The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

The Student News Site of Harvard-Westlake School

The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle

Novelist Jesmyn Ward (top left) speaks with Black Leadership and Culture Club (BLACC) leaders Sirus Wheaton ’19, Makeda Neavill ’21, Cameron Herring ’21 and Asian Students in Action (ASiA) member Neha Tummala ’23.

Award-winning novelist Jesmyn Ward discusses works with student body

Leo Saperstein June 2, 2021

Two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward spoke to the community about her work in an event organized by the Upper School English Department on May 19. Ward’s visit began with a virtual meet-and-greet...

Credit: Lauren Nehorai and Joanna Im/Chronicle

Mapping Representation

Tammer Bagdasarian October 2, 2019

Last year, Mimi Offor ’21 read hundreds of textbook pages, spent hours upon hours studying for exams and burned through more than a few packs of pencils during her history course, The World and Europe...

Photo Illustration by Jeanine Kim and Kyra Hudson.

By the Book: Fitting Teachers’ Expectations

Casey Kim February 28, 2019

Alexa* let out a sigh of disappointment as she trudged out of the English department office with a page of edits in one hand and a laptop in another. After meeting with her teacher about an upcoming...

Read past the requirements

Read past the requirements

Tammer Bagdasarian February 1, 2019

I sat at home with my book, eyelids drooping as I desperately tried to finish the assigned chapter. The book told the same story, with the same characters and the same words. So why did reading it for...

Kwitny looks forward to pursuing new interests

Jeanine Kim June 1, 2018

English teacher Jeffrey Kwitny has decided to retire after 17 years, and plans on using his new free time to write novels and pursue new interests. Kwitny joined the community in 2001, after having taught...

Illustration by Samantha Ko

Cheating the System

Lucas Gelfond April 26, 2018

Every time Rodney* ’19 received an essay assignment in his sophomore English class, he would go home and share the prompt with his tutor, who would write the essay in front of him on his own computer...

Dynamic Duo: An Interview with English Teachers Jeremy Michaelson and Jocelyn Medawar

Dynamic Duo: An Interview with English Teachers Jeremy Michaelson and Jocelyn Medawar

Noa Schwartz February 27, 2018

“I mean…I hear we’re pretty good,” English teacher Jeremy Michaelson said, laughing, when we asked him and English teacher Jocelyn Medawar: “You guys have to know the mutual reputation that you...

Photo Illustration by Sam Ko

Off Balance

Kristin Kuwada October 16, 2017

Paging through the curriculum guide the spring before freshman year, Diego Ayala ‘18 was disappointed with what he found. Ayala, who said he prefers the social sciences, couldn’t sign up for honors...

Photo Illustration by Nicole Kim

A Novel Approach: Diverse Perspectives in English Classes

Sophie Cohen April 24, 2017

In eighth grade at Harvard-Westlake, there is one quote that every student will read in Harper Lee’s "To Kill a Mockingbird." It is Atticus Finch telling his daughter Scout, "You never really understand...

English teacher Stephen Thompson is new to the department. Credit: Indu Pandey/Chronicle

Stephen Thompson: English

Indu Pandey August 30, 2016

Stephen Thompson has joined the upper school English department this fall, having completed his doctorate in English requirements in English from Cornell University earlier this year. Thompson will teach...

English teacher to depart from school after two years

Jesse Nadel May 25, 2016

Part-time English teacher Mahshid Feiz ’92 will leave at the end of this school year. For the last two years, Feiz taught English III: Living America. One of the main reasons for her departure was the...

Seniors react to new English program

Claire Dennis February 12, 2016

The English curriculum for seniors has been expanded this year, receiving appreciation from students. Students can choose from seven courses to satisfy their English requirement. The revamped program allows...

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