spotlight
Volume 51 Issue 8
thevalleyspotlight.com
April 12, 2013
Synchronized swimming presents...
Photo credit to Brianna Miller and Kelly Reeve
Tigerlillies at the Movies Shows tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 PM Mark Wagner Pool See story on page 11
What’s Inside :
From Senior to Second Lieutenant Page 13
Twitter: @valleyspotlight
Senior struggles Page 7
Reigning down A’Capella style Page 10
Facebook: Valley spotlight
Not just any game of catch and throw Page 14
valleyspotlight@gmail.com
Spotlight News 3
Don’t be trashy...recycle After Prom : Putting on the glitz By Meghan Munch
In today’s society we are constantly fed the three words, “Reduce, reuse, recycle.” In a combined effort throughout the school, students and facility have made substantial steps toward those three global steps. Global warming has become a bigger problem than ever before. There are many ways to help save the planet, but one of the simplest ways is to recycle. According to www.dosomething.org, in 2009 Americans produced enough trash to circle Earth 24 times. Americans recycle an average of 30% of their garbage. The survey states that every hour Americans throw away 25,000,000 bottles. Valley has taken a stand. Each week students go around to classrooms to collect recyclable paper. In the cafeteria most of the bottled objects get recycled. “Recycling keeps our planet clean and unpolluted. Recycling discards objects
By Jenna Baldus
so we can make new things,” junior Brinnon Schaub After many disappointed and 12:30 and After Prom ends at said. students, one parent took on the role 4:30. Each student is allowed one Students can create their own items us- of planning After Prom. Ms. Casey guest, and there is no paperwork to ing recycled material. “Recycling at Valley is a good Plecas plans After Prom on a short fill out. Guests must have the proper thing. It allows students to get involved in taking notice. “This is the first time the event ID and may not be over the age of 21. care of our planet,” senior Renee Lanham said. will be held at Valley,” Ms. Plecas said. The guests fee is $5. Each class has their own set of recycling When arriving at After “I’m happy we have an after bins. Near teachers recycling bins, some have Prom, everyone is to use the new prom now because my curfew would placed a sign that says paper only.” Often times in West Entrance, by the cafeteria. To be earlier if we didn’t have one,” junior trash cans, bottles and other things that could be re- get through the doors, “remember to Jordan Ogden said. “It’s a good opcycled are seen. In recycling bins in the classrooms, bring your student ID,” Plecas said. portunity to have fun with friends.” there have been uneaten food and old markers that Doors open between 11:30 cannot be used anymore. Recycling just aluminum cans can create pie tins, license plates, and thumb tacks. Recycling is Yearnot hard, and hardly takes up anytime. It can make book editor a huge impact on how clean our earth can be. ReKatlyn Brouwer cycling can do a lot to improve the environment. uses both her Remember “reduce, reuse and recycle.‘“ laptop and the schools computer to send the last pages of the yearbook to the printing plant. Katlyn mal letter grades for the District, however, teachand her staff ers hold a large role in deciding the grades. “A=4spent many Student knows and applies all major concepts, hours of dedicaB=3-Student knows and applies most concepts, tion to produce C=2-Student knows and applies some concepts, the 2012-2013 D=1-Student is working on knowing concepts, yearbook. The yearbook will arrive during the seniors last week of school. F=.5-Student has limited knowledge of concepts, Visit the office to purchase a yearbook. The cost is $60. and F=0-No attempt was made by student.” Follow Up: Little Superman is Everyone’s Hero The majority of districts that are moving Clark Schebel was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor, a kidney cancer on August to this policy are starting with elementary schools 27, 2012. As of the end of February, Clark’s scan indicated he is cancer free and working into high schools. Elementary teachand his family is very relieved. “He is completely done with chemo. We went ers are limited to one class at a time, but as stuin for a scan and everything was perfect,” said Mr. Rob Schebel. “I don’t know dents grow up into high school it gives the opporwhat we would have done if we didn’t have support.” The chance of the cantunity of frustration within the classroom. cer returning is very low, but the Schebel family is still cautious. Mr. Schebel Throughout the past years, Valley class raised over $4,000 for St. Jude’s Research Hospital from the “Little Superman” sizes have grown immensely. “The idea of reassessbracelets. ments when you have 25-30 kids is one thing,” history teacher Mrs. Lori Hinton said. “When you have 140-160 students, it could become a nightmare. Some students benefit from the opportunity for reassessments, but Mrs. Hinton thinks “it would not have any impact unless a lot of reassessments were done. The four-point scales tell you the same thing a letter grade or a percent does.” Having fuller classes can cause dilemmas between students and their counselors. With limits on class sizes, some students do not get the chance to take the class they want to take. “I’d be frustrated if I couldn’t take the classes I signed up for,” junior Tessa Miksch said. “Most of the classes I sign up for with the Advise and Sign are classes I should take before college because they will help me with my major.” One day a year, students talk individually with their teachers to discuss the class choices of students. Teachers help assist leading students in the right direction for their planned career path. “I do think advise and sign has had some positive effect on increasing awareness of offerings at Valley,” Hinton said. Teachers and counselors want to make sure students sign up for the proper classes to continue preparing students for their future.
Yearbook Update
Four-points to an A
By Jenna Baldus
More school districts are changing the ways teachers grade their students to a four point scale. Schools have started to pursue standard grading. Students are rated on a scale from four to one. Solon Community School District near Iowa City, and Council Bluffs Community School District are both beginning to enforce this new policy. The new policy consists of a four point scale that evaluates how well students understand the topics. According to Rick Wormeli of the Solon District, standard grading is effective because “it improves communication between parents, teachers, and students, it allows additional feedback for students, parents and teachers, and it supports the idea of assessment for learning.” This new system, which they call “Assessment for learning” is expressing what the students actually know. Instead of going right into a new topic, teachers can allow reassessments to help students further understand the topics. Teachers can no longer give out extra credit to students, but give them reassessments. Reassessments can be any activity in the classroom showing how the student improves his or her knowledge on the topic. “I would rather have the option to improve my grades by reassessments,”junior Alex VanSickel said. “It seems like it would be easier to maintain an ‘A’ because extra credit is not given out frequently for most teachers, so reassessing would help bring grades up.” Letter grades are still in practice at Council Bluffs schools and are still based off of a fourpoint scale, however grades are not based solely on test and assignment scores. “Seventy percent of the grade is determined by the scores on required assignments/assessments. The remaining 30% will be based on lesson practice and progress checks that build knowledge,” stated Council Bluffs brochure. The four-point scale lines up with nor-
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News
April 12th, 2013
Students becoming champions:special Olympics
By Leah Thompson
Many students who have disabilities don’t get a chance to show off their athletic abilities to others. Special Olympics give these students a chance to really shine as an athlete, and it gives others a chance to see what these students are capable of. According to the Special Olympics’ website, in 1960 a Maryland woman by the name of Eunice Shriver started a summer day camp on her farm. Her own child couldn’t get into any summer camp due to intellectual disability, so she was inspired to create her own. In 1962, she opened Camp Shriver to about 50 elementary to high school-aged students with intellectual disabilities. 50 high school students volunteered to help run the camp, and the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation (a sponsor program that encouraged Shriver to proceed with the camp) sponsored
the camp so that it could to be free to participants. In 1968, after many years after Camp Shiver took off, people filled Soldier Field in Chicago for the first Special Olympics. Various activities Photo Credit to Leah Thompson During Peopel PE class were available to on April 2, junior Abbie these intellectually Kleigl practices throwing disabled athletes a softball as far as she such as swimming, can to warm up for Spe- track and field cial Olympics on April 9. events, and other Many other students also activities that gave had the opportunity to practice the landing for the students a chance to try somerunning long jump.
thing new. This past Tuesday, at least 12 students in Peopel PE traveled to Simpson College for an outdoor Special Olympics that encouraged these students to get active. Since Special Olympics is a non-profit organization, Simpson students had many fundraisers for the event, such as taking the Polar Plunge. “This year, Simpson offers running events along with wheelchair events that the students will do by themselves without the help of their high school partner,” Peopel PE teacher Mrs. Cibula said. Events for those who don’t have wheelchairs will be races around the track and take events like the long jump. The students not allowed to partake in Special Olympics will get a chance to cheer on their classmates.
Photo Credit to Leah Thompson
“This year, we had the option to either throw a softball as far as possible or get an opportunity to try a few long jumps. But while waiting for your event, there are some really cool activities like making bracelets or getting a [temporary] tattoo,” senior Saidee Garcia said.
Knife in shining armor: TSA allows knifes By Madison Ward
After nearly 12 years of strict airline laws due to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is loosening its grip on what it will allow on national and international flights. Beginning on April 25th, airlines will permit certain knifes and sporting equipment in the cabinet of planes. There will be restrictions, however. Knives can be no longer that 2.36 inches in length, nor can they have fixed blades or molded handles. Unfolded, the blade cannot be more than a half inch at its widest point. The sporting equipment that will
be allowed in the cabin includes billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, and up to two golf clubs. Baseball bats will also be permitted if they are less than 24 ounces and 24 inches in length. According to the TSA these specific items are “unlikely to result in catastrophic destruction of an aircraft.” All items not meeting these requirements are not permitted in the cabin of flights. Such items include box cutters and razor blades which were used in the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. The TSA explains that by removing certain knives and sporting equipment
from the banned list, it will allow security personnel to focus on “higher threat items such as explosives,” and it will “minimize passenger time spent in security.” On my way home from spring break I stood in line in security for over an hour,” junior Ellie Geneser said. These new allowances hope to eliminate such passenger inconvenience. These changes will also put the U.S. up to speed with other countries’ airline safety policies. “I think that after 9/11 we put in place a lot of drastic laws that have been less and less enforced over the years and therefore these new laws are a natural
transition, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its risks,” sophomore Abby Thalman said. Due to these policy changes, there have already been uproars of concern from passengers and aircraft personnel regarding the safety of those aboard aircrafts. In order to combat these concerns, airlines are putting in place new polices such as hardened cockpit doors, federal air marshals on flights, and providing staff with self-defense training. All of these new actions are to ensure the safety of passengers and the flight staff.
A pallet for the play This spring, construction workers used recycled boards to enclose a workspace for phase two of the building renovations. Eric Mesbah Prosser works on mimicking Photo Credit to Jenna Baldus the play poster for To Kill a Mockingbird. Eric and his class members work on painting two base coat layers of white paint. After drying, the stencil will be projected onto the freshly painted white boards. The painting is located outside of the auditorium throughout the construction.
Best Buddies Friendship Walk, Run, & Day at the Iowa Cubs:
Des Moines, Iowa When: New Date May 5th, 2013 Where: Kiwanis Miracle League Field/Principal Park What: Run 10am, Walk 11am, Buddy Bash 11:30am, Game 1pm Please join our team – Team Valley High School, team captain is Ryan Baker This event is open to everyone! We especially hope that our future Best Buddies will get involved! Come and Meet our Ambassadors Tyler Sash and Jessica VerSteeg! All proceeds benefit Best Buddies Iowa. BB Iowa is working to expand programing in our state for individuals with special needs.
Spotlight Opinion 5 From the Halls Shedding Light What’s your stance on For some, flying 30,000 feet off the ground can be a terrifying experience, especially after the horrors of 9/11. Fortunately, airlines have done just about everything in their power to keep passengers safe and at ease during their flight. However, this is about to change. The TSA (Transportation Security Administration), will be allowing certain pocket knives and sporting equipment in the cabin of planes. Of course there are some regulations and rules that dictate what knives and sporting paraphernalia are allowed on aircrafts, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot in this day and age when people believe rules are meant to be broken. There are some people with personal vendettas against anything and everything, and allowing them to sit on a plane with knives (regardless of the
size) may not be the wisest of decisions. Of course you could harm a person with anything from a playing card to a plastic water cup, but allowing weapons in the cabins of aircrafts is like putting a cookie in front of a kid and telling him or her not to eat it. The TSA says that they are only making these policy changes so that the U.S. is caught up with other countries current safety policies. But does that matter? Over the last 12 years, there have been major changes to the way Americans fly. We haven’t had any real issues since 9/11 so why do we need to run the risk of a repeat? By lessening the intensity of security, airlines are just asking for more drama and more danger. In terms of the sports equipment, all the items that are allowed on the aircraft could easily turn deadly in the hands of the wrong person.
Letter to The Editor Invisibility is a rough feeling to have. You feel as if it doesn’t matter what you do, you won’t be seen. You can do the craziest thing you can think of, you can wave your hands in the air like a ribbon in the wind, you can surpass the people that are recognized for their greatness, and even then, no one will take any notice of you. That feeling ruins your day and makes you feel like no one cares. I think everybody has that feeling at some point. I know I have. Whenever I’m in class at school, I don’t participate that much. There are plenty of kids that dominate with their loudness. However, when I do try to jump in, I’m not always noticed. The teacher seems to be looking for someone else or just doesn’t see me. He doesn’t even look
“...whatever you do, you won’t be seen”
Take for example a pair of ice skates. The thin, sharp blades on the bottoms of the skates could be removed and used as a weapon. Naturally, all of the concerns listed above have some counter points. One of them being that people carry pocket knives all the time, so why should they have to be inconvenienced to remove the pocket knife for a simple plane ride? I am not saying that every person who brings a pocket knife on a plane has the intent of causing harm to passengers and flight staff. They could simply be using the knife for the occasions they would need to cut something, or even for self-defense, but by allowing these items to be on and aircraft, those individuals who have thought about committing terrorist acts would now be equipped with easier means to do so.
Being Ignored in The Classroom
“I shouldn’t have to raise my voice just to get noticed” in my direction. Sometimes he might, but he still doesn’t see my hand raised. I try to raise my hand a little higher… nothing. I raise my hand for a long period of time… nothing. I try to get attention by movement… nothing. I don’t seem to be noticed. I have a couple of teachers that seem oblivious to hand raising anyway, not all, but some. “Does anybody have any questions?” my teacher asks. I’ll raise my hand for a question… “No?” She’ll look around. “All right then. Moving on.” It’s like she doesn’t want to bother. Then I’ll speak to try to get her attention. “I had a question.” “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t see your
hand.”
One teachers says if you have a question, keep pushing by saying “excuse me” until you get his attention. “Excuse me, I have a question.” I would say. He goes on with the lesson, hurrying along to get finished. “Excuse me.” He still continues. “Excuse me.” “Ah, yes?” It would take a couple tries. Awkward. I shouldn’t have to raise my voice just to get noticed.I want to be recognized when I am trying. Teachers should make sure they are connecting with every kid in the room, not just the loud ones. Teachers should make sure everyone in the room gets recognized. -Name witheld upon request
Invisibility
gay marriage?
Devin Allbee 14’ “Approve because love is love and we have the 14th amendment. I actually learned something in apush government!”
Austyn Fitzgibbon 13’ “Leviticus 18:22 in the bible says gay marriage is wrong and marriage is a Christian belief between a man and a woman.”
Kali Ryan 13’ “I support it because despite what you believe, other people’s marriages don’t affect your life.”
Sierra Cruz 14’ “Approve because they should have equal rights just like everyone else does.”
Spotlight is a publication of the students of Valley High School, 3650 Woodland Avenue, West Des Moines, Iowa, 50266. Advertising can be purchased at 515-633-4059. Spotlight strives to inform readers of current news and social issues affecting the lives of Valley High School students. As indicated in the Freedom of Expression policy, Spotlight will not print obscene, libelous or malicious material. Letters to the Editor, guest articles and editorials, etc., are highly encouraged but must be submitted to a member of the staff at least one week prior to publication. All letters must be signed with a specific name and not a group, unless prior permission has been obtained by the Spotlight adviser. Spotlight reserves the right to edit all letters for space available. Spotlight is a member of the Quill and Scroll Society, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Iowa High School Press Association. Any questions or comments pertaining to Spotlight may be dropped off in Room 137 at Valley High School. If you have an article you would like to have published, please contact editor-in-chief Kelly Reeve or Mrs. Hicks in Room 137. Spotlight has received The International First Place Award from Quill and Scroll , First Place Award from American Scholastic Press Association , First Class Award with distinction in writing and editing from the National Scholastic Press Association and First Class Rating from the National Scholastic Press Association (2012)
Editor-in-Chief: Kelly Reeve Page Editors: Brianna Miller-Front Page, Jenna Baldus- News, Aaron Bell-Opinion, Jenni Aldrich-Lifestyle, Renu Suddapalli-Feature, Madison Ward-Entertainment, Ashley Skokan-Profiles, Jacob Bernhard-Sports, Kayleigh Pollock-Spotshots, Devin Pickering-Webmaster, Leah Thompson-Ad Coordinator Staff Reporters: Sarah Bell, Gracie Cobb, Katie Galles, Taylor Mankle, Meghan Munch, Brock Rustin Adviser: Diane Hicks Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service
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Opinion
what's Shakin' Bacon? How do you get the teacher’s attention in class?
Aaron Cao 13’ “I smack my gum really loudly.”
Nick Carlisle 13’ “Look down because I usually get called on then”
April 12, 2013
Solutions starting children will expect that money every week. cifically calculated amount of money to need to earn their money by working each individual unemployed person, our individually Kids for it, whether that involves working extra country should make efforts to help people By Kelly Reeve Something is wrong with this country’s tax system and it all boils down to self responsibility. Only one small percent of the people in the United States pay almost one third of the country’s taxes. It’s not only the top one percent that is affected by large economic burdens, but together the people in the top 20% of incomes in the country cover 71.8% of the federal tax burdens. That means that far less than half of the country is paying much more than half of the taxes. The balance of the country is off and it all has to do with the responsibility that a person takes on, starting in childhood and teen years. The solution to a better balance in the support of this country’s economy starts with the way that kids grow up. The number one solution is for kids to take on more responsibility for themselves at a young age so that they learn to be responsible later in life. Kids need to learn that they have to work for the things that they get. For example, if parents give their children allowances for not doing any chores, those
around the house or getting a part time or seasonal job. In the same way, unemployed adults in the country are given money. “People who have self responsibility are usually harder workers and people who work harder will probably make more money, and the more people that we have that are making a lot of money will result in a better economy,” sophomore Moriah Moore commented. At a young age, too many things are given to kids that they learn to take for granted. If kids grow up with this mindset that somebody else will always give them handouts, then our country falls to the economic status that it has right now. The top earning people in the country most likely took on great amounts of risk in order to make their money and worked hard for it. It is not right for them to have to give away their hard earned money to others that have no motivation to earn their own. It is important for students to learn budgeting and to make economic goals for themselves to ensure success later in life. So instead of handing out a spe-
get jobs. In doing so, people would be able to earn their own money and take responsibility for themselves. Responsibility starts at a young age, and students should learn to work hard to support themselves. *Stats from the Tax Policy Center via the Des Moines Register
Tradition Will Be Upheld: Senior Pranks
Melanie Wiederien 13’ “Look down because I usually get called on then.”
Max Rivers 13’ “I always act in an unfair manner towards the teachers.”
Power to The Women
By Jenni Aldrich As a life long blonde, I am accustomed to the “hilarious” blonde jokes. One of my favorites being, “Why do blondes smile during lightning storms? Because they think their picture is being taken!” There are certain “jokes” and other comments that really get under my skin; jokes about women. What many men would be “shocked” to hear is according to the analytics company, Quality Planning, women are better drivers than men. The company analyzed different kinds of vehicle code violations and concluded men break more
By Brock Rustin Much like kissing your best friend’s painfully attractive girlfriend, tradition is something we do anyway, despite the imminent consequences that are certain to follow. Year after year, a slew of threats, punishments, and mischievous ideas are exchanged between faculty and seniors as they near the end of their last remaining semester. Pranks are devised in the sly minds of seniors all throughout the year and before too long, something is bound to occur. In addition to senior skip day, senior slacking opportunities have presented themselves, and students will be using more energy attempting to get out of school work than it takes to simply sit down and do it.
traffic laws and drive more dangerously than women. Nascar driver Danica Patrick is the only woman to win a race in the Indy Car Series and holds the highest placing (third)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick slaps hands with fans as she is introduced prior to the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Patrick is a very influential figure as a woman driver in the male dominated sport of NASCAR.
Although they happen every year, observing senior events comes at a price. “Would it be worth it?” Is a common question asked by many students. The administration does its best to prevent these traditions from even being formulated, and many teachers have even started taking reprimanding matters into their own hands. Once the designated “skip day” has been established, teachers always manage to catch wind. On that day, they will purposefully place important tests, due dates, and even go as far as offering extra credit simply for showing up. Seniors wait through all of high school simply to have no legitimate excuse to attend school for a day. On the
other hand, if you were a teacher, would you enjoy teaching an entire class, to the two attendees that actually show? Not likely. Senior pranks are bound to once again rile some feathers and raise some dispute as they do every year, often accompanied by a much greater punishment. The threats are heightened and imminent pranks keep teachers and school staff on end. Suspensions, expulsions, the threat of not walking at graduation or unnecessarily being forced to take finals are often waved in the faces of suspected pranksters in an attempt to dissuade the person(s) from following through with their ploys. Only to reveal one thing that remains to be true, you can’t break tradition.
at the Daytona 500 by a woman. At the beginning of her career, Patrick was criticized by other drivers for being a woman in a “man’s sport” but after her impressive resumé, Patrick is gaining respect and accolades from drivers everywhere. Try telling that to 37 year old CEO and president of Yahoo Marissa Mayer thatwomen belong in the kitchen. The Stanford graduate was also Google’s first female engineer at the age of 23. She did not spend all her time in the kitchen. CBS News reported that more women are receiving advanced college degrees than men, as well as bachelor’s degrees. Among adults 25 and older in the United States, 10.6 million women have master’s degrees compared to 10.5 million men.
There is also this assumption that men are stronger, and more athletic than women. At 31 years old, Serena Williams is the number one ranked female tennis player in the world, and is the oldest woman ever to hold that spot. She has won 15 singles grand slams, 13 doubles grand slams, and four gold medals. She seems pretty athletic to me. According the The Huffington Post, more than half of women are now the breadwinners for families. That means women are making more money or all of the money in families. This is despite the fact that women still make only $.77 to every $1.00 earned by a man. I have nothing against women who choose to stay at home and raise their family, but there should be an end to hearing how we are less superior to men.
Spotlight
More teens abusing prescription drug
Lifestyle 7 By Jacob Bernhard
Adderall becomes a major problem in high school and college By Jenni Aldrich
Prescription pill abuse: one of the fastest growing problems in the United States, especially for teenagers. Medications are in almost every home across the nation, which makes easy access for teenagers. The newest drug of choice for teens? Adderall. While the drug seems harmless and helpful for most users, it has some serious potential for disaster. Adderall is a drug prescribed to help the brain focus and concentrate, usually associated with the treatment of ADHD. (www.projectknow.com) "I was prescribed Adderall two years ago to help me with school. I study more and my GPA went way up," an anonymous senior said. This drug is also used (illegally) other ways. Teenagers are able to access this drug from buying it off the black market, buying it from their peers, or taking it from their home medicine cabinets. Many teenagers use it to stay up late to cram for a test because the drug keeps the brain awake for extended periods of time. "I bought Adderall from a friend to cram for a test and I aced it the next morning," another senior said. The student continues to purchase Adderall before tests from the friend. Late night study sessions are not the only way to abuse the drug. Usually teenage girls (boys do as well) use the drug to lose weight, as one of the side effects is loss of appetite. (www.sideeffectsbase. com) Taking Adderall can cause weight
loss, but it is non-controlled and unhealthy, and can become dangerous. Some side effects of the drug are a dangerous increase in blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. (www.sideeffectsbase.com) Adderall is also known as a "party drug.” Since the drug causes the brain to be wired and active, teenagers take the drug to be hyper and awake during a party. Many teens also consume alcohol and other drugs while on Adderall at a party, which causes the brain's nerve center to cease proper functioning. (www.projectknow.com) This can become a serious and dangerous problem. As with any drug, Adderall can become a gateway drug that is dependent and addictive. Once a teen tries the drug; they can become addicted to the high that comes with it. This can lead students to try to other drugs when Adderall is not doing enough, and can spiral out of control. Teens who abuse Adderall are five times as likely to misuse prescription pain relievers, eight times as likely to abuse prescription tranquilizers, and nine times as likely to take cocaine. (www.projectknow.com) While Adderall can benefit those prescribed to it, the drug can easily become abused and addictive. As Adderall abuse is becoming a problem for teenagers, it is important to be conscious and smart about its use.
Seniors are trying to stay awake in the commons while trying to study for some tests. Seniors feel the full effects of senioritis as graduation nears. Photo credit to Jacob Bernhard
The senior struggle
While the juniors and sophomores are working to the bell in order to save their GPA’s, the seniors are coasting their way to college, completing the least amount of work possible to get through their last semester of classes. Many wonder why this happens. Senioritis is a disease that affects millions of seniors around the United States. “The definition of senioritis is the lack of interest to anyone or anything related to school in any way possible, and you skip a lot,” senior Galena Staroslesky said. Other side effects include: drowsiness, procrastination, the urge to countdown to the end of the year, general uneasiness towards all other non-seniors, extremely anxious feelings for snow days, and difficulty thinking. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, see your counselor immediately. Be careful, because this disease can strike you anywhere and at any time. “I would say it has affected me since day
one of my senior year,” Galena said. It can affect you. At school, at a friend’s house, and even in your own house. This disease is highly contagious and spreads extremely easily. Along with an overwhelmingly large senior population affected by the disease, few outbreaks in the junior and even sophomore classes have been reported, but testing is still taking place to discover if these diseases are senioritis, or more mild cases known as junioritis and sophomoritis. Galena shares her personal experience with senioritis. “I felt the skipping class part of senioritis when I had big projects or essays due, and especially in advanced speech class. Sorry Mrs. Engelmann,” Galena said. Senioritis affects those around the infected almost as much as the person infected, as seen in Galena’s case. Senioritis hurts; a teacher or counselor can help.
And I also had no idea of what color scheme I wanted.” What would you do differently if you could? “I would maybe change the spacing or layout at the piece. It could use some more detail.” Why will your poster make people want to go to prom? “Because the poster is bright, fun and should excite people. It also expresses the fun and energy associated with prom.”
tend a dance to commemorate your high school years, for seniors it’s an elegant ‘goodbye.’” Did you run into any problems when you were making the piece? ASHLEY: “Yeah sure, the arcs and ‘arched distortion’ of the buildings were a real pain.” What would you do differently if you could? “I would clean the buildings and the gradients up more.” Why will your poster make people want to go to prom? “It is a “tell it as it is” kind of poster. People will get all the information about prom and go if they want to. It’s not parading a limo or beautiful, smiling people to give expectations or influence insecurities. People will go if they feel like it, and they’ll go as themselves.”
Graphically gifted Digital graphic students creat prom posters Students in Mr. Tom Murphy’s Introduction to Digital Graphics class were given the opportunity to help with the preparation for prom by creating posters advertising the dance. The students were given the guidelines of what the prom committee wanted and were sent off to work while learning how to use Adobe programs. Each student created a different design that they thought best portrayed ‘Putting on the Glitz’ while using creative skills learned in the class to create the graphic art. The prom committee then selected four posters, out of two classes, to have edited and reevaluated. The spotlight sat down with the three of the four finalists. Senior Lydia Saggau: Where did you get the idea for this piece? “I got my idea from the Great Gatsby; since the theme was ‘Putting on the Glitz’ I wanted to do a 1920’s Hollywood-esk sign.” Did you run into any problems when you were making the piece? “I had about five ideas I wanted to do before I decided to do this one. I had a hard time editing the sign and finding a good tone for the piece.”
What would you do differently if you could? “If I could do it differently I would probably add more color or maybe make it an entirely different color as a whole.” Why will your poster make people want to go to prom? “Because it is subtle, but sexy.”
Senior Alex Bodin: Where did you get the idea for this piece? “My idea for this piece came from the original idea or theme of ‘Putting on the Glitz’ and when I thought Glitz, I thought of diamonds.” What story does your piece tell? “The piece tells a story of a modern themed dance full of bright colors and Glitz.” Did you run into any problems when you were making the piece? “Yes, I had trouble coming up with an idea.
Junior Ashley Roth: Where did you get the idea for this piece? “I took a lot of inspiration from the 1920s style posters and from Des Moines, so the goal was to incorporate some of the downtown skyline while maintain a simple look.” What story does your piece tell? ASHLEY: “A night to claim as yours and at-
By Kayleigh Pollock
6
Lifestyle April 12, 2013
Eating your health away How food additives could be harmful to your health
As technology evolves, so does the process of the food that Americans eat. Food additives have become increasingly popular among corporations who strive to elongate the shelf life and improve the taste and visual appeal of the food that they produce. However, scientific evidence has begun to reveal the detrimental effects of processed food. Before an additive is allowed to be used to enhance a food product, it must be approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) which tests the general safety of the additives. Once the additives are approved, they are permitted to be used in food production. However, this approval does not necessarily guarantee that the chemically enhanced foods sold to Americans are safe and healthy. A common additive found in many processed foods is high fructose corn
syrup, a cheap alternative to natural sugars that is used to maintain the sweetness and extend the shelf-life of products such as baked goods and artificial beverage sweeteners. Scientists have linked the intake of high fructose corn syrup to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Another additive connected to health issues is monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is commonly used to flavor foods like salty snack chips, packaged deli meats, and canned soups. Consumption of MSG can lead to brain damage, obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. With negative side-effects continuing to be discovered, consumers, including Valley’s nutrition department, are turning their backs on the controversial processed foods and looking, instead, to
healthier options. “We’re trying to provide more vegetables and fruits with the high rate of diabetes we have now,” Mrs. Shelly Duffield, Valley lunch server and head of the salad bar said. In 2008, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed Michelle Obama’s Healthy Kids Act, which included the demand to swap out processed, additive-filled school lunch items for healthier options like fresh fruits and vegetables. This act was modified in 2012 when all desserts were banned from service during school hours. “’I guess it’s important to eat healthy at school,” sophomore Karman Sahi said, “especially since what we eat can affect our health.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has nearly tripled among adoles-
“My dog ate my homework” Students’ bad excuses become habits From 3rd grade to graduation, some students constantly give excuses about why their work is not done. As the students get older and they become more mature, they attempt to make their excuses more mature as well. Everyone has heard the famous excuse “my dog ate my homework,” or “my printer was broken.” Maybe even the more extreme “I fell down a flight of stairs and ended up in the hospital all night.” Even though many of the phony excuses that students give to teachers seem well planned, teachers really know what is happening. “I told my teacher that I forgot it in my car, but I really didn’t. I had a feeling that she knew I was lying.” An anonymous junior said. "I have noticed that more and
more students are beginning to give excuses to me. I can usually tell when the student is lying or is telling the truth,” science teacher Mrs. Leah Kain said. The science department has a “no late work” policy. The policy is designed to increase accountability and to eliminate determining whether an excuse for turning in assignments late is legitimate or not. Most students make excuses because they don’t want deductions from their grade for an assignment turned in late. According to an anonymous sophomore, “Sometimes I forget to do my homework so I just tell the teacher that I left it at home or that I forgot to do it. But I know that it was my responsibility to get it done in the first place.” In Bronx, New York, a middle
school teacher named Laura Klein found that students who overcome obstacles to complete a project are shown to be the most successful in life. “Those who make no excuses, who do whatever it takes to get something done, are the ones who have the capacity to achieve greatness.” So if success is what students strive for, completing homework and getting it in on time will eliminate the need to make up ridiculous excuses that can make the situation worse. College professor Larry Wilson put the following list of six excuses together. They are the most ridiculous excuses Professor Wilson has heard in his classroom. -“I turned it in, and I guess you lost it.” -“Glee was on.” -“I’m working on my essay at home.”
12 3
5% Yes
By Katie Galles
cents in the past 30 years. With obesity being the second highest cause of preventable death in America, this statistic has served as a harsh reminder that the food that is provided to teenagers plays a large role in their health and livelihood. “I never realized the dangers that came with the additives in processed food,” sophomore Claudia Athens said. “Now I can see why school lunches have had to be modified in order to keep us healthy.” As discoveries regarding the dangers linked to artificial additives continue to be made, schools like Valley are continuing to strive to provide their students with more nutritious food items, knowing that the well-being of America’s future generation depends on it.
By Sarah Bell
-“It’s at my mom’s house, and I’m at my dad’s this week” -“My mom wouldn’t let me do my homework.” -“I ran out of paper, so I did my homework on this paper towel. Is that okay?”
Sophomore Dinka Brdar takes a nap while studying for AP Biology. Photo credit to Sarah Bell
Nuclear Power Reactor erators
Administrative Services anagers
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It is strange but true that more than half a million people are making money just by playing games online. They are earning gold and then selling it to others resulting in a good profit. All they need for this is an internet connection and a credit card. These multi player games have given people many creative ideas to for making money.
This is a company that makes plastic wishbones and sells them online. The company makes 30,000 wishbones per month and the sales have exceeded one million dollars now.
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This guy started his work through writing blogs and writing about life hacks - which are productivity tricks that programmers devise to cut through information overload. Pavlina’s every account has millions of visitors and he makes $300 a day for working for a few minutes.
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This is a website created by a teenage girl who started with her creativity and ended with great money. She has free tutorials and free profile page layouts for social networking websites. This idea took her to 7 million visitors and this further lead to millions of dollars. She was soon offered $1.5 million for her website.
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This social networking website actually started as an online yearbook for people. This idea, a brainchild of two teenagers, turned into a $4 million capital venture. This is a huge company now with 3 million members, many advertisers and 45 employees.
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This is the name of a young entrepreneur who started working when he was nine. He started with making greeting cards and selling them on eBay. He made an online company afterwards and sold it for an undisclosed sum. He used to make $4 million per month with that online advertising company.
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People in the US and other developed countries are crazy about buying accessories for their pets. People spend upwards of $50 million per years on their pets according to Time Magazine. This idea created a big boom for online earners. There are many online stores providing the UV protective doggles, goggles for dogs. This is further expanded to other eye wear, vests and even jewelry for the pets.
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Don’t be so quick to nix your next idea, take a look at these weird ideas that made people millions...
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This is a URL where the owner started the website to sell one million pixels and set the price $1 for one piece. He earned a million dollars and huge publicity for this website and other money making projects online.
Information gathered from http://money.msn.com/
Weird jobs: these exist?! Pet Food Taster
The next time you see a job advertisement for a ‘senior food technologist’, be wary. It could actually be a post for a dog food taster. A company called Marks & Spencer employs a human to try each of its concoctions. The employee says he loves his job, and it is “just the same as if I was working in the ready meals department.”
Professional Granny
The company places experienced grandmothers with families as nannies, babysitters, mothers’ helpers, housekeepers and maternity nurses. These professional grannies for hire really are the next best thing to your own mother and have decades of experience looking after their own children and grandchildren - as well as being Criminal Record Bureau-checked and trained in First Aid.
Golf Ball Divers
Dog Yoga Teacher
Dog Yoga - known as Doga – is yoga classes with your dog and it is the latest craze. Why not start your own local class and make some extra cash? You can learn how to become a Doga instructor at dogadog.com - or just watch some hilarious video clips of doga in action.
No, don’t think of it as a combination of golf and scuba diving, this is completely golf. A golf ball diver’s job is to dive into golf course lakes in search of lost golf balls. They collect them and clean them for resale. Simple enough.
Presidential Poison Taster
You might have known that the ancient Egyptians and the Romans employed them, but were you aware that poison tasting is still a potential career option today? Both Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin are reported to engage the services of ‘food tasters’ who travel Monkey Trainer What could be a more fun and fulfilling with them and, taste their food. job than training a monkey to help disabled people? This is exactly what the charity Monkey Helpers does, teaching monkeys to perform everyday Professional Queuer tasks for people living with injuries that Don’t mind standing in a queue for prevent them from using their hands. hours? For $36 an hour, the American For example, the monkeys are taught to company linestanding.com will provide open bottles, switch on lights and even lobbyists with someone to wait “in line” scratch their owners’ noses. at busy Congressional hearings, while
Lego Sculptor
There are eight Lego ‘master model builders’ around the world, based at the Legoland Discovery Centers. However, competition for each role is fierce - the last person to get a job as one had to beat off 45 other applicants on Youtube and go through a three-round Lego build-off in front of judges and the public.
in China (where half a day’s wait in a bank queue is not uncommon), the job of a professional queuer is becoming increasingly popular. An easy way to make money for a high school student.
UFO Desk officer
Okay, this job officially no longer exists, but then again, that could be a UFO conspiracy. Nicknamed ‘the strangest job in Whitehall,’ until 2009, a UFO Desk Officer was employed by the Government to investigate UFO reports, record alien sightings and liaise with ‘UFOlogists’.
No degree, no 1. Power Plant Operators
Median Annual Wage: $63,080 Projected Job Openings (2010-2020): 14,400 Work Experience: None Job Training: Long-term on-the-job training
2. Fashion Designers
Median Annual Wage: $64,530 Projected Job Openings (2010-2020): 6,700 Work Experience: None Job Training: Long-term on-the-job training
3. Detectives & Criminal Investigators
Median Annual Wage: $68,820 Projected Job Openings (2010-2020): 30,100 Work Experience: 1 to 5 years Job Training: Moderate-term-on-the-job training
4. Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
Median Annual Wage: $68,880 Projected Job Openings (2010-2020): 123,500 Work Experience: More than 5 years Job Training: None
5. Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Median Annual Wage: $68,900 Projected Job Openings (2010-2020): 3,600 Work Experience: None Job Training: Long-term-on-the-job training
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Spotlight
Tigerlillies at the movies
Entertainment 11
By Gracie Cobb and Kelly Reeve
The projector is ready to roll and the swimmers are ready to perform. Tonight and tomorrow night the Tigerlillies synchronized swimming team will host water shows to the theme of ‘Tigerlillies at the Movies’ at 7:30 PM. The theme will carry the audience through the sets of many classic movies from today and past decades. According to head coach Susan VandeVenter, this year’s show consists of surprises that have never been done in the history of the Tigerlillies. The synchronized swimming team started in 1969 as a sanctioned sport that competed with other teams around the state, and went on to become state champs 4 years in a row from 1979 to 1982. Today, the Tigerlillies are a club team with many talented swimmers that work during a short
Photo Credit to Brianna Miller
Hannah Gillaspey, Annie LaMair, Sammi Benson, Morgan Rafferty synchronize themselves in a circle while performing a ballet leg.
eight-week season to put on a show for the West Des Moines community. This year’s show consists of a full-cast performance to music from the movie Drum Line, followed by six routines choreographed for small teams of five to eight swimmers; a senior salute; a special performance from the men’s synchro team; after short small group performances; and a closing routine with the entire team of 50 swimmers to music from Rock of Ages. Along with the main performances, there will also be a stunning routine that incorporates many aspects of hip hop dance, coordination, and synchronization that will surely catch the audience by surprise. The show will be emceed by seniors Ben Weinberg and Sam Farrell for the second year in a row, and the pool area will be transformed into a stage that no student would ever expect to see in their physical education class. The Tigerlillies’ unique show is performed by a diverse group of girls that come from all places in the school. The team has competitive swimmers, golfers, dancers, cheerleaders, musicians, runners, tennis players, actresses, divers, and other involved students. “It takes the grace of a dancer, the strength of a wrestler, the flexibility of a gymnast and, the endurance of a competitive swimmer, and then you have a synchro swimmer,” VandeVenter said. The full team met on Friday afternoons throughout the season to learn opening and closing routines together. “At synchro practices we have a lot of dry land time where we learn to walk out our routines and we also have hard workouts and swim laps,” sophomore Anna Mable said. Outside of the Friday practice, swimmers are split into six smaller teams based on
ability that meet mornings and afternoons throughout the weeks to practice specific numbers. The swimmers also have the option to perform in a small group (trios, duets, quartets) if they are interested. Usually girls of similar ability
Photo Credit to Brianna Miller
Casey White, member of the boy’s synchronized swimming team, practices a flip for the number called Do You Believe in Magic? Boys were able to be create their own synchro team after making a deal with coach VandeVenter and have been a part of the team ever since. (Above)
Rock Hard or Go Home By Taylor Mankle
As modern rock continues its rise in popularity, new bands search for opportunities at fame. One group of students has started to make their dream come true in creating a band of their own. Cause for Concern (C4C) is a rock/alternative band with influence of ska is made up of Parker Reed on guitar, Henry Parizek on bass, Logan Abdulghani on drums, Ryan Voggesser on guitar, and Jayden Swailes on guitar and vocals. They have played together since last May. The guys of C4C write their own music together. “We’re all writing songs and putting them together as a group,” Parker Reed said. Along with their own songs, they also play covers from other bands like Sublime, Weezer, and Green Day. The time comitment of a band memeber is huge, and it takes a passion for music for these men to be able to fit practices into their hectic schedules. Parker Reed is on the baseball team, employed at HyVee, involved in concert and jazz band, and is a prominent voice on the Hour of Knowledge a school radio show held at the lunch hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
and Fridays on 88.7 KWDM the point, and he still finds time for the band. “I stay organized and keep a level mind whenever possible,” he said. After numerous practices C4C has earned a gig at Vaudeville Mews (212 4th St, Des Moines) on April 27th. This will be the band’s first public performance and they hope to prove themselves worthy of more gigs in the future. The performance will be a part of Vaudeville Mews’ second annual Playing a Part: Earth Month Benefit. Tickets can be bought at the door for $10. C4C will play along with three other local bands. Doors open at 5:00 pm and the bands start at 5:30pm.
levels will work together on these special routines. The synchronized swimming club is not only open to women, as mentioned previously. Coach VandeVenter made a deal with a group of men that were on the competitive swim team when she started coaching that she would be their adult supervisor if they want to play a game similar to water polo called Animal Ball. She would only supervise for them if they would perform a routine in the water show. Since then, the men have taken part every year, and will perform a routine called “Do you believe in magic?” With only eight weeks of practice total, the team of 50 swimmers has prepared a water show that will capture and engage audiences. “It really is quite amazing to see how it all comes together in such a short amount of time,” VandeVenter said. Synchornized Swimmers featured on the Front Cover: Top left, Freshmen Izzy Templeton. Second from top, boys synchro team. Third from top Eleni Farrel. Bottom Izzy Templeton and Eleni Farrel. Main picture, Annie LaMair, Julie Dickinson, Hannah Gillaspey, Sammi Benson, Morgan Rafferty.
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10 Entertainment April 12, 2013
The end of the auditorium
Reign reign DON’T go away
Parents and students will sit on the old, creaky, well-loved seats in the auditorium for the last few times ever during the spring performances. The auditorium will see tears of happiness after well preformed plays, concert, and mime shows, tears of sadness as students preform one last time in their home away from home, and tears of excitement as seniors and the underclassmen take their places on stage fot the last time. The current auditorium will be torn down after the last performances of the 2012-2013 school year. “The new auditorium should be completed and ready to perform in the fall of 2014,” drama teacher Mrs. Stacy Hansen said. “The fall play for 2013 is currently scheduled at Waukee High School.” The spring play next year does not yet have a location. “The auditorium is definitely a home for the drama family,” junior Chris Ortiz said, cast as Jem in To Kill a Mocking Bird. “Everyone who gets up on that stage, whether someone is doing a monologue by themselves or they are in an intense scene, everything in the outside world goes away.” Performing on stage allows students to let emotions fly. Senior Connor Wang, member of Bakers Dozen mime troupe, believes in hard work and showmanship. “I think we need to represent the hard work that all mimes have put into creating shows.” Within the creation of performances, memories between students are made through rewarding experiences. “As a mime on stage, my favorite moment was performing in the skit The Blacksmith,” Conner said. “We brought back that skit for the Spring Nite O’Mime 2013.” The rewarding moment for stu-
No instruments? No problem. A cappella Reign bypasses saxophones, guitars, pianos and all other usual instruments, but they sound just as good as any group with them. The all-male music group consists of seniors Connor Wang, Tommy Lau, Zach Lepperd, Sam Farrell, Broc Everett, Joel Snyder, juniors Hasan Ahmed, Sam Cacciatore, Noah Reddig, Michael Keay and sophomore Andy Han.
By Jenna Baldus
dents on stage varies depending on which group they participate in. “There is a lot of stuff that goes on that stage,” Chris said. “Not only just the plays and mime shows, but IHSSA, drama classes, concert choir, show choir, band, and orchestra performed on stage.” “It’s an honor being president of the last troupe to use this auditorium,” Conner said. “Hopefully new creative elements will be added with the new auditoriums, so I’m excited to see the new generation of shows in the next couple of years.” After the last performance in the auditorium, the school district will begin to construct a $26.9 million auditorium. The future auditorium will have an increase in seating and will house 1,140 people. Construction workers are working on an orchestra pit, allowing live bands to play for musicals. A trap room is planned, allowing a space below the stage creating a place for actors and props to come and go as needed. Technology will improve with a new sound board and speaker equipment. The auditorium will recieve three state of the art automatic lights. The new technology will allow many new opportunities for the future generations in the drama family.
Photo Credit to Dreamstate Photography
Senior Connor Wang passes down the color red to sophomore Melanie Taylor on Runway during their last performance in the auditorium. “Passing down ribbons is something we do as a tradition,” Connor said. “Each color passed down has its own meaning. The seniors select a younger mime who seems to fit that meaning. It’s something special.”
By Aaron Bell
Photo Credit to Emily Roose
Reign performs for a student after school in the hallway. Many students came to watch and the group earned a round of applause after their performance. Reign isn’t afraid to perform in front of larger crowds and they enjoy having fellow students listen to them.
“I knew all the ‘bro’ choir guys would want to try out for the group when we could,” Wang said. “It was a consensual agreement because we were all friends.” Reign first began in the 2007-08 school year, and was started by social studies teacher Mr. Greg Hudson. “My first year teaching I only had one APUSH student left after all of the seniors left. I knew he was a singer, and we started chatting during 4th hour. We rolled around the possibility of starting a group here, and the idea took off,” Hudson said.
He began recruiting students by posting a sign up in the school. Soon after, ten students joined, and Reign was born. The tradition continues with try outs for the group each year. “During try outs, we have to sing and perform a song in front of Mr. Hudson along with some sight reading. If you can beat box, that’s another plus because it’s good for rhythm. Once you make it, you’re in for the rest of high school, you don’t have to audition again,” Connor said. Reign soon caught the attention of students and brought excitement into shows and performances. “In 8th grade I saw Reign perform at the Sweet Heart show. I thought the guys that sang without background music were awesome, I wanted to be a part of the group ever since then,” Connor said. Not only does Reign perform at school events, they have also traveled around to different states entering competitions. “We perform in gigs around the community, and this year Reign traveled to the ICHSA competition in Illinois to compete for a chance to go to New York and perform,” Hudson said. “We got 4th place and only missed 3rd by two points.” Reign chooses songs to perform together and arranges them into a cappella so they can skip the use of any musical instruments. They also choose from a huge library of songs Mr. Hudson used while he was in a group in college. Member Tommy Lau was the first to arrange his own song for the group. “It was a fun experience but took a lot of hard work and lots of time. I had to listen to the song many times to create an a cappella arrangement that sounded good,” Lau said. Most of the guys in the group were friends previously, so it made working together easy and enjoyable. “We looked for a group that would mix well but could hold its own while singing,” Everett said.
Gym class heroes By Jacob Bernhard
They are easy to spot. They give 110% when most others give less than ten. They try to impress those watching and even those not watching. They keep track of statistics, dive for balls, talk smack, and make sure that they win every game. They are the gym class heroes. They tend to make up a small percentage of P.E. classes, but every class has at least one. Even though there are not many of them, they can easily be spotted. They come in small groups, and make major impacts on the class period with their excessive energy. Often times they make other students feel awkward, considering they are not playing the game as competitive as the gym class heroes are. Not to mention they reek with body odor once gym class is over. Some wonder why gym class heroes try so hard in P.E., “Some people call me a try hard, but it makes P.E. more fun
when you win. Everybody loves to win,” junior Coleson Stifle said. Some gym class heroes try to exceed every expectation laid out for them by their teacher. Others just try to earn extra points in the grade books for their efforts. Although some gym class heroes think they are making physical education class more fun, others find the hero’s mentality to be a bit extreme. “I don’t know why people try so hard in PE, if you think you are so great at the sport, then go out for the team,” junior Alex Conklin said. Gym class heroes always play until the whistle blows and never give up. Some say these characteristics are annoying and that gym class heroes need to chill. Whatever the reason behind the gym class hero’s motivation to try hard during P.E., gym class would not be the same without them.
Spotlight
Profiles
13
From Senior to Second Lieutenant By Devin Pickering
Taking a risk, senior Tyson McQuerry applied to be one of two graduating seniors from Iowa to be accepted into the prestigious Air Force Academy, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After passing a difficult selection process, he was accepted.
“I’ve wanted to join the military since freshman year, and after looking into colleges I decided the Air Force Academy would be a great opportunity.” “I’ve wanted to join the military since freshman year and after looking into colleges I decided the Air Force Academy would be a great opportunity,” Tyson said. The Air Force Academy requires many of the same standards as Harvard University
when accepting students. Tyson had to Before Tyson becomes an acquire a recommendation from a memofficer, he is required to go ber of Congress, and complete multiple through basic combat training rigorous physical training tests. With an (BCT), which is a 10-week trainacceptance rate of only 10%, the Air Force ing course that is mandatory for Academy is very selective, especially for every soldier. “I’m supposed to high school students. be there late June for BCT,” Tyson “Tyson had a different attitude,” said, “then I think my first time Military Legislative Assistant of senator home would be Thanksgiving.” Harkin, Joseph Jones said. “He was confiTyson will attend the Air Force dent, athletic, and smart; a perfect candiAcademy for four years, but after date.” graduation he will be required “There are a lot of essays, physito serve five years of active duty cal tests, and paperwork to go through in the United States Air Force. TyPhoto Credit to Tyson McQuerry before you’re even considered for adson will be commissioned a secmittance,” Tyson said, “they admit about Tyson McQuerry (left center) poses with other students during ond Lieutenant in the Air Force, 1,000 new cadets each year and 10,000 his aviation class at Central Academy. post-graduation of the academy. apply.”
A Career in Chocolate: McCauley Mustaches By Ashley Skokan
Sophomore Erin McCauley has begun her own chocolate business, and is hoping to gain more customers. “I am the first to make chocolates [in my family], but good cooking does run in the family.”
Sophomore Erin McCauley may not be a chocoholic, but she has taken her startup chocolate business, McCauley Mustaches, to a whole new level. “I have always Photo Credit to Ashley Skokan
loved to bake and cook,” Erin said. “I love being in the kitchen, and being able to just fall into a routine that I know well. It’s a task that doesn’t take much thought and clears my stress away.” Last summer, Erin made a plate of chocolates to take over to her two best friends. The friends’ younger brother tasted the chocolates and immediately decided that he wanted 100 chocolate mustaches made for a party—Erin was in business. Erin operates from home, making the chocolate candies and then delivering her product to the customers. “My parents help with up front costs that I then pay them back for after the order is finished, and they help me with delivery,” Erin said. Erin uses dark, milk, or white choc-
olate in her products and fills the insides with caramel, peanut butter, marshmallow, pudding, and more upon request. “I am willing to try anything as a flavor—some of my friends have suggested trying new things, and I always make them a sample.” In order to make her products more desirable to the customer, Erin shapes her chocolate candies into molds made of silicon that she designs herself. The shapes can range from flowers and sea shells, to her signature mustaches. Normal chocolate candies (without filling) cost $1.00 each. Chocolates with filling range in price from $1.50-$2.25, and cannot be made in all shapes. Erin has been in the business for eight months now and will sell to anyone in-
terested in her products. She receives most of her business through word of mouth but hopes to grow through ads and online soon. “But,” warns Erin, “I have to stay small enough that I can still focus on school.” For now, Erin is content with planning her future of moving away from Iowa and going to college. “If I could make a good living baking, cooking, or making chocolates, I would love that,” she says. “But that is very unlikely, so I need to have the college education to back me up.” Students can order from Erin by contacting her at lion32842@gmail.com.
12 Profiles
April 12, 2013
Vivacia:Custom Designs A Song to Record By Sarah Bell
she will then research fabrics to meet the design requirements. All of Dominique and Katherine’s products are sewn together from different fabrics. The buyer gets to choose what color and/or pattern they like. The process of measuring and sewing the pieces together takes Photo Credit to Sarah Bell about two to three hours for the girls all Although sophomores Dominque Senteza together. (right) and Katherine Essman’s (left) donations When Dominique and to charity have ended, the girls believe that it’s Katherine first started their business, still very important for young people to donate they focused on donating their money to charities. Starting a business while to the Walnut Creek food pantry. “I feel in high school is not what many it’s important to donate to a good cause. students think of accomplishing, but After you donate to charity you just feel two sophomores, Dominique Senteza good inside,” Katherine said. Neither Katherine nor and Katherine Essman certainly did. Dominique ever had any business Dominique and Katherine started a Business clothing and accessory business to raise experience before Vivacia. money for charity and to improve their teacher Mark Verbrugge advises Dominique and Katherine to “start out creative talents. Although Dominique and small and make sure they don’t take on Katherine may not have much free time more than they can handle.” Vivacia has a list of many from homework and studying for tests and quizzes, the two have teamed up different design offerings. Their custom to create a business called “Vivacia.” made products include bags, dresses, Dominique chose the name “Vivacia” shirts, skirts, scarves, and leg warmers. which came from the word Vivacious, Dominique can even be seen wearing her meaning lively and outgoing. The products to school. She often wears the business specializes in creating custom skirts and scarves that she has specifically designed for the season. apparel and purses. Although the business is just The two friends have a common interest in sewing and Dominique is for fun at the moment, Dominique says especially interested in fashion design. “My dream job is to be a fashion designer. “I like the idea of creating something I could see myself doing it in the future.” for a person using attributes that they Katherine, on the other hand says, “I prefer find appealing,” Dominique said. For to do it more for fun, I don’t see myself instance, she will survey their attitude having a job in the fashion industry.” To order products from Vivacia, about geometric designs or certain color shades. When she has enough contact them at vivaciadesigns@gmail. information about the customer’s likes, com. They will soon be setting up a website.
By Ashley Skokan
Many quote her as ‘excellent,’ ‘extremely talented,’ and ‘amazing.’ Junior Chloe Goodman is a rising musician with dreams of someday producing her own CD. Chloe is involved in Closed Caption, IHSSA, the upcoming play and the foreign ambassador club. She is also the leader of the Friends for Foreigners club and is involved in A Capella choir, Valley Singers, the all-girls Vox jazz choir, and was accepted into the all-state choir. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t singing,” Chloe said. “I’ve been singing my entire life.” Chloe distinctly recalls being yelled at by her 7th grade math teacher for singing in class. “I sing almost all the Photo Credit to Chloe Goodman time,” she said. Junior Chloe Goodman sings a solo at the Save the “[Music] definitely runs in my Arts Concert last year at Crossroads Park Elementary. family. All of my siblings play instru- “I enjoy singing because it is so fun to find harmony ments and sing. My brothers play the with different parts, and to let loose with something guitar, my sister plays the cello and that is 100% mine.” mandolin, and my other sister plays Senior Tommy Lau has played the piano,” Chloe said. She too plays instru- with Chloe for almost a year now and acments – the piano, guitar, and ukuléle. She companies her to many of her performances. “Chloe is talented because she has such a unique and amazing voice. She knows how to use it to make music her own style,” Associate Choral Director Ms. Haley Gibbons said, “Chloe has a great ear and allows herself to be influenced by a variety of sources, including the classical choral style as well as more modern, pop, folk, and jazz veins.” She also added, “This is what makes Chloe stand out, her versatilPhoto Credit to Chloe Goodman ity, flexibility, and the dexterJunior Chloe Goodman (front row, second from the right) and ity with which she transitions the Vox jazz group pose at the Iowa jazz championships last between styles.” year, after winning 4th place. Junior Sam Cacciatore plays the “I enjoy singing many piano for Chloe. “She has a really unique voice and style and types of music,” Chloe said. Alawesome taste in music. She’s really easy to collaborate with though she likes jazz, her faand an awesome friend.” vorite music is bluegrass. “That tries to incorporate her instrumental talent probably sounds weird, but there are some into her singing. great harmony opportunities in bluegrass, So far, Chloe has written five and I love listening to contemporary-type songs and hopes to write enough to fill out bluegrass.” a CD. “The first step, though, will be finishChloe hopes to someday pursue ing my songs and teaching them to Tommy a career in music. “It is my biggest dream,” Lau, my guitar guy,” Chloe said. “After that, she said. “The problem is that the music we’ll probably practice for about three industry is so vast and competitive. I don’t hours or so, until we can perform them well know that I would be successful enough enough, at which point we’ll record.” Along to base my life on it, no matter how much I with Tommy, junior Sam Cacciatore plays would love to,” Chloe said. “I may study muthe piano, for Chloe’s songs. sic in college and possibly get a band to“My family is immensely support- gether. As of right now, things are unclear.” ive, they’re the ones that started getting me Chloe’s favorite thing about singto try out for so many things,” Chloe said. ing is the expression it shows. “All of the “My friends are also very supportive of my emotions are bundled up in the message singing and my music, Sam and Tommy, es- that is your song. For me, singing is a way to pecially. They accompany me for basically expose a bit of my soul, and release some of all of my performances.” the cosmic energy whirling around inside.”
Spotlight
Going to Disney World By Katie Galles
Climbing their way to the top
After long hours in the gym and on the competition floor, a local cheerleading team begins to feel the effects of hard work as they prepare to attend what many claim to be the most prestigious competition in cheerleading: the world championships. Blaze, a small senior coed cheerleading team from Iowa All Stars gym in Ankeny, received a coveted bid to Worlds at Chicago’s Xtreme Spirit competition, which the team attended on January 26th and 27th. “Two minutes and thirty seconds is all it took,” Southwoods freshman and Blaze member Carter Forrest said. “Twenty team members performed one routine.” Leading up to Xtreme Spirit, Blaze members attended hours of weekly practices consisting of three squad practices as well as one tumbling class. They also dedicated many hours of their summer to team practice sessions. “During the summer, we had choreography camp which was six hours for four days,” sophomore Blaze member, Mackenzie Moran said.
By Aaron Bell
Digging climbing shoes deep into holes and gripping on to measly slabs of rock is what climbers do best. The climbing club and science teacher Mr. Brandt Reif often put these techniques to use as they scale rock walls at Climb Iowa. “I first got into rock climbing four years ago when I took a class. I climbed a little after that, but I didn’t really have anyone to go with so I stopped,” said senior climber Jake Marschel. “I found some friends to start going with and now climbing is a regular thing for me to do.” When people start climbing, they don’t need equipment at first. At Climb Iowa, gear can be rented for most starters. Once climbers become more experienced and start climbing regularly, gear can be purchased. The standard equipment that most climbers need are climbing shoes, top rope climbing gear which consists of ropes and other tools, and a chalk bag for a good grip. At Climb Iowa, there are two different types of climbing techniques. Bouldering is used when climbers don’t use ropes, however they are limited to smaller walls for safety reasons. “When I’m boulder-
Sports 15
Cheerleading team receives world’s bid
Iowa All-Stars Blaze members pose with their bid certificate at Xtreme Spirit competition in Chicago. The team will compete on April 27th and 28th for the World Championships in Florida.
With so much time and effort put into perfecting the skills and choreography in the team’s routine, winning the Worlds
bid reminded Blaze that their hard work did, in fact, pay off. “The kids worked so hard to get
ing, I use a spotter who stands under me to make sure I’m safe. You don’t use a harness or ropes so it can get dangerous,” said Jake. Top rope climbing, is climbing up the entire wall with ropes and safety harnesses. Another person stands underneath the climber and he/she belays, which means they’re on bottom pulling the rope down as the climber ascends up the wall. The belayer is mainly present for safety reasons. “Climbing is easy to get into,” said Marschel. “Climb Iowa has different route difficulties, which start at 5.5 for begin-
ners. The rating goes up to 5.16 for very advanced climbers, but they don’t have those in gym, those are outside.” Mr. Reif sponsors the rock climbing team, and brings students together at Climb Iowa. “We started the team after the Outdoor Club folded due to lack of student involvement. I was rock climbing regularly at the time, and there was a student interest in climbing at Valley. Students took on the team and we had a committed group during our first year.” “The nice thing about climbing is that you can do it for the rest of your life. Either by yourself or with other people, climbing is an activity that doesn’t end after high school,” said Reif. Jake Marschel practices his bouldering skills at Climb Iowa. Without ropes or harnesses, bouldering is much more difficult than top rope climbing. As seen in the picture, bouldering takes a lot of upper body strength.
Photo provided by Jake Marschel
that bid that it was a sense of joy and relief at the same time,” co-coach Mark Bagon said. “It’s great knowing that Iowa All Stars Blaze competes with, and also is one of the best All Star Cheer teams in the World.” With Worlds just weeks away, Blaze is cracking down on the nitpicky aspects of their routine. “Our practice schedule remains the same, but now we focus on cleaning and perfecting the routine. In doing so, we get really picky on all aspects of the routine,” Bagon said. “For example, are all of the flyers pulling their skills at the exact same time? Are the tumbling passes and jumps perfectly together? Are the stunts hitting one hundred percent?” The World Championships will take place on April 27th and 28th at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Top cheerleaders from 65 countries will compete for the chance to be named world champions, a legendary title that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Country Club Lake Monster By Jacob Bernhard
On the eve of Saturday April 30th, junior Joey Whitehouse caught a 39 inch, 26 pound carp. The fish was caught at the Country Club Lake. Joey was fishing in Clive with his friends juniors Joe Eilers, Sachin Sehgal, and Colton Howell when he caught the fish. “I was shocked at how heavy it was,” said Joey. “It took me about 25 minutes to get it on land.” Joey began fishing at a young age with his friend junior Tom Maigaard. He also frequently fishes with his other friends Yash Manektala and Austin Greenough both juniors.
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Sports
Rugby
April 12, 2013
Full Contact Frisbee Leisure activity evolves into hands on sport
Photo credit to Jenna Baldus Sophomore Hunter Ruby tackles an East High School player, knocking the ball free from his grasp. In spite of Ruby’s efforts East went on to win the contest.
Photo credit to Jenna Baldus Valley players form a scrum against Urbandale vying for possession of the ball.
Tri-hards
Dodge, dip, dive, duck, and uhh.. throw it.” must run frequently back and forth on the dodge. We’re not playing dodge ball here, While playing ultimate, team playing field, trying to evade defenders and but the 5 D’s of dodge ball can be applied members are put into two main positions. get open for their team’s handlers. towards ultimate frisbee a.k.a. ‘ultimate.’ The “handlers,” are the point guards of the Ultimate resembles football in The intense game of catch and throw often team. Handlers take the frisbee first and the way that the game is played. Games involves many insanely long throws, ac- make passes to set up other team mem- start with a “kick off,” where the throwing companied by remarkable diving catches bers for scoring. Handlers are responsible team launches the frisbee towards the opand constant physical contact from de- for dishing out long passes, medium length posite team. The receiving team catches fenders. Frisbee was once seen as a the frisbee, and the game is started. simple leisure activity, but has now Players are not allowed to walk forevolved into a full contact sport. wards or backwards while handling Senior Jaden VanDike cothe frisbee, but other players are alordinates a club that practices regulowed to move freely to get open. larly and competes with other Des The objective is to pass the frisbee Moines area schools. The to teammates and get it into the team meets when the weather is nice end zone, which results in scoring. in the spring and fall after school on Then the scoring team kicks off and Wednesdays. Games are played in the game is reset. Interceptions and the field where the old barn used to dropped frisbees result in a change be. “I started playing my sophomore of possession, and playing defense year when some friends invited me by guarding opposing team memto play. It was really fun and I started bers closely makes the game very getting into ultimate over the sumphysical and fast paced. Each team mer,” Jaden said. He was handed is allowed seven players. Jaden VanDike must evade defenders while passing the frisbee down the responsibility of running “All you need to play are athletic to teammates. Playing defense is a crucial part of the game and the club from the previous year’s resembles playing defense in basketball. Faking throws to differ- clothes, a water bottle and a mindcaptain, Tyler York. ent directions can often trick the defender into facing the opposite set of winning,” Jaden said. “We enAnyone is invited to par- direction. courage anyone to come out and ticipate in the club including all skill give ultimate a try.” levels. “Anyone with any hand eye Anyone interested in playing can coordination whatsoever will be passes and even short passes. email Jaden VanDike at Jadenvandike@yaable to come out and play,” Jaden said. “It The “cutters” are responsible for hoo.com takes little experience to throw a disk, and catching the frisbee while advancing it if you can’t throw a frisbee to save your life, down the field towards the end zone. Cutyou’ll be okay because not everyone has to ters are the wide receivers in ultimate, and
By Devin Pickering
During the off-season, student athletes train in their free time by taking the triathlon training class. A one mile swim, 25 mile bike ride, and a six mile run, for a total of 32 miles. This is an Olympic triathlon, and a physical education class helping train students to participate in this event. The triathlon class is coached by triathlon leader Mr. Rhoads. “On short days, we usually swim about 500 yards in the pool,” senior Nathan Beni said, “then we have free time to swim.” The class focuses mainly on swimming, since swimming works all the muscles in the body, also working the muscles used when running and biking. “The class is a great avenue for students to learn the disciplines of a triathlon, while work-
ing at their own individual level to improve their health and self-discipline.” Triathlon leader Mr. Rhoads said. Students in the class learn swimming techniques, including how to “pull,” correctly with arms and propel with the legs. Students in the class also learn different strokes such as the butterfly, backstroke, and the breaststroke. When the weather is cold, students use the pool to practice swimming inside, and in the warmer months, the students run a minimum of two miles each day. “Triathlon training is pretty fun class to be in and it’s something I always look forward to,” senior Andrew Kemp said. “We could always use more people though.” The main issue with the class is that a majority of students do not know about its existence, threatening the class of being cut. The triathlon class is an advanced physical education class, meaning that a student does not have to take it in addition to P.E. This class keeps students in shape, and enables them to challenge themselves physically.
Left to right first row – Nick Gray, Andrew Kemp, Nathan Beni, Todd Johnson, Jeff Bodin, Matt Johnson Second row left to right – Jacob Wiemers, David Padt, Ryan McCollough, David Merriman, Ryan Mable, Nick Dolan Last Row left to right – Natalia Tinoca, Christin Dahms, Jordan Krysa, Chloe Matthews
Congratulations to the Girl’s tennis team for winning the Johnston Invitational
Prom 2013: Putting on the Glitz Will you do your makeup yourself or go get it done? “I will do it myself; it probably won’t be much different than every other day.”
Alexis Smith, Senior What is the best way to ask someone to prom? “Take a girl to the movie and hold up a piece of paper with “PROM” cut out in front of the projector and it would go on the screen.”
Austin Johnson, Senior
Harlem Shake Vs. Gangnam Style? “Harlem Shake, it’s fun and it makes people feel good.”
Wes Brown, Senior Bow tie or euro tie?
Prom Court Canidates: Amber Aeilts Jenni Aldrich Lyndsie Angus Alex Franks Emma Lind Chole Matthews Dylan DeClerck Broc Everrett Sam Farrell Tanner Hinkle Connor Katich Ben Weinberg
Prom:
Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center 833 5th Avenue Downtown Des Moines
8-11:00 pm
“Green bow tie!”
Zach Lepperd, Senior What foods are you avoiding? “Saucy stuff, so I better stay away from my date.”
Elijah Soria, Senior
Juniors and non Valley students:
$25 Tickets Seniors: Free
Where are you eating before prom? “Johnny’s Italian Steak House.”
Mitch Annett, Senior How much did you spend on alterations? “I spent $30, just to get the bottom of my dress hemmed.”
Katie Jerome, Senior
After Prom: Starts: 11:30 pm Doors close:12:30 am
Ends: 4:30 am WDM Students: Free Other Guests: $5
What kind of shoes are you wearing and how long do you think you will have them on? “Heels and probably for pictures, dinner, and off at the dance.”
Kayla Cory, Senior Is it better to go as a couple or as a group? “A group of couples that are all friends.”
Kara Nelson, Senior
How long do you think you will stay at the dance? “I’m not really sure, I’ll probably just stay as long as I’m having fun.”
Nick Cesario, Junior Do you think that sophomores should be able to go to prom? “No because prom is for juniors and seniors. It’s their time.”
Karman Sahi, Sophomore
Not going to the dance? Why? “No, because Emma Young said no to me.”
Brian Gurerro, Senior
Have a ‘glitzn’ time from the Spotlight Staff