Little Hawk April Issue by The Little Hawk

TheLittleHawk Iowa City High School - Iowa City, Iowa - Volume 70, Issue 5 - May 3, 2013 - www.thelittlehawk.com

New Vice Principal to Start in Fall By Cassie Wassink

Falling within a plethora of teaching transitions in the ICCSD, Scott Jespersen, current West High teacher, is transferring to City High, starting July 1, where he will take on the role of assistant principal. “I love teaching, but in the last few years I’ve had the urge to move into administration and kind of be a bigger part of the school culture,” Jespersen said of this upcoming change. Jespersen will be filling the role left vacant by current Assistant Principal Terry Coleman, who is replacing departing Athletic Director D’anne Kroemer. While Jespersen has not previously held an administrative position of this level, he has served for the past four years as the ICCSD’s curriculum coordinator for K-12 social studies. Coleman, who has served as Assistant Principal for 6 years, asserts that this experience will be a critical asset for Jespersen’s new career. “He’s very strong in curriculum, he’s been the district social studies coordinator for two years,” Coleman said. “He has a successful classroom, and he’ll be teaching professional development.”

Chelsea Russell performs a fiery baton twirling routine during the April 5, 2013 pep assembly at City High. Photos by Ellen Carman

Principal John Bacon also affirmed the fact that Jespersen’s skills in the classroom will prove essential in the future. “His references painted a picture of guy that’s not only been in the background but really a leader, someone who gets involved,” Bacon said. “They describe students gravitating towards him.” Jespersen agreed, describing an easy-going back-and-forth with his students. “I think I have a strong rapport with the students,” Jespersen said. He went on to describe his desire to express his personable nature within City High’s unique atmosphere. “There’s a lot to be said about building a positive culture at your school. I think City High has that now and I’d like to be a part of that.” Coleman and Jespersen both hope that this transition will allow them to apply their interests and abilities in new ways. Coleman, in fact, has had a long standing desire to work more closely with athletics, made apparent by his extensive coaching career. “One of those opprotunities doesn’t come very often,” Coleman said, describing his recent decision. “If I was going to shift directions,

that was the time. If City High AD [Athletic Director] position opens up, you take advantage of it.” Although Jespersen will miss the students and faculty at West High, he, too, welcomes this transition. “It’s bittersweet because I love teaching and I love students and staff and I’ve spent my last 12 years at Northwest and at West High, so it is sad in those respects,” Jespersen said. “But, again, the excitement of this opportunity is so great that it really outweighs that.” In fact, Jespersen was wearing a salmon-pink shirt on the day of his interview which he described as his “transitional red... The kids are starting to find out, so I thought I shouldn’t show up with full blown red today, but I thought this is like a coral, so I’m on my way,” he said. There is a sense of excitement surrounding these upcoming transitions, as of things settling into their natural places. Along with this excitement, a sense of readiness for these new roles to begin can be easily perceived. “I’m ready for him to roll up his sleeves and get in there with our already strong department,” Bacon said. “This is certainly Mr. Jespersen’s

The Future of TV Watching By Will Barker

first job as Assistant Principal, and with new territory comes a learning curve, but I really believe he’s a hard worker and a quick learner, he’s talented.” Jespersen, too, is ready to start. “I’m excited to be a part of the Little Hawk family,” he said. “There are a lot of great students and great staff and Mr. Bacon is very respected and has a lot of excitement and I’m drawn to that. I want to be a part of that.”

Q&A with golden girl

chelsea russell WHO IS CHELSEA RUSSELL?

Chelsea is currently attending the University of Iowa to get her Masters of Arts and Teaching for Secondary English Education. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelors of English, Creative Writing and a minor in French. She is currently a student teacher in Ms. Field’s class at City High.

LH: How and when did you start baton twirling?

CR: I was about three years old. My mom would teach in a room in our house and they would close the doors. My dad told that I would go up to him and ask ‘what’s mom doing in there? Why can’t I go in there?’ I asked my if I could do it and she said no! She was a national champion and in Miss America and this phenomenal twirler. I was actually born pigeon toed. So I was so turned in that I would trip myself over my own feet and fall all the time. I was so uncoordinated. Finally she gave in and let one of my babysitters teach me baton twirling. When I was about four or five my mom started teaching me because she was like ‘Ok fine I’ll teach you. This seems like it’s what you want to do, you seem really motivated.’ Which seems kind of crazy because I was just this four year-old girl!

LH: What does it mean to be a national champion in baton twirling? CR: On a national scale it’s kind of like boxing where there are different organizations. I competed in both baton twirling organizations for a while. You start at a state level and have to qualify for nationals. There is usually 60 to 80 girls in your division at nationals. There are differents events too. To qualify for worlds you have to make top three in your event. I have been fortunate enough that I have qualified for four separate world championships and I have won seven world gold medals. That was over the course of quite a while. My first world championships was when I was ten in England.

Online sites such as Hulu and Netflix are changing the television industry. These sites make it possible to watch television from any device with an Internet connection, making television much more accessible to everyone. “Services like these are changing the television business dramatically,” Brian Codd, former Director of Production for On-Air Promotions for Disney, said. “But no matter how it is delivered, content is king.” Students agree that the Internet is affecting their interaction with TV. “Netflix is changing the world,” Zach Kenyon ‘16 said. “It makes the shows that I love more accessible to kids like me.” Netflix’s library, which has thousands of titles, has earned it over 33 million subscriptions. According to a recent Little Hawk student poll, sixty-five percent of City High students subscribe to Netflix or other instant services. Recently, instant services started releasing their own shows, causing broadcasters to worry that all these changes could make traditional television broadcasting irrelevant. Codd contests that, rather than replacing broadcast television, these new shows will simply alter its current mode of operation. “This is the wave of the future,” Codd said. “But broadcast television won’t go away; it will be different.” Netflix, one of the largest providers of instant programming and movie streaming, recently released their first original show, House of Cards. Since this show never appeared on television, the directors had the freedom to include as much sex, drugs, and profanity as they wanted, items typically excluded or at least censored from television shows. “Because we had no advertisers, we were allowed to write the series however we wanted,” Rick Cleveland, Cowriter and Producer of House of Cards, said. “We knew HOC was going to be kind of an ‘R-rated’ experience.” As both a parent and a former television director of production, Codd sees both sides of the issue, acknowledging the fact that the show’s racy elements may hold some allure for a young audience. “You need to talk to your kid,” Codd said “If you say ‘you can’t watch this under any circumstances’ they are going to watch it.” However, the lack of censoring isn’t the only thing House of Cards is

LH: Do you get nervous before you perform?

CR: Oh, absolutely. I was terrified for that pep assembly! It’s so crazy because its a different kind of nerves for each thing that you do. Being a student teacher here and knowing that some of my students would have to be in class with me after. I was kind of like what if I mess up? What will they think? Will they think, ‘oh this girl is so silly, shes out there twirling and did a terrible job.’ Nerves for a U of I football game is totally different than for a world championship. For each different thing you have different things to worry about and I am a total perfectionist. I actually have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder so I have to do these weird routines before I perform and I have my lucky towel that I can’t leave home without. Over the years I have learned how to wrangle that a little bit and channel it into adrenaline and energy and focus.

Interview conducted by Ellen Carman and continued on thelittlehawk.com

TELEVISION STORY CONTINUED ON:

www.thelittlehawk.com

TheLittleHawk Iowa City High School - Iowa City, Iowa - Volume 70, Issue 5 - May 3, 2013 - www.thelittlehawk.com

New Vice Principal to Start in Fall By Cassie Wassink

Chelsea Russell performs a fiery baton twirling routine during the April 5, 2013 pep assembly at City High. Photos by Ellen Carman

The Future of TV Watching By Will Barker

Q&A with golden girl

chelsea russell WHO IS CHELSEA RUSSELL?

LH: How and when did you start baton twirling?

LH: Do you get nervous before you perform?

Interview conducted by Ellen Carman and continued on thelittlehawk.com

TELEVISION STORY CONTINUED ON:

www.thelittlehawk.com

A2 PREVIEW

MAY 3, 2013

Section A

The Little Hawk Feature Magazine

5 NEWS: WHAT IN THE WORLD?!

NEWS: STUDENTS EAT WITH MR. BACON

THE CLEAN CRAZE

By Claire Noack

By Emma Baxter

Bacon discusses the ups and downs of City High with current students.

By Renata Stewart

The Little Hawk takes a fresh perspective on this month’s world news.

NEWS: GAY RIGHTS IN AMERICA

In-Depth News

NEWS: MR. BERRY AS NEW CHOIR DIRECTOR

LGBT awareness has been raised recently by the Supreme Court, and discussed at a local level by CH’s GLOW.

By Elijah Jones With Grove’s retirement, a new choir director enters the scene.

Adding fresh, bright, colorful foods to your diet is turning into the tastiest trend that improves body and mind.

ON THE COVER: BREAKING THE SILENCE City High shares two victims’ nightmares of their traumatic experiences.

A&E: ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

re Hawk Featu The Little

Magaz3,ine 2013 May

By Sophia Schlesinger

City High drama presented Once Upon a Mattress for this year’s Spring musical. breaking the

SILENCE

Section B

s 6-8

*see page

SPORTS: BOYS SOCCER

SPORTS: GIRLS TRACK

By Emma McNutt

By Annika Wasson

Ranked No.2 in the state the boys soccer team is working to be a top team in the state.

With the Drake Relays behind them, the girls track team has their sights set on state.

STICKS & STONES By Alex Perez A reoccurring topic online and in the halls, The Little Hawk explores both sides of the use of the R Words and it’s lingering effects.

From your editors... Cassie Wassink & Renata Stewart Renata joined staff her freshman year and Cassie followed suit as a sophomore. They joined forces for their fourth and final year at City High to orchestrate the production of The Little Hawk. After a year of early Saturday mornings in the newslab, comment-lined margins on well-read Google doc pages, and those layouts that only came together within minutes of send-in time, not to mention a Pacemaker and Best of Show award, they are taking a moment to look back on

their year as editors of The Little Hawk. Cassie: Renata and I laid out our mutual goals for The Little Hawk at the beginning of the school year. We joked hesitantly about wanting to win a Pacemaker, but, more seriously, we discussed how we might revise and improve The Little Hawk during our final year as editors. Renata, as a self-taught designer since freshman year, took the lead on the design front, as well as introducing and compiling a new staple for the features section: the teacher profile. I took the experience that I had gained from my time as reporter and news editor, and turned around to help instruct newer reporters in capturing the journalist tone. I may sound like a journalism geek, but I’ll admit that some of my most rewarding high school experiences have come from concentrated conferences with reporters, in which we turned long-winded, opinionated and altogether inaccessible drafts into tight, objective, informative news stories. The kind of stories that you read without realizing that they were written because they were just so seamless and the information

was presented in perfectly bite-sized nuggets. Now, like many seniors, my sights are set on the future. My four years of high school are winding down, and I am ready for what tomorrow holds. But a part of me lingers, not quite ready to relinquish my Little Hawk experiences. Thankfully, I don’t have to. After so many hectic deadline nights, in which filler text and blank photo boxes laughed mockingly at our consternation, a certain bond was formed. In those moments of fleeting desperation, all of us with a stake in the success of The Little Hawk shared a common drive, a dependence on one another and on the ideas that any one of us had to offer. I take comfort in the fact that no matter where I am, even as a lost, bewildered freshman wandering around on a college campus that’s much bigger than me, I will carry these friendships with me in the memories that we share. Renata: I think I speak for both Cassie and myself when I say that being a part of, and helping to lead, The Little Hawk has certainly been one of the most defining parts of our City High experi-

ence. In many ways, the journey has been much like high school itself: marked by ups and downs and goals both victoriously met and quietly unattained. We’ve solidified old friendships and made new ones, learned organizational and teamwork skills that will follow us far, all while producing a product that we can all be proud of. And as the end of my senior year quickly approaches, I look back on what I’ll most from room 2109. The frantic work nights running out of the building to avoid the midnight alarm (one which we’ll desperately try to avoid in, well, about 15 minutes), the heated arguments over what stories needed to be told, the rush of inspiration when the design team works together to produce something especially beautiful and informative. I’ll miss it all for what these experiences share: a sense of true collaboration and rooted solidarity.

The Little Hawk

NEWS

The new Fine Arts wing:

City High’s new Fine Arts wing, which has been under construction since Fall of 2011, is nearing completion. Teachers and students are preparing for use. By Hailey Verdick

haileyverdick@thelittlehawk.com

In Fall of 2011, construction workers began to appear behind City High, back entrances to the school were blocked off, and the foundation of the new arts wing became recognizable. Since then, students have been watching the gradual progress of this building. Now, with the wing approaching completion, anticipation is high. “Right now it’s a lot of small things. It’s installing all the door handles, and installing all the glass panels in the windows and doors,” Terry Coleman, who has been heading up this project, said. “The two big things that are left are putting in a fire escape and putting in the flooring.” May 13th is the projected completion date for the new wing. To commemorate its institution, a dedication ceremony will be held in August. “We’re being told to get our stuff ready to move,” Megan Stucky, Orchestra Director, said. “It’s a week-byweek scenario, but as it sits right now it looks like maybe next month we might be moving.” Among the improvements that this new wing will offer is more room to accommodate students. “Primarily there’s rehearsal spaces for orchestra, choir, and band, along with half a dozen practice rooms and storage space for all those areas,” Coleman said. These new rooms will allow for better rehearsals in orchestra, band, and show-choir. The layout of the classrooms, too, is more practical for the music department. “More space is one of the primary things that we’re going to be benefiting from,” James Thompson, Choir Teacher, said. “It will allow us to do some creative things with how we organize ourselves in the classroom.” While City High choirs and show choir are wanting in space, the orchestra room lacks temperature control and windows. The new orchestra room will have bright windows and be a comfortable temperature for stu-

By Claire Noack

A look at the progress of City High’s new Fine Arts wing: staff photographer Kierra Zapf received a tour of the new wing. Construction is in progress, and may have advanced since photo date: __/__/13. Photos include new lockers (top right), shots of rooms which will soon be opened (top left and bottom), as well as construction workers in progress (middle). Photos by: Kierra Zapf

dents. “It’s about 85 degrees each day for rehearsal. It will be nice to have natural light instead of bright fluorescent lights,” Stucky said. “Walking in you’re going to have these bright windows and natural light which I think is aesthetically more pleasing than walking into a room with no windows and no color.” Students and teachers agree that this new environment will enhance learning for all. “Now that they have this new wing it’ll be more exciting,” Riley Lewers ‘16 said. “It makes me want to keep playing [my saxophone].” Coleman feels that this wing will demonstrate City High’s consistent attention to music and the arts.

“Our music programs have been outstanding in the past,” Coleman said. “I think our students will see this and see the investment the school dis-

trict and community has made in the fine arts, and I think they’ll respond with 40 more all-staters next year.”

Jim Berry, selected to start next fall elijahjones@thelittlehawk.com

Following the completion of the most successful season in the history of Fourth Avenue Jazz Company, Head Choir Director Dr. Greg Grove announced his retirement. After much speculation as to who would take his place, Jim Berry, City High alumnus, was hired as successor. Berry will lead the program alongside James Thompson, who will serve as Assistant Director.

Mrs. B wins teacher of the year award: A student perspective clairenoack@thelittlehawk.com

New choir director, By Elijah Jones

Over forty applicants expressed interest in the position; however, the number was quickly reduced to two optimal candidates. The candidates were asked to each individually conduct the chamber choir, and a group of observers judged their performances. This was then followed by a thorough interview process. “I think [Berry] was a good choice. It’s a real popular choice with the community,” Grove said. “There were two really strong candidates; they have different strengths but it was up to Mr. Bacon to determine which candidate was best suited to lead the

department.” Berry currently presides over Bettendorf High School’s vocal program. He has also been Assistant Director of numerous high schools, including Iowa City West High, Cedar Rapids Prairie, and City High. “He truly bleeds City High red and white. He has deep roots here, is very passionate about this high school,” Bacon said. “Bringing great people on the team is my number one priority, that’s why it’s really important to do your homework on the candidates.” Under Grove’s leadership, Fourth Ave is currently ranked as the four-

teenth best high school show choir in the nation. The program hopes to continue this trend. “I have no reason to think the program won’t continue to be successful,” Grove said. “It’s a little bittersweet to walk away from this, but they need to understand that Mr. Berry is now in charge.” Thompson, who recently earned his PhD, will lead the City Lights vocal program as of this fall. “James has a talent in helping top flight choir students move to a higher level,” Bacon said. “The combination of Jim Berry and James Thompson is going to be a very dynamic team.”

Students of Ali Borger-Germann, City High English teacher, have reason to feel lucky. The woman wildly gesturing with her hands in the front of their classroom isn’t just any teacher. She’s the ICCSD’s new Teacher of The Year. “My students tease me about it,” Borger-Germann said. “They’ll say ‘I thought you were supposed to be teacher of the year’ whenever I make a mistake.” The honor was announced at a staff meeting by Principal John Bacon. It was intended to be a surprise, but was ruined when teachers needed items for a scrapbook, and had to tell Borger-Germann. “I was still really surprised when I heard,” Borger-Germann said. “I haven’t been teaching that long, really. Ten years isn’t that long in the scheme of things.” Each year the Iowa City Education Association chooses a teacher to honor based on nominations by colleagues. Borger-Germann was nominated by fellow English teacher Colleen Davis. “I nominated Mrs. Borger-Germann because she is phenomenal,” Davis said. “She’s a demanding teacher, but she gets good results from her students.” Even if she is demanding, students agree that she deserves the honor. “She’s really inspiring, I think,” Tess Wisdom ‘14 said. “She loves what she does and that’s really evident. Wisdom remembers putting on their own production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where she was given her dream role of Puck. “Her passion is just infectious, which is awesome.” Peterson ‘15 agrees. “She gives you so much feedback,” she said. “She focuses on each student and makes sure they each get her time.” While Borger-Germann isn’t sure that her classroom is very different from other teachers, she does place a strong emphasis on the creative side of learning. “It works for some students,” she said. “It doesn’t work for others.” “I’ve been lucky enough to have had a lot of good English teachers,” Wisdom said. “But Mrs. B is really good at showing you ways to think. The things that she teaches you can be applied to anything.” Peterson went on, commenting on the attitude that Borger-Germann brings to the classroom. “She’s really crazy all the time, which adds to the class. It’s just really fun.”

A4 NEWS

ICCSD facilities workshops Party after involve community prom By Jacob Potash

jacobpotash@thelittlehawk.com Almost 200 community members traveled to Parkview Church last month to voice – and debate – their opinions about the direction of the Iowa City Community School District. The three facilities-planning “visioning workshops” were run by BLDD, the architecture firm hired by the district last November. Architect Sam Johnson presented findings from his team’s inspection of district facilities and lead community members through prioritizing exercises that involved dividing up an imaginary budget of $100. “I think it was a lot more collaborative than I expected, which was refreshing,” Amy Thompson, a local mother of two, said. “A lot of times people draw lines along where they live, and it seemed like people were a lot more collaborative than I was anticipating.” Attendees were grouped by table and asked to discuss three prompts together: the first was “How would a visitor to ICCSD describe our current district facilities?” The event’s organizers quickly tallied the results and found crowded, inequitable, clean, and old to be the most commonly used descriptors. Next under discussion was the question “How would you like a visitor to describe our district facilities?” From a list of suggested adjectives, voters described their ideal district as equitable, technology-centered, engaging, and safe. “I think [the activities] were designed to help everybody put themselves in everybody else’s shoes,” Julie VanDyke, a vocal community

HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY 2000

Enrollment

1500

Capacity

1000 500 City High member and board watchdog, said. “I think what it probably did was get people talking to each other in a less adversarial way than they typically do.” The final activity focused on more ICCSD-specific objectives like improve energy policy and classroom upgrades. Notably absent was any discussion of particular buildings or proposals, such as the construction of a third high school. “I think they skirted the issues that were important,” Thompson said, “because you can’t talk about sending 100 million dollars from the RPS if you’re trying to appeal to a large audience.” The time and location of the workshops were heavily debated. All were held at the Parkview loca-

West High tion, but the first two commenced at 9 AM, while the final meeting began at 6 PM. The 6 PM slot attracted almost twice as many attendees and, according to some, a more cross section. “What was successful about this was that you had a better, wider, more diverse representation of the entire community,” Van Dyke, who attended all three workshops, said of the third. As for the venue, school board president Marla Swesey explained that the Parkview building had the right capacity and was technologically well-equipped. The second major component of the workshops was a presentation of BLDD’s findings from a walk-through of district facilities.

Tate Buildings were ranked according to criteria such as educational adequacy, capacity, security, and priority levels. “I think [BLDD] was trying to give people background about what their capacity numbers meant for twenty first century learning environments,” Swesey said. “They tried to give them opportunities to see how difficult it is when you have a lot of things that you have to look at.” Van Dyke expressed concerns over the firm’s emphasis on new projects. “When they’re showing us presentations, they’re not showing how they can adapt existing buildings,” Van Dyke said. “They are selling us a product.”

Fenneman to study in England After spending six months studying abroad in Denmark last year, Elena Fenneman ‘13 will be attending Kingston University in England this fall. By Oli Peters

olipeters@thelittlehawk.com At first glance, Kingston upon Thames seems like any other American college town. A city of about 140,000, it’s filled with large green parks and has a lively student culture. However, Kingston University is in England. This is where Elena Fenneman ‘13 will be studying next year. “It was down to two schools: Drexel University in Philadelphia or Kingston,” Fenneman said. “I would always look at the weather app on my phone and it would be 22 degrees and snowing when it was 60 degrees and sunny in Kingston. Then I went to visit Kingston and I just loved the city.” Kingston upon Thames is located 25 minutes outside of London, offering many career opportunities. “The main difference between

colleges here and the ones in England is that in England, it’s much more career driven,” she said. “You have to be completely decided on what you want to study as a freshmen which was kind of stressful for me. Changing majors is hard over there and I’m still not 100 percent sure what I want to do.” Fenneman decided to major in Marketing and Advertising. This is a three year program, however, Fenneman will spend four years at the university. She will spend her last year at Kingston in a work placement job. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to go to Kingston at first, going to school in England just seemed out of reach,” she said. “But then I did some research and found that for students from the US, Kingston is less expensive than a private school in America.” The total four year cost to go to

Drexel University is about 120,000 dollars, whereas Kingston’s cost is 94,000. This is what ultimately persuaded her parents. “At first my parents said no way to Kingston,” she said. “But I showed them that Drexel is more expensive and they opened up to the idea. I used the program Study Across the Pond to apply.” Study Across the Pond is a free program that helps students from Norway, the US, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and Canada to apply to schools in the UK. “It was nice to have some help from Study Across the Pond when I was applying for schools in England,” she said. “I’m not very nervous to go to school in a different country, though. People always tell me that I might not like it because I’ll get so homesick but being a foreign exchange student in Denmark last year helped with that. I’ve already experienced that

homesickness.” Fenneman credits her foreign exchange experience to more than just being able to deal with homesickness. “I lived with a different family in their house, lived with their rules, and had to learn a new language” she said. “I don’t think it will be as hard to live at Kingston because there are lots of other international students there and they speak English there. Plus, I’ll live in a dorm.” Although Fenneman has already decided to go to Kingston University, she’s not completely sure she’ll be able to go there next fall. “It’s safe to say that I’m going to college there,” she said, “but I still have to score threes on two AP tests this year before they officially accept me. I’m really excited to go, though. I can’t wait to live in England!”

MAY 3, 2013

changes location By Olivia Hamilton

oliviahamilton@thelittlehawk.com With all the hype surrounding Prom, there have been wavering decisions regarding the party after. Last year the “Party After Prom” was held at the University of Iowa Wellness center to great success. This year, the event was supposed to be held at the mall, but recently has been changed to the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. When asked why the location changed, Michelle Highley, the parent in charge of the event, said, “The committee for party after prom had tried to come up with other locations and the Coral Ridge Mall was one of them, but after a vote the rec center was decided upon.” Students expressed satisfaction with the UI Recreation and Wellness Center, the site of last year’s event. “Yeah I really enjoyed it, Leo was great with the Hypnotist,” D’airius Salibi ’13 said. When asked why the wellness center was not considered she responded, “It wasn’t available to use because May 12 is the Sunday before the University of Iowa finals, after myself and several other City High parents contacted the center and received the same response.” However, many students are looking forward to the rec center venue. “It’s a lot better than having it at the mall because it is closer for students to drive there,” Abbey Vitosh ‘13 said. To get those students to come to the event, Michelle said there is a publicity committee working with Mr. Jeff Morris to put up posters sometime this week. Although the location has been moved, the party after, as well as the prom itself, has the looks of a great event yet to come.

FOR MORE NEWS GO TO:

www.thelittlehawk.com

MAY 3, 2013

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

What in theW RLD?! YOU SHOULD KNOW WHO ANTHONY FOXX IS..... Originally elected at the age of 38, Foxx is the youngest mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina and is the first Democrat to hold the office since Harvey Gantt left office in 1987. He is Charlotte’s second African American mayor, as well as its first newly-elected mayor since 1995. On April 5, 2013, he announced that he will not seek reelection as Mayor in 2013. On April 28, 2013, it was reported that Mayor Foxx would be nominated by President Barack Obama to be his new Secretary of Transportation, replacing the outgoing Ray LaHood. The post of Secretary of Transportation was created with the formation of the Department of Transportation on October 15, 1966, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The

NOT-SO-SURPRISING NEWS 1. Boston and MIT bombings lead to epic manhunt 2. College acceptance rates plummet to record lows 3. Kim Jong Un of N. Korea continues to be a joke 4. New judges on reality shows don’t last a season 5. Southern hicks cause gun control to not pass in Senate 6. Switzerland continues to stay out of all World affairs 7. Morp cancelled... sorry we had to

Department’s mission is “to develop and coordinate policies that will provide an efficient and economical national transportation system, with due regard for need, the environment, and the national defense.” The Secretary of Transportation oversees eleven agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In April 2008, Mary Peters launched the official blog of the Secretary of Transportation called The Fast Lane.

Compare & Contrast

THE ASST. PRINCIPAL

TOP10

MOST-WATCHED TV SERIES FINALES 1. M*A*S*H (105.94 million viewers) 2. Cheers (84.4 million viewers) 3. Seinfeld (76.3 million viewers) 4. Friends (52.46 million viewers) 5. The Tonight Show (50 million viewers) 6. The Cosby Show (44.4 million viewers) 7. All in the Family (40.2 million viewers) 8. Family Ties (36.3 million viewers) 9. Home Improvement (35.5 million viewers) 10. Fraiser (33.7 million viewers)

REALLY IMPORTANT CHART: UNIVERSITY REPUTATION

@cnbc The latest news and updatesfrom NBC

First World Pains

@firstworldpains Humorous tweets for all of first-world Americans

MIT

Academic Performance

CNBC

Harvard

So. California Penn State BYU

Iowa

Jenny Johnson

@jennyjohnsonhi5 Comic writer and wife expressing her opinions

Steven Colbert

@stephenathome Personal account for the TV show host and comedian.

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW The Easter bunny isn’t the only animal associated with the holiday, in different parts of Europe kids welcome the Easter fox, chick, or stork. The longest one-syllable word in the English language is “screeched.” Los Angeles’s full name is “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula” A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

The Lit one-pag tle Hawk’s going o e guide to wh n acros a s the gl t’s obe TERRY COLEMAN VS. ASSAULT WEAPONS

*creative commons

YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING:

graphics by jason arnold

CATEGORY

THE KILLING MACHINE

Coleman

Nickname

Trapper Capper

New Athletic Director

Bragging Rights

Got Lincoln

Science Teacher

Past Era

Crossbow

Running

Talent

Killing

Wooden signs in the Main Hallway

Flaw

Killing

Main Office

Current Location

Everywhere

iPads

Addiction

Magazines

WINNER: Terry Coleman

You’ve heard about it on the news, and read about it in the headlines:

WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN CHECHNYA? The Boston Marathon bomgings and subsequent lockdown a few weeks ago brought light to a part of the world previously largely ignored in America: Chechnya. Their longstanding conflict with Russia has been violent, and no peaceful ending is in immediate sight. Chechnya declared independence from Russia in November 1991, but former Russian President Boris Yeltsin waited until 1994 before sending in the troops to restore Moscow’s authority. The election of a pro-Russian president was dismissed as a farce that provoked the first Chechen war, which ended in humiliating defeat for the Russian forces in 1996.

In 1997, the then rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov was elected president and Russia recognised his government. But the issue of Chechnya’s independence was not resolved. On October 1, 1999, Russian Prime Minister (later President) Vladimir Putin sent troops back in after Chechen militants crossed into the neighbouring Muslim region of Dagestan in an unsuccessful attempt to start an armed uprising. Russia’s “anti-terrorist operation” also followed a wave of apartment block bombings in Moscow and other cities, widely blamed on Chechens. source: BBC

WHAT THE TECH? Party Scene

BIGGEST HEADLINES IN THE TECH WORLD

FROM THE CAPITOL President Obama gave a press conference this week defending his second-term performance. President Obama says he hasn’t given up on closing Guantanamo Bay. Secretary of State John Kerry outlined probelms in Syria and how to handle them.

OFF THE SHELF

A ONE-SENTENCE BOOK SUMMARY Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

A vampire-boy and a wolf-man fight for the attention of a really depressed girl and she becomes a vampire and has a scary vampire child.

Twitter #Music Use Twitter to access the music from iTunes and Spotify.

Apple iWatch Rumors spread over Apple’s latest invention: the iWatch.

Windows 8

Windows 8 introduces a host of new gestures and controls that change the way we use PCs.

WORDS OF WISDOM Junk is something you’ve kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it. Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he isn’t there the first time you need him, chances are you won’t be needing him again. Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.

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MAY 3, 2013

NEWS

Students travel to Mexico for volunteer project

This past spring break five City High students travelled to the town of Xicotepec de Juarez, Mexico to participate in a week-long volunteer project. By Daniela Perret

danielaperret@thelittlehawk.com

In the town of Xicotepec de Juarez, Mexico there is no clean running water. There are no playgrounds. Children have worms. For the past 11 years, City High students along with other high schoolers across the state of Iowa have been travelling to this town to try to make life just a little better for the children of Xicotepec de Juarez. This past spring break, a group of 17 high school students from Iowa City, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids along with students from the University of Iowa embarked on a week-long volunteer project, called the Xicotepec Project. The volunteers spent a total of seven days volunteering in schools in and around the town. “I’d never been out of the country,” Greenberg said. “So that was really cool and it was awesome to be able to use my Spanish to talk to the younger kids because they have about the same size of vocabulary as I do.” Students travelled to Xicotepec de Juárez through Rotary In-

ternational, a community based service club. Along with Greenberg, four other City High students participated in the Xicotepec volunteer project this spring including Corbin Scholz ‘13, Tal MorrisDowning ‘14, Hannah Langenfeld ‘14 and Erin Durian ‘14. In addition to these students, nine students from West High, two from Des Moines and one from Cedar Rapids also volunteered. “I really loved it, I thought that it was a great experience and a really cool opportunity,” Emma Greenberg ‘14 said. “I had a really great time and I felt like we helped out a lot.” Students were split into groups who spent most of their time either in construction or pharmacy. Volunteers who worked in construction mainly spent the week at one school where they built a blacktop for the children attending the school. Another construction group spent their time painting a pre-school while one group worked on giving clean water to a convent where the students stayed. Langenfeld was part of the construction crew. “I loved it, if I could do it

City High students in Xicotepec de Juarez, Mexico during Spring Break. Photo courtesy: Emma Greenberg

again I would in a heartbeat,” Langenfeld said. “Experiencing what people in a third world country live with changed my life. Everyone was so kind to us and thanked us for everything and that made me realize how much impact just I alone can have.”

Others working in pharmacy checked height and weight of the children in the schools and gave kids deworming tablets, along with checking the teeth of children and teaching them how to brush their own teeth. “It was interesting, the level

of poverty that some of the people lived in was kind of extreme,” Morris-Downing said. “It was kind of sad. But when you would give the kids things like shoes, or even little basic toys, they would get so happy and you could see all the joy on their faces so that was really cool.”

Scholarship finalists discuss application process By Sonali Durham

sonalidurham@thelittlehawk.com

They’ve written countless essays, filled out dozens of forms, and gotten recommendations from teachers. For City High’s National Merit Finalists and Presidential Scholarship candidates, all that’s left to do is wait. “Once all the app materials were in, I kind of forgot about it all for a few months, focusing on surviving physics and getting into college,” National Merit Finalist and Presidential Scholarship candidate Sophia Opitz ‘13 said. Opitz agrees both awards are honors, but she is not certain that they are sound judgements of talent. “Being a National Merit Scholar means, to me, that I did well on a test,” she said. “Sure, one could also conclude that I’m intelligent and capable of holding a pencil, and I think the majority of people who are National Merit finalists are extremely gifted, but I also know brilliant kids who aren’t National Merit finalists, and I think that definitely shows just how subjective one test can be.” Another point raised by honorees is that not everyone deserving of recognition is recognized. “When I found out I was a Semifinalist, I was happy, but really bummed because a lot of really high-achieving, really intelligent people that I know and am friends with got overlooked, and that wasn’t fair,” National Merit Finalist Avery Mossman ‘13 said. “I think it’s good at telling you how good you are at taking tests, and that’s about it.” Opitz, Mossman and other finalists have reached the penultimate stage in the process of National Merit Scholar selection. National Merit Semifinalists are determined by PSAT scores. The PSAT is a College Board test that is an option for any juniors who want to enter the National Merit competition. Approximately 1.5 million students take the PSAT every year, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Of the students who test, 50,000 students

are recognized as Semifinalists or Commended Students annually. From there, the selection process to identify Finalists begins. “I took the PSAT [first],” National Merit Finalist Juju Wang ‘13 said. “Then, if you got a high enough score in Iowa, you became a Semifinalist.” Wang qualified, and in September was informed of her status as a Semifinalist. Next, she had to fill out an application listing her extracurricular activities, write a personal statement, and achieve an SAT score that matched her high PSAT score. The NMSC looked at all of these factors and selected her as a Finalist. Perkhounkov was notified via letter that he was a candidate for the Presidential Scholars Competition. “At first, I didn’t know what [the program] was,” he said. “Then I looked it up and I was like, ‘Hey, that’s a really cool thing.’” The Presidential Scholars Competition is one of the most eminent distinctions attainable for high school seniors; it’s also one of the most competitive. Perkhounkov was among forty students from the state of Iowa chosen to apply. “There’s a giant application, which I decided not to do. I really though about it before deciding,” Perkhounkov said. “There are probably about five essays you write that are all the basic, generic sort of college/scholarship essay topics. It’s a complicated process.” He decided to prioritize his other scholarships over the Presidential Scholars Competition. “I was applying to five other scholarships, and they took about as much or probably less work, than the entire Presidential Scholarship,” Perkhounkov said. Uncertainties aside, the City High seniors who have been honored are continuing a long line of successful City students. Guidance counselor Linda Hoel is optimistic about the results of the many scholarships applications being sent out by seniors. “Our seniors have been active in applying for scholarships, and City High students usually walk away with a lot of them,” she said.

A8 NEWS

MAY 3, 2013

Lunch with a side of Bacon @CHSnicegirls

Tweets out to kindness

By Claire Noack

clairenoack@thelittlehawk.com

Every Friday during lunch Principal John Bacon can be found in the conference room across the hall from his office. He’s not in a meeting with school administrators or members of the Board of Education. He is eating his lunch of Hy-Vee pizza and pop with the students of City High, and coming up with ideas on how to make this school a better place to be. “At the beginning of this year I had a goal set to do two different things. I wanted to recognize the students who are doing a nice job,” Bacon said. “I also wanted to have a system that I could get input on students from the operation of the high school.” Bacon realized that both of these goals could be accomplished through the program he and his fellow administrators came up with. Teachers are encouraged every week to nominate deserving students. According to Bacon, a “deserving,” student could range from one doing something that is a really big deal, to one that simply does small things, day in and day out. The teachers write a postcard explaining what the student did well, and give it to the main office. From those postcards, ten are selected, and those students are the ones that are invited to eat with Bacon the following Friday. Micah Cabbage ‘14 was nominated by City High math teacher Jeremy Negus for working hard in math and bringing her grade back up. “At first I was surprised, because it doesn’t say who nominated you,” she said. “I was thinking, ‘Who knew my teachers liked me?’”

By Ellen Carman

ellencarman@thelittlehawk.com

Mr. Bacon eating lunch in the conference room with City High students. Photo by Claire Noack

Cabbage admits that she was mainly looking forward to the lunch because she was told food would be provided. “It was a little quiet at first, and people didn’t really want to say anything,” she said. “But it slowly eased into conversation.” At these lunches, Bacon welcomes suggestions for City’s future. “We talk about their perceptions of how school is going and what ideas they have on how to keep improving,” Bacon said. “Sometimes I think it’s hard for students to say something. They think they might be sounding critical or like they’re complaining, but I say I really I want the feedback.” Parking and the locker configuration have been common topics, but no one is turning the discussion into a joke.

“I think that students try to provide constructive, real, do-able ideas. No one is saying ‘give us recess, close school at 1:00.’” Bacon said. “I’m not hearing silly things, I’m hearing serious feedback from students who have good ideas.” Cabbage agreed that it was a good experience. “I had the chance to discuss school issues with many different types of people,” she said. So far, there have been six weeks of lunches, and heard from 60 different students. “Honestly I can tell you it has been the best part of my day everytime we have done it,” Bacon said. “I really love the program and want to continue doing it.”

@CHSnicegirls just started in February; however, people are already talking about it. “It’s weird to hear people talk about it,” The anonymous founder of @CHSnicegirls said. “It’s kind of cool that it has generated conversation and people are talking about it.” The idea to start a Twitter account that tweets ‘shout-outs’ to people at City High was inspired by the @westhighbros Twitter sensation. “I only tweet at people who follow me,” @CHSnicegirls said. “And if they’re nice. I mean I’m not going to tweet at people who are rude. I think if you are nice you deserve to be tweeted at.” Molly Hayes ‘14 is one of these followers. However, she has never gotten a shout-out from @ CHSnicegirls. “I think it’s a good idea and it’s nice they are complimenting people and tweeting at people but it also makes people who haven’t got a shout out feel left out,” Hayes said. “It’s good that they compliment people, but it causes that tension where you are looking at the tweets and when there isn’t one about you, you are kind of let down.” @CHSnicegirls doesn’t only tweet to individuals. They also point out good things going on at

City High. When the girls basketball team finished their season @ CHSnicegirls tweeted, “S/O to the girls bball team. What an AMAZING season you guys are awesome no matter what Keep your heads up and we’ll see you next year #CHNG” The choice to tweet anonymously is not something that @ CHSnicegirls gave a lot of thought to but so far not even her friends know that she is the founder of the account. “It’s better that they are anonymous. That way someone won’t make an effort to be nice to them just to get a tweet,” Hayes said. “It seems like it’s more of the voice of City High that represents what everyone thinks and not just one person’s opinion.” The job isn’t as easy as it may seem though. “I have only been doing it for like a month and it’s kind of getting old,” @CHSnicegirls said. “I think everyone deserves a shoutout though.” Hayes likes the intent of the account, but believes that it could do more to combat cyber-bullying on twitter. “It would be good if they could try to help everyone in the school and make it more widespread. It would boost morale in City High,” she said. “If they see anything happening on Twitter that is negative they could go against that. They could be the superhero of twitter.

MAY 3, 2013

NEWS

Model UN provides political experience By Lilly Reitz

lillyreitz@thelittlehawk.com

For students interested in international relations and and politics, the Model UN club here at City High is a place they can explore their interest. “Model UN is the spark that, for many, helps them find their passion,” said Model UN sponsor Mr. Dodge. Ryan O’Malley, ‘13, is an active member of Model UN, “I want to work in international relations, so I got involved in Model UN. It promotes understanding of the world, and I really like it.” O’Malley also pursued this goal by traveling to China as a foreign exchange student in 2012. “International relations and Model UN were part of the reason I traveled to China. I also wanted to work on my Mandarin,” O’Malley said. Participation in Model UN can often offer opportunities, like the foreign exchange program O’Malley was involved in. Active membership of Model UN is usually something desired on the resume of anyone wanting to work in international re-

lations on a high scale. “Many participants go on to careers in government or deal with the issues they learn about in Model UN,” said Dodge. City High is one of many schools across the country that has a Model UN program. The United Nations was established in 1945, and is the largest international organization in the world. The United Nations has 193 member states that get together and discuss solutions to problems. In a conference designed to imitate a United Nations meeting, students from high schools and colleges around the state get together to have a mock UN meeting. Different schools represent different countries, this year City High is posing as the United States and Germany. “We’re put into committees and students propose solutions that the United Nations will implement,” said Abram Nothnagle, ‘13. “We debate the issue until a decision is made. But it’s more of a discussion as opposed to a fight.” Along with the annual Model UN conference at the University of Northern Iowa, Model UN also works to help the United Nations

LEFT TO RIGHT: Kieran Green ‘13, Dorone Tsachor ‘13, Abram Nothnagle ‘13, Ava Vargason ‘13, Seb Surom ‘13, Ryan O’Malley ‘13 at UNI’s Model UN. Photo Courtesy Mr. Dodge.

and learn about international relations. “Last year, we raised money for the United Nations Clean Water Project,” O’Malley said. “We usually

have a project along with the conference.” Model UN not only promotes international relations, but it can teach students other skills as well.

“Model UN is a great way to learn about negotiations, debate, and the world in general,” said Dodge.

Education evolves with technology

MOOCs and Online Courses are challenging the traditional classroom setting. Experts and users of the online side of the battle share their opinions and experiences about this new brand of education. By Olivia Parrott

oliviaparrott@thelittlehawk.com

Click, click, scroll. Type, type, press play. These are not tasks typically seen or heard from a traditional classroom. However, this is not an orthodox study place; this is education online. Two of the different major approaches to online learning that have recently burst onto the scene are MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and open boundary online courses. Both systems offer the ability for people from all over the world to gain valuable education and are becoming increasingly popular. Over 1.7 million users have joined Coursera according to The New York Times, and 6.1 million students have taken advantage of Online Courses as of Fall 2010 according to the study, “Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States, 2011”. The percent increase has been rising each year. Open Boundary online courses use chat rooms, online forums, and teacher-to-student grading to make the courses as interactive and as social as possible. They usually require a fee and take 12 hours a week for a three-credit-hour course, although different online classes have different requirements for hours and credits. On the other hand, MOOCs allow students to learn by brief lectures given by an elite professor. Students grade their peers’ work and the connection with the instructor is almost non-existent. However, the users do not usually have to pay

for all it offers. For every 100 students who enroll in a MOOC, the completion rate can be as low as two percent, and as high as ten percent, with about five percent being the most common completion rate, according to Cordell Jeppsen, who works in the UI Division of Continuing Education as the IT director. “I believe online learning is a productive way for students to learn. But I don’t know that MOOCs are a very good way to learn online in depth,” Tim Mcgee, Director of Distance Learning at Kirkwood Community College said. Open Boundary online courses’ ability to connect with students with its communal, intuitive and hands-on qualities allow students to have an equal to or better experience than in the classroom. “I think students learn as much in an online environment as they do in an on-campus environment... Email and discussion forums present an environment where all students are able to participate and interact, regardless of personality type,” McGee said. He went on to say that online courses have much more interaction, which is a key element of the courses, whereas MOOCs reach a more varying and diverse audience wanting to only touch briefly on a subject. Additionally, MOOCs are not (yet) commonly used to earn a degree or college credit in any form, while online courses are often utilized by college students separated from their college’s physical campus by time zones or by simultaneous

classes in their schedule. Hans Batichon, a student teacher at City High who earned his teaching degree completely online, took advantage of this aspect of online education. “The online process gave me an opportunity to be a husband, Father to two kids, and work two full time jobs while going to school full time. An opportunity that I couldn’t take advantage of 15 years ago,” Batichon said. Batichon began his post-secondary education career by attending Appalachian State University from 2004 to 2008 where he completed his B.A. in Communications. From there from 2009 to 2010, he attended Georgia Southern University and earned his Masters in Counseling Education. However, Batichon dropped out of the program because of his move to Iowa. If Georgia Southern University was online, he could have continued with the program, but he couldn’t attend class in Georgia if he is living in Iowa. This is what pushed him to joining the online education community. Batichon, wanting at first to be a social studies teacher, started his online course resume taking 18 credit social sciences online courses in spring of 2011 via Kirkwood College’s Angel software with courses ranging from “Ancient Mediterranean World” to “United States History since 1877”. After Kirkwood, Batichon enrolled in Grand Canyon University, an online university based in Arizona, where he earned his Masters of

Secondary Education after switching over to their Special Education program in Fall of 2011 to prepare him to be a real-world teacher. Ever since then he has been a special education student teacher, and he continues actively learning with Grand Canyon University. “I loved the fact that I could read the teachers lecture online, write my opinion on the discussion board and turn in my work. [The experience was} very simple and fast,” Batichon stated. On the other hand, he believes, like everything else, that online courses have their own complications. “Group work was bad because I had to communicate through email and discussion post online. The traditional experience would have allowed me to meet at the library with my group members and get the project done. You can’t do that online because some of your classmates are miles away.” Additionally, test-taking might require a student to travel anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours in order to reach the test-taking location. This could prove cumbersome for working parents with families at home. “I would say the weakness was [traveling for] the tests. I really don’t like that,” Batichon said. Furthermore, the traditional classroom setting provides features online courses couldn’t. Batichon, even after completing his college career online, accredits the traditional classroom setting. “I recommend high school students take the traditional route.

Having a real college experience is priceless.” He doesn’t believe the world will be moving to complete online education anytime in the near future, either. “There are fields that require a hands-on learning environment. For example: Mechanics, nursing, cooks and doctors. People need to get the traditional experience to get the best out of their education.” Withal, Jeppsen contradicts this idea, however he does believe, as well, that online courses and traditional education can complement each other well. “With many open courses the nature of and the need for printed books is changing into something that can be more readily available to students at a smaller cost.” Jordan Hanrahan, also a special education student teacher at City High, agrees with Batichon. “I have really struggled with the fact that I never see another person in my class.”

TO CONTINUE READING GO TO:

www.thelittlehawk.com

A9NEWS

A10

MAY 3, 2013

GLOW City High’s

club is proiding a safe haven against bullying for students of any sexual orientation. By Renata Stewart While LGBT awareness and marriage rights are becoming bigger and bigger issues on the national stage, City High’s GLOW -- Gay, Lesbian, or Whatever -- club is tackling the subject closer to home. Every Friday afternoon, this club meets to discuss events and projects, as well as to simply allow everyone the chance to feel like they have a comforting, accepting place to be themselves. “If any students feel like they’re being bullied because they’re different [for any reason], we just try to support them and make them feel like it’s okay to be themselves,” Tenisha Robinson, Vice President, said, explaining the goal of the club. While GLOW has existed at City for some time, Maureen Hill, current Co-teacher Sponsor, took over five years ago, and has seen major growth, both in the group itself and in the school’s acceptance. “City High has always been a very supportive environment,” Hill commented. “But I realized in talking to students who are older and have graduated that there used to be more harassment and bullying issues.” This change is evident in the size of the club itself, as well. “We’re in a period right now where GLOW keeps getting bigger and bigger and fewer students are saying that they’ve had issues with classmates or teachers,” Hill said. “But the administration has always been extremely supportive. It’s been a really fantastic experience.” Beyond talking and discussing issues having to do with LGBT rights and bullying, GLOW organizes annual projects and awareness opportunities. -Maureen Hill “Something we do every year is the Day of Silence,” Hill explained. “It’s a one day nationwide event where students can take a vow of silence to show their support for people who have been bullied, even to the point of suicide, for their LGBT identification.” This year, the day fell on April 19th, when many GLOW members participated to show their solidarity. The same solidarity presented on this day exists within the club itself, as is evident from what students share about their experiences in the group. “GLOW is so important to me because it’s really brought me out of my shell,” Alysa McCray said. “It’s helped encourage me to confront people who use gay as a negative slang word, and it’s just kind of been a nice place to come where you know you’re going to be accepted and where you know you don’t have to do anything uncomfortable.” Kyler Paterson has been similarly changed. “When I met the previous president, Ari, she really made me feel like I was accepted. It has helped me through the process of finding out who I am,” he said. “GLOW has saved my life.”

“We’re in a period right now where GLOW keeps getting bigger and bigger and fewer students are saying that they have had issues with classmates or teachers.“

City High Glow Members

BY THE NUMBERS

STATES HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON GAY MARRAIGE

COUNTRIES THAT PARTLY OR FULLY RECOGNIZE GAY MARRIAGE

By Kieran Green Over the past couple of months, the Supreme Court has begun to consider a set of cases that have the potential to strike down several anti-gay marriage laws across the US. The court case concerns the validity of two separate laws. The first, the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA, was enacted by a Republican-controlled congress in the fall of 1996. The law formally defines marriage as being between one man and one woman, as well exempting states from having to recognize gay marriages made in other states (eg, Texas is not required to recognize marriages that originate in Iowa). In the interim period, a slough of legal challenges to the law have arisin challenging various aspects of the Act. The bill’s opponents have criticized it for being discriminatory, as it functionally restricts gay couples from having access to federal benefits that heterosexual couples possess (such as being able to file jointly for taxes, hospital visiting rights, and eligibility for federal tax benefits). Additionally, many have called into question the constitutionality of the law, claiming that it violates the the “full faith and credence” clause of the constitution which stipulates that individual states must respect laws and regulations that are Proponents have argued that the bill is necessary to protect states rights to find their own definitions of marriage. The second law that is being challenged is a state ordinance known as “Proposition 8.” The law was passed in California in 2008, and defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. Should the law be struck down, it would open the door to legal chal-

lenges against other state laws which prohibit gay marriage, effectively rendering them invalid. Challenges to both laws in the lower courts have largely been inconclusive, with judges coming down on both sides of the argument. However, outside the judiciary system, gay marriage advocacy groups have made significant progress at the local and state levels. Gay Marriage has been legalized by in the District of Columbia and several tribal jurisdictions, as well as nine states including Iowa. Many students have reacted positively to these developments “I think [the legalization of gay marriage in Iowa] is really great. More equality on any level is always good, of course, and I grew up with two moms, so i am personally glad that they were able to get married” Joey Weidman (‘16) said.” However, there has been pushback from conservative groups opposing the marriage legalization. This pushback has taken the form of efforts to throw out judges that supported marriage equality in Iowa during the 2012 election, as well as legislation aimed at slashing their pay by as much as 80%. “I think that trying to throw [pro-equality judges] out of office is ridiculous. The justice system was made to be mostly independent of party politics” Zach Swanson (‘13) said. The Supreme Court is due to render a decision on the gay marriage case sometime in mid-June. Until then, no new information will be released regarding the judge’s decision. “I definitely hope that the Supreme Court legalizes it, but i think they will probably just give the right to decide to the states” Weidman said.

STATES THAT CURRENTLY ALLOW GAY MARRIAGE: Connecticut Iowa Maine Maryland Massachussetts New Hampshire New York Vermont Washington Washington, DC

A12

The Little Hawk

OPINION

Staff Editorial:

The Next Ten Years

Johnson County has seen some momentous changes over the past decade. However, future challenges may prove even more difficult to overcome.

Executive Editors

renata stewart, cassie wassink

News Editors

ellen carman, oli peters

Opinion Editors kieran green

A&E Editor jacob potash

Feature Editors

alexandra perez, emma baxter

Sports Editors

ryan young, annika wasson

Design Team

nora holman, jason arnold, emma gier, renata stewart

Photo & Video Editor kiera zapf

Copy Editor lily howard

Online Editors

nat alder, max friedman

Ad Managers

mikiel curtis, nora holman

Staff

malin craig, juliette enloe, olivia hamilton, neil harte, will lubaroff, bradon offerman-mims, daniela perret, gabriel basile, lilly reitz, will barker, mckinley barbouroske, adam bwayo, abigal dickson, sonali durham, rachel gralnek, jamel hudson, elijah jones, emma mcnutt, claire noack, chris ohrt, olivia parrot, gillian reitz, sabrina rodgers, claire rutherford, dominic balestieri-fox, caroline brown, leo doyle, claire goodfellow, innes hicsasmaz, autumn moen, lauren o’brien, isabelle teduits, hailey verdick, chris winegarden

Adviser

jonathan rogers 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. Spanish Version: Declaración de Equidad: Es la política de Iowa City Community School District no descriminar en base a raza, credo, color, género, origen, religión, edad, estado civil, orientación sexual, estado de veterano, incapacidad, =estado socio-económico en sus programas educacionales, actividades, o políticas de empleo. Si usted piensa que usted o su hijo (a) han sido descriminados o que han sido tratados injustamente en la escuela, por favor comuníquese con el Director de Equidad, Ross Wilburn, 509 S. Dubuque Street, teléfono: 319-688-1000.

art by juliette enloe Over the past twenty years, the social and economic makeup of Iowa City has changed drastically. Factors such as demographic shifts, urban development, and population growth have combined to alter almost every aspect of our lives. In the past decade especially, Iowa City has gone from being a fairly homogenous college town to being much more culturally and ethnically diverse. In every sense of the word, we are becoming more of a melting pot. However, this transition has not been without difficulty, especially among Iowa City’s schools. Racial tension, fiscal concerns over commercial development, and struggles over redistricting have come to define inner-city relations, creating an atmosphere of anger and distrust among students and parents. At the same time, the district has been challenged by the prospect of meeting the academic and social needs of a growing number of students. Up until this point, the district has done an admirable job of addressing these various problems, but new challenges lay ahead. According to a report by the consulting firm DeJong-Richter, enrollment in the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) is expected to increase by 3000 or more students in the coming decade, with many of the new enrollees coming from underprivileged families. Meeting these new challenges will require a coordinated effort on the part of administrators at both the local and state levels, as well as support from educators, parents, and students. Indeed, there is no one entity that can solve the problems that Iowa City will be presented with in the coming decade. It will have to be a group effort. It is in this spirit of cooperation, then, that the Little Hawk Staff presents our top three policy suggestions for the next decade.

Do you think that the district’s approach to education will need to change in the future?

YES:

NO:

(

YES:

(

but only minor changes are required

1) Strive to inform and create dialogue Oftentimes, the most difficult part in solving a problem is figuring out what the problem is in the first place. This has been amply demonstrated in the squabbles over school district policy. Parents and students feel very strongly (and rightly so), but when asked about the policies that they support or oppose they are oftentimes misinformed. There is simply no easily accessible venue for people to access reliable, unbiased information about new proposals for district policy. News reports about new proposals are oftentimes too shallow to allow readers to reach their own conclusions, and the proposals themselves are often shrouded in archaic legalese. Needless to say, this must change. There’s no reason why accessing information about the education should be more difficult than accessing information about the weather. It would be fairly easy to create a website where webcasts of school board meetings could be posted. The website could also include a section where new proposals and initiatives are explained in an easy-to-access

manner, with both the pros and cons being presented. 2) Pay more attention to both ends of the bell curve As the recession hit and calls for fiscal austerity began to become more commonplace in the state capital, many school districts found themselves squeezed, having to accommodate larger student populations with dwindling resources. As a result, many “non-essential” programs have seen their budgets slashed or cut entirely. Unfortunately, this has had a very negative effect on “non-average” students (ie, gifted and at-risk students). Programs like summer school and support for dyslexic and dysnomic students have been under-supported. At the same time, despite the increased availability of AP classes, many extra-curricular programs that target gifted students like debate and robotics are unable to fully fulfill their potential because of budget shortfalls. Put simply, it is asinine to think that funding for schools is being called into question at all. There is literally no reason that the phone of every single state representative shouldn’t be ringing off the hook with angry

parents wondering why education isn’t the prime concern for each and every member of the state legislature. It has been amply demonstrated that a student’s success in life is directly correlated with the attention that said student receives at a young age. As a community we should be more willing to make that investment, and to help students attain their full potential. 3) Class is a barrier. Break it down! Somewhere in the last ten years, a stereotype emerged which depicted West High as being more academically adept than City High. More than anything else, this stigma has contributed to a mutual antagonism between the east and west sides of town. Unfortunately, there really is no way to “legislate the problem away,” because the problem exists in the hearts and minds of students and parents. It is up to us, then, to realize that the stigmas that we’ve attached to our respective schools are entirely and unequivocally false. Over the past year, West has been ascendant in many sporting events, while City has dominated a host of academic activities. That in and of itself should cast significant doubt upon the validity of these stereotypes. Friendly sporting rivalries are perfectly fine, but at the end of the day we have to acknowledge that we are both public schools that serve a wider community, and that the differences between our communities are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Thus, allowing those preconceived notions to affect the way that we enact policy is not only misguided, it is overtly harmful to students.

MAY 3, 2013

OPINION

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Head to Head: “The R Word” by KIERAN GREEN In 1977, in the landmark case of “Smith v. Collin,” the United States Supreme Court ruled that the National Socialist Party of America had the right to hold a demonstration in the town of Skokie, Illinois. The town’s residents, many of whom were holocaust survivors, were incensed. To them, the march seemed like a flagrant abuse of the right to free speech. However, the court defended its decision, stating that the protection of offensive speech is a necessary component of the first amendment. Forty years later, the nation is still trying to find a balance between protecting freedom of speech and protecting the rights of minorities. One of the more pressing issues today concerns the usage of the word “retarded,” otherwise known as “the R word.”Through the efforts of disability-advocacy groups (including our very own chapter of Best Buddies), usage of the Word has de-

by RENATA STEWART

creased dramatically. Now, this development in and of itself has been very positive. However, in recent years it would seem that the movement has stagnated, not because the message is any less relevant but because of the way that it is delivered. Put simply, a lot of students are turned off by what they perceive as being overly aggressive or even preachy rhetoric on the part of advocates. The main message of projects like “Spread the Word to End the Word” has been to encourage students to speak out against the use of the R Word in the public sphere. In and of itself, this has been a very necessary and admirable campaign, but it has resulted in some advocates, including those here at City High, becoming a little bit too overzealous in their efforts to eradicate the word. The reason that campaigns like Spread the Word to End the Word worked is because they relied on students

telling each other that using the term “retard” is unacceptable, and then having individual students make a conscious decision not to use that term. It encouraged students to have a dialogue about the words that they used. Now, though, it seems like there is much less of an emphasis on dialogue. Put simply, many students feel like they are being talked at rather than talked to, which oftentimes a provokes a negative reaction. If using the term “Retard” is unacceptable (and it is unacceptable) we should let individuals figure them out for themselves, and to “demonstrate their own stupidity,” much like the Illinois Nazi Party demonstrated its stupidity in the 1970’s. However, this can only be achieved if we engage students in a dialogue, and let them come to their own conclusion as to what is and isn’t culturally acceptable.

The “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign is by no means an attack. I, nor anybody else, is here to say that if that word has ever been part of your vocabulary, you are a despicable human being. We are not censoring your language, not punishing you for a habit easily formed. This is a campaign of awareness. To make people conscious of the fact that the “rword”, even when not used to directly harm someone with a disability, is hurtful to many with intellectual and developmental disabilities. When used in conversation, the word “retard” becomes synonymous with a whole slew of negative descriptors: stupid, useless, deficient,

pointless, dumb. Used in connection to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the word is hurtful and discriminatory. By creating awareness of the negative effects of using the r-word, we hope to start to cut it out of the vocabulary of our generation, thus decreasing the word’s circulation in the future. I’ve heard excuse after excuse as to why censoring the r-word isn’t worth it. And to those who say it’s “just a word, calm down”: If it’s really just a word, then it’s just one word to cut out of your vocabulary. And if it makes even one classmate, friend, or acquaintance feel more included, then I’d say it’s a word worth cutting out. It’s as simple as that.

“The “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign is not an attack.”

I Hate Pennies by LILLY REITZ

In 2012, the American government spent more than 14 billion dollars to mint 6 billion dollars worth of pennies. Wait - what?! Yes. It costs more than twice the face value of a penny to create a penny. Which, come to think of it, makes about as much sense as paying for a library card. The debate of whether or not to stop minting pennies has been floating around since my parents were in college. So obviously we haven’t gotten too far with this issue. People who want to keep the penny reason that prices may inflate due to everything having to be rounded to the nickel, and if we get rid of the penny, the demand of nickels will be higher (nickels cost about 50% more than face value to mint, which is another debt the United States carries on its shoulders). But, mostly, people tend to want to keep the penny because it’s sentimental to them. People grew up

with the penny, and they think that since we always have had pennies, we should keep them. But the reasoning of the propenny party is irrelevant to me, an anti-penny activist, and let me tell you why: Pennies are worthless. The point of currency in an established government is to facilitate the exchange of goods and services. Does a penny do that? Nope. Vending machines and parking meters don’t accept pennies. No one buys a gallon of gas with three hundred and forty nine pennies. Pennies are change that we give to the homeless or drop

Rock ly h t n o M with Jesus and the Buddha by KIERAN GREEN

in gutters because they get in our way and make no difference in your personal wealth. We are not the first country to want to get rid of the penny, and many countries, such as Canada, Sweden, and Australia have rid their countries of the one cent piece. Canada, like us, originally was wary of ridding their country of the penny, one of the reasons being projected inflation (just like pro-penny activists are arguing). Lo and behold, Canadian citizens saved money - contrary to what they

“It costs more than twice the face value of a penny to create a penny. Which makes about as much sense as paying for a library card.”

predicted. It is estimated that if and when we get rid of the penny, the rounding of prices to the nickel will save the consumer 1/40th of a cent in general purchases. (That may not seem like a lot, but that is saving the government 1/20th of a cent in copper purchases.) Although it is true that if and when the penny is eliminated, nickels will be in higher demand, it is also true that nickels, like pennies, cost more than face value to make. The difference, though, is that making a penny costs 240% of its face value to mint, while making a nickel costs about 150% of its face value. However, no more nickels would be minted than the standard amount of nickels that are minted every year. The sentimental reasoning to keep pennies is something I can understand, but I cannot understand why this would get in the way of logic. I, personally loved the feeling of

breaking my piggy bank and taking the pennies, nickels, and dimes to the bank for a very satisfying dollar bill or two as a kid. (Now, pennies plague the change pocket it my wallet and drive me mad.) And an argument is that if we get rid of the penny, kids won’t experience that in the same way (but when I was 7, I didn’t have my own iPad or laptop. So I feel like it’s a fair trade). The sentimental reasoning is understandable, to a degree, but I’d much rather pay less for regular items, pay less in taxes, and have a government not as much in debt than my little cousin getting to break their piggy bank and hold the hundred or so pennies in their little hands. The amount of people who want to get rid of the penny and keep the penny are about half and half. But with America in trillions of dollars of debt, throwing away 6 billion dollars per year on a coin that most people find annoying and worthless just doesn’t make cents to me.

. Yeah. To be entirely honest I don’t think it’s that great. It always seems to devolve into meta-humor and anti jokes. Hey Jesus, have you checked out this “Rock Monthly” comic?

. Yeahhhhhhhh

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MAY 3, 2013

THUMBS

By Someone Who’s Almost Out of Here by LILY HOWARD

As my time at good ol’ City High comes to a close, I’d like to take this opportunity to be completely honest. I won’t say that I look back on high school and think “Woah, that was quick!” because it wasn’t. The past four years have been long and became more excruciating with each incredibly long day. However, that’s not to say they weren’t enjoyable, not to mention educational. Sure, Freshman year was a pathetic blend of ugly haircuts and Saturday nights filled with roaming around the Sycamore Mall, (who really knows. . . like really, what the heck were we doing there?) but it was an essential time to figure some crap out. Like what a brush was, and what I really wanted to get out of my high school experience. I was admittedly kind of a loser. I didn’t do

any sports because I wanted to spend all my time riding horses and easing into the heavy class load (HA!) and didn’t put much effort into my social life, preferring to stay home and read books or hang out with my mom. But as I made the HUGE transition from Freshman to Sophomore, I decided I actually needed to do some stuff. So I filled up my schedule with harder more interesting classes, joined clubs and sports, made friends and basically learned the world wouldn’t end if I went to bed past ten every once and a while. The change in my mindset way back in 2010 made all the difference, kind of like in that Robert Frost poem, except for instead of choosing a path in a wood, I chose to grow out my bangs and stop watching Disney Channel Original Movies religiously.

Now, as graduation is close enough to smell the sweet stench of tanning oil in the summer sun, I’ve found that I have come full circle. Almost all of my extracurriculars have come to a close and the pressure of seven classes is much reduced by the fact that I have less internal motivation than a person being forced to babysit their cousins for free. The only difference is that now I spend my copious amounts of free time with all the great people I met as I was hurtling through a jam-packed life and I’m having a darn good time doin’ it! Now, I’m not saying I advocate reducing your involvement and not trying as much at the end of your Senior year, but I am saying “Yes, you should absolutely do that because your life will be a lot better and you will have

more fun.” And I’m also saying, to really sum all this babbling up, that you gotta do all the activities that you could possible imagine, for at least a little while, to have the blast and a half that you will when you finally take a break and fondly reflect on your high school career. Almost like a fat panda gazing back into a forest of bamboo that it single handedly decimated with its astounding eating prowess. Or perhaps more like a human, who has worked very hard for four years and is finally finished receiving a slip of paper that tells them that they don’t have to work anymore, at least for a little while, who then looks to either side and grins widely at the friends that definitely exist, because it’s the friends that make all the difference.

Boston Strong Old episodes of Lost May Prom as an underclassman Graduation Ultimate frisbee Mr. Berry

Stress About Same Sex

Light shows Model UN

by CHRIS WINEGARDEN

Grad parties Game of Thrones May flowers Marriage equality EDM “All I do is Win” The Great Gatsby movie/soundtrack

Domestic terrorism *gaymarraige.procon.org

In 2005, six same-sex couples from Polk County were denied the right to marry. After four long years of court cases and lawsuits, those couples were finally able to marry after the Iowa Supreme court unanimously voted for legalization of same-sex marriage on April 3, 2009, making Iowa the third state in America to do so. That was a big win for the battle of same-sex marriage in our country, but the war isn’t even close to being over. To be precise, it is forty-one states away. And this war, which is what it really is, won’t be won until all the states legalize same-sex marriage. Only then will gay couples finally be able to claim victory. However, this unconventional war doesn’t need to be violent. In fact, the only way every state is going to be convinced to legalize same-sex marriage is to show them that same sex marriages aren’t so different. Our country was founded on freedom. Religion, speech, thoughts, ideas... the list goes on. But when will everyone truly have the rights they deserve? Lots of groups of peo-

ple have gotten the rights they were promised by protesting, like African-Americans, women, MexicanAmericans, and many more. Now it is time for same sex couples to take to the streets and show America that they are people too and deserve the same rights as everyone else. “I think that this is a very delicate issue in America. If you look at a lot of the statements that the Supreme Court judges have been issuing individually, a lot of them are just trying to get around it,” Cody Owen, ‘16, says. “It’s somewhat of a loaded question if you are in that powerful of a position to ask if gay marriage should be legal under the constitution, because if they say yes then they upset the ‘right-wingers’ and if they say no then they upset the liberals.” It is hard to make any decision under pressure, especially with America so passionate about this topic. Another possibility could be that about seventy-five percent of Americans are Christian and the Bible doesn’t support same-sex marriage. Andrea Flack, ‘16, helps

clarify. “I follow the religion of Christianity, and it is against my religion to be gay or support gay activities,” Flack said. “Christianity is the largest religion in America, so I guess it would have a large influence on the judges’ decision.” Seventy-five percent of Americans are Christian, but how many of them support same sex marriage? Some of the churches here in Iowa City have gay patrons and will marry them. Even though it is legal to marry same-sex couples, it disappoints me that not all churches follow through with this new law. “The main thing is that Christians are against gay marriage, and I’m not saying all Christians are against it but it is mostly religious people are against it,” Tom McDowell ‘16 said. “Which really isn’t a reason for it to be illegal.” “I think the big thing that bugs a lot of people is no kids are going to naturally come from a same sex marriage,” said Henry Bethke, ‘16. These two ideas tie into each other really well. I think the only

reason religious people don’t like same-sex marriage is because the Bible says it’s bad and no children naturally come from it. “There really isn’t difference between a “typical marriage” and a gay marriage,” Said Keegan O’Berry, ‘16, the son of a same sex marriage. “They are just two people that love each other. I think kids of same sex marriage are raised differently, but not because of their parents sexuality.” Don’t forget the Bible says that women can’t teach or have authority over men, and that people should beat their children if they do something wrong. If someone is attacking you, it says that you shouldn’t fight back but instead you should allow them to keep hitting you until they are done. The Bible is basically a guide in which to live by, it is not meant to be followed to the letter. It’s more like the golden rule, do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. It’s your business on who you want to be with in your life, not anyone else’s.

Bridges Tech week Class of 2013’s last issue Wisdom teeth Prom as an upperclassman The Vietnam War Prom groups Prom photos Seriously though, prom Grad party notifications The Walking Dead Cold weather in April AP tests Westbro Baptist Church

MAY 3, 2013

OPINION

The Steubenville Effect by INNES HICSASMAZ

Oj Simpson, Oscar Pistorious, Pierre Pierce. What do they all have in common? They’re athletes notorious for violence against women. These days it seems like violence has become a part of sports culture. A new scandal is always revealed about an athlete getting in trouble with the law, from drug use to sexual assault. The problem doesn’t lie in sports, but rather in the culture that glorifies them. The adulation of athletes can lead them to believe in their artificial perfection. They feel they can do anything and get away with it, just because they’re “on the team.” Last summer, in Steubenville, Ohio, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, star players on Steubenville High School’s football team, raped a girl from a neighboring town. She had been drinking excessively at several endof -the-summer parties, and the two boys dragged the unconscious girl from one party to the other and openly took advantage of her. The girl, known only as Jane Doe, was so incapacitated that she didn’t remember anything that had happened until she looked online the next day. The question is, why didn’t anybody interfere? These were public parties in residential areas. It’s hard to believe neighbors weren’t bothered by the noise or underage drinking

and even harder to believe no one was concerned for Jane Doe. The answer lies in the extremely footballoriented culture of Steubenville. The only reason neighbors or local authorities didn’t get involved that night was because beloved athletes were at the parties, and were left to have as much fun as they desired. The two boys accused and the handful of others that had been witness to the abuse were not suspended or even benched from football. Half of the students in Steubenville, including Jane Doe’s “friends,” blamed her for the attack and accused her of trying to tarnish the football team’s spotless reputation. That’s right; they blamed the rape victim for getting raped. This is not the first story with a link between sports and abuse, and it is certainly not the last. In the same week that Mays and Richmond were convicted, another story highlighted an incident in Connecticut, where football players were accused of raping two 13 year old girls. Connections were made to the Steubenville case because the girls were blamed for the assault and the rapists suffered little punishment. Something is wrong when that is allowed to happen.

However, sports don’t cause violence; that’s something that just exists. The problem is using sports as an excuse to cover up the crime. As an athlete myself, I understand the sports culture of America. As a human being, I can’t comprehend why we put someone above the law because they know how to hit a ball. Being a small college town with many tallented teams and athletes, sports is a big deal in Iowa City. However, the community’s admiration is rarely used as an excuse for athletes to behave inappropriately. Unfortunately, rape happens all around the world; Iowa City is not immune from its grasp. To make sure our admiartion of athletes doesn’t blind us from right and wrong, we all have a responsibility: To the athletes out there, know that you hold much power, but with that power comes great responsibility. To the fans, remember your heroes are human too; to believe otherwise will only end in disappointment. The false sense of infallibility is not only unfair to victims, but also to the athletes and fans, like you and me.

Video Games in the Media by GABE BASILE

RIGHT TO REMAIN

SILENT

“

“I’m not here to teach you Spanish!” - Sra. Hall has a revelation.

“That sexy curvy thing is the integral.” - Ms. Smirl addresses calculus

“It’s like yogurt!” - Mr. Wilson, immediately after coughing up phlegm “Today I shall be a student. Brad the student”- Mr. Hartwig makes an unexpected career change “Yo yo yo yo yo... homie”Mr. Wilson demonstrates his street cred “Obama drinks puppy blood. Romney kills cats for a living”- Mr. Wilson gives some belated post-election analysis

“

“Peeta’s too hot to die.” - Mr. Rogers reveals his inner feelings towards “The Hunger Games.”

SENIOR SALUTE PREVIEW by OLI PETERS

Picture a gamer. What do you see? Chances are, if you’re like many reporters these days, you see a pimply, fat, greasy, middle aged dude lazing on his couch yelling homophobic slurs. As a gamer, I find this horrifically common misconception insulting. Video games, since their birth, have been the misunderstood ginger child of the entertainment industry. Everyone watches movies and listens to music, and TV is everywhere nowadays, but games have always been viewed differently. When NPR (National Public Radio for those of you with distant parents) did their first video game review, on a music game called “Chime,” I was honestly surprised. But then I asked myself , “why am I surprised NPR is doing a review for a video game?” The answer wasn’t clear for awhile. But eventually I came to a serviceable conclusion. NPR is seen as artsy, informative, and a little pretentious, while video games are seen as crazy, time wasting, and pretty pretentious. Aside from the pretentious nature, both parties are radical opposites, but were joined when NPR adopted a different point of view. They viewed the game as a piece of art. This is how games are meant to be looked at. Now, yeah, many modern games *cough* Call of Duty *cough* aren’t much more than money siphons from mindless consumers to the less innovative game developers, but that’s for a different opinion piece entirely. But many others are making a statement about anything from music theory to the intricacies of relationships and dangers in a life threatening “The Unfinished Swan” is a recent example of an artistic game. “‘The Unfinished Swan’ is a game about exploring the unknown,” developer

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Ian Dallas says. “The game begins in a completely white space where players can throw paint to splatter their surroundings and reveal the world around them.” There are no waypoints or weapons or enemies, just a world open for you, the player, to reveal and explore. The “Bioshock” games, including the recent “Bioshock Infinite,” make a statement about how we live, and play on the illusion of choice in our everyday lives. These are games that simply

wouldn’t work without the player’s “control” of the character, because player interaction plays a crucial part of the story. Games are evolving, and with them, our view of them needs to change as well. Powerful statements are being made, along with innovations to the industry. So the next time you’re asked to picture a gamer, just picture beautiful Brad Pitt looking at the Mona Lisa. Not what you were expecting, was it?

“I’m really going to miss the close environment we have here and the classics like football games, dances and the teachers” -Olivia Hamilton ‘13 “The drama and the dances. I won’t miss any of it” -Nat Alder ‘13 “Make an impact and leave it better than what you found it” -John Bacon

A16 AD

MAY 3, 2013

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Saturdays 8pm to close

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The Little Hawk

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

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GEORGE WATSKY

The 26-year-old touched down last month for his Cardboard Castles tour. He's quickly gone from Internet sensation to budding star.

By Gabriel Basile

gabrielbasile@thelittlehawk.com Rap has come back to its roots. George Watsky and opening act Dumbfoundead performed in the Blue Moose Tap House on April 13 to a nearly sold out crowd. Long story short: they killed it. To call Watsky a rapper isn’t necessarily wrong, just inaccurate. Watsky is a poet. Getting his start as a slam poet in 2006, Watsky quickly gained a reputation as one of the nation’s best and brightest spoken-word poets. In the same year, he was the Youth Speaks Grand Slam Poetry Champion and was named Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam Champion. In 2007, he uploaded his first song to YouTube under the title “Pale Kid Raps Fast” (which has since been changed to “Watsky Raps Fast”). He quickly gained tens of millions of views, earning him a spot on Ellen as well as creating a web series. Later, we was featured in two episodes of the YouTube series Epic Rap Battles of History, portraying Shakespeare and Doctor Who. Watsky raps smart, rational, relatable, and hella fast. Instead of rhyming about girls or drugs, he chooses topics closer to home for many – like love, hard work, and the purusit of dreams. Onstage, it’s obvious he’s having a great time performing and do-

ing what he loves. One noticable quality is Watsky’s confidence and stage presence. He doesn’t back down from hecklers – he faces them head on. He doesn’t care if the crowd is silent or jumping from ground to ceiling. He rocks out anyway. During one of his more upbeat songs, Watsky climbed the light scaffolding across the ceiling monkey-bar style, surfing the audience. To backtrack: Watsky’s good friend Dumbfoundead opened up the show with the same feel as Watsky, if less poetry. Themes of his songs flipped from complaining about girls, to his moving journey to America, then back to smoking all the time (and I don’t think he was talking about tobacco). Dumbfoundead was far from bad, but it seemed like he was reaching for lower-hanging fruit. In the middle of Dumbfoundead’s set, a fan called for Watsky to take the stage. At the time, this ignorant comment was ignored, but Watsky had something to say about it during his set. “I know why you did that,” Watsky said. “I know you probably did that out of love for me, but you did it in sort of disrespectful way. Dumbfoundead and I, we’re on the same team. And you and I, we’re on the same team.” After his comedic speech, Watsky called the fan up on stage to hug it out. If one or both of these acts roll back into town, be sure not to pass up an amazing opportunity.

OPINION: BY MIKIEL CURTIS How ironic that one of the best inventions of our generation would be one that encourages us to never leave our couches and eat lots of food. Welcome to Netflix, where viewers enjoy more than 1 billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, and it helps make TV more convenient for those catching up on their favorite shows or watching movies. When I first got Netflix, I thought it was dumb. Why would people watch movies or TV shows like this when they could just go to Blockbuster or iTunes? Why would you waste countless hours sitting on your couch watching an old TV show when you could be out exercising and enjoying the great outdoors?

Here’s why. In case you haven’t noticed, movie rental companies are shutting down like crazy as iTunes gradually becomes more expensive than a base fee. I will admit that I have watched/caught up on 18 TV shows through Netflix. If you ever need a good show to watch on Netflix, come see me. So far I’ve completed/caught up on Prison Break, Greys Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Lost, One Tree Hill, Scandal, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Ringer, BMS, House of Cards, Weeds, Breaking Bad, Shameless, Vampire Diaries, Mad Men, Archer and Arrested Development. To say that I have an addiction would be wrong. What I feel I have is an obligation. Netflix suggests

a show to me and I start watching it. Then once you’ve finished an episode, Netflix basically demands that you watch the next episode, then the next, and the next. Here is Netflix, giving me every TV s h o w that my little heart desires – who am I to say “No thanks, I’ve got homework to do right now so I’ll

watch this episode later”? When I start a show, I will finish the series in 4 to 5 days. Then when it’s done, what better way to celebrate then start a n other show? People are not the probl e m w i t h Netflix bingi n g . Netflix is the problem. But it’s not necessarily a bad problem. You can’t shove food

"To say that I have an addiction would be wrong. What I feel I have is an obligation."

down a starving child's throat and expect them to say “No, thank you.” It’s the same with Americans and entertainment. We don’t want some or a little, we want it all. Last time I checked, spending eight or twelve straight days in bed to “marathon” your new favorite TV show is the very definition of paradise. In the past, binge-watching strictly consisted of watching already-aired seasons. But now Netflix has changed the game. Netflix Now has their very own shows like House of Cards and Lilyhammer. Both shows had great ratings and proved that Netflix can do anything. So next time you’re at home with nothing to do, pop a squat and get to binging.

A18 A&E

MAY 3, 2013

Pit Orchestra Shines

Kalona Quilt Show City High’s spring musical is a major attraction. Overlooked By Jacob Potash

jacobpotash@thelittlehawk.com

is the pit orchestra, putting in hours of practice to perfect

Families looking for a slice of Midwestern culture last weekend had to look no further than Kalona, which hosted its famous quilt show and sale for the 42nd year in a row. The show attracts more than a thousand visitors each year to the Kalona Community Center, the former site of Kalona’s high school. On display are antique quilts dating from the 1860s to the 1940s, as well as new quilts from across the Midwest. “It kind of showcases what the women worked on over the winter,” Katie Karnes, co-owner of Woodin Wheel Antiques, said. Karnes has helped to organize the show and sale since 1992, but the event’s origins go back to exhibits organized in Farmers Savings Bank during the early 1970s. Woodin Wheel has since taken over sponsorship of the event and transformed it from a show into a sale as well. The exhibition is distinguished from others of its kind by its commitment to handquilted quilts: ranging in size from a block to queen-size, all the show’s quilts are handcrafted – no small feat, considering that according to Karnes a queen-size quilt take between 300 and 500 hours to make. Many of the quilts on display are Amish or Mennonite, and they traditionally are made from plain fabrics, without colorful prints. The show, however, boasts huge variety in style and design. “They’re almost works of art, in a way,” Karnes said of the quilts. “With all their intricacy of design, and their patterns.”

Above: Cassidy Bringle ‘14 performs The Swamps Of Home. Left: The chorus sways to Opening to a Princess. Below: David Maize ‘13 waits for Avery Mossman ‘13 to reveal his secrets. Photo by Jason Arnold

By Sophia Schlesinger sophiaschlesinger@thelittlehawk.com

Quilts on display in the Kalona Community Center. Photo courtesy of Katie Karnes

Once Upon a Mattress, City High’s spring musical, had a smooth run last month as many turned out on Thursday, Friday, and then twice on Saturday to see the 1959 musical-comedy adaptation of The Princess and the Pea. The on stage singing and dancing were no doubt the most obvious draws of the performances, but just beyond the curtain, and just as important, was another group of stars: the pit orchestra.

The group, lead by Ashley Atkinson, worked together for one and half months before the show, practicing every day after school for three hours. The group accompanied every musical number in the production. “It’s a pretty big commitment, especially in high school,” Atkinson said. “We all have sports, activities, church, other things outside, and to be able to take on a three hour block of time every day for about a month and a half is a pretty big task.” But even when the musicians could practice, they were faced

with technical challenges such as awkward keys and unusual arrangements. “You have to be a lot more flexible. We’re sitting here cutting lots of stuff and figuring out where things go,” clarinetist Emily Braverman ‘14 said, comparing pit orchestra to previous musical experiences. Despite difficulties with music, the members of pit orchestra were able to maintain enthusiasm for their efforts. “That’s what’s been really exciting to me, being a part of this whole production,” Evelyn Gals-

THE DESSERT CONCERT 2013 By Sonali Durham sonalidurham@thelittlehawk.com The City High Orchestra’s annual Dessert Concert kicked off with a rendition of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” by Concert Orchestra and concluded – many songs and one lighting mishap later – with the classic “Stars and Stripes Forever,” performed by Symphony Orchestra. The concert took place in the Coralville Marriott ballroom. Despite the changed venue, the show was a success, with over 350 people in attendance. Soloists included Molly Hayes ‘14, Juju Wang ‘13, Doron Tsachor ‘13, and Zach Williamson ‘13. The orchestras are now preparing for the upcoming Spring Concert.

tad ‘16, a violist, said. The orchestral accompaniment adds to the performance value of each musical number. “They could use a CD, they have a CD, but I think everyone prefers the sound of live music,” says violist Sonali Durham, ‘16. Many pit players have enjoyed learning about the behind-thescenes workings of a theatrical production. “It’s a lot more interesting from the back than the front,” explains violinist Emma Kaboli,‘14. “There’s a lot more that goes into it than you’d think.”

MAY 3, 2013

A&E

A19

SHORT’S BURGER & SHINE

With a new location on the East side, Short’s Burger & Shine is taking Iowa City by storm. Olivia Hamilton dishes on the joint’s creative burgers and first-rate ser-

photos by Ryan Young

By Olivia Hamilton

Their fresh, 100%, black Angus beef travels a short distance of 26.5 miles from local farmer Ed Smith of Columbus Junction to the Iowa City restaurants. However, I was pleased to hear that their beef was not the only locally sourced product: their homemade fries are hand cut everyday. They also carry ten local draft lines dedicated to Iowa craft beers and cider, with one line specifically for newer, “up and coming” Iowa breweries. Short’s not only devotes their drafts to locals but also a night to the community. Each Wednesday the restaurant hosts a community night when 10% of their proceeds from the evening are donated to local clubs, organizations and teams, many of

oliviahamilton@thelittlehawk.com

With spring at hand and summer just around the corner, many start to find themselves craving that warm weather classic, a hamburger. Short’s Burger & Shine, a renowned local restaurant with locations on both sides of town, poses a great alternative to sweating over the grill on those hot summer nights. Prior to dining at Short’s I had high expectations based on the restaurant’s reputation. Short’s has received praise for their ties to the community as well as their award winning chef.

which are City High’s own groups. As I walked into the east-side restaurant I found that the smaller restaurant’s ambiance complemented their highlighted sense of community. The dim lighting and dark finished wooden booths offered a rustic and familiar setting. Despite the size of the restaurant I comfortably sat in a spacious booth facing a TV stationed to ESPN before being promptly greeted by a friendly server. I was torn over the menu, which holds 20 burgers as well as chicken sandwiches and black bean burgers. Scouring the list I saw burgers ranging from classic and simple to unique concoctions that I had never thought of. Breaking away from my typical

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conservative way of ordering, I opted for the Lytton burger. Shortly after ordering, our plates were delivered. Before indulging, my eye caught the appetizing presentation of their homemade fries aside a golden bun and the burger with perfectly melted cheese across the top. Needless to say, I only briefly admired it. The Lytton features an angus beef patty topped with bacon and melted mozzarella coating the two, as well as basil pesto mayonnaise. With fast and attentive service, the burger was still done to perfection. The texture of the meats contrasted well with the melted mozzarella, and the toasted bun’s crispy outer shell with the softer bread in the middle. The pesto may-

onnaise blended well together and paired perfectly with the mozzarella. Their homemade fries enhanced the burger and were seasoned the perfect amount so that it did not overwhelm the meal with too much salt. Occasionally I have encountered a restaurant or diner that had great food, or great service, but never the two entirely together. Short’s completely delivered on both fronts along with making me feel as though I had contributed in some way by supporting a local business that supports other local businesses and community groups. I would definitely recommend Short’s Burger and Shine any day, rain or shine.

A20 A&E

MAY 3, 2013

Christina Sullivan '13 is looking to pursue her acting dreams, but what that will mean is still unclear.

Spring Fashion: Short Shorts - Hopefully at some point soon, it will stop raining. And when it does, there’s really one definitive thing to wear below the waist: short shorts. It’s simple, elegant, tight, sexy. Everything you’d want for the Ryan Reynolds fan club. Speedos - Small, tight yet spacious, and great for those inner thigh tans you’ve always wanted. Best in mint green. Umbrella Hats - Even if it does keep raining, what better to have on you than an Umbrella hat? Deviously simple in its concept, ridiculously sexy in its execution.

By Elijah Jones elijahjones@thelittlehawk.com High school performances as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz and a cell block tango girl in Chicago were just small steps toward a much bigger future for senior Christina Sullivan, who is preparing to pursue a Theater Arts Degree next year. After saying no to DePaul because of their seven hour audition process, missing a scholarship, and refusing to use the unsanitary spaces of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, she had decided to leave her future plans open. “I used to have a plan, but it’s been ever changing,” Sullivan said. Christina also planned on attending an arts school in Cincinnati, but the debt she would rack up made the plan unfeasible. After looking through other schools and not finding the right fit, she now finds herself preparing to attend the University of Iowa, a path she wasn’t expecting to follow. “I knew I did not want to go to Iowa,” she admits. “It was not my choice at all, it was a mandate.” Sullivan fantasized about a wide range of careers before settling on theater: cowgirl, zookeeper, and even orphanage keeper, inspired by Annie, her favorite musical. “When I was little, my little sister and I would ask my mom for rags and wash the floors singing ‘It’s A Hard Knock Life,’” Sullivan recounted. “When it was advertised that Annie

was going to be the production for ICCT, one of my mom’s friends came over and said to my mom, if you don’t take those girls to audition, I will.” Christina was cast as Molly, a young orphan, and excelled in the role. She took a short break from performing when her youngest sister was born but in fourth grade returned to her passion, performing in two plays, which, she says, were “terrible.” “It was child theater, and I really

"When I was little, my little sister and I would ask my mom for rags and wash the floors, singing "It's A Hard Knock Life,"" didn’t like that,” Sullivan said. “I was expecting it to be professional. I hated it.” Christina’s ambition served her well as she reached junior high, where she was cast as the lead in Anne Frank. She also became very involved in athletics, which she discovered a talent for. But this path would

be set aside in her freshman year at City High, when she made the choice to act in The Wizard of Oz instead of playing on the soccer team. Since then she has turned her favorite hobby into her career path. “I want to continue acting, to be a working actor,” Sullivan said. “Probably in Chicago or New York.” That path is what lead her to attend City High after 11 years at Regina, where she did not feel she was getting the best opportunities. She initially struggled with the decision to switch schools, but made up her mind after watching City High show choir and musical performances. At City, Christina has been an important part of many theatrical productions, including Crimes of the Heart, which was selected to be performed twice at the International Thespian Festival last summer. If her career does not develop the way she hopes, she says she could see herself as a social worker with the state or in schools. “I want to help people, I’ve always been like that,” Sullivan said. “I just don’t want to do paper work the whole time, I need to work with people.” Her options include staying at the University of Iowa for a full four years, and opting to transfer for graduate school, or to transfer after her first year. When asked what she planned for her future, she was less than eager to give an easy answer. “I have stopped making plans,” Sullivan said, “because they just change on me.”

Check out Mikiel’s Little Hawk Talks senior video interviews, exclusively on thelittlehawk.com

Crocs - They’re perfect: they’re comfy, sleek, and they have holes in them to provide air protection for the feet, or hide pennies in there. Whatever. Monocles - The newest fashion item to have for spring are monocles, or “one eyed glasses,” as those teenagers call them. These beautiful items are tailor made for winking at pretty people.

SPRING LOCALES: Tar Pits Wilson’s Apple Orchard A Meadow The Newslab A Hidden Valley

SPRING DO'S: Park diagonally - This’ll make you really popular amongst your parking lot peers. Eat Cake - Who doesn’t love cake? Horrible people don’t love cake. Grill corn dogs - A healthier alternative to cake. Have Bonfires- Just a few close friends all fighting over smores.

SPRING DON'TS: Sledding - Ain’t nobody got time fo dat. Armed Battery - At least have the decency to be unarmed. Backwards Overalls - Yeah just don’t do it. Snow Pants- They’re not as flattering as you think. Diarrhea - If you are lactose intolerant, then quiche is not for you. Set Fire To The Rain - Or you could have a bonfire instead. Make mistakes - Do everything right or do nothing at all.

The Little Hawk

SPORTS

May 3, 2013

ABOVE: Fernando Pacheco ‘13 battles for the ball against the keeper during the Little Hawks’ 2-1 win over then No. 2 Class 2A Cedar Rapids Xavier. photo by Ryan Young.

Boys soccer dominates competition After starting out the year ranked No. 4 in the state, the boys soccer team has gone 8-1, and is now the second best team in the state. The team with several returning seniors now prepares to face Iowa City West in the annual cross-town rivalry. By Emma McNutt

CLASS 3A TOP 10 TEAMS 1. CR Kennedy 2. IC City High 3. IC West High 4. CR Prairie 5. Johnston 6. CR Washington 7. DM Dowling 8. Bettendorf 9. Pleasant Valley 10. Ames High *As of April 23rd

emmamcnutt@thelittlehawk.com

Staring off practices in the blistering cold of the winter weather, boys soccer is now half way done with their season. With a total of 20 players, and losing very few seniors from last season, seven seniors this year and adding new younger members, the Little Hawks hope to have a successful season. “I am lucky to be surrounded by people who want to be successful and are willing to work for it.” Head CoachJose Fajardo said. Fajardo has been the boys varsity soccer coach since 2005. He has been working the team hard and practicing since early March for five or six days each week, three or more hours each session to prepare for this season. “It seems like we’re always just preparing to play,” Adam Nicholson ‘15 said. The boys talk about the strict rules at the begining of each season and never talk about it for the rest of the season. All the captins on the team know how to keep everything in line without any problems. One exciting addition to the City soccer teams this season is the new turf field. It has been used for practices and games for the first time this year. “We are still breaking it in, but its so much better than last year’s field,” Nicholson said. City High opened its season with

an close first game against Cedar Falls. The Little Hawks walked away with the victory by a score of 1-0. The game winning goal by Fernando Pacheco on a penalty kick.. City High has a total of 17 games in their regular season, so far they have racked up 8 wins and only one loss. With the requirements of winning both games in substate to be one of the eight teams competing in the state tournament. Substate games start Monday, May 20, and continue on Wednesday, May 22 and Saturday, May 25. State is on Saturday, June 1. “I’m looking to win state, its about time,” Fajarado said. Senior night will be Monday, May 13 at 4:15 P.M against Linn-Mar on the turf. The City seniors being recognized are forward Pedro Aguilar Rosales, goal keeper Chris Evans, forward Ethan Glenn, defender/midfield Grant Lewis, defender/midfield Luke Mennen, defender/midfield Niall Oliver, and forward Fernando Pacheco. City High boys soccer also has two promising new freshmen players in midfield/forward Victor Brown-Rodriguez and midfield/forward Colin O’Meara. Out of 21 freshmen boys that are playing soccer, they are the only two playing on the varsity team. The returning team members consit of; forward Minhall Abdelgalill ‘14, midfield/forward Anton Buri ‘15, defender/midfield Zach Coleman ‘14, defender/midfield Drew Cornwell ‘14,

goal keeper Roman Doyle ‘14, midfielder Peter Larsen ‘15, defender/midfield Adam Nicholson ‘15, midfield/ forward Alejandro Pacheco ‘14, forward Joe Pugh ‘14, forward Omar Shaban ‘14, and defender Scott Tribey ‘15. Fajardo believes his team has what it takes to be a top competitor in the state, if they continue their hard work. “Do not live by quotes, because quotes are just words,” he said. “Actions are stronger than words and we must start acting to bring to City High deserves, success.” . enitiistrum experfero maximpor sima que repera simint

modipid ucimil id ma dipis eat ea nectur, FOR MORE SPORTS s i -

COVERAGE GO TO:

www.thelittlehawk.com

ABOVE: Luke Mennen ‘13 prepares to attack the ball during the team’s first home game. photo by Ryan Young.

B2 SPORTS

Looking for redemption

With 8 returning starters, The Little Hawk baseball team is working toward a state tournament birth this summer.

MAY 3, 2013

Seniors fall back on experience By Jamie Young

jaimeyoung@thelittlehawk.com

ABOVE: Josh Crosby ‘13 stretches to make a catch at first base last season. photo courtesy Jan Crosby.

By Ryan Young

ryanyoung@thelittlehawk.com

GAMES

UPCOMING

Since baseball is played in the summertime, it can be difficult to get players to go out, especially seniors. But The Little Hawk baseball team has 8 returning starters this year, a rare feat, giving them plenty of experience. “It’s always kind of felt like we have been looking up to the competition,” Josh Crosby ‘13 said. “But this year, were almost looking down on the competition. The experience really shows.” The team has been working hard this offseason too. They have held workouts, such as pitching and batting practice, among other things regularly since last August. “We’ve had vigorous weight programs and hitting and pitching workouts all year long,” Crosby said. “We have made definite progress since last season.”

Crosby is one of two players who is moving on to play college baseball next year. He will play at Minnesota State, a DII school in southern Minnesota. He hopes to play both catcher and first base for the Mavericks. Shortstop Sam Mrstik ‘13 is the other team member playing college baseball. He will play at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. “I really like the area down there, and the coaches are really cool,” Mrstik said. “I’m hoping it will get me to where I need to be after two years.” The Little Hawks season was cut short last year, after losing to Dubuque Hempstead. They are hoping their experience and work ethic will punch them a ticket to Des Moines this summer. “We definitely stand a chance at making it to the state tournament,” Jack Frakes ‘13 said. “Since

City VS. West Girls/Boys Double Header @Iowa Soccer Complex May 7th

we fell short last year, I think there is some extra motivation for us this year.” This season will be the second under Head Coach Brian Mitchell, who has completely turned the program, leading the team to a 24-15 record, their first winning record in several years. “He [Mitchell] expects a lot from us,” Frakes said. “He never lets us go into a double header expecting anything less than a sweep.” The Little Hawks will have their first home game on Tuesday, May 28th against Cedar Rapids Washington. The game will be held at the Mercer Park fields, which is home to a new scoreboard and renovated dugouts. “This is gonna be a fun season for people to watch,” Crosby said. “This is the best we’ve been in a while, and we hope people want to come out and watch us play.”

Girls Tennis Regionals Team- May 11, 18, 20, &21 Individuals and DoublesMay 16

2013 Home Schedule May 28th - C.R. Washington May 31st - Dubuque Hempstead June 3rd - C.R. Jefferson June 5th - Burlington June 10th - Waterloo West June 16th - I.C. Regina June 17th - C.R. Kennedy June 19th - Pleasant Valley June 24th - Cedar Falls July 8th - I.C. West

State Track Meet

Drake Staduim, Des Moines-

May 16th - 18th

With the new season about to begin, the City High softball team is getting in gear. Last year the girls had a successful season going 20-19 and they are striving for more. The team is coming back this summer with the mindset that they will make it to the state tournament. “Our goal is to play at a high level every game,” Erin Weno ‘13 said. The team has pre-season workouts that consist of lifting, running, and batting. There are also occasional field practices and tournaments with volunteer coaches. Recently they went undefeated in the Early Bird tournament at Napoleon park. There are 6 returning seniors on the team. Many of them have played with each other for a majority of their softball careers. “We’ve all played together, we’ve all been together for a long time,” Brie Hightshoe ‘13 said. “We just know how to play well with each other and that will help us be successful.” Two seniors have committed to play college softball. Weno will play at Kirkwood, and Hightshoe will play at St. Cloud State in Minnesota. Both girls have played softball for almost ten years and they plan on using that experience to lead the City High team this year, and to have successful college softball experiences as well. The team will open their season on the home field Tuesday, May 21 at 5:30PM against Dubuque Wahlert. “We expect and to make it to state,” Weno said. “As long as we give it our all every game, it should be a great season.”

ABOVE: Bri Hightshoe ‘13 slides in to third base during practice last season. photo by Ryan Young.

Boys Tennis VS. Cedar Falls Senior Night May 7th

MAY 3, 2013

SPORTS

Girls soccer continues to improve

ABOVE LEFT & RIGHT: Corbin Scholz ‘13 dribbles down the field and attacks the ball in the air at two of the first home games. ABOVE CENTER: Erin Danielson ‘13 dribbles around a defender. photos by Ryan Young

By Sabrina Rodgers

sabrinarodgers@thelittlehawk.com

Starting off the 2013 season 6-4, the girls soccer team has already had more wins this year than the previous two years combined. Head coach Sara Bleeker says their improved record is due to one common goal. “Although there have been many changes this year like there is a new coach, there are new girls, people playing different positions, there are changes in schedules,” Bleeker said. “One thing remains the same; every girl in our program has a strong desire to win.” The force behind many of the changes and desire to win are seven Freshmen Claire Rutherford, Lizzy

Ward, Ashley Smith, Maddie DePrenger, Delaney Johnson, Fanta Traore, and Katherine Bouska. Many of the freshman have experience coming into the season from playing club soccer. “The skills I’ve developed playing club has given me, being a freshman, the confidence to go out and compete with these varsity players,” Deprenger said. About half of the team plays club soccer and it has helped many of them become better players. However, there are a few other ways the girls prepared for this season. Some of the players lifted on their own time or with weight coach Tim Casey. Also open gyms were offered to get extra reps and to start getting back into the routine of playing.

“We were training and lifting in the off season. We have also been trying to keep our confidence up by not talking bad and not talking about last season,” co-captain Corbin Scholz ‘13 said. In past seasons practices were held at Longfellow Elementary School, City High practice fields, and Scott Park, while home games were also held at Shrader Field at Longfellow Elementary School. Now practices and games are held here at the new City High turf. “I like the new home turf because it’s so close to school and we have a lot more fans that watch us this year,” Ruth Grace ‘14 said. In fact attendance and admission profits of games has increased this year. More and more people are are

coming to support their Little Hawks. You could say the first two home games on the turf weren’t particularly easy. The team went up against the Class 3A and 2A defending state championship teams, Kennedy and Cedar Rapids Xavier. The Little Hawks fell short by just one goal in both games. “We definitely gave the other teams a hard time,” Scholz said. “Even though we didn’t win, we had a close enough score to the two really good teams that other teams and coaches will see and keep an extra eye on us. We are definitely a dangerous team this year.” Attitude and effort is another reason this team is “dangerous” this season. “I think this year we are really

focused on desire and being united in this. When we step on the field, we want it, and that energy vibrates throughout the team,” Erin Danielson ‘13 said. “It’s incredible what a mindset can do. It’s helped our team a lot this season.” Next the team takes on historically talented, Iowa City West, at The University of Iowa Soccer Complex. The rival game starts at five p.m. on Tuesday, May 7. “It (West) is always an intense game because we are playing against people we know and grew up playing with,” Danielson said. “This year I’m extra excited because it’s my senior year, and our team has really started to click. It is likely to be a close game, and I believe we have a good chance to end up on top.”

New coach looks to continue ‘rich tradition’ By Annika Wasson

annikawasson@thelittlehawk.com

Seven state championships, five state runner-up finishes, 10 MVC titles and 10 District titles since he had graduated from Iowa City’s Regina High school in 1995, let Joe Graf know he has big shoes to fill and a tradition to maintain in accepting the co-head coaching position for the girls track team. After seven years coaching boys track at Clear Creek Amana and upon receiving a teaching job in Iowa City, Graf says he was excited to get the opportunity to work with “such a historical program.” “[City High girls track] is one of the best and most historic programs in the state and I was very surprised that it was open, and I feel very honored to have gotten it,” he said. “I was going to ask to volunteer regardless, so I said, ‘Let’s go for it,’ and thankfully I got it and I feel pretty honored.” Track has always been a part of Graf ’s life. In high school he ran cross country and track at Regina and continued his career in college at St. Thomas. Since beginning his teaching career he has had many assistant and volunteer coaching positions at various smaller Iowa high schools. Graf says one of his biggest challenges this

season has been adjusting to a larger school and the additional tasks that brings. “Everything I do is similar to what I did at Clear Creek it’s just a bigger scope, more girls, more meets, more things to remember to do, more emails, the little things, so that’s been a learning curve,” Graf said. With the help of an experienced co-head coach and assistants, Graf is fitting right in. This season his team is building on successes such as a second place finish at the Forwald-Coleman Relays, a Drake champion in Sarah Plock ‘15, and multiple athletes posting Top 5 state rankings. “[This season] has been great. Coach Cooper, Coach Mittman, Coach Coleman, have been helping me out as far as getting things together,” he said. “If I didn’t have them I’d be really lost, but having all of them and all the other assistant coaches it’s been pretty easy to have things under control here, so I just need to learn what they do.” When it comes to a coaching philosophy Graf says he is not much of a “yeller.” He tries to instill a strong work ethic in his athletes along with a belief in themselves as runners, throwers, or jumpers. “I try to make them believe what

they can do, I will challenge them physically or mentally in workouts, in races, at meets,” Graf said. “I’m trying to make them go outside their comfort zone and be okay with it. Going outside the box, that’s where people are most vulnerable, and if you can control how you feel in that area, then you’ll make yourself that much better.” Above all, Graf asks for his athletes’ maximum effort, and if he gets that, he doesn’t care what place that person received. “I ask girls for nothing but their best,” Graf said. “If you gave your best and it wasn’t first and it wasn’t second or third and it wasn’t earth shattering times, if you can say that you tried then that’s all I ask for.” Beyond seeing his team do well as a whole, Graf takes pride in seeing his runners reach their personal goals. He knows there is more to life besides high school track, so he hopes to give his athletes the guidance they need to succeed on and off the track. “I enjoy seeing athletes attain their personal records, get personal goals, and helping them,” Graf said. “After high school there are bigger and better things so this is just to help them for later in life.” In the rest of his coaching career at City, Graf says he hopes to continue

ABOVE: Joe Graf congratulates a runner after their race. photo by Ryan Young

what has been accomplished this season and build on it. He enjoys his job, and does not take a day for granted. In the years to come, he hopes to keep his program at the top level that it has been at for so long. “I hope to carry on the rich tradition they have for girls track at City High. Hopefully we’ll bring some state

championships or top three places throughout the years that I’m here and to keep the tradition going,” he said. “I want to make the new girls who come up through elementary to junior high and to high school realize the history that’s been here and that they can continue that and make it better if they choose to challenge themselves.”

B4 SPORTS

MAY 3, 2013

After a successful showing at The Drake Relays, the boys and girls track teams look ahead to the district meets. PUSHING TOWARDS THE FINISH By Annika Wasson

annikawasson@thelittlehawk.com As the 2013 season nears races to the end, the girls track team is more focused than ever. With two major meets remaining, Regionals and State, the Little Hawks hope to peak at just the right time to maximize their season of effort. “Our biggest accomplishment this year, I don’t think has happened yet,” head coach Joel Graf said. “But our girls have been doing a great job of dedicating themselves, continuing their hard work, getting personal records, season bests, and keeping a positive attitude.” Just off the heels a trip to the Big Blue Oval in Des Moines for the 2013 Drake Relays, the Little Hawks have whet their appetite for returning to the stadium in two weeks for the state meet. “Drake is definitely a big part of our schedule, but it’s not the focal point of our season,” Graf said. “It’s just kind of a bonus because you get great competition on a great venue with great teams, but our ultimate goal would be the state meet.” At The Drake Relays, Sarah Plock ‘15 was the lone Little Hawk to earn a coveted first place flag in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:01.56. This was the 7th fastest time ever in the state of Iowa and is the 5th fastest in the US this year. Other top finishers for the girls included the sprint medley team of Mickey Hansche ‘13, Kiera Washpun ‘14, Claire Crew ‘13, and Plock placing third with a time of 1:48.9, and Ellen Carman ‘14 finishing 12th in the 3000 and 13th in the 1500. “It still feels like a dream,” Plock said of her first place finish. “I tried to just let it all go, I just try and leave it all on the track because I don’t ever want to feel like I could’ve given more.” This spring’s hit or miss conditions have not been helpful in assisting the training of the team in preparation for the final stretch of their season. With rainy days and temperature fluctua-

ABOVE: Brook Price ‘13 runs toward the finish during the 3200M run at The Drake Relays. photo by Ryan Young.

ABOVE: Kiera Washpun ‘13 jumps the long jump at The Drake Relays. photo by Ryan Young.

Boys use Drake as stepping stone for state By Daniela Perret

danielaperret@thelittlehawk.com Every sports team sets some type of goal at the beginning of their season. Some teams set a goal to improve their current season from the season before. Some set a goal to win their district meet. And some set a goal to win the state championship. This year, the City High boys track team is poised on achieving all three. “Our number one goal is going to stay the same until the last day of the season and that’s to get better everyday, compete as hard as you can and be a great team that wants to make the team as whole better,” head coach Tom Carey said. “I think we’re doing that everyday, and then we’ll let the results take care of themselves. They’ve been good so far operating this way and I think it’s the healthiest to operate. Strive for excellence in everything you do and see what happens.”

This past weekend the boys team travelled up to Des Moines to participate in the 104th Drake Relays where only the top times in the state could compete. The Little Hawks participated in seven events at the relays. “I thought we had an outstanding performance, we really took a big step forward through that meet [Drake],” Carey said. “Conference, Districts, and State are probably our biggest meets but that being said, Drake was a great opportunity to get a week better and get familiar with the state arena.” Top finishers at Drake included Brook Price ‘13 in the the 3200m placing fourth with a time of 9:21.92, the sprint medley relay team made up of Bryson Runge ‘15, Michael Gloer ‘13, Ryan Dorman ‘14 and Price placing second by .4 seconds with a time of 3:30.70 and the 4x800m relay team made up of Mohamed Traore ‘13, Dorman, Rasheem Shivers ‘14 and Price placing third with a time of 7:51.70.

“I feel like we did pretty well [at Drake], obviously we were a little disappointed with some of the results,” Dorman said. “But overall I think it was good for us to get that learning experience.” With only two weeks left until the state meet, the Little Hawks have been focusing mainly on strengthening their depth and making every team member better to improve the team as a whole. “I think our depth is coming, and it’s better than where we might’ve expected it to be,” Carey said. “But we’re continuing to work on the depth and of course everybody has to keep getting better.” Although depth is one of the weaker points for the team, younger members of the team have been stepping up to the line to push the team forward. Freshman standouts have included Adam Bwayo, Tom McDowell, and Shamari Scott. “We’ll have runners compete in an event and come back later in

tions adding difficulty to the team’s training sessions, Graf says he is proud of the way his team has handled these erratic circumstances. “It’s hard to keep a positive attitude with the weather the way it has been,” he said. “So I think that has been an accomplishment this year to stay as positive as we’ve been with the weather the way it has been.” Graf also adds that this year’s schedule has been somewhat hectic, with multiple meets a week and different combinations of girls travelling to each meet. He says the team has done a good job practicing hard every day despite how many coaches may or may not be watching. “For me personally the biggest obstacle has been keeping up with everything, with two meets a week and some girls go to this meet, some go to this meet, and some go to both,” he said. “Also keeping everyone happy as far as what they’re in, how they’re working out, and keeping everyone injury free is always a challenge.” Before the state meet begins on May 16-18, Graf says the team still has a few kinks to work out. “I think we need to figure out how the pieces fit together as far as what relays we’re going to continue to try to score in at state,” he said. “But after Forwald and Drake we have a better idea of where we want to put girls, how we want to put them in open events, relays and how we can get the most out of points to be scored at the state meet, so that we can do the best possible job that we can do.” With Forwald, Drake, and the MVC Divisional all in the books, the team’s full focus is now on getting to the state meet. Graf believes that if the Little Hawks work hard and push themselves, they have the opportunity to be among the state’s top competitors. “It’s always hard to know what’s going to happen,” Graf said. “But I believe that we can definitely be in the top three if we compete to our potential and don’t worry about the results, just let the them take care of themselves.”

the day and compete in another one ever harder,” Gloer said. “Perhaps to redeem themselves if they’ve made a mistake. For the most part we’re pretty tough, we do what the coaches ask us.” Although the team lost a large senior class from last year’s team the boys say this has helped the team improve as one unit. “Last year’s team was a pretty good group of guys, heavy on the seniors, and we were a pretty strong team but we made some mistakes,” Gloer said. “This year we kind of came from scratch because we lost such a large senior class. But we sucked it up, unified and just took off from there.” The main competition for the team includes Linn-Mar, Marion, Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Iowa City West. The next meet for the Little Hawsk will be this coming Thursday at Linn-Mar high school.

2013 DRAKE RELAYS RESULTS: Ellen Carman ‘14- 12th girls 3000M Brook Price ‘13- 4th boys 3200M Aliyah Gustafson ‘13- 15th girls discus

Aliyah Gustafson ‘13- 7th girls Shot Put Amara Lehman ‘14- 18th girls Shot Put

Kiera Wasphun ‘14- 22nd girls long jump

Amos Lavela ‘13, D’Arius Salibi ‘13, Kole Butler ‘14, Bryson Rungee’14 10th Boys 4X100M

Mickey Hansche ‘13, Kiera Washpun ‘14,

Mohammed Traore ‘13, Ryan Dorman ‘14, Rasheem Shivers ‘14, Brook Price ‘13 - 3rd Boys 4X800M

Claire Crew ‘13, Sarah Plock ‘15- 3rd girls sprint medley Bryson Runge ‘15, Michael Gloer ‘13, Ryan Dorman ‘14, Brook Price ‘13- 2nd boys sprint medley Bryson Runge ‘15- 16th boys 100M

Sarah Plock ‘15 - 1st 400M Hurdles Ellen Carman ‘14 - 13th Girls 1500M Delaney Johnson ‘16, Sarah Plock ‘15, Claire Crew ‘13, Kiera Washpun ‘14 7th Girls 4X100M ABOVE: Sarah Plock ‘15 won a drake flag in the 400M Hurdles at The Drake Relays. photo by Ryan Young.

B6 SPORTS

Girls golf aims for state

opinion

MAY 3, 2013

Can the Heat Repeat?

As the 2013 NBA playoffs draw near, The Heat are favored by many to win it all. By Jamel Hudson

jamelhudson@thelittlehawk.com

ABOVE: Emily Koepnick ‘13 tees off on hole 9 at Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Iowa City last week. photo by Ryan Young.

By Olivia Parrott

oliviaparrott@thelittlehawk.com She stood poised over the ball, hands clasped onto the club handle, the grass green beneath her crisp white cleats. She drew back, after taking time for practice swings, and thrust her hands forward. As Sarah Overton ‘16 followed through, the ball sailed against the sky. “I always look at the course layout and see what I have to go up against. I always try to plan out what I do before a meet,” she said. After finishing third at Regionals last year, missing State by a narrow margin, the girls golf team sets their sights on a fresh season, with a new coach to help them reach even greater successes. Although the team has lost some pivotal golfers, incoming upperclassmen and freshmen will strive to maintain balance. They have many

goals they believe will help them accelerate to State. “I want to do well at the big MVC meets, hitting consistently under 90 [strokes] for 18 holes. I want to improve my short game this season,” Overton said. With 12 meets to try to achieve this and a fervent team the captain also has her eyes on State. “This season, I would like to see myself shooting in the lower 40s and I would like to go to state, either individually or as a team,” Captain Emily Koepnick ‘13 said. Along with renewed goals, a new head golf coach has been added to the team. “I like her. I think she knows her stuff and she’s fun to be around,” Overton said. The new coach, Little Hawk sophomore volleyball coach Laura Kremer, was named head coach after former

City High Girls Golf coach Greg Andrews retired last fall. “I love the new golf coach,” Koepnick said. “I had her for volleyball, so I know her really well, and she’s really awesome.” New additions aside, the team members have an eagerness to play. “I’ve been golfing for a couple years now and there wasn’t any team I could be on, until now,” Overton said. Overton had played when she was younger, but was talked back into the game by Koepnick. Although the teammates began their golfing careers differently, they came together to form a close team. They spend two hours or more after school each day at Pleasant Valley Golf Course, improving and connecting. “Yeah, we really fit and we really like each other. It wasn’t expected, it just sort of happened and it’s really awesome,” Koepnick said.

With the 2013 NBA playoffs approaching, a lot of people have a pretty good idea of who is going to win, that is, the Miami Heat. However, I think otherwise. Although this season the Miami Heat are averaging 103 points a game and have had 15 losses, I still don’t think they are going to repeat. There are other really good teams that could be potential threats and stop the Heat from repeating, like the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and even the Chicago Bulls who are currently without Derrick Rose. “The only team I think that has a chance of beating the Heat in the playoffs is the Bulls because of their defense and how they can out-rebound the Heat,” Cortez Overton ‘13 said. The Heat’s 27-game winning streak was snapped due to a 101-97 loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 27. This brought their record to 56-15, but they still have the league’s best record. However, there’s a lot of talk that the Miami Heat are going to repeat, and that is a little bewildering. The Miami Heat lost to the Bulls twice this season and the third game they played, the Bulls were without Joakim Noah, Richard Hamilton, Marco Belinelli and Derrick Rose (who has been out the entire season). You can only imagine if the Bulls and Heat are to meet in

the playoffs, what the outcome would be if the Bulls have a healthy and injury-free roster. “I don’t think the Bulls can beat the Heat when it matters,” Sasha Frauenholz ‘14 said. This season, the Bulls hold a 2-1 record against the Heat, and it seems as though the Bulls are the only team that knows what steps to take to beat the Heat. The defense the Bulls play and their rebounding ability plays a major factor in their success. Therefore that’s why I believe that if there’s a team that can beat the Heat, the Bulls are that team. Over the season the Bulls have had the number one ranked defense, only allowing a league best 401 three pointers and holding teams to an average 44.1 field goal percentage. “I think the Bulls’ defense is what wins their games for them. They are really good at rebounding and that’s how they beat the Heat and ended the streak,” Greg Grier ‘14 said. Many look at the Bulls ending the Heat’s 27 game winning streak as a minor bump in the road, but the Heat are still the favorites to win the Championship again this year. Although it is so painful for me to say this I do believe that there’s a good chance that the Heat will repeat; however, if the Bulls and the Heat are to meet in the playoffs and the Heat continue to play the way they have been playing the entire year against the Bulls, I believe that there is a really strong possibility that the Bulls could prevail.

MAY 3, 2013

OPINION

Young, but experienced

SPORTS

How to excel in junior varsity tennis By Andrew Hein

andrewhein@thelittlehawk.com

ABOVE: Abbey Vitosh ‘13 returns a serve in a meet last month against Dubuque Hempstead. photo by Ryan Young.

By Lily Howard

lilyhoward@thelittlehawk.com This year’s girls tennis team is experiencing a level of success above that of previous seasons, so far undefeated in their conference, and that is due, in part to the recent influx of talented young players. “Last year there were two new Freshmen, Kit and Eve, who had been playing tennis for a while,” Innes Hicsasmaz ‘16 said. “This year it’s me and Susanna, so all of this influx of new people who have played tennis for a long time really helps.” Hicsasmaz and Susanna Gianola ‘16 and Eve Small ‘15 have all been tennis players from a young age. Hicsasmaz started playing at the age of four, taking breaks and playing for other sports until fifth grade when she began to take tennis more seriously. The team happily welcomes the seasoned players and looks forward to the advantages such a young and talented team brings. “Usually the people who have been playing for most of their lives are better than the people who just

pick up the sport in high school,” Kit Finley ‘15 said. “Of course they’ve had more practice and they know their game more, so it definitely helps to have those three girls who have played tennis for a while.” The stock of skilled young varsity players means good things in the long run as well. “The advantage of having such a young team is that we’ll be together for a long time. By the time we’re Seniors we’ll have found our groove,” Finley said. “But we are graduating four seniors this year, so next year it could be tricky to rebuild the team with no experienced players coming up.” Players agree that head coach Fred Pedersen helps maintain the team’s high morale. “Fred is kind of dorky but he’s really sweet and he knows when to be a coach and when to be more fun,” Finley said. “I think the team dynamic is really good this year. Everyone is friends more or less and we know each other from outside of tennis, we’re pretty tight.” Hicsasmaz agrees that the team shares a positive attitude that helps them in their success.

“The attitude of the team is really light and kind of funny and happy,” Hicsasmaz said. “We’re always cracking jokes and stuff, especially Eve and Kit. Sometimes we get a little too distracted, we don’t take things too seriously, but we take them seriously enough to work hard and get better.” The already accomplished team still feels that they can improve, especially with the prospects of the state tournament looming. “Last year we didn’t as a team go to state but I think there’s a strong possibility we could this year. We could improve on doubles, especially with communication. . . We aren’t too good at doubles,” Finley said. “Personally, I just want to play out more, because the more you practice well the better you do. It’s practice, so you should be playing hard. You shouldn’t be just dinking around, you should really focus. Obviously it is fun, but it shouldn’t be all about the fun.” The girls tennis team only has one regular season match left before the regional and state tournament.

Junior Varsity tennis might look and sound like it is all fun and games, but there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. Here at City High, we spend countless hours in the gym, and on the courts. I will teach you how to intimidate your opponent and ultimately, excel in JV Tennis. The weight room – Tennis is all about who is the most yoked, so it is necessary to get in the weight room and do ham smoothies. The only important muscle groups are in your legs. All of the other groups are irrelevant; so do not waste your time on them. You will want to work out at least once a day. The most efficient way to strengthen your leg muscles is squats. Try doing at least 100 squats each day. Ignore what your P.E. teacher says about your regimen, as he/she doesn’t know what he/she is talking about. Your extreme leg muscle definition will intimidate the opponent, and work to your advantage. Practice – A technicality that comes with the sport, practice is a waste of time. What you will want to do is slack off and conserve all energy for meets. The one thing that practice is good for is practicing your grunts. Try out a variety of grunts and see what works for you. The goal is to find something that allows you to unleash everything you’ve got on the court. Pregame meals – Meets are an extremely grueling event, so you need the proper fuel before hand. A good pregame meal is vitally important. You will want to eat as close to your match time as possible, so all of your energy is good and stored up. The preferred meal would be a large porterhouse steak with a side of chicken breast. Stay away from fruits and vegetables; this is a man’s game. Your legs will most likely be extremely sore from all of the squats, so it is critical to get a lot of protein.

Swag – Getting the right “swag” will dramatically improve your performance on the court. Intimidation is very important in the game of Tennis. When your opponent sees your swag, it will automatically hinder their confidence and give you an advantage. The easiest way to look like you know what you’re doing is sweatbands. Find as many sweatbands as possible and cover your arm, leg, face, and neck area. You will want to find a pair of shorts that are short enough to show off your hard work. Another good way to improve your swag is sunglasses. Find a pair of sunglasses that look good with your face and add to your intimidating look. Warm-ups – It is necessary to get a good warm-up in before your match. Perform multiple leg stretches that will prepare your body for your match. (Again, don’t waste time on any other muscle group). But the most important part about warmups is intimidation of your opponent. Noisily grunt and draw attention to yourself while hitting warm-up balls. Take every advantage you get to be loud. Your goal is to show your opponent that you are alpha-male. Match – Just like in all of the other steps, intimidation is the main goal. Just to let your opponent know how serious you are, aim your first serve right at them. Let them know that you mean business. Use your practiced grunt on each and every shot. When you score, don’t be shy when it comes to celebrating points, each and every point counts. Also, you might not be hitting a lot of good shots with that belly-full of steak, so it’s okay if you get a little rowdy with your celebrations. In the end, make sure you leave everything out on the court. Intimidating your opponent is your main goal in JV Tennis. Hitting the weight room and getting the right swag will immediately boost your intimidation level. If you follow these steps, you will undoubtedly excel in JV Tennis.

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B8 SPORTS

PLAYMAKER PROFILE FERNANDO PACHECO MAY 3, 2013

By Daniela Perret

As he prepares himself for a penalty kick, Fernando Pacheco ‘13 takes three strides back, clears his head, and focuses on the one thing that matters most to him, soccer. “Soccer is a huge part of my life, it’s essential to me,” Pacheco said. “I either have to watch it or play it everyday.” Coming from a family full of soccer players, Pacheco was taught the sport early on and it later became a very important part of his life. “I’ve been playing soccer as long as I can remember,” Pacheco said. “Soccer is just something that I’ve done ever since I was a little kid, I don’t know what it’d be like without it.” Pacheco joined his first soccer team when he was in the fifth grade, an IC Alliance club team. He later joined other teams including ISC, CRSA, EIU, Iowa ODP, Region 2 ODP and currently the City High varsity team. He plans on continuing his soccer career throughout college and possibly after. “My dream has always been to be a professional soccer player,” Pacheco said. “So hopefully I can work hard during college and see what I can do from there.” Pacheco will be attending West-

ern Illinois University this coming fall where he will be joining their soccer team. “I’m definitely excited to go [to Western Illinois], hopefully I’ll be able to play,” Pacheco said. “I got to see some of their games and it looks pretty fun. I also got to spend some time with the team during my visits and it was pretty cool.” Throughout his soccer career Pacheco has travelled to numerous countries around the world to play including Italy, Austria, Germany, and Mexico and all across the U.S. from Florida to California and in numerous states in the Midwest. “Getting to travel to play soccer is really cool,” Pacheco said. “But what really matters to me is going somewhere where there’s competition, whether it’s outside the country or here in Iowa City.” To Pacheco soccer isn’t just a physical activity, but also a mental activity and a learning experience that he applies to his daily life. “Soccer helps me learn, not just with soccer stuff, but it helps me communicate with other people,” Pacheco said. “And also just with everything in general outside the soccer field.”

Q&A

Position: Striker

What is your favorite part of being on the team? Joking around with my teammates.

What can’t you go a day without? Playing soccer, touching a ball. Who is your favorite pro soccer team? F.C. Barcelona

What other sports have you played? I did track in the eighth grade.

Who is your favorite professional soccer player? Definitely Messi

What is your best soccer memory? Traveling to Italy and Austria

What is your favorite class? It’s pretty hard, but Physics.

If you could visit one place in the world, where would it be? Barcelona, Spain

What is your favorite food? Shrimp, anything that has to do with shrimp.

Do you have a nickname on the team? “Nando”

What is your favorite color? Red.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully playing professional soccer. What are your personal goals for the season? Team goals? I want to win state, that’s the main goal.

What is your favorite movie? Step Brothers What is your favorite song? Danza Kuduro What are your words to live by? Nothing is impossible.

Photo by Daniela Perret.