2019-05-23-senior

THE LAST

STORY

SENIOR NOSTALGIA COMPILED BY WILL CONRAD PHOTOS BY ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

We thought growing up would take longer... Here’s a look back at some of the things that defined our 2000’s childhood.

pics to come pics to come

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T S OCT. 4, 2018

50

A DV E R T I S E M E N T S

MAY 23, 2019

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with delicious dumplings from Find all the best Asian snacks at

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Chong’s Market!

Chong’s Market

905 2nd Street Coralville, IA (319)-337-9596

Celebrate Christmas with delicious mochi from

Chong’s Market!

MAY 23, 2019

DO YOU FEEL A TEACHER HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?

87%

13%

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CRUSH ON A TEACHER?

26%

74%

HAVE YOU EVER SKIPPED CLASS?

70%

30%

WHAT IS YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION?

85% 9% 3% STRAIGHT

BI/PAN/ QUEER

2%

GAY/ LESBIAN

ASEXUAL

1% OTHER

HAVE YOU EVER CHEATED ON A TEST?

67%

33%

WHAT IS YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATION?

54%

18%

28%

HAVE YOU EVER CHEATED ON A SIGNIFICANT OTHER?

6%

94%

BEEN CHEATED ON?

20%

80%

HAVE YOU EVER GRINDED AT A SCHOOL DANCE?

41%

59%

SENIOR SURVEYS

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SENIOR SURVEYS

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DID YOU ENJOY HIGH SCHOOL?

82%

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MAY 23, 2019

18%

HAVE YOU EVER PULLED AN ALL-NIGHTER TO STUDY?

39%

61%

DO YOU BELIEVE IN A HIGHER POWER?

43%

19%

38%

HAVE YOU BEEN CAUGHT IN THE LIBRARY WITH FOOD?

65%

35%

WHAT YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE HARDEST?

9 6% 10 23% 11 57% 12 14% HAVE YOU BEEN SEXUALLY ACTIVE DURING HIGH SCHOOL?

43%

57%

HAVE YOU EVER SNUCK OUT?

43%

57%

HAVE YOU EVER...

BEEN DRUNK? VAPED?

50%

48%

TRIED POT?

40%

DID YOU LIE ON THIS SURVEY?

9%

91%

According to 202 student responses

COMPILED BY LUCY POLYAK

DESIGN BY FRANCES DAI

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SENIOR FUTU RES The 51st graduating class of West High is looking ahead to what is next in their life after the cap and gown.

COMPILED BY WSS STAFF

A

Noah Aanestad - Going to Drake to major in finance.

Brayden Adcock Zachary Albright - Iowa bound, baby.

Alaa Ali - I will attend Columbia University and most likely study neuroscience and human rights on the pre-med track.

Elshafea Ali - Go to college.

Mohamed Ali - Travel, work, become president, climb Mount Everest or start a multi-billion dollar business. I don’t know, but there’s only one way to find out.

Sydney Allen - I will attend the University of Iowa with a major in pre-physical therapy.

Allison Altschuler Angel Alvarado Gabriel Alvarado - I’m going to keep on moving with life.

Gada Ambo Sinon Amosi Garth Anderson Grant Anderson Martiza (Tez) Anderson Lukas Anson - I will be attending the University of Iowa to study computer science and engineering and eventually getting an MBA. Kristin Asa - Going to the University of Iowa with an open major and dance minor.

Tariq AshShareef - I’ll be going to the University of California San Diego to study astrophysics. Tons of sun and no more snow, here I come!

“SUBMITTED AT 11:59 P.M.” - TARIQ ASHSHAREEF ‘19 Sam Auner - Go to Kirkwood.

Marco Avalos

Akouavi (Natasha) Awugah

B

Ivan Badovinac - I will be attending the University of Iowa next fall to study biomedical engineering and pre-medicine with hopes of becoming a surgeon after med school.

Hunter Bagan - I am going to Wartburg College to study elementary education and run cross country.

Nikita Bailey - I am heading to the University of Iowa to major in linguistics and minor in English!

Jillian Baker - I’ll be attending the University of Pennsylvania to study political science and Spanish!!!!! :) Jaclyn Bakken - I will be attending Coe College to major in nursing with an emphasis in pediatric hematology/oncology and a minor in Spanish. Along with my studies, I will be playing softball for Coe, and outside of Coe, I will working as a Certified Nurse Aide.

Carson Baldes Ibrahim Barakat - College.

Emerie Bell - I will be attending the University of Iowa to major in psychology and minor in biology in hopes of becoming a research psychologist in the future.

Olivia Benda - I will be attending Iowa State University and will be a pre-vet major.

Nicholas Bergman Nick Biancuzzo - I will attend the University of Iowa to study finance at the Tippie College of Business.

Kaleb Binns Micah Blair Marshall Blatz - I plan on attending the University of Iowa to study computer science engineering.

Jordamy Boboliko Jemima Bolisomi Louange Botembe Alexander Boxwell Peyton Brady - Going to Iowa with an open major.

Nicholas Brand Caleb Brandauer - I am going to UNI and major in creative writing and secondary education.

Sydney Brands Jason Breitbach Noah Breitbach Peter Breitbach Amanda Brown - I have been accepted to the University of Iowa for human physiology.

Ellie Brown - I am going to CU Boulder into the Leeds School of Business.

Jonathan Brown - Work, have fun and go to college.

Sean Brown Suzanna Brown - I will be attending St. Olaf in Northfield, MN as a psychology major with a possible concentration in management studies.

“SENIORITIS IS A PAIN IN THE A**.”

- SUZANNA BROWN ‘19 Emily Buck - I will attend Smith College, exploring all the humanities classes but mostly focusing on English.

Jaden Buckley

C

Chase Calderwood Ryan Callanan Daylan (Day) Canady-Driver

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Trinity Cannon Hannah Cantrell - This fall, I will be attending Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California with a major in film, TV and media studies.

Bryan Carbajal Christina Carlson Avery Carneol - I am going to the University of Iowa and majoring in exercise science.

Gabriel Caruthers Ben Caster - I am planning to attend Kirkwood Community College for the next two years majoring in earth science with a minor in either biology, chemistry or anatomy.

Zachary Chackalackal - I’ll be at Washington University in St. Louis majoring in computer science.

Andy Chen - I will be attending the University of Iowa because I can’t afford to go anywhere else :((((((( Ethan Chen - I will attend Northwestern University to study biology and statistics.

Kevin Chen Sophia Chen - I am planning to attend Washington University in St. Louis majoring in biology with a molecular focus and while on the pre-med track.

Eliana Cheng - I’m going to attend SVA in New York for design.

Xiqun Cheng - I will attend the University of California, Berkeley and go into the College of Letters and Science.

Brevin Cherryholmes Jordan Christensen - I plan on going to Kirkwood in Iowa City for a year or two and then eventually transferring to Iowa.

Grace Christopher - In the fall, I plan to attend Saint Olaf in Northfield, Minnesota to study psychology with a focus on child development.

Cristina Cinotto - I’m going to go back to Italy and graduate there, too. After my second graduation, I’ll study art in London.

Mashaun Clark-VandenBerg Mitchell Clements Jazlyn Colon - I plan on studying criminal justice at Kirkwood and transferring to the University of Iowa to finish my bachelor’s degree. I want to be a juvenile correctional officer or a police officer.

“RAVIOLI, RAVIOLI, GIVE ME THE DIPLOMIOLI.” - JAZLYN COLON ‘19

Rory Connolly Will Conrad - Finding the 15 books I owe to the West High library and launching a rap career to pay off my fines.

Ryan Cooper - University of Iowa engineering.

Elijah Cox Heather Craig - I will be attending the University of Iowa to double major in dance and business.

Emily Cray - I will attend the University of Iowa, where I will be on the pre-med track and major in business analytics.

Ivan Cross Kalynn Culver - Attending University of Iowa and majoring in biology on the genetics track.

Nicu Curtu - I will be majoring in business and economics at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.

D

Olivia Dachtler - I plan on majoring in business analytics and management at the University of Iowa.

Frances Dai - Biomedical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Sadia Daoud Jack Davenport - ROTC at Iowa. I will study health and human physiology, possible prePA. Nathaniel De Leon Gonzalez Caitlyn Dedic Katherine Deninger Jack Dickens Rachel Ding - I’ll be shedding the winter coat and studying (potentially) bioengineering at Caltech, so go beavers!

Lauren Ditch JoTraveous Dixon - I will be enlisting into the Army Reserve.

Griffin Dodds Selom Doke Sam Dolinsek - The crippling reality of adulthood.

Miriam Dominguez Drew Donovan Eric Doorn - I will be attending Calvin College to study chemical engineering.

Jessica Doyle - I’ll be studying nursing at the University of Iowa.

Lauren Dreusicke - An awesome summer, then heading to the University of Iowa to

major in pre-physical therapy. Go Hawks!!

ReJoana Duah - I’m going to Temple University in Philadelphia.

Thomas Duong - I will be attending the University of Iowa to major in neuroscience and percussion performance (or maybe journalism).

Emma Durian - I will be attending the University of Northern Iowa where I plan to major in elementary education. Go Panthers!

Robbie Duys - Going to Iowa State to do engineering things.

Amber Dyson - I am going to go to the University of Iowa to major in psychology and later on go into the social work program.

E

Brody Eads Spencer Ehrman Hafiza El-Zein - I will go to TSC after graduation.

Dante Eldridge - Play basketball at William Penn University.

Morgan Ellerman - I will attend the University of Iowa with an interest in either biomedical or chemical engineering.

Fatma (Fatima) Elmaleh Maissa Elobeid

F Ramey Fahal Rachel Falduto - I plan to attend Northwest Missouri State University, where I will be majoring in elementary education.

William Feng - I will go to Carleton to study psychology.

Michael Fisher Nicole Fitzpatrick - Going to Luther for nursing through direct admission.

Grace Fleckenstein - I will attend the University of Iowa to major in psychology and minor in Spanish.

Nicholas Fleckenstein Olivia Fletcher - I will be attending the University of Iowa and I plan on studying engineering.

Maddy Floss - I will be attending the University of Iowa as an open major, but I have declared an interest in public health.

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Anna Forbes - I plan on attending Kirkwood and majoring in elementary education with a minor in special ed.

Crystal Franco - Classes for CNA. Peyton Freeney - I will be studying film at NYU. Kyle Frei Robbie Frerichs Nolan Fuhrmeister Marah Fuller - I will be attending Brigham Young University to study chemical engineering and live life to the fullest.

“HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN FULLER OF FUN.” - MARAH FULLER ‘19

G Michael Gaffey Haley Gallagher Ryan Gamble - Going to the U of I for management and international relations.

Someday I want to run a non-profit somewhere in a struggling country.

Maria Gamon - I will attend the University of Northern Iowa with an interest in music education: vocal track.

Madison Ganoe - I will be attending the University of Iowa with a major in medical laboratory science.

Ting Gao - I will be studying English and creative writing in college in preparation for a career as a writer in the future.

Jalen Gaudet Hannah Gaul Alexander Geasland Emma Gehlbach - I will be attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities to study biology and neuroscience with the intention of becoming a doctor.

Dylan Gesell - I will be going to Iowa State University with an interest in engineering as well as biology.

Samuel Gienapp Grace Gilbaugh - After graduation, I plan on attending Kanakuk Link Year.

Preston Gingerich - College at Iowa.

Ian Gluesing - Going to Iowa State for computer science.

Sean Gomendoza - Attending the University of Iowa on the pre-med track w/a biochemistry major.

Alexandria Goodale Olivia Goodwin Avrill Gratton - After graduation plans? A work in progress.

Jarod Green Landon Green Jacob Greenlee - Double majoring in BS engineering (undecided) and BA music at the University of Iowa.

Gracie Greer - I’m planning on attending the University of Iowa with a double major in psychology and criminology, law and justice and a minor in military science.

Kolby Greiner - I will be attending Bradley University to run competitively and acquire my MBA while minoring in entrepreneurship.

Ryan Gudenkauf - Going to Iowa to study human physiology and then go to physical therapy school.

Lydia Guo - I will attend the University of Iowa with a major in human physiology on a pre-med track. When not stressing about biochemistry, I will quench my thirst for knowledge through studies of bubble teaology and fulfill my lifelong goal of being a boba connoisseur.

Brenden Guthmiller-Stevenson - I will attend the University of Iowa with an interest in business.

Antonio Gutierrez - Car detailing.

H McKenna Haag - I plan to go to Kirkwood to complete all of my gen-ed classes and then to the University of Iowa to major in elementary education.

Kat Hagan - A year abroad in France and then coming back to the states for college.

Joshua Halverson Leen Hamza Raginya Handoo - I am going to the University of Iowa to study pre-medicine and hopefully become a doctor. Ahahaha we will see how that goes.

“I’VE LEARNED TO SAY ‘HERE’ WHEN THE SUB HESITATES WHILE TAKING ATTENDANCE.” - RAGINYA HANDOO ‘19

Anna Haney - I will be attending the University of Iowa.

Hailee Hardin Hannah Harney - I will be attending Kirkwood Community College.

Caroline Harper - I will be attending Wartburg College, majoring in history with a concentration in museum studies, as well as minoring in leadership, business and religion.

Alexandra Harvey - I will be attending Iowa State University to study software engineering and cyber security.

Xya Hatley Katelyn Havel Morgan Hawkins - I will attend Iowa State University where I will major in management and marketing.

“JV LIVES MATTER.” - MORGAN HAWKINS ‘19 Tanner Heiar - Going to work for Iowa Concrete.

Trinity (Tyler) Heil Grace Heller - I will be attending the University of Glasgow in Scotland next year.

I will be studying history and will be focusing on textile and fashion history.

Makenna Hendrickson - I will attend the University of Iowa to study radiation sciences.

Christopher Hingtgen - Kirkwood.

Kennedy Hochstedler Lucas Holley William Holmes Hayden Holst Chloe Holt Conner Hopkins Alexis House - I will be attending Kirkwood Community College to study human resources and early childhood education.

Emma Howes - I will attend the University of Iowa with an open major.

Jordan Hughes Jr. - I’m going to Kirkwood to get my associate’s degree to become a veterinary technician.

Olivia Hunt Anjali Huynh - I’ll be attending Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia to major in political science and hopefully not die of heat stroke.

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Deniz Ince - I’ll be attending Yale University to probably study biochem and Spanish as disguises of my true majors: running and pizza consumption.

J

Joshua Jasek Philippe Jay - I plan on attending the EPFL in Switzerland majoring in economics and mathematics.

Emma Jennings Devontae Johnson Diante Johnson Nick Johnson Quintin Jones Simon Jones - Inhale a bunch of Panda Express and try to make some money. While I’m at it, die.

“‘CALCULUS’ IS WHAT I SAY WHEN I WANT TO SCARE AMERICANS.” - SIMON JONES ‘19 Keirsten Jordan

K Fatima Kammona - Kirkwood two years.

Iowa two years. Arranged marriage life.

Laurel Kelley Fischer - I will be going to Kirkwood to study interior design.

Ainsley Kellogg Veronica Kharunda Sidney Kiersch - I will study graphic design at Iowa State University. Over the summer I will be working and spending as much time with family and friends in Iowa City before moving to Ames in the fall.

Crystal Kim - I will be attending the University of Iowa to study psychology and economics.

Connor King Jacob Klein - I will be attending Kirkwood University.

Aubree Klink - I am going to Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina to study nursing.

Molly Klutts - I will be attending the University of Iowa to study therapeutic

recreation with an emphasis in child life, eventually hoping to become a child life specialist.

Emma Koch - Next year, I plan to attend Dartmouth College to study engineering and to play basketball.

Hunter Kopf Ellie Kouba - I am heading to West Lafayette, Indiana to attend Purdue University where I will major in UX design with a minor in web development! BOILER UP! Sidney Kout - I will be attending Iowa State University to major in hospitality management and event planning.

Noah Krchak - I’ll be attending the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa and will be majoring in computer science and engineering.

Coleson Krupp - College.

Joey Kuehn - Attending University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Brandon Kuenster Taylore Kuenster - Going to UNI, and I plan to get my master’s degree in psychology to become a mental health therapist.

Jared Kula - I plan on attending Kirkwood and then transferring to the University of Iowa to study political science.

L Avery Lawler - University of Iowa to study elementary education. Go Hawks!

Sebontu Lema - College.

John Li - University of Southern California.

Aaron Lidral - Go to Iowa.

Weijie Lin - I will go to Kirkwood and study culinary arts.

George Liu Ava Locher - I will attend the U of I, majoring in speech pathology and audiology and minoring in linguistics.

Mitchel Locher Devlin Lockman - I’ll be going to Iowa State University to major in biochemistry.

Kaila Loew - I am attending Iowa State University with a double major in fashion designing and Japanese.

“SHAKE IT LIKE JELLO, MAKE THE BOYS SAY HELLO.” - KAILA LOEW ‘19

Mary Longmire - I am going to Kirkwood and majoring in dental hygiene.

Evelyn Lopez Garcia Isisah Love Xarminto Lubuelo - College football.

Madelyn Luegering - I am attending the University of Iowa.

M

Cole Mabry - I will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point to get an education, play football and then serve this great nation.

Trevor Mallard - Join the workforce.

Pedro Marra - I am really excited to attend the University of Iowa as a biomedical sciences major with the goal of becoming a medical doctor.

Kiah Martin - Studying psychology and criminal justice at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Noah Martinez Casey Marvin - I’m going to the University of Iowa for pre-pharmacy.

Ruby Massey Stany Masumbuko Austen Mattingly - Astrophysics and music.

Owen McAreavy Kiel McBrearty Patrick McCaffery - Go to the University of Iowa, study sports management and play basketball.

Caleb McCall - I will be attending Kirkwood Community College then transferring to Iowa.

Noah McCarragher Lucas McCool Matthew McDonnell Maggie McGlaughlin Diego Medina Ochoa - My next step after graduation is to go to Kirkwood to study my profession for three years, and then I will move to the University of Iowa.

Also, I will work during my vacations, so I will study more and work because I need money.

Noah Meints - Attending Kirkwood for two years to study education. After the two years, become a Marine Corps officer.

Lily Meng - I will be attending Northwestern University and plan on majoring in neuroscience and finally fulfill my High School Musical dreams of being a

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wildcat.

Akrem (Akram) Mergani Stephany Meza Blake Miller - College at Iowa City Kirkwood.

Emma Miller - I will attend the University of Iowa State with an undecided major.

Haley Miller - I’m heading to Luther College to major in elementary education and hopefully becoming a kindergarten teacher!!

“I’M SUPPOSED TO BE A JUNIOR, BUT MY MOM THOUGHT IT WAS FUN TO SEND ME TO SCHOOL WHEN I WAS FOUR.” - HALEY MILLER ‘19 Katelyn Miller Ruth Miller Trent Miller Samuel Mitchell Vivian Mitchell - I will be attending the University of Minnesota with a plan to study psychology or neuroscience. Next year, I hope to still being playing tennis, and I also want to get more involved with my community.

Sarah Moenning - I will attend the University of Iowa next fall with an interest in speech and hearing sciences! GO HAWKS! Ariana Moffett - I plan on going to college and becoming a registered nurse.

“IF YOU’RE NOT LIVING LIFE ON THE EDGE, YOU’RE TAKING UP TOO MUCH SPACE.” - ARIANA MOFFETT ‘19 Aibeer Mohamed Esraa Mohamed Aymen Mohammed Tanner Mohr Madison Molina James Mons - I will be attending the University of Northern Iowa to major in music education and minor in jazz studies.

Alexis Moore - I will be attending Iowa State

University and majoring in dietetics.

Zac Moore - I plan to attend Kirkwood Community College studying criminal justice. I will then transfer my credits to the University of Iowa.

Cailyn Morgan - I will attend the University of Northern Iowa, studying in either child psychology or elementary education.

Anna Moses Brendan Mott Ryleigh Mulcahey - I’m going to Iowa to study chemistry and environmental science on the chemistry track. I plan to be a materials scientist/chemist, and I want to have a focus in environmentally focused product building.

Mustafa Museme Ahmed Mustafa

N Taylor Nadeau Prisca Namutchibwe Marijke Nielsen - I will be attending Iowa State University in the fall to study chemistry and participate in the Air Force ROTC program.

Elisa Nisly - I’ll be at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts studying … something.

Liz Nodia - I’m taking a gap year to volunteer and do some service work abroad, work and save money, get involved with organizations, among a few other things before heading into college!

Razan Nour Samantha Nowotny - Kirkwood Community College.

O

Hanna O'Dell - Biochemistry at Iowa State University.

Sandrah Ochola - I will be pursuing a Bachelor in Fine Arts in dance at the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University in Pittsburgh with a modern concentration.

Madeline Ohl - I’ll be attending Williams College in Massachusetts to major in chemistry/biology/something science-y.

Rachel Olson - I’ll be weaseling around at the University of Iowa. This city loves me. I

can’t leave just yet.

Garion Opiola Maria Osman - I’m going to the University of Iowa to study international studies with a human rights track.

Claire Overton

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Nidhiben (Nidhi) Patel Sophia Perniciaro - I will attend the University of Iowa with an interest in accounting or elementary education and a minor in Russian. But I am also interested in teaching ELL. Gabriel Peters Thomas Peters Zachary Peterson Logan Pfannebecker - Going to Iowa State University for agricultural engineering.

Maggie Pfannebecker Alexander (Alex) Pierce Jonathan Pierce - Get a job and attend Kirkwood for my gen eds.

Ben Pizzimenti - I will be playing junior hockey.

Lucy Polyak - I’ll attend Grinnell College for the next four years double majoring in theatre and history, with a concentration in American studies. I’m hoping to keep performing, so catch me on SNL someday (lol fingers crossed).

Mitchell Pottratz Ian Prescott - I will be attending Kenyon College in the fall to major in art history.

“FRESHMAN YEAR, I GOT STRAIGHT A’S. NOW I’M NOT EVEN STRAIGHT.” - IAN PRESCOTT ‘19

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Jackson Raffensperger Toni Ralph - Working on my art career.

Michael Rash Ryan Reese - Probably just work.

Maddy Reid - Next year I will be attending the University of Iowa. I am hoping to

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be accepted into the nursing program.

My goal is to eventually become a nurse practitioner!

Glenda Reighard - I’m attending Coe College and plan on double majoring in psychology and neuroscience. Other than that, who knows what’s next?

Angela Reis - I’m attending the University of Iowa with an interest in elementary education.

Samantha Reis - I plan on attending the University of Iowa with an interest in the health science field.

Marsean Rhodes Rain Richards - Starting a cult and taking over the world.

Savanna Richter - Kirkwood for two years and then transfer to Iowa.

Coleman Riss Diego Rivera - I’m planning on attending the U of I with a double major in business analytics and mathematics!

“IT’S YEET OR BE YEETED.” - DIEGO RIVERA ‘19 Madeleine Roberts-Ganim - I will be attending the University of Chicago to major in history and hopefully minor in French.

Frankie Rodriguez Morales Danny Rompot - College life.

Kristina Rosebrook - I plan to attend Seattle University and major in humanities for teaching while minoring in creative writing and possibly a language. In the future I hope to teach in several different countries around the world and eventually publish a novel.

Ayanna Rost - I will attend the University of Northern Iowa for athletic training.

Corey Roth - I will be attending St. Ambrose University next year with my intended major being in the field of chemistry.

Joseph Runge Quincy Russom

S Breno Sader - After I graduate, I will be attending Cal Poly University with a major in architecture and minors in entrepreneurship and architectural engineering. I look forward to exploring the West Coast.

“I’D LIKE TO THANK EASYBIB, QUIZLET, SPARKNOTES AND THE INVENTOR OF CTRL C/ CTRL V. I COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.” - BRENO SADER ‘19 Yousif Salama - After graduation, I’m planning on attending Iowa State to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

Sanya Sami - My next four years will be spent studying biology and/or anthropology while on the pre-medicine track, most likely at Iowa (or maybe Cal, still can’t decide yikes).

Surbhi Saxena - I am going to Kirkwood.

Samantha Saylor - Going to University of Iowa.

Allie Schmitt-Morris - I’m going to Minnesota State Mankato to major in biology.

Addie Schroeder - I will be attending the University of Iowa as an open major.

Alexander Seemuth Jacqueline Selemani - Attending Mount Mercy University.

Katie Severt - I will be attending Concordia University, Nebraska, continuing my track career and majoring in exercise science.

Yangtian Shangguan - I plan to study biology at Northwestern University.

Mohammad Sharairi Keshawn Shaw - I will be attending Iowa Central next year and will continue to cheer and participate in musical theater.

Sidney Shephard Mitchell Shepherd Emily Shie - I will be attending the University of Iowa as a physical therapy major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Alec Shifflett Jonathan Shilyansky Sam Shin - Attend UIUC for an engineering degree.

Maddi Shinall - I plan on attending Grinnell College and majoring in political science with a concentration in economics and/or statistics. Vote #Shinall2036!!

Merci Sikitu - My future plans are to go to Mount Mercy and study to become a registered nurse.

Nick Silva - Bye, Iowa, DKU ‘23.

Christopher (Darnell) Simpson Tysen Skopec Claudia Smith - Going to the University of Iowa College of Engineering to major in mechanical engineering.

Nabrinah Sonii Lucas Sorensen - Obtaining my four year business degree.

Mason Sorge William Sparks - Get a career involving either science and math or psychology.

Keaton Speicher Kyle Spence Anna Staib - I will be studying computer science at Bradley University, more specifically game development and design.

Sophie Stephens - I will be attending the University of Missouri to study journalism with a minor in English. I will then live out my life as Andy from “The Devil Wears Prada.”

Peyton Steva - Running track and pursuing my teaching degree.

Maxwell Stevens Andrew Stewart Daniel Stewart - I’m gonna go to MIT. I don’t know what I’m going to do. Something mathy. Be happy. Something like that?

Victoria Stielow Nick Stilwell - I will attend Drake University, and I plan on majoring in Music and English.

Taylor Streck Jason Strunk - Play baseball at the next level!

Baraa Suleiman - I will be attending the University of Iowa and majoring in finance on a pre-medical track.

James (Jonny) Sullivan Hang Sun Samuel Sunderland Anastasia Surguladze - I will attend the University of Iowa and major in biology on a pre-med track, with a minor in visual arts.

Alexander Swack

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Ameen Taha Jacob Tarkelly Winfred Tembea Liam Terry - I am going to Holy Cross in Massachusetts to study finance.

Jonah Terwilleger - I will be attending the University of Iowa with the intention of studying English education and minor in sign

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language.

Noah Terwilleger - Engineering major at Iowa State University.

Gokul Thangavel - I will be attending Iowa with a major in biology and informatics.

Justin Thomas - Central College for finance and playing football.

Quinn Thomas - In the immortal words of Gunsmoke, “I’m going to Get Outta Dodge.”

I will be attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Maddy Thompson - I will be going to Iowa State University for environmental engineering.

Skylor (Sky) Tinnes Alex Tomes - I will be attending Coe College in Cedar Rapids with an interest in pre engineering and computer science.

Maggie Towler - I will be attending the University of Iowa and majoring in psychology.

Gabriel Trappe Isabella Trevitt - I will be attending Kirkwood Community College and majoring in criminal justice.

Mariana Trujillo-Chaparro - Going to Kirkwood Community College to study business management to become a project manager, and I am going to be working at the same time.

Valeriy (Val) Trussov Abigail Turnbull - Attending the University of Iowa with an open major.

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Lauren Upchurch - Will attend the University of Iowa.

Victoire Ushindi - I am planning on getting a job this summer, then go to college when school starts.

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Mary Vander Weg - I will be betraying my Iowa City roots by attending Iowa State University, most likely majoring in English.

Marnie Vonderhaar - I will attend the University of Iowa to study human physiology. In the future, I hope to study either physical therapy or go into med school.

Krisha Vyas - I will be attending the University of Iowa and majoring in psychology with a pre-med track.

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Kara Wagenknecht - I will attend the University of Colorado Boulder and plan on majoring in journalism and minor in sports media… SKO BUFFS!!

MaKayla Waite - Starting off at Kirkwood and then moving on to the University of Iowa to go into Human Services! I’m so excited!

Maya Wald - I will be attending the University of Iowa with an interest in majoring in elementary education and maybe a minor in theater.

Julian Wallace Grant Walter Alan Wang Grace Wang - I’m attending the University of Iowa with an open major to consume boba with Lydia Guo. Joella Wankana Makiese - I am going to college.

Sophie Waterman Hines - Majoring in computer science at Iowa State.

Amelia Watson - I will attend the University of Iowa majoring in psychology. I hope to transfer after a year.

Anna Weckerlin - I’m attending the University of Iowa as an open major with an end goal of pursuing a career in the health sciences. Go Hawks!

Jack Wenzel - I will attend Wheaton College and major in business/economics. I also plan to play tennis for Wheaton at the Division Three level.

Joe Westemeyer - Attend the University of Iowa and hustle.

“SAM SHIN OWES ME $4.”

- JOE WESTEMEYER ‘19 Harry Westergaard - I’ll be attending the University of Iowa to study cinema arts and English.

Griffin Whitehead Nathan Wilkinson Kaia Williams - To study in early childhood education.

Mar Quay Williams Chance Wilson

Eddie Wilson - I’m going to Iowa State to study computer science and still be able to have friends around.

Josh Wombacher-Hess Rhoda Wonlebaye Ashton Woods - I’m going to study in a convent and drink goat milk.

Taymon Wright Shamar Wyatt

X

Daniel Xiong Yicheng (Cann) Xu

Y Aidan Yamashita Brina Yoder Caroline Young - I will be attending the University of Iowa to major in criminal justice and psychology on the pre-law track. My weekends will be spent doing goat yoga and llama therapy ;) Esam Yousif Steven Yuan - I will attend Duke University to study statistical science and economics with a concentration in finance.

“I HATE IT WHEN I LOSE STUFF AT SCHOOL, LIKE MY PENCILS AND CHROMEBOOK AND LIFE AMBITIONS.” - STEVEN YUAN ‘19 \

Z

Lauren Zacharias - I will be attending Wayne State College in Nebraska to play basketball, and I currently plan on majoring in criminal justice.

Jenna Zeng - I will be living it up in NYC while attending NYU. Charles Zheng - I will be studying computer science with a minor in arthropodology at St. Harvard Tech.

Cade Zschiesche

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DESIGN BY LYDIA GUO

Six are going overseas.

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Find out where the class of 2019 is headed to next year.

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO

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SENIOR MAY 23, 2019

SENIOR STAFF SUPERLATIVES COMPILED BY WSS STAFF

MADDI SHINALL

LYDIA GUO

PHOTOS BY MADDI SHINALL ART BY IAN PRESCOTT DESIGN BY SIMON JONES

Most likely to be the first female president

Most likely to clap Thomas

ANJALI HUYNH Most likely to get food delivered at any time

THOMAS DUONG Most likely to be a snake

GRACE CHRISTOPHER ANNA BROWN Most likely to marry a K-pop star

Most likely to own a bakery

CRYSTAL KIM Most likely to create an aesthetic art account

TING GAO Most likely to be a professional writer

IAN PRESCOTT Most likely to wear a muscle tank to a job interview

KRISTINA ROSEBROOK Most likely to be surprised by her own shadow

SIDNEY KIERSCH

FRANCES DAI

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SOPHIE STEPHENS

Most likely to design her own wedding invitations

SENIOR

Most likely to work for Vogue

MAY 23, 2019

Most likely to lose her phone RAIN RICHARDS

HARRY WESTERGAARD

Most likely to be twins with Harry

Most likely to be twins with Rain

ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS Most likely to wear Chacos all day, every day DENIZ INCE Most likely to roast Kara

FATIMA KAMMONA KARA WAGENKNECHT Most likely to flex her Hydro Flask addiction

Most likely to never show up on time

LILY MENG Most likely to smile and wave at you in the hallway

JENNA ZENG

LUCY POLYAK

Most likely to have all the tea, sis

Most likely to be on SNL WILL CONRAD

JESSICA DOYLE Most likely to become a Bitmoji

SIMON JONES Most likely to never cut his hair

Most likely to dumpster dive

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MAY 23,, 2019

DIVISION I COMPILED BY KARA WAGENKNECHT PHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY THOMAS DUONG

Eleven Trojans will continue on to play sports at a Division I level next year at eight different universities across the country.

KOLBY GREINER BRADLEY XC, T&F

EMILY CRAY IOWA ROWING

CAILYN MORGAN UNI BASKETBALL

DENIZ INCE YALE XC, T&F

PATRICK MCCAFFERY IOWA BASKETBALL

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MAY 23, 2019

ATHLETES BRENDAN MOTT KANSAS STATE FOOTBALL

PEYTON STEVA UNI T&F

ANASTASIA SURGULADZE IOWA ROWING

CLAIRE OVERTON TAMPA BEACH VOLLEYBALL

EMMA KOCH DARTMOUTH BASKETBALL

COLE MABRY ARMY FOOTBALL

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READY TO SERVE Seniors give insight into their decisions to serve the United States after high school.

COMPILED BY DENIZ INCE

LANDON GREEN

COLE MABRY “I have been blessed beyond what I can imagine to be able to grow up in this country and to have the opportunities which I had been given, and I believe that I have truly lived the American Dream. This, as well as our foundational principles as a nation, is something that I believe is worth defending and sacrificing for, as many have before me.”

LZ: USMA (WEST POINT)

MARIJKE NIELSEN

“I always wanted to join the military, but I didn’t know which branch I wanted to go into. Why I picked the Army is because of my family. One of my uncles served 20 years in the Army and four years in the Air Force. I also enlisted because I like being active and outside. I hate being inside, and most people in the future will sit at a computer screen most of their lives while I do something that I love.”

LZ: US ARMY, 11X INFANTRY

RHODA WONLEBAYE

“My dad was in the Air Force for a really long time, and he went through the ROTC program at Iowa State. He was very supportive of me choosing to do ROTC, but the big reason why I chose ROTC is for the career choice. I want to be a pilot, so it’s a good way to learn discipline and travel the world but also be a pilot and do good things for our country.”

LZ: ISU, A.F. ROTC

“I’ve always wanted to do something in the healthcare field. I always wanted to be a doctor. It’s just that now I want to be a doctor in the Navy. Maybe it’s a little extra work, but it’s still fine with me. I feel like I’ll be doing good for more people worldwide than just in a city.”

LZ: FAMU, NAVY ROTC

NOAH TERWILLEGER

MITCH CLEMENTS “My dad is an Army Officer, so I always knew I would follow his footsteps, and I chose Iowa for pre-med.”

LZ: UI, ARMY ROTC

“Well, it’s been my dream to fly for the Air Force for a few years now, but I also wanted to get an engineering degree, so doing the Air Force ROTC program at ISU is an option that satisfies all my basic wants.”

LZ: ISU, A.F. ROTC

JACK DAVENPORT

JACOB TARKELLY “I wanted to have a secure and good job that would get me great benefits and make good money. I also wanted to test myself, and the Marines are the hardest branch, so that will give me a chance to test my limits.”

“Throughout my life I have grown up surrounded by family members who have served in the Army or other service branches. These people have been impactive role models in my life and are the most respectable, honest and hardworking people I know. For me, they have been strong examples of how the military can mold and shape motivated individuals into great leaders.”

LZ: UI, ARMY ROTC

GRACE GREER

NOAH MEINTS

“Honestly, I started looking into [ROTC] as a way to help pay for school with an ROTC scholarship, but then it became less about me and more about what I can do for my country and how I can serve. ROTC is a way I can serve and still get a college degree.”

“Last year I talked to a recruiter and he talked about the core values of the Marine Corps, such as leadership, courage, discipline, integrity and many more.

I think the Marines will give me the keys to help me achieve these attributes in my everyday life.”

LZ: USMC

LZ: UI, ARMY ROTC

LZ: USMC

DESIGN BY SIMON JONES

TAKING A BREATHER

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MAY 23, 2019

These seniors chose to take a gap year after high school before pursuing a college education.

BY LILY MENG

LIZ NODIA

Many high schoolers figure out their major while in college. However, Liz Nodia is taking a gap year because she wants to attend college already set on her major, saying she doesn’t have the financial freedom to risk wasting time changing it.

“I know that it would be smart to take a step back, take a breath, live a little, save some money, travel and then figure out a major. I want to get to college and be so sure of my major,” Nodia said. “I feel like in order to be the most successful, you should have an idea early on.”

Nodia wants to work full-time fall semester as a certified nurse aide at a nursing home to save money and gain work experience. During the spring semester, she plans to attend study, work and volunteer abroad programs.

KAT HAGAN

Spending a year abroad in France seems like a dream, but for Kat Hagan, it will be reality. She will be living in France for one year through a sponsorship with the Iowa City Downtown Rotary Club.

“I’ll be going to high school [in France], but the credits [from West] won’t transfer, so I have to get everything done this year," Hagan said. "I am a junior, but I actually have senior status, which means this is my junior and senior year. I’m graduating a year early and getting my diploma so then next year, I will be going as a senior to a high school in France, but I will already have my diploma."

Although she is not bilingual, Hagan grew

Nodia is also looking into participating in AmeriCorps, a voluntary civil society program where members serve the community by helping families attain affordable homes, mentoring students so they can stay in school and aiding teachers fighting poverty.

“If I could have the opportunity to change one kid’s mentality about their future or improve the life of any person, it would be one of the most rewarding feelings and purposeful things to do,” Nodia said.

Although Nodia’s plans are not set in stone, she’s certain of her goal during this time period.

“I hope to grow a little bit more as a person and be inspired, … see new cultures, meet new people, experience new things and see how lives are lived outside of the U.S.,” Nodia said.

up in a household with a love for traveling and language. She is pursuing this program because her mother traveled to the Netherlands with the Rotary Program without knowing any Dutch at first but still had a great experience.

During this ten-month experience, Hagan will live with two or three host families and meet exchange students from all over the world. Besides gaining language expertise, Hagan wants to see the world from a different perspective.

“I really want to be able to see the world from a different point of view, outside of my community and outside of the United States," Hagan said.

"No two cities, no two countries, no two continents have the same cultures and values."

GRACE GILBAUGH

Less than 100 students walk back and forth on a campus in Branson, Missouri. This isn’t a small college campus; it’s Kanakuk Link Year, the program where Grace Gilbaugh ’19 will be spending the next year.

This focused gap year program is similar to a college, where students live on a mini-campus and have required classes, but the similarities end there. The main focus of this program is faith-building with a large focus on apologetics and the seven pillars. Students have the opportunity to attend a missions trip and take classes through local colleges as well.

“I felt like my faith might not be as important to me after college, and I wanted to make sure I

was prepared to go through college and my faith was secure, that it was my own and that I didn’t have any questions,” Gilbaugh said. “[I wanted to make sure] that I took the time to make sure I understood it and that it was actually something that I wanted for myself.”

Gilbaugh is also excited to meet the group of students who also want to take the time to grow spiritually and be challenged in their faith, which is one of Gilbaugh’s main goals.

“I knew I wanted to do something during college that would help guide me with my faith, but I wanted something that would also challenge me in my faith," Gilbaugh said. "If you’re not being challenged, you’re not going to grow."

PHOTOS BY ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS DESIGN BY ANNA BROWN & ANJALI HUYNH

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ART & DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

se n i or c onfes s i on s

COMPILED BY ANNA BROWN & ANJALI HUYNH

MAY 23, 2019

Even though it’s been hard to stand out at West, as everyone is very competitive about getting into good schools, I feel like these past four years have made me a better person, and I couldn’t be more blessed.

I faked my freshman year biology project because I didn’t know how to grow a plant. I staged pictures and everything. I got an A.

I wish I would’ve gone to City.

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MAY 23, 2019

One time I took a pregnancy test in the upstairs bathroom. Luckily, the result was negative.

Thought [a teacher] was cute since freshman year.

In freshman year, I accidentally dropped a textbook on a milk container in my locker and the milk leaked under the bottom of the locker. That’s why the bottom hallway smelled like rotting cheese for a week.

I, and a significant amount of other students, obtained copies of every AP Biology test online and used them on the tests.

I pierced my friend’s ear in one of the choir rooms at school.

SENIOR COLUMNS

BY THE NUMBERS

BY ANJALI HUYNH

Despite my inability to find the antiderivative of a root function, numbers always provided a sense of stability high school often lacked. So it seems fitting to organize my final words numerically as figures to recall decades after my Trojan days end.

2: years of tripping over myself at Walk it Out. After living in a cultural gray-area for too long, I finally embraced my Indian heritage. Now I’ve constantly had a Party On My Mind and am ready to Swag (Se Swagat) into college as a true Desi Girl.

4: times I sobbed in a teacher’s classroom because life was difficult. Travis Henderson, I’m lucky to have a wonderful soul like you in my life. To students going through rough times, teachers care more than you think, so please reach out if you start to slip.

8: engineering-related competitions I attended despite detesting math and science. Through these, I acknowledged two vital concepts: you don’t need to pursue STEM to succeed, and it’s okay to quit activities you’re no longer passionate about.

99: pieces played with the West bands. Rob and Rich, thanks for letting me flop my arms around on the football field and believing in my ability to blow air through a metal stick. I’ll miss the “Rob Medd’s age” jokes, the endless Souza marches and *maybe* the Speedsters.

48,929: words I’ve written for West Side Story.

Covering meaningful issues shaped my future endeavors, and I hope my stories impacted you as well. Here’s to the injustices I’ll expose going forward.

Too many: life lessons acquired. Along with elitism, self-doubt and bitterness came incredible people, hysterical laughter and unforgettable moments. West wasn’t always excellent, but I’ll

treasure the memories and education obtained as I forsake my winter coat for warm Atlanta air.

Here’s to the next four.

ASS: ASIAN SQUAT SQUAD

BY LYDIA GUO & LILY MENG The dry, arid climate sucked the moisture out of the individuals that lurked across the sandy fields. The young girl grasped onto the plastic rim and gripped until her knuckles turned white.

She was met with fierce opposition as another girl firmly held onto the other side. Sparks flew between the two and their sharp glares, neither side willing to give up their prized possession.

“Lydia and Lily, sharing is caring!” the preschool instructor said while gently taking away the sand bucket from the two pouty 4-year-olds.

The two of us met at Montessori Children’s Garden, with a strong dislike for each other. One particular lunch period, the preschool served up string beans, one of our least favorite foods.

Not wanting to waste the green vegetables, one of us (Lily) turned to the other (Lydia), forcefully dumping the whole, soggy pile of greens onto the other’s plate. She (Lydia) was absolutely flabbergasted but reluctantly accepted the green beans and didn’t say a word. That was the start of our peculiar relationship.

Despite not attending the same elementary school, we often saw and were pitted against each other in piano competitions. Dressed in lace skirts and uncomfortable black flats, we wished each other good luck, gritting our teeth to form plastered, artificial smiles. Whether it was Chopin, Prokofiev or Bartók, we had to outdo the other. We never thought we’d ever end up being close, much less best friends.

But alas, we reunited in junior high and entered a situation the two of us had only heard

of in teen dramas: next-door neighbors.

While there were no cup and string makeshift telephones or daily sleepovers, we bonded over our dog walks and shared hatred for spiders. We found a friend group we both felt at home in and thought we would stick together throughout middle school and high school.

However, that didn’t happen — we were much too naive and idealistic. Our homely little friend group was bombarded with meddling that quickly escalated into larger disputes. We began focusing too much on our differences rather than the things that brought us together. Naturally, it seemed like people were growing apart as everyone tried to find their own identities and goals for the future.

But as we learned, changing friendships are natural. Even though we thought our friendships would be everlasting, through the years, we’ve met new people and lost touch with others. We’ve become friends with people we never expected to be close with due to our varying personalities and interests. Staying open-minded can lead to new, valuable experiences with unique individuals. Yet at the same time, realize who the real ones are, the friends who are gen-

uine and trustworthy. Accept the fact that there are snakes and people who don’t care about you, and simply cut them out of your life. Time spent trashing certain individuals should be used with people who truly respect and love you.

On this note, while some people may come and leave your life, treasure those who’ve stayed.

Even if you were past competitors or force-fed each other nasty string green beans, the fact that you’re able to share those memories and now look back to laugh at them is extremely precious.

Instead of gossiping about the one preschooler that pushed kids into the sandbox, our conversations have shifted into intellectual debates over the pros and cons of ordering half or no sugar for boba at Teamo. Even as we walk our separate paths now soon entering college, we know the Asian Squat Squad will live on forever. And that’s something very special.

Lydia & Lily <3 #beensquattingsince2005

THE 20/20 EXPERIENCE Iowa City has always been home to me. It has been a place filled with memories: my family, my memories and my avid love for Hawkeye sports.

These memories will always be cherished forever, but my experiences inside the brick walls of West High have given me perfect vision.

Freshman year. I was afraid new people, afraid of embarrassment. In challenging my fears, I found a new identity, willingly participating in cross country and show choir. I even found my passion for STEM by competing in Nashville for TSA TEAMS. New friends, new memories, I was excited for year two.

Sophomore year. The idea of challenge never left my brain as I loaded my schedule and became more involved in activities. I met unique challenge in Mr. Boylan’s English 10 Honors — I began to understand my inherent weaknesses,

BY THOMAS DUONG

helping me conquer future endeavours. In addition, the essence of music became the forefront of my attention, an introduction to All-State and playing the drumset.

Junior year. With hard classes and extracurriculars, I felt a void hindering my high school experience. I reluctantly joined journalism, jazz band, robotics and Student Senate to disassociate this empty feeling. It was a challenge to adjust to my additional commitments, but the initial challenge prepared me for the last stretch.

Senior year. This was the end of my journey.

My last opportunities began shriveling away.

This didn’t dissuade me, however, as I committed every last second to improving and enjoying this school. From university math classes to Bloomberg, this was it. I’ve seen it all — the 20/20 experience.

LIFE’S JUST BETTER AS A POTATO

BY FRANCES DAI

The evolution of my high school career consisted of my conversion from being a model student to a potato who can’t eat fries (no cannibalism here). In this evolutionary process, I learned some of the most important lessons of my life, including the art of vandalizing every surface of the school with an inspirational snail and turning the drawing of it into a cult activity; came to terms with the fact that aesthetic assignments trump actually having a brain while doing them; and began to realize that school itself, while it did raise my intellect, just ain’t that deep— thanks J. Bakes ;).

I’ve gone from being an overachieving workaholic at the start of my sophomore year to seriously debating whether or not to hibernate during the school day (I still don’t sleep despite not doing homework late into the night

anymore). I do believe grabbing opportunities whenever you can is a great way of finding things you love. However, I think there’s more to life than working yourself endlessly. After all, hard work doesn’t necessarily equal smart work.

Junior year was a dark time, and it’s good to know that at times, we should all just take a deep breath, enjoy the present, and sip some bubble tea.

All in all, I think humans should realize school doesn’t define how much you’re worth, and how far you’ve gotten in life doesn’t determine whether you’re a good human being. I’ve found that it matters less how much you mindlessly do and more that you have a clear vision of the person you want to be. If not, at least just enjoy life and embrace your inner potato while you think?

EPILOGUE

mechanisms, my favorites being: oversharing to Snap streaks, chopping my hair off (a few times), Netflix rom-coms and three-hour-long group FaceTimes.

Another (healthier) coping mechanism is finding nice teachers. Shoutout to Witthoft for teaching me how to write essays and caring about students’ well-being. Shoutout to Boylan for leaving “:/” on my essays but also giving great writing advice. Shoutout to Frese for letting me walk into his room saying “Jesus Christ” instead of “hello” and grading easy on in-class essays/ that one reading quiz. Shoutout to Sara for letting me sit in the newsroom for five hours a day instead of socializing.

Shoutout to my friends and to the people I’m chaotic with. Shoutout to the people who pushed me out of my comfort zone, even if I just made baby steps. Shoutout to my Kirkwood squad (no pit stops). Shoutout to WSS staff for being incredible and to the administration for letting

BY SOPHIE STEPHENS Our story of four years without air conditioning, ceilings or all of the bathroom stall doors is ending.

I won’t share memories about finding myself in high school, as I have none to tell (did I fail the test?). I also won’t bore you with my stories of cheating, skipping class and lying about it, parking illegally in the back lot, encounters with (nice) police officers or attempting to egg a house… the “relatable” high school things we’ve all experienced.

Other cliches we all relate to: tribulations. I have many. Shoutout to sophomore year for being a sh*tshow, and to this year for also being a sh*tshow mixed with senioritis. Thanks AP Euro for being the first class to make me cry (definitely wasn’t the last).

Mental breakdowns taught me great coping

So take advantage of every opportunity and open yourself to the world. You might just be able to see 20/20, too.

me write stories.

Lastly, shoutout to WSS readers who let me continuously arrange words on paper and then forcibly shove said paper into their hands.

Thanks, West. Onto the next book…

KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON

BY LUCY POLYAK

Dear 14-year-old Lucy: the world will take care of you. By the time May of 2019 rolls around, you won’t believe in the idea that everything happens for a reason, but you will be a firm believer in the concepts of karma and that the universe provides.

Upon graduation you’ll decide to follow passion, however hard it is. Roles celebrating hard working women (and a little bit of cannibalism) will push you towards this. High school will be difficult, but you wouldn’t trade everything you’d learned for the world.

You might not believe this now, but you’ll find your people. Ten shows with Theatre West and four with SPIT, plus four years of show choir and two on WSS, will give you memories that will last a lifetime. Not everyone will stay, but not everyone is supposed to. You’ll be thankful for those who stuck around in the end.

Your two staple clothing items will become

THINGS I’VE LEARNED FROM INTERVIEWS

BY FATIMA KAMMONA

If you have ever had the pleasure to be interviewed by me, then you might be on this list. So, I recommend you get yourself a towel, because I am about to spill some tea.

1: I talk a lot. I found this out after I did my first interview for WSS and over half of the recording was my voice.

2: Don’t ever let Bres get into your interview, because it gets awkward real fast.

3: You might need to tell people to use their words to answer questions. Yeah, I’ve had people make hand movements to answer questions that I had asked.

4: If you compliment the person you’re about to interview and tell them about something bad that happened to you recently, then they’re more likely to open up. Also, you can just reuse the compliment.

MEMORIES AND MUSCLE TANKS Picking a moment where I found myself is like that time I picked up an apple from the lunch line, and it was already fermenting. Everything slowly melting and stewing together into a big old puddle of personality, but I’ll try my best to pick out the instances that mattered to me.

Right off the bat is being called toothpick by Mr. Gross. Started wearing muscle tanks that year and in response, I earned the moniker “toothpick.” The grind never stops, Mr. Gross.

Never.

The next would be seeing Infinity War by myself. A solitary experience, but it made me realize sometimes you gotta take time for yourself and enjoy life alone. By the way, Captain America is the OG. Now shoutouts to the people that made the rotting apple worth enjoying. I’ll start with the teachers: Boylan, you the bomb; your class was

BY IAN PRESCOTT

hard, but I’m a better writer from it. Walker, thanks for all of your help in Pre-Calc. You were too nice. Shoutout to coaches Martz, Kidman and Craig. I know I lumped you all together, but you’ve all made me a better runner and man, on and off the track, and for that, I can’t thank you enough. Ms. Whittaker, thanks for putting up with me for four years. I hope you’re happy with the job I did on staff.

Now to some of my classmates: Will, some of the funniest stories I have come from your antics. Deniz, I’m sorry I don’t remember the elementary school years, but you’re one of the most inspiring people I’ve met. Multiple shoutouts to my boys and girls: Ethan, Danny, Katherine, Sasha, Sophie, Charlie, Simon and all the rest. Your friendship makes the tough times bearable. And Kara, this last shoutout is for you, hits the woah.

Chacos and floral print, two things you loathe right now. Chacos are comfortable as heck and you’ll wear three floral prom dresses before graduating.

Of all of the painful things you’ll have to go through, the worst will be when your favorite bathroom stall door falls off. It never gets fixed.

Senior year, your diet will consist of mostly Pancheros and Bruegger’s. And you will love it.

You’ll think you’re a much better driver than you are and will try to blame your inability to drive on the fact that your car is 20 years old.

Shoutout to the Coralville PD for never pulling me over. #sorrymom Now in all seriousness, please always remember these four things: life is for the alive, my dear; your love is your life; to love another person is to see the face of God; and anything can happen if you let it.

5: Don’t ever, ever interview three elementary school girls and their middle school friend at the same time. No amount of Ibuprofen can help you through that headache.

6: That red dot on the person’s nose that you have been interviewing for the last two hours might actually be taco sauce.

7: Adults don’t have everything figured out.

Some even have petty Facebook drama.

8: If you want to interview someone, don’t send passive-aggressive messages to them. In particular, don’t let your best friend (@Allie Schmitt-Morris) take your phone and send passive-aggressive messages to them because you might scare the person off.

9: Finally, these are two things people should know before being interviewed. One, stalking is a reporter’s superpower, so when you come to the interview, we already know everything about you. Two, you should know our names.

LAWFUL GOOD

BY MADDI SHINALL Freshman Maddi, You think you have everything figured out, but little do you know you have a lot in store for your next four years. It’s going to be an experience, to say the least.

Being late on the first day of freshman year when your bus almost doesn’t show up is terrible in the moment, but it’s a funny memory to look back on. Very symbolic, honestly.

You’re going to get a B in a class. I know. But it’s going to happen and you’ll realize that as long as you’re trying your best, that’s all you can do.

Also, it (mostly) won’t kill you.

Try practicing mindfulness! A friend will introduce meditations to you senior year, and you’ll wish you’d had them sooner.

Joining newspaper = best decision of high school!

CHAOTIC NEUTRAL

Politics will become your life, embrace it.

I know you’re shy, but speak up!

You don’t have to take ALL the AP/honors classes that exist. Taking classes that genuinely interest you will make the work much more meaningful.

There will be some very rough times. Talk to someone. It gets better.

Coffee. Coffee. Coffee.

Everything relates back to AP Euro. Everything.

Friendships will change, and it’s most important to have a few friends that you can rely on.

I know you think your current friends will be your best friends throughout high school, but people drift apart, and that’s okay! You’ll make some absolutely amazing friends with whom you’ll be absolutely inseparable.

It’s important to take a mental health break once in a while. Seriously.

Don’t spend so much time worrying about

BY WILL CONRAD One time I drove to Des Moines for an order of McNuggets. To be fair, it started with me and a friend just driving around. After driving around Cedar Rapids for an hour or so, we decided to see how far we could make it that night. The McNuggets were average, but the story is always a fun one to tell. The single greatest advice I can give in this senior column is to always live with the goal of getting a good story.

When you go through life not necessarily having a clear desired end result for everything you do, you can live free. Whether it’s show choir, cross country, track or anything else, I’ve learned to just go into it hoping for a fun time and some good memories to look back on. As a result, I’ve gotten some of the coolest experiences I could’ve dreamed of in the process, because I was never

yAy SpOrTs

what you can’t change; focus on what you can!

It’s going to be a chaotic four years at West High, but try to cherish every second of it.

You’ve got it, girl. <3 Senior Maddi

BY KARA WAGENKNECHT

Never in a million years would I have thought that I would spend almost every evening of my week coming back to West to take photos of various sporting events.

One day sophomore year, I decided to try something new and cover a sporting event for newspaper, so I did just that, and it ended up changing my life. I finally found my passion.

The thing I’ll miss most about West and all of its glory is the shenanigans Westflix and the Golden Standard caused. I’ll remember freezing my hands off at nearly every football game past Sept. 1, getting sunburned (even after I put on sunblock) at every track and field meet and having a gnarly sock tanline. Going out to eat after games and slowly falling asleep into my burrito because I had the ACT the next morning and of course, all of the state tournaments, championships and the Drake Relays.

My best memories from high school have been

from sporting events. So, I would like to thank the hooligans I have spent my time with on the sidelines. It was something I truly looked forward to every week.

I would also like to thank Craig Huegel and Brianna Dusterhoft for putting up with us for the past three years. I’m grateful that you guys have supported us with all of our crazy ideas, printing us passes to state games, unlocking doors/gates for us and answering all of our questions. I’ll miss my hikes down to your offices.

My last thank you goes to the athletes; thank you all for being so dedicated to your sport. I have enjoyed watching everyone grow throughout the years.

So thank you, West High athletics, for never failing to bring a smile to my face. You will be missed.

With love, Kara Wagenknecht

stressed about how things would turn out, only having fun. Moreover, I learned that every story has a happy ending, and if it’s not happy, it’s not the end.

With that being said, my stories would not be nearly as good without some key contributing characters. Sean, you’ve shown me what it means to care. Jake, you taught me how to be level headed. Austen, you remind me not to take life too seriously. Thomas, you keep me rational and always know how to approach a situation.

Maddi, you keep me functional. Sophie, you keep me sane. Ian, you keep me always laughing. Ken, you made me realize what being a big brother is like. Anjali, you keep me realistic.

Jessica, you light up my life in every way. Lucy, here’s your shoutout.

I COULD SHOW YOU INCREDIBLE THINGS

S/O BY ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS

Hello, welcome to my senior column. This will not be like other senior columns where people talk about how much they’ve “grown” and became a “better person” in high school. This will be a petty column where I do some shoutouts.

Some will be sarcastic, some genuine, so buckle up, kids.

Ahem… shoutout to my mom, dad, sister, dog Lily, three cats — Hugo, Cosette and Eve — and my tortoise, Tortey, for being super cool people/ animals and supporting me in my endeavors, including every sport you could think of.

Shoutout to Theatre West for being my home away from home and helping me find so many of my friends. Shoutout to set for being the best crew ever. Shoutout to all the fake friends (good thing we’re not friends anymore).

Shoutout to the football players for vandalizing my car sophomore year, and shoutout to the

in this class, sophomore year was probably the hardest and worst year, but it was necessary to teach myself how to do actual work and that having opens in the morning, even if it’s only a few days each week, is crucial for sleep and mental health.

Heaven: Junior year was the best (especially track season!). There comes a point in everybody’s high school career where one has a breakthrough in some facet of their life, and that came for me in running. When it happens, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.

Sin: I can’t say the feeling lasted for too long…

I almost made it through high school without needing crutches, but maybe I’ll get brownie points for having been on crutches at some point at each of my elementary, junior high and high schools.

administration and the coaching staff for doing nothing (a letter and Febreze doesn’t count). You really didn’t take them out of one game. Shoutout to Westflix for entertaining me during football games.

Shoutout to Vines, you make me laugh and let me quote every single thing. Shoutout to my Europe gang who kept me sane when we thought there was a ghost in our hotel. Shoutout to the custodians for being awesome and picking up the trash of all the dumba**es who are unable to throw their stuff away. Shoutout to my work and the kids there because they are awesome.

Shoutout to Dance Marathon for making me feel whole. Shoutout to La Croix and my #sparklebesties for drinking it with me. Shoutout to my Chacos for being amazing, even though you gave blisters that one time (Jesus, Christo, Bob).

Shoutout to all the amazing teachers who helped me (If I talked to you in your class, I liked you).

Finally, shoutout to WSSpaper for letting me be a photographer and do social media for them.

Peace Snakes.

FIX YOUR TRAGIC HAIR To the naive girl with stars in her eyes, oof, this ain’t High School Musical.

Posing with my sister, the flash of the camera captured my sparkly black eyeshadow and thick winged eyeliner (soon accompanied with electric blue hair). If you remember edgy freshman me, I applaud you ’cause she’s been deceased for years. However, my defining freshman moment remains (un)gracefully falling down Staircase 5, the epitome of an athlete with my flapping noodle arms. S/o to the guy who wanted to laugh but didn’t. You the real MVP. My first time falling in love, I was 16. There were seven of them, dancing in synchronized choreography with colorful hair. It was BTS. From my imitation essay in Brit Lit to the AP Psych research project, BTS undoubtedly influenced my academic (and personal) life (just a

BY DENIZ INCE

My high school career undoubtedly peaked a few months in when I met Taylor Swift at her concert, but I’ll recount a few other *subpar* experiences.

Magic: First we go back to eighth grade when deciding to take Intro (now known as FOJ) turned into the second-best decision I’ve ever made (with everything leading up to that Taylor Swift concert being the first). Twelve issues later, I can say I’m proud.

Madness: Procrastination is ok to a point, but, readers, take this as cautionary advice: never wait to so much as look at the materials you need to learn for AP Spanish Literature until November; the following months won’t be fun.

At least Carmen always had food for us in the teacher workroom (Carmen, if you’re reading this: I LOVE YOU!). Partly from my dawdling

BY ANNA BROWN

tad). I’ll also never forget the long night drives blasting Taylor Swift and 90210 marathons that encompassed sophomore year. Or that I lost my 4.0 — guess the lone pear’s magic didn’t work on me.

I took some L’s junior year — always be wary of snakes (all tea, no shade). But through the lost, rekindled and undying friendships, I gained an amazing group of people whom I love wholeheartedly (cheesy but endearing). And TBH, we all know the biggest rip that year was my purple hair turned green.

Despite complaining about senioritis, I’ll treasure my time here. Thanks Robert and Richard for allowing me to conduct “Mic Drop.” Barnhouse and Iannone, I’m forever grateful to you both for writing rec letters despite me not talking two-thirds of the time. And finally, thanks Ty-

son for dealing with my mess in AP Econ and Henderson for loaning me Legs (who I might’ve accidentally stolen).

With love, PCMPNBBSP