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Westwood Horizon

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The student news site of Westwood High School.

Westwood Horizon

The student news site of Westwood High School.

Westwood Horizon

NEWS

Surrounded by a small crowd, Hasya Pamu '26 holds up a shark fetus her group discovered within their specimen. Pamu's group was the first to find fetuses within their sharks.

Anatomy & Dissection Club Finds Fetuses Within Shark Specimen

Prima Changwatchai, Assistant Editor April 26, 2025

In their second mixed dissection in club history, the Anatomy & Dissection Club gathered to dissect five dog sharks, three rattlesnakes, three squid, and one fish in sponsor Mr. Eric Scheiber’s...

Holding her wet hair, Elaine Liu '28 laughs after being drenched in ice water while being recorded by her mother. While Liu initially didn't plan on doing the challenge, she was motivated to participate upon learning it was for mental health awareness.

Splashing into Awareness

Arhaan Jafri, Reporter April 25, 2025

What started as a campus-based initiative by the University of South Carolina's (USC) Mental Illness Needs Discussion (MIND) Club has grown into something much bigger: a nationwide mental health awareness...

Standing tall in downtown Austin, the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas is where lawmakers are considering Senate Bills 10-13. These education bills have the potential to transform all schools in Texas, impacting classroom displays, school prayers, DEI initiatives, and library material. The education community, including students, parents, and educators, is closely monitoring these developments while debating their potential effects.

Controversy Erupts Over 2025 Texas Senate Bills on Religion, DEI, and School Libraries

Vishnu Muthuraman, Heritage Staff April 20, 2025

As the new presidential term began, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bills (SBs) 10-13 in March, which have since made their way to the Texas House of Representatives. All four of these bills are striving...

Deeply concentrated, Ava Stidvent '28, Evelyn Stidvent '26, Shrika Prakash and Hannah Son '25 paint the superheroes and the night sky of the teacher appreciation mural. Surrounding artists join in, working on painting the history and science characters. "It's really great to give back to the local middle school [CVMS] and I also think the concept is really cool to represent teachers as superheroes," Prakash said.

NAHS Paints Teacher Appreciation Mural and Save Soil Backdrop

Sophia Cortes, Dreamcatcher Assistant Editor April 17, 2025

With paint, brushes and a goal in mind, artists alike combined their creative minds together to create their newest masterpieces. Not wasting any time, the artists of National Art Honor Society (NAHS)...

Performing at the national Coeur d'Alene Symphony Orchestra over spring break, Josephine Chow '27 took the days off from school to pursue her passion. While it was not her first experience playing with an orchestra, she was nonetheless excited for the opportunity. She played with professionals fellow high schoolers alike.

Josephine Chow ‘27 Pursues Passion for Piano at National Orchestra

Vedanti Patil, Reporter April 16, 2025

The melodious fusion of strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion reverberates through the vast auditorium, piercing the still air as onlookers watch in a hushed silence. All of a sudden, the combination...

With increasing safety concerns and stringent security policies, many students have voiced concern toward incidents around the school and the school's response. While some are satisfied with the communication regarding the secure protocol incidents, others expressed discontent.

Secure Protocol Safety Concerns Stimulate Student Discussion

Gabriel Oliveira, Reporter April 16, 2025

With more security incidents happening in the Westwood community, both amongst its student population and in the local Austin area, students and parents have voiced concern. With safety incidents ramping...

Kneeling, Dhiya Reddy '27 poses as she frames Jillian Riethmiller '27, Bella Wen '28, and Siya Majmundar '27 during their performance of 'Whiplash' by aespa. Reddy gave it her all as this was the only performance she participated in. "You’re expected to know the choreography when you come into your first practice," Reddy said. "You have around a month or three weeks to learn the choreography before the first practice where we set formations."

Spring Has Sprung: K-Pop Club Stuns At Annual Spring Showcase

Vedanti Patil, Reporter April 15, 2025

Stomps resounded from the stage as K-Pop Club performed at their spring showcase during Flex on Friday, April 11 in the cafeteria, presenting choreography for the final time this school year. The...

Synchronized, Anaya Zia ’25, Archit Garg ’26, and Aayu Yadav ’25 execute Orange Dynamite’s signature move: “Tick-tick-tick boom.” The trio performed the move alongside the rest of their team in the stands before the beginning of every match, to get hyped up and ready.

Robotics FRC Team Orange Dynamite Sets Up A Bright Future At FIRST in Texas State Championship

Avi Rajesh, Heritage Student Life Editor April 14, 2025

The final sounds of team Orange Dynamite’s season echo throughout the George R. Brown Convention center at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) in Texas District...

Focused, Nina Stockinger '25 cuts out her pig's organ block, the attached clump of organs revealed after the Y incision. Her group suspected poison in their pig's bloodstream due to its discolored organs and internal bleeding..

Forensics Students Perform Fetal Pig Autopsies

Prima Changwatchai, Assistant Editor April 14, 2025

A macabre conclusion to their unit on death and decomposition, forensics students took on the roles of forensic pathologists to perform medico-legal autopsies on fetal pigs. The process, during which...

The Austin EMS, Fire Department, and Travis County Sheriff responded to calls of an explosion of a house on Double Spur Rd. Six people were injured and transported to the hospital for treatment.

House Explosion Creates Community Commotion

Serena Liu and Vedanti Patil April 14, 2025

A loud boom in the Northwest Austin area occurred around 11:23 a.m. on Sunday, April 13, and was felt as far north as Georgetown. First responders rushed to the scene at 10400 Double Spur Loop following...

Senior Assistant Directors Mason Jacob and Cheyenne Wang contemplate their experiences in Westwood Theatre and anticipate their futures.

Quiet Backstage: Seniors Mason Jacob and Cheyenne Wang Contemplate Theatre Experience

Katie Ring, Reporter April 12, 2025

Silently, the actors wait for their notes. Seniors Mason Jacob and Cheyenne Wang open their notes document and prepare to give their feedback. As assistant directors (ADs), their thoughts and suggestions...

Drum major Alicia Kanazawa De Figueiredo ‘25 reflects on her time as a leader in the band program and how her passion for music has grown.

More Than Music

Addy Temple and Jacob Chow April 7, 2025

Pride. Passion. Family. These core values are the foundation of the Westwood Warrior Band Program, and drum major Alicia Kanazawa De Figueiredo ‘25 has grown to cherish and exemplify these values throughout...

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