WA Ghostwriter

11/27/2025

One of Westford Academy’s largest clubs, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), is providing senior members with mentor positions this school year to assist in an easier transition from the class into the club for freshman members.

DECA is a national organization that aims to prepare students for fields that revolve around business such as finance, marketing, management, and more. At WA, students involved in the club participate in three yearly conventions that advance from district-wide to national level as competitors qualify further through rounds. These conventions involve competitions where participants will compete against students at WA and from other schools in their cluster by completing a test with 100 multiple-choice questions and a role-play where they must present a solution to a hypothetical issue.

Students are able to participate in DECA for the first time during their freshman year. According to senior DECA Co-President Sabah Chatiwala, it can be daunting to join DECA and immediately be faced with a slew of mock role-plays and new information. Senior DECA Co-Presidents Srisai Vuppuluri, Eesha Gowda, and Chatiwala, who were once in the same position as these freshmen, have developed a mentor system to attempt to smooth this transition.

For more on this, click the link below.

https://waghostwriter.com/114185/news/deca-introduces-mentors-for-newer-members/

One of Westford Academy’s largest clubs, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), is providing senior members with mentor positions this school year to assist in an easier transition from the class into the club for freshman members. DECA is a national organization that aims to prepare stud...

11/27/2025

Throughout my middle and high school years, words such as “skibidi” and “67”, or phrases such as “I’m cooked” and “that’s rizz,” have been tossed around as a way to replace adjectives or slang with sillier terms. Originally a way to mimic a meme or an online trend, “brain rot” was mostly a joking way to describe a piece of media stuck in someone’s head. However, as people have started to use social media more and more, the concept of brain rot has shifted. What used to be an internet-wide meme has become a troubling topic that is raising concerns about the mental state of adolescents in this generation. Click this link to read more: https://waghostwriter.com/114031/opinions/back-when-67-used-to-be-just-a-number/

11/27/2025

I have spent nearly 1,000 hours in airports and on planes in my entire lifetime, and I know for a fact that departure flights are the hardest. No matter if the trip was the best I’ve been on or if I couldn’t care less, I cannot help but develop attachments to cities and their sidewalks, hotels, and of course, their people. Change is inevitable, so while things are the way they are, make the most of it and avoid the regretful musings as you watch the city lights outside the airplane window grow smaller and smaller.

I know it’s hard to leave a place you have never called your own, but it’s undoubtedly a million times more difficult to leave a country and people that are yours, and a million times more important to make the most of every minute.

Click the link below to read the full article.
https://waghostwriter.com/113650/opinions/the-weight-of-the-divide-spend-time-with-your-grandparents/

11/27/2025

A rising global sensation, Tate McRae can do it all. From singing to performing intense choreography on tours, McRae consistently shocks and impresses her fans. Now, at the end of her fourth headlining tour, McRae released a deluxe version of her previous album, So Close To What, on Nov. 21 with four brand new songs, each delving deeper into the personal growth ideals of the original while also tapping into the power of independence.

Click the link below to read the full review.
https://waghostwriter.com/114153/reviews-2/music/tate-mcrae-reflects-inward-in-so-close-to-what-deluxe/k

11/27/2025

Through its use in assignments and essays, the popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) has skyrocketed exponentially over the past few years. Behind the facade of efficiency, Generative AI (GenAI) blatantly tarnishes the creative world through its regurgitation of thousands upon thousands of paintings, sketches, and digital drawings without giving credit to the original creator.

Click the link below to read more:

https://waghostwriter.com/113986/opinions/the-regurgitation-of-art-through-software-genai-is-ruining-creative-expression/

11/27/2025

As skiers cross the finish line, icy air burns their lungs, and they can hear the sound of their coaches and teammates cheering them on. The snow under their boots crunches, and they can taste the cold air as they try to catch their breath and look up at the clock to see their time. This was the experience of many Nordic skiers last year as their team placed in the MIAA Nordic State Championship.

Last year, the girls’ team placed 12th at the state championship with 213 points, and the boys’ team placed 13th with 226 points. Although both teams had strong performances, their goal this season is to continue improving and climbing in the rankings.

Click on this link to continue reading: https://waghostwriter.com/114033/sports/nordic-ski-prepares-for-the-start-line-of-their-2025-2026-season/

11/25/2025

A colorful assortment of Play-Doh. Two stuffed animals with stitched-on smiles. Books lined with crisp stickers and incalculable potential. Each toy stacks atop another, flowing up the walls of cascading cardboard. They linger in school hallways, lobbies, and even a district court office, but they are all the product of one dedicated individual: Meg Norton.

After a surge of inspiration in March 2025, Norton, a student in the ROUTES program, decided to give back to the Westford community by hosting a toy drive to collect donations for Toys for Tots. The fundraiser is accepting unopened toys from Nov. 17 through Dec. 5 at drop-off bins located at Day Elementary School, Crisafulli Elementary School, Westford Academy, WPS Central Office, and Ayer District Court, where Norton interns.

Read more at the link below.
https://waghostwriter.com/113919/features/meg-nortons-kindness-snowballs-this-holiday-season-with-toy-drive/ #

A colorful assortment of Play-Doh. Two stuffed animals with stitched-on smiles. Books lined with crisp stickers and incalculable potential. Each toy stacks atop another, flowing up the walls of cascading cardboard. They linger in school hallways, lobbies, and even a district court office, but they a...

11/24/2025

“Play together. Cherish every moment. Don’t take anything for granted.”

Thanksgiving Day football is a tale as old as time, with the oldest high school rivalry — Needham vs. Wellesley — dating back to 1882. More than a century later, the holiday still gives teams a chance to come together one last time, to play for something bigger than the scoreboard, and hold onto the moments they won’t get back. This Thanksgiving, WA gets a chance to face their rival of three decades, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, and either extend their winning streak to five years or lose their dominant run.

This year’s Thanksgiving Day game will take place at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27.

To read the full article, click the link below:

“Play together. Cherish every moment. Don’t take anything for granted.” Thanksgiving Day football is a tale as old as time, with the oldest high school rivalry — Needham vs. Wellesley — dating back to 1882. More than a century later, the holiday still gives teams a chance to come together ...

11/24/2025

The 43-day government shutdown forced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to cease providing food assistance to low-income individuals. Locally, Westford has been helping former SNAP beneficiaries offset the lack of government assistance by offering financial aid, free food, and stocking the town food pantry.

Click link below to learn more

https://waghostwriter.com/113825/news/westford-steps-up-after-snap-benefits-revoked/

11/20/2025

Broadway performer Andrew Kober visited the Stony Brook Theater Arts (SBTA) program on Monday, Nov. 17 to advise the cast and crew on scenes in their upcoming winter musical, Beetlejuice Jr.

READ MORE AT THIS LINK: https://waghostwriter.com/113873/news/broadway-performer-andrew-kober-visits-stony-brook-theater-arts-program/

11/17/2025

The WA Ghostwriter staff attended the annual JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention this week, held in Nashville! After arriving in “Music City”, we were able to explore its culture and history while also bonding as a staff. Over the course of three days, we attended a variety of workshops and heard from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists whose lessons we will work to implement into our publication. We are also incredibly proud of our staff members who competed in write-off contests, and those who received awards for their work including juniors Tessa Czado and Sara Metivier, and seniors Srivas Arun, Katie Fonden, and Penelope Zambrana. Thank you for an amazing trip Journalism Education Association, we will see you next year in Orlando!

11/06/2025

You can feel the energy before you even step into the building, transforming Westford Academy into a botanical wonderland. Iridescent strobe lights flicker from the cafeteria and paint students’ faces as they scream the lyrics to their favorite songs. For a rare moment, surrounded by this chaos, the entire WA student body is able to come together.

WA’s Student Council (STUCO) decided to make this year’s “Fall Fling,” which took place on Saturday, Oct. 25, open to all grades for the first time since 2022, as opposed to their previous restriction that only allowed upperclassmen to attend. This change was crucial in elevating the student body culture and garnering the most connectivity between all grades. And while WA can now enjoy a fully inclusive semi-formal, the long lasting effect of the restriction has stained the community with a division we must work to remove.

Read more at the link below.
https://waghostwriter.com/113667/opinions/all-grade-fall-fling-launches-crucial-improvements-to-student-body-culture/