East Scroll issue 3 by EastScroll

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SCARLET STRONG Volume 91 Issue 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS Freshmen

Asiah Ashby Aspen Collins Beverly Gillard Christopher Ramirez-Chavez

Sophomores

Gabriel Cook Maya Hernandez-Howard Angelina McDaniel Santiago Melendez-Lopez Kendall Moss Finn Robertson Devyn Sam Kaylie Shannon Paul Sleeth Hayleigh Spicher Kelle Stewart Natalie Taylor Dayanna Vinalay Jaitreana White

Juniors

Ny’Asiah Gully

Seniors

Shukri Abdirahman Isabella Lopez Lyric Sellers

Principal Jill Versteeg

Adviser

Natalie Niemeyer-Lorenz

Cover & Back cover Isabella Lopez Shukri Abdirahman

Letter Policy District Educational Equality Statement

Des Moines Public Schools prohibits discrimination in educational and employment programs and activities based on age, race, creed, color, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disablility. In addition, the District prohibits acts of intolerance or harrassment toward employees or students that are not related to the individual’s employment or education.

East High Scroll

The Scroll welcomes letters but reserves the right to edit for space as needed. Outside contributions are subject to the usual restrictions of libel and obscenity and must conform to general paper policy, which is available upon request. Signed commentaries represent personal opinions, not views of the staff. Also, your letter needs to include your full name and grade. Unsigned letters can not be printed. You can deliver your letter to Natalie Niemeyer in room 3060N.

Ad Policy Ads are available in quarter page, half page and full page sizes. Ad inquiries should be directed to Natalie Niemeyer at natalie.niemeyer@ dmschools.org. The Scroll reserves the right to reject ads deemed not in the best interest of East students. The paper is printed by Des Moines Print Services.

Kemery ORTEGA

Nahla -A cancer warrior

A look into Iowa politics

East Strong

2022-2023 Big schedule changes

word search

7 18 26

East High Scroll

Scarlet “Scarlet Strong means the ability to move forward, even when times get rough.”

“Scarlet strong means a community of people coming together, being there for each other, being kind to one another and supporting the community around East High School.”

Kaylie Shannon/10

“Scarlet Strong means stepping up for your community and also knowing when to ask for help and lean on others for support.”

“Scarlet Strong is a sense of pride, identity, and communitity that our school shares both students and staff. Scarlet strong means that we stay positive in the eyes of adversity and prove that we are a great school.”

Ms. Cano

Ms. Buckley

East High Scroll

Cora Knoop/9

Lesile MarquezMayorga/12

“Scarlet Strong is coming together as a community of people of all different backgrounds to pick each other up and show that we care about each other, no matter who we are or our circumstances.”

Ms. McClellan

Strong Marisol ArguetaHernandez/12

“Scarlet Strong to me means being different, standing out and not following the crowd. You’re a leader in everything you do. You try to push and support people and are willing to stop and help people in the community be successful.”

Mohamed Saidu/12

“Scarlet Strong means we all need to be strong together as a community to get through rough times.”

Tabby Hochmuth/10

“I think Scarlet Strong has to do with resilience. That life is complicated, and that life is hard, particularly for us Scarlets. Life may knock us down, but we don’t stay down, we get up.”

Ms. Oliver

Aubrey Gillard

Mrs. Duimstra

East High Scroll

MA RC H

T I mEL I NE

2:47 p.m.

Shots fired in the student parking lot.

“I was outside in the parking lot when I heard gunshots go off,” Jaida Howard/12 said.

2:50 p.m.

East High School went on lockdown.

2:51 p.m.

Police and ambulance arrived to the scene.

“Being vunrable to the situation, making sure kids were not trying to visit the situation, giving students hugs making sure they’re okay and then when the ambulance and police came, I felt support and we had support from evreryone,” Campus monitor Jontay Williams said.

3:30 p.m.

“I was actually walking past my windows and both saw and heard the gunshots. I didn’t quite process what I saw or heard, but I sent a text to admin and we went into lockdown not even two minutes after I sent the text,” teacher Kortny Williamson said.

2:59 p.m.

DMPD first reports the shooting.

“When I first heard about the shooting all I was thinking was how do I help my students and staff ? What do I need to do? Where do I need to be? How can I help? Do I need to get back to the building? But, they wouldn’t let me back into the building because everything was locked down. So, knowing that the procedures were in place, I feel confident that the people in the building were safe and that was my biggest concern,” Campus Monitor Brian Connelly said.

The lockdown was lifted.

“I was there, I felt lost, in shock and in disbelief because your life can be gone instantly. I wish I had known CPR because maybe I couldn’t have saved his life but I could have rushed and at least helped,” senior Mohamed Saidu said.

3:31 p.m.

Local media releases some details about the shooting at East High school.

3:45 p.m. Staff meeting was held in the cafeteria

I had an overwhelming feeling of the fear of the unknown. At the time we did not know exactly what happened, who was involved and what the outcome was going to be. I also had a feeling of “what did we do wrong?” “Could we have done something different and prevented the incident?” I think everyone was having those types of thoughts but, as a safety coordinator in the building, I was feeling a large amount of blame on my shoulders. It was wonderful to see everyone come together to find comfort in each other. We all came together to process, grieve and talk through what kind of things we need from each other. It was a great time to lean on each other and strengthen our bond as coworkers,” Molly Girsch said.

“My first thought was I hope everyone is safe, my daughter is a senior this year and my youngest daughter will be a freshman next year, and I’m always asked ‘why you don’t send them anywhere but East?’ and I tell them ‘East is a culture you wouldn’t understand unless you’ve walked the halls and experienced it yourself.’ People already have a bad mindset towards East, that they’re a bad school full of gangs, drugs and crime when it is the complete opposite. In East’s darkest hour, you saw the epitome of #scarletstrong, students, faculty, community all united because of their belief in what East High School is to them,” Alumni Frank Lopez said.

8:01 p.m.

Victims information was relesed to the public.

“ When i seen the victims named released it was sad because we are all so young and lead to someone losing there life,” Kylee Ashley said.

East High Scroll

Q& A

K e m e ry O rt e g a

with

Warning the following content may be triggering for some people.

story/ S. Abdirahman

n Monday, March 7, 2022, at 2:47 p.m., over 40 shots were fired in East High School’s student parking lot, leaving two East High students, senior Kemery Ortega and sophomore Jessica Perez, injured. Another former East High School student, Jose David Lopez was killed in the gunfire. Ortega and Perez have been recovering since the shooting, and this is Ortega’s story. Scroll Staff interviewed Ortega on March 24, 2022. How are you doing right now and where are you? “I’m not doing too bad; I’m in a bit of pain but it’s manageable. I can handle it. I’m at the recovery home, and it’s been going well, I should be going home today,” Ortega said. Ortega has since returned home and is back at school. Can you tell us about your injuries? “I don’t know how far the bullet is in my head, but I still have it in there. I think it’s back here behind my ear. I don’t know too much...they say that it’s doing a good job healing,” Ortega said. What are the challenges you have faced through your recovery process? “The pain of course is something that I have dealt with. They took my stitches and staples out. It did not hurt as much as I thought it would. Sleeping has not been the best, but I have been getting a couple

hours in,” Ortega said. What has your recovery been like? “It’s frustrating having to be in bed and needing help every time I get up and move. It’s been hard, but we’ve been doing a pretty good job keeping up with all the medicine and everything going into my body to take care of the pain,” Ortega said. How is your family doing? “I know the first couple days and following weeks were scary for them watching me recover. The doctor said something was going to slow down in my head but luckily the doctors were wrong and there is nothing wrong with me as far as the tests go,” Ortega said. What was going through your mind when you heard the commotion? “I thought it was just a shooting threat, and I didn’t think anything was going to happen. I left one of my friend’s cars to go into another friend’s car and I saw him (the friend) crouch. I’m like ‘somethings going to happen,’ so as I was going to crouch, that’s when it happened. I could feel the paramedics feeling my neck to see if I was awake or not, and I literally couldn’t see a thing. I don’t really know much after that. My vision just went black and grey, and I could hear people screaming my name,” Ortega said. Do you remember anything from when you got to the hospital?

“When I got to the hospital, I felt the paramedics working on my head, cutting my hair, I was rolled on my side watching all the doctors working around me. I knew I had got hit or something, but I didn’t know exactly what to think. I could feel people working on me and cutting my clothes, that was overwhelming,” Ortega said. What’s your school plan? “I want to go back and finish up the school year, I want to graduate if I can, and hopefully get accepted to a trade school. We’ll see how that goes,” Ortega said. What message do you have for the East community? “I hope they aren’t scared and don’t do anything that will provoke anything bad in their life. Stay away from dangerous activities. Of course, nobody wants this to happen again. Stay strong and keep your head up,” Ortega said. An investigation into the shooting is on-going, but 10 local teenagers are in custody and facing charges that include first degree murder and attempted murder. DMPD determined that 42 shell casings have been recovered and “forensic examination of those shell casings shows that a total of six firearms were fired.”

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Student Government

East High

Festivities

College Prep

Pep Rally

Barbell Club

Crochet Club

page/S. Abdirahman photos/I. Lopez & M. Dolphin

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Soccer Season

E MEET TH JUNIOR

junior year. Sitting alongside her is sophomore Tabby Hochmuth. “Kayte is not only a great athlete, but a great friend. Every day when I walk into class, she immediately makes me smile. She just has this bubbly personality and is so warm and welcoming. When we went to our first 2021 East football game together, the I’m going to break. He taught beach out, she was so much fun me that it always gets better, to be around. I love hanging things just take time and hard out with her inside and outside work. I couldn’t ask for a better of school. She is really just the coach, he is like a mentor to best,” Hochmuth said. me,” Yaw said. Kayte is very outgoing around Yaw has been coached and most people she meets. She mentored by wrestling coach always has a smile on her face. James Giboo, soccer coach Reiv Kayte is always a fun person to Bentley, and 2019-2020 girls be around, and she can make any basketball season Aaron Otool. situation into a fun time. Some Yaw is also involved in the mak- things people may not know ing of the East High yearbook, about Kayte is that she likes to and has been for her entire work. She manages to work at

KAYTE YAW

You may see her in the East High student section under the Friday night lights. Or, playing soccer for the East High Scarlets in the spring. Kayte Yaw is a junior at East High School, and she recently set a new school record as a wrestler. Although Yaw has only been on the wrestling team for a few years, she has always felt welcomed. “I think East High is the greatest school and anyone could go here because it is inclusive towards everyone,” Yaw said. Kayte Yaw was born February 24, 2004. She attends East High School. Yaw is on the varsity wrestling team and the varsity girls soccer team. Wrestling, coached by James Giboo, recently came to an end. Kayte is one of the only girls on the team, and set a new school record this season at state. Wrestling season started at the end of November, and off season workouts, coached by James Giboo, are apart of every East high wrestler’s routine to stay in shape. “Coach James Giboo changed my whole life. He taught me to be strong even when I feel like

least 12 hours a week at HyVee, while in the midst of varsity wrestling season. During the 2021 East High football season, Yaw attended the beach out, (East v. North) construction theme, (East @ Lincoln) east side legend night, (East v. Ames) and costume out, (East v. Ankeny Centennial) just to name a few. Always going all in with the football game themes, Kayte Yaw is such a fun and creative individual. She is not only caring, but “warm and welcoming.” Continuing to grow and expand her mind, soul, and body, she is a mood enhancer. Receiving love and support from her friends and family during soccer season, wrestling season, and the off season, Yaw is always a great person to go support.

THE MANY POSES OF KAYTE YAW

Story/K. Shannon

East High Scroll

E A S T

H I G H

S C H O O L

W R E S T L I N G

You’re on the mat, you’re getting tired, and your opponent is beating you by two points, there is ten seconds left on the clock. Your teammates and friends are cheering for you. The clock is ticking, you give your final push, and you pin them. The ref hits the mat, and you win. The stands are cheering, and your team is congratulating you as you walk off the mat. This is what a wrestling meet looks like for many high school wrestlers. Meet some of our 2021-2022 season East High School wrestlers and what they have to say about this intense sport.

DEMETRIOUS HILSON What is one thing you do before your match? “Before my match I stretch and get my mind ready to wrestle,” junior Demetrious Hilson said.

NICK SCOTT What is the hardest part about being a wrestler? “Wrestling is a lot of dedication, it’s an everyday thing if you don’t show up you are not going to get better,” sophomore Nicholas Scott said.

DANIEL ZEOH Why did you choose wrestling? “I tried wrestling for my first time and ever since then I have fell in love with it,” sophomore Daniel Zeoh said.

DORRIAN HILSON What is your biggest accomplishment this season? “Even though I got more losses than wins, I did way better than the first time I wrestled. I started winning the last 3 weeks of wrestling. I have made lots of improvement since then,” Freshman Dorian Hilson said.

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KAYTE YAW

What do you wish people knew about wrestling? “It’s a mental sport, people think you have to be strong, and you don’t. It really just comes down to if you can push harder than your opponent and can fight the whole time, and you do not give up,” junior Kayte Yaw said.

ZACHARY NIEDERKLOPHER What has wrestling taught you? “Wrestling helps to stay in shape for both cross country and track but, its helped me improve dieting and helped make my mind grow stronger mentally,” senior Zachary Niederklopher said.

BRADY GORDON What is your best memory from this season? “Favorite memory from the season was spike ball before practice because they get very intense,” senior Brady Gordon said.

KENDAL FULLER What would you tell other students who are considering wrestling for East “People who want to try it, don’t hesitate. Wrestling is a sport that helps pass your limits, both physically and mentally, but only if you stay with it the whole way through,” junior Kendall Fuller said.

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Big schedule changes for next year And how it will affect students story/S. Melendez photo/ S. Melendez illustrations/ S. Melendez

t’s the first day of school, the excitement is real. After you’re done getting ready you decide to check Infinite Campus to see your classes for this year. But when you look, you’re shocked to see you have a release period and that block days are no more. This will be a reality for East High School students during the 2022-2023 school year, as several new changes and additions have been implemented, including turning Scarlet time into a period, a possible release period, and the discontinuation of block days. East High administrators are already planning out schedules for next year, with the main differences being students would now have eight periods in the day instead of seven. However, students will still only take seven academic classes and the school day will still be from 8:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. with the eight periods consisting of Scarlet time and the other seven consisting of core and elective classes. “Initial thoughts are that some students could have an open period. Other students might have a directed study hall to support academic progress and stay caught up,” principal Jill Versteeg said. The initial plans right now are for upperclassmen who have good grades to have a release period. But who would also have a release period? Well as of right now, plans are for students who go to central would also have one or a directed study. But they would have to use that period for traveling to and from Central. “Students who go to Central would have their open period for travel,” Versteeg said. Another difference will be that everyone’s new period would be at a different time. This school year, everyone has Scarlet after third block. While with the new schedule, a student’s release, study hall, or intervention could be at a different period compared to another student.

“Everyone’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) time would be at a different time, and MTSS is what students know as Scarlet time,” counselor Michael Freund said. There might be an opportunity for some students who are on track to graduate with their class could have the opportunity to have a release. Using a combination of factors, such as the student’s grade, their marks in class, and how well the classes they need to take line up during the day, would determine if a student has release. “Although some students may be able to have a release, others might have a study hall, it all depends on what classes they need to take and will be different between each person,” Freund said. The last change for next year will be the end of block days. With what we know as block days now encompassing one 50-minute class, Scarlet time, and three 90-minute classes during Wednesdays and Thursdays. And with next year there will only be one eight period schedule used Monday through Friday. “The district got rid of block days to create more consistency in the day-to-day schedule, this year block days created a lot of confusion with parents, students, and even teachers, I know I personally still get confused,” Freund said. The schedule changes were suggested by district stakeholders (parents, community members, students, alumni), in order to give teachers more planning time. As of now, teachers only have one 45-minute planning period, and one 90-minute period during Wednesday or Thursday. “Currently, teachers only have one planning period a day and one day with no planning. This schedule will increase the amount of time they have for planning and for PLCs substantially, teachers will be assigned a directed study time on a rotating basis but we are still exploring what that will look like for next year,” Versteeg said.

“Everyone’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) time would be at a different time, and MTSS is what students know as Scarlet time.” -Michael Freund

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What changes? What stays the same? The Same •

•

School will still be from 8:25 a.m. to 3:25 p.m Students will still have seven academic classes Classes will still be around 45 minutes long

Changes • • •

•

Eight periods per-day No more block days Teachers will get more planning time Scarlet time won’t be at a unified time

Deadline week disaster Many students failed because of the last week of school and its not their fault opinion/G.Cook

photo/S. Melendez

It is the final day of the first semester and having a teacher helps because there’s more inyou’re more stressed than ever. You go into your struction and more directions but at the end of first period class and the teacher is gone. You the day you have to do it yourself,” sophomore begin to panic because you have a low grade Oshay Franklin said. in this class and, need supTeachers being gone “It would be harder, isn’t fair to students or port. After first period, you go to your next three classes and your teacher is gone and teachers. If a teacher is everything is going well until gone, the student may you can’t ask questions,” not know what to do and you realize your fifth period that teacher is gone , as well. It this could cause them to sophomore Eric is another class you have a low fail. In cases where it’s Chavez said. grade in, and you’re told the deadline week, they would teacher will be gone for the rest have limited options to of the week because they have make up the work. This COVID-19 and there is no sub. You head to the isn’t fair to teachers because since they are gone, release room where many other students gather they can’t help their students in an efficient that also don’t have a sub for their class. In sixth way. This can put a lot of stress on teachers at and seventh period, it’s the same thing, no teach- home. Another reason this isn’t fair to students ers. This isn’t fair to the students, and this is also is because some students need the teachers help not fair to the teachers because they don’t want and if the teacher is not there, they can’t get students to fail their class. help right away. This can cause students to lose There’s a nation-wide sub shortage which motivation on the lesson and give up. means most of the subs aren’t working. This is “It would be harder, your teacher is gone a big problem because many teachers are gone and you can’t ask questions,” sophomore Eric and if there are no subs students would have Chavez said. nowhere to go and this can make it hard for The best way to solve this issue is to give students getting their work done. students who failed a class due to missing work “You have to do your work either way but during the last week a chance to make it up over

Ways to make up missing credits

summer school

This is a time period over the summer where you can fix/ make up work. The dates for this are June 13-30 (MondayThursday) and July 11-28 (MondayThursday).

the summer. This is an option all students have but I think it would be fair for the students who failed the class because of one test to have the chance to only do that test over the summer. This is fair because there are some students who worked hard all year but because their teacher was gone, they failed the test, and this shouldn’t affect them the way it did (grade wise). Another reason this is fair is because it will show which students do care since it happens over summer, they could either do it or enjoy their summer and retake the class. In many cases if the student fails the class, they would take a class over summer especially if they failed because of one test. “I would take a summer class; I’m trying to get as many credits as possible,” Franklin said There was one other way to fix it and it was F/IE. This is an added week to the end of the semester where you could turn in work. This is a good yet bad idea, it’s good because it gives the students another chance to fix their work while the information is still in their mind, but it’s a bad idea because during this time students have other work to worry about. “I didn’t miss regular deadline, but I did miss the F/IE deadline and there were a few people who probably would have passed if I didn’t have COVID-19,” chemistry teacher Samuel Juhl said.

F/IE make up week

F-

This is the week after deadline week and you can turn in/ fix assignments so you pass the class.

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Seeing double Meet some of East High’s twins Freshmen Teaghan and Tayte Warren are one minute apart, Teaghan is older. Their favorite thing about being a twin is having someone they can always count on. A disadvantage of being a twin is getting blamed for what the other does and everyone treats them like they are the same person. “Something about being a twin that others don’t know is that we are a lot different than people think,” Tayte said.

Posing for a photo with their twin on January 10, 2022, are sophomores Riley and Raegan Park. They are fraternal twins who were born 45 minutes apart. Riley is the older twin. “A disadvantage is everyone groups us together even though we are two different people,” Raegan said.

Seniors Abdifarhan and Liban Ahmed were born five minutes apart, Abdifarhan is older. An advantage to having a twin would be fully understanding each other, almost telepathically. “But we are always trying to one up each other. Almost everything is a competition, sometimes that competition is good because we push each other to be better, other times not so much,” Abdifarhan said.

Meet sophomores Konrad and Logan Ruffcorn, born on Oct. 6, 2005, just two minutes apart. Konrad is the older twin. You can tell them apart by their hair. Logan has longer hair whereas Konrad does not. “People constantly get us mixed up but we’re fraternal twins,” Konrad said.

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story/S. Abdirahman photos/S. Abdirahman

Dear spring,

Seasonal conversations

You’re up next! Isn’t that exciting? But first, I have a few things to say…

Dear spring,

Will it rain again today? All this rain is now making me very muddy.

Dear spring,

I love the way I can feel your warmth, but sad it’s making me melt away.

Dear spring,

I am almost gone, I’ve been seeing a few flowers coming in, you did well, they’re beautiful.

Dear spring,

You’re finally here and I’m all gone. I hope the next few months are good to you. And if you see her, say hi to summer for me. Sincerely,

Your season neighbor, winter.

illustration /J.White poem /J.White

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MCJROTC Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps story/P.Sleeth

design/P.Sleeth

What is Marine Corps Junior ROTC? People who succeed in business, industry, and education have often developed strong self-discipline, maturity, and the ability to lead and motivate others. Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) teaches young individuals the kind of self-discipline, self-confidence, and leadership skills that can help them successfully meet the challenges of adulthood. MCJROTC Curriculum, instruction, and activities are designed to develop the leadership abilities of each student regardless of which career path is followed. This class is offered by Des Moines Public Schools at Central Campus. There is no obligation to join the military.

The curriculum for MCJROTC. The curriculum is usually three years in length, but some high schools may have a four-year program. It consists of a minimum of 180 hours per year of both classroom and field instruction in a wide variety of subjects. A full range of courses, introductory through advanced, are offered in leadership and the application of leadership techniques. MCJROTC provides instruction in the development of good habits and attitudes, problem-solving techniques, the essential characteristics for success, civic and group leadership, and planning to meet the challenges of adult life. Military orientation and organization classes teach Marine Corps customs, courtesies, and traditions. Cadets study the Department of Defense and the National Security Organization. There is instruction and participation in basic drills, the Manual of Arms, and how to conduct parades and inspections. MCJROTC students’ study first aid and personal hygiene. Some units offer a course in CPR. Cadets discover plenty of adventure in outdoor living and survival training courses. MCJROTC puts a strong emphasis on challenging physical training. There are programs for getting into shape and staying in shape. Nationwide physical fitness competitions are held with male and female groups vying for unit and individual awards. Marksmanship and weapons instruction is offered to those students who receive parental consent. Cadets study the principles of small arms, safety precautions, maintenance, and inspection of weapons. Matches both intramural and against other schools are held using air pellet rifles. Finally, many specialized courses of instruction and orientation trips are offered depending upon the MCJROTC unit that is attended.

What does it cost to join MCJROTC? All uniforms and equipment are provided at no cost and will be issued after permission documents are signed by the individual and their parent/guardian. All uniforms MUST be returned when the student leaves the program. Students would only have to pay for uniforms or equipment if they were lost, stolen, or damaged.

Scholarship opportunities. NROTC scholarships are available at more than 50 colleges and universities throughout the country. A successful record in MCJROTC will also reflect favorably on the young students seeking an appointment to any of the United States service academies. Additionally, the AHS MCJROTC Booster Club provides scholarships for qualified seniors.

What type of credit does a student earn for MCJROTC? Students receive one elective credit (physical education) for the successful completion of one year in the MCJROTC program.

Who can join? Eligibility requires students to be willing to work hard, be in grades ninth through twelfth. Additionally, students MUST wear the uniform at least once per week on the specific day required, maintain a regulation haircut, be clean-shaven, and always uphold the standards of the MCJROTC Program.

What is the weekly routine for MCJROTC? The normal weekly routine is Monday - PT (Physical Training) Tuesday- In Class Day (no specific clothing required) Wednesday- PT (Physical Training) Thursday- no class due to “Block Day”. Friday- Inspection training Woodland MARPAT Digital Camouflage uniform (MCCUU) required. However, this can be modified as the school administration or Senior Marine Instructor sees fit.

What types of activities do students in MCJROTC participate in? Students in MCJROTC participate in a wide variety of activities such as Academic Teams, Drill Teams, Color Guard Teams, Marksmanship Teams, and Physical Fitness Teams. Students can also advance to become part of the Battalion Staff or could aspire to work in one of the commodity sections such as Admin, Supply, Logistics, or Public Affairs.

What are the regulations/rules for hair? Male students are required to keep their hair cut so the cover (hat) fits properly, the cover will not be worn indoors such as in buildings or vehicles, the cover must be worn outside on designated uniform days. Males must have the sides and back tapered from zero to no more than three inches on top. No block cut in the back. Female students must tie their hair in a slick bun so the cover can fit properly If the bun is too the big hair may need to be shortened, if the hair is too short it will have to be cut to the same regulations as male students.

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Cadet First Sgt Markus Khanthavongsa (North High School) “I have been in MCJROTC for three years,” Cadet First Sgt Khanthavongsa said. “I joined MCJROTC because I always wanted to join the military. So, joining MCJROTC would help me prepare for joining the actual military,” Cadet First Sgt Khanthavongsa said. “My favorite part is the physical training that we do for the class,” Cadet First Sgt Khanthavongsa said. “Out of all the cadets, I am the third in charge of the cadets. I just teach other cadets and practice with the Drill and PT teams,” Cadet First Sgt Khanthavongsa said.

Cadet Jade Duncan (Lincoln High School) “I just joined MCJROTC as of Jan. 20, 2022,” Cadet Duncan Said. “My favorite part is working out,” Cadet Duncan said. “I’m looking forward to inspection,” Cadet Duncan said.

USMC Uniform Types

Dress Blues B

Dress Blues D

Service C

Utility MARPAT

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15, 780 is this estimated number of children between the ages of birth and 19 years of age who are diagnosed with cancer each year

Warrior Nahla: Cancer’s biggest battle

According to the American Cancer Society, 43 children everyday are diagnosed with a childhood Cancer every day. This leaves 15,780 kids and their families to face the many Cancer related complications that other families normally do not have to each year. Cancer in children and teens is less common than adults but likely. Although Leukemia is the most fatal Cancer for children, Neuroblastoma is one of the most common. Each year there are about 800 new cases. To most people, these numbers mean nothing. They are just another set of statistics in a world full of numbers. Before January 21, 2020, I was a normal teen, and those numbers were just that to me, numbers. That was before my sister’s diagnosis. Soon enough, those numbers would become a part of a story that would affect my

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family’s lives forever. Here is our story. On March 11, 2018, my mother gave birth to my little sister, Nahla. Her expected due date was not until mid-June, but unfortunately complications related to my mother’s own health issues forced her to undergo an emergency c-section. My mother’s second child, my third little sister, our little warrior, was born early at 25 weeks (about five and a half months) weighing only one pound and three ounces, already forcing her to fight. I was scared, we were scared. I was my mother’s only child for 13 years of my life, it has always been just us. We had no idea how the two of us were going to take care of this little onepound baby. Nahla spent the first four months of her life at Mercy Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) working to gain weight and learning to breathe on her own.

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Everyday, the doctors, nurses, my mother, and I all prayed for the same thing. Nahla’s safe departure home. After Nahla’s journey in the NICU, life for us was almost normal. Though we will never forget that long fourmonth journey, it felt good to leave it in the past. Before Neuroblastoma, that journey seemed like the worst thing we would experience. We were wrong. January 21, 2020 we took Nahla to Blank Children’s Hospital because at the beginning of that month Nahla was throwing up nonstop. Every time she would drink or eat anything it was coming back up. It was terrifying and hard to watch. We had taken her to Mercy twice earlier that month already, but they had just thought she had some sort of stomach flu and kept sending her home. We knew it had to be something worse. We spent one full week at Blank thinking she was just backed up with feces. During that week she was getting several Enema’s and X-rays, doctors desperately trying to figure out why she was not having bowel movements and was constantly vomiting. Eventually they finally decided to take her down for a CT scan. What the CT scan discovered shattered our world. Our little warrior had a stomach tumor, Stage three Neuroblastoma, and was about to be forced to fight harder than ever before. Our entire life was flipped upside down in the blink of an eye. Even though Nahla was the only one with cancer, it felt as if our entire household had just been cursed by the disease. Neuroblastoma is a cancer commonly found in children five and younger. This cancer starts in the form of early nerve cells found in embryos and fetuses. It develops once the normal cells are crowded out by cells that have grown out of control, causing a tumor. Although neuroblastoma develops quickly, it is not normally found until later in the infants’ life, like it was with Nahla. The treatments for neuroblastoma can be different depending on the severity. Nahla’s treatment plan consisted of lots of chemotherapy, which is the common treatment for all cancer patients. It also consisted of plenty of surgeries, a bone marrow transplant, and many more tiring procedures for her. Although Nahla was the only one undergoing the hard surgeries and procedures, we were dealt some hard hands as well. At the beginning of her journey, I was Nahla’s only consistent visitor, for obvious reasons. I was there just as much as my mom; I was a caregiver. In September 2020, the hospital staff decided they no longer wanted me to be able to visit Nahla. They typed up a contract and had a meeting with my mom saying how

I could no longer be a caregiver, and that if I came to see Nahla they would call security. It was devastating. Everyday my mom had to leave me at home while she spent days and nights at the hospital. I fell into the deepest depression. I stopped attending my virtual classes and spent every day in my dark room. Some days were rougher than others. The worst day was October 2020. Early morning of that day my mom left for the hospital because Nahla had a few procedures she had to be there for. This happened often. My mom was always leaving to tend to Nahla. Not even two hours after she left, she was calling me crying. She told me how Nahla’s lungs were sounding bad earlier and that she told the doctors about her concerns, but they still went through with putting her to sleep for the procedure. Seconds after they put her to sleep, she started having breathing problems and flat lined three times. She told me it looked like a scene out of a movie. All the available doctors and nurses were rushing to Nahla’s side trying to resuscitate her. Even though they were successful, it was the scariest thing we went through. I could not be there because of the contract, but it felt like I had seen it firsthand. We knew Nahla was a strong warrior but after seeing her experience and beat death, us along with everyone else would know nothing could stop Warrior Nahla. Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in the US. Not only does cancer affect the diagnosed, but it also affects their families, their personalities, their relationships, their mental health, their lives. Cancer is a poison to everyone it meets. Before cancer, I had a job, friends, genuine happiness. Ten months later on November 17, 2020, our fighter was sent home with us cancer free. The journey was not over but to say I felt that level of joy before would be a lie. Nahla was born into this world fighting, she was forced to be a warrior from the start. After Cancer, I got another job, began communicating with my friends again and started going back to school. Many families each year suffer from cancer diagnoses and the battles it brings. Luckily for us, Cancer chose our strongest fighter to go against. Nahla went from a one-pound preemie baby to a cancer fighting warrior baby. Cancer was not Nahla’s biggest battle she was Cancers, and after beating this battle she is ready for the world.

Photos/N. Gully

Nahla’s time line Life before cancer January 2018Nahla ultrasound March 2018 Nahla in the NICU August 2018Nahla at home November 28, 2019Nahla at Thanksgiving

Life with cancer February 14, 2020The day we shaved her head March 11, 2020Second Birthday July 4, 2020October 3, 20202 days after she coded, in the ICU in Iowa City December 14, 2020Her hair came back

Life after cancer March 16, 2021June 17, 2021Nahla outside eating chalk September 3, 2021 Doctors appointment

September 16, 2021First day of school December 15, 2021Visiting Santa for the first time

Story/N. Gully

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What is ADHD and how does it effect people?

A D H D East High Scroll

You’re sitting in class; the teacher is talking but you can’t seem to focus. This may be the cause of ADHD. ADHD is an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s very common, with over three million cases per year. ADHD can last for years or be life-long. According to doctors, a person that has ADHD has some differences in brain development and brain activity that can affect attention, self-control, and low self-esteem. If you want to know more about what ADHD is and what treatments there is, read this article to find out more. What is ADHD? ADHD is a neuro behavioral condition that affects a person’s ability to focus and exercise age-appropriate inhibition. How is it diagnosed? There is no single test to diagnose ADHD because there are other problems like anxiety, depression, sleeping issues, and other learning disabilities that can present similar symptoms to ADHD. Diagnosing ADHD usually includes a checklist for rating symptoms and taking a history of the child from parents and teachers. You have to be diagnosed by a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, neurologist, and some physicians can diagnose ADHD in people. “We did not find out until one of his high school teachers noticed symptoms. This teacher’s wife was a psychologist who worked with students like our son. He told us we should have him tested. He had what

ADHD facts 42%

increase in ADHD diagnosed in the past eight years

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they called a mild case but enough to make school very difficult for him. After being put on medication turned into the 4.0 student, we always thought he was,” Scott Roose said Someone with ADHD is inattentive or impulsively hyperactive- or both- which can make home life, school life, and daily life harder. For example, most people with ADHD struggle with staying focused in class because there many things that can drift their focus and distract them. “In my experience ADHD comes in all shapes and forms so the most important thing to do is to get to know the student and build a relationship with them so I can better understand how to support them. Some students need space to move, some students need extra time, or some simply need a quiet space so they can focus better,” social studies teacher Kyla Nahno Kerchee said. Treatments and side effects? In most cases, ADHD is often best treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medications. For younger children (four – five years of age) with ADHD, behavior therapy is best for showing improvement. Some downsides and effects of ADHD include social isolation from others, the inability to form lasting bonds with others, increased risk-taking behaviors, etc. These are just some of the main side effects of having ADHD. Story/ N.Taylor

are get6.1% oftingchildren treated with medications

spring word search

Illustrations: K. Moss

Valentine Ground Hog Earth Day

word bank

Pavilion Recycle Flower

Easter Pastel Bloom

Rain Egg Spring

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ental health

matters

This article includes information about mental health, and some guidance for, who those need it.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 snapchat / rat_7280 story / A.Collins photos / A.Collins

Sometimes school can be overwhelming for students that’s why it’s best to try and take a step back, take time for yourself and breathe

ou’re in your room alone all the time, drowning in thoughts and tears running down your face. The voices in your head are getting louder every minute, never seeming to stop. You wonder to yourself, “Why am I like this, why am I so easily taken avenge of.” You want to get better, but have little to no motivation and no idea where to start. You want to stop unhealthy habits and negativity but most importantly you want to find yourself. Some people find a good night sleep or a nap helpful to relax the mind. “I go to sleep,” freshman Annie Warsame said. Many people struggle with mental health every day and don’t know how to cope. They either get addicted to something or just don’t have any healthy coping methods. They also just might be stuck in a dark place and have no idea how to get out or have no - where to start. Coping methods can be anything that calms you and makes you happy but also things that are considered healthy. Good coping methods can be things like talking about it, fidgets, taking things slow, walking, breathing, or meditation. Then bad coping methods would be considered self-mutilation, ignoring, or bottling up strong feelings, excessive working, avoiding problems or running away from problems. Having good coping methods is always a good way to go.

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“I try to stay more positive,” freshman Salu Lee said. Panic attacks can take many different forms and look different for many people. But it’s always good to know the main signs to look for. Before or during panic attacks can include shaking, breathlessness, sweating, dizziness feeling, chills, headache, or numbness. Again, it’s different for everyone but if you see someone who looks like they need help, help them. It could make their day and make them feel so much better. A lot of people try and help but end up making the person feel more panicky or feel violated in their space. The first thing you should never do when trying to help someone though a panic attack is say “just calm down” or “just breathe.” It’s hard to do that when emotions come out of nowhere or when they are switching rapidly. Instead try to talk to them at their own pace or try to talk about something they enjoy. Fidgets are also a great tool to distract someone from negative things or thoughts. Eventually they will be calm enough to talk about it. But in the meantime, the best thing to do is be there for them and try not to smother them. “My favorite strategy is leave them alone and not keep pushing them to do work,” teacher Juliana Huegerich said. Some teachers are hard on students and want them to do work but don’t understand that

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Tips for mental health

good coping 1. Have methods your thinking 2. Redo from negativity trusted 3. Have people near by 4. Be kind to yourself

mental health matters, too. With seven classes and the work can be overwhelming sometimes. To make it less overwhelming try getting work done in class. Working in class will make you feel accomplished and not to mention the free time after school for self-care or just relaxing your mind. You also shouldn’t let work pile up because that will be the hardest thing to get done. The best thing to do is get work done in sections. You may think you can get it done all at once but that’s hard on yourself and mind. Another thing to do in school is just take things slow but also get it done on time. If your teacher is being hard on you, try explaining how you’re feeling. If they don’t listen, then maybe go to a trusted adult to help the situation. Someone will eventually understand but just try to stay calm and explain how you’re feeling in the best way you can. Things will get better once you talk to someone. “Good mental health is the best thing you can do for yourself,” Huegerich said. What you don’t want to do is keep the emotions and feelings to yourself. When keeping in feelings it can cause out bust and taking it out on people you love. Which I don’t think is what you want, so even if you don’t like talking about your feelings at least try and talk to someone about it. “I meditate to calm my mind,” freshman Jceon Miller said. When it comes to mental health, people tend to over think. Over thinking is when someone thinks about negative possibility’s for too long. To help someone with over thinking try and not

get mad at them and reassure them constantly. Over thinking can be triggered by any small thing like talking to someone and you think they are mad or hate you just because of the tone in their voice, even being around people and you think everyone is judging you in secret. Things that over thinking leads to are panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. But the most common thing that over thinking leads to is self-destruction. When people over think, they only think the worst. They take the smallest thing and think of the most negative outcome for it. “I talk to the person and if nothing works then I walk away like nothing happened,” Miller said. Over thinking is like going into a hall and the further you go the darker it gets. People who over think are just stuck in a dark hole with their mind and body overtook by negativity, wanting the dark hall to have some sort of light. But to find the light you must redo your thinking. Instead of thinking that you’re nothing, that you’re worthless, that you don’t deserve happiness think about why you’re thinking that. People screwed you over that’s why you are thinking these things. You blame yourself for people hurting you but guess what it’s their loss. You just wanted to be happy with them, but they took advantage of that. So instead, be your own source of happiness. Instead, be the person that they can never have and be the person who you always needed. Make them regret hurting you because at the end you were always meant to find the light.

Most

common

mental disorders

Major Depression

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Pervasive and persistent low mood. Low-self esteem and lost of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities 7.1 % or 17.3 million people are affected

Excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry. Excessive worry which often interferes with daily functioning 6.8 million or 3.1% people are affected

Obsessivecompulsive Disorder

Feels the need to check things repeatedly or performs certain routines repeatedly, e.g. hand washing 2 to 3 million people are affected

4. People who struggle with mental health sometimes get admitted to hospitals for support, guidance, or help. One of the many hospitals in Des Moines is Iowa Lutheran Hospital. People rated this hospital four out of five stars, others have said they had a good and comforting stay at Iowa Lutheran Hospital.

Bipolar Disorder

Periods of elevated mood and periods of depression. Elevated mood is significant and is known as mania or hypomania 5.7 million or 2.6% people are affected

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Spring clean

irds are chirping, wind is blowing in your face, the sky is blue as it can be, spring is almost here. There are many things you can do this spring, to create a fresh start for yourself and the environment. You can thrift instead of buying fast fashion, you can eat locally and support small businesses. There are plenty of things to do to make a better you in 2022. Things you can do to better yourself and the environment Spring is the first step before summer and spring is all about coming back to life and growing. The grass is turning back to its beautiful green and seeds are being planted to grow new plants. The leaves from trees are coming back and the environment itself is becoming better and healthy. That’s the beauty of nature. “My favorite thing about spring is as the snow melts and the greens come back to life, as you walk out the door you feel the warm breeze,” junior Keven Martinez said. Spring can be an opportunity for you to have a fresh start. Winter can be a yucky season for many people and sometimes you feel depressed or overwhelmed, having unpleasant weather can affect people’s mood when it is cold and snowy. You can start new things like donating your old clothes or clothes you don’t wear anymore. You can thrift and reuse clothing to make new clothes and keep up with trends without adding more damage to the environment. Recycling is always good to do, you can save paper up and DIY your own paper, having a recycling bin is good too instead of throwing paper, water bottle, cans, plastic bags and much more. “I have been recently trying to donate my clothes that I don’t wear anymore, I

Thrift stores

*Goodwill *The Salvation Army *Worn *Plato’s Closet

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also go thrifting a lot, mostly of the clothes I wear now are thrifted,” Martinez said. Composting is good for the environment. Composting is where you take dead organisms, mostly plants and those dead organisms decompose naturally and take those nutrients and re-add those nutrients into the soil. “It stabilizes it, so once those organisms die the nutrients need to be reintroduced to the environment and that’s exactly what composting does, it keeps the food cycle

story/D.Vinalay

our global warming,” Minnehan said. Fast fashion is cheap and low-quality clothing that is rapidly produced at low cost, this is extremely a big problem to the environment as clothing cycles in and out. People buy fast fashion because it’s cheap and most clothing is up to date with trends. The problem with fast fashion is that the clothing is not made to last long and soon the clothes will end up in landfills. The fast fashion industry searches for low labor standards so they can exploit workers, workers are underpaid and work in terrible conditions. Fast fashion harms the environment and pollutes it. There are alternatives instead of buying fast fashion or supporting fast fashion, as though it might be hard to find affordable durable clothing there is a solution to a problem. Thrifting is an excellent alternative. These past few years more and more people are thrifting or donating their clothes. This is good for the environment as you can reuse and recycle your clothing. “It is better for the environment because when we don’t donate the clothes get thrown away, they get thrown into a landfill and it takes a lot of time for clothes to decompose, so when we donate, we’re allowing for clothes to be reused,” senior Alana Chanthavong said. There are plenty of local restaurants in Des Moines. It is always good to support local businesses and eat closer to home instead of driving far and wasting gas. “My favorite local restaurant, honestly I would say pho 888,” Chanthavong said. Downtown Des Moines Is a place to go if you’re looking locally. You can use google maps and search up local restaurants and you will see a lot of places show up.

“My favorite thing about spring is as the snow melts and the greens come back to life, as you walk out the door you feel the warm breeze,” junior Keven Martinez said. alive,” teacher Jefferey Minnehan said. You can compost leaves, dead grass, yard trimmings fruit and vegetables scraps and peelings, coffee grounds or filters, any organic matter and put them in the soil, or your own compost bucket. “You stay away from the plastics, that’s what you do not compost,” Minnehan said. Composting is good for the environment because we are reducing chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides. You are also reducing greenhouse gas emissions; this is an extreme problem since gases go into the atmosphere and create air pollution which affects our climate. “The more we compost the less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which helps with

Local resturants Self care *Pho 888 *Bubba *The latin King *La Mie

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*donate unused clothes *reuse ,recycle ,reduce *Try new things

SPRING MONEY SAVERS

Whether you’re traveling or staying in Iowa, here are East High’s best money saving methods and spring saver reccommendations.

story / F. Robertson illustrations / F. Robertson & Hal Beavers

Stuck in Des Moines this Spring?

f you’ve always struggled on how to plan and save for spring activities, then this might be the article for you. Students and teachers all over East High School share their best methods on how to save for spring, how to plan, and how to just have fun during your spring time. Whether you’re at the mall with your friends or on a beach in California, planning and attention to detail are what can make or break your spring plans. “Google flight, fuel economy gov, and route weather by Morecast are all good websites to compare travel costs and to look at weather with,” social studies teacher Henry Wright said. Apps and websites can be great resources to use when planning for your spring traveling. You can make schedules for yourself, find great deals you may not have been able to find in other places, and you can even find personalized flights based off of place, date, and time. It’s a good idea to also research where you’re going to and to make sure that you know all the facts first. “I usually start planning a trip by learning all the things going on in the area or along our route. Rarely does a trip work exactly as planned, so

having a few backups is key to a trip’s success,” social studies teacher Jake Hoversten said. Many people also stated that it’s important to be wise with your money when budgeting. If you’re planning to go somewhere, stop eating out as much, be more conscious with your money prior to your trip. Be a lot more intentional on where you spend money. “My wife and I will try all kinds of things to travel cheaply; split rental car or lodging by traveling with family or friends, packing food or using grocery stores instead of restaurants, and we also do a lot of tent camping which can be fun and cost effective,” Hoversten said. If you’re spending your spring in town or in Iowa, you can still spend time with your friends. You can go to the mall or watch movies at home, or you can have sleepovers with your friends and go outside to enjoy the weather. The possibilities of fun are endless. There are even students who plan to use their spring to better the community and environment such as planting trees, cleaning up, and doing community service. “I recommend helping out the environment in any way you can so we can have a beautiful spring,” freshman Owen Littell said.

East High’s best money saving methods and spring break recommendations.

There are many things in the Des Moines area that you can do, especially now that it’s getting warm out. Picnics with your friends or loved ones can build bonds and create strong memories, and you can make your own food for the occasion. If you’re looking for something more mobile, Valley junction offers many opportunities to see new things and has shops you can exlpore all day long. Even if you don’t have money, it’s fun to look at all the cool things the shops have to offer. This spring, connect with nature and enjoy the weather. Nothing is stopping you from taking a walk in your neighborhood.

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illustration/C. Ramirez-Chavez story/C. Ramirez-Chavez

eachers have a sinister agenda with one not having to look far to see the attack on our children with it being no longer hidden. That is what Republican Iowa Senate President Jake Chapman said in a speech on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, during the opening session of the 2022 Iowa legislative season. As his argument states, Chapman thinks some Iowa educators have gone too far with spreading many books with materials that Chapman has considered obscene and has now acted with filing a bill (Senate File 2198) that would allow parents to sue districts in Iowa over books they believe are obscene. In an interview with the in an interview with the Des Moines Register, Chapman was quoted saying, “You give hard-core pornography, you fall under this same penalty as anyone else... I strongly disagree with those school boards that are showing pornography,” Chapman said. Now, bill Senate File 2198 would require school districts to appoint an administrator to make sure that any “obscene material” or “hard-core pornography” aren’t available to students in school libraries with administrators or teachers who distribute to students to read would face a serious misdemeanor charge and being punishable by up to a year in prison and up to a fine up of $2,560. Chapman’s comments and actions are not the first polarizing thing to come up in the education system in Iowa as a list of many other topics as many introduced bills ideas have been in the talk for over the past few months as the more political divided the nation has become, the more politicized the education system has become. With talks of banning books in Iowa schools of which many being books that represent people of color and people of the LGBTQ+ community, and that’s not the only issue being pushed due to the politics here in Iowa. There were also talks of having of banning transgender

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women in taking part in women’s school sports activities with House File 2309 as it just recently passed and becoming law on March. 3, 2022. With all of these educational policies changing due to Iowa political lawmakers pushing for change in the educational system with the bills in the state legislator and much more possibly having an effect on the education system in Iowa. Now wanting to get a better understanding on the people of Iowa who will actually be effect by all of this talk of change, I conducted a series of interviews to ask questions to people who would be effected by these changes if any of these bills were to be put in place, with even an interview with Representative Sharon Sue Steckman, a former teacher who now holds political office in the state and we’ll get to see her input on the whole situation. With the understanding of what’s going on with the current education system, so scan the QR code to watch the videos.

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Watch the videos here!

Let schools make their own choices

Kim Reynolds should allow districts t0 Transition to virtual schooling if needed.

Having more students wear their masks, they are stressed and struggling to keep up, due to all the new changes being made. “I think virtual schooling would help since it’s not safe to be in school with COVID-19 getting worse,” freshman Jonathan Contreras-Silva said. In Jaunuary 2022, Iowa saw around 5,528 new cases per day, at least 110,028 active cases total. Over 1,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations for the first time since Dec. 3, 2020, and over 703k total cases. Yet, students in Iowa have been stuck in their classrooms with no social distancing. Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law requiring schools to offer 100 percent in-person learning on Feb. 15, 2021. When the in-person learning bill went into effect, this caused a lot of commotion in the Des Moines district. First, let’s go back to March 13, 2020, when everyone thought the world was ending due to the start of the community spread of COVID-19. Most people were excited about spring break, and because we didn’t need to go back to school for a few weeks. I think we all remember those times when we didn’t have toilet tissue, right? Yeah, not a great way to spend spring break, was it? Weeks went by, and spring break was over, but we still weren’t in school. Everyone was confused and stressed out; emails were sent out saying that we were going to continue the school year virtually. I was stressed out because I was used to in-person schooling; though, I wasn’t the only one. Everyone was concerned; some kids didn’t know if they were going to be able to

graduate. Stores were closed and it seemed as if nobody could leave their homes. Soon, the next school year came into the picture, and everyone started virtually. “I had to be creative to keep it engaging while learning new teaching strategies along the way. It was harder to help students who didn’t sign in because I had no control over that whereas, in person, I could at least talk to them and get them going with the work better,” teacher Nikki Dorr said. Then, we switched to hybrid; we would go to school in person for a few days, and then switch to virtual schooling; the students would take turns going to school during this time. This was going well for a while, until the school got rid of hybrid, making students choose between inperson or virtual. This was going well for some people, while others struggled due to all the new changes being made. “Some challenges I’ve faced during the school year with COVID-19 was probably, balancing online classes and then my mental health. Some ways I’ve overcome this is by taking breaks, focusing on myself, and then doing my work,” freshman Kandi Colin-Ramirez said. The 2021-2022 school year came, most

students decided to do in-person schooling, while 900 DMPS students grades six through 12, switched to virtual. It was a fresh start for everyone, they even lifted the mask mandate, so students didn’t need to wear their masks. Everyone was doing fine until the different variants of COVID-19 came into place; this caused a lot of panic in the school. The mask mandate was put back in order, meaning we needed to wear our masks for the safety of ourselves and others. Teachers and students were getting sick, people were missing school; it was a disaster. This was when the law that required 100 percent in-person learning gave school districts no choice but to keep students in the classroom. As of Jan. 19, there was a total of 1,071.6 new cases in Polk County Iowa, and on Jan. 21, there was a total of 216 positive cases in Des Moines Public Schools. Though, students were sent to school even with the new spike in COVID-19 cases. “I think virtual schooling would help since it’s not safe to be in school with COVID-19 getting worse,” freshman Jonathan Contreras-Silva said. opinion/B.Gillard photos/B.Gillard

Positive COVID-19 cases in Polk County, IA East High Scroll

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East High School’s Amy Jurasek What it’s like being a math teacher story/K.Stewart

Teaching volume = base x height is Jurasek. This is Jurasek’s first year teaching at East and she teaches geometry.

photo/K.Stewart

If you’ve been looking for a teacher who knows math, is interactive, and is nice to others. Look no further than Amy Jurasek. Jurasek is a math teacher and is one of the new teachers at East High School. How long have you taught at East and why did you want to teach at East? “This is my first-year teaching at East. I wanted to teach at East to get to know the students and help them progress towards graduation. I love that the school has such a strong history,” Jurasek said. Why did you want to become a math teacher and why did you want to be a teacher instead of some other job? “I have always liked the way math makes you think. That is something that everyone can do. I have done a lot of different jobs throughout my career. I was a physical therapist and then an actuary. Education has allowed me to have choices. It is just now, late in my career, that I have wanted to teach. I want to work with students to pass math classes and graduate so they can have many choices in life,” Jurasek said.

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What do you think about East High School? “East High School has a wonderfully diverse group of students (and teachers). That gives all of us the opportunity to learn from each other. We are all very different. We will grow more as people if we get to know people from different backgrounds than our own. I think East is a wonderful place to grow as a human,” Jurasek said.

What

geometry students

are doing

Constructing and transforming shapes

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Congruency of shapes

Similarity with transformations

& with

Associate Principal Mr. Gianaras Story/A. Ashby

photo/contributed

Have you ever seen a tall admin who has black hair? You may see him in the hallway and you hear him say, “Are you going to class?” He may greet you at the entrance of East when you’re half asleep in the morning. He may wave at you in the hallway, and you have no clue who this guy is. His name is Anthony Gianaras, one of the Associate Principals at East High School. What do you do for East and how does it have an impact on students? Gianaras oversees our SEL survey and oversees ISAP implementation. He also supports our math and social departments and does our social media and our website he also oversees our behavior team PLC. “I try to help our kids and their families,” Gianaras said. Do you enjoy working at East? What is your favorite thing that makes you smile when at work? “I love East, I love our kids, the teachers, our staff, the jokes and the laughter,” Gianaras said. What’s your life outside of school, what do you like to do outside of work? Gianaras likes to travel and cook. “I like to be with my kids and train jiujitsu it’s a big part of my life,” Gianaras said. Do you have any kids and if so what’s their names and ages? “I have two girls and a new born son. Gabriella is four and Sophia is two,” Gianaras said. Do you have a favorite restaurant and if so, is there a certain item you order off the menu? Gianaras likes Simons and if he is in Chicago, he likes a restaurant called Rosistear. At Simons, he orders a steak de burgo, when he is at Rositear, he orders half a chicken. What do you like to do in the summer

when you’re off work? “Visit family in Chicago and Minnesota and be with my kids. I like to exercise, recharge, grow myself and grow as a person,” Gianaras said. Did you grow up with siblings? If so, how many? Gianaras grew up with only one sibling, a little sister named Ana. What did you do and where did you work before you came to East? Gianaras worked at Harding Middle School for six years, before middle school he worked at Boys and Girls Club. What’s your favorite home cooked meal? Does it have to be made a certain way? “Steak, mac and cheese, salad and garlic bread,” Gianaras said. Growing up did you play any sports? If so, how many and what sports? “I played football and basketball,” Gianaras said. Growing up did you have good grades, and did you go to class? “My grades were okay, my attendance was good and I had better grades in college,” Gianaras said. Growing up did you have a favorite home cooked meal? “Greek chicken that my mom made,” Gianaras said.

things Mr. G does

for students

Gives guidance and support to students that need it.

Helps students stay on track and to grow into successful people.

Always there for every student to make sure there safe and at the right place at the right time.

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ALEXIS BROWN The senior that does it all

Photo/K. Hanawalt

Story/ L. Sellers You may have seen her bringing up the ball on the basketball court, batting balls at the softball field, maybe you’ve seen her jumping hurdles on the track, or doing back flips at the football games. Senior Alexis Brown is the epitome of east side pride and is truly a die-hard Scarlet at heart. “I’ll go to war for my gang,” Brown said. Brown has been involved in sports such as volleyball, basketball, track, softball, and cheerleading. Brown also serves as the East High secretary on the student government team. Not only does she bring the school spirit, but she also thrives off it. Her energy is unmatched, and her charisma is contagious. Brown is one of the most involved students known to East High. “Being a part of a team and making friends is fun and I enjoy being busy, even if it means I don’t have a lot of time to myself,” Brown said. After being involved in several things and investing so much time into her interests, Brown has decided to go to Northwest Missouri State and continue her softball ca-

East High Scroll

reer. Alongside this, she also plans to study to become a physical therapist. It is no question that Brown loves her school, and the East community cherishes her just as much. “I enjoy seeing everyone come support school events because it shows that they care about their peers and shows they have that East High spirit,” Brown said. The legacy that she hopes to leave behind is the inspiration for other students to genuinely care about their school and community. Brown wants to be an example of someone who made the best of their high school experience, making long lasting friendships and unforgettable memories. “Whether it is joining a sport, watching a sport, or making sure a fellow scarlet is having a good day, we must keep the school spirit alive,” Brown said. Brown is a treasure to East High and has demonstrated so many admirable qualities. Not only has she been a phenomenal student and athlete, but a wonderful mentor, leader, and friend.

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Photo/I. Lopez

FUN FACTS ABOUT ALEXIS BROWN 1. “My favorite Disney movie is Toy Story.” 2. “My favorite color is red.” 3. “I’m allergic to peanut butter and caramel.” 4. “I used to have an enlarged tonsil the size of a golf ball that was removed my freshman year.”

Thank you for the love and support

- East High Scarlets East High Scroll

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WE ARE

SCARLET STRONG