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The Student News Site of Traverse City West Senior High

The Occidentalist

The Occidentalist

The Occidentalist

Tess Tarchak-Hiss

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Editor in Chief, Lead Page Designer, Podcast Manager

Tess is a senior in her fourth year of newspaper and is currently co-editor-in-chief in coordination with the fabulous Aubrey Lawless. She initially joined the newspaper to become less introverted, but now she can never shut up. Outside of school, Tess enjoys writing sketches, doing improv, going on the stairmaster, and killing her hair by dyeing it ginger.

 

All content by Tess Tarchak-Hiss
Letter from the Editor-Tess's Edition

Letter from the Editor-Tess’s Edition

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Editor in Chief May 15, 2026

   There’s an episode of “Southpark” where Butters, irritated by constantly being grounded and wanting to discover himself, runs away to join the cliché clique of Edward Cullen wannabes. This...

A Hopeful Legacy

A Hopeful Legacy

Tess Tarchak-Hiss and Aubrey Lawless March 19, 2026

  On Feb. 16, West alumna Hope Cartwright (formerly Hope Thompson) tragically passed in a hit-and-run accident just blocks from her place of work as an associate editor at Virginia Living Magazine. In...

Living for the Unforgiving

Tess Tarchak-Hiss December 11, 2025

  From a teenager’s perspective, it can feel like school gives us as much as Dua Lipa dancing to “One Kiss” in 2018-which is nothing. From mind-dumbing busy work to students not understanding material...

[Video] New Principal, New Policy

Tessa Gryc and Sofia Hoag November 6, 2025

  Brian Guiney believes that connection is one of the most important aspects of a student’s high school experience. As the new head principal of West, he is looking forward to implementing strategies...

Seven Seas of Doom Scrolling

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Assistant Editor February 13, 2025

  Back in ‘ye old times, (summer of 2023), I was a tubby, Lil Yachty-listening, Bling Ring hyper-invested, demonic-doom-scrolling sailor. I was sailing the seven seas of Starbucks Venti Pumpkin Spice...

Model UN: A New Wave of Students

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Section Editor, Page Designer December 15, 2023

    Model UN has made its way from Oxford University, where it originated, to schools in the U.S., including Traverse City’s high schools. Although the school has had a Model UN program for...

Protecting Students and the Community

Protecting Students and the Community

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Section Editor, Page Designer October 3, 2023

  Moms Demand Action (MDA) is a national organization started in Indiana by Shannon Watts. The organization has increasingly spread since the Facebook page was created in 2012, and it’s found its way...

"Bottoms" movie poster.

“Bottoms”: Almost There, but Not Quite

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Section Editor, Page Designer September 29, 2023

  I believe movies where the plot is simply just two dorky main characters trying to get the girl at the end of the night are painfully overdone. Some of these movies are extremely fun to watch the first...

"But Here We Are" Album Review

“But Here We Are” Album Review

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Staff Writer June 8, 2023

After the death of the longtime Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, fans were unaware what the future of the rock band would be. Josh Freese joined the band as the new drummer, but continued to carry...

Movie Poster for "Scream 6." Photo Courtesy: IMDb

Just Another Scream Movie

Tess Tarchak-Hiss, Staff Writer March 23, 2023

  As someone who didn’t grow up watching the “Scream” movie series, yet binged the entire franchise in two weeks, I started off confused on how they could do the same basic formula over and over...

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