THE Powderpuff, Page 3
VOLUME 52 ISSUE 3
1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
CF blasts to infinity and beyond Sandra Omari-Boateng
GRANDPARENTS DAY
Feature Editor
Homecoming is here, and this year Cedar Falls is going to “infinity and beyond” with their outer-space homecoming theme. Homecoming began Sunday, Sept. 25 with hallway decorations and the powder puff football game. The game started 7 p.m. between junior and senior powder puff. “Everybody did a really good job, especially for only having been playing for a week,” junior Gwen Daives said. “Coming in as the underdogs is always a hard thing to overcome, but we did a good job of showing the seniors what we’re made of.” The final score was 0-8, giving the winning title to the seniors. On Monday, Sept.26 homecoming court was announced at an assembly. The volleyball game against Waterloo East will be Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m., and students are encouraged to show up with a black out. “We are ready to destroy East,” senior Brooke Craig said. “ I can’t wait for the student section cheer and wear all black” To pump up their team spirit, the volleyball team plans to do a team board game of Scrabble for the dress up day. The volleyball team is not alone in their preparation for Tuesday’s board game day. “We are going to do a huge Clue theme for the board game day,” junior Rachel Green said. “I’m Mr. Green.” Junior Laura Schwickerwrath also plans to band together with a group of friends for the dress up days.
DRESS UP DAYS
E D GAM BOAR DAY
Chandal Geerdes Photo Zach Harvey helps hang lighting to decorate the junior hallway.
“I’m really excited to see every body’s outfits,” Schwickerwrath said. “For board game day, our group of my friends and I are dressing up as the Twister board, wearing all white with different colored dots all over.” Following dress up days for the week include toga/PJ day, superhero day and spirit day. “I think we did a really good job in selecting [the dress up days] this year,” senior Lillian Poe said. “ I’m excited to see what everyone pulls off.” The homecoming king and queen will be announced at coronation, Thursday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. in the high school auditorium. “The seniors selected are quality people, and it will be a hard decision when it comes down to circling a name on the ballot,” junior Rachel Nurse said. “In my opinion, there is not an ‘obvious’ winner; it will be a tough call.” Friday, Sept. 30 marks the big
game. Cedar Falls will play Dubuque Wahlert at 7:15 p.m. at the UNI Dome. “[It] should be a pretty exciting, high scoring game,” senior David Langley said. “The whole homecoming atmosphere will make it that much better. Everyone should come support the team.” Students are ready to get fired up. “I expect a big win for CF,” senior Colby Creger said. “We had a great turnout at Xavier, so we should have an even better one this week for homecoming. Everyone needs to get pumped up and get loud; I hope to see everyone at the game so we can show Iowa not only who the No. 1 football team is, but also who the No. 1 school is.” To end the week, the Homecoming dance at will be held at Orchard Hill Church, Saturday, Oct. 1. The dance will be from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will be informal and space-themed.
we?” Student senate secretary Kaitlyn Trampel said that keeping the dance informal was a tough decision, but one that was made for several reasons. One push for keeping the dance informal this year was simply tradition. “It has been an informal homecoming throughout all of the officers’ high school careers,” Trampel said. “We’ve all really enjoyed going with groups, dressing up in costumes and have found
the dances to be a lot of fun.” Trampel said that maintaining the light, fun atmosphere of homecoming was another push behind keeping the dance informal. “One thing we were worried about with changing the dance to formal so suddenly was that students might feel pressure to go with dates, when in the past, people have mostly gone with groups of friends,” Trampel said. “We wanted to make sure homecoming still
TOG A
/PAJA DAY MA
O HER R E SUP AY D
SPIRIT DAY
Dance Drama: Senate officer responds to dance complaints Sara Gabriele Editor-in-chief
The homecoming dance is approaching, but some students are less than satisfied with this year’s informal dance theme. “I wish it was formal,” junior Margarita Meza said. “We don’t have anything else that’s formal besides prom, which most sophomores can’t go to. Other schools do it; why can’t
had the same light, fun dance it always had.” In addition, a logistical reason was a driving force behind the decision. Senate plans to host a winter formal this year, in part to compensate for an informal homecoming. “Since the winter months can get kind of dull, we decided a winter formal held around February would be good way to break them up. The formal nature of it will be in lieu of a formal homecoming.”
Opinion
Sept. 27, 2011
hiline.nr.co
Modern Family: Parents struggle to find balance Rhydian Talbot Staff Writer
Oh, modern moms and dads: Start parenting. Forgive me if my request comes off strong, but it’s a request born out of necessity. By deciding to raise children in this technological age, you’ve accepted a whole slew of responsibilities parents of generations past never had to touch. I’d bet in the ‘70s you grew up without a computer in the home; now, you probably walk around with a computer-esque gadget in your pocket -- as does your child. Instantaneous access has its perks, but also bears a social responsibility: besides monitoring your own online actions, you must also monitor those of your child’s. When you allow the Internet to raise your offspring for you, you’re essentially pushing your child to make social gaffes that could have been prevented had you cared enough to teach them a thing or two. Exhibit A: A father from Northern Ireland filed a lawsuit against Facebook for allowing his daughter to post racy photos of herself online, claiming the social networking site’s inability to perform background checks on its users makes it “guilty of negligence.” Firstly, hypocritical dad -- you’re essentially trying to sue the Internet. Good luck. And, forgive me, but you’re accusing a website for being “guilty of negligence”? Where were
you when she was taking said photos, Mr. Father of the Year? Moral standards aren’t innate, they’re acquired. Perhaps had she learned social do’s and don’ts from a responsible source like, say, her parents, she might have chosen to pose for her profile picture with just a few more layers of clothing. Your parental job description entails teaching morals, manners, and values. Don’t leave your kids to learn these from the Internet, because the World Wide Web is a big, scary place filled with equally big and scary forum trolls more than willing to corrupt an uninformed youth. Don’t blame an intangible corporation for allowing your daughter to live like the wild child she raised herself to be, when the blame lies on you and your words (or lack thereof). Radical idea, this talkingwith-your-child business, but hey -- it might have worked. However, the principle of having
Contact the Tiger Hi-Line The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes of Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division St., Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.co.nr. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Tuesdays to read in their free time. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Hi-Line or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial staff view is presented weekly in the editorial labeled as Our View. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to the Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Thursday for publication the following Tuesday. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Include address and phone number for verification.
Editorial Staff
Editors-in-Chief: Sara Gabriele, Ellen Gustavson, Meg Lane News Editors: Maya Amjadi, Sara Gabriele, Chandal Geerdes Opinion Editors: Meg Lane, Karl Sadkowski Sports Editor: Jared Hylton Feature Editors: Ellen Gustavson, Sandra Omari-Boateng Entertainment Editor: Lucas Hamilton Staff Writers: Sarah Church, Lindsey Davis, Chase Eremieff, Mikayla Foland, Isabelle Hayes, Trevor Johnson, Kathrine Mayhew, Diamond Spann, Rhydian Talbot
“too much of a good thing” applies to any excessive involvement in your child’s technological life, especially when you throw school into the equation. With grades posted online, e-mails reminding you of upcoming events, and teachers’ Tweets about next week’s tests, becoming cyberjoined at the hip to your student can be an easy pitfall. You may slowly begin viewing your child’s successes and failures as a reflection of yourself. A few points knocked off an assignment or a phone call home about Johnny’s antisocial behavior gets you thinking that you have just cause for transforming into a feral mama bear, ready to claw the face off any person foolish enough to call out your cub (and by extension -- you) for being anything less than perfect. This animalistic response to educators has begun an alarming trend in recent years: new teachers stay in the profession for a
our view
meager average of four and a half years, citing “issues with parents” to be the driving force behind their leave. Parents, kindly retract your claws long enough to trust the teacher’s judgment. If she tells you Johnny isn’t performing as well as she believes he can, take it as a suggestion for his overall improvement and not as a personal attack. Similarly, if she informs you he’s been acting out in class, believe her reports; Johnny may not act like the perfectly programed autobot in school that he appears to be at home under your watchful eye. View the teacher as a partner in raising your precious minime correctly, and not as public enemy number one. Parents, I know it’s tough raising kids in an era of instant access, but every generation of parents before you has had it’s own set of struggles (you’d find yourself hard pressed to find moms and dads of the Cold War who treated child rearing as a walk in the park when they were concerned said park might be bombed at any minute). Your challenge is striking the balance between too involved and too flippant. Talk with your kid once in a while; find out firsthand what they’re struggling with -- don’t just rely on status updates. Inversely, resist the temptation to become a vacuum parent whose overbearing nature sucks the fun of life -- and the will to live -- out of your genetic double. I promise it’s doable. So do it.
Food for thought Every year, First Christian Church (the church next to the high school) serves a free lunch to all students during homecoming week. This tradition originated when the church was still surrounded by houses where the high school practice field along 12th Street is now. Of course, the area around the church eventually became the school’s territory, but in the old days, students would cut from 12th Street behind First Christian on their ways from their cars to classes, and as the students filed past, the church offered students its first grill-out during homecoming week. Although cutting across property boundaries is no longer needed today, First Christian still offers a grill-out every homecoming to continue supporting the healthy relationship with their neighbors to the north. This still allows for effective communication between the two communities. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, soda, fruit and bottled water have all been available at the grill-out in past years. Students and staff alike should appreciate the time donated by this group. It is greatly appreciated that citizens outside the high school care about our education and are willing to sacrifice time and money in order to prepare a grill-out to brighten a mid-homecoming week day. Take time to thank some of the church members. You might just make their day better, too.
Sports
Sept. 27, 2011 hiline.co.nr
Barkley Hill on fast track to beating rushing record Izzie Hayes Staff Writer
With half a season left for adding up yardage, senior Barkley Hill is nearing a record that’s stood for over a decade. 2001 graduate Terrance Freeney currently holds the Tiger’s individual career rushing yards record. He went on to be a standout addition to the UNI Panthers, and now Freeney is currently an assistant coach at Waterloo East High School. Although Hill is closing in on Freeney’s record, you
wouldn’t know that if you talked to him. “I think Barkley is the kind of guy that gives everything he has every play. He is a pleasure to coach and a very consistant player,” cohead Coach Pat Mitchell said. Hill said he is extremely humbled to be approaching Freeney’s mark and doesn’t seek out attention for his accomplishments even though one would think that there is a lot of pressure to break the decade long record. “I feel it a little bit, but I’m not concerned,” Hill said. The current record stands
at 6,553 yards. Hill’s current yardage stands at 4,550, so that is 2,003 yards until Hill meets Freeney’s set record. “Anything is possible, it just depends on if it’s a slow game or fast pace,” Hill said. It goes without saying that Freeney and Hill are outstanding players. Both have records in the Tiger football record books, and Hill still has half of a season to go. “They both have different styles of running, but both of them have good speed. Barkley is much more powerful, but both players have great hands and
vision,” Mitchell said. This week the Tigers are matched up with Dubuque Wahlert for Homecoming. The Wahlert Golden Eagles are 4-1, while the Tigers are currently 5-0. “It’s going to be a really good game. Their quarterback is the 100-meter dash champion for 3A, and (CFHS senior) James Harrington is the 4A champion. Everybody’s going to be really excited for the game,” Mitchell said. The Tigers homecoming game will be at 7 p.m. at the UNI Dome. So come and cheer on Hill.
Athlete Week of the
Jamie Farley Volleyball 1. How has the volleyball season gone so far? Good, it’s had its ups and downs but we’ve come together as a team over the past few weeks. How long have you been in volleyball? I started in fourth grade, and I’ve been on the high school team all four years. What do you enjoy about volleyball? It’s a good team sport; one person can’t make up a team. You have to work together, and I also like the team bonding part of it. 4. What do you like to do besides play volleyball? Hanging out with family and friends.
Tigers in Action
Powderpuff Juniors and seniors battled it out Sunday night at the annual homecoming powderpuff game. From the left corner, senior Allie Wirth runs for the first down. At right, seniors Jamie Farley and Paige Miller push their way through for the win. At left, junior Katelyn Haan makes a break for the junior team.
FOOTBALL- 9/30 vs. Dubuque Wahlert 7:15 VOLLEYBALL- 9/27 vs Waterloo East 5:30 MEN’S GOLF- 9/29 @ Gates Park 3:15 WOMEN’S SWIMMING- 9/27 @ Linn-Mar 6 p.m. MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY- 9/29 @ Bontrager Park 4:30 WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY- 9/29 @ Bontrager Park
Feature
Sept. 27, 2011
hiline.co.nr
Behind the teacher’s desk
Students reverse role in cadet classes
Rhydian Talbot Staff Writer
Career planning just got a whole lot easier. Cadet Teaching is a class designed to allow high school seniors hands on experience in the classroom from the standpoint of teacher, not student. The semester-long class places students in elementary grades or a select few junior high subjects, depending in part on the student’s age level preference and availability of classrooms. The cadets then attend their designated classes every day during 5th, 6th and 7th periods, observing and assisting in student activities. To become a cadet teacher, high school juniors must submit an application in May to program coordinator Mike Hansel. From there, candidates undergo an interview process, where factors such as past attendance records and student dependability are taken into account. During this process, the candidate’s post-secondary plans play a part in deciding the final selection of student teachers. “Potential cadets must have an interest in pursuing an education degree. That does not mean they absolutely know they want to be a teacher, but they believe it is a possible career choice for them,” Hansel said. Accepted students receive their classroom assignments at the end of the spring semester, and they begin cadet teaching in either the fall or spring semester of their senior year. One of the fall semester cadets includes senior Mija Bean, who’s assisting in Jodie Bonwell’s 6th grade class at Lincoln Elementary. Though only a few weeks into the semester, Bean has already gotten the opportunity to put her teaching skills to the test, proving successful for both her and her students. “I was helping one student learn some algebra. It took her a while to get the concept, but
to finally see her eyes light up and watch the light bulb pop on really made me feel good. It made my day knowing I can actually really help someone out,” Bean said. On top of communication through instruction, cadet teachers gain the opportunity to form bonds with students outside the educational curriculum. Senior Josh Schoon, assisting in Kristen Remmert’s 5th grade classroom at Southdale Elementary, said he appreciates the interpersonal experiences cadet teaching provides. “I’ve had a lot of one-on-one conversations with [the students]. They’ll come up to me all the time saying things like, ‘Mr. Schoon, I’m having a terrible day,’ or ‘Mr. Schoon, what were you like when you were in fifth grade?’” Schoon said. The connection between cadet teacher and student doesn’t end when the final bell rings. Whereas bumping into a teacher outside of the classroom at the high school level may seem awkward, elementary students get a kick out of seeing their instructor in an informal setting, a sentiment shared by both parties. “It is a lot fun to see my kids at the CF football games! They will come running up to me yelling, ‘Hi, Mr. Schoon! I saw you in marching band!’ and wave,” Schoon said. This mutual camaraderie between teacher and student helps establish trust in the classroom, an essential part in fostering a successful education. The cadet teaching program provides student teachers with experience at the front of the classroom as educator, allowing cadets the opportunity to view their own teachers through new eyes. Cadets learn firsthand the difficulties associated with teaching, such as addressing misbehavior problems in the classroom. Exposure to such difficulties from a different
viewpoint can affect cadets’ own performance as students. “I do appreciate my teachers more. I’m trying to stay a bit more focused in my own classes because it does help my grades,” Bean said. Though not entirely certain what the future holds, Schoon said he believes cadet teaching has helped him gain clearer insight into his life’s direction after high school. “This is giving me a better idea of what I want to do when I grow up. I still don’t know if I will be a teacher, but I do know that I can really make a difference in kids’ lives and impact them just by being a role model to them.”
Ellen Gustavson and Rhydian Talbot Photos
(Above): Senior Josh Schoon assists a group of 5th grade student with their work. (Below): Schoon explains biomes to his students.