Sports program focuses on preventing injury —Page 8
Vol. 21, No. 4
Caucus teens will influence June politics —Page 4 CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 425 East 11th Street DeWitt, Iowa 52742 563-659-0715 • www.central-clinton.k12.ia.us
June 7, 2008
Students stew over new lunch routine Nicole Paarmann, Tonya Vrba, & Kelsey Roth As soon as the bell for lunch rang on Monday, April 28, students were to report to the multipurpose room, otherwise known as the wrestling room, for lunch. “I wasnʼ’t used to going a totally different way to go eat lunch,” Jesse Dau said. “I found myself going towards the old cafeteria several times this week.” Although students are now familiar with the change, many are not pleased with eating in a room that is used for wrestling practice. “It still smells like sweaty guys,” Shayla Hippler said. “Itʼ’s gross because they wrestle in that room almost every day during season. Who knows whatʼ’s on those mats!” “Of all places, they put us in the wrestling room,” said Lauren Jerew. “Why couldnʼ’t they just wait until summer to finish the new cafeteria?” This is a question that has been on the minds of many students as they walk to the multipurpose room for lunch every day. Why not wait until the summer? The answer is simple: time frame. “All the construction is supposed to be done by the 23rd of July,” said Luanne Barber. “Thereʼ’s a lot of electrical work to be done. Theyʼ’re already taking out walls.” Itʼ’s not just the new placement of a “cafeteria” that has created a stir among students. Things like the change of food,
lunchroom utensils and after-lunch accommodations have created complaints. “Eating sandwiches in bags is getting kind of old,” said Jennifer Keitel. “We need more of a variety of food. Part of the reason the meals seem the same every day is because of the beef recall a few months back. “I had to destroy 38 fourty-pound cases of beef,” said Barber. “It had a huge impact on our menu. “Iʼ’m already sick of cold lunches,” said Adam Lee, “and we should get new food every day, like the pizza we had one day from Pizza Hut.” The multipurpose room, while having more space than the old lunch room, has no water or heat facilities for the cooks to use. This minor annoyance to students has been a huge challenge for those working in the lunch room. “The entire year has been a challenge,” said Barber. “To start [the construction] they had to take our outside freezer and cooler.” Anything hot that the students get for lunch is made at the Congressional Church, who generously allow the school to use its cooking facilities. All of the salads and wraps are also made there. “Weʼ’re doing the absolute best we can,” said Barber. “Weʼ’ve stayed with state guidelines.” Despite all the challenges the year has brought, the lunch ladies still manage to feed every hungry student that walks into their lunch room. “I think it worked out pretty good,” said Barber. By the time school begins for the 2008-2009 year, students will have a brand new lunch room to eat in. Nicole Waack was the very last student to go through the lunch line in a cafeteria more than 50 years old.
Last hurrah. Holding her lunch card to the scanner, Nicole Waack becomes the very last student to go through 50 years of lunch lines in the cafeteria, as Mrs. Jackie Appler and Food Service Director Luanne Barber check the transaction. Contributed photo.
It’s a work in progress. Construction efforts for the new cafeteria get underway. Contributed photo.
A different dish to ponder Katie Dorpinghaus Guest Columnist A scoop for you... Karen Daniels switches from cleaning up to dishing out fruit.
Lunch is served. Deanna Wagener, Sue Foote and Betty Diedrich work in their hardhats as construction begins.
Ah, a break. Betty Diedrich rests after making 600 ranger cookies.
Keeping it clean. Eleanor Lowery wipes down the tables after after lunch. af
When the lunch bell rings these days, students arenʼ’t rushing to the cafeteria anymore. Now the daily lunchtime sprint is made to a different place — our very own multi-purpose room — formerly known as the wrestling room. Donʼ’t let the name change confuse you. The room is still adorned with the rolled up mats, team pictures and inspirational statements weʼ’re used to seeing, but now they share the area with our lunch tables, food and hordes of hungry teenagers. No matter what you think, eating in the wrestling room for the last month of school is well worth the new cafeteria we will be dining in next year. Thatʼ’s right, the Cen-
tral Clinton Community High School of Clinton County is replacing the cafeteria weʼ’ve had since 1958. Some improvements in cafeteria design have probably been made these last 50 years, and since our student population has grown slightly, our new cafeteria might even be bigger than the old one. In addition to the promise of a new cafeteria, the school has decided to depart from our normal nutrition regimen in favor of Pizza Thursday to keep us going. Now we are served pizza from various local restaurants every Thursday until the end of the year. Not only that, we also have hamburger-on-the-grill days, and an assortment of sides at every meal. Happiness is a relative term, and with weekly pizza, Iʼ’d be overjoyed to eat in the wrestling room for the rest of my high school experience.
ON CAMPUS
Purple Onion June 7, 2008 Vol. 21, No. 4
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Color differences fade for the ʻ‘Yʼ’ generation Liz Adolphi Feature Writer Color may be a thing of the past with the “Y” generation, who were born between 1977 and 1994, reaching adulthood. Central senior Shatai Joiner believes racism is hogwash. “I think people who are racist form opinions based on lack of knowledge and stereotypes,” Joiner said. “No one has fl at out told me they didn’t like me because of my skin, but I have experienced indirect racism like ‘You’re one of the few black people I like.’ “It annoys me but I don’t let it get to me too much,” she continued. “I just
Sounds Like That Anna Carr Review Writer I came across Sounds Like This this past December in Best Buy. The album cover caught my eye and I wanted to hear something new. Eric Hutchinson is a relatively new and unknown artist. His style is different and it just wouldnʼ’t be right to compare him to anyone else. He sets himself apart from the rest by making comical observations of everyday life. As I listened to the album for the first time, each song seemed catchier than the previous; the rhythms and melodies stayed in my head all day. Hutchinson has an acoustic, blues sound and heʼ’s a solo act so you know itʼ’s all him. He sings, he plays the guitar and the piano. When listening to the album, I can really tell heʼ’s pouring his heart out and telling his history in his songs. And did I mention...heʼ’s gorgeous! If I havenʼ’t suggested Eric Hutchinson to you in person, Iʼ’m definitely telling you now to go to his Myspace and listen to a couple of his songs.
Central Community High School Old Highway 30 East DeWitt, IA 52742 Editor in Chief: Erin McDonnell Features Co-Editors: Ashley McDonnell and Nicole Paarmann Sports Editors: Josh Kueter Arts & Entertainment Editors: Erin McDonnell and Tonya Vrba Opinion Editors: Tonya Vrba and Erin McDonnell On Campus Editors: Abby Hunter, Loren Knudson and Alan Stephenson Editorial Cartoonists: Mackenzie Walker and Loren Knudson Adviser: Mrs. Christine Gilroy
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realize that they’re ignorant and that most racist people don’t actually know people of that race personally. They just like to stereotype.” Growing up in a small town can have its advantages for trying to escape racism. “Yeah, [people] aren’t running around lynching [other] people every day,” Joiner said, “but in larger cities like L.A. you’ll see a lot more racism than in DeWitt or Des Moines.” Older adults remember what life used to be like when they could see signs of racism on every street corner. “This is just a culture thing for kids,” said Linda Tucker, an African-American who works at the Rock Island Arsenal as a systems analyst. “I believe my grandchildren are a little too young to see the real color,” Tucker continued. “The only questions that they Paper or Plastic? Shatai Joiner scans one of her many customerʼ’s groceries have asked are why some Afro-American during a hectic night at Barnes Foodland. Joiner believes that people are racist because of their lack of knowledge and stereotyping. Photo by Liz Adolphi. people are darker than others.” Tucker, growing up in Missouri during “It [racism] is wrong and it needs to go Even with all of these hateful events the 1940s, had to endure the cruelty of occurring, it may be possible to learn to away,” Rivera said. When explaining his racism at that time. “Experience with color was really bad control or diminish racism if people start in thoughts on why people are racist, Rivera said that it was “because [white] people coming up for a few years,” Tucker said. their own neighborhoods and homes. Growing up as an African-American don’t like [other people’s darker skin] “When going to a public eating place, we would have to go to the back door. They in a small town can be diffi cult, Judah color or where they’re from, [like South Africa].” had restrooms for whites and restrooms for Turnquist, a graduate of Central, found. “I could confront them or beat them “People here or there said comments, but blacks; they had water fountains for whites, they had water fountains for blacks. If you I took it to [the school] offi ce,” Turnquist up,” Rivera said. “[But] I would probably got caught drinking out of the whites’ water said. “I would ignore them. People have leave the situation alone.” Although racism isn’t as noticeable in opinions and have somewhat of a right to fountain, you would get punished. some areas, it still exists. A color-blind However, in this, age as color becomes share them,” he added. One day you can be best friends with world is an unfulfi lled dream of so many more common in some areas, it seems that someone, and then the next day, a fi ght people. racism has already begun to erode. When Martin Luther King, Jr., led the “I look at your family and I see no causes hatred, Turnquist found. “I used to have a really good friend, and Civil Rights Movement, he had a dream color,” Tucker said. “I can look at another family and I do see color, just by their we got into a big fi ght,” Turnquist said. — a dream that even in the 21st Century actions toward me. I try to get along with “She decided to go around throwing racial has yet to come true: “I have a dream that one day this nation everyone. Sometimes I have to try harder slurs at me, and the weird part was she was will rise up and live out the true meaning always against the ‘n’ word but used it.” than other times,” she said. “Yes, there might be respect for the of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be Even with the hope of people getting along with others, some still struggle with African-Americans somewhat, but the self-evident: that all men are created the effects of racism in the world. A few controversy will never stop,” Turnquist equal’…And when this happens, when said. However, there are “not as many we allow freedom to ring, when we let it incidents are more notorious than others. At Texas A & M, two white students groups that support white pride” anymore, ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be posted a video on YouTube portraying a he added. When someone transfers to a new high able to speed up that day when all of God’s slave-to-master relationship. The student portraying the master mock-whipped and school, it’s hard enough to make friends children, black men and white men, Jews sexually assaulted the student portraying without people judging them by skin color. and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, the slave, who was wearing black shoe Tomas Rivera, a junior at Central High will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at School, had to face a similar problem. polish . “[People] treat me differently,” Rivera last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we An event more shocking was the are free at last!” skeleton hanging from the ceiling at the said. “[They like to] play jokes on me. “Halloween in the Hood” party at the Sigma Chi fraternity at Johns Hopkins University. The invitations sent out had called Baltimore an “HIV pit” and called African-American students terrible names. African-American students felt the skeleton was a symbol of lynching. The biggest shock of 2007 was the Jena 6 case in Jena, La. One hot afternoon two African-American students reclined under the so-called “white” tree on the school’s campus. The white students hung nooses from that very tree, and when the African- American students protested how easily the white students got away with hanging the nooses, District Attorney Reed Walters told the students that he could “take [their] lives away with a stroke of [his] pen.” As racial tension continued to rise, a white supporter of the students who had hung the nooses taunted an African- American student and called him the ‘n’ word. The white student was beaten by six African-American students, who were Hold Still. Mackenzie Walker runs a pick through Tomas Riveraʼ’s hair as Sadie Banowetz looks on. Photo by Liz Adolphi. charged with attempted murder.
FEATURES
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Purple Onion June 7, 2008 Vol. 21, No. 4
Caucus teens have a say in June politics Brian Cheney Feature Writer
In Americaʼ’s present age of political uncertainties, where crude oil prices have peaked and the economy has faltered, no longer are youth the future — they are the now. Matt Reynolds, a senior at Central High School, is a driving force behind student politics as the county delegate for the Republican party. Todayʼ’s caucuses and tomorrowʼ’s elections, areas long thought out of reach for young adults, are quickly becoming focal points for young conMatt Reynolds noisseurs of political science. “The issues affecting todayʼ’s teens are global warming, foreign conflict and the economy,” Reynolds said. ”We arenʼ’t just going to sit back and watch these things happen.” Reynolds is not the only one with concerns. This winter a large group of young people attended Iowaʼ’s local caucuses. “The big story of the Iowa caucuses was not Barack Obama or Mike Huckabee,” said Shawn Rolland, public information officer for the Iowa Department of Economic Development in Des Moines. “Itʼ’s that turnout exceeded expectations on both sides but dramatically for the Democrats,” Rolland continued, “where young people came out for Obama, the Democratic winner, in droves. “Young voters were the biggest chunk of support for Obama by far,” Rolland said.
In fact, only 18 percent of Obamaʼ’s support came from seniors, according to the United States Election Project. Youth supported both winners — Senator Obama (D) and Governor Mike Huckabee (R) — by the largest margins of any age group. Overall participation in Iowa caucuses by young people ages 18-25 increased threefold this year, contributing to an already astounding turnout rate. Voters under 30 made a showing of more than 21,000 at the Iowa caucuses, said CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. Brandon Larison and Elizabeth Demmon both commented on the large numbers in attendance at the caucuses. “One thing that I remember vividly was the chaos created due to the abundance of people,” Demmon said. “It was very hectic, but I donʼ’t think that it was necessarily a bad thing,” Larison said. “It was great to see so many people getting involved. You can tell that the upcoming elections have lit the fires under a lot of people.” Brady McNeil, a Republican, attended the Welton Township caucus held at Bliedorn Church. Colleen Kelly, also a Republican, caucused at Central High School in DeWitt. McNeil, along with Marcy Mueller, caucused for Fred Thompson; McNeil, Reynolds and Farrell were selected delegates to the county convention, and have made plans to attend the state convention June 13-14. “It is important for youth to get involved because it is the easiest way for them to get their voice heard,” McNeil said. “If they want something done this is how to do it.” McNeilʼ’s values are deeply rooted in conventional conservatism. “I am concerned mainly with the strong conservative issues of the Republican party such as the proliferation of our military,
immigration, gun control and staying in Iraq as long as we have to, but I do take a slightly liberal side in the support of alternative energies,” McNeil said. Attending the Brady McNeil Democratic caucus in DeWitt along with Larison and Demmon were Will Farrell, Courtney Freese and Alan Stephenson. Anthony Dierickx, a Democrat from Welton Township, caucused in Delmar at the Delwood school. “It was a brand new experience for me,” Dierickx said. “Iʼ’m usually not the type of person who gets involved in politics but the upcoming election promises to be con-
troversial.” Dierickx, along with many other youth, expressed his approval of Democratic candidate Barack Obama. “Obamaʼ’s champaign has given a main focus to young adults in America,” Dierickx said. “It is a strategy which is really helping him to gain votes and edge out the competition.” One thing remains constant over gender differences and across party lines. “Adults commented numerous times declaring their approval of my attendance,” Farrell said. “When running for county delegate, I capitalized on the old-lady vote to secure myself a place at the county caucus.” The same held true for Republicans. “I was astounded by the reaction of the older people,” Reynolds said. ”They were very excited to see that the younger generations were taking an interest.”
What’s your point? Matt Reynolds, Larry Larison and Mac Roberts listen to Brady McNeil talk about a hot topic during a caucus session. Photo by Brian Cheney.
Students on the run over T-shirts Anna Carr & Alan Stephenson Staff Writers The new shirts created and sold by the boysʼ’ track distance runners are a most controversial issue at Central. The highlighter pink on black on the front of the shirt brings your eye directly to the notorious words “Pimpinʼ’ ainʼ’t easy” and thatʼ’s not all. The back adds “because girls donʼ’t like the guys that finish in under 12 seconds.” Several members of the track team came up with idea. “Itʼ’s one of my favorite and original quotes,” said Aaron Cain, one contributor to the shirt. The administration has required several students to turn the shirt inside out or even change it while wearing it. It seems as if the administration will never be on the
same page with the students when it comes to certain items. The coaches have their own opinions on the shirts. “I donʼ’t like them and we have more important things to worry about than shirts,” said Varsity Coach Jered Birt. It is understandable that a coach would be miffed by such a distraction to the team. “I donʼ’t like them because they donʼ’t need shirts to promote themselves,” said Coach Ryan Streets. “All they have to do is fun faster to promote themselves.” Although the shirts have also distracted the coaches, they have brought a great amount of attention to the team. Students are more likely to go see the boys run than they were before because they want to see if they really last as long as they claim. Students obviously love the shirts. “They are mighty hilarious,” Brittany Hughes said. “They are sweet, “ Will Maass said. Teachers have had trouble with some students who refused to change their shirts.
One student even verbally fought with an administrator over the subject. These shirts have created much controversy, and it is no surprise that the students
have chosen to go against the rules and wear them to school. The color and their contents make them irresistible to students, especially rebellious seniors.
Controversial T-shirts. These student-originated T-shirts made by the Central distance runners have caused a controversy between the administration and students at the high school. Photo by Alan Stephenson.
Purple Onion June 7, 2008 Vol. 21, No. 4
FEATURES
For teens, everyday life can be full of stress Lucas Nastruz Feature Writer
A 27-pound book bag, two hours of practice after school, chores at home and donʼ’t forget about homework. This is the typical stressful day of a teenager. “With all the activities every day,” said Cassie Sheehan, a sophomore, “it gets real stressful, and I donʼ’t feel like I have enough time for anything.” Sheehan is a regular victim of stress, with family, school, and track. Not only schoolwork and extracurricular activities, but family problems as well, leave teens overwhelmed and with no time to themselves. Studies show one-third of teens have stress. There are ways to deal with stress. Some suggestions include taking a bath, punching a pillow, and even meditating. The actions that cause stress are called stressors. There are two types of stress. There is good stress and there is bad stress. Good stress includes excitement and joy. Bad stress includes being scared or sad. Some signs of stress include headache, carelessness, and anger outbursts. With the changes and worries of a personʼ’s life, the body has a natural reaction called a stress response, which helps the body deal with pressure. The stress response can be a number of reactions including faster heart rate, sweating or a stomachache. But there is a problem with the stress response. Sometimes, it
can overreact or fail to shut itself off. A little stress isnʼ’t a bad thing. Being a little stressed out for a test can even help students study for it. But stress overload can turn ugly. Stress overload is caused by stress that is too intense or lasts for too long. For Julie Eggers, a nurse at Wyndcrest Nursing Home in Clinton, stress is not only part of the life of her patients, but for her as well. Eggers works with about 80 patients every day. Eggers says patients deal with a lot of stresses like pain, being in a strange place, special equipment, finances, family and even certain fears. “Itʼ’s important for a nurse to explain the process and make sure both you and the patient stay calm,” Eggers said. “You also have to follow through with everything you say.” Eggers said medications canʼ’t cure stress. They do help, but therapy is also needed. “To be a nurse you need to do a lot of critical thinking and you have to be an effective listener,” she said. “Communication skills are also needed.” There are three stages of stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. In the alarm stage, adrenaline will be produced. In the resistance stage, your body tries to deal with and adapt to the stress. The third and final stage is exhaustion, where all of the bodyʼ’s power is used up and the body canʼ’t function normally. Researchers realize that feelings like exhaustion, frustration, and anxiety could come together in one word called stress. In 1956 Hans Selye used an experiment
5 Soccer girls vie to be champs Leanna Hasenmiller Staff Writer Building off their success from last yearʼ’s season, the Saber girlsʼ’ soccer team has gotten off to a fantastic start. Despite losing their first game to Davenport Central, they came out strong to achieve a 4-1 record in conference play. “The season is going better than we thought,” said goalie Megan Goodall. “People have stepped up and we have a chance to make it to state this year.” The Sabers lost their next conference game against West Delaware, but are still in the running for becoming conference champions.
How was your day? Hope Kruse steps through her front door, exhausted after a long day of lugging books and a heavy track bag. Photo by Lucas Nastruz. where he exposed animals to harmful objects and environments like injections and temperature changes. He found out that all of the animals had similar reactions that broke into the three stages and described this reaction as the General Adaptation Syndrome.
Taking college in high school Tonya Vrba Opinion Editor After living it up all prom-night long and feeling all but dead the following Sunday, the most anticipated events were the numerous Advanced Placement, or AP, tests that followed on Monday. Students who attempt these tests spend the school year taking college level AP classes and hand over the equivalent cost of one college credit to take the tests. “Thereʼ’s lots of pressure,” said guidance counselor Nancy Murphy. “Itʼ’s still worth taking the chance if you figure youʼ’re out one college credit, but youʼ’d get three college credits if you pass the test.” Most students who take AP courses take them for reasons other than the test and college credit at the end of the year. “I didnʼ’t want to be bored in a regular class,” Liz Demmon said. “I like to challenge myself,” Marcy Mueller said. “I heard the class was going to be difficult, and it was true.” Most of the students who make the decision to take AP courses have been in honors classes during their previous three years of high school, but not all of them end up taking the AP tests. “I still donʼ’t know [if I will take the test],” said Erin Burmester. “I donʼ’t want to deal with the stress right now.” Other students, seeing that there are fewer than 10 days left for seniors, have already shut down. A college AP test is out
Oomph. Megan Goodall punts the ball upfi eld after a great save. Contributed photo.
Not a moment to lose for track Loren Knudson Staff Writer Whew, what a week. AP students Liz Adolphi, Nicole Paarmann, Brian Zinda, Will Farrell and Tonya Vrba gather at the NHS blood drive check-in table and discuss their week of woe — the many AP tests the week right after prom. Students sweated 3-2-1, the seasonʼ’s almost done. As anthe results of tests that would count for college credit. Photo by Marissa Martin. other track season nears the end, runners are at the peak of their season. of the question. their hardest to get their college credit. After dropping numerous seconds off ”Itʼ’s the end of senior year,” said Anna “I think I can, I think I can, I think I their personal records, runners from both Carr. “So, no thanks. My brain is done for can,” said Dani Witt, approaching the AP boysʼ’ and girlsʼ’ track made it to Drake rethe year.” tests in the style of “The Little Engine That lays in Des Moines. The girlsʼ’ track team Regardless, the AP class itself is a prepa- Could.” members who made it to Drake are Kayla ratory class for the test and teachers recom“My parents are paying,” Liz Demmon Selby, Michelle Green, Erica Shebler, Hilmend taking the test at the end of the year. said, “and I might as well see if I can get a ary Drury and Erin Burmester. “If you go into an AP class,” said Mrs. good score.” Burmester threw a whopping 119-6 toss Murphy, “I hope itʼ’s for the intention of “I have suffered through this school year to place and qualified for finals. Drury, taking the test at the end of the year.” and I am going to take the test,” Marcy Green, Schebler and Selby ran the 4x100 She does agree, however, that the tests Mueller said. “I would have wasted my meter relay at Drake. are not for everyone. “Some students sim- time and energy [if I didnʼ’t], and I want my Boys who made it to Drake are Ryan ply are not good test takers. Itʼ’s up to how college credit.” Daniels, Ben Comer, Ben Lubben, Seb The AP Government test was held Meggers and Adam McDonnell. Lubben the students personally feel. The tests are Monday; AP Stat, Tuesday; AP Calculus, started the 4x100 meter relay, followed not cheap.” Many brave students, who dared to fight Wednesday; and AP Literature, Thursday. by Meggers, Comer and anchor Daniels. off the fatigue of prom weekend, came into Students hope to see the results of their However, their 45.57 4x100 meter relay the ICN room at 8 a.m. last week to try tests by the third week of July. wasnʼ’t fast enough to qualify for finals.
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Purple Onion June 7, 2008 Vol. 21, No. 4
Alternative school: What are the perks, challenges? Lower dropout rate a credit; some students feel threat of competition over grades Brady McNeil & Katie Dorpinghaus Feature Writers
with Lucas Nastruz
Itʼ’s a separate building. Some donʼ’t even know it exists. It is what remains of the schoolʼ’s old bus barn west of the high school. It is the alternative high school, where at-risk students can go to get help to fulfill their credits and graduate. “The alternative school gives kids who canʼ’t be in the traditional school a chance to graduate so they donʼ’t drop out,” said Mrs. Colleen Flathers, director and teacher at the alternative high school. Enrolling in alternative school enabled Danielle Overy, for example, to keep up with her schooling after she had a baby. “If my son is sick,” Overy said, “it is easier for me to miss school because I donʼ’t have to make up work like lectures or quizzes on specific days.” Overy can turn in missing assignments on her own schedule. Many kids across the country are trying to get into alternative schools. In fact, 54 percent of districts Danielle Overy with alternative schools and programs for at-risk students reported that within the last three years there were cases where demand for enrollment exceeded capacity, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Central is not the only district that houses its alternative school in a different building. In fact, 59 percent of all alternative high schools in the nation are housed in a separate facility, according to the National Center For Educational Statistics. “Most alternative schools are housed in a separate building to be their own entity,” Ms. Pam Courtney, at-risk coordinator for the district, said. “Most (alternative) students feel rejected by the regular school and want a place where they are accepted.” Sarah Carr is one student who sought out the alternative school for success. “I heard from my brother that if you werenʼ’t planning on graduating on time, you will be if you come to the alternative school,” Carr said. Alternative school lowers dropout rate “There are many reasons for students
coming over here,” Mrs. Flathers said. “They are behind in credits, pregnant, they missed too much school due to illness, they dropped out and now want to come back, they believe they are social outcasts; one studentʼ’s mom was injured and they needed to take trips to Iowa City a lot.” Ms. Courtney concurs. “Basically, the traditional school doesnʼ’t work for them,” she said. “Weʼ’ve had gifted kids who get bored with traditional school, students who have to work to support their family and need to schedule around that, or whose attendance is low for whatever reason.” While some regular high school students question the academic rigor at the alternative school, officials will point out the value of alternative school in encouraging students to stay in school and graduate. “The benefit is lowering the dropout rate,” Ms. Courtney said. “If students arenʼ’t successful in the traditional school, what other options are there? In bigger schools, if you donʼ’t like a teacher, you can switch. Here, you donʼ’t have that choice. Itʼ’s a disadvantage of being in a small school.” Ms. Courtney enlarged the issue to perceptions. “Negativity is a constant battle with people who donʼ’t understand what free education is about,” she said. Getting ready for the workplace Alternative high school also gets students ready for the world of work. “I am definitely more ready to enter the workplace compared to when I first came over here,” Reed Birmingham said. “We need to have the alternative high school because some kids donʼ’t know how to work with other students.” “Everyone thinks these are bad kids,” Flathers said. “They are not, they just need a little help at times to keep them on track.” “It is better over here at our own pace,” Birmingham said, “and we donʼ’t have homework. If your worksheets arenʼ’t done right, you can do them again.” Getting into the alternative school isnʼ’t that hard, according to Birmingham. “When Reed Birmingham I chose to come over here I just had to have a meeting with Colleen (Mrs. Flathers) and Ms. Courtney.” Alternative school students do lose some benefits students get at the high school. “We have no space between classes, and we work all day,” Birmingham said. But alternative school has benefits most students can relate to. “Itʼ’s a lot quieter and easier to get your work done,” said Overy,
Enjoying a holida holiday meal are alternative schoolers Reed Birmingham, Matt Ertz, David Fier, Jenny Wolever, Bethanee Johnson, Chris Jansen and Tony Anderson. Contributed photo. “because we donʼ’t talk just to talk.” This helps students to get better grades. “I was getting Dʼ’s and Fʼ’s and now I am almost straight Bʼ’s,” Birmingham said. “Students are self-motivated,” Ms. Courtney said. “It teaches time management, like college, when you have to schedule your own classes and work time.” Before coming to the alternative school, Ashley Brix said she wondered about what it would be like, but she was not afraid or hesitant. “I didnʼ’t go with rumors, I believed everything Ms. Courtney said,” Brix said. Brix finds the environment of the alternative school a relief. “Everybody around here knows each other, so there is no drama or gossip,” Brix said. Grading is an issue Some regular students feel the alternative school grading system is easier, and therefore negatively affects their high school student ranking. Both Mrs. Flathers and Ms. Courtney disagree. “The course work is the same,” Ms. Courtney said. “Any class you can take here you can take at the alternative school. The information is the same, but the approach is different. It teaches a work ethic.” “They work very hard,” Mrs. Flathers said. “The grades here do not affect the grades at the high school. If they leave with a D average, they stay with a D average so it does not affect regular high school ranking. Everything they need to do is written down and students are given packets. Some students say the packets are harder.” “Itʼ’s all individualized,” Ms. Courtney continued. “Thatʼ’s the biggest difference: Kids work at their own pace. They have the opportunity to redo their work. They get a second chance. Itʼ’s not, ʻ‘Oh, you failed a test, now youʼ’re screwed.ʼ’” Ms. Courtney said individualizing the instruction was important. “The biggest challenge is finding out what works for each kid to make them successful,” she
said. “Thatʼ’s also the fun part. If kids arenʼ’t excited about learning, they arenʼ’t going to care. Any teacherʼ’s job is to get people excited about learning.” Students at the alternative high school defend the way they learn. “We do the same work, we should get the same diploma,” Overy said. “So far,” Flathers said, “63 students have graduated from the alternative school, with as few as three and as many as 13 some years. We are planning to graduate three more at the end of the year.” “Many students have gone on to become successful,” Mrs. Flathers continued. “We have people who have stayed in this area and now have respectable jobs in the community, we have kids going to St. Ambrose that are on the deanʼ’s list, we have kids at Capri, the list goes on,” she said. “The best way to succeed over here is to be determined and hardworking,” Mrs. Flathers said. “I really enjoy seeing kids succeed that others had given up hope on.”
Opportunity. Central’s alternative school offers at-risk students another chance. Contributed photo. Alternative high schools are common in the nation, with 39 percent of public school districts administering at least one alternative school or program for at-risk students during the 2000-2001 school year, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.
ʻ‘Vegasʼ’ a night to remember Liz Adolphi Staff Writer Prom 2008, “A Night in Vegas,” Saturday, May 3, was one of the few chances for friends to be together before graduation. As many of the senior class hoped, Brandon “Larry” Larison was crowned king and Meghan Wing was crowned queen. After-prom turned out to be even better than last year. Instead of fake money, there were punch cards that equaled $100,000 each. There were some new games, like Guitar Hero, and there were some that have
been there the last couple years like the obstacle course. The main entertainment this year was once again Brian Inbus—the hypnotist. One act that was back by popular demand was where all the boys were nine months pregnant with a 300-pound baby. The boys went through the birthing process as the girls were acting as nurses, which caused the crowd to roar in laughter. The prizes for the raffle and the auction were so useful for seniors. There were rugs, suitcases, trashcans, laptop carriers, etc. All in all, “A Night in Vegas” was a night of good fortune.
Prom royalty. King and queen candidates Dylan Azinger, Mallory Hall, Elyce Bark and Michael Hedrick surround the prom queen and king, Meghan Wing and Brandon Larison. Photo by Marissa Martin.
Purple Onion June 7, 2008 Vol. 21, No. 4
STATE STUFF
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FFAers return with huge crop of ag awards DeWittʼ’s chapter was busy on Monday, Mary Broadfoot with three different group contests going on at once. Jennifer Lane, Matt Costello, Feature Writer Amanda Frank, Patrick Deidrich, Levi Wagner, AJ McNeil, and Logan Kennedy The DeWitt Central FFA chapter was participated in the Conduct of Meetings kept busy at the 2008 State FFA Leadership contest and won fourth place in the state Conference held on the Iowa State Campus and a silver emblem. in Ames, Iowa, April 14-15. The Ag Issues and Perceptions team did Centralʼ’s Ag Ed advisor, Mr. Dan Smicker, a skit about hog confinement operations Sunday, April 13, with 36 eager students and their negative and positive impact and ready to participate and compete over the received a gold emblem, ranking third in next couple days in a variety of activities. the state. Members of the team included The livestock judging team of Brady Mary Broadfoot — substituting for Will McNeil, Meghan Henningsen, Logan Ken- Farrell at state track, Chelsea Grant, Anna nedy and Stuart McCulloh received a sec- Mangan, Nick McClimon, Brady McNeil ond place team win and Brady won second and Karen Whitman. place as an individual as well. Monday was Chapter Display Judging with the display board depicting different aspects of the chapterʼ’s local Rake Nʼ’ Run community service project. Renee Christiansen, Adam Goodall, Chas Cahill, Mary Broadfoot, Karen Whitman, and Lauren Weirup received a gold emblem. Karen Whitman competed in the “FFA Idol” talent competition, twirling her way to a second place win. Tuesday Carrie Demmon, Easten Lovelace, Luke Weirup, and Will Hunter made up the Ag Sales team and received a gold emblem and Carrie nabbed a first place win in the knowledge quiz area of the contest. The Farm Business Management team Bigger than my winning chicken. Easten of Brady McNeil, Brandon Frank, Travis Lovelace meets the Iowa State Univer- Frazier and Tommy McConohy won a gold sity mascot “Cy” during a visit to the emblem and 11th place in the state. Greencareer fair at state FFA convention. Con- hand Quiz participants Logan Kennedy won silver emblem, and AJ McNeil, bronze tributed photo.
emblem. Lauren Weirup was accepted in the State FFA Choir and used Tuesday to put the finishing touches on their musical selections and performance. DeWitt Central FFA had four first-place proficiency awards at the state level. Proficiency awards are written by the student about his/her Supervised Agricultural Experience project and are judged at district level before they can go on to state. DeWitt entered 19 proficiency awards with 18 advancing to state competition. The four winners were Jacob Hunter in ag education; Brandon McCulloh in turf grass management; Karen Whitman in specialty crop production; and Nick McClimon in wildlife production and management. Central had four second place winners: Karin McCulloh in organic agriculture; Sam Schmidt in forage crop production; Megan Goodall in vegetable production; and Brandon Frank in dairy production. Also receiving awards at state were five gold emblem recipients and five silver emblem recipients. Gold emblem winners were Easten Lovelace, Brady McNeil, Stuart McCulloh, Patrick Diedrich and Adam Goodall. Silver emblem winners were Billy Borota, Mary Broadfoot, Matt Costello, Will Hunter and Matt Wiese. Meghan Henningsen received a gold emblem at district conference, but did not advance to state. There are so many opportunities for success at State Convention, but these would not be available to these students without the help of their local Alumni chapter, businesses, parents, chaperones, and of course their dedicated advisor, Mr. Dan Smicker.
State bowlers compete in Fort Dodge Ashley McDonnell Feature Editor
DeWitt USBC Youth Bowling Team had their annual state bowling tournament April 19-20 in Fort Dodge. Teams divided up and took the long trip to Fort Dodge. Members from high school included Cassie Frahm, Laura Busch (2007 graduate), Renee Anderson, Ashley McDonnell, Nicole Haack, Brittney Hess, Taylor Maynard, Jamie Carrier, Matt Michaelsen, John Gilroy, Derek Daniels, Sebastian Meggers, Marshall Nicolay, Lucas Blondell, Austin Daniels, Caleb Gustafson and Oakley Warren. Every year seems to get better for the bowlers. People from all over Iowa come to these tournaments and there are new faces to know every year. “This year was better because I had friends bowling with me and people to hang out with,” Cassie Frahm said. “The best part is meeting new people that I wouldnʼ’t have met otherwise. I learned tips from them,” Frahm added. Just staying in a hotel with friends is a blast. Playing guitar hero, watching movies, swimming, and staying up all night, or just relaxing in the hot tub are great things to
experience with your friends. “Staying in a suite and hanging out with my team [Marshall and John] is a lot of fun. I also got a 600 series during bowling,” Derek Daniels said. There was food for everyone. “You definitely didnʼ’t leave hungry. If you did leave
hungry, you were crazy. It was great,” said Laura Busch. “The worst part is the fact that itʼ’s probably our [Ashley McDonnellʼ’s and my] last year bowling together. But state bowling is all just a blast. The hotel, all the different lanes, and making new friends.”
State participants: Renee Anderson, State participants: Caleb Gustafson, Brittney Hess, Nicole Haack, Cassie Jared Urwin, Taylor Maynard, Matt MiFrahm, Laura Busch, Ashley McDonnell. chaelsen, Oakley Warren.
State participants: John Gilroy, Lucas Blondell, Marshall Nicolay, Jamie Carrier, Derek Daniels, Austin Daniels.
Winning travel league team: These girls won 2nd place in the 2007-2008 Junior Travel League. Renee Anderson, Nicole Haack, Ashley McDonnell, Laura Busch, Cassie Frahm.
Brimming over. Sam Biggart, Kate Heetland and Kenny Holm eased the tension at state speech with some laughter and good times. Photo by Tonya Vrba.
W Winners revel in wins at speech contest Tonya Vrba Fine Arts Editor
State contenders for Individual Speech performed phenomenally at the speech contest March 8. Contestants brought home a total of 12 Division I ratings. “I wasnʼ’t expecting to even go to state,” Kate Heetland said, “so I was really excited.” “I definitely think I performed my best this year,” Dani Witt said. “Itʼ’s the first time I got straight Iʼ’s in two things.” Winners of division I ratings are as follows: Elyce Bark, prose; Tonya Vrba, poetry; Dani Witt, acting and poetry; Shawna Becker, storytelling; Eleni Boesch, poetry and prose; Kate Heetland, storytelling; Fletcher Paulsen, prose; Katie Reysack, acting and poetry; and Melanie Saunders, prose.
Band cleans up at solo, ensemble contest Liz Adolphi Staff Writer More than 100 band and vocal students participated in the Iowa High School Music Association State Solo and Ensemble Contest March 29 at Solon High School. The instrumentalists received 16 Division 1 ratings, 17 Division 2, 6 Division 3 ratings, 1 Division 4 rating.The vocalists received 4 Division 1 ratings, 24 Division 2 ratings, and 2 Division 3 ratings. Those who received Division 1 ratings are Chamber Singers; Nick Harbeck (perfect score), Brian Zinda and Fletcher Paulsen, vocal solo; Elizabeth Demmon, bassoon solo; Melanie Saunders and Erica Dierks, flute solo; Dierks, Saunders and Elizabeth Demmon, flute trio; flute choir; Shelby Burke and Gage Hanson, flute and guitar duet; Melanie Saunders, piccolo solo (perfect score); Nic Elsea, tuba solo; Shawn Paarmann, timpani solo; Colleen Tague, clarinet solo; Tague, Madeline Winkler, Chloe Myers, KT Reysack, and Jenessa Kyarsgaard, clarinet quintet; Madeline Winkler, clarinet solo; and Erica Dierks, Kate Heetland, Madeline Winkler, Rebekah Stofer, and Elizabeth Demmon, woodwind quintet.
SPORTS
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Purple Onion June 7, 2008 Vol. 21, No. 4
Injuries are the price of the game for players Central’s athletic trainer, therapists focus on prevention Katie Dorpinghaus Feature Writer The rain poured down on that cold homecoming night, the game had already been delayed once, and West Libertyʼ’s defenders swarmed Centralʼ’s offense. Nothing could stop Mike Dunn from getting the football. Nothing but himself, that is. “I was running and all of a sudden my knee just buckled and went out,” Dunn said. “I went to the orthopedic surgeon the next morning where he did tests and told me that I had probably torn my ACL. I took X-rays to see if there were any bone chips, and they told me to come back two days later for an MRI.” The MRI showed that he had torn his ACL, and would need surgery to repair it. Strengthening his knee, however, began almost immediately. “I had to go to physical therapy before surgery— I started the day after my MRI,” Dunn said. “I lost all the muscle in my knee so the physical therapy helped me rebuild it to make the recovery after surgery go easier. I started physical therapy again four days after my surgery, and Iʼ’m still going now.” Injuries like these are a risk for all high school athletes. The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Columbus Childrenʼ’s Hospital in Ohio estimates athletes in high school are responsible for two million injuries, 500,000 visits to the doctor and 30,000 hospitalizations a year, mostly because more and more high school students
are getting involved in sports. In 1971 there were 4 million students in sports; in 2005 there were 7.2 million. Schools like Central are trying to reduce that risk by making athletes bigger, faster, stronger and smarter. At the beginning of this school year, Central acquired an athletic trainer, Ben Devaney, who has been helping achieve that goal. Devaney has helped coaches improve existing programs for safety and implement new ones. “Things like teaching proper techniques when tackling or educating people about preventing injuries help to reduce risks,” Devaney says. “Preventive measures such as taping ankles or wearing braces help a lot, too.” Devaney has also introduced a new preseason weight-training program for Central high school athletes. Power Sports Performance, or PSP, is designed to help strengthen athletes before the season, which makes them less likely to get injured. Kristen Dunne, director of DeWitt Physical Therapy, has seen many injured athletes in her office. “We have about five or six athletes every season, about 20 a year,” Dunne says. “Probably the most common inKristen Dunne jury we have is ACL tears. Therapy after the surgery takes six to eight weeks at the shortest to work on the range of motion. Then the athlete has to strengthen their whole leg and restore their proprioception, which is where the brain knows where the joint is. It can be six months to a year before the athlete is back to normal.” “Making sure that athletes are warming up and stretching is important,” Dunne
S-t-r-e-t-c-h. Michael Dunn strengthens his leg with the help of Central’s athletic trainer, Ben Devaney. Devaney and area physical therapists work with athletes helping them strengthen their bodies and implement safety procedures in order to prevent sports injuries like Dunn’s torn ACL. Photo by Katie Dorpinghaus. says. “If you go right to high performance, thatʼ’s where injuries can happen.” Injuries are more common in games and competitions than in practice, because of the increased amounts of contact, and less controlled situations in games. High contact sports like football or wrestling are a risk. “The more contact with a sport typically results in more injuries,” says Dunne. In a study done by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, injuries in football account for 10 percent of all sportsrelated trips to the hospital, and more than three times the number of injuries in track. Basketball is another high-risk sport for injuries in athletes. “Most ankle injuries and sprains occur in basketball,” Devaney
says. “The early recognition of chronic injuries or the worsening of pre-existent injuries helps to speed up recovery time.” Dunne and Devaney both agree that prevention of injuries is the best way to go. “The most important part is prevention,” Dunne says, “(for) someone who is already in good condition and just wants to push a little harder.” Mike Dunn, however, is confident in his full return to sports. “I see things in a different way,” Dunn says. “When you arenʼ’t playing you see things that you donʼ’t see as a player. “Iʼ’ve had people in the community come up to me who I didnʼ’t even know and ask me how I was doing. It seemed everyone knew who I was and what had happened.”
Friendship was a driving factor in girlsʼ’ basketball season Colleen Kelly Staff Writer What do the girls varsity basketball team and a U-turn have in common? A complete turnaround! After ending his first season
as head coach with a 1-21 record, Mark Kurtz put some thought into how he could improve his team for the next year. When this season rolled around, he put his plans into motion and was very successful with an overall record of 17-6. “I think there were many reasons for the turnaround,” Kurtz said. “I think having
Team Bonding. Front: Niki Green, Lindsay Smith, Colleen Kelly; Back: Megan Havener, Leanna Hasenmiller, Kayla Dohrmann, Michelle Green, Coach Mark Kurtz, Karen Whitman, Jen Keitel and Kayla Selby spend time together after winning the North Scott game. The team raided Michelle Green’s dress up box and modeled for all the parents. Photo contributed by Colleen Kelly.
a complete summer for working together paid huge dividends. The summer allowed players a chance to work together and to become more familiar with each otherʼ’s game. It allowed them to see how they would fit into the team concept. The summer also allowed for team chemistry and unity to develop, which was one of the most important factors for our success.” Each grade level contributed things the others lacked. Freshman gave height, great offense, and a trip down memory lane to age 14. Juniors had great enthusiasm in tough situations and expert advice for the bus rides home. Seniors had experience in the game that comes with four years of high school basketball. They also kept the balance between being silly and having fun. “I believe one of the driving forces has been our senior class,” said Kurtz. “Michelle, Megan, Colleen, Kayla, and Leanna provided excellent leadership. I think the girls became more familiar with the drills and concepts that were being taught. Having a year under their belt, they had a much clearer picture of expectations. Also, their work ethic made practice, as well as games, a competitive atmosphere. Each night the girls worked hard competing and making each other better.” Many weekends you could find the team-
mates hanging out with one another. One girl would volunteer her house, and the rest would bring the snacks, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and movies. “Were not just teammates, weʼ’re friends,” Kayla Selby said. “My favorite memory is Colleen singing, ʻ‘Rape, Murder!ʼ’ in Give Me Shelter by the Rolling Stones.” “Itʼ’s amazing how well we get along,” Kayla Dohrmann said. “We are all in different grades, but that doesnʼ’t matter one bit; we donʼ’t fight at all! My favorite memory is going sledding and playing human bowling ball and tackling each other in the snow. It was hilarious!” “Dressing up crazy and going to the boysʼ’ game the night of the cake auction is my favorite memory,” Megan Havener said. “We have been successful this season because we worked harder than other teams,” Kurtz said. “We played great defense and rebounded well. There were nights when our offense was on target, and other nights when we didnʼ’t shoot well. But our defense was definitely the cornerstone. All the players and coaches were on the same page when we prepared for each practice and game. That made for a very competitive team, which is exactly what we have turned out to be.”