Letter from the editor In this issue, our feature is on Juuling. The story by Paris McNutt shows the abundance of Juuling and E-cig products at Wash. This story also features a great set of pictures taken by our chief photographer, Gabe Greco. In news, there is a well-written story about the bus driver shortage and another story detailing the number of suspensions so far at Wash, and comparing those numbers to the other area schools. The editorial in this issue is about the issue of politicized education. The profiles section includes the story of Tyler Cruise and his musical accomplishment. In the sports section you can read about the baseball team’s incentive program, and the new varsity wrestling coach. Finally, in the aesthetically pleasing A&E section, you can read another Seth Keppler resteraunt review, and read about how music affects your brain. Our staff box photos help show our personality, as MOST of us drew self portraits in MS Paint (those who didn’t were drawn by me). We hope you enjoy!
Cover By Gabe Greco
-Benjamin Janssen 2018-2019 Surveyor Staff
Editor-in-Chief- Ben Janssen Business Manager- Bryan Ennis Webmaster- Miguel Jacobo Multimedia Editor- Kaden Fields Chief Photographer- Gabe Greco A&E Editor- Seth Keppler Profiles Editor- Sophie Lindwall Sports Editor- Isaac Gomez News Editor- Abby Throndson Co-Opinions Editor- Matthew Gearhart Co-Opinions Editor- Jaydin McMickle Copy Editor- Jessie Koozer Copy Editor- Grace McKinstry Copy Editor- Paris McNutt Staff Reporter- Jaxon Brems Adviser- Kyle Phillips, CJE Staff members are pictured in the order their names appear.
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Staff Box
Editor-in-Chief
Ben Janssen
News
04 07 11 14 17 20
4 -Running on Empty 6 -Are Suspensions Getting Out of Hand?
Opinions 7 Feature Profiles Sports
A&E
Ben Janssen
Staff Editorial: Politicized Education is Damaging
8 -Announcement Thoughts 9 -What There’s to be said About Cavanaugh
11 -To Juul or Not to Juul
14 -Sami 2.0 15 -FBOMs 16 -Tyler Cruise: 4 Years of Excellence 17 -Eyes on the Prize 18 -Wrestling Coaching Staff has a New Look 20 -Music on the Brain 21 -The Police: Outlandos d’Amour -Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee 22 -The Lost Cuban Editor-in-Chief
Table of Contents
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Running on Empty
CRCSD Teetered Over the Brink, There Aren’t Enough Bus Drivers Jessie Koozer and Grace McKinstry Copy Editors The morning of Oct. 4, Washington High School student Cameron Smeby, ‘22, was rushed to the hospital after being hit by a Cedar Rapids Community School District bus. Smeby suffered serious injuries, including a broken leg, broken arm, punctured lung, and several broken ribs. Smeby was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he spent 19 days and was later transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Smeby is still recovering from the accident but has returned to school. The bus driver responsible for hitting Smeby, 53-year-old Darla Ogden, ran a red light on Mt. Vernon Road causing the accident. Ogden had been issued multiple traffic violations prior to the accident, four charges of operation without registration, and two charges of failure to obey a traffic control device. The CRCSD says they complete a background check for every person who gets a job through the district. Ogden passed the check before being hired in 2016, but her infractions date back to 2000. According to the CRCSD, they complete thorough background checks for all district employees, and all bus drivers must go through a driving history check to acquire a Commercial Driver’s License, as well. We reached out to the CRCSD, but they failed to provide information about their background check process before deadline. It seems that the CRCSD was not swayed by Ogden’s previous violations to not hire her. According to the district, Ogden is currently on administrative leave. There are also several other 4
News
requirements that need to be met by bus drivers before being hired by the district. “Drivers must go through a background check, DOT physical, drug screening, driving history check, and obtain a class B CDL. They also need to pass four written exams and a driving test. After clearing the preemployment process, all drivers must through our bus driver training with the district which takes four to eight weeks. The training is at no cost to the driver and they’re paid for the training,” said Erica Shelangoski, the training and safety supervisor at the CRCSD. In addition to the requirements above, bus drivers must have both a passenger and school bus endorsement. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s website, to obtain school bus and passenger endorsements a potential driver must pass the CDL School Bus knowledge examination, Passenger knowledge examination, have a pre-trip vehicle inspection, and pass a driving test in a school bus representative of the class of the vehicle they would be operating with their license. The CRCSD has been facing a shortage of bus drivers, causing them to stop providing school buses for many field trips. This new regulation causes a problem for many teachers and students. According to Darci Jackson, the head of the Department of Transportation and Fleet, the shortage has been an ongoing problem. “We’ve been experiencing this shortage for over 18 years. But it has turned critical over the past 10 years, becoming worse and worse each year,” said Jackson.
Before this year, the bus driver shortage seemingly did not tamper with student schedules and activities in great depth. However, as the shortage increasingly worsens, so does the convenience of having bus drivers for students and schools in the CRCSD. One of the main problems is that there will be longer bus rides in the morning and afternoon, which could cause students to arrive to school later than normal. Another complication of the shortage is that field trips taking place within normal route times will not be accommodated by the district due to the lack of bus drivers available. This greatly restricts students in being able to learn in communities other than the classroom environment, which can potentially act as a barrier later on. There are no apparent signs of this ongoing issue becoming resolved any time soon. This problem, however, is not limited to the CRCSD. Nearby LinnMar Community School District is also facing a driver shortage. According to Brian Cruise, the Transportation Manager for LMCSD, they are facing a shortage, but it is not as severe as the one in the CRCSD. “We currently have what I would call a slight shortage. In short, we’re probably two to three short of ideal staffing levels. But staffing levels to start this school year are probably better than the last several years,” said Cruise. Linn-Mar currently pays their bus drivers a starting rate of $20 an hour, compared to the CRCSD pay rate of $18.11 an hour, which will stay the same until 2023. The CRCSD’s previous pay rate for the 2015-2018 News Editor
Abby Throndson
Students get onto a Cedar Rapids Community school bus. Photo by Gabe Greco
period was $17.29. The CRCSD raised their wage by 82 cents, even though they were starting to face an even more severe shortage. According to Cruise, Linn-Mar hasn’t raised their wage because they are only facing a slight shortage, but it is something they would consider for the future. “If the issue got to the point that it affected our ability to provide services, I would say we would look at raising the wage to maintain our ability to hire quality people,” said Cruise. Cedar Rapids Prairie, known as the College Community School District, is also seemingly facing a similar problem.
Abby Throndson
News Editor
On July 20, an advertisement was posted on the Prairie website claiming to need part time bus drivers for the upcoming school year. The website lists the starting wage at $17.43, which is even less than what the CRCSD is offering. The bus driver shortage phenomenon is a severe issue affecting the Cedar Rapids Community School District, as well as other nearby districts. The need for bus drivers has personally hit Washington High School in several ways, one being the incident involving Smeby.
Read more stories on the Surveyor website! www. crwashsurveyor. com News
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Are Suspensions Getting Out of Hand?
Washington has the Highest Number of Suspensions in the District Jaydin McMickle Co-Opinions Editor Washington High School, as of press time, has had over 170 suspensions in the 2018-2019 school year. Wash surpassed their onehundredth suspension the week of Oct. 29, and while surrounding schools cap out at around 70, there seem to be mixed feelings about the amount of suspensions. Wash administration did not return request for comment by deadline. “Kids continuously fight and do drugs at school, but the suspension doesn’t change kids. It does not resolve the issues.” Aerionna Thomas ‘22 said. Around the halls and the lunch room, there always seem to be students yelling, fights erupting, and rare smoke clouds appearing in the hallways. As those behaviors escalated the administrators started using suspensions as a formulaic punishment for those students who were constantly in trouble. However, it is unclear if the punishment is improving behaviors.
“It’s the same people, not going to class, cursing, disrupting.” Gus Dudgeon, ’19, said. Multiple students cited smoking/ vaping at school, fighting, violence, drug use, and multiple offenses of skipping classes as valid reasons to be suspended. However, wearing a third dress code violation, being at the wrong place at the wrong time or skipping class are offenses that students feel shouldn’t be punished with a suspension. “They need to crackdown more on serious acts, and send the minor bad kids to Metro,” Jack Bickel, ’19, said. As of Nov. 12, Kennedy had 79 suspensions, Jefferson had 64 and Linn-Mar had 47. Wash has doubled and in some cases tripled the other metro area schools. The students had an overwhelming agreement that the underclassmen seem to be getting in trouble more often. “It’s the younger grades
“... the suspension doesn’t change kids. It does not resolve the issues.” -Aerionna Thomas ’22 disrupting,” Ty Sherman, ’21, said. “There seems to be less discipline.” Jaylon Throgmartin has been suspended and believes suspensions don’t fix the issue. “You can sit at home, and do nothing,” Throgmartin, ’21, said. Students feel that suspensions don’t seem to be fixing the problem. The problematic behavior doesn’t occur from the individual for the few days the student isn’t present at school, but when they return so does the previous behavior. “It’s what they want, the student doesn’t want to be here so suspension if fun for them,” Amanda Boiling, ’19, said. Students have suggested some alternatives. “They need to have meetings with parents.” Sherman said. Art teacher Elizabeth Schmelzer feels suspensions aren’t working by themselves. She believes the school needs to continue to develop better ways to hold students accountable and meet their needs. “It’s my belief most of the staff is not happy about the number of suspensions, but administrators and several teachers are working on ways to improve this,” Schmelzer said. Infographic by Abby Throndson
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News
News Editor
Abby Throndson
Staff Editorial
Politicized Education is Damaging Politicized Education is defined as the manipulation of education for political gain. The underlying bias woven throughout the seams of educational institutions. The spoiling of education into indoctrination. Manifesting in any situation, conversation, learning material, or sign. Degrading class content to a one sided forum of political tussle. It’s the teacher explaining to the class how they perceive the president and political climate while intimidating those who disagree. Creating an environment of intolerance towards particular views. Public schools by necessity are an expansion of our political system, resulting in schools being reduced to vehicles for implementing political mandates. And it’s ever presently deteriorating educational organizations. The negative effects of politics within education are a laundry list. It completely stagnates the freedom of sharing thoughts and ideas, resulting in a monolithic collective environment of perception.There is no social evolution without freedom to share your opinion. It can make certain students feel unwanted and ill accepted in the school. Students who are politically observant and understand a lot about the history and science behind it, see bias inside the classroom as very transparent. Although for individuals who aren’t as well versed in the political world, it’s less possible to see through political agendas. Subsequently, indoctrinating them with political views they have no in depth knowledge of, cutting hunger for knowledge and intellect short, while also damaging the moral orthodoxy of public society. This creates a more
Matthew Gearhart
polarizing domain where lack of respect, morals and public decency becomes more prevalent. “Students who aren’t as politically active may be getting most of their information from what their class discusses, and when the teacher only gives out biased information, that can hurt their learning experience,” stated Layne Wilson 21’, a politically versed student here at Wash. The alternative? Public education in the US requires a new severance, parallel to the separation of church and state, a wall between education and a one sided notion on national politics. Wash as well as schools across America, especially under this political climate should always welcome reasonable freedom of political beliefs and ideas from students, teachers, and administrators. An environment where individuals can have an intelligent conversation offering one anothers take on abortion, immigration, economics, social issues, and the list goes on. An environment without heckle or attack on others with differing viewpoints. This will make the social conditions at school more open and welcome, meaning less fights and more conversations. This ultimately is good for the school. “Teachers should be able to discuss politics in the classroom, and express their opinions. Although, teachers need to be very open to others opinions. And of course be willing to have a conversation in the classroom,” Wilson added. We can accomplish this on the individual level, when speaking to a person whose opinions you oppose vehemently. Understand that there are reasons why they might have
Co-Opinion Editor
these opinions. Treat them with respect and don’t attempt to impose your beliefs on others. Understand that individuals don’t know everything, but we can all learn from just speaking to one another. Try to see where they’re coming from. Welcome reasonable arguments into the subject you’re teaching about or conversing over.
Photo of 2nd floor hallway, taken by Matthew Gearhart
8/8 Editors Agree With This Opinions
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ANNOUNCEMENT Every third hour we hear the voices of our peers informing us of weekly updates and upcoming Grace McKinstry opportunities we have the chance Copy Editor to engage in as Warriors. This year, announcements have taken a different path. They have replaced the former Skype-driven-chaos and currently partake in a pre-recorded, edited video available on the school’s website. Though it took some adapting for many of us at the beginning of the school year, the new change in the structure of announcements seems to be working well and efficiently. The editing of the videos eliminates the awkward walk-on of students as they trot to the front of the camera to share their information. Students, already nervous to show their faces and talk to an entire student body and staff, are less intimidated knowing that some of their word stumbles and awkward pauses may be edited out. The pre-recorded videos also permit more undisrupted class time for third hour teachers. Now, teachers can look at the length of time of the announcements before playing them and note how much class time to set aside. Additionally, if teachers are forgetful or don’t have the necessary amount of time to play them, students still have access to the news via the school website. Therefore, if a student were to miss class for any reason, or if a student doesn’t have a third hour at all, they’d still be able to inform themselves of events happening around the school. The to-the-point style of the announcements has eliminated several minutes of unnecessary idling. We are able to hear what we need to hear and get back to work without the struggle of never knowing when the mess of announcements will terminate, as we’ve done in previous years. We also cancel out the teachers who forget to mute their microphones and meddling students who decide to join in on the Skype call. There have been numerous times in the past years that students were unable to hear the announcements due to these issues and others, such as poor audio and Skype lagging due to the unreliable school Wi-Fi. Overall, the new format of announcements allows for an efficient way for Washington to hear the updates over the course of the week.
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Opinion
THOUGHTS This year at Washington High School there have been many changes made, one being the announcements. Last year Jessie Koozer the announcements were live, via Skype, Copy Editor during the fourth period of the day. These announcements were very easy for students because they could just show up to room 224 and hop on the announcements. But now, the announcements are recorded at 7:30 a.m, making it difficult for students who want to be featured on the announcements. For many students who have off-campus classes, students who arrive later because of open periods, or who simply don’t have the time to get to school by 7:30, it is extremely inconvenient. As someone who is involved in multiple clubs, I know that this is an issue that many groups have run into. Although you can send in an announcement for another person to read, it is much more effective if a club member gives the announcement. A club member will give enthusiastic announcements, which helps get more students involved in extracurricular activities, building a strong school environment. “I liked the Skype announcements better, it’s live so the information is more up to date. It makes it easier for people to go on the announcements during the school day because I, and many other students have busy mornings,” said Billie Burch, ‘21. Another problem the new announcements have caused is the fact that many teachers don’t play the announcements during class. Although third period is slightly longer than other class periods for the purpose of teachers playing the announcements, many teachers do not because they are recorded, so students can watch them online later. The Skype announcements were also put online. But the administration encouraged teachers to play the Skype announcements more than the current announcements. In theory, the recorded announcements seem like a good idea, but for many students who don’t have internet access or just simply forget to check the website, this set up causes problems. The announcements share important information regarding activities, college visits, deadlines, etc. Students need to be able to watch announcements during the school day to be given important information. Going back to the live announcements would be much more beneficial.
Co-Opinion Editor
Jaydin McMickle
What There’s To �e Said About Kavanaugh B r e t t Kavanaugh was recently appointed as one of nine Supreme Court Matthew Gearhart Justices within Co-Opinions Editor the judiciary branch of our government.The process of appointing him became the most openly bitter, contentious debate between Democrats and Republicans. Due to the allegations of sexual assault Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of. It’s a sensitive subject. And this opinion story is not to say he is guilty or not, it is instead to take a more bipartisan opinion on the circumstance at hand. What is true is that according to a Senate Judiciary Committee synopsis, the FBI’s October investigation into allegations against Kavanaugh didn’t find any evidence to substantiate the claims of sexual assault. Although, what is untrue is all or any of the allegations were determined false as a conclusion. This is exactly what should be evaluated. In a democracy, especially the U.S., one is innocent until proven guilty under the court of law in all circumstances. Meaning the individuals who are legally guilty of a crime has to be proven guilty first and foremost. This law is structured to avoid government tyranny against the people. Because in the case of guilty until proven innocent, someone who is innocent could be arrested and detained without personal freedom, forced to defend themselves in every case. This is contextualized in the instance of Kavanaugh, so many were advocating for denial of appointment to supreme court Jaydin McMickle
justice, or detainment for arrest. This is pathologically avoiding the entire legal philosophy used in the U.S., and is inherently tyrannical. Because we didn’t know and still don’t know if he’s guilty. Therefore, we should determine him as innocent, until we have the substantial proof of his guilt. On the other hand, the FBI investigation wasn’t very thorough. It was cut short of time and witnesses. Not to mention that the investigation wasn’t standard criminal inquiry, not much was added to his background. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an elite politician or an ordinary citizen. Criminal investigations should all be treated with the same substantial amount of inquiry.
Co-Opinion Editor
Brett Kavanaugh testifying at his hearing. Photo CC by Ninian Reid
Disclaimer; Columns represent only the opinion of the columnist.
Opinions
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To Juul or Not to Juul
E-Cigarettes, especially JUULs have been the recent hype for high school students. There has been an increased use on campus and nationwide among teenagers. Currently, there is a large amount of effort to put an end to teenage use from a variety of resources within the school, in the community, and outside of the community. E-cigarettes are electronic cigarettes that are often used as an alternative to traditional smoking. Vape pens, hookahs, and vaporizers are all known as e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine and come in different flavors. One popular e-cigarette product is JUUL, a vapor alternative to cigarettes. Its sleek design is similar to a USB and can be easily disguised. A substance known as a JUUL pod is easily popped in to the JUUL, providing flavor. On JUUL Facts.com, it says, “JUUL pods contain a low amount of nicotine, approximately four percent, flavor, and other chemicals. One JUUL pod contains the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes.” JUUL’s website states the product is intended for adult smokers and not youth, but minors have been able to get their hands on the device. However, JUUL is using numerous tactics to prevent minors from using their products. For example, they require age verification, like providing an I.D., to make sure minors aren’t
purchasing their products online by faking their age. JUUL is making a large effort to make their products less desirable to minors, overall. Some staff and faculty at Wash lack awareness of this growing issue on campus. Students claim some teachers even fail to notice a student using a JUUL as their back is turned and the student casually slips the JUUL in their pocket as soon as the teacher turns back around. The science department has yet to catch a student using an e-cigarette or JUUL device. “I haven’t caught a student yet. If it were to happen, I would report them and a possible suspension would happen,” Jacob Johnson of the science department, said. On the other hand, some staff members are well-informed of this issue. According to Officer Thaddeus Paiser, the school’s resource officer, students are
breaking school rules and the law in a few ways. “Students aren’t very smart about it. They use e-cigarettes in front of security cameras or in bathrooms,” Paiser said. He also added that minors are breaking Iowa’s 453A.2 code that states minors are not allowed to use, possess, purchase, or attempt to purchase tobacco products, which includes vapor products. “I don’t understand why kids think it’s acceptable to use e-cigarettes. You wouldn’t just pull out a beer or cigarette in class.” Paiser said. Valerie Nyberg, associate principal, is making efforts to bring awareness to this issue to staff. “We are educating people, both students and adults within the building, about the dangers of using e-cigarettes and the increased use with students,” Nyberg said. Students are up to date about the hype over e-cigarettes, especially JUULs. On average, students that use a vape or JUUL use the device 3.3 times a week, based on an anonymous survey the Surveyor conducted. “I use a JUUL everyday. I feel the effects, but it doesn’t stop me from doing it,” one sophomore responder said. “I believe there are fewer chemicals within a JUUL.” Students are either for e-cigarettes or against e-cigarettes, there’s no clear in-between.
All Juuling photos by Gabe Greco Benjamin Janssen
Editor-in-Chief
Feature
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Feature
National Data from a CDC survey
Data from a poll given to 187 students
Graphs by Ben Janssen.
“JUULs are really bad, but they are socially more acceptable than traditional cigarettes,” Amelia Barnes, ‘20 said. “JUULs should not be legal because you can get distracted from your priorities,” an anonymous source said. On the other hand, another anonymous source said JUULing should be legal for high schoolers, stating, “It is their decision whether or not they want to use them. If it were to be illegal, there’s always going to be a way to get it [the JUUL] just like teens smoking weed or drinking alcohol.” Students have seen their peers pull out their JUULs in class, during lunch, and in the parking lots. They discreetly use the device in the courtyard, litter the parking lots with empty JUULpods, and show off their JUUL skins out in the open. Students know about ten of their peers that use a JUUL and see a JUUL being used on campus twice a week. There are consequences for use of e-cigarettes on campus, however. “It’s the same as using a traditional tobacco product on campus, so there would be an immediate suspension,” Nyberg said. Iowa’s Attorney General Tom Miller has partnered up with JUUL to limit sales involving minors and to stop minors from using their products. Recently, Miller issued a statement about how JUUL uses age-verification to make sure adolescents aren’t purchasing products under a different age or even access their website. The statement also included JUUL is strongly encouraged for adult smokers looking for a safer alternative to smoking and it is not directed to minors in any way. Tom Miller’s communications director, Lynn Hicks stated, “...JUUL has stopped marketing to teens in any way, including on social media.” As of Nov. 13, JUUL’s official Instagram account is no longer active and along with that, they have made an effective change by deleting accounts marketing their product to minors. Another paper written by Miller provided details about youth use of e-cigarettes, claiming their use is “somewhat reassuring.”It says, “Only 1% of kids use e-cigarettes on a daily basis,” and “An estimated 80% of their use is experimental.” Miller’s office is hopeful that simply educating people, especially minors, about e-cigarettes can stabilize or lower these numbers. E-cigarettes and JUULs may still be used by teenagers for a while, despite the health effects that can worsen with continued use. JUULs have their advantages, such as only benefiting adult smokers, who are looking for a switch to a safer alternative. Spreading awareness to teens, adults, and teachers about the dangers of using e-cigarettes and JUULs will limit use overtime.
To see more graphs go to crwashsurveyor.com Editor-in-Chief
Benjamin Janssen
Benjamin Janssen
Editor-in-Chief
Feature
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Sophie Lindwall Profiles Editor
“ This team is a major
force to be reckoned with.”
lot and decided I really wanted to get back out there for my senior year,” she said. The women’s varsity basketball team has girls from every grade playing on it. Despite that, the girls are all friends, which strengthens the team, according to Squires. “Basketball teams don’t necessarily have to be friends with each other but usually the good teams are the ones that are,” she said. Squires has been playing the game since she was in first grade, with her dad coaching her YMCA team. From third to sixth grade, she played AAU (Amatuer Athletic Union) with Team Iowa and then for the Fedar Team for the Junior Warriors until her freshman year.
“Sami gets along with everyone. [She] has lots of experience playing in past years and those experiences really do help the younger girls that don’t have as much experience at the high school level,” said Caitlin Riley, ’19, a fellow teammate and friend of Squires. Squires is also an avid leader in different activities and clubs at Wash. She is the president of National Honor Society and a leader in FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes.) That leadership transfers to the basketball court. “Sami is a ray of sunshine and makes being a part of this team so enjoyable. She hustles in practice and during games and is a huge encourager, bringing positivity to the team. [I] am glad to have Sami back on the team this year,” said Marek McBride, ’20, a member of the varsity team. Make sure to catch a few of the women’s basketball games this season. “This team is a major force to be reckoned with,” said Squires.
Photos by Gabe Greco
The buzzer rings. The sound of a basketball hitting the floor echoes throughout the gym. Whistles blare and shoes squeak as Sami Squires, ’19, steps back onto the court after a oneyear hiatus from the team. Squires played for the Washington High School women’s basketball team as a freshman, but she had to sit out for the last quarter that season due to a back injury. She played basketball again sophomore year. It went well, but she decided against re-joining her junior year, and went out for show choir instead. ”It was fun but definitely not my scene. I do much better with a ball in my hands than I do with choreography,’’ said Squires. During the end of her junior year, Squires had recurring back problems that forced her to miss out on summer sports, but with the help from her doctors and parents, she was able to rebuild her strength to play her senior year. “I missed being apart of the team a
SAMI 2.0
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Profiles
Profiles Editor
Sophie Lindwall
Freshman Bachelor of the Month November: Wesley McGee
Sophie Lindwall Profiles Editor It’s cuffing season, ladies! Are you looking for someone both athletic and artistic who is down for whatever? Wesley McGee just might be the boy for you! Wesley participated on the freshman golf team this past fall, is currently playing basketball, and is looking forward to track season this spring. If he’s not on the court, you might find him in Mrs. Schmelzer’s room free drawing in her Foundations of Art class. “I typically draw anime, ‘Dragon Ball Z’ type stuff, but lately I’ve been drawing more sports related stuff.” Wesley is looking for a girl who carries herself well, does well in school, is nice, pretty and funny. “I’d be the average guy who would
want to go see a movie and go out to eat. I’m pretty chill and fun.” If this art-loving, sports-playing boy sparks your interest, don’t be afraid to flash him a smile the next time you see him in the hallway!
Photos by Gabe Greco
FAVORITES
Animal: Dog (He has a Vizsla named Gunnar!) Pet Peeves: Smacking your food while eating. TV Show: “The Flash” Music Genre: Gospel/Gospel Rap Movie: too many to choose!
December: Asle Hagen Snoop Dogg. Bow Wow. Pitbull. This month’s bachelor doesn’t care for any of these, because he’s not that into music, however, he does love dogs. Asle Hagen is a 4-foot-9-inch, browneyed freshman who participates in show choir and swimming. He is on the lookout for a bachelorette! His ideal girl is nice and caring, but not overly protective. “My dream date would be a candlelit dinner with top quality food.” Hagen is nice, understanding, and says that he would never betray his date. If you meet his qualifications and the idea of a candle-lit dinner with this stud makes your heart flutter, act
Sophie Lindwall
fast because this bachelor might not be available much longer!
FAVORITES
Animal: Dog Pet Peeves: People who say cats are better than dogs TV Show: “The Office” Music Genre: Doesn’t listen to much music Movie: Doesn’t have one
Profiles Editor
Profiles
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Tyler Cruise: 4 Years of Excellence Benjamin Janssen Editor-in-Chief
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Profiles
Perhaps the greatest achievement for a high school musician in Iowa is getting selected to be part of the All-State music festival. In order to do this a musician must audition and be good enough to fill one of the limited spots. This year 31, Washington performers got selected to be part of one of these illustrious ensembles, but one of these musicians stands out. Tyler Cruise, ’19, has become an All-Stater all four of his high school years, a tremendous accomplishment. Cruise has become just the fifth four year All-Stater in the band in 18 years, the most recent being Katherine Benya, ’15, and Sarah Lodge, ’15. Cruise has been playing clarinet for 10 years and been practicing throughout that time to grow as a musician. For the past six years, Cruise has been taking lessons with Bart Yates. Yates is proud of the growth he has seen in Cruise and thinks he is very deserving about these accomplishments. “It’s awesome that he got into the All State Band all four years, and it’s lots of fun for me to have a student like Tyler who can perform at that level. I’ve always been impressed by Tyler’s good nature. He’s unfailingly kind and cheerful, and even though he’s had a lot of success in music, he’s never let it go to his head,” Yates said. Cruise has a list of accomplishments and groups he has been part of, including being a three time section leader in the marching band, the Revolutionists, show choir back up band and the musical pit, but without a doubt his proudest achievement is making the All-State band. “I would say it’s pretty important to me,” Cruise said, “from the time when I was an eighth grader I knew I wanted to be a four year All-Stater.” Cruise has accomplished something many high school musicians only dream about, and he did it four years in a row. Cruise has achieved the rarest of high school musical achievement and has proven his musical ability from the first day he stepped into band room.
Photo by Gabe Greco
Profiles Editor
Sophie Lindwall
Eyes on the Prize The Washington Baseball Team Works to Get back to State Tournament for the Third Year in a Row By Jessie Koozer Copy Editor The Washington High School baseball team just had a successful season, making it to the the state finals for the first time since 1994. The coaches want to continue this success and have recently created an incentive program to attract more players to come to offseason workouts. The program is set up for more players to come to the offseason. Players who attend workouts will receive different incentives. “The program would allow players to receive incentives for coming in to offseason workouts based on their attendance. The program would have different breakpoints to earn different equipment incentives. Based on the percentage a player attends for the offseason workouts the player could earn practice gear, equipment bags, a
pair of cleats, a new glove, or tickets to the college world series,” said Scott Brune, the head varsity coach at Washington High School. So far the program has been doing well. Chris Shannon, the sophomore coach at WHS, says he had already seen an improvement in attendance at the workouts. “Since I started here 3 years ago I feel there has been more ‘baseball players’ come out, what I mean is that you have kids that want to play baseball but that doesn’t mean they’re baseball players. It all starts in the offseason and so far this year our numbers have been great! With what Brune and the other varsity coaches have been doing it doesn’t surprise me that the numbers have been growing. Kids are starting to buy into what we’re preaching and
what we’re doing.” said Shannon. The program just started this year but the coaches believe that they will see player improvement from these workouts, resulting in more success for the coming season. “Being the state runner up last year, it is the hope of the coaching staff that the players are wanting to come in to work to get better at their craft and achieve at a higher level than last year.” said Brune.
For updates on indoor practicews and baseball updates follow CR Warriors Baseball @crwarriors and for any related baseball questions ask Scott Brune who is in room 230. Have any good ideas for sport stories? Contact the Wash Surveyor on twitter @CRWashSurveyor
Braden Hageman looks out at the baseball filed as he awatis for the upcoming season. Picture by Isaac Gomez Isaac Gomez
Sports Editor
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Isaac Gomez Sports Editor
Wrestlers Coaching Staff Has a New Look
Matthew Hatcher has been coaching at Washington for the past 16 years. Hatcher has coached all levels of football of 12 years, the Special Olympics for four, and wrestling for 16. Hatcher has resigned as head coach because he is going to the University of Iowa to get his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy. Hatcher has been at the coaching level for the past 20 years. Wrestling has been his passion and it shows in his coaching style and expectations. “My goal is for every kid to accomplish something they never thought possible. So I would say my wrestlers and students think I’m pretty demanding.” Hatcher is the person he his because of the sport and every day he coached he tried to spread his beliefs with the students “I think an honest effort, holding yourself accountable, and a good work ethic will get you where you want to go in life.” Hatcher feels like anyone who goes out for wrestling will gain some sort of like skill, one way or the other. “Character is built when you have to keep your composure under stressful situations and stressful situations will happen all the time in wrestling.” Whenever a person has a passion, no matter what it is, it is always hard to step away from it. When you set a goal that you want to accomplish it becomes even harder of a task. When asked how hard it was for Hatcher to leave he commented with, “Initially it was hard because I felt like we didn’t reach the goals I set for the program.” Even if it was a hard choice to step down, Hatcher has a reason where he feels like he can help and make changes. “The longer I teach, the bigger impact I feel like I can make on the whole school. I believe I have the 18
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leadership skills to help students and staff reach their goals.” Like some students, where they find themselves being restricted by education. Hatcher encourages students to keep trying and to overcome it. “I have never been the best student and academics are hard for me so pushing myself to overcome these difficulties puts me in a similar situation as many students. If I can do it, so can you!” After coaching for 20 years it’s going to be something to get used to. From practicing everyday, being with the players everyday, and competing in matches spread out through the season. “I’ll definitely miss the daily grind of the season and the comradery that comes with it. But the most
“My expectations are to get all of my wrestlers indvidually better, so they can compete at the appropriate level.” difficult part of not coaching is not getting to help kids reach their goals.” As Hatcher steps down from the head coach position he plans on coming back to the program when he finishes school and he plans on staying at Washington. “My future includes continuing to improve my craft as a teacher, progressing the PE department to new heights, and eventually getting back to coaching.” “I have built some very good relationships here and the staff at Washington High School is second to none, so I would miss them tremendously if I were to ever go somewhere else.” says Hatcher. With the school looking for a new head coach the Athletics Director, Grant Schultz goes into detail with the process of looking for a new coach.
“Ideally you’d like someone that is in the building that can build and maintain relationships with kids.” Schultz talks about how they look for people in the building. But it doesn’t always end up like that. “There are times where I’ve had a couple of candidates applying for certain positions. Someone being inside the building and someone outside the building, and the person outside the building had more qualities that were desirable for the position.” Grant emphasizes that having a coach inside the building is a great aspect because of the connections that the coach and player can have. It’s better for both to be able to see each other on a semi-regular basis. John Graham who has been named the new head coach, and coaching by Hatcher’s side for the past 16 years, has the same expectations and goals for his players. “My expectations are to get all of my wrestlers individually better, so they can compete at the appropriate level.” Graham was in his freshman year when his dad suggested that he go out for the wrestling team. Graham’s dad, like Hatcher, gained a lot of life lessons from being in wrestling and was heavily influenced by his coach. So Graham then decided to go out for wrestling, and he continued to compete in the sport for all four years. When he went to Mount Mercy, they didn’t have a wrestling program and when he looks back on it he questions if he should’ve gone somewhere else to continue wrestling. Nonetheless, Graham has always had some connection with the sport. When he started coaching at Washington 20 years ago, he was still in college. When Graham received the news about being named the head coach he was excited about the opportunity but
Sports Editor
Isaac Gomez
was also hard at the same time. “I liked coaching with Hatcher, so it was hard at first, but he wants to continue his education and get into administration. It’s tough to do all of that at the same time.” Just because Hatcher is stepping down, it’s clear that the program is still in good hands. The players are used to having Graham as a coach. So the players know his expectations and his coaching style. It’s clear that both of these coaches want the best for their players. They expect the absolute best and 100% effort on and off the matt. Hatcher has commented about what he expects from his players and he talks about his players coming back to him, “I tend to have better relationships with players and students after they graduate because the overall perspective of what I was trying to get out of them is clearer.” The wrestling team will have a missing presence with Hatcher leaving but he is bound to come back when he finishes school. Graham is excited about the opportunity and is looking forward to the rest of the season.
Photo By Ben Janssen Coach Graham watching over his players as they practice over the past break in November. Wanting to improve as a player and team, the players made it their resposibility to be in the small and stuffy room on their break.
Isaac Gomez
Sports Editor
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Bryan Ennis Business Manager
Music and your Brain
According to Nielsen, a global measurement and data analytics company, the average person listens to 32.1 hours of music every week. That’s about 4.5 hours of music every day. Nielsen also states that back in 2015, 317 billion songs were streamed worldwide with on-demand streaming platforms. Music has become almost a necessity for the average person. But why is this so? To start with, technology has played a great deal in aiding the growth of music. It’s let consumers have easy access to be able to stream music anywhere, anytime. In the same article by Nielsen, it goes on to say that the average consumer in 2017 used about 3.4 devices every week to engage with music. Whether it’s a smartphone, laptop, television, tablet, or satellite radio, consumers are now able to stream music effortlessly. Music can also give consumers a shot of dopamine after they listen to a particular piece of music. Valorie Salimpoor and Robert Zatorre, two McGill University graduate neuroscientists, conducted an experiment on 126 volunteers to see how music affects Photo by Zahne Burford the brain. They had them listen to their favorite kind of music and injected a radioactive tracer in the patients to track any levels of dopamine released after 15 minutes of listening to music. After the experiment, Salimpoor and Zatorre found that the patients’ brains were flooded with dopamine after listening. This shows why consumers are constantly immersing themselves in music. You get the same satisfaction out of listening to one of your favorite songs as you do eating when you’re hungry. It’s the pleasant feeling that everyone
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loves and wants to have. I suggest that the love for music also comes from the fact that there is such a variety of it. According to an article on Music Genres List, there are over 200 established music genres. Almost anyone can find music that they like and can connect with. To go even further, there are different genres of music that people listen to depending on what kind of mood they’re in. Someone in a recent heartbreak might listen to a slow indie singer like SYML while someone who got their first job might listen to a rock band like AC/ DC. Music has the power to connect with consumers and it helps express their emotions in it’s own unique way. The amount of emotion that music is able to create is astonishing. Just think about it. Every movie or TV show you watch has a soundtrack along with it that is used to help communicate some form of emotion that words can’t express. This is the same for commercials, too. Companies will put upbeat, fun background music behind commercials so viewers are entertained and/or in a positive mood when they see what is being advertised. Or it can do the opposite depending on what they company wants you to feel. Music has an incredible impact on our daily lives. A lot more than we may think. Take some time to just observe your surroundings throughout your day. You’ll suddenly hear music everywhere. From your TV at home. On a radio station in your car. Over the intercom of a store. We just can’t seem to live without it.
A&E Editor
Seth Keppler
THE POLICE: Kaden Fields Staff Reporter In the late 70s to late 80s, the band The Police were among one of the most underrated competitors in the rock and roll genre. Their Reggae and hard rock influence is what made them truly unique, and their debut album, “Outlandos D’Amour,” showcases every beautiful knack. My favorite part about this band is its use of sound. It sounds so familiar yet so different. Its influence was primarily driven from what the band was listening to at the time,hich they say was funky, reggae kind of music. Stewart Copeland's off-beat drum licks and whiny high pitched vocals from Sting are some of the most beautiful sounds to hit my hears. Not only is the album cover flashy and edgy, but the songs reverbeate and bounce off one another quite well
r u o m A ’ d s o d n a l t u O with a constant pizazz. The album was released by A&M Records on November 2, 1978, and peaked at number 6 on the UK charts and number 23 on the US Charts. It was praised with critical acclaim and has solidified itself as a classic album. My favorite songs on the album include “Roxanne,” “So Lonely,” “Truth hits Everyone,” if I had to choose. I love how some of these songs rev you up like, “Peanuts.” This band really just makes me want to play air drums and dance in my bedroom late at night. Its punk energy harnessed within these songs really captivates and inspires me, both musically and poetically. Now this album, in my opinion, has nothing wrong with it. There's something for everyone. If you want
a bummer song listen to, there’s “So Lonely,” or a song to pump you up and make you feel good listen to “Next to You.” There are a lot of different emotions in this album and it’s stellar. The songs are catchy, fun, and overall great pieces of art.
Miguel Jacobo Web Editor “Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee” is the newest installment in the Pokémon franchise alongside its counterpart “Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu”. The game adds, replaces, and removes previous well known features. This provides a gateway for new players to come in while still allowing older players to enjoy the game despite straying away from the mechanics of previous titles. Having played seven of the previous core series games amounting to several hundred hours of gameplay, I can say from experience that the newest additions to the franchise are by far the best out of all other games thus far. After first launching the game on the day that it released, I was quite literally transported to the world of Pokémon (there was a whole cutscene and everything!) and into the first region of the Pokémon series. Unlike previous titles though, there was Seth Keppler
Nintendo no choosing your starter Pokémon, as the starter changes based on which game you buy: Eevee (think of it as a cute little brown fox mixed with a dog) for “Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee” and Pikachu (a yellow mouse that shoots electricity) for “Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu”.
A&E Editor
Cover courtesy of A&M Records
As a veteran of the Pokémon series, I knew that Eevee would be a good, balanced choice for a starter as oppose to a glass cannon Pikachu, so I had purchased “Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee” (which wouldn’t make that massive as a change, as the difference between the two games is the companion you get for your adventure). Together with my cute and fluffy little companion, we started our journey, catching Pokémon with the mechanics from “Pokémon Go”, battling trainers and gym leaders, stopping the dastardly deeds of the infamous Team Rocket, and becoming the Pokémon Champion of the Kanto region. Accompanied by beautiful graphics, quality of life updates for veteran players, and a amazing adventure that at one point quite literally brought a tear to my eye, “Pokémon: Let’s Go Eevee” is by far one of the best games that I’ve ever played, and a perfect game to use to start getting into the series. A&E
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Seth Keppler A&E Editor
The Lost Cuban Authentic Cuban Cuisine
Amongst the many pubs and eateries in downtown Cedar Rapids is The Lost Cuban, an intimate restaurant with a unique allure that reels in people from all walks of life for the same thing: authentic Cuban cuisine. Located at 209 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, The Lost Cuban features a small but satisfying menu lined with delicious options from traditional hot Cuban sandwiches to fresh Cuban salads. The Hot Cuban Sandwich is a zesty, tangy, and savory assortment of flavors that sucker-punching the tongue with a one-of-a-kind flavor. It has roasted pork, sweet sliced ham, melted swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard all pressed together between two mouthwatering slices of Cuban bread. Having never indulged in Cuban cuisine, the first bite was a cruise ship of flavors that took me straight through the Cuban embargo and into a land of sweet decadence. The Cuban bread had a crisp outside which made a satisfying crunch. This paired with the savory sweet taste of ham, the awkward and mild flavor of swiss cheese, and hints of mustard creates an instant classic. Pickles crunched alongside the bread and exploded with sour goodness like firecrackers. On the side were two parallel lines; one of excellent fried rice and the other fresh black beans. In between bites, scoops of rice and beans provided a perfect simplicity which contrasted to the exotic flavor of the sandwich. Bite after bite the hot Cuban sandwich leaked with flavor as steam wafted out from the gooey layers. It surely lived up to the “hot” part of its wich d n a name. S t Cuban The Ho I highly recommend asking for their sauce with your meal. They have an array available including; sweet, spicy, a tangy blend of ketchup and mayo(pink sauce), cilantro, and pineapple. Combining the hot Cuban sandwich with the pink sauce was a dream. The pink sauce’s tanginess combined perfectly with the crisp Cuban bread and ham, it was my favorite out of all the sauces. Although it masked the taste of the mustard, it created a flavor fiesta that cha-cha’d all over my taste buds. The Lost Cuban has a humble and welcoming atmosphere, and superb food to go along with it. Inside, the walls are decorated with paintings, posters, and all sorts of little mementos of Cuban culture. There is limited seating available, almost all of it being stools and tables. However the relatively small size of The Lost Cuban only makes it cozier and more intimate of a place to be. If you are looking to expand your taste buds and try something more exotic than the typical sandwich joint, I highly recommend The Lost Cuban for your next lunch date or night out.
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A&E Editor
Seth Keppler
mission
& Thorns -Mr. Phillips -Bias -All holidays -Mother Goose -Bork Bork -158 Days until graduation (as of December 17) -All-State musicians -Tyler Cruise -Winter Break -Tik Tok -Snow -Holiday lights -Hot chocolate -Holiday music -Holiday season -Those little cookies with prints of trees and santa on them -Surveyor Merch -Winter sports and speech season -Ice on my wrist -Cocoa and Carols -Microsoft Paint -Tom Petty -Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee
crwashsurveyor@gmail.com
@washsurveyor The Surveyor Benjamin Janssen
-Winter Weather in November -Finals -Squeaky wooden desks -People stopping in the middle of the hallway -New Announcements -Excessive “Drills” -Inconsistent schedule -iLearning more important than class time on adjusted schedules -Tik Tok -Snow -2018 -2019 (probably) -The flu -COLD -Finals right after break -Merch that isn’t Surveyor Merch -Ice on roads -Ice on cars -Ice on sidewalks -Weird time between Thanksgiving break and Christmas break -Things costing money
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affiliations www.crwashsurveyor.com Roses and Thorns graphic by Audrey Fashimpaur ’19
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Iowa High School Press Association, Journalism Education Association, Quill and Scroll. IHSPA 2018 News Team of the Year Finalist
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Courtney Poindexter, ’19, performs with the step team at the winter sports assembly. Photo by Alexies Janecek