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INSPIRATIONAL TRIP

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Standing Up Thursday, March 30, 2017

Over 100 students at Peet Junior High participated in a women’s rights movement event on Thursday, March 23.

It had all started in response to a series of negative comments on social media by a male student at Peet.

“We really saw that there was especially one student, but in general a lot of sexist comments being made not just to the ninth graders, but to everyone in general, and we just wanted to bring awareness to it,” freshman organizer Ashlyn Metcalf said.

The plans for the event were posted everywhere and spread like wildfire on social media. “I put it on my Snapchat, and people would screenshot it and put it on their story, so it just spread fast,” Metcalf said.

Students participated in this daylong movement event by wearing a white shirt, black pants and optional red lipstick.

“I was really happy with the turnout,” freshman organizer Sarimah Ogbondah said. “I walked into the school not expecting a lot of people

Senior recalls long relationship with artistic path/page 3 Follow us on Twitter at tigerhiline, Facebook at TigerHilineOnline and on our website at www.hiline.cfschools.org

Volume 57 Edition 22

Over 100 Peet students show support for women’s rights

Sabine Martin Photo

Over 100 Peet students wore white T-shirts, black pants and, in some cases, red lipstick, in a show of support for women’s empowerment on Thursday, March 23. to wear the outfit, but then I saw a girl there and a girl there wearing it and thought, ‘This is good.’”

The clothing choices had a deeper meaning, and each signified something.

“The white shirt represented an-

gels because in the suffragette movement that is what women wore, and recently some women in Congress wore white to support this, and the red lipstick represented the color for national women’s day,” Ogbondah said.

Because participating in the movement was open to every student, some male students participated.

“I was a little surprised that some boys participated, but for the boys who participated, it didn’t surprise me that it was them, and I am overjoyed that they did,” Metcalf said.

“I just want to participate because I thought it was important to be a part of a movement that can do some good. I feel like it helped bring people together, and it was also really cool that teachers got involved. It is nice to have a good community here at Peet,” freshman Hunter Peterson said.

At the end of the school day, many women left Peet feeling validated.

“I feel empowered. It showed that a lot of people in Peet care about the same type of thing that I care about too,” Metcalf said. “I think it more just brought awareness that sexism is still a problem and that it is not a thing in the past. It’s still going on,” she said.

By Staff Writer Sabine

MARTIN

Team 525 hosts regional competition for second year, falls short of championships for first time since 2009

FIRST Robotics Competition Team 525 Swartdogs participated in the Iowa Regional this past weekend, held at the UNI-Dome and McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, but missed a chance to advance the international championship competition after a loss in the quarterfinals.

The event in its second year attracted teams from eight midwestern states to compete for three days. On Thursday, teams participated in practice matches to prepare them for the two days of competition ahead, allowing teams to test out the features of their robot on an official field.

The opening ceremonies on Friday morning brought Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, who will become the governor of Iowa after Gov. Terry Branstad becomes the United States ambassador to China, and Klaus Hoehn, a Vice President at John Deere.

Qualification matches oc-

curred all day Friday, and team 525 ended the day with a record of 5-2. The first award ceremony took place Friday evening, which was a short event giving just two awards to individuals. The first was the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award, given to a mentor who goes above and beyond to their students and to FIRST Robotics.

Swartdog mentor Tom Ore was given this award for his work with teaching CAD to students, volunteering in all FIRST programs and helping to advance robotics in China.

The second award was the Volunteer of the Year award, given to an adult who dedicates a lot of their time over the years to volunteering for FIRST. Jan Newendorp, another Swartdog mentor, was given this award for her dedicated work to run the Iowa Regional smoothly over the last two years, as well as her continued effort in running the Cedar Falls FLL Regional Qualifier for nine years.

“It was exciting to see two of our mentors, Jan and Tom, be recognized for all of their hard work that they have done for our team, FLL, FTC, China and the Iowa Regional through the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award,” sophomore Megan Pezley said.

After the awards ceremony concluded, teams made their way to the Wellness and Recreation Center for the Team Social. There, team members were able to relax and let loose a little bit, not having to worry about robotics and interacting with other team members in a casual setting, with athletic activities provided for teams.

Saturday morning saw a speech from UNI President Mark Nook before the final qualification matches were played. Team 525 went 1-1 in qualification matches on Saturday, finishing 6-3 and ranked 14th overall out of 54 teams.

Alliance selections saw team 525 paired with team 4009

from Denfield, Minn., and team 6359 from Aurora, Neb., on the 6-seeded alliance.

The first quarterfinal match ended with a tied score, but the Swartdogs’ alliance received the loss. There were 20 more points committed in fouls by team 525’s alliance, which was the first tiebreaker, giving the opposing alliance the win.

The alliance came out ready for the next match, but a freak collision saw the Swartdogs’ robot break. There was a 5-point foul assessed to the Swartdogs because the broken robot extended outside the allowed parameters, and their alliance lost that match by 5 points, ending the Swartdogs’ day and season.

This event was the last chance for team 525 to qualify for the Championship event, which they failed to do this season for the first time since 2009.

Senior Owen Schupbach was sad about the Swartdogs missing out on the Champion-

ships. “I got to go [to Champs] last year, and it was an unforgettable experience, one that I would have loved to be a part of again this year. Being there, seeing robotics at its greatest, is really something that you don’t forget easily,” he said.

“Not getting to go my senior year also makes me kind of sad. That would have been one of the highlights from my last year in high school.”

Other members, like junior co-captain Molly Hensing, had a brighter outlook on things.

“Not being able to qualify for champs is definitely sad, but I’m happy to see other deserving teams able to go,” she said. “I think our team did the best that we could, and it’s unfortunate to not see it pay off and take us to St. Louis, but we still attended two great regionals and made it to playoffs for both.”

By Staff Writer Noah

WOLF

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Thursday March 30, 2017

Peet eighth grader building connections to help others enjoy afterschool activities Peet eighth grader Alexis Hesse has created a new idea to get special needs students more involved in activities and extracurriculars at school.

“My buddy system is basically a system where a special needs student gets paired with another student in sports or after school activity. My goal is to get the special needs students more involved,” Hesse said.

Hesse said she understands how her outside of school activities have made her a better student and wants to share that with these students as well. “It is proven that the more involved you are in school, the better you do. It is also important to get involved because you can learn valuable life lessons and create strong relationships you wouldn’t have made otherwise,” Hesse said.

Hesse said her inspiration for this idea came when she was looking around her school. “I had also been noticing some students had been being rude and disrespectful to special needs students, and I wanted them to know that there are people here at Peet who care and want them to get involved,” Hesse said.

Hesse made a connection with one student in particular, and that fueled her desire for this plan more than anything. “I got the idea for this plan when I actually high fived a special needs student named Travis. Every time I see Travis, he always smiles and gives me a high five. Not only do I make him smile, but he makes me smile as well. After that I just started thinking about how I could help,” Hesse said.

Hesse first presented her idea to her ELP teacher, Sarah Cooper, because it fit in perfectly with the unit they were discussing. Then she shared the idea with a special needs teacher at Peet, Lori Engel.

Both teachers admire Hesse’s creativity and boldness to go after her idea and advocate for it the way she does.

Many steps have to be completed to get her idea enforced, but Hesse has been a go-getter in this process. “I am in the works of sharing my idea with the students and parents. We had to gather permission slips and set up class times that would work,” Hesse said. “Although I haven’t been able to get my plan completely rolling, I have been working hard. I have also had some new doors open to me due to my effort. I was invited to help at the state paralympics, which I am really excited for.”

Alayna Yates Photo

Peet eighth grader Alexis Hesse participates in volleyball, track, and softball and wants to share the benefits of being involved with her peers.

“I believe this plan will encourage students with special needs or others that may feel left out to participate in school activities, especially if they have a buddy. It would be awesome to see this spread to more ‘hellos’ in the hallway and maybe encourage more interaction at lunch and in classes, such as PE. When students are part of a school sport or activity, they feel more connected to school. This could positively impact school attendance and achievement.”

—Lori Engel Peet special needs teacher

In addition to getting permission slips, Hesse needed to get more buddies to help out. “I talked to a few of my friends who thought this was a great idea. I

also gathered a few guys who were willing to help because they knew what it was like to be left out. I really just had to talk to people and spread the word. I

got shut down a lot, but I eventually found the right people. I am always looking for buddies,” Hesse said.

Lori Engel, a special needs teacher at Peet, was very inspired by Hesse’s plan. “When I first heard about the plan, I was very touched that a Peet student was concerned that special needs peers at Peet should be more represented and included in school activities,” Engel said.

Engel said she not only sees the benefits of this outside of school, but also in the hallways of Peet Junior High. “I believe this plan will encourage students with special needs or others that may feel left out to participate in school activities, especially if they have a buddy. It would be awesome to see this spread to more ‘hellos’ in the hallway and maybe encourage more interaction at lunch and in classes, such as PE. When students are part of a school sport or activity, they feel more connected to school.

This could positively impact school attendance and achievement,” Engel said.

Due to confidentiality concerns, this idea hasn’t been able to go into full effect yet, but Engel said she is excited and thinks her students will be too to be asked by their peers to get more involved and active.

Engel said she is also proud of Hesse and can’t wait to see the impact she will make on her peers. “When peers start to see the work Alexis is doing, I hope this will influence others to reach out to students that may be perceived as different at school and help give them a sense of belonging. Peet students will discover that they have many things in common,” Engel said.

Hesse admits that it’s been hard to get this program up and running at Peet, but she would love to expand it to other schools. “If I had help at the other schools, I would totally start this program. I am already struggling to get this project up and running. If I were to try and get this going at other schools I would get a leader at that school to help organize everything. I would check in with them to see how it’s going,” Hesse said.

Those interested in involvement or helping Hesse expand her buddy system to other schools can contact her at 21alehes@student.cfschools.org.

By Staff Writer Alayna

YATES

HI-LINE

Holmes science club readies for contest

The school year is cooling down, while Holmes science club is heating up.

The team competed on Saturday, March 25 at Coe College in Cedar Rapids against a number of other schools around Iowa.

The club began in September, meeting every Wednesday at Holmes. Members can choose what event(s) they want to participate at the Olympiad in the spring.

Kimi Du, a seventh grader and first year Olympian, said, “Science club is a great and fun way to connect with others who share a love of science. Some people have a lot of knowledge in this subject, and this gives them a chance to express it.”

Students spend a majority of the year working toward the science Olympiad in the spring, but not without having fun along the way. Freshman Krisha Keeran, a second year Olympian, said, “You can make friendships and meet with people who think at a high level, just like you.”

After ending the season placing third in the state, coaches were extremely happy with the students. Robert Welter, science club coach said, “Our kids performed so well, and we were nothing but proud of how they acted all day and what they accomplished at the competition.”

By Staff Writer Katie

MAUSS

Trampoline business coming to Cedar Valley Get Air is adding a new location at 3731 University Ave., also known as the old Hobby Lobby.

This facility is going to feature wall-to-wall trampolines, slackline, foam pits, ninja course and more.

They hope to open before summer 2017, but the date has not yet been released. They already have gained over 8,000 likes on their Facebook page, and many are excitedly awaiting the opening of this new attraction.

Junior Brandon Nelson has visited both skyzone and AirFX in Cedar Rapids. “I’m excited that I will no longer have to drive to Cedar Rapids anymore and will have something to do on a rainy day,” Nelson said.

Many parents are also excited about this trampoline park as commenters on the Facebook page have said; “I’m excited to have a place where my kids can go to burn energy.”

To get updates on this new attraction, viewers can like and comment on Get Air’s Facebook page: Get Air Waterloo.

By Staff Writer Rachel

SCHMID

3 Senior recalls long relationship with artistic path The

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HI-LINE

For many students, the reminisce of art brings back poor memories of creating distorted animals and people, random spots of mixed colors and a disappointed look as the finished product never turned out as envisioned.

Beating the odds, at the age of 13, Elizabeth Relph, who’s now a senior, discovered that art was much more than a required junior high course.

Relph said, “Up until about eighth grade, I never really had a class specifically for art. When other people would complain about having to go, that’s when I realized that I actually looked forward to it. After doing a few projects, I noticed that things came a lot easier to me than some of my classmates. When I got to high school, I decided that I would explore this little niche.”

Through many courses offered at the high school as well as personal exploration, Relph has created dozens of pieces with a variety of techniques and materials.

“I have be able to use multiple types of paints and materials, but I usually paint with acrylics, and every so often I dabble with watercolor. Watercolor has a sort of simplicity about it, but I think it’s a daunting task to be painting and know that if you mess up, it will be really hard to fix. I love using acrylics because I make mistakes all the time, but with this kind of paint, you just cover it up.”

On average, it takes Relph two weeks to finish a project, but she said the rewarding feelings after completion are well worth the efforts.

“Satisfaction is what comes to mind after completing a piece. Knowing that you created something out of some colored goop and a brush is so strange.

It’s cool to be able to stand back, look at something awesome and say, ‘I did that.’”

Amongst dozens of completed pieces, Relph finds a deeper love for a creation made her junior year of high school.

“My favorite piece that I’ve done is a monochromatic portrait of an old woman. I referenced a photo I found online and incorporated a collage of newspaper articles in the background. The piece itself represented the effects of poverty. The piece conveyed a lot of emotion, which was also really cool to get to bring to life.”

Furthering her love for art, Relph has been continuously inspired by a close family member

Thursday March 30, 2017

FEATURES

Submitted Photo

This painting is one of senior Elizabeth Relph’s favorites that she has created over many years in school art.

“Knowing that you created something out of some colored goop and a brush is so strange. It’s cool to be able to stand back, look at something awesome and say, ‘I did that.’”

—Elizabeth Relph senior art student

who lives out his artistic passion.

“I have a cousin that designs shoes for Nike in Portland. When he was in high school, all he wanted to do was play college basketball — and he could’ve too. After a few knee injuries, his basketball dreams were crushed, so he turned to another pas-

sion of his: art. Watching him go through the design program at Iowa State and seeing where he’s at now reminds me that even if the plans I have for myself don’t turn out, sometimes that just means there’s something even better out there for me.”

In addition to a family inspi-

ration, Relph often turns to her current art teacher for motivation and opinions as she works on pieces.

“Ms. Luensmann who is now Mrs. Olson, has been my biggest motivator. I’ve known her since she was my ninth grade volleyball coach, and she’s been my teacher in six classes since coming to the high school. She’s the person I go to when I need opinions or criticism. She questions my reasoning behind the artistic decisions I make and also pushes me to have new and original ideas. Whenever I’m struggling to execute the vision I have for something, she either offers a suggestion or tells me to stand back and take a new perspective.

Though Relph does not plan to go into artistic studies in the fall, she plans on keeping her passion close to heart.

“I will always continue to paint, but I’m not planning on pursuing a career in the art field.

Instead, I will most likely end up in the animal science field because that’s also another interest of mine. For me, art is a hobby and something that I do to take my mind off of school work and other stressors. If I were to make it my work or my stressor, I’m afraid that I wouldn’t enjoy it as much. I never want my love for it to disappear.”

By Staff Writer Maddie

PALMERSHEIM

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Holmes freshman reaching out to help others overcome struggles with epilepsy

Submitted Photo

Holmes ninth grader Kendall Maslak and many others on March 24 raised money and awareness on Purple Day, a day focusing on epilepsy, a condition Maslak has been fighting since she was very young.

Rockin’ It

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, and this causes unpredictable seizures and other health problems.

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages, and as of right now, there are about 30,000 people in Iowa living with epilepsy.

Kendall Maslak, a ninth grader at Holmes Junior High, had her first seizure at 17 months old and then continuously once a month up until two years ago.

“It was very scary. We really didn’t know what it was. Initial reaction, we thought she was dying, but once the seizure broke and we got to the hospital, everything was explained,” Kendall’s mother, Fadua Maslak, said.

“People living with epilepsy have two-three times the increased risk of death. It can happen at any time, you just don’t know.”

The family’s whirlwind journey with epilepsy had started just a short few months after Kendall’s first seizure.

“It took awhile for there to be a comfort level. Even now, I’ve seen thousands of seizures, and you just never get used to them,” Fadua said.

A year after Kendall’s first seizure and being aware of her con-

dition, the doctors recommended epilepsy medication, known as antiepileptic drugs(AEDs).

According to her mother, Kendal has tried over at least 10 different epilepsy medications in her lifetime so far.

Kendall has also received two brain surgeries, one when she was three years old and the second when she was almost six years old, yet neither one of the surgeries were successful in stopping the seizures.

Over the last two years, the family has found a consistent medication for Kendall to take in order to help with her condition.

On March 23, it was Kendall’s two-year marking for being seizure free. Before this stretch with no seizures, there were definitely rough days for Kendall and her family. When having a seizure, Kendall would have to go home, sleep for a few hours and would wake up with a headache.

“We’ve always treated her and always tried to keep her life as normal as possible,” Fadua said.

Kendall has an IEP and para educator, mostly for safety reasons in case she would have a seizure. There are lots of paraeducators at Holmes that have all been a part of Kendall’s journey as well as helping other students

with mental and physical health issues.

Janie Laipple, Jenny Goodnow, John Grider, Diane Limkeman, Kristi Lienhard and Steph Freeland got together with Kendall’s family and came up with the idea of a bake sale in order to raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation on Purple Day, which is March 24. One of Kendall’s paraeducators, Stephanie Freeland helped put together the bake sale and conduct an order of T-shirts for Purple Day. “We just wanted to help bring awareness to epilepsy and raise some money for the foundation,” Freeland said.

Freeland has worked at Holmes for three and a half years as a paraeducator and started reading with Kendall, but now has her six of the seven periods through the day at Holmes.

“It’s just amazing watching her grow and learn things,” Freeland said.

The bake sale and sale of the T-shirts had a great turnout, and Kendall as well as her family said they were very happy to have all of her classmates and the staff be a part of her journey as well as other kids with disabilities in the junior high too.

By Staff Writer Tehya

TOURNIER

Brothers build memories on Arizona trip over break While kids here in the below freezing weather over spring break might have been stacking snow along their shoveled driveways, freshman Ryan Dunlop was in the warm weather of Arizona stacking rocks.

Driving through Lake Havasu City, Ariz., with his parents, older brother and grandparents, Dunlop noticed these rock stack figures on the sides of the road and was really interested in it.

“One day my family and I went on a hike, and I notice this was a big thing that people did here, and I wanted to experience it on my own,” Dunlop said.

Dunlop got inspired by how big and cool these figures are and wanted to make his own

bigger than the rest. With the help of his brother John, he started to stack rocks to make some awesome figures. While they were on the hike they also added to almost every rock figure they came across, making them bigger than before and hoping that people would continue to add to them.

“You start with a bigger flat rock on the bottom of the stack, and as you go up, you put smaller and smaller rocks on top of that bigger rock. You want to make sure the rocks are somewhat flat so they stay up and the stack is stable,” he said.

“It was pretty unique to see what some people did with their stacks out there. We wanted to leave our mark in

John Dunlop Photo

Freshman Ryan Dunlop places a stone on a ridge near Havasu City, Ariz., over spring break. He and his brother John built a number of creations with stones.

Arizona, so we tried our best to one up every stack we came

across. It was almost like a game,” John Dunlop said.

By Staff Writer Kaylee

OLSON

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FEATURES

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Online Animal Streams Come Alive Animal live streams have caught the attention of many over the past few years, and the popularity continues to grow. Many enjoy watching these animlas after a busy work day or on their free time. April the Giraffe is a pregnant giraffe from Animal Adventure Park in New York who has been raking in views as people wait for the birth of her baby giraffe.

The Decorah eagles have been a popular live stream since 2011, and many people still continue to watch it as the eagles have returned year after year. This year they have three

By Staff Writer Rachel eggs.

SCHMID

Eagle Facts: -Bald eagles pair up at the age of 4 or 5 and are together for life.

-Bald eagles have a maximum of three eggs per year.

-On average, a bald eagles nest is 2 feet deep and 5 feet long.

Watch the Decorah eagles live at: ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Giraffe Facts: -Giraffes only need five to 30 minutes of sleep in a 24 hour period.

-Giraffe gestation can last 400 to 460 days.

-Baby giraffes can walk and nurse 30 minuntes after being born.

Watch April The Giraffe live at: yourtube.com/animaladventureparkgiraffecam

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Thursday March 30, 2017

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Tana Gam-Ad Photo

Regina Galvez-Rodriguez Photo

Hallway Happenings

At top, a flock of cedar waxwings polished off the apples in the tree ouside the journalism room on March 10. Below that, Project Lead the Way teacher Zeb Nicholson and his students get birds’ eye views of their plans to build a patio on the grassy area next to the sidewalk outside leading from the FCS hallway to the math hallway. They hope to add a set of picnic tables, and the area could be used for lunches during power hour or outdoor classes on warm days. At right, senior Jensen Farley is making some final calculations in preparation for the CFHS round of the physics competition. Those who earned top spots last week competed at UNI on Tuesday, March 28.

Tana Gam-Ad Photo

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HI-LINE NEW RELEASES

MUSIC

•AIMEE MANN: Mental Illness •MASTODON: Emperor of Sand •LES AMAZONES D’AFRIQUE: Republique Amazone •GOLDFRAPP: Silver Eye •MOUNT EERIE: A Crow Looked at Me •JEB LOY NICHOLS: Country Hustle •FUTURE ISLANDS: The Far Field

MOVIES

•SABAN’S POWER RANGERS 03/24/17 •LIFE 03/24/17 •I CALLED HIM MORGAN 03/24/17 •KARL MARX CITY 03/29/17 •BOSS BABY 03/31/17 •CARRIE PILBY 03/31/17 •THE BLACKCOAT’S DAUGHTER 03/24/17

GAMES

•DARK SOULS 3: THE RINGED CITY (PS4) (PC) (XB1) •VIKINGS: WOLVES OF MIDGARD (PS4) (PC) (XB1) •RAIN WORLD (PS4) (PC) •THE INNER WORLD (iPHONE/PAD) (PC) (XB1) •GOD WARS: FUTURE PAST (PS4) (PSV)

ONLINE EXTRAS

Makeup with Holly

with host Holly Kloos Learn about makeup and lots of fun glam looks that will blow others away.

This week’s news feature: Physics competition is coming up. Get an inside look on how these awesome projects came to be.

Find the video online at h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=kOQfIngIdIU

Thursday March 30, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Make the Switch

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Nintendo’s new game system lives up to hype As of only a few weeks ago, on March 3, the Nintendo Switch officially came out. Selling out within the first few days, clearly people were hyped.

However, was it worth the hype? Let’s check out the usage, gameplay and other tidbits about the Switch and both of its currently released titles.

First off, gameplay of 1-2 switch, one of the less-hyped releases, is a rather simple game. It is a collection of mini games you play by looking your opponent in the eyes.

You only start with roughly five games, but once you play a few, you unlock all the games.

The mini-games are fun, but they require a friend, and it requires you to use the consolemode of the Switch.

Moving on to a singleplayer game, for the muchhyped “The Legend of Zelda:

Breath of the Wild,” words can not explain how awesome this game is. The game throws you right into the action, and while you’re restricted for a bit, once you complete only a few minidungeons, known as shrines in this game, you are given the full map, and it is quite large.

The best part of this game is, there are little to no hint systems. The game expects you to do everything. There are at least three or four ways to do everything, and there is no “wrong” way to do one puzzle vs. another.

There are no restrictions at all, really. Once you’re given an objective, you can do it, but you can also do one of the many, many side quests.

Overall, “Breath of the Wild” is very good, even just the bit I played.

Finally, the overall enjoyability of this system includes a first: it is both a handheld and console. Most of the gameplay works equally, but there were several times where it is recommended you plug your handheld into the console so a cutscene will look

nicer.

One thing that happened to my brother and I and a few others is when trying to remove the wrist straps, we couldn’t get them off. This was a semi-common problem, but after a lot of effort, we finally set ourselves free.

Despite this and the limited battery for travel, it is an excellent system. It is a bit complicated to charge your Switch without the console part, but besides that, it’s an overall good system.

The hype for the Switch was very high, and every last bit of it was deserved. With even more games set to come out throughout this year, the future looks bright for the Switch, so, as a gamer, I recommend you switch to the Switch.

By Staff Writer Noah

FORKER

Soloists striking out for success Although there is a long line of pop bands that have had their moments in the spotlight, nowadays, it just seems like the era of bands in pop culture is beginning to die out.

Bands whose songs you have may have once heard on the radio are now in the news after their reign as a group has come to an end.

Typically, the separation happens when one member of the group decides to go on his or her own path to start toward a solo career or the popularity of a band has died down.

Pop bands such as One Direction and Fifth Harmony have lost members for that reason, where a person separates from the group to make music on their own.

Zayn Malik, who was a part of One Direction, and Camila Cabello, who was associated with the girl group, Fifth Harmony, both left their bands to venture out and make songs of their own which have become hits.

Other music groups who have broken up in music history are Destiny’s Child, NSYNC and The Pussycat Dolls. The members of these bands who have left have grown up to be iconic idols in the music industry. Beyon-

cé, Justin Timberlake and Nicole Scherzinger still continue making music today that many people who enjoyed listening to their former band’s music listen to.

There are still the exceptions of bands that have lasted since the the 2000s and even earlier, like Maroon 5, which was formed in 2001 and Coldplay, a band whose songs have been heard on the radio countless times and existed since 1996.

But why does there seem to be a lack of bands in pop music today? It may be because pop duos have taken

over. Partnered artists like the Chainsmokers and Twenty-One Pilots have topped the charts and become popular in music.

Or maybe it’s that people simply find the music of solo artists much better, in no regard to whether or not they’re listening to a soloist of band’s music.

Another reason may be because the hype for bands has simply died down. During One Direction’s most popular moments, it seemed like everyone had a case of boyband fever, and many other groups were formed to

try to gain that same fame.

Girl groups such as Fifth Harmony also added a feminine twist to the band stereotype and gave people the option to hear females expressing their talents through music, but after a while, it all just began to sound the same.

Since the leave of their former band members Zayn Malik and Camila Cabello, both bands have seemed to hit rocks in the road. The members of One Direction have gone on their own paths to solo careers, with about two members releasing their own songs and two others members who are well on their way. Fifth Harmony’s, Normani Kordei has also ventured out to new things since her former band member’s separation, and she has become a contestant on Dancing With the Stars.

Nonetheless, though, music still seems to be doing fine without the presence of bands contributing to it, and even if your favorite bands aren’t together anymore, you can always listen to their wonderful music and enjoy other artists similar to them.

By Staff Writer Jade

PHAM

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ENTERTAINMENT

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Battle Vests define devotions of heavy metal diehards

When someone hears the words “Battle Vest,” the first thought that comes to mind is probably not a grizzly, long-haired man sewing; however, this is something that has become a staple of heavy metal culture.

A battle vest is denim (or leather) vest that is covered in patches of your favorite bands. They originated from the biker culture of the early 1980s. While some metalheads may say that you can only use patches from metal bands, other musicians can be used if you want. Just be prepared for some glares from some metalheads.

Here’s how to make your very own battle vest.

Step 1: Grab Your Vest

be your favorite bands. It is wise to get a couple patches to start and then get more later from concerts. This is so that you don’t go bankrupt buying a ton of patches.

The first thing you need to get is a denim jacket. If you already have a denim vest or old jacket hanging around, you can skip this step; however, if you don’t have one on hand you can get a cheap denim jacket from Goodwill or Mohair Pear.

Step 5: Chains and Studs

The last step in forging your battle vest is adding studs and even chains. This step is optional, but it will make your vest pop. Besides, what's more “metal” than bedazzling. You will have to be careful with the studs because the ends can be sharp, so make sure they stab you. You can also add chains to add to the edginess

Step 2: Forge Your Vest

The next thing you need to do is cut the sleeves of your jacket. In order to make this “metal,” make sure when you are cutting off the sleeves to make it messy. We want to look battered, worn and brutal. You may also need to cut the bottom of the vest to make it fit better.

Step 3: Add Your Back Patch

Now for one of the hardest parts in the creation process you need to choose a back patch.

For my batch patch I bought a cheap “Ride the Lightning” T-shirt and cut out the main design.

The reason I chose this album is because it was the first Metallica album I fully listened to, and it also contains the first I learned on bass guitar: “For Whom The Bells Toll.” This album means a lot to me, so that is why I chose it, and that should be the same for you.

Step 666: Wear Your Armor

Get the design of your favorite or most impactful album in your life. After you chose and cut out your design, you will need to sew it on the back of the vest. You can do this with either a sewing machine or by hand.

Step 4: Add the Patches

This step will probably be the most time consuming because of how many options are out there. Most of your jacket will be made up of smaller patches from other bands. These bands can all be from the same genre, or they can just

After you have fully customized you battle vest, you can wear it proudly. Note that you can wear it at any stage of the creation process. You can wear your vest anywhere you like, but some of the best places to wear it are at concerts. This is because other people will see your patches and most likely love the bands that you love. This makes a battle vest a great way of making new friends, so I hope with this guide, you can make and wear a battle vest of your own.

By Staff Writer Alexander

TEMPLETON

MLB pennant race will feature familiar teams

Baseball fans rejoice, the MLB season is finally upon us. After what was a slow free agent market and not a lot of major changes throughout the league this year could very well be an exciting repeat of last season. Factors like the Baltimore Orioles still crushing bombs and the stellar developing outfield of the Boston Red Sox will be storylines to watch along with whether or not the Cubs will go through a championship hangover. I’ll be going over the division champs for each league and things to watch through the summer.

NL East- The East has two good teams, an up and coming team, and two still trying to rebuild.

The New York Mets and Washington Nationals will once again battle each other for top spot in the division. Every game against each other will be like a playoff game. The Mets still have virtually the same roster as the one that went to the World Series a couple years ago, just without a crucial piece: Daniel Murphy. If Bryce Harper can break out of that major slump he went through last year, I think the Nationals will eventually pull away with the title in August.

But that all depends on three major keys: Bryce Harper, the starting rotation and whether or not the infield can get on base enough to produce a heavy amount of runs.

NL Central- The division is poised for another dominant run by the Chicago Cubs, and there aren’t a whole lot of teams that can stop them. Unless the Cubs go through a Championship hangover like some teams in the past have, it will be the second year in a row the Cubs will contend for a World Series.

The remainder of the division failed to make any big splashes in the offseason. The biggest was Dexter Fowler heading from the Cubs to the Car-

dinals, which could actually help the Cards greatly.

Fowler is a volume hitter who can provide an allaround boost to the one spot. But against Bryant, Rizzo, Baez and Zobrist among many others, it will be tough to overcome the Cubs.

NL West- The West may face another dominating year from the Dodgers, but with up and coming rosters like the Rockies, it could prove challenging.

After the Dodgers second round exit, the Dodgers were able to keep most of their team intact. The biggest loss was Howie Kendrick, a decent sized hole to fill in their already young outfield.

Their rival to the north, the Giants, still have a good roster but might find it hard to battle youth that surrounds the rest of the league. Buster, Hunter and Brandon Crawford aren’t getting any younger.

The Giants success rides on their aging vets playing well throughout the whole season, and they need Joe Panik to step up into a big time role.

I don’t think San Fran can play 182 full games of solid baseball, which is what they need to take the division.

I expect the Dodgers to take the pennant but not without a little struggle. Like I said before, the Rockies have an up and coming roster. If their big bats can overcome their pitching woes, they should be able to make a nice run and an exciting wild card.

AL East- There are three teams in the AL East that could advance to the fall classic: the Orioles, the Blue Jays and the Red Sox. The Red Sox are my pick to win the division.

They have a strong mix of young and old, along with an all-star caliber rotation. Their outfield is the best outfield in relation to its youth. Benintendi is ESPN’s number one prospect and has been play-

ing great throughout spring training.

Jackie Bradley Jr. is a speedy outfielder who can cover both sides of the ballpark. And finally, Mookie Betts, who I think is the second best corner outfielder behind Bryce Harper. Betts can hit, run, and field as well as anyone in the league and reminds me a lot of Bo Jackson in his heyday.

The rest of the division doesn’t have those type of players in their lineup. The only team close are the Baltimore Orioles, but they rely too heavily on the home run ball. Don’t get me wrong; they are great at hitting it out of the park, but they are like an NBA team who relies on the three-ball. As soon as their shooters get cold, their whole season goes down the drain.

In a tough division, the skill of the Red Sox will get them a division championship, and most likely a trip to the World Series. The Orioles will follow closely but eventually settle for a Wild Card spot.

Don’t count out the Blue Jays, however. They have surprised people in the past, and it won’t surprise me if they do it again.

AL Central- After a few years of domination, the AL Central has dropped off quite a bit. The Detroit Tigers have dropped after being great all throughout the decade, the Twins haven’t been good at all in my lifetime, the White Sox are rebuilding and the only bright spot are the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians made some big roster moves and certainly solidified their spot in the postseason after this past winter. The lack of competition in the division will mean an easy road to the postseason, and I don’t expect many surprises heading into the season.

The only team I could see surprising me is the Chicago White Sox, and they don’t have a good

enough rotation to go far. They lack a big ace to look forward to, and the only pro is their youthful skill in the field.

Honestly, it’s hard to see anyone making it through the season besides the Indians. With the bitter taste of the Cub’s World Series champagne lingering in their noses, it’s hard to see them doing any less than going back.

AL West- I’m not going to sugar coat it; this is the worst division in baseball. Besides the Rangers, there aren’t any real bright spots in this organization.

The Astros are taking small steps to becoming great with Correa, Altuve and Keuchel, but they have no power throughout the rest of the lineup.

The Rangers have a good situation with a number of hitters in their lineup, and if Yu Darvish can get healthy, they have a real shot at overcoming the Sox or Indians in the next few years.

I don’t see anything less than an easy ride through the division for the Rangers. The Astros I have a feeling will be able to overcome the doubters, like myself, and get into the wild card game but not much farther.

The league is seeing a new breed of championship teams this year. They’re youthful and powerful. The age of pitchers dominating the game is gone. The young hitters like Bryant, Machado and Harper are taking down aces one by one.

That’s why I think we’re going to see the same playoff race as before. Not enough has changed for the teams involved to drastically change anything. That’s why I think Cubs vs. Indians series two is going to happen. Cubs in six, you heard it here first.

By Staff Writer Ben

BOEZINGER

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ENTERTAINMENT

9

Power Ranger fans should pass on big screen update of TV show

Disney’s live action update of classic deserves new round of devotions

Last week, the much-awaited Power Rangers remake was released to mixed reviews. I had grown up watching the nostalgic show, and I was very excited to see a reenactment of my childhood, in the light of modern CGI. No matter the reviews, I was determined to watch this movie.

As I stepped into the theater on opening night, there was a veritable hum of anticipation, both from me and the other moviegoers. The lights dimmed, the previews were speculated and then, the feature presentation

In 1991, Disney may have released one of it’s greatest movies to date, “Beauty in the Beast.” Now over two decades later, “Beauty and the Beast” has hit the screens again, but this time as a live action film.

In my opinion, this movie was a great one. I was a bit skeptical when I heard that there was going to be a live action version, but once I saw the preview I knew it was going to be good.

The characters were cast very well.

Emma Watson’s voice fits the part of Belle almost perfectly.

One thing I enjoyed about the film was that it explained the story behind the death of Belle’s mother. In both the

began.

Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s everyone else, but I did not enjoy the new Power Rangers.

The acting was decent, don’t get me wrong, but the directing was subpar and the storyline seemed stuck on each part for too long, as if the movie wanted to stress that it was better than the old show. The only good things about this movie were the CGI and the soundtrack. When those two aspects are the good things about a movie, you have a problem. They should be icing on the cake or just a damper, nothing more.

It just goes to show that newer does not always mean better.

By Staff Writer Ethan

GUNNUSCIO

movies, Maurice, Belle’s father, is faced with the difficult decision to leave his wife along with his daughter for the safety of Belle’s health. We find out in the live action movie that Belle’s mother had the plague.

However in both the films, there are certain types of types of technology that do not correctly match up or make sense with the time period “Beauty and the Beast” is set in.

As if the original songs weren’t ones that everyone loves and knows by heart weren’t enough to enjoy, the live action version is filled with some new ones as well. I think this adds a nice touch to the film while going into more detail about the scenes.

Overall, this film was fantastic. Not only did this film live up to my expectations, it exceeded them. If you were a fan of the original film, then I recommend seeing this film as well.

By Staff Writer Emma

GRAENING

Gameplay overcomes lacking storyline to make Horizon Zero Dawn a premiere Playstation pick Sitting and slowly panning across the vast and beautiful world that belongs to Horizon Zero Dawn is something I found myself doing a lot in this well crafted PS4 exclusive. From hunting down carnivorous robot dinosaurs to trying to find answers to the many mysteries that lie around the giant open world for you to solve, the story, along with the surprising and fun gameplay make this PS4 exclusive a must play.

The graphics on Horizon Zero Dawn are otherworldly. The colors pop off the screen, and the vibrancy captivates everything from the fauna to the treacherous robotic dinosaurs that patrol the map. The red sunsets ominously gleam down on the snowy mountains that watch over the arid deserts and lush forests that lie nearby.

Now on the PS4 Pro (the recently released updated PS4 console) is a whole ’nother story. The graphics are ones that rival all of its predecessors and use the greatest graphics engine to date. The photo mode allows for easily captured vibrant and vivacious shots, which to me seems like a bragging tool for the game's developer Guerrilla Games.

It’s one thing to have great graphics and imaging, but to be able to show it off so easily is maybe a tad bit far. Photo mode allows for such great shots of the expansive and large map that is a pain to cross from one mission to the next.

One of the only cons of the game is having to spend in-game currency on fast travel packs to avoid all the long and unnecessary travel times across the game. The packs are expensive and take away from the experience. Instead

of saving up to buy a m m o packs or a muchneeded weapon, I have to spend it on senseless travel packs.

I kind of understand where they were going with this, but it is an unneeded attempt to make you explore their open world.

The storyline in Zero Dawn is probably the worst aspect of the game, but by no means does that meant the story is lacking greatly. Aloy, the main character, is an outcast whose main goal is to find out who she really is and where she came from.

Alongside that goal comes the task of finding out what really happened to their society. After a robot apocalypse tormented and killed off most of the human race, the remaining people were forced to regroup and start from the beginning. Now, hundreds of years later, the inhabitants still don’t really know what happened to their once thriving civilization.

Alongside the other treacherous groups of savages that run the land, you are forced to hunt down and kill the machines (robot dinosaurs) that are doing the same to you. The mystery about what happened to the previous civilization and what is yet to come is a good storyline, but still lacks what great games like

GTA and Last of Us created.

Most of the characters are well crafted with interesting motivations and backstories, but there is one problem with the RPG style of conversation. It is incredibly long and incredibly uninteresting. The back and forth needless banter between Aloy and her counterpart gets incredibly boring. If I wasn’t able to skip through the unwanted and purposeless conversations I might still be at the beginning stages of the game.

Overall the storyline of Zero Dawn is intriguing. It provides fun and diverse missions, along with challenging bosses.

It could use a few tweaks here and there along with a more sculpted story outline but still succeeds to be an enjoyable RPG diegesis to play through.

The gameplay of Horizon is where the money is made. The most enjoyable moments of the games are stealthily sulking into the sandbox area and plotting out your attack route. Am I going to just outright attack everyone, or will I take a more stealthy approach? Will I try and take out the enemies that lie in my way, or go peacefully? The options are almost endless, and each step you take can result in thousands of different outcomes, including death.

On a broader scale, the open world is constructed similarly to the sandbox missions that are scattered throughout the digieses. One minute you can be swiftly making your way to the next mission halfway across the map, and the next you're fighting a tribe of sawtooths scouring the biome. Most likely you won’t be able to fight your way out of that mess, but the riveting gameplay drives you to not only want to continue the game but enjoy it as well. The immersive combat will devour you as you spend long days and nights losing yourself in the world of robotic dinosaurs and intense savages.

The array of different weapons allows for a more detailed and personalized route.

Should you stack up on different bows and arrows to take down enemies with style, or get loud with more heavy artillery? The choice is all yours. Spamming circle to dodge vicious attacks from enemies may become tedious at times, but the movement can cause a great amount of creative and specialized attacks. It all depends on your playstyle.

Horizon Zero Dawn is one of Playstation’s premier games of the year. It’s beauty, along with its fast moving combat, shows off the power of the PS4 pro.

The storyline and characters are good enough to immerse you inside the world.

Zero Dawn is one of the best games of the year so far, and I imagine it will stay that way. With a slate of highly anticipated games set to release in the fall, Zero Dawn will be a game people will continue to play for years to come.

By Staff Writer Ben

BOEZINGER

10

The

OPINION

Our View

New LGBTQIA+ club open to anyone looking for safe space We here at the Tiger Hi-Line believe in inclusion and safety for everyone: no matter their race, gender, religion or sexuality, which is why one of our staff writers, Albie Nicol, is working with counselor Susan Langan and faculty adviser and English teacher Heather Nicholson to create a safe place and community for LGBTQIA+ students here at the school.

The club will be called Gender and Sexuality Alliance, GSA for short. While GSA is typically an acronym for Gay Straight Alliance, Nicol, Langan and Nicholson feel that the club should be called Gender and Sexuality Alliance to be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ individuals that walk the halls of Cedar Falls because when called a Gay Straight Alliance it’s easy for anyone who doesn’t identify as simply “gay” to feel ostracized by the group. It’s simply an outdated term.

The group will serve three main functions: supporting each other, socializing with each other and being activists together. It will meet once a week, and the purpose of each meeting will rotate.

For example, the first meeting was based on introducing the club, talking about the mission of the club and also simple introductions and socializing. The next meeting might focus on advocacy or support/venting to each other.

In addition to having in-school meetings, the group aims to hopefully have a movie night or two, and have educational events open to staff, other students and the public.

Please consider attending the first meeting next Wednesday, April 5, if you are in the LGBTQIA+ community here at Cedar Falls. This group aims to include anyone in the community. The club will typically meet on Wednesdays during B shift of Power Hour in room 206 in the English hallway.

If there are any changes in the schedule, Langan will post them on Schoology to let everyone know.

When: Every Wednesday, during B-shift Powerhour Where: Room 206, English Hallway

“Please consider attending an upcoming meeting next Wednesday, April 5, if you are in the LGBTQIA+ community ...”

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 HiLine 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.

Editor-in-Chief: Tana Gam-Ad Opinion Editor: Brennan Kohls Staff: Jibreel Bailey, Lily Becker, Ben Boezinger, Mia Dexter, Noah Forker, Halie Frahm, Kyandra Gillum, Emma Graening, Ethan Gunnuscio, Yoon Ki, Jackson Kliewer, Elise Leasure, Sabine Martin, Kate Mauss, Casey McIntyre, MacKenzie Michael, Jack Moody, Andrew Nickey, Albie Nicol, Kaylee Olson, Maddie Palmersheim, Jade Pham, Skylar Promer, Sam Prophet, Claire Rolinger, Claire Sabino, Sohia Schillinger, Rachel Schmid, Lexi Sheeley, Alex Templeton, Tehya Tournier, Matthew Walsh, Haley Williams, Noah Wolf, Alayna Yates

Tiger

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Thursday March 30, 2017

Sanctuary cities must be eliminated to keep Americans safe On Monday, newly confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened to cut federal funding to “sanctuary cities,” or cities that don’t comply with federal immigration law and harbor illegal immigrants. President Trump ran his successful 2016 campaign with that promise toward the front.

Sanctuary cities have come under fire recently because of violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants in a few of these cities such

AG Sessions threatens federal funding cuts to cities refusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s requests

as to why Sanchez, a repeat criminal, had not been deported by federal immigration authorities.

The idea of having a city that harbors criminals and keeps federal police out is absolutely absurd. It’s not only a bad idea, but it’s a dangerous idea that gets Americans killed.

More recently a 14-year old girl in Rockville, Md., was raped by two older illegal

“If the cities do not want to follow federal immigration law, they don’t need federal tax money.” as San Francisco, Denver and many others.

In July of 2015, Kate Steinle was walking with her father at Pier 14, a tourist attraction, when she was brutally shot and killed by an illegal immigrant, Francisco Sanchez, in the sanctuary city of San Francisco. The killing sparked calls for the banishment of sanctuary cities and raised questions

immigrants in a high school bathroom. A few days afterward, the Maryland state legislature revealed its intentions to make it a sanctuary state.

Luckily Maryland’s governor is a Republican and has at least a little bit of sense in his head, and he vowed to veto it.

One of the illegal immigrants in Rockville was detained and held by Immigra-

I think the most painful thing is being told you aren’t worth enough, or that someone you care about doesn’t love you anymore.

Whether this between friends, family or a significant other, it all hurts the same. I feel as if we all follow a pattern.

For us to feel secure about ourselves, we heavily rely on someone else to make us feel good. We rely on anyone but ourselves to make us feel worthy. The value of who we are is found in someone who doesn’t know you the way you know yourself, so why do we put our happiness in the hands of other people? People, more times than not, will let you down in one way or another.

At the end of the day, all you have is yourself, and I think it’s important to depend on yourself rather than someone you care about.

The opinions of others are important to all of us. It’s a sense of fitting in and fitting

within the social norm. No one likes to be the odd one out, so we rely on others to make us happy.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Sometimes their encouragements take us a long way, but if you place the building blocks of who you are in someone else’s hands, you’ve basically become a robot.

I’ve noticed a lot of us rely on our significant other.

I mean, yeah, that’s what you’re supposed to do, but you’re not supposed to expect them to make your life feel like it’s a life worth living. I think it’s sad how people don’t realize their full potential when they get caught up in begging someone to make them happy. We put everything we have into someone in order to feel as if we’re doing well, and then when they leave, we aren’t the wholesome people we ought to be.

Yes, human interactions need connection like that,

tion and Customs Agents, but under the Obama Administration’s policy of “Catch and Release,” he was set free.

It is ridiculous that some poor girl was hurt because authorities will not enforce federal law. If these cities want to harbor criminals and keep out federal agents, then they don’t need federal funding.

Democrats fight this and say it’s “xenophobic” to do this.

Apparently it is now racist to follow federal law and get rid of the criminal scum that hurts American citizens. In order to have a serious conversation about the fates of the illegal immigrants who actually contribute to society, we must get rid of all the violent illegal immigrants first.

Sanctuary cities are a downright bad idea that hurts Americans and should be stopped immediately. If the cities do not want to follow federal immigration law, they don’t need federal tax dollars.

By Opinion Editor Brennan

KOHLS

Find solace in self-dependence

but you have to realize that you are a person with amazing qualities that are important whether someone tells you they are or aren’t.

To me, it’s very important to be an independent person. Being able to recognize your own qualities is what life is about. We spend so much time insecure because we feel as if we aren’t accepted that we forget all we have to do is look in the mirror to find the approval we are looking for. As people, we offer such different qualities. If we were all alike, things would be so boring and plain.

It’s OK to care what people think, but it’s not OK for their opinions to make you feel less of a human being.

We are so much more than our imperfections. We are so much more than the people who try to bring us down. There’s a whole world out there to explore; don’t get caught up in superficial things.

By Staff Writer Lexi

SHEELEY

11

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Thursday March 30, 2017

SPORTS

“There have been lots of things that I have had to give up like hanging out with my friends or going to fun events. I know that I have to do this if I want to be good. Pretty much everything I do is scheduled around my sport.” —Junior AJ Green

Top athletes wrestle with dividing dedications Jumping out of bed at 5:45, grabbing a quick breakfast and heading to an early morning weight lifting session may sound like hell for the majority of teens. Add on two hours of practice for a sport after having a seven-hour school day, and one will get a dedicated but insane student athlete.

High school sports are known for their intensity, some more than others, yes, but they all push athletes to the max. All of the sports have different ways of training and different schedules, but they all have one thing in common, one is going to have to dedicate one’s life to them, physically and mentally.

Summer Pieters is a senior at Cedar Falls High School where she is part of the dance team. She also dances throughout the year with Fusion Dance and Fitness. Pieter dedicates 25-30 hours a week to dance, spending two to six hours a day training and practicing. “I spend 10 hours taking dance classes and learning skills in a dance classroom, seven hours as an assistant dance teacher where I am basically just taking more class as an older student for younger students to look up to and during the dance team season I would practice four-10 hours a week. I also usually practice, review and do extra workouts to improve everything I did during the dance week for about twofive hours a week depending on the intensity of what is going on during that time,” Pieters said.

Pieter’s mind has grown tremendously strong from such dedication to dance and pushing herself week after week. “I have seen a difference in my mental strength, for sure. I have a more positive and determined outlook on what I can handle and on how I approach tasks in and out of dance. I also feel like I am learning and focusing in a better manner now than I was a few years ago thanks to dance and workouts for dance,” Pieters said.

Getting done with a workout or practice drains Pieter’s energy by about 100 percent, but the feeling of knowing what her body can do right after completing goals fuels Pieters with so much good feelings and energy. “I am totally exhausted after dance, but I can do other tasks after practice because usually my endorphins and happy feelings keep me energized for a while,” Pieters said.

Dedicated athletes are special and very hard to find, but one knows they have found one when the athlete does more than what the coach or teacher requires. “I practice the skills I am taught outside of the set class or practice times. I also do lots of yoga, and I have my own workout

Sophia Schillinger Photo

Senior Makenzie Nichols finds time to work out after school recently. She and many athletes balance school, practices, social commitments, jobs, homework, sleep, family and more in an effort to stay on top of their “games.” routine of running and various arm and ab exercises that I do a few times a week,” Pieters said.

For her, being an athlete takes sacrifice as one might miss going out to the movies with friends or staying up until 1 a.m. dancing because of practice or a competition the next day. However, athletes strive to keep focused on the goals they have set for themselves and how they are going to get there. Over the years Pieters has adjusted to her busy dance schedule and accepted missing Wednesday night church group and drinking “insane amounts of coffee.”

She has concluded that following her hectic dance schedule was the right thing to do, because she was recently accepted into the dance major program at University of Iowa.

“I will be dancing every day for the next four years and rigorously training in various disciplines of dance.

I hope to dance professionally and open a dance studio after college, but we’ll see what happens,” Pieters said.

AJ Green is a junior basketball player at Cedar Falls High School and is another athlete that reaps the benefits of dedication. “There have been lots of things that I have had to give up like hanging out with my friends or going to fun events. I know that I have to do this if I want to be good. Pretty much everything I do is scheduled around my sport,” Green said.

Green spends about two hours a day playing basketball and believes that it is “what you put into the hours, not how many you put in.”

Green also lifts four days a week

and participates in agility training to work on quickness and jumping.

He is able to stay physically strong through his tough weekly schedule with protein shakes and smoothies, but for mental toughness, he uses something else. “Since I started basketball I have seen a difference in my mental strength because I have learned that when you get tired, you can always do more, or when you don’t feel like practicing you have to be mentally tough and do it in order to get where you want to be,” Green said. He also uses the sport of fishing as a relaxing and fun activity.

For top athletes, dedication is something they have to work hard at. For senior track runner Makenzie Nichols, she does have doubting thoughts sometimes. With a heavy homework load and hard practices, she said one sometimes can just snap.

“I actually think about quitting all the time. It is those times where I can’t go and do something I really wanted to because of a meet or practice that are especially difficult. There are times where I am so stressed out because of my homework piling up, and I am so tired from practice. In those times I remind myself of how much I enjoy the sport. When I remember my love for track, I get away from wanting to quit. It is always a great thought to take the easy way out and quit, but I like the feeling of being challenged,” Nichols said.

Nichols’ love for track has only grown throughout the years and is now an all year affair. “I spend all year prepping for track. I do early morn-

ing workouts. In the summer I can sometimes do three workouts a day as off season conditioning for track,” Nichols said.

Not only is she preparing her body for the intense track season, but she is preparing her mind and attitude. “I focus a lot of my energy on track. I am constantly prepping for practice or for a meet. I have to focus my eating and sleeping habits around track to make sure my body is ready for another workout. I am always thinking about the next workout or how to make myself a better runner,” Nichols said.

During the track season Nichols lifts and does speed work before school and has some sort of track workout after, totaling to about three to five hard hours dedicated to track a day. “I typically wake up early and do some type of practice or movement to get myself ready for the day.

Then every day after school I have practice. Monday and Wednesday are our hard workout days. We also have lifting on those days after we run. There is also a practice on Saturday morning where we do a core focused workout,” Nichols said.

The main trade offs for Nichols are the social, sleep and homework factors. “I give up a lot of time with friends for track. I have to say no to a lot of social events mainly because I need to sleep. It is really hard sometimes, but I have to put my body’s needs before a social life sometimes,” Nichols said.

Despite the demanding dedication of student athletes, a lot of them are able to thrive in all areas.

Although they might complain about the hard chem homework or not getting home from practice until 5:30-6:00 p.m. at night, they still get it done. “I am normally very exhausted after practice. At the end of the day I am ready to collapse, but I still have to do my homework. I push myself very hard at practice, so it always takes me a few hours to feel somewhat back to normal again with my breathing and heart rate,” Nichols said.

Junior athlete Paige Kvale can relate. “There is a lot of commitment that needs to be involved,” she said. “Most girls I know don’t do their homework until the last minute or at all and hope for the best, but I try and do my homework during class when assigned (if given time to do so). I recall that when I would have basketball games that would go late into the night, I would be up until maybe 1 or 2 a.m. completing homework. As of now, I do have homework due the days I was gone for state basketball. Most teachers count points off for late assignments, and because most athletes have full

class schedules, it’s difficult when you are getting home at 10:30-11 and have 2+ classes that require you to finish your homework. It’s difficult to finish everything for the next day. Just really hard if you put it off.”

Matt Schmitz also said that “it’s difficult because a sport like track or cross country takes a life commitment basically, and you have to always be thinking of things like healthy eating habits, academics. Also, you need plenty of sleep, so you have to make choices of who and when you’re going to hang out with, especially on weekends, and if you’re going to be busy with homework too. Also, all of that is very difficult when your Saturdays are limited due to practices, meets or games.”

According to WebMD medical web site, an average person should acquire about seven to nine hours of sleep, and athletes may need more.

David Geier, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist said, “Just as athletes need more calories than most people when they’re in training, they need more sleep, too. You’re pushing your body in practice, so you need more time to recover. Athletes in training should sleep about an hour extra.

You can go to sleep earlier, or take an afternoon nap.”

Senior Matt Timmer is also an athlete who also works hard to find the difficult balance between the demands of his dedication.

“I’d say the hard thing about being a student athlete is how much time it takes after school that you have to sacrifice. There are plenty of activities like play or musical that I would have loved to have been a part of but was unable to. It also affects work, and I have not been able to work nearly as much as I would like to to save for college. Homework is also an issue, but there is plenty of time either after the workouts or on the bus to and from a meet as well as power hour and release to get all of my homework done. One of the biggest things is just managing sleep and making sure I’m getting enough of it, which I usually don’t to be honest.”

To the best, giving 100 percent every day in practice is mandatory to progress said senior and dedicated athlete Dalton Godfrey. He runs and lifts to get the best out of his body every day. “I give 100 percent of my energy that I have for those hours that I am working on my sport. I feel that if you don’t give 100 percent, you’re not going to get any better,” Godfrey said.

By Staff Writers Sophia & Jibreel

SCHILLINGER

BAILEY

12 Gymnasts find success High Fliers in state competition

The

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Senior Delaney Schaffner and sophomore Samantha Boyle are currently level nine gymnasts at Ruby Gymnastics Academy, and both found success in the state competition in Des Moines hosted by Sapphire Gymnastics on March 10.

Boyle tied for first on bars, placed fourth on beam and third on allaround. Boyle also qualified for Regionals on April 7-9.

Coach Patti Lee said, “Delaney is our first gymnast to graduate, and it is a very emotional road to take. I am looking forward to watching what she does with her adult life going forward.

She is a very determined young lady with goals along her road.”

State was Schaffner’s end to a great gymnastics career. She placed second on beam. She plans to continue her academics but is undecided about college. Schaffner also plans to stay involved in the gymnastics world through judging, as she is now certified to judge through levels seven and eight.

“I was nervous, but I was more excited to get out on the floor and do what I love one last time surrounded by my family and friends,” Schaffner said. “Gymnastics has been in my life for so long, and I don’t want to just be done with the sport. I still love it, and it means so much to me. I plan to continue keeping my heart in the sport as long as I can, and I think judging is an excellent way to do that.”

Both gymnasts spend approximately 18 hours at the gym in addition to being full time students. Managing school work and four-hour-long practices each night can be quite difficult, but these gymnasts have become pros.

Schaffner said, “I have had a lot of practice at time management with school and gymnastics, so I have gotten pretty used to balancing school work and activities with four hours of gymnastics practice each night.”

Boyle said, “It’s not too difficult to manage gymnastics with school because I’ve gotten into a routine where I will do homework before or after practice or on our break if I have time.”

But finding the right balance for pursuing their gymnastic passions is worth it for these girls. Schaffner said, “My favorite thing about gymnastics is the feeling of hard work being paid off.

I love the process of working so hard for so many hours to get a new skill, connection or routine, and the feeling you get when you finally achieve what you’ve been working so hard for and the entire gym is cheering for you is worth all the hard work and time put in. I also love the people I’ve had the opportunity to get to know and meet through gymnastics. I’m with my teammates and my coaches more than I’m

Tiger

Thursday March 30, 2017

HI-LINE

Senior Delaney Schaffner (two pics at left and the one at top) and sophomore Sam Boyle (pic directly above) practiced at Ruby Gymnastics Academy before their state competition in Des Moines on March 10. Boyle qualified for Regionals on April 7-9 after the event.

Vanessa Kime Photos with my own family. They’re all like family to me, and the gym is my home away from home.”

In gymnastics, there are four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor. The scoring is out of 10 points, and there are usually two judges judging the routine.

January through March is tradition-

ally an optional (level 6-10) competition season. Lately the girls have been busy with a lot of meets all over the midwest.

Along with being incredible student athletes, these girls are also role models for all of the younger girls.

“They have become team leaders in the gym, supporting both their team

members and the younger recreational gymnasts any way that they can,” Lee said. “I hope to see both the girls excel in whichever road their adult lives take them. They have learned many life lessons in the gym that will hopefully come into play in their adult lives.”

By Staff Writer Lilly

BECKER