Jan 17, 2014 tiger hi line

The

Tiger HI-LINE

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Volume 53 Edition 13

2013 Replay Hi-Line recaps the best in video games of last year/page 8 Follow us on Twitter at tigerhiline, Facebook at TigerHilineOnline and on our website at www.hiline.cfschools.org

Chromebooks create new opportunities With the addition of Chromebooks to the technology of Cedar Falls High School and the retirement of Bev Wait from the MRC, many students and faculty are interested to know what changes will take place in the building. Many have speculated what will happen to the various computers around the building and how the old computer labs will be utilized, in addition to curiosity of whether a new teacher will be hired in Wait’s place with possible changes to makeup test procedures.

Chromebooks cost the school $250 each. They were selected for the school because, according to CFHS principal Dr. Rich Powers, they were “the best value with a three-year replacement cycle.”

Replacement of Chromebooks every three years will allow students to get better use out of their Chromebooks as the device receives updates and

continues to develop and create new models. “They’ll do many things. They’ll never be perfect, but they can do video editing and audio work. Obviously, Google docs is different for everyone. Anytime you’re used to something, you’re going to prefer that [because a new device] is different. It’s going to take time, and it’s a learning process.”

All CFHS students received their Chromebooks this week. With every student in the building having their own Chromebook in their possession, students and teachers have speculated on what will become of the desktop computers currently in the building.

Regarding this, Powers said, “The Chromebooks will do 90 to 95 percent of what we need them to do. We are going to remove some of the computers, such as some in the computer labs in business education and the library classroom.

The MRC will stay, minimally, until the end of the year. All of the other labs will stay until a replacement cycle comes up.

We aren’t going to take away the other labs until we’re more confident in what our needs are.”

Powers plans to turn the library classroom into a small store/coffee shop that students can relax and study in called “The Tiger Den.” Once the MRC is no longer needed for computers, it will turn into a classroom. Makeup tests will be taken in the library and will be distributed by a new teacher that has just been hired to replace Wait. She will learn the test taking procedures of each teacher and take over all of the responsibilities previously held

by Wait. “Mrs. Wait was here for a very long time. Individual teacher requirements, like any relationship, is going to take time,” Powers said, “Any time you’re talking about replacing

a long-time employee like Mrs. Wait, there’s going to be a long transition period. It’s going to be hard to fill her shoes.”

In addition to the Chromebooks, students will soon be utilizing a website called Schoology, which is similar to Infinite Campus, but more student and teacher based. This is a site where teachers can post assignments, grades and even quizzes for students to take.

It is a website specifically designed so teachers can better assist students in their learning by having them take comprehension quizzes and better keep track of grades and assignments. With online assignment submissions through Schoology, teachers will have an easier time grading and quickly submitting scores. Most importantly, students will receive immediate feedback on their learning and grades with the site. Teachers will facilitate use of the site for students, and

The addition of new technology at Cedar Falls High School has come fast, bringing lots of new changes.

The Chromebook weighs 2.4 pounds. Google says the device holds more than 6.5 hours of battery life, making it last throughout most of the school day. It holds about 16GB of storage on the device’s hard drive — a relatively small amount — but memory will be stored in the Cloud. The computer comes with a guarantee of 100GB of free Google Drive storage. Old Word documents and Powerpoint presentations can be uploaded to your Google Drive account, making archiving easy.

The Chromebook comes with built in virus and malware protection. It is a fast device, booting up in under 10 seconds and doesn’t slow down over time compared to other computers.

The device has two USB ports, an HDMI port, a headphone jack and a 0.3 MP webcam. Headphones must be provided by students, and

inexpensive earbuds will be for sale in the Media Center. The USB ports allow users to connect a mouse or flash drive as needed. The computer is also Bluetooth enabled. Students will receive a protective sleeve and AC charger with the device.

Personalizing the Chromebook is easy. To change the wallpaper, right-click the desktop and select “Set Wallpaper.” The browser theme can also be changed under Settings>Appearance>Get themes. No stickers or decals are allowed to be placed on the computer unless approved by the district.

As of now, Google Hangouts and Google + are blocked on the device.

If a student leaves the device at home, they can stop in the library and pick up a loaned Chromebook. It must be returned by 3:15 p.m. However, forgetting the device is discouraged, as the librarians will record the number of times a student borrows a loaner. A report will be submitted to the

administration if a student forgets more than two times in a semester.

Like any computer, Chromebooks are sensitive to extreme temperatures. They should be kept away from small children, pets, food, and drinks to keep them in the best condition possible.

The Chromebooks allow students to download Chrome browser extensions and apps from the Google App store. All downloads are required to be appropriate — if not, disciplinary action will occur, according to administration. Many apps require an Internet connection, but certain ones like Gmail and Google Docs can be used without.

Student email accounts on the Chromebook are provided by the district, and they reserve the right to archive, monitor and/or review all emails. Students “should not have any expectation of privacy in any electronic message created, sent or received on the District’s email system,” according to the Technology Handbook

released for parents and students.

Although the computers have opportunities for a number of creative online gaming apps, gaming will not be permitted on the Chromebooks unless the game is educational and allowed by teachers.

The Media Center will have technical support available for students. All repairs will be handled by the help desk staff, such as hardware repairs and maintenance, password resetting, warranty repairs, loaned Chromebooks and user account support.

If a Chromebook or its accessories are damaged, students must pay for the full repairs or replacement. If the device is stolen, an official police report must be submitted through the school.

Chromebooks and their accessories will be turned in during the final week of school.

Returning students will be assigned the same device for the successive years.

the administration plans to try to ease students into use of the site. Powers said, “We’re going to take baby steps this spring, and then we’ll continue to move in the right direction as our needs allow and as our teachers’ skills evolve. Technology is an important tool, but it’s not the end game. The content is the focus.”

Powers believes that the Chromebooks and Schoology will be a very beneficial tool for Cedar Falls High School. “It’s about the student. If you’re taking a test on Schoology, and you get immediate feedback, that helps you as a learner.

We’re in business to support students. Our focus is on what helps students, and what helps [them] the most is regular, consistent, accurate feedback on your learning.”

By Editor-in-Chief Mallory

VALLENTINE

Find your way around new laptop with these tips

By Editor-in-Chief Martha

HALL

Chromebook tips • • • • • • • • • •

•

Caps lock is ALT + SEARCH Delete with ALT + backspace Lock with CTRL + SHIFT +L View history with CTRL +H Open incognito window with CTRL + SHIFT + N Toggle bookmark bar on and off with CTRL + SHIFT + B Reopen the last closed tab with CTRL + SHIFT +T Hold SHIFT when refreshing a page for more options Download a link by pressing ALT + clicking the link Save webpages and articles for later, even without an Internet connection with Pocket Take class notes on Google Keep

Editor’s Note: The Hi-Line website will offer more tips in about a week.

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The

Tiger

NEWS

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Junior on track to graduate early While the majority of high school students decide to just wait and graduate after three full years at the high school, a good chunk of students decide to graduate at the end of first semester in their senior year, and this year one junior will exit an entire year early if all goes according to her plans.

CFHS counselor Josh Carnelley said that every year “there are around 20 to 25 seniors [who graduate early] and one, maybe two, juniors.”

This year, just one junior has decided to graduate a year early: Alex Weidenbacher, who said, “I want to get on with my life and make something of myself.”

However the road isn’t completely smooth sailing. “I haven’t finished my senior credits yet, so I’m taking a bunch of online classes,” Weidenbacher said.

As the second semester of the school year kicks off, the already short amount of time is crunched even shorter for this junior, but that’s not stopping a determined Weidenbacher, who said, “I’m taking classes that are a month long in [about] two weeks.”

There are a couple more

main steps that students must complete if they’re looking to graduate early. “You have to be accepted into a post-secondary education, and the school board has to approve of your early graduation,” Carnelley said.

Nothing is fully set in stone, but Weidenbacher said, “I’m thinking of going to Hawkeye for a semester and then transferring to UNI.” This past semester there were 23 seniors who took advantage of the early graduation and ended their high school careers a semester early right before the new year.

Though it is an option, early graduation isn’t for everyone. “It depends what you’re looking for and what you want,” Weidenbacher said.

The world outside the high school doors and walls is very different for everyone. Most people thrive on the newness of it and adjust very well. “Every student is different; different situation, student and why [they want to graduate early],” Carnelley said. “Every student needs a specific plan.”

HI-LINE

Fall Graduates for 2013 Ackles, Carl Bergman, Amy Bergmeier, Ashley Campbell, Xavier Carpenter, Allison Chekal, Bailey Crow, Nicholas Dye, Samantha Fleshner, Justin Fox, Jocelyn Gray, Lydia Hingtgen, Seth Joway, Solomie Lumetta, Amanda Moon, Michael Runge, Haley Salmon, Katryna Sanousi, Omar Snyder, Kaitlin Stabenow, Quinn Usher, Kelsey Wait, Alana Wolf, Lauren Junior Alex Weidenbacher is the lone junior on track to graduate one year early this spring.

Staff Writer Mackenzie

DALLENBACH

Some staff explore new web resource before next year’s launch With the majority of the Google Chromebooks already rolled out, there is another change coming to CFHS technology use. Schoology is a Facebook-type network, but for academics.

Schoology offers many more services, however, including uploading and viewing grades; posting assignments; taking tests and quizzes; posting upcoming calendar events for assignments and such; and hosting a Facebook-like social network.

It also has a wide variety of apps on its app store, including Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox and Khan Academy.

Students can download apps and use them from their main Schoology screen.

This semester, some teachers will be encouraged to use Schoology, but for the majority of the teachers, Infinite Cam-

pus will be the norm. It is expected that Schoology will be used more widely across the district beginning next year.

Coordinator of Instructional Technology Brian Unruh is excited by the many ways that Schoology can affect students and the school in the long run.

“I think for students, it will be a nice way for them to stay organized and have one place to refer back to for all of their classes. It will be one place that has the latest updates from all of your teachers and looking to see what assignments are coming up,” Unruh said. “I can see it being a great way for teachers and students to communicate back and forth with each other about their learning.”

Schoology is most likely to be used along with Infinite Campus and not replacing it because the district uses the data that it collects from Infi-

nite Campus to report to the state.

“An example would be like attendance would be taken through Infinite Campus, and there might be a classroom discussion or other assignment that would be using Schoology for the students. Grades can potentially be done in either program, but they will eventually all be put into Infinite Campus,” Unruh said.

Media specialist Kim Traw said she thinks that Schoology can only help students feel more comfortable while using their new Chromebooks.

“I think it will help students be more organized and help students and teachers make more efficient use of the Chromebooks that are distributed,” Traw said.

Staff Writer Zuhayr

ALAM

English teacher Courney Lubs is a member of a high school teacher team assisting with integrating new technology, and she is exerimenting with the new Schoology account that will officially kick off for all staff and students in the 2014-2015 school year. Its portal for school work collaborations among all staff and students shares many features somewhat similar to Facebook.

The

Tiger

HI-LINE

OPINION

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Looking Back:

3

Our View

Cedar Falls High School has lots to be proud of

With 2013 wrapped up, students are looking backward, but also forward, to further better the Tiger spirit.

Last year was a busy year for us Tigers on a range of issues from sports to academia to changes in policy, such as physical education becoming a part of the student GPA. Each student adjusted to new

classes in eight-period days and marched one year closer to that fabled senior year.

This year, the high school has improved quite a lot of things, such as a grant to innovate our PE programs and every single student receiving a Chromebook.

We had many achievements, such as the food drive

where we raised about 15,000 pounds of food and the successful launch of the Academic Zone to make the new eighthour days much less painful.

Also, we were honored on the 2013 AP District Honor Roll. College Board puts it like this: “Reaching these goals indicates that these districts are successfully identifying moti-

vated, academically prepared students who are likely to benefit from rigorous AP coursework.”

Six Iowa schools were also honored for “Breaking Barriers” this year, and out of 99 school districts in Iowa, Cedar Falls High School hit the top six because African American students delivered an amazing

84.7 percent proficiency rate in reading and mathematics while the statewide average for this subgroup is 46.3 percent.

So the Hi-Line would like to congratulate Cedar Falls High School as a collective: all teachers, all students and everyone in between, for a great start of the 2013-2014 school year. Keep it up Tigers!

Changes in School: Martha: I would like to see a strong recycling program at CFHS. There is a small recycling program currently, but not many students actually use it. I see countless bottles thrown in the trash when they could be recycled. A composting program for food in the cafeteria would be awesome too. We shouldn’t be throwing so many plastic utensils away.

side to get to class. Like some sort of tent or mini-hallway thing.

It gets cold and wet and windy outside.

grades.

along.

Austin: I want to see students inspired to be great and inspired to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

Olivia: I think the coffee shop would be a great addition to the school. It would be nice if they provided healthier options for students as well.

Ellen: I would like to see stronger cooperation among countries. It seems every meeting between countries is either so formal or so ceremonial that nothing actually gets done. I hope people actually make an effort to learn about different situations and problems in the world, both in other developed countries and in third-world countries. We all know that people are suffering, but until we make an effort to learn about the problems, nothing can be done.

Ellen: I’d like to see a change in the political environment.

People are so tired with the state of government and politics in this country that they don’t care anymore, but the only way it’s going to change is if people actually do care. As a society we need to stop complaining about politics, actually learn about our government’s history and current policies, and start to engage in respectful, proactive discussions that can generate some real change.

Mallory: I’d like to see a more effective use of student parking, or at least a plan from school leaders to make school parking better than it is.

Olivia: I want everyone to be treated equally, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality. It’s kind of ridiculous that this hasn’t been met yet.

Changes in the World: Austin: I want to see people caring for each other because love is happy.

Mallory: I’d like to see better communication among countries. Instead of hiding things from each other and trying to get the upper hand on other countries, we should just focus on communicating to work towards common goals and maintain peace.

Hi-Line staff share wishes for 2014

Kaitlyn: Faster Internet would be really nice for the next year because now the district is connecting Chromebooks to the Internet, including everyone’s iPods and phones. The system is going to be even slower then it is now, and that will make it harder for everyone to actually get anything done on the Internet. Editor’s Note: The high school recently received server upgrades matching the highest speeds of any other school in the state, so this wish came true!

Zuhayr: I would like to see some sort of covering for the people who have to walk out-

MacKenzie: This coming year I’d like to see smaller lunch shifts; it’s just so crowded and hot down in the cafeteria that a lot of students don’t like to eat down there, let alone even be down there just to sit. I’d also like to see better lunch choices, like fresher fruit.

Sara: I’d like to see more leadership and involvement in the school, and maybe some closeness between all the classes. It would make this school more of a community instead of a place where people dread to go to every day.

Ellen: I’d like to see a stronger sense of community among the students. It feels like a lot of activities such as sports and drama are very isolated, and cliques form depending on what “group” you’re in. We need to start supporting each other, regardless of group, activity or

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 fifth 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: Austin Anderson, Martha Hall, Mallory Vallentine and Ellen Wallingford Staff: Zuhayr Alam, Kaleb Bengston, Kaitlyn Brocka, Mackenzie Dallenbach, Olivia Heath and Abby Young

Abby: I would like to see students using the trash cans in the parking lot and not littering as often.

Zuhayr: I want to see everyone treated equally because that would be nice for people who are not considered equal yet.

Sara: It’d be cool if we could all stop bombing each other and just get along for once.

MacKenzie: I could say a lot of things that I would like the world to be, though many of them are impossible. I think something that the entire world should work on is communication. Yes, we don’t all speak the same language, but still, we should all make a better effort of trying to understand each other.

Kaitlyn: I want the world to start treating everyone, yes everyone, equally. We have tried and are slowly treating more and more people without discrimination, but some other parts of the world still discriminate against different people. I think by now we should all get over our differences, and everyone should get

Changes in the U.S.: MacKenzie: I would love to see stronger laws regarding animal abuse and animal cruelty.

The things that a lot of people do to animals are horrible and unimaginably sick. Animals can’t really fight back. They can bite, scratch or kick, but legally they can’t stick up for themselves.

Mallory: I’d like to see a stronger fight against issues in our society today involving equality. Whether it be discrimination by race, gender or sexual orientation, I would like to see it lessened in the United States. If everyone could treat each other with equality and fairness, I feel like the United States would be a much more accepting and inviting environment for all who live here.

Sara: I’d like to see more acceptance towards everyone, and yet let everyone be their own person and speak up for themselves. And more tolerance for those who are different than the rest.

Austin: I want to see our country come together in great unity. We are the UNITED States and people are awesome. I also want to see the Lions win the Super Bowl.

Zuhayr: I would like to see everyone in America get along, and I would also like to see the Packers win the Super Bowl again.

Kaitlyn: In the U.S. I would like to see a difference when I watch the news in the mornings or at night. I never really feel like I’m watching the news; its more like I’m watching people gossip about people getting in trouble or things that other countries are doing. I would like the news too focus on the U.S. just a bit more and on things that actually matter. Sorry, I can go to the baking channel If I wanna see how to make holiday cookies.

Olivia: Equality. It’s a major issue, and there needs to be less discrimination towards race, gender and sexuality.

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The

Tiger

Feature

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

New Years, New Tears

HI-LINE

Do New Year’s Resolutions Actually Work?

The holidays are long over. School has begun again. The world is back to the daily grind, deep in the cold of winter. But with the month of January comes New Year’s Resolutions. Gyms are flooded with the hopes of losing 10 pounds. Magazines advertise the new diet fads and healthy smoothie recipes. But, even a few weeks into January, the new year is forgotten and resolutions are abandoned. Which begs the question, do New Year’s Resolutions actually work?

Not really. According to The Hacked Mind, the majority of resolutions (88 percent) fail because of people’s conflicting desires. People want to be different, but they don’t want to change their bad habits. Also, because they wait until the New Year to change their flaws, success becomes distant and unattainable because people continue to push off their resolutions. This is why over half the population doesn’t make resolutions at all. Still, resolutions are popular, despite expected probability of failure. According to Barbara Bushman of Missouri State University, 45 percent of people make New Year’s resolutions, yet only eight percent fulfill their goal.

Year after year, the most popular New Year’s resolutions remain mostly the same. According to The Motley Fool, the most common resolutions are, not surprisingly:

1. Lose weight 2. Improve financial budgeting 3. Exercise more 4. Find a new/better job 5. Eat healthfully 6. Manage stress more effectively 7. Quit smoking/drinking 8. Improve a relationship 9. Stop procrastinating 10. Set aside time for yourself

These goals seem so unattainable, and with constant failure, many people think they are entirely impossible. But do not fear. There are still ways to make changes, and you can do this any time of the year, with any goal you like. If the term New Year’s resolutions freaks you out, call it something else. There don’t have to be conditions to your happiness or your way of life.

Tips for Making New Year’s Resoltuions Stick

Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound). This is according to Jacqueline Ratliff, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise, who also notes that motivation must be internal, as in enjoying the feelings of working out.

Form a Network of Support. Making changes is hard enough, but it’s definitely harder on your own. This year, talk to your family and friends about the changes you would like to make. If you want to eat healthier, ask your parents if they could buy more fruit or leave out some of the junk. Go to the grocery store with them and choose items yourself. Enlist a friend to be a workout buddy. Talk to your friends more about your feelings.

And remember, you could be a powerful support for someone.

Even if you don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, some people do, so try to be positive if they ever talk about their goals.

Change Your Goals. If you make the same goal every year and fail again and again, try doing something smaller that can lead to success within your larger goal. For example, if you want to be more positive, it’s nearly impossible to change your outlook on life around overnight. But, try giving a friend or stranger one compliment a day, or smiling more when passing people in the halls. Try thinking of three things you are thankful for before you go to bed. Because these goals are actually attainable, you will feel like you are accomplishing things, which will lead you to your ultimate goal of positivity.

Make Small Changes to your Daily Life. If committing yourself to one seemingly impossible task appears too daunting, do one or two small things each month to increase your general happiness. They may seem completely unrelated at first, but if they all make you happy, they can have a huge impact on your general outlook on life down the road. For example, start by cleaning your house. Purge your closet of the clothes you never wear, even if you always “mean to”; rearrange your furniture; clean your bathroom. These might seem like impossible tasks, but if you just do a little bit each weekend, the changes will soon add up.

Focus on Small Changes, Not the End Goal. Every year, “lose weight” reigns as one of the top goals on every New Year’s resolutions list. But completely changing your diet or your exercise habits overnight is very hard to do. Instead of eating very little to lose weight, focus on eating one piece of fruit a day. Try every day not to eat a processed snack. Then add another piece of fruit. Then add more veggies. Or instead of working out vigorously for two hours or trying to burn a thousand calories at every workout, start exercising for 20 minutes and add 10 minutes each week. Or, try to get in a 10- or 20-minute walk, inside or outside, every day. Stretch before you go to bed. Take the stairs more often. These small changes might not yield rocket-fast results, but they are much less likely to fail, and will build up to form healthy, sustainable habits, even once you reach your goal.

Accept Your Weaknesses. The thing to remember about New Year’s resolutions is that you are going to fail. At least every so often.

You are going to forget, mess up, make mistakes. And you can never know when mistakes will come. Failure can strike on Jan. 2 or Dec. 30, but no matter when it comes, you can’t let it throw you off. Don’t give up on your entire goal just because of one or two foibles. Accept what happened, and start fresh the very next minute. If you say, “Oh, I’ll start again tomorrow,” it’s easy to fall back into your bad habits, so even if you messed up once, don’t let the entire day go to waste. Still, it will likely take longer than one day to get back on track, so stay calm, stay positive and remember that everything you do, or everything you avoid, can have some sort of impact on your daily life and your happiness.

Editor -in-Chief Ellen Wallingford

The

Tiger

HI-LINE

Sports

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Head volleyball coach resigns After coaching volleyball at Cedar Falls High School for 14 years, head coach Matt Flaherty decided to resign.

“I’m going to miss having him as a coach the next two years. He made it very fun to play,” sophomore Emma Gerdes said.

The past couple of years Flaherty has considered resigning but just felt like this year was his time to step down and let someone else take over.

There was not a specific time that Flaherty knew he was going to be done coaching, but there was a time when he thought that he could be done.

The moment that really made him think that he could be done with coaching the varsity team was after they won the MVC tournament.

After coaching for some time, Flaherty has made many memories. Flaherty said what he will miss most about coaching varsity is, “the everyday interactive relationships with the girls. That part of it was fun. I’ll miss practices at times; definitely miss the competitions, but primarily the girls and just having fun with them.”

After playing for coach Flaherty for two years, junior Brittni Wright will be spending her third and final year playing volleyball at Cedar Falls for a different coach. “I’ll miss his enthusiasm for the game and his love for all of us. He worked with a lot of girls throughout his career, and it was obvious that he genuinely cared about us all. We ended on a great note being the first team to win the MVC tournament title, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for next season,” Wright said.

Flaherty is still staying involved in coaching and volleyball by helping out with a newly formed Cedar Falls club volleyball program. This program was started by Adam Timmins, Flaherty’s former assistant coach, Flaherty himself and a few other people. “It’s a little more relaxing, and I still get to be involved in coaching,” Flaherty said.

There have not been any decisions made on who will be the head coach for next season yet.

By Staff Writer Abby

YOUNG

Athlete of the

5 Week

Brennan Brimeyer Bowling

Junior Brennan Brimeyer is helping turn around the Cedar Falls High School bowling program.

Kylee Ferrell Photo

The 2013 CFHS women’s volleyball team will be the last under coach Matt Flaherty as he has decided to step down as head coach of Cedar Falls women’s volleyball.

Tigers struggle, metro rival Waterloo West up next

The CFHS men’s basketball team got the season started off strong with two victories: one against Decorah-North Winneshiek and the other versus Waterloo East.

Following a tough six-point road loss at Iowa City High, the Tigers faced the toughest two-game stretch of any team in the state of Iowa.

Iowa City West game to town riding a 56-game winning streak and easily edged the Tigers.

The latter half of the tough twogame stretch came against Dubuque Senior who beat Cedar Falls and later went on to snap the Iowa City West 60-game winning streak.

Following a loss to Ames, the Tiger men welcomed Linn-Mar and sophomore guard Jordan Bohannon, younger brother of current UNI Panther Matt Bohannon and Wisconsin alum Jason Bohannon.

Linn-Mar took the lead in the fourth quarter after being down by double digits, but aggressive play Jessica Ubben photo from the Tigers took the lead back and snapped their four-game losing Junior Drew Marchesani puts up a floater streak.

After a tough road loss in a rein the lane over Linn-Mar sophomore Jorscheduled game against Dubuque dan Bohannon in Cedar Falls’ 71-62 win.

Hempstead, a good opportunity to bounce back against a 2-7 Cedar Rapids Prairie team arose, but 5’9 junior guard Michael Mims kept getting inside for the Prairie Hawks and led all scorers with 22 points as Prairie defeated Cedar Falls 55-51.

“We worked hard and had a ton of energy in practice, but we just didn’t bring it to the game. We didn’t have good energy and just didn’t do the little things to win,” junior forward Keeon Johnson said.

The 3-6 Tigers are back in action against Waterloo West and Lincoln Conrey on Friday, Jan. 17. Conrey is coming off his most impressive effort of the season against Waterloo East where he totalled 28 points and 23 rebounds. Keeping the 6’5 forward under control will be the Tigers best hope in starting to get their season headed back around in the right direction.

“We can turn it around, but we need to get our energy level way up and play our game,” Johnson said.

By Editor-in-Chief Austin

ANDERSON

How is the team doing so far?

We haven’t won a meet yet, and we’re not doing the best, but we’re getting better.

What made you decide to go out for bowling?

At first I went out as a joke, but then I realized I was pretty good, and it was fun.

What are your goals for the rest of your high school bowling career?

I want to bowl a 300.

Tigers in

Action

Men’s Basketball Jan. 17 @ Waterloo West 6 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Jan. 17 Home Waterloo West 6 p.m.

Wrestling Jan 18. Valley WDM dual tournament 9 a.m.

Men’s Swimming Jan. 18 CR WashingtonFerguson Invite 12:30 p.m.

Bowling Jan. 18 Clinton Invite 10 a.m.

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The

ENTERTAINMENT

Tiger

HI-LINE

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Hi-Line staff revisits 2013 favorites

MUSIC

MacKenzie Dallenbach: “Try” by Pink.

The lyrics just get stuck in your head along with the melody and beat. Plus I have always been a big fan of Pink.

Ellen Wallingford: “Brave” by Sara Bareilles. I have always loved Sara Bareilles, and her new album, The Blessed Unrest, is amazing as always. Brave is especially catchy, and I really like the positive message of the song. I wish more songs today carried positive themes, because Sara Bareilles does it beautifully.

Kaleb Bengston: “Awake” by Urban Rebel. It was a song I ran across whilst looking for songs by (Hed) PE. This song does feature (Hed) PE and the meaning of the song speaks loudly to me.

Mallory Vallentine: “Lose Yourself to Dance” by Daft Punk. Daft Punk has been one of my favorite artists ever since I was in the late part of elementary school. I was insanely excited when they released their new album Random Access Memories. It has the classic style of Daft Punk mixed with new sounds, and “Lose Yourself to Dance” is definitely my favorite song because it’s catchy and has kind of an old school feel.

Sara Ashar: “All That Matters” by Justin Bieber. Bieber has recently released a few singles and each of them include some R&B and less bubblegum pop. It’s a good transition from his past hits like “Baby.” It shows that he can mature as an artist and take on different styles of music.

Zuhayr Alam: I liked a variety of music this year, and it is hard to choose just one favorite.

Austin Anderson: With the all the great music that came out this year I’m going to have to pick Justin Timberlake as my music entertainer of the year. After dominating the industry in his youth and taking a break from music to pursue an acting career, he came back and dropped two full length albums and once again put himself in the hearts of people everywhere. He is the man.

Kaitlyn Brocka: “This Will Be the Day”

by Jeff Williams (Feat. Casey Williams) This is a song from an anime called RWBY, which you can find on youtube if you want to watch. It talks about how even if you’re just a kid you can be a hero and that your day will come to be that hero.

Olivia Heath: “Part II” by Paramore.

This is a song off of their new self titled album “Paramore,” and is a sequel to a former song called “Let the Flames Begin” on the album “Riot.” The new album, while sounding a little bit different from the others, still holds true to Paramore’s pop-punk roots. “Part II” is my favorite because it incorporates a lot of atmospheric guitar and drum solos and includes some lyrics from it’s prequel, “Let the Flames Begin.” I always think it’s cool when bands can creatively tie songs together.

Martha Hall: “Who” by David Byrne and St. Vincent. My two favorite artists collaborating? I am so in. David Byrne is most famous for founding the Talking Heads. I’m convinced that everything he does is genius. It’s brassy and loaded with funk. Annie Clark, most known as her stage name St. Vincent, is a huge inspiration to me. I hope to play electric guitar someday with half the finger agility that she has.

MOVIES

Ellen Wallingford: Catching Fire. Usually film adaptations are never as good as the book, but this movie far exceeded my expectations. The cinematography was beautiful, the plot was never dull, and the acting was brilliant on the part of all the actors. I cannot wait for the third and fourth installments.

Zuhayr Alam: Ender’s Game. I had not read the book, but I thought the trailers looked good, and I was not disappointed. It was a very good and gripping movie, and I was thoroughly entertained. I am reading the books now, and hopefully they make the rest of the movies in the series as well.

Mallory Vallentine: Iron Man 3. I’m a huge fan of any of the Marvel movies, but the Iron Man movies are definitely some of my favorites. Iron Man 3 had a great plot with lots of humor to balance out the seriousness of the movie, and it was great to see the character development that was incorporated in the movie. Plus, Robert Downey Jr. is insanely awesome in any role, especially as Tony Stark.

Martha Hall: Girl Most Likely. To be honest, I didn’t watch that many new movies this year, but I did enjoy this one. It’s about a high-society woman whose life is turned upside down and must live with her mother in New Jersey. Kristen Wiig is fantastic at playing funny, depressing characters.

Martha Hall Graphic

Kaitlyn Brocka: The Conjuring. It is a very creepy movie, and there’s a possessed doll in it, so if you don’t like getting scared or creeped out, you probably shouldn’t watch it. Also, it’s based off a real story, and they even have the real doll, so that makes it even creepier.

Kaleb Bengston: Carrie. Being a huge fan of that book, I had little hope for that movie to be something. I was pleasantly surprised. It held true to the book and added a little more to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

MacKenzie Dallenbach: World War Z! I don’t watch zombie movies often, but this one never had a dull moment and was fast paced start to finish. It kept my attention throughout the entire movie.

Olivia Heath: Warm Bodies. This movie is set in the zombie apocalypse. I really like the fact that the movie was narrated and centered around an actual zombie instead of the typical survivor story.

Abby Young: The Heat. This movie is very funny and keeps you laughing the whole time.

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Ellen Wallingford: This year novelbased video blogs have been on the rise. It started with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (LBD), a modern version of Pride and Prejudice told in the form of 100 short videos of Lizzie talking to the camera. Lizzie is so relatable to modern young people, and the story focuses more on Lizzie’s relationship with her sisters Jane and Lydia than on her relationship with Darcy (although Darcy is wonderfully played as well).

The next one to come out was The Autobiography of Jane Eyre, created by a group of young Canadians, and it tells the story of Jane in a similar way to that of LBD. However, it has a really artsy feel, both with the use of the camera and the contemplative writing. You cannot help but fall in love with Jane or Rochester.

The third video blog is another Austen story, created by the same people as LBD. Emma Approved is based off of Jane Austen’s Emma and has a much different feel than the other two. It is set in a business management corporation, where Emma is a stylish life coach and matchmaker who always thinks she’s right. This one is more professional, but the acting is still really good, and there are a lot of funny bits. Even though The LBD is finished, I keep up with The Autobiography of Jane Eyre and Emma Approved every week. The cool things about these stories is that they are more than videos; each story has a website, and the characters even have Tumblrs and Twitters.

Kaleb Bengston: InfoWars hits top for me. Both the website and Alex Jones’ podcasts and Nightly News have been a constant presence in my daily life.

InfoWars is an alternative news website dealing with so called “conspiracy theories” and news that you don’t hear on CNN or MSNBC. Alex Jones, the front man for Infowars.com, is a boisterous, sometimes outright confrontational character that keeps the audience both informed and entertained throughout the show. Though be warned: this website is not for everyone.

Mallory Vallentine: This year I discovered Rooster Teeth on Youtube. They are a company located in Austin, Texas, that creates entertaining videos about computer and video games. I specifically like watching the channel that branches off of Rooster Teeth called Lets Play, where they post “Let’s Play” videos, my favorites being their Minecraft videos.

The group of guys in the “Let’s Play Minecraft” videos create challenges and games to play within the world of Minecraft. Every guy in the videos is absolutely hilarious, and there isn’t a single video of theirs that doesn’t make me laugh.

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Olivia Heath: Hyperbole and a Half is combination of a blog and a web comic written by Allie Brosh. Most of the posts feature stories from her life including her childhood, her dogs and the struggles she faces as an adult. These blog posts are accompanied by comics drawn in Paintbrush. Recently this year, Brosh released her first book based on her blog, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem and Other Things That Happened, which is on the New York Times Best Sellers List. Allie writes with an amazing sense of humor and a lot of her posts are really relatable.

Her blog never fails to make me laugh.

Austin Anderson: I think my favorite Internet podcasts this year are definitely Austin Anderson’s Sports Talk. The dude is a genius and always comes up with pinpoint predictions while keeping you completely entertained the entire time. I would definitely check him out on YouTube!

Zuhayr Alam: No doubt it’s Austin Anderson’s Sports Talk. Along with that, it was fun seeing the Internet fads coming and going such as the Harlem Shake, Psy and The Fox. Kaitlyn Brocka: The Slow Mo Guys are two British guys that do very cool things in slow mo. For example, they shoot guns in a swimming pool, blew up a car, and blew up paint in slow mo. One of the guys in these videos is Gavin from the Rooster Teeth company that Mallory talked about, and so they are both very interesting to watch. I also believe that Rooster Teeth will be buying the Slow Mo Guys’ name so that they can link businesses since they have the same kind of viewers anyway.

MacKenzie Dallenbach: How Animals Eat Their Food by MisterEpicMann has to be my favorite YouTube video that came of in 2013. It’s about this one man acting out to his friend how certain types of animals eat their food, like a cow, lizard, Tyrannosaurus Rex and a kangaroo to just name a few. The video is about a minute and a half in length and has over 90 million views!

Martha Hall: I loved watching TED Talks this year. There are so many fascinating ones. To be honest, if school was eight hours of watching TED Talks, I would learn a lot more. One of my favorites was “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown. It was powerful and said a lot on humanity.

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BOOKS

It’s hard to read new books right when they come out, so most of these are not new, but they are what we have been reading the past year.

Ellen Wallingford: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, and his latest book did not disappoint.

Known for his strange yet beautiful fantasy, Gaiman has also written stories such as Coraline, Stardust and American Gods. While Gaiman’s works range from children’s fantasy to adult literature, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is like a fairytale for adults. It’s a bit dark, but the story is sure to wrap you up and keep you entranced until long after it is over.

Kaleb Bengston: It would have to be “Odd Apocalypse” by Dean Koontz.

Granted, the book came out late last year, but that’s the newest book I’ve read. Koontz has always been a favorite of mine, next to Layman and Keene. 10/10 would recommend.

Abby Young: The Pretty Little Liars books are my favorite. These are my favorite because they are always wanting to make you keep reading and turning the page. JK. I don’t read books.

Sara Ashar: The Fault In Our Stars is one of my favorite books. I read it over summer, and I personally think its one of John Green’s best works. Another good book by him is Looking For Alaska. Both are unique books with heartfelt plots.

Zuhayr Alam: I am currently reading Ender’s Game on my phone after seeing the movies, and the books are just as good if not better. It is definitely one of my favorite book series that I have read so far.

MacKenzie Dallenbach: So far my favorite book of 2013 is the first book in The Mortal Instruments series: City of Bones. The book, and series, have been around for quite some years, but the City of Bones film came out later this year. I haven’t finished the book yet, but I want to at least finish the first book in the series before watching the film.

Mallory Vallentine: I haven’t gotten to read any new books this year because I’ve been too busy, but I’m hoping that I’ll be able to read the Divergent series by Veronica Roth sometime soon.

The series has raised a lot of hype, and this year Roth released a new book in the series, Allegiant. The books all sound incredibly interesting with a welldeveloped plot, so I’m very excited to read them when I get the chance.

Olivia: My all time favorite book is called “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak. It’s not from this year, but the movie adaptation just recently came out in November. This book is set in Germany during the escalation of World War II. What I find really interesting about this book is that it is narrated by Death. All I can say is that this book is beautifully written and I hope that whoever enjoyed the movie will have a chance to read this book.

Martha: This book, but I Dorian Gray” volves around is interesting

definitely isn’t a new love “The Portrait of

by Oscar Wilde. It rethemes of vanity, which in this day and age.

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Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

Top video games of 2013 win big awards at VGX For those of you who didn’t Theft Auto V took the award. get to watch the VGX Gaming Naughty Dog took home the Awards on Dec. 7, here is a award for Best Game Studio. recap of who won. Spike TV’s Naughty Dog’s game, The Last video game award show, VGX, of Us, which was nominated for has wrapped up for the year. On Dec. 7, some The hosts showed off all of the best games of the year received awards vot- of the awards, upcoming ed by the viewers. The games and interviewed award show also showcased some world pre- lots of game developers mieres of new upcoming about their new releases. games.

The Soup star Joel McHale and Canadian game journalist Geoff Keigh- many awards, took the award ley hosted this year’s VGX. for Best Playstation Game and The hosts showed off all of both awards for Best Voice the awards, upcoming games Actor. Troy Baker, who voices and interviewed lots of game Joel, and Ashley Johnson, who developers about their new voices Ellie in the game, took releases. home the awards.

The biggest award at VGX, Best Xbox Game went to Game of the Year, was an- Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. nounced surprisingly early in Best Nintendo Game went to the show. In a battle of ma- Super Mario 3D World. Anothjor titles, Rockstar’s Grand er big award, Most Anticipated

Game, went to Titan Fall, which is set to release in March of 2014.

The Best Shooter award went to Bioshock Infinite, which was also nominated for numerous awards. Best Action Adventure Game went to Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. The award for Best Sports Game went to NBA 2K14. Finally, The Fulbright Company’s game Gone Home took home the awards for Best PC Game and Best Independent Game.

Many anticipated games were revealed at this year’s VGX. Telltale games announced at the awards that they will be doing a few new games. One called Tales from the Borderlands and a new Game of Thrones game are both set to come out in 2014.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition has all of the extra downloadable content and is releasing on the PS4 and Xbox

One on Jan. 28. Tom Clancy’s The Division showed off Ubisoft’s Snowdrop game engine.

Hello Games announced its new game No Man’s Sky as an exploration game where players can explore underwater and even other planets.

Dying Light, a survival horror game, was also announced.

During the day, the infected, which are similar to zombies, are everywhere. Players have to get their supplies before sundown because when it gets dark, the infected get more aggressive and start to hunt.

Titanfall, made by one of the co-creators of Call of Duty, has been a shadow for three years, but it has finally been announced as a first person action game in a whole new universe.

Quantum Break for Xbox One has also been announced. The game allows players to bend time in order to survive, and it also blurs the line between T.V.

and the game itself.

On the Wii U, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze has been announced, but this time Cranky Kong is along for the adventure. Destiny, from Bungie, the makers of Halo, is a new action game set in the future. The mission is to destroy enemies and unlock the mysteries of earth by exploring it’s past. Lastly, The Witcher 3, a role-playing (RPG) open world game, was announced.

The decisions players make throughout the game affect the ending and other things throughout the game.

That’s it for releases, but video game companies hope there’s at least one of them you’re excited for.

Co-written by Kaitlyn

BROCKA and Olivia

HEATH

Extra Life 2013 Extra Life is an organization where gamers raise money for their local children’s hospitals by hosting a 24-hour livestream marathon on Twitch.tv. On Nov. 2, Extra Life challenged gamers to stay up an extra hour for this year’s event. Streamers collect donations from their viewers as well as advertising revenue for the cause, all while playing their favorite games. Over 29,000 gamers raised a record of almost four million dollars this year. Some of the top groups include Rooster Teeth and KBMOD/The Internet Famous.

By Olivia

HEATH

Lindsay Lohan suing Rockstar Games The girl on the front cover of the game of the year, GTA V, has gotten Rockstar into some trouble with Lindsay Lohan, who says that the girl is based on a picture of her. She also believes that there are missions in the game having to do with paparazzi that she thinks also has something to do with her. Rockstar hired a model named Shelby Welinder to be the girl on the cover, so Lindsay Lohan doesn’t have very much ground to sue them on.

By Kaitlyn

BROCKA

Brocka’s and Heath’s Picks Kaitlyn Brocka photo

Video game releases in 2014 •

DON’T STARVE on PS4 on Jan. 7

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DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF Z on Xbox 360 on Jan. 28

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LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII

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on PS3, Xbox 360 on Feb. 11

on PS3, Xbox 360 on Feb. 18

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TOMB RAIDER: DEFINITIVE EDITION

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on PS4 on Jan. 28

EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 2025 THIEF

on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 on Feb. 25

Character of the Year: Game of the Year: Most Anticipated game: Best Shooter: Best Independent Game: Best RPG: Best Fighting Game: Best Studio: Best Handheld Game: Best Casual Game:

Ellie from The Last of Us The Last of Us Destiny Bioshock Infinite The Stanley Parable Fire Emblem: Awakening Dive Kick Naughty Dog Pokemon X and Y Animal Crossing