Disclaimer: some of the songs embedded in this article contain profane lyrics.

Drake, Kanye West, Eminem: these are the names that come to mind when one thinks of “rap.” But, over the past few years,…

The second annual March for our Lives took place in downtown Iowa City on Saturday, March 30. The event, coordinated by West and City High Students Against School Shootings (SASS) members, protested school…

Emotions. It goes without saying that our emotions, our inner feelings and our sensations, are a main proprietor in making us who we are. We use them during every moment of our life, whether they be the…

At the beginning of Spanish class, my stomach felt queasy. I was nervous, I didn’t want to give a presentation, especially in another language. The teacher required us go in alphabetical order by last…

In January, we celebrated diversity and inclusivity with the MLK Day Activities. The purpose of the event was to learn about the civil rights movements and to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Yet as I…

The trudge from one class to another can be a mundane journey, but students making their way past room 117 might catch a glimpse of Kedi Ochs singing and dancing outside of English teacher Ann Rocarek’s…

If there are a few things that viewers have readily come to expect from every new Marvel Studios film that makes its way into theaters, they are consistent entertainment value, boundless mesmerizing thrills…

The bell rings, signaling the end of yet another long school day. The halls are abuzz with excitement about tonight’s big event. Athletes’ lockers are covered with posters wishing them luck for the game.

Students…

One of the most cliché pieces of advice we’ve all heard growing up is that hard work pays off. For the most part, this has proven to be true. Take the “miracle stories” of people working their way…

The stands are filled with cheering fans decked out in green, gold and the student section theme for the night. The illuminated scoreboard shows that you are down in the last quarter. It’s hard for you…

She was an athlete. She would push her body past its breaking point in hopes of seeking perfection. The stage was her canvas and with her body, she became an artist, painting a picture for all to see….

Teachers. Coaches. Lunchroom staff. Paraeducators. Janitors.

These individuals are integral to shaping student futures and partake in a process that impacts society. While in these positions, each acts…

It was just four years ago when singer-songwriter Abbie Callahan ’20 picked up her classic black Fender guitar and posted her first singing cover on Instagram, armed with nothing but a big dream and…

When one considers the great directors of Hollywood who revolutionized the world of filmmaking, James Cameron is a name that will be more than likely to pop up in a high position on the list. For the past…

I refreshed my Twitter feed while sitting in front of my living room TV on midterm election night, trying to get results as soon as they were available. I felt a growing sense of hope. At long last, it…

Everything you do in high school has the chance of being noticed, questioned and even judged. No, West High isn’t an institution that breeds “mean girls,” popularity contests or anything else that…

The wild journey began with a cat litter scientist from Iowa, a former NBA superstar and a strange coincidence that would impact their lives for the better.

Residing thousands of miles apart, Lin Wang…

Hundreds of dogs yelp and run around the concrete building. Every single bark echoes throughout the whole of the room. Along with animals, a few spectators and owners crowd around the performance area…

Back when I was an underclassman, my bookishness was all people knew me for. For 11 years it was my defining characteristic and something that I was very proud of. I was almost never without a book. I…

Jennifer Craig ‘06 drove down the street with her three-year-old daughter and her sister, Aislin Craig ‘21. They were happily on their way back to her new apartment with the last load of boxes. Then,…

As low-income students apply to college, at each step there seems to be another obstacle. When the first colleges in the United States were founded, they were mainly for the wealthy. Although today American…

Six years ago, 26 children and teachers were killed in their classrooms at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT by 20-year-old Adam Lanza. This shooting has come to represent the catalyst for the movement…

There exists a class that is practically unheard of among West students even though it has been around for four years.

The class is called Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG), a program whose…

With awards season on the horizon, it’s time for the serious, Oscar bait dramas to start cropping up in cinemas. “Beautiful Boy” is an example of such a film and combines two distinct genres that…

While most students and teachers are asleep, head custodian MJ Plank wakes up at 4:00 a.m. and arrives at school at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for the day.
“I do a route around the building and the grounds…

From “The Fosters” to the “Annie” remake, adoption is portrayed more and more often as a sensationalized portion of media pop culture. However, these stereotypical Hollywood images do not encompass…

On Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1, Theatre West presented Miracle on 34th Street, a Christmas play that celebrates the childhood wonder of the holidays. The sets were well detailed and the play was…

They knew something was wrong when she couldn’t eat her burger.

On Oct. 21, 2017, their one year anniversary, Noah and Sydney sat down like any other teenage couple to eat at Chili’s. However, after…

The gunshots ringing through the newsroom at the Capital Gazette this past summer struck more than five fatal victims. Those shots ignited fear in the hearts of every working or aspiring journalist in…

Education was not a guarantee for Veronica Kharunda ’19. The first school she attended was at a refugee camp in Kenya when she was 10 or 11. Children ranging from five to 20 years old attended before…