2014-09-26

westsidestory iowa city west high school

2901 melrose ave.

iowa city, IA 52246

HASHTAG ACTIVISM

Viral social media trends such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge have redefined how our generation stands up for certain issues.

PAGES 22-25

wsspaper.com

Volume 45 issue 1

september 26, 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

@wsspaper

Joey Trom ’16 performs for students during the Best Buddies Ice Cream Social on Wed., Sept 10.

Photo by madie miller

profiles |8-9 | new faces at west

feature |18 | hall of fame

Meet the eight new faculty members who have just joined the West High community and learn some fun facts about them.

in-depth |22-25 | hashtag activism

Take a look into the requirements to get in to the West High athletic hall of fame. See what students have to say about the selection process.

For more coverage visit

sports |38 | taekwo(k)ndo

After the recent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge take over, the West Side Story investigates the correlation.

Joshua Kwok ’17 has recently participated in an international taekwondo competion. Take a look into his experience with martial arts.

wsspaper.com

wss staff

cover photo by madie miller

Aaron Carter Sports Editor Akash Borde Editorials Editor Allie Biscupski Writer Avery Smith Videographer Barbara Badovinac Videographer Benjamin Bliven Ad Representative Brittani Langland Editor-in-chief Cameron Cook Writer Chanel Vidal Photographer Claire Murray Designer Consuelo Mendoza Writer Christina Dai Writer Danetta Dobre Writer Ebony McKeever Writer Eleanor Ho Writer Eugenia Chen Assistant Design Editor Gabby Skopec Sidebar/Sports Editor Hannah Song Artist Isabelle Robles Copy Editor Jaycie Weathers Design Editor Jiung Jung Writer

Kai Gui Web Programmer Katarina Fuhrmeister Designer Katie Peplow Feature Editor Kelsey Keranen Artist, Columns/Copy Editor Lauren Knudson Profiles/Web Editor Layla Hannaford Videographer Leola Eko Writer Lexi Shaffer Writer Lily Westemeyer Designer, Writer Lushia Anson Copy/Web Editor Madie Miller Photo Editor Maggie Terry Writer Mary Mondanaro Photographer McKenna Harris Designer Megumi Kitamoto Managing/Social Media Editor

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2014 wsspaper.com

Michael Moonjely Entertainment Editor Miriam Perez Photographer Morgan Schmitt-Morris Designer Nick Deerberg Photographer Olivia Read News Editor Ryo Ohashi Designer, Writer Paige Brazina Photographer Sara Whittaker Advisor Schyler Davis Tech support Shanthi Chackalackal Artist, Writer Sharon Xiang Archivist, Circulation Manager Simran Sarin Assistant Design Editor Taylor Libby Designer Yiming Liu Photographer, Writer Zayetzy Luna Ad Designer/ Representative

SEPTEMBER

NEWS Twitter Talk COMPilED by kATIE PEPLOW

Q: You have $20 and a full tank of gas. Where do you go? @graceyoung potential hc date’s house, use the tank of gas to spell out homecoming?(: on their lawn. $1 for a box of matches, pocket the rest.

-Grace Young ’16 @a_pizzimenti I mean I don’t own a car but $20 would be enough to buy a few Yu-Gi-Oh! expansion packs -Anthony Pizzimenti ’16

SUMMER RENOVATIONS During the summer, West High underwent renovations.

Some are more obvious, while others have not caught as much attention. Here are a few new things to look out for around campus.

will have similar features to the newer ones in the freshman wing but even more updated. There are similar plans to renovate other older bathrooms throughout the school in the future.

Football field Since this past summer, the football field and track complex have been going through a series of revamps.

At the end of construction, the football field features a new plastic turf in place of the old grass field, and the track is currently being finished up.

After the football season is over, the gravel road that leads down to the field will also be resurfaced.

Computer lab Due to the popular demand of computer lab time, another lab will be added in Room 133 sometime in the near future.

New sign The sign facing Melrose on the front lawn has been taken down and will be replaced soon. Construction, however, has been delayed because the cast for the sign has taken a bit longer than projected. Despite this, foundations should be down and progress on the cast New bathrooms Also currently being will be made by the end of the renovated are the bathrooms month. across from the gym. They COMPilED by CHRISTINA DAI

West side word COMPIlED by KATIE PEPLOW

Twoosh (t-WOOSH) A tweet fitting perfectly into the 140 character limit.

“The satisfaction of constructing a flawless twoosh is so rad.”

DESIGN BY SIMRAN SARIN

Why do you Walk?

This month is National Suicide Prevention Month. In honor of this, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has founded the Out of the Darkness Community Walks. The purpose of these walks is to remember lives lost to suicides and to support their families and friends. The most recent walk was held on Sept. 14.

“I’m doing the walk because I’ve had my own fights with depression and anxiety and also I’ve had a couple [suicidal thoughts]. I want to raise awareness for people like me [...] and also to stop it from being such a taboo topic.”

-Alec Dorau ‘15 COMPilED by LEOLA eKO

By the numbers

photos COURTESY OF Alec Dorau

19 563

COMPilED by CHRISTINA DAI

West High seniors selected as National Merit Scholar semifinalists.

freshmen enrolled at West High as opposed to the 490 that were enrolled last year.

$1,742 raised by the Music Playathon for the Music Auxilary.

wsspaper.com SEPTEMBER 2014 NEWS 3

Let’s Go Clubbing

There are many activities going on after school at West that go unrecognized. The WSS presents you with a list of all the current clubs. Compiled by Eleanor Ho

onday

M hursday

ednesday

uesday

T W T riday

F

EOW: every other week

photo by Eleanor Ho

Pokemon Club Amnesty International Bollywood Club Weightlifting Club

Room 31 Room 221

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

Room 122 Gym

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

Mu Alpha Theta French Club Punchline Club Behind the Mask

Room 206 Room 211 Room 132 Room 137

3:25 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

1440 Interact Best Buddies SPAM Chess Club Science Olympiad Colors Starving Hunger Zombie Club West High Rep- ublican Club Science Club Speech & Debate Weightlifting Club For Tomorrow FCA SADD West High Amazons SSIKE Disney Club eSports Computer Science Favonius Globetrotters Indie Film Club Feminist Club

Room 132 Little Theatre Room 235 Room 27 Room 1/27 Room 122 Room 226 Room 225 Room 228

7:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

3:15 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m. EOW 3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

Room 4 Room 219/238 Gym Room 239 Room 235 Room 117 Room 122

3:30 p.m. EOW 3:30 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

7:15 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

7:40 a.m.

2:30 p.m.

Room 132 Room 208 Temp 6 Room 131 Room 107 Room 135 Room 112 Room 122

2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m. EOW 2:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

BPA Room 123 7:30 a.m. (the second and fourth Friday of the month) F-Cubed Room 206 3:25 p.m.

Anime Club Room 27 3:30 p.m.

EATS Room 122 3:30 p.m.

Weightlifting Club Gym 3:30 p.m.

4 News September 2014 wsspaper.com

The French Club enjoys fresh crêpes after school.

“We started French club again to ... revive interest in French culture.”

-MacKenzie Novotny ’15 photo by madie miller

Joey Trom ’16 sings at the Best Buddies ice cream social.

”I like the events because I get to hang out with my friends.

People should join because it’s exciting and interesting.”

-Leah Reisinger ‘17

DESIGN BY OLIVIA READ

what

in the

world?

Egypt:

A new dinosaur discovered was named after Mick Jagger because of its huge lips.

Source: Mirror

North Carolina

Undergraduate students at North Carolina State University developed nail polish that can detect common date rape drugs when dipped in a drink.

Source: Washington Post

Chongqing, China:

A special walkway was painted off for ‘zombie pedestrians’ who can’t keep their eyes off their phones Source: Mirror

Melbourne, Australia

Pizza Hut gave away a free small pet with the purchase of 10 large pizzas as a promotional deal.

Source: Mirror COMPilED by Allie biscupski

reactions to budget cuts

by Maggie terry

dmrt98@gmail.com Many remembers hearing about the budget cuts last year with all the hype over programs cut, but how are the effects being felt now the school year has started?

Most of the programs that were cut did not directly a f f e c t current West students, Hannah Twitchell ’15 like seventh g r a d e foreign languages and football, but the phasing out of the German program has impacted many West students. “has always been a class I look forward to. I miss teaching the introductory course. Students are so excited to learn the language for the first time,” said Linsey Choun, German teacher.

Choun described her students as DESIGN BY LAUREN KNUDSON

still upset about the cuts, but are tutor students who are attempting trying to make the most of it. to join German later this year or “We continue to remain positive, next year but have not been able because as we are together we make to complete the prior courses the most of our time,” she said. because they were not offered this “We are still very passionate about year. learning the language and making “I’m affected when I offer to progress each and every day.” tutor those students, because I The cuts have made many want them to be part of a program German students unhappy. that feels more like family than a “The fact that German will no class,” Twitchell said. Frau Choun longer be offered felt the effects on a is especially sad in more personal level as this area, with rich well.

German culture in “It especially hit the Amana Colonies. home, that my own Germany has a thriving children would never economy, and much of have the opportunity English is based in the to choose German Timothy Kelly’15 German language,” said from one of the world Timothy Kelly ’15, a languages offered in German student. our school district,” said Choun.

“It’s important in the world of The end of German is upsetting business and it’s a fun language to for many students. learn,” said Cassie Staib 17, another “My experience in German class German student. is bittersweet knowing that my Hannah Twitchell ’15, a current class is one of the last that will go German student, has been helping through.” said Twitchell.

rumor buster BRAND NEW TEMPORARY? After registration, everyone was buzzing about the new temporary near the freshmen wing of the school. Rumors have quickly spread that you could technically live in there, since it has a bathroom and wifi. Well, according to Principal Jerry Arganbright, it turns out that the temp does have wifi and brand new bathrooms. The classes being taught there include German and algebra.

CONfirmed CHANGE OF SIGN? Most everyone knows that the infamous West High School sign will be switched out for a new one this year. The only question left to ask is this: when? According to principal Jerry Arganbright, the arrival of the new sign has been slightly delayed because ordering the stone has taken longer than expected. Hopefully, the foundations will be down and some progress will be made by the end of this month. In addition, the sign may have solar lighting installed.

CONfirmed COMPilED by olivia read

wsspaper.com september 2014 news 5

‘URE AFR AI D O Y

ASK TO

THING S

NEWS

Civil conflicts outside of the United States have been growing into global problems. The WSS explores three prominent world issues and updates you on what you need to know.

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA

by LAYLA HANNAFORD llhannaford@gmail.com

What is Ebola?

Ebola, or Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a virus that attacks the immune system and organs and ultimately causes organ failure and a weakened immune system. Ebola is a rare, dangerous virus with a case fatality rate of up to 90 percent.

Although serious Ebola outbreaks are not present in the United States, many outbreaks have occurred in Central and West Africa.

What are the symptoms of Ebola?

Symptoms start to appear within two to 21 days after exposure to

the virus. The disease starts with a fever, muscle pain and a headache, followed by rashes, nausea and vomiting. Typically, vital organs will begin to cease functioning. At this time, bleeding may start internally and externally and death follows soon after.

Could the Ebola outbreak ever spread to the United States?

It would be very unlikely that the Ebola virus would ever occurr in the United States or any developed country. If the Ebola virus is ever occurrs in United States, it is

extremely unlikely that it will cause an outbreak, because of organizations like Center for Disease Control, or CDC. The CDC works day and night to protect America from health and security threats, foreign or in the U.S.

By the numbers

3707 6 COMPilED by layla hannaford

suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola in West Africa.

months minimum until the outbreak can be contained.

1848 suspected deaths.

Sources: www.cdc.gov www.afro.who.int

6 news September 2014 wsspaper.com

DESIGN BY SIMRAN SARIN

ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT

by YIMING LIU

yimingliu17@gmail.com Why are the Israelis and Palestinians fighting?

Since as early as 1820, Jewish people have begun settling in Palestine as part of the Zionist movement. At the end of World War II and the Holocaust, there was global sympathy for the Jewish people and they were given a large part of the country Palestine. Following the Declaration of Establishment of the State of Israel, the surrounding Arab countries intervened on behalf of the Palestinian people believing that the arrangement was unfair. After a series of battles, many Palestinians were displaced.

Israel has restricted the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, creating more conflict.

What is the conflict over?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is predominantly over the land that was

formerly Palestine’s. The Israelis claim that the land is lawfully granted to them by the United Nations while the displaced Palestinians and their Arab supporters want back the land that they had. Several wars have been fought between Arabs and Israelis since 1948 resulting in more land lost for the Palestinians. The conflict also involves power struggles in Palestine with the Hamas and the PLO. The two Palestinian factions have been having problems on how to negotiate with the Israeli government.

Is the U.S. taking action?

The United States has been trying to mediate the conflict and broker a peaceful agreement with the Palestinians and Israelis, but the efforts have not been very successful. In the past several months, Secretary John Kerry has made new efforts to bring both sides to the negotiation table although nothing promising happened.

The Israelis sent a ground offensive to Gaza Strip

because of missiles launched from the Hamas.

Many civilians lost their lives during the conflict.

key words Zionism: A Nationalist movement supporting the creation of a Jewish homeland Hamas: A Palestinian Islamic Organization with the aim to liberate Palestine, including modernday Israel from Israeli occupation and establish an Islamic state in the territory that is now Israel, Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

PLO: Palestine Liberation Organization with the aim to create an Independent Palestinian state.

Fatah: A leading secular Palestinian political party.

West Bank: Part of the Palestinian territories controlled by the PLO Gaza Strip: Part of the Palestinian territories controlled by the Hamas Sources: www.cnn.com www.breitbart.com

ISLAMIC STATE IN IRAQ AND SYRIA

bY OLIVIA READ

olivia.read17@gmail.com What is ISIS? ISIS, or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, is a Sunni jihadist (following religious duties from the Quran) group that aim to capture and control the Muslim areas of the world. They are led Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and are closely linked to al Qaeda, but the two groups splintered as they fought over power. ISIS has been known for instigating brutal public executions and mass killings, rapes and abductions in the Middle East.

Who is involved?

The United States has made efforts to fight against ISIS due to the terrorist threat and general abuse of human rights. Obama has issued airstrikes and has laid out a four-point plan, but other nations are also involved in combatting ISIS. As of Sept. 14, 2014, Secretary of State John Kerry said that almost 40 countries are willing to contribute militarily, many from Europe and some from the Middle East.

What has made it pop up in the news recently?

Since May and June, ISIS has been making the news for taking over a multitude of cities in Iraq and Syria. The United States has been sending additional troops to these problematic areas. Worst of all, ISIS has been increasingly violent to natives and foreigners alike. Less than a month ago, ISIS released videos of the executions of two U.S. journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff and a British aid worker, David Haines. More lives have been threatened by the killer for the countries’ involvement in trying to stop the group.

What is the conflict in Syria all about?

Since early 2011, Syria has had internal chaos and civil war due to riots against the government and president Bashar al Assad. Protests began around January 2011, but the Syrian Army later used violence to end them, spurring strong resistance and opposition groups mainly led by

Sunni Muslims. Assad was recently re-elected in June 2014 over other candidates in an effort to show democracy. However, the conflict still continues with the new threat of ISIS.

By the numbers

100 2 COMPilED by OLIVIA READ

Americans registered as a part of ISIS

billion dollars that ISIS owns making them the riches terrorist organization in the world

2009

when the ISIS leader was released from an American detention camp.

Sources: www.bbc.com

wsspaper.com September 2014 news 7

profiles

NEW FACES AT WEST

BRIAN BRANDSMEIER

Section: Special Ed Reason for coming to West: “Honestly because it’s one of the best schools in the state.”

Guilty pleasures: “I like to go to heavy metal concerts.”

COMPilED by Barbara badovinac, Layla Hannaford, Lexi Shaffer, Maggie Terry

ANNE-LISE BUDREAU

Section: Special Ed Reason for coming to West: “I came to West because my husband and I relocated from Chicago because of his medical school and West High had openings. I read about how it was a good school so I was happy to get a position here.”

Spirit animal: “That’s a tough one, maybe a cat? My husband says I always spot cats on walks and one day I saw a stray outside and brought it into my classroom till animal control came.”

PEGGY DOLSON

Section: English Reason for coming to West: “I think opportunities, academic reputation, change ... the Iowa City area kind of appealed to us because we are empty nesters. There were some financial reasons; it was better pay, better benefits.”

Something no one knows: “I can keep secrets. I think people think I don’t, but I can.”

RANDY DOLSON

Section: Special Ed Reason for coming to West: “I came to West because there was a good coaching job open, and my wife and I both could get jobs as teachers. West also had a good reputation.”

Something no one knows: “I look a lot younger than I really am.”

8 pROFILES sEPTEMBER 2014 wsspaper.com

DESIGN BY RYO OHASHI

RYAN DWARS

Section: Special Ed Reason for coming to West: “I wanted an opportunity to work at a bigger school; my first years of teaching were at a junior high.”

Guilty pleasures: “TV and music-all kinds. I watch a lot of tv shows like the Big Bang Theory, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Dexter and American Horror Story”

RICK HANCOX

Section: Special Ed Reason for coming to West: “I was moved to West High when the district went through some changing in staff, so I was transferred from the off-site programs at Roosevelt Elementary to West High.”

Spirit animal: Snow Leopard

TRAVIS HENDERSON

Section: Social Studies Reason for coming to West: “First, it’s the best public high school in Iowa. Parents around here know that education is important. With the administration on board, parents on board, and students on board, it’s all a teacher could ever ask for.”

Spirit animal: Maybe an owl because I work the best around the evening-night time. I observe well and I’d like to say I’m rather wise.”

STEPHANIE HIGGINS

Section: Special Ed Reason for coming to West: “I worked here two years ago and I wanted to move back. I brought several students back with me from junior high. But I wanted to move back here.”

Something no one knows: “I have three college degrees. I have a BA in journalism and English, and I have a post BA teaching certification in English and then I have a master’s in special [education].”

BETH LONG (Not pictured)

Section: Family and Consumer Science Reason for coming to West: “The prior teacher retired and this position opened up.

I traveled from Southeast to here; it’s been a while since I’ve been in high school.”

Something no one knows: “My dream car is a volkswagen Karmann Ghia. I would like it to be pale yellow with tan leather insides. It’s the car that the girl from Pretty in Pink... Ok, so that’s a guilty pleasure, I love John Hughes movies, obsessed!”

September 2014 profileS 9

profiles

SUSU AHMED

Susu Ahmed, a West High Senior, tells her story about living in Iowa, Sudan, and Malaysia.

by ebony mckeever

ebonyamckeever@gmail.com High schoolers have been known to harbor resentment towards their guardians for minor offenses as ‘you better clean your room this instant it’s a pig sty’ or ‘young lady, I know you’re not planning on heading out of the house dressed

just because we were here,” Ahmed said.

“I didn’t [understand] anything outside of Iowa,” Ahmed said. “I just thought this was the whole world and it was being taken away from me.”

Malaysia was the first stop for Ahmed, since the culture and people there have been influenced

“He wanted us to be able to understand that we had a choice to embrace American culture.” -Susu Ahmed ‘15 like that.’. But these small nuisances are nothing compared to the choice Susu Ahmed ’15’s father made for her in 2011.

When she was a freshman, Ahmed’s father decided that she would spend the next three years getting connected with her Sudanese roots in Malaysia and Sudan.

“He wanted us to be able to understand that we had a choice to embrace American culture- it wasn’t something that we had to do

by western culture but still keep true to their roots.

“The people there are Muslim, but they’re not so strict on their people that you can’t breathe through [the] Islam,” Ahmed said.

While she was in Malaysia, she took up residence with her mother and began to make a new life for herself. “[Life there was] pretty lonely to be honest, but it wasn’t that big of a deal to me because I’m not

10 profiles september 2014 wsspaper.com

a people person anyway,” Ahmed said. “Malaysia is the most beautiful country in the world art by Hannah song so you could just go out and watch the sun rise and [difference] here would be the kill like an hour and then be able religious thing, I definitely think to come back and watch Law and it was more a person’s attitude Order. It was just really chill.” towards the community. [In Sudan] But not everything was relaxation you always think of other people and riveting judicial dramas. first, you don’t think of yourself “I did a little exploring of the city first,” Ahmed said. but not as much as I should have,” As Sudan became her permanent Ahmed said. home for two and a half years, Life in Malaysia also brought the differences between countries the chance to witness became glaringly diverse cultures and apparent. religions in action. “[Sudan is a] wildly hot, But Malaysia was just barren desert,” Ahmed a precursor for what said, gesturing her arms was to come, as she widely. “the people are still had to transition very sociable and I’m a from Malaysia to Sudan shy person, so that was Susu Ahmed’15 when the time came. overwhelming at times.

“The big thing was It was a lot to take in at going from Malaysia to Sudan first and it really took me out of my because Sudan is not western at comfort zone.” all; they’re still a very backwards “I learned a lot about Sudanese country,” Ahmed said. culture and what it means to be a But, as proven in most cases, Sudanese person,” said Ahmed. ‘different’ isn’t always synonymous In the end, despite her feelings with ‘awful.’ about her father’s choice to uproot “Even though the obvious her from Iowa in an attempt to expose her to her culture, Ahmed does see herself as a person who has changed for the better.

“After we got there it was a total awakening; I mean, I was there and I was by myself for so long and I just learned so much about myself that I’m so glad that I went at the end of the day.”

Stopping to think for a moment, Ahmed said, “A lot was accomplished while I was gone, just not necessarily [my father’s] goals.

However, I did grow a lot and I did learn a lot as a person, just maybe not the things that he had originally intended for me to learn.”

DESIGN BY LAUREN KNUDSON

RAWAN TANA

West High Senior Rawan Taha has lived in Sudan, Qatar, and Iowa. Here she compares the three places.

by Shanthi Chackalackal shanthichackalackal@gmail.com

“Obviously, there’s less you can do Sudan, Qatar and Iowa are three drastically different places with at in a developing country,” Taha said. least one thing in common: Rawan “You can’t really go out to watch Taha ’15, has called each of these movies there; even in a big city, there’s probably only places home. Taha lived one theatre. But there in Iowa for twelve years before moving to Sudan are different ways to have fun.” and then Qatar. Now that she has returned, Taha is With Sudan’s history of a civil war that able to compare what she’s ended in 2005, Taha seen of the world to her life in Iowa City. believes the country is “I’d visited Sudan before,” recuperating well.

Rawan Tana ’15 “I lived in the Taha said. “It’s where I’m ethnically from.” Taha’s family capital,” Taha said. “I felt the effects is from Khartoum, the capital of of the civil war; it had so much the Republic of Sudan, and she’s to do with your ethnicity. South travelled there previously. Living Sudan and North Sudan are two there for four years, however, was different ethnicities, so the war a new experience. Many aspects was very personal. I definitely felt of Sudanese life contrast sharply it. But I think Sudan has sort of with life in the United States, for recovered.”

Despite such differences, Taha example, the free time activities.

photo used with permission from rawan tana

found the people of Sudan quite familiar.

“They listen to the same exact music [as people in the U.S.] and watch the same exact shows,” Taha said.

Sudan may not be as rich as the U. S., but from her family to the food, Taha found much to love there.

“I’ll definitely miss my home country and my family,” Taha said.

After spending four years in Sudan, Taha’s family relocated to Qatar where her father worked.

“Qatar is amazing,” Taha said, “It’s

The Spiral Mosque of Kaseem Darwish in Doha, Qatar.

it is one of the richest governments in the world.”

Although she speaks Arabic, Taha attended private English schools in both Sudan and Qatar.

“I went to an international school, and it was a branch from Cambridge,” Taha said, “It’s a really prestigious school. It’s actually more extreme there; you take chemistry, biology, physics and math all four years of high school. I feel like I’m ahead here.

“Qatar is amazing. It’s a beautiful country and the people there are really nice. Also it’s way more of a liberal country than people would expect it to be.”

-Rawan Tana ‘15, a beautiful country and the people there are really nice. Also, it’s liberal for an Arabic country, and very diverse; I have friends from all over.”

Unlike Sudan, Qatar is full of technology, things to do and very wealthy people. For Taha, it was an amazing experience, but it did have a down side.

“Qatar is kind of racist,” Taha said.

“It’s not like you won’t get a job because you’re black; it’s just like if you’re white, you’re superior. And the people can be very materialistic; The CityBY of Al Dafna,KNUDSON Doha, Qatar.

DESIGN LAUREN

photo used with permission from rawan tana

Qatar was the same thing. The schools were really, really good.”

Although the schools overseas were more rigorous, Taha realized that students everywhere have much in common.

“I’ve been in different countries, and I got a sense that everyone really is the same,” Taha said, “I mean we want the same things. No matter where you are, you’re kind of the same.”

wsspaper.com september 2014 profiles 11

PROFILES WALT WANG ‘16

by AKASH BOrde

1

borde.ak.ash@gmail.com Every year, it seems like the West High math team brings home more trophies than it can fit in its trophy case. Walt Wang ’16 is proud to be a part of that success.

A three-year member of Mu Alpha Theta, West’s math club, Walt Wang has participated in competitions since junior high. After he unexpectedly got 10th place in the regional MATHCOUNTS Chapter competition as a seventh-grader, he has challenged himself with difficult math courses and logic problems.

Wang’s interests in math have rather sweet beginnings.

“I was originally not really interested in math,” Wang said. “In seventh grade, I actually joined MATHCOUNTS because I really liked the candy that the teacher

2000

in

gave out for joining math club.” However, he’s grown to enjoy the club for more than just the candy.

“It’s fun to do problems, work together with other students and play a whole bunch of random games,” he said. . Wang frequently travels with West High’s math team, which has won 10 state tournaments straight in the Great Plains Math League.

Although he loves doing math, Wang says his favorite part of the club isn’t solving problems.

“My best accomplishments are making friends from all over the U.S. in competitions,” said Wang.

ANNEKE THORNE ‘16

by Consuelo Mendoza cyberconsuelo13@gmail.com

Cheese, clogs and tulips are the things that come to mind when you think of the Netherlands, but to Anneke Thorne ’16, it is more than just flowers, dairy products, and wooden shoes; it was her first home. Thorne’s father worked closely with a lot of Dutch scientists and just months before she was born, he was sent on sabbatical to the Netherlands for six months.

During those months, Thorne was born in a small town called Bennekom and just three months later they moved back to Iowa, but that wasn’t the last of Netherlands for young Thorne. When Thorne was in the third grade, her father went back on sabbatical to the Netherlands and the whole family had to

tag along. She was put in a small Dutch school where she completed one school year before moving back to Iowa. “My family had a translator who taught us basic Dutch before we moved there so the transition would be easier, but none of the kids in my new school spoke English so it was a really hard transition for me,” Thorne said.

According to Thorne, the hardest thing about the transition from theNetherlands to the U.S. was the differences in the subjects at school because most of the classes she took were either ahead or behind relative to the U.S.. For example, she was ahead in math, but behind in history classes.Although Thorne’s time in the Netherlands wasn’t very

12 Profiles september 2014 wsspaper.com

long, s h e s a y s she has many memories of her old town.Thorne has many memories from the Netherlands. She lived next to a main street with a canal in middle and many different bridges located down the canal, where many people would leave their bikes.“Along the street there was a library and a building called the Domtoren which used to be attached to an old church, it was

just a really beautiful building.” Thorne said She also remembers this little market that would always open on Saturdays and there would be fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of cheese and tulips on sale.

Thorne’s family would frequently buy from the market and then go on bike rides together, which is what she misses most, as well as all her friends, which she still stays in touch with on social media. ”Even though I am not Dutch, I was born there so I feel like I belong there, and I really miss it a lot,” Thorne said. “I’ve only visited once since I lived there so I really want to go back.”

DESIGN BY TAYLOR LIBBY

CHRIS LOW ‘17

by Ryo Ohashi

ryohash1231@gmail.com Cello, piano, drums, guitar, bass guitar, and euphonium; this is a list of instruments Chris Low ’17 has played in his 12 year music career.

Low started his music career when he was a pre-schooler. Since then, music has become his passion. “[My parents] were like, ‘you have to chose an instrument’ and my sister already played violin. The viola was too much like the violin and the bass was too big, so I chose the

cello,” Low said.

He had multiple successes throughout the 12 years he has been playing cello, and one of the most memorable one for Low was getting accepted into the Iowa AllState Orchestra as a freshman and put into the fourth chair out of 24.

“Originally I wasn’t allowed to go, but a still practiced hard. Then one of the audition spots opened so I was able to audition,” Low said, “the pressure of being a freshman helped me practice more,” However, Low’s talent for music does not stop at cello; it flows into

AMY EVANS ‘16

by Kelsey Keranen

kelseyjanekeranen@gmail.com Amy Evans ’16, with her bubbling personality, passion for theatre and short, sweet words of wisdom relentlessly permeates the halls of West with her sunny optimism.

“Really, I sort of see it as there’s no reason not to be happy - every day is a new day,” Evans said on her perpetually cheery disposition and positive attitude. “There’s so much magic in the world, and you just need to look for it. I try to keep it optimistic and always keep going.”

Evans, who has lived in the district for two years, says that moving and beginning high

his ability with all instruments.

Low was first chair for most of his instruments he played in junior high.

“I start with one, and as I get bored with that instrument I move on to the next one and it seems fun for a while, but I get bored again, so I start a new one,” he said.

With his variety and skill in his music playing he enjoys making covers of popular music by making individual parts, playing and recording them by himself, and layering them.

“It’s a lot of

school in a new environment certainly factored in the development of her ever-unclouded outlook.

“My attitude before… well, I wasn’t crazy about it,” she said. “I was like, ‘Well, this is going to be a new opportunity, it’s going to be all right.’ New things and change are good. But afterwards I was like, ‘this is awesome!”

Evans is also an active member of Theatre West. “[My passion is] theatre - when I was three

work but when it’s all set and done, it feels really good,” Low said.

For Low, music is only a hobby and he is not planning to become a musician in the future. However that does not stop him from doing his best with his instruments.

“Yes, it’s just a hobby, but I’m glad I do it,” he said, “because, well, its fun!”

years old, I went to New York City and saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, and when I saw it I thought ‘I wanna do that!’” Evans said, continuing to reflect on her love of the school’s theatre program. “I love the hustle and bustle of it all - it’s magical.”

Evans has some parting words for anyone who is struggling to see the bright side of any situation.

“I think sometimes you just need to know what you’re looking for,” she said “Everything has its own purpose and is beautiful in its own way.”

DE’JA BUNYAN ‘17

by LEAH DUSTERHOFT duster298@gmail.com

A Korean man steps outside to find one of the neighborhood kids being bullied along the busy Brooklyn street. The man separates the kids and offers defense lessons to the one being picked on. With some hesitation, the kid accepts the strange man’s offer. This scene sounds like the 1984 movie The Karate Kid, right? Well not exactly.

This is the “black female version of The Karate Kid.” This modern Karate Kid is De’Ja Bunyan ’17 and this is her story. Five months ago, when her Korean neighbor, Mr. Shin, extended his knowledge in taekwondo to Bunyan, she accepted. She was skeptical at first,

but after thinking about how tired she was of being defensive all the time and being bullied for doing what she loved, playing the violin, Bunyan said, “Why not?” Soon after, Shin and Bunyan started lessons. As Bunyan continued taekwondo, she gained confidence that she had never had before. “I was shy and [kept] to myself,” said Bunyan. “I guess you could say [a] loner.” With taekwondo, she has become more confident. With this new found confidence, Bunyan was able to make friends with one of the girls that used to pick on her. “You know how to defend yourself and [people] respect you for that,” said Bunyan. In those short five months, Bunyan has earned the prestigious black belt. “I was a little more mo-

tivated than most people,” Bunyan said.

Bunyan thinks everyone should learn how to defend themselves, especially women. “We are coming into an era where women do ‘men’ things,” Bunyan said. “We need to be able to defend ourselves.”

Over the summer, Bunyan moved to Iowa and it was a breath of fresh air. New school, new people, it’s a blank slate. But, for Bunyan, moving wasn’t anything new. Being born into a military family means you move. A lot. Her parents and two younger sisters have moved to Brooklyn, Alaska, Oklahoma, back to Brooklyn and now Iowa.

Multiple moves might be hard on most families but, for Bunyan it’s the only way it can be done. “It’s the

Army way and we got through it,” Bunyan said. Bunyan plans on using her background in the military and taekwondo in the future. Right now, she plans on going to West Point after high school and then join the U.S. Army, just like her dad. “Army is in my blood, I guess,” Bunyan said.

wsspaper.com september 2014 profiles 13

HOMECOMING

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 MARRIOTT CONVENTION CENTER, 7:30 - 10:30 P.M.

14 ads September 2014 wsspaper.com

FEATURE PHOTO Courtesy OF EMMA GUTHART

MISSION STARFISH HAITI by mICHAEL mOONJELY

michael.moonjely@gmail.com While some students choose to spend their summer vacation pool side or watching tv, West High students Austin Doak ’16 and Emma Guthart ’16 spent a week volunteering in Gonaïves, Haiti. Doak and Guthart went on Mission Starfish Haiti with a group from Iowa City led by biology teacher Jenifer Secrist. Mission Starfish Haiti is an organization whose goal is to provide a quality Christian education for the children of Haiti.

The group ran a short Christian camp for the Haitian students. All of the high school students who went on the trip were assigned a group of children to look after during the week.

Pittsburgh Project

by Danetta dobre

thedanadobre@gmail.com This past summer, Morgan Hoeft ’16 and other members of the youth group at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church helped rebuild homes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Project has been organizing youth groups from all over the country to help rebuild and refurbish houses with low-income homeowners in Pittsburgh for the past thirty years Rebuilding homes isn’t the only thing students like Hoeft do during the week-long service camp.

Sydney Shie ’17 has learned firsthand that building connections with the homeowners and lending a hand are integral to the project.“My favorite experience from TPP was near the end of the week, when my homeowner was telling us how thankful

DESIGN BY TAYLOR LIBBY

“I have been on several mission trips before, but this was definitely the best one. I will never forget the relationships that I made with all of the kids I met, ” Doak said.

After the camp concluded, it was hard for everyone to say goodbye to Haiti.

“Everyone was crying, and after we went back onto the bus, it was silent. We all had sunglasses on, and nobody talked,” Guthart said.

“When we got back to the United States, we were really sad. Everyone in Haiti was so happy with all little they had; they didn’t care about having the newest iPhone or have any kind of materialistic attitude.”

Students interested in learning more about Mission Starfish Haiti can talk to Secrist in Room 12.

PHOTO Courtesy OF Sydney shie

and blessed she was to have met us to have us help her out,” Shie said. “It was truly an eye-opening experience to hear how much good work we had done and how much we’d impacted [her] life.”Abigail Cram ’17 shares a similar sentiment.

“My favorite thing about the project was seeing my homeowner’s face when she saw all the work we had done in her house,” Cram said. “It was a really amazing and humbling experience.” The homeowners hold a special place for Hoeft.

“Honestly, I try not to do [TPP] for myself. I try to do it more for the people there,” Hoeft said. “There’s a sense of poverty [in Pittsburgh].

Just fixing up their homes… I do it to make them feel loved, because a lot of them don’t really have family and that’s kind of why they’re in that situation.” wsspaper.com September 2014 feature 15

FEATURE

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARRIS

SOFTBALL SUMMER UPDATE

Fast Facts

The varsity softball team finished with a 29-10 game record and 20-6 in the conference.

The Jefferson game went into 13 innings and finished with the Women of Troy winning 2-0.

The varsity baseball team finished with a 34-10 record.

The varsity baseball team finsihed second at the 4A state tournament.

COMPilED by christina dai and Aaron Carter

season has not yet started, there is much mental preparation on the coach’s part.

“During the off-season as a coach, you constantly go through a reflection period, thinking about what we did well, but mostly what we struggled with and where we can get better,” Lutjen said.

Lutjen anticipates that next year will be even better, and he looks forward to the vigor with which they will practice.

“Next year we will be an experienced team which will allow us to add some new things that can help us be more aggressive,” he said. photo by madie miller

Lutjen. Lutjen saw this new beginby cHRISTINA DAI ning as a “feeling-out process.” christina.dai18@gmail.com “As coaches, we are trying to asFor many people, the end of the sess the players and their talent school year means the end of school level, but also get to know their insports. For softball players, howevdividual personalities,” Lutjen said. er, the end of the school year means “At the same time, the players are the start of a new seatrying to get to know us son. This year, even as new coaches and what though they didn’t fultype of leadership style we fill their ultimate goal are going to bring.” of going to the state One of Lutjen’s main tournament, varsity goals for the team this year player Jessie Harder was to focus more on the ’16 believes that the mental side of the game.

Jessie Harder ’16 team performed betLutjen stressed the skill ter than they thought of being able to deal with they would. mistakes and continue on with the “It went really well, better than we season. ever expected,” Harder said. “We “We wanted the kids to underplayed some really good teams, stand, recognize and be able to and I think we competed really well play through adversity,” with all of them.”

Lutjen said. “This also They played especially involves learning how well during their game to handle mistakes, with confence chamlearn from them, and pion Jefferson, and move forward. To me, the mental aspect of the with Solon, who was game is just as important ranked #3.This was also their first season with Coach Justin Lutjen as the physical.”

Even though physithe new coach, Justin cal preparation for next

BASEBALL SUMMER UPDATE

by aARON CARTER

aaroncarter51298@gmail.com Over the summer, when school was out of session and most of the student body was lying in the sun and rocking their tanks, the baseball team was winning.

After a rough start to the season, the senior leadership kicked in towards the middle of the season, to push them forward all the way to the state tournament championship game, which they lost 2-0 to Southeast Polk.

Tanner Lohaus ’16, was pitched last year for the Trojans, talks

16 Feature September 2014 wsspaper.com

about the impact the seniors had on last year’s team.

“The whole season was riding on them,” Lohaus said. “The difference that turned our season around was the energy. When we had more energy, we had more fun, and won more games.”

Any team benefits from great support, especially when they can feed off of the encouragement of their Tanner Lohaus ’16 team members.

“In the middle of the game ... somebody went up to bat and the bench just went crazy,” Lohaus said.

DESIGN BY McKENNA HARRIS

TSA TEAMS WIN AT NATIONAL COMPETITION

West students recieved six trophies and a leadership award at the national engineering competition over the summer by displaying skills in the engineering, math and science fields. by eugenia chen, lEOLA EKO, AND

Try Your Hand At The TSa competition

kAI gUI

Varsity JETS team: Back Row from LEFT to RIGHT: Jack Biscupski ‘15, Sam Fleagle ’15, Justin Barry ‘14, Ryan Pals ‘15, and Ian McGillicuddy ‘15. Front Row from Left to Right: Abdalla Ali ‘15 and Akash Borde ‘15.

7th Place Jets Team: From LEFTt to RIGHT: Maggie Southwick ‘15, Caroline Connolly ‘15, Sabrina Bretz ‘15, Schuyler Cantrell ‘15, Josh Jensen ‘15, Luc Henk, Adam Weis ‘15, and Ben Johnson ‘15 DESIGN BY MORGAN SCHMITT-MORRIS

COMPilED by eugenia chen

1. The town of Llano, TX has been experiencing a drought. The nearby Llano River usually flows at a rate of 123 cubic feet per second, but during the drought its flow has been averaging 2.8 cubic feet per second. What is the percentage change in the flow rate of the river during the drought? a. −42.9% b. 87.2% c. 42.9% d. −97.7% e. −95.1% 2. Cubic feet x 7.48 = 1 gallon Despite the drought, the Llano River still delivers water to the town’s water treatment plant. If the river is flowing at a rate of 2.8 cubic feet per second, how many gallons of water does it deliver in 1 hour? a. 67,320.5 gallons b. 75,398.4 gallons c. 80,784.0 gallons d. 86,169.6 gallons e. 94,248.3 gallons 3. When Agua Fria uses the electric water pump during droughts it incurs an additional cost of $36,000/year. For the company to break even (revenues equal costs), it must charge households extra for the use of this well water. If there are 450 households in the town of Llano, what should Agua Fria charge each household per month? a. $6.67 b. $15.01 c. $40.02 d. $53.36 e. $80.00 ANSWERS: 1. d 2. b 3. a

Photo Courtesy of Dominic audia

While the rest of West High worked summer jobs or mowed lawns for fun, West High’s engineering team, JETS or the Junior Engineering Technical Society, traveled to Washington D.C and took first place nationally in the Technology Student Association Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science The journey began in March 2014, when JETS competed against other local teams at the state level.

Split into divisions based on grade, teams of four to eight students competed at Kirkwood Community College in intensive multiple choice and essay tests. Two teams consisting of juniors and seniors and one team of now ninth graders, managed to place within the top three of their respective divisions, qualifying them for the national competition.

Although qualifying for D.C. was managed by school coaches, JETS were largely autonomous in getting there. “We did meet every week in the summer to work on the presentation, and to raise money for our trip to pay for the bus and lodging and everything, we did a carwash at Hills bank.” said Schuyler Cantrell ‘15.

The national competition had its own challenges for the JETS teams. In addition to their 16 hour bus ride, the competition format changed, dropping multiple choice in favor of oral presentations and problem solving. “[My] least favorite [part] was ... the 5-10 minutes before the presentation because we were all just so incredibly nervous in the little holding room they had us in,” said Schuyler Cantrell ’15.

“My favorite part was ... after the presentation when our presentation was miraculously exactly 5five minutes long, and as Josh finished the last sentence the buzzer went off.”

wsspaper.com September 2014 feature 17

FEATURE

CLAIM TO FAME

More and more West High athletes are being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame each year, but are the requirements to get into it fair? West High’s Athletic Hall of Fame began the same year West High did, in 1968. Since then, there have been more than 200 inductees into the hall, as West has continued to excel in athletics. by gabby skopec & sharon xiang gabbyskopec@gmail.com sxxiang16@gmail.com

The requirements to get into the Hall of Fame depend on the sport.

In sports that crown individual state champions–cross-country, swimming and diving, wrestling, golf, bowling, track and tennis–an athlete must be a state champion in an event to be featured in the Hall of Fame. In sports that don’t crown individual state champions, an athlete can make it onto the Hall of Fame by being selected first team all state by the main recognized entity. The entities vary depending on the sport, according to Scott Kibby, West High’s athletic director.

These requirements do cause some sports to be underrepresented, according to Kibby.

“If you compared volleyball to wrestling, where there [are] 14 weight classes, there are 14 state champions in wrestling, and only 8 in volleyball [first team all state],” said Kibby. “That is a little unbalanced.”

For Adara Opiola ’16, who was inducted into the hall this past year for softball, the lack of softball players on the hall was a major motivation for her.

“There are so few other softball players that have been awarded that

honor and I always wanted that for myself,” Opiola said.

The girls cross-country team totals five team state championships, which is the highest number of state championships for any girls sports team at West High except for track and field, which totals six.

Athletic Director Scott Kibby The boys cross country team has one state championship. However, there are only three girls and one boy Adara Opiola ’16 to ever be in the Hall of Fame for cross country.

One athlete who barely missed the qualification was Ashlynn Yokom ’14, a two-time member of AllState, top 10 at state in class 4A, and Elite All-State. She also holds the school record in the 4K, an achieve-

ment that got her second place at the state championships.

“It was a bit disappointing … knowing I was so close to my only chance at qualifying for the Hall of

“It was a bit disappointing … knowing I was so close to my only chance at qualifying for the Hall of Fame, becoming runner-up to one of the nation’s best runners” -Ashlynn Yokom ‘14 Fame, becoming runner-up to one of the nation’s best runners,” Yokom said. “Holding the school record is still a great accomplishment of mine even though I don’t have a picture on the Hall of Fame.”

Many people believe that the requirements are fair, including Karl Wenzel ’14, who is on the Hall of Fame for being state champion in boys doubles for tennis.

“I believe it is fair,” he said. “I think it may be easier to become a state champion or first-team athlete in certain sports for sure, but we need to recognize athletes who finish their season number one in the state at their position or in their

photo by chanel vidal

18 feature september 2014 wsspaper.com

sport.”

Kibby is hesitant to change the requirements because of the history behind them.

“People before me set a standard

of what the rules are going to be,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a lot of thought that’s gone into that. I want to respect the history and those past traditions. If we changed, we’re going to have to add a lot more spaces because you’d have to make it retroactive. Someone would have to go back and figure out in 1972 who was third place. There are many logistical problems to that, but for me, more than anything, it’s honoring the people who set up the rules and keeping their criteria.”

HALL OF FAME ENTRIES BY SPORT

DESIGN BY KATIE PEPLOW

o

pi

Big feathery plume - Just incase they didn’t notice three hundred kids toting all sorts of instruments

n

u yo r

nio

pros

“

I like the sparkly fancy-pants goldness on the front”

-Kennedy Posey ‘17

“

I like that there are still suspenders”

-Thomas Barker ‘16

Zipper on back here, inconvenience is maximized, especially for those hot stifling summer’s-still-here games!

Gold layer on front - ooh, shiny! But beware, lose it, and you’ll be shelling out fifty dollars for a replacement.

For video coverage, go to wsspaper.com

photo by benjamin bliven

cons

“

The zipper in the back is really obnoxious”

-Daniel Neese ‘18

“

There was a lot of money spent that could be spent on air conditioning”

-Nina Elkadi ‘18

COMPilED by eleanor ho

marching band uniforms photo by paige brazina

1968

DESIGN BY EUGENIA CHEN photos courtesy of trojan epic and rich medd

1985

1994

2014

wsspaper.com september 2014 feature 19

FEATURE

A LOOK INSIDE

HAMBURG

INN

NO. 2

After recovering from a fire this spring, one of Iowa City’s most famous restaurants is back in action. The WSS takes a look at the Hamburg Inn’s history and its influence on Iowa City today. by mary mondanaro

marymondanaro@gmail.com

S

PHOTOS by CHANEL VIDAL

20 Feature september 2014 wsspaper.com

irens blared downtown as a fire raged in the basement of the Hamburg Inn, one of Iowa City’s most wellknown and historical restaurants. Rags that self-ignited in the basement caused the fire which resulted in damage to the water softener, walk-in cooler, electric boxes, and office electronics. After three months of repair as a result of the fire in May, the Hamburg Inn No. 2 has finally reopened for business.

The Hamburg Inn was first opened by Joe Panther on Iowa Avenue in the 1930s.

The burgers sold there were nicknamed “grease spots” and sold for only 5 cents.

In 1948, a new location on North Linn Street was purchased, which is the only location which remains today.

The fire changed the restaurant in many ways, one of the biggest changes being the remodeling of the walls and basement, but the fire also had a big emotional effect on the employees.

“When I heard about the fire, I was actually really sad,” said Bella McBride, who has been working at Hamburg for just over three months.

“It made me sad because it was going to put both my mom and me in a loss of employment.”

Luckily, because the restaurant did not burn down completely, it was not renamed and therefore got to keep its name, The Hamburg Inn No. 2.

The Hamburg Inn No. 2 has been a central location for famous politicians since it first opened in 1930. Politicians such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama have made appearances

Fast Facts Famous Visitors: President Ronald Reagan in 1992 President Bill Clinton in 2003 President Barack Obama in 2008

more facts:

Hosted the Iowa Coffee Bean Caucus and the Iowa Coffee Bean Ballot Attracts many Iowa Politicians Hamburg Inn

there while visiting Iowa City. The restaurant was also a feature in an episode of NBC’s show, The West Wing. The Hamburg Inn was also featured in The Washington Post for the “Great American Hamburger Debate”.

Tyler Jones, who works as a waiter at Hamburg Inn, said that he met BJ Novak from The Office there as well.

“It was kind of weird meeting him, but a really cool experience at the same time,” said Jones.

DESIGN BY KATIE PEPLOW

AUDITIONS!

Theatre West proudly presents:

LITTLE WOMEN Sign up on the theatre call board!

Questions? See Mrs. Nahra in Room 102

wsspaper.com september 2014 ads 21

Hash tag Ac t i vism by lushia anson

lushia.anson@gmail.com

and

by Madie miller

madiemllr@gmail.com

DESIGN BY JAYCIE WEATHERS

Some hesitate before overturning the bucket. Others do it quickly, before their fear catches up to them. Some stand,

with their fists clenched and eyes screwed shut in anticipation as a giggling friend raises the pail of ice water above them. When the water hits them, they scream, or jump, or run to the nearest source of warmth, but not before naming three friends to do the same.

And then the screen goes black. The video is over. And everyone scrolls on to the next post.

photos by madie miller

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Splashes and screams consumed the newsfeeds of various social media platforms beginning late July. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge started taking over the internet, with each nominee posting a short video of themselves dumping a bucket of ice-cold water on their heads. After that, the nominee would nominate their friends to do the same and encourage them to donate to the ALS Association, an organization devoted to researching for a cure for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Throughout the summer, fundraising efforts have cultivated a total of $114 million for the ALS Association, as of press time.

This new social aspect of activism has redefined how our generation views and participates in spreading awareness of certain issues.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge isn’t the first time activism has been prominent in social media. The

and harassment. The hashtag was seen as controversial, however, and did not become as popular as more “positive” social media movements such as the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Social pressures

The powerful influence social media has on society can relate to the success of the Ice Bucket Challenge specifically. High schoolers and the like have access into the lives of their peers at their fingertips. As the videos began pouring out, more people took interest in the cause against ALS. However, the sheer number of people involved became not only a show of solidarity for the cause, but a source of pressure for others as well.

“I’m kind of sad to admit that [the Polar Plunge raised money for an reason I did it] was slightly peer infant named Landon Shaw who pressure, because I didn’t want to was diagnosed with a very rare be … rejected for not doing someand malignant form of cancer from thing that I should have done,” said northwest Missouri. The challenge Timothy Kelly ’15. had participants jump into bodies Sofia Perez ’17 agrees that the moof water during the heart of wintivation for many participants may ter, and donate a certain amount simply be the pressure to continue of money to his family for each the chain effect. person they nominated that took “I think social media is a very the plunge. Scrolling through timepowerful way to raise awareness, lines, Twitter users cannot deny the but at the same time it becomes a presence of hashtags being used to social norm,” she said. “It can be spark political activism. As news of considered shameful if you don’t more than 270 kidnapped schooldo it.” girls in Nigeria went viral, so did a The challenge may newfound Twitter trend, have the pressurizing aswith celebrities and orpect to thank for its sucdinary citizens alike cess. Using the process, retweeting the hashtag this form of activism has “#BringBackOurGirls,” potential to reach a exor scrawling it on signs traordinarily large numthat they held up to the ber of people. At first, camera. After a misogyTimothy Kelly ’15 the chain begins with a nistic killing spree in Isla few people, each person Vista, Calif., a hashtag usually nominating three people. #NotAllMen was started, to argue “At some point, the social media that “Not All Men” would commit pressure goes much higher,” said such atrocities against women. In psychology teacher Travis Henderresponse, some feminists started son. After the nominations reach the hashtag #YesAllWomen to others, the pressure intensifies. share their experiences of sexism “If you do it and three friends are

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completers are simply content with knowing they contributed to the fundraising efforts.

“I felt that I had done something that was more than just for fun,” said Abby Jans ’17. “It was to raise awareness for ALS.” And the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has done exactly that.

The outpour of challenges has sparked a national conversation about the disease.

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ALS Awareness However, many of the challenge

“So many articles about the actual devastation of ALS ended up on social media,” Kelly said.

Once a little-known, obscure acronym often replaced by an allusion to a famous baseball player, these three simple letters join together to create an immediately recognizable acronym whenever the devastating disease comes up in conversation, all thanks to countless buckets of ice.

“I think that even if people’s motives aren’t perfectly in the right place,” Kelly said, “it can still have a big effect.”

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the veil of Social media

Some people have doubted the genuineness of advocating for ALS reTravis Henderson, search through complet- social studies teacher ing the challenge.

There has been backlash from people who believe that this challenge takes the issue of a severe illness and turns it into a laughing matter.

In addition, social media users do not always face accountability after posting online.

“The idea is that people don’t often connect the idea that what you do online is a representation of you

to making sure that [your] online presence is a really good resume.”

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and it’s real,” Henderson said. “People don’t often connect what they do online with what’s real.”

However, having social media as a buffer or a disconnect can aid in soliciting support from many more types of people.

“People who would otherwise be a little bit shy about [advocating for a cause] are much more likely to do something when it’s online,” HenExhilarating derson said. experience Some believe that this “veil of soIn addition to the aspect of prescial media” can make the challenge sure, the popularity of the challenge can be attributed to the uniqueness too impersonal.

“If it’s on social media, it’s not as in the exhilarating form of spread[personal] because people are doing the word about a cause.

Kelly remarked that when he first ing it for people they don’t know,” heard of the challenge he thought, Perez said.

People may also have other mo“This is insane. I need to look this tivations for posting an up and do this.”

Ice Bucket Challenge The ALS Ice Bucket video, such as seeking Challenge has seemed approval from others to have a more lasting or broadcasting the fact impact than the other that they are donating forms of social media to important causes. activism that have used “It’s very easy to amhashtags. plify your online presSofia Perez ’17 The popularity of the ence, much more so challenge is so dominatthan it is to amplify ing, because “it is out of the ordinary,” according to Perez. “It makes your actual physical presence,” Henderson said. “So I people laugh, and people certainly think there’s enjoy watching it.” ... a social advantage

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also going to do it, that should be the trigger point for conformity,” he said, citing the Asch conformity experiment, an experiment done in the 1950s which demonstrated that three or more people exhibiting a certain behavior around an individual prompted him or her to try to mimic the behavior of others.

ENTERTAINMENT

Harry Manaligod ’15

Nisha Coney ’16

Belle Parker ’18

Spencer Meacham ’16

BACK TO SCHOOL IN

STYLE

As the school year comes to a start, the West Side Story takes a look at the different types of fashions that roam the halls.

Allison Christopher ’17

Jackson Elkins Nesheim ’18

Laura Machlab ’18

Kate Vander Leest ’17

Allye Boardman ’15

Bridget McKenna ’17

Katie Olson ’16

Graham Robles ’16

Madison Voigt ’15

Samalya Thenuwara ’18

Rayven Newson ’17

26 entertainment september 2014 wsspaper.com

Courtney Fitzharris ’16

Kendra Law ’16

Annie Belding ’15

Mohammad Elhag ’17

Bailey O’Brien, ‘15 Bailey Speraw ’16

DESIGN/PHOTOS BY MARY MONDANARO

Artist OF THE

MOnth Hannah Sheldon ’15

“Usually when I start a piece I don’t really know where it’s going to end up. I just find something interesting that I like and then I start drawing and I see what it goes into and what it becomes. It’s cool to watch it transform because I like not knowing.

Honestly, this piece doesn’t mean anything to me, but I still like it because it evokes emotion. I really like doing contrasts, you know like putting two really different things together, and I incorporated that into the face.”

COMPilED by ebony mckeever Art by hannah Sheldon

For more Entertainment coverage, go to wsspaper.com

with

student mixtape

will reinhardt ‘16

pHOTO by NICK DEERBERG

Will Reinhardt ’16 started guitar lessons when he was seven years old and remembers this as a major contributing factor in the importance of music in his life today. Even though Reinhardt doesn’t have the time to continue his interest in guitar, he still considers music to be a large part of his life.

Whether it’s childhood classics or modern rap, Reinhardt enjoys it all.

Modern Baseball Apartment

Cage the Elephant Ain’t No Rest For The “Because the story represents my Wicked life.”

The Front Bottoms The Beers

“Because the music sounds similar to Modern Baseball.”

“I like it because it’s a mix of rap and rock.”

Chance the Rapper Favorite Song

“It sounds absolutely fantastic in a

The All-American Rejects car.”

Swing Swing Sum-41 “‘Swing Swing’ was my favorite In Too Deep

song on that album and one of the “Every Sum-41 song is good, and this most unique because of his high is just the best.” to low vocals.”

COMPILED BY NICK DEERBERG

DESIGN BY MORGAN SCHMITT-MORRIS

wsspaper.com September 2014 Entertainment 27

ENTERTAINMENT Comedy Club’s first meeting, held Sept. 2, drew in around 15-20 students.

“It’s the sort of thing that doesn’t require anything to join,” Schmitz said. “You don’t have to be a funny person to be in comedy club, and it’s just fun, plain and Minsu Song ’15 simple. You don’t have PHOTO BY CAMERON COOK to worry about doing anything Minsu Song ‘15 takes a poll on what video the Comedy Club will watch next. or bringing anything. We eat food and we watch sometimes comedy shows, sometimes standWest High’s Comedy Club up comedians, sometimes just TV

by Cameron Cook shows that happen to be humorous. we don’t have to be that funny.”

It’s pretty loose.”

Anyone can sit in his cecook1117@gmail.com All of the content, while The farthest anyone has to go or her basement and amusing, is always school for a good laugh is Room 122 on watch funny movies, appropriate for anyone to Tuesdays, the home of West’s new but there are differences watch.

Comedy Club. The club’s founders, when viewing with a “Usually we run things Addison Schmitz ‘15 and Minsu group. by [English teacher Kerri] “[There’s] this sort of Song ‘15, just want to give people a Barnhouse, our sponsor phenomenon where reason to laugh.

“We were thinking about starting when you watch a Addison Schmitz ’15 for the club,” Song said.

It’s also an opportunity to a club and we were like, ‘what do we certain movie or TV both enjoy, and what is something show with your friends, you tend to make friends.

“You meet new people and find that a lot of people can enjoy with laugh a lot more than when you’re us?’” Song said. “We both love to watching it by yourself,” Schmitz who has the same tastes as you and laugh, and I’m not particularly said. “We thought we could build build relationships,” Schmitz said. funny, but we [started] a club where off that.”

LAUGHING IT OFF

APPROVED

HYPERLAPSE

You don’t need to be Steven Spielberg to create your own timelapse video. This simple app lets you create professional-quality videos and easily share them to Instagram. However, the lack of in-depth features like flash and simple editing leaves room for improvement. Overall, this app is very unique and provides a creative experience for users.

BEATS MUSIC

No matter how you feel about Beats headphones or other streaming apps (ie: Pandora, Spotify), the Beats music app is a different approach to music streaming.

After downloading the two-week trial (which you can extend with another email address) you have access to all of your favorite musicians on demand. No ads, no streaming limit, and no cash.

28 entertainment September 2014 wsspaper.com

FACEQ

Although many avatar creator apps have come and gone, FaceQ provides a fun, interactive experience. After you download the free app, you are led through a series of steps towards the end goal of creating your own avatar. The variety of features you can add to your avatar makes this app worth downloading. This app is available on all iOS and android devices.

COMPilED by Michael moonjely All images used legally from creative commons

BOOK CLUB Wonder

By R.J. Palacio

by Shanthi Chackalackal shanthichackalackal@gmail.com The first day of school is hard for everybody. You have to drag yourself out of bed at the same time you’d normally be going to sleep, make yourself presentable after three months of hibernation, and think on top of all of that.

But few people have experienced a harder first day of school than August Pullman, the protagonist of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder.

Twelve-year-old August was born with a facial disorder. In his own words, “Whatever you’re imagining, it’s probably worse.”

Because of this, he has been homeschooled all his life, but now he’s about to start middle school.

Everybody struggles to fit in in middle school, but for August it’s nearly impossible. Nobody wants to sit with him. People stare and talk about him behind his back.

One parent even photoshops his face out of the class picture. But inside, August is just a twelve-yearold kid. He just wants to be judged for his personality and not his face.

Wonder is the story of a world adjusting itself to a boy and a boy adjusting himself to the world.

Weaving together the lives of August, his friends and his family, Wonder is a fantastic read that will keep you laughing, crying and turning pages.

DESIGN BY LILY WESTEMEYER

O

n

A

the

BY MEGUMI KITAMOTO megumi.kitamoto@gmail.com

Although Elise Chang ’17 did not enjoy piano when she started playing when she was four years old, her mind set has changed significantly since then.

“My parents made me start, but I gradually began to like it more and I thanked [them] afterwards for letting me start playing,” Chang said.

While she was living in Ottumwa, Iowa Chang drove to Iowa City every week to get lessons. She moved to Iowa City when she was ten because she liked the city when she came for lessons. Her father then tried to find a place where he could start a business in the area so she could study with piano. She has been studying under Feilin Lin for

PHOTO BY NICK DEERBERG DESIGN BY BARBARA BADOVINAC

rts

and I was able to bring her to an advanced “Don’t always try to push level quickly because of this,” Lin said. for competitions because Chang does not like the main goal is to enjoy to compete, but she participates in two to [playing].”

-Elise Chang, ‘17 three competitions a year. Her most recent competition was the Iowa Music four years.

Teachers National Association, “She teaches in a way that is which she won. understandable to me, and she is “In order to prepare for someone that is really special to competitions, I practice two to me,” Chang said. three hours a day when I have time, Lin believes that she and Chang but I try to practice more during have a natural musical connection the summer. To balance academics, which has led to their special bond. tennis and piano, I generally “I adore [Chang] because she is a practice less if I have more work very kind and sensitive person. She to do,” Chang said.“I get frustrated is also very talented, very musical with my music pretty easily, but and very dedicated to piano. She has I force myself to sit down and tremendous technical coordination understand the music by playing it

measure for measure.”

Aside from times before competitions, Chang does not let piano consume her entire life, which is seen through her music taste and her future aspirations.

“My favorite composer is Chopin because he has really romantic songs, but I don’t listen to classical in my free time. I listen to Z102.9.

I don’t want to be a music major because it’s hard to make a living off of it, [and] I would like to do genetic engineering in the future,” Chang said.

However, she does have some advice for aspiring pianists.

“Don’t always try to push for competitions because the main goal is to enjoy [playing],” she said.

“That way, I think you will be more successful.”

WSSPAPER.COM SEPTEMBER 2014 ENTERTAINMENT 29

ENTERTAINMENT

S E C h t i A L ining W

E TH

P

T BES

D R FO

DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

Some West High students face the unique problem of struggling to find suitable food for their diet at restaurants. The Iowa City area offers an array of restaurant choices for anyone, from vegans to celiacs and everyone in-between. The West Side Story asked students about their favorite places to go for a bite to eat.

GLUTEN-FREE

Gluten Intolerance Affects 1 in 29 Americans

Dietary Restrictions in the US

For more coverage, go to wsspaper.com

COMPilED by LAYLA HANNAFORD AND KATIE FUHRMEISTER

“I really like Monica’s ($$) in Coralville. I get one of their gluten free pizzas or their fried egg sandwiches with gluten free bread and Mikayla Johnston ’17 tater tots, because their fries aren’t gluten free. They also have really good gluten free rolls there, too.”

COMPilED by allie biscupski and gabby skopec

30 Entertainment september 2014 wsspaper.com

DESIGN BY KATARINA FUHRMEISTER

VEGAN

Rachel Collins ’15

wss

“My favorite place to eat is the Trumpet Blossom [Cafe] ($) downtown - it’s all vegan food. When I go there, my favorite thing to get is a falafel.”

VEGETARIAN

“I like Old Chicago ($$) because it has so many different options. I especially like their Asha Irani ’17 pasta because they have so many vegetarian mixins you can add. It’s healthy and a good source of protein because vegetarians don’t get that much protein.”

LACTOSE INTOLERANT

“I have to be more careful about what I get to eat [at restaurants].

I can’t really Abby Jans ’17 get frozen yogurt and ice cream anymore, but I can still get cupcakes because they have a lot less dairy in them. I love the red velvet cupcakes at Molly’s ($).”

LACTOSE INTOLERANT

“Everything today has dairy, so most restaurants will have dairy.

I tend to go to Asian restauRicky Rodriguez ’16 rants that tend to not have as much dairy on their menu. I really like Takanami ($$); they have the best sushi in town. Any sushi with eel I’m down for.”

GLUTEN-FREE

“We like to go to sushi places like Sushi Popo and Oyama ($$). We like Social Studies Teacher Brady Shutt to go to Bluebird Diner for breakfast; it’s pretty easy to get something gluten free, like an omelette, but they also have really good gluten free pancakes.”

MONEY SPENT ($) 1-10 ($$) 11-20

A GlutenFree You Anika Jagasia is a 16 year old with celiac disease who enjoys making the most of her gluten-free lifestyle. Jagasia runs a successful blog, titled The GlutenAnika Jagasia ’16 Free You, where she informs readers on new recipes, where to dine out, and has a featured product of the month. West Side Story sat down with Anika to find out her tips, tricks, and treats while living gluten-free.

West Side Story: How has being gluten free affected where you go to eat and what you get?

Anika Jagasia: I love being adventurous in my food choices. [...] Although being glutenfree may slightly narrow my choices, I’m always looking for a way to still be a more daring eater. Perhaps a year or two ago, I would have said to try to avoid Italian restaurants or stay away from bakeries; however, times are changing. People recognize, accept, and understand what the phrase “gluten-free” means.

WSS: What’s your number one tip on eating out and being gluten free?

AJ: The key to eating gluten-free outside is communication. Inform a waiter of your dietary needs and they’ll either point out your options, call a manager over to discuss your options, or pull out a gluten-free menu!

WSS: How have you seen your blog help others living a gluten free life? Has anyone reached out to you that left an impression on you?

AJ: It is so rewarding to read emails from other teenagers like me thanking me for sharing my story. I remember one blogger who was thrilled when she discovered Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread through my blog. She went on to say how most glutenfree bread doesn’t have an appealing taste or texture. She hadn’t been able to find any decent gluten-free bread up until then, and she couldn’t wait to eat a good sandwich again!

Jagasia’s blog can be found at theglutenfreeyou.com, and you can reach her through theglutenfreeyou@gmail.com COMPilED by aLLIE BISCUPSKI

wsspaper.com september 2014 entertainment 31

SPORTS

PHOTos By MADIE MILLER

RISING STAR Bailey Nock ’18: Cross-Country

PHOTOS by MADIE MILLER

A A

s the school year begins, cross-country at West High is in full swing. This year, the varsity team welcomed freshman Bailey Nock, who is ready to make her mark on the team.

West Side Story: When did you start running?

Bailey Nock: I started running competitively in 4th grade. I ran the Hershey Track Meet that is held every year all around Iowa. I did other meets when I was younger too, like Run for the Schools and the elementary track meet. I didn’t really get into competitive running until I started doing cross-country when I was in 7th grade.

WSS: What do you like most about cross-country?

BN: All my teammates and coaches are all so encouraging and helpful. Also the thrill of doing well at a meet and improving throughout the season.

WSS: What was cross-country like in junior high?

BN: At the junior high level, crosscountry wasn’t ever a serious sport, but it was fun being around friends and going to meets.

WSS: What would you say is the biggest difference between junior high and high school cross-country?

BN: High school is a very different level of intensity. You are a part of

juggle being on so many teams?

BN: I just try to balance it out. I do the sport that’s in season, but also spend a little time on the other sports I do. It can get really busy, but in the end it’s all worth it.

WSS: Which sport do you like the best?

BN: They’re all equal. They each need a lot of time and effort. I’ve

“[I like] the thrill of doing well at a meet and improving throughout the season.”

-Bailey Nock ‘18

a team and everyone feels important. Also, there is a different expectation since the West High girls cross-country [team] has always been known to succeed.

WSS: Do you plan to continue running competitively through high school, and maybe even beyond that?

BN: I do plan on continuing after high school, whether it’s crosscountry or track.

WSS: In addition to running crosscountry and track, you are also on the basketball team. How do you

32 Sports September 2014 wsspaper.com

been playing basketball since third grade, so I’ve always been around a team and other players. With crosscountry and track, now that I’m at West, I get to fully experience what it’s like to be a part of a team. So I would say they’re all very different so I don’t enjoy one over the other.

WSS: What is the biggest challenge of being a freshman on the varsity cross-country team?

BN: I would say one of the challenges of being on varsity is thinking of the team as a whole. In junior high it was mainly an individual

sport. Now, if you don’t do well, it affects the team too.

WSS: How often do you run, and for how long?

BN: We usually only run once a day after school and on Saturday mornings, but at the beginning of the season we had two days when we practiced twice. There are different workouts for different days, but usually on easy days we run 5-6 miles. On hard days we usually do a workout depending on where our next meet is. If the course we are doing has a lot of hills, we do hills.

If it’s a flat course, we’ll go down to the University of Iowa track.

WSS: What is the best piece of advice a coach or teammate has given you?

BN: When I went to a team dinner once, I told my teammate I was very worried about our meet [the following day]. She told me to trust God because he has a plan for all of us and will help me do my best. I was very thankful to have had her say that, because I sometimes forget how important it is to keep my trust in Him. COMPilED by leola Eko

DESIGN BY CLAIRE MURRAY

RISING STAR Ali Ali ’17: Cross-Country

PHOTO BY MADIE MILLER

F

or the second year in a row, Ali Ali ’17 continues to run the distance on the boys cross-country team. Ali looks back and realizes how far he has come with his running accomplishments and shares his hopes for improvement this upcoming season.

West Side Story: What got you started in running?

Ali Ali ’17: My brother told me about it and he said it would be good for me to join track and crosscountry. When I first started out, I wasn’t very good at it. I remember feeling dead after one mile and it was horrible, but after a long time I eventually got good at it, and I stuck with it.

WSS: How long have you been in cross-country?

AA: I started running in seventh grade track because before that I didn’t really hear about cross-country, but then in eighth grade I joined DESIGN BY CLAIRE MURRAY

cross-country. My very first track 5K, and 4 minutes, 51 seconds for fer cross-country because track is more hard work and more pressure season was really fun because I had a mile. really good coaches and it was just a WSS: What motivates you to keep whereas in cross-country you feel running when you’re tired in a race? more at ease and more at home. fun thing to do at the time.

WSS: What are you hoping to WSS: What is your favorite improve this season? thing about running?

AA: Obviously getting a betAA: Usually the long runs “Everyone is in the middle of the because you get to check race and we are all passing each ter personal record and I am hoping to improve my stamout the city and talk with ina and my finishing. One of friends. It just gives you so other, but we are all running my biggest obstacles last year much freedom and it’s a together as one.”

-Ali Ali ‘17 was at the last stretch of the nice feeling. race. I would actually slow WSS: What are your goals AA: What keeps me going is seeing down; I didn’t have enough confifor this season?

AA: My goal for this season is to be the person in front of me and I keep dence to keep up or go faster. in the top five of the varsity team, telling myself that I am going to beat WSS: Where do you want to go with running in the future? but if I can get higher than that I’ll them, I am going to get past them. be even happier. I also want to beat WSS: What’s your favorite thing AA: I am not sure if I want to run in college, but I do want to run as like a my last year’s personal record of 17 about cross-country meets?

AA: My favorite part of cross- lifestyle sort of thing. minutes, 33 seconds for a 5K. WSS: What’s your favorite thing country meets is right after all the WSS: Why do you run, out of all the races are done and everyone is sports you could have chosen? about the team this year?

AA: My favorite thing about the high-fiving each other, even people AA: Honestly, it’s because it’s one of team this year is the amount of po- from other teams. It’s all really good the few sports I am actually good at tential. All the freshmen are awe- sportsmanship. Another thing I like and I feel really skilled at. I am not some and overall pretty fast. I think about meets is when everyone is in very coordinated so other sports by their senior year they will have a the middle of the race and we are don’t work as well for me. really strong team. I also like how all passing each other, but we are all everyone on the team supports each running together as one.

WSS: Do you do track as well? If so, other; we’re like one big family. which one do you prefer?

WSS: What are your fastest times?

AA: 17 minutes, 33 seconds for a AA: I do track as well, but I preCOMPilED by consuelo mendoza

wsspaper.com SEPTEMBER 2014 SPORTS 33

SPORTS

FALL SPORTS DEBUT NEW COACHES Last summer, the football and volleyball programs each welcomed a new head coach. Randy Dolson, the new volleyball coach, brings experience from seven years of coaching at Dubuque Hempstead High School. The new football coach, Garrett Hartwig, was appointed to his position this past summer. Hartwig was working with the West High football program as a defensive coordinator previous to his job as head coach.

RANDY DOLSON West Side Story: What will be the key to a successful season?

Randy Dolson: I think the key to any successful team comes down to basic fundamentals. We need to Randy Dolson especially become a good passing team, because if you are a good passing team you can accomplish a lot both offensively and defensively.

WSS: What interested you in the head volleyball coach position at West High?

RD: The reputation of the school and the good [sports] programs interested us. I have come to respect the Iowa City West program and the

volleyball program. We’ve always had good matches when I was at Dubuque Hempstead and I enjoyed the fans and I thought it would be a good place to be.

WSS: You have coached in both college and high school, what sets the two apart?

Which do you enjoy more?

RD: As far as coaching, the volleyball coaching aspect is mostly recruiting. That is really what drove me back to the high school level. After coaching and recruiting at the college level for a dozen years, I got a little burnt out to say the least. I wanted to reconnect with my family and I was able to do that by coming down to the high school level.

WSS: How do you and your wife collaborate since she is the sophomore volleyball coach?

RD: We collaborate quite a bit. We do all the camps together. We talk about our practices and our players all the time to see if there are certain players we should be looking at or if there are skills we need to be working on.

WSS: What is your coaching philosophy?

RD: I believe players have to have a basic willingness to learn new things or try new things and move outside their comfort zone. We try to challenge some of those things every day in practice. They need to have the willingness to be successful.

GARRETT HARTWIG West Side Story: How significant is the change from a defensive coordinator to a head coach? What differences are there?

Garrett Hartwig: Garrett Hartwig The differences are very extreme. The differences lie in the area of responsibility. [As a head coach] you not only need to focus on the defense, you also need to focus on the offense and the special teams. And then you also need to be aware of what is going on in the freshman and sophomore teams; there is a lot of cooperation involved. As far as time commitment, it is around the same [for both positions.]

WSS: How do your past experiences as a Division II football player help you coach your players?

GH: It helps me understand what the players are going through. [I understand] what it feels like to be going through a hot practice and the time commitment going from academics to athletics.

I can sympathize with them, but I also know what it takes to get to the next level, so the push will always be there.

WSS: What are your goals for this season?

GH: First and foremost, to continue to improve.

There needs to be a focus of getting better, improving, and ultimately the wins and losses will take care of themselves. But the team goals [include] winning the district, qualifying for the playoffs and playing our best football in October.

WSS: How do you manage your teaching schedule and your football schedule?

GH: It is hard to manage sometimes because teaching English is a demanding subject. I have been a teacher for 10 years and that’s my first priority, so I organize my day around my

COMPilED by jiung jung

34 sports september 2014 wsspaper.com

teaching first, and coaching second. I do my absolute best in both occupations and control what I can control and go to work every day.

WSS: What is your coaching philosophy?

GH: I’ve said from day one, when we started this process back in June with the new coaching staff, it’s not who we play, it’s how we play. And we have the guys in the mix of this team to do some very, very special things, but we have to play it to our abilities.

WSS: What do you enjoy the most about coaching?

GH: I like sports, I like football, but overall, the players make it the most enjoyable. I enjoy the camaraderie, working hard, and making sure that guys are having a good experience. I also enjoy working with my assistant coaches.

photo by Madie Miller photo by Miriam Perez

DESIGN BY LILY WESTEMEYER

wsspaper.com september 2014 sports 35

SPORTS

DESIGN BY CLAIRE MURRAY

FA L L SPORTS Photo by Nick Deerberg

Photo by chanel vidal

Photo by MADIE MILLER ABOVE: Competing in the Cedar Rapids Washington Invite, Adam Weis ’15 runs during the varsity race.

36 Sports September 2014 wsspaper.com

Photo by MADIE MILLER

ABOVE: JD Goodfellow ’16 tees off against City High at Pleasant Valley Golf Course.

ABOVE LEFT: Eveline Dowling ’15 prepares to enter the pool off of the starting block.

BELOW LEFT: Oliver Martin ’17 and Xavier Koch ’15 prepare at the line of scrimmage before the third quarter of the Battle for the Boot.

BELOW: Tia Saunders ’16 runs in the varsity race at the Cedar Rapids Invite.

PHOTO BY PAIGE BRAZINA ABOVE: The varsity football team looks on from the sidelines during the game against Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Photo by MADIE MILLER

Photo by Nick Deerberg LEFT: Noah Federici ’15 swings on the fairway towards the green druing practice on Sept 22.

RIGHT: Alex Aaberg ’15 dives into the pool during a meet.

ABOVE: The girls cross-country team huddles up after placing second at the Cedar Rapids Washington Invite.

BELOW: Marissa Meade ’17 competes in freestyle during a swim meet at the Coralville Recreation Center.

Photo by chanel vidal

Photo by chanel vidal

wsspaper.com sEPTEMBER 2014 sports 37

SPORTS

JOSHUA KWOK Sophomore wins gold medals at international taekwondo competitions.

Photo courtesy of joshua kwok

by CAMERON COOK

cecook1117@gmail.com Many teenagers excel in sports, but few win a gold medal at an international competition. Martial Artist Joshua Kwok ’17 is one of those few.

“I’ve been doing taekwondo for ten years,” Kwok said. “I started competing at international level when I was nine.”

Mostly out of parental interest, Kwok started training at the age of five.

“My parents wanted me to learn some self-defense because I was smaller than all of my classmates and they didn’t want me to get picked on,” Kwok said.

Kwok trains at Mireu Martial Arts USA (formerly called Kang’s Martial Arts) three times a week. He also attends tournaments around the world, from Iowa to Korea.

According to Kwok, the pressure differences at big and small competitions are not as contrasting as one might expect.

“There might be a little more pressure [at bigger competitions], but once you get down

to the rings it just goes all above your head,” Kwok said.

Considering this strain, thoughts of quitting wouldn’t be unexpected.

“I probably wanted to quit when I was seven or eight, just because little kids get bored,” Kwok said.

“I probably asked my mom quite a few times if I could just stop.”

In addition, at that age, the stu-

However, Kwok’s mother encouraged him to continue until he reached black belt, and for good reason.

“I was nine when I got my black belt and by that time I’d passed over [wanting to quit] and had already been enjoying it again.”

Kwok said. He is now a thirddegree black belt, and is continu-

“After training side by side with him for nine years, I can confidently say that Josh is one of the most dedicated people I have ever seen.”

-Christian Zirbes ‘16 dents are expected to participate in lots of taekwondo activities, according to Kwok’s friend and taekwondo companion Christian Zirbes ’16.

“It might have had to do with the time commitment; we would be there 4-8 [p.m.] Monday and Wednesday, then another hour or so on Thursdays. Josh would be there even more than that,” Zirbes said.

38 Sports september 2014 wsspaper.com

ing to train. However, with cello, school work and a job, one would assume Kwok’s taekwondo career would be put on the back burner.

Due to smart scheduling by Kwok’s mother, he is able to manage.

“My mom makes a pretty good schedule, so I almost never have to worry about anything,” Kwok said. “[And] most competitions are

on weekends or in the summer.”

Even though Kwok is able to practice a lot, he still gets nervous when going into international competitions.

“I knew it was going to be really hard because it’s an international competition, and you never know with other people from other countries; how much they practice, how much they train.” Kwok said.

Despite the nerves, Kwok was able to get two gold medals; one in the long jump and the other in the high jump. From this succuss, Kwok plans to keep competing for now.

“After training side by side with him for nine years, I can confidently say that Josh is one of the most dedicated people I have ever seen,” Zirbes said.

There are multiple reasons for Kwok’s commitment.

“Most sports are just for physical fitness, but martial arts is more than that,” he said.“We focus a lot on discipline, respect, responsibility, and other things that are good for character and life outside the dojang.”

DESIGN BY GABBY SKOPEC

Diving into state

Column:

Carter’s corner Equality on the Field by aaron carter Michael Sam. He will not be remembered for his greatness at the University of Missouri, as SEC defensive player of the year or the captain of the Tigers; he will be remembered as the first openly gay professional football player, but there is much more to him than that.

Sam was drafted in the seventh round with the 249th pick overall by the St. Louis Rams. On Aug. 30, 2014 the St. Louis Rams cut Michael Sam. Head Coach Jeff Fisher and the entire organization stressed that this was purely a “football decision.” I find this hard to believe.

Yes, Sam is a 4-3 defensive end and yes, the Rams don’t run that style of defense, but at some point you have to face the facts: Sam was at least a fourth round pick before he came out. I don’t want to call Fisher or anybody in the Rams front office homophobic, but it is hard to believe they would cut the player that led their team in sacks during the pre-season and just call it a “football decision.”

On Sept. 5, Sam was signed by the Dallas Cowboys to their practice squad. This is a huge addition to their organization both on the field and off. Sam could be a huge help, if called up to the 53-man roster, to one of the worst defenses in the NFL. It doesn’t matter whether Sam is gay or straight, what matters is if he can play football or not. He has proven that he obviously can, and that should be the only factor in deciding whether or not he is good enough to make the roster, not his sexuality.

DESIGN BY AARON CARTER

by megumi kitamoto

megumi.kitamoto@gmail.com Although swimming is most commonly associated with a pool, there is another sport at the pool that is thriving at West.

West High’s diving team consists Kramer.

“If [Thomas and Aaberg] dive to of three varsity divers and two junior varsity divers, with two of the their full potential, I have faith that varsity divers being seniors. Team they will both be able to be on the podium [at state] once captain Jacintha Thomas again,” Kramer said. ’15 placed second at state Kramer does not set last year and holds the complicated or specifsecond highest score in ic goals for the team; Iowa history. Thomas also the team naturally broke her own school divfinds its own motivaing record at the Coralville Recreation Center at a Jacintha Thomas ‘15 tion.

"Our goals are to dual meet against Mushave fun at meets, try catine. Alex Aaberg ’15 placed sixth at state last year. Both our best and keep a positive attiare favorites to do well once again, tude," Thomas said.

In addition to the complexity of according to diving coach Tony

photo by MIRIAM PEREZ

the twists and turns in diving, the scoring process is d i f f i c u lt as well.

“During dual meets, we have Alex Aaberg ’15 six dives.

We get a score from three judges for each dive based on how it looks. To get your total, you add the three scores and multiply it by the difficulty of the dive, and then add all of the six scores together,” Aaberg said.

Sophomores Verbally Commit to Division ONE Schools by isabelle robles isabeller99@gmail.com

Connor McCaffery Basketball: Iowa Unlike most sophomores, Connor McCaffery knows exactly what he is going to do in college: play basketball for his dad, the University of Iowa’s Men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery.

McCaffery verbally committed to the U of I on Saturday, Aug. 30 while visiting the campus and is excited about the opportunity to play for his father.

“I’ve kind of always wanted to play for my dad, so I thought Connor McCaffery ’17 e ve ntu a l ly I would commit, so it didn’t really matter [how soon] I did that,” McCaffery said.

McCaffery is looking forward to learning more about his dad’s coaching style in his college career.

“He coached me when I was like 10 [years old], but he wasn’t that hard on me,” McCaffery said. “He’s just hard on me when I screw up and tells me what I need to do better.”

At the visit, McCaffery got a taste of what college at the University of Iowa would be like.

“The [football] field was awesome,” McCaffery said. “We got to go down and watch the players come out of the tunnel during Back in Black…the atmosphere was the part that was amazing…that’s when I decided I wanted to go.”

Regan Steigleder Soccer: Vanderbilt Sophomore Regan Steigleder has been playing soccer for 13 years, and has always dreamed of playing in college. With her recent verbal commitment to Vanderbilt University, her dream is closer than ever.

Steigleder went to a soccer camp on campus in July, where she was officially offered a full ride athletic scholarship. “[Head coach] Derek Greene took me into his office after my visit and

showed me all of the Nike gear I would get and laid out a jersey with my number on it Regan Steigleder ’17 and then out of nowhere offered me a [full ride] scholarship,” Steigleder said.

Steigleder also plays basketball, but had to give it up in order to keep the scholarship.

“It was a really tough decision because I love being a part of the basketball team, but I didn’t want to risk getting injured for soccer,” Steigleder said.

Aside from the soccer program, Steigleder is also very impressed with the academics offered at Vanderbilt, as in-class work is as important as soccer for her.

“A major part of me committing to Vanderbilt was academics. They are ranked in the top 15 schools for academics and on top of that is a great soccer program,” said Steigleder.

wsspaper.com september 2014 sports 39

SPORTS the

trojan nation

This month’s sports updates

pinboard

PLAYING THROUGH THE PAIN Hannah Birt ’16 West Side Story: How long have you

been playing volleyball?

Hannah Birt: I started playing club volleyball when I was in fourth grade.

WSS: When did you get injured?

HB: They first detected [my scoliosis] when I was 13 years old. It just kept getting slowly worse. Then a little over a year later, I went in for my usual checkup and at that point they told me I was probably going to need [spinal fusion] surgery. I had that surgery in July before freshman year.

WSS: What was your biggest struggle?

HB: I had to overcome doing things differently. The biggest thing I had to overcome was completely relearning how to play and move and walk.

WSS: How does it feel to be back on the West team?

HB: I’m extremely happy to be able to

play school volleyball again. I missed out my freshman year and that crushed me. I’m just really glad to be back.

WSS: Did you ever think about quitting?

HB: My family and I, and my coaches, were determined from the moment that I found out I had to have this surgery that it would not end my volleyball career.

No, I never really thought of quitting. I was always just Hannah Birt ’16 wanting to get better and wanting to get back. I just had to focus on that.

CLUBBING THE COMPETITION

JD GOODFELLOW ‘16water gap to the hits the ball over the

greens at Pleasent Valley Golf Course, Monday 22 against City High.

40 sports september 2014 wsspaper.com

football By the numbers compiled by paige brazina

13 38 $200K Average hours of varsity practice per week

by Danetta Dobre

thedanadobre@gmail.com The boys golf team at West is spending an hour to an hour and a half practicing everyday after school and they are now showing noticeable improvement, according to golf coach Don Bristow. “[The team] has improved a lot this year. They’re all getting better at chipping and putting; it’s what they’re working on now,” Bristow said. “[Chipping and putting] is very important. It’s like free throws in basketball; if you can’t make free throws, you’re not gonna score.”

Chipping and putting isn’t the only factor to success for Bristow.

Dressing the part is just as important.

“That’s my philosophy: if the play-

Returning varsity players 2014-15

Cost of the new football field

ers look good, they’re going to play good,” Bristow said. “Confidence is huge. If you go into a job interview and you look sloppy, you’re not gonna get the job.”

For some players, playing golf has changed their mentalities towards life. “[Golf] has made me a better person,” said Grant Higgins ’15.

“You’re playing for a team and not trying to compete for yourself.”

For Kyle Jenkins ’17, it has simply given him a more relaxed outlook. “[Golf] has taught me to have more patience,” Jenkins said. “With golf, it’s more relaxing, quiet.”

DESIGN BY McKENNA HARRIS

OPINION LiSTEN UP, LIBERTY HIGH

WSS offers its observations and advice to the new high school Without a doubt, the subject of the new high school is fresh in everyone’s minds as this school year kicks off. Students, teachers and the community alike discuss Liberty High’s possible new features.

“I heard every class will be naturally lit”, “there’s a rumor going around of every student receiving a puppy upon arrival of the first day; is that true?” and even the rare “My neighbor’s brother’s wife said that President Obama is going to visit Liberty High for its opening.” With these rumors swirling, the West Side Story offers some of its suggestions to help Liberty High run smoothly from its very first day.

SPIRIT FACTORS: When it comes to choosing a mascot for a school, it’s important to consider how it will look on T-shirts and what puns it could inspire. For example, we believe

that the Liberty Bells could be quite successful. It incorporates an element of whimsy that every high school should have. And just imagine it on a shirt - what a conversation starter. “Hi, my name is Jake Smith and I go to Liberty High. Go Bells!”

Another thing to consider is the name of the school. Are we sure “Liberty High” is the best name?

Did anyone think about “Iowa City North High” to match the geographical trend of City and West? Or maybe naming the school after a noteworthy Iowan would do the trick. “Ashton Kutcher High,” anyone?

School colors can make or break spirit within the building. It’s far more common to see people go all out on spirit days in green and gold versus lesser colors like chartreuse and magenta. We propose that a good color combination for Liberty would be a nice

red, white, and blue to match our favorite country.

LOGISTICS: This part is addressed to the designers and contractors of the operation: please include a functional parking lot with enough spaces and exits. At West, it isn’t uncommon to have to sit for up to 30 minutes as everyone filters out of the congested back lot.

This fosters resentment and contempt as we all find spots in the morning, just knowing the fate that awaits us as soon as the bell rings at 3:15. So please, let there be a large parking lot.

In Iowa, it is reasonable to assume that winter is roughly six months long. It’s easy to forget that summers are hot, really hot, so air conditioning is a must. For a few weeks a year, students are trapped in a sweltering room, struggling to pay attention to class as sweat drips down their backs. Do we really need to say more?

These are a few suggestions from some high schoolers; take them as you will. We would appreciate your consideration, since kids our age will be the ones attending. Who knows what they would want better than us?

Equity Statement

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, martial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, socioeconomic programs, activities or employment practices. If you believe you have (or your child has) been discriminated against or treated unjustly at your school, please contact the Equity Director 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 represent an additional point of view or as a part of a collection of 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 editor to verify authorship. Editors can make minor edits for the sake of clarity, length and grammatical correctness.

ART BY EBONEY McKEEVER

DESIGN BY AKASH BORDE

wsspaper.com September 2014 opinion 41

OPINION

quality

of life

index

What’s In A Name?

The WSS takes a stance on the new club policy and how it will affect extracurricular activities in the future West High has many diverse clubs, and they mostly have one common theme: most of their activities take place at or on campus. Although there have been some exceptions to the rule in past years, most clubs that deviate from this principle will no longer be allowed to carry West High’s name from this year onward.

According to a statement released by principal Jerry Arganbright on West High’s website on Aug. 1, “[the administration] will no longer approve any use of Iowa City West High School for outside group team names or titles ... [it] will only be used to refer to those teams and activities that are directly supported and sponsored by the Iowa City School District.”

This means that most clubs that met off-campus with the West High name are required to change their club name and affiliation.

Dan Dagle ’15, the leader of the newly named West Side Trap Club was not happy with the recent change.

“I was very angry, because we won’t be able to represent our school at competitions,” Dagle said.

It is understandable that the administration is concerned about how the school’s name is used, but it is not fair to the students who are not able to obtain permission

from the school in order to do something that they are interested in pursuing as a club, even if it may be off-campus. Most students who would want to use the school’s name do not have malicious intent or use it in a way that would harm the school itself, but use the school’s name as a method to attract new members who would otherwise not know about the activity.

Clubs for lesser-known or offcampus sports could not use the West High name. Because of this, these off-campus clubs would not receive equal or adequate funding as the other activities that are funded by the district. It is possible but difficult to receive funding through private fund-raisers, even when a club is under the West High name. It is unfair to not allow a West-affiliated club to use

Should West High keep the new policy on licensing its name?

6-8

new clubs Bollywood French Club

Allergy Season Parents say you look sick, peers say you look high. All you know is you’re highly looking forward to not feeling sick.

-3

For Tomorrow Globetrotters Punchline Club

West High’s name and deny them necessary funding simply because it does not meet on campus.

Clubs are a way to become more familiar with the people in the school with similar interests outside of a classroom setting.

Taking away that opportunity to meet new people off-campus would be unfair to some those wishing to participate. It could be beneficial to join a local event or club, but there are many benefits to having a variety of different clubs and communities within the West High community.

The WSS editorial board voted against the new policy.

College Applications Quick! Where do you want to spend the next four years of your life and empty your life’s savings?

-4

Early Bird PE Only 90’s kids will remember this.

+4 Football Even though I don’t understand what is going on, the outcome of these games somehow affect my happiness.

+2

Weather “You’re hot and you’re cold.

You’re yes and you’re no,” - Meteorologist Katy Perry.

+1

0 Have a neutral day.

42 opinion September 2014 wsspaper.com

Art by HANNAH SONG

COMPILED BY AKASH BORDE DESIGN BY AKASH BORDE

by akash borde

borde.aka.sh@gmail.com

T

here’s a certain element of awe that accompanies getting your first college letter.

There’s the feeling of pride knowing that yes, there is a college out there that finds it worth their costs you enough to send you a colorful brochure. There is the feeling of satisfaction as you read through the dean’s pitch telling you why YOU would be the perfect fit for their college. There’s even a feeling of exclusiveness seeing that School of Polytechnics At Massachusetts took the time to create a personalized account for you and waived the application fees.

It’s incredible how quickly that excitement fades away. As you receive prepaid envelope after glossy brochure after urgent email, you quickly learn what the principle of

DON’T CHECK THE BOX

diminishing marginal returns is, even if you’ve never taken an econ class before.

Each mailing you get after the first one becomes less and less important, until you reach the point where you redirect emails straight to a virtual trash bin and redirect envelopes to a physical one. Even if your dream school sends you a letter, you’ll soon figure out that thousands of students have gotten the exact same letter that you have.

Once you realize that, it becomes clear that the mass-distributed messages you’ve received are quite meaningless.

“But what’s the problem?” you ask. “I can recycle those letters. I can filter my Gmail inbox. Maybe there is a chance I’ll find out about a new school through the mailings.

It’s a possibility!” This is true. There is a slim chance you’ll find that dream school through a generic letter in the mail. There is a certainty,

however, that for every school may be interested in, you’ll get at least ten times more mail from schools you couldn’t care less about.

The National Center for Educational Statistics reports there are 4,599 colleges and universities in the United States. While this is a fantastic indication of the choice students have for higher education, it becomes a problem when seemingly each one of those schools sends you a letter.

The color brochures. It’s hard to fathom how much toner and paper is wasted on the large booklets.

Even the paper from the simple envelopes piles up so quickly.

The spam. There’s nothing wrong with a few emails, but there is no good reason why your “Colleges” folder in Gmail should take four seconds to open because of the 632 unread messages clogging it up.

Do you like emails from Nigerian princes asking you for large sums

of money right now in return for a long-term gain? Then you’ll love emails from the Student Search Service.

Sophomores and juniors, the choice is yours. The PSAT and PLAN next month will have a box in the sections before the test asking whether or not you want to supply your information to educational institutions.

Say no to wasteful spam.

Don’t check the box.

THE DISTRACTION

by YIMING LIU

yimingliu17@gmail.com

I

nstead of looking up, people these days tend to look down.

What could be so entertaining? What has drawn us in so deep that we do not even bother to look straight ahead while walking? We all know what it is, probably because we’ve done it before.

The cell phone is one of pinnacles of modern technology and it is also the symbol of the distraction.

Not only does the distraction pull

photos by nick deerberg DESIGN BY KELSEY KERANEN

people away from paying attention in class, it pulls people away from paying attention to daily life. Just think of how much you miss out on when you’re drawn into the abyss of Reddit or scrolling through Facebook. Your surroundings are blurred; the people you walk past are ignored.

Why do we do this? My theory is that people are afraid to feel lonely and vulnerable, so the device is both a comfort and a distraction from your negative thoughts and everything around you. When you’re feeling kinda lonely, don’t you have the urge to check up on your pals on Facebook and text “Hi” to like fifty people? And when you’re at that social gathering where you don’t really know anyone, you itch to have the distraction in your hand to feel better and look occupied. It is rare not to see someone alone in public without the thing, the sort of barrier between

you and everything else around to lessen the feeling of vulnerability.

The distraction is the reassurance that you’re not alone.

To have this constant companion doesn’t seem like such a bad

“The distraction is the reassurance that you’re not alone.”

and need. Being so dependent on a little device is unhealthy. Trust me; nothing on that thing is going to be more interesting than what is going on around you. Accept the fact that you will feel lonely sometimes as it is just in human nature to feel this way. To feel lonely is not to be alone, to feel lonely is to be human. So in conclusion: put down your phone!! Say hi to someone irl, introduce yourself to people at parties, make friends, pay attention in class and just endure the awkwardness in standing alone in public.

thing, but in my opinion because this is an opinion column to have human interaction is by far more satisfying to the social needs. Recognize the reasons why you are always on the thing. If it’s for the need of companionship, strike up a conversation with someone! Be social, because it’s what you want

wsspaper.com september 2014 opinion 43

OPINION

#ICEBUCKETCHALLENGE by lauren knudson & eleanor ho leknudson18@gmail.com eleanorcpbw12@gmail.com

I

t’s for charity, right? So why not?”

This is the question we all asked when we first heard about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. But we, your humble column writers, dared to ask some more. Are we actually doing any good? We’d all like to think that we do everything out of the goodness of our hearts, but is that really true?

In case you’ve been vacationing on the moon or stranded in the middle of nowhere for the past two months, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is when someone either dumps a bucket of ice water on their head or donates money to the ALS Association and then nominates a few other people to do the same. Since the start of the fad, more than 2.4 billion Ice Bucket Challenge videos have been uploaded to Facebook and 3.7 million posts with the tags #ALSIceBucketChallenge or #IceBucketChallenge.

One criticism of the Ice Bucket Challenge is that people blindly complete the challenge without educating themselves about the disease. So what is ALS? ALS is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It affects the nerve cells, mostly in the brain or spinal cord. Eventually, control of motor neurons is lost and the patient becomes paralyzed. Five thousand six hundred people are diagnosed with ALS every year. The average life expectancy of a person diagnosed with ALS is two to five years, but they can live up to 20 years post-diagnosis. In summary, it is a really devastating neurological disease. So if you were wondering what your money was going to research, there you go.

So how much money was raised through the Ice Bucket Challenge?

44 opinion september 2014 wsspaper.com

There is no exact way to figure out how much money would have been donated without the social media craze. Last year, the ALS Association raised $2.7 million during the same months that the Ice Bucket Challenge took place. This year, they raised about $112.4 million since the start of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Obviously, that is a lot more money, and that is great for the ALS association but it raises questions about what the money could have been used for.

A study done by “Giving What We Can” a charity organization found that for every dollar fundraised during a fundraising campaign, 50 cents is not given to a different charity.People only have so much they are willing to give to charity, and during the Ice Bucket Challenge other charities lost about 50 million dollars.

Not to shoot down or belittle ALS research, but does the organization really deserve all of that money, especially if it may be at the expense of other worthy charities? This is a question that many critics of the Ice Bucket Challenge ask, and most of those critics answer no. There are many other health issues,for example, leukemia, that are equally worthy of donations. About 150,000 people are diagnosed with leukemia each year, which is 27 times the amount of people diagnosed with ALS. Like ALS, there aren’t very many treatments, and the ones that do exist vary in effectiveness.

Chances are that with all this money donated and social media posts made, you know a few people who’ve done the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Or you know, a hundred or so. But with other fads, like Kony 2012, after a few months they fade into the background. With the

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, we aren’t making any lasting change. The videos will simply slip farther back on your Facebook timeline, not to be seen again, except by a creepy stalker or two.

But, we’re not necessarily saying don’t donate. We’re not saying you always have to pick the most serious and life-threatening disease every time. We are saying others, like those American Society for Preventing Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) animals need your love (and maybe your wallet too.) All that we ask is that next time, you take some extra time to look into what you’re really doing before you go grab the bucket. Or maybe a chicken thigh smeared with whipped cream, you never know what the next trend will be.

photo by kelsey keranen DESIGN BY KELSEY KERANEN

HUMOR Note: The article and cartoon below are satirical and not meant to be perceived as factual.

Researchers Introduce Radium Cleanup Fundraiser by akash borde

borde.aka.sh@gmail.com

art by shanthi chackalacka

Latest News from the Home Front: Spanish driven out of the Netherlands and five AP Euro students die of overexertion.

complete

the

lyrics

with Katy Nahra English teacher

Iowa City, IA-University of Iowa researchers are announcing a new fundraising opportunity for academic booster clubs.

Students, teachers and parents across the district are invited to radium cleanup every weekend to raise money for education. In return for gathering leftover radioactive and particles from particle collision research, the chemistry department will reward academic clubs with a stipend every week.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone. Since our nuclear chemists bring in so much revenue for the university, there’s no way we’ll make them clean up their own mess,” said Professor Sam Valdka. “Instead, we’re giving back to the community by sharing our profits with academic clubs when they come clean up the radioactive radium waste. We’re teaching young kids how things work in the real world–that when you’re important and rich, you can pay other people to do things for you. It’s a win-win situation.”

Valdka said volunteers should bring warm clothes as the cleanup will be done outdoors.“We’ll try our best to provide latex gloves

“wiggle” by jason derulo West side story: If I take pictures while you do your dance I can make you famous on Katy Nahra: The Twitter.

“Chandelier”

by Sia

Wss: I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier, I’m gonna live like Nahra: A monkey.

“rude”

by MAGIC! WSS: Why you gotta be so rude? I’m gonna take a walk Can I have your daughter for the rest of my life? Say yes, say yes ‘cause nahra: No. WSS: You say, I’ll never get your blessing ‘til Nahra: Ever.

and hazmat suits, unless we run out of either,” Valdka said.

For their own safety, Valdka encourages volunteers to come on time.

“If individuals show up after the start time of seven a.m., the radium may have had enough time to decay to a more radioactive isotope. But even that’s nothing to be seriously concerned about. In fact, the frigid Iowa mornings should slow down even the strongest gamma rays to the point that volunteers can easily dodge them.”

After cleanup, volunteers will be rewarded for their efforts.

“We’ll provide free donuts and orange juice for all our v o l u n t e e r s ,” Valdka said, “but only if they get to the front of the line before it’s all gone.”

photo by nick deerberg

“stay with me”

by Sam smith WSS: Guess it’s true, I’m not good at nahra: Long division WSS: Oh, won’t you stay with me? ‘Cause you’re nahra: Funny.

WSS: And deep down I know this never works, but you can nahra: Keep trying.

COMPilED by sharon xiang DESIGN BY BRITTANI LANGLAND

wsspaper.com SEPTEMBER 2014 HUMOR 45

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Washington Invite Merit semifinalists Music Playathon See photos of the crosscountry team, who placed second at their Cedar Rapids meet.

Check out the 19 West High seniors who were named National Merit Scholarship finalists.

Watch videos of West High students performing at the 2nd annual Music Playathon.

WHSDM Hair Drive

Take a look at West High Dance Marathon’s first hair drive to donate wigs to children with cancer.

46 WEB SEPTEMBER 2014 wsspaper.com

French Club

Battle of the Boot

Have a look at French Club’s fun activities on crêpe day.

Relive the excitement of the football team’s big win against City High from last Friday.

DESIGN BY LUSHIA ANSON

Photos by paige brazina design by madie miller

COMING TOGETHER

S

to raise awareness for childhood cancer

tudents, faculty and the community came together to raise awareness for childhood cancer at the first home football game of the year. Before the game, supporters brought the football from the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital to the game in a relay-like fashion. They were welcomed at the courtyard with a celebration, involving West’s cheer and dance teams, students, staff and community. The Trojans defeated Cedar Rapids Kennedy 12-9. Regardless of the outcome of the game, fans from both schools came together in their gold attire to support the efforts of West High

Celebrating the start of the event, Katie McGrane ’17 dances in the courtyard.

School Dance Marathon. Balloons sold at the game were released after the national anthem in honor and remembrance of those who are fighting and who have lost their battle to cancer. Proceeds from the balloons sold at the event will benefit the West High School Dance Marathon to financially support families being treated at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. compiled by madie miller

wss

For more coverage, go to wsspaper.com

Arriving from the hospital, participants carry the ball to the courtyard to be welcomed by a crowd of studetns.

The marching band debuted their new uniforms during half time.

Welcoming the participants bringing the football, Sofia Perez ’17 celebrates in the courtyard during the event.

Cheering loudly, the student section decked out in gold and encouraged the trojans to a 12-9 win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

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west photo scavenger hunt

If you are able to locate these zoomedin photos of places around West High, take a zoomed-out picture of them and tag us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @wsspaper for a chance to win a gift card.

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