Tiger Hi-Line The
Volume 48 Edition 23
Students Strike Back In the second annual student vs. faculty basketball game, the students scored a 74-71 victory over last year’s champions, the faculty. The game raised an impressive $1,400 for sickle cell anemia research. At left Spanish teacher Grace Valdez pulls a Michael Jordanesque maneuver, handing the ball to activity director secretary Jane Carter
http://hi-lineonline.shorturl.com 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Future Problem Solvers earn fourth place at State Paul Strike Staff Writer
Future Problem Solving is a competition that is unlike any other. A group of four people are given a scenario set in the future for which they must think of problems that could arise from the situation. Then, they think of solutions to solve the problems they come up with. Next, five criteria are brainstormed to judge the solutions, and from this the best solution is picked. An action plan is then created from the solution to solve the underlying problem. A group of four CFHS students have this process down pat. Future Problem Solvers Nicky Singh, Kavin Sundaram, Joe Kruempel and Lee Przybylski earned fourth place in the senior level of the State F.P.S. Competition held March 28 and 29 at Luther College in Decorah. The overall topic of this year’s competition was debt in developing countries. To be more specific, one organization replaces international banks, and instead of giving out loans, it helps to create partnerships between multinational companies and developing nations. “It wasn’t our favorite fuzzy,” Sun-
daram said. There are two parts to the State contest: the writing process and the skit. The group is given two hours to complete the writing portion already described above. The catch is the groups don’t know what the exact scenario is until they open their packets at the beginning of the two-hour session. “You know about the topic beforehand, but not the specifics until the competition,” Kruempel said. The two-hour time limit is a very formidable opponent for the Future Problem Solvers during the writing portion. “During this process, the first thing you notice is that you are incredibly rushed for time,” Singh said. “With only two hours, the environment can get pretty stressful, so it is important to work diligently and effectively.” The skit is definitely the most popular part of State among the group. “We have a lot of fun working with each other late into the night to create a funny, applicable skit of our action plan,” Singh said. This year, Przybylski did a oneman show with a plastic pink flamingo named Fred. The skit included the two sitting in an office talking about their working
conditions, and a call comes in saying that stock options were going to be offered to the workers. “I’ve heard people complain about their jobs, and I knew ‘The Office’ was a popular show, so I tried to make it look like that,” Przybylski said. CFHS Future Problem Solving coach Sheryl Bewyer commented on the skit. “The skit was awesome,î Bewyer said. Przybylski and Fred earned third place honors in the skit contest. Through Future Problem Solving, many lifelong lessons are acquired. “It taught me the importance of working diligently and thinking quickly,” Singh said. “It also taught me that creativity is not only helpful, but essential in some cases.” Teamwork is perhaps the biggest lesson learned during the competition. “It taught me the importance of teamwork and that working together to solve problems is always more effective than working alone,” Singh said. Singh further explained the importance of F.P.S. by encouraging others to try it. “I encourage all those who have the opportunity to at least try Future Problem Solving,” Singh said.
1984-inspired essay advances senior to International Scenario Competition Paul Strike Staff Writer
Senior Joe Kruempel has some serious creativity. The CFHS student won the Senior Division State Scenario competition for the third time in as many years. Scenario is a unique competition where a student must come up with a short story set in the future that ties in with a given general topic. For the scenario competition, Kruempel wrote a short story that involves neurotechnology, a science that could allow people to communicate to each other or even machines through a computer chip implanted in the brain. “It was about a future society in which literal thought police (from the CIA, a.k.a. the Cognitive Investigation Agency) could interrogate suspected terrorists by invading their dreams and memories for information,” Kruempel said.
The story didn’t completely originate in Kruempel’s head, though. “The idea for my scenario came from reading 1984, and being disappointed that the ‘thought police’ couldn’t actually police your thoughts,” Kruempel said. The story was judged based on the merit of its creativity and writing style. A unique aspect of the International competition is an on-site writing scenario competition where students from all over the world get mixed in groups of four and write similar scenarios. “It’s fun to go and meet people and see all the extremely different perspectives, or just walk into the cafeteria and hear five different languages,” Kruempel said. The next level of competition, the International competition is taking place at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan, on May 29 to June 1.
Students gear up for music contest Physics Olympics in Review Jakob Zierer Sports Editor
During 4th period, every practice room in the southeast hall of Cedar Falls High School is very busy. One hundred and ninety-four students are working on solos, duets and quartets for the upcoming contest on April 12, held this year at East High School in Waterloo. “I love this time of year when, during any given shift of 4th hour, we may have anywhere from four to 10 ensembles rehearsing simultaneously in the various practice spaces,” Gerald Ramsey, band director, said. “It’s such a time of growth and musical refinement for so many students,” he continued. Twenty orchestra students, 73 vocal students and 111 band students participate in the solo contest, an optional school event. Most students started to work on their solos in January or February. “It depends on the student. Most
students are starting right after the winter break,” Scott Hall, orchestra director, said. Besides improving in technical skills, playing a solo or in a small ensemble is a great group learning activity. “The kids have to work together to achieve their goal. One person cannot do all the work—each member has a job, and the success of the group is dependent on each member performing their job,” Ramsey said. Playing with a great sound, playing in tune and articulating well in addition to simply playing correct notes and rhythms are the most important things every student has to work on to achieve a good result at the contest. In a group, the students also must achieve good balance between the voices, play the various dynamics indicated in the music and then make musical judgments about the phrasing—shaping the musical lines with dynamic contour. So each individual has a big responsibility
for his own individual playing as well as for contributing to a unified group approach to the performance. “In the ensembles, the students are playing one on a part, so for the group to be successful, every player has to play well. Those students who perform solos have the opportunity to really push the level of their playing. This is obviously a great opportunity for them educationally, and I think they get real personal satisfaction from their musical achievement,” Ramsey said. Ramsey is confident that the students will learn much through the preparation process. “Our band, for instance, typically receives more Division I ratings at Solo & Ensemble Contest than most schools’ total number of events that they take to contest,” Ramsey said. Optimism is in the air. “I think the students will all play well and benefit from going through the process of preparing a soloist piece and, to me, that is what it is all about,” Ramsey said.
Olivia Schares Photo
Left: Warming up for the water heater competition, senior Steven Weinert jumps with anticipation. Right: Concentrating at the starting line, senior Jack Kosmicki is setting up the catapult that will propel him and senior teammate Leah Merner to the state competition.
Tiger Hi-Line The
OPIn n IO OPI IOnn
our view our view In face of tragic loss of student, staff, students unite for charity
On Saturday, Feb. 2, the Cedar Falls community suffered a great loss. The passing of 19-year-old Chukwuebuka “Chuks” Asota was deeply felt by everyone who knew this caring young man. Chuks was born the son of Celestine and Eugenia (Nwosu) Asota in Nkwerre, Nigeria. The Asota family moved to the United States to receive treatment for Chuks’ sickle cell anemia. Though Chuks spent much of the last year of his life hospitalized, the treatments greatly extended the length of his miraculous time on earth. Chuks was a student in Tammy Frahm’s class, a participant in the Special Olympics and a friend to many. He would have graduated with the Cedar Falls High School class of 2008. We, The Tiger Hi-Line staff, wish to extend condolences to Chuks’ friends and family for their tremendous loss. Chuks was a beautiful young man with an amazing smile. He left an indelible impact on the hearts of everyone who knew him, and his joy and spirit in the face of overwhelming obstacles served as a wonderful inspiration. Chuks showed the world that there is beauty in even the most trying of circumstances. Chuks’ life has created what will certainly become a lasting legacy of compassion in the CFHS student body. This blossoming legacy was first demonstrated last Friday, when CFHS students and faculty took to the courts for the second annual student vs. faculty basketball game. Because of Chuks’ long struggle with sickle cell anemia, all proceeds from the event went toward sickle cell anemia research. The Tiger Hi-Line staff wishes to commend all CFHS students and faculty for uniting in the face of this tragedy and working toward this noble goal. The game earned an impressive $1400. Every dollar earned by the event will help to ensure that a cure for sickle cell anemia will one day become a reality. The student vs. faculty basketball game was a constructive way to deal with a community’s grief. In addition to raising money for sickle cell anemia, the basketball game brought a school together. Most importantly, it fostered hope. It fostered hope for a cure. It fostered hope for a brighter future. It fostered hope for a changed world. Through this powerful legacy, Chuks Asota will never be forgotten.
Write 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. Each edition is published on Wenesdays during the school year in The Insider and Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier, 501 Commercial St., Waterloo, Iowa 50701. 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 Wednesday. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Include address and phone number for verification.
Editorial Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Briana McGeough News Editors: Olivia Schares and Kellie Petersen Opinion Editor: Torie Jochims and Jacqueline Jordan Sports Editor: Jakob Zierer Feature Editors: Honor Heindl and Briana McGeough On-Line Editor: Ellen Wrede Entertainment Editor: Kristen Hammer
“Life is a journey, and the journey is home.”
Student studying in Ecuador feels impact of globalization Willa Simmet Ecuadorian Correspondant
“Trade me your rubber boots for my basket,” the handsome young Shuar man said to me as we sat together outside of a hut in Miasal, discussing the progressive changes the Shuar people have made throughout the last 50 years. I accepted his offer, eyeing his son’s bare feet, and added some zip lock bags into the deal. I had begun the journey to the end of the road a couple of days ago, after riding in a bus and in the back of a couple of pickups, down into the Amazon plains that stretch from EcuaSubmitted Photo dor through Brazil, arriving at the port With some help from a friend, senior Willa Simmet created a giant paper town, finding a guide and hopping into mache earth. The earth was used in a town festival to help spread the news a canoe where we would be beginning about global warming. our journey down the Morona River. We arrived at a group of native huts eating slugs, drinking coconut milk, by petroleum, mining or hydroelectric and settled in for the night. exploring caves and observing croco- companies. As night settled over the papaya diles. The storms this rainy season have trees, the jungle began to come alive. During this excursion to the end of been the most intense that the oldest The screeching nocturnal monkeys be- the road, I had the chance to experience of the locals in Macas (my home town gan hunting for their food. an immense connection with the land, during my exchange year) can rememThe frogs chatted in low-pitched rib- through the mannerisms of the native ber. bits as they played in the mud along the people, the alertness of the wildlife, The armadillos are becoming exbanks of the river. The cicadas mated, the abundance of rain and plethora of tinct, and it is almost impossible to find and the rain danced against my bam- greenery. monkeys in the trees surrounding my boo hut. I couldn’t help but stay up all I also had time to analyze. My home in Macas, when only a few years night, experiencing the adrenaline of a journey as an exchange student in the ago the population was so abundant. night lit up with so much life. Amazon region of Ecuador has taken While flipping through a National The next morning I woke up to the me to great depths, both mentally and Geographic on the bus ride home, I smell of grilled banana, slipped out physically. came across an article written about from under my mosquito net, stepped The world is changing. Globaliza- Basho, a Japanese poet, who walked outside the hut, looked out into the riv- tion is taking place before my eyes. 1,200 miles through Japan in 1689. er and saw pink river dolphins playing Throughout the past 50 years, the Sh- I stopped and let my hand trace over in the early morning sunshine. uar people have become bilingual and his words, “Life is a journey and the My guide and new lifelong friend have entered into modern society. journey is home.” This is a good mesAbel, a local who lives in the area with Those who have the chance to trade sage to keep in mind as life continues his two young children and his Shuar hand-made crafts for them or make marching on. wife, took my hand, excitedly whisper- money to buy them have modern conEach day of our journey is home. ing how lucky I was to be able to share veniences like tennis shoes and battery- Each action made and piece of land time with the dolphins. powered CD players. touched is home. I looked at him and smiled. I told The children are attending bilingual As our world changes, we need to him to close his eyes with me while we schools, and their economy is slowly journey with it, dance with the positive imagined that we were also dancing in burgeoning into the modern one. and protest against the negative. the river with the dolphins. The effects of global warming are We need to preserve the liveliness The next couple of days were spent tapping on my eyes and falling on my of nighttime in the jungle, the art of an sitting in the community of Miasal skin. The Morona Santiago province is indigenous language, the dance of the among Shuar elders and learning tradi- the only province left in Ecuador with river dolphin and the fact that the end tional songs from the village children, rivers that have not been contaminated of the road really does exist.
Tiger Hi-Line
SPORTS SPORTS
The
Women’s soccer delivers strong 2-0 showing in opener Sara Srever Staff Writer
The Tigers are not letting the nasty spring weather stop them. On Thursday night, the Tigers fought through the rain and wind to defeat Cedar Rapids Washington in a 2-0 game. This is head coach Beth Huber’s 6th season of coaching. “It was good to win. A win is always a nice way to start. Mallory Adams was really strong defensively and had the Washington team frustrated. Melanie Adrian was a steady force in the midfield. I thought our forwards did well considering that we hadn’t really gone over our runs. Everyone pushed hard even though it was cold and wet out,” Huber said.
Returning key defensive players are Kelly Larson, Jessica Wingert and Adams. Strong offensive players Lindsey Morris, Emily Rogers, Linden Terpstra and Adrian have returned to make the team even stronger. Besides the weather, the team had to deal with other challenges, such as three players injured and a few girls who have not made the fitness requirement in order to start. “Well, we are really going to have to work hard and focus at practice. Also, to be mentally prepared for games,” Terpstra said. “As a team we need to work on our formation and working together, so tactics are a big thing, but every year we almost start from scratch with our technique because so many girls play
little or not at all during the off-season, especially the winter,” Huber said. The Tigers are working toward State, but Huber promises no guarantees. “I think every team has the ability to make it to State because you can’t control many factors that occur in a game. Look at how Davidson made it to the final eight in men’s college basketball; you can’t just look at who the best teams are on paper. You have to play the game.” According to Huber, the Mississippi Valley is one of the toughest conferences for soccer. “We have a difficult conference, which has plusses and minuses. We get to play many difficult games throughout the season, which better prepares us for difficult opponents in the Re-
gionals. On the other hand, it can be demoralizing if you don’t do well against some teams in the conference. Also, we already know that Cedar Rapids Kennedy is in our region, and they are a very strong team,” Huber said. The Tigers practice every week day that they do not have a game and Saturdays in addition. It is structured, very organized and highly competitive. “We try to have intensity in each practice, but just like school class, what we work on in practice changes as we prepare for certain teams or our needs change,” Huber said. This team is getting along off and on the soccer field. “We have a lot more team chemistry than last year, and I think it’s going to be a good season,” Terpstra said.
HoopDreams...
Students win second annual contest with faculty, 74-71
1.)
3.) Honor Heindl Photos
2.)
1.) Lending motivation to her team is choir teacher Kendra “The Destroyer” Wohlert. She and all the participants raised approximately $1,400 for sickle cell anemia research from this game. 2.) Leaving art teacher Lisa Klenske to fade into the background, junior Elsa Jehle drives the ball up the court for another student score over the faculty. 3.) In a sramble for a loose ball, senior Thomas Schiller comes up with it for before losing it again as (from left) English teacher Doug Wilkinson, social studies teacher Jeremiah Longnecker, senior Tim Jackson and social studies teacher Chris Dyvig follow the action.
Athlete Week of the
Abby Bermel Women’s Golf At the Pheasant Ridge Golf course, senior Abby Bermel set a new Tiger record with 35 shots on Friday. She holds five other individual Tiger course records. She is also a returning letter winner from the team that placed 6th at State last year. 1.) Have you ever shot a 35 or better before? I have shot a 35 before but never in competition. 2.) How did you stay calm as you put together the effort? Deep breaths! I was nervous for the meet, but I would just take a deep breath, and it would calm me down. 3.) Who do you attribute the record setting score to? My dad. He has taught me a lot over the years. I think most importantly he has shown me how to love the sport. 5.) Do you plan to golf competitively in college? I have signed to play at UNI next year.
Tigers in Action
Women’s Track finished 1st out of 14 teams on the J-Hawk Inv. Next up: Ames Invite 4/8 (Ames @ 5 p.m.) Men’s Track finished 3rd Next up: “Hi-Covey” Invite 4/12 (Ames @ 1 p.m.) Women’s Soccer defeated CR Washington 2-0 Next up: CR Xavier 4/10 (CR Xavier @ 4:15 p.m.) Men’s Soccer lost to CR Washington 0-4 Next up: W. East 4/12 (W. West Tournament) Women’s Tennis Next up: IC West and City High 4/12 (Home @ 9 a.m and 1 p.m.) Men’s Tennis lost to Dub. Hempstead and Wahlert 0-8 Next up: IC High and IC West 4/12 (Iowa City @ 9 a.m and 1 p.m.) Women’s Golf defeated Waverly SR 187-201 Next up: MVC Quadrangular 4/15 (Cedar Rapids @ 3:15 p.m.) Trap Shooting Next up: Charles City 4/12 (National Fish and Game Center @ TBA)
Tiger Hi-Line The
FEATURE FEATURE
Hands on Learning
Cadet Teaching program provides real-life job training David Bergstrom Staff Writer
This spring, five CFHS girls are exploring education from the other side of the teacher’s desk. Seniors Caitlin Hagarty, Kendra Holm, Emily Kline, Megan Potratz and Rachel Saul all participate in the cadet teaching program at Cedar Falls High School. Cadet teaching is a class where students spend part of their day in a teaching role. Kline and Saul teach third grade, Potratz teaches kindergarten and Hagarty teaches first grade at Cedar Heights Elementary School, while Holm teaches kindergarten at Hansen Elementary School. Every day they take on the role of a teacher from 12:45 p.m. to about 4
p.m. The young teachers work off of what the lead teacher has planned for them to do each day. “I will probably go into elementary and become a second or third grade teacher. I’m already planning on taking college classes this fall,” Kline said. Some cadet teaching participants are still weighing their options. “I have not decided yet between being an elementary teacher or being a Christian faith counselor,” Saul said. The cadet teachers have a routine schedule they follow to assist the teacher. “I get there at about 12:45 and have lunch with them. Then we go back to our room and have some Daily Language Review (DLR) time. After we
are done reading, we go to the computer lab and spend quite a bit of time there. We go back to the room and we start science, which we have been working with some crayfish lately. After that we have social studies and watch some videos for that. We have been having a lady come in to talk to the kids about how they can help in their community, and after she is gone, they read,” Kline said. Saul has many duties, too. “I get there and correct and file papers, and then we read for about 20 to 30 minutes. We watch movies about science, read or allow the students to free-write, do DLR and then dismiss,” she said. Discipline is sometimes the responsibility of the cadet teachers. “My teacher, Mr. Hansel, takes care
A DayofinEmily theKline Life
of the naughty students, but if he is gone, then I am the adult and the person in charge, so they have to obey me, and if they don’t I report them to him. One time the class got into trouble as a whole because they were passing notes all around, so as a punishment, they had recess taken away for the day,” Kline said. There is no better reward than being the best class. “Our third grade class was given a certificate for being the most obedient class in the school. So as a reward, the class was given one extra recess a month, and they could choose when they wanted it as long as it was OK with the teachers plans,” Kline said. Rewards also come to the cadet teachers in the form of teaching accom-
plishments. “One of the little kids was having some trouble with reading, and we read a big section, so that was a greatest achievement,” Saul said. With all the work that is put into the day, enjoying the kids is a must. “One of the funnest parts of the day is I decide when they leave to go home. I check their backpacks and make sure they are taking their books home they need and take their homework home as well. When I dismiss them, I choose how they leave, whoever has a birthday in this month or next month, who has this shoe size or this color of hair and I usually make them give me a high five before they leave. If they don’t give me a high five, then they don’t get to go,” Kline said.
David Bergstrom photos
Left to Right: Pointing to a student’s project, Emily Kline provides instructions for a class activity. Listening to a student’s question, Kline provides an answer. Saying farewell to a student, Kline gives one of her end-ofthe-day high fives.