Beak 'n' Eye Vol. 2.15 January 2016

Friday, Jan. 29, 2016

Beak ‘n’

Eye

Shedding the light on

MENTAL ILLNESS West High School

3505 W Locust St.

Davenport, Iowa 52806

Vol. 56 Issue 2

Young people aren’t heading to the polls

news

By Kate Kealey News Reporter

O

Public speaking is a part of taking leadership, as Hillary Clinton demonstrates at the River Center on Sept. 5, 2015. Photo by Iris Hayslett

What are the qualities to be a leader?

By Donna Taylor

T

here is always a leader among the crowd. In each class, there is always a leader who helps the other students.

Whether there is a club, or a group, or even the government, there is always someone who leads them. With the presidential election coming in November, we the people need to find who can lead us the best in the next four years coming. No matter what the candidate’s political views, they all need strong leadership skills.

According to forbes.com, to be a great leader, one should always be honest, and have good communication. Leaders should have the confidence that not a lot of people really have. They need to always be commited to everyone and what they want to pursue. They should ever have a negative attitude toward anyone or anything, giving a positive attitude instead.

Also, leaders need to be creative with what they say and do, showing the people they are leading that they have a creative mind. They need to have a good intuition, and inspire the people around them. Lastly they need to have a good approach to what they say and want.

Developing leadership skills often starts in high school.

Wings Club adviser Stephanie Iavarone chose Mykala Housholder, junior, as a leader. “I haven’t been a leader for very

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long. You take on more of a responsibility-making games for girls to do, keeping them fun and energetic. Keeping everyone happy and interactive, involving everyone,” she said. She also said that Wings gives her more experience to interact with people and learn how to handle herself in group situations.

The most difficult things she has to do as a leader she believes it coming up with activities everyone will like. Her goal is to get everyone involved because not everyone participates.

Housholder motivates people by keeping her energy up. Some words Mykala had for the future leaders of Wings are, “keep it fun and energetic. Don’t try and stay in the box for group activities.”

Drumline has multiple leaders and one of them is Abbie Sade, senior. “The leaders in drumline are the captains Brandon Bower, Deke Hagen, Jim Heinrichs, Collin Bell, and myself. We are the leaders because all of us have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. If it means that we have to be seen as strong-headed jerks, then at least we would be getting it done,” she said.

Sade said that the good thing about being a drumline leader is gaining more support and respect. She said it is difficult to be a leader because “being a leader causes some stress, anger and irritation.” Sade motivates people by making them laugh--making the people around her prove themselves right by challenging them. To the leaders in drumline

next year, Sade advised, “Never be afraid to be the bad guy. Sometimes in order to get things done you have to step up and lead.”

Maggie, Rietz, adviser of the Speech and Debate Club, said she thinks students benefit from being a leadership role. “Students who have leadership skills and can communicate effectively tend to be successful in school and their careers. The leaders are often more outgoing and will participate in a variety of activities, which makes them a well rounded individual.”

New club to start

By Andrew Lord

Future Business Leaders of America is a student-run club that is nationally known.

There are several benefits of joining FBLA. There are a lot of different things you can compete at from public speaking to graphic design or even sales presentations to electronic career portfolio. Also, it looks great on a resume and you have the opportunity to get scholarships.

You also have the opportunity to learn many valuable skills such as good communication or how to create things on a computer.

You don’t have to be in a business class to join.

Meetings are Friday mornings at 7:30 a.m. in Room 110. If you would like more information ask adviser John Brosius. page design by Donna Taylor

ne thing that is very exciting about turning 18 is not only are you considered an adult but you are now legally allowed to vote. In the 1970 the age changed from 21 to 18 because of a large movement of student activism. This law still stands today but the strange thing is kids do not always take part in this opportunity.

In 2012 only 19.9 percent of teen voters turned up for the presidential election in recent studies. So why aren’t kids our age ready to jump on the train to democracy and taking a part in elections?

John Kealey, world history teacher, said, “Kids are not involved politically because their parents are not and ... that sets not pattern for the kids to be involved.” Kealey said that the teen vote will go up at one point if there is a crisis that affects the young adults such as drinking age or a draft. Last Kealey said, “The young adult vote makes a huge difference on the election because the old generation of white, male Republicans are now being replaced by a lot of women and minority.”

DiAna Larson, social studies teacher, believes that students today are not involved because the lack of knowledge, like not

Donald Trump speaks at the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Feb. 27, 2015 in National Harbor, Md. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS)

watching the debates or researching the candidates; the kids just do not have all the information they need sometimes. Kids do not have government until their later years of high school, and that their home life affects it too because this will help the students understand the concept more and maybe become more interested. Larson said, “The difference young adults can make in an election is huge because they bump up the voting percentage and they are our future generation.” She also believes that social media has changed things a lot along with Donald Trump he has attracted the teens a lot.

Senior Mieguela Shine is an 18-year-old who said she does plan on voting and is even

a little scared. “I am going with my Grandpa and we share the same view, and I plan on voting for who says the right things, not who is democrat and who is republican.”

Senior Bailey Tunner says he does not have many friends who plan to vote but still will because of his family and is kind of interested in it. He also plans to vote his whole life.

Senior Morgan Vaughn said she is not going to vote “ I just do not know much about it and it just does not really interest me,” she said, but if she did vote Morgan says it would be for Hillary Clinton.

Iowa holds its first-in-the-nation caucus on Feb. 1.

Gala theme is Treasure Island Gala will be from 7 -10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Col Ballroom with plenty of props to set the mood for Treasure Island, such as treasure chests, anchors and black and gold balloons.

DJ Malibu Mark Manuel from Q106.5 will play music.

Tickets cost $15 per person and can be bought anytime during lunch or before and after school in front of the library. A student I.D. will be required at the entrance to enter the dance.

beak ‘n’ eye News Editor Donna Taylor, Kate Kealey Focus Editor Katie Griffith Feature Editor Ryan Hayes Sports Editors Iris Hayslett, Emma Bernick

The Gala king candidates are (left to right): Keyton Rommel, Trevor Oostendorp, Hayden Heath, Colton Harris, Cole Lotspeich, John Ward, Tanner Mecham, John Dubberke, Fred Clark, Evan Snawerdt, Deke Hagen, and Jim Heinrichs. The king will be crowned at the dance on Jan. 30 at the Col Ballroom. Photo by Iris Hayslett

Voice Editor Donna Taylor Satire Editor Austin Black Leisure Editor Kelly Snawert How To Editor Nate Rozinek Profile Editor Andrew Lord Reporter Kate Kealey Cover Photo S Lyle Adviser Steve Lyle -

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 January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

3

Students from foreign countries enjoy U.S.

profiles

Bruna Martins is from Brazil Stories and photos

by Andrew Lord

Cinja Wrage comes from Germany

Cinja Wrage misses that at her old school they get ten minutes of passing time and are even allowed to leave the building for lunch.

Cinja Wrage is from the small village of Leezen in Germany. Cinja’s favorite part of the United states is experiencing and seeing lots of new things, although it is much different than what she is used to.

One big difference is the food in the U.S. She said “It was cool at first but got old quick. Germany is a lot healthier and I miss my mom’s cooking. In the U.S. there is a lot more junk food.” She rated the food in the U.S a C+ and in Germany an A-.

Her favorite food in Germany is the bread, and her favorite food from the U.S. is Olive Garden. “The bread in Germany is similar to the French, but they have their own unique ones too,” Cinja said..

She says she really likes school at West and that it is really easy compared to Germany. “I have A’s in all of my classes here and in Germany I would get C’s.” She likes that at West you can pick your schedule.

“In Germany you only get to pick which foreign language you take and that’s it.” But she misses that at her old school they get ten minutes of passing time and are even allowed to leave the building for lunch.

At West she joined the volleyball and the soccer team. She was even the captain of the volleyball team. She really enjoys sports and is glad that Germany won the World Cup. Cinja decided to be a foreign exchange student because “I wanted to improve on my English and I wanted to improve on myself.”

She would recommend being an exchange student because it is a great experience and you meet new people.

Cinja goes back to Germany at the end of this school year. So far she has had a good time at West. She learned a lot and is grateful for this experience. Although she is having a good time, she will be happy to go back and see her friends and family.

Bruna Martins recommends being an exchange student because you have the opportunity to learn a new language, make new friends and learn more about yourself.

Veronica Zancudo likes West and her house family. She says her house family is amazing and they make her feel like she is part of the family.

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depends where you go,” she said. There are certain rules you have to follow to be a foreign exchange student, such as no drinking, no smoking, no leaving the state alone, no driving and your grade must be over a C. In Isla de Margarita high school lasts from seventh to eleventh grade. They get an hour to eat lunch and they even get 30 minutes to eat breakfast every day. Also class times vary from day to day. So one day students might have math for a half hour and the next day for an hour and a half.

Veronica likes West and her house family.

Veronica says her house family is amazing and they make her feel like she is part of the family. However she misses staying in one classroom all day and having the same teacher. She also misses her friends, family and the heat. It is much colder in Iowa than it is in Isle de Margarita. Veronica will stay at West for the rest of the school year and then return back home.

meal or a snack. I prefer the food in Brazil rather than here. The food in the United States doesn’t have much flavor.” She would give the food in the U.S. a C and the food in Brazil an A+.

“The people at West are very kind. I love it here. It is loud and exciting,” Bruna said.

School schedules are different. In Brazil students go to school at 7 a.m. and leave at noon everyday. They also stay in one room all day and have one teacher. There are no lockers at Bruna’s old school either.

Bruna loves going to big cities with her house family. She traveled to Chicago recently. She also likes going to Rio De Janeiro especially during Carnival. “Carvila is the best time of the year. It lasts for one week. People run out in the streets and wear explosive colors,” Bruna said.

In Brazil often times a family member such as a grandparent, cousin, or aunt comes and stays for a week or so randomly.

She likes the U.S. but will be happy to go back home to see her friends and family

Leticia Terra comes from Brazil

Veronica Zancudo from Venezuela Veronica is from Margarita Island, or Isla de Margarita, which is a part of Venezuela.

Isla de Margarita lies in the Caribbean Sea and is a popular tourist destination. Veronica really likes Iowa but her favorite part of the United States is a tie between Miami, Las Vegas and Washington D.C. Veronica loves to go to the pool or the beach. She likes to travel and plans on going to college in Spain. She said she would not move away permanently. “Although I like to travel, Venezuela is my home.”

School is also a lot different at West. “It is a lot bigger than my old school,” Veronica said. In Venezuela the students stay in one classroom all year and the teachers rotate from room to room. Veronica added, “It is hard to make friends at West. Everyone already has their friends. In Isla de Margarita people are also more friendly.”

To be a foreign exchange student costs anywhere from $7,000 - $10,000. It just

Bruna is from the South American country of Brazil. She really likes Brazil but she also likes it here in the U.S. Bruna said she is so happy to be a foreign exchange student. She will be a foreign exchange student for the rest of this school year then she will go back to Brazil. Bruna said she became a foreign exchange student because she wanted to be different from everybody and she wanted to make memories.

She also said that she would recommend being an exchange student because you have the opportunity to learn a new language, make new friends and learn more about yourself.

“Mostly everything is different between here in Brazil,” she said, “from the food to the school or just the plain culture, but I have been able to adapt.”

The food is very different. “In my country we eat lots of rice and beans, chicken or salads,” she said. “I am not used to eating junk foods. The biggest meal of the day in Brazil is lunch and for dinner we just eat a small

“It’s not as easy to make friends here,” says Leticia Terra because “in Brazil we have the same people in our class from kindergarten to high school.”

Leticia Terra is from the country of Brazil. She enjoys many things about the United States. Her favorite part is California.

Being from Brazil, she isn’t used to the cold weather. Right about this time of the year in Brazil it’s 80 degrees fahrenheit.

Living in Brazil, Leticia has never gotten the chance to see snow until she came here.

In Brazil Leticia loved going to the beach and playing volleyball with her friends.

But her all time favorite part of Brazil is Carnival, which is a one week celebration in either March or February (it rotates every year) when people don’t have school and just party. People go into the street, sing, dance, and wear bright colors. It is a huge parade similar to Mardi Gras except the whole country of Brazil celebrates it.

Leticia loves all the sports, and her favorite is soccer. At West Leticia joined the cross country team and now she plays for the soccer team or in Brazil “football team.” Leticia says that she is mad that Germany won the world cup; she really wanted Brazil to win.

Leticia said she would consider moving to the United States permanently, “but not Iowa. I prefer bigger cities.”

“Iowa is much different from Brazil,” Leticia said. “Everything is different even -

the houses. In Brazil there are no basements and are mostly made of stone or brick.”

“West is very different from her old school as well” Leticia says. At her old school they don’t have a variety of classes to chose from such as electives. In Brazil they have no choir. If somebody wants to sing, at lunchtime they would get up and sing in front of everyone.

She also said that “School is easy at West.

I have A’s in all of my classes. In Brazil I had more like a C.” Another big difference is that at 12:30 p.m. students went home for the day.

“It’s not as easy to make friends here,” she said. “In Brazil we have the same people in our class from kindergarten to high school.”

In Brazil they hardly ever eat junk food, fast food, or any food that is fattening.

Instead they usually eat healthier food of rice and beans for a common daily meal. She rated the food here a C and the food in Brazil an A. Leticia will be a student at West for the rest of this year and next year. Leticia says she enjoys going to school in the U.S. but she really misses her family and friends.

January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

5

How we remember important information

feature

Test anxiety creates problems for so me students

By Katie Griffith Focus Editor

I

n the world today, anxiety is a common disorder. A form of anxiety that many suffer from is test anxiety. Although testing is something school students are used to, for many this is a task that is very hard to complete.

Many students suffer from what is known as “test anxiety.” This is defined as “a type of performance anxiety -- a feeling someone might have in a situation where performance really counts or when the pressure’s on to do well,” reports Kids Health. Test anxiety can present itself in many different ways, but one of the largest components of this disorder are the physical symptoms. The Anxiety and Depression Association of American says that the symptoms have multiple types, such as: physical, emotional, or even cognitive/ behavioral.

The physical symptoms of test anxiety are very broad. The most typical are a fast heart-

that beat, excessive sweating, nausea, and “The physical symptoms of can be headache. It’s very difficult to perform done well on tests when you are experienctest anxiety are very broad, to ing symptoms of this kind. including a fast heartbeat, ensure The emotional symptoms provoke that feelings of fear, helplessness, and disexcessive sweating, nausea, you appointment. These feelings can lead take to the behavioral symptoms of negative and headache.” your thinking and difficulty concentrating. tests Although these symptoms are in a comfortable environment.West High generalized, everyone handles anxiety faculty works to accommodate the needs of different. Senior Savannah Roseman said, students with test anxiety.

“Anxiety affects my grades because it causes Counselor Trish Jones said, “Some me to worry and overthink. While I’m taking students take tests in a smaller environment, tests I get nervous and stressed out when trying to finish, especially if I have a lot of work such as the library, the hallway, or even the guidance office. We also have some students in a short amount of time.” practice relaxation techniques to reduce the The thoughts of failure and feelings of anxiety before tests. Some students receive sickness make test taking difficult. “My extended time to take the test.” hands start to sweat and sometimes I shake Deep breathing exercises and yoga are my leg when I get nervous. I also tend to look around and look at the clock often,” said great stress relievers that can help to relax the mind. Out of about 2,000 students, there are Roseman. many who suffer from test anxiety. “About If you have test anxiety, there are things

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page design by Katie Griffith

10 percent, maybe not a significant number but I’d say it’s a real issue,” she said.

Test anxiety is prominent in schools all over the country. The American Test Anxieties Association says “The majority of students report being more stressed by tests and by schoolwork than by anything else in their lives. about 16-20% of students have high test anxiety, making this the most prevalent scholastic impairment in our schools today.

Another 18% are troubled by moderately high test anxiety.”

When it comes down to actually taking the tests, there are things you can do in the moment to try and keep yourself calm and relaxed.

Try not to look at the clock. Read the questions carefully so you don’t make silly mistakes. Focus on your breathing.

When your anxiety gets so far out of hand that you show physical symptoms, you should speak to a faculty member to see what they can do to help.

By Katie Griffith Our brains have the capacity to hold an unthinkable amount of information. We can memorize facts and create memories that last a lifetime. Although our brain is able to retain so much, we as humans tend to be forgetful at times. How much information we remember or forget is dependent upon the type of memory our experiences are stored in.

“Scientists divide memories into categories based on the amount of time the memory lasts: the shortest memories lasting only milliseconds are called immediate memories, memories lasting about a minute are called working memories, and memories lasting anywhere from an hour to many years are called long-term memories,” according to Brain Connection.

Long-term memory is used for things such as facts and important stories. When memorizing information and studying for tests, this is the part of your memory that is utilized. Long-term memory can be established by doing multiple different things.

Repetition is something that engraves certain things in your mind, such as the process of driving your car. Repeating, redoing, and rewriting are all different ways that the brain remembers things for the long term.

Working memory is a bit different.

“Working memory is used to hold the same kind of information for a much shorter amount of time, often just long enough for the information to be useful,” states Brain Connection. This is the memory that is most likely used when students cram for tests the night before. In doing so, it is easy to remember the information until the next day. The facts are not retained much longer than that, which ultimately does not benefit students at all.

Immediate memory is exactly what it sounds like: memories that disappear

Quiz: Could I have test anxiety?

1. Do you fidget a lot when taking tests?

2. Do you start to nauseated or dizzy?

3. Do you forget facts that you know when taking tests?

4. Do you start feeling negative about yourself when taking tests?

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almost immediately. This type of memory is defined by Baycrest as “the ability to remember a small amount of information over a few seconds.” In other words, it could be considered too short to actually be called a memory.

While looking at these different types of memory, the question is raised: Is it possible to improve our memory? The answer is, in a sense, yes. There are different things that can be done to improve our ability to remember certain things.

One way to help your brain stay sharp is physical exercise. “It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” says Help Guide.

Another tip to improve your memory is getting enough sleep. Many people fail to get enough sleep at night, which can have negative effects on memory and critical thinking skills. Coinciding with physical exercise is a healthy diet. Both of these combined contribute to improving memory.

There are multiple ways in which a person can improve their memory. It’s a simple concept, really: you get out of your mind what you put into it. You have to use your memory, or you’ll lose it.

5. Is it hard for you to eat the day of tests?

6. Does your heartbeat very quickly when testing?

7. Do you worry about what others will think if you do poorly on the test?

Key: If you answered “yes” to 4 or more of these questions, it is likely that you suffer from at least some mild form of test anxiety.

January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

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focus

The Shadow of

Mental Illness

Other Types of Mental Illness ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 11% of children ages 4-17 have ADHD One of the most common mental disorders in children Symptoms: difficulty staying on task, hyperactivity, difficulty controlling behavior

Bipolar disorder, depression loom large

By Ryan Hayes Focus Editor Mental illness is a serious trend that has affected teenagers over the last two decades, more so in recent years with the increased social standards teens must meet with today’s very opinionated society. Two major kinds of mental illness that affect today’s teens are bipolar disorder and depression.

Depression is a hot topic among teenagers today because a lot of people claim they are depressed, but don’t actually show symptoms of chronic depression. Most people often get episodes of sadness confused with depression. Depression is essentially these episodes of sadness taken to an extreme level. For people to be diagnosed with depression, they must exhibit a prolonged episode of sadness, thoughts and attempts of suicide, feeling hopeless, pessimistic, helpless, loss of interest in previously enjoyed hobbies, decreased energy, and even result to substance abuse to try and cope with their issues.

A Chicago woman who goes under the alias Kansas Sunflower has ran a blog from February 2005 to September 2014, detailing her everyday struggle with depression and bipolar disorder.

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“When I am depressed, no one usually knows.

People who are very depressed and even suicidal are masters at hiding it.” The woman goes on to say “Maybe this all comes with age, no clue. All of a sudden I just don’t have much pride and openly admit my flaws that I would never had shared with anyone in the past. Why should anyone see a façade, not the real me?” Kansas Sunflower’s outlook on depression shows that it is a serious mental disorder that can drastically affect how you go about your everyday life.

Kansas Sunflower isn’t the only person in her age group that suffers from depression as 14.8 million Americans ages 14-35, or 6.5 percent of the United States population are depressed. While depression can develop at any age, the median onset age is about 33 years old and is more prevalent in women than in men.

Now, depression is a mental disorder people are generally familiar with, but something that people aren’t very informed about is bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a neurobiological disorder that causes victims to drastically change their mood from very happy to very sad or angry. This disorder affects approximately 5.5 million Americans age 18 or older, or 2.6 percent of the adult population.

An estimated 51 percent of the individuals with this condition are untreated in any given year. Other symptoms of bipolar disorder include dramatic and unpredictable mood swings, excessive happiness, excitement, irritability, restlessness, increased enpage design by Ryan Hayes

‘Bipolar disorder can be a daunting, intimidating illness. It is especially scary for people who are newly diagnosed or do not know much about their mental illness’ - Dennis ergy, less need to sleep, racing thoughts, high sex drive, and a tendency to make erroneous, unattainable plans without much thought.

A man who goes by the alias Dennis writes a blog called “Bipolar Manifesto” beginning recently in August of 2015 going on to this day about his life and how he lives with bipolar disorder. Dennis tells a very intriguing story detailing his search for a job while having the disorder. “I’m offered a job. I go through my self-management practices that I learned in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Being bipolar, I know from previous experiences that I would often escalate when offered a new job. I would rocket up, be super excited, happy to get going, and then either get myself

fired for saying inappropriate things thanks to hypomania removing the filter between my mouth and brain or crash into a mind numbing depression and be unable to function for a few days.”

Dennis goes on to reveal how he copes with the disorder and how people with the disorder. “Bipolar disorder can be a daunting, intimidating illness. It is especially scary for people who are newly diagnosed or do not know much about their mental illness. The more you learn, the smaller the teeth on the monster become. It will always have some teeth. There is a possibility that I could have triggered and had an unwell cycle because of this no matter what I did. No one should be complacent in the management of the disorder and making sure they keep it controlled. I identified that I was entering a turbulent time and responded with my contingency plans for dealing with my brain during them.”

Both depression and bipolar disorder give one an increased risk of suicide due to their irrational behavior and mood swings causing them to develop suicidal thoughts.

If you believe someone you know exhibits the symptoms and behaviors of one with these mental disorders, please contact a loved one or an adult to get them the help they need to save their life.

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PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 7.8% of Americans will experience some form of PTSD in a given year Can be genetic, or through triggered through brain waves.

Common is war veterans and victims of domestic abuse Symptoms: Horrifying flashbacks that trigger fear, bad dreams, frightening thoughts.

SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia Personality Disorder Chronic mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves Affects 2.5 million of the adult population or 1.1% Symptoms: hallucinations, delusions, reduced feeling of pleasure

January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

9

Whether you like it

leisure

satire

HOT or

Steve Harvey pauses carefully before answering a reporter’s question. Wikipedia photo

Steve Harvey is sorry

Hitting the slopes is a fun sport for all ages.

Ski Snowstar is open in Andalusia, Ill.

Bananas at a grocery store before the Panama disease may or may not strike. Wikipedia photo Rekindling the fun of board games can help you feel cozy when its too cold outside. Photos by Emma Bernick

Knock, Knock? Who’s there?

Not Bananas! If disease continues

COLD

By Austin Black Satire Editor

There’s something fun to do in winter

By Kelly Snawerdt Feature Writer

T

his winter don’t get caught with cabin fever. Here are some simple and fun ideas that will be sure to keep you entertained on the cold, snowy days—inside the house and outside.

West High students have many different ways they can enjoy this season.

“During the winter, I enjoy skiing for an outside activity, and watching Netflix for an inside activity,” said freshman Emma Bernick. One tip or idea to try this winter outside is to check out the Ski Snowstar in Andalusia, Ill., with some friends. You can hit the slopes by tubing, sledding, skiing, and snowboarding at this exciting winter ski lodge. For sledding, a good hill to try is the one at Duck Creek Park in Davenport.

“I like to watch movies for an inside

activity, and go sledding outside,” said freshman Addison Gordon. Some of the popular movies out right now are Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay or The Revenant.

Also, try planning a fun night to watch movies with your friends on a weekend night. You could pick a movie that has a theme with it and dress up for that movie, or maybe make some treats to go along with the plot of the movie as well.

Other various students agreed that having a snowball fight with their friends is another great way to have a good time outside.

Participating in any extracurricular indoor activities like sports and clubs is also a great way to stay involved and be happy this winter.

Senior Evan Snawerdt says that he likes to swim for the West High swim team as an indoor activity, and snowboard outside.

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Some other various winter sports at West include boys and girls basketball, wrestling, girls dance, and bowling. Try checking out 30 Lanes Bowling Alley on North Harrison St. in Davenport.

Some other things to try to have an awesome time this winter is by doing some fun crafts or projects, such as repainting or redecorating your room to fit the season.

You can also try staying in shape by doing some inside exercises or making some healthy winter treats to stay happy and self motivated. Some good places online to find easy and fun recipes is on Facebook, Buzzfeed Food or Tasty.

There are so many ways to have an exciting time this winter, from making a snow angel or building a snowman in the cold, to watching some movies or TV in the warmth of your own home. page by Kelly Snawerdt

What’s that one food that always sounds good after a long, exhausting, and stressful day? That’s right, a banana. If you like banana’s then you need to go to your local grocery store and buy as many as you can, because they’re on pace to go extinct. That’s right, first dinosaurs and now bananas. It’s a cruel world. In Central America, where bananas are grown, a disease called Panama. is destroying the bananas, and this is the only spot for them to grow.

The locals had a lot to say about the events involving the bananas. Deputy Brown said, “I won’t let bananas go extinct in my town, there’s too many people depending on me. I’d be damned if any child will never have another banana split again.”

Ron Estevez, the manager at the local grocery store, said, “I have a wife and two kids, someone needs to figure out what the heck is going on. How am I supposed to tell my family that they may never have another banana again? Who am I to say that? Satan?”

I spoke to two banana experts, Gwen Stefani and a monkey named Bobo. Gwen Stefani said, “If bananas go extinct then our future generations may never know what a hollaback girl is.” Stefani has a song called “Hollaback Girl” and in that song she spells the word banana, and as she would say page by Austin Black

“because that sh** was bananas.” That’s all she really had to say, it felt more like her promoting her old song than a statement about bananas.

Monkey expert, Bobo the Monkey, had a lot to say. Of course, this was after he stopped throwing his poop at us. “I’m just being honest with you, man. If you guys let bananas become extinct, then us, the monkey community will be very upset” said Bobo.

Bobo then went on to tell how, if we let bananas go extinct, then Planet of the Apes is actually going to happen. “I have this buddy of mine, Richie, he’s always telling us at parties that he wants Planet of Apes to happen.

Although a lot of times I think he’s all talk, it seems like he only says those things to impress this chimpanzee Stephanie. He likes her but she doesn’t like him, you know how that goes. Richie was actually telling me, he thinks Stephanie likes me but I hope not because I have my hands full with Tiffany.”

After an hour of monkey gossip we got back on track about the Planet of the Apes situation, a matter of fact I met some of Bobo’s friends. I met Antonio, Rufus, Sanchez, and Randall. They were all wearing wife beater tanks tops and had slicked back hair.

Banana researchers are investigating the situation of this mass extinction. If bananas go extinct and planet of the apes happens, then don’t say Bobo didn’t warn you.

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Steve Harvey is known for his stand up comedy success and for being the host of Family Feud. Harvey mistakenly announced the winner to be Miss Columbia when the real winner was Miss Phillipines. I sat down with Mr. Steve Harvey himself to talk about the incident, and why he’s sorry.

As Harvey broke into tears he then admitted that there’s a voice in his moustache that says “god awful” things to him. Harvey then said,“One time on Family Feud while I asking a contestant a question, the voice inside my moustache said ‘Darth Vader is Luke’s father.’ I was binge-watching all the Star Wars movies. How could something so fluffy be so evil? That’s why I make my crazy faces because I hear bad news like that all the time. I’m sorry America.”

Harvey said he is sorry he made the mistake. He just wants us to forgive him and respect the inconvenient moustache disorder of his. -By Austin Black

Bean Boozled fun

Flickr

Bean Boozled is a new game that teenagers are playing at parties. Players either pick a jelly bean with a normal flavor or an awful flavor. For example, you can get vanilla or baby wipes.

“This one time I totally got screwed over, I had the option of boogers or baby throw up,” said junior Theodore Shuttup. “I’ve never wanted to eat something with booger flavor so much.”

Parents are worried about their kids.

Ruth, mother of a West student, said, “My son used to do drugs, and now he’s eating jelly beans that taste like dog poop. What’s next?”

Bean Boozled is being sold out of every store, so buy it before all the good flavors are gone! -By Austin Black January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

11

sports

Eli Watson wears the student section leader hat as he cheers with the fans at the basketball game against Dubuque Senior on Dec. 1 in the West gym.

The “W’ hat came from the University of Wisconsin in 2002.

Alumni Reid Herrig, left, and Grant Thompson, right, join senior Nate Hoth to reminisce about how they got fans fired up.

Who wears the big W Hat?

By Iris Hayslett Sports Editor

T

he student section wasn’t packed with Falcon fans until 2010, when two students wearing huge red W hats decided to fire up the crowd.

Two spunky, outgoing sophomores, Reid Herrig, and Grant Thompson, Class of 2011, started to wear the hats.

At first it started out as the hats to just be spirit wear, and nothing more. As time progressed the boys, went to every game, and sat in the front row so they didn’t block other people. During their sophomore year the boys started to make up themes, such as disco night, gangster night, blackout, and pink out for breast cancer. They would pump up the school during game week.

During games the student section leaders lead the student section in cheers and chants. It’s about half time and wearing his red hat, Reid stands up and shouts “the boxer!”

Reid uses his right hand and roundhouse punching to the left; the heads of the student Reid Herrig

section pretend to be hit and twist their heads and bodies to his left. He counters with a left and the crowd sways to the right. He had other impromptu cheers.

The “Defense!” chants would help the Falcons during the opponent’s possession. During the other team’s free throw, Reid and Grant would stand up with the hats and would have the student section going crazy, waving and shouting in distraction. At some point in the game the cheerleaders and the student section would come together and cheer on the team.

Reed was spontaneous and had a sense of humor, but was also enthusiastic and liked to push boundaries.

During three games Reid and a bunch of students were kicked out of the gamefor inappropriate actions. After a bad call, Reid enjoyed leading the students in

Grant Thompson

12 beak ‘n’ eye / January 29, 2016

chanting “bull___, bull__, bull___” to show their frustration.

But loving the game and the school wasn’t going to stop there. “As a love for our high school was a huge factor in giving the W hats to the right people and that’s why I then passed the hats down to David Solbrig,” said Kyle Brammann, a past student section leader.

Every year the student section leader will choose two seniors with the most spirit and pass it down to them, and pass on the chants, to continue this tradition.

The distinctive hat came about in 2002 when, Grant’s aunt and uncle bought the University of Wisconsin hats because they resembled the West W logo, and they wore the hats in support of their son, during his years at West High. As their senior year came to an end, Reid and Grant passed the hats to Caleb

Kyle Brammann

Seth Malloy page by Iris Hayslett

Cousino and Seth Molloy in 2011, and in 2012 they passed the hats to Carter Thompson and Kyle Brammann.

Other students who wore the hats are David Solbrig and Jessie Stites in 2013, Harry Slagle in 2014 and Nate Hoth and Eli Watson this year. Every year the student section leader will choose two seniors with the most spirit and pass it down to them, and pass on the chants, to continue this tradition.

One of the hats was destroyed in 2014, when Harry Slagle took the hats home and his dog chewed them up, but they were able to repair the one we use today thanks to lots of red duct tape This year Nate and Eli will come together and pick the upcoming senior they deem worthy of wearing the hat. If Nate feels that no one is worthy, he said he will then try to “retire the hat, and put it on display in the library for everyone to see.”

Carter Thompson

Athletic trainer Anthony Burke checks freshman Keontay Taylor’s back injury by testing his leg mobility before a game on Jan. 12 in the sports medicine room. Photos by Emma Bernick

Trainer helps injured athletes

By Emma Bernick Reporter Millions of injuries afflict high school athletes each year, and Anthony Burke has seen the ones in the halls of West High School. That is because he is the school’s new sports trainer as well as the teacher for the school’s sports medicine class.

An athletic trainer is someone who aids in prevention, treatment, emergency care and first aid for athletic injuries. Burke says his main focus is “making sure athletes return to playing as quickly and safely as possible.” He makes sure he fully assesses each player and monitors their progress back to health. Student athlete Alexa Glandon says, “When I injured my ankle in practice, he helped me get back to practicing as quickly as possible.”

Burke’s educational background includes a four-year degree in athletic training and clinical experience with high school and college students. When asked why he wanted to become an athletic trainer, he responded, “I love sports and athletics as well as the medical field, so it was the perfect combination. I was also injured a lot in sports during high school, so I had a good relationship with my athletic trainer.”

A typical day in the life of a high school athletic trainer starts with arriving at school to teach the sports medicine classes. West offers Sports Medicine 1 and 2 as well as Practicum in Sports Medicine. These classes are worth 0.5 credits each and are available for 10-12 graders.

While taking this course, students learn the -

Taping ankles is a common practice for Burke.

basics of athletic training and the basic knowledge of anatomy. In the afternoons Burke is in the sports medicine room preparing athletes for practice by taping ankles and knees. West High volleyball player Alexa Glandon says, “This provides more support for athletes who have been injured in this area.” Burke then goes to “cover” practices or games.

Burke also is in charge of the Return to Play protocol, where they help athletes return to the game the love in the safest way possible. “They (the doctors) told me if he (Burke) hadn’t told me to get my finger checked out, it could have been a lot worse and I’d have to get surgery.

He’s the best!” says volleyball player Makenley Skinner.

January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

13

‘Star Wars’ heroes make our day

voice

art by Donna Taylor

our view

Don’t change the schedule

B

lock schedule vs. period schedule has been a controversial topic. Although many students prefer the block schedule, almost every year the superintendent proposes to switch students schedules to periods instead of blocks in order to balance a dwindling budget from the state legislature.

Block schedule consists of four 90-minute long classes, whereas period schedule has seven 50-minute classes including a study hall period. Davenport swtiched to the block nine years ago in order help students who fail a class have time to retake it and meet graduation requirements. It also allows some seniors to graduate as early as Term 2.

This long fought battle has been active for at least the past four years and each decision has its own pros and cons.

The educational value of the block schedule is prominently-superior to the period schedule. Students are given a much longer time to study and learn from each subject in 90 minutes instead of trying to cram it all into 50 minutes. A period schedule would

have students attending a normal 9 week term long class for a full 18 week semester. Even though they would be taking the classes for more terms, they just would be taking them for less time every day.

It is constantly argued which one is more cost effective. It is said that the period schedule would save up to $1.1 million, but in recent years, the payment of teachers also can be maintained better because teaching six classes a day instead of four classes a day. Class materials and standardized testing costs will also be harder to control because of the extras texts each semester. It is a selfish act to try and save money by messing with students’ education.

In all, the block schedule reigns supreme in all aspects. It is more cost efficient, better for students, and has a better educational value. Block schedule works better for everyone and students and teachers have spoken out against the period schedule at numerous district meetings. Davenport Community Schools should stay on a block schedule.

Over this past winter break, everyone and their neighbor went to see the long anticipated Star Wars Episode Seven: The Force Awakens. Movie theaters were packed to capacity upon its Dec. 22 release, and people are still packing the theaters to see it.

But why are people so enamored with the Star Wars franchise? People are intrigued on how these new actors will do in such high profile roles with John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac being relative unknowns to the casual movie goer. They hope this new trilogy can jumpstart their acting careers like the original trilogy did for Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, which it appears that the movie will make their careers because Daisy Ridley stole the show and John Boyega and Oscar Isaac have brilliant chemistry with each other from the get go, making their relationship feel real and organic.

Star Wars Ryan Hayes does follow some basic movie troupes that the general public can relate to, such as the David vs. Goliath aspect with a ragtag group of lovable characters teaming together to take down an entire Empire, with the David being John Boyega’s character Finn going against the Goliath, which is The First Order. The characters are all beloved because of their complexity. Darth Vader is seen as the most methodical, devious villain of all time, and Luke Skywalker is the typical hero with his natural charm and naive demeanor. In the new trilogy, people love Rey Skywalker for the same reasons they love Luke and Kylo Ren, who is one of the most interesting villains of all time.

The franchise also opens up viewers to a whole new world, exploring new terrains and planets people have never seen before.

The force is strong with Star Wars, and the new trilogy is sure to attract new fans.

HAVE FUN LEARNING REAL LIFE SKILLS

REAL TOPICS

Student editors decide what’s important to cover, and how to do it. Working as a team, we investigate topics that matter. The bottom line is to get published and to make a difference, and that feels awesome.

REAL SKILLS

Journalists know how to communicate.

We inform and entertain students through stories, photos, video and social media. We go to conferences, win contests, earn letters, and have parties to celebrate our success.

REGISTER NOW

Introduction to Newspaper teaches you the basics (one term elective).

Newspaper Lab produces the Beak ‘n’ Eye newspaper and WHS Today.com (two term elective, may be repeated).

See Mr. Lyle in Room 202 for details.

What do you remember about your first crush?

“It was seventh grade.

He would always come up to me and ask me for a dance, and I would always say yes. He had a very long name; I wasn’t going to name my kids his last name--that was the reason we broke up.

—Terri Toppler, librarian

“It was the third grade.

Her name was Janice.

She had long, brown hair and she wore a nice pair of blue jeans. I really liked her personality, and her smile was really big and cute.”

—Malik Westerfield, 9

14 beak ‘n’ eye / January 29, 2016

“I was 5- years old. He had black hair, brown eyes. We would play with toys together. I thought we were going to grow old together. I would go home and tell my dad everyday; he would just look at me crazy.”

—Kate Kealey, 9

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January 29, 2016 / beak ‘n’ eye

15

news

Public speaking is a part of taking leadership, as Hillary Clinton demonstrates at the River Center on Sept. 5, 2015. Photo by Iris Hayslett

What are the qualities to be a leader?

By Donna Taylor

T

here is always a leader among the crowd. In each class, there is always a leader who helps the other students.

Whether there is a club, or a group, or even the government, there is always someone who leads them. With the presidential election coming in November, we the people need to find who can lead us the best in the next four years coming. No matter what the candidate’s political views, they all need strong leadership skills.

According to forbes.com, to be a great leader, one should always be honest, and have good communication. Leaders should have the confidence that not a lot of people really have. They need to always be commited to everyone and what they want to pursue. They should ever have a negative attitude toward anyone or anything, giving a positive attitude instead.

Also, leaders need to be creative with what they say and do, showing the people they are leading that they have a creative mind. They need to have a good intuition, and inspire the people around them. Lastly they need to have a good approach to what they say and want.

Developing leadership skills often starts in high school.

Wings Club adviser Stephanie Iavarone chose Mykala Housholder, junior, as a leader. “I haven’t been a leader for very

2 beak ‘n’ eye / January 29, 2016

long. You take on more of a responsibility-making games for girls to do, keeping them fun and energetic. Keeping everyone happy and interactive, involving everyone,” she said. She also said that Wings gives her more experience to interact with people and learn how to handle herself in group situations.

The most difficult things she has to do as a leader she believes it coming up with activities everyone will like. Her goal is to get everyone involved because not everyone participates.

Housholder motivates people by keeping her energy up. Some words Mykala had for the future leaders of Wings are, “keep it fun and energetic. Don’t try and stay in the box for group activities.”

Drumline has multiple leaders and one of them is Abbie Sade, senior. “The leaders in drumline are the captains Brandon Bower, Deke Hagen, Jim Heinrichs, Collin Bell, and myself. We are the leaders because all of us have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. If it means that we have to be seen as strong-headed jerks, then at least we would be getting it done,” she said.

Sade said that the good thing about being a drumline leader is gaining more support and respect. She said it is difficult to be a leader because “being a leader causes some stress, anger and irritation.” Sade motivates people by making them laugh--making the people around her prove themselves right by challenging them. To the leaders in drumline

next year, Sade advised, “Never be afraid to be the bad guy. Sometimes in order to get things done you have to step up and lead.”

Maggie, Rietz, adviser of the Speech and Debate Club, said she thinks students benefit from being a leadership role. “Students who have leadership skills and can communicate effectively tend to be successful in school and their careers. The leaders are often more outgoing and will participate in a variety of activities, which makes them a well rounded individual.”

New club to start

By Andrew Lord

Future Business Leaders of America is a student-run club that is nationally known.

There are several benefits of joining FBLA. There are a lot of different things you can compete at from public speaking to graphic design or even sales presentations to electronic career portfolio. Also, it looks great on a resume and you have the opportunity to get scholarships.

You also have the opportunity to learn many valuable skills such as good communication or how to create things on a computer.

You don’t have to be in a business class to join.

Meetings are Friday mornings at 7:30 a.m. in Room 110. If you would like more information ask adviser John Brosius. page design by Donna Taylor