The School Newspaper of Southwest Career and Technical Academy.

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow
Introducing the meeting with a game, senior Haris Gibirila hosts a pop culture icebreaker to Amnesty Club attendees before discussing future projects. This week, the club will focus their meeting on forms of freedom and expression.

CLUB PREVIEW: A LOOK INTO THE WEEK OF FEB. 24

Achilles Caranto, Staff Writer
February 26, 2025
K-Pop Club prepares for next performance, L.I.F.T/Bible Club watches a Christ-centered film, and Amnesty Club talks about freedom and expression.
Dribbling the basketball away from the defender, sophomore guard Alyssa Atkins-Dowd looks for an open teammate to pass to. The game was between the Desert Oasis Diamondbacks and the Faith Lutheran Crusaders. “My family supports me playing basketball,” Atkins-Dowd said. “My dad is a basketball coach, and he, my mom, and my oldest sister, Nadia, always show up to my games. In every game that I have, there's at least one family member there supporting me from the bleachers, which I’m very grateful for.” (Credit: @dbacks_wbb)

Shooting For Her Dreams: Meet Alyssa Atkins-Dowd

Johnny Tao, Staff Writer
February 24, 2025
Through her love and dedication to the game of basketball, Alyssa Atkins-Dowd hopes to one day become a professional player for the WNBA.
Much like in “The Matrix,” I feel as though I have also been given a choice between the red pill or the blue pill. Should I commit to liberal arts, or should I remain content with STEM?

Career Dilemma: Am I Making the Right Choice?

Shayna Migalang, Opinion Editor
February 24, 2025
Should my love for humanities overpower my desire to be seen as “valued” in society? Should I give into the bright future that the world of STEM promotes, even if it is not my passion? What is even happening anymore?
The government has been systematically dismantling every institution advocating for the advancement of Black People. Photo Credit: © 2016 Pixabay

The Erasure of Black History Month

Philipos Alebachew, Editor in Chief
February 24, 2025
The push to erase Black history is a step toward erasing Black identity itself.
“Flip it, Kick it!” encapsulates the feeling that teens are experiencing as they grow up, an interesting flip on the usual debuts seen from other K-pop groups. Rating: A Photo Credit: © 2025 JYP Entertainment

Flipping the K-pop Scene with ‘Flip it, Kick it!’

Kylie Dacquel, Standards and Practices Editor
February 24, 2025
JYP Entertainment’s new boy group debuts ready to flip the usual standards of K-pop.
Posing with his student, Michael Hadobas and Razelle Antipuesto branch out their plates they submitted for their contest. The two had competed in the competition “Flavors For Life,” where high schools compete against each other to make a dish from a mystery basket of ingredients. “It was very fun,” Hadobas said. “I felt quite proud to win!”

Sugar, Spice, Everything Nice: Meet Chef Michael Hadobas

Mason Rafferty, Staff Writer
February 21, 2025
Michael Hadobas shares his journey in the culinary field
The titles valedictorian and salutatorian are awarded to the two brightest students in a graduating class. Yet, the difference between the way that they’re treated is substantial.

Salutatorian: The Prestigious Title For Being Just Short of Greatness

Johnny Tao, Staff Writer
February 20, 2025
The honors of valedictorian and salutatorian have been used for over a century, but one of these titles does not hold as much significance as it may appear.
To practice for the English ACT, juniors Veronica Zamudio and Solia Carroll are trying to agree on an answer. “I think I was overthinking a lot of it, so I couldn’t really get a lot of questions right,” Zamudio said. “I was too scared to answer because then I would have gotten them wrong.”

An Hour In … AP English Lang and Comp

Hunter Rhee, Multimedia Editor
February 19, 2025
AP Lang students work on ACT practice.

Visit One of The Many Unique Exhibitions in Area15: Wink World

Yara Ahmed, Shadow Files Reporter
February 17, 2025
Learn more about Area15's exhibitions.
“Living Rhythms” performer Greg Ince leads his fellow drummer Dakarai Ince through the Kuku rhythm. This popular rhythm was played at a fast tempo. “I found the music to be loud and powerful,” junior Ryan Cruz said, “It was really interesting seeing how they displayed their ability to show their culture through dramatic movements and sounds.”

BSU organizes first-ever “Living Rhythms” performance during lunch

Jon Escala, Staff Writer
February 14, 2025
Students experience a taste of traditional African music in the cafeteria.
Students exchange compliments with their peers while giving out yarn from their ‘warm fuzzies.’ This event created moments of kindness that will be remembered after the activity ends. “Warm fuzzies are something people can wear around their neck on Valentine's day,” Senior Class Secretary Alexis Taing said. “You can give out words of affirmation, like saying, ‘Hey! You have a nice outfit today.”

Warm Fuzzies Return for Valentine’s Day

Isabella Sandoval, Staff Writer
February 14, 2025
A StuCo tradition of spreading love around the school and bringing students together as a community is brought back every February to boost students' confidence in themselves and others. 
Valentine's Day Around the World

Valentine’s Day Around the World

Hayden Hunt, Staff Writer
February 14, 2025
Learn more about how other countries and cultures celebrate the day of love
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