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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
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Volume 57 Edition 8
Holmes implements detentions for missing work Plan matches program Peet has had in place
Holmes Junior High has been working on reducing the amount of missing assignments that students have been getting. Policies on missing assignments usually vary from each teacher, ranging from docked grades to no punishment. However, a new policy was introduced on Monday, Nov. 7. Now, when students get a missing assignment, they have an hour of mandatory Alternative Learning Time (ALT) either
the night of or the next day. During this time, students will complete the assignment and other homework with that teacher. If they complete the assignment before the scheduled ALT, they will still be required to complete the time. Peet has had this program in place for three or four years now, and many other middle schools in the state have similar programs. Tiger Time will still be a time for teachers to request
and work with students, but “Teachers will not have to spend Tiger Time on missing work, but rather work on reteaching concepts,” ECHOES director Dan Bower said. The overwhelming majority of teachers in the building agree with the work completion program. ELP teacher Karen Newcomb said, “We wouldn’t assign homework that we didn’t believe was important in helping students develop the skills needed to be successful in our classes.” Other teachers agree with the policy because they believe it positively encourages the students to get the work done outside of class. Leesa
Action Plans
Talbot, an English teacher, told a story about her experience with getting things done in the real world. “When I first got a Discover card, at some point I was late with a payment. That little moment of neglect cost me $40 in late fees and made me realize from now on I’m going to pay my bills on time. Consequences stink, but ALT is realistic and won’t ever break a student’s piggy bank.” Students, however, are more split on this topic. Freshman Lakin Sheeley is torn over how she feels. “I think it makes students care more about their homework and makes them more responsible. I also think
that it’s a little crazy. I have mainly always done all of my assignments, and if one day I accidentally forget to do one, I have to stay an hour after school? It sounds a bit radical.” A lot of students disagree with the policy because they just aren’t used to it, and they are turned off by the change. Other students feel confident that they will not be affected. “I don’t think it will phase a lot of the students because a lot of us get our assignments done on time,” freshman Avery Straw said. By Staff Writer Katie
MAUSS
Peet teachers using different activities to helping students absorb daily lessons
Within the classroom, some teachers prefer to keep the students energy flowing by having them up out of their seats or interacting with other students. On the other hand, some teachers think it is better to have quiet work time in class to reduce stress and chaos that they experience outside of school. Two Peet Junior High teachers had very different thoughts on the issue. Victor Ochoa, Peet Spanish teacher, at a deeper level when students are parsaid that to really get kids interested in ticipating in activities that are challenging learning is to get them up out of their and engaging them in their learning,” seats and moving. “I believe Ochoa said. most junior high students are One student who really en‘wired’ for active and engaged joys getting up out of her seat learning. It is important to tap is freshman Natalie Huffman. “I into this energy they already really like Mr. Ochoa’s style of have. As a teacher, I realize stuteaching because it’s a lot difdents spend a good portion of ferent from a lot of the teachers their day sitting down, and any here at Peet. It’s a very hands on break from that routine is usuclass, which I really enjoy, and I ally well received. If students personally feel like it helps lots like something, they are more of other people understand and Victor Ochoa likely to want to do it,” Ochoa Spanish teacher kind of grab onto his lessons, if said. that makes sense, but it also deOchoa said that this naturally comes pends on the type of learner you are (visuwith teaching students another language al, hands on, etc),” Huffman said. She also because it makes it easier for them to said that this style of teaching makes her remember rather than memorize. “Learnlook forward to class. “Kind of going off ing another language naturally allows what I just said, I feel as if students don’t for more active and ‘hands on’ activities. dread going to his classroom. Since it is Activities like singing, games and partso interactive and hands on, people really ner interactions allow for active learning enjoy the fact that you get more freedom opportunities to take place in a fun and during his lessons,” Huffman said. Huffnon-threatening way. By incorporating man also said that she prefers this kind of activities that require constant interacteaching outside of Ochoa’s class. “Hontion, students are actively engaged in estly, any type of hands on interaction I their learning,” Ochoa said. really enjoy. I feel as if I get more out of Ochoa said he doesn’t think that it compared to just sitting, listening and just writing down notes is the best way writing notes,” Huffman said. to get a subject into a student’s head. On the other side of this, many stuIt requires practice and more hands on dents would say that they prefer to just learning to fully understand a concept. sit down and relax during class time. Get“I am not convinced that a quiet classting up out of their seat makes it harder room reflects ‘better’ learning. I believe for them to remember concepts, and it an active and engaged classroom reflects would be much easier just writing notes ‘better’ learning. I think learning happens for further use and studying.
Sarah Cooper, Peet ELP teacher, great to take a couple minutes to shut often gives her students a two to off your brain and have some peaceful three minute quiet time at the be- time to not have to worry about anyginning of class. Some stuthing school related, even if it dents put their heads down is just for a couple minutes,” and close their eyes, while Tyler said. others lie on the floor and “I enjoy quiet time belook at the ceiling. It just cause it gives me a time to gives them a minute to turn have complete silence, and their brains off. that doesn’t happen any“I think that many stuwhere else,” Muñoz said. dents are so busy. They “Even at home, there is alnever take time to stop, ways something going on in and it’s important to turn the background, some kind Sarah Cooper the brain off every once of distraction. As someone ELP teacher in awhile. Students are inwho deals with anxiety isvolved heavily in academic activities, sues, it is very helpful to have a time to school sports, club sports, church ac- be completely calm slow down from the tivities and other clubs. It gets tough stressful day.” to manage it all,” Cooper said. Although both girls love the quiet Cooper said that not all students time, there is some disagreement about enjoy this time, but so many others whether or not they would prefer to do. “I think it does different things have this “quiet time” in other classes. for different students. Some think it’s “I would like it for others to be able silly or uncomfortable, and that’s OK, to enjoy this time,” Muñoz said, “but for but a few moments of calm helps stu- me, it’s something about the ELP room dents to relax. Adolescents in gen- that is special and really allows for a eral are high energy. Energy is good perfect, quiet, calm time that cannot be if it’s in control. I’ve discovered that replicated.” providing students a few minutes of On the other side, Tyler said, “I think calm (no computers, no work, etc.) it would be a good thing to incorporate helps them focus so the rest of the in classes because it helps calm stuclass is more productive,” Cooper dents down.” She said her classmates said. agree. “It makes us more ready to learn Freshmen Alydia Tyler and So- and handle what the class is going to fia Muñoz said that they really en- include.” By Staff Writer Alayna joy “quiet time” and agreed that it helps them focus better. “I think it’s YATES
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NEWS
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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
“Confessions of a High school Teenager”
Behind the Curtain Crew supporting Friday debut
“It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered in 1946, but the first time CFHS students will be performing it is at 7:30 on Fridday night, followed by another performance on Saturday night. A lot of work goes into the production — not just acting, but behind the scene jobs. Here are just a few of the team working out of the spotlight this fall.
Gabe Gotera Set Constructor
Gotera is not only one of the main set constructors, but also an actor in the show. Gotera said he started working on the set two or three months before the show. “When our tech director isn’t here, I try to keep things in order. If he is here, then I will talk with him and supervise what needs to be done,” Gotera said. The tech director is Billy Weiland, a CFHS graduate. “The hardest set piece to make was the wheelchair ramp, mainly because we are kind of limited with the tools we have. We figured out how to make it, but it was difficult,” Gotera said. On Saturdays, a lot of the cast come out to help with set construction. Gotera sometimes comes in before or after school to help build the set. “On a set construction day, I try to come early. There are usually a couple different projects being worked on. We see people who are painting, doing lights and people who are doing set pieces. I tend to help with lights or set pieces,” Gotera said. Set constructions usually last anywhere from 8-noon, but since the play is so close, they have been extended so they can get more things done. “I can work on the set anywhere from four-12 hours a day. It makes my head a little crispy, but I enjoy it and wouldn’t trade anything for it. It gets intense, but I definitely enjoy it.”
Nicasio Martin-Ask
Light Designer/Set Constructor
“My job is to set up and design lights. I was trained by Jared, the lights designer before me. I’ve learned a lot from him, and I’ve been relying on him, but lately things have started to go more smoothly,” Martin-Ask said. Since Martin-Ask is a senior this year, it will be his job this year to train someone to take over the lights. “I’ve been helping out Gabe with set construction. Last time we counted, we had been working for over 70 hours by now,” Martin-Ask said. Gotera and Martin-Ask have put an incredible amount of time into designing the set this year. This show in particular has one of the biggest sets they have ever made. “The most difficult part of my job is designing, figuring out where to put things and where they look the best. It’s kind of tricky, but once everything is in place, it becomes easier.” In this play, the setting is winter time. The narrators in the show are angels, and they sit on a platform looking down onto the audience and the stage. On the fence of the platform, MartinAsk did a wonderful job using blue and white Christmas lights to make the angels appear more “heavenly” and the set more winter-like.
Rachel Ochoa Sound
“I run sounds and do mics as well in this play. My job is to make sure the sound cues are right and the mics are set up correctly.” Ochoa was trained when she was a sophomore to run the mics and sound. “When I was a sophomore, they were looking for someone who was younger to take over sound. A senior taught me how to use the sound board and set up the mics. I’ve been learning through my own mistakes as well since then.” Ochoa not only does sound and mics for play, but also the one act. “The most difficult part of my job is getting the sound cues right and on time, or finding the sounds that would be the best fit for the play. Doing all of it myself is pretty hard because I only have two hands.” Ochoa is the only sound person, so her job gets a little hectic trying to manage both mics and lights. “This year I feel behind. I still need to find some sounds, and I need to make sure the sound cues are where they are supposed to be.” Like everyone else, Ochoa said she enjoys the play, although it’s a very stressful job. “I love being able to be in the booth and watching the play come together. It’s a lot of hard work, but it definitely pays off in the end.”
Katie Klaver
Assistant Stage Manager
Klaver, a junior, holds the title of assistant stage manager. She is being trained to be the head stage manager next year. This is Klaver’s second year, and third show, working as a stage hand. “I follow the stage manager around and put everything where it needs to go. We put the props in the right places so the actors have easy access to them. We have help from our techies, and we tell them which props are assigned to them and what they need to do.” The stage managers wear mics so they can communicate because they are on opposite sides of the stage. In this production, there are a lot of props and set changes. Backstage, the stage managers are in charge of the prop tables. “The hardest part of my job is the stress. It’s a lot of moving around, telling other people what to do and trying to remember what goes where.” By Staff Writer Emma
GRAENING
In the pictures at top, from left to right, senior Adison Pace, junior Joel Bruss, junior Clare Rolinger, senior Brooke Prohaska, senior Gabe Gotera, junior Mary Lawson, Rolinger and senior Emily Fishel act in “Confessions of High School Teenager.”
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NEWS
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“It’s a Wonderful Life”
At top, senior Jenna Clark and junior Clare Rolinger look down on George Bailey’s life. At top right, senior Makenzie Nichols and senior Noah Wolf get news from Sam on business opportunities away from home. Directly above, Nichols, junior Emily McVicker and Corbett pray for George. In the middle, Wolf and senior Adison Pace look at the news from his brother’s award, and to the right of that, Wolf, junior Matt Walsh and senior Josh Jenson hold back from a bar fight at Ms. Martini’s. Bottom right, senior Albie Nicol schemes against George as senior Bekah Bass and junior Aidan Flack share the latest news to assist the plans. Vanessa Kime Photos
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NEWS HI-LINE Holmes girls explore STEM careers at conference Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Approximately 30 ninth grade girls and a couple of eighth grade girls loaded the bus at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 to travel to Ames for the “Taking the Road Less Traveled” conference. The first conference was held 30 years ago to introduce high school girls to how many career options there are in the STEM field. Since than 60,000 girls have attended. Big smiles and muffins greeted all the girls from Holmes Junior High upon arrival. Also, on the chairs were bags with information and little goodies. Once all the girls arrived, two keynote speakers and three women in the STEM fields introduced and persuaded students to think about the many STEM careers. They also encouraged confidence in being a woman in the STEM career. “The trip made me realize that there is a lot more options for women in STEM careers, and I didn’t know there was such a small amount of women working in these careers,” freshman Allie Grinstead said.
Small is really no understatement when talking about women in these careers. One speaker, who works with air conditioning and heating said she is one of three females in her union, the rest are all guys. Even those who haven’t decided which career path they are going to follow still found the speakers interesting and informational. Like Grinstead, “I am not really sure what type of career I might be interested in, but now that I learned more about all the different STEM careers, I think I might be interested in a few of them,” she said. However, some students knew exactly what they want to do in the future and were very interested in STEM, like freshman Gretchen Fixen. “I wanted to go on ‘Taking the Road Less Traveled’ because I have been interested in science ever since I got to junior high. I’ve always known I’d want to pursue a career that has something to do with it.” Before the conference, science teacher James Duff gave all all the participants
a sign in code to enter the website and select the sessions they wanted to be involved in. There were several sessions to choose from, but participants were only able to pick three. At each session, there was a hands-on activity and a Powerpoint to teach participants a little about some of the career options in STEM. After the first session, everyone sprinted to the macaroni bar for lunch, only to figure out that the food wouldn’t be served for another 10 minutes. But no worries, the 15 hand-sized brownies on the table tied them over. During lunch, activities were done, including a Kahoot.it to learn more about STEM and a Twitter war (the winner is the person who tweets the most educational things) throughout the day. Once the lunch was scarfed down, all the students went to their second activity that lasted an hour. One of the favored sessions was “Ready Set Build!” Fixen and freshman Abby Balong both had very positive feedback on the session and said they “loved the teamwork.”
“In this session we were split into teams and each given the same material and instructions. Each team had to build a bridge in a certain period of time. After we tested them to see how much weight they could hold. I liked this because it was hands on and fun. We also got to work with people from all over the state,” Balong said. After the third activity, the girls retreated back to the Great Hall for a final message. The message was very moving and was performed by keynote speaker Jamie Cornelius. One of the activities during the speech had the girls and even some male science teachers write on a piece of paper what was holding them back from succeeding. After, they crumpled up the paper and stepped on it. Those interested in going on this conference can contact Janice Crow at 515-294-5883 or through email at jcrow@iastate.edu. By Staff Writer Sophia
SCHILLINGER
Junior raising funds for mother coping with cancer With a bright smile on her face, junior Sarah Wagner grins through her mother’s tough situation and stays positive for her family. Julie Paup was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Two weeks later, she and her family found out it was terminal. “We are really close. I usually go to her with all of my issues or just to talk. We do a lot of stuff together too,” Wagner said. Wagner said she sees her mother as a strong person. “She doesn’t give up when she’s under pressure, and she’s happy a lot, almost all the time.” Wagner and her family had started a gofundme page for her mother and have gotten lots of people in the Cedar Valley community’s love and support. “After we made the account, I told her how much we have been raising, and she really broke down, started crying because she was so shocked that so many people have donated for her and have been thinking of her and what she is going through.” Paup said what her family did was so sweet. She said for them to come up with an idea like that for her what was very special. “Oh gosh, I cried. The generosity of our friends and family has been unbe-
Submitted Photo
Wristbands are available from junior Sarah Wagner for $2. lievable. It’s just amazing how many people out there are willing to support you and help you.” The Wagner family stays strong through this difficult and frustrating time by not giving in to the “what if” thoughts. “We try to not let the negative stuff hit us so hard,” Wagner said. “We just think it can keep getting better, and we just want to think positively about it. If we don’t, then things might not go as well or my mom could also lose hope.” Paup said by having a positive attitude it helps tremendously with getting better. She said if one stays negative all the time, it brings everyone else down and it takes longer to recover. “I feel like I have to be there for the girls and for my
husband because it’s hard to live with somebody who’s sick. I don’t like it. I don’t like having to be this way, and I try to be as positive and normal as I can.” Paup said a lot of progress has been made in the last few months, and she is working hard every day in gaining her strength back. “I am getting better, but I still have a little ways to go. Every day I’m getting stronger. I was really weak because I lost a lot of muscle from being in the hospital. I lost a lot of weight and muscle, so I just have to do lots of physical therapy, and I’m still recuperating from the last several months.” However, Paup’s cancer has led to other problems. Wagner said the doctors cannot give her a liver transplant due to the cancer in her body.
In recuperating from this, Wagner said her mother had just spent four weeks at Covenant Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, but now she has been home for a month and a half. A healthy person’s liver numbers should be roughly around 10,000-20,000. Wagner said her mom’s liver numbers have gone down 3,000, and that every day it is getting better. “Yeah, it scares me a lot,” she said, “but we usually just try to live in the moment and not think about how things could go and what could happen. It could also get my mom down too.” Paup said she was in total shock when she first found out about her cancer. “It was never something I expected to hear.”
She said she was very scared and worried about telling her kids, nervous how they would handle the startling news. Little did she know they would end up being her biggest supporters. “Luckily they asked questions and handled it very well. I couldn’t do it without my family, from my husband to the girls and my siblings and parents, the girls’ dad — they all have been very supportive,” Paup said. Still smiling and making the best of a heart wrenching life situation, Wagner encouraged everyone to ask her about the bracelets she is selling for her mom. She is selling them $2 for one bracelet, and they will be available until she runs out. By Staff Writer Tehya
TOURNIER
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FEATURE
5
Take a Walk on the Weird Side
Check the files for idiosyncratic habits close to home
Sightings of weird habits are being spotted everywhere. Gum popping, dip snapping (packing), weird walking, garlic hanging. The list goes on for days. Someone’s got to record these abnormal activities. I have taken on this laborious task in hopes of uncovering some of the strangest habits that Peet Jr. High students have to offer. I was an undercover student who had to venture out into the unknown parts of the teenage brain. I spent my day at school like any other. The only difference was that I was quietly observing my fellow classmates. And since I’m an expert at being stealthy, they were obviously oblivious to my mission. I recorded all of my findings in top secret folders. Usually they are not available to just anyone, but since you asked nicely, I’ll give you a freebie. Go on, take a peek. Sarimah Ogbondah, Freshman PJH
Valarie Slade, Freshman PJH --- 8:48 a.m. --- Subject is sitting still, looking shady as ever. So far, nothing. --- 8:56 am --- She’s moving! She’s balling her small fists, ready to punch someone! False alarm. Slade just cracked each and everyone one of her knuckles, even the pinky. --- 9:08 a.m. --- Devious mastermind is acting like she is up to no good. She’s cracking her knuckles, making them fill up the undisturbed room. --- 9:16 a.m. --- CRACK. CRACK. CRACK. CRAAACK. --- 9:24 a.m. --- This has become too much for my ears. I’m slowly approaching subject Slade with caution. You may never know when she could suddenly fist her hands and break the silence of the room again. --- 9:26 a.m. --- I tapped her shoulder. She turns to face me. I ask her if she’s is aware that she’s causing a disturbance in the room. Innocent-looking as ever she replies, “I’m surprised you noticed. I just crack my knuckles every eight minutes.” I retreated back to my seat, wondering about this weird habit, but even I could tell that nothing was going to happen here. I think it’s safe to say that this case is closed.
Julia Grey, Freshman PJH --- 1:15 p.m. --- My last subject actually came to me. In an … interesting fashion. This crafty little person came up beside me and started chatting away, but not before she glanced down at my feet. I glanced down with her. Not a speck of dust on either of our shoes. Shady move subject Grey, shady move. --- 1:18 p.m. --- Every now and then mid-conversation, she looks down at our feet. Out of habit, so do I. --- 1:19 p.m. --- After long minutes of chatter, I finally voice my concerns. “Is there something wrong with the floor?” Grey looks up at me with utter confusion. “Why do you keep looking down at our feet?” I look at her dubiously. “Oh! You see, I have this habit of syncing my feet with whomever I’m walking next to. I don’t know why, but I catch myself doing it a lot.” She shrugs her shoulders. --- 1:21 p.m. --- I squint my eyes at her, not completely convinced. Subject Grey doesn’t notice all the doubt rolling off my skin as she carries on with her uneventful day. Stopping a few times to sync her feet with the person she is walking by. Because of my doubts, I shall keep this case open until further notice!
--- 11:02 a.m. --- Subject Ogbondah is chewing up a storm studying for her test. What kind of test? That’s what I’m worried about. --- 11:06 a.m. --- This is getting exhausting, watching her casually flip through papers and popping that gum. Acting a little too shifty for my liking, if you ask me. --- 11:08 am --- She’s getting something out of her case! Here it comes. I knew it. As it turns out, she just pops another piece of gum into her mouth. --- 11:34 a.m. --- Not a single change in subject. Almost lunch time. Seems like a good time as any. --- 11:35 a.m. --- I carefully approach her. “What do you think you’re doing with that gum? Popping and smacking it?” She looks at me with secretive eyes that hold shadows of the past and light of the coming future. Her expression changes into a confused one, “I chew a piece whenever I start to study. I have heard it helps your brain to chew a piece while you study and then the same type of gum later while you test.” --- 11:37 a.m. --- Bell has rung, time to devour some food. I was skeptical toward her reasoning, so for now, this case will remain open!
Sam Church, Freshman PJH
--- 2:18 p.m. --- “That was a good one, but I can still do it better than you.” SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP SNAP. --- 2:19 p.m. --- Subject Church has been packing consecutively for more than a minute. It’s as if he’s trying to divert everyone’s attention to him. But why? What’s he hiding behind the loud wall of packing. Shady is Church’s middle name. --- 2:22 p.m. --- Minutes pass by without any interruptions from the subject’s packing. --- 2:23 p.m. --- I spoke too soon. He may not realize it, but he packs out of habit at anything that either excites him or just because. --- 2:37 p.m. --- I’m seconds away from kicking the back seat of Church’s chair. And as soon as I do, subject turns around and demands to know as to why I did that. “Are you ever going to stop packing every five seconds? It’s turned into a habit, which is very annoying.” --- 2:38 p.m. --- Subject doesn’t answer with words. He packs, in my face. Which only makes me ponder: cat got your tongue? Not much to say when you could pack instead. This case shall stay incomplete!
By Staff Writer Vipsa
DODIYA
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FEATURE
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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Diversity, competency equal in poll of teaching credentials
Though racial diversity at Cedar Falls High School isn’t quite as broad as compared to other schools in the surrounding area, a recent survey by CFHS sociology students of 122 students and staff found that respondents place a high importance on racial diversity within the American education system, and specifically, Cedar Falls High School. According to USNews.com’s Best High School Rankings, CFHS minorities represent 15 percent of the student body. Of the 122 students and staff that took the survey, 24.6 percent (30) said that they strongly agree that racial diversity is an important factor in American education, while 15.6 percent (19) of students said that racial diversity in the student body and staff was not an important factor. The considerations of respondents for diversity applied directly to the racial makeup of the current teaching staff and hiring practices for the future. Many staff members
Artistof
believe that hiring teaching staff should be based upon qualifications rather than race, but recognize that the CFHS teacher diversity is very minimal. Of the 65 teachers who took the survey, 46.2 percent (30 teachers) said they strongly agreed that racial diversity is important in the American education system. Spanish teacher Patricia Black is one of the few staff members who was born outside of the United States. Black said that it would be nice to see more diversity within the staff, although qualifications are the most important factor. “It would be cool if we could have more diversity, but you need to also have the best qualified teachers. It is not based on race, but on qualifications,” Black said. Principal Jason Wedgbury’s insights matched those of Black on racial diversity at the high school. “Diversity exposes us to more viewpoints and ways of thinking, increasing levels of tolerance especial-
Senior Jenna Clark Senior Jenna Clark plays multiple important roles in this week's play, characterizing not only one of the three angels but also stepping in as Mrs. Bailey, the mother of the main character.
get to see who all is going to be in the audience, since I can't look out while I'm on stage. I like to have an idea who I'm sharing the show with. 4. What has been your favorite character that you've ever played? My absolute favorite character is Goldie from Diviners last year. She was the sassy but loving diner owner. I loved playing her because I got to shout and put up a fuss. I actually got so carried away in a rehearsal that I cracked a plate over my scene partner's head. (Not on purpose, I swear!) 5. Do you plan to continue theater after you graduate? I'm not sure if I'll keep doing theater after I graduate. If I could, I'd love to never stop acting, but I have no idea what state I'll even be living in next year so ask me again once I get my life a little more figured out. By Staff Writer Cassidy
CHRISTOPHER
Robisky’s thoughts also paralleled with Black and Wedgbury that having qualified and efficient teaching staff is important, no matter the race of the teacher. “I don’t care what race the teacher is. I only care if they are a good, qualified teacher. Not more diversity, but to be more accepting,” Robisky said. Other staff members, such as biology teacher Jeff Hartman, recognize the benefits that a diverse teaching staff could offer, and how it can contribute to creating different viewpoints and ideas. “Racial diversity is a good thing. People from different backgrounds all have different things to contribute which is a good thing. It all makes us better,” Hartman said. “It makes us all better. I think that we should have the best teaching staff regardless of their racial background.”
SALMON & LEASURE
by Staff Writers Kim
Elise
Humans Blended Background of
CF
the week
1. How long have you been involved in drama productions? I've been in drama at the high school since last year, but I've been involved in theater for years. 2. What sparks your interest with theater? Why do you participate? I love absolutely everything about drama — the costumes, painting sets, being on stage — there is nothing like finally getting to share our show with an audience on opening night. It's addicting, honestly. Once you've performed once, you can't get enough of it, and you just want to get back on that stage and do it again and again. But I also love the people. The theater department here is one of the most welcoming and fun groups of people out there. They make all of the late night practices and hours spent reworking scenes worth it. Nobody makes me happier than my play people. 3. How do you get ready for performances? Pre-show rituals, calming methods, favorite snacks? I don't really get nervous for shows, so I don't have any superstitious preshow routines, but I love to be at the door before show collecting tickets. I
ly when talking about race and more opportunities,” Wedgbury said. “I do think that we continue to grow in our racial diversity. When I talk about diversity, I am not only talking about race. I am also very aware of diversity through the hiring process. People who are most qualified to do the job get the positions. If everyone who is going through the interviewing process has the same qualifications and the ability to perform the job responsibilities on an equal level, then the consideration will be diversity. It is beneficial to have a staff who reflects a similar diversity in our student body.” Sophomore Aimee Robisky, as someone of a different ethnic background, said, “Racial diversity isn’t just about having different races. It's about different ethnic backgrounds. Even though I’m Asian, I don’t consider myself as a minority because I am raised by white people, so I don’t have that connection with my heritage.”
Ninth grader hails from home of diverse family, pets
Jack Stichter is a ninth grader at Holmes Junior High. He is a Human of Cedar Falls. Family is important to Stichter. He has a large blended family, and he counts all of the people in it as equal family members. “I have one full sibling, two half siblings, then my two half siblings have two half siblings, an adopted brother and an exchange student. It’s a big family, but I don’t see halves or the full siblings. I just see ‘that’s my sister, that’s my brother,’” he said . “I have grown up in such a big family with different pods of children, but it’s been nice. I like it.” Stichter’s parents are used to being around a lot of children, since they are both involved in education in Cedar Falls. “My parents are both educators. I almost think that is kind of cool. They are teachers and guidance counselors. They have been a lot of things. Really it took me this long to realize that they are more than just parents. If I ever got the chance, you know, I am open to adoption, and I am open to these things. I don’t see myself having one child biologically and then not having another through adoption,” he said. For many years, life for the Stichter family evolved around the Price Laboratory school. When the school closed down in 2012, it was hard for his family on all aspects. His father was a principal there, and his mother was a second grade teacher. Stichter and all of his siblings went to school at Price Lab, just a short walk from his home. The closing was “a dramatic time,” Stichter said. Beyond his studies and running cross country and playing tennis, Stichter loves to read, write and care for his many pets, which include two dogs, three bunnies, one horse,
one cat, three fish and two turtles. He gets writing inspiration from his surroundings. “I like writing about other people in my head or actual real people and make fake stories about them. It's friend fiction. I think that's what it’s called,” he said. “I listen to other people’s conversations and see if they have anything interesting to say, and maybe I’ll write it down. A lot of it is just me thinking.” Other than realistic fiction, some of his writing includes poetry. “I really love writing poems, and recently I submitted a poem to a national poem competition with the help of my English Teacher [Leesa Talbot].” With his future in mind and goals to achieve, Stichter wants to expand his cultural surroundings. “Somewhere far away. First off, when I go to college, I want to be able to study abroad. I don’t care where I go, but if I am able to get out of the U.S., that would be so cool,” he said. Photos and Text by Staff Writer Sabine
MARTIN
The
Tiger
HI-LINE
FEATURE
Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
7
Overuse of social media can lead to addiction
Seemingly everyone using social media these days. To some, it's an easy way to connect to friends and family, but now students are overusing the apps. They can spend seven hours on their phone in one day, and this is clearly crossing the line into social media addiction. Freshman Alydia Tyler is a self-diagnosed social media addict. “Maybe I have a slight addiction,” she said. “I think it’s just the way our generation grew up with social media.” Now-a-days, people grow up with social media, getting it around the sixth grade and using it until it just becomes a part of their lives. Amanda Friis, another freshman, said, “I got social media in sixth grade, so around 12 or 13. My friends told me to get it, so I thought I would try it out.”
And now that students like Friis and Tyler are getting apps like Instagram and Snapchat so early, addiction is becoming a bigger risk. Addiction to anything usually starts at a young age, with experimentation. Some people just get a mediocre response to addictive mediums, but others get a huge response. Over time most people will build up a tolerance to the medium and crave more and more. This is true for social media. It might not be a drug, but it is pretty close. Just like drugs, social media can affect the brain. Teens are highly affected by the “likes” that they get on social media. This acts like a reward to their brains and is kind of like the reaction they have to winning something. But freshman Annie Brown has no idea what it is
WRITE NOW
Go with flow in week two of NaNoWriMo Welcome to week two of NaNoWriMo, Wrimos! Since you’ll be reading this article close to the end of week two, I thought a checklist would be appropriate before I provide you with some more tips for the process. Checklist: Check your wordcount. Is it at or above 23,000 words? On day 14 you should be at or above that word count to finish on time. Do you have any writing buddies? If so, motivate them. Tell them how great it will feel when the month is over. If they are stuck, send them a prompt to get them started. Do you have a title for your novel? If not, try brainstorming a few and bouncing them off your buddies. Have you attended any regional events? If not, there’s a “Write-In” at the Cedar Falls Public Library on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 1-4 p.m. in the meeting room upstairs. Now, for tips and tricks to get you through the week. Your hopes and dreams are probably fleeting as you realize how hard it can be to pump out so many words a day, so here’re some tips to help you keep marching through the week and the month.
Don’t listen to your inner editor. You’ll want to edit the words you write. You’ll want to question your character continuity, but there’s no time for that. Just put the words on paper as they come. Also, a lot of Wrimos use December as an editing month for their novels, if that’s something you’re considering. Go with the flow. For instance, you may be writing a scene about playing tennis, when suddenly you start wanting to write about shopping for boots. Write about the shopping trip. It might be a clue, a nudge from your subconscious that you need to be steering the story in a different direction. Print your pages as you finish them — not to read right then, but as your stack of your novel gets larger and larger, you’ll realize what a dent you’re making each day as you work on it, and it’s a great way to stir motivation. Keep going strong, Wrimos! I’ll be back next week with installment #3 of the Wrimo column. In the meantime, keep writing. By Staff Writer Albie
NICOL
Scholastic contest open for entries Every year Scholastic hosts a scholarship competition for students to submit their art and writing for a chance to win scholarships. Multiple scholarship opportunities are available, as well as awards for certain categories of writing and art. “It helped that there were other people evaluating it, and helping me pull it together,” said previous Silver Key winner, junior Zosia Charley. “It really just gives students the chance to write what they want to write, as opposed to how schools normally go about scheduling assignments, due dates and strict guidelines. It also gives them the chance to experience other people’s
writing that are at their level, which is something that they don’t normally get to do,” English teacher Michelle Rathe said. “It definitely inspired me to be better,” Charley said, regarding the benefits of entering the contest. To enter work, students have to visit the Scholastic art and writing awards website, make an account and submit the work. Creative works including poetry, short stories, drawings and paintings. A $10 submission fee is required for each work By Staff Writer Andrew
NICKEY
like to feel the “prize” of getting a like, or getting a new follower. She doesn't have any social media to her name, and she is OK with it. “I felt left out all the time when social media was ‘new,’ but now my friends just show me, and I don’t care,” Brown said. Some students also start to get social media to be cool and fit in. “I just wanted to know what all my friends thought was so cool, and I enjoyed being able to be connected with my friends all the time,” Tyler said. Friis agreed. She said, “I saw a lot of my friends on it, and it seemed like a fast and easy way to connect with them.” By Staff Writer Lillian
SCHMID
Dry winter days demand extra attention for keeping healthy, hydrated skin Winter weather varies across the country, and so does the prevalence of problematic dry skin. In places with harsh winters, such as the Midwest, humidity levels plummet as central heating pumps out hot, dry air. Your skin ends up paying the price. Follow these tips for smooth, hydrated skin. Drink up. This is honestly the easiest tip out there. Just drink lots of water. It’s good for you even without thinking up the skin care benefits. Drinking water increases blood flow to face. Without adequate water intake, skin appears duller, and wrinkles and pores more prominent.
Maximize Your Moisturizer.
Buff your face gently twice a week with a mild exfoliant to clear away dead skin cells as they keep moisturizer from sinking in. Always use lotion on damp skin. There is about a three-minute window for best results; wait any longer and moisture starts to evaporate from the skin before you can lock it in. Try New Hydrators. When searching for a moisturizer look out for these ingredients: -Glyceryl glucoside: a supersized version of glycerin, which acts as a humectant. Find it in Eucerin Professional Repair Extremely Dry Skin Lotion and Nivea Express Hydration Daily Lotion. -Selaginella lepidophylla: An extract that's both a humectant and an antioxidant. Try Nuxe Crème Nuxuriance Day Normal to Dry Skin. -Coconut extract: Because this has fats that are similar to those in the skin's barrier, it can replace the stuff that's so easily stripped away in winter. Try VMV Hypoallergenics Essence Hand + Body Smoother. -Niacinamide: It strengthens the skin's outer layer to prevent water loss and speeds up cell turnover. Try Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Moisturizer.
Care for Your Lips. Locking in moisture requires a thick ointment. Aquaphor is almost always the ultimate fix. The corners of the mouth crack when saliva gets trapped there as the digestive enzymes in saliva break down the skin. Try layering a 1 percent hydrocortisone cream with a drugstore antifungal (like Lotrimin) and petroleum jelly on the area twice a day. Plug up the steam. I suggest us-
ing a humidifier in your bedroom, as that will help to add moisture the air. If that's not possible, try adding a couple of plants to your surroundings. The water in the leaves diffuses into the air and adds moisture.
Other things that will strip moisture:
Wearing scratchy fabrics: Wool and synthetic fibers rubbing against you can dry out and irritate sensitive skin. Try wearing a layer of soft cotton underneath. Skipping sunscreen: Even in winter, UV rays can interfere with skin-barrier function, reduce ceramide levels and prevent skin from holding onto moisture. Use a lotion with at least SPF 30 or higher every morning and carry a sunscreen powder for touch-ups. by Staff Writer Yoon
KI
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ENTERTAINMENT
Marvel.com
‘Dr. Strange’s’ acting, special effects triumph over predictable plot, villain I was just chilling one of the many cushioned red seats in one of the many rows, one hand holding a bucket of popcorn while the other repeatedly took its fluffy buttery contents and put some into my mouth. I waited, preview after preview. First came the “Power Rangers,” then the “Guardians of The Galaxy 2” previews. After waiting for what seemed like forever, the lights dimmed, and the red Marvel logo shined across the screen. The level of excitement was high at this point, and I was ready to see what was in store for Marvel’s new film, “Doctor Strange.” This newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduces a new hero, not only literally, but a new type of hero as well. In this origin story, Benedict Cumberbatch plays a genius, yet pompous neurosurgeon, Doctor Stephen Strange. When Strange gets into a car accident, he wakes up to find that his hands are severely damaged. Strange goes ballistic, trying to find any way he can to fix his hands so he can get his job back. After finding nobody willing to help him, just as he wasn’t willing to help others in similar predicaments as him, Strange goes East. He attempts to find an unorthodox way to cure his jittery hands, but while on his adventure, Strange finds himself in a brand new kind of journey, one that tests him both physically, and mentally. “Doctor Strange” has somewhat of a refreshing feel to it, in a Marvel Universe filled with hand to hand combat, explosives, guns, you name it. “Doctor Strange” is a new kind of hero in a new kind of world we have never seen before. Instead of huge fight scenes, we see a lot of psychedelic movement and spells. I did not have the pleasure of seeing the movie in 3D, but I am almost afraid of how crazy it would have been. There is just so much there that it really is overall just an entertaining thing to
gawk at. The movie also is fantastic due to its acting and source of subtle humor. Cumberbatch does a perfect job of playing this arrogant, yet likable hero. Cumberbatch mixes up the hilarity with also being someone that people can relate to and root for. The other supporting characters also do an amazing job as well, especially Tilda Swinton who does an amazing job as the mystical ancient one, the one who teaches Strange the ways of the mystical world. The one part of the movie I didn’t like was the plot development, the movie seemed like it followed the normal plot line for your average superhero movie. It all just seemed like the same, but with different content in it. The movie also really felt like it had no real big turning point, like all of a sudden it was just randomly over. Maybe this last thought is because of the fact the villain really never gets talked about in depth. I understand they are trying to take over Earth, but what makes him really an evil person? Like out of all of the Marvel movies I have seen, this one is probably the only villain I walked away not feeling like I just watched something super challenging. But overall, I really did enjoy my time watching “Doctor Strange.” It’s trippy scenes combined with the fantastic acting by Cumberbatch really sold it to me. The humor in the film really caught me off guard with how funny it was and truly how much there was in it. The film just seemed to lack a big turning point, a part where you truly felt that the hero had maybe been defeated. It just fell a little flat from that perspective, but, otherwise, I feel the movie is a fantastic watch, especially if you are into the comics and/or are an avid watcher of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. By Staff Writer Colin
SHULTZ
Tiger
HI-LINE Origins of popular memes follow dank, infamous paths Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Memes - They’re pretty much the only thing that’s getting America through this horrible year. You hear about them everywhere you go. “Dude, check out this dank meme,” or “That’s such a stale meme.” But how do these memes come about? Who is making them? Where do they come from? Here’s a rundown of some of the dankest memes around and where they came from.
Pepe the frog:
Pepe was created by Matt Furie’s comic series Boy’s Club. Pepe was created in 2008, and his popularity steadily increased until 2015/16 when his popularity reached its peak. This meme’s original usage has evolved by quite a lot since his creation. Certain evolutions or variants of Pepe can be known as “rare Pepe.” These Pepes have been sold on Ebay and Craigslist. Pepe has been described by Hillary Clinton’s campaign as “a symbol that is associated with white supremacy,” but it’s important to state that true meme lords would never use Pepe in a hate-related context.
Spongegar:
Spongegar/Primitive Sponge/Caveman Spongbob are all ancient ancestors of the cartoon Spongebob Squarepants. Primitive Sponge first appeared in a 1999 episode titled “SB-129,” in which Squidward Tentacles travels back in time and meets Spongebob’s and Patrick’s early ancestors, but somewhere along the way of his evolution to become a meme, his name somehow got mixed up with Spongegar, and since that’s what everyone calls him, there’s no going back. His purpose is to demonstrate our primal reaction when we are put in a given situation.
Harambe:
Harambe was originally just a western lowland silverback gorilla that lived at the Cincinnati zoo, but his death, unfortunately, turned him into a meme. A 3-year-old boy had fallen into the gorilla enclosure at the zoo and was attacked by Harambe, and Harambe had to be put down. Many people were outraged over his death. Memes of our fallen friend have taken many different forms such as songs and heartfelt tributes. One person even showed up to the RNC with a poster that said, “Bush did Harambe,” which is a play on the infamous meme, “Bush did 9/11.” Harambe will forever live on in our hearts as our favorite gorilla.
Arthur’s Fist:
Arthur’s fist has been used as an reaction image, and it features a screenshot of Arthur’s clenched fist. It is usually paired with many situations that would make someone angry or upset. The episode where this meme came from aired in September 1999 and shows Arthur clenching his fist before he punches his little sister D.W. In July 2016, a redditor posted the picture with the caption, “when they say Harambe was just a gorilla,” and from there it took off and started evolving. By Staff Writer Mia
DEXTER
9 Boss fights bring ‘Bloodborne’ to epic heights The
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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Walking into the graveyard, a lone man stands. He starts to talk, but the figure that entered is quick to refuse this man’s talking. The man, who refers to himself as a Hunter, quickly darts with a scythe. The figure dodges, but he is quick to start dashing again. A quick shot to the stomach makes the Hunter fall over, and the figure walks over and throws his hand into his chest, quickly throwing his hand out to tear at the man’s chest. He clenches his heart, falling over and perishes after the short, yet brutal assault. “Bloodborne” is made by From Software, the makers of Demon Souls and Dark Souls. It costs $20 and is exclusive to the Playstation 4. “Bloodborne” has an independent story from the Dark Souls universe, taking place in Yharnam. This city takes inspiration from Victorian and gothic architecture, most representing London, especially since the people there have a British accent. The basic run-down of the story is that the residents found a certain source of blood that gave them a cure to ailments, although when used, they would fall to madness because of a plague. As Hunter, the player character is injected with the
ENTERTAINMENT
From Software blood and sets out to kill all of the monsters of the nightmare that the people are trapped in. The gameplay is reminiscent of “Dark Souls,” although it manages to add a few things. One thing is the Rally mechanic. Normally, in a “Dark Souls” game, when damage is taken, it’s taken. Although in “Bloodborne,” there is a small window where that health remains and doing damage recovers some of that health. Due to how aggressive some enemies are, that game
really encourages players to attack and fight rather than back up and wait for a moment to heal. Another thing added is a secondary gun. This secondary gun is designed to parry enemies, and in order to do that, the player must shoot the enemy at the right time during an attack to stagger them. At that point, if the player goes up and attacks the enemy, a visceral attack is performed. A visceral attack is an attack that does heavy damage, showing
GAMERS’ GALLERY
the character reaching into the enemy’s heart, and then ripping it out. It not only does heavy damage, but also throws the enemy back, allowing the player the time to heal or ready for another assault. The strong point of almost every game From Software has made is the boss fights. Boss fights are designed to test what a player has learned and put the skills to the limit. The first boss is very “Dark Souls”-ish, being a basic, hulking monster with big attacks.
People with experience in “Dark Souls” shouldn’t have too many problems against this boss, although the second boss is where the game begins to push into the player’s brain that “Bloodborne” isn’t “Dark Souls.” It’s not a game where the player can attack and then hide for an opening. Learning how to use the gun is absolutely vital for survival in the boss fight, as well as using “Bloodborne’s” quicker and more brutal fighting style against the boss in order to lay the pressure on and defeat him. Overall, “Bloodborne” is a very welcome addition to the “Dark Souls” series of games. It has a different, much more fun fighting style from “Dark Souls,” but the major problem is that it’s exclusive to the PS4. For the computer gamer, every other “Dark Souls” game can be purchased on Steam, but not this one. I’d love to be able to play “Bloodborne” on my computer. It being exclusive does gives me a good excuse to crash over at my friend’s house and play “Bloodborne” with him watching and having fun over a series we both love and enjoy. By Staff Writer Cody
HOOD
Many genres available for those who love to play video games
Every game, no matter where you play it, has a genre. Whether it is fantasy, medieval, it does not matter. The genre is only a base for the amazing game to build off of. However, some genres are better than others. Here are my personal, top five gaming genres: First, I love puzzle games. This may seem odd, since these games are usually frustrating, but that’s what to love about them. The thrill of getting to a puzzle you can’t beat and overcoming it by some means, even if that means looking it up. While an odd genre, puzzle games are underrated for their worth and always good for a challenge.
Second, racing games are always a fun, relaxing game. While usually not fun alone, racing games are great for bringing family or friends together to do a few laps. Even if it comes down to yelling and such, racing games, at their core, are very fun. Even if you don’t play with friends, it’s still fun to race again the AI, and when they pull a cheap shot, get mad.
Third, role-playing games (RPGs) are always fun. RPG games have a multitude of reasons they are fun, but a few examples are, first, you usually get some sort of party system or new abilities you gain to help progress. Second, as you go from one area to the next, you get new gear to help you do more damage. Thirdly, the stories are usually really deep no matter what you look at. Fourth, they usually have huge replay value. Finally, there’s always that one cutscene that touches an emotional spot, and you hate seeing it, but at the same time, you love it. While a bit cliche, RPG games are amazing and deserve a spot on my personal list.
Fourth, I love tower defense games. If unfamiliar with what this is, tower defense (or sometimes called TD) games are usually a game where you use buildings or something to defend a base or objects. Usually attacks come in waves, and you have a cool down period between waves to upgrade and move around your defenses. While this may be an odd choice, tower defense games always offer a fun challenge. This is because you never know what to expect, and so you guess, and if you put one thing wrong, you will have to quickly repair yourself during the wave, and the anticipation of being even a second late is amazing.
Finally, I love party games. Much like racing games, party games are great for bringing friends and family together. What you might not expect is that some party games, such as Mario Party, get really competitive really fast. This is because tensions rise on certain mini games if you mess up. However, while tensions may rise, the competitive nature of these games is only part of the fun. Once more, just like racing games, these games don’t punish you for being alone and offer a great deal of single player fun. While not nearly as fun, it is nice to be able to use what you earned in single player to assist you in multiplayer.
Gaming is not about the genre, but about the game itself. However, without the genre, games would have no base to build off of. These gaming genres are not the only ones that exist, of course, but these are my personal top five.
By Staff Writer Noah
FORKER
10
The
OPINION
Our View
At the Veterans Day assembly in 2015, social studies teacher Kevin Stewart and two other vets placed a wreath in honor of the veterans.
Take time to thank a vet on this Veterans Day
Over 22 milVeterans Day was lion Americans have s e r v e d i n t h e A r m e d originally ArmiF o rc e s f ro m j u s t b e - stice Day marking f o re W W I I u p t o p re s - the end of the e n t d a y. W i t h o u t t h e s e First World War b r a v e m e n a n d w o m - on Nov. 11, 1918. e n , w e w o u l d n o t h a v e The cease fire t h e f re e d o m s w e e n - occurred on the 11th hour, of the j o y s o m u c h . O n N o v. 11th day, of the 1 1 e a c h y e a r, w e t a k e a d a y t o h o n o r t h e eleventh month, c i t i z e n s w h o s t e p p e d 11/11. Over 4.7 million Americans f o r w a rd t o p ro t e c t t h i s g re a t n a t i o n w i t h t h e i r served in World l i v e s . We n e e d t o n o t War One, with o n l y re m e m b e r t h e i r almost 54,000 s a c r i f i c e s b u t h o n o r combat deaths. them. I t ’s n o t o n l y o u r f re e d o m s , a s A m e r i c a n s , t h a t t h e y h a v e p ro tected, but the millions upon millions of citiz e n s o f f o re i g n c o u n t r i e s w h e re A m e r i c a n b l o o d h a s b e e n s a c r i f i c e d t o p re v e n t o p p re s s i o n . W h e t h e r i t ’s F r a n c e i n b o t h w o r l d w a r s , V i e t n a m e s e i n V i e t n a m o r I r a q i s w h o s u ff e re d u n d e r the rule of Saddam Hussein, service members have stepped up for these people to be able to l i v e f re e a n d p ro s p e ro u s l i v e s . We o w e t h e m s o m u c h , b u t y e t t h e y a s k f o r n o t h i n g . W i n s t o n C h u rc h i l l s a i d i t b e s t , “ . . . s o m u c h o w e d b y s o m a n y t o s o f e w. ” Ve t e r a n s l a y down their lives for us, and ask for nothing in re t u r n . T h e o n e t h i n g w e c a n d o i s re m e m b e r t h e i r s a c r i f i c e s . S o t h i s Ve t e r a n s D a y, t h a n k a veteran.
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. Editor-in-Chief: Tana Gam-Ad Opinion Editor: Brennan Kohls Staff: Macen Adams, Beau Anderson, Jibreel Bailey, Lily Becker, Ben Boezinger, Cassidy Christopher, Logan Cole, Noah Dexter, Vipsa Dodiya, Alexis Dowden, Noah Forker, Halie Frahm, Kyandra Gillum, Emma Graening, Ethan Gunnuscio, Cody Hood, Jubilee Joyce, Yoon Ki, Jackson Kliewer, Mercede Kraabel, Olivia Kress, Elise Leasure, Sabine Martin, Luke Mattingly, Kate Mauss, Casey McIntyre, MacKenzie Michael, Kate Middleton, Jack Moody, Andrew Nickey, Albie Nicol, Maddie Palmersheim, Jade Pham, Skylar Promer, Claire Rolinger, Claire Sabino, Kim Salmon, Madison Schaefer, Sohia Schillinger, Lillian Schmid, Mallorie Sckerl, Sydney See, Lexi Sheeley, Emmey Sherbon, Colin Shultz, Lilah Skaar, Sam Spratt, Mia Stark, Brayden Stotser, Alex Templeton, Tehya Tournier, Matthew Walsh, Haley Williams, Alayna Yates
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Veteran’s memories hold lessons My grandpa Denny Leroy Salmon, Sr. was 20 years old when he was drafted into the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War in January 1969. He was drafted by a group of draft board numbers. They had lots of regulations that they had to go by. He got a letter, and on Nov. 9, 1969, he was in Vietnam. Before entering the war, my grandpa got married to my grandma Shirley Yoder, and they just had a son who happened to be my dad Denny Leroy Salmon, Jr. My grandpa did not want to leave his newborn and his wife, but he was required to go, and there was no way out it for him. Before joining the war, he knew that the war was going to be hard fought. He wasn’t totally against it, but he felt that it was unnecessary. He wasn’t there during the Tet Offensive, but he knew it was a terrible conflict in fighting and a lot of service members died (American and Viet Cong). The first day he was at the camp he realized the war wasn’t easy. He came into Cameron Bay right by the ocean, and the hospital that was in that camp got overrun by the Viet Cong, so they had to take cover in the sewer lines. They could hear the Viet Congs’ footsteps, as they were killing people. Seventeen soldiers and nurses were killed during that night. After the Viet Cong left, the soldiers then were packed up that night at 1:30 in the morning and were taken to Bien Hoa camp. They picked the soldiers up in a half ton truck and took him to the plantation where he stayed there the whole time. His camp was between Bien Hoa and Long Bend at two field headquarters, and he said it was very nice. They all were taken very well care of and they had plentiful amounts of supplies. He recalls it being a comfortable place for them. The camp had very wonderful food and plenty of it for all of them. There were about 11,000 soldiers at his camp. Only members of the Army were allowed. At the camp, most everyone felt good about what they were in the war for, and they all tried to be proud and honor their country. He missed his family like crazy, but he was allowed to write my grandma letters every single day. My grandma replied to him every single day, and during his time in Vietnam, my uncle Tim was born on March 27, 1970. My grandpa wasn’t able to meet his new son until he was about seven months old. Life was tough for my grandma back at home since she had to take care of two young children by herself. My grandpa had the hardest time because he wasn’t able to
meet his newborn son. My grandpa’s job at the camp was repairing radios and driving around in Saigon, which is the capital of Vietnam. His MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) was 31-B. 31 Bravo is a radio specialist, and there were only about 30 other soldiers in his department. After being a radio specialist, he was an aide to the Italian headquarters. He was commanded by General Westmoreland, Colonel Fail and Major Purdy. He respected Westmoreland a lot and very much liked him. My grandpa’s job was that he worked on top security with communicators, which is the highest clearance one could have in the Army. He flew in helicopters and made sure that the soldiers on the fields had communications with radios. He was shot down four times, but survived all of them and never had a casualty when he was fighting there that year. He made sure all communications were up and running for the soldiers, so they had aircraft support, medical support and artillery support. Overall, he said he felt very lucky for his job and serving his country. Many soldiers had a hard time staying positive during the war because of missing home and not having the upperhand in the war. It wasn’t hard for my grandpa to stay positive. He did exactly what he was supposed to do, and he did his job for America. In Vietnam, he said he had to be on his toes 24/7 against the Viet Cong and always be ready for everything, but he also realized throughout his experience that the Vietnamese people were very friendly, and he treated them well. The VC would
about Nixon’s Vietnamization plans and the 1968 election. He didn’t hear anything about politics until he returned home. Before he left Vietnam, there was a small ceremony honoring soldiers, including my grandpa. He was awarded a bronze star along with the army commendation. The bronze star is the fourth highest award, and he earned it when his helo was shot down. While he was shot down, he had to protect himself until someone was able to help him. He was the only one who had any ammunition, and he was on the ground for four hours before help arrived. After the ceremony, my grandpa returned to America on Oct. 16, 1970. He was very surprised coming home two weeks early. His commanding officers let him go home early. A colonel called him and told him he was going home early. When he finally came home, he felt fantastic. He missed his family terribly, and he was especially excited to meet his new son, Tim. He was nervous at first coming home since he hadn’t seen his family in a year, and he had never met his son. After coming home, he didn’t work for a month. Instead of my grandpa working, my grandparents found a new home and took time settling in it. My grandma was still a stay-at-home mom at the time, so they were all together in peace for a while until my grandpa had to get a job. After a month passed, he found a job in central Iowa as a salesman, and he has been a salesman since
“My grandpa fought in Vietnam for 11 months, two weeks, two days and eight hours, and he remembers every single detail of this war, a war he and America will never forget.” come into the camp without Americans knowing they were VC, as Americans thought they were civilians. My grandpa said he didn’t like communism, but he didn’t elaborate on it at all, and he didn’t have to. One of the hardest things about being in Vietnam was that everyone thought that America would win the war, but it didn’t end up that way in the end. My grandpa realized after he got home that we shouldn’t have been in Vietnam in the first place. Something that I found out that was very interesting was that while my grandpa was in Vietnam, he never once heard anything about politics back in America. He didn’t hear
then. His first sales job was at an international bakery. After about three years, he got back into the swing of things, but he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder for many years after Vietnam. When the war was finally over, he felt very glad because that means that his friends still down in Vietnam could then go home to their loved ones. My grandpa fought in Vietnam for 11 months, two weeks, two days and eight hours, and he remembers every single detail of this war, a war he and America will never forget. By Staff Writer Kimmie
SALMON
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Back the Blue
The Friday b e f o re Halloween was a busy night for several brave men and women of the Cedar Falls Police Dep a r t m e n t . T h e re w e re loud parties to visit, obnoxious intoxicated college students to talk to and drunk drivers to stop. The job does not make these valiant citizens popular with socie t y. J a re d M a s o n , a n o f ficer of eight years, has a wife and two kids. W h e n m o s t p a re n t s g o to sleep, he comes into w o r k . W h i l e m o s t p a rents put on a suit and tie f o r w o r k e v e r y d a y, h e straps a kevlar vest and .40 caliber handgun on e v e r y d a y. M o s t p a re n t s seldom risk their lives for random strangers, but for Mason, this is a n e v e r y d a y o c c u r re n c e . W h e t h e r i t ’s re s p o n d i n g to a domestic dispute or a t r a ff i c s t o p , a n y n u m ber of things could go h a y w i re . He came in at 10 at night and was set to work until seven in the morning, a nine-hour s h i f t w h e re e v e r y t h i n g and anything could happen. For the first four h o u r s o f h i s s h i f t , I ro d e in the seat next to him, for a “ride-along.” He went over the basics with me of what to do, and the gear he carries i n h i s S U V. A n h o u r i n t o p a t ro l l i n g , w e w e re p a t ro l l i n g t h e c ro w d e d a re a that is The Hill on a Frid a y. T h e re w e re z o m b i e brides, cats and basketball players walking the sidewalks looking to hit t h e n e x t b a r. We w e re looking for any suspicious or illegal activity to inspect. We s t o p p e d a g ro u p of kids after hearing a g l a s s b o t t l e s h a t t e r. We stopped the car and turned on the spotlight o n t h e s i d e o f i t . A g ro u p o f c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s w e re s t a n d i n g i n t h e i r f ro n t y a rd . “ Yo u guys t h ro w i n g b o t t l e s o v e r h e re ? ” asked Mason.
Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Law enforcement deserve community support now more than ever Brennan Kohls Photo
The blue line on this American flag represents the Thin Blue Line that keeps us safe. “ N o s i r, w e d ro p p e d one.” We s a t f o r a s e c o n d , t h e n b e g a n t o p a t ro l again. “Suddenly they a re n ’t t h ro w i n g ‘em when police show up,” Mason said. He began to explain to me about his strategy of picking his battles. “I c o u l d a r re s t a n y n u m b e r of those drunk kids for public intox or for underage drinking, but you gotta pick your battles.” About 15 minutes late r, s o m e c o n c e r n e d c i t i zens on The Hill told us about a fight occurring in between two buildi n g s . We c re e p e d u p slowly on the buildings and saw two men with
Falls Police Department. He told me about an o ff i c e r w h o o n l y a f e w w e e k s p r i o r, h a d t o g o to the hospital for injuries sustained fighting an intoxicated subject. “ D o n ’t l e t y o u r e g o g e t i n t h e w a y. I ’ l l u s e pepper spray or my t a s e r. I ’ l l d o w h a t e v e r i t takes to win. I’m just trying to get home to my kids.” By this time it was a l m o s t 1 2 : 3 0 a . m . We had busted two parties, stopped a guy urinating o n a b u i l d i n g , b ro k e u p a fight and gotten enough dirty looks to last us for t h e re s t o f t h e n i g h t . We w e re s t i l l c r u i s i n g t h e a re a s a ro u n d
“I’ll do whatever it takes to win. I’m just trying to get home to my kids.” f i s t s u p re a d y t o b r a w l s u r ro u n d e d by t h re e other guys. Mason flipped the lights on causing the two fighting men and o n e o t h e r t o s c a t t e r. T h e other two stayed behind and spoke to Mason. After an attempt to f i n d t h e m e n , M a s o n re t u r n e d t o t h e S U V. I p ro c e e d e d t o a s k him about any fights he had gotten in the middle of during his eight-year t e n u re w i t h t h e C e d a r
OPINION
The Hill when a call was p l a c e d t h a t a n a r re s t w a s being made on the 2200 block of College. When we arrived, the suspect, a young woman, was fighting and kicking at t h e o ff i c e r s a t t e m p t i n g t o a r re s t h e r. Mason hopped out of the car and immediately began to assist his companions in getting her into the back of our v e h i c l e . A s t h e y w e re attempting to get her in, she kicked another
o ff i c e r. A g ro u p o f b y standers claiming to be o ff - d u t y c o p s c a m e o v e r t o h e l p a s s i s t i n a r re s t i n g h e r. T h e g i r l w a s s c re a m i n g p ro f a n i t i e s a n d i n sults at the people delivering her into the back o f o u r v e h i c l e . F i n a l l y, after the struggle, they got her into the back. We w e re a l l s e t t o take her down to the station. Along the way she cursed at Mason and I t h e e n t i re t i m e . “ Yo u g u y s d o n ’t e v e n k n o w how to f***ing do your j o b s . Yo u d o n ’t g e t a n y t r a i n i n g . I re a l l y h o p e you guys just f***ing k i l l y o u r s e l v e s . Yo u g u y s d o n ’t e v e n g o t o c o l lege. I’m so much smarter than you guys.” Not a half hour bef o re , M a s o n h a d j u s t g o t done telling me about going to college at the
p ro f a n i t i e s . They struggled a bit m o re , a n d t h e n t h e g i r l bit one of the lieutenants on duty that night. Luckily the bite did not b re a k s k i n . T h e y g a v e her a final warning that she would be tased if she continued to struggle. The girl then began t o c o m p l y. Mason then took the girl to the Black Hawk C o u n t y J a i l i n Wa t e r l o o , and I stayed behind at the CF Police Station. We re v i e w e d a n o t h e r o ff i c e r ’s b o d y c a m e r a footage and looked up w h a t c h a rg e s c o u l d b e b ro u g h t a g a i n s t h e r. After almost a half h o u r, Mason arrived back at the CF station. H e s a t d o w n i n f ro n t o f the computer next to me and rubbed his face with his hands. “Long f***ing night man,” he said. It
“Mason’s expression told it all. He was quiet. One of the thousands of citizens he protects with his life every day was telling him to burn in Hell.” University of Northern I o w a f o r c r i m i n o l o g y. Mason and I could have said something back to h e r, b u t w e ro d e i n c o m plete silence all the way to the station. She cont i n u e d t o h u r l p ro f a n i t y laced insults at us, “ Yo u g u y s d e s e r v e t h e absolute worst out of life. I hope you f***ing die and burn in Hell.” M a s o n ’s e x p re s s i o n told it all. He was quiet. One of the thousands c i t i z e n s h e p ro t e c t s w i t h h i s l i f e e v e r y d a y, w a s telling him to burn in Hell. When we got to the station, Mason told me to stand at the other s i d e o f t h e ro o m a s h e was going to try to get her out of the back. I could hear them struggling as he tried to get her out to no avail. F i n a l l y, s o m e b a c k u p arrived, and they attempted to get her out, all the while the girl was s h o u t i n g a n d s c re a m i n g
was only 1:30 a.m., and t h e re w a s f i v e a n d h a l f m o re h o u r s t o g o f o r him. Behind every badge, is a human being. In every squad car is a son o r d a u g h t e r. P o l i c e o f f i c e r s a re n o t m i n d l e s s m a c h i n e s . T h e y a re re a l people. They put their lives on the line every d a y f o r, a t t i m e s , u n grateful citizens. The situations they have to deal with on a daily bas i s a re m o re t h a n a n y o n e can imagine. L a w e n f o rc e m e n t o f f i c e r s d e s e r v e o u r re s p e c t , n o w m o re t h a n e v e r, w i t h t h e r u t h l e s s m u rd e r s o f t w o o ff i c e r s in Urbandale and the anti-police rhetoric swirling in the media. The only thing that separates society and a n a rc h y, i s t h e T h i n B l u e Line. By Opinion Editor Brennan
KOHLS
12 Students unaware of U.S. military involvements The
OPINION
America is the strongest military power in the world. In 2015, the U.S. government expended a whopping $598.5 billion in military spending, according to NationalPriorities.org. This means that the United States spends more money per year on the military than China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Kingdom, India, France and Japan, combined. The strength and power of the United States military is definitely common knowledge, but the fact that America is spending much of its military budget on foreign airstrikes, however, is not. As of October of 2016, the United States is exercising airstrikes on seven different Middle Eastern and African countries: Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Pakistan and Yemen. So how come this fact is rarely spoken about in the media, and why is it not common knowledge among the American people? A recent poll of 100 CFHS students, 50 male and 50 female, of all three classes showed that 31 percent of students are able to name at least one of the seven countries targeted by United States airstrikes. That leaves 69 percent unable to name any. The most known of American conflicts is the battle against terrorist groups such as ISIS and the Taliban. The news media and frequent presidential debates are overwhelmed with talk of ISIS and the conflicts they and other radical religious groups are causing throughout the Middle East. The United States has been combating radical terrorist groups such as the Taliban and dictatorship in Iraq off and on for 25 years. The involvement of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq is nothing new. Because ISIL is located in Syria and Iraq and the Taliban of Afghanistan has bled conflict into Pakistan, America frequently carries out airstrikes in those four countries in attempt to combat terrorist groups. According to the Long War Journal, since 2004, Pakistan has seen 392 airstrikes targeted at killing terrorist leaders of Al-Qaeda and ISIS based in northwest Pakistan. As for Syria, America’s goal is not only to eliminate the threats of ISIS, but to aid the humanitarian disaster occurring within the borders of Syria by knocking out the Syrian dictator. Syria the was most common country named by students, with 82 percent of students polled who named at least one country being able to name Syria. The United States has been leading intervention in Syria
Tiger
US Department of Defense Photo
A coalition airstrike destroys an ISIL compound in Kobani, Syria in 2014 since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 2011. Initially, the United States provided non-lethal aids to the Syrians, like food and trucks, but soon the United States began providing training, money and even commanders to the rebels of the Free Syrian Army. In September 2014, the United States began positions of surveillance on ISIS, and also began airstrikes on ISIS within Syria with the help of Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is one of the other countries that the United States is aggressively targeting, with help from Saudi Arabia. Regarding Yemen, many poll respondents had no idea the country existed in the first place, let alone that the United States has conducted at least 89 airstrikes within the country. The United States has been aiding the Saudis for over a year in their war against the Houthis, a fundamentalist religious political movement based in Yemen. The United States also approved a $1.3 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia in November 2015, in addition to previous intelligence support. The Saudi-led war effort in Yemen is vicious as of 2016, with millions of civilians left displaced and starving. There were also missiles fired at U.S. warships by the Houthis, preceding U.S. efforts to help the Saudis. United States involvement in Yemen is not covered by the media because many do not see a reason for involvement. The United States continues to aid Saudi Arabia as it wages its ruthless war. So far, the United
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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
States has kept its retaliation relatively general, only targeting radar structures instead of areas where civilians could be living, but as the war escalates and the Houthis continue to fight back, the potential for U.S. presence in the war rises. Say the missiles actually hit and killed U.S. sailors, it is safe to say that it would have lead to U.S. retaliation that is not as gentle as it has been for the past year. A question for Americans to consider about conflict in Yemen is whether or not it is right for our government to be putting our soldiers at risk of death just to help a ceaseless war led by the dictator of a country that rules in the name of a god. That leaves two African countries, Libya and Somalia. The conflict in Libya is a difficult and complicated timeline to follow. Fractured government and a rebellion against a tyrannical leader that resulted in civil war left Libya in shambles. In 2011, the United States began military intervention, like air strikes, against Gaddafi and his militants within Libya on the grounds of preventing a humanitarian crisis and stopping the killings of Libyan civilians. Since the 2012 NATOsupported killing of the Libyan dictator occurred, there was an attempt at transitional government, and four Americans were killed in an attack on a U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Islamic State militia groups also seized control of eastern Libya in 2014. The U.S. involvement in Libya is one that is rooted in many different causes, the most recent being the rise of Islamic State control of the country. U.S. Spe-
cial Operations forces and surveillance have taken an active role in Libya’s increasingly desperate fight to stop the spread of the ISIS front across the country. Airstrikes in Libya in 2016 have been conducted using drones as well as manned warplanes, and in March of 2016, U.S. military officials concluded that airstrikes were planned for up to 40 targets throughout Libya that have happened as recent as August. Though the true scope of the recent special operations in Libya is blurry, the United States continues to push against a long line of tiresome conflicts that the country has faced. As for Somalia, the United States has been combatting AlShabab, a Somali jihadist terrorist group allied to Al-Qaeda that
clared a famine within two southern Somali regions, due to the civil war within the country where the group has been fighting against Somali government to establish their Islamic state. The United States continues to fund humanitarian and surveillance efforts in Somalia as they combat terrorism. With education being one of the most dominant tools in the world for increasing economic growth and prosperity and promoting peace among societies and nations, it is important that students seek knowledge about where their country is making themselves a part of conflict. Students becoming educated about foreign conflicts will also allow us to draw from previous experiences to help combat new problems in the future. US Department of Defense Photo
A US airstrike destroys ISIL fighting positions in Manbij, Syria is attempting to turn Somalia into an Islamic state, since 2008. Al-Shabaab has taken blame for countless attacks throughout Somalia that have killed journalists, civilian leaders and aid workers from around the globe. The group has also targeted other countries such as Kenya and Uganda, and is responsible for a 2010 suicide bombing that killed a U.S. citizen. There have been 23 air strikes in Somalia that were carried out by the United States from 20012016, according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. In the years since attacks began in the country, drones have become the most common way to conduct airstrikes, surpassing manned aircraft and cruise missiles. The fight against Al-Shabaab has caused a humanitarian disaster within the country, as well. In 2011, the United Nations de-
Young people also have access to reach corners of the world previous generations did not through social media. This communication results in an expansion of knowledge of topics like culture, context, tolerance, peace and humanity. Being educated on foreign conflicts allows students to become better voters in the future because they will have knowledge about how and where the United States conducts itself. It also prevents future candidates from getting away with superficial and flat foreign policy, and a generation consumed with the United States being an international police officer to combat deep, systematic and overdrawn problems in foreign countries.
By Staff Writer Elise
LEASURE
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HI-LINE Trump, Clinton supporters need to come together This year’s election has gone down in American history as one of the most controversial events. Several proven claims had been made regarding flaws in each candidate that struck heated discussion throughout the process. However, even more appalling than the poor comments and actions made by each candidate were the comments and actions made by voters as well as supporters. The most basic and fundamental right in the United States is the freedom to speech. Fortunately for highly opinionated individuals, freedom of speech and expression of opinion go hand-and-hand. Positive aspects such as thoughtful discussion could have been utilized through this right, but sadly, thousands have turned to this right to bash and slander opposing parties. As an active listener in the classrooms and the hallways, I witnessed a numerous amount of hateful comments from individuals “defending” their choice parties. Looks of pure disgust were exchanged as each spoke out about their reasons for supporting particular candidates. If in favor of Hillary Clinton, supporters were labeled as a supporter of criminality and lying. If in favor of Donald Trump, you were labeled as a supporter of racism and sexism. Social media has acted as another environment for people to post their offensive comments. By simply opening up Facebook, my eyes were exposed to posts reading, “If you support Trump, I am embarrassed to know you,” and “If you are voting for Hillary, please ‘unfriend’ me now.” Hateful comments cycled as people passionately defended their candidates. Rather than turning a poor post into a respectable share of views, arguments often ended in an even greater division of parties as well as personal relationships. It was inevitable that a division in the country would
“... even more appalling than the poor comments and actions made by each candidate were the comments and actions made by voters as well as supporters.” become apparent during the election season; however, the current segregation is in full responsibility of individuals in America. One of the ultimate goals in our country is to create stability and harmony not only with other countries, but within our borders as well. For a country who so strongly supports freedom of speech, it was disgusting to witness the singlemindedness and entitlement many individuals expressed to the opposing. For a country who so strongly supports anti-bullying, it was beyond upsetting to witness remarkably insulting and hateful comments exchanged amongst parties. In order to find a balance between both groups in our country, individuals must understand the certainty to opposition. In addition, determining a solution to national issues will not be made through close-minded arguments driven by hate. Though the election has finally come to a close, the importance of respecting everyone’s views and rights to opinion needs to be strongly emphasized for upcoming years. Individuals have the right to express their own thoughts and deserve to be courteously listened to as well. By Staff Writer Maddie
PALMERSHEIM
OPINION Building relationships requires many steps in successful bonds Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Everyone is in a relationship, whether it is that you’re part of a family, in a friendship or dating someone. Regardless, these relationships need to be good for both parties, not one-sided or harmful. Here are some things that make good relationships. 1. Communication The first thing that you need to be able to do in a relationship is communicate. Arguments are a huge problem that ends relationships. To overcome this problem, you should listen to both sides of the argument and make a compromise. You should also make sure that you can talk to your partner about anything. Freshman Dalton Blackford said, “A good thing about our relationship is that we talk to each other about our problems and are there for each other.” 2. Keep other people in your life Something that a lot of couples and friends do wrong is that they isolate themselves from other people and only hang out with their small group. If you abandon all your other friends, you won’t have the support group that you had before. Just because you hang out with this person or people a lot doesn’t mean that they are the only people in the world. Some neutral things that
you can do to include everyone are going to parties or large events, going to movies and going shopping. 3. Equal representation In your relationship, each person needs to have an equal representation. What that means is that there is no dominant partner. One key identifier of an unhealthy relationship is that one person feels like a lesser being than the other. This usually falls to the female, but males can also be underappreciated. You can fix this by thinking of the other person while you make decisions that affect you, as well as asking for opinions on things. If you notice that someone disagrees, don’t dismiss it, think of it as an idea from a real human being. 4. Pick-me ups Everyone feels down at at least one point in their lives, and part of any good relationship is making sure that your friend or partner is happy about the relationship and life in general. When your loved ones are feeling down, ask them what you can do to help. It may sound cheesy, but in reality, it can make a big difference. If you notice that they are putting themselves down, try to encourage them. The effect that it has on both your feelings and the other persons is colossal. Regarding her friends, fresh-
man Devin O’Loughlins said, “Sometimes they say bad things about themselves, which makes me sad because I wish that they thought they were as awesome as I think they are.” 5. Value the relationship Putting a high importance on your relationship makes a huge difference in the way that you and your partner cycle in the relationship. If you make sure that you treat the relationship carefully and consider the outcome of every decision that you make in this relationship, then you will have a healthier interaction with this person. One way to test this is if you just get generally happier when they walk in the room. Owen Ausborn, an eighth grader said, “I love everything about them. I just enjoy when their around.” So, when in any sort of relationship, it is important to know that time, distance and status of the relationship has nothing to do with the real value of the relationship. As freshman Elise Markham said, “A healthy relationship is not necessarily about the length of the relationship, but if both people are being made happier through the relationship.” By Staff Writer Katie
MAUSS
Christians deserving of deeper respect “Your ‘God’ doesn’t exist. Have fun praying to the air.” “You’re so stupid for thinking that stuff is real.” “You pray, but nothing ever changes.” These were the words that I let discourage my faith. For the first time living my life as a Christian, the feeling of desperation completely consumed me — a desperation for something more than the life that I was living. My heart sinks with every word of discouragement, but I know that I cannot let these words take away the one thing that keeps me motivated. One of the biggest misconceptions about Christians is that we are going to try to convert other people. Yes, we are called to lead people into a relationship with Jesus, but I do not believe in forcing people into Christianity. The idea is that you want to know Jesus enough to put everything on hold for Him, no matter how difficult it may
be.
Being close to God is a choice that nobody can make for you. Yes, you can go to church every Sunday, and you can be a part of youth group, but if the life that you live does not reflect Jesus Christ, then are you really a Christian? I am by no means a perfect Christian, and I am not better than any person. However, I do know that proclaiming that I will live my life for Jesus Christ makes people think that I am conceited, narcissistic and hypocritical. Of course Christians fall short, but so does everyone else. Judging an entire religious group because of the stereotypes set by society is wrong because very few Christians actually fit the stigma. Being asked questions starting with the words: “If your God really is real, then why is there *insert negative occurrence here*” is something that happens too often. It should be
made known that Christians are not in control of the universe. We do not decide if it rains, if it snows, if you and your significant other end your relationship or if the world splits in two. We believe that if we give our situations to God, that we will get something good out of it in the end. Not everything will go how we want it to, but believing that God has a reason for everything that he does and trusting Him to do something in our lives is what our faith is about. Christianity is something that you have to want to be a part of more than anything. Not having nor understanding that desire is one thing, but making assumptions about people because you disagree with their beliefs and then disrespect them is something that should not be tolerated, just as racial and sexual discrimination. By Staff Writer Jubilee
JOYCE
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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Stereotypes of depression fail to show real consequences of mental illness Have you ever romanticized depression? Or even seen or heard it? It’s not an uncommon thing, and those romanticizing it do not understand how emotions work. Movies and television shows create a depressed main character caught in stereotypical pity parties arising only from life circumstances. They take loads of antidepressants, and face people telling them to get over it. Thus the jokes of people saying that when they hear sad music, they just want to watch it rain and feel as heartbroken as the artist. Or thinking it’s OK to say they’re depressed because they had a bad hair day. Tumblr and Instagram are filled with pictures of cigarette boxes or razor blades with quotes on the lines of “you’re going to die anyway.” Wake up people. Depression is a real thing, and those romanticizing it make the millions of people suffering from it either feel like they’re not alive anymore
or angry at the fact that so many people think it’s OK to joke about it. People also seem to romanticize that people who deal with depression are scums and liars, as if people with mental illnesses can’t be happy for part of the day. God forbid someone who “claims” to be depressed could have a good day without being called a liar. Depression is a chemical imbalance within one’s brain. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain that produces sadness. In some cases the brain pumps out more serotonin cells. Now, it can be caused by stress or distractions in life, but most of the time it is just an imbalance that one’s brain has made. Those who suffer from depression don’t have to be traumatized to be depressed. When people tell someone to get over themselves as they let their emotions out, they are making it clear it’s OK to dehumanize someone in the ways of telling them the things they
feel are stupid and exaggerated. Place yourself in a dark box. The air is heavy, and your body is floating aimlessly. Your mouth seems to speak words you don’t comprehend, and as you float around, the darkness seeps into your body. The heaviness has invaded your system, and it simply won’t just drain out. Who you are is trapped in that box, a metaphor for your feelings, and the invisible coat of depression has taken control. It makes you want to sleep. Sleep isn’t a bad thing, but when all you do is sleep, you’re neglecting yourself from things you need. Depression does not like food. It’s hard to eat once your insides feel as if they are deteriorating. You don’t want your family to realize that you feel as if you can’t function, so you slide your food around the plate to look as if you ate a little. After, you trudge back into your room where you collapse and feel nothing.
Nothing. That is not a good feeling. The emotional pain gets to be too much, and you spend time shaking and crying as you try to tell yourself nothing is wrong. The next day you go for a run. Exercise is said to make you feel better. Endorphins are released when you exercise, and you hope this will solve your feelings. But it doesn’t. Feeling ashamed, you finally sit in a room with a psychiatrist for medication. With people around you joking about depression, you don’t want to fall into that pit of humiliation. Your psychiatrist explains that depression affects a variety of people varying from age to gender to life circumstances. There isn’t always an explanation for how you’re feeling, but it’s not something to be taken lightly. Take your medication. Ignore ignorant people who joke. Do what’s best for you. You begin taking your medication for a few months, and you start
feeling more energized. Medication doesn’t solve anything; it’s just a boost to get you out of the dark pit. After a few more weeks, you spend time outside starting to enjoy the beauty of the world. Your appetite comes back, and your parent’s sigh with relief. Depression is something that hits hard. Unable to feel anything is not a blessing, and being in a society where mental illnesses are joked about isn’t a blessing either. It is far from OK to loosely throw the word “depression” around. Don’t take away resources for those who are struggling. Don’t take away their hopes. Don’t let them live a dark life. Help them find the light switch in the box. It only takes one helping hand to make all the difference. Life is supposed to be enjoyed, so why do we let one another suffer through it?
T h i s i s a d d re s s e d t o anyone whom I may have o ff e n d e d i n t h e p a s t with my mean looks, s i d e g l a n c e s , e y e ro l l s , e v i l g l a re s , d e a d s t a re s and any and every other face I could’ve possibly made that could be cons i d e re d c r a s s . Let me start out by s a y i n g t h a t I s u ff e r f ro m Resting [Insert Choice Wo rd H e re ] F a c e , o r R B F. T h i s m e a n s t h a t , t y p i c a l l y, w h e n m y f a c e i s re l a x e d , o r I ’ m n o t intentionally holding a s p e c i f i c f a c i a l e x p re s sion, I look pissed. This may not seem like an issue to many p e o p l e , b u t , I a s s u re you, it is. I am constantl y a s k e d w h a t ’s w ro n g ,
if something happened, why I’m upset, if I’m feeling OK and why I
Some have even said they’ve gone so far as to avoid making eye
I p ro m i s e I n o t s h o o t ing glances and making mean faces on purpose. I t ’s j u s t m y f a c e . T h e re ’s n o t re a l l y m u c h I c a n do about the fact that I d o n ’t l o o k h a p p y m o s t of the time. For a while, I used to actively try to avoid my R B F b y f o rc i n g m y s e l f t o s m i l e c o n s t a n t l y. I t r i e d to intentionally make myself look pleasant as much as possible so as n o t t o o ff e n d a n y o n e o r g i v e o ff t h e w ro n g i m p re s s i o n . Needless t o s a y, t h a t d i d n ’t l a s t long. After about a week, I re a l i z e d t h a t I w a s b e i n g a b s u rd . T h e re w a s n o t h i n g w ro n g w i t h m y face or myself. My face
w a s m y f a c e . I t w a s n ’t m y p ro b l e m i f i t o f fended a stranger or made someone feel intimidated. That was on them, not me. And just because someone told m e I d i d n ’t l o o k h a p p y d i d n ’t m e a n I c o u l d n ’t b e h a p p y. To d a y, I l i k e m y f a c e (most of the time). I d o n ’t re a l l y w o r r y a b o u t whether or not my RBF m i g h t c o m e a c ro s s a s o ff e n s i v e t o s o m e i n d i vidual or whether or not I look unpleasant. My face is my face. I have to live with it, so I might as well decide to like it.
By Staff Writer Lexi
SHEELEY
Outside impressions can lead to misguided interpretations of feelings hidden below “There was nothing wrong with my face or myself. My face was my face. It wasn’t my problem if it offended a stranger or made someone feel intimidated.” l o o k s o a n g r y. H o n e s t l y, this happens at least t w i c e a d a y. Other times, friends t e l l m e t h a t b e f o re w e w e re c l o s e , t h e y h a d a s s u m e d t h a t I w a s n ’t n i c e b e c a u s e I g l a re d a t e v eryone all the time, and I n e v e r l o o k e d h a p p y.
contact with me because they thought I d i d n ’t l i k e t h e m a s I ’ d a p p a re n t l y s h o t t h e m a d i r t y l o o k b e f o re . Every time I hear one of these comments, I find myself laughing out loud at the ridiculousness of the situation.
By Staff Writer Mallorie
SCKERL
15 Women’s swim team finishes 14th at State The
Tiger
HI-LINE
The women’s swim team took 14th overall at state meet in Marshalltown on Saturday, Nov. 5, and coach Mike Hagensick said he, “thought the girls made great strides this year, especially with their mindset. We have a core group of girls now who have bought into growth mindset. I think continuous improvement is always part of life. If you aren’t moving forward then you are moving backwards. There is no maintaining. We will continue to push growth mindset. Other areas for improvement are general strength and execution of details.” Hagensick has been coaching since 2008 in various capacities, but this has been his
Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
first year with the girls. The girls that went alongside Hagensick to State were Sammi Hall, Maddie Schoppe, Jordyn Valentine, Ashton Syharath, Raenne Burke, Renee Plassman, Grace Considine, Katherine Wikner, Olivia Clark and Ellie Shimp. The 200 free relay got 7th with Clark, Shimp, Considine and Hall, and the 400 free relay got 9th with Clark, Considine, Katherine Wikner and Hall on it. Hall also got 9th in the 100 back, while Considine got 10th in the 500 free and 20th in the 200 free. Clark added 7th in the 50 free and 7th in the 100 free. Keying in on a few of the elite swimmers, Considine said, “I thought I swam re-
ally well. Our coach did a really good job preparing us for State and Districts last week. For as small as a team as we had go to State (only had five girls swim and three dive), we did really well. Everybody was excited to swim, and it made our performance better. “We didn’t place very well due to how small our team was, but I think everybody was very happy with their swims or dives.” Considine said in addition to the State meet, she just enjoyed being with her teammates. “After the meet, we always have team parties, and those are always really fun. We eat a lot and hang out and really connect as a team. “It’s really sad that the
SPORTS
season’s ending because everybody loves swimming for high school, and not having these parties anymore to get to hang out with the team because everybody loves each other and most of the girls really miss it in the off season.” Considine will swim the rest of her high school career and would say her favorite race is the 500 or the 200 free. On the diving side, another sophomore, Jordyn Valentine, said, “I don’t feel great about my performance, yet the team overall did well. There is room for improvement.” Clark is also looking ahead. “I’m a junior, and my favorite race is probably the 200 IM; however, I swam all freestyle events this season at
State. I was pretty happy with my times, but I would’ve liked to place better,” she said. “Overall, I think our team did extremely well, and I’m excited for the years to come. Every girl always puts everything they have out there, without a doubt — and that’s all I can ask for.” And though next year is a long ways away, she says the team will be ready to compete. “We always try to make the best of our meets because sometimes they do take a while, and State is extremely nerve wracking.”
By Staff Writer Claire
SABINO
Sports Opinions Cubs talented roster should keep Time long overdue for adopting Chicago fans happy for years to come shot clock in high school basketball Two outs. Bottom of the 10th inning. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, with thousands of other Cubs fans doing the same. Anticipation was building all throughout my body as my extremities started to tremble. I couldn’t believe what was unfolding before my eyes. Something that I never thought I’d see throughout my lifetime is finally happening. Not only did the Cubs make it to the World Series, they were one pitch away from ending the 108-year drought. Michael Martinez hits a hard grounder to Kris Bryant, and Bryant throws that ball without the ability to withhold the smile that was building across his face. Like so many other Cubs fans. Anthony Rizzo catches the ball and slips it into his back pocket. Players crash from the bench and the bullpen. W flags are draped all over Progressive Field and the world. The frustrations over the 108 years have all been forgiven. Game seven of the 2016 world series may have been the best sports event of all time. I thought it was like a Shakespearean play. From elation to tragedy to more tragedy to finally an elaborate finale with only one surviving to see another day. The emotions Cub’s fans also dealt with over the span of four hours was like throwing your heart into a meat grinder and pulling it back out to reattach. From the early lead, to the Indians comeback, to Rajai Davis’ eighth inning home run off of Chapman, to the two run tenth. It was a whirlwind of emotions that not only capitalized the season for the Cubs, but also 108 years of pain and suffering. So what’s next for Chicago? Well, considering the excellent job GM Jed Hoyer and President Theo Epstein have
done to build up the Cub’s farm system, I’d say we might have an easy ride the next few years. They already have four young studs in the infield ( Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell, and Javier Baez) and developing outfielders waiting in the wings. Not only that, but after showing what Kyle Schwarber can do in the clutch after being out since April is quite impressive. And the Cub’s will not only have his big bat in the lineup, but also his improved fielding skills. After Zobrist is gone, the Cub’s will have a talented second basemen in the waiting. Ian Happ, who could very well be a 20-20 hitter for the Cubs, will get a lot experience waiting in the wings for his time to shine. He’s got great contact and speed, also with a little power hiding in that bat. In the outfield they have Eloy Jimenez, whose play style is eerily similar to that of Jorge Soler. He’s got a great right arm and great raw power coming out of his bat. Jimenez could be a guy who hits a lot of towering shots out of Wrigley in the coming seasons. The Cubs won the World Series and Donald Trump is president. The world must be ending. Even if you hate the Cubs, you can’t but be astonished at what the team has accomplished. Against all the odds, against all the doubters. A team of young 20-something year olds shouldered the weight of an entire city on their back. The Cubs beat every challenge that was thrown at them. This will be the first of many in the coming years for Chicago. North side, I think we may have a dynasty on our hands. By Staff Writer Ben
BOEZINGER
In every level above high school, a shot clock is used in basketball games, but only eight states use a shot clock in high school basketball. The shot clock is a timer used to increase the game’s pace and scoring levels. The offensive team must attempt a shot with the ball leaving the player’s hand and either touching the rim or entering the basket within a time limit. If the team does not get the shot off, that possession results in a turnover. The NBA has a 24-second shot clock, and for men and women at the college level, they get 30 seconds. The clock was added in the NBA because it had problems attracting fans due to teams hanging onto the ball and running out the clock once they led the game. Teams would be able to pass the ball around until the time ran out. If a team chooses to stall, the trailing team would be forced to foul to get the ball back after free throws. This resulted in lots of low scoring games with many fouls, which bored fans. One example of this would be when the Pistons defeated the Lakers by a score of 19-18 in the 1950s. When it first got introduced, more people came to watch after more points were scored. No high school games are as low scoring as 19-18, but teams do use stalling to their advantage. More teams will try to hold the ball in the last minute to make the other team foul and then will shoot free throws. It’s a good strategy when the game has no shot clock. Having a shot clock could also speed up games, and would fix the issue of teams stalling in the final minutes. The shot clock will reward
teams that play harder on defense, and it forces offenses to play better and find good shots to take earlier in the possession. Head coach Ryan Shultz would also like to see the shot clock be introduced to high school basketball. “I think it would speed up the game a little, reward good defense, make offenses execute and protect leads better by continuing to execute and play. It would also allow teams to come back without just pressing or fouling. It would add another layer of strategy and decision making. I think fans would like it.” Assistant coach Chris Dyvig agreed. “I would like to see it for class 4A because I think it would reward good defense, and there is enough talent to utilize a 40 or 45 second shot clock. I think it might affect level of play in lower classes.” For coaches, it would change strategies and even how they might run practice. It would be a big a transition, but Dyvig said he thinks it would be worth it. “I think the biggest challenge or change would be offensively. Teams would be forced to get more creative and take more shots. I think the up tempo style would be good for the game.” The positives and negatives with the shot clock depends on each team and their styles. Teams that take longer to get offense set up will have a harder time finding quality shots before they are out of time. Teams playing opponents that are tough defensively, it’s only going to make it harder to find good looks with the shorter amount of time. By Staff Writer Jack
MOODY
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Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Cheerleaders find mixed results at state cheer contest After mixed results at the state cheerleading competition on Saturday, Nov. 5, the cheerleading team assessed the lessons from the competition. The competition and sideline squads placed sixth but the senior stunt team captured a second place finish. There was still optimism in the midst of the strife. “We placed sixth at State, not because we did bad, but simply because other teams did better,” Izzy Steffner said. “We put on a great routine, only making a few mistakes, but other teams had more difficulty and fewer mistakes, putting us at sixth place.” Senior Emma Fletcher also acknowledged the challenges of cheering. “Cheer you can practice and hit things all you want, but it’s never a for sure thing that things are going to hit,” Fletcher said. This year’s finish leaves lots of room for improvement, but junior Catherine Kime spoke highly of the team’s goals for next year. “Next year, we’re gonna push ourselves even harder. We are going to work better and get more advanced with stunts and tumbling,” Kime said. “Ultimately, our goal is to get first place next year because the feeling of sixth was so hard on us.” Though the team avoided major injuries in their midst this
year, there were still problems. Sophie Poe, a senior and main backspot for the team, came down with pneumonia three weeks ago, causing her to miss the two competitions prior to State, and she and was only cleared in the nick of time to be able to compete with her teammates. One tradition the team will try to maintain is reliance on leadership from veteran members. “I’ve been on the team since my freshman year, and the team has gotten smaller and smaller as the years went on,“ Steffner said. “There’s only 15 girls on the team, and when we started as freshmen, there were 25.” Five of the 15 members on this year’s team are seniors. “Cheerleading has taught me to be able to work well with a team and to be a great leader,” Steffener said. “I’ve learned a lot from the seniors before me, and being the one the underclassmen look up to makes me be a better teammate and work hard to be at our full potential. I will never forget my teammates and all the amazing friendships I’ve made throughout the years and all the crazy times we’ve had together.” By Staff Writer Cassidy
CHRISTOPHER
All star cheerleading season opens door for competition outside school The blue mat is scattered with cheerleaders, standing in perfect formation. Their jumps and stunts hit perfectly, along with basket tosses flying high. The music is blaring through the speakers set up for everyone in the room to hear. Girls and boys are donned in their team’s uniforms, hair and makeup done to match. It smells like hairspray, and there is a mix of anxiety and excitement in the air as they ready themselves for their performance. As the high school competition cheerleaders finish their season with State, all star cheerleading is just getting started. But what’s the difference between the two anyway? And why do people from CF schools choose to do all star cheerleading instead of cheering for their school? The differences aren’t just that all star is unrelated to school, but the fact that the all star team is separated in levels to accommodate to everyone’s level of skill and talent. All star is also a year round sport, and is not strictly seasonal. And Rachel Schmid, a junior, is a part of the all star cheer team, TNT. She said she believes that her all star cheerleading team helps its partici-
Straight Set Victory
pants progress more, and they also pay for required tumbling classes with great coaches, instead of having optional tumbling like they would in high school cheerleading. “I liked the aspect of meeting new people and working with different ages rather than the same people we go to school with every day,” Schmid said. But despite the different features that come with all star cheerleading, there are also drawbacks, one being that the costs of everything begin to add up. It costs $150 a month just to participate competitively, not including the additional costs of uniforms, tumbling classes and camps. The costliness of all star has become a drawback for some people, which is why some choose to do school cheer. But like any committed team, the members look forward to pulling together for more than just the competition. “We are all like a family,” Schmid said. “All different ages coming together over one sport and cheering each other on and having overnight competitions together is so much fun.” By Staff Writer Jade
PHAM
John Dunlop Photos
At left, junior Abby Hendrickson and at top junior Taylor Lynch work on a straight set win over Dowling Catholic 2512, 25-17 and 25-17 in the first round of the state tournament in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Grace Burken had 11 kills in the win, and the team hit .360 overall. The Tigers faced the Ankeny Hawks in the semifinals at 10 a.m. yesterday.
HI-LINE Athlete of the
Week
Olivia Clark
Women’s Olivia ClarkSwimming led the swim
team to a 14th place finish at the state meet in Marshalltown on Nov. 5 with seventh place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle, the 100yard freestyle and as a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team. Clark is a long time swimmer who has been in the sport since she was in second grade. She started out by thinking her mom placed her in lessons, but it turned out to be an actual club team “Blast.” While swimming for them, she started to really enjoy the time in the pool and how it was really structured, as well as giving her something to do. How is the high school program different from club? “Well, for club, a lot of people don’t actually go to the out of town meets, like there are a few that are in town that everyone attends for the most part. Not everyone makes it to the meets as with high school swim, where everyone is at every single meet. It’s more of a choice in club like if you want to go to practice, but in high school, it’s like you should attend.” What events did you swim while in state? “I swam the 100 and the 50 free, but they were not my favorites. I actually like the 200 Individual Medley relay I swam in last year, but this year we kind of needed more people for the sprint freestyle relays, so that’s what I swam.” How did you do at State? “I dropped in both of my events, but I was not really happy with it place wise with what I got because I was seated fourth in the 100 free, but I ended up getting seventh, and I was seated eighth in the 50 free and got seventh in that too.” What are you going to miss about the team when you graduate next year? “The high school is so much more of a team than club, like you’re going there to win like for duals, one team vs. another team vs. yourself. That’s something I’m going to miss a lot, like talking to the girls like during meets and stuff.”