The Little Hawk

The political spotlight, a4

Although Iowans won’t be able to cast their first ballots until February, presidential candidates are visiting in an attempt to get a jump start in the shifting polls.

The

LittleHawk

Iowa City High School • Iowa City, Iowa • Vol. 73 Issue 1 • Friday, September 25, 2015 • www.thelittlehawk.com ifuckedyourmom

New Board Looks to Future of District

By Sofie Lie & Nova Meurice The election of four new full term school board members has prompted conversation regarding the future of the ICCSD, in which debated issues such as the redrawing of boundary lines and the construction of new buildings are key.

Across the board, new electees are hoping to better engage the community. Phil Hemingway, who owns and operates a mechanic shop, is assured that his financial experience will help to guide the board’s budget decisions. He advocates for greater collaboration with Kirkwood’s technical programs.

“I think that there is a lot of work to be done to get that coordination, and I think that we have to start to look at technical courses much earlier [than we are now],” Hemingway said.

He also stressed the importance of a partnership with the community in order to discuss facility needs.

“K-12 and our region universities are both facing the same money crunch from the state legislature,” he said. “We need to work together, and we need to pool our talents.”

Retired high school teacher and elected board member Tom Yates shares the same views as Hemingway regarding the importance of a closely knit relationship between the school district and community.

“We’re going to have honest dialogue, we’re going to have to include the community and find ways to have real honest dialogue and real conversations with people in the district who can give us a better sense of how we should proceed,” Yates said.

Latasha DeLoach works as a social worker for Johnson County Community Social Services and

serves on several school district committees involving equity in discipline and in policy making.

Because of her first hand experiences with students and the adversity that they face, DeLoach hopes to bring their perspective into the equation as the board considers making policy changes.

“I want to help bring the voices of students to the table more,” DeLoach said. “Sometimes we spend so much time looking about this building and that building, that we’re not looking at how well all of our students are doing, not just the ones that are getting high scores on their ACTs.” When addressing the future of education, Hemingway expressed a sense of urgency; he aims to create a learning setting that is fit for every student.

“The biggest issue is making sure that we provide a learning environment for all of our students, not just a select few, and to provide them with curriculum and opportunities that prepare them for the 21st century,” he said.

DeLoach, who received the most votes in the election at 17.5%, expressed similar views on equality in education. “[All of the school board’s issues] are interconnected because when we have equity, we address our achievement gap,” she said. “If we address our achievement gap, our reading and math scores are also addressed.”

Although the new board members agree that there should be a stronger connection between the school board and the community, their stances on redistricting differs.

“If redrawing boundaries is necessary, then that’s what you have to do,” Yates said. “I think that people should get used to the idea that the boundaries are going to be looked at more frequently, and that will be a

The ICCSD school board elections on Tuesday, September 8 resulted in victories for Hemingway, DeLoach, Liebig, Roetlin, and Yates.

good thing.”

While Yates is willing to change boundaries if required, Hemingway aims to redistrict resources rather than redistrict students.

“My belief is that the school that students should go to should be the one closest to their home,” Hemingway said.

Components of redistricting such as bussing and new facilities play a role in the district’s budget decisions.

The board members are looking to use the district’s yearly budget to its full extent; Hemingway stresses the

need to account for every student.

“We need to make sure that we’re spending [the money] properly, that we’re not paying for duplications of services, that we’re not paying for other people’s mistakes, and that every dollar is maximized so that every student gets the maximum benefit from it,” Hemingway said.

DeLoach plans to use her own experience as well as community input and professional consultants to make budget decisions.

“I would make sure that I gather information from the community

as well as from experts in the field,” DeLoach said.

While the newly elected school board members’ opinions from topic to topic vary, they share the common ideal of bettering education for all students in the ICCSD. “Sometimes we get so far away from [bettering education] that we get caught up in the little things and they can distract us from what our main purpose is,” DeLoach said.

“Our goal is to educate students and send them out from our district as phenomenal citizens of the world.”

City’s Newest Branch: STEM Center

By Olivia Parrott In its inaugural year, the Kirkwood regional center at the University of Iowa has already attracted 80 students from City High. After Jones County, then Washington and Linn counties, partnered with a regional center, City High Principal John Bacon knew he had to find a way to install a center within the ICCSD. “I remember my first year at City High, we went up and visited that facility, and there was talk that we could keep going and expand, adding more regional centers,” Bacon said. “We were excited when ours was finally open this year.”

The Regional Center is a culmination of several years of district-wide cooperation with the University of Iowa and Kirkwood, and Bacon is pleased with the extension of academic opportunities for students at City.

“It dramatically expands the course offerings that we have in the area, especially of technology and industrial technology. There are lots of wonderful programs there that we just

don’t offer here at the high school,” Bacon said.

“Honestly, I think that’s the one area where we were weakest-what the regional center helps us with.”

City was forced to make a difficult decision a few years ago when the design for the construction of the new fine arts wing interfered with the location of the previous auto shop. As City High considered the planned Regional Center, the school was able to decide to move forward with construction.

“Now I’m just thrilled that the Regional Center exists because now there’s an absolutely state-of-the-art, first-class facility [that] exists,” Bacon said.

City students who have chosen to take advantage of the Kirkwood programs have taken multiple approaches in deciding how they want to use these college credits for their future career. They have found that their schedules allow for Kirkwood classes as they have exhausted City High course options in their interest.

Hailey Verdick ‘16 has chosen to take a long-term approach.

“I want to major in speech language pathology. But in college you’re going to have to take these classes, so that’s how [Kirkwood] has helped me.”

Verdick has elected to opt out of her freshman-year rhetoric requirements in favor of taking the Kirkwood course Arts and Sciences Academy A. She hopes to accelerate her career path in college by taking care of general education requirements in high school.

While some students save career classes for after high school, others choose to delve into their chosen field. Andrew Parr ‘16 is one of these students.

“I really liked honors chemistry last year, and [the career] makes me feel more unique,” Andrew Parr ‘16 said. “I thought that taking this would either be helpful in that I would know if I didn’t want to do it, or it would help me know that I do want to do it,” he said. “And then it would be a stepping stone on the way to being a pharmacist.”

Kirkwood’s block schedule provides a variance of course subjects.

“I like the schedule so much,” Verdick said.

“I have an hour and a half to sit down and really get into something, really dig into it, take the time. [The block schedule] really breaks it up so it’s not monotonous,” she said.

However, scheduling has also proved a problem in some cases as the morning option begins before the City High school day, at 7:30, and the afternoon slot overlaps with schools sports.

“For me it’s kind of frustrating because I would’ve chosen the afternoon option, but I have a sport that I have to be at,” Verdick said.

“And then it interferes with some City High events. But it’s one small thing, and you’ve got to look at the big picture.”

Students also have to consider their transportation choices. City offers a shuttle bus from the school to encourage participation at the Kirkwood Regional Center. cont. on A7

A2 PREVIEW

September 25, 2015

Section A

The LH Feature Magazine

4

The Political Spotlight

By Sofie Lie

5

Preparing for parenthood

4

By Caroline Brown One seventeen-year-old girl shares what it’s like to be expecting a child while society expects something different.

A GENDER-FLUID TAKE ON HOMECOMING

a deadly case of laziness

12

By Serena Collins

Some of City High’s nonbinary students discuss the tradition of having homecoming royalty.

By Cody Owen

Opiod overdose is a rapidly rising cause of death in the U.S., but allowing for the use of one drug could be part of the solution.

8

no place like home

By Nova Meurice & Sarah Smith

12

An Amish family explains life as they know it in Kalona, Iowa.

The Little Hawk

feature 9

13

CITY HIGH’S ROYALTY

•

25

•

15

The other green giant

By Sophia Schlesinger

Meet the 2015 Homecoming Court.

On the practices and shortcomings of the music industry.

no place like home

An Amish family explains life as they know it in Kalona, Iowa.

the lh sports magazine

6

comeback kid

By Bella Pittman

Jason Jones ‘16 is ready for his first and last year playing varsity football.

in class of her own

7

By Dominic Balestrieri-Fox

Where the seniors at? Ashley Smith ‘16 represents the class of 2016 in volleyball.

leaps and bounds

9

ByAyla Canin & Sonali Durham

Why some students choose to get ahead in school—and what happens after.

A Letter From Your Editors

By Dominic Balestrieri-Fox, Sonali Durham, & Claire Noack

We’re back! The school year is in full swing, and we in room 2109 have been hard at work to bring you the year’s first issue of The Little Hawk, plus lots of content from thelittlehawk. com and our social media accounts.

In this print issue, we have stories about advisory, apples, and the Amish. We have the homecoming court’s most embarrassing moments, and we have, for the first time ever, a sports magazine. We think the many hours spent in the newslab by all our wonderful reporters, artists, and photographers have paid off, and we hope you agree!

We’ve also stepped up our online presence this year. On our Snapchat (thelittlehawk), we’ve been covering everything from political rallies to football games in real time. Over on Instagram (@instalittlehawk), we’ve got photos from pep rallies, cross country meets, and upcoming stories. And on Twitter (@thelittlehawk and @littlehawksport), we’ve been providing live coverage of sports events, with scores and summary, plus breaking news and our favorite online stories. In short, if you’re not following us everywhere you can be, you’re missing out.

As you read this issue, we hope you share it, talk about it, Tweet us your reactions, and most importantly, find it interesting and thoughtprovoking. We can’t wait to share more with you over the rest of the year!

Love,

NEWS

A3

September 25, 2015

Sense on the Dollar The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 on Thursday, September 10th.

By Sadie Hobbs & Brittney Pirkl The packed meeting room is filled with people who hold signs that read “Raise the Wage,” as they cheer on and adamantly shake hands with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. On Thursday, September 10th, the Board of Supervisors voted to increase the minimum wage for the third and final time. The current minimum wage in Johnson County, $7.25 per hour, will be raised to $10.10 per hour by 2017.

“I think this is going to be good for our local economy, because our poorest residents are going to have a little bit more extra money,” Member of the Johnson County Board of Supervisor, Rod Sullivan, said. “The tendency for poorer people is to spend the money right here, and right now. Poorer people don’t make very many investments, so I thinks it’s going to be really good for our community.”

However, some of the greater Iowa City area’s small business owners are strongly opposed to the bill, citing its proposed dramatic effect on their business. Among those against the raise is Cheryl Griffith, co-owner of The Wave Length Salon in Coralville.

“I am against the [minimum wage increase], only because I believe there are enough job openings out there that do pay $10 or more per hour,” Griffith said. “And as a small business owner, we pay more than the minimum wage already. I just think it should be up to the individual business owners to decide what’s best for their business.”

The Board does not yet know which small businesses are exempt

from the minimum wage increase, nor if the University of Iowa is excluded from the mandate as well.

“I think the small business should be exempt, and someone who employs fewer than 10 people or so [should be exempt], but I completely understand where the fast food businesses or bigger companies that have corporate [offices] could probably make it work a lot easier than the small businesses,” Griffith said. “Because the small businesses are here for the community.”

The minimum wage will increase by 95 cents each year for the next three years, until settling at $10.10 in 2017. By November 1st, the new minimum wage will rise to $8.20 per hour.

Despite outcry from local businesses, City

High students currently making minimum wage are excited for the possibilities.

“For me personally, I don’t think the minimum wage now is enough because I’m working with kids, who are probably some of the hardest people to work with,” Sami Therme ‘17 said.

Therme works at the Kiddie Konnection daycare right after school until 6 pm, five days a week.

However, if employees benefit from the minimum wage increase, then someone has to pick up the slack. Some small businesses will have to increase the prices of their products or the services of their business to make up for the lost money.

“Kiddie Konnection would

have to increase the amount parents will have to pay,” Therme said. “I think that would be hard on the business because we might lose families if [service] gets too expensive.”

Even with the effects of local return, entrepreneur Griffith can already predict the toll a minimum wage increase will take on her salon.

“I could see the small business owner is either going to have to eliminate positions and do those jobs on their own, or they would have to increase the prices to make up for the price of that wage increase,” Griffith said. “Therefore, they might have to raise the prices of their products or services to compensate for that.”

What may initially seem to small business owners as a loss in profits could actually benefit business long term.

“I really think that overall businesses are going to benefit once low-income workers have a little bit of extra money,” Sullivan said.

“We’ll probably see a small increase of prices in the businesses.

Typically, the prices will rise much less than what people think.”

Around 19,000 people are food insecure in Johnson county, meaning they don’t know from where or when there next meal is coming.

This steady increase in minimum wage will help to minimize this issue.

“There’s just a lot of poverty in Johnson County, and the county does a lot in terms of paying for health and human service programs,” Sullivan said. “But personally, I think it’s appropriate to ask some of these employers to pay their fair share.”

New Inclement Weather Policy for the ICCSD

By Claire Goodfellow

This year, snow days no longer come with the impending dread of having to make up the days at the end of the year. New legislation gives school districts the flexibility to define their own school year schedules as long as they meet the 1080 hour requirement, as opposed to the previously mandatory 180 days.

“The changes are built into this year’s academic calendar,” Iowa City Community School District school board member and Chairman of the Policy & Engagement Committee Brian Kirschling said. “We will only have to make up enough hours to reach that 1080 hour threshold.”

Kirschling says that students should be happy about the changes because the new plan implements a large amount of extra hours as a cushion for snow days. Therefore, the year may not be as extended into the summer to make up for those missed days, so long as the 1080 hour mandate is met.

Many students, however, are unsure about how the changes work and how it will affect them. This is largely due to the infancy of the plan.

“I don’t really know much about it,” Laura Cornell 16’ said. “It all seems kind of confusing.”

Seniors are generally not required to make up snow days, and Cornell says the only thing she is worried is that this changing.

“Personally, I would rather go to school on days like Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day,” Cornell said. “And get the days off at the end of the year.”

Junior Esme Rummelhart says that she doesn’t mind switching to hours instead of days, especially because it may make the school year shorter.

“I think people might think there are downsides if they don’t realize what is actually going on,” Rummelhart said. “But it’s not like making up the delays is going to effect any of the students as people.”

The new plan will not only be in place for snow days, but also heat advisory days and any other similar situations.

“We are currently also working on more solid definitions, timelines, and guidelines for weather related cancellations so that parents and students can have a better idea as to when and how decisions for weather-related cancellations will be made,” Kirschling said. “These definitions and guidelines will likely be in place before Thanksgiving.”

Run for Relief Revamped

By Madeline Deninger

Seniors Abby Dickson and Riley Lewers sit at a booth at the entrance of the First Avenue Hy Vee, greeting people as they enter, and asking them if they’d like to take a flyer.

These runners are working to sign up members of the community for the City High women’s cross country team’s annual charity run, Run for Relief.

“It’s a really great cause,” Dickson said. “This year, all proceeds benefit the Domestic Violence Intervention Program. [DVIP] helps provide shelter and support for women who are victims of domestic violence, and for their families.”

The track team has worked with DVIP in the past, but there were more personal reasons for choosing the organization this year as well.

Hailey Verdick ‘16 has been involved in the planning process this year, and explains what the program means to the team.

“The Domestic Violence Intervention Program is just something that affects everybody,” Verdick said.

“We’re young women, so statistically, somebody’s bound to be affected on the team. So it’s really good to know that you can’t stop [domestic violence], but you can support people to get out of it.”

Aside from setting up stands at Hy Vee and Lucky’s to promote the

run, the team puts in a variety of other efforts to raise money for the run.

“Car washes are definitely a big fundraiser for us; you can make a couple hundred dollars per car wash,” Verdick said. “It’s been really great to have people come out and get their car washed. Some people know [about Run for Relief], and some people don’t, but still come out to support us, which is really nice.”

One of the goals of this year’s run is to get more students signed up, according to Lewers.

“We’d really liked to get more students involved in the run, so it would be great if students signed up.”

Lewers said.

In order to achieve greater involvement, Verdick says the team will be taking on some expanded approaches from previous years for this year’s Run for Relief. They hope to make more students, especially outside of the cross country teams, aware of the event.

“We’re thinking about making a video for home room or Little Hawk Advisory that we could show. We’re also thinking about making flyers and putting them on peoples’ cars.”

Aside from getting people to donate and participate in the run, the team hopes that putting on the event will simply spread domestic violence awareness. Taking a step in that direction, the team is recruiting

The City High Womens Cross Country team designs tshirts every year for the event. ART BY LAUREN HUDACHEK

a representative from DVIP to talk to City High’s health and PE classes.

“That’s a way that, even if it’s not money, we’re raising awareness,” Verdick said. “That can leave more of a lasting impact.”

The race, which will take place on November 7th in lower City Park, requires a lot of logistical planning,

including fundraising, finding sponsors, and making preparations for the race day, which includes food, drinks, t-shirts, and medals.

“There’s really just a lot to get done for Run for Relief, and you have to do certain things at certain points,” Verdick said.

While Verdick has a lot to do

ahead of the event, she hopes her work will pay off for DVIP and for the greater community.

“Definitely come out for the race because it’s a really fun morning, and you can win great prizes. The cross country team is super welcoming to anyone who wants to come.” she said.

A4

ABOVE: Bernie Sanders speaks at Coe College.

RIGHT: Candidate Martin O’Malley attends a community picnic at City Park on Sepember sixth. BELOW: Supporters of Bernie Sanders gather on September fourth at Coe College.

PHOTOS BY SOFIE LIE

September 25, 2015

NEWS

The Political Spotlight

Although Iowans won’t be able to cast their first ballots until February, presidential candidates are visiting in an attempt to get a kickstart in the shifting polls.

By Sofie Lie Every four years, Iowa receives the same amount of political coverage as Washington, D.C., a result of the upcoming caucuses. Presidential candidates have made multiple stops to campaign in the swing state, attracting crowds in the thousands. “[Iowa] is known for surprising upstarts prevailing,” former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach said. “It becomes a political playing ground for the [campaign] process.”

Iowa holds the first caucuses and therefore gives candidates the opportunity to gain recognition in the media.

Many candidates have embarked on a 99-county tour of the state. The Iowa polls-mainly conducted through phone interviews-are followed religiously.

“Most polls that are done in our state are pretty good predictors of a moment in time,” Leach said.

Among the visiting candidates is Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who was favored over previous Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton in a recent Des Moines Register-Bloomberg politics poll. Although Sanders’ success in Iowa has made national headlines, Leach questions the permanence of the current polls.

“I have no doubt that they are properly registering Bernie Sanders coming up and Hillary Clinton going down a bit, but you don’t know how that translates exactly into the caucus,” he said.

When Sanders led a town meeting at Coe College in Cedar Rapids earlier this month, he was joined by nearly 2,000 Iowan supporters and multiple news reporters.

Sanders reinstated his stances on climate change, healthcare, and education while criticizing other candidates’ use of super PAC support.

“I have been running around the country, talking about income and inequality, talking about greed, talking about the destruction of the American middle class,” Sanders began in his hour-long address to the Iowan people.

Kennedy High School student Maia Bennett ‘16, who works as an intern for the Marion branch of the Sanders campaign, helped to organize the event.

“Most of his ideas resonate with me,” Bennett said of the Senator. “I think that he would propose a lot of bills, and at least get a lot of ideas out there.”

Sanders’ three day trip to Iowa earlier this month included picketing alongside working-class families in Ce-

dar Rapids. Former Congressman Leach stressed the importance of such events.

“One makes a mistake not to compete [in Iowa],” he said. “It’s helpful to get out and meet people, and you can only do that by coming [to Iowa].”

Leach, who served in the House of Representatives until 2007, has seen the presidential campaign process evolve, and believes that, in the eyes of the public, the character of a candidate can be just as influential as the candidate’s political stances.

“People make decisions [based on] how politicians do things as well as where they stand, and so the ‘how’ of politics is often as important as the ‘what,’” he said.

Leach also noted the prominence of presidential elections in the lives of younger generations.

“There is a basic thesis,” he said. “Elections are more important to younger people than they are to older people.”

This is a notion that former Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley has taken into account when visiting Iowa. Throughout his campaign, O’Malley has reaffirmed his stances on the role of education in order to appeal to young voters.

“We have to make better choices as a country so that our young people don’t graduate with a lot of debt hanging over their heads,” he said when visiting a town picnic in Iowa City. “It’s gotten out of control; we can do better as a country.”

O’Malley refrained from announcing his candidacy until late May of this year, a decision which gave him less time to establish himself as a candidate. The former Governor is currently trailing behind Democratic frontrunners Clinton and Sanders in Iowa polls. For former Congressman Leach, however, O’Malley comes across as being a serious contender.

“I personally think that Governor O’Malley has a chance to rise in the polls,” he said. “But only time will tell.”

Although he praises the polls for their relative accuracy, Leach anticipates that the results of the caucuses will not clearly reflect current polls.

“You have the established candidates who are expected to do well in Iowa,” he said. “And then you have [the candidates] that surprise.”

NEWS

September 25, 2015

Little Hawk Advisory Takes Action at City

By Molly Liu Various schools around the state and country are seeking effective, innovative ways to improve students’ grades. City High was inspired to take measures of its own, introducing a brand new addition to students’ schedules: Little Hawk Advisory.

“Advisory has probably been the biggest, boldest step [to improve grades] that City High has taken,” City High principal John Bacon said.

Little Hawk Advisory is a 26-minute block of time within students’ schedules that gives them the opportunity to work on homework or receive extra help from teachers. Advisory occurs after fifth period, and is created by taking four minutes off of each class period on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Bacon decided to start Advisory after drawing inspiration from schools such as Cedar Rapids Washington.

“When [the principal of Cedar Rapids Washington High School] told me about their advisory plan, I was very interested in checking that out,” Bacon said. “I took a team of teachers up to the school last year, and we got to watch it happen. We interviewed their teachers, and they loved [advisory].”

The implementation of a study block into students’ schedules is currently gaining popularity in schools across the country. These schools, like Cedar Rapids Washington, are seeing tremendous success; results include a decrease in failing grades and higher academic achievement within the student body.

“I think this will potentially make more kids qualify for the honor roll compared to years past,” Bacon said.

Although the majority of students may choose to use Advisory as academic time, they now have the opportunity to further expand their knowledge through enrichment activities.

The enrichment activities are special workshops that will be provided

by City High guidance counselors or guest speakers within the community.

Topics of interest may include the arts, test prep, and college admissions. Students can opt to attend a session by obtaining passes, located in the Main Office. The workshops are to be held in Opstad Auditorium or the Little

A5

Politically Active: City’s Newest Clubs

By Gabriel Weigel

Theater. The majority of the workshops, however, are projected to take place during second trimester. Bacon believes that the enrichment activities could be extremely helpful.

“I am very excited about the idea of enrichment activities that we can incorporate into the advisory block,” Bacon said. “We want to get this off to a good start.”

Danielle Tang ‘17 agrees.

“I think [the enrichment activities] are going to be beneficial. They are optional, so people who want to go see them can go see them, and the people that don’t want to don’t have to use their time,” Tang said. “Students who didn’t have the opportunity to get that sort of experience can now get it, and that’s great.”

Teachers are also seeing firsthand the benefits of advisory.

“I feel a lot of flexibility in terms of being able to meet with students,” English teacher Beth Fettweis said. “I feel like I will be able to give a lot more individual attention. I also feel a lot less pressure, as a parent, to meet with a student [in the morning].”

Although Fettweis acknowledges that the shortened class time caused

by Advisory can be a difficulty, she remains optimistic.

“Even though I have felt a little

TOP: Students work on homework during advisory hour in Susan Rustwick’s A.P. Chemisty class. BOTTOM: Machlen Polfiliet ‘17 gets a head start on his chemisty.

PHOTOS BY MOLLY LIU

rushed in my classes, it’s given me an opportunity to be more creative in how I teach,” Fettweis said. “I think that [the time cut] puts more pressure on Advisory to be good. This needs to be time that we all commit to as academic time.”

Tang has also taken advantage of this added study block.

“Mostly, it’s gone pretty well. I’ve been able to get a lot of homework done. I don’t have to take as much stuff home and spend time at home [doing

homework],” Tang said.

Bacon agrees, and believes that Advisory will benefit students’ grades and workload- no matter their situation.

“I believe that this can benefit every single student in this building. That is the beauty of Advisory,” Bacon said.

“Students who are struggling in school can benefit from having one-on-one time with their teacher. I also believe that Advisory can help even the most busy, high-achieving students in this school, and everybody in between.”

A Gender-Fluid Take on Homecoming

By Serena Collins While this year’s homecoming festivities are in the works and ready to go off without a hitch, concern hangs in the back of the minds of City High students and staff alike as they begin to question the tradition of naming a Homecoming King and Queen.

The term “binary” refers to the gender system of man/woman. People who are non-binary identify as neither a man or a woman, and see gender as a spectrum, with stereotypical male and female identities at either end, and genderqueer at the center.

If gender is understood as an inborn, fixed identity, then the terms king and queen fit. However, some of those who feel gender is a continuum rather than a binary have a problem with these separately specified gender terms. Non-binary City High students ask the question: “Why are the options on the ballot only ‘king’ and ‘queen?’”

“Some [non-binary] people would really want to be one of those people sitting on the stage,” Sam*, a GLOW Club member, said.

City High staff are open to adjusting, but the issue was brought to their attention only recently.

“I would be glad to make a change [to the ballot],” Principal John Bacon said. “I would love to have dialogue with some of those individuals who could help me understand the changes we could potentially make that would be more inclusive.”

The origins of the homecoming royalty tradition are unknown, but they have a long history of presence in America’s high schools.

“I think [the tradition] exists because it has been in place at schools across the country for a long, long time,” Bacon said.

Even in the context of tradition, Tony Balcaen, a GLOW Club sponsor, finds no justification in the binary setup homecoming royalty.

“It’s the same thing as the Miss America pageant,” Balcaen said. “There’s really no point to it, but people

are still doing it.”

However, Elias Lenz ‘18, another GLOW member, disagrees with Balcaen about the meaning of homecoming.

“We’ve done it for such a long time that it would matter if we completely took it away,” Lenz said.

Currently, the term non-binary remains widely outside of common knowledge, at City and elsewhere.

Owen Babcock ‘19, a GLOW Club member who does not identify within the gender binary, sometimes encounters confusion from others about non-binary identities.

“A lot of the time when I tell my teachers I go by they/them pronouns, they [don’t understand],” Babcock said.

Although lack of awareness of the presence of non-binary people plays a factor in how they are perceived by their peers, students at City say they rarely experience negative reactions.

“Most people will just listen to me when I say that I’m neither [gender], and it’ll be fine,” Lenz said. “They won’t say anything nasty about it.”

Babcock has had similar experiences.

“They just move on,” Babcock agreed. “[City’s] a pretty accepting place.”

One solution offered by some GLOW members is a category for “Homecoming Royalty.” While some non-binary students would love a third option on the ballot, some who fall in the non-binary category prefer to use binary words.

“It just makes more sense to me,” Lenz said.

Although City High has only begun to consider the gender spectrum’s presence at school, City has a reputation among students and staff for acceptance.

“We are a very diverse high school. We have people from all walks of life here,” Bacon said. “Everybody’s different, and that’s perfectly fine with us.” *Some names have been changed.

According to usatoday.com, 27% of students say that they were extremely stressed out during school last year. It’s not an uncommon statistic. Stress management is often one of the most visible issues facing teenagers. However, two students may have found the solution: 2015 grad Emmanuel Hooper and Quincey Scholz ‘16 believe it lies in yoga.

“It’s really helpful to wake up in the morning and have a good day,” Scholz, founder of the new Yoga Club, said. “Every time I do yoga in the morning and then go to school I feel so awake, ready for school, and ready to learn.”

Yoga Club meets every Friday morning at 7:15 on the balcony of Opstad. There has been interest from some people asking to come instruct the club.

“There are people I’ve asked to come and sponsor and instruct one of our meetings, otherwise we just go in at 7:15, head up to Opstad,” she said. “We follow one of the YouTube videos and relive stress and just have fun.”

A second club founded at City this year is Political Awareness Club.

According to civicyouth.org, only 21.5% of young people, ages 18-29, voted in the 2014 midterm elections.

The biggest concern is that young adults don’t know how to vote, don’t know the process of voting, or don’t think their vote matters. Founders Sonali Durham ‘16 and Laura Cornell ‘16 have a vision to make more students aware and interested in politics.

“This summer I was talking to Laura about how we would be able to vote in the 2016 presidential election and about how we weren’t as informed as we would like to be about either the candidates or the issues,” Durham said. “And we imagined a lot of other people were in the same situation.

The girls were mainly concerned about the upcoming presidential election, but now that they have started the club, they plan to discuss local and regional political issues as well.

“I thought it was important to [start the club] because a lot of seniors are going to be able to vote next November, and I think people should become more informed,” Cornell said.

Politics club meets every Tuesday morning at 7:30 in room 2305, Mrs. Watson’s room. They plan to have guest speakers come, such as members of the State Legislature and City Council nominees. They also plan to hold a voter registration drive this spring for the seniors who will be eligible to vote in the fall.

“I think that will be good because a lot of people might not know how to register to vote, and so it will be a good impact on City,” Cornell said Cornell feels that she has an obligation to educate students on the importance of political involvement in order to promote meaningful change in the community “I think that if more young people vote, we have a chance to make a difference on the issues that we care about, and to be more knowledgeable about our community,” Cornell said.

A6

September 25, 2015

NEWS

NEWS

September 25, 2015

the crossword

The first person to bring their completed crossword to 2109 wins a Starbucks gift card!

A7

Kirkwood STEM Center from A1 “[The transportation] is working well,” Bacon said. “To me it was an essential aspect that shuttle bus transportation existed. If it didn’t I it was going to disenfranchise students, potentially, from participating. It wouldn’t be equitable if you had to get yourself there-that’s not going to work well for some students,” he said. “It needs to be an option, so that [Kirkwood is] truly available to anybody.”

Both Parr and Verdick drive themselves to their morning classes at the Kirkwood center.

“It’s been a little bit annoying, but it’s not that bad. And it’s a pretty easy route there,” Verdick said.

Aside from transportation, college in high school could be too much of a challenge for some academically.

“I think kids are realizing right away that there are high expectations; for example, you can only miss about five times or you’re withdrawn from the class,” Bacon said. “It doesn’t matter what the reason is.”

Parr has felt the added pressure, and recognizes the program’s difficulty as equivalent to an AP class.

“You have to make sure you’re on top of things,” Parr said. “The teacher doesn’t remind you- you kind of have to just know it. It’s just a part of the learning platform.”

Students who chose the Kirkwood center path are asked to consider their academic maturity and responsibility.

“They should consider first of all if they’re willing to really wake up early, take the initiative to get there, take the time to meet the teacher, and are willing to accommodate for a new situation,” Verdick said.

Verdick also notes the difference in convenience, for things like homework help, and in the classroom environment because of the mix of schools within the county.

“We’re not there all day, so it’s not like we can just go during an open period. And I only know two other people in my class,” Verdick said.

Nonetheless, the altered college schedule allows for greater freedom and independence. Concurrently, students will gain an advanced approach to their education that will only multiply in its benefits.

“To finish with a certificate that shows you’re prepared in a given trade is something that will give many of our students a leg up after high school,” Bacon said. “And there are some great careers that can make good money in some of these fields.”

Parr can already see the experiences he’ll gain from the more technological and hands-on approach Kirkwood offers.

“I’m really glad I [chose Kirkwood]. I really like it,” he said. “It’s a different experience, and it’s preparing me for college.”

Bacon urges students to find a way to reasonably fit Kirkwood classes into their schedule.

“I really want to see kids take a serious look at what’s offered out there and choose to participate, Bacon said “ It’s not going to be for everybody, and it’s not going to work in everyone’s schedule, but I think it’s the right fit for a lot of people.”

Daniel Kelly ‘16 and Sy Butler ‘16 have their new Carpooling Club up and running. All you need to join is a group and a car.

Stop by the main office to sign up.

A8

Queen Candidates

September 25, 2015

NEWS

Claire Goodfellow

Innes Hicsasmaz

Autumn Moen

What animal would you be?

A zebra.

A lemur.

A giraffe.

Motto that you live by?

Don’t let the haters stop you from doing your thang.

It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Life is short. Eat dessert first.

Most embarrassing moment?

When I flew off the back of a golf cart and broke my knee.

Freshman year.

When I tripped over myself in golf and tried to pretend I stepped in a hole.

Best Homecoming memory?

Getting ready with friends.

Going out to eat as a big group.

Getting ready at Elke’s house every year.

Number one wish?

To be able to fly.

To do a Freaky Friday with someone.

To never grow up.

Favorite Disney movie?

Piglet’s Big Movie

Mulan

Hercules

Sum yourself up in one word.

Spontaneous

Shamalanadingdong

Annoying

Sy Butler

Edward Esbeck

Jonas Geerdes

What animal would you be?

A mighty falcon.

A monkey.

A manatee.

Motto that you live by?

Do what you want.

Do your best in high school.

Keep calm and swim slow.

Most embarrassing moment?

I don’t feel emotion.

When I like doing something and it doesn’t happen.

When I took Nova Meurice’s backpack instead of mine during lunch.

Best Homecoming memory?

I’ve never been.

Having fun and enjoying the homecoming game and the dance.

Hanging with friends and watching movies.

Number one wish?

To have the ability to control time.

To get everything in on time.

That I had better answers.

Favorite Disney movie?

Guardians of the Galaxy

Frozen

The Jungle Book

Sum yourself up in one word.

No-can-do

Hard-working

Big

King Candidates

NEWS

A9

September 25, 2015

Quincy Scholz

Fanta Traore

Lizzy Ward

Elke Windschitl

A whale, so I can ride the waves all day.

A gazelle.

A naked mole rat.

A tiger.

Who really cares?

You’re the only one holding you back.

Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.

When nothing goes right, go left.

That one time I fell down the stairs on the way to lunch.

When I missed a step and fell down the stairs.

My life.

When my weave fell out during a Dance Team performance.

When Victor and I rolled in way too early and awkwardly started the dance floor.

Watching the parade with my younger brother.

Getting groovy on the dance floor.

When I caught the ball during a Powder Puff game last year.

To go to the moon.

Five million other wishes.

That all the old Disney Channel shows would still be on Disney Channel.

To dance onstage with Beyoncé or Lady Gaga.

The Princess Diaries

Mulan

Get a Clue

Toy Story

Clumsy

Confident

Hungry

Daniel Kelly

Jake Parker

Shamari Scott

Mohamed Shaban

A lion.

A monkey.

A panther.

A camel.

Don’t let your dreams be dreams.

Do it the right way the first time.

The limit does not exist.

Be kind to others.

I can’t recall.

I don’t get embarrased.

Once I walked into the girl’s bathroom.

Tripping over hurdles in track and field.

None.

Storming the field after beating Prairie last year.

Going out to eat.

Hanging out with friends.

Knowledge.

To be the richest man in the world.

World peace.

To keep my friends forever.

Captain America: Winter Soldier

Toy Story

Beauty and the Beast

The Lion King

What?

Dedicated

Enthusiastic

Accepting

Dynamic

A10 OPINION

LH

September 25, 2015

Staff Editorial: Minimum Wage

With the minimum wage in Johnson County set to rise in the near future, we need to take an honest look at the effects raising the minimum will have

Executive Editors

dominic balestrieri-fox, sonali durham & claire noack

News Editor olivia parrott

Opinion Editors

cody owen & ellis fontana

Feature Editor caroline brown

Sports Editor

brady vanlo & jonathan house

Photo Editors

caroline brown & max gruber

A&E Editor

jonas geerdes

Copy Editor

madeline deninger

Ad Manager

bella pittman

Online Editors

nova meurice & sarah smith

Online Opinion Editors

sadie hobbs & lydia kauffnan

Online News Editors

sofie lie & lucy mcgehee

Social Media Editor

jim geerdes & claire goodfellow

Media Editors

innes hicsasmaz & sophia schlesinger

Staff

jack ballard, sam bloom, serena collins, joseph cress, estie dillard, bianca esquivel, victor fesenmeyer, gabe gibbens, zoe hopewell, shanice johnson, lydia kauffmann, lucy mcgehee, robin menietti, sam naylor, lilly o’brien, anna penta, jake russel, frederick stumbo, aminata traore, a.j. boulund, paige etten, kyle irish-gorvin, daniel massey, miles pei, micaela selck, ayla canin, nathan cremers, maya durham, duncan forbes, molly liu, brittney pirkl, raz schlutter, karl thomas, gabriel weigel

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

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 BY MAYA DURHAM

Money is a useful thing. One can use it for food, water, clothes, medical expenses, maybe the odd rhinoceros here and there. That’s why we all, for the most part, will probably spend most of our lives trying to get more of it. Odds are a fair number of City alum did exactly that over the summer; the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the employment rate was around 60% among young people (age 16-24) in July of 2015. Most students who have a job, especially in the food or entertainment business, probably get paid at or near the Iowa minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 an hour. Which, as anyone who makes that knows, is not very much.

It’s a common misconception that raising the minimum wage is bad for a business. Increasing the purchasing power of low-wage workers increases the quality of life for those making the minimum, and putting more money into the pockets of minimum-wage workers leads to those same workers putting more money back into the economy. With the majority of the biggest spenders in America (young people) on minimum wage, they lose the ability to, well, spend. Which means that many companies cannot sell the products that they’re trying to sell. Which means that they don’t get as much money as they normally would. Which means that they can’t afford to pay their workers as much money as they normally would. Which means they might have to lay off many of their employees. And who is most likely to be laid off in this situation? Low importance, minimum wage level employees.

On top of that, another misconception that is thrown around is the idea that if you raise minimum wage then inflation will just rise with it, making the change irrelevant. To be fair, part of this is true. Inflation will rise if you raise the minimum wage. However, the problem

amount to basically nothing or just some lousy, great-fornothing teenagers. Well this simply isn’t true. According to Forbes, the average age of a minimum wage worker is 35. They also state that 88% of workers affected by minimum wage are over 20.

This means that, despite views that many hold about minimum wage, minimum wage workers are average people that are a necessary part of the workforce. Without them, many businesses would not have the manpower to be successful in today’s economy.

So we have to treat them like people and give them the ability to feed themselves and their families when they come home after a 40 hour work week. In order to do this, all we have to do is raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and pay attention to it by raising with inflation, keeping everyone at the same level.

An important thing to consider in this debate is the situation where minimum wage was created, the Great Depression. And without the implementation of minimum wage by FDR, poor and middle class people wouldn’t have the money to put back into the economy which would raise this country out of the greatest economic crisis since Mansa Musa screwed over Cairo. This quote by FDR himself neatly summarizes the problem with minimum wage today and why it needs to be changed: “No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country.”

Do you support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 across the state of Iowa?

YES:

21

NO:

with that is that inflation will do that anyway.

Inflation always rises, it’s risen since the concept of currency began, it will continue to rise, and it won’t stop rising until the fall of human civilization. But that’s for another day. But you know what doesn’t rise, and will continue to not rise until we make it rise? Minimum wage.

This creates the problem that while $7.25 an hour makes sense as a living wage for when it was created in 2007, by 2015 $7.25 has risen to $8.33, but people are still paid $7.25 an hour. Which means that the minimum wage can no longer operate as a living wage due to it being a whole dollar behind the inflation rates. Which is absolutely ridiculous when you consider the fact that this means businesses are not paying their workers enough to put food on their table.

Another unfortunate belief about minimum wage is that most people making $7.25 an hour are not valued enough workers to warrant raising their wages. That just about every worker on minimum wage is a deadbeat, pot-smoking, good-for-nothing that will

0

OPINION

A11

September 25, 2015

Opportunity Costs... A Lot of Money

By Ellis Fontana

Thumbs

Presidential Debates Advisory Ending at 3:10 The Bern Mr. Miller Early release for heat

Student loan debt and the price of college has always been a hot button discussion topic in both political and public debates. However, despite all of these people talking the talk, one has yet to walk the walk with changing the state of student debt dragging down thousands of American citizens. The problem with student debt and the price of college has been staring most college students right in the face: the rent is just too damn high.

Most high school seniors can tell you about the stress of applying for scholarships and even the colleges themselves. While there is the fear of whether or not you’re getting accepted, there is also the fear of getting accepted and then realizing “Oh no, I can’t pay for all of this,” on top of that. This fear is what prompts almost all high school graduates to apply for scholarships or student aid to fund their future education.

However, if they don’t qualify for any scholarships or their college denies them access to student aid, then the graduate finds themselves in the predicament of how they’re going to essentially buy their education. Luckily, there is one way out of this predicament that most students end up going to: student loans. It’s a fairly simple concept, for those who don’t know.

The idea is the school gives you as much money as you need to fund your time at their university, and after you graduate you owe them a debt that you must pay throughout the rest of your life. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well, maybe not so much. Lately, controversy has arisen about the negative effects of student debt and how it’s dragging down over 40 million Americans.

The big problem with student debt is simple: there’s too much of it. Like waaay too much. The amount that students owe to the United States government has recently passed one trillion dollars. In 2010, student loans exceeded credit card debt ($843.1 billion) for the first time ever. Of those 40 million people in debt, over 7 million are in default, which refers to when enough time has passed with no response to requests by the school or loan companies to consider the debt “defaulted” and is turned over to a Student Loan Guarantor or a collection agency.

Basically it means 7 million people can’t afford to pay their student loans.

Often these loans get so high that they aren’t fully paid off until people

are in their 50s, which means that they’ve been paying for four years of something that they experienced three decades ago and were told was something that every human had a right to have.

This brings up another question about this whole predicament.

Why is taking on multiple thousands of dollars the best idea for college entrees? Well, to reiterate: the price of college is just too damn high. In high school, the system is pretty straightforward. Public schools are free, however, private schools can offer a better education while also costing a couple thousand dollars. But in the college world, everything is expensive.

From state universities to private Jewish schools, everything will try its best to suck as much money out of your wallet, no matter what the quality of education is. Which, frankly, doesn’t make sense with something that just about everyone in America needs to be successful. Many high school seniors know the feeling of if they don’t go to college, they won’t be successful. But that simply isn’t the case, or at least it shouldn’t be. Many people have been successful in life without a college degree. However, now it’s almost impossible to get a job without a degree of any kind other than a GED backing you up. This makes just about every high school senior feel pressured to get into college in any way possible. Even if it means taking on thousands of dollars in loans.

While at first the broken system of college prices and student loans seems too big and complex to take on, many people and institutions have found reasonable solutions to the problem. In the US, some Ivy League schools have implemented “need-blind admission”. For those who don’t know, need-blind admission refers to when colleges read over your academic ability and resume without looking at your financial position.

This forces colleges to consider admitting students without worrying about how much they’ll have to pay for financial aid. Some schools that do this include Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, and Amherst. Other than need-blind admission, some presidential candidates are bringing their ideas about student debt to the debate table. The biggest candidate to bring this up is Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, who believes colleges should follow the community college system, where the college gets its money from government funding rather than student money. Many

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But Words Still Hurt Me Too

By Sadie Hobbs

A teenage girl walks down a hallway at school with hundreds of students staring at her and laughing at a message on their phone.

Students are throwing crumpled up pieces of paper and calling her names like “slut” and “hoe”. This is a common scene portrayed in a movie with a girl being bullied. According to pacer.org, 6% of American high school students have reported of being bullied in 2014, and 14.8% have reported being bullied online.

Bullying comes in all forms, ranging from name calling to physical abuse. With technology advancing, cyberbullying has become a huge problem at City High. People can’t even feel safe in their own homes; the bullies are able to hide behind a little screen and say things that they wouldn’t say in person. Cell phones and social media make it so much easier to get bullied, and it makes it easier for people to join in with the mean comments

and texts, making the situation even worse.

Mean tweets, posting embarrassing pictures on Instagram, adding people into a group chat and saying hostile things about them are just some of things that go on in the cyber world. No matter what it is, it still hurts and damages a person. Bullying is known to lead to an increase of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and a long term effect on a person’s self esteem.

The damage is still done even after the apology. A person may say that they forgive you and that it’s okay, but they will NEVER forget the words you said or how you made them feel. There is no excuse for saying those hurtful things. The guy in math class may not be as “cool” as your group of friends, but that’s not an excuse to call him weird and laugh at at everything he says. A girl is wearing extremely tight clothing? Not an excuse to call

her a “hoe”. High school can be a very hard four years for some people. Everyone has a story, and everyone is trying to fight their own battles. They don’t need you making them feel any worse, so think before you speak.

How many times do you have to be bullied before the school intervenes? Once. If you don’t feel comfortable at school, the school has to do something about it. You are NOT overreacting if you tell a trusted adult that you’ve been bullied. No one else knows how you feel about the situation, so if you feel like you’ve been violated, tell someone. The staff and administration at City High want to make sure you feel safe being at school. If you or someone you know is being bullied, report it.

No one deserves to be torn down by another person, and a good way to stop the bullying is to speak up.

Snapchat Update Granola Bars Spirit Days

Low Quality Coffee Three Schedules Starting at 8:00 The Donald All the one-ways Homecoming at City and West on the same days Road construction near Hy-Vee

A12 A Deadly Case of Laziness

September 25, 2015

The Trump Factor

By Cody Owen

There’s a killer on the loose. Today in the USA, opiate overdoses kill more Americans than car crashes, and number is only going up.

From 2001 to 2013, there was a fivefold increase in yearly heroin overdoses. Between 2010 and 2013, over 400 Iowans died from opiate overdose. The rise in death rates is a major cause for concern. However, there are steps that can be taken that the state government of Iowa, for no real reason other than a lack of public awareness and support, has not.

Naloxone, also called Narcan, is a drug that, if administered soon after consumption of a lethal dose of opioids, can reverse the effects of the opioids and effectively prevent an overdose.

Someone in the midst of respiratory failure can be administered naloxone and be awake and breathing within minutes. It’s carried by first responders and law enforcement in many states across the country, and in other developed countries around the world. Scotland, after legalizing the drug to be sold over-the-counter in addition to being carried by first responders, reported that rates of opiate overdose among people just released from prison dropped from 9.8% in 2010 to 4.7% in 2013.

Naloxone, however, isn’t carried by first responders or paramedics in Iowa. As of today, there is no legislation in Iowa allowing the drug to be carried paramedics and/or sold overthe-counter. In addition, Iowa has no Good Samaritan Laws, which offer legal protections to citizens who act in an attempt to aid a victim if the victim suffers an injury while aid is being administered. Without these laws, calling 911 while with someone in the midst of an overdose can result in the arrest of the caller, which, naturally, makes people apprehensive to call 911 during these situations. However, not seeking medical help during an overdose severely reduces the user’s chance of survival. 911 Good Samaritan Laws make it possible for many who are overdosing to get the medical help they need to survive, which they wouldn’t receive otherwise. With drug-related deaths rising every year, these laws are a necessity. Bills have been presented in Iowa’s legislation, but haven’t passed, partly due to a lack of public pressure on lawmakers to bring up the issue.

Obviously, the death of anyone as a result of the failure of politicians is unacceptable.

Iowans’ lack of access to naloxone has already had increasingly deadly results. Saving the life of even one person that would have otherwise died makes these laws worth having. Continuing to operate without naloxone and Good Samaritan Laws is sure to lead to more people dying that could be saved. What else do lawmakers need?

“

By Lucy Wagner

SILENT

“I’ve never slain a human before.”

-Mr. Hellwig

“If you have an F, that’s a motivational F.” -Mr. Rogers

“If you want to be the star, you have to sing the toothless song.”

-M. Balcaen

“I bet you can feel the thick, slimy fat going down your throat now.”

-Mr. Dodge, after a student ate six oatmeal cream pies

“

RIGHT TO REMAIN

OPINION

When I first heard that Donald Trump was running for president, I was shocked and, frankly, thought it was a joke (or at least a well-thought-out business scheme to improve his resume and profile). Trump is not the man to lead this country. He is not dignified, does not speak in an educated manner, and is quick in losing his temper. All in all, Trump can come across as a pretty obnoxious guy. And I don’t want him to be the face of the United States, particularly representing us overseas.

However, while calling Trump’s morals and actions into question, I do tire of how the media can exaggerate and twist the words of politicians in order to paint them in a negative light. In this particular presidential election, Trump has been the punching bag of the media. His appearance, specifically his hair and controversial comments have been mocked time and time again on the airwaves and in print. However, for young adults who are preparing to vote, hearing his hair called a “bird’s nest” does not aid in illustrating his political standpoints and policies - the more important aspects in making an educated vote. Trump has become more of a tabloid celebrity than serious politician.

Although Donald Trump is many things, he is not a stupid man. Before running for president, Trump was an extremely successful businessman. Currently, his net worth is four billion US dollars. Trump has financially supported his campaign with his own money, while the majority of candidates take donations from supporters. Trump has literally nothing to lose but money from this election, which will be mere pocket change for a man in his position. This allows him to speak his mind freely and not be pressured into making empty promises to gain supporters. Even though I don’t agree with much of what he says, I respect Trump for being extremely upfront about his future plans as president.

I had grown up with the notion that highranking politicians who were very polite, very cautious, and very accepting were the only potential candidates to run this country.

Trump has continuously broken those traditional standards; he is not cautious with his remarks. While discussing the problems associated with illegal immigrants from Mexico, Trump focused on their “illegal” children born in the US. “They have to go,” Trump said. “What they’re doing, they’re having a baby. And then all of a sudden, nobody knows...the baby’s here.”

While it is true that there is a growing population of undocumented people coming over from Mexico (among other places), the children should not be punished. These children cannot decide where they are born or to whom they are born to, and should be welcomed full-heartedly into the country which was founded upon diversity and freedom.

Currently, Trump leads the Republican Party opinion polls, if not the entire election.

While his tactics for gaining media coverage may be seen as unconventional, they are indeed boosting his popularity.

Trump’s plans to “make America great again” may bring back more conservative fiscal policies, but with that, he would also be bringing back out-of-date social views, as exemplified by his sexist and racist remarks.

When interviewed by Megyn Kelly, a Fox News host known for her liberal perspective, Trump remarked that Kelly’s objections were a result of her menstrual cycle. He is reinforcing negative views about women that have held them back for years - beliefs that they are moody, emotional, and unable to be taken seriously in the workplace.

Donald Trump is to politics what Eminem is to the music business. His outspokenness rubs a lot of people the wrong way, and yet he’s gained almost a cult following based upon things he has said that his competitors are simply afraid to.

OPINION

September 25, 2015

The Other Green Giant

By Sophia Schlesinger

The media has been abuzz lately with news of Miley Cyrus’ various exploits. The former Disney Channel star and friendly neighborhood crackhead hosted the 2015 VMAs (aka the birth of “Miley, what’s good?”) and announced that she would be releasing the free album “Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz.” The album is very typically Miley, with grotesque, glittery images representing American party culture and the like. The only real issue I take with it, however, is that it has added to the list of misconceptions regarding the music industry.

Putting out a free album isn’t unheard of; it’s been done by many other groups, such as Radiohead, Run the Jewels, and David Byrne/Saint Vincent. The primary difference is that Miley Cyrus--unlike these other artists-- is very much a product of the pop industry. Because of this, she doesn’t lose or risk anything by releasing a free album. For most of the music industry, however, releasing a free album is very difficult financially. In an interview with the New York Times, Miley said, “That’s what I’ve got the luxury to do, I can just do what I want to do, and make the music I want to make.” This is true. She definitely has enough money to be able to put out a free album, and power to her for that. However, it’s important for the common consumer to note that the pop industry isn’t representative of the rest of the music industry, and that just because Miley has the resources to give her music away for free, it doesn’t mean that all music ought to be free. People gotta eat.

Miley’s actions have also driven a cyber wave of criticism toward Taylor Swift for her open letter to Apple regarding her decision to withhold her album from their new streaming service Apple Music. The move was bold, but powerful-- Apple responded to her letter within hours of its publishing, agreeing to pay the artists during the three-month free trial period of the service. Her success in coercing one of the biggest corporations into fairer practices shows how a popstar should be using their recognition to stand up for artists of all genres and levels of fame.

It’s truly an amazing feat, one that would make even His Purple Paisley-ness, Prince, smile with pride. Nevertheless, many Miley fans took to the internet to call her selfish and greedy, which just goes to show how little people know about how the music industry functions.

What you need to know is this: artists are earning an all time low for the music they put out. Music pirating has always been an issue, but there has also been a rise in streaming services, which inherently have the issue of depriving musical artists of their income by distributing the majority of the revenue between the artist’s record label and the streaming service CEOs themselves. This is the base issue, but most streaming services have other documented sketchy activity. Time Magazine observed a discrepancy between the sum Spotify claims artists earned through streaming services, and the actual sum the record label recorded. To keep T-Swizzle as an example, Spotify claimed that she had earned roughly $2 million from global streaming, when in reality her record label (Big Machine) received a little less than $500 thousand. Only $500 thousand?! I know. But this is Taylor Swift we’re talking about-- someone who has been at the top of the pop industry for many years. Now consider what those discrepancies mean to someone who is trying to start their musical career. Essentially, the rise of the internet and multi-million dollar streaming services has created a musical playing field that is nearly impossible to navigate, and no matter what information we take away from ex-Disney stars, it is important that we seek the truth always so that we can support the artists we love.

Maya’s Top 10 Songs For Studying: 1. “See You Again” - Charlie Puth ft. Wiz Khalifa 2. “Bad” - The Cab 3. “Youth” - Daughter 4. “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” - twenty-one pilots 5. “It’s Time” - Imagine Dragons 6. “Heroes” - David Bowie 7. “Young Volcanoes” - Fall Out Boy 8. “Home” - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes 9. “Sandcastles” - The Big Time 10. “Bail Me Out” - All Time Low ft. Joel Madden

A13 The Trouble With Sleep

By Zoe Hopewell On my morning bus ride the other day, while still half asleep, I came across an article about Malala Yousafzai, the education activist who was shot by the Taliban.

She had just gotten straight A’s on her GCSEs, the compulsory exams taken in the UK at the end of secondary education.

Reading this was a wake up call. Malala got shot in the head pursuing her right to an education, and I was irritated because I had to get out of bed early.

I hear complaints about school all the time, including from myself. I understand that sometimes we have classes we don’t like or we’re really stressed. I understand that a lot of us probably don’t get enough sleep. I know that the school system needs lots of improvements. However, we have an opportunity that many others don’t get.

I, for one, am so grateful that I was born in a country where I am required to attend school.

Education is a gift. It isn’t just about getting into college or getting a job, although it will certainly help with that.

Education will make you a more informed, productive, and helpful citizen of the world. You don’t have to be super “smart” to learn things that will enrich your life. You don’t have to love going to school to appreciate its importance.

So, the next time you find yourself annoyed because you have to wake up early to go to a beautiful building to learn from excellent teachers for free, remember: there are people all over the world who would, and have, gone to great lengths for that right. Think of them, and be thankful for your early mornings.

A14

ARTS

& ENTERTAINMENT ABOVE: Phineas Brady‘17 smiles after playing a song with his bandmates. BOTTOM LEFT: Brady’s keeps all of his broken drumsticks together . BOTTOM RIGHT: Brady sets the tempo for the song. .PHOTOS BY RASMUS SCHLETTUR

Marching to the Beat of his own Drum Phinny Brady ‘17 is bringing his distinctive style of music to City High.

By Rasmus Schlutter Feet pounding the bass pedal, brow furrowed in intense focus, Phinny Brady ‘17 locks in on his drumming with unwavering concentration. For Brady, drums is not just a passion, but a study.

“I specifically like experimenting with more advanced and complex rhythmic ideas,” Brady explained.

“I'm into progressive music, which deals with a lot of odd groupings, polymeters, poly groupings, things that are very challenging to the mind.”

Brady began his musical odyssey six years ago, when he was first introduced to the percussion instrument.

“I was at my friends house, and his dad had a drumset. I got on there, and I felt it. Something inside me was emerging into those drums,” Brady said, “So I knew that would be my music of choice.”

Soon after, Brady purchased a drumset of his own, and began taking lessons. Immediately, he was a committed student and musician.

“When Phinny turned 12, he asked us if we would help him buy a drum kit for his birthday,” Tundi Brady, Phinny’s mother, began. “We paid half, and he emptied his entire life savings to pay for his half.”

Brady’s dedication to drums combined with his previous musical background in piano and guitar helped him quickly adapt to his new instrument.

“Our role as parents has primarily been to soundproof a room in our basement,” Tundi explained. “Other than that, we just signed all our kids up for piano when they were young. From there, Phinny has been completely self-driven with his music.”

Brady is currently devoting his musical focus to his new band, Wheelgrass. Brady joined the band earlier this summer, and has since been a vital part of its success. He explains that Wheelgrass has a hard time pinning themselves to one genre. Rather, they like to work with multiple genres such as surf, punk, and noise rock.

“We play something on the spectrum of laidback surf stuff, to a little bit faster upbeat punk,” Brady said after some thought.

The band emerged from a friendship between Brady and the lead guitarist, Nick Dearberg ‘16.

“I knew Nick from West High choir; he’s a good friend of mine,” Brady said. “So one time he asked me to fill in for their drummer, and it all kinda worked out.”

Before Brady joined the band, Dearberg and their bassist, Jaron Lamp ‘16, would often use an automated drum program to lay a beat. Now, with a drummer like Brady, they’re able to perform more complex music.

“Phinny is probably the most talented one in the band,” Dearberg said. “And without his drumming, it's just kind of bland.”

Brady’s personal musical interests greatly influence the way he practices and performs with Wheelgrass.

“I was curious on how Phinny would play with his particular style because I knew he was into progressive rock kind of stuff,” Dearberg said. “But he brought this special element that we had been lacking.”

For Brady, performance comes naturally. He has played in countless shows for both the West High show choir combo and jazz band.

“I used to get nervous before jazz band in 7th grade, [Brady sarcastically calls those 7th grade shows “big life performances”] but I think I've gotten so used to being onstage, I’m kinda over that by now,” Brady said.

The confidence built over his musical career means that when Brady gets onstage, he lets his emotions run the show.

“Right now I think playing live gets to a point where you're more in it as far as the experience goes,” Brady explained, “Onstage you definitely get into the musicianship of it. You have a good time and feel the energy.”

Along with his interest in performance, Brady is also pursuing musical composition.

“For Phinny, composing music just seemed like part of being involved with learning a musical instrument,” Tundi said. “When he was taking piano lessons as a little guy, he would make up tunes then as well.”

Brady also composes his own music on Reason, and experiments with different musical styles within the program.

“Having those skills, I can just have a home studio and make music on my own,” Brady explained.

While the music Brady enjoys is often difficult to produce and publish, he is determined to find a way to keep the music he most enjoys central in his life.

“You know everyone wants to make it in a band, but I do find that a little idealistic,” Brady admitted. “I think as far as the next couple years, I’ll be sticking by myself for the stuff I'm really passionate about.”

A15

A&E September 25, 2015

City High To Perform Two Odd Plays City High drama department is producing two plays for the fall season, each with a single-gender cast.

ART BY AJ BOULAND

By Jonas Geerdes Ellis Fontana ‘16 plays cards surrounded by four people. No one makes a move, for none of them know how to play the game, but are only practicing to look the part for one of this year’s two fall plays, The Odd Couple. The actors are learning to play poker with help from the directors, who want their cast to feel and look the part.

“The directors wanted us to actually learn how to play poker,” Fontana said.

“They want us to play the game onstage, practicing, learning all the moves, how to deal, how to fold, etc.”

Fontana has been a part of City High’s productions since his freshmen year. “I’ve been involved with every production since I’ve been here,” Fontana explained. “It’s been a lot of watching and understanding.”

Fontana believes his experience helped him land one of the leading roles of Felix Unagar. Described as a neatfreak and cleanaholic, he moves into his friend’s apartment after his marriage begins to fail.

“He’s obsessed with cleaning,” Fontana explained. “It’s almost on this OCD level.”

“The Odd Couple is a good comedy that I think a lot of people are going to enjoy.”

Nyiso Poulakos ‘17, who plays the other lead, Oscar Madison, said. Madison is a gluttonous sportswriter who allows Felix to move into his apartment after his wife leaves him. Poulakos believes experience was one of the deciding factors in being cast into a main role.

“It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s really rewarding,” Poulakos explained. “I’ve been involved in the City drama department since freshmen year. It feels good to be in top of the situation.” Poulakos stated that the cast of The Odd Couple, although small, brings in people from all walks of

life.

“The cast is really good,” Poulakos said.

“We have a lot of different personalities in the cast. A lot of us are really getting to know each other through our rehearsals.”

Fontana explained how the cast’s size affects the things, too.

“It’s small, which is both good and bad,” he said. “A lot of us are experienced, but some of us are not. But its definately a lot of talent.”

Peters agrees that the cast is up for the challenge.

“Half of the cast has had lead roles before, and half has not. It’s really fun to watch them,” Peters said.

He added that the cast is getting used to their respective roles, and growing tighter as a whole.

“They’re all adapting really quickly.

They all seem really comfortable.”

Fontana attributes this success to Peter’s experience.

“It really helps that he has played the role before,” Fontana explained.

Peters has played the role of Felix, once in community theater and once for a teacher benefit. Fontana said that Peters encouraged him to try for the role of Felix.

“I remember [what] he told me after my audition,” Fontana began. “He said, ‘Ellis if you’re going to be in this role, afterwards you’re going to feel like you’ve been in a trainwreck.’”

Poulakos agrees that the roles they play will be a challenge. However, he believes that Oscar is something he can pull off.

“I’ve begun to see more of Oscar in myself,” Poulakos said. “I wasn’t in the play last year, which is is good thing because there wasn’t a role I fit in last year, but I’m excited to play the role of a slouch this fall.”

By Victor Fesenmeyer At rehearsal, the atmosphere is busy and exciting. As the first scene is rehearsed, director Mrs. Peters calls for pauses to give tips or add actions to a certain part of the scene.

“We have such a great cast.” Peters said.

Steel Magnolias is a play full of tragedy, drama, and comedy. A small beauty shop in Northwest Louisiana is brought to life with laughter and tears. The City High drama program and cast will bring that life to the Opstadt stage. The plot revolves around a group of close friends that gather in a hair salon. The group is close, supporting each other through thick and thin as the story moves along and the women share their happiness and hardship with the audience.

The cast and crew have started their preparations for what will be an intense eight weeks leading up to the opening night on Oct 31st in Opstad.

“Packing in rehearsal after rehearsal within the next eight weeks is likely to take a toll,” Peters said. “It will require a lot of work for everyone involved.”

The play contains intense scenes, challenging the cast to dig deep. Cassidy Slater-Scott ‘17 has the role of the main character, Shelby.

“This is my first big role, and I’ve been putting in a lot of time practicing,” SlaterScott said. “I don’t want to disappoint.”

Slater-Scott believes that Shelby is a complex character that brings a lot to the show.

“She’s a really challenging character, and I like that,” she explained.

Jilly Cooke ‘17, playing the role of Ouiser, the local curmudgeon lady, will bring her experience from previous musical productions to provide comic relief.

“This is the first play I’ve done at City High,” Cooke said. “It’s another chance to show off my comedic chops.”

Cooke feels that the play is very true to life with both its sweet and sorrowful moments.

“It’s a simple play about Southern women in a shop talking about life,” she said.

Lizzie Carrell ‘18, playing the role M’Lynn, the mother of main character Shelby, feels especially connected to the play.

Having lost two aunts to gun violence about a year and a half ago, Carrel can empathize with the tragedy that women in the show go thourgh. This connction has also allowed helped her in bringing her character to life in a believeable way.

“I love being in plays,” Carrell said. “You can really become the character.”

Steel Magnolias, being a famous and popular play, sets the expectations high and necessitates great acting, according to Carrel.

“People know Steel Magnolias. The play sticks with you. You want to show it justice.”

Peters believes the cast dynamics will help the group to put on a strong performance.

“With any cast, cohesiveness is important. With a small cast, it surfaces quickly,” Peters said. “All of them are compassionate women. They like to have fun and encourage each other.”

The character Shelby is a diabetic, and in one scene talks with her mother M’Lynn about how it could be life threatening to have a child. The emotion of the scene resonates with Peters.

“Having a child of my own, I can empathize with her want to have a baby,” Peters said. “It gives me a good perspective on how she feels inside.”

Chorus Sends 26 to All-State Audition

By Molly Liu Freshman Elias Perez has been singing and performing for more than half his life. For Perez, however, it was not just a passion for music that propelled him to try out for an AllState quartet- it was the challenge.

“I really love to sing, and it’s always been an awesome thing to do,” Perez said. “I love to challenge myself, and Allstate seemed perfect for that.”

Perez was one of 26 singers selected through a preliminary audition to be in an All-State choir quartet. These ensembles are to continue in the All-State process and eventually audition for a chance to earn a spot in the prestigious Iowa All-State Chorus. Although the choir is only open to high school students, it is incredibly diverse, consisting of singers from over 170 different schools across Iowa. The audition will happen on October 24 this year, and a concert will take place in November, along with the All-State band and orchestra.

With diversity, however, comes selectivity. Being selected for the Iowa All-State Chorus is often regarded as the highest honor

a high school choir student can receive. Out of the thousands of singers that audition, only 600, or roughly 17%, are chosen for the choir, with 150 singers on each voice part.

Despite the daunting statistics, Perez remains hopeful about the audition process.

“I am looking forward to the experience. I would like to become a stronger singer, learn more [singing] technique, have a great time, and meet some new people,” Perez said. “It gives me good practice for next year and the year after, so maybe sometime, within the next four years, I can get in.”

Evelyn Galstad ‘16, All-State chorus veteran, attests to the incredible experience.

“The second I heard the All State Choir sing my sophomore year, I realized what I was a part of. I knew that the Iowa All State Chorus was truly special,” Galstad said. “The All State Chorus of 2013 and 2014 made lasting impacts on my life, and I know that I want to go back to have that magical experience again.”

With two years of All-State chorus and soloist experience under her belt, Galstad has an impressive record- nevertheless, she still

promises to work hard. “[It] doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed a spot,” Galstad said.

“I’m more than determined to get in. I will know this music better than I know myself.

That’s my mindset.”

ABOVE: One of City High’s quarters practice for their All-State audition in October.

Dr. James PHOTO BY MAX GRUBER Thompson, difficulty of making All-State due to its selecCity High choir tive nature, he strongly believes that every director, looks forward to this year’s All-State singer who auditions benefits. program as well, and has high expectations.

“If a student goes through the process, “I want all my students to get to a level where they feel prepared. I want them to work they’re going to be successful anyway,” Thompson said. “They’re going to improve, as hard as they can. It’s nice when students and they’re going to understand more about are accepted, but the most important thing is music. However, it takes a lot more than just when students can feel really good about their a great voice to be selected for [the All-State product,” Thompson said. chorus]. It takes a lot of hard work and dediAlthough Thompson acknowledges the cation, and it all comes back to practicing.”

A16

September 25, 2015 A&E

: Jake Parker

Q&A

Jake Parker spent two months this past summer drumming with Drums Corps International.

By Jim Geerdes

LH: What was it like performing with DCI this past summer?

LH: What’s the worst drumming stereotype you’ve heard?

JP: The difference I’d say is just the commitment level. I don’t know how I want to say this. DCI is a lot more intense, and it’s a lot more demanding than City High.

Besides that, there’s not much difference. You still have to know your drill; you still have to know your music. DCI is just a lot more intense.

JP: Probably that all drum line does is mess around. I’ll be the first one to agree that yes, we mess around a lot, but we are the hardest working section in the band. We have to get 20 people to play as one, and that’s a lot harder than it sounds.

LH: What do you do when you break a drumstick during a performance?

JP: Usually when it happens, at least when I do it, you don’t notice it until a few seconds later. So you’re just playing with one drumstick. My advice would be fake it till you make it with one drumstick and wait until you can get another one. Just try to not look stupid.

LH: What’s your favorite drumming memory?

JP: My favorite drumming memory was probably doing my first DCI show. It was such a cool experience doing all this practice. It was such a good feeling knowing that I had succeeded as a drummer.

LH: How do you think drumline is going to do this year?

JP: I think we’re going to do really well.

We have a lot of potential with this new line. Everyone has a lot of good talent this year and the enthusiasm to back it up.

LH: What tips do you have for upcoming drummers?

LH: What’s the biggest frustration when it comes to drumming?

JP: Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Whatever you can do, do it. Whether it’s rudiments or a double stroke roll or anything, just practice. You can never be too prepared for anything, for that matter.

JP: The biggest problem for me personally is sticking. I really, really don’t like sticking. Just bashing the sticks together is just a pain in the butt.

LH: Is drumming a hobby or lifestyle?

LH: How do you want to end your senior year in marching band?

JP: I think it’s a hobby to most people, but for me it’s kind of a lifestyle.

Its funny because I was talking to one of my friends about it, and he said, ‘Hey Jake, drumming is life!’ and I said, ‘Yea that’s true. Especially when you go off for 15 hours a day and drum.’ But yeah, for me it’s a lifestyle.

JP: I want to end my senior year with, of course, doing really well. Once we play Hey Jude at the final concert, and you know how much better at drumming you’ve become since you were a freshmen, you feel a feeling you can’t explain. It’s amazing knowing I gave everything I could to the line.

PHOTO BY MAX GRUBER