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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

Fallon Dern, Presentation Managing Editor

All content by Fallon Dern

Staff remembers Andres Quintanar

Fallon Dern
March 22, 2023

Upper School Maintenance Team Member Andres Quintanar died in an early-morning car crash in Porter Ranch on March 5, according to the California Highway Patrol. Quintanar, 37, was killed in a wrong-way...

Performing Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies Teacher Ted Walch taught, mentored and impacted thousands of students over his 30 year tenure at the school.

Remembering Ted Walch

Davis Marks and Fallon Dern
October 3, 2022

In a crowded St. Saviour’s Chapel, President Rick Commons rings a church bell 30 times in succession. It’s lunch time, and pews full of students, faculty and staff listen to the chimes, one for each...

BLACKPINK Review

Fallon Dern, Presentations Managing Editor
September 28, 2022

BLACKPINK is the revolution — they said so themselves. The K-pop quartet released their second studio album, “BORN PINK,” on Sept. 16, reaffirming their international pop-diva-status to fans and...

Standing against the SAT

Fallon Dern
August 25, 2022

In 1923, eugenicist and psychologist Carl Brigham’s book A Study of American Intelligence unearthed an apparent revelation: White people, or the “Nordic race group,” could be proven intellectually...

The incorporation of creative activities helps diversify the learning experiences of students.

Cultivating Creativity

Fallon Dern, Assistant Features Editor
February 18, 2022

My father’s father always told him the biggest room is the room for improvement. I’d argue it’s the Forum, or maybe the Taper Gym, but I understand what my grandpa was getting at. The school, for...

Since 1970, the United States has recognized February as Black History Month.

More Than a Month

Members of the school community reflect on Black history and Black activism during Black History Month.
Fallon Dern and Lily Lee
February 18, 2022

Since 1970, the United States has recognized February as Black History Month. The observance is now recognized in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. However, for Zenmarah Duruisseau ’22, the celebration...

ASiA members pose for photos during New Year celebration on the quad.

[Photo] Year of the Tiger: ASiA on the Prowl

Emmy Zhang
February 18, 2022

ASiA members pose for photos during New Year celebration on the quad.

A good night's sleep

A good night’s sleep

Members of the community discuss their experiences with sleep deprivation and its negative impact on their lives.
Fallon Dern
December 26, 2021

Though she said sleep deprivation harms her day-to-day wellbeing, Camryn Williams ’22 said she is not the only one subject to exhaustion. Every day, Williams said she enters classrooms filled with tired...

Peer Support, the school's interpersonal counseling program, celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Peer Support turns 30

Thirty years after its founding, community members share their experiences and memories of the Peer Support program.
Fallon Dern and Alex Hahn
December 25, 2021

It is 6:30 p.m. in Chalmers 305. With their backs pressed against flipped-over desks, 14 students are seated facing each other. Unopened boxes of Animal Crackers and Lays potato chips are piled in the...

New to Normal: Spotlight on Dr. Stewart

New to Normal: Spotlight on Dr. Stewart

Dr. Sheehy and Dr. Stewart spent their first year at the school teaching through Zoom. Now, they reflect on the return to teaching in the classroom.
Fallon Dern
November 20, 2021

     Science teacher Dr. Chelsea Stewart said she felt she had a leg up over other new teachers when she joined the school for the 2020 school year because she had previously worked at the Upper School...

New to Normal: Spotlight on Dr. Sheehy

New to Normal: Spotlight on Dr. Sheehy

Dr. Sheehy and Dr. Stewart spent their first year at the school teaching through Zoom. Now, they reflect on the return to teaching in the classroom.
Fallon Dern
November 20, 2021

   Following a nine year break from teaching and a yearlong substitution teaching history at the Marlborough School, Dr. Peter Sheehy joined the History Department in 2020. Sheehy led his first Advanced...

(Un)traditional: A Dern Dinner

(Un)traditional: A Dern Dinner

Fallon Dern
November 18, 2021

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, as my mom and I both have birthdays that fall during the week we don’t have work or school. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I like sharing my birthday...

Illustration by Sydney Fener

Re-navigating Columbus

Community discusses the controversy regarding the celebration of Columbus Day versus Indigenous Peoples’ Day in America.
Fallon Dern and Lily Lee
October 17, 2021

“In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Lessons on Columbus are taught in several schools around America. However, as students learn history at higher levels, they are exposed to what the nursery...

Not Your Costume

Not Your Costume

Students discuss their experiences with and opinions on racially-insensitive Halloween costumes
Fallon Dern
October 17, 2021

Indian American student Anika Kumar ’23 said she never understood why some students choose to wear other cultures’ garments as Halloween costumes. Kumar said, given the  variety of options to choose...

Illustration by Sophia Musante

“Squid Game” Review

Sophia Musante and Fallon Dern
October 13, 2021

Within the first five days of its release, Korean survival drama "Squid Game" reached No. 1 on Netflix in 22 countries and territories. Six days later, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos predicted the show may...

From left to right: Peer Support Leaders and Trainees Lily Saada '22, Eliza Koblentz '23, Alec Rosenthal '22, Sophia Haynes '22, Henry Wendorf '23, Will Sherwood '23 and Harry Tarses '23 relax in their pajamas before going to sleep. The Peer Support retreat is one of the few overnight trips the school has authorized since the pandemic.

Peer Support retreat kicks off 2021-22 program

Fallon Dern
September 18, 2021

Peer Support leaders and trainees participated in a bonding retreat at Camp Ramah from Sept. 10 to 12. This marked the program's first overnight trip since COVID-19 moved the group meetings to Zoom. Students...

Ava Tran '22 smiles in front of shrubbery.

Junior Fellowship: Ava Tran

Fallon Dern
September 4, 2021

Ava Tran ’22, one of eight upper school students chosen by The Kutler Center Junior Fellowship Program, is using her awarded $4,000 to research environmentalism in Vietnam. The program sponsors independent...

Dylan Perkins ’23, Casey Ross ’23, Preston Yeh ’23, Ryann Castanon-Hill ’23 and Chiara Umbeko ’23 spend time together.

He’s the man: Spotlight on Dylan Perkins ’23

Dylan Perkins ’23 opens up about field hockey, friends and coming out as transgender.
Fallon Dern
August 26, 2021

Dylan Perkins ’23 leaned on a poster-covered wall and said he’s never known how to smile in photos. Casey Ross ’23, Preston Yeh ’23 and Ryann Castanon-Hill ’23 surrounded him, calling out poses...

Track and Field team competes in CIF-SS prelims

Fallon Dern
June 6, 2021

The track and field team competed in the CIF-SS prelims on Saturday, June 5 at Estancia High School. Those who had qualified in the Mission League event on May 28th were eligible to compete, and twenty...

"Supermodel Minority"—A Film by Fallon Dern

“Supermodel Minority”—A Film by Fallon Dern

Fallon Dern
May 30, 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzDpE2-tw1U View more at supermodelminority.carrd.co By Fallon Dern '23 with ASiA and The Chronicle

“Beam Me Up Scotty” by Nicki Minaj Album Review

Fallon Dern
May 22, 2021

Nicki Minaj surprised her fans (known as the Barbs) with the re-release of her 2009 mixtape “Beam Me Up Scotty” May 14. The 23-song project has a one hour, 17 minute runtime and combines old hits...

ASiA Club Leaders present on APAH month and introduce video presentations.

ASiA celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at Community Flex Time

Fallon Dern and Leo Saperstein
May 6, 2021

The Asian Students in Action (ASiA) Club led an all-community celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage (APAH) Month at Community Flex Time May 4. Club leaders Mia Shelton ’21, Chelsea Cho ’21,...

Members of the Harvard-Westlake Student Alumni Association (HWSAA) listen to Ray Kim, Alyse Gellis and Sam deCastro Abeger speak about their experiences in the entertainment industry.

Alumni in entertainment share stories about their careers at HWSAA panel

Fallon Dern and Leo Saperstein
April 20, 2021

The Harvard Westlake Student Alumni Association (HWSAA) hosted an event for students to learn about the entertainment industry through a panel of alumni April 16. HWSAA leaders Mia Shelton '21 and Chelsea...

Tai becomes first woman of color to serve as top United States Trade Negotiator

Fallon Dern
April 19, 2021

Katherine Tai was confirmed as the top United States Trade Negotiator with a 98-0 Senate vote March 17. This decision makes her the first Asian American woman and first woman of color to serve this position. Tai,...

(From left to right) Atticus Tyagi, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Lavinia Tyagi ’23 embrace with a smile as they pose for a photo.

Diplomacy at the dinner table

Political families discuss how ideological differences have affected familial relations.
Fallon Dern, Staff Writer
March 24, 2021

It’s half past six on a Wednesday. A family of five places plates on a table, grabbing cups, silverware and helpings of shepherd’s pie. It smells like home, and it looks like any other family eating...

Fallon Dern '23 takes a selfie with the other sophomores in her cohort in the Chalmers classroom they were assigned to.

Back to School Perspectives

Fallon Dern
March 13, 2021

Fallon Dern '23 takes a selfie with the other sophomores in her cohort in the Chalmers classroom they were assigned to.

Commons addresses anti-Asian hate crimes in all-school email

Fallon Dern
March 22, 2021

President Rick Commons sent an all-school email regarding school openings, COVID-19 protocol and the rise in anti-Asian sentiment March 19. The email, titled “Plans for School after Spring Break,”...

Field hockey season set to restart following CIF approval

Fallon Dern
March 14, 2021

Field hockey Head Coach Erin Creznic announced that the CIF approved the field hockey season to run from late March to April 17. Creznic expressed her excitement in an email sent to field hockey players...

Students are able to sign up for time slots and share music with their peers through the school's radio station, KHWS.

Celebrating 10 Years of KHWS

Fallon Dern
March 11, 2021

With one click to khwsradio.com, you are greeted with a gif of Bart Simpson jamming out to music and the club’s name formed out of white computer mice. The front page holds a setlist from April 2020,...

Juniors organize on-campus book drive

Juniors organize on-campus book drive

Fallon Dern
February 23, 2021

Sawyer Strasberg '22, Talia Tepper '22 and Lily Saada '22 hosted an on-campus book drive with Community Council on Feb. 20. They partnered with Wise Readers to Leaders, an organization that helps low-income...

College Board to no longer administrate SAT Subject Tests, will phase out the SAT Essay

Fallon Dern and Konnie Duan
February 17, 2021

The College Board announced the discontinuation of the SAT Subject Tests and optional SAT essay Jan. 19. Although the SAT Subject Tests were canceled immediately in the U.S., the optional essay will...

Members of Asian Students in Action (ASiA) and Black Leadership and Culture Club (BLACC) Co-Chair and Diversity Coordinator Yutopia Essex present history and celebrations about Lunar New Year and Black History Month.

BLACC Co-Chair and ASiA members present during Community Flex Time

Fallon Dern
February 12, 2021

Members of Asian Students in Action (ASiA) and Black Leadership and Culture Club (BLACC) Co-Chair and Diversity Coordinator Yutopia Essex presented history and celebrations about Lunar New Year and Black...

Ethics Bowl team competes at regional tournament

Fallon Dern
February 8, 2021

14 Ethics Bowl members competed in the Southern California High School Ethics Bowl tournament Feb. 6. The competition took place over Zoom from 8:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m, featuring two teams of seven students....

School removes ISEE mandate for incoming seventh grade students

Fallon Dern
February 8, 2021

The school's admissions administration announced that incoming seventh graders will no longer be required to take the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE). Between stressful adjustments to new...

Community Council plans for thrift shop drive

Fallon Dern
February 7, 2021

Community Council’s Inaugural HW Thrift Shop Drive is just around the corner. The club announced that they will be collecting clothing over Presidents Day Weekend during Prefect Council’s on-campus...

HW Parents DEI Association hosts “Why We Hate” discussion

Fallon Dern
February 2, 2021

The HW Parents Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Association held their first cinematic group to discuss the fifth episode of Discovery documentary "Why We Hate" on Jan. 9. The documentary’s director,...

Commons releases update regarding return to school

Sandra Koretz and Fallon Dern
January 28, 2021

In an email sent to the school community Thursday, President Rick Commons said he is optimistic about a possible return to campus for students and faculty. Commons said that although COVID-19 cases within...

“BE” Album Review

Fallon Dern
January 20, 2021

BTS’s latest album "BE" embodies the band's experiences of the year 2020, culminating their highs and lows in a self-produced, eight-track album. Though COVID-19 postponed the Korean group’s international...

The front page of the Stone-Cutters Winter was released this week, featuring 16 student works spanning six artistic mediums.

Stone-Cutters release Winter Tabloid virtually

Beginning in November, the student team has accepted and refined student submissions.
Fallon Dern
January 19, 2021

The HW Stone-Cutters released their Winter Tabloid this week, featuring 16 student works spanning six artistic mediums. The 24-student team has accepted and refined submissions since November and celebrated...

Get Lit poetry group performs

Fallon Dern
December 12, 2020

Members of Get Lit, a spoken word troupe based in Los Angeles, led a poetry teaser and showcase during Community Flex Time on Nov. 18. Get Lit Public Outreach Manager Mason Granger, a writer with over...

Asian Students in Action holds all-community reflection

Fallon Dern
March 19, 2020

The Asian Students in Action (ASiA) club hosted an all-community reflection in response to the uptick of anti-Asian hate crimes Friday. The affinity group, lead by Mia Shelton ’21, Chelsea Cho ’21,...

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