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LETTERWINING LEADERS
Tiger HI-LINE Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
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Volume 58 Edition 11
Students address hunger through World Food Prize Last year in advanced placement environmental science (APES) science teacher Jason Lang had his students write a research essay about food scarcity issues that take place in countries around the world. Lang submitted these essays to the World Food Prize State Youth Institute in hopes that some of his students will be selected to attend the symposium at the Hilton Coliseum. Junior Andy Mustedanagic’s and senior Maya Gabriele’s and college freshman Payton Wagemon’s essays were selected among others Iowa students, so they were invited to attend the one day symposium on April 30 of this year. The students at the symposium presented their essays to a small group of eight students and two adults at the symposium. The students were judged on their poise and tested on their knowledge of the chosen topic. The exceptional students were chosen to attend the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute in Des Moines. Mustedanagic was one of the 200 exceptional students from 10 different countries and 27 different states to be selected from the State Youth Institutes to attend the Global Youth Institute based on the reading of his essay. “The key thing about Andy’s essay and the essays of others that attended the youth institute is that the papers offered clear and viable solutions to the problem of feeding the ever growing human population,” Lang said. “Students chose a single country to focus on, and the best papers involved educating and engaging the poorest members of the society to create change
Submitted Photo
Junior Andy Mustedanagic presents his research essay that includes research and solutions to food insecurity issues in Spain at the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines. from the bottom up. Andy had to learn about the culture and economic situation of the people that are most affected by food insecurity to think of the best solutions possible that would have the greatest impact.” On October 18 of this year, Lang and Mustedanagic traveled to Des Moines to attend the three day long event to learn about pressing food security and agricultural issues with international experts. At the symposium, students and their teachers listened to speakers and participated in activities. “My favorite part was just the learning experi-
ence,” Mustedanagic said. “We did one activity where they put in proportion of how people eat. They had all the students that were there at the Global Youth Institute, they had 50 percent of them sit on the floor, and for dinner, they got a bowl of rice, and another 30 to 35 percent sat chairs, and for dinner, they got a bowl of rice with beans, and the remaining students got nice dining, basically full celebrity treatment of food and dining and everything. That was to put into perspective this percent of the world can barely get food and this is what they eat every day
and this percent get this. ” Mustedanagic has always had dreams of being an engineer, but after attending the symposium, he has been seriously thinking more about ending food scarcity. Specifically, Mustedanagic said he would want to work on developing new tools and technology that can be given to poor farmers to grow food to help end the problem of food scarcity. To dive deeper into his new passion of ending food scarcity, Mustendanagic is applying for the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship. The internship pro-
vides high school students with an “all-expenses-paid, eightweek, hands-on experience, working with world-renowned scientists and policy makers at leading research centers around the globe,” he said. The internship has sent students like Mustedanagic to some of the top agricultural research centers and institutions in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turkey. Mustedanagic said he hopes to go to Spain to end food scarcity issues through engineering. “I find Spain as somewhere I have always wanted to go, and that’s what I did my research paper on. I’d love to go there and see if I could solve any problems there,” he said. Lang said he believes that others at the high school have the ability to follow their passion to end hunger like Mustedanagic did. “I was also happy because I know his willingness to participate in this experience will open the doors to others at Cedar Falls High School to become the next generation of hunger fighters that our world needs. The problem of world hunger is not just a scientific one. We need people with an incredible skill set to cause change. I think there are a significant number of students at Cedar Falls with the skills needed to address this problem in the future,” Lang said. By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sophia
SCHILLINGER
Other Perspectives from State Youth Institute attendees “I wouldn’t say it was attending the conference. It was more the process of writing the essay. I picked Morocco and water quality there, so I learned about that. I also learned about all these different solutions for water quality, like desalination and reverse mitosis. Probably the best part was receiving feedback from people who are knowledgeable and actually know about these issues,” junior Maya Gabrielle said.
“Writing my essay and choosing my topic not only opened up my eyes to the variety of problems around the world but to the complexity to each and every one of them. Trying to find a possible solution to such a problem requires more than a quick fix. I learned just how important and unique each situation is and was astounded by all the people passionate about global change. I was not expecting Hilton Coliseum to be full with so many hopeful, educated students wanting to share their ideas,” college freshman Payton Wageman said.
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NEWS HI-LINE Jazz brings new opportunities for learning, growth Jazz season has begun, and both the jazz bands and vocal choirs are preparing for their first concerts. After last season, it didn’t seem like the jazz program could get any better, especially since they were able to perform at the state convention, something only available to schools every fourth year. However, Kyle Engelhardt, the Jazz One director, said this year’s band is off to a great start. He said, “It’s going to be fun because we only graduated five students from last year’s group when we played at the state convention, so this year we’re starting off pretty far along already.” However this also means that the new additions to Jazz One have a lot of ground to cover to be able to be at the caliber of the other players Engelhardt said. There are many opportunities available to Jazz One this year, some of which include performing at the Noce Jazz Club in Des Moines and getting a song commissioned for them by the jazz studies professor at UNI, Chris Merz. The students are just as optimistic about this year’s jazz season. Junior trumpet player Emma Cryer said, “This year is litty. This is the best jazz band that we’ve ever had at Cedar Falls High School.” Each band/choir said they were going to make the most of their season to complete their goals. For some, their mission is team oriented. Cryer said, “Our goal for this year is to place better than seventh at Champs, even though it’s kind of rigged against bands like us who are constantly working on new things and not the same thing over and over again.” For others, it is all about keeping it loose and cool this year. “My goal for this year is to keep jazz enjoyable and to not make it feel like a job. I want to keep it fun,” junior saxophone player Sofia Muñoz said. Most students start to play jazz band in the seventh grade, which is when it is first offered in Cedar Falls; however this is not always the case. Senior Johnny Hartleip, who plays both the alto and tenor saxophone, said, “In fifth grade I started playing in the high school jazz band. Concert band was too easy, and I wanted to have a challenge.” Jazz appeals to student musicians in many different ways. “I feel like there are not as many rules governing what I can play and what I want to say,” Hartleip said regarding what he likes best about playing jazz. Engelhardt and Muñoz both have very similar views as to why jazz is amazing. They said that what makes it special is the fact that musicians are allowed to be individuals while still being a part of something larger than themselves. Senior Beth Culberson has been a
Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
Clare Williams Photos
Above, the saxophone section of Jazz Too practices during one of their Monday night rehearsals. To the right, senior Johnny Hartleip gives one of his “killer” solos. Below, sophomore Gus Ferguson keeps time for Jazz Too on the drums. part of the jazz choir since her sophomore year. She said, “I think that the style of jazz singing is really cool. Also, the small ensemble of singers allows for more individuality.” For junior Shelby Conditt, jazz plays a large part of her life as she participates in both jazz band and jazz choir. She said, “Even though I love jazz choir, I enjoy jazz band a little more just because there are so many different instruments and sounds, rather than just voices.” Soloing is also one of the best parts of jazz band according to both players and directors. Emma Cryer, while describing fellow Jazz One member, Johnny Hartleip, said, “Johnny pulls some really killer solos. He goes ham.” Muñoz said, “It requires a different skill set, and so being able to play something that not everyone can play is something cool to say, ‘Oh, I play jazz.” Engelhardt said, “I like the spontaneity of soloing. The ability to be creative when you improvise is a lot of fun.” “For the kids working on improvisation, it is really a whole brain activity. The left hemisphere deals more with factual aspects, while the right is more intuition oriented. When you improvise, you have to use left brain to memorize scales and chords so you know what appropriate note choices are, but eventually you have to quit consciously thinking about that with the left brain and the right brain needs to take over, and you can then play intuitively,” Jazz Too director Gerald Ramsey said. There will be plenty of variety and new things coming this year. Engelhardt said, “If you hear us once, you won’t hear the same song twice.” By Staff Writer Clare
WILLIAMS
Jazz Schedule
Dec. 20 - Winter Concert (Vocal) Jan. 5 - NEIBA Honor Jazz Band @ Cedar Rapids Kennedy (Band) Jan. 23 - Jazz One performance @ Noce Jazz Club in Des Moines (Band) Jan. 31 - Pops Concert (Vocal) Feb. 2 - CFHS Jazz Show, 7:30 PM @ CFHS Auditorium (Vocal and Band) Feb. 15 - Tall Corn Jazz Festival @ UNI, Time TBA (Band) Feb. 28 - CFHS Band Cookie Concert @ CFHS South Gym, 7:30 PM (Band) Mar. 2 - NEIBA Jazz Festival @ Waterloo West High School, Time TBA (Band) Apr. 2 - Iowa Jazz Championships @ CY Stephens Auditorium, ISU, Ames, Time TBA (Band) May 8-9 - All-State Jazz Bands in Des Moines (Band)
3 Student’s passion for hunting travels cross country The
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Senior Keller Burks has hunted most of his life in the various places he has lived. From Illinois to Alabama and now Iowa, with the help of his dad and grandpa, he has been able to experience different kinds of hunting in many different climates, but this year’s deer season was especially memorable for him. “We haven’t gone since I was eleven, but I have been walking with [my grandpa] since I was about six or seven. I lived in Illinois the first 15 years of my life, so obviously when I started hunting, it was in Illinois. I was hunting pheasants, deer, squirrels, and then when I moved to Alabama, I turkey hunted and deer hunted, and I fished a lot, and then I moved here, and now I deer hunt and pheasant hunt, and squirrel and dove hunt too,” Burks said. This year, although Burks
Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
FEATURE
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Senior Keller Burks has hunted his whole life with the influence of his father and grandpa. has shot deer in the past, he was able to reach his dream of shooting a big buck in nearby Allamakee County near the Wisconsin border, and he said he will be able to remember this for a long time to come. “This was my first big
buck. I shot a five pointer six years ago, and a button buck a while back. We decided that we were not going to mount this one. Just a felt mount because it scored a little over 130.” Even though the goal was
to shoot a deer, there were other points to the trip as well. “Our goals were to have fun and enjoy our last deer hunting trip together before I go off to college,” Burks said. While Burks said any big kill is a great accomplishment
in the hunting world, this particular event holds special meaning to him as he was able to commemorate and honor his grandfather, from whom he acquired his love for hunting and the great outdoors. “I shot this deer during shotgun season, and my grandparents passed away in September of this year, and I killed that deer with my grandpa’s shotgun, so that’s really cool to me,” Burks said. “He was supposed to be with us on this trip, and he always said he was gonna come watch me get my first big buck, and on the first morning, during the first hour of shotgun season, we came in, and I got to use my grandpa’s gun on my deer, so that was really cool.” By Staff Writer Grace
WASESKUK
Well known stores shut doors
Toys R Us, Sears, JCPenney, Macy’s, and Abercrombie and Fitch are just a few examples of extremely popular stores losing business in 2018. One of the leading causes of declining business sales in stores is online shopping becoming increasingly popular. Especially with the holiday season in session, more and more people are avoiding the tough crowds of people in popular stores and are skipping right to online shopping. Toys R Us:
In March, Toys R Us announced that it would be shutting down all locations in the United States. With its closure, the store joined a long list of beloved retailers to call it quits (Sports Authority, Blockbuster, RadioShack, etc.). Ultimately, what led to the closure was its massive debt load and private equity ownership model.
Sears:
Over the course of 2018, the department store owner has decided to close nearly 250 underperforming Sears and Kmart locations. The most recent round of closures came in August when Sears announced that 13 Kmart and 33 Sears stores would be shuttered in November. They aim to streamline operations and focus on the highest-performing locations — also testing new initiatives such as a Kmart shop-in-shop that opened in a Brooklyn Sears this summer.
JCPenney:
After shuttering almost 140 stores in 2017, JCPenney announced early this year that it would be closing eight more locations. In an effort to turn things around, the retailer has begun to offer in-store pickup for online purchases and has added brands like Nike to its product mix, but JCPenney’s latest earnings report demonstrated that it has a ways to go, with sales falling below in the second quarter.
Macy’s:
Decreased inventory and expanding e-commerce have led to gains for Macy’s in recent months. But the retailer started off 2018 with a fresh round of store closures, shuttering 11 locations as part of a plan previously announced that includes shutting down over 100 stores.
Abercrombie and Fitch:
Abercrombie & Fitch Co., parent company to A&F and Hollister, announced plans to shutter 60 stores in 2018 through natural lease expirations. The company has closed more than 400 locations since 2010. So far in 2018, lower-than-expected earnings for the second quarter have been predicted, causing share prices to take a tumble. By Staff Writer Alexandra
WILLIAMS
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Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
Music therapy binds family, veterans With the lights dimmed in the gym at Peet Junior High and a crowd gathered for the Veterans Day assembly last month, freshman Evan Walker stepped up to let his trumpet sound its first notes of Taps for the veterans. “It was an honor to be able to play for the veterans who were present that day. It definitely meant a lot to me to not only have had the opportunity to play for my dad, but to be in front of all of those soldiers that have sacrificed their lives for our country. The energy was amazing, and you could feel the message in the room,” Evan Walker said. In the audience, Evan’s father, veteran Kasey Walker, listened to him play. “That was one of the best things ever as a father and a veteran to see my son playing trumpet on that day. It was outstanding. Myself and his mom got to be there as veterans, and it really tripped me out,” Kasey said. Kasey’s pride in seeing his son play was not only as his father and as a veteran, but also as an accomplished horn player himself. A native of Evansdale and current resident of Tennessee, Kasey has been a musician all of his life, and has melded his military background into his love for sharing music for the benefit of other veterans like himself. “I got involved with music therapy with other veterans, and it has is just allowed me to share with other people. I have gotten to co-write a song
Submitted Photo Kasey Walker, father of freshman Evan Walker, sits with his trumpet that has led him to become a full time musician after serving in the Army. with a Nashville songwriter, Mark Elliot. The song talks about playing trumpet in all of the funerals in the military and a lot of the pain that comes with it,” Kasey said. He served from 2001-2014 in the United States Army and played in Army band. “It is really life changing when you are in Afghanistan or in Iraq and you are playing on the flight line as the
guys get loaded into airplanes. That is really an honor, and it is a great gift to be able to give to people,” he said. Kasey’s musical work with veterans brought him to the attention of Christian singer Amy Grant and the Challenge America organization. “What caught her eye about my story was me playing bugle in the military and how much pain that seems to bring when you play that many funerals. She really loves that I can still be a musician and still open up your heart. It makes you think about all of the other veterans that have been through much worse,” he said. Kasey took his trumpet skills to Grant’s music therapy retreat in Nashville, and from there an opportunity blossomed to play on the annual Amy Grant Tennessee Special on the Hallmark Channel, which aired on Dec. 3. “Being able to participate in the Amy Grant music therapy retreat with a whole group of veterans was amazing. Everyone wrote a military related song, and when we played, I got to play my mom’s cornet,” Kasey said. His mother had passed away not long before that. “I had a really good experience being able to accept all of that stress and still be able to talk about radiating positivity,” Kasey said. Challenge America is an organization that connects service members and veterans and their families to resources that help build community. “I have been able to volunteer for
Challenge America, and I am getting a chance later this month to go play a benefit concert and raise money for them to pay for all of the veterans to go to the retreats and donate instruments for them,” he said. “It is a really cool community for these people coming together,” he said. Driven with a positive outlook, Kasey has chosen to pursue a career through studying at Middle Tennessee State University in the music recording management program. “Once you feel that passion for something that you want to do, that is where I am at in life, and I am getting to record music. When you get to do something you love every day that pays the bills, you never have to take a vacation,” Kasey said. “The biggest thing about going to school is networking with people who have the same interests as you,” he said. Kasey’s musical career has inspired his son Evan, who now has a passion for trumpet and music just like his father. “When I was younger, he would always show me a bunch of cool songs he would play out on the porch and start going off on a little solo. In that moment I knew I wanted to be just like him and be able to play next to him,” Evan said. “With all of the time apart we have had in my life, it is crazy how alike we are.” By Co-Editor-in-Chief Sabine
MARTIN
Steampunk art gains online presence
Junior Isabella Smith does not only produce art for the CFHS hallways, but for fans on Redbubble. Smith uses her artistic talents in multiple types of art forms including painting, digital, drawing, ink and calligraphy. Smith has built up a fanbase on Instagram and RedBubble. One can find her art on Redbubble/Isambeleca or on her instagram @ isambeleza. 1.. How long have you been taking art? This was the first year. I’ve just been drawing since I was really young. 2.What art classes do you take at the high school? Drawing l. 3. What type of art do you do? I sketch a lot, I do a lot of calligraphy, ink drawings. I paint and I dabble a little in digital art. 4. Is art just a hobby for you, or would you like to pursue it after high school?
Junior Isabella Smith sells her art on Redbubble for the public. Definitely pursue it. I do sell a lot of my art on RedBubble right now. 5. Can you tell a bit about the piece that is in the display case? That one was an assignment to take just sort of random pieces of junk and try to do a realistic copy of it, so that was fun. 6.Why did you choose the stuff you chose for the piece? They looked the nic-
est out of the selection, and also I was also going for a kind of steampunk, but also delicate look. 7.How would you describe your artistic style? This drawing class is drawing more realistic things. I love drawing fantasy things. I do a lot of commission things for fan art from book series, so that’s what I do. 8. What is your favorite
part about being an artist? It’s always something that I have liked, so I don’t know why I like it, but it’s sort of a coping a skill. Also, when a lot of people have their own hobbies, reality sort of fades away, so that’s what happens when I draw. 9. What were your biggest struggles and strengths creating the project in the display case? Just sort of having to do it in a classroom environment. It was kind of annoying a lot of time. I couldn’t just sit down four hours straight and draw it. I had to break up the time to draw it, so when you put it back down on the table it’s not in the same lighting or the same position it was, so making sure it looks the same every single day was really difficult. By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sophia
SCHILLINGER
Artist of
The Week
ISABELLA SMITH Artist
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Rebellious female protagonist leads to riveting read Published earlier in November, “Girls Of Paper And Fire” is a book written by Natasha Ngan with a foreword written by James Patterson. The story starts out introducing the reader to the main character, Lei, as she works in her family owned and run herb shop in her hometown. Everything seems perfect, more or less, as the reader follows Lei through her job of the day, when suddenly it’s not. After Lei explains the castes or the ranks of the citizens in her country, things start to take a turn. “A low carrying horn blow … I freeze where I am, arm still outstretched. Only my mind moves, lurching back, returning to that day. To fire.” The story moves quickly then, as our main character is kidnapped by the
Warming Up
king’s guards and is brought to the palace to become none other than a paper girl, a servant only to the king. The king and the others within the palace walls want only to tame this girl, but what they don’t know is that there is fire in Lei’s veins, a fire that will soon emerge and take it’s reign on the kingdom until it exposes all of the evil that lies there. With the help of the other paper girls in the palace, each of them coming from different parts of the country, creating quite a diverse group of characters in the story, Lei must fight for what she loves most, the rights of the citizens and for the means of her own love. As a fair warning, the book does start off with a warning for scenes of violence and sexual assault, so it is good to be aware of that before reading if
you are uncomfortable with said topics. Though these parts in the story are undescriptive and short, the warning still lies at the beginning of the book for those who are wary of such topics. The book does stop at a rather interesting cliffhanger, leaving plenty of room for the very near future of a sequel. Even though it seems like it ends just as it’s getting started, it is still a great option to read, allowing the reader to be ahead of the task when the sequel comes out, foreseeable in the fall of next year. With 400 pages, “Girls Of Paper And Fire” is sure to peak anyone’s interest with it’s diverse character line-up and an intricate plot line.
By Online Editor Skylar
PROMER
Girls of Paper and Fire brings an exciting plot line with women leading an uprisal against the kingdom.
Dunkin Donuts offers best CF cocoa
With the cold winter season upon us, coffee shops have begun the relentless push of hot drinks that are meant to appetize and warm the cold civilians outside its doors. That perfect cup of hot chocolate should be easy to find, with so many different places offering a wide variety of holiday drinks. For me personally, that
perfect cup of hot chocolate has to have a super rich delicious chocolate flavor, and not have a single hint of wateriness. After weighing the options, I decided to go to Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Panera and McDonald’s to survey the contestants. I set out to find the best coffee from a chain store in Cedar Falls.
1. Dunkin Donuts
2. Panera
Honestly, I was quite surprised by this one. Dunkin Donuts has really stepped up their game when it comes to the hot chocolate. The drink had a rich, milk chocolatey flavor with notes of creaminess. There was teeny bit of a watery after taste, but compared to the others, it was definitely not bad at all. I can certainly see myself coming back to Dunkin for another. I can tell that this was made right after I ordered it, because it kept warm for nearly 15 minutes while I drove to school, and it was still piping hot when I took my first sip. Overall score: 8/10
3. Starbucks
As much I was expecting from this signature coffee chain, this hot chocolate left a lot to be desired. The overall taste of the drink itself was watered down and lacked a real chocolate flavor. From what I could actually taste of the chocolate, it was dark and did not have a hint of richness. It also had a weird aftertaste of watery milk, and it was lukewarm when it arrived. Actually, the best part of this drink was the festive green and white holiday cup. Maybe Starbucks should just stick to the coffee for now. Overall Score: 4/10
Overall, I feel like I learned a lot about what chain stores have to offer in terms of hot chocolate. In a surprising upset, Dunkin Donuts came out on top, which is something that I was not expecting. I also was going to try out Caribou Coffee, but on the night I went, they closed at 5 p.m. I think this automatically disqualifies them due to the fact that a majority of hot chocolate cravings occur on cold wintery nights.
The best part of this hot chocolate was most definitely the toppings. On top of the drink, there was a large swirl of sweet whipped cream that was light and airy. Over top of the whipped cream sat three perfect homemade chocolate chip marshmallows, which were dense and just sweet enough without being too overwhelming. Then, they drizzled over a light brown caramel, with a saltiness tha perfectly balanced out the sweet notes of whipped cream and marshmallow. Underneath all of that wonderfulness, the drink itself was actually kind of underwhelming. It wasn’t bad at all, it just was not rich enough for me. It tasted very milky and kind of watered down rather than having that rich, deep, signature chocolate taste that accompanies that perfect cup of hot chocolate. Overall, this cup definitely gave you that picture perfect Polar Express looking hot chocolate, but lacked in flavor when it came to the drink. Overall score: 7/10
By Staff Writer Erin
MCRAE
Erin McRae Photos
4. McDonalds Honestly, I was quite surprised by this one. Dunkin Donuts has really stepped up their game when it comes to the hot chocolate. The drink had a rich, milk chocolatey flavor with notes of creaminess. There was teeny bit of a watery after taste, but compared to the others, it was definitely not bad at all. I can certainly see myself coming back to Dunkin for another. I can tell that this was made right after I ordered it, because it kept warm for nearly 15 minutes while I drove to school, and it was still piping hot when I took my first sip. Overall score: 8/10
Out of the four options, there was a very wide range of quality. At generally the same price, all these different drinks really show the value of what you can get for a couple of dollars. Next time you want a hot chocolate, drive right on past McDonald’s and head straight for Dunkin Donuts for a reliable classic option that won’t let you down.
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District recognized for AP course growth For the past nine years, the College Board has commended 373 districts with recognition of AP District Honor Roll across the United States and Canada. This year, Cedar Falls High School was one of only two districts in Iowa to achieve this distinction, along with Pleasant Valley. In order to get on the AP District Honor Roll, Cedar Falls High School as a whole has defied the expectations, and over time we have expanded access to opportunities in the school as well as improvement of enrollment in AP courses. “We have been offering more courses, and more students have been taking them, and we are scoring high on it. Five times in the nine years that they have compiled this, we have been on it,” extended learning teacher Tim Kangas said. Alongside the increase of overall AP scores and enrollment, Cedar Falls High School allows students to participate in many programs affiliated with the school. “We offer AP courses, but we also offer chances to earn college credit while students are still in high school, which is a great way of advancing post secondary success as well as options to students. We also offer the dual enrollment courses and other courses that are in that same way like Project Lead the Way,” Kangas said. “We have got kids that are going into college that start as college sophomores because of all of the opportunities that we give here,” he said. Cedar Falls High School may seem like a small place that has few opportunities. The truth is that out of all of the AP districts across the nation, we and 372 other districts are opening doors for students to go into college with credits and a memorable experience from teachers that care about how we perform on exams.
Contact Us
The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools. org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to The Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editors-in-Chief: Sabine Martin, Sophia Schillinger Opinion Editor: Saba Aydiner Online Editor: Skylar Promer Sports Editor: Jibreel Bailey Staff: Grace Boezinger, Jenneh Gee, Jackson Gutknecht, Amie Holzapfel, Taylor Hunt, Jamie McDowell, Erin McRae, Sierra Miller, Skylar Promer, Benjamin Rodgers, Grace Waseskuk, Alex Williams, Clare Williams Hi-Line Online Editor-in-Chief: Jackson Kliewer Staff: Paul Adom-Boateng, Colby Coonradt, Dalton Happel, Jack Jorgensen, Daniel Mitchell, Cobie Morrissey, Catalin Vilae
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Focus on the bright side Embrace ‘glass half full’ mentality Lately, I have spent an immense amount of time on social media scrolling through the lives of “perfect” people … or purposely avoiding things I had to do, hoping it would please me, but that never happened. Instead, I became more and more displeased and unhappy with the person I became. Countless times I’ve found myself staring in the mirror for hours focusing on my “imperfections;” countless days passed where I didn’t even bother leaving my room, for I was literally hypnotized by the screen in front of me; countless seconds, minutes, hours and weeks gone by, none of which I can ever take back. I became so focused on what I lacked rather than what I had that it made me unrecognizable to what I used to be. Most times it felt like a vortex that sucked every “good” thing and left what was “bad.” So “bad” that it almost made me believe there was nothing “good” left. “Bad” enough for old me, who used to read books after books, to question the last time I actually finished one. “Bad” enough to think of the last time I went out for a walk to enjoy nature, or “bad” enough to think about what I appreciated, what I was grateful for. I felt the colors fading one by one, leaving me with a black and white canvas I sat across from while constantly searching for something else. I kept refusing to appreciate the beauty of black and white, how it pointed out the depth and the emotion of a frame which I wouldn’t be able to recognize with colors. I was so conditioned to the negative that I searched to prove the negativity of something rather than the positivity. I slowly started losing my motivations, my values, the strength in my goals. What’s worse is that I stopped caring. I stopped caring about the per-
Saba Aydiner Graphic
The graphic above appeared in a German magazine in 1892 popularized by the Austrian logician and philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. It was meant to represent the subjectivity of the mind depending on perspective. What do you see, a duck or a rabbit? son I was becoming, I thought it didn’t matter. Step by step I convinced myself that I wasn’t enough, was never going to be enough and nothing I did was going to work. I thought I was stuck with this mindset forever and it was too late to make a change now. So, I started believing the way I lived instead of living the way I believed, w h i c h was very harmful and unhealthy b o t h mentally and physically. I was always aware of the harm; yet, I chose to avoid it. It was my decision to refuse the existence of beauty and positivity around me; it was my decision to focus on the negative; it was my decision, my choosing, me. There may have been outside factors that manipulated me into making these decisions, but in the end, it was me who sailed to the vortex. Personally, admitting the fact that I was responsible for the person I was becoming was probably the most important step to take. After the big confession, I was curious to know
“There may have been outside factors that manipulated me into making these decisions, but in the end, it was me who sailed to the vortex.”
what I should do next. Just around the time, I found the answer to my question in one of my classes. It went like this, “Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” As much as I agree with it, this quote by Shakespeare’s Hamlet made me think for quite a while, and it made me realize the importance of perspective and how the smallest change of meaning in our minds can have such huge impact. By focusing on the beauty and positive things life has to offer, it makes nearly no sense to ruin our happiness by focusing on what’s ugly and negative. There are always two sides to a story, and you are the one deciding which one to go by. It is your decision to make it a better day. I am still not perfect, and being the pessimist I am, I can’t always quickly switch the plot and go by what’s best for me either ... but that’s OK. Even the results of efforts spent on positive thinking has made more of an an incomparable impact on my life than any other thing I’ve done, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my journey of perspective, it is that it may not always make things better, but it always saves it from being worse. By Opinion Editor Saba
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Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
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Warriors’ season running the ice, 13-0 The Waterloo Warriors hockey team is statistically the best hockey team in the state. They ride on an undefeated season with 13 wins, but with 18 games left the warriors have a lot of grinding away to attend to. The Warriors won the state tournament two seasons ago. This year they plan to mirror that team. The league's No. 1 team has a cluster of players on their lineup that lead them to winning games. Their leader in assists and points, Kole Latusick is a Cedar Falls junior. This season Latusick has 17 goals, 24 assists, and 41 points. The Warriors leader in goals, Waterloo Columbus junior Ben Sinnott has 20 goals, 15 assists and 35 points. Head coach Brian Cook is confident in his team that the warriors will make it further than any team in the league. “We are doing quite well at the beginning of our season. We are 13 wins, no losses, no overtime losses and one shoe dollar loss. We are leading the league in points. As a team, we need to continue to focus on working hard and not taking any team lightly throughout the season,” Cook said. Although the Warriors lead the standings, the Quad City
Blues are in a close 2nd with a record of 11-3 with a six game win streak. Warriors athlete, and Cedar Falls senior Cobie Morrissey is close with his team and said he loves the progress that the team has made with and without his contributions. “The team is doing well. I feel that we can trust in our top line to score every night and our other lines to play good defense. Compared to last year, I think we are scoring more goals. Kole, Ben Sinnott, Carter Herbst, Ethan Fox, Brady Buckley and Chase Pabst in net is our first line, and they produce more than anyone in the league,” Morrissey said. Cook has coached many championship bound teams in the past, but this team has a lot of young talent. Latusick and Sinnott will be returning next year. “As a coach, I need to keep the players motivated and focused in practice and in games as it is a very long season. The most special thing that has happened the season is that we remain undefeated, and I feel the players are having a really good time. To win another championship, we need to continue to get better throughout the year, focus intently in practice and in games, and do not overlook anyone” Cook said.
Maddie Posekany Photo
Junior Kole Latusick leads the Warriors in assists and points this season. In this game at home, the Warriors beat the Des Moines Capitals 3-0. The team has been a great experience bonding wise for Morrissey. He also said he likes that the team puts in the maximum effort to be successful. “The best experience I’ve had this season is starting the season on a big win streak like we did. I don’t know the last
time I’ve been part of a team that’s won that many games in a row in a very long time, so that was cool,” Morrissey said. Ultimately, the team needs to keep the strong icy bond in order to achieve another championship. “The best experience I have
had this year is beating the No. 2 team in the league behind us 2-0. and for us to win another championship, we need to work hard on and off the ice and play as a team, and nobody will stop us,” Sinnott said. By Sports Editor Jibreel
BAILEY
In first season as Tiger coach, Ortner has wrestlers aiming high The wrestling team is welcoming Chris Ortner this year as their new head coach. Ortner was previously the assistant wrestling coach at Wartburg, but now is a part of the special education department alongside coaching wrestling. It can be a transition between college and high school sports, but Ortner doesn’t look to change much of his teaching methods with the transition. “There really isn’t a big difference, maybe more teaching of basic skills at the high school level, but as far as philosophy, it’s the same, in my opinion,” Ortner said. While all of the wrestlers are setting their goals for the season, Ortner is putting his focus on his wrestlers and making connections. “My main goal is to build relationships. To focus on the process and get better everyday,” Ortner said. Wrestling practices can be
Shannon Murphy Photo
Junior Jackson Barth pins his opponent from Cedar Rapids Washington on Dec. 6 at home.
extremely grueling, but Ortner steers the wrestlers past the road blocks. “Ortner pushes us hard because he believes we are better than what we think we are,” junior wrestler Jack Plagge said.
Ortner wants the team to take his motivating words and use them outside of wrestling as well. “I try to motivate by trying to get people to think bigger. Too many people, not just in wrestling, put limits on them-
selves and never achieve what they are capable of. How far you go in sport or life isn’t up to somebody else. It’s up to you,” Ortner said. While it is still early in the season, Ortner is looking forward to seeing the growth of the team and has been impressed with their work ethic so far. “The team has been great. The work they have already put in has been encouraging. Any time you get a new coach, it’s going to take some time before things run smoothly. I’m looking forward to seeing our wrestlers improve throughout the season. I also look forward to building relationships with kids and their families.” Ortner said While Ortner is impressed with the team, he does not want to step off the pedal and knows the team always has room for improvement. “We need to continue to
develop technically but more importantly mentally and how we compete each time we get the opportunity,” Ortner said. While it takes time to adapt to a new coach, the team is optimistic for this season. “I think Ortner is definitely benefitting us as a team with the short amount of time we’ve had, and I’m looking forward to this season,” Plagge said. The team sits at 5-1 on the year, but to Ortner, his focus is not on records. “We don’t really talk much about winning and losing. We focus on the attitude and effort. If those two things are good, we will be successful no matter what the scoreboard says,” The wrestling team looks to improve their 5-1 record at the Battle of Waterloo meet this Friday and Saturday at Young Arena. By Staff Writer Jackson
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Friday, Dec. 14, 2018
Women’s track drawing upon letterwinning leaders As the track off season is kicking off, the women’s team has a lot of returning talent to get started early. Head coach Chris Wood said he is excited to having returning talent back to lead the team. “We look to our group of senior leaders who have been having an impact since their freshmen year to make a large contribution. We look forward to returning close to 20 varsity letter winners, so we will be heavy on veteran leadership and experience,” Wood said “Auriona KImbrough, Leah Longnecker, Morgan Sterrett in the sprint events, Lily Becker, Dalilah Galvez-Rodriguez in the hurdles, Madison Lenaerts and Jessica Van Dorn in the middle and long distance groups will all provide strong senior leadership,” Wood said. Longnecker is returning as a senior sprinter. She competed at Drake and State. “We as upperclassmen have already started offseason training and encouraged underclassmen from last year to train with us,” Longnecker said. The team has already been sharpening skill in the offseason grind. “This team is so great because no matter their skill set starting track, every girl is willing to put forth effort throughout the season to meet their goals,” Longnecker. The numbers are high in the offseason workouts. “This year we have over 40 athletes that are in what is considered an ‘off season’ due to not participating in winter sports, and all of them have been participating in winter
HI-LINE Athlete of the
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Bella Schlarmann Photo
Girls track athletes, Raelynn Smith (middle) and Grace Penrith (right), compete in the 100 meter dash at Waverly last spring. strength and conditioning three days a week, and conditioning and technical workouts on their off days,” Wood said Offseason workouts consists of workouts five days a week while lifting three days a week. The sprinting workouts are drills called speedmakers and sets of 200 meter sprints on Wednesdays. Long distance workouts consist of mileage runs. Sophomore Greta Berte is a Drake and State contender. “I think that we just need to focus this year and put in our best effort,” Berte said. “We know it’s not going to be easy, but the coaches always
push us to our best potential. I think that what makes our team great is that we are all very close on and off the track, and we all get along very well. We all help encourage each other with training for this season.” As a head coach, Wood said he wants the best for his girls to strive and become better runners. “In my first year as head coach, I have a few goals for myself, one of which is to continue building upon a culture of success. I want to instill confidence as a second nature in the culture of our track and field program. Having a tough day or meet will happen to all
of us, but knowing that you competed the best you could and growing from the experience,” Wood said. The women’s track team will be combining with the men’s on certain things such as uniforms, and workouts, but the team will still have its own face. “Since I have started coaching, we have never had this large of a senior year class. We have a group of leaders that have had a taste of what winning feels like, and I don’t think they’re satisfied. I look to them to help determine the outcome of our season,” Wood said. By Sports Editor Jibreel
BAILEY
MCKENNA GLEASON Women’s Basketball
How long have you been playing basketball? “Since I was in kind e rg a r t e n f o r re c - c e n t e r basketball.” What has been your biggest accomplishment f ro m t h i s s e a s o n s o f a r ? “Pro babl y maki ng i t t o t he s t at e t o ur nament l as t year and o nl y l o s i ng o ne game.” W h a t a re y o u r p e rsonal goals? “ To g e t b a c k t o t h e state championship again.” What position do you play? “I usually play post or g u a rd , b u t m o s t l y p o s t . ” F a v o r i t e m e m o r y f ro m t h i s o r p re v i o u s s e a s o n ?
Swimming Strong
Shannon Murphy Photos
The Tigers topped the Mustangs at Holmes pool on Dec. 11, 109-61. Junior Dylan Moffatt won the 200 individual medley (at left) and the 100 backstroke. Senior Dawson Bremner took the 200 freestyle (top) and the 400 freestyle relays. Other members of these relays included Moffatt, Matt Durbin and Jared Mattson, and for the 400, Moffatt, Durbin and Graham Fry.
“ We j u s t a l w a y s h a v e a lot of fun together after g a m e s i n t h e l o c k e r ro o m and on the bus rides h o m e . We l i s t e n t o a l o t of music.” A re y o u p l a n n i n g o n participating in basketball after this year? “No, I am not.”