THE Artapolooza, Page 3
VOLUME 52 ISSUE 1
1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Siblings Share CF in Different Aspects Chandal Geerdes News Editor
Two new teachers in the high school have some advantages over the returning teachers: French teacher Brittan Lawrence and physics teacher Maria Hoekstra have or have had siblings who’ve attended Cedar Falls High School. Maria Hoekstra is a CFHS graduate (class of ’04) and the older sister of senior Chris Pratt. She taught at Holmes Junior High and is now the new physics teacher. Coming back to the high school and being behind the desk instead of in front of it has brought back some old memories. “I married my high school sweetheart, and we had physics together. We sat here right at this front table,” Hoekstra said. Hoekstra got this job opportunity and jumped right on it because she personally knew it was a great school district. Now being a part of the school district as an employee, she gets to have her old teachers as co-workers. “[It’s] very odd to have teachers that taught you as coworkers,” Hoekstra said. “You get to see true personalities of teachers, both sides professional and personal.” Although she doesn’t teach her brother, Chris, she does get to see him once in awhile when he stops by in the mornings. Besides Chris, Hoekstra
has known other students, like Lucas and Jacob Byers, since they were five years old. “It’s kinda weird to have someone as my teacher who is an elementary friend’s sister, but it’s cool because I already knew her and had a connection,” senior Jacob Byers said. Chris has received help from his sister about college and college preparation. “Well my sister has talked to me about choices in my schedule for best preparing me. She told me to try and go to four years at University of Northern Iowa, ” Pratt said. Chris has gotten used to the fact that Hoekstra is now a teacher at CF, but at first it was a little awkward for him. His friends have nothing but good things to say and find it surprising that she’s his sister. Brittan Lawrence is in a similar boat as Hokestra. Although her sister Madison Lawrence graduated last year, Lawrence still has the upper advantage of personally knowing some of her students, because they were friends of Madison. “I really like having her as a teacher. The first day I was really unsure of it all when I found out she would only talk in French, but now I can tell that’s going to help a ton,” junior Beth Keesy said. “Her class is a lot of fun. She mixes it up, so we’re usually doing something different everyday.”
Lawrence graduated from NU High class of ’07. Besides her field experience with Madame Danforth, Lawrence has not spent much time at Cedar Falls High School. Madison was more than happy to help decorate her classroom and help her connect names with faces and locations. “I was able to help her set up her room, which was awesome. I liked being able to give her input on what Madame Danforth did with her room and maybe how Brittan can incorporate it into her teaching as well,” Madison said. Lawrence knew that she wanted to teach at Cedar Falls High School because of the excellent French program and the opportunity of getting to work in the Cedar Falls School District. Now that
Sibling Power: On left, new French teacher Brittan Larence with sister Madison (11). On right, senior Chris Pratt with his sister, Maria Hoekstra, a CF alum new physics teacher.
she’s behind the desk instead of in front of it, she sees there is a lot of planning and behind the scenes work. “It’s a lot more working instead of being a student, sitting in class listening [you’re] always on your toes thinking, and [teaching] requires a lot more energy,” Continued page 2
Counselors push for attendence at College Fair Sandra Omari-Boateng Feature Editor
This year there will be another College Fair held at UNI on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The fair is taking place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the McLeod Center. The high school is providing transportation to the fair for any junior or senior wanting
to attend. Sophomores will just be staying in class that day. Those who would like to drive to the fair alone can still do so, but either way participants have to sign up in the counseling office before going. They have to know how many people will be driving so planners can know how to
handle the parking situation. Since the fair is being held on a late start Tuesday, the bus taking the students will be leaving at 9:45 a.m. and will return to the school around 11 a.m. Any students that will be driving by themselves should be there at 9 a.m. and have until 10:10 a.m to return back
to school in time for third hour. Having the schedule for the day like this won’t interfere with any of the lunches because the lunches are later due to the late start. The high school will be one of at least 20 other high schools in the area that will be attending. Last year only
about 50 Cedar Falls students total went to the college fair. “This year we’re making a big push for this because we want to make sure kids are taking advantage of this opportunity, especially juniors. Most seniors have already Continued page 2