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The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story

The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story

The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story

The Varsity Band opens with "Invicta" by James Swearingen.

Ninth Grade and Varsity band concert features Jazz Lab

Anna Greenlee, Design, Entertainment and Opinion Editor May 17, 2024

The Ninth Grade and Varsity concert bands held a concert at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 15 in the Arganbright Auditorium. Jazz Lab, West High's third jazz band, opened the concert. Jazz Lab played "Blues...

WSS provides recommendations on how to celebrate AAPI Heritage month in Iowa City.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Iowa City

Anna Greenlee and Evelyn Kraber May 17, 2024

History The origin of AAPI month goes back to the 1970s when Congress introduced five joint resolutions proposing a dedicated time in May to recognize the achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander...

West High has announced its finals schedule for the end of the 2023-24 school year

West High to implement new finals schedule for grades 9-11

Ashlyn Brady, Online Editor-in-Chief May 14, 2024

As the final day of the 2023-24 school year, June 5, approaches, the West High Administration released its new finals schedule for grades 9-11. Principal Mitch Gross explained in an email sent to parents...

The blood drive had many promotional posts and meetings throughout the year building up to the drive.

Red Cross recap

Anna Greenlee, Design, Entertainment and Opinion Editor May 14, 2024

On April 12, the American Red Cross came to West to host a blood drive in the dance room. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., both adults and students volunteered to help out or to donate. Donors were given water and...

Jinann AbuDagga '25 poses with her Dean's List finalist award at the FTC Iowa Championship. Photo courtesy of Scott Anson

Q&A with FTC Iowa Dean’s List Finalist Jinann AbuDagga

Haneen Eltyeb, Video Co-Editor May 7, 2024

The FIRST Championship is the last competition of the FIRST robotics season, taking place over four days in the middle of April. The championship features all three of FIRST’s programs: FIRST Lego League...

The Community Inclusion Club poses for a group picture after a few days at Camp Courageous. Photo courtesy of Lydia Petoskey.

Community Inclusion Club hosts its annual talent show

Yaya Orszula, Ethan Tisdale, and Evelyn Kraber May 7, 2024

West's Community Inclusion Club held its annual talent show on April 18 in the north band room. During the show, the students who participated showed a variety of talents, ranging from singing to fashion...

A sign set up by the City High students in the front of their school, designating the encampment as "The People's High School for Palestine".

City High and West High students work together for “solidarity encampment”

Josephine Schwartz, Photo Editor May 4, 2024

  On April 17, 2024, students at Columbia University created an encampment on university grounds to protest the continued investing in companies that do business with Israel, in light of the...

Crowd of People with boutonnieres and corsages in front of bright lights. There are Leaves in the foreground and bright lights.

Glowing, glamorous and secure: prom safety

Airi Thompson, Assistant News Editor May 4, 2024

  While prom is a night to take great photos and have fun with friends, it's also important to remember to stay safe while having fun. Driving While driving, you might feel inclined to check...

The 2023-24 Trojan Epic and West Side Story staff members at the Iowa High School Press Association’s state journalism conference at The University of Iowa on Oct. 19. IHSPA named the WSS a 2023 News Team of the Year.

IHSPA awards 2 of its 5 top awards to West journalists, names WSS staff 2024 News Team of the Year finalist

Staff May 1, 2024

The Iowa High School Press Association announced five “Best of the Year” winners this week, with two of them coming to West High. IHSPA named Gianna Liu '25 Photographer of the Year and Erinn Varga...

Anna Song ’25 is the 2024 Free Spirit winner from Iowa. Song will be the West Side Story print design editor for 2024-25.

D.C.’s Freedom Forum names Anna Song Iowa’s Free Spirit Scholarship winner

Staff April 29, 2024

The Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C. awarded Anna Song ’25 in the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference for 2024. Students selected for the program receive an all-expenses-paid...

IHSPA selected sophomores Shanza Sami and Charlotte  Stephens as two of Iowa's Top 10 Emerging Journalists for 2024.

2 of Iowa’s Top 10 Emerging Journalists from West

Staff April 29, 2024

The Iowa High School Press Association identified Shanza Sami '26 and Charlotte Stephens '26 as two of Iowa’s Top 10 Emerging Journalists, a program which seeks to recognize emerging talent in newspaper,...

Omnia Ahmed ‘26, Ira Dirar ‘26, Waad Dafalla ’26, Wesal Haroun ‘24, Ciram Shargawi ‘25 and Layan Ahmed ‘25 dance to Shail Al Telephone by Manal Al Boudri.

Walk it Out performs annual show

Zoe Smith, Editor-in-Chief April 28, 2024

West High is a school with many cultures represented and one of the very few schools in Iowa with 50% minority students. The pouring rain and storm warnings rolling in on phones didn't stop one of the...

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