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The student-run newspaper of Westridge School for Girls, Spyglass strives to build community and evoke empathy through the medium of journalism. Comprised of passionate student writers, editors, designers, managers, and leaders, Spyglass is dedicated to ethical reporting that amplifies our unique voices to inform, entertain, and forge connection in the Westridge community and beyond.

Spyglass

  • ❄ December Edition Out Now! ❄
The student-run newspaper of Westridge School for Girls, Spyglass strives to build community and evoke empathy through the medium of journalism. Comprised of passionate student writers, editors, designers, managers, and leaders, Spyglass is dedicated to ethical reporting that amplifies our unique voices to inform, entertain, and forge connection in the Westridge community and beyond.

Spyglass

The student-run newspaper of Westridge School for Girls, Spyglass strives to build community and evoke empathy through the medium of journalism. Comprised of passionate student writers, editors, designers, managers, and leaders, Spyglass is dedicated to ethical reporting that amplifies our unique voices to inform, entertain, and forge connection in the Westridge community and beyond.

Spyglass

The Backstory

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: How An Immigrant, A Dream, And A Bunch of Bananas Changed The World

Ilena M. May 19, 2024

Sam the Banana Man staged one of the most outstandingly successful disasters in history. Let’s peel back his story. In 1893, newly-arrived Russian immigrant Shmuel Zmurri stowed away on a freight...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: The Pet That Truly Rocks

Ilena M. February 12, 2024

If you can’t find a human companion for Valentine’s Day, you’re allergic to cat fur, and the thought of walking a dog sounds less than appealing—fear not. There’s a solution guaranteed to please...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: The True Meaning of Christmas in Beheading a Candy Pig

Ilena M. December 11, 2023

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!  My favorite way to celebrate the holiday season and relieve post-semester stress is by smashing a pig with a hammer. But the pig...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: The Women Who Drove Auto Innovation

Ilena M., Contributor November 13, 2023

Anyone who has ever braved Westridge’s student parking lot should appreciate automotive safety features. …It’s a rough world out there. Women are far too often the butt of bad driver jokes,...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: LA’s Long History of Blowing Things Out of the Sky & Out of Proportion

Ilena M. March 12, 2023

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!    Remember like a month ago, when the military shot down a bunch of UFOs? Yeah, that was pretty weird.  It started with...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: The Pig & Potato War

Ilena M. December 12, 2022

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!    One fateful day, a pig got hungry.  In search of lunch, the snacky swine fled its home and ran to a nearby farm, where...

The Backstory: Hershey’s Happy Accidents & Flavorful Failures

The Backstory: Hershey’s Happy Accidents & Flavorful Failures

Ilena M. November 7, 2022

Any self-respecting American should still be reeling from a post-Halloween candy coma. Much of Halloween's joy—and pain—can be credited to Milton Hershey, who's known far and wide for sweetening American...

The Backstory: A Moo-ving Story of Cow-lifornia

The Backstory: A Moo-ving Story of Cow-lifornia

Ilena M. October 3, 2022

How often do you pass a cow on your daily commute or when you’re out for a hike near the Hollywood sign? Never? Me too! Have you ever wondered why? Never? Me neither! That’s probably because we...

The Backstory: The Flying Pirate From Westridge

The Backstory: The Flying Pirate From Westridge

Ilena Moses March 21, 2022

“Lives of impact begin at Westridge,” read the pastel signs above Madeline Court as I impactfully shove a burrito into my mouth while rushing across campus each morning. Indeed. Florence Florentine...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: How Weird Clothes Brightened Up the Dark Ages

Ilena M. December 13, 2021

I’m pretty sure they weren’t called the “Dark Ages” because of their poor clothing trends, but the Medieval world sure had its fair share of questionable fashion choices. From pointy hats to super...

The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!

The Backstory: Some Fangtastic Suggestions for Warding Off Vampires, Brought to You By Classic European Literature

Ilena M. October 3, 2021
The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!
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The Backstory