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The School Newspaper of Southwest Career and Technical Academy.

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

Toxicity’s relationship with gaming has created a negative image over the years. The extreme pervasiveness of toxic players has left most with no options, but to simply tolerate and normalize the behavior, despite its hatefulness. "I’ve played online games practically my entire life, so I've had my fair share of toxicity," sophomore Ashley Harris said. "Unfortunately, we can never get rid of toxicity anywhere, and we do what we have to do to get rid of trolls and rude people. We do our best to make a safe bubble for everyone, which is what the rest of the gaming community needs to replicate."Photo Credit: Florian Olivo

The increasing toxicity of gaming culture

Hanae Furugaki
April 30, 2021
Toxicity and its normalization continues to exist it online gaming communities.
IN MY EYES: Ethan Tabamo

IN MY EYES: Ethan Tabamo

Naila Yazdani
April 29, 2021
Learn a little bit about sophomore Ethan Tabamo and his daily life.
Infographic: Restoring Our Earth

Infographic: Restoring Our Earth

Hannah Paine
April 27, 2021
Find new ways to stay sustainable with green technologies and innovative thinking.
After her audition with Nickelodeon, junior Franchesca Ramirez hopes to remember this moment in her life. Ramirez has done multiple auditions with Nickelodeon and other shows in hopes of pursuing acting. “that audition opened up a lot of doors for me as it was my first time auditioning for Nickelodeon,” Ramirez said. “In the span of a year, I have auditioned around 20 times for them now!” Photo Credit: Franchesca Ramirez

Enthusiastic, flourishing actress: Meet Franchesca Ramirez

Naila Yazdani
April 21, 2021
Devoted to acting, junior Franchesca Ramirez hopes to one day fulfill her dream of becoming a famous actress.
Through social media posts, sophomore Van Anh Nguyen shares her enthusiasm and appreciation towards the world of makeup. She showcases her cosmetology skills through her posts and wants people to realize how amazing the medium of makeup really is. “I love doing sharp and striking looks,” Nguyen said. “As Nicki Minaj has once stated, ‘Who wants to look simple, when you can look stunning?’” Photo Credit: Van Anh Nguyen

Makeup Enthusiast: Meet Van Anh Nguyen

Aila Pasic
April 20, 2021
Having a passion for makeup for several years now, Van Anh Nguyen has been posting makeup looks to showcase her skill in the medium.
2021 Sweet Tooth Contest

2021 Sweet Tooth Contest

Julia Jauregui
April 8, 2021
We ask students their favorite dessert spot as the heat is slowly rising.
Draw My Shadow: Abigail Humphrey

Draw My Shadow: Abigail Humphrey

Kayla Thomas
March 26, 2021
Sophomore Abigail Humphrey shares how she started editing videos.
Southwest Shadow Asks: Nia Anderson

Southwest Shadow Asks: Nia Anderson

Madison Land
March 26, 2021
Nia Anderson answers questions ranging from her favorite film to what her personal motto is.
Where Are They Now: Allyana Gorospe

Where Are They Now: Allyana Gorospe

Kayla Thomas
March 22, 2021
Take a look into the life of SWCTA graduate Allyana Gorospe.
Key Club board decided to get together for a picture of the new board members and since this was during quarantine, it made it a little more challenging. Key Club is only one of the clubs, out of many, on-campus that represents leadership and teamwork. “We were taking our annual board photos because we weren’t able to take them in March before quarantine began,” junior Daniella Sayson said. “These people on board helped me overcome the part of me that was always shy and introverted. I’m very thankful that I’ve been able to be around such fun and memorable people.” Photo Credit: Cody Barrameda

Becoming a leader

Naila Yazdani
March 22, 2021

From learning how to work in a team, to how to engage with diverse groups of people, leadership of a student organization is pretty much a teenager’s first job. This role impacts the way people act in...

Building the bridges to a covid-free world

Building the bridges to a covid-free world

The pandemic has adversely affected our country in a myriad of ways. Here, we go beyond the stats and numbers and zoom in on how each of us were impacted.
Where are They Now: Nikki Molina

Where are They Now: Nikki Molina

Hanae Furugaki
March 19, 2021
Class of 2016 graduate Nikki Molina is now a Navy engineer.