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Volume 49 Issue 13
1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Sisters travel to D.C. for inauguration Ben Sadkowski Staff Writer
For senior Sarah Halloran and sophomore Lauren Halloran, the experiences at Obama’s inauguration in Washington, D.C., are not just remarkable. They are something they got to experience in person with their family. Just the experience of traveling there was unique. “We didn’t need tickets to get into the actual inauguration. The problem was getting plane tickets and finding a place to stay. We somehow managed to find a flight (through Cedar Rapids and Cincinnati and Atlanta, with a five-hour layover) and my aunt works for NPR and has a house right in D.C., so we were able to stay with her. We were so lucky that we got to go at all,” Sarah said. “My dad got plane tickets online and my aunt has a house in D.C. so that wasn’t a problem,” Lauren said. Also, just the visual experience in D.C. was memorable. “It was so much fun. There was so much energy and enthusiasm throughout the city. Obama was everywhere: on shirts, keychains, earrings, T.V. screens and in conversations. Everyone had a story to tell,” Sarah said.“It was really fun because people were really emotional and I didn’t know that people were so excited about Obama. People were so touched that they had tears running down their faces. However, the experiences from D.C. ran far deeper than on just a visual level. “Another surprising aspect was how friendly everyone was. Strangers would move over to make room on the already overcrowded metro, hold the door leaving a coffee shop or start up a conversation while waiting in line. I don’t know if I heard one rude comment my entire trip,” Sarah said. Apart from the sights and sounds that stemmed from simply being in D.C., the actual inauguration was also a powerful event. “I loved Obama’s speech. It wasn’t a feel-good speech; it brought to attention the problems we face and how we as a country must approach them. And although critics point out the lack
Three juniors will represent CF in national writing contest Jordyn Carias Staff Writer
Submitted Photo
For the historic inauguration of President Obama, the entire Halloran family traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Pictured above are the Halloran family children (left to right) Andrew, Sarah, Lauren and Kate. of a ‘memorable quote’ in his speech, I don’t think his message will be forgotten any time soon,” she said. One particular experience stands out in Sarah’s mind: “As we were waiting at a crosswalk, a little, white dog ran up and jumped on my sister. The dog’s owner, an older couple, came up and apologized, but my dog-loving sister was already asking if she could pet him. This initiated a conversation, and I soon learned that the couple used to live next door to Obama. They named their dog Barry, after Barrack, when the dog broke free from his leash one day and peed on one of Barrack’s se-
cret service agents. ‘I don’t think they liked Barry very much after that,’ the older lady said.” Contradictory to popular belief, travel for some families was not as difficult as it seemed. “Despite the five-hour layover, all the traveling was pretty simple. My favorite part was talking to the guys sitting next to me on the plane on the flight back home. They so badly wanted to attend the inauguration that, even though every hotel was booked and they had nowhere to stay, they came anyway and camped out in the mall in below zero weather,” Sarah said. To Sarah, the significance of the
inauguration is tremendous. “Obviously, this event was historically significant due to the fact that Barrack Obama is our first AfricanAmerican president. I think it is also significant because it brings so much hope to America. Right now, our country isn’t in great shape. We have a failing economy, terrible foreign relations and a miserable reputation. Many consider George W. Bush one of our worst presidents yet. Obama promises change. There has been so much hope invested in this election, we all hope the inauguration is the beginning of fulfilled promises and change for the better,” she said.
The annual National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) competition is back, and three CFHS juniors will be front and center to compete. The top three writers, as chosen by the department, are Rachel Connelly, Alex Entz and Bailey Pons. The students had to nominated by their English teachers, submit a piece of their best work and write an impromptu essay. After each member of the English department looked everything over, they notified the three finalists. Pons said, “I was surprised. I was so happy about it; I just started writing for fun. I was so happy.” Pon’s peers, and now competitors, also shared the excitement. Along with the honor and opportunity of it all, it racks the students’ nerves as it puts their writing skills on the line. Connley said, “I’m nervous about coming up with something to write about. I’m also nervous about having other people read the stuff that I write because that’s always scary when you put lots of effort into something — you’re afraid someone else won’t like or they’ll knock it down.” Once the juniors were in the early stages of the competition, they had to come up with an impromptu piece to submit. They were given two potential prompts, told to choose one and had time to write the work they would turn in. English teacher Michelle Rathe, who also facilitates the NCTE competition at the high school, gave the advice to future writers, “Show skill, be creative with the content and show style. Style is huge.” The final competition will be held in early April. Last year’s winners from Cedar Falls Hish Schoool at the national level were Michael Miller and Michelle Reidenbough.
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DECA students place at Districts Book club opens chapter Aubrey Caruso Staff Writer
DECA students took a variety of top spots in the district competition last week at Hawkeye Community College. DECA competitions bring students together with business interests to compete through tests, role-plays and writing papers. “The purpose is to give students a realistic look into marketing and the business world, to have students think on their feet in real business situations. I also strongly believe that it is a huge benefit to the students in creative thinking, communication with adults and business professionals, and just and overall great experience and situation for young adults to be put in,” DECA adviser Matt Flaherty said. Students participated in many events such as marketing management, hospitality, restaurant marketing, retail, etc. “It was my first time competing,
so I didn’t know what to expect or how it goes, but I think I got the hang of it. I could improve on my management. This way I can get a little better feel for the business world,” senior Sam Jones said. “Overall, I think the competition went well, especially since a great number of the students have not competed or experienced this before. I was pleased,” Flaherty said. Many students noted that the event exposed them to aspects of the business world. “I think I did well. I need to just be more confident with my answers and better on tests. It puts me in situations where I have to think on my feet and not have a lot of time to think about it. It simulates the organization of business for students,” junior Dylan Derry said. The results for the event were as follows. Second placeholders: Mason Troendle-Marketing Management Danan Block-Restaurant Marketing
Mike Bangtson and Dylan DeeryBuying and Merchandising Team Third placeholders: Mason Troendle-Marketing Test Tyler Brewer-Retail Merchandising Honorable mentions: Alex Niner-Accounting Series Makensie Smith-Marketing Management Conner Brooks-Restaurant Marketing Cameron Henry-Retail Merchandising Colin Ashwood and Omeed Kashef-Buying and Merchandising Team Matt Hart and Alex Entz-Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team “I found some things I need to work on before State, but overall, I was happy with my performance,” junior Alexis Rokes said. The DECA students will be competing at the state competition Feb. 22-23 in Des Moines to try and place for the national competition in late April in Anaheim, Calif.
Jazz band perform on Feb. 7 Monica Reida Staff Writer
Before most Cedar Falls High School students are even arriving at school, the Jazz One band, under the direction of band teacher Kyle Engelhardt, is preparing for its concert on Feb. 7 and the contests that it participates in. “I like playing professional literature with high school students. It’s a great opportunity for them to explore the music out there,” Engelhardt, a trumpet player himself, said. In addition to the love of the music itself, several of the students enjoy the fun they have making music as a group. “There’s nothing like playing music with a group of people, and I probably won’t get that experience after high school,” senior second trumpet player Rhys Talbot said. All of the members of Jazz One are also members of one of the band ensembles, while one member of the other jazz group, Jazz Too!, which is directed by band teacher Gerald Ramsey, is a member of orchestra. “It’s fun to play a more relaxed style of music instead of the classical stuff,” sophomore baritone saxophone player Louis Redfern said. Some of the musicians see the practical ap-
plication of participating in jazz band. “I could make money doing it when I grow up,” said senior bass trombone player Steve Ramsey, who has been in jazz bands since seventh grade. The band has received Division I ratings for more than 20 consecutive years, which was continued on Jan. 31 when Jazz One received Division I ratings in sight reading and performance — a tradition started long before Engelhardt started leading the group. “Our main goal is to play and perform to our best. I like to encourage students to develop into great soloists and for the students and the band to have a great time playing,” Engelhardt said. The pieces being performed this year are “You Got It” by Frank Foster, “A Walkin’ Thing” by Benny Carter and “Tall and Lanky” by Jeff Coffin. The members of the group view the pieces with great enthusiasm. “We’re swingin’ easy and funking hard,” senior first trumpet player Michael Miller said. “I enjoy the songs; they’re a great mix.” Talbot described one song as the jazz equivalent of a headbanger, while Redfern said that another is a bit mellow. The jazz show will begin at 5 p.m. on Feb. 7 in the Claire C. Stanard Auditorium.
Monica Clark Staff Writer
Students are embracing books with a new club that has just started, and the numbers are growing. Librarian Kim Traw had started a book club a few years ago, but it didn’t work out as this one seems to. “We started one, but students soon stopped coming. This time the students came to me to ask if they could start it. That’s why I think this will be different. They’re actually interested and excited about it,” Traw said. Sophomore Carmen Wood was the instigator of the club. She wanted an open atmosphere to talk about books. “I wanted a place where people can discuss books without it feeling like a class or something that they have to do,” Wood said. Many of the members can agree. “I love being able to talk to people about books,” sophomore Eve Willet said. Every Thursday right after school, the book club meets to discuss a new book that they chose the week before.
They talk about what they liked, what was interesting to them and what questions that anyone had. So far they have read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells and Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson. They are soon going to be reading Shattered Glass by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. “I’ve read books here that I normally wouldn’t have if I hadn’t joined,” sophomore Dana DeGrat said, “It’s really fun, and I’ve met new friends here.” Even though the whole point of a book club is the books, students still weave socializing into the discussions. “If you’re not doing anything, it’s a great way to spend your time. When you bring your friends you get to hang out with them here,” DeGrat said. They are looking to bring in new members to the group. Anyone and everyone is welcome. The club has been meeting in the library. “It doesn’t hurt to come. There’s food every week, so you might as well come and check it out,” Wood said.
Students cope with cancelation of Student Senate’s winter formal Sarah Byerly Staff Writer
The students planning to go to winter formal were unpleasantly surprised to find out that the dance, originally set for Saturday, Jan. 17, was cancelled. Students had been purchasing tickets for $4 during their lunch shifts, but only 49 tickets were sold during this time. The school needed to have 100 tickets sold before they could confirm the formal. Even though a number of students noted they would purchase their tickets for $5 at the door the night of the dance, a set number of tickets had to be sold for the school to know that the dance can be paid for with enough students willing to attend. Due to the bad weather during the week of winter formal, students were unable to purchase tickets during snow-days. Having the formal cancelled was disappointing for a lot of students. “I was really pumped for winter formal, and when I was told it was cancelled, it messed up my weekend,” sophomore Brandon Bogardus said.
Students can get a refund if they had already purchased tickets starting the Tuesday after the cancellation. Even though the tickets are refundable, a lot of students will have to wait for another occasion to wear their formal clothes. “I think it’s disappointing that the dance was cancelled because my friends and I had already bought our dresses, and I know that a lot of others had too,” sophomore Sam Doyle said. A variety of students still decided to get dressed up on that Saturday night and go out to eat or have their own personal formals. “I was bummed about the dance being cancelled, and I had already bought my dress. It would have been awesome to have winter formal, but I still had a lot of fun getting dressed up and hanging out with my friends,” sophomore Lizzie Dobson said. The Student Senate has been discussing if it is going to add another dance into this school year and is playing around with different ideas and suggestions. Nothing has been confirmed and no extra dances have been added at this point. The Student Senate is aware that students are disappointed about the formal being cancelled but is considering that this might encourage ticket sales at upcoming dances this year.
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Hi-Line finished in Courier With the current state of the print newspaper around the country, we at the Tiger Hi-Line knew the future for journalism as we knew it was rather grim, yet we did not expect we would feel the effects so close to home. However, the edition of the Tiger Hi-Line you are currently reading is the first in a new direction for our paper, and it will likely be followed by many others. Amid the rocky economy, the Hi-Line is feeling the effects of a budget crunch. The future of this paper is in doubt. In the off chance that funding comes through, the possibility for a revival with a Cedar Falls audience still remains. At this point, the editors are looking at all possibilities. Currently, it seems that the paper will be relegated only to a smaller distribution among the high school. Other options have surfaced ranging from scrapping the paper to going with another distributor. The paper is currently available online, and this will not change no matter what happens to the paper as a whole. We have been considering for some time the possibility that some day we might go under, and it seems appropriate that it would happen in such dire economic times. The editors have also considered putting out a PDF file every day that would keep the high school informed on news and events. Unfortunately, this would not adhere to the practical, real-life format that this class has stressed for so long. It has become clear that a weekly publishing is our best option to give a quality education to journalism students. Again, unfortunately, this does not seem plausible. We as a staff appreciate the support we have received from the community and from our mentors; we have felt this support for as long as we have been a part of this exclusive journalism experience. That’s all folks.
Contact the Tiger Hi-Line
The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes of Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division St., Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. This is the last edition published on Wenesdays during the school year in The Insider and Waterloo/ Cedar Falls Courier, 501 Commercial St., Waterloo, Iowa 50701. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Hi-Line or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial staff view is presented weekly in the editorial labeled as Our View. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to the Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Thursday for publication the following Wednesday. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Include address and phone number for verification.
Editorial Staff
Editors-in-Chief: Honor Heindl, Kellie Petersen and Ellen Wrede Business Managers: Jill Dally and Alex Entz News Editors: Arlene Freudenberg and Sara Strever Opinion Editors: Maggie Devine and Vincent Stigliani Sports Editors: Jackie Jordan, Nick Penticoff and Paul Strike Feature Editor: Honor Heindl On-Line Editors: Torie Jochims and Ellen Wrede Entertainment Editors: Maggie Devine and Torie Jochims Photo Editor: Honor Heindl Cartoonist: Katie Dexter Graphic Artist: Tasha Woods
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George Bush’s impact receives mixed reviews
Bush to join ranks with worst U.S. presidents 65 percent approval rating. It seems as though even with people fed up with his actions, they were able to pragmatically assess his presiMove over Budency. Bush has left office with chanon, Harding and the most recent polls showing a Johnson, and make room 33 percent approval rating, or for the newest enlistee to nearly half that of Clinton’s. the presidential wall of Take a trip down memory shame, George W. Bush. lane for a moment and reminisce To much of the back on the days at the end of country’s relief (not Clinton’s presidency. In 1999 to mention rest of the we saw the lowest unemployworld’s), we recently ment rate since 1969. We witnessed Bush’s last had respect around the world, days in office, but how listened to the experts rather will future historians than big businesses to solve and books regard his our problems and we were at presidency? peace. Many die-hard Bush Now come back to reality and fans have blown off the Vinnie Stigliani & compare that to what Bush has most recent of his low apAlex Entz left in his wake. The unemployproval ratings as Ameriment rate has increased by nearly cans fed up with a few of his policies, unjustly placing blame on three percent. We have seen a large drop in our respectability around the Bush. world, created policy in the interest of At the end of Clinton’s eight years big business and have now stretched in office, even after having an afour military extremely thinly with the fair and then lying about it to the fighting of two different wars. whole country, he left office with a
Historians will remember how Constitutional law was broken with Orwellian, warrantless wiretapping. They will recall Bush’s completely inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina, when we saw the immediate results of Bush policy. Another way to assess his presidency is to view his role in the most recent elections. Bush’s endorsement of McCain became a devil’s kiss. Obama’s main attacking was compairing McCain to Bush, and McCain was more than quick to distance himself from this comparison. It is not a good sign when your name is once that candidates run from. As my dad’s friend put it, the Bush presidency will be defined by two pictures. First is the image of Bush claiming “Mission Accomplished” from an aircraft carrier. Second will be the image of Bush flying over New Orleans in the Air Force Once, dispassionately viewing the devastation. Only time will show the true effects of his presidency, but for now the name will be attached to failed policy and inept leadership.
on 52 straight months of job growth, increasing GDPs and heavy tax cuts. This period of job growth represents one of the biggest periods of economic development in American history. The stock market reached all-time highs and pushed the envelope of wealth for several years. Then, mortgage lenders went under due to the irrevocable greed caused by Barney Frank’s buddies. To clarify: this was not of Bush’s doing; the crisis was created in an industry that needed regulation to a much higher extent than it had ever received. The other facet of Bush’s tenure revolves, undoubtedly, around his foreign policy. Bush had soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan just days after the attacks (Bush had 95 percent approval at the time, the highest ever). The decision to invade Iraq gave Bush quite a few enemies, but ridding Saddam Hussein—who killed hundreds of thousands of his own people—for the cost of fewer than 5,000 American soldiers was a wise move. American soldiers have pacified the country and created a democracy in
place of a brutal dictatorship. Before the war began, Bush received faulty intelligence, but at the time it seemed plausible and reliable—even to the many Democrats who voted for the war. Clearly, going into Iraq was not based on a lie. Then liberals point to the high levels of violence (though I will point out that they levels of violence are lower now than they were during Saddam’s regime). However, the decision on sending a small group of troops into Iraq rests solely with Donald Rumsfeld, who Bush dutifully fired. To refute the cries of “Katrina!” now coming from the liberal audience, I present this question: what does Bush have to do with FEMA? Bush was tagged with this failure, despite the clear failure of FEMA and local authorities before him. After years of abuse for being a Bush supporter, I have come to accept that some people will compare him to Hitler, as wrong as it may be, but if they ever start to compare him to Jimmy Carter, my façade of acceptance may come down.
Vinnie Stigliani
Senior Writer
With time, Bushes’ legacy will prove successful Alex Entz Opinion Editor
At Cedar Falls High School, the comparisons between Bush and Hitler run strong and run deep. I have heard students proclaim his tenure as president to be an American experiment in Nazi politics, that Bush is the devil, and that Bush will be looked upon as the worst president of all time. The American liberal has used quite a few myths to destroy Bush’s legacy. Debunking these myths starts now. Let’s start with economics. The liberal myth that Bush led a poor economy and was a bad economic president has fallacious roots. Pointing to the beginning of Bush’s term, one sees a dot-com boom plunging the country’s economic fortunes into a recession. To blame this on Bush would represent a terrible mistake; the dot-com bubble was due to burst no matter who was president; Clinton felt the sting of this reality at the end of his second term. Sept. 11, another unavoidable tragedy, pushed us farther into it. After this Bush led America
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Feb. 4, 2009
Director takes speech to phenomenal heights Arlene Freudenberg News Editor
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In the last couple years, the numbers of participants in speech has exploded. What’s their secret? Many speech participants will say at least a part of the positive energy comes from the new speech director Ryan Penning. “He wasn’t like anything I expected. He gave me something right away, which made me feel like he needed me to be in speech team. Ryan gave me a great way to relax and to focus on what I am supposed to do. He gave me a feel for speech and I love it,” sophomore Lukas Schwekendiek said. Penning joined directors Deb Eschweiler and Rebecca Kauten last year, and the students immediately noticed Penning’s “out the norm” behavior toward speech. “I wasn’t positive about coming out for speech team, but when I actually auditioned and saw the deep enthusiasm he has for speech and energy he’s willing to put forth, I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” junior Allison Duchman said. Penning has nothing but high hopes for the future of the speech program. The pieces he picks for speech reflect that. “I feel that the pieces he brings to competition are all fun, energetic pieces that are appropriate for the youthful audience that he works with. He has the ability
to both rile us and yet always can bring us back down to reality and focus on making some amazing theatrical works,” senior Tyler Schaub said. Last year, this speech coach rookie proved to the unsure speech participants that anything was possible with a little dedication.
to put myself out there. When I first started acting, I was, well pathetic, but with Ryan’s help, I am able to throw myself into character without hesitation or thought,” junior Kassandra Salmon said. Stronger acting wasn’t the only thing Penning created; he also created stronger students. “I was very timid about joining this as everything dealing with acting is new to me this year. Ryan encouraged me to get involved and helped me understand the process. He has brought me out of my shell and has made everything enjoyable for me,” junior Karen Davidson said. “I think his energy and experience inspires each and every one of us; otherwise, there is no way we would get this far while having this much fun. He is committed and cares about each of us individually.” Penning’s ability to bring the best out of his actors both on stage and in their own lives is just part of the qualities that brings him so much success. “He stays connected to his students and their social lives. Unlike other teachers, he actually listens and discusses issues or daily happenings with us. He’s the greatest friend/coach combo there can be,” junior Riley Martin said. Penning also demonstrates raw talent for understanding not just his actors but his audience as well. “Ryan helped us create characters that the audience could sympathize with rather than just directing a show that parents were happy to see their kids in. [Ryan has] sheer determination and talent [for speech]. A natural aptitude for theatre,” junior Blake Cervetti said.
“Ryan encouraged me to get involved & helped me understand the process. He has brought me out of my shell & has made everything enjoyable for me.” -Karen Davidson (’10) “Ryan got our musical theatre group into All State, which hasn’t happened in a long time,” junior Gage Stoneman said. Penning’s success doesn’t come easily. Like everyone else, it takes him a few tries before he can get his performances exactly right. “As one of the people who continued on to All State musical theatre last year, I believe we could not have succeeded without Ryan Penning’s helping hand. He was always changing things, whatever he could to take our performance to the next level. He also listened to everyone’s ideas, and if he liked them, he incorporated them into our pieces,” sophomore Sam Takes said. Penning’s unique directing ability has taught students how to become better actors than they have ever dreamed possible. “Not only has Ryan managed to handle a crazy schedule with ease and organization, but he has also managed to get me to open up and to not be afraid
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Staff Writer
At their District contest last weekend at Union Laporte City High, the speech team had a strong way with their words, qualifying 10 ensembles to the state contest that will be held Feb. 7 at Decorah High School. Head coach Rebecca Kauten said she was happy with the speech team turnout this year. “We had a fantastic day this past Saturday. We took 52 students to contest and performed 11 different ensembles,” Kauten said. The ensembles are rated by judges with only Division I ratings advancing on to state. For the Reader’s Theatre ensemble from Cedar Falls, Laura Streicher, Courtney Hicks, Selah Ulmer, Stephanie Cox, Gwen Farber, and Alex Staudt received a Division I rating. The One-Act Play cast of Sam Gaffney, Michaela Oehler, Olivia Franke, Alli Duchman, Brian Harris, Stephanie Cox, Darby Sheehan, Gage Stoneman, Blake Cervetti, Riley Martin, Dylan Martin, Arlene Freudenberg, Katelin Deserano, Dan Harter, Kassy Salmon, Lukas Shwekendiek, Emily Weno, Katie McDaniel, Kayla Andorf and Austin Christensen received a Division I rating. The Choral Reading group of Alli Duchman, Sam Takes, Hannah Wilson, Sara Strever, Dylan Martin, Darby Sheehan, Emily Highnam, Dan Harter, Karen Davison, Blake Cervetti, Arlene Freudenberg and Carter Allen were also given a Division I rating. For the Musical Theatre portions, the productions of “Dr. Horrible” and “A Tribute to Powerful Women” both received Division I ratings. In the Ensemble Acting genre, “The Other Shakespeare” cast of Tyler Schaub and Ellen Wrede raked in a Division I rating, along with the team of Alicia Palas and Maggie Devine for “As You Like It” and Sarah Halloran, Jasmine Singh, Deanna Ament and Mackensie Smith for “Steel Magnolias.” Next up at the contest was the Improv portion, unique to the speech program. Students draw a piece of paper that has a random situation on it, and they must act it out on the spot. Amanda Wolf and Rhys Talbot acted out “NASCAR: The Musical” and received a Division I rating. Matt Vichlach, Maggie Talbot and Leah Franke performed “A Musical Murder
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[1 & 2] Tyler Schaub (’09) & Darby Sheehan (’10) undergo extreme makeovers in preparation for the One Act Play of Medea. [3] Carter Allen (’10) gets his drama on in the school performance of Dr. Horrible, playing none other than Billy (Dr. Horrible) himself. [4] Director Ryan Penning has proved to be a huge hit amongst speech team members, helping CFHS to win 10 Division I ratings, sending them all to State Feb. 7.
Speech team has their eyes on the prize Ben Olson
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Mystery” and were given a Division II ranking. The final performances of the day were radio broadcasts, and the “KDVA News” cast of Amanda Kroemer, Alicia Palas, Leah Franke and Kellie Petersen received a Division I for their show. Overall, the team had a virtual Division I sweep of all their performances. “We only had one group receive a Division II rating. As I mentioned to the team on the bus ride home, it’s good to have at least one II in the mix. It reminds us that we did well, but we still need to work on our material. We can’t walk into contest and just think we’re automatically going to earn a Division I rating. It does take work on the part of the performers,” Kauten said. A huge part of the team’s success came from overwhelming parent support at the contest. “We had a great turnout from parents. It’s always important to not only have parents aware of the work their kids are doing, but also to enjoy the fruits of their labors. I got to meet a lot of new parents this weekend. I love that,” Kauten said. Unfortunately, the success of speech team is often forgotten due to lack of knowledge from other students. It is rare that there is a large student crowd at a speech competition, unlike say, a basketball game. “I sense that as an extracurricular activity, speech team often goes overlooked. As a parent said last weekend at contest after seeing a play, ‘I thought all you guys did was give speeches,’” Kauten said. According to Kauten, there is so much more to the team than just speeches like many students think. There truly is something for everyone. “The possibilities for performance and use of the spoken word are far more diverse. We have opportunities for group performance and also individual events. The individual events contest dates begin in February. We will host a second recital the first full week of March for parents and friends to take in those performances as well,” Kauten said. Assistant coach Deb Eschweiler is also a strong believer in the speech program. “Speech team is a fun and valuable experience for everyone involved, and I’m so glad to see our team continuing to grow,” Eschweiler said.
r n T t E n 6 m n i
N eW Rel eases
•Lily Allen It’s Not Me, It’s You •Courtney Love Nobody’s Daughter •Busta Rhymes B.O.M.B. •Missy Elliott Block Party
Movies:
•He’s Just Not That Into You •Coraline •The Pink Panther 2 •Push
F eature Pod cast This week’s feature podcast as well as eight others that are updated every other week can be found on The Tiger Hi-Line Online (http://www.cedar-falls.k12.ia.us/ buildings/cfhs/journalism/index. html) by following the podcast links. Internet Explorer does not work for viewing this site. Use Safari, Firefox or Opera for best results. The website is also linked off the high school’s website.
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Feb. 4, 2009
Revolutionary Road paints tragic suburban picture Torie Jochims
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Entertainment Editor
With two mega stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, this film was expected to be a hit right from the start – even more so since this was the first film the pair had starred in opposite one another since the highest grossing film of all time – Titanic. But drawing comparisons between the two would do this new cinematic masterpiece no justice at all. Set in the 1950s, DiCaprio and Winslet play a suburban couple who thought in the beginning that falling in love and living together would become a fantasy fulfilled, but instead it brought them jarringly into the roles of married life and all the harsh realities that come with it. After awhile, the couple’s “temporary” move from Manhattan to the suburbs in Connecticut becomes a daily grind that could bring even the sanest into a stir-crazy insanity. The Wheelers (DiCaprio and Winslet) begin a blooming family, with two children and an unwanted third pregnancy. Mix in adultery on both ends and stifled dreams, and you find yourself right in the mix of Revolutionary Road with all its lavishly dark suburban troubles. April (Winslet) dreams of moving to Paris to support her husband as a
What happens instead, is that John’s striking ability to see straight through the Wheelers’ façade and speak the absolute, heart-stopping truth about the hypocrisy that runs thick through April and Frank’s relationship, and the pair are forced to come to terms with their ongoing problems. The film is, overall, devastatingly good and, in many ways, just plain devastating, but DiCaprio and Winslet once more steal the show with their breath-taking ability to get so into their characters that you lose sight of the superstar acting before your eyes and find yourself fully immersed in the lives of Frank and April, and photo by Francois Duhamel once in this world of mind-numbing suburban life held together with pipeguments with fiery intensity between dreams of escaping to Paris , you can’t the two. As they say, ignorance is easily claw your way out. Frank’s bliss, and the Wheelers seem to use beliefs become yours; April’s troubles this as a motto in their attempts to make you examine your own life. convince themselves that they aren’t This exanimate nature of the film is on a sinking ship. perhaps what leaves it striking chords All it really takes, though, is a intensely, as the parallels between visit from the son of their real estate their world and yours can at times be lady (Kathy Bates) for an already frightening, and the refusal to redeem, teetering lifestyle to come crashthe sheer lack of a fairy tale ending ing down. John (Michael Shannon) makes this adaptation of Richard comes to a Wheeler family dinner Yates’ 1961 novel a chilling example at the bidding of his mother (Bates) because she thinks it would be a good of how easy losing yourself can be when society’s definition of life gets in thing for her institutionalized son to the way. see how a normal family works.
translator at the American Embassy while Frank (DiCaprio) follows his artistic dreams. But everything gets put on hold, time and again in such a way that lights the fuse on a marital powder keg that leads to countless ar-
Photos from Paramount Vintage
Kate Winslet’s April Wheeler contemplates her failing dreams in a sea of people (top) while DiCaprio’s Frank heads to another day of mind-numbing work, watching his life pan out far from what he’d originally planned (bottom).
Do You Have Any Oscar Picks? Monica Reida
Matt Vichlach
Ms. DeMoss
The Working World with host Blake Ruane
This is where we find out how students enjoy their jobs and balance them with the expectations of school. Jan. 23/ Episode Eight Now that we’re back from break and snow days, senior Alison Jaynes shares how she coaches six graders in volleyball.
For Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire is indestructible. Sean Penn has the best chance for Best Actor.
Best Picture—Slumdog Millionaire. Heath Ledger’s going to get his Oscar, and Kate Winslet will get Best Actress.
Hands down Slumdog Millionaire for Best Picture, it was like no other movie I’ve ever seen. And Heath for Best Supporting Actor.
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Feb. 4, 2009
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Mixed fortunes for men and women vs. West • Lady Tigers end up on losing side in fast-paced thriller last Friday By Paul Strike Sports Editor
Playing at Waterloo West on Friday night, the Lady Tigers were already facing an uphill climb. They couldn’t quite pull out a road win against their cross-town rivals, as they lost 51-45 to the Wahawks. Games against Waterloo West always have the added element of stick-it-in-your-face bragging rights. This intense rivalry gave the game a heightened sense of emotion. Unfortunately, the cards just didn’t quite play out for Cedar Falls. The Tigers were caught off-guard by the fast pace of the game, and they found themselves down by eight at half-time. “We didn’t play very well in the second quarter, but after half we picked it up and took it to them,” junior Linden Terpstra said. The Tigers did pick it up after the break and turned the game into an intense affair. The teams went back and forth until Jayden Spencer and the Wahawks started making big shots, while the Tigers couldn’t find the net. The Wahawks took advantage of the Tigers’ missed shots and widened the gap enough to take the game away from the Tigers.
“West has a good team this year. They did what they had to do to win,” Terpstra said. The Tigers, now 5-11 overall, will need to improve if they want to make it to the state tournament. In order to do that, they will most likely have to face none other than Waterloo West again. The team has really improved drastically already. After a tough stretch at the beginning of the season, the Tigers have seemed like a different team as of late. “We kind of got off to a rough start, but we get better every game, and it feels like we are all playing together,” Terpstra said. The Tigers have four games left until Districts start up, and they are aware of both their strengths and weaknesses. The bad first: the Tigers haven’t really been able to execute offensively. Their preventive defense, though, picks up the slack and keeps them in games. “We have been able to take away the opposing teams’ strengths with our defenses,” junior Laura Johnson said. The Mississippi Valley Conference schedule continues for the squad. Next up for the Lady Tigers is Dubuque Senior, who they will play at home at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Sports Editor
Two Saturdays ago the Tigers competed in the MVC Meet taking 2nd out of the 14 teams. They were only defeated by Dubuque Senior, who is led by senior Jordan Huff. Huff placed 24th in the Olympic Trials this passed year, swimming in the 100 Free. He is yet to be beaten by anyone in Iowa. One of the leaders of the Tigers team is junior Garrett Moses. Garrett goes to Dike-New Hartford, but he swims for CF because they don’t have a team in Dike. Garrett competed in the 200 free, the 100 free, the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay. Garrett came in second in all of his events
behind Huff. Garrett will give it his all when he meets up with Huff again at State in the 100 free, the 200 free and the 100 and 200 free relays. “Hopefully, I will be the first one from Iowa to beat him,” Garrett said. Senior Brian Verink contributed to the second place finish, winning the 500 free, placing second in the 200 IM, 200 Medley relay and the 400 free relay. Verink swam well and said he hopes to do well at State alongside Garrett. Last but not least, sophomore Austin Abbas swam in the 200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 100 back and the 400 free relay. He finished second in all of his events. The next meet up for the Tigers is Districts on Saturday.
of the
Kyle Soldwisch Men’s Basketball Senior 1. What do you like the most about basketball? I’ve always been interested, and it has always been fun for me. 2. What individual goals do you have? To make a State run. 3. How do you prepare before games? I hang out in the locker room, stretch and wait for the game. 4. Do you have a role model, Who/why? My dad because he always sets good examples.
Tigers in Action Ben Sadkowski Photo
Sophomore Luke Meyers dunks the ball during a sophomore victory against Waterloo West last Friday.
Men’s swimming places 2nd at Conference By Nick Penticoff
Athlete Week
Senior Brian Verink and Junior Garrett Moses cheer on team at MVC Conference Meet.
Men’s Basketball (8-5) Beat Waterloo West 51-41 Beat Mason City 61-44 Next: Dub. Senior 2/6 (6 p.m @ Dub. Senior.) Women’s Basketball (5-11) Lost to Waterloo West 51-45 Next: Dub. Senior 2/6 (6 p.m. @ Home) Men’s Bowling Lost to CR Kennedy 1/30 Next: Dub. Senior 2/6 (3:45 p.m. @ Dub. Senior) Women’s Bowling Beat Waterloo East 1/29 Lost vs. CR Kennedy 1/30 Next: Dub. Senior 2/6 (3:45 p.m. @ Dub. Senior) Men’s Swimming Placed 2nd at MVC Supermeet 1/24 Next: Districts 2/7 (12:30 p.m. @ TBA) Wrestling Beat Waterloo East 1/29 Next: Linn-Mar 2/5 (6:15 p.m. @ Linn-Mar)
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Oh, Here It Goes, i r Here It Goes, Here It Goes Again.
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Begin: Second Semester
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Feb. 4, 2009
Far Left: Jerry Stoss (’09) is utterly fascinated with the physics experiment. Left: Laura Zeman (’09) shares some good laughs with her new friends at Southdale during Harmony’s Mix It Up Lunch. Below: Amongst her busy schedule, Ashlee Graham (’10) enjoys the relaxed, expressive atmosphere of drawing class.
Tyler Schaub, Katie Hunt & Liz Fuller Photographs
“The Sun Always Shines Down Under”
OIL CHANGE and LUBE OIL FILTER (up to 6 quarts, synthetic is extra)
$21.95
6283 University Ave Cedar Falls (319)-277-6200
Student Intro Special
20 points for $20 (Student ID Required)
Expires 02/10/09. Tax included, not valid with any other offer. Limit one per person. 6322 University Ave, Cedar Falls 268- 2031 and 275 E. San Marnan Dr., Waterloo 232-4554