Upcoming events
  • No school Friday-teacher make-up day
  • ISASPS Tuesday and Wednesday
  • Girls soccer vs. Jefferson @home-Tuesday (postponed due to weather)
  • Walk it out next Saturday-North band room
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
Zaira Ahmed

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief

(she/her) Zaira Ahmad is a Senior at West High. This is her third year on staff, and she is the Print Editor-In-Chief. Outside of the newsroom, you can probably find Zaira at show choir rehearsal or volunteering with Rotary. She also loves spending time with her friends and family, reading, and watching movies.

All content by Zaira Ahmad
Arab students at West share their experiences with their culture.

The Arab identity

Zaira Ahmad, Reem Kirja, and Marie Stier
April 19, 2024
Grapevine last published a magazine in 2022 with the 35th volume.

Grapevine back in production

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
April 16, 2024
For Women’s History Month, WSS highlights influential women from the Iowa City community.

Women of West

Zaira Ahmad, Anna Song, Mrudani Ramkumar, and Gianna Liu
March 1, 2024
West Singers perform Gabriels Oboe with Tessera Rippentrop 24 playing the cello and Leslie Hyland playing the oboe.

Northwest Junior High choirs join West Choirs in Mid-Winter Concert

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
February 26, 2024
Math teacher James Kirpes shares his journey to West and how his experiences have shaped his 32 years of teaching.

Kirpes with a mathematical purpose

Zaira Ahmad and Anna Song
January 26, 2024
Seniors Andreas Warren and Xion Ownes-Holts perfom in A Christmas Carol.

January news briefs

Zaira Ahmad and Marie Stier
January 25, 2024
Maya Hanna ‘25 performs “Time For Me To Fly/Goin Places.”

West choirs host annual Winter Swing Show

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
December 20, 2023
WSS looks into the rising trend of gambling and betting among youth.

Raise the stakes

Zaira Ahmad, Gianna Liu, Zoe Smith, and Henry Timmer-Hackert
November 16, 2023
Student teacher Rishi Wagle conducts Treble and Base Choirs as they perform the first song of the evening.

West Choirs perform first concerts of the year

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
October 24, 2023
West High had a busy start to the year, look back at some of the memorable moments.

October news briefs

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
October 6, 2023
The official Grapevine logo created in 2021 after the clubs first year back from the pandemic.

A new era of Grapevine

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
October 5, 2023
DeJah Jordan 24, Maya Hanna 25 and Alyssa Hagiwara 23 take the stage at Mt. Pleasants annual Music In Motion show choir competition.

[Photo] Q&A with De’jah Jordan

McKenna Stephens, Designer, Photographer
September 29, 2023
A wheel displays the 12 different zodiac signs.

Horoscopes

Zaira Ahmad and Esther Park
June 1, 2023
Josh Kidman brings music to West hallways and plays his guitar outside the iJAG classroom.

Kidman’s community

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
April 21, 2023
GTC poses with the grand champion trophy at Pella High School.

Show choir season recap

Zaira Ahmad and Jack Furlong
April 17, 2023
English teacher, Darien Robins laughs in his classroom.

Creating artists

Zaira Ahmad and Reem Kirja
March 3, 2023
DeJah Jordan 24 dances to Fire/Fire alarm.

Show choirs take home awards in annual Music InMotion

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
February 7, 2023
Steve Merkle has worked as a special education teacher at West for 24 years.

Mr. Merkle’s Magic

Krisha Kapoor and Zaira Ahmad
January 21, 2023
Andreas Warren 24 performs with Good Time Company.

West show choirs perform at the annual Winter Swing Show

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
December 23, 2022
Nomi starts to warmup during the Liberty game on Dec. 9, 2022.

[Photo] New place, same game

Zoe Smith, Editor-in-Chief
December 20, 2022
Kasijaden Natarajan commutes to the Mercer Aquatic Center or the Coralville Recreation Center everyday for high school dive practice.

Into new waters

Zaira Ahmad and Esther Park
November 19, 2022
Shefali Hunyh 25 poses during showtimes set.

West hosts annual Works in Progress

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
October 27, 2022
WSS delves into the pandemic’s impact on violence and fighting in the ICCSD, specifically at West.

Aftershock

Zaira Ahmad, Ella De Young, and Gianna Liu
October 7, 2022
Pammie poses for a photo in the hallways of West High.

Write this down

Zaira Ahmad and Kamakshee Kuchhal
May 24, 2022
This photo of Charlie Bates ’25 was taken in the summer of 2021 when he performed in Seussical: The Musical.

Remembering Charlie Bates

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
April 21, 2022
Gavin Irias ’22 is on a journey as he follows his dreams to becoming a pilot.

Taking flight

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
March 8, 2022
Everyone has a story Serafim Surguladze ’25, Layan Ahmed ’25 and Lucy Abbas ’25 share theirs.

Everyone has a story

Zaira Ahmad and Jack Alden
January 27, 2022
When a baby is born, their sex is identified. However, their gender is determined later on in life.

Gender.

Zaira Ahmad, Ella De Young, and Caroline Mascardo
November 19, 2021
New teachers at West recall how they ended up teaching here.

Welcome to West

Katherine Shoppa and Zaira Ahmad
October 6, 2021
After a journey full of trial and error, Spanish teacher Javier Montilla has found a home in Iowa City.

Journey to West

Katherine Shoppa and Zaira Ahmad
October 6, 2021
When the opportunity to teach at West arose, Michael Clark was ready to take it.

Michael Clark

Katherine Shoppa and Zaira Ahmad
September 28, 2021
After coming back to West shortly after graduating, Camille Crossett has already been enjoying her experience this year.

Camille Crossett

Katherine Shoppa and Zaira Ahmad
September 28, 2021
Amari Nasafi describes his transition from teaching 7th grade Language Arts to teaching African-American Literature at West.

Amari Nasafi

Katherine Shoppa and Zaira Ahmad
September 28, 2021
Emily Magnuson discusses her journey from being an artist in New York City to becoming a teacher in Iowa City.

Emily Magnuson

Katherine Shoppa and Zaira Ahmad
September 28, 2021
Canceling cancel culture

Canceling cancel culture

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
May 4, 2021
As she reads a letter from her friend, Fareeha Ahmad ‘21 can’t help but smile. Ahmad keeps a box of all the cards she’s received over the years and looks back at them when she needs some cheering up. “Whenever I’m having a bad day or feeling low, I can open it up and see the notes people have written for me in the past.”

[Photo] The storytelling of important objects

Zaira Ahmad, Print Editor-in-Chief
April 8, 2021
Hai Huynh, the Community Projects Coordinator for the Coralville Food Pantry, works with fruits and vegetables.

How to get involved with volunteering: during a global pandemic

Zaira Ahmad, Alexandra Filerio, and Ceci DeYoung
March 9, 2021
Bag and Baggage is about students at Iowa City West High School and their experiences with different race-related topics.

Bag and Baggage: The model minority myth

Zaira Ahmad and Athena Wu
February 25, 2021
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The student news source of Iowa City West High
Zaira Ahmad