2015-10-02

west side story iowa city west high school

2901 melrose ave.

PAGES 22-25

iowa city, IA 52246

AND

RATED EVALUATED The West Side Story examines how student opinion plays a role in the teacher evalutation process and what West is doing to improve teacher performance.

wsspaper.com

Volume 48 issue 1

OCTOBER 2, 2015

A

GOLDEN

Students, faculty and the community came together to raise awareness for pediatric cancer at the first home football game of the year. Popularly called Gold Out, this event included a dance party in the courtyard, the appearance of Griffin Tauke, a balloon release and high attendance at both football games.

NIGHT

PHOTOS/COMPILED BY PAIGE BRAZINA

DESIGN BY PAIGE BRAZINA

FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

CONTENTS NEWS

LIVE LIKE LINE

With the upcoming publication of Bill Hoeft’s novel about the Found family, West Side Story talks to the students, family and administration involved in the making of the book.

8 15 18 20

PROFILES

WELCOME TO WEST

West Side Story answers all of your questions about our new principal, Dr. Shoultz.

FEATURE

BRIDGING BORDERS

Learn more about West’s new Bridging Borders club, an organization that works to connect American students with students in ELL.

FEATURE

POLITICS AT WEST

West students and teachers involve the inner workings of local political clubs and political campaigns.

LETTER

FROM THE

EDITORS

To say that this month has been wild would be an understatement. It seemed as though the universe was making a point to affirm Murphy’s law every week of this publication cycle; thankfully, with the individual talents provided by all 65 of our staffers, we were able to produce this paper that you’re holding now.

This month, we wanted to write about something relevant to all of us at the beginning of the school year: our teachers. Our cover story considers how teachers are hired and evaluated, and how students can influence this process.

The product of a month’s worth of research and

interviews, this story asks valuable questions about what students are giving to and receiving from the school district and exemplifies the journalistic skill we harbor on staff.

Last but not least, we would like to take a moment of silence to remember homemade treats in classrooms. R.I.P. brownies, donuts and cookies and hello to preservative-filled packaged foods.

Here’s to another (hopefully) successful school year.

XOXO,

Karen (Kelsey+Sharon)

COVER DESIGN BY SIMRAN SARN COVER PHOTO BY PAIGE BRAZINA SPECIAL THANKS TO CHRISTIAN AANESTAD FOR CARVING THE APPLE

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3 FOR MORE

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COVERAGE VISIT

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BATTLE OF THE BOOT

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CLUB FAIR SHOWCASE

Check out photos from the West footbal team’s iconic battle against City High.

Take a look at the clubs you missed at this year’s club fair.

4 WEB TEASER OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

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HEALTHY KIDS ACT West Side Story looks into the changes made to West after the implementation of the Healthy Kids act.

BEHIND THE SCENES: 90S FASHION An exclusive,, behind-the-scenes look at the 90s fashion photo shoot (see page 26).

DESIGN BY KELSEY KERANEN

NEWS

GOOGLE CLASSROOMS STREAM

CLASSMATES

ABOUT

BY MICHAEL MOONJELY Love it or hate it, google classroom has made its way to West. This school year, the ICCSD rolled out the Google product to all of its schools.

According to Dr. Shoultz, all teachers are required to have some kind of online presence, and Google Classroom is an option. Teachers seem to be split on the product. “I currently use it for my Algebra 2 class, and it works well for posting assignments. I think it’s great [the students] have a reminder on their phone for their homework assignments,” said math teacher Kim Humpal. However, French teacher Theresa Juhl thinks otherwise. “I have mixed feelings about it, because I don’t know how to use it, and I need time to figure it out. I use other things like Docs, and Drive, just not Google Classroom.” Shoultz says that faculty will assess the pros and cons of Google Classroom towards the end of the year.

CHANGES AROUND WEST

WEST SIDE STORY ARCHIVES

BY NINA ELKADI If you’ve ever wondered what the West Side Story looked like before you attended West, you’re in luck. Check out our archives at WSSpaper.com/archives to see everything from coverage of your parents to Beatlemania. These archives only cover years 1968-2007, but you can check out issuu.com and search West Side Story for issues from 2007 until now.

BY MASON WANG Returning from an amazing hate it. I hate it with every fiber of summer, you wonder how your my being.” Maria Cross ‘18 said. excellent, even more amazing The Kirkwood Regional center, school could get any better. Well, near Oakdale Boulevard, has here are 7 ways your experience at opened up this year. There, West West will at least be different. students have begun studying The bathrooms in the science college level courses with an hallway are getting intense focus on STEM remodeled and technical skills.

It’s been worth the The school represents wait. Just one step in a a partnership between school-wide project to the school district and fix the bathrooms, the Kirkwood, and tries to get new bathrooms will be students interested in a finished soon. “They’ll Molly Abraham, four-year college program. start working on the Assisstant Principal The library is now bathrooms above them, closing early.

Starting then the bathrooms two floors September 3, the library will close above them,” Abraham said. at 4 instead of 4:30 because the There are no more vending library is understaffed. They hope machines ; the vending machines, to stay open longer as soon as once happily used in the cafeteria, they hire another librarian. “We’re now sit lonely in a corridor in the looking at people for the job,” art hallway. “We had to take them said Abraham. Meanwhile, the out. We just couldn’t find any librarians at West will spend their vendors that could provide for us extra time with their families and that followed the Healthy Kids going to meetings.

Act,” Abraham said, confirming a Finally, new teachers have spreading rumor. arrived. There are 12 new teachers.

As Dr. Shoultz explained, “The Of these, most teach courses for state came in, audited the machine underclassmen, like Algebra or and said things like ‘these pretzels American Sutdies. Byron Butler, do not have enough whole wheat Biology teacher, Joan Burns, French flour in them.’ And at that point Teacher, John Boylan, Language we decided that we can’t comply to Arts teacher, Will Coghillthese rules.”

Behrends, German teacher, and The Smart Snacks regulation Gelene Smutz, Math teacher, have began banning a la carte foods all joined West this year. from “school stores” starting last school year. Now, it has taken away our beloved vending machines. “I

NEW SCHOOL CALENDAR

BY SHARON XIANG

Starting this year, the ICCSD switched to a school year that is based off of hours instead of days, shortening the school year to 175 days instead of the previous 180 days. This change may be celebrated by most students; however, the shortened school year is causing trouble for AP teachers, who now need to teach more Chris Jung ‘16 information in a shorter period of time before the AP test.

AP Chemistry teacher Michelle Wikner had to give current students a summer package due to the shortened year, as opposed to years before. Wikner assigned homework over the summer for the first time because “the AP exam date doesn’t change regardless of how many school days are hacked off,” Wikner said.

However, students haven’t complained much to Wikner about the change. “[The summer packet] was mostly review stuff; it just wasn’t fun thinking about the last couple days of break working on homework stuff,” Wikner said.

Some students don’t believe that the shorter school year will have much of an effect.

“Students might have to do a bit of summer homework, or self study outside of class to compensate for lost time,” Chris Jung ’16 said, “but I don’t think that is much to gripe about. If you’re taking AP classes, you should be willing to put forth a certain degree of effort, and learning new material on your own shouldn’t be too daunting of a task.”

FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

DESIGN BY WINGEL XUE

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 NEWS 5

BUDGET CUTS

BY FENNA SEMKEN AND KAYLA SHADER

Big changes come at the year, but this year the state only beginning of each school year, but gave us 1.25%. We overestimated prominent budget cuts were not on what we were going to get and something the school anticipated. that means we have to cut classes “This has been a trend for almost and programs,” Iannone said.

Not only are classes being cut, 8 years. Little by little, the district has been growing, adding 40- but the district cannot hire enough 60 students each year. You don’t teachers to have stable class sizes.

“The thing about school money is feel the growth until it’s bad,” Dr. Shoultz, West High’s principal said. that it is split in sections, and when This growth of students we get the money it goes toward throughout the district is affecting specific things… For example, money that is being the way classrooms run, used for construction as well as the classes cannot be used to hire available to students. new teacher,” Iannone Dominic Iannone said. “In the district, teaches World History about 85% of the money and AP European is for hiring staff, so History at West High. when we are short “Many teachers are Dominic Ianonne on funding that is adapting by assigning Social Studies usually the first one less. Having 30 extra Teacher to be cut. There is also students might not seem like a lot, but it means five more discretionary money, so the hours of work for [teachers],” school has money that they can Iannone said. “There aren’t enough spend on whatever is needed. All hours in a day to be able to add of that money is gone this year.”

Besides the lack of staffing, that. While it might seem good to a student, we want teachers many strides have been taken to to be able to make decisions accommodate for the increase on assignments based upon in students. Lockers have education purpose, not off hours.” been added to the band wing Classroom sizes are because of the lack of space.

“I thought it was going be increasing because of West High’s lack of state funding. very bad [to have those lockers], “Schools have to estimate the but it’s not actually that much percent of state money they get worse than other lockers since yearly and we guess 2% almost every I have two music classes,”

BY THE NUMBERS

3.6

COMPILED BY FENNA SEMKEN

Million dollars are being cut from programs

6 NEWS OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

said Casey McClenathan ’17.

With the new high school being built, the overall number of students will decrease. This decrease will make the halls seem less crowded, but will not help the problem of class sizes.

“We have spent a lot of money on keeping the elementary schools small, but that means high schools are big. People think that when the third high school opens, everything will be fixed. It won’t.

When the students go over to the new high school, teachers will go over too. So even though there are fewer students, the actual number of students in classes won’t change,” Iannone said.

their decisions have on schools,” Shoultz said. “They vote for many activities that we have to pay for, and by using that money, it has put a freeze on hiring teachers.”

In addition to the effect our community has on the placement of money, Shoultz believes elementary schools play a big part in the low funding.

“I have looked at the budget issue so many times, and the only way I can see it getting better is if we get more efficient at elementary schools. We need to make the schools bigger… More teachers can be hired at the high school level if that is achieved, because less teachers will be needed at the elementary level,” Shoultz said.

“We have spent a lot of Shoultz has a goal for the district, and money on keeping the he will do what it elementary schools small, takes to get there. but that means high schools “My mission is to provide great are big. People think that education for when the third high school students of all ages. I want to have opens, everything will be excellent teachers with students who fixed. It won’t.” are interested in -Dr. Schoultz learning. Having Despite the hardships the district so many students in one place is facing this year, Shoultz has a plan. hurts that mission,” Shoultz said.

“I need to make all board members aware about the impact

150 Million dollars are being put towards a new Teacher Leadership initiative

2000 Students are being affected by budget cuts

DESIGN BY HANNAH FEMINO

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES

BY ISABELLE ROBLES AND MAGGIE TERRY

On Sept. 10, the Johnson to $8 an hour six months later County board of supervisors when he switched into working at passed legislation making the Starbucks kiosk. This past July Johnson county the first county the Coralville Hy-Vee raised the in the state to raise minimum store minimum wage to $9 an hour. wage above the state minimum. Because of this, Hagan is expecting Currently the minimum wage is the wage to increase to $10.10 to $7.25, however by 2017 Johnson be implemented, and thinks the will have a new minimum wage timed increments are a good idea. of $10.10 per hour. The change “Honestly, I think it’s smart [that it will take place over the next won’t be in full effect until January year by increments of $0.95 2017] because businesses, if they with the first one had to fully implement being this November. that, it would be kind This change will affect of hard to do that right students with part-time away. They would jobs. Some, like Liam probably have to make Hagan ’16, are looking certain budget cuts with forward to the change the minimum wage and are expecting it to increase. If they did it all be . “I save half of my Serenity Hopkins ’16 at once they wouldn’t be paycheck… I’m excited able to adjust in time.” for this pay increase because I Other students are unsure will have more money to save about the impacts. Juniors Kaylee and spend, and $10.10 is a lot Guymon and Laura Fletcher more than I make right now, it’s both work at Chick-fil-A for just a good thing,” Hagan said. $8.25 an hour, $1.00 above Hagan began working at the the current minimum wage.

Coralville location Hy-Vee in May “I don’t think they are going to of 2014 as a clerical worker at raise [the hourly wage now] because $7.45 an hour. His pay increased it is already above minimum wage,”

Fletcher said. Since the first part should do that,” she said, “ They of the wage increase is by $0.95 in didn’t necessarily say anything November, Chick-fil-A will still to us about it, but my manager be above minimum wage until did talk to us about it and he the next increase. Guymon and said it’s not necessarily the store Fletcher anticipate changes then that decides whether or not they “I don’t think they are going raise the pay, it’s the company in to be hiring as much general that decides because they don’t want whether or not they to pay as much, but I want to raise the pay. think we’ll probably get So if the company the same wage as we decides whether or usually do,” Guymon not they want to raise said. When the wage the pay, they would hits the final increase have to raise everyone’s Liam Hagan ’16 to $10.10 in 2017 they pay, you can’t just expect bigger changes. raise one store. ” “I don’t think they would Hopkins thinks that because fire us, but I think they would of this it will be difficult fire the people they don’t to raise the pay, but thinks really need,” Fletcher said. in time they will have to.

Serenity Hopkins ’16 also is “People are going to complain unsure if her wage will increase. about it,” Hopkins said. “I Hopkins works as a waitress for think once I start to work Steak and Shake and earns $4.25 an more I will say something.” hour, with the rest of her wage being filled by tips. She says she’s hopeful they will raise their wage in suit of the new minimum wage, but after a talk with her manager isn’t so sure.

“It’s a big company, so I think they

$10.10

$7.25

$5.15

2015 2000

DESIGN BY HANNAH FEMINO GRAPHICS BY CATHERINE JU

2017 WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 NEWS PAGE 7

LOVE LIKE ELLYN Caroline and Ellyn Found impacted the lives of many inside and outside the West High community.

With the release of two books and an upcoming movie, the Founds’ influence will continue to reach beyond the West High community.

BY FENNA SEMKEN

On Aug. 11, 2011, tragedy struck the West High Whitehead’s retelling of events, as well as and former head volleyball coach, has signed community. Caroline Found died in a moped many others, has affected Hoeft’s emotions. with LD Entertainment to start the production crash. On Aug. 23 the same year, her mother, “I don’t go to funerals unless I absolutely feel of a movie based on her own novel, West on Ellyn Found, lost her battle with pancreatic pressed to go. So... watching their funerals Nine, which tells the story of the volleyball cancer. Today, they are remembered through years later on videos and writing about them, team’s journey. The book will not be released their respective slogans, “Live Like Line and I became depressed. I had to step away from until the movie is finished in late 2016.

Love Like Ellyn,” and on Oct. 17, Ice Cube Press writing the story for two months; I couldn’t even “We appreciate Bill’s effort to chronicle publishing will share their stories through a book. sit down at the computer anymore,” Hoeft said. our amazing journey in the fall of 2011.

Bill Hoeft, author of Live Like Line, Love Like That being said, however, his account Ellyn, has been working on the book for four years.

Caroline has inspired me to be of the volleyball season is just that: his “I wrote the book because it’s a local not necessarily ours,” a better person. She taught me interpretation, story and with the deaths being so close, according to a statement provided to to love a little harder, laugh a it made you think, ‘Wow, I would not be West Side Story by the volleyball team. able to handle that.’ And with the volleyball Despite their different outlooks, Bresnahan little more, and not to fret the team going on without her and winning said that the team is supportive of anything -Disterhoft ‘12 small stuff. state - it was an amazing story,” Hoeft said. that helps share Ellyn and Caroline’s stories.

Caroline was driving down Mormon Trek Caroline and Ellyn’s loving spirit has helped Boulevard on her way home from a church Writing this book has made Hoeft think the team accept Hoeft’s telling of events. event when she lost control of her moped, about his responsibilities as the author.

Allyson Disterhoft ‘12 was a friend hit a tree and died instantly. With the book, “I’m not sure I was the one to write the and former teammate of Caroline.

Hoeft hopes to spread awareness for helmet book. I think I was called to it. There were so “Simply, Caroline has inspired me to be a laws as well as Caroline and Ellyn’s story. many things that happened along better person. She taught me to love Looking back on the beginning of their the way that made it seem like a little harder, laugh a little more, and story, memories of sadness fill the book. God called me to write this book. not to fret the small stuff. I think that “What I remember the most about Caroline When I needed someone or a piece her story has inspired hundreds of was her smile... her smile and her laugh. of information, all of the sudden other people as well, and that is truly She could almost make light of something they would just appear. It was more amazing. I also knew Ellyn, and she despite of how serious it might be at the than a coincidence,” Hoeft said. too was an incredible lady. Ellyn and moment in order to make everybody feel Ernie Found was the most help Kathy Bresnahan, Ernie, Caroline’s father, are two of the author better,” said Ernie Found, Caroline’s father. to Hoeft over the years of writing most loving, genuine people I have Laynie Whitehead ’15, was a friend and the book, but finding trust and retelling ever met in my life. I am a better person today former teammate of Caroline. events to him was not always easy. because I knew Caroline. To know her was “The morning after she passed away “The hardest thing to tell Bill was to love her, and I feel blessed to have had the was the saddest thing I have ever how much my heart was broken. opportunity to do both,” Disterhoft said. experienced. My mom woke me up very Eventually, I was able to [tell him] early to tell me the news, and I didn’t with lots of tears and breaking believe her until I got to West. Then, I down, and lots of perseverance got to the gym and all of the volleyball that Caroline and Ellyn’s legacy girls and their parents were there Bill Hoeft, author would be continued,” Found said. grieving together. The lights were off and Besides the upcoming release of the all you could hear were sobs,” Whitehead said. book, Kathy Bresnahan, P.E. and health teacher

8 NEWS OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

DESIGN BY WINGEL XUE

WHAT

IN THE

WORLD

United Kingdom,

A drunk squirrel in the UK infiltrated a bar and managed to completely destroy it in its drunken haze. Bottles and money were strewn around and the taps were leaking.

South Africa Washington The town of Langley, Washington has been overrun by a horde of hundreds of bunnies. This invasion of the fuzzy menaces has cost the town over $80,000 in damage.

In order to save the rhinos from poachers and spread awareness for the issue, Steven Newman jumped naked from a plane over Capetown.

China

Chen Gongke invented a device that heats, washes, massages, and then dries the user’s hair in just five short minutes. It’s made from an old motorcycle helmet.

COMPILED BY EBONY MCKEEVER AND JEREMY HU

AMPS IT UP

BY JUN-HEE LEE & SHAWN THACKER

Since there aren’t enough people enrolled, Math. It’s the course where the teacher AMPS is currently being held as an spouts incoherent words, equations and independent study. Mr. James Kirpes, the formulas that most think are ultimately AMPS teacher at West High, is hoping to useless. However, West High’s Art of see more students participate in Math Problem Solving, or the course in the future.

AMPS, course is challenging “I want to encourage any and this boring, memory-based all students with a high degree of curriculum by incorporating interest in mathematics to take problem-solving strategies and AMPS and substantially improve critical thinking into problems problem solving skills,” Kirpes that challenge students to think said. outside of the box.

Philippe Jay ‘19 While there were up to 21 Philippe Jay ’19, who is taking students enrolled in AMPS in AMPS this year, enjoys the “the glory days,” the number different types of problems he has drastically decreased with only eight encounters in this non-curriculum course. students enrolled this year. Although the “[AMPS] is not so much about learning course is struggling with low enrollment all the ways to solve problems, but instead rates, Kirpes and AMPS work to make you’re solving it for yourself and seeing the math at West a more rich, interesting and different ways to solve the problems,” Jay rewarding experience. said.

DESIGN BY EBONY MCKEEVER

TWITTER TALK:

Q: IN LIGHT OF THE NEW IOS 9 UPDATE, WHAT KIND OF UPDATE WOULD YOU WANT NEXT?

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 NEWS 9

PROFILES

FRIEND CRUSH

BY KELSEY KERANEN

From left: Gracie Rechkemmer ‘18, Anna Truskowski ‘18, Paige Harken ‘18 They’re leaning into one another they’ve really gotten to know one thing-- ” Harken begins. continues. conspiratorially, exchanging words another through choir.

“Oh, well we were calling Laura “I decided I needed a guy and jokes and bites of laughter, their “We’ve bonded a lot over choir,” a social butterfly, and then we name, too, so I went with Ted,” knees resting comfortably against Harken says, her chin resting neatly changed it so social Laurafly, and Rechkemmer says, adding that one another as they wait to get their upon her hand. “In junior high we then we changed it to PHLAGflies it has nothing to do with the picture taken. This is, perhaps, were in choir together, and these for all of our names,” Rechkemmer cinematic Bill and Ted. They the greatest representation of past two years at West we’ve all explains, her hands aflutter. figured that out after. their friendship; a display of utter been really involved in the choir Like many friends, they try The three have a deep respect for ease in one another’s company. program and it’s been so much valiantly to explain the origin one another, one forged after years They are Anna Truszkowski, of unadulterated friendship, Paige Harken and Gracie evidenced in the words of Rechkemmer ’18, respectively, admiration that they offer one and they are best friends. another.

I admire Gracie’s passion for everything and “I’ve known Paige since I was “Paige,” Rechkemmer begins, two years old,” Truszkowski Anna is the most kind, loving person I know … “is so talented … but she never begins, “ and I met Gracie in holds that over people. She’s so I’m just very glad to have them [...] I appreciate humble and loving and kind to the seventh grade. I didn’t really think much about Paige…” everyone. Anna just lights up every moment I can share with them.

“Because you were two.” the room every time she comes Harken adds.

-Paige Harken ‘18 in. Whenever Anna is there you “Because I was two,” know something crazy is going Truszkowski continues, “and I to happen and you’re going to thought Gracie was kind of weird fun.” of their inside jokes and bizarre have a new inside joke.” and crazy, but then I realized Their memories, of course, are memories, sometimes getting lost “I admire Gracie’s passion for maybe we would fit well together, not restricted to those made in the in the ridiculousness of it all. everything,” Harken says, “and because so am I.” choir room.

“We have guy names,” Anna is the most kind, loving “I was inviting [Anna] to some of “I think we had PE together in Rechkemmer says. person I know … I’m just very my church events, and that’s why the seventh grade,” Rechkemmer “I felt like there were way too glad to have them in my life and she thought I was crazy, because smiles, “and we came up with many people named Anna, so I said I appreciate every moment I can she didn’t want to come and I kept PHLAGflies. That’s P-H-L-A-G you can literally call me anything share with them.” inviting her,” Rechkemmer adds. for Paige, our friend Hallie, Laura, but Anna and I will respond and “This doesn’t sound scripted at The trio, although sharing an Anna and Gracie.” someone just called me Bill and I all,” Truszkowski quips. amalgam of interests, feel as though “How… how did the PHLAGs was like… alright,” Truszkowski PHOTOS BY JEREMY HU 10 PROFILES OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM DESIGN BY MADDIE MORIYAMA

FASHION PROFILE

CATHERINE MCLEAN

BY EBONY MCKEEVER

When walking down the halls of West High, a person will more often than not find themselves victim to an onslaught of clothing styles ranging from pastel grunge to preppy, reaching out to 50s vintage, gothic and circling back to urban chic. However, amidst this sea of snap backs, maxi skirts and crop tops, one girl has floated to the surface. When Catherine McLean ’16 walks down a hallway it’s almost impossible for someone not to turn their head.

“My fashion sense is eclectic; I

McLean’s wardrobe is no exception.

“One of my favorite clothing items is probably my high-waisted jean shorts that are kind of 90s inspired. I think I can match anything with that and I love high-waisted pants; it’s, like, all I own. I think it’s a necessary piece in everyone’s wardrobe,” she said.

When shopping, one can most likely find McLean perusing the aisles of Forever 21 and The Silver Spider. “For my jewelry I like going to Silver Spider downtown because they have really unique pieces and

My style is eclectic [...] I take pieces from lots of styles and [...] make up my own.

Catherine McLean ‘16

like things from different eras and things that are unique that I don’t see other people wearing. I often alter clothes to change them more to my style and it makes them more interesting of a piece,” McLean said.

McLean has always had an affinity for fashion but only really started digging deep at the beginning of high school. “It’s a new start, and it’s fun changing up your look,” McLean said.

When asked what her main source of inspiration is, McLean stated “I get a lot of inspiration from YouTubers and social media.

Tumblr has lots of cool, different, edgier looks. I also love the magazine Nylon and get lots of style inspiration from that.”

It is a universal constant that in every closet there is that one pair of jeans that is revered by its owner, or perhaps the blouse that is perfect for every occasion.

there’s only a few of each,” McLean said.

However, she can also be found in the many thrift shops we have here in Iowa City. “I like to shop at thrift stores because it’s fun looking through all the clothes and finding something really interesting and unique. It’s cool to think about where it’s been,” McLean said.

One of the most iconic aspects of McLean’s style is her exuberant bounty of unique jewelry. On a normal day McLean’s fingers are clad with no less than five rings.

“I love wearing jewelry because it just makes your outfit look like you put a lot of time into picking it out when you really woke up and threw something together in a hurry. I wear a necklace that I got as a gift from Ireland every day because it’s very special to me, and I’m usually wearing my choker with the cool Harry Potter charm on it.”

PHOTOS BY MEG MORELAND DESIGN BY WINGEL XUE AND MADDIE MORIYAMA

FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 PROFILES 11

NEW AND COOL

A new school year is on the rise and West High is welcoming 12 new teachers to stew in our Midwestern melting pot. With fields ranging from mathematics to vocal music, the West Side Story takes a look at the eccentric sides of these new teachers.

“[When I was a kid] I wanted to work for the CIA. I actually wrote away to get information about joining the CIA. I wanted to be a spy and learn three or four languages. Even though I wrote the letter to find out more about the CIA, my mother was absolutely against it. Then, I thought about being a nurse and then a teacher and being a teacher is what I eventually landed on.”

“[When I was a kid] I thought I was going to be an NBA player, for sure without a doubt.

I’ve played basketball my whole life. I used to throw the ball off my garage and catch it, then shoot fade away jump shots like I was Reggie Miller. You guys probably don’t know who that is nowadays though.”

John Boylan Language Arts

Joan Burns French “My first teaching job was in Germany to teach German language and culture to a group of international exchange students.

I wasn’t actually professionally trained as a teacher before this but that is what really solidified my love of teaching. One weird talent I have is that I’ve gotten really good at desk climbing in order to open the windows in my classroom.”

“I’m very picky about my documents. [...] I’m very picky, and that’s not a good thing because I spend way too much time just about little details where I should just use that time for the things that are big.”

Wil Coghill-Behrends German

Alexander Lalagos Social Studies

Gelene Smutz Math

12 PROFILES OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

“I entered the Peace Corps in Gambia [and worked as a teacher]. I really enjoyed changing students’ lives and enriching them. I can’t imagine any other job that I would want where I felt I was making as big of an impact on my community and, consequently, the world.”

PHOTOS BY JEREMY HU DESIGN BY BARBARA BADOVINAC

“A lot of my background stems from swimming and something that I immediately liked was that when we would finish up practices a lot of my teammates respected me enough that they’d ask me for advice about how to improve their strokes and things like that. That was the first time I ever really considered being an educator; as I got more into it, I just enjoyed it so much.”

“I fell in love with education and having a sense of purpose in life. I felt that for me to do the most amount of good, I wanted to impact others in a positive way. The way I felt I could best do that would be to become a choir teacher.”

Byron Butler

Jeff Knutson

Biology

Choir

“[I wanted to start teaching because] it offered the opportunity to work with young adults and help them grow. When I was five years old I thought I was going to be an artist and then it turned out I can’t draw or paint at all. After that I was kind of at a loss for what to do until I started school.”

“I had several bats in my [last] classroom over the years. [Once, I sat] in my desk and I turned and heard this ‘reet, ree, reet.’ I was stepping on one. I screamed so loud and took off running.

It still gives me the heebeegeebees when I think of it.”

Greg Witt Statistics

Katie Salvidar Spanish

Julie Kennebeck Math

“So I really like to ride horses. It’s something I’ve done a lot. I do more of like... an eventing style, so they have three phases, like dressage, show jumping and cross-country jumping. Oh, and I also just bought my first house.”

Kerry Kilker IJAG “I have worked with this specific age group for years and this opportunity became available. I want to still reach [the students], but in a different capacity. [The opportunity] kind of fell in my lap, actually; it was meant to be. I’m here for a reason.”

COMPILED BY EBONY MCKEEVER, ANTHONY PIZZIMENTI, AND LEXI SHAFFER

Stacey Noble Social Sciences “All throughout my life, teachers didn’t care just about me, but they cared about all of their students. I just realized that it was something that I wanted to try.”

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 PROFILES 13

14

ART BY BRAEDYN DOCHTERMAN DESIGN BY BARBARA BADOVINAC

When one door closes, another opens. Dr. Shoultz’s fresh face has replaced Dr. Arganbright’s roaming the halls. The West Side Story interviewed Dr. Shoultz about his personal life and past to help make his presence a little more familiar.

The Gang’s (Almost) All Here

[My wife, Amy Shoultz] is a professor at the University of Iowa and also teaches a class here at West High ... I have two children, one is a senior here, her name is Natalie, and I have [my daughter Sophie] that is a sophomore at Georgetown.

Since You’ve Been Gone

It’s gotten a lot bigger [since I was an assistant principal in 2003]. There were just under 1,400 students when I was working here last. One of my jobs was to schedule classes, so I knew how many sections we needed, but now there are a lot more students and a lot more teachers. I think we’ve added maybe 30-35 teachers since I was here last, that’s a lot of new folks.

Social Media Science

I found that there are certain platforms that really work. It’s also kind of a fun way to do things. If you can create a fun and meaningful tweet (it’s actually harder than it looks), it is a way to create [a sense of community]. As a junior high principal I did a lot of work with media, with students, whether it was being part of the television show or producing some of their work. I found that I got a good reaction from that and students kind of enjoy it, enjoy seeing themselves.

Principal Perks

I guess my favorite part about becoming principal of West is the reception I’ve gotten.

The students have been fairly favorable. The ones that remember me or kind of remember me [from junior high], it’s fun for them to greet me and they seem pretty positive. I guess of those things my favorite part is working with great teachers: watching them teach, seeing the impact that they have on the students, just seeing that growth, that’s by far my favorite.

Relaxation Station

You know, I have gotten into trying to make sure I work out every day. How I make it relaxing is I listen to podcasts, I will row and just put in my podcasts. It really releases tension and it’s great for my blood pressure.

Ball is Life

For recreation I am a bicyclist. In the wintertime I ski cross country. My newest thing is rowing, though I’ve never been on the water, just a rowing machine. Occasionally I play golf, but I play pretty bad golf.

International Passport

My wife and I got married after we both taught in Illinois for a couple years. Then we wanted to go overseas, I always wanted to teach overseas.

So we went over and we taught in Guam for a couple years and then we taught in Switzerland for four years. That’s where we had [our daughters] Sophie and Natalie.

The Times Are A’Changing

The only thing that I really came in with was the question “How do students learn about what’s happening at school?” and that’s the one [question] I didn’t really get a good answer for. So that’s when we went to try to get some television equipment that we then broadcast for advisory. In the future we will be using that same kind of equipment to just get student announcements out.

When I Was A Young Boy

I did two sports: I was first baseman and played basketball. I was in band and jazz band and then my senior year I got involved in drama and I was the lead in the school play, which was a very interesting experience because I had to learn a lot of lines. Another thing I did was I worked a lot. I worked at a grocery store and so when I wasn’t doing those things I learned a lot about work ethic by working at a grocery store.

Trunk to Tail

I feel like I’m missing out on the opportunity to have my own pet elephant because that would be really cool but I don’t like to take wild animals and domesticate them, I’m gonna go with Border Collie. I had a dog as a child and I haven’t been able to incorporate one into my life, but if I did I’d definitely be looking at a Border Collie. They’re active and keep you active. They’d be a lot of fun.

Junior High vs High School

Students are more mature, but sometimes the problems they have are just more entrenched, so you feel like it’s harder to make a difference sometimes. That’s the big thing, the students are more mature [and] sometimes that’s not always easier.

COMPILED BY DANETTA DOBRE PHOTO BY JEREMY HU

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 PROFILES 15

1

RAYMOND FLORKE

BY PRATEEK RAIKWAR

Envision a world where you don’t Florke sees rapping as a way to tell live with your parents and have a his story. severe physical disorder. Life is a “Some people don’t really like rap heck of a lot to deal with, but you because of swear words and all that, can express yourself through one but when you find a rap artist that thing. For Raymond Florke ’19, incorporates a story into it, you can that one thing is writing in the learn a lot about that person through form of rap and slam poetry. their rapping, and I kind of like to Florke has been rapping for the emulate that style, too,” Florke said. past three years and was inspired by his seventh grade Language Arts teacher, Amari Nasafi.

“Raymond strikes me as a young man who wants to transform his experience in this world into something powerful to share with other humans,” Nasafi said.

Florke sees rapping as a way to tell the world his story. Florke draws a lot of inspiration out of other Besides rapping, Florke also famous rappers such as Drake, Lil likes to participate in poetry Wayne, and especially Eminem. slam competitions. Poetry slams “Eminem always talks about how are competitions in which many hard his life was and incorporates people share poems about topics that within his rapping, and I can of their choice. Five judges are relate to that a lot,” Florke said. picked from the audience and each Although society often believes rate the speaker’s performance that rapping is just a way to glorify on a scale from zero to ten. These violence and objectify women, ratings are based on physical 16 FEATURE OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

presence, voice, articulation and evidence of understanding, among other categories. After writing and practicing for countless hours in February, it was finally time for Florke to participate in his first ever competition.

“I did it because some teachers were telling me that I should try

one because they thought I would be good at it. It was my very first one, and I won. They said that I was the best because I put a story into it, just like my rapping,” Florke said.

Nasafi recently saw a video of Florke reciting the poem that won him his first poetry slam competition.

“Raymond’s poem is cathartic,

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IN

fierce, and honest. It makes me ask myself tough questions about how I’ve dealt with adversity in my own life,” Nasafi said. “[...] The raw materials Raymond uses to create his poems come from his real life experience. In that sense, he’s communicating to his audience what’s real for him.”

Although Florke won the competition that he competed in during February, he struggled to recite his poem. In doing so, he learned a valuable lesson that he will never forget.

“I froze on the stage. It was really embarrassing. I guess I learned from that experience not to look into the crowd, just kind of looking past all of them and especially to share my story,” Florke said. “If the crowd doesn’t like what I’m saying, then the crowd doesn’t like what I’m saying. What it really comes down to is if I am expressing myself well enough. This is my work, I put my own time into it and I enjoy it.”

DESIGN BY HANNAH FEMINO

FEATURE

CARDIO-PROOF MAKEUP

BY MADELINE SILVA

101 CARDIO

Wet n Wild Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer ($4.69)

Eyeshadow primer is applied to the eyelid before the shadow itself. It makes the color more vivid and it helps the shadow last longer. This fine product specifically is from Wet n Wild’s “Fergie Centerstage Collection”.

Yeah, I know. Hear me out. You might think you’re too good for a product from a back-of-thedrugstore brand endorsed by a mid 2000s pop star, but I’m here to make you think again.

This stuff performs excellently for its lovely price and will make your shadow stay put through the rowing machine.

Cardio is a huge inconvenience that everyone who has to take PE goes through.

We’re expected to get hot, sweaty and disgusting, and then return to class like it’s no big deal. For people who want to wear makeup to school, it is a big deal, because sweat is makeup’s number one enemy.

None of the recommendations here are for situations where you don’t have to work out during school - most of the time it’s easier and more advisable to just go bare-faced to the gym, but the situation we face here is unique.

Here are some makeup recommendations for products that stand up above the rest in the fight against the consequences of physical activity.

Oil Absorbing Sheets ($4.49)

Liquid lipsticks apply like lip glosses, with a doe’s foot applicator, but dry down to an opaque matte finish.

They are formulated to be waterproof and extremely long lasting, and they’re your best bet if you want your red lips to last through a stint on the elliptical. Kat Von D is featured here simply because you can pick them up at the Sephora in Coral Ridge, and the color range is wide and unique, but many brands have similar options.

Oil absorbing sheets are thin plastic or paper sheets that are used to blot away the oil that makes skin shiny. Environmental concerns aside, plastic ones tend to work much better than paper. They are much better at absorbing oil than sweat, so the best plan of action is to use the paper towels in the cardio room to wipe away most sweat, and then use blotting sheets to clean up the rest of the oil.

Nyx Matte Liquid Eyeliner

Waterproof Mascara ($5.89)

Like mascara, many brands of eyeliner have waterproof versions.

And like mascara, these have varying degrees of return on their promise.

From many hours of experience, however, I can say that this stuff from Nyx is the real deal. As long as you can resist rubbing your eyes, this liner will last.

This one is fairly obvious.

Almost all drugstore mascaras and most high-end varieties have a waterproof formula that will keep away raccoon-face even when you sweat, so you don’t have to find another favorite. It’s a good idea to only use waterproof mascara when you need it, however, because it’s harder on your lashes.

($7.00)

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick ($20.00)

SOURCE FOR PRICES IS TARGET.COM DESIGN BY KATIE FUHRMEISTER GRAPHICS BY EUGENIA CHEN

FOR VIDEO COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 FEATURE 17

B

G

G IN D I R

BOR DERS

BY JUNHEE LEE & SHAWN THACKER

18 FEATURE OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

PHO TO

BY J EREM

Y HU

Learning a new language is difficult, but Bridging Borders works to break the language barrier.

You sit in your math classroom, staring intently at the problems on the screen. You don’t understand anything the teacher is saying, but you work through the computations and arrive at an answer. Suddenly, the teacher calls on you to answer a question, but no words come to mind. Even with the answer in your head, you can’t come up with the words to express it.

For ELL students, situations like this aren’t uncommon. But through Bridging Borders, ELL students are closing the gap between themselves and American society.

Bridging Borders is a student club that pairs ELL students with American students in hopes of improving the students’ speaking ability and familiarizing them with American culture. In the program, students spend time talking to their American friends, learning about different aspects of high school life or just hanging out.

For Fatima Mohamed ’18, who moved from Sudan in 2013, reaching out to peers at West High was initially difficult. “[I was afraid] that they were going to make fun of me,” Mohamed said. “I just went with my Sudanese friends most of the time.”

With the help of Bridging Borders Mohamed met Mia O’Brien ’18 and quickly gained more confidence and started talking to Americans as well. Throughout the previous year, Mohamed and O’Brien talked to each other on a weekly basis about

“I think it’s important for American students to get to know people from different cultures,”

-Tiffany Roiseland, ELL Teacher

It’s different when you talk to people who are not from your country,” Khamees said.

Because of the benefits of the program, Tiffany Roiseland, an ELL teacher at West High, hopes to see more of West High students participate in it.

“American students are hesitant to sign up because they are afraid of not understanding what [the ELL students] say,” Roiseland said, “[but] I think it’s important for American students to get to know people from different cultures.”

Looking towards the future, Roiseland hopes that having more American students participate will help every ELL student learn and grow through Bridging Borders.

“Really our main goal is to match every ELL student with somebody who’s very good at English, so they have that chance to practice their spoken English that they maybe don’t get in the classroom during the day,” Roiseland said.

By opening a door that allows ELL students to connect with Americans, Bridging Borders creates opportunities for Americans to broaden their perspective of the world while helping ELL students learn more English, fit in, and most importantly, make a friend.

“If nothing else, in the beginning, there’s someone [the ELL students] recognize. That goes a long way in making someone feel like they know someone.”

Do ELL Stud s e g a ent u g n sS a L pe t ARABIC a

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SPANISH

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school and their shared classes. students] pronounce the words,” With the new school year ahead of Mohamed said. her, Mohamed hopes to meet new Mohammed Khamees ’17, an people and make new friends.

Iraqi ELL student in the program, “This is my second year at West agrees that Bridging Borders has High, so I’m kind of been helpful in learning used to Americans English. and I’m trying to get “I thought it would American friends,” take me more than four Mohamed said. years to learn English, In addition to having but after I came to the a friend to talk to, school I became better Bridging Borders has and better,” Khamees helped Mohamed with Fatima Mohamed ’17 said. “My favorite class her English. Although is ELL.” she had studied English before Khamees, who was never shy moving to the U.S., Mohamed about talking to American people, thinks that the program has helped used Bridging Borders to meet new her learn more. faces at West.

“I can listen to how [the American “I get to talk to American people.

STUDENTS

FRENCH

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STUDENTS

DESIGN BY RYO OHASHI

SWAHILI

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STUDENTS

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 FEATURE 19

Ever y Wednesday after school, a group of students face the flag to recite the “put over Pledge of Allegiance. This group of five attend the hill.”

“I’ve always been really into learning about Republicans Club. In the room next door, at the exact same time, a meeting for the other major social issues, but then I took AP Gov. That’s what party in the US is being held by the Democrats hit it off … I’ve always loved politics since then,” McKeone said.

Club.

McKeone is now the President of “I’ll have students that come to me Democrats Club, and has been a part and say, ‘There’s a Republicans club? of Hillary Clinton’s campaign since Wow, I didn’t know that!’” Jeff Kelley, early May. teacher and Republicans Club advisor “I phone bank, so I make calls to said. people and I make voter contact to see “[Democrats Club] is not a Bernie if people support Hillary. I go door to Sanders club, it’s not a Hillary door and do high-traffic canvassing, Mitch Gross Clinton club, the goal is to work to which means you go to areas with a elect Democrats. We advocate for lot of people and ask if they support all candidates’ campaigns that are carrying the party’s banner … this is an umbrella Hillary,” McKeone said.

The President of Democrats Club is not the group,” Mitch Gross, teacher and Democrats only one with the experience of volunteering Club advisor said.

BY NINA ELK ADI

Hillar y campaign through the United States, this is one state where Facebook.

“I went onto Hillary for Iowa’s Facebook you can do that,” Kelley said.

M o s t page, and it was campaigns like ‘click here allow people to sign-up’ and of any age to then I messaged “For even those that aren’t very help volunteer. them and asked politically involved, this is a year to W i t h how I could really start paying attention.” volunteering, get involved,” there is McKeone said.

-Jeff Kelly flexibility to For most Republicans Club advisor decide what high schoolers you want to do interested in and what you don’t politics, it’s less about not wanting to get want to do. involved and more about not knowing how.

“Campaigns are fun, especially in a

TICAL

With the upc oming presidential e lection, some students hav e taken an interest in po litics.

DUSTERHOFT

TGERT OJANS POLI DESIGN BY LE AH

GRAPHICS BY CATHERINE JU & LEAH DUST ERHOFT

GRAPHIC FROM WIKIMEDIA.COM

99

counties voted democrat in the 2012 election.

Johnson county being the most densely democratic population.

14

*324 students across all four grades at West were surveyed.

/

THE NUMBERS

POLITICS BY

of those surveyed will be able to vote in the 2016 election.

67

COMPILED BY NINA ELKADI

10% of students identified as other.

of students surveyed identify as a democrat.

FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE 2016 ELECTIONS, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

47% of students surveyed identify as a republican.

24%

vs.

of students surveyed identify as an independent.

19%

Jeff Kelley

community like Iowa City. So In Iowa, political candidates can be found for political campaigns. Tim Gomendoza ‘16, “You can go on the candidate’s many people who work on at every corner preaching their views to gain President of Republicans Club, volunteered in website, and almost always they campaigns are younger, and the votes of the 2014 elections. have ‘sign-up’ here if you want to it’s a real vibrant atmosphere,” Iowans. Even “Last year a volunteer, or you can go on their Gross said. in liberalFacebook pages and sign “[Democrats Club] is not a Bernie man from the There are websites dedicated dominated Republican up,” McKeone said.

Sanders club, it’s not a HIllary to when presidential J o h n s o n Party came on Iowa is a hotspot for Clinton club, the goal is to work candidates are visiting Iowa, County, it’s down [to the presidential candidates, Tim Gomendoza ‘16 and a simple Google search can still logical for club meeting] so some have campaign to elect Democrats. “ turn up thousands of results for events. there to be a and asked us offi ces here.

Hillary for Iowa has -Mitch Gross With access to so many political events, Republicans if he could a location on East College Street, Democrats Club advisor encouragement to get involved Club. do a little and Bernie Sanders Many high can be found everywhere. p r e s e n t a t i o n . Ally McKeone `16 just opened an office in “For even those that aren’t schoolers don’t have a strong enough interest in We invited him in and he introduced Kennedy Plaza. very politically involved, this is politics to join one of the politics-related clubs us to this opportunity which was to help out “The one great thing about Iowa is, a year to start paying attention, at West, but after taking AP Government her and volunteer for the Republican party here in and I think people kind of lose sight junior year, Ally McKeone ’16 was Iowa,” Gomendoza said. a lot of exciting things are going of this, if you want to meet someone to be happening,” Kelley said.

McKeone got involved in the who will probably be the President of

AND

RATED EVALUATED

BY ALLIE BISCUPSKI

DESIGN AND GRAPHICS BY SIMRAN SARIN

From teaching the ABCs to trigonometry, a student in the Iowa City Community School District will have an average of 51 teachers from the time they enter kindergarten to when they walk across the stage at graduation. But what if you felt the person that’s supposed to teach you is not helping you succeed? The West Side Story investigates the hiring and evaluation process for teachers in the Iowa City Community School District.

I don’t think a student’s grade necessarily shows how good the teacher is.

-Molli Bartruff ’16

THE HIRE

THE EVALUATION

When the Iowa City Community There are three parts to a teacher School District looks into hiring evaluation process in the ICCSD, a new teacher, an application Shoultz said. A formal observation along with the job opening is of the teacher, usually by a principal sent out online. A board or assistant principal, then narrows down the a summative candidate pool to three to evaluation and a five teachers. portfolio of student “We are incredibly work the teacher selective,” said and evaluator go superintendent Stephen through together.

Murley. “This year we The last part of the hired 67 new teachers; Gregg Shoultz evaluation is creating Principal of those only 32 are new a professional to the profession. That’s development plan. important to us when we look “Evaluation may have a negative for new teachers. We want to get connotation to it, but it’s really a a balance. We spend a lot of time teacher growth tool,” Murley said. going through the selection process. “It’s really set-up to be a reflective Only 12 percent of applicants make examination of teaching practices the cut, so we’re very selective on and the creation of a professional the front end.” development plan that really helps Principal Gregg Shoultz teachers grow their agrees, saying much of skill set.” the orientation process A part of the happens before the hire. evaluation process is Administrators bring assessing students’ potential candidates to the performance in the school to ensure they’re specific class and the right fit for the job. looking through a Nathan Frese “When we do a hire, portfolio of student English Teacher it’s a 30 year agreement,” work. Shoultz said the Murley said. “We spend a lot of portfolio is where student opinion time bringing them into the district comes into play indirectly. and onboarding them.

“The way that student voice is heard is really through that portfolio,” he said. “We want to see

80%

acceptance rate of West High seniors into Regents universities

student work and we want to see student feedback from teachers.

We can generally see by the student work ... a lot about how the students are participating in class, a lot of that comes through.”

Molli Bartruff ’16 said she believes looking at a student portfolio and visiting one class does not give evaluators the whole story.

“If someone comes in and evaluates a teacher, the teacher is not going to act exactly the same as they do in class with their students,” she said. “Looking at a student’s portfolio tells you nothing. Some people are really good at taking tests, and they don’t even have to study. Then there’s someone who studies for four hours and flunks the test because they get nervous and they can’t perform well. That has nothing to do with the teacher.

I don’t think a student’s grade necessarily shows how good the teacher is.”

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN STRATEGIST

Administrators have created a program, along with a grant from the state, to help support teachers and help them continue to improve.

The Industrial Design Strategist (IDS) program selected four teachers at West to spend part of their day assisting other teachers

in the school with everything from teaching strategies to lesson plans. Jenny Eustice, Tyson Smith, Jon Bach and Nathan Frese are all structural design strategists.

Frese said the program is a collaboration between teachers to develop a more holistic teaching style.

The program is a place for teachers to bounce ideas off one another and develop new teaching skills, as well.

A component of the program is to encourage collaboration between teachers and collaborate between the different teaching departments,” Frese said.

“We have the liberty then as the IDS team to cover their classroom when they go do that, and in that way we can collaborate among the [departments],” he said. “I’m not doing only English for instance ... it’s not limited to just the core area, it’s not limited to the background of the IDS team members. If there’s an English 9 teacher that knows that somebody else that’s also teaching English 9 does a great job with literary devices or something like that, they could watch that teacher.”

Bartruff said she hopes the IDS program will help all teachers communicate different ways to teach students.

“They tell you every day, it’s important to listen to your peers,”

32

new to the teaching profession equals 5 people

67

new teachers in the ICCSD this year

12%

of applicants are accepted into the ICCSD as teachers

equals 5 people

she said. “It’s important to get other teachers’ opinions because everyone has a different teaching style, and it’s a good thing they’re implementing it now.”

also take some time to make an impact in the classroom, because teachers typically don’t receive the results until the unit is already over.

Although Bartruff has never filled out a formal survey in school, she STUDENT OPINION “I would say there’s an said she thinks a formal survey indirect role,” Murley said. shared with administrators would help bridge the gap “[Administrators] are between students and watching studentadministrators. teacher interaction “It’ll give teachers an to understand how idea of what we like students interact with and don’t like,” she teachers inside the said. “The teacher will classroom.” have to be honest with Teachers are Molli Bartruff ‘16 the administration. If encouraged but not a teacher gets back all required to survey their students and share the results these awful notes, but they don’t give them to the administrators, during their evaluation.

English teacher Frese said he then what was the point?”

According to Shoultz, student usually takes a straw poll after his class finishes a unit to see how opinion does not play a direct role students responded to the material to make sure the evaluation process and the way it was taught. He said does not become a popularity he usually knows what went well contest. Rather than asking students directly about a teacher’s and what didn’t.

“We know if there are crickets performance, looking at student chirping [or] if they do poorly on work from the class gives a better the assessment, but we also are understanding of the quality of limited a little bit by curriculum work the teachers are doing.

Bartruff said as long as the restraints,” he said. “‘Did you not like reading Jane Eyre? Well, we can questions were worded correctly, throw it out and read 50 Shades of questionnaires directly asking Grey instead’. You can’t go so far to students of a teacher’s performance would be beneficial. the other end of the extreme.”

“I think [popularity] could play Results from formal surveys a role in it, but if the questions the

students were asked are particularly said.

Frese said keeping a dialogue based on how well the teacher [teaches] and are in-depth, I think between teachers and students open is essential to maintaining students will be more honest.”

Shoultz said even though for the a strong classroom environment, time being the school does not especially as the age gap between ask for direct student input, their the two grow.

“Student opinion is really voices are still being heard.

“Even though we don’t formally important, especially as [teachers] ask students, ‘What do you think get older--I’ve been teaching for 19 of this teacher?’, we are hearing by years now--I’ve tried to keep up, but their actions; by what they’re asking we’re now almost two generations removed,” he said “It behooves us and the courses they’re taking.”

If a student wants to talk about to try to take that pulse all the time, a struggle they have with a but student opinion in some way, specific teacher, Murley said the shape or form is crucial to what guidance counselors are the main we’re doing and whether kids are way administrators hear about getting it.”

Bartruff agrees and urges problems.

“The guidance counselors are administrators to start directly familiar with all the teachers in asking students what they think the building so they can be a good is working and what is not. Only resource if you’re dealing with some then, she said, can the district truly understand the kind of interpersonal dynamic of a specific conflict with a teacher,” teacher and their class. he said. “[Student opinion] is Growing class sizes and more important than fewer class options make they think,” she said. “I switching classes solely think that it’s all about due to the teacher more us [students] at school, difficult than previous Stephen Murley, ... we’re the ones trying years.

Superintendent to get something out of Bartruff has switched it. They get glimpses teachers before, but said she thinks switching students when they walk in, or when they around isn’t alleviating the root of evaluate for a couple days. We’re with them 180 days through the the problem.

“It’s blanketing a bigger issue,” she year and they’re not.”

We want to see student work and we want to see student feedback from teachers.

-Gregg Shoultz, Principal PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHEN MURLEY

Ryo Ohashi ’17 26 ENTERTAINMENT OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

Ste fa n

Sharon X iang

’ 16

ENTERTAINMENT ’16 dt i hm Sc

‘90S FASHION COMPILED BY OLIVIA READ AND ISABELLE ROBLES

What do chokers, denim jackets and funky florals all have in common? They were born in the nineties, and are all on their way back. With the resurgence of these hip trends, we’ve compiled a list of places to snag vintage clothes for all you stylish dudes out there.

RYO’S OUTFIT: Pink button down: Port Authority Men’s Button-Down in Tropical Pink / Big Top Shirt Shop $24.

Navy blazer: H2H Men’s Mandarin Collar Blazer in Navy/ Amazon $40.

Medium wash jeans: Men’s Faded Blue Athletic Fit Jeans in Blue Canyon / Levi’s $68.

SHARON’S OUTFIT: Denim Jacket: Washed Distressed Denim Jacket in Blue / YESSTYLE $32.

Striped t-shirt: Cropped Boxy Striped Tee in Cream/black / Forever 21 $10.

Pink pencil skirt: Alfani Pink Pencil Skirt in Brilliant Berry / Macy’s $30.

Tattoo choker: Double Line Henna Tattoo Choker in Black / Amazon 1¢.

Nin

’18 kadi a El

STEFAN’S OUTFIT: Denim jacket: Monte Carlo Polo and Jockey Club

$50.

Follwer collard shirt: Koto Short-Sleeve Sunflower Breezy Button-Down Shirt / Urban Outfitters $49.

Jeans: 510 skinny fit jeans in Jet Black $68.

NINA’S OUTFIT: Black skirt: Circle Skirt / H&M $12.99.

Denim jacket: Classic Denim Jacket / Forever 21 $27.90.

Red shirt: Women’s Ultimate Crew T-Shirt / Target $12.

DESIGN BY CLAIRE MURRAY PHOTO BY CHANEL VIDAL

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 ENTERTAINMENT 27

BLACK MASS

DIRECTED BY SCOTT COOPER

MOVIE REVIEW

BY EBONY MCKEEVER

Directed by Scott Cooper, Black Mass unravels the true story of Irish mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger, and his reign over South Boston with his infamous Winter Hill Gang. This story begins in 1970s Boston, when the newly inducted FBI agent John Connolly coerces Bulger into an alliance in order to eliminate their common enemy -- the Italian mob. As this supposed clean cut alliance spirals more and more out of control, you find yourself immersed in the dark tale of one of the most ruthless, borderline psychopathic gangsters in Boston history.

Without a doubt, Johnny Depp’s performance as Whitey Bulger is what shines the most in this movie. Placed against the minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing cinematography that persists throughout the film, Depp’s portrayal of Whitey is maliciously intoxicating. Due to his unpredictable and chaotic nature, Whitey’s presence in this film seems to make outcomes

ALBUM REVIEW

unclear by default. This effectively creates a sense of foreboding that permeates the entire film, spiking in some places to bloody punctuations. The excellent delivery of this role is so apparent that Whitey seems to transcend the rest of the characters. When placed in close proximity to the duality and malevolence that is Whitey Bulger, the supporting cast falls flat, becoming static and unchanging in their attempt to frame this gangster baddie.

Black Mass possesses the theatrics and feel of most every classic gangster film, but adds elements of intimacy that make it unique.

However, there is a very slow build (and lulls) in the movie, and the immediate bombardment of names, dates and issues at the start is enough to make even the most attentive viewer have to stop and think. Overall what carries Black Mass to the finish line is Depp’s stunning performance as well as the cinematographic excellence.

WILD - EP

BY TROYE SIVAN

BY CALEB THURMAN

On Sept. 4, YouTuber Troye Sivan released his second EP, WILD. He describes WILD as a 6-song keyhole to all the music he has coming later in 2015. When released, it topped the charts in over 40 countries.

“WILD” is catchy, upbeat and reflective.

“WILD” explains the barriers and obstacles to overcome in relationships. The sweet yet stalwart bassline of the chorus drives the song home as Sivan belts out, “Leave this blue neighborhood/ Never knew loving could hurt this good.” This song was stuck in my head for hours after listening.

“BITE” is suave, choral and simple. While it has varying interpretations, Sivan wrote it about the first time he went to a club. “BITE” has a rather clever hook, “Kiss me on the mouth and set me free/ But please don’t bite.” Sivan throws in an interesting bridge with a contrasting mood.

“FOOLS” is honest, insightful and heartbreaking. This song reflects on how Troye’s ideas of love and the reality of it all didn’t

quite match up. Sivan sings, “But everything is shattering it’s my mistake/ Only fools fall for you.” Troye takes responsibility for the wrong he has done, yet also notes his naïve nature.

“EASE (feat. Broods)” is nostalgic, raw and genuine. "EASE" is about going back to your roots. The drums make the melancholy lyrics feel optimistic. "Take me back to the basics and the simple life/ Tell me all of the things that make you feel at ease."

“THE QUIET” is vintage, authentic and somber. This song is the black sheep, with old school drums and a organ to complement the vocals. “THE QUIET” is about Sivan’s denial of his failing relationship, and how he would do anything to save it. "I'd rather be black and blue/ Than accept that you withdrew."

This is one of my favorite songs because of how sincere he is about facing his emotions.

Lastly, “DKLA (feat. Tkay Maidza)” is ominous, perceptive and ragged. "DKLA" stands for "don't keep love around" and is

28 ENTERTAINMENT OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

about how after the failed relationship, Sivan is left with nothing. Sivan sings, "Rags to riches but I'm addicted to being broke." He explains how even if he could go back to the past, he wouldn't be able to. “DKLA” is one of my favorites, as it is relatable and unique.

DESIGN AND GRAPHICS BY OLIVIA READ

NOT ESSENTIAL STARBUCKS: FIVE STUDY SPOTS STUDY FOR THESPOTS CAFFINE-DRIVEN CAFFE CREMA CREMA CAFFE ADDRESS ADDRESS 4112nd 2ndSt. St.Coralville, Coralville,IA IA52241 52241 411 HOURS HOURS 7:00AM AM--10:00 10:00PM PMMon-Sat Mon-Sat 7:00 1:00PM PM--9:00 9:00PM PMSun Sun 1:00 “Ithas hasaareally reallycalm calmenvironment, environment,it’s it’s “It notparticularly particularlynoisy noisyso soyou youcan cansit sit not downand andget getwork workdone. done.”” down AlexGranfi Granfield eld’17 ’17 Alex

WATERSTREET COFFEE BAR

From coffee shops to cinemas, around the Iowa City area lies many great locations for West High students to study during the thelater latterhalf halfofofthe thetrimester. trimesThese locations also supply ter.

These locations also supply coffee (noun: lifeblood of the universe) to provide a nice pickme-up that will surely battle the midterm woes.

COMPILED BY CHARLIE CODE

ADDRESS 925 E 2nd Ave, Coralville, IA 52241 HOURS 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Mon-Fri 7:00AM - 5:00 PM Sat-Sun “There is a lot of natural light and the coffee shop is very inviting. The whole atmosphere is relaxing and comforting”” comforting.

Emma Howes ‘19 ’19

COMPILED BY CHARLIE CODE

PRAIRIE LIGHTS BOOKS AND CAFE ADDRESS 15 S Dubuque St, Iowa City, IA 52240

PRAIRIE LIGHTS BOOKS AND CAFE

HOURS ADDRESS 10:00 AM 9:00 15 S Dubuque St, PM IowaMon-Sat City, IA 10:00 AM52240 - 6:00 PM Sun

JAVA HOUSE JAVAADDRESS HOUSE ADDRESS

713 Mormon Trek Blvd, Iowa City, 713 Mormon Trek Blvd, Iowa City, IA, IA52246 52246 HOURS HOURS 6:00 AM AM to to 11:00 11:00 PM PM Mon-Fri Mon-Fri 6:00 6:30 AM to 11:00 PM Sat 6:30 AM to 11:00 PM Sat 7:00 AM AM to to 11:00 11:00 PM PM Sun Sun 7:00 “I think think it it is is aa really really good good study study area, area, “I they have have really really good good chai chai tea tea and and they treats. treats”” Ally Mckeone ’16 Ally Mckeone ’16 DESIGN DESIGN BY

BY LILY LILY WESTEMEYER WESTEMEYER

FILMSCENE ADDRESS FILMSCENE 118 E College St, Iowa City, IA 52240

ADDRESS 118 E College St,HOURS Iowa City, IA 52240 10 AM-10 PM Mon-Sun HOURS 10 AM-10 PM the Mon-Sun “It’s nice and quiet, atmosphere is very welcoming. It seems like a small OPINION” little “STUDENT coffee shop and it’s not crowded.

It would be good for studying, I don’t see many people going there and it’s not loud or crowded.”

Orion Staskal ’17

“It’s good toHOURS work there because it’s10:00 a bookstore with a coff ee shop AM - 9:00 PM Mon-Sat in it, books a learning 10:00 AMpromote - 6:00 PM Sun atmosphere while coffee shops have become social.

Everyone “It’s good to work there because respects each other’s space. ” it’s a bookstore with a coff ee shop Kerri English teacher in it, Barnhouse, books promote a learning atmosphere while coffee shops have become social. Everyone respects each other’s space.”

Kerri Barnhouse, English teacher

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 ENTERTAINMENT 29

STUDENT MIXTAPE

ETHAN SEYLAR ’18

To listen to Ethan’s mixtape follow West Side Story on Spotify at wsspaper.

2 1 3 6 4 56 SONGS

TOP

“Souvenir” by Billy Joel

COMPILED BY CHRISTINA DAI

From Billy Joel to the Zac Brown Band, Ethan Seylar ’18 loves all kinds of music. Here are some of his timeless study favorites.

“I’m a big Billy Joel fan, and I got to see him in concert last May. He’s a very well-known artist, but this song by him is not very well known, and I like that because he has a lot of popular things but he also has unknown things that people

“Natural Disaster” by Zac Brown Band

can hear that are new to them.”

“Hey Ya!” by Outkast

“I like this song because a lot of people know this song and a lot of people could probably sing it.

It’s kind of got a little hip-hop and it’s a throwback song; when you sing it, people sing along.

It’s just like a ‘get pumped, get psyched’ song and I enjoy that.”

30 ENTERTAINMENT OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

“I like a lot of styles of music, and one is country music.

I like this song because it’s not what you’d imagine with a country song where they talk about trucks and stuff. It has more pop tones to it. It’s ... very upbeat and it gets me very happy when I hear it.”

“Pulaski at Night”

by Andrew Bird

“This song was on Orange is the New Black ... I really like it because at the beginning they pluck with string instruments, which is a really cool use of orchestral instruments instead of bowing. It adds a lot of dimension to the song.”

“Stole the Show”

by Kygo ft. Parson James

“I really like this song because it’s kind of like a pop song ... but the guy who sings it, Parson James, his voice is very folksy almost, so it kind of combines both styles of music.”

“The House of the Rising Sun” cover

by Jacquie Lee “‘The House of the Rising Sun’ is such a haunting song. It’s an old folk melody, and the cover brings it new life. [Jacquie Lee’s] voice is so unique and it fits this song perfectly.”

PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO BY NICK DEERBERG DESIGN AND GRAPHICS BY CLAIRE MURRAY

POS OF THE MONTH

At a first glance, Jacob Heid ’16’s 2000 Buick LeSabre looks okay, if not a little antiquated. However, upon further investigation, this car is truly a P.O.S.

“The back two windows don’t work and they’re always slightly open so when it rains or snows, my car will be slightly wet.”

“I hit a mailbox a really long time ago so I don’t have a front right headlight. I find it really interesting that I haven’t been pulled over yet.”

COMPILED BY SHARON XIANG

“The gas meter doesn’t work. Everytime I fill up [the gas] I have to reset the odometer. I have to remember to fill up every 200 miles.”

“The console box doesn’t close and sometimes when I stop suddenly, it opens and closes [which is] super annoying because I keep change in there, and the change falls out. I also found an old toothpick that isn’t mine in it that has grown mold on it” PHOTOS BY JEREMY HU

PARKING LOT

UNWRITTEN

OF THE

COMPILED BY ALLIE BISCUPSKI

DON’T TURN LEFT OUT OF THE FRONT LOT We get it, Camp Cardinal is fast, you skip all the traffic, but you are the reason for all the backed up cars. Your driver’s ed teacher was wrong, you can indeed make a U-turn at the light on Melrose and Mormon Trek.

RULES1

3

PARK IN ONE SPACE If you pull into a spot incorrectly, just take another spin around the lot and redo your atrocious parking job. There’s very limited space and you taking up four spots in the front lot is not helping the situation.

DESIGN BY LILY WESTEMEYER

4

THE PARKING LOT IS NOT A PLACE FOR SOCIALIZING Standing in the middle of the lot, stopping your car to talk to your friends and jumping on the hood of someone’s car -- all stupid and annoying. And you could get killed. Don’t.

2 5

THE BACK LOT IS FOR UPPERCLASSMEN That shiny triangular sticker gives you away, don’t park in the back lot as an underclassman.

We don’t care that your totally hot, beautiful, magnificent senior boyfriend parks there, wait another year or two.

DON’T BE AN A**HOLE We’re all tired from school, don’t make the parking lots any harder than they have to be. If needed, just retake driver’s ed. We all collectively thank you for your decision to better yourself and the parking lots.

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 ENTERTAINMENT 31

BY SHARON XIANG Walt Disney isn’t the first idol to come to mind for most people, but for artist Angie Zirbes ’18, he has been a source of inspiration since she began drawing at a young age.

“I would take pens and draw all over my arms and legs; apparently I didn’t know the concept of paper.

My biggest inspiration was Disney princesses . . . instead of wanting to dress up as them, I wanted to draw them,” she said.

Zirbes attempted to take art lessons, but she didn’t enjoy the rigid structure.

“I used to take art lessons from this one lady named Mrs. Hart, but

PHOTO BY SARAH LONGMIRE

I didn’t enjoy the classes,” Zirbes said, “because you had to do this and you had to do this this way.

Mainly what we did was realistic art and I’ve never really been into that.”

Cartoons and graphic novelstyle art are what Zirbes likes best because “it’s really fun to create your own world, storylines and characters.”

When Zirbes first came to West High, she couldn’t find an art club and instead joined the West High Grapevine.

“When I first got [to West] as a freshman, I was looking for an

32 FEATURE OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

art club, but they didn’t have one.

So I joined Grapevine [where] I was able to submit my artwork and I was the arts editor for the magazine.”

Zirbes began the West High Art Club this year, hoping that it will bring artists together. She has also been able to pursue art through West’s art classes and with the help of art teacher Christian Aanestad.

“Christian . . . is the coolest art teacher I have ever had. He looks at your art and how your style works and he incorporates what you like . . . into the class,” she said.

Aanestad has noticed Zirbes’s

drive. “[Angie is] a go-getter. She is very proficient and you can tell she is passionate [about art]. She also produces . . . a lot [of art] and at a high quality.”

In the future, Zirbes hopes to pursue art in college and beyond.

“I want to go to Cal Arts [for college] . . . or RISD [Rhode Island School of Design], but [RISD’s] mascot is kind of weird - the scrotum,” she said, “and I really want to work at Pixar as a character designer or animator.”

DESIGN BY EUGENIA CHEN

33

NATIONAL

COOKIE MONTH

*

The WSS is not responsible for any raw cookie dough consumption.

COMPILED BY ELEANOR HO, JEREMY HU, CATHERINE JU AND MARY MONDANARO

The West Side Story presents three great cookie recipes just in time for National Cookie Month.

ROSEMARY, ALMOND AND PARMESAN COCKTAIL COOKIES Everyone knows cookies are supposed to be sweet. . . aren’t they? WSS decided to contradict the laws of cookie physics and make this savory cookie with parmesan cheese and rosemary, enhanced with notes of almond.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

½ cup slivered almonds 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary 2 cups all-purpose flour ⅓ cup (1 ounce) freshly grated parmesan ½ teaspoon salt 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced 2 large egg yolks

34 ENTERTAINMENT OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, until golden.

3. In a small bowl, rub the sugar and the rosemary together until moist and aromatic.

4. Combine the rosemary sugar, almonds, flour, cheese and salt. Pulse until the almonds are coarsely chopped.

5. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

6. Add egg yolks and pulse until the dough clumps.

7. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until it just comes together.

8. Divide the dough in two, flatten into disks and roll out each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper until ¼ inch thick.

9. Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour until very firm.

10. Working with one piece of dough at a time, peel off the top sheet of wax paper and use a 1 ½ inch round cookie cutter to stamp out cookies as close together as possible.

11. Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment.

12. Bake cookies for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden.

13. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 5 dozen bite-size cookies Recipe adapted from foodandwine.com

PHOTO BY JEREMY HU DESIGN BY CATHERINE JU

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt 7.4 ounce apple cider drink mix 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 3 cups all-purpose flour 14 ounce bag caramels dfd

APPLE CIDER CARAMEL COOKIES This yummy apple-flavored cookie will get you in the mood for fall. It’s a pretty simple cookie to make, but with a twist. It has some delicious caramel melted in the middle, and it’ll have you craving a caramel apple— or another cookie.

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all the apple cider mix until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in baking soda and baking powder.

4. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into your hand and flatten slightly.

6. Place a caramel in the center and use the dough to seal it in.

7. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

8. After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter and let cool until they are no longer soft but are still slightly warm.

9. Twist cookies gently to remove and cool the rest of the way upside down on a cooling rack.

Yields 20 cookies Recipe adapted from sixisisterstuff.com

CHOCOLATE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT COOKIES This chocolate white chocolate macadamia cookie turned out to be more like a brownie cookie hybrid, but that didn’t stop it from being delicious. The white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts added a new dimension to this not-toosweet cookie.

Ingredients:

¾ cup all-purpose flour ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ stick unsalted butter at room temperature ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ dark brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped 4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars.

3. Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.

4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed until just combined.

5. Add in the nuts and chocolate and gently mix with a wooden spoon.

6. Place about tablespoon-sized dollops of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

Yields 18 cookies Recipe adapted from cookingandbeer.com WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 ENTERTAINMENT 35

irthright

of Iowa City

Free & ConďŹ dential Four Minute Pregancy Test

Mon: 12:00 - 3:00 P.M. Thurs: 12:00 - 2:00 P.M. Fri: 12:00 - 3:00 P.M. Location: 341 E. College Street

36 ADS OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

www.birthright.org 319-338-8665

1-800-550-4900 (24 hour hotline)

Help is just a phone call away

Classes held at Christ the King Lutheran Church School year and Summer sessions available Complete schedule located on web site www.mvdriversed.com

SPORTS RISING STAR KOLBY GREINER The reigning junior high state champion, Kolby Greiner ‘19 is prepared for a knock-out cross country season. Greiner’s 22nd place state ranking makes him the fastest runner on West’s impressive roster. .

PHOTO BY SARAH LONGMIIRE

West Side Story: When did you first start running?

Kolby Greiner: I first started running when I was in fifth grade, going into sixth grade, and they weren’t really big races. I’d do a 5k every once in awhile and then I just started getting hooked on it.

WSS: Do you prefer cross country or track?

KG: I prefer cross country; it is definitely my favorite sport.

WSS: Who is your biggest supporter and encourager?

KG: I’d say my dad. He’s paid for me to go to so many USATF (United States of America Track and Field) meets and AAU (Ameatur Athletic Union) meets. He’s really taken me all around the United States to run.

WSS: What is your best memory from previous seasons?

KG: I would say winning the Junior High State Cross Country Championship, that was definitely a pretty good memory because the season before I had gotten third at state.

I remember all the summer before working really hard to try and win

the state championships.

WSS: What is your favorite memory so far this season?

KG: I would say my best memory was when we were doing a new drill called ‘Oregon Drills’. Coach Martz was pretty proud of us because the Varsity team stayed out there longer than anyone else even though none of us wanted to keep on going.

WSS: How has your older brother’s [Kaleb Greiner ‘14] success in running helped you?

KG: I have gone to a lot of his state track meets and when I saw him fall on the track and give it his all in the Distance Medley. I understood what I had to do to be like him. He’s always motivated me to work hard and said that he would be there every step of the way.

WSS: Where is your favorite place to run and why?

KG: My absolute [favorite] place to run is Southpoint Trails. It’s very beautiful out there and you can run right alongside the lake.

WSS: What happened at the Pella

Describe the race.

KG: That’s never happened to me before. But I was running and leading the race and at 2.5 miles something hit me, like a wall. I was about ready to pass out but something inside of me kept me going and I honestly don’t know what it was. But when I crossed the line I blacked out and I think I tripped over someone. When they got me back to the tent they said I had heat stroke.

WSS: What has the transition from junior high to high school been like?

KG: Coach Martz has really helped the transition. He helped me get used to the morning practices during the summer and also really stresses how important it is to get good grades and do our homework.

WSS: What is your favorite part about cross country?

KG: My favorite part about cross country are the competitions and hanging out with my friends Ali Ali ‘17 and Jeff Garbutt ‘18.

COMPILED BY ELLIE GRETTER

FAST FACTS 5K PERSONAL RECORD

16:21 FAVORITE QUOTE

“I run to see who has the most guts.”

-Steve Prefontaine

FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL RUNNER

Mo Farah LONGEST RUN EVER

18 miles DESIGN BY GABBY SKOPEC

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 SPORTS 37

TWIRLING AROUND

BY MICHAEL MOONJELY

As halftime begins on Trojan Field, Julia Baker ’17 and Arielle Comellas ’18 begin putting their rigorous training to use and twirl their way to midfield. Learn more about the stories of these halftime stars.

Arielle Comellas

“(Arielle) is a super hard worker, and I can’t say enough about her love for twirling.”

-Melissa Marcus (Twirling Coach)

Although Arielle Comellas ’18 is new to West High, she is no stranger when it comes to the world of baton twirling.

“I was watching a baton twirler at a parade when I was eight, and that is when I knew I wanted to twirl.”

Comellas said.

Comellas began studying baton under Melissa Marcus, founder of Synergy Twirling in Miami, where Comellas moved from earlier this year.

“Arielle came to Synergy eight years ago and we started from

scratch. It is amazing how much she has learned in that amount of time. She is a super hard worker, and I can’t say enough about her love for twirling,” said Marcus, who was a feature twirler at the University of Miami as well as Florida State University.

“I love travelling to different parts of the world [for twirling competitions],” said Comellas, whose team recently placed first at the International Twirling Cup in Canada.

Comellas and Marcus are both

38 SPORTS OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

planning on meeting in Miami once a month to work on routines and prepare for competitions. In the meantime, Marcus plans on having rehearsals with Comellas via Skype.

Although Comellas has competed in various international competitions, twirling at football games is foreign to her.

“My old school did not have a football team, so being [at West] is quite different. I had never twirled on grass before, but I love the cheering crowd.”

DESIGN BY TAYLOR LIBBY

Julia Baker

“Julia is a performer, and always catches peoples’ attention.”

-Jessica Baker’11

For Julia Baker ’17, baton is a family affair. Baker’s sister, Jessica Baker ’11, twirled at Western Illinois University.

“I grew up watching my sister, Jessica twirl baton. After seeing her perform at competitions, I knew I wanted to try it. I ended up really liking it and I guess I haven’t stopped.” Baker said.

Jessica, who recently opened Ambition Baton Twirling Company, is now Julia’s coach.

Jessica credits Julia’s dancing and gymnastic background as the key PHOTO BY PAIGE BRAZINA

to her younger sister’s success.

“Julia is a performer, and always catches people’s attention. She knows how to give a show. She doesn’t always perform the hardest tricks, but she definitely performs the most entertaining ones,” Jessica said of her sister.

Although Julia has twirled for years, this is her first year twirling for West.

“I loved the first football game.

The lights and the big crowd give me the biggest adrenaline rush,” Julia said. “It is also nice to have

Arielle twirl next to me, she is so nice and easy to work with.”

Along with being one of the West baton twirlers, Julia competes in twirling competitions all over the country. She recently placed sixth place at America Youth on Parade, a national competition at the University of Notre Dame. As for her twirling future, Julia is still unsure.

“I am not going to base where I go to school on twirling, but I would love to continue.”

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 SPORTS 39

BUTLER DIVES INTO HEAD COACH POSITION The girls’ swimming team at West High has had a tradition of success and are hoping to continue it with Byron Butler, the new head coach and former assistant coach who will be leading the Trojans for the upcoming season.

PHOTO BY JEREMY HU

BY JIUNG JUNG Byron Butler is what you could call an accomplished swimmer.

Butler was a three time AllAmerican in high school where he won multiple Wisconsin high school state championships in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke.

After his decorative prep career, he set the school record in the 200 backstroke and the 100 butterfly at the University of Iowa, where he was also an honorable mention AllAmerican.

“The fact that I’ve competed at almost every level gives me a good background of experience,” Butler said.

Butler started swimming from a young age.

“I started swimming when I was around 5 because my siblings swam, and I looked up to them,” Butler said.

As Butler progressed through his

succeed. This characteristic of Butler makes coaching come rather naturally.

“I like coaching because I like to see it all come together,” Butler said.

“I found in my first year of coaching that I was more excited about how my athletes were doing than I ever was about how I did.”

B ut l e r’s passion as a coach does not go unnoticed.

The fact that I’ve competed at Jenny Pigge almost every level gives me a good ’17, girls swim team member, background of experience. appreciates Butler’s efforts.

-Byron Butler “Byron is a fantastic coach. technical problems was what helped He’s already implemented some new me develop a good mind for the sport, things into the program, such as injury and I use those experiences to help my prevention exercises and working on athletes work through their problems,” goals with all of us,” Pigge said. “He really cares about the success of the Butler said.

As an athlete, Butler was never fully team and of his swimmers, as athletes content until he saw his teammates and as people.” career, he struggled through and conquered complex strokes and techniques. He realized that these learning experiences were just as valuable as his successes, and has translated that into his coaching philosophy.

“Working through some of those

40 SPORTS OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

GRAPHICS BY MORGAN SCHMITT-MORRIS DESIGN BY MORGAN SCHMITT-MORRIS

TWINS MAKE A SPLASH

Senior swimmers Erica and Alison Hsu ‘16 are close both in and outside the pool.

W

hile Erica and Alison Hsu ’16 could be described as swimmers like no other, they could just as easily be labeled swimmers like each other. The senior twins have both survived ten years of competitive swimming, three teams and a plethora of coaches, and through it all have maintained a healthy relationship.

The Hsu sisters started their swimming careers on the Iowa City Eels, an area club team, before moving to the Iowa Flyers a few years later.

Now both sisters swim for West as well.

The twins excel on both teams, despite differences in the team philosophies.

“In high school [swimming], you don’t really think about yourself,” Erica said.

Be that as it may, neither of the sisters has a preference between high school and club swimming.

“They’re both good. They both help us through the year,” Alison said. “At high school we can get a more chill atmosphere whereas IFLY is more intense.”

The casualness and closeness of high school swimming reminds both sisters that college is just around the corner.

PHOTO BY PAIGE BRAZINA GRAPHICS BY WINGEL XUE DESIGN BY MORGAN SCHMITT-MORRIS

BY CAMERON COOK Because swimming will be a vital part of each sister’s college decision, the likelihood that they will attend the same school is low. However, this doesn’t mean Erica and Alison will become any less friendly with each other.

“They are closer than most sisters I see and have such a strong connection,” said West swimming coach Byron Butler. “They will help each other in different ways to prepare during meets.”

Both Erica and Alison have had influential coaches throughout their experiences. “Our coach during the early stages of IFLY, Grant, always made practice super fun, so I would always want to go to practice,” said Alison. “Richard [Salhus] has been a really good coach for improving our strokes.”

Club coaches aren’t the only ones who have had an impact. “When we came in sophomore year, we were kind of iffy about swimming, and our attitudes toward it weren’t that great,” Erica said. “But when Byron [Butler] came . . . he made it better.”

While coaches have certainly influenced both girls, the two have

also had an effect on each other.

The sisters get along, but there are moments of sibling rivalry.

“When we were younger, I was always the one that was better at backstroke. But then as we got older, [Erica] started doing backstroke events and then she started getting really good,” Alison said. “Now, I’ve been the one that’s sort of known as, ‘Oh, you’re Erica’s sister!’”

However, not all disagreements stem from resentment. Sometimes, the sisters stick up for each other. “I worry about her,” Erica said. “If she doesn’t talk or speak up about something, I get mad.”

Always swimming together forces the sisters to either ignore or settle disputes quickly. “[Alison and Erica] are the best of friends inside and outside of the pool,” said Iowa Flyers coach Richard Salhus.

Overall, the Hsu twins are an encouraging and outstanding duo.

“They are epitome of supportive siblings that compete in the same sport” Sahlus said. “I do think it is a rarity that [swimming] has not divided them, but rather has brought them even closer.”

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 SPORTS 41

Valerie Welch ‘17 and Deniz Ince ‘19 take times for the varsity race.

Emily Halverson ‘17 epically spikes during the Battle of the Spike.

PHOTOS BY JEREMY HU

FALL

SPORTS AT

WEST

Kyle Jenkins ‘17 focusses on the ball before putting.

Girls’ cross country competes at the Heartland Classic

PHOTOS BY NICK DEERBERG

Daniel Neese ‘18 and Jake Greenlee ‘19 run in Ames, Iowa.

Ali Ali ‘17 runs in the varsity race in Ames, Iowa.

PHOTOS BY SARAH LONGMIRE

Elizabeth Walters ‘18 and Pieper Stence ‘18 cordially shake hands The girl cross country team cheers after with opponents after winning they won their meet. the game.

Madison Ford ‘17 (left) and Gabrielle Klemme ‘17 prepare for the next play.

Amani Ali ‘16 and Ellie Gretter ‘18 run together throughout their race.

42

PHOTOS BY MARY MONDANARO

Katie Alden ‘16 prepares to backstroke at the City/West meet.

Nicki Alden ‘18 swims the butterfly

Matthew Schneider ‘16 runs in the varsity race in Ames, Iowa.

The girls varsity cross country team huddles before their race.

Connor Gast ‘16 leads the student section at Battle of the Spike.

Tia Saunders ‘16, Gabby Skopec ‘17, and Jessica Skopec ‘17 walk back after accepting the team trophy.

Ali Tauchen ‘16 bumps the ball to pass it over to her teammates.

DESIGN BY KATIE FUHRMEISTER

Caitlyn Klosterman ‘19 prepares for a dive.

JD Goodfellow ‘16 practices drives at Finkbine.

43

WEST’S TIGER JD Goodfellow ’16 has been on the varsity golf team for four consecutive years, and after learning from his fellow golfers, it is now his time to lead. His teammates will now be the ones looking up to him.

BY AARON CARTER West Side Story (WSS): How long have you been playing golf?

JD Goodfellow: I’ve been playing my whole life really. Probably around 3 years old is when I started.

WSS: What got you interested in golf?

JG: My family. My mom played golf for Iowa and my dad and grandpa have played all their life.

W S S : Freshman year you were a dual sport athlete (basketball and golf).

What went into your decision towards choosing golf?

JG: Well for one, I was better at golf than I was at basketball, but I also wanted more time to play golf.

WSS: You were on varsity as a freshman. What was that experience like?

JG: I was a little nervous those first couple of meets. I didn’t want to screw up, but then I got used to it. Then I realized I could play with these guys, and I was good enough.

WSS: Are there any influential people that you’ve encountered, that have helped with your game?

JG: Dominic Muzzin ‘14 was really helpful to me when I was coming up on varsity. Also obviously my coaches Don Bristow, and Gordon Rundquist are both really helpful.

WSS: How did they help?

JG: Dominic helped mostly with his experience on the courses. Then Bristow helps mostly with my swing, and then focusing on hitting the ball straight. Then Gordo [Rundquist] helps with the short game, such as chipping and putting.

WSS: What are your thoughts on the team this year?

JG: We have a pretty good team this year. We are first on our side of the conference. A lot of the guys are upperclassmen, but might not have that much experience, but so far we have -JD Goodfellow ’16 played well.

WSS: How do you help with the younger guys?

JG: I help mostly with their short games.

Making sure they’re putting correctly and [their] chipping is solid. I also help with just my experience, teaching them about the courses, where to hit it and where not to.

WSS: Do you have any passions outside of golf?

JG: Well I am one of the managers for the [boys] basketball team, along with Tommy Duffy, so that’s fun.

WSS: Is there a good way to stay involved with basketball while still focusing on golf?

JG: Yes, definitely. It is much more relaxed, and a lot of my friends are on the team as well so that’s fun to be able to hang out with them.

My mom played gold for Iowa and my dad and grandpa have played all their life.

44 SPORTS OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

BY THE NUMBERS

69 36 3

COMPILED BY AARON CARTER

Lowest score in 18 holes Average score through 9 holes Times Goodfellow has been awarded the varsity letter

PHOTO BY NICK DEERBERG DESIGN BY SHATI COOPER

DESIGN BY EUGENIA CHEN

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 ADS 5

OPINION DON’T JUDGE ME, BUT I’M JUDGING YOU

BY SHATI COOPER

Let’s talk about challenges, the social media trend. They’re everywhere, to the point that they are unavoidable. These internet challenges seem to sweep the nation of social media. We ended the 2014-2015 school year and kicked off the summer with the Charlie Charlie Challenge. Then it was the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge.

Another day goes by, and another challenge gains more popularity.

This challenge is on any type of social media that allows you to share videos and put them on display for the world to see. You could have guessed it from the

BY CHANEL VIDAL

It takes ten minutes for a voice message to go from Mars to one of NASA’s space stations on Planet Earth. Luckily, when I was working with scientists from NASA last summer, we only had to wait a couple of seconds for our message to get through our walkie talkies.

Last summer, I joined the FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) and BASALT (Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains) teams on one of their two week field deployments in August. FINESSE and BASALT

article title, it’s the “Don’t Judge Me Challenge”. If you don’t know, now you know.

According to an article in the Daily Mirror, this trend started off as a harmless act against body-shaming. You know, the whole “beauty is within” type of movement. But that idea totally backfired. It’s become a joke. It’s only entertaining because it’s at the expense of others confidence and self-esteem, which I find no humor in.

For those of you, the lucky ones, who aren’t aware of the “Don’t Judge Me” challenge I will briefly explain it. Originally, the video started off with a person naturally beautiful. Then the video transitions to the same person without the makeup, styled hair, etc. This implies the importance of natural beauty, showing that while makeup may temporarily

enhance your appearance, your natural state is more important and will showcase your personality and outshine everything else.

Now, the challenge is a video with one or two people. They make themselves look ridiculous with “geeky” glasses, painted on acne, and awkward, grimacing faces.

Other times people go all out and wear mismatched clothes, slick down or rat up their hair, and even place black substances on their teeth. They gawk into the camera, then after a few seconds they cover their camera lens with their hand and then remove it to reveal a glamorous version of themselves.

Fixed hair, bright smiles, caked faces, snazzy clothes.

These idiots are belittling others who have these natural “flaws” which are just another part of life. Everyone has gone through a period time when they had

uncontrollable acne, braces or even a unibrow. If you deny this, you are simply lying. Are we going to act like puberty doesn’t exist?

Basically, these people who know (think) that they’re attractive, are rubbing it in the faces of the ones who have a lower self-esteem, furthering their lack of confidence.

I thought social media hit rock bottom when the Kylie Jenner lip challenge was the next big thing (literally), I guess I was wrong. The mind blowing aspect is all of the attention the challenge is getting.

There are approximately 400,000 thousand tags on Instagram for this.The “Don’t Judge Me” challenge went from embracing your inner beauty to intensifying flaws which others consider their biggest insecurities. Come on now.

I’m losing the little faith I had in this generation.

Jezuz.

YOUR NERDY SCIENTIST are two sister projects, both of which are funded by NASA. As a (then) fifteen year old girl, I was pretty overwhelmed by the fact that I don’t even have a high school diploma and I was about to go do science with some of the smartest people in the world. Going in with an open, fresh mind, ready to learn science and observe the behavior of the wonderful people I had the privilege of being surrounded by was the most important thing to me.

We tend to associate NASA solely with astronauts, fiery rocket ships, or amazing pictures we see of the galaxy. Something most people don’t think about though is the work and the people that make space missions possible. This field deployment took place at two different national monuments in Idaho: Craters of the Moon, and King’s Bowl. We walked on rough lava terrain, (that was nicknamed

46 OPINION OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

Mordor), carried heavy space equipment and collected data from the lava flows. The temperature was generally somewhere in the 90s, which doesn’t sound bad, but when you’re walking on black rock and the heat is radiating off the ground, it feels more like 900 degrees. We hiked miles in this crazy terrain each day, just to get to the site we were working at. The work was hard, and it took strength to endure, but the passion for science and the drive to get phenomenal data kept every person going.

There is so much more research, hypothesizing, sweating, thinking behind each space mission or cool photo we see from space. There is so much more to science than completing a lab and learning a lesson from it. There are so many more questions that are still left unanswered. The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. Science is so big, expansive

and exciting. There’s literally no limit to how much we can understand the dynamics of nature.

The mixture of science and the optimistic, fun attitude of every person there made the field deployment into the two best weeks ever. As much as it sounds like a two week trip to Mordor, it was actually the most amazing thing. Once you find your crowd of people, going out and doing crazy things like this turns into something you crave more of. Luckily, I’ll have a chance to ease my crave next year, when I return to Idaho and participate in next year’s fieldwork.

One more thing. Next time you think about science or math class, remember the amazing things you can do with that knowledge.

You may feel small now, but here is where we build our steps that will lead us to achieving what we thought was impossible. The road goes as far as the eyes can see.

PHOTOS BY JEREMY HU AND CHANEL VIDAL

WHERE OH WHERE SHOULD I PARK?

BY MEG MORELAND The rite of passage that is getting your very own car is one that is constantly glorified in the movies.

Endless ’80s and ’90s teen movies include that marvellous freedom of having your first car. As cliché as it is, the movies got it right. Getting your very first car is an exhilarating moment, a moment which is lessened only by the dread that hits you when you realize that you’ll have to brave the battleground that is the West High parking lot. Or

will you?

Driving to school in the morning, you have options when it comes to where to park.

Freshmen Lot / North Parking Lot: Ironically named, as no freshmen can currently park here, unless they have a sob story good enough to earn a spot. There are numerous parking spots, leaving the lot almost filled everyday.

Getting in is easy (although, you should look out for where the teacher parking lot begins), getting out is slightly more difficult.

Depending on how soon you’re in your car after school, it could range anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes to get out of. The parking lot becomes a well oiled machine, with (most) everyone following the rules.

Back Parking Lot: If you’re a sophomore, you better stop

reading now. This is the infamous upperclassman-only lot. This parking lot is the worst to get out of. I’ve been stuck waiting for half an hour. And so I don’t get jumped later, yes I was with an upperclassman. There are a good number of spots available. The real downfall is the fact that the buses load students right there, so they inevitably add to the already present traffic.

Teacher Parking Lot: If you’re running late and can’t find a parking spot, there’s always the teacher/visitor parking lot. You will most likely be given a ticket, but some days it might just be necessary. Don’t abuse this power for if you do, you ruin it for the rest of the student body.

Mormon Church: I don’t know if this is sacrilegious, but it very well

could be. This is a parking area that is not on West property. It is a quick walk from this parking lot to the ninth grade wing. It technically isn’t allowed, but as far as I know, they just leave a nice note asking you not to park there. Do with that as you will.

Side Road: This would have been the easiest (and most legal) way to park off West High property, but not anymore. The street is now lined with no parking signs. When I first saw them, my heart stopped.

With a short walk, this was the best place to park if you lived in my neighborhood. I, as an avid rule follower, stopped parking here in fear of receiving a ticket. Most people did not. Cars still park on that street. The choice is yours.

If none of these options tickle your fancy, ride your bike. Or walk.

TO BITCH OR NOT TO BITCH

BY KELSEY KERANEN I didn’t know what the word “bitch” meant until I was well into my preteen years. I understood that it was a vulgar word, something that couldn’t be said without a bite of nastiness and a bitter aftertaste. I understood that it was a swear word, which meant I couldn’t say it anywhere except for in particularly aggressive diary entries. I understood that it was one of the worst things you could ever call a girl.

What didn’t come as easy to me was understanding why “bitch” was used almost exclusively to discredit women; it painted femininity as something shameful, and strength in women as something to be discouraged. It felt more taboo than an ordinary expletive and made me feel as though being a girl with multiple dimensions was a criminal offense. It was only DESIGN BY ELEANOR HO

after years of bearing witness to this word that I realized it wasn’t the word itself that made me feel such a deep unease; it was the connotations it bore and the people who carelessly tacked it onto their vernacular without understanding its weight.

Being able to totally understand “bitch” is an unfortunate right bestowed upon young women in their formative years. There’s a reluctant acceptance within the psyche of the teenage girl that forces them to come to terms with the meaning of “bitch,” a word that they will inevitably fall victim to as soon as they become opinionated enough to threaten the male ego.

Those who identify as girls have to live with the burden of knowing that their thoughts, opinions, and fervent displays of expression will be relegated to little more than bitchy by-products of their menstruation cycle, and with this understanding comes the right to use the word exclusively. “Bitch” is a gendered slur, and it has no place being used by those who couldn’t possibly comprehend its meaning.

Like any other slur, “bitch” has come to be particularly vile when it sits in the mouth of the

oppressor. On the surface, it’s difficult to perceive the ganglylimbed, pockmarked boys of high school lore as anything more than unassuming victims of pubescent confusion; however, when wielding such a weighty term as “bitch,” they become an oppressive force promoting painfully outdated means of dealing with their fragile senses of self-worth. Men have no means of understanding the connotations of the word “bitch”— yet, for whatever reason that drives all oppressive parties to covet antiquated slurs, they consider it their right to advocate the use of a word historically used to put an oppressed minority in their place.

When accused of obstructing the well-being of women through “bitch,” many men immediately become hyper-defensive. I’ve seen plenty of boys try to argue that the meaning behind “bitch” has changed, that now the word is used to talk about strong women who won’t take shit from people and can crush a man beneath the heel of their six-inch stilettos. Therefore, they say, the word “bitch” is no longer an insult; so please, please can we keep calling women bitches?

What they don’t realize is that

none of the reclamation of “bitch” can be attributed back to men.

All of these positive associations have been derived from the efforts of women and their conscious decision to reclaim this slur for their benefit. If a woman chooses to call herself a bitch because she believes it offers empowerment, that is her prerogative— it is not the oppressor’s place to whine and moan and belittle the woman for loving herself in a way that doesn’t make sense to them.

Psycho bitch, hot bitch, angry bitch - it’s all the same. You are making me less than a woman, less than human, because I’m displaying a set of emotions that fill you with a palette of discomfort designated by years of blatant disregard for the capacity of the female mind.

To be headstrong, aggressive and a woman is to be a bitch; to be weak, submissive, vulnerable and a man is to be a bitch. Everything attributed to femininity is criticized with this convenient one-size-fits-all word, testifying to the fact that men can never understand its burden.

Total number of times I used “bitch” in this column: 27. Number of times men are allowed to use the word “bitch”: still a solid 0.

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 OPINION 47

TEACHER TURMOIL

Currently, students have no formal say in are exposed to our teachers every single day at the hiring or firing of teachers. Our role is school and have a much better idea of how they mostly passive: test scores, student work, and teach, how well they teach, and how well we class enrollment rates all have to be presented respond to that kind of teaching style. Students during teacher evaluations. Class surveys are may also have specific complaints about their encouraged, but not required. The West Side teachers that they would never share without a Story Editorial Board voted push in the right direction.

It is understandable that 14-2 in favor of more emphasis Should students have a say in teachers and other faculty on student feedback. shy away from One of the most glaring the hiring/firing of teachers? would the thought of student problems with how teacher involvement. Opening up evaluations are conducted is the fact that we are the ones the evaluation process gives students the opportunity to give most affected by a teacher’s a poor review out of spite or a performance.

Having no good review out of popularity formal voice means we cannot be fully in charge of our own The WSS editorial board voted and not performance. in favor of this . education and that we have to These years are supposed to be the foundation for the rest deal with the aftermath of an of our lives and others are unhelpful or ineffective teacher trying to build it for us. We are as invested in our ourselves.

Another issue is that teacher evaluators cannot future as you are, if not more. Have faith that we get an accurate picture of everyday life in a will take that responsibility seriously. class by just observing for a day or two. We

10-6

STUDENT SECTION RULES?

Recently, there has been a lot of speculation precautions to help with these issues that were revolving the student section at athletic events, present in the student section. They sealed off particularly at football games. As an editorial the first row from students at the football game, board, the West Side Story voted to make the putting orange cones and surrounding them with yellow caution tape to prevent students guidelines at athletic events stricter.

At the opening home football game there were from stepping in the first row. Students are now also prohibited from many problems that arose. touching the railing due to it There were arguments between Should there be stricter the cheerleaders and the dance being a “hazard,” according to guidelines for student con- administration. team, booing of the opposing There is also a component of team and other comments duct at games? being on school grounds. The directed toward some West rules that are in place at school students that resulted in should be instilled at onstudents either being kicked out or suspended. campus football games as well.

As high school students, we Additionally, there was alcohol involved, which also The WSS editorial board voted are supposed to be role models to these younger students. resulted in student ejection in favor of this.

There should be stricter from the game, and suspension from school. guidelines in place to prevent This is unacceptable.

A t these incidents from ever occurring.

It is important to have a spirited student sporting events, particularly football games, there are junior high students and their parents section, but sometimes it gets out of hand. present as well as parents of high school Younger students who might not understand students. Such actions that cause a student to be the situation might feel endangered and or kicked out are very unappealing, and make our intimidated. The younger students look up to school look bad. the high school students in the student sections The administration tried to provide as role models, so we should act like them.

12-4

48 OPINION OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

WSS EDITORIAL BOARD BARBARA BADOVINAC ALLIE BISCUPSKI PAIGE BRAZINA AARON CARTER CAMERON COOK SCHYLER DAVIS NICK DEERBERG DANETTA DOBRE NINA ELKADI ELEANOR HO KELSEY KERANEN MICHAEL MOONJELY ISABELLE ROBLES SIMRAN SARIN LILY WESTEMEYER SHARON XIANG CHRISTIAN ZIRBES EQUALITY 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, or 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, Ross Wilburn, at 509 Dubuque Street, 319-688-1000. Please contact westsidestorypaper@gmail.com for questions or comments.

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.

QUALITY

WEST SIDE STORY STAFF

OF LIFE

INDEX Cold Season I seriously regret making fun of my classmates with colds and allergies now. Curse all teachers that don’t have boxes of tissues in their classrooms.

-3

Parking Lot Woes Less freshmen driving but the lot doesn’t seem any less crowded. Also, who thought having all the busses park in the back lot was a good idea? Why?

-4

College Apps Hahahahah, I don’t have to do them yet. Have fun trying to figure out the next four year of your life, seniors.

+4

Football What’s up with this season?

Normally I’m as apathetic about high school football as I am about the Kardashians but really? (and showing up drunk to the games, so not cool.)

-2

Dr. A I think it’s safe to say we all miss seeing Dr. A walk around the halls, hope you are enjoying your retirement Dr. A.

-1

TOTAL:

-6

EDITORS:

DESIGNERS: Eugenia Chen Shati Cooper Leah Dusterhoft Hannah Fermino Katie Fuhrmeister Catherine Ju Taylor Libby Mary Mondanaro Maddie Moriyama Claire Murray Ryo Ohashi Olivia Read Wingel Xue

Kelsey Keranen Sharon Xiang Barbara Badovinac Allie Biscupski Benjamin Bliven Paige Brazina Aaron Carter Cameron Cook Danetta Dobre Nina Elkadi Layla Hannaford Eleanor Ho Zayetzy Luna Ebony McKeever Michael Moonjely Isabelle Robles Simran Sarin Morgan Schmitt-Morris Madeline Silva Gabby Skopec Maggie Terry Caleb Thurman Chanel Vidal Lily Westemeyer Christian Zirbes

REPORTERS:

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Leela Bassuk Nick Deerburg Louis Ho Jeremy Hu Sarah Longmire Meg Moreland Miriam Perez

ARTIST:

Braedyn Dochterman

Shanthi Chackalackal Charlie Code Christina Dai Ellie Gretter Ace Holst Jiung Jung Jun Hee Lee Prateek Raikwar Stefan Schmidt Fenna Semken Lexi Shaffer Shawn Thacker

WEB:

Schyler Davis Abby Jans Jacob Nishimura Anthony Pizzimenti Mason Wang

COMPILED BY MAGGIE TERRY

DESIGN BY ELEANOR HO

WSSPAPER.COM OCTOBER 2015 OPINION 49

HUMOR

*This is a satire and is not meant to be perceived as factual.

ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES PLAN TO TRANSITION TO GOOGLE TEACHERS

BY MADELINE SILVA

In a school-wide email on Wednesday, administrators announced plans to transition their teaching staff to an entirely digital format by the 2018 school year.

“What with the budget cuts that have been coming down from the state legislature,” said West High Principal Gregg Shoultz, “it’s just easier for us to not have our teachers exist in the material world.”

Shoultz and the school’s IT team plan to accomplish this goal using Google’s new service, Teachers.

Teachers is a product Google introduced last year after the success of its earlier iteration, Classrooms. Teachers aims to replace Classrooms by greatly expanding on Classrooms’

functionality. Instead of merely providing a place for teachers to post assignments, Teachers will override the need for instructors entirely. The service can create, post, and grade assignments, as well as generate lecture notes and tests, all in a matter of seconds, and completely without cost.

However, these features require advanced AI that, despite years of research and millions of dollars, Google’s engineers are still unable to program using computers alone.

That’s where an experimental consciousness-uploading technology known as Harvester comes in. This process “harvests” the essence of a human’s intelligence and transfers it into an entirely digital format. As it accumulates and amalgamates the intelligence

of thousands and thousands of humans, it becomes able to do tasks previously only able to be done by a person, such as teaching a class.

Harvester can do almost anything better than a human could, because it is as smart as all the minds that have gone into it.

Since the process is in its infancy, it is unclear what happens to the rest of a person when their intelligence is harvested. Google’s engineers have said they are certain that a subject would no longer experience consciousness in a way at all comparable to a person who still existed in the real world, although they theorize it is simply a nothingness like death.

“Personally, I look forward for my consciousness to be subsumed into the digital void,” said Sara

Whittaker, currently a journalism teacher at West and a prospective test subject for Teachers.

Art teacher Jerald Helgeson agreed with Whittaker, saying, “Human existence is agony. I can’t wait till the entirety of my soul exists only as 1s and 0s on a server somewhere!”

The state legislature is also excited about the change. Dale Snitterman, chair of the House Committee on Education, the Environment, and Amusement Park Licensure, said, “We’re very happy that the ICCSD is asking us for less money. To be candid with you, I couldn’t care less what the schools do or what conceptions of our humanity they challenge as long as I can brag about cutting costs on my reelection campaign.”

VLADIMIR PUTIN: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ART BY BRAEDYN DOTCHERMAN

50 OPINION OCTOBER 2015 WSSPAPER.COM

DESIGN BY ELEANOR HO

DAY

USA PHOTOS AND DESIGN BY SARAH LONGMIRE

During the September 11th game against Cedar Rapids Washington, West High students wore red, white and blue to honor those involved in 9/11.

PHOTOS BY SARAH LONGMIRE DESIGN BY SARAH LONGMIRE AND CATHERINE JU

THROWBACK: PORNOGRAPHY: MORE THAN

WSS EDITION

MEETS THE EYE

Yes, this was in fact one of the many headlines of the WSS. It was also the cover story. Published in the September 1985 issue, the article describes the fight between selling pornographic magazines to minors in the 1980’s and those who wished it be banned.

The article even includes the term ‘hooliganism’.

From our first issue in 1968 to today, there have been some interesting headlines on the pages of the WSS. Below are five headlines from the past 47 years. You might be surprised how views on appropriateness have changed over the years.

E IS FOR ECSTASY Published on March 30, 2001, E is for Ecstasy covers the harmful effects of the 1960s’ drug that resurfaced in the early 2000s. Ecstacy was a popular recreational drug that some students became addicted to.

SCREAM! SCREAM! SCREAM! The girls of the class of 1969 practiced their screams of self defense at a mandatory meeting for senior females one Wednesday in 1968. The Iowa City police gathered the girls to teach different methods of self defense, a seminar the school felt was needed after hitchhiking in the area posed a danger to female students.

WHO SHOULD TEACH SEX? Unlike today where sex education is incorporated into the health curriculum, in the 1970s, debates surrounded the topic. “Who Should Teach Sex?” was included in the November 20, 1970 issue, where parents and teachers voiced concerns and support about bringing the topic of sex into the classroom.

DADS DEMONSTRATE DANCING ABILITY Dad dance moves: a phenomena that transcends time. The GRA, a group at West in the ‘70s, held its annual fatherdaughter potluck. Fathers and daughters in attendance had the chance to play badminton, volleyball and table tennis.

After the games, the couples had a chance to get down on it and compete in a dance contest. Groovy.

FOR MORE PAPERS FROM THE PAST, GO TO WSSPAPER. COM/ARCHIVES

PHOTO BY CHANEL VIDAL DESIGN BY LEAH DUSTERHOFT COMPILED BY ALLIE BISCUPSKI AND LEAH DUSTERHOFT