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The School Newspaper of Southwest Career and Technical Academy.

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

Southwest Shadow

Designing cards, junior Katrina Siphonexay works hard on drawing. “We were making cards for the elderly,” Siphonexay said. “That’s why I chose nostalgic characters, like Teletubbies and Care Bears. We also wrote positive messages, so we could uplift their spirits.”
CLUB PREVIEW: A LOOK INTO THE WEEK OF APR. 21
HOSA, Jam Club, and Key Club meet this week
Achilles Caranto, Staff Writer • April 22, 2025
HOSA collaborates with an awareness group, Jam Club prepares for their next performance, and Key Club makes Teacher Appreciation cards.
With his band The Red Pills, sophomore Aldrich Razon performs at last year’s Coyote Coachella.  At the time, the band consisted mostly of seniors. “The Red Pills are currently down to three members currently in Southwest,” Razon said. “But we have talked about performing, so it’s highly likely that we’ll be performing. We’re going to be having a meeting tomorrow to discuss what songs we’re going to perform and practice those songs.”
Annual Coyote Coachella To Return
Getting Ready to Rock Out And Jam
Rheyland Simon, Staff Writer • April 9, 2025
Coyote Coachella is coming to our school again on April 10 from 2 to 4 p.m., with students in our school showing their hidden musical talents.
Jhone Ebert has officially been elected by the CCSD Board of Trustees. Ebert has been a prominent figure in CCSD for over 30 years, and is now serving as the first official female superintendent. Photo Credit: CCSD Newsroom
CCSD Elects Jhone Ebert as New Superintendent
Board of Trustees elects their first female superintendent
Mason Rafferty, Staff Writer • April 8, 2025
Read on the new superintendent elect, and her visions and plans for the future of CCSD.
Participating in The Meteorology Association’s meeting activity, junior Joy Ryan scoops up dry ice bubbles. This week, the club will be debunking weather misconceptions and myths.
Club Preview: A look into the week of Apr. 7
FCCLA, TSA, The Meteorology Association, and Amnesty International Club meet this week
Kylie Dacquel, Standards and Practices Editor • April 8, 2025
FCCLA recaps their State Leadership Conference, TSA hosts their final meeting, The Meteorology Association debunks weather misconceptions and myths, and Amnesty International Club prepares to sell items at Coyote Coachella.
Discussing the book of the month, junior Adrienne Vera-Perez shows off her favorite page. This week the club will be continuing with their book of the month titled “The Nickel Boys.”
Club Preview: A look into the week of Mar. 31
Psychology Club, NHS, and Book Club meet this week
Kylie Dacquel, Standards and Practices Editor • April 1, 2025
Psychology Club learns about humor, NHS prepares for board nominations, and Book Club discusses their book for March.
At the first senior event of the school year, seniors Philipos Alebachew and Rediate Hunde show off their childhood backpacks for a photo to commemorate the moment. One of the final senior events, field day, will take place Thursday.. “Our main theme of StuCo for the year is nostalgia, and we wanted to bring back that and just have a fun thing for our whole class,” Event Planner Amani Rahman said. "[The Senior Field Day] theme is bubble guppies because we also  wanted to bring back your childhood like what we did for the senior sunrise.”
Class of 2025 to Hold Senior Field Day
Senior Field Day Will Be Held on April 3 From 2-4 pm on The Field.
Celia Evangelista, Staff Writer • March 31, 2025
Seniors Are Encouraged to Come Have Fun at One of Their Last Events of The Year
Leading a general meeting, FBLA President Aryana Boyd speaks to the members. Necessary information relating to state was given out at these general meetings and workshops were hosted to help members prepare for their competitions. “Our most recent meeting, we went over role play events,” Boyd said. “At state, they’ll give you a strip of paper and you have a certain amount of time to answer the question on it. The board gave the members practice questions and just had them answer it in the same style they would at the competition. We felt like this gave them really good practice so hopefully they’ll be more than prepared for this upcoming week.”
FBLA Members to Compete in Upcoming State Business Leadership Conference
53 members to compete in varying events
Kailie Sicolo, News Editor • March 7, 2025
The field trip will take place March 9-12 in Reno, Nevada.
As part of the yearly tradition, Philipos Alebachew, Maximillan Aller, and Ava Nave came together to light their candles. This practice is done at every induction ceremony to officially welcome the students into the organization. “The candle ceremony signifies that when students are together, they bring a lot of light [to society],” NHS adviser Laura Penrod said. “Yet individually, they all bring their own unique light to the space.”
NHS Induction Ceremony Set To Occur March 7
Honoring academic achievement and leadership skills
Johnny Tao, Staff Writer • March 4, 2025
The NHS induction ceremony will welcome the newly selected members for the 2026 school year.
While prepping for SLC, HOSA held mandatory workshops throughout the month of February. SLC Coordinator Biridiana Magana Contreras said a few words to the competitors before releasing them to study for their events. "The challenges at SLC can vary," Contreras said. "If you're doing a knowledge test, the hardest part would be having consistent study habits. While with a skills test, it's a different situation because a lot of people got really nervous and that messed up their entire competition."
HOSA brings record-breaking number of participants to SLC
The event is to be held at Reno from March 5-7.
Jon Escala, Staff Writer • March 4, 2025

Hundreds of aspiring professionals will gather at the Nevada State Leadership Conference for a dynamic event filled with competition, leadership...

Practicing her educational philosophies, Teaching and Training II student sophomore Luna Rivera writes down her answers to the questions.  The upcoming field trip involves the basics of these philosophies to which it aims to help elementary students learn how to read. “I'm excited to get to go into classrooms and work with elementary students,” Rivera said. “It was something I was looking forward to ever since Ms. Penrod mentioned it.”
Teaching and Training Students Celebrate Nevada Reading Week
Students to Visit Forbuss Elementary to Read to Classes
Celia Evangelista, Staff Writer • March 3, 2025
Teaching and Training 1 & 2 will be visiting Forbuss Elementary on Thursday, March 6. EDU 260 & Teaching and Training 1, will attend on Friday March 7.
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
K-Pop Club, L.I.F.T/Bible Club, and Amnesty Club Meet This Week
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.
Freshman Class Historian Angel Samson works on a poster promoting the event. She’s helped design posters for Student Council ever since she started the class last semester. “It’s based on Valentine’s Day,” Samson said. “It has more activities, but it’s still like the previous freshmen Thursdays we’ve done.”
Student Council Creates Freshmen Hearts Festival
Sharing the Love In This New Event
Rheyland Simon, Writer • February 19, 2025

The Student Council (StuCo) has decided to rebrand the traditional freshmen Thursday event into a “Freshmen Hearts Festival” for February...

“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
Immersing students with the music and dance of West Africa
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
Welcoming Back Warm Fuzzies and The Kindness it Brings
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. 
Collecting money for the King or Queen of hearts fundraiser, President of the Book Club Adrienne Vera-Perez kindly asks for donations. She asked students to donate before class to help raise money for the American Heart Association. “I really appreciate getting the opportunity to help raise money for the American Heart Association,” Vera-Perez said. “I think they spread awareness about an important cause and I like that I get to do this for my club too.”
StuCo Begins The Yearly King or Queen of Hearts Fundraiser
All donations go to the American Heart association
Celia Evangelista, Staff Writer • February 13, 2025
The long awaited ‘King or Queen of Hearts’ fundraiser starts up again on February 11th.
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