A virtual Ramadan
Hayate Mustefa, WSS Intern
May 17, 2020
You rush to a table full of food as soon as you hear the call to prayer. “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar” (God is the greatest, God is the greatest) is all that echoes in your head as you break your fast with dates and sips of water. As your thirst becomes quenched and your veins moist, you turn to ...
Seniors honored with graduation yard signs
Hanah Kitamoto, Reporter
May 16, 2020
Twenty-three teachers and staff from West High placed signs in yards and windows of graduating seniors on May 14 and 15. According to Principal Gregg Shoultz, the idea came from the webinar for seniors and parents held on April 24. "The PSTO wanted to do something for the class of 2020. Afte...
Environmental side effects
Katherine Shoppa, WSS Intern
May 16, 2020
In the past few months, the world has been turned upside down. There have been over 3.2 million COVID-19 cases worldwide and on April 27, the U.S. surpassed 1 million cases and became the country with the most people infected. Towns all over the world are deserted as governments have implemented “stay ...
Individual graduation ceremonies to take place late May
Natalie Dunlap, Online Editor-in-Chief
May 15, 2020
After weeks of uncertainty, a graduation plan is taking form. Today, May 15, seniors and their families received an email from the district around noon. In the message, Director of Community Relations Krisitin Pedersen announced that this year's ceremonies will be conducted "in a series of in-person,...
Stay-at-home athletes
Owen Aanestad, Sports Editor
May 13, 2020
The spring sports season came to a sudden halt on March 16 when the Iowa City Community School District announced that they would suspend classes until April 13, preventing track and field’s upcoming meets and practices along with the other spring sports’ first practices. As school grounds clo...
Interrupted tradition
Hanah Kitamoto, Reporter
May 11, 2020
Graduation. Senior skip day. Prom. All of these senior traditions came to a halt as the coronavirus pressed the pause button for many activities. But there's also one seemingly small, but meaningful tradition that has been put on pause: senior letters. English teachers Katy Nahra and Ann Rocarek have their freshman class write letters to their senior-selves at the end of every...
Alternatives to movie theaters
Edward Keen, Arts Editor and Copy Editor
May 10, 2020
As the endless days roll by since theaters closed down in March, arts buffs like myself have come to the ultimate realization: watching movies at home doesn't live up to going to see a film at a theater. This is due to far more than merely having the opportunity to see a movie on the big screen rather ...
10 ways to support local businesses
Maddy Smith, Photographer, Yearbook Student Life editor
May 10, 2020
Small businesses are suffering due to the practice of social distancing in response to COVID-19. They support the local community, so here’s how you can support them. When eating out, dine locally. Local businesses are doing take-out and drive-thru orders. If not, GrubHub and other deliv...
Top 10 sports moments of 2019-2020
Owen Aanestad, Sports Editor
May 9, 2020
The 2019-2020 athletic season was definitely one to remember. State championships, comebacks, wins, losses and most recently cancelations are what made up West High athletics over the past eight months. No one can tell you the next time student-athletes and fans will be back on campus but while we wai...
Movies to watch on every streaming service
Jack Harris, Online Reporter and Film Critic
May 7, 2020
It’s now been well over a month and a half since life was normal. Odds are you’ve probably gotten pretty bored during this stretch of time. But please, for the sake of everyone, don’t break social distancing just because you’re bored. Watch a movie instead. What should you watch? Well there ar...