ECHOES
Issue 4 | Volume 114 November 2014
The Independent Voice of Abraham Lincoln High School | Council Bluffs, Iowa | ALechoes.com
Girls volleyball make state Lynx make it to state tournament, fall in Semifinals to Ankeny Centennial
Photo by Brittany Hutchens
Nathon Vorce
Co-Editor in Chief
Will Schademan Sports Editor
The Abraham Lincoln volleyball team just completed an impressive 40-13 season, which was highlighted by a 5 set win against Dowling Catholic in the quarterfinal round of the state volleyball tournament in Cedar Rapids. The girls had nine seniors and three juniors for this year’s senior-laden team. The girls began practicing in the late summer and played until their season came to an end on Thursday, Nov. 13 following a loss against the 2nd ranked team in the
state, Ankeny Centennial, 2 days after beating Dowling Catholic in the quarterfinal round. Ankeny Centennial proceeded to the state tournament final, where they beat Bettendorf in a game of 3 sets. AL came into the Class 5-A tournament ranked No. 7, and was in the tournament for the first time since 2011. “(Reaching state) was a great feeling, we haven’t done it in a while, so it was nice to do our senior year,” senior Hannah Hennings said. In the quarterfinal round, AL upset Dowling Catholic in 5 sets of play, AL won the second, third and fifth sets, with scores of 25-19, 3028, and 16-14, respectively.
2014-15
ALECHOES.com
In the semifinal round, AL lost all three sets to Ankeny Centennial, with scores of 25-23, 25-21, and 25-16, respectively. Many of the team’s seniors are going to continue playing the sport at the college level, such as senior Samantha Bohnet, who has committed to Creighton, as well as fellow senior Bailee Gofta, who will play for the College of Saint Mary, senior Kaitlyn Murphy has also received some attention from colleges for her performance. Murphy reflects on her time as a player, along with her teammates. “There are so many memories of volleyball. I’ve been playing with those girls
Upcoming Events
since 7th grade. The greatest memory from state was probably the game (against Dowling) when Deana Roth aced the other team, it gives me goosebumps just talking about it,” Murphy said. “Our motto for the year was ‘This is it’ and I think that really explains how we feel.” Fan buses travelled to Cedar Rapids for the games, both on Nov. 11 and on Nov.
13. Athletic Director Jeff Novotny was pleased with the support that the fans from the school gave the team. “(The fan attendance) was great. Credit to the fanbase, I feel like they supported the girls well,” Novotny said. The girls were under the coaching of Brittany Ridenour, who players viewed as more than just a
coach. “We have the best coach ever, she was our big sister and mentor. It was always fun,” senior Kelsey Johnson said. With most of the volleyball team graduating after this year, they take with them their talents, memories, and experiences, many of which have been impacted by volleyball.
Check out the volleyball photo gallery on page 12! Nov. 27:
Dec. 13:
Thanksgiving Day
ACT Testing Day
Dec. 22Jan. 2:
Winter Break
News E Google hosts symposium at AL 2
November 2014
Nathan Vorce | News Editor
Nathan Vorce
Co-editor in Chief
Calab Holder
Business Manager Technology has become an important part of how modern society obtains information, and is rapidly becoming a key part of learning in a classroom as well. Administrative officials and other consultants have done a large amount of work incorporating technology into daily classroom use. Throughout this adaptation, Google has been a partner for the Council Bluffs Community School District and has provided chromebooks for all high school students, and has shown other districts the benefits of using technology in schools. On Nov. 7, Google hosted a leadership symposium at AL, with guests from over 20 school districts attending. The schedule included keynotes, breakout sessions, and speaking with a student
During his demonstration, Ford Dodge district employeeJeremy Pearson shows off his district’s technology. Photo by Nathan Vorce panel, as well as learning Google’s Vision for Education. The event also featured appearances from Google employees from San Francisco, such as Events Project Manager Tiffany Won and Education Program Manager James Leonard. “It’s about open technology to improve education. Google’s Vision for
Education is simple. It’s learning anytime, anywhere, on any device,” Leonard told the Echoes. Many guests from other districts also brought along their knowledge of technology in a classroom setting, such as Jeremy Pearson, Supervisor of Information Technology for the Fort Dodge Community School District.
Pearson brought along multiple Nexus 7 tablets, and demonstrated how his district uses their technology in co-operation with the Google Play program. During his speech, he highlighted how the Fort Dodge school district uses their tablets for their elementary school learning. Pearson engaged in various events throughout
the day, including listening to the Council Bluffs story, which told the testimonial of technology usage in the CBCSD and how it positively impacted the district. “Hearing the story of someone that has already done this was good. How Google pushes its employees to come up with programs is neat. Google’s Vision for Education is a great one,” Pearson said. Participants consulted with a student panel after eating lunch to gather knowledge and hear opinions. Senior Chase Bonar was a member of the panel, and obtained some information from speaking with other district officials at the event. “Other schools are basing their future off of what they do (with technology) after how well its worked for our school,” Bonar said. After the panel, the participants were split up into groups, some went on classroom tours to see how the technology was being implemented, and others listened to presentations. The day concluded when all the participants gathered after
choes
their day in the auditorium, where they attended an panel modeled like the one in ESPN’s segment “Around The Horn”. Five panelists had been chosen to discuss the day’s events, and audience members were asked to get on their electronic devices and vote for the panelist whose ideas they agreed with. After the panel was complete, Dave Fringer, the CBCSD Chief Technology Officer had obtained the highest number of points and got to give the closing word for the symposium. “I am proud of the organization that I work for and the team of people that are assembled here today. I think that it’s all about working together and having days like this. It’s about our kids and creating an environment in which they can have success. We’re happy to work together,” Fringer said. As technology use continues to improve both outside and inside the classroom, districts and communities as well as their partners will work together in an effort to ensure the best education for students.
High schoolers prepare for military Ethan Thomas Reporter
A bunch of recruiters and teachers tell students about traditional colleges and community colleges, but college isn’t the only way to go once graduated from high school. There have been many military recruiters that have come to AL and let kids know that the military is another path to go beyond high school. Military recruiter Benjamin Wappelhorst has been recruiting for 17 months, and has been to over 20 different schools in Iowa, and
enjoys informing students about their military options. “Talking to several students about my history, experiences, and where I have traveled is probably the best thing about recruiting and letting kids know that the Navy is an option is also great,” Wappelhorst said. Many students have been talked to about joining the military and serving for our country. Many now are aware of joining, but some are also motivated and inspired to join. “What motivated me at first was how closely everyone was getting along, and I feel like I can
“Talking to several students about my history, experiences, and where I have traveled is probably the best thing about recruiting and letting kids know that the Navy is an option is also great.” - Benjamin Wappelhorst, military recruiter
protect those who can’t protect themselves,” junior John Scheffler said. Scheffler decided to join the special forces Marine Corps in the 9th grade, and decided to join the army in the 7th grade. Some have been given advice by the recruiters as they prepare for the military. “They said when you’re at boot camp, try not to think of home because you’ll become homesick and quit,” junior David Stephenson said. Stephenson has decided to join the Marine Corps. Many students that have interest in the military have joined a program called the
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) for colleges and high school graduates. According to The U.S. Army Cadet Command website, ROTC produces approximately 60 percent of the second lieutenants who join the active Army, the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve. More than 40 percent of current active duty Army General Officers were commissioned through the ROTC. ROTC started in 1916 when President Wilson signed the National Defense Act, and has helped these students into joining the military and they can’t wait to join the military.
“Currently, there is not a sidewalk in this area so pedestrians have to walk in the street, which is very dangerous,” Heather Tomasek, Landscape Architect, said. There will be a part that connects into Playland Park, because that area is going to be developed. Some parts of the trail will lead over to 2nd Avenue, where it will be a share the road thing, whereas the other parts will be separated completely. The next part will be through the Thomas Jefferson High School where the train tracks are. It will lead into the skate park and parts will branch off down to Bayliss Park. As some parts prove to be a little complicated, Tomasek explained that they
are still in the design phase and hope to start construction in the spring. Some parts have tracks that need to be removed and then reconstructed, and landscaping and lighting need to be added to make it safer, all adding up to roughly a million dollar project. “Not only are we always looking to extend trails, but make them safer for the residence,” Tomasek said. “I drive this way every day and there’s a lot of bikers and mothers with children, and it would be really nice if they had their own designated area.” Connecting the trails will hopefully make traveling through the city on foot easier and safer.
CB creates new trail system Hailey Carson Reporter
C
ouncil Bluffs has many trails and recreational areas, but there have been issues connecting all of them. The Mid-City Trail is designed to connect the already existing trails and give people a safer experience when traveling by foot. On 1st Avenue, there is an old railroad corridor that isn’t being used, so it will be transformed into a semi straight connection from the riverfront to downtown. It will go under the interstate, around, then under again.
3 Key Club provides opportunity to volunteer Echoes November 2014
Nathan Vorce | News Editor
Breana Rocha Reporter
Key Club officials. From left to right, Diana Schrader, Saffron Springer, Franchesca Farwell, Addie McClain and James Keller. Photo submitted by Addie MCClain.
Volunteering looks great on college applications, especially when you have multiple hours. Key Club provides that, and also connects people and encourages them to volunteer. Key Club also helps the community, whether it is going to retiring homes or going to a school to read books to kids, and members get to meet new people. “My favorite part is meeting new people and going out to volunteer to help others,” sophomore Tasha Bonner said. Leadership skills are built and improved in this program, which is one of the ways Key Club helps the community. When these teens go out into the community, they are spreading kindness,
happiness and the feeling that teenagers can make positive change in the world. Key Club members have discussed going to retiring homes and the Open Door Mission in Council Bluffs. Through out Council Bluffs there are many opportunities to volunteer. “In my opinion, students don’t really know what to do,” junior Addie McClain said. “Based on the president and main ideas we can pull together to get people interested in something.” In today’s time, many students are bound to their phones and to a selfabsorbed persona, but with a club like Key Club, students can be pulled out of that and shown that helping people can grant many benefits. Key Club offers many people help with the small things they do, helping raise money for makes a huge difference in peoples
lives, even if the change isn’t obvious at a glance. “It gets young people involved,” senior Valeria Espinoza said. “It keeps kids out of trouble.” When kids stay out of trouble and get involved in the community it can be shown and reflected to other students. This is why schools around the united States have introduced this program to their schools. Some people may say this is a case of “Monkey see, Monkey do”, when teenagers see other teenagers volunteering, they also want to volunteer. In the end Key Club provides the things we need to keep teens in school, out of trouble, and finally ready for the real world. With opportunities like Key Club, a future can be created off the idea that when you help people in the community in times of need someone will be their when you need it most.
CBCSD begins advertising campaign Calab Holder
Business Manager
According to the Iowa Department of Education, open enrollment is defined as “...the process by which parents/guardians residing in an Iowa district may enroll their children into another Iowa school district…” So, in response to a loss of some students to open enrollment, the Council Bluffs School District has created a series of advertisements aimed at district students and their parents. “The ads will make sure people know the facts and
the programs of our district. Hopefully the ads are viewed as trying to be transparent and showing what our district has to offer to its students,” Principal Todd Barnett said. However, open enrollment is not the sole reason for the loss of students. To call open enrollment a significant issue this year would be a misnomer, as Superintendent Martha Bruckner explains. “That’s (open enrollment) not necessarily the ‘reason.’ Some of the reasons that families decide to use open enrollment to another school district are because of family tradition, or babysitting needs, or - sometimes because a student’s friends attend another school district.
Actually, this year, student enrollment INCREASED, and
our has the
are not singularly geared towards the prevention of the loss of students, but they are
number of students who are open enrolling INTO our school district has increased,” Bruckner said. The advertisements
also designed to showcase the many achievements and positives of the Council Bluffs School District. “No other school district
“The ads will make sure people know the facts and the programs of our district.” -Todd Barnett, Principal
I know of has an operational data center - built by and operated by students in partnership with Google. Few other high schools have as many business partnerships as we have to support Project Lead the Way. The Tucker Center provides wonderful career-oriented classes in a small environment. We have an award-winning summer learning program unmatched in the area. We have a student run bank in TJHS and in three elementary schools. Most of our facilities have been improved to stateof-the-art, and have been models for other school districts,” Bruckner said. To increase the effectiveness of the advertisements, they will be available through a
variety of different avenues. “The campaign will be multi-media to reach a variety of audiences. We want to share the messages with people wherever they are...on social media, websites, cable television, and in our schools, and we will support the direct messaging with billboards, posters/banners throughout the city. Financial support from the C.B. Community Education Foundation is making it possible to utilize paid media to increase the campaign’s impact,” Chief Communications Officer Diane Ostrowski said. The official slogan for the campaign is “Creating the Path Forward” and an official logo was released on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Tech officials attack wireless internet problems Logan Erwin
Circulation Manager
M
any students know our internet had some major issues back in October, but not many know the exact reason why everything started malfunctioning. It turns out that there were multiple factors: iPhone updates, streaming, and some hackers from other countries were other major contributors. For a two-week period the Chrome and Guest networks were working very slowly and sometimes chromebooks wouldn’t even connect. The first of the problems was
that the filtering system was compromised by hackers in Eastern Europe, China, and Southeast Asia. The hackers made a proxy, or a “copy”, of the system and it allowed them to access news websites. Those countries aren’t as fortunate as the United States since their media is regulated and controlled. With that information, it’s been discovered that they didn’t have malicious intentions, they only wanted news. “The main thing was our web filter had over 300,000 connections to it. At 300,000 it was programmed to shut off any other connection,” John Stile, Supervisor of Technology, said. “Eastern Europe, some Russian (subdivisions), and Asia had close to 200,000 connections to our server. They searched
for a proxy that would let them surf the web.” The filtering system that is used, censors certain sites and other web content that shouldn’t be viewed, has a capacity of 300,000 slots for people to access it. When the filtering system was proxied and used by foreign people, there were over half a million access points which dramatically slowed down the bandwidth. To add to that chaos, Apple released a new iDevice update: iOS 8. With all of the students updating their phones and then streaming content on chromes and other devices, the network was overloaded. “Many things were going on with the network at Abraham Lincoln. Some of them very small things, passwords had been
compromised to some of the network SSID and students were doing things like watching netflix on those SSIDs,” David Fringer, Chief Technology Officer said. “A second thing was Apple released a new update at that time and all the iPhones connected to our guest network were trying to download the update which was crushing us.” The IT department spent over 80 hours of overtime to fix the network. Students should exercise caution with what networks they use, because it can impact all connections to the WiFi that are being used. Next time you stream content, play a game, or even download an app: it affects others so try to use the networks for their intended purposes.
Servers in the Data Center. Photo by Nathan Vorce
4
Opinion
Dani Rambo | Opinion Editor
Echoes
Friends, family, turkey and Black Friday
Black Friday terror starts Traditional family dinner Tanner Hochstetler
Visual Reporting Specialist
Around the month of November, one holiday comes to mind; Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time when you hang out with family that you haven’t seen in a while and bond over turkey and pumpkin pie. Elementary children are learning about the pilgrims,
exception of Black Thursday and Friday. Families are still able to appreciate each other and have fun while scoring some money saving deals. So this holiday season save a turkey’s ife and pick up a shopping bag by going out.
there are wishbones to fight over, there’s even the Macy’s Parade to look forward to. Usually, after the dinner, families gather around the television. While watching the various TV programs, whether it being
YouTube impacting LGBTQ Breana Rocha E-Tube Producer
When you think of Youtube or Hollywood you don’t think of the impact that the celebrities and Youtubers have on the LGBTQ community. But when you look into it, these people save thousands of lives. Many people either discriminate against the LGBTQ community or they harass them. These celebrities/Youtubers show that there is no need to feel scared, they show that they are here for the people who need it, and that it’s ok to be different. Celebrities like Ellen Degeneres and Neil Patrick Harris play a major role in the community, they aren’t afraid to be who they are and that benefits them in so many ways. They actively
represent the LGBTQ community with helping organizations like the Trevor project. The Trevor project is a National organization that helps provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention for the LGBTQ from ages 13-24. They make 36k Lifeline calls a year. Tyler Oakley a famous youtuber with close to 5 million subscribers, raised $525,704 for his birthday this year. Tyler came out early in 2008, he said in a video that he didn’t have the Trevor Project when he was coming out but he wishes he had. He now has saved thousands of lives because he had the power to. One small idea can make a huge impact. This is why I look up to some Youtubers, because when they have the chance to help someone they do and that can make a huge difference. Celebrities are the same way, for example, Ellen Page came out on national television and even though we can’t see the impact she made it caused some people to be confident about their sexuality. A Youtuber named Hannah Hart made a series on youtube called Coming Out; in this video she shared her
Kelly Hickey
don’t have to worry about packing on the calories by sprinting towards your new spyware protection. By Black Thursday and Friday shopping, you can participate in one of the nation’s biggest growing trends, and you can save some cash by purchasing your Christmas gifts early. The holiday season can still be cherished and celebrated even with the
Reporter
Illustration by Kelly Hickey
A recent shopping trend is sweeping the nation. Every November shoppers line up at their favorite stores in attempt to stock up on some sweet deals. People view the month of November as a time of thankfulness, tradition, and taking advantage of the fall season. Rather than spending time with their families at the dinner table, people search for a bargain early Thanksgiving Day as well as the day after Thanksgiving. These “dark” and “evil” days are solely known as “Black Thursday and Black Friday”. Every year the lines get longer, more people are trampled, and less turkey is eaten. The bad publicity causes people to get scared, and in turn cast a cold shoulder on these days. Well all in all, Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday aren’t really so “black” and evil as people make them out to be. According to CNN. com, 2013 Black Thursday and Friday sales toppled at $12.3 billion dollars in 2013. The trend grows bigger and better each year. You can find deals at stores ranging from retail stores to even grocery stores that participate in
the national craze. Black Thursday and Friday sales are becoming more of a tradition than Thanksgiving itself. We live in the 21st Century, not the Mesozoic era, and traditions change. It’s found that more and more families are giving up their tradition at the dinner table, and making way for their new tradition of shopping. People also believe that family dinners are becoming more and more overrated. A family can still spend the same amount of quality time together shopping and beat the cost of a large Thanksgiving dinner. Why spend so much money on a large dinner when you can use that money for the newest 72” flat screen television on sale? Many argue that Black Thursday and Friday takes time away from the family, dinner table and the normal Thanksgiving meal, but the reality is, it doesn’t. If anything, Black Thursday and Friday brings families closer. Families cooperate to scavenge out the amazing deals. As for the dinner table, reports of people eating their dinner outside stores filled the media in 2013. Your savory turkey leg can act as a form of crowd control while you’re hunting for those new Beats as well, and you also
experience of coming out as lesbian. This video impacted thousands of her subscribers. Another Youtuber Lucas Cruikshank, also known as Fred, came out in a question and answer video he did with a friend. This video was inspiring to people because he didn’t make a whole video dedicated to him coming out, he didn’t make a big deal because he felt that he shouldn’t have to make a big deal about coming out. And lastly an Australian youtuber who has appeared in X-men Origins: Wolverine, Spud, and has an Ep out, Troye Sivan came out in August 2013. Since he came out he has accomplished many things. Him coming out as gay may not affect how far he came but it took off the pressure of hiding, so that he could become famous. These people may not have came out recently but the celebrities impact us daily as we watch them on tv and in movie theaters. The Youtubers are on a website that has millions and millions of viewers. The impact a celebrity or Youtubers has on the LGBTQ community is enough to save lives, to power people, and to inspire millions to do the right thing.
the Charlie Brown special or football, you are most likely to come across commercials advertising the dreadful Black Friday. Thanksgiving is usually seen as the beginning of the Christmas season, but Black Friday is taking it to an extreme. The “holiday” of Black Friday brings out some of the worst in people. Crowds stand and wait in line in the early hours of the morning just to be the first inside of stores. The people push their ways through the crowded aisles and fight over toys and other objects. The mobs are so rude and violent that there have been many injuries and even deaths during the Black Friday events. In fact, there is actually a website, www.blackfridaydeathcount. com, that lists each Black Friday injury and death with a link to a news article that dates back to 2006. Also, employees who work at the stores miss out on spending time with their own families and are forced to be on staff during the event. Stores and companies promote the event because it helps them gain a lot of money. New electronic appliances and video games are released during the Black Friday weekend to ensure more people to come in and increase sales. It gives the
message that if you want to be one of the first to own the item, you’ll have to fight through the crowd and get one before they run out. It makes people decide to ignore Thanksgiving and prepare to stand in line at 1:00 a.m. at the local Best Buy to get the new game system. What makes the whole scenario worse is that Black Friday has been slowly leaking over to the day before. “Black Thursday”, as it’s being dubbed, is when stores decide to open in the evening to increase more time for the shoppers. The sales now go on during Thanksgiving dinner, which is ruining the holiday. Thanksgiving is a time when you are supposed to give thanks--it’s in the name. You’re supposed to be thankful for the people in your life and for what you currently have. You reflect on the origins of Thanksgiving; about the pilgrims and the Native Americans. It’s ironic that Black Friday is taking over, making people focus on getting new material items before the store runs out. It sends a backwards message that’s the complete opposite of what Thanksgiving stands for. Instead of losing sleep over midnight shopping, gain sleep over too much pumpkin pie.
Affects of life on a high schooler Don Vinkenberg
Graphic Design editor
Life can be a pain and really difficult at times. We can all agree to that one way or another, but let me tell you, no matter how hard it is right now wherever you’re living, the problems you’re having, anything, it does get better. A lot of people in the school know who I am and who I use to be. I came from a really dark and unhappy past, with a lot of problems in my life. My hair was very long, black and covering my face. I was hurting myself in many ways and I still have those scars. And there was a point where I wanted to end everything. I gave up, but I am so glad I didn’t do it. I found hope and found out where I belong and I found out who my true friends are.
Last year a friend of mine kept telling me to take this class and I ended up doing it. It was tech theatre with Mandelko. I wasn’t sure about it when I heard about it but, after spending a long time in there I finally found out what I wanted to do with my life and Delko made an impact on my change. He helped me a lot and he never stopped believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I found out that theatre is the thing that I want to do. In the past year I have became a new person and changed everything about me just by finding out where I belong. I have never been a happier person until theatre came into my life and I am not regretting anything about it. Ever since I took the class I have been in so many shows. I am now a dancer, singer, and actor and it’s something I would like to do for the rest of my life. Sure I like other things too like, photography and journalism but the stage is my real home. Being a senior and spending the last four years in high school I have experienced all kinds of things. Good things, bad things, sad things, happy things, relationships, deaths,
just about everything. The best thing I can tell you is get out there! That’s something I wish I would of done years ago. I waited way too long to open myself up and and get myself out there, but I’m happy I did it before it was too late. Try new things, join some clubs, do a sport, put yourself out there, do anything you want to do. You might find something that will change your life and make it a lot better. Be yourself. Don’t hide behind a fake person and pretend to be someone you are not. It’s not worth it. Just be you and don’t worry about what other people think. Do what you want to do even if people make fun of you for it. Who cares if they do make fun of you, it’s what you are and who you want to be that matters. Life does get better, it just takes time and a lot of patience. Never give up on your dreams and don’t ever stop fighting for them. It’s not worth it. Most of us are young. We have so many years left of our life’s after school ends and it will get better and you will be happier. Just let time do it’s thing and put yourself out there and find where you belong.
Opinion
Echoes
Staff Editorial
Dani Rambo | Opinion Editor
Consequences of texting, driving Texting and driving; one of the leading causes of car crashes. Today, with the distractions of technology, car accidents can easily happen. So many people refuse to break free from their electronics. Driving calls for a lot of focus, but if someone is busy tweeting or instagramming while driving then the risk of getting into a car accident rises. Many teens think they are hot shots right when they get their license, but we aren’t experienced enough. Even if you are the most experienced driver in the world texting and driving isn’t recommended. It is stated that one is 23x more likely to get into a car crash when texting and driving. It is also stated that talking on the phone while driving will make a young driver’s reaction time as slow as a seventy year olds. Many states have taken the action by making it illegal to text and drive
including Iowa, but we still have those few out there that think they are above the law and put everyone else at risk. As a driver you are not only responsible for yourself and your passengers, but you are also responsible for everyone around you. The only way to protect those around you is
to stay off your phone and put your focus into being a safe driver. Next time you text and drive think about a life. Life is precious and you don’t want to waste one because of a stupid text that could have waited until you reached your destination. According to www.
textinganddrivingsafety. com/texting-and-drivingstats/, in 2009 a total number of 5,474 deaths were recorded from car accidents that were caused by texting and driving. From years 2010 through 2012 the numbers went down to around 3,000. There are ways you can
make sure you are safe while driving; starting by turning off your phone so you can’t hear it ring and is no longer a temptation. When people text while driving their eyes are off the road for an average of five seconds. That’s not safe to have your eyes off the road that long because anything could happen in those five seconds. If you are the passenger and the driver starts texting while driving do not be afraid to say something because that is your life in their hands. Iowa’s law states that the fine for violating the texting while driving law is $127.50. It also says that cell phone usage is illegal for all learner permit and intermediate license holders. There is no special treatment for texting when you get older. Drivers of all ages are not allowed to text and drive. So many people are affected by such a stupid move, and at the end texting won’t be worth it.
Pledge of Allegiance, oath to country Emma Seilstad E-Tube producer
I remember the first time I put my hand on my heart and tumbled my tongue to form the words of The Pledge of Allegiance in Kindergarten. As I progressed through elementary school, I continued to learn The Pledge of Allegiance until
my mouth was trained by muscle memory. Moving on to middle school the tradition continued. Since I was in leadership, I even got to lead my fellow students in The Pledge of Allegiance over the intercom. I can honestly say I didn’t take notice when I graduated up to high school and the freedom saying did not follow me. Although we have said The Pledge of Allegiance our whole lives, why does it come to a halt when we reach high school? As students grow up, they become more opinionated and independent with their thoughts. Some student’s opinions are that there is no God. That’s their opinion which is OK, but along with this opinion they begin to take notice to the things God
is mentioned in. Such as the one line in The Pledge of Allegiance, “...under God,”. If they do not believe in God then why would they say an oath to our country under him? When you are saying the pledge of allegiance you are committing yourself to this country, not proclaiming your love for God. God is what this country is based on and you can choose to recite that part of the pledge or not. Just because certain people don’t want to say that one line shouldn’t mean that we can not say any of it. If you choose not to say “under God” during the pledge then you can politely close your mouth and continue on with the rest of the pledge once that part has passed.
The Pledge of Allegiance is an oath to our country, our nation, our home, not to God, so we as a school need to stop thinking like it is a problem. According to buzzle. com, “The short, 15 second pledge, is a promise or oath of loyalty to the Republic of United States of America.” A while back there was a Massachusetts Supreme Court case between a school system and the state of Massachusetts. The court ruled that The Pledge of Allegiance was to be led by teachers, but it was not required for all students to say, it was simply voluntary. When students argued that the pledge went against their religious values the court responded with a simple answer. According
to Huffington Post, who had an article on the case, “The Court concluded that reciting the pledge ‘is a fundamentally patriotic exercise, not a religious one.’” So what do we do now to fix this? By simply adding in The Pledge of Allegiance into our high schools, we can resolve this dilemma. According to Huffington Post on the same case with the supreme court, they concluded that if you choose not to say The Pledge you do not have to provide a reason as to why. That way there will be no religious distinction imposed. Either way you view The Pledge, it will remain strictly patriotic.
magazine there are pictures of beautiful women. Sadly, everyone wants to look like this. Lots of girls are striving to have a perfect body. What for? The attention? To feel good about themselves? I guess feeling good about yourself would be a nice reason, but some women go to extremes. Using starvation techniques to get a “toned” body. According to the New York Times, more than 80 percent of 10-year-old girls are afraid of being fat. That girls’ self-esteem drops at age 12 and doesn’t improve until 20, and that is tied to negative body image. But what does all of this mean? It means that girls who should
be worried about playing outside and being happy are now worrying about their bodies and looks. When did it come to this? Little girls that used to put their hair up and run around playing are now suddenly disgusted with the way that they look. Could it really be that magazine covers and celebrities toothpick like bodies are convincing these children that they aren’t beautiful? As a teenager feeling good about your body is very important. This is the time that you go through so much stress and so many changes. The one thing you’d like to be happy about is your body. With all the fat shaming of celebrities who aren’t
even close to being fat, how are young women suppose to feel good? Young ladies will strive for a perfect body. They go as far as developing an eating disorder to look thin. All of that fat shaming is making normal things like stretch marks and cellulite look completely ridiculous. Headlines like “Even the ‘New Monroe’ struggles with cellulite” make women think that this sort of thing is unnatural. I’ll tell you what’s unnatural. Young ladies as young as 11 or 12 developing an eating disorder because they think they are fat. Magazines calling celebrities fat when, obviously they are not. Young women
struggling to look nice and feeling that they have failed. These magazine covers shaming celebrities are harming more than the celebs feelings. They hurt girls self esteem and cause things like drinking problems, depression, bullying and sometimes suicide. Fat shaming is bad and the unrealistic images from Photoshop are even worse. They make women look unnaturally skinny and shame natural beauty. When it should be the other way around. It should be that these images are the thing to be ashamed of and that natural beauty should flourish, just like a young woman’s self esteem should.
Society’s expectations for women Taylor Daugherty Reporter
“What are you looking for in a woman?” “Tall, skinny, a flat stomach, a beautiful face. Preferably a thigh gap,” It seems that on any type of social media and in every
5
ECHOES Editors-in-Chief Jessi Borwick Nathan Vorce
Section Editors
Dani Rambo Kendal Bainbridge Will Schademann
Graphic Design Editor Don Vinkenberg
Visual Reporting Specialist Tanner Hochstetler
Business Manager Calab Holder
Circulation Manager Logan Erwin
Reporters
Kelly Hickey Sean Veazie Hailey Carson Alyssa Clayton Audrey Hays Jake Peterson Ethan Thomas Anthony Ruiz Taylor Daugherty
E-Tube Producers Ali McDougle Breana Rocha Emma Seilstad
Los Ecos
Francisca Aguilar-Padilla Edwin Lopez Ricardo Lopez Raquel Lopez Juan Nunez
Adviser
Gerry Appel The Echoes is published by the newspaper staff at 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 Facebook: ALHS Echoes Twitter: @ALHSJournalism Web site: alechoes.com NSPA Member Publication
6
Feature
November 2014
Spread Designed By Jessi Borwick
Winter season prompting ideas for fun family getaways with your family. The main attraction is the waterpark within the lodge, but there are so many other things to do. The majority of the activities that are available are aimed towards the younger generation, but anybody would enjoy playing mini golf, hanging out in the arcade, and sliding down the huge waterslides. The Great Wolf Lodge is slightly more expensive than other resorts, but it’s totally worth it with many things to keep you busy, and great food! A Disney trip is always fun, and is geared towards the whole family, not just young kids, although it may seem that way. Each time you go, there is always new stuff to see and do, even if you go back
Alyssa Clayton Reporter
During our break, many families want to go on vacation and get away for a while. You may choose to stay at home for the holidays, but if you want to splurge a bit and go on a fun-filled vacation, there are many options. If you want to embrace the snow, try a skiing trip. If you prefer a warmer place to spend your time, try Florida or someplace more tropic. No matter if you plan a trip, or if you stay home, you will no doubt have fun during your time. The Great Wolf Lodge is a great place to stay that nearly everyone has heard of. The nearest one is in Kansas City, KS. The resort is a wonderful place to spend the break
multiple times. Epcot, the “around the world” themed park, offers a very cultural experience with foods and things to do from different countries. The rides are always a highlight when you go to Disney, such as the Mount Everest Expedition roller coaster, which resides in the Animal Kingdom theme park. While you’re down in Florida, you could always stop by Seaworld and have fun riding the rides and viewing the oceanic creatures. Water shows are usually going on, so make time to catch one of them! If you are a skier, Colorado is the place for you. Boulder, Colorado is home to some of the best skiing mountains and hills in the country. The Alps Boulder Canyon
Resort is a ski resort that is a great vacation spot for families, and for all ages. The hotel is a short drive from slopes such as Echo Mountain, the challenging Arapaho Basin, and a beginner’s slope, Eldora. Even the youngest children can enjoy the small slopes skiing, like Eldora, while the more experienced can try Echo Mountain, which is an all terrain park where you can perfect your tricks. Any of these destinations would be a great place to spend the holidays. Your family is sure to have fun at these places! Wherever you choose to go or stay, have a safe trip, and have a great time!
Photo by: Jessica Borwick
k
ssica Borwic
Photo by: Je
Drawing
br: Kelly
Hickey
Snowflakes courtesy of Don Vinkenberg
7
Feature 8 The adventures of Brynn Jobman Jessica Borwick | Co-Editor-in-Chief
Jessi Borwick
Co-Editor In Chief Doane College graduate, Brynn Jobman, is a newly added member to the ALHS faculty family. This is her first year here and is a freshman world history teacher. After she graduated high school, she left her hometown of 150 people and went to study pre-law at the University of Connecticut. After only one week into pre-law career, Jobman decided that the big city college life was not for her. “..after only one week, I soon realized that the University of Connecticut was entirely too big so it was not the place for me,” Jobman said. After this sudden realization, Brynn made her way to Doane college in Crete, Nebraska. It was here that that she changed her major to secondary education- social sciences, and sociology.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend there, it is an amazing school,” Jobman said. Brynn wanted to start a teaching career after working with a group of softball girls in the summer. She ended up adding sociology because she was only six credits away and thought she would like to be a social worker if teaching didn’t work out. This year is her fifth year of teaching in total, but not all of it has been in the Council Bluffs School District. Her first two years were spent teaching in Broken Bow Public Schools in Broken Bow, Nebraska. The last two years, Brynn taught at a private christian school here in Council Bluffs called Sterling Education. Brynn says she enjoys teaching here at AL and likes to be back in a school where kids can be in many activities including sports. “I enjoy working with kids from many different backgrounds, I’m excited to be back in a school
November 2014
Photo submitted by: Brynn Jobman
where kids can be involved and compete in different activities. The students at my previous school were not allowed to compete,” Jobman said. When Brynn was 19-years-old, she spent a whole month in New Zealand with a group called International Student Volunteers. “I started saving from the time I was nine-years-old and when I turned 19, I finally was able to go,” Jobman said. The first two weeks that she was there, the time was spent volunteering. She did things like plant trees, clean up an aqueduct, and set traps for invasive species. During her second week in New Zealand, she did a vast variety of daring activities. “I went skydiving, bungee jumping, white water rafting, black water rafting, hiking, shotover jet boarding, zorbing, and canyon swinging,” Jobman said. One other thing she did
Echoes
while she was there was climb the mountain Mt. Ruapehu. For those of you who don’t know this, the mountain is also known as “Mount Doom” from the Lord of the RIngs! Brynn is already planning her next out of country trip for next summer. “The next country on my list is Ireland- Summer 2015,” Jobman said. Brynn grew up in a Nebraska in a little town called Filley. It has a population of 150 people and her graduating class was a grand total of 23. Today she is a proud owner of two state basketball championship medals and she can say she has coached basketball, cross country, track and softball. Brynn is also accompanied by her furry friends Moose, a St. Bernard and a morkie named Ellie. Brynn has went from a town of 150 people to climbing a mountain in New Zealand. What could be a better, young life experience?
Journalism students attend D.C. conference Sean Veazie Reporter
I
n an effort to better their understanding of the world of journalism and the history of our nation, a group of journalism students representing Abraham Lincoln High School left Omaha to Washington D.C. The destination was The Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association Fall National High School Journalism Convention at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park. After a brief layover in St. Louis, journalism staff members Jessica Borwick, Tanner Hochstetler, William Schademan, Megan Miller,
Scott Brown, Brenna Wilhite, Caye Schnackel, Erin Stuckey and journalism adviser Gerry Appel arrived in the capital of the United States. “This trip was important because it was the last big trip I can take in my high school years,” Caye Schnackel, Co-editor-in-chief of the Yearbook said. The students and their chaperone departed from Southwest Airlines in Omaha from Nov. 6 through November 9. To many, it may just be an ordinary weekend, but for these nine individuals, it was a distinct experience. From the convention to the sessions to the travel, their days were packed. The topic of sessions at the convention ranged from seminars on topics as diverse as typeface
and colors, to conferences about censorship as well as speeches from the two keynote speakers, Jay Harris and Bob Woodward. There were even classes for journalism classes, such as techniques for coaching journalism students to stepping up their writing skills were offered for students and teachers. After two fully hectic days the newspaper and yearbook students got to relax by walking all around Washington D.C., visiting monuments and national museums such as The Washington Monument, The Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. Many of the group’s personal favorite was the Newseum, an interactive museum of news and journalism in the
heart of D.C. The day was full of learning and exploring the town built around our country’s political history. “It was a unique
opportunity to experience history in our nation’s capital,” Appel said. Overall, they loved the trip and would recommend
it to anyone interested in learning more about Journalism.
Photo by: Scott Brown
Town thanks veterans in numerous ways Kelly Hickey Reporter
E
Photo submitted by: Dr. Hanzlik
arlier this month, we had a special day reserved to honoring all those who have served our country- Veterans Day. Council Bluffs holds many events to honor the veterans including discounts and a parade. It’s not only a day that honors those veterans that have fought for us, but it also brings the community of Council Bluffs together. Various locations had discounts or specials in honor of the troops.
Applebee’s offered a free meal to those veterans with valid form identification or in uniform. Hy-Vee provided free breakfasts during their breakfast hours and Krispy Kreme offered a free doughnut and coffee. Golden Corral gave a free buffet for veterans on Nov. 17. Veterans, as well as active members in the military, received a complimentary lunch or dinner at the Ameristar Casino Hotel. Great Clips gave free haircuts to veterans and active military servers. Both Bed Bath & Beyond and JC Penney offered a twenty percent off on veteran’s purchases. One of the biggest events
held by Council Bluffs is for the Veterans Day parade. Dozens of citizens participate in the parade with colorful floats and music. Many different people are involved with the parade, including schools, businesses, and organizations. All three high schools in Council Bluffs have participated in the parade with multiple contributors. AL, TJ, and LC’s representatives include the marching bands, cheer teams, ROTC members, along with a great amount of student support in the crowds. The AL marching band played a patriotic medley that included fanfares of each of the armed forces’ themes. The ROTC
along with their colorguard marched along as well. “It’s important to ROTC and myself because we are remembering how much the veterans sacrificed and how much we truly appreciate what they have done,” junior John Scheffler said. The town provides many specials and deals to those past and current fighters for our country. The annual parade helps bring many members of the community together. Veterans Day is a great day that brings attention to our veterans and celebrates what they have done for our country.
Echoes
November 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Kendal Bainbridge | A&E page editor
YouTube posters giving way to fame Emma Seilstad Reporter
YouTube, the home of viral videos and internet sensations. For some YouTubers, their journey to stardom runs past YouTube and into the “real world”. We have become the generation of YouTube celebrities. As social media booms, many believe that they can create a YouTube channel to share their thoughts for everyone around the world to view. Some become popular, others do not. “Youtube is a place where anyone can go no matter race, religion, or financial background, to share ideas with other people from all over the world,” sophomore
Jon Keyser said. According to the YouTube stats page, one hundred hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute. A handful of these YouTubers end up with millions of subscribers. In a student body wide survey the names that came up the most as to who they watch was Jenna Marbles and PewDiePie. Jenna Marbles became popular for her output of a young American woman’s life. She currently has over 14 million subscribers to her YouTube channel. She also has collectively over 1.5 billion views on her videos. She is known by her followers as the queen of Youtube. PewDiePie is a Swedish native 24 year old that up-
loads “Let’s Play” videos of himself reacting to popular video games. With nearly 31 million YouTube subscribers, his videos have been watched over 6 billion times. He currently tops the YouTube charts with the most subscribers for this month. According to gamespot.com, PewDiePie makes $4 million each year in ad sales alone. A name you might have heard of in the media recently would be Bethany Mota. She has partnered with Aeropostale to create her own clothing and scent line. Mota was also on season 19 of Dancing with the Stars, a guest judge on Project Runway, wom Female choice web star at the Teen Choice Awards, and won the best
fashion channel award at the 4th annual Streamys. Bethany’s videos mostly consists of hauls, beauty tutorials, and product reviews. One of the main things you can find on YouTube is music of all kinds. YouTube has been a home for several artists until they took to the stage. People like Christina Grimmie who got her start on YouTube, placed third on The Voice, got signed to Island Records, and released her debut album “With Love” in 2013, are who many artists aspire to be like. Youtube has become the place to find wonderful music, astonishing videos, and even oneself. So what’s next on the YouTube playlist?
The stadium in Columbus, Ohio is 14,000 square feet and serves as the official destination in a more appropriate setting, rather than strewn across various cities. The overall placement for this arena is well thought out, including location and efficiency. In the 11 counties, there’s a great passion for gaming amongst college. Columbus has hosted many successful events in the past. The stadium features hundreds upon hundreds of seats for the crowd, sound proof rooms for the teams, a broadcast station for commentators, video screens for broadcasting and warm-up areas
for players. After the season 3 playoffs, the stadium will be used on a regular basis: both for competitions and casual gaming. Other than the layout and plans for the stadium, the completion date was October 5th. The teams competing in season 3 are; OpTic Nation, Team EnVyUs, Rise Nation, FaZe, OpTic Gaming, Most Wanted, Denial eSports, Evil Geniuses, Noble.Vanquish, Team Kaliber, Team Curse, and JusTus. The playoffs will include the top 8 teams to compete in Call of Duty: Ghosts for $75,000 in prizes and $30,000. Fans can watch the teams play strategically and tactically
via MLG.tv but keep in mind you can watch both competitive play and profession play. Both live and pre-recorded shows are open for viewing on the app. “Columbus has hosted some of our most successful events to date,” said Adam Apicella, Executive Vice President of Major League Gaming Properties said in an e-mail to the Echoes. “With 62 colleges in the Columbus region, hundreds of thousands of university and high school students in the 11-county area, and close proximity to our audience on the East Coast, Columbus is a great location for our MLG.
9
Photo By: Don Vinkenburg
Ohio builds first Major League Gaming stadium Logan Erwin
Reporter Calling all Call of Duty players, as construction of the Columbus Major League Gaming Arena has begun! Major League Gaming, also known as MLG, is an organization dedicated to eSports and competitive gaming. They host various events for professional and competitive gamers. Professional gamers play to entertain an audience with their reactions and commentary. On the other hand, competitive gamers are either “clans” of people or single players who compete for prizes such as money and partnership opportunities.
tv Arena. We look forward to hosting the best players in the world and continuing to collaborate with the passionate community at OSU and their eSports initiative – ESI, as well as those throughout Ohio and beyond.” Currently there’s another stadium in the building process in Hengqin Island near Macau and Zhuhai in China. This area is beyond a recreation center, it’s officially called a “culture city”. In this city there’ll be a section called the “V-Zone” where professional gamers and competitions will take place. There’ll also be expos located for game developers,
places to eat and purchase gear for members. Completion date is in 2017, yet that is not the fixed date for the entire “Culture City”. “MLG’s mission is to promote eSports globally through premier competition and to deliver premium gaming content to viewers anytime, anywhere through our global streaming platform – MLG.tv,” said Sundance DiGiovanni, MLG Co-Founder and CEO. “With the MLG. tv Columbus Arena, we now have a flagship venue built to showcase the best as we continue to expand our global footprint.”
Students express interests in different genres Hailey Carson Reporter
R&B
Jhené Aiko’s debut album Souled Out is just what the title means, a piece of her soul. It sends positive messages while addressing problems we could all relate to with a personal twist. For example, “Promises” shares insight into her relationship with her brother. Throughout the album, Aiko does a nice job of expressing different vocal talents, especially her rap in “Pretty Bird (Freestyle).” The Target Exclusive Edition has two bonus songs that are worth hearing, as her older song “You vs Them” is preformed by just a guitar and her voice. Songs like “Limbo Limbo Limbo” and “To Love & Die” are accompanied by some pretty unique but catchy beats that incorporate her melodic island theme. Overall, the album itself could use some more upbeat tunes, but you will certainly walk away with advice from Jhené Aiko’s personal and inner most struggles.
Anthony Ruiz Reporter
Punk Rock
The first installment of the “iUno! iDos! iTre!” trilogy by Green Day is of course the critically acclaimed album “iUno!”. The release date of this album was September 21, 2012 as a follow up from the success of their previous album/rock opera “21st Century Breakdown”. The album along with the rest of the trilogy was officially announced in April 2012 along with dates of the singles spawned from the album. The singles from “iUno!” are “Oh Love” as the album’s lead single, “Kill The DJ” as the next, and “Let Yourself Go” as the album’s final single. The album has then begun to branch out away from their usual punk rock roots, to a more power pop, garage rock, and a dance-punk sound. Despite being released to a mixed emotion crowd the album proved to be a success and is considered to be a fan favorite to some fans.
Ali McDougle E-tube Producer
Indie
The Drums is an indie rock/synthpop band from Brooklyn New York that formed in 2008. In 2011 they released a second album entitled “Portamento”. This album was named after a few of their favorite synth pop artists which inspired them as children; “Kraftwerk”, “Anything box” and “Wendy carlos”; using analogue system portamento. This is my favorite album by The Drums. The reason why I love this album is because it reminds me of “The Smiths” and a pop version of Joy division. Throughout this whole album they stick to their popular surfer rock vibe and they stick to it throughout the album. This album is truly unique and it’s truly different from any indie rock band I’ve listened to. If you’ve have never listened to The Drums I highly suggest you do so and if you listen to Portamento because it’s amazing and won’t disappoint.
Don Vinkenburg Reporter
60’s
The Beatles, which started in 1960 has 13 original albums and many of hit albums. The most talked about album is the Beatles “1” album. With 27 of their top hit songs on the CD from the whole ten years they were a band. Songs everyone should know like, “Let it be”, “Hey Jude”, and “I Want To Hold Your Hand”. This album has sold over 31 million copies and it’s rated the number one Beatles album that has ever been made. The Beatles are made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. This album has touched the lives of many people and it’s still their best selling album in the world today. If you enjoy great music from way back when, then go check this album out! Even if people are not into old music just about everyone loves knows who the Beatles are and the stories they told in their songs were priceless.
Sean Veazie Reporter
Alternative Rock
Nickelback is a band coming from our northern neighbor Canada. The band began in Hanna, Alberta circa 1995. The group is composed of vocalist and guitarist Chad Kroeger, keyboardist and vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer David Adair. They have nine albums not including the new album released on November 17th “No Fixed Address”. The band has been working with Roadrunner Records until recently where they obtained their label to Republic Records. This new album is a step away from their older work as the song “Edge of a Revolution” is very political. Overall “No Fixed Address” is an amazing album and I recommend it to everyone especially those who do not enjoy older Nickelback music. The opinion of many might be changed with their changes and their new tone of music.
Hailey Carson Reporter
Country
Oct. 7 saw the release of Jason Aldean’s sixth studio album, “Old boots” “New Dirt”, which features the singles “Burnin’ It Down” and “Just Gettin’ Started.” With mixes of party songs and an emotional side that listeners aren’t accustomed to, it might be his most fascinating yet. “Tryin’ to Love Me,” demonstrates how his vocals have improved since previous records. There’s a number of unique beats that make the album memorable, as you want to get up to dance, especially at the opening of “Sweet Little Somethin’.” His passion for women is vividly illustrated in his lyrics, giving an illusion that you know him personally. It’s clear that it was recorded with emotion as you can hear him becoming very involved and spirited with all the songs. This album is almost the definition of country music, it’s still personalized to his individual style.
10
Kendal Bainbridge | A&E page editor
Arts & Entertainment
November 2014
Echoes
Hey kids! Check out this Thanksgiving holiday puzzle! Across 1- It’s the name of the holiday! 5- This popular American sport has 3 matchups to watch on Thanksgiving day. 7- What are you ________ for this holiday season? 9- A topping for mashed potatoes, made from salt, butter, flour and chicken stock. 10- A curved horn in the middle of a table, this object also appears in the center of the arena in The Hunger Games. 11- It’s the name of the season. 12- Treat yourself to a slice of this after your meal, if you still have room, that is... 15- A forked shaped bone that bids have called the furcula, this bone has a more common name when it comes to breaking it on Thanksgiving.
Down 2- The amount of crops brought in, you can either have a plentiful or a pitiful _______. 3- The month that Thanksgiving is in. 4- A delightful side for your turkey or ham, it is made out of bread, vegetables, sausage, and seasonings. 6- These birds are the main course for many family’s Thanksgiving dinner. You can find them running wild near the AL campus at times. 8- These individuals came over to the New World on ships from Europe. 12- This food tastes very good in pie, and is often topped with whipped cream. 13- End + ear combined 14- An added bonus to the thanksgiving holiday is the ________ from school!
“The Legend of a Crossing Bridge” A short fictional piece for National Novel Month Audrey Hays Reporter
Meet Brenna Yong--an orphaned girl tossed between imagination and reality. Since the Oakland Bridge collapse that took her parents along with the crumbling pieces as they were heading to pick her up from college, she lead her other loved ones to believe that she took her own life. With a new identity, new status, and hopefully a new life, Brenna hopes her old life can stick to the past. Cars lined along the sides of a deep mahogany bridge blocked by thick fog was what I woke into. Walking along the destruction I tried to keep my balance while the bridge wobbled with the distress. A crack further up the bridge sent me flattened on my stomach. Horns broke the silence as a pair of headlights headed straight for me. Like a deer I froze when I saw two familiar faces. “No!” I shot straight up to the continuing vibration from my phone resting on the nightstand. Regaining back some air I swiped the call button and put the phone to my ear. “You’re late.” I gazed over at the digital alarm clock and noticed it was already noon. My shift at JavaBuds started less than three hours ago. “Gordon, do you still want me to come in?” There was a slight grumble in responce from the other end; then there was a sigh. This was the third time in two weeks, and I knew Gordon wouldn’t let me down easy. “Can you cover for
Kelsey this week? She’s come down with the flu.” I was surprised by his response and answered in a guilty tone. “Sure thing, won’t happen again.” I ended the call quickly, burying my head in my hands I squeezed my knees together while the familiar pull arose for the calm the daily heap of pills brought me. The light of my phone relit as a new message took up the screen. Along with this message there were 14 missed calls, 10 unread texts and four voicemails. I deleted all the rest and was about to discard the recent one until I caught one word; parents. Overlooking the whole text, I was taken aback by what it read. I know there was something that you lost. You’re only fear had been losing your parents. No need to be frightened now for they can be returned to you. There was no IP address to reply to and my first reaction wasn’t to panic. Nobody had known how bad I wanted my parents to never have left to pick me up that day. I blamed myself for their death even though I was cozy at home. The phone brightened again and I was eager to see what else this stranger had to say. Better hurry before you miss your chance, hehe. This time the option to reply highlighted and when I went to swipe it the light in the bathroom flicked on, along with the sound of water. After a few moments I managed to get my feet in the slippers beside the bed and creaked open the door that led to my answer. The temperature had dropped and the cold floor brought tingles through the
fuz. I looked into the mirror that was completely fogged over with one word written in the middle; Bingo! Focusing back on the water, I twisted off the knob as a car went by the bathroom window and honked. I jumped, slipping on the iced tile and finding the water conformed around my body like hands pulling me down. I tried grabbing the edge of the sink to get out, but my grip went against me. The water offered a strange comfort, but once I saw my parents faces, I knew everything was going to be okay. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ National Novel Writing Month is a worldwide sensation and offers a contest that challenges all writers to write a novel in a month! Participants start on November 1st by writing their novel that is required to be 50,000 words and turned in at 11:59pm November 30th. Depending on the groups or classes that introduce NanoWrimo to their students, there may be different rewards for the top three novelists that got to 50,000 words or near the word count. This novel adventure has organized events for children and adults to work with structure in order to achieve their creative potential. The contest mainly focuses on determination, dedication, and the feel of having a deadline. Being a non-profited known as the Office of Letters and Lights, it may never be easier to become a novelist today. -nanowrimo.org For more go to http:// nanowrimo.org/about and write your novel now!
Photo By: Don Vinkenburg
Anime ‘Naruto’ ending Don Vinkenberg Reporter
T
he manga that has been loved by people of all ages, young and old is seeing its final chapters. After 15 long years, the manga and tv show called “Naruto” is finally coming to an end. The manga, which began in 1996 with over 70 volumes makes records with the length of how long it ran. It was rated the number one anime in the world with over one million fans watching it during the years. The first episode of “Naruto” aired in October 2002 and there has been a total of 605 episodes since then. Even though some people see it has a cartoon or a comic, those who do read it know it’s much more than that. I puts you in the shoes of Naruto and the struggles he has in his life. With all the happy, sad, funny, bad moments that are in the Naruto, it’s written in a way where everyone can connect to it. Even if it’s manga you can still feel and imagine the pain and sorrow that Naruto goes though. That is what made this manga so special
compared to others. Not many have the same affect and feelings as Naruto had on people. No matter what age you are or who you are this manga will have you in tears of sadness but also tears of happiness. Masashi Kishimoto, the author of the manga’s says “It has been a long, fun run but it needs to finally come to an end.” Without spoiling too much after this wonderful manga, “Naruto” is about the story and the life of Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto Uzumaki, is a loud, hyperactive, adolescent young ninja who is trying to change the world to help everyone and make everything better. His parents both died on the day he was born and nobody wanted to be his friend so he spent his whole childhood all alone. He carries within him the spirit of the nine-tailed fox demon that nearly destroyed his tribe thirteen years ago. The show goes through most of his life and shows the problems he had and how he overcame them. Even when he was left all alone and ignored he still found ways to be happy. As Naruto grew older many things happened in his life and he started making a lot of friends and he
got a lot stronger too. Naruto swears to be the leader of his village and take care of everyone and this inspires a lot of people to look up to him and help him along his long journey. Many things happen and a lot of people that Naruto cared about has died and this gives him the power to get stronger and save more people. The ending to the show will leave readers breathless with how it turned out. This is a long manga that went out with a very huge bang. The manga will be done forever in mid November of 2014 and the show will end sometime early 2015. You don’t need to be a fan of mangas and animes to enjoy Naruto. If you have not heard of this manga then go check it out. You won’t regret it and you will see why it’s the number one manga out there. Even though Naruto is ending it doesn’t mean it won’t just die out and be gone. Many years after it ends there will still be people watching it at their homes and talking about it all over the world. Naruto may be ending it’s manga and tv show, but it won’t be the end of Naruto. At least not for a while long anyways.
Echoes
Sports
November 2014
Swimming offers benefits outside water Audrey Hays
O
Reporter
n the list of the many sports starting up, boys swimming seems to be preparing to get in the water this 20142015 school year. This year’s boys are combined by sophomores, juniors, and seniors that are getting prepared ahead of time swim starts. The beginning of the season starts towards the start of November and flows into early February. Prior to their first meet, there are workouts leading up to the season and even a summer league that is provided by the local YMCA. Practices usually begin with warmups that get broadened with various drills, sprints, swims: short and long distance, and specialities like the backstroke and butterfly. During practice the team races to recreate what it’s like during a meet,
get a feel of the water and collect personal times. The swimmers meet every day and end with weight training, even if practice lands on a holiday. Coach Adam Moon said there are benefits of such frequent practices. “Swimming requires the athlete to be in top condition so practicing six days a week is important to reach their top conditioning,” Moon said. Unlike sports comprised of just Abraham Lincoln students, boys swimming includes members from Saint Albert and Thomas Jefferson. When watching the swimmers, there are different meets that consist of the boys going up against other teams with many events in place that tend to be Co-Ed and usually last several hours. For the boys there is a regular season, then city competition with Lewis Central, conference, and lastly districts which is the state competition. The
date for city competition occurs Jan 27 and is senior swim night. On Jan 29 conference is held, district championships are Feb 7 and the following week
“Swimming is a great sport to stay in shape, meet new friends and learn a life saving skill.” -Adam Moon, boys swimming coach on Feb 14 are the state championships. While old and new swimmers create different teams each season, senior Patrick Jones said swimming has benefited him throughout the years.
“Swimming has really helped me out already, Coach (Moon) put a good reference to become a lifeguard,” Jones said. “I can teach swim lessons and because of swimming I have a summer job that I’ll have to do.” Sophomore Cole Gallo reflected over how swimming could grow on others interested in the sport. “Some days you think swimming hurts, but it’s awesome in the end,” Gallo said. “You learn you’re one big family, you suffer in swimming together.” On the overall sport, Moon followed similar thoughts with Gallo. “Swimming is a great sport to stay in shape, meet new friends and learn a life saving skill,” Moon said. With practices beginning for the swimmers on Nov 10, it seems the team can’t wait to hit the water.
Will Schademann | Sports Editor
11
Nahnsen signing with Jackson State Tigers
Lynx athlete preparing to suit up for Mississippi collegiate softball team
Photo by Tanner Hochstetler
Check out the Echoes on social media! ALHS Echoes (Facebook) @ALHSJournalism (Twitter) www.ALechoes.com (website)
Wrestlers hopeful for upcoming season Tanner Hochstetler
Visual Reporting Specialist
Wrestlers listening to coaches at an open mat event. Photo by Tanner Hochstetler
This season is about making gains, setting goals, and achieving those goals for the boys. “My goals for the season are to move up in the boys wrestling team is prepared to grasp ahold of this year’s season. With practice in session on Nov. 17, the wrestlers are anxious to show off their hard work. In preparation for the 2014 wrestling year, the athletes have put forth their time and effort. Each year an athlete must chose their weight class. Whether they chose to stay in the same weight class, move up, or move down the athletes must train and push themselves to meet their goals. Preseason wrestling
ranges from a few weeks before the start of the official season to a few months before the start. Athletes must dedicate themselves in order to perform well. Every Tuesday and Thursday, the wrestlers gather together at open mat to condition themselves and pin some experience on the mat. Individual athletes also prepare themselves in the off season. Weather it’s running, lifting weights, playing a different sport, or eating healthier the wrestlers are always doing something. “I prepare myself by lifting weights, running, running steps, and attending open mat,” sophomore Damon Wilson said. Every year wrestlers choose their weight class to compete in. There are numerous weight classes to choose from such as 132,
145, or 160. Wrestlers “weigh in” before a meet. Often times a wrestler goes to extremes in order to reach their particular weight class. They may sweat, starve, or dehydrate in order to lose weight for a meet. During the regular season wrestling meets, many events occur. As many as two or more mats are utilized at once. Events consist of duals, quads, invites, triangulars and brawls. Wrestlers compete at these events and the athlete who successfully pins his opponent is crowned victor. A wrestler may compete in several events per meet at various schools. State competitions are usually held at mass arenas such as the Mid-America Center (MAC). These competitions last from February 18 to February 21 this sea-
son, and last several hours. In the teams preparation for this years’ season they have also prepared for the moment that is the state competitions. “I’ve been close to state the past couple years, and now it’s the time to go out there and get it,” senior Robert Peters said. This year is all about setting and achieving goals, making gains, and displaying quality form. “My goals are to move up in weight class and place in the state competition,” sophomore Kota Finch said. The team will be seeing some new faces as well as some returning faces this season. With practice in full swing the boys are ready to face off, and in addition hopefully set some wins this year.
Boys and girls basketball optimistic on year Ethan Thomas Reporter
B
asketball season is coming soon. Girls basketball practice started Nov. 10 and boys basketball started Nov. 17. All the coaches and players have been training and working hard for this upcoming season and they can’t wait to get started. Coach Jason Isaacson is excited for this season and has goal for the teams to achieve. “Our end goal is to win
the state title. But the main thing we talk about is having no regrets when it’s all said and done.” boys basketball head coach Isaacson said who has been the Head Coach for AL for three years. The girls basketball head coach is also excited for this upcoming season. “Our team has six returning players with a lot of varsity experience, but we also have a nice group of younger players that will contribute at all of our levels. I believe we can have a great year, but we must play together as
a team.” Girls basketball head coach Chad Schaa said. He has been the Head coach for girls basketball for seven years. He is also a PE teacher at Hoover and Crescent Elementary school. All of the basketball players have been practicing during the off-season and worked real hard to get better and prepare for this upcoming season. The teams for girls and boys basketball all have goals set in mind, but some basketball players have some goals they want to achieve individually. “I’m hoping to become
an asset and that we can all come together to achieve our goals,” Junior, Merzedes Hart said. She has been playing basketball since the 3rd grade. For the past few years, Lynx Basketball has been doing well. But with the dedication and drive the the teams have for Boys and Girls basketball, this year seems promising and exciting to watch.
Freshman Ashley Feser concentrates on shooting the ball Photo by Nathan Vorce
12
Sports
November 2014
Will Schademann | Sports Editor
Echoes
Volleyballs’ rise to state prominence
Senior Kelsey Johnson serving the ball. Photos by Brittany Hutchens, Crimson & Blue Yearbook
Seniors Lauren Colpittts and Samantha Bohnet, along with junior Deana Roth, offer each other encouragement.
Seniors Bailee Gofta, Lauren Colpitts and Kelsey Johnson and junior Deana Roth celebrate a point scored against Ankeny Centennial .
Commentary
Heroes game offers bragging rights to winner Jake Peterson
T
Reporter
he Heroes game is a game that is played on every
Black Friday--many will go shopping, many will eat Thanksgiving leftovers, and many will watch Nebraska and Iowa football. Tensions are building as the late No-
vember game arrives in Iowa City. This I-80 rivalry is now entering its 4th year, in which Nebraska leads the Heroes series 2 games to 1,
Graphic by Alyssa Clayton
but Iowa won the last game 38-17. However, these two teams have clashed dating back to Nov. 26, 1891; the game was played in Omaha, Nebraska. Iowa won that first meeting 22-0, however Nebraska leads the overall series 28-13-3. Heading into this seasons’ game both teams have started off adequately. Iowa opened up the season with a couple of thriller wins over Northern Iowa and Ball State, they did however lose to their biggest rivals, the Iowa State Cyclones, 20-17 on their home turf. They did respond though by beating at the time an undefeated Pittsburgh team 24-20 in Pittsburgh. And since then they have played in just about every game rather flawless. The Nebraska Corn-
huskers haven’t disappointed many, they beat a young Miami Hurricanes team in Lincoln, they nearly came back and beat Michigan State in East Lansing, they won in a thriller to a strong FCS school and Mcneese State. And the premier player Ameer Abdullah has done exceptional, he has broken many school records over the season, it included having a 1,000+ yards rushing for 3 seasons in a row. Both quarterbacks have had their ups and downs this season, Tommy Armstrong of Nebraska has been getting better every game, and has improved quite a bit during the past off season. Jake Rudock of Iowa however has had some problems, he and C.J. Beathard have been going back and fourth this
season as far as who is going to get the starting job in the upcoming game. Mark Weisman though has been exceptional for the Hawkeyes in the backfield, a guy who makes mismatches happen right before your eyes. The Huskers’ run defense is gonna have to do well slowing down Mark Weisman and their running attack, particularly their front four, led by Randy Gregory at defensive end. This I-80 rivalry has gained relevance throughout the Nebraska, Iowa borders, its a battle of black and gold, vs. scarlet and cream, its for bragging rights, its for a position in the post season, its the Heroes Game.
Although solo, bowling offers team aspect Taylor Daugherty Reporter
B
owling is a solo sport that requires concentration and skill. However the sport can be played as a team. “My team is a fun, loud team, we only take it seriously sometimes, but other than that it is always fun,” sophomore Kaitlin Smith said. The bowling season
kicks off during the winter and runs for the entire timespan of winter. While they have a small team, it is a major high school sport and some argue that it should be taken more seriously. “The amount of members varies, especially during this season, when we will hopefully get a lot of freshmen eager to try out,” sophomore, Jacob Kaufman said. “Between JV and Varsity, we probably have about 15 consistent members, but hopefully we will have more this year.” While the bowling team
is quite small they are always looking for new members, because sometimes members can be very hard to find. “I would encourage people to join the team,” Kaufman said. “It is a great group of guys that come together to have fun and get better at bowling, and it really is a great experience during the season.” Both boys and girls bowling kicked off in November with tryouts on the tenth, twelfth and fourteenth. Lots of last seasons bowlers were trying out again and we
wanted to find out why some of the current bowlers joined in the first place. “I joined the bowling team because I had been bowling for a long time but never as a part of a team; so last year, I decided it would be a perfect opportunity for me to bowl on the AL team,” Kaufman said. Another member of the girls team, Kaitlin Smith, said bowling is a tradition in her family. “I’ve been bowling since I was 3,” Smith said, “My whole family is or has been on a bowling team and now
it’s been passed down to me.” There are two separate bowling teams; a female and male team, but both are brought together by the same set of goals. “A goal that I have is to become a better bowler,” Smith said. A member of the boys team, Jacob Kaufman, also had some input on him goals for the team. “My overall goal is to one day bowl a perfect game of 300 points,” Kaufman said, “In the process of doing this though, I hope to improve at every team practice
as the season goes on, and become a better bowler.” If bowling is something that is of interest to you the season starts every year, close to the end of the first trimester. Bowling is an excellent sport for anyone, and you can better your skills through practice. There are always ways to improve your skills, and maybe one day, you can even bowl a 300.