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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

Erin Ryu

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor

Erin Ryu ’26 is an Assistant News Editor and is in her second year working for The Chronicle. Erin is a leader of the HW Speech Team and Women in STEM, and in her free time enjoys watching movies and solving puzzles.

All content by Erin Ryu

School to host exchange students 2025

Colin Ho and Erin Ryu
December 18, 2024

The school will host exchange students from Shanghai in early January in partnership with the World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) East to West Student Exchange program. The exchange...

"Generational Women" by Samaya Sayana-Manchanda ’26  was one of the winning works in photography.

Students win titles in 2024-2025 National YoungArts competition

11 students received recognition in visual and performing categories in the annual YoungArts competition for high schoolers in the country.
Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
December 18, 2024

11 students at the school were acknowledged in the National YoungArts Foundation’s annual competition out of 11,000 students nationwide. The YoungArts competition is open to students aged 15-18 or in...

Spurred by the uptick of trash on the quad, the school restricted access to a table to encourage student responsibility for litter.

Admin responds to increase in trash

Erin Ryu and Ella Jeon
December 18, 2024

The school has seen a growing trend in the lack of trash disposal and campus cleanliness among students, according to Student Discipline and Attendance Coordinator Gabriel Preciado. Preciado sent out an...

Sam Cleland ’25, who is a part of Jazz Band, plays a solo on his saxophone during the annual fall concert. Cleland recently participated in a Senior Independent Study project for music.

Jazz ensembles host annual fall concert

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
December 18, 2024

The Upper School Jazz Program hosted its annual fall concert in Rugby Auditorium on Dec. 12. The performance featured the Jazz Band Trio, Jazz Ensemble, Studio Jazz Band and combined Jazz Band. Jazz...

Prefect and Community Council host Field Day

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
November 25, 2024

Prefect Council and Community Council partnered to host a Field Day on Nov. 25. The event featured food trucks, dessert stands and grade-based competitions such as lettuce-eating, an inflatable...

Students at the school discuss their opinions and reactions after the 2024 presidential election.

Students react to election results

Colin Ho and Erin Ryu
November 12, 2024

Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump was elected to be the 47th President of the United States on Nov. 5, defeating Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential...

Students on the Quad look at their phones. Starting next year, the school administration will ban phone use during school hours, in a similar policy enacted by the Middle School.

Administration plans for 2024-2025 phone ban to promote wellness, connection

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
November 6, 2024

Phones will be banned during the school day on campus next school year, the school announced. Students will be unable to use phones throughout the school day— a policy first enacted by the Middle School...

Teachers engage in discussion during the first Interdisciplinary Teaching Cohort, talking about ways to improve learning strategies for their students, collaborations with teachers from other departments and possible partnerships with outside organizations.

Teachers from various departments participate in first Interdisciplinary Teaching Cohort meeting

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
October 31, 2024

The Interdisciplinary Teaching Cohort, a coalition of teachers across departments, met for the first time Aug. 30. Upper School World Languages Teacher Bin He started the program this school year. The...

Librarians offer access to UCLA library

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
October 31, 2024

The school library announced that it will be partnering with the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to grant current Honors and AP students library cards. Students will be able to access the...

Peer Support kicked off the 2024-25 school year with their annual retreat at the Oaks Camp and Conference Center Sept. 7-9. Leaders and trainees bonded over team-building activities to prepare for the new year.

Peer Support leaders, trainees attend retreat

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
September 22, 2024

Peer Support leaders and trainees attended a retreat at the Oaks Camp and Conference Center in Lake Hughes from Sept. 7-9. Students participated in several team-building activities, such as a ropes course...

Passion vs. Pressure: How Students Are Forced to Sacrifice Hobbies for College Applications

The school community reflects on the culture and impacts of tailoring student narratives to appeal to college admissions.
Hailey Kramar and Erin Ryu
September 4, 2024

Dripping in sweat with multiple bags in hand, Sarah Parmet ’25 rushes up the stairs to Rugby Auditorium after her cheer practice, barely making it in time for rehearsal  for the upcoming musical. Her...

Nate Verny '25 hosted an international debate tournament featuring high school students across the world via Zoom Aug. 10 to 11.

Senior hosts international debate tournament

Erin Ryu, Assistant News Editor
September 4, 2024

Nate Verny ’25 hosted an online international debate tournament for Arguments Across the Americas (AAA), a debate organization which he founded, Aug. 10 to 11. High school students from 15 countries,...

Members of Asian Students in Action (ASiA) hand out prepared food on the Quad during the annual Multicultural Fair. Several affinity groups were present and shared cultures and food with the community.

Student affinity groups celebrate diversity, cultures with Multicultural Fair

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
May 30, 2024

Student Leaders for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (SLIDE) hosted the annual Multicultural Fair on the Quad on May 21 during lunch. During the event, affinity groups hosted booths to share food and culture...

Board Game Club and Cinephiles Club  collaborated to host a movie night with board games in Mudd Library on May 24.

Board Game Club and Cinephiles Club host activities

Erin Ryu
May 29, 2024

Board Game Club and Cinephiles Club collaborated to host a movie night with board games in Mudd Library on May 24. Board Game Club leader Jacob Massey ’25 said he was inspired to collaborate with...

Students from both History Bowl teams pose at the National Mall in Washington D.C. On the trip, they competed in the History Bowl Tournament as two teams and in individual competitions, in the National History Bee.

History bowl teams compete at National History Bowl Tournament in Arlington, Virginia

Erin Ryu, Staff Writer
May 14, 2024

History Bowl Club traveled with two teams to Arlington, Virginia to compete for the first time in the 2024 National History Bowl from April 27 to April 28. Although both teams did not make it past the...

Prefect Council moved College Sweatshirt day from May 1 to May 20 to due to FAFSA delays.

Prefect Council postpones College Sweatshirt Day due to FAFSA delays

Erin Ryu, Staff Writer
May 14, 2024

The Senior Prefects postponed College Sweatshirt Day, a tradition where seniors wear merchandise from the college or university they will attend, from May 1 to May 20 due to delays in the Free Application...

Prefect Council announced the new policy regarding absences on the weekends of Coachella Music Festival. Students can either miss the Friday or Monday of the weekend as an excused absence.

School announces new Coachella policy

Erin Ryu, Staff Writer
April 13, 2024

The school is enforcing a new attendance policy proposed by Prefect Council during the weekends of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12 to 14 and April 19 to 21. The new policy will allow...

Aghnatios and Borris give speeches at Head Prefect elections to sophomores and juniors. They both currently serve on Prefect Council as Junior Prefects.

Aghnatios and Borris elected as Head Prefects for 2024-2025 year

Erin Ryu and Celine Wang
March 29, 2024

Junior Prefects Ellie Borris '25 and Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor Sasha Aghnatios '25 were elected as Head Prefects for the 2024-2025 school year by sophomores and juniors after winning a runoff...

New Academic Classes for 2024-2025

The school introduced eight new updated courses and electives for the 2024-2025 school year. Here is a look at four of them.

Introduction to Computer Science By Annabelle Cheung A new elective called Introduction to Computer Science will be available for the 2024-2025 school year and will be taught by Upper School Math Teacher...

PROTECTING PLANTS: Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science students partnered with the Studio City Neighborhood Council and TreePeople to improve native plant and bird life along the Los Angeles River. Students removed invasive plants and replaced them with native species. Printed with permission of: Stacy Marble

Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science students contribute to local river cleanup

Erin Ryu
March 20, 2024

Advanced Placement Environmental Science (APES) students visited the Los Angeles River for their fourth environmental service trip of the year March 9. During the trip, students went on a nature walk,...

Environmental Club members engage with students in their setup on the Quad. Throughout 'War on Waste Week', they raised awareness about plastic waste on campus.

Environmental Club fights plastic waste with new week of awareness initiatives

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
February 26, 2024

Club leaders and members prepare designed plastic clamshells to highlight plastic use.

Jazz students stand together outside Village Vanguard, the oldest operating jazz club in New York City. It was opened in 1935 in Greenwich Village and has hosted renowned jazz musicians.

Jazz students travel to New York City to attend concerts and workshops

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
February 25, 2024

Studio Jazz Band and Jazz Band traveled to New York City from Feb. 15-Feb. 19. Students attended several concerts, participated in music workshops, performed alongside other schools and visited tourist...

Students peruse through the First Generation and Immigrant Ally Club (1GIAC) bake sale on the Quad. Proceeds were donated to Middle Eastern refugees immigrating to the United States.

Club raises funds to support Middle Eastern refugees in immigration

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
February 5, 2024

Students peruse through the First Generation and Immigrant Ally Club (1GIAC) bake sale on the Quad. Proceeds were donated to Middle Eastern refugees immigrating to the United States.

Parent volunteers cook and serve traditional Indian and Japanese cuisine for school faculty to enjoy in front of the Feldman-Horn Gallery. The event was hosted by HW Parents, CHAI and JAG.

Cultural clubs host faculty lunch

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
December 13, 2023

The Harvard-Westlake Parents (HWP) partnered with the Japanese-American Affinity Group (JAG) and Cultural Heritage and Arts of India (CHAI) to host the monthly Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon in...

South Asian Student Alliance (SASA) leaders and club members stand together at the Diwali celebration. The festival took place in Chalmers on Nov. 18.

SASA hosts celebration of Diwali with festival

Erin Ryu
November 22, 2023

South Asian Student Alliance (SASA) partnered with Cultural Heritage and Arts of India (CHAI) to hold its annual celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in Chalmers on Nov. 18. Attendees burned...

Senior Independent Studies

Eleven Seniors were chosen this semester to work on independent study projects. The seniors and their advisors are highlighted here.

Chloe Dolkart By Sienna Dall'Olmo Chloe Dolkart ’24 is studying the relationship between COVID-19 and developing Type 1 diabetes for her Senior Independent Study. Dolkart is working with Upper...

The Los Angeles Daily News named Emily Ahn ’25 the Girls Athlete of the Week on Oct. 17.

Junior Named Girls Athlete of the Week

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
October 20, 2023

Emily Ahn ’25 was named Girls Athlete of the Week in the Los Angeles Daily News after winning the 5k race at the second cross country Mission League cluster meet Oct. 11. Ahn said running cross country...

Elements Pharmacy held vaccination clinics on campus Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 for students.

School partners with pharmacy to provide flu and COVID vaccines

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
October 6, 2023

Elements Pharmacy held vaccination clinics on campus Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 for students.

HWPA parent volunteers pose together on the Quad for the first day of senior appreciation.

Parent’s Association starts Senior Appreciation for class of 2024

Erin Ryu, Layout Assistant and Staff Writer
September 27, 2023

Harvard-Westlake Parent’s Association (HWPA) held the first of eight Senior Appreciation Days for the Class of 2024 on Sept. 19. Parent volunteers passed out class sweatshirts and popsicles on behalf...

New faculty and staff join for 2023-2024 school year

Sarah Miller: Upper School Dean By Alex Lee Sarah Miller joined the Upper School as a dean, replacing Sara Miranda, who left after three years at the school. Miller worked in college admission...

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Erin Ryu