• FINALS WEEK 11/19-21
  • 11/19: Girls wrestling @ City
  • 11/21: Girls wrestling vs. Liberty @ Home
  • 11/21-23: All-State Music Festival
  • 11/22: Girls basketball @ Solon
  • NO SCHOOL 11/22
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
Sachiko Goto

Sachiko Goto, Design Editor, Photographer

(she/they) Sachiko is a senior at West, and this will be their 3rd year on staff. She is a design editor and photographer for the print publication. In their free time, they like to play trumpet, play with their cats, consume a little too much coffee, or binge-watch YouTube.

All content by Sachiko Goto
Screen Shot 2024-05-22 at 11.06.54 AM

Change of Heart

Change of Heart

Sachiko Goto, Design Editor, Photographer
May 24, 2023
Derek Hua '25 and Nathan Chen '23 pose in cuts outs of traditional Chinese clothing at Asian Fest 2023.

Inaugural Asian Fest 2023

Gianna Liu and Sachiko Goto
May 15, 2023
Local vendors served various Asian cuisines throughout the day, such as Yolanda's BBQ, a Filipino food vendor.

Members of the Lanting Qipao Club perform in a dance that combined aspects of Peking Opera and Qipao dance.

West High paraeducator Samina Naz sells handmade jewelry at the Coralville Asian Festival.

Paraeducator Eric Kim '14 plays with the ball drum circle at the Community Inclusion Club Talent Show on April 20.

Community Inclusion Club hosts 2023 Talent Show

Gianna Liu and Sachiko Goto
April 25, 2023
Jasavion Kelly '23 leads the group in a dance performance of "The Git Up" by Blanco Brown.

Mollie Greer '26 and her sister Magdalene Greer '23 sign to their mother Maureen Greer's song "Mollie's Dedication Song".

Audience members were invited to participate in a ball drum circle performance led by Luka Keeney '25.

iJAG featured image

[Photo] Opening opportunities

Jack Furlong
April 23, 2023
The Jazz Ensemble acknowledges the audience after their performance at Stephens Auditorium.

West Jazz Ensemble competes at Iowa Jazz Championships

Audrey Parrish and Sachiko Goto
April 5, 2023
The West High Symphonic Jazz Band under the direction of Rob Medd performs at the SEIBA Jazz Festival.

West High jazz bands compete at SEIBA Jazz Festival

Sachiko Goto, Design Editor, Photographer
March 6, 2023
Students leave class to protest anti-LGBTQ+ bills

Students leave class to protest anti-LGBTQ+ bills

Sachiko Goto and Krisha Kapoor
March 2, 2023
West High students Jordan Smith '25, Ashley Niemiec '25, Ayden Devore '25 and Jakari Forrest '25 participate in the protest.

West High students Lucy Abbas '26, Emilia Brown '26 and Ro James '25 speak at the Pentacrest.

The walkout lasted until approximately 4:00 p.m.

Community members were also present at the walkout, joining the students in protesting recent legislation.

Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague addressed the crowd as one of the planned speakers. "I am the mayor of Iowa City, and as your leader, I stand in full solidarity, and I will continue to do everything in my power to protect LGBTQ+ rights," he said.

City High student Puck Carlson '24 organized the City High portion of the walkout. They addressed the crowd before beginning the planned speakers portion.

The protesters gathered on the front steps of the Old Capitol to begin the Pentacrest portion of the protest.

City High students marched from their school to the Pentacrest, arriving at approximately 2:00 p.m.

The organizer of the West High portion of the walkout, Ro James '25, along with fellow students Emilia Brown '26 and Lucy Abbas '26 speak to the crowd.

Actors from the SPIT (Student Produced Innovate Theater) perform.

[Photo] March news briefs

Mrudani Ramkumar, Print Managing Editor
March 3, 2023
Jordan Peterson, a building sub at West, poses for the camera. This is his first year joining the faculty at West.

[Photo] Peterson for progress

Jane Lam, Print Assistant Copy Editor
March 3, 2023
The Editorial Board voted 11-4 against the current tardy policy at West.

[Photo] Editorial: Is it excusable?

WSS Editorial Board
March 7, 2023
The Symphonic Jazz Band performs their set directed by Rob Medd.

[Photo] West High jazz bands attend Liberty Jazz Festival

Audrey Parrish, Copy Editor
February 21, 2023
Grace Fincham '26 dribbles the ball Jan. 13 in the West High Main Gym while facing off against Cedar Falls.

[Photo] Girls basketball falls short against Cedar Falls

Ella De Young, Print Managing Editor
January 14, 2023
Gabriella Esch '23 started using mobility aids her junior year of high school.

[Photo] Yes, I can walk

Gabriella Esch, Guest Columnist
May 11, 2023
Affirmative action's place in college admissions is under the Supreme Court's scrutiny, with a decision likely to be released this summer.

[Photo] Affirm or overturn

Lilly Graham, Print Managing Editor
January 20, 2023
Catch 2022's last edition of the Weekly.

[Photo] West High Weekly 12.23.22

Alaina Greenlee, Camille Gretter, and Zoe Smith
December 23, 2022
Jacob Koch goes in for the layup at the doubleheader against Linn-Mar on Dec.l 16.

[Photo] Boys dominate the lions

December 17, 2022
Grace Fincham shoots a free throw on Dec. 16. Against Linn-Mar

[Photo] Girls fall to Linn-Mar

December 17, 2022
Senior Keiko Ono-Fullard stares down a Linn-Mar player at the game on Friday, Dec. 16.

[Photo] Trojans take on Linn-Mar in double-header

December 17, 2022
The Symphonic Jazz Band performs under the direction of Rob Medd.

Mia Shirley '26 performs with the Varsity Jazz Band.

Kobi Nott '26 solos during Varsity Jazz's performance.

Director Ryan Middleton introduces the band to the audience.

The Varsity Jazz Band saxophone section performs during the Jazz Cafe on Dec. 10.

The Varsity Jazz Band, led by UI practicum student Sam Kelly, performs xxx.

Knowles works one on one with pianist Florence He-Yu '24 during Symphonic Jazz Band's clinic.

Emiliano Lasansky is a West High alumni. He graduated in 2011.

Knowles demonstrates an improvisation concept to the band.

The guest artists demonstrated jazz concepts and performed for the bands during their clinics.

Bassist Emiliano Lasansky '11 and trumpet player Julien Knowles work with the Varsity Jazz Band during their clinic on Dec. 9.

Lasansky is a West High alumni. He graduated in 2011.

Teacher Jessica St. John (13) speaks with.... (unknown, couldn't find after school)

West High’s iJAG program hosts resource fair

Jane Lam, Sachiko Goto, and Erinn Varga
December 5, 2022
A representative from Iowa Legal Aid discusses the services they offer to Brice Wahe '25.

A representative from IowaWORKS talks to Galia War '26 about the resources IowaWORKS offers.

Representatives from the CommUnity Mobile Crisis Response talk to students.

De'Jah Jordan '24 speaks with Scott Gay from TRIO Student Support Services.

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U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors visit West High

Sachiko Goto, Design Editor, Photographer
November 10, 2022
Trojan Marching Band performs in University of Iowa homecoming parade

Trojan Marching Band performs in University of Iowa homecoming parade

Sachiko Goto, Design Editor, Photographer
October 31, 2022
The WSS' satire series is back for its first installment this year.

[Photo] The Radish

Katherine Shoppa and Rosemary Timmer-Hackert
October 8, 2022
Alice Doresca '23 gives a speech while posing for West Side Story.

[Photo] Black Excellence at West: Meena Tate, Mokotsi Rukundo, Alice Doresca

Helelia Wa Kalala, Social Media Editor
September 30, 2022
All students featured in the first segment of Black Excellence series.

[Photo] Black Excellence at West: Dasia Taylor, Layan Ahmed and Moustafa Tiea

Helelia Wa Kalala, Social Media Editor
September 23, 2022
West High Kid's Clinic performs at the football game on Friday, Sept. 8.

[Photo] Future Trojans shine at home football game

Audrey Parrish, Copy Editor
September 12, 2022
A protester stands in a swarm of signs holding up and American flag at the Protest on the Pentacrest on June 24, 2022.

Protest breaks out after SCOTUS ruling overturns Roe v. Wade

Zoe Smith and Sachiko Goto
June 24, 2022
The protesters said chants such as "my body, my choice" and "post-Roe? Hell no!" as they made their way through downtown.

After the speakers were done, the protesters marched down the streets of downtown Iowa City.

A group of local clergymen share a joint statement they wrote, expressing their support as religious persons for the right to have an abortion.

Francine Thompson, executive director of the Emma Goldman Clinic, an independent non-profit health care organization, speaks.

Sikowis Nobiss, founder and executive director of the Great Plains Action Society, speaks. She brought signs for protesters to take, and spoke on the importance of reproductive rights and the rights of indigenous communities around the country.

Mica Doolan, one of the organizers of the protest, speaks to the crowd. "We need to be out trying to have tough conversations with our loved ones at home that may be pro-life ... but unfortunately I don’t think there’s a lot that we can do right now other than build community and support systems and mutual aid,” they said.

A large crowd gathered at the Pentacrest to listen to speakers, with many bringing signs in protest.

Maria José Plata Flórez, a former human rights defender from Colombia, holds up a sign to protest the recent Supreme Court ruling. They started an Instagram page, @motherearthic, to inform people of any reactionary violence or police violence that occurs in the aftermath of protests.

Iowa City celebrates 51st Annual Pride Festival

Iowa City celebrates 51st Annual Pride Festival

Gianna Liu and Sachiko Goto
June 22, 2022
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Sachiko Goto