A
The
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Waukee High School, 555 SE Univ. Waukee IA 50263, Volume 24, Edition 4, December 2016
Inside:
Tips from seniors on balancing life An opinion piece on the benefits of veganism New music reviews Words of wisdom Details on success at the 2016 Thespian Festival Changes in the ELP program Stories of perfectionism Excitement from the cheer team as Nationals approach Spotlight on sports managers & winter sports scores
Letter From The Editors ‘Tis the season for laughter, joy, magic and mayhem. The holidays will come and go like time slipping through an hourglass, so enjoy each precious moment of the season. The Waukee Publications staff in room 602 has persevered and progressed despite midterm adversity. With the new opportunities at the forefront of class the editorial team has evolved and positions have been rearranged. With this change comes great advancements in our product on all levels. Blue Frog Marketing in Waukee has offered their services as the official sponsor of The Arrowhead, cutting our cost in half and doubling the content provided for our readers. We look forward to this partnership improving both the quality and quantity of our publication. As always, The Arrowhead thanks you for your diligence and readership. Happy Holidays. The Editorial Team of The Arrowhead Ethan Adato Dana Aguilar Rashed Alsharqi Averi Baudler Mati Bodwell Miranda Boyle Erin Crone Grace Culbertson Victoria Dicks
The Arrowhead Staff Leah Doyle* Emma Lyon Olivia Gagnon* Andi Munford* Alena Gamble Kaitlyn Redman* Meagan Groathouse Amelia Roberts Powell Hauber Gaby Shepard Grace Havnen Andrew Tobey Grace Hermann Damion Wallace Ana Hernandez* Cameron Wolff *Advisor- Kent Peterson Emma Kern
Kaitlyn Redman: Publisher
“This year has proved challenging on numerous accounts but one thing stands true: I wouldn’t change a thing. I started Publications last year and quickly formed a passion for the product and the people. The newspaper has presented new and incredible opportunities for myself as a writer and as a leader. I look forward to providing the school with a quality newspaper as the acting publisher of Room 602 for the remainder of my senior year.”
Andi Munford: Web Editor
“Over the past year and a half, I’ve learned so much from working on the Arrowhead. For example-- how to stare into the abyss that is a blank google doc for hours without blinking, how to edit copy and only lose a little bit of my faith in humanity, and of course, how to survive on nothing but caffeine and Krispy Kreme donuts. Through all of this insanity, the one thing that keeps me hanging around room 602 long after the school day has ended is the product, the incredible stories we have the opportunity to spotlight. In my new position as the web editor, I hope to improve upon my online platform and continue that work, which, to me, is deeply important.”
Ana Hernandez: Print Editor
“The Arrowhead has meant the world to me for and a year and a half now. Finally, through this paper, I had a medium to share my voice and the stories of those around me. Laced between many headaches and late nights, this publication grants phenomenal opportunities, and as I move forward I hope to help the staff have similarly fufilling experiences. I am happy to br to finishing my senior year by pouring my heart into creating a product we can pride ourselves on.”
By: Emm
Balancing
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Forcing themselves out from beneath warm duvets, high school students follow a trend of rising before the sun does and only returning home after the sun disappears. Many students across the nation have their days crammed with sports, school, work, friends, church, ACT prep, and so much more. Balancing the substantial, bulky expectations of a teenager can be difficult, and usually leads to stress, making students less productive. Seniors have learned how to deal with stress or at least work through it, as they have studied in high school the longest. Several seniors commented on how to balance the massive expectations of being a high school student, resulting in the five useful tips.
Olivia Gagnon: Print Editor
“The past semester has been remarkable in Publications. This is more than a class to me along with the rest of the staff, and I hope that is conveyed on the following pages. Each story took time and dedication from our reporters, with thought and precision in each. I look forward to working closely with the staff and my co-editor, Ana, to produce a quality edition of The Arrowhead each month for the student body.”
PAGE DESIGN: COVER PHOTO & PAGES 3-8, 10-15 BY ANA HERNANDEZ, PAGE 2 BY KAITLYN REDMAN, PAGE 9 BY LEAH DOYLE
Tweets Of The Month
Mary Piechowski said, “I go to bed early so I get proper sleep to help handle my stress.” The American Psychological Association backs Piechowski up, stating, “Sleep is a necessary human function - it allows our brains to recharge and our bodies to rest.” Though many students struggle to find time for sleep in their daily schedules, adjustments are possible to fit it in their schedules. This includes taking naps more often in between study sessions. This way you add to your amount of sleep, and when you wake back up, you are more energized and ready to study. Student Body President Sheldon Fox agreed, stating, “I take naps to relax.”
Drew Johnson noted, “I’d say with being involved with sports that I try to focus on getting my school work done right away, that way I don’t push it off and I won’t get as stressed about it.” This is a beneficial way to make sure all homework gets done, and can increase free time. By not procrastinating, students’ stress will decrease as they can fill the rest of their time with things that make them happy. Calista Tietz backs Johnson as she added, “When I get stressed out by school, it is because I don’t manage my time well. I usually have to stop and think about what needs to get done first and what’s most important.” Nicolas Matamoros admitted, “I like to find time by myself so I can just clear my mind and slow everything down and deal with one stress at a time.” This can be true because sometimes when students’ get stressed, they can overreact, building up lots of tension. This increases students mood swings and can actually cause arguments between the student and others. By taking time to just be by oneself and take a breather, students will not only feel more relaxed and refreshed, but also reduce chances for arguments.
Tyler Groathouse stated, “I manage my stress by thinking about one thing at a time. Worrying about everything can be overwhelming, but doing one more math problem is more manageable.” This has been shown to be true. On the “Positivity Blog,” out of 33 tips to help deal with stress, number one was to take things one thing at a time. If students pause to take a moment and take things one step at a time, it can make it easier to push to the finish. Groathouse stated, “I focus at the task at hand.”
Mary Kate Gray said, “It’s important to set out enough time to do the things you enjoy. Set time to accomplish schoolwork, but also remember to take some time for yourself.” High school students should be encouraged to enjoy their four years here. Taking time to support their classmates, and themselves by being involved is not only fun for students, but will help their resume for college.
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Childish Gambino’s single Me and Your Mama: Childish Gambino, a.k.a Danny Glover’s, new single is a lot different than his prior radio hits. He is taking an entirely new direction with his music. When his latest album Kauai came out, it was clear Childish Gambino was pushing away from hip hop. Although the song is still obviously influenced by hip hop, there is no rapping, and it has more of a R&B feel. Me and Your Mama, in my opinion, is a fantastic and unique song. It gradually builds into a lethargic, mellow beat by slowly adding a drum and bass track piece by piece, until about two minutes into the song when the melody completely changes. Is replaced by a powerful drum beat, a dramatic blues guitar riff, soulful singing from Childish Gambino, and a choir to accompany him. The lyrics sound like classic blues from Marvin Gaye or Otis Redding, and the way Childish Gambino belts out these lyrics in a shrieking, anguished tone really adds to the mood of the song. One thing that rubs me the wrong way about this track is the intro and outro. They both last about two minutes, and don’t add substance to the song. If you’re a fan of the rap Childish Gambino normally puts out, this might not be the track for you. Childish Gambino’s attempt to branch out into other genres, in my opinion, is a success. ed it ot terri ashed ed it
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Metallica’s album Hardwired...To Self Destruct: Metallica’s new album Hardwired...To Self Destruct feels like a compilation of all their past albums. There are some songs that remind me of the glory days of the Kill ‘Em All era, while others are reminiscent of the poorly received St. Anger, and Death Magnetic. Hardwired is able to mix complex guitar riffs with the speedy tempo necessary for the thrash metal genre. Some tracks are absolutely abysmal and seem to lull on forever, but at the end of the day, Metallica is taking a step in the right direction as they attempt to return to their hay day, rather than trying to change what the band has always been. James Hetfield, the lead singer, has atrocious lyrics like always. But, if they were improved, I feel it would take away from the classic Metallica sound that they have built. Stand out tracks include Am I savage?, Moth Into Flame, and Hardwired. It’s definitely not the best album they have put out over their 35 year lifespan, but it’s nowhere close to the low points in Metallica’s career, like the failure that was their 2011 album LULU. Fans of 80’s/90’s thrash metal will be di t terri shed ed it pleased with this album. no ra ve t it
Continued at waukeearRowhead.com
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Those who are motivated by ethical reasons are often seen as the crazies and extremists of the vegan community. Once vegans are aware of the horrible things done to animals in the world and discover how beneficial a vegan lifestyle could be for everyone, they get excited! Although they have good intentions, like any movement, there are always going to be people in the
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Opinions by: Damion Wallace
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There are many reasons why people go vegan, the main three being ethics, desiring to exponentially decrease their carbon footprint, and personal health
community that make outsiders feel judged. That is not the goal for the vast majority of vegans. Almost all vegans were raised just like the average western person, eating meat, wearing leather, going to circuses. Vegans understand where non-vegans are coming from because they used to think and eat the same way as them. After a moment of silence, Brock Parker, a junior at Waukee High School shared his thoughts on a video titled “Thousand Eyes: The Reality of Australia Animal Agriculture.” America shares the same practices as those in the video. “If you show that to 100 people, I think 99 of them would change their diet. People need to be aware of the issue. These are animals that are beautiful and incredible.” Parker continued, “That video is the closest thing to watching someone get murdered. It’s no different than watching a cat die, it’s the same thing. It’s horrible.” Parker elaborated on the hypocritical treatment of animals, “I think no matter what the animal is, you can find a connection with them and they can bring joy to you. If a dog can bring you joy, then so can a pig.” Although these animals have personalities and can bring people joy, the practices in slaughterhouses and mass factory farms are horrendous. The animals are only seen as objects to make a profit. Baby chicks are ground up alive or suffocated to death, baby pigs are smashed against the concrete floor until death, and in some cases, those pigs are then ground up and fed back to their mothers. Carsyn Ehlinger, a junior at Waukee High School, has been vegan for a year now. She shared her thoughts on the contradiction. “Before I was vegan, I would always consider myself an animal lover. But, once you make the connection that you can’t love all animals and then eat some, you just can’t see it the same. It doesn’t make sense that I eat a cow but I wouldn’t eat a cat.” Make the connection. A dog feels no more pain than a pig does when it’s slaughtered. ‘Cage-free,’ ‘grass fed,’ and ‘humane meat’ are all just labels to make consumers feel good about eating it. Currently, the most ‘humane’ way of killing animals in the US and Australia is to gas them to death. What that does is burn them from the inside out, lasting for approximately three minutes. “Humane slaughter sounds like a bunch of BS to me, there’s nothing humane about it. Don’t call it something that makes it sound okay, because it’s not,” Parker pointed out. Being a carnivore means liking the taste of blood, eating bones, being able to rip flesh easily, loving the thrill of the hunt and having
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It’s dark. I can hear them coming. Maybe this time they’ll let me out so I can see my baby. The machines underneath me hurt so intensely. I am bleeding. They’re pouring my breakfast into the crate. Ugh, corn again? I look to my right and see a mother being robbed of her baby, which reminds me of all five of my babies. I only spent a few hours with each child before they took them away. They were mad that they tried to drink my milk. Apparently, humans don’t let our sons and daughters drink it because they want it for themselves. The people joke about how tasty they will be once they are finished with them. I can hardly handle the thought of them in a veal crate or, even worse, being put through my misery. I know they will forcibly impregnate me soon so that I will produce more milk. It will probably be my last baby. Soon, they will realize that my production of milk is getting slower and slower, and it will take me to my death. This is the life of a dairy cow. The only way to relieve cows from this cycle of harm is veganism. Before you say you can’t go vegan and ask about the notorious lack of protein, just hear me out. Plants have protein people, get vegucated. Veganism is often seen as an extreme way of living, and is correlated with negative stereotypes. Many people do not know exactly what a vegan is, so there are many misconceptions. The formal definition of a vegan is a person who does not exploit animals for food, clothing, entertainment or any other purpose. Imagine a place where world hunger doesn’t exist, people around the globe are healthy, climate change is no longer a crisis and ethics are at the forefront of everyone’s behavior. For this to happen, everyone would need to go vegan. There are many reasons why people go vegan, the main three being ethics, desiring to exponentially decrease their carbon footprint, and personal health.
the skill to actually catch the animal in the first place. We don’t have carnivorous canines. If you don’t believe me, look at a tiger’s teeth and then look in a mirror and smile. We have long, skinny intestines just like every herbivore on the planet. We don’t have claws that could pierce flesh, we aren’t natural carnivores. We can’t pretend to be carnivores by driving to the grocery store and ignoring the impact on animals, the planet and our health. Personal choice is irrelevant when your choice is literally affecting someone’s life or death. And, yes, I said ‘someone.’ A living being that has a personality, has a nervous system to feel pain, makes connections with its loved ones and has ways of communication is a someone, not an ‘it.’ The animals aren’t the only lives affected by a non-vegan diet, it’s people too. Every three seconds, a person dies for the sole reason of lacking access to food or water. If everyone in the world went vegan, we would solve world hunger and have more than enough water. According to the documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, Animal Agriculture uses 34-76 trillion gallons of water every year. To put it in perspective, 2,500 gallons of water are needed to make 1 pound of beef. Water is just one of the many things a non-vegan diet affects. Livestock takes up 45% of the earth’s land. Land required to feed a meat eater for a year is 18x as much as a vegan. To feed a vegan for a whole year, it takes 1/6th of an acre. The world is currently growing enough food to feed 10 billion people, but so much of it is being fed to livestock. 82% of starving children live in countries where food is fed to animals and the animals are eaten by Western countries. Society is feeding animals food that humans could eat and letting world hunger continue, all because people want a cheeseburger. “When people say that it’s ‘their choice’, they really aren’t thinking of the big picture. To me, ‘It’s my choice, don’t try and change me’ sounds more like ‘Please stop telling me all these awful things so I can just live, and not deal with that.’”
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Food or Life?
Opinions by: Toree Dicks
The Weeknd’s album Starboy: Starboy is classic Weeknd. The fourth album by the R&B artist makes no dramatic changes in his musical style, but does lengthen his list of fantastic songs. It’s packed to the brim with features from amazing artists like Lana Del Rey, Future, Kendrick Lamar, and Daft Punk. The Weeknd will not upset any fans with this album. Similar to The Weeknd’s other mixtapes and albums, the beats are very synthy, drum and bass heavy, fitting a vaporwave aesthetic. He also sings in his classic falsetto style that fans love. Tracks that stand out to me on this album include Starboy (Feat. Daft Punk), Sidewalks (Feat. Kendrick Lamar), True Colors, and Rockin’. A lot of these songs remind me of the 2015’s Beauty Behind the Madness, but others sound more like House of Balloon or Thursday, his first two mixtapes from 2011. If I considered myself a fan of his music, I would give this a ‘loved it’ rating. It’s great music, but his voice is really unappealing to me. For those who need to get in the feels every once in a while, this album will do the trick.
Words from the wise
By: Olivia Gagnon
Four senior women from the Edgewater Nursing Home in West Des Moines gave their advice to teenagers as they embark on new journeys and endeavors “Be more adventuresome, to take a little risk, but have hope. You hear things, like on the debates on TV, and it’s just so negative. I wouldn’t let my Sunday school class kids talk to each other that way! So you hear a lot of negative things from journalism, from the TV, [so] think for yourself. Think for yourself before listening to friends or others, but also have hope.” “Be ready and aware of an opportunity and “Aim high, because when I was in high take it, and if it doesn’t turn out alright, don’t school, there weren’t very many profesgive up. I’ve lived in foreign countries. I’ve sions open to women. You could be a lived in Turkey, and Germany, and England, teacher, you could be a nurse, or you could and we were an air force family, so we had be a stenographer. The sciences weren’t a lot of different opportunities. I know my geared for women. There was no incentive two [daughters] [...] were quite restricted, to excel [...] to be a lawyer, to be an engiparticularly in Turkey which is a Muslim neer; this just wasn’t slanted toward our country and there were a lot of things they age at all. I had the ability to go to college, couldn’t do. But then, when it was time to but I knew that I would go to college, and write their college résumés and everything, they realized “oh yeah! I just should’ve aimed higher. I went to the [University of Minnesota] We’ve had a lot of opportunities.” [...] Just seize the moment, young which was a very good school, but they didn’t offer anything for wompeople! Just seize the moment, but remember what you do follows you. en. [There] are so many professions nowadays that weren’t available. [...] When I was in high school, the idea was [that] you met a nice man, I remember our high school principal used to give little sermons, do you guys still do that now? But it was like, “Be careful what you do, beyou got married, you had a home, you had children, you cooked good meals, you knew how to sew: we were programmed for a domestic type cause it will follow you all your life.” And so, I was always aware of that. And that’s true, I still think today.” of life.”
Judy Juhler
Saralee Sloven
“Be open to new experiences. Don’t think you know everything, yet. Life is a long-term learning process. I think those are the main things. I mean, if you’re open to what’s going on and new ideas, you’ll pick up on those things.”
Cathie Conley
Phyllis Newton
2016 Thespian Festival Waukee theatre students spend hours perusing the embodiment of a character, organizing schedules, and perfecting the smallest details of a show. Pouring their hearts into every job or role, each person works as a building block toward creating something to be proud of. This pays off during each performance, but on November 11th and 12th, six Waukee seniors saw the result of hard work in the $443,000 total received in scholarships for theatre during the Iowa Thespian Festival. Alongside them were 47 other 9th-12th graders who competed and learned amongst 1,200 students from across Iowa. The six scholarship recipients are Zach Breit, Emma Garrett, Naomi Gorden, Maggie McClellan, Zoe Sneed, and Breanne Wilhite. They all auditioned in front of a panel of 20 college representatives. It was Breit’s first time at the festival. Hhe explained, “I loved it, and I wish I could’ve gone every year in high school. It’s nice to finally see hard work and commitment pay off.” Breit received scholarships from the colleges of Waldorf, Northwestern, and Clarke. The senior plans to minor in theatre in college, and has been involved in the program since freshman year. “Theatre has helped me become more comfortable with who I am, and it has given me confidence,” Breit remarked. When he leaves Waukee, he will miss the mentors and teachers. “They have helped me so much as an actor, performer, and person in general,” Breit confided. Breit and Sneed both received the Waldorf College Iowa Heritage Award scholarship, valued at $60,000. Sneed also achieved the Iowa Thespian Festival Theatre Educator Scholarship. The Iowa Thespian Association selected 10 noticeable auditionees and Sneed was one of three educators chosen. Three scholarships were awarded from the list of 10 students. Two could be given for acting or tech, and one had to be Theatre Education. Sneed explained, “When you are a director and theatre educator, you don’t get the recognition that your actors get. They stand in front of a stage, and have a lot of people clapping for them, so when [...] they were about to announce it, I was like ‘guys, it’s not going to be me.’” Gorden recalled, “There was another theater educator auditionee and he was an STO, which is a State Thespian Officer, so he was a big deal so she thought he would get it.” Sneed delivered a speech on her journey through theatre education and this personal angle helped her stand out. Garrett, Gordon, and fellow senior Gabrielle Gauthier share fond memories of cheering on Sneed. “I was screaming ‘that’s my best friend,’” exclaimed Gauthier. Gauthier scored first place in her Solo Musical Theatre division. “I was in shock, I was just standing there,” she stated. Sneed recalls having to drag her to the listing. Gauthier continued, “I didn’t even think about winning, I was just going to go sing because that’s usually my accomplishment, I’m like ‘I sung everybody, look at me performing,’ and it didn’t even cross my mind that I would get placed, so it was crazy.” Being able to get on stage was a profound accomplishment because it meant tackling anxiety about facing a crowd. “Freshman year, I had speech [class], and I had my first speech and Mrs. Haaland was like, ‘you’re going first!’ [...] so I wrote my speech, I practiced, I was so nervous and I walked in and she goes, ‘are you ready?’ and I just stood there, burst into tears and just lost it,” the senior recalled. “I was not myself freshman year, I’ve come into myself. The people around me have supported me and I’ve supported myself,” Gauthier explained. She stuck with theatre because of Mrs. Haaland’s support and encouragement, and has found that her confidence slowly grew. “It’s been a coping mechanism for me. [...] Constantly putting myself in front of people and learning how to handle myself in a situation like that, because before I was not able, I was not stable at all. But now I can get in front of a crowd and win first place at Thespian Festival, so that was a huge moment for me,” she concluded. Gorden contributed, “Theatre has just really helped me figure out what I want to do with my time on my earth.” The senior plans to major in theatre with an emphasis in acting, along with another major in history. She received many scholarships at the festival, but is looking at schools other than those represented. Through Waukee theatre, she gained the opportunity to develop personally, specifically through her junior year. On the community environment, she shared, “To have the safe place to have that breakdown that I needed to have to grow as a person, and then be able to build up from that and have support [...] was really cool.” Gorden concluded, “I’ve really developed into who I am today, and it’s helped me figure out what impact I want to leave.” Garrett feels that theatre helped her be more open minded. “It make me so much more worldly and open. I feel like a lot of people are in a bubble and I’m not so much in that bubble anymore,” she noted. This was Garrett’s first year at the festival. “I wasn’t even thinking about going, much less performing or performing for scholarships. So being able to perform and get validation, like ‘hey, that was good and all your hard work payed off,’ [that] was pretty cool.” She received multiple scholarships, along with third place in her solo musical theatre category. As a senior, she feels that her growth in theatre prompted leadership because many younger people now turn to her. “It was just a tradition of them passing the baton,” she explained about last year’s seniors, who Garrett worked closely with and admired. “I want to be those people for the younger people, to keep them in the department.” “It’s so weird to think we are at the same place the seniors were when we were freshman, just because when you are a freshman and look up to seniors, they are god like creatures. Now we are seniors and we are just normal people,” Sneed remarked. They all try to be welcoming to everyone in the department, as Sneed summarized, “I feel like in high school, there is always this hierarchy of who is the best or most popular, but theatre is one big family.”
Senior Maggie McClellan won the Micheal Piets leadership award during the festival. “It goes to one person in the state each year. This is the fourth year it’s been around, and actually two years ago someone else from Waukee got it too,” McClellan stated. She put together a portfolio and a presentation, and was given five minutes to show this to the judges. Since eighth grade, she has taken leadership roles. “I’ve done a lot, and not all of it is being the head of something, but a lot of it is stepping in when someone is needed.” She became makeup coordinator for Dracula, stage managed and was the head of costumes for High School Musical, along with a multitude of roles through her time in the department. McClellan pursued theatre over other activities for many reasons, but mainly the environment. “I just felt like this was my home. This is my creative outlet.” She feels that the teachers have all been encouraging and helpful, with each providing different forms of inspiration. “Mrs. Pleggenkuhle is the reason I got started, but for me, Mrs. Haaland is the more professional technical one. She is organization goals.” McClellan sees the impact theatre has had on her personally, sharing, “It has helped me deal with everything, I always have theatre to turn back to.” The leadership award took her by surprise, as she wasn’t in the room when it was announced. “Everyone was screaming, but I had no idea. I was talking to colleges, and Mrs. Haaland came out and told them she needed to steal me for a second,” she described. “She pulled me over and we were going to go backstage, but then the person who the award is named after [...] was walking in the opposite direction of us, so we stopped and talked to him. He pulled the person over who awarded it to me, so she came over and we took pictures.” It was a memorable experience, and in the moment, she was in disbelief. “I didn’t know what to say. I had a lot of nervous energy, and I was talking to all these really awesome people and I still didn’t totally believe I had won it. I called my mom later and told her I won the award and started crying,” she stated, “It’s just so surreal because I never go out to be recognized, like it’s nice to be recognized for what you do, but I didn’t go out for the award for anything.” The teachers decided as a group that McClellan should be nominated. “I just want the show to look great and you don’t need to notice me, I’m just here making things happen in the background,” she shared. Senior Breanne Wilhite received many scholarships from schools around the area for stage management in the technical category. “I put together a PowerPoint and talked about it. Mine was on publicity and marketing sort of thing. I talked about all the different aspects of theatre I was in and how it related to [marketing],” Wilhite explained. Theatre has helped Wilhite with optimism and confidence. “Freshman year, I hated talking in front of anyone. I didn’t do speech team, I hated all the speech teachers because they made me speak in front of people,” she admitted. “Now, I’m completely different,” she continued. “It’s made me go out of my comfort zone. I am still reserved and quiet, but I can give presentations and speeches without melting into a puddle.” Wilhite also sees growth in how she views success. “I feel like when you start out as a freshman in theatre, you are like, ‘oh I want to get the lead this year,’ but usually when people get to senior year, they realize it’s not about that, it’s about the art.” Junior Brittany Hunt placed first in the individual event of stage management, with a perfect score. She was assessed on her ability to work with others. “[Theatre] taught me how to be inclusive and communicative,” Hunt shared. “It gives you a lot of people you can respect and a family. I think a lot of people feel, and I feel when I go to a theatre community that I am welcomed and those are my people,” Hunt stated. Hunt enjoys stage management because all of the responsibility can have great payoff. “I like knowing everything about the show and carrying the weight on my shoulders, so I feel like this is my show, this is my baby.” She would advise younger theatre students to take chances. “Just go for it, have fun. I think something I think all the time is what if this happens, I’m going to look stupid. But it’s much better to just do it, rather than miss out.” Along with Hunt, Gauthier, and Garrett, three other Waukee students placed in their individual events. Rohan Gupta won first in lighting design, Ella Titus won first in costume construction, and Emily Pajazetovic won second in costume design. The first four of these students qualified for the International Thespian Festival. Chelsea Haaland stated, “Waukee students were also commended by a number of Thespian Festival staff members for their professionalism, preparation, and poise within their competitions and as patrons of the event,” on the Waukee activities website. She continued, “This makes me prouder than any of the awards listed above.” By: Ana Hernandez
Extended Learning Program
Three secondary Extended Learning Program (ELP) teachers were cut from ELP this year. Between all 6-9th graders in the Waukee School District, there are now two ELP teachers who travel between four schools. Each teacher instructs at least 130 students. According to the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), only 10 out of the
Johnson further explained the program’s effect on him and other students. “The program allows us to explore and to try to certify who we are as people. Funding this program allows it to perform successfully in all of its facets and help ELP students grow in the best ways possible by expanding the opportunities possible.”
“Funding this program allows it to perform successfully in all of its facets and help ELP students grow in the best ways possible by expanding the opportunities possible.”
40 states polled required districts to have an administrator for programs for advanced students. Without this state requirement, the decision of having instructors for these students is left up to the school districts to decide. Senior Emma Tyrell has been in ELP since third grade because of her advanced reading skills. However, most are unaware of her participation. “I personally don’t advertise the fact that I’m in ELP because it’s just not a big deal to me,” Tyrell admitted, “I go do my daily stuff, take my online class, and go on with my day.” Tyrell eradicated the popular notion that gifted students face minimal troubles in school. She reflected, “There’s a certain pressure that the gifted kids have, and that’s to always exceed.” This is especially taxing on 6th-9th graders, who may not necessarily have the ability to independently handle this burden. This could manifest in fears of failure and feelings of anxiety that could become depressive. Junior Kyler Johnson commented on similar fears and stressors he faces as a gifted student. Johnson has been in ELP since elementary school because of his advanced math skills. With advanced skills come challenges that he claimed need to be addressed in school. Johnson elaborated, “ELP offers me an emotional safe space, an area where I can speak more freely and get advice, and is generally a program that can help relieve the stress of situations I’m facing.”
After the recent cutbacks, Vicki McCarthy is the only ELP teacher in the high school building, following one year of her involvement in the program. McCarthy admitted that this year definitely requires adjustment on her part, as she has been placed in a difficult position. “The difficulty is finding time to meet with our students to address their academic as well as social and emotional needs,” McCarthy expressed. Emotional needs are especially important for 6th-9th graders, who are struggling with growing maturity and responsibility in their everyday lives. When asked about the recent cutbacks, McCarthy shared her opinion. “It’s heartbreaking, of course. Not only did highly qualified teachers get reassigned from positions they loved, but the ELP students have reduced contact with ELP teachers.” She continued, “Some of our students have high needs, and when you have a teacher going back and forth between two buildings, we cannot ask a student to hold their problem until Friday, when their teacher is back in their building.” While the ELP teachers have been reduced, the district is devoting more funds and instructors to Special Education (SPED). Both are regarded as important programs that assist students, but SPED receives a much larger budget than ELP. SPED is also protected under Federal Legislation. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was approved by Congress in 1975. The act ensured that disabled children would receive free and appropriate public education. However, no protection exists on the federal level to represent gifted students and the programs that assist them. Funding is left up to the state and even the local levels. “I believe all areas of education need more funding,” SPED instructor Paul Bird stated, “If we had
By: Cameron Wolff
more funding, programs wouldn’t be cut.” Students are ranked by the severity of their disabilities and the impact these have on their education, with level one meaning the least impact and level three being the most severe. Bird explained, “Funding is different for Special Education versus ELP. Funding varies depending upon the level each student is considered 1-3, so level 1 students receive less funding than levels 2 and 3.” “Reducing teachers affects all students, not just Special Education or ELP students. It is a trickle down effect that eventually has major implications,” Bird reflected. With the lack of ELP instructors, untrained teachers have to assist advanced students in finding appropriate work and handling the pressures of everyday school life. According to NAGC, the majority of states do not require Professional Development for teachers regarding gifted students, including Iowa. When asked about the instructors who left last year, Kyler Johnson brought up Cheryl Smith, who left the Waukee School District after the ELP reductions. He shared a memory from last year about her and the impact she had on him. “She encouraged and helped me push myself harder that semester by helping me sign up for AP Psychology online and working alongside Frau Getting to help me self-study for the AP German Exam,” he recalled. “She encouraged me, knowing I could handle it, and supported me along the way with her own tips and bits of advice [...]. Because of her encouragement, I managed to extend myself and force myself to grow and try new experiences, which ended up both going extremely well.” Johnson went on to discuss his ideas of the ELP program overall. He elaborated, “This encouragement and support I was given to push me further and help me grow really exemplifies the kind of ideas I think should be at the heart of ELP; pushing high-achieving students toward new and different opportunities to help them grow and truly extend their learning.”
PERFECTIONISM: THE TREK TOWARD THE TOP By: Grace Culbertson In life, there are mountains. These prominent, colossal peaks of all different shapes and sizes, and each one an opportunity. No mountain is of the same height or difficulty, but the climber can choose the hills they conquer, and if one is too tall or the path is too twisted for their liking, there is the option to turn around and try again another day. However, not everyone is given this choice. For perfectionists, their brains are wired to push their mind and body until they reach the extent of their personal ability. But it is not all trophies and golden grades for those striving to graze the very point of the peak, especially when they begin presuring themselves past what is physically possible. “In the eyes of parents and teachers, it’s a blessing because you’re doing really well in school and activities so you’re not a problem. But I think personally, it’s very much a curse because it makes me more stressed than I need to be,” explained junior Jocelyn Smith, “It leads to such a bad mindset.” For Smith, a dedicated member of Waukee Millennium, Waukee Theater Arts, Speech Team and Avenue Jazz, perfectionism is an obstacle in almost every aspect of her life. “A lot of times with perfectionism, in school at least, it looks like ‘A’s and it’s being the best at everything you do,” admitted Smith, “so you set that standard, and you can’t stand not meeting it.”
For Smith, it all began back in middle school as she was introduced to honors classes and extracurriculars the school provided. She began taking more advanced classes and joined the ELP program. “I started getting honors classes, so I was like, ‘I’m better; I can do this; I should be perfect at this,’ and it just got worse and worse and worse and worse,” said Smith. But perfectionism doesn’t just invade the stage and classroom; it is also very common in athletes. Senior Maggie Laird understands this as she has witnessed both herself and her teammates struggle with this mental ideal. “When you don’t have a good practice or a good meet, then that can set some people back mentally for their next meet,” shared Laird. Laird is heavily involved in Waukee’s athletic program as she balances cross country, track, swimming and diving in her spare time.
“You can’t be perfect at everything.”
With perfectionism, the mistakes become the main focal point. The achievements, no matter how big or how small, fade into the background. “If you miss a line, or you trip on stage by accident, it really hurts,” explained Smith, who experiences these small mistakes on an almost daily basis. Over time, so many mistakes can cause a strain and resentment toward oneself. Laird expanded on how perfectionism can create obstacles in acedemics. “Especially with writing assignments and I’ve just been doing college applications,” continued the senior, “But you just want them to be perfect.” In fact, Laird has experienced procrastination due to these feelings. “Sometimes I just struggle to start something just [because] I’m waiting for an idea that I think is going to be perfect.” The chain reaction that links procrastination and perfectionism is a toxic formula for an inevitable overload of stress and anxiety. “If I wait too long, then I just panic because I have way less time to get something together that I feel like is good quality,” explained Laird. anxiety. “If I wait too long, then I just panic because I have way less time to get something together that I feel like is good quality,” explained Laird.
The urge to just give up is also common when perfectionism hits hard. It becomes very appealing to just let it all go once someone experiences such an immense feeling of stress. “If you don’t meet your standard, which is literally ‘perfect’ in other people’s minds, then you’re a failure,” said Smith, “You missed one point on a test, which is still an A+ but it’s not 100%. It’s 99.5%, but that freaks me out.” When their mindsets are pushing them past what their body can handle, Laird and Smith both tend to struggle with balancing all their various activities. But at one point, they have to accept the reality. As emphasized by Smith, “If you can’t put your whole self into something, don’t do it then. If you’re trying to every single thing in every activity you’re in, you’re never going to put yourself fully into something and you’re never achieve that. It’s okay to cut down on your schedule a little bit. You can’t be perfect at everything.”
For the win:
Huddled in a group, hands shaking, whispers all around them, The Waukee competitive cheer team members hold their breaths awaiting the results. Tensions rise as every team waits for a winner to be named. All the hard work that they put in for months came down to this moment. The time came for the state champions, Waukee is called and cheers roar throughout the crowd. By: On November 5th, Waukee’s competitive cheer team won first place at the Ra she state championship. The Waukee Competitive Cheer Team is made up of not only varsity dA lsh cheerleaders, but also the most talented freshmen and JV cheerleaders, 28 members in total, 25 arq i females and three male athletes. The team trained four days a week since May in preparation for the competition and their routine consists of some of the most difficult stunts, jumps, and tumbling in the entire state. “They have worked very hard and were rewarded this Saturday,” said head coach Ashley Jackson. This was the first time in school history that the competition cheer team won the state title two years in a row. The work is not yet done as the team now prepares for nationals this January. “The best part was that we all work for each other and to see it pay off is a truly indescribable feeling. Now we can’t wait to get back to practice!” explained senior Megan Baldwin. The team is now excitedly preparing for success. “I’m super excited for the team bonding and bringing home the national title,” said senior Jason Makohoniuk. Nationals will be held in Dallas, Texas on the 21st and 22nd of January. “Coming off a tough loss last year, we have been working so hard to make sure we don’t lose again,” said Baldwin. Coach Jackson is just as excited as the cheerleaders, “We are extremely proud of our win and we will continue to push hard in hopes of bringing home a national championship in January.” The victory could not have been accomplished without the dedication the team put in every day. “Since April practices have been intense, but the work has always been worth it,” said Baldwin, “Having been a part of the team for all four of my high school years, it has been truly amazing to see this program grow into the powerhouse that it is this year!” Practice was not only building up the team’s skills but it builds the bonds between teammates. “It takes a lot of work but the payoff is great spending every single day with this team really helps us become closer,” said Makohoniuk, “I still talk to the seniors from last year. When you’re on the Waukee cheerleading team it’s not just any old team, it is a family.
headed to nationals in jaNuary
Photo courtesy of: stevesafris.smugmug.com
QUIZ BOWL
By: Megan Groathouse and Miranda Boyle
Waukee is known for excelling in athletics, but sometimes the success of the academic teams go unknown. Despite this lack of publicity, one club in particular is thriving. The 2016 state champion Quiz Bowl team exhibited great progress throughout the year and look to continue this during the 2017 season. Ben Heidt is a member of the Waukee quiz bowl team, and is one of the few students in the state to earn all-state honors. The club started at Waukee during the 2014-2015 school year, “I saw the posters [for Quiz Bowl] hanging up when I first started out my sophomore year,” recalled Heidt. Now, as a senior, he is working towards another state title. “[Quiz bowl] is a competition where someone will read questions from various categories that could be school or popular culture related and the fastest person [to] the answer the question correctly gets a point,” Heidt explained. This year the team has 12 members that participate in the competitions. Each event can vary the different topics they focus on, it can be random, or specific to one subject. Heidt mentioned, “There’s one competition that, for example, just focuses on history.” One competition that they competed and won at recently was the Iowa Knowledge Bowl. This competition is formatted with shorter questions, and is slightly different from the normal quiz bowl. Thirteen teams competed from large schools, and thirteen competed from small. The biggest competition for Waukee proved to be Valley High School, who came in behind Waukee in second at the Iowa Knowledge Bowl. Wanting to expand their competition, senior Ben Heidt, and juniors Jason Baxter, Jake Frist, Sebastian Llaca, and Alex Zarkowski head up to Minnesota, facing many new challenging competitors. The team ended the morning rounds with a 5-2 record, unfortunately putting them just out of the championship bracket. They won every match in the afternoon by large margins. Mr. Winter, the team’s mentor, stated, “We held our own against great competition from Minnesota.” Throughout the competition, the team communicated well and, bounced back quickly from mistakes, while having a fun all at the same time. The team has had an incredibly successful season and performed exceptionally against the challenges all the new teams posed. “I was very proud of how our team played….I’m also proud, very proud to take our team places, because they represent our school very well,” Mr. Winter added. Even though the competition season has already begun, Heidt stated that they are always looking for more people to join. No prior experience necessary with Quiz Bowl-- it’s just for fun. Heidt laughed and explained, “It sounds like a completely nerdy thing and that’s because it is, but it’s also really fun too. If you let yourself not worry about what you look like. Just be yourself have fun, learn some stuff and it’s pretty enjoyable.”
For more information contact Mr. Winter at jwinter@waukeeschools. org or visit him in room 661. You can also look for posters hung up around the school.
A Different kind of state title
WAUKEEARROWHEAD.COM
By: Averi Baudler
During the first few months of each year, a stroll down the high school choir wing before and after class is full of singers with nervous expressions on their faces, with water bottles and pencils gripped in each hand. These select, stress ridden, and extremely hydrated few are the Iowa All State Choir hopefuls, frantically rehearsing to audition for what many Waukee singers have credited as the most rewarding experience of their lives. Waukee High School senior Adam Finch has participated in the Iowa All State choir for the past three years, an honor that can only be claimed by three others in the senior class. “The Iowa All State Choir is made up of a selection of singers from across the state who are accepted based on exceptional musicianship and musicality,” Finch said of the other members. “The process usually begins in July when singers learn the music--typically five or six songs.” After the music is learned, the singers are put into quartets, one person on each voice part, by the Waukee directors to audition for the group. “Each school is only allowed to audition 28 singers or seven quartets, and so, at a talented school like Waukee, it is difficult to even receive the opportunity to audition at all,” Finch explained. Although the months leading up to the audition and the audition itself are nerve wracking and stressful, most ‘All Staters’ can agree that the final performance in Hilton Coliseum makes all of their hard work worth it. Senior Emma Overholt, another ‘three-year’ member of the senior class, said that the feeling of singing in the All State Choir is unparallel to any other group that she has ever been a part of. “It is so beautiful… the music and the sound and the people you sit around-- everyone is just so insanely talented. I have been so blessed by the opportunity to participate like I have.”
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“My goal has always been to help the team win in whatever way possible, which has always been more important than stats.”
Moonlight Review
By: Averi Baudler “Adapting an unproduced play written by Tarell Alvin McCraney titled, “In Moonlight, Black Boys Look Blue,” Jenkins crafts a deeply philosophical screenplay that is centered in troubled social times but focuses on the psychological effects these have on the people that live through them.”
By: Cameron Wolff
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Waukee All State Singers 2016: Logan Akason (J), Grace Johnson (J), Katie Ingle (J), Regan Doud (J), Jocelyn Smith (J), Sucheta Hegde (Se), a Courtney McDermott (So), Mackenzie Devoto (So), Mary Roodnitsky mm E r o Seni (J), Zoe Wood (So), Emma Overholt (Se), Will Adams (J), Mason Remington (Se), Quinn Hemesath (J), Adam Finch (Se), Mark Albers (J), Cameron Briggs (J), Max Wiltse (J), Cooper Vittetoe (Se), Powell Hauber (So), Will Dolezal (Se), and Carter Youngblood (Se).
Carlie Littlefield Scores 1,000 Points
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Thanksgiving Go- To Recipies with Powell Hauber
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Finch felt the same way about the incomparable experience of singing in the choir, and added that this year was especially exciting for him. “I was very grateful to know that my hard work had paid off. This year was special for me in particular because my entire quartet was accepted, so it felt really good to know that we had created an ensemble that was able to work together and accomplish this feat.” While other members of the student body celebrate their state titles after a championship game or meet, the members of the All State Choir get to celebrate with 500 of the best singers in the state of Iowa during a concert that no participant will soon forget. Ad
am Finch
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oil is not for drinking Oil companies have been putting down pipelines for decades. Oftentimes, they’ve had to fight local residents in order to complete their construction, but they’ve almost always managed to go through with their projects. The Dakota Access Pipeline, so far, has been a different story. Worldwide resistance to the pipeline led to massive backlash that resulted in a temporary halt to building. The Standing Rock Sioux, with the support of hundreds of other tribes and thousands of people worldwide, have been protesting and obstructing the construction of the planned Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). According to the the DAPL website, it is a proposed 1,172 mile pipeline that is supposed to carry 470,000 barrels a day of mostly Canadian oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The DAPL is estimated to earn about 129 million dollars annually. The vast majority of the DAPL profits will end up in the pockets of Energy Transfer owner, Kelcy Warren. Warren’s net worth is 4 billion dollars. Although the DAPL is supposed to be a massive source of money, it really brings a host of problems with it. One issue is that the builders of the pipeline, Energy Transfer, used the law of eminent domain to take land from its owners in order to build the pipeline. Although they offer to pay the owners back for the land, many of them resent getting no say in the price paid or whether they wanted to sell the land in the first place. The Standing Rock Sioux also object to the pipeline cutting through their sacred land. The planned route of the pipeline travels underneath the Missouri river, posing a potential major health hazard. If the pipeline leaks even a small amount, it would not only contaminate the drinking water of the tribe, it would also threaten the drinking water of everyone along the river. Energy Transfer argues that their pipeline is built to never leak, however, there is significant evidence that it will. According to the PHMSA (the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration), there have been over 5,675 serious pipeline leaks across the country since 1996. These have resulted in 347 deaths, 1,346 injuries and over $7,542,390,190 in damages. With 308 leaks in 2015 alone, it is clear that it isn’t
OPINIONS BY: ETHAN ADATO
a question of if the Dakota Access Pipeline will leak, the question is when. When this happens, it will send oil directly into the Missouri river that would threaten the drinking water of millions of people. According to the DAPL website, the pipeline will be carrying sweet crude oil. Crude oil, when spilled, poses a serious threat to mammals. The oil becomes a sludge in the water and can be very hard to clean up. If the DAPL spewed crude oil into the Missouri river, it could ruin the drinking water for everyone downstream from the leak. In fact, the first proposed route of the DAPL traveled north of Bismarck, North Dakota but was moved closer to the Sioux reservation away from Bismarck after citizens in the city expressed concerns that the pipeline could endanger their water supply. This move illustrates the widespread belief that the pipeline could leak along with showing that Energy Transfer and their sponsors do not care about the well being of the Native Americans. The route move away from Bismarck to right next to the Sioux has caused massive controversy and helped to spark thousands of protesters. Celebrities including Shailene Woodley, Ben Affleck, Pharrell Williams, and Leonardo Dicaprio have stood up against the DAPL with Woodley being arrested during her time ing. On December 3rd, members protestof Green Day, Guns n Roses, Radiohead, Queen, Paramore, Pink Floyd and many others signed a letter that according to Rolling Stone reads “We are deeply disturbed by the police actions that have been taking place, where non-violent protests have been and continue to be met with extremely aggressive tactics including: being shot with water cannons in below-freezing temperatures, chemical weapons, rubber bullets and attack dogs. These are the same inhumane methods used during WWII and the civil rights movement.” The Sioux led the resistance and were the first to start protesting. The pipeline faced multiple road blocks and protester camps. The protests have been especially controversial due to the vicious police response. Private security hired by the pipeline launched attack dogs at protesters and their horses, resulting in numerous bites to people and horses alike. Police have repeatedly used sound cannons
to try to burst protester’s ears causing multiple injuries. According to reporter Dallas Goldtooth, on November 21st, police used water cannons to douse protesters during sub zero temperatures, giving more than 130 citizens hypothermia. Officers have repeatedly tried to shoot down drones filming them throughout the protests. According to the ACLU, more than 70 police departments sent troops and equipment to use on protesters. Police have also deliberately targeted journalists with rubber bullets. In footage from the Huffington Post, a journalist was in the middle of an interview when a sniper shot her in the back with a rubber bullet. Rubber bullets were also fired into the face of protesters causing eye injuries. One protester, according to the Bismarck emergency room, was struck by a tear gas canister in the face and will never be able to see through one eye again. The most aggressive police action occurred November 26th when police threw a concussion grenade at a crowd and nearly blew a woman’s arm off. Concussion grenades are non lethal when thrown near people but thrown directly at people, they can cause grievous injury. The police violence was so extreme that UN human rights observers were dispatched to watch the police response to protesters. The governor of North Dakota, decreed that all protesters must leave. According to NPR, the governor stated his reasoning is due to safety concerns. This contradicts his record of disregard for protesters health, notably allowing his police to give hundreds of protesters hypothermia, along with many brutal injuries. He also blocked all supplies from coming into the camps, which seems to come into conflict with his concern for protester safety. He also told emergency services to only consider responding to 911 calls by protesters on a case by case basis. The police were also trying to get rid of protesters by accusing them of federal crimes that they didn’t commit in order to hold them and delay their release. More than 100 federal charges were thrown out by North Dakota courts who have been overwhelmed with the 450 arrested protesters. At least three protesters are currently suing the Morton County Sheriff Office for their use of excessive force. The Morton County Sheriff Office, which lead the police effort in defending the pipeline acknowledged that they received monetary offers from oil companies to remove protesters.
Contiued on WaukeeArrowhead.com
Boys' Basketball // Girls' basketball 12/2 7:45pm Mason City, IA Location: Mason City High School Box Score: 76 - 74 (2OT) Loss 12/3 Mason City, IA Box Score: 76 - 74 Loss 12/6 7:45pm Des Moines East (Des Moines, IA) Location: Waukee High School Box Score: 68-30 Win 12/9 7:45pm Valley (West Des Moines, IA) Location: Waukee High School Box Score: 56-52 Win 12/13 7:45p Fort Dodge, IA Location: Fort Dodge High School 12/16 7:45pm Ames, IA Location: Ames High School 12/20 7:45pm Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill, IA) Location: Waukee High School 1/3 7:45pm @ Ankeny (Ankeny, IA) Location: Ankeny High School
1/6 7:45pm @ Valley (West Des Moines, IA) Location: Valley High School 1/10 7:45pm Roosevelt (Des Moines, IA) Location: Waukee High School 1/6 7:45pm Valley (West Des Moines, IA) Location: Valley High School 1/10 7:45pm Roosevelt (Des Moines, IA) Location: Waukee High School 1/17 7:45pm @ Johnston (Johnston, IA) Location: Johnston High School 1/20 7:45pm Ames (Ames, IA) Location: Waukee High School 1/21 4:30pm Linn-Mar (Marion, IA) Location: Linn-Mar High School 1/24 7:45pm Lincoln (Des Moines, IA) Location: Waukee High School 1/27 7:45pm @ Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill, IA) Location: Southeast Polk High School
Sports Managers
11/22 6:15pm Ottumwa, IA Location: Waukee High School Box Score: 78 - 31Win 12/2 6:15pm Mason City, IA Location: Mason City High School Box Score: 67 - 36Win
1/3 6:15pm Ankeny (Ankeny, IA) Location: Ankeny High School 1/3 6:15pm Ankeny (Ankeny, IA) Location: Ankeny High School 1/6 6:15pm Valley (West Des Moines, IA) Location: Valley High School 1/6 6:15pm Valley (West Des Moines, IA) 12/3 Location: Valley High School Mason City, IA 1/10 6:15pm Box Score: 67 - 36Win Roosevelt (Des Moines, IA) 12/6 6:15pm Location: Waukee High School Des Moines East 1/13 6:15pm (Des Moines, IA) Location: Waukee High School Ankeny Centennial (Ankeny, IA) Location: Waukee High School 12/9 6:15pm 1/17 6:15pm Valley @ Johnston (Johnston, IA) (West Des Moines, IA) Location: Johnston High School Location: Waukee High 1/20 6:15pm School Ames (Ames, IA) 12/13 6:15pm Location: Waukee High School Fort Dodge, IA 1/21 3:00pm Location: Fort Dodge High @ Linn-Mar (Marion, IA) School Game Details: Linn-Mar High School, 12/16 6:00pm Gym Ames, IA 1/24 6:15pm Location: Ames High School Lincoln (Des Moines, IA) 12/18 1:00pm Location: Waukee High School Olathe South (Olathe, KS) 1/27 6:15pm Location: Olathe South High @ Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill, Polk School High School, Gym 12/20 6:15pm 1/28 11:15pm Southeast Polk Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill, IA) (Pleasant Hill, IA) Location: Southeast Polk High School Location: Waukee High School
By: Grace Havnen
Students occupy the stands, shouting encouragement to the Warriors, but do they know what goes on behind the scenes? The sports managers play a major role in helping the team succeed. They race around, filling water bottles, getting equipment, and supporting the team. “We go to all the practices...and we also go to all the games,” said Morgan Halifax, a sophomore and one of the football managers. There is a lot of responsibility on the managers to always be with the team, ready to help. “We don’t just sit there and do nothing, we rebound their balls, fill water bottles, run the clock, help with injuries, and pretty much whatever the girls or coaches tell us to do,” said Paige Oswalt, junior manager of girls basketball. A managerial position requires a person who is social, willing to help the team, and enthusiastic. “I love being there and being part of the team. The other managers are great too,” Garrett Tigges, junior girls basketball manager shared. “Being at practice every day with the other managers creates a bond and a really good friendship,” Oswalt added on. Managers get to know the team, coaches, and their co-managers very well throughout the season, making the experience even more fun. During the season, the managers become great friends with each other as well as the team they’re managing for. “Hanging out with the team is really fun! If I didn’t become a manager I would have never met some of the people that I am close friends with now,” Oswalt expressed. “Helping manage the football team has prepared me a lot for my future. I’ve learned more about what I’m interested in and how to stay dedicated to one thing for a long time,” said Halifax. Learning these valuable lessons while still in high school can really help you succeed
in college and adulthood. Managers may be overlooked by the the student body at times, but they work hard to help the team out, along with the coaches.
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