With the dawning of a new decade and another step towards a new millenium, the 1990s witnessed the Persian Gulf War, the Clinton presidency (and its accompanying scandal), the availability of the internet for unrestricted commercial use, and various worldwide political shifts as countries and groups struggled for equality and independence. Just as current events across the country and the globe affect our everyday interactions, attitudes, and lifestyles, these events reached high schools and influenced curriculum, student organizations, as well as student’s attitudes, values, and form of expression. In the 1990s, West Springfield High School began to lean towards teaching the curriculum in a way that was geared towards the development of the individual as well as a sustained interest in global affairs, life at home, journalism, and the arts; as these aspects of everyday life flourished during the decade.

Created by Elshadai Melkam, WSHS Applied History, Class of 2019