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Senior Prom Students dance with residents of Bickford Cottages pages/6-7 Follow us on Twitter at tigerhiline, Facebook at TigerHilineOnline and on our website at www.hiline.cfschools.org
Volume 58 Edition 25
Lexie Williams photos
About 140 students walked out of class to bring awareness to gun violence in schools. Counterprotesters watched on the side with political flags. Sophia Schillinger photo
Students walk out over gun violence concerns
At 10 a.m. on April 20, 140 high school students filed out of their classrooms and filled the lanes of the CFHSl track. Their reason for leaving their classes in the middle of the period was to add their voices to the students around the nation who were honoring the lives of the 17 killed in the Parkland, Fla., shooting, to recognize the anniversary of Columbine and to voice their anger over gun violence. “I am so glad that we are here joined by thousands of other students today across the nation. To use our voices to say we care, we are affected and we demand change,” said sophomore Kellen Chenoweth, a speaker at the walkout. “As students, a majority of who are underage and cannot vote, it’s easy to dismiss our ability and responsibility to push for a change when change is needed,”she said. When the CFHS Young Democratic Club president
Ryan Westhoff heard of other schools participating in their own walkouts, he immediately thought that Cedar Falls could contribute to this national event of political activism. “We wanted to create a larger conversation around the issue of gun control as well as show that we are continuing our activism and that we won’t go away anytime soon,” Westhoff said. Since the high school is a public school, the walkout could not be school-sponsored, meaning the CFHS Young Democrats Club had to spread details about the event through social media and by word. “We could not use the announcements or design posters to hang at school, and instead we had to get things out by word of mouth. At first we thought that was going to be a big problem, but, eventually, we worked around it and got the word out anyway,” Westhoff said. The walkout turnout was
much bigger than expected. Originally, the CFHS Young Democrats Club had approximately 40 students signed up. But as the date approached, Westhoff increasingly heard conversation about the event and grew more confident. “I think that all of us who organized the event would say that the event surpassed our wildest dreams,” he said. “Throughout the days leading up to the walkout, I heard many different conversations amongst students about their positions on the issue, and that’s the climate that we wanted to create.” When junior Maya Gabriele, heard about the walkout, she was excited and proud that the school organized its first political event and that the students at CF could add their voice to the protests occuring around the nation. “It felt good to feel like I was actually doing something,” she said. “It was the first political thing our school has done, so I thought that was really cool, and I want-
ed to support it. I was proud of the rest of the people at the school that were willing to stand up too.” When students arrived on the track, Chenoweth and Westhoff spoke about the purpose of the march and how students can help enact change in the community, encouraging the students to keep participating in events like the walkout. “Those of us that can’t vote, it’s these types of protests and events that are such a necessity to participate in. Every voice should be heard and every voice should matter,” Chenoweth said. Junior Alana Smith, participated in the event and marched out of the school on that Friday for those who will never be able to. “It’s for the people that never got to walk out of their school again. We’re walking out for those people who died,” Smith said. Westhoff also spoke to the students at the walkout. He
re-lived his elementary years and talked about how as a fifth grader, instead of learning about math, he learned tips on how to avoid a shooter and how to distract them with tennis balls. He explained the struggle students face during this generation. “Our generation grew up with the fear of mass shootings looming over our heads. An era where it seems like we’re all just waiting for the next school, the next body count, the next stories about the lives of the students that were taken. And still, we still have to go to school the next day,” he said. Junior Olivia Rodgers shares the same fear as Westhoff and joined the many students on the track. “I’m here because I really want to feel safe in my school. I don’t want to feel like half way through the day I want to go home,” she said.
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Friday, April 27, 2018
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Rocket club lands tops honors at national competition in Huntsville, Alabama On the dreary day of Sunday, April 7, the rocket club stood in the middle of a muddy field at Bragg Farms in Toney, Ala., under a Hawkeye tent preparing for their final flight. They counted down from 5, and nothing happened. “We didn’t think it was going to fly at all,” senior Will Burken said. The button was pushed for a second time, and the rocket was in flight, almost perfect to say the least. “The flight itself was so perfect, and I say that with humility. Seriously, this flight went so perfect. The ground station was made to follow the rocket. There was such small changes on the flight rocket that you can’t tell if it worked or not,” adviser Zeb Nicholson said. After placing fifth nationally at the 2017 TARC competition the CFHS S.T.A.R.S. have worked on a seven month project with NASA to create their own rocket, and this is was the final moment to
determine if their hard work had paid off. After a close to flawless flight and impressing the judges with their presentation, the team received the judges choice and the rocket fair award. They were the only high school out of 14 teams to receive two awards, two of the highest honors. “At first when we laid out this idea, we knew the basics of what the big concept would be. We didn’t know anything about how to put it together, and the logistics of all the stuff. We just worked hard at it, and eventually it paid off,” junior Randev Goonesekere said. The two awards were awarded by both nominations from other teams and adults, showing their success from both sides of the competition. “Rocket fair award was nominated and voted on by the student teams. We were nominated the best by our peers, and the judges choice award was judged by NASA officials and the adults. In that regard, we like to say we got the top two awards,” Nicholson said. Prior to their flight, the club had a rocket fair where all 54 teams in attendance set up a display for their project to show off their accomplishments. Little did they know, there were secret judges walking around and examining their displays. “So basically, the judges choice award is the best award out there for the high school division. They were really excited about our payload and what we were testing. They also really liked our team and thought we presented well,” Burken said. “We got the rocket fair award, and that was just the team that had the best display
and made it look the coolest, and we won that too.” Completely unaware of the awards, the team initially went for the experience. “The awards were just the cherry on top,” Burken said. The team endured a long process prior to the trip, having many meetings, reports and presentations given to NASA before they even began to build the rocket. “The point of this project was maybe 10-15 percent flying the rocket. The rest of it was finding out what is the real world and that is what this project was designed to do. The reports that they gave and the presentations they gave, that is what you have to do in the real world,” Nicholson said. Compared to the TARC competition last year, the NASA project was a large step for the team. “We had to do two full reports before we could even start building our rocket. Whereas for TARC last year, you just build a rocket and go. There is nothing extensive, and you don’t have to document anything,” senior Ryan Ritter said. Compared to the NASA project, the team looks back on their previous accomplishments as little steps to get them to where they are today. “With TARC, you can get it done pretty quick with not a lot of background. You didn’t have to report anything. You literally give them two scores and you’re in, which is not easy either. The NASA project was designed to go along with the protocols that NASA follows every time they build a rocket,” Nicholson said This ends up giving the team a real experience of what it is like to work at NASA, which has impacted their future career paths. “It gives you an insight. This is a type of career that I want to go into with aerospace, so it gives me insight of what they do in their everyday jobs. The extensive reports along with everything that they have to account for, it’s pretty cool,” Ritter said. Goonesekere agreed. “This has
given us exposure to what this field is like. It is a culmination of your hard work and what it is like to launch space-sized rockets. I think the thrill of finally making the thing work after months of hard work is rewarding.” The team has one final report to conclude their 2018 NASA experience; however, the members already have plans for next year. “All of a sudden they got back from Huntsville and all they could talk about was what next year’s project was going to be. It was funny to see that. I knew going in that they were going to have to push through a lot of crap, but I also knew in April when they came back that they would be talking about next year,” Nicholson said. The process was not an easy one for the team, and they had their doubts along the way. “They started their proposal in September, and they didn’t touch a piece of rocket equipment until December. There were a couple of times throughout this project where kids were like ‘This is fun, but I was thinking next year we would go back to TARC,’ and everyone was just down because all that they were doing were reports and presentations,” Nicholson said. After the long days and presentations, it has all come together, and their final flight concludes the seniors’ S.T.A.R.S. experience opens up larger things. Ritter and Burken are both seniors on the team and plan on attending ISU, both joining the rocket club to continue with their passions. “Seeing it all come together and these guys actually make it happen, I’m sure there are those schools that just pudge their way through and barely make it to the checkpoints. The fact that we got the judges choice award tells us that we hit the mark and went above and beyond,” Nicholson said. Similar to the rocket, together the team proved it had the ability to take its skills to new heights, and go to infinity and beyond. By Editor In Chief Rachel
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Rocket club members pose before crashing an Alabama high school prom.
Prom Crashers After weather postpones launch, rocket club lands in Alabama prom
The CFHS S.T.A.R.S. prepare for their final launch by meeting with NASA scientists, presenting their rocket, and assembling their rocket. The team flew their rocket along with 54 other teams accross the nation.
After a long and successful day at the NASA rocket competition, the rocket club were left with nothing to do in their hotel rooms. Little did they know, the competition was not over with the 54 different student teams that participated. It continued with an Alabama high school prom, hosted in the convention center where many of these schools stayed, including the CFHS club. “The prom [competition] started when we were walking around and I saw that there was prom at the center where we were staying,” junior Duncan Meyer said. “I said, ‘Guys, we have to try to go to this,’ so we snuck around the entire event center trying to find where prom was.” Rocket club coach Zeb Nicholson thought this would be harmless fun. Before any prom crashing could start, the members of the rocket team did extensive research in order to blend in as much as possible to the crowd of strangers. “We had a really hard time preparing because we found their school website, and we figured out the principal’s name just in case we had to start name dropping,” senior Will Burken said. The six students, dressed in their formal attire, walked around the event center until they heard music. “We brought nice clothes for the rocket club awards banquet the next night,” Burken said, “so we had ties and shirts and stuff. Alabama people dress really fancy.” Just by chance, six-member team snuck into the prom by slipping between the cracks of the pull-out wall, past the security guard and past all of the chaperones. “The guard went to the bathroom or something right as we were standing there trying to figure out what to do,” Burken said. “All the doors were locked except for one. All the doors for
the slide out wall were locked, so we thought ‘we’re screwed.’ We heard music playing from a crack down farther. One of the panals you could push out, so I pushed it a little bit and slid in really fast. I was standing there, and I turned around and everyone was in.” The team snuck into the prom and sat at a table, acting as though nothing had just happened. “There was a ton of people coming in, but only a few people in the tables around us. They stared at us for a bit and didn’t say anything, so we were in the prom,” Burken said. During the prom, the team made some friends. “Some girl came up and said, ‘You aren’t from here, but where are y’all from?’ We told her, ‘Iowa.’ She walked away, then brought a friend back and got all excited that we were from Iowa. They didn’t know why we were there, so we had to explain everything,” Burken said. After accomplishing sneaking into prom, the next obstacle was to get out and not get caught. “As we were walking by the chaperone parents with the tickets, we said, ‘Bye,’ and Randev turned around and said, ‘Thank you’ to someone’s mom. I just heard her go, ‘Wait, these aren’t our boys,’ and then, ‘Hey where are y’all from?’” Burken said. “We just started walking faster. She kept yelling at us and telling us to go back. She then proceeded to yell something like, ‘If I wasn’t so full of chocolate right now I would come get you,’” he said. With two awards and crashing a prom, the rocket club was successful on many levels in the 2018 NASA Rocket competition. By Editor In Chief Sabine
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HI-LINE
Student clothing brand opens pop up shop
@susboysworldwide photos
Creater Parker Strauss along with brand models Marika Yang, Britney Sires and Tayah Mahi pose with clothing that will be sold this upcoming weeking at their pop up shop. Sus Boys, the self made clothing brand started by three friends, is starting to gain traction and momentum with the clothing brand that is slowly but surely securing a name for itself. Started by Lars Christiason, Parker Strauss and Duncan Meyer, the group was created for the three friends to get together and just hang out. It was a homegrown group that didn’t start out as much in the beginning. It was just for fun. In the early days of the brand as they were just getting started, they decided to make shirts by going to department shops, buying shirts and doing custom drawings with sharpies on them. Selling the shirts to friends or anyone willing to buy one, they found an outlet for their
creativity through the cheapest means possible. Fast forward a few months, and now the heads of the group are made up of Parker Strauss, Duncan Meyer, Erik Walther, Jacob Ostrich and Will Burken. All members participate in the process, creation and distribution of the shirts. Everyone serves a crucial purpose in the group. Meyer is involved with the electronic side of the brand, working on a website for them use in the future. Walther works with the inventory and business side of things. Ostrich handles the budget and how they make money and get funding. Burken helps with the organization of the pop up shops and was taken onboard for his creativity and
commitment to their work, and Strauss houses the equipment and handles the production, overseeing operations within the brand. Striving for something that is not bland on the spectrum of clothing, the group values creativity, work ethic and not being the norm. Regarding the brand itself, Strauss said, “I like art that doesn’t tell you it’s cool and you have to believe it, like it’s just cool and you can see that, and it kinda makes you go ‘wow.’ We’ve put a lot of effort into it. In all, we just wanted a really quality product.” For people interested in buying merchandise in the future, they are only selling shirts at this point in time. If a shirt is
DECA, an international association of high schoolers, college students and teachers within the field of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in fields such as business, finance, hospitality, marketing sales, and service are giving CFHS students opportunities to learn and compete against other like minded students. Juniors Jonas Walther and Emily Hayes and their adviser Mark Aalderks went to Nationals in Atlanta this week to compete in a buying and merchandising team decision making event. While not originally making Nationals to begin with, after schedule fluctuations within other teams slated to compete in Nationals, the CFHS team was bumped up and was able to go in place of other teams. “So, we originally got first in the role play at State, and fourth overall, so we didn’t get the opportunity to go to Nationals yet, but probably about two hours after we got home, Mr. A emailed us saying that two of the teams turned down their invita-
tion meaning that we were in. It was very exciting for us, especially because this is our first year in DECA. It has been so incredible to be around people that enjoy the business world just as much as you. A lot of classes that we are required to take in high school aren’t geared toward business, so we don’t ever have exposure to it until our freshman, maybe even sophomore year of high school. It is nice to have a group of people together that are just as passionate about business as you are. Joining DECA has honestly been one of the best decisions I have made. It’s fun to meet new people and try a new things that aren’t normally offered,” Hayes said. The event starts with a 100-point Scantron test and goes right into roleplay after that. Judges in the event give a situation that corresponds with the event students are there to compete in. After being given the topic, students get 10 to 20 minutes to prepare and converse with their partner on how to solve the situation in the best way.
After finding out what their plan of attack is, students take on a role as a vice president or president of a department within a company and project their idea to their judges or CEOs. After giving their opinion and solution to the problem, the students are later given a score that reflects how well they know the topic, how they presented themselves and how well they act around authorities. Walther said, “I really like DECA because it introduces us to the professional world in terms of presenting yourself and making sure you sound believable and knowledgeable in everything you’re talking about. I don’t think we will make it to the finals, but it will still be cool to go and meet people that are really interested in business just like we are. I think pretty much anyone should join DECA because it is more than just business but learning how to be professional.” According to DECA’s online site, by participating in DECA activities, 92 percent
ordered, their package includes a shirt, sticker and a custom bag. The process that goes into making the shirts is a departure from where they originally started. While being tedious, messy and fun for the group, it is a step in the right direction regarding the evolution of the group. Producing the shirts brings the boys together with a sense of friendship and also one of seriousness as they build their brand. The Sus Boys use a few, very homemade looking items to create their shirts. They have screens and stencils for their designs made for them by a Professor at UNI, and they use them for their three different shirt designs. After locking the stencil in a press they have specifically made for them, they put the shirt in between and close the press. They add ink all on the bottom of the screen and proceed to squeegee it directly over the design and onto the shirt. After allowing it time to dry, the shirt is ready to be added to the pile of finished shirts. The whole printing setup the group uses is located in Strauss’s house. Set in his basement, their operation has quite an underground feel to it. Almost an undercover, secret feel to it, creating a parallel to what the image of their clothing line is supposed to be. Their first pop up shop is appearing at 1321 Catherine Street in Cedar Falls this Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m. The boys will be debuting their shirt designs and selling shirt packages for a limited time at this specific location so people will need to get in fast and hurry to get clothing from the drop. To keep up with drops, artwork and news from Sus Boys, fans can follow them on instagram @susboysworldwide. By Staff Writer Chase
KLINE
DECA earns recommendation at Nationals
of their members say they learned how to communicate thoughts and ideas, how to organize a presentation and more about what businesses expect from employees, while gaining problem solving skills. More than 90 percent of DECA members say their experience empowered them to be an effective leader and connected school to the real world. Nearly 80 percent of DECA members say DECA helped them recognize the benefit of community service as well. Hayes said, “I really don’t know what to expect at Nationals as this is our first time. I am super excited because there are about 18,000 students who attend this conference. I am outgoing, so I think I am going to meet some really cool people, which I am totally excited for. I am excited for the newness of it all and excited to see how DECA helps shape my future in business.” By Staff Writer Chase
KLINE
5 After immigrating from Ghana, student The
FEATURE
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Friday, April 27, 2018
balances education, music career Deep in West Africa, Frank Opoku’s love for music was born. “I started rapping at school and to my friends, and somehow got a following then I started thinking that maybe I could actually do something,” Opoku said. Going by Je Skido, Opoku said after listening to one of his favorite rappers, Sarkodie, he started covering his songs for his friends at school in Africa. After gaining confidence, Opoku then began to follow the flow and beat of Sarkodie and wrote his own lyrics. “I had, and still do, have a big following in West Africa because that’s when I really started to blow up in school and in the community.” Before being moved to the United States, Opoku had already recorded a song. Born in Ghana, Africa, Opoku was set to graduate a year before he moved, and though his father preached how schooling was very beneficial, he has another plan for his family. From saving, praying and wishing for 11 years, Opoku’s father moved him and his sister to the United States in 2015 to learn the English language, as well as to enjoy better schooling and better opportunities. “The West African schooling system basically set you up to fail. It was hard,” he said. Opoku’s mother still lives in Ghana, and he said he hopes she can be brought to the United States soon because he misses her. “I work at Hy Vee, and with every paycheck I get, I save a little toward her paperwork in coming here. I really want to see my mom,” Opoku said. He said that living here is very different in the way people treat each other. “People respect each other’s views. They accept whoever they choose to
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stating that he and other students would be revv bombing the walkout and participating in their own counter-protest. “The main idea of having it was to have a bit of equal representation on both sides. That was our whole thing. We also don’t agree with the reasons why the school walkout was actually happening. That’s why we had the counter-protest,” Brost said. As the students walked out of the high school to support gun safety in schools around the nation, the sounds of engines and yells from students about their right to bear arms accompanied them. The counter protesters revved their car, motorcycle and truck engines
Submitted Photo
For senior Frank Opoku, juggling an education, a job, activities , and a budding rap career is just a part of a new American life. be. Where I am from, you cannot be different. We wouldn’t accept trans, gay and other kinds of people. You would get beat or be in hiding.” Opoku said he is now glad he doesn’t have to follow what everyone else thinks is right. “I am able to see the light that I was brainwashed to be shielded from on so many obstacles life brings,” he said. In addition to his changed perception on many issues, he is able to experience different things and said he can relate to others in a different but good way. When entering the United States and moving to Cedar Falls, Opoku’s
to draw attention to their views until the students protesting the gun violence reached the track. There, the counter protesters stopped their disruption to observe the 17 seconds of silence in honor of the 17 lives lost from the Parkland shooting. “We wanted to draw attention to ourselves,” Brost said, “but at the same time we didn’t want to mess with the actual protest that was going on. That’s why we revved our engines when the people were going down, not during the actual moments of silence. We actually took the flags and observed the moment of silence.” Students at the counter protest held American flags in one hand as they stood as one unit protesting behind the fence adjacent to the track. The counter-protesters had a common goal to get their views
father said he would make his son go back to school to receive a better education and understand how to express himself in this new community. “I’ll be 20 this August, so I’m old, but I don’t care because education is not a race to finish. I’m just going because I want to be learning,” he said. Not only did Opoku and his family insist on learning the English language, he also was persistent in learning how to sing, rap and write his songs in English as well. With having one recorded song in his first language, Opoku now has an album dropped, thousands of followers on all social media platforms such
as Instagram, Spotify, Snapchat and Soundcloud. Being influenced by some of the best artists in the game, like Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Jonah Lucas, he said, “I now can just rap about things going on like I wanna make people think not talk about girls or partying, drugs and cars. I want to talk about real things,” Opoku said. Regarding what life would be like if he had stayed in Ghana, Opoku said that by this time he would have dropped out of school or not gone to college after graduating high school and would have focused on music full time. “With my friends there making bigger names, I could have had a bigger fanbase there than I have here,” he said, “but I like how I can understand and express my emotions in both languages, so I believe I truly have the advantage by being here.” Because Opoku is a music geek, he has been involved in marching band, regular band and jazz band by playing percussion instruments, and he also plays soccer. In the fall of 2018, Opoku will be fulfilling his parents wishes and his own dreams from hard work and dedication by attending Wartburg College, receiving a full ride for computer science. He said he will not be continuing his soccer career but has high hopes and aspirations of creating a bigger name for himself in the music business when he is done with school. Opoku, or Je SKido, encouraged everyone to follow and take a listen to him on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Spotify, Soundcloud and Youtube. “I’m a music guy. What can I say?”
Sophia Schillinger photo
heard. Students carrying red, white and blue flags believed that citizens’ Second Amendment rights is a civic right that is being challenged in the nation today. “The main idea was that the Second Amendment is here to stay and banning guns is not
allowed,” Brost said. Sophomore counter protester Keller Kremer, like those who joined her, wants action to be taken in the government, but instead of keeping of guns out of school, she wants to arm teachers with guns to ensure
By Lead Writer Tehya
TOURNIER
safety. “Once again, schools are gun free zones, but like with all other illegal things, it still happens,” she said. “Let’s change that just a tiny bit. Arm teachers. It takes police about minutes minutes to arrive at a hostage situation. A lot can happen in nine minutes. If teachers were armed, they stand a much better chance of survival, protecting the students and lessening the body count,” she said. Although the two protesting groups’ approaches to being heard may differ, the protesters both have a common goal, to end mass shootings. “We all want the same thing. Nobody wants school shootings except school shooters. We just have a different idea of how to do that,” Brost said.
By Staff Writer Sophia
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The
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Senior prom
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Friday, April 27, 2018
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Senior Leadership traveled to Bickford Cottage to dance with residents. Pictured above, Arlo Hettle and Clare Rolinger dance with fellow students on Sunday, April, 21.
Emma Herring Photos
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Students dressed up in prom formal attire to have a mock prom with residents. This lighthearted act of dancing brought joy into the room and made a Sunday afternoon a memorable one. Pictured left, (from right) Shaffer Kirschenmann, Emily McVicker, Caitlynn Smith, and Mikaela Elenz dance in a kickline to entertain residents of Bickford Cottage. Smiles covered everyone’s faces. Below, Clare Rolinger plays the piano to accompany the dancing students and residents.
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The
OPINION
Our View
Join student senate in campus clean up
Have you ever noticed the garbage lining the streets leading up to our school? Maybe you have glanced at a McDonalds bag blowing in the wind or a smashed Four Queens cup alongside the storm drain. Most of us don’t even hesitate to walk by, leaving the trash in its place. It is time to change the look of our campus and change this mindset. On Sunday, April 29, at 1 p.m., you can join student senate in a campus clean up. It may not seem like a few items of trash lying on the ground would make that big of difference, but cleaning up not only makes the campus look better, it make you feel better. Picking up our campus gives back to those who work so hard to keep it nice every day. It benefits the animals and the community members that live near the school along with the students who many not particularly enjoy looking at trash. If picking up garbage isn’t enticing enough for you, there will be detention makeups given to those who participate. Spending just an hour of your time will make a difference, so get on your old clothes and come join the members of your school to make Cedar Falls High School a better place for all. No place with garbage blowing outside is inviting, and as members of the school, we have the choice to determine what can be done about it. It is time to be accountable for our actions. At some point in our lives there is a good chance where you have seen someone or littered yourself. This is an action that we know is not right and is slowly damaging our planet. Every day should be Earth Day, and making this planet a better place starts with our actions now. It is up to us to determine what our campus looks like, and this is our time to make a difference.
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, Sabine Martin, Rachel Schmid Lead Writer: Tehya Tournier Opionion Editor: Benjamin Boezinger Staff: Saba Aydiner, Noah Forker, Aysiah Keller, Chase Kline, Sierra Miller, Skylar Promer, Sophia Schollinger, Matthew Walsh
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Band members use social media as platform for healthy lifestyles America’s health is dwindling and weight gain is a common issue nowadays. If anyone is aware of these issues, it’s band members on the road. Two members of Escape The Fate have been recently sharing their experiences with this struggle over social media, encouraging others to try to eat healthy and exercise as well. Kevin Thrasher started sharing his personal experience earlier this year saying, “Real talk, took me a long time to get control over my life again. But now with a healthier diet and a more intense workout, I’ve gotten over the ‘hump.’ If I can do it, you can too.” Thrasher encourages his fans, “I thought my metabolism was just messed up until I took an honest look at my lifestyle and made a change. Making progress, and not stopping.” Thrasher has shared many before and after photos of himself while going through this change in not only diet but also exercise. He has made sure to stress that the transformation does not happen overnight, and that to get there one has to keep pushing oneself in a healthy way. Another band member, Robert Ortiz, has also been sharing his personal struggles but has really been stressing the idea that diet has a bigger impact when trying to become more healthy. “Tryin to keep it up on the road. Honestly, eating properly is a genuine struggle for me. I love to eat.. And I love to eat everything.. And with all the unique food I find on my travels, it’s hard not to indulge. However, I bust my butt to at least maintain. So don’t worry if the progress doesn’t come right away and you don’t have to give up everything you love. Just push to at least move in the right direction,” Ortiz said. Like Thrasher, Ortiz tells his fans that the transformation doesn’t work overnight, stressing that you have to at least push in the right direction to get started. Studies show that at least 20 percent of U.S youth between the ages of 12 and 19 suffer from obesity. It is an ever-growing problem, and one of the reasons is that people have been focusing more on exercise than what they eat.
@Kthrash Photos
Kevin Thrasher, member of Escape The Fate, shares his struggles he has faced with body image on his instagram . Here’s an example: think of yourself as a machine. The machine works efficiently when you put in good oil. A time comes around when you chose not to put in good oil, and suddenly the machine starts to malfunction. You try to access the problem, overlooking the oil and go straight to the old parts. You start by trying to replace those old parts, but the machine never really works the same way that it did as you continue to put the same, bad oil into it. Your body works the same way. Exercising is important, but eating healthy is just as important if you want to really get results. Health teacher Megan Youngkent recently had this discussion with her classes. “One of the problems is people will try to reward themselves. They say to themselves, ‘I’ve been training for this marathon for a while now, so I’m going to run this 5k, and then I’m finally going to get myself that bag of donuts.’” Youngkent shook her head slowly as she gazed around the classroom. “What’s most likely going to happen after she gets those donuts? She’s going to stop exercising and go back to her unhealthy eating
What did you do for Earth Day?
“I recycle all our items at home like cardboard, plastic, glass, etc.”
—Ethan Hartman sophomore
“I ride my bike more than driving.”
—Tyler Ausborn senior
habits. Then all of her hard work with training for that marathon? Gone, down the drain. Remember, don’t have a reward that ruins your goal. One thing that people talk about all the time when dieting or trying to eat healthy are their ‘cheat days,’“ Youngkent said. “Now let’s say I have a ‘cheat day.’ Do I really want to go back to eating healthy after I taste all the junk I’ve been missing? Now a ‘cheat meal’ is different. It’s one meal, which means you’re less likely to get off track with eating healthy after one ‘cheat meal.’” One thing to remember is that eating healthy and exercising can be hard to do, especially with a busy schedule, but, like Ortiz said in his post, “Just push to at least move in the right direction.” Whether you are overweight or just trying to stay healthy, it is important to have some encouragement from people you love, whether they are idols or family members, and there is always a way to get support. You just have to take that first step and get yourself going in the right direction. By Staff Writer Skylar
PROMER
By Staff Writer Kendall
MASLAK
“I return my pop cans.” —Alex Shepard sophomore
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OPINION
Friday, April 27, 2018
9
Make every Day
Earth Day
Based on research done by a non-profit organization called Plastic Pollution Coalition, as of weight, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish by the time the human race reaches 2050. Unfortunately, the irresponsible use of plastic is not the only apology we owe Mother Nature. The earth is in the midst of its sixth mass extinction of plants and animals. One to two acres of rainforests are cleared every second; species go extinct in 100 to 1,000 times the natural rate, which means dozens of organisms give their last breaths each day. Of course, there are ways to help save our planet. Here are five.
Conserve Water
At current rates, less than three percent of world’s water is fresh andmuch of it is unreachable. Water means life, and most organisms need clean water to survive. By conserving, we reduce the the energy of heating, pumping and treating water. Less water equals less polluted runoffs into rivers, streams and groundwater aquifers, which affects the organisms living in ecosystems that rely on water that are unfortunately used as dumping sites. Rather than wasting water people die for, to watch your bath bombs dissolve for the millionth time, take a quick shower and hesitate using more water than needed.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
The amount of wasted, reusable materials (metal, plastic, paper etc.) in the oceans equals the size of India, Europe and Mexico combined. The three “R”s are one of the easiest ways to help save earth. Rather than buying what you want at its most, try to focus more on what you need and reduce the amount of litter. Instead of using the same container for everything, use multiple ones to throw your reusable waste. Take five minutes of your time for a healthier future and visit Cedar Falls Transfer Station - 1500 State Street Metro Area Redemption - 9301 University Avenue Or one of the 20+ recycling centers in the Cedar Valley area to recycle the reusable materials you have collected over time.
Stay Away From Plastic
Although it is a reusable material, plastic is the most dangerous of all. The amount of plastic manufactured in the first 10 years of this century eclipses the total produced in the entire last century. Plastic items can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills as well as surviving thousands of years in water. The heavy use of plastics not only harms our health because of their toxic ingredients such as Bisphenol, but also puts the life of animals in danger as well, including birds, fish, sea lions, sea turtles, dolphins and whales. Try to bring a reusable shopping bag with you when you go for shopping. Use metal or glass straws, and use reusable containers regularly. Although sometimes it is hard to not use plastic, recycling is always an option.
Go Vegan
Although it may seem like a very hard thing to do and expensive to afford, going vegan living is one of the best ways to get Mother Nature back on her feet. Veganism is a solution to nearly everything listed above. Vegans consume consume plants instead of livestock. The more livestock replaced with plants, the more water there will be to go around because it takes around 100-200 times more water to raise a pound of beef than it does to raise a pound of plant foods. Just as they pollute water, livestock also erode and weaken soil. This is mostly because raising livestock usually leads to deforestation, which clears huge swaths of different elements such as trees that provide nutrients and resilience. On the other hand, growing plants nourishes soil and leads to long-term resilience. Another pro of veganism is the consumption of energy. The raising of livestock costs more energy while plants can be raised with eight times less energy. Due to high consumption, the production of animal products pollutes the air more than all the different modes of transportation combined, but plants purify the air. Further to its benefits, animals do not deserve to be abused and killed when surviving in a healthier way is possible.
Bike More Drive Less
In addition to its health benefits, biking is also an amazing wayto reduce air pollination. Bike riding uses minimal fossil fuels and is a way of pollution-free transport. According to research done by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, cycling to work, school or college on a daily basis would save about 3,306.9 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Bicycles take far less energy to make and do not require toxic batteries or motor oil. Although some may think driving environmentally-friendly vehicles such as hybrids are pretty chill, hybrids are much larger than bikes, and require 14,000 pounds of carbon in the production for each. Most hybrids use nickel metal hydride batteries which are known as carcinogens, but also nickel mining is often done in open cast mines with all the attendant pollution that goes along with opening large holes in the ground. On the other hand, hybrids do use some gas to run while bikes don’t.
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Rugby team plays close game against West
Against West High School, the men’s rugby team lost 21-17 in the last minutes of the game on Tuesday, April 24. The rugby team’s next game will be Friday, May 4 against Ankeny at Central Valley Middle School in Nora Springs.
Bella Schlarmann photos
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Rollin’ Paralympian John Register visited Cedar Falls High School on April 10 to give an inspirational talk, and sophomore Halie Frahm later asked if she could take a picture with him. Register walked over and took something out of his pocket. He placed his Sydney 2000 Paralympics silver medal around her neck for a photo and according to Frahm said, “‘My 2000 Sydney is yours until you can get your own.’ It was really sweet and amazing and a life-changing experience. We are definitely going to keep in contact.” Frahm is a para-athlete on the women’s track team. She decided to join the team this year after biology teacher Jason Lang persuaded her. “Two years ago I worked with a student in Independence in the wheelchair division and he competed in state track at the end of the year. I saw Halie in the hallways and though it was such a cool experience for him, I thought that she would probably enjoy the experience as well,” Lang said. “He really pushed me, and I was talking to my friend who he coached, and he looked me in the face and told me, ‘This is your shot. This is your chance do it now. You have a really good team with coaches and leaders around you,’ so I figured that I would give it a shot,” Frahm said. Before Frahm started her journey to learn how to maneuver on the track, she needed a sports wheelchair. “The chair that I use for track was something I was so lucky to get. Adaptive Sports loaned me my chair, and when Mike, the head of the organization, came to drop it off for me, he actually had to pull the price tag for it, and that never happens when you play on loaners. A lot of time when you play on used equipment, it is somebody's old and banged up, 10-year-old, rickety thing,” Frahm said. Frahm’s chair is challenging because it requires her to switch and maneuver levers while she runs in a race. “I think that for Halie to take a risk and come out for a sport that she did not know a lot about shows her character. I think that she just dove all in and just went for it. She obviously has a lot of support from the coaches, but she has done a lot of learning on her own just as much as we have done the learning. She is definitely an expert in the races itself, but she has also learned a lot to think about the wheelchair as a whole in the event,” women’s track coach Chris Wood said. “Getting used to the chair itself has been kind of complicated,” Frahm said. “You use a different mechanism called a compensator in order to turn, and you have to reset it per each turn because each track is different, so you have set it for each straight, and set it for each
Friday, April 27, 2018
11
SPORTS
Sophomore sets three school records in qualifying for state track meet
Emma Herring photo
Sophomore Halie Frahm competed in the Tiger Invite on April 17 at home. She is working on securing her best times as she prepares for the state track meet on May 17. turn, and in the middle of your race you actually have to hit it in order to turn.” In wheelchair racing, there are similar rules to what boundaries on the track can disqualify a runner. “My outside tire can go out if it does not impede anyone, but if my inside tire goes inside, I am automatically disqualified,” Frahm said. Most runners in the paralympics sit on their legs for aerodynamic benefits, but Frahm has made a different decision. “I still have some feelings in my legs, and a lot of people choose to sit on their legs to sit forward, which makes them more aerodynamic, but because I still have that feeling, I chose to sit right in front of me, which is a lot different than the racers that you see,” Frahm said. “It also makes you a lot less aerodynamic, so learning how to push through that and still get good times was also a lot of really hard work,” she said. There are an abundance of colleges around Iowa that include adaptive sports. Frahm is hoping to become part of one after high school. “My goal is to go on to do collegiate track. We are very lucky here in the Midwest. We have a lot of universities that are very concentrated in adaptive sports. You have Wisconsin Whitewater
that has basketball. You have Southern Minnesota that has a basketball team, but I want to go to the University of Illinois. They were one of the first colleges to have adaptive collegiate teams, and they are one of the top in the nation to have both a basketball and a track team. A lot of the paralympians that you see on TV for Team USA competing in all of these marathons and competitions actually went to the University of Illinois and went on to become professional athletes,” Frahm said. The women’s track team has helped Frahm feel welcome throughout the season. “She is so determined, and it is great to have someone who constantly works and doesn’t let obstacles like the weather get in her way. She is always pushing herself to be better than she was yesterday, and because of that, she has progressed and grown so much,” sophomore Sabrina Leistikow said. “All of the girls on the team have been welcoming. Everyone cheers her on during practice and meets All the girls are in track and push themselves and work, so it is great to have someone with a different way of racing on our team and be able to support them in any way possible,” she said. As Frahm continues to compete in meets, she has continued to consistent-
ly set new personal and school records every time. Four other girls in Iowa compete in adaptive track as well, and they are all friends. “I know all of the girls that I would be competing against. There is definitely more fuel to the fire upping the ante because we all know each other, and we all know how we run. It is going to be very interesting to see what it is going to be like when we all line up together at State,” she said. On May 17-19, Frahm will be with her teammates and friends on the starting line at State. “I think it will be awesome for her to be at State and will be great,” Wood said. “She will have some competition finally, which I know has been a bummer for her. Some of the meets that we were going to have I know there was going to be other competition there. Every racer knows what it is like to race against yourself. It is hard, regardless, so for her to finally go out and have some competition is going to be great for her, and, of course, at State with huge crowds is going to be a blast,” he said.
By Editor-In-Chief Sabine
MARTIN
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Friday, April 27, 2018
Athlete of The Week
Emma Herring Photo
Tucking with passion, senior Madison Schoppe concludes her final dive of the night at Holmes Junior High against the Linn-Mar Lions on Sept 19. “Diving has been a passion of mine for so long. Every time I jump off the board I feel powerful and free.”
Senior swimmers settle on college plans While many students participate in school sports throughout the seasons of their high school careers, only some athletes choose to continue to pursue their sport as they transition into college and university and swim under other colors than Cedar Falls’ red and black. For athletes like senior swimmers Sammi Hall, Olivia Clark and diver Madison Schoppe, CFHS teams have become a vital stepping stone into the next level of their swimming and diving careers. Both Clark and Hall have been swimming for a club for over 10 years. “Club is slightly more rigorous in comparison to high school swimming, but, ultimately, it's what you make of it. The high school season is more time demanding simply because you are unable to skip or miss practice.” Clark, who plans to swim for the University of Nevada next fall, said. “We have to work hard to achieve our goals in the short, three month period. Personally, I enjoy high school swimming more because of the team aspect of things, whereas club is more individual, and team scores matter less.” Hall seconded Clark’s note of the rigor of high school swimming. “Cedar Falls prepared me for college in many ways like determination with long practice hours, commitment to the demanding practice needs, getting along with many girls at a time and balancing all the crazy emotions throughout the stressful season,” Hall said. She will be swimming for Coe College this fall. Many swimmers on the women’s swimming team lack the extensive ex-
perience with club swimming like Hall and Clark do, so they work hard and train for long hours to learn the sport to be competitive at a high level. Senior diver Madison Schoppe is one of these teammates who started diving at a much later age, when she was in eighth grade. “Off season is a challenge since we can't practice with our high school coach off season. I just try to keep in good shape during off season, and during season it's diving every single day and much more time commitment,” Schoppe said. The commitment of diving for Cedar Falls proved to be worth it, however, and Schoppe placed fifth at the state meet in October and plans to dive for Cedar Falls’ own University of Northern Iowa Panthers next fall. “Coach Vic [Laughlin] has always pushed me to be a better diver at every practice, and I think this has prepared me for diving in college because I will understand that hard days are going to be unavoidable and they're necessary for improvement.” Schoppe said. “Swimming has taught me a lot about making (very small) sacrifices in order for the entire team to succeed,” Clark said, “and it has helped me to think more of the big picture rather than just myself. Additionally, swimming and school both come with responsibility and commitment, so the [Cedar Falls] swim program has taught me to balance both academics and athletics.” Even teammates who are not swimming in college, such as senior former club and CFHS swimmer Katherine
Wikner, have lessons and skills from Cedar Falls’ program they will be able to take beyond the pool, and she credits head coach Mike Hagensick for pushing athletes to do things beyond what they thought they were capable of. “He comes off really strong, but over time you learn that he really does want the best for you. He didn't sugar coat things, and he forced us to do things we didn't want to do,” Wikner said. “To this day, he is still one of the first people I go to when I need advice. He taught us that good things don't happen if you don't put in the work for it. One of the things I will always take away from high school season and Mike is that we don't always have a choice of what happens to us, but we can always choose how we react to it.” As Clark, Hall and Schoppe leave behind their Tiger uniforms, their gratefulness for their experience on the team remains. As for other upcoming athletes and swimmers, Clark and Schoppe offered advice. “Competitive swimming can be demanding and frustrating at times, but it is really about forming close relationships during the practices and finding at least one aspect of the sport that keeps you coming back,” Clark said. Schoppe said, “Don't hold back or second guess your talent because you don't want to look back at your high school seasons and have any ‘what ifs.’” By Editor-In-Chief Elise
LEASURE
Kyle Trunnell Track & Field
How long have you been hurdling?
I’ve been hurdling for four years.
What has been your biggest accomplishment from this season so far?
Qualifying for the Drake Relays in the first meet. What are some challenges the team has faced this season?
We cancelled seven meets. The cold and not having meets have been challenges. What are some team goals?
To win conference champions and to qualify for State in 14 of 19 events.
Best memory from this or previous seasons?
At State last year I qualified on a time in the 22nd spot.
Are you planing on running track after this season?
Yes.
Tigers in
Action
Boys Tennis April 28 @ UNI 9:00 a.m. Girls Tennis April 28 @ Dubuque Senior 8:00 a.m. Track April 26-29 @ Drake Relays Girls Golf April 30 MVC Super Meet @ Gardner Golf Course 9:30 a.m.