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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

Averie Perrin, Editor-in-Chief

All content by Averie Perrin
The annual Spring Jazz Combo Concert was held in Rugby Auditorium on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25

[Photo] Jazz ensembles perform in Spring Jazz Combo Concert

Colin Ho
March 4, 2024

The annual Spring Jazz Combo Concert was held in Rugby Auditorium on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25

School reports increases in financial aid and Annual Giving from 2022-2023 fiscal year

Averie Perrin
November 15, 2023

The school set Annual Giving records for the most amount of money raised by an independent day school, raised teacher salaries at a higher rate than tuition for the sixth consecutive time and amassed a...

Anna Ames '24, as Beatrice, looks down at Benedick played by Jack Smith '25.

[Photo] Performing arts department opens ‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Mia Morgan and Hannah Shahidi
November 15, 2023

Anna Ames '24, as Beatrice, looks down at Benedick played by Jack Smith '25.

Editors-in-Chief Ella Yadegar ’24 and Averie Perrin ’24 smile for a photo at the first Chronicle layout of the year.

Letter from the Editors: Prioritizing truthful reporting

Averie Perrin and Ella Yadegar
September 1, 2023

In light of the recent losses at the school, administrators, now more than ever, are emphasizing strong and interpersonal connections between students, teachers and faculty. At this pivotal moment in...

Upper School Deans Celso Cárdenas and Sara Miranda pose for a picture at Waffle House during the 2022 Spring Break College Tour. Cárdenas and Miranda are departing the school.

Administration hires three new Deans after multiple departures

Averie Perrin and Iona Lee
May 28, 2023

The school hired Sarah Miller, Jesse Reuter and English teacher Adam Levine to serve as deans beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. Miller, who currently works at Marymount High School as the Co-Director...

Printed with Permission of Victoria Peng '23

Advancing Asian Leaders

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2023, students and faculty analyze Asian leadership in the school community.
Averie Perrin
May 25, 2023

31 years after the United States Congress officially designated May as Asian Pacific American Heritage (APAH) Month in 1992, students elected four Asian-identifying Senior Prefects for the 2023-2024 school...

24% of students admitted

Averie Perrin
March 22, 2023

The school’s acceptance rate hit an all-time low this year, according to data from the Admission Office. The overall admit rate was 24% in 2023, 9% lower than last year’s admit rate of 33%, not including...

An illustration depicts an angry teacher lecturing inattentive students.

Grade A Friendship

Iona Lee and Averie Perrin
March 22, 2023

Garrett* sat in the back of his math class with his computer open. He watched as Guest6598344956 moved a knight and waited for his own turn in his chess game. Meanwhile, his math teacher lectured about...

Students participate in the girl's pre-show ritual before their first performance

Wolverine Cult-ure

Students and faculty reflect on the reputation, dynamic and traditions of various student groups, clubs and sports on campus.
Averie Perrin and Iona Lee
March 22, 2023

It’s quiet on campus. Georgiana* and the rest of the girls from the theater department gather in a circle, tucked away in one of the campus’s most secluded locations. They believe they are alone. These...

Best in the West: Open Division Champs

Ella Yadegar and Averie Perrin
March 21, 2023

Basketball Program Head David Rebibo paced up and down the court as the Wolverines trailed St. John Bosco in the third quarter March 4 . Drawing up plays on his clipboard, Rebibo felt confident he could...

From New York Magazine’s “Where Should You Send Your Nepo Baby to High School?”

“Nepo-approved nepo-baby academy”

Students evaluate the culture of nepotism at school in view of Vulture’s December 2022 “The Year of the Nepo Baby” series.
Averie Perrin
February 8, 2023

Bronwyn Vance ’24 stared at the TV screen as she watched the Golden Globes, anxiously waiting to hear the winner for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. When she heard that Angela Bassett (Bronwyn...

Celebrating Black History Month with "Expectations" by Ryann Castanon-Hill '23

Lessons in Representation

During Black History Month, students and faculty discuss the importance of highlighting the Black experience in the school curriculum.
Averie Perrin
February 8, 2023

The school’s celebration of Black History Month in 2023 marks almost four years since the administration adopted its Anti-Racism Plan in response to student demand for anti-racist action in the 2019...

Family members argue at their dinner table about politics and differing opinions.

A House Divided

Averie Perrin
December 14, 2022

Turkey, cranberries and mashed potatoes lined Illi Kreiz’s ’24 Thanksgiving table. As she prepared to serve herself, Kreiz heard her sister begin  to argue with their close family friends about their...

Former team captain Jameson McMullen '19 poses for his swim team photo.

Remembering Jameson McMullen ’19

Averie Perrin and Connor Tang
November 22, 2022

Jameson McMullen ’19 passed away Oct. 13 at Brown University. McMullen, 22, was entering his senior year of college at Brown. He was a member of the swim team there. He graduated cum laude from Harvard-Westlake...

President Rick Commons looks for ways to manage student mental health and academic difficulty.

Under(standing) Pressure

Averie Perrin and Iona Lee
November 16, 2022

As students poured into the science office before finals, worrying about their upcoming exams, Science Teacher Yanni Vourgourakis ’90 thought about the evolution of academic difficulty at the school....

A student returns from Black Friday shopping trip with shopping bags.

Mind Over Materialism

Averie Perrin
November 16, 2022

Jayden Huang ’23 opened up his laptop to a colorful display of websites bookmarked on his browser. Some stores sell accessories, others trendy shoes –– but they all share one thing in common: their...

An illustration depicts a torn Homecoming banner with roses, representing the elaborate ways that students ask potential dates to the dance.

Homecoming 2: Judgement Day

Students and faculty talk about pressures surrounding Homecoming formal and their opinions on the Homecoming “ask culture.”
Averie Perrin, Assistant Features Editor
September 28, 2022

As “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid” boomed on the speakers, Jack Austen ’23 stood on the Quad in a red, inflatable lobster costume in front of Head Prefect Yoshimi Kimura ’23. Next...

Illustration by Sophia Evans

Summer “Break”

Students and faculty discuss the extent to which the pressures of résumé-building impact the way they spend their summers.
Averie Perrin, Assistant Features Editor
August 25, 2022

Students discuss the work they have done over the summer for college Brooke* spent her last Sunday like any other during her summer engineering internship at the University of Southern California:...

Junior's request: permission to lunch

Junior’s request: permission to lunch

Averie Perrin, Assitant Features Editor
August 25, 2022

If you have ever happened to walk past Munger Science Center around 10:55 a.m. on a school day, you might have had to shuffle through crowds of seniors rushing to their cars to leave campus for lunch period....

Andrew Lee ’09, Sam Kazemian and Blockchain Club leader Ryan Pinsker '23 stand in front of Lee and Kazemian's presentation about Web3.

Venture organizes blockchain event

Averie Perrin
March 18, 2022

Web3 Social Founder Andrew Lee ’09 and Frax Finance Founder Sam Kazemian joined the HW Venture and Blockchain Club to discuss the decentralization of cryptocurrency and Web3 during Community Flex Time...

Spring Coffeehouse

Averie Perrin
March 14, 2022

Prefect Council hosted a spring-themed Coffeehouse in Chalmers lounge after school Feb. 28. The event featured a variety of musical, comedic and theatrical performances, and Prefect Council provided coffee...

Max Thompson ’23 and Brandon Damelin ’23 interact with marine animals at the Heal the Bay’s aquarium in Santa Monica on a trip hosted by the Environmental Club and the Heal the Bay.

[Photo] Environmental Club hosts clean-up event

Davis Marks and Jackson Mayer
February 5, 2022

Max Thompson ’23 and Brandon Damelin ’23 interact with marine animals at the Heal the Bay’s aquarium in Santa Monica on a trip hosted by the Environmental Club and the Heal the Bay.

Students at the CAIS festival sing six songs, including John Donne's "At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners" and Javier Busto's "Esta Tierra."

Singing for Success

Averie Perrin and Ella Yadegar
February 17, 2022

Several Chamber Singers members participated in the 2022 California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Honor Choir Ensembles at Viewpoint School on Feb. 5. The CAIS festival featured students...

Model United Nations delegates listen on as Grace Coleman ’24 speaks on behalf of her country. Coleman represented the nation of Cuba at the event hosted virtually by the University of Santa Barbara.

Delegates win awards at UCSB Model United Nations

Averie Perrin
February 7, 2022

The Model United Nations (MUN) team attended the Gaucho Model United Nations (GauchoMUN) conference, hosted virtually by the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) on Feb. 5-6. Participants engaged...

Club Leaders Aden Juda '22 and Julianna Ross '22 pose for a photo next to their Bear Boxes drive in support of A Place Called Home (APCH).

Bear Boxes Club hosts donation drive

Averie Perrin
December 23, 2021

Bear Boxes Club hosted a donation drive Dec. 6-10 in support of A Place Called Home (APCH), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families in South Central Los Angeles recover from generational...

Chamber Singers member Terence Mathew '23 performs for his family and the school community.

Choirs sing in winter concert

Averie Perrin and Kriste An
December 22, 2021

The Upper School Performing Arts Department hosted its 2021 Winter Choral Concert, featuring performances from Bel Canto, Wolverine Chorus, Chamber Singers and Jazz Singers, in Rugby Auditorium on Dec....

(From left to right) Debate members Kai Do ’24, William Liu ’25 prepare for their upcoming rounds.

Debate team attends Damus Hollywood Invitational Tournament

Averie Perrin
November 18, 2021

Debaters gathered at the Upper School to prepare and log on to the virtual Damus Hollywood Invitational tournament Nov. 6-8.  Notre Dame High School hosted the tournament, which was held virtually on...

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Averie Perrin