2010-05-26

westsidestory Iowa City West High School

2901 Melrose Ave.

Iowa City, IA 52246 Volume 41 Issue 7

May 26, 2010

www.westsidestorypaper.com

TEC H N AD O L DIC OG TIO Y N PAGES 10 & 11

Flip over for the senior issue

02 TABLE OF CONTENTS may photo by lilli oetting front photo by sarah dirks

SECTIONS BEATS 3 NEWS 4-6 A&E 8-9 FEATURE 10-11 IN-DEPTH 12-13 PROFILES 15 SPORTS 16-18 RADISH 19 OPINION 20-21

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NEWS

SUPER! (INTENDENT) meet the ICCSD’s new superintendent

09

A&E

COOL TREATS the WSS reviews delicious ways to cool down this summer

IN-DEPTH

12-13

flip me over to check out the senior issue!

HIGH-TECH ADDICTION as technology takes a larger role in our lives, so is a new kind of addiction.

PROFILES

15

WSS staff members kerri sorrell editor-in-chief, design editor, front page alli pitlick managing editor, back page david huang copy editor eleanor marshall copy editor leah murray business editor lilli oetting news editor alissa rothman news editor madhu srikantha opinion editor anna hippee in-depth editor becky sweeney feature editor elizabeth dagle feature editor laura stamnes feature editor emily kreiter profiles editor caroline van voorhis profiles editor evan smith a&e editor lauren parsons sports editor daniel rothman sports editor garrett anstreicher humor editor saranya subramanian public relations, circulation anna egeland exchange editor chet flaum artist caitlin wilson artist sarah dirks photo editor abby black photographer michael neustrom photographer jamie o’donnell staff writer sara jane whittaker advisor For ad information, contact us at westsidestorybusiness@gmail.com, or call 319.688.1001, ext. 5113.

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SAYING GOODBYE TO WEST HIGH staff members prepare to leave West High at the end of the school year.

SPORTS PLAYIN THE FIELD Why do West High’s soccer teams play at a junior high?

equity statement It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District 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 educational programs, activities, or employment practices.

If you believe you have (or your child has) been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Director, Ross Wilburn, at 509 Dubuque Street, 319-688-1000.

editorial policy The West Side Story reflects the views of the staff and does not represent the school administration, faculty or student body. Guest articles may be accepted to meet space requirements, represent an additional point of view or as a part of a collection or reader contributions. The staff will carefully scrutinize all reader submissions.

All ads are subject to approval by the business staff. Those that are libelous, obscene or plainly offensive may be rejected.

The West Side Story attempts to publish all letters, which must be signed, to the Editors, but may reject submissions due to space limitations, inaccuracy or poor quality. It is the responsibility of the opinion editors to verify authorship. Editors can make minor edits for the sake of clarity, length and grammatcial correctness. Staff responses to letters are not allowed.

A full copy of the Editorial Policy is available in Room 111.

NEWS C O N G R AT S GRADS: At the senior ceremony Michael Lipman, Mallory Daily, and Molly McConnel recieved scholarships from student senate. Thirty five awards were presented to students at the ceremony.

03

photo by kerri sorrel

BE AT photo by leah murray

KICK IT UP A NOTCH: Pro football player and West High grad Nate Kaeding pumped up the boys tennis team before the district tournament.

Kaeding’s advice must have worked, because the boys claimed the district championship the next day. See page 16 to learn more.

Check out how theseWest High groups are ending the year

photos by lauren parsons

PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR: Students from the best buddy program and west wing functional academics perform during their annual talent show. The proceeds from the show will benefit various programs, including one which sends West High students to Camp Courageous.

photos courtesy of candace gaillard

HELLO SUNSHINE: BPA (Business Professionals of America) recently returned home from the National Conference. 24 students from West High made the journey to Anaheim, California for this conference. 4000 students from 17 different states were there competing i­n different competitions.

While at Nationals Sara Stewart ’10 placed third in Advanced Interview Skills and Amanda Swygard ’10 placed fourth in Desktop Publishing.

IN THE CITY: In Anaheim, the BPA students went to a Dodgers game, visited Hungington’s beach, and made a trip to Hollywood.

photos by eleanor marshall

LETS PLANT SOME TREES: EcoCentric celebrated Earth Day (April 22) with a t-shirt and bake sale to raise money for the nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign, a reforestation effort hoping to plant one billion trees in the devastated Brazilian Atlantic forest. The club raised enough money to plant around 300 trees.

T-shirts (for $12) and water bottles (for $8) are still available for purchase in room 122. Each item plants one tree.

Celebrate summer by checking out these environmental facts! > A forest area the size of a football field is destroyed every 2 seconds.

art by bridget novak

NEWS

ON

04

compiled by alissa rothman

the spot

Guten Tag Europe!

What are you looking foward to the most on the Europe trip?

BY ALISSA ROTHMAN

F

rom strolling along the banks of the Danube to Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, students on this year’s Europe trip will have the opportunity to view many of the amazing sights Europe has to offer.

From June 16 to June 25, twelve West High students will make their way through Central Europe with advisors and European history teachers Tyson Smith and Melanie Johnson. The trip starts in Budapest and continues on through Prague, Vienna and Berlin, with a half-day stop in Dresden.

“I decided to go to this trip because I think it would be fun to spend time with some of the classmates for the last time before I graduate, and also because we are going to Europe, and I think this trip could be both educational and fun since Tyson is bringing all of us,” said Jenny Park ’10.

art by bridget novak

West High math team succeeds at Regionals

BY ALISSA ROTHMAN

Months spent bent over math problems at Fcubed and Math Club have finally paid off.

The West High math team won the Midwest Regional Math League championship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The team competed against schools from California, Kansas, Missouri, Washington and Iowa.

“We all feel pretty accomplished. Last year we won by a really small margin, like a few points.

This year we won by 46,” said Matt Staib ’11, a varsity member of Math Club.

Other varsity members include Bob Chen ’11, Tyler Chenhall ’10, Shi-Ke Xue ’12, Curie Ahn ’10 and Don Nye ’10. Chenhall was the individual winner of the event, with Xue placing fourth, Staib placing sixth and David Ahn ’13 placing tenth.

“It was a bit more difficult than expected, but I felt it went really well. There was a California school [called] Amador Valley which came, and they were really good. We were surprised we beat them because it seemed really close.

They placed second overall,” Chen said.

This is the team’s ninth regional title in the past 11 years. The team has also won 11 of the past 12 state tournaments.

“What is really surprising is that we are able

“Visiting sites with history teachers because I’ll learn a lot more about it than if I were just going with my parents.”

- nathan rossen ’11 “I look forward to going to different cities . . . different culture and experiencing Central Europe.”

- jenny park ’10

BRIEFS

to maintain such a strong program for so long.

This is because of the support from the administration and teachers, helping the math program. Without them we could not be where we are today,” Chen said.

The team is now focusing on the upcoming American Regionals Mathematics League (ARML) competition in which they compete as individuals on three teams that represent Iowa and are selected by teachers from among the best students in Iowa.

Debt haunts West High speech and debate

BY MADHU SRIKANTHA If there is anything that West High’s highly successful speech and debate team learned this year, it’s that preemption is always better than mitigation – especially when a debt upwards of $6,000 threatens the prospect of attendance at nationals.

According to Jake Steward, the team’s primary speech coach, team members are working with dedication to alleviate the debt the team has incurred over the course of the year.

“We’ve not been in this far debt for a while, from my understanding,” Steward said. “I think

“Seeing Europe and getting a different perspective on life.”

- davy perlman ’12 [the prospect of not attending nationals] was an eye opener for the students.”

The coaches struck a deal with the team that if they made a concerted effort to fundraise, nationals would be able to happen. And, according to Steward, it worked – the students, spear-headed by those attending nationals, are fundraising with the goal of reaching complete solvency. But even with this, according to Cynthia Woodhouse, Lincoln-Douglas debate coach, the students will have to foot the entire bill of attending nationals rather than in previous years when the team account was able to cover one-third of the total cost.

But according to Woodhouse, the team has been in worse shape before, “This is an issue every year, actually. This is the first year that students have been talking about it as much, but we always have debt at the end of the year. It’s actually been worse before. I would say that, in previous years, students have been more proactive about getting into fundraisers and boosting attendance at our real money-makers, which makes a huge difference in the bottom line,” Woodhouse said.

Recently, a speech and debate sponsored car wash that raised about $1,500, which, according to speech member Megan Henry `11, far exceeded expectations. Currently, the team is working on Hy-Vee coupon book sales that, according to all members in shameless self-promotion, are a great deal.

Makeover 101

West’s science rooms get revamped for ’10-’11 school year

BY ELEANOR MARSHALL

G

utted. Annihilated. Ripped apart from the don’t have to yell down the hall to have a class discusinside, the dense remains abandoned. And sion,” Munsterman said. then… rebuilt. Restructured. And slowly The chemistry lab is receiving quite the makeover the new science rooms emerge from the debris. as well. The overhead venting will be taken out and Renovations began May 19, displacing many West replaced with a less bulky system, allowing teachers High scientists, and continue all summer in rooms 2, easier supervision over their (surely already on-task) 12, 15 and 16 (in the science hallway) and the main students. The renovations include the chemistry prep chemistry lab. area, where new equipment like a dishwasher and an “All these rooms will be totally different. You’ll walk ice machine will be installed, according to chemistry in next year and you won’t recogteacher Michelle Wikner. nize [the classrooms],” said AP Bi- “You’ll walk in next year “It will just make our lives easiology teacher Doug Herman, whose er . . . half the outlets don’t work and you won’t recognize room will be redone for next year. and we only have one sink with More specifically, the layout of the [the classrooms].” hot water [in the lab],” Wikner classrooms will be adjusted to bring said.

- Doug Herman student seating closer to the chalkAlthough Wikner’s classroom

Biology Teacher board, with lab and storage space won’t change, another chemisfilling the back of the room. New try lab will be added to the back cabinetry will be put in, and the of fellow teacher Carolyn Wallfloors will be retiled to remove the asbestos trapped ing’s room. underneath.

The renovations are long overdue, since the trusty “[The new rooms] will be more efficient and hope- science labs haven’t been updated since the school fully safer. We’ll be able to try things we haven’t had opened, according to Munsterman. space for. . . . In my particular case, I’m very inter“The last time this [room] was renovated was never ested in having students closer to the front to see and . . . science deals with technology and 41 years old is hear more clearly. In the back half [of the room] kids kind of behind the times,” Munsterman said. aren’t as involved. They’ll get more out of the class,” Talk of remodeling began 20 years ago, but got Herman said. more serious in the last five, said Munsterman. The Nate Munsterman, West High physics teacher, also funds for the project will come from the SILO (School looks forward to closer and more engaged students.

Local Option Sales) tax. WSS “[I’m most excited for] having everyone closer so I compiled by alissa rothman

CURRENT EVENTS QUIZ

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5

Where was the recent oil spill? a. Lake Michigan b. The Gulf Coast c. The Indian Ocean d. Prince William Sound

Who is the new British Prime Minister? a. Tony Blair b. Nick Clegg c. Gordon Brown d. David Cameron

Who is President Obama’s nominee to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court? a. Janet Napolitano b. Leah Ward Sears c. Elena Kagan d. Diane P. Wood What Oakland A’s pitcher recently tossed the 19th perfect game in baseball history? a. Ben Sheets b. Mark Burely c. Dallas Braden d. Catfish Hunter

ER BUST Galapagos trip cancelled?

Busted! This trip is not cancelled. However, it is being moved from spring break to the second week in June to avoid taking students out of school.

“We could still do it during Spring Break but we couldn’t miss any days of school,” said science teacher Brad Wymer.

ED BUST Study Room B closed indefinitely?

As of May 5, the librarians have closed Study Room B indefinitely.

“The study rooms are treated like party rooms, and recently ,there have been too many people in the study rooms,” said librarian Jill Hofmockel.

On May 6 the library staff found the wall in study room B partly smashed in. This prompted the closing of the room for safety reasons. Additionally, the librarians will now only allow two students in each study room at a time and will give priority to students who want to study quietly.

rmed

i Conf

3

The Dow Jones droped by _____points, the biggest drop ever during one trading day. a. 10,000 b. 1,000 c. 100 d. 100,000

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After a large Facebook campaign what famous actress finally hosted Saturday Night Live? a. Rachel Bilson b. Meryl Streep c. Cloris Leachman d. Betty White Answers: 1)b 2)c 3)b 4)d 5)c 6)d

How well you know this month’s news?

Rumor

Driving to school five miles each way emits ten pounds of carbon dioxide

Drills in the physics rooms caused the fire drill?

“It could have been the wood shavings from the drills in the physics room, but since [the alarm] went off on the third floor, I don’t think that was it.

As a precaution, they won’t be sawing in the building anymore. We just wanted people to know that the alarm wasn’t pulled,” said Principal JerryArganbright.

d

BUSTE

news

05

What in the WORLD? North Tynesdale, ENGLAND

When stroke victims recover, they sometimes acquire bizarre obsessions, like one man who found himself unable to say no to salespeople. According to a March Daily Mail report, the biggest beneficiary of his condition was the wireless telephone network, whose marketers signed him up for six different phones and plans at the same time (and they were all paid on time until his brothers stepped in to persuade the company to restructure the account).

The federal Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers not to swallow Benadryl Extra-Strength Itch-Stopping Gel after receiving reports of at least 121 people chugging the lotion that’s meant to be used only on the skin. Confusing the gel for over-the-counter Benadryl products, they experienced numb lips, unconsciousness, hallucinations and confusion after swallowing the gel.

Abu Dhabi, UAE The Emirate Palace hotel, where royalty and billionaires come for cappuccinos topped with gold flakes, has recently installed a money machine that dispenses pure gold. The exterior of the machine is coated with a thin layer of gold and offers customers 320 items to choose from, ranging from gold bars that can weigh up to 10 grams to customized gold coins

Yunnan province, china One of the region’s biggest recent openings was the 2009 blockbuster debut of Dwarf Empire, a hilltop park in southern China devoted to—and almost entirely staffed by—people under four feet tall.

The park employs any of the country’s height-challenged, who traditionally have had a hard time finding work. Thanks to the park, many of China’s dwarves are now employed as everything from janitors to crown-wearing empresses.

New superintendent chosen

art by caitlin wilson compiled by alissa rothman

United States

Wausau, WI superintendent Steve Murley to replace Lane Plugge

BY EMILY KREITER

A

new voice will replace Lane Plugge’s warm tenor on students’ much awaited snowy mornings.

With Plugge’s resignation comes a new ICCSD superintendent: Wausau, Wisconsin’s very own Steve Murley. Murley hopes to Steve Murley bring a new perspective to the district.

“I hope to bring to the community a spirit of collaboration and a forward-thinking perspective . . . I feel that it is best to come in to my new role with an open mind and a propensity to listen,” Murley said. “My plans coming in are to do a lot of listening. Being new to Iowa City, I know that I have a lot to learn from the students, parents, staff and community. [I would like to] better understand the processes that have been used in the redistricting and third high school discussions to ensure that I truly understand the perspectives of those involved.”

Thus far, Murley has wowec the district.

“I was impressed with his vision for working

06

news

with the community. He has strong communication skills and seemed to really value the role of the school district and education in the community,” said School Board President Patti Fields. “Steve has a strong vision about doing what is best for students and emphasized its importance in decision-making.”

West High principal Jerry Arganbright agreed, adding, “He also has experience with high schools and has an understanding of how they work, which I obviously appreciate as a high school principal. He also has school age children, so he will not only be a district administrator, but also a parent in the district, which is an asset to us,” he said.

Murley has three children: Alec in second grade, Andrew in fifth grade and Kent, who is currently attending college in North Carolina.

Murley said that Alec was the most enthusiastic of the three concerning the move.

“When I asked him about the move he said that he was looking forward to meeting new friends and meeting new teachers,” Murley said. “[With Andrew] being a little older, there was a little more hesitation when it was first announced, but he is ready to go now.”

Murley is also looking forward to living in the Iowa City area.

“Prior to my interview, my last visit to Iowa City was in 1984 for an Iowa - Michigan football game – which Iowa won. However, when I was in town, the Midwestern feel is very much like Wausau where I live now. The people were welcoming and friendly, and I immediately felt comfortable,” he said.

Overall, the district eagerly awaits Murley’s arrival.

“I think that he will bring creativity and energy as the next leader of our school district,” Fields said.

Murley’s innovation and excitement for his new role will bring a fresh view to the district.

“I am very excited about the challenge of working in the ICCSD . . . The resources provided by the community place the district in an ideal position to take on some challenges in teaching and learning that should create some dynamic educational opportunities for students,” Murley said.

For those who were wondering, Murley called a total of one snow day in his district last year.

Cross your fingers, class of 2011! WSS

Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the air cause poison ivy to become itchier (via increased urushiol production)

Spring awakening photo by sarah dirks

photo by jojo silverman

BY ELEANOR MARSHALL

I

t starts with the first audacious leaf, or the tentative peek of a soft petal from its warm bud, or maybe the first beat of the wings of a newly-metamorphosed butterfly. The rays of the sun whisper “hurry up and grow” to the drowsy seeds contemplating a future of stalks and blooms as the wind blows the snow from the last frigid corners of the earth. And then, suddenly, it spreads like wildfire, leaving growth instead of death in its all-encompassing wake. Then we all spring forth from hibernation for that first collective gulp of fresh air. Even the trees seem to frolic in the sweet breeze, making it seem only natural to join in and leap for joy. We shake the stiffness of winter from our bare limbs as our rain-boot-clad feet do a tap dance in fresh puddles. Life expands from nothingness to carpet the earth in unbridled bliss as noses twitch with the scent of new beginning. It is spring. WSS photo by lindsay best

ABOVE: Ducks swim in the flooded regions of lower City Park. This spring makes the third consecutive year that City Park has been flooded.

LEFT: Rhya Ajam ’11 soaks up the spring time sun in the courtyard during her open hour.

RIGHT: A garden of daisys reach for the sun in the grass of Willow Creek Park in Iowa City.

photo essay

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08 A&E compiled by emily kreiter

Complete the Lyrics:

Loving the classics

BY EMILY KREITER

Not many can boast that they’ve seen the would be wrong, though.”

New Kids on the Block in concert, and even Although she grew up in the ’90’s with Mrs. Rocarek fewer can boast that they had the ultimate generation, her heart and ears were WSS: Beautiful Baby, baby, baby in a different decade.

WSS: girls all over fan reaction as English teacher Ann Rooooooh, baby, be baby, baby carek can.

“I kind of hated ’90’s music in the worldlike I could chasing noooooooo, baby, “We cried when they came out, and durthe ’90’s – save for early ’90’s hip but my timelike would bebaby, wasted baby,got ooooh.

Thought you’d ing a few songs, and when they left. Not hop like De La Soul or terrible/ they nothing on you always ______________ just tear up, but cried like Eastern European awesome dance music like Ace of baby, nothing on you baby.

Stiles:might Be taller girls at a Michael Jackson concert,” Rocarek Base. I listened to mostly ’80’s muThey say hi and wasbut so high and said. sic – the not-cool stuff like Dead or IWSS: mightCuz sayIhey nowshouldn’t im so lowworry and I don’t Rocarek attended the concert last April Alive and The Bangles. By the very you wanna walk around alone, with her best friend since fourth grade. She end of high school I was into Cake and about______________ solo, said Iother don’tladies want to has also seen the Dave Matthews Band in Sublime, but my love for ’80’s music has Rocarek: walk this concert about eight times. never died,” she said.

WSS: You_______ are the thunder Stiles: Without my favorite “My taste in music defies genre and logic,” Nowadays, Rocarek listens to Lady and I am the lightning and Rocarek said. “I would classify it as aweGaga and Passion Pit in the car. WSS IPumas love the way you know WSS:you Just I’m some, but others might disagree. They who aredon’t and give to meupit’s workin’ it out please don’t _______ give in, I won’t down Rocarek: easiestlettoyou describe it messed me up, need _____ our love with clichés “You Make My Dreams” “Two Step”- DMB Stiles:Clouds To have Twix in “Lady”- Styx WSS: ofa sulfur -Hall and Oates WSS: Stop, talk, talk, talking the air, bombs are falling “Do You Really Want that blah, blah, think everywhere, it’sblah heartbreak “Alone”- Heart “Final Countdown” - Europe to Hurt Me”- Culture you’ll beonce getting warfare you this wantnah, it to Club nah, nah not in the _______ “Crazy for You”“Total Eclipse of the begin, “Faith”- George Stiles: day of the Madonna Heart”- Bonnie Tyler no one Coldest really _____ Michael year Rocarek: survive the radia“We Belong”- Pat Benatar “Santeria”- Sublime tion burns

PLAYLISTRocarek’s Top 11

Top

P.O.Sof the month

1999 Pontiac Grand Prix

photo by sarah dirks

compiled by lauren parsons

Justin Ensminger ’10

The gas gauge no longer works. Patterns have started to appear to let Ensminger know when he is low on gas, though. If the gas gauge reads full, this means that he is out of gas and needs to get to the closest gas station.

“I was scraping my windows and mirrors off when I was leaving Cleggy’s [Chris Clegg ’11] house. I hit the mirror to get the ice off and the mirror just broke,”

The window doesn’t manually go up or down. However, going over bumps in the road can cause the window to drop down unexpectedly. The seal that has been placed on the window to help block out rain and bad weather has started to peel off, leaving a black strip hanging. This causes the backseat passengers to get rained on during storms.

A plastic bottle takes more than 1,000 years to break down in a landfill

Calling All Cold Treats

BY EMILY KREITER, MADHU SRIKANTHA AND DAN ROTHMAN art by chet flaum

Two girls, one man and a sweet tooth. Together we hit Iowa City, searching for the satisfaction only a cold confection could bring us in the summer heat. We tried smoothies (smoothie), ice cream and cold balls. That’s what she said.

Coldstone

B+

With locations both downtown and by the Coral Ridge Mall, Cold Stone Creamery has recently emerged as one of the most prominent ice cream stores in the area. For the most part, it satisfies. While actual ice cream is not anything special, Cold Stone offers a very impressive array of toppings, which they mix into the ice cream, creating a very consistent and tasty product. However, Cold Stone’s main drawback is its cost. With very high prices, it does not provide quite as realistic an option for most high school students.

Dippin’ Dots

D-

“Cold round balls” sum up the entirety of our experience at the Dippin’ Dots kiosk at the Coral Ridge Mall.

The extreme cold of the “dots” could give you one of two things: happiness that you’re finally escaping the extreme heat of the Iowa summers (although with the mall’s air-conditioning, this scenario is rather unlikely), or brain freeze in conjunction with a numb mouth.

In our case, it was the latter. The cold of the mall already ensures the evaporation of your summer sweat and the dots will move you just short of hypothermia. Aside from the cold, the flavor and texture leaves a strange fuzzy feeling in the mouth and leaves something to be desired. The ice cream balls also make for a messy snack, and many a taster will be found with melted dots of ice cream on the floor around them. Overall, not an enjoyable experience.

Heyns

B

A surprisingly disappointing run for Heyn’s. The mint ice cream made me feel like I was eating slightly sweetened Aquafresh ®. Also, there was a hair in my ice cream. It was my own. The chocoholic delight ice cream really catered to its preferred audience, but was far too chocolaty for me and tasted like raw brownie batter. The name led me astray, and for that I am bitter. The cappuccino ice cream, though, brought Heyns into the competition. I felt like Goldilocks finding the right fit.

That’s what she said.

Dairy Queen

B-

For soft serve lovers like me, Dairy Queen is heaven.

What the chocolate soft serve lacked in color, it made up for in silkiness and taste – it was like God shaped it from earth himself. Dairy Queen also wins for its stigma of familiarity – wherever you are in America, you are at home in Dairy Queen. Except for not really. Oh well.

Dane’s Dairy

A+

Of all the locations we visited on our hunt for the best summer treats, there were two things that made Dane’s Dairy stand out: quality and convenience. Located within a few miles of West High, this small shop is one of the most easily accessible locations for West students. Additionally, the ice cream is some of the best around.

Although the flavor selection is lacking, Dane’s more than makes up for it with some of the finest soft serve in the area. The ice cream manages to pack loads of flavor without being overpowering, providing for one of the best ice cream experiences around.

A

Cappana

Capanna’s gelato offers an Italian alternative to good ol’ American ice cream. Gelato tastes suspiciously similar to ice cream, but Capanna’s selection of flavors ensures that the taster will not be disappointed – or bored for that matter. With flavors ranging from Lime Jalapeño to Scotcheroo, there is sure to be something new for everyone. Although the gelato is a bit pricey – $2.80 for a bambino cup (the equivalent of a small bowl) – the relaxing atmosphere, convenient locations in both Iowa City and Coralville and scrumptious food ensure a true Italian experience.

Orange Julius

D

By far the worst experience my mouth has ever had.

That’s what she said. The orange Julius is a typically “mall” experience – and unsatisfactory in every way when presented with the possibility of other cold options. When I want a smoothie, I have a basic expectation that the smoothie will be slightly viscous and taste like fruit – not the dilute orangey/milky/ frothiness of what I have now come to call a joke of a smoothie.

Whitey’s

A-

An Iowa classic, Whitey’s offers high quality ice cream in a variety of flavors, as well as shakes, malts, smoothies, and the like. Whitey’s large number of options satisfy the cold treat cravings on a hot day. The relatively low prices make it a win-win situation. And with an Iowa classic, how can you go wrong?

Recycling one aluminum can produces enough energy to power a TV for three hours.

a&e

09

10 FEATURE

A life without...

Dairy

BY ELIZABETH DAGLE

S

ummer is approaching. For most of us, that means plenty of beach, sun and ice cream.

But not everyone can enjoy this tasty dairy product. Lactose intolerance refers to people lacking the enzymes to break down milk sugars, according to JoAnn Miller, a dietician at the University of Iowa. They can suffer from a variety of side effects such as cramps, an upset stomach, bloating and other gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming milk products.

“People vary in how ‘intolerant’ they are - some people can eat cheese or yogurt. Cheese has very little lactose,” Miller said.

Another common food that lactose intolerant people can eat is yogurt.

“Some people can tolerate yogurt that is made with live cultures because the milk sugar is broken down by the bacteria,” Miller said.

Vivian Zhu ’11 is one of those people.

“I can eat yogurt as long as it’s a reasonable amount. I can also have like a bite or two of ice cream and cheesecake and stuff like that, but any more and I’ll get sick,” Zhu said.

Zhu says that the hardest part about being lactose intolerant is the restriction on food.

“There are a lot of foods that I love but I can’t eat. So I have to restrain myself from eating them because if I do I will regret it later,” she said.

There are many options for those who have to follow a diet with little to no milk. Miller recommends dark-green, leafy vegetables, calcium-fortified breads and canned fish with bones.

“Foods that are not usually people’s favorites,” Miller observed.

Zhu utilizes other sources to get the calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus that people normally get from dairy products.

“I drink a special kind of lactose-free milk, and I like having sorbet in place of ice cream,” Zhu said. WSS

art by bridget novak

It’s healthy eating on a new level. These West High students must watch what they eat not to lose that last pound, but because of their medical allergies. Their diets are lifestyles.

Gluten

BY ANNA EGELAND

B

read, cereal and pasta seem harmless, but to someone with celiac disease, they can cause lots of problems. Celiac disease is caused by an allergy to gluten, which is found in wheat, and causes the individual to feel sick after eating gluten. Another form of the allergy is called gluten intolerance.

Rachel Ott ’11 found out she was gluten intolerant when she was a freshman.

“I’d been having a lot of issues getting sick and sneezing a lot,” Ott said.

Ott went to see an allergy specialist and received a blood test, which indicated her gluten intolerance.

“It doesn’t make me feel sick [when I eat gluten],

Peanuts

BY GARRETT ANSTREICHER

E

ver since our childhoods we have enjoyed the unspeakable deliciousness of peanut butter, be it smooth or chunky. Alas, there are some students who have a profoundly different experience when they consume anything peanutrelated. Instead of being able to enjoy its peanutbuttery goodness, they instead have to deal with rashes or reactions, sometimes severe enough to possibly cause death.

These unfortunate people are those afflicted with peanut allergies. Peanut allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, are the most common cause of food-related death, causing approximately 100 deaths in America each year.

Approximately 1% of people suffer from peanut allergies.

Testing for peanut allergies includes a variety of methods, such as a blood test or a more extreme “food challenge,” in which the individual being tested must consume the suspected food to see if they are allergic to it. Another test involves exposing one’s

but it weakens my immune system [and], causes joint pain, heartburn and acid reflux,” Ott said. “What stands out to me is I’ve been having really bad heartburn in the past few months and I’ve had to start taking Prilosec.

I also take vitamins to prevent getting sick as often.”

Ott says her options were to eat gluten and deal with the side effects, or to stop eating it altogether.

“I tried [avoiding gluten] freshman year for like three months, but I’m also a vegetarian so it was really difficult. It’s tough, if you want to go out for pizza with your friends,” Ott said.

However, Ott says she prefers gluten-free options when they’re available.

“If I have an option between corn and flour tortillas, I’ll choose corn,” Ott said. WSS

skin to the allergen to see if a reaction occurs. “[During the test], they rub [stuff] on your arm and see if you get a rash,” said Adam Millers ’12.

Of course, some individuals don’t have to be tested due to first-hand experiences of allergic reactions when they ingest the food.

“I got terribly sick each time I had [peanut butter],” said Miranda Sauve ’13. “I would have stomach aches that lasted a week or more and went to the hospital and had to get my stomach pumped.”

Due to the severity of her reactions, Sauve was not able to endure the peanut allergy tests that forced her to consume peanut substances.

One would think that the inability to eat peanuts would restrict one’s diet a fair amount, but, according to those with peanut allergies, life isn’t too bad.

“I clearly can’t eat peanuts . . . which eliminates a lot of the candy bars that I’ve heard are quite tasty,” said Millers. “Otherwise, it’s no big deal.” WSS

Every day, 50 to 100 animal and plant species become extinct

art by bridget novak

The WSS wanted to find out whether people born on the same day actually have anything in common. So we asked them the following questions: 1. What is your favorite birthday party you have ever had? 2. What is the best birthday present you have ever received? 3. What kind of birthday cake do you like? 4. What was your worst birthday experience? and 5. Do you think you fit your birth date description? compiled by elizabeth dagle

birthdate: march 19

You’re persistent enough to achieve goals and can make your imaginative ideas reality. You are intent on getting other people on board with your ideas. You have many child-like qualities and are illogical in nature. You are an explorer and can be sent off track or in the wrong direction.

2. JP: The best present I have ever gotten is probably my season pass to Sundown.

MW: The best gift would definitely be my car.

3. JP: Wacky cake. It’s a cake my great-grandma made during the Depression and has been passed down in the family.

MW: White cake with white frosting is my favorite.

4. JP: Once I got a really bad flu on my birthday party. . . and I had to make all my friends leave early the next morning because I was throwing up.

MW: My worst experience would be when I got this scooter and my brother’s friend came over and broke it before I even got to use it.

5. JP: I think I mostly fit it but I don’t think I am usually sent off in the wrong direction. I get off track really easily, though.

MW: I think it does describe me pretty well for the most part. compiled by caroline van voorhis

emily pitlick ’12 and bryn hedlund ’12 You are a leader within your friends and like to share funny stories or make loud comments. You use humor to make an impression. You put emotion before reason, and you deal with problems directly and immediately. However, you sometimes are unappreciated or ignored.

1. BH: My favorite birthday party was in fourth grade when we set up a huge ten-person tent in the backyard and slept in it and we made hot dogs and s’mores.

EP: Last year my birthday was the same day I left for dance camp and the whole camp sang to me.

2. BH: A trip to Chicago to go shop and see Wicked.

EP: My best birthday present would be…LIFE. Or a blanket I got when I turned 11. It’s super warm.

3. BH: Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. My mom makes it.

EP: Chocolate cake with the sugary frosting, not the thick kind.

5. BH: I think that I do fit my description in most ways because I’m a leader, I love to share stories and sometimes I do feel unappreciated and/or ignored.

EP: Yes! I’m a loud person and I enjoy talking a lot. And whenever there is a problem with another person, I take care of it as quickly as I can.

compiled by elizabeth dagle

photo by elizabeth dagle

assata caldwell ’11 and kevin lam ’11

birthdate: april 12

You have impressive talents when it comes to understanding the problems of others. You love to be the center of attention and like to be near the action. You are most happy when you are sharing your point of view with others. You are in danger of being judgmental towards others.

3. AC: I love marble cake from Yummy’s. I love their frosting and the cake is so moist.

KL: I really like the plain white cake from Yummy’s with butter cream icing. I also like their cake with strawberry filling.

5. AC: I think I fit the description. I understand people’s

iggy ampuero ’10 and molly mcconnell ’10 You are imaginative and channel your feelings through creative work, hobbies and social activities. Little can stop you from achieving lofty goals. However, you are not very easy to live with and have many emotional problems.

1. MM: My 16th birthday was my favorite because when I woke up, my friends had decorated my room, doorway, bathroom and hallway with balloons and signs with instructions which led me to where they were. I was so surprised.

IA: Having my birthday during an international flight was my favorite experience. The crew gave me a first-class dessert for a present. It was delicious but I fell asleep halfway through eating it. When I woke up it was gone.

photo by lindsay best

birthdate: june 28

feelings. I always have friends come to me with problems.

I do enjoy attention. I sometimes thrive on it. I don’t know if I’m happiest when I share my views but I certainly do enjoy it. That’s why I’m in debate. I sometimes have the tendency to be judgmental. I try not to be but sometimes that is what first pops into my head but I never verbalize it. I scold myself mentally and move on.

KL: I agree with the first sentence. I am good at sympathizing with people. I’ve been told that I am a good listener. I can’t really say that I agree with the rest of the description though. compiled by caroline van voorhis

birthdate: december 16

2. MM: When I got a swing set and a puppy. Oh wait, that never happened. Thanks, Mom. But for real, a plane ticket to go visit my best friend in South Dakota.

IA: A swing set and a puppy.

4. MM: One time I had a birthday party with my sister at the Children’s Museum and everyone played with her more.

IA: One time my mom forgot my birthday. It was really early in the morning and she was just sleepy. But really... thanks, Mom. 5. MM: Yeah, it’s almost scary.

IA: Somewhat. Everything except the whole “emotional problems” and “not easy to live with.”

America contains five percent of the world’s population, yet consumes 25% of its resources

photo by lauren parsons

photo by lindsay best

morgan wells ’13 and jonah pouleson ’13

Birthday descriptions are from The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldschneider and Joost Elffers.

feature

11

BY DAVID HUANG

photos by sarah dirks

In the beginning, there was the wheel. And though the wheel didn’t have infinitesimal functions, sell with twenty-seven accessories, come in eight different colors and look trendy to boot, the development of a manmade tool set precedent for the most important changes that would emerge over the next few millennia.

As time progressed, technology advanced alongside it. Fire. Bronze. Electricity. The steam engine. Trains. Radio. Television. The nuclear bomb. Computers. The internet. Facebook.

And now, in the modern age, we are surrounded by our biologically-dead but electronically-friendly companions. Teenagers are defined by their stereotypically excessive use of iPods or cell phones. Vocabularies mutate as nouns like “friend” become verbs and verbs like “twitter” become proper nouns.

But even more, technology has become so ingrained in the fabric of our everyday lives that, were he to rewrite Walden, Thoreau would probably include an iPod and a Macbook in the list of basic supplies he suggested for self-reliance.

“I have technology on me at all times,” said Tianyi Wei ’11. “Whether it’s to listen to music or use apps, I’d say that technology has a pretty important impact on my life. I definitely can survive without technology, but . . . why bother not having something that makes you happy?”

Likewise, Bob Chen ’11 agreed that everyday tools have an insurmountable significance.

“Outside of school, I integrate technology into most aspects of my life. My computer is practically my room,” Chen said.

Chen, however, also warns against the danger of placing too much importance on the growth of certain facets of technology.

“I’m annoyed at this growth, especially the new Facebook integration of other sites. It’s trying to blur the lines between online life and real life. Personally, I do not want random strangers going up to me and saying, ‘Hi! I know you! You’re that guy on TeamLiquid,’” he said.

Indeed, the danger of placing too much focus on the imaginary or unreal creates real risks.

In 2009, South Korea opened one of the world’s first rehabilitation centers for addicts. The people at these centers, however, are not twenty-somethings on a long spiral into hard drugs or hard drinking. Instead, the facilities are filled with people of all ages who are “technoaddicts” (another word to add to your vocabulary), obsessed with new toys and creations that fit under the broad label of “technology.”

This development, however, is simply the punctuation in a long sentence of news reports of children dying of starvation, dehy-

dration or having intense seizures after playing videogames for fatal amounts of time.

Wei, however, refutes the idea that being playing videogames for large amounts of time is necessarily bad. “[I] play Maplestory. Despite what negative things people say, I don’t think playing Maplestory is completely a bad thing,” he said. “Whether I’m ‘addicted’ primarily depends on the definition of the word. I define addiction as something that . . . causes more harm than benefit. I play when there is something to be done. When there isn’t, I pick up my pencil and start drawing manga, play some basketball at [the] field house or [find] some other hobby.”

And alongside the rare reports of children dying from playing videogames and technoaddict rehabilitation centers being constructed, other risks have been found.

“I deleted my Facebook account after problems with privacy. Social networking is cool, but the way Facebook does it is not,” said Shi-Ke Xue ’11.

In fact, just one month prior, Facebook users were able to view others’ real-time chats due to a mistake in a profile-testing feature. Only when a video was released on TechCrunch, a technology news website, demonstrating this loophole was the error publicized.

“Facebook . . . has a horrible conception of privacy. Ignoring the recent security leaks, [Facebook] does not let you own anything.

Everything you ever upload to Facebook becomes their property,” Xue said. “Society is addicted to technology in the same way that feminists are addicted to women’s rights. There will always be innovation and challenges to the status quo . . . what we’re seeing is merely support for this new challenge.”

In truth, humans have come a long way since Hominid Joe first rolled an animal carcass back to his cave through these countless challenges to the status quo. Philosophers spanning from Heidegger to Foucault have criticized differing uses of technology in our daily lives at the same time that those lives have been enhanced by the accessibility and functionality of things varying from automobiles to pencil sharpeners.

And the future is sharp indeed. Green energy. Plant cloning. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Though despite these advances, wherever human ingenuity may turn, the path is clouded by both warnings of the dangers of violent videogames and Nintendo fanboys having to change their pants after the announcement of a new game console.

Perhaps the one thing that we can be certain of is that Steve Jobs will continue releasing iThings, and that we will all soon have new toys to play with. WSS

>>>Do

you think technology addiction is a problem for our generation?

Yes, everybody has a lot of technology.

A lot of people have more than one computer at home and a lot have more.

”

kirsten milder ’12

Yes. It seems like everyone has an iPod Touch. Everyone is on Facebook, and they’re always texting and not interacting.

”

austin sherlock ’11

Yes. Everyone uses it in their life more than once a day.

But I don’t think it’s a bad thing, it’s good.

”

ben soll ’13

Yes I do. Facebook is huge and so is texting.

”

jessica shull ’12

compiled by sarah dirks

Good bye seniors

Graduation 7p.m. Carver Hawkeye arena in two days   

 

 





       

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14

Au revoir, Guédon

PROFILES

15

BY ELEANOR MARSHALL

fellow French teacher Theresa Juhl.

Guédon’s accomplishments are so exceptional because they are due largely to her own determination. Guédon dropped out of high school at age 14 for family reasons.

“It doesn’t mean you can’t start over . . . I didn’t want to stop school, I wanted to travel and learn languages,” Guédon said.

And that she did. Although Guédon is native to Poitier, France, she has explored all corners of the world, including England, Germany and Mexico before finally settling down in Iowa City.

She went to Mexico for two years with an organization similar to the Peace Corps, where, with only three years of Spanish under her belt, she helped to start a nursery school teaching 100 toddlers with no school supplies and no roof.

“The parents built the cement blocks for the school row by row as they had enough money . . . most of these people didn’t know how to read and write, but wanted a good education for their children. They taught me more than I taught them about life . . . [the experience] taught me the value of education and how lucky we are to be able to take it for granted,” Guédon said.

After a life full of that much hard work, most would be ready for a rest, but Guédon already has plans to take more classes.

“I’m going to learn another language: math,”

Guédon said.

“It will be very difficult to find someone with such an amazing, incredible work ethic. That will be the hardest thing to replace. She just works incredibly hard,” Juhl said. WSS

photo by jojo silverman

S

aying West High French and Spanish teacher Therese Guédon has a knack for languages is like saying the Eiffel Tower is tall: so obviously an understatement it’s not even worth mentioning, but somehow it’s all you can think as you stand there, dazzled by it.

Guédon is retiring after an 11 year career spent opening the world to West High, preceded by work at Northwest Junior High and as an elementary school language teacher at “just about every” local school.

“I feel like her fluency in French and passion for languages helps people to want to learn. She makes you want to learn a lot of languages, even if it’s not as in-depth. She’s really enthusiastic in class,” said Erica Segre ’12, a two year student of Guédon who particularly admires Guédon’s vast cultural knowledge.

Guédon speaks native French, but has studied nine languages, including German.

“I learned German in two months. We had seven hours of constant German every day. It was really good. I learned thousands of words and after just two months I went to Germany and was able to communicate,” Guédon said.

“Because she’s learned so many languages herself, she really has the ability to help kids learn and to put basic vocabulary and structures into practice . . . I’ve learned a lot from her. She’s a walking encyclopedia,” said

MULTILINGUAL LADY: After teaching at West for 11 years and studying 9 languages, Therese Guédon is retiring and learning a new language: math.

Eicher’s last lunch

BY BECKY SWEENEY

C

photo by jojo silverman

CHECKING OUT: Carol Eicher is retiring after working in the Iowa City school district for 19 years.

arol Eicher, food service faculty member, has worked in the Iowa City School District for 19 years and is now retiring after this year.

Eicher started working at Coralville Central where her kids went to school. She loved working near her children because she not only got to see them during the day, but her work also allowed her to attend all of the children’s events; whether it was sports or orchestra, Eicher would always be there. “[My job] worked for every member in our family,” Eicher said.

She got to have time off when her kids had time off, and then when her kids were older, she got to travel during the summer with her husband whenever he had time off.

Later, Eicher worked at Weber and

Roosevelt until she started working for West High. Eicher’s biggest joy from her job is seeing the shining smiles of students and hearing what they have to say. To Eicher, it did not matter what school she worked at, as long as she was around kids.

“Being with younger people keeps you younger,” Eicher said.

When she leaves, Eicher is going to miss the people the most, not just the students, but the teachers and other food service members as well.

Last year, Eicher hurt her back and is going to use this time to try and heal it by exercising and walking. Eventually, Eicher wants to do some gardening, paint and redecorate rooms in her house and motorcycle with her husband again. WSS

A forest area the size of a football field is destroyed every two seconds

16 SPORTS

SPORTS BRIEFS Trojans ace match

BY LILLI OETTING

photo by michael neustrom

not only by a win as a team, but with a district doubles championship for Iggy Ampuero ’10 and Marshal Moellers ’10 and a second place finish in singles for Kyle Appel ’13.

The remainder of the season will be devoted to the team’s goal of reaching the state tournament. Gross is confident in the team’s ability, but knows that the players “have to realize the seriousness and what’s at stake in the upcoming meets.”

Tim Yu ’12 has even higher goals for the SERVE’S UP: Yoon-Soo Kim ’11 delivers a serve during practice. team.

“If we really work hard and get focused, I feel that we have a pretty good chance to win state,” Yu said. WSS photo by sarah dirks

T

hrilling three-set matches, a cross-town rivalry, three state qualifiers and a district championship. Every sport has its defining moments, and for the West High boys’ tennis team, the district competition on May 14 was one of them.

“I think there’s a turning point in every season,” said coach Mitch Gross. “We’ve definitely had some rough patches, but I’m glad we’re playing our best tennis now at the end of the season.”

The team showed just how much they have improved this season when they captured the team title at the district meet, extending the season and sending them on to sub-state. The meet was capped off

Tennis hits it up

BY EMILY KREITER

A

photo by sarah dirks

fter getting knocked out of regionals by Xavier last year, the girls tennis team is out for revenge and ready for a state qualification.

Among the goals of the team are to win their division in the Mississippi Valley Conference and of course, to qualify for state.

“We have an awesome shot to get ourselves to state this year, and I hope we use it,” said varsity tennis playphoto by sarah dirks er Brittany Appel ’10. “Winning team state would be an awesome way to end my senior year here at West.”

BIG APPEL: Brittany ApCoach Kay DiLeo said that she is looking to pel ’10 keeps her eye on all of the players to lead to a state victory, parthe ball during practice ticularly the upperclassmen.

“I do look to the upperclassmen, who have

been on the team longer, to show strong leadership for the younger players on the team,” she said.

DiLeo also said the likelihood of a state championship is high.

“We will have to compete against some tough teams to get there, but if we play to our potential, then we have a great chance,” DiLeo said.

Last year’s loss to Xavier has also left the team feeling bitter and ready to win.

“I am really excited for our meet against Xavier. We beat them last year during regular season, but we lost to them in a super close meet during regionals. We need to get our revenge,” said varsity tennis player Lola White-Baer ’11. WSS

BY LAUREN PARSONS

W

ith the girls’ golf season already underway, the team is demonstrating their skills both as individual players and as a team. This has not gone unnoticed by the community. After almost every meet they have competed in, they have received articles and large photos throughout the sports sections in local papers like the Press-Citizen.

The golf team goes out to Brown Deer Golf Course everyday after school from four to seven, except when they have their meets, to practice their game. They play a round of golf or go to the range and hit balls.

“They work hard on their short game because they know that can help improve their scores the most,” said varsity coach Mary Goodfellow.

photo by sarah dirks

Trojans up to par

So far this season, the golf team has only suffered two loses, one of which was to Cedar Rapids Xavier during a triangular meet. However, they have defeated 33 other teams as of May 7.

One of the biggest meets they have won this year was the CRANDIC tournament. They won by 20 strokes. They also managed to set a school record this year with a score of 166 during a home meet.

TEEING OFF: Alyssa Adamec ’11 photo by sarah dirks “When you’re on the course it feels like strikes the ball during practice. a one-man sport but in the end, all of our scores come together,” said Brooke Klemesrud ’10, a returning varsity member of the golf team. WSS

Humans have already destroyed half of the world’s rainforests. At this rate, they will be completely eradicated by 2050

West girls run wild at state

BY DAN ROTHMAN

photo by lindsay best

RUNNING HARD: Taylor Fehlberg ’11 and Pombie Silverman ’13 run with the pack during the Trojan’s May 14 regional meet.

T

here’s an old saying that “the bigger they are, the harder they fall,” but the West High girl’s track team has been doing their best to reverse that trend. After dominating the sport for the last few seasons, West High finished a close second at state last season, losing to Waukee High School by a mere four points.

“It was painful,” said head coach Mike Parker. “We were all disapoint-

ed, but we’ve been really stepping it up this season.”

West High got a great head start towards their goal, winning their first 16 meets, including a victory over Waukee.

“I’m not going to lie, that felt pretty nice. It was a great confidence booster,” Parker said.

West’s hot streak continued with the Drake Relays, where the 4x100 team broke the all-time state record.

However, West’s resurgent run was stalled recently at the May 14 regional meet. West’s winning streak was cut short as City High pulled out a surprise victory over the top-ranked Trojans.

“It really was a bummer,” said Micaela Haight ’10, who at the meet qualified for state in both shotput and discus. “But we still qualified a lot of people for state, so we should have a good chance to come back from this.”

“Every year, [winning state] our main goal,” Parker said. “We know what we have what it takes, and we just need people to keep stepping up, just like they have all season.”

And even though it ended in defeat, the meet may yet give the team an advantage.

“We can just use this as motivation,” Haight said. “Now we want revenge.” WSS

Sprinting the final stretch

BY ANNA HIPPEE

photo by lindsay best

T

he West High boys’ track team is hoping to win the MVC title for the eighth time in the last nine years. But in order to meet that goal, they have to keep working hard. “[I expect] the athletes to continue to give their best effort every day in practice, to work together to achieve the goals that they have set for themselves [and] to commit to each other for a few more weeks,” said coach Brian Martz.

Not only do they hope to win the MVC title this season, but more importantly, they hope to continue to improve as a team.

“I think our team hasn’t gotten to where it can be. I know we have a chance to walk away with a high place, but in order to do that, we must compete as a team; trusting that all of the training that we have put forth will pay off,” said Matt Eckman ’10, a senior member of the boys’ track team.

Eckman’s goals are to finish off the season well by making and placing at the state meet and to help the team win a conference championship.

Just having a few strong individuals on the team doesn’t always ensure a team win.

“Nobody carries a track team that has 18 different events. We do have team leaders that have been performing well and inspiring others to better performances. Jacob Gannon ’10, Ryson Stuart ’11, Armondo Williams ’12 and Richard Bryant ’12 are training and competing exceptionally well and providing good leadership for their teammates,” Martz said.

With teamwork, the Trojan boys might get a shot at advancing to the state meet.

“We have several events that could advance to the state meet. Our

PASSING IT ON: Erik Dotseth ’11 pulls away during the regional meet at the West High track on May 14. district will be pretty challenging but the top four place winners at the district meet will advance,” Martz said of.

As for upcoming meets, the athletes keep their eyes on the prize.

“It’s championship season. All of the other meets have been, in a way, warm-ups for this part of the season. We must start thinking about peaking in our performances. I look forward to whatever meet is next, and know there are only a few more races left,” Eckman said. WSS

It takes ten tons of waste to produce a five pound laptop.

sports

17

Steigleder’s season spoiled

Freshman star in recovery after ACL injury

west pool to play in the international tournament. Steigleder and her teammates were able to bring a first place title home to the United States.

Steigleder was also supposed to go to China with the Iowa ODP team for 17 days this summer. But with a six to eight month healing time after her surgery, she won’t be able to play until at least November.

Although Steigleder is not able to practice, she still attends all of the practices, games and team dinners. Rosenthal cited Steigleder’s commitment as one of her most impressive qualities.

“The Monday after her injury, Quinn was in the training room after school, already working to get stronger. . . . [She is] continuing to be a full part of the team. This really speaks to her desire to still be a part of the program and team,” Rosenthal said.

Steigleder plans to continue to help her team by cheering them on.

“I think [Steigleder is] dealing with her injury really well. She has still been really supportive of everyone on the team by coming to practices and games even though it’s probably

really hard for her that she can’t play,” said teammate Jayne Heinrich ’13.

This injury has made Steigleder realize that every time she takes the field, she has an opportunity that should not be taken for granted. “[My injury] makes me want to go out and play 100% every game, because now I know that this could happen at any time,” Steigleder said. WSS best

R

ising soccer star Quinn Steigleder ’13’s season has taken an unexpected and unfortunate dip. Starting with the Tiny Tots preschool league, Steigleder has played soccer nonstop. However, a full tear through her ACL and part of her MCL has her benched for at least six months.

Steigleder had a very successful beginning to her high school career, starting on the varsity soccer team as an offensive center-midfielder.

According to head coach Dave Rosenthal, Steigleder has produced significant statistics.

“She had four assists before her injury. She sets players up because her vision of the field is good,” Rosenthal said.

In addition to honing her skills on the West High team, Steigleder gained significant experience in the Olympic Development Program (ODP), a program that brings stand-out soccer players together.

“It’s a lot faster and more technical,” Steigleder said.

Over spring break, Steigleder traveled to Costa Rica with the regional ODP team. She was the only Iowan selected from the entire Mid-

photo by lindsay

BY CAROLINE VAN VOORHIS

No place to call home West High soccer teams make do without a home soccer field

BY ELEANOR MARSHALL

L

ooking for the winning goal? The kick that will probably make the season?

The nationally-ranked team? I’ll give you a hint: you won’t find them on campus.

Although soccer has proved one of West High athletics’ biggest strengths (the boys’ varsity team is ranked eighth in the nation and the girls are 11-3), the players have never had a home field at West. Home games are played at the Northwest soccer field. According to girls’ varsity head coach Dave Rosenthal, this is a reflection of how much soccer has grown in popularity and participation in Iowa City.

“When I came [to West in 1995] there was no sanctioned girls’ soccer. When they originally built the school I don’t think soccer was on the radar screen. It wasn’t part of Iowa City culture,” Rosenthal said.

City High’s soccer teams also lack a full soccer field on campus. They play home games at Longfellow Elementary School.

According to Athletic Director Marv Reiland, the West soccer team used the football field for its home games for two years after it was installed around 1993, but the field proved problematic.

“It’s advantageous to play at Northwest instead of here on the football field because our kids are so talented and a field with the right measurements and irrigation system better showcases their skill . . . ideally it would be nice to make the football field synthetic, get the crown off it and be able to play soccer there,” Reiland said.

Reiland said he has considered putting in a separate field behind the baseball diamond, but the project would require leveling out the hill and other expensive procedures that may not be in the budget any time soon.

“We have started the process [to create a home soccer field at West] two times before. What has limited us in the past has been finances and

fundraising leadership . . . there is not a lot of space currently on campus to accommodate what we need. There are a lot of things besides dirt moving to consider,” Rosenthal said.

For now, at least, West High soccer hasn’t let a lack of a few yards of grass faze them.

The team practices on football practice fields everyday, although there is no full field-sized space.

“Maybe in the big picture [lack of a field disadvantages the teams], but on a daily basis our coaches are smart enough and talented enough to modify practices,” Rosenthal said.

“I think that if we had a purely soccer field it would be a great advantage to our team but we make do with what we have. . . . I think that if the games were at West, some more people would come, but soccer, mainly girls’ soccer, doesn’t draw a lot of people. The games at Northwest are pretty well attended,” said Anna Kann ’10, a member of West High’s varsity team. WSS photo by sarah dirks

One tree can offset carbon dioxide emissions released by the average car that’s been driven 4,000 miles

sports

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19 RADISH

Report NOTE: All Radish content is satirical and is not meant to be perceived as factual.

The art by caitlin wilson

Rihanna’s revolutionary words SPINzone

compiled by david huang

BY DAVID HUANG

R

ihanna’s “Rude Boy” instantly flew to the top of the Billboard Top 40 with its catchy beat, deep lyrics and creative thematic elements.

Some, however, may find the song’s intense meanings to be largely inaccessible to the public.

Truly, “Rude Boy” seems to make an attempt at something greater than simply pure music, at once combining characteristics of modernism, post-modernism, pre-modernism, post-post-modernism, and pre-post-modernism.

But while these different strands may head off in different directions, they all intersect at a single question: “is you big enough?”

Rihanna begins with this simple cry to the “rude boy,” clearly as a criticism of the proliferation of

nuclear arms and the race for bigger, more powerful weaponry. And, as she asks if one can “get it up” (or, in layman’s terms, if one has the means to acquire nuclear weapons), the impassioned critique of the state of international relations as a whole begins.

Initially, Rihanna calls out to the public that she will “let [us] be the captain,” indicating that it is ultimately our duty to fix that state of the world and no one else’s. Otherwise, she warns, she will let it be “fire” and it will be given to her like “boom, boom, boom,” the clear onomatopoeia for the explosion of weapons of mass destruction.

However, as the song progresses, indicating a progression in time and space, Rihanna specifies that she will begin to “give it to us harder,” indicating a prolonged and more severe call for global de-escalation

and world peace. But these cries face a problem as Rihanna indicates she likes “the way you pull [her] hair” and “the way you touch [her] there,” analyzing the addiction to violence and war that society faces.

Ultimately, however, the tortured artist concludes with a series of cries for her audience to “love [her], love [her], love [her], love [her], love [her], love [her],” while we “take it,” showing that though she values the tendency for public officials and world leaders to take the advice she puts forth in her songs, all she truly wants is to be cared for and loved.

Indeed, Just as Rihanna asks the “rude boy” if he can “get it up,” we as a society that values intellectual and social change must ask ourselves: can we get it up?

WSS

Opti-Free contact lens fluid company under criticism for what they are hailing as the ultimate lens fluid, “The Final Solution” God Inc. concludes 2.4 billion year development, releases much awaited Homo Sapiens Pro “Enchanted Evening” and “Party in the Park” prom themes commended by the American Alliterative Association Lunch Lady fired after threatening student with knife following refusal to accept a small milk with sandwich, potatoes

compiled by madhu srikantha and david huang

BYTHE GRAPHS

Justin Bieber’s teenage years

CO2 Emissions Industrial revolution

Ag

e

he is that e girl d o liho enag Like lly a te a actu

Time

CO2

Collective sigh of relief after AP tests end

Time

20 OPINION

Immigrant beatdown Quality of Arizona’s recent immigration law has created a storm of protest and the WSS takes a side how can a law that encourages racial discrimination be legal? The WSS finds out.

A

merica is a pretty cool place. It’s one of, if not the most, powerful and prosperous nations in the world, which makes it an understandably appealing place to those who live in abject poverty in other countries.

As such, it’s not surprising that people try to immigrate to America both legally and illegally. Unfortunately, the influx of immigrants has brought out a fair amount of hostility from those who don’t think that these immigrants belong, which is why there has been so much heated debate over the issue of illegal immigration. Unfortunately, the new anti-illegal immigration law in Arizona is one of the worst cases of intolerance and hatred towards immigrants that America has seen to date.

The premise behind the new Arizona law is simple. In order to catch illegal immigrants more quickly and efficiently, police in Arizona are now allowed to apprehend people on the street and check to see if they have the necessary documents if they appear suspicious.

Police members are required to take classes that instruct them on when to and when not to apprehend people in the hopes that these classes will prevent racial profiling.

It is difficult to deny that the law will indeed reduce illegal immigration.

Those who tend to hire illegal immigrants do so with reason: paying low wages. In America, time is money, and illegal immigrants provide the cheapest combination of the two. This idea has removed any incentive for a crackdown on illegal immigration until now, showing that it is extremely difficult to catch illegal immigrants through less direct methods. Allowing police to stop and check the people on sight will, most likely, curb the number of illegal immigrants in the state. Whether this in itself is a good thing is a different issue, but the law, if left alone, will most likely achieve the desired outcome.

However, the West Side Story believes that the possible beneficial ends of this law do not justify the means. While Arizona police may be required to take classes to prevent racial profiling, the simple truth is that there is no way to distinguish an illegal Hispanic immigrant from a legal one.

The only “lead” the police will have on their possibly illegal immigration status is their ethnicity. With this law, racial profiling is simply inevitable. The possibility that cops will catch more illegal immigrants is not nearly enough to justify the unfair and biased treatment that Hispanics will ultimately receive in Arizona due to the new state law.

No person deserves to be apprehended on the streets just because of the color of their skin, and this is exactly what the new law in Arizona will lead to. Regardless of what its makers say, the law will lead to the unfair treatment of the Hispanic population of Arizona solely on the basis of race. Though the law may succeed in removing illegal immigrants from Arizona’s borders, the despicably immoral means through which it achieves this makes the law as a whole an extremely bad idea, which is why the West Side Story, in a unanimous vote, thinks that Arizona’s new law, not the illegal immigrants, should be kicked out of the state. WSS

Does the Arizona immigration law’s ends justify its means ?

The WSS Editorial Board believes WSS that Arizona’s immigration law is an embarrassment to America. It encourages racial discrimination and inequality in a nation that claims it’s the freest of the free.

Life Index

May

Paying for the snow days

I may have loved you in December…and January… and February… but Mother Nature, I now damn you. The seniors may love you, but I damn them too… LOL. Luv u guys! But really.

Minus 5

End of the year projects Why does it seem that each project that we receive has less and less to do with the purported content of the class?

Plus 4

I hate everything Including the Healthy Kids Act. Seriously, I thought that it couldn’t get any worse but it can and does. From next year onward, bake sales are banned – no more delicious speech and debate team donuts for lunch, guys, or we’re going to get FAT. Great. I love it.

Minus 1

Summer television

I always forget how everything on T.V., like clockwork (television does run according to a clock so this is a terrible simile because it’s fact), ends immediately before summer. I better find a job. And some friends. Jk! But seriously – call me.

Minus 2

Listening to advice that television gives me Especially The Office. I’m going to take all the cake I want. When I want.

Plus 5

11-0

Total:

Plus 1 compiled by madhu srikantha

Music to my ears

Hypoincredulity “I want a scooby snack.”

BY MADHU SRIKANTHA

“Title = Jokesauce.”

BY ANNA EGELAND

T

here is nothing quite like a good angry song. You know, the ones where you’re not even sure what they mean, but somehow it doesn’t matter. The faint syllables of the jumbled words, juxtaposed with the metallic fury are the most soothing lullaby on occasion.

But most of the time I much prefer the final sour twang of Bob Dylan’s harmonica. Or the indie-collages of tin chimes and white noise all mish-mashed together to create something fantastically calming and abstract. For me, music is a purely impulsive indulgence. I no longer plan to buy an album or a song, in fact I don’t even buy whole albums very often, but it just happens - consumerism at its best.

Music is a delightful distraction; my sweet Novocain. When my brain won’t stop thinking and my mind is moving so fast I have a headache, I turn to acoustic recordings from the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. For a while, I am forced to stop thinking and just listen to the haunting vocals entwined with the raw, clear-cut melodies.

But more than anything, music is beauty in a world where I don’t even want to open my eyes sometimes. It’s an opportunity for self-discovery and reassurance. Music is complete control and complete lack of control, simultaneously. It’s dancing in the living room with my little brother, performing a ritual that closely resembles head banging and playing air guitar to “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” (Traveling Wilbury’s Vol. 1).

You see, for me music has no single purpose; it serves every purpose. It’s for writing and running, dancing and two a.m. math homework, sleeping and long car rides. It’s my sole opportunity to forget, when remembering seems so important.

It’s like we’re programmed to remember formulas, dates, people and events so well that sometimes it’s impossible to forget anything, and that’s when things get overwhelming. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do in the future, and the problem is narrowing it down - I’m the kind of person who likes a lot of things that aren’t necessarily related. This applies to music as well.

My warm acquaintances span from Run-DMC to Boards of Canada to Miles Davis, including all of the obscure sub-genres like “nerd core” and “trip-hop” on the way. But the true comfort is that I’ll never have to refine my taste in music to be something more precise; I’ll never have to face those fatal decisions of pursuit that are encroaching in on the rest of my life. Art or biology? Journalism or history? Dance or French? I guess I just have to hope that if I love something enough, it will stay in my life whether or not it’s part of my studies. Maybe the fact that I’ll never have to choose between 90’s punk, reggae, Norwegian rap and NSYNC is what makes music so calming to me – no stress, I can be an everything person. WSS

F

ascination with wrong never feels right, but I’m always caught up in the hype.

I’m also always dutifully hypocritical – incredulous that others find it entertaining, yet unable to resist sharing it with others, while remarking how shocked I am with an appropriate amount of injustice marking my words. In fact, I’ve perfected that act to a tee.

Recently one of my friends, Anna Hippee(--> there, I gave you credit), showed me the now popular video of a dance team comprised of sevenyear-old girls shakin’ their thangs to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”. That sentence was as uncomfortable to write as it was to read.

But for once, I was genuinely shocked.

Initially, my predictable hypocritical incredulity was initiated by some comments written below the YouTube videos – people were saying that those little girls were simply expressing their right to have innocent fun – that there was nothing inherently sexual in the corsets and underwear those children were wearing on stage. As my hypocrisy wore off, though, I realized that I was actually uncomfortable with the comments that claimed that what these girls were doing was okay.

I think this next part might be a little hard to understand, but I’ll give it a try. These girls were wearing almost nothing and dancing as though they knew what sex was, in front of people. People who could see them. Like, people who weren’t blind. As in, a public strip performance. By near toddlers.

So these YouTube commentators were impossibly wrong. Objectively (with a touch of subjectivity), those gyrating motions implicit with sexual meaning they were doing were not “innocent fun.” I’m disgusted at the responses these people had and more revolted that the girls were even allowed to perform on stage by their parents.

Yet, I’m still fascinated.

Yes, I feel like a pedophile – because it’s not as though I stopped playing the video and turned away from my computer, frowning. I instead said something along the lines of, “God, this is revolting…

Mom! Check this out!” But it somehow made sense that I was interested.

My macabre taste, like the other hundred thousand people who had viewed the video, had been engaged. The situation, clearly on a much less dramatic scale, was comparable to the circle of bystanders that watched the Buddhist monk light himself ablaze in Tibet.

As humans, we love the wrong. We love watching someone else do something, think something, say something that can easily be deemed morally incorrect. And, of course, everyone who is denouncing these proceedings has an objective view of morality. But I sometimes wonder if that’s the only reason we do it.

Could it be that we simply wish for the absolute freedom that morality prevents us from experiencing? Or is it really the cheap thrill of pointing out the faults in others? The latter just seems rather depressing but it could very well be it.

I wonder how my view of that video would have changed if I had lived in an isolated cabin my entire life and then had seen that video.

Maybe I would have appreciated the dancing for what it was – dancing.

But as it stands, I’m shaped by the society in which I live and see nothing other than wrong.

I don’t know, Henry Thoreau. Do I envy you? WSS opinion

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