Senior Issue 2023

The 22-23 Paw Print Staff

Editors-in-Chief

Alyssa Chang

Jaeeun Park

Lead Design Editors

Andrew Kang

Reya Mehta

Clarissa Zuo

Technology/Media Managers

Andrew Kang

Jasmine

Wongphatarakul

Lead Copywriters

Noor Baber

Alice Xie

Copywriter

Julia Kremenetsky

Business Manager

Lauren Guss

News/Sports Editors

Claire Chang

Lauren Guss

Vaneeza Lalani

News Writers

Raina Bae

Alyssa Chang

Alana Desai

Flora Dezen

Fiona Hardy

Inhyeok Hwang

Stephanie Khoury

Grace Lee

Kim Nguyen

Fahim Rahman

Stasha Waugh

Sports Writers

Patrick Grant

Ethan Lee

Colin Park

Op-Eds Editor

Noor Baber

Op-Eds Writers

David Lee

Reya Mehta

Jaeeun Park

Clarissa Zuo

Features Editors

Kimberly Ayson

Gillian Bui

Features Writers

Sophia Ho

Andrew Kang

Oliver Kostich

Julia Kremenetsky

Esther Pack

Jasmine Wongphatarakul

Alice Xie

A&E Editors

Minjun Kim

Isabella Truong

A&E Writers

Evelyn Lee

Daniela Lesmana

Alyssa Pascual

Anika Sachdeva

Pauline Santos

Table of Contents

Prom 2023: 4-5

Senior Shoutouts: 8-9

Who’s Going Where: 14-15

Siblings Minutes Apart: 19-21

Favorite Senior Memories: 24-26

A NIGHT OF NIGHTS PROM 2023

On April 29, Wildcats celebrated their “Night of Nights” at the Petersen Automotive Museum, spending the evening accompanied by companions and classmates. Students were able to experience their own High School Musical dream through this year’s prom as they danced the night away and celebrated the final quarter of the 2022-23 school year.

Junior Emily Kim, ASB vice president and one of the main coordinators for the event, described how ASB decided on the theme and location: “As we thought of several different options for the theme, it came down to the theme that held the best options for creativity in both activities and decorations for the venue.” Kim continued, “As for the venue, we visited multiple places and weighed our options. After visiting the Petersen Automotive Museum, seeing how cohesive and stunning the venue was, we immediately knew what to choose.”

In particular, this year’s promenade was themed around the iconic Roaring 1920s, with students adorning feather boas, pearl necklaces and sparkling gowns. Jazzy music, tons of casino games and various entertainment such as the FORZA motorsport racing experience kept students busy throughout the evening.

“While our ‘Roaring Twenties’ theme allowed us to host an elegant prom, the venue allowed us to have creative activities and decorations. The balance of both elegance and excitement definitely set this prom aside from others,” Kim explained.

Before the night officially kicked off, students arrived at West Ranch adorning dazzling gowns and dashing suits. For people with dates, matching corsages and boutonnieres dotted students’ outfits as they walked the carpet. Family members took the opportunity to take photos of their students before their Wildcats were whisked away to dance until their feet hurt.

Prior to transportation to the venue, students arrived in the large gym right before sunset, emotions running high with anticipation and excitement. Just like any other year, students were able to board the buses alongside their friends or dates.

“This prom theme and venue is absolutely beautiful and we were certain it would give such a cool vibe,” said junior ASB president Elizabeth Chaidez, another coordinator for the event.

As students arrived at the automobile museum, various different car models including the 1965 Porsche and even

Lightning McQueen kept students entertained. Vintage cars, silver decor and bright lighting throughout the entire venue kept things interesting for everyone in attendance.

“It was a great venue surrounded by a bunch of awesome cars,” senior Aidan Banayo commented.

Unlike other venues, the Petersen Automotive Museum consisted of three floors for students to explore. The first floor included a coat check, loading zone for buses and sleek black vehicles to admire. On the other hand, the second floor was designated for the car simulator, dance floor, dessert bar, arcade games, seating areas and a photobooth. To keep everyone hydrated, two drink bars with water and lemonade were available.

While the second floor had sweets including cookies, cupcakes and candy, the third floor had a dinner buffet. Upon reaching the top of a large spiraling staircase, students were met with tables full of salad, pasta, potato wedges, chicken and bread rolls. After the meal, a large outside balcony area with tons of tables and drink bars was available for students to sit at and eat with their companions.

In addition to food, the third floor provided casino games to play, a revolving slow-motion photo stand and the chance to simply explore the various cars throughout the location.

“It was a ton of fun being able to see my friends dressed up fancy and to overall have a great time with them,” Banayo explained.

The coronation for Prom Court took place as the night wound down, with the royal Wildcats being crowned at 10 p.m. The court nominees included: Chaz Hilst, Collin Tons, Djovan Velasco, Jo Jojo, Josh Kim, Stuart Soule, Drea Brink, Emily Fairbanks, Gianna Morales, Avery Van Harte, Lexy Hughes and Caroline Dolce. As the prom king and queen were about to be announced, a hush fell over the crowd and suspense grew. Hoots and hollers filled the car museum when Soule and Dolce were crowned as this year’s 2023 king and queen.

But, all good things must come to an end, and as the DJ exchanged upbeat music for songs full of serenity, students finished the night off in the arms of their friends or dates. Not long after, departure from the museum began, and students shucked off their heels and ties and boarded the buses.

Once arriving back on campus, students returned home and hung their outfits up. Sequins missing, threads loose and hair out of whack might signify to any onlookers a crazy night, but a fun one it was.

Story by Isabella Truong

Photos by Julia Kremenetsky and Duc Dang

Graphics by Andrew Kang

senior shoutouts

“To Jasmine Burd, thank you for being one of the nicest people I met throughout my years in West Ranch! I remember when I first met you in 9th grade in English class and you became my first friend in high school, and here we are seniors and you didn’t change a bit! I know you’re going to be a very successful person because I know very well that you’re a hard worker, and I hope that your future will be just as amazing as you are!”

- Sandra Abdelshaheed

“To: Fira Rosete—I’m so glad we met last year and you quickly became one of my best friends. I love talking about music with you and hearing your input about different artists. I can’t wait to make more memories with you after high school!!”

- Allie Welch

FIRA & ALLIE

“Ben Snow is one of the coolest people I know. He has the fashion style of a king and the chillness of a block of ice. He is also extremely kind and inclusive.”

- Ashton Keeler

To Aryah Mcvay: “Hey mama, I love you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for everything; I am beyond thankful for you. My best friend <3.”

-

Aubrey Rogers

“To Jada Ocuma: You will always be one of my favorite people. I would choose you over food I guess...”

-

Adaobi Ogbuagu

“Dear Grayson Gill, thank you for being my brother from another mother.”

- Ty DePerno

Photos by Reya Mehta

“Jasmine Wongphatarakul, my favorite senior in the Paw Print, Lia and I are very proud of you. Women in Stem.”

- Cathryn Riel

DONNAH & HAEUN

“This is to Donnah Moon. She is such a kind person and she was always there for me when I was at my lowest. She is the weirdest and one of the funniest people I know and my right-hand man. I am very thankful to have such a good friend.”

- Haeun Park

“For Sophia Chahayed, who is the most jacked senior. Everyone should know me and her are the superior Sophias of the school. Much love, xoxo.”

- Sophia Staub

“My favorite senior is Sophia Staub. She is so jacked, even more than I am. Me and her are the most powerful Sophia duo and we dominate fr. Love her.”

- Sophia Chahayad

“Man, Joshua Rashtian is the realest funniest kid I’ve ever met. He is my favorite for sure.”

- Joshua Rashtian

“Brady Van Bennekum, it’s okay to not eat chili dogs. You will live.”

- Connor Reyes

BRADY & HIS CHILI DOG

“Dear Tara Matsushita, thank you so, so much for being such a great friend. I love our silly In-N-Out trips during lunch and getting to talk to you about many different things whether it be about our day or problems. Thank you for always being there for me and being such a great friend since junior high. I will always be grateful for you.”

- Trini Yabut

Artists in action

Story and photos by Anika Sachdeva and Alice Xie

emily von busch

Inspired by her mother, West Ranch senior Emily Von Busch found her passion for theater at a young age. Initially, Von Busch joined her elementary school’s theater program, where she played many roles including the mermaid in “Peter Pan,” the Madhatter in “Alice in Wonderland” and the Tinman in “Wizard of Oz.” She has recently participated in many school and community theater programs.

She continued her journey at West Ranch where she played Sandy in the musical “Grease” and the strawberry seller in “Oliver.” Her favorite

has such an interesting and creative mind. He was just super cool and exciting to work with. He had so many visions and it was really cool to see them put on stage,” she expressed.

To pursue her passion, Von Busch plans to attend College of the Canyons and transfer to a performing arts school. “I am really excited to continue my acting because musical theater is also something I am really passionate about. I have been working on my voice, and on my dancing.”

“I always wanted to be up on stage in front of people and I like performing for people. I like making people smile. I like making people laugh. I like getting reactions out of them,” Von Busch explained.

Shannon lee

Growing up as an avid consumer of animated video games and TV shows, West Ranch senior Shannon Lee found her passion in entertainment design. More specifically, Lee plans to pursue concept art and design at ArtCenter College of Design, in the hopes that one day, she will be able to create art and characters for the films and games she grew up with.

Throughout high school, Lee has worked individually on a few different projects, which has pushed her to embrace her interest in character design. “I’m working for a volunteerbased animation group where I’ve been working as a concept character designer, and I think that really carried over to what I want to do in the future. [The group] is full of people who are already working in the field, so they’ve mentored and helped me,” Lee

explained.

Lee noted that of the various projects and art pieces that she’s done, her favorites tend to be the ones inspired by games and films she enjoys: “I do my own versions of the characters and backgrounds [from] games that I’ve been playing. Shows and games that have inspired me include Arcane, Genshin Impact and Overwatch.”

As she progresses into the entertainment industry, Lee explained that she is most excited to “talk to other people who have similar interests and to be able to work on a project that other people are also excited about.”

When asked about what she looks forward to most in her future career, Lee said: “Honestly, it’s the [fact] that one day, you can be part of those things that you really enjoyed when you were younger.”

Avery Van Harte

West Ranch senior Avery Van Harte developed her passion for film at a young age by making animations with American Girl dolls. The ability to combine components of music, writing and cinematography into a single film captivated Van Harte. Later on, she furthered her interest by joining Rancho Pico TV and West Ranch TV.

During her time at WRTV, Van Harte filmed and edited one of her favorite productions, the Space Jamthemed basketball game promotion video. “It was really fun to work with all the sports teams to make a really fun electric video that gets everyone hyped and excited. Also, editing was

to watch like Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach and Chloe Zhao. [I love] seeing how talented the people [are] that I have worked with, their ideas, ability to create things and their motivation and determination to continue working in this field every single day,” she said.

As Van Harte is headed off to USC for Cinema and Media Studies at the School of Cinematic Arts, she is excited to learn about the “grander scope of the industry.” As someone who wants to work on productions promoting women and minorities, Van Harte hopes to work for a production that aligns with her values.

“Film, to me, I think it’s such a unique art form and that it can kind of capture a lot of things in one,” Van Harte concluded. “It has the ability to capture so many things about relationships or emotions or just the human condition that a lot of other things don’t have.”

Dante Frangipane

With both his brother and sister in the music industry, West Ranch senior Dante Frangipane hopes that he too can enter the music scene as a producing songwriter. Frangipane will not be pursuing music in college, but his lifelong passion for music has led him to harbor an interest in becoming a sound engineer: someone who helps prepare the audio tracks for hit songs played on the radio.

Frangipane’s inspiration to pursue music comes not only from his siblings, but also from the evolving boundaries of what it takes to create and count as music. “I think the diversity of music and how it’s up for interpretation is really what interests me because anything can be music, it’s really up to the person and what they think and what they like,” Frangipane explained.

Frangipane added that his favorite “genre[s] of music would be alternative rock or hip hop” because of how the genres are “always changing and flowing.” As he continues to be exposed to the ever-changing music industry and songs in his favorite genres, Frangipane hopes to delve deeper into “the different types of music [he] can create and what type of instruments [he] can learn.”

In terms of his future, Frangipane hopes that in five years, he will be “a big name producer or musician.”

Already, Frangipane attributes the success of the solo songs he’s worked on to the individuality of music and his own personal style, saying, “music is subjective, so do what you believe you want to do, [and] don’t conform to other people’s opinions of music.”

STEM SENIORS

Story and photos by Jasmine Wongphatarakul, Alice Xie and Kimberly Ayson

West Ranch senior Swarada Kulkarni always knew her passion lay within the subject of neuroscience. Through her science classes and her volunteer work at the hospital, Kulkarni decided to commit to this field of study and continue her education at Vanderbilt University.

Kulkarni’s interest in the subject stemmed from her natural curiosity of the inner workings of the human body. Kulkarni expressed, “In my biology and chemistry classes, I’ve always wondered why the human body works the way it does, and neuroscience helps explain that. It helped clear a lot of my questions because the brain helps to govern the whole body.”

Swarada Kulkarni

Vanderbilt

NeuroScience

West Ranch senior Ethan War has always found solace in video games. His passion for playing has led him to decide to major in computer science at UCSD. War hopes that one day he will be able to translate his gaming hobby into a job in video game design, following in his father’s footsteps.

War’s interest in computer science began to flourish after taking two AP computer science classes offered at West Ranch and a few additional classes at various community colleges. To him, the subject is appealing because of “the challenges that come with computer science. I like how it makes you think abstractly and I think that’s really cool and something that I’m good at.”

Computer science is a vast field, covering everything from artificial intelligence to human computer interaction, but War said his favorite part of the subject is the actual coding. “I like the programming, I like the algorithms and I like the logic that goes into it,” War detailed. In order to sharpen his programming skills, War has learned multiple coding languages and programmed several apps in his free time, both for classwork and for personal gain.

War explained that his inspiration to learn computer science stems from “The continuing innovations [in coding] and how games are using better graphics, how they’re getting better every day.” He hopes that in the future, he will be able to find work “at a big name video game company down here in LA as a level designer just like my father.”

The decision to practice medicine is a long and hard educational journey. However, Kulkarni has predetermined multiple career goals she hopes to achieve throughout the next fifteen years. “In five years, hopefully, I get into medical school. In ten years, I’m out of medical school, and I’m doing a residency for neuroscience. In fifteen years, I’m making $500,000 a year as a neurosurgeon.”

Kulkarni’s commitment to pursue a STEM-related field was always an instinctual decision. Her volunteer work at the hospital and inserting herself in an environment she will soon dominate has given Kulkarni that extra step in her career as she sees first hand why she chose neuroscience. “When I volunteer at the hospital, I see how passionate the doctors are in helping people so I thought I want to do that too.”

Ethan War

UC SAN DIEGO COMPUter Science

Sophia Paz

SantA CLARA Web Design and Engineering

West Ranch senior Sophia Paz’s passion for engineering stemmed from a summer coding camp called Kode With Klossy that is focused on empowering young women in STEM. Paz plans to spend her next four years pursuing web design and engineering at Santa Clara University.

Paz ultimately decided on web design and engineering as she “found it appealing how [she] can build so many websites in any style through code.” Her favorite part of the subject is the final product after planning and building a website.

“Seeing everything that you have built and collaborating with a group of people who have the same goal is what I love about coding and engineering,” explained Paz.

A project Paz worked on was a website called (G)-STEM, which targets the gender gap in STEM and encourages young women to join computer science and engineering. Paz enjoys creating websites for social good and hopes to strengthen her skills in college so she can continue to build apps for people and communities.

When building websites, Paz takes inspiration from different portfolios and other software engineers. She admires their work and perseverance in the field. Seeing the work they have done has inspired Paz to pursue a career in the tech industry.

After college, she hopes to become a user experience and interface designer or a software engineer at a large tech company. To those wanting to pursue engineering, Paz advised, “Don’t think that engineering is just building and computer science is just coding. There is so much more to them, and you can create amazing things through code.”

Mathematics has always been West Ranch senior Chad Park’s favorite subject. Since he was young, Park enjoyed going to math class and taking on tough problems; he hopes to build upon his love for math by majoring in applied mathematics at UC Berkeley. Park aims to graduate with a degree in applied mathematics and then pursue data science in graduate school and later on in the workforce.

In Park’s case, the decision to major in the field of mathematics comes from a natural aptitude and understanding of the subject. “I really enjoy going to math class. I’ve always been good at math and it just came naturally to me compared to subjects like English and history. I also love data because I love statistics too,” Park explained.

“I think solving difficult questions is what interests me, and even though it might take a while, I like to think outside the box and that’s the challenge that math brings,” Park said of the reason he chose applied mathematics. For Park, every problem poses an enticing challenge, waiting to be solved.

More specifically, Park has found his calling in statistics, which he hopes to use in his future at UC Berkeley and in his endeavors as a data scientist. While discussing his future career, Park explained, “Some of the topics I want to tackle are climate change and deforestation because I do like hiking a lot. I love nature and I want to make sure we have nature for prosperity by projecting data for deforestation in order to raise awareness for climate change and the need to keep our earth alive.”

UC BERkELEY Applied mathematics

Chad Park

Who’s Going Where?

Graphics by Andrew Kang

The class of 2023 was accepted into more than one hundred universities, colleges, and specialty programs across the country and around the globe. Here are a few of the universities our graduates will attend next year! Please note that this is not a complete list of student admissions.

Where?

Sports Commitments

Story by Patrick Grant

Bille Issa Track

To play a sport at a high level is difficult enough on its own, but to acquire a college scholarship is an achievement that takes years of hard work and dedication. Our school is proud to have numerous athletes who will represent West Ranch on the highest stage of collegiate athletics.

Since joining the track team in his freshman year, Billie Issa has been a cornerstone for West Ranch’s roster, especially in distance events. This year, Issa set the West Ranch record in the 3200 meter, and is seconds away from another top spot in the 1600 meter.

A big contributor to Issas’s success was former West Ranch runner and current coach, Ryan Painter.

“My coach, Ryan Painter, was always a big supporter, he used to run here and has always helped motivate me,” Issa said.

Issa’s efforts have culminated in his accepting a scholarship offer from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he will be attending next year.

“I’m pretty excited,” Issa said. “I’m not sure how it’ll go, but I’m excited for the next step.”

Victoria Davis has earned a trip to the Big 12 and Baylor University following a tremendous high school volleyball career.

Davis acknowledges her supporters first, explaining, “My parents are my biggest supporters. My mom also played collegiate volleyball, and she would drive me everywhere, pay for all my stuff, make sure I’m on time and get all the training I needed. My dad has cheered me on in every single one of my games and helped me develop the mental toughness side of my sport.”

Her performances during her four varsity seasons have earned her a prestigious spot on the Baylor roster, a team which just finished their season with a 25-7 record, placing them second in the conference.

Davis is excited for her future as a Bear. “Honestly it’s kind of scary, I feel like going to the next level is always scary, because everyone is good. Everyone is the top of their class, everyone is going to be an amazing player. It’s going to be about finding my rhythm and being able to show what I can do. It’s scary, but it’s also encouraging.”

Victoria Davis

Photos by Alyssa Chang, Jaeeun Park and Duc Dang

Volleyball

Geneva Cesoni will be 50 miles from New York City next year, playing lacrosse at the United States Military Academy West Point – something that she couldn’t be more excited about.

“Once I started playing lacrosse in 6th grade, I immediately fell in love with it right then and there. I wanted it to be my sport in college and there was nothing else that could fulfill my passion,” Cesoni explained.

West Point’s lacrosse program is currently finishing up a successful year, where they amassed a 13-2 record at the time of writing and have rattled off wins against nationally ranked opponents.

Geneva Ceconi

Lacrosse

After Deperno finishes his last season with West Ranch, he will be accepting an offer from the Navy to continue his baseball career at the United States Naval Academy.

Playing collegiate baseball has been a dream that Deperno has had for a long time.

“I’ve been playing baseball for a long time now, and growing up I got better and better. I realized I had the ability to go play at the next level. It was always a goal of mine,” Deperno said.

At West Ranch, he will leave a legacy of on-field success. Deperno has compiled a .339 batting average over his four years, helping West Ranch see league-wide success.

It is difficult to see a longtime player go, but Deperno is ready to take on Annapolis as a part of the Navy team.

“I’m a little nervous, but it seems like a great environment,” Deperno explained. “All of the coaches were really cool, down to earth and they seem like they want me to be there, so I’m excited.”

Eunice Yi has had to make sacrifices in order to play golf at Pomona College next year.

“The biggest thing was being unable to spend time with my friends because I constantly had to practice, especially in the summer of my junior year. That time is really important for recruiting, so being distant was hard,” Yi said of the sacrifices she’s made.

However, the extra time spent on the green will be worth it, as she will now be able to play with a women’s team that just punched their ticket to the NCAA division three championships.

Her strong presence on West Ranch’s women’s golf team will be sorely missed, but Yi will be pursuing greater things at the next level.

Baseball Golf

Eunice Yi

Although her journey was long, Nadia Bernard has come out triumphant with a scholarship to play basketball at CSU Long Beach.

Unlike many other recruits, Bernard doesn’t believe she was gifted with natural talent. Instead, she found her way to success by working her way to the top through grit and determination.

“Starting in freshman year, I was definitely further behind than everyone else, so it was always like trying to catch myself up” Bernard explained.“With that came a lot of hardships, having to work my way to the top.” But she didn’t do it alone. There was always someone in her corner when things got difficult: “My dad was my biggest supporter. He played professional basketball himself so he trained me, and pushed me and taught me everything I know.”

Bernard will be competing in the Big West next year on a Long Beach team that just went 17-3 in their conference. Her ability to make it to the next level is not only a true testament to her character, but also an inspiration to all athletes at West Ranch.

Nadia Bernard Jonathan Gim

Swim

Jonathan Gim will be far from home and swimming at Brown University next year, where he can continue a dream he has had for a long time.

“In 8th grade, I realized I had the potential to take [swimming] to the next level, so I thought I might as well take it all the way,” Gim said.

He has certainly reached that next level. Gim has set two West Ranch records, one in the 100 yard backstroke and one in the 100 yard freestyle, making him poised and ready to dominate league opponents and fellow division one competitors at CIF.

As for his departure, Gim is looking forward to taking the next step.

“I’m excited to study, live and swim all on the same campus. That is something I have always wanted in my life and being able to go to school with all of the guys and follow their footsteps is something I’m really excited about.”

West Ranch basketball has experienced a renaissance over the last three years, and one of the main factors behind its rebirth was the arrival and emergence of Andrew Meadow, whose efforts have rewarded him with a scholarship to Boise State University.

Meadow has displayed a dominant high school career, where he spent all four of his seasons on varsity and put up otherworldly numbers on Foothill League opponents.

But to reach the status he has now wasn’t easy. “Going in everyday and doing the work, it’s not easy. There’s a certain level of dedication you have to have, and not everyone has it,” Meadow explained.

West Ranch will miss him on the floor next year, but Andrew Meadow will have moved on to greater things. West Ranch is proud to have an alum in the Mountain West.

Basketball BASKETBALL

Andrew Meadow

Siblings Minutes Apart

Senior twins and triplets at West Ranch

Danielle Julianne

The Hwang Twins

What’s your favorite part of having a twin?

Julianne: We love being able to confuse people. People are always telling us to pull tricks. Once in elementary school, we switched classrooms. Danielle: And no one even noticed.

Julianne: We were in Cancun last week and when we were coming back to the US, the TSA person who was checking us in couldn’t find me. It turns out that they had put both of us under Dani’s name, so I didn’t exist in their system and it was difficult for me to return.

Do people ever confuse who’s who?

Julianne: When it was Mr. Fisher’s first day, he tthought we ‘tricked him’ because he didn’t know that Dani was a twin. And he saw me and realized it was just really funny.

The Dolce Triplets

Is triplet telepathy real?

Caroline: To some extent. It’s not really real, but it’s more just that we’re siblings and we have the same nurturing.

Josephine: One time, I cut my hand open and I bled and fainted from it, and then my sister fainted right next to me. Then, Jonathan woke up from sleeping just to say that Caroline was being dramatic, so I don’t even know.

Caroline: Yeah, I like genuinely blacked out. My lips turned purple and it was really weird.

Jonathan: I would say that because we’re triplets and we had very similar childhoods, naturally, we just think very similarly.

Do you have any future plans together?

Josephine: We’re all very different, but we’re all going to Denmark somewhere together. Just us.

Caroline: We’re all going to different colleges and definitely have different majors.

Jonathan: Even though we are triplets, we’re all kind of in pursuit of our own interests and everything, so we all really are our own person, despite the fact that we are part of three.

Story and photos by Julia Kremenetsky and Gillian Bui

Caroline Jonathan Josephine

The Mitchell Twins

Do you guys ever say the same thing at the same time?

Hannah: We do that all the time. We say the same things all the time and also text each other the same things at the same time.

Olivia: Yeah, when someone says “Hi!” or “Bye!” to both of us we always say it back at the same time, in sync.

Do you guys have any favorite memories together?

Olivia: We had a moment one time when we both chipped our teeth within a few weeks once in elementary school.

Hannah: Oh yeah! She chipped her tooth doing something and then I chipped my tooth 3 weeks later and then we both had chipped teeth.

Olivia: Yeah, and that lasted a few years until we had to get like a bonding treatment to get that fixed.

Abigail

The Lin Twins

Do you have any favorite memories?

Ethan: I just remember watching a video when we were babies and she chomped off my finger, and that was pretty funny when we re-watched it.

Abigail: Yeah, we got into some battles.

Do you have any future plans together?

Ethan: We have a plan that we’re going to go on Amazing Race together.

Abigail: Maybe Survivor, too.

The Fernandez Twins

What’s your favorite part of having a twin?

Sophia: I always have constant entertainment. There’s always something going on when you have a twin.

Samantha: I like that I have clothes to share.

Sophia: Um, let’s not act like we “share” clothes. We fight over clothes everyday.

What are some memories you’ve shared together?

Sophia: Once when I was on Sam’s shoulders, I fell, and she broke my wrist.

Samantha: I didn’t break it! She fell.

Sophia: She broke my wrist because she fell on me and my wrist broke.

Samantha: She literally fell by herself.

Sophia: She literally pushed me through a glass door.

The Lopez Twins

What’s your favorite part of having a twin?

Niana: We’re never alone. We have the same classes, we’re not alone at school, and always have a friend.

Natalia: We’re always there for each other.

Niana: Because of that, everyone says that we’re really close. We do a lot of things together. We have the same interests, we have the same music taste, almost the same style.

Natalia: We watch a lot of movies and share clothes a lot.

Is twin telepathy real?

Niana Hm…Think of a number. 1…2…3…

Niana: 2 Natalia: 8

Niana: Guess not.

The Crane Twins

Do you guys participate in any twin shenanigans?

Brette: Sometimes we make jokes about switching even though we’re clearly different.

Reed: “I’ve impersonated Brette for online things on certain occasions, but we can’t really disguise ourselves as each other though.”

What are some funny memories you’ve shared together?

Brette: A lot of people think that I’m Reed’s younger brother, and that can be funny because then they say that we don’t look like twins.

Reed: One time, Brette was going to one of my band concerts and some one asked “Oh! Are you going to join band when you go to high school?” I just sat there laughing for a couple of minutes while he explained to them that we were actually twins.

The Imperial-Pham Twins

Do you guys participate in any twin shenanigans?

Cody: Sometimes people have mistaken him for me and me for him. We almost switched classes in elementary school, but we got called out for that. The teachers couldn’t even tell us apart.

Cameron: We trick a lot of people into believing that we’re one person, and they believe it until they see us both at the same time.

Do people often get confused because you’re identical?

Cody: People sometimes mistake him for me and me for him.

Cameron: A lot of people say I have softer features and Cody has sharper features.

Niana

Natalia

Cody Cam

ON HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPATION

Story by Noor Baber, Clarissa Zuo and Reya Mehta

Photos by Clarissa Zuo F

People often talk about how amazing of an experience high school is: the nostalgia, incredible memories and lifelong friendships. Media often portrays high school and teenage years as a sensationalized frenzy of parties, crazy adventures and dramatic, transformative experiences.

Many of us definitely had some lofty expectations about where we would be once we left high school. That we would have some idea of what we wanted to pursue after four years, and move smoothly from childhood and the familiarity of our social bubbles into the “real world.” High school, as we are conditioned to think, comprises some of the best years of our lives — a time of unforgettable memories with friends, new experiences and the simultaneous burdens and freedoms of growing up.

Looking back on the last four years, it’s safe to say that our high school years didn’t go exactly as planned — the word “unprecedented” comes to mind, but we’ve heard that term enough in recent times.

Right from the beginning, freshman year was off to a rough start. Fall semester was marred by natural disasters and major fires that forced shutdowns and evacuations. The trauma and pain in the aftermath of the shooting at Saugus High School burned into our collective memory, becoming something our small community will never forget.

Of course, the next chapter of high school was completely overshadowed by the pandemic — a year-and-a-half of distance-learning, followed by a tumultuous semester of returning to in-person classes. As we return to some semblance of normalcy, it’s easier to make memories and treasure unforgettable moments — rallies and sports games, club events and activities and fun times with friends.

As seniors, we can see the good amidst the bad. It’s simpler to realize that high school is nothing more than what you make of it, and no single experience is identical. But that begs the question I know many of us will be asking ourselves when we walk down the stage to accept our diplomas: Did I do enough?

Did I join enough clubs, did I talk to enough people, did I make enough friends? Did I leave an impact?

“In high school, I was involved in ASB — specifically the rallies commission,” said Gabrielle Ottaviano, a soon-tobe graduate. “I think it was impactful because of how fun it was. I probably put many hours into ASB a week, and I formed a lot of relationships that I know will be long lasting.”

Senior Veronika Pirog said, “I was involved in speech and debate, and the general activity of studying like my life depended on it.”

The customizability of our high school experiences created lots of important memories and lessons we can take away.

“West Ranch was always such a fun experience,” Ottaviano expressed. “I think getting involved made it the best because I was able to feel a part of something, and create friendships.”

High school is the ideal place to form strong, lifelong bonds for many students. Much larger than elementary or junior high, it’s the place where you can grow the most and discover who you are, and what you like.

Late-night FaceTime study sessions were Pirog’s favorite way of forming relationships through academia. “I heard the smartest AP students say the dumbest things,” she added.

One of the most critical parts of the high school experience is, of course, academics and extracurriculars. From the moment we entered high school, we were often told the importance of staying involved — finding a niche of extracurriculars and classes, and growing in those subjects over the years.

Ottaviano explained how her primary extracurricular changed her high school experience for the better: “I formed a lot of

relationships that I know will be long lasting, and I am forever grateful for the amazing friendships ASB has given me.”

Pirog, who competed in Lincoln-Douglas debate, expressed that she participated in the activity for “too many [hours] to count.” Her resulting increase in confidence is something that will stick with her forever.

West Ranch math teacher Mrs. Brosche is the advisor of several clubs on campus. “Each of the clubs are special because they bring together people of common interests and goals,” she said. “It’s so much fun to see students be involved in things and shine when they get to do things they are passionate about.”

As we approach graduation, it’s hard not to feel a bit terrified of everything that’s to come. For those of us who are headed off to college and/or will soon join the workforce, we may feel a combination of exhilaration and trepidation.

“I believe that we do an excellent job at West Ranch at preparing students for many options in students’ futures,” said Mrs. Brosche. “Being involved in activities of interest can especially help students find their passions, learn how to navigate the professional world and get that release from the stresses of academics — plus, surrounding themselves with others of similar interests helps them to hone those interests and skills that will be needed in their future.”

But high school participation is, ultimately, up to the student.

“Take the class that’s not an easy-A and grow, seek help when needed, find a club, sport or activity to be deeply involved in, make an effort in creating lasting relationships, learn how to maintain your physical and mental health, etcetera,” Mrs. Brosche listed.

The past four years have had their unique ups and downs, and it hasn’t exactly been easy. We’ve gone through many difficult times — a once-in-a-century pandemic, a shooting in our own Santa Clarita Valley and the confusion of distance learning.

But there are also many invaluable memories and lessons we can take away from our experiences. In the end, high school is a time to learn. Yes, it is a time to have triumphs and celebrate successes, but it is also a time to make mistakes. It is a time to grow, and to learn more about yourself. It is a time to try new things, and to be unafraid of stepping outside of your comfort zone. The resources we use and teachers we have are there to support us and guide us on our journey. What we choose to do in these four years will shape our experiences in university and onward. It equips us with the tools we’ll need to forge our own success. What matters most is how we use these tools to help us in the future.

Seniors, we know it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or apprehensive about the future. In just a few months, we’ll be heading off to college or into the workforce — a significant first step into the realm of adulthood. We’re not the same people we were when we started high school, and each of us has experienced our own setbacks and growth.

Reflecting on the value of her extracurricular participation,Senior Erin Ha said, “I do think that high school prepared me for higher education and work, but not because of anything that anyone else did. I feel like it was definitely like an independent learning thing.”

In the end, it is so important to take the experiences we’ve had beyond the gates of West Ranch and incorporate them into our future education and careers. High school is entirely what we make of it, and it’s time to use the lessons we’ve learned in the next step in our lives.

Class of 2023, it’s been a long journey, but together, we made it to graduation. Now is the time to celebrate your accomplishments, and reflect on your experiences. We wish you all the best of luck, and we’re so excited to see what comes next!

FAVORITE SENIOR MEMORIES

Story by Gillian Bui, Sophia Ho and Julia Kremenetsky

Photos submitted by interviewees

“During junior year, a couple friends and I played tag in the little grassy area behind the baseball field. I really wanted to play tag because it was sunny that day and it was Friday, but my friends were reluctant. Eventually I convinced them though and we played for the entirety of lunch.”

- Nathan Portiz

“I remember student servicing for one of Mr. Burrill’s Alg II/Trig classes where a group of boys near my seat called themselves ‘The Rock Pile’ and they made that class very entertaining!”

- Alexandria Welch

“Coming to AP Studio Art with Caden Lee, making art and laughing together.”

- Shushan Onanyan

“While my parents were watching a movie in November 2022, I created a Math challenge on Blooket.com. I designed it for my Math Club, but they never got around to participating in it. However, I have had several other groups of people interested in participating. These included multiple West Ranch teachers, many West Ranch students, family, and even my former NASA Internship colleagues.”

- Jacob Gerhart

“My core memory of high school was getting lost at one of our rival games. A few of my friends were trying to find me while I was following the marching band kids and nearly got hit in the face with a trumpet.”

- Parinita Singh

“Kidnapping all of my friends to surprise them for each of their birthdays.”

- Eshel Ahmad

“Sharing the best moments at the pep rallies with my friends and buddies, during school events as well.”

- Juan Suarez

“My favorite high school memory is probably being Swim League Champions. It is my favorite because my friends (Donnah, Lexy, Tori) and I got a school record for the 400 freestyle relay. It was satisfying to see us win majority of the divisions after a hardworking and fun season.”

- Haeun Park

The Paw Print’s Senior Reflections

Minjun - Going to class at 7 a.m. almost every day might sound crazy, but if you ask me a million times if it was worth it, I’d say that it was worth it a million times.

Reya - Journalism has always been my favorite hour of the day. Loved spending the last four years with some of the greatest people I know.

Jasmine - I’ve always wanted to write a senior reflection since I was a freshman in The Paw Print. I will actually miss waking up early even though I show up late to class. Thank you for four years, and I hope you remember me. :)

Lauren - I don’t like waking up early but this class taught me that it’s possible, and I got to see all my friends each morning and bring snacks. I’m gonna miss ranting about things that are barely relevant to them and I hope more people do this program.

Noor - The past four years of journalism have been so fun, and I’ve made so many great friends. I’ve learned so much about being a better writer and designer, and I’ll always remember cramming to meet deadlines, and enjoying the occasional donut on sleepy mornings.

Kimberly - Applying for journalism in my sophomore year was one of the best decisions I made during my time in high school. I love interacting with everybody and collaborating with so many talented people. I am so grateful for what this program has offered me.

Clarissa - I love you, Paw Print, you have seen me at my worst. Literally, since I do my makeup routine during class.

Jaeeun - It’s hard to believe it’s already time to leave The Paw Print team. I appreciate all of you that made this final issue possible. I’m proud of all of us for how we have grown in our time together, though this class never ceases to impress me with the sheer audacity of grammar mistakes they make sometimes. Thankfully, based on the amount of dedication our juniors have shown, the future’s looking bright. Don’t fall off the wagon near the end, kids. You’ll do great next year. Probably. Well, that’s about it, folks. As always, thank you to our readers and our 22-23 team for a good run. I had fun.

Alyssa - The Paw Print is family for me. They are the only group of incredible people that could motivate me to be on campus at 7 a.m. every morning for the past four years. In every story I approve, read, and edit, I find inspiration from the beautifully idiosyncratic perspectives. The countless hours we spent together will forever hold a special place in my heart. From the frantic lunchtime export sessions and the stress of deadline seasons to the Fun Fridays and late-night layout discussions, there is no better team I would have gone through it with. It has truly been a privilege working as part of such a passionate community of writers and thinkers representing West Ranch. My eyes are brimming with tears from the flashbacks of the past four years as I’m writing this letter, but that just goes to show how indescribably wonderful this experience has been. Thank you 22-23 Paw Print staff for being so incredible, and remember: Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat!