Dec. 13, 2019 Hi-Line

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OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITIES

Tiger HI-LINE Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

Teachers develop rich life lessons from international experiences Page 4-5 Follow us on Twitter at tigerhiline and on our website at www.hiline.cfschools.org

Volume 59 Edition 10

Seniors win business simulation challenge

On Wednesday, Nov. 20 senior Frank Zhang and Yoon Ki competed in and won the Junior Achievement Titan Challenge. “The challenge is a daylong competition which places high school junior and senior students in the CEO seat to help increase their understanding of business.” “Student teams of 2 have complete control of managing and operating their own virtual business and making key decisions. Companies (teams) are challenged to outperform the competition in profit, sales, and market share with the support of a volunteer mentor.” Ki first found out about this challenge from a poster hung up in the school. “ I was looking for ways to entertain myself at school and saw a flyer that advertised the Titan Challenge. I decided I wanted to take up the challenge especially because scholarship money was involved. I knew immediately once I decided

to do it that I had to ask Frank Zhang,” Ki said. Ki said she thought of Zhang because he is “good at everything,” and she knew they would win. Both Ki and Zhang wanted to participate in this challenge because “they had some interest in business and the scholarship money” they could receive if they won. First place received $1500 and second place received $750 to a college of their choice. At the event there were two rounds that determined which business was the most competitive. The first was a preliminary round and the second round was for the scholarship. “The first round was pretty good. The second round was stressful,” Zhang said. “The first round was a tournament style kind of thing where the top two players in the first round move on. Since it was the whole group there wasn’t as many “good players.” But by the second competition

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, most students were thrilled to hear that school would be dismissing early; however, administration and the maintenance staff were left to clean up the mess. Athletics and activities director Troy Becker said, “We believe that one of the heating water pumps stopped working last evening, and when custodians arrived this morning they learned about it. We then proceeded to start the second standby pump to get heat water flowing again through the building. Once the building began to heat up, some of the coils that froze overnight and split, thawed and water started pouring out into the classrooms and through to the floors below.” Jeremiah Longnecker’s first hour Developing Nation’s class was the first room to experience trouble. Not thinking much of the noise she heard coming from the radiator since it “usually makes weird noises anyway,”

senior Mia Dexter said nothing seemed out of the ordinary that morning. “I get into Longnecker’s room first hour. The bell literally just rang, and it’s pretty cold in there. I hear the radiator in the back of the room like hissing really loud, and I’m like ‘Oh, OK, whatever,’ but then I hear kids need to pick up their backpacks. ‘Everyone pick up your backpacks,’ and there was water rushing to the front of the room,” Dexter said. Junior Abby Townsend, another member of Longnecker’s first hour class, also mentioned there was nothing out of routine going on leading up to the water flow. “We knew we were gonna take notes, so we were just starting talking to each other, but all the sudden we looked back and there’s just water on the floor like running out,” Townsend said. Longnecker quickly called for a janitor once he was made aware of the problem. He said the custodial staff

Submitted Photo

Seniors Frank Zhang and Yoon Ki receive the first place award ($1,500) for the Titan Challenge on Nov. 20 it was very stressful because everyone in it was good and knew what they were doing so the score was always super close,” Zhang said. The score/performance index in this challenge is determined by how much money a team was making and how the

team’ business was doing. Ki and Zhang didn’t expect to win since they only prepared the night before, but they came up with a strategy different from all others but the most successful. “We were going to develop the best product and sell at a high price, it

was like a high price strategy,” Zhang said. “A lot of teams did a low price strategy where they would not spend as much on research and development and sell their product for a low price and hope to sell a lot of them. Where we tried to sell fewer but higher quality and more expensive products which ended up working well,” he said. Both Ki and Zhang gained something more from this challenge than money to a college of their choice. “I learned some interesting things about business through the simulation,” Ki said. “I knew the basic things like supply and demand. It was interesting to see how unit price was affected and net cost. It was also interesting to see how different factors would change the effectiveness of a business.”

By Co-Editior-In-Chief Sophia

SCHILLINGER

Cold snap leads to broken pipes, extensive damage

Submitted Photos

After a cold snap overnight, a water pump breakdown led to pipes bursting and water leaks all over the high school on Dec. 10

did a great job handling the situation, but was shocked this was even an issue to begin with. “I was surprised because I didn’t even know that water ran through those. That’s how ignorant I am. Even though I know we have boilers, I thought that it created steam. I was honestly

very shocked.” Noting that there’s an obvious space between the heater and the floor in his room, Longnecker was not surprised however when the problem began to spread to other rooms, especially the math department. “The biggest problem with this partic-

ular room was that the shutoff wouldn’t work, so it just kept running and running for a good, I don’t know, 10 minutes for sure. It just kept running, and that’s why it made its way out into the hall, and Story continued on Page 8/ BROKEN PIPES

2 Yang tops Democrat students’ list for president The

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

The Tiger H-Line poll of student opinions on the upcoming Iowa Caucuses brought in some shocking results, with businessman Andrew Yang claiming a surprise 12-point lead at the top of the Democratic portion of the poll. The poll, which sampled 94 total students, garnered 80 responses to preferences for Democratic candidates and 64 responses to preferences of candidates in the Republican primary. The topline result of Yang is a stunning result for many, as he currently sits at just 2.5 percent of the vote in Iowa according to RealClearPolitics’s polling averages. Supporters of Yang, including senior Hollis Wilson, like him because of his unconventional approach to politics. “I like Andrew Yang for many reasons, but mainly because he doesn’t seem too concerned with political parties. I just like good ideas. I don’t care about fighting with the other side. I’d rather hear them out.” Another candidate with a solid poll result is South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, or “Mayor Pete” as he is also known. Buttigieg’s strong performance in the Hi-Line poll is coupled with his overall strength in the state of Iowa, where he comes in first place polling at 22.5 percent, according to RealClearPolitics. How has a candidate with such nontraditional experience catapulted into such a high polling position over the course of just a year? Senior Japhy Holt said, “I appreciate his youthful take on many issues such as fighting climate change since he will see the effects in his lifetime, the removal of the electoral

college in favor of a popular vote system and enforcing stricter gun laws.” Of course, the success of these two unconventional candidates largely comes at the expense of the three more traditional politicians in the race. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren come in third and fourth place, respectively, and former Vice President Joe Biden takes fifth place, but all hope is not lost for these three. Sanders, Biden, and Warren all are still in the consideration of at least 28 percent of respondents, a crucial statistic due to the quirkiness of Iowa’s caucus system. Holt said that she is still considering Warren “because of her policies including maternity leave, raising the minimum wage and eliminating the cost of college.” Out of the respondents, nearly 28 percent plan on caucusing in February and 29 percent say they have seen at least one presidential candidate in person during the current cycle. These numbers show a considerable amount of political engagement by students. A crucial aspect of the Iowa Caucus is the ability for prospective caucus goers to meet face-to-face with the various senators, business people and governors vying for their vote, and according to the results of the Hi-Line poll, 9.7 percent of respondents have gone out of their way to engage in caucus activity, meeting three or more candidates in person this year. By Staff Writer Ryan

Hi-Line Poll by Ryan Westhoff

WESTHOFF

Nonprofit pie shop offers business skills for girls Try Pie is a company that offers employment opportunities for 15- to 18-year-old girls in the Cedar Valley. They gather Monday-Saturday, but are closed Thursday and Sunday. The girls learn job skills for after high school, and also receive training in how to be financially responsible. Several other small business owners come and teach us about running a successful, locallyowned business. Speaking directly to how she explains the benefits of the partnership to the teens involved, Try Pie co-owner Sarah Helleso said, “I think that because financial literacy is a big part of what we focus on at Try Pie, giving and financial stewardship is a big part of that piece. So, we wanted to find a way to practice that not only as a team but give you guys a chance to give back individually and also remind you that you are leaders for the community. Through all those things we wanted to try this, so you could donate along

Submitted Photo

Two workers at Try Pie prepare pies to be sold at Hansen’s Dairy in Waterloo and Cedar Falls. with the customers and they could feel like they’re participating too.” November 2019 was the

first time Try Pie implemented “Give Back November” as a way to give back to the Cedar Valley community. There were

three non-profit organizations that customers could choose to donate part of the profits made from the mini pies they

buy. The three non-profits were Habitat For Humanity, Embark and Days for Girls. Employees could donate a portion of their tips as well. “We asked you guys what you were excited about and what causes you cared about. Someone from ‘Days for Girls’ mentioned something similar that didn’t have a local presence, but ‘Days for Girls’ has something local. They are a group of women that care about human trafficking and women’s rights, so we picked them because they have a local presence.” A non-profit has a different purpose than a typical business. They are not in it for the money. Any profits made go right back into helping the cause they are supporting and a dedication to want to better a particular social cause and be able to advocate from a shared point of view.

By Staff Writer Alyssa

NELSON

3 Senior’s inspirations found

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TATTOO YOU right at his arm’s length Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

Artist of

The Week

CJ SRIGLEY Drawing Artist

Senior CJ Srigley is not your typical artist. Rather than drawing on paper, Srigley uses his arms as his canvas. Motivated by boredom in class, Srigley creates unique designs that make up his own washable tattoo sleeve. “I think I’ve been drawing on my arm since the first time I got bored at school with a marker in my hand,” Srigley said. Srigley finds the traditional pen and paper to be too restricting. “I draw on my arm because I love tattoos, and paper is too boring,” Srigley said. His drawings go beyond random doodles, though. Many of his designs have a meaning, like the Chinese symbols he writes. “Some mean power and life, but the other ones I just made up,” Srigley said. These types of drawings are Srigley’s favorite. “I like drawing calligraphy the most as well as random tribal designs,” Srigley said. “I just like calligraphy because it’s all about stamping your identity, and I’ve always thought that was profound, and I love the flow of tribal tattoos and tribal art.” The attention and looks that come from his drawings is what keeps Srigley creating. “What inspires me most is the look of interest on someone’s face when they see what I’m doing or what I’ve created,” Srigley said. Even though he prefers drawing on his arm, Srigley does enjoy other mediums of art, especially oils. “A lot of historic paintings were done with oil, and I enjoy how well they age, and the texture makes them feel alive,” Srigley said. There’s more to art than just the kind made on canvas or played through a musical instrument said Srigley. “I think anything that involves movement can be a form of art. That’s why I love doing parkour and

To overcome boredom, senior CJ Srigley has used markers to create an ever changing variety of body designs that draw upon his love of caligraphy and traditional tribal symbols. martial arts as well as drawing random fake tattoos on myself,” Srigley said. Srigley said he enjoys the creativity and limitless possibilities he has in art. “You can free your mind from this world and be in your own creative head space while also expressing the person you are or the person you want to be,” Srigley said.

Drawing cures Srigley’s boredom as well as provides a happy place for him. “I think art keeps me out of a dark spot in life, and it’s an escape from bad things that I don’t want or need in life,” Srigley said. By Staff Writer Alayna

YATES

Submitted Photos

“I think art keeps me out of a dark spot in life, and it’s an escape from bad things that I don’t want or need in life.”

­— CJ Srigley/Artist

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Follow these plans for creating ‘gingerbread’ houses to last forever

Get into the holiday spirit with this cute gingerbread house that will never go stale, and the best part is you can decorate it

Materials

Cardboard Paper Hot Glue Gun Popsicle Sticks Ruler Pen or Pencil 3 mm Crochet Hook Brown Yarn for Gingerbread White Yarn for Icing Various Colors of Yarn, Beads, Buttons, Fabric Scraps, Etc. for Decoration

Cardboard Pieces

Roof Pieces: Cut out two pieces of cardboard that are 5 x 7 inches. Front and Back pieces: Cut out two pieces of cardboard that are 8 x 6 inches. Measure 5 inches from the bottom of the pieces and cut the 3 inch triangular roof shape as shown in the diagram.

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

however you want like a real gingerbread house. Keep reading to see how to make your own.

Side Pieces: Cut out two pieces of cardboard that are 5 x 6 inches for the side pieces. Roof Panels (make two): Make a 7-inch long chain, and make sure it is an odd number of chains. Single crochet in second chain from hook and every stitch across. Continue in rows until the height of the panel equals 5 inches. Front and Back Panels (make two): Make a 6-inch long chain, making sure the number of chains is an odd number. Single crochet in second chain from hook and every chain across in rows until the height of the panel equals 5 inches. Single crochet decrease at the beginning and end of each row to make a 3-inch tall triangle shape. Side Panels: Make a 6-inch long chain, making sure the number of

chains is odd. Single crochet in second chain from hook and each chain across. Continue in rows until height of the panel equals 5 inches. For All Panels: Single crochet a border around each piece to get rid of uneven edges. Add 3 single crochets in each corner. Fasten off.

Thomas said that the stuffed animal is “almost like an emotional support animal” for her friend, “except stuffed.” Thomas said that she believes stuffed animals offer so much comfort to people “because you grow so attached to them through all these different things you do with them, and you know they are safe, they keep you safe, you’ve had all these memories with them, and so just like most things, if you have a lot of experience with them, you get attached to them.” Thomas said she is not ashamed of her attachments at all. “It really is not that stupid to have a stuffed animal because you grew so attached to it as a child, and you don’t necessarily have to grow completely all the way up just like society wants us to,” she said. “Sometimes it’s important to remember that innocence that we originally obtained as a child to remember how bright the world used to be and just kind of a remembrance of what we were like as a child.” Many people claim that still owning a stuffed animal is childish and immature. Thomas thinks this is because “every-

one thinks they have to support themselves.” Additionally, she saId that “as you grow up, you’re supposed to leave those childish things behind, or at least that’s what society tells us to do, so that they think it’s childish because you’re clinging to your childhood by keeping these stuffed animals.” Thomas said she doesn’t “see why you have to get rid of stuffed animals,” and senior Kellen Chenoweth share that sentiment. “I’m doing fine, and I still have a stuffed carrot in my bed, so clearly it can work out,” Chenoweth said. Chenoweth said that there is a stigma on high schools having stuffed animals because “I think there’s kinda an idea that we have to, especially once you’re in junior high and high school, that you have to grow up immediately. Like you’re about to go to college, you have to be independent and self-sufficient, and part of that is you can’t have something there with you and helping you.” Chenoweth said that she keeps many of her stuffed animals because “I just connect a lot of them with important mo-

Assembly

Hot glue each crochet piece to its corresponding cardboard piece. With white yarn, single crochet each of the panels together. Reinforce the roof and walls on the inside with hot glue and popsicle sticks. Single crochet a white border on the roof. Hot glue the roof to the top of the house. Your gingerbread house is ready to decorate with beads, buttons, fabric, crocheted pieces or whatever else you can think of!

Myra Stineman Photos

After building the basic structure for your ‘gingerbread’ house, you will be able to customize it with a variety of embellishments limited only by your imagination and a glue gun.

By Staff Writer Myra

STINEMAN

Nine in 10 still snuggling stuffed animals What are some words normally associated with stuffed animals? Fluffy? Childish? Too childish for high schoolers? Apparently not. A recent HiLine poll found 91.5 percent of 117 CFHS students agreed that owning a stuffed animal in high school isn’t strange. Almost nine in 10 high school students admitted that they still currently own at least one stuffed animal, and 50 percent said they still sleep with a cuddly, fluff-filled critter. In fact four in 10, say they own more than 10 stuffed animals. For 81 percent of poll participants, stuffed animals are still cool even in high school. One of these participants is sophomore Noel Thomas. Thomas said that stuffed animals are “a really big comfort at night” and “I don’t have any disorders such as anxiety or depression, but there’s still a good comfort, and I guess it’s just a lot easier to go to sleep at night when I have my stuffed animals with me.” On the other hand, Thomas does have a friend who suffers from anxiety and depression, and she said this friend does benefit from having a stuffed animal near in order to cope.

Ashlyn Keve Photos

In a recent survey of 117 students, over 90 percent embrace still snuggling with stuffed animals, 50 still sleep with a stuffed animal, and 40 percent still own over 10 cuddly stuffed companions. Sophomore Noel Thomas is one who considers herself a huge fan. “I guess it’s just a lot easier to go to sleep at night when I have my stuffed animals with me.” ments, so the ones I keep are really important.” For her, they are dependable. “They’re just always there, so kind of like a constant I think is part of what makes them comfortable.” Many of the poll participants willing to give an interview were female. Chenoweth said she believes this is because “Females, it’s more OK

for them to express sentimentality and to hold on to that kind of comfort. I think probably the guys may have them too, but it’s more OK for girls to say, yes, I do need this comfort, I do rely on this thing, or I do hold on to that. I am sentimental. It’s more OK to say that.” By Staff Writer Ashlyn

KEVE

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Cosmetic Conspiracy Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

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Star’s collection has staying power worthy of cost “My whole life is a contradiction on purpose - to make you think,” said Jeffree Star, owner of Jeffree Star Cosmetics and a YouTube Influencer. Star’s collaboration with Shane Dawson, a non-makeup artist YouTube Influencer, is definitely a contradiction. However, it is a contradiction that looks to be paying off for both of the YouTube stars. The Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson Conspiracy Collaboration dropped on Nov. 1 with the following products: a nine color mini Controversy eye shadow palette, a lip balm, a lip gloss, six liquid lipsticks, two different pig shaped mirrors, two makeup bags and an 18-color eyeshadow palette called the Conspiracy palette. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase the Conspiracy eye shadow palette and the six lipsticks bundled together. With the hype built online around this launch, it wasn’t surprising that it took more than three hours for me to complete the purchase process for these two products. In fact, I was lucky to be able to get these two products because the drop didn’t have all of the makeup on the web site right at the launch time. The first items available were the Conspiracy palette and the “Are You Filming?” lipstick. Only because the site broke and I had to relaunch it several times was I able to se-

lect the lipstick bundle before I checked out. Conspiracy Collection broke the internet and earned $35 million in seconds. Star’s team announced that one million eye shadow palettes were purchased in 30 minutes. With these record breaking sales, the duo determined there were be a restock of the product at a later unspecified time, so there is the possibility of purchasing from this collection. As is typical of a Jeffree Star Cosmetics purchase, the package was shipped in a large pink box. The wrapping had both Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson’s logos on them. The tissue paper in the box was black. The lipsticks were packaged in a pig head box, while the Conspiracy palette was wrapped in the same tissue paper as was lining the box but with a sticker holding it closed. Six different shades of lipstick were included in the collection, the names are: Shane, Are You Filming?, Ryland, I Gotta Go, Jeffree What The F***? and Oh, My God. The lipsticks are packaged in a box shaped like a pink pig head, which has a leather feel to it. Each tube is clear so you can see the color with black lids. When you begin to apply the lipsticks, a little goes a long way. I applied Ryland before going out, and it stayed on looking great for six hours—no smudging when I drank my wa-

ter at lunch. When you remove the wrapping from the Conspiracy palette, it is packaged in a cardboard sleeve branded with Conspiracy on it that you need to slide off of the palette. The actual palette is then in a white box that protects it dur-

Highlighter is a make up technique that is often used in conjunction with contouring to create shadows and highlights giving your face more depth. Highlighting adds light to your face that pulls those areas forward, making that area more prominent and giving it a glow. The goal is to bring the tops of your cheekbones, top of your Cupid’s bow and the bridge of your nose forward so that they are more noticeable. As beauty blogger, Erica Ardali, said,”My highlighter is the high-light of the party.” This statement shares how important highlighter has become in the make up world since 2016. Highlighters come in a liq-

uid, creamy compact powder or a powder palette. Creams are best used on dry skin where they can be applied before or after foundation. The powder formula is better for oilier skin types and should be applied last. Liquid highlighter should be used before your foundation for a pretty all over glow. One highlighter powder palette by Hard Candy is called Just Glow! Meet me in Tahiti. This product is good because it includes a brush with the three highlighting colors. One drawback of this palette is that you really need to use all of the colors to get a bright, summery glow. Any time that you use just one or two of the

colors, the overall look is dim and not vibrant like highlighter should be. Fenty Beauty offers a duo highlighter compact that contains the two colors Chic Phreak and Girl Next Door. Chic Phreak does have more of a glow than the Girl Next Door; however, the overall impact of this highlighter is rather dull. I found that these two colors seemed more like blush on my skin and less like a highlighter that would pop out the key areas of my face. Ultra Beauty sells highlighting drops, which are different than most highlighters. These drops are very high on the luminous scale, which can be

Justine Yang Photos

The Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson Conspiracy Collaboration dropped on Nov. 1, and included a nine color mini Controversy eye shadow palette, a lip balm, a lip gloss, six liquid lipsticks, two different pig shaped mirrors, two makeup bags and an 18-color eyeshadow palette called the Conspiracy palette. ing shipping. The case is very detailed with Shane and Jeffrey’s logos on the palette case with two latches that need to be opened in order to see the 18 eye shadow colors. I used Just a Theory, Diet Root Beer, Tanacon and My Pills for an easy, every day

look. They went on smoothly and stayed on without caking during my day out. The makeup is worth the cost and the trouble to get it, as it definitely looked good and had staying power. By Staff Writer Justine

YANG

Glow is essence of highlighting beauty

Hard Candy Highlighter Just Glow! is one of a number of good options to create the contours you need.

Submitted Photo great if applied well. When using this product, it is important to note that it takes work to blend it into your skin; otherwise, it sits on your skin and looks unnatural. Highlighting can have a

great impact on how your face appears in photographs. As people are continuing to snap selfies, the use of highlighter is unlikely to slow down. By Staff Writer Justine

YANG

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Opportunities Overseas Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

Teachers develop rich life lessons from international experiences

John and Patricia Black American School of Dubai

Submitted Photos

Venturing beyond our little town, some of CFHS’s own have explored different parts of the world while teaching abroad. In the top photo, John and Patricia Black explored and posed in the desert in Dubai, United Arab Emirates during their time teaching there. In the middle photo, Jeff Hartman stands as the center of attention at the prom for the school he taught at in Bangkok, Thailand. To the right, Chad Van Cleve and his family sported their Iowa Hawkeye gear in the Cayman Islands for a dress up day where they had to represent where they came from. Van Cleve is still teaching in the Cayman Islands today.

Q: What are the differences between teaching in the US vs where you were teaching? John: I was what is called a trailing spouse, thus I could not be a full time teacher, so during this time I was a sub in classes ranging from Arabic language studies, biology to vocal music. My responsibilities ranged from sixth grade to 12th grade. This is very similar as to what I do in Cedar Falls. I found the students to be also similar to those here. Patricia: The student population was international and so was the staff. International schools budgets are bigger. That allowed for more possibilities in terms of resources, professional development, salaries and opportunities in general. People are the same wherever you are in the world. They want to be respected, understood, cared for. They want to do well, and it is true of students, staff and administration.

Patricia: When you teach abroad, you become exposed to a wealth of new experiences in every possible level, so the change becomes inevitable. Hopefully we use it to grow as a human being and as a professional too. It also provides a good dose of humility since it confronts you with your own limitations.

Q: What are the differences in lifestyle/culture in the United States vs. where you were teaching? John: The students in Dubai have had great opportunities to travel because of their parents’ jobs and the programs that the school offers that allow the students to travel to four different continents. Students there did not drive and had either a hired driver, parents or Uber take them to and from school and to events around the city. The students acted like typical students although they might speak two or three different languages. English though was the spoken language both at school and in the city. Only 15 percent of the residents are Emirates, with the balance of the population being Americans, Canadians, Europeans, Indians or Pakistanis. Patricia: Dubai is a multicultural Arab city where people of different ethnic backgrounds, economic status, professions and languages coexist, live and grow peacefully.

Q: How have your perceptions changed or what lessons have you learned on a global scale? How do you see the world now vs. how you saw it before teaching overseas? John: I found people to be the same regardless of where you were. Oman was a very mysterious, and I have to admit a place where I was a little afraid to travel to, but I found the people there to be very nice, friendly and helpful regardless of the language and religious differences. Egypt, Jordan and Jerusalem were fantastic with the amount of history I learned. Patricia: So many that I wouldn't know where to start. Let's just say that you rediscover that the world is so big yet so small. You shouldn't have your fate determined by your place of birth, and there is so much we can do with a little more kindness.

Q: What impact did teaching overseas make in your personal life and your professional life? Were there any big changes you noticed? John: Professionally, I did not feel I grew that much in Dubai since I was not involved in any professional development programs or trips the school offered. Personally, through meeting people from all over the world and traveling extensively in the Middle East, my knowledge of many things culturally and politically grew a lot.

Q: What was your favorite part of teaching overseas? John: Definitely traveling to places like Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Jerusalem, Spain and the UAE was a chance of a lifetime. That was a very big learning experience for me personally. Plus, sharing my U.S. experiences with the students was enjoyable. Patricia: Travelling, learning and meeting people of many different walks of life. It touches you heart and your senses.

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

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American School of Bangkok

Q: What are the differences between teaching in the United States vs. where you were teaching? A: The curriculum was a U.S. curriculum, so that was similar. One difference was that we were on a block schedule, so classes met for 80 minutes every other day. The school was a K-12 school, so I enjoyed seeing the elementary and middle school kids around the campus. The school was much smaller with only 40 - 50 students in each grade, and we had smaller class sizes, so I really got to know my students better than here at CFHS. My students were very respectful and appreciative. Most of my students thanked me as they left class every single day. At our school all the students call their teachers by their first name, so I was Mr Jeff. At first it seemed strange, but I got used to it because when I came back here it seemed strange being called Mr Hartman. Q: What are the differences in lifestyle/culture in the United States vs. where you were teaching? A: Manners and respect are very important in Thai culture. When you greet people, you put your hands together and do a slight bow called a "wai." One of the things that always amazed me about Thailand is drivers don't honk their horns in anger. Bangkok traffic is terrible, and it’s common to have people cut in front of you, but people don't honk. It is considered bad manners, and the person who loses their temper, loses face. Other places we traveled such as Egypt and Vietnam was the opposite. Those drivers continually honked their horns. Q: What impact did teaching overseas make in your personal life and your professional life? Were there any big changes you noticed? A: Professionally, I have a much better understanding of what it's like for students who are English Language Learners. On a personal level, my life has been changed by how much traveling we did in two years. My wife and I want to continue to travel and see as much of the world as we can. We also lead a much simpler life in Thailand, and we both hope to continue to simplify our life back here in the United States. We didn't seem as busy there, and we got by on a lot fewer possessions. Q: What was your favorite part of teaching overseas? A: My two favorite things about teaching overseas were the friendships we made and all the traveling we did. A couple of my favorite trips were to Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam and Egypt. Traveling to Cambodia was relatively cheap and easy, and I liked it so much I went there four times over two years.

Chad Van Cleve -

Cayman International School

Trekking in the Himalayas and cruising down the Nile were two things that I never dreamed I would actually do. Q: How have your perceptions changed or what lessons have you learned on a global scale? How do you see the world now vs. how you saw it before teaching overseas? A: Between our travels and the international friends we made in Bangkok, I think I do have a more global perspective on many social and political topics. When I read about international events, I pay closer attention and see it on a more personal level. For example, I have a friend who is in his second year at an international school in Hong Kong, so I have a personal connection when I read about the rioting going on in Hong Kong. The Halal chef at ASB is a wonderful man who is a refugee from Syria, so when I read about closing our borders to refugees or read about the war in Syria, I now have a personal connection. Last Easter, we were in Sri Lanka when the churches and hotels were bombed. Over 300 people were killed, and we drove by one of the churches 30 minutes before the bombs went off. I don't know how many people in the U.S. were even aware of the attacks. A controversial issue in the U.S. is what to do about gun violence. My friends from other countries don't understand why we allow people to have all the guns that we do. They have strict gun control laws, and they don't have the problems we have here. The students in my environmental science class were amazed that the U.S. government is rolling back many environmental protection laws that help ensure clean water, clean air and the survival of endangered species. Many of my students come from countries such as Thailand, India and China where air and water pollution is a big problem that their countries are trying to get under control, and they see the U.S. going in the wrong direction.

Q: What are the differences between teaching in the U.S. vs. where you are now? A: The differences are not all that different. At CIS we don't have AP courses. We have IB, but the programs are similar in many ways. The school is kindergarten to grade 12, so we have more interaction between students of all ages. Older students help younger students a lot. Sports are not as important as for school spirit. Students play other schools on the island and travel to other countries, but there is not as much fuss about games. I think the diversity of the student population is greater here than in Cedar Falls, but attitudes and behaviors are similar. CIS is a private school and has a dress code, but that is a requirement for all schools on the island whether they are private or public. My two daughters who are now in first grade are learning Spanish in school. Q: What are the differences in lifestyle/culture in the U.S. vs. where you are now? A: I have to drive on the opposite side of the road. I currently live less than 100 yards from a beach that can be used almost every day of the year. I swim and dive every week if not almost every day. We celebrated Pirates week last week, and then the island started to prepare for Santa. There is a strong mixture of British, U.S., Cayman and Jamaican culture. The Cayman Islands are former British territories, and the two nations are still well connected. English is the main language, but there are many people from all over the world, so hearing languages other than English is common. Life is more relaxed here and ensuring you have a good quality of life is important to people. You have to take time to relax and feed your soul. The island produced very little in the form of goods, so everything must be shipped to the islands. This means we do not have access to a lot of things or if you see something you want you have to buy it then; otherwise, it might not be there when you go back.

Q: What impact has teaching overseas made in your personal life and your professional life? Are there any big changes you've noticed? A: I have had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and interact with people who have great stories. They continue to open my eyes to perspectives on why the world is the way it is. Professionally, I have grown quite a bit. I have had the opportunity to work on projects with students that get them out of the classroom and apply their understanding to real world events. This is something I hope to be able to continue to do as a teacher no matter where I teach. Q: What has been your favorite part of teaching overseas? A: For this overseas teaching position, the quality of life has been great. I have had opportunities to scuba dive weekly. I have access to beautiful beaches that my family and I can explore on a whim. Eighty one degrees fahrenheit and sunny is an almost everyday occurrence. Q: How have your perceptions changed or what lessons have you learned on a global scale? How do you see the world now vs how you saw it before teaching overseas? A: I see the impact of large nations such as the U.S. on other nations. I see how resources need to be managed differently in the U.S. than in other places and that the U.S. should not judge other nations for not doing things the “Americnan Way.� Professionally, I am a better teacher. I have been exposed to different teaching methods and philosophies, which I can add to my past experiences to be more competent as a teacher. All of this helps me to view the world as a place where people need to travel and interact with others in order to develop a better understanding of the world.

By Co-Editor-In-Chief Alayna

YATES

8 Students earn slots in recent poetry slam FEATURES

Sixteen student poets filled the Hearst Center for the Arts in Cedar Falls on Dec. 8 for the Poetry Out Loud competition. Ten of the 16 students at the competition were either from the Cedar Falls High School, Holmes or Peet Junior High. Only one person from each school could go to State., and this year Peet freshman Ella Hertz and Leah Takes both received state runners-up. Peet freshman Hannah Batterson is going to state. Several years ago, Cedar Falls’ junior highs and the high school participated in the competition, then for a while participation fell, but just last year they picked the competition up again and are now sending people to State. Hertz was encouraged to join the competition by her school librarian Abby Hendrickson. “I did an enrichment with my friend on black out poetry, and I organized that, and the teacher was like, ‘Oh, these girls are into poetry.’ There were posters around the school, but we didn’t really pay attention to that,” Hertz said. “The librarian Mrs. Hendrickson came up to us and was like, ‘Do you want to do poetry out loud?’ She told us to think about it, and we came back and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll do it.’” Hertz recited the poems, including “How to Triumph

Submitted Photo

Peet freshman Hannah Batterson earned state spot in the Poetry Out Loud competition on Dec. 8. Like a Girl.” This was sophomore Leah Takes’ second time participating in this competition. Last year she was the district representative and went to State, and this year she was state runner up. Takes also plans on participating next year. “Reading these poems and getting to read them in front of

BROKEN PIPES/Continued from Page 1 I’m guessing that’s why the math rooms got so destroyed,” Longnecker said. With unfortunate luck, the problem had to get worse before it got better, Becker acknowledged. “We immediately called in our maintenance staff to work on the broken water lines. They pulled the coil in that room and isolated it so water could be turned back on for other rooms,” Becker said. “Once we did that, we had other lines start to leak from being frozen. We have pulled the broken coils and have sent them to be fixed. We found out that rooms 146 and 139 were also frozen.” Multiple rooms in the math department also fell victim to the unexpected water. Linsey Zimmerman noticed the problem during her fifth period math class when the kids hollered out, “Mrs. Zimmerman, it’s rain-

“As always, our staff does a great job of stepping up and finding ways to help each other.”

—Activity Director Troy Becker

ing back here.” She said the students helped her move swiftly. “The water was just pouring out of the ceiling,” Zimmerman said. “We grabbed things that were on the heater and started moving them and unplugging things. Electricity and water, you know?” The following day, there were still four classrooms without heat, so temporary heaters were brought over to try to warm up those spaces throughout the night so they were able to be used again. Since the rooms were still cold, though, classrooms were moved to other available spaces in

the building. Administration hoped that with the weather warming up as the week went on that those classes would soon be put back to use again. Through the difficulties of moving students and teachers around, Becker said he’s proud of the way the situation was handled. “As always, our staff does a great job of stepping up and finding ways to help each other. It makes me feel really proud when I see them come together in tough situations and find ways to keep the learning and teaching going,” Beck-

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a crowd and getting to capture everyone’s attention, it’s just a feeling I can’t really explain to just have everyone’s attention on you and they’re really listening to what you say, and you can just say it however you want, get your message across, and just kind of blow them away, I guess,” she said. Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide poetry recitation competition that encourages high school students to improve analytical skills through reading and interpretation of a variety of poems, and creates lifelong lovers of creative literature. For this competition, students are asked to prepare two poems, one poem from before the 19th century and one that is 25 lines or less. At the competition there are two rounds, and students perform one poem for each. The Poetry Out Loud competition does not stop at the Hearst Center for the Arts. It continues to a state and national level, and the winner of the national level receives $20,000. Hertz said she had a lot of fun this year and she’ll do the competition next year. “It’s more like just being able to see that there are other people out there who enjoy what I like,” she said. “I was in a community of other people and they

The

were really encouraging.” Takes’ inspiration to start exploring poetry was from her family. “My dad always turns me toward books he thinks I might find interesting. Sometimes they’re poetry books; sometimes they’re not. My sister has always been into poetry as well, so she has introduced me to some books she has really liked. My mom has always encouraged me to not be afraid to stand in front of a crowd and speak,” she said.” Holmes English teacher Leesa Talbot inspired Takes to do this competition. “Memorizing poems is always beneficial; it trains the brain for more memorizing, plus it’s a powerful way to understand language and build confidence,” she said. “It’s a great test of the nerves; if you can recite a memorized poem with good eye contact and expression in front of a group of strangers— you can do anything. A District and/or a State win looks nice on a college resume, shows that you are well-rounded and into the arts.” Although Takes’ has had practice participating in the competition, she still gets nervous as well, but embraces her nerves. “I would say I feel nervous. When you’re up there everyone is looking at you. It’s just complete silence until you start talking, but a lot of

times I try to use my nerves to give myself energy when I’m up there and give myself confidence,” she said. Holmes freshman Joe Kangas also participated in this competition. He said practicing is one of the most important aspects. “Practice. Practice. Practice. So many points are taken off if you need help in your poems,” he said. Kangas said this competition interests him because he is “able to recite poetry that hasn’t been heard or has been but not in a while.” Reading someone else’s work requires work, but Takes’ advises poets to be themselves on the stage. “Make sure you don’t read your poems like you’re trying to be someone else. Read it like you’re you reading it to someone you know really well. Just don’t become a character,” she said. As a teacher, Talbot said her favorite part of the experience is watching students experience the thrill of the competition. “Natural adrenaline pushes the students’ good performances into the realm of exceptional performances,” she said. “Poetry is magical; a well-interpreted poem can be breath-taking.”

er said. Zimmerman said her students amusement overpowered their fears. “We knew that it was happening all day, and we were just kinda waiting for it to happen to our room. They did pretty well. I would say they were more interested in getting their phones and recording it so they could show it to everybody. Nobody was panicked or anything,” Zimmerman said. Longnecker also acknowledged how well his students handled the situation. “The students were great. They handled it really well. I think it’s like any other distraction. When we went to get into class, I said, ‘Alright, it’s time to go,’ and we got going again,” Longnecker said. “I was proud of my students. We got right back at it.” Longnecker said he understands why this could’ve been a much bigger dis-

traction and stressor than it turned out to be. “For some people it’s hard though. To have your day disrupted like that,” Longnecker said. “People in general, I won’t say just students, sometimes struggle dealing with that. Just that lack of continuity in the day, so I think we probably did that to a lot of people.” Amongst all the chaos, the students were able to get a laugh out of the situation. Both Townsend and Dexter said they were laughing at the situation and were amongst the multiple students that immediately reached for their phones when the water began. Longnecker also is now able to joke about the matter. “It was mostly amusement. This is what to expect from this school,” Longnecker said.

By Co-Editior-In-Chief Sophia

SCHILLINGER

By Co-Editior-In-Chief Alayna

YATES

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ENTERTAINMENT

‘Frozen ll’ hints at religious meanings

Getting me in the mood for winter I thought would be a difficult task, but “Frozen II” did just that. It may have even gotten me excited to see snow, just not too soon. Seeing the movie on premiere night, Nov. 21, I was thrilled to witness the story of Ana, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven continue. The film possessed that same magic you experience in every Disney movie, but it did fall victim to the sequel curse. Of course, it’d be hard to live up to the original with such a loaded soundtrack and an exciting new plot-

line. The sequel was well done in that it had catchy songs and was full of laughs for the family, but there was nothing quite as memorable as “Let It Go” in this film. Something I noticed while sitting in the theater were the religious overtones of the film. Throughout the movie, Elsa is on a quest to find the source of her icy powers. On her journey, she follows a mysterious voice that only she can hear. Obviously, this wouldn’t be a Disney princess movie without Elsa singing a song as she tracks down the voice, and “Show Yourself,” which

is sung by Elsa, features lyrics that resemble those of a Christian song. In the first verse she sings, “I can sense you there Like a friend I’ve always known I’m arriving And it feels like I am home” While singing this, Elsa arrives at a castle, and in one “room” she is able to see all her childhood memories scattered across the sky amongst a bright white light. To me, this scene felt like Elsa was experiencing “heaven.”

Later, Elsa goes on to sing the chorus, “Show yourself I’m dying to meet you Show yourself It’s your turn Are you the one I’ve been looking for All of my life? Show yourself I’m ready to learn” Maybe it’s just me, but it felt as though when I was watching this scene that this song is her talking to a higher power like God. Elsa sings of something she’s always sensed, like a friend she’s always known. Many people who have strong

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faith say they sense God and consider God a friend. Elsa goes so far as to sing “I’m dying to meet you,” which also sounds to me like she’s meeting this higher power in the afterlife, like going to heaven and meeting God. Maybe Disney intended it this way or maybe they didn’t, but as I watched this particular scene it felt as though it was alluding to something else. Alluding to something bigger and something beyond this life. By Editor-In-Chief Alayna

YATES

New streaming site brings classics back to life

My family and I recently joined the Disney+ family. Disney+ is not just your typical movie streaming site. It is an American subscription video-on demand streaming service, owned by the Walt Disney Company, direct to the consumers for viewing from the comfort of their homes. It made its debut on Nov. 12. There are different types of Disney movies and shows available, ranging from classic, old, Pixar, Avatar and newer Disney movies with some original shows and movies as well. You also get Marvel movies like “Avengers: Endgame,” “Ironman” and Marvel original shows that are only available on this Disney service. National Geographic shows and movies are included, and the Star Wars franchise has also joined forces with Disney to be part of this service. The Simpsons are even included. One thing I will say that I don’t find convenient is that unlike Netflix

it doesn’t show the movies that you are saving to watch for later on your “Watched List” without having to go into your profile. It also doesn’t show it with the other categories like Netflix organizes it, so you can’t see your list at the same time as the choices, but I do like that they have almost all of the older Disney shows that they don’t play on TV anymore. We are looking forward to watching the new live action “Lady and The Tramp” movie for our next family movie night. It should cover the ages of us all. It’s nice to have a safe family friendly streaming site. Parents won’t have to worry about whether their kids are looking up age appropriate shows or movies. I also like the fun character icons you can use to set up a profile. We have four family members, and we each get to choose a special icon/character we really like or that suits our personalities.

Walt Disney released their new video-on demands streaming, Disney +, service on Nov. 12 The settings are very user friendly. The choices seem endless, and we have yet to even see the end of the categories. I would highly recommend this streaming site to everyone. Whether

you have kids or just want to revisit some of your favorite childhood movies and shows , Disney+ is definitely for you. By Staff Writer Alyssa

NELSON

New Disney + original doesn’t disappoint

“Lady and Tramp” is the latest remake of one of Disney’s most unforgettable, classic cartoon movies. This is a live action version. It starts out about the same, and keeps the time period and plot. They did change some of the characters to be more politically correct, but, a lot of the music and personalities of the characters are the same. The house they live in seems to resemble the one in the original movie quite a bit. I was impressed with how close these dogs looked and acted like the original ones,

even though they were based on cartoon versions. One thing I didn’t like was how a couple of the more popular songs were replaced or just not there. but the scenery and the town itself seemed to have come right off the pages of the original story. I know there was computer CGI involved in the making of this newer version, but it all seemed so realistic (if animals could talk). We had quite the age group watching this movie, and they all seemed to enjoy it. I loved that they still had the iconic, romantic scene where Lady and the Tramp share some

pasta with an odd number of meatballs. So to sum things up, I thought it stayed pretty true to the original movie. If you’re planning a future family movie night, especially if you have a different range of ages and have Disney+, I would highly recommend “Lady and The Tramp.” I give it 4 out of 5 Tiger Paws! By Staff Writer Alyssa

NELSON

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HI-LINE ENTERTAINMENT Harry Styles new album brings new sounds to pop You may know Harry Styles as just another member of the popular boy band One Direction; however, since their break-up in 2015, Styles has come to create an illustrious career as a solo act. His self-titled album released in 2017 has since gone platinum in the United States with his hit single “Sign of the Times” spending time on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Styles hopes to go beyond the success of his debut album with his new music on “Fine Line,” which will be released on Friday, Dec. 13. With three singles already released (“Lights Up,” “Watermelon Sugar” and “Adore You”), Styles will be debuting nine songs upon the album’s release. As a Directioner, I was ecstatic to hear of Styles’ new project, which he announced on Nov. 4.

Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

His first single, “Lights Up” was released on Oct. 11, which happens to be National Coming Out Day. Styles has never felt the need to confirm his sexuality with any reporter who asks, but this hint along with clues seen in the music video for the song have many fans speculating. The single features his smooth tone contrasted by the psychedelic feel to the music, which lends to the underlying meaning of the song discussing drug usage. Choosing to ignore the supposed meaning of the song, the message I gather from the lyrics rather concern his fame as he talks about freedom, selfdiscovery and reflection. “All the lights couldn’t put out the dark/Runnin’ through my heart/Lights up and they know who you are/Know who you are/ Do you know who you are?”

These lyrics suggest that being famous doesn’t necessarily make Styles feel content in life. Always in the spotlight, his fans have a fair glimpse into who he is as a person, yet Styles himself struggles with his own identity self-questioning “Do you know who you are?” Styles’ next single of his sophomore album, “Watermelon Sugar,” was released Nov. 16, the night he both hosted and performed as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. The lyrics in this song still remain a puzzle to me, seeming like mostly nonsense words. However, with a catchy chorus and contagious melody, the song has been stuck in my head ever since his SNL performance. Releasing his third single from the album on the same day his former bandmate, Liam

Payne released his debut album “LP1,” Styles outshined Payne quite literally with the catchy tune “Adore You” that was accompanied by an eight-minute long music video that accentuated his bright smile. Similar to the lost feeling implied in “Lights Out,” the music video for Styles’ latest single showcases his tendency to be an outcast and a subject to loneliness. In the video, Styles’ makes an unlikely friend and finally the lyrics of the song correlate to the message of the video. “I’d walk through fire for you/Just let me adore you/Like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do.” Alluding to the feelings of bliss when first finding love, Styles created the perfect feelgood love song for his fans with his most recent single “Adore You.”

After two years time, it’s safe to assume that Styles’ sound has changed and “Fine Line” will be a completely different experience compared to his self-titled debut album. In 2017, Styles gave his listeners retro-sounding pop rock ballads like “Sign of the Times,” acoustic guitar driven melodies like “Two Ghosts” and “Sweet Creature” and 70s electric guitar riffs in his head-banging hit “Kiwi.” With the release of “Fine Line” coming this week, audiences can expect sounds that aren’t typically heard on the radio. Blurring genre lines, it’s anticipated that Styles will stun listeners with unique and creative melodies paired with his signature storytelling lyrics. By Editor-In-Chief Alayna

YATES

Revisit these top memes from each month 2019

This year has been very memorable to say the least, so let’s look back on some of the top memes this year that reveal drama, events, jokes, important people, etc. of 2019. January: Waves and Airpods Airpods became a big meme last year, because having airpods means that you are too rich to care about anything else.

February: Let Me In This came from an Adult Swim show called “The Eric Andre Show.”

March: Nobody... This came from Twitter as a joke about people asking for attention.

April: Daenerys Targaryen Squint

In April Game Of Thrones came out and the character, Daenerys Targaryen, was made into a meme for her squint.

May: And I oop... This came from Jasmine Masters youtube channel that blew up over night.

July: Area 51

When someone made a Facebook event about raiding Area 51, this became a bigger event than at first thought. Millions of people planned on raiding Area 51 as a joke while some actually did it.

August: Kombucha Girl

This came from the app TikTok, When a girl was trying Kombucha for the first time and her facial expressions became a big meme.

June: Wrong Answers Only This came from Twitter when someone would post a picture of someone and ask for only wrong answers to be funny.

September: imma head out Spongebob

This came from an episode of Spongebob and represents when someone is just done with a situation

October: Joker

The movie Joker came out in Oct. and him dancing became a meme despite the content of the movie

November: Baby Yoda

The Disney plus app came out and the Star Wars show The Mandalorian came out with a baby version of Yoda and he quickly became a meme and stole the hearts of the public.

December: Ok boomer

The catchphrase was used to respond to tweets written by politicians and older generations to tweets criticizing Gen Z generation and Millennials. Many find it disrespectful and others just see it as payback for criticizing current generations.

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Novel breaks typical “drama” stereotype

“Brothers Conflict,” while it looks like the typical drama on the outside, is a close look into successful character development despite the short time frames and the surprising wittiness of the main character within her cliche situations. “Brothers Conflict” may seem like the typical romance harem anime, but take a closer look into the actual contents of the show, and one’s sure to find several gems within this dramatic comedy. Originally a manga, this series was adapted into an anime in 2013, earning 12 episodes in total with whispers of a second season in the near future. If this show doesn’t already seem dramatic from the first look of the poster or even in mention of the name, one is proven increasingly wrong as each episode goes on. While each episode is relatively short, being only about 23 minutes apiece, there are no short supply of cliches and drama at every turn. This story begins when the main character, only child and high school student Ema Hinata and her talking pet squirrel, Juli, move in with her new step-brothers. This has happened due to the fact that her single father married a mother of 13 boys. The unseen couple is said to be living in a separate house altogether, leaving the main character to fend for herself

in her newfound family, living with the 13 brothers, in their own house, of course. Sound dramatic yet? Going in order from oldest to youngest, the brothers are; Masaomi (a successful pediatrician), Ukyo (a bigshot lawyer), Kaname (a newly practiced monk), Hikaru (a fashion icon), Tsubaki (a semi-famous voice actor), Azusa (another semi-famous voice actor), Natsume (a video game designer), Louis (a professional hairdresser), Subaru (a pro basketball player), Iori (a model), Yusuke (a high school student), Fuuto (a world-famous idol) and Wataru (the cake-loving youngest brother). Feeling overwhelmed yet? Ema sure is. Nevertheless, she is happy to greet and to make friends with everyone. Not everyone is so happy to have her as their new sister though. One thing she wasn’t fully prepared for is that one of her classmates has also become one of her new brothers. When tensions rise and relationships begin and break, will Ema be able to stay strong? With such a diverse family, expectations are high.

Everyone will make it through as long as they stick together. But how strong is the bond between a broken family? Will it all be too much to bare? So many questions, so little time. This anime is sure to entertain any dramatic and/or romantic comedy lover. As mentioned before, the episodes are short, so this is an ideal bingewatch for all. It doesn’t take a lot of commitment to enjoy this show, which is available in both English sub and dub and can be found easily on Hulu. Though there are a few questionable moments within this short show, the main character handles each situation with a surprising charm and ease. Ema is not the typical air-headed heroine. Instead, she thinks through her situations and uses the best possible solution to solve most all problems she comes to face, even handing out useful advice to her newfound brothers as well. “Brothers Conflict,” while it looks like the typical drama on the outside, is a close look into successful character development despite the short time frames and the surprising witti-

“Late Nights & Pillow Fights” is a Wattpad original story published back in 2014, written by author Zee King. This story would best be listed in the romantic drama/ comedy genre. With 16 long chapters, this story is sure to win over anyone teetering on the edge of the romantic genre, for this love story is like no other. The story begins with the main character, senior girl, Dawn Caparelli. From the beginning, it is clear she has quite the scandalous reputation at her high school, but that’s the very least of her problems when it comes to home ec and Baby Project 2.0. “‘So every group will get one baby and one baby alone. The baby will be given to you with a point score on the back of his or her neck, and that score will be a 100. Every time you drop, forget

to change, leave out in the cold or fight in front of this baby, it will lose points.’” It seems easy enough. But there’s a catch: the group has to live together as a “married” couple for two weeks. The group will also be auditioning for internships and paying bills as a real family would have, all while taking care of a fake baby with a score on its neck. When groups of two are selected, Dawn thinks she has it easy being paired up with her best friend, Daryll, but what will happen when Daryll is pulled away for family matters and she is forced to team up with the school heartbreaker, Lane Evans? There are plenty of ups and downs with this pair. It’s inevitable. Overall, it looks like the two hate each other. The reason why? The reader cannot be sure unless one keeps reading.

Wattpad original released in 2014 grabs reader’s attention and takes them on a wild ride of cliche romances and great storytelling. But what if Lane isn’t the that is a joy to read. Though cold, heartless boy the world it is a rather quick read, seesees him as? What secrets lie ing as the story is only 16 behind them and their pasts? chapters, it is one of a differWill they complete their proj- ent kind of romance, leaving ect successfully or will they the reader wanting more with fail the class and miss their every word. graduation? Only one way to By Online Editor Skylar find out. PROMER “Late Nights & Pillow Fights” is a story full of recognizable cliches, but they hold wonderful story-telling

New novel is loaded with material that dramatic and/or romantic comedy lovers will enjoy.

ness of the main character within her cliche situations. One thing is for sure, this show will not disappoint, unless one is looking for the second season that is. By Online Editor Skylar

PROMER

Wattpad story leaves reader wanting more after every page

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OPINION

Our View

Clare Williams Photo

Last year, senior Lillian Schmid wrote letters to children on behalf of Santa to help him answers the wish lists of those who sent him their letters. Student senate is continuing this tradition this year too.

Yes, CF,

there is a Santa Claus ... and he needs our help All aboard the Christmas train, the student senate lending a helping hand to Santa. There are so many kids who write letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox on Main Street, and the Western Home use to write back, but the number of kids increased majorly, so student senate took it over. This year they are taking time out of their days to stop into the counseling office and pick up letters. We all know the feeling we got when Santa would write back to us, and they student senators are helping to make kids smile. “There was one from a little boy who asked for flowers from his girlfriend, which I thought was super cute,” senior student senate member Lillian Schmid said. The kids give great recommendations on the types of gifts that they want, and the high school letter writers also make sure to tell the kids that they are on the nice list to boost the confidence of little wish listers during the holiday season. This is a great opportunity to bring some light into the lives of local children by helping Santa during his busy holiday season. Props to each of the student members who participates.

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. Editor: Sophia Schillinger Staff: Alexia Downs, Kaitlyn Harris, AQuandas Jackson, Ashlyn Keve, Kendall Masalak, Alyssa Nelson, Skylar Promer, Chloe Schuerman, Myra Stineman, Aaliyah Tournier, Justine Yang, Ryan Westhoff, Alayna Yates

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HI-LINE Let’s make this holiday season special for foster children Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

Furries4Fosters is an organization that I started in the seventh grade as a 13t-year-old kid. Four years ago I never thought that my organization would be as big as it is now. I got the idea to start this by the six foster kids that had come through my house and their love for blankets and stuffed animals. I always get asked the question, “Why blankets, and why stuffed animals?” These kids get taken out of their homes anytime day or night. They leave with the clothes on their backs. I chose these items because as foster kids go to their new placements, they are able to have something to take with them everywhere they go whether it’s a new placement or going back to their parents. I also chose these items because to these kids having a blanket and or stuffed animal makes them feel safe and secure. They always have something that is their own. The winter time is one of the busiest times of the year for my organization. I have two huge events that always happened in December: Kadens Kloset and A Foster Care Christmas Party. Almost 1,000 people go to those two events, and I have to gather almost 800 stuffed animals and blankets. The first event I always have in the winter is Kaden’s Kloset, which is an event where parents register to go shop for their kids while the kids are doing activities. Lots of volunteers provide donations for the parents to shop while the kids make homemade crafts. The volunteers also help at the event in some way. Some of the jobs are personal shoppers, which are people who help the parents shop for their kids. Some help wrap the foster kids’ presents, and some transport the kids to the room they will be doing all the

These stuffed animals were waiting for foster children to claim in an earlier Furries4Fosters event. Those looking to get donate can contact junior Aaliyah Tournier.

crafts in, and then some help kids with the crafts and watch them. During that time the parents shop for pajamas, school clothes, Christmas presents, socks, shoes, toothbrushes, toothpaste and a lot of everyday essentials that the foster kids might not have. While their parents are shopping, these kids go into a different room of the building to do fun activities like frost cookies, color, play Bingo, go to multiple crafts where they can build Christmas ornaments, and they are also able to see Santa, which is a big thing for these kids. The other event is a foster care Christmas potlock. People bring food everyone eats together. The kids can play a ton of games, get to see Santa, get presents and also get stuffed animals and blankets. What happens first at this event is everyone eats, and in shifts these kids will be able to come get their presents, and then they will be able to pick out a stuffed animal and blanket. I have done these events for about three years now, and I always look forward to it every time winter comes around. So many memories stand out. In my second year, I worked Kaden’s Kloset, I transported a lot of kids to the area where they were playing. While I was doing this I saw a little girl who didn’t look very happy. She kept saying to me, “I miss my mom. I miss my mom,” and so I picked her up and I held her. When my mom told me that I needed to come back and transfer

Submitted Photo more kids, this little girl would not let me go, so I spent the rest of the day holding that little girl while transporting other kids, and finally when I had to leave and her parents came and got her, she gave me a humongous hug and the biggest smile I had ever seen. That is one of my most precious memories because I always think these kids are so amazing, so sweet, but I never get to see them and to be able to see how amazingly great they are. I will just never be able to forget those moments. Another amazing moment I have is the first year that I worked the foster care Christmas party. There was this adorable little girl who was eyeing this humongous penguin that I had, and I could overhear her talking to her dad saying, “Daddy, I want that penguin really really bad.” She kept coming up to my table just looking at it for so long. When the people in charge of the party finally told the kids that they could come up to the line and grab a stuffed animal and blanket, that little girl ran as fast as she could and snatched that humongous penguin that was four times her size off of that table, and she ran to her dad and screamed, “I got it! I got it!” If you are interested in creating your own memories, you can donate a new stuffed animal or blanket to Furries4Fosters at 1109 Parkway Avenue or contact me at the high school at 21aaltou@student.cfschools.org. By Staff Writer Aaliyah

TOURNIER

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

“We watch Tyler Perry movies every year.”

“We watch ‘A Christmas Story,’ ‘Charlie Brown’ and —Kristen Inman ‘The Grinch.’” sophomore

By Staff Writer Kendall

MASLAK

“We celebrate Hannukah, so our traditions include —Mischa Terry lighting candles, makhealth assistant ing latkes and being together as a family.”

—Andrea Fratrik para-educator

“On Christmas Eve, grandparents come from Des Moines for lots of cookies, lots of presents.”

—Hunter Peterson senior

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

Though a work in progress,

OPINION

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Standards-based grading shows true measure of student learning The controversy around standards-based grading has reached a fever pitch in the last few weeks. A petition signed by over 800 students calls for the removal of standard-based grading, arguing that the system leaves too much up to teacher discretion, causes confusion and solves a problem that wasn’t a problem in the first place. Such aversion to change is a perfectly legitimate human reaction. After all, the shift in the direction of learning-based grading was a fairly drastic one, with the system being phased in over the course of this year’s senior class’s four years of high school. However, outright hostility toward the new grading system fails to acknowledge the nuances of standards-based grading—its strengths, its weaknesses and why the high school is moving in this direction. Principal Jason Wedgbury and Josh Wilkinson, a CFHS math teacher, are supporters of standards-based grading. Wedgbury explained the impetus behind implementing learning-based grading as one that was designed to combat problems that were seen occurring in the high school. “Learning-based grading is an attempt to remove a lot of behaviors from the grade. In other words, how you can perform on an assessment or an outcome or how

Learning-based grading is an attempt to remove a lot of behaviors from the grade. In other words, how you can perform on an assessment or an outcome or how you’re evaluated in your end learning should determine your grade.

—Principal Jason Wedgbury

you’re evaluated in your end learning should determine your grade. We’ve had some people in the past that did all of their homework and tried their very best, and they just weren’t understanding the material, but, because they worked hard, turned in everything, did everything right, got an A, but their learning wasn’t reflective of an A.” This problem directly contrasted with another. He said, “You had some people that never did their homework and chose not to do a lot of it because they thought it wasn’t meaningful, but then would take an assessment and show a high level of mastery, and those students would be earning a B or a C.” Essentially, they argue, learning-based grading is an attempt to reconcile the gap between student learning and student achievement. They believe that the system is well equipped to do just that, but they acknowl-

edge that it is not without flaws, either. Wilkinson said, “It’s not a perfect system. If there was a perfect system, we would just use that perfect system. It’s more about trying to make what we report more reflective of what kids know and what they don’t know.” One such potential “flaw” mentioned by students is, according to Wedgbury and Wilkinson, not really a flaw at all. A major gripe of some students toward learning-based grading is the removal of grades like A- and B+. They argue that this shift means that little slip-ups on the part of a student have a far greater impact on a student’s GPA than they would in the past. Additionally, they argue, this removal of these smaller intervals means that final grades lack the nuance and precision that they used to provide. Wedgbury argued that this shift is intentional. “I think we can

be much more consistent about the four different places that people can go [A’s, B’s, C’s and D’s], I just think that sometimes we believe that we’re so accurate with our grades that we can sort them into 12 different places.” Additionally, he said the move toward eliminating plusses and minuses has had no tangible negative effect. “We do not see cumulative GPAs going down right now as a result of reducing plusses and minuses.” This is because the downsides of cutting out plusses is often countered by the upside of canceling out minuses, balancing the two out. Another area within the new system that remains controversial is the effect that the system has had on social studies and science classes. Some, like Wedgbury and Wilkinson, see the shift to skills-based grading from content-based grading as a positive shift that will allow for these classes to refocus on teaching students applicable skills. Jeremiah Longnecker, chair of the social studies department, sees this somewhat differently. He said, “There are clearly skills that are necessary for social studies classes, but so much of what we do is vocabulary-based. [For example,] you can’t have a good idea of how government works if you don’t have some vocabulary. You need to know what Congress

is, you need to understand the Supreme Court, etc. You need to know the content to be able to apply it. I think that might be where the system is ‘compromised.’” In addition to concerns about the proper assessment of content-based curriculum, Longnecker said, “My individual concern is an incentive to remediate. When it was percentages, there was still room for remediation to get closer to 100 percent. As a result of the work we have done in PLC groups, I have become an enormous believer in the importance of remediation to students’ learning.” The learning-based grading system is far from perfect, but to expect perfection from a new system is irresponsible and hasty. Ditching a brand-new grading system just because there have been a few bumps along the way is not the route that Cedar Falls schools need to take to ensure the best outcomes for students. Instead, a careful, measured process of input and feedback in which compromises are made and arguments are fleshed out seems to be the best way for the system to be reformed, for students, administrators and teachers alike. By Staff Writer Ryan

WESTHOFF

Senioritis got ya down? Second graders have solutions

“Maybe you could get an education teacher to help you do your homework?”

— Saydee

“Maybe on the days you don’t have school you can sleep all day?”

— Karlie

“Maybe you could turn on the air conditioning while you do your homework?”

—Gray

“Maybe your could get a pet, like a mini goldendoodle to help you with your homework?”

— Carson

By Staff Writer Chloe

SCHUERMAN

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

HI-LINE

West shuts down CF in opener, 79-55

Marissa Johnson Photos

Cedar Falls started off the season with a matchup of two highly rated Cedar Valley teams, and the Wahawks came out on top 79-55 on the Tigers’ home court on Tuesday, Dec. 10. The early season loss mirrors last season when the Tigers also dropped the first matchup with the Wahawks. Senior Isaiah Johnson led Waterloo with 22, including 15 points after halftime. Senior Josh Ollendieck led the Tigers with 18 points, Landon Wolf followed with 14 and Trey Campbell added 9. The two teams will meet again on Jan. 31 at West. Next up for Cedar Falls is the Summit Christian Academy on Dec. 13 and Bolingbrook High School on Dec. 14 in the Slykhuis Classic, which Cedar Falls hosts in memory of long time head basketball coach Jerry Slykhuis. At top is junior Joe Knutson. At top right is Ollendieck, junior Carter Janssen is below him and at right is senior Jaxon Heth.

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SPORTS

Dance teams earn Division I’s at State Hip hop team places 5th

The women’s dance team placed fifth with their hip-hop routine at the state competition on Friday, Dec. 6. They did not place with their pom routine; however, they earned D1 ratings in both categories. “I think that the team did really well at State. I’m extremely proud of everything we accomplished and wouldn’t change anything about the way we performed,” senior Bella Valente said. Making unforgettable memories, senior Sarimah Ogbondah had a lot of fun performing for one last year. “State was so great this year. There’s this moment after we’ve performed and have walked off the floor. We all just give each other the biggest hugs and tell each other how proud we are of them, and that’s such an irreplaceable moment for us as a team,” Ogbondah said. “We also bonded and got along really well with the all-male team this year. The night before State was so funny and really made the teams feel together.” Senior Emma Laures echoed Ogbondah, stating the most important priority for the team was just enjoying one last go round. “The most enjoyable thing about State was being able to hang out with the whole team all day and just enjoy each other. We all felt the emotion knowing it’s the seniors’ last time of this, so it became very emotional,” Laures said. Going into the season, the team wanted to top their performances from the prior year. “Right away at the start of the season, our end goal was to place at State. After not placing with either routines last year, we were so determined to put in every minute of work so that we wouldn’t have that same outcome,” Ogbondah said. “As a team, however, we really wanted to make the chemistry and atmosphere better. The other seniors and I knew how the stress and tension of state season can ruin a team and really wanted to make sure that coming to dance would be a place where you’d get to see your friends, do the thing you love and most importantly have something to look forward to.” Senior Alydia Tyler and Laures both stressed the im-

All-male dance finishes last, but relishes ‘good times’ On Friday, Dec. 6, the allmale dance team also competed at the state level. “Our team got dead last at State; however, this doesn’t reflect the success and excitement we experienced meeting other teams and cheering everyone on,” senior Michael Kremer said. Leading up to the state competition, Kremer said the team had some work to do, but that didn’t stop them from having fun. “We practice one hour once a week. It consists of learning the dance and messing around with the team,” Kremer said.

Going into the season, Kremer said his main priority was having a good time. “My goal was simply to have a good time. The rest of the team would probably agree. We all know we’re bad dancers, so we have basically no goals dancingwise,” Kremer said. Reflecting on all the memories made over the years, Kremer had one memory in particular that stuck out. “My favorite memory is always State in general. More specifically, screaming and getting super hype for the other teams was amazing. I’m going to miss all of the things we do at State,” Kremer said.

pact having great team chemistry had on the way they performed. “My goals were to create a positive team environment, always give it 110 percent effort and to walk off the state floor proud of ourselves,” Tyler said. “A personal goal of mine was to lead the team in a good manner so we were never annoyed with the dances or each other,” Laures said. Valente acknowledged that there’s always something a little bit more special about competing one last year. “My senior season has been my favorite out of all my years on the dance team. It is just a whole new experience being a big leader on the team and having to be a role model for the other girls on the team,” Valente said. Battling the highs and lows of being a leader on the team, Ogbondah said the fun outweighs the stress. “I think this year I was more assured of myself. As a senior and captain, I felt more comfortable to give my input on how we could improve as a team and ways that we could push ourselves. But, also, I felt this unexpected heaviness that I needed to constantly be perfect, which came with the leadership role. On a lighter note, I definitely think this year we laughed louder as a team, had more crazy inside jokes and nicknames, and really felt like a family in comparison to my other years,” Ogbondah said. Tyler agreed that the team was more bonded than ever this season. “My senior season was definitely the best season yet for me. The team truly became a family this year. We worked hard together and then

were able to have fun too, it was so great,” Tyler said. As their senior season came to a close, Valente, Ogbondah and Tyler named just a few of the things they’d miss most about the squad. “What I am going to miss most about dancing at CFHS are the people. We do a lot of hard workouts and different difficult routines, but the people around me are what get me through those harder moments. Everyone is just so supportive of one another, and people don’t get angry when critiqued because we all know that critiques are just how you get better, and they just want what is best for you,” Valente said. There’s a lot of things these girls will be missing, but the bond with the team is what Ogbondah will be missing the most. “I’m going to miss too many things to name. I’ll miss the fun of learning new routines and perfecting them. I’ll miss our wild team bus rides to Des Moines and Ames. I’ll miss running across the football field during pregame performances, and so many other amazing memories, but most importantly, I’ll miss each and every single one of the girls who’ve become my best friends, and I’ll miss our coach who helped shape me into the strong girl I’ve become,” Ogbondah said. Tyler also acknowledged that she’ll miss her teammates and the feeling of completing a goal that took a lot of hard work. “I am going to miss being out on the field for football games doing loyalty and the tunnel. I am going to miss the practices and performing on

Getting hype and yelling loud isn’t anything out of the ordinary for the male dance squad. “This team consists of some of the loudest and most outgoing people, which is essential to performing on stage with a bunch of dudes that can’t dance,” Kremer said. Kremer said there’s a lot of great things about being on the dance team, but socializing is the most fun part about it. “The traditions we have throughout the season are really fun, but the most enjoyable thing for me is meeting other teams. Meeting other teams is fun because you talk to people

from other parts of Iowa and you can watch them perform,” Kremer said. Knowing that it’s more fun to dance when the atmosphere is crazy, the boys make sure they reciprocate that feeling by cheering for the other teams. “Cheering really loud is just really fun in general, and as performers, we know it’s a lot more fun to dance when everyone is cheering for you,” Kremer said. By Co-Editor-in-Chief Alayna

YATES

Marissa Johnson Photo

Sophomore Elise Andersen and the rest of the Division 1-winning poms team performed at halftime of the men’s game with Waterloo West on Dec. 10 at home.

the state floor. As much as our workouts and burnouts killed me, I really appreciate them. I am going to miss being with my team in the moments that lead up to State. It is so fun all having a common goal and striving to achieve it,” Tyler said. With a lot of love shared between the girls on the state

team, Valente assured that the memories made with her team will last a lifetime. “Dance team has been one of my favorite parts of high school, and I will always appreciate how it has impacted my life in ways that I will never forget,” Valente said. By Co-Editor-in-Chief Alayna

YATES

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Friday, Dec. 13, 2019

HI-LINE Athlete of the

Week

EMERSON GREEN Basketball

Game Time

The Esports teams have wrapped their first season of competition. The Overwatch 1 team finished in first place for the fall season and will be advancing to the playoffs. The next season will kick off on Jan. 18. There will also be a third season that launches in the spring. The games that Cedar Falls competes in include Overwatch, Rainbow 6 Seige, Super Smash Bros, Fortnite and Minecraft. Winter season may add more depending on how many sign up. Sophomore Amor Barron is at top, senior Trey Vokoun is at right and sophomore Samuel Bare below. Justine Yang Photos

Senior Emerson Green led the basketball team in points (24), rebounds (15) and assists (5) in the 58-57 victory over Johnston on Nov. 30. Do you do anything special to prepare for a big game. Anaya Barney and I always eat something sour before our games. What team has been so far the hardest to beat? Johnston is a really good team, and that was a big win for us this early in the season. How long have you been into basketball? I started to really enjoy basketball in 5th grade. My family has always supported me, and they always strive to make me better. My dad is a basketball coach at UNI, so I grew up in the gym, and the sport just grew on me. Have you won any state championships? I have won two in track and two in volleyball. What do you usually do to train yourself for games? Our coaches do a good job of making sure we are prepared for what the opposing team will throw at us. How did your first win feel? After our first win, we were very excited, but there was a lot we need to work on for the rest of the season. What do you like most about basketball? Being close to my teammates is my favorite part. I have made some really good friends through basketball and volleyball. What is your least favorite thing about basketball? My least favorite part is all the running we have to do!