Kennedy Torch January Issue 2010

“ T h e to r c h h a s b e e n pa s s e d to a n e w g e n e r at i o n ” - J o h n F. K e n n e dy

F U L L S TO R Y ON PAG E 9

graphic by Craig Aucutt

02news Money matters J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

PA G E B Y M I C H A E L N O R D S T RO M

“You can’t sue someone that has died.”

- Steve Graham, Executive Director of Business Services for the Cedar Rapids Community School District

03news

PA G E B Y M I C H A E L N O R D S T RO M

The price of staying healthy Increased costs are making insurance less accessible; a highly debated bill is now trying to change that. How will this crisis be solved, and if it isn’t, what does this mean for the millions of uninsured Americans?

Death of suspect complicates district embezzlement case ‘Money in da bank’…but not ours. In response to the embezzlement investigation begun in 2009, the Cedar Rapids Community School District announced Tuesday plans for adding two new positions. These positions are that of Internal Auditor, which will be filled by Deb Schott on Feb. 5, and Accounting Supervisor, which has yet to be filled.

As the The Torch collected information for a follow-up story on the embezzlement it was discovered that the person accused of the embezzlement, Jamie May, died in November. It is also clear that a great amount of time, energy, and money that was poured into the investigation.

This investigation centered around $250,000 that turned up missing during the ’09 school year.

May, 42, was a former accountant for the Cedar Rapids Community School District. She was accused of embezzling nearly a quarter of a million dollars in ’09.

Newspapers and online literary publications all over the state of Iowa eagerly reported on the story.

The City of Cedar Rapids reported on their website, “The Cedar Rapids Police Department was made aware of a possible theft from the Cedar Rapids Community School District by one of their employees. Upon investigation, they found May was suspected of embezzling as much as $250,000 from the school district during 2008 and 2009.”

A headline from the Cedar Rapids Gazette’s Sept.

1, issue read, “Former Cedar Rapids School Employee charged with stealing from the district”.

An online search performed by the Torch found

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When she was laid off by Rockwell last year, Edwin Jahn’s grandmother lost a lot more than her job – she lost her family’s health care insurance. As a result, Jahn, sr., had no choice but to go without insurance and without seeing a doctor for six months.

His family now receives insurance through a government program called Title 19.

Currently, 47 million people in the United States are uninsured like Jahn was last year, including 302,000 Iowans. These large numbers are due to the skyrocketing costs of health care. During the last decade alone, health care insurance premiums have increased by 131 percent, while wages have only increased by 26 percent, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“Health care costs are more expensive and we have more of an access problem here than in other countries in the world,” Patrick Grady, AP Economics teacher, said. “Our system just doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.”

Even people who have always had health care insurance have been affected by the increased costs. When a person loses his or her job nowadays, it’s guaranteed that he or she will lose health care insurance, which adds an unwanted burden.

“My grandma and I never had to worry about money before she was laid off, but as soon as that happened, we had nothing, and we actually had to resort to government aid,” Jahn said. “I couldn’t

May’s obituary following her Nov. 1, 2009 death, but no mention of her connection to the ongoing investigation.

The obituary from the Gazette dating back from early Nov. stated that she had passed away at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, and a call to the Linn County Medical Examiner confirmed that she died of natural causes related to her heart.

Following her death the school district quietly dropped legal action against May. Steve Graham, Executive Director of Business Services for the Cedar Rapids Community School District, said “You can’t sue someone that has died.”

However, the state auditor’s investigation and inquiry about how much money was really missing and where it was spent is currently still active.

Annette Campbell, Director of the Performance Investigation Division at the State Auditor’s office, said, “The engagement we are currently performing for the Cedar Rapids Community School District is related to concerns identified by District officials involving Ms. May. Even though charges have been dropped, our investigation will be completed and a report issued which summarizes all of our findings.”

“That division handles our special investigations,” Susan Battani, Director of the Financial Audit Division, said.

The school district is not waiting for the investigation’s final report to establish preventative measures to ensure that something like this doesn’t occur again. These measures are what made necessary last Tuesday’s plans for adding positions.

“It took a very bad and unfortunate event to make a significant impact on what we do and how we see ourselves,” Graham said.

M o r g a n G u ge

Graphic by Craig Aucutt

Cold Case: Global Warming Could the recent extremes in Iowa’s weather be an effect of global warming?

A lot of people believe fifteen straight days of below zero temperatures seem to point to extreme weather patterns in Iowa, and this could be a result of global warming.

Global warming is caused by the release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. When released, the CO2 and methane make a blanket in the atmosphere. The methane and CO2 block the sun’s radiation from leaving, which heats the earth. This cycle is called the greenhouse effect.

CO2 and methane emissions have increased since the Industrial Revolution, so some scientists believe this is causing the earth to warm.

AP Environmental Science teacher Bob Young believes Iowa’s harsh winters are not necessarily effects of global warming. The difference between weather and climate is much more broad than what people think. People think because it’s warm in Jan. that it proves global warming when it isn’t the weather, it’s the average of extremes that is increasing. We will have warm spells and cold spells, but that doesn’t prove global warming; it is the whole world’s average temperatures that is increasing which proves that global warming is happening.

Young believes the atmospheric equilibrium is starting to get out of balance, and that we should see more extremes in the near future. “The only way we could stop it is to reduce admissions of CO2 or take CO2 out of the atmosphere. It would be a lot easier for us to stop producing so much than trying to take

photo by Asmaa Elkeurti Clearing it up. A snow plow clears a student’s driveway after a winter storm. out the CO2,” he said.

President Barack Obama has made one of his priorities to decrease the CO2 admissions.

According to Greenland Ice Cap Science Technician Steve Munsell, we have been seeing the effects of climate change for about two decades. What people are noticing is that climates extremes are growing.

Munsell has said that the Arctic Ocean ice cover is melting and that it will melt completely by 2030 unless conditions in the north change.

Things are changing amazingly fast in the north.

“When mankind starts something, it can actually build upon itself. When organic matter decomposes it releases some CO2 into the atmosphere,” he said.

Both Young and Munsell think that the extremes everywhere will continue and possibly get worse.

Students can help by carpooling, using less electricity (most electricity is made by burning coal), or by purchasing items made locally so there isn’t as much transportation.

Sam Nordstrom

imagine what would have happened if we didn’t get the help we did. Just to think there are people out there worse off than me, who can’t get insurance and have multiple children, is sickening.”

The poor state of the health care system is also reflected by the demand for discounted health care services. During the last four years, the number of patients served by the Community Health Free Clinic, located at 947 14th Ave. SW, has grown from 3,000 to 29,000. The increasing numbers haven’t hindered the clinic’s efforts to provide free health care services to the uninsured and

underinsured.

“I’m of the background and philosophy that if you…take care of the people who need help, that everything else that you need will come full circle,” Darlene Schmidt, CEO of the Community Health Free Clinic, said, “and so far that’s happened.”

Since summer, Congress has been working to reform the health care system. However,

Torch archive photo The chief. Barack Obama seen before his days of presidency signing campaign paraphernalia at Kennedy. Health care has been Obama’s main domestic policy focus. disagreements between Democrats and Republicans and misrepresentation of the legislation’s contents have prevented anything from being signed into law.

A recent survey by the Kaiser Foundation suggests that most Americans are unaware of what is in the Senate bill that passed on Dec. 24. According to the survey, only 61 percent of people know that the bill bans denials of coverage because of pre-existing conditions; only 42 percent know that it bans lifetime coverage limits.

“People don’t have a clue what’s being proposed and I think that there have been a lot of lies and misrepresentations. I don’t think either party has handled this well,” Grady said.

Most people agree that something has to be done to fix the health care system. It’s impossible, however, for people to say

what that something should be, even for economic gurus like Grady.

The uninsured and underinsured can do nothing more than watch, hoping something that will make insurance more accessible and affordable will pass soon.

“I think it would be great if the bill in Congress passed,” Jahn said.

“We need something that will take people from cradle to grave, to use Mr. Anderson’s words.”

Staff and volunteers at the Community Health Free Clinic and similar non-profits must do the same, while continuing to serve the peope who need it the most.

Schmidt said, “I’d like to fix the system, but for now, we just have to help every person who walks through the door who needs health care.”

A n d r e a Ne m ece k

Republican wins senate seat, puts future of health care bill in jeopardy Last Tuesday, Republican Scott Brown came out victorious in a Massachusetts special election to fill the seat of the late Senator Edward Kennedy over Democrat Martha Coakley. This caused Democrats to loss their 60 seat majority in the Senate, and caused Republicans to gain enough votes to block any piece of legislation, including health care reform.

Before Brown was elected, both the House and the Senate narrowly passed their own health care reform bills and were working on creating a compromise between the two chambers. The singular version of the bill is completed for the most part and, theoretically speaking, could be passed in the next few days before Brown is sworn-in. However, this is unlikely as this move is politically unpopular.

The House could also potentially pass the Senate’s version of the health care bill and, because it has already passed in the Senate, without Brown’s vote being a hindrance. Some House Democrats favor this plan, saying that the Senate’s version of the health care reform bill is better than nothing.

President Barack Obama thinks otherwise. In an interview with George Stephanopoulos, he said that by electing Brown, the voters of Massachusetts spoke out against the health care bills that have already passed and it would be unfair to ignore this.

Instead, the President thinks that the House and Senate should pass bills with the elements that can be easily agreed on.

A n d r e a Ne m ece k

YOU SHOULD KNOW...

47 million people are currently uninsured.

Health care premiums have increased by 131 percent during the last ten years, while wages have only increased by 26 percent.

Pre-existing condition: A pre-existing condition is a medical problem that existed before you obtain health care insurance.

Lifetime coverage limit: The maximum amount an insurance company will pay in benefits over a person’s lifetime.

Four seniors charged on allegations of illegal use of explosives When two Kennedy students were killed nearly six years ago while making a pipe bomb in rural Palo, local sensitivity to the subject of homemade explosives increased exponentially. And while the initial shock of this incident has, for the most part, worn off, fears were recently revived within the Kennedy community as allegations of illegal use of fire explosives fell upon four seniors.

Although only four seniors were charged, it is to be noted that five were involved. Two of the students in question declined to comment to the Torch, but two more, Spencer Fontana, sr., and Zach Luck, sr., took the opportunity to defend their actions and dispel all rumors.

As the facts stand, according to Fontana, Luck and Troy Sleep, an explosive was constructed in the back of Luck’s car on the evening of Jan. 21.

However, the two do maintain that their actions were not as dangerous as the official charges may suggest. “The bomb we made was harmless,” Fontana said. “In fact, don’t even call it a bomb, it’s a Gatorade bottle that, when filled up with

air, pops; it does not explode…

To use ‘pipe bomb’ and this little Gatorade bottle in the same sentence is ridiculous.”

The group of seniors initially discovered this particular bomb via YouTube, where they learned to construct it. After that, they maintain that their intentions were to simply watch it explode, without harming anyone or anything. “We were just going to watch it explode in a ditch,” Fontana said. “Unfortunately, the spot we chose was a place that had already had a history of violence.”

To amplify the problem, the production of any type of “offensive weapons” as according to Title XVI, Subtitle 1, Chapter 724, Section 1 of the Iowa Code, is completely illegal. This includes pipe bombs, bombs, grenades, and even Gatorade bottle bombs.

However, Fontana and Luck maintain that they did not consider, or even fathom, the legal implications of their actions. “We didn’t consider it a bomb,” Luck said, “so we didn’t even think of it as illegal.”

But someone did see problems with the boys’ actions, and they called the police. “We had to go down [to the police station] to tell them our story,” Luck said. From there, the students that were 18

years old were arrested and taken to jail. However, they were quickly released on site.

Fontana was one of those adult students. He now has to live with this charge on his permanent record, at least for the next 18 months. But after that time, if he has had no other infractions, this incident may be expunged.

In addition to the criminal charges, Fontana was forced to sit out of seven basketball games, and was only allowed to return in last Tuesday’s game against Waterloo East. In the spring, Luck must sit out of four track meets. They must also deal with scrutiny from their families and teachers.

But ultimately, Fontana and Luck do not seem to be disappointed with their actions, but more at the magnitude to which this situation has grown. “[The police] tied all the past cases in with this one to make an example, I guess,” Fontana said, “but everyone does something stupid as a kid. It is just unfortunate that our situation got blown up into a bigger deal than it actually was.”

Emma LehmanN

Cartoon by Mackenzie Sheehy

FOR YOUR AGENDA: COACHES VS. CANCER PURPLE-OUT The double-header boys/girls basketball game vs. Jefferson this Friday, January 29th, is the Coaches vs. Cancer night. It will be a Purple-Out. The purple event t-shirts can be purchased today in Mr. Fontana room or at the game. T-shirts cost $8. All the money raised from the t-shirts will go towards Kennedy’s Relay for Life fundraising for the American Cancer Society.

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04in-depth

PA G E B Y M A C K E N Z I E S H E E H Y

graphic by Craig Aucutt

Tips on safe driving when the weather is icky, and what to do in a situation that’s sticky Winter is, by far, the most difficult season in which to drive; especially in Iowa, and especially for new and inexperienced drivers. This is why it’s so important to drive cautiously and to be prepared for weather-related driving issues.

Mark Wilden has “You have to been teaching drivwatch out for ers’ education since 1981. He said that one another the most important [on the road]. thing drivers can do It’s not that to prevent accidents during the winter is other people to slow down. don’t care; “Everyone drives they’re just too fast in winter careless.� - Mark conditions,� he said. “Everything needs Wilden, Driver’s to be more gradual.

Education Brake more gradualinstructor ly, anticipate what’s going to happen, and add more following distance; at least two seconds.�

Jack Lehmkuhl, jr., who got into a car accident in Dec., during which he hit another car because he slid on ice, agreed that slowing down is important. “Start braking

way before you think you need to, be cautious and alert and don’t hesitate to use your horn,â€? he said. “That’s how you communicate with other drivers.â€? And, like always, it’s important to drive defensively during the winter. “You have to watch out for one another. It’s not that other people don’t care; they’re just careless,â€? Wilden said.  Driving cautiously, however, isn’t always enough to prevent accidents and unprecedented situations from happening in extreme weather conditions. Drivers also need to be prepared to handle sliding on ice and encounter other car difficulties. Â

If you start to slide and lose control of your car, you need to get your foot on the brakes.

Wilden said, “If you have anti-lock brakes, keep even pressure on the brakes and the steer. If you don’t have ABS, be sure to pump your brakes.â€?  Another important tip is to turn your wheel in the direction your tires are sliding. It may go against your natural instinct, but it will put you back on a straight track. Remember to avoid swerving or turning your wheel too rapidly; this will only make the slide worse. Â

Temperatures have begun to rise above freezing during the last few weeks, but this doesn’t mean that the roads aren’t slick anymore. The very snow that melts during the daytime re-freezes at night, making the roads dangerous in the mornings. It’s also easy to slide on sand and the other chemicals used to treat the roads.

When driving during the winter, you should always carry a cell phone with you. That way, you can call for help if you get into an accident or experience other car troubles. While waiting for help, run your car for ten minutes at a time, after making sure that there isn’t any snow covering your exhaust pipe.

Situation: You’re sliding out of control.

Situation: You’ve become stranded in bad weather with no nearby help.

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You should keep a blanket, food, sand, a good ice scrapper and jumper cables in your car at all times during the winter (see sidebar for a complete list of items to have on hand). If you do get stuck for an extended period of time, melt snow to drink if needed. Â

Situation: Your won’t start.

Your Checklist: Winter Car Essentials It’s extremely important to be prepared while driving during the winter in case of an emergency. Here’s a list of what experts advise you keep at all times in your car when the weather is nasty.

car

If your car doesn’t start, it’s most likely because something’s wrong with your battery. All cars come with a battery at the time of purchase, but if you should ever need to get a new one, it’s a good idea to buy one with cold cranking amps. It’s also important to maintain your battery. Not having enough gas in your tank or having old gas can also cause your car not to start. At all times, make sure to have at least a half tank of gas in your tank because gas can freeze and go bad.

ANDREA NEMECEK

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Support the publication and reach over 2,000 readers by purchasing advertising space in our upcoming issues. For more information, call 319-5583123 or contact glindsay@cr.k12.ia.us.

- Jumper cables - Cat litter or sand for tire traction - Shovel - Ice scraper - Warm clothes - Blankets - Flashlights - First Aid kit - Non-perishable food - Water - AM/FM Radio - Charged cell phone - At least half a tank of gas Information from www.wsdot.wa.gov

Beautiful Valentine’s Day Gifts Valentine Roses Flower & Balloon Bouquets Stued Animals

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Growing with the Cedar Rapids area since 1956.

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05profile

PA G E B Y J O N AT H A N C H A D I C K

Missionaries make impact in CR When given the phrase, “foreign missionaries to...”, most fill in the blank with the name of some primitive or exotic thirdworld country. Automatically, the word “missionary” is associated with “American.”

Seeing as the United States is not primitive, this autopilot view needs altercation. If the cellular device in your pocket isn't enough to convince you for this need of change, the story of one student at Kennedy surely is.

Patricio Rabellino is a senior here. His family moved from Uruguay, South America nearly three years ago as foreign missionaries to the United States. “There are people here [in the United States] that have never heard God's Word [the Bible]. We felt God calling our family here to spread the Word,” Patricio said. He, along with his parents and twin sisters, came to Cedar Rapids after they felt called by God to reach the local Spanish community.

“We are a bridge to the Spanish speaking world,” Gabriela Rabellino, Patricio’s mother said.

The local Spanish community lives downtown around 1st Avenue. The population is small, but hard to quantify. “From our experience, they have come to the U.S. for a dream, a better life. But it’s different than they expected because of cultural differences and the difficult immigration process,”

Gabriela said. “More have gone unseen and remain quiet. They are very cautious; it’s hard for them to trust or open up.”

Cultural differences, a sense of rejection they have received, and legal issues are believed to be the cause of this.

Some of the Spanish community may not have immigrated legally. “They might [be illegal immigrants]; it’s not like they will tell it openly. Our part is to embrace them, to be representatives of Jesus,” Gabriela said. “We don’t investigate.”

The Rabellinos minister weekly at two locations. On Friday evenings, they preach a bilingual service to an audience of about 200 to 300 people at Wind and Fire Ministries (WFM) on County Home Road. On Saturday, nearly 500 attend their Spanish service at the River of Life church on Blairsferry Road.

Gabriela is the director of In Christ’s Image Training Center (ICIT) here in Cedar Rapids.

Because Marcelo, Rabellino’s father, can’t speak English, Gabriela translates during the services.

Both parents are pastors at WFM. Cultural norms have affected their efforts to reach the Spanish community. “Culture plays a big part. How people relate to each other is much different [here],” Patricio said. “In Uruguay, to greet someone you kiss.” This close feeling is absent in American

Romance: Roses are red/Violets are blue/ Sugar is sweet/Kennedy romances are, too.

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, we catch up with two Kennedy couples who have been going strong for quite some time. Trisha Hinke, sr., and Max Martino, sr., have been dating for two years. Both Martino and Hinke describe themselves as quiet and laid back people. “Our intentions are just to be happy with each other,” Hinke said.

Since both are so busy with school and involved in sports, they spend the most time with each other on weekends. A typical date for Martino and Hinke is to go to a movie and then grab a bite to eat.

Both Martino and Hinke’s

culture.

“It’s harder for people to open up here,” Patricio said.

Although the family has reached many in the Spanish community, Gabriela is not satisfied. “It’s been harder than we thought,” Gabriela said. “We have not met our expectations to do more, to see outward fruit.” She then quoted Isaiah 55:8: “For My [the Lord speaking] thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” From a longterm perspective Gabriela said, “We strongly feel Cedar Rapids is not forever; it is only a temporary stop.”

Coming to America has been a sacrifice willingly made by the Rabellino family. “Before we left, we sold everything we had; we had absolutely nothing,” Patricio said, “but faith in God.” The Rabellino family is financially dependent on support churches and organizations locally and in Argentina.

The move also left the comfort of their native culture thousands of miles away. “It was really weird leaving everything. I had never heard of Iowa, nor had I seen snow before,” Patricio said. Back in Uruguay, Patricio attended a bilingual school. He was able to speak English fluently upon arrival to the States. But fearing he’d sound funny with his accent, Patricio refrained from talking to his peers. For the first couple

Marcello Rebellino perofrms at the Wind and Fire Ministries last Friday night. The Rabellino family performs at the church weekly. They plan to continue preaching at the church. It has been a tough transition for the Rebellino family, but they are getting used to it.

months Patricio said, “I had no one; no friends.”

Nearly three years later, Patricio is well adjusted to the American culture. He enjoys being a Cougar, especially because school here is more laid back. When he left Uruguay, Patricio was enrolled in 16 subjects at a six-year high school. Speaking is no longer a fear, and when given the opportunity, he turns conversations towards Christ knowing full well the possible responses that may precipitate.

“They [students] have blown me off,” Patricio said, “and I have gotten made fun of [for speaking about Christ to others]. But I try again and again, even if only to plant a seed [about Christianity].”

According to Patricio, the same

photo by Laura Pochobradsky happens in Uruguay, where less than 1 percent are Evangelical Christians.

Resistance to the Gospel is ever ywhere; and Patricio anticipates the same when he travels to India this summer to evangelize Patricio Rebellino, Sr. in Asia.

Despite the persecution and humiliation endured, Patricio wouldn’t have it any other way.

Walking by faith, Patricio said, “I love to do it [be a missionary]. It defines who I am and has made me the person I am today.”

Allison Kindig

Two Kennedy couples in long-lasting relationships share their experiences Trisha Hinke, sr., and Max Martino, sr., hang out together after school. Hinke and Martino, whose lives are based around sports, have found time for each other during their two year relationship.

photo by Elise Krivit parents are supportive of their Martino aren’t basing their colrelationship and really like who lege choices on each other. Each their kids are dating. “My mom of them will make an independent loves Max. She thinks he is per- decision. Hinke may be attending fect,” Hinke said. a state school, while Martino is Since Hinke and Martino are uncertain about his choice at this seniors, college is on the horizon time. for both of them. When it comes Another Kennedy couple to plans for college, Hinke and has been dating for a long time.

Amanda Worsfold, so., and Ben Feuerhelm, so., have been dating for about two years and three months.

Since much of Feuerhelm’s time during the week is devoted to the Kennedy wrestling program, the couple hangs out primarily on the weekends. They usually spend this time at each others’ houses watching movies and playing Rock Band. Since neither Worsfold nor Feuerhelm have their driver’s licenses, their parents take them to each others’ houses instead of going out on dates.

As to their feelings for each other, “I agree when adults say we are too young to be in love, so I would say we have very strong feelings toward each other,” Worsfold said.

Despite having strong feelings for each other, all couples go through difficult times. This couple is no exception, “Yes, we have had rough patches. Every relationship has rough patches,” Worsfold said.

But, also like many couples who are committed to each other, they are able to push past their differences, and work it out.

As you can see from these two couples, students at Kennedy are capable of having long-lasting relationships.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, these two couples really show that sugar is sweet and Kennedy relationships are, too.

K at e ly n B e lt r e m e a and Allie Sindlinger

Local Sonic Drive-Ins support Kennedy Torch.

07editorial

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The First Black President of the United States of America On Jan. 20, 2009, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first black President. The election marked a special event in a nation with a history plagued by racism and prejudice. In his inaugural speech, President Obama talked about the future saying, “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.”

Being of a very young age in the 90’s, high schoolers have very little to compare the 00’s to; it was truly our first decade as freethinking individuals. While it's gravely important to learn from the depressing events of the decade, let’s not forget about all the good times.

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TIME Magazine called the 00’s the ‘decade from hell,’ and Rolling Stone said, “It was a decade of lost chances, which we can only hope are not last chances.”

Was there a good side to the big events of the 00’s? Here’s what some digging uncovered.

The Fastest Men in the World, Ever At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, audiences were in for a real treat. Two men, one Jamaican and one American, proved themselves to be the fastest men ever. Usain Bolt set world records in the 50 and 100-meter dash. Michael Phelps

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Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 and the Virginia The media had Tech shooting all shook our little praise for nation to the the decade. TIME core. These are called the ’00s just a few of unfortuthe ‘decade fro the, nately, lengthy hell,’ and Rolling list of examples stone said, “It was of why the just plain a decade of lost 00’s sucked. chances, which we But the 00’s can only hope are couldn’t have not last chances.” been all bad, right?

The media had little praise for the decade.

will be, the King of Pop. The Rise of the iPod Before the IPod, we were forced to carry around clunky CD players that could only hold a handful of songs. Now with our iPhones we can: make calls, send texts and e-mails, listen to thousands of songs, search the web, and make all of your wildest dreams come true. It’s multiple gadgets, all in one place. Great for youngsters, a nightmare for old people.

The Golden Age of Reality Shows What would the world be without The Real World, American Idol, Survivor, and most of all, Jersey Shore? Probably more intelligent, caring, and an all around better place. But it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining without these guilty pleasures for viewers everywhere.

M nd to P e A ved o o?

M y r d c , d If yo ou an o. w y W t a h An bl t I d Proba wha An if you s ’ t dp g Tha Do uked ot the stomach flu you on kno my cat And I’d stil w what I’d do? te may l like you… be ev ns a en make u chicke u h ess yo f yo dr e And i Ad rem ke u I li , t ( Yo gh ’s ri hat t , h S o No oo Yea ! for matter what you do to a z aroo Vale g ntine’s Day, let’s go a kan ... n e a e s c To , we r And afte ands. hold h Va l r.

My Dearest ________________________ I can’t get you out of my ____________. I

mann Leh m a alentine: I lik V m E r. this is tru e e

u yo .

Personalized valentine

Don’t hate, appreciate the 2000s won eight gold medals and shattered 7 world records.

Blogging and Twitter Not sure if Twitter should be labeled as a positive outcome, but its hard to argue against anything with 26 million users in the U.S. alone. Twitter and blogging gave society the false notion that other people actually care when you say things like, “I’m listening to JB (Justin Bieber) right now, and OMG, he’s SOOOO hottt!”

The Untimely Death of Michael Jackson The death of the world’s biggest pop icon is surely one of the defining moments of the decade.

Although, at its core, the passing of Michael Jackson was extremely cheerless, it also reminded us of his glory years, and taught a whole new generation why Michael Jackson is, and always

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ru

Free Expression Law, prior review of school publications is illegal in Iowa. As a staff, we are thankful that the state government and our school administrators support our right to free press.

We certainly wouldn't be able to publish as good of a copy of the Torch otherwise.

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One of the high schools that has seen the largest amount of censorship as a result of prior review is Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill, home of the award-winning student publication the Statesman. This year, production of the newspaper’s Nov. issue was halted because it contained stories about drinking, smoking, shoplifting and teen pregnancy. Last year, issues with censorship led to the resignation of the paper's adviser, Barbara Till. In addition to not being able to cover topics that are even slightly controversial, the paper cannot quote any anonymous sources.

Because of the Student

Christmas…the heart of it is Jesus Christ; the reason of it is to celebrate Jesus’s birthday.

Christmas has been a Christian tradition since Ibrahim Jeries, jr. the beginning of the early church. In fact, it was created by the church, and the love of it is the love of Jesus. The Christmas tree means a new life that Jesus has given to us when he came to the earth.

Exchanging gifts: it started with Saint Nicholas, a Christian priest who had lots of money and, on Christmas Eve, used to give gifts to poor kids instead of wasting his money on useless things.

Christmas has been and always will be a Christian tradition; separating Christmas from Christ is like separating a son from his parents.

I b rahim J eries

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Amidst news of third parties gaining access to the e-mail accounts of human rights activists in China, Google threatened to stop censoring its Chinese search engine earlier this month.

This decision attracted the praise of free speech supporters across the world.

Supporters from the United States, however, would've been better off to take these recent events as an opportunity to recognize the lack of free speech in most high schools.

Ever since the landmark Hazelwood decision, high school officials have reserved the right to read and censor student publications before publication in all but seven

‘Christmas without Christianity’ rebuttal

rush

“Yeah, yeah, I admit it...I was the one who (in wrote that love sonnet in your a throaty whisper) “I will Honesty Box. You know, the haunt your dreams.” one in Edwardian dialect, in “Your Tweet at 4:32 p.m. which I quoted de Montaigne. I on Nov. 19 was absolutely knew you’d appreciate that.” hilarious! Good thing I read “You know, you could be through 12 of your Twitter a department store model. pages to find it. So worth it.”

Probably. Part-time, maybe. I “Did you know that there’s mean, don’t quit your day job or a serial killer in Indiana anything, but still.” with your same exact name?

“Personally, I think your First, middle, last? Google wall eyes are endearing. doesn’t lie.”

Sort of like a pug. Or a really

“You look like one of cute hammerhead shark. You

those girls/guys from know what I mean. Should I Jersey Shore. Fist pump!” just shut up now?”

As long as you don’t drop one of those horrific lines, your chances with your crush are guaranteed to be not completely obliterated. Remember: When in doubt...just close your mouth.

Have a lovely Valentine’s Day, and remember: if you can’t find a special someone whom to give a sweet gift on this occasion, send a large box of chocolates (or two, or five) to Mackenzie Sheehy, sr.

B y M a c kenzie S heehy

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Letter to the editor:

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School, state government praised for press freedom

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Here are some DON’Ts when it comes to initiating flirty chatter, unless you would, in fact, like a restraining order.

“Your hair smells great.

Is that Nexxus? Or perhaps Paul Mitchell? I sense a miasma of awapuhi. Mmm. Does wonders for your roots.”

“Hey! I’m willing to pretend to be (crush’s favorite band)’s biggest fan in order for you to approve of me.”

“If you ever need help popping that huge recurring whitehead on your chin, you just let me know.”

wa ys

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and unbridled teenage lust lilts in the air like the smell of that suspicious alfredo sauce on Pasta Bar days. Many a teen will find themselves desiring to hook up with a certain special someone in the spirit of the holiday, perhaps hoping to catch their crush’s affection by striking up a thoughtful conversation. A friendly chat is a great start, but it’s important to know what NOT to say, as the icebreaker is often the most important part of the conversation. After all, you want to show that you’d be devoted and attentive as a potential girl/boyfriend...NOT a stalker.

ou

up. When someone says, “I was creeping on you last night,” alarm bells should go off in our heads. We should be thinking, “Ahhh! I’m installing security So the other day I was walkfriend of mine is looking at my cameras!” We should NOT, on ing in the halls and someone pictures! Gasp! What a creeper! the other hand, be thinking, came up to me and said, “Hey, Nonsense. Facebook creep“Haha. That’s okay, no big deal.”

I was Facebook creepin’ on you ing is not real creeping at all.

The real problem is when last night.” I wasn’t best friends Looking at friend there is a real creeper who comes ’s pictures, with this person so I mumbled reading their profile, and check- up to you and says, “I was creepout a generic response like, “Oh ing what they’r ing on you last night.” Like the e up to…is NOT haha. It happens to me all the real creeping. Real creeping is boy who cried wolf, no alarm time. No worries.” when you stand outside somebell will go off. You will not Well people, there are big one’s house at night, gazing into install security cameras, and the worries. These days, it seems their windows. Real creeping is creeper will make a return visit. like everyone Facebook creeps. when you follow someone home, What can we do? The answer What do I mean? According to park alongside the street, and is simple: don’t say “Facebook urbandictionary.com, Facebook watch them enter and leave the creeping” ever again. Say, creeping is, “An act in which house. Real creeping is a serious “Facebook obser ving,” “Facebook one looks at a friend/stranger’s problem. Facebook creeping is looking,” or “Facebook viewing” Facebook profile, pictures, and not. instead. Save lives. Don’t get the recent activity.”

My worries are that our creeping confused.

Oh no! Imagine that! A society is getting the two mixed

ty

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F R I D A Y , J a n u ary 2 9 , 2 0 0 9 John F. Kennedy High School 4545 Wenig Rd. NE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402

Torch Staff Editorial:

PA G E B Y E M M A L E H M A N N

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torch

PA G E B Y E M M A L E H M A N N

um sit ld I ’d d

the

06editorial

by

J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

graphic by Emma Lehmann

Public displays of affection gone bad Sometimes I miss the good old days, the days when nose picking was the dirtiest habit a person would see while walking down the halls. But as we have grown up, our generation has gone way above the occasional booger-eater. Now we have love makers.

PDA, otherwise known as

public display of affection has reared its ugly head in the majority of Kennedy High School hallways.

Look left, and you will see kids sucking each others’ faces; look right and you will see two young lovers groping each other, doing everything but having You Know What.

I don’t know if this sudden burst of affection is in a quest to look cool, or you just simply are that affectionate, but either way it is unacceptable.

Last I checked school is a place to learn, not a place to make love. You can do that at home when nobody else has to watch.

I realize that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, but I’m sure you can think of another way to express your love. How about sending a card, or saying “I love you”? If none of these

things seem to work, I’m sure you can wait until you get home.

You will survive. One of these simple solutions should work just fine. In fact, look up! What a coincidence, it’s a pre-made card made by brilliant Torch staff.

Isn’t that convenient!

Now I know how tough it will be for some of you intense lovers, but it’s time to show some respect to your teachers and fellow classmates.

I don’t care what you do when you get home, but when you’re doin’ the nasty at school

and we all have to see it, it becomes my business.

It’s not cool, Look left, and you and very will see kids sucking awkward each others’ faces; for all of look right and you us who are forced to will see two young watch. So lovers groping each from now other, doing everyon, you PDA-ers, thing but having let’s try to you know what. keep it at least PG-13.

J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

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PA G E B Y M A C K E N Z I E S H E E H Y

J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

in-depth

PA G E B Y M A C K E N Z I E S H E E H Y

Underage drinking levels have been increasing over the past few years despite continued efforts to educate kids about the dangers of alcohol poisoning. Why won’t teens change their drinking habits?

To be honest, sitting down to speak with John Doe*, sr., about alcohol was like pulling teeth; the conversation involved a multitude of short, grumbled answers and an even greater helping of sarcasm.

“What most influenced you to start drinking?” we asked.

“The movies,” he laughed.

“How often would you say you drink?” we tried.

“I drink occasionally,” he said.

“Do you ever worry about the health implications of drinking at such a young age?” we inquired.

“Well, my liver hasn’t been complaining lately,” he retorted.

And in a nutshell, this is it; this is the attitude toward drinking in high school…don’t ask, don’t tell.

“From what I know about teenagers,” Lanae Weber, a Residential Substance Abuse Counselor for Youth at the Cedar Rapids Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC), said, “they don’t generally like to talk about these sort of taboo topics. They think if they don’t talk about it, it won’t be a problem. But it’s actually talking that is important to stopping the problem.”

“I think kids have a And America, it tendency to only see seems, has a problem. the good stuff, and The latest numfocus only on the bers from the National good stuff…they don’t Institute on Drug think about all of the Abuse are out and they risks associated with peg 51.6 percent of drinking, and that is Americans, age 12 to 17, what has justified it as having used alcohol for kids for so many at least once in the 30 years.” days prior to being sur- Lanae Weber, Residential Sub- veyed in 2008. That was 15.9 percent of eighth stance Abuse Counselor graders, 28.8 percent of tenth graders, and 43.1 percent of twelfth graders.

Now, these numbers are down from 2 decades ago, but tilted slightly up from the past few.

“There isn’t really one thing to place blame on,” Weber said. “I think kids have a tendency to only see the good stuff, and focus only on the good stuff…

they don’t think about all of the risks associated with drinking, and that is what has justified it for kids for so many years.”

Take Doe, for example. He has been drinking since, he says, he was 15. Last fall he was hospitalized for a short period of time due to alcohol-related dehydration. Yet still, he seems rather fearless when it comes to alcohol, stating simply: “I know the dangers involved and I’ve become more responsible about [drinking] since I had to go to the hospital. I’m pretty good at knowing my limit and stopping.”

ASAC has been in establishment since 1962, attempting to get through to kids like Doe. Their brochure states, “ASAC recognizes substance abuse as a chronic disease that has a negative effect not just on the abuser but also on their family, their workplace, their community and society at-large. We utilize a combination of strategies to help individuals and families live healthier and safer lives.”

Furthermore, ASAC has a Youth Substance Abuse Counselor stationed in our school, Deb Schultejans, in room 71C. They lecture to sophomore classes about the dangers of drugs and alcohol too.

But with so many students like Doe roaming the halls of high schools just like Kennedy across the country, it begs the question: are these organizations actually working?

Doe, for one, had never heard of the school-wide ASAC presentations. Even Weber admitted, in a more or less roundabout way, that counselor lectures may be ineffective.

“Teenagers: they learn a lot more from each other than from adults and they listen a lot more to each other than they do to adults,” Weber said.

Ultimately, the resounding vibe from both the adult and student sector at Kennedy seems hopeless.

Both Weber and Doe see the drinking issue as a stagnant force among teens.

“We see fluctuations for all substance uses across the board,” Weber admitted. “It’s kind of constant.” *Editor’s Note: The name John Doe was used in place of the student’s real name to protect his identity.

Emma Lehmann

graphic by Craig Aucutt

It can be scary and overwhelming when a friend is drunk beyond comprehension, and you may not know how to lead them to a safe place where they can recover. Stay calm and rational, and keep the following tips in mind if you find yourself in this situation. Although they may not remember what happened, your unfortunate buddy will be very grateful to have a responsible friend like you.

- Don’t leave your friend alone, and under no circumstances allow them or another drunk person to drive. (And if you’ve had anything to drink, you shouldn’t be driving, either.)

- Find a quiet place for your friend to sit and relax. Don’t let them lie directly on their back; if they vomit, they could choke. If they want to lie down, make sure that they’re on their side or sufficiently propped up.

- Make sure that your friend is warm enough. A high blood alcohol level can lower body temperature.

- Offer your friend plenty of water, and food if they’re hungry. (This won’t lower their blood alcohol level, but may help reduce the burn of alcohol in their stomach.)

- Be certain to monitor your friend’s breathing level, and know the difference between ‘passed out’ and alcohol poisoning. If you are unable to wake your friend, their skin becomes pale or bluish, and/or they have sparse, labored, or nonexistent breathing, they need medical attention right away.

- If you’ve called 911, keep trying to wake your friend until medical professionals arrive. Perform CPR; if you don’t know how, find someone who does immediately.

- See for yourself that your friend gets home okay. Don’t trust anyone else to get them there; make sure that you witness their safe return.

- Remember, time is the only surefire way to recover after drinking too much. And the only surefire way to avoid alcohol poisoning is to not drink at all.

Information provided by Princeton University Health Services (www.princeton.edu/uhs)

10entertainment

Jazz fever J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

PA G E B Y A B B Y G I L M A N

between Drum line, band classes, band practice, jazz band, and combo, he spends, on average, 20 hours of his time devoted to some sort of structured music per week.

Jazz band is not so much a competitive organization, but rather, a good experience for musicians, not only in music, but also in competition. Jazz band practices two hours a week. “Our practices usually stay the same during our competition season,” Bird said.

A competition for jazz band consists of the band performing their piece and getting rated by a panel of about three judges. They are scored based on balance, blend, improvisational skills, how well rhythm section does with the rest of the band, and whether or not their particular tune selection’s difficulty level is appropriate for the group. They also provide the students with expert advice, as the panel usually consists of jazz experts, band directors, and other instructors familiar with the field of music.

“I think jazz band is a great experience,” Daniel McCoy, so., who plays electric bass for the band, said. “Especially if you’re hoping to continue on musically past high school. It gives us a chance to play harder pieces and to learn from other professional musicians.” McCoy, like Jack, devotes much of his time to his practice and study of music. The time spent on music per week can total up to 36 hours.

Jazz band is something a little different from conventional high school music. The swing music they play is fun, familiar, and easily relatable.

A s m aa E l k e u r t i

Easy read.

Cary Beatty, teacher, reads from his Kindle to pass time.

Light load.

Harrison Moore, fr., uses his E-Book for traveling to keep his backpack light.

a very convenient tool.”

Beatty believes every student at Kennedy should get a Kindle because it would eliminate the books and weight of the students backpack.

“The Kindle even has a feature where it will automatically look up words students don’t know, and I believe it would increase students test scores and make them want to read more,” Beatty said.

Beatty’s dislikes are that you can’t look ahead unless you go page by page, and they don’t have every book out there.

“I picked the Kindle over the E-Book because it seems like the Kindle has less problems. I also think that the price range for the

Happiness begins season with a bang, place third at Viterbo

photo by Andrea Nemecek Got that swing. Jazz band member, Ben Frodsham, fr., performs at the band carnival this past Saturday. The next time jazz band performs is Jan. 30 at the State Jazz Band Festival.

graphic by Craig Aucutt

WhatAvatar to see, whatUp IntoTherent, what to skip Air The Lovely Bones It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Juno’s Jason Reitman directs this moving, thoughtfully crafted dramedy; both films boast whip-smart performances and pack a bittersweet punch in the gut that can still be felt long after viewers have left the theatre. Up In the Air is witty, affectionate, and one of the better films of 2009.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has made a career - and a lifestyle - out of living on the road.

Companies nationwide hire him to fire their employees for them, and Ryan hasn’t let himself feel the least bit guilty about the way he makes a living, until two characters unexpectedly enter his life: his female equivalent and eventual love interest (Vera Farmiga), and a young, uptight business companion (Anna Kendrick). He’s forced to think about what really matters in his life, and to decide if he is willing to let go of his untouchable persona and focus on the things he has forgotten he really needs.

Kendrick is by far the strongest player here, completely believable as the fresh-out-of-college perfectionist who thinks she’s got it all figured out - that is, until she realizes that she’s far from knowing everything. Clooney and Farmiga are also honest and convincing as travel-hardened business folk who’ve chosen their careers over not only their romantic lives, but over their families and emotional fulfillment as well. Viewers will also be entertained by cameos from comedy regulars Zach Galifianakis and Danny McBride, who add light humor to the film.

So, if viewers are looking for a great flick that doesn’t involve blue cat people, Up in the Air is a captivating and entertaining choice that really takes off.

Ma c k e n z i e S h ee h y

photos by Laura Pochobradsky

In today’s technology electronic books are becoming more popular.

The Kindle 2’s price is about $260 and can be purchased at Amazon.com. It weighs only 10.2 ounces and has a six-inch screen.

There are three different types of Sony E- Books; the Touch Edition ($300), the Daily Editions ($400), and the Pocket Editions ($180).

Cary Beatty, ninth grade Language Arts Teacher, loves using his Kindle.

“I got my Kindle about two days before Christmas, and I have loved it ever since,” Beatty said. “When I travel, Kindles are the best. But when I am at home I usually use a book. The Kindle is

Happy season, happy start

Calendar of Events

Since Avatar’s release in Dec., it has won two Golden Globes and is now the highest grossing film in history. With all the praise for Avatar, the question on everyone’s mind is, is Avatar really worth the $12 3D admission fee?

Avatar so highly exceeded my expectations. If the two hour and fourty-two minute length scares you, don’t be afraid. Avatar ends as action packed as it started.

As for the plot, Avatar is oddly similar to the tale of Pocahontas. But don’t worry, it’s not just a sappy love story. It’s more like an adventurous tale that takes you to the moon of Pandora. The atmosphere in Pandora is toxic to humans and the landscape is a crazy, tricked out fluorescent rainforest where creatures kill humans.

The main character, a paraplegic ex-marine named Jake, arrives on Pandora with the purpose of finding a way to get the indigenous population of hominoids, called the Na’vi, to relocate. Jake controls an Avatar that is able to survive in Pandora’s toxic environment.

The business that employs him is mining Unobtanium. It just so happens that the location with the highest concentration Unobatanium sits underneath the Na’vi settlement, called Hometree.

Once the business finds that the Na’vi won’t relocate, they declare war. After Jake meets Neytiri and falls in love, his mission gets very complicated and he is forced to pick sides.

Overall, Avatar is a great film. The 3D is crisp, the acting is spectacular and the setting is out of this world. The only downside is the pricey admission and length. This movie must be viewed in 3D. M i c h ae l N o r d s t r o m

PA G E B Y A B B Y G I L M A N

With the growing popularity of electronic readers, Torch takes a look at the different brands, receives feedback from users

Exclusive Kennedy band proves to be good experience, allows musicians to freely express themselves They can perform some of the most entertaining and upbeat shows; with their variety, talent, and swing, jazz band is one of the many unique extracurricular activities. With their competition season just around the corner, jazz band is on its way to being one of the best in the area.

Jazz band is a small group of musicians playing instruments that range from the electric bass to the trumpet. In each group there is usually around 20 players. It’s not like any other band, rather than getting one standard sheet of music, each person in the set is given a piece of music to play that will correspond especially to their particular instrument.

They also work a bit with improvisational playing.

“I try to give them the ability to improvise and make up music on the spot using the tools that we learn and I give them,” Chris Bird, who has been the jazz band director here for five years, said. “The main concept behind jazz band is improvisation.”

This also provides a challenge, with each piece being so unlike the other, a player really has to pull their weight.

“Everybody has a different part. If you miss a note you can’t fall back on anybody else,” Bird said. “It definitely puts more pressure on the musicians.”

Jazz band not only provides a challenge and opportunity for aspiring musicians to improve, but it also helps them broaden their variety.

“Jazz band plays pretty different music,” Lucas Jack, jr., who plays the drums, said. “We play jazz, funk, Latin, sambas.” Jack is an avid musician,

11entertainment

New generation of books J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

The Lovely Bones fell way below my expectations. Although the movie starts with Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) reciting the first paragraph of the book, written by Alice Sebold, the rest of the movie bares little resemblance to the actual story, and leaves out vital details.

Susie is murdered at the age of 14 by her creepy neighbor, Mr. Harvey, played by the very convincing Stanley Tucci. However, the movie failed to acknowledge her rape, which played a large part in the book.

The movie focuses on Susie in the in-between, a magical fairytale setting between Heaven and Earth, complete with sparkly lakes and billowing clouds. From there, she watches her family as they attempt to move on and as her father (Mark Walhberg) chases the trail of her murderer.

The director, Peter Jackson, twisted the originally emotion packed story into a suspense-thriller, which transposed too far from the feel of the book.

Jackson took out the darkest, most controversial topics for the movie that makes the book so emotionally powerful, losing the effect in translation.

I would definitely recommend the book over the movie. Although the movie is full of flowing graphics and a visual connection to the ‘after-life’, it lacks any level of emotion that the book is so packed with.

I wouldn’t recommend seeing the movie. If you would like to know how the story of Susie Salmon ends, read the book. It is definitely worth it. But make sure you read the book before seeing the movie, that is if you decide to sit through the two hours of nauseatingly graphic scenes.

A bb y G i l m a n

A Modern Salon At Brucemore- SPT Theatre Performance 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 30 Brucemore Mansion, 2160 Linden Dr SE, Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Moonlight Express-State Jazz Choir Festival Monday, Feb. 1 Muscatine, Iowa Creative Connections: Artists in Action with Linda Goodall 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6 Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave SE, Cedar Rapids Vance Gilbert, singer/songwriter, in concert 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 12 Legion Arts, 1103 Third St SE, Cedar Rapids Cupid’s Arrow- Classical Series 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 13 Sinclair Auditorium, 1220 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids information gathered by Brittani Sherzer

“We’ve been practicing since July... We have all bonded and become somewhat of a family. We become closer as the year goes on.”

-Ellen Bardsley, jr.

Show choir season has begun with the first major competition on Jan. 9 at Viterbo High School in WI. Happiness, the varsity show choir group, has spent a lot of time getting ready for the season.

Ellen Bardsley, jr., talks about the busy practice schedule.

“We’ve been practicing since July, and we have practice Monday and Thursday for two and a half hours,” Bardsley said.

It may seem like a lot, but Bardsley doesn’t mind.

“Even if you don’t feel like going to practice that day, you get there and it is a lot of fun.

We have all bonded and become somewhat of a family. We become closer as the year goes on,” she said.

To prepare, Happiness also has class every other day at school where they sing and do

some dancing. However, dancing and singing isn’t the only thing that takes up time.

Costumes and makeup are a big part of the show, so that they can stand out on stage.

“We have to have spiral hair, and it has to be really curly and it has to stay in. We are also given a makeup kit for the show,” Katrina Rohr, sr., said.

Happiness has gotten off to a pretty good start this season, getting third place at Viterbo and third place at the Linn Mar

photos by Asmaa Elkeurti Makeup. Kylie Crippes, jr., and Emily Sohl, jr., prepare for the concert.

Cry baby. Happiness members perform “Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus”. competition.

“Our show is really coming together,” Rohr said. “It is a really fun show to perform and it is really different this year. It’s not like our regular shows.”

A l l i e De V o r e

Kindle is very fair,” Beatty said.

Harrison Moore, fr., owns an original Sony E-Book.

“I love my E-Book for travel, but when I am at home I like to read a normal book,” Moore said.

Moore believes schools should use E-books instead of normal books because it would reduce the weight of his backpack.

“I like a lot of features for the E-Book,” Moore said. “You can download books from home and not have to go to a book store.”

Harrison dislikes the fact that it doesn’t have a backlight, which would make reading in the dark difficult.

“I enjoy using my E-Book, but it hasn’t had a lot of the books I wanted. I am still satisfied but I

wish I would have got the “I love Kindle,” Moore my Esaid.

The Sony Book for E-book Daily travel, but Edition has when I am over 1 million books that at home are download- I like to able, whereas read a the Kindle has normal only 350,000 books. They book.” both have -Harrison unique feaMoore, fr. tures, but are very similar.

S A M NORDSTROM

Band fun-raiser

Band holds carnival to raise funds, enrich friendships along the way Last Saturday, the band hosted its annual Band Carnival in the cafeteria and auditorium from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Carnival games were set up in the cafeteria for younger kids and all of the Kennedy bands and some middle school bands performed in the auditorium. The event was a fundraiser.

“It’s a total blast,” Erin Wilson, jr., said of the Carnival. “There’s usually a pretty big crowd. We do food, games and there’s the music.”

As the time goes by and the children start to go home, band members socialize and play the games for fun.

“Yeah, we’re a little old, but the games are fun. They’re for us, too,” Wilson said. “At the end, we play the games badly and win awesome prizes.”

The Carnival’s most popular

photo by Andrea Nemecek Bean bag toss. Band member Kyle Rindfleisch, so., helps an attendee win a carnival game. game allows individuals to throw bean bags at the mouth of Chris Bird, one of the band directors.

The best part of the Carnival is the opportunity to spend time with other members of band, according to Laura Wang, so., and Wilson.

“These are the kids you compete with then drive home exhausted on the bus after competitions,” Wilson said. “These are the people you live with. You can’t help but get close to them.”

A n d r ea Ne m e c e k

J F K TO R C H , J A N U A RY 2 9 , 2 0 1 0

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PA G E B Y A L L I S O N K I N D I G

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on

so ., b

A personalized diet is one that is created to meet the needs, tastes, and goals of the person dieting.

Justin Smith, so., developed his own personal diet for his New Years resolution.

Trading in fried food for grilled, Smith is dedicated to cutting back on 40% of the unhealthy food in his day.

Salads and fruits are now on his menu.

He also cooks meals for himself instead of eating fast food.

“It was my New Years resolution to start eating better. I am doing this for my grandpa because he wants me to play football next year,” Smith said.

Smith also workouts at the YMCA. He and his grandpa do one hour of cardio, one hour of lifting, and 20 minutes in the sauna.

“It was hard at first, but now it has become my routine,” Smith said.

Smith hopes to be in top shape to play football next year.

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The vegan diet ranks amongst the hardest diets to maintain. Only one percent of Americans are vegan. But Dakota Reed, jr., stuck it out for nine months.

Reed has been a vegetarian for all of his life. Last year, he decided to make the switch to vegan.

Going vegan means not eating any food from animals. This includes byproducts like milk, eggs, and cheese.

“I switched to being a vegan because it was better for the animals and my health,” Reed said. Although Reed is no longer a Vegan he is still a vegetarian and doesn’t drink milk.

After nine months, he made the switch back to being a vegetarian because he was tired of not being able to eat certain foods.

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As more and more foods becoming a product of artificial processing, the organic movement has infiltrated mainstream grocery stores across the country.

Organic foods are grown without any pesticides, which can effect peoples health and the environment.

One such student who eats organic foods is Leslie Wille, jr.

Wille eats many organic foods because her mom is a “health nut”, but she also believes it is better for her health and the environment. Wille’s family Has their own garden where they grow many different vegetables.

Because of the expensive prices, Wille can’t afford to eat organically all the time. “We used to buy organic milk, but we don’t anymore because of the cost,” Wille said. The cost of a gallon of organic milk is around seven dollars.

With the can’s cool design and the sugar high that follows, how could there be anything wrong with energy drinks? Easy: Energy drinks are full of sugars and chemicals that are bad for your heart and body.

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PA G E B Y A L L I S O N K I N D I G

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With the classic American foods being the hot dog and hamburger, why do some choose to be vegetarians?

Tamara Marcus, sr., has been a vegetarian for two years.

“I didn’t think that it was right that animals were being slaughtered to provide two hours of nourishment for us,” Marcus said.

Vegetarians don’t eat meat. Tofu, fruits, and vegetables are vegetarian staple foods. Marcus likes pasta and Caesar salad with tofu chicken.

For Marcus, the first six months were hard, but now it’s easier. Although she has found many new favorite foods, Marcus still misses a few foods from her past.

She said the hardest aspect of being a vegetarian is when she goes out to eat with friends and they order things that she can’t eat. “The one thing I miss the most is a chicken chalupa from Taco Bell.”

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How is that a fast food place serving 960 calorie salads also offers a healthy diet?

The new Taco Bell diet has raised a question. Does it work even though the commercial states in fine print at the bottom “results not typical”?

The new drive-thru menu consists of six items with less than nine grams of fat. Items include chicken tacos and bean burritos.

One person eager to try out the new diet was James Moes, so. Moes eats at Taco Bell about once a week. But when Moes unwrapped the bean burrito, his excitement quickly melted.

“It looks like there is nothing in it and it looks kind of greasy,” Moes said. Then he took a bite. “It just tastes like beans, that’s it. Do I have to eat the whole thing?”

With one costumer unsatisfied, its hard to tell how long this new diet will last.

Mark Sabotta, jr., could be considered an “energy drink addict.” Every morning Sabotta has at least one of the infamous Monster energy drinks during zero or first hour. He said, “I drink them because they taste good and I don’t sleep enough. They make me pretty hyper, until I crash.”

Dietitian Jacob Pettersen cautions teens. “Energy drinks give you energy for a short amount of time, but then they drain you of your energy after a few hours; they’re very bad for you.”

There are few healthy pros and many unhealthy cons of the common energy drink. An obvious con is that there is too much sugar in them, but one unknown ingredient that most energy drinks contain is the amino acid Taurine, which can strengthen the heart and repairs the brain.

Energy drinks are expensive, ranging from two to five dollars a can. Drinking one a day can drain your bank account in a short amount of time. Pettersen said, “I would drink sport drinks like Gatorade. They are healthier, have similar effects, and cost less.”

Despite the adverse consequences, some remain unchanged. Sabotta said, “As long as energy drinks are an option, I’m going to keep drinking them.”

For those who drink energy drinks like Red Bull, Full Throttle, or Monster, think about switching to the healthier choices like Gatorade or water. It may result in a longer, healthier life. photo by Laura Pochobradsky S a r a h S i c k l es

Fighting the flu.

Area nurse administers the H1N1 vaccination to school administrator Tuesday at Washington High School. The vaccination clinic was offered by the Cedar Rapids Community School District Health Services in collaboration with Linn County Public Health. The clinic was offered to students grades AK thru 12 and staff only.

A similar clinic was held here Wednesday. photo by Abby Gilman.

photos by Elise Krivit Defying the odds. Despite its rarity, two Kennedy students have Pectus Excavatum. Josh Zimmerman, so., (left) is pictured using his post-surgery breathing machine. Maddy Fangman, so., (right) talks with friends about her recent medical diagnosis.

Second student diagnosed with rare Pectus Excavatum Josh Zimmerman, so., was featured in the Sept. issue for his rare surgery due to his condition called Pectus Excavatum. Though Pectus Excavatum is said to effect one in 500, it is more common than thought. Maddy Fangman, so., was diagnosed with Pectus Excavatum this past Dec. Also known as sunken chest, Pectus Excavatum is a deformity of the ribs and sternum that causes the chest to cave-in.

The condition worsens overtime.

Fangman noticed the first signs of her condition in seventh grade when even walking up the stairs made her tired. She decided to go to the doctor. Fangman was

misdiagnosed three times before being correctly diagnosed. Her surgery has yet to be scheduled.

The surgery involves two incisions are made on either side of the chest. A metal bar is inserted into the chest under the sternum, which is then popped up to put the sternum back into place. The bar is left in the chest cavity for three years. When asked how Fangman feels about the surgery she said, “[I’m] incredibly scared. I don’t think about what it [the surgery] will do for me in the future yet; all I can think about is the procedure and the pain.”

If the procedure turns out like Zimmerman’s, there is hope for

Fangman. “The surgery was definitely worth it. It’s nice to be able to breathe better without stopping to take a break while walking up and down steps,” Zimmerman said.

Since the surgery, doctors have instructed Zimmerman to take it easy. To help recover, he uses a breathing machine to expand his chest.

Zimmerman is on the way to a full recovery. As for Fangman, she has a speed bump to overcome in the future. She too, though, is on her way to a an easier way of life.

J ess i c a R o wa n

“[I’m] incredibly scared.

I don’t think about what it will do for me in the future yet; all I can think about is the procedure and the pain.”

-Maddy Fangman, so.

Community prepares for another H1N1 outbreak A few months ago, the words “swine flu” echoed through the halls daily. It was the talk of the fall season. Even though the number of reported H1N1 cases has decreased since, health officials predict the possibility of rise in cases throughout the continuing flu season.

In late Oct. and Nov., nearly 250 students were called out of school every day for about a week and a half.

“Whenever ten percent or more of the student population is absent from school, we are supposed to report it downtown, and during that time we had well over ten percent of the Kennedy population absent,” Brian White, attendance facilitator, said. There is no set number of the students who must be absent in order for the school to shut down if another possible outbreak of H1N1 were

to occur.

Many students absent from school who were diagnosed with H1N1 missed more than just a day. Abby Jones, so., recalls missing a week and a day of school in early Nov. after contracting H1N1. “Now when I start feeling sick, I immediately go to the doctor. I got the nasal spray vaccine with my dad and brother a little while ago,” Jones said.

Some of the beginning symptoms of H1N1 include fever, chills, and a cough that often leads to a sore throat. Symptoms eventually escalate to also include vomiting, headache, and chills.

When the vaccine for the newer strain of H1N1 arrived, only those with the highest risk, such as pregnant women, were given the shot. Now, the shot can be obtained by scheduling an appointment at one of the various

vaccination clinics that have opened throughout Cedar Rapids.

From Jan. 20 through Jan. 28 the Cedar Rapids Community School District Health Services offered H1N1 vaccination clinics.

The clinics were held at local middle schools and high schools. The clinic was held here Wednesday.

Vaccinations are still offered at the Linn County Public Health and the Community Health Free Clinic. If you would like to be vaccinated, check out their website for more information regarding times and locations.

B r i t ta n i S h er z er

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PA G E B Y A L E X B U S B E E & R I L E Y G A L B R A I T H

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PA G E B Y A L E X B U S B E E & R I L E Y G A L B R A I T H Passion.

Jake Wilding so., shows some emotion with a fist pump during a ping pong match against Jason Cochrane, science teacher, during table tennis club in the Kennedy foyer.

Wilding started playing after his grandma got him into the sport.

briefly

Bowling teams roll on

To most kids, bowling is just a fun thing to do on the weekends with friends. But to some students, bowling is a competitive sport. Even though the sport of bowling can be enjoyed by all, it takes lots of time and effort to master it.

Paige Ermer, jr., says her favorite part of bowling is getting to play a sport she loves so much with her friends. “Bowling isn’t something just to go do once every so often now, it’s a regular sport that takes lots of practice and dedication,� Emer said.

All though Ermer has only been bowling since eighth grade she has improved from a beginner to a novice player and has made varsity at Kennedy.

Although a varsity bowler, she sees no future in the sport unless a scholarship opportunity makes itself apparent to her.

Sp e n c e r G r e k o f f

Girls’ basketball tripped up by Waukee

The Cougars went down swinging against a tough Waukee team 48-49 in overtime last Saturday. Jade Rogers, sr., who is ranked sixth in the state for scoring and eighth for rebounding, was back at it with 14 points and 13 rebounds for Kennedy. Olivia Meier, jr., was right behind Rogers with ten points. Megan Hogg was the leading scorer for Waukee, with 17. The Cougars only other loss was at home to cross-town rival Linn-Mar in front of a packed house, which included C. Vivian Stringer, women’s basketball coach at Rutgers University.

The final score was 62-49. Kennedy is now 13-2.

Alex Busbee

Boys’ basketball topples Waterloo East

The Waterloo East Trojans visited the Cougars last Tuesday. Kennedy came out strong, maintaining a comfortable lead for the first half. The Trojans came out firing after half time to cut the lead the Cougars lead to nine at the end of the third quarter. But the Cougars dominated play, winning 5836. Kyle Lamaak, jr., lead Kennedy with 17 points, followed by Christian French, jr., with ten. The Cougars improve their record to 9-4 overall, 7-2 conference.

Alex Busbee

photos by Asmaa Elkeurti Backhand. Jake Wilding, so., hits a backhand after school during table tennis club. Wilding recently played a tournament in Chicago, and received third place honors. Wilding has played since he was five years old.

Dane Worley - golf, Zach Parsons - football, Kristen Hahn - Volleyball, Erik Boyer - soccer, Jeff Damisch - tennis

graphic by Craig Aucutt

Costs climb high

High-level athletes reflect on the costs of their respective sports Long ago, the only thing you needed to play sports at a high level was a ball, some hand-medown equipment and the determination to win and work hard.

But nowadays, to be a high level athlete, it doesn’t just take determination and skill; it takes some money in the bank.

In recent years, the financial side of sports has come front and center. They can now be called business people, just as much as they are called coaches. To

be with the high level coach in a sport, it comes down to how much money you are willing to spend. This reality has left out many possibly talented kids that will never have the chance get this high level coaching for the price that they are offering.

Although it is true that hard work, skill, and motivation are still vital characteristics needed in athletes, it has also become clear that to play some sports, money is just a necessity. This

has unfairly left some underprivileged kids in the dust, with no chance to catch up.

As the graph above shows, certain sports for high level athletes cost a ridiculous amount of money, with golf being the highest cost with $11050. It’s pretty safe to say that the average American family can’t afford to put that much money into sports.

Even for a sport like volleyball, using $1580 dollars a year

is a high amount. And that, compared to other sports is a relatively low priced sport.

There are however some sports that have a reasonable cost. Playing football will only cost about $435, Although it might seem like sports are now extremely high priced, there are some out there that are affordable for everyone’s price range.

Riley Galbraith

Ping pong player gets third in Chicago tourney Most would describe ping pong as a game played for fun, but for many it takes up as much time as any sport an athlete could play.

Jake Wilding, so., is a very gifted ping pong player here at Kennedy. Wilding says he started playing when his grandma got him into it at the age of five or six years old, although the sophomore says, “I only got good last year when I started playing Cochrane.�

Jason Cochrane, science teacher, and Wilding have been

playing competitively for a while now. They have been going head to head at Kennedy’s ping pong club and have even kept a tally of who wins. Currently Cochrane has the upper hand with 40 wins and 31 losses against Wilding.

Cochrane recently added an expensive paddle to his collection to make sure that Wilding doesn’t have the advantage with his $80 paddle. He says the rubber is what makes it such an expensive paddle. Along with this, Wilding has a $500 dollar robot, or machine, that he uses to train

Girls on ice: The Lady Roughriders, in it to win it Hockey is recognized as a men’s sport by most people, but here at Kennedy that’s not the case for a couple of Lady Roughriders. “Most people think that girls can’t play, then we prove we can,� Sarah Thompson, sr., said. Thompson has played on the Lady Roughriders team since it began in September 2008. This is her third season in the league. “People are usually shocked, but they think it [girls hockey] is awesome,� Thompson said.

Thompson has always enjoyed playing hockey. Her interest in playing hockey was sparked while watching the NHL and Roughriders. This will be Thompsons last year on the Lady Roughriders team. Although she doesn’t plan on playing hockey in college, she does plan on joining an

photos by Elise Krivit Focus. Maddie Flesner, fr., focuses on her pass during Lady Roughriders hockey practice. Flesner started playing after her brother got involved in hockey.

adult league for fun. “It bugs me a little when hockey is considered a men’s sport, but then we just go out and prove that we can play as well as them,� said Thompson.

Thompsons favorite thing about hockey is the competitiveness and getting to prove that girls are just as good as boys.

Maddie Flesner, fr., has also been playing on the Lady Roughriders team since September 2008. “My dad played when he was younger, and after I watched my brother start playing too then I wanted to play,� Flesner said. She plans on playing with the Lady Roughriders throughout Highschool. “What I like most is being with everyone on the team, scoring goals, and winning is always good too,�

Flesner said.

The Lady Roughriders team has seventeen girls on it ranging from seventh grade to twelfth grade. The girls on the team are from all over Iowa including Iowa City, Waterloo, Mason City, and Des Moines. The team has practice three days a week. Mondays they only skate, Wednesdays are team practices, and Thursdays are house league where scrimmages are organized. The Lady Roughriders also get together outside of practice at team dinners, meetings, and bowling every once in a while.

They have games one to two weekends a month where they play four games throughout the weekend.They also have a few scrimmages and extra games thrown in. Their home games are held at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and away games are scattered all around the midwest.

Their season goes from September through April. The Lady Roughriders are the only girls team in Iowa so they play teams all over the midwest. They have only lost two games this season, making them first in their division.

K at e ly n B e lt r a m e a

What if she’s pregnant?

on. “I use it to train and can play with it. It’s much like a tennis machine.�

This robot certainly has made him a better player. Wilding recently decided that he’d test a tournament for fun. After paying $35, he was registered into the Invitation Tournament in Chicago. He ended up receiving third place in the unrated division. He finished just a mere place away from a $100 second place prize and $250 first place prize.

Following his loss, he was then entered into a Jr. tournament

You’ve always been there for her.

Connect her with people who care. She can get a free test, accurate information, and nonjudgmental support. www.AidToWomen.com

701 Center Point Rd. NE $FEBS 3BQJET t Gliding. Maddie Flesner, fr., glides after the hockey puck during a Lady Roughriders hockey practice. Flesner has played on the team since ’08. The team consists of seventeen girls from seventh to twelfth grade.

photo by Abby Gilman

Aid to Women Respect Answers Support

where he placed first and received $20. The experience was definitely worth it and Wilding said, “I found out what good was.�

Usually, ping pong club has been meeting once a week or whenever Cochrane has been able to make it happen. Although last year’s seniors have left the club, there are about three members that attend each week, and six to seven members who show up irregularly. The ping pong tables have been set up in the foyer where the club has been able to play each other member

competitively.

If you don’t consider this a sport, Wilding says he’s even ripped a pair of jeans playing. I’m sure if “I only got you ever see him hold- good last year ing a paddle, he’ll have when I started shorts on. Wilding hopes to have a future playing Coin ping pong. “It’d be chrane.� cool to play in col- Jake Wilding, so. lege, just [to have] the experience.�

Cameron Milks

Breath.

Brian Crew, jr., takes a breath during the swim meet against Jefferson.

The Cougars won the meet. photo by Abby Gilman

Xavier students help Kennedy’s swim team The swim season is off to a good start, with seniors Michael Rusch and Michael Lyon leading the way. “Michael Lyon is one of the top,� Rusch said. “Chandler Hiesler, [fr.], and Jon Richardson, from Xavier, are good too.�

Xavier High School does not have a swim team, forcing those who want to swim to go to the public high school of their district. “[I swim here] because I live in the Kennedy district,� Lyon said. “’[It’s that way] because we don’t have a coach or a pool, or enough people to go out for the team.�

Lyon heads over to the Kennedy pool every day after school is dismissed for practice.

A typical practice consists of a quick warm up, some muscle building, and then working on distance or sprints.

Although Lyon is from a different school, he is treated as one of Kennedy’s own, and is not safe from any pestering. “It’s fun having him on the team,� Rusch said. “We give him a hard time for religious stuff, even though we’re just messing around.�

Lyon agrees, adding that it just wouldn’t be the same if he swam for Xavier. “It’s fun [swimming for Kennedy] because I get to meet new people,� Lyon said. “It

wouldn’t be as fun if I swam for Xavier because there wouldn’t be as many people. And there wouldn’t be as many relays. Relays are my favorite.�

The coaches play a big role in helping the team members prepare for state and get their best times. “They motivate us pretty [well],� Rusch said. “They tell us the secrets of swimming because they have been around it for a long time.

They also give us secrets to dropping time. To prepare [for state] I have to do hard work in practice, drop time, and rest up. [My goal] is to get podium at state and individual in the top six.�

Rusch admits that although it may be clichĂŠ, his idol is Michael Phelps. “He has done a lot for the sport and started kids at a younger age,â€? Rusch said.

Rusch has been swimming year-round since the age of seven for Cedar Rapids Aquatics Association (CRAA), a local swim club in the area.

Although neither Rusch nor Lyon plans to swim in college, they have a bright future ahead of them at state.

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PA G E B Y A L E X B U S B E E & R I L E Y G A L B R A I T H Two step.

Paige Beatty, sr., leads a dance class of younger students.

Beatty is on the Kennedy Dance Team and has been dancing since she was two years old. The bulk of her students are aged nine to 11.

Passing it on

photos by Elise Krivit

Paige Beatty, sr., and Savanah Schott, sr., both enjoy spending free time lending athletic talents to area children Working with younger kids can be a challenging experience. Some younger children tend to get bored easily and have high energy levels, which makes it difficult for them to concentrate on what they are learning. With the many challenges in teaching younger students, though, working with these kids can also be a very rewarding experience.

This is the case of two Kennedy High School student athletes who currently mentor younger athletes to work with them on the techniques of the sport they love.

Savanah Schott, sr., is a diver and a gymnast.

She teaches a variety of gymnastic techniques to kids ranging in ages from five to eleven. Schott says she likes to watch them succeed especially if they have struggled with certain aspects of the sport in the past.

“It gives me an opportunity to teach younger kids what I love to do: gymnastics,” Schott said.

Schott said that one of the biggest challenges she faces is getting the kids to focus on what they are doing since some of them tend to have very short attention spans.

“On average I spend about eight hours a week working with kids,” Schott said.

She has formed friendships with some of the kids but,she often pushes some of them a little bit harder than the others if she believes that they have a greater potential. Schott really likes what she is doing and said she wishes she could spend more time with the younger athletes. She plans to coach diving this summer and her advice to underclassmen (if they want to do what she does) is to coach a sport that they know and understand and to practice patience with kids they work with.

Paige Beatty, sr., also spends some of her time High five.

Savanah Schott, sr., congratulates one of her pupils at CRAG Gymnastics. Schott enjoys coaching and wishes she could spend more time with the younger athletes. She coaches kids ages five to eleven.

coaching younger students with dance. Beatty is on the dance team and has been dancing since she was two years old.

“I have been an assistant teacher for two years and last year was my first year teaching younger students alone,” Beatty said.

“The thing I enjoy most about it is that I love to dance and love to help other people.”

Beatty teaches primarily kids from age nine to eleven. She said that the most challenging thing she faces is choreographing the dance routines, but she said that it is also a rewarding thing too. The most rewarding time, however, comes at year-end when they have their performance or when the younger kids tell her that they really enjoy what they are doing.

Beatty spends an average of three hours a week helping the younger children and she plans to continue working with them after she graduates high school. She said that the kids she teaches have respect for her and she has formed a friendship with them in class. She adviese underclassmen to consider mentoring younger athletes.

“Go for it! Working with kids was a great experience and I would definitely do it again,” Schott said.

Despite the fact that there are a few challenges involved in mentoring young athletes, both Schott and Beatty said that if they had it to do all over again they would. Both agree that the rewards they reap from working with the kids far outweigh any of the challenges they have had to overcome. c a h l e co r r e l l

Mirror image. Paige Beatty, sr., critiques her students’ technique in a mirror.

Hands up. Savanah Schott, sr., teaches one of her young gymnasts proper form.

Somersault. Savanah Schott, sr., looks on as Grace Phillips practices her tumbling.