The
A NEW FORCE
Tiger HI-LINE
Friday, Dec. 22, 2017
‘Jedi’ turns Star Wars series upside down/See Page 3 Follow us on Twitter at tigerhiline, Facebook at TigerHilineOnline and on our website at www.hiline.cfschools.org
Volume 58 Edition 14
Senior secures prom date with Twitter retweets After 8,363 retweets, 2,549 likes and 104 replies on Twitter, senior Jacob Renda has gained his dream prom date, only a few months early. On Dec., 14, Renda was persistent in reaching the 6,742 retweets Makenna Miller gave him as a challenge in order to go to prom with her. In fact, Renda made it above and beyond what anyone expected him to. Renda messaged Miller of Maize, Kan., letting her know how many retweets he had racked up for her to attend prom with him. “When she said [I need] 6,742 retweets, I knew I had it in the bag because I got Twitter connections,” Renda said. Miller is a Wichita State volleyball commit along with her future teammate, senior Grace Burken. “Honestly I laughed because I knew he thought she was very pretty, and I didn’t think she’d say yes,” Burken said. Burken also said she when he did get the amount of retweets Miller promised, and more, she was very shocked like the rest of the school. “Once again,” Burken said, “I laughed because I just couldn’t believe he actually got that many.” Renda first got to know Miller
Submitted Photos
Witchita State volleyball recruit Makenna Miller of Maize, Kan., is set to attend prom in Cedar Falls this spring after she responded to senior Jacob Renda’s Twitter post, “How many retweets to go to prom with me?” Renda secured the honor with 8,363 retweets. through Burken, and they had followed each other on social media sites such as Instagram and Twitter a few months ago. Talking through social media had led
Renda to take the big leap and hope for the best. Once Renda got the word out and retweets started to pile up and travel, he said he knew he would accomplish
the 6,742 retweets. “I knew at that point I secured the
‘RETWEETS’
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Tiger’s Den workers building work place skills Student workers in the Tiger’s Den have been serving, counting, delivering and communicating for the past four years as they work in a real environment on a team. “My favorite part is working with my peers. It’s like a family,” sophomore Kendall Maslak said. With support from the students and staff, the student workers have grown in communication and skills while serving the students and staff tasty treats and beverages in the morning hours of school. “The importance of the students working in the Tiger’s Den is to learn good job skills: social skills, money counting and just working with the public,” paraeducator John Bachman said. These skills that are learned in the Tiger’s Den are then translated to future job options and after high school experiences. “Well, this is food, and if they don’t want to deal with food, then they can at least
Sabine Martin Photo
Senior Jordan Schreder works in the Tiger’s Den on Thursday, Dec. 14. see what it is like dealing with food, people and customers to see if its an avenue if they want to take or not,” Bach-
man said. Senior Jordan Schroeder said the skills that he has learned working in the Tiger’s
Den have helped him build possible future interests. “I’ve learned politeness and remembering people’s
orders and deliveries. It gets me to want to work at Cup of Joe or another coffee shop environment,” Schroeder said. “The girl back there normally gets half hot chocolate half coffee with two squirts of raspberry, and then there’s another customer that comes and always gets a hazelnut iced coffee. The nurse always gets a French vanilla.” These students are unpaid and use open periods to do deliveries and serve students. Proceeds go to different clubs and groups around the school, along with getting the materials to keep the Tiger’s Den running. “We make about $80$120 per week,” paraeducator Marcia Mercurio said. With this money, many groups are supported throughout the school, and the experience that the students receive is priceless; however, in the past few
‘JOB SKILLS’
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OPINION
HI-LINE
Friday, Dec. 22, 2017
2017 was tumultuous year for news
Our View
Aysiah Keller Photo
Now that we’ve officially entered the winter season, it’s not too late to be sure that our vehicles are ready to face the icy weather.
Winter is Coming Be sure your vehicle is ready
The winter season is upon us. Here are some tips to get your car winter ready. Change and check your fluids regularly. These fluids would be coolants, oil change and wiper fluid. This is how to check your fluids: Oil: Many vehicles have an oil dipstick, with maximum and minimum markings, for checking the oil level. Pull the dipstick all the way out and wipe the bottom clean with a dry rag. Then re-insert the dipstick completely and remove it again, this time keeping it held upright or flat so the oil doesn’t run up the dipstick causing an inaccurate reading. Coolant: Check your coolant after the car has been sitting for several hours. Some vehicles allow you to check the level simply by looking through a translucent coolant expansion or overflow tank, and verify that the level is between the minimum and maximum markings. Also, check tire pressure and make sure you have snow tires. Make sure to check battery capacity. You can check battery capacity by using digital multimeter. You would connect the wires together while the engine is running, and it will tell you the battery percentage. For the inside, make sure to keep a flashlight, blanket, leather gloves and hat. Also add a bag of kitty litter or sand, so this can help provide traction if your tires get stuck in the snow or slush. Lastly, be sure to add an ice scraper and brush, a small shovel, a leak-proof container of coolant and snacks. These are a few tips to get your car winter ready.
Contact Us The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools.org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to The Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editors-in-Chief: Elise Leasure, Sabine Martin, Clare Rolinger, Rachel Schmid, Tehya Tournier Staff: Benjamin Boezinger, Noah Forker, Aysiah Keller, Chase Kline, Sierra Miller, Skylar Promer, Parker Strauss, Matthew Walsh
The tumultuous year of 2017 transformed and divided the world politically, but also brought people closer together at times to respond to crises and disasters. January: Donald Trump, America’s 45th president, is sworn in. An estimated 300,000-600,000 people joined to celebrate the inauguration in Washington, D.C.. The controversial election led to many protests including the largest by the women of America and the world. Over 5 million gathered in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the United States the day after the inauguration to peacefully protest President Trump’s election. February: The 59th Grammy Awards brought music artists’ works into the light including Beyonce, Chance the Rapper, Rihanna, Adele and Drake. The song of the year was “Hello” by Adele. “La La Land,” a musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, won the 2017 Academy
Sophia Schillinger Photo
The day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, over two million citizens around the globe, including the 75,000 in Madison, Wisc., marched to send him messages to respect many of the ideals they feel will be threatened by his policies. Award for Best Picture. March: After a vote in 2016, the United Kingdom begins to formally separate from the European Union. “Brexit” is the shorthand
term for the British exit from the EU. April: In his first major ac-
‘2017’
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Second in a Series
Government will fail in attempts to shut down rise of cryptocurrencies Bitcoin is, to many millions of people, more reliable than traditional money. This is partially due to the fact that Bitcoin is decentralized and nearly anonymous. People can use Bitcoin to purchase anything they want without government interference, including illegal guns and drugs. The U.S. government has battled with sellers on several occasions, most notable being the Silk Road site. The Silk Road site was launched in 2011 on Tor, which is an anonymous browser, for the purpose of selling illegal drugs. The drugs were bought primarily with Bitcoins. In 2013, the U.S. government shut down the Silk Road and arrested the founder, who had gone by the pseudonym of Dread Pirate Roberts. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Later in 2013, Silk Road 2.0 was launched and promptly taken down by the FBI. The operator was arrested in late 2014. When the government shut down the Silk Road, it also seized every Bitcoin within it.
They took 26 thousand Bitcoins from the Silk Road and 144 thousand Bitcoins belonging to Dread Pirate Roberts, which amounted to over a hundred million dollars at the time. Since the Silk Road, the U.S. government has done similar operations several times and repeatedly attempted to regulate use of Bitcoin, with one economist even stating that the cryptocurrency should be banned. However, fans of cryptocurrency aren’t worried. They know the government wants to ban Bitcoin, but they also know the reality of the situation, which is that it can’t. Bitcoin is, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, decentralized and anonymous. There is no single place containing everyone’s Bitcoins as there is with banks such as JP Morgan, making Bitcoin impossible to hack. Additionally, everyone on Bitcoin is anonymous. The government couldn’t track users if it tried. While the government desperately wants to slap regulations on Bitcoin, it can’t. Bit-
coin users can buy as many illegal drugs as they want, and the U.S. government cannot stop them. As Bitcoin becomes more and more popular, so do other cryptocurrencies. Among these are Litecoin, Ripple XRP, Bitcoin Dark, Bitcash, Iota and literally hundreds of others. Most of these function similarly to Bitcoin, with a few quirks that make them stand out from the herd. The appeal here is that, for newer investors, these cryptos are much more affordable. Bitcoin has risen to $18,936, and although each Bitcoin can be split into 100 million pieces, it’s still quite intimidating. Altcoins like Litecoin ($334), Ripple XRP ($0.76) and Iota ($5.35) are more appealing to middle class Americans. Each of these cryptos has its own website detailing how much they are worth on a given day (cryptocurrencies tend to fluctuate) and where you can buy. By Staff Writer Sierra
MILLER
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Friday, Dec. 22, 2017
ENTERTAINMENT
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‘Last Jedi’ turns Stars Wars upside side down
As the iconic blue “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away” fades onto the screen, and the iconic score bursts into the theater alongside the crawl of yellow words through the vast expanse of space just as it has seven times before, the audience feels the familiar Star Wars nostalgia. Adult viewers feel like kids again, excited for the possibilities to come, but although this looks and feels like the action and emotion-fueled space adventure many know and love, it takes what is known about Star Wars and flips it upside down. The film leaves off immediately after the events of “The Force Awakens.” Naturally, the evil first order is still dominating the galaxy, trying to snuff out the undergunned and undermanned resistance. This, if anything, remains orthodox throughout the movie: the oppressed clinging to the slightest bit of home while fighting the powerful oppressors. The rest will surprise and deceive anyone’s expectations. Kylo Ren and the evil disfigured supreme leader Snoke represent the dark side, and the noble Rey finds Luke Skywalker exiled on his island. This kicks off the stage for The Last Jedi. Right off the bat, the first sequence is incredibly exciting, and the stakes are set high. A feast for the eyes, the film gets an engaging start, giving it momentum going forward into a slower middle act. For two long years, people debated about what direction that they would take with the characters in the sequel to “The Force Awakens.” Theory upon theory was thrown out primarily about Supreme Leader Snoke, the lineage of Rey and what Luke
had been doing on the island. A lot of these questions are answered in surprising and unexpected ways that virtually nobody saw coming. These will not be delved into due to the fact that this is a spoiler free review. With only a sliver of screen time in the last movie, the face of the franchise, Luke Skywalker, is finally shown to the world in his 2017 form. Unlike the last time he was the focus of a movie in 1983, Luke is old, ornery and reluctant to help anyone, far from the cool headed hero seen in “Return of the Jedi.” Director Rian Johnson humanizes Luke, taking him off the pedestal that he has been put on for so long. The untimely passing of Carrie Fisher, the actress who plays princess Leia, now general Leia, caused this to be the last role she ever appeared in. Leia is portrayed as a bold, level-headed leader of the dwindling resistance. She is wise and instills it onto the younger characters; a great send off for Fisher. The new members of the cast return and establish themselves throughout the film. A big challenge for these new movies is trying to pull away from the past and establish a new cast of iconic characters. In many respects, they do so. Rey and Kylo Ren in particular have great moments and interactions. Others seem pushed to the side or caught in uninteresting subplots. Guillermo Del Toro’s character, DJ, is a wonderful addition to the movie. He has undeniable charisma, stealing the scenes he is in. The other new character introduced
called Rose falls very short, though; she is difficult to empathize with and creates dullness in the movie. Although “The Last Jedi” has massive peaks, there are some valleys. It seems the film is divided into a First Order vs Resistance element and a Jedi Sith element, which will both eventually unite. The Jedi and Sith aspects of the film are much more compelling than the the Rebellion scenes and story arcs, which tend to drag, although there are good things to find in both. The island where Rey finds Luke is a major plot point. The charisma and back in forth between them is near perfect, signifying the transition from old to new. Another example of the franchise being handed off is Leia’s dialogue with Poe. It is great to see the two generations of characters exist in such harmony. The first act may lull just a bit, but it is completely compensated for in the later part of the movie. It is difficult to delve into what happens without spoiling anything, but jaws will drop, and fans will be divided. There are some unmistakably epic moments. A good Star Wars movie, or science fiction movie for that matter, is not only known for its action, but for the alternate world it creates, a place for the audience to escape and immerse themselves into. This Star Wars does it arguably better than any of the series to date. Stunning scenes, creatures, vehicles and practical effects are paired with the booming iconic music to create something nobody has ever seen while maintaining the Star Wars feel that so many hold close. This is truly a high point and staple of the movie.
The unapologetically different and bold route that director Rian Johnson takes with the film is the cause for a lot of controversy. “The Last Jedi” is a definite double edged sword, and this is intentional. It challenges the world of Star Wars, but can create plot holes and disrupt the previous directors’ visions of the franchise. For some, what he did can be looked at as new and refreshing. Junior Camden Dusenberry saw it this weekend, and had mostly great things to say about it. ¨Overall, ‘The Last Jedi’ was my favorite up to this point in the series. I was caught off guard by some anticlimactic surprises, due to my known nature of the previous films. Nonetheless, Star Wars, to me, was a triumphant, brilliant ´finale´ to one of my favorite boyhood series¨ For others, the complaint was that Johnson was too liberal in the changes he made, and his humor fell short. ¨I felt like they tried too hard, and the plot could have been better, like more focused,” junior Erik Walther said. Critics and ravers of the movie aside, there were emotional moments, visuals and sequences that immersed audiences everywhere into something truly special, and “The Last Jedi” created anxious anticipation for the final movie of this new trilogy. Johnson’s vision is embodied with a line from the now infamous Kylo Ren: “Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That’s the only way to become what you are meant to be.” By Staff Writer Parker
STRAUSS
Winter break perfect time to binge on three new TV series If you’re sitting at home during the holiday break next week and wondering what possibly you could be doing, just think of the infinite shows that grace the internet. From long lasting shows like South Park and the The Simpsons, to the newest shows like Stranger Things. Netflix and Hulu are some of the greatest inventions in the era of the Internet and the week of holiday cheer is the perfect time to ignore all else, relax and binge. 3. The first of my three recommendations is the hip hop comedy from Donald Glover, “Atlanta.” While this ingenious show displays the greatness that comes from the mind of Donald Glover, the show is only available on Hulu. With that being said, I still felt it should be a recommendation. Whether you have Hulu or find how to watch it a different way, I think you should definitely find a way to watch this visual masterpiece. Now, about the show. It follows Glover, struggling to find a positive source of income, homeless with his responsibilities growing. Earn, Glover’s character, soon finds himself managing his cousin’s booming rap career. The show’s central theme of rap is well represented with both good music and cameos. “Atlanta” is also very good at tackling the issues that face both the hood and rest of the country. One of the first episodes tackles the issues of sexuality, race and the corrections system. It lays down the rules that the series will follow aren’t exactly ones that a
“Netflix and Hulu are some of the greatest inventions in the era of the Internet and the week of holiday cheer is the perfect time to ignore all else, relax and binge.“ mainstream episodic would follow. “Atlanta” isn’t afraid to break the rules. It’s themes and building blocks aren’t something that are for the faint of heart, not to mention all the cleverly timed comic relief that almost fall on Shakespearean levels. Glover’s genius falls nothing short of miraculous and isn’t something that should be ignored. 2. “Manhunt” doesn’t exactly seem like something that would appeal to many people’s blind conscience, but I feel as if you should at least give it a significant try. “Manhunt” stories the modern supervillain Ted Kaczynski’s capture with a delicate and intricate storyline that manages both the past and future to its own avail. Politics and legacy oddly play a intimate part with each other in remaking history for both sides of the story. Instead of relieving all of the events that led up to hundreds of deaths, it more focuses on the internal battle between Kaczynski and the FBI as each fight for superiority. Kaczynski is portrayed as an egomaniac.
The person he portrays and the person who has to run from the law, as well as rot in a cell, are two different people. Both want something different, and that is covered beautifully. As for the FBI detective, it’s both about the future and the past. He is desperately trying to protect the public as he knows it. Whilst leaving his beat cop self in the background, the ongoing theme and crusade of superior intellect overwhelming masks the mediocre acting and dialogue. All of Tarantino’s gems are worth a view. You’ll just have to believe me about the greatness they deliver. 1. The last recommendation I have is the hardest, because in truth there are so many shows that could curve your fancy. However, I have a due diligence to finalize this. “Punisher,” is probably the hottest show that is on the Netflix these days. The latest Marvel-Netflix original is in some ways the alternate version of Batman, and both are great. They both are stories of retribution, both really have no powers besides brutality,
and both bleak, but “Punisher” has something that all great shows that connect with society have; conspiracy. The edge-of-your-seat mentality alongside with the brutality keeps butts on the couch, while also delivering positive reviews amongst its peers. Each episode gets better and better as you enter deeper through the rabbit hole. Jon Bernthal is the perfect portrayer of a hero with villain characteristics. He has the sustainable coolness, for lack of a better word, that is something that can be used as a vehicle or a central theme. The physicality is great: the vengeful storyline and the characters are all just great. It’s as simple as that. I can’t spoil too much because that would ruin the fun of checking it out for yourself, but “Punisher” is something that people can build a fandom to the likes of “Stranger Things.” “Punisher” will not only cement a lasting series on Netflix, but also one that could develop into something even greater in the near future. There you have it, all you need to keep away from family and responsibility during the break. Keep in mind, there are many other great shows across all the streaming services. However, you might not have seen all of these, which I suggest you treat yourself to and complete. You’ll thank me and yourself later. By Staff Writer Ben
BOEZINGER
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Friday, Dec. 22, 2017
‘RETWEETS’ /Continued from Page 1
bag,” he said. Miller said her first impression of the direct message, “How many retweets to go to prom with me?” was that Renda was nice and very persistent. “I was surprised, and I thought it was pretty bold of him,” Miller said. Although Renda had these qualities, Miller said she never would have guessed he could reach the 6,000+ retweets in one day. “I just told myself, ‘Welp, I guess I’m going to Iowa.’ I was pretty shocked,” she said. With Burken being the only person Miller will know, she said she doesn’t know what her trip will entail. “I’m nervous because I only really know Grace; however, I’m pretty outgoing, so I’m not super worried,” she said. Rhett Smeins is Renda’s good friend and fourth hour Spanish partner, where the tweet was sent out and all of Renda’s momentum and support generated, and he never thought Renda would’ve made the 6,742 or become a local overnight sensation. “I was surprised, but then again if you know Jacob person-
the
Week
“I knew I had it in the bag because I got Twitter connections.”
—Jacob Renda senior
ally, it seems like something he would do,” Smeins said. “If anyone was going to get it, Jacob was.” Renda said that it feels good accomplishing all of the 6,742 retweets and more, especially because he didn’t think he would get all of the retweets in one day, but he is very excited to attend his senior prom with Miller. “[It] felt good because I put in all this hard work, and it paid off. She’s beautiful and seems really cool,” Renda said. By Co-Editor-in-Chief Tehya
Anthony Chiattello
TOURNIER The path to Makenna Miller coming to Cedar Falls for prom this year began with a simple correspondence on Twitter.
‘RETWEETS’ /Continued from Page 1 tion as commander in chief, Trump approves the U.S. military launching 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at an air base in Syria. The missile attack is in response to a chemical weapon attack on civilians by Syrian President Bashar alAssad. Yet, at the end of the year, the country’s six-year civil war continues, and Assad remains in power. May: On May 22, a terrorist attack occurred in Manchester, England, killing 22 people and injuring over 500 at singer Ariana Grande’s performance. On June 4, the One Love Manchester concert hosted by Grande and other famous performers benefitted the many families hurt in the terrorist attack, and the Red Cross raised $10 million for victims of the horrible tragedy. June: The United States announces its decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. Trump is widely criticized for this move. The United States joins Syria and Nicaragua as the only other countries in the world to not sign the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Athlete of
signed the Paris Agreement. Since then, Syria and Nicaragua have joined, leaving the United States as the lone outlier. July: Mosul, Iraq, is declared fully liberated from ISIS. “So now ISIS has lost its capital in Iraq and the largest population center they held anywhere in the world,” said U.S. Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend on July 11. August: The most awaited full solar eclipse in North America dominated the month of August. On Aug. 21, the eclipse brought the divided country together, and according to the NASA, 215 million people watched the moment the moon fully covered the sun, creating a magical and breath-taking effect in the sky. September: Hurricane Maria was the worst natural disaster in Dominica and Puerto Rico. As a category 5 hurricane, it destroyed everything in sight. By the end of the year, less than half of Puerto Rico still remained without electricity, and the unofficial death toll of the hurricane was estimated to be at least 1,000.
Wrestling
October: Harvey Weinstein, a famous movie producer in Hollywood, sparked a movement when sexual abuse allegations were publicly revealed by news organizations. After famous women including America Ferrera and Jennifer Lawrence brought their stories to light, regular women shared their stories with #MeToo, igniting a huge moment in women’s history. Time magazine’s 2017 Person of the Year was “The Silence Breakers” — those women who publicly reported sexual harassment and assault. November: Leonardo da Vinci’s 1490 painting of Christ titled “Salvator Mundi” sold for $450 million in an auction in New York, marking a record for most expensive piece of art. December: Following the investigation of statesponsored doping, the controversy of Russia’s illegal performance-enhancing drug use program for its Olympic athletes led the International Olympic Committee to ban Russia’s national team from the 2018 South Korea Winter Olympics. By Co-Editor-in-Chief Sabine
MARTIN
‘JOB SKILLS’ / Continued from Page 1 years, there has been a decrease in the Tiger’s Den sales. “We are seeing a lot more student involvement, but this year it seems that a lot less sales are happening because of the snack room being open downstairs. I don’t know if that is a conflicting interest or what,” Bachman said. Only time will tell the fate of the Tiger’s Den. “It depends on what happens to the food regulations, the food school laws, and if those all change or go away. Then we will have a whole new thing up here. Better. We will just have to wait and see.” Until then, the Tiger’s Den workers will be creating a community environment throughout the school while paying it back to the students. By Co-Editor-in-Chief Rachel
SCHMID
How long have you been wrestling? I’ve been wrestling for six years. What has been your biggest accomplishment? Probably just toughing it out in the last few of my really close matches and coming back to get the win for our tem. Do you have any personal goals? My personal goal for this season is to qualify for State, but I’m taking it one day at a time and getting better every day. Do you have any team goals? For our team goals, our foocus this year is to continue to fight and believe in ourselves and out and battle every match. Do you plan on dancing after this year? I’m not currently sure yet, but it’s still on the table.
Tigers in
Action
Bowling Friday, Jan. 5 @Maple Lanes vs. Dubuque Hempstead 4:15 p.m. Women’s Basketball Friday, Jan. 5 @Cedar Falls High School vs. Waterloo East 7:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball Friday, Jan. 5 Away vs. Waterloo East 7:30 p.m. Men’s Swimming Thursday, Jan. 4 @Dubuque Hempstead 6 p.m. Wrestling Thursday, Jan. 4 At Home vs. Waterloo West 6 p.m.