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The School Newspaper of Southwest Career and Technical Academy.

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

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.
Spinning her cup with the string length longer than before, senior CJ Estrellas laughs while trying to keep a hold of the cups rotation. By increasing the string length, the tension is increased as well as the risk of the cup’s water falling out.  “We have all these components and it’s really important [to get them right] because it can risk people lives,” Estrellas said. “They can risk your own life. Its like preventing risk factors, and that’s why applying it [physics] to real life is a real eye opener because I really saw what was going to happen if I make a mistake or don’t understand principles and calculations behind it [our project].”

An Hour In… AP Physics Lab

Ava Torres, Features Editor
February 12, 2025
Students in AP Physics Lab apply mathematical and physics related principles to real life

AN HOUR IN … CULINARY III

Kevin Zhao, Staff Writer
February 6, 2025

Checking in, junior Ash Hsi looks over at their partner’s progress. Some groups took a more humorous approach to the project. “We put [our partner’s height] range between five feet and 15 feet,” Hsi said. “We wanted them to be really tall, but we couldn’t find a specific height we were all comfortable with, so they’re just a stepladder.”

An Hour in… Communications 102

Shayna Migalang, Opinion Editor
January 30, 2025
After learning about gender and how it affects relationships, students in Communications 102 designed their ideal significant other.
Placing his ball down, senior Luis De Casas takes a turn at the mini golf course designed like a cannon. The activity provided students a new hands-on experience outside of the classroom. “I’m not at great at golf,” De Casas said. “It’s difficult, especially aiming for a straight shot and just trying to get it to go through. I had fun today though, I got to golf with my friend and the weather’s nice out here.”

An Hour In … Design Crafts

Kylie Dacquel, Standards and Practices Editor
December 12, 2024
Find out students opinions on their mini golf activity and each other's courses.
Preparing to scare people at the Trunk or Treat haunted house, senior Breeana Rodriguez dresses up as an acrobat. She was inside the haunted house throughout the whole event. “Hearing people scream is hilarious,” Rodriguez said. “I made sure to make my look as realistic as possible to scare people.”

An Hour In … Trunk or Treat

Amelia Castellanos, Staff Writer
November 5, 2024
People celebrate Halloween at the Trunk or Treat event.
Pencils sitting at the tips of yard sticks, Art 101 students draw each other’s faces. The students were learning how to be precise without holding the pencil directly in their hand. “She made up draw anyone in that group without looking at the paper,” senior Kai Cruz said. “It was overall funny to see how we could draw someone without looking at the paper.”

An Hour In … Art 101

Zelina Panissidi, Social Media Editor
October 25, 2024
Find out how students in Art 101 are able to draw without looking at the paper.
To prepare for the AP test, senior Andre Aquino is working out problems on the white board. He’s been practicing these problems for many weeks now, and thinks that he’s going to do well with the help of the teacher. “I think it’s definitely a very energetic way of teaching,” Aquino said. “I feel like it does get me ready for Calculus. I feel very awake when I’m in this class.”

An Hour In … AP Calculus AB

Hunter Rhee, Multimedia Editor
October 18, 2024

 

Preparing her notes for her speech, junior Mikayla Manaligod tackles her topic. She focused on refining her points before the class presentation.“We started with watching a video from last years speech and had us grade the speeches based on a few categories like nonverbal, hand gestures, posture, and tone,” Manaligod said. “Right now were just finishing our speeches up.”

An Hour in … Communications 101

Amelia Castellanos, Staff Writer
October 11, 2024
Students in Communications 101 work on their speeches.
After a long stretch of gameplay, senior Micah Tiongson takes a break to get a drink of water. Breaks are regularly taken to ensure students played to their full ability. “It was like 100 degrees and I was really thirsty,” Tiongson said. “You can risk getting heat stroke and passing out in this heat so I always make sure to drink water.”

An Hour In … PE

Philipos Alebachew, Editor in Chief
October 4, 2024
Students from the Physical Education course and Lifetime Fitness courses participate in various sports to stay active.
With a crochet hook and yarn in hand, Fibers I teacher Brandon Lafountain demonstrates how to join separate crochet pieces together. Students were given the creative freedom to crochet an accessory according to their skill level. “We started with our crochet basics,” Lafountain said. “Now they get to choose either to do a hat or a bag.”

An Hour In … Fibers I

Rylee Del Moral, Shadow Files Reporter
September 28, 2024
Students in Fibers I demonstrate their crochet skills.
With the help of his teammates, sophomore Cameron Kefale weighs out the precise amount of sodium bicarbonate needed for the lab. Students had to work together in groups to execute the procedures. “Personally, I loved working with my teammates when it comes to labs like this,” Kefale said. “The mass of all the different substances had to be spot on because otherwise, the result might come out different.”

An Hour In … Chemistry H

Johnny Tao, Staff Writer
September 25, 2024
Chemistry H students completed all the lab stations and wrote down their observations.