Wahawk Insider (2025)

31/05/2025

FEATURE FRIDAY
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Deanna Alagic is a sophomore at West High School
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“My biggest piece of advice is to always try something new, even if you’re on the fence about it. This year, I tried soccer, which I never thought I’d be good at. I never did any sports like that growing up. So I thought it would be something interesting to try out. I had no experience at all. It ended up being a really fun experience. I had more fun than I thought I would. It’s just fun to learn about something that you’re not familiar with.
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Soccer taught me many lessons. Like, to be more open to talk to new people because the soccer team is a mix of different schools, so it was just interesting to speak to people that I never knew at all.
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I was always up for new experiences because it’s important to make as many memories as you can during your lifetime and to try as many things as possible. I do enjoy soccer a lot. I think I’m going to do it for the rest of my high school years. I want to try out other new sports too to see if I like them. Probably tennis, it looks fun. Yeah, and also, bowling, for the plot.”
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Reporting by Layla Shannon and Mackenzie Johnson | Photo Credit Mackenzie Johnson

23/05/2025

FEATURE FRIDAY
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Nolen Metz is a sophomore at West High School
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Know why you’re doing what you’re doing. I think that’s important, right now, especially, we have so many resources that do things for us, and technology is constantly advancing. So it’s just becoming more and more convenient to learn. It ends up making people not have to think about the answers they’re getting or why they’re doing what they’re doing.
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In school, we learn, but we don’t learn. We just memorize until we have to forget it to do well on tests. We’re not here to learn anymore; we’re just here to get good grades. What happens when people don’t know why they’re doing something is that they become easily controlled by whatever is popular or whoever wants to control the dynamic at the time.
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The problem comes from people thinking they understand everything. It’s dangerous when someone says, ‘That’s just the way it is,’ because they’re not thinking about why things are the way they are. This is why we see younger people pushing for change more than older people - because older people have gotten used to existing systems and become complacent.
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When you make a decision, know why you’re doing it. When somebody tells you something, don’t just accept it at face value. Do your own research, especially online, where information can be misleading. We end up with people having opinions based on other people’s opinions instead of understanding what’s really happening.
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Knowing yourself creates less judgment for others and more openness. When you make judgments, you ignore that you don’t truly know a person. Even if we grew up together, we would still see things differently because of our unique experiences and perspectives. The most important thing is to understand that you don’t fully understand others.”
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Reporting by Layla Shannon and Mackenzie Johnson | Photo Credit Mackenzie Johnson

16/05/2025

FEATURE FRIDAY
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Kaylynn Crawford is a senior at West High School and is Online print Editor-In-Chief of Whawk Insider, Theater, Large Group Speech, Individual Speech, Band.
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“My biggest piece of advice is to reach out. Reaching out can be incredibly scary, but once you do it, you’ll feel so much better. You don’t have to go through things alone; there are always people who care about you and want the best for you.
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My mental health has never been the greatest. I’ve always struggled to talk to people and find the help I need. An example of this occurred during my junior year. About halfway through the year, my mental health worsened, and I attempted to take my own life. If I had reached out to someone I trusted, like a counselor or a friend, I might have experienced a different outcome. I know firsthand that reaching out is easier said than done.
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Since learning that it’s okay to ask for help, I’ve become much more open about discussing my mental health and the daily struggles I face. Being able to talk to someone when I need support has reshaped my thought process. You truly don’t have to go through everything alone. Now that I understand this, I am trying my best to implement it daily. It’s not easy, but having people like my counselor, Mr. Hirdler, who listened to me at my lowest point, makes life a little easier. I can go to him with anything without fear of judgment.
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Following other people’s advice is hard, but following my own is even harder. To take my own advice, I had to push myself to fight against my anxiety and just be. I started therapy, met with my counselor frequently (and still do—shoutout to Mr. Hirdler), and keep a journal. These small steps are how I ensure that I’m following my own advice!”
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Reporting by Layla Shannon and Mackenzie Johnson | Photo cred Goodman

09/05/2025

FEATURE FRIDAY
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Amy Perez is a junior at West High School and is Student Senate Vice President, Spanish club, girls soccer, Link Crew, and the Waterloo Youth City Council.
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“My biggest piece of advice would be to stay humble to who you are, be open
minded, and don’t try to be somebody that you’re not. Get to know people and don’t have a big ego. Be kind to everybody, even if you don’t know them, even if you don’t necessarily like them. It’s not a big deal to be nice; stop if they say hi to you, and just say hi back. You don’t want people to remember you in high school as a bad person. If you want people to like you just got to be nice. Even if someone doesn’t know you, they’ll know you’re a nice person. At the end of the day, that’s how people are going to remember you.
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I feel like I was already nice before becoming Vice President. I was already who I am. I didn’t let being Vice President change me in any way. When I walk in the halls I still talk to everybody, and I don’t exclude anyone. Being vice president definitely pushed me to talk to more people who I didn’t talk to as much before. More people got to know me and got to understand who I was. I’ve just embraced who I am more, have and became more comfortable with being myself.
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In soccer and other extracurriculars, I saw a lot of people who think that they’re better at certain things and so they try to control everybody. They thought that everybody loved them and that they were the center of the world, but they weren’t. When I first met somebody like that, I thought she was really nice and I really liked her, but later I found out she was talking bad about me behind my back. I thought highly of her because she puts herself out there as a really outgoing person, but deep down, behind the scenes, she talks about people. It’s kind of like her hiding her own emotions about how she feels about herself. I aspired to not be like that, so that’s why I try to be nice to everybody.”
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Reporting by Layla Shannon and Mackenzie Johnson | Photo Credit Amy Perez | Photo Credit Emily Dadigan

05/05/2025

This week's home events at West High.

02/05/2025

FEATURE FRIDAY
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Nohle Cooley is a senior at West High School and is a former member of the Whawk Insider. He plans to attend the University of Iowa after graduation.
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“I don’t have a full plan yet, but I do have a vision. I want to showcase my work one day, maybe through exhibitions, somewhere people can see who I am and what I’ve created. I think that’s what I’m working toward. For a long time, I struggled with fitting in. Back in Cedar Falls, it didn’t feel as welcoming, and I felt out of place. But over time, I started to realize something really important: in this life, you only have yourself, so it’s important to be true to yourself.
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People used to make fun of how I dressed, and honestly, looking back, I didn’t really know what I liked yet. But that’s part of growing up. Now, I’ve found a style that feels like me. I’ve also had to navigate things like my sexuality and my art, and that wasn’t always accepted by everyone back then. But even through all that, I’ve learned how powerful it is to just be authentic.
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When I moved here sophomore year, I didn’t know a lot of people—just two or three friends—but somehow, I built a circle. I think it’s because I’ve always tried to be easy to talk to and open. That’s what draws people in: when you don’t build walls, when you let others see the real you. I think that’s why I’ve had the opportunities I’ve had—like being on homecoming court. My friends love me for who I am. They support me. And that reminds me that being myself is enough. That’s how I’ll keep moving forward. That’s how I’ll get to where I want to be.”
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Reporting by Layla Shannon and Mackenzie Johnson | Photo cred Goodman and Karma Goodson

28/04/2025

Another extremely busy week for West High.

25/04/2025

Found in the heart of Seattle, the Central Public Library is one of the most architecturally diverse buildings in Seattle, Washington. Surrounded by 12 other community libraries, it is one of the most important infrastructures in the area. Shaped like staggered, stacked books, the environment is welcoming for people of all ages and encourages them to embrace not only reading but also communication with others, learning and even pushing themselves to experience the nature of technology.
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Due to the rich history, cultural experiences and symbolic representations within the library, it is more inclusive and immersive for all. Before the current library, there were two that stood before it with a history of their own. In 1890, the first Seattle Central Public Library built the foundation for what is now a renowned and respected Library across America.
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To read more, visit wahawkinsider.com
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Reporting by Alyssa Muheljic, Knya Dellit, and Jacy Gomez

25/04/2025

FEATURE FRIDAY
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Anders Ott is a sophomore at West High School and is a member of the Yearbook, Theater, Large Group Speech, Individual Speech, Debate, Student Senate, Spanish Club, and the Waterloo City Council.
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“My biggest piece of advice is to stop worrying about yourself and worry about the effect you have on others. Every interaction is like a domino effect - when you walk into a classroom or speak to someone, you’re not just having a moment, you’re creating a ripple that changes how they’ll interact with others.
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I used to have a critiquing issue. It wasn’t because I wanted to make people feel bad, but because I genuinely didn’t like it when people were wrong. I would try to correct them, thinking I was helping them avoid embarrassment. But I’ve realized that not every moment needs correction. The real skill is knowing when to speak and when to listen.
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I’ve experienced friendships that weren’t healthy, where I didn’t realize how poorly I was being treated until I stepped away. Those experiences taught me that we all have a responsibility to treat each other with kindness. It’s not about being right; it’s about understanding.
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Debate taught me the most about listening. It’s about truly hearing others, not just waiting for your turn to speak. We’ve got to stop being so terrible to each other and start moving towards understanding instead of just being correct.
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High school can be a challenging environment where emotions run high and people are often just angry. But if we could all take a moment to recognize that we’re affecting each other with every interaction, we might create a more compassionate world.”
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Reporting by Layla Shannon and Mackenzie Johnson | Photo cred Goodman

24/04/2025

Good luck to our boys track team members who qualified for the drake relays.

22/04/2025

Come to the T-intersection on the third floor to get your magazine before we run out. First come, first serve.

22/04/2025

The girls' soccer team takes on dubuque senior at home tonight at 6:45 pm.
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Graphic created by .westphal

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