Going beyond the field
Head boys soccer coach Josh Griffith keeps players in check on, off field
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INSIDE
Pg.2 Welcome “Joe” to the neighborhood Pg.3 3 broken hearts Pg. 5 Going beyond the field Pg. 7 Tipping the balance Pg. 8 Fun and freaky Halloween
Fun and freaky Halloween
Best Buddies get into season of sugar, scares, great times together
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CHALLENGER HOOVER PUBLICATIONS 4 4800 AURORA DES MOINES.IA. 50310 515.242.7313 11.7.08 V.43 I.3
College complexi�es In-state students no longer have priority when it comes to college acceptances Jessica Thrane features editor
Junior Marisol Meza, sophomore Sierra Goodson and junior Ka�e King sell concession items at Hooverrama before the homecoming game Oct. 10 to raise money for student council. Seniors have planned similar fundraisers to pay for prom, gradua�on and other ac�vi�es. “Hopefully...the senior class will get together and fundraise as a whole and have a good senior year,” senior Ka�e Zenz said. ������ ��������� �����
Raising hell (and maybe money)
Senior board begins fundraising to pay for class events like prom, post prom, graduation Thao Pham health editor
M
oney for senior activities and events such as prom, graduation and senior breakfast are primarily raised through fundraising. The post prom budget is a parent run fundraiser to provide for a post prom. Senior class advisor and Vice President Melvin Green meets with the senior board every Wednesday to help assist them with fundraising ideas and plans. “We are currently laying groundwork right now. We’re developing committees such as the prom committee and fundraising committees. Early on, I would say the senior board is doing a good job,” Green said. Senior Katie Zenz is hoping to get more seniors involved in order to make senior year fundraisers successful. “We’re going to be going out to
Senior Board President Sami Ricke
Vice President Ka�e Zenz
Treasurer Anna Moody
Secretary Mat Maldoon
homerooms to be getting more people involved. Hopefully our class gets together as one and has a good senior year,” Zenz said. Senior Anna Moody is also hoping for more senior involvement. “I want our class to be a lot more involved. I know that the past years didn’t have a lot of people involved. I need our whole class needs to be involved, not just a certain group of people,” Moody said Green and the senior board have come up with a few fundraising ideas already. “Right now, we have the sweatpants
to sell for 20 dollars. We are going to sell food coupons and will definitely be working with local businesses and definitely Applebees,” Green said. “I think as a senior board, we also want to do smoothie stands, and just out of the box stuff besides just selling food items and candy,” Moody said. Green believes that the senior board is having a great start, but his only worries are about the current economy. “The community only has so many dollars. The economy is so tight, and dollars are hard to go by. We can only raise a limited amount,” Green said. Overall, the senior board believes involvement among the whole senior class is needed in order to make the most out of senior year. “Hopefully, the turnout will be well and the senior class will get together and fundraise as a whole and have a good senior year,” Zenz said.
In the past, state residents had an advantage to other students around the country because they got top priority when it came to getting accepted to a state school. But starting next year, state residents will have to meet the exact same requirements as any other student in the country. Vice Principal Melvin Green thinks that this will affect the way that state schools are funded. “I was surprised to hear about that because I wouldn’t think that the state legislature would approve something like that,” Green said. “State residents should have first look when it comes to applications to college.” Green said that the change could possibly affect the funds some colleges receive. “These students’ parents pay taxes that the state uses to give to state colleges. If this happens, the state could probably withhold funds for these colleges,” Green said. The United States is currently going through an economic crisis that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. Students, especially seniors, who are not interested in the current situation might not know that the economic situation now, will have a lot of effect in their college experience. Counselor Penny Weishaar, however, understands the current situation and how students will be affected by it. “Students who are coming into college will find it is affecting the financing of their school,” Weishaar said. But students will have the same opportunities when it comes to scholarships. “Scholarships are academically, athletically or ethnicity based usually, but they will be the first to go, and the hardest to get, along with grants and loans, which are need-based,” Weishaar said.
Free tutoring now offered to all students with ac�vi�es director Dan McClannahan Q: When is tutoring offered? A: Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2:45-4:15.
Q: Who will be tutoring ? A: We have a variety of staff members that have signed up to tutor. If needed, we will encourage student tutors and (the) possibility of area college students.
Q: Where is tutoring offered?
A: At the Hoover library.
Q: Who can attend these tutoring sessions?
A: Any Hoover student that wants to talk to a teacher or have help.
Q: Why should students attend the tutoring? A: To maintain eligibility (in activities) and to improve their understanding of their subjects. EDWARD RODRIGUEZ SIDEBAR