Issue 3

Scroll

East High School 815 E 13th St. Des Moines, IA 50317 Des Moines Public Schools

Vol 82/Issue 3

Addicted generation photo/Z. Aleman

E

easthighpublications.com

/EastScroll

@EastScroll

IG: EastScroll

Issue #3

Co-Editors in Chief Natalie Flores Tyler Vail

Editors

Jordan Gerke Kendrew Panyanouvong Ethan Rustan Jeilah Seely Alex Underwood

Staffers

Shareece Burrell Taylor Davis Jackie Gabriel Keesha Gaines Lane Galvin Dezejanee Hall Samuel Hansen Krystalann Rand Brian Rivera Chelsie Smith Blake Sunkel

Kaitlyn Vance Vacengleng Vang

Photographers

Brian Chang Zaira Aleman

Adviser

Natalie Niemeyer

Principal

Steve Johns

page 2 / contents

DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL LETTER POLICY The Scroll welcomes letters but reserves the right EQUALITY STATEMENT The Des Moines Public Schools prohibits discrimination in educational and employment prog rams and activities based on age, race, creed, color, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.

In addition, the District prohibits acts of intolerance or harassment toward employees or students that are not related to the individual’s employment or education.

ADS POLICY

Ads are available in quarter page, half page and full page sizes. Ad inquiries should be directed to Natalie Niemeyer at natalie.niemeyer@dmschools.org.

The Scroll reserves the right to reject ads deemed not in the best interest of East students. The paper is printed every four weeks by Wilcox Printing in Madrid, IA.

December 20, 2013

to edit for space as needed. Outside contributions are subject to the usual restrictions of libel and obscenity and must conform to general paper policy, which is available upon request. Signed commentaries represent personal opinions, not views of the staff. Also, your letter needs to include your full name and grade. Unsigned letters can not be printed. You can deliver your letter to Natalie Niemeyer in room 3060N.

NOTE: All contents are the product of the EHS newspaper production staff. Occasional stories are contributed from the Journalism Intern program.

The Scroll is a public forum for student expression.

Page Editor/ T.Vail

Table of contents photo/Z. Aleman

page 18 5

The spotlight on 515 Movement

6/7

The truth about bullying

10

East High art talent

photo/K. Panyanouvong

page 20/21

photo/B. Chang

photo/D. Hall

page 10

11

Bully troubles?

Dear Keesha speaks out

12/13

Cell phone policy rings up petition

14/15

Addicted: Technology and students

page 14/15 18

Last minute gift ideas with out breaking your budget

19

Step-by-step at home work outs

20/21

Carlos Smith: Goals met and goals made

what’s inside...

December 20, 2013

Pages Editor/ N. Flores

page 3 / contents

Senior Spotlight The Senior Spotlight is a section dedicated to helping students get through their final year of high school.

Every issue will have a spotlight on scholarships, special tips,and other important info.

Admissions representatives from Central and Simpson College answer important questions about college and high school story/ J. Seely

O

ne thing that every senior should know is how to impress a college admissions officer.

College is an important step that most people choose to take after high school, and when you’re talking with an admissions rep it is important to stand out.

Drew Readel from Central College and Cole Zimmerman from Simpson College tell the best ways to stand out and be remembered.

Q: What is your job as an admissions representative?

DR: At central we each get our own territory to work in. Basically what we do is reach out to people who have shown an interest in Central and

Story/Jeilah Seely keep in touch with them.

More importantly it is our job to not only to get them there (Central) but also to walk them through the process of getting in.

Q: What are some good reasons to go to Central?

DR: One reason would be location. Pella is a very beautiful place. Another reason would be our Study Abroad program.

We have this thing where your award package goes with you when you travel, and that is for all Central students who are enrolled at Central and travel through a Central program.

Q: How important is attendance in high school?

CZ: Attendance is important in high school because if you are not in class you are

not learning the basic information you will need in your college classes.

Q: What are some things a student can do to stand out from everyone else?

CZ: If you are a senior, you should be able to show you have been doing some homework (even if you only looked at websites) when it comes to different colleges and their academic or extracurricular programs.

And of course the more you know about Simpson the more you will always stand out with me.

DR: Ask tough questions.

Admissions representatives can only answer what is asked. We don’t know what it is you want to know from us unless you ask us questions.

“In terms of Central we look for enthusiasm about learning, good students who produce solid work, also we look for involvement, and people with a good head on their shoulders.”

- Drew Readel, Central Admission counselor

page 4 / features

51

Top ways to get free money Read the scholarship bulletins

The scholarship bulletins have all sorts of cool scholarships on them. There is honestly something for everyone. If you don’t see something you want the first time you look, go back and check again until you see something that sounds good to you

2

Get good grades

Getting good grades and having a high GPA can affect how much scholarship money you get. The higher your GPA the more a school will offer you. They do this because when its high they know you’re serious about school, and that’s what they look for,

3

Aim for a 24 on the ACT

When giving out academic scholarships, most schools look for people who scored at least a 24 on their ACT.

4

Check out scholarship websites

The best place to find a scholarship is on a scholarship websites. The best way to find those websites is to Google “Scholarships for high school seniors.” If you don’t see something you like then you can always narrow your search.

5

Take your college applications seriously Some scholarships are handed out automatically based on your application

December 20 , 2013

Page Editor/ J. Seely

Movement 515 comes to East

story/ Dezejanee Hall oses are red, our members will say violets are blue, you should just come I love you! in and see for yourself.

These are the words When listening that are mocked when it to someone’s piece, comes to spoken word. don’t talk while they’re Spoken word is talking, but if you stand-up poetry. hear something you Some people like, snap. Why snap? freestyle and others Because it doesn’t share their pieces interrupt the poet on where they give you stage, and it’s respectful. a crazy imagination Writing your first trough words. piece or writing latest Free, open space is piece can come easy provided for poets or hard. Creativity is and even first-timers key though. When to write because thinking about things performing or at to write, it could be least writing your sad, depressing, scary, simple thoughts or a letter, real life things stories out, helps that happen, anything! whether you’re angry, There’s a thing in happy or frustrated. poetry called writer’s You know, kind block. This happens of like a diary. when you try to Many people ask, write, and can’t think “What is Movement of anything at all.

515?” And most of If after about 30

R

December 20, 2013

Angelica Alabado photo/Dezejanee Hall minutes, you still can’t think of anything, take a break and walk around, watch other poets or brainstorm The group was pretty much inspired by the 70 organizations called BNV or in other words, Brave New Voices Youth Speaks.

BNV is determined and committed to keeping open, free and comfortable space for people to actually feel ok with sharing their thoughts, even if it hurts.

People like movement 515 members want minorities to understand that it’s ok to cry its ok to hurt, and it’s ok to show it.

Most, if not all, of the 515 movement member went through

the judgment of others when they revealed that they’re poets.

Something thing that’ll help the issue no matter what is to let those people know that it’s something they don’t know they like until they’ve tried it.

E ve n t u a l l y, everyone will make it to that somewhat, professional level of poetry. You begin to find you flow and you voice in your pieces.

Then comes the stage.

Everyone’s fear when it comes to performing. you get nervous, but that’s what want.

Because it gives you that edge you always want during the performance.

Pages Editor/ D. Hall

DSM Run it!

Want to join?

• Ask advisers Kayla O’Connor or Kortny Williamson • There’s another way to support Movement 515 if the stage isn’t your thing. You can come to Share The Mic events.

page 5/ features

photo/Zaira Aleman

page 6/ features

December 20, 2013

Pages Editor/ J. Gabriel

Not all weapons have a trigger Victims of bullying at East speak out

story/ C. Smith and J. Gabriel

E

ach morning, your eyes follow the cracks in the floor as you try to keep your head down, hoping you’ll blend into the crowd.

As you enter your first block, you sink down into your seat.

Progressively, you turn the music up higher and higher in the hopes to drown out the voices with your name on their lips. But as class begins and your phone goes away, there’s nothing but sheer will keeping you from losing your grip. Your blood is boiling and every word the instructor has said has gone in one ear and out the other. When you finally crack, they don’t say, ‘He’s had enough’ they say instead, ‘He’s got issues’. A day in the life of a bullied teenager.

It comes in many forms: the spit of a word, a mean glare, a text message, a Facebook post, and even a rumor. For some, it is hard to imagine how it feels to be bullied, but for others it is all too familiar.

“The first time I was bullied was in third grade,” sophomore Michelle Soto said. “Kids came up to me and pushed me down.”

Young students are

almost automatically subjected to bullying from the start. Because of this, students grow up believing that bullying is simply a part of life.

Tragically, some students who reach out don’t always receive the assistance needed and the cycle of bullying continues.

“I always tell students that we will not tell anyone anything they say unless there is a danger to themselves or to others,” Jennifer Blumberg, counselor at East said.

Blumberg receives many students each day who come into her office.

However, some students don’t believe notifying school personnel makes much of a difference.

“I talked to my counselors and they always said they would do something but they never did,” Soto said.

Having students report bullying is a tricky scenario. The counselor must gauge the level of concern, distinguishing the difference of a student being mean to another, or a student repeatedly bullying and harassing another.

“I believe that in most cases our system is effective,” Blumberg said. If students believe they are being bullied,

they can fill out a form which administrators will further investigate. “Not all students feel anything is going to happen if they report it.”

Many children who are bullied grow up to be teenagers involved in drugs and alcohol, self-harm, and even thoughts of suicide.

Someone who is bullied may have trouble concentrating

“‘What is overweight for a 13year old girl’ and ‘how to remove razor blades from a razor.’”

in class, may feel lonely, and depressed. If the bullying is continuous and by more than one person, the student may begin to blame themselves.

Of course, many bullies do not even think about the consequences of bullying.

Most do not believe a single insult or phrase can lead a

person to feeling depressed, suicidal, etc. However, others bully simply to feel better. If someone doesn’t have a very good home life and cannot control a single aspect except how that one person feels when they’re bullying them, they feel in control. Many times, the things bullies say aren’t even true, but hearing them may make someone question their own self-worth.

Take for example Rebecca Sedwick, 12, from Florida, who was bullied for over two years by as many as 15 girls and later committed suicide.

Two girls were arrested and charged with third-felony aggravated stalking. You would think the girls would feel absolutely horrible for pushing a young adolescent, only 12 years old, to end her own life. These girls are the exception. One of the girls posted on Facebook, saying, “Yeah I bullied Rebecca and she killed herself but I don’t give a (expletive).”

Turning the cheek to bullying and letting the students work it out themselves is not the solution.

When students can say things to a victim that hurts them in ways so unimaginable, the student goes home and types

in her computer ‘What is overweight for a 13-year-old girl’ and ‘how to remove razor blades from a razor’ there is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and resolved.

Unbelievably, Rebecca Sedwick isn’t the only one.

Suicide is now the leading cause of death by injury in the United States. In 2010, there were 38,364 suicides in America and is the third leading cause of death from people aged 15-24 years of age.

Bullying is not something that kids simply need to deal with; bullying is serious and very real. Allowing young adolescents to question their self-worth is not a rite of passage or something that kids needs to accept.

“We need to stop bullying. Parents and teachers need to step in,” Soto said.

In addition to stopping the bullying itself, it’s important to demonstrate self-acceptance.

Students need to be able to accept themselves for who they are and not feel bad about it.

“Students who are being bullied should talk about it.

Don’t keep it in because the longer you do, the bigger the explosion,” Soto said.

Bullying: by the numbers

•1 in 7 students in •282,000 students K-12 is a bully or a victim of bullying

are physically attacked in secondary schools each month

December 20, 2013

•90 percent of

students between the grades of 4-8 reported to be victims of being bullied

•Suicide is among •15 percent of the leading causes of death of children under the age of 14

Pages Editor/ J. Gabriel

students who do not show up for school say they don’t go because they have a fear of being bullied

page 7/ features

Rivalry of the year

Photo/L. Galvin

XBOX1.VS.PS4

story/Lane Galvin nce again two new game systems have come out and chaos has ravished the hallways of East High. Arguments of what game system is better have sprouted out between students. The PS4 and Xbox1 have both claimed to be the next step in the gaming experience and one can hardly argue after looking at the platforms and graphics able to run on both. The xbox1 is priced at $500 while the Ps4 is at a lower price of $400. When you buy the PS4 you get the system and one controller, microphone, and a HDMI for the basic package with Xbox1 you get everything that the Ps4 gets plus the Kinect system. The PS4 does have a similar system to the Kinect called the Eye but it is sold separately. Most loyal fans are sticking to their systems but there are some people switching sides for all different reasons. With systems only recently released no major problems have come up, we will have to wait and see.

O

Jay Williams(11) “The Xbox1 has better exclusives coming out for it and there is more things you can do with it other than gaming.”

Cesar Agular (12) ‘‘I like the controller a lot better then the Ps4’s , I am also a loyal to the Xbox franchise plus all my friends are getting the Xbox1.”

Ross Welsher (10) “I just like that the Ps4 is a lot cheaper than the Xbox1 and I’m brand loyal to Playstation”

Mr. Lenk (staff) “The PS4 has a better graphics card and is going to run way faster than the Xbox.”

Photos/L. Galvin

page 8/ features

December 20, 2013

Page Editor/ L. Galvin

Attention parents / families of 2014 seniors: Purchase a

n ad for yo ur gradua te in the Starting at just $45 2014 yearboo k!

-Full color -Family photos -Personalized message

Contact yearbook adviser: natalie.niemeyer@dmschools.org | 3060N Ads can be created by yearbook staff or by families of seniors December 20, 2013

page 9/ ads

East

High

Art

Outlet

The East High Art Outlet is dedicated to bringing artistic ability to the Scroll Zaira Aleman/ 12

Love at First Fight I know what will become of this My ignorance is no longer bliss; Everyone’s telling me what to do.

No one bothers to ask for my point of view.

Q: How long have you been drawing?

A: About seven years. Since I was in fifth grade.

Q: What do you often like to draw?

A: I like to draw portaits and I’m really getting into comics.

Q: What inspires you to draw?

A: Just the finished product. To see what it’ll turn out to be.

I defied them all, I stood up tall.

I defied them all, I stood up tall.

I did what I felt was needed.

My mom only saw history being repeated.

I knew I loved her, Right from the start; Right from the time I heard the faint beats of her heart.

Throughout the months, I developed a shield To the stare and the insults, While my heart tried to heal.

When I met her, I opened my eyes to a world; A world that revolves Around my sweet baby girl.

I’ll paint the solar systems On the backs of her hands, Teach her right from wrong, Teach her when to take a stand.

When she realizes words can hurt Right down to the bone, I’ll remind my little superwoman She doesn’t have to wear the cape all on her own.

When she comes home with tears Welling up in her eyes, I’ll teach her that chocolate Can heal the good-byes.

When the world wants to hand her Cynicism and defeat, She will tell them Her mother is who they should meet.

Summer Mills/ 11

Poem/Anon Teen Mom

page 10/ features

Behind the scenes

December 20, 2013

Behind the scenes Q: How long have you been drawing?

A: Since I can remember really.

Q: What do you often like to draw?

A: Things in my mind that are abstract. I don’t like when things are perfect, that’s no fun.

Q: What inspires you to draw?

A: Just emotions really. When I’m in a down kind of mood it just gets better.

Page Editor/ J. Gerke

Dear Keesha, they k n i h ple t o rs? e e p h s t e o k ma bully o t What t t h g i It isn’ r . s r e e th oth o bully le wh p have o o t e P t righ hey sed.

t s e has th d be addre ople who not e n o e l p hy No hou d it s ly pick on emselves. W ht so n a t rig on th righ thers p for now it’s not meone o u y d l l n bu so sta uk won’t ourself ? Yo Report it to n away. k n i h t y ur p. up for or hel and t o n stand p and ask f y u to sa speak st. Learn ru you t

Why d o peop le bully I really others? don’t k Order n o w , b SV ut

How do you stop bullying?

The first step to stop bullying is to SPEAK UP! If you see someone being bullied call them out on it and tell them to stop before you go and talk to someone that will be able to help. There is no reason why you should let someone that has lower selfesteem lower yours. Go talk to someone that can stop them from bullying you and hopefully others.

on with U. Most bullie I watch a lot of Law s had them d & someth uring th were b ing go eir child ullied ing themse hood. T towards lves, h hey eith their pa a d er or som a lot rents a ething, bout ab of ang e o a r r ndonme getting nt issue what th they’re just sp oil e s that bo ttled up y want with an ed and used to makes t can only hem rud attitude. Then take it a e ll and evil out on But thro th ug and the y the righ h all that stuf e people who f let them t to ve rbally o it still doesn’t . give the r physic m ally abu se othe rs.

I get bullied all the time and I don’t want to tell anyone because I would be considered a snitch, what should I do?

Need to talk to someone? Find an East Counselor or call 1-800-272-TALK. Also, for more information go to Stopbullying.gov page 18/ advice

First off, you would only be considered a snitch by them and/or their friends. No one cares about their opinion. Everyone will understand you had to do what you had to do to save yourself before anything gets worse then what it already was. No one else wants you to end up hurting yourself or get hurt by others. Others will understand and help.

December 20, 2013

Page Editor/ K. Gaines

Cell phone policy gets bad reception

“If a school doesn’t have technology, they’re handicapping their students,” Principal Johns

Story/ N. Flores

phone vibrates, silent Y our to those around you. Who

photo/ B. Chang

page 12/ news

December 20, 2013

Page Editor/ N. Flores

could it be? Is it your friend asking if you want to hang out? Is it your significant other with a sweet hello? Or could it be the dreaded text from your parents? You look around anxiously; making sure the teacher is nowhere to be seen. You take a peek at your lit up screen and feel a tap on your shoulder, “No phones in class.”

“When they took my phone away I was mad because there was only five minutes of class left and there was nothing to do,” junior Cassady Carmichael said.

Students at East, along with the rest of the world, are living in a technologically advanced society that past generations only dreamed of. Not exactly hover-cars or cyborgs, but devices such as touch screen cell phones and iPads.

The new school year introduced a new controversial cell phone policy. Instead of having a red/green sign to represent when cell phones are permitted in class, the new policy states that cell phones are not to be seen or heard in a classroom, period.

“Teachers wanted a rule that would be flexible in all the classrooms. The green side meant certain technology could be used and it was determined by the teacher. The red sign meant it had to be put away. For some reason the message was not very clear and teachers had problems with students.

Students felt it was unfair that they could use cell phones in one classroom and not in the other. By mid-year no one was obeying the signs,” Johns said The new policy has had mixed reactions. There are students who are opposed to the policy. Among the students who disagree with the policy is junior Summer Mills. In hopes to change the policy, Mills began a petition.

“When I have my work done early in class I don’t just want to sit there. Teachers will yell at you if you talk, so it’s pointless to just do nothing. A teacher recommended I began a petition against the policy.

I handed out slips so people can write why they want it to change or not change.

It’s been going good; some student’s opinions have been discouraging because they

December 20, 2013

say it’s not going to change.

I know I’m only one student, but one student is enough to make a change,” Mills said.

Mills has handed out the petition slips to students and staff as well. The slips give them the opportunity to write their opinion.

“The current policy is stupid so it should change.

It should change because we’ll take a step back into the 1980’s and it prevents students from using their phones for actual academic purposes.

Now if the student is using them for a toy we should keep the policy in place, but if they’re using it for class then of course you should be allowed to use them. So it’s stupid,” said a teacher who wishes to remain anonymous.

Other teachers agree to change in the policy.

“I don’t mind devices if they’re being used for academic purposes. They can be distracting but I like being able to control when they can be used,” Chemistry teacher Melinda Hamann said.

According to Johns, the policy has worked well so far and the amount of referrals for cell phone

Page Editor/ N. Flores

usage has decreased compared to the year before.

“Students are aware of the policy and it’s not confusing at all. You walk into a classroom and there’s no cell phones being used. For the most part it’s working very very well,” Johns said.

Technology as a whole is found everywhere these days, in the classrooms of schools and even in the homes of students. East’s library has lap tops, iPads, and computers open to student’s and teacher’s use.

Technology is everywhere.

“We’re living in a world that needs technology. If you can’t use a computer after high school then you’re under a terrible handicap.

It’s a huge advantage to have technology,” librarian Anne Keenan said.

Cell phones are used for multiple reasons and are handy resources for everybody of all ages. The petition continues to be passed around and the answer to whether the policy will ever change remains unknown.

page 13/ news

photo/ T. Vail

page 14/ features

December 20, 2013

Page Editor/ T. Vail

photo/ T. Vail

Social withdrawal

Young adults show signs of addiction when drawn away from their devices story/ J. Seely

S

ocial Media and technology are how we communicate in today’s world.

People use them to keep in touch with family, friends, and school, but also to keep up with their everyday lives.

However, social media and technology, just like everything else, can become addicting if used too often.

Most people would consider an addiction is not being able to stop doing something.

Little do they know that it’s not only a behavioral problem but also a chronic brain disorder. In a study developed at Bournemouth University, 125 participants were told to go 24 hours without using any technology.

During the study the 125 participants showed symptoms of withdrawal and felt isolated.

It all begins when you post something and begin to get your first likes. Receiving

December 20, 2013

those likes makes you feel special, important, and glad that someone likes your post.

“I check my social media accounts every minute of every day”

- Jonnie Bishop Then the feeling increases as you start getting more followers and friend requests.

From

there it just spirals out of control and you find yourself constantly checking to see who’s looking at your stuff. And that’s how the addiction starts.

“I check my social media accounts every minute of every day,” Senior Jonnie Bishop said.

One recent study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that students should be limited to two hours of technology

Page Editor/ T. Vail

(smartphone, television, computer, tablet, etc.) a day. The study goes on to say that “heavy use of technology has been linked with sleep problems, obesity, bullying, and poor performance in school.”

Social media can be a blast and entertaining we just have to know our boundaries and use it appropriately.

page 15/ features

Sarpino’s Pizzeria

S

ar pino’s Pizzeria, located on 319 7th St Downtown is a jazzy little pizzeria chain. Walking in, you can smell the pizza in the air, hear the hip music in the background, and the dim lighting is easy on the eyes.

The service was good, and fast. The wait was no longer than 10 minutes and they brought the food right to

photo/ T. Vail

our table with a smile. The menu had more than plenty of options, there was almost too many from subs to wings. Although located on the wall was a menu of their specialty pizza options, we chose the one on the very top of the list it was the “CLASSICO ITALIANO” pizza. Covered in all kinds of vegetables and meats it was

a delicious little break from the competitor Little Cesar’s. The pizza was reasonably priced a large was $13.99 and tasted far more expensive.

Other than our wobbly table which may have been the only one in the place, it easily got 5 out of 5 for a dinner date restaurant(if you can get over the wobbly tables).

The most cheesy date you will find in Des Moines story/ B. Sunkle Popular menu choices -Medium 12’’ Specialty pizza

$16.99

-Medium 12’’ Creat your own pizza

$11.99 + toppings

-Calzone (Hot pocket)

$6.99-$7.49

-Mozzarella sticks

$4.99

-Garlic bread sticks

$3.99

Homefront

Nothing you haven’t seen before story/ T. Davis

J

ason Statham plays as former DEA agent, Phil Broker in “Homefront”.

He is known for his cutting-edge action movies, but does “Homefront” rise from the

rest?

Statham’s supporting cast includes: James Franco (Gator) and Frank Grillo (Cyrus Hanks). Broker’s life has been turned upside-down after coming in contact to Gator, the leader

page 16/ features

of a gang of drugtraffickers. Gator enlists the help of Hanks to try and attack Broker and kidnap his daughter. Broker is on a mission to protect his daughter at all costs.

December 20, 2013

Statham’s movies are fun to watch but does this movie stand out from the rest? The answer is no. Though the movie offers some thrill it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. The movie

does boast an impressive cast, but the plot is very much uninspired.

Although if you can’t a resist an action movie filled with clichés than this is the movie for you.

Photo by/T. Vail

Pages Editor/ B. Sunkle

Made you look.

Buy this ad space in the next issue of Scroll Prices start at $50 per-issue Contact: natalie.niemeyer@dmschools.org

Why should you buy a 2014 yearbook?

• 300 color pages • Coverage of academics, athletics and clubs/orgs • 40+ pages of senior coverage including baby photos and senior wills • Interesting student life features

photo/ Jailene Rodriguez

Because you’re in it!

Don’t miss out! See the bookeeper to reserve your copy today! $60 December 20, 2013

page 17/ ads

Ballin’ on a budget If you’re looking for last minute affordable Christmas gifts then here are some ideas you can use. story/Shareece Burrell

any d n fi can’t e Scroll! u o y e th p: If s a r u w u o tive ou can y a n r e t Al er y p a p ing p p a r w Claire’s $3.75

Target $5-$12 Every girl loves earrings! You can get any style earrings they’ll love!

Footlocker $21 If you want to get your boyfriend or brother a gift, buy a hat. You can get their favorite sports team hat!

Charm bracelets are great, fun, cute little gifts. The charms can represent friendship.

Walmart $6 A coffee mug would be perfect for anybody! You can get one almost anywhere.

Family Video $10 You can get movies for anyone. Family Video has every genre type and their movies are $10.00 and up. page 18/ features

December 20, 2013

Page Editor/ S. Burrell

Winter workout 101 story/Brian Rivera

Burn off that holiday gut and lift that saggy butt

It’s easy to pack on unwanted weight during the holidays and feel like a pile of blubber. So here are some exercises you can do with minimal equipment!

Robert Hanson/12 doing wide grip pull ups

Robert Hanson/12 doing single legged lunges

Asia Bell/11 doing Russian twists

photo/B. Rivera

Upper body

Military push up for triceps: Hands placed shoulder width apart elbows pointed vertically.

Crocodile pushups for your back: Like a basic push up but with one hand raised slightly past shoulder level and the other hand placed lowered slightly under shoulder level.

This kind of push up is a good back workout Shuffle pushups: These are like push ups, but when you go down you bring your right hand right next to your left hand, then move your left hand out and continue then reverse direction , for a more intense push up.

Dips for chest muscles: Begin by sitting on a chair with your legs straight, feet resting on another chair. Lift yourself off the chair and center yourself in midair then lower yourself making a 90 degree angle with your arms.

Upper body wide grip pull ups: They target your biceps, lats, shoulder, and upper back. All that’s different is your grip is a lot wider then pull yourself up making a 90 degree angle with your arms.

Underhand pull ups for biceps: With your grip your palms face you and pull yourself up high enough to where you chin reaches the bar.

photo/B. Rivera

Core

photo/B. Rivera

Wall sit: Start in a squat position with your back flat on the wall, knees at a 90 degree angle and hold for a timed set.

Russian Twists: Start in a sit up position with your back and feet off the ground holding a medicine ball or any object in front of your chest and rotate moving the ball side to side Leg raises: Laying down faced up, lift your legs as high as you can and bring back down all while your lower back doesn’t come off the ground.

Planks: Holding yourself in a push up position with your elbows, lift up from the ground and hold. You can alternate sides by going on your right or left arm, make sure to keep your back parallel.

Mountain Climbers: Start in a push up position then bring one knee up to your chest then switch knees. The key to this work out is to keep good form with your back straight for a timed set. This is great for your core.

Touch sit ups: Similar to crunches except your legs are extended straight into the air reaching your toes with your hands.

Legs

Calf raises: Use some kind of ledge and stand on it with only your toes. Lift your heels as high as you can and hold for a couple seconds then go back down slowly.

Squats: Although this is much better with weights you can still have an intense workout with many reps and a short rest time.

Lunges: One leg is positioned forward with knee bent and foot flat on the ground while the other leg is positioned behind. Lower yourself to where your back knee almost touches the ground.

Single leg lunges: target your hips more than regular lunges. Have your back foot elevated.

Cardio Burpees: This is a great way to burn some

calories. You drop down into a push up, get back up and jump high, bringing your knees to your chest. Drop back down and repeat.

Jump rope: Jump roping can be really fun once you add in some tricks and footwork to easily get your heart beat racing.

Single leg lunges: Have your back leg elevated higher than the other, this targets your hips more than regular lunges.

“I don’t count my sit ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count.”

Muhammad Ali’s response when asked how many sit ups he does a day

page 19/ features

December 20, 2013

Page Editors/ B. Rivera

Carlos Smith: Breaking boarders story/photo/Kendrew Panyanouvong

page 20

December 18, 2013

Page Editor/ K. Panyanovoung

O

ur childhood is often portrayed as the most carefree, enjoyable, and memorable parts of our lives. Growing up was something as a kid we never wanted to happen; we wanted to be young forever. But what if you didn’t have the opportunity to have a childhood - what if you didn’t get to be a kid?

Carlos Ibarra-Smith is a senior at East from Chihuahua, Mexico who came to America in 2007.

Unlike many kids, he didn’t get to be one himself. Smith never got to experience the joys and life of growing up.

Smith’s mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was just merely 7 years old. At the age of 8, he was forced to become the only supporting income for his mother and younger brother. Loading boxes and heavy labor work from 3-10 Monday through Friday became a day in life for Smith.

“Sometimes I had nothing to eat, I gave it to all to my little brother,” said Smith.

At the age of 8, he was scouted by coaches from the professional Mexican soccer team, the Chivas, to play for their youth soccer team. He resided with his biological father for four years and later moved to Des Moines with his mom and brother with hope to start a new life.

S

mith has now resided in Des Moines for seven years.

Putting in 30 hours of work a week, he still manages to balance school work and help his mom pay bills. Also, on the side playing the sport he loves - soccer. He began playing soccer for Menace Academy when he was 13, which career wise just ended this past fall. With high school soccer season on the brink, I got to sit down and interview him.

photo/Kendrew Panyanouvong

Q A

Q A

Q A

Q A

Tell me what motivates you.

What’s that drive that keeps you going?

Myself. I always tell myself to keep going and not to stop. I’m always going to try to be the best. I’m never satisfied, I know I’m capable of doing big things.

So what’s so special about soccer?

How does it make you feel; why is it so important to you?

It’s more than a hobby. Soccer is my passion. Its given me so many oppurtunites.

To me, soccer is just happiness. When I play I just forget about all the bad things.

December 18, 2013

What’s you main goal in life you’re aspired to reach?

To be someone in life. I don’t want to be like all the other kids. I want to stand out, make a name for myself. I want to make it pro and finish my education.

What are some things you want to accomplish this upcoming soccer season?

Break a record for East, be named first team all state, build team chemistry, help give confidence to the younger players, and take our team to the state.

Page Editor/ K. Panyanovoung

page 21

photo/ B. Chang

page 22/ sports

December 20, 2013

Page Editor/ A. Underwood

For the love of the game East High students devote time and effort into their duties on and off the field of play. Multiple faces of Scarlet athletics participate in numerous amounts of sports, but some coaches may disagree with the decision. How does a high school athlete balance multiple activities while staying on top of their academics as well? story/ A. Underwood

D

ay by day the faces of East High walk the halls as students, but when the season is right they perform on their perspective field of play for Scarlet athletics.

Extracurricular activities are an essential part of the culture at East and for many participating in sports have always been very popular. Though the practices and dedication of one sport may seem like a lot of hard work, some students have decided to push the limit to being involved in two, three, or maybe even more activities throughout the year.

The decision to be involved looks great on college applications, along with the possibility of earning an athletic scholarship for a specific sport. Multiple Scarlets have earned the honor of taking their abilities and moving on to the next level, but how is this risk of being “too involved” jeopardizing their future or even the production in the classroom?

The positives are easy to notice in being a multisport athlete. It builds a good reputation, keeps one involved with the school, and even builds character. For many it’s been a competition since the days of Little League or youth sports held by the YMCA to see who is better for bragging

to do which is playing sports, rather than a freak accident,” MultiSport Senior athlete Malique Ziegler said.

In Ziegler’s case, the stakes are a bit higher.

He is committed to play baseball at the Division 1 level for Northern Illinois University.

Though he took the

another sport an athlete is involved in. Every member of the athletic staff at East loves seeing each team be successful, but in the back of their mind the possibility of injury has to be present.

Greg Schoon has been coaching at East for years, becoming the head coach of Football,

“You can get hurt doing anything and I would rather get hurt doing something I love to do which is playing sports, rather than a freak accident,” - Malique Ziegler rights and a little trophy.

That same motive remains years later at the high school level.

As for the negative side, many students take action without realizing the true downfall.

Everybody is prone to injuries, some more than others, but it’s a risk student athletes often don’t consider.

“You can get hurt doing anything and I would rather get hurt doing something I love

page 23/ sports

season off from playing football, which he normally does participate in, Ziegler is right back at his competitive nature by starting for the Boys’ Basketball team.

Though Ziegler is only one athlete of many who have committed to play college athletics, he is the prime example of doing what you love regardless of the circumstances.

Another spark of concern would come from coaches of

Track, and Bowling over time. Schoon knows better than anyone the difference between right and wrong for athletes.

“I think playing only one sport makes injury more likely. Being more competitive keeps kids in shape. You can really see the competitive edge in the kids who participate in multiple sports like football, basketball, track and even bowling,” East Athletic Coach Greg Schoon said. “Being

December 20, 2013

more involved gives you more opportunities at earning a scholarship.

A great basketball player might find he’s a better Wide Receiver.

I’ve coached more guys who went on to play college athletics by being multi-sport athletes.”

Among the multi sports athletes of East lies another Northern Illinois baseball commit, Colby Carmichael.

Carmichael has been very involved throughout high school, playing Football, Basketball, Baseball, and even running track.

Carmichael has found success in all areas of participation, lettering in each sport played, but excelled to All-State honors in baseball which landed him a scholarship.

He has faced many minor injuries throughout his career at East, but none severe enough to keep him from playing.

“Yeah, there’s a little bit of risk playing, but I’d rather play with my friends and enjoy myself then just sitting out and watching,” Carmichael said.

Page Editor/ A. Underwood

10 Ways to entertain yourself this winter

story/ Kaitlyn Vance f you are like me and don’t really ever want to go outside when it’s cold and snowing, it’s hard to entertain yourself inside for too long. Here are some things to help you survive the long winter season while indoors.

I

Read a book. Curl up with your favorite blanket and grab a good book, “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, any book

by Ellen Hopkins, or “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson. In no time you won’t want to move.

Christmas movie marathon. You can watch Christmas movies on ABC Family anytime you want during their 25 Days of Christmas movie premieres, in December. A few movies that are showing will be The Polar Express and The Santa Clause. Or just grab a bunch of your favorite holiday movies and press play on the DVD player.

Online shop. Being a couch potato can have its benefits. If you haven’t done your Christmas shopping for your friends and family, grab the computer and start looking.

You don’t have to go outside and you don’t have to wait in a ridiculously long line.

Bake. Make gingerbread men or make a chocolate peppermint cake. Whatever you are in the mood for, just make it.

Sibling time. If you have any siblings, make up a fun game with them and your

December 20, 2013

photo/ Z. Aleman

parents or play some board games. Either way you can spend time with your family.

Party with friends. Have friends come over and have a cookie party. Turn up the Christmas music, grab the icing, and start making those gingerbread men. It’s a great way to catch up with your friends.

Build a fort. Snag a few chairs, lots of pillows, a couple sheets or blankets, and a flashlight and relive your childhood for a few hours.

Decorate. If you haven’t already, get yourself in the spirit and decorate your house with Christmas stuff. The most fun of all comes from putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it with ornaments and lights.

Create a Bucket List. Since you are going to have a lot of free time during winter break, it gives you time to think. You can come up with things you want to do before you die, just grab a notebook and start your list.

Spend time with family. Nobody is ever too old to be with their family during the holidays. That’s a no brainer.

No matter what you like to do during winter break, you can always find something to occupy yourself during the Iowa winter.

Even if there is no snow on the ground.

Page Editor/ K. Vance

What are some ways you entertain yourself during the winter season?

“I’m involved in winter guard and dance. I watch sports teams play at East or hang out with friends.”

Cassidy Rhoades, 11

“Ice skating and playing in snow or stay inside and watch movies or read.”

Camille Harmon, 10

page 24/ features