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
Freshmen adjust to the academic demands and freedoms of Upper School while exploring new opportunities for growth.
“The Expectations Have Gone Up.” Freshmen Navigate Upper School’s Increased Academic Standards While Balancing New Freedoms and Choices
(Lillian W. '27)
Projects at Westridge: How Creativity Benefits Student Learning and Engagement
Students taking the same class can often have different experiences than their peers depending on their particular teacher's interpretation of the course.
Same Class, Different Teacher. When Does One Class Become Two?
In the weeks and days before the election, three Westridge sophomores traveled to Nevada to support Kamala Harris' campaign.
“It’s Important to See That You Do Have an Opportunity to Help:” Sophomores Travel to Nevada to Support Vice President Kamala Harris’ Campaign in Election
(Sophia Y. '26) You still awake? Spyglass followed four Upper School students to uncover the factors and habits of their sleep routines.
You Still Awake? Spyglass Followed Four Upper School Students’ Sleep Routines for 22 days
PC: Gia S. ’25. Willow and some of the Westridgettes posing before their first performance.
Roll Call! Meet the 2024–25 Westridgettes
Upper School Office Seeks to Resolve Discovery Week Equity Issues Despite Rising Costs
Upper School Office Seeks to Resolve Discovery Week Equity Issues Despite Rising Costs
Students line up in single file after the new signs aim to streamline the flow of traffic.
“The Line is Working Again”: New Policies and Ramen Option Aim to Reduce Crowding and Improve Lunch Experience in the Commons
Despite Efforts of Promoting Sustainability at Westridge, Students Still Struggle to Properly Sort Trash and Silverware
Despite Efforts of Promoting Sustainability at Westridge, Students Still Struggle to Properly Sort Trash and Silverware
Ms. Mshaka posing in front of a Westridge sign on campus. (Fan Wang)
Alumna Profile: “I felt confident, I felt safe, and I felt seen.” Westridge Alumna Thembisa Mshaka Reflects on a Career in Entertainment and Westridge’s Role in Her Development
PC: Ruby S. Students returning to work and discussing after the meeting.
Middle School Students Find Strength in Community Amidst Election Results
OPINION: Movie Master Class: How Movies Have Brought My Dad and Me Together
OPINION: Movie Master Class: How Movies Have Brought My Dad and Me Together
All of Middle School came together to identify their "Top 10 Scariest Scenarios."
Top 10 Scariest Scenarios – Westridge Middle School Edition
“We lost as a team and won as a team.” Middle School Flag Football Team Puts up a Valiant Fight Playing for the Prep League Championship
“We lost as a team and won as a team.” Middle School Flag Football Team Puts up a Valiant Fight Playing for the Prep League Championship
Middle School Students React to New Art Schedule Change
Middle School Students React to New Art Schedule Change
Photo courtesy of Festival de Cannes
Gory Thriller “The Substance” (2024) Evokes Emotions But Lacks Substance
Spyglass staff writer Lilah R. '25 and I pose with our cart full of soup cans. We bought around 100 cans during this trip to the store.
OPINION: Four Years of Food Drives: Connecting with Service and the Class of 2025
The Formula To Sisterhood: The Austin F1 Grand Prix Through The Eyes of Two Best Friends
The Formula To Sisterhood: The Austin F1 Grand Prix Through The Eyes of Two Best Friends
OPINION: I Don’t Care About the Uniform—So It’s Time To Go
OPINION: I Don’t Care About the Uniform—So It’s Time To Go
Holly N. '25 is a guest contributor for Spyglass and will be voting for the first time this November.
OPINION: The Power of a Vote: Why My 18th Birthday Was All About Registration
PC: Gia S. ’25. Willow and some of the Westridgettes posing before their first performance.
Humans of Westridge: 10 Questions with the Westridge Tiger Willow N. ’25
PC: Bianca P. ’28, Both sisters pose together on the first day of school.
Humans of Westridge: Bianca P. ’28 Embraces Her First Year of High School, Following in the Footsteps of Her Older Sister Brooklyn P. ’25
PC: Ariana E. Zetta G. ‘31 posing in front of the gym after a fun P.E class. 
Humans of Westridge: Spotlight on Zetta G. ‘31, “I love Westridge.”
Spyglass Live: What's In Your Notes App?
Spyglass Live: What’s In Your Notes App?
Athletic Trainer Mike in his office.
Humans of Westridge: Meet Mike, Westridge’s Athletic Trainer
"Girls Just Want to Play Sports" is a column that highlights women athletes.
Girls Just Wanna Play Sports: It’s Time for Playoff Hockey
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
Sounds For State Street: Sunkissed
Sounds For State Street: Sunkissed
Sarah and Lilah Review: Challengers
Sarah and Lilah Review: Challengers
We Need to Start Caring About the Waste Production Problem at Westridge
We Need to Start Caring About the Waste Production Problem at Westridge
College Column: Oh, the Humanities!
College Column: Oh, the Humanities!
The writer taking the football to the head instead of catching it during a game. (P.C. Austin M.)
College Prep and Lifelong Learning: From One Girls School To Another
College Column: College Prep and Lifelong Learning: From One Girls School To Another
College Column: College Prep and Lifelong Learning: From One Girls School To Another
College Column: Can I stay true to myself in the admissions process?
College Column: Can I stay true to myself in the admissions process?
Confessions from the College Front Line: How Early is Too Early for College Pressure?
Confessions from the College Front Line: How Early is Too Early for College Pressure?
"Girls Just Want to Play Sports" is a column that highlights women athletes.
Girls Just Wanna Play Sports: It’s Time for Playoff Hockey
"Girls Just Want to Play Sports" is a column that highlights women athletes.
Girls Just Wanna Play Sports: Women’s Basketball is Winning
"Girls Just Want to Play Sports" is a column that highlights women athletes.
Girls Just Wanna Play Sports: National Girls and Women in Sports Day Reminds Us of Our Accomplishments and Shortcomings
"Girls Just Want to Play Sports" is a column that highlights women athletes.
Girls Just Wanna Play Sports: Reflecting on the Careers of Women’s Soccer Players
"Girls Just Want to Play Sports" is a column that highlights women athletes.
Introducing: Girls Just Wanna Play Sports, A Column
Song ’24
Sounds For State Street: Solstice
Song ’24
Sounds For State Street: Harvest
Song ’24
Sounds For State Street: Crimson
Sounds For State Street: Sunkissed
Sounds For State Street: Sunkissed
Sounds For State Street: Daisy
Sounds For State Street: Daisy
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
The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!
The Backstory: The Pet That Truly Rocks
The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!
The Backstory: The True Meaning of Christmas in Beheading a Candy Pig
The Backstory is a column celebrating fun and forgotten history!
The Backstory: The Women Who Drove Auto Innovation
The Backstory: A Brief History of Underwear Through the Ages
The Backstory: A Brief History of Underwear Through the Ages
Spyglass Live | Yam Fest Yap Sesh 2024
Spyglass Live | Grandparent's Day 2024
Spyglass Live | Grandparent’s Day 2024
Do all Westridge students think the same? | Election Edition | Spyglass Live
Do all Westridge students think the same? | Election Edition | Spyglass Live
Spyglass Live: 2024 Dance Concert Documentary
Spyglass Live: 2024 Dance Concert Documentary
Spyglass Live: What's In Your Notes App?
Spyglass Live: What’s In Your Notes App?
PC: Gia S. ’25. Willow and some of the Westridgettes posing before their first performance.
Humans of Westridge: 10 Questions with the Westridge Tiger Willow N. ’25
PC: Bianca P. ’28, Both sisters pose together on the first day of school.
Humans of Westridge: Bianca P. ’28 Embraces Her First Year of High School, Following in the Footsteps of Her Older Sister Brooklyn P. ’25
PC: Ariana E. Zetta G. ‘31 posing in front of the gym after a fun P.E class. 
Humans of Westridge: Spotlight on Zetta G. ‘31, “I love Westridge.”
Spyglass Live: What's In Your Notes App?
Spyglass Live: What’s In Your Notes App?
Athletic Trainer Mike in his office.
Humans of Westridge: Meet Mike, Westridge’s Athletic Trainer
The ban will reframe how both students and admission officers approach future applications.
Westridge Reacts to California’s Decision to Ban Legacy and Donor Consideration in the College Admissions Process
Lindsay C.'25 after her third round of interviews for the Rose Court.
From a Westridge 4th Grader to the 106th Rose Queen: Lindsay C. ’25 Shares Her Growth
Going down the A Line, our next stop South Pasadena.
Down the Metro A-Line: South Pasadena
View inside Jones Coffee's South Pasadena from the staircase
Community in a Cup at Jones Coffee Roasters
Going down the A Line, our next stop Del Mar.
Metro Stop Highlights: Del Mar Boulevard
(Esperanza O-C. '26) Esperanza posing with the U-17 National Women’s Team of Nicaragua.
“It’s Just So Much More Than Just Playing Soccer”: Esperanza O. ’26 Is Selected for the U-17 National Women’s Team of Nicaragua
Layla R. '27, center, rushing the ball in a game.
In Second-Ever Season, Westridge Flag Football Features a Postseason Triumph in CIF’s First Year of Offering Playoffs
Sophomore quarterback Abby W. pitches the football as Layla R. '27 looks back. The Tigers played Ayala in the season opener, losing 19-6, but went on to win four straight games after that.
Jennifer L. ’25’s Back-to-Back Prep League Tennis Championship Headlines the 2024 Fall Sports Season
Coach Horn sits in front of a cluster of sporting trophies and an inspirational tiger poster. (Gemma A. '27)
“I Will Be a Tiger for Life.” After Over Thirty Years At Westridge, Director of Athletics Coach Melanie Horn Announces Her Retirement
Sarah L. ’25, who reached scoring 100 goals earlier this year, playing in a lacrosse game
Sarah L. ’25 Scores 100 Goals During Lacrosse’s First CIF-Advancing Season
Photo Credit: Sophene A.'25
Your Senior Year Survival Guide
Holiday Recipe: Ginger Molasses Cookies
Holiday Recipe: Ginger Molasses Cookies
Dr. M: Latin Teacher and Style Icon
Dr. M: Latin Teacher and Style Icon
1. Get in the holiday spirit by listening to some classic Christmas music. (Ms. Amos holding a vinyl of Christmas carols.)
10 Ways to Spend your Winter Break – According to Your Freshman Advisors
5 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit
5 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit
Activity in the library fluctuates depending on time of day, divisional schedules, and events.
Westridge Library’s One Space Serves All: Convenience, Cramming, and Community
Guests settle down as the event dedicated to Anna Bondoc starts. (Credit: Aceley P.)
“This is really about the two years she spent here and her time as a teacher.” Anna Bondoc’s Celebration of Life
A handful of Westridge classes have incorporated a flipped learning approach. Teachers aim to find the right balance between traditional and flipped learning. (Eliza K. ’26)
Westridge Teachers Seek to Find the Right Balance Between Traditional and Flipped Learning
“We Don’t Need to Tiptoe Around Sex-Ed:” As Students’ Needs Evolve, So Does the Program for Sex Education
“We Don’t Need to Tiptoe Around Sex-Ed:” As Students’ Needs Evolve, So Does the Program for Sex Education
Remembering Anna Bondoc 1969-2023
Remembering Anna Bondoc 1969-2023
  • ❄ 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

Middle School

"Is this how you do it?" A non-athlete’s soccer journey

“Is this how you do it?” A non-athlete’s soccer journey

Ruby S. • February 12, 2024

You’re never going to believe what I did a couple weeks ago. I can barely believe it myself. I tried out for the middle school soccer team. It was definitely a spur of the moment thing. I had heard the...

The Permaculture Garden (PC: Lorelei CE)

New Middle School Permaculture Class Spreads Awareness About The Ecosystem

Sophene A. • December 11, 2023

Dr. Kelly talking to students about what's happening in their homes before playing the video. (Masami Hansen)

“Either people didn’t know what to say, or they didn’t feel comfortable saying something.” Dr. Kelly hosts a middle school lunchtime discussion on the war in Gaza.

Ruby S. • December 11, 2023

On November 15, Director of Lower and Middle School Dr. Zanita Kelly hosted a lunch time talk for middle schoolers to discuss the war in Gaza. Middle school students and teachers trickled into Mudd.  Most...

Four Books to Read Over Winter Break

Four Books to Read Over Winter Break

Carys H. and Ella K. • December 11, 2023

If your annoying cousin is in town, you’ve been banished to the attic after they ate the last slice of pepperoni pizza, and you may or may not have tripped them, you just need an escape! Here are four...

Ms. Farrell Heydorff, Dean of Lower and Middle School Student Activities, sitting at her desk.

Ms. Farrell Heydorff Retires From the Military After Twenty Years of Service

Sophene A. • November 13, 2023

This past weekend, on November 11, the country observed Veterans Day, honoring all those who have selflessly served in the United States military. This year’s celebration of Veterans Day is particularly...

Things To-Do Besides Studying in Study Hall

Things To-Do Besides Studying in Study Hall

Ruby S., Avery S., and Taylor L. • November 13, 2023

(Lexi E.) Finished breakfast burritos waiting to be put out.

OPINION: The Breakfast Burrito Unwrapped

Ruby S. • October 2, 2023

Westridge students love to debate and argue, but there’s one thing we can agree on: how much we all enjoy the Commons’ breakfast burrito.  What’s not to love? The creamy scrambled eggs, the crispy...

A different view of the river. It was muddy due to a mudslide that took place two weeks before the overnight, caused by a storm. However, by the time we swam in the river with the horses, it was much clearer.

I took a leap of faith and crossed a river

Lorelei C. • October 1, 2023

Last summer I took a leap of faith and did something I never imagined I could do: For two weeks in June I lived in a deep and magical forest in northern California at Bar 717 Camp Trinity. No, there...

Teams “Highly Likely” to return as Westridge’s primary messaging app, says Sally Miller, Director of Technology

Teams “Highly Likely” to return as Westridge’s primary messaging app, says Sally Miller, Director of Technology

Lorelei C. and Dillan R. • May 30, 2023

Communication is key for any school and plays an important role in the community.In the fall of 2022, Westridge moved to Canvas, a new learning management system, which included Pronto, an integrated messaging...

Profesora Maldonado (Photo Credit: Lilian Maldonado)

“See the seed that you planted”: Westridge Says Goodbye to Lilian Maldonado

Rebecca L. • May 29, 2023

I remember the day I walked into Ranney House 1, and Profesora Maldonado, Middle School Spanish Teacher, made her daily grand entrance while exclaiming, “Hola chicas!” The colorful room decorated with...

Students pose for a picture in the back of the bus. (Photo Credit: Katie L. ’27)

I was Lost on a Bus for Three Hours and I’m Glad it Happened

Rebecca L. • April 24, 2023

When the eighth grade left school at 9:00 a.m. heading towards the Santa Clarita mountains, our plan was to spend an hour on the bus before arriving at Tree People, an organization committed to improving...

Clara T. ’27, Eliza S. ’27, Brynn C. ’27, and Abby W. ’27 at the Poly Invitational Meet at Caltech.

Middle School Track and Field Takes First Place at Poly Invitational Meet

Rebecca L. • March 20, 2023

For the first time ever on March 8, 2023, the Westridge Middle School Track and Field team earned first place at the Poly Invitational Meet at Caltech. The schools invited along with Westridge were High...

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