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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
Shanza

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor

Shanza Sami is a junior at West High and this is her second year on staff. She is the Features Editor for the print publication. Outside of the newsroom, you can find Shanza leafing through a book, going for a walk or listening to her playlist.

All content by Shanza Sami
While stationed in Afghanistan, Jessie St. John shakes hands with a local.

Service and sacrifice

Carter Birch Houchins-Witt and Shanza Sami
June 2, 2025
Hayden Hakes ’25 completes his 17th lap during the 500- yard freestyle Feb. 15 at the IHSAA boys state swim meet.

[Photo] Top five sports moments of 2024-25

Colin Wehrle, Print Photo and Sports Editor
May 31, 2025
National parks are experiencing numerous systematic changes.

Beyond the trails

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
April 20, 2025
Edward Li is a junior at West who was recently accepted into MIT to study math.

A mind without limits

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
March 1, 2025
Liberty's Jack Tunwall '28 swims the 100-yard breaststroke preliminaries.

Trojan Bolts secure second place at state championship

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
February 25, 2025
WSS explores the effects of music on cognition and memory.

Music on the mind

Lydia Cruce and Shanza Sami
January 22, 2025
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[Photo] Listening to music: Cognitive strategies

January 21, 2025
Nikolai Paulson '26 races in the 500-yard freestyle, clinching a time of 5:05.04.

Trojan Bolts place second at Linn-Mar Invitational

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
January 16, 2025
WSS explores the impacts of climate change and explores sustainable solutions.

Finding green in the gray area

Lydia Cruce, Waad Dafalla, and Shanza Sami
November 15, 2024
Voters line up to privately complete their ballots; once their ballot is filled, voters submit their slip into the ExpressVote machine. Photo taken with voter consent.

A voice through voting

Waad Dafalla and Shanza Sami
November 13, 2024
Jessie Li '25 and West orchestra director Jon Welch pose after results were posted Oct. 26.

Elementary students walk in the Homecoming parade Sept. 30.

[Photo] Homecoming highlights: reflecting on moments from the week

Colin Wehrle and Lea Abou Alaiwa
October 10, 2024
With election season underway, WSS explores facets of presidential campaigns, the importance of political involvement and impacts on teens.

Campaign countdown

Jake Beneke, Mrudani Ramkumar, Shanza Sami, and Kaleshna Udas
October 4, 2024
Lydia Evans '26 talks with a customer while volunteering at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 7 to fundraise money for the Symphony Strings.

[Photo] October news briefs

Colin Wehrle, Print Photo and Sports Editor
October 4, 2024
Prompt for the Planet, Chapter 2 featured numerous performing groups, such as The Quire.

Iowa City celebrates sustainability through Prompt for the Planet event

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
September 17, 2024
WSS explores students’ experiences with loosened restrictions on child labor.

The working class(room)

Henry Timmer-Hackert, Shanza Sami, and Carter Birch Houchins-Witt
May 30, 2024
STEM for Youth members Solomon Shaffer '26, Kate Gantenbein '26 and Natalia Escatel '26 interact with Wickham students as they attempt to build a sumo bot.

STEM for Youth and FRC host robotics program at Wickham

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
May 27, 2024
Four West researchers represent Iowa at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Four West students compete at ISEF

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
May 20, 2024
WSS covers student experiences with the 2023-24 college admissions process.

Inside the application

Kamakshee Kuchhal, Jane Lam, Shanza Sami, and Henry Timmer-Hackert
April 18, 2024
West competitors gather in the auditorium prior to the awards ceremony.

Science Olympiad places sixth at state-wide competition

Jessie Li and Shanza Sami
April 17, 2024

[Video] Symphony orchestra to play at Carnegie Hall

Shanza Sami and Anna Song
March 26, 2024
Matthew Bedell '24, Sabrina Du '25, Anjali Lodh '25, Precilia Kangni '24 and Shanza Sami '26 hold their awards after the awards ceremony.

Nine West students compete at the Eastern Iowa Science and Engineering Fair

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
March 18, 2024
West robotics members prepare for the upcoming competition season.

Wired for West

Kamakshee Kuchhal and Shanza Sami
March 8, 2024
West's Mount Vernon Invitational participants gather following the awards ceremony.

Science Olympiad competes at Mount Vernon Invitational

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
February 20, 2024
Rutkowski hits the wiffle ball across the court Oct. 25.

Club connection: Pickleball

Shanza Sami, Print Features Editor
January 23, 2024
Aahana Gupta '27 explains the properties of rocks to elementary school students.

Two elementary school students mix slime.

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The student news source of Iowa City West High
Shanza Sami