Speaks) was canceled alongside it. However, the head of IC Speaks, Caleb Rainy, decided to keep the program going throughout the cr...
Preoccupied
May 3, 2020
“Secure your phones!” You’ve heard it before in the West High classrooms, a common phrase teachers use to remind their students to remain on task throughout the period. However, outside of school it’s much harder for students’ phone usage to be regulated. This often results in a large amount...
Overcoming obstacles
Hanah Kitamoto and Isaac Young
April 28, 2020
Language is everywhere and it’s surely unavoidable. Homework, tests, socializing and even a quick trip to your local coffee shop will require you to use language. As English is the most common language in America, it’s not rare to be surrounded by English in our daily lives. Transforming thoughts an...
College admissions process Q&A
Fareeha Ahmad and Alyssa Skala
April 26, 2020
How should a student go about finding the right college for them? Under normal circumstances: “If you're going on a road trip with your family, and you're driving by someplace, go and walk around as much as you can. Getting on a physical campus as much as possible is going to help you ge...
Tackling Tourette’s
April 26, 2020
About Tourette’s Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder involving tics, which are involuntary movements or sounds. In order to be diagnosed, individuals must have motor and vocal tics lasting more than a year, according to Tourette Association of America. Kaylee Gibson '23 Early in ...
Viral.
April 23, 2020
Halfway across the world, the impact wasn’t immediate. It all started in late December, when a few individuals in Wuhan, China were diagnosed with pneumonia from an unknown cause. As cases spread throughout the world and death tolls soared, on March 11 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a global pandemic. Eventually, the virus reached Iowa City. By then, scientists had given the ominous new threat a nam...
What have your teachers been up to?
Fareeha Ahmad, Reporter
April 3, 2020
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, life has been a little less than normal. To stay safe, individuals cannot go to restaurants, the movies or the mall. Even a bike ride with a couple of friends can be dangerous. Boredom has hit students so hard that they miss school and their teachers. So, to bring some li...
Credit reel
Krisha Kapoor, WSS Intern
March 20, 2020
After every great movie, there is a credit reel for all the people behind the scenes. Almost always you’ll find yourself getting up and leaving before the screen gets past the actors. Do you ever actually wonder who wrote that song, or who made that sound effect? As humans, we are busy and tend to...
Looking back: Clear the smoke
Camille Gretter, WSS Intern
March 19, 2020
Clear the smoke by the West Side Story Editorial Board September 7, 1979 By administrative decree, cigarettes will no longer smolder on school property. The new ban on student smoking is more than a rule; it’s a law. Though in recent years it has not been enforced, state law prohibits the use of t...
A stroke of good fortune
Alex Carlon, Online Managing and News Editor
March 15, 2020
The enthusiastic ramblings of host Pat Sejak and tender smile of Vanna White are two comforts that many Americans tune in for on a weekly basis. The high-stakes competition and fun-loving spirit of the program makes Wheel of Fortune a must-see for millions of people daily. West paraeducator Farren ...
Overcrowding in classes blooms opportunity for new teacher
Natalie Dunlap, Online Editor-in-Chief
March 12, 2020
While August is usually the time for students to meet new teachers, get acquainted with classmates and fall into a rhythm with their subjects, a group of American studies and success center kids got a change of pace when they were switched to a new teacher part-way through the second trimester. Andrew Bl...
Looking back: Where to find love?
Caroline Mascardo, WSS Intern
March 12, 2020
Originally published in April 25, 2003 issue of West Side Story by Kat Rokhlin Where to find love? eHarmony.com eHarmony.com boasts its ability to find the perfect match for you. It requires you to answer an extensive questionnaire (more than 500 questions) to find the most suitable and compati...
