November 2018

November 2018• Volume 58• Issue 2 Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf, Iowa

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The Spartan Shield Pleasant Valley High School Bettendorf Iowa

Letter from the Editors

by Lily Williams and Natalie Murphy Co Editors-in-Chief & News Editors Lily Williams Natalie Murphy

A&E Editor Roger Pavey Jr.

Opinion Editor Hannah Lederman

Sports Editor Evin Ersan

Hello Spartans!

The season of giving is quickly approaching as are midterm elections, crowning the 2018 MLB champions, the 100th anniversary of the conclusion to WWI and kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

In this month’s issue, the Spartan Shield staff addresses the habits of our generation. Teens are becoming more susceptible to these addictions, substance and behavioral. Pleasant Valley students are no stranger to the repetitive need for technology, vaping, alcohol, cheating and more. We hope to communicate that these addictive tendencies hold greater consequences than students realize.

The A&E section includes coverage of fall Improv Night and the talented creators in AP Studio Art. Reporters share their views on the highly debated app impacting the student body and the expectations of athletes required to take gym classes.

We would like to thank our advertisers, adviser, staff, and readers for making this issue possible. We hope you are as proud of this publication as we are and enjoy reading our articles.

Natalie & y l i L ~

Business Manager Angela Pandit

Student Life Editor Grace Halupnik

Senior Spotlight Editor Maddy Licea

Copy Editor Rece Vining

Copy Editor Lars Meseke-Wren

Spartan Shield Adviser Maureen Dyer

COVER ART: Haleema Waheed ‘19 digitally created the art for this month’s cover using Clip Studio Paint.

She is an AP art student who plans to attend college to continue to pursue her passion for the arts.

Spartan Shield Philosophy

The Spartan Shield is written, edited, and published by the Pleasant Valley High School news magazine staff. The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the adviser, school administrators, or the district. Likewise, the advertisements in this magazine are not endorsed 3 News by the Pleasant Valley School Dis4 Student Life trict. The Spartan Shield will not publish material we believe to 5 Arts & Entertainment be libelous or inappropriate for a 6 Senior Spotlights school publication. Our mission is 8 Cover Story to provide the Pleasant Valley student body with a quality news mag12 Opinion azine, reach as many student read14 Sports ers as possible, learn all there is to 15 Seasonal know about journalism, and have 16 A Spartan Thanksgiving a darn good time while doing it.

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News Recognizing Veterans Day

by Maddy Licea Before the start of every varsity football game, the color guard presents the flags to recognize the freedoms preserved by veterans at war. This November, the United States will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end to World War I. Armistice Day was signed into law on Nov 11, 1919 at the one year anniversary of the end to World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance and Nov. 11 became a national holiday in 1938. The name was officially changed to Veteran’s Day by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954. The holiday celebrates all veterans, living or dead.

In recognition of veterans and the significance of this holiday, sophomore

Enrique Riojas Berazaluce organized an assembly for students to reflect on the importance of the holiday. This assembly will recognize the history of Veterans Day, the suffering endured during the wars, the PV alumni on the Wall of Honor as well as a rededication for three PV alumni who lost their lives in Vietnam. The assembly will also feature a short performance led by Riojas Berazaluce and the drama department.

The last World War I veteran died in 2012. WWI was the war to end all wars, though history does not agree. “World War I is a war that should not be forgotten”, says Riojas Berazaluce. “This year may be our nation’s last opportunity to actively and properly remember WWI as a part of our lives, something that

actively affects global politics and our view towards war itself. This assembly is important because it is an exercise in reflection.”

Riojas Berazaluce pointed out that all freshmen at PV learn about WWI but few remember why WWI is a part of the curriculum. “Our world only makes sense if we look at the past and the past is only useful if it motivates a better future,” Riojas Berazaluce reflects.

Important to this understanding is that 16.1 million living veterans served in at least one war. Junior Spencer Brecht stated, “As a relative of a veteran, I believe it is important to recognize the sacrifices that they have made to protect freedom for all of us.”

Midterm madness

by Grace Halupnik The 2018 November elections give many students the chance to vote for the first time. Senior Christy Bishop explained, “I am very excited to vote because I think having the ability to voice our opinions and make decisions for ourselves is something that can help this country succeed.”

According to Andrew Prokop of Vox News, “The results of this year’s midterm elections will be enormously important — not just in shaping the future of Donald Trump’s presidency, but

in shaping the American political landscape for a great many years to come.”

Many believe the elections for Congress are crucial because if Republicans lose control of Congress, they will no longer be able to send new bills to President Trump with party votes alone. Democrats need a net gain of 23 seats to take control of the House from the Republicans. They will need a net gain of two seats to take the majority of the Senate.

Prokop also explains that a change in control could also drastically change the power of investigations of administrations in both parties, the ease at which Trump nominees get con-

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firmed, and the progress of legislative agenda in Congress. If Democrats do in fact gain control of one of the houses, Vox News suggests that instead of advancements being made, America would face gridlock due to Trump’s vetoing power.

A key component of any election is voter turnout. The Week reports Democrats have been historically more enthusiastic in their voting but Trump received a recent boost when it was announced that the US economy grew by 4.1% in the second quarter of this year–the best percentage since 2014.

Bishop believes everyone should see the importance in voting. “It is so important for young people to vote because soon we will be in charge of the country and the responsibility lies on us to create the change we want to see.”

Student Life The quest for happiness

by Hannah Lederman

As Thanksgiving nears, the search for thankfulness and joy begins. Schoolwork and deadlines continue to loom over students’ heads, and with this comes the difficult task of finding happiness this holiday season.

“Stress also kills health, well-being, and happiness at work. And when we are unhappy at work, we often become disengaged, cynical, and toxic to others,” Dr. Annie McKee, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, said.

Stress is an inescapable emotion, especially for high schoolers. Some

students find time to focus on an activity or hobby to release the mind of school-related subjects.

For Junior Kyra Evjen, music is one way of getting through the school day, “I like to listen to it in between passing periods to calm down before another stressful class.” Taking time for oneself is a crucial way to find sustainability.

Once one can find time for themselves, a more positive demeanor will show.

Volunteering is way students can focus on others instead of themselves, often causing more happiness. “Not

College credit: is it worth it?

by Natalie Murphy

With many high level achievers among its student body, Pleasant Valley can boast its more than ten Advanced Placement (AP) courses made available for its students and the opportunity to take classes through Scott Community College.

These options appeal to students and parents because they have the ability to transfer into college credits. However, many are unaware that sometimes it is harder than one thinks to cash in these credits.

Kelli Grant from CNBC speaks of the lack of acceptance of College Board Advanced Placement test courses.

“Three-quarters of colleges limited which AP subject areas they accept for

only will it make you more grateful for the things that you may take for granted, but studies have shown that volunteering for the purpose of helping others increases our own well-being, and thus our ability to have more gratitude,” University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman stated.

Optimism and empathy are considered essential values to help achieve joy. It is all about finding ways to focus on the positive, and with this, progress towards a thankful holiday season will be achieved.

TWEET, TWEET

credit...Some will only accept a score of 4, or only accept a 5.”

A 2018 graduate at PVHS, Keshav Wagle is a freshman at Rice University.

“The people at my university told me that Calculus was very difficult, and that I should AP out of it.” He recommended transferring the credit even more for PreMed students.

Another PV graduate now at Butler University, Haley Germain took a couple dual credit classes while at PV. Germain states, “I came into my freshman year of college with 15 credit hours and two my general education classes satisfied.”

Though taking college courses may seem frightening, Germain thinks it was well worth it. “I would totally recommend taking dual credit classes. It’s so nice having a full semester out of the way.”

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This month in tweets

Arts & Entertainment Looking back on improv night

by Angela Pandit

Oct. 11 marked the first Improv Night of the year. There were four teams competing to win the title of the best improv team for the fall season. Since most of the former improv members graduated the previous year, there were 10 new members on the improv teams. Hatrick, Wacit and JV Improv had returning members alongside fresh faces. Kakistocracy replaced last year’s The Select Button improv team with a completely new set of members.

Improv night was filled with different games and events that the four teams competed in. Each event had a certain point value that contributed to

the teams’ total scores. These games required them to think on their feet, work as a team, and entertain the audience.

The improv teams also obtained points from helping the Student Hunger Drive.

The teams competed to raise the most amount of cans and other non-perishable food items. Wacit raised the most amount of can donations. Improv night also held a “Minute to Win It” competition where each team ran around the theater to raise the most amount of money in one minute. Hatrick collected the most amount of money. In total, the teams raised 232 pounds and $500 from “Minute to Win It” for the River-

A different kind of art

by Lars Meseke-Wren

Enter AP Studio Art. This class, introduced four years ago, is geared toward students who wish to experience more of what art has to offer. These works, collected from all the art classes, showcase that PV not only has classes for the average student to enjoy, but a class for artists who wish to go further.

“It’s an open place to think of your ideas, to create your work. You’re given a lot of time to brainstorm and present your ideas,” said Isaac Love, an AP Art student.

Like many art classes at PV, AP Studio Art is not bound by traditional teaching methods. While art classes at PV are open to anyone, it is the best artists that are drawn to

this class, free to create art as they see fit. “It’s more student-directed. They are responsible for coming up with their own assignments”, said AP Art teacher Aimee Peters.

AP Studio Art also gives students the opportunity to get ahead with post-high school education. “They can possibly earn college credit by submitting a 24 piece portfolio to the AP college board,” Peters says.

Art has always been an important part of Spartan life at PV, and the detailed works created by passionate students can be enjoyed in the gallery on the second floor.

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bend Food Bank.

This season’s winning team was Hatrick, whose members are Brenner Stickney, Matt Bolin, and Antonio Bagley. Stickney commented on the win for his team. “I think our team won because we included the audience in our games and we, as a team, had a better understanding of how we work together,” said Stickney. “It feels great to win but I am just really glad it was a successful night.”

Senior Spotlights

ET

Name? Emma Tews Spirit animal? Golden retriever Your best feature? Eyelashes If you could live anywhere, where would you live? Colorado, right on a lake and next to the mountains Weapon of choice in the zombie apocalypse? “Bonker” sock Dream job? Working in an underdeveloped country as a nurse practitioner If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring? Sweet potato fries, a horse, and drinkable water Advice to your middle school self? “Chill, dude” Favorite movie? Forrest Gump What would your last meal be? Mom’s chicken pot pie

Mak Daddy

Name? Makenley Miller-Skinner Spirit animal? Kelsey Wood Most embarrassing moment? Falling up the stairs junior year High school highlight? Meeting Jake Favorite teacher? Mr. Kohn Biggest fear? Allie’s toe thumbs Best PV memory? Frontline In ten years, I’ll...? Be a dentist What’s your @? Makenleymskinner What would your last meal be? Tacos

Dofia Sahm

Name? Sophia Dahm First crush? Connor Flinn If you could live anywhere, where would you live? I want to be a long term missionary What is the first thing you would do if you were the president of the United States? I was born in Switzerland Song that describes you? “Crayons can melt on us all I care” Weapon of choice in zombie apocalypse? I don’t need a weapon. They are loud and slow. I’ll hear them coming and speed walk away Craziest talent? Allstate singer and artist What would your last meal be? Sandwich

Kaitlyn Ryan

Spirit animal? Peppa pig First crush? Freddie from iCarly Weapon of choice in zombie apocalypse? TI-84 calculator Craziest talent? I can wiggle my left ear Biggest accomplishment? All state band Favorite quote? “Be stubborn about your goals but flexible about your meth-

ods” Biggest fear? Every shadow or noise I hear at night Advice to your middle school self? Don’t save every single trinket, paper, or present you get, one day you’ll have to sort through it all The best place to be in the QC is...? With my friends Favorite guilty pleasure? The Bachelor

Xander

Name? Alexander Haack High school highlight? Cross country adventure runs Biggest pet peeve? Alton Barber Craziest talent? Being a genius Dream job? Trophy husband Favorite quote? “Esketit” -Lil Pump Best feature? Eyes Best PV memory? Having parking What’s your @? alexander.haack What would your last meal be? Hot pockets

Sawah

Name? Sarah Danielson Spirit animal? Rufus the naked mole rat First crush? Cody from the Suite Life of Zack and Cody Favorite movie? The Breakfast Club Weapon of choice in zombie apocalypse? Grammar 3200 Biggest accomplishment? Meeting Joe

Jonas Dream Job? Judge Judy’s assistant Favorite quote? “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.”

Advice to your middle school self? Stop straightening your hair 6 Favorite guilty pleasure? The entire Bachelor franchise

Senior Spotlights

Kendall Tong

Name? Nathan Wong Spirit animal? Nabeel Affarka First crush? Gavin Pangan’s calves Most embarrassing moment? 68% on the Romeo and Juliet test Favorite book? “The Official ACT Prep Guide” Your best feature? My forearms What is the first thing you would do as president of the United States? Make it illegal for the school to serve cheeseburgers Biggest pet peeve? Kiren Marla Weapon of choice in zombie apocalypse? Nabeel’s shark teeth Biggest accomplishment? Making it to advanced lifting

Kenzie

Name? Mackenzie Schmidt Spirit animal? Raccoon Weapon of choice in zombie apocalypse? Double-sided battle axe Favorite teacher? Mrs.Berger Dream job? EMT Best feature? Nose If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring? A map, sailboat, and survival guide The best place in the QC is? My couch In ten years, I’ll? Hopefully be more successful than you Best lesson you’ve learned in high school? No one cares if you’re wearing pjs

Tape Boy

Mal

Name? Mallory Lafever Most embarrassing moment? Dancing in the assembly with the teachers High school highlight? Back to back state championships Favorite book? The Great Gatsby Your best feature? My sense of fashion and makeup What is the first thing you would do as president of the United States? Make my birthday a national holiday Biggest pet peeve? When people refer to cross country as track Craziest talent? Far too many to pick just one Advice to your middle school self? Lose the braces What would your last meal be? Red Ginger sushi

Big Mike

Name? Michael Lawlor Spirit animal? Clarence First crush? Bolbi Stroganovsky Favorite movie? Sharknado 3 My best feature? My toes What is the first thing you would do as president of the United States? Deport Harold Flinn Biggest pet peeve? Harold Flinn Weapon of choice in a zombie apocalypse? Noah Vance’s upper body Dream job? Professional panda nanny If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring? Noah Vance’s upper body

Ethan Croll

Name? Jei Valle-Riestra First crush? Katie Bullock First crush? Robin from Teen Titans High school highlight? Doing a literary What is the first thing you would do as program about having autism president of the United States? Resign Biggest pet peeve? Loud noise immediately, we all know I’m not qualFavorite teacher? Mrs. Dyer ified What is the first thing you would do as Biggest accomplishment? Passing AAT president of the United States? Free, Plans after high school? Art school equalized health care is given to all residents of the US Biggest fear? Not being remembered as the true icon I am Song that describes you? Stronger by Kelly Clarkson Advice to middle school self? The Bee movie script is not an Biggest accomplishment? Exceeding expectations for a stuacceptable way to ask someone out dent with autism at our school Best PV memory? Being slapped in the face with paint by Dream job? Environmental activist Odin McDonald 7 Best lesson you’ve learned in high school? Focus only on What’s your @? @evilsnootlord what makes you happy

Cover Story Senior Spotlights Age of Addiction

by Natalie Murphy

Generation Z is influenced and exposed to the temptations of society, a frequent use of said temptations can lead to a path to addiction.

Surrounded by technology, spending hours at a time zoned into a small screen is not odd for most students.

The yearn for technology places tensions on relationships, mental health and focus.

Substances regularly tempt students looking for distraction, self-medica-

tion, a chance to fit in, or energy, often leading to abuse. While the returning substances of E-cigarettes, caffeine, drugs, and binge drinking vary in consequences, the detrimental effects associated affect the day-to-day lives of youth.

for students as habit trumps morals.

“Mind over matter” and “willpower” are frequently thrown out when faced with addiction, as generations continue to use and define the temptations appealing to most.

Though sometimes overshadowed by substance mistreatment, behavioral addictions can be easily compared as the brain reacts in a similar way.

Shortcuts, such as cheating and material addiction, are daily temptations

“It’s not an addiction; it’s an extension of themselves.”

time when life was not surrounded by technology, an addiction to devices is not uncommon. Junior Sam Rothbardt theorizes that, “Everyone is addicted to their phones because they feel like they’re going to miss out on something because everyone else is also on their phones so it becomes a cycle.”

lar than one would at first think. Psychology Today reported that, for some people, the reduction of technology caused “a significant detrimental effect on many aspects of their life, including their real life relationships and academic achievement among those still in education.”

Neither the International Classification of Diseases nor the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders include addiction to technology on their current diagnostic guidelines.

Other psychological problems are caused by an excessive use of social media and phones include anxiety, depression, loneliness, ADHD, lower emotional stability and lower life satisfaction.

-Marilisa Racco, Global News

Unplugging the addiction

by Grace Halupnik

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about social media or planning to use social media?

Do you feel an increasing urge to use your device?

Do you use social media to forget about personal problems?

Do you often try to reduce your use of technology without success?

Do you feel more restless or troubled if you are unable to use social media?

Do you use social media so much that it has had a negative impact on your job or studies?

Do you use a device in order to brighten your mood?

If the answer to all these questions is “yes,” then according to Psychology Today, an addiction to social media or technology is not far.

Since many students cannot recall a

Yet scholars agree that the area needs more attention since there may be a fine line between “general technology use and unhealthy use related to physical, social and psychological problems,” says Psychology Today.

Although an addiction to technology is rarely comparable to an addiction to substances such as alcohol or drugs, the effects may be more simi-

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Despite living in a world full of addictions and distractions, there are solutions to lessen this epidemic. Some improvements include turning off notifications, reducing phone time and leaving electronics in a separate room when sleeping.

Cover Story Senior Spotlights E-cig enslavement

by Lily Williams

Data released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services in 2015 proved teens are drinking and smoking less than previous generations. The newest addiction hitting Generation Z is vaping, as teens across America vape in class, hallways, restrooms, and sporting events.

The multi-million dollar market of E-cigarettes aims to attract adult smokers but these devices, specifically Juuls, are appealing to teens. “Juul is a perfectly developed combination of the two most addictive things in our society: nicotine and technology” stated comedian and Juul user Cazzie David to Vogue.

Juuls resemble a USB flash drive and range in flavors from Cucumber to Crème Brûlée. According to Nielsen data, Juul made up over half of all e-cigarette market sales in the US by March 2018. Since the product was released in 2015, a recent spike in popularity is concerning health administrators that

teens are developing a lifelong habit.

The common denominator between cigarettes and vaporizers is nicotine.

“Major cognitive functions and attention performance are still in the process of developing during adolescence,” says K. Vendrell Rankin, a professor and associate chair in public health sciences at Texas A&M University. “Nicotine increases the risk of developing psychiatric disorders and lasting cognitive impairment and is associated with disturbances in working memory and attention”.

One Juul “pod”, cartridge of nicotine inserted into the device, delivers as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes according to the product website.

“They want to try it out, so they try it out, get their first buzz and then realize it takes stress away from them.

Then they become addicted, bringing it to school and juuling more often, just leading to worse things.” said junior Nate Martell. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is becoming a scarier reality,

subjecting teens to the possibility of addiction for life.

An anonymous student comments on the “vape culture” at Pleasant Valley, “[the culture of PV] is its own culture in a way, they are separated from the rest of PV but you see more and more of the students joining in.” Administration has taken measures to prevent the use of Juuls on school grounds. Punishment ranges from $50 usage fines and three day out of school suspension to $200 fines and five day suspension with a pre-expulsion hearing.

Some students take these threats lightly, “the biggest reason people vape in school is stress or just to relax. Also it’s just to be rebellious in a way when you get told you can’t do something it just makes people want to do it more, especially teens. With vaping being our generation’s form of counterculture we do it anywhere just like how other cultures did,” said an anonymous student who admits to vaping in school.

Bottoms up

by Roger Pavey Jr. The over-consumption of alcohol by teens is a common highlight of high school parties. This can be defined as binge drinking.

According to research conducted by The Recovery Village, 90% of teenage consumption of alcohol is done through binge drinking at parties or other social events due to the overabundance of alcohol and the thrill of a party. While binge drinking is not a daily occurrence for the average high schooler, a good amount of adolescents binge drink quite often, and the numbers only go up with every grade.

The CDC states that “people aged 12 to

20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States. More than 90% of this alcohol is consumed in the form of binge drinks, and, on average, underage drinkers consume more drinks per drinking occasion than adult drinkers.”

The percentage of binge drinking in teens and young adults is high, but when taking into account overall numbers, there has been a decrease across the years.

“Occasions of heavy drinking among college students remained relatively unchanged from 2016 to 2017”, states the Foundation of Advancing Alcohol

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Responsibility. “However, they have decreased 24 percent proportionally since 1991 (from 43 percent to 33 percent) and decreased 18 percent over the past decade.”

Much like caffeine, the consumption of alcohol isn’t detrimental to health when used in moderation, but overconsumption has negative effects.

These include, but are not limited to struggling with grades, alcohol related diseases, legal prosecution, car crashes and other physical consequences, damage to the liver, abuse of other substances for a bigger high, and even death from alcohol poisoning or other alcohol related fatalities.

Cover Story Senior Spotlights High school haze

by Lily Williams

In 2017 Monitoring the Future reported the decline in teen drug use, holding steady at the lowest levels in over two decades. Down to an average of 11.35% of users in high school, still drugs continue to be a pressure directed towards today’s youth.

the most popular drugs used by high school seniors include: marijuana, adderall, cough medicine, vicodin, hallucinogens, molly, and cocaine. Each drug brings different side effects but consequences and risks are prevalent across all substances.

Once teen drug addiction begins, children are at a higher risk for social problems, early death and a long list of serious issues. Adolescents are drawn to drugs for different reasons whether to experiment, compete, fit in or feel better. Although teens have different motivation, the abused drug is commonly a substance with easy access.

“Drugs unnaturally increase dopamine in the teen brain, the using teen gets the message, ‘you don’t need food or sleep or friendships as much as you need alcohol and other drugs’. What was once a healthily functioning survival mechanism of the reward pathway becomes a broken tool, damaged by repetitive substance use to create addiction,” according to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

According to research completed by the University of Michigan in 2014,

Administrators believe the most prevalent drugs at Pleasant Valley are marijuana and adderall. “The only issues that I’ve dealt with in at least 5 years have involved marijuana or prescription meds...It seems like medical personnel may be more apt to prescribe something if people aren’t getting the therapy they need. These people then turn to self medication, making it more prevalent,” said Associate Principal Darren Erickson.

Caffeine craze

by Roger Pavey Jr. Most teens today are self-proclaimed night owls. Students are staying up late, whether it is due to homework, watching Netflix, social media, social events, extracurriculars or racing thoughts. The next morning, they struggle to get out of bed and rely on caffeine for an extra jolt of energy. For some, caffeine in the morning is an easy cure after a long night with little sleep. Some teens begin to depend on caffeine as the only way to begin their day. Junior Kiran Marla drinks a cup of coffee every day, “On days that I don’t drink coffee I get headaches and I feel like I need to be energized in order to focus at school.”

In 2014 a study ran by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that 73% of adolescents consume caffeine daily. When one is addicted to something, they experience withdrawals after some time without the thing they

crave. Caffeine is no different. If a student has caffeine every morning, but doesn’t drink it the next, they automatically feel the consequences of not having their morning caffeine intake.

Psychology Today states that “adult consumption should be between 300400 mg (that’s equivalent to 3-4 cups of coffee) and teens be around 100 mg.”

According to Healthline, the stimulating effects of caffeine enhance alertness and get rid of drowsiness fairly quickly after consumption. Studies have also shown that caffeine enhances the mood in a person, as they are more alert and awake. In moderation, caffeine is not so detrimental to health.

However, caffeine has many negative effects if overconsumption occurs.

Healthline also states that too much caffeine intake can cause heartburn, headaches, diarrhea, nausea, vomit-

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ing, and jittery behavior, especially for those who are not used to excessive amounts of caffeine.

When a person drinks caffeine daily, there are long term effects. Healthline states that “caffeine prevents calcium absorption in the bones, increasing your risk of osteoporosis. As you get older, your bones may break more easily”. If a person doesn’t get their morning dose of caffeine, withdrawals can arise. Aching bones and increased drowsiness are common symptoms of caffeine withdrawals.

While caffeine is not the worst substance that teens could consume, certain types of caffeine can be detrimental to health -- Energy drinks contain much more caffeine than other common energy boosters like coffee or soda.

Cover Story Senior Spotlights Material world

by Maddy Licea

Madonna was a material girl, Sharpay Evans wanted it all, and Blair Waldorf had to go max out her credit card. In an age where everything is available at a touch of a button, it is difficult not to resort to materialistic ways.

Materialism according to Dictionary. com is “a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.”

According to Medical News Today, “Materialistic people are more likely to be depressed and unsatisfied.” As anxiety and depression have increased from 1 in 28 individuals affected to 1 in 20, the CDC suggests that more teens need coping mechanisms and some

find solace in material goods.

Baylor University researchers explain, “As we amass more and more possessions, we don’t get any happier, we simply raise our reference point.... it’s called the treadmill effect, we love to purchase more stuff but we don’t get any happier, we just speed up the treadmill.”

The treadmill effect explains how one could start with a basic car but standards raise when receiving an upgrade, people will always want the “better” option.

As a new age of media arrives, research from the American Psychology

association explain how social media has increased our desire for material possessions. With a modern day strategy of “influencers” on all grounds of social media, this increases the desire for material items.

The internet shows past searches as advertisements, this is the marketing industry’s way of taking advantage of materialism.

Whether an addiction pushes one to purchase more, newer, or better items, studies above suggest happiness achieved from a purchase will be short lived.

A student’s web of lies

by Rece Vining

A startling trend has emerged in recent years: as the internet has increased in popularity, students have found new and more effective ways to cheat. According to a 2011 survey completed by the International Center for Academic Integrity, out of 70,000 American high school students 64% confessed to cheating on a test, 58% plagiarized, and 95% had copied answers on homework or other assignments. The data has risen 80% from just two years prior.

Cheating figures from the same study decrease slightly among college students, but only diminish to a little over 40% even among graduate students.

Not only is academic dishonesty on the rise, but recently has been shown to be habit-forming.

A Harvard study demonstrated students are significantly more likely to cheat again following their first offense, and feel much less guilt at doing

so. This desensitizing can, and often does, lead to a repetition of the behavior.

According to a student quoted in the New York Times, “[Cheating] was kind of addictive, in a bad way, in a sick way.

People will assume, well, I have a 92, most kids who got into that school got a 94, so there’s no way I can get in.” As pressure increases on students to get good grades and accepted into a good college, many students are turning to cheating to get ahead. Even at PV, 74% of seniors self-reported they had cheated on something at least once, according to a May 2018 survey by the Spartan Shield.

One anonymous student explained some of the pressures behind cheating: “I think people are overworked and overstressed but are under an immense amount of pressure...it isn’t possible to meet all of the expecta-

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tions without sacrificing your integrity sometimes.”

With pressures on students continuing to increase as college degrees increase in significance and cheating numbers remaining at high levels, it is easy to assume the problem is unsolvable.

However, using easily implemented strategies such as requiring that calculators be cleared before a math test or simply reminding students to cover their paper can help reduce cheating on exams. Adding a curve to exams can also dissuade students from cheating.

Although plagiarism-checking websites such as Turnitin.com help keep some cheating in check, the numbers still show students are still willing to compromise their morals and integrity in order to get the coveted “A”. If cheating numbers are to decrease, students and staff must work together to help reduce the scope of the problem.

Opinion Overworking athletes

by Lars Meseke-Wren

are already getting plenty of exercise from their activity or activities? Junior and champion rower Taylor English said, “Athletes do enough physical activity outside of school and shouldn’t be required to use a period to do more during the school day.”

Sports at PV play a large part in school culture, and many students participate in sports either seasonally or year round. Athletes commit to regularly attend games, meets, practices, and more.

With all of that activity under their belts, one might think that athletes wouldn’t have to bother showing up for gym for even more exercise. However, that’s exactly the case.

Pleasant Valley teacher Brett Ahlgren disagrees. “I think it’s fair,” he said, “Athletes in strength conditioning value what we do in there.” But is this really the best use of athletes’ time? “When we’re at our highest intensity,” English said, “we do 15 hours a week.” That’s over two hours a day. Spending 45 minutes walking in circles around an indoor gym isn’t likely to help anyone.

This school policy has caused many students to scratch their heads; why should students participate in gym when they

Injuries, both on and off the field, can cripple an athlete and affect their performance for years to come. “I feel like

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students should be exempt from PE when they are in season because there is no reason why students should have to do extra work outside of the sports that they are currently in,” freshman swimmer Parker Paulson said, “PE could result in injuries that could take somebody out of the sport they are working hard at to succeed.”

Perhaps what PV should consider is a minor change to the current policy. Senior and multi-sport athlete Carli Spelhaug suggested, “If the athlete is in a sport that season then they should… not have have to perform in PE. However, when the athlete is done with their sport they should have to go back into gym to stay active.”

Opinion P3 controversy

by Roger Pavey Jr.

Students today are faced with a multitude of issues inside school. However, not all students feel comfortable outwardly standing up to these issues. A more secure way of voicing one’s concern has been introduced to students.

P3 Campus, a mobile app, gives students a tool necessary for reporting peers anonymously. These virtual reports go to the high school Deputy Chad Weipart instantly.

P3 will also eliminate the “snitching” stigma on student issues, posing a

threat to the well-being of others. P3 holds a wide range of categories that students can report on. The categories include issues such as bullying, discrimination, gun threats, and assault.

P3 also allows reports to be made about possible students committing self-harm.

While PV takes safety seriously and encourages acceptance, there will always be times when students feel unsafe or are concerned with the safety and health of their peers. By implementing the P3 app as a resource for students, PV is hoping to make the school safer for everyone.

However, many students do not take this resource seriously, often joking about its use. While it is simply an app, it is also a powerful tool to use if a serious issue arises. “The P3 app is a way

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for the school district to distract from the minimal effort being put forth to prevent school shootings,” said junior Siobhan Morley. “The app isn’t targeting problems correctly. Because students aren’t taking the app seriously, the app isn’t effective.”

Administration is looking for new ways to make sense of student problems, hopefully creating a safer school environment.

Improvement needs to be made, due to the way the app was presented to students, the way they are expected to report problems and the ignorance students have toward this app. What comes with it adds to the controversy and discussion surrounding a simple app on a phone.

Sports The best season in years

by Evin Ersan

The boys golf team placed second at the state this past season, the best they’ve done in years and many players came forward, eager to share the story.

“For us golfers the season started the moment the last one ended. We all worked super hard on our games, fine tuning, getting down repetitions, and growing our playing ability on junior tours,” said junior Lucas Wood, a varsity player.

The boys’ golf team was motivated, driven, and eager to succeed from the start of the season to the finish and this, said Wood, was a major contributing factor to their success.

The team started achieving early on, winning multiple tournaments and scoring well. However, things took a turn for the worse on the opening day of the MAC competition. “Going into the MAC tournament we had not been beaten by any of our conference com-

Heading Home

by Rece Vining

“Baseball is a funny game. The longer you stay in the game, great things can happen. I’m very blessed to be here right now.” World Series MVP Steve Pearce captures the energy of this year’s Fall Classic, in which the Boston Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one.

petitors but after day one we found ourselves trailing Bettendorf by a stroke deficit,” said Wood.

After focused practices and tactical planning. The competition had arrived and the team was ready.

In spite of this initial setback, the team recuperated and won MAC, “The second day though we went out and scrapped out a win on the back of our competitive spirit and undying will to not let our fellow teammates down,” said Wood.

The competition was unlike anything the team had previously experienced, as they were competing amongst the best teams in Iowa. They didn’t let the pressure faze them, finishing in second place. They were agonizingly close to winning the tournament only seven strokes behind when the competition closed, losing to Waukee.

Next was the district tournament and the team set out with a drive to win like never before. The competition was tough but towards the end two teams were left, Marshalltown and PV, neck and neck. In the end it was PV that broke the deadlock between the two sides and qualified for state.

Even though they did not win State, the boys were overjoyed with the accomplishments they made this season.

The effort, commitment, desire, and time put into this season had finally paid off.

The team was overjoyed. After all their hard work and effort, they were able to qualify for the state competition. The team did not let their emotions get the better of them, there was work to be done.

history. A total of 7 hours and 20 minutes to conclude a Dodger victory, 3-2.

This game was longer than the entire 1939 World Series, when the cumulative game time was a mere seven hours and five minutes.

Game One saw Boston come out on top by a score of 8-4, highlighted by a tiebreaking home run by Eduardo Nuñes. The next game saw the Red Sox win 4-2, backed by strong pitching from Boston starter David Price.

The fourth game was won by Boston 9-6, managing to snag a victory with a late comeback. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts faced criticism for his decision to pull dominant starting pitcher Rich Hill from the game at a critical moment.

Game Three was the most bitterly contested in the series, the 18-inning affair was the longest World Series game in

Even President Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter to question Roberts’ decision. In the series finale, Boston won

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5-1, fueled by a two-homer game from Pearce.

Reactions to the result were mixed.

“I’m just bummed the Yankees didn’t make it this year. I really thought we had it this season,” says junior Davis Lee. The Red Sox’s historic season ended with the third-most wins in a single year (including postseason wins) in baseball history, and swept aside several other good teams on their way to the World Series.

Although many are sad to see baseball begin its five-month hiatus, the 2018 season saw many highlights, records, and an exciting victory for Boston.

Seasonal Recognizing traditions

How to finesse Black Friday

Typical Thanksgiving traditions consist of family gatherings, large feasts of turkey and stuffing, and tuning in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Though these are excellent ways to celebrate, other forms of celebration are often overlooked. Many people in the QC area are not from Iowa or even the US. They come with traditions and have found ways to embrace them in US holidays.

Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, stores nationwide offer sales to kick off the holiday season.

Junior Marali Sanchez is native to Mexico but was raised in America. “Since my mom is from a border town, there’s a lot of American influence, so even before we moved here, my family has celebrated it.”

When categorizing what to buy, one should prioritize between shopping for presents for others, shopping for wants, shopping for necessities, and shopping for miscellaneous needs. The most important thing for most students is prioritizing based on a budget.

by: Hannah Lederman

As for Haitian Senior Selena Desir, her family has also encompassed the American holiday. “We have dinner with all of our family and play games and dance together. Just like our Independence Day in Haiti, we have big dinners, celebrations throughout the country. For both holidays it is about being together and being happy. For my family, we always take time to remember how lucky we are to be here.”

This form of celebration in America can be observed in many other countries like Haiti. “It was not hard to start celebrating Thanksgiving because of my traditions in Haiti,” Desir said, “Wherever you live, there is always something to be grateful for.”

Although many people are not originally from the US, they have still found ways to ingrain their past experiences from their native country; this pertains to holidays representing American culture as well. It is not hard to see that no matter where a person may come from, all nations, religions, or groups celebrate their happiness with each other.

by: Maddy Licea

However, some stores have a lower quantity of certain products available, so resourceful shoppers often strategize to get the most bang for their buck, when shopping in the suburbs, locally, or online for Cyber Monday it is always good to plan.

Next is the challenge of sticking to the budget. When prioritizing others, determine how many people are on the gift list and how much can be spent on each person.

To help organize a budget, rank priorities, estimate a quantity for each category, divide a budget to fit each category, and create a personal game plan.

After determining budget and items to purchase, move on to the personal game plan. One such plan could start with a list of the stores you plan to visit, determining on the hours open and the location of the

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business.

Another consideration is the popularity of a sought after item. If the product is in high demand, stopping at that store first could ensure purchase of the item before it is gone.

Many stores will also advertise Black Friday sales they are going to offer, so it is possible to get all shopping done at one store.

Since not every Black Friday plan is the same, one needs to fit a plan to specific goals. According to Karleigh Nading, “I think it is most helpful to decide which stores I’m going to go to and in what order that way I can be as efficient as possible.”

Some shoppers choose to get a head start on Thanksgiving, however some start the next morning and shop until the night’s end.

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