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Friday, May 18, 2018
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Volume 58 Edition 28
After 45 years, Kolbeck joins husband in retirement At the end of her 45th year of teaching, 24 in Cedar Falls High School, special needs skills teacher Judy Kolbeck is leaving for retirement. Most of the students may not even know where her classroom is, but everyone has heard of her kindness and compassion toward students and her record that she is holding. Kolbeck has a really busy schedule like being located in five different skills classrooms on each floor of the building, and over the years she has worked for at least 11 teachers, which after a while she lost track of, yet she still makes time to spend one-on-one time with students and help them get over their struggles together. “Working for several years with Mrs. Kolbeck as a co-teacher, she did a wonderful job of working with students, one-on-one, that were struggling with what we were doing. Her compassion to help each kid, no matter what level they were at, is a true testament to what she’s been to our school system,” math teacher Richard Strike said. Kolbeck graduated from UNI and
Judy Kolbeck special needs teacher started her teaching career in Burlington, but she returned back to Cedar Falls to give to help students reach their potentials. Kolbeck said she likes to make an effort in helping each and every individual, working with them to figure out ways to face their difficulties. The biggest change Kolbeck saw throughout the past 24 years of teaching at Cedar Falls and having three children graduate from here as well, is the grading system, which stu-
dents are not a big fan of. “I haven’t gotten into the new grading system a lot. Our skills now is pass-fail. So, that’s totally different; sometimes I feel like students don’t take it very seriously. I can’t say I’m happy with it nor dissatisfied with it. It is just really hard to explain it to parents how that all works,” Kolbeck said. In the past Kolbeck helped out with the school band when her daughter was in it as well. “I think my best memory was when my daughter was in band and my husband and I chaperoned the band trip to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl. This is probably what sticks out the most, but all the sporting events, track events and different activities I’ve gone to watch students participate in,” Kolbeck said. Her spouse has also retired, and Kolbeck is looking forward to making plans and spending her retirement years with her husband. Although she is giving a break to helping students at school, Kolbeck is really into getting involved and volunteering to keep spreading love, kindness and
respect. “We have a son in San Diego, so part of my plans are to be able to go out there more often and to visit our grandchildren and do things with them. I’d also like to do a little bit of traveling, just to have more time to get involved and volunteer, having free time and being able to do hobbies and stuff,” she said. Kolbeck might not be in the school system as much, but she has two grandchildren that live in town that love to use their ‘granny days’ to do schoolwork with her, so she will be involved in the community a lot, which will help her in keeping contact with the school at all times. “Right now I don’t think it will be hard because I will still be in Cedar Falls, and although it’s not that big, I will be involved in the school system through my grandchildren. So, I don’t think it’ll be too hard to leave, but it’ll be totally different because I won’t be waking up in the morning and go, ‘Oh, I gotta get to school by this time,’ or, ‘Oh, what am I doing today?’ But it will be a new chapter in my life, so I’m looking forward to it being like a new
adventure,” Kolbeck said. Even though retirement is about relaxing and having more free time, Kolbeck will still be busy organizing things at home that she has talked about with her husband before. “Cleaning out files is my top priority. I have file cabinets full at home. My husband says we don’t need anymore. We need to clean it out, so I hope to do a lot of cleaning out files. I hope to do a lot of organizing photos because I have a lot just lying in boxes; I would also love to focus more on gardening this summer if we don’t do the traveling,” she said. After 45 years of teaching, substituting is not what she wants to do right away, but her kind and supporting actions will always be remembered. “It has been my pleasure coteaching with Mrs. Kolbeck the past few years. She is a great support for all of the students in the classroom. Her dedication to education is something to be admired,” math teacher Anna Wilkinson said.
Although Schmidt states that there hasn’t been a lot of change besides the expectations of students over the years he has been teaching, other staff and students strongly agree on the positive changes and contributions he has done to improve the quality of Cedar Falls High School. “Mr. Schmidt has been an amazing asset to our department because of his great number of years of experience and his interesting perspectives on all things such as U.S history and American government,” social studies teacher Traci Lake said. Students note that even after 33 years, his teaching methods, like handing out suckers, are never boring, and he is up on the board passionately giving lectures about the United States in ways that make students love his class. “Although I only took his class for a semester, I can gladly say that Mr. Schmidt is my favorite history teacher so far. The way he teaches the class is so enjoyable and inviting to learning new stuff,” sophomore Collin Bohnenkamp said. Being this attached to his students and classroom, as good as that is, it also makes it harder for
Schmidt to leave his classroom and students. Although it is hard and some adjustments needs to be made, Schmidt says he feels good about his decision. “It will be really hard to adjust to leaving. This has been my whole life, my world. I’ve been teaching at CF for 33 years. I’ve been a senior in high school my whole life. I’m not naive, of course. There will be some adjustments made, but I feel very content about my decision,” Schmidt said. Although he isn’t going to be around as often, Schmidt said he won’t lose contact with the school or his students. He has not quite decided if he is going to sub, but he committed himself to many other things that will help stay in contact and follow up on the school and students. “I don’t think I’ll ever lose quite contact. I’ve already committed to still doing the public address at the basketball games and the football games. I may substitute some day down the line, but it’s not in my plans right now. In a community like Cedar Falls, you interact with a lot of people, and I’ll see students. I will always be interested in what they’ve accomplished and what
they chose to do,” Schmidt said. Schmidt’s spouse, who is also a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, is going to be teaching still, which Schmidt does not see as an obstacle for him to achieve his plans and complete his goals during his free time. “I plan on not worrying about lesson plans on Sunday nights. I plan on getting up in the morning and doing whatever I want. I like to travel. I like to read. I love sports, and I love my three little grandchildren. I’m gonna get more time to spend with them,” Schmidt said. It may seem enough of a freedom for a teacher to not having to plan lessons and go through the same routine every day, but Schmidt is open to new adventures and has exciting goals, some he never tried before, in his agenda. “First of all, I am going to take a baseball trip this fall, which I have never done. I’m going to travel to see my grandchildren on their school days. Every day is going to be a new adventure, and I am looking forward for the freedom,” Schmidt said.
By Staff Writer Saba
AYDINER
After 34 years, Schmidt readies for freedom Unlike others, students of room 256 are not as excited for school to end. They don’t want to face the reality of their beloved teacher walking out the doors of Cedar Falls High School once more; but this time, for longer than it has ever been in the past 33 years. Although social studies, specifically history and government, are known as boring classes amongst some students, it is nearly impossible not to hear the endless laughter that rises from further down on the social studies hallway in Robert Schmidt’s room. “Schmidt really cared about the material and his students. He was really fun to be around in the classroom and would always joke around with us. It was obvious that he had been teaching for a long time, had a lot of funny stories to tell us and wisdom to offer us,” senior Elise Leasure said. Schmidt has been teaching at the Cedar Falls High School since 1985 and has coached many sports teams such as track and women’s cross country, which resulted with a state championship in 1996. Not only was he successful
Robert Schmidt social studies teacher in coaching sports teams, but Schmidt also has very strong bonds and many memories with his students that he says he will dearly miss with tears filling his eyes. “Best memories? Working with students, no doubt. I coached a lot of sports here at CF for a lot of years. I’ll really miss the relationship with the students because at the end of the day, if you’re a good teacher, you establish trust with your students. You establish respect. I really like working with young people. I will dearly miss that,” Schmidt said.
By Staff Writer Saba
AYDINER
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Our View
Support CF teachers negotiations Teachers across the country have stood up to fight for the resources, pay and funding they deserve. Most notably, 60,000 public school teachers in Arizona staged a walkout in early May, along with librarians, staff and administrators, to fight for higher pay and better funding for schools. The walkout in Arizona was followed by waves of walkouts by teachers throughout the country in states such as West Virginia and North Carolina, where schools were closed and the the sheer magnitude of the walkout and cries for the betterment of school funding were echoed around the country. The Tiger Hi-Line supports teachers and staff everywhere who are in ongoing struggles to secure sufficient funding, salaries and benefits so that they can do their jobs and put students on the path to success. Our teachers and school staff work around the clock to give their students the best they can. Many resort to buying their own materials to make sure their students have the appropriate resources, even without compensation. Teachers invest so much into their jobs and the lives of their students that it is only fair that we provide for them. In our own community, teachers and staff have been in ongoing contract negotiations with Cedar Falls Community School District. Iowa recently eliminated its public sector collective bargaining law, and school districts and employee unions are required to negotiate base wages. This means that the unions that many teachers belong to are no longer allowed to negotiate things other than their wages, forcing them to disregard important aspects of their jobs like health care, safety and work load. To complicate the matter further, the public education funding of Iowa has been reduced drastically over the past few months, and growth of Iowa public schools has stalled. Cedar Falls is also a rapidly growing school district and has had difficulties balancing the allocation of money between resources necessary to maintain the growth of the schools while paying teachers. The negotiations of contracts have long been an important part of teachers maintaining their voices in the workplace. Without collective bargaining, teachers are faced with the decision to accept the terms that their employer determines or not have a job. It is important to remember that there are struggles that teachers and staff must face regarding their jobs beyond grading our tests and projects or helping us fix our Chromebooks. The district should truly appreciate teachers by maintaining the benefits that they have negotiated over decades.
Contact Us The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools.org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to The Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editors-in-Chief: Elise Leasure, Rachel Schmid, Sabine Martin Lead Writer: Tehya Tournier Opinion Editor: Benjamin Boezinger Staff: Saba Aydiner, Noah Forker, Chase Kline, Kendall Maslak, Sierra Miller, Skylar Promer, Sophia Schillinger, Matthew Walsh
Tiger
HI-LINE Mental health just as important as physical health for well being Friday, May 18, 2018
When we have alarming symptoms, break a bone or need a yearly physical, everyone goes to the doctor. It’s just normal. Physical health is labeled, splattered and talked about in doctor’s offices, talk shows, magazines and marketing on commercials, yet, when it comes to a person’s mental health, very few focus on resources and help because it is a taboo topic. While mental health is a “hush, hush” subject, one in five children aged 13-18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness, according to www. nami.org. This is quite the statistic, especially considering that still, the topic of mental illnesses and suicide isn’t a norm in society and numbers keep rising every day. The co-founder of Alive and Running Suicide Prevention and Awareness Iowa, Troy Belmer, said that he believes the spike in mental health issues today is do to the lack of human connection. “It’s so easy to misinterpret a text, a tweet, a like vs. a love on Facebook, etc. If the youth were actually talking with others, I think a lot of misunderstandings could be resolved,” he said. “Many of the ‘problems’ aren’t really problems as much as misunderstandings.” When asked the question of why does he think that people only focus on the physical health side instead of mental health, he said that it is more acceptable to talk about, but only in an appearance manner. “For example, a person may say they want to lose weight because they want to look better, but in reality their doctor could’ve told them they need to lose weight for diabetic or other health reasons.” Belmer said people don’t
Senior Advice By Staff Writer Kendall
MASLAK
like to discuss things that others can’t see with their eyes because it’s hard to explain when we can’t “see” it. The fact of the matter is that mental health is as important as your physical health. No one is saying that you need to be a toned and fit body builder, and you don’t have to be happy, energetic and kind all the time. But to be able to focus on
“It’s so easy to misinterpret a text, a tweet, a like vs. a love on Facebook, etc. If the youth were actually talking with others, I think a lot of misunderstandings could be resolved.” what is wrong, how to handle the problem and use resources can be a big step in helping the mental health deficit that is sweeping not only our local community, but our country as a whole. People need to start discussing this subject because that is the only way students, families, workplaces and schools will be able to help each other and make this world change for the better. Belmer said that a person’s mental health should never take a back seat, and that both physical and mental health are equally as important. “I believe it’s as important because our mental health can
“Take a lot of Hawkeye classes while they are free.”
—Megan Walsh Senior
affect so many other areas of our lives. It can also affect others. If a person is overweight, it typically doesn’t affect others,” he said. “When we look at mental illness that isn’t cared for, it can have a huge effect on others. One person’s poor mental health has effects on others, sometimes fatal.” According to www.teentreatmentcenter.com from a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, of the one in five teens suffering from a mental disorder, only 50 percent ever receive the help that they need. Many of the youth today are not aware of resources in schools, locally or nationally. There are hotline numbers, support groups, signs to look for, programs, etc., for help at any age. Mental health illnesses are not just depression or anxiety but eating disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety phobia, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and many others. When people have physical issues, such as broken legs, coughs, or rashes, they can see the broken bones, people coughing into their arms or the redness on their skins. Yet because we cannot see it, that is why people toss out the importance of mental health. Instead of allowing stigmas to swarm and overtake society, everyone needs to work together in order to eliminate pre-existing thoughts of how mental health can’t be talked about. It is important, it is a problem and we really do need to start talking.
“Get your work done ahead of time.”
—Alex Johnson Senior
By Lead WriterTehya
TOURNIER
“Do your homework, join clubs and have fun.” —Alyssa Dekutoski Senior
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FEATURE
Friday, May 18, 2018
UNI opens up affordable bike rentals to all Starting in 2014 in a capstone class at UNI, students created the bike share program. The students saw a need for a more sustainable campus and a use for the extra bikes that would remain on campus grounds after the semester was over. Fast forward four years later, and the program has grown tremendously. There are now over 40 bikes that UNI owns to rent out to students for the low cost of $40 per semester. However, a new addition to the program is a free, three-hour rental service through the Rod Library. These purple and gold bikes started with the intent of appealing to UNI alum members visiting campus during the warmer seasons, but it has spread into a larger audience who also desire a quick bike rental to take around the Cedar Valley. Eric O’Brien, director of sustainability, runs and manages the bike share program at UNI. He has worked with the program throughout the years and has grown it into what it has become
UNI now rents bikes to students to be used around campus. To rent one bike for a semester, it is $40.
today. “We were able to put together a grant application for the Pepsi Corporation, which was a national competition for college campuses across the country. We ended up being their winner in their transportation category. We put
Submitted Photo
all that money toward getting 40 new bikes for our campus,” O’Brien said. With these new bikes the program can rent to a larger audience and eventually lower the cost of semester rental for students. With the short term, three-hour rent-
al, one will receive a free rental along with a lock and head light if they are biking at night. They will only be charged if there is damage to the bike. “If you go over a curb and pop a wheel, that would be a charge, but if you were to go over a nail that is normal wear and tear on a bike, we would replace it for you free of charge,” O’Brien said. In hopes of the program growing, O’Brien said the bikes will be available for short term rent to community members through the summer. “We are doing the three-hour time period as an evaluation period to kind of see how many people from outside the UNI community are coming in and checking out a bike,” O’Brien said. So O’Brien encourages all who find themselves on College Hill this month that if the bright purple and gold bike catches their eyes don’t miss out on the opportunity to rent bikes because it could give them a whole new perspective of the place UNI calls home. By Editor-In-Chief Rachel
Social studies teacher headed to Cayman Islands for two years
Out of the blue, social studies teacher Chad VanCleve was offered a lifechanging opportunity for his whole family to live internationally. He said that fate brought this opportunity. “A friend that I used to work with in Rotterdam was contacted by some people in the Cayman Islands. They were looking for some teachers, and my friend gave them my name. We weren’t looking for the opportunity — it kind of just fell in our laps,” he said. This is not the first time for VanCleve to teach in another country. He lived and worked in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for three years before he and his wife had children. But this time around, VanCleve is taking his children with him to the western Caribbean Sea. “They are five, so they are excited but don’t exactly know what they are going into. All they know is that they are going to an island. The good thing is that it is close, so it is a four hour plane ride,” VanCleve said. VanCleve and his wife, who will be teaching in the fourth grade, will be instructors at an American international school that has many different cultures represented. However, the curriculum will be taught in English. “The Cayman Islands is a former UK colony, so they speak in English anyways, but the students that we are teaching when they graduate will get an American high school diploma, which will help them get into college in the future,” VanCleve said. “Many of the kids’ parents are from America, but their parents are doing business in the Cayman Islands. There are about 30 different countries that are going to be represented, so there are other people that move to the island from different countries, and they
SCHMID
Sabine Martin Photo
Cayman Islands
There are three Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. Capital: George Town, Grand Cayman Official Language: English
Social studies teacher Chad VanCleve will be traveling to the Cayman Islands with his wife and twin daughters. have decided that this is the best school for them,” he said. While living in Iowa, VanCleve and his wife have always loved to travel but have found it hard because of the far distance to international places across the ocean. “One of the reasons we moved overseas the first time was because it was expensive to travel outside of Iowa and out of the country, and we have liked doing it, so we decided that it would just be easier to live outside of the country,” he said. Iowa will always be the VanCleve family’s true home, but new challenges are something his wife and he are always looking for. “We like new experiences, and this is not a bad place to live in Iowa, so we
came back, but this is an opportunity that was presented to us, and it is nice weather,” he said. After VanCleve’s two-year appointment, he will return to Cedar Falls High School with different ideas for the classroom. “I think these types of experiences help people develop professionally. It will give me a fresh look on how other schools are operating and what they do. I am lucky enough to come back here after my leave of absence, and this only helps the school to have more perspective,” he said. The philosophy of the school that VanCleve will be teaching at is similar to Cedar Falls High School in many ways, but also has its differences in culture and
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II Population: 60,765 learning methods. “They are on the same pathway as far as professional ways such as learning based grading. Both schools have similar goals and concepts, but they are arriving there in different ways. Hopefully, I can bring back to Cedar Falls,” he said. Traveling through life with a sense of adventure, VanCleve and his family will always be able to call Cedar Falls their home base. “My wife and I are kind of nomadic. We like the change and like to do these things, so this will reenergize us, and then we can come back to Cedar Falls and know we have done it with our children, so we can check that box,” VanCleve said. By Editor-In-Chief Sabine
MARTIN
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Midnight
Friday, May 18, 2018
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Sabine Martin Photos
magic
After prom
Cedar Falls continued the prom celebration with the annual after prom party hosted by CFHS parents at Orchard Hill Church. Along with local Cedar Falls businesses, stores like Insomia Cookies, Scratch and coffee shop Sidecar that contributed food, coffee and other activities. The popular hypnotist show with Dr. Al Snyder ended the night in laughter. Sabine Martin Photos
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Friday, May 18, 2018
FEATURE
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Pictured above, junior Joey Dunning gets his picture taken by hypnotist Dr. Al Snyder. Pictured left, thinking he is the famous singer Josh Groban, senior Brandon Nelson sings his heart out along with the hypnotized “orchestra.� Below, senior Ruthie Rider smiles as the hypnotized group thinks they are flying a plane. The hypnotized group also went fishing, and all had different ideas of what bait they were going to use. Senior Will Burken said he would use his foot to catch the best fish.
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Friday, May 18, 2018
Dancing through the...
HI-LINE
Enchanted Forest Sabine Martin Photos
Madison Larsen and Ethan Smith
Abby Keiser
Meg Schmitz and Paige Kavle
Ryan Dunlop and Elijah Townsend
Kellen Chenoweth and Clare Rolinger
Isaac Millman, Jacque Vance, and Kylie Elser
Frank Opoku, Ryan Dunlop, and Hasaan Harvey
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ENTERTAINMENT
Friday, May 18, 2018
‘Flowers’ blooms with emotion “The Language Of Flowers,” written by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, is a New York Times best seller, and is a story like no other. With just 308 pages, the story starts off with an 18-yearold orphan girl named Victoria who has a love for flowers and the meanings behind them. As she turns 18 at the beginning of the story, one will see her go through the shift from group homes to being on her own in the real world. One will feel for her as she struggles to find a job and eventually becomes homeless. Her journey to find and forgive herself is heartwarming as well as heart-wrenching. When things finally seem to be falling into place and Victoria is beginning to become truly happy, her past will come back to haunt her, causing her to ruin what she had worked so hard to build. One will follow her throughout her story wondering why she can’t just let herself be happy until you want to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. This story is truly one that will get your heart pump-
ing and your emotions to flow through you with great intensity. Not only does this book have a jaw-dropping, eye-watering story, but it also has its own dictionary of flowers and their meanings at the very back of the book. Throughout the story, Victoria mentions various flowers, even explaining some of the meanings, but she doesn’t do this for all of the flowers. The flower dictionary comes in handy throughout the reading. It is also a very interesting thing to have if one would feel inspired to give someone flowers with a special meaning. The flower dictionary is organized alphabetically by flower name, listing the flower first and the meaning afterward. The cover of “The Language Of Flowers” is eye-catching with its bright colors and aesthetic background of a girl holding flowers. The vintage-like text will also draws one to the cover. The choice of colors fit together fairly well and really draw the cover all together, making it both eyecatching and aesthetically pleasing.
God of War is a game that defines a generation. In an age where multiplayer games are making sometimes triple what single player story-driven games are, God of War instiles a hope that story-driven games will return to the promiseland. Kratos and Atreus bring an element to gaming that has been missing since The Last of Us. It’s a compilation of immaculate story telling, immersive gameplay and enticing lore. Its single shot camera style differs from the overhead used in the past, but the third person view feels like you are plopped in an epic tale that rivals those similar to Odysseus’ journey or the Iliad. The score, graphics and acting help instile a life-like view into a hypothetical world of Norse mythology. The Norse setting, if anything, is a compelling reason why the story arc worked so well. The polytheism of the Scandinavian mythology offers a versatile non-linear tale where anything and everything can happen. God’s are littered everywhere in the story, making appearances of the existential beings seem anything but normal, and personified beautifully. Their lives are
shrouded in mystery and take unprecedented turns at every point in the story. It consistently sets up for curveballs and left turns at any given opportunity. It never felt like the story was setting itself up; it was never predictable. Instead, a conversation between two vengeful gods on an expedition to murder you and your young son feels utterly happenstance. Speaking of Kratos’ son, Atreus and his father offer one of the best conversation duos in the history of gaming. While Kratos won’t contribute much with his dry personality, the chemistry between the two is believable to a whole new level. The imbalance of Kratos’ deep and threatening spartan voice and Atreus’ prepubescent one provide comedy, tragedy and everything in between. Not to mention, quite a shocking an unforeseen ending involving the two’s peaceful end. The simple story outline of trying to climb a mountain to spread the ashes of a mother/ wife is a commonly used tale, but it is maximized by Cory Barlog’s storytelling. The climbing of the highest peak in all the realms could be done easily, with little
Skylar Promer Photo
The book, “The Language of Flowers” features a dictionary of flowers with eye-catching photos. Diffenbaugh is the author of said story. She is mainly a fiction writer, though, after writing “The Language Of Flowers,” went on
to write a nonfiction dictionary called, “A Victorian Flower Dictionary.” Her newest book, “We
surprising twists and turns. However, that’s not the God of War way. Of course, everything from the undead to giant dragons hiding in the mountains live amongst the plotline. But, nothing was quite as mesmerizing as the first battle. Still not over the loss of his wife, Kratos is forced to deal with the arrival and consistent agitation of the Aesir god Bolder. The no cut camera really comes into fruition here, never distancing from the action. The sounds of gods flying through rocks and canyons sucks you in, along with the movie-like battle that you are thrust into. The surround sound captivates you, while the flying fists keep you sucked in like a whirlpool. Also, I think underrated as far as best moment in the game, is while you and Bolder stand atop the crumbling cabin where Kratos and his son reside. Atreus is in hiding, but when Bolder asks about the two beds with a devilish smirk, Kratos’ rage ensues. It is one of the first moments in the game where we are given a look at his fatherly dedication, as well as the special attribute Spartan Rage. This overlying character flaw is a storylong item sprinkled with things like his in-
ability to show physical love. In another of the most underrated scenes, Kratos lays his arm over the shoulder of Atreus while they watch a lantern float to the heavens in remembrance of their fallen mother. It was one of the few tear jerking moments I’ve ever experienced in a game. The warmth toward his son that is discovered through heavy storyline events is one of the reasons that GOW’s storyline has been so highly touted. Like a love song, the affection during the plot is something that is easily relatable to. The story is a masterpiece; an epic that should not soon be forgotten. But, I won’t forget the well crafted combat. God of War’s combat system is an art that rivals the storyline. Since it’s the most common occurrence in the game, it has to be perfected, and it was. Kratos’ main weapon, the leviathan axe, is one of the best weapons in a single player game to date. It is devastating with it’s frozen attacks, it’s gorgeous special attacks and not to mention the satisfaction of the sound it makes returning to your hand at the press of the button. If anything, it does the best job of
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Never Asked For Wings” is one you should look out for. "For 14 years, Letty Espinosa has worked three jobs around San Francisco to make ends meet while her mother raised her children — Alex, now 15, and Luna, 6 — in their tiny apartment on a forgotten spit of wetlands near the bay. “But now Letty's parents are returning to Mexico, and Letty must step up and become a mother for the first time in her life. Navigating this new terrain is challenging for Letty, especially as Luna desperately misses her grandparents and Alex, who is falling in love with a classmate, is unwilling to give his mother a chance. Letty comes up with a plan to help the family escape the dangerous neighborhood and heartbreaking injustice that have marked their lives, but one wrong move could jeopardize everything she's worked for and her family's fragile hopes for the future."— Back cover. By Staff Writer Skylar
PROMER
Latest ‘God of War’ stands supreme
personifying Kratos’ personality in the form of a cold and cynical axe. The blades of chaos, a staple in the previous games, make a return as well. Appearing after a great cinematic sequence, the blades satisfaction may be greater than that actual main weapon. The fiery combos are very fulfilling, and are an immaculate contrast to the axe. The upgrade tree, however, is a little confusing. The only bad part about the game, the lack of upgrading virtual spectacularity, was a little disheartening. I also felt some of the upgrades to be somewhat necessary and do wish they maybe had redone the menu. Overall, God of War is a generation game. It offers an experience unseen in games today. If given the chance, treat yourself by playing this great game. Living vicariously through Kratos and Atreus and playing through an epic like this doesn’t come often. The game is a masterpiece, a tale of a generation and something to be talked about for years to come. By Opinion Editor Ben
BOEZINGER
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SPORTS
Friday, May 18, 2018
Softball continues rebuild with young team With a record of 3-23 in regular season scheduled games last year, the softball team is looking to sweep a couple more wins under its belt as the 2018 season approaches. “The biggest struggle was lack of experience at the varsity level. While we are still fairly young, I think the experience will help this season,” head coach Steve Chidester said. Chidester said that the team’s biggest focus will be on stressing the fundamentals and sorting out who is best for the varsity and junior varsity levels. “We have a nice group of young ladies that are willing to put the time in and are committed to their school.” Among the group of ladies who have put time in over the years, captains/leaders are Megan Keough and Tehya Tournier, the only two seniors of the softball program in their fifth and final season. Chidester said that both
players lead by example and are willing to do whatever is good for the team. Another set of positive leaders for the team are juniors Cara Forsblom, Kaylie Kleinschmidt and Breanna Speck. “They bring confidence and discipline to our team, as well.” In this up and coming season, Forsblom will be continuing without the team’s starting catcher and her older sister, Leah Forsblom, who graduated class of 2017. Both Chidester and Forsblom spoke highly of Leah, stating that she was always a positive leader and set the game tempo every time she stepped onto the field. “Our team last year was a solid hard working team. We had one senior who played every game with high spirit and went 100 percent with effort. Having Leah gone this year will be very different for
me since I have always shared the sport with her,” Forsblom said. “The returning players are all the same except for the one, making it easier to have a bond. We have the chance to keep working on what we left last year.” This season, Kleinschmidt said that she is looking forward to playing with her friends and to have a good team chemistry. “As a team, the main goal would be to work together and better our teammates. My personal goal, however, is to assist others and be a great teammate to all those playing,” she said. Chidester said that all of the returning players have brought good leadership and a positive attitude to both offseason and the start of in-season practices. He also expects this year’s team to be more competitive by being stacked and solid at each position on defense, and he said he hopes to be more
productive offensively. “We have a very energetic group, and we are blessed with some very good young talent. I really like what I see.” Forsblom agreed and said that although the girls are still young, there’s a lot of potential that can be turned into success if hard work is applied. “My team goal this season is to win a lot more games than our past years. With our hard work I know it can be done. I think our focus is to come together as a team to focus on teamwork and play with more intensity,” she said. The girls’ first game is May 22 against the East High Trojans at 5:30 and 7 p.m. at East High School in Waterloo. “I am looking forward to great weather, great practices and a great season,” Chidester said. By Lead Writer Tehya
HI-LINE Athlete of the
Week
TOURNIER
Metro Champs
The women’s golf team claimed the Metro title on May 16, and finished 53 strokes ahead of Waterloo Columbus after accumulating a four-round total of 698. Freshman Amara Lytle was the medalist, finishing with 169 after four rounds for an average of 42.5. The shots shown here are from an earlier Metro Meet at Pheasant Ridge on May 9.
Katie Crow Photos
TEHYA TOURNIER Softball How long have you been playing softball? I have been playing softball for as long as I can remember and have been in organized softball since the second grade. What has been your biggest accomplishment this season so far? My biggest accomplishment this season so far has been working together as a team. Although we haven’t started games yet, our team chemistry is in a lot better shape than last year’s, and I’m very grateful to be on a team full of hard workers. What are some of your personal goals? Some of my personal goals is to have fun, put forth 100 percent of effort into every practice and game, and to be a good teammate and example for the younger girls. What are some team goals? Our main team goal is definitely to win a state championship, but first we have to take care of the quarters and semis. Best momory from this or previous seasons? My best softball memory would have to be last year in round two of Regionals when we played Linn-Mar. We were scrappy, played hard and fought until the very end. Even though we lost, I think that is the best our team looked last season. When playing a ranked team, we put up a fight.