Oct 6, 2009 hi line

e g h iin Ti er l THE

Oct. 6, 2009 Volume 50 Issue 4

1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

Annual food drive to commence Alex Miller Staff Writer

including 14,600 children annually.

Other food pantries, the Salvation Army, Kids Cafe, ECHOES after school programs, Operation Family Pack, Elderly Nutrition Box Program and other local food programs help accomplish this along with the food

This year’s food drive kicked off on Monday, Oct. 5, and CFHS students will be collecting donated food until Nov. 13. Loading day will be at the Food Bank on Nov. 16. donated by There are six the comweeks for the food munity. drive, and leader“Hopeship groups each fully the take a week or two greatest to plan activities incentive and collections to collect for their assigned food is to week. Student know they Senate takes the —Ryan Flaherty are helpfirst week, with Guidance Counselor ing their Senior Leadership fellow having the second citizens, making their community and third. Sophomore Leadership a better place and doing ‘the right will run the fourth week mark while thing,’” Flaherty said.

Juniors follow with the fifth and The classrooms that collect the sixth weeks. most food during the first week will “We’d like to raise as much food receive financial rewards. All money for our local food bank as possible earned will be used to purchase more to raise awareness of hunger in the food for the food drive. The room Cedar Valley and to get the entire that donates the most food overall high school involved in the project,” will receive a classroom prize of guidance counselor Ryan Flaherty either a pizza party or an ice cream said. party.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank After competing with other high serves an estimated 35,700 people,

“Hopefully the greatest incentive to collect food is to know they are helping their fellow citizens”

schools in our area and consecutively winning the last two food drives in that competition, Cedar Falls High School was rewarded with $1,000 to start the food drive this year.

The NEIA Food Bank also issued a “wish list” of items to be donated this year. Students and faculty may participate by bringing in the following items: canned meats, fruits, vegetables and soups; peanut butter; and boxed meals. Leadership groups take action by visiting local grocery stores and food vendors to purchase these items. If people decide to donate money, it will be collected to buy highly needed items.

All donations include the wish list and non-perishable food items. Traditionally, there are activities going on during the food drive ranging from the Halloween dance with all proceeds going towards the food drive to a staff and student kickball tournament, a raffle and a fundraiser to determine which teacher will perform an outrageously crazy act.

Leadership groups are still in the process of producing more ideas for activities, but these few are the ones that will occur for sure.

Heidi Dornbusch Photo

Band, choir orchestra prepare perform

Trumpet members of the CFHS marching band polish their skills during a fourth period practice earlier this year. All their preparation will be on display at the state marching band contest at Dubuque High School at 2:30 on Saturday, Oct. 10. The choir is also performing on Monday, Oct. 12, while the orchestra will perform on Thursday, Oct. 15. Both these performances will be at 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for students. Activity passes will be accepted.

GSA attempts to re-establish CFHS presence Group welcomes students from all backgrounds Donald Halbmaier Staff Writer

World language teacher Melissa Breddin and a handful of CFHS students are putting in their two cents to help support the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students of the high school.

There have been other years in which the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) has been in full effect. This

year Breddin has decided to reinstate the organization.

“There has been an increasing need for a support group at the high school,” Breddin said.

The GSA held its first meeting Monday Sept. 27, in room 138.

Many organization members said that it was a decent turnout.

“There were around 10 or more people there for the first meeting.

It turned out good, and it seems to be like this year’s group is going to be fun and great when it comes to GSA,” junior Maureen Villavicencio said.

With Breddin at the helm of the project as head adviser, the group

hopes to bring the GSA back full force. The first step is getting more members.

“Our doors are open to any student or person who is willing to help make the school environment more welcoming to GLBT students,” Breddin said.

T-shirts designs are also in the process of being made and ordered.

These T-shirts are going to start the program’s fund raising campaign.

With no financial help from the school, GSA members have to raise all the money to do many of their projects and activities planned for the upcoming school year. These include events such as organizing a

school wide Day of Silence, attending state conferences and hanging fliers on GLBT issues.

“Even though we aren’t getting financial help from the school, the administration is very supportive of us now and has been in the past,” Breddin said.

All of this work makes getting the program up and running again no easy task. There have also already been some apparent actions of adversity to the program.

“The most frustrating thing is that no other school programs get their fliers torn down. Just ours. I put them up, and within an hour I had seen that many had already been torn

down. It doesn’t affect us too much, though. We will always put more back up,” Breddin said.

These acts may not be representative of the entire school.

“The reactions have either been extremely negative or extremely positive from students,” Breddin said.

Despite adversity, the program already has many activities planned for the upcoming months. Breddin and Villavicencio say that they are planning a caroling outing in December and trying to spread the message out to the community by doing some community work.

The GSA will meet every Monday at 7 p.m. in room 138.

2 opinion w u e r ov i

Student-led blanket drive sets example to follow As we near Thanksgiving, Christmas and “The Season of Giving,” senior Allison Duchman got a head start on helping others. She teamed up with two West High students (Buster Worthington and Kate Worthington) for a blanket drive.

“Block for Blankets” began last Friday at the CF/West football game, and it continues through next week.

Duchman said that the drive was successful so far, receiving nearly 100 bedding items including blankets, sheets and pillows at last Friday night’s game at Memorial Stadium.

We think that not only is it great to help people in need, but the sheer initiative of starting this program and teaming up with students from another school is fantastic. This blanket drive will give many, many people quality blankets and bedding. If everyone took the initiative to do something kind like this, so many problems could be solved.

Anything is possible. With some hard work, you can organize a big event like this and help needy families. That’s the power we have. To see a group of students go out and start something like this is wonderful.

It’s important to help others, and any way to get involved is great.

With the food drive coming up, everyone can begin to gear up for charity. In Cedar Falls, we’re very lucky, and we show that we don’t forget that there are other people out there less fortunate than we are.

We praise Duchman and the West students for their kindness and their ambition to serve the community. They took the time to organize something original and commendable. They set a good example for teenagers to follow.

You can still get involved with the blanket drive by dropping off items at Varsity Cleaners (216 W. 11th St. and Ridgeway Plaza in Waterloo and West Fourth and Washington in Cedar Falls) or St. Vincent de Paul (320 Broadway St. in Waterloo and 203 Main in Cedar Falls).

Contact the Tiger Hi-Line

The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes of Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division St., Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Tuesdays to read in their DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) classes.

Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Hi-Line or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial staff view is presented weekly in the editorial labeled as Our View.

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 Thursday for publication the following Tuesday. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Include address and phone number for verification.

Editorial Staff

Editors-in-Chief: Maggie Devine and Vincent Stigliani News Editors: Vincent Stigliani and Ben Sadkowski Opinion Editor: Monica Clark Sports Editor: Ben Olson Feature Editor: Aubrey Caruso On-Line Editors: Vincent Stigliani and Maggie Devine Entertainment Editors: Maggie Devine Senior Writer: Alex Entz Photo Editor: Ben Sadkowski

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tiger hi-line Oct. 6, 2009

Republican party resisting compromise on health reform Letter to the

Editor

those on the right try to defend our system, all objective studies show the same radical inefficiencies that drive down quality of service whilst driving up costs cause great detriment to our system.

Some also question whether a government option would really create competition in a system with hundreds of private insurers. This statistic is misleading, as no Ameri-

As the battle over healthcare continues to rage on our televisions and in our newspapers, the Republican Party seems content to spread misinformation and block progress rather than engage in intelligent debate. The lies range from the benign to the downright fallacious, with our very own Sen. Charles Grassley going as far as to tell his own constituents the health bill will “Pull the plug on Grandma”, ­—Michael Droste a claim that has since been senior debunked.

And yet, much can truly has access to every insurer to the chagrin of conservatives that exists in America. In Alabama, across the country, an undeniable for example, one company is fact remains: the current health responsible for over 90 percent of system is unsustainable. health coverage. Others worry that Almost two thirds of all banka government option would result ruptcies in the United States stem in the phasing out of the private from medical bills, even amongst sector, resulting in the government those who already have private becoming “the only show in town,” insurance, and these medical costs as Sen. Grassley said. Not only is continue to rise at a rate far faster this unsupported by history (which than wages. This is not “capitalisshows us many successful two-tier tic success,” as Alex Entz defined health systems, like that of Austrait in the Sept. 22 edition of the lia’s), but it’s an inaccurate repreHi-Line. Rather, what we get in sentation of what the health bill is return for this financial nightmare striving to do. The system Obama is what the World Health Organizais working to provide would not tion objectively ranks as the 37th be a taxpayer-subsidized system, best performing healthcare system but instead would be set up like a in the world — right between the conventional insurance company, great countries of Costa Rica and relying on premiums collected to Slovenia. Alex Entz, though quick stay “in business.” As the president to claim the coverage we receive said, “It could provide a good deal “is much better than the Europefor consumers, and would also keep ans,” was unable to define what the NHS was (Britain’s National Health pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat Service, the organization responsitheir customers better, the same ble for running their health system) way public colleges and universias late as last week. As much as

“The lies and deceit they have showcased as the bill has been discussed have been nothing short of disgusting, and their scrutiny has been imprudent at best.”

ties provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities.”

In the Sept. 22 Hi-Line, writer Alex Entz briefly discussed the “loopholes” associated with the healthcare bill. For example, he wrote “for Obama to say that the bill would not give illegal immigrants coverage under his plan remains a downright fallacy.” Unfortunately, the only fallacy present here is what Alex wrote himself.

Section 246 in the House Bill, the aptly named “No Federal Payment for Undocumented Aliens,” states “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.”

Conservatives continue to call the attempts for health reform “rushed,” though the bill has received more media scrutiny and public attention than any other bill of the past decade. This, again, is a poorly-conceived attack on the bill with no foundation in reason at all.

The Senate health bill, proposed

by Sen. Max Baucus, has accepted dozens of Republican amendments, while the House bill has accepted over 100 amendments. This is not, as Entz puts it, an “unwavering mission that allows for little compromise.” Despite this attempt at bipartisan reform, the number of Republicans in Congress who support the bill remains at zero.

The Republican Party has never been willing to compromise on health reform. The lies and deceit they have showcased as the bill has been discussed have been nothing short of disgusting, and their scrutiny has been imprudent at best. Our president would be wise to stop pandering to their interests and move forward without them instead.

—Michael Droste CFHS senior

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tiger hi-line Oct. 6, 2009

SPORTS

Legend Coach Mitchell makes history with 300 career wins

decades.

“Coaching football is his favorite thing to do. He loves being around kids and watching them improve.

I’m pretty sure that he wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he wasn’t coaching. He’d drive his wife, Jo, crazy at home if he didn’t have football in his life,” Longnecker said.

With this feat comes a great reflection period for the legendary coach.

“It is a great chance to think about all the players, assistant coaches, administrators, fans and opponents over a 43 year period. It has been a very, very fantastic journey.

Some good, some bad, but always fascinating,” Mitchell said.

According to Longnecker, Mitchell’s wins symbolize excellence in coaching.

“It certainly means that he has been around a long time but has achieved a high level of success during his tenure here. He has something like four losing seasons in all his years as a head coach, and that is just amazing,” Longnecker said.

Mitchell definitely has a rich history of football in his life. He was an assistant coach in Bakersfield, Calif., for one year and an assistant coach in Kenosha, Wisc., one year before coming to Cedar Falls as an assistant coach for two years prior to being head coach for the past 43 years. Five years ago after retiring, Mitchell split up head coach duties between himself and business teacher Brad Remmert.

Part of Mitchell’s overall coaching strategy involves leaving lessons with his players.

“The lesson that resonates most with players is to never get too high after a win or too low after a loss. He is even-keeled and wants his teams to reflect that,” Longnecker said.

According to Mitchell, he is very adamant on teaching his players a good value system that applies to their lives as well as the game.

“Every player will first learn to be on time, and second, they will learn about a team. Their priorities should include their personal religious values, their families, academics and hopefully football,” Mitchell said. “They will experience victory and defeat with poise, sportsmanship and a resolve to improve. The most important things are your use of time and your health.”

During his lengthy coaching career at Cedar Falls, it is not hard for coach Mitchell to point out what has kept his energy up and kept him out of retirement from the game.

“This city is unbelievable in their love of their students, school, teachers and coaches – It is a model for other communities. The student athletes and their hunger to be part of the CF team has kept me coming back. I am truly day-to-day. I’ve learned to love and cherish each day here,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell’s overall career record at Cedar Falls currently stands 300128-1.

qualify for state we need to finish in the top three, which we are capable of, but we just need to put it all together.”

The team has made its youthful presence felt on the team.

Brewer, a returning letter winner, spoke about their impact on the team. “The young guys are definitely a big part of the team,” he said. “In all, they are really stepping up this year and proving themselves worthy of playing in the varsity meets.”

Hunemuller agreed with Brewer, but noted that one of the team’s weaknesses likely came in part from inexperience.

“When we play poorly, we put ourselves down and get very angry,” Hunemuller said.

Brewer added that to be successful at Districts, the self-deprecating attitude needed to be checked.

“We are just focusing on keeping

our attitude positive throughout the round,” he said. “We struggle with consistency in our scores,” he said.

Coach Strike noting that “maintaining an even composure throughout the round” will be a key to their success at Districts.

Even so, the team’s record to this point is still over .500, and the team has won a few meets during a midseason stretch where they played very well. The team hopes to kick up that momentum to punch its ticket to the state tournament.

Hunemuller and Brewer both agreed that the team could definitely make it to the state tournament.

“I think we’ll get in the top three,” he said. “We’re definitely pumped for this. We’re actually going up to Dubuque a few days before the district tournament to play a practice round, because we just can’t wait,” Hunemuller said.

The meet will come over a week after the team’s previous meet, which took place on Monday, Sept.

28. In that meet, located at Cedar Rapids’ Airport National golf course, Hunemuller finished with the best round on the team.

“All I have to say is that it was very cold and windy,” Brewer said.

Despite the long layoff between meets, as a result of the team’s meet on Oct. 1 being cancelled due to heavy rain, the team feels confident that they will place at Districts.

In the face of the adversity this team has seen in a year of major underclassmen upsets, the team remains upbeat and confident about their chances at Districts.

“I feel we are all ready to pull it together,” Brewer said. “We are capable of shooting a low score.”

The District meet is today at Meadows Golf Course in Dubuque.

Ben Olson Sports Editor

If 43 years of coaching football at Cedar Falls isn’t enough of an accomplishment, then winning almost seven times that many games takes the straw for coach Pat Mitchell.

Even after being named to the Iowa High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1989, 20 years later Mitchell is still making headway.

Friday, Oct. 2, marked Mitchell’s 300th career win as Cedar Falls head coach when his CF team took down Waterloo West 28-10. That makes Mitchell only the seventh Iowa high school football coach to accomplish such a feat.

According to Mitchell, though, more has gone into his outstanding career than just himself.

“Put together 43 years of players, assistant coaches, administration, student fans and city fans. It truly is a giant team effort that is a testimonial to the people of Cedar Falls,” Mitchell said.

According to assistant coach Jeremiah Longnecker, it’s obvious why Mitchell has coached over four

Darby Sheehan Photo

3 Athlete Week of the

Keeley Orvis Volleyball Senior

1. What are the team’s strengths this year?

Working as a team. Covering on defense. Making necessary plays.

2. What have you guys done to prepare to be at such a good playing level?

Worked all summer. We weightlifted three times a week and scrimmaged.

3.What is your favorite part about volleyball?

Winning against a team we weren’t supposed to beat (and) hanging out with the girls.

4. What are your goals for the team this season?

Move on to State (and) end the season on a good note.

5. What things does the team need to improve upon to get to the next level?

Not letting little plays get us down.

Tigers in Young golf team prepared to shoot low at Districts Action Alex Entz Senior Writer

As the Cedar Falls men’s golf team prepares to enter the district competition, with a trip to the state championship tournament seriously within their reach, they will do so with their six-man roster half-filled with underclassmen.

Some unexpected changes to the team’s dynamic have left the team heading into the district meet in Dubuque with two sophomores, Jacob Bermel and Wil Hunemuller, and a freshman, Alex Braun, to complement the lone junior, Justin Krieger and two seniors, Matt Glenn and Tyler Brewer.

Head Coach Rich Strike previewed Districts.

“Districts are going to be tough as usual. We have seen several of the teams already,” Strike said. “To

Football Won vs. Waterloo West, 28-10 Next on 10/9 @ Linn Mar, 7:15 p.m.

Volleyball 10/6 @ Dubuque Hempstead, 5:30 p.m.

M&W Cross Country 10/8 @ MVC Super Meet @ IC High, 3:30 p.m.

Men’s Golf 10/6 @ Districts in Dubuque @ Meadows Golf Course 10/9 -10/10 @ State Meet Women’s Swimming Placed 2nd @ Marcussen Invite Next on 10/6 vs. CR Kennedy @ Home, 6 p.m.

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tiger hi-line

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OCt. 6, 2009

Captured

Marcussen

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Mania!

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The women’s swim team placed second at the Marcussen Invite (named after head coach Dick Marcussen) on Saturday, Oct. 3. 1. Senior Bailey Pons receives encouragement from a teammate following her 200 freestyle. 2. Sophomore Montana Clasby and teammate Katie Mason rest after the 200 meter medley. 3. Senior Bailey Pons cheers on teammates in the 200 individual medley. 4. Sophomore Anne Raecker is doing the breaststroke in a relay. 5. Sophomore Sara Welter is diving in during her 400 meter relay.

Ben Sadkowski Photos

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