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WA Ghostwriter

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April 15Queer community voices uncertainty under Trump administration
April 15In fine feather, WATA’s “Stupid … Bird” achieves spot at METG finals
April 8Bonakdar aims to immerse WA students in diverse culture of Japan
April 87 mystifying books to satisfy your curiosity
April 6McLaughlin set to retire after 22 years of building WA a more inclusive community

News
Features
- Teacher Q&As
Sports
Opinions
- Columns
- Listicles
Reviews
Multimedia
- Photos
- Podcasts
- Videos
Arts & Games
Print Archives

More

The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

Search this site

News
Features
- Teacher Q&As
Sports
Opinions
- Columns
- Listicles
Reviews
Multimedia
- Photos
- Podcasts
- Videos
Arts & Games
Print Archives

More

The student news site of Westford Academy

WA Ghostwriter

Search this site

McLaughlin set to retire after 22 years of building WA a more inclusive community
Elitsa Koleva, Co-Editor-in-Chief | April 6, 2025
Photos: WA Boys’ Volleyball takes a 3-0 victory against Nashoba Regional
Diya Patel, Staff Writer | March 29, 2025
The benefits of having a part-time job as a high school student
Victoria Farley, Co-Sports Editor | March 24, 2025
Four major takeaways from Westford’s 2025 Annual Town Meeting
Kate Kelly and Grace Hsu | March 23, 2025
Game changer: Nielsen kicks off WA Girls’ Flag Football
Kate Kelly, Co-Managing Editor | March 20, 2025

A poster for the Japan Trip greets students on a bulletin board near the main entrance.

Bonakdar aims to immerse WA students in diverse culture of Japan

April 8, 2025

A picture of a stack of books in the library.

WPS budget cuts force interventionists out, leaving students and teachers without support

April 4, 2025

Student filling out resume template for the Junior Job Shadow.

Westford Academy juniors prepare for future with the Job Shadowing Program

April 3, 2025

The board game "The Game of Life" surrounded by dollar bills.

Play “The Game of Life” with Student Senate’s first-ever Credit for Life Fair

March 29, 2025

Trending Stories

1

McLaughlin poses in her office.

McLaughlin set to retire after 22 years of building WA a more inclusive community

2

Members of the GSA pose for a photo against a Pride flag.

Queer community voices uncertainty under Trump administration

3

The shocking downfall of Ruby Franke in the '8 Passengers' documentary

The shocking downfall of Ruby Franke in the '8 Passengers' documentary

4

WATA performers and crew pose for a group photo at the METG.

In fine feather, WATA's "Stupid ... Bird" achieves spot at METG finals

5

A poster for the Japan Trip greets students on a bulletin board near the main entrance.

Bonakdar aims to immerse WA students in diverse culture of Japan

News Tips & Story Ideas

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Members of the GSA pose for a photo against a Pride flag.

Queer community voices uncertainty under Trump administration

April 15, 2025

WATA performers and crew pose for a group photo at the METG.

In fine feather, WATA’s “Stupid … Bird” achieves spot at METG finals

April 15, 2025

WA DECA poses in the gym before States.

DECA prepares to fly above the competition at ICDC

April 4, 2025

Towers proudly stands with the Boston Theater Marathon's twenty-third anthology, one of the many anthologies containing his ten-minute plays.

Towers scripts success with award-winning playwriting

April 2, 2025

Costa Rica poster hung up in Bonakdar's classroom.

WA prepares for international trip to Costa Rica

April 1, 2025

The books mentioned in the listicle arranged in a circle

7 mystifying books to satisfy your curiosity

April 8, 2025

Soundbytes: How is stress affecting juniors during second semester?

Soundbytes: How is stress affecting juniors during second semester?

April 5, 2025

Photo of the babies from the child development baby project.

Child Development should be a high school must: it preps you for life’s little surprises

April 2, 2025

A photo of breakfast ingredients.

A student’s guide to a quick and healthy breakfast

March 27, 2025

The PAC, where many students will take their DLTs

Students should take advantage of the DLTs WA provides

March 25, 2025

Reviews

The shocking downfall of Ruby Franke in the '8 Passengers' documentary

The shocking downfall of Ruby Franke in the ‘8 Passengers’ documentary

April 5, 2025

"Novocaine's" movie poster features a unique comic-book-like style that unfortunately never appears in the movie.

‘Novocaine’ is a numbingly bland viewing experience

March 27, 2025

Split Fiction Cover

‘Split Fiction’ is exceptionally fun but misses the details

March 27, 2025

Gomez and Blanco's album cover for "I Said I Love You First"

Gomez’s album ‘I Said I Love You First’ explores nuanced themes of love

March 25, 2025

The official album cover for 'Short n' Sweet (Deluxe)'.

Dessert is served with Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe)’

March 14, 2025

Photos: WA’s first Polar Plunge sends wave of success, raising over $8000
Kate Kelly, Co-Managing Editor | March 14, 2025
Photos: WA Boys’ Basketball gets defeated 60-71 at home against Lexington
Gabriel Freeman, Staff Writer | February 24, 2025
Photos: WA Gymnastics narrowly finishes in 2nd place against AB and CC
Saanvi Arora, Executive News Editor | February 2, 2025
Photos: WA Girls’ Basketball crushes Bedford in 60-40 victory
Katie Fonden, Photography Editor | January 26, 2025
Photos: WA Boys’ Basketball defeated in home game against Acton-Boxborough
Ellie Lawrance, Staff Writer | January 22, 2025
Photos: Girls win, Boys lose in WA Varsity Basketball double header
Katie Fonden, Photography Editor | December 27, 2024

News

A poster for the Japan Trip greets students on a bulletin board near the main entrance.

Bonakdar aims to immerse WA students in diverse culture of Japan

Nidhi Ratheesh, Staff Writer • April 8, 2025

English teacher Lynn Bonakdar is organizing a Westford Academy trip to Japan in the spring of 2026, with the tour set to take place from April...

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wa_ghostwriter

Westford Academy’s Student Run Newspaper.

Westford Academy Theater Arts' (WATA) performance

Westford Academy Theater Arts' (WATA) performance of "Stupid ... Bird" took them from being preliminary round victors, to semifinal champions, to finalists at the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild (METG) competition.

Read more at the link in our bio.

DECA is prepared to bring 38 out of their 268 memb

DECA is prepared to bring 38 out of their 268 members to ICDC in Orlando, Florida. Behind the competition itself, there is an immense amount of preparation that not only comes from the students but from the club advisors. Click the link in the bio to read more on this.

The bell rings and the hallways flood with student

The bell rings and the hallways flood with students, their laughter joining in with a chorus of sounds. Surrounded by the constant bustle of high school, it can be difficult to notice the note of nervousness in someone’s laugh, the slight frown on someone’s face. But amidst this buzz, there is one person that seeks to piece these nuances together, finding the sense of connection that may be missing amongst students: guidance counselor Tracy McLaughlin.

Finding the connections that are missing between students requires a deep intuition, something which McLaughlin has gained after working with students throughout most of her life. After 22 years at WA, McLaughlin will be retiring at the end of this year, proud of the work that she has done to form a more open and inclusive community.
Click the link in our bio to read more!

Westford Academy juniors are about to take a big s

Westford Academy juniors are about to take a big step toward their future careers through the Junior Job Shadow program on Tuesday, May 20. This annual program allows students to spend time at a workplace to learn firsthand about a specific job and industry, which helps them figure out their interests for life after high school.
Click the link in our bio to read more!

Westford Public School (WPS) elementary schools ar

Westford Public School (WPS) elementary schools are required to cut nine interventionists for the 2025-2026 school year, reducing the number of positions from 24 full time interventionists to 15. The cuts are a result of the necessary budget reductions outlined by the School Committee at their Dec. 9 School Committee meeting. Click the link in our bio to read more.

At WA, there is a child development class to learn

At WA, there is a child development class to learn more about pregnancy and all the aspects that teenagers should know. This class is only an elective, but it should become a required course.

Making this class a required course would be very educational for all students, especially those in relationships.

Click the link in the bio to read more!

When WATA Artistic Director Michael Towers is not

When WATA Artistic Director Michael Towers is not directing passionate actors for hours after school or guiding older theater through the production of their own plays, he can be found sitting at a desk in his home office, his headphones blaring and his mind turned on. Focusing primarily on ten-minute plays, Towers is also a playwright, who has won many awards and has had plays recognized across four continents.

Read more at the link in our bio.

Check out our latest feature: WA prepares for inte

Check out our latest feature: WA prepares for international Costa Rica trip.
It is a yearly tradition for Westford Academy to provide students with the opportunity to travel on an international trip. In 2023, WA students traveled to Greece, then Italy in 2024, and come April break, a group of 31 students and five chaperones will be going to Costa Rica on a trip led by English teacher Lynn Bonakdar.

Behind the scenes, athletic trainers are some of t

Behind the scenes, athletic trainers are some of the most important people working in athletics. They do everything from helping with physical therapy to taping up players before a game. However, WA’s very own athletic trainer goes beyond the tasks his job requires; he is also a lively spirit in the athletic community. During March, National Athletic Trainers’ month, Westford celebrated Bill Bombaci who puts his heart and soul into supporting all of WA’s athletes. Read more at the link in our bio.

WA Boys’ Lacrosse defeated Groton Dunstable Regi

WA Boys’ Lacrosse defeated Groton Dunstable Regional High School last Saturday morning in their home opener game. WA played through harsh weather and preserved through with strong offense. Check the link in our bio to read more.

At first glance, “Novocaine” starring “The B

At first glance, “Novocaine” starring “The Boys”’s Jack Quaid has all of the elements of a perfect action-comedy movie: a likeable hero, an admirable goal, a dependable sidekick, and even a distinctive plot device. Yet, in spite of its seemingly perfect setup, Novocaine fails to produce an engaging experience that leaves a memorable impression.

Click the link in our bio to read more!

At WA, DLTs are offered to many students, but are

At WA, DLTs are offered to many students, but are rarely taken advantage of due to either loading schedules up with challenging classes or the stigma around it being a free block rather than a planning block. However, on the contrary, they are incredibly beneficial to overwhelmed students or students who struggle with burnout. Click the link in our bio to read more.

Westford Academy’s Student Senate will be hostin

Westford Academy’s Student Senate will be hosting a Credit for Life Fair in the main gym on Monday, June 2 in the days leading up to graduation. The members aim to promote financial literacy amongst seniors through different booths to prepare them for life after high school.

To read more, click the link in our bio.

Breakfast is commonly said to be the most importan

Breakfast is commonly said to be the most important meal of the day, but it is classically skipped by students.

The WA Ghostwriter created a poll on Instagram that asked the students of WA two questions: “How often do you have a nutritional breakfast?” and “What is the biggest obstacle in having a full breakfast?”

48% of the 130 students who answered the first question said that they rarely had a full breakfast, and almost all of the 21 students who commented to the second question said that time was the main constraint in getting a full breakfast.

Click the link in the bio to read more!

Hazelight Studios has been at the forefront of the

Hazelight Studios has been at the forefront of the asymmetrical co-op genre with previous titles such as A Way Out and 2021 Game of the Year It Takes Two. Their latest title Split Fiction includes some of the same magic as previous games, but it has narrative weaknesses that their past projects don’t.

The action-adventure platformer game follows two passionate writers, Mio Hudson (Kaja Chan) and Zoe Foster (Elsie Bennett), who are two of six authors invited to Rader Publishing’s headquarters to test a new machine. When Mio sees the machine in person, she has second thoughts and Rader Publishing’s outraged CEO J.D. Rader (Ben Turner) accidentally shoves her into the same chamber of the machine as Zoe. The unlikely duo is forced to work together when they realize they are stuck in a simulation while “The Machine” steals their stories and ideas.

Click the link in our bio to read more!

Next February art teacher and varsity volleyball c

Next February art teacher and varsity volleyball coach Brandon Eang and dean Betsy Murphy plan to take a group of WA students on a trip to Cambodia. The trip will share Eang’s culture and life before coming to America, exposing students to Cambodia’s culture and history.
To read more, click the link in bio!

Kathi Sullivan, co-founder of Sullivan's Message,

Kathi Sullivan, co-founder of Sullivan's Message, shared her story with the freshman and sophomore classes about dealing with alcohol abuse on Wednesday, March 19 during advisory.

To read more, click the link in our bio.

Throughout the four years of high school, students

Throughout the four years of high school, students begin to set personal goals, hoping to lay a foundation for their future. Overloading schedules with high-level classes and participating in varsity sports every season of the school year is how many students believe they can set themselves up for the future. However, having a part-time job as a high school student provides significant benefits including career experience and financial responsibility. Read more with the link in bio!

Check our latest news article: Westford builds com

Check our latest news article: Westford builds community & celebrates neurodiversity with LEGO building event

Link in bio!

Women have made an incredible impact throughout hi

Women have made an incredible impact throughout history and they continue to today; from Marie Curie to Malala Yousafzai, women have changed the world for the better. Even though people such as Curie and Yousafzai are well known in today’s society, there are still many more impactful women that have gone unnoticed. At WA, the Women in STEM Club has dedicated itself to commemorating Women’s History Month. Read more at the link in our bio.

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The student news site of Westford Academy

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