The official student news site of Westview High School

The Nexus

The official student news site of Westview High School

The Nexus

The official student news site of Westview High School

The Nexus

Sydney Alper

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief

Sydney is a senior and is honored to serve as one of the editors-in-chief this year. She is passionate about covering LGBTQ+ related topics, as well as misinformation. When she’s not writing for the Nexus or writing poetry, she can be found playing with her cats, baking, or reading a book. :)

All content by Sydney Alper
Seok, Hou commit to college despite being unable to visit campuses

Seok, Hou commit to college despite being unable to visit campuses

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief June 14, 2021

Like many other activities, traveling has been severely limited by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has prevented many seniors from visiting the colleges they planned on attending in the fall. As a result,...

Flying Solo: Students overcome pressure, choose nontraditional paths after high school

Flying Solo: Students overcome pressure, choose nontraditional paths after high school

Sydney Alper, Alice Chen, and Brynne Paiva June 14, 2021

Jacqueline Wagner (’21) did not expect to move to Germany right after graduating high school. When she was younger, she said, her plan was to study hard so that she would get the grades needed to get...

Opinion: Despite new vaccine regulations, the speed of reopening still scares me

Opinion: Despite new vaccine regulations, the speed of reopening still scares me

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief May 10, 2021

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic took over our lives more than a year ago, there has been a distinct lack of certainty—a lack of certainty about when we would return to school or to work, when we...

Opinion: I shouldnt have to tell you that Jewish space lasers arent real

Opinion: I shouldn’t have to tell you that Jewish space lasers aren’t real

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief April 8, 2021

As a Jewish person, when I first heard about the QAnon conspiracy that the Rothchilds had a space laser which caused the California wildfires, I laughed. I laughed and then I wanted to know where exactly...

Wolverines victorious in first football game of the season

Wolverines victorious in first football game of the season

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief April 8, 2021

In their first football game in 16 months, Westview took home the victory 34-24 at the first football game of the season at Del Norte High School, March 19.  “It’s just amazing coming out here...

Opinion: Souplantations closure mirrors end of my childhood

Opinion: Souplantation’s closure mirrors end of my childhood

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief March 11, 2021

I think, perhaps, that Peter Pan was on to something when he said “once you’re grown up, you can’t come back.”  I’m turning 18 in a few months and I will graduate from high school around...

Mesina performs Kathak dance for RaiseforHelp fundraiser

Mesina performs Kathak dance for RaiseforHelp fundraiser

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief February 11, 2021

With all of the furniture pushed to sides of the room, Raina Mesina (12) begins her dance. Her skirt billows around her as she performs the numerous spins typical of Kathak, a traditional Indian style...

Opinion: Donald Trump fails to make America great again

Opinion: Donald Trump fails to make America great again

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief January 21, 2021

“Make America Great Again,” informally known as MAGA, has been one of President Donald Trump’s primary campaign slogans. Now, to believe in this slogan, one must first accept the premise that...

The Nexus staffs 21 book recommendations for 2021

The Nexus staff’s 21 book recommendations for 2021

Art by Grace Tseng Whether to escape, better understand or cope with our chaotic reality, books are especially necessary in 2021. For our first issue of the year, The...

Xu works as criminal justice paralegal for Peoples Legal Services

Xu works as criminal justice paralegal for People’s Legal Services

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief December 17, 2020

Watching the trial for a Black Lives Matter protestor, Winnie Xu (11) took notes of everything going on, making sure to record every single word that was said. This was part of her job as an assistant...

Art by Grace Tseng

Opinion: Proposition 16 establishes necessary first step in combatting racial inequality

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief October 29, 2020

Art by Grace Tseng Affirmative Action is once again on the ballot in California in the form of Prop 16. A vote yes on Prop 16 would legalize Affirmative Action once more in California, making it legal...

Being Nonbinary: The Impact of Pronouns and Gender Identity

Being Nonbinary: The Impact of Pronouns and Gender Identity

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief October 22, 2020

For a long time, Mars Whiteside (12) said their gender identity felt like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces that didn’t quite fit together. According to Whiteside, they had the wrong hair, wrong voice, wrong...

Elena Tran (9) receives feedback on her monologue for her audition for Scenes for Screens from theatre director Robert Townsend, Sept. 30. Scenes for Screens is set to replace One Acts this year. Photo by Rachael Hudak.

Performing arts programs adjust to new school year

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief October 1, 2020

As the new school year moves forward with distance learning, the performing arts programs have been forced to find ways to adapt to the virtual format. In particular for performing artists, creating their...

Opinion: COVID-19 exposes fundamental flaws in current healthcare system

Opinion: COVID-19 exposes fundamental flaws in current healthcare system

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief September 17, 2020

As the 2020 presidential election draws closer, health care is once again a subject of great debate. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed further flaws in the American health care system, one of the...

Cooperar Contigo collaborates with Cooperar Peru to raise funds for a school in Peru

Cooperar Contigo collaborates with Cooperar Peru to raise funds for a school in Peru

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief September 2, 2020

Rachel Carr (12), Hannah Danzig (12) , Faith Lee (12), Prisha Anand and Neda Emdad (12) talk to Eduardo and Nolwann from Cooperar Peru via Skype. They discussed what Eduardo's inspiration for starting...

In face of criticism, ASB sets new goals to be more inclusive, transparent

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief September 2, 2020

July 8 ASB released a letter to the student body regarding their efforts to increase campus inclusivity and “foster an anti-racist campus culture.” President Audrey Tu (12) said that the main purpose...

Opinion: LGBTQ+ community to remember importance of Black Lives Matter movement

Opinion: LGBTQ+ community to remember importance of Black Lives Matter movement

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief July 20, 2020

So far this summer, I have attended a handful of Black Lives Matter Protests, carrying with me a sign that reads “Celebrate Pride by protesting police brutality! Stonewall was started by trans women...

PQ Helpers deliver groceries to immunocompromised community members

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief May 29, 2020

Wearing a mask and gloves, Natalie Truesdell (11) walks down the aisle of a Trader Joe’s store, looking for the specific items on her list and placing them in the cart. She pays for the groceries, loads...

A reflection on past chapters: accepting change in midst of COVID-19

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief May 15, 2020

Like many of the families stuck inside their home during this time of social distancing, mine decided to clean and organize everything in the house. It was easy to sort through my clothes and knicknacks,...

Strength of humanity more powerful than fear of COVID-19

Strength of humanity more powerful than fear of COVID-19

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief April 10, 2020

When I think about our current situation, the one word that comes to mind is fear. I fear that I or one of my family members will contract COVID-19, that I won’t go back to school this year...

Gurram makes handmade cards to support COVID-19 relief, create connections

Gurram makes handmade cards to support COVID-19 relief, create connections

Sydney Alper, Editor-in-Chief April 10, 2020

Picking up one of her calligraphy pens, Sanjana Gurram (11) carefully begins to draw out the word superhero. Around each letter, she pens the words, “Strong, Undefeatable, Persistent,...

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