2021-10-01

WEST SI DE STO RY IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE. IOWA CITY, IA 52246

WSSPAPER.COM

VOLUME 54 ISSUE 1

THE PRICE

TO PLAY WSS examines the effects of financial disparities on extracurricular participation and success.

OCTOBER 1, 2021

PHOTO FEATURE

OWEN AANESTAD

The Trojan volleyball team celebrates their final point over defending 4A state champions Xavier Aug. 31. West took down the Saints in five sets with the help of 27 digs from four-year varsity starter Katherine Kouba ‘22 and an electric student section.

CONTENTS Dear readers, 4 NEWS

Summer Recap State Law Debate

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HEALTH & SCIENCE What’s the Deal with Delta?

10 14

FEATURE The College Conundrum

Welcome back West High! We hope autumn is going gourd for you all. If not, you’ll soon be falling in love with our first issue of the year.

Any fellow seniors currently crying over college apps? You’re not alone because we definitely are. Turn to page 10 to hear your peers of various grade levels comment on their college-related stressors and pick up some tips from counselors and teachers on how to handle them.

Our cover story starts on page 20 and discusses financial difficulties that students face, especially when it comes to extracurricular activities.

Speaking of extracurricular activities, flip to page 28 for our sports section, where reporters Krisha Kapoor and Miguel Cohen Suarez explore the barriers and the benefits ELL students gain from competing in school sports.

As always, make sure to take care of yourself. Beleaf in yourself, if you will.

PROFILES

We love you, West High!

Welcome to West Across the Ocean

20 28

COVER The Price to Play

SPORTS Breaking Barriers

32

ENTERTAINMENT

33

OPINION

Ask WSS

Managing Mistrust Promoting Pronouns

Scan here for mental health resources

KAILEY GEE

HANAH KITAMOTO

(she/they)

(she/her)

PRINT STAFF LIST Aria Khalil Athena Wu Caroline Barker* Caroline Mascardo* Defne Bayman

Artist Artist, Reporter Photo Editor Copy Co-Editor, Editorial Editor Photographer, Designer Ella De Young* Assistant Sports Editor Eva Jordan Artist, Designer Ginger McCartney Designer, Reporter Hanah Kitamoto* Print Co-Editor-InChief Heidi Du* Copy Co-Editor Grace Huang* Health & Science Editor Helen Zhang* Columns Editor Jack Alden Reporter, Designer Jane Lam Reporter, Photographer Kailey Gee* Print Co-Editor-InChief Kamakshee Reporter Kuchhal Katherine Shoppa* News Editor

*Editorial Board member

Krisha Kapoor* Lilly Graham Lily Prochaska Maya Chu* Miguel Cohen Suarez Misha Canin*

Sports Editor Reporter Reporter Feature Editor Sports Reporter

Managing Editor, Business Co-Editor Owen Aanestad* Online Editor-inChief Rosemary Timmer- Reporter Hackert Ruba AhmedBusiness Co-Editor, Abdelmutalab* Profiles Co-Editor Sachiko Goto* Assistant Design Editor Sara Whittaker Adviser Sila Duran* Entertainment Editor Soomin Koh* Profiles Co-Editor William Cheng Artist, Designer Xiaoyi Zhu* Design Editor Zaira Ahmad Reporter, Designer Zoey Guo* Art Editor

A lot has happened since the last issue of WSS. Here is a brief news recap from the summer and the beginning of the school year.

PHOTOS BY MASHA ARSHAVA & MADDY SMITH DESIGN BY SILA DURAN

BY LILY PROCHASKA

Baseball & Softball Season After an irregular 2020 season, the West summer sports teams were ready for a more normal season. The softball team (13-23) displayed their young talent at their last season conference doubleheader, defeating Cedar Rapids Jefferson 3-2. They played their best ball in July with a record of 6-3 during their final nine games of the season. The Trojan baseball team (22-15) played their best games June 4, winning 18-8 against Waterloo West and 20-3 against Waterloo East June 11.

Olympics & Mental Health USA gymnast Simone Biles cited her mental well-being after removing herself from the gymnastics team final at the Tokyo Olympics, saying she was not in the right headspace. Biles’ decision is part of a greater cultural moment. In recent months, multiple high-profile athletes have been open about prioritizing their mental health over society’s definition of success. The one-year delay in 2020 and the near-cancelation of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 have created an environment of uncertainty that greatly affected the morale of athletes all over the world. Many athletes, such as Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the French Open to tend to her mental health, have also helped strip some of the stigma attached to admitting personal difficulty and seeking professional assistance.

Juneteenth African-Americans in Texas were freed from slavery June 19, 1865. Over a century and a half later, people across the U.S. continue to celebrate the day, now known as Juneteenth. The Juneteenth bill passed the House on June 16, paving the way for President Biden to sign it into law. The national reckoning over race in 2020 helped set the stage for the bill, which made Juneteenth the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983. Following recent nationwide protests over police brutality and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many other Black Americans, there has been a renewed media interest in the day that celebrates freedom.

04 NEWS

OCT. 1, 2021

State Laws Iowa House lawmakers passed a bill Feb. 16 that requires schools to administer the Pledge of Allegiance and display the American flag daily. Schools must also fly the flag on school days. However, students are not required to recite the pledge. This law was passed among two others. One placed limits on what could be taught about race in schools, namely that it can’t be taught that Iowa nor the U.S. is systemically racist. The other placed a ban on district-wide mask mandates. Read more about these recent state laws and how they relate to local control on page 6.

Hurricane Ida Hurricane Ida was a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane that became the second-most damaging hurricane to strike Louisiana on record, behind Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana Aug. 29, making landfall near Port Fourchon with sustained winds of 150 mph. A quarter of a million homes and business buildings lost power in the Northeast as Ida’s remnants passed through. The storm’s remains have caused almost four dozen fatalities, the majority because of flooding. As of print time, some roads are still impassable because of downed power lines and flooding. The recovery will be challenging due to the extent of damage and rebuilding required.

Afghanistan In April, President Biden announced U.S. military forces would leave Afghanistan by September, nearly 20 years after they had arrived following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Taliban continued to gain complete control of Afghanistan despite ongoing peace talks with the Afghan government. The Taliban worsened their attacks on Afghan National Defense and Security force bases, causing a rapid Taliban invasion of territory. In July, the U.S. had withdrawn 95% of its troops, leaving only 650 to protect the U.S. embassy in Kabul until September. About 64,000 evacuees from Afghanistan had arrived in the U.S. to safety as of Sept. 14.

Free School Lunches The United States Department of Agriculture extended the waiver for free school lunches to ensure that children receive meals throughout the school year. This move is part of the USDA’s commitment to guarantee all children across the U.S. have access to lunches. Grab & Go meals will also be available for all ICCSD students at no cost. Each meal includes breakfast and lunch.

West High will distribute meals until the end of the school year from noon to 1 p.m. on school days.

NEWS OCT. 1, 2021

05

STATE LAW DEBATE Students and teachers give their opinions on recent state laws and how they relate to local control.

BY JACK ALDEN & HANAH KITAMOTO DESIGN BY GINGER MCCARTNEY ART BY ATHENA WU

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ince the start of 2021, several laws have passed in Iowa, including laws that ban masks mandates, require that students have an opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance and forbid diversity training. Feeling the impacts of these laws first-hand, West High students and teachers have their fair share of opinions on the latest state legislation.

Mask Mandate Ban A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order on House File 847, making it so local school districts can require masks in their schools.

MASK MANDATE BAN

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hen students first returned to school, House File 847 prevented mask mandates from being enforced. However, a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order which allowed the school board to reinstate the mask mandate in Iowa City schools. The lawsuit that resulted in this change was about how it affected children with disabilities, who are more likely to be immunocompromised, yet still have a right to free, public education. If going in-person helps a student learn best then they should have the right to do so. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that denying schoolaged children a free public education violates the Constitution, so the judge enacted the pause of this portion of HF 847.

Also, as of print time, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation in five states, including Iowa, for their mask mandate ban Aug. 30, again addressing that the laws discriminate against students with disabilities and students who have a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

When the state forbade mask mandates in May, Zach Barton ’23 believed the ban was inconsiderate of public health.

“To make a decision that would forward your agenda but cost the lives of your constituents is a very bad idea to me,” Barton said. “You’re not proving anything except for the fact that you are willing to sacrifice people’s lives that you deem unimportant to make sure that your agenda gets pushed.”

Miles Mohamed ’24 believes wearing a mask respects others who have lost family to COVID-19.

“I’m vaccinated; I’ve had both my doses. Even with those doses, I still wear my mask to keep myself safe, to keep my family safe and to honor

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OCT. 1, 2021

Pledge of Allegiance Requires schools to display the American flag in every classroom and offer an opportunity for students to say the Pledge of Allegiance every day.

Diversity Training Bans public K-12 schools from teaching that Iowa or the U.S. is systemically racist or sexist.

“ I TH I N K IT’S I M PORTANT TO CAR RY ON THAT TR ADITION I N OR DE R TO R ECOG N IZE HOW LUCK Y WE AR E TO LIVE I N TH E U N ITE D STATES.” - ETHAN TITUS ‘22 those who have lost their loved ones to COVID — it would be a slap in the face to not wear a mask at school when there are people who’ve lost their family members to COVID,” Mohamed said. “It’s just a bad idea overall, allowing the state to override anything that is going on locally.”

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LAW

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ouse File 415, passed by the House Feb. 16, requires all Iowa public schools K-12 to offer an opportunity for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance each day and have an American flag displayed in every classroom. At West High, a recording of Principal Mitch Gross reciting the Pledge of Allegiance plays every day after the first bell.

Ethan Titus ’22 participates in the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. For Titus, reciting the Pledge is a way to honor the U.S. “I stand because I believe the Pledge of Allegiance is a great opportunity to take a minute just to show appreciation for our country. The Pledge was created to unite us and celebrate our freedom,” Titus said. “My parents and grandparents grew up reciting the Pledge in school, and I think it’s important to carry on that tradition in order to recognize how lucky we are to live in the United States.”

Barton recalls reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in elementary school, but as they became more educated about the history of the U.S., their opinions about the Pledge changed.

“I remember in elementary school, until fourth or fifth grade, we said the Pledge of Allegiance every day,” Barton said. “I didn’t think very much of it at the time, but now that I’m in high school and I’ve taken history classes that haven’t been from a Eurocentric standpoint, I’m glad

they included the clause that if the students don’t want to, they don’t have to because I don’t think I can cheer for a country that’s done what it has.”

Conversely, Sierra Bertelli ’24 feels this law is useful as a means of education.

“I feel like it’s a good law because it teaches younger kids about how they are a part of this country, and how they can represent themselves,” Bertelli said.

Bertelli also believes that this law is beneficial and should have existed sooner. She also acknowledges that there are plenty of reasons people may not want to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance.

“I do understand that people may not like this country for their own reasons, though, we are living in America. I do feel like [we should] have the Pledge of Allegiance because we fought for our country,” Bertelli said.

Anthony Allou ’23 believes choosing to recite the Pledge or not is the choice of each individual.

“I think, if you want to, you can, if you don’t want to, that’s fine. It’s entirely a matter of freedom of speech,” Allou said. “I think that if somebody wants to say it, I’m glad that they have their time to pledge their allegiance if somebody doesn’t want to say it, I’m glad it’s not required.”

with our literature, too,” Cooper said.

“We need to think about things from other perspectives before we decide that our perspective is the best perspective,” Cooper said.

Mohamed believes this bill ignores U.S. history.

“That’s something that needs to be taught, that’s something that has happened in America countless times and it’s even been part of America’s history,” Mohamed said. “You can’t just completely cut it out and act like it doesn’t exist.”

Paige Nierling ’23 echoes these sentiments.

“You’re supposed to teach the facts, and the facts are that [America] is very segregated and the whole system was built that way. It’s just ridiculous,” Nierling said. “If you’re gonna teach, you’re going to want to teach the proper way

DIVERSITY TRAINING

- ZACH BARTON ‘23

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ov. Kim Reynolds signed House File 802 into law June 8, prohibiting public schools K-12 from teaching that the Iowa or the U.S. is systemically racist. This legislation also bans implicit bias training, something all district teachers do where they reflect on their actions in the classroom to ensure fairness and equity in decision making.

According to English teacher John Cooper, implicit bias training is vital for white teachers to recognize their unconscious discrimination.

“It was a lot of reflection. It was a lot of evaluating. Is there a discrepancy between how I grade my students of color and my white students?

Absolutely. I sat down and looked at those numbers without anybody prompting me … because that’s a big part of what we’ve been looking at

“ I DON ’T TH I N K I CAN CH E E R FOR A COU NTRY THAT’S DON E WHAT IT HAS.” — you’re going to want to teach everything. If you’re going to ban it, there’s no sense in even teaching at all.”

Overall, Cooper believes there are two sides to this argument of state or local control of education.

“There’s my personal belief that education is inherently personal and that the state should not be able to tell any of us where or when we learn and what we’re learning,” Cooper said. “However, the tricky part about education is, even though it is a state issue, there are still overarching federal expectations that we have to meet.”

NEWS 0CT. 1, 2021

07

WHAT’S THE

WITH

DEAL DELTA? The Delta variant of COVID-19 has recently been making headlines, but what differentiates it from other strains of the virus? Read on to learn what sets Delta apart.

BY KAILEY GEE & JANE LAM

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fter a year of isolation, the general public was ready to get back to a version of pre-pandemic life. With widespread availability of vaccines and quickly decreasing case counts, the summer of 2021 was something to look forward to. However, as the summer progressed, the number of COVID-19 cases began to rise. Doctors and scientists credit this increase to the Delta variant, a new strain of COVID-19 that has made its way to the U.S. The Delta variant was first identified in India in late 2020, but wasn’t discovered in the U.S. until March. Delta had shown up in all 50 states by July 1 due to its swift transmission rate.

“The major thing that makes it stand out is that it’s at least twice as transmissible as the earlier strains,” said Dr. Eli Perencevich, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa. “Instead of one person infecting two or three other people, now, with the Delta variant, one person can infect six or eight people.”

These high transmission rates are because the Delta variant grows faster and more abundantly in people’s respiratory tracts compared to previous strains of COVID-19, especially in unvaccinated people. According to Jamie Mears, West High’s school nurse, vaccinated people can still get COVID-19 and have symptoms, but the illness will not be as serious. “[If vaccinated people wearing masks get COVID-19] hopefully they will just get less symptomatic and not have to be hospitalized, just experience cold symptoms, headaches, fatigue, sore throat is kind of what we’re seeing with the positive cases. I haven’t been told anybody’s been hospitalized or anything,” Mears said. “On the other hand, I feel like we have seen in the community more hospitalizations and they tend to be getting pneumonia or sick-

08 HEALTH & SCIENCE OCT. 1, 2021

ART & DESIGN BY SACHIKO GOTO

er without the vaccination or if they have other illnesses.”

According to the CDC, the group of greatest risk regarding the Delta variant is unvaccinated people because they have a higher chance of getting infected, having harsher symptoms and spreading it to others. Therefore, according to Perencevich, the best way to protect against the virus is to get vaccinated.

“TH E MOR E THAT WE’ R E MASKI NG TH E BETTE R , BUT IT’S R EALLY NOT E NOUG H TO BE SAFE I N AN I N DOOR SPACE WITH J UST MASKS.” - DR. ELI PERENCEVICH, PROFESSOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY “A mask is only one layer. If all we know is that the majority are wearing masks, the more that we’re masking the better, but it’s really not enough to be safe in an indoor space with just masks,” Perencevich said. “Ideally, we would want the majority vaccinated or everyone vacci-

nated, certainly everyone in high school should be vaccinated at this point. Then, if you’re vaccinated and wearing a mask, it’s a really safe environment.”

The primary reason to continue to wear masks is for other people in the community, especially those who are immunocompromised. Research shows that the risk of transmission of airborne particles containing the virus is decreased by as much as 75% when wearing a mask. In times like these, the quickest way to return back to normalcy is to wear masks and get vaccinated.

“If you’re vaccinated and wearing a great mask, and you’re young, you’re really not at risk for bad outcomes unless you have an underlying condition. I don’t want to discount that,” Perencevich said. “There are people who are immunocompromised, and it’s a different ballgame for them.

That’s why I wear a mask. I’m vaccinated, I’m healthy – I wear a mask because I don’t want to transmit the virus to someone who’s immunocompromised and the vaccine doesn’t work for them.”

As of print time, the COVID-19 vaccine is not approved for children under 12, making them a high-risk group.

“Many of us have brothers and sisters or kids who are under 12 years old in elementary school, and they don’t have access to the vaccine,” Perencevich said. “Since it’s a new virus, even though they’re not likely to die if they get the virus, many are ending up in the hospital.

It’s a new virus so we don’t know what the longterm effects of the infections are.”

For this reason, Perencevich believes that one thing the federal government can do to improve the situation is to approve the vaccine for children under 12 as soon as possible. Regarding masks, there’s also work to be done at a local level.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law banning face mask mandates in school districts May 20. The

state of Iowa is one of five states currently being investigated by the U.S. Education Department over mask mandate bans. However, a southern Iowa district court temporarily overturned the ban, and the ICCSD has reinstated its mask mandate.

Locally, the Delta variant has affected students

at West in several ways. The risk associated with it has caused some students to make a last-minute decision to stay online this school year, including Emily Beltran ’22.

“I want to be cautious, because I’m with my mom, and I don’t want to get sick, because she has no form of vaccines … I also don’t want to

spread it to anybody else, especially since Delta is more contagious than any other variant out there,” Beltran said. “I was quite saddened by it, actually, because it’s my senior year, and I can’t spend it at school. It was a tough decision to make. I thought to myself, ‘This is one [year] I have to sacrifice.’”

FAST FACTS DELTA VARIANT

DELTA VARIANT

Originated in India.

Originated in China.

First identified in December 2020.

First identified 2020.

The Delta variant can cause ~2x more infections than the original strain of the virus. Source: National Public Radio

Sources: United States Environmental Protection Agency, The Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine

Surgical mask: 71.5% effective

N95 respirator: 90-95% effective

March 2021: Eta and Iota variants are designated as “variants of interest”

in

January

Will infect up to three people in an unmitigated environment.

Sources: National Public Radio, The Lancet, American Society For Microbiology, The American Journal of Managed Care

“Fastest and fittest” variant identified so far.

MASKS AND EFFECTIVENESS

Dec. 2020: Alpha and Beta variants are designated as “variants of concern”

VS

Will infect up to seven people in an unmitigated environment.

ORIGINAL STRAIN

Cotton bandana: 49-50% effective

ORIGINAL STRAIN

98.9% of U.S. COVID-19 infections are made up of the Delta variant as of September 4.

Source: CDC

May 2021: Delta variant is designated as a “variant of concern”

Aug. 2021: Mu variant is designated as a “variant of interest”

Source: WHO

Jan. 2021: Gamma variant is designated as a “variant of concern”

April 2021: Kappa variant is designated as a “variant of interest”

June 2021: Lambda variant is designated as a “variant of interest”

VARIANT OF INTEREST:

VARIANT OF CONCERN:

A variant with specific genetic markers that could affect transmission, diagnostics, etc. and has limited prevalance in the U.S.

A variant that has specific genetic markers like variants of interest as well as increased transmissibility and disease severity.

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Source: CDC

OCT. 1, 2021

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THE COLLEGE CONUNDRUM For some students, their high school years become a balancing act between their interests and what they believe colleges want from them.

BY LILLY GRAHAM, KAMAKSHEE KUCHHAL & HELEN ZHANG

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ou fill with dread as your alarm blares repeatedly. Under the heap of honors homework and AP review books, you groggily reach out your hand to find your phone: 8:47 a.m. You feel panic threatening to curl up your insides. Last night you struggled to prioritize studying for three tests. After missing first period, you walk into your math class for a quiz, and your mind can’t focus. It ricochets from thought to thought: when will I have time to study for the SAT and AP exams? I have a game tonight.

I’m going to fail all of these tests. By the end of the day, you are so overwhelmed and fatigued by your responsibilities that you can only fall asleep, making it so you will be even further behind tomorrow.

High school is a busy time, marked by the stress of balancing a myriad of activities. When looming college applications are thrown into the mix, many students are unsure of where to start. This pressure is one many high schoolers will face, often with it starting before they even

10 FEATURE OCT. 1, 2021

step foot into high school. The stress of building a good resume to perfect their college application can be an all-consuming focus that controls students’ lives.

STUDENT STRESS

A

multitude of factors including challenging course loads, extracurricular participation and a culture of competitive excellence at West converge to make the college application process a major stressor for students.

Additionally, students are tasked with dividing their time in a way that allows them to follow their passions, but also pursue activities which colleges will approve of.

Maggy Owens ’22 is one such student who finds striking such a balance challenging.

“It does get a bit stressful because I feel like I want to do all of this stuff just to make me look better on the applications, but there’s just not enough time in a day. I burn out really quickly,” Owens said.

Owens’ schedule includes several AP classes and extracurriculars, such as Theatre West and a mental health club she founded. On top of that, she also works a part-time job and is preparing for the ACT. Even though Owens is interested

in many of her chosen classes and activities, she also believes they are important to show colleges she is a well-rounded student. Still, she is concerned that this list may not be long enough.

“I just feel like I’m running out of time, and I haven’t done enough at West and I just won’t look good on the college applications,” Owens said. “So as a senior, I feel like I’ve wasted all that time.”

Similar to Owens, Matthew Bedell ’24 worries about future regret.

“The most stressful part about it is if you didn’t [do] enough or [have] regrets [about] what you could have done better ... because it’s not really anything you can change at that point,” Bedell said.

With a motto of “Where Excellence is a Tradition,” the competitive environment at West, where comparison with peers is commonplace, can be a catalyst of student angst.

“You hear kids around you all the time talking about these scholarships they’ve done outside of school, activities and programs and things that they’re the leaders of, and I don’t know if I’ve done enough of those things,” said Amira Qidwai ’22.

Qidwai is planning to study international relations and has focused on taking higher-level

“

I ’ M J UST TE R R I FI E D I ’ M GOI NG TO MAKE TH E WRONG CHOICE AN D WI SH I HAD SOM E BODY TH E R E TO J UST PUSH TH E BUTTON FOR M E AN D TE LL M E WH ICH ON E IT WI LL I M PACT MY FUTU R E I N TH E MOST POSITIVE WAY.

”

- MAGGY OWENS ‘22 social studies classes throughout high school.

While she is confident that she has shown proficiency in this area, she is still worried about staying on the same level as her classmates.

“I haven’t taken any AP math courses or science courses which kind of gets to the heart of the issues at West because people would say those are the hardest ones and that you weren’t really in that high-level AP group unless you’re taking AP Chemistry, AP Calc or something,” Qidwai said.

AP English Literature teacher Nate Frese has taught at West for 23 years. He has frequently witnessed students taking on more than they can manage and the costs of becoming overloaded with work.

“I think you have to almost [become overwhelmed] to realize that [you] can’t be everything to everyone all the time, and especially to yourself. It’s okay not to have 15 things on your plate and not be working towards this kind of uber child all the time,” Frese said.

As college become even costlier, with students weighed down by thousands of dollars in debt upon graduation, applying for scholarships is another key part of the college process.

Josie Schwartz ’25 is already worried about the cost of college. Even with the prospect of a reduced price of attending her dream school, Mount Holyoke, it’s still too expensive.

“Is it worth it to go to a college that might make me broke for the rest of my life?” Schwartz said.

Seeking out scholarships can be yet another element that heightens student stress, as is the case for Jade Ritchey ’22.

“You’ve got to write an essay [for scholarships], you got all these other things and I don’t even know where to turn and where to look,” Ritchey said. “I don’t want to go through the mental battle of it every time on top of APs and my other classes that I need to get done.”

Students are also burdened by how impactful choosing a college and major can be. Having to both select an institution which best suits their needs and decide a discipline of study can overwhelm students, who fear they could make the wrong decision.

“I feel like just jumping into a totally different environment with no direction would not be good for me,” Ritchey said. “I don’t want to waste money taking classes and things [to] end up finding out my junior [or] senior year of college that this is not what I want to do with my life.”

Choosing a college has been difficult for Owens, who is deciding between the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. Planning to major in psychology, she has found both of the colleges’ programs impressive and is concerned she will choose incorrectly.

“I’m just terrified I’m going to make the wrong choice,” Owens said. “[I] wish I had somebody there to just push the button for me and tell me which one it will impact my future in the most positive way.”

SCHOOL STIGMA

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hile deciding which colleges best fit them, many students feel stigma and pressure surrounding attending certain institutions, whether that be a community college, state school or more selective university.

Some at West voice the sentiment of wanting to get out of Iowa. West alum Amy Liao ’21, who studies at Northwestern University, knew college was her chance.

“I’ve always wanted to get out of Iowa. I wanted to go somewhere where the environment would be different so I could have new experiences,” Liao said.

Frese acknowledges the culture around certain schools at West.

“I’ve definitely noticed more students that kind of fall into that camp of ‘why would I stay here?

I’ve grown up here’ or ‘this isn’t a big enough name,’” Frese said.

He instead urges students not to simply cross off the University of Iowa because it is the “hometown school” but to instead be more investigative.

For some, family expectations include attending a nationally ranked university. This is the case for Mayasa Hamid ’23, a student who will be the first in her immediate family to attend college.

“Educational success is a really big part of our culture, which makes sense because my dad works a night shift … in the times that he’s supposed to be sleeping. He doesn’t want that for me, and I don’t want that for me,” Hamid said.

“There is a cultural stress on my back, but also I

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TH E R E I S A CU LTU R AL STR ESS ON MY BACK , BUT ALSO I WANT TO BE BETTE R FOR MY PAR E NTS AN D MY SI STE RS … TO SHOW TH E M THAT ANYTH I NG I S POSSI BLE .

”

- MAYASA HAM I D ‘23

FEATURE OCT. 1, 2021

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want to be better for my parents and my sisters … to show them that anything is possible.”

Hamid also hopes to attend a prestigious college to fulfill her longtime dream of becoming a heart surgeon. At the top of her list is John Hopkins University and its renowned medical program.

Similarly to Hamid, Liao was influenced by her parents to attend a top tier university. Now, she understands that prestige isn’t the most important factor a college has to offer.

“I realized that college is not all about prestige and location, you actually have to look at the quality of the programs that they have,” Liao said. “If the college offers you reputation, but it doesn’t actually benefit your education and your career, then there’s no point.”

Qidwai believes there is a lack of information at West addressing the variety of options students can pursue after high school that aren’t the standard course of attending a four-year university.

“Sometimes I talk to kids who are talking about going to Kirkwood or talking about other options … and I’m like, ‘Wow, you really got out of the mindset they’ve been pushing on us,’” Qidwai said. “I just think that it’s kind of amazing to see kids who are taking this total opposite path they really did not make clear to us at all.”

West alum Perla Dubon ’21, who attends Kirkwood Community College, is an example of a student who has taken such a path.

“I love seeing all the diversity and people from different cultures there,” Dubon said. “[My] teachers have been so supportive of others and

“

WHAT COLLEG ES YOU GOT I NTO AN D DI DN ’T G ET I NTO … G E N U I N E LY SAYS VE RY LITTLE ABOUT YOU AS A PE RSON .

”

-AMY LIAO ‘21

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look out for everyone. So have been the students … This was totally [the] college experience I have been looking for.”

APPLICATION ADVICE

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ccording to an email from the West Guidance Department, the college process varies greatly from student to student, but usually requires transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation and personal essays. The Guidance Department advises that students submit applications to between four to seven schools, with a few being “reach” schools, some priority schools and a few safeties.

Programs such as the Common Application can make applying to multiple schools more efficient.

With the personal statement essay being very open-ended, the endless topic possibilities can be overwhelming.

“How far do I go into detail and what do I write about?” Hamid said. “I don’t know where to start.”

In his AP Literature class, Frese walks his students through how to approach writing personal essays for college applications. His main tips revolve around staying genuine, telling a true story and focusing on a few important qualities.

“What do you want the admissions officer to know about you when they’re done with this essay?” Frese said. “I would tell students to be yourself and really focus on what is the thing that doesn’t show up in the rest of the applica-

tion that you want them to know about you and make that your core focus.”

Frese acknowledges that approaching such an essay can be difficult, especially if one isn’t a confident writer. He suggests reading other people’s successful application essays for inspiration and playing around with different styles. “[Schools] want to see a variety, and they don’t want to read the same thing over and over again,” Frese said.

Guidance counselors are also a great resource throughout the college application process. They can help students devise a plan that best suits their needs.

“Many students believe that if they take a lot of AP classes, get a good ACT/SAT score, and do some volunteer work, that is their ticket into college. While that may be true for some, it is not always true for others. There is no formula to guarantee admission,” the guidance department wrote. “Take challenging courses in areas you’re interested in, get involved in things you love, and work hard.”

Liao advises students to get started on the college application process early and not get hung up on the name or prestige of the college that accepts them.

“The number one thing, if there’s anything that’s going to negatively impact your application, is waiting to start it. But the stress, it’s not worth it,” Liao said. “What colleges you got into and didn’t get into … genuinely says very little about you as a person.”

ART & DESIGN BY GRACE HUANG

STRESS AT WEST: BY THE NUMBERS What grade did you start to become stressed about college? *70 student responses

22.9%

31.4% 10.0%

Not currently stressed

9th/10th

11th/12th

35.7% Junior High or sooner

On a scale of 1-10, how overwhelmed do you feel about classes? *70 student responses

20% 15%

10%

5%

1

6

2

7

3

8

4

9

5

10

0%

On a scale of 1-10, how stressed are you about college? *70 student responses

20% 15%

10%

5%

1

6

2

7

3

8

4

9

5

10

0%

On a scale of 1-5, how much would you agree with this statement: “I am taking all of my classes because I enjoy them.” *70 student responses

7.1% 21.4% 1

2

34.3% 31.4% 5.7% 3

4

5

FEATURE OCT. 1, 2021

13

WELCOME TO WEST As many students have been adjusting to being back in school, 18 new teachers have been adjusting to West High. Four of them share their experiences so far this school year.

BY ZAIRA AHMAD & KATHERINE SHOPPA

Michael Clark, Economics Many teachers who end up at West come for job opportunities, but social studies teacher Michael Clark had a unique reason to want to work here. After studying political science and economics at the University of Iowa, Clark moved to Texas where he taught for 30 years.

However, it had always been Clark’s dream to teach at Iowa City West High School. Just when he had decided to retire, he was met with the opportunity he’d always desired.

“I’d been in Texas enough years where I could retire and come back home, so that’s what I did,” Clark said. “There was really only one school I wanted to come back to in Iowa City and somehow I was lucky enough to end up here. That was my dream.”

Clark teaches AP Economics and one of the main reasons he’d always wanted to teach at West was for its welcoming environment.

“My favorite thing about West is how it’s so inclusive,” Clark said. “The environment here is

that whoever you are, you’re accepted, whoever you love, whatever you believe.”

Clark believes that acceptance is one of the key pieces to creating a better learning environment.

In the past, he’s noticed how big of a difference inclusion can make.

“When kids feel like they’re ostracized, they either don’t come to school or they cause a lot of problems,” Clark said. “Here, you can already tell that everybody is so welcoming.”

Now being back in person, Clark is excited to be able to watch students learn and make impacts on their lives.

“My favorite thing about teaching is when kids get the concepts, and you see the light bulb go off and kids have success that they didn’t think they could achieve,” Clark said. “Whether it’s getting a five on an AP test, or being able to go home and actually explain things to their parents, it’s the connections that you make.”

Camille Crossett, History

14 PROFILES OCT. 1, 2021

Teachers can have meaningful impacts on students’ lives, and this couldn’t have been more true for social studies teacher Camille Crossett ’15. After attending high school at West, she was inspired by her teachers to become one herself.

“The one thing that made me actually really want to teach social studies was [that] I went to school here, and Mitch Gross was my AP U.S. History teacher,” Crossett said. “All of [my social studies teachers] are great teachers and really made me want to do that.”

Principal Mitch Gross fondly recalls what it was like having Crossett as a student.

“She was very engaging, really wanted to learn, always asked great questions and she was a real joy to have as a student,” Gross said. “When she interviewed for this position, I was blown away because she showed more personality and more confidence than I ever saw of her in the classroom.”

After graduating from college, Crossett taught at a high school in Knoxville, Iowa for two years through the COVID-19 pandemic. This came with challenges, especially as a teacher with online and in-person students. However, Crossett believes it has made educators, including herself, better.

“I also think that it … kind of made us kinder and more lenient with students and more willing to give a little bit of grace [and] understanding [in] certain situations,” Crossett said.

When she’s not teaching, Crossett enjoys sewing, cross stitching, spending time with her black cat and baking.

She returned to West High this year as an AP Psychology and American Studies teacher, already cherishing the supportiveness and kindness of her colleagues. Transitioning to being a teacher at West has been like coming home for Crossett.

Amari Nasafi, English For English teacher Amari Nasafi, all it took to change his entire career path was a new literature course. After teaching Language Arts 7 at Northwest Junior High for 9 years, he decided to take the opportunity to teach English 9 and the first African-American Literature class at West High.

“A lot of the reason that I teach is that I get a lot of energy from interacting with people,” Nasafi said. “The amount of reduction in that from being online made it less enjoyable; it wasn’t as fun.”

That year, Nasafi was encouraged by colleagues to apply for the new job opening. However, it was not an easy decision for him to make.

“I had to think about it and ask a lot of people whose opinions I really trust because I was like ‘Man I really love Northwest,’” he said. “It has nothing to do with Northwest being a place I wanted to leave, it’s all about me embarking on something new.”

Nasafi feels the biggest challenges for him this year are because of changing schools and classes rather than teaching during the pandemic.

“It feels a little bit like your first year teaching because you’re getting acquainted with the curriculum and all of those things, but the vast majority of my experience has been super positive,” Nasafi said.

Through his several years of teaching, Nasafi has continued to pursue his hobbies, the main one being drug-free bodybuilding. Starting in 2013, Nasafi has accomplished a lot in this area of his life, including winning an international tournament in 2019. Though he took a break

PHOTOS & DESIGN BY DEFNE BAYMAN

from competing during the pandemic, he has continued to train hard and plans to compete again in 2022. Along with bodybuilding, Nasafi dedicates his time outside of the classroom to being a husband and a dad, as well as reading good books.

In the classroom, having insightful discussions has become the most energizing part of his job.

“I’m always learning from my students, but I feel like that’s really been happening a lot so far in African American Lit,” Nasafi said. “I’m hearing how [students] perceive these issues so differently than a lot of the people at my age do.”

Another valuable experience for Nasafi has been reconnecting with many students he previously had. He described seeing how his students have changed as being uncanny, but in a good way.

Shifting from interacting with junior high students to high school students has also been a challenge.

“I’m still trying to learn that balance because in my head I’m thinking, ‘Oh, they’re gonna be so serious,’” Nasafi said. “And [being goofy] is part of my personality, I’m not a super serious type of person and I was kind of concerned that that would have to all go away, but that hasn’t been the case.”

Even though it has been a bit anxiety-inducing to teach a completely new class in a new place, Nasafi is enjoying learning how to navigate alongside his students.

“It’s like we’re all kind of on the discovery path together,” Nasafi said.

ART BY ARIA KHALIL

Emily Magnuson, Art One moment, art teacher Emily Magnuson was riding her bike through Chinatown in New York City on her way to work for an artist. The next moment, she was back in Iowa recovering from cancer. Magnuson hadn’t originally envisioned herself teaching art at West, but clearly, life had other plans for her.

“I just saw [Iowa City] with a new perspective,” Magnuson said. “Being a cancer survivor and being someone who’s chronically ill for the rest of their life, I needed a lifestyle that was a little more chill.”

When Magnuson found out she was diagnosed with cancer, she moved back to Iowa, the state where she was raised, to live with her parents and recover. While undergoing chemotherapy, Magnuson began volunteering at the crisis center where she discovered she enjoyed working with kids.

“When I’d hang out with kids whose families were in crisis, we’d just sit around and make art together,” Magnuson said. “I just really love the

interactions we’d have.”

Now, Magnuson can’t imagine having a job without interacting with people. Creating connections and building relationships is one of her favorite parts about her job.

“I love the connections, I love helping people,” Magnuson said. “Having a place to go every morning, where I’m going to do some good in the world. I’m not stuck under a business where all I’m focused on is making money for the business. I have an impact on people and it’s really sweet in that regard.”

After working with kids all day at West, Magnuson goes to her art studio, where she works as a ceramicist. In her free time, Magnuson enjoys gardening, cooking and reading nonfiction books of all kinds. Overall, Magnuson feels ready for this school year.

“I’m really excited because we get to do more projects, and we get to experiment with more materials and we just get to do so much more [in class],” Magnuson said.

PROFILES OCT. 1, 2021

15

ACROSS THE

OCEAN Having never been outside of her hometown in Australia, Imani Hedt ‘23 found herself quickly noticing the vast, and not so vast, differences between Iowa City and her old home. From the trash bin colors to the school structures, Hedt was met with plenty of new things to discover.

“

BUT EVE RYON E SM I LES AN D, YEAH , IT’S A VE RY HAPPY, BU BBLY SORT OF PLACE .”

- I MAN I H EDT ‘23

Geelong, AU

16 PROFILES OCT. 1, 2021

BY RUBA AHMED & ELLA DE YOUNG DESIGN BY EVA JORDAN

F

rom frequent sightings of kangaroos to crashing waves within walking distance, life in Geelong, Australia is extravagant compared to the fields of corn in Iowa City, Iowa.

Living in two starkly different places across the globe is something that not many experience in their lifetime, let alone by the age of 16. However, it is something Imani Hedt ’23 has been experiencing since her move to Iowa three months ago. “[Geelong is] a lot like Iowa City. [But] in Australia, cities and towns aren’t really centered around a university,” Imani said. “There’s the city and then there’s universities in it, but life doesn’t really center around the university. I think [Geelong] is a little bigger than Iowa City in population, and it’s all spread along the coast.”

Prior to her move to Iowa, Imani has only ever lived in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Geelong is the second-largest Victorian city, known for its beautiful coastline and for being the home of the second oldest Australian football team. Packing her bags to move across the world was a massive change, and Imani has been taking her time to adjust.

“I haven’t found my groove yet. I mean it’s only been two months and we just started school, so that’s [a] big change. But, it’s different. It’s very different,” Imani said.

Imani arrived in Iowa City in early July alongside her parents and two younger siblings. The family moved because of her father’s job as the chief business strategy officer for a radio-pharmaceutical company based in Iowa City. Upon hearing the news that she would be leaving Australia, Imani’s friends were confused as to where she would be settling in the U.S. “Whenever we had told people [we were moving], they were like, ‘Idaho? Illinois?’ I [was] like ‘Nope, Iowa,’” Imani said. “When I found out, I didn’t know Iowa was a state back then. There were a lot of tears involved, just because we were so settled at home, and with my people.”

The Hedt family was able to find a YouTuber, Emily Farber, who brought more comfort to their decision to move to a foreign land. Farber had moved to Iowa City to further her realty work years ago. Whenever the Hedts were feeling “flat”, they binge-watched Farber’s videos detailing her life in Iowa City. Even with the preparation that Farber seemed to be giving Imani through the videos, Iowa City was far from what she had anticipated.

“I sort of expected big city, like New York [or] California. I didn’t really have any super high expectations, I don’t think,” Imani said. “I didn’t really know much. I was pretty naive about that.”

Contrary to her assumption, Iowa City was not a large city with skyscrapers and lots of attractions; it was more subtle than that.

“When we first saw Iowa, it was very quiet

because when we got here, there were no uni students. So, it was like a ghost town. There was barely anyone around in comparison to now,” Imani said.

Early on in Iowa, Imani and her family were quite surprised by the friendliness of people in the Midwest.

“I think it was the third day we got here [and] a lady asked if we were locals to ask about parking downtown. We got talking and whatever, and she was like, ‘Oh, do you guys want my phone number? I live in Chicago. If you ever come to Chicago, we can house swap.’ So that was the third day, and my mom had a connection in Chicago,” Imani said. “But everyone smiles and [Iowa City] is a very happy, bubbly sort of place.”

Imani’s mother, Hannah Hedt, believes her family has adapted impressively well after moving. She credits the smooth adjustment to the great amount of flexibility they have as a family.

The helpful nature of Iowans has also aided in their smooth transition.

“When things have been difficult, or different, there’s always been someone that’s been there to help us out and offer some advice, or point us in the right direction so nothing’s been alarmingly difficult,” Hannah said.

Imani’s best friend, Natasha Meynink, also emphasizes how Imani knows how to go with the flow and not let challenges get the better of her.

“At first, Imani was a bit sad as she had to tell all the people close to her the news. But, I noticed as she grew to the idea of starting fresh somewhere new, I think she began to see it as an exciting adventure,” Meynink wrote in an email. “Imani has always been a very positive person and although it was really hard for her to say goodbye to everyone, she always saw the best in things.”

Transitioning to a new grade and new school across the world is not a simple task. However, instead of focusing on the negatives, Imani saw it as an opportunity to explore things she had never encountered before.

“You guys have no idea how much like the movies [West High] is. It is insane,” Imani said.

“When I told people that we were moving they were like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna get a locker. Like a big tall locker. You’re gonna have individual desks at school and there’s gonna be the trophy cabinet when you walk in.’ And we came here on orientation day and I’m like, ‘Whoa’.”

Imani explains that the school buildings back in Australia, especially in her town, tend to be single-storied and spread out across a spacious plot of land. She would walk outside between classes and during her breaks without having to encounter any stairs. “[I miss] the longer lessons and [having] less periods — only four a day. I miss that because you could really knuckle down and get stuff done. But I also miss being outside, like having

PHOTOS BY CLAYTON BOPP & COURTESY OF IMANI HEDT

Iowa City, IA

two breaks, sitting down with friends, really getting to know people,” Imani said.

To get more involved at West High, Imani decided to explore the club fair and sign up for multiple clubs including mock trial, a writing club called Light Feather and speech and debate.

Going from a school of just 700 students, including kindergarten through 12th grade, to a high school with double that amount of students was a bit overwhelming for Imani. Joining clubs in a school as large as West has been helpful for Imani in the friendship-making process.

When school is off on the weekends, both in Australia and Iowa, Imani enjoys a balance of relaxation and productivity.

“On a Saturday, I like to sleep in,” Imani said.

“We might watch a bit of telly, like TV, and do some chores around the house. [Then, we] go down to the supermarket, get your groceries, go to Woolies or Kohl’s — different shops here as well. And then just go home [and] do any homework. I tended to have a lot of homework at school.”

The differences in daily life between Australia and Iowa continue to make themselves present to Imani as the COVID-19 situation in Australia is unlike the circumstances in Iowa.

“Back home, they don’t really have any tolerance for COVID. It’s sort of just like: get six cases, lock the whole state down, and get another

five, extend the lockdown. So they’re in their seventh lockdown at the moment,” said Imani.

“We were very lucky to get out.”

Only two weeks after the Hedts had left Australia, the entire country was already back in lockdown.

This move is definitely not final for Imani. Although she’s had a positive experience in Iowa so far, she misses the ability to walk and get fresh fruit at the local shops and the happiness she gets from the landscape of Australia and her longtime friends.

“When we moved here, we were thinking sort of three to five years that we would stay or leave,” Imani said. “I don’t know, I kind of feel like I might go home for uni or maybe have a gap year or travel a little bit. It’d be nice to see a bit of Australia.”

Looking back at her experiences with the Iowa community so far, Imani is a true believer in the “Iowa nice” concept.

“Everyone’s been so nice, like all my teachers [have] been asking me stuff about Australia and [are] really engaging so that’s been really nice,” Imani said. “I’ve really enjoyed coming here.”

PROFILES OCT. 1, 2021

17

18 ADS

OCT. 1, 2021

ADS OCT. 1, 2021

19

THE PRICE

TO PLAY

Extracurriculars can enrich a student’s high school experience through skill development and learning opportunities. But, like anything, they come at a price.

BY MAYA CHU, HEIDI DU & SOOMIN KOH ART BY WILLIAM CHENG DESIGN BY ZOEY GUO

H

ard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. But does hard work beat monetary resources? Without proper financial investments, success in sports, music and other extracurriculars becomes far less attainable.

With no means of getting to the starting line, winning the race is an impossible task.

WEIGHING THE COST

I

n high school, most students highly anticipate joining new clubs and sports — some are freshmen already looking to pad their college applications while others simply want to gain new experiences and have fun. Although the amount of opportunities may seem infinite, the resources required to take advantage of them certainly are not. A student at West, who wishes to remain anonymous, has one car for their family. This creates a barrier for transportation and has stopped them from pursuing their interests.

“My dad works five days a week, and … my dad drives [my mom] to [work]. It’s really hard for us to get a time so that our dad can drive us since I don’t have a driver’s license,” the anonymous source said.

The transportation roadblock extends beyond parental unavailability — public transportation or carpools are difficult to coordinate around the anonymous source’s schedule. They believe missing out on extracurricular activities will affect not only their high school experience but also their post-secondary opportunities.

“First of all, you don’t get the experience of leadership or working in a team, which is a huge part of being in high school,” they said. “Second of all, it really detriments the process of college applications … because [extracurriculars are] a really huge part of that, and if you have nothing to put in there ... then it’s going to conflict [with] your future and where you’re going to go.”

These disadvantages are reflected on a larger scale. A 2015 study investigating the relation-

ship between income and extracurricular participation found that the participation gap between lower and middle to high-income students is widening. Head Speech and Debate coach John Cooper understands how this disparity is perpetuated in the form of high school students who have to spend time working.

“There are kids who work because they have to,” Cooper said. “They will not have time for debate. I don’t like it, but that’s just … a structure that’s bigger than the building; that’s our society.

Some kids just have to work.”

The anonymous source believes the district is not doing enough to address these issues.

“I feel like [the district] is pretty ignorant in their efforts because West High has been here for a pretty long time, and [West] is an excellent school, but they haven’t really assessed this,” the anonymous source said. “It’s kind of gone into a hole where there’s no communication.”

AN UNFAIR RACE

L

ong touted as the great equalizer, sports have been a quintessential aspect of many Americans’ childhoods. Despite their reputation, youth and high school athletics come at a steep price. Kids from low-income families are six times more likely to quit sports due to costs, according to the Aspen Institute’s Project Play.

From Little League to private swimming lessons, almost all organized sports are pay-to-play, and it’s not uncommon for some parents to shell out thousands of dollars to get their children off the bench — but what about families who can’t afford that price?

For most sports, club or outside training can significantly increase the chance of success in high school. Many benefits come with training alongside others in an organized program, according to Michele Conlon, head tennis professional at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. At HTRC, students receive coach-

ing on strokes, strategy, mental and emotional toughness, and accountability. They also gain valuable experience that increases their chance of success at tournaments.

“Students are exposed to a lot of different game styles and personalities that they will need to deal with in a tournament or in a high school match,” Conlon said.

Varsity tennis player Jayden Shin ’23 has trained at the HTRC since he was in the fifth grade.

“I definitely think that taking private lessons and club tennis has made an impact on me as an athlete,” Shin said.

However, this experience comes at a price. Private lessons at the HTRC range from $44 to $60 per hour, depending on instructor and membership status, which can accumulate to over $2,000 per year if taken weekly. These expenses, added to the cost of rackets, other equipment and tournament fees, can take a hefty toll on any bank account.

“A racket costs roughly $200, and high-performance players typically have two,” Conlon said.

“Tournaments can get expensive with a $30 to $70 entry fee, hotel, gas [and] food.”

The HTRC has implemented several policies aimed at increasing tennis’ accessibility, including keeping their rates lower than most in the industry, allowing non-members to participate in training and putting together a diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

While some sports often require more equipment and training, others are generally less expensive. According to World Atlas, soccer is the most popular sport globally, which is commonly attributed to its accessibility — just a ball and two goals are enough to play. Ruichar Medina ’22 played on the varsity soccer team last season despite not having any club experience beforehand. However, playing alongside peers who have trained for years came with its difficulties.

“The practices were a little hard. I just had to

“I FEEL LIKE [THE DISTRICT] IS PRETTY IGNORANT IN THEIR EFFORTS.” -ANONYMOUS

stand up and keep moving forward to reach the [varsity] team,” Medina said in an interview translated from Spanish. “I felt a little turned off because [other players] had previous experience playing — it was my first year on the team.”

Medina now plays for the Iowa Soccer Club using the money he earns and has gained confidence since joining.

Track and cross country are also sports that require relatively few expenses for athletes.

However, equipment such as running shoes and spikes are essential to participation.

“For our sport, thankfully, there is not a lot of equipment needed other than spikes,” said Travis Craig, West High boys track and field head coach. “We do have to provide spikes to five to 10 athletes each year.”

Having a sufficient supply of running shoes is crucial for varsity track and cross country athlete Sara Alaya ‘22.

“Especially in cross country, we go through a lot of running shoes,” Alaya said. “If a person’s family can’t afford to buy them running shoes every six months ... or every certain amount of miles, then that’ll affect their running majorly, and they [will] get more injuries.”

In addition to running shoes, transportation from practices and meets is a limiting factor for athletes’ participation. When buses are not provided for meets closer to school, getting athletes to and from these events can pose a challenge.

“Sometimes the school does not provide transportation, and you’re stuck not knowing how you’re going to get to a cross country meet or track meet,” Alaya said. “[Some athletes] rely on their other teammates, but even then, sometimes we don’t even have enough drivers on the team to transport 40-plus people to a track meet across the city.”

For athletes, fueling their bodies with adequate nutrition is also crucial. However, those that can’t afford a stable supply of healthy food must rely on team resources.

“We depend a lot on our parents of more afflu-

ent families to provide these snacks and healthy food for meets,” Craig said. “This is critical to optimal performance in our sport.”

To participate in athletics at West, athletes must submit a yearly physical exam by a licensed physician. Although this may be effortless for some, it can be yet another hurdle to overcome for others.

“Getting timely and yearly physicals is a difficult process for many of our athletes,” Craig said.

“Our current policy says that anyone without these things needs to wait and come back once they have these done. Some students never come back since this is such a hardship or because they got turned away.”

For some athletes, excelling in a sport can be their golden ticket to the college admissions game. This ticket, however, is not drawn at random. According to ESPN’s The Undefeated, fewer than one in seven Division I athletes come from families where neither parent attended college. This first-generation status is an important indicator of socioeconomic opportunity, with students typically being from low-income households. Because of their financial status, lower-income families have a harder time providing their children with important resources, including club membership and individual training, to pursue athletics at an elite level.

For tennis, Shin says participating in tournaments outside of school is crucial to get recruited.

“Tournament matches contribute to a Universal Tennis Rating, which is a key factor in recruitment,” Shin said. “High school tennis is sometimes [neglected] or overlooked during the recruitment process.”

This means that players without the resources to enter expensive outside tournaments are disadvantaged in getting recruited and receiving scholarships. In the end, those who have the money and support to excel have a better chance of coming out on top and reaping the benefits of being paid to play in college.

INSTRUMENTAL RESOURCES

I

n any activity, natural talent can only take someone so far. A combination of talent and hard work is typically seen as the path to success, but a third factor should not go unmentioned: resources. In the musician’s world, receiving musical training is instrumental for success. Missing out on resources, including private lessons and ensemble experience, at a young age inhibits a musician’s ability to perform at a high level.

In terms of a student’s high school musical career, there are a few standard indicators of skill that would allow musicians to pursue their passion in college. One of these indicators is whether a student made All-State, a statewide festival for band, orchestra and choir that involves a rigorous audition process.

“Playing in a professional orchestra, you need to be on that All-State track,” said orchestra director Jon Welch.

According to a survey filled out by 22 West High All-State musicians, 90% of them take private lessons. Bivan Shrestha ‘22, a two-year AllState flutist, believes taking lessons gives him advantages regarding motivation and accountability. “[Private lessons] hold me accountable to practice and actually do my work,” Shrestha said.

“Having a steady and consistent practice schedule is really helpful for me.”

Not only this, one-on-one time with an experienced teacher puts students on the path to success in terms of skill and technique. From finding appropriate repertoire to pointing out errors in execution, the benefits of having a private teacher are unquestionable.

“It’s difficult to start practicing or have a sense of direction when you’re not really knowledgeable on how things are played,” Shrestha said.

“There are going to be a lot of resources online to help you out with that, but it’s not really as individualized as having one person look over

“MONEY ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE BARRIER FOR MOST -CLAUDÉ PINEDA ‘22 THINGS.”

AVERAGE ANNUAL COSTS BASEBALL

$660

BASKETBALL

$427

GOLF

$925

SOCCER

$537

SOFTBALL

$613

SWIMMING

$786

TACKLE FOOTBALL

$485

TENNIS

$1,170

TRACK & FIELD

$191

VOLLEYBALL

$595

WRESTLING

$476

CROSS COUNTRY

$421

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Source: Sports And Fitness Industry Association

your mistakes.”

At West, music directors do their best to provide lessons and additional resources for those in need. Welch recognizes how socioeconomic factors play into the accessibility of music and works to give all students the opportunity to participate in the music program.

“Students that come from a privileged rank are going to have more access to these things,” Welch said. “It’s my job to [work with] the administration, the school board and our community to provide opportunities to students that do not have access to those sorts of things.”

As part of his contract with the school, Welch

organizes individual and small-group instruction to those who don’t take lessons elsewhere, such as Claudé Pineda ’22, who has taken outside lessons before but currently does not.

“I think Mr. Welch and the school district are doing their best to accommodate people who don’t have private lessons,” Pineda said.

However, because of the limited resources and time dedicated to music instruction, school-sponsored lessons often don’t provide the most efficient pathway to improvement.

“I’m only able to provide about 20-minute lessons, maybe 30,” Welch said. “Students that are taking private instruction … pay for either half

an hour or an hour.”

Aside from specialized instruction, inaccessibility to instruments themselves can cause disparities within the music program. Depending on the quality, both band and orchestra instruments can cost thousands of dollars. To cover this cost, Welch works with local businesses to provide students with the necessary equipment.

“There’s really not a repair or an instrument that we have not been able to get to a kid,” Welch said.

Students on the free and reduced lunch program qualify for price accommodations for school-provided instruments. Welch estimates

DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS EASIER FOR SOMEONE WHO TAKES PRIVATE LESSONS TO MAKE ALL-STATE OR A HIGHER SCHOOL ENSEMBLE?

91% 4.5% 4.5% that about 10% of orchestra members are eligible for this.

Despite resources available from the school, more are often required to reach one’s full potential.

“It’s frustrating knowing that I [could] be an excellent violin player and a great member in the orchestra if I had more money,” Pineda said.

“Money always seems to be the main barrier for most things.”

answered “yes.” answered “no.” answered “other.” *out of 22 All-Staters surveyed

PAYING IT FORWARD

I

n an effort to minimize disparities for students who want to participate in extracurriculars, individuals and organizations have proposed several initiatives. According to West High Principal Mitch Gross, the district has been discussing measures to tackle barriers to extracurricular participation, primarily in transportation.

“There has been a push to have activity buses that will provide transportation for students … to take kids to and from [sports] practices,” Gross said.

However, with the cost to provide busing in addition to staffing shortages, it is not known when the ICCSD will implement a solution like this.

To the anonymous source, the school should continue to work toward fulfilling limited resources for all students.

“There should be more of those [resources] set in place that can help people who are eager to do this but do not have the resources,” the anonymous source said.

Student Family Advocate Annie Gudenkauf works to create additional solutions for students without transportation to address this ongoing issue.

“What we typically do with students that have issues with transportation … is to coordinate creative ways to get around, whether that be them purchasing a bus pass, identifying someone they can get a ride with or walking,” Guden-

kauf said. “It is a very inequitable situation that disproportionately affects low-income students.”

For athletics specifically, Craig believes that a coach’s role is to bridge the gap between socioeconomic status and participation in sports.

“I think there are a lot of ways all sports are negatively impacted by financial disparities,” Craig said. “I think part of our job is to close that gap as much as possible.”

As part of an initiative to achieve this objective, Craig is currently working on implementing the Harvest City Fly the W scholarship for four-year track athletes on the West boys track team.

“The scholarship was set up to be able to help a four-year member of our team get some money to make college accessible for them. It honors their commitment to our team for four years but also is a reward for spending their time and energy with us,” Craig said. “Since our team is full of people from multiple backgrounds, we want to help all people achieve their goals and dream big. Our scholarship of $1,000 will help in that regard.”

However, the scholarship is currently in need

of further funding to launch.

“We are currently only at $6,000 of the required [amount] by the ICCSD to make it a legitimate scholarship. We need and will take any and all support in this regard,” Craig said.

Craig also proposes additional opportunities for low-income athletes.

“Having a day at the beginning of each trimester available [for athletes] to get their physical and making the ‘permission to practice’ form a simple checkbox when they register would be easier,” Craig said. “Any kind of free sessions where potential athletes can get to know the coaches and what each sport is about — this could include free camps.”

To address the lack of resources for athletes, Alaya believes West should increase its supply of available sports equipment for those who need it.

“We need to see West High providing more equipment to everyone,” Alaya said. “For running, we’re expected to buy our own running shoes, track spikes and watches. The only thing we really receive is a uniform, and I think they

could do a better job, especially for low-income families, to provide that equipment.”

One of the goals that Welch has worked on as the district performance music coordinator is recruiting more musicians of diverse backgrounds and creating additional opportunities for everyone.

“We have a committee of people looking into finding different performance music opportunities and general music opportunities that we can offer at the high school level,” Welch said.

“We’re working with them, translators and various resources at different levels [and] getting our recruitment resources out to all the members of our community.”

Although it is part of her job as an SFA to advocate to the administration, Gudenkauf also believes in the power that families hold to fight for change.

“I am a big fan of community members sharing their stories of barriers to school and demanding better,” Gudenkauf said. “This has historically been what gets those in power to listen and change things.”

IF YOU ARE IN ALL-STATE, DO YOU TAKE/HAVE TAKEN PRIVATE LESSONS?

85.7% 14.3%

answered “yes.” answered “no.” *out of 20 All-Staters surveyed

26 ADS

OCT. 1, 2021

ADS OCT. 1, 2021

27

28 SPORTS

OCT. 1, 2021

BRISER LES BARRIÈRES

DESIGN BY XIAOYI ZHU

Sports at West can build bridges for ELL students, but only if they can make it past the barriers.

‫زجاوحلا رسك‬

BY MIGUEL COHEN SUAREZ & KRISHA KAPOOR

ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЕ БАРЬЕРОВ

QUEBRAR BARREIRAS QUEBRA ROMPIENDO BARRERAS ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЕ БАРЬЕРО

BRISER LES BARRIÈRES

‫ زجاوحلا رسك‬ROMPI QUEBRAR BARREIRAS ROMPIENDO BARRERAS PHOTO BY OWEN AANESTAD

BREAKING BARRIERS

SPORTING BENEFITS

A

large and diverse school such as West High can initially intimidate almost any student, so a sense of belonging is necessary for individuals to feel comfortable at school.

Learning English while adjusting to West only exacerbates this challenge. Athletics offer a welcoming place for those who participate, including many ELL students. Soccer helped former ELL student Ben Nkolobise ’22 find a place in the West High community.

“Playing sport made me actually connect with people,” Nkolobise said. “When I joined sports, I started to make new friends. People started knowing me.”

Similarly, joining track opened social doors for Hebah War ’23. The sport allowed her to branch out and make new friends even beyond West’s boundaries.

“I make a lot of new friends. Every time we go to a track meet, I like talking to the people there and getting to know what they like doing,” War said. “It just makes me feel like I’m out there and making new friends.”

ELL student Juan Martinez ’22 looks forward to also meeting new people, as he plans to participate in West athletics and play soccer for the first time this spring.

“I’m excited to meet new people and just build a community with people,” Martinez said.

When ELL students actively participate in sports, ELL teacher Jessica St. John notices an improvement in student behavior and mood due to team interactions on their sports teams.

“They have a sense of belonging; they’ve met

BEN NKOLOBISE ‘22

F

riendship. Comradery. Sense of belonging.

High school athletics offer students a builtin community, support system and the chance to represent their school. Unfortunately, many students with talent, athletic capability and work ethic never get the chance to wear a green and gold jersey, as cultural and linguistic barriers may prevent them from gaining these sport-related benefits.

“The District’s English Language Learner Program (ELL) serves approximately 1,750 students in grades K-12 from more than 70 language and cultural backgrounds,” according to the ICCSD’s website. “The mission of the ELL program is to produce language learners who are socially and academically prepared for success in the District and in a global society.”

Of those 1,750 students, there are 122 ELL students currently taking an English language development course at West High. Some ELL students at West are not involved in sports because of the challenges they face. However, once the barriers are broken, there can be multiple benefits.

PHOTO BY DEFNE BAYMAN

friends outside of the ELL program and their demographic,” St. John said. “They [feel] they’re a part of the West High family.”

Matt Harding teaches physics and ELL science at West in addition to being a soccer coach. He recognizes the importance of extracurriculars in fostering a sense of place for ELL students.

“Whatever extra activities they can participate in … really help with that sense of belonging,” Harding said.

Additionally, being on a team fully immerses ELL students in an English-speaking environment, pushing them to improve language skills through communication.

“It’s a great thing to motivate them to get out of their comfort zone a little bit, turn on language and really have to practice English,” Harding said.

According to the 2014 ICCSD ELL program analysis report, 63% of the 283 ELL students surveyed said that talking with a partner in English improved their language skills the most.

This is reflected in St. John’s classroom.

“Students are more talkative [during the sports season], and depending on their English level, that might be huge. They just have a lot of confidence, and honestly, they’re just overall happier,” St. John said.

St. John’s perspective stems from real athletes’ experiences. Nkolobise felt improvement firsthand while playing soccer and communicating

with more people.

“When I was around people, I was learning new words and making friends. [Playing sports] really helped,” Nkolobise said.

War believes that improvement in language learning is one of the most beneficial parts of playing a sport. She encourages her ELL classmates to join for this reason.

“I know speaking English for some people is really hard, but talking to people and making new friends helps. It makes [students] feel comfortable around people [while] practicing English,” War said.

OBSTINATE OBSTACLES

E

ven though sports provide a sense of comfort and unity for ELL students, there are many barriers that make it difficult to get involved. Of the 30 ELL students surveyed, 70.4% of the students wish they played a sport, but 50% believe that it is difficult to join a West high sports team. Something as simple as completing the proper forms to practice presents a unique challenge for some ELL students’ families.

SPORTS OCT. 1, 2021

29

30 SPORTS

OCT. 1, 2021

“

I TH I N K THAT FOR SOM EON E WHO DOESN ’T SPEAK E NG LI SH , IT’S M UCH HAR DE R TO JOI N CLU BS AN D G ET OUT TH E R E .”

-GALI FLO RES ‘22

pecially while also trying to learn a language.

“When you have sports after school, it might be hard to manage [learning English] and focus on school,” Nkolobise said.

Along with academics at West, he has even more responsibilities that take up time and effort outside of school. For Martinez, finding this balance has been difficult but rewarding.

“I have a lot of siblings that I have to take care of, and there’s a lot of homework to get done. I

HEBAH WAR ‘23

“[ELL students] miss the tryouts because they didn’t get the physical, or they didn’t know whom to contact,” St. John said. “A lot of people don’t know how to navigate those things.”

An even bigger challenge is that, unfortunately, not all students feel comfortable even trying a sport.

“There’s a lot of kids that don’t do sports because they probably don’t speak English, and they’re scared,” Nkolobise said. “They can’t express themselves.”

Gali Flores ’22, who helped guide an ELL student through this past soccer season, has a similar opinion from an outside perspective.

“I think that for someone who doesn’t speak English, it’s much harder to join clubs and get out there,” Flores said. “They feel like they won’t be able to communicate with others, make friends or … fit in.”

Since communication is one of the most crucial aspects of playing a sport, a language barrier can prove to be challenging within the game.

Flores used her Spanish to help guide an ELL teammate this past soccer season.

“I definitely feel like it was hard for her and the other teammates because they’d [give directions], and she wouldn’t understand,” Flores said. “That was another challenging part of it.”

There are also more challenges to fitting in that extend beyond language.

“When students come here from another country, they’re already like, ‘Oh my God, I feel different than everybody else,’” St. John said.

“They don’t realize that they have the possibility to join a sport.”

For many sports, tight-knit communities already exist within the West team. Joining from the outside can make the process even more intimidating.

“Many of [ELL student’s] teammates have grown up playing together,” Harding said. “It’s a challenge trying to break into some guys that are very familiar playing with each other and not so much familiar with you.”

Being on a team extends beyond competing on the field. Group activities and spending time together are crucial to building the sense of community that brings teammates together.

However, as Flores looks back on helping her teammate, she believes it is especially difficult for ELL students to get involved in team bonding.

“I definitely feel like she missed out on some stuff like team dinners and photos and such. Just gatherings that we would have because I feel like no one would really reach out to her on the team. So that was another challenging part of the language barrier through sports,” Flores said.

Participating in sports comes with added responsibilities that can put stress on other aspects of student life. Nkolobise notes that school can be harder to manage when you’re in season, es-

have a lot of responsibilities,” Martinez said. “I found out how to manage that stuff and now I’m going to be able to play this year.”

Although participating in a sport can come with great challenges for ELL students, War believes it is worth it in the end.

“It was scary at first… but throughout the season, you get comfortable with people,” War said.

“It’s welcoming, and you can be yourself.”

PHOTO BY DEFNE BAYMAN

INITIATING IMPROVEMENTS

A

lthough there are both challenges and rewards from playing sports as an ELL student, St. John believes there are several ways to make West athletics more accessible to ELL students.

“They could make the registration easier and have the forms in paper copy. I think that would help the students have all the forms in one place,” St. John said.

Teachers can help by finding out what their students like and encouraging them to get involved in sports.

“I think it’s really important to take a proactive approach [to make sports more accessible]. You can’t just treat [ELL students] like a general education student and expect that if it’s of interest to them, they’ll actively pursue going out for it,” Harding said. “I think it’s important … to make those connections for the kids and really check in with them.”

War also thinks that if coaches would make a greater effort to reach out to ELL students, more students would feel more accepted. “[Coaches] should come to classes and talk to people more, like actively reach out to people and tell them that this is a safe place and they can come,” War said.

Flores believes that students can reach out and recruit as well.

“Students should do a better job of [saying] ‘Hey, you can come join [sports]. Everyone’s welcome, [and] we’ll help you out,’” Flores said.

Once ELL students join, Harding believes that teammates, like Flores, have a crucial role in engaging their teammates who are struggling to get involved.

“The players in the program have to look out for their new friends … making sure that they can get to practices or games that aren’t on-site,” Harding said.

Harding encourages coaches to keep diversity in mind and make adjustments accordingly.

“The first thing is to look at the diversity of your roster compared to the diversity of the building. If you don’t see alignment there, then reflect on what is serving as a barricade, a barrier for participation for those ELL kids,” Harding said. “The next step is trying to address them.”

Making ELL students feel included lets them feel comfortable in what may be a challenging environment. Harding believes that if West makes the process of joining a sport more accessible and welcoming, they might be one step closer to putting on a green and gold jersey.

“I have such limited experience with being in situations where the majority of people around me don’t look like me, don’t talk like me,” Harding said.

“So for [an ELL] teenager to have to experience that every day, anything we can do that can help them feel more a part of the community is really important .”

Of the 122 ELL students at West, WSS surveyed 30 to ask about their experiences with sports.

BY

THE

NUMBERS ELL students that play a sport

23.3% ELL students that do not play a sport

76.7% 71.4% 50%

wish they played a sport

think it is difficult to join a sports team

EN

...

SPORTS OCT. 1, 2021

31

ASK WSS

BY MISHA CANIN ART & DESIGN BY SILA DURAN

Should I know what I want to do after highschool?

What would your future self want you to know? WSS is here to answer all of your burning questions on how to survive the halls of West High.

What do you wish you took less seriously in high school?

S

P

It seems like everyone is in a relationship by now, do I need to be?

How do I manage a heavy workload and balance my personal life?

hort Answer: Absolutely not — there is no need to know what you plan to do after you graduate from high school. Long Answer: The pressure to succeed that radiates throughout the hallways at West High can be almost impossible to escape. Feeling as though you aren’t performing to a satisfactory degree is not uncommon at such a competitive place. This idea that you should have everything figured out from a young age, a 10-year plan if you will, is a false narrative that becomes inflated as people around you *pretend* (yes, pretend) to know what they’re doing.

There is absolutely no reason that you should know what you want to be doing in the future. High school is for learning what interests you and finding hobbies that you can take with you in life. Don’t get us wrong — it’s great to know what you want to do and have it all planned out, but if you don’t, take a deep breath, don’t stress too much about the big stuff and recognize that everything will fall into place.

N

o, you absolutely do not. It can often seem like not being in a relationship makes you the odd one out, but in reality, many people don’t have a significant other. There are years and years after high school in which you can find a partner if you desire to do so, and like everything else, you don’t have to have it all figured out right now. In high school, the platonic relationships are oftentimes the most important.

Having a solid group of people you can go to for advice and spend your free time with makes all the difference on the difficult days. Reach out to someone that you’ve been meaning to talk to or introduce yourself to that person who sits at the lunch table next to you, you never know if they might become a close friend.

32 ENTERTAINMENT OCT. 1, 2021

art of us wants to say “school,” but we also recognize how important it is to do well and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities that a place like West High has to offer. What we mean when we say “school” is all the little things: the assignments we’ve spent hours perfecting just to receive a completion grade, the tests we’ve stayed up all night studying for just to be anxious until well after they were over and the time with our families that we missed out on while finishing a pile of homework. Challenging yourself is important, but taking care of yourself and knowing your boundaries is even more impressive. That class that’s causing you so much stress and taking hours off your sleep? Drop it — we dare you. Things we wish we took more seriously, you ask? The classes and clubs we actually enjoyed, the ones that filled up our cups rather than drained them. That class you love? It might not have AP in front of it or Honors following it, but we hope you choose it over the ones that you despise.

L

et us know if you figure this one out. In all seriousness, it’s difficult to do this, and it’s almost impossible to get it perfect. The first step comes with setting yourself up for success. Make sure that your schedule is one that you can maintain. Constantly being burnt out will only lead to procrastinating and getting further behind, trust us. Schedule time for yourself to just relax and unwind each day — this is so important and only becomes more important the busier you become. Using a planner or to-do list (the WSS Staff loves Google Keep) helps to keep track of and prioritize what needs to be done, and determine what should be done now versus at a later date. Find a quiet area where you can put on some study music and get your work done. Reward yourself when you’ve completed something because school is hard and you’re doing a wonderful job.

MANAGING MISTRUST WSS staffer Rosemary Timmer-Hackert ’23 takes a deep dive into the lack of trust in America, examining its causes, effects and what we can do about it.

BY ROSEMARY TIMMER-HACKERT

S

ixty years ago, three-quarters of Americans trusted the government, according to the Pew Research Center. This percentage has not managed to exceed 50% since 2001 and has not exceeded 25% since 2008. This atmosphere of distrust pervades Americans’ discussions about politics — it’s why many people thought of the last two elections as choosing the lesser of two evils. It’s how potential solutions to climate change are discussed like fantasies that no one expects to be turned into reality. It’s how, according to statistics collected by the Public Religion Research Institute, 15% of Americans believe in the QAnon conspiracy theory, which states that the U.S. government is controlled by Satan-worshipping pedophiles. Despite how prevalent this atmosphere of distrust is, Pew Research reports only 41% of Americans believe it is an important issue. After all, does how much we trust our government actually matter? The answer is yes — it does.

A recent illustration of how our distrust in the overnment affects us is the COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination rates are closely tied to the level of trust people have in the government. An Axios poll conducted this year by multinational marketing research firm Ipsos showed that of those with a great deal of trust in the government to give them information about COVID-19, 91% were fully vaccinated, compared to only 35% of those who stated they did not trust the government. Vaccination is essential for America to return to normalcy, but people’s distrust of the government is delaying that process and causing them to unnecessarily risk their own health and safety.

Political participation is another area where Americans’ trust in the government has an impact. The U.S. has historically had lower turnout in elections than other developed nations. Even the record breaking turnout for the 2020 presidential election at 66.8% of eligible voters lags far behind nations like Sweden (82.1% in 2018) and Australia (80.8% in 2019). Why? People

Have an opinion you want to write about? Scan this QR code to submit your guest column idea.

don’t believe their vote matters. A 2018 survey

by Suffolk University found that 68% of disengaged voters, registered or unregistered, agreed with the statement “I don’t pay much attention to politics because it is so corrupt.” The only way to decrease corruption in the government is to vote in politicians who will fight against it. Lower levels of political participation only harm our democracy by making our government less representative of who we are as a nation.

“

TR UST I SN ’T SOM ETH I NG WE SHOU LD G IVE FR E E LY, IT HAS TO BE EAR N E D. - ROSEMARY TI M M ERHACKERT ‘23 Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this problem. America’s lack of trust in the government didn’t come from nowhere. While the loudest group of distrustful people are conspiracy theorists whose lack of trust in the government is entirely unfounded, distrust in the government primarily comes from marginalized and impoverished communities. According to the Pew Research Center, 27% of white citizens were highly trusting compared to only 13% of Black citizens and 12% of Hispanic citizens.

Additionally, 30% of those making more than $75,000 have a high level of trust in the govern-

ment, while only 13% of those making less than $30,000 do. The lack of trust in the government from these groups is justified because the government has either frequently mistreated them or ignored the concerns coming from their communities.

An example of this is the vaccine hesitancy of Black Americans, who have the lowest percentage of people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine, sitting at 43% as of Sept. 7.

This hesitancy is justified by their long history of mistreatment by the medical community, one of the most famous examples being the Tuskegee experiment. This was a study performed on 600 Black men without their informed consent, and involved withholding syphilis treatment from 399 of them for 40 years to see what would happen. The study ended in 1973 for being ethically unjust. There are many other examples of Black people’s mistreatment by the American healthcare system, and the government in general, making their current lack of trust in the system understandable.

The lack of trust in the government also comes primarily from younger generations, including Gen Z, but I’m not here to tell you to give the government your unconditional trust. Despite the negative consequences of our lack of trust in the government, the solution is not to force ourselves to trust in a government that has proven itself untrustworthy. Trust isn’t something we should give freely; it has to be earned by the government showing us that they will work to solve the issues the American people care about.

What we can do, though, is work to prevent the symptoms of mistrust by keeping ourselves educated, helping those around us stay informed and not letting our distrust in the system of government be an excuse for us not to be politically active. The government will not become an institution we can trust if we don’t work to make it that way through voting, protesting and advocating for the change we want to see.

ART BY ATHENA WU DESIGN BY SACHIKO GOTO

OPINION OCT. 1, 2021

33

PROMOTING P RO N O U N S The WSS Editorial Board implores West High students and staff to share their pronouns in the classroom.

This is an editorial. An editorial, like news reporting, is based on objective facts. However, its purpose is to share conclusions and opinions that have been derived by our Editorial Board and are not associated with the news staff.

I

n 2015, the WSS Editorial Board was divided on whether teachers should ask students for their pronouns, with some editors describing the sharing of pronouns as an added complexity and “unneeded accommodation.” However, the current editorial board believes otherwise — sharing pronouns is an integral part of cultivating acceptance in the classroom. As the school year begins, this is especially crucial as many return to West High for the first time in over a year. Teachers and students alike should strive to normalize the sharing of pronouns in the classroom, as it encourages others to do the same and creates an inclusive learning environment.

Pronouns refer to someone without using their name. In English, the most commonly used pronouns to refer to others are she and he, which often indicate gender — a complex set of expectations about behavior, characteristics, and thoughts. Some may use gender-neutral pronouns or neopronouns, such as they/them or ze/ zir, or a combination of pronouns, like she/they or he/they. In the past decade, the use of they/ them pronouns in school and the workplace has increased significantly, with Merriam-Webster choosing “they” as the 2019 Word of the Year.

While many use their pronouns to express their gender identity, pronouns describe an identity — not define it. Sharing pronouns promotes

respect, celebrates individuality, and welcomes everyone to a group without assuming their gender identity solely based on appearances.

By regularly sharing our pronouns in the classroom, we affirm the significance of doing so and encourage others to do the same. Most importantly, using someone’s pronouns demonstrates understanding and acceptance, a vital part of any inclusive space.

The start of school is a difficult transition period for both students and staff, and this time may pose a particularly daunting task for some: introductions. For some, sharing pronouns can feel vulnerable or like an inconvenience to others. Students should not have the burden of telling their teachers and classmates their pronouns on a case-by-case basis; everyone should share their pronouns just as they would their name.

Instead of being an alienating identity marker, pronouns can become standard, included in all introductions and get-to-know-you activities.

When individual identities are acknowledged, a strong sense of belonging will ensue, and students can succeed as their authentic selves.

The sharing of pronouns extends beyond a single conversation; everyone must respect others’ pronouns just as they would names. Moreover, pronoun sharing should be a school-wide expectation in both the classroom and on virtual

platforms, such as Canvas and Infinite Campus.

Using someone’s pronouns promotes West’s fundamental, student-centered goals of kindness, community, and learning. If someone accidentally uses the wrong pronouns to address a student, they should correct themselves and move on, as making mistakes is part of any learning process. However, if an individual repeatedly and purposely misgenders a student, administrators must take swift action for the sake of safety. According to the Trevor Project, individuals whose pronouns were respected by all or most of the people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those whose pronouns were not respected. Affirming others’ pronouns is not just the right thing to do — it is a means of promoting well-being and success.

Sharing pronouns, through both in-person and virtual means, is an essential step in creating a safe, inclusive learning space for everyone, regardless of gender identity. To foster success and growth, everyone must feel valued as their true selves. As the school year settles in, now is the time for West High students and teachers to share their pronouns and, most importantly, respect others’ pronouns. Pronouns are more than just words to refer to people; they reflect a profound, personal sense of identity.

ART & DESIGN BY SACHIKO GOTO

HOW TO ADD YOUR PRONOUNS ON CANVAS 1. Visit Canvas.

2. Go to “Settings.”

3. Select your pronouns from the drop-down list. If your pronouns are not available, email hofmockel.jill@iowacityschools.org.

4. Remember to click “Update Settings” to save your pronouns.

You can change your pronouns anytime.

34 OPINION OCT. 1, 2021

PHOTO FEATURE

CLAYTON BOPP Jasmine Ortega ‘22 and Brianna Newton ‘22 explode out of the box after hearing the starter’s gun at the start line of the Pleasant Valley Spartan Challenge Sept. 4. The girls cross country team placed fourth overall with a score of 211.

DIY HA LLOWEEN COST U MES Do you find yourself scrambling to put together a Halloween costume every year?

Never fear, the WSS has got you covered.

"S M A RT Y " PA N T S

PB & J

red/purple shirt brown shirt

pair of pants

fabric paint or paper and hot glue bag of smarties

floppy hat

S C A RECROW plaid shirt

AN IMA L C A CT U S

animal-print shirt or plain shirt and construction paper

pair of animal ears or felt and a headband makeup/facepaint (optional)

pair of jeans/ overalls

oversized green shirt

brown pants

white yarn/ string

flower crown

COMPILED BY KATHERINE SHOPPA PHOTOS BY EVA JORDAN & COURTESY OF UNSPLASH