The Little Hawk

LITTLE HAWK THE

FEDERAL SHUTDOWN AFFECTS STUDENTS

The 2025 government shutdown is the longest in history

keep changing their story,” said Mary Peterson. GRAPHIC BY

TBy Lily Rantanen

he 2025 government shutdown is now the longest in history. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have been cut, then ordered to be paid back again, but it’s still unclear how long it will take for payments to be fully funded.

“[SNAP is] basically money allocated from the government for low income households to purchase food,” school counselor Mary Peterson said. “You qualify based on your income level, and you get an allocation of a certain amount per month, and you can just go use that to buy your groceries. So it’s just a way to make sure that people who might struggle purchasing food have a way to do so throughout the month.”

At City High, 47% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. According to Peterson, these students usually also qualify for SNAP under a regularly functioning government.

Ziggy Evans ‘27, one student whose family relies on SNAP benefits, has been significantly impacted by the shutdown.

“[My mom and I] have been on food stamps as long as I can remember, and without that extra money for groceries, we’ve both been pretty anxious,” Evans said. “Luckily, we have a solid support system to rely on, and we’ve both been lucky enough to pick up some extra hours at our respective jobs. It’s still scary though, and the stress of it all can get hard to manage.”

Usually, about seventy percent of Evans’ food is bought with food stamps. The rest is paid for out of pocket, mostly from a Social Security disability paycheck that their mother receives monthly. With food stamps, Evans and their mom are able to access fresh foods that aren’t often found in food pantries.

“Not having that access anymore definitely adds on extra stress for the both of us,” Evans said. “The fear and stress that this has caused us has definitely caused my academics to suffer

because school just isn’t a top priority anymore.”

Community organizations have stepped up during the shutdown to aid families who normally receive SNAP benefits. For the first week of November, Hy-Vee served free kids meals and $3 meals for everyone else. But there’s worry that it won’t be enough if the shutdown continues. Hy-vee will continue to offer free and low-cost meals until at least November 14.

“If [the shutdown] continues, I think the food insecurity is going to get worse,” Peterson said. “Because right now, like the community is rallying again around it. But how long is Hy-Vee going to be willing to do $3 meals, and how much are people going to continue to donate as much food that’s needed into food pantries?”

When someone suffers from food insecurity and doesn’t have enough to eat, their brain won’t function properly because they’re not getting the nutrients they need.

“What happens to a person’s psyche is we’ll see them always anxious and stressed out and maybe really tired and worn down,” Peterson said. “Sometimes you’ll see behaviors of hoarding food…but I think mostly what happens for students [is that] they’re worried about food, and being in class is not what’s important anymore.”

Stalled SNAP benefits are not the only worry for City High students. For some with family members who work for the government, they have gone for over a month without a source of income.

“My dad is in the Air Force, so when the federal shutdown happened, my family was relying on only one paycheck, which came from my mom,” an anonymous City High student said. “[She] soon may lose her job at the VA because it is a government department, depending on the decision they make.”

Even in younger kids, the effects have been noticed.

“My mom is a teacher at Twain [Elementary School] and it’s making her really sad to see the kids she teaches be affected by this, because around half her class relies on SNAP,” another anonymous student said.

Without a reliable source of income, families have to shift the way they spend money.

“Maybe you have to choose between paying your heat bill versus food,” Peterson said. “It’s not an easy situation to be in because [those are both necessities].”

Despite a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to fully fund November SNAP benefits, the administration has remained adamant that there is only enough money in the contingency fund to partially pay receivers.

Until the government shutdown ends, many City High students remain uncertain about where their next meal or paycheck will come from.

“People like to ignore issues that don’t directly impact them,” Evans said. “But it’s not hard to look outside and see people struggling. Anyone can open up their eyes and see that the shutdown is impacting the people around them, [and] they just don’t want to because it’s uncomfortable.”

Johnson County Food Resources

CommUnity Food Bank

Coralville Community Food Pantry

North Liberty Community Pantry

IC Compassion

St. Andrew’s Church Food Distribution

St. Raphael’s Orthodox Church Pantry

Iowa Ciy Catholic Worker House

Agape Cafe

Salvation Army

Iowa City Free Lunch Program

Commnunity Refrigerators

Faith United Church of Christ Pantry

Food Pantry at Iowa

Women, Infants, Children (WIC)

This article was originally published on TheLittleHawk.Com on November 7.

STAFF

By Little Hawk Editorial Board

Looks like this site is not allowed. That’s the message that appears on the top of a computer screen above the naughty cord-gnawing gnomes when you try to access a site that’s blocked by the ICCSD administration. Often, this makes a lot of sense. Adult content like pornography has no place in schools. But sometimes, there are blocked sites that are just inane. There are lots of holes in the way that the district blocks sites.

STAFF ED PG 12

NEWS

SCHOOL BOARD

By Martha Willard

In a tight race, Jayne Finch won with 26.37 percent of the votes, and Ruthina Malone and Jennifer Horn-Frasier came in second and third with 26.34% and 20.26% respectively. Dan Stevenson came in behind at 19.67% and David Noerper earned 6.72%. Malone and Finch are both incumbents and have prior experience on the school board, while Horn-Fraiser is a newcomer.

SPORTS SWISH SEASON

By Tessa Driscoll

Head Coach Lynsey Barnard is entering her fourth season as head coach of the Little Hawk girls’ basketball team. Last year, the Little Hawks had a winning record of 16-8, falling short in the state qualifier to cross town rival Liberty. The Little Hawks lost two key players after last season, graduating seniors August Palmer and Emmy McComas. Palmer led the team in points while McComas led in rebounds. GIRLS B-BALL PG 21

“What’s happening with SNAP is constantly changing...right now, we can’t trust what [the government is] saying, because they

LILY RANTANEN

Student Senate co-presidents Alma Bhandary -Narayanan ‘26 and Toe Collins ‘26 on their plans for the 2025-26 school year.

Letter From The Editor

Hi Little Hawks and friends!

A few weeks ago, I applied to my first college: Binghamton University. I sent in all of my information, added my recommendation letters, and submitted my application. But when I logged into the application portal for the first time, I realized I had applied to the wrong college in the school—engineering instead of liberal arts.

I’ve decided that if I get in and end up going to Binghamton University, I will let fate dictate my path and become an engineer. In the same way, you should let fate dictate your path through the November issue of the Little Hawk.

Here’s a rundown on some highlights:

On page 3, you’ll read a story about two seniors who recently attended the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute. I had the pleasure of writing about their experience, and I was especially interested to learn about the research that they completed.

We are publishing two news articles by Foundations of Journalism students in this issue: Jonah’s article on Quiz Bowl and Margaret’s freshmen All-State story. Both have worked hard interviewing students and teachers, and I’m excited because one of the most rewarding experiences is seeing your work in print for the first time.

Our staff editorial deals with a topic that intertwines your right to information with the school’s obligation to protect students from harmful content. You can read about our position on blocking websites on page 12.

In the Sports section, you can find Tessa’s newest Unbreakable Female Athlete profile. Thisbe Lewis ‘26 is a basketball team captain who has been a leader on and off the court for years. Read more UFA profiles on TheLittleHawk.com

In addition to our regular issue of The Little Hawk newspaper, we also have our Fall feature magazine. The best part of the feature mag is that it was also edited by me, so you can find another Letter I wrote. I know that’s everybody’s favorite part.

Keep up to date with us on Instagram (@instalittlehawk) and read more on TheLittleHawk.com.

Your favorite (current) executive editor,

By Martha Willard

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Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

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The Rogers

CORRECTIONS - OCTOBER 2025

The Little Hawk holds itself accountable for all misprints and typos that occur. Here are corrections of errors from the October 2025 issue.

P. 3 - NEWS BRIEFS

All-State auditions were reported as being on October 24. They were on October 25.

P. 3 - NATIONAL MERIT

Only six of the seven students were mentioned. Philip Berry-Stoelze ‘26 was also a National Merit Scholar.

P. 16 - CROSS-COUNTRY

The dominant photo was credited to Kelsey Herrig. Martha Willard took the photo.

P. 16 - CROSS-COUNTRY

Henry Vande Berg ‘27’s name was spelled incorrectly, and the photo was taken by Audrey Vande Berg, not Stella Demarest.

World Food Prize Youth Institute Held in Des Moines

The World Food Prize is an international organization that recognizes individuals working to eliminate food insecurity. Two City High students were selected to attend the WFP Global Youth Institute.

By Lily Rantanen

Seniors Siena Brown ‘26 and Estelle Ralston ‘26 attended the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute in Des Moines from October 21 to 23. The World Food Prize, an international organization that works to eliminate hunger and food scarcity, holds regional and international youth programs like the Global Youth Institute where students participate in events focusing on food insecurity around the world.

“The World Food Prize [was started by Norman Borlaug and] is basically the Nobel Prize in agriculture,” AP Environmental Science teacher Mary Lestina said. “It recognizes individuals that have made a significant impact in our fight against food insecurity, and so the Youth Institute is the high school version of this.”

In the past 25 years that City High students have participated in World Food Prize programs, just six or seven have attended the Global Institute.

“Only a few students participate every year, so it was a great honor to have two from City High this year,” Lestina said. “It’s a big undertaking, so not everybody is up to the challenge.”

Ralston was selected as a student delegate, while Brown attended as a student leader.

“I heard about [the World Food Prize] from Mrs. Lestina, who encouraged me to write a paper for the Iowa Youth Institute, which is Iowa’s branch of the World Food Prize,” Ralston said. “[At the Iowa Youth Institute], I was fortunate to be nominated to attend the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines.”

Estelle Ralston ’26 with Norman Borlaug’s daughter, Jeanie Borlaug Laube.

(Photo courtesy of Mary Lestina)

In order to participate in World Food Prize youth programs, students must write

a research paper on a country struggling with food insecurity and provide a solution. Then, they attend their regional conference, where the top 10% of students who present their findings are nominated for the international conference. The Global Youth Institute is held during World Food Prize Week, a seven-day symposium where agricultural and environmental experts gather.

Ralston joined over 180 other students from 38 states and nine countries as a participant in the Global Youth Institute, where she presented her research on Haiti’s food security challenges.

“I initially wanted to research how their land has degraded, which is affecting their agriculture,” she said. “After learning more about Haiti, I quickly realized that they are unfortunately dealing with intense gang violence, which has completely uprooted their food supply chain.”

Her solution was to implement low-tech indoor hydroponics that would enable families to grow beans to supplement their diets.

At the Global Youth Institute, Ralston and Brown attended presentations by experts, went on agricultural tours, and participated in discussions about food insecurity and environmental challenges. As a group leader, Brown also led a group of eight delegates as they became involved with the World Food Prize programs and prepared for their presentations.

“Through the Global Youth Institute, you get to hear a lot of cool and interesting people speak,” Brown said. “And a big part of being a group leader is making sure that they take something away from those people who are really important in this field, who they get to talk to.”

Brown was selected as a group leader after her work as a Borlaug-Raun intern in Mbita, Kenya. To become an intern, Brown attended the Iowa Youth Symposium and Global Youth Institute as a delegate last year

UPCOMING DATES

By Lily Rantanen

Winter Sports Begin

Girls Wrestling practice starts Monday, November 3; Girls Basketball, Bowling, and Swimming starts November 10; Boys Basketball and Wrestling starts November 17. Students interested in participating in a winter sport can sign up using Bound.

Thespian Festival Nov. 14 and 15

City High drama students will travel to Cedar Falls on Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15 to participate in the annual Iowa Thespian Festival. Members of City High Speech will perform their one-act play, As You Like It, and participate in various workshops and events. The Iowa Thespian Festival will include college/Thespian scholarship auditions, student performances from around Iowa, and other activities for high school theater students.

First Trimester Finals Nov. 17 and 18

First trimester finals will be held on November 17 and 18. The updated finals schedule can be found below:

Monday, Nov. 17

Period 1 8:50-10:00

Period 2 10:10-11:20

Extended Lunch 11:20-12:40

Period 6 12:40-1:50

Period 7 2:00-3:10

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Period 3 8:50-10:00

Period 4 10:10-11:20

and applied for the Borlaug-Raun International Internship program, held through the World Food Prize.

In Kenya, she conducted research that assessed the effects of climate change on the economic decision-making of smallholder farmers in Western Kenya and Eastern Uganda.

“I was looking at how when income decreases because of climate change, how people [are] choosing to use their money to combat those issues, like, are they investing in sustainable agriculture, or are they pulling kids out of school to save money?” Brown said.

In the future, Brown hopes to go into international sustainable development, where she would research sustainable solutions that improve livelihoods and reduce environmental harm to large-scale issues like poverty in rural and agricultural communities. The World Food Prize youth programs have offered Brown an opportunity to look at international relations and global issues that were related to environmental science and climate change.

“I’ve always been interested in…how the climate and international relations can relate,” she said. “I wanted to find a career path and interest that could connect those two things that I really cared about, and the World Food Prize was that, because it looks into food insecurity.”

The 2026 Iowa Youth Symposium will be held on April 8, 2026 at Iowa State University. Participating students must research and write a paper on an issue related to food security. Like Brown and Ralston, the top students will be nominated to attend the Global Youth Institute.

“From this experience, I met so many incredible and inspiring people,” Ralston said. “It was such an honor to go. I think more people from City should submit papers, because it was truly eye-opening.”

Extended Lunch 11:20-12:40

Period 5 12:40-1:50 Makeup Testing 2:00-3:10

No School Nov. 19

No school on Wednesay, November 19. November 18 is the last day of the first trimester, and the first day of the second trimester is on Thursday, November 20. Elementary students will have parent-teacher conferences.

Thanksgiving Break Nov. 26-28

No school Nov. 26-28—Thanksgiving Break is, as always, the last Wednesday through Friday in November.

Winter Showcase Dec. 13

The annual show choir Winter Showcase will be held on December 13 at three and seven PM. 4th Ave, City Highs’s award-winning varsity show choir, will perform their 2025-26 show Heartlines and will be joined by treble group Charisma, City High jazz programs, and an assortment of special acts. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online or at the door.

Masterworks Concert Dec. 17

City High band, choir, and orchestra students will perform Mozart’s Requiem at the Masterworks concert Wednesday, November 17 (7:00 PM). Masterworks is held every other year and highlights works by classical composers that feature a full orchestra and choir.

To attend the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, Ralston had to write a research paper on the effects of food insecurity in Haiti. Brown was chosen as a group leader because of her work as a Borlaug-Raun International Intern. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY LESTINA

SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER WINS HELEN FINKEN AWARD

The award, which recognizes social studies teachers in their first three years of teaching, was presented to Jenna Eastmen by the Iowa Council for the Social Studies

By Martha Willard

Jenna Eastman, a City High social studies teacher, recently attended the Iowa Council for the Social Studies’ 2025 conference. There, she was recognized with the Helen Finken award, which is given to teachers who have shown a strong commitment to teaching social studies in the first three years of their career.

“I felt very honored with Helen Finken’s connection to City High and learning about how much she’s influenced my mentors here at City High,” Eastman said. “That meant a lot to me, and also just to be recognized by people across the state of Iowa, it just made me feel very honored and lucky.”

At the conference, Eastman attended and gave presentations about social studies

curricula, and to any aspiring teacher, she recommends going to events like these.

“My advice would be to take advantage of as many classes and professional development opportunities as you can,” Eastman said. “Really focus in on what you want your classroom to look like and the skills you want to teach your students, and also know that you are making a big impact on the people around you.”

Just because someone makes a big impact doesn’t necessarily mean they make a good impact, but Eastman’s colleague and co-mock trial coach, Jason Schumann, says she does just that.

“She works tirelessly on behalf of every one of her students, ensuring their success and their learning and trying to make class fun and exciting and engaging. The other day, she had a trench warfare simulation going on,” Jason Schumann, a colleague of

Eastman, said. “I could hear hooting and hollering coming out of her class, which is always a good sign. You always want students to have lessons that are active and engaging…those kinds of lessons take a lot of energy as well into her craft, to her profession.

Though Eastman is now being professionally recognized for her skills as a social studies teacher, at first, she wanted to become a lawyer, not a teacher. Through her continued education, however, she changed her mind.

“I got into teaching social studies by attending the University of Iowa. I originally went in as a business major,” Eastman said. “I thought I was going to go to law school, and I quickly realized…[though] I love teaching mock trial, and I love mock trial, I don’t want to be a lawyer, and I have a passion for history and education.”

Finch, Malone, Horn-Frasier Elected to Board

By Martha Willard

In a tight race, Jayne Finch won with 26.37 percent of the votes, and Ruthina Malone and Jennifer Horn-Frasier came in second and third with 26.34% and 20.26% respectively. Dan Stevenson came in behind at 19.67% and David Noerper earned 6.72%. Malone and Finch are both incumbents and have prior experience on the school board, while Horn-Fraiser is a newcomer.

Malone is the current board president and has been a member since 2017. She told The Little Hawk she decided to run for reelection because “there’s still work that I want to see us get further along in that started when I first joined the board, like FMP projects…I want to continue to work with our administration and ensuring that we’re doing our very best for our special ed teachers and families and staff.”

Finch, the other winning incumbent, has been on the board since 2021. She told The Little Hawk she chose to run for the school board “because I want to keep our school district strong in the face of all of the attacks on public education, particularly the new voucher law.”

Horn-Frasier is the only non-incumbent to earn a spot this election. She told the Little Hawk that there were two reasons she decided to run. One was that Malone suggested it, and she also “was so concerned about what I was seeing happening to public education in the country, in our state and, and I wanted to help protect and support our own district.”

Earlier this year, The Little Hawk held conversations with all five school board candidates. Read more about Malone, Finch, and Horn-Frasier’s stances on TheLittleHawk.Com.

The Helen Finken Award is given to an outstanding social studies teacher in remembrance of Helen Finken. PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON SCHUMANN

Quiz Bowl Attends

IQBL Kickoff

By Jonah Hefti

Agroup of students enter a room. The desks are lined up with four desks on each side and a moderator at the end. The A team is about to play their first playoff game in the IQBL Kickoff. Their opponents are Northwest A who have won every game they played thus far. The City team’s coach pulls them aside just before the game starts. He stresses to them that they must not be afraid. For now on nothing matters only the game. They won that game.

“Quiz Bowl is an academic competition,” Club sponsor, Carson Tuttle said. ”Our team here at City High travels to other schools and competes against other teams to answer academic questions.”

The Quiz Bowl team attended a competition in Wakee,Iowa on October 25th.The City A team won four games and lost 3 placing 4th in the tournament. They had practiced every week to prepare for this competition. But this

wasn’t anything new—Tuttle has been running quiz Bowl for four years.

“I had a friend of mine from Illinois who {was} a Quiz Bowl coach,” Tuttle said. “He saw how much I love trivia and I loved being a part of our team and he came to me and said, ‘hey, I think you should think about starting a Quiz Bowl team where you’re teaching.’”

When his friend approached him, he considered starting a team, but he didn’t immediately act. The idea resurfaced about six months later because of some students he had for American studies.

“I had a couple of students in my 8th-grade American studies class, Jethro Michaelson and Daniel Drolette,” Tuttle said. “ I came to [them] with this idea to start this Quiz Bowl team at Southeast, and it really took off.”

With support from some of his students, Tuttle launched a Quiz Bowl team, which soon began to gain traction as it grew from fielding one team its first year to

being able to regularly muster four teams. Soon after the club was founded, the team began winning its first competitions.

“We were able to be really competitive in these competitions really quickly,” Tuttle said. “So once that happened, I realized that the goal shifted to become ‘let’s create a positive community,’ but also ‘let’s go out and accomplish a goal together.’”

Due to the team’s victory in the Quiz Bowl state competi-

tion and unexpected nationals qualification, the team was able to focus increased energy on creating a tight-knit community while remaining competitive. The team was able to compete at a high level almost immediately. The quiz Bowl team is still quite active.

“Hopefully we’re going to go to Nationals this year in Atlanta, Georgia,” Felix Cook ‘28, a club member, said. “I’ve been looking forward to that for a while and obviously there is State this year

[and] …several smaller tournaments coming up”.

The Quiz Bowl team has a full schedule this year, with many tournaments that they plan to participate in. The team is still, however, open to new participants.

“Quiz Bowl meets Wednesdays [from] 4:15 to 5:15,” Felix said. “It’s very simple to join. Just walk in the [the library] and you’ll be greeted with lots of friendly faces of a great community and a fun activity to do.”

New Facilities to Come to City

By Kelsey Herrig

The last time City High School had major reconstruction and renovation was in August 2021. Starting in the winter of 2025, the district plans to start a four-year, multi-million-dollar master plan to add new athletic and fine arts facilities and provide brand-new training for their student-athletes. City High board believes it is time for an update across the sports program to maintain top performance across all its athletic programs.

“The purpose of the proposed fine arts and athletic projects is to continue to offer our students state-of-the-art, cutting-edge facilities,” Principal John Bacon said. “We want our students to have every opportunity to flourish and thrive.”

The plan involves major changes to the baseball softball field, which will be moved to Mercer Park. This will bring new dugouts, fresh grass to play on, new bleachers, and more. Players are excited for the latest fields and opportunities as a team.

“It’s going to be fun having both our baseball and softball programs in the same place, because of the new location, a new field, and more fun, which means improvement all around,” Softball player Ellie Fraga ‘27 said.“People will want to show up, and having this new field location close to the baseball fields means we can collaborate with the baseball coaches and have more resources.”

Baseball player Beau Hall ‘26

is excited about the upgrades and thinks it’s a reflection of the team’s success in winning a state championship.

“This means a lot to the team because a new field is much needed. Getting the new field is a great reflection of how well our coach Brian Mitchell has led this program and taken it to the next level,” Hall said. The soccer field will also be receiving new overhead lights for late-night games. And the track will see smaller improvements throughout to maintain top maintenance for athletes.

City High plans to re-purpose the land that currently houses the softball fields and build an indoor facility. Maximizing training by allowing them to train year-round regardless of the weather.

“I think anytime you can improve facilities, it’s a positive for everyone involved. Student-athletes, coaches, community, etc. The majority of our athletic programs will benefit from the renovations that are planned,” Athletic Director Phil Lala said.

Bacon and Lala ensured that most sports programs at City High would benefit from this

indoor facility. These include not only City High sports teams, but also local youth clubs. Students will be able to improve their skills and enjoy more consistent practice to participate in. Consistent access to this space can benefit the overall team’s success, personal player development, and performance. The number of student-athletes is growing at City High, but also at local youth club teams.

Bacon is excited to help the local community and allow the youth teams to benefit from the new facilities as well.

“Our high school programs

will always get first dibs on any new facilities, but youth feeder programs will also be allowed to use them. Our current baseball/ softball hitting facility is a great example of this. I anticipate a great many youth programs benefiting from the facility,” Bacon said.

Aside from sports, City High is also looking at an update to the auditorium, little theater, and fine arts division. Starting this winter, the auditorium will be under construction for new lighting, sound quality, and technical upgrades. There are also plans for more rehearsal space for the music departments.

Within the past 5 years, something new to the ISSCD is outdoor classrooms. These help students be more connected with nature and are a more accessible option for their learning.

“I believe the idea is to strengthen the connection between students and the outdoors. Students benefit from spending time outdoors, fresh air, etc,” Bacon said. “I think it provides a nice change of pace for students during the day when they get to experience a class out there, especially on a beautiful day.”

This new construction plan is to encourage both the students and athletes of City High to continue to achieve at new standards. Starting at the beginning of 2026, City High has plans to construct new outdoor classrooms, facilities, fields, and more over the next couple of years for the school and students.

Daniel Drollette ‘27 during a Quiz Bowl practice game. Quiz bowl practices weekly in the library to prepare for tournaments and improve their skills. PHOTO BY Jonah Hefti

LEFT: The current reconstruction at Mercer Park, renovating sidewalks and fields. RIGHT: The new softball field reconstruction with brand new bleachers and press box. PHOTOS BY KELSEY HERRIG

School News

City High implements new attendence policy for teachers LATE

By Nicolas Vergara-Vanegas

It turns out that it’s not just students who are late. Due to a lack of timely attendance reports, the attendance office has devised a way to make sure teachers remember to take attendance.

“Understandably, with all the wonderful, busy things that happen in a classroom, sometimes teachers might forget to enter attendance,” John Bacon, City High Principal, said. “Therefore, we created a system where teachers get a simple little reminder note if they have not entered attendance within the first 10 minutes of class.”

Simple, right? But not all teachers agree. Some, like French teacher Tony Balcaen, think that the reminders can disrupt the class.

“I think there’s less disruptive ways to do it,” Balcaen said, “When they come in and you’re in the middle of explaining something and they come in and they give [the reminder note] to you and it stops what you’re doing… it’s disruptive.”

Balcaen also thinks that

the reminder also makes him lose respect with his students.

“It makes the teacher kInd of look bad for a mInute In front of the whole class.”

Mr. Balcaen

“It makes the teacher kind of look bad for a minute in front of the whole class,” Balcaen said, “You lose a bit of credibility.”

Still, it doesn’t seem like this policy is going away. Getting attendance in quickly is important for student safety.

“Parents deserve to know if their child is in class when they’re supposed to be,” Ba-

con said. “If a student is not where they’re supposed to be, parents are notified in a timely manner. If we do not enter attendance correctly, then we are not providing parents with accurate information.”

Troy Peters, the theatre development teacher, finds that the reminder notes are a useful in reminding him to take attendance, even if at times it interrupts class.

“It happens sometimes, when we get busy,” Peters said, “It’s the beginning of class, you get so many questions from students and you’re not thinking about taking attendance right away. I think it has been helpful.”

Students auditioning for All-State Music Festival prepare for their auditions,“I think auditioning is a good process to go through, it really helps your growth, and I’ve learned a lot about music from All-State, like especially how to perform,” Kaitlyn Fields ‘26, said.

West High Held Auditions for All-State Music Festival, and Roster Announced

Auditions for All State music festival were held at West High School and 41 students from City High were selected

By Estelle Hartz

Auditions for the All-State music festival were held last Saturday beginning at 8am at West High School. All-State Music festival is a prestigious statewide event, where Iowa’s top musicians are selected through a series of auditions, to perform in several ensembles including an orchestra, band, and chorus.

“I think auditioning is a good process to go through, it really helps your growth, and I’ve learned a lot about music from

ALL STATE

SELECTS

Cecelia Appleton - Viola

Rocco Arnone - Cello

Felix Cook - Bass Clarinet (Alternate)

Miriam Doval - Violin

Escher Eicke - Violin

Gemma Escandell-Tapias - Cello

Coraline Etler - Euphonium

All-State, like especially how to perform,” Kaitlyn Fields ‘26, said.

Preparations look different for everyone, depending on the person and what they are auditioning for, but practice ranges anywhere from daily individual practices and working one on one with teachers, to All State audition practices twice a week.

“On Mondays we meet with a professor, and we sing cuts that Mr. Hagy or Mr. Walker (City High choir directors) have given us, just to get new opinions, and on Thursdays we meet as a group and sing for everybody,” said Fields.

Madeline Fischer - Trumpet (Orchestra)Amelia Flaming - Harp (Band)

Calissa Fruin - Oboe (Orchestra)Silas

Gollnick - Alto Saxophone

Yuchen Gong - Flute (Alternate)

Thomas Hand - Alto Saxophone (Alternate)

Jack Harmsen - Horn (Orchestra)

Vee Harrington - Oboe (Orchestra)

Along with students who have had experience auditioning in previous years, there were many students auditioning for the first time.

“I feel like even if I don’t make it, auditioning is still a great way to get better. The results are just a few peoples opinions, the more important thing is how much better I’ve gotten from practicing for this,” alto saxophone Thomas Hand ‘28, said.

Only approximately 17% of the students who audition are selected for membership in the All-State ensembles, making it extremely selective.

Lucas Iverson - Violin

Aurora Jeddeloh - Cello

Austin Klauke - Horn

Jillian Leman - Trumpet (Orchestra)

Linus McRoberts - Trombone

Meghan Mettemeyer - Horn

Macy Mickalson - Clarinet

Frank Ogilvie - Bass Trombone

Emmett Palmberg - Clarinet

“I play the alto which is one of the most competitive instruments for All State, and just in band period, but despite that my directors have been super supportive and no matter what happens I’ve grown as a player and that’s my ultimate goal,” Jesse Varner ‘26, said.

16 students from the orchestra were selected,

Selected students will rehearse in Ames on Friday and Saturday, November 21–22, and the All-State Festivals 79’th anniversary Concert will be held at 7:30 p.m on Saturday, November 22, at Iowa State University.

Milo Palmer - Bass Clarinet

Eleanor Plank - Cello

Anna Platte - Cello (Alternate)

Lily Rantanen - Flute

August Sander - Cello

Benjamin Sauder - Violin

Noelle Schnoebelen - Flute (Orchestra)

Julia Shannon - Alto 1

Abigail Sigafoose - Violin - 4-year

Marching Band Ends Season with a Rain out

By Estelle Hartz

The marching band has prepared for their Mississippi Marching Invitational for the past few weeks, which is a marching band competition hosted by Clinton High School, in Clinton Iowa. Various high schools get together and showcase their field shows for a panel of adjudicators and are ranked based on both the effectiveness and quality of respective performances.

The marching band’s show this year is called “Contrasts” and features three movements; 1. Love & War – music from “I Can’t Help Falling In Love” and “Mars: Bringer of War”, 2. Heaven & Hell – music from “Dies Irae” and “Stairway to Heaven”, and 3. Light & Dark – music from “Into the Darkness” and “Light em’ Up.

“I think the show is going really well, we had the whole show on the field in record time and everyone seems really bought in and we have been playing really well,” Daniel Kenyon ‘26, said.

This was City High’s second annual visit to Music on the Mississippi and the 4A schools that City High was planning to compete against were Davenport West, Western Dubuque, Muscatine, and Davenport Central.

“We try to approach every rehearsal like a performance, so in that respect it is special preparation! They’ve really been bringing it in rehearsal and performance lately,” Mike Kowbel, Band Director said.

Unfortunately, the competition was rained out right before the marching band was planning to perform, so because they didn’t get a chance to compete, the band didn’t place at this competition.

“Performing in marching band competitions is fun because it’s the culmination of the entire season, we only compete once per year so it’s really important that we get everything right the first and only time we get to compete,” said Kenyon ‘26, “I feel like everyone locks in and is ready and it’s cool to be a part of a band with 180 kids all ready to play and perform for each other.”

participant

Evan Stucky - Percussion

Alrik Swanson - Viola

Max Tchernoraenko - Clarinet

James Tilley - Tenor Saxophone

Beckett Tobin - String Bass

Henry Vande Berg - Bassoon

Martha Willard - Horn

Seth Zeithamel - Viola

Students auditioning for All-State Music Festival prepare for their auditions PHOTO BY ESTELLE HARTZ BROCKETT

FRESH PEOPLE ALL-STATE MUSICIANS

Freshman prepare for their first time auditionioning for All State

The other ones I’ve tried are a lot harder.”

rom June to November, the best musicians at City are occupied with excerpts, etudes, scales and solos. This year, Eleanor Plank ‘29 and Milo Palmer ‘29 are among those trying out. They’re preparing for All-State auditions, when they’ll find out if their months of work will pay off.

“You get to a point where you’re like, wow, I’ve learned this. But it’s not perfect yet, and you know it has to be. That’s the whole point of All-State,” Plank says. “You have to learn the excerpt the best out of everyone. You don’t have to be the best musician, you just have to know the excerpt, and I think that’s the key to it. I’ve put in hours and hours of my time, especially in the past month, to get the progress

All-state etudes and excerpts came out in July, but most start preparing at the beginning of summer with their solo, which they get to pick, and scales. The pre-audition process differs between band and orchestra. Orchestra is self-selected and anyone can sign up. With band, however, students have to complete pre-auditons to determine who’s going. Orchestra students practice their solos and excerpts in class often, and band has check-ins. Both groups have mock

“[All-State Pre-Auditions] were really stressful, cause they were also wind ensemble chair placements. And allstate,” says Palmer. “I thought if I got not-firstchair, I didn’t think I was gonna be able to go, but I got second chair and I’m still able

Plenty of orchestra students play a second instrument, and most can get by on other string instruments, but no one’s trying out for All-State on anything but their main instrument. Band instruments have so much variety, and the competition level is different for each. Although Palmer’s primary instrument is the clarinet, he’s dabbled in flute, and is trying out for All-State on bass clarinet, which he’s been playing less than six months. There’s a lot less bass clarinet players, so Palmer has a better chance of getting in, but says he still isn’t confident.

“When I played [bass clarinet] for the first time, I played my brother’s,” Palmer says. “It felt pretty similar, like most of the fingerings are the same so that wasn’t a big problem. I think it felt kinda like learning a new instrument, but not actually.

Plank has grown up with a cello in her hands. She’s first chair in Philharmonic, the best a freshman can do in City’s orchestra. She’s also gotten into numerous honors orchestras where she’s also gotten high chairs and led her section. She’s studied with the same teacher for eleven years, and found a supportive community through music.

“The orchestra community and Preucil community is wonderful,” says Plank. “There’s definitely been competition, but I think that’s healthy and I appreciate it a lot. I love everything about orchestra. I love being the leader of my section, it’s so much fun. I love talking to people, I love getting to know people and what they like to play. I just love the whole environment. The whole community is just so special.”

Both Plank and Palmer have older siblings who graduated from City last year. Eleanor’s sister, Sylvia Plank, also played the cello and finished her senior year as first chair in the highest orchestra. Milo’s brother, Oliver Palmer, who plays sax and a variety of other instruments, was in wind ensemble all four of his high school years, and is now in the top jazz band at UNI. Milo first heard the clarinet at one of his brother’s recitals, when he knew he wanted to play it. Eleanor grew up watching her sister play, and the sisters grew up on the cello together.

“I think my sister, seeing her work hard and play, that’s a big deal for me to have that role model,” Plank says. “Also my teacher, she’s incredible. She works so hard. She makes the best students. She’s incredible, I would love to play like her. And I think just the people I play with overall, their love for music, I want that just as much as my ability, I think. I just look up to everyone that plays and puts themselves out there.”

All-State is highly competitive, with months of practice and frustration and anxiety leading up to auditions. Auditions, for band, orchestra, and choir, will take place on Saturday, October 25th. Both musicians have been playing for years, watched their older siblings, and grown up around music. Palmer has put in hours upon hours of work on his audition material. Plank has been practicing an hour each day for All-State, and is cautiously optimistic about getting in.

“I hope it’s not my ego speaking,’” says Plank. “But I have a gut feeling that the hard work will pay off.

Eleanor Plank ‘29 playing her cello PHOTO BY Eleanor Plank

FRESHMEN TO WATCH

Four musicians from the class of 2029 discuss their music and future goals as Little

Hawks

Evan Farely

By Anna Platte

Evan Farley ‘29 is a bassist in both the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble. Music is important to Evan because it helps introduce new perspectives through all the different types of music. Philharmonic Orchestra is the highest orchestra a freshman can be in and Jazz Ensemble is the highest of City High’s jazz bands. Just last year the Jazz Ensemble got sixth in the state wide competition. Evan started to play bass in 5th grade and joined the jazz band at Southeast in 7th grade.

“I didn’t want to play the other instruments, and bass sounded fun,” Evan Farley said, “It’s usually a simple part, so you can listen to the whole ensemble.”

In 8th grade, Evan became more serious about jazz band. Now jazz is the main type of music he listens to. His dad, who played tenor saxophone, also played in jazz bands in high school, and now sends him music for him to listen to

In addition to music, Evan also participates in cross country. According to Evan this has made the transition into high school easier. Despite being one of a few freshmen in Jazz Ensemble, he already knew many people from cross-country.

“Jazz band and cross country have strong connections with (the same) people and they are both kind of tough so strong work ethic crosses over,” Evan said.

According to Ms. Stucky one of the things that made Evan stand out was his attitude. Evan explained that it can sometimes be difficult to play bass because they rarely get the melody and there are so few solo pieces made specifically for bass. This doesn’t stop him from enjoying playing the bass.

“We won’t get to play together like this again, we only get these four years, so I just try to make it fun,” Evan said.

Sally Owens

By Lily Rantanen

Sally Owens is the only freshman percussionist in Wind Ensemble.

“I went to my sister’s concerts, and I saw percussion [players] and I wanted to do that,” Owens said. “I started in fifth grade at the school.”’

Despite being surrounded by older students in Wind Ensemble, she has enjoyed high school band so far.

“Everyone [in Wind Ensemble] has been so nice and welcoming, so I’ve had a great time,” Owens said.

Besides percussion, Owens has also been playing piano since third grade, which has helped her learn percussion. One of her proudest moments was making SEIBA, and in the future she hopes to get into All-State.

“Having an older sister who’s been through the whole thing has helped me know what to expect and also know what to work for,” she said. “It’s really motivated me.”

Amelia Flaming

By Estelle Hartz

Amelia Flaming ‘29 is a harpist in Symphony Orchestra, and was accepted into the Iowa All-State Band to play as their harpist as a freshman. She picked up the harp at the age of 5, because as a little kid she was always fascinated with the way the harp sounds.

“I had a toy that played music from all kinds of instruments and the harp was always my favorite. One random afternoon my mom googled “harp lessons in Iowa City” and I’ve been playing ever since,” Flaming said.

“Harps are rare instruments so I’m often the only harpist. I also played in an orchestra in middle school and was the only harpist, so I’ve gotten used to it by now,” Amelia said, “Even so, it can be nerve-wracking at times because the Symphony Orchestra at City is a lot higher of a level than I’ve played in before. But, I’ve learned so so much from the other students and Ms. Stucky.”

Flaming hopes to continue playing harp in an orchestra or chamber ensemble through college.

“I really enjoy performing and soon I want to start playing in public, whether at a wedding gig or simply playing in a park or on the sidewalk.”

Rocco Arnone

By Estelle Hartz

Rocco Arnone ‘29 plays the bassoon, trombone, and cello. His first instrument was the cello, which he began playing when he was 3 years old, and has been playing for 10 years since. The next instrument he learned was the trombone, which he has been playing for 3.5 years, and he picked up the bassoon just a little over 2 years ago.

“For cello, I just kinda wanted to start playing, For bassoon, our 7th grade band needed bassoons so I thought I’d try it out and for trombone I just thought it was cool and started in 5th grade,’ Arnone said.

Arnone has other musicians in his family which has had an impact on his music, allowing him to get immediate help and guidance, he also enjoys meeting and getting advice from upperclassmen in the music department. Arnone’s main goal is to continue to enjoy music and grow his musical skills.

“Making wind ensemble freshman year and making all state for cello freshman year,” Arnone said, talking about his proudest accomplishment.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SALLY OWENS

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIYA ELLERMEIER

The Little Hawk Little Hawk Journalism Staff

Executive Editor

Lily Rantanen

News Editors

Martha Willard

Liyan Elgiseer (asst.)

Sports Editors

Jack Rogers

Rito Perez

Tessa Driscoll

Ben Klitgaard

Louisa Berry-Stoelzle (asst.)

Caden Beard (asst.)

Opinion Editor

Nicolas Vergara-Vanegas

A&E Editor

Estelle Hartz

Positivity

Editors

Ada Meineke

Scarlett Carino-Marek

Izzy Brown

Feature Editors

Lily Rantanen

Rayan Ahmed (asst.)

Video-Broadcast

Melody Ross

Avery O’Brien

Social Media

Ramy Makawi

Staff

Jack Lampe, Owen Raefield, Ben Haines, Kyle Hartwig, Jack Litton, Ven McGill, Micah Hartwig, William Meis, Bella Ragona, Kelsey Herrig, Liz Degner, Stevie Wilmoth, Oliver Erickson, Alex Donovan, Jacob Reid, Audrey Vande Berg, Henry Birt, Stella Demarest

Advisor

Jonathan Rogers

Mission Statement

The Little Hawk, student journalism newspaper and website of City High School, aims to inform, educate and entertain readers. LH journalists follow the code of the journalist by seeking truth, doing no harm, being independent, and working toward balance in all news stories. All student voices are enouraged to be part of a LH journalism class. To join the class, talk to your guidance counselor today.

Letters to the editor may be submitted to: LittleHawkPage@gmail.com

ICCSD Equity Statement

It is the policy of the ICCSD not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or socioeconomic status in its educationall programs, activities, or employment practices.

If you believe you (or your child) have been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Director at:

509 S. Dubuque Street (319) 688-1000

Letter to the Editors

BY LILY RANTANEN

GRAPHIC

BLOCKED

Looks like this page isn’t allowed.

That’s the message that appears on the top of a computer screen above the naughty cord-gnawing gnomes when a student tries to access a site that’s blocked by the ICCSD administration. Often, this makes a lot of sense. Adult content like pornography has no place in schools. But sometimes, there are blocked sites that are just inane. There are lots of holes in the way that the district blocks sites.

“A West High student [recently] submitted a request to unblock a website,” Joshua Reynolds, the Iowa City Community School District Director of Technology, said, “We looked into it, [and] it turned out that Securly was categorizing it incorrectly.”

When ICCSD blocks a site, they’re following two policies: one, the national law and two, the guidelines that Securly, the company that monitors student activity, has put in place.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) states that if schools don’t block sites with inappropriate images (eg., pornography) or sites that are harmful to minors, public schools will lose their funding. However, the rules explicitly outlined (harmful to minors) are pretty vague (what is harmful to minors?). Securly has way more regulations, splitting sites into categories and efficiently blocking and permitting sites. But Securly isn’t always right. Some-

times it categorizes stuff wrong. That’s why there’s a policy in place to fix these problems: A student, parent, or teacher can request a site to be blocked or un-blocked.

“We work with our teaching and learning staff to kind of determine whether that site provides educational value or not,” Reynolds said. “And then we make a ruling on it.”

great loss, but you get to an interesting problem once you reach another site that is blocked because of age: Google News. Google News changed its terms of service a few years ago by making the age restriction 13+ , rather than 18, but the ICCSD doesn’t regularly check if a site has changed its terms of service (because that’s extremely tedious). However annoying the task may be, it’s essential to periodically review blocked

STAFF EDITORIAL:

ICCSD Policy for blocking and restricting websites has issues that need to be adressed.

It’s not a bad system. But still, it has many flaws. Blocking by category can mean that some useful sites, like GroupMe, are blocked. GroupMe was used by many clubs for communication, which is (slightly) harder now that the site has been blocked. And GroupMe is only one of a number of sites that are questionable.

Some websites, like Gentleman’s Quarterly and Sports Illustrated, are blocked because their Terms of Service say that a user must be older than 18 to access the site. And this makes complete sense. Now in the cases of Gentleman’s Quarterly and Sports Illustrated, this is no

sites like Google News, because blocking a news site is blocking factual information, which borders on censorship. Currently, and likely in the future, ICCSD requires a request to fix problems like this.

Additionally, as of 2025, Securly has added a new feature that allows teachers to see every student’s chromebook screen from their computer. While this is a blatant disrespect for privacy, it is still a very effective way to keep students on task. However, it also makes blocking some of these websites in the gray area unnecessary. If there’s a site that the school sees useful in some situations, they can

leave it open and let teachers block it using Securly Classroom rather than block it completely.

As always when a type of media is blocked or banned, there are moral discrepancies. Currently, the administration and teachers have a sort of godly control over what we can access on the internet. Securly classroom literally has a feature that allows a teacher to kick a student off their chromebook. This power can easily be abused. It’s not that hard to imagine a teacher or administrator using this power to block whatever site they want. Even if the possibility is unlikely, it’s still worth pointing out, and this sort of totalitarian power should have some kind of regulation.

There are a lot of problems with this system that need to be addressed. In the long term, less ambiguity is needed on what ‘harmful to minors’ means rather than listening to arbitrary rules decided by the Securly team in California. Clear definitions allow less room for bending the rules. This keeps the administration in check from any possible power-abuse and allows us students to better understand the reasoning behind blocking a site. In the short term, we as students have to take action. If students notice a site that shouldn’t or should be banned, then they have to report it. Only through action can we improve the system and make sure that our freedom doesn’t remain blocked.

RFK JR: A Pox on Our House

RFK JR’s cuts to US Government health spending and specifically vaccine spending will be and have been a disaster for US public health. Over 1 billion dollars have now been cut from programs to vaccinate America’s youth in conjunction with cuts to MRNA research which will likely set back vaccine research for years. These cuts should be reversed and RFK jr should either resign from his post or be fired due to his dangerous views and actions on public health.

RFK Jr. has cut millions in funding to healthcare research spending towards vaccines. He has also supported the many budgets of the Trump administration which cut additional billions from the field of public health. All of those cuts, in addition to the termination of grants under his tenure, add up to 8.2 billion dollars cut from research spending. I think it’s quite obvious that this will kill innovation. These cuts have affected all corners of US science. The plan to cap indirects led to the University of Iowa temporarily stopping all new grants according to Inside Higher Ed, effectively freezing funding for some time. Indirects are additional funding issued to the institutions which receive grants. They help pay for infrastructure and other employees’s salaries. For example, indirects can pay for rat keeping facilities and upkeep for buildings. These indirects are necessary for science to function, as they pay for the infrastructure allowing researchers to do their work. Many prominent healthcare experts have accused

him of waging a “war on science” due to his budget cuts and mass firings. Large amounts of staff at many government agencies have been laid off. Many parts of our current healthcare system have been cut and many parts have become severely underfunded and understaffed. Groups meant to help with childhood lead paint contamination and to detect drug resistant STDs are now unable to carry out their primary functions or completely cut according to CBS and Stat News respectively.

Grants have also been severely affected by these cuts. Research and science in the United States is severely reliant on government sponsored research grants and other forms of government funding. This funding is being decreased under the oversight of RFK Jr. This will affect a number of studies, many of which RFK and his team have not properly reviewed as they have not fully reviewed many cut programs. These cuts will remove 18% of the NIH budget, including 3.7 billion in funding meant to go to research, according to CMAJ.

RFK Jr. also has a history of untruthful and medically dubious claims about diseases and vaccines. He has stated that the cure for measles was just chicken soup,cod liver oil, and vitamin A .The fact is that none of these three help with measles in the US. Multiple kids were later hospitalized during the Texas outbreak due to vitamin A poisoning, according to UNMC, from attempts to treat measles at home. The fact is that the most effective means of prevent-

by Jonah Hefti

ing measles is vaccination. This also plays into a history of vaccine hesitancy and pushing antivax talking points, according to AP News. He has stated that the COVID shot was the deadliest vaccine ever and has recently revoked CDC recommendations of the vaccine for anyone.

He has also repeatedly pushed largely unsubstantiated claims that link various things to the rise in autism diagnosis in the US. He has supported discredited arguments that vaccines and Tylenol can cause autism in children. Both claims have been proven to be false by scientific consensus. RFK Jr. has continued to push for researchers to find the cause of the “autism epidemic.” The issue is that autism is not one specific diagnosis but rather a large spectrum with thousands of different ways it can manifest. Although some people who have autism require some assistance, others are capable of functioning like any other person. It therefore stands to reason that one cause or cure of autism simply doesn’t exist

His supporters will point to his moves such as convincing the coke company to use actual cane sugar and his promises to overhaul the US health system to remove harmful chemicals from food. However, these small benefits and occasional success are little in comparison to the harm he has caused to the US public health system. He has clearly proven himself a danger to US public health and has caused a net harm to the public health system.

Laziness, Greed, and Digital Warfare

The Problems with AI

Artificial Intelligence, once heralded as the pinnacle of technological progress, is increasingly weaving itself into the fabric of our everyday lives—often without us fully realizing the consequences. While AI promises convenience and efficiency, it also brings significant challenges: from privacy erosion and algorithmic bias to job displacement and a growing dependence on automated decision-making. As these systems become more ingrained, it’s crucial to confront the ethical, social, and practical issues they introduce before convenience turns into compromise.

Do you notice anything off about that first paragraph? Is it the odd word choice? The constant use of long words? Or is its distinct lack of personality? Well you should, because I asked Open AI’s ChatGPT to generate an opening paragraph for an opinion column about the negative impacts of AI, and it only proves to me why AI can’t replace the effort and creativity of a human.

All writers, no matter what genre they work in, have a specific style that’s unique to them. All an AI can do is take excerpts from thousands of different writers on the internet and put together a paragraph that barely resembles anything close to humans.

This article from the New York Post reveals that, in the US, the latest high school senior scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress have hit an all-time low, with only 35% of seniors being able to read proficiently, and only 22% being proficient in math. These numbers are likely a result of students relying on AI to do their classwork and not retaining any information

from their classes. These effects could be detrimental to the future of society because with every new generation, it’s been harder and harder to find employment in high level work like medical or law fields, but to some, hiring human doctors or pilots may not be as important in the future.

This article on Forbes.com covers a study done by KRISTA in which 1000 Americans were asked on how much they trust AI or humans more to perform certain jobs. Every category provided came back with a majority of Americans choosing humans over AI, but that still left at least 30% of people trusting AI to do things like stand as a jury in a trial, fly airplanes, and make life or death decisions in war.

AI is inescapeable. It seems like every website I go on nowadays has some sort of tacky AI feature, and most social media sites are plastered with AI generated content and advertisements. Every time I see an AI ad, it makes me want to buy the product less because using AI to make an ad for you proves to me that you don’t care about the product you’re selling and are too lazy to produce a video. All of this is fine and I can easily ignore most of this content, but recently official U.S. Government social media accounts have been uploading AI generated smear content targeted at the opposing political party. AI generated bot accounts were one thing, but I draw the line at some of the most important people in the world using AI to fight their battles for them. The world is entering an age of digital warfare, where if you don’t like someone for whatever reason, you just get AI to make a deepfake video with an AI generated version of their voice that says things that negatively affects their reputation.

SKI SEASON

SAVANNAH BANANAS @ KINNICK

TLH NAMED ALL-IOWA NEWS TEAM

HY-VEE $3 MEALS CITY HIGH COACHES OF THE YEAR

by Quentin Blakeslee

But all of this begs the question, why can’t the U.S. government, some of the richest people in America, professionally produce a video for their cause? It’s most likely because of two traits which humans naturally have: greed and laziness. Think about it, why spend money and several days of production to create a video, when you can have an AI create one a matter of minutes for essentially free. But an AI produced video already shows me that you don’t care about the message you’re spreading and only use AI because it’s easy and cheap.

The biggest issue regarding AI is it has no laws that restrict its use in certain environments, and if something doesn’t change things will get out of hand really quickly. AI will only evolve with time and soon it will be so advanced that it can create videos that are near perfect replicas of something a human could film. Right now, a new AI called Sora 2 has been released, and it can create videos that are more advanced than AI videos that have come before it. And on the one hand, while it’s cool to see a crazy idea shown in a way that’s not obviously AI, it could be a problem in the future as AI continues to become more and more realistic.

AI has come a long way, from its concept being purely science-fiction to its being able to create videos that can rival that of a human. But as I reflect on the history of AI, I can’t help but miss the days when AI was merely a tool that created crappy images and overly-detailed essays. As I look towards the future of AI, I see a world where it’s impossible to believe anything you see online, and unless something changes now, AI will continue to take over our day to day lives until humans can’t trust anything anymore.

THUMBS

COURT STREET CONSTRUCTION

INDIANA JOURNALISM ADVISOR FIRED

Court Street

Construction Ignores Pedestrians

Every morning I leave my house to the sound of construction. Loud beeps, metallic clatter, and huge tires on gravel. From there, the process of getting to school is a series of hopes and guesses.

The Court Street Reconstruction Project has been in the works since 2021. Construction started late last winter, and is supposed to finish in the fall of 2027. It costs an estimated $9.6 million, and is supposed to provide important updates for the street. The project will replace a lot of sewer and water utility systems. It will also involve completely ripping up and replacing the whole east stretch of the street, along with its sidewalks.

The neighborhood has so many houses, far past their youth, who flaunt routine basement floods and frequent sewage issues. Replacing some pipes certainly wouldn’t hurt this, and residents aren’t too fond of faulty sewers.

Unfortunately, most talk of the project has been complaints. Looking up the project will simply provide a collection of government updates, mostly about delays and the Court Street bus route. There’s absolutely nothing about what students and other pedestrians are supposed to do. On top of that, the timelines are already off after just a few months of work, and everything relies on Iowa’s weather, which goes from sunny to storming in an hour and 90° to 60° in a week.

I’ve become quite familiar with my fellow worksite crossers. Middle and high school students, dog walkers, usually a pair of older women on their morning walk. Most of us just go through the construction. No one’s said otherwise or given an alternative, and for now the Seventh intersection is still passable, despite officially being closed.

The construction, which was supposed

by Margaret Cilek

BY MARGARET CILEK

to take place between Muscatine Ave and Wales Street during 2025, has already passed this year’s boundaries, wandering up almost to Morningside. While this doesn’t seem like a huge difference, it is. The would-be-detour, a tiny B-Street, is often blocked by heavy machinery, piles of gravel or equipment, and dotted with workers. Meanwhile, the Seventh intersection, where work is supposed to be happening, is often quiet and deserted by the crew, if not their trucks, crates, and giant pipes. There’s been plenty of updates on the construction progress that no one cares to read, and hardly anything on how residents are supposed to deal with it. Everywhere I go I hear people complaining. The halls at school, my grandparents’ house, even my optometrist’s office. No one wants to

Sudan in Flames

Rivers of Blood as the World Watches

Nearly two years after the promised transition, Sudan remains plagued by broken promises of democracy. A nation cannot thrive when its leaders confuse authority with legitimacy.

Sudan has been facing this broken government branch since 1956. We like to think that when faced with a genocide, the world will unite and say, “Never again.” But right now in Sudan, that promise is being broken in real time, and the silence from global leaders is blaring. This isn’t another faraway conflict you see in a newsbreak; it’s “The World’s Largest Humanitarian Crisis” unfolding on a scale we haven’t seen in decades, and we need to pay attention.

The situation can be described in a fairly simple way: an all-out war between two brutal military groups, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has unleashed brutality on the Sudanese people. This is a campaign that is deliberately promoting systematic violence and ethnic cleansing, particularly in the region of Darfur; it is echoing a genocide that happened just twenty years ago. The U.S. government has officially called it what it is: genocide.

So what does that look like in practice? It’s not just a battle between soldiers. It’s targeted killings, entire neighbourhoods demolished and erased, and horrific sexual violence that is being used as a weapon of war against young girls and women. Over 12 million people have been forced out of their homes, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis. And to make things even worse, both sides continue to block essential food aid, pushing half of the population to the brink of starvation. Famine is a present reality in multiple areas, not a

threat.

The international response has been a disgrace. While people are being starved and slaughtered, world leaders are moving with frustrating slowness. Humanitarian aid is desperately needed, but the fundraising targets are consistently missed. It’s frustrating that in an age of instant global communication, this crisis remains largely “forgotten.”

As Sudan’s civil war rages on, not only are the people being affected, but the war is erasing Sudan’s cultural memory. Historic archives in Khartoum have been burned, museums have been looted, and cultural landmarks have been destroyed. According to The Art Newspaper, Sudan’s National Museum is home to more than 100,000 artefacts and boasts the most comprehensive Nubian collection in the world. This is the history of Sudan; this is what Sudan should be known for. These ancient relics are being destroyed as the fighting continues to cover Khartoum and other major cities. For many Sudanese, the loss is beyond home and safety; it’s the loss of history itself. What began as a power struggle between the militaries has evolved into a conflict that is erasing Sudan’s history, memory, and future. Nations around the world are exploiting the war in Sudan for their own gain. Sudan’s

“IT’S FRUSTRATING IN AN AGE OF INSTANT GLOBAL COMMUNICATION, THAT THIS CRISIS REMAINS LARGELY FORGOTTEN.”

be walking half an hour to school during a frigid Iowa winter, so instead we’ll all be walking through a frozen construction site.

A long series of car detour signs trace down side streets and through the neighborhood. Down the street from Morningside, far below the large “road closed” signs, are two small pedestrian/bike detour signs. There’s one on the left of the street, one on the right. They point toward each other, their invisible lines meeting in the middle of the closed road. I’m still wondering where this detour’s supposed to be, but I doubt anyone will be getting an answer. So everyday pedestrians will continue peering around street corners and attempting to evade the huge machinery, because there’s nowhere to go but through.

large gold reserves and its strategic location on the Red Sea are assets that many countries have been eyeing. According to the Financial Times, countries like the United Arab Emirates have contributed to the war effort by providing weapons and financial support to the RSF.

Right now, the UAE is supplying weapons to encourage the RSF to kill their own people. Many innocent civilians in Al-Fashir at the moment are suffering from starvation and are being slaughtered by their own people (RSF). RSF has committed many horrifying crimes against these innocent civilians. People in Al-Fashir are being hanged, buried alive, and even abused. More than 2,000 unarmed civilians have died just this past weekend. And the world is only watching this happen with no action. This bloody genocide has led to more than 150,000 people murdered and more than 14 million displaced Sudanese. Currently, more than 1 million Sudanese have fled Al-Fashir. Yet 260,000 civilians, half of them children, remain trapped without aid, and many have even resorted to eating animal fodder.

While we may feel powerless globally, we do have a responsibility. The situation in Sudan needs attention and action from the global community. Awareness is one of the few tools we have. Speaking about Sudan, sharing verified information, and supporting humanitarian organisations are actions that can make a huge difference. The people of Sudan cannot wait for the world to act at its own pace. Genocide is a word that should force the world to stop and act. The global community is failing Sudan, and that failure is a moral stain on all of us. “Never again” demands action, not just empty words. It’s time we raise our voices and force the world to finally listen.

is an invaluable resource that needs to be more available to the public

You may never have even heard of it, but it has been slowly rising as one of the most effective emergency reliefs for opiate overdoses in recent years. Narcan, a swift and easyto-use nasal spray that reverses the effects of an opiate overdose, has been praised as a crucial creation in the fight against opiates, with world health leaders even comparing it to the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). The extreme potential and major upsides of widespread easily accessible Narcan needs to be turned into a resource for all citizens of our country.

The overdose epidemic in the U.S. has risen majorly, with reports of 105,000 drug overdose deaths in 2023, roughly 76% being opiate related deaths. In around 43% of these cases there were bystanders, meaning Narcan use in these cases could have saved many lives. Since 1996, over 150,000 kits of Narcan have been distributed, and over 25,000 of those have been used in successful overdose reversals, and communities with access to Narcan for take-home use have shown major mortality rate drops. For example, in Massachusetts, programs with this goal have seen drops in death rate, and North Carolina’s OEND program saved over 350 lives over a span of 3 years.

The widespread use and distribution of Narcan is a huge harm-reduction strategy, and the access to it treats the idea of an overdose on opiates as a medical emergency, rather than a mistake, burden, or whatever people may claim it is. Some may claim that the stigma surrounding overdoses in general can prevent the possibility of broadening the accessibility to Narcan and other overdose reversal drugs, and decreasing help-seeking. There is also the idea that Narcan being there to prevent overdoses will only increase the use of opiates, since there would always be a way out. However, it actually prevents drug overdoses and deaths, without worsening the substance abuse problem, as withholding an antidote such as Narcan over fears of it enabling more drug use is ethically wrong, when numbers prove this counterargument wrong.

In a statement released in April 2025, one of the main priorities of the Trump Administration’s U.S. drug policy is the reduction of drug overdoses, more specifically, through increased awareness and access to remedies like Narcan, as they said to “expand access to… overdose reversal medications like naloxone,” and wants jurisdictions to increase the availability of Narcan nationwide. The FDA also approved programs for the training, distribution, and purchasing of over-the-counter nasal Narcan in 2023, as well as other generic brands besides name brand, making it easier to purchase without restrictions.

Many people across our nation in unfortunate situations, people with prescription medications, or whatever situation it may be, need to have access to a life-saving antidote like Narcan. Widespread access and distribution of Narcan is a foreseeable reality, is beneficial to communities and individuals alike, and would plant a forward step in the journey of fighting the drug epidemic.

by Rayan Ahmed and Liyan Elgiseer

PHOTO

Narcan

I moved from Norman, Oklahoma to Iowa City about two years ago, and one of the biggest things I noticed was the diversity. No, not the people (Although that was a welcome surprise). It was the diversity in food. To be honest, I sort of expected all of it to be corn. After two years of taste testing not nearly enough restaurants (I’m a pretty picky eater) I was exposed to a fair amount of very different restaurants. So, without further ado, here is a list of some of my favorite eateries and why I think you should check them out.

Mesa 503

Mesa 503 is a small salvadorean restaurant on the corner of 1st ave and Muscatine. It has a variety of dishes, including a traditional salvadorean dish called pupusas, tamales, and main dishes like soups, carne asada, and my personal favorite, the Mar y Tierra, steak, rice, salad, and shrimp. Although small, it is not lacking in quality, and if you’re looking for some healthy and delicious fast food, Mesa 503 is a go to place.

Ramen Belly

To me, soup is one of the worst things ever created. I despise soup with every fiber of my being. To me, it’s just vegetables thrown into hot water (Soup, of course, is incredibly easy to prepare, and so I eat it

whenever my mother feels like preparing it (weekly)At this point, I’m just numb) Needless to say, before moving to Iowa City, I hadn’t ever considered trying ramen. Nevertheless, I ended up encountering Ramen Belly after my father’s friend invited us, and I was sold. It turns out that ramen is delicious. But what is really cool is the location. Ramen Belly is a renovated house in Peninsula. It has a large amount of outside seating, and the general mood in the restaurant is enjoyable. Something that I particularly enjoy is how a TV screen is constantly showing the process of making many of the dishes they serve in Ramen Belly. Definitely a restaurant worth checking out.

Stonewall Pizza (Pizza on the Farm)

Stonewall Pizza is a perfect example of location over the actual quality of the food. While still delicious, it’s not like they have a wide selection of food (that being said, their dessert pizza is to die for). The real enchantment of Stonewall is the atmosphere in the restaurant. For one, it’s not really a restaurant. Stonewall Pizza is a farm, only opening on Fridays during the summer, owned and managed by a family. They make the pizza in a wooden oven, right outside where they serve their food. There’s games, live music,

IT’S NOT ALL CORN Energy Drinks: A Quick Fix

Energy drinks have become a very controversial topic between multiple demographics. While some argue that they are unhealthy, these people are not teens who got home late from a game and are expected to wake up and be focused and present at 8 the next morning.

The market has seen a drastic increase in energy drink sales for a reason. Packed with vitamins, supplements, and caffeine, they are the perfect pick-me-up when feeling sluggish and with low energy in the morning. Not only do they boost energy, but it’s also a quick and efficient way to recover focus.

This elevated focus improves your ability to complete tasks and push through the long day, whetherif that’s work or school. Being able to stay productive can also improve mood, making you feel better, even if it’s temporary. When used in moderation, these drinks are the perfect fix for a bad day.

Energy drink critics often use the argu-

ment of weight gain. This is only true if the drink gets abused and its benefits aren’t put to good use. When utilized properly, after taking the drink you should have the energy to get through a hard workout. It shouldn’t just be used for a fun drink, but instead to push you to work harder and get active.

When drinking energy drinks, it is important to take precautions. Along with most things, they can become unhealthy if not taken in moderation. It’s important to not use them as a bandaid for getting poor sleep. To minimize the effect on the sleep cycle, you should be drinking them at least 8 hours before you go to bed. You should be drinking them not as an everyday thing, but instead as a pick-me-up on a bad day.

If you are still skeptical about the effects of energy drinks, simply opt for a “healthier” kind. While energy drink types like Alanis are perfect for giving you a jolt of energy, they are also known for being an unhealthier

and simply a sort of charm in the eating on a farm. It may be a little ways off from Iowa City, but so worth the long drive.

Izumi (Sushi and Hibachi)

To be fair, I’ve only been here twice, but it was enough to come to appreciate this restaurant. Now I think it’s fair to mention that I haven’t really eaten sushi before I ate in Izumi, so there might be better sushi places out there, BUT that doesn’t change the fact that Izumi’s food is freaking delicious. They also have a very large amount of different types of food, so you can go ten times ordering something different every time and still not have eaten half of the dishes. They also have a nice system that allows you to order a copious amount of food samples so you can try a bit of everything. Past that, the presentation is also nice. Every dish looks appealing and watching the sushi arrive in a sushi boat so neatly placed is a very nice way to increase your appetite. I may have only gone there twice, but I would gladly go again.

Si Senor! (2)

This was one of the first restaurants I went to when I first arrived in Iowa City and also one of the ones I visit consistently. Si Senor 2 is a Mexican restaurant, equipped with a full menu and lots of options. The service is

kind. If you are looking for a less extreme option, simply go to things like Celsius, Bubbl’r, PHX Hydration Energy Drink, or any other that fits your ideal ingredient list. If you are looking for that little boost in the morning, there will be an energy drink out there perfect for you!

As a student athlete, I completely under stand how tough it can be to struggle out of bed after a late night. It’s harder than it seems, but you need to find a way to be pres ent in school no matter how hard it is. Hav ing an energy drink helps keep me awake and focused if I wasn’t able to get a full 12 hours the night before.

While they may be controversial, when used with restraint these drinks can be a delightful treat. It’s important to know that when abused, anything can become un healthy. Don’t let critics sway you against having a little pick-me-up when you need it. Energy drinks are true day makers.

quick and kind. The restaurant is a little beat down, but still good quality. The food is great. I always order Camarones Si Senor, shrimp, rice, beans, bacon and onion (I really like seafood), but there’s also dishes like fajitas and burritos. They also make their own juice, including Horchata, Agua de Jamaica, and Agua de Tamarindo. I highly recommend it.

Big Grove Brewery

I’m sure that at some point or other, you’ve all been to Big Grove Brewery and know how awesome it but I’m going to include it here any This is a great place to watch sports games. I went to Big Grove for the NBA finals and for the finals of La Copa America, and watched it on the big screen they have inside. If you go when there’s live music, you can really get a fun experience. The outdoor seating is also fantastic. There’s even igloo seating for when it gets cold, and fires in the middle. Add in a shuffleboard table, table tennis courts, a bocce ball field, a shelf full of board games, and quality food and beer (Well, people say that the beer is good; I’m fifteen, and don’t drink) Big Grove Brewery more than deserves its place in this list.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton passed away recently and I feel compelled to write something about her. Where does one start in a career so stacked as hers? She’s in some of the quintessential new-Hollywood films of the 70s with her Woody Allen collaborations Annie Hall (in which she played the titular character) and Manhattan. The second act of her career was defined by classic romcoms including her collaborations with Nancy Meyers such as Baby Boom, Father of the Bride 1 & 2, and my personal favorite, Something’s Gotta Give. The last act of her career she was in undeniably effective comedies such as the Book Club movies. However, for this piece I’d like to talk about her breakthrough movie, The Godfather.

I know it’s incredibly cliche for a film bro to explain why The Godfather’s great (as pointed out in a terrifically on-point joke in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie), and I’m not trying to make it sound like this is some hidden gem in her career. No, this is arguably the most famous and well-regarded film of all time, so it’s not a hidden gem in anybody’s career, but when people talk about The Godfather I always feel as though Keaton’s performance goes criminally undermentioned. I would go a step further to say that The Godfather wouldn’t be nearly as well-remembered without it. (And yes, I will be spoiling this 53-year-old movie in this piece.)

I think it’s safe to say that Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is one of the great protagonists. This is surprising only for the reason that he’s arguably a very static protagonist. Obviously not externally—at the start of the film he’s just gotten back from the war and is entirely removed from

his family’s business, and by the end he’s become the “don” of the family and seemingly has no trouble getting his hands dirty. No, I say “static” because internally it’s so clear that this is who Michael was meant to be his whole life. Proof of this can be found in Vito (Marlon Brando)’s reaction to finding out that Michael has left the country, and in the classic scene of Michael’s hands not shaking while lighting a cigarette outside the hospital. I’m getting off-track, though. Let’s get back to Keaton.

Keaton plays Katherine (“Kay”), Michael’s girlfriend at the beginning of the film, and wife by the end. In their first scene together, at the wedding between Connie Corleone (Talia Shire) and Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo), Kay pries Michael about the dynamics of the family. From the beginning, Michael is quick to shrug things off with vague but confident-sounding explanations, but it’s clear that she loves him and is willing to accept this in part because he says he doesn’t want to be a part of the family business.

On the page, Kay’s character might seem too naive to be an interesting character (absolutely no disrespect to the late, great Mario Puzo), but Keaton amends this by playing these early instances of affection so well. It is easy for us to believe that because of her love for Michael she’s choosing to push away the parts of him that are unsettling.

This comes to a head in the final scene of the film, which is what I’m going to spend the remainder of this article talking about.

After the disturbing, but climactic sequences of the assassinations of the heads of the rival families, Michael walks away

from the scene of Carlo’s strangulation, and it would make sense to end the film here, but then we cut back to Michael sitting in his office, looking just as cool and confident as Brando had at the beginning of the film. After a moment, his sister, Connie, charges in. Kay witnesses Connie’s accusation that Michael murdered her husband and tries to console her, but then Connie yells “Want to know how many men he had killed with Carlo? Read the papers – read the papers! That’s your husband! That’s your husband!” and Kay grows quiet. Connie is ushered out of the room and Kay watches Michael silently as he paces around the room and coldly declares, “She’s hysterical.” We see Kay’s face, revealing that her idea of her husband is falling to pieces in this moment. It’s not showy work by Keaton; it’s understated in a beautiful way. When she finally confronts him verbally and asks if Connie’s accusations are true, he screams “Enough!” at her. It’s the first time in the film that we’ve really seen Michael have a reaction like this, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this is because Kay’s the one person he still can’t truly lie to. This is again enforced after he does lie to her and tells her that it’s not true. This is the one thing that differentiates Michael from Vito: his genuine love for his wife. She falls into his arms and once his face is out of her line of sight, we can see the soul fading from it. Keaton’s playing relief, but it’s clearly a false relief. We know that she’s lying to herself the same way Michael is.

Then, she declares that they both need a drink and she walks off into the next room, through the open door, expecting him to follow. As she’s making the drinks, Mi-

chael’s men surround him and refer to him as “Don Corleone.” One of Michael’s men walks up to the door of the office and shuts it, and the final shot of the most iconic film of all time isn’t of Brando or Pacino. It’s of Diane Keaton as Kay watching the man she loves come fully into himself, and it’s extremely unsettling. It’s also beautiful. Obviously The Godfather would have been great without this final shot, but I think without it, you don’t get one of the definitive masterpieces that it is. In other words, Keaton makes the movie. In a film filled with revolutionary and career-defining performances, Keaton has always stood out to me, from the first time I watched it. She was a true star and will be missed.

As we wrap up, I think it’s time I admit something embarrassing: I have never seen The Godfather Part II (or III for that matter, but for some reason people don’t get quite as angry about that). Maybe it’s just because I haven’t gotten around to it, or maybe it’s secretly because of how much I love the open-ended conclusion of the first. And, by that nature, the final shot of Keaton. I know that Part II is also widely regarded as a masterpiece, but perhaps a part of me is scared that nothing will quite live up to that ending. Maybe now though, in the wake of Diane Keaton’s death, it’s time for me to finally dust off my father’s blu-ray and pop it into my player–if for no other reason than to see a “new” performance from the illustrious Diane Keaton one last time. I think I just might do that.

Farewell, Diane. You will be remembered.

THE LITTLE HAWK MOVIE PICKS

Image courtesy of Paramount Studios. GRAPHIC BY BEN HAINES

by Ben Haines

Iowa Authors Share their Stories

Adaring adventurer navigates a turbulent sea full of monsters.

A table away, werewolves and fae hide in secret communities hidden by purple doors. Across the room, Death finds itself trapped… in the body of a taxman.

“[Reading] was kind of my escape from the difficult things that were going on in life,” author Erin Casey said, “I just like to get lost in stories and all these different worlds.”

On October 12th, in the MERGE building in downtown Iowa City, eight authors from around the state displayed their works. There was a huge variety of different stories, ranging from true stories decades in the making to a sports drama about an American soccer star.

“I’m a massive soccer fan. I’ve probably been seriously following the sport ever since the last time the World Cup was played here in America,” Jason Liegois, author of The Yank Striker and The Yank Striker’s Journey, said, “And I started thinking, what if [The United States] produced a world class player?”

It wasn’t just the stories that were diverse. The authors themselves also differed in experience. David Hankins, author of Death and the Taxman, has stories featured in multiple books and even won Writers of the Future.

“[Death and the Taxman] actually started as a short story that won Writers of the Future,” Hankins said, “I expanded it to the full length novel that came out on Tax Day.”

Erin Casey, another writer with a more successful career, displayed her series The Purple Door District.

“[The Purple Door District series] is part of a larger word that I and a coauthor are writing together,” Casey said. “This is our first try at dipping our toes in and seeing if readers like the world we’ve created.”

Also attending were far less experienced writers, such as Michael Calahan, Todd Coneheur, and Dave Markward. Markward wrote a memoir named From Dubuque to Selma and Beyond, it covers Markward’s interactions with others throughout his life regarding racism in America.

“Basically, it’s just my journey to understand racism,” Markward said, “I was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, and it was an almost exclusively white community, so I didn’t have a chance to interact with people who didn’t look like me.”

Markward was deeply shaped by his experience in college and his interactions with people from different backgrounds as

Modern Art is...Bad?

Many viewers question nowadays whether modern art can be classified as bad art, or if they just aren’t thinking deeply enough about it, but yes, it definitely can be bad. A lot of contemporary art pieces are incredibly simple and lack originality, effort, and authenticity from the artist.

The controversial perception of modern art as actually being bad is being expanded with recent meaningless art pieces, such as Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” and Salvatore Garau’s “Lo Sono”. The first piece mentioned is a banana duct-taped to a wall that sold for 6.2 million dollars, and the latter is a sculpture made of literally nothing so that the viewer can imagine whatever they want in its place.

Ridiculous pieces like this lack pretty much anything that makes art valuable; the raw, human emotion expressed in the work, the effort that the artist put into a piece, and the creativity that an artist needs to create a work that is actually worth anything.

And the price? Insanely high. It’s not art that’s being sold anymore– it’s the name.

Not all contemporary art is bad– some of it is just fine, and the artist should be applauded for maintaining their standards for valuable artwork. However, many artists have, well, awful ideas. The potential is there for them to create something amazing, but they waste it on being “trendy”. Take, for example, Sean Scully’s Paul. This piece is nothing more than 3 colors of the same striped pattern arranged in a rectangle. I suppose designs like this are supposed to make you think more deeply about what it could represent, but the only conclusion one could come to from looking at them is “Why did I pay to get into a museum to see this?”.

Another example of foul modern artwork is Untitled by Cy Twombly. “Untitled” seems to be a name that artists give a piece intentionally nowadays, if they’re too lazy to come up with a name to go with their scribbles. Twombly has a series of untitled works, all of them being the same scrib-

bles on a dull-colored background, and each piece can be sold for up to $40,000,000.

The popular artist names that are making art (that is next to worthless) are drawing attention away from the lesser-known artists that are actually putting valuable time and effort into their work. Similarly, the art world is centered around American and European artists and much less attention is paid to those of other ethnicities or nationalities who create work of the same quality. There is a strong element of injustice in the artistic community.

For us as viewers and potentially art purchasers, the wool is being pulled over our eyes when questioning the true worth of a piece. We are told by the rich trend-setters to buy the newest pieces by popular artists that are meant to unlock our complex feelings and depth, but nobody really knows what contemporary art composed of simple geometric shapes and primary colors is supposed to represent. Instead, the focus should be shifted to the artists that create timeless pieces with creativity, effort, images

he grew up, a journey that eventually led him to attend a reenactment of the Selma Bridge Crossing.

“The book also has a fair dose of history which I’d never been taught,” Markward said, “So when I talked to people who lived through it I was like ‘I didn’t know this stuff!”

Markward was one of four authors who displayed their first book. Bill Witherspoon, who wrote the award-winning Enter Space collection of stories and photos of his five decades visiting the Oregon High Desert, was unfortunately unable to attend. The two others who attended the fair were Michael Calahan and Todd Cohenour.

“I never thought I would write this,” Cohenour, author of The Red Cedar Killer, said, “I mean, the most I’d even written was an email. You just gotta try it. That’s all I had to do.”

that can actually be understood, and some real emotion. Any artwork that has to be explained with a plaque next to the canvas is not worth all of the attention it is getting.

Authors from around the country shared their work at the Iowa City Book Festival, held Oct. 5-12. PHOTO BY NICOLAS VERGARA-VANEGAS

GRAPHIC

SOARING INTO THE SEASON

Coming off a 10-13 season and the first playoff win in four years, the team has high expectations for the 2025-26 season led by Chris Watkins who averaged 14.1 points per game last season.

By Jack Rogers

Coming off a season where the Little Hawks went 10-14 and won their first playoff game since the 2020-21 season, the team has coach Bill McTaggart, who is in his second year coaching the men’s team and in his 25th year coaching basketball at City High, to build off the improvement of last season.

“This season, we are going to turn it up on the defensive end and improve on our field goal percentage from three-point range and from the free-throw line. Those were some of the things we struggled with last season,” Coach Bill McTaggart said.

The season before the hire of McTaggart, the team went 6-16 after a promising 3-0 start, also losing their first round playoff game to Ottumwa. This season, the team is losing three of its top players from a year ago. The team’s second-best scorer and best rebounder, Jaxton Schroeder, graduated and went on to play college baseball at Kirkwood.

“I’m excited to take over more of a leadership role as a senior on the team. I didn’t really know what to expect being a senior leader on the football team, but now

that I’ve learned from football, I am prepared to embrace it on the basketball court,” Jack Lampe said.

The team’s third-best rebounder and three-year varsity member, Parker Sutherland, graduated and went on to play college football at Northern Iowa. The team’s starting point guard from a year ago, Davion Luckett, who led the team in assists, moved to Texas. The top returner for the team is leading scorer Chris Watkins ‘26. Watkins averaged 14.1 points per game for the team with 338 total points on the season. The team will need some production from some of the underclassmen who didn’t play much or started on the sophomore team.

“We have good team chemistry, and I’m excited for the season to start. Our goals for this season are to win games and go to the state tournament with the squad,” Ja’Vion Robinson ‘26 said.

Other returners from the team include Iyon Harris ‘26, Ja’Vion Robinson ‘26, KP Estremera ‘26, Jack Lampe ‘26, and Jack Rogers ‘26. Harris suffered a severe injury during football this year, but will return for the basketball season. Harris played in every game for the Little Hawks last season and was a valuable asset. Robinson is second on the team in scoring

for returning players and played in every game for the team last season. Estremera was third on the team in field goal percentage last season and played in the majority of the games for the team. Lampe was second on the team in assists, starting numerous games for the team. Rogers led the team in three-point percentage, shooting 38.5 percent from three last season.

“My goal for this season is to win games with my team. We have one goal in mind, and that is to make it to the state tournament, and we will do whatever it takes to get there,” Harris said.

The first practice of the season is on November 19th, and the first game of the season is on December 2nd at Ames High School. Ames finished with a record of 21-3 and earned a trip to the state tournament. Returners from Ames include lead rebounder Marach Dua, who was second in scoring for the team, and Will Thomas, a guard who started for the team last season and was a key part of Ames’ success, leading the team in assist-to-turnover ratio.

“We are going to win at least 15 games this season and make the state tournament. That is going to be the standard,” Head Coach Bill McTaggart said.

ABOVE: Christopher Watkins ‘26 jumps for tip off against Ames last season. The team fell 49-40 as Ames went on to make the state tournament. Watkins was the leading scorer last season averaging 14.1 points and was 35.6% from three. Watkins averaged 6.8 rebounds per game and started 21 games, being a big play maker in the Little Hawks success last season.

PHOTO BY MEGAN SWARTZENDRUBER

ABOVE: Jack Lampe ‘26 looks to inbound a pass to his team vs. Wahlert Catholic. Lampe was the leading scorer this game with 12 points while also getting 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

PHOTO BY OWEN RAEFIELD

ABOVE: Ja’Vion Robinson ‘26 hits a corner three in a game vs. Waterloo West last season. Robinson was the leading scorer in the game with 18 points, a big key factor in the 56-47 victory to snap a losing streak. The team last season finished 10-13. PHOTO BY OWEN RAEFIELD

COACHES OF THE YEAR

By Rito Perez

During the past year, two City High coaches have earned honors of Coach of the Year. The first being Jeff Hightshoe, a math teacher at City High who earned honors after leading the tennis team last year to an excellent season and two players, Will Feagler ‘28 and Ahbay Anil ‘25 to top eight finishes in the state tournament (Feagler 5th and Anil 8th). Hightshoe was named 2025 USTA Iowa High School Coach of the Year in October of 2025. The team as a whole made it through the first two rounds of substate, but eventually fell to West High. West would eventually go on to place fourth in the 2A state tournament. Hightshoe has only been the head coach for the Little Hawks for three years.

“I was really surprised, the pro at North Dodge [Athletic Club] is the guy who wrote the

recommendation. I go and coach there with them, so it was really gratifying that he knows that. It’s really cool. I’ve been surprised by the amount of people that have talked to me about it; I thought it was going to be one of those under the radar things, ” Hightshoe said.

Throughout the offseason, Hightshoe holds open courts for tennis. Over time, he has built a successful way of developing players from underclassmen to varsity players.

“I always want to figure out how to get more kids involved, I always want to keep the kids involved in the program. West High has the advantage of being close to the HTRC, so they’re really good around here. The first year we had open tennis twice a week, every kid that showed up twice got a shirt. We only gave out five T-Shirts, and two of them were to coaches. Now, this past year we gave out 36 shirts.

It’s amazing what two hours, twice a week can do for the kids,” Hightshoe said.

After last year, the team lost all but one varsity player, Will Feagler. With this comes many new players stepping up on the court. Most of them have been honing in on their skills in Hightshoe’s offseason training, waiting for their chance to be able to prove themselves on the court.

“Every year coach hightshoe has been able to develop his team from once clueless newbies to experienced players simply by his love for the game. Hightshoe hosts summer hitting for the entire community, has brought outside coaching staff in for off season workouts, and is never afraid to stay a few minutes late after practice to help you get better. All these factors are why he sees greater success each year,” Lucas Miller ‘26 said.

The second and most recent was Coach Ryan Ahlers, an AP

economics teacher at City High was awarded MVC Coach of the Year after leading the girls cross country team to its first state appearance since 2016. Led by senior veteran Abigail Burns, who has run on varsity all four years of her career, the team had its best season in years.

“If you show up with a positive mindset every race and focus on what you can do as the seven runners that can tow the line. Being on the podium this year would be a huge goal of ours, we’ve talked about it as a team, but certainly I want to win a state title in women’s cross country,” Ahlers said.

The girls cross country team ended up placing seventh at state, with the top two finishers being Abigail Burns placing fifteenth and Grace Hamann ‘27 twentieth.

The girls team finished seventh out of fifteen teams.

“I look at teaching and coaching as I get to teach cross

country and I get to teach wrestling. They’re very similar, the practice day to day and then the competition is getting students ready for tests. Teaching comes first, but you know, there’s late nights and that’s fine with me. Sometimes you get tired in the morning but you have the same thing as students, and it keeps me going everyday. My wife’s also a teacher, and we get to talk about how much we enjoy working with kids everyday,” Ahlers said. on the Little Hawk Sports Podcast. Ahlers also coaches girls wrestling, the first winter sport to start at City. He has been the coach ever since girls wrestling started at City, alongside Jeff Koenig. Last year, the squad sent four wrestlers to state, all of which are returning: Molly Carlson ‘26, Amelia Terrill ‘28, Izzy Brown ‘28, and Shaona Emmanuel ‘26. Emmanuel ended up placing third at state, the second ever City High women’s wrestler to do so.

ABOVE: Coach Ryan Ahlers helping a runner right before a race. Coach Jeff Hightshoe taking a picture with last years varisty tennis team after a win against Liberty. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROSE NKUMU

BACK TO THE MAT

By Rito Perez

City High wrestling is coming off a successful season, winning the MVC and placing multiple wrestlers on the state podium, along with sending nine wrestlers in total to state. This season, the team will look pretty similar, with only three wrestlers graduating. One notable loss is Donovan Gipson ‘26, a state qualifier who transferred to Liberty in the offseason. The team has three wrestlers coming into this season ranked. Raphael Etuma ‘26 is currently ranked third, behind Fargo Champion DreShaun Ross ‘26 of Fort Dodge.

Kane Willey ‘26 and Blaine Heick ‘26 are both ranked tenth in the preseason rankings (Willey Heavyweight, Heick 190). The underclassmen on the team are also proving to make a splash, with Jack Litton ‘28 being ranked eleventh (106) and Chase Williams ‘28 qualifying for state his freshman year (126). However, a significant loss comes with Marshall Sheldon ‘28, who qualified for state his freshman year, yet will miss this season due to a hand injury he sustained in football.

The team went undefeated in dual tournaments last season, with a record of 7-0, yet did not end up qualifying for the team state tournament.

“I want to place at state this year and work on my conditioning. I’m looking forward to wrestling in the Ames tournament this season; we get to stay at a hotel

and there’s always good competition,” Heick said.

Chris Davis also looks to continue to make an impact this season. Davis, two-time state qualifier and four year varsity veteran of the troupe, will be moving up a weight class this season to 144 pounds. Last year, Davis wrestled at 132 pounds. Although he has the most experience on the team, moving up a weight class may prove to be difficult.

“I’ve gotten bigger, stronger, and I feel like my confidence will grow throughout the season with all the practices, meets, and tournaments. Last year I was definitely not as strong, but I know I can keep up with the guys in this class,” Davis said.

The team also obtained transfer Malachi Clement ‘27 from Clear Creek Amana. Clement made state his sophomore year and looks to do the same with his first season on the Little Hawks.

The teams first competition is against Waterloo West on December 4th. Then on Friday and Saturday they will take wrestlers to the annual Dan Gable Donnybrook Tournament.

“My biggest goal is to place in the top five at the state tournament. A more personal goal is to beat the Fort Dodge heavyweight who teched me in the Ames tournament last year,” Willey said.

Although not every wrestler on the City High squad, there are some pivotal roles to score points in dual tournaments. Jude Seebeck ‘26 and Breckin Morrison ‘27 will have key roles to play for the teams score in dual meets.

“What’s different from this season is I’m going into this season with nothing to lose. I’m going into the season wrestling loose, my end goal is to place at state,” Seebeck, returning varsity wrestler in the 157 weight class said.

Most importantly, head Coach Cory Connell is returning in his twelfth year as the head coach of the city high wrestling team. Throughout his career, he has helped lead countless wrestlers to individual state championships. This season, he looks to bring the team a state championship

For updated coverage on City High Wrestling visit thelittlehawk.com

ABOVE: Jude Seebeck returning to the center of the mat in the teams dual victory against Cedar Falls. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMBER SEATON

ABOVE: Chris Davis ‘26 preparing to take a shot in last years annual Bean City Duals. The team went on to place fifth overall. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMBER SEATON

ABOVE: Raphael Etuma ‘26 wrestling in his final match of the state tournament last year.

SWISH SEASON

Head Coach Lynsey Barnard and players break down their thoughts on the upcoming season.

By Tessa Driscoll

Head Coach Lynsey Barnard is entering her fourth season as head coach of the Little Hawk girl’s basketball team. Last year, the Little Hawks had a winning record of 16-8, falling short in the state qualifier to cross town rival Liberty. The Little Hawks lost two key players after last season, graduating seniors August Palmer and Emmy McComas. Palmer led the team in points while McComas led in rebounds. Coach Barnard feels that though the team lost key players, the overall style of play will not change drastically.

“We are going to replace two people with a team mentality, and I think we have a lot of weapons to do that,” Barnard said.

The Little Hawks are returning three starters, and Barnard discussed the potential that she believes her roster has.

“Loria has improved an insane amount, Driscoll will have a lot of pressure off after her commitment, and I’ve been super impressed with their growth over the summer,” Barnard said.

The girls’ basketball team will also bring in two freshmen who Coach Barnard expects to have a significant impact on the team’s overall success.

“We didn’t even know they were gonna really go out. They’ve just been awesome in terms of what we want out of teammates and also what we want out of basketball players. They’ve got great attitudes, and they are willing to work hard,” said Barnard when talking about the two new freshmen guards, Maddie Fraga ‘29 and Audrey Howe ‘29.

Coach Barnard’s roster has already taken a hit with the loss of starter Eve Vitense ‘28. Vitense made an impact on the varsity floor during her freshmen season last year, with her constant defensive effort and deep range. Vitense

suffered an avulsion fracture on the inner base of her thumb in late October.

“I’m gonna do my physical therapy, get my left hand ready and boom, I’ll be back before the season ends,” Vitense said with a smile.

Barnard discussed how she will have to pivot from a coaching standpoint.

“You have to invest in everybody who’s in your program, not just the top five. After last year, we had a few injuries, and I think that shifted my mentality a little bit to make sure that we’re still investing in not only the top five, but six and seven as well,” Barnard said.

Coach Barnard also mentioned how versatile her team is this year.

“The unique thing is that we have a lot of people who can do a lot of different roles, what we’re asking them to do at any given time might change,” Barnard said.

Senior Halle Larew spoke about her thoughts towards the upcoming season.

“I’m very excited. I know me and the other seniors have a lot of good expectations that we are looking for this season. Our goal this season is to stay positive throughout the whole season,” Larew said.

Overall, Coach Barnard feels that her goal this year is to invest in everyone.

“From varsity to JV two, you have to invest in literally everyone because you have no idea what’s going to happen on any given day,” Barnard said. Injuries are going to happen, conflicts are going to happen. So just making sure that everybody continues to get after it is important.”

PHOTO BY ROSE NKUMU

HARRIS’ HARD FOUGHT RETURN

Iyon Harris ‘26 returns from season ending football injury right before bas ketball season

By Jack

Ever since Iyon Harris ‘26 was a young boy he had basketball in his hand. Before moving to Iowa City, Harris grew up in Chicago. His love for basketball first blossomed when he took a walk to the local park in Chicago.

“I first started playing basketball when I was four years old. My mom took me to a park called Passion in Chicago. When I saw a lot of older kids playing basketball, I immediately fell in love with it,” Harris said.

Another one of his inspirations for the game of basketball was Chicago Bulls player and MVP Derrick Rose. Harris, being from Chicago, loved watching Rose on television and idolized him throughout his childhood. He would try to model his own game after Rose because of how much he inspired him and his passion for the game of basketball. Rose was a high-flying electric point guard for the Bulls, which reflects upon Harris’ game. He was dunking as early as thirteen years old and during his soph omore year he recorded five dunks in two games. Harris also relates to Rose in that he is recovering from a severe injury, just like Rose had to do throughout his NBA career.

“Derrick Rose has always been my favorite player in the NBA. Him be ing from the same city as where I’m from makes it easy to look up to him. Even with all of his injuries, he never gave up on his dreams,” Harris said.

Although Harris started his life playing basketball, he has grown to love football more. He started playing tackle football in middle school and con tinued through his high school career. In his junior season, Harris played both cornerback and wide receiver. He led the team in yards per catch with 23.6 and was also tied for second most touchdowns amongst receivers with three. Harris also had 12 solo tackles as a cornerback and one interception. At the end of the season, Harris was named first team all MVC.

“My junior season was really fun. My coach expected a lot out of me playing both offense and defense, but I loved it. One of my favorite memo ries was beating number one Bettendorf that was a lot of fun,” Harris said.

Being one of the statistical leaders for the football team, Harris had high hopes for his final season as a little hawk. Unfortunately, prior to the first game of the season he broke his foot sidelining him for the entirety of the season.

“I was hurt mentally. I worked so hard every day to be the best player I could for my teammates. I wanted so much for all the seniors and my teammates to have a winning season, and I felt that if I was on the field, I could’ve helped with that,” Harris said.

Though Harris was told he would be out for the season, he was able to return for two plays in their final game of the season and ended up catching a two-point conversion to help the team defeat Ottumwa. Harris plans on continuing his football career and playing at the collegiate level.

“He was really enjoyable to coach and was a kid who loved to be chal lenged. The best thing he brought as a player was his ability to show great leadership the older he got with the younger kids. He was a big reason why our culture continued to grow this season even though our record didn’t indicate it,” Head Football Coach Mitch Moore said.

After Harris learned he would be out for the majority of his senior football season, he became extremely focused on making the most out of his senior basketball season. As a junior, Harris was one of the most influen tial players on an improving City High basketball team. He played in every game for the team and started in about half of them. He averaged just under five points per game.

“I am excited for this upcoming season. On the court, I want to make my teammates better, help the team win games, and make sure we’re all fo cused on our goals. Last year was a step in the right direction and this year we are going to build on it,” Harris said.

This season the team is returning ten seniors and with Harris as one of the leaders he hopes to improve on a ten-win season from a year ago.

“You can tell that Iyon started playing basketball at a young age because his skills are ahead of other players his age. Iyon is very coachable. He listens, works hard, and applies what we go over in practice. He’s very sup portive of his teammates and even helps coach them during our fall league,” Head Basketball Coach Bill McTaggart said.

BY OWEN RAEFILED

PHOTO

PROFILE

UNBREAKABLE FEMALE ATHLETE:

THISBE LEWIS TAKES ON VARSITY

By Tessa Driscoll

Thisbe Lewis ‘26 never expected to be a varsity basketball captain her senior year. Lewis began playing basketball in just 8th grade, when she went out for the South East Junior High basketball team. She made the team, but she also made friendships that encouraged her to pursue the sport throughout high school.

“I made lots of friends through basketball, and I think it’s really fun. I enjoy being on a team full of women where we’re all supportive of each other,” Lewis said with a smile.

Lewis believes that being a part of a team is something that everyone should experience at some point, because her teammates help her with the struggles of being a female athlete.

“I think female athletes in general don’t have as much support, and I think that there’s an added layer of pressure to being a female athlete, and my teammates help me deal with that,” Lewis said.

Lewis ran track, and played volleyball her freshman year. The only sport she chose to continue playing throughout high school though, was basketball. Lewis did not envision herself loving the sport as

much as she does today. Now, as she approaches her senior season she will be touching the Varsity floor for the first time.

“I’m definitely nervous, but I am also excited. I think that I have a good support system, and that’s what makes me feel a lot better going into it knowing that my teammates and the coaching staff are rooting for me,” Lewis said.

Though Lewis has not played many Varsity minutes in her career, the post has been a leader on the team for years.

“Thisbe has not played many varsity minutes, but I have been insanely impressed with her leadership and work ethic,” Head Coach Lynsey Barnard said.

Lewis feels that leadership comes naturally to her on the court, because of her constant communication.

“I’m very vocal. I’m very loud at practices and at games, and I think that I just try

my best to see everyone’s viewpoints,” Lewis said.

Looking towards her senior season, Lewis believes she can positively contribute to the team because of her experiences in the pro gram.

“I think I kind of have a different per spective on things, because I did play JV for so long, and I can resonate with all different players on the team,” Lewis said.

Lewis says she always tries to “make sure everyone feels included” no matter what lev el they play at.

Looking back to her journey to the Var sity level, Lewis says she’d advise younger female athletes to “make sure you still are having fun. Prioritize your own happiness, because at the end of the day, it’s a game, and you should be having fun doing it.”

“AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S A GAME, AND YOU SHOULD BE HAVING FUN DOING IT.”

Lewis strives to have fun whenever she touches the court, and plans to continue doing that her senior season.

“I just want to leave this sea son feeling like we did everything we could to make it the best sea son possible. I want to have fun and get along with each other. It’s a long season, and I want to make the best out of it,” Lewis said.

Thisbe Lewis ‘26 sits in a defensive stance during her game in the ‘24 season against the Jefferson J-Hawks.

PHOTO BY ROSE NKUMU