ECHOES
Issue 3 | Volume 113 October 2013
The Independent Voice of Abraham Lincoln High School | Council Bluffs, Iowa | ALechoes.com
Living a healthy life in high school Students and staff staying fit
Photo by Francisco Franco
By Victoria Holcomb Opinion Editor
In lives today, schedules are busier than ever and relying on fast food for energy is becoming easier. Planning and sticking to a healthy diet can be difficult with quicker options available. “I try my best to eat healthy. It’s hard to maintain a good diet and keep track of your food intake”, Thanh Nguyen ‘14 said. “I try to avoid chips and anything with a lot of sugar, (also) I drink a lot of water.” Although, quick fast food options have also been cut out of some lives and replaced with healthy alternatives. “During the day (I
eat) about six servings of fruit, and eight servings of vegetables. Then a lean protein for dinner,” Traci Flanagan, science teacher, said. “In the last seven years, I have had (fast food) twice. They were both salads with low calorie dressing, if any.” Controlling one’s diet comes naturally to some trying to stay fit. “I like to stay active, I don’t sit around very much. Even with my diet, I like healthy food, just naturally,” Samantha Bohnet ‘15 said. “I try to only eat fish and I don’t like red meat.” Eating right is not the only way to be healthy, staying fit is another option. Lifting to increase muscle build up and running for better endurance are just a few ways to lose excess fat and gain muscle. “I workout because I
want to be stronger. There are just so many health benefits to exercising and lifting,” Nguyen said. Working out on a strict schedule can be rewarding but difficult on one’s body. “I used to run every day, but it is wearing on the body. I do an hour of cardio or an hour of lifting six times a week,” Flanagan said. Students along with teachers keep themselves active all year long. Bohnet stays active by lifting weights during physical education, going to the gym if she missed for a session and conditioning during volleyball practices; she is always doing something. Throughout the year Bohnet plays club volleyball and during the summer is on an Iowa select volleyball team. Staying consistent with
one’s eating and workout schedules will become something of a norm. “Work out and eat healthy. Everyday,” Flanagan said. “It is like brushing your teeth, you don’t just take a day off, and if you do- you should expect to feel cruddy.” Keeping up with one’s health and well being doesn’t have to become a difficult task. “I drink at least two bottles of water every day,” Bohnet said. “I only splurge for a pop with special dinners.” Staying healthy and being active in high school can be a struggle. If one sticks to a diet and stays away from fast food, it can bring an overall accomplished feeling. There are many options on how to stay healthy, it just depends on who takes advantage of these opportunities.
What do you do to stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle?
“I play football and track, and I lift and condition while I’m not playing a sport.” Brandon Cheney ‘16
‘I run every single day and I drink a lot of water.” Thomas Black ‘15
“I stay involved with sports and work out during the offseason and maintain a healthy diet.” Samantha Bohnet ‘15
“I play a lot of sports and I run.” Katie Smith ‘17
Photo by Francisco Franco Photo by Francisco Franco
Photo by Eric Cavanaugh
2013-14
ALECHOES.com
Important Dates
Photo by Francisco Franco
October 26: IHSMA All State Choir Auditions
November 2: AL/TJ Cross Country State
Photo by Francisco Franco
November 5: Fall Choir Concert
November 7: Fall Play “Can You Hear Me Now, a Night of One Acts”
November 19: End of trimester November 20: No school for students
News E Following the Malala Movement 2
choes
Jessie Adkins & Katie Hiers | News Co-Editors
By Francisco
Franco Photography Editor Around one year ago, a 15 year old Pakistani girl was shot point blank by the Taliban for protesting in favor of female education. This girl was Malala Yousafzai and now at the age 16 and surviving a bullet to the cranial region she is still fighting for female education today. Malala was a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize this year, but she was beaten out by the Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Between being nominated and finding out the results, Yousafzai accomplished many other things. For instance, she won the European Parliament’s Sakharov for Freedom of Thought, (this award is given to individuals who show combative actions towards oppression). Along
Students weigh in on Xbox one, PS4 console releases
Screencap from us.playstation.com
By Christian Miller Reporter Every year, new technology is presented to the public, and this year there is a plethora of items that are at the top of everyone’s Christmas lists. These items include both The XBox One and The PlayStation 4. Earlier this year, in June 10-14, at the Electronic\Entertainment Expo, otherwise known as E3, both the XBox One and the PlayStation 4 were introduced. These were two very anticipated game consoles, and the fans had much to say. “It’s really cool how the XBox One learns to adapt to play the way you play, and how you can play a game and listen to music,” Olivia Welch ‘15 said. The XBox One has a number of new features and an entirely new design, in-
Screencap from xbox.com
cluding an entirely renovated controller. The new controller is built entirely to make using it much more comfortable, from new vibrating impulse triggers, to a better grip. The XBox One will also allow the user to do more than one thing at a time such as switching from a movie straight to a game and then straight to tv. This will provide a split screen so you can play a game and listen to music at the same time, or watch a movie while on Skype. “I am so excited for the PlayStation 4! I have all of the previous PlayStation consoles, so I will definitely buy this one,” Courtney Christensen ‘16 said. The PlayStation 4 also has quite a few new features added to its list. The PlayStation 4 is personalized so that it can learn one’s gaming dislikes, likes, and all of their personal preferences. On the PlayStation 4 a profile will
be created for the player in which both they and their friends can see. The PlayStation 4 also has a new controller that has a touch pad which offers completely new ways to play and interact with games.A number of new games have also been introduced to both consoles including “Call of Duty: Ghosts”, “Battlefield 4”, and “Destiny”. “I love playing Grand Theft Auto on the PlayStation 4 and I can’t wait to get Grand Theft Auto V,” Sarah Widick ‘16 said. These renovations and innovations that have been added to these consoles push developers and producers of the systems to go to a whole new level when it comes to introducing a new system once more. Video Games and their consoles have come a long way since their initial release, and one can only imagine how far they will go.
with winning the award, Malala went on “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart, and had an unexpected answer for one of the questions. Stewart asked what Yousafzai would do if she would be attacked by a Taliban gunman again. According to USA Today, “I would tell them how important education is, and that I would even want education for your children,” Malala told Stewart. “That’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.” After Yousafzai’s answer, Stewart asked if her father would be mad if he adopted her. Stewart, Malala, and the crowd all roared with laughter. The next day, after her interview on The Daily Show , Malala went to Washington D.C. to speak at the National Public Radio’s (NPR) “Tell Me More”, and on that very same day the Nobel Peace Prize winner was announced.
On Oct. 11 Malala met with President Barack Obama and expressed her thoughts about the President working to support education in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and for Syrian refugees. In an interview with NPR, Malala spoke of other things her and the President discussed. “I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact.” For those wishing to know more about Yousafzai and her story, “I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and Was Shot by the Taliban” is available at many bookstores and on online purchasing sites such as Amazon.com.
Target supporting schools nationwide By Alex Snipes Photographer
T
o most, a dollar doesn’t seem like much, but to Target, it’s a child’s future. This year, Target gave money to schools all over the country for one click of a mouse, as one vote equaled one dollar. With a Target store here in town, Council Bluffs Community School District was lucky enough to be eligible for such a great opportunity. Through cbcsd.org and GiveWith.Target.com, voting was open to the public in order to support the school of your choice. Only allowed once each week, anyone could vote to send a dollar to each school in order to raise funds for all of the district student’s benefit. Each school needed only twenty five votes to
equal twenty five dollars in order to qualify, and each additional vote after that would count as one more dollar toward the school. Now that the voting is closed, Target has donated a total of $5 million to schools across the nation, but in the Council Bluffs Community School District, Target donated over $3,300 throughout the schools. Because of the community’s supportive votes, Thomas Jefferson High School earned the most with $1022. T.J. senior Logan Thompson had heard of the charity, and thought it was a great way to raise funds for the whole district, not just to Thomas Jefferson. “It doesn’t matter which school got the most amount of money, we’re all in the same district and every student deserves to benefit from the money that was donated,” Thompson said. Though A.L may not have gotten as many votes as their rival, T.J, the rest of the district was greatly benefit-
ted from the Target donation as well. Woodrow Wilson Middle School received the second largest amount of money donated by the Target Corporation with 523 votes. One student, Chris Swanson, gave his own opinion on how the money should be used. “I think the money should be used for getting better computers or a few classes need new textbooks,” Swanson said. The elementary schools were also widely affected by Target’s kindhearted offer. College View Elementary School earned 386 votes, putting them as the third highest earning school in the district and the highest earning elementary school. James B. Rue Elementary came in second over the rest of the elementary schools with 335. Although each school earned different amounts of money, Target made it possible to help achieve a brighter future for the students of each school in the Council Bluffs Community School District.
News
Echoes
Jessie Adkins & Katie Hiers | News Co-Editors
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Students weighing in on school system
Steering committee seeking AL/TJ student opinions By Calab Holder Reporter
The arrival of fall brings with it vibrant colors of leaves and brief stints of warm temperatures. But this fall, the Council Bluffs Community School District has initiated a steering committee in sharing teen opinions with adult members and analyzing the effectiveness of curriculum. One type of committee, a steering committee, is a group of people who oversee
the general course of an organization’s operations and provide control and guidance in order to complete a project. Here in the Council Bluffs Community School District, district leaders are trying to create a system of education that takes into account the perspective of its teenage students. Through the use of a district-wide steering committee, curriculum is being reviewed by two student representatives from Abraham Lincoln, Jessica Valdez ‘14 and Hope
Philbrick ‘14 and three student representatives from Thomas Jefferson.
school system,” Valdez said. “The goal is to improve our school district from feedback
“We are trying to get more teenage opinions on topics that are affecting us as students in the Council Bluffs school system.” -Jessica Valdez ‘14 “We are trying to get more teenage opinions on topics that are affecting us as students in the Council Bluffs
and opinion that youth has. We operate by having two adult members and student members in a discussion of
topics. So far we have only done one meeting regarding what problems we have in our schools, and what are some positives.” Additionally, one of the committee’s primary goals is to examine how curriculum can be designed in order to better suit students. Philbrick is another student representative from A.L. that is involved with the committee. “The committee is used for improving our curriculum. We shared our opinion on
how we think our education is going and how it’s going to affect us in the future. They value this information, because it’s coming from the students who actually use the curriculum.” Armed with this crucial information provided by these five student representatives, the district will now be able to make any possible changes to curriculum in order to verify its effectiveness in the classroom and also in relation to student approval.
Tucker Center driving privilege policy sure all students have enough time to get to class. By Danielle Rambo “Since Abraham Lincoln Reporter is farther away and there has been some construction, I personally did some time studies driving two different The Tucker Center routes from AL to Tucker recently made changes from Center and added time for more time given to students walking out of the home to drive to class and the building to the car, and also consequences of not being parking in the TC lot and there on time. Some students walking into the Tucker argue that there is not enough Center,” Forney said. “The time to get there, but Cyle results were a little under 20 Forney, the principal of TC minutes.” went out 2166-3161 of his way and YLI CBluffsHSPrintAd5x8.ai 1 10/17/13 The Tucker Center does drove the routes to make
not have a lot of problems with tardiness but the staff wants their students prepared for jobs in real life. These skills are known as “soft skills” which are very important to businesses/ companies. The school set up a system of five tardies that will go for all students at TC. Students that drive will be affected by this. Once the 5 tardies are gone, so are the driving privileges. Although driving privileges can be earned 11:16 AM back, five days on the bus
BULLIED? THOUGHTS of SUICIDE? WE CAN HELP.
will be required first. The Tucker Center is very proud to say that only one of their students had their driving privileges taken away. If there is a continuous pattern of being late, students’ driving privileges can be suspended. Students that are late because of the bus will not be affected by the tardy rule. Many students think driving privileges shouldn’t be taken away because of tardiness. They do agree that driving privileges should be
involved in an accident mentioned that he didn’t get his privileges taken away. Although he decided to get to the TC in other ways. “The teachers are pretty strict about driving and carelessness,” Tony Bonner ‘16 said. “Now I carpool with friends to get to school.” Although they are more strict about tardiness and driving, the students have been getting better at coming to classes on time. This was the goal of the school the whole time.
Saturday School returning to AL Administrators alternating supervision duties
Talk to a trained counselor right now. Remember, you’re not alone—we’ve helped hundreds of teens just like you.
By Taylor Crinklaw Reporter
CALL (855) 581-8111 CLICK YourLifeIowa.org TEXT “Talk” to 85511*
In every school, there are students who cause trouble and are disruptive. Having a number of students that fall into that category here at Abraham Lincoln, administrators have thought up a new plan to help cut down on the disruptions, and that plan is Saturday School. Students who are referred to Mike McLaughlin, assistant principal, and then given a 2 or 4 hour detention, depending on the reasoning behind the detention. Many students would also prefer to serve their detentions on a weekday, but for many students this is an opportunity to actually serve them, rather than not even showing up. “(I’d rather serve mine) after school on a weekday, because I’d rather spend a
*Texting is available every day from 4-8 pm. For program info, text HELP to 85511. To opt out, text STOP to 85511. Standard message and data rates may apply.
taken away if that person is being a reckless driver. “I think your driving privileges should be taken away because some people try to show off,” Ryan Edmundson ‘15 said. Some students feel they do have enough time, aside from the new Friday schedules. “I have enough time to get to my classes everyday, besides Fridays,” Sara Dunn said ‘15. “I’m always a little bit late for advisement.” One student who was
short time after school, than spend my Saturday here,” Kaitlyn Flenker ‘16 said. Administrators are all very hopeful that this new strategy will would out. “I want to think it will be (successful), but I know I can’t control if parents are going to make their children come in. I’m hopeful but I’m also realistic. It’s going to life or die on parents and how much they help getting their students here,” McLaughlin said. Some students aren’t as sure if this will change or improve anything. “I don’t think this will work out because students don’t even come to school or detention in the first place, let alone on a Saturday,” Flenker says. In the past AL had a Monday School, but that failed after a short time because it was hard to find staff that could supervise the detentions. “The number of students coming in to serve these Monday schools, (only
given for being tardy), was so big that it became unmanageable,” McLaughlin said. On Oct. 19, the first Saturday School of the year was held. Students entered the building at around 8 a.m and worked in the library. McLaughlin sat at the main desk while the students were scattered around. The primary rule of Saturday School was that students were not allowed to fall asleep. Some students did school work on their computers, some read books, but most remained on their cell phones and talked amongst each other. Most of the students were respectful and listened when talked to, so McLaughlin allowed all students to leave about 45 minutes early. Leaving Saturday School, some students will resolve the behaviors that got them in there, while others will continue and see many more early mornings with McLaughlin, but isn’t that the case with all punishments?
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Victoria Holcomb | Opinion Editor
Opinion
Echoes
Debating differences on music prefrences Faster paced music encourages dancing Graphic by Alex Snipes
Slower pacing makes music a masterpiece
By Joe Vrenick Multi-Media Specialist I’ve always loved slow music. I’ve always found majestic beauty in songs that take the sweet time to get to the end rather than in songs that are fast paced. Now, I understand why people enjoy fast paced music over music that’s slower, and granted, I enjoy fast music as well. But people don’t really seem to understand the beauty in the craft of slower music, and usually hate it for the most unintelligent reasons. One of the best qualities of slower paced music is there’s usually a strong meaning/theme behind the lyrics. This is a quality that most people tend to ignore, but its probably the strongest quality in slower music. While I understand that this is also a quality in faster paced music, but the thing about theme and meaning in faster paced music, there’s usually about one or two basic, simple themes. When
you have a slower song, you can cram in about five themes into the song. You can make it really dense. For example, in Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever” the theme that most people tend to get from the song is love. While, yes, that’s one of the themes, take a deeper look into it. Since the song is the theme for the movie “Highlander,” the story of the movie ties in as well. Highlanders are immortal. And what’s the point of living forever if everyone you love is dying around you? Add to the fact that lead singer Freddie Mercury was dying of AIDS at the time he wrote the song, so the theme of death is really played well. Another really good quality in slower paced music is that you can build up to something big! Fast paced music really has a tough time with build up. If it even attempts to try and build up to something, its moving at a fast pace and lasts for only a couple of seconds. With slower music, you can basically take your
sweet time to build up to something big at the end of the song. Take this example. The “Jurassic Park” theme. No, not the song that you all are familiar with, which is the song when they go on the island. I’m talking about when they first see a dinosaur! The music moves slow and lets you savor in the moment of the movie! You’re witnessing ground breaking visual effects here. And it slowly builds up to the big conclusion right after John Hammond says the line, “Welcome to Jurassic Park.” Boom! There are more dinosaurs! It’s incredible. You’re enchanted by it! Again, this could all just be me, but I think that slower paced music is better than faster paced music because you can have a deeper meaning to it, and it can build up to something really enchanting. Not saying that I don’t like faster paced music, because I do enjoy music like that. I’m just saying that slower paced music is very under-appreciated and needs to be closely looked at to truly enjoy it.
By Christian Miller Reporter Faster music has been one of my favorite kinds of music ever since I can remember. Music has never made my heart beat as quickly as fast music does. Music such as dubstep, house music, or electronic dance music (EDM) is a much faster sounding music where you primarily enjoy the music for the way it feels opposed to the meaning within the lyrics. Although this does not mean that the music can’t have lyrics. I am a person that tends to enjoy the feel of music over having specified lyrics, because that then defines the song for itself. Given this idea, you can set any number of personal meanings to a faster song, and it will always be there attached to that memory. On a personal level, electronic music reacts to a person physically. When the music starts playing you usually can’t help but dance
to each and every beat. As the song inclines forward, you can be presented with a bass drop. When the bass drops, every part of the song changes and intensifies. This is when your body truly reacts. You watch as goose bumps rise on one arm, if the song is really great, the goose bumps will even stretch to the other arm. You feel a sense of high that you never had before. You become a complete person when you step on the dance floor. If you are lucky enough to find a one in a million song that makes you feel extremely amazing you will find goose bumps on every inch of your body that it will allow. EDM is a way to let loose. It is a way to feel completely natural, and put your body in control, opposed to the typical over thinking attitude. To feel music, to unlock the part of you that allows you to feel music, is eye-opening and unbelievable. When you can feel the music opposed to simply listening and analyzing it, music becomes
an entirely new tool. EDM expresses the ability to be free, and to let your emotions envelop your entirety, and figure out how you truly feel emotionally. I think the number one issue is that people need to be more open to EDM so that they can use this amazing feeling that it has to offer. Most teens and current generation people, are primarily stuck on music that is classified as primarily mainstream, or music that tends to play on the radio. If they had more of an opportunity to stumble upon music such as EDM or anything associated, I feel as though they could experience an entirely new feeling. With all of this said, I am still an enjoyer of almost all music, which includes much slower paced music, but it cannot unlock parts of me like EDM can. Slower music is more like pop music, and things you tend to hear on the radio are song I sincerely enjoy a lot, but EDM is the reason why I am constantly a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.
Cyberbullying continues through Ask.fm
By Jaidlyn Bookout Co-Editor in Chief How would you feel if you were constantly taunted by someone, yet you
couldn’t find out exactly who they were? This is occurring daily through a popular new Website, Ask.fm. It is exactly what it seems to be, a site and also an application that allows users to ask each other questions, even anonymously. This seems as if it would be a cool thing, being able to ask questions without anyone knowing who you are. Yet I’ve seen disgustingly cruel and sad things come from this anonymous ability. This leads to something we’ve all heard time and time again, it’s bullying. People
are taking advantage of this site and instead of asking innocent questions they use its anonymous option to post rude comments or ask mean/ sexual questions. It’s kind of ironic because I’ve always heard about bullying and knew it was a problem but it wasn’t until talking to a close friend of mine that reality set in. Ask.fm allows the user to post a question on Twitter they’ve been asked and post their answer on Twitter. One day after seeing numerous links on my timeline I decided to check my
friend’s Ask.fm. By looking at someone’s account you can see all of the questions they’ve been asked and their answers. I was shocked at the endless comments being posted. Some of the many things I’ve seen includes: “Move schools. Preferably one out of state.” “Go drink bleach or take a lot of pills, hang your self or slit your throat, nasty ****! No one would care if you did it. Just get it over and done with.” “You’re ugly as ****. Nobody cares about you. You were a disgrace to the
family. Go kill yourself and do us all the favor.” This may seem too vulgar to put in a school newspaper but this is the reality of thousands of teens and there is no denying that the severity of the bullying that comes from this site doesn’t stop here. Ask.fm has slowly become a huge controversy because it makes cyberbullying so easy which has many times led to suicide. What I don’t understand is why this site is still up for use with so much negativity coming from it. Or how us-
ers can so easily make a post in which is meant to hurt someone. How would they feel if their one comment pushed someone way over the edge? Do the people submitting these comments think about how this affects the other person? The fact that it is anonymous is even worse. There is no way of finding out who is behind all of the torment. So what happens when one person does end their life? Who is to blame? Ask.fm, the person who allowed anonymous posting, or the person behind the words?
Costumes causing negative body images
By Alex Snipes Photographer Each time Halloween rolls around, the media
bombards us with advertisements for costumes. Children’s, teens’, men’s and women’s costumes are all thrown at us, forcing us to choose one of their poorly made, awkward fitting, unrealistically sized outfits. Though this does affect all ages of each gender, the real issue lies in women’s costumes. Though I am 17 years old and still considered a teenager, I can no longer wear “teen” sizes. Socially accepted and
flattering costumes are hard to come by, due to society’s misconception of what a “teen’s” body should be, which is totally incorrect. Apparently, to the producers of these costumes, all teens have the body shape of an 80 pound 12 year old. From a woman’s size wearing perspective, I know that over 90% of the costumes provided are considered to be in the “sexy” category and show way too much while the other 10% are hideous and not flattering at
all.
For girls my age and even younger, many think that to make a good Halloween costume you have to show a little (or a lot of) leg or squeeze into a rather tiny store bought costume that is usually two sizes too small. This gives girls the unrealistic expectation that they won’t be noticed unless they show more skin than they would think. Girls should be appreciated in any costume, not just the skimpy ones.
To be faced with an over-sexualized costume is a difficult problem for not only teens but adults simply looking for a cool costume to impress their friends at the latest party, event, or even on Halloween itself. I myself find a clever costume much more impressive than a wide display of skin. If you took your time in choosing or making the costume, then it’s apparent in the finished product and is sure to impress. We should be
promoting self love and confidence, not the oversexualization of a teen’s body. Halloween costumes are a way to celebrate the holiday and show your creativity, not a way to show your body. So girls, you may be happy with the way you look and think you have a nice shape, but people are way more willing to appreciate you for your clever costume idea rather than your “sexy” store bought one.
Opinion
Echoes
Victoria Holcomb | Opinion Editor
Staff Editorial
Advisement needs time to grow Although the new Friday addition of Advisement (taking place during Lynx Read) was primarily meant to be helpful to students, it seems as if this is not exactly the case. Sure, it is, or can be helpful to a section of the student body by tying them together with a teacher who will be able to check in on them whilst they are in high school, advisement does get some bad buzz, and it is not just from students. Advisement has created fear within some of the teachers with slightly negative comments about advisement because they think they are the only ones who are sharing this point of
view. This is absurd though, for many of the student body believes that advisement is a waste of their time that they could be doing “real work” or using that extra time to be able to “actually eat their lunches.” Advisement has created an unsettlement of forced peace within the classrooms and the student body. It forces those who do not know one another to interact with those in their classrooms, leaving those who are considered to be introverts alone and in the dark of what should be happening. Which is socialization amongst different “cliques.” Although
no one really wants to say there are real cliques within our school, there just so happens to be “groupings” of people, that could be considered cliques. These cliques in advisement classes form together without any regard of the others, until they are forced to interact with one another, thus creating turmoil within a supposedly peacefully sustained environment. If you think about it though, this can be seen from another perspective; it is a way of letting people experience a new form of society where everyone is mixed, instead of keeping up the separation of the
different groups. A few students have complained about the other students who have no intentions of using advisement period for what it was meant, and they are a distraction to the rest of the student body. On the other hand, quite a few people will say they like advisement because it helps them create a new sense of accomplishment because of the extra time to finish their work, and get caught up on school activities which is allowing them to do whatever they like after school with no homework! A nice night with friends with no stress of homework
whatsoever. Who does not want this?! If you have a personality filled with even a small bit of optimism, then advisement can be a really great thing, if it is used properly and for the right reasons. Although Advisement may seem pointless at the moment, it is something that has just started and should be given time to smooth over the bumps!
(Staff voted in favor of this column 17 of 17.)
Online grammar, spelling needs help
By Hailey Carson Reporter Technology plays a big role in everyday lives, and while I love social networking sites to keep up with friends, family and the latest gossip, one thing that I don’t particularly love is the spelling and grammar used.
The first phones with texting didn’t have full keyboards, so people shortened words and phrases to save time. Now, phones do have keyboards and even auto correct that will suggest words and fix small errors for you. Yet, some people still type using shortcuts such as “u” for you or “r” for are or our. That’s fine, but I have also noticed that people have started typing or writing like this even when they aren’t really in a rush. I have noticed when scrolling down Facebook that some people use “yuh” for you, or something similar to it. I don’t see why they would do that. If it saved time typing, that
would be one thing, but it doesn’t. You have to press the same amount of keys as if you were just typing it the right way. Maybe they think it makes them “cooler”, but I don’t see it. To me it looks unintelligent and it drives me crazy. I feel like I need to correct things like that every time I see them. Lately, I have seen a lot of statuses that have weird punctuation. I’ve seen a period at the end of a sentence along with an added explanation point. And who decided it was okay to put a space before the period at the end? Also, you are suppose to use capitalization at the beginning of a sentence or for a proper noun, not the
first letter of every word. Another huge thing I have noticed is incorrect grammar. I’m not an expert by any means, but some of the mistakes are so basic it makes me question if they went to elementary school. I remember learning things like if a word starts with a vowel, you can’t say “a”, you have to say “an”. It doesn’t look or sound right the other way. Many rules like that are often not used. Incorrect uses of homophones, such as “their”, “there”, and “they’re” or “your” and “you’re” are also common. I didn’t know it was so hard to grasp the concept that ‘re at the end of a word stands for are. You
just drop a letter to make the contraction. That’s a good way to shorten a message too! Sometimes somebody will correct a post and it will start a fight. I don’t think somebody should get angry, I think they should just take that knowledge and use it in the future. I understand that sometimes you may make a mistake or need to use incorrect grammar to get the point across, but if you are one of these people who types incorrectly without good reason, please stop. You will give people better impressions and cause less headaches trying to decode your status if you do.
Alumna expresses thoughts on college Although that’s true, a way to look at it this is instead of working towards that “A” or “B” in your courses, is that you’re bettering yourself through expanding your knowledge. If you feel that you’re striving in a course, an AP or CE course may suit you well. Don’t limit yourself to courses that are Photo Sumbission by Lauren Myers.
By Lauren Myers Echoes Alumna
A
s I start to settle down in college, I reflect on the information given to me about preparing for college during high school. It seems most was mentioned repeatedly year after year. Which, made me contemplate whether or not how important the information was. To be honest, no matter how many times a piece of information
is given to you regarding making the most of your senior year or how to be able to attend the college of your dreams, don’t take it with a grain of salt - it is all beneficial! It may seem this column is aimed toward seniors, but it can be for any high school student. First off, what’s mentioned to students time and time again, is to get good grades. It’s easier said than done - right? Well, that’s not true unless you opt not to utilize your resources. If you’re struggling with a course, ask for help. Your grades appear on your transcript, which colleges look at--it’s important.
impressions. The positive relationships you establish will help you in the long run. When it comes to needing references on college and scholarship applications you will have a go-to person for them. Colleges do look at your coursework but take other things into consideration
“You have to get out there and explore to see what suits you best. I encourage everyone to start each school year, getting out and being involved in what interests them.” - Lauren Myers easier because in the long run, you’ll regret it. Attending courses is a must. But there’s something else that’s just as important, having positive relationships with your instructors. That can look like numerous things: being engaged during class, asking questions, staying after to receive help, etc. Throughout my experiences in high school, the instructors that seemed “evil” to others, weren’t the slightest bit mean. Never be quick to judge based on first
such as your high school involvement. Get out and find what interests you. If you love to write, journalism might be for you. If you enjoy getting everyone involved, ALL IN is maybe for you. If you have an interest in business or communications, DECA could be for you. You have to get out there and explore to see what suits you best. I encourage everyone to start each school year, getting out and being involved in what interests them. It’s a great
way to start building your resume and especially, a great way to meet others! Other than your involvement in school, outside involvement is just as important. Volunteering may sound frightening, but the feeling you get from helping others is rewarding. There’s so much you can do - walk dogs, spend time with children at a day care, or teach a sport to children who may never have the chance to do so; the opportunities are endless! When the time comes, take college searches seriously. Be proactive look up information on the college, visit it to get a feel, speak to those there for insight, and meet deadlines! Shout out - Mrs. Steinmetz and the guidance counselors are your go-to people during this time! Lastly, when time allows it, have fun and relax! These are things that keep yourself happy and healthy when everything else is hectic. When you enter college, you’ll rely on those things constantly, even if it’s a ten minute nap!
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ECHOES Editors-in-Chief Britteny Johnson Jaidlyn Bookout Section Editors Jessie Adkins Katie Hiers Krystal Hopkins Victoria Holcomb Business Manager Brooke Criswell Photo Editor Francisco Franco Graphic Design Editor Alex Snipes Reporters/Photographers Calab Holder Christian Miller Danielle Rambo Eric Cavanaugh Hailey Carson Holly Jensen Kendal Bainbridge Nathan Vorce Rachel Cottone-Dungan Tanner Hochstetler Tiffany Ferrer Will Schademann E-Tube Executive Producers
Brooke Criswell Kate Hiers
E-Tube Producers Cara Ireland Jazmine Orellana Jordon Yearian Keowa Coleman Tina Huynh Multimedia Specialist Joseph Vrenick Adviser Gerry Appel The Echoes is published by the newspaper staff of Abraham Lincoln High School, and exists to serve as an open forum for the students, faculty, administration and community. All state and federal laws regarding the publications of student materials shall apply, and the Echoes will not publish materials which also fall under the guidelines established by the Council Bluffs Public Schools system, and are deemed libelous, obscene, or a material and substantial disruption to normal classroom activities. The views expressed are not those of the Council Bluffs Public Schools, faculty, or administration. Any student, faculty, or staff member wishing to contribute materials will need to submit a letter to the editor within deadline restriction; however, final publications is at the discretion of the staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged, and must be 400 words or less in length and signed; letters will be printed as received. Every attempt will be made to verify the authenticity of the author, and no anonymous letters will be published. Advertising will not be accepted for all products or services that are illegal for minors to possess or utilize. Advertisers wishing to reserve publication space should contact us by :
Phone 712-328-6481 ext. 425 Facebook ALHS Echoes Twitter @ALHSJournalism Website www.ALechoes.com
Member Publication
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Feature
DIA DE The Dead
Spread Designed By Britteny Johnson
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Celebrating the other side of Halloween BY Joseph Vrenick
Tiffany Ferrer
Journalism Staff
October has come, and that means most Americans are getting ready for a special holiday at the end of the month: Halloween. Yet for others, mostly minorities, the thirty first is not all about dressing up in silly costumes. In fact, the holiday that they’re celebrating isn’t Halloween, instead they will be preparing for Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated the day after Halloween. “It’s a celebration of loved ones that passed away” Edwin Lopez, 16, said. “I celebrate the holiday. I go to Guatemala to celebrate with my sister and father.” Day of the Dead (not to be mistaken for the George
Romero zombie movie) is a Mexican holiday that is celebrated in many different cultures, mostly in Mexico and parts of the United States and Central America. Some other countries include Italy and Spain. In Spanish, it is known as Día de los Muertos. Families and friends gather together to pray for and remember family members and friends who have passed on. One of the traditions of Day of the Dead is that people don wooden skull masks, called calacas, and they dance to honor their dead relatives. Calacas are also placed on altars that are dedicated to the deceased. They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on Oct. 31, and all of the spirits of deceased children are allowed to reunite with their family members for twenty four hours. Then on Nov. 2, the spirits of adults come down from the heavens to enjoy the festivities that have been prepared for them, and before
the day is out, the living family members go out to the cemetery and clean the tombs. Then they go out to the village to listen to the bands, play card games, and reminisce about their deceased loved ones. It is a tradition that has been passed down for many years, and has kept many villages close together. “My family doesn’t celebrate it” Paola Espinoza, 15, said “but I know that it’s different from Halloween because instead of Trick or Treat, you give food!” The Holiday was founded over 500 years ago, when Spanish Conquistadors landed in Mexico and encountered the indigenous people practicing a ritual where it looked like they mocked the dead. This ritual was one that the indigenous people had practiced for over 3,000 years before and it was one that the Spanish Conquistadors tried to eradicate. However, in their many attempts to eradicate it, the Conquistadors were
unsuccessful. Today, the holiday is celebrated much differently. As stated earlier, in remembrance of loved ones’ past, altars are decorated with Calacas. These altars are also decorated with photographs of the loved one who has passed away. Other decorations that are placed on these altars include the deceased loved one’s favorite food and/or drink, candles, and arrangements of orange flowers called cempaxúchitl. “I celebrate the holiday in Mexico sometimes,” Monica M. Lopez‘16 said. “I go and grab big flowers and put them on the graves of friends and family.” Though the holiday is a foreign holiday to Americans and most don’t celebrate it, it’s a holiday that can mix into their own personal cultural beliefs, since it’s much more a cultural holiday, not a religious one. It is a perfect way to celebrate, not the way a loved one has died, but the way that a loved one lived.
Intersting facts about Day of the Dead * The Day of the Dead celebration starts on Nov. 1 and continues on until Nov. 2. November 2 is the actual Day of the Dead. * La Catrina is the most well known skull, it was created by Jose Guadalupe in the 1800’s. * Candy sugar skulls are traditional part of the Day of the Dead. The tiny skulls are placed on altars as offerings. * Before Day of the Dead, families would decorate the tombstones of their loved ones at night. Information was gathered from: http://www.speakinglatino.com/13-cool-and-interesting-facts-about-the-day-of-thedead/ Photos submitted by Mariano Rodriguez
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Britteny Johnson | Feature Page Editor
Feature
Echoes
Life skills students preparing for future ‘We want to give them tools they can use’
O
By Hailey Carson Reporter u r school system offers many
different levels of learning, from advanced placement to life skills classes. Kids with disabilities, whether it be physical or mental, have needs that may not be met in mainstream classrooms so they are put in a different class where the teaching is tailored to fit individuals needs better. In the classroom of Alison Kennedy, Life Skills Teacher and Extended Learning Program, the daily routine looks a little different from the average high schoolers. She teaches
students with physical ailments as well as mental disabilities. Kennedy’s class studies subjects such as science, reading, and math in the morning, and life skills after lunch. Third hour, students are given jobs to do around the room. The final part of the day is spent journaling. The kids must answer a question and discuss different things that they could use later in life. Students are taught not just academic content, but how to survive in the world. One of the biggest differences is the kids stay in the same class all day. “I have ten kids and they all have ten different needs,” Kennedy said. “Everyday brings a new challenge and no day is ever the same.” Steve Smith, Instructional Strategist,
teaches his class content that’s a little bit different from Kennedy’s curriculum. He teaches his students a lot of personal things and helps them with things like how to get a job. “We try to get the students very involved. They learn better with hands on stuff. Hook them on things they know to get them to things they need to learn,” Smith said. “We want to give them tools they can use.” Not all kids who take special education classes have physical disabilities. Smith helps some students who have missed a step in learning and many times once they get that down, they can move on and learn more. Kids who move around a lot or have trouble at home miss learning or how to act socially and taking a different
class can help them get on track. “A lot of students believe that the students that are in special ed. have lower intellect, and that isn’t necessarily the case,” Smith said. S t u d e n t s sometimes attend AL games, and can take elective classes. “If they want to go out for anything, they can,” Kristi Waller, former Abraham Lincoln ELP Teacher, said. “Whether it be (Left to right) Ashlie Hite ‘16, TJ Pettyjohn ‘17, Tasha Perkins bowling, baseball, ‘15 show their school spirit by dressing up for Homecoming dance, or track.” week. Photo by Kirsten Darrington, Crimson and Blue Yearbook While most thinks there should be more help the students. say AL has a good interaction between students. Through the life skills system, there are things Smith would like less program teachers and staff that people want to be paperwork so he can spend work to help students with improved. Shannon Stafford, more time doing things to the learning they need. mother of Kennedy Stafford,
Q&A with the iJag instructor : Beth Keenan parents graduated from here. My mom graduated in 1939 and my dad graduated in 1938. Q: What are some things you do outside of school? Keenan: I do things with my family. I love to read, work in the yard, and plant flowers. I love to ride my bike. I like to be outdoors. I have two grandkids (Marley, 3 and Elliot, 1) and I spend a lot of time with them. I watch Food Network; Guy Fieri and Pioneer Woman. I like to watch people cook because I’m a “C-” cook. I like reading about the Beth Keenan helps students prepare for Red Ribbon Week. history of C.B. I lived on Photo by Jessie Adkins Glen Avenue for 15 years in an area known as “Hangman teacher. Echoes reporter By Cara Ireland Hollow.” Someone was Cara Ireland sat down with E-Tube Producer hanged there in the 1850s for Keenan to learn some new stealing a horse. facts about her. Here at A.L. there are Q: What made you Q: Where did you go to many interesting students, decide to be an iJAG high school? staff members, and teachers. (Iowa Jobs For America’s Keenan: I went to One of those interesting Graduates) teacher? Hoover Elementary school, teachers is Beth Keenan; Keenan: I became but my family moved, so I she is the iJAG (Iowa Jobs a teacher because my went to Westside in Omaha. for America’s Graduates) grandmother was a teacher. I graduated in 1971. My
She retired from Longfellow school in 1964. I was between jobs and someone called me and asked me if I wanted to be the iJAG teacher for here. I went out to Des Moines for my interview, and they asked me if I wanted to go through the training and I said “OK” and so they hired me. Q: Where did you go to college? Keenan: I went to Kearney State College, then I transferred to UNO and got a Bachelor Degree of Science. Q: Did you teach anywhere else before you come to A.L.? Keenan: Yes, I taught at Roosevelt; I was a reading teacher and I also taught at Franklin; I was a 3rd grade teacher. Q: What’s your family like? Keenan: It’s small, I’m an only child; my mom is still alive. I’m married with one child, her name is Carrie. She is also married and is the special education at Titan Hill. They have two kids a little girl named Marley,
three and a little boy named Elliot, 1 Q: When you were a kid what did you want to be; besides being a teacher? Keenan: In 8th grade I was interested in cooking, baking and sewing. At that time those subjects were called Home Economics. Nowadays it’s called Consumer Science. So I thought I would major in that in college. I gave a career report on being a Home Economist in 8th grade and for the rest of the year the kids called me “Betty Crocker.” I didn’t mind being called that. It made me feel kind of famous. Q: Do you have any pets? Keenan: I have a cat named Matt. He belonged to my neighbor who worked for the railroad. He was gone 97% of the so I watched Matt. Q: What are some of our hobbies? Keenan: Going to the zoo, decorating and changing things around according
to the seasons. I like to be healthy and fit. I have a 3 lb. hula hoop and I’m pretty faithful. Q: What is your lucky number? Why is that your lucky number? Keenan: 23 because 5 of my cousins have birthdays on the 23rd. Q: What’s your favorite food and why? Keenan: My favorite food is Chicken Parm. I always get it if I go to Pizza King, I’m not a steak person. Q: What’s your favorite movie? Keenan: Titanic, it always hooks me in. I like the era, the clothes, and the style. Q: Do you like to travel? Keenan: I don’t like to travel. I always pack too much and I’m not a light traveler. Q: What is your favorite season? Keenan: Summer. I prefer hot to cold. I love to plant, so that’s the season you do all that.
Students expanding news output through E-Tube By Krystal Hopkins Sports Editor This school year, many students and staff may start seeing a group gaining publicity , this group is E-tube. E-tube is a broadcast branch of the Echoes newspaper, and is now entering its second year of producing videos. With E-tube on the rise, many administrators have taken an interest. “I think it is important to show what different clubs are doing, I think there is a lot going on in the school that
students don’t know about and I would like to show that,” Michael Mclaughlin, assistant principal, said. The latest episode covers anything from student fashion, to the government shutdown, and recent happenings around the school. E-tube started as a small side project to the Echoes during the 2012-2013 school year. Its goal was to help make the Echoes go viral, and was started by some of the newspaper staff including Katie Hiers ‘15, Brooke Criswell ‘14, and Cody Self ‘13 along with journalism
adviser Gerry Appel. E-tube has allowed the Echoes to report on topics that may
stories that are not going to be relevant by the time the paper comes out.
“I think there is a lot going on in the school that students don’t know about and I would like to show that.” -Michael Mclaughlin, assistant principal. not be timely if printed in the newspaper. Since E-tube produces videos quicker than the newspaper is printed, they are able to discuss
“The idea started that professional newspapers are doing video online now, and I wanted to have our newspaper emulate that.
Principal (Todd) Barnett also encouraged us to start exploring video,” Appel said. When getting started, the videos were around two or three minutes long but have now grown in length to around seven minutes. There is a variety of skills needed in order to produce these videos. Many of the students on staff have taken a multimedia class, and video productions class at the Tucker Center. The staff also believes that when on camera drama, and improv classes have helped when speaking on the videos. “Each of us have
different skills that bring it together, Tina (Huynh ‘14) is good at coming up with story ideas, Jordan (Yearian ‘14) is good at editing video, Katie (Hiers ‘15) is good at taking charge, and Keowa (Coleman ‘14) is good at speaking fluently,” E-Tube producer Jazmine Orellana ‘14 said, All episodes of E-Tube can be found on ALechoes. com, Youtube.com as well as shared on the Echoes Twitter and Facebook accounts. The school administrators have also allowed the video to be played at lunch on the projector.
Entertainment 9 A student perspective of novel series Echoes
Jaidlyn Bookout | Entertainment Editor
Review:
By Holly Jensen Reporter A dystopian Chicago in the distant future is now surrounded by walls that protect the people from unknown things lurking beyond. This is home to Beatris Prior, a girl who is trapped within the walls and the faction her parents chose before she was ever born. Soon she’s faced with the terrifying decision of either leaving her family behind or choosing a life of freedom, danger, and excitement. Beatrice’s world is divided into five groups or factions of teenagers are forced to chose their futures without looking back or face life as a factionless. Each faction is based on a characteristic believed to create a perfect world free of war. There’s Candor the honest, Am-
Photo by Francisco Franco
ity the peaceful, Erudite the knowledgeable, Dauntless the brave, and Abnegation the selfless. These factions create a problem of identity throughout the story. Identity is one of the main themes spurring the plot, character development, and conflicts throughout the novel. Each character is questioning who they are and where they belong in their society and their factions. After being forced to decide their futures at the age of sixteen each teen is put through a series of tests to assure their spot in the faction and how worthy they really are. Beatrice, renamed Tris once she enters her faction, is always finding her identity in a confusing place, due to her faction transfer away from her family. She grew up knowing life in the Abnegation
faction and where she stood with others in her faction but now she’s thrown in with the Dauntless. Within the Dauntless faction Beatrice still doesn’t feel as though she’s fitting into the slot she’s been assigned and facing more and more dangers than ever before while fighting her own identity not Dauntless or Abnegation but something much more dangerous. The characters Veronica Roth has written make decisions that made sense based on their moral codes and worked well with the story. The plot was always moving and Tris always had a conflict to solve or was given one that wasn’t just to push the characters in one direction or another. Overall the book was satisfying with a good ending that leaves plenty to be explored in the second book in the trilogy.
A night of three plays: Behind the curtain Louder I Can’t Hear You
Us and Them
It’s Not You, It’s Me
Britteny Johnson ‘14 goes over her script by practicing the scene in which she screams at her play family for being neglected. Charles Cornelius ‘16 and Colton Mahood ‘16 both wait for their upcoming cue.
Brooke Landen ‘16, Deahnna Dreher ‘15, Destiny Mass ‘15 and Melanie Garcia ‘17 all together rehearse their scripts during play practive.
Kathern Amador ’16 is painting a sign for a cafe that will be used during the play.
Charles Cornelius ’16 rehearses a scene where he must aruge that his play family doesn’t permit neglect. Brittney Johnson ’14
Ashley Bagshaw ‘15, Emma Seilstad ‘17, Demonte Hill ‘16, and Marisa Demare ‘17 all discuss a landscape in a scene.
Ashley Bagshaw ’15 and Joesph Vrenick ‘14 go over a particular scene in which she attempts to explain that it simply is not him but it’s her.
Photos by Jessica Borwick, Francsico Franco and Eric Cavanaugh
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Jaidlyn Bookout | Entertainment Editor
Entertainment
Echoes
New creative clubs for students By Kendal Bainbridge
N
Reporter
ew beginnings are created within new activities, and change is derived from imagination. “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” This quote by George Bernard Shaw describes how the minds in the school think. Three new clubs have been created by a few teachers who have hopes of bringing the student body together. These clubs will be after school as extracurricular activities to those it interests, anyone who is interested and willing is able to join. Last spring, Superintendent Dr. Martha Bruckner encouraged the school to create a sort of Slam Poetry club. Steve Mandelko, drama teacher and Samantha Adams, English teacher, have taken on the roles as advisers to the group called “Louder Than A Bomb.” The name is derived from another organization with the same name and the
same initial purpose; to bring those who would not normally speak out to gain confidence in their words and join in with these organizations. Dates and times are not officially set for this club . “The purpose is for there to be another activity for students to be involved in and express themselves. Slam Poetry has a more modern take on poetry and gives a modern sense for teenagers to connect with music and poetry, that hopefully the students involved will be surprised at how good it feels to express themselves, and how difficult it is to deliver a true slam poem,” Adams said. Samuel Dietch ’14 initially had the idea for Writer’s Club, which is a student-driven club with Carrie Booms-Ryan, English teacher, as the sponsor. It has been decided that they are to have meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school in Booms-Ryan’s classroom. (B213) “I want/hope that this club will branch out to all works of high school and continue on to help aspiring writers find their own ways into publication. I want this club to affect to the closet writer and the young Shake-
(Left to Right) Writer’s Club advertisement, Khary Jackson performs for slam poetry club. Photos by Francisco Franco speare. I hope it’ll show that there are some of us out there who are serious about our stories and are willing to go the extra mile,” Dietch said. 10 to 1 is also a new club. It is a new book club that started meeting on Oct. 15, at 3:00 in the school library. The host is Jennifer Misbach, school librarian, who brainstormed the idea
alongside Council Bluffs Public Librarian Anna Hartmann last year in the month of September. They will be picking 17 books off of a list of books that are believed to be up for the Printz Award-which is an award that some of the best young adult books can receive. Hartmann is using her own money to buy two or three copies of each book
to share with the reading group. “ I honestly hope that kids who are interested in reading will come and join in the group meetings. We want to get them exposed to books they might like so they can have a chance to try them out. When we meet, we will have a group discussion over what they read, and the kids should feel free to just
sit and listen,” Misbach said. These clubs are open to all who are interested in reading and writing, and are open to “now” literature and writing they maybe wouldn’t have read nor done before. These clubs are trying to inspire teens to see the interesting side to reading and writing, to find somewhere they can fit in and belong, with a creative outlet.
Tasty recipe: Peanut Butter S’Mores Bars By Britteny Johnson Co-Editor in Chief
You will need: 1 30-ounce roll of chocolate chip cookie dough 16 ounces of chocolate bars 1 cup of smooth peanut butter ½ cup graham cracker crumbs 7 ounce container of marshmallow fluff 1 8x8 pan Optional: Chocolate chips for drizzle topping
Directions:
Photo by Britteny Johnson
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the pan, take half of the cookie dough and smoosh it into the bottom of the plan. Cover the dough with the chocolate bars. On top of the bars, spread the peanut butter in a thin (or thick depending on one’s like for peanut butter). Dust the graham cracker crumbs on top of the peanut butter. Spread the marshmallow fluff on top of all of that. Lastly, press the remaining cookie dough over the entire thing. Bake the bars for 30 minutes and check them in the last ten minutes of cook time to ensure no over baking. Cool them either at room temperature, or in the freezer. Optional: Heat the chocolate chips to a runny consistency, and drizzle on top of the chilled bars. Keep bars chilled in refrigerator for best results.
Recipe from http://www.hugsandcookiesxoxo.com/2013/08/peanut-butter-smore-bars.html?m=1
Sports
Echoes
Krystal Hopkins | Sports Editor
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Fall athletes working to win Rebecca BarkerSwimming
ByRachel Cattone-Dungan
One of the stars of the boys cross country team is Alex Brewer ‘15. Over the course of this year, Brewer has turned into one of the fastest kids on the team, but is humble, and knows there is always room for
Swimming can be a pastime or a competition, but Rebecca Barker ‘14, a second year swimmer on the Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and St. Albert’s combined swim team, sees it as another sport, another competition.
takes his training outside of practice. “We have hard long practices every day after school, but sometimes we just go on runs for fun and so we can stay in shape.” Brewer is supportive of everyone on the team, and tries to help them reach their full potential. “Everyone on the team is an enjoyable person. I like
Titus spends the majority of his fall playing on the varsity golf team. After starting his sophomore year to hang out with his friends, he’s hooked. From the pre-meet rituals, to the post-meet rituals, Jake makes memories that he’ll have forever. The night before each meet, the team stays together at a
house, where they load up on carbs, and get into the golfing mood. During their sleepovers, the team practices on a putting green, and they play the PGA video game. In the mornings, they usually go to Hyvee for doughnuts, and after they go to Culver’s. “We have team rituals that we don’t like. We usually go to Culver’s after each meet, and it just gets old. But Ditty always goes to it.” After about 12 meets, one of Jake’s memories still stands out as his favorite. “My favorite memory was when one of the golfers hit one of the parent’s cars, and to this day, the parent still doesn’t know who did it.” Although commonly thought of as an individual sport, being a part of the boys golf team is more than that; it’s a brotherhood.
By Kirsten Darrington Crimson & Blue Yearbook
“Golf is a love/hate sport,” Jake Titus ‘15 said. “Sometimes you love it, sometimes you hate it. I eat golf, I play golf. All I do is golf.”
Lauren NahnsenVolleyball Reporter
Each player’s path throughout high school is different. Raul Rodriquez ‘13 differentiates from the other players due to only beginning his high school football career his senior year. This year he takes on
As a runner for cross country since her freshman year, Bre Waugh ‘16 has become an experienced
member of the team and a mentor to the freshmen just starting on the team. This is one of Waugh’s favorite parts of cross country. “My favorite part would be the people, not just upper class-men and under
At AL, as one roams the halls, there are many things you can hear about volleyball. In volleyball, it is key that each member brings
something to the table. One player, Lauren Nahnsen ‘15, is a spirited third year player for the Lady Lynx volleyball team. For everyone, it takes a certain amount of initiative and motivation to make one decide to begin a sport, to put yourself out there, and give it your whole. “I wanted to play because my sister played in college, and she played D2 (Division II),”
Nahnsen said. Nahnsen explains that playing both volleyball, and softball may not be as easy as it seems. “Since I play all year round it is, but I have to play volleyball since it’s in season,“ Nahnsen said. She explains that sports, and school activities are a full time job, and that it is sometimes difficult to
manage. Although busy, she makes time to play. Nahnsen explains that there is a rush that comes with volleyball, that gives one the adrenaline to progress and improve. “Getting a really good kill, or the excitement of getting a good dig,” Nahnsen said, her motivation for improvement, and the rush of the game keeps her playing.
or activity, football comes with it’s own very own set of challenges and requirements that each player has to full fill and overcome each week at practice and at games. “Showing up everyday on time to practice, doing everything, getting your reps in, and making sure you know what you’re doing
when you play,” Rodriguez said. Football continues to be as challenging as it is rewarding. Though he only has played a short time he said that the Lynx are doing rather well. “Great as always,” Rodriguez said.The Lynx face Southeast Polk this Friday.
ByRachel Cattone-Dungan
Reporter
playing on junior varsity, and varsity as a linebacker, and fullback. “I think it’s important to show underclassmen leadership,” Rodriguez ‘14 said. Which is not only a reason for upperclassmen, to encourage other students to join activities throughout high school and support the Lynx but just to get involved in general. Like every sport
hard it is. Its fun seeing yourself get better and improve” Barker said. Like any sport they strive for improvement. Although this aquatic sport may seem very challenging, it is also very rewarding, and can be a great way to make life-long friends.
classmen that you meet but also other people from others schools like LC, TJ, etc. Cross country is a really sportsmanship based sport in my opinion,” Waugh said. Waugh not only participates in cross country at AL, but a few other sports that also help to improve her athletic ability. “I play soccer and run track but neither of them include as much running as cross country.” Waugh said. Cross country has its own set of challenges for the fall season and keeping fit in the off seasons for both soccer and track. It is also important for any serious runner looking to get better, and with a fresh first place win from the Missouri River Conference, she’s on the right track.
By Holly Jensen Reporter
All photos by Eric Cavanaugh
Raul RodriquezFootball
ByRachel Cattone-Dungan
encouraging people to help them reach their goals that they want to reach. I love cross country, and I think I will continue it in college. It is the best sport you can do to get ready for any other sport.” Brewer has been a staple on the cross country team this year, and plans on contributing again next year.
Bre Waugh- Girls Cross Country
Jake Titus- Golf
improvement. “I have been running for all three years that I have been in high school, and I plan to run again next year too. A good motivator is to run faster than someone you’ve always wanted to beat. The season itself is going really well, but it has been a lot of fun running with both the old people and the new ones.” Brewer sometimes
last seconds. In swimming, seconds can make or break your time,” Barker said, explaining that she strives to achieve betterment of her times continuously to improve upon self athleticism. This proves to be a challenge to most swimmers. “I like swimming because it’s challenging. And I feel like people don’t get how
Alex Brewer- Boys Cross Country
By Nathan Vorce Reporter
Reporter
Swimming takes a full-body effort and takes great amount of agility, and the “just keep swimming” mindset. Swimming is a very physical sport that takes plenty of endurance, and some find the last few seconds of the entire race to be the hardest part. “Well, besides that we don’t get to breathe half the time, the hardest part is that it comes down to the
Sports
Echoes
Krystal Hopkins | Sports Editor
12
Athletes use weightlifting to further training
Students participate in weightlifting class, Victoria Kron ‘14 push presses the bar - Photos by Alex Snipes
By Will Schademann Reporter
To become stronger, many athletes turn to weight lifting. Weight lifting can affect every part of the body, from the legs to the neck. When one is lifting, it allows
them to get their bodies ready for the upcoming season of their sport. It can also help the athletes set themselves up for success and will help a person’s particular sport that they are playing. Jeremy Dawson, science teacher and freshmen football coach, believes
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that many different lifts are needed for the football players to succeed in the season and off-season. Dawson also believes that weight lifting can determine how a football player succeeds. “Weight lifting can help athletes in many ways. It
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can help make them stronger, help with flexibility and body control. It all depends on what lift they are doing.” Dawson commented on what body parts are used for weight lifting. “Depending on the lifts, all body parts are affected. Everything from the neck
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down to the ankles.” Jason Isaacson, P.E. teacher and head boys basketball coach, believes that weight lifting also helps his players. “Weight lifting helps players physically become stronger and faster, quicker, which will help them perform several different aspects of a basketball game better,” Isaacson said. “Basketball requires a lot of skill as well, but improving yourself physically will only make you that much better of a player.” Each sport benefits from different types of lifts. “We (basketball players) do a 4 day cycle: 2 upper body days and 2 lower body days. Your core is extremely important in basketball as that is the most important part of your body for explosiveness. Our two most important lifts are probably squat and hang clean. Both
are great for lower body strength and explosiveness,” Isaacson said. Traci Flanagan, human biology teacher and head girls cross country coach wants her athletes to focus on one body part every time they lift. “We try to do a lot of weight lifting during the summer months. Focus on one body part a day. Triceps, biceps, legs and back.” Flanagan also commented on how weight lifting helps cross country athletes. “Strength of fast twitching muscles is so important. It helps runners become leaner and go faster and farther due to muscle strength,” Flanagan said. Whether an athlete is in basketball, football or cross country, coaches agree that weight lifting helps their athletes.
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Athletes coping with concussions, fighting debilitating symptoms By Megan Figueroa Executive Reporter In every sport there are certain risks of getting injured, in most high school sports there are multiple ways for an athlete to get a concussion. High impact sports such as football, boxing, wrestling, and even soccer are just a few of the sports that leave athletes on the sidelines due to concussions. There are many ways for any athlete to get a concussion, and some of the time athletes may be unaware they have a concussion until
some symptoms appear after an incident. Most of the time a concussion will leave the athlete out of their sport for up to two weeks depending on the severity. Boxing is one sport that is prone to athletes getting concussions because of the constant high impact. Devon Newlan ‘15 is a boxer and has experienced this. “I’ve had around 14 concussions because of boxing mostly from major impact to the head. Concussions haven’t stopped me from boxing it just something to watch out for in a high impact sport,” Newlan said. The symptoms of a concussion usually do not vary from
person to person however, the severity of the symptoms can. Most will start having headaches, sensitivity to light, stomach aches, and nausea. It can affect many things and according to Wilcoxen it can also affect your sleeping patterns. “It made me have headaches and sensitivity to light and sound. It took longer for me to fall asleep and I always felt nauseous. The side effects slowly went away, at the end of the week they were gone,” Wilcoxen said. “I knew I had a concussion because I couldn’t focus on anything and my head continuously hurt I just
didn’t feel normal.” Sometimes getting an injury can stop an athlete from being completely comfortable playing that sport again. To Robert Peters ‘16, getting injured in football is worth the risk to play the sport. “It doesn’t affect my performance, I realized it’s a part of football and it’s the price I’m willing to pay in order to play football,” Peters said. Concussions are very common in many sports and it’s important for athletes to watch out for any symptoms in order to stay in tip top shape for the sports they play.
Photo illustration by Megan Figueroa
Cross county season winding down as weather cools By Nathan Vorce Reporter
Another fall is coming, and with it brings the crisp air, crunching leaves, and cool evenings. Many people enjoy staying inside and drinking cider on these cool evenings while others would rather take advantage of the cool weather to go running. And even then, there are some that would go running even in the heat of day. Well, most of these people participate in cross country. Cross country can be viewed in many different ways. According to Cici Saldana ‘16, cross country is as
much a mental challenge as it is physically challenging. “It’s a sport where you need to be mentally strong. It challenges you both mentally and physically. You don’t have to be great, you can do it regardless if you’re a sprinter or not.” Saldana said. Runners derive their speed and motivation from personal improvement. “I know there are people out there that aren’t able to run, so I feel like it’s something that shouldn’t be taken for granted,” Saldana said. Nearing the end of the season, cross country runners believe they have accomplished much more than normal, but still have a distance to go to obtain first place. Patrick Jones ‘15, is a
first year runner who is satisfied thus far with the season, but knows there is always room for improvement. Jones acknowledges that his performance is also affected by how he works off the field. “It’s been pretty hard so far, but I think I’m getting better as the weeks go by,” Jones said. “After practice I ice my legs and rest, and don’t use my legs any more than I have to.” The cross country season has been very successful for both the girls and the boys. With multiple first place finishes by Emma Preston ‘14 and top ten finishes by Brianna Waugh, ‘16 the girls cross country team is almost done with their season as are the boys, whose team has also
has also had many personal wins with multiple top finishes by runner Alex Brewer ‘15. However, running is not without it’s injuries, as Payton Whiteaker ‘16 knows. “I have been limited by a muscle deterioration, tendinitis, and nerve damage all in my right knee, indirectly caused by running that limited me to no running my junior year and a delayed start my senior year.” Whiteaker has advice for people looking to run. “Take care of yourself because injuries set you back,” Whiteaker said. With the season nearing its end, cross country runners are looking to finish the season strong.
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