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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

Abby Siu

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor

Abby Siu (12) is in her fourth year as a part of The Nexus. She enjoys writing, watching anime (One Piece atm), music, and her part-time at Sunmerry Bakery. On rare occasions, she can also be found foraging for wild berries and greens.

All content by Abby Siu
Lily Miller (12) and her family made bratzeli, Swiss holiday cookies, Dec. 21, 2015. Miller's family makes bratzeli every Christmas

Students celebrate with holiday traditions

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor December 20, 2024

Craving a Cookie For Lily Miller’s (12) family, Christmas doesn’t start until they’ve made a batch of bratzeli cookies – crunchy, buttery Swiss holiday cookies that are pressed till paper-thin....

Liu cultivates love for Speech and Debate

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor November 1, 2024

Two years ago today, if you were to ask Evan Liu (10) his thoughts on Speech and Debate, he would’ve said it was “a complete waste of time.” “I was kind of indoctrinated into it in middle...

College Board implements AP Precalculus class, new opportunities for students

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 11, 2024

This year, Westview High School has added AP Precalculus to its list of course offerings. The course is offered as a year-long AP Precalculus/AP Calculus AB class replacing the previous Honors Precalculus/AP...

Mercedes Briggs, a level three FNA (left), Jennifer Nguyen, a level two FNA (middle), and Yan Zhao (right), a level one FNA, assemble chicken ceasar wraps, Oct. 4. They utilized the school's main kitchen.

PUSD cafeterias to receive additional local produce

Jason Kim and Abby Siu October 11, 2024

PUSD will soon increase the variety of fresh produce in its school cafeterias and the number of local farmers from which they source food. According to PUSD Food and Nutrition Area Supervisor Flora...

Bowden: Adventure Bound!

Bowden: Adventure Bound!

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor September 20, 2024

When Assistant Principal Craig Bowden walks out of his office every day, he places a heavy-duty biking jacket over his wrinkle-free button-down shirt, puts his neon decal helmet on his head, and hops...

Crippled by Compulsion

Crippled by Compulsion

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor August 30, 2024

Coming home from school junior year, Allison Hauw (12) couldn’t bring herself to step into her bedroom. She couldn’t bear to. As the fear of infecting her clean, safe room with the germs she’d...

Hu, Liang win CIF badminton doubles championships, 2-1

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 31, 2024

At the CIF SDS Finals badminton doubles match, May 15, against Patrick Henry High School (PHHS), who won the 2023 badminton CIFs, Amy Hu (11) and Kate Liang (10) never expected to win. After all, not...

What a wonderful world

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 31, 2024

A few months ago, for the first time ever in my 16 years of life, I had a true “what a wonderful world” moment — a moment where I was truly able to enjoy the things around me. It took place during...

Trees@WV plants 13 new trees on campus, promotes land conservation

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 31, 2024

Forty-six student volunteers assisted the non-profit organization Tree San Diego to plant 13 trees in the Westview plaza, May 20.  After nearly nine months of extensive planning, which included...

Kamila Nava (11) [right] and Alexi Stysis (11) run at Torrey Pines State Beach, April 27. Nava enjoys going for runs outdoors and tries to run in nature as frequently as possible.

Hilton, Nava relish in runner’s high

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 3, 2024

After preparing for an entire week for the Mt. San Antonio College relay competition, Kamila Nava (11) felt overwhelmingly excited to compete in the 4x1600 meter relay. Grabbing hold of the baton, she...

Maile Markley (11), Kelan Javien (11), Roman Andre Oliver (11), Romrich Brian Esparagoza (11), Aeon Vue (12), and Kyla Ho (11) perform in the theatre at PCN, April 26. This was the band's second time playing at the event.

Presenting: RakaMK

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 3, 2024

Rounding up the most musically talented individuals he knew, bassist Aeon Vue (12) gathered vocalist Romrich Brian Esparagoza (11), drummer and singer Roman Andre Oliver (11), and guitarist Kelan Javien...

Franklin Pham (11) warms up before competing in the San Diego Newcomers cubing competition at UCSD, March 13.

Pham battles clock in cubing contest

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor April 5, 2024

To most people, one second feels like an instant. To Franklin Pham (11), one second feels like an eternity — especially when he’s solving a Rubik’s Cube. “Time slows down,” Pham said. “It’s...

Against all odds, Howard receives heart transplant

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor March 15, 2024

Landon Howard (11) didn’t want to die young. He didn’t want to leave the group of close-knit friends he’d had since second grade. He didn’t want to leave his loving family who was always there...

Painting Past the Shadow

Painting Past the Shadow

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor February 16, 2024

Madhav Ramaprasad (9) stood in his garage, getting ready to play his saxophone. As his fingers glided over the instrument’s keys, he took a deep breath and tuned out the world around him. When he...

Accepting personal change

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor January 26, 2024

Whenever I have time to think, my thoughts usually take me back to my 9th- and  first half of my 10th-grade years: what I generally consider “the golden age of my teens.” During those years, all...

Arborist Kurt Peacock of Tree San Diego points out the different areas that trees could be planted around Westview, Dec. 5. Tree San Diego plans on bringing 10-12 new trees to the school's quad.

Trees@WV to introduce more plant life to campus landscape

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor December 22, 2023

  After almost a decade of having no trees other than palms in the campus plaza, Tree San Diego, a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving urban forests, has been enlisted to lead...

Art by Ella Jiang

Toddler faces NASA rejection

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor November 17, 2023

Wednesday morning, 3-year-old Tino Torpedo woke up and started getting ready for the most important day of his life. Tino was going to apply to NASA. “I’m going to the moon,” Tino said. He...

The Nexus and Currents staffs attended the National High School Journalism Convention in Boston, Nov. 1-5. Nine students earned awards in the National Student Media Contests ranging from write-offs to design work.

The Nexus and Currents staffs attended the National High School Journalism Convention in Boston, Nov. 1-5. Nine students earned awards in the National Student Media Contests ranging from write-offs to...

The Nexus and Currents staffs attended the National High School Journalism Convention in Boston, Nov. 1-5. Nine students earned awards in the National Student Media Contests ranging from write-offs to design work.

The Nexus and Currents staffs attended the National High School Journalism Convention in Boston, Nov. 1-5. Nine students earned awards in the National Student Media Contests ranging from write-offs to...

Shetzer, Tollefson learn self acceptance while battling insecurities

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 26, 2023

As Daisy Shetzer (12) walked through Westview’s crowded hallways her sophomore year, all she could think was,  “They’re all staring at me.” “The only thing they see is how much acne you have.” Shetzer...

3D animation is overdone, artists should return to creating 2D-styled productions

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 26, 2023

It’s been almost 12 years since Disney produced a fully 2D film; that simple fact has gotten me utterly upset. Don’t get me wrong, I go feral every time Frozen, Ratatouille, or Up are played on...

Review: Dusk to Dawn, by Lamp

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 26, 2023

Considering that it had been nearly five years since the Japanese band Lamp produced an album, I couldn’t contain my excitement when they released “Dusk to Dawn,” Oct. 10. I’m happy to say that...

Belonging In-Between

Belonging In-Between

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 6, 2023

Ella Bergsmedh (10) felt like an imposter. Although she’s both Swedish and Korean, she doesn’t have the typical blonde hair and blue eyes of a Swedish person and her facial features don’t match...

Senior Sendoffs: Making Pin Pals

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor June 2, 2023

Ellie Kitchen (12) made it to the world championships two times before making it again this year. Although she was looking forward to the competition itself, there was one Odyssey tradition that Kitchen...

My BTS-phase holds nostalgic memories

My BTS-phase holds nostalgic memories

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 5, 2023

In middle school, the Kpop boy band BTS was practically my whole life. I joined their fandom a little less than a year before they dropped one of their biggest songs to date, Boy With Luv. After that...

Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor April 7, 2023

As a child, Dylan Cassara (10) often found herself becoming upset at her mom, Leanh Cassara, a Vietnamese immigrant whose command of the English language was sometimes shaky. As a six year old, she...

Art by Aspen Cotton

Are trends not trendy anymore?

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor March 17, 2023

Looking back on my elementary school days, a blissful era that tragically ended a half-decade ago, some of my fondest memories with my friends are from when we’d all be playing with whatever things...

Food Review: Pacific Poke

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor February 10, 2023

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 When I, a self-proclaimed poke enthusiast, heard that there would be a new poke place opening up in the Torrey Highlands Shopping Center near Westview, I was ecstatic and knew that...

Wrestling with weight

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor February 10, 2023

Given that wrestling is one of the few sports that pairs opponents based on weight for competition, many wrestlers focus on shifting their weight strategically to make sure they’re in the optimal weight...

Jason Ye (12) and Kaiwei Shi (12) run the prize wheel at the Youth Care Club booth at the Hua Xia New Year Festival, Feb. 5. Students spun and won prizes, such as sweets.

Youth Care Club holds booth at Hua Xia festival

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor February 10, 2023

Students of all ages, ranging from kindergarten to senior year of high school, walked around the festival grounds at Hourglass Park, watching performances and visiting the booths hosted by the classes...

Wrestling team tackles pre-season practices

Wrestling team tackles pre-season practices

Karis Park and Abby Siu December 16, 2022

[metaslider id=13463] The wrestling team held their first official practice this year, Nov. 7. Twenty-one people attended, 10 more than last season.  “Last year, we had a really small team, so...

Augustin Goodman (9) signs petition presented by Phoebe Vo (10) and Daniel Tran (12), Oct. 28. The petition advocated for an increase in United States gun restrictions.

Amnesty International holds petition signing

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor November 18, 2022

  The Amnesty International club held a petition-signing event through ActivismX, a three-week initiative that various High School Amnesty International USA groups take part in to bring awareness...

FTC team Option 16 marches and cheers in the parade celebrating Westview's Blue Ribbon award, Sept 28. Many clubs participated in the parade, demonstrating Westview's diverse interests and academic success.

Westview receives Blue Ribbon Award

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 14, 2022

On Sept. 16, Westview was named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Only 297 schools in the Nation received the Blue Ribbon award this year. To be nominated as...

Gymnastics goes undefeated, wins CIFs

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor June 3, 2022

After 13 years, Westview’s gymnastics finally secured the title of CIF champions in the 2022 competition. “Our coach has been expecting us, everyone’s been expecting us to win, so we [had] to...

Gymnastics team breaks school record

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 6, 2022

At the start of the season, gymnastics coach Diane Wavrik could tell that the team this year was full of potential. Both her and the gymnasts themselves felt they had the ability to make it further than...

Moving frequently helps Johnson grow as a person

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor May 6, 2022

Settle in, move, repeat. Her whole  life, Hayley Johnson (9) has had to adapt to a lifestyle of moving to different states and countries every few years due to her dad’s job in the military. The...

Jack Vargas (11) run out of the field with his teammates before the baseball game against Sage Creek High School.

Vargas serves as baseball bat boy, motivates team

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor April 8, 2022

Before the start of every varsity baseball game, all the players form a huddle for some final words of encouragement from Jack Vargas (11). “This is our team,” Vargas said as the team all listened...

Teachers and their kids learn to navigate high school together

Teachers and their kids learn to navigate high school together

Abby Siu and Carter Kangas March 18, 2022

Everyday, Lauren Jennings (12) goes to the same place with her friends. A classroom where she is free to kick back and relax, a place where she always has someone to talk to. Likewise, on rainy...

Transfer students adjust to life in America together

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor February 18, 2022

On his first day of sixth grade in 2018, Neil Zhu (9) walked through the gates of Mesa Verde Middle School with a sky-blue backpack slung over his shoulders and a translator app open on the cellphone gripped...

Joey Earnest plays the music he composed and recorded on the also saxophone at his wedding reception, Aug. 8,2016

Earnest plays through highs, lows

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor December 17, 2021

As the piece started coming to a close, band teacher Jeri Webb swiftly lifted both hands, letting all the band members know that the end was near. Awaiting the last measure, everyone played the last...

Through the years: Wong pursues mechanical engineering

Through the years: Wong pursues mechanical engineering

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor December 17, 2021

In August of 2002, Jenny Wong took her first steps onto the Westview campus. Many freshmen at Mt. Carmel were given the opportunity to transfer to Westview that year. “[Westview] definitely felt...

Tennis advances to Regionals

Tennis advances to Regionals

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor November 19, 2021

In this year, Westview’s varsity girls tennis team has become very successful, capturing second place in the CIF League tournament.  “We’ve all been practicing really hard both during school...

Selling limited edition items takes away from the collecting experience

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 29, 2021

The Pokémon franchise started in 1996 and since its debut, has grown to become worth around $92 billion. One of their more recent enterprises has been  the launch of a collaboration with Oreo, Sept....

Luke Forster (12) blocks a spiked ball during beach volleyball practice while Marko Lipovic (12) gets ready to receive. Varsity members practice by playing king of the court with the junior varsity team to mentor the younger players. Photo by Jenna Ho-Sing-Loy.

Boys beach volleyball climbs to 7th in SD

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor October 8, 2021

After not having a season last year, the boys beach volleyball team is back and playing in games. With a record of 3 wins and 1 loss this season, Noah Lim (12) said he feels like the team is good...

Alexandre Leroy (12) finishes a four-and-a-half mile run at practice. The team is preparing for the next invitational tomorrow.

Cross country team competes at CCA invitational

Abby Siu and Swasti Singhai September 17, 2021

The cross country team competes in a series of races separated by grade, the cross country team at the CCA Invitational, Sept. 4.  Even though it’s early in the season, Alexandre Leroy (12) said...

Girls volleyball bonds with new players, wins Classical tournament

Girls volleyball bonds with new players, wins Classical tournament

Abby Siu, Final Focus Editor August 27, 2021

With tough competitors like Rancho Bernardo, and the season just getting back to normal, the girls volleyball players have started to reconnect with each other and form relationships with the team’s...

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