The teachers at West High. What do you see when you think about that? Do you like them, or hate them? Are they good at teaching, or are they not? Well, in my opinion and many others, there are good and bad teachers! Now none of the teachers I have ever had since my seventh grade year have been bad at what they do. But obviously I can’t make a good story with that information!
So I have taken the liberty to interview our fellow peers and classmates on their opinion on the teachers they have had at the High. First, I interviewed eighth grader Konviction Parsons (Vic to many of you). I asked him his opinion on the education system at West High. “I have been going to West High for a year now. The things they teach us are actually benefiting us.” The understanding of a lesson given to us depends on the teacher because some of the teachers explain things in a way that is confusing, while others are clear and understandable. I have always gotten along with all of my teachers. My favorite teacher is Mrs. Lewis- Thorton, though, because she knows how to talk to the class, and she gives us candy every day. All of my teachers have always interacted with me and other students really well. The overall mood of his classes are fun, humorous, and enjoyable.
As you can see, there are a lot of good things that the education system here can help you with. Our graduation rate is starting to improve, and hopefully we can reach at least 80% by the end of the next school year. As long as the students pay attention in their classes, and the teachers are teaching in a helpful and understandable way, the future of West High’s education system will be something to look forward to.
Over 383,000 students have experienced gun violence in schools since the Columbine High School massacre that happened on April 20th, 1999, according to The Washington Post. The most recent shooting was on September 17th, 2024, in the parking lot of Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota. Children seem to be the most responsible for a majority of the school shootings that happen, as they are able to have some sort of access to firearms, which they may carry to school with them and begin to enact violence.
It is most commonly sympathized that these children may have been bullied or harassed in school, although there is no excuse for murder. Just how safe are we in schools, a building where we are supposed to go to be secure and to learn? Students and educators shouldn’t have to worry about the next time they go to school, if they’re going to be safe throughout the day. When asked how she thinks we could prevent school shootings, senior English Teacher, Meg said,
The only way to prevent mass shootings is to prevent mass access.” Parents may be buying guns to have either for hunting or safety reasons, and some of those parents may be irresponsible and leave those guns out for their children to reach. Kids being able to access such weapons may not only pose a danger to themselves, but to others as well. While the second amend ment states that the people have the right to bear arms, some people might say that gun laws should be stricter; however, others might argue that the parents should be more responsible and that gun laws should be left as they are. Some people may sympathize that the perpetrators had been bullied or they grew up not knowing right from wrong. “To an extent, that only extends so far. There are other ways to fix the situation that don’t involve hurting other people," said School Psychologist, Kate Ryder. People can be ruthless and bullying can take place anywhere, but most cases are reported in schools. Oftentimes, some people may not reach out for help, whether it’s because they’re too scared of what others might think of them or because they think they can handle it on their own.
Even though school’s may have psychologists and therapists on hand for the students when needed, mental health hasn’t been advocated for as much as it should. According to Ryder, “I think we can always do more to support students’ mental health. It’d be nice to have more mental health partners in the building.”
Have you ever done something amazing and didn’t get any recognition for it? How would it make you feel if you worked so hard every day and accomplished goals no one else has done, yet no one cares? Well, these Western Hills Soccer boys are quite something. These boys always train hard, very hard everyday to make sure they accomplish their goals. They will practice in the cold, rain, and heat, the weather most people don’t like. Yet most people don't recognize them at all. During their whole season last year, they won all their games. During this season they have won all their games. Yet most people don’t know or notice them.
Jose Fernando Rodriguez, a senior captain who plays for the men’s soccer team at Western Hills
High School says, “No, our soccer team isn’t talked about much since they are too focused on the football team…We are the only fall sport who win all our games, yet no one really knows or notices.” No one ever seems to notice these amazing athletes; there are few people who see them and recognize them for their hard work and accomplishments. Even so, it’s mostly people who play the same sport or close teachers to the soccer players.
Cheickna Diaby, a senior at on the men’s soccer team says, “Mostly my teachers congratulate us, and the only students who congratulate us and hype us up are the girls on the women’s soccer team.” Most people in different varieties of sports have gear, even if some of these sports don’t win all their games. These boys see people having gear in their sports and sometimes feel some sort of way, realizing they win all of their games and put in so much work and effort every week for them not to have gear. Emerson Colindres, a senior captain who plays for the men’s soccer team at Dater High School says, “We are a great team, every year we have won all our games, so I feel upset; like we have no recognition when I see other people having gear and we don’t.” Maybe in the next season or a couple more seasons, this great soccer team will get the recognition they deserve.
Rodriguez says, “I do feel like we deserve more recognition since we really do win all our games, we are the face of West High too. We put in hard work every day and yet really no one really notices.”
