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Tiger HI-LINE
Friday, April 20, 2018
Journey to Drake Men and Women’s track teams compete despite the cold/page 4 Follow us on Twitter at tigerhiline, Facebook at TigerHilineOnline and on our website at www.hiline.cfschools.org
Volume 58 Edition 24
Frahm selected for Gold Star teacher
Every year since 1989, the RJ McElroy Trust and KWWL selects 10 teachers from around northeast Iowa to be honored with the Gold Star Award for Outstanding Teacher. This year, Cedar Falls High School’s own Tammy Frahm has been selected for her outstanding teaching as a special education teacher. Ten teachers are selected through nominations sent in from students, parents and teachers themselves and rewarded with $1,000 cash at a live ceremony. In 2018, 954 nominations from across northeast Iowa were received by the trust. The program was developed to highlight and encourage excellence in Iowa education and reward teachers for their underappreciated work. The trust says that there is “nothing more important” to education than a teacher who is passionate and good at what they do, and is able to spur growth and excitement in learning within their students. The program highlights members of the profession who are often “overworked, underappreciated and lured into more lucrative fields.” Frahm has taught for 23 years and describes her teaching style as “consistent and relaxed.” She said, “My favorite part of my job is watching my students learn and grow into young adults.” While Frahm said that she is “hon-
“Every day I am thankful that I have parents that give me the privilege to work with their children.”
—Gold Star Teacher Tammy Frahm
ored to be receiving the Gold Star award,” she emphasized what the award truly encompasses, and contributes her success as a teacher and recognition by the Trust to many others around her. “Every day I am thankful that I have parents that give me the privilege to work with their children.” Frahm said.
“I am grateful for the bus drivers that bring my students to school safely. Our friendly janitors clear a safe path and check with me daily to make sure the room is comfortable for learning. I have a team of teachers in my department that are willing to share ideas, and teachers throughout the building are ready to say ‘We can figure this out,’ and ‘Let’s work on this together.’” Frahm also recognized others in the school who do not get recognition for their hard work and contributions to the success of her students, including bus drivers who bring students to school safely; janitors who clear safe paths and check in with Frahm daily to make sure the room is safe for learning; the school nursing staff, who have helped to train Frahm to make sure students’ individual needs are met; skilled counselors who work hard even after school hours; office workers; paraeducators, whom Frahm refers to as the “foundation” of her classroom; and support teams, among many others who Frahm believes are necessary to her success. Even people outside the school
building have helped Frahm reach her and her student’s full potential by assisting with the repair of wheelchairs, learning to use communication devices and providing smooth transitions for her students into post-highschool life. “Each school day I am blessed to work with some of the most amazing young people that are eager to learn everything I can teach them. Truthfully, over the years they have taught me much more than I could ever teach them,” Frahm said. “You see, the award may have my name on it, but a Gold Star teacher encompasses more than just one person.” Frahm and the other nine Gold Star Award teachers will be honored in a ceremony at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus on May 22 at 7 p.m, which will feature a performance from the Gold Star Singers children’s choir.
which she journaled her victories and obstacles. In a post she mentioned how she was learning to “Be better. Do better,” and the name stuck. Soon after recovering from her first stroke the Do Better. Be Better. foundation was started. The student leadership team, the graduating class of 1999 and the Dunkerton principal at the time, Justin Urbanek, created the Do Better. Be Better. Scholarship in Smith’s honor. “The scholarship means the world to me. I am incredibly honored that my graduating class began this in my name. It is truly humbling to see so many people donate their time and money to support Do Better. Be Better. and everything that it stands for,” Smith said, “The entire non-profit foundation has given me a positive outlook on all the adversities and challenges that I have been through personally.” The foundation also raises money to help families going through difficult
times similar to Smith’s situation. Student senate Advisor Erin Gardner was contacted by Urbanek shortly after talk of the scholarship at Dunkerton. “Mr. Urbanek, Mrs. Smith and myself all live down the same road. Because Mrs. Smith went to Dunkerton, (Urbanek) started it, then contacted us to see if we wanted to go in and help,” Gardner said. From then a partnership between the schools began. Each school takes turns alternate years hosting the color run, which includes marking the course, throwing color and cheering on participants. “It is good for our students along with Dunkerton. It is nice to be able to work with another school to want to make a positive effort,” Gardner said. Applicants for the scholarships are asked to write an essay about how they have overcome adversity or how they have helped someone overcome adversity.
The 2017 Cedar Falls scholarship recipient was Adison Pace who wrote of his personal experience with cancer and not living in fear. “A big part of that for me was seeing how Mrs. Smith carries herself each day. She’s really an inspiration,” Pace said. This 5k is more than raising money to help community members, it is a symbol of coming together, overcoming adversity. The Do Better. Be Better. Color run is for all ages. You can sign up online from the Do Better. Be Better. Facebook page. All are invited to run, walk, or bike the route. There will also be an opportunity to receive three make up gym credits. It’s your time to live your life and be the person you want to be. Learn how to Do Better. Be Better. one day at a time.
Submitted Photo
After 23 years of teaching, special needs teacher Tammy Frahm recieves Gold Star Award to acknowledge her underappreciated work.
By Editor-in-Chief Elise
LEASURE
Annual color run ready for Saturday On Saturday April 21 at 8 a.m., the gun will go off at Dunkerton High School to begin the fifth annual Do Better. Be Better. color run. All proceeds will go toward the Do Better. Be Better. scholarship. One student from Cedar Falls and another from Dunkerton schools will receive a $500-$1,000 scholarship to go toward their education for the following semester. On Oct. 25, 2013, physical education teacher Jamie Smith suffered a stroke in the pons of her brain, at the young age of 32. The stroke was caused by a cavernous malformation cavernoma (CM). It is a vascular abnormality in the central nervous system, which leads to a cluster of dilated vessels. While going through this hard time, Smith turned to Facebook to keep her friends and family updated on her situation. After receiving a tremendous amount of support through her posts, she was encouraged to start a blog in
By Editor-in-Chief Rachel
SCHMID
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Our View
Students bake for Jake
Students donate and make baked goods for missing student in order to raise money to support the Red Cross. The bake sale took place in the Tigers Den on Friday, April 14.
After getting a cup of ice cream from Tootsie’s in his hometown of LaPorte City, 16-year-old Jake Wilson told his family he was talking a walk down to Wolf Creek near his home on an unusually cold Saturday night, April 7. He was wearing a brown zip-up hoodie, dark pants and cowboy boots on the last night he was seen. Since then, hundreds of volunteers have poured into LaPorte City to assist in helping to find him, and last week on Friday, April 13, Wilson’s classmates coordinated a bake sale to raise money to aid in paying for the community efforts to find Wilson. “Jake was in my FCS classroom, he loved to cook, so when Mrs. Frahm told us about Bake for Jake, we wanted to help bake,” senior Isabella Schlarmann said. Art students collaborated with the special needs classroom to design posters for the bake sale; after the posters were done, students hung them on every corner of the school. “Miss Anderson had wanted to arrange a bake sale, and Isabella Schlarmann and I actually were head over heels about the idea,” junior Ferran Richmond said. The special needs classroom spent their whole Thursday before Bake for Jake to bake goodies; with the help of teachers, and other students, they coordinated Bake for Jake and sold $1,300 to $1,400 worth of donated baked goods and Chick-Fil-A sandwiches in the Tiger’s Den before classes. The money went to assist organizations such as Red Cross, LaPorte City police and fire departments in their search for Wilson. “It was an amazing environment to be around, and it was really heart warming to me that I got to help out with something that means a lot, not only the staff and classmates but to me as well,” Richmond said.
Contact Us The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools.org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. 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 Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editors-in-Chief: Elise Leasure, Rachel Schmid, Sabine Martin Lead Writer: Tehya Tournier Opinion Editor: Benjamin Boezinger Staff: Saba Aydiner, Noah Forker, Chase Kline, Kendall Maslak, Sierra Miller, Skylar Promer, Sophia Schillinger, Matthew Walsh
Tiger
HI-LINE
Friday, April 20, 2018
Education needs 21st century overhaul Consider yourself at age five. Shorter, smaller, curiouser and curiouser. Everything is new, every discovery is brilliant. Your brain geared for learning, you question things with the ferocity of a revolutionary. As children, it is natural to interrogate, to challenge Society had not yet trimmed our overflowing minds into bland boxes that fit perfectly into cubicles. When children are told that they must go to school, they doggedly attack the idea of compulsory education. When teenagers are told they must go to school, they roll their eyes, roll out of bed and head off to school. Children are filled with questions, whether they be about why the sky is blue or why government is necessary. If you walk into a kindergarten classroom, you’ll get more than a few tossed your way before you leave. If you walk into the average high school classroom, the only question you’re going to get is, will this be on the test? Something happens between early childhood and high school that results in us losing our inquisitiveness and desire for learning. There’s a reason teachers have to put rules in place like “don’t play on your phone” and “stop talking while I’m teaching,” and it’s not because students are overly passionate about the subject matter. Why is this happening? Possibly because students spend seven hours a day learning to listen to orders instead of question them. The school system is good for a lot of people, namely administrators and legislators, but its impact on students is far from positive. In the United States, over 20 percent of freshmen don’t make it to graduation, and one in five kids shows signs of mental illness, a rate which is steadily inclining. Students are stifled by a school system that does not benefit them. Most students are expected to graduate, and many to go on to college. But in a 2016 survey of over 5,000 recent col-
Are you going to participate in the school walkout protesting gun violence? By Staff Writer Kendall
MASLAK
lege grads, 70 percent were either unemployed or couldn’t get a job in their chosen field, and 86 percent had no pending job offers. And in high school, the emphasis is placed on getting a diploma, not on getting an education. Politicians have been trying for decades to make this system work, usually by adding more standardized tests or changing the grading methods or demanding teachers learn new methods of teaching that aren’t any better than the old ones. This isn’t because we have useless, out-of-touch legislators, even though we do, but because they’re trying to fix a system that is fundamentally broken and unsuited to the 21st century. In a zombie movie, if you’re bitten on the arm by one of the walking dead, you don’t waste your precious time applying antibiotic ointment to the wound; you cut off your arm before the infection spreads. And that’s what we need to do with our outdated education system: destroy it. No amount of standardized tests can save this. Our education system has been around a while. In the late 1700s, the Prussian model was invented. For its time, the model was very forwardthinking. It broke students into groups by age, allowing education to function like an assembly line. Each age group moved down the line, had information deposited into their collective brain and moved on again. This was the best way to educate everyone at the time. It was revered as egalitarian because it educated all people, regardless of socioeconomic class, for the first time in history. In 1840, Horace Mann brought this education model to the United States. Still there was an issue: education differed severely from state to state. In 1892, a group of 10 men met and evened out the system, so that education was uniform across the entire country, making a standardized education system that
“I didn’t know about it.”
—Sydney Davis senior
would be entrenched in American society for decades to come. This system was suited to the youth of the time, most of whom would go on to factory jobs. Grades such as A, B and C were based off of the system for determining product quality. Students were and are graded in the same way as meat and gemstones. However, over the past century, the Age of Industrialization has come and gone. A school system made to produce docile factory workers slowly became less equipped to educate the youth. In the late 1900s, the personal computer was created, and in the 1990s, the Internet became accessible to millions of Americans. For the first time, information could be rapidly shared. It allowed for improved communication and widespread access to knowledge. Other advances in technology made factory jobs almost obsolete, and customer service jobs will soon follow. The future is coming quickly, and we must adapt. We can’t afford to pretend that factory jobs will return, that coal jobs aren’t vanishing or that retail and customer service jobs will be around in 20 years. But when we refuse to do away with our now antiquated education system, we are doing just that. The factory model of education, in which students are grouped by age and slowly slid toward adulthood on an educational conveyor belt, has not been fundamentally changed in more than 125 years. For some time now, the American school system has sat at a crossroads. It must either change its system to suit modern life, or doom the next generation of students with an education that does not prepare them for their future. As students, we must educate ourselves on this issue. More than any other group of people, we should care about this. It’s our education, and we must not be merely complacent in it. By Staff Writer Sierra
MILLER
“I will be participating to support something bigger than myself.” --Daequan Thomas
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SPORTS HI-LINE Tampa Bay lightning storms through NHL playoffs Friday, April 20, 2018
The NHL playoffs, no matter what you say, is the unprecedented king of intriguing sports. The wall to wall action is captivated by physical play, skillful play, and demanding play. Every game is game seven, no matter the round. Whether it’s fighting for home ice advantage in the early parts of series, looking to gain substantial control, or looking to finish a team off, there is no lack of excellent play. There are two teams from each conference who have a chance to win the coveted Stanley Cup. Their opportunities, and more, to come. The Vegas Golden Knights shocked the world with their dominant play through the inaugural season. The band of misfits has given teams fits all over the ice. They have a pang of hunger that can only be represented in an organization like Vegas but are experienced enough to play smart, effective hockey. The group is chalk full of unnamed and previously deemed invaluable by their former teams, great defenseman. They’re prototypical meatheads. They battle hard in the corners, limit odd-man rushes, and hold the blue line in the offensive zone. They have limited star power, that’s for sure. But they get the job done. They were seventh in the league in goals-against average, and the same place in total goals against at 224. The league hasn’t seen something like this since the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver, and the Avalanche won the cup. Coincidence? I think not. Also, they
have the league’s best goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury. The Penguins were foolish to let him go in the expansion draft, and it’s proven to bite them early in the playoffs. Finally, the Knights have one of the most explosive offenses in the league currently. William Karlsson has come out of the woodwork as an up and coming deadly finisher in the league. He’s scored 42 of the Vegas 268 goals, the first expansion draft player to score over 40 in his first year. Vegas made a stellar move at the trade deadline, acquiring the Red Wings deadly finisher Tomas Tatar, bulking the offense. The Knight’s offense top to bottom is filled with team players. The next man up mentality is in full effect at T-Mobile arena. There isn’t a first, second or third line. Instead, it’s more like A, B and C. If one isn’t putting up what they need, another will step into its place. Vegas has a high chance to make it past the conference, but it won’t be easy. The Pacific was the toughest division in the league, and they have a high chance of playing 2 of the three from their division. The lineup will need to continue its presented dominance. The Sharks season started off slow but picked up speed tremendously. Their legendary wildman Brett Burns didn’t score until Thanksgiving, but just like the rest of the team, regained control and an aggressive control over the division. The Sharks top to bottom is one of the most well put together teams in the league. The defense is ok; offense is
spectacular. Not to mention they are anchored well at the back end by an underrated tender in Martin Jones. Offensively, one of the best first lines in hockey lives at the SAP center. Evander Kane, a deadline acquisition, has been lighting it up since coming to a postseason-caliber team. He’s scored 14 points in 17 games for the Sharks posting up on the left side of the ice. San Jose has averaged three points a game for the season, not the best but not the worst. 13 in the league, they’ve picked it up in the postseason. The Sharks mollywhopped the Ducks in game three, and haven’t given an inch all series. But they are high octane, explosive team who has lacked on defense this season. 23 in goals against, the Sharks are an offensive-minded team. It’s worked well for them so far, but might be a problem against a solid defensive team like Nashville or Vegas. They need to keep pucks in the offensive zone if they want to win games. The Columbus Blue Jackets have been an overlooked team all year, and my darkhorse in the playoffs. They have a stellar goalie with Sergei Bobrovsky and a young explosive offense. Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson are virtually indistinguishable by their size, speed, and hands on the ice. The spread the ice, use length and width to their advantage, and stretch opposing defenses thin. It takes more than two defensemen and a goalie to stop the youngbloods from putting the biscuit in the basket.
Bobrovsky has been a stone wall for the Jackets since arriving there, and a huge reason they’ve found success in the past years. He had 37 wins in the regular season, and a .921 save percentage, fourth in the league. Bob has been the difference maker in the postseason, and a big reason Columbus has taken each of the games into overtime against the Caps. Bob has shut down the Caps offensive stars all series. Ovechkin has only scored once, and it took three games to do it. Columbus had the luck of the draw playing the Caps; a team who has underperformed their entire postseason career> Columbus will have a hard time playing the Penguins or Bruins, and I don’t fully expect them to make it out of the conference. They have underdog potential, and that do wonders in the NHL playoffs. Tampa Bay has been a dominant team all season. They have two superstar lines centered by Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson, and Nikita Kucherov. Vasilevsky, their goalie, is in the finals for the Vezina trophy and owned a .920 save percentage. Tampa has one of the best offenses in the league and the best on the east coast. Their power play is deadly, especially when they’re able to work the puck around. Stamkos’ prime spot is on the right side, where he sits like a bloodthirsty shark waiting for a prime one-timer. The special teams were ranked second during the regular season, and I expect more of the same in the coming weeks. Tampa also
has one of the most underrated defenses in the league. Their veteran defenseman Victor Hedman is always trouble when he shows up. He’s physical, has good puck skills and a good shot. The probability of Hedman getting outworked or outplayed in the defensive zone is slim to none. He’s an essential asset to have and can work wonders for a team in the postseason. When he plays every other shift, it can give opposing team nightmares. Tampa started the season on fire. After the first half of the season, they were projected to get over sixty wins. That line has since fallen off, but the Playoffs tend to bring the best out of teams, and I expect the same here. Teams are more talented this year, but more importantly their anger. There’s been no short of cheap shots so far, which is a great sign. Not for the players, of course, but it’s a great indicator of the games to come. There’s nothing better at getting the blood pumping than a few shoulders dropping. That being said, Vegas’ physicality, hunger, band skill will get them the farthest this year, I expect Fleury to continue his dominance, and the offense to dominate. I think that although they have the experience and chemistry that no one expected them to have. They killed the Kings in the first round, and that confidence will continue until the final horn in the Stanley Cup. By Opinion Editor Ben
BOEZINGER
Men’s Soccer starts season with winning streak Losing to Waterloo West High School last year 3-0 early on in their season left the men’s soccer team hungry for a revenge game. The team filled the hole left by West by defeating their rival West, 2-0, at the beginning of this year. The team acted as a cohesive unit and attacked on the field according to junior player Matthew Cook. “We came off really strong, attacking, which is what I like. Just putting that goal against them felt really good to me,” he said. Senior Chimzim Ogbondah and junior Benny Bundi played among the leaders within Cedar Falls’ back line, while senior goalkeeper acted as a key
communicator in the game. The long craved win against their Metro rivalry West was a big accomplishment for the team. “That’s always the most important game for pretty much all of the soccer guys. Because we play with a lot of the West kids on our club teams and it’s just a rivalry game, so that kind of means the most to everyone,” Cook said. The sweet victory also kicked off a string of victories. Their only loss came on Friday, April 13 in a close contest against Waverly-Shell Rock, 1-2. “We’ve had a great start to the season so far. We are sitting at 5-1 right now. The entire team has been cohe-
sive, and the guys have done a great job of holding each other accountable in making sure the standards are high in matches and practice,’’ Coach Spencer Steffy said . Steffy attributes the team’s impressive record to the teamwork from the men and the hard work put in on the field during games and practice. “The effort and work ethic is something that we worked very hard on throughout the off season. It is better than what we’ve seen in years’ past, and the effort and hard work is paying off,” he said. One of the team’s key their success is their strong defense. “It is our defense
The players not only work together on the field, but senior Chimzim Ogbondah said the chemistry and friendship within the team has enabled them to act as a single mighty force during games. “We all have been playing together competitive soccer since we were younger kids, and for my grade, we’ve been on varsity since we were sophomores, and the grade under us started as sophomores, so, this is going to be our third year playing together, so we are all probably a lot more comfortable playing together. We’re used to each other, and our team chemistry has gone up,” he said. Leadership amongst the
team has also gone increased throughout this season. “We went through a lot of growing pains last year,” Steffy said. “This year leadership-wise the seniors that we do have, have done a great job of turning things around. The group made a valiant effort in the offseason to take a step forward.” To add to the leadership that the team has continuously been building for years, the men started a leadership group this season. The group is made up of five experienced players who can lead the team and act as role models on and off the field. The five leaders
‘WINNING’
Continued on Page 4
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Friday, April 20, 2018
Athlete of the
Week
Journey to Drake
The women’s track team competed at home on Tuesday April 17th. Bottom left sophmore Sabrina Leistikow soars over high jump. Mens track competed in Waterloo, won the meet, and got one step closer to state.
Clare Rolinger Golf
WINNING/ Continued from Page 3 help lead the team effectively when the coach is not able to be present at practice. The leadership group not only benefits the team in practice, but installs confidence between the boys on the field. “I will admit I get a little nervous and I know if it gets by them I have to get that ball,” said Burken, who has defended the net in all four wins. “But with them in front my confidence builds with every attack. It also helps when we can get the lead first.” The five leaders consist of Ogbondah, senior Benny Bundi and juniors Harrison Hall,
Oskar Brocka and Cook. Ogbondah says that this group has help round him as a person.“I gained a lot of leadership skills. I know how to project myself. I know how I should look as a leader so that people will look up to me. It’s rounded me more as a person,” Ogbondah said. After an unsatisfying season last year, the team has formulated a strategy and team with aspirations of making a run in playoffs. Their strategy consists of a node in the middle field, with a couple of guys leading the whole team from the middle field. “We orchestrate everything
through the mid-field. We just have someone who is always constantly talking. Letting us know what passes we should give, how to orchestrate the team and what we see as weaknesses in the opposing team, so that way we could just formulate to pretty much put our throat on the other team and not let up,” Ogbondah said. The team plans keep defeating the other teams, and comeback from their only defeat last Friday against. Waverly Shell Rock. The team has battled snow and bad weather, but with their determination and hard work that they have
been displaying at games, the team has been able to clinch some great victories and game defying moments. “My favorite game moment to this point would have to be Cade McCann’s game winning goal at Jefferson last week. We needed a goal in a very bad way and Cade hustled out two defenders and scored a nice goal, with all off of his effort. It clinched a win and fired up the boys to see out the 2-1 victory,” said Steffy. By Staff Writer Sophia
SCHILLINGER
Clare has been playing on the Women’s golf team for the past 4 years. She has played at the state championship, being part of the team taking home two consecutive state championships. In her final year as a tiger she leads the team into another successful season. How long have you been playing golf? I’ve played golf for about 12 years. I staç What has been your biggest accomplishment this season so far? We haven’t had much of a season quite yet because of the weather, so I’d probably have to say my biggest accomplishment has been going out and practicing in spite of the freezing wind and snow. What are some struggles you have faced with golf? Golf is mentally taxing and quite frusterating at times. It’s not just a physical, it’s mental too, and that can be hard. What are some of your personal goals? My personal goal for this season is to act as a leader on varsity and to enjoy my last year golfing with my coach and my teammates. What are some team goals? As a team we hope to have four (or more) varsity mambers shooting consistently in the 40s and we’d like to take another trip back to the state tournament as well. Favorite memory from this or previous seasons? My favorite memory from this season so far has probably been my time in the van with my teammates. Golf is a serious game, but our team really likes to goof around and have some fun too. Are you planning on golfing after this season? I’m not planning on golfing collegiately. I might join an intramural team, but other than that I’ll simply be golfing on my own time in the summer with my friends and family.