The West Window

THE WEST WINDOW

TIMELY THINKING

A look at how West students manage their time.

Tiago Gonzalez ‘26, one of two freshmen on the varsity soccer team, warms up before the Dubuque Hempstead game May 9.

SHAHD SULEIMAN

PHOTO FEATURE

Designed by Carter Houchins-Witt

DOUBLE TROUBLE 4=5

TIMELY THINKING 6-9 From Timely Thinking: The 2022-2023 school year has been long!

Still very raw from the damages of COVID, a lot of kids are having trouble getting back into the groove of things! So how do they manage their time? Flip to page 8 to find out!

JUST SHOOT HIM! 10-11

THE TEAM: CARTER HOUCHINS-WITT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Designer Writer

SHAHD SULEIMAN Photographer Writer

GALAPA-GO TO THE AMAZON!

MIELA MILLER-JACOBS

12=13

Designer Writer Front and back page designed

by Miela Miller-Jacobs

DOUBLE TROUBLE! Advanced classes are part of the norm for some. How does this effect kids?

Kids are smart, like really smart. In this day and age, they’re even smarter. There are 9th graders everywhere in the school, from Algebra I to AP Calc BC, Spanish/French I to Spanish/ French III classes, and, more recently, even up to Chemistry classes. How did they get there? For Spanish and French, it’s pretty simple, they are native speakers. For Algebra II, they just took a test to skip a course. However, to be in Chemistry as a 9th grader, that requires time and effort.

First off, you can only be in Chemistry as a 9th grader if you doubled up on science as an 8th grader and a 9th grader, and it means you were already advanced in math in the first place. Veni Kotev, 26’ is currently in Biology and Chemistry Honors, and is thriving in both courses, but not without effort.

Kotev said, “The courses were meant for an older age group, and me taking them certainly did exert a certain amount of extra stress on my health and well-being.” Kai Merrill, 25’ has already doubled up on Biology and Chemistry, and is taking AP Physics as a 10th grader.

“I enjoyed [Biology and Chemistry] and I had fun with it, but if you do want to double up, I would suggest doing it in a class you enjoy.” Merrill said. This group of people that have doubled up twice is extremely small, however, many people have dou-

04 FEATURE

JUNE 5, 2023

“[When] I doubled up in Earth and TH E Space and eighth grade science, it necessarily very stressful beCOU RSES WE R E wasn’t cause those classes are not necessarily super hard.” Merrill said. What would M EANT FOR doubling up on sciences accomplish?

For some people it means you don’t AN OLDE R AG E have to take a science senior year.

For others, it’s so you can take more G ROU P, AN D M E science classes, or science classes you actually want to take instead of ones you don’t.

TAKI NG TH E M You might think classes overlap. For example, someone not having learned CE RTAI N LY a concept in Biology they are building off of in Chemistry. However, Kotev DI D EXE RT says “They don’t really overlap. In fact, in Biology, my teacher has refA CE RTAI N erenced topics we’ve talked about in Chemistry.” However, Merill disagrees.

AMOU NT OF Merrill says, “At West High the AP psy[course] is actually the calculus STR ESS ON MY chics based mechanics course. I struggled a bit with the calculus part because H EALTH AN D I’m only in precalculus. I haven’t taken calculus, which makes it a little more WE LL- BE I NG difficult for me to understand some

-VEN I KOTEV ‘26 bled up at least once, whether in 8th grade or 9th.

People double up once for all sorts of reasons. Some people may find science 8 or Earth-Space science easy.

Some find it fun. Some may even do it just because it feels like a norm at this point.

of the calculus concepts I’ve never encountered before.”

Overall, doubling up can be worth it to some people, and not to others.

If you enjoy science, you should definitely do it. If not, don’t stress about it. Spend time doing things you enjoy.

There are pros and cons to doubling up, but it mostly comes down to whether you like the courses or not.

Design by: Carter Houchins-Witt

Written by: Carter Houchins-Witt FEATURE JUNE 5, 2023

05

TIMELY THINKING

Students share how they balance extracurriculars with schoolwork - and everything in between.

BY SHAHD SULEIMAN AND CARTER HOUCHINS-WITT

06 FEATURE MAY 6, 2022

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SACHIKO GOTO AND SHAHD SULEIMAN DESIGN BY MIELA MILLER-JACOBS

Iowa City’s West High School.

“Where excellence is a tradition”.

The common phrase on the school grounds is used as often to motivate its students as it does to produce stress. The stress of balancing classes with extracurricular activities, like theater, soccer, and clubs can be daunting. Many of West’s students believe the same;

at the beginning of the cycle and finish those throughout the three weeks,” says Parrish, when asked about her homework schedule. “...

Every day I have something to do.”

When it came to balancing rehearsals between the pit and orchestra, Parrish made compromises with her directors and ensured that they understood her situation. It wasn’t the most pleasing to everyone, but the compromises were better suited overall.

Often, sleep is sacrificed in order to please everyone. To make sure directors and teachers are happy, many students spend an awful amount of time doing homework and practicing for their extracurriculars. Coming before or after school, and constantly struggling to make everything work with everyone’s schedules, not just their own.

Jacob Leist 24’ brings attention to how his directors care deeply for their students.

He [Christian Aanestad] was the only teacher that, like pulled me aside, and was like. “Hey, I’m here for you if you need anything. I want you to make sure that your health is a priority over the theater. Because I care more about your health than the production.”

Overall, though the many parts of theater can be hard to manage for

H EY, I ’ M H E R E FOR YOU I F YOU N E E D ANYTH I NG. ... I CAR E MOR E ABOUT YOU R H EALTH THAN TH E PRODUCTION .

-CH RISTIAN AAN ESTEAD, ART TEACH ER sometimes their grades suffer as a result of the many activities they are doing outside of school hours.

However, as the year goes on, many students learn to manage their time effectively and efficiently.

Audrey Parrish 23’, who is in theater, specifically the pit, loves what she does. She manages to prioritize school work and her AP’s while still doing well in her extracurriculars.

“I would take on three assignments

everyone along with their school work, the payoff is worth it.

The thought of hours training on the field, right after school is daunting to many. It fills one’s head throughout the day, the constant thinking of soccer practice and the game. Wondering how their future performance will later affect them.

It gives players a thrill of some sort.

Yet, managing time and being productive with the constant threat of playing badly is not something to be easily coped with.

Procrastination is a major cause of worse grades and more stress.

Andres Sanchez ‘26 says “ [I procrastinate] All the time… I still get A’s and B’s regardless”. He tries to meet deadlines on time, and hopes that his teachers are understanding of his situation. The sport itself is often taxing, as it ranges to almost two hours every weekday. The love for the sport often overpowers any negative feelings. However, many people still get the standard 7-8 hours of sleep while managing school work and their after-school activities. “I always prioritize fam-

ily before soccer,” Sanchez says.

“They prioritize grades for me.” To the future freshman, he has different advice. “Put school and your grades before soccer. I know. It’s gonna be hard to do that. But trust me when you have all your schoolwork done, it feels good. Then you can focus on soccer, and you can get better.”

The sport itself allows players to form a sort of friendship with many of their teammates. Zeid Alwahdani 26’ says “Me and my teammates have really formed bonds this past year…I hope they would describe me as a leader and a hard worker and most importantly a good teammate.” And though managing school with friends, family, soccer, and the little free time they get, they still make it work. “Everybody is on their own level,” he says, referencing how everyone manages their time. “I think people like my parents think I’m productive and just a little bit inconsistent.” And although he is right in stating that everybody’s on their own, that does not take away

07 FEATURE MAY 6, 2022

Andreas Sanchez ’26 walks away from the goal after the varsity soccer team misses a shot. from the friendships the team has with one another. Since starting soccer at 4, and ISC (Iowa Soccer Club) at 10, Alwahdani has known that it is something he’d wish to pursue in the long term.

Tiago Gonzalez ‘26 plays for varsity as a freshman. He loves the sport and encourages many to put it above all else. “I’m a freshman on the team, so a lot of people don’t really listen to me,” he says. “... [I spend] all [my] time thinking about soccer”. It is something that most players have in common; school and family being of essence to many, but soccer being something of equal importance. “My parents are all for soccer,” he says, explaining that his situation makes it easier for him to be less stressed.

There is beauty in the struggle of juggling it all; loving the game and wanting to succeed in your education, all while making your family proud. Athletes tend to feel a sense of accomplishment, pride even.

Rightfully earned, as without their discipline, they would not be able to achieve the positions that they are currently in.

Even for those who aren’t in sports, time management is still

08 FEATURE MAY 6, 2022

a struggle. Especially for those in many clubs, like Speech and Debate, chess club, or any one of the countless other clubs with copious amounts of time invested, including competitions and events. With over 50 clubs at West, someone is always going to be doing something that has to do with a club. Everyone is somehow involved. How do students deal with this extra time commitment to clubs, in addition to competitions, assignments, jobs, and family obligations?

One factor that plays a role is sleep. Sleep is the ultimate sacrifice. You can use as much time as you want, and you pay your debts in sleep. This affects some worse than others because some people can average nine to ten hours of sleep, while some can average three to four. However, even for kids who get a lot of sleep, having less sleep still affects them. Someone who averages nine hours of sleep getting seven in a night is worse off, for that day than someone who averages three hours and gets five.

Clubs and Academics take a lot of time out of your schedule. Gwen Smith 26’ can be involved in clubs for over nine hours a week. In ad-

“... [I SPE N D] ALL [MY] TI M E TH I N KI NG ABOUT SOCCE R .”

TIAGO GONZALEZ ‘26

dition to five to ten hours of homework concentrated on school days, that can be three to four hours outside of school. Once school, transport, and sleep is factored into the equation, that only leaves two to three hours of free time.

Many spend a lot of time in school outside of school hours.

Sports, arts, academics, and clubs all take many leading roles in the

lives of students. Once priorities are set straight, some things are left in the dust, such as sleep, homework, or family commitment. Every time you join a school activity, you sacrifice a little of your time to something that might be better for you but might not. It’s all a balance of risk and reward. Some people can enjoy being in many activities.

Others prefer spending time at a

job and with their family. It’s all about the person, though. Whatever works for each person works for them, and it is up to them to decide how to spend their time.

1. Band students practice for Jazz Cafe with the event’s two guest performers.

2. Ashley Seo ’23, Heidi Du ’23, and Aviva Fraer ’23 hold West High’s banner during the University of Iowa homecoming parade.

3. Waylon Houchins-Witt ’25, Gwen Gonzalez ’24, and Sam Rosenthal ’24 march at the University of Iowa homecoming parade.

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10 OPINION JUNE 5 2023

JUST SHOOT HIM Carter Houchins-Witt 26’ talks about the pros and cons of violent video games

On your left! Your other left, you idiot! Just peak him! Shoot him! You suck!

Put a bullet in his head! You’re so bad!

If you heard every one of these thoughts constantly every day, do you think it would get to you? Do you think you would crack under the insults? Do you think you would get upset? Angry? Or do you think this would make you toughen up? Get better?

Be more resistant to the messages?

Well, people go both ways.

Violence in video games in this day and age is normal. 97% of teens play video games, and 66% play violent video games, including gore, blood, guts, etc. These video games (and gamers) are obviously more extreme than non-violent video games. In fact, after playing 20 minutes of violent video games, teens had higher heart

Design by: Carter Houchins-Witt

rates then those playing non-violent video games. According to Cleveland State University, this also numbs them to some violence, as teens who play violent video games have a lower heart rate when viewing real life violence than those who play non-violent video games. Violent video games also cause more aggression.

Despite this, there are some positives as well. For example, violent video games improve motor skills more than non-violent ones. It also increases focus, as well as hand-eye coordination.

It also increases reaction time. Video games also cause children to have a more positive attitude, and yes, a positive attitude is different than an aggressive attitude, and you can have them both. Video games cause children to be more likely to work together.

Some people may argue that violence in video games is a negative.

However, it is a net positive. Video games even make children more likely to work together. Video games can create social groups, and give more options for paths to pursue. It also gives them real life skills, which can outweigh the numbness to violence.

In conclusion, video games cause children to succeed more in life with a positive attitude the whole time, even if it is an aggressive attitude. Excessive video games should never be allowed in children, but video games should be allowed and encouraged, to increase life skills. It really helps people later in life. Wouldn’t you want to have fun while gaining skills you are going to use in life?

Written by: Carter Houchins-Witt

VIDEO GAME STATS Just under half of video games contain forms of violence 51% not violent video games

49% violent video games

OPINION JUNE 5 2023

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G

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T I S I T V H E O AM A G A P A Z

The Galapagos - a beautiful group of islands off the coast of Ecuador, where thousands of unique creatures roam in an environment virtually untouched by humans. A place often bucket-listed but hard to schedule a trip to and expensive.

But did you know that you have the opportunity to take a trip to the Galapagos next summer? You

BY MIELA MILLER-JACOBS DESIGN BY MIELA MILLER-JACOBS

mer, starting June 10th and ending June 25th. The whole excursion is chock-full of amazing experiences, and no time is wasted. Events within the trip include visiting the cloud forest of Ecuador, snorkeling, visiting volcanoes and the potential of a snowball fight on the equator.

a trip to the countries of origin, then biology students should get the opportunity to visit somewhere important to studying biology. The idea of the Galapagos Trip was decided upon and pitched to the Board of Education and it was approved! Similar to the foreign language trips, the biology trip was originally held during spring break.

Over the years, it’s become longer and the visit to the Amazon has been included. Mr. Wymer believes this trip can be an eye-opening experience for many. “No human intervention or destruction gives people a first hand experience as to why we need to protect these places.” The biodiversity in the islands is waning, and over 180 species are in danger of becoming extinct.

The Galapagos Islands have been a key part of the discovery of evolution. The animal samples Charles Darwin collected there led to the idea that species weren’t fixed and could change by natural processes.

White mushrooms in the Galapagos islands have been nibbled on by a nearby critter. heard it here folks, YOU COULD GO TO THE GALAPAGOS! Worried about money? You could write an essay to help offset the cost! This opportunity is available for any student who has completed biology class or will have completed the course before June 10th, 2024.

This 16-day trip starts in Quito, Ecuador, and includes a 5-day cruise around the Galapagos. This cruise allows you to see the best parts of the islands as well as the opportunity to sleep under the stars. On the cruise, up to 10,000 stars are visible, as well as constellations exclusive to the Southern Hemisphere. The trip is next sum-

12 FEATURE MAY 6, 2022

The Galapagos trip started in 1999 and has been held every other year until 2019. Due to COVID-19, the 2024 trip to the Galapagos is the first since 2019. Biology teacher Brad Wymer has been organizing the trip since it started, (with the exception of the 2019 trip) and now enjoys watching others experience the beauty of the Galapagos when he attends. “Seeing the students’ eyes light up and seeing them envelop themselves in the experience is hands down my favorite part. That’s why I still do it.”

The trip started when Mr. Wymer decided that if Spanish and French language students could attend

For more information, contact Mr. Wymer or stop by Room 26 to ask about the trip!

ON

“ SEEI NG TH E STU DENTS’ EYES LIGHT U P AN D SEEI NG TH EM ENVELOP TH EMSELVES I N TH E EXPERI ENCE IS HAN DS DOWN MY FAVO RITE PART.” - BRAD WYM ER

Various animals shown are exclusive to the Galapagos Islands. The overreacing photo shows the cloud forests in Ecuador.

A turtle in the Galapagos Islands eats local flora during the 2019 Galapagos trip.

COURTESY OF JENNY EUSTICE

PHOTO FEATURE