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The Student News Site of Traverse City West Senior High

The Occidentalist

The Occidentalist

The Occidentalist

Graphic credit: Aubrey Lawless
Course Selection Approaches Students for the New School Year
Aubrey Lawless and Madeline Sweeney January 22, 2025

  With the first semester of the 2024-2025 school year coming to a close, course selection for the...

Financial aid presentation in the auditorium. Photo Credit: M. Bildeaux
Financial Aid Opportunities for College-Bound Students
Ashlyn Cummings and Brody Weston December 20, 2024

  As college application season comes to a close and the middle of senior year approaches, students...

Graphic Credit: L. Rintala/Staff
Movie Club Sparks Creativity in Students
Lainie Rintala, Podcast Coordinator • December 18, 2024

  West offers many unique clubs based on the interests and hobbies of students. Students who enjoy...

Katie Lamphere dances on stage during a ballet class at the NYCDA convention. Dancers are often invited up to the stage during classes when they are executing the moves well. Photo Courtesy: K. Lamphere
The Competitive Side of an Artistic Sport
Madeline Gartland, Section Editor • March 28, 2025

  The sport of dance has many stereotypes. When people think about it, they may think that it’s only performances and taking class, but in reality there is a whole other side...

Drew Esper catching pass from Quarterback Owen Hendrix in order to seal the Patriot Game win. As the suspension was high, Esper came down with the ball, making the nervous crowd roar in enjoyment. Photo Courtesy: D. Esper
Drew Esper Tackling Another Division 1 Offer
Harrison Gapinski, Reporter • March 19, 2025

  On Jan. 26, junior Drew Esper received a Division 1 (D1) offer to play football at Eastern Michigan University due to his hard work and dedication to the sport. D1 is the highest...

The couple poses for a photo together. Photo Courtesy: H. Pulliam
West Senior High’s “Best Couple” Award Goes to Seniors Hannah Pulliam and Jack Schripsema
Alexa Bageris, Social Media Manager • March 31, 2025
Seven Seas of Doom Scrolling
Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Assistant Editor • February 13, 2025
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Graphic Credit: H. Hoxie
Taking Sides: Trump IS NOT Abusing his Executive Power
Megan Dyke, Reporter • March 14, 2025

  Since Trump first took office on Jan. 20, he has signed a whopping 83 executive orders to implement the many promises he made during his campaign. Though not directly...

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Renee Zellweger, the actress playing Bridget Jones, poses like the original movie poster. Photo Courtesy: IMDb
Bridget Jones; Mad About the Boy, But Which One?
Alexa Bageris, Social Media Manager • March 31, 2025

  The new addition to the Bridget Jones series has been released on Valentine’s Day. The original series was quite popular with four very famous movies made after the popular...

The current cast of Saturday Night Live poses for a photo to celebrate the 50th anniversary. Photo Courtesy: Entertainment Weekly
Live from New York, It’s Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary!
Alexa Bageris, Social Media Manager • March 19, 2025

 On Feb. 16, 2025, long-running Saturday Night Live released the episode for the 50th anniversary. The show has been admired by many and for many years. The special was a mix...

Saint Patrick's Day Crossword Puzzle KEY
Saint Patrick’s Day Crossword Puzzle KEY
Alexa Bageris, Social Media Manager • March 14, 2025

Graphic Credit: UpNorthLive
Michigan’s Hunting Dilemma
Brody Weston and Ashlyn Cummings April 1, 2025

  With the new year comes new Michigan hunting regulations. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recently issued a series of rules and outlines for the new year with...

Ticket found on a downtown employee's vehicle after working a shift. Photo Credit: A. Lawless
Downtown Traverse City’s “Pay-To-Park” Policy Frustrates Employees
Madeline Sweeney, Reporter • April 1, 2025

  Traverse City, like most popular cities, enforces a pay-to-park policy downtown. This prevents people from leaving their cars in a parking spot for too long, making space for...

Graphic Credit: A. Lawless
Online Book Fair Promotes Diversity
Madeline Gartland, Section Editor • March 31, 2025

  At West, the library provides many different resources for all sorts of student needs. They provide crafts, games, hygiene products, and various genres of books. The library...