• 12/16: Pajama + stuffed animal day
  • 12/17: Jersey day
  • 12/17: Girls basketball vs. Wahlert Catholic
  • 12/17: Boys basketball @ Wahlert Catholic
  • 12/17: Boys swimming @ Linn-Mar
  • 12/17: Band concert in Arganbright Auditorium
  • 12/18: Pink out day
  • 12/19: Throwback Thursday
  • 12/19: Boys wrestling @ Linn-Mar
  • 12/19: Girls wrestling @ Solon
  • 12/20: 2 HOUR EARLY RELEASE
  • 12/20: Ugly sweater day
  • 12/20: Boys and girls double-header vs City
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
Alyson Kuennen

Alyson Kuennen, News Editor, Photographer

This is Alyson’s second year on staff where she is a news editor and photographer. As a senior she spends her time working, working and working. “College is expensive folks,” she said. “I mean no regrets, but maybe I should’ve had one less trip to Pancheros.”
 
All content by Alyson Kuennen
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Byamangu Omari '20 smiles as he sings "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars.

Best Buddies start year on a sweet note

Alyson Kuennen, News Editor, Photographer
September 25, 2017
Tempestt Farrar, a University of Iowa student, sings at the first Green Room class on Aug. 28 at the Englert Theatre.

University of Iowa honors course students take the stage in the first Green Room lecture on Aug. 28 at the Englert Theatre. The series encourages citizens to come back to the classroom and engage in discussions that will spark community involvement and cohesiveness.

Tempestt Farrar, a University of Iowa student, sings at the first Green Room class on Aug. 28 at the Englert Theatre.

Green Room teacher David Gould speaks at the first lecture on Aug. 28 at the Englert Theatre.

University of Iowa students share announcements at the beginning of class for the Green Room at the Englert Theatre on Aug. 28. The series gives students an opportunity to lead discussions and pose questions for community members and students alike to ponder for the following class.

New York Times best-selling author and LGBT activist Zach Wahls speaks on the effects of homelessness and how a new method, Housing First, can be used as a solution on Aug. 28 at the Englert Theatre for the Green Room series. Wahls is best known for his testimony about same-sex marriage before the Iowa House Judiciary Committee in 2011 when it went viral on Youtube.

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Para educator Rachelle Grognet gifts "brown thumb" Chief Robinson a potted succulent to celebrate her promotion.

U.S. Navy CPO is equivalent in rank to a Master Sergeant in the Air Force, Sergeant First Class in the Army, CPO in the Coast Guard and Gunnery Sergeant of the Marine Corps. Despite these high rankings however, Chief Robinson remained humble and gracious when congratulated.

Para educator Rachelle Grognet gifts "brown thumb" Chief Robinson a potted succulent to celebrate her promotion.

U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer is equivalent in rank to a Master Sergeant in the Air Force, Sergeant First Class in the Army, Chief Petty Officer in the Coast Guard and Gunnery Sergeant of the Marine Corps. However despite these high rankings, Chief Robinson remained humble and gracious when congratulated.

Claire Ronnebaum '18 runs in the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7 where she would place 5th with a time of 21:35.

Emma Durian '19 runs in the JV race at the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Claire Ronnebaum '18 runs in the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Claire Ronnebaum '18 begins to break away from the pack at the beginning of the JV race for the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Claire Ronnebaum '18 begins to break away from the pack at the beginning of the JV race for the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Claire Ronnebaum '18 begins to break away from the pack at the beginning of the JV race for the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

[Photo] Cross country recap: Cedar Rapids Invite and Bobcat Invite

September 16, 2017
Claire Ronnebaum '18 begins to break away from the pack at the beginning of the JV race for the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

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Hunter Bagan '19 finishes the race at the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Daniel Neese '18 and Ian Prescott '19 finish the boys varsity race in the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Daniel Neese '18 runs in the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Issac Miller '18 and Micah Bailey '18 run in the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Seniors Micah Bailey, Issac Miller and Daniel Neese form a pack in the first mile of the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

The varsity boys cross country team begin to run as the starting gun fires off at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

Post race, Bailey Nock '18 is interviewed by KCRG for placing first at the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

[Photo] Running the state

October 11, 2017
Post race, Bailey Nock '18 is interviewed by KCRG for placing first at the Cedar Rapids Invite at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

As soon as the starting gun fired for the varsity girls cross country race, runners took off at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

The girls varsity cross country team stands in place before their race at Noelridge Park on Sept. 7.

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Pictured: West High Students (Row 1) Gracie Rechkemmer, Leah Brownsberger, Wingel Xue, Catherine Ju, Jeongwoo Seo, Rui Jin, Eman Elsheikh, Mason Wang; (Row 2) Kevin Liu, Joshua Burbidge, Evan Geng, Robert Walling, Daniel Burgess, Colleen Bloeser, Jingyi Du, Ethan Trepka; (Row 3) Jack Wolf, Lien Zhu, Alex Granner, Patrick Shirazi, Shawn Thacker Nathan Stone, Junhee Lee, Adam Conrad; (Not pictured) Nicole Alden

West leads the state with 25 Semifinalists in National Merit Scholarship Program

Alyson Kuennen, News Editor, Photographer
September 13, 2017
GO bond passage affirms air-conditioning for West

GO bond passage affirms air-conditioning for West

Alyson Kuennen, News Editor, Photographer
September 13, 2017
Math teacher Jean Morsch congratulates Carlos with a hug after the ceremony on Sept. 13 in the main commons.

Superintendent Stephen Murley awards custodian Daniel Carlos with the Shine Award on Sept. 13 in the main commons.

[Photo] ICCSD superintendent to resign June 2021

October 2, 2019
Lexi Goodale '19 hugs Carlos after he received the Shine Award on Sept. 13 in the main commons.

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[Photo] 50 years of excellence celebrated

Fenna Semken, Online Editor-in-Chief
September 21, 2017
Magician Nate Staniforth performs his final and favorite trick at the Englert Theatre for the Green Room on Sept. 11.

[Photo] The Green Room opens its doors

Natalie Dunlap, Online Editor-in-Chief
September 22, 2017
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University of Iowa students laugh in wonder as magician Nate Staniforth drinks the ashes of a dollar bill as a part of a trick on Sept. 11 at the Englert Theatre.

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Nate Staniforth sets a dollar bill on fire as a part of his performance at the Englert Theatre on Sept. 11 for the Green Room.

Asking for volunteers, magician Nate Staniforth gets ready to perform another illusion on Sept. 11 at the Englert Theatre for the Green Room in a class about wonder.

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The Spike makes it's way through the triumphant hands of the girls varsity volleyball team and the student section that cheered them on after their win against City High on Sept. 5 for the third consecutive year.

West beats City for the spike

Sophie Stephens, Kara Wagenknecht, and Alyson Kuennen
September 8, 2017
Katie Severt '19 sets the ball for Claire Overton '19 in the third set of the game against City on Sept. 5.

Post-win, girls varsity volleyball teammates link arms to celebrate their victory against City High on Sept. 5.

Emily Burch '18 prepares to spike the ball in the third set of the varsity game against City on Sept. 5.

[Photo] A win for West in cross-town rivalry

September 8, 2017
After the girls varsity volleyball team won the second set against City High in the battle for the Spike on Sept. 5, Marsean “Marsweaty” Rhodes ‘18 landed a backflip, triggering an eruption from West’s student section. The girls would go on to beat City and claim the Spike for the third consecutive year.

The Student Advisory Group, students tasked with designing parts of Liberty, picking a mascot, and giving tours, cut the ceremonial ribbon with principal Scott Kibby for Liberty High's opening on Aug. 12.

Ribbon cutting ceremony marks opening of Liberty High

Alyson Kuennen, News Editor, Photographer
August 13, 2017
Showcasing Liberty's new stage, Mya Nguyen '19 performs with a small portion of Liberty's orchestra, led by conductor Annie Savage on Aug. 12 in North Liberty.

Liberty High School is a $75 million complex designed by Des Moines' SVPA Architects Inc. and built by Iowa City's McComas-Lacina Construction.

Liberty students record the ribbon cutting as they celebrate their new 76-acre campus in North Liberty on Aug. 12.

People file out of Liberty's gymnasium to tour the school after the ribbon cutting on Aug. 12.

The Liberty Dance Team performs a routine in the auditorium, which seats up to 830 people, on Aug. 12 in North Liberty.

As Liberty Lightning Bolts, the Liberty cheerleaders pep the crowd on Aug. 12 at Liberty High's ribbon cutting ceremony.

Tattoos are given to visitors of Liberty High by the Student Advisory Group after the ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 12 in North Liberty.

The new lockers at Liberty High are personalized with the Bolts' logo.

[Photo] Liberty High closes due to threat

November 17, 2017
An athletic jacket for the Liberty Lightning Bolts is displayed for the athletic department. Both gymnasiums will be used for athletics, however the outdoor athletic fields have yet to be completed by the 2019 projection.

Imitating an airplane, a young girl rides the merry-go-round at the Johnson County Fair in Iowa City on July 27.

Johnson County Fairgrounds embrace another year of festivities

Alyson Kuennen and Anjali Huynh
July 30, 2017
The Donny McCaslin Group plays the last performance of the Iowa City Jazz Festival on July 2 on the Main Stage.

[Photo] Iowa City Jazz Festival sparks community involvement

July 6, 2017
Iowa City Jazz goers line Iowa Avenue for concessions on June 30.

A young boy buys cotton candy at a concession stand at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on July 2.

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Playing in the United Jazz Ensemble, Daniel Burgess '18 solos on the guitar for the Iowa City Jazz Festival on June 30.

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Nick Stilwell '19 performs on the Main Stage of the Iowa City Jazz Festival as a part of the United Jazz Ensemble on June 30.

Nathan Tansey '18 plays a trombone solo on the Main Stage of the Iowa City Jazz Festival as a part of the United Jazz Ensemble on June 30.

Chad Johnson '18 plays a solo on the Main Stage at the Iowa City Jazz Festival with the United Jazz Ensemble on June 30.

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Candi Stratton, as "Cher", smiles at a young girl after giving her a kiss during her performance in the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall on June 17.

[Photo] Iowa City gathers together to celebrate Pride

Emma Brustkern, Print Entertainment Editor
June 19, 2017
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The student news source of Iowa City West High
Alyson Kuennen