The student news site of Davenport West High School

WHS Today

Breaking News
  • BUY YOUR 2023 YEARBOOK IN THE FRONT OFFICE OR ONLINE NOW
The student news site of Davenport West High School

WHS Today

The student news site of Davenport West High School

WHS Today

As blood stations are set up, phlebotomy nurses are ready for the incoming donors. Giving blood can be a hesitant choice to some people, but the outcome is life-changing. “Just knowing that I can help other people just by giving blood, and [the fact that] it takes so little time, that the thought of being able to save someone’s life motivates me to give blood,”  senior Alexa Glandon said.

Saving lives one drop at a time

Sarah Bernick, Reporter April 19, 2019

West hosted its first blood drive since Sept.on Thursday, April 18. Due to snow day cancellations, West was not able to host two of their four annual blood drives. By collecting an estimated total of 80...

At 8:15 a.m., junior Hailee Boisen walks up to the West Y doors and struggles to get them open.  She debated finding another way in or calling a friend to open them for her. 
“The Y doors are locked every day. I’ve gone through them four times all year,” Boisen said. 
She ends up resigning to the Life Skills doors once again.

Quality of life or quality of security?

Laurence Walker, Reporter April 19, 2019

Approaching West’s doors near the YMCA entrance, it’s not uncommon to see groups of people peering through the windows, knocking on the doors, or calling friends. The doors near the Y entrance, or...

Students log into a practice test for the upcoming ISASP test which will be done entirely online. When tests are administered, they will begin via an application that prevents students from viewing other windows to make sure testing is an accurate gauge of student’s understanding.

Iowa standardized tests go digital

Cameron Wilson, reporter April 18, 2019

     Iowa Assessments are given to students in order to rate the state in education by comparing scores nationally. This will be the first year that Iowa Assessments go online.      The new test,...

I am familiar with the equipment that was demoed, but I learned a lot the first time we visited, Anatomy and Physiology teacher John Arnold said. The last activity as a whole group using the Hudl app was cool. I didnt realize some of the functions.

Brilliant biomechanics

Joseph Potts, Reporter April 15, 2019

West students from Anatomy and Physiology (A & P) classes went on a field trip to St. Ambrose University to explore their kinesiology department on April 10. The trip was organized by science teacher...

If you want to be a part of the speech and debate team, you can go to room 238 before and after school.

Suspenseful speeches

Joseph Potts, Reporter April 8, 2019

The season of the Speech and Debate team may have ended, but for junior Anton Kordick, it is only the beginning as he prepares for the national tournament this summer. “We had a very small team this...

190 families were in attendance at West’s first mobile food pantry put on by the River Bend Foodbank. With help from the boys track team, over 250 people were able to receive fresh food at no cost.

West hosts first mobile food pantry

Emma Bernick, Media Editor March 30, 2019

Pushing a shopping cart down a long aisle lined with fresh produce and a variety of food products may be a common activity, and even sometimes a hassle, for most people. However, a percentage of community...

Audrey II has four different pods throughout the show, with pod four being depicted above. Pod 4 has to be controlled by four people. The pods were made for a Music Guild production, and have been gifted to falcon theater for their production.

“Little Shop of Horrors” preview

Zack Misner, Co-Managing Editor March 26, 2019

Every year the West High Falcon Theater puts on a musical, and this year they decided to put on the modern classic “Little Shop of Horrors.” “Little Shop” is about an alien plant called Audrey...

West is required by law to have four fire drills, four tornado drills, and two A.L.I.C.E (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Encounter, Evacuate) drills per year.

Crisis drills in the Davenport Community School District

Cameron Wilson, Reporter March 20, 2019

Safety drills are important to practice in order to be prepared for a dangerous event. West is required by law to have four fire drills, four tornado drills, and two A.L.I.C.E (Alert, Lockdown, Inform,...

This graphic represents the U.S. State Capitol. The building with the ribbon symbolize the Capitol building, the water drops represent the Kenya water project created by West students, and the four images in the water drops are based on the four class types that make up the STEM education: science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. The light bulb on top of the Capitol building represents the flow of ideas being made in the building daily.

STEM goes to the Capitol

Joseph Potts, Reporter February 24, 2019

On Feb. 19, West engineering teachers Greg Smith and Jason Franzenburg, and seniors Alexa Christiansen, Zak Keel, and Jalissa Peiffer went to the Capitol of the U.S. and joined United States Patent and...

On Feb. 14, students entered a building covered with sticky note hearts and inspiring messages.

Signs of love through the vines of valentines

Joseph Potts, Reporter February 16, 2019

On Feb.14, Valentine’s Day, a group of students covered the hallways with sticky note hearts filled with uplifting messages like “Be the Change” and “Embrace the Journey.” The event was a service...

Senior Skylar Hintze (Left) and Junior Anton Kordick (Right) holding participation ribbons after the Battle of the Books competition (2017-18) at the Bettendorf Public Library.

Battle of the Books

Tyler Newman, Reporter February 12, 2019

Battle of the Books is an Iowa Quad Cities regional competition that involves students reading a wide variety of books. At the competition, there are a series of questions asked about the books’ author,...

The Davenport Community School District takes off six days and counting due to unbearable temperatures, dangerous wind chill, and treacherous road conditions. School grounds take a heavy impact as they are completely covered in snow and ice.

Snow days pile up, cause school year to end in June

Sarah Bernick, Reporter February 4, 2019

The Davenport Community School District has taken six days off this year because of some of the most dangerous wind chills in years. Due to recent life-threatening temperatures and extreme travel conditions,...

Load More Stories
Activate Search
News