The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle
The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle
The Student News Site of The Webb Schools

Webb Canyon Chronicle
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Austin on the Block Episode One

Austin Ra and Connor Plunkett
November 1, 2021
Connor Plunkett
Austin Ra (’23) interviews Samuel Zeiden (’23).
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More to Discover
More in Audiovisual
Alexandra Wang (‘27) took this photo on her balcony back at Arcadia, documenting the rapid spread of the Eaton fire in Altadena. Along with the dry Winter weather and rapid blowing Santa Ana winds from inland, the fire exponentially increased in a short period of time, spreading fear among many local residents as well as Webb students tracking the hourly growth of the fires on the Calfire website, “I noticed that the Eaton Fire was getting close to my home in Arcadia on the evacuation map on Tuesday night, so I was kind of worried,” Kevin Wang (‘27) said. Boarding students with homes near the fires felt anxious especially, fearing their family’s potential evacuation.
Gale Force Tuesday: Webb tackles extreme winds and the Californian fires
New Years Resolutions
New Years Resolutions
Theme Night Highlights
Arts Adventure
Arts Adventure
Optic Nerve: Art, Light, & Installation
Optic Nerve: Art, Light, & Installation
SoCal Marine Life
SoCal Marine Life
More in Columns and Series
Standing in front of the Jackson Library, Stephanie Ma (‘25), Co-Editor of Opinion and honor council member, ponders over Neria Spence’s “Disband the Honor Council” Hot Take Tuesday. Disagreeing with the hot take, she decides to respond.
HC Corner part 2: response to Hot Take Tuesday “Disband the Honor Council”
Sophie Lin (‘26) sits in the common area of Jones dormitory with a guitar on her lap, writing a song. Music is a shared interest and hobby among many Webb students because it can easily resonate and connect with different people. “I really appreciate the beauty of melodies. I can express myself freely through music.” said Sophie.
How to write a song
Steven Whishek, Director of Athletics, and Students on the Unbounded Discover Catalina course pose while taking a short break after a hiking through the Catalina Island mountains.
Discover Catalina
Students who attended the History of LA through Sports unbounded trip pose together in front of a memorial statue of Kobe Bryant at SoFi Stadium. Webbies were able to celebrate his legacy and learn more about his impact on the history of sports.
History of LA through Sports
How To Be Creative
How To Be Creative
Before entering the United States Courthouse for the Central District of Los Angeles for a criminal trial and meeting with Judge Maame Frimpong (‘93), Webbies posed for a picture to commemorate this experience. Webbies’ formal attire immerses them in the professional world. “I was definitely inspired by the court case...and Judge Frimpong as well,” Christina Teng (‘27) said. Watch the video to find out more about the Women in Leadership Lab Unbounded!
Women in Leadership
More in Culture and Lifestyle
Kenny Clay (‘25) poses with his mother, who beams with pride after Kenny’s concert. Mother’s Day looks different for Kenny as a boarding student. “I can't be with my mom for Mother's Day this year,” Kenny said, “You have to work with the distance.” Despite the immense distance between them, Kenny still finds a way to make his mom feel special on Mother’s Day.
Moments for mom: how Webbies celebrate Mother’s Day.
In today's digital age, highschoolers get the opportunity to explore the different ways that social media can be used. Students at Webb have found ways to enjoy the content creation experience. “In terms of boarding school content, I like making long form content because people can binge watch it when they are doing chores or getting ready in the morning,” Jayden Aleman (‘26) said. “But, if I ever want to hit a quick dance, then I would steer to short form content.” Instead of shying away from major platforms students like Jayden have built the courage to create uplifting content.
How to embrace social media and content creation
The Webb Schools’ calendar is filled with fun events that bring the community together. In October, Halloween transforms the campus with haunted houses and Zombie Apocalypse organized by the prefect council. As the year ends, the Holiday Party offers cozy activities like caroling, hot cocoa, and gingerbread house decorating. In the spring, Jubilee celebrates student talent with music and dance performances. Theme Night, the highlight of Theme Week, features class skits and dances that show off creativity and teamwork. These events are an important part of life at Webb, creating a lively and welcoming community.
Which Webb event matches your vibe?
During lunch, many Webb students pack into the library to sit together and do homework. Due to the busy schedule that Webb puts on students, a lot of them try to start their homework early so their work is not overwhelming in the evenings. “I usually go to my dorm or the library to do homework during lunch,” Sochika Ndibe (’26) said. “I usually have many hours of homework to do every day, so I like to get a head start on it, so I am not working on homework for hours at a time.”
Stress affects teenagers’ mind across all school environments
While watching Terrifier 3 for the first time, Christina Young could not keep her eyes open as she was grossed out by the disturbing murders. The Terrifier films have always been popular for its comedic killer, Art the Clown, and for the gruesome killings that many see as a challenge to watch, and others see as unnecessary and the murdering of children immoral. “I have watched only Terrifier 3, and that was enough for me,” said Christina Young (‘25). “I was terrified to say the least.”
Was Terrifier 3 too gruesome?
Webb students Freya Fu (‘26), Sebastian Saeedy (‘26), and Thomas Chiu (‘26) mimic a common scene Webbies exhibit during finals or assessment-heavy weeks. To combat Webb’s stressful nature, events held by various leadership groups—such as the PA’s Stress Less Week—aim to create a more peaceful environment on campus. "Typically, I go to the Stress Less Week events and have fun, but this year I wasn’t really stressed, and it was really cold when they held the water balloon fight,” said Maya Chin (‘26). Whether Stress Less Week effectively achieves its goal of reducing stress, considering its planned activities and timing, is called into question, making it necessary to explore what an ideal version of Stress Less Week might look like.
Webbies Visualize their Ideal Stress Less Week
About the Contributors
Austin Ra
Austin Ra, Editor of Audiovisual
Returning with a rupture of exuberant energy and ready to express his thoughts, Austin Ra (‘23) is prepared to continue his journey at the Webb Canyon Chronicle. Aside from preparing for college applications during the summer, Austin spent his break from Webb in his medical summer camp, where he proposed multidimensional approaches to debatable medical issues. For instance, he was not afraid to discuss the high price of insulin and argue for the medicines he believes are important. Austin’s ability to openly voice his opinions allows him to strive in humanities classes and be a good candidate for the roles of day student prefect and Editor of Audiovisual for the Webb Canyon Chronicle. “In journalism, I can express what I want to express, have a sizable platform, and have credibility of my works,” said Austin. This year, he wants to continue producing quality work and promoting the publication’s media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. In addition, he hopes to continue sharing his own perspectives on school events and social issues.   “Skating in Central Park” by Bill Evans and Jim Hall  
Connor Plunkett
Connor Plunkett, Editor of Audiovisual
An expert of the humanities, Connor Plunkett (‘23) returns to the Webb Canyon Chronicle as the Editor of Audiovisual for his final year in the program. While Connor enjoys debating and listening to music — specifically Kanye West and MF Doom — most of his time is dedicated to soccer, a lifelong passion he inherited from his family. Whether he is hanging out with friends or enforcing the Honor Code as the co-chair of the honor committee, Connor’s charismatic personality makes him a standout presence on the Webb campus. Despite preferring challenging humanities classes with historical and literary analysis, Connor’s focus and expertise are the WCC’s media section, contributing to podcasts and vlogs alike. His favorite film is La Heine, and he’s currently reading The Brothers Karamazov, both incredibly intense and sophisticated pieces of media and perfect testaments to Connor’s originality and intellect in his approach to journalism. Connor can’t wait to revive “Austin on The Block” and draw future journalists into the WCC with his magnetic work.   Favorite song: “Devil in a New Dress” by Kanye West