Beak 'n' Eye Vol. 4.15 May 2016 by Beak 'n' Eye

Friday, May 13, 2016

Beak ‘n’

Eye

311

ISSUES IN ADVISER’S CAREER West High School

3505 W Locust St.

Davenport, Iowa 52806

Vol. 56 Issue 4

“Think about the practicality of what you want to do and the passion that you have for it. It’s better to get by doing what you love, rather than making a ton of money and hating what you do.”

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School raises money for charity A variety of acts will show their talent at West High’s Variety Show at 7 p.m. Friday, May 13 in the auditorium. Admission is $5. The show is one of the big fund-raisers for charity this past month. From April 22 through May 20, Student Senate is raising money for a charity called Kings Harvest, which is a local shelter for homeless people and their dogs and cats. “It’s a great thing, for a great cause,” explained junior Abbie Koberg. Student Senate has been working extremely hard, according to Whitney Martinez, sophomore. “All of Student Senate has put in their work.” “Charity week is a great way for students to get involved in activities for their high school,” said. Jim Heinrichs, senior. Senate has raised money by holding a Dodgeball tournament on April 22, Glow in the dark badminton on April 25, a lip-sync contest on April 26, a student-faculty basketball game on May 6. The dodgeball ﬁnale will be May 20 in the gym.

Peter Duquette, math teacher, referees the students vs. teachers basketball game on May 6. He wrote an editorial about his experiences as a ref for the Rock Island Argus. Photo by Cha White.

Math teacher gets editorials published By Kelly Snawerdt Focus Editor

The ball is up for grabs at the students vs. teachers basketball game on May 6 during Block 4. Photos by Cha White

omething no one would expect from a math teacher, would be writing, but in fact, Peter Duquette has done just that - he is being published. Duquette is a guest editorial writer for the Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus. Duquette had sent in a sample writing of about 600 words to the Dispatch and only ﬁve entries, including his, were chosen out of around 80 people. His reasoning for such an interest in writing was because he felt the need to say something and express his opinions to the world. “I had something worthwhile to tell and I felt people would want to hear what I had to say,” he said. He explains that writing has always come easy to him, even as a child. One professor that Duquette had in a college writing course showed test rankings to the class. The rankings showed Duquette as a one out of eight for the writing portion of the exam. For the actual multiple choice section though, he ranked 8 out of 8. When Duquette came out with his ﬁrst editorial topic, naturally politics came to mind. He had a lot of opinions on why the politicians should just be nicer to each other,

and things would run much smoother. He thought he would have gotten more feedback on this article, but didn’t end up getting much back. The next topic in Duquette’s mind was to write about his experiences as a sports ofﬁcial. The article targets players, coaches, and fans to show them all that the main purpose of a sport is to have fun and enjoy your experience. Duquette’s third editorial was written for teenagers and students who frequently ask the question “when am I ever going to use this stuff?” Duquette explained that kids need this education to be able to have an intelligent conversation, and have a general sense of knowledge for their future. The kicks of writing for Duquette are simply that he likes to have his work published. It helps make known to the world how he feels about certain topics, and can help others see his perspective on a situation. He isn’t too worried about other’s opinions on what he has written. “If I write what I believe, I have no qualms about speaking it aloud.” He also makes pretty broad statements in his work, and only writes small, speciﬁc details about his strong opinions. Duquette has toyed with writing books, but doesn’t see much happening with novels.

beak ‘n’ eye Chris Schlicting, language arts, heads down the court as senior Davarea Loggins looks for the steal.

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Googles apparently help Chris Schlicting watch for the rebound.

Managing Editor Cha White Focus Editor Kelly Swanerdt Feature Editor Joniaa Ballard Leisure Editor Andrew Richards

Faces Editor Kate Kealey Voice Editor Cha White Adviser Steve Lyle

If anything, he sees himself writing a book with multiple short stories similar to the “Chicken Soup” series. In the future he will be writing three more articles for the Dispatch to complete his six total, but he also wouldn’t mind writing more after that. The next topics Duquette is looking into will be an article about hunting and another about ﬁxing our schools and students opinions about Davenport’s schools. Duquette said that his favorite subject actually would be history. “I enjoyed the emotions of history.” He chose a math career because it had always come easy to him, and he was a pretty accurate problem solver. Writing, on the other hand, was another way to express himself. He says he always liked to hear himself speak, and see himself in print. He doesn’t let others see his work, including his wife Lori, who is an English teacher, until it is published because it is more fun to surprise them when it is in print. For anyone looking to write or show their ideas and thoughts someday, a word of advice from Duquette: “Think about the practicality of what you want to do and the passion that you have for it. It’s better to get by doing what you love, rather than making a ton of money and hating what you do.”

The Beak ‘n’ Eye is published four times a year by the students of West High School, 3505 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA 52804. The content is produced by students, and it does not represent the views of the Davenport school district or its employees. The Beak ‘n’ Eye is an open forum and welcomes signed letters to the editor. We are a member of the Iowa High School Press Association. Also visit WHSToday.com

May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

news

4 famous criminal cases solved through science

Real Life WHODUNITS

1. TED BUNDY

Suspected of committing over 30 murders, Ted Bundy was convicted only of kidnapping in 1977 because there was little physical evidence to tie him to the crimes. While preparing to stand trial for murder in Colorado, Bundy escaped and travelled to Florida, where he killed three more people in 1978. When he was captured, police had physical evidence that led to his conviction. The bite mark on the buttock of one victim matched the pattern of Bundy’s crooked teeth. In another murder trial, the ﬁbers in his van matched the clothing of 12-year-old victim Kimberly Leach. Bundy was executed in 1989.

Ted Bundy

2. THE LINDBERGH KIDNAPPING

Retired police chief Don Schaeffer describes how science helped solve murders to students in Sorensic Science class on Dec. 8. photo by Donna Taylor

Ex-detective explains how forensic science BY DONNA TAYLOR Reporter

etired police chief Don Schaeffer shared some gruesome stories about crime investigations to Heather Cress’ Forensic Science class on Dec. 8, but the cases were solved by carefully obtaining and analyzing evidence. Schaeffer has spent 45 years in law enforcement. He studied at more than one college and attended Northwestern College for accident reconstruction classes. He gave hints about taking a math class when entering this kind of job. While he was on his way to becoming Chief of the Davenport Police Department, he patrolled around for about 3-4 years at the age of 21. He was then promoted to Corporal, then to Sergeant. While being a Sergeant he moved to New York City and worked undercover for the “Street Crime Unit.” The Street Crime Unit involves burglary, robbery, and terrorism. He then returned to Davenport, where Schaeffer worked as a Shift Commander for three years. He was in charge of the detective bureau as Captain for 20 years. This all led to him becoming Chief. Schaeffer said the worst case that he had worked on was about a abusive married man who frequently hit his wife. So, she moved away with their two kids. One day, the 3-year-

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old boy did not go to preschool because he was sick in bed. The father visited the mother at the house, angry. She confronted the father and he beats on her. Grabbing a knife, he slashed her throat 3-4 times. During that time, their little boy came out of his bedroom and the father told the boy to leave the room, accidently stabbing the boy just a little. When he was done with the mother, “He had a lot he went after the boy. He stabbed of ‘interesting the boy seven times all the way stories’ even to his spine. The though some father then left, and the boy ran were morbid.” to the wall, feeling for the door. As he stepped out of his room, he fell to the ﬂoor, drowning in his own blood. While Schaeffer participated in crimes involving a lot of relationship abuse, he worked on the famous Carrie Olson case. She went missing April 5, 2014. Schaeffer said a major issue was that she went missing in Davenport,but the police were leaning more toward the Rock Island, Illinois area for the murder. Her former boyfriend Timothy McVay was convicted. He said his weirdest case was a murder-

suicide involving two female adults and two young children. The father came to check on his family; he and the mother were separated. He found the mother, the grandmother, and the two children dead. The children had gunshot wounds to the head. The father, freaking out, took the children to a new location, forgetting to call the police. He was accused of the murders. A day later the police received a letter from the grandmother explaining that she killed them. Schaeffer said that the grandmother was a “psycho.” Schaeffer talked about the infamous James Klindt case, which was the first case in the United States to utilize DNA to get a conviction. Klindt, who was a chiropractor, murdered his wife, Joyce Klindt, in their basement with a billiard ball to the head in March 1983. He then sawed her up and threw her dismembered body parts into the Mississippi River. To cover his actions, Klindt filed a missing persons report and lied, saying his wife was sneaking around with another man. He drove her car to a motel by the Quad City Airport, saying she left with the mystery man. Police found a lower torso, about 18 inches long, after flooding in the Mississippi River that spring. Investigators noticed something wrong with the lower backside of the torso, which had lacerations, likely caused by rope that had tied it down to anchor it. It was the only body part that they ever found of her.

solves crimes Prosecutors convinced the jury through DNA evidence that the torso was of Joyce Kindt. To prevent cases such as these, Schaeffer told the class, “If you’re in a abusive relationship or think they are abusive, leave.” Schaeffer regaled his audience with several more stories from his long years in the law enforcement. He was not there to be entertaining, but rather to educate the students. He hopes to encourage more young adults to enter the ﬁeld, and follow in his footsteps. Then Schaeffer told the students that he continues to consult with and train the Davenport Police Department, to help produce the next generation of detectives who have developed an instinct for crime, like he had developed. Schaeffer intrigued students like junior Chris Bernal. “He was a pretty enthusiastic individual. He had a lot of “interesting stories” even though some were morbid. He had other more light-hearted and funny stories.” Cress said that her class believed that Schaeffer was “awesome” and would like him back before the term ends, because they could listen to him for hours. She said Schaeffer was a very interesting person to listen to. He used his cases to pull attention from the audience. Forensic Science teaches students through investigative processes. The students watch CSI episodes, for example, or do labs on hair analysis and blood splatter. The class covers past cases and famous criminal case studies.

A handwriting expert helped convict Bruno Hauptmann after he was accused of kidnapping the 20-month of son of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh Jr. on March 1, 1932. Although a $50,000 ransom was paid, the child was never returned. His body was discovered two months later a few miles away from his home. Police were able to track the serial numbers of the bills used to pay the ransom to Hauptmann, who had over $14,000 of the money hidden in his garage. He claimed the money belonged to a friend, but handwriting analysts matched his writing to the ransom notes. Hauptmann was found guilty and executed in 1936.

3. THE GREEN RIVER KILLER

During the 1980s and 1990s along the Green River in Washington state, police tried to ﬁnd a serial killer responsible for nearly 90 murders, mostly prostitutes. A suspect was Gary Ridgway, but DNA samples could not identify him as the killer because of limited technology in 1987. New DNA techniques led police to reexamine the evidence in 2001, which led to his arrest. He pleaded guilty to 48 murders in a deal to avoid the death penalty. He was sentenced to 48 life sentences without parole.

Gary Ridgway

4. O.J. SIMPSON

In 1995 the nation was riveted to the trial of former NFL player O.J Simpson, who was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman outside their California home the evening of June 12, 1994. Prosecutors argued that Simpson stabbed Goldman multiple times and slit Brown’s throat in a jealous rage. Although no weapon was found, the blood of the victims was found on Simpsons’ socks and on a leather glove left at the scene. The matching glove was found at Simpson’s home. The glove did not ﬁt when he was asked to put it on during trial. He was acquited, but was tried in civil court in 1997 on a wrongful death charge. He was found guilty and ordered to pay O.J. Simpson $33 million to the victim’s families. He currently is serving a prison sentence in Nevada for kidnapping, robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon for trying to obtain sports memorabilia he claims belonged to him. -

May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

Adviser leaves a lasting legacy

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BY KATE KEALEY Features Editor

fter 33 years of helping students write stories, crop photos, and design pages, adviser Steve Lyle has decided to retire from the Beak ‘n’ Eye after this school year. Lyle is man that lives for writing and getting to the bottom of a story. He teaches students about that everyday. “I have always had a passion for journalism It gives students a chance to have their voice heard and come up with their own ideas and have them published.” As a child Lyle loved to write and read, especially science fiction.“I would try to write things like Edgar Allen Poe,” he said. He also writes poems and even had one published “It was called ‘Marginal Writer’ and was about a teacher who disliked his job, and as he was grading papers his comments on the margins were quite harmful. This poem was not about me though, I love my job and reading essays because you get to know the students and how they think.” The Beak‘n’ Eye has changed a lot since Lyle started advising it. In 1984 there were eight typewriters for reporters to write their stories on, and once they were finished they would send them to a printer off to be typeset. “It did not take longer, we just could not do much with design. It was like designing the in dark; you had to count how many spaces a headline may take but you were never for sure. When the story strips returned, we had to literally cut and paste them with wax onto storyboards. We called our work nights ‘paste ups’ because of that.” “One thing that did make the job easier was desktop publishing using Pagemaker on a MacPlus. It had a tiny 6-inch screen, so we scrolled a lot, but the resulting designs were awesome.” Something that hasn’t changed is getting the good story and “digging for the details.” Writers usually did several revisions until the story answered all of the readers’ questions. “Being on staff of the Beak ‘n’ Eye was a huge part of my high school years,” recalls Missy Jasper Ruby, 97. “If not in class I was always in the ‘Pub.’ The hours spent getting ready to get the publication out was always a stressful but fun time. Mr. Lyle showed me what a good dedicated teacher looks like. He taught me how to write and had faith in all of us to get the paper out on time and at a professional level for a high school. I wish Mr. Lyle good luck, and I’m glad to hear he is going to continue teaching.” Lyle does not have a favorite issue, but one story he really did enjoy was about Paula Sands when she

Steve Lyle rests atop the 311 issues of the Beak ‘n’ Eye he advised over the last 33 years.

Lyle’s achievements 1973 - began teaching language arts at West High 1984 - began advising the Beak ‘n’ Eye 1985-2015 - Beak ‘n’ Eye wins George H Gallup Award from Quill and Scroll 1991 - Beak ‘n’ Eye is a Pacemaker finalist, National Scholastic Press Assoc. 1992 - Lyle is selected as a Scott County Teacher of Distinction 1994-99 - serves as president of Iowa High School Press Association 1995 - Pacemaker winner, NSPA 1998 - Pacemaker winner, NSPA 1999 - Ken Stratton Award for distinguished service to scholastic journalism 2003- Online Pacemaker Finalist, NSPA 2004 - Beak ‘n’ Eye inducted into Hall of Fame, NSPA 2005 - Lyle receives Rod Vahl Award for Iowa journalism teacher of the year 2006 - Pacemaker finalist, NSPA 1985-2015 - Beak ‘n’ Eye members have won 61 national gold keys over 30 years in the Quill and Scroll newspaper contests

Steve Lyle’s first issue of the Beak ‘n’ Eye was published Sept. 7,1984. His staff produced 15 issues that year.

The staff from 1989 used Apple IIe computers and a darkroom in the old “Pub” office in Room 228.

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The Beak ‘n’ Eye was inducted into the National Scholastic Press Assoc. Hall of Fame in 2004 for its years of journalism excellence. pages by Kate Kealey

just started her show. The student who wrote the story, Alan Weintraut, ‘87, was a bit shy but ambitious. Lyle suggested that go to the set of The Paula Sands Show to watch her work and get some photos. To get a good story, the student even followed her into the girls restroom so he could photograph her putting on her studio makeup. Lyle laughs because that was truly “digging for the details.” “He even won a national award for that photo. Now he’s a successful journalism teacher in a school near Washington, DC.” Some of Lyle’s students have gone into journalism as a profession such as the Associated Press, ESPN, USA Today and Men’s Health “Most go into other fields, but they go into their field prepared because they have learned how to get things done on time for a deadline.” Lyle believes that being apart of a paper can prepare you for the future in many ways like putting yourself out there, stepping out of your comfort zone, and working as a team. Producing a real product for a real audiencemakes students care about their work. There have been times the staff has stayed till 11 at night just to get an issue out. “ t’s good for kids to work together; you really get to know how people are when they are stressed out.” On nights like those, the staff would also order pizza and snacks, so it was not just work but a time for them to bond. After all the stress is over, Lyle believes nothing is better than the day of publication and seeing students’ finished product in the hands of the entire school. Lyle also enjoys seeing his students receive awards. His students have won state and national for decades. In 1995 and 1998, his staffs won the Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association. “It’s the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for high school students,” he said. Also, the Beak ‘n’ Eye has won the highest award from Quill and Scroll every year since 1970. “That’s a record that no other school in the nation has accomplished,” he said. All these memories make it very hard for Lyle to pass on something he has done for so long and worked so hard on. “It is always difficult to say goodbye, but I would like more time for things like writing for myself and being with my family,” he said. The Beak ‘n’ Eye will now be passed on to Alissa Hansen, and Lyle will teach English 2 and Written Communication next year. Writing is something Lyle will always love to do and teach. “If you can find a job that is your passion, that is a blessing. It’s truly been an honor to work closely with so many talented students.”

Editor Cha White and Mr. Lyle share a laugh in Newspaper Lab. photos by Kate Kealey

Former students get the last word “When I think of Mr. Lyle, I think of the red pen for corrections, late nights in the newspaper office, more red pen corrections, the pride he took in the paper, more corrections and eventually, the green smiley face showing the story was done. Some of the best memories I have from high school happened in that office. He always pushed us to be the best, and with all the awards the Beak ‘n’ Eye has won over the years, his results speak for themselves.” Sean Radech, Class of 1998 “Mr. Lyle may not know this, but while he was a wonderful advisor for the newspaper and really helped so many people to explore journalism, he was also a matchmaker! In 1985, he hired me as the Editor-in-Chief and he hired Kevin Bracker as a co-Sports Editor. Even though Kevin and I had gone to school together since junior high, we didn’t know each other until meeting in “The Pub” for the Beak ‘n’ Eye. We started dating in December of 1985, went off to college together, graduated college one weekend and were married the next weekend! We’ve been married for 25 years now since 1990. Huge thanks to Mr. Lyle for all his great years of service to the West High School newspaper, for helping so many students, and for unknowingly allowing me to meet and marry my best friend! Debbi (Hoepner) Bracker, Class of 1986 Dr. Kevin Bracker, Class of 1986 “I am so grateful to Mr. Lyle for seeing potential in me and recruiting me for the Beak ‘n’ Eye. I hadn’t actually considered writing for the paper before he brought me aside and told me that he thought I would be a great fit. I wasn’t really confident in my writing, and I didn’t really think I would add much value. I will remember the Beak ‘n’ Eye class as one of the most valuable during my time at West High. The class brought a diverse group of uniquely talented students together to create something incredible. I built wonderful friendships with peers that I probably never would have introduced myself to otherwise. I gained confidence in my writing and in myself through the Beak ‘n’ Eye. The class pushed me beyond my comfort zone and allowed myself to develop my interpersonal skills, and I owe that all to Mr. Lyle seeing something in me that I hadn’t seen myself.” Ben Ingram, Class of 2010 I am a former student of Mr. Lyle’s and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Beak ‘n’ Eye in 2012. Because of Mr. Lyle, I was able to find a passion for journalism, a degree that I am currently pursuing at the University of Iowa. I learned a lot from him; he showed me the benefits of paying close attention to the details and striving to do your very best at everything you did. He held the staff to a high standard and made sure we could be proud of our end product. As an advisor, he allowed me and my staff to take the lead and develop our own ideas, but was always extremely helpful in our endeavors. I felt at home in his classroom and the bonds the staff members were able to make with one another always gave me a strong sense of happiness. His dedication, pride and knowledge were remarkable and I hope to carry on those traits into my own career some day. Krista Johnson, Class of 2013

Beak ‘n’ Eye editors visit CNN in 1990 during the NSPA journalism conference in Atlanta where they accepted the national Pacemaker award.

The 1994 Beak ‘n’ Eye staff celebrates winning their awards after the state conference in Iowa City.

Cartoonist Mike Ossian drew an award-winning cartoon strip in 1988. He used an X-acto knife to cut and paste acetate shading onto his line art. May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

Relationship Dos and Don’ts

Kids would often “cruise the ones” on Brady Street on weekends and check people out in their cars. Police would normally have to chase them out of parking lots. Shaheen yearbook 1983.-

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A teenager in the 80s plays air hocky on a date in Davenport. Shaheen yearbook 1983

A couple share milkshakes at a local McDonalds. Shaheen yearbook 1983.

Senior Evan Snawerdt and Mary Solbrig, Junior, enjoy taking photos at Vandaveer park together on prom night. Photo by Kelly Snawerdt.

Dates in the 1980s were about going out to a movie or restaurant BY KELLY SNAWERDT Leisure Editor \ Hey Susan would you like to go out with me to a movie on Friday?” “Of course Jim I’d love to!” This conversation was pretty typical back in the 80s and older generations. This is more recognizable for today’s relationships: “Hey Emma, do you want to come over to my house later tonight?” “I can’t until later. I’ll text you around 9 p.m. and see if I can go.” Dating has changed over the years and teens today don’t go out as much as other generations used to. According to Psychology Today, an estimated 64 percent of teenage boys in high school say that they have been “in love” with a girl. However, only 59 percent of high school girls have claimed to be “in love” during their school experience, contrary to people’s beliefs about how girls are the “lovey dovey” ones. In older generation dating was “more for fun and less seriousness.” says Kathy Jacobsen, social studies teacher. In earlier generations, such as the 50s, couples would go on special dates with

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their significant other. Some of these dates included going to see a movie, or going to the night spot in town to dance. One of the most regular dating ideals in the 50s was to go to a sporting event. Ron Niehaus, grandfather of Kelly Snawerdt, had a set schedule for dates each week in Mediapolis, Iowa. “Tuesday and Friday nights we had basketball games. All kids went up to the school to watch the games, even though they always got destroyed. After the game, we would all go out to the night spot, called the Coffee Pot and spend most of the night there with our girlfriend or boyfriend.” Not only were the date ideas different back then, but the amount of time spent with each other was a lot different from now. In older generations, it was uncommon to see your boyfriend all the time or very frequently. “Once a week. I could only go out on Friday or Saturday night,” Jacobsen said. “That was it. Not both nights either, only one night per week.” Dating now is not like it always has been, and each generation has their own twist for how they date. An example is how couples act around each other and what places have changed since the 1950s at West and in Davenport. However, some kids today still

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do some of the things that people in the late 50s early 60s did. Chā White, junior, says that her definition of dating is getting to be around the person you like, and doing fun things with that person. She also says that her first date with her boyfriend was at her house, when he got to meet her mom and “Once a week. I dad, and the second date could only go out was at her on Friday or Saturboyfriend’s to meet day night. That was house his family. it. Not both nights Other common either, only one. ” dates for the newer generations are just hanging out at each other’s houses, or going to a sports game with your boyfriend/ girlfriend with friends. Dating differences include the amount of time kids spend with each other when they are in a relationship. “I see my girlfriend on a daily basis,” says senior Andrew Richards. Chā also claims to see and hang out with her boyfriend at least once every day. In the 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s, couples were not pages by Kelly Snawerdt

expected to see each other more than once or twice a week. Jacobsen said, “Dating was harder back then than it is today, because the boy had to come meet my dad before the dating was even allowed.” Kids now have also been influenced by technology a lot more than earlier generations. Before texting became the “big thing,” people would use to call each other on the telephone or meet the one they liked in person to ask if they could go out with them. Much of the teens today in a relationship say that it is almost exclusively through their cellphones with direct messaging, instant messaging, Facebook messaging or the most common, texting. Most talking is done with words on a screen, rather than hearing their partner’s actual voice. Our generation seems to be okay with this, and if a couple likes to do things more with each other physically, they would probably suggest this to their partner. Along with differences during the dating, ending a relationship is more different now than it ever has been with technology. Relationships now are usually heard of being done for over text message or online. Earlier generations told the other person face to face when they wanted to end their relationship.

One interesting fact from Psychology Today says that in this generation, it is considered bad manners to date someone who has previously dated one of that person’s friends. However, in older generations, such a rule did not exist. Meeting someone to date was a different story in past age groups. Normally couples would meet at dances or parties. If the dance or party didn’t work, a guy and a girl would be “fixed up” on a blind date by a mutual friend. One seemingly big difference today is that couples are more open and a bit more promiscuous at a young age due to television media messages and the technology advances in newer generations. America today is also welcoming gay and lesbian relationships, as those types of dating were not well supported in early generations. “Kids today need to loosen up and have fun. Go to fun places like the mini golf place in their town, or the movie theatre and even dance together.” says Barbara Niehaus, grandmother of Kelly Snawerdt “When I was dating your dad, we used to cruise the ones (the one way roads) and we always had a ton of fun.” -

Here are some ways to prevent that day of heartbreak with the one you really like, or love, from coming, according to Huffington Post. DO: Always appreciate who you are dating. Try not to take them for granted, but also don’t be too serious. Keep in mind that you are only a teenager. DO: Make sure you have common values and morals with the person you are dating. If you don’t have many similarities, the differences will eventually catch up to the relationship. DO: Talk to your boyfriend or girlfriend about things you both like to do, and possibly plan to go somewhere that you both want to go on a date. Maybe plan to go to his favorite water park one Saturday, and her favorite restaurant the next weekend. DO: Keep being the individual you were before you got in the relationship. You should always be able to be yourself with the one you are dating, and shouldn’t feel pressured to act a certain way around them. DON’T: Think you’re going to be forever happy like in the movies, because everyone goes through things, and you should never expect that everything will end up as completely planned or perfectly. DON’T: Only text your boyfriend/girlfriend. Instead, go out on a for real date to a restaurant, or ice skating, the movies, a picnic, just something face to face with physical human interaction. DON’T: If you are texting your boyfriend or girlfriend, do not, I repeat, do not, leave them on read without replying. DON’T: Be a parent to your partner or act like you are in charge of the decisions they make. After all, you are a couple and should decide things together or share each other’s ideas and opinions. Lastly, just make sure that you are happy. It may sound cheesy, but at the end of the day, as long as you are excited to be with the person you’re with, that is truly all that matters.

May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

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Ashley Graham, SIs first plus- sized model

Not quite

MEASURING UP

These students reflect the diverseness at West. They Cha White

are Sam Keku, left, Angel Reighard, Keyonshay Houston, Josue Lopez, and Kassidy Easton. Photo by

Beauty standards make people feel inadequate This is Tessa Hicks,a ninth grader, reading a magazine about how girls do not need to live up to society’s beauty standards, and how they can be their own type of beautiful. Photo by Joniaa Ballard

Then and Now

This is a picture of a swimsuit model in 1935.

This is a picture of a swimsuit model in 2014.

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BY JONIAA BALLARD Feature Editor

n a world full of slender models and handsome actors, many people feel inadequate with their physical features and body shape. Marci Barnhart, a secretary at West said, “Society puts too much emphasis on the standards, but I do see a trend where who you are is making a comeback as well, and I like that, I really do.” The society’s beauty standards are just not fair. Not everyone can come out perfect, with fair skin and nice long hair or pretty eyes, and they feel that everyone is judging them by their outside appearance. Greg Smith, a technology teacher, said, “I think society misconstrues what beautiful is and what beautiful isn’t.” According to a TeenVogue article, it said, “The use of self-deprecation, insecurities, and the highlighting of what advertisements would have you believe are flaws is known as the intrinsic defect method. And like others, I’ve (Jasmine Rose- Olesco) fallen victim to it because of the power that sexist and racist images yield when compounded with social inequalities.” Freshman Tesslyn Hicks said, “I think society’s beauty standards are discombobulated, because it’s just crazy how people can look at you pages by Joniaa Ballard

and just judge you from the way you look. That’s nowt how the society should think. Everyone should have their own chance to prove themselves of who they are. I just wish everyone could get along with each other, because life is just too short, man.” Research shows that beliefs are formed in the subconscious mind as a result of repetition. If you were told each day that you should not judge a book by its cover, then you will grow up as an adult who never judges people by appearance, according to the 2KnowMyself website. According to TinyBuddah.com there are three main reasons why people judge others. One reason is that you wouldn’t tolerate the same behavior or characteristic in yourself. This means that if someone wore something that you wouldn’t typically wear, then you would automatically judge that person. Another reason people judge others is because you think that if you judge someone then they might change their appearance or their actions even though that is not necessarily true. You just want everything and everyone to be like you, right? Well in today’s world that will probably never happen, because not everyone can afford the things that you might have. Also, another reason that people judge

is because of jealousy. They want to be like you, or have the things that you have, but they can’t necessarily get, because they either can’t afford it or they do not have access to it. That is one of the main reasons that people like to pick out all of your flaws. Freshman Telisia Euring- Beserra says she does not agree with the society’s beauty standards because they don’t really focus on who you are, it’s more about how you look. “Beauty has too much priority in today’s society. Instead of relying on someone’s inner beauty we tend to rely more on each other’s outer beauty, and that isn’t typically the most important part of a person, that’s just what you see, not actually who she or he is.” Euring-Beserra added, “I just don’t think that it is right or fair that us people, as human beings, can say mean stuff about people, because we don’t really know their background or where they come from. For all we know they could be working late nights, trying to feed their families, or they could be living and poverty or on the streets. People need to understand that not everyone can be as privileged as the rest of us. We just need to understand that we don’t don’t know where they come from.” -

Ashley Graham is the first plus-sized model to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. This is big for the plus-sized women who feel discriminated because of their weight. Now they can express themselves more than they could before. Graham has made covers of other magazines such as Maxim, Elle, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. In an interview, Graham said: “Although the fashion industry has dubbed me a ‘plus size’ model, I like to be referred to as a model. I don’t care what you call me, I know who I am and I am very proud of it.” She explained that many women take it offensively when you call them out by their size. She advised aspiring plus-sized models to be realistic. “If you [want to model] because it’s glamorous, for the fame or it will make me feel better about myself; do not do it. It isn’t glamorous, it won’t make you feel better about yourself and fame only comes by chance.” She also said that her favorite motto to tell people is, “Sexy is a state of mind. Every women, small and big should live by that.”

This is Ashley Graham, who is gaining fame as a size16 model. May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

Cheaper clothes at thrift stores?

feature

“I freaking love that shirt and it was only $2.” —Cha White, junior

People can get good deals at thrift stores such as GoodWill. photo by Andrew Richards

Students buy nice clothes at cheap prices By ANDREW RICHARDS Leisure Editor

re you worried about looking good, but don’t want to break the bank? Sometimes that can be hard to do; however you can learn to look good and save money too by thrifting. This is when you go to a thrift store to buy your clothes instead of a retail store. Doing this can save you literally hundreds of dollars. One thrifter said that they shop at thrift stores because they had nine kids, and when asked how much money they save, replied, “I don’t know, a lot. I mean I have nine kids.” Chá White, junior, said she is a frequent thrifter.“I go at least two to three times a month. I save over $100, because I go on days there’s deals.” Jeanie, a worker at Goodwill in Bettendorf, said that around 1,200 people come in on the daily basis to shop at the ever-growing popular thrift store. At the popular thrift shop Plato’s Closet one woman paid around $100, and bought practically a new wardrobe consisting of six dresses, three pairs of jeans, four shirts, a pair of heels, and a pair of boots. If you were to

go to a retail store you can expect to spend any where from $60 and up for two pairs of jeans and a shirt. The amount of people thrifting has increased by 7 percent in the past two years. Goodwill alone now has over 2,500 nonprofit stores nationwide. According to a study by America’s Research Group the percentage of people who will shop at a thrift store in a given year is now at around 16-18 percent of Americans. There are currently around 25,000 thrift shops in the United States, and the craze is only growing bigger and bigger. With new thrift shops like Plato’s Closet and Stuff the business is booming. To thrift, there are some guidelines that you might want to follow. The first being, you have to love to do it; what’s the point in doing something you don’t love to do right? If you love to save money or help the needy, then go to thrift shops, and get your clothes there. Second, know what brands you are looking for. Most of the time you can find namebrand clothing at thrift stores that are still in very good condition. If you want Holister, or PINK clothes for a couple of bucks, you can most certainly find them there, and if not, check the other locations in your area; Good-

12 beak ‘n’ eye / May 13, 2016

will and DAV aren’t the only thrift stores here in town. Third, you should try on all of the clothes you are looking to buy. If you do this than you don’t get stuck with clothes that don’t fit you, because most thrift stores generally don’t accept returns. You always want to make sure your clothes fit you in all the right ways. Fourth, you should go thrifting not looking for specific things. If you go into a thrift store looking for tank tops, but don’t find any you’ll end up leaving unhappy and empty handed. If you go to your local Goodwill with the mindset of “I need clothes” than you would be better off and will probably leave there and accomplish your mission of getting new clothes. You always want to look for those hidden gems on the hangers, but you’ll miss them if you are there just to buy dark brown pants. You should also be patient while also being picky when shopping. You don’t have to look at every single article of clothing on the shelf. If you fly through them, you might loose some good finds, but what you really like would pop out at you. Then you know that it is something that you may like. Chá White said her favorite thing she bought at a pages by Andrew Richards

thrift store was “a red, blue, and purple plaid shirt. I freaking love that shirt and it was only $2.” Finally, give back. Why not donate what you have purchased in the past to help others find some great clothes that are just sitting in your closet now? You should always shop at your local thrift stores because some thrift stores look for veterans, and the disabled to work at their stores. This helps them stay on their feet when they might not be able to hold a more normal job. It’s always good to look out for your neighbors even if you don’t know their name. This generally make your town look and feel like a better place to be. Buying used clothes is kind of like recycling, why throw away your good clothes if you can donate them to a family in need. Saving money is always a good thing, and if you shop at thrift stores you will start to notice just how much is really saved. If you want to save even more you can go to thrift stores on days they have deals; sometimes you can get your clothes 20-30 percent off. Overall, if you choose to start thrifting just be mindful about what clothes you buy and always try them before you buy them, if you want to start looking good and keeping your wallet happy too.

Retail store prices

Thrift store prices

The shirt was purchased at Hot Topic for $20 The pants were bought at Hot Topic for $25 The Shoes were purchased at Shoe Carnival for $35 Total cost for the clothes = $80

The plaid shirt was bought at Ritzi Rerun for $2 The shirt was purchased at Ritzi Rerun for $4 The pants were aquired at Ritzi Rerun for $5 The shoes were purchased at Stuff for $3 Total cost for the clothes = $14

Where to go thrifting D.A.V. 1112 W. Kimberly Rd.

Plato’s Closet 5254 Elmore Avenue

Goodwill 5360 Villa Dr.

Life’s Little Treasures 2906 Brady St.

Stuff 3568 N. Brady St.

Salvation Army 4303 N. Brady St.

Ritzi Rerun 1612 W. Locust St.

Revolution In The Village 2303 E. 11th St. Once Upon A Child 3020 E. 53rd St. -

May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

Old Navy ad creates a stir

voice

art by Olivia Wilber

Stop the hateful comments

ne day a group of freshmen boys is standing off to the side in the main hallway. A junior girl walks by on her way to class. When the group sees her they start yelling, “Nasty thot,” “You got a booty on you,” “You ugly!” The girl instantly turns red, and rushes off, embarrassed and hurt by what was directed at her. She then starts over thinking what was yelled. Is she all of those things? Is that how people see her? She starts pulling apart her insecurities until she becomes her own enemy. This is the cause of bullying. Do you know what those freshmen boys just became? Illiterate, immature, and ignorant bullies. This is just an example, but it happens all the time. Every day, this problem shows itself throughout the halls. Standing off to the side, anyone can overhear someone tearing others down, instead of building them up. The bullying in the halls is slowly becoming more apparent than most would like to believe. About one-third of the student population here appears to engage in verbal harassment, even if it’s just small comments. In this world and also here at West, there are people who feel the need to be abusively blunt. They are sadistic bullies who get off on hurting others and do not care about what

lifelong scars they leave behind. The problem is us. Us, as in the students at West. There are a lot of solutions for this problem—to be more speciﬁc, exactly 2,182 solutions. The solutions are the students who walk into West every day. Every individual who stands in the halls during passing time has the power to be someone who builds others up. Everyone has the ability to feel compassion and understanding for others. Instead of ignoring the problem, stand up and face it. If you’re the victim, tell an adult. There are always adults in the hallways, but sometimes they are unable to see exactly what is going on through all the chaos. If you are ever a witness to bullying, don’t be afraid to report it. Bullying leaves scars that sometimes takes years, if ever, to fade away. Just think, How would you feel if you were that person everyone talked about as you were walking by? If you were that person the whole group would stare at in the halls? If every time a certain group saw you, you became their daily entertainment? Instead of waiting for things to change how about we, every student at West, act our age and start changing things ourselves? As the brilliant Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

The interracial racists are back at it again with the racism. It’s 2016 and here we are dealing with interracial controversy regarding Old Navy’s biracial commercial. The commercial, which shows a black mom, a white dad, and a mixed son shopping, has prompted complaints on social media. Many anonymous users feel as though the Old Navy retail stores are promoting “white genocide” and “forced blending. One unhappy customer tweets, “@OldNavy I think it’s obvious that America functions best as a black and white, yin and yang, society.” Some people are even promising to stop shopping at Old Navy. Old Navy has yet to respond to these hateful comments, but their supporters have. Jack McCain’s wife, Renee Swift McCain, has started to ﬁght the interracial racism by starting the #LoveWins tag when she tweeted a photo Cha White of her and John with the caption, “I was just in @OldNavy this weekend! Bought something for me and my husband. #LoveWins.” To show support many people have started tweeting their own interracial family pictures, with the btag #LoveWins. It’s truly sad how these so-called controversial interracial ads are becoming the battleground for cultural wars. It started with the Cheerios commercial featuring a black mom, white dad and a mixed child. Other businesses have showed their support for diversity, whether it be with commercials like Cheerios and Old Navy, or with transgender equality concerning bathrooms, like Target. Instead of promoting negativity, why don’t we promote positive vibes? Show your support by shopping at Old Navy, or by posting your interracial family pictures on Facebook or Twitter using the #LoveWins tag. Be more than just your color, because in the end, #LoveWins.

Miguela Shine High-school has been...Fun. My sophomore year here at West I took two elective classes, sewing and clayworks. The items I created in those classes have been some of my most prized possessions. I am proud to say that I made them. Something else that makes me proud would be having good grades. No I don’t have a 4.0 but staying above a 3.2 has been really satisfying. You don’t know how good hard work feels until it’s done. Junior year I did show choir. It was a lot of fun going to different states to sing and dance. I made a lot of friends, and it’s not something I’ll forget soon. One of my most memorable moments was having a 112 percent in a class that I was sure I would fail (Pre-Calc). When I came to that class, I noticed that I had the short lady with blonde hair for a teacher (Mrs. Pearce). My ﬁrst thought was, “She’s so cool, and scary.” Turns out that she is one of the most dedicated teachers I’ve had. One of them, because I’ve had quite a few. I love all my teachers. They become more than just a an instructor, they become a friend, a guide into this crazy thing called life. I plan on becoming a marine biologist. Like I’m dead set on it. I’m excited to start my life as a college student. And because of the time I spent here at west… I feel like I’m ready for it.

Ryan Hayes I have been involved with varsity show choir, varsity choir, varsity tennis, drama club, blood drive, and newspaper Mr. Finley and Ms. Sheehey are two teachers that have helped me a lot with my academic life and personal life. A memorable experience is my senior fall play ¨The Nerd¨ I had so much fun in that show because I was with my friends on stage and I portrayed a character similar to myself. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the stage with my best friends. I have become more conﬁdent as a performer and as a student over the last four years. At the beginning of high school, I was very sheepish and didn’t really have many friends because I wasn’t involved, but over the years, I came out of my shell a bit and now involved in numerous activities and have a great group of friends that I know I will be in contact with after high school! If it wasn’t for Danny Whiskeyman, Tanner Mecham, and Josh Friede, I would be the same guarded, quiet person I was. I’m proud about being inducted into the International Thespian Society and receiving a Division 1 Superior rating at the state solo contest my senior year I will be attending Clarke University in the fall with a double major in Theatre and Psychology with a minor in journalism.

What do you do to relax? “Listen to music.” - Chloe Butler, 9

14 beak ‘n’ eye / May 13, 2016

“Play video games, listen to music, or work.” - Ian Arndt, 12

“When I want to relax, I go to sleep.” - Tessa Hicks, 9

page by Cha White

May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

faces

Three teachers to retire

Kathy Jacobsen Social Studies 22 years teaching

Patrick Shoemaker World Languages 21 years teaching

Larry Devilbiss Fine Arts 27 years teaching

page by Joniaa Ballard

What schools have you worked at? Worked at Walcott - 1994 J.B. Young and Wood - 1994-2002 West - 2002-2016 Worked at West for 14 years. What is your favorite memory about working at West? Teaching my first year here. My daughter was a senior and I had some of her friends. It was a great year. What is one thing you hope your students don’t forget about you? I hope students remember that I cared about them as a person not just a student.

What advice would you give beginning teachers? My advice to new teachers - work hard, have patience, have fun, and remember to laugh. What advice would you like to leave with your students? Find something you love to do, remember those who care about you, laugh, and of course be an informed voter. What do you plan on doing with your retirement? Travel, spend time with children and grandchildren, garden, scrapbook, and read.

What schools have you worked at? In Davenport I started at Smart in ‘95 and came to West in ‘98 after they decided not to offer Spanish II. After a sabbatical in 20002001 I taught for half a year at Walcott, taking the second semester as leave to help my wife with health issues. I returned to West in the fall of 2002 and I have been teaching here since that time. What is your favorite memory about working at West? My favorite memories are the occasions when students have offered thanks for the hard work and play. What is one thing you hope your students don’t forget about you? I’d like to think that my students understand that if they work well and with focus that

they will learn a lot and will be able to do fairly sophisticated things. What advice would you give beginning teachers? Set the bar high and help students reach and exceed it. What advice would you like to leave with your students? Hard work and play are not mutually exclusive concepts: if you want to learn, work and play hard at it

What schools have you worked at? I started at Jackson Elementary in 1989 and was there until 2002. When the sixth grade was moved up to the middle schools in 1994 or 95. I taught a class or two at North high school in the mid 90’s. I taught Kindergarten through 3rd grade art at Buffalo in the afternoons for one year. From 1996 until 2002 I split my time between Jackson and Walcott. I moved to Harrison elementary from 2002 – 04. In the fall of 2004 I started teaching at West. What is your favorite memory about working at West? I have been the faculty coach for the Davenport West pastel team for many years. Students volunteer their time and talent to compete against other area high schools to create large chalk pastel artworks during the last Saturday in May. What is one thing you hope your students don’t forget about you? I hope they remember me as a teacher who

knew his subjects and was always willing to help them. And the shirts… I hope they remember my tropical shirts. What advice would you like to leave with your students? You’re young, so have fun. But, don’t throw away the opportunities that an education can give you. Learn as much as you can about as many things as you can. The world is a much more interesting and hospitable place, the more you know. What do you plan on doing with your retirement? I will work on my own painting again. Hopefully, I will also take the time to learn new skills like sculpture, printmaking, or ukulele. I also hope to travel some, maybe see more national parks or cities I have never seen. I hear that there is going to be a big concert in California this October; Rolling Stones, The Who, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, etc. Maybe I’ll go and relive my own high school and college years.

What do you plan on doing with your retirement? I hope to play (and work hard), both in this country and in Spain, for many years, or for as long as my life sustains it.

May 13, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye