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Volume 59 Edition 19
Sophomore wins trip to Washington, D.C.
Sophomore Emma Yarrow won her way to Washington, D.C., as a part of the “Know Your Constitution” contest where she completed a 50 question multiple choice test along with the essay portion of the test. Yarrow was able to bring along her teacher and fellow history buff Nina Grudt on her journey to the nation’s capital. The two set out on Feb. 24 and returned on Feb. 28, but completed a long list of bucket list tasks in their few days there. Every year, close to 1000 participants enter the contest and 100 students are selected to go to a banquet. Five lucky banquet attendees are picked at random to go on a trip with their history teacher to D.C. Of course, Yarrow was overjoyed when her name was drawn because this would be her first time visiting Washington, D.C. “It made it exciting to see all of our nation’s history for the first time in person,” Yarrow said. During their stay, Yarrow said they were able to achieve a lot and see multiple fascinating exhibits. “We saw most of the national monuments and visited multiple Smithsonians. The main focus of our trip was to increase our political efficacy,” Yarrow said. “I also visited Capitol Hill, listened to a committee hearing and got to meet both of the Iowa senators from my district.” Grudt was thrilled at the chance to meet the Iowa senators and will remember it as a highlight from the trip. “My favorite part of the trip was the ‘Capitol Hill Day.’ Emma and I went around Capitol Hill. We got to meet both our senators, got a private tour of the Capital and listened in on a committee hearing. It was so exciting to see government in action,” Grudt said.
Happy to tag along on the trip, Grudt said she was proud of the work Yarrow put into the contest. “Emma really took the initiative and applied on her own. I asked her if I could look over her essay and she didn’t need me to. She did great,” Grudt said. “I emphasized to Emma that this is a huge deal. I have never had a student receive such an academic honor in social studies.” Separated for parts of the trip, Grudt said students and teachers were given different opportunities and agendas for the week. “Teachers were taken to sights in D.C. that are more ‘off the beaten track.’ For example, we got to go to the American Revolution Institute and hold an original copy of ‘Common Sense.’ They also took us out to Fort McHenry, the spot for the inspiration of the Star Spangled Banner,” Grudt said. “Another cool thing we got to do was go to the Cryptologic Museum to learn about code-breaking throughout American History.” Although they may have gone to different sites throughout the week, both Yarrow and Grudt enjoyed exploring different museums. “I really enjoyed the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It was very interactive, colorful and educational,” Yarrow said. “A lot of people that were with me on the trip said that it was one of their favorites too.” Grudt said she loved going to the Smithsonian museums during their stay. “There is so much to see and do in each of the museums. Also, just walking around the national mall and looking at all the monuments,” Grudt said. “It is beautiful.”
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Emma Yarrow and Nina Grudt meet with senator Chuck Grassley in Washington D.C. For her first time visiting the nation’s capital, Yarrow said she was glad to have Grudt’s support throughout the entire contest process and trip. “She kept me updated with everything I needed to know for the trip and encouraged me to make the most of this education journey,” Yarrow said. “We both love history so it was great to experience everything together.” Spending time with such a passionate student and history lover, Grudt said their mutual love for all things government made for a great trip full of bonding. “We talked about her future and had a chance to expe-
rience something new together. Very cool,” Grudt said. Although she admits it was a little difficult to get caught up on school work since she was gone, Yarrow said the experience was rewarding and encourages all students to try it. “Even if you don’t win, you still learn a lot about the constitution and about current issues in our country,” Yarrow said. Grudt echoed Yarrow’s enthusiasm and encouraged interested students to “go for it! It looks great on a resume, and you could win this amazing trip as well,” Grudt said. By Co-Editor-in-Chief Alayna
YATES
Individual speech team prepares for state contest After a successful contest at Districts, the speech team is busy with preparations for the individual state speech contest. Students from all over the state gather to present work in various formats including musical theater, prose, public address and many more. Sophomore Malina Amjadi is competing in the musical theater category. She has been preparing for quite a while, using time after school to rehearse with coaches and taking time to work individually. “Our speech team continues to use the momentum from making state and all-state levels in the large group cat-
egory into our preparations for individual contest. Serious care and purpose goes into the creation of these performances, but that doesn't mitigate the laughs we have whether in a rehearsal or right before performing,” Amjadi said. “The competition is about the same as any other year, but Cedar Falls is definitely at our best.” Joining Amjadi in the musical theater category at State is sophomore Caroline Schaefer. She spent time selecting her piece so that it would fit her individually. “I'm performing Alyssa Greene from ‘The Prom.’ I chose it as it's been a favorite of mine since the musi-
cal came out in 2018, and it sits well in my vocal range,” said Schaefer. Coach Danae Dieken has been one of the masterminds behind the individual state season, helping students plan out pieces and rehearse before and after school. She said that one of the most important parts of the rehearsal process is deciding on a piece that fits each student individually. “Even when doing something silly, we want to bring authenticity and energy to the piece. We try and find pieces that are in the sweet spot of a challenge and something the student can own and make theirs.
We never just want to copy the way someone else performed the piece, and we always want to honor what ideas students bring to the table.” Amjadi spent time with coaches selecting her piece as well. “I am singing the musical theater piece ‘Green Finch and Linnet Bird’ from Sweeney Todd. The accompaniment caught my attention just as much as the lyrics intrigued me, so my coaches and I did some research. One hour and 57 minutes of screen time made short, my character is a young girl trapped in an older man's house who unjustly has custody over her. In the song
I compare myself to a caged bird who cannot sing,” Amjadi said. After competing at State, a few select students will be honored with an all-state nomination and get to perform at a special contest. It's a high honor that many hope to get, but few receive. Amjadi and Schaefer are two of many students at Cedar Falls who are working toward this goal, keeping busy with rehearsals outside of school to prepare. “We have many students trying events for the first time Story continued on Page 2/ SPEECH TEAM
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Our View
Step outside over spring break The warm weather and sounds of birds chirping indicate that the weather is finally starting to warm up. After a short lived winter, temperatures are soaring into the mid 50s and bringing with it birds and flowers. Cold winters are commonly the root of seasonal depression, where the lack of sunlight takes a toll on many people’s mental health. Exposure to the sun provides numerous benefits that improve mental and physical health. Going outside and being with nature helps to relieve mental fatigue. In fact, one study revealed that just looking at pictures of nature greatly boosts mental energy. Taking time before school for a quick walk with friends is just one way to increase your time in nature. Another mental benefit from spending time outside is stress relief. Many studies show that spending time outside lowers levels of the hormone cortisol in the brain. This hormone is widely associated with stress levels. Even taking time during the day to sit in front of an open window can provide some of these benefits as well. Another way to spend more time outside is to take a ride on one of the many beautiful bike trails in Cedar Falls. Getting active is a great way to keep healthy, and there’s no better way to do it than surrounded by the outdoors. Spending time in nature has also been proven to reduce inflammation, which helps to reduce the likelihood of multiple illnesses. With flu season still lingering, it’s important to support our immune systems by doing all we can to keep healthy. An additional added benefit of exposure to nature is improved short term memory. Going on nature walks multiple times a week have been proven to improve short term memory. This is just one of many benefits of walking outdoors. As we start to enjoy the nicer weather, it’s important that we go outside and actually enjoy it. Sitting inside for long hours has multiple consequences in regard to physical and mental health. In fact, only being inside for days at a time has been linked to insomnia, anxiety and depression. It’s an easy problem to fix. Try going outside at least once a day. Maybe this means parking farther away from school to enjoy a morning walk. All of us should try to increase our exposure to nature to boost our mental and physical health. This will provide so many worthwhile benefits while giving us an excuse to spend more time with friends and family.
Contact Us The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools.org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to The Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editors: Sophia Schillinger and Alayna Yates Staff: Kaitlyn Harris, AQuandas Jackson, Ashlyn Keve, Alyssa Nelson., Chloe Schuerman, Myra Stineman, Justine Yang Opinion Editor: Kellen Chenoweth Online Editor: Skylar Promer News Editor: Erin McRae
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Friday, March 13, 2020
Staff ranks best Girl Scout cookies
It’s Girl Scout cookie season, which means sashes, badges, and boxes of cookies at every street corner. But the eternal debate remains: What is the best Girl Scout cookie flavor? We asked our Hiline staff what their favorite cookie is, and their opinion on the most overated and underated cookies. Take a look at what they had to say.
Kellen Chenoweth Favorite: Samoas Most Overated: Thin Mints Most Underated: Lemonades
Alayna Yates Favorite: Samoas Most Overated: Thin Mints Most Underated: Samoas
Myra Stineman Favorite: Thin Mints Most Overated: Samoas Most Underated: Tagalongs
Chloe Schuerman Favorite: Samoas Most Overated: Thin Mints Most Underated: Samoas
Kaitlyn Harris Favorite: Thin Mints Most Overated: Samoas Most Underated: Tagalongs
Erin McRae Favorite: Thin Mints Most Overated: Tagalongs Most Underated: Samoas
Skylar Promer Favorite: Somas Most Overated: Tagalongs Most Underated: Thin Mints
Sophia Shillinger Favorite: Lemonades Most Overated: Samoas Most Underated: Trefoils
Justine Yang Favorite: Samoas Most Overated: Tagalongs Most Underated: Docedos
Quandas Jackson Favorite: Thin Mints Most Overated: Tagalongs Most Underated: Samoas
Ashlyn Keve Favorite: Tagalongs Most Overated: Thin Mints Most Underated: Trefoils
Brian Winkel Favorite: Lemonades Most Overated: Thanks-a-Lots Most Underated: Thin Mints By Opinion Editor Kellen
CHENOWETH SPEECH/from Page 1
and a few key leaders that have been extremely welcoming and supportive to younger students.” Dieken said. “Students practice a minimum of twice a week with a coach in the library. I really wanted to increase the sense of family and togetherness in individual season, since you know, you're alone most of the time, so we practice in the library all together so students can work together on their pieces and get a peer perspective.” Amjadi said that working with the speech coaches has been an integral part of preparing for contest. “The coaches help us prepare by sparking conversations which give us a deeper understanding of the characters we portray. Our coaches work with us on the processes of blocking, emoting and inflecting,” Amjadi said. Long rehearsals have been key in forming bonds between
team members and igniting new friendships. “My favorite part of speech is everyone you meet. I've made so many amazing friends these past two years, including one of my best friends who I can't imagine my life without,” Schaefer said. Amjadi echoed Schaefer’s sentiment, saying that the best part of speech is meeting new people and getting to form new bonds. “My best memories of speech come from the people in it. Bus rides, rehearsals, in between performances in a wild gym of drama children hyped with adrenaline all prove how fiercely supportive this group of people can be,” Amjadi said. At the end of the day, working hard and preparing is all in hopes of presenting the best possible product at contest. “My favorite part is simultaneously speech is a competition and a celebration; at the end of the day you can say, ‘Well, this
is a subjective art form and your rating doesn't get to impact my self-worth,’ or ‘Man, that really validated all my hard work.’ Anyone willing to put in the work can do well, and opportunities like that are hard to find,” Dieken said. “I would love for students to keep pushing themselves to bring more authenticity to their performances and have so much fun. Of course, a few All-State nods wouldn't hurt.” Schaefer said that the memories and lessons learned from speech are something everyone should get to experience at one point in their high school careers. “If anyone isn't sure if they want to do speech or not next year, I would encourage them to come to the meeting and see what it's all about,” Schaefer said. “You may just realize it's the extracurricular you were looking for.” By News Editor Erin
McRAE
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Since 2017, the district has been leading a program called CAPS, also known as the Center for Advanced Professional Studies. This program gives high school students a chance to see what it is like in the professional world. “The program is built in a way everyone can get something out of it if they let themselves view things differently and work hard at it. Some find purpose and passion. Some find a career path or check a career off their list. Some find out who they are or what they are skilled at. Some realize they have value in this world while others recognize we can all do better and improve. Some find a voice. Some learn to listen. Most of all I hope everyone in the program finds something to value,” CAPS Director Ethan Weichmann said. “CAPS affected my life in a positive way, not only finding what I wanted to do after high school but how to be professional and overcome difficult tasks,” said 2020 early grad Maddison Johnson who was a part of the education strand. There are four strands in the program: education, business and solutions, robotics and engineering, and medical and health services. As a course the directors believe in collaboration between education, business and the community on projects. The course involves meetings, dressing in business professional clothing and being on one’s best behavior because one never knows who is watching. With that being said the CAPS directors also know how to make it fun for their students, from thanksgiving feasts to food Fridays, they always keep things interesting. “I am in the business solutions strand of CAPS. I absolutely love being able to be in a different environment than an everyday school building. I love that we get to work with real life clients and help them turn their vision for what they
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CAPS program offers professional experiences
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Madison Johnson (Education) teaches first graders at Orchard Hill about STEM. Lauren Lilly (Medical) practices CPR in the SIM lab. Nate Rolling, Nick Bellendier, Keyshawn Mosley, Alyssa Neese, and Zach McGuire (Robotics & Engineering) learn how to use the “pancake bot.” Caiden Barnett (Business & Solutions) worked a murder mystery event at Black Hawk Hotel. want/need into reality. I am currently working on my own personal business as well, so it is a great time for me to grow professionally with that and also have time to work on my own business. CAPS is such a great experience. If you have the chance to fit it into your schedule, I highly recommend it,” senior Raelynn Smith said. CAPS teaches all the skills that graduates would need to be successful in the real world, from handshakes to writing
emails and setting up meetings. “CAPS specifically gave me the time to take my projects a step further. That extra three hours of work time a day has been extremely helpful. I use that time to work on little details. For instance, I'll be giving a lecture at the University of Northern Iowa tomorrow, which I simply wouldn't have the time for without CAPS,” senior business and solutions strand member Hollis Wilson said in regard to a lecture he gave on March 10 at
the school.” Rundel is not the only one who feels this way. Hannah Batterson said, “It really helped me feel like I was established in the school. People recognized who I was, what I could do like I wasn’t just that girl in the background.” On the other hand, this year is more bitter than sweet for some students. An example of this is Nate Rosckes, who joined variety show this year making it his first and last time participating. Rosckes said it “made me really think about what I missed out on, what I could have done.” But the students aren't the only ones who are dealing with the idea of this year's show being their last. Last
weekend's performance was the last for music teacher Samantha Eilers who has been a director of this show for five years. Eilers is moving to Texas after the school year ends, saddening many of her students who have grown with her. Eilers said that “It was a very bittersweet weekend and there were a lot of tears.” Despite the tears, Eilers said that this show has helped her career-wise quite a bit. “I've grown so much because of this show just pushing me to be more organized, in more control of a situation. Obviously the variety show attracts a lot of students. We have big numbers involved in this show, so again helping me on skills like classroom man-
UNI on his entrepreneurial experiences. Wilson owns a clothing company called “Old People Brand.” For this course, students are moved outside of the traditional classroom. The education, business and solutions, and medical strands all meet at UNI and then move to different projects and placements in various locations while the engineering and robotics strand meets at Viking Pump to then further their projects or placements. CAPS helps students find their passions and explore things they never thought were possible and provides chances to work with professionals in the career of their choosing. “I have a better understanding of what it truly means to be a professional now. I understand the importance of being punctual and ready. I understand that you need to look professional to be treated as such, and I understand that if you truly want any project you're working on to be the best it can, then you will put in the best of effort to make it that way,” 2020 early grad Cael Rhea said. “I am thrilled when I see our associates out in the ‘real world’ after graduation. One of the many benefits of a CAPS experience is that you are immersed in that real world scenario early and often with the CAPS model, so, essentially, alumni have a better time adjusting and acclimating to the real world after graduation. I love it when I can chat with them about how they are doing, their current and future plans, their future career plans and many have said that CAPS has helped them tremendously. It's gratifying as a teacher to see your former students (and CAPS associates) succeed after graduation, and, hopefully, you might have had a small part in helping them with that.” CAPS director Megan Droste said. By Staff Writer Chloe
SCHUERMAN
Peet Cabaret provides lasting memories for freshmen For years now the variety show, formally known as Cabaret, has been an annual event at Peet Junior High School. This show consists of many talents from singing to magic to poetry. While the show is lively and something that many students look forward to, every year is bittersweet to the freshman class. This year's show was made of mostly freshman students, meaning that the majority of students were dealing with the fact that last weekend was their last performance. The students had a lot to say about their experience with this show. For example, Kaylee Rundel said that “It has given me more opportunities to make new friends and feel more involved in
agement, managing the crowd, making sure there are clear expectations for everyone involved, so on the technical side it definitely helped me with skills for my career and for moving forward as a teacher.” The “technical side” is not the only thing Eilers appreciated. Eilers said that her favorite part of this experience is “to be able to give you guys the opportunity to be vulnerable and expressive and creative and to really be your true selves.” Even though this is her last year directing, Eilers still feels “really lucky that I got that opportunity to do that.” By Staff Writer Ashlyn
KEVE
4 Special Olympics sends 24 to State SPORTS
Twenty four Cedar Falls students qualified for State at the Special Olympics track and field competition on Sunday, March 8 at the UNI track. The 24 students will be competing in Ames on May 21-23 for the Special Olympics state track and field meet. To qualify, the students had to place first in their events. From Cedar Heights, Maya Jensen qualified in the 100 meter dash and the softball throw. From Southdale, Paxton Libbert qualified in the mini javelin throw and standing long jump. From Peet Junior High, Owen Brinker, Hannah Posekany, Chloe Steversan, Joe Kenkel and Kylie Bucholz qualified for the unified relay, Hannah Ferrell qualified for the softball throw and standing long jump, Josh Kreger qualified for the mini javelin throw, Simon Moes qualified for shotput and standing long jump, Hannah Posekany qualified for the 50 meter dash and mini javelin throw and Chloe Steverson qualified for the mini javelin throw. From Holmes Junior High, Davyd Leacox qualified in the 100 meter dash, softball throw, and 4x100 meter relay, Jacob Richard-Trask qualified in the 50 meter dash and 4x100 meter dash, Noah Thorton qualified in the mini javelin throw, standing long jump and 4x100 meter relay, Jayden Woock qualified in the 100 meter dash and 4x100 meter dash.
From the Cedar Falls High School, Heather Andress qualified in the 50 meter dash, Cassidy Craig qualified in the unified relay, Alex Cunningham qualified in the 50 meter dash, Joey Elser qualified in the softball throw, Max Feist qualified in the softball throw, Cameron-PetersSharp qualified in the mini javelin throw and 100 meter dash, Issac Purdy qualified in the 100 meter dash and shotput, Ali Roby qualified in the mini javelin throw and standing long jump and Breezy Ryan qualified in the softball throw and unified relay. A unified relay is a relay that consists of general education peers who volunteer to work with the athlete. “I think it went well,” junior Adia Mortl, who has been a part of the team since seventh grade, said about the team’s season so far. “They were more people participating this year,” she said. Mortl qualified for State this year in the shot put and standing long jump, getting first place in both. Mortl also participates in bowling, which she said was her favorite, and basketball, which are in the fall and winter respectively. Mortl made a comeback for track because she dislocated her knee caps during the basketball season. Mortl said Special Olympics
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is “just like the students in other sports.” She said the differences come along with how they play the games. “We don’t have positions. We just do skills like passing, dribbling and shooting,” she said referring to basketball. “Special Olympics offers many of the same events such as track and field, along with some special or modified ones. For instance, there are walking and wheelchair races available, a standing long jump, and a mini javelin throw. The 100m dash, 200m run, 400m and 800m are similar to high school track. In basketball, there are teams of three players and five players. Our team participates in basketball skills, which is based on the ability to shoot the basketball, timed dribbling and a target pass. Bowling follows traditional rules,” one of the head coaches, who has been a part of the Special Olympics team for 27 years, Jan Williams said. Williams said Special Olympics opens the world of sports and new friendships to students with special needs. “Special Olympics gives our athletes with special needs a chance to compete with other athletes of similar abilities and a chance to be successful in athletics. They form great friendships with others on the team as well as learn how to be part of a team and support each other,” she said.
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From being able to be independent to participating in sports, Williams said the athletes gain a lot from being involved. “Student athletes benefit by being able to be successful in their chosen sports, forming lasting friendships with others on the team as well as our Unified Partners, learning to be part of a team and supporting each other, and by becoming more independent especially when traveling with the team.” Mortl agreed with this. “It gave me an opportunity to do a bunch of stuff [athletics],” she said. “At some of my old schools I couldn’t do much because of my disability.” Mortl has ADHD and High Functioning Autism. “We learn how to meet new people, and you get to talk to a lot of people,” she said. Not only do the student athletes benefit from this experience, Williams said she does too. “I have learned how much participating in Special Olympics means to our athletes as well as how supportive and helpful they can be to each other,” she said. “Our athletes have taught us how hard they are willing to work and how helpful they can be with each other. It is always rewarding to see the increase in maturity through the years that the athletes are with our team.”
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The Space on Main Street now offers tarot card readings. reading varies by date as listed in the link. Tarot reading has been used as an insight into the future and
influence of present and future actions since the early 18 century. These cards were first introduced in medieval Europe,
Tiger
HI-LINE Athlete of the
Week
ADIA MORTL Special Olympic Track
In what ways has your specific sport changed you? It was challenging at first, but I got better every year. How does playing your sport make you feel? It makes me happy inside. How do you think you could improve throughout the season? Probably not stress out so By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sophia much in state competitions. SCHILLINGER What do you think is your greatest accomplishment? Winning a gold medal for the first time in 7th grade for track and field. How long have you been interested in your sport? designed to be used as a card Since 7th grade. game, but later adapted into Can you give any advice to the fortune-telling practice. others trying to get into your There are several different variasport? tions of decks created and used Special Olympics gives people for a variety of different seasons, with disabilities a chance to have questions and even people. fun and be active. Whether seeking true belief of How do you train? this supposed magic insight or Bowling: September- Octoenchantment of a card trick, one ber Basketball: January- February should give at least one look Track and field: February-March. What do you eat to stay in into this old and mysterious enshape? tertainment. A good breakfast. “For this specific New What is your favorite memoMoon, the cards will be answerry from this sport? ing the following questions, all Meeting new people. about change: What personal goals do you What change are you wanthave this season? ing to bring about? Not stress out about the loud What is the most likely outnoises. come if you make this change? What boundaries do you need for this change? What do you need to let go of going forward? What do you need to remember during the change? Where do I need to be careful about during the change? What or who are my allies?” By Online Editor Skylar
‘The Space’ offering tarot readings
In light of the new moon, local downtown establishment dubbed “The Space” has opened up to a world of fortune, tarot readings and more. “Come to The Space for the first New Moon Readings I am offering for the year! The New Moon is in Aries, so come to get a special tarot reading. I will be using a tarot spread created by Ethony in ‘Tarot by the Moon,’” says March New Moon Readings Facebook event. “Readings will be 15 minutes each, $10 per reading. I will accept cash or card, due at the conclusion of your reading. I would recommend you schedule a time if you want to ensure a spot. However, if we have time between appointments/no shows, I’m happy to take drop-ins!” These readings are not only for those going by Aries (those who are born on or between the dates of March 21 and April 20). Anyone is more than welcome to make an appointment to have their cards read. Appointments can be made at https:// tarotbyfae.as.me/. Each type of
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