“Tortilla Curtain." “Of Mice and Men." “Macbeth." If you recognize any of the titles above, you’ve been fulfilling your English requirements. At West, students will read over 20 novel-length works...

As students at West finish various AP tests this week, I’d like to take a minute to address the impact that these tests, and the AP culture on the whole, has on students at the school. At West, the AP...

As the school year enters its final month and summer vacation draws ever closer, I’ve been left wondering what the true takeaway of high school is.  Classes are the biggest takeaway from high...

I started sophomore year without many friends. Most people in my close friend group had been split up because of new district lines or because of families moving away. A few months into sophomore year...

Dear anti-vaxxers, I believe you have been done a disservice. People, like myself, who believe in the importance of vaccinations have come after you on the internet and made you out to be the villains...

From ITBS to Iowa Assessments to ISASP, the flaws in the tests are glaring. On the morning of Tuesday, April 26, 2019, West students in grades nine through 11 began the first section of the three-day-long...

My first experience with running track last year ensured a flurry of mixed emotions: love for the sport and my amazing teammates, pain as I ran through shin splints and a sprained groin, pride when I shaved...

Today, like many days, I head a headache both during the school day and afterward. Who or what is the nefarious culprit behind these head pains? The answer is screens. While certainly not all and probably...

“It’s going to get easier.” Lie. “You're going to get through this.” Lie. Instead, tell me the truth. Tell me that there are going to be days when I pretend to be okay. Tell me that there will...

As spring comes into full bloom, you may be looking to do some spring cleaning on your favorite playlist. WSS staff members recommended their top songs of the moment to be compiled into a giant playlist...

I’m cracking my (root) beer and eating some (veggie) dogs tonight but I don’t think anyone else will at West High. Our generation isn’t paying attention to professional baseball like ones in the...

Earlier this month, I attended my third funeral. It was for my 97-year-old great-grandmother who had passed away the weekend before, which happened to be on my 18th birthday. Though all of this sounds...