PANCAKE
DAY
Iowa City Athletic Booster Club’s 50th Annual Pancake Day is tomorrow, April 12, 2014 at West High from 6:30am-3:00pm. Read the full story on A3.
TheLittleHawk Iowa City High School - Iowa City, Iowa - Volume 71, Issue 5- April 11, 2014 - www.thelittlehawk.com
ICCSD makes tough budget choices
In a growing district, the ICCSD must find ways to reduce expenditures by eliminating teacher positions and reducing all aspects of the budget. By Ellen Carman Eighty percent of the Iowa City Community School District’s budget goes to employing people. Of the money spent on district employees, 80 percent is allocated to teachers and associates working with students. So in order for the district to cut 3.6 million dollars from it’s budget, teacher positions must be cut. Budget cuts have proven to be necessary in order for the ICCSD to align it’s revenue with expenditures. Increased spending in recent years has been necessary due to the addition of 1,000 students to the district in the last three years. It has also been possible thanks to stimulus dollars that came into the district in 2010, 2011, and 2012. The district currently employs approximately 957 teachers. The district plans to cut 10 elementary teacher positions, 20 from secondary schools, and five central administration positions. These cuts will either come from not filling vacant teacher positions left by retiring or resigning teachers or in layoffs. “There have been extensive discussions about how we can adjust pupil teacher ratios to make classes more efficient and those types of things within our teacher ranks,” ICCSD’s Chief Financial Officer, Craig Hansel, said. “That’s where we spend the most money.” Fewer teachers could lead to larger classes sizes and a school’s inability to offer classes previously available. The district has set a guideline of 24 to 32 students per class for schools to try to meet as they plan for the 2014-’15 school year. At City High, adjustments will have to made to compensate for a smaller staffing allocation. This will be achieved by not filling positions of retiring teachers if the given department can still be successful with one less teacher. However, some departments will need to be replenished. The Spanish department will have two teachers retire at the end of this year and part or all of those positions will have to be refilled. “Everyone that is here right now provides an important, valuable service to this high school,” Principal, John Bacon said. “Knowing that we will have a reduction presents challenges.” Challenges that include larger class sizes, but Bacon stresses that class size increases will not be drastic and will remain within the district’s guidelines as frequently as possible. *Continued on A6
by the
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$3.6
million budget cut
Elizabeth Larsen wins Circumnavigators grant By Ellen Carman This summer, 2012 City High graduate, Elizabeth Larsen will travel around the world stopping in seven countries on a three month journey researching childhood malnutrition. As the winner of Northwestern University’s Circumnavigators Travel Study Grant and a grant from the Northwestern Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Larsen has 12,000 dollars to put towards her research. She will be performing a study she created called “Tackling Childhood Malnutrition: A global study of channeling grassroots approaches to catalyze world change.” Larsen was inspired to focus on grassroots efforts to prevent childhood malnutrition from her work at GlobeMed’s national office in Chicago. GlobeMed is an organization that pairs university chapters with a global partner. Each
year students fundraise and raise awareness saw how grassroots efforts like Premios Pasos about their partner’s work. Then, in the summer are effective. This non-profit clinic has a nutriinterns go abroad to work with their partner. tion recuperation program for children under Partners are located in the age of five. Asia, Africa and Latin The clinic proAmerica. vides nutritional Attending Globesupplements for “In the global scheme of things Med’s East Africa Fochildren while there are a lot of huge rum as a co-director educating mothorganizations that are pouring and working with a ers about how money into these communities GlobeMed partner, to ensure their but not necessarily in a Premios Pasos, in Guachildren are sustainable way.” temala led Larsen to properly nourher research project. ished. “[In Uganda] I Larsen will -Beth Larsen ‘12 heard over and over be researching about how malnutrihow programs tion, agriculture, and like Premios Pabasic hygiene is a huge problem.” Larsen said. sos are having an impact on their community. Later, when she went to Guatemala, Larsen *Continued on A3
Trimesters system put to the test By Elijah Jones and Ailsa Burke City High is in a small minority group of schools on the trimester schedule. That may change in 2015. City High may be switching from a trimester schedule to a semester schedule to aid the students taking University or Kirkwood classes. “It would sync up a little bit better if the schools that are on semesters are feeding in there,” City High principal, John Bacon said. “That wouldn’t be the sole reason, but that’s sort of how the conversation got going.” The Kirkwood Regional Center, opening in 2015, will focus on a more affordable way to get both high school students and adults involved in classes. Free classes will be offered to give high school and college credit to students. Assistant Superintendent Ann Feldman heads an exploratory committee to “study the idea of moving to a semester schedule.” The soonest the change to semesters would occur would be the 2015-16 school year. City High dean of students Doug Lestina suggests another reason the district is looking at semesters. “The theory in education right now is focus on the core curriculum, the Iowa core, making sure the kids have the basics,” Lestina said. The biggest concern facing the schedule change is how trimester electives at City High will be effected. Trimester courses would require an extension of six weeks from the normal twelve week course. Courses will either need to be expanded, combined, or cut. This brings concern to some of those teaching those classes. “Semester scale would ruin the art department,” art teacher Michael Close said. “One third of the amount of students that we have every year would be cut, because our classes can’t get any bigger.” Lestina proposes having electives in the evening during semester schedule, extending the length of the school day, or rotating electives year by year. Another possibility to keep electives would be introducing quarter length required courses. In a quarter system, 12 week required courses would likely be shortened to 9 weeks in order to sustain all state requirements without having to greatly expand courses. “[Semesters] give a lot less opportunity for kids to take classes,” Lestina said. “Some students are really busy, and [trimesters] give them an opportunity to take more classes then they would if we went to semesters.” Vice Principal Scott Jesperson sees reason for switching to semesters regarding the effects of semesters on class time and management. “I like the idea of semesters. I like being more in line; I always have that college-readiness in mind,” he said. “I’ve taught electives. I would’ve loved to have more time with the students.” Bacon is also considering the possibility of challenges for some students the schedule switch could cause. He says that kids who struggle more in school can make the majority of the year better if they fail a single trimester, whereas if a student fails a semester, they are failing half of the year. But he sees the other side, too. *Continued on A6
A2 PREVIEW
APRIL 11, 2014
Section A
The Little Hawk Feature Magazine
4
NEWS: Freezin’ for a Reason By Elena Foster
NEWS: Interact goes to Xicotopec
FACING FACTS: SEXUAL ASSAULT
5
By Daniela Perret and Olivia Parrott Rising awareness of sexual assaults has forced high schools and colleges to re-examine their policies regarding victims and perpetrators.
By Joseph Weidemann Eight City High students spent their spring break in Mexico, volunteering.
NEWS: Hancher build in progress By Ayla Canin The new Hancher Auditorium will open in 2016 and the building process has been underway this year.
8
A&E: Senior Trombonist
14
ON THE COVER: Air Angelo By Anton Buri Angelo Jackson ‘16 had a moment in the spotlight when he dunked at winter assembly. Here’s the story you havent heard.
LH
By Will Barker
ine ture MaAprilgaz 11, 2014 Hawk Fea The Little
E FEATUR
Brennan Nelson ‘14 will continue his music career in college next fall.
AIR LO ANGE ENT'S ONE STUD AM HOOP DREBURI N BY ANTO
Section B
4
SPORTS: Boys Soccer
By Marco Barenghi
8 SPORTS: Playmaker Profile: Sarah Plock ‘15
The Little Hawks entered the season ranked No. 3 and have battled their way to a 2-1 start.
By Jonas Geerdes Sarah Plock ‘15 is a four sport athlete and is helping the track team in their quest to state.
NOT FAR FROM THE TREE By Caroline Brown Austin Berry ‘14 and Jacob Buatti ‘14 are both following in their father’s footsteps next year as they pursue careers in music and medicine.
From your editors... Ellen Carman & Jacob Potash
The end of the year is suddenly in sight. We turned the corner of spring break, and what had been a trimester stretching hazily into the distance suddenly became eight precious weeks left with our high school friends and surroundings.
Then college decisions flooded email inboxes, “promposals” were sprung on unsuspecting damsels, spring sports teams organized practices, we had a few days of breezy sunshine, and the countdown was officially on. Consistent with this pattern – and right on cue – is the arrival of the April issue, which is our last as Co-Executive Editors. We’ll probably have a hand in the May issue, but it’s officially not our responsibility: we have to hand it off to the able junior and sophomore classes. The transition is bittersweet, of course. The year flew by, but those Sunday afternoons in the news lab didn’t. We were discussing the other day a phenomenon that recurs almost every year: the departing seniors predict, with a mixture of pity and evil glee, that the newspaper will flounder without their capable guidance; that an inexperienced and understaffed new generation of
leadership will collapse under the weight of the awesome responsibility of producing a 50-plus page, award-winning newspaper. Here’s the thing. Creating a newspaper is difficult, for sure. It requires a group of people with a wide variety of skills and high levels of initiative, and it requires them to work closely together under the pressure of a deadline. But teenagers are a pretty resourceful bunch, and The Little Hawk has yet to take a nosedive. Take us. Some of our grade’s best editors left the paper last year, and Mr. Rogers was forced to promote newbie Jacob Potash to executive editor. The graduation of last year’s huge cohort left us devoid of designers, news editors, and an arts editor. Ellen Carman had to continue as News Editor and take on Jacob as a pupil. But sure enough, come November, we had produced a paper that ranked #2 in the country. Not too shabby, if we say so ourselves.
It’s tempting to worry about next year’s paper. There are very few editors who aren’t seniors. Next year’s editors will have relatively little experience. But we aren’t worried. What the next generation of editors and writers lacks in years of tutelage under Mr. Rogers’ wing, they more than make up for in their commitment, their seriousness, their camraderie with each other, their humor, their writing chops, their charm, and their brains. Don’t let this get to your head though, kids – or else you’ll be totally screwed next year!
Ellen Carm an
b o c h Ja tas Po
The Little Hawk
NEWS
A3
Batter for better athletes By Taylor Milefchik
Forecast relieves flooding fears By Madeliene Spivey and Rachel Fischer Anyone who was in Iowa City in the summer of 2008 remembers the massive amount of flooding. This winter, Iowa’s snowfall was only slightly below the winter of 2008 at 47.4 inches. “What we have seen so far is the main response that we will get from the snowmelt” said Maren Stoflet, NOAA. Of course, there are many other factors involved in flooding; how much rainfall we have, how frozen the ground is, and the proximity of the rain and snow. “So many factors are involved with flooding it is hard to tell when and if Iowa City will flood,” Soflet said. According to the Quad-City Times, in 2008 Iowa City received 48.7 inches of snow. However, The snowiest winter was the winter of 1978-79 in which Iowa City received 52.9 inches of snow, and that year there was no major flooding. “When we have a lot of snow this time of year, people tend to get more concerned about flooding then they need to be,” Soflet said. The amount of rainfall is a large contributor to flooding and in 2008 Iowa City received 24.09 inches, 10 inches above normal. “If there is a lot of rain people will get more and more nervous,” Soflet
said “ It is very important to stay calm during flooding season” The amount of frost in the ground also affects flooding, when the ground is too hard it cannot absorb water. In 2008 Iowa City had 2 to 3 feet frost depth. “A lot of snow runs off because the ground is frozen,” Soflet said “That makes the rivers rise.” Flooding affects many parts of everyday Iowan life. Such as farming, the ability to go to school, businesses and more. “The general mentality of farmers these days is ‘We’ll deal with it when it comes,’” Philip Prybil, higher ground farmer, said. Concern over how drastically farmers are affected by floods has been common, but riverbed farmers, who would be affected most, know what to expect when floods happen and higher land farmers generally aren’t affected at all. “We always take it [flooding] into account when we farm,” Prybil said, “It changes how much we plant, when we till, and so on.” Unless an unforeseen storm moves in, Iowa City will not be flooded. It’s been forecasted that El Niño, an accumulation of warm water that changes climates all over the world and causes flooding as well droughts, won’t affect this spring. Adding to that comfort, almanacs and weather forecasts for April suggest there will be no major flooding.
SAT redesigned for 2016 By Hailey Verdick As the spring of 2016 rolls around it will again be time for high school students to take the SAT. However, instead of taking the current version of the SAT they will be taking a new version. The recent change in the SAT is aimed to make the test more relevant to high school students and to help them prepare for college. “The test has had a reputation for being mysterious and perhaps even tricky,” said Laurie Moore of the College Board. “In addition, some have criticized the SAT for being too removed from high-school coursework.” The goal is to focus the SAT on more relevant information. Instead of having difficult vocab words that are uncommon, they will be replaced with challenging words that students may encounter in college. “They’re revamping it and giving it a facelift,” Tara Kolker, guidance counselor at City High said. “So it’s touching on the stuff that you guys actually study in school.” One main positive of the new test will be having free SAT prep. The College Board was concerned that quality test prep cost more, and students with a lower income weren’t getting a chance to study. “I am extremely excited about the changes not only to the test,” said Moore. “But to the College Board’s focus on delivering opportunity to all students.”
A
B
C
D
What are the majors changes to the SAT? Essay will be optional and no penalties A) The will be given for incorrect answers
B) C)
Vocab words will be more widely used and there will be everyday life math The test will be scored out of 2400 as opposed to 1600
D)
There will be free SAT test prep
E)
All of the above
In one day over 900 pounds of pancake batter will splatter West High’s kitchen as volunteers scramble to make a pancake breakfast for attendees of the 50th Annual Pancake Day event. “I think it’s a terrific event, and I like the fact that it involves both City and West,” said City High boys tennis coach, Chip Hardesty. “I think we, the East and West sides, should cooperate more than we do anyways. Pancake Day is a nice joined effort that helps support both of our athletic programs.” This year will mark the 50th Annual Pancake Day, held by the Iowa City Booster Club at West High. Jim Sangster, 1947 City High graduate and former Booster Club president, is very excited for this event. “We started with the idea of having a banquet for these kids. I think the Pancake Day grew out of that,” Sangster said. “It’s a good way to help to raise money.” Last year over 35,000 dollars was raised with the help of 200 volunteers and many sponsors. The money raised is used to help fund athletic programs at North Central Jr. High, Northwest Jr. High, Southeast Jr. High, City High, and West High School. “The Iowa City Booster Club Pancake Day has become a notable tradition in our community,” Said Lisa Ringen, the City High Co-Chair of Pancake Day. “It is one of the great events that brings all of our Iowa City community schools together to work as one team.” The Booster Club is aiming to reach their goal of 50,000 dollars by having a good turnout at this event. The cost for one person is five dollars, and children three years and under eat for free. Besides the included all-you-can-eat pancake meal, there will also be a raffle with items picked from local businesses, the community, and school supporters. The tickets will range from one to ten dollars and the prizes will be presented after the event has ended. Brady Swenning ‘14 is an avid attendee at this event. “I really enjoy Pancake Day,” Swenning said. “They always have great food and entertainment.”
*Larsen continued from A1 “In the global scheme of things there are a lot of huge organizations like World Bank, UNICEF, Save the Children, Nourish,” Larsen said. “They are pouring money into these communities but not necessarily in a sustainable way. It doesn’t really address the root of the issue but rather puts a band aid solution on it.” The guidelines of Larsen’s project help to address this issue. All organizations that she studies will be grassroots efforts, they will have a proven positive impact, and they will be devoted to malnutrition in children under the age of five. “My project is how can small organizations effectively address the problem,” she said. “How are they attacking the root causes, like the lack of education and healthy food. Then, how can we scale up these approaches that are small right now but that are working to catalyze something bigger and to end childhood malnutrition.” Her project will culminate into a 50 page research paper and a website that Larsen hopes will serve as a resource for other organizations to find out what methodologies are working throughout the world. She also hopes to be published in a journal. “These journals are the ones that people in UNICEF and World Bank will be reading.” Larsen’s research will offer a unique perspective because she will be doing all her research over one summer. This contrasts similar projects that span their research in different regions over multiple years. The experience Larsen has gained from her work with GlobeMed and her travels a year ago have undoubtedly helped prepare her for this summer’s trip. Larsen says that her time at City High has also contributed to her success. “The diversity of people, thought and experiences at City High really taught me how to work with a vast array of people and how to understand that everybody is bringing something to the table,” she said. This ability to form relationships with people around the world and within her community is what Larsen believes to be one of her most advantageous skills. “Invest in relationships; with your professors, your colleagues, your teammates,” she said. “Those people will support you and help guide your journey.”
A4 NEWS
Spring Break photo contest winners tell their stories By Innes Hicsasmaz Amy Suter ‘14 Amy Suter (‘14) spent spring break on the other side of the world visiting her sister in Barcelona, Spain. “It was a ton of fun,” Suter said. After a short plane ride, she and her family landed on the island of Palma de Mallorca off the coast of Spain. After walking up a large hill overlooking the city, Suter admired the view. “I just thought, ‘this is beautiful,’” Suter said. Jamarty Hall ‘14 For Jamarty Hall (‘14), spring break consisted of playing basketball and video games in Iowa City. After a long day on the court, Hall decided to submit a picture of himself at home. “I thought it’d be funny and I thought I’d get a Panchero’s burrito,” Hall said. His selfie stuck out alongside numerous photos of sunsets and landscapes. Hall hoped his sense of humor did not keep him from being considered. “It didn’t seem like you guys were going to put it up at first,” he joked. Hall’s photo demonstrated a more accurate portrayal of spring break for many students at City High, helping him to earn 55 likes on Facebook. Mr. Leman Mr. Leman made the best of the dreary Iowa weather by hanging out with his four kids. Five-month-old Peter stole the spotlight with Leman’s submission. “I saw that onesie at Raygun and we put him in it for St. Patrick’s Day,” he said. It took multiple attempts to get a good picture for the grandparents. Leman was not surprised that his picture had a lot of likes because people had come up to him complimenting the photo. “Everybody loves babies because they’re little and cute,” Leman said. The charm did not stay for long, though, as Peter threw up soon after the picture was taken.
LEFT: The view overlooking Palma de Mallorca, Spain. ABOVE: Jamarty Hall ‘14 relaxes with some snacks. BELOW: Peter Leman flashes a smile on St. Patrick’s Day. CONTESTANTS/ PHOTO CREDIT
Interact sends students to Xicotepec By Joseph Weideman Eight City High students went to Xicotepec Mexico over spring break. The Interact Club performed various community service projects in the 13th annual trip to Mexico. The students flew to Mexico on March 15th, returning the Sunday before school started. They spent six days in Xicotepec performing community service. Students split up into three different work groups including; the construction team, the deworming team, and the dental team. The construction team finished a water pumping project for a local school, as well as painting rooms and a mural. The dewormers gave parasite killing medication to over 4,000 local children, while the dental team applied teeth varnish to 1,000 more kids. More painting was done at the red cross center in rooms and on stair railings. Despite the intensive nature
of the work, members say it was rewarding. “It was really cool because you know you probably just made that kid’s life 10 times better by just visiting them and taking a little time to lend a hand.” Ellis Fontana ‘16 said. The vacation wasn’t all work though, with the group going to play with kids at an orphanage, visiting statues like the Virgin Guadalupe, and other tourist attractions. The dental work group also went to lunch at the ranch of the school’s principal, crossing over what Fontana ‘16 called “The Temple of Doom Bridge.” Another day was spent visiting the ancient Aztec city of Teotihuacan. There they viewed two pyramids, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. “All the steps were really steep, and there were a lot so some chose to climb all the way to the top while others did not.” Payton Evans ‘15 explained. “The Pyramid of the Moon was smaller so some people who didn’t want to climb as much
ABOVE: Maria McCoy ‘15 poses with two local children Cora Bern-Klug/ THELITTLEHAWK
did the Pyramid of the Moon.” The group returned to Iowa City in time for school on the first
Monday after spring break, done with the City High Interact Club’s annual trip to Mexico.
APRIL 11, 2014
Jane Goodall gives speech at Carver By Innes Hicsasmaz A collective groan echoed through Carver Hawkeye Arena Monday night, March 10th as it was announced that Jane Goodall’s lecture would be delayed by 15 minutes; an unexpected number of people had come to see her and were still streaming into the parking lot. “I knew who Jane Goodall was and I thought it would be really cool to actually see her and hear her speak.” Sonali Durham ‘16 said. The renowned primate expert and activist quickly made up for the delay by starting her lecture with a series of hoots and grunts: a chimpanzee’s way of saying hello. The audience responded with laughter and applause and a few calls of their own. Originally scheduled to take place at the Iowa Memorial Union, Goodall’s lecture was moved to Carver Hawkeye in anticipation of a larger crowd than first expected. Almost 7,000 people filled the stadium. Goodall began with a brief history of her journey, telling anecdotes from her childhood and switching to her groundbreaking discovery in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania: humans are not the only animals that make and use tools. “I didn’t really know much about what she actually did. I didn’t know about how she got into it,” Riley Lewers, ‘16 said. Goodall was always interested in animals, having followed chickens into the henhouse to find out where eggs come from in her childhood. Inspired by books like “Tarzan of the Apes,” she dreamed of going to Africa. “[Tarzan] married the wrong Jane,” she joked. Growing up in a time when money was scarce, it seemed as though her dream was impossible. However, tremendous support from her mother kept her hopeful and driven. “I learned about how hard it was for her to convince people that she should be able to go and live alone and research,” Durham said. “If you have something you truly care about, don’t give up, and take opportunities when they present themselves,” Goodall said. A big part of Goodall’s life is devoted to conservation; she travels 300 days a year promoting the message of the Jane Goodall Institute, a program which focuses on the conservation of chimpanzees and their habitats. Goodall sees a strong correlation between the health of the environment and the health of society. “We humans aren’t the only beings on the planet with personalities, minds, and feelings,” Goodall said. “There are other animals who share many of these attributes, and it makes us think about the ways we use and abuse other animals in our daily lives. Every single one of us makes an impact on this planet every single day.” She urged the audience to become more aware of humans’ negative impact on the environment, but passed on her message of enduring hope. Goodall discussed Roots and Shoots, a youth program made up of groups that complete projects aimed at improving the world. A large cloth dove built by Roots and Shoots members was carried up to the stage as a song composed by Roots and Shoots played throughout the stadium. “I thought it was interesting because I thought she’d talk more about her research but she talked a lot about the environment and what she was doing now,” Lewers said. “It was a reminder of how important the environment is.”
APRIL 11, 2014
Freezin’ for a Reason
City High Best Buddies plunge into the reservoir to raise awareness and fundraise for Special Olympics. Every participant raised 75 dollars to be in the event.
School reveals new PE class
A5
By Nina Dang & Taylor Milefchik
Participants of the City High Best Buddies Chapter prepare for the Polar Plunge. The team’s theme was cross-dressing prom to honor Best Buddies prom later that night. Members of the team fundraised for the Special Olympics Organization. ELENA FOSTER/ THELITTLEHAWK
By Elena Foster Best Buddies supporters sprinted towards the reservoir’s icy grasp to raise awareness for Special Olympics. Students as well as faculty participated in the Polar Plunge on March 29th. Participants were required to raise $75 to be eligible to jump in the water. “To be perfectly honest, my money came straight from my pocket,” Will Braverman ‘16 said. Many students approached family members for money while Elise Goodvin ‘15, City High Best Buddies’ chapter co-secretary, went to 28 donors raising a total of $885. “I utilized my parents co-workers,” Goodvin said. “The smaller amounts of money really added up and made a difference.” The parking lots were jampacked as thirty teams rushed to registration. Lines wrapped around the tent as crowds ranging from fraternities to the Iowa City Police Dept. signed waivers releasing them from liability for injuries. In order to prevent injuries from the rocks and 37 degree water, heat-
ed changing areas were provided ing Teen 2014, Sarah Bubbers. At for participants. Erin Paterson ‘15 noon, Herky and Bubbers began the trudged up the hill with an unhappy 30 minute duration of the plunge. frozen frown after the event, searchTeams were not required to creing for the tent to change in. ate a theme, but since Best Buddies’ “When I was running out of the Prom was later that night, City High water, I remember thinking, where took the liberty of cross-dressing to are my pants? I celebrate need to change the day. right now,” PresiBoys wore dent Emma Wortextravagant man ‘14 said. dresses “When I was running out Scuba divers, while girls of the water, I remember EMS, and lifedressed in thinking, where are my guards were at the suits and scene to react to risties. pants? I need to change ing dangers includ“I really right now.” ing but not limited thought to rocks, drowning, the dress and hypothermia. brought out Rescuers dressed my eyes,” -Emma Wortman in black scuba gear Braverman guarded specificalsaid. ly dangerous rocks Special while EMS employOlympics ees barricaded the reservoir waters to and Best Buddies are commonly take every precaution necessary. thought of as the same thing. Best Special guest appearances were Buddies is a program that creates made by Herky the Hawkeye, Tim one-to-one matches to build friendDwight, and Miss Metro’s Outstand- ships and promote equal citizenship
rights whereas Special Olympics is an athletic atmosphere for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate in. “I believe that this fundraiser reminds a lot of our matches that they are able to go out and do other things,” Wortman said. “Students don’t recognize that there are activities for intellectual and developmental disabilities outside of Best Buddies.” Special Olympics does not directly affect City High. However, many of the students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are involved with Special Olympics including Paterson. “It was a great experience raising money for activities that keep the kids active too,” Goodvin said. “A lot of times our pairs go out to the movies or dinner but this is a structured energetic environment.” Team City High Best Buddies Prom raised $3190 between thirteen members. “It’s fun and games until you step on a dead fish,” Goodvin said, “But it’s worth it.”
Fitness and Dance, taught by Mariah Ritter with the aid of various guest teachers and choreographers, will be offered during the second trimester of the school year, with a capacity of forty students. In addition to offering a chance for performance, the class provides an opportunity for more students to get fit without having to devote time after school. The class was a result of appealing to students that could not participate in an offered sport. Often times students want to participate in extracurriculars but have to work after school, or don’t have the necessary rides. Some simply haven’t found a physical education class that appealed to them. “We were kind of like, ‘Hey, what can we do that’s kind of like an extra curricular but during the school day so they don’t have to worry about quitting a job, not helping their family, or not having a ride?’” Ritter says. “We thought it might be fun to do it during the day, we could make it a great workout but have it be more of a choice than requirement.” Though the structure is not entirely finalized, the class will be composed of both dance and cardio days. Some days strenuous workouts will guided by various DVDs such as kickbox, Zumba, 10 Minute Solutions, and cardiovascular dances. Other days students will rotate through various workout stations. “There’s nothing that the average joe can’t do,” Ritter says. “Students are going to get a good cardiovascular workout and they’re going to get in shape.” The climax of the class will be a required, graded performance for family and friends in Opstad Auditorium. The concept carries a certain controversy for various students, though they reacted positively overall. “It will give a good opportunity for them to show what work they’ve been doing,” Alex Steele ‘17 says. “People may not think of it anymore as just a silly old dance class, but as something that can be pretty serious but also a lot of fun.” While Steele is not an avid dancer, Courtney Strebb ‘15 is. “A performance is a good idea to express your movements and express yourself because that’s what dance is about,” she says. Strebb ‘15 has been dancing on City High’s dance team since her freshman year and carries a passion for dance. “Maybe then it’ll get people to want to join the class or dance team if they see it at an assembly.” Elise Goodvin ‘15, a show choir member, agrees. “I think it’ll just get people more involved,” she said. “They’ll learn more of what we do and realize that dancing isn’t just something for fun, that it’s a sport we’re dedicated to, and hopefully it will get more people informed of why showchoir’s so important to us.” “But we’re not requiring anyone to do this,” Ritter said. “So if that is going to be a problem, those people opt to not take this class. If you’re willing to put yourself out there and give it a shot, go for it.”
A6 NEWS
Caught in a jam
APRIL 11, 2014
Overcrowding in parking lots is causing school administrators to discuss a possible changing of the parking policy.
CAROLINE BROWN/THE LITTLE HAWK
By Nova Meurice She had had her school permit for only a few months when Yara Moustafa ‘17 woke up late, with only minutes before class started. She quickly got ready, took her breakfast with her and drove her car to school. When she arrived however, she discovered that there were only a couple of spots left in the lower lot. Through a difficult maneuver, Moustafa managed to squeeze into a space, and arrived late for her first hour class. Later that day, Moustafa ended up getting into a minor crash, which she
thinks, was due partially to the overcrowded lot. “You can make it work,” she said. “But there’s really tight parking that could be dangerous for freshmen and sophomores who don’t know how to back out.” The current policy, which went into effect at the beginning of this year, establishes two types of permits: blue sticker permits for freshmen and sophomores which allow them to park in the lower lot, and a red sticker allows upperclassmen to park in the upper “jock” lot. Like any other year, the wave
of freshmen getting school permits is causing a shortage of spaces in both the upper and lower lot, which is causing some discussions about change in current policy. Two possibilities include assigned parking spots or having freshmen park off campus. “That should definitely be a rule,” Lauryn Alderson ‘14 said of limited parking for freshmen. “We need a solid system that needs to be regularly enforced instead of just whenever. Although they are often ignored, many underclassmen feel that the current rules are unfair.
“It should be a ‘first come, first serve’ kind of thing,” Moustafa argued. “It shouldn’t matter what grade you’re in.” Other concerns include underclassmen taking spots in the upper lot. “A lot of the time, I can’t park where I really want because there are blue stickers, which are for underclassmen,” Alderson said. Doug Lestina, Dean of Juniors and Seniors agrees that there are issues with parking as well as problems with lack of enforcement. “We really don’t have any sort of
full time force, like they would have downtown or at the university, that just patrols the parking lots,” Lestina said. “It’s not something that’s a priority, and so we do our best with our campus security monitors when they have time.” Currently, due to the logistical difficulties of having each student assigned a space, Lestina says that that limiting spots on campus for freshmen is the most likely solution. The problem is that there’s only so much space to park in,” He said. “So that’s a difficulty that’s not solvable in the near future.”
Teen sleep deprivation causes schools to re-evaluate school start times By Madeline Deninger
It’s not a surprise to tired high school students that sleep deprivation is considered a chronic health problem among teenagers by the National Sleep Foundation. Sleep deprived students suffer from several side effects including lack of alertness. “They probably cannot focus,” Bernie Goepferd, the school nurse at City High said. “Some are dizzy because they’re sleep deprived.” According to the National Academy of Pediatrics, teens between the ages of 14 and 18 need eight to nine hours of sleep a night. School districts in 33 states have pushed back start times by up to an hour later in an effort to help students get enough sleep. Some schools have seen other benefits of starting later too. According to the Start School Later campaign, a nonprofit organization in the US, the West Des Moines School District was able to save $700,000 a year by reducing the number of buses they used when it delayed start times from
7:45 to 8:20. “I have to leave at 6:30,” Kaitlyn Sroka ‘17 said. “So I have to rush through things in the morning.” Sroka, who takes early bird PE, explains how this schedule can impact her daily life. “When I’m tired I get more stressed,” Sroka said. “Because with all the homework I’m up pretty late.” Some students look to caffeine to stay alert during the day, which can affect their ability to sleep. According to the FDA, caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. “Not very often, but occasionally I’ll drink a cappuccino,” Sroka said. “But I know a lot of people who make it a daily routine to drink an energy drink or a coffee.” As children reach adolescence, many experience a change in their Circadian rhythms, or biological clocks, causing them to go to sleep later and wake up later. “I used to go to bed a lot earlier, and I never fell asleep in class.” Sroka said. “I do fall asleep in class sometimes now.”
There are several problems district officials face when deciding on whether to make a change to the start times. Some worry that because a later start time would also mean a later release time, it would interfere with athletics, after school activities, jobs and other time commitments. “It would have an impact on extracurricular activities and jobs.” Valerie Bills, a guidance counselor in the Iowa City School District, said. Another question some officials are asking is if the responsibility of getting enough sleep belongs to the school district or to the students. “It’s not really fair to make it [sleep] the school district’s responsibility, although it would help.” Valerie Bills said. Bills mentioned that if schools’ starting times were to be pushed back for teenage students, family and staff ’s schedules would also be affected. “That would really stress the families because parents can’t go to bed late like that.” Bills said. “So what it’s going to do is bump everything
Budget cuts continued from A1 Other challenges that will present themselves include maintaining a large breadth of course offerings and ensuring that as many people as possible continue to have a job. These things are also high on City High administration’s list of things to protect. “We are going to have to be very creative in some cases to determine how we can use our staff to pick up the slack for areas that we have had to reduce.” Bacon said. This week school administrators will share information with the school board and each other to finalize plans. Bacon is confident that those impacted will be notified by the end of the month.
“We all try to follow some general principles,” Bacon said. “We are very sensitive to people’s jobs to the extent that we can and we want to make sure there is a job for everybody even if there is some moving around or if the role they are doing is a little bit different.” The district will be looking at all parts of the budget in order to make the necessary cuts. Hansel says that “all aspects of school operations” are being considered. Other parts of the budget that could be reduced include supplies, transportation, custodial maintenance and utilities. “We dumped everything on the table and said we are going to consider everything on its own merits,”
MADELINE DENINGER/THE LITTLE HAWK
later and so parents are required to do everything later, but they still have to get up early and their clocks aren’t the same as teenagers. Plus there might be younger siblings.” Changing school start times may have some benefits, however the decision to do so is complicated by a great
number of factors. “Think in future years that as you go to college and you get a job you’re going to be starting at eight o’clock in the morning,” Goepferd said. “So I think you just have to get used to that routine because it’s going to be a life long thing.”
Trimesters continued from A1 Hansel said. Budget cuts this year are also paving the way for this growing district to remain solvent as it adds students and subsequently schools, teachers, and other expenses. Hansel has created a five year funding model that takes into consideration the dates new schools will open and the added state funding that is predicted due to growth in the student population. “If we are careful and continue to tighten our belts and maintain a reasonable approach to our expenditures we can fit in these new costs as they come on,” Hansel said. “But we have to be very planful about it.”
“The turn of the tri is a mad house best time to take on a change that’s not in the guidance office, it is everything absolutely necessary, we have a trithat gets thrown up for grabs,” he said. mester system, and it works just fine.” “Having semesters, The exploratory frankly, would be committee is continuing one less big tranto work on the issue of sition during the “The change of the this possible switch. The year.” trimester is always committee’s goal is to have Although Baa madhouse in the a decision by May, then con understands guidance office.” superintendent Stephen why the district is Murley will review their looking at the serecommendation and demester switch, he termine the next steps for -John Bacon this project. does have some concerns about the “Either way, we have timing. an extraordinary district,” school “I feel like there’s an awful lot board president Sally Hoelscher said. going on in the school district right “With either system, we’ll make it now,” he said. “I’m not sure now is the work and we’ll make it fabulous.”
NEWS
APRIL 11, 2014
Hancher Auditorium to re-open in 2016 Six years after the old Hancher auditorium was flooded, construction is finally under way. The new and improved auditorium will open in the fall of 2016. An architectural rendering of the Lobby of Hancher Auditorium designed by Cesar Pelli KIERRA ZAPF/ THELITTLEHAWK
ByAyla Canin It’s been a long wait since the 2008 flood decimated Hancher Auditorium and the city was forced to tear it down, but construction of the new building is now under way. Construction is scheduled to be completed by spring of 2016, but Hancher is not due to open to the public until September of that year. Construction has been in full swing all winter, and much progress has been made. “[Builders] are working triple shifts,” Jane Van Voorhis, Director of Development at the University of Iowa Levitt Center for University Advancement, said. “They are essentially working 24 hours a day so that this building will be finished on time.” The auditorium is being built along the Iowa River, just off of Park Road, near the location of the old Hancher Auditorium. This location was chosen, in part, to make the auditorium easily accessible to people coming in from outside communities on Interstate 80. “This new Hancher building will serve as an attractive welcoming gateway for people approaching the University and the city,” Rodney Lehnertz, Director of Planning, Design, and Construction at the University, said. The building was designed by Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. Pelli has designed performing arts centers all around the world, and is “probably the world’s most renowned architect with respect to performing arts centers,” according to Lehnertz.
The approved budget for the auditorium is 175 million dollars, and is being funded by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the State of Iowa, the University of Iowa and private donations. The new building is being built farther away from the river than the old Hancher had been, two feet above the 500-year flood level, and in addition will be raised several more feet above ground to prevent future flood damage, which according to Lehnertz “is actually at a safer height than is required.” “We’re very, very confident that the building will be fine, or else we wouldn’t have built it there.” said Van Voorhis. The new auditorium will feature vertically overlapping balconies. According to Van Voorhis it is “as if the balcony embraces the stage.” The main floor of the auditorium will be smaller, only seating 1,800, fewer than the previous Hancher building which seated 2,500. “It’s going to have a much more intimate feel in terms of the audience experience during a show.” said Van Voorhis. “It’s really going to be more elegant. 1,800 seats is a sweet spot in terms of acoustics and sightlines for the audience enjoyment, and it’s also kind of a sweet spot economically in terms of filling a house for a show. You’re not paying for a whole lot of extra space but you are able to fill auditoriums.” Because of certain features the new Hancher will possess, such as a smaller main floor of the auditorium, a larger variety of performances can be hosted there. According to Van Voorhis the new building will be “a spectacular, spectacular...visually-arresting sight.”
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City High kicks off new Writing Club By Claire Noack Friday afternoons at 3:15, a small group of City High students and teachers can be found in the library computer labs, quietly typing away at their stories, just for the fun of it. “It wasn’t something I was going to do independently,” club founder Sophia Schlesinger, ‘16 said. “And I thought other students might have the same problem.” Schlesinger had the idea for a writing club when she realized she wasn’t writing for herself as much as she would have liked to. She first approached English teacher Colleen Davis for help starting a writing club. Because Davis had other after-school commitments, she asked other English teachers if they could be the advisor instead of her. Alina Borger-Germann turned out to be the right teacher for the job,. “Basically what it boils down to is that Ms. Davis and Mr. Hartwig have other after school commitments that I don’t share, so, easy.” BorgerGermann said. “I’m here after school anyway.” Borger-Germann is also excited to have some company while she writes. “For me it’s just awesome to think about the time.” Borger-Germann said. “And to have some time to write with other people seems great. It sounds less lonely than writing by myself.” At the first meeting around five people attended, but Schlesinger is hoping that number will increase soon. Annie Hartley, ‘15, was one of the five. She worked on typing up one of her previously written stories. “It’s nice to have a space to work on stuff like that.” Hartley said. “We just sat at our computers and worked on whatever we wanted to and it was silent.” Schlesinger has worked mostly on writing exercises, but is developing an idea for a longer story of her own. The club’s meetings usually last around 45 minutes, a time Schlesinger wishes was a little longer. “We just have a computer lab.” Borger-Germann said. “I don’t care who comes, just sit and write.”
Jacob Cabbage destined for Naval Program By Elena Foster In the midst of upperclassmen planning their futures, freshmen are booking summer jobs while seniors are signing up for college. To get a head start on gaining information, Jacob Cabbage ‘15 applied to the United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar. He received his acceptance letter in early March. “I’m excited to see what it would be like to attend the academy,” Cabbage said. “I’ve been thinking about attending a service academy for college so it seemed like a good idea.” The Summer Seminar is a sixday program for high schoolers that have completed their junior year who show interest in the Naval Academy. The program is competi-
tive and exclusive due to the mas- riculars, and be of good moral charsive interest and lack of hosting acter. Many students struggle with capacity. the physical requirements which in“We had to fill out cludes 20/40 or correctforms and different quesable to 20/20 vision. tionnaires to see if we The United States were able to attend the Naval Academy is seminar,” Cabbage said. dedicated to educatIn general selection, ing future officers of they have many requireour country. Many ments. Applicants cannot students choose to atbe married, pregnant, or tend a service academy have a legal obligation to as opposed to a 4-year support other individuuniversity due to the als. They also must have a cost. Others choose it superior high school perbecause of the honor formance which includes Jacob Cabbage ‘15 they feel for their GPA, class standing, and country. strong PSAT, SAT, or ACT results. “I’ve always felt like I couldn’t Aside from these qualities, truly enjoy the liberties we have in they are required to demonstrate America and have opinions that are achievement in athletics, extracur- contrary to the government until
I’ve had the opportunity to defend these liberties,” Cabbage said. The seminar costs 400 dollars, which covers room, board, and a variety of materials. The seminar has an academic focus where Cabbage will attend eight 90-minute workshops. Workshop options include classes like mathematics, history, literature, and chemistry as well as specialized classes such as Naval Architecture, Ocean Engineering, Aerospace Flight Testing, and Ethics and Character Development. “I’m excited to try different classes and be pushed out of my comfort zone,” Cabbage said. “I’ve never done anything like it before.” A typical day of the seminar includes physical training, academic workshops, sporting events/military drill introduction, and special
events. Special events include the US Marine Corps Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial, career opportunity presentations by the Navy and Marine Corps officers, Sea Trials, and a mock plebe indoctrination session. Neil Harte ‘14 attended the second week of the seminar in the summer of 2013. “It’s not like camps here where everybody is from small town Iowa,” Harte said. “People are from all over the country.” Harte decided to attend the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. Cabbage applied to the summer seminar there as well. “I recommend attending a seminar for anyone interested in the military because it was a blast and I learned a lot,” Harte said.
A8 NEWS
APRIL 11, 2014
thelittlehawk.com
From breaking news, to sports,and features, thelittlehawk.com is City High’s number one source of news. Here are jsut a few of the website’s best stories of the month.
Life on the Ice
VI
DE O
By Leah Hoelscher Freshman Eliana Hoffman and sophomore Shelby Burden have both been skating since they were two years old. Watch to see how they took their passion in different directions to follow their dreams.
Bigler’s Way
LEFT:Bigler’s father speaks in Opstad Auditorium on the dangers of drunk driving. NOVA MEURICE/ THELITTLEHAWK
By Rachel Fischer With prom and graduation approaching quickly, a guest speaker, Mark Bigler, talked to students Friday, April 4 about the importance of not drinking and driving. Mark Bigler shared a tragic drunk driving story. Bigler’s son Brad coached basketball at Southwest Minnesota State where he dealt with a tragic drunk driving accident. Go to thelittlehawk.com to read the full story. WhatDoYouThrowAway.org |
brought to you by the iowa department of public health.
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OPINION The Little Hawk - APRIL 11, 2014
Staff Editorial:
LH
Putting Trimesters to the Test After 75 years of trimesters at City High, the school board is considering making the transition from trimesters to semesters.
Executive Editors
ellen carman, jacob potash
News Editor ellen carman
Opinion Editors neil harte, lilly reitz
A&E Editor will barker
Feature Editors
daniela perret, jacob potash
Sports Editor annika wasson
Photo Editor kierra zapf
Copy Editor leah hoelscher
Online Editors
elijah jones, chris ohrt
Positivity Editor elena foster
Staff
dominic balestrieri-fox, ailsa burke, ayla canin, nina dang, alma dialali, payton evans, rachel fischer, ellis fontana, innes hicsasmaz, taylor milefchik, braden offerman-mims, olivia parrott, adam schwab, madeleine spivey, joseph wideman, marco barenghi, britta bergstrom, will braverman, caroline brown, emilie burden, anton buri, madeline deninger, jonas geerdes, rachel gralnek, nate katalinich, nova meurice, becca meyer, claire noak, cody own, jacob paiunen, sarah smith, hailey verdick
Adviser
jonathan rogers
Online Bios and Stories www.thelittlehawk.com/staff
mission statement The Little Hawk, the student newspaper of City High School, aims to inform, educate and entertain readers; to provide an educational opportunity for the students who produce it; and to provide a medium for commercial advertising. Equity Statements English Version: It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. If you believe you have (or your child has) been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Director, Ross Wilburn, at 509 S. Dubuque Street, 319-688-1000.
art b y
When City High was established in 1939, the University of Iowa had a heavy influence on the way our school was run. Originally, the university down the street used the trimester system, which inspired the very first City High administration to do the same in order to stay in synch with the University of Iowa. However, when the University of Iowa changed from trimesters to semesters, City High stuck with the trimester system. It has been decades since the university changed their system, and now our school district is considering following in their scheduling footsteps yet again. Many students who are not in favor of the change and want to keep the trimester system worry
about scheduling issues, such as how would PE work, how electives would work, or how the three trimester government classes would be changed, along with other issues. Many of these concerns brought forward by students have a very simple solution: the quarter system. Most schools that divide their year by semesters further divide them into quarters. There would be two nine-week quarters per semester where students have the opportunity to take electives. These quarters would end up benefitting students, because although the elective would be three weeks less, they would be able to take more total electives in their high school career, which would allow students to further their education in ways
Neil Har te
the trimester system does not currently allow. Despite most students disagreeing with this probable change, the transition from trimesters to semesters would actually benefit the district for a multitude of reasons. Changing from trimesters to semesters would be much easier on the guidance office. If the district changes from trimesters to semesters, the guidance office will have one big transition between semesters as opposed to two big transitions between trimesters. This will benefit the guidance office and allow them to be more efficient. Another benefit to changing from trimesters to semesters is that it would make our district in sync with 70% of high schools. Most
high schools are on the semester system, and changing from trimesters to semesters would allow us to connect with other schools. Not only will semesters benefit the guidance office and the district, but it will also benefit students who are preparing for college. By running on the semester system, students will become used to the college-like structure of a semester system. Students will become accustomed to midterms and finals, and a two-part school year. The committee that is working on deciding whether or not this change should be implemented has not yet reached a decision. However, it would benefit the district and City High greatly for this change to be implemented.
APRIL 11, 2014
OPINION
Not Just for the Exercise
THUMBS
by NEIL HARTE
As the weather finally starts to look more like spring, I find myself swapping my warm tights and wool socks for revealing running shorts and... really not much more. However, the nicer weather is only part of why I love track practice after school each day. Track, or for that matter, any activity that requires moving around after school, has more benefits than I can keep track of. Having practice after school is a magical thing. It is, as Gob Bluth from the show Arrested Development would say, a “forget me now pill.” Coming back from practice everyday after five o’clock and jumping in bed after a long shower makes me forget that I even had school that day. All I can think about is the tempo run I went on during practice, not the long lecture I had in Economics a few hours earlier (sorry, Mr. Dodge!). I cannot think of anything better than going to school and not remembering it at all. The school day simply becomes a blur, and it makes getting up every morning from a fantastic night of sweet, sweet sleep just bearable enough to do so. I accomplished something great and forgot about everything not-sogreat. It’s a wonderful feeling to say the least. Not only does practice act as a daily roofie, it also has many more equally awesome benefits. For instance, I don’t feel as bad for eating entire boxes of Girl Scout cookies and a whole Hy-Vee pizza. Although I did this over winter break during my hibernation period, I felt bad about it because I didn’t deserve the copious amounts of calories. But now I earned that pizza! I ran for forty minutes! I can eat what I want, when I want. Running gives me an excuse to pig out like a real American. The benefits of track are great, but it’s still really hard work. Exercise, especially running, is a test of endurance and strength, something that’s hard to put forward. While I’m running, it hurts, and requires energy I don’t always have, especially after a long day of school. Sometimes, I would rather spend that energy laying in bed and watching Netflix (but that’s what I always wish I was doing). But being part of the track team is important, and no matter how long the run or how bad the workout, I’m always glad to be a part of it. Your daily roofie doesn’t have to be track. Coming home from school after a long day to practice your cello for a few hours, or going to your two hour long dance class, or riding your bike all have the same effect. Being able to come home from your activity knowing you did something more with your day than school is a great feeling that hopefully everyone will have the joy of knowing.
Getting accepted to your dream college Spring (finally) Oliver! Seniors graduating in five weeks Outdoor track season Game of Thrones returning
art by Neil Harte
Non-seniors getting out June 6th
A Culture to Be Ashamed Of
AP tests
by LILLY REITZ I see rape culture everywhere I turn. I see it in the hallways, where kids do poorly on an exam and exclaim, “I got raped by that math test!” I hear it on the radio, where a 37 year old man sings that women must want it, despite the blurred line between consent and saying no. I see it on the news, when a celebrity is charged with rape, and the victim is blamed for ruining their career. I hear it in the rape jokes teenagers make, and I see it when only 3% of rapists spend time in jail. I even see it in the faces of those who have sexually assaulted others at City High. All of these things, and more, contribute to the ever-expanding rape culture: a culture where victims are oppressed and blamed for being assaulted, as if it was their fault. Far too often do I hear things like, “She was asking for it,” and “Well, look at the way she was dressed!” Victim blaming is one of the largest components of rape culture, with some of the most influential and dire consequences. Not only does victim blaming cause mental distress to the victims, it also affects others in the same position. When one victim hears about others being harassed and blamed for being assaulted, it scares them into not wanting to come forward for fear of being ostracized like so many others in their situation. Not only does victim blaming have emotional effects, it has legal repercussions as well. When victims are too scared to come forward,
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it allows their rapist to roam free on the streets without punishment, with the ability to continue to assault women. It also leaves the rapist believing there was nothing wrong in what they did, further implementing the belief that rape is “no big deal”. This kind of thing happens more than one would think, since so few rapists actually spend time behind bars. Perhaps it is this lack of compassion for victims that causes so many to take rape lightly and not consider it as big of a deal as it truly is. Perhaps this is why so many make jokes about rape. These persistent jokes and laughs made about rape are another prominent part of rape culture. Many people, especially teenagers, laugh and joke about this dehumanizing issue. For some, it is easy to see rape as one of those things that happens to “other people,” but never to themselves. Despite this idea that some seem to possess, 1 in 5 women have been raped or sexually assaulted (for men, it is 1 in 71). The thing about joking about rape is that when 1 in 20 men have raped someone, it’s not unlikely that one of those men would hear your joke. When questioned, most of the men who have raped believe that they did nothing wrong, and that rape is a normal part of everyday life. When those men hear the jokes that people make about rape, it just perpetuates their belief that they did nothing wrong, and when so
few sexual assaults go unreported, it gives those rapists the power to continue on their sexual assaulting rampages. Although rape is viewed by many to be “no big deal,” it is. Rape has physical and psychological effects on the victim that can make a serious impact on their life and well-being. Physically, rape can cause pain, STDs/pregnancy, sores and tumors inside the vaginal wall, and urinary issues. However, the physical pain of rape is nothing compared to the psychological damage it can cause. More often than not do rape victims experience PTSD, depression, feelings of powerlessness over their bodies and self, sleep disorders, and/or guilt. These mental effects can take over a person’s life, or even ruin it. As a culture and society, we have the power to change this awful misconception and skewed social view on sexual assaults and rape. If we start blaming the rapists instead of the victims, those who have been assaulted might not be as scared to come forward, and we can punish rapists more effectively, instead of the pathetically low number of rapists who are actually prosecuted. If we stop using ‘rape’ in our daily vocabularies, and give the word back it’s power, maybe the jokes will stop. If we all take rape more seriously, maybe we can change the views of others, and put an end to the rape culture.
Getting back from track meets at midnight Everyone talking about prom Not being able to play inFAMOUS Second Sun When the tensile strength of toilet paper in school bathrooms is less than the tension required to pull it
A12 OPINION
APRIL 11, 2014
Bad Words Are Bad by CHRIS OHRT
RIGHT TO REMAIN
SILENT
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art by Neil Harte
time. The Great Gatsby, The Catcher in the Rye, The Lord of the Rings, The Lorax, the list goes on and on. Each of these novels have a common controversial theme, and that is starting a title with ‘the’. The most proactively used form of censorship tends to be against the use of profanity in media. Bad words endanger the purity of a human’s mental state the same way puffs of cigarette smoke or a huff of industrial Chinese air does to the lungs. You can flip through your television channels without fear of foul language melting the ear wax out of your sensitive sound receptors. Aside from seeing murder, decapitation, road rage, disembowelment, hard drugs, sexual innuendoes, mind-bogglingly awful advertisements, and an unnaturally peppy Ryan Seacrest barraging your eyeballs, at least you’ll never have to hear what Samuel
L. Jackson really thought about those snakes on that plane. On the other hand, swearing is a completely natural part of life. Imagine a world where people stub their toes, and instead of yelling expletives in pain, they apologized to the obstacle that just shattered their legs into pieces. If you’re picturing Canada, then I’m not surprised. But swearing denotes the seriousness of your dialogue, as well as your miniscule vocabulary, but that’s neither here nor there. Foul language is only for bad people, or just all kinds of people, depending on how you’re raised. If you’re going to swear, then make it count. Like auto tune and twerking, if we all keep doing something for long enough, people will forget it was a problem in the first place.
by MADELEINE SPIVEY weak and waiting on their prince is also preposterous. Have they not seen Merida? Mulan? Pocahontas? Rapunzel? Tatiana, from Princess and the Frog? Tatiana is especially inspiring. As a young African-American woman determined to own her own restaurant, she inspires hard work, being assertive and rejecting the mainstream thought. She’s the farthest from a damsel in distress I have ever seen. Brave is another example of inspiring women. There isn’t even a love interest in Brave! Additionally, feminist voices aren’t the only ones that can be heard. Demands that Disney needs to better recognize the gay community echo through crowds of adolescents and adults alike. However, some religious groups have their panties in a twist about Disney offering domestic partnership benefits to their gay employees. Seem a little conflicting? I agree. And how do they suppose Disney touches on the issue? Yet another so-called issue in Disney movies is that all of the villains are old. Perhaps these critics are going senile. Not only
“I’m going to adopt more of a Russian attitude toward conflict in my life. Putin Style.” -Mr. Rogers “Sometimes I talk to myself, but I never respond.” -Mrs. Green
What’s Wrong With Disney? Whispers of Disney’s racism, sexism and other fatal sins are spreading like wildfire at City High and around the country. However, I just can’t buy into Disney’s so-called “inherent evil.” What about the Disney that taught me to love, hope, and embrace everyone? Furious exclamations about how degrading Disney is to women have been painted all over the internet and shoved down our throats by adverse media. The main movies used to support this argument are Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. All of which were made in the 1940s to early 1960s, where women’s rights weren’t prevalent yet. In any case, feminists are supportive of Frozen, claiming it finally has a prominent woman presence, implying Disney is on the mend. What feminists don’t seem to realize is Disney wanted to make Frozen in 1940, after Hans Christian Andersen’s book The Snow Queen, but didn’t yet have the animation capabilities. This leads me to question if Disney was as patriarchal back then as people thought. The notion that all Disney princesses are
“If you use Google Translate, I will hurt something you love.” -Mr. Balcaen
are there minor young villains, such as Flynn’s goons in Tangled or the evil stepsisters in Cinderella, but there is a balance in all of the movies that feature an old villain. In Cinderella, you have the evil stepmother and the kindly fairy godmother. In Aladdin, you have Jafar and the Sultan. In Snow White you have the evil witch and the seven dwarves, in The Little Mermaid, there’s Ursula and Tritan. This list goes on and on and on. Not only do the “evil underlying messages” prove false, but there are also great messages for kids to learn. In Mulan and Brave, we learn to accept who we are, regardless of everyone else’s thoughts. In The Little Mermaid and Tangled, we’re taught that love can overcome anything. In Pocahontas, we’re taught that race is nothing to base our judgements on. Disney is a corporation. It’s going to capitalize on the majority’s thoughts, making movies a representation of whatever time period they’re made in. Blaming Disney for society’s problems is a little far-fetched. Criticize your own thinking, not Disney.
“You should all be listening to me because I’m one of, if not the, most interesting person I know.” -Dr. Thompson “Damnit, why won’t this SMARTboard work?!” -Every teacher ever
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Profanity is a horrible misdemeanor, abusing the English language and harming the ears of the youth that surrounds you at all times, as they eagerly listening for anything mildly offensive of which they can repeat to their timid mothers. Just kidding! Profanity is a multi-purpose language tool, used to emphasise a point, to mock somebody’s mother, or just for the hell of it. Imagine reading a book... crazy idea, right? Now, imagine that every passage in that book that caused controversy with a particular group was crossed out. The book would probably be fairly difficult to read, blurred by thick, black lines. This is because people are looking for controversy, and they want to tuck away anything they don’t understand. Some of the literary pieces considered to be the greatest of all time were censored or outright banned at one point in
“They called me ‘Leaf’ in junior high football because I got blown over by the wind.” -Mr. Leman
APRIL 11, 2014
OPINION
A13
It’s that time of the year again...
PROM SUX
PROM!
by LILLY REITZ
art by Neil Harte
Every spring, prom is always the biggest topic of conversation. Talk of extravagant promposals, $200 dresses, expensive dinner reservations and who is going to be in whose prom group flood the school. But what is it about prom that makes it such a big deal? Is it shopping for the perfect expensive dress, covered in tacky rhinestones? Is it getting the “perfect promposal”, when the guy you’ve had a crush on all year is supposed to get down on one knee with a red rose and ask you? How about getting together with your friends and standing in awkwardly posed positions while you struggle to look at the right camera because each parent is trying to capture
the perfect picture for the “most important night of a highschoolers life?” Or maybe, it’s the actual dance itself that everyone is craving. Hundreds of kids in a big ballroom basically having sex with their clothes on while awful rap and hit music plays in the background. What a lovely event. Not only is prom a ridiculous and expensive ordeal, it’s also the breeding ground for an insane amount of drama every prom season. Two girls bought the same dress, the guy some girl wanted to ask her didn’t, people being exclusive about their prom groups, someone got turned down… Prom is a mess of pointless drama.
In spite of all of prom’s messes, somehow it’s still prominent in each school, and has been for decades. There must be something exciting and wonderful about this shallow and expensive event. Prom has been a mess since the late 1800s, although back then, it was much more of an extravagant event. Picture an orchestra playing classical music with everyone ballroom dancing (not grinding) in beautiful dresses (without rhinestones) and tuxedos (that weren’t rented from the mall). Back when high schoolers could actually stay classy, when it was called a promenade, when there was no trashy music and dance moves, maybe prom could have
been an extravagant event. But today? No way, not with the way teenagers are now. For my Senior Prom 2014, lots of my classmates will be spending a small fortune on dresses, dinner, hair and nails. They’ll be worrying about dates and making everything just right. A bunch of girls will go home crying (because it’s not prom without a crying girl in every group), and one of them will get too drunk and have to leave the dance (just like last year). However, this year, I won’t be caught dead at the most stupid high school event of the year. Instead, I’ll be laying in bed watching Netflix, because let’s be honest, anything is better than prom.
people means less variety and more exclusion, but attendees must do what’s right for them. Go with people that reduce stress and increase positivity whether the night is treated as single and ready to mingle or just another date night. They are the people that will be captured in every awkward picture with every sincere smile whether they like it or not. After that, everyone hops in their dad’s corvettes and drives to Tiffin’s Bella Sala. Speakers blast, lights flash, and white table cloths get trashed. Fountains are available for seating outside if students are tired from slow dancing, grinding, or sprinting around saying “Oh my gosh! You are too pretty! I can’t even.” The dance itself is a bit gross until you look around and realize while there are students
bumping uglies on the floor, there is at least one person in that room that has never been to a dance before. It will not be a fairytale. It might not be the perfect night. It can be full of perfect moments. It could be somebody’s first prom, somebody’s last prom, somebody’s best prom, or somebody’s worst prom. It is an honor to be in a room full of Little Hawks celebrating the last years of our “childhood”, we celebrate for our parents as we show off our maturity. We celebrate for our teachers as they trust us to uphold the title, The School That Leads. We celebrate for us. Whether you’re fourteen or eighteen, we are united. We deserve a night full of fun, laughter, and making absolute fools of ourselves together.
Surviving Prom by ELENA FOSTER
The biggest mistake high schoolers make about prom is having too big of an expectation. Everyone wants the perfect prom whether it’s a freshman begging their parents to let them go with the star quarterback or a senior resorting to asking someone from a different school because they are too ashamed to go alone. However, all grades can enjoy prom with the right perspective. Everything begins with a proposal. Students wait in anxiety for an invitation that ranges from a text message to origami flowers to ripping shirts off in front of the entire school. In the chaos of making an impression, the concept, “it’s the thought that counts,” disappears. Many students base their acceptance or denial on the way they are asked, but some of the best
proms come from the simplest deeds. Once someone is committed to the dance, the next step is attire. Many girls struggle to find the perfect dress for under $400, while boys are renting overpriced tuxedos and purchasing ties to match their date. In this part of the process, the most important step is remembering that if the only purpose of the outfit is prom, it’s not worth breaking the bank. Plenty of great brands can be found in downtown Iowa City thrift shops and secondhand stores for reasonable prices. The main issue of the night is who it will be spent with, the date as well as the group of friends. A lot of prom drama is centered around this. Big groups are fun but more people means more conflicting opinions. Less
The Little Hawk - April 11th 2014
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
A14
Senior excels in trombone performance
Lemaitre realeses new 2014 single By Chris Ohrt chrisohrt@ymail.com
The Norwegian electronic band Lemaitre prides itself in developing jazz and funk inspired indie dance music. ‘High Tide’ their 2014 single, is no different. Infused with piano pop relatability, sensible R&B vocals and the traditional EDM energy; the song defies genres while defining Lemaitre as one of the most exciting upand-comers around. Other Lemaitre songs worth a listen: Cut to Black, Iron Pyrite, The Friendly Sound
Looking back on Mission Creek By Cody Owen
By Will Barker Brennan Nelson started playing trombone in 5th grade but since he was born, his house had been filled with both live and recorded professional trombone music. “My Dad is a professional trombonist, so i grew up listening to him play.” Brennan Nelson 14’ said. After Nelson was inspired to begin his trombone studies, he instantly fell in love with the instrument. “I like how it has really different sides.” Nelson said. “You can have a big loud side like star wars. You can add a lot of inflection to it. My favorite thing
about it is how versatile it is. You can play in jazz band, or you can play in orchestra.” Nelson has had success playing at City High and for a number of honor bands throughout his high school career. In addition to many other high school honor bands, he has made All State band 3 years. Along with playing in jazz ensemble at City High, Nelson has subbed in to the top University of Iowa jazz band. He has also won a number of personal awards including the Coe College award for outstanding musicianship. Nelson has been heavily inspired by professional jazz and classical trombonists, such as Josef Holesi, JJ Johnson, and Al Grey. When
Wycliffe Gordon, a professional Jazz trombonist came to help the Jazz bands at City High this past fall Nelson took full advantage of the opportunity. “Hes amazing,” Nelson said. “He is one of the best, if not the best jazz trombonist in the world, so it was really cool to see him, I tried to learn as much as I could and soak it all in, I talked to him and played for him when he was here at City, he helped me a lot.” Nelson is graduating this year and is looking to go into a performance major at a top music conservatory. He was recently accepted into The Eastman School of music in Rochester New York. Nelson says he wants
to attend Eastman because of the great focus on music. “Its not like a liberal arts college where you have music and other classes, its just music.” Nelson said. “Your day is comprised of rehearsal, music theory and some conducting classes, things like that but it’s all centered around music. It’s very intensive.” Nelson will make his final decision on schools this spring and will then continue his already successful trombone career. “Practice, thats really the only thing that matters, a good teacher is important but in the end it all comes down to practice.” Nelson said.
Art Club prepares for Film Fest By Sarah Smith City High’s Film Festival celebrates the dedication of student filmmakers. Complete with 8 different awards, it truly recognizes the devotion of these young actors, directors, and cinematographers. Although all of these students are applauded, behind the scenes there is hard work going unnoticed. “Film Fest takes multiple efforts from multiple places of Art Club.” Jill Harper, Art Club Sponsor said. “We work hard because we want the show to be one of the most fun events at City High.” Every year Art Club faculty and members host and prepare for City High’s annual Film Fest. This can mean anything from handmaking trophies out of Pringle Cans to reserving the auditorium. “In preparation, we have arranged where it’s going to be, which is Opstad” Harper said. “We covered the intermission food. This year we have help from the new culinary club. This week and last week we’ve also created the film fest awards out of fun toys and things. We’ve done a lot of things to get ready.” Apart from these jobs, there’s not much Art Club can do till the submission date. “We don’t have any control over film submitting so its up to the student body to prepare and submit films.” Michael Close, art teacher said. “It can be stressful because it’s usually the day before or the day of when Film Fest submissions begin to stream in. People like to wait until last minute.” And although waiting for last minute submissions can be difficult, judging
the entries and picking the best films is even more strenuous. Student Zack Bohnsack can remember his first year volunteering for Film Fest in particular. “The first year I volunteered, there were over 8 hours of film. We had to have 2 or 3 judging nights,” Bohnsack said. “It’s a really long event.” Harper admits the process is lengthy only because they want to present films that meet certain requirements. “The judging process can be long because we are particular” Harper said. “If things are beyond a PG/13 rating or beyond 20 minutes they do not qualify. If everyone agrees the films are of low quality, they don’t make it in either. We do this because we want to maintain an entertaining show for people.” No show is complete without an emcee, and this year Elijah Jones ‘14 was asked to host. Many say the stage will come easy to him because of his acting background. “The audience should definitely look forward to Elijah being on stage.” Bohnsack said. “That’s going to be a big thing.” While Jones has been involved in many aspects of creating films, he looks forward to introducing them this year. “I want to do something like hosting the Oscars.” Jones said. “It’s going to be a more conventional come out, a monologue, and then present films. Also Chris Ort is going to aid me, a little bit of it. So we’re going to do our best to entertain but not distract.” Film Fest 2014 is on Friday, April 11th. Doors open at 6:30, and shows starts at 7:00.
As the week draws to a close, we bid a fond farewell to the Mission Creek Festival. The week of great local and international bands, stand-up shows, and a general celebration of the strong, vibrant pulse of the Iowa City art scene. Now that the it’s behind us, let’s look at some of the best moments: Hannibal Buress: Lighting up the crowd at the Englert Wednesday night with material off of his justreleased album, Hannibal Buress delivered a round of clever, fresh standup complete with social commentary and rap artist’s lyrical blunders. of Montreal: Playing a visually mystifying and musically enthralling performance at the Blue Moose on thursday, the veteran band gave easily one of the best shows the bar has ever had. Walls shaking along with the bass and lyrics to make you stop and think, what more could you ask for? William Elliott Whitmore and the Pines: Led by the Iowa-native Will Whitmore, the group performs it’s signature brand of classic grassroots country/blues that’s their claim to fame, their reputation precedes them, easily selling out nearly a week before the show. The group played an excellent show to their crowd at the Englert saturday, and helped to represent the music of Iowa outside Iowa City.
ABOVE: For more information and reviews of Mission Creek shows, use this qr code.
APRIL 11, 2014
A&E
A15
Young actor shines on City stage By Ellis Fontana
ABOVE: Eighth Grade, Andy Stewart, makes his ‘photo face’ on Monday at Oliver Musical Rehearsal. Oliver is set to debut at Opstad on April 24th and goes through April 26th. KIERRA ZAPF/ THELITTLEHAWK
Opstad Auditorium finds itself alive with activity again as City High’s Drama Department prepares for this spring’s musical, Oliver! However, the normal cast of City High students are joined by a group of 10 younger actors to perform this year, including 8th Grader Andy Stewart as the lead role of Oliver. During auditions, director Troy Peters ran into a problem as he tried to cast the actor for Oliver. “None of the City High boys or girls would really work because of the physical requirements.” Peters said. To fix this problem, Peters turned to Stewart for the role. “His size and voice range (soprano) fits the role and he has a decent amount of acting experience.” Peters said about the casting of Oliver. “I think it makes the show more realistic.” Amy Ostrem ‘14 said on the casting of Oliver. “It makes it easier to see Oliver as a poor child if he’s actually played by a child.” Ostrem added. “I can understand why some people may be concerned about the casting, but I don’t mind it. I think it gives younger actors like Stewart a new opportunity to get into theater.” Sam Rahn ‘14 said. However, many of the cast has noticed it can be a bit difficult to adjust to working with the younger actors. “It’s a whole other level of stress trying to make the kids pay attention,” Peters said. “We’ve definitely had to tone it down for the kids while they’re around.” Amber Slater-Scott ‘14 said. “But it’s still a great experience and it’s also really fulfilling to see them having fun.” Genevieve Wisdom ‘17 also shares her experiences working with the kids. “In my experience, they can have trouble focusing, but often they’re very professional and are hard workers.” Wisdom said. “There’s a lot of talent in that group.”
While the other actors can be troublesome, Stewart had adjusted well to working with the older actors. “He does his homework and he has experience in theater,he even works with a voice coach in his spare time.” Peters said on Stewart’s performance. “It’s pretty nice working with the older actors, they’re more mature and they create a better atmosphere.” Stewart said on his experiences with the cast. “It’s my first major role and I’ve never worked with so many adults before, it feels like my first professional role.” Other productions Stewart has been a part of include Our Town, The Hobbit, Christmas Carol (three times), Shrek (where he worked with fellow cast member Amber Slater-Scott), and is in City Circle’s most recent musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Stewart says he’s been looking forward to being on stage again and knowing that people are being entertained. “I like to hear what people think about the production.” Stewart said. “We have worked with kids in the past with productions like The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan, however they’ve never been as involved as they are in this show.” Peters said. “However, we probably won’t do it again for a while.” “I would love to do it again if I could, but I also don’t think I’ll be able to because of West.” Stewart said on the prospect of returning to City High for other productions. Last City production or not, both young and older actors have reacted well to the casting choices. “I like it, it adds a new dynamic, new people, and gives the younger actors an opportunity that would be hard to come by otherwise.” Rahn said. “I love the younger actors, they’re so energetic and they bring life and energy to the show.” Ostrem said. While the actors continue to work together after school, audiences will have to wait until the performances to see the work that these two groups have accomplished on April 24-26.
Oliver prepares for perfection By Jonas Geerdes
chose the play because of the large number of featured roles. “We’ve given more people the chance to With less than 30 days till showtime, the cast and crew gets ready to pull together this year’s shine,” Peters said. “We’ve even gender swapped musical, Oliver! Darker than musicals of the some roles.” When casting for Oliver, Peters realized the past, Oliver! deals with abandonment, murder, and mistreatment of youth in London during challenge of finding the right voice and image the 1800s. Amy Ostrem ‘14, plays a key role as for the titular character Oliver. “He is supposed Nancy, a woman abused by her boyfriend Bill to be a small boy who sings soprano, and we couldn’t find anyone to fit the category.” Peters Sykes, played by Elijah Jones,’14. “You have to dig really deep,” Ostrem said. said. After scouring through several candidates, “You have to really try to understand the emothey settled on Andy Stewart, an eighth grader tions of an abused person.” from Northwest. Jones plays Bill “We looked for a Sykes, the main ansmall boy with the tagonist. voice and the experi“Bill is a brooding, ence, and we made angry, and mean char“They are trying to make the best choice for the acter,” Jones said. “I am the play as real as it can play.” Peters said. there to cause people Peter’s decision to be. Andy plays a perfect harm.” cast younger actors for Oliver. Jones explains that most child roles was Sykes is that hidden a decision that stood personality in everywell by the cast. one, and that it has “They’re trying to -Amy Ostrem been fun exploring the make the play as real character. as it can be.” Ostrem The cast practices said. “Andy plays a regularly after school perfect Oliver, I think rehearsing choreograit was the best deciphy, songs, and scenes. sion.” With a much bigger Jones also thinks Stewart is a serious actor cast, Oliver!’s provides a unique balance between the characters, said Jones. “It’s hard to say that gets the job done. “Andy’’s great, he’s very talented and has a that there’s any real lead roles in the play, they all come in and establish their role, and when great work ethic.” Ostrem said City High is the perfect place to they’re done, they’re done,” Jones said. Ostrem also believes the roles to be interest- produce Oliver. “It involves little kids and welcomes coming, stating that its been a challenge to provide munity members. It’s a good show for everythe right emotions. “She’s so in love with someone,” Ostrem said one.” Oliver appears in Opstad Auditorium on on her role. “She is so involved with other peoApril 24-26, with student cost being $6, and ple, she never pays attention to herself.” Troy Peters, the director of the musical, adult tickets costing $12.
ABOVE: Amy Ostrem ‘14 holds her hand in the air while practicing her choreography with the rest of the Oliver crew. BOTTOM: Members of this year’s musical practice a scene together during rehearsal on Monday. KIERRA ZAPF/ THELITTLEHAWK
APRIL 11, 2014
A&E
A16
The Little Hawk
SPORTS SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW
April 11, 2014
THE FACES OF SPRING
B1
B2 SPORTS
APRIL11, 2014
Boys Track
Team has ‘mind set’ to improve
Led by several returning letter winners, the boys track team is hoping to peak at the right time with several large meets approaching in the coming weeks.
Girls Golf
Girls golf aims for daily improvement The girls golf team has worked hard in the offseason to re-establish a competitive program. By Rachel Gralnek
ABOVE: Rasheem Shivers ‘14 rounds the corner in a relay at the Drake Relays last spring. RYAN YOUNG/ THELITTLEHAWK
By Dominic Balestari-Fox The indoor season has been left behind, and as the weather gets progressively warmer, and Forwald and Drake get closer, the grind is on for the team to qualify. Forwald Relays, a City High home meet, is scheduled for Thursday, April 17th. This will be the last opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Drake Relays the following week. “I’m really pleased with the team attitude and focus and achievement so far, at varsity level,” head coach Tom Carey said. Returning standouts include Ryan Dorman ‘14 and Rasheem Shivers ‘14, who are defending state champions. Jake Leohr ‘14, who is currently leading the throwers in distance. Bryson Runge ‘15 in sprints. Kole Butler ‘14 in 400 meter and 110 meter hurdles. Butler has placed consistently within the top three in the past two outdoor meets, and is currently 4th in the state in the 400 meter low hurdles, an event he’s only run six times, with a time of 57.08, and a time of 15.44 in the 110 meter hurdles. “I feel like I’m improving just a little every meet, in at least one event, and that’s important,” Butler said, “I feel like I’m picking up where I left off from last year and moving forward.” Butler understands that every meet is a chance for improvement. “I need to improve my form on the 400 lows [hurdles]. I feel like I could run a faster time if I worked on my weak lead leg because that’s been slowing me down.” Forwald approaches rapidly for Butler. “I’d like to be in a good spot to qualify for that time, [some] season goals… I’d like to place at Drake or state and just continue to compete against myself and better myself,” Butler said. Runge, Corey Lindsey ‘14, Dorman, and Shivers are currently leading the state with their 1600 medley time, the third fastest in City High history with a time of 3:36.23. Runge has won every event he has competed in, and was a state finalist in the 100 meter dash last season. Behind the lead athletes is a large backing of other Little Hawk competitors. “[We have] quality depth filling in behind,” Carey said. The Little Hawk throwers have been doing very well so far this season in both effort and
ABOVE: Bryson Runge ‘15 prepares for a race at the Drake Relays. RYAN YOUNG/ THELITTLEHAWK
distances, according to throwing coach Tim Casey. Weather has played a large role in the throwers’ season so far. “We’re getting more time outside, once the sun comes out, we’ll have more time to really focus on technique, more time with shot and discus in hand,” Eric McDonald ‘15, thrower, said. Four new throwers have joined the team this year, three freshman and one sophomore. “[We have] exciting new freshman prospects this year, and returning sophomore Micah Martin is somebody to look our for,” McDonald said. Micah Martin ‘16 has improved his shot put by at least five feet since last season, breaking his goal of 40 feet in the first three meets. McDonald and Martin are in battle for the second spot on varsity, according to Carey. Jake Leohr now leads the throwers in distance, with a top throw of 45’7.00” in shot put, and 125’2” in discus, taking 3rd in discus in the Dr. Brooks Coed Valley Relays.
“For being a sprinter and coming into this throwing thing, he’s doing an exceptional job,” McDonald said. Leohr suffered a hamstring injury in a meet at the Unidome over spring break, inhibiting his ability to compete in sprints. “So far it’s going well, minor setback pulling my hamstring, but ready to get back after it, want to be the best I can,” Leohr said. Shot put is Leohr’s favorite event currently. “I’m doing better at that right now, [need to] go out there and compete,” Leohr said. Leohr’s multifaceted abilities win him praise from his coaches and his team. “Jake is a great preparation person, does whatever the team needs,” Carey said. As the Little Hawks push towards Forwald, and qualification for Drake, they want to maintain their early season work. “Everyone needs to improve every day, we have that mind set, and we’re going to keep that mind set,” Carey said.
The girls golf team has faced some obstacles involving the weather during their first week of practice. Ignoring these challenges, the team has a good feeling about this season. “I think we have a lot of potential if we just focus.” Sarah Overton ‘16 said “[We need to] practice well and play well, then we will be pretty good this year.” The team has not been able to practice outside due to weather keeping the golf course closed. The team has been using the simulator inside Mr. Sabers room as alternative way of practice to prepare for their first meet in two weeks. Focusing at practice has been an issue in past years but the team thinks this year that will change. “Last year we were a little unfocused,” Lillie Christophersen ‘17 said. “We are a lot better this year since we had last year to practice. We are a lot more focused and ready to win.” Having focus in mind, the team is looking for progress during the season. Jerry Hora, Girls Golf Head Coach, hopes to get a better finish in the conference. Last year they finished 4th at the Divisional with a combined score of 396. “I’m hoping we can progress every week, I think we have potential to be pretty good.” Hora said. “I hoping for a higher finish in the conference than last year but we will just have to see. You never know with the weather or what conditions you are going to face but we have potential to be pretty good this year.” In addition to team goals, members have personal goals of their own. “I want to get 45 on the first nine holes,” Skylar Shield ‘16 said. Christophersen has similar goals for the season. “Get a low score and increase my strokes by a lot,” Christopherson said. “My expectations for the team are to get to State, win Regionals at least.” Overton won first team all conference last year. “I want to make it to state this year and I want to earn first team all conference like last year,” Overton said. Hora thinks Sarah has a good chance of making it and maybe more. “Sarah could be the best player and when she graduates, in three years Sarah could be the best player to ever come out of City High,” Hora said.
For up-to-date sports scores and stories visit:
www.thelittlehawk.com
APRIL 11, 2012
SPORTS
B3
Girls Track
4x4 team seals home victory The girls track team earned a victory at their first home meet of the season, the Sherwood Relays. They hope to continue their success as they push to qualify as many events for the Drake Relays and state tournament as possible. By Daniela Perret
ABOVE: Elke Windschitl ‘16 crosses a hurdle during the Sherwood Relays. BOTTOM LEFT: Sarah Plcok ‘15 hands off the baton to Sara Blowers ‘15 in a relay. BOTTOM RIGHT: Maddie DePrenger ‘16 runs over a hurdle in the team’s first home meet of the season. CORA BERN-KLUG/ THELITTLEHAWK
As she crosses the finish line, Morgan Sammons ‘14 is swarmed by her teammates, each one of them knowing at that moment that they had won the first home meet of the season, The Sherwood Relays, on March 28th. “It was the best feeling that I’ve ever had in track,” Sammons said. “I crossed the finish line and I knew that we’d won the meet and we’d won the 4x4. I was probably smiling before I even finished the race.” At the last event of the night, the Little Hawks were tied with Mt. Pleasant, leaving it up to the 4x400 team made up of Fanta Traore ‘16, Sarah Plock ‘15, Maddie Deprenger ‘16 and Sammons to put them ahead. “I was so nervous,” Sammons said. “Coleman came down before the race and was like ‘If you don’t win this 4x4, we don’t win the meet. And if we don’t win the meet...we just can’t. We just can’t lose this meet, we’ve never lost this meet.’ But when our team was running we got ahead by a lot so I was like ‘Okay, I got this. I just have to keep the lead.’” The Little Hawks won the meet with a total of 147 points, just four points ahead of Mt. Pleasant. The team competed again last Saturday at West Des Moines Valley where they placed fifth overall. “We had a smaller squad [Saturday] so I think some girls really stepped up,” Co-head coach Joe Graf said of the meet last Saturday. “We still need every girl to take every race as seriously as they can because we aren’t as deep as we have been in the past and we just need girls to treat every race like it’s their only race.” The team’s goals for the season include qualifying as many events as the team can for the Drake Relays on April 24th-26th and the State Meet on May 22nd-24th. “The team has to have a positive mental attitude to get there [Drake and State] because sometimes we’re really bad at that,” Plock said. “And we just need to work really hard at practice knowing that everything that we do pushes us and makes us better in the long run.” Top competition for the team includes West High, Waukee, Pleasant Valley, Johnston, Roosevelt and West Des Moines Valley in class 4A. The next meet for the team will be today at the Pleasant Valley Invite.
Girls Soccer
Little Hawks hope to learn from state experience After being a state quarter-finalist last year, the girls soccer team has their sights set on repeating and surpassing their successes from last season. They opened their season against Xavier and will have their home opener tomorrow against Union. By Annika Wasson and Emilie Burden This week the girls soccer team kicked off their 2014 season. After an appearance in the state tournament last year, the Little Hawks want to build on their past successes. “I want to go back to state and have a winning record,” Ruth Grace ‘14 said about this season. “We can’t be over confident just because we had one year of success though. We have to be humble.” For a team who had won four games in the previous two seasons, a spot in the state tournament was a bit of a change of scenery. With the help from a talented freshmen class the team finished with a record of 11-8 in the regular season.
“The beginning of the season it was obviously a surprise and big change, then we realized what we were capable of, then it was more of what we expected of ourselves,” Grace said. This year, the team has 11 returning letterwinners. Sam Blowers ‘15 thinks the biggest challenge for the Little Hawks at the beginning of the season will be learning how to work as a cohesive unit. “[This season] is probably going start slower since we haven’t all worked together but we can go far if we work together,” she said. Last Monday the team travelled to Kingston Stadium in Cedar Rapids for the CR Washington Jamboree. Each team at the Jamboree played one 40 minute half as a way to get game experience before the regular season officially began. City High took on Regina in the scrim-
mage which resulted in a 0-0 tie. The Little Hawks had several shots on goal, but struggled putting together consistent passes in a given run. Head coach Sara Bleeker says she appreciated the enthusiasm her team showed on the field, but still wants to see more improvement. “People were really excited for the season to start and you could see that the effort was there,” Bleeker said. “But now we have to need to focus on how we can bring it all together as a team and work on some of the specific things we saw on the field tonight.” The team had two days to clean up their game before taking on Cedar Rapids Xavier who won the Class 2A state championship last year for the ninth year in a row. “Xavier is the first game, they’re still a strong
program and they’ve won state a couple years in a row,” Grace said. “We’d like to win, we’d like to start out winning so people know it wasn’t just a fluke. We’re just trying to prove we’re here.” For results from Thursday’s game visit www. thelittlehawk.com. As the season progresses, Bleeker says she hopes the team will become comfortable in their positions leading to a more efficient offense. She wants to focus on the little things so that the Little Hawks will be able to find success no matter who their competition is. “Right now, as a team no matter who our competition is, we need to be the best version of ourselves as we can be,” Bleeker said. “We need to fine tune some of our own pieces and then worry less about who the competition is but be the best we can.”
B4 SPORTS
Etten pursues biking passion
B5
APRIL 11, 2012
Paige Etten ‘16 has raced with the boys, battled injury and overcome tragedy in her time as a dirt biker. Now she hopes to qualify for one of the top competitions in the state.
ABOVE: Kyle Kaufman ‘16 practices his kicks in the studio. CAROLINE BROWN/ THELITTLEHAWK
ABOVE: Paige Etten ‘16 poses by her dirt bike. Etten says she has never considered giving up the sport she loves due to set backs. KIERRA ZAPF/ THELITTLEHAWK
By Becca Meyer As the gate drops, her mind goes completely blank. The adrenaline builds up along with the speed of her dirt bike. Paige Etten ‘16, flies out onto the dirt track, leaving behind only her competitors. Etten represents a very small percent of the population of womens motocross racers here in Iowa City. During the summer, fall and spring, she competes in events all around Iowa and Illinois and races against both men and women. “There are more men that race than women, so I compete with both,” Etten says. “Men’s is definitely harder because there’s more competition.” Whether she is racing with men or women, Etten always has the threat of injury following her around. According to TheTopTens.com motocross is the tenth most dangerous sport in the world. Etten hasn’t had her short comings of injuries by any means. In the three years she has been racing, Etten has dislocated her shoulder and torn more than one muscle. “All the scars and bruises are definitely worth everything I’ve been through,” Etten said. “Usually when I get hurt or fall I worry about the bike first, and I always just get back up and do it again.” Etten is very well aware of the dangers a rider faces while riding. Though she has experienced injuries and tragedies, Etten has never even considered giving up her passion of motocross. “Even though it’s dangerous I’ve never
wanted to quit. But I do get really worried before races because it’s scary knowing that anything could happen to you.” Etten said. “Just this past year one of my close friends died from racing.” Etten’s strong will power prevents her from leaving the sport of motocross because of the obstacles she has faced. Last year Etten competed in a race in Montezuma, Iowa at Fun Valley Motocross track. Getting first place at that race motivated Etten to push herself more than she ever had before. “It was huge for me because I realized anything was possible,” Etten said. “I worked really hard for it and it paid off.” This is the first year that Etten plans on trying to qualify for Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Motocross event. After racing for three years, she feels prepared to take the next step in order to become pro. “The biggest goal for me is to qualify for Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Motocross Championships. It’s like the nationals for motocross,” Etten said. “It’s the race that all the athletes that want to go pro work towards.” Etten plans on racing in the women’s class at qualifying events this season to boost her chances of qualifying for Loretta Lynn’s. Whether she qualifies on not, Etten plans to continue dirt biking as long as her body can take it. “I have fallen in love with the sport of motocross, and I want to do it as long as I can,” Etten said. “The adrenaline rush is great. Once you get on the bike you zone out and all your problems go away.”
ABOVE: Kyle Kaufman ‘16 trains during his Taekwondo pracitce. CAROLINE BROWN/ THELITTLEHAWK
Kaufman to perform Taekwondo at state Olympics
It has only been two years since Kyle Kaufman ‘16 began learning Taekwondo, however in May, he will be travelling to the Iowa State Olympics to represent his Taekwondo Academy. By Cody Owen
TOP: Paige Etten ‘16 hopes to qualify for the Loretta Lynn Amateur Motorcross Championship this summer. KIERRA ZAPF/ THELITTLEHAWK
He has to close out his surroundings, just for a moment. Concentration is everything right now. He winds himself up, cocking like a gun, and suddenly, he explodes. Spinning through the air, his foot connects with the board, pushing through. The stiff wood explodes in the faces of the onlookers as Kyle Kaufman ‘16 completes a full 720-degree tornado kick, one of the most difficult in the sport of Taekwondo In early May, Kaufman is going to the Iowa State Olympics representing Master Choe’s Black-Belt Academy. A high place will ensure him being sent to the national competition in California. “It’s a lifestyle, really,” Kaufman said. “I train with Master Choe every weeknight, and I come in on my own on the weekends.” Kyle joined Taekwondo at Master Choe’s in late 2012, and has advanced to the level of temporary black-belt, a rank generally not achieved for at least another year. According to his master, from his first day, Kaufman
has had a knack for learning, often mastering forms within two days of learning them. “I trained really hard to perfect everything I learned. I would stay for at least another hour after everyone else left, just practicing,” said Kaufman. “I learned so quickly that I’d go up two whole ranks at every promotion.” Martial arts are about more than just learning self-defense. “It definitely humbled me. I learned how not to fight.” Kaufman said. “I went into it thinking I was street-tough, getting into fights, but when I got there I thought ‘wow, these people are pretty good.’ I lost that ‘I’m gonna fight everyone’ attitude.” The school Kaufman learns at is run by Chol Choe, an ex-Korean Special-Forces member and Taekwondo trainer for the South Korean army. Choe moved to the U.S. and began teaching in Iowa City, and has been for the last 27 years. Ever the traditional, Choe’s teaching focuses heavily on things like meditation, discipline, and morality. “I’m glad to have him as my teacher,” Kaufman said. “I’ve learned a lot about how
to conduct myself and take the idea of using fighting as a last resort to heart.” Kaufman’s dedication goes beyond the dojang, the place of practice for those studying Taekwondo. In order to pay for belt promotions and to continue lessons, he got a job working at an auto-shop over the summer, working every weekend and saving his money between promotions. “Taekwondo is really all I do all day. I go to school, come home, eat , and then go to the dojang for five hours,” Kaufman said. “If I didn’t have that, I would just be at home, working out by myself, and I’d be a completely different person. I wouldn’t have the experience of being here.” With such a passion for what he does, Kaufman’s plans with martial arts go on far past high school. “I think after a few more years, I’ll switch to a different martial art, and after that one, I’ll go to another, and continue like that,” said Kaufman “I’ll probably end up teaching. But I’ll always be thankful I came here, and to Master Choe, for helping make me who I am.”
ABOVE: Kyle Kaufman ‘16 climbs a rope at Master Choe’s Black-Belt Academy. CAROLINE BROWN/ THELITTLEHAWK
B6 SPORTS
APRIL 11, 2014
Boys Soccer
ABOVE: Adam Nicholson ‘15 battles for the ball in the boys’ scrimmage against Regina. CAROLINE BROWN/ THELITTLEHAWK
Little Hawks begin season at No. 3 After a runners-up finish at the state tournament last year, the boys soccer team returned over half their roster for the 2014 season. Their early efforts have earned them a No. 3 preseason ranking. By Marco Barenghi Soccer season is underway at City High. The varsity team lost six seniors from last year’s state runnersup team. This year the team is composed of 21 players. Of these 21, just nine are Seniors, six are Juniors, five Sophomores and there is one Freshman, Rasmus Schlutter. Jose Fajardo is head coach for the boys team and is helped by two assistant coaches, Troy Osborn and Chris Evans. “We changed a lot techinically from last year. We lost really good players like Fernando Pacheco and Luke Mennen who went to play in Division 1. They were game changer players,” Fajardo said. “We lost two central backs and our goal keeper too. But the cut off of the last year’s team is still there.” The Little Hawks played the 1A State Champions Iowa City Regina in a scrimmage as the first game of the season on March 29th. They won 2-0 with a goal in the first half by Gabi Baloci ‘16, and Adam Nicholson ‘15 scored the final goal in the second half. The team satisfied coach Fajardo technically and tactically, but not physically. “What you have to do in the first game is win. No matter what, it doesn’t even have to be nice. You just have to win, and we did,” he said. At the Jamboree tournament in the Kingstom Stadium in Cedar Rapids, the team won 7-0 over Mount Vernon on April 3. Baloci scored again, two goals, and Schlutter 14’ scored twice as well. “One step closer to reaching better team soccer, more harmony and more overall tactical awareness. Happy with the team’s performance,” Fa-
jardo wrote on the team website. But two days later on April 5th, the team lost against Muscatine, at the Muscatine Tournament. After a not brilliant first half, City came back and started creating a lot of chances which weren’t realized. The team paid a defensive error which cost a goal and a loss. “The team created the chances but we didin’t put them away, like last year at the beginning of the season. We felt the impact of the missing players from last year who could have changed the game,” Fajardo said. After the loss, the team came back with a 3-1 win over Ankeny, that same morning. The team fell behind 0-1, but the goals by captain Scott Tribbey ‘15 and players Peter Larson ‘15 and Patrick Cyubahiro ‘14 gave the game to City. “The team did well, especially the new players, who are new to this environment. They need to adjust tactically, physically and techinically because here you can’t afford to lose the ball becasue there are a lot of consequences and it would cost us a game,” Fajardo said. In the pre-season, the coach said he was pleased with the way the team has played, but of course thinks there is a lot to improve. They created a lot of chances and they outshot their opponents in the Muscatine game 229. In the Ankeny game 29-8 Fajardo says the team has to play quicker on the ball and finish the chances they create. With the regular season now well underway, the team is taking it one game at a time. In the distance they have their sights set on another trip to the state tournament, which begins on May 27.
ABOVE: Victor Brown-Rodriguiez ‘16 battles for control of the ball during the boys’ varsity scrimmage against Regina on Saturday March 29. The Little Hawks defeated the Regals 2-0 in the unofficial match-up. CAROLINE BROWN/ THELITTLEHAWK
APRIL 11, 2014
SPORTS
Girls Tennis
Team looks for repeat title As returning MVC champions, head girls tennis coach, Fred Pedersen has high hopes that his team will be able to see similar success this season.
B7
Sports Opinion
Bringing a world of spice to the soccer field Players from eight different countries fill the lineup for this year’s third ranked boys soccer team. By Marco Barenghi
ABOVE: Eve Small ‘15 returns a serve during a practice. INNES HICASASMAZ/ THELITTLEHAWK
By Innes Hicsasmaz Despite winter’s best efforts, warmer weather is around the corner, and with it comes the high school tennis season. With the first meet just a few weeks away, Fred Pedersen, head coach of City’s varsity girls’ team, is ready for the upcoming season. “I’m really excited. We have four girls coming back that played varsity, ranked one, two, three, and four,” said Pedersen. “We have some girls that played JV that are stepping up and we have some new freshmen, so it should be a really exciting year.” City is the reigning MVC champion, undefeated in the conference last year with a 19-2 overall record. They fell to West High in the first round of the state tournament. “As hard as the girls have been working in the off season, to continue working this hard during season, and then have that carry over into our matches,” Pedersen said of his goals for the team. “I think if they buy into that, we’ll have a great year.” Pederson has coached City High’s varsity girls for the past eight years. Before that he
was a coach for both men’s and women’s tennis at the University of Oklahoma, leading the school to its highest ranking ever, sixth in the nation. “I think that girls, I’m sorry to say this, are mature at an earlier age. That’s the biggest difference,” Pedersen said. “High school boys can be a little headstrong. I think with girls there’s a little bit more socializing that you have to be aware of.” Pedersen has had teams go to over 30 district team championships. He is also one of the directors of the North Dodge Athletic Club tennis program, teaming up with West High’s varsity girls’ coach, Amie Villarini, and college placement consultant and former British doubles number one player, Sarah Borwell. “In the last ten years, I think the athletes have been stronger and faster, I think the technology with the equipment has improved, so the game’s much faster and much more powerful. That’s the biggest change.” With half of last year’s team graduated, the bottom four positions have been filled by top junior varsity players like Maria McCoy ‘15 and Alyssa Forgy ‘15. “New girls coming in at five and six, seven
and eight, that’ll be a challenge that we face,” Pedersen said. “But I think the girls that are playing one through four will be great mentors for the girls coming in, so I really don’t see that as being a challenge.” The team’s first home meet will be against Clinton on April 12.
For a video interview with head coach Fred Pederson visit:
www.thelittlehawk.com
Boys Tennis
Young team battles in difficult district By Nate Katalinich
The City High boys tennis team is looking to start the season with a win this year, in their first duel against Cedar Rapids Washington on Tuesday, March 8. City will have tough competition in the upcoming season due to having a high powered district with the top two teams from last season in it, Iowa City West and Cedar Falls. “West will win the district title for sure and I bet they will go unchallenged to win the state title,” head coach Chip Hardesty said. The season should be an overall improvement from last year when the team finished
with a record of 3-9 in conference play and 3-10 overall. “We are up against three of the best teams in the state,” Hardesty said. “West and Cedar Falls are by far the best and Linn Mar didn’t make the top three because they were in the same conference.” Hardesty and other athletes on the squad are optimistic about the future for the tennis team this season. Joe Hoff ‘17 will be starting as the number one player for City this season. “I am very excited to lead the team and see how different high school tennis will be compared to club tournaments, but a little nervous as well,” Hoff said. Hardesty is also excited about the attribu-
tions Hoff will bring to the team. “Joe is a very good player and has played in lots of tournaments, I think his experience brings a lot to the team and he is a skilled player,” Hardesty said. With experienced starters returning, Hardesty hopes the team will be stronger as a whole. “I would say Greg Hensley ‘16 is the most improved returning player, he was a freshman last year and he is coming back more experience and a better player. He has been the best in our inner team matches,” Hardesty said. “I feel this upcoming season is going to be much better than last year, we are much more experienced and have better players.”
Diversity is very easy to come by on the City High boys varsity soccer team. As one of the members, it’s nice having a really multiethinc team. The way a player plays is highly influenced by where he comes from, the games he watches on TV, the different players he wants to imitate, and the different ways he’s taught to play soccer. This makes the team different for personalities on the field and tattical abilities. A lot of other teams know of Adam Nicholson ‘15, a defender for City High, because of the tough way he plays, but they wouldn’t know what to do in front of John Havugarurema ‘15. It does have its challenges, making all these different players become a solid team can be difficult. Knowing each other and the way every single player plays we have to coordinate all the differences and make them work as a unique machine. Becoming unpredictable is good. Having new faces and international styles that the opposing team doesn’t know, gives us a way to play they’ve never seen. Soccer is a fantasy. To win a soccer game you have out think and surprise your opponent. The surprise is what makes you win. With the different styles of playing, we can use different backgrounds to be even more unpredictible for our opponents. And if they don’t know what to do, then they are in trouble. The facts are that the City High soccer team has people with a lot of different ethnicities. From Africa, North and South America, Asia to Europe. City has a lot of players this year distributed on four teams. For the first time in a few years there is a JV team (because of the big number of athletes joining the program). Having eight international players on the boys varsity team is a real strength. We have players from Denmark, Italy, Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mexico, Egypt and Sudan. The head coach himself, Jose Fajardo, is from Spain. The team could play with nine different nationalities on the field at the same time including the U.S.A.. Havugarurema, known as “Soccer Boy” came to the U.S. in 2009. “I’m a Junior here at City and I’m from Tanzania. I’ve been playing soccer for 12 years, since I was four or five,” Havugarurema said. At first he went to Forth Worth, Texas to attend International Newcomer Academy High School. “There were a lot of kids [back in Tanzania] who like to play soccer. If we got enough we saved money, so we could buy jerseys we could use to play. We used plastic bags to make our soccer balls,” Havugarurema said. After a few years he left for Iowa City and originally attended West High. Last year he switched and came to City. “I really like City High, the soccer group is very good. Here every player gets to know each other,” he said. Getting to know players like “Soccer Boy” has been great. I am from Italy and he plays very different from me and it is making me better, learning to play in a new way. Beyond the soccer field this team is a great example of how people from all over the world can come together as friends around the game of soccer. When you watch us this year look out for all the International Flavor.
B8 SPORTS
APRIL 11, 2014
PLAYMAKER PROFILE: SARAH PLOCK ‘15
By Becca Meyer Butterflies fill her stomach and positive thoughts flow throughout her head. She gets into position shortly before the shot gun goes off, signaling the start. Sarah Plock ‘15, takes off, running the 400 yard hurdles. In just over a minute she will pass the rest of her competition and fly through the finish line coming in 1st. “Usually right before the race I’m in the blocks and I just have to zone everything out. For like 10 seconds I think about everything positive: It’s a good day, I’m going to run fast, I can win this race,” Plock said. “You just have to have a really good mental attitude.” Last year Plock made countless accomplishments, including blowing the minds of many when she came in first at Drake in the 400 yard hurdles. Winning last year
is putting pressure on Plock to take the gold home again. “I definitely feel the pressure to win Drake again because I don’t want to let my team, the coaches, or the community down,” Plock said. “I have that under my belt now and I need to win again.” Coming in first place is only one of Plock’s goals for the season. She is also working to become a strong team leader for the girl’s track team. Plock is one of five captains along with Ellen Carman ‘14, Emma Wortman ‘14 Aspen Miller ‘14, and Soumba Traore ‘14. “Since I’m a captain this year I have to step up and get to know all the girls. I also need to stay super positive and become a leader for the team,” Plock said. “If someone gets out of line the captains have to say something.” During the spring, Plock is completely absorbed in the track team. She focuses on being the best runner she can be by eating healthy, getting sleep and properly
stretching for all her practices and meets. But during fall, winter, and summer, she keeps herself busy with three other sports: volleyball, basketball and softball. “It’s definitely worth it to be a four sport athlete. It’s a lot of work but it’s awesome to be on a new team each season and get to know a new group of girls,” Plock said. “I don’t think I could ever cut one sport out. They all make me a better athlete all around.” Plock hopes that her hard work in the off season will pay off during the State meet. Last year, a fall prevented her from sweeping the competition. Although Plock had a hard start to the race, she still finished in third place. “I’ve fallen before, so that always goes through my head. I don’t wanna mess up again but I try not to let it bother me,” Plock said. “I definitely want to do better at State this year.”