The Little Hawk by The Little Hawk

the little hawk Iowa City, IA

Vol. 81

October 23, 2020

Issue 1

thelittlehawk.com

Quick NEWS The newspaper that leads

DELAYED SCHOOL Due to COVID-19 rates rising above 10% in Iowa City, the 2020-2021 school year started on September 8, two weeks later than scheduled .

ABOVE: Hybrid students in class wearing masks and sitting socially distanced. PHOTO BY NOAH PAVELICH

City goes back to school

By Adalie Burton

tudents and teachers from all the high schools in the district are working together to make online schooling work. Students might have English with a teacher from West High one period, and math with a City High teacher the next. Classmates come from all three schools, leaving little room for school rivalries. For students in the online academy, the end of a class period is signaled not by the ringing of a school bell, but by the quiet end of a Zoom call. Hybrid students pack up their things at the end of the school day, saying goodbye to City High until next week. Questions are asked in emails and fumbling attempts to speak in class without interrupting someone else. “It is very hard to assist students in the online world. We are doing our best to reach out and create interventions to help kids,” Scott Jespersen, City High Assistant Principal, said. As of Tuesday, September 8, City High students have begun online learning in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The online model is set up to spread out classwork throughout the weeks. On Mondays and Wednesdays, online students attend synchronous classes in the morning and work asynchronously in the afternoon. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the opposite is true. Fridays are structured such that students can quickly check in with all their teachers and get any assistance they need. In the beginning, the idea was that students could choose between hybrid and online learning from the get-go. However, the number of COVID-19 cases in the county prompted the district

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to enforce online-only learning for it easier to work without as many the first two weeks of the school distractions. year. First trimester is intended to “[Classrooms] being quieter is be somewhat of a trial run for stu- a benefit, and teachers have more dents - they can decide to switch control over the classroom envibetween hybrid and online at the ronment,” Yahashiri said. end of the trimester, or continue Students and teachers alike have with the method they chose to be- found challenges unique to online gin with. This new remote model and hybrid classes, as well as things has brought with it quite a few they like and appreciate about changes, for better and worse. these models. “I miss seeing my friends in per“Both the online and hybrid son and general social interaction program have their respective with other students. It’s still weird strengths and weaknesses. For me, to see my classmates in the Zoom the strength of the online program grid rather than in real life around is the consistency in the schedule. me,” Heidi Du West High ‘23 said. Seeing students three times a week Du appreciates having extra on alternating days allows me to free time check in during her “During class, if I don’t understand more regasynchrowith something it’s hard to ask the teacherularly nous class them than p e r i o d s . about it during the moment. Emailing the more H o w e v - teachers to get help is harder for me s p o r a d er, she has ic hybrid found that because you can’t get as good of a s c h e d u l e it’s hardresponse as you can in person.” o f f e r s . er to ask RelationANNA GAYLEY questions ship-buildCITY HIGH JUNIOR and keep ing and opup when portunities teachers move too quickly. for socialization, a key component “During class, if I don’t under- of the teaching and learning prostand something it’s hard to ask cess, probably occurs more natuthe teacher about it during the rally in the hybrid setting,” Jason moment. Emailing teachers to get Schumann said. help is harder for me because you Schumann is a history teacher can’t get as good of a response as at City High. He teaches both onyou can in person,” Anna Gayley line and hybrid classes. Schumann ‘22 said. has found a small drop in students’ Gayley has found herself losing overall engagement and perforfocus and developing cabin fever mance in his classes since switchdue to how much time she spends ing to the online/hybrid model. inside on Zoom and Canvas. He attributes these few percentage “Because the trimester started points of lost productivity to inlate, I feel like the homework is pil- creased barriers put in place by lack ing up, but I’m getting used to it,” of instructional time and issues Kento Yahashiri ‘23 said. with technology. Yahashiri has enjoyed the qui“I have had a few issues with eter classroom atmosphere, finding technology. It can be difficult for @thelittlehawk

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everyone as we’re trying to adapt to an entirely new system. The internet isn’t something you can predict, there’s always going to be random issues and new problems to solve,” Misha Canin West High ‘22 said. Canin has found various ways to make navigating the new online system easier for her and does not want or intend to go back to school in person. “Planning out my days and following a schedule helps me stay motivated and on track… I try to wake up around the same time each day and follow the asynchronous/ synchronous schedule as closely as I can. I love spending time outside or moving my body in the morning before classes, it wakes me up and helps me feel motivated for the day,” Canin said. Hybrid learning began on Monday, September 28. This decision was made based upon the Iowa City COVID-19 positivity rate dropping below 10%. The hybrid model separates students into groups A and B. Students with last names A-K attend school on A days, while last names L-Z go on B days. Mondays and Tuesdays are set A days, and Thursdays and Fridays are set B days. Wednesdays, which have become early dismissal days, alternate between A and B days weekly. “In many ways, the job of teaching has become more demanding this year. Whether it is small changes, like becoming more proficient with a spray bottle and wipes, or bigger systemic changes, like the creation of multiple new curriculum delivery models, the rapid transformation of some of the essential functions of the job have been pretty daunting,” Schumann said. continued on A10 @thelittlehawk

HYBRID MODEL After three weeks online, students participating in the hybrid model returned to school in person.

choosing a MODEL End of first trimester is December 4. If students want to switch which model they are doing, they can do so for the second trimester.

Fall sports In person practices for sports were suspended for three weeks while all classes were online.

RIGHT TO PLAY Student athletes across the distrct protested at ICCSD offices demanding that they be allowed to continue practicing their sports while school was online.

DRAMA The drama board has decided to put on a filmed production of the play Little Women adapted from the book by Louise May Alcott.

VOLLEYBALL City High’s volleyball team honored Emma Nugent ‘21 at their game against Wahlert Catholic on October 8 by wearing “We play for 14” bracelts.

Student senate Katherine Geerdes ‘21 and Evan McElroy ‘21 were elected as student body president and vice president.

A2 NEWS

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23rd, 2020

Hobbies founded in quarentine With a ton of extra time on their hands, many people have picked up new hobbies to keep themselves entertained

By Sophia Wagner

his summer, City High teacher Lynsey Barnard was scrolling on Twitter when she happened upon a video of a disc golf player. Aware of the impact COVID would have on her summer, Barnard wanted to pick up a new hobby to keep her busy. She mentioned it briefly to a friend and has since spent three days a week at a course, working on her throw and having fun. “[At first], I didn't think Iowa City had any courses,” Barnard said. “I had no idea that we had a handful of courses in the area, and I was given a few discs for my birthday in May. The sole reason for starting to disc is because of COVID. I was tired of being in the house all the time at that point, and other outdoor recreational activities like regular golf hadn't opened yet. Since it's outdoors and easy to keep a good distance from people if you want, it's been the perfect way to have fun during COVID.” Similar to Barnard, Lulu Roarick ‘22 wanted to try something new in her newly-gained free time. Now, Roarick grabs a penny board as her sister straps on a pair of roll-

er skates, heading out for their daily session of skating. “I have had a penny board for quite a few years now, but mainly I stuck with longboarding,” Roarick said. “COVID gave me so much free time I got curious and wanted to try something outside of my comfort zone. Now I’m obsessed. I go skating at least once a day with my sister now.” After a summer of practice, Roarick is a strong advocate for the penny board. Now that we are further along in the school year, Roarick is still skating regularly, grabbing her board in between classes and after school. “All you need to do is get your helmet on and skate!” Roarick said. “It’s an awesome board for people that love to cruise while also being able to take some awesome sharp turns.” Maria Volkman ‘22 had a different method to keep busy during quarantine. Volkman turned to something in her own home- a sewing machine. She has been sewing since she was five. Volkman’s grandmother sparked her interest, gifting her with homemade clothes and stuffed animals. This summer, Volkman wanted to hone her craft, spending hours a day working on a project. “Before quarantine, I wasn't

really sure of my abilities to sew,” Volkman said. “But throughout quarantine, I was able to grow my abilities and became more confident that I could actually sew a garment without failing, which is always helpful. When you realize that you can actually do it, [sewing] becomes a lot better.” Volkman has worked on multiple projects over the course of the summer, including a pair of shorts and two dresses. One of the dresses was made of recycled sheets; it took her three weeks to complete. She went on to describe the tedious process- how she made her own pattern, cut the fabric, pinned the sleeves. “The dress is probably one of my favorite things [I’ve made]. Making dresses is a lot of work and I'm just really proud of it,” Volkman said. The summer of 2020 saw quite a change in the way that people spent their time. For once, people had time for themselves, to pursue interests that otherwise would have slipped by in the chaos of everyday life. “With my crazy schedule with teaching and coaching, it's been quite a while since I picked up a new hobby or tried a new sport,” Barnard said. “That was part of the fun as well. The only goal - just keep having fun.”

ART BY SOPHIA WAGNER

How COVID is affecting clubs at city Clubs at City High are having to make dificult decisions about how to continue on during a pandemic

By Paris Fuller

uring COVID the school district has made many changes for a safe return to school including hybrid in-person and online learning, half a capacity of tables in study hall, desks six feet apart, and no going off campus to eat. Many activities such as sports and clubs are up in the air with scheduling their own meeting times to fit around the hybrid schedule and figuring out how to do covid friendly activities. “Even if students are in the fully online program, they would be welcome to come for afterschool

clubs. Other clubs will be finding ways to meet virtually,” Principal John Bacon said. “Our hope is that all clubs will get back up and running soon. I think fairly soon we will be back into the hybrid/in-person days. Once that happens, clubs will be allowed to meet in person.” Some clubs, such as Best Buddies, are already meeting. “We meet roughly once a week on Zoom with our Leadership Team and will most likely not be meeting in person socially distanced for the time being,” Harper Denniston ‘21, who is on the board of Best Buddies, said. ”We are planning future activities right

now. It is sometimes very hard to make concrete plans because things are constantly changing but we are still gonna be putting out ways to participate this year.” Many clubs have had to make adjustments during this time besides just meetings. ”We obviously can’t do our parties anymore but will be having Zoom parties and House Parties and are still gonna have a lot of fun things set up for members. We are also going to be working with peer buddies to give them ideas on things to do with their buddies. Finding things to do at the beginning of a friendship is always a

challenge, but especially now so we really want pairs to feel that there are still fun ways to bond during this time,” Denniston said. Club sponsors are also having trouble coping with the many new changes and last-minute switchups. “I am concerned about our ability to run effectively,” Dr. Jill Humston, club sponsor of Interact, said. “So many students want to do good work but we are going to be severely limited in terms of what that will look like. Our club is a service club, which organizes and carries out group volunteer activ-

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Reader, Well, this is it folks. We are officially living in a pandemic, a worldwide pandemic that has completely changed the way we live our lives. Only about a fourth of City High students come to school on a given day during the week, fall sports took a three-week break in the middle of their season, and masks are now more necessary to carry with you than your phone. Oh my, a lot has changed. Despite all this turmoil, we still are bringing you an issue filled with the trials and successes of your fellow Little Hawks because life goes on. Read about the clubs at City that are meeting through zoom, Ms. Barnard learning how to play disk golf, Maria Volkman spending over three weeks sewing a dress out of recycled sheets, and members of our show choir practicing in the faculty parking lot even though they will not be going to any competitions this year. Other stories include the ICCSD losing the lawsuit to decide for themselves if we have online or in-person school,

the University of Iowa canceling four sports teams, and difficulties that this year’s seniors are facing while applying to colleges. In these times of fake news, it is important to us that you note that the information contained in these pages is factually accurate. Our opinions are only present in the letters from the editors and on pages marked “Opinion.” We dedicate a lot of time to fact checking information and checking for bias in order to give our readers the ability to make up their own minds about what is happening around them. Finally, we understand that these times are difficult, and we hope that this paper will be a bright spot in your day. Hang in there and enjoy!

Julianne Berry-Stoelzle and Jesse Hausnecht-Brown

ities. We are going to have to be creative in ways that will help our community,” Humston said. As of now, clubs are finding ways to still be able to carry on. “We are going to be holding zoom meetings instead of meetings in my classroom. There won’t be the same opportunities for group projects or events. We are going to brainstorm new ways of service at our first meeting on Wednesday,” Humston said. Mr. Bacon sent out emails asking interested students to sign up for clubs. This in turn could help get new members as well as more club recognition.

NEWS 3A

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM October 23, 2020

Construction and Homecoming Updates

New gym and cafeteria construction update The New Gym and Cafeteria are scheduled to be done in the fall of 2021, the project faced a slight delay, with the advent of this summer’s derecho By Natalie Green and Kate Keuter

he construction project is coming up on its halfway mark with a year left on the project. As students return to campus, City High’s new addition begins to take shape. Construction continues to make progress despite the global pandemic. The timeline has moved back slightly, the new completion date is October 18, 2021. This is about a month later than the original completion date of September 1. “There has been an opportunity to work more during the school day so we are hoping to get the date moved up,” Assistant Principal Jespersen said. “We plan on opening next year in the space although small final touches may still be happening.” Assistant Principal Jespersen has been representing City High in weekly construction meetings throughout the timeline of this project. The move to online school has allowed the construction project to move faster than originally planned. However, a few problems arose over the summer. “The derecho set back construction by a week or so,” Jespersen said. The derecho, which hit Iowa City August 10, was a major wind storm that affected the majority of Eastern Iowa. The derecho caused major property damage and power outages. “Construction on the third floor is being completed,” Jespersen said. “The third floor will be completed by November 1.” As in-person school begins, hybrid students will notice that the third floor is

ABOVE: City’s new gym under-construction PHOTO BY JONATHAN ROGERS

off-limits due to construction. The classes on the third floor, like languages, chemistry, and some social sciences were moved to Hoover Elementary. Students with those classes will have an extra two minutes added on to their passing periods to get from City High to the Hoover building. Students will also notice

that 4th Avenue is closed. “[Online school] has allowed for 4th avenue to be closed, giving construction a lot more space for large equipment,” Jespersen said. However, most of the construction cannot be accelerated because of production and

shipping timelines. “City High was the best campus before construction began and it will be even better when this project is complete,” Jespersen said.

City High homecoming altered by Covid-19 The Covid-19 Pandemic has caused student senate to rework plans for homecoming, student senate is sponsoring spirit days through October 19 and 26 the themes are Pajama Day, Wacky Tourist Day, Animal day, what you would have worn at homecoming, and Halloween Costume day By Emmelene Perencevich

uring a normal school year, the homecoming dance, parade, and football game would have all already happened. This school year is different. Most years the band would have spent the few weeks leading up to homecoming practicing for the parade and halftime show. Most years, the football team wouldn’t have to take weeks off from practicing. However, due to the pandemic, this year is unlike most. Student Senate, the student government at City High, would have met in person to discuss, plan, and prepare every aspect of the homecoming dance. “[Usually the Student Senate] sets up committees to work on various tasks. We choose the date, venue, theme. We pay for and plan decorations, food and drinks, music, and tickets,” Ms. Gibbens, one of the staff sponsors for Student Senate, said. However, this year, many clubs and organizations at City High have had to make adjustments in order to continue to meet. Platforms like Discord, GroupMe, and Zoom have been used in order to facilitate the meeting of many activities. “We are meeting over Zoom rather than in person so that’s different,” Gibbens said.

There are different factors that the Student Senate and Iowa City School District considered before deciding on what to do about the dance. Evan McElroy ‘21 is Senior Class Vice President and member of Student Senate. “The main thing with homecoming is COVID-19 is the fact that as a dance, it basically requires people to be together; especially with the venues we have open there just isn’t enough room,” said McElroy. Gibbens agreed that finding a venue that could accommodate social distancing would be the most challenging aspect of planning the dance. “A venue here at the school would not be big enough for students to social distance,” said Gibbens. With Student Senate, the teachers, the school administration, and the district all in agreement, they were able to come to a decision regarding the dance. “There isn’t going to be a homecoming dance unfortunately, Student Senate really didn’t have much of a say there but to be honest it wouldn’t have changed the outcome if we did,” McElroy said. “Everyone pretty much agreed that a homecoming dance wouldn’t be safe.” Even without the dance, there may be some homecoming traditions that take place in less traditional ways.

INFOGRAPHIC BY EMMELENE PERENCEVICH “Student senate normally has some input in the homecoming parade, but once again it’s a little odd this year,” McElroy said. “I believe we are not doing a homecoming parade this year, but there might be a

different version of it since we plan on doing a homecoming court.” Last week a voting form for the homecoming court was sent out to seniors. First, 28 finalists were selected, then narrowed down to the

final 14. The top two of those 14 homecoming royals were selected during spirit week.

A4 NEWS

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

ICCSD and ISEA lose lawsuit over local control

On September 3rd, the Johnson County District Court upheld Governor Reynold's 50% online mandate

By Rachel Marsh

to open if they wanted athletics. It seemed ating our own. As a board, we have stated like a last-ditch effort to make schools open that we want to abide by the law and the and get things back to a sense of normalcy guidance we have received,” Eyestone said. when they really shouldn’t yet. If we were “However, we feel like the guidance given allowed to practice all summer why did we was a one size fits all approach and that does have to stop just because school started? It not take into account our local conditions. doesn’t make any sense to take opportuni- Because of that, we felt the need to argue for ties away from us just because she wanted to our rights to have some agency on metrics punish the schools for going online.” for how we would deliver our educational Most summer and fall sports had been programming.” practicing over the summer, starting with This caused controversy on social media. softball and baseball. Then football, volley- The protest and the board’s reaction was the ball, and cross country joined the mix. Each source of many different arguments and difgroup takes their own precautions and meth- ferences of opinion. ods to control COVID. “My opinion on the protest(s) a group of “I am a firm believer that Athletics and students held to make the school board let School should be separate. There are [fewer] them have their fall sports is that it seems people involved and everyone is there by pretty ironic that they gathered in a large choice, they are not required to play football group to protest something that was put into or run cross country or play volleyball, they place, because of large groups/gatherings, are there because they know the risk, their and that although it may potentially change families know the risk, and they are com- some people’s futures, in order to prevent the fortable playing the spread of COVID-19 sports they love. This fall sports should be goes for things like “It is the board's responsibility to postponed,” Kathshow choir as well,” provide direction to the district ryn Fullenkamp ‘22 Goodrich said. “Don’t get me and in turn the district's legal said. When the board wrong, I’m pro-mask counsel on what direction to voted to approve of but it feels like some two weeks 100% onstudents don’t want take.” line, they did vote for to acknowledge that SHAWN EYESTONE all extracurriculars masks aren’t foolSCHOOLBOARD PRESIDENT and school activities proof, especially in to be online. Howhigh contact sports.” ever, after the protests, board members said According to the CDC, when social disthat they believed that the sports could con- tancing is not possible, wearing a mask retinue on safely as they had proved over the duces the risk of spreading COVID-19. They summer. They blamed the state for taking also state that wearing a mask can reduce the away localized power to make decisions re- chances of contracting and spreading the disgarding what is in-person and what is online. ease from person to person. Depending on Lisa Williams urged parents and students to the type of mask, it is more or less effective. urge the governor to change her mind. “I also heard from a lot of people that disThat led to the district joining the lawsuit agree with me that if people don’t want to with the Iowa State Education Association participate then they don’t have to do it and against the state to change who had control it won’t affect them. To me, by saying that over what each district does from state pow- they aren’t taking into fact that if one person er to individual localized power to have the who does participate in in-person sports goes right to decide what's best for each situation, to practice with COVID-19, then they have and less generalized over the entire state. most likely spread it to many other members “It is the Board’s responsibility to provide of the team, their families, friends, and evdirection to the district and in turn the dis- eryone, and the more that they come into trict’s legal counsel on what direction to take. contact with before they even know they We decided to join the Iowa State Education have it.” Association in their suit as opposed to creThese protests were at the forefront of all

ot only is the world about to enter the eighth month of a global pandemic, but the West Coast of the United States is burning with forest fires, and the U.S. is entering a presidential election. All while locally, the decisions over how to handle school and COVID-19 change constantly. Decision after decision, a controversial governor and athletes protesting, all in the midst of a global pandemic - a sentence that describes what 2020 has been like for Iowa City. On July 17, Governor Reynolds issued a proclamation instituting that Iowa Schools should focus on bringing students back to in-person learning in the 2020-2021 school year. The proclamation states that schools must have the majority of the school year in person with exceptions: when parents choose online for their kids, when local school and health officials approve a temporary move to online, when local health officials move individual students or classrooms to online, or a school moving to online due to weather. This announcement came days after the Iowa City School District announced their plan for the 2020-2021 school year - the majority online. “I always knew that there would be difficult decisions to be made as a Board member. I also knew that not everyone was going to agree with those decisions. But I certainly never imagined a situation like this,” said Iowa City Community School District School Board President Shawn Eyestone. Fast forward six weeks ahead to a school board meeting deciding whether or not to accept a waiver granted by the state to allow two weeks online. The waiver was granted as a result of Johnson County’s high and climbing positivity rate, which brought Iowa to national news and Iowa was third in the world for most cases at one point. The board voted 6-0 to accept the waiver to be 100% online for the first two weeks of school. With school being online, extracurricular activities were up in the air. “Personally, I feel that we owe it to our students, our staff, their families, and our community to ensure that we are following best practices to keep them all healthy and safe. The struggle for me and others is how do you define healthy and safe. There are certainly negative effects of not having students in school. But there are also potentially severe negative effects of contributing to the community spread of a novel virus,” Eyestone said. Taking fate into their own hands, athletes from many fall sports wrote on signs, put on their jerseys, and went to the ESC building to protest. The majority of protestors were football players, with volleyball players, parents, and other fall athletes. The protestors came from all three high schools in the district, City, West, and Liberty. “I protested to ‘Let us play’ because I think the football team, and all fall sports, deserved a chance. I was hoping to get the District on our side, which I think we did. But it was the Governor that I really wanted our message to go to,” Goodrich said. “My message was for the Governor because I want her to change her law that forced schools ABOVE: ICCSD District Buliding. PHOTO BY RACHEL MARSH

social media for about a week surrounding the actual protest date. Many people were taking to Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook to share their views. “I do think that it is really important to use your platform and voice on what you believe in. Making conversation about a topic and keeping those conversations going with your families, friends, and classmates (some of who are eligible to vote) creates an opening where you can maybe change or further reinforce their opinions,” Fullenkamp said. “They can do the same with their peers, or even change your own stance. There isn’t an age [requirement] on when you’re allowed to start making a difference and have an impact on your community.” The Iowa City School District joined the Iowa State Education Association’s lawsuit against the state. On September 3, it was heard in court. The hearing took place at the Johnson County District Court with Judge Mary Chicchelly. Within the next week, the decision regarding the lawsuit was made. Judge Chicchelly and the court ruled that it was within the state's power to decide when in-person school occurs. Effectively instating Governor Reynold’s 50% online mandate. “The thing that caught my attention the most was that the district was asking for local control over the decision for online school, and extracurricular activities. My personal opinion is that they had every right to file the lawsuit,” Goodrich said. “I think that Governor Reynolds doesn’t have the right to force us to do in-person school if we want to do sports and other extracurricular activities. Especially since she never gave a statewide stay at home order when the pandemic started, if local officials were able to make their own decisions then, why can’t we do that now?” In the end, the lawsuit was not successful and localizing power did not happen. What percentage of school is online versus in person, as well as the two week waivers for high percentage areas of Iowa, is still up to the governor . Now, the two-week waiver has ended. Two full weeks 100% online, learning and extracurriculars are over. Hybrid and extracurriculars are back up again, if athletes stayed up to the standard of fitness that coaches want and how the two weeks went for everyone are questions in the works of being answered. “These two weeks so far have definitely been a challenge at times for me. As far as the team goes, there are just a lot of questions, opinions, and frustrations that we all have. I think one of our biggest challenges right now is sticking together as a team, putting aside everything else, and doing what is best for the team as a whole,” Goodrich said. There is still a possibility of another spike and how long the hybrid school will last and how everything is going to work. “We’re committed to getting our students and staff back into our schools as soon as we can. We know that is the best place for learning to happen as well as being an important part of students’ growth as members of the community. We want to make sure that the local conditions in our area support doing that in a safe manner,” Eyestone said.

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

A5 NEWS

Standardized testing and college admissions for the class of 2021 Seniors drive in to City High to pick up caps and gowns as graduation is cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

By Shoshie Hemley

s Rika Yahashiri ‘21 walked into Ottumwa high school, there was a sign on the door with a list of symptoms asking all students to wear a mask. Once she entered, she was to confirm she didn’t have any of the symptoms on the list. This is an experience many students across the country are facing as students start taking standardized tests during the pandemic. Wearing a mask and sitting six feet apart is now part of the procedure when taking the SAT and ACT, however, some seniors have had issues with registering for their tests as centers across the country close due to rising rates. “Probably a month leading up to it, I was really scared and nervous that [the SAT] could get canceled and the site could get canceled. About two weeks before I took the SAT my site, Coe college, canceled. That was really stressful when I had to change sites, but I eventually got a spot,” Yahashiri said. Yahashiri is one of many students who have had to change locations to take a stan-

dardized test, driving to Ottumwa to take “I wish they would offer a test more than the SAT. just once or twice a month. Maybe offer [the “Even going there and getting to the site, I test] multiple times a month just so people was scared that they’d still cancel, even when are not screwed for college. They want to I got there. The submit a score, whole process and they want was scary, not to have the op“It’s been really frustrating because just the test,” portunity to I’ve had a tutor, so having to start and take it,” Foster Yahashiri said. Stella Foster stop with him over and over again just said. ‘21 was schedFor some because I can’t actually take the test uled to take the students, even test in April, with the addhas been frustrating.” however, it was ed precautions, STELLA FOSTER canceled, and the risk of takCITY HIGH SENIOR then canceled ing the SAT or again in June ACT isn’t worth and July. it. “It’s been really frustrating because I’ve “I think it was kind of a family talk that had a tutor, so having to start and stop with we had like a couple [of ] weeks ago when him over and over again just because I can’t we saw that most schools that I’m applyactually take the test has been frustrating,” ing to aren’t requiring [test scores] and that Foster said. COVID cases were going up. We just didn’t Foster was able to take the test in Sep- really think it was worth it to go into a room tember, however, due to COVID, she had to and take the ACT,” Harper Denniston ‘21 drive over an hour away to Keokuk. said. Denniston is one of many seniors tak-

ing advantage of colleges across the country going test-optional. “I was signed up to take the ACT in April, and then after that one got canceled I got bumped to the next two dates [that were also canceled], and then eventually, I just decided to cancel,” Amelia Gibson ‘21 said. Gibson is another senior who won’t be submitting a standardized test score to colleges. “I don’t want [colleges] to judge me based on how I do on a standardized test during a stressful time when I’ve been out of school for a couple [of ] months,” Gibson said. Although Denniston is applying to colleges that are test-optional, she is still nervous about not having a score to put on her application. “It is a bit more nerve -wracking because there’s another bit of unknown. You don’t know if the other kids who are applying took it and how they did,” Denniston said. “You don’t have that kind of security, like, ‘Hey, here’s my score. This is a part of my application.’ You have to rely on other things, which is a bit more scary.”

ABOVE: City High 2019-2020 debate team at last year’s Michigan University tournament. PHOTO BY VINCE WOOLUMS

Debate in the age of COVID-19

By Araminta Siegling

olicy debate has been able to function as it usually would this season, but with one major change: students won’t be seeing their debate partners in person every week at practice like they had been doing in the past. Now the ICCSD debate team has online meetings every week and has had several camps and Zoom meetings for new debaters. Debate tournaments are online this year, which makes the sport more accessible. In previous years, going to tournaments could be expensive and time-consuming. This means that debaters have been able to go to more tournaments this season. For example, Liam Clarke ‘22 has already been to two tournaments. Clarke went to Niles Township and the Mid America Cup. When tournaments were in person, they were social events. Students don’t get to interact with other debaters the same way now that tour-

naments are online. “I enjoyed the social aspect,” Clarke said on in-person tournaments. “With online debate, I miss out on that.” It isn’t only students that are missing in-person debate tournaments. Cooper is a Speech and Debate coach, and he has been coaching for ten years, three of which have been with the West and City teams. “I thrive on the energy of a tournament. I also really appreciate how students engage with each other at these tournaments,” John Cooper, an English teacher from West said. “I think [the social aspect is] really important that we support kids and healthy social interactions. You’re developing mentally, you deserve to be able to be with your friends,” Cooper said. Now, there are no travel expenses, and students can debate from home. Tournaments have been filling up fast, with registration open to schools all over the country. This creates a new opportunity for debaters

to meet each other, even if they live thousands of miles away. Cooper knows that speech and debate creates a community for its participants but also recognizes that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to make the activity an even playing field for all students. “There’s a gender discrimination layer, and there’s definitely a race discrimination layer,” Cooper said. Debating online requires a good wifi connection, it can be frustrating when your opponent suddenly glitches during their speech. “There are lots of technical difficulties,” Clarke said. “Being able to effectively communicate has been difficult.” A poor wifi connection can be fixed with an ethernet cable, but not every debater has one. Coaches have been working on getting materials that are necessary for debate to the students that need them most. “I’m working with parents right now to

create a campaign where we’re raising money to get better equipment, internet, and file access for students.” Cooper said. Cooper wants to make sure students from all backgrounds can participate in the activity. “It’s really important for us to make sure that those kids who don’t have the access get access.” Cooper said. West High will be hosting a tournament on October 24th for novice debaters. It will be completely online. One of the biggest questions for coaches hosting online tournaments has been how to hold a tournament when there are teams from across the country. The tournament already has entries from five states, including Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Kansas, and Texas. While online tournaments have been frustrating, they still bring new opportunities to the activity. It will take some time for debaters to get used to the new method of debating.

6A NEWS

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

Seven City students qualify for National Merit semi-finals

ART BY SOPHIA WAGNER

Applying to college during COVID-19 Seniors navigate cancelled tests, closed college campuses, and virtual courseloads as they apply for college during the pandemic

By Rochell Longstreet

ictoria Mattox ‘21 had high expectations for her senior year of high school. “Senior year is the year you look forward to from the moment you find out that school doesn’t have to last forever. You go all out for senior year because it’s your last.” The class of 2021 will be the first class to start their senior year during the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 forced many ACT and SAT testing centers to shut down completely and some colleges weren’t ready to change their policies, while others were more lenient as time went on. Alfelicia Lucas ‘21 had to narrow her college list down to three colleges due to COVID-19. “I had to reduce my list because many of my colleges weren’t test-optional and I wasn’t able to take the ACT before the pandemic hit. But I’m confident that I will get into my three colleges because of the other things I’ve done,” Lucas said. For Heiba Noreldaim ‘21, the college application process has been time-consuming and at times confusing. Noreldaim will be a first-generation college student and has been very dependent on Google and Youtube to find the answers she needs for college. For Noreldaim, peers have been a big help.

“I genuinely have no idea month to find a new counselor.” what I’m doing because my City High, like many parents didn’t go to college in other high schools and universiAmerica, and it’s hard for me to ties across the globe, has switched bombard other people with all from an entirely in-person class my questions,” Noreldaim said. model to a hybrid or online style Noreldaim and Mattox both of teaching. For the first time can relate to the fact that they ever, students have the choice both have looked to friends for of whether they want to remain assistance through this process. completely online or continue Especially while City was switch- to learn in person. This change ing counselors this summer. in class models has affected se“Honestly my friends have niors’ workloads as they apply to been a really big help even schools. though “Onsomel i n e times ool ““Senior year is the year you look sforc hme t h e y is forward to from the moment you so hard don’t e v e n find out that school doesn’t have because k n o w I canw h a t to last forever. You go all out for not fot h e y ’r e cus and d o i n g . senior year because it’s your last.” literally M y everyVICTORIA MATTOX grandthing CITY HIGH SENIOR ma, my around aunt, me just m y distracts mom, me and and dad they’ve all been helping there’s nowhere I can go where it me a lot, but a lot of it is up to doesn’t that I still have Wi-Fi of me to figure out,” Mattox said. course,” Mattox said. “I do ask my counselor when I If counselor Mary Pecan, but I was emailing my old terson could do anything to help counselor throughout the sum- students, it would be to allow mer and then all of a sudden she them to change from online to just stopped replying. Then a hybrid if they wanted. couple [of ] days later Mr. Bacon announced that she was retired. “I think everyone learns difThat really just screwed me up ferently and they might be more because I had to wait another successful in one model versus

the other, but it is too late to switch. Regardless if you are hybrid or online, time management is key to success. Make lists, utilize office hours, and ask for help,” Peterson said. Another obstacle that the class of ‘21 has faced due to COVID-19 is getting letters of recommendation from teachers. “Getting a letter of recommendation has been so hard, especially since last year ended so abruptly. I didn’t choose to finish all my classes last year and for the few that I did choose, I wasn’t sure if I knew my teachers enough for them to write a letter of recommendation for me,” Mattox said. “I love all my teachers but their response time is really slow especially now since they do have a lot of extra work to do with online and hybrid learning, so it’s kind of like they have time, but they are doing a million other things and I can understand that, but I need these letters.” Resources for applying for college can be found on the City High website. Under “Guidance Links” students can find the Common App - one application for multiple colleges, FAFSA, Scholarships, and NCAA. Also, on the guidance page, both online and hybrid students can book an appointment to meet with their counselor to discuss options either in-person or over Zoom.

By Shoshie Hemley

even City High seniors have qualified as National Merit Semi-Finalists. Seniors Ananya Albrecht-Buehler ‘21, Ilario Balestrieri-Fox ‘21, Keith Friestad ‘21, Laura Friestad ‘21, Ben Otoadese ‘21, Nolan Vibhakar ‘21, and Rocco Zollo ‘21 found out on September 8 that they were among the 16,000 students across the nation who qualified for the 65th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program. “I’m very happy and excited. I had to wait the entire year to find out, and then finally I found out. [There was] a lot of joy in that moment,” Vibhakar said. “We’ll see what comes next, but I’m not too worried about whether I stay a semifinalist or a finalist. I feel like this is enough, at least.” In order to qualify, students must take the PSAT the fall of their junior year. “There wasn’t too much preparation specifically for the PSAT. I had taken it the year before too. I had done a little bit of preparation with the SAT and ACT and that kind of transferred into the PSAT,” Otoadese said. Vibahkar believes it’s his education that helped prepare him for the PSAT. “I didn’t do a ton of preparation for it, but I’ve been preparing for it kind of my entire life and school career just by learning things. It’s more thanks for the fantastic education that I’ve been getting that I think that I was able to do so well,” Vibahkar said. Albrecht-Buehler is glad to be able to acknowledge she is a semi-finalist on her college applications. “I think it’s definitely going to help boost my application. Because only around 1% of PSAT test-takers have gotten it. I think definitely I’m still gonna have to work towards it because [16,000] other students are able to put a semifinalist on that application as well,” Albrecht-Buehler said. The PSAT has also helped some prepare for the real SAT and ACT. Vibahkar took both exams over the summer. “I think [the PSAT was] a very good example, especially being able to take it twice in 10th grade and 11th grade,” Vibahkar said. “[The SAT] was very similar to the PSAT, obviously a little bit more challenging, but the structure similar, so I felt familiar with it and more prepared than I would have been if I hadn’t taken the PSAT.” The next step for the semi-finalists is to submit an essay and a teacher recommendation in order to qualify to be a finalist for the scholarship. Albrecht-Buehler is currently working on her application to be a finalist. “[The process is] definitely a little rushed this year just because of the pandemic. I think the results came out a little late, so I’ve had to do everything last minute, the applications are due in less than a month,” Albrecht-Buehler said. For any future PSAT test-takers, Otoadese believes staying calm is beneficial. “Slow down and pace yourself. It is important to really relax on these tests. I’ve noticed that because I’ve taken tests like this a few times. Once you get over the nerves and all that stuff, you realize how much better you feel about the test,” Otoadese said.

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

NEWS 7A

ABOVE: Signs for the Republican and Democratic Nominee for Iowa senate PHOTO BY Rebecca Michaeli

Virtual campaigns How the Covid-19 pandemic has effected people running political campaigns in Iowa

By Rebecca Michaeli

s November 3 approaches, political campaigns are at their highest momentum and intensity. Because of a worldwide pandemic that is unceasing, organizing and encouraging voters to use their voice looks different than years past. The digital world has become a reality for so many, with virtual workspaces becoming the norm. While usual direct voter contact includes door knocking, in-person dinners, and events, campaigns have had to adjust due to the public health crisis. “Our campaign is continuing to talk to voters across Iowa, with volunteers in every corner of the state. Phone banking and texting around the clock, and are encouraging Iowans to vote by mail. Thanks to a major boost in volunteers, just this past weekend, we broke our campaign’s record for phone calls and texts to voters,” Theresa Greenfield, who is running for the U.S. Senate to represent Iowa, said. Though political campaigns look different than prior years, it doesn’t necessarily mean they require less effort. Campaign staffers and organizers have found ways to replace campaign stand-bys, such as town

halls and community events, with virtual alternatives to align with the CDC’s safety recommendations. “It’s different, not going up to people’s doors, and not having those kinds of conversations, but on the other hand, I’ve had some great conversations on the phone,” Shawn Harmsen, a volunteer for Battleground Iowa, said. Battleground Iowa works to elect Joe Biden, Teresa Greenfield, and Democrats up and down the ballot. “Now there are massive Zoom trainings [for volunteers], where otherwise you would go to someone’s house or garage, and sit there in a face to face training. There are all the same elements, they’re just being delivered in a slightly different way,” Harmsen said. An unexpected advantage of this new way of conducting campaign work is the ability to engage non-local volunteers from various states. Now, it’s much easier for someone anywhere in the country to join a Zoom and make calls from their house, instead of having to physically knock doors within a specific turf area. “While I’d certainly rather be out shaking hands, I’m proud that I’ve done more than 250 in-person and virtual campaign events. I continue to hear from Iowans about the

challenges they’re facing and the issues that matter most to them while prioritizing the health and safety of everyone involved. We’re going to keep traveling the state, keeping our in-person events within public health guidelines, and meeting and answering questions from Iowans through our virtual events,” Greenfield said. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, campaigns are creating new events to replace former gatherings. Joni Ernst, Greenfield’s competitor, is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent Iowa. Ernst was elected in 2014, becoming the first woman from Iowa elected to the Senate. Ernst has set up a new event for the year, “Joni’s Ride Across Iowa.” The two-day motorcycle event includes six stops across the state, and opportunities to meet with Ernst herself. “Taking the proper COVID-19 precautions, Joni Ernst has still been able to complete her 6th 99 County Tour, making stops in every county, as well as safely visiting with folks on the campaign trail. Joni believes it’s critical for our elected officials to hear directly from Iowans and for all Iowans, from every part of our state, to have their voices heard,” Melissa Deatsch, Press Secretary of the Team Joni campaign, said. From the presidential race to state-level

races, all elections will take place on November third. With less than five weeks until the elections, campaigns are in full swing. “In the Senate, [Ernst] is a tireless advocate for farmers, veterans, and working families, and a fighter for Iowa jobs. We are energized by the strong grassroots energy and momentum that continues to fuel our campaign,” Deatsch said. October 24 is the voter registration deadline. Voters can request an Absentee Ballot Request Form that must be submitted and received by County Auditors by October 24. Absentee ballots will begin to be sent out on October 5 and can be returned by mail, or dropped off early to County Auditors before November 3. Voters may also submit a ballot, in-person on voting day. Absentee ballots can be tracked, and more information found on the Iowa Secretary of State website. “Things certainly look different for our campaign right now, but that doesn’t mean we’re standing still, and from now through November 3, we’ll keep fighting in every corner of the state to earn every last vote,” Greenfield said.

A8 NEWS

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

Staying in touch while out of touch Students in quarintine stay connected on website designed to connect people to global pen pals

By Sophia Wagner

hen Jenny Huynh ’22 was in first grade, she wrote her teacher a letter. The next day, Jenny found a sealed envelope in her desk, nestled on top of her pencil box. Years later, Jenny returns to writing letters. This time, however, the letters are being sent off to friends who, like Jenny, are looking for ways to safely keep in touch while continuing to quarantine. “At the beginning of the summer [my friend] sent me my first letter. I thought it was very fun, and that’s where it all started,” Huynh said. “Without quarantining, I probably wouldn’t be writing letters, simply because I would have just opted to talk to my friends face to face. But when you’re home all the time, there’s nothing better to do than write a letter to someone.” Anne Kerkemeijer is a student outside of the U.S., who -like Jenny- took quarantine as a signal to start pen palling. In order to reach a wider range of people, Kerkemeifer turned to an online resource, Global Pen Friends. The website, which has over three thousand users, is a way to find pen pals around the world. Global Pen Friends refers to itself as a “club,” where it matches members with others who share similar interests. Kerkemeijer was immediately matched with people from across the globe, eventually leading her to begin writing to not one, but two City High Students. Kerkemeijer used pen palling as a way to get to know new people, as well as to maintain contact with friends during quarantine.

ART BY SOPHIA WAGNER

“Pen palling is nice during normal life, but it has certainly helped me stay in touch with people through a different medium,” Kerkemeijer said. “It is important to stay updated on what’s happening in the world and pen palling can help you find out what a whole other country does during this extremely strange period. I think that quarantine has made it more popular again.” Kerkemeijer has been pen palling for around six months,

but with the addition of the Global Pen Friends, she now has twenty pen pals in total. “I am a big fan of meeting new people online, yet it always stays just that. When you are writing to someone you can really put your own personality in there,” Kerkemeijer said. “You can also add little gifts to share your culture or your interests. Pen palling has so much more personality than just talking on the phone.” Huynh, who prefers writing to friends over finding new acquaintances through outside sources, agrees that the “personality” of pen palling is the best part. “I think a lot of times when you talk to people in person you’re kind of talking about basic stuff, but with writing, you kind of think about everything that happened, and then you want to put it all down in the letter,” Huynh said. “I think it adds more spice to things because you get to think about what you want to write instead of just saying, ‘Oh hey. How’s your day? The test was hard.’ Letters can cover many more topics.” Huynh and Kerkemeijer have different methods of finding pen pals, but the bottom line was to stay in touch through a time when contact became difficult. “Before internet culture, it was a great way of finding new friends, but with the come up of so many new platforms it decreased in popularity,” Kerkemeijer said. “I think that quarantine has made it more popular again. It’s a way of not feeling completely alone and sharing your thoughts with someone.”

DELAYED STUDENT SENATE ELECTION COMES TO A CLOSE

By Aala Basheir

he abrupt ending to the 20192020 school year left a lot of things unfinished, including the race for Senior Class President. While the student body was adjusting to many changes, including an online or hybrid curriculum, and the loss of activities and traditions, City High was left without student representation for the first three weeks of school. “I’m sad about missing out on senior traditions but I understand the reasoning behind it,” Corrine Smith ‘21 said. The senior class president and vice president are responsible for leading Student Senate meetings, giving speeches throughout the year, and attending school board meetings. The race started with four pairs running, all in the graduating class of 2021. Jeremiah Collins and Oliver Bostian, Shoshie Hemley and Jesse Hausknecht-Brown, Katherine Geerdes and Evan McElroy, Tim Wildes and Kyden Hotka. “It’s obviously a crazy year [given the] circumstances and everything that’s going on in the world regarding COVID. But we think that the most important thing is keeping everyone safe,” presidential candidate Collins states. “I know a lot of people, when they couldn’t see anyone [during quarintine], were down on themselves. It’s hard to be alone. So we want to try to give students an outlet.” Collins and his running mate Bostian had planned to focus on reinstating as many senior activities as possible while doing it in a way that is safe and focuses on student mental health, including anti-racism policies “Our problem is the teachers and staff, not taking things seriously enough. Maybe training for the students and staff at City High to be able to spot racism or know how to handle it if someone comes to them,” Collins explains. “I feel like a lot

of the time, the student comes to a teacher gardless of whether or not each grade elects and tells them something and I’ve heard representatives. many stories about it just getting brushed “[Student Senate meeting times] are off and that’s obviously not okay. We want completely unfair to the people that don’t our students to feel safe and to feel like feel socially comfortable, waking up, getthey can talk to someone.” ting out of bed, getting dressed, and imTo run for class president you must be mediately going to school to talk about a City High senior and have attended two- things that we can improve,” Wildes states. thirds of all Student Senate meetings to Wildes and Hotka were focused on imshow your commitment and gain insight proving mental health within the student in student government. Because Student body. Senate was unable to host meetings during “There’s a social stigma [at City High] the third trimester of the previous year, the that if you don’t take Honors or AP, then requirement was changed to a minimum you’re not smart or your one of the stuof six meetings. pid kids. We feel that it’s just so stigma“It’s important to find alternative ways tized and just so overwhelmingly, beaten, to get the information out. Even if [stu- almost even from junior high, that if we dents] can’t come to the meetings. Just so don’t take those classes, then you won’t they know what’s be as successful,” happening, and “I think a big problem with running Wildes explains. they know why “It’s unfair to the specific decisions for president is that it’s really easy to students that feel were made be- make empty promises. So you want like they’re forced cause I think a lot to take these of students find to come up with specific solutions on classes because themselves conthey’re completehow you’ll improve things.” fused with a big ly overwhelmed.” KATHERINE GEERDES change,” Geerdes To combat CITY HIGH SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT said. these issues they In the past, Student Senate has de- planned to host a listening post and weekbated implementing a system that allows ly meetings pertaining to mental health. students to elect representatives for each The two also stated they will work on regrade. This is in hopes of solving the repre- teaching methods to combat racism and sentation problem that was voiced last year bullying. Other candidates, Hemley and and expressed for better representation of Hausknecht-Brown were planning to take the student body. a different approach to handling student “It’s nice because we have freshmen, mental health. sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Anyone “I think it’s hard to target mental can immediately get involved and make an health when we’re not targeting the unimpact. So, I personally would like to keep derrepresented students. Those are the it how it is because the people who come people who are often struggling because [to the meetings] are the people who want they aren’t getting the attention they need to make good decisions for the school,” from their teachers [or] because they aren’t Collins explains. overachievers,” Hemley explains. “Those Currently, any City High Student is are the students who need more attention, able to attend and vote at Student Senate not only for mental health but they tend meetings. All candidates have stated they to be people of color, LGBTQ identifying will keep meetings open to the school re- students. That’s why we are making an-

ti-racism and pro-LGBTQ policy part of our agenda.” Candidates Geerdes and McElroy, on the other hand, have decided to start new clubs to replace the events canceled this year. They also have plans for a projector movie night on the football field. “We kind of have to keep our hopes up,” Geerdes explains. “Ideas, if not implemented this year, we want to set up for next year. I think a big problem with running for president is that it’s really easy to make empty promises. So you want to come up with specific solutions on how you’ll improve things.” Aside from senior activities, they wanted to implement a recycling system that ensures items go directly to the correct location. “A lot of restaurants and places in Iowa City, their recycling stuff just goes straight to the trash. Even though it’s labeled as recycling. So I think making sure that we have an efficient way of actually recycling is important,” Geerdes said Geerdes and McElroy participate in a variety of different clubs within City High including Cross Country, Track, TableTop RPG, Mock Trial, and the music department. Inspired by 2018 class president, Lottie Gidal ‘19, Geerdes decided to team up with McElroy in hopes of implementing her own ideas. “We need to get to diversity training for the administration, they need to learn how to properly handle situations and properly handling situations doesn’t mean taking the students and the teacher to the principal’s office,” Geerdes states. “I think students are allowed to get away with little things and a lot of other students are spoken to condescendingly, and not like their concerns matter.” The final results reveal that Katherine Geerdes won Senior Class President, along with Evan McElroy, Vice President.

NEWS 9A

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM October 23, 2020

ABOVE: Elizabeth Staak PHOTO BY JAE DANCER

ABOVE: Matt Walker PHOTO BY RUTH MEEHAN

ABOVE: Drew Gartner PHOTO BY GENEVIEVE GIDAL

NEW TEACHERS A look into the lives of three of the 15 new teachers at City High this year. More teachers will be covered on TheLittleHawk.com

By Jae Dancer, Ruth Meehan, and Genevieve Gidal

Elizabeth Staak: Language Arts

lizabeth Staak never planned to be a teacher. Starting out in the journalism department she then transitioned into an English major and a teaching program at the University of Iowa. “In college I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and finally, once I was in the teaching program, I felt like I was surrounded by people who were like me, and I really enjoyed it.” Staak said. In the past, Steak has taught at various schools around Iowa including Urbandale High School and Prairie middle school. She has also helped out in the South East music department. Staak will now be joining City High as a Language Arts teacher. “I have always admired City High and the people that work there.” Staak said. “I know the people that work at City are great and I would be lucky to work with them.” Staak’s goal for this year is for her students to feel comfortable in the classroom under the circumstances. She wants her students to have fun with learning, feel comfortable with each other, and feel good about coming to school every

day. “My favorite part of being a teacher is just watching [students] go through the year because it’s amazing the amount of emotional and mental growth that I see kids have every year. I just feel really lucky to be even a little part of that.” Staak’s biggest pet peeves while teaching are the sound of students chewing and students taking off shoes in the classroom. Staak sometimes needs to remind them that, “this is not the space for that.” When asked how virtual teaching has been going Staak said, “I was terrified at first just because it’s hard starting at a new school where you don’t really know anyone but I feel like my students have been super resilient and I just appreciate them showing up every day.” If Staak was to give advice to an aspiring teacher she would say, “Every day is a new day. Smile, laugh, but most of all don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Matt Walker: Choir

he retirement of Dr. Greg Grove at the end of the 2019 - 2020 school year left an opening for a new assistant director in the City High Choir Department. This spot was soon filled by Matt Walker. Walker is entering his 14th year

of teaching grades 9-12 choirs but has also taught voice privately at the collegiate level. Previously, he was the choir director at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids. The Luther College graduate says that his personal experiences led him to pursue a career in choral music. “I had some really incredible experiences in choir, from high school all the way up through graduate school, which led me to want to share my passion for choral music with my students,” said Walker. Walker’s colleague, fellow Luther grad Tyler Hagy was hired three years prior and says he is excited to not only work but learn from Walker. “I’m excited to learn from him! He is a master teacher and it is a joy to watch him work. I’m looking forward to seeing him work with the choirs when we are back in-person,” said Hagy. “I’m also excited to use his knowledge of technology and other strategies to benefit all the students in our program!” A new obstacle has made it extra challenging to connect with students, that obstacle being COVID-19. Walker does have experience working with students in an online model. “I taught online for over two months last spring, so I’m pretty aware of the challenges involved, particularly with teaching music. However, there are ways that we can make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience--we just have to shift how we do some things,”

Walker said. Despite the situation, Walker is determined to give his two choirs, Little Hawk Singers and Advanced Treble Choir, an educational and productive year. “For my choirs this year, I want to give them the opportunity to explore some fantastic music,” Walker said. “They will also have the opportunity to work on their individual skills, such as vocal technique and music literacy. That way, whenever we are able to come back together, we will be able to hit the ground running!”

Drew Gartner: Science

rew Gartner, a City High alumni, has come full circle back to the school that leads. As a new teacher, Gartner is excited for the new year teaching Physical science and Earth and Space science. “I really attribute my time at City High as a student to sort of why I wanted to become a science teacher,” Gartner said. “I had a lot of really good science teachers at City High, some who have retired and some who were still working there. That made me really want to be like them. So I’m excited to be back and working with some people that I look up to.” Gartner hopes to learn as much as he can this non-traditional

school year, and carry lessons with him he can use for the rest of his career. “My favorite thing about being a teacher is the relationships that you build with students and getting to learn more about them,” Gartner said. “Who they are and who they want to be really, is one of the best parts. Getting to have some influence or at least some insight into what students are like outside of school.” Over quarantine Gartner played many video, board, and card games. He also started playing golf since it was easy to do outside and socially distanced. Gartner hopes to teach his students this year about flexibility and self-advocacy. “Not just in school but sort of for the rest of your life, being able to be flexible and adapt to new situations, really, no matter what you want to do outside of high school, it is going to be important,” Gartner said. Gartner is excited to be back at City High after graduating in 2015, this is his first teaching job after college. “Like Mr. Bacon says and I really believe it, there’s something magical about City High, and I’ve spent a lot of time and field experiences at other schools, and really I agree that no other school has the same feeling as being at City High,” Gartner said. “There is something magical about the students and the faculty that work there and so [I am] just loving being [here].”

10A NEWS

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

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THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

LH JOURNALISM OUR MISSION WE SEEK TRUTH WE ARE DIVERSE STUDENT VOICES WE TELL THE STORIES OF CITY HIGH WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1921 WE FIGHT AGAINST BIAS WE SEEK BALANCED NEWS WE PUBLISH OPINIONS THAT MATTER WE ARE STUDENT RUN WE VALUE OUR RESPONSBILITY WE STRIVE FOR FAIRNESS WE DO NOT PLAGIARIZE WE ARE NOT PERFECT WE WANT ALL STUDENTS TO JOIN JOURNALISM

NEWS 11A

12A NEWS

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

ABOVE: The front window of Yotopia Frozen Yogurt. PHOTO BY SHOSHIE HEMLEY

Iowa City businesses adapt to the pandemic

Small business owners across Iowa City have closed, reopened, and dealt with many obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many shops have had to make changes in the way they run in order to stay safe and stay afloat. By Aala Basheir and Shoshie Hemley

iving in Iowa City, one might hear the term “support small businesses” used often. With the ongoing pandemic and the recent opening of large corporations downtown, small businesses have expressed having difficulty keeping up with past sales. “Our entire world has turned upside down in six months. I’m trying to do what needs to be done in the face of challenges,” Veronica Tessler, owner and founder of Yotopia Frozen Yogurt, said. Yotopia is one of the many small businesses downtown that have been hit by the pandemic. In the months of March and April, Yotopia stayed closed until it opened up in April for take out and delivery, suspending its self service business model. “I think that the things that we’re facing as a community are things that other communities, especially in college towns, are facing,” Tessler said. In the summer, Yotopia opened back up for self service with added precautions and COVID-19 protocol. Around the corner, Velvet Coat, a clothing boutique, have also changed their operations due to COVID-19,

but to a different extent. Other businesses have been less affected “During March I spent a lot of time re- by the student population. working a lot of my fall orders, knowing “It’s a popular perception on the part of that people would kind of be living different people who don’t know business from the lives. So I have some more casual coming in inside of Iowa City, that students form our than I have in the past. You know, I don’t re- entire sales base. That’s actually not the case,” ally have any suits coming in or any occasion Nialle Sylvan, owner of the Haunted Bookdresses,” Michelle Galvin, owner of Velvet shop explained. “Students are significant, but Coat, said. we sell a lot more to families in the neighMost small businesses in Iowa City have borhood and tourism, which I know sounds taken a hit one way or another, but some really weird, but we actually get tourists a have espelot in July cially been “I think that the things that we’re facing as a com- of every hit by the year.” lack of stu- munity are things that other communities, espeS y l dents in van has cially in college towns, are facing.” town from owned the VERONICA TESSLER March to Haunted OWNER OF YOTOPIA FROZEN YOGURT August. Bookshop “I spent for almost much of sixteen March and April, applying for PPE grants years. The store has 50,000 books, 100 difand federal loans, so that we could pay em- ferent board games and other items such as ployees because business came to a near halt stationary and puzzles. Like the Haunted when the students left,” Tessler said. “Espe- Bookshop, Velvet Coat has missed the sales cially for businesses that are seasonal in na- from the Iowa City community. ture, taking the kind of hit that we’ve taken Sylvan’s was one of the first businesses to as the weather was picking up is especially close in Iowa City. They announced their hard.” closure on the night of March 15th and have

yet to reopen for instore shopping. “I knew that the CDC had been grossly underfunded over the last few years here and there have been other problems with initiatives not being funded, scientists not getting hired or not being listened to. My trust in the government’s ability to assess a threat was pretty low,” Sylvan said. Not only did Sylvan have the community in mind when making the decision to close the store, she was also concerned for the safety of her employees. “I took into consideration that there were two [staff members] who had quite serious immunodeficiencies. I didn’t want to mess with that,” Sylvan said. Like the Haunted Bookshop, Velvet Coat wasn’t too affected by the student population leaving Iowa City early. Instead, they missed sales from other targets. “We’re missing the traffic from orientations and so many different events and conferences and things that were being held in Iowa City. We really missed the person that’s traveling through Iowa City [to visit],” Galvin said. However, businesses have started opening back up in recent weeks and going further back to normal, especially with the students

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

A13 NEWS

ABOVE: The front window of the store White Rabbit. PHOTO BY AALA BASHEIR

being back in town. “Business has been better since there have been more people downtown. But it has brought a whole slew of new challenges with regard to facemask compliance and just general [safety],” Tessler said. Due to both the danger of COVID-19 and the lower sales, many shops have had to increase their online and social media presence. “One thing we’ve done is we’ve launched a for commerce website which was in the works for this year. We kind of sped that process up, and we’re gotten really good about updating it when we get new arrivals and it’s been great because some people feel really comfortable shopping online,” Galvin said. “Our social media has always been strong and so people shop that way too.” Yotopia has also increased their social media and online presence, building up their online ordering platforms such as CHOMP, GrubHub, and Uber Eats. “We had to get creative with ways to get our product to customers through delivery and carry out,” Tessler said. White Rabbit, a small boutique owned by Cortnie Widen, has also been using social media amidst the pandemic, doing story sales of their vintage clothes and other items via Instagram.

60%

“During the tough parts where there was and other small businesses in the area and a lot of contagion going around the commu- features their products in her store. nity, we really tried to focus on just doing curbside pickup and Instagram sales instead “You’re always thinking about what you of encouraging people to come down in per- need to be doing for the business,” Widen son,” Widen said. explains. “And you don’t just go home and Widen opened up White Rabbit in 2006. turn your brain off like you would with a The boutique sells handmade, locally sourced regular nine to five job.” and vintage White items. Since Rabbit has o p e n i n g , “You have a choice with your money. If you enjoy enforced a they have downtown, if you enjoy coming down there, then strict opermoved their ating capacl o c a t i o n you need to vote with your dollars now, not just ity since the four times in for me, but really think about where you choose outbreak to accomthe commumodate for nity. It startto spend your money.” the growing ed with four MICHELLE GALVIN demand. customers OWNER OF VELVET COAT “I’ve alin the store ways been and has now interested in moved to six fashion and clothes and designs. And I think customers shopping at one time. that that’s what makes me continue to enjoy “We posted that we’d like for people to my work is that I just have that core love for social distance and of course wear masks our handmade and vintage stuff,” Widen are required. We also have sanitizer stations said. throughout the shop.” Widen explained. Widen spends a lot of her time looking The future for all these small businesses is for new ideas to improve her business, in- uncertain. Businesses around Iowa City, big cluding artists and designers to buy from. and small, have already closed, such as Moss She is also a firm believer in supporting local and Blaze Pizza.

of COVID business closure are permanent according to CBC

“The good news is for us that we’ve been open for 20 years and we have a pretty strong customer base, so we can reach out to them. We always have been a high customer service store pandemic or no pandemic. We’re always reaching out to customers,” Galvin said. According to CNBC, 60% of business closures due to the pandemic are now permanent as shown by Yelp data. “What should have been done was six months ago, the [Trump] administration should not have played down the pandemic and we could have gotten on top of this and so what we’re facing now are the consequences of mismanagement by an administration that is in denial of the dire situation our country and our economy is facing,” Tessler said. Galvin urges customers to vote with their dollar. “You have a choice with your money. If you enjoy downtown, if you enjoy coming down there, then you need to vote with your dollars now, not just for me, but really think about where you choose to spend your money,” Galvin said. “You can buy anything you want from Amazon, but then the places that you do like to go to, eventually will be gone.”

$484

21%

according to the New York Times

billion relief package for small businesses passed of small businesses said they’d have to close if there is no improvement of conditions in six months by the Senate

A14 OPINION

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

Trump and Covid

With the White House turning into a Covid hotspot and many other elected officials coming down with the virus, questions arise at how this will affect the election By Isaac Bullwinkle

ike many prominent world leaders such as Boris Johnson and Jair Bolsonaro, President Donald Trump has contracted COVID-19. Unlike those leaders however, Mr. Trump faces election day in less than a month. This development will undoubtedly affect the election, but the question is how. Over the past few months, the President hasn’t exactly taken necessary precautions when holding the rallies he has. During the Presidential Debate, when Mr. Trump was questioned on the safety of his rallies, his only defense was that they were outside. While being outside is said to reduce the spread and severity of the virus, basic precautions such as face coverings and social distancing were not enforced. This has led to natural confusion among Americans about what they should be doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If the President isn’t wearing his mask and social distancing, why should you have to? And now President Trump has COVID-19. The Trump administration made a disingenuous attempt to not worry the American people when this news broke out. Instead of telling the American people the truth about President Trump’s illness, Sean Conley, the Physician to the President refused to answer questions about Mr. Trump receiving supplemental oxygen. As is customary to any crisis under the Trump administration, a photo-op was needed to calm Americans down. First, President Trump was pictured “working” in his office in Walter Reed medical center (if you zoom in on the picture Mr. Trump is signing his

ABOVE: Citizens casting election day ballots. ART BY HAILEIGH STEFFEN

name on a blank piece of paper). Mr. Trump, while sick with a potentially deadly disease then chose to ride in a bullet-proof, hermetically-sealed vehicle with several secret service agents to see his supporters. Remember, President Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 only two days after the first Presidential Debate in which he failed to condemn white supremacy and even hailed the Proud Boys, a

white nationalist group known for acts of violence against peaceful protesters. Once again, multiple influential political events have occured one after the other, prompting interest towards one and leaving the other in the dust. While President Trump’s condition is unfortunate and concerning in a health sense, it could have unintended positive connotations in a political sense. However, Mr. Trump’s diagno-

BROCO: blatantly misogynistic? By Emmelene Perencevich

y the time this is published, the homecoming court will have been decided. However, the court itself isn’t the topic of this editorial. Instead, I will be examining and formulating my opinion on the social media campaign dubbed as “broco 2020.” Broco began with groups of boys advocating for an all-male homecoming court. Lists, two of which I was aware of, were circulating on Snapchat. Each list had

the names of 14 boys, prospective candidates for the court, urging seniors to vote for those candidates. These broco lists sparked some controversy among City High students. Some people were vocal with their opposition to the campaign; others defended it. Anti-broco posts began to circulate, garnering their share of discussion and disagreement. Many of these posts called the lists, and their creators, misogynistic. When a friend of mine first brought broco to my attention, I was baffled. I asked her something along the lines of: do they even realize how misogynistic

that is? So, my gut instinct was that they were, in fact, being unfair in some way. However, upon some minor introspective, I realized that maybe there was more to it. Is broco blatantly misogynistic? If not, then what is it? In the case of the anti-broco-ers, their diction could be of importance. Misogyny, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a “hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against women.” Broco’s goal of electing an all-male homecoming court does exclude women, but was exclusion the main goal? Are these boys really misogynists?

sis will also have a negative effect on his standing with the American people. Another unintended consequence the President’s diagnosis will have is a harsh reminder to the American people that COVID-19 is still a pandemic and is still taking the lives of them every day. If any person thought COVID-19 wasn’t real or wouldn’t affect them, Mr. Trump’s diagnosis will revoke those thoughts. Additionally, as was his photo-op with a Bible

that provoked tear gas on peaceful protesters, Trump’s photo-op and drive-through were controversial actions that Americans will take in heed when choosing their candidate on election day. President Trump’s diagnosis will undoubtedly be on the minds of Americans come election day. Will those Americans think Mr. Trump came out of his diagnoses behind or ahead? Only time will tell.

Broco takes advantage of the un-gendered homecoming court, which was instated last year. They might have had a more noble goal (one they could’ve accomplished), however, was broco the right way to approach it? Were they using this other agenda as a cover? Was this whole thing a joke? Were they just trying to push buttons to see what the reaction would be? I honestly don’t know. Other objectives notwithstanding, the system was changed to be more inclusive to non-binary and transgender students. Taking advantage of that system destroys it. In my extensive skimming through dictionaries, I found a word that could better describe broco. A chauvinist is someone who has excessive, or prejudiced, support for a particular cause, group, or gender. Is broco chauvinistic? This term would be applicable to broco because it might not stem from a hatred of women. They could just be biased toward their cause and/or their gender, without understanding or caring about the implications. All this being said, it’s important to take into account that not every guy on the list chose to be a part of broco. Some weren’t even aware that their names were put

on the lists and others would rather not be a part of it at all. This raises even more questions: How ethical is it to add someone’s name to a controversial post without their consent? Were they aware they were dragging some people into an agenda that they objected to? Why would the creators of the lists choose to add people to them without asking if they were interested first? Again, the problems I’m finding seem to be separate from the misogyny. For example, issues and controversy surrounding homecoming are not foreign to City High. Last year, when the gendered homecoming court was abolished another broco campaign was held in reaction to that. Similar opposition and argument arose, some people who objected to it were ostracised. After that homecoming, some of the people responsible for the creation of broco ended up regretting it. Another issue with this campaign, and past homecoming courts, is that it isn’t an accurate representation of City High students. It doesn’t adequately reflect the diversity of this school. So, all of that being said, here’s my conclusion: broco might not have been misogynistic, but it definitely wasn’t worth it.

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

HISPANIC

By Emily Martinez

A15 A&E

ational Hispanic Heritage Month is a month full of representation that commemorates the culture, history, and traditions of Hispanics and Latinx Americans all across the United States. This celebration was first created under President Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency in 1988 that was first known as Hispanic Heritage Week. It was then extended to a month by President Ronald Reagan. Reagan began the commemoration on September 15, the independence day of five spanish speaking countries including Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and El Salvador, sparking even more celebrations around the world. “Celebrating diversity and inclusion in our country is important because we live in a society that’s made up of a lot of different people, and there are some people that are more privileged than others and they sometimes don’t realize that. Celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, or Pride Month, are all good ways to bring about awareness for people that are not cognizant and/or recognized enough as they contribute to different parts of society,” Spanish teacher Sr. Garrett said. Such celebrations include preparing events that contain different types of traditional foods, music/ dances, parties, and other festivities. For City High Students and Staff, this celebration is a great opportunity to

Heritage Month educate oneself about Hispanic/ Latinx cultures and heritages that have helped shape countries and societies to what they are today. “I’m Hispanic, my parents are Honduran which makes me an American-Honduran since I was born in the U.S. [so I believe] It’s important to celebrate the history as a whole when celebrating your country’s Independence Day and knowing the struggles it took for a country to become its own, especially since most Hispanic speaking countries have a lot more disadvantages when dealing with resources and economic issues. It brings people together and the whole country just becomes a neverending bright, prideful, cheerful party/month made for celebration,” Jancy Solano ‘21 said. The United States is the second-largest Spanish-speaking country by population, so it is good to advocate for those who are a large part of our country and show support other heritages as well. But there are still people with negative perceptions of the Hispanic/Latinx community due to lack of education about the group itself. “[As a Mexican American I believe] there are people who really love our culture and the people in it. But you will also find some who hate us and envy our hard work and labor. Those people w h o

hate and put us down and believe the lies that have been forced upon them for so long don’t stop to see or relate to us as humans and the struggles we face. When in reality we are a very loving community. If we were given a chance I think people would change their views on our people,” Annia Cano ‘22 said. Stereotypes, blatant racism, and lack of education and awareness have been key factors over the years as to why the Spanish speaking community as a whole has continued to receive negative attention. Although there has been more growth in attempting to educate others, a large number of people still are not aware of the struggles and issues faced in the Hispanic/ Latinx community. “Knowing who is the president of the U.S. and the [number] of supporters that individual has, I feel like it’s become harder for Hispanics to be truly open to this celebration since most Americans aren’t fully educated around the importance of this month,” Solano said. “For example, I’ve seen videos going around in which certain white Americans are stuck in traffic because of large crowds celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day which I can totally understand because if Americans have the 4th of July to celebrate freedom, then why can’t the Hispanic community do the same? It’s just really sad to see how individuals in this country react to others being proud of where they’re from if they get the privilege to do so without any setback from anyone.” Like all communities, there is still some divide in the

Hispanic and Latinx community surrounding traditional values and morals that many second-generation immigrants have to deal with, but being able to put these differences aside and come together during this month of celebration is a great way to unify the community. “[The Hispanic/Latinx community has had] rough patches and sometimes we make mistakes but we can not judge based on those mistakes. We can not define one whole group for the wrongdoing of one. The Hispanic/Latinx community is loving and kind and loves to celebrate those it loves. Sometimes we’re in the wrong but we are learning and growing like any other community,” Cano said. Issues within celebrations like Hispanic Heritage month and other Hispanic and Latinx cultural events have to do with learning the difference between cultural appropriation versus appreciation. “There’s definitely cultural appropriation that happens to the inappropriate taking or adoption of cultural artifacts, practices, and attitudes. Sometimes people start with the best of intentions and are just not aware of the history or the importance of things[while others] do it in a hostile way [by thinking] you’re celebrating someone’s tradition [with things like] language use or wearing a traditional costume in an inappropriate way can be offensive. Whether or not that person is trying to offend [anybody],” Garrett said. It all comes down to proper education as it is truly one’s choice to help and educate themselves on the topic rather than doing what’s “trending” as it is seen a much more appreciative of other cultures as well. “If you wanna celebrate someone else’s culture go right [ahead] but do not do it in an offensive way. Educate yourself first and only celebrate it by showing your support, not by claiming it as a celebration made just for you but a celebration for those you love,” Cano said. As for representation at City High, many students and staff feel as if the Hispanic and Latinx community and other cultures aren’t well represented at City High as they should be. An Instagram page under the name Lationos at ICCSD (that is run by a Latino student from City High) has even been made to raise awareness of discrimination and racism from schools in the ICCSD area, including City High. “There are stories [from students] saying that there have been teachers who put down other students due to race and the simple fact that “most Hispanics and or Latinos are undocumented” when ART BY HAILEIGH STEFFEN

yes most of the Latino students at City are children of undocumented parents or undocumented themselves, that just means they need extra help with all that they have gone through and the fact that they can be ripped away from their families and fall in the wrong path,” the Latinos at ICCSD Instagram said. A club that was recently made called CHULAs that included Hispanic girls around the school never got the attention it deserved as co-leaders of the group were in charge of promoting it with little assistance and within a week their posters were all taken down. “We as a staff could do a better job of supporting [students]. There’s a lot of time involved with those things but we could definitely be doing a lot more to support those groups. It’s definitely incumbent on us as teachers and other adults in this school district to also take a big role [in helping students]. There are a lot of students that are pushing for a lot of positive things and that the staff could help them out with even more than what we’re doing right now. [The language teachers’ side] could reach out to others outside of our department with the school, teachers, and administrators that we don’t see every day or work with all the time,” Garrett said. Although the Hispanic and Latinx students at City don’t make up a mass majority, those students still deserve to be recognized in the City High community as they contribute just as much as any other student. “I’m proud to be a part of the Hispanic community because I’ve gotten to love the language my parents have taught me, the food, the music, etc. I love using Spanish to communicate with others in my community if they need help,” Solano said. Making time to commemorate and teach the traditions and heritages of cultures during events like Hispanic Heritage Month at school with classes such as American Studies, are also a beneficial factor way for teachers to take the time to educate students on how much this month really means to those who are a part of this country and those who want to learn more about the culture as well. “I think this month is covered with many beautiful Latinx and Hispanic people and countless others. I am proud of the pride and love we have for [our culture] and I am proud of the countless celebrations we have year-round [that celebrate] all the little things and big things. I love the vibrant colors we show to represent some of the many things we love and am especially proud of my people for constantly working hard and proving those wrong when they say we are nothing. I think this month is very well covered with many beautiful Latinx and Hispanic people and countless others,” Cano said.

A16 A&E

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

4TH AVE ZOOMS INTO THE SEASON By Rachel Marsh

he year 2020 does not look anything like any other year, that much is clear. How can school activities go on and continue some normalcy? The City High Music Department answered that question by making the promise to continue practices for show choir no matter if they were online or spaced out in a parking lot. According to the students, that promise means a lot. Getting to the parking lot, or joining the zoom, or going into the school have been the practice options so far. Followed by warming up, dancing or when on zoom, singing. “I’m really grateful that we got to continue, in spite of the pandemic. I think online is really hard, but I think me and the rest of my group and Charisma would agree that we love show choir, and it’s worth it to do online or in-person with masks on,” Rigby Templeman ‘23 said. Fourth Avenue Jazz Co. had their annual choreography camp on July 21-25. The entire camp was held in an online format, switching

between zoom and videos to review and learn from. In those four days, the group learned the dances to four out of five songs that include dancing. This year the group has six songs total including one ballad. The theme, The Game of Survival was announced in a group zoom in late June. Their selection includes Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy, Muse’s Dig Down, and Judy Garland’s Get Happy, among others. “Going into virtual camp we did not know what to expect. Luckily for us, every student from this program showed with a smile on their face, ready to learn despite the circumstances. It could not have gone better,” Assistant Director, Emma Erner said. “Camp definitely looked different, but I truly believe we produced the results just like we would have in person. That is [a] credit to every member of 4th Ave.” The audition process was also online back in May. Participants sent in a video for their dance audition and their singing audition. The rosters were released within a week. This year, Fourth Ave has 49 students involved including Mara Maas ‘23 and Ava Cross

‘23. Most sophomore girls stay and participate in a second year in the JV group, Charisma, unless otherwise placed in Fourth Ave. Charisma, the girls only group, participated in the same audition process in May. The group’s theme is travel with songs from Ben Rector and Katy Perry. Mara Maas was stunned when she saw her name on the Fourth Ave. roster. “I knew it was really unlikely that I’d get in and didn’t want to get my hopes up,” Maas said. “When I got the email, I felt like I knew which roster my name was going to be on. When I checked the 4th Ave. list, I was super surprised but really proud, happy, and excited to discover that I had gotten in.” Fourth Ave. started with in-person practices in the faculty lot. Each student picked a parking spot to dance in, spaced out, and masked. Singing, coming later in the learning process, occurred online in zooms. When the district went online for two weeks, so did the show choirs. They continued their practices, even learning new choreography. The group used the two weeks online to finish their

last song. “This has hopefully helped keep up the momentum of the group. It is most definitely hard to keep spirits high virtually, but as the weeks go on we will find ways to make the most of it,” Erner said. The staff, in coordination with the district, made the decision in August to not go to any competitions this year. Normally, the group goes to four competitions during the winter months. Mr. Hagy, the director, has stated that he would like to take the group to show exchanges - with only one other group. The group is still deciding what is the best way to perform. “The conversation about competitions was started by large schools across Iowa. Although not easy, the decision was made with West and Liberty with the safety and health of students, families, and staff at the forefront,” said Erner. “My biggest goal for the group is to produce a show of similar caliber to what we would have put on stage at a competition. We continued with the same show idea we had from the start, and I want to provide the best experience possible to the group.”

Three

Orchestras

With all the changes adapting to the new normal City High music moved to three orchestras as the program continues to grow By Ruth Meehan

n this unprecedented time where many things are being canceled or cut, a new addition has come to the City High orchestra department. Philharmonic Orchestra will now accompany the Concert and Symphony Orchestra to give students more options for their skill levels. Megan Stucky-Swanson, the orchestra director at City High says that the addition of a third orchestra will help close learning gaps that were caused by budget cuts that ended the 4thgrade orchestra program. “The orchestra program is continuing to grow and thrive but there are noticeable learning gaps directly relating to the elimination of 4th-grade strings,” says Stucky-Swanson. “The need for an intermediate orchestra addresses the needs of more learners throughout the program and provides opportunities to succeed based on the student’s performance level. “ City High is now the only high school in the district to have three orchestras. Initially, the planning for the addition was discussed between both City High and West High but due to scheduling challenges, West High was not successful with the addition.

SCAN ME:

A&E STORIES ON THE LH YOUTUBE

Stucky-Swanson is in favor of the addition but it came with some hesitation. “This is a big change that must be done correctly or the program could suffer. I feel confident in the research and curriculum planning I was able to complete over the summer to feel comfortable moving forward with all three orchestras at City High!” There will be no requirements to move up in the orchestras and students will be placed in the orchestra that best fits their needs and learning pace. “Age is irrelevant as everyone learns at their own pace. The orchestras at City High thrive because there are mixed grades in each orchestra,” says Stucky- Swanson. There has never before been three orchestras at City High and this is a sense of pride for Stucky-Swanson. “I think this addition is a huge positive for City High orchestra students! With the ARTS being cut all over the country, I feel a huge sense of pride knowing we were able to add an entire orchestra class. With more options, students should feel more comfortable with their peers knowing everyone in that group is close to the same learning scale.”

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 20

A17 A&E

Students Struggle with Online Art As art classes started online, students have faced numerous techincal issues.

By Haileigh Steffen

s Izzy Jurgens ‘22 sits on her unmade bed, she carefully runs her fingers down the ridges of her unfinished clay pot. She takes breaks to snack on honey oatmeal she made while waiting for her early-morning Zoom call to start. Suddenly, her chubby cat, Daisy, leaps up to her reportedly comfy workplace to meow. This is her first-period Ceramics class. “I usually just set my alarm for 8:45, wake up, take the clay out from under my bed and get groovin’,” Jurgens said. For the 2020-2021 academic year, City High art teachers Dan Peterson and Michael Close are instructing students through the ICCSD hybrid class model. Similar to previous years, Peterson will instruct hands-on art classes such as Ceramics,

AP Studio Art, and Black & White Drawing. Close will handle computer applications of art such as Photography, Video Production with the addition of a glass class. According to Peterson, the City High Art Department has worked hard to provide each student with a baseline kit of materials to pick up with their textbooks during the online start of the academic year. In Jurgen’s case, she received a sculpting board, 10 pounds of recycled clay, and an assorted kit of clay tools “I think, probably ceramics [have been the most difficult to instruct], just because it’s so tactile,” Peterson said. “For kids, it’s about being able to manipulate clay and have it in your hands. For me it’s about seeing them, seeing their hands, and helping them. And so, ceramics presents the biggest number of challenges.” As of Peterson’s example of ceramics, online/hybrid

models of schooling have introduced unique restrictions to the materials and the processes students have access to. For instance, Peterson has yet to formulate a plan to allow students to glaze and fire their ceramics. As for Close’s classes, he reports that Chromebooks are unable to run adobe apps his classes require the use of. To combat this issue, his photography class has been experimenting with logging into district desktops to access the adobe apps. One class hit particularly hard by the restrictions of online/hybrid models of school are Close’s glass class. According to Close, he has been unable to provide materials for the class, citing that it is not feasible and unsafe. As a solution, Close has assigned photography assignments with the promise of diving into glass projects upon the transition to the hybrid model. “As long as we are doing

this remote thing, we’re going to treat it more like an art forms class,” Close said. “We’ll do some photography, some videos, some drawing. Materials-wise, [glass classes] just aren’t safe and feasible.” While the art department has experienced many issues during their online instruction, one benefit Peterson reports is being able to work with smaller groups of students. For reference, Peterson’s biggest class this year is around 15 students, about half his normal class. Once transitioned to the hybrid model, that class will likely be five to eight students per day. While this allows for a more personalized creative experience, Peterson worries about the disconnection students will feel this year. “For students, it’s just a disconnection [that presents the greatest struggle],” Peterson said. “Even if they don’t realize it. I think we’re gonna see, while we’re online

and separated like this, just a little more of a struggle to problem solve when we’re not in a space together.” Close agrees, citing that in-person instruction is fundamentally more effective. However, both teachers stress the importance of staying safe. “My biggest struggle is getting people to communicate,” Close said. “It’s really hard when you’re trying to teach a class and lead a discussion and there is no discussion. Part of that is because three-quarters of your class have their camera off and you don’t even know if they’re in the room with you. The stuttering of Zoom meetings has been an annoyance as well.” In the past, Peterson has prided his art classes’ shifting away from technology to work with real-life materials. However, now both Peterson and Close are prioritizing posting on Canvas. Peterson reports that there’s a lot of

“I usually just set my alarm for 8:45, wake up, take the clay out from under my bed and get groovin’” IZZY JURGENS CITY HIGH JUNIOR

communication online with students that are not hard but important that they are doing well and consistently. “I feel like there’s a pride about being in school, especially at the beginning of the year among teachers,” Peterson said. “We’re really proud to get a year started. It’s pretty hard to get through on a screen, especially if we’re never all together. I’ve been telling students if this goes on for a while but we persevere through this very strange way of teaching, someday we’ll look back and it will be a pretty impressive feat. We all managed to just do our best. I think I feel pretty good about that.”

ART BY HAILEIGH STEFFEN

Allstate Auditions Begin Despite Canceled Festival By Ruth Meehan

hen October rolls around the music wing at City High School is bustling with anxious students from orchestra, band, and choir all preparing for the Iowa Allstate auditions. This year would have been the 74th annual festival but due to COVID-19, the festival was canceled. However, this did not stop the auditions, which continue in an online format. Despite the challenging circumstances, students are still able to gain the honor and opportunities

that follow being accepted into the prestigious organization known as Allstate. For Jared Moninger ‘23, the audition process for voice is altogether new after auditioning with the orchestra program last year. Moninger, like many other auditionees, is facing the challenges involved in the program brought on by COVID-19. “The hardest part is not being able to rehearse with other people which is normally a big part of the process. I don’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of or get advice from. It is just me,” Moninger said.

This year, auditions will be filmed and sent in for judging different from previous years. Orchestra and band students prepare scales, excerpts, and an individual piece whereas choir students only have excerpts from their pieces to prepare. Some of the choir pieces include Canticum Novum, Sanctus - Verdi, Denn Er hat seinen Engeln, and Best of All Possible Worlds which is Moninger’s favorite piece this year. “I really like music this year. This is my first year auditioning on voice, so I can’t compare it to years past, but it is really fun to sing,” said

Moninger. “As for recording versus an in-person audition- both have their pros and cons. For me, I would prefer a recorded audition because you get multiple takes and it’s not one and done like a normal audition. It is much more laid back.” Something that hasn’t changed from years past is how much students progress during the audition process. From increased practicing to individual lessons with instructors, students get to hone in on their skills. Moninger said he has made lots of improvements during this process. “I have learned to sing

according to my voice part. I used to just sing the notes but now I have learned to sing more like a tenor. Altos and tenors sing completely differently for example. I have also improved stylistically by learning to sing differently for different pieces.” Moninger encourages other students to tryout next year. “Just go for it there is nothing to lose. It is a lot of hard work so be prepared for that but the audition process makes you a much better musician.”

FilmScene Reopening Plans

Last spring, Iowa City’s independent movie theatre, film scene, along with other theaters around the world, closed due to COVID-19. Andrew Sherburne, executive director and co-founder of FilmScene reports that FilmScene has been able to pivot by changing the theatres’ operations, cutting costs, and other support avenues during the closure.

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THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

Sports Season Recaps

A Season Interupted

COVID splits the Little Hawk football season in half By Emily Martinez

hroughout the fall 2020 football season, the City High Little Hawks have faced many obstacles due to COVID-19. During the summer, players attended Zoom workout sessions in order to keep players staying active and in shape. “I’ve been training nonstop just in case we have a full season or some more games. I’ll be more ready than the people that have not been doing anything over quarantine,” Ronnie Major ‘23 said. When the Iowa City District Board of Directors voted to begin the school year online, all in-person extra-curricular activities were suspended. “[COVID-19] definitely had an impact on our schedule,” Trevor Hills ‘21 said. “Not being able to meet for the majority of the summer and being restricted to zoom workouts had a negative impact on our fundamentals and slowed our ability to implement plays.” After three weeks of 100% online school, the percentage rate of COVID-19 cases in Iowa City dropped up to 15%, allowing the district to continue with their hybrid option and all City High athletics to have in-person practices and competitions starting September 26.

“[COVID-19] has played a big part in interrupting our practices and/or games because all we wanna do is get stronger, faster, and bigger but we can’t do that with everything that’s going on today and for some of us, young boys football is all we have so we really give it our all,” Major said. The Varsity Football team started off their season with a home game on August 28 against Davenport Central’s Blue Devils, winning with a score of 35-14 and the freshmen-sophomore team winning with a score of 46-0. “Our first game against Davenport Central was pretty solid overall in my opinion. Of course, there were some mistakes and stuff to be cleaned up but that’s not surprising being our first live game. We had some guys really stand out and make some great plays,” Hills said. Next, the Little Hawks went up against their rivals, the West High Trojans on September 4. It was an unlucky night for the Little Hawk Varsity team as the Trojans put up quite a fight winning with a final score of 56-20 leaving the Little Hawks with a 1-1 record. However, the Sophomore-Freshman team prevailed, winning with a final score of 42-0. “When we played [against]

TOP: City High football players facing off against West High. ABOVE LEFT: Will Larson ‘22 is tackled by a West High defender. ABOVE RIGHT: Gabel Mitchell ‘22 preparing to kick the football down the field during a game against Liberty. PHOTOS BY NATALIE GREEN

West I was really proud of [my team] because they really went out there, dominated the other team, and gave it their all,” Major said. The Little Hawks were scheduled to go up against Cedar Rapids Washington on September 10, and Prairie September 18, but were un-

able to due to the pause in sports. Their next home game was against the Cedar Falls Tigers, where the Little Hawk Varsity team lost by a score of 52-7. The Little Hawks ran into a few issues throughout the months but didn’t allow it to get to their heads

Swimming Through COVID By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown

he clock hits 6:15 p.m. and swimmers start to get out of the water, put their masks on, and grab their bags to drive home. It’s the last practice before school starts and the members of the City High girls swim and dive team have no idea when they will see each other again. Laila Butler-Mills ‘21, one of the three team captains, is discouraged because she doesn’t get to have the regular experience of being a captain and a senior. “I guess I’d say it’s honestly kind of disappointing because I don’t get to do a lot of the things that make you a captain,” Butler-Mills said. “Especially since we haven’t had that much practice.” The swim team’s first practice was on August 11 and their season lasted a week and a half before a member tested positive for COVID-19 and the team stopped

ABOVE: Luna Martinez ‘22 swims in the Junior Varsity 100 yard backstroke at the dual meet against Linn Mar. PHOTO BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN

meeting for two weeks. When that quarantine period was over, the team was able to practice and compete for another five days before school started virtually and sports teams were not allowed to meet. “No one really knows what’s happening,” Butler-Mills said. “I’d like to be able to do more team bonding and do cheers and stuff like that, but we can’t really do that this year, which sucks.” The team was able to go to Linn Mar for one meet on September 4,

where there were many social distancing rules. City High’s team got one side of the pool and Linn Mar took the other. Because of this, when racing, City High girls were in lanes next to each other, instead of alternating between lanes with the opposing team. Linn Mar’s varsity team scored 121 points and City High’s varsity team scored 62 points, losing by 59 points. The junior varsity lost 103-30. “I think it’s weird when you’re

not able to be right next to your competitor and trying to catch them,” Nikol Lagodzinska, the team’s assistant coach, said. “The whole dynamic is a little bit different, but we saw the opportunity to race which is good.” Greta Stanier ‘23, a diver, felt like the diving competition wasn’t too different, but she misses the team experience. She scored 185.7 points in the diving competition at Linn Mar. “The girls that I practice with, I

as the teams were eager to play more than ever. “I think our biggest issue was bringing other teammates down in practice and not hoping to get better. But on game days, we [were] really supportive of each other, got continued on A21

don’t know them as well,” Stanier said. “Last year we got food [together] after practice and this year I haven’t really talked to the freshmen as much.” Looking into the future, Lagodzinska is optimistic about getting the team back together again. “I like to stay positive and whether we have [more] meets or whether there [are] just a couple practices, we’re definitely all going to be together again,” Lagodzinska said. On Saturday, September 26, Heidi Stalkfleet ‘22 competed in the Cougar Invite in Cedar Rapids. She qualified for the state meet in the 100-meter butterfly, with a time of 57.65 and the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 24.84. “[I’m] excited to have more racing opportunities and to represent City High at the state meet in the best way that I can,” Stalkfleet said. “I am hoping to win one or both of my events at state.” The team returned to practice the following Monday, September 28, and competed against Waterloo the next day. Varsity lost the Waterloo dual meet 106 to 80. The team is currently working hard to qualify its swimmers for the state meet. Regionals, the meet where swimmers are able to qualify for the state meet, will be held on October 31.

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

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XC Teams Looking Towards State By Rachel Marsh

ABOVE: The City High volleyball team holds their hands in a circle over teammate Emma Nugent’s jersey. Joslyn Becker ‘21 had bracelets made with “Emma Nugent” and “We play for 14” on them, which she gave to her teammates. PHOTO BY JULIANNE BERRY-STOELZLE

City High Volleyball Honors Emma Nugent By Maya Morales and Julianne Berry-Stoelzle

he City High varsity volleyball team has dedicated their entire fall 2020 season to Emma Nugent ‘21, after her tragic passing this past summer. “It got to be really tough and we all leaned on each other for support,” Makayla Ribble ‘20 said. The team has created reminders of Nugent all around them. “We have her jersey out every game sitting on the first chair,

home and away. Our shirts also have a #14 on them on the back,” Joslyn Becker ’21 said. “Just little things like that so that she’ll always be a part of our team.” Becker had bracelets made with “Emma Nugent” and “We play for 14” on them, which she gave to her teammates. “After coming together we touch our hearts then point up,” Ribble said. “In the national anthem I squeeze my right hand because she stood next to my right during the anthem.” Besides the loss of Nugent, the

City High volleyball team is facing other challenges, such as not having many returning varsity players and the COVID pandemic. “We started to take it day by day and not focus on tomorrow because we didn’t know what tomorrow could bring us,” Ribble said. Five games into the season, the City High volleyball team had to pause their season as school went online. However, that did not stop the team from keeping in touch or staying active. The team had zooms a couple times a week to stay in touch and players were sent work-

outs to do on their own. “Most of us found a way to stay active, whether that’s finding a gym to get touches [or practicing at home],” Ribble said. So far this season, the team has won six out of their first 14 matches, including a win against the West High Trojans on October 1. “I think we just really had the mentality of leaving it all on the floor every single day, whether that was at practice or a game. We really focused on controlling what we can control because a lot of things are out of our hands,” Becker said.

Boys Golf Season Comes to an End By Max Berry-Stoelzle

s the people’s voices around him slowly fade to nothing, Cooper Kirschling ’21 lines up his putt for par during the senior night golf meet. Focusing intensely, he hits the ball with just enough force to make it to the hole and watches as it rolls into the cup. At the end of the meet, Kirschling was the best performing golfer from City High with 47 strokes. “I’ve loved playing for the Little Hawks,” Kirschling said. “Senior night was different compared to the past, but it was still great.” At the beginning of the season, coaches acknowledged issues, but pushed on, doing their best to safely help players improve. “COVID and the uncertainty

of the start of the school year added a different dynamic but I think the players and coaches have taken in stride,” Coach Philip Lala said. The Little Hawk varsity boys golf team has participated in seven meets with their best team scores being 406 strokes for 18 holes and 183 strokes for nine holes. “I am really proud of the attitude and work ethic of the golfers we have,” Lala said. “They are open to feedback because they want to learn and get better.” While the pandemic brought regulation changes to all sports, it affected golf the least. “Golf is a pretty socially distant sport to begin with, so the restrictions we have put into place don’t impact the actual game a ton,” Kirschling said.

ABOVE: James Kriz ‘21 practicing his golf swing at Pleasant Valley Golf Course. PHOTO BY NOAH PAVELICH

ot even halfway into their season, the girls and boys cross country teams have their sights set on state. However, COVID-19 is making the process even more challenging than it normally is. With meet restrictions and practice cancelations, it’s harder for athletes to stay in shape and have the same team bonding time as in a normal year. “I was not very surprised about school going online because that is what many people were talking about, but I was super sad that we weren’t going to get to run as a team,” Sophia Romero ‘24 said. The girls cross country team attended the Hillcrest Invitational back on September, 1. They competed in the varsity and JV races, winning both. On September 5, the girls competed at an intrasquad, “Epic Race of Ages” meet at Kickers Soccer Soccer Club in four teams - the Lobster Crabs, Seahorses, Sharks, and Sea Turtles. The Sharks came out on top, winning the hammer trophy. They also ran on October 1 at the Bud Williams invitational. “Adding [the intrasquad] was a great way to get in some more racing experience and without a lot of the added stress when worrying about coming in contact with other teams and traveling a great distance to race. Dividing the team up simulated a race really nicely even if it is just your own teammates,” Janie Perrill ‘21 said. “I don’t think our win was just a win for the sharks but instead for the team as a whole. The talent doesn’t stop at first place but strings all throughout the team and I think it makes the team dynamic so much more special.” The boys team attended the Hillcrest Invitational as well, competing with their alternate varsity and most of the JV runners. The coaching staff decided to save their varsity and the top JV runners to run a bigger meet a couple of days later. Their JV won the race and their varsity placed second at their first meet of the season. The official varsity raced at the Pleasant Valley meet along with the top ten JV runners on the team. They ended the meet in fourth place. They also raced at the Bud Williams Invitational. “Our normal varsity squad did not race [at the Hillcrest Invitational] so it gave a lot of younger guys the opportunity to get too race varsity, which was fun to watch,” Parker Max ‘22 said. “[At PV] I was very happy with how the whole team raced. We beat Pleasant Valley, who is a cross country powerhouse, City hasn’t beat them in over four years, and nearly beat West. That meet moved us up in the rankings and we find ourselves in the top 15 which is huge.” According to Kenna Prottsman continued on A21

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THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

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XC TEAMS LOOKING TOWARDS STATE CONTINUED FROM

A SEASON INTERUPTED CONTINUED FROM A18

‘22, one of the defining characteristics of the women’s cross country team is their team aspect and the freshman experience. With the altered year and rules, many of the activities have been canceled or altered. “I loved cross country at South East and so many people told me that City High XC was so wonderful and they would always say ‘cross country girls are so nice.’ COVID-19 has changed all of the fun ways we get to bond with the team and coaches, practicing as a whole team, having lots of meets, but something that has stayed the same is how fun cross country is,” Romero said.

on the field, gave it our all, and showed the other schools what it’s like to be a little hawk,” Major said. As the second to last game of the season came around, the players reflected on the obstacles they faced this season, and what new skills they’ve learned to better prepare them as a team. “Honestly I don’t think we really struggled with anything huge, there were bumps along the way of course but that’s to be expected with the circumstances of COVID. We had good team chemistry and the tangible skills [and] attributes that really helped negate any big negatives,” Hills said.

The girls team has their eyes set on state and trying to get as many races in before then to prepare. After missing the state qualifier by one point last year, the boys and the coaches are working for their shot at the state meet as well. “I believe, as long as nobody contracts COVID-19 and varsity has to quarantine, we have a good chance at qualifying. That being said, I am worried because half of varsity is enrolled in the hybrid model and I don’t want anyone to get sick. It also doesn’t help that if on October 31, ICCSD is fully online, we will not be in Fort Dodge racing [at state],” Max said.

The Little Hawks went up against Marion’s Linn Mar Lions Friday, October 2nd. The Lions scored 50 points winning against the Little Hawk Varsity team with only 36 points, leaving the team with a 1-2 season record. “I think other teams probably give a higher percentage of hard work during [some] practices but when we give it our best during practices you can really tell the outcome on game days,” Major said. As for next season, the players are hopeful for a better season as well as continuing to improve on things they struggled with this season.

@INSTA INSTALITTLEHAWK LITTLEHAWK

“Something I’d definitely like to see for my teammates next year is a regular-season without all the uncertainty that’s come with this one,” Hills said. “The thing I enjoyed most about this season is definitely being able to hang out and compete with all my friends and help each other get better both on and off the field.” The Little Hawks’ final regular season game was against the Liberty Lightning Bolts at City High on Friday, October 9th. It was a close game with Liberty, with a score of 28-24, having the Little Hawks end the season with a 1-3 record. “We really came together this year by being [more of ]

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a family and a real team. It has got us to so many places and it’s just going to get better and better throughout the years,” Major said. For playoff results go to www.thelittlehawk.com.

BREAKING SPORTS NEWS www.TheLittleHawk.com

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

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THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

TOP RIGHT: Kate Kueter ‘21 counting laps for her teamate swimming the 500 yard freestyle. TOP LEFT: City High varsity volleyball players during warm-ups. BOTTOM RIGHT: Raph Hamilton ‘21 preparing to throw the football as he is being rushed by multiple players from the opposing team. BOTTOM LEFT: Greta Boerner ‘24 running a 5k with about one mile left in her race. PHOTOS BY RACHEL MARSH, NATALIE GREEN, AND JULIANNE BERRYSTOELZLE

COVID Regulations for Fall Sports The COVID pandemic has changed a lot in today’s society, including the steps that athletes and coaches have to take in order to conintue their sports By Julianne Berry-Stoelzle and Jae Dancer

rom masks to screening questions to staying six feet apart, City High sports teams have to constantly keep regulations in mind that they would never have considered in past years. “I thought it would be different because the seniors were gone and we would have a very different team, but I didn’t think that we would have to wear masks. That never really occurred to me,” Alia Vanderhoef ‘21 said. “I didn’t think that [sports] could change so much.” Similarly, Grace Campion ‘22 also didn’t expect the season to end up looking the way it did. “I don’t know why I thought this but I kind of thought that [COVID] would be over by the time school started,” Campion said. “I thought everything would be okay but that didn’t happen.” Through the end of September, athletes had to arrive in masks and go through a screening process consisting of a temperature check and some questions regarding their social contact. If an athlete re-

sponded yes to any question or had It is then the coaches’ job to ima temperature higher than 101.4 plement the district’s regulations. degrees Fahrenheit, they could not “I know football. I’m not gonna practice and had to quarantine for claim to be an expert on [infectious two weeks. However, this is no lon- diseases],” Dan Sabers, the head ger the case. coach of the City High football “With the district beginning team, said. “We are doing a good the hybrid learning process, we job of taking and following direcwanted to keep consistency in all tions I believe.” programs,” AthletC i t y ic Director Phillip High foot“I thought it would be Hansen said. “Stuball players dents are asked to different, but I didn’t think wear masks self-monitor and that [sports] could change during both take their temperapractices and so much.” ture daily before games, unless they attend school. they are getALIA VANDERHOEF CITY HIGH SENIOR We are asking for ting a drink the same process to of water or be used when attending any activ- gatorade. ity.” “It’s definitely an adjustment Coaches are given the same and it’s definitely different, [but] safety regulations as the rest of the it’s what we [have] to do,” Raphe district staff. These regulations are Hamilton ‘21 said. “It [also] wasn’t mainly based on the guidelines put as hard as I thought it would be to in place by the Iowa Department work out in a mask.” of Public Health and Johnson Sabers worried about forfeiting County Public Health. football games due to a positive “As the pandemic has been very COVID test on the team. fluid throughout, the district con“We have to realize that our bigtinues to update guidelines based gest competition is going to be this on their recommendations,” Han- virus. It can shut us down quicker sen said. than anything else,” Sabers said.

If one person on one of the high school teams tests positive for COVID, ICCSD regulations designate that the entire team has to quarantine for two weeks. This has already happened to both the girls swimming and the girls cross country teams. “It was disappointing just because I was excited to come in, race really hard, and be with all my teammates but it’s understandable under the circumstances,” Campion, a member of the City High girls swim team, said. Girls head swim coach Zane Hugo was not deterred by the sudden break in practices. “From the start we knew this wasn’t going to be a regular season. I’m here to coach swimming, but my main goal is to make sure everybody is staying healthy and comfortable with the decisions they make,” Hugo said. Since the swim team practices at Mercer Park Aquatic Center, they have to follow both the guidelines of the ICCSD as well as the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department. Additional guidelines include a temperature check at the door and the lack of spectators at

home meets. Though swimmers are unable to swim while wearing their masks, many bring plastic bags to store their masks by the side of the pool. At practices, team members social distance as often as they can. “Everyone is together, but every [group] has their lane,” Campion said. While the exact procedures at meets are determined by the hosting team, they are generally similar. Athletes wear masks as much as possible and swim to the other end of the pool with their mask after their race, so that they do not get close to the next group of swimmers getting ready to start their races. “It is a team activity [but] we’re still taking the proper precautions to be spaced at the right distance,” Hugo said. For the volleyball team, staying socially distant can be even harder. Due to this, volleyball players are split into teams that tend to practice separately, are encouraged to use hand sanitizer, and wear masks throughout the majority of their practices. Only during the last few minutes, when they practice game-

THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020 like situations, are they allowed to take their masks off. “It was particularly challenging when we were practicing in August with no air conditioning in the City High gym. However, all players wore their mask without complaint each day,” head coach of the City High volleyball team, Tricia Carty, said.During games, volleyball players are assigned a specific chair, which is spaced sixfeet away from the next chair. They only have their masks off while they are playing. Additionally, their spectators are continuously limited to the current ICCSD guidelines. “It was kind of dead quiet in the gym [without spectators],” Vanderhoff said. “There’s moments in the game where no one’s saying anything and it’s kind of awkward. We’re not used to having that.” For cross country athletes, dealing with the risk of COVID is easier because practices take place outside. Teammates running side by side and pushing each other to go faster has always been a big part of cross country. However, this year the City High girls cross country team has been divided into three separate practice groups consisting of 15 to 18 athletes based on pacing. Runners are then further divided into groups of two to four runners which start 30 seconds apart for practice runs. “This is something that it took us a little time to transition into. Things have evolved since the very start of summer running,” Ahlers said. Cross country athletes come to practice wearing masks and continue to wear them unless they are further than six feet away from the closest person.

“If they’re on a run and need relief from their mask, they take action to move away from their teammates,” Ahlers said. “But often, a lot of runners choose to just wear their masks as they run.” At meets, City High cross country athletes wear their masks for the first 400 meters tucking them into their shorts or beneath their chin for the majority of the race then returning to wear them once their race is finished. “I think that so far the only team in the whole state that wears their masks that we’ve seen at other meets, that we’ve heard about, watched, or seen recaps of, has been our team,” Ahlers said. While cross country athletes experience differences in the way their sport is played, golf athletes are not noticing a major change. “It’s not as different as you would think. Specifically [in] golf, you can kind of social distance easily as it is, so not much has changed in that aspect,” Jack Meis 21’ said. Earlier in the season the Iowa City Athletic Association published a set of rules and regulations for golf. The rules recommend athletes to wear masks inside the clubhouse, on the practice green, in the driving range, while warming up, and on busses. Once the competition begins, athletes are allowed to remove their masks. Rules also recommend that players keep their own scorecard while also keeping somebody else’s score on their card to limit exposure to other players. They recommend that only around one to two people ride on a golf cart or that alternatively players walk to their holes. Flagsticks are also allowed to be left in, which is unusual in golf. “If someone messes up it messes it up for everybody so I think the

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athletes have been very accommodating to that, and have not resisted wearing masks,” Brighton said. For screening, the Iowa City Athletic Association recommends parents take temperatures of athletes prior to coming to practice. “We’re keeping a written list, we ask them a set of questions every single day that’s recorded. So we are tracking and tracing where they have been prior to getting the practice,”Brighton said. Earlier in the season golf took a two week break as well as at the start of the school year cutting a large chunk of time from its 10 week season with their last competition held October 1 at the Pleasant Valley Golf Course. “We’re fortunate just to be able to do what we can do on the course and I think the kids are very appreciative of that,” Brighton Said. As fall sports begin to wrap up with football ending on October 23, swimming on November 14, golf on October 9, volleyball on November 5, and cross country on October 31, coaches and athletes reflect on an unusual season. “I think there’s so many beautiful parts of sports: seeing what we can do to push our own limits and what we can learn from sports, but this is just a whole nother kind of learning,” Ahlers said. While athletes have mixed feelings about these regulations, without them they would not be able to participate in their sports. “It’s not ideal, but I do think that [the regulations] are completely necessary,” Meaney said. “If anything I think we should be doing more, I definitely don’t think we should cut out any of those restrictions. Of course, it is kind of a bummer, but I think that’s what we have to do right now.”

ABOVE LEFT: City football player #18 throwing the football to a teammate. ABOVE RIGHT: Elliot Dunwald ‘22 running in the boys JV race at Bud Williams Invitational. PHOTOS BY NATALIE GREEN AND RACHEL MARSH

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THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM OCTOBER 23, 2020

Athlete Spotlight:

Heidi Stalkfleet

At the 2020 Iowa Swimming Senior Champioinships, Stalkfleet placed first in both the 1650 and 1000 yard freestyle with times of 16:41.53 and 9:52.12

By Jae Dancer

“Sometimes you don’t want to do something but you just gotta put your head down and do it,” Stalkfleet said. “[Swimming] is also a stress reliever. If I’m really stressed with school I can go to practice and not have to worry about it.” Hugo reached out to Stalkfleet earlier this year to pursue City High swim. “One of my goals is always to get the best athletes to join the team and this way that she is able to get the training she needs to be successful but is also able to work with coaches and teams that are willing to do what it takes and work together for her to be successful,” Hugo said. When asked how City High swimming compares to club swimming, Stockfleet said, “With City High, there’s a lot of different levels of people, but we all come together as one team, versus with I Fly we’re all separated into our specific groups by level. The club is a lot more individualized.” In the future, Stockfleet hopes to compete in the 2021 Olympic trials held in Omaha Nebraska from June 13-20. She also hopes to get racing opportunities at state swimming in Marshalltown YMCA on November 13-14. “I really love the feeling of working towards goals and when I reach it, there’s always somewhere higher [to go],” Stalkfleet said. “It makes me feel super determined and hardworking, I feel like swimming gives me a purpose every day.”

eidi Stalkfleet ‘22 has been doing IFLY club swim for years but after the recent University of Iowa swimming and cancellations, Stalkfleet has taken up City High swim for the fall 2020 season. “Heidi’s got a great work ethic and I think she’s really honest with herself about that. She knows when she’s working hard and when she’s not, and she expects herself to work hard and that’s one of the main drivers of her success,” Zane Hugo, coach of the City High swim team, said. On September 1, the swim team competed at their first meet V.S. LinnMar held at Linn-Mar. Stockfleet broke two of City High’s oldest school records swimming a 5:01:48 in the 500Y freestyle and a 1:53:38 in the 200Y. “You don’t see that very often in high school swimming. In the dual meet setting, you usually see records that are broken at the end of the season so she’s definitely one of the most skilled and competitive athletes that I’ve ever coached, and I’m excited to see how she does,” Hugo said. The City High swim team has two practices a day. One taking place in the brisk mornings, around 5 a.m., and one later in the day after school classes are over.

ABOVE: Heidi Stalkfleet ‘22 prepates for her 500 yard freestyle at the first dual meet of the 2020 City High girls swim season. PHOTO BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN

University of Iowa Budget Cuts

The University of Iowa is cutting four sports programs after the end of their 2020-21 season. These programs include men’s gymnastics, men’s tennis, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving

By Jae Dancer

fter 25 NCAA national team championships throughout 83 years, all University of Iowa swimming and diving programs have been cut due to financial hardships caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This was announced by University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld and Gary Barta on August 21. “I was just really confused and I didn’t believe it at first,” Isaac Weigle ‘21 said. In an article written by The Hill named “University of Iowa permanently canceling four sports programs,” Harreld and Barta stated, “The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a financial exigency which threatens our continued ability to adequately support 24 intercollegiate athletics programs at the desired championship level.” Following the cancelation of The Big 10 college football season, the University of Iowa put 76 student-athletes on the roster for team termination, 48 of them swimming and diving. According to Hawk Central, a single game can bring in roughly 3.2 million dollars.

“With the Big Ten Conference’s postponement of fall competition on August 11, University of Iowa Athletics now projects lost revenue of approximately $100 million and an overall deficit between $60-75 million this fiscal year,” Harreld and Barta said. The 2021 NCAA swimming and diving championships that were going to be held at the University of Iowa March 24-27, has now been canceled. In past years, this meet has brought in more than $1.5 million dollars for the community where it was located. “It’s going to impact the community economically negatively, and it’s going to negatively affect people’s jobs. I think the sports getting cut is a part of a bigger picture of, you know, college athletic directors managing their budget,” Zane Hugo, a University and City High coach, said Coaches will be paid up through their contracts but will need to find different jobs following the expiration of contracts. “Not only was I connected to the team from my undergraduate career at the university but it affects my job as well so it really threw me off,” Hugo said. “It just takes away opportunities for high school kids in the future that

wanted to stay in the state and compete as division one swimmers.” Many University of Iowa Alumni have taken efforts to put teams in a position to be reinstated. Vickie Nauman, now living in Los Angeles, submitted a letter to the Board of Regents with signatures of hundreds of athlete alumni from University sports. The goal to reinstate the programs advises them to be sustained for a long time. Mark Kaufman, CEO and Founder of Athletico, has taken multiple efforts on this issue. He is working with parents, coaches, and alumni to find a solution for all Iowa Athletics. Emma Sougstad, an Iowa Alumni and 2-time All American swimmer, recently began working as an assistant coach is working with student-athletes under scholarships to Iowa. She is using social media under #saveiasports to draw attention from the community to Iowa sports programs. “I am hopeful that the efforts that many of many of the alumni have taken right now are putting the teams in a position to have some leverage to be reinstated,” Hugo said.