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REPEAT REDEMPTION
Tiger HI-LINE Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
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Volume 58 Edition 9
Author addresses importance of writing hard topics “Crank,” “Burned,” “Glass,” “Impulse,” “Identical” and “Tricks” are the names of a few New York Times best selling books by award winning author, Ellen Hopkins, that have been banned. These books were banned because they touch on areas that go into spaces that many adults deem inappropriate for young adult fiction readers, but Hopkins said she believes exposing the issues that are affecting teens everyday is needed. “Every single one of my books, there are thousands of readers who need them,” Hopkins said. “If the topic or subject matter is upsetting, it’s supposed to be upsetting because this is how we work through these things. This is how we shine a light on the issues that are affecting young people every single day. If we don’t shine a light on them, we can’t make things better.” Hopkins visited the high school on Friday, Nov. 9 to talk to students interested in her writing process and her outlets for inspiration. One creative writing student, senior Jaci Hundley, attended the author visit. She said she believes Hopkins’ books can help raise awareness for issues teens are facing and help the teens who are struggling. “I think it’s doing two things. One, for the people who don’t know about the stuff she’s writing about, it teaches them and helps them understand what those people are going through. And the people who are going
Brian Winkel Photo
Best selling author Ellen Hopkins speaks on Friday, Nov. 9 at Cedar Falls High School about her journey as an author. through that and actually readwas kid. ing her books, I think it provides “The first thing I did when I some sort of comfort to know started to read was read, read, that someone is listening and read, and the first thing I did someone understands,” she when I learned how to write was said. write, write, write. I was encourHearing Hopkins’ success aged by my adopted mom bestory with sensitive topics, the cause without books she would young writer is encouraged to not have been a happy person. dream about someday addressSo, she kind of made me feel ing difficult topics that society the same way,” Hopkins said. faces as well. “I relate to her She did not start writing as a writing style a lot, with writing career until 1992, but wrote all about heavier topics because I through high school and won like doing that too. It’s nice to many creative writing competiknow that it is not taboo and tions. that you can write about anyHopkins’ writing style of thing you want and help othfree verse sets her apart from ers,” Hundley said. many of the young adult writers Hopkins started writing and in her field. Hopkins is fond of reading when she was a kid. She the straight to the action advanlearned to love literature from tages of verse. “I think poetry is her adopted mom who read to the heart of language,” Hopkins her every single day when she said. “What you can do with one
word in poetry, can take place in an entire sentence when I’m writing a novel in verse. I spend a lot of time with word choice, and one word or a group of words can totally take the place of an entire paragraph if you do it right. I think it's a more powerful way of writing. It takes more thought. There's a beauty to it that you don’t always get with a long passage of prose.” Hopkins’ New York Times best selling novels are praised for addressing the numerous issues in society that affect teens that are often swept into the closet, like drug abuse, guns, bullying, abuse, sex trafficking, prostitution, etc. Many of the issues she writes about come from her first hand experience or from her researching skills which she learned from her former job as a journalist. She said she hopes by sharing the struggles she has faced, she can help others who are currently struggling. “For me, if the struggles that I have been through, if I can put those into a book and help other people into a better space, to me that is really important, and that makes me smile and makes me feel like everything that I have been through is worthwhile,” Hopkins said. One of her books in particular reveals the struggles Hopkins faced in her own life. The multiple award winning book “Crank” reveals the life of her daughter who is a crystal meth addict. It exposes her daughter’s struggle with the drug and
the serious repercussions that introduced multiple neglected children into the world that eventually Hopkins becomes the guardian of. Although reliving her past struggles poses a challenge at times, the writing process for Hopkins proves to be a form of therapy. “The second book in the ‘Crank’ series, that one hurt a lot. That one I had to step away from a lot because I was watching myself lose my daughter there,” she said. “If we could have stopped her at the end of ‘Crank,’ everything would have been different for all of us, but we couldn’t stop her. To watch myself lose her again, that was really painful, but if you lock those experiences up inside your own head, that can make you depressed, so it’s better to write them out than hold them in.” Hopkins suggests that young writers write without the fear of entering areas that haven’t been touched on before and not be afraid of the public's’ backlash. “Write the stories that are really scary. To write them without selfcensorship, that’s a real problem for writers who take hard problems like this. They think about, well, what if somebody is upset by this, what if this gets my book challenged? But you have to write those books really honestly and from the heart. You have to write fearlessly,” she said. By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sophia
SCHILLINGER
Student nominated for Congress of Future Medical Leaders For most, surprises mean birthdays or parties, but for junior Abigael Lyman, an unexpected envelope in her mailbox meant getting one step closer to her dream of working in the medical field. “I didn’t really know what it was. I just got a letter in the mail from doctor Mario Capecchi,” Lyman said. Lyman was invited to attend a three day medical conference with other nominated students across the state of Iowa to learn more about the medical field and the dreams she hopes to achieve in her future. “It’s basically a three day conference thing where you go and learn about the medical field. We get to watch a live surgery and just meet a bunch of doctors who have won Nobel Prizes and
Junior Abigael Lyman was selected for the 2018 Congress of Future Medial Leaders.
stuff.” While Lyman was never told why she was nominated, her interest in her 10th
grade biology class and her passion for anatomy and the workings of the human body might be a factor. “I’m pretty sure it was from a DNA essay last year in biology class. I did pretty good last semester. I got a 4.0, so I guess that probably helped because this summer I got a letter.” Without knowing who nominated her, Lyman was left to asking her family and mentors, and while she may not have an answer, she knows someone was looking out for her and thought she would benefit from such a prestigious program. “I know you had to get some sort of recognition from a teacher or a parent, but I know my mom didn’t, and I asked my science teacher Mr. Mork (Lo-
gan Mork), and he didn’t either,” Lyman said. “I don’t know if someone actually nominated me. Last year when I wrote my essay, the teacher went through and corrected my paper and had me change it even though it wouldn’t change my grade and hinting that it might be sent in. I don’t know if one of the doctors there read my essay, liked it and saw my GPA and thought to invite who wrote it.” Many opportunities hold many possibilities for Lyman, and the conference is just the beginning. “I would probably like to go to Iowa. They have a good program.” By Staff Writer Grace
WASESKUK
2
The
Baking FEATURE
Tiger
Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
HI-LINE
101 Flourless peanut butter cookies
The recipe is very easy to make and tastes delicious. Every time I make them for myself, I always end up making a double batch for my family. This recipe makes 11-12, and it can make more depending on how big you make the cookies. I make mine a little bit less than the size of my palm. These cookies can be made within a half an hour, and it’s very easy to remember the recipe. To make them a little bit less oily, place them on a paper towel before serving. To make the batter thicker and spread less, mix it till it is crumbly and add ¾ cup of peanut butter instead of 1 cup. This recipe also can be used as a base
and instead of mixing in chocolate chips, you could bake them without and place chocolate stars on them. You can play around with what you put in the recipe because it can be very flexible, but keep in mind what could happen because of the changes. I have many people try these cookies, and all had positive reviews. Jan Mord, a science teacher at Peet Junior High, said, “Tasted better than peanut butter cookies with flour,” and after eating one, Sarah Carlson, a U.S. history teacher also at Peet Junior High, even asked for the recipe.
Recipe notes: Because of being made up of mainly peanut butter, the cookie batter is a bit oily. The cookies when pulled out will be very soft, as if they aren’t baked, but they just have to set for a few minutes. This is a very easy recipe and anyone at any level of skill can make. If you would like to make this vegan friendly, you can just take out the egg, but it will make it a bit more dry and should take 1 to 2 minutes less to bake. The cookies, depending on how much you mix, can change the consistency and how much they spread. I suggest placing the cookies an inch and a half away from other cookies. If you would like to use organic peanut butter, keep in mind it may make it more dry. I suggest adding an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or another egg if you choose the organic route.
Jamie McDowell photo
Instructions: Beat together the peanut butter, brown sugar, salt and the baking powder. After the batter looks mixed together and is a bit crumbly, beat in the vanila and egg. After it’s well mixed together, add in the chocolate chips. Lastly, dish it batter on cookies sheets and bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes at 350 degrees
Ingredients: • 1 cup of peanut butter • ¾ cup of brown sugar • ½ teaspoon of baking powder • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 egg • a pinch of salt • chocolate chips By Staff Writer Jamie
MCDOWELL
The
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Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
FEATURE
3
Singer brings his perfect pitch to choir
In a room filled with the concert choir students, choir director Eliott Kranz makes a request of senior Noah Rouw. “Noah give me a C,” Kranz says. Rouw promptly sings the musical note for the choir to have them in the right key. Rouw’s pitch is always as perfect as a tuned piano. “Noah started naming pitches during a rehearsal one day during his sophomore year,” Kranz said. Rouw’s first discovery of his perfect pitch skill was in sixth grade. His music teacher realized his rare ability during class. “I said the first note to a song we were singing that we had only sung one time three weeks before. I didn’t know how to read music yet and pulled it out of thin air. She said, ‘You have perfect pitch!’” Rouw said. Rouw’s singing career started when he discovered his new ability. “I was told I sounded good, and I enjoyed singing a lot, which brought me to where I am now and am thinking about music being my future profession,” Rouw said.
Emma Herring Photo
Left, senior Noah Rouw sings with senior Willa Eacret and junior DaQuevion Burke at a 2018 choir concert.
Having absolute pitch, or perfect pitch means that someone can identify a note without reference. In his years of teaching choir at Cedar Falls High School, Kranz has had four students with this ability. “I don’t believe it to be very common. Research I have read on the subject suggests about one in 10,000
people have perfect pitch, and many more never realize that they have it,” Kranz said. Rouw possesses the most common version of absolute pitch, but he is familiar with the kind of absolute pitch where instead of seeing notes, one sees color. “When I hear things, it is complicated in my head. There is one girl that I know
from East High School that when she hears a pitch in her head she sees a color depending on the pitch,” he said. “I am not like that. When I think of a certain pitch there is a feeling for each of them. I can’t describe it or else I start to lose that feeling.” Going from elementary choir, Rouw has had several large solos with the concert choir singing along with him. “The fact that I am backed up with 70-75 voices behind me like last year is a really cool thing. It helps me grow as a musician, and I think that it helps other people be inspired who are on stage with me as well,” he said. “My goal for performing is to be as happy as possible, and if I affect one person in the audience, it was successful. When I get up there on the stage, it is to aim to the top seat in the corner of the auditorium, and if I can make that seat shake, I am doing it well,” he said. Rouw has the benefit of learning music faster and always being perfectly in tune. “Pulling a note out of thin air and knowing when things are in or out of tune is amaz-
ing, but it also made me more of a perfectionist. If a note is not in tune, then the chord is not in tune as well and sounds bad.” Although having perfect pitch has benefits, he also said it is also a curse. “There are a lot of times in choir and band when it hurts to hear the out-of-tune chords, but in the end we figure it out,” he said. Unplanned moments of finding pitches are part of Rouw’s daily life. “Sometimes I hear pitches in random objects, like I know that the bell for classes in school is an F sharp,” he said. With Rouw’s future in music and ability to always be in tune, he knows there is more for him to achieve ahead, as he currently auditions for college music programs. “I don’t know what my greatest accomplishment with singing is other than getting into All State, but I think it is coming in the near future,” Rouw said.
I’m a little bit weird when it comes to my love of Christmas, but when the holiday season does come around, they get much more into the spirit,” she said. Even though they aren’t as obsessed with the holiday as she is, DeW itt said that they always make time to put up their biggest Christmas tree together as a family. “My family has a tradition of watching ‘A Christmas Story’ every Christmas Eve, and since the family in that movie eats at a Chinese restaurant after they bur n the turkey on Christmas Eve, my family for the past five years has eaten at a Chinese restaurant on Christmas Eve as well.” Even though each year her family watches ‘A Christmas Story,’ it is not her favorite Christmas movie. She said that her favorite is truly “Elf.” She said that it is her favorite
because it is so funny. She also has a love for Christmas music. She said her two favorites are “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey and “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays” by *NSYNC She said, “I used to walk around my house with a speaker and sing to these songs.” Although some might only see the holiday as a way to give and receive gifts, DeW itt said she believes there is more to it. “I see the holidays as a time to reflect on what we’re thankful for and how we can help others in need. My favorite thing about the holidays is the spirit surrounding it. Everyone is so kind and helpful this time of year. It really makes you feel good, and that is why I love Christmas.”
By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sabine
MARTIN
Junior shows love of holidays through many Christmas sweaters Most everybody loves the holiday season, full of gifts, kindness and joy, but does anyone enjoy it more than junior Emma DeW itt? Although she said she doesn’t participate in the religious aspect of the season, DeW itt said it is more than just that to her. “I really like the spirit of the holiday. I like dressing up in Christmas sweaters and playing in the snow,” DeW itt said. She said buying and wearing Christmas sweaters is what got her obsessed with everything Christmas. “One year for our Christmas card, we all dressed in Christmas sweaters, and since then I’ve been going to Goodwill to find more and more. I have Christmas sweaters for every weekday of December. I wear one Christmas sweater on Nov. 1, and this year I wore one on Oct. 1. Even
submitted photo
Junior Emma DeWitt embraces the holiday season with her collection of themed objects and clothes. though I got ridiculed, I just blocked out the haters,” DeW itt said. For DeW itt, dressing up for the season is not just limited to humans. She said, “For Halloween I dressed up my dog, Farley, as a gingerbread man. He also has an elf collar that jingles when he walks around.”
She said believes that Christmas should be celebrated year round, but that the best time for decorating is Nov. 1. She said, “Thanksgiving is an OK time to decorate, but it definitely needs to be done before December.” The people around her don’t always agree to that. “My family thinks
By Staff Writer Clare
WILLIAMS
4
The
FEATURE
Tiger
HI-LINE
Friday Nov. 30, 2018
JROTC offers mix of opportunities for life and military leadership skills Every weekday, junior Connor Galloway’s alarm rings at 7 a.m. and his day begins as a cadet. Instead of driving to Cedar Falls High School, Galloway drives a town over to Waterloo East High School for his first two periods of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC). Waterloo East has offered JROTC since 1996 and is one of the four schools in Iowa that offers this program at the high school level. The program currently has 83 cadets. “I joined because of my future in the military. I want to go into the Navy for four years and then get my college paid for. My mom and my dad have both been in the Navy, so they influenced me,” Galloway said. “Going into the military just seems right for me.” In JROTC, the cadets’ week
varies in and out of the classroom. At midweek, cadets wear military uniforms and get tested on their marching skills. “We practice our marching and get in our uniforms on Wednesdays, which is when we have uniform testing, and I wear an East uniform,” he said. Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Glen Keith has taken over the program for the past year and started to teach, determined to build interactions with high schoolers. “My last assignment in the Army was Professor of Military Science at UNI. I ran the ROTC program. Our cadets often supported leadership activities at the JROTC program at East,” he said. “As I approached retirement from the Army, I wanted to continue coaching, teaching and lead-
ership development, much like I was doing at the university level,” Keith said. Fridays are set for the hard work. “Friday we have military warm-ups and shoot airsoft rifles. They taught us how to shoot them at JROTC,” Galloway said. The students learn through volunteering experiences in the communities of Black Hawk County using the military leadership development model. “Our students plan, organize and conduct service learning projects throughout the community, and other handson activities. Last year our Cadets conducted over 1,500 service hours in the community, Keith said. “JROTC Cadets have higher GPAs and graduation rates than the national average. Cadets graduate
with confidence, communication skills, organizational skills and leadership traits that are unmatched by many of their peers,” he said. “We volunteered for Heart of Darkness haunted house, and I volunteered for the Cattle Congress and helped to pick up the rodeo there,” Galloway said. Although not every student that joins JROTC has a career in the military, the ones on the same path as Galloway gain benefits after the course. “Normally, when you go into the military bootcamp you start off as E-1, and if you do a year or two of ROTC, you can go right into E-2, which is higher pay,” he said. JROTC’s goal is to prepare students for their futures with leadership skills and for the military.
“I feel like when I join the Navy I will know how to do a lot of the things and will know what to do instead of being yelled at and have to do pushups,” Galloway said. Galloway doesn’t know if he will ever be a highly ranked officer in the military, but said he is glad to have the opportunity of starting somewhere. “Nationally only 14 percent go into the military. Our top two cadets last year did not join the military, but they did get full ride scholarships to college,” Keith said. “I feel like I am moving a little too fast. High school is breezing by, and before I know it I am going to be starting a new chapter,” Galloway said.
interests you so much? I love brainstorming ideas of what to create and then bringing it to life. I also love glazing because the end product is always a surprise. Why did you decide to take ceramics? I decided to take ceramics and drawing as a sophomore to give myself a break from my classes. I then began to really enjoying ceramics. What’s the best part of ceramics? The best part of ceramics is receiving the final product back after glazing. The glaze is unpredictable, and it’s fun to see how it turns out on every piece. What’s your biggest challenge been this year? My biggest challenge in independent study has been brainstorming projects. In ceramics 1 and HCC ceramics, the projects are assigned. However, in independent study, you have the freedom to choose whatever you want to create. Will you pursue your passion in art? I would love to continue painting/ drawing/working with clay; however, I don’t think I will pursue it as a career.
Artist of
By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sabine
MARTIN
Independent study helps student discover creativity
How long have you been taking art class? I have taken art since seventh grade, but I started taking ceramics as a sophomore. What is your favorite type of art? I enjoy ceramics the most. How would you describe yourself as an artist? I feel like I am an patient artist. I will take my time in order to perfect a project. What is your inspiration for your pieces? My inspiration for my projects depends on the piece. Sometimes I look at other artists’ work. Other times I begin creating with no final product in mind. How would you describe your artistic style? I feel my artistic style is somewhat simple. How have you developed as an artist since you have started? I think I have greatly improved on Co-Editor-In-Chief Sophia the pottery wheel. I have gained a lot more control when working with the clay. What has been your biggest accomplishment regarding art? I feel my biggest accomplishment was last year when I received an honorable mention in the art show. Who is your role model? I would say [Emily] Olson (art teacher at the high school) is my artist
Sophia Schillinger Photo
Above features a braided ceramic pot that senior Leah Longnecker crafted in her art independent study. role model. She always has unique ideas for me to create with clay. Can you tell me about your ceramic pieces in the art display case? One day I decided to start braiding my leftover coils for fun.
That sparked the idea to incorporate a braid into the vase I had already started creating. The braid was fairly difficult to connect to the other coils, but it was worth it. What about ceramics
By Co-Editor-In-Chief Sophia
SCHILLINGER
The Week
LEAH LONGNECKER Artist
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ENTERTAINMENT
5
Pop song stands out in a year of mundane music Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” is remarkable for one reason and one reason only: it matters. Pop music in 2018 is almost a nonentity; it’s on the radio, it’s being streamed and promoted, and people are listening to it, but it doesn’t affect the public consciousness at all. You might be able to tell someone about “that one song on the radio” that you like, but if you’re anything like me, chances are you can’t even identify it by name. The hits of 2018 will not be remembered. In fact, most of them have already been forgotten. From Jan. 1 through 20, Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” topped the charts, only to be replaced by Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” which was knocked off the No. 1 spot by Drake’s “God’s Plan” just a week later. “God’s Plan” was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100
for all of February and March, as well as the majority of April, but … did it exist? Do you remember it? I don’t. Drake’s “Nice for What” and “In My Feelings” hovered at or near No. 1 on the charts from April to September, and they sound virtually the same. During October, Maroon 5 took control with “Girls Like You,” a song whose most redeeming quality was that it was bland enough to forget. During the week of Nov. 17, it was replaced by Grande’s “thank u, next.” Music does not matter this year. Grande’s “thank u, next,” for better or for worse, does. The song details Grande’s past relationships and how they helped her to grow as a person. In the first verse, she calls out her exes by name, singing, “Thought I’d end up with Sean/ But he wasn’t a match/ Wrote some
songs about Ricky/ Now I listen and laugh.” These lyrics, and for this matter, the lyrics of the entire song, are nothing special, but they don’t make me want to take a sledgehammer to my radio, so they’re still miles ahead of the rest of the pop charts. Grande’s defining quality has always been her voice, not because she’s an exceptionally talented vocalist, but because her voice is high-pitched enough to be used as a dog whistle. Throughout the earlier 2010s, she covered everything from the meet-cute to the breakup (and almost nothing outside of that), making her the perfect pop star. She offered up pop ballads with just enough passion to convince her listeners that she was singing about actual events of her life. In “thank u, next,” what little passion she once had is
gone. She doesn’t sound excited about all the personal growth she’s achieved from her numerous breakups; she sounds bored. In the pre-chorus, she moves from listing off exes to noting what she’s learned from them, stating that, “One taught me love/ One taught me patience/ And one taught me pain.” It’s a refreshing take on the everpresent pop breakup song: she’s learned to love, endure and be patient through navigating the minefield of romantic relationships. Where most singers in her position create angry hit-pieces of songs, she makes a statement about personal growth. It’s an admiral quality, even if she tries her best to ruin it. The chorus is where this song’s flaws begin to pile up. A song in which the chorus is just its title repeated ad nauseum until the adequate amount
of space has been filled? What a novel idea! With her voice faded into a monotonous mumble, she says, “Thank you, next (next)/ Thank you, next (next)/ Thank you, next/ I’m so f****** grateful for my ex/ Thank you, next (next)/ Thank you, next (next)/ Thank you, next (next)/ I’m so f******” She sounds like a female version of Drake, and believe me, that’s not something this world needs. One is one too many. A song with the primary goal of communicating pride in one’s personal growth should not waste its chorus sitting on a high horse and staring down at those left in the dust. If one thing can be said about “thank u, next,” it’s that it’s honest. Everything that she’s saying is believable. Unfortunately, being honest doesn’t make it good. By Staff Writer Sierra
MILLER
These five songs among Drake’s best
Drake has proven himself to be one of the greatest rappers of our time. Some of his accomplishments include being the first artist in Hot 100 history to debut multiple songs in the top 10 simultaneously twice in a calendar year. With his versatile sound and distinctive voice, he is sure to stand out. With that being said, here are my top 5 Drake songs.
“Find Your Love”
5. 4. 3. 2. 1.
This Kanye West produced track is still a banger eight years later. On this song, 24-year-old Drake sings about his tendency of picking the wrong women and how he’s still on a mission looking for the one. In the song, he says, “I look for love in the wrong people. It just always seem like the women I find are poison for me.” Drake is obviously looking for love in all the wrong places and doesn’t seem to learn from his mistakes. Toward the end of the song he says, “Too many times I’ve been wrong. I guess being right takes too long.” Ugh, so relatable Drake. This song is perfect for when you are in your feelings and need something to relate to
“Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2”
With two songs in one and Jay-Z featured on this record, this track is arguably the best song on the “Nothing is the Same” album. “Pound Cake” is an interlude to “Paris Morton Music” where Drake declares himself the best and above all competition. He raps, “Studied the game to the letter, and I did it better. Like I’m supposed to feel guilty?” Not only is this song very chill with a nice vibe too, but it shows a different side of Drake. The flow is something different and it just hits right and makes you feel like a boss. It is also the perfect song to drive in the night with.
“Controlla”
In this dance-hall inspired song, Drake sings about his love for a woman and how he would let her essentially control his life, like a controller. In the hook, Drake says, “I’d think I’d lie for you. I think I’d die for you, Jodeci. Cry for you. Do things when you want me to.” Drake is totally in love and willing to do whatever. The song is very infectious and makes you want to dance. Drake uses Jamaican Patois and the beat is heavily based on that culture.
“Free Smoke”
Drake introduces his “More Life” album with th song “Free Smoke” to once again say that he is the best to ever do it in the rap game. “Free Smoke” is essentially Drake saying that if you want his spot, you’re going to really have to try because he is not going down without a fight. Drake did what he had to do on this track and really went off. He showcased his bars and flow very well. Without a doubt, “Free Smoke” is the best song on this album.
“Emotionless”
With two songs in one and Jay-Z featured on this record, this track is arguably the best song on the “Nothing is the Same” album. “Pound Cake” is an interlude to “Paris Morton Music” where Drake declares himself the best and above all competition. By Staff Writer Jenneh He raps, “Studied the game to the letter, and I did it better. Like I’m supposed to feel guilty?” Not only is this song very chill with a nice vibe too, but it shows a different side of Drake. The flow is something different GEE and it just hits right and makes you feel like a boss. It is also the perfect song to drive in the night with.
6
The
OPINION
Our View
Sabine Martin photo
Senior leadership is raising money for families from Haiti and Mozambique and their schools.
Holiday giving starts in our community With Thanksgiving holiday behind us, much more giving is still available for the rest of the season in the community of Cedar Falls High School. With student groups like senior leadership and the entrepreneurship class, they set examples for how to give back to others in need and give chances to give to others. Senior leadership will be hosting a fundraiser for families of Haiti and Mozambique. Their main goal is to buy desks for school children and cement floors for families’ homes. They are having pancake breakfasts in the Tiger’s Den every Monday morning before school until winter break to raise money. Along with the breakfasts, senior leadership is selling $1 candy canes to send to a friend in school as well as the lollipop tree in the counseling office, that comes with different prizes for every sucker drawn out of it. In addition to senior leadership’s fundraiser, the entrepreneurship class and clothing line “Dun n’ Dunn” is selling sweatshirts with the Tigers logo and plans to donate the proceeds to a charity of their choice. Each sweatshirt costs $25 for ones that are interested. This project also teaches them the skills to prepare for a successful business startup. In previous years, they have given to charities like the Red Cross, Cedar Bend Humane Society, American Cancer Society and many local charities or goodwill causes. Whether it be giving or buying, there is always an alternative that will benefit someone else, even in our school’s community.
Contact Us
The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools. org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to The Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editors-in-Chief: Sabine Martin, Sophia Schillinger Opinion Editor: Saba Aydiner Sports Editor: Jibreel Bailey Staff: Grace Boezinger, Jenneh Gee, Jackson Gutknecht, Amie Holzapfel, Taylor Hunt, Jamie McDowell, Erin McRae, Sierra Miller, Skylar Promer, Benjamin Rodgers, Grace Waseskuk, Alex Williams, Clare Williams Hi-Line Online Editor-in-Chief: Jackson Kliewer Staff: Paul Adom-Boateng, Colby Coonradt, Dalton Happel, Jack Jorgensen, Daniel Mitchell, Cobie Morrissey, Catalin Vilae
Tiger
HI-LINE Humane Society awaits visitors Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
Many have heard of and are familiar with the local animal shelter, the Cedar Bend Humane Society, but what do they actually do? A quick look inside reveals so much. A plethora of animals, big and small, are housed in this center. Cats occupy the two front rooms; guinea pigs, and rabbits line the countertops; and dogs fill the back room. Once one recovers from the absolute cuteness of each and every animal, one might wonder how they manage to take care of all of these animals at once. The Cedar Bend Humane Society has to have some way to provide for the animals in need, but how? “It is so important for the community to be aware that we are a non-profit organization,” administration assistant and intake supervisor Caitlyn Wegner said. “So we solely run off of donations whether they be monetary donations or items. We can’t do what we do without the communities support.” With that said, the Cedar Bend Humane Society still relies on the donations of many items such as blankets, cat litter, wet cat food, dry cat food, cleaning supplies, toys, dog food, etc. Donating even one of these products to the Humane Society could make a significant impact, allowing the volunteers and staff to continue to care for these creatures in need. Pet owners know it’s never easy to care for a pet, let alone a whole care center full of them, so why not lend a hand? If donating isn’t possible, why not volunteer? Still not into volunteering? Spread the word! Use social media to mention the Humane Society and what
Cedar Bend Humane Society shelters many animals from bunnies to dogs; offering them a caring home until they are adopted. donations they might need at any given time. If you’re unsure what to donate, go to their website and send them an email. You don’t have to do something drastic to help out and make a change, even a small donation would help even more than you think. Another seemingly small way to help would be to remember to adopt and not shop, when searching for another furry friend. Support the Cedar Bend Humane Society by choosing to adopt one of the older animals. A recent visit to the Humane Society lead me to discover a fairly new resident, a 10-year-old chihuahua named Sampson. He was a bit
nervous as he walked to the front of his cage to greet me, though he quickly warmed up to me with some encouraging words and a few head scratches. Many often overlook the older animals in a shelter, instead, going straight for the younger ones. While it is still a good thing to adopt, young or old, opening up your home to an elderly animal can have its benefits as well, and contrary to the saying, you can always teach an old dog new tricks. Consider taking a look around the Cedar Bend Humane Society, and an unexpected friend could be waiting just around the corner.
By Staff Writer Skylar
PROMER
New system gives meaning to grading The idea of standards-based grading started in elementary schools a few years ago according to Pam Zeigler, director of elementary education. “The elementary schools switched to standards-referenced reporting in 2012 to better align our performance reports (report cards) with the essential skills and concepts that we expected our students to know and be able to do at each grade level.” At the junior high and high school level, the decision “was a long-term process that came from an outgrowth of our work as a Professional Learning Community,” according to Dan Conrad, director of secondary education. As students adjust to the current grading system, how it affects their GPAs and college entrance applications, they are also trying to adapt to the changes in the way homework is given out and graded. Under the old system, homework was repeatedly graded and entered into the grade book, giving the students who might not have done well on a test a chance to pad their grades. However, ac-
cording to Dan Conrad, “Students are now graded on what they have learned, not on how many points they can accumulate for assignments, homework and tests.” So even though this hurts some students who relied on completing homework to boost their grades, it will eventually help their learning, as it will more prepare them for their futures. To help students understand the rationale behind the switch to standards-based grading, Kirstey Ewald, an educational consultant from Central Rivers Area Education Agency, has some things to keep in mind. One of the reasons to switch to standards-based grading is because it “gives a wealth of information to help the teacher adjust instruction to meet the needs of all students,” so the decision was made to improve the way students are graded and provide more in-depth information on how well they’re learning. The concept of standardsbased grading is based on helping students take ownership of their grades and provide them with specific areas they need to work on. It
also gives teachers an idea of how students are mastering each skill, and it shows if they have consistent struggles with one specific topic so that teachers can help them individually with that topic. It also gives teachers the ability to see if they need to change the way they teach each subject based on the level of proficiency in each topic, and when the teacher creates tests and projects, they know what skills they need to assess. The focus is now on skills rather than a certain amount of points. This reform in the education system in the United States started in the eighties when administrators were noticing how the old grading system wasn’t working, so they worked on developing skills each student needs to graduate with a meaningful diploma that says that the student knows how to read and do basic math, which would be required by any employer in the future. It also allows equal opportunity for every student to learn and achieve a high school diploma no matter what their background is or was.
By Staff Writer Grace
BOEZINGER
The
Tiger
HI-LINE
Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
SPORTS
7
Tigers reload after championship
Kicking off the season at home Friday night, men’s basketball will play Waterloo West. The Tigers have taken a hit losing seniors Aj Green, Reese Gardner and Ben Gerdes, but head coach Ryan Schultz feels that they have a pretty solid team as is. “I think we have the ability to compete at highest level in the state of Iowa. With that said, it will take some time to get to where we need to be. With the graduation of all-time leading scorer and current starting point guard at UNI, AJ Green, as well as the graduations of Ben Gerdes and Reese Gardner, there are some large shoes to fill. Furthermore, we have a lot of key players. We will need some patience early on, but I am confident we will get to where we need to be,” Schultz said. The team has figures on the team who can lead them to the next level, such as returning starters Logan Wolf, Jack Campbell and Jackson Frericks. “We have three starters returning who were also elected to be our captains: Jack Campbell, Jackson Frericks and Logan Wolf. Mason Abbas was also an integral part of
our state championship team, logged a lot of minutes and will play a significant role this season,” Schultz said. The Tigers’ underclassmen have shown some pretty good improvements on the court as returning juniors and sophomores step up to show their skills. “At 6’9”, sophomore Chase Courbat has had an outstanding summer and fall, and we are very excited about his progress. Juniors that are coming off a successful sophomore season that we expect to have large roles are Josh Ollendieck, Jaxon Heth, Ben Sernett and Cael Loecher. There are several others including seniors Tenchi Porter, Lovelle Banks, Jr. and junior Gil Taiber who have shown a lot of improvement, will be competing for minutes, and will have significant roles on our team,” Schultz said Senior Logan Wolf knows what it takes to repeat last years results. “I think as a team we are going to figure out how to play together and that will come with time. We lost some great players and leaders last year, but the team will have the same goal with different guys
in different roles, and some people are going to have to step into bigger roles this season,” Wolf said. Last season junior Josh Ollendieck was moved up to the varsity roster and played an abundance of minutes for the Tigers. Ollendieck even contributed 19 points (1.5 per game). “Since losing last year’s seniors, we are going to just have to get used to not having them out there on the court. We are going to have to replace them by playing together and having good teamwork,” Ollendieck said. Lots of teams this season have a good deal of players, but Schultz said he feels that the championship goal can be achieved by working harder than any other team. “In order to give yourself a shot at competing at that level, you need talented players who buy in to becoming a basketball family, commit to doing things the right way each day, are process driven, play for each other and accept their roles and responsibilities in order to be great teammates,” Schultz said. By Sports Editor Jibreel
BAILEY
Emma Herring Photo
Senior Logan Wolf drives through the Xavier defense in the 2018 season.
Home Waters
Freshman Graham Fry, sophomore Randy Zhang, sophomore Devin Myhr and the rest of the men’s swim team kicked off the first of the their meets with a dual against Iowa City West on Tuesday, Nov. 27. West came out on top, 116-54. Cedar Falls finished 1-2 in the 100 freestyle, and Dawson Bremner took first in the 100 in 49.96 seconds.
Shannon Murphy Photos
8
The
SPORTS
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Friday, Nov. 30, 2018
Junior signs with D1 college
Recently, rising star junior Kacia Brown committed to Mississippi State College with a full D1 scholarship that will open many more doors regarding her volleyball career as well as allowing her to go by her passion for another four whole years. Having started volleyball during middle school, Brown has been going full speed since, leaving her supporters and competitors at “aw” every time she touches the ball. Brown said she owes her achievements to years of non-stop practice. “I have been playing volleyball since sixth grade, I think. I can see my self-growth even when I compare my performance to last year. You learn a lot of things along the way. There are always ways in which you can improve yourself to be your best. It can be quite stressful and overwhelming sometimes, especially added to the stress of school and stuff, but over years of practice, it really has become an escape from many things, as well. Now it’s just this huge passion that I don’t think I’ll ever let go,” Brown said. Growing up under the influence of her siblings, Brown’s love for athletics continued off other branches such as basketball and track too. While dominating in sports, Brown has maintained high grades and leadership traits herself as well. Although there are challenges along the way, her love for the sport helps her overcome the problems and encourages her to seek for solutions. “I think there are many times where volleyball helps me in many aspects of life in general, but then again there’s a part which kind of makes it worse too. Like if I get stressed about a game or miss school for volleyball, it makes it really hard, especially when there was the thought of college too where I went through a tough point during the recruiting process, trying to find out which college I wanted to go to—that was really hard as well. On the other hand, though, it really helps coming down to the aspects of playing with a team, knowing how to solve problems or even focus. Because when the ball comes down you have to do everything you can to get back, like that grit, that’s always gonna be something you need in life. It also helps the time-management a lot. Studentathletes are always the best at being able to keep up sports and school at the same time, which is a huge one,” she said. During practices or games, no matter the years of experience, Brown said she is always very excit-
ed to play. Also having been under a lot of pressure, she finds volleyball to be not only therapeutic but also a way to improve her mental state of being, regarding strategy, when faced with exciting events. To succeed, shining the light on self-control, Brown tries to focus on the ball, and only the ball. “I feel so excited during volleyball like during games it’s just so fun because you never know what’s gonna happen and every game’s so different. In addition, you also get to do different things too. For example, when you play all the way around especially too; hitting, passing, serving, blocking and then you get to hit different spots too. It is also being able to work on mental toughness because volleyball is such a strategic sport, and I think that it helps you be a better leader and a better player of the game when you can work on that, and that kind of translates into different things in life too, which makes me think about the game more and focus on the ball, but during the game I’m just always genuinely happy,” Brown said. Volleyball being her biggest passion, the loss in the final game of State was the end of a season of important lessons. She said losing State made her come closer to her teammates and created the sisterhood that’ll last for many more years no matter how far apart. “Losing State this year was definitely the most intimate moment of all. I loved my team last year, and I loved winning last year, but the bond that I had with the team this year was so special and different in so many ways; going undefeated that long, a whole 46 games, and then also being so close together outside of volleyball and just knowing each other so well … nothing was gonna be better than that, and, honestly, even though we lost, I don’t think I would change any second of it because I got so much love for/from the team, and afterward just being able to cry with your teammates and hug your teammates, still know you love each other. There was no sense of blame or anything afterward because some teammates are so quick to put the blame on other people, but at that moment, we all just knew that we were there for each other, and it was all love. There wasn’t a lot of negativity that day, and I think that shows a lot of character, especially when you just lost a game,” she said. Kacia also broke her sister Kaz’s record for most single season kills that Kaz had set in 2014. Kacia’s new record is 389 killers versus her
HI-LINE Athlete of the
Week
JACKSON FRERICKS Men’s Basketball
How long have you been playing basketball? “ S i n c e k i n d e rg a r t e n . I always liked sports and just went with it.” What has been your biggest accomplishment f ro m t h i s s e a s o n s o f a r ? “W i nni ng t he s t at e champi o ns hi p l as t year def i ni t el y, and w e are ho pi ng t o repeat t hi s year.”
Jess Avino Photo
Junior Kacia Brown attempts a kill against the Ankeny Centennial Jaguars in the final game at State on Friday, Nov. 9. Brown committed to Mississippi State University recently. sister’s 383. Browns’ competition with her sister will continue when she goes off to college where she will be playing against her sister at Kentucky under the same conference. Aside being awarded “Best Player,” some of Brown’s biggest achievements include “First Team All-State,” “All Tournament Team at State” and “Elite Team AllState.” Being one of the 2 percent of high school students going off D1 excited Brown, but she said her soon-to-be coach Julie Darty was so happy Brown committed that she cried, telling Brown she wasn’t going to accept anyone but her. Brown has plans of playing volleyball after college as well. “My overall growth over the years just had a lot to do with my coaches and teammates. My sophomore year, I was the only sophomore playing with one junior
and the rest were seniors. They welcomed me so fast, and I got set a lot for being the only sophomore, which helped me develop, winning State and being able to play with pressure, which helped me to be a better leader this year as one of the only returners. Our coach Matt Johnson and our assistant coach Adam, they’re so helpful. Whenever we needed to do adjust something, or even the smallest questions I had, they’d always be able to tell me what to do. Everything they did was making us better, and everything they said had a purpose, which I am going to miss a lot because I like them a lot, and I like my team a lot. Next year I’ll be looking forward to it. I just want it to be senior year volleyball season, but I’m definitely gonna miss them a lot,” Brown said. By Opinion Editor Saba
AYDINER
W h a t a re y o u r p e rsonal goals? “ To g e t t o t h e s t a t e championship again.” W h a t a re s o m e struggles you have faced in basketball? “Last year at the end of football season and for the first couple weeks of basketball I was out sick for a while with a l i v e r p ro b l e m , b u t I a m a l l g o o d n o w. ” F a v o r i t e m e m o r y f ro m t h i s o r p re v i o u s s e a s o n ? “When the final buzzer w e n t o ff a t t h e c h a m p i o n ship game last year we all ran to the half court, and I hit Jacob Nelson mid air a n d h e b ro k e h i s w r i s t , but he was OK.” A re y o u p l a n n i n g o n participating in basketball after this year? “ R i g h t n o w, I d o n o t t h i n k s o , b u t I w i l l re m e m b e r b a s k e t b a l l f o re v e r. ”