CMYK
March 2010
Red, black, and gold: choir performs well in D.C. By Alison Sullivan
On Tuesday, March 16, the students of the CHS A’Cappella choir met at Clinton High, boarded two charter buses, and made their way across the country to partake in a choral competition in the nation’s capitol, Washington D.C. The duration of the trip was an exhausting eighteen hours of which students found themselves marveling at the scenic landscape of an ever changing country; that is when they weren’t sleeping. After the marathon trip, the choir arrived Wednesday afternoon and spent their first day roaming the rolling expanse of Mt. Vernon, our founding father George Washington’s first home. The warm, sunny day proved to be an inviting relief from the cramped quarters of a bus and the group enjoyed a relaxing dinner followed by their very own private candlelit tour of the home. On Thursday, A’cappella experienced a whirlwind tour of D.C.’s finest attractions with a tour of the Capitol in the morning, the Holocaust Museum in the mid-afternoon, and a guided tour of Arlington Cemetery, the Korean, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorial, as well as the Vietnam Wall in the evening.
The exhausted choir rested up for the competition which took place at the Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Virginia. There A’Cappella, Men’s Double, and Women’s Triple Trio, all preformed for a small audience as well as three adjudicators who critiqued the performance and held a brief workshop afterwards. The workshops allowed the judges to give insight and suggestions on how the singers could best improve their performance. Immediately following the performance, the students boarded the busses and performed a mini concert at a Veteran’s Hospital in a district near Washington D.C. “The trip went very well. I am extremely pleased with the group’s performance and of their discipline,” expressed a satisfied Mr. Wolf, the A’Cappella choir director. The group was able to celebrate a successful performance that night relaxing and enjoying a pleasing dinner before rushing off to watch the musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” in the historic Ford’s Theatre. Throughout the performance, many students later admitted to occasional glances at the infamous theatre box where Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated.
“It was amazing to get such a different perspective on the world and what is happening by going to Wa s h i n g t o n D.C.” reflects choir member Q u i n n Gunderson. With the recent health care reform bill being made into law, the group experienced how rich in history the city really is as students witnessed protesters on Capitol Hill protesting against the health care reform bill that President O b a m a recently signed into law. While many back in Clinton were experiencing chilly weather and even snow, the choir spent their final day in Washington D.C. exploring the Smithsonian’s countless museums as well as other destinations the students wanted to explore before packing into the busses for another eighteen hours.
The choir ended their trip with a banquet where they were awarded three golds for A’Cappella, Men’s Double, and Women’s Triple Trio, for their performances. Women’s Triple Trio also brought home a trophy for ‘Outstanding Choral Group.’ “With such a crazy busy schedule, everyone rolled very well with the few
minor upsets we encountered and everyone was so supportive of one another,” conveyed Wolf. “[The choir] showed a lot of support for one another.” “I loved hearing so many compliments from absolute strangers throughout D.C. and the festival about the choirs discipline and great behavior,” adds Mrs. Pollpeter, the choir’s
accompanist as well as director. Wolf agreed, “The students were ambassadors for not only the school but the city…and the state.”
and distributing new keys to the school faculty as well as the fire department. While making new keys and changing locks costs the school dollars, the new key card system costs only pennies to make and if one is lost, can be easily voided. Clinton High is not the only one to use the key card system in the Clinton Community
School district. Eagle Heights and Jefferson, the two newest schools, also use the key cards. More recently, the University of Iowa has also announced that it testing the new key card system with a trial group of students and will most likely be switching to the new system next fall. The new system will be installed to better accommodate students
who need to access to buildings for research purposes. With the new system at Clinton High also comes closer monitoring of its staff. The administration has access to records of who enters the building, when, and from which door. The new system currently restricts teacher access to only certain doors and may
even limit the hours that they are able to enter the building. Though the system has been in place for several weeks, some teachers have not been allowed re ceive key cards of their own. Coaches with the current spring sports do possess key cards with the restricted access to the
Above: A'Cappella posses in front of the Albert Einstein sculpture in D.C. SUBMITTED PHOTO
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS TURN TO PG 2
Keys to success? By Alison Sullivan
As of March 1st, Clinton High has installed and working a new key card system for the building in what hopes to provide a more effective and efficient security measure. Principal Mrs. Tharaldson says the initiative had been discussed for some time, but after a situation last October when a key was lost,
came the final decision to move forward with the installation. Tharaldson notes that the new system will provide better security throughout the building, not to mention easier monitoring of those who access the building. When a key is lost, several tedious steps have to be taken to maintain the buildings security which includes creating
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Kings cap off season at state capitol By Logan Hood
The Wells Fargo Arena was the final venue for the River Kings basketball team this season. On Wednesday, March 10th, the Kings were contenders in the state tournament for the first time since the renowned ’92 Crew. Clinton fans crowded along the court and erupted in support as their stars entered the arena for the 2010 State Tournament.
“3, 2, 1…” the buzzer sounded and the Kings prepared for the tip off. The game was a strong fight, the score teetering back and forth throughout the duration of the game. The Kings definitely cured their weakness for free throws this game and both teams showed off their own definitive styles: Linn Mar a powerhouse team and a constant driving force and Clinton with their strong
outside shooting skills. Kings at first struggled to master the offensive style of the Lions but eventually figured out their plan and began to shut it down. With great skill, the Kings were able to keep their heads in the game and bring out a great effort. The score went through several lead changes during the course of the game and strong efforts were shown by seniors Dylan Burn,
Jake Mangler, Mo Walker, David Johnson, Wade Klooster, and Evan Kenney as well as some help from the juniors Devan Douglas and Patrick Hess. The boys balled hard until the final tick when they came up just short with a final score of 67- 60 ending the Kings’ great season. The Kings held their heads high as they left the arena hoisting the enormous golden trophy proud-
ly for their supports in attendance. Though their season had come to an end, the River King basketball players did not disappoint. The team proved continuously to be a strong force throughout the course of the season, David Johnson being a fine example by being awarded a spot on the All-State team. This group of seniors will be dearly missed next season as that they have yet
again strengthened a community to come out and show off their red and black pride. Is there a better time to be a River King? I think not. Great job Kings. Congratulations on an outstanding season. Above Left: Kings get ready for the game. Middle: Kings proudly display trophy. Right: Eager fans show support for their team. SUBMITTED PHOTO
CMYK
March 2010
'Cinderella' a sweeping success By Tara Geary
Clinton High’s drama department came together on March 5th through 7th to present to the Clinton community the classic fairytale production of “Cinderella”. The cast and crew spent around a month piecing together the show, which took several different groups throughout CHS to put it together. The show took after the traditional Cinderella story which is not the same thing as the ever famous Disney version. Cinderella, played by sophomore Emma Yahn, must care for her evil stepmother, Ashley Susie, and step sisters, Catherine Cole and Taylor Weibers. Weibers and Cole played the horrendous step sisters with wicked accuracy and were spot on with a lot of snide humor. The charming prince
Christopher, played by senior Logan Hood, is having a ball for his 21st birthday. Cinderella knows she has no hope of going until her fairy godmother, played by Kate Van Buer, appears and magically transforms Cinderella so that she can attend the royal prince’s ball. Cinderella attended the ball with the caution from her godmother to be back by midnight. She and the prince fall madly in love at the ball until the clock strikes twelve when suddenly….well you know the rest. Other main roles include the royal Kind and Queen, Josh Wehde and Jessalyn Small, the herald, played by Derek Bertram, and a large chorus. Cast member Kate Van Buer says, “Cinderella was one of my favorite drama experiences. We had an
awesome cast and crew, and the show was so much fun.” Though the audience witnessed the work done by the cast onstage, there was a constant and dedicated crew backstage and scattered around the house that made the production possible as well. The pit crew, orchestra and band, and tech crew worked backstage and collaborated to create a successful production. “Being in tech is so much fun. You get all the benefits of the show without actually being onstage,” commented head tech coordinator, Ben Owen. A member of the pit crew, Bethany Wallace, also got enjoyment out of being a part of the show. “Cinderella was a good experience to help me grow as a musician, we had to learn thirty plus songs in a short amount of time. [But] the show never grew old.” Although the cast and crew make up the show, the production would be for nothing if not for the audience. The show was performed a total of five times, four for the public and one for senior citizens the Thursday before opening night. Clinton high school student, Shelby Hinz comments, “A group of [friends and I] went to see the show opening night. It was a lot of fun to watch and everyone in the cast. It was excellent. It was a great family show!” Whether it you participated as a cast member, crew, or audience, Cinderella turned out to be yet another successful Clinton High School production.
Snapshots of D.C.
Clockwise: Capitol Hill filled with protesters against health care reform. Nicole Schimerowski posses with the Washington Monument. Choir students meet fellow Iowans in D.C. SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Like what you see? Let us know! Please send your questions, comments, and concerns to chsclintonian@ gmail.com
Prince Charming (Hood) helps Cinderella (Yahn) try on the glass slipper. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Speech students to perform at All State By Amber Elkins
While Saturday, March 13th found many Clinton High students enjoying the arrival of spring break, diligent speech students spent their first spring break day rising early to attend the state speech competition at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School. Students attending included Katie Schimerowski, Alec Snodgrass, Taylor Wiebers, Katelyn Ryan, Amber Elkins, Brenda Walker, Derrick Bertram, and Lauren Fletcher. Success was achieved for the team, as all the students who participated in the event received ones or twos (the highest ratings a participant can be awarded). Students that received straight ones were Derrick Bertram, Katelyn Ryan, and Taylor Wiebers. The three students who achieved all ones qualified to showcase their individual acts at the prestigious All-State Festival. “It‘s a great honor to be
able to go to All-State this year. I have been doing speech for all of my 4 years in high school and I am just excited that I made it my senior year. What a great way to finish the year!” exclaimed an excited Katelyn Ryan, a senior who qualified in the radio broadcasting event. Taylor Wiebers qualified for solo musical theater, and Alec Snodgrass as a non-performer for improvisation. “I was really excited when I saw I had made it to AllState. I know for some it’s not that big of a deal but as a senior it’s really exciting,” said Alec Snodgrass who is one of three seniors this year in the speech program. The All-State Festival will take place and the University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls on March 29th. The festival will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the McLeod Center next to the UNI Dome. The event will be shown on Iowa Public Broadcasting stations later on in the month.
Clintonian Staff: In this issue... Editor-in-Chief: Alison Sullivan Layout: Alison Sullivan Advertisement: CHS FBLA Reporters: Phong Duong Hannah Stratton Taylor Mckee Kristina Armstrong Amber Elkins Logan Hood Tara Geary
Unlocking a great cause By Alison Sullivan
Hair. When looked at literally it is a makeup of dead cells which hang from our heads. We go to great lengths to style it, take care of it; dye it if we don’t like it, curl it, and straighten it. While having a bad hair day may be considered a great tragedy to some high school students, what if you had no hair at all? Grace Shemwell, a student at Clinton High, recently donated her hair to the non-profit organization
Locks of Love. The organization provides wigs for boys and girls twenty-one and under who suffer from alopecia areata and other forms of medical hair loss. While wigs are often very costly and can have a price range between $3,500 to $6,000, Locks of Love provides wigs for little to no charge for those who cannot afford them financially. Shemwell first donated eighteen inches of her hair to the organization when she was six years old after begging her mother to have her hair cut. Her mother, after some research, asked her if she would be interested in donating it to the Locks of Love organization and she agreed. Since then, she has donated two more times; once when she was twelve and most recently at eighteen. “Donating to the organization is easy and anyone can do it,”
Shemwell explains. Those looking to donate can go to any hair salon and simply specify that they wish to donate their hair. Donators can have their salon send the hair or they can send it, in a zip lock bag and secured in a manila envelope, themselves. Requirements are fairly minimal. The organization requests that hair must be at least ten inches long but all hair: gray, dyed, and bleached, is accepted. Shemwell is always thrilled to be a continual donator and encourages any and all to contribute as well. She explains her eagerness to donate because a person’s hair plays an important factor in overall selfesteem and acceptance in their peers, especially for younger girls. “It is hard to tell a fourteen year old girl that her hair isn’t important. This organiza-
tion provides a means to make girls [and all young children] feel more comfortable.” “[Just] go for it,” asserts Shemwell to any and all who are thinking about donating their hair. “Besides, hair always grows back.” Shemwell (below) before and after donating 13 inches of hair to Locks of Love. SUBMITTED PHOTO
CMYK
March 2010
Clinton Location 1700 Camanche Ave 563-243-2368 Hours: Monday - Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
11 am - 5 pm 11 am - 8 pm 11 am - 5 pm 9 am - 5 pm
Davenport Location 4007 East 53rd St 563-359-3948 Hours: Monday - Thursday 11 am - 7 pm Friday 11 am - 5 pm Saturday 9 am - 5 pm Sunday noon - 4 pm
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Poll gladly unsuccessful By Hannah Stratton
Here in America we’re surrounded by technology and news. You can get an iphone application to update you on current news; we have print media, television, radio, and the internet. Most of those can come straight to your home, or at least the local libraries. As a student in the midst of my fourth year here at CHS, I thought I’ve almost come to terms with the level of ignorance found in some students. Finally after another exasperated day in a social studies class, an idea blossomed for this very article. It began with two simple surveys. One asks recipients to name the current vice president, and then name the three Jonas brothers. The other shows a picture of Bill Clinton and another picture of Vin Diesel and asks recipients to identify who each is. I
KEY -athlete doors and a few other staff as well, which are obtained through the activities director, Mr. Lueders. For teachers who need to access the building after school hours or on weekends, keys need to be checked out through Mrs. Williams, the office secretary. When the entire staff will be allowed to obtain keys of their own is still unknown. While the new system is still just that, the school’s administration will meet over the summer to continue to improve kinks and guidelines for the system.
ended up surveying around 250 people, using only two homeroom days to do so. I set out to provide some sort of proof that the majority of students are ignorant with no knowledge of the world around them. With certain students I was correct, but Clinton High, congratulate yourself. Though I was only able to survey a small percentage of you, the random percentage that I was able to survey, proved me wrong. There will always be the occasional select few that haven’t looked around and noticed the world yet. However I'm proud to say that the students I surveyed surpassed my expectations. Most students, the vast majority in fact, were able to identify everyone that was presented. Clinton High you proved a pessimist wrong, and I'm proud to say that. As a student body, it’s important that we can recognize who are leaders are. There are plenty of adults who don’t know the world beyond their little town. As a student body, we just began to enter the world, and though those were only two questions closer to Jay Leno’s “jay-walking” than a political survey, I certainly thought I had you. It’s refreshing to find out otherwise.
Midwest not 'Shutter Island' a mind blowing faultless By Phong Duong
Earlier this year, a devastating earthquake ravaged the country of Haiti and claimed the lives of thousands. Weeks after the incident overseas, an earthquake of a much smaller magnitude shook residents in the Midwest from their sleep in the very early hours of the morning. According to local news reports, the February 10th quake lasted for about two minutes, centering some 50 miles northwest of Chicago, IL. According to geologists, the magnitude of the earthquake was around 3.8. The quake traveled as far as Iowa and Indiana, waking up hundreds of local residents. There were a couple reports of people being shaken out of bed and discovering books and other small items scattered across the floor. The earthquake, however, did not cause any serious damage. Geologists reported that the quake was most likely caused by the New Madrid fault line, which is located in the southern part of Illinois and carries on to part of Missouri. The fault line was discovered in the early 1800s when a series of earthquakes took place. The name came from a town named New Madrid, which was back then part of the Louisiana Territory, now modern day Missouri. Today the New Madrid fault line is still active, producing more than 200 measured events per year, about 20 per month. The events, however, are usu-
ally 1.0 on the Richter scale, which most of the time are difficult to observe. The fault line is capable of creating earthquakes that are higher than a 3.0 magnitude. In 1996, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake was felt by citizens of the states of Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Illinois. Scientists allocated a 3% probability of a major earthquake by the year of 2040. Nevertheless, there are also other minor fault zones such as the Wabash Valley Fault Zone, which is located in a region between Illinois and Indiana, the Sandwich Fault which is located in the Northern part of Illinois, and the Plum River Fault (located in the Upper Mississippi Valley). These faults are still active with the most recent earthquake caused by one of these faults is the magnitude 5.2 quake that took place on April 18, 2008. There were no injuries or serious damage reported. In recent weeks, another two major earthquakes were spotted in Chile and Turkey. The Chile earthquake was a magnitude of 8.8, and the number of casualties reached 500. The Turkey earthquake was a magnitude of 6.0, and the number of deaths was 51. As earthquakes begin to frequent headlines as of recently, it causes many Midwesterners to ponder, could we be next?
JV show Friday By Tara Geary
Ready for lots of laughter and a night full of entertainment? Well make sure to come on down to Clinton High school on Friday, March 20th, for the annual CHS Junior Variety Show. The show is hosted by Clinton High’s own junior class and all money will go towards this spring's prom. The show consists of acts which range from dancing, singing, bands, teachers, and so much more. This year's marvelous MC’s include juniors
Catherine Cole, Katherine Van Buer, and Brenda Walker. Walker, who also serves as junior class president says, “The show will be great, so don’t miss out!” Take Brenda’s advice and make sure to come and watch as Clinton High School’s talented students come out to perform for a great cause. The JV show will take place in the Vernon Cook theatre starting at seven o'clock. Be ready for a night of great fun and entertainment.
The Clintonian Promise: The Clintonian's highest priority is its students and to accurately portray their thoughts, feelings, and lives by seeking truth and breaking the barrier between publication and its readers. We will strive for accuracy and excellence in all areas of publishing all while creating an entertaining and enjoyable product.
experience By Taylor Mckee
The movie “Shutter Island” opened in theaters and ever since has been gawked at by viewers for the plot’s psychological labyrinth. The movie makes its audience guess, guess some more, and guess again as the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, sends the audience on a cat and mouse chase for the truth. The film is based off the original novel Shutter Island which came out in 2003 by Dennis Lehane. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, in what many say is his most outstanding performance yet, as detective Teddy Daniels who is out to investigate the mysterious Shutter Island where a woman has simply ‘disappeared’. While Teddy and his new partner (played by Mark Ruffalo) are exploring the island, they become suspicious of the anxious staff of doctors and nurses who seem to be hiding something
bigger than a disappearing woman. Ben Kingsley plays Dr. Crawly, who does a wonderful job of constantly shifting the plot and turning the once man vs. man environment to a man vs. self. The story line changes and the plot thickens as the movie goes on to reveal deep dark secrets of Teddy’s past which force him to question what is reality – on Shutter Island, and within his own psyche. Throughout his investigation, Teddy is visited by his deceased wife who is played by the lovely, Michelle Williams. “Shutter Island” often shocks its audience to attention, and even attracts some to a second viewing to see if they can pick out the clues to help them solve this true cinematic mystery. The twist of the island truly keeps its audience entertained and questioning what it can really believe. Rating of 4 stars.
Horoscopes By Kristiana Artmstrong
Aries 3/21-4/19 Just because you don’t see the point now, just wait it out. Good things will come from this long wait. Love: The last month was quiet. Get ready for your dating life to explode! Taurus 4/20-5/20 Talking everyone’s ears off isn’t the best way to charm people. Smile and keep quiet! Love: Stop “playing dumb” and step up to that special someone you’ve had an eye on. Gemini 5/21-6/21 Stop getting off track and just get straight to the point you’ve been trying to make! Love: If you do not like the way your significant other has been acting, tell them (In a nice way of course)! Cancer 6/22-7/22 The past is a heavy burden. Ask yourself if you can lift it. Love: The blame is on you! You better have a good reason to get out of this one. Leo 7/23-8/22 You can dish out the sarcasm, but can you take it? Love: Your excessive flirting might be giving others the wrong impression. Stay conservative. Virgo 8/23-9/22 Stop drawing conclusions so soon. Get the facts! Love: Ask a friend to help you think of some creative date activities. Libra 9/23-10/22 It’s always run, run, run with you. Take a timeout
and relax! Love: The conflicts you have recently encountered are very immature. Be the “bigger person.” Scorpio 10/23-11/21 You’ve been so sheltered! Roam the world and see what you’ve been missing! Love: Take that inspirational advice. It will come in handy sooner than you think. Sagittarius 11/22-12/21 Sticking your nose into other people’s business isn’t like you! Cut it out, it will only make things harder. Love: The person you see professionally (such as a co-worker) is starting to see you as more. Be careful with this one! Capricorn 12/22-1/19 Check in with someone important to you. Chances are they know more about a certain topic that you do. Love: You’re trying to be sneaky about this surprise. Be careful your plotting doesn’t become too obvious! Aquarius 1/20-2/18 Stop being so arrogant, you don’t want people to stop seeing you as charming and fun, now do you?! Love: Your opinions about your friend’s new love need to be kept to yourself. Be nice. Pisces 2/19-3/20 Your hard work finally has paid off. It’s time for some fun! Love: You are bound to have a genuine interaction soon. Keep on top of your game!