surveyor
cWr
page 11: newest attractions downtown
Volume 57
Issue 2
30 September 2013
about us... mission
The Surveyor is established as a school-sponsored open forum dedicated to informing and entertaining its readers. The staff will report as fairly and well-balanced as possible. All activities and news will be covered to the best of the staff’s ability. The Surveyor accepts the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics as the basis for good journalism. Readers are encouraged to express their viewpoints through guest editorials. The Surveyor also welcomes letters to the editor, with these guidelines: it is not libelous or obscene, it explains the material clearly, it is not longer than 500 words, and that it is signed.
non-discrimination policy
It is the policy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age (employment only), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status (students/program only) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. District employees with questions or a grievance related to this policy should contact Jill Cirivello, Director of Human Resources, 319-558-2421; jcirivello@cr.k12.ia.us. Students and others should contact Aaron Green, Director of Student Equity, 319-5582964; agreen@cr.k12.ia.us. The District mailing address is 2500 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405-1015.
editors
MJ Kamin, Editor-in-Chief Hannah Jonasson, Managing and Photo Editor Michael Andersland, News Editor Eric Loeffelholtz, Business Editor Michelle Zumhof, Arts and Entertainment Editor Andi Lawrence, Profiles Editor Ian Schweiger, Sports Editor Bridget Williams, Opinions Editor
reporters
Peter Klopfenstein Elijah Wolter Anna Rizer Amy Wilkie Cameran Williams
Elijah Wedel Mitch Fisher Willow Evans Emmy Buonadonna
adviser
Kyle Phillips
2 Meet the Staff
Hannah Jonasson Managing Editor
what’s inside? 17 4 School Board elections The Fantasticks! Heat Wave Construction
Fantasy Football Fall Sports preview New coaches
sports
news
Home schooling Canvas Roses and Thorns Blue Zone
7
20
a&e
opinions cover story feature:
11 14
Downtown Cedar Rapids: What’s new and how Warriors are involved.
Cedar Rapids Public Library McGrath Amphitheater CSPS Brewed Cafe NewBo Market New Faces at Wash Where in the World are Warriors?
profiles MJ Kamin
Upcoming events Divergent review Kiss Land review Wash’s Improv
Editor-In-Chief
24
Hannah’s location of the month
photo Table of Contents
3
Little Change With School Board
Emmy Buonadonna Staff Writer
On Sept. 10, 2013, four-year term. The title over 1,000 Cedar of District Three Director, Rapidians entered however, was put between patriotic colored Keith Westercamp and voting booths, Lawrence Wenclawski. prepared to cast Westercamp has been a their votes for this member of the school year’s school board. board since 1997, setting While there were Wenclawski up as the multiple categories challenger. Westercamp’s to vote for, the one focus was on respect of the majority of the others and even distribution voters showed up among all schools. for was the decision Wenclawski focused more on the district’s on scrutinizing Westercamp Photo by Hunter Smith Physical Plant and and those involved with the Voting booths lined the halls in the music wing. Equipment Levy. The school board. His major them actually held competition. The measure was to raise property taxes, platform was criticizing the new tax new elected members of the board doubling the current amount, to levy and the school board’s errant came out to be Gary Anhalt, Nancy fund school facilities improvements use of funding. Humbles, and Keith Westercamp. All and maintenance. Approximately Westercamp garnered 696 votes, in of them have previously been on the 57 percent of voters rejected the comparison to Wenclawski’s 354. board in the same positions. taxation. The positions of District One Gary Anhalt, At-Large Director, The rest of the ballot was in regard Director and District Four Director and Nancy Humbles, District Two to the election of the members of will be on the ballot for Sept. 8, Director, both ran unopposed, the school board. Out of the three 2015. retaining their positions for a second positions up for election, only one of
Heat Wave Scorches Washington Willow Evans Staff Writer With an all-time high of 100 degrees, back to school outfits consisted of bro-tanks, crop tops, and cut off shorts. As students pull out their fresh notebooks and highlighters, people continued to perspire inside their classrooms, envying their fellow peers who got to enjoy the industrialized air conditioners and particularly, the cooler new wing. Classrooms along the west windows were especially hot. “I broke down a few years ago and bought an air conditioner. Once it’s installed it’s no longer ours even though we paid for it ourselves- it then belongs to the district. But I think its more important to make sure that the kids are learning,” said David Duer, one of the teachers along the west windows. Students cycled from hot to cold classrooms from
4 News
hour to hour, but teachers have to teach in the same hot classroom all day. “It’s really hard to teach,” said art teacher Kristina Dvorak, “In the morning when there’s no students, it’s perfectly fine, but by 6th hour...” Some students feel there are rooms that feel worse than others. “Ms. Gwinnup’s room [246] is the worst. It’s so hot in there, the AC is so broken,” James Carey ’15, said. Other students felt that relief can be found throughout the school. Some students enjoyed the recently renovated hallway leading to the cafeteria. Temperatures ranged from 100 degrees to 79 degrees for the daily highs during the first two weeks of school this year.
Michael Andersland News Editor
The Fantasticks Anji Misra Staff Writer Washington High School’s drama department presented “The Fantasticks” on Thursday, Sept. 12, through Saturday, Sept. 14. “It’s all orchestrated by El Gallo [portrayed by Harrison Shaffer, ’16],” said cast member Elijah Wolter, ’14. According to Wolter, “The Fantasticks” is about a boy and a girl whose fathers build a wall to get them to fall in love with each other, and they do. But then, the love isn’t as great as they thought it’d be. According to the cast and directors, orchestrating a show like “The Fantasticks” was no easy task. In the early days of show preparation, the cast rehearsed each day during the week for about two hours. However, in the weeks preceding the performances, rehearsals were upped to three hours each school day in addition to weekend set work. Assistant director Taylor Luke, ’15, confirmed that preparing the show had its challenges. “The biggest challenge in assistant directing would have to be the patience [in getting] the show to come together... I’ve learned that every day is not going to be a good day. You just get through the “pulling teeth” part and watch the show come together,” said Luke. The preview on Wednesday, Sept. 11 informed some cast members about audience perception of the script. “During note-taking after a run through, our director, Mrs. Sulzer, said that we were taking the show too seriously and for a little bit, I disagreed with her. I thought it was supposed to be a sincere show... until previews... I discovered well over fifty lines that were probably made to be funny. It broadened my mental boundary on what and what not to do in a show, and [this] helps me even when just reading a monologue,” said Lincoln Ginsberg, ’16, who played one of the leads. Yet despite the challenges along the way, performers
Sarah Lodge, ’15, and Lincoln Ginsberg, ’16, perform in “The Fantasticks.”
were all quick to say that being involved in the Wash drama department is one of their favorite pastimes. “My favorite experience would have to be getting to know all of them [the cast]... When I’m sitting there watching them rehearse I see their eyes light up and [I] have this huge smile on my face because I know they love it... My eyes light up... I know they can have fun with it,” said Luke. Those on stage enjoyed the experience as well. “My favorite part of being in the Fantasticks was working with the show itself and the cast. If you saw the show, you probably first noticed how simple and minimalistic the technological aspect of the production was, and because of that, [there were] acres of room for artistic value and effort, which made the entire show,” said Ginsberg. Cast members were also enthusiastic to share their advice to freshmen and other students looking to join the drama department this year. The resounding consensus was that drama has an array of opportunities that can be tailored to fit even the most diverse students’ interests.
All photos by Hannah Jonasson
Michael Andersland News Editor
News 5
New Year, New Schedule Lauren Barber Staff Writer
As students have noticed, classes don’t get out at the same times as last year. Lunches are at different times, school gets out a little later. There’s been a schedule change. Some students, like Lauren Velez, ’14, are used to the old schedule and don’t like the new one. Other students, such as Courtney Squires, ’15, feel that it makes early bird feel shorter and she feels more alert from those extra 15 minutes of sleep we now have. Though some students like the new schedule, while others do not, it seems to be affecting almost everyone in a positive way. Nathan Metzger, ’14, feels that it’s a lot easier not to be late for school in the morning, which is a big upside to for students and faculty alike. The overall consensus is that the schedule, although a slight nuisance at times, is helpful to all Washington High School students in getting those eight hours of sleep their bodies so desperately need. Although it was rumored that those minutes previously used for Channel One would be tacked onto the lunch
Wash’s New Schedule Period 1: 7:15-8:10 Period 2: 8:15-9:10 Period 3: 9:15-10:10 Period 4: 10:15-11:20 Period 5: 11:25-11:55 1st Lunch 11:25-12:20 Class 12:00-12:55 Class 12:25-12:55 2nd Lunch Period 6: 1:00-1:55 Period 7: 2:00-2:55
Wash’s Old Schedule Period 1: 7:00-7:55 Period 2: 8:00-8:55 Period 3: 9:00:9:55 Period 4: 10:00-11:10 Period 5: 11:15-11:45 1st Lunch 11:50-12:45 Class 11:15-12:10 Class 12:15-12:45 2nd Lunch Period 6: 12:50-1:45 Period 7: 1:50-2:45
periods, that is not the case. According to Dr. Plagman, that time is not needed for people who do not leave school for lunch. Plagman also agreed that starting classes later helps all students to function better and that the new schedule change is definitely a step in the right direction for Washington.
Renovations and Repairs Elijah Wedel Staff Writer If you went to Washington High School last year, you might remember the restrooms on the first floor being rundown, with malfunctioning toilets, and dirty water on the floor. You may also remember seeing the Student Senate hallway under construction near the end of last school year, and you’re probably wondering why these renovations took place. The renovation of the halls, old gym, and swimming pool are part of the same project, while the renovations of the bathrooms fall into a separate project. The hallway, old gym and pool construction started in the spring when the old gym was vacated and the pool was drained. The bathroom construction started in the summer. “The hallway is part of an HVAC (Heating Venting Air Conditioning) system, which is going to bring heating and cooling to the school,” said Dr. Nyberg, the new associate principal. The bathrooms were renovated because they were part of an ADA (Americans with Disabilities act) compliance requirement according to Nyberg. The bathrooms have new tiles, new stalls, and new walls. “The new bathrooms are nice,” said Kimmie Lauderdale, ’16.
6 News
The hallway was given new air conditioning vents and many classrooms were given new windows. “The air conditioning really does help” said Dylan Pettit, ’16. Right now Photo by Elijah Wedel Wash is in the second phase of Construction on the hallways began this project. The last spring. next phase will begin this spring, and all the construction and renovations will be completed in 2015. One of the next places to be renovated is the cafeteria. By the time everything is finished the school district will have spent more than $30 million on the construction and renovations.
Michael Andersland
News Editor
The Iowa legislature recently passed a law that greatly relaxed home schooling laws in the state. Home schooling and home-schoolers’ rights are becoming an increasingly hot button issue with home schooling on the rise. According to Education News, home schooling has Eli Wolter increased 75 percent Staff Writer since 1999 in the United States. The Iowa Department of Education reports that about 2.3 percent of school-aged children in Iowa are home-schooled. Advocates endorse home schooling as an option that facilitates higher academic success and a way to better spiritually educate their children. In a 2007 study by the US Department of Education, 72 percent of parents involved in home schooling cited “a desire to provide religious or moral instruction” as a motivation for home schooling. Home schooling allows parents to deprive their children of integration into society. Additionally, statistics demonstrating the relative academic success of homeschooled children to their traditionally schooled peers are greatly skewed and reflect an array of factors other than home schooling itself. The United States has always championed the right to free religion, but should that right go as deep as to be exclusionary in a child’s life? Should parents have the right to indoctrinate their children with no chance of outside influence, as is the case in many home-school environments? I think not. A handful of more secularized nations, namely Germany and Sweden, where home schooling is as a whole illegal, would support my view. The European Court, upholding the German ban cited “the general interest of society to avoid the emergence of parallel
Bridget Williams Opinions Editor
societies based on separate philosophical convictions and the importance of integrating minorities into society.” Many Americans might condemn this as a repressive withholding of liberty, but in a country of Branch Dravidians and patriarchal polygamy of radical Mormon fundamentalism, maybe we shouldn’t be so entrenched in holding personal liberty over the well being of citizens. Much of the relative success of home-schooled students is not a direct result of home schooling as an institution and much of what advocates laud as solid evidence crumbles when held up against the simple demography of the situation.
“...72 percent of parents involved in home schooling cited “a desire to provide religious or moral instruction” as a motivation for home schooling.” Home-schooled children, according to a 2001 census study, are more than representationally likely to be white than black or Hispanic and are mostly of the middle class. Home-school families, almost by definition, have a nonworking adult in the household – something economically unfeasible in many poorer families. In addition to the demographic misconstruction, the chief factor in home schooling’s success is unquantifiable: having parents that are heavily invested in their child’s education. Home-schooled students are by and large free of the parental neglect that can be ruinous to a young child’s education and passion for education. Whether schooling is done in a classroom or a living room, a parent’s influence in instilling respect and fondness for learning is critical to a student’s academic success. Anecdotal evidence can be employed against my argument, but the fact remains that the academic benefits of home schooling are greatly misrepresented and home schooling allows for indoctrination into a parallel society that can be greatly detrimental to a child’s upbringing and well being.
Opinions
7
Staff Editorial: 7 out of 7 editors agree with this article. There’s a scene in the film “Dead Poet’s Society” where the teacher covers the student’s eyes and spins him around in circles, he tells him to describe what he sees after looking at a portrait of a man. Everything the student comes up with is completely his own, rapidly the words fall from the student’s mouth, and the teacher keeps calling to him to keep going, faster and faster, until the student opens his eyes, and the class sits in awe of the student’s words. The student didn’t have time to prepare, he couldn’t Google what he was supposed to see in the portrait, all his thoughts were his own. Canvas is an online classroom tool new to the Cedar Rapids School District, or, as described on the Canvas website, ‘an educational revolution’. All teachers in the Cedar Rapids School District are using Canvas, whether they are using it to give reading assignments and grade online discussions or have a page of the same assignments they’ve already handed to you in class. The district hopes to see Canvas evolve into a foundation of more web based interaction for students. Students using more web based resources, submitting assignments online, and online assessments. “We want to start making some tools that they can use during the day as we start going into this twenty first century,” said Holly 8 Opinions
Palmersheim, District Technology Facilitator. Search engines have become the new textbook. Students are more likely to turn on their laptops than unzip their backpacks when they come to a homework problem. This is inevitable, this is the age of technology, and students are going to use online resources. However, the classroom should be a place to escape the virtual world, where we are forced to think on our own. With Canvas, teachers now have the option to create online class discussion. This is a resource teachers use to assign classroom discussions for students at home. We live in a generation where social skills are decreasing and Google searches are increasing. With these online discussions, we are working with that problem rather than fighting it. Kids who don’t discuss in class now can get points by discussing online rather than being encouraged to speak up. We want the classroom experience. We want the teachers that can give us something a search engine never will. We want to be pushed to speak and use our brains. We don’t want another excuse to look on a screen. If Canvas is simply a website for teachers to post assignments, that’s one thing, but is school truly becoming an ‘educational revolution’ or a submission to the twenty first century?
Peyton Manning The new library Double Lunch The Surveyor Grandparents and moms Dads Half birthdays Myspace USA Football Praying Mantis
Early bird practice No camel at Homecoming No Channel 1 THE HEAT Just kidding the heat is over Math All the math Canvas Freshmen with school permits No IOS 8 Final thorn
Bridget Williams Opinions Editotor
Photo by Bridget Williams
9
Power The few things that probably cross peoples’ minds when they think of Iowa are most likely corn and farms, but what about fat people? Seeing that Iowa was ranked the 12th fattest state in the country, it’s a possibility. This comes as a shock to some students. “I don’t believe that, is that true? Is it really?” said Ricardo Anna Rizer Parra, ’16. Staff Writer “That’s insane!” said Zack Richards, ’14. Just what is Iowa doing to change the statistics so there are no longer any confused students? Ever heard of a program called Blue Zone? If not, you will be hearing about it a lot more. “Blue Zone” is a term used to describe the people in different regions around the world that live the longest and most healthy lives. This year, Cedar Rapids was chosen as a site to help demonstrate the Blue Zone Project, with the nine powers to living a longer and healthier life. Can Blue Zone be effective? “It just depends on if the people are ready and want to change, they have to be the ones to make the effort, but yes. I think so. said Taylor Ann Luke, ’15. These aren’t the only ways Cedar Rapids is getting into the Blue Zone spirit. Just a few weeks ago I participated in a parade, which had an athletic theme to help get news out about Blue Zone. I am sure both Blue Zone and Cedar Rapids have good intentions, but it won’t be very effective, people won’t be jumping for joy to suddenly change their whole lifestyle to help make Iowa move up on the healthiest state list. “Ain’t nobody got time for that. People don’t care, they just go on with their lives,” said Logan Friederick, ’17. It just makes me think back to 8th grade when Kony 2012 got extremely big all of a sudden, and then almost two weeks later, everyone had forgotten about it. “No one participating...that would be the only negative,” Richard added. I see this happening with Blue Zone as well. I just hope I’m wrong.
Bridget Williams
Opinions Editor
1. Move Naturally
Live in an environment that pushes you into moving.
2.Purpose
Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy
3. Down Shift
Stress is a leading factor to every major age-related disease. Take a few moments each day to relax.
4. 80% Rule
The 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight or gaining it.
5. Plant Slant
Eat more plants and much less meat 6. Wine @ 5 This power is for adults only and has health benefits for those of the legal drinking age.
7. Belong
Attending faith-based services servieces four times per month can add 4-14 years to your life.
8. Loved Ones First
Putting family first can add 3 years to your life.
9. Right Tribe
Surrond yourself with people who support healthy behaviors. Power 9: bluezones.com
Opinions 9
Senior photos due to yearbook by Dec. 20 Submit your photo to room 237
Purchase your 2014 Monument at www.jostensyearbooks.com
DP is on www.crwashsurveyor.com ...
Contact At (319)350-1733 or Stacia@RightWayDriverEd.com
WHY AREN’T YOU?
10 Ads
Eric Loeffelholz
Business Manager
MJ Kamin Editor-In-Chief The Surveyor takes a look at the newest attractions downtown and Washington High School’s student and faculty involvement in them.
MJ Kamin Editor-In-Chief
With contributions from: Elijah Wolter Staff Writer Emmy Buonadonna Staff Writer Hannah Jonasson Managing and Photo Editor
Feature
11
Opened to the public on Aug. 24, the new Cedar Rapids Public Library is home to hundreds of new books, computers, and study areas. The building is located on 5th Ave SE downtown Cedar Rapids. “Compared to the new library, the old one was like a cathedral. The new library is way more modern,” said Amie Aulwes, ’15, a barista at the coffee shop inside the library, “It really shows that we’ve moved on.” “All the furniture… how it’s built… it’s really modern,” said Molly O’Meara, ’15. The new, modern library serves as proof of recovery from the flood of 2008. Along with the new computers and books, the library offers a large rooftop seating area, as well as specialized book rooms for teens and younger kids. “They have [the kid’s area] so unique to the kid’s age. There are arches in the bookshelves so they can run through. It’s super cool how they’ve made it for kids,” said Aulwes. The library is a popular place for all ages, especially high school students. Many kids use it as a study area or meeting place after school. “It’s a good place to study, I like the study rooms. They are very tranquil,” said Curtis Litow, ’14. “It adds so much to the community. I see a lot of regulars that come in there, and I’ve gotten to know a lot of great people,” said Aulwes.
Photos by MJ Kamin
12 Feature
Photos by Hannah Jonasson
One of the newest attractions downtown is the McGrath Amphitheater. Located on 1st Street SW right next to the police station, the giant, red venue is hard to miss. Although there isn’t a lot of entertainment day to day at the amphitheater, it is located right next to the Cedar River Trail, so it doubles as a park. The stands are vast grassy areas meant to attract a common walker or biker on the trail. “In addition to NewBo, it ties downtown together and makes it more alive,” said Terry Strait, substitute administrator in the Cedar Rapids School District, and husband to retired Washington High School teacher, Marlyse Strait. The amphitheater’s grand opening included three bands from the Cedar Rapids area. On Saturday, Sept. 28, Cedar Rapids held their first Bacon Fest at the amphitheater. In the coming spring and summer, many shows and activities will go on at the venue. “It’s about 20 years late. It should’ve been done years ago. It’s another reason for people to go outside and have fun,” added Strait.
MJ Kamin Editor-In-Chief
Located on 3rd St. SE in the New Bohemian district of Cedar Rapids, Brewed Cafe provides an assortment of foods and beverages throughout the day. Brewed has been open for about six months after the grand opening last spring. Brewed Cafe provides a comfortable spot for studying and relaxing. Elliot Lewis, ’15, who works as a barista in Brewed and enjoys the NewBo area as a whole. “Cedar Rapids is embracing it’s space and giving back to the community by providing us with a local market and exposing us to different ways of living,” said Lewis.
A not so new aspect of the NewBo area is the CSPS Theater, which has been around for many years. With multiple shows each month, CSPS brings in musical acts, bands from around the world, and sketch comedy shows like SPT, which Washington High School’s Adam Witte is a part of. SPT Theater is in it’s third season at CSPS. Last year’s group put on a series of shows, about one every month, using a numerical theme to tie all their shows together. CSPS had many renovations after the flood of 2008. It includes a small bar area and two rooms full of art. “What I think that they (CSPS) offer is an antidote consumer hegemony. As much as I like my Starbucks, and I do, and as much as I like my Taco Bell, and I’m embarrassed to admit it how much I do, those are things that I can find anywhere, and that’s both a good thing and a depressing thing. But what gives any community flavor is unique businesses and performance spaces that simply don’t exist anywhere else,” said Witte.
Photos by MJ Kamin
Opened to the public last spring, the NewBo market is a place where the cultures of Cedar Rapids come together to produce unique shops every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The market serves as a popular spot for high school students looking for a bite to eat or a place to start their first job. Ian Klopfenstein, ’16, has been working at The Chill in NewBo for six months. The Chill is a ice cream shop owned and operated by teenagers, which includes Klopfenstein. Other than the tasty food, Klopfenstein believes NewBo makes Cedar Rapids appear as if it has rebounded from the flood. Klopfenstein says the NewBo market is a great place to encourage local business growth in Cedar Rapids. “Small business owners can open businesses in NewBo, it provides jobs,” said Klopfenstein.
MJ Kamin Editor-In-Chief
Feature 13
Where in the World Andi Lawrence Profiles Editor
Emily Burke, ’16
Destination: Antigua, Guatemala Travel time: Flight left Cedar Rapids at 4 a.m. & arrived in Guatemala around 3 p.m. Purpose of the trip: Mission trip, building houses for families without a home of their own Favorite food on the trip: Pitaya for breakfast (purple fruit that grows in Guatemala) Photo courtesy of Emily Burke
Nick Bjornsen, ’17
Destination: Florence, Rome, and Venice Italy Travel time: To Chicago- 45 minutes, to Germany- 11 hours, then to Rome- 2 hours Purpose of the trip: Family vacation with all the Bjornsens Best site you saw: “In Florence, we went to see the statue of David. Also, we saw the Sistine Chapel which was breathtaking.” Favorite food on trip: “Almost every meal was pizza or spaghetti but they were all amazing!”
Curtis Litow, ’14
Destination: France, Switzerland, Italy, and Israel Travel time: To Europe- 11 hours, then to Israel 5 hours Purpose of the trip: School French trip in Europe and with a Jewish youth group called NTFY Best site you saw: “The Western Wall in Jerusalem is the holiest site for Jews. It was such a spiritual and breathtaking experience.” Favorite food on trip: Shwarma (shaved meat wrapped in pita bread, typically with tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles and hummas) Photo courtesy of Curtis Litow
14 Profiles
Andi Lawrence
Profiles Editor
Map image from Creative Commons
Photo courtesy of Nick Bjornsen
have our Warriors been? Taylor Jackson, ’15
Destination: Germany and Austria for 21 days. In the cities of Berlin, Vienna, Salzburg, and Munich Travel time: Cedar Rapids to Chicago then to Newark. Then Newark to Berlin, Germany. (11 hours of flying) Purpose of the trip: German Class trip with 2 other Washington students and Frau Weiss Favorite part of the trip: “I stayed with a host family for a week which was an amazing experience!” Favorite food on the trip: Ice cream, chocolate, and pretzels!
Photo courtesy of Taylor Jackson
Manvith Munagala, ’14
Destination: Hyderabad, India Travel time: 18 hours total Purpose of the trip: Cousin’s wedding Best site you saw: A Hindu temple coated in solid gold Random fact: “The state I visited is splitting in half to make two separate states.”
Photo courtesy of Manvith Munagala
Anna Wolle, ’14
Destination: Qinhuangdao, Tianjin, and Beijing, China. Travel time: To Chicago on a bus then to Beijing (17 hours total) Purpose of the trip: Preucil School of Music String Orchestra trip (based at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City). Favorite thing you saw: “My favorite was the view from the Great Wall. Though we didn’t make it very far up the steps of the Wall, we were still able to make it up far enough to see an absolutely breathtaking view of the Wall and the surrounding mountains.” Random fact: “Multiple times a day, giddy groups of people would come up and ask to takes pictures of and with us. We felt like celebrities!”
Photo courtesy of Anna Wolle
Andi Lawrence
Profiles Editor
Profiles
15
New Faces At Wash
Five new teachers in the halls this year Mitch Fisher Staff Writer
JENNIFER FISHWILD
Mrs. Jennifer Fishwild is a new member of the social studies department. She teaches world history, as well as AP World History. Fishwild is a local of Marion and attended Marion High School. She has earned a combined total of four degrees from Mt. Mercy College and the University of Iowa. During her studies, Fishwild studied abroad in Moscow, Russia. Prior to working at Wash, she taught at Marion for four years and did research at ACT. “[I’m] having fun working with kids again,” she said.
Mrs. Melissa Hocking is the new science teacher instructing Pre-AP Biology and Foundations of Science. A native of Michigan, Hocking studied at Iowa State and Michigan State. During her time at Iowa State, she worked as editor-in-chief of the Iowa State Daily. She has been teaching for 19 years, and has found a favorite part of teaching. “When a lesson I’ve been preparing comes together and works with my students very well.” Her husband is the superintendent of the Lisbon school district. She enjoys watching college basketball and football, boating, and camping.
DR. VALERIE NYBERG
Dr. Valerie Nyberg has many administrative responsibilities here at Washington that needed to be filled after Rick Williams retired. She oversees Wash facilities, construction projects- such as the HVAC geothermal project- discipline, among many other things. “[I like] being around kids and interacting with them,” Nyberg said.
Washington’s new P.E. teacher, Mr. Seth Rehn has picked up many classes this year. They include: P.E. 9-12, health, team sports, performance P.E., and weight lifting. Rehn attended Vista High School in Oceanside, California before moving to Cedar Rapids to attend Coe College. Mr. Rehn was very successful in Coe’s wrestling program, and earned recognition as a 2-time All American. He student taught at Jefferson. “Don’t worry, I’m loyal to Wash.” he said. True to the California stereotype, Mr. Rehn enjoys surfing and backpacking when he visits his home state. He also enjoys spending time with his family and barbecuing.
JORDAN YOUNG 16 Profiles
MELISSA HOCKING
SETH REHN
“[I’m] excited to be back in a different role,” said Wash alum and new world history teacher, Mr. Jordan Young. In addition to teaching world history, he is also the offensive and defensive line coach for freshman football. Young played football and ran track for Wash, and continued playing football at Wartburg College. He enjoys watching football on TV and playing NCAA football video games in his free time. However, he also describes himself as a huge “Star Trek” fan, and also enjoys watching “Jeopardy”. “[It’s] a lot different being back as a teacher than a student,” he said. He has also worked at Four Oaks as a youth counselor.
Andi Lawrence
Profiles Editor
The Truth Behind Fantasy Football Mitch Fisher Staff Writer It’s that time of year again; summer has come to an end, and everyone is easing back into the school year. Students are enjoying these last few unusually hot days before the temperature and leaves begin to fall, and it’s time to say hello to autumn. However, for football fans, the fall season is a time to be excited. The next several weeks are time to take advantage of, high school, collegiate, and professional football seasons all overlapping. Spectators get to enjoy Warrior football on Friday, college football on Saturday, and most NFL games on Sunday and Monday. It’s almost overwhelming how many games there are to follow and all the stats a spectator can pay attention to, but some fans of the game are looking for more. For devoted and knowledgeable professional football fans, there is an interactive competition being played that puts their football wisdom to the test in an entertaining way. It’s called fantasy football. It’s becoming popular very fast and within the past few years, you may have heard newscasters advertising it on televised games in between plays. Essentially, a group of usually 8-12 friends, coworkers, or random strangers log on to a website that supports fantasy football and create accounts in order to create or join a fantasy league. This league somewhat mimics the real life NFL. The term fantasy is in the title because everything about this game represents the real professional sport. Every league has a commissioner, and players within that league are in charge of their own team. There are then matchups between players every week that correspond to the NFL regular season. Throughout the season, team managers must set their player lineups with actual active NFL players. The players a person signs to their team depends on who they decide to pick in their fantasy draft, which is a mock draft done online done in real time. The goal is, with the pick order number assigned, to draft the NFL players that fantasy players think are going to do the best during the season. The remaining unclaimed players are then placed onto the fantasy free agency. Every week, when fantasy players compete in match-ups, points are assigned to each of their players depending on how they perform on the field in real life. The rules on how these points are assigned
Ian Schweiger
Sports Editor
vary from league to league, and are determined by the commissioner of the fantasy league. On the major fantasy websites, such as ESPN, Yahoo, or the official NFL site, players earn points by receiving or rushing for yards, scoring touchdowns, or kicking field goals. A decision must be made by fantasy players on who to start in their lineup. Each team has a bench, where points do not count, and a starting lineup where they do. On ESPN, for example, each team has a slot for one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one actual NFL team’s defense, one kicker, and one flex position. Fantasy football’s integration with the NFL is what makes it so popular, and funded by the advertising revenue, fantasy football is a free service. Fantasy football is becoming well established in the fan base of professional football. ESPN.com has many news writers dedicated to fantasy sports, and fantasy football has even inspired a TV show, “The League.” Thanks to the Internet, live scoring and large databases of player’s stats are possible to offer fans. “It makes watching the games more interesting; You have to make sure your favorite team wins, and that your players do well too,” said Evan Fisher, ’14.
Photo from ESPN.com
Sports 17
Fall Sports Overview Ian Schweiger Sports Editor The Warriors’ fall sports teams started their respective seasons over the past several weeks. Some teams started by reloading their roster, while others are rebuilding after losing key participants. In this issue, we take a look at all the Warrior fall sports teams and some of the key individuals on those teams.
Men’s Football, Golf, and Cross Country The men’s football team lost many key contributors from last year’s team, but gained a new head coach, and many underclassmen who contributed to their own teams a year ago. “We have a bunch of young guys that are contributing well, we’re also coming together as a team,” said Jake Bjornsen, ’14. Bjornsen says that the team’s biggest goal is making the playoffs. “Personally, I want to help out and contribute to the defense as best as I can. I want to be a good team captain.” said Bjornsen. The men’s golf team have a bunch of new talent after returning one varsity letterman from last year. “We’re young, but our potential is very high. The sky’s the limit really.” said Dominic Rodriguez, ’14. Rodriguez’s personal goals include playing to the best of his abilities and playing smart.
“We also want to beat Kennedy to qualify for [the State tournament].” said Rodriguez. The men’s golf team includes standouts Evan Jankwietz, ’15, Jake Patterson, ’15, Max Claassen, ’14, and Frank Lindwall, ’17. The men’s cross country team lost many talented seniors to graduation, but introduce a talented group of underclassmen. “We have strong freshmen and sophomore classes and we’re looking to qualify for state.” said Ian Klopfenstein, ’16. Klopfenstein hopes that the team will build experience with their underclassmen and should perform well in future seasons. Some of the men’s cross country runners to watch this season include Finbar Berry, ’16, Sam Eck, ’16, Robbie Gearhart, ’14, Sam McDermott, ’17, and Patrick Gorman, ’17.
Women’s Cross Country, Volleyball, and Swimming The Washington women’s fall sports teams started their respective seasons with numerous roster changes. The women’s cross country team returned several upperclassmen, including their top runner from a year ago, Shannon Gorman, ’14. Gorman says the team’s main goal is to run their hardest and compete hard against tough teams. “My goal is to make a return to state,” said Gorman. Other individuals to keep an eye on are Madison and Morgan Stuckenschneider, both ’14, and Kristin Mackenburg, ’14. The volleyball team was shocked this offseason with the announcement that former Head Coach Kari Lombardi was resigning to take a position in Des Moines. Assistant Coach Amy Faulkner took over as head coach this season. Many believed the coaching change would be difficult, but Dani Franklin, ’14, says the adjustment hasn’t been hard at all. “We’ve 18 Sports
adjusted really well and it’s been great having her as our coach.” said Franklin. Franklin said the team had been practicing all summer and should be really competitive. “We want to win our conference and get to [the state tournament],” said Franklin. Besides Franklin, other individuals to watch for include Aleena Hobbs, ’14, and Callie Cook, ’14. In the pool, the women’s swim team is searching for leaders after losing a large group of seniors to graduation, The team also lost state participant, Jackie Hughes, ’14, after her decision to graduate early. Jackie Allen, ’14, says the team’s main goal is to work on dropping time as the season progresses and, individually, compete in the state tournament. “[We want to] try as hard as we can whenever we step into the pool,” said Allen. Ian Schweiger
Sports Editor
King James Returns to Kingston Eric Loeffelholz Business Manager After the head football coaching job was vacated by Tony Lombardi, the administration found the best replacement was already among them. Paul James’ legacy as a coach at Washington made him the clear choice for the position. James was forced to relinquish the head coaching job in 2006 after being hired as the school’s Athletic Director. “I would have liked to continue coaching that class with Keenan [Davis] and [Wyatt] Seuss coming up.” James admitted the difficulty of holding both positions in 2006. “Its easier to juggle now that I’ve held AD position for a couple years,” said James. The current superintendent, Dr. David Benson, saw no problem with James occupying both positions and on May 1, the school made the decision that allowed James to return to the sidelines for his 12th season as head coach of the Warriors. The team had the summer to adjust to the new coach. “We started off slow, but the team quickly bought into the philosophy” said Isaiah Nimmers, ’16. The Warrior defense, still under the direction of Coach Maurice Blue, looks similar to years passed.
Photo by Anna Rizer Bigger changes have occurred on the offensive side of the ball with James overhauling the running game. “The biggest difference is his play calling,” said Nimmers, “It’s more old school.” The Warriors took losses to Kennedy, Iowa Coach James addresses the team City West, and before taking the field against Cedar Falls in the Kennedy first three games of the year, but bounced back by beating Linn-Mar. James didn’t see the rough start as a total loss. “Two of those games came down to the 4th quarter....We just need to come back and get a couple wins. We need to eliminate our mistakes,” said James.
Fall Festivities In Action Photo by Emmy Buonadonna
Photo by Mitch Fisher
Sports Records for Fall 2013 Varsity Football: 1-3 Varsity Volleyball: 7-6 Women’s Swimming: 0-5 Men’s Golf: 39-25 Sophomore Football: 4-0
Ian Schweiger Sports Editor
Coach Megan Lewis addresses the swim team after a meet.
Sports 19
OCTOBER We know everyone is ready for pumpkin patches, apple cider, warm sweaters, haunted houses, and all things fall. But what events are going on in the area? This list is sure to make your October fantastic. 10/1 Dawes (The Englert) $20
Alternative rock band from Los Angeles, CA.
10/3 Luminary Poetry (Brewed Awakenings) Free
Open mic poetry: Includes hip hop, spoken word, and verse.
10/4 Scream Acres (Atkins, IA) $20 Includes three separate haunted attractions: “Curtain Chaos”, “Slaughterhouse”, and the Haunted Cornfield.
10/6 Aaron Carter (Blue Moose, IA City) $15
Former heartthrob singer of the ’90s (Come Get It)
10/11-11/2 “Jesus Christ Superstar” (TCR) $20-$35 The world-renowned rock opera that explores the last seven days of Christ’s life, written at the turbulent end of the ’60s.
10/13 Czech Village Fall Festival (Czech Village) Free Great food, music, vendors, a pumpkin carving contest, and more. Bands will be playing throughout the day.
10/16 Motion City Soundtrack (Blue Moose, IA City) $20
Rock band from Minneapolis, Minn., formed in 1997.
10/20 Was the Word (Englert, IA City) Suggested donation $10 Spoken word, poetry, and storytelling; all centered around the theme falling.
10/25 Groundswell Youth Open Mic (Groundswell) Free
Haunted village. Walk in… Run out screaming.
10/28 Juicy J (IMU, IA City) $26 Rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Memphis, Tenn. Founding member of the hip hop group Three 6 Mafia.
Photos by Michelle Zumhof Information provided by venue websites and the Gazette
20 A&E
Michelle Zumhof A&E Editor
Dive into Divergent Bridget Williams Opinions Editor Di·ver·gent Adjective: divergent Tending to be different or develop in different directions. Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” is the first novel in a trilogy. It is set in a dystopian Chicago. Rather than separating people by political affiliation, race, or all the other things that create lines between us today, the people are separated into factions. Candor for the honest, Amity for the kind, Erudite for the intelligent, Abnegation for the selfless, and Dauntless for the brave. The factions are meant to group people, but some can’t be categorized, they are divergent. The protagonist, Tris, a small girl from Abnegation has to make a choice in which faction she will be a part of. This choice will transform her. Throughout the novel, Roth exhibits the conflict of being your own person and disappointing your parents, in Tris’ case, to be brave or to be selfless. The novel is more than a popular young adult dystopian novel, it’s complex, relatable, and thought provoking. “Divergent” demonstrates that those we put our trust in to lead us can manipulate us, enslave us, and corrupt us. Roth writes a compelling story of a sense of self, romance, and becoming free from your fears. It teaches you to be brave and is a must read for divergents everywhere. The movie, an adaptation of the book, will be released March 21.
Author: Veronica Roth Bridget’s Rating: 8/10 Recommended to fans of: The Hunger Games series; Matched series Movie release date: 3/21/14
Working For the Weeknd Artist: The Weeknd Album: Kiss Land Release date: 9/10/13 Standout tracks: The Town, Wanderlust, Pretty
MIchelle Zumhof A&E Editor
Elijah Wolter Staff Writer Toronto-born Abel Tesfaye, under the stage name, The Weeknd, gained viral fame in 2011 with the release of three mixtapes. His dark alternative R&B projects were lauded by both fans and critics. His sophomore album, “Kiss Land,” was released on Republic Records on Sept. 10. The Weeknd hones his shadowy crooning and expands on the tight bedroom production of his mixtapes, laying the melodies of “Kiss Land” against a larger soundscape. The drums are terse yet passionate. The synths are sweeping and moody. The instrumentals, initially seeming too overbearing and mechanical for The Weeknd’s confessional lyrics, are made effective through alienating the listener and ultimately locking them into the emotions and psyche of The Weeknd, guiding the listener to fixate on the only piece of humanity, as broken as it may be, in an otherwise imposing, synthetic world. The project is not only musically superb, but also surprisingly relatable - not directly and lyrically - but The Weeknd provides the listener with an emotional palette complex enough that almost anyone can find a niche of familiarity to settle into. “When I think about ‘Kiss Land’, I think about a terrifying place. It’s a place I’ve never been to before that I’m very unfamiliar with,” The Weeknd said about his album in a recent interview with Complex. The emotive setting of these songs transcends the lyrics of detached love affairs and drug-fueled decadence at hand and strikes a deeper chord on the heartstrings.
A&E
21
Improv Allstars Peter Klopfenstein Staff Writer On Sept. 5, eight students wearing blue jeans and black T-shirts gathered in the Little Theatre and performed for over an hour without direction, without scripts, without written dialogue, and without premeditation of any kind. The group, Forest Drive Improv Company, consists of Denzell Hayes,’14, Elijah Wolter, ’14, Anne Seifert, ’14, Jake Spurrell, ’15, Seth Engen, ’15, Hunter Melsha, ’15, Morgan Frederick, ’15, Harrison Shaffer, ’16, Jake Trumper, ’16, and is coached by Bill Krebs. Improv performances are some of the most genuinely interesting and engaging events the school has to offer. The fact that everything performed is created on the spot, often based upon audience suggestions, gives the show a deeply personal feel. “I like the fact that it’s a form of acting that’s comedic, and I like the immediacy... it adds a sort of real-life flavor.” said Shaffer. Improv requires an enormous amount of mental effort and creativity to be able to instantaneously build on what others say, and make it funny and appealing to the audience at the same time. “You just say ‘Yes and...’ to whatever someone says to you. You have to assume everything that someone says is true, and take it and go with it!” said Hayes, “For example, if someone says ‘Look, my arm is made out of chocolate’, you don’t ever want to deny. Don’t deny at any cost!”
When asked about her favorite skit, Seifert described “Head in a bucket”-- “We have a bucket full of water, a situation, and we’re supposed to explain why we’re wet. When the person with their head in the bucket can’t breathe, you switch off.” Other bits include “Buzz or Bell” and “What’s Next”, which incorporates random cliches, mottos, and idioms that the audience has written down in advance. Things occasionally hit a minor snag, but they served as a reminder that improv is one of the most honest forms of performance most high schoolers will come into contact with. Because of this, the payoff when a scene really clicks is enormous; the number of times the performers had to simply wait for the audience to stop laughing in order to be heard was surpassed only by the amount of applause after nearly every scene. It is the very inventive nature of the performance that facilitates the humor and allows for the absolutely absurd scenarios that often arose. To see an incredibly demanding and enjoyable (if ephemeral) performance, don’t miss Forest Drive Improv Company’s next show!
The Forest Drive Improv Company in their first performance Photos by Hannah Jonasson
22 A&E
Michelle Zumhof A&E Editor
October Activities Calendar Sports
Sports
Events
Sophomore and varsity football schedule-
Freshman/JV volleyball schedule-
Freshman/JV football schedule-
Men’s golf-
10/5- Marching Band at Kingston 10/5- SAT test date 10/8- Choir in Auditorium at 7 p.m. 10/9- Parent/teacher conferences3:30 p.m. 10/10- Orchestra in Auditorium at 7 p.m. 10/12- Marching Band at West Des Moines Valley 10/14- Parent/teacher conferences3:30 p.m. 10/16- PSAT Test at KTOS 10/16- Parent/teacher conferences1:30 p.m. 10/17- ITED Assembly in Main Gym9:40 a.m. 10/25-27- Iowa Caucus Debate Tournament 10/26- All-State Music auditions Off Campus 10/26- ACT test date
10/4- at Xavier 10/11- Jefferson (away) 10/18-at Prairie 10/24- Dubuque Wahlert *All sophomore kickoffs are scheduled for 5 p.m.
10/1- Iowa City West at Kingston (9th) 6 p.m. 10/5- at Linn-Mar (9th) 8:30 a.m. 10/10-at Linn-Mar (9th) 6 p.m. 10/17- Dubuque Senior at Kingston (9th) 7 p.m. 10/19- Prairie at Kingston (JV) 8:30 a.m.
Sophomore and varsity volleyball schedule-
10/1- at Xavier 10/5- Varsity invitational at Prairie 10/8-at Jefferson 10/12- Soph tournament at Kennedy (9 a.m.) 10/12- Varsity invitational at home 10/15- at Cedar Falls 10/19- at Cedar Falls (time TBA) 10/22- Linn-Mar 10/26- Sophomore tournament (9 a.m.) 10/28- Varsity Regionals (time and place TBA 10/31- Varsity Regionals (time and place TBA *All regular season sophomore games are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
10/1- at City High (9th) 5 and 6 p.m. 10/3- Jefferson (9th) 5 and 6 p.m. 10/10- Iowa City West (9th) 5 and 6 p.m. 10/12- 9th tournament at City High- 9 a.m. 10/14- JV invitational at Wash 5 p.m.
10/1- JV at Gardner 3:15 p.m. 10/3- V at Hunters Ridge 3:15 p.m. 10/8- V District TBA 10/11-12- V State TBA
Women’s swimming/diving-
10/1- V at Dubuque Wahlert- 6 p.m. 10/5- V invitational at Cedar Falls-1 p.m. 10/8- at Kennedy 6 p.m. 10/12- Invitational at Wash- 1 p.m. 10/15- Linn-Mar- 6 p.m. 10/17- MVC at Mercer Aquatic center in Iowa City- 5 p.m. 10/19- MVC at Mercer Aquatic Center in Iowa City- Noon 10/26- Soph and V MVC at Holmes Jr. High- 1:30 p.m. 10/31- V Regionals- TBA
XC-
10/1- V invitational at UI- 4:30 p.m. 10/5- V Classic at Clinton HS- 9:10 a.m. 10/10- V Divisional at Dubuque Soccer Complex- 3:30 p.m. 10/17- V Divisional at Noelridge 3:30 p.m 10/24- V meet- TBA
Photo from Surveyor archives
go warriors! Hannah Jonasson
Managing Editor
October calendar
23
this location: The Cedar Rapids Public library in downtown CR, recently opened to the public on August 24. You can visit the library during the week from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Go check it out!
back page photo by: Hannah jonasson
TheSurveyor
@CRWashSurveyor
www.CRWashSurveyor.com
SurveyorWHS@gmail.com