2020-2021 Staff
Alex Carlon
Online Editor-in-Chief
(she/her) Alex Carlon is a senior at West High and editor-in-chief of the web publication. When she's not helping out on the website she can be found playing clarinet, being a business professional™...
Caroline Barker
Photo Editor
Caroline Barker is a junior and this is her second year on staff. She is photo editor for all three publications and is so excited for this year!
Youjoo Lee
Feature Editor
Youjoo Lee is a senior at West High. This is her second year on staff and she is a feature editor for print and a designer. She enjoys spending time with kids, volunteering and watching Netflix in her...
Gwen Watson
Entertainment Editor
Gwen is a photographer and online entertainment editor on WSS. This will be their third year on staff. In their free time Gwen enjoys cuddling with their cats.
Caroline Chandler
Assistant Sports Editor
Caroline Chandler is a senior at West High. This is her second year on staff as the print assistant sports editor. When you can't find her on the tennis court, she likes to eat ice cream and listen to...
Alaina Greenlee
Videographer
Alaina Greenlee is a sophomore at West. This is her first year on staff as a videographer. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and reading jokes on the bottom of GoGo Squeez pouches.
Helelia Wa Kalala
Videographer
Helelia is a sophomore at West and this is her first year on staff as a videographer. Outside of school, she likes to learn different things about people and the world everyday and help others achieve...
Marta Leira
Print Editor-in-Chief
(she/her) Marta Leira is a senior at West High and editor-in-chief of the print publication. Marta enjoys running (sometimes), creating a an embarrassing amount of Spotify playlists, and using the oxford...
Vivian Polgreen
Reporter
Vivian is currently a 10th grader at West High and this is her first year as a reporter. She enjoys Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.
Audrey Parrish
Reporter
Audrey Parrish is a sophomore at West High School. She is a reporter for West Side Story and this is her first year on staff. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing, spending time with her family...
Ruba Ahmed-Abdelmutalab
Reporter
Ruba Ahmed is a junior at West, and this is her first year on staff as a reporter. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, baking cookies, and writing poetry.
Rosemary Timmer-Hackert
Reporter
Rosemary Timmer-Hackert is a sophomore at West High and a reporter. This is her first year on staff. When she is not researching or writing news stories, she can be found reading or writing fictional ones.
Carter McLaughlin
Reporter
Carter McLaughlin is a sophomore at West High. This is his first year as an online staff reporter. In his free time, you can expect him to be on his Nintendo Switch for too long, perhaps in a call with...
Amelia Stevens
Reporter
(she/her) Amelia Stevens is a sophomore at West High. This is her first year on staff and she is currently working as a reporter. When she's not in school, Amelia is probably crocheting up a storm or cooking.
Helen Zhang
Reporter
Helen Zhang is a junior a West. This is her first year on print staff as a reporter. In her free times she enjoys baking, reading, and sleeping.
Hayate Mustefa
Reporter
Hayate Mustefa is a sophomore and it is her first year on staff as a reporter for print. She enjoys learning about different cultures and spends most of her free time learning new languages and indulging herself in...
Soomin Koh
Reporter
Soomin Koh is a junior at West. This is her first year on staff as a print reporter. In her free time, she enjoys running, going on hikes with her dog, and eating frozen strawberries. ...
Heidi Du
Reporter
Heidi Du is a sophomore and first-year reporter on print. Outside of school, she spends a copious amount of time snacking on extra cheddar Goldfish and petting her cat.
Krisha Kapoor
Reporter
Krisha Kapoor is a sophomore at West High. This is her first year on staff and she is a reporter for print. Outside of the newsroom, you can probably find Krisha in the kitchen or on the court playing...
Paige Albright
Reporter
Paige is new to staff and a sophomore at West. She is a reporter for the online edition of the West Side Story. During her free time she is most commonly dancing at Nolte, running for Iowa Speed Track...
Alexis Dick
Reporter
Alexis is a senior and this is her second year on staff as a reporter. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and doing Taekwondo.
Renee Gould
Reporter
Renee Gould is a junior and a second-year reporter on the West Side Story. She greatly enjoys reading and writing, though her spare time is often taken over by training her five dogs.
Luke Krchak
Reporter
Luke Krchak is an online reporter. This is his third year on staff. When he is outside of school he is either writing the next mystery/sci-fi novel, or he is watching hit movies from the '80s.
Sam Westergaard
Videographer and Photographer
Sam Westergaard is a senior at West High. This is his second year on staff. He is a photographer as well as a videographer. He enjoys Star Wars, anime and superheroes.
Ella Rosenthal
Print Entertainment Editor
(she/her) Ella is a senior at West this year, and is so excited to be on her second year of being on WSS staff. While school and WSS keep her on her toes, she finds time to have fun outside of school by...
Cassandra Michaels
Artist
Cassandra Michaels is a junior and this will be her first year being an artist for the WSS. She spends her free time playing Stardew Valley or coming up with original characters who she draws and writes...
Emma Hall
Artist
Emma Hall is a senior at West and this is her third year on staff as an artist for online staff. in her free time she likes to draw, read, and play video games.
Rachel Swack
Designer
Rachel Swack is a sophomore this year and is excited to her first year on staff as a designer. When she's not busy with school, or other extracurricular activities, she likes to be with friends and family,...
Sila Duran
Designer
(she/her) Sila Duran is a sophomore at West High. This is her first year on staff working as an artist and designer. She is excited to work with all the amazing people on staff to create wonderful publications....
Grace Huang
Designer
Grace Huang is a Junior at West High. She is a first year designer for print. In her free time, she enjoys drinking bubble tea, playing video games and watching Netflix.
Zoey Guo
Designer
(she/her) Zoey Guo is a junior at West High. This is her first year on staff and she is a designer for print. She enjoys ice skating, listening to music, and playing video games outside of school.
Sachiko Goto
Designer
Sachiko Goto is a sophomore at West High, and this will be her first year on staff as a designer for print. In her free time, she is usually listening to music, drinking coffee, watching YouTube, or playing...
Xiaoyi Zhu
Designer
Xiaoyi is a junior this year and this is her second year on staff. She works as a designer for print. Xiaoyi enjoys listening to music and building architectural masterpieces in Minecraft.
Nao Oya
Photographer
Nao Oya is a photographer at West High and in her free time she likes to bake and play in the rain.
Tess Degrazia
Photographer
Tess DeGrazia is a sophomore at West High School, as she recently joined the WSS and is a photographer on staff. Tess enjoys participating in Theatre West, show choir, and loves being with her family.
Zoe McLaskey
Photographer
Zoe McLaskey is a junior at West High, and this is her first year on staff being a photographer. In Zoe's free time she loves to take care of her many plants, dressing up in her favorite outfits, listening...
Kiley Butcher
Photographer
Kiley Butcher is a junior at West High School. This is her second year on the yearbook staff, and she is a photographer. In Kiley's free time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, reading...
Amy Liao
Design Editor
Amy Liao, a senior at West, is a third-year staffer and returning design editor for newspaper. She is looking forward to another year of Making Things Look Marginally Better. Outside of the classroom,...
Tayyiba Muhammad
Yearbook Staffer
Tayyiba Muhammad is a junior at West and it is her first year as a yearbook staffer. When she isn't rewatching Avatar the Last Airbender, she likes to journal and spend time with family and friends.
Kevy Huynh
Yearbook Staffer
Kevy Huynh is a sophomore at West and this is her first year on staff for yearbook. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, biking, playing with her two cats, baking, and watching Netflix.
Willow Oleson
Yearbook Staffer
Willow Oleson is a 10th grader and this is her first year as a yearbook staffer. In her free time she enjoys reading and listening to music.
Hailey Frank
Yearbook Staffer
Hailey Frank is a junior at West and this is her first year on yearbook staff. She enjoys design and in her free time, she loves dancing and hanging out with her dog.
Eva Jordan
Reporter and Designer
Eva Jordan is a sophomore at West High and a first-year designer and reporter for print. When she's not designing pages she likes to read, camp, and spend time outdoors.
Annie Schwartz
Online Copy Editor
Annie Schwartz is a sophomore and online copy editor for WSS. She also participates in cross country and track. During her free time, you can find her eating Hershey chocolate bars, watching sports movies,...
Madelyn Grueter
Yearbook Staffer
Madelyn Grueter is a sophomore at West High. This is her first year on staff as a yearbook designer. In her free time she enjoys swimming and playing board games with her family.
Zoe Scott
Yearbook Staffer
Zoe Scott is a yearbook staff member and this is her first year on staff. In her free time she likes to swim, play piano, cook, and spend time outside.
Olivia Boeglin
Yearbook Staffer
(she/her) Olivia Boeglin is a sophomore at West High and this is her first year as a Yearbook staffer. In her free time, Olivia enjoys playing in the orchestra and is a member of the cheer team and BPA.
Melissa Uc
Yearbook Staffer
Melissa Uc is a sophomore at West and this is her first year on staff for yearbook. In her free time she dances at Nolte Academy, plays piano at Preucil School of Music, and enjoys spending time with family.
Maya Chu
Reporter, Artist and Designer
Maya Chu is a sophomore at West High and this is her first year on staff as a reporter, designer, and artist. When she's not working on journalism, find her making music, art, or new discoveries (usually...
Katherine Shoppa
Reporter and Yearbook Staffer
Katherine Shoppa is a sophomore at West. This is her first year on staff as a reporter for print and a yearbook staffer. When she's not writing, you can find her playing with her dog, watching movies, or hanging ou...
Maggie Huang
Online News Editor
(she/her) Maggie Huang is a senior at West, and this is her first year on staff. She is a news editor for the web publication. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and baking desserts.
Caroline Mascardo
Print Co-Copy Editor
(she/they) Caroline Mascardo is a junior at West High, and this is their first year on staff as a co-copy editor for the print publication. In their free time, Caroline loves watching movies, eating Hi-Chews,...
Camille Gretter
Online and Yearbook Assistant Sports Editor
Camille Gretter is a sophomore at West High and this is her first year on staff. She is the online and yearbook assistant sports editor. She also does rowing and golf, and loves to spend time with family...
Sarah Callanan
Yearbook People Co-Editor
Sarah Callanan is a senior at West High and it is her second year on yearbook as people editor. In her free time she likes to walk her dog Buddy and watch movies with her friends.
Nicole Trout
Yearbook Co-Editor-in-Chief
Nicole Trout is a senior at West high and one of the editors-in-chief for the yearbook. Nicole is also a captain for the West High cheer team and in her free time loves to hangout with friends.
Sara Baroncini
Yearbook People Co-Editor
Sara Baroncini is a senior at West High. She is co-people editor for the yearbook as well as a photographer for her second year on staff. When she is not snapping photos, Sara is contributing as a member...
Alice Meng
Print Copy Editor
(she/her) Alice Meng is a senior at West High and this is her second year on staff. She is a copy editor and in her free time enjoys spending time with friends and listening to music.
Kailey Gee
Print News Editor
(she/her) Kailey Gee is a junior at West High, and this is her second year on staff. She's working as print news editor, but also a designer and reporter. When she has free time, she loves listening to...
Hanah Kitamoto
Print Sports Editor and Yearbook Co-Sports Editor
(she/her/hers) Hanah Kitamoto is a junior at West. This is her second year on staff and she is the print sports editor and yearbook co-sports editor. She enjoys meeting new people, along with reporting...
Fareeha Ahmad
Profiles Editor and Yearbook Copy Editor
Fareeha Ahmad is a senior at West High, and this is her second year on staff. She is the profiles editor for print and the copy editor for yearbook. When she isn't writing, she's either learning new things,...
Isaac Young
Opinion Editor
Isaac Young is a senior West High and this is his second year on the WSS staff. He is an opinion editor and reporter.
Jack Harris
Online Arts Editor
Jack is a junior and the online arts editor for WSS. He also occasionally makes videos for West and rock climbs. If he's not spending time with his friends it's probably because he's with his dogs.
Abby McKeone
Graphics and Social Media Editor
(she/her) Abby is a senior at West and this is her second and final year on staff. She is currently the social media editor and the online graphics editor. She loves to read and spend time with her friends...
Sydney Wildes
Yearbook Clubs and Academics Editor
Sydney Wildes is a senior at West High. This is her second year on staff as a photographer and as the yearbook's clubs and academics editor. When she's not on a school zoom call she is either in the backyard...
Tosh Klever
Video Editor
Tosh Klever is a senior at West High. This year marks his second year on staff and first year as video editor. His favorite pastimes are playing chess, running fast and having class.
Misha Canin
Print Managing and Business Editor
(she/her) Misha Canin is a junior at West High. This is her second year on staff, where she is currently the business editor and the print managing editor. She is excited to continue creating unique publications...
Maddy Smith
Yearbook Student Life Editor
Maddy is a junior and this is her second year on staff. She is a photographer and the yearbook Student Life editor. In her free time she enjoys playing soccer, watching movies with her dad and sister,...
Cameron Reimers
Yearbook Co-Editor-in-Chief
Cameron Reimers is a junior at West. She is one of the editors-in-chief for the Trojan Epic. Cameron is on the girls golf team and loves to watch basketball and football in her free time. She also loves...
Owen Aanestad
Online Sports Editor and Yearbook Co-Sports Editor
Owen Aanestad is a junior at West. This is his second year on staff working for the online publication as the online sports editor and yearbook co-sports editor. In addition to playing football and baseball,...
Alyssa Skala
Yearbook Managing Editor
(she/her) Alyssa Skala is a senior at West. She is a third year photographer on staff and a second year editor for yearbook. When she doesn't have her camera, Alyssa can be found playing softball and rowing.
Bess Frerichs
Online Managing and Feature Editor
(she/her) Bess Frerichs is the online managing and feature editor. As a senior, this is her third and final year on staff. She enjoys reading, writing and playing the harp.