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
Sullivan Kolakowski

Sullivan Kolakowski, Staff Photographer

Sullivan Kolakowski is a staff photographer for West Signals and a junior at West. This will be her second year in Signals, and she’s excited to continue telling stories and connecting people through her photographs. In her free time, Sullivan can be found taking more photos or surfing at the beach.

All content by Sullivan Kolakowski
On Friday, May 20th, West High hosted its first West High Car Show in the student parking lot after the dismissal bell rang. With music blasting and students chattering, the car show was about to begin!

[Art/Photo] Car Culture at West High

June 9, 2022
West High’s Giving Day was a total success. Twenty-seven thousand dollars were fundraised all thanks to everyone who donated and participated. “It’s a blessing to be at this school and it’s nice to know we are so well supported by the community,” Coach Butler expressed.

[Art/Photo] West High’s Giving Day

May 27, 2022
Receiving the tennis ball, Varsity Girls’ Tennis player Ivy Chan (12) delivers a fierce hit during team warm-ups. She encourages all student athletes to try their best: “In high school, you only have four years to do what you want in your sport, and I think it’s more important that you go all out and you try even if you do make mistakes.”

[Art/Photo] Athlete Spotlight: Ivy Chan on Resilience and Teamwork

November 13, 2021
Chris Matsuoka (11), a candidate for Secretary of Athletics, is hanging up posters for his campaign. As an athlete himself in baseball, Matsuoka hoped to “get as much hype as possible for our student section and to represent all of our athletes,” if he was elected.

[Art/Photo] Candidates’ Campaigns For ASB

May 3, 2022
Through the hardships that come with fashion and design, however, students learn to persevere and problem-solve. West High’s program offers so much more than needles and strings- it offers opportunities that can’t be seen anywhere else, preparing students for all the best and worst things their futures have to offer.

[Art/Photo] Needles and Strings

April 24, 2022
Mr. Jin prepares for his presentation for his next class. Introduction to Data Science is one of West High’s new classes that provides helpful tools to immerse yourself in the world of math and science.

[Art/Photo] Codes, Data, and More!

April 20, 2022
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[Art/Photo] Print Edition

March 7, 2022
Athletes make their final dash to the finish line, pushing themselves to their limits with adrenaline pumping through their veins. After delays caused by COVID-19 in previous years, Track and Field was glad to finally return to normal.

[Art/Photo] Track and Field Sprints into New Season

March 8, 2022
Joining West High as a College and Career Coordinator, Ms. Stover has certainly gone above and beyond at the College and Career Center. As a former English teacher, Ms. Stover expressed her preference for being able to help students rather than create pressure from grading assignments: “Coming from a teaching background, I like not having to evaluate their work but really just be there to listen to students and help with whatever it is they have questions about.”

[Art/Photo] Preparing for the Future with Ms. Stover!

February 28, 2022
Talent show participants cheer as first place talent show winner Sarayu Kocharlakota (10) makes her way up to the front to receive her award. West High’s Choir Department hosted the West High’s Got Talent show on Thursday, February 10 in the Performing Arts Center. Kocharlakota shared what singing means to her: “Singing is my stress-buster; It’s the only thing that makes me forget about everything else. It fills me with happiness and helps me connect with people all around.”

[Art/Photo] West High’s Got Talent

February 17, 2022
In the middle of a fierce match, West High Games Club members compete against each other in a chess tournament hosted on February 4, 2022 after school. All skill levels were welcome and winners received gift cards to Target. Tournament participant Elizabeth Kim (10) shared that “when I heard there was a chess tournament I was like – woah! And it just seemed like a fun after-school thing.”

[Art/Photo] Checkmate!

February 15, 2022
Steve’s Char-Broiled Burgers has served food and smiles for generations. Steve’s has become part of many West High students’ daily routines. “It’s a great place to eat and hang with friends,” Alyssa Reamer (12) expressed.

[Art/Photo] Hangouts at Steve’s

January 31, 2022
New year, new me! New Year’s resolutions are a great way to set goals for the upcoming year. Students share what resolutions they made and how they plan on measuring their achievement progress.

[Art/Photo] New Year, New Resolutions

January 17, 2022
Warriors are seen cheering for their grade level during the Winter Rally. With high spirits, outdoor rallies allowed closer bonding post-pandemic.

[Art/Photo] Boosting School Spirit at the Winter Rally

January 5, 2022
Powderpuff players run towards the endzone, hoping to make a touchdown for their team. Pictured in black shirts were the Blitz Babes, running with the ball, as the Trophy Wives (pictured in pink shirts) followed. Lilly Ramirez-Johnson (12) enthusiastically recounted the game, saying that it was “super fun getting to play a traditional game in front of the school’s audience.”

[Art/Photo] Powering Through Powderpuff

January 5, 2022
Practicing shooting during warm-ups, West High Girls’ Varsity Soccer player #8 Cherrie Cox (12) prepares for the game against Palos Verdes High School on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. Cox has played soccer her entire life and recently committed to playing for Cal State Long Beach.

[Art/Photo] Athlete of the Week: Cherrie Cox

January 5, 2022
Shant Mazmanian (12) catches a wave as he practices on a sunny Saturday morning. Surfing is a sport that requires great passion and dedication, and Manzmania has both. His perseverance has allowed him to compete against South Bay’s top high school surfers.

[Art/Photo] Athlete of the Week: Shant Mazmanian

December 3, 2021
It’s that time of the year again! Pumpkins have never been more popular – whether that’s on doorsteps or the dinner table. Students shared their favorite autumn season recipes, hoping to not only spread the great taste but the fall feeling. Natalia Cruz-Chicas (10) expressed how “every time I bake something, I still never get bored. It’s really my favorite thing!”

[Art/Photo] Warrior Fall Baking!

November 29, 2021
With opening night right around the corner, that’s a wrap on Tech Week! Johnson is “really excited for people to come and watch [Puffs]!” Tickets are available for purchase on the ASB webstore or at the door. Showtimes are Thursday, November 18 @7pm, Friday, November 19 @7pm, and Saturday, November 20 @5pm. Don’t miss this incredible musical!

Backstage Pass: Puffs Tech Week

November 18, 2021
Varsity Golf member Kami Kwong (12) delivers another one of her perfectly precise swings on the challenging golf course. Kwong has played golf her entire life. She recently celebrated her commitment to playing golf for Hawaii Pacific University. In regards to the recent payoff for her dedication, Kwong explained how “Golf is such a big challenge and it makes you keep wanting to do better and better. I just want to strive to keep improving more and more.

[Art/Photo] Athlete of the Week: Kami Kwong

November 2, 2021
Breaking a school record is no easy feat, and Varsity Cross Country runner Conor Gibson is one of the lucky athletes who holds that bragging right. Gibson is the current school record holder for the three mile race in 14 minutes and 19 seconds. But he doesn’t plan on stopping there! He expressed how he also aspires “to break the 3200-meter and 1600-meter records,” and wants to “win an individual and team state title.”

[Art/Photo] Athlete of the Week: Conor Gibson

October 22, 2021
Following the announcement of Homecoming King and Queen, Meileen Taw (12) and Elliot Kim (12) reminisce about learning of their win at Friday’s Homecoming football game. The Homecoming King and Queen are nominated through a series of student voting and teacher appointments. It’s a long journey to the throne, and Taw expressed how she is “honored to be chosen by my teachers and peers.”

[Art/Photo] Just Crowned: Homecoming King and Queen

October 16, 2021
Brilliantly Shooting the ball, Boys Varsity Water Polo senior Tyler Reed (12) scores a point for his team in a heated battle against Culver City. Reed plays club water polo in addition to highschool water polo and this season, all those hours of dedication are paying off. Not only is he a valuable player, but according to Ian Noe (9), “he always acts like a team leader” and “brings positive energy to the team.”

Athlete of the Week: Tyler Reed

October 7, 2021
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[Art/Photo] Christopher Huston

October 5, 2021
Designing a model rocket on OpenRocket, President of the Rocketry Club Archit Mishra (12) hopes to inspire other students to “fight gravity.” Rocketry Club is a new club at West High that will compete in the American Rocketry Challenge. Mishra expressed, “If you join Rocketry, it will be one of your best decisions of your high school career.”

[Art/Photo] West High’s Clubs of 2021-22: Rocketry Club

October 1, 2021
Charging through a poster, West High’s Varsity football team arrives in style to the first football game of the season. On August 27th, West High welcomed hundreds of spectators and Culver City’s football team to Fred Peterson Stadium. Linebacker and receiver #22 Elias Overstreet (11) described the excitement of running out on the field: “It was like adrenaline because I knew it was game time.”

[Art/Photo] West Football Season Kicks Off with Excitement

September 14, 2021
Fiercely spiking the volleyball, opposite Abby Witzansky (11) gives Vistamar’s Girls’ Volleyball team a run for their money. Witzansky is a worthy opponent this volleyball season with 160 kills in 10 games. She said the best part about volleyball is “how fast the game is,” and that she loves “competition and winning.”

[Art/Photo] Athlete of the Week: Abby Witzansky

September 14, 2021
For the West High Girls’ Tennis Team, First Serve was an event filled to the brim with suspenseful games. During their first set, Sarah Han (11) and Jasmin Cuaresma (11) played to a tiebreaker against Rosemead. “It was super stressful, but we were still proud of ourselves since we put up a fight,” Cuaresma said.

[Art/Photo] West High Girls’ Tennis Team Victorious at First Serve

September 14, 2021
West High students made their way to their classrooms on the first day of school. Recalling the exhilaration, Isis Kim (10) said, “I was so excited to meet my friends I haven’t seen in a year!”

[Art/Photo] The Return to In-Person School

September 4, 2021
An early start, freshman students make their way to their first periods in West High’s Building Five, ready for learning. Finding their classes is a breeze after already having a few days of instruction.

[Art/Photo] Fresh to West

September 4, 2021
Posing in front of a photo-op station, Daelene Cabahug (12), Lauren Bolton (12), and Faith Shortridge (12) sport college merch for Senior Decision Day. Shortridge explained how the seniors “signed a banner, got a cool button, and had our picture taken before we got a donut and took a bunch of pictures.” She also expressed how being able to “talk and take pictures with everyone” was fun for all the seniors.

[Art/Photo] Seniors Celebrate Committing to College: Decision Day

May 25, 2021
Ending the school year with a Spring Show, West’s Dance Department put on a marvelous performance that left a profound and meaningful impact on the virtual audience. A member of Advanced Dance and one of the Teacher Assistants for Beginning Dance, Hanna Blair (12) expressed how “Intermediates hip hop brought an instant smile to my face while the Advanced senior soloists brought me to tears.

[Art/Photo] WHS Dance Puts Their Heart and Soul Into Spring Show “20-21 And Done!”

May 7, 2021
For many of the players, Friday’s game was the last time they sported the West High football helmet. “I just wanted to give a thank you to all the seniors for playing their hearts out this year and a shout-out to the underclassmen who stepped up this year,” shared the team’s defensive end, Chris Pech (12). “I thank you for everything.”

[Art/Photo] End of ’21 Football Season: Final Game vs. North

April 30, 2021
Right after her 16th birthday, Paityn Yamasaki (10) made it a priority to get vaccinated. She explained how getting a vaccine is a simple procedure: “It’s a very easy process and can go by quickly depending on how busy they are. Make sure to bring your school ID and birth certificate so they can identify you.”

[Art/Photo] Why Students Should Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

April 25, 2021
Looking beautiful as ever, West’s Principal Mrs. Murata color-coordinates her mask and outfit to achieve a simple yet fresh look.

[Art/Photo] Masks Galore!

April 11, 2021
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Torrance, CA
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