West Winners

Marissa Mendez, reporter

January 16, 2020

Every sport has that one outstanding player. A player that you know is going to be good as soon as they step onto the field, court, mat, or floor. A player that is passionate about what they do and how they do it. Senior Erica Henderson has been bowling since she was six.  “I felt like I wasn’t good and I wasn’...

West theater brings drama to the school in their play Hamlet

Katie Giebelstein, Reporter

December 11, 2019

  West took the stage with Hamlet from Friday December 6th to Sunday December 8th. They used this show to present several forms of comedy, such as dark humor and a more mocking-style of modern references and language, as well as a plot driven story that ties up all ends which were given earli...

Living up to the ‘West High Way’

Farnaiza Gulam, reporter

December 7, 2019

Like any other institution, West is bound by its goals and ideals to provide quality education to students. However, the role of the school goes beyond that. While its main purpose is to give students the knowledge that is necessary for them to survive in the future, it is important to note that regul...

‘To be, or not to be: that is the question’

Katie Giebelstein, reporter

December 7, 2019

This winter West is showing a production of Shakespeare's Hamlet from Dec. 6-8. Hamlet is a show about the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet, who seeks out vengeance for his father’s death while also slowly slipping into insanity due to over-contemplating life and death. The cast is provided a preview o...

World language classes: bulging at the seam

Katie Giebelstein, Reporter

November 25, 2019

The world language department is short handed this semester as a result of a teacher retiring and the district not hiring someone to fill the gap, leaving only five full time teachers to handle 406 students, according to a breakdown of students in the courses. Of the five, two teach Spanish full time, on...

Scholarships lead to better future

Kaylee Milem, reporter

November 25, 2019

Senior Adam Parcel is very active in the scholarship application process. He has already applied for around 24 college scholarships, and has already received one.  “It’s from the Quad City area on youth leadership. It is $250 for the book store, which is not much, but anything helps,” Parcel s...

Teachers re-certify their rights

Joseph Heirigs and William Heirigs

November 19, 2019

Due to recent developments, some individuals and teachers are led to believe that the state doesn’t particularly care for the future of education. On Wednesday Oct. 30, the law known as Chapter 20 of the Iowa State Codes was recertified by the teachers of Iowa. Chapter 20 primarily protects the power...

2019 Hunger Drive comes to a close

David Sanchez, reporter

November 18, 2019

Seventeen high schools in eastern Iowa and western Illinois vy for most cans collected before the Thursday, Nov. 14, delivery date marks the end for this year’s Student Hunger Drive. The Student Hunger Drive helps provide food for 23 counties around the Quad Cities area with the aid of the River ...

‘I want you to say I am valuable. I have a purpose’

Joseph Heirigs, reporter

November 16, 2019

On Nov. 13, iJAG (Iowa Jobs for American Graduates) hosted the artist, motivational speaker, and songwriter, TC Boyd, to motivate West High students. TC Boyd displayed a video that detailed a trying and vital time in his life, a short movie overlayed with his song, “It ain’t easy.” It entai...

Falcon Friends take off

November 5, 2019

Prior to Wednesday October 30, Mrs. Rommel’s class learned about Newton’s law of motion and the basic structure of CO2 dragsters through instruction given by St. Ambrose professors, Dr. Opar and Dr. Serianz. They were able to create fully functioning dragsters that were later used to compete in a...

Elizabeth Warren looks for support in Davenport

Katie Giebelstein and David Sanchez

November 5, 2019

In the gym of Davenport North High School Sunday, Nov. 3 Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren held a town hall meeting to talk to her Quad City supporters. She talked mostly of her plans for change when she becomes president, such as; removing college debt and providing free college education, and fix...

Is PBIS enough?

Megan Dunn, Reporter

October 15, 2019

In December of 2018 the Davenport Community School District was ordered to cut 13.2 million dollars by the 2019-2020 school year in order to balance the budget. This meant offering retirement incentives, getting rid of teachers, and a hiring freeze. The impact at West has been evident with some clas...