The School Newspaper of West High School

West Signals

The School Newspaper of West High School

West Signals

The School Newspaper of West High School

West Signals

Anika Agarwal

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer

Bundled in a packed schedule, West Signals is Anika Agarwal’s eighth class. A junior at West High, this is her first time freelancing as a writer and a photographer. She is excited and motivated to use her voice through the medium of words and pictures, while using different lenses and angles in order to inform the readers accurately. Anika is involved in many other activities: the West Speech & Debate team, the West Science Olympiad team, and the Board group of the West Math Club. She dreams of one day utilizing all of the skills she is grasping to better society.

All content by Anika Agarwal
With West High Prom less than a month away, ASB members work on preparing the Top 4 baskets for the nominated King, the Queen, the Prince, and the Princess! Apart from their baskets, they also handmade the centerpieces to increase the liveliness of the venue through a glamorous ambience.

[Art/Photo] Upperclassmen Anticipate Prom 2022

Kate Phan, Entertainment Editor April 30, 2022
Clubs at West High, such as UNICEF, offer a way to lend a helping hand through advocacy of plans to resolve and minimize suffering faced by children. No matter how occupied our schedules are, getting involved with clubs is a sure way to help those in trouble.

Ukraine Crisis: How Clubs at West Are Offering Help

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer April 10, 2022
Current eighth graders collect flyers from different clubs at Club Alley after coming out of the eighth grade assembly.

2022 Club Alley: West Programs to Anticipate!

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer March 20, 2022
Rithika Yalla (10) performs an Oratorical Interpretation (OI), a 10-minute speech written and published by another person but interpreted by the competitor in a unique style. In her piece, Yalla expressed her ideas on racial biases people face.

The Speech and Debate Showcase: Empowering Your Voice!

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer March 1, 2022
Students in their Speech and Debate class discuss the possible word for Wordle, a new word-guessing game. Recently bought by The New York Times, Wordle gives each player six tries to guess the word of the day. One of the coaches of Speech and Debate, Mr. Ronne, explained that by playing this game, students not only broaden their vocabulary but learn how to think creatively by observing the same situation from different angles--part of what the program focuses on.

Wordle: A New Mind Puzzle

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer February 22, 2022
Part of the Chicago crew starts their dance rehearsals. With a great opportunity for all to showcase their artistic skills, the musical has a lot to offer for both performers and viewers. Photo courtesy of Brandon Howard (11).

Chicago: West High’s Spring Musical

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer January 26, 2022
As a tutor for Tutorial Club, Sohan Devalapurkar (11) helps students in the library at lunch and after school free of charge. In addition to offering help on a regular basis, Tutorial Club tutors plan to help teachers during potential cram sessions before finals.

Final Tips for Studying for Finals

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer January 13, 2022
Science teacher Mrs. Chambers keeps a list of questions that scientists should never stop asking on her whiteboard for all students to see. Mrs. Chambers believes that the structure of the science education system “beats the joy” out of learning science the right way.

The Essence of Science is Vanishing from AP Science Classes

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer January 6, 2022
Warriors are seen cheering for their grade level during the Winter Rally. With high spirits, outdoor rallies allowed closer bonding post-pandemic.

Boosting School Spirit at the Winter Rally

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer January 5, 2022
At the end of October, ASB included the theme of Halloween (a popular cultural event) to connect with West’s students and persuade them to stay away from harmful substances.

A Recap on Red Ribbon Week

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer November 9, 2021
Seen in their AP English Language class working together, this group of students—along with many others—would be able to find a common meeting time and place to work on projects during Warrior Workshops.

A Revival of Warrior Workshops Post-COVID-19

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer October 30, 2021
The Manhattan Beach fair took place from October 2 and 3 where participants had to set up a games booth to collect money for the PTP. Members had the option of choosing which 2-hour shifts they were available for to run the booth. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Libertor (12).

Key Club and CSF: Ways of Serving the Community!

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer October 25, 2021
FCCLA members are stitching dolls for one of their community service projects: Dollies for Doctors in 2019. These dolls were used to show kids how they were going to be operated on to put them at ease. Photo courtesy of Pragna Chennuri (12).

FCCLA and FBLA: A Little Peek Into the World Outside of Our Classes

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer October 6, 2021
COVID-19 vaccines have been a controversial topic among many school districts. TUSD has taken steps to track down student vaccine records without mandating that students must be fully vaccinated, and contact tracing has been strictly enforced to make sure that the COVID-19 virus does not shut down TUSD schools again. TUSD has required mask-wearing in all indoor settings and social distancing, which has helped tremendously with COVID-19 cases in TUSD schools. Students and parents anxiously anticipate the day when schools will return to normal; but whether we take that first step of vaccinating all students is for TUSD to decide.

Implementing COVID-19 Mandates Could Truncate the Pandemic

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer October 1, 2021
A balanced diet is being served to students to keep them moving through their classes, and that is aiming to make in-person schooling more fun and less stressful.

Newsom’s Free Meals Program in California: How Effective Is It?

Anika Agarwal, Staff Writer, Staff Photographer September 16, 2021
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