Class of 2024
I am so excited to continue working on the Horizon this year! Aside from writing and reporting, some of my favorite things to do include reading, listening to music, and watching Gilmore Girls.
![On Tuesday, March 5, otherwise known as Super Tuesday, voters cast their votes at polling stations such as the Austin Public Library. As a result of the 2024 presidential primaries, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden are the official party nominees, but many young people don't feel like either candidate represents them. "It's just [between the] lesser of two evils," Lexy Hall '24 said. "We really just haven't had a good president in a while. We haven't had someone who has been making good change because our country has become so extremist."](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_1270-1200x900.jpg)
![On Saturday, March 2, the color guard placed 23rd out of 40 color guards in their class at the Winter Guard International (WGI) competition at Glenn High School. The color guard performed their show entitled "Attention Earthlings," a show centered around aliens. "I’m honestly really proud of us," Ella Mills '24 said. "Though, it was disappointing that we weren't able to make it even though we were so close, but that just means that next time we [compete] we will be even better."](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/3_2_24_colorguardWGI-1200x900.jpg)
![On Thursday, Jan. 25, NHS members gathered in Mr. Shaw's room after school to make Valentine's Day cards for children with rare or undiagnosed illnesses. After reading short profiles on each child, NHS members created cards tailored to the interests and hobbies of each child. "The front of the cards [said] Happy Valentine's Day,” Rai Makaraju ‘24 said. “One of [the kids] really likes sheep, so I got to draw baby sheep for them and [write] a little message.”](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/nhscards-e1706643953688-600x596-1.jpg)
![On Nov. 7, RRISD Proposition A was passed through a Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE). The proposition provides teachers and librarians with a 3% raise and other staff with a 2% raise. "[Prop A] would come at little to no cost to taxpayers and could help staff get a raise," an anonymous faculty member said.](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_0055-1200x900.jpg)
![Alycia Chee '26 (right) poses for a picture with her taekwondo group. In August, Chee attended the Korea Open taekwondo competition in South Korea. "It’s a larger scale competition, [and] there were Olympians there," Chee said. "There were really good national teams, it was just a really cool experience, something you can’t find in the US." Photo courtesy of Alycia Chee](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Alycia_feature.jpg)
![Students gather around after their performance. Dancers from the Love of China School of Dance performed at the 2023 showcase on Saturday, April 8. "[The recital] is just to show off the dances all the classes have been doing and learning the whole year, so it's really fun to watch other classes," Hannah Au '26 said.](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/unnamed-6-900x675.jpg)
![Ms. Brooke Kobren, a Westwood alumni, returns as an IB and regular biology teacher. Ms. Kobren taught for four years prior to this school year after graduating from Westwood in 2015. "The kids are absolutely fantastic," Ms. Kobren said. "[I am looking forward to] just getting to know the kids and learning from them."](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/BrookeKobrenFeature-e1661795164218-900x640.jpg)
![The varsity winter guard team links their hands together as their captains lead them in a pep talk. The team placed ninth at the TCGC State Competition on Saturday, March 26 with their lullaby-themed show. “[Going to State] was new for all of us and it felt really good,” Joaquin Schere ‘25 said. “We got to State and that's what matters.” Photo courtesy of Westwood Color Guard.](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/3CBA3DCE-9448-4EE1-97F8-8B5B24B209F5.jpg)
