East Scroll Vol. 92 issue 1

East Scroll

New to East

New

New coaches

What’s Inside

timer voters?

Christopher Ramirez Chavez/10

with Jocelyn

Ny’Asiah Gully/12

Davis/11

about Liz Hardy

Jaitreana White/11

wondrous

Finn Robertson/11

Jayla Drew/11

Zander Ross/10

story of Jeanna Joyce

Kaylee Consolver & Vincent Carreon/10

Ebony Walton/12

Mrs. Hernandez

Esmeralda Saldana-Hernandez/11

Mrs. Naranjo

Owen Littell/10

Beverly Gillard/10

Ny’Asiah Gully/12

Angelina McDaniel /11

Cora Knoop/10

Gracie Boley/12

Devyn Sam/11

senators

Talan Kalwishky/11

DMPS implements GoGuardian

Ollie Barnes/10

Meet the Tribe

Lauren Reed/11

Junior Tabby Hochmuth

Kaylie Shannon/11

Beyond Turnt

Kaylie Shannon/11

cheer

Maya Hernandez-Howard/11

Cheer coach Nick Black

Kendall Moss/12

coach Renate Rice

Grace Withee/12

Football Coach Tyrone Tyler

Gabe Cook & Oshay Franklin/11

Natalie Taylor/11

Honey Hanawalt/11 Kirsten Pierce/12

District Educational Equality Statement

Des Moines Public Schools prohibits discrimination in educational and employment programs and activi ties 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.

Cover model: Kate Acosta

and Back cover: Devyn Sam

of contents: Ny’Asiah Gully

Letter Policy

The Scroll welcomes letters but reserves the right 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.

Ad Policy

Ads are available in quarter page, half page and full page sizes. Ad inquiries should be directed to Natalie Niemeyer at natalie. niemeyerlorenz@dmschools.org. The Scroll reserves the right to reject ads deemed not in the best interest of East students. The paper is printed by DMPS Print Services.

October

Scroll staff

Editors-in-chief

Ny’Asiah Gully

Devyn Sam Copy editor

Beverly Gillard

Design editor

Christopher Ramirez Chavez

Dayanna Suastegui-Vinalay

Multi-media editor

Kendall Moss

Scroll staff

Ollie Barnes Gracie Boley Vincent Carreon Kaylee Consolver Gabriel Cook Tysheena Davis Jayla Drew Oshay Franklin Honey Hanawalt Maya Hernandez-Howard Talan Kalwishky Cora Knoop Owen Littell

Mercedesse Ly Angelina McDaniel Kirsten Pierce Lauren Reed Finn Robertson

Zander Ross

Esmeralda Saldana-Hernandez Alexia Sanachit Kaylie Shannon Natalie Taylor Ebony Walton Jaitreana White Grace Withee

Adviser

Natalie Niemeyer-Lorenz

Principal Jill Versteeg

And everything you need to know

Chuck Grassley Cindy Axne Kim Reynolds Story/C Ramirez-Chavez

Democracy, anyone can take part in it, even you. If you are interested in partaking in democracy and want to be represented, there is good news: This year’s United States midterm elections are taking place in November.

Now, what is a midterm election? These types of elections always happen in the middle of the President of the United States’ four-year term, always taking place in an even numbered year. Who do the people even vote for when the president is not up for election, some might ask? At most, there are at least two offices to vote for and three during some special years and this year, 2022, is one of those years.

What type of elected offices are up this year? First is the House of Represen tative offices which represent a certain district within the United States popula tion with a new map of seats happening every 10 years, and because of that some states have more offices than others; Iowa has four house seats with the new 2020 map design with Iowa third house seat being the seat that East High School and the whole city of Des Moines is in, the current office holder for the third district is congresswomen Cindy Axne who was first elected in 2018 and who has held of fice since January 2019 and is running for a third term this year.

The next notable office that is up this year is the statewide senate election that is currently being held up by seven term senator Chuck Grassley. Grassley is run ning for an eighth term this November.

Grassley first entered Iowa politics serv ing the Iowa House of Representatives from 1959 to 1975, then the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1981, and then he ran and won the 1980 senate election and has been serving the senate since 1981 and has been involved in Iowa politics for 63 years as of 2022.

The final office that is going to be discussed is the Governor of Iowa, now the current office holder for this posi tion is Kim Reynolds, she first started her political career in 2008. When she ran for 48th district of the Iowa Senate seat, then won and took office in January 2009 and stayed in the Iowa Senate for two years, she then joined Terry Branstad’s Gover nor campaign in 2010 and was elected to be the 46th lieutenant governor of Iowa and took office in January 2011. In May of 2017, Governor Branstad resigned as governor of Iowa to accepted Former President Donald John Trump request to become the 12th United States ambas sador to China and due to this Reynolds, became Iowa’s Governor on May 24, 2017, she ran for a full term in 2018 and won and now she’s running for a second term this year.

These are the incumbent members who are currently holding the offices that were discussed and you can’t have an elec tion without other options to vote for to challenge the incumbents with challengers like Zack Nunn going up against Cindy Axne for Iowa’s third house district, Mi chael Franken challenging Grassley for his

senate seat, and Deidre DeJear going after Reynolds governor seat. They’re are way more factors to take into consideration when talking about an election so scan the QR code for a more in-depth video about the 2022 elections.

The three major candidates running for office illustration - Illustration/C. Ramirez-Chavez

Learn how to vote & more about the election with this playlist down here.

JocelynValadez

Learn a little more about the lady in the front office

Story/N. Gully Photo/N. Gully

Valadez at home

Youknow that woman who answers the phone when your mom is trying to call you out for a doctor’s appointment? The one who greets and helps every guest who walks into East High School? The one who answered the phone over the summer for you when you needed info about summer school? The one who graduated from East in 2018? Wait, did you even know she was an East Alumni? Well, her name Is Jocelyn Valadez, and she’s someone every student should know.

What is your position?

“I am the office clerk or the front desk lady.”

How long have you been working for East?

“This is going to be my third year, but my fourth school year working for East.”

What are three things you like about your job?

“I really like having a relationship with the kids. I also the fact that me and the students aren’t that far in age so I can relate to them a lot better than if I was like eight years older. I also like being able to help the kids out, I love the kids.”

What are three things you don’t like about your job?

“I would like to be able to deal with and build better relationships with more kids because there’s only a few that I can really talk to and get along with. Then the others I just don’t really talk to or know much about them because the main office doesn’t get as much traffic as the rest of the school. I also

don’t like when it’s slow in the office, when I’m just sitting here because it gets kind of boring.”

What did you do before East?

“Before East I worked at an eyeglass place.”

What’s your favorite part about your job?

“My favorite part Is when kids come to visit me, it gets boring sitting here all day and the kids that visit me make my day better.”

Tell me more about yourself. Who are you outside of work?

“I am married, and I have one son. He is a year and seven months right now. And during the weekend I like to play soccer.”

What high school did you graduate from and where are you from?

“I am from Des Moines; I was born here, and I actually graduated from East.”

Tell me about your parents.

“Both of my parents are immigrants from Mexico. My dad is from Chihuahua, Mexico and my mom is from Durango, Mexico. My mom came here when she was 17 and my dad came when he was 18.”

Do you have any siblings?

“I have a half brother and sister in Mexico, and a brother and sister here.”

Valadez really enjoys talking and getting to know the students at East. She’s very out going and love when student’s come to visit her, so whenever you got some free time stop in and have a conversation with her.

Valadez and her son Adriel playing with the relief puppies at East

Halloween family photo

Another family photo

Photos/J. Valadez

Ashley Moore

Do you have Ashley Moore as your art teacher? Maybe you plan on taking one of her classes. She is a hilarious teacher with an outgoing personality. In this Q+A Moore talks about why she works at East and her life outside of the school.

art teacher Q&A

designer and why?

What is your biggest accomplishment?

“I always wanted to be a teacher and I accomplished that, and I have my dream job,” Moore said.

“Who or what inspires you the most?

“East High students. Your gen eration has such a strong, powerful voice,” Moore said.

What made you want to work as a teacher?

“I had a lot of amazing teachers when I was younger and wanted to be a positive influence for students,” Moore said.

Who is your favorite graphic

“I have two: Jen Starle and Andy Warhol. They both use color in powerful, unique ways. They’re also innovative artists,” Moore said.

What do you do in your free time?

“I usually hang out with my three kids or work on projects around my house. Although, I’d rather spend more time eating at restaurants,” Moore said.

In three words describe yourself “Funny, sarcastic, and eccentric,” Moore said.

What do you think your best

trait is?

“My sense of humor,” Moore said.

If you didn’t become a teacher, what would you be?

“I don’t want to be anything other than a teacher but if I had to choose I’d own a small coffee shop or a gluten-free grocery store,” Moore said.

What is your favorite quote?

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself- Andy Warhol,” Moore said.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

“Still teaching art at East High,” Moore said.

In three words describe Ms.Moore

-”Creative, chill, and caring,” Senior Gracie Withee said -”Comedy, unconditional love, and beautiful,” Teacher Kristin

Ms MacDonald said -’Empathetic, loyal, and intuitive,” Former East teacher Judy Lee said

All about Liz Hardy

An inside look on the new Graphic design teacher

Hardy has an older brother who is a vet erinarian surgeon. She also has a five-year old daughter named Judy. Hardy is married to her husband Thomas Hardy, who she met at a res taurant while visiting family.

“I do have a husband and I met him when I moved back to Iowa from Colorado. I came to visit my family and he worked at a restaurant at the time, and I thought he was cute, but I lived in a different state so when I moved back here, I thought “I’m going to find that guy” and I did, then I asked him out on a date and the rest is his tory” Hardy said.

Knowing that this is your first year of teaching what was your job before coming to East High?

Here is some of Hardy’s artwork and the materials she uses.

“I really like found objects because they’re free and I think it makes the art interesting. So, for example is someone threw away plywood or you know an old window paint I’m going to get that and probably paint on it with some acrylic paint more than likely or even watercolor paint, but definitely plywood has been a lot of fun for me” Hardy said.

Have you seen the new 5’2, ginger col ored hair teacher around? You can find her in room 4005M. When you walk into her room, you’re greeted by a warm smile and feel a sense of comfort and ease. You can tell it’s going to be a good year with this teacher. Her name Liz Hardy, and she’s the new graphic design teacher. Here’s an inside look at her life in and outside of East High School.

What was your childhood like?

“I grew up in Beaverdale, Iowa. Growing up, my childhood was a lot of fun. My mom was an art teacher, so we spent a lot of our sum mers in her art room, you know playing around, making mischief and it was a great childhood for sure. My dad had a lot of different jobs like equipment maker, wood worker, things like that” Hardy said.

In Hardy’s childhood she had to overcome some challenging obstacles but that never got in the way of her pursuing her goals in life.

“In my childhood, I was dyslexic , and I also had ADD and at that time it really wasn’t ad dressed the way it is now so school was hard for me for sure, so I took a lot of summer school” Hardy said.

What was college like?

“I loved college I first went to the art institute of Colorado where I got my bachelor’s degree in Ashlar design did that for a few years then I got my second bachelor’s degree at upper Iowa where I was taking night classes and subbing during the day. Hopefully I can get my masters I figured out I way I could study that really fit the way think which is good,” Hardy said.

Tell me a little bit about your family?

“I had a lot of different jobs in Colorado as a designer I helped design mannequins for large retail companies and that was a lot of fun I really enjoyed that” Hardy said.

Hardy also worked as a furniture designer, cosmetic designer and a designer Snapple and their bottles

“I worked as a contractor so, it was kind of stressful because you had to apply for those jobs but, at the end I was working for a company called Tensentric it was a medical design com pany that was strait laced, and I had a beautiful office working there” Hardy said.

Then Hardy thought about it and knew that this path she was on just wasn’t for her.

“It just wasn’t for me; it was hard to give it up because I worked so hard for it but at the same time, I couldn’t imagine continuing with that and being unhappy…”

After Hardy left her last job, she did a few more things.

“…I worked for Whole Foods a little bit, I was the buyer for the supplement section, then I transferred to the West Des Moines store. Once I had my daughter, Judy, I didn’t really want to work until later. I then worked with kids that had profound needs and I loved it. Then I went back to school for me education degree,” Hardy said.

Lastly how has it been working here at East?

“I love it, when I was applying for different jobs, I knew I wanted to work here. This was the only school that had student on their interview panel, and I think that’s so important because you guys should have a say in who your teacher are. I loved that aspect,” Hardy said.

L. Hardy

J. White

Photo

THE WONDROUS

LIFE OF JULIANA HUEGERICH.

East High School’s roaring new Science department teacher.

During

the 20212022 school year, East High School went through an extreme teacher shortage, specifically in the Science department. Students were being put in the release room because there was a biology teacher missing, and eventually existing classes were made twice as large so that kids could learn in a real environment instead of being put into an empty room. Right before second semester, Juliana Huegerich was introduced as a biology sub to help solve the issue of the overflowing classrooms with more students than they could fit. Huegerich surpassed expectations for her students. Unfortunately, she’s no longer a sub here. But you’ve seen her standing in the science department? Huegerich is now a full-time teacher at East.

“The students made me want to stay,” Huegerich said.

Huegerich spent most of her schooling career in Norwalk. Norwalk is a bedroom community, where most of the schools are named Norwalk Elementary, Middle, and High School, and the people who work there travel to Des Moines for work. Norwalk is a small community, and it only has a grocery store and a few places

to eat. Huegerich later went to the University of Northern Iowa to study teaching and to get out of the small community that she had grown up in all her life.

“There’s nothing to do there,” Huegerich said.

Growing up, Huegerich’s mother and father divorced when she was very young. She also has an older brother and an older sister. Some of her pride and joy consists of her pets who are named Ron, a beta fish in her classroom, and her three cats Bill, Ted, and Cattarot. Huegerich describes growing up as “chronically lonely” because of trouble making friends in

something she enjoys doing in her free time. She even has a steam deck so that she can play more games and bigger games on her computer. Because of her beta fish Ron, Huegerich has also started a hobby in keeping fish. Huegerich is into all sorts of music from pop and indie to rock and alternative music. She even said that she listens to a mix of those genres at one time.

“I don’t really listen to a specific type of music, but I listen to music that makes me happy,” Huegerich said.

early childhood, but things turned around in college and she found people that she clicked with and that she truly felt she had close connections with.

“I would never have described my childhood as ‘tough,’ but I would have described it as chronically lonely,” Huegerich said.

Dungeons and Dragons and gaming are a huge part of Huegerich’s passions. She really enjoys the finer art of what a game can bring to you, and it’s

Huegerich has always wanted to teach. Her fifth-grade teacher really inspired her and pushed her to be better, and that helped her along her teaching journey. Huegerich went straight from college to teaching as a longterm substitute at East High School because of the teacher shortage East was going through at the time. She was very nervous about starting because it was a new place, and she was teaching biology which is not Huegerich’s teaching specialty. Despite these worries, Huegerich quickly found her place in East.

“I was really nervous to start...I just clicked with certain students,” Huegerich said.

Since starting at East, Huegerich has made a variety of improvements. She is now a full-time teacher and teaches

“The students made me want to stay.” - Juliana Huegerich

HUEGERICH’S TOP PICKS

both physics and biology. Though Huegerich still feels that biology is not the right class for her, she feels that she has made tremendous improvements this school year. Huegerich has also been running gardening club since she started teaching at East with fellow colleague Owen Hernandez. Huegerich is also the new GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) advisor.

“It’s all happening pretty fast,” Huegerich said.

Huegerich’s coworkers and friends talk about her in a positive light. One of the other science teachers, Jeffery Mowitz, is very excited about her and her teaching.

“Juliana is passionate and is constantly trying to get better…She’s a very good teacher,” Mowitz said.

Students are constantly excited for Huegerich’s classes. They think that she’s a fantastic teacher, and some students are taking her class again this year.

“She’s a cool teacher,” Bryan Alvarez Ceballos.

Huegrich

Him Away” by

Poor

Amor

Afamiliar face has graced the East High community with her presence again, but this time as a teacher. You may have known her from her time at East, or from her sister Galilea Lechuga, the senior class president. Meet Gennezaret Lechuga, East’s new environmental science and learn ing transitions teacher.

Gennezaret Lechuga is an East High Alumni from the class of 2017. After she graduated from East, she went to DMACC for two years to complete a liberal arts program. She then transferred to Grand view and spent two years there to complete her teaching program and graduated this year. Gennezaret Lechuga student taught at Johnston High School this past January and at Callanan Middle School. Although she enjoyed the middle school experience, she knew she wanted to work with older kids. And what better place to teach than her alma mater.

During her time at East, Gennezaret Lechuga recalled that there weren’t as many clubs and activities at East as there are now. She recognized groups such as the GSA, the anime clubs, and how she would’ve loved for those to be around during her time. She is sponsoring the K-pop club at East. When

Gennezaret Lechuga

Meet East’s new environmental science teacher

asked about improvements she wanted to bring to East, Gennezaret Lechuga said that she wanted to bring in more resources to students for their social emotional health. This can include daily checkups on how students are doing in school and in their personal life.

“That’s rewarding for me, when they tell me ‘Okay I want to learn this’ and so I want

prioritize. When asked about advice he wanted to give Gennezaret Lechuga for her teaching career, Spaine said,

“Try to build relationships with your students, try to understand them,” Spaine also mentioned that he wants her to not take teaching personal.

“Don’t take things too personal in the classroom, because if you do, you find your self going in the wrong direction,” Spaine said.

to implement that in my classroom,” Gen nezaret Lechuga said.

Gennezaret Lechuga really wants to focus on getting to know her students and building a bond. Something that Mr. Spaine, Gennezaret Lechuga’s teacher during her time at East mentioned he wants her to

Spaine even touched on Gennezaret Le chuga’s sister Galilea Lechuga, East’s senior class president, and how she was just a little girl when she would sit in on her big sister’s parent teacher conferences with Spaine. And how he can’t believe she’s a senior and the senior class president. Galilea Lechuga has always wanted to be at the same school as her sister. “I’ve always wanted that, be cause me and my sister are six years apart… It’s my dream to finally be with my sister at school,” Galilea Lechuga said.

Now that you’ve gotten to know more about Gennezaret Lechuga, her back ground, her time at East, and some kind words and advice from friends and family. You can find her in room 4001M.

“That’s rewarding for me, when they tell me ‘Okay I want to learn this’ and so I want to implement that in my classroom.” -Gennezaret Lechuga

Meet East’s new environmental science teacher

story/J. Drew

Q&A with Mrs. Rink

Story/ Z. Ross

A calm classroom with fairy lights, positive affirmations around the room, four rows of desks, a large poster board on the right side of the classroom parallel to a white board, another white board at the front of the classroom. This room belongs to East High School, LGBTQ+ History teacher, Mrs. Rink. This is Mrs. Rink’s first year teaching, and you may not know much about her, but after this you will.

What made you want to teach?

Rink loved working with young people and had been working with kids for a while, she started baby-sitting then worked in DHS after college, thought for a while then realized teaching was calling, and both her parents were teachers.

Why did you decide to teach at East?

She did practicum at East (30-hour week) and loved it. She worked with Ms. Fitzgerald and loved it, she super excited/honored to do LGBTQ+ History. She was asked to take the position as the LGBTQ+ history teacher.

What do you want to achieve with teaching?

“Teaching has way more to with teaching people how to be good people, than the content the content is important and you need it to graduate, I 100 percent believe in that, but I really want to put more good into the world,” Rink said.

Why was LGBTQ+ history what you decided to teach?

“I think LGBTQ history has not been in mainstream ever,” Rink said “The fact we’re making it more acceptable gives representation and makes their history just as important,” Rink said.

How do you plan your teaching and run your classes?

“There is a base curriculum, but I add flare, I like discussion, I think the best way to under stand and learn history then talk about,” Rink said.

Do you identify as LGBTQ? (What do you identify as)

“Yes, I do! Pansexual and polyamorous which is very new to me, that is a last two years figuring that out,” Rink said

Rink grew up with a lot of negative and invalidating reactions surrounding her identity from friends, “It’s not hard to be OUT,” Rink said.

How do you define your labels?

“Hard question, growing up; I grew up with a lot of friends who were proud to be out, and labels were hard for me because people would tell me ‘That’s not who you are’ or ‘You’re not gay enough’ and that’s really hard,” Rink said.

“It’s hard because for a long time I would say I’m just an ally, but I get these thoughts, and turns out straight people don’t think the way I think, that was something I had to learn the hard way…I had to learn how to be okay with who I was, because I absolutely hated myself because I didn’t know where I belonged,” Rink said.

Could you tell us more about your relationships, to what you’re comfort able with.

Mrs. Rink has been with her husband, married for five years, together for 10, he is aware that Rink is in LGBTQ+ and they both consider themselves in the community, and she came out to him a year ago. “He kinda has this bi-wife energy,” Rink said. When they met, she described herself “kind of gay ” then realized her polyamory is a part of her queerness.

Who do you live with?

“I live with my husband, two dogs, Chief and

Sasha, two cats Mau and Popoki, all cats have been named cat just in another language. My first cat was Gato, then we had Chat, cat in French, then Neko-Chan, now we have Mau and Popoki, Neko~Chan was my favorite he was so dumb,” Rink said.

How would you describe yourself?

Rink describes herself as understanding , empathetic, nice, comfy, shy at first or in groups.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Rink enjoys cooking, reading, phycological thriller books, ‘Silent Patient’ and series ‘You’ which started as a book and turned into a show, watching shows, mostly bad ones, her favorite is reality dating, her actual favorite shows are Downton Abby and Game of Thrones, and she also enjoys rock climbing, and the outdoors in general.

Why did you originally go into Crimi nal Justice?

“For helping younger people,” Rink said. Rink always knew going into a subject to help younger people was her plan, she just wasn’t sure which path to go into, she worked in a few areas before deciding on teaching.

Mrs. Rink is a new LGBTQ+ history teacher exxcided to teach here at East, the positive enviorment of her classroom, and experiance in the community makes her class a fun one to take.

Jeanna Joyce hard at work to give her students the best learning experience possible

The story of Jeanna Joyce

Story/K.Consolver & V.Carreon

Fun, caring, smart, and talented, these are just a few words that describe East High English teacher Jeanna Joyce. Mrs. Joyce is not only an amazing teacher, but she is also a mother and grandmother.

Like a mother, Joyce cares about all her students and wants to give students more sense of belonging.

“I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a little kid,” Joyce said.

Joyce grew up in northern California with her massive family. She grew up on her family’s farm with her husband. As a child, she enjoyed working on the farm and paddle boarding. During the summer she loves yoga class and cooking. She then went on to graduating high school in California.

“My family is the base for every decision I make, they are behind it all,” Joyce said.

study all the way until college. “College was a mess,” Joyce said. She originally went to college to become an elementary school teacher. She then went to college to become a doctor, but after having her daughter, she found out her daughter born with a heart condition, stopping her from being able to continue her schoolwork. After failing a whole semester, Joyce was kicked out of school for five years before she could return to their school. After these five years, she is now in school furthering her education as an English teacher, Joyce taught at Hiatt Middle School and then moved to East High School which is where she is today.

“This year is very special to me because a lot of my students from Hiatt are students at East this year and I love seeing them pass by in the hallways,” Joyce said.

Joyce has always had a passion for teaching way back since she was a child; her inspiration was her sixth-grade lan guage arts teacher, Mrs. Bleam. Bleam has inspired Joyce since taking her class and she knew that becoming a teacher would be her dream job. Joyce went onto working with Mrs. Bleam as a library assistant. She kept this aspiration of working in the English “nothing else matters” - Metallica

Joyce values her mental health and makes sure that she has ways to balancing her school life to her personal life to make sure that the two places that take make up her day-to-day life, stay separate. Joyce keeps schoolwork at school and home things at home. “School work stays at school,” Joyce said. This is to help not only her happiness but her family and her students. Joyce uses

words to describe East such as “Traditions, Resiliency and Community,” Joyce said. She appreciates and admires the traditions we have here at East High School. An example Joyce gave was the roses on the last day of school. Joyce wants to bring the East com munity together and make everyone feel like they can thrive and give them this sense of belonging at East High School and espe cially inside of her classroom.

“From students to staff to administra tors there’s resiliency,” Joyce said.

Students here at East High School describe Joyce as “Fun, helpful and full of life, “Student Brody Baker said. As many others agree, Joyce has always had a safe and comfortable environment for her students. “My experience in Ms. Joyce class was really good, I loved her class and I thought she taught very well,” Baker said.

Joyce is a kindhearted teacher, student, mother, and grandmother who cares about her family and only wants the best for each one of her student’s. As she continues educating, she wants to help her students feel like they belong and inspire just as her teachers in the past have inspired her.

Jeanna Joyce’s playlist

“Under your scars” - Godsmack

“my immortal” - Evanescence

“See you again” - Wiz Khalifa

“Hey There Delilah” - Plain White T’s

Mrs. Joyce’s story is a story of love, love for her family, love for her students, and overall love for all those around her

The life of Kori Williams

Blonde

hair, 5’6, patient teach er, a person who you can talk to. She on the third floor or sometimes in her room on the fourth floor. This is Kori Williams. She’s been at East for four years and she’s someone everyone should know!

If you struggle with reading, writing, math, spelling, or you have an IEP you might know Williams. She is an IEP teacher. IEP stands for Individualized Education Program, a program is for kids who need a little more help than others. Williams takes her job very seriously. She does everything she can to make sure her students are pass ing and getting the help they need. Al though she’s only been working at East for four years, she’s been teaching for 19.

“I like to be a teacher and see the kids grow into their education I also like to help the students and give them so good advice about their learning opportunities, and I like to see them archive their goals in life and become of something,” Williams said.

She like to see people grow into good people and learn from their mistakes she likes to help the best way she can and if you need to talk to someone, she is a good person to talk to and she gives out so good advice when you need it, she will always be there to help you with your grades and help you with whatever you need.

“I have a daughter who is 25 and is a third-grade teacher in Ankeny I have a 20-year-old son who is a starting running back at the University of Io wa and I have an eight-year-old son who busy with every thing. I have a busy live,” Williams said.

On top of being a teacher and a mother,

she is a busy woman, and she just wants to do the best she can to do it all.

“In the fall I leave school then I must make sure that I split my time up with my kids so I’m running to activities and foot ball games all that good fun stuff, so I try to be there for all of it, “Williams said.

She loves to send the most time with her family as she can because of her busy schedule at school.

“I was a nontraditional student, and I went to the American Institute of Business. It was called AIB at the time then I became a wife and a mom I said home for a while then I had decided to go back to school to pursue my teaching degree, I went back to school in 2002 and graduated in 2004 and I got my fist teaching job as a title one reading teacher. Then, a year later I became a third-grade teacher at McKinley Elemen tary. Then, five years later, after being a third-grade teacher, I became a fourthgrade teacher. Three years in third grade and ten years in fourth grade I had decided I needed, a change so, I went back to school to get my special education endorsement and now I am here at East High School I would not change my decision for the world, I love it here,” Williams said.

“You just have to believe in yourself you have to believe that you can do it and to set your life on the right path and make good decisions and make the right choices and possibilities are endless, but you have to be focused,” Williams said.

Meeting Mrs.Hernandez

East High School’s new Heritage Spanish teacher

You may have seen her standing outside her classroom, 1065M, greeting her students with a warm smile. When you enter her classroom, you’re welcomed with soft music playing in the background. You may have not met her or know much about her, but you’re about to. Meet East High School’s new Heritage Spanish teacher, Shelia Her nandez.

How many kids do you have?

Hernandez has three kids, her oldest is Meralyz who is 19, Jeray who is 15 and her youngest Janiel, is 11.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Hernandez was born and raised in Puerto Rico. As a kid, Hernandez would always play in the water and in the mud. From where she lived, she had a beautiful view of the Carib bean Sea.

In your free time, what do you like to do?

Hernandez likes to play the piano and talk with her children any chance she gets.

What would your students be sur prised to know about you?

Hernandez is a worship leader at her church, and she knows how to roller skate. Once, Hernandez went ice skating for the first time with her kids and she was able to ice skate with ease, Hernandez was nervous that she would fall on the ice, but she didn’t fall once.

What other schools have you taught at, and for how long?

“I had a children’s center for seven years,” Hernandez said.

She then taught Head Start for three years in Omaha Nebraska, taught at Moore Elementary in 2018, Hoover Middle school in 2019, Mer edith Middle School in 2020, Hiatt Middle School in 2021 and she hopes to stay at East.

Why did you choose to teach at East?

“Because when I got here, from Puerto Rico, East side became my community, and

my kids went to school on the East side,” Hernandez said.

She loves teaching heritage Spanish because she has great students.

“I’m very happy to work with students that are Hispanic, like me,” Hernandez said.

What are your school goals for this year as a teacher?

“Help my students love their roots, their cultures, and where their family is from even more. And that they learn to appreciate speaking Spanish and how special it is to be bilingual. Together we can grow more, both professionally and like people,” Hernandez said.

What school goals do you have for the future?

Hernandez hopes to keep helping and get more involved in the Hispanic commu nity. Hernandez wants to keep promoting East’s school’s diverse culture and get her master’s degree.

Anything else to add?

“I’m very blessed to be a part of East and to have the opportunity to work with the community,” Hernandez said.

"Together we can grow more, both professionally and like people," -Shelia Hernandez said.

Story/E. Saldana

Meet Ms. NaranjoMeet Ms. Naranjo

Photo/O Littell

Littell

Nice, kind, heartwarming, thoughtful, sweet, fabulous, teacher, friend, mentor, admirable. All these words can be used to describe Ms. Jen nyfer Naranjo, the new Spanish teacher at East High School. Here’s a deeper look into her life.

What made you decide to become a teacher?

“I wanted to have a positive impact on students,” Naranjo said.

Why did you choose to teach at East High School?

“It felt very homey, and the school is so diverse. I just love the atmosphere,” Naranjo said.

What are your goals?

“My dream house, with two to three kids, and to travel around the world,” Naranjo said.

What is a Hardship you’ve had to overcome?

Naranjo said that being a first-gener ation immigrant was very hard. Also, being the first person in her family to go to college. She was often told that she just wasn’t meant for college. How do you want others to see you?

“An outgoing teacher that students are comfortable talking too,” Naranjo said. Who is your inspiration? And why?

Naranjo said her parents serve as her inspiration because “They came to this country with nothing and worked the hardest to give me everything I could ever want,” Naranjo said.

What is the song makes you cry the most? And why?

“Amor Eternol (Eternal Love) because it reminds me of who I’ve lost,” Nara njo said.

What do you do to stay connected to your racial identity?

“Music, Food, Zapa Teando Juyayay,” Naranjo said.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

“I am very excited; this school is so welcoming,” Naranjo said.

Favorite things about Ms. Naranjo

“I really enjoy her style of teaching.”

Caulfield/10

“She’s very welcom ing and I enjoy her style of teaching.”

Jackson/10

Photo/O Littell

East High’s new Associate Principals

Derek SchultzDerek Schultz

Mary SalazarMary Salazar

Photos/N. Gully

It’s possible that you saw them pacing East High School’s hallways. Keeping tabs on you, serving and encouraging excellence at East. Even though you have never met them, you can tell they have some sort of authority. They may not be familiar to you right now, but they will be shortly. Meet Derek Schultz, and Mary Salazar. These two people are the new associate princi pals at East High School.

What does an associate principal do?

A day in the life of an associate principal is never the same. They interact with students and teachers throughout the day. They can be seen guiding students in getting to class in the hallways. An associate principal is the instruc tional leader for a teacher; they provide teachers with the greatest resources so they can employ the most successful strategies for motivating students to succeed. They want to build relation ships with students and guide them in addition to being an educational leader. They want to encourage students to assume leadership roles now and when they complete high school and begin their careers.

Mary Salazar

Can you tell us about your own educa tion?

Salazar earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from the University of Iowa. She graduated from Buena Vista University with a master’s in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. At Viterbo University, she complet ed her coursework in educational administration.

Can you tell us about your family?

Salazar and her husband have a 13-year-old daughter who is involved in band and sports at her school. She is close with her three older sisters as well. Despite being dispersed across the country, they try to meet at least once a year.

What do you like to do in your free time?

“Most of my free time is spent shuttling my 13-year-old to her sports and other events. When I do have some time to myself, I like to read or craft,” Salazar said.

Where are you from and how did that shape you?

Salazar is from Clinton, in Eastern Iowa along the Mississippi River. Her community, and her family, was made up of hard-working people who would lend a hand to anyone in need. She got her first job at 13 so she could have spend ing money. “Growing up where I did made me value hard work,” Salazar said.

What made you want to come to East High School?

“The feeling of community at East is what made me excited to work here. East is a huge place, but there is this feeling of community that radiates everywhere,” Salazar said.

What do you believe are East’s biggest chal lenges, and what ideas do you have to address these challenges?

“Being new to East, I am still learning about what challenges exist and what things are in place to work on them. Although not the big gest issue we face, getting students to class on time is something I think would have a positive impact for everyone. If students are in class on time, they don’t miss instruction. That can positively impact grades. Having students where they are supposed to be also makes East a safer place. That’s why you’ll keep seeing my smiling face in the hallways encouraging everyone to get to class,” Salazar said.

Derek Schultz

Can you tell us about your own educa tion ?

Schultz was raised in a small town in Iowa and attended William Penn University, which has a widely diverse group of students. He had his first opportunity to meet diversity there. Morningside University awarded him a master’s

degree in special education.

Tell us about your family

His wife works for Des Moines Public Schools even though she graduated from Johnston. She’s a success case manager at South Union Elementary School. They are kept busy by their two boys, William, who is two, and Hudson, who will be five in February. They also have a dog named Elliot.

What made you want to come to East High School?

“What made me want to work at East was the sense of pride the community has; I worked at Weeks Middle School previously, and Weeks Middle School students can transfer to Lincoln or East. I already had relationships with students who are now juniors and some who are now sophomores and freshmen; as a result, having already built relationships with students and coming to a building such as East that has a big sense of pride is what really drove me to come here,” Schultz said.

What do you believe are East’s biggest challenges and how will you address them?

“I believe that East is much like any other school in this city in that it faces similar chal lenges regarding attendance, which may be caused by various barriers like transportation and motivation. As a result, I want to help close the attendance gap by ensuring that teachers employ strategies to have engaging classrooms and make them enjoyable for students,” Schultz said.

What do you like to do in your free time?

He enjoys working out a lot, which kind of gets him going in the morning, so he gets up early at four. He likes playing golf, watching the Iowa Hawkeyes, and Saturdays. Being the family cook and someone who loves to cook, he enjoys experimenting with new foods.

Story/B. Gillard

Douglass wants to eventually coach volleyball and track for East.

“When I was a junior here at East, I said I was going to come back here and eventually coach. So, I’m working to get into coaching,” Douglass said.

story/H.Hanawalt

Freshmen’s

First day of High school

Do you remember your freshmen year? Do you remember your first day walking into East High school for the first time? Were you nervous, anxious, calm? Here are some of East High Schools new Freshmen to tell you about their first day of school experiences and a senior to give you thier perspective for freshmen.

Gracie Monte Khaos

How did you expect your first day of high school to go?

“I thought I would get lost in the school because its bigger than the middle school I went to,” Freshmen Gracie Hutchins said.

Do you have a favorite class, if so, what is it and why?

“Biology is my favorite because the teacher is really nice and doesn’t yell hardly at all,” Hutchins said.

How is high school different form middle school?

“High school is different from middle school because it’s a lot bigger and we have more free dom to do things,” Hutchins said.

Is lunch different from middle school?

“Yes, we are able to leave campus and get food, rather than staying in the lunchroom the entire time,” Hutchins said.

How did you expect your first day of high school to go?

“I expected my first day of schools to go okay /good because I got to see all my friends,” Freshmen Monte Johnson said.

How is high school different from middle school?

“A lot more people more to crowd the hallways and the kids are more mature,” Johnson said.

Do you have a favorite class? If so what is it and why?

“Probably weight lifting class because I don’t do work, I just lift,” Johnson said.

Are sports different from middle school?

“Sports are a little different in high school you can get moved up so yes they are just a little bit,” Johnson said.

How has high school changed since your freshmen year?

“As time went on, I’ve noticed people have started to calm down more. Freshman year a lot people were still acting like middle schoolers but you don’t really see that too much anymore,” Senior Khaos Palmer said.

Who has been someone that has helped you through out your high school years?

“My favorite teachers throughout my time be ing here are Mr. Cox and Mr. Wright have been people who have really helped. Not only have I loved their classes, but Mr. Wright even went as far as to give me a resource to help me reach my goals after high school,” Palmer said.

What advise do you have for freshmen’s to be as successful as they can be in high school?

“Put your ego to the side. You’re not too good for school. There’s always something you can learn. You need to be willing to learn,” Palmer said.

Do you think central classes are some thing students should consider doing? If so why?

“Central classes are a great way to find a career or even see if a career isn’t the one for you. People should definitely consider central classes,” Palmer said.

Photo/

Q & A with Ms. Ward

A glimps into the new library associate

You walk out of class and check your schedule, “Oh” you sigh. You have study hall and have nothing to do. A thought comes to mind, “Maybe I’ll go check out the library” you think. As you reach the library door, it pushes open, and you look around. A bright smiling face approaches you,” Hi there! How may I help you?” she asks. “Hello ” you say,” I’m here to check out the library.” “Perfect, I can show you around.” She answered enthusiastically. A question popped into your mind,” What is your name?” “I’m Ms. Ward, the new library associate.”

What made you choose to be a library associate?

“I became a library associate because I am passionate about literacy and literature. I think everyone can enjoy reading, but some might need sup port to find the kinds of books that grow their curiosity. I am pursuing my teaching certification for English language arts, and this role gives me the opportunity to work with and learn from students as I learn in my classes,” Ward said.

What is your favorite book?

“I have too many favorites to name today, but my favorite book in high school was ‘Everyday ’ by David Levithan,” She said.

How long have you been associated with East? Has your experi ence been enjoyable?

“Last year, I was a substitute teacher, and I spent most of my time here at EHS. If you were in an English or ELL class, you likely saw me at least once. I enjoy being in the library this year and supporting students in a new way. I’m proud to be an official Scarlet this year,” Ward said.

What are some of your hobbies?

“Other than reading, some of my favorite things to do are writing, listening to music and podcasts baking, and spending time with my family and friends,” She said.

Tell me about your family

“In my family, I have three younger brothers and three dogs. Cash, one of the dogs, is three years older than my youngest brother,” Ward said. Her dog’s names are Cash, he is a boxer Italian greyhound mix, Benny, he is a sheepadoodle, and Pedey, he is a goldendoodle.

As a library associate, what do you do?

“As a library associate, I supervise Directed Study classes, check out books to students and teachers, schedule meetings at the library, and orga nize our collection of books,” Ward said.

Who is your biggest inspiration in life?

“My greatest inspiration in life is my mom. She is determined, confi dent in her decisions, and encourages those around her to do the best they can,” She said.

What is one of your favorite memories at east?

“My favorite East memories are often connected to helping students better understand their assignments and papers. I enjoy helping them reach a ‘lightbulb’ moment to feel more confident in their knowledge,” Ward said.

Why did you choose to work at East?

“I chose to work at East High School because I felt welcomed by the supportive community when I was a substitute teacher. I’ve had great experiences with students and staff, and I hope to have a positive impact in my role,” Ward said.

Ms. Wards A look into dogs

Pedey

Photo/ I. Ward

Photo/ I. Ward

Photo/ I. Ward

Cash Benny

The women behind the line

Photo/N. Gully Story/N.Gully

Pictured left to right : Lisa Lloyd, Alsie Carr, Amber Schmidt, Reyna Perales, Maria Rubal calva, Josefina Jacobo Meza, Rolonda Sutton, Violet Nations, Dawn Weichman

Not pictured: Carol Jenkins

fun fact!

The cafeteria at East is called Jake’s Place. It was named that because when East was renovating the connector building, they were given $1 million from the district. They needed more money, so they were responsible for raising money with the help of the Eastsiders. They received many donations but one of the biggest donations came from the Jacobson group, so they named the cafeteria after the group.

Meet the ladies who are in charge of the lunchroom and learn a little more about a few of their lifes outside of work.

In

the early 19th century, school lunches did not exist. Students went to school all day and would not eat unless they packed a lunch. When serving students lunch started, it wasn’t nationwide. Only a few small cities and states would provide basic lunches to their students. In 1894, Philadelphia and Boston implemented a school lunch pro gram. They were the first big states to do so in the United States. Eventually everyone followed suit and lunches were being served to students all around the country. Could you imagine going to school without a lunchroom in 2022? Lunch ladies play a huge role in schools now, especially the lunch ladies at East High School.

Like any other high school lunch crew, the ladies must prepare and serve students for breakfast and lunch. So, it’s not their work that makes them so special, its who they are. They get to meet and talk to more students than probably anyone else in the building in one day. They love getting to know the students and learning their names even though not many students know any of their names.

“I love seeing the kid’s getting food, and I love when they talk to me,” Lisa Lloyd said.

Many students come into the lunchroom, grab a tray, get their veggies or fruit, they grab a milk and then checkout. Nobody asks the lunch ladies how they’re day was, or even know their names. It may not be there fault, though. There’s always a line in the lunchroom so there isn’t much time for the students to hold a conversa tion when getting food. Then class starts and the lunch ladies must prepare for the next day, but the lunch ladies still value the small conversations they are able to have with some students.

“I think my favorite part about my job is get ting to meet the kids and checking them out and talking to the students,” Violet Nations said.

Nations has only been working at East since the beginning of last school year, but she’s happy she chose to come here. She really

enjoys being able to help kids out. In her free time, she goes to church and helps the kids there. She also works as a part-time delivery driver for Pizza Hut. She’s a little shy but she’s happy she’s able to what she does for the kids at East.

“I like to be with my friends, family, and my boyfriend. I really like to be with my cats, I’m an animal lover,” said Lloyd.

Lloyd has been working at East for eight years. She knew after her first year she was going to stick with East. She’s usually in the kitchen do ing prep work and cleaning so the students may not see her a lot but when she’s able to see and talk to them it really makes her day. She’s a sweet lady and her coworkers love her. They consider her to be the sweetheart. So, she may not be one of the faces you see everyday in the lunchroom, but she’s a beautiful lady with a kind soul who cares a lot about the students.

“I think the days that are the hardest for me are when kids are having bad days because I don’t know how to help them. I really want to help them so not being able to help them is hard,” Dawn Weichman said.

Weichman is the food service manager, and this will be her fourth year in this position. She doesn’t only work for East; she also manages a middle school and two elementary schools. Weichman doesn’t really have an assigned job when she comes in, she just hops in where she’s needed the most. Weichman has two daughters, and two dogs. She really enjoys spending time with her family in her free time and then being able to be with the students at work. Like the rest of the crew, Weichman really loves the students and loves what she does for DMPS.

The rest of the crew are a little bit shy, so, the next time you and your friends are passing through the halls or cafeteria and see a lunch lady, say hi or ask how their day was. Take a little time when you’re free to get to know these beautiful women at East.

Victor raucHo

You’ve seen him in the cafeteria, or maybe in the hallways. He’s always carrying around a trash can or maybe a broom. He’s an unknown presence or maybe a friend to some, But he’s certainly much more than a custodian. His name is Victor Raucho and he is a custodian at East High School. Here is an inside look at his life in and out of East.

Q: Why did you choose this position?

A: “About 16 years ago they told me that there was an open ing position here, but they said you may not like it because its East and it’s big, but I always want to try things, so I tried, and I liked it because the students and we connected. “I connected with all the students and staff and my coworkers,” Raucho said.

Q: What’s your favorite part about this position?

A: “My favorite part about East is when I talk to the kids and I’m doing my job. Sometimes if they’re bad they have to do some type of community hours, and so they bring them to me, and I help them out and talk to them about trying to do the right thing.”

Q: What annoys you about your job?

A: “There’s only one thing that annoys me and it’s what the seniors did, like throw eggs and toilet paper so high, and we don’t have the equipment to clean it I hate knowing that it’s there and I can’t clean it,” Raucho said.

Q: How long have you been here?

A: “I came in 2007, so on my way to 15 years this November”, Raucho said.

Q: What do you do outside of school?

A: “I like to spend time with my daughter and my grand kids, and go and watch football games,” Raucho said.

Q: What are some of your goals outside of your job?

A: “I want to open my own company with lawn mower service and I’m going to be working extra hours and part time so that I can get everything ready, that’s my goal,” Raucho said.

Q: What are some of your dreams?

A: “My dream is kind of the same as my goal I want to be able to start my own company and then retire and go to Mexico and come back and enjoy life,” Raucho said.

Q: What are your hobbies?

A: “Not really any I’m always busy because I have two jobs, I don’t really have time, but I started practicing guitar,” Raucho said.

Q: What’s a memory you’ll never forget from working here at East?

A: “ I remember the first time I was working in the cafeteria and there was a girl crying because she didn’t want to be here and it was her first day from another country, I tried to talk to her and tell her that we are in the same position right now I’m just new here, but I think we got to be positive and move on and try so I did and she did and that’s why I’ve stayed here so long,” Raucho said.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: “I’d just like to thank you for taking your time to talk to me I know you guys are busy with school and stuff like that, for you guys to take time its really something for me and I appreciate it and you and your teachers, because I know people like you guys are the ones who keep the school the way it is in a positive way.”

teachers who involve us in

like to thank

daily things that

do,”

Introducing Kiya James

You might see her outside of the school in the morning, at Williams Stadium running around the track, or on the softball field stretching at first base to make close plays, meet the hardworking, athlete, and East freshman Kiya James.

“Exuberant. Her smile lights up the room and she is full of energy, Intense, natural leader and so smart,” her father Carlos James Said.

Kiya never lets other people’s opinions affect how she acts in her day-to-day life. Kiya knows how to keep her chin up and wear her crown high.

“She doesn’t care about what people think about her,” freshman Lohna Hernandez- Howard said.

She has always been a family person and loves her fam ily more than anything. She has two older brothers that have moved out and two very loving parents.

“Hang ing out with my brothers when I was little and just doing things with my family,” Kiya said.

Kiya has been playing softball for eight years and has always loved the game. Her dad, Carlos James, has coached her for seven years of those years.

“For me it’s a joy to see her growth and devel opment as a player and as a leader on her team. She is such a talented, smart and one of the most intensely competitive players that I have coached,” Carlos said.

Kiya and her father are very close and do almost everything together. Carlos pushes Kiya to become a better person both on and off the field.

“There are definitely pros and cons of him coaching me. Like, I know that I can always go to him with my problems because he is my dad. But since we have such a close relationship, sometimes

it’s hard because I don’t want to upset him,” Kiya said.

Kiya is not only an amazing softball player, but she also plays volleyball, track, and used to play basketball and is debating on playing again this year. When she chooses to do something, she works very hard to make sure that she does it to the best of her abilities.

When asked, her father described her work ethic as:

“Focused. Because she hates if she does any thing wrong and is very intent on doing it the right way and doing it well,” Carlos said.

Kiya is a very smart person and has never failed to get outstanding grades in all her classes.

“My favorite class this year would probably be Journalism because of how open the class is, and I love Mrs. Niemeyer as a teacher,” Kiya said.

Having a great relationship with her teachers is one of the many things that Kiya is great at doing.

“My least favorite class thought would prob ably have to be Human geography because of how complex it is, and I don’t have many friends in there,” Kiya said.

Challenges are nothing for Kiya though, she is taking two classes this year that count for col lege credits just as a freshman. In softball, she has always played up in age and has always dominated on the field.

Kiya has always been an outgoing and happy person. Talented, funny, beautiful, fun, and great attitude were all words that some of Kiya’s closest friends described her as. She is always there when you need her, and she is always there if you need someone to talk to.

“...Her smile lights up the room and she is full of energy...” -father Carlos James

photo/C.James

photo/C.James

photo/C.James

photo/C.James photo/C.James

photo/K.James photo/K.James

It’s a hot summer day in June at the Des Moines Pride Fest. Looking around, you see a diverse group of people of all ages dressed in rainbow attire. You see smiles and people express ing their love. It seems to light up the entire planet. You are approached by a person holding a sign that says, “All Homos Go to Hell.” You have now been a victim of homophobia, alongside the many other Americans who have also experienced this.

Sitting right in the middle of Des Moines is East High School, Iowa’s most diverse high school. Filled with so many different and unique students, you will find that many students at East High advocate for equality such as the stigma around the LG BTQ+ community.

“There definitely is a stigma around the LGBTQ+ community, I feel like a lot of people don’t know queer people, their thoughts came

from stereotypes and ideas, they miss the whole point of who queer people actually are,” senior Kate Bartz said.

Presented on social media, in movies, and in stores, you will see multiple different ways stereotypes are placed on the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think stereotypes come from negative representation in television a lot. Especially in earlier television, a lot of queer-coded characters were represented as villains. I also think the stigma comes from a religious standpoint because people tend to fall back on the bible,” Bartz said.

Because of this stigma surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, many gay people struggle with their mental health and being able to build strong relationships with family, friends, and peers. From their families not being accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, to the LGBTQ+ community fearing what oth ers may think of them.

“It’s kind of funny because I am very straight passing, people just automatically as sume I am straight. I hear a lot of my friends talk about the queer community in a negative way,” Bartz said.

To show support, multiple places in the United States host Pride parades and Pride festivals. This is an event where LGBTQ+ members can express themselves, find support groups, and meet new

it feels like

are alone, just know there

a whole

people.

“I have been to pride fest; my experience was amazing meeting with so many open-minded people. Everyone there was so nice,” junior Sophie Lopez said.

Although this event was made to increase support and awareness for LG BTQ+ community, many Anti-LGBTQ+ groups attend these festivals and parades to scold and “con vert” homosexuals back to being heterosexual.

“I did run into some anti-LGBTQ people. They said some things, you know, the usual, that I am a sinner, and I will go to hell, and I turned my back on God. It sucked hearing those things because it’s not like I chose to be Pansexual or liking the same gender,” Lopez said.

Regarding these AntiLGBTQ+ groups, it can be dreaded for the LGBTQ+ community to think about the future. Although there is no certain law in place prohibiting same-sex mar riage, there are laws that can create a foundation for a law to be in place such as the Roe Vs. Wade trial.

“I of course fear for the future of my community. There are so many people fighting against the commu nity and all we really have at the end of the day is each other. That’s why we need

long as you are happy then that’s per fect.”

L G

B T Q G M A

S

Learn about the stigma surrounding your LGBTQ+ peers.

to stand together, as the community we are and be there for one another,” senior Nata lia Lopez said.

“Even as times have changed, there are still laws to be passed through congress that are anti-LGBTQ+, specifically Anti-Trans. Although some of these have died or have been postponed, it is still scary to imag ine that they almost went through in the first place,” Lopez said.

The East High School Community advocates for equality by sharing personal life struggles and experi ences. East offers support to its students from teachers, coun selors, and even sup port groups.

G. Boley

Stomp out stigma

East High School’s Mental Health Club

Have you ever felt sad and alone, and felt like you had no one to talk to? Have you ever been out with friends but still felt like you had no one? Have you ever felt loss and confused on what you’re feeling but no one to help guide you? Well look no further because East High School now has their very own “Mental health S.O.S.” club that is here for you and your needs. S.O.S. is a program strongly supported by “Please pass the love”. The group focuses on youth mental health and finds young youth leaders to help build the pro gram. The S.O.S. club is new to East High School this year. However, the program is providing help within schools throughout Iowa.

S.O.S. stands for “stomp out stigma.” The mission behind S.O.S. is to spotlight issues around school so students can make change to those problems to positively affect their student life. Youth will also work on self-care, leadership etc. S.O.S. will also work on big projects to promote mental health and help bring positivity to every student. The group helps build young youth mental health ambas sadors, since they believe in empowering of youth voices.

The club started over the summer by four juniors Raegan Park, Melissa Perez, Shirley Rivera-Pogyo and Devyn Sam. These four young youth leaders saw a big issue within the community, and they all came together to start making a change. During the summer they got in contact with the program “Please Pass the Love.” The young youth leaders then had a virtual meeting with the director of “Please Pass the Love,” Gabby Guerra. Guerra then gave the youth leaders the guidance to bring the program “S.O.S.” to the school, so they can start making changes to youth mental health.

The S.O.S. club meets every Tuesday 3:30-4:30 in the Library, open to everyone that would like to attend. These meetings talk about the projects they’re doing and they discuss mental health aware ness around their community. If you have any more questions on how you can get involved with this program, feel free to reach out to East’s S.O.S. leaders.

@dmiscarlets_s.o.s

Shirley Rivera-Pogyo & Melissa Perez

You may have voted for them, seen them at student government meetings or every Friday under the “Williams Stadium” lights cheering for the East High Scarlets. They’re this year’s junior senators, Shirley Rivera’ Pogyo and Melissa Perez. Rivera-Pogyo and Perez are involved in many things at East High, and you’re about to learn more about these amazing empowering women.

What are your future plans for East?

“My future plans for East are to welcome ev eryone and, make everyone feel included and get students involved in more things,” Perez said.

“Making students feel more welcomed, because teachers wouldn’t have jobs without stu dents, we need to focus more on students, their needs, and focus on ways to make them more successful,” Rivera-Pogyo said.

What groups or activities are you involved in at school?

Perez and Rivera-Pogyo love to be involved and show support to East High School and the community. They are both involved in Scarlet Squad, Latinos in Action, S.O.S. mental health group, and cheer. Perez and Rivera-Pogyo love being Scarlets and showing pride in East High School.

What do you enjoy about these groups?

Perez said how she loves how every group she’s involved in is like its own family.

“I love doing things for my school and com munity, each group I’m involved in is very unique and I enjoy being apart of them all,” Perez said.

Rivera-Pogyo said how she is never bored, and she also enjoys being apart of things that help the community and students.

What are your goals as junior senators?

Perez and Rivera-Pogyo both have lots of

goals as class senators but some of their main goals are to spread positivity and to be the voice for the class of 2024 and set a good reputation.

“It’s okay to come to school everyday and know that there are people there that will help and support you even if you don’t know them,” Rivera-Pogyo said.

How do you manage/balance everything you do at school?

While time management can be a big issue, Perez and Rivera-Pogyo both have ways for making time for everything they do. For example, Perez likes to write important dates and times down and set reminders, so she doesn’t forget about anything. Rivera-Pogyo doesn’t forget to prioritize herself and her needs, she makes sure that she has everything done or ready for school groups but also focuses on herself making sure she is not overworking herself.

“I go on walks and think of different ways to problem solve,” Rivera-Pogyo said.

What do you enjoy doing outside of school?

Perez states that she loves to spend quality time with family and friend, she has also discov ered her love for nature, meditating, and yoga. With Rivera-Pogyo in her free time she likes to also be with her friends, and she has developed a connection with painting and its now one of her hobbies.

What sparked your interest to being apart of so many things at school?

Perez and Rivera-Pogyo both want to feel like they’ve accomplished good things during high school before they graduate and be recognized for all their hard work.

“I believe in being the change you want to see

in the world,” Perez said.

“Even though someone didn’t do it for me, I did it for myself,” Rivera-Pogyo said.

What were your reactions of getting the roles of junior senators?

Both Perez and Rivera-Pogyo were shocked they had won the junior senator positions. Perez said how they ran against very amazing people but in the end, they were both extremely proud of themselves.

Scarlet talk

What are Shirley and Melissa’s biggest achievements you’ve witnessed?

“They worked so hard all summer and came into school to work on their plans which just shows their commitment and dedication to the club,” Cano said

What are some good characteristics of Shirley and Melissa?

“I think they are both very driven sand fight for what they want. They both like being leaders, both have very goofy personalities, like to have fun and do the right things,” Yaw said.

Maddie Cano

Kayte Yaw

They’re on the East High Schools cheer leading team, Scarlet Squad and S.O.S. members and they’re the 2022-2023 junior senators. Meet Shirley Rivera-Pogyo & Melissa Perez. Story/ T. Kalwishky

Students are being monitored by DMPS. What, why, and how?

GoGuardian was installed on every student laptop this year. Many sources have called it spyware, but what is it really doing? The short answer; it’s doing a lot, and it’s going to expand soon.

School districts have been keeping an eye on their students since before students had laptops. This isn’t a surprise to anyone. But in recent years, with online learning being shoved into the spotlight as a result of the pandemic, student’s laptops have been the focus of increased district attention. Jump to today, with the pandemic dy ing down and students going to school in person. The new monitoring measures have stayed on student laptops, and many students don’t know about how they are being watched.

Many school districts have started using services like GoGuardian to monitor students and their online activity. Des Moines Public Schools partnered with them in May 2022 and the software has been mandatory for students since then. GoGuardian gives teachers tools to keep students on task or see their screens, and that’s its main purpose, but it goes beyond just that. It looks at student’s web activity, what they’re downloading, the time they’re spending on certain websites and apps, encompassing most of the activity on a laptop with GoGuard ian installed.

“Monitoring is not new, it’s just a new prod uct that’s been implemented,” DMPS Director of Technology Lisa Irey said.

According to Irey, e-mails and Microsoft Teams chats have been searchable by DMPS ad min since before GoGuardian was implemented. The district has had ways of monitoring students digitally for years, and that’s just been expanded upon with new software in recent months. Its introduction was a joint effort within DMPS, involving departments that oversee technology, teaching and learning, and student wellness. Go

Photo/ O. Barnes

Students are feeling spied on in their classrooms and hallways. Some are aware of DMPS monitoring them, and some have no clue.

Guardian has a separate product called Beacon that aims to protect students by scanning chats and e-mails for words that could indicate selfharming or violent ideas and is currently being implemented by DMPS.

“I get why they do it, but I feel like they shouldn’t do it when I’m not at school,” Sopho more Kassidy Quinn said.

Now onto the most important info; what can DMPS and GoGuardian see? As previously men tioned, the district can search e-mails and Teams messages sent by people in the district. They can also see your screen and web activity. Most importantly, GoGuardian collects and stores data on DMPS students. This student data can’t be sold to third parties, and must be destroyed when they graduate, as that’s part of the agreement between DMPS and GoGuardian. As Chrome isn’t compatible with GoGuardian, Chrome is no longer used on student laptops. As of right now, GoGuardian’s Beacon product isn’t active on student laptops, but it is being worked on and will likely activate in coming months.

“I think that DMPS has done a good job bal ancing student safety and privacy, and addressing concerns from our community,” Irey said.

Once Beacon is fully integrated, it will come with it’s own new components for monitoring students; most notably, automated web activity analysis and message/e-mail scanning to search for words indicating self-harming or violent ideas. The focus of Beacon is to watch for signs that students are suffering from mental illness and may need support from counseling and therapy staff. To accomplish this goal, district observation of students will again increase.

“I knew that they watched what apps I did. I thought it was reasonable just to make sure everything was school appropriate, but I feel like they take it a little too far,” Sophomore Kylee Ashley said.

Generally, when interviewed, students knew they were being monitored by the district, but didn’t know how it was done, what was being seen, or what was done with the information gathered. Some students reported being made uncomfortable by DMPS tracking their actions, but despite that, it’s near certain that GoGuard ian will stay on student laptops. “It makes me uncomfortable that the school is watching me,”

A brief history of GoGuardian

2014

Story/ O. Barnes 2015-2017

Aza Steel, Advait Shinde, and R. Todd Mackey launch GoGuardian.

GoGuardian is rolled out to over 600,000 students in deal with LA Unified School District.

GoGuardian for Teachers is launched.

Google Classroom integration for GoGuard ian is announced.

2018-Present

GoGuardian launches Beacon, a program that watches for trigger words related to self-harm. DMPS partners with GoGuardian and inte grates it into all student laptops.

I feel like they take it a

”

Sophomore Kylee

Meet the tribe

EveryFriday night under the Williams Stadium lights you can see these three in front of the student section cheering their East High Scarlets on. Jayden Sort er, Dylan Baldwin, and Memo Sanchez. These are the East High boy student section tribe lead ers for the 2022-23 school year.

What does being in the Tribe mean to you?

“Make sure the football games are fun and people enjoy their time,” Sanchez said.

“To me, I feel like it means we have to take charge especially of the student section make sure were like being apart of the activities the school runs,” Sorter said.

“Being in the tribe is really important to me because I always take pride in being an east sider,” Baldwin said.

Why do you think you were considered for tribe?

“I bring a different type of energy to the game,” Sanchez said.

“The person I am and the energy I bring, I stand out and have fun,” Sorter said.

“I was cool with a lot of seniors last year through baseball and stuff like that,” Baldwin said.

What is your favorite thing about being a tribe leader?

“Being in the front and starting the chants is one of my favorite things,” Sanchez said.

“I have to say other than losing this year, so far just being out there with everyone from school. Just the vibes are good, everyone comes together and have fun and just not worrying about winning 24-7,” Sorter said.

“Being able to start the chants, tailgates, and running the flags,” Baldwin said.

What would you change about the student section?

“People in the student section just have to be a lot louder. I look back and people are just

standing there. We need to get louder for sure,” Sanchez said.

“We are just going to start off simple. We should get a rope and section off the student section from the parents. Especially at away games, we don’t want to be those people to ask them to move,” Sorter said.

“I wish more people would come and partici pate more,” Baldwin said.

What has been your favorite tailgate and why?

“I think the first was probably the best. Lots of people around having fun it just was a good time,” Sanchez said.

“The first one because it was a home game, and everyone pulled up even though it was early,” Sorter said.

“Probably the first one because there were more people there,” Baldwin said.

What is your favorite theme and why?

“The frat boys’ theme would be pretty cool. I think people are going to show out for sure,” Sanchez said.

“East side legend, we get to support every one we lost who went to our school or just on the eastside. Like my boy Dom. Just to come out here and have a remembrance of everyone,” Sorter said.

“The memorial one I like remembering everyone,” Baldwin said.

Is being a tribe leader harder than you thought?

“It was hard at first because we didn’t have time for the first game. But I think we have gotten used to it. We all have our roles,” Sanchez said.

“Yes and no. It is not hard, it is just having responsibilities. Just doing your part for tailgates. Bringing cup pong and water and food for everyone. Each person does their part, then its good,” Sorter said.

Meet the rest of the

tribe

Kayte Yaw

If someone new wanted to know what the tribe was about, how would you describe it ?

All seniors control football games,” Yaw said. “We try to get everyone together in a way try to get things excited and new people involved.”

Kyla Ousley Lee

What is some advice you have for the future tribe leaders?

“Keep the spirit alive, making sure they make the football game themes,” Ousley Lee said.

Lea Golston

If there were any changes that could be made, what would you want it to be?

“Maybe try to get other people who are less involved because it’s a certain group who goes to tailgates and football games I want to get everybody to feel included,” Golston said.

Story: L/Reed

Photo: N/Fuentes-Chavez

Meet the tribe

EveryFriday night under the Williams Stadium lights you can see these three in front of the student section cheering their East High Scarlets on. Jayden Sort er, Dylan Baldwin, and Memo Sanchez. These are the East High boy student section tribe lead ers for the 2022-23 school year.

What does being in the Tribe mean to you?

“Make sure the football games are fun and people enjoy their time,” Sanchez said.

“To me, I feel like it means we have to take charge especially of the student section make sure were like being apart of the activities the school runs,” Sorter said.

“Being in the tribe is really important to me because I always take pride in being an east sider,” Baldwin said.

Why do you think you were considered for tribe?

“I bring a different type of energy to the game,” Sanchez said.

“The person I am and the energy I bring, I stand out and have fun,” Sorter said.

“I was cool with a lot of seniors last year through baseball and stuff like that,” Baldwin said.

What is your favorite thing about being a tribe leader?

“Being in the front and starting the chants is one of my favorite things,” Sanchez said.

“I have to say other than losing this year, so far just being out there with everyone from school. Just the vibes are good, everyone comes together and have fun and just not worrying about winning 24-7,” Sorter said.

“Being able to start the chants, tailgates, and running the flags,” Baldwin said.

What would you change about the student section?

“People in the student section just have to be a lot louder. I look back and people are just

standing there. We need to get louder for sure,” Sanchez said.

“We are just going to start off simple. We should get a rope and section off the student section from the parents. Especially at away games, we don’t want to be those people to ask them to move,” Sorter said.

“I wish more people would come and partici pate more,” Baldwin said.

What has been your favorite tailgate and why?

“I think the first was probably the best. Lots of people around having fun it just was a good time,” Sanchez said.

“The first one because it was a home game, and everyone pulled up even though it was early,” Sorter said.

“Probably the first one because there were more people there,” Baldwin said.

What is your favorite theme and why?

“The frat boys’ theme would be pretty cool. I think people are going to show out for sure,” Sanchez said.

“East side legend, we get to support every one we lost who went to our school or just on the eastside. Like my boy Dom. Just to come out here and have a remembrance of everyone,” Sorter said.

“The memorial one I like remembering everyone,” Baldwin said.

Is being a tribe leader harder than you thought?

“It was hard at first because we didn’t have time for the first game. But I think we have gotten used to it. We all have our roles,” Sanchez said.

“Yes and no. It is not hard, it is just having responsibilities. Just doing your part for tailgates. Bringing cup pong and water and food for everyone. Each person does their part, then its good,” Sorter said.

Meet the rest of the

tribe

Kayte Yaw

If someone new wanted to know what the tribe was about, how would you describe it ?

All seniors control football games,” Yaw said. “We try to get everyone together in a way try to get things excited and new people involved.”

Kyla Ousley Lee

What is some advice you have for the future tribe leaders?

“Keep the spirit alive, making sure they make the football game themes,” Ousley Lee said.

Lea Golston

If there were any changes that could be made, what would you want it to be?

“Maybe try to get other people who are less involved because it’s a certain group who goes to tailgates and football games I want to get everybody to feel included,” Golston said.

Story: L/Reed

Photo: N/Fuentes-Chavez

BEYOND TURNT

an East High student ran clothing buisness

You may have heard of brands like Nike, GOLF, Thrasher, and Supreme. There is one thing all of these brands have in common. They are all ran and controlled by people of high power, most of which are worth millions of dollars. Here at East High School, there are many of students who have their own social media following, SoundCloud releases, YouTube channels, and more. There is one brand that stands out. Created by juniors Colby Rinehart and Devin Gullion, their new brand “Beyond Turnt Clothing” is everything people are looking for in a small business put together by East High students. They have it all, TShirts, hoodies and shorts.

“Devin and I were talking about another local brand one day, and we both agreed that it would be sick if we made our own. We stopped saying it would be cool and did it.” Rinehart said.

Gullion and Rinehart are both co owners of Beyond Turnt. They split all of their payments for the making of the merchan dise, and the money they make back from the merchandise. Since they both came up with the idea, make, design, and colors, they agree to split everything.

“The hardest part about splitting a brand is the money, because we make and sell. We make quite a bit, but then we have to split the money in half. It also works out in our favor because we split all the payments we make as well, so it’s not as expensive.” Gul

lion said.

While Gillion works on the manufacur ing part of the brand, Rineheart works on the design.

First released this summer, Beyond Turnt is a fresh brand, new to the clothing busi ness scene. Teased on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook, most East students knew about the brand, without even physically speaking to the owners themselves. Students were reposting and spreading the word about a new student owned business.

“Our first drop was July 25, and we sold out. Our most recent drop was September 27, and we have been doing pretty good so far. We’ve been making decent sales, and I am really excited for our next drop. It will be in about a month or two.” Rinehart said.

“For now, our goals for our brand is to be known across our community, and hope fully reach a bigger audience. We want to be more out there; like worldwide,” Gullion said.

Beyond Turnt is the brand of the sum mer, fall, winter and spring. The coolest hoodies, T-Shirts, and shorts you can imag ine- Beyond Turnt has them.

Photo credits/ Kaylie Shannon, Colby Rinehart

Story credit / Kaylie Shannon

Lucas Belcher (11) wearing Beyond Turnt’s newest drop.

2022 East High Cheerleaders

Do you remember walking into Williams Stadium on a Friday night, sitting in the bleachers, eating popcorn with your friend waiting for the halftime performances to start? You have never really been into football, more of a basketball type of person. You only went to games for the cheerleaders. The halftime performances would start, and the band would perform. Then color guard. Then the Unity squad. Then the buzzer would sound, and the third quarter would start. There were no cheerleaders and you felt disappointed. Well, you’ll never have to feel that again.

East High School’s cheer team is back, bigger, and better than ever.

Becca Burglund Mo Purdy Shirley Rivera- Pogyo

Who isn’t new to cheerleading but has some good advice for future cheerleaders, “Practice the cheers alot and just have fun,” Burglund said.

A first year cheerleader has some advice for the future cheerleaders who are scared to join.“If you’re thinking of doing it but you’re nervous because of the big crowd, just do it, I was nervous and I wanted to do it, but I was too scared to but its so fun, the team is fun,” Purdy said.

Another first year cheerleader wants new cheerleaders to show their Scarlet pride and don’t be scared to. “I think you should just go for it and not care what anyone thinks and just really try your best to show your Scarlet pride,” Rivera-Pogyo said.

Kenady Fallis

A first year cheerleader really enjoys cheer and being a part of the team and this is the advice she wants to give to future cheerleaders. “Just have fun with it don’t be scared it’s really fun,” Fallis said.

Freddie Diaz

One of the boys on the cheer squad and it’s also his first year. Here’s some advice he has for the future boys that want to cheer. “Dont be scared to try new things because I think some boys are but it doesnt matter what people think,” Diaz said.

Melissa Perez

She is the flyer for the East High cheer team. Perez thinks you shouldn’t be scared to try cheer out. “Just don’t be scared just try your best and just smile and be happy and always smile at the crowd because they are watching,” Perez said.

East High Cheer Photo Dump

more than just a coach Nick Black Story/ K. Moss Design/ K. Moss

You walk into the community center gym at East High School. You see a mix of people coming together to perform a com mon interest, cheer leading. The backbone of it all is Nick Black. A coach, a close friend, and a role model to many on the team. To those at Grand View University, he is someone they look up to and lean on. With a well-balanced personal life and a loving community, he is more than just East High School’s new head cheer coach.

Growing up

From Beaverdale, Iowa, Black did not stay in one spot throughout the years. Mov ing around a lot was the normal even stay ing at Drake for a little bit. However, Des Moines was always home to him. Family is also especially important to him.

“I have one brother; he is 15 years old. We didn’t really grow up in the same house together. I still hang out and talk to him as much as I can. My mom and dad live in Altoona now,” Black said.

Hoover had a major impact on Black and who he is as a person. Going there for all four years of high school, he was well involved in the sports and drama club.

“My favorite memory growing up, I would have to say just all the good memories I made at Hoover with the after-school sports and dra

ma. I did baseball and theater. Those are just core memories I have from back then,” Black said.

College

Out of high school, Black continued onto Drake University for three years. At Drake, he enjoyed his time there and made many lifetime friendships with lots of great memories from joining the cheer team. After Drake, he continued growing his education.

“I was looking at master programs and Grand View offered me a scholarship to cheer, and I cheered there for two years, I started coaching last year part-time. Then, I moved to full-time in July,” Black said.

Being new to cheer when joining college and having no previous background, he jumped right into it all and allowed cheer to impact him. Going from no experience to making it his career, he is talented and an adaptive person.

“One person I look up to in my is the Athletic Director at Grand View University, his name is Troy Plummer and he’s given me this opportunity to coach at Grand View full time and he’s just showed me what it’s like to be an Athletic Director because that is the job, I want to be one day,” Black said.

Plummer had a major impact on Black, affecting him and granting him the oppor tunity for coaching.

“Plummer helped me pursue coach ing full-time. The person that made me interested in coaching would have been my coach at Drake. Her name was Holly Sch roder, she cheered at Iowa State and was a traveling NCA instructional coach. She just showed me how much of a positive impact you could have on your athletes while being a successful coach,” Black said.

Schroder also played a role in Black’s life and his way of coaching. She shaped him into the coach that he is known and loved as today.

East High’s new cheer leading coach

From being a coach full-time, Black has a lot of experience with coaching. Going to North High School for a year, before resid ing at East High. His experience is lengthy, making him learn the ins and outs of coach ing. Being at North High for one year, then transferring to East High and being there ever since has made East home to him.

“He pushes me to better myself, he truly sees the best in us, and he wants us to be out there more. He wants us to do things that we wouldn’t usually do,” captain Alexia Sanchit said.

Always being a motivator, his athletes thank him for that.

“He’s very fun, he also teaches very thor oughly. If you have a question, he’s going to break it down the best he can,” Honey Hanawalt said.

Practices in cheer leading require time, structure, patience, and teamwork from all parts of the team. The coach is the one that brings it together, Black has all those redeeming qualities.

“Nick conducts his practices with a lot of structure. He likes to make sure he is efficient with the time he is given, and that during this time everyone is growing in some area. He is not one to waste any mo ment,” cheerleader at Grand View Univer sity Penelope Olsen said.

Black puts major time into his athletes; he admires their work ethic and it’s clear that he has their best interest at heart. Wanting them to be the best they can be, he puts in lot of faith and sees the best in his athletes.

“Striving towards a common goal makes the team a team. One thing that this team has embodied is that they want to be good for the overall community. They went on this direct mission on supporting all these sports, that’s why they’re so motivated,” Black said.

Thinking only the best of the team, the athletes keep him motivated. Seeing their happiness when cheering and the crowd’s happiness, those are his true motivators. He doesn’t just do this for himself, but for the overall team.

“The first game that we had was very eye opening for me, the team was very small before and there was COVID-19. The fans haven’t seen a team this big in years. Seeing everyone so happy and all the screams, it makes everything so worth it. The first game made me realize why I’m here, why I want to stay here in the future and build this program. That first game is my motivator,” Black said.

With coaching taking up majority of his time, he tries his best to maintain a balance between personal and work life. Admitting that it was still a struggle for him, time was his best friend. Over time, he got better at balancing the two. He works at Saylorville Lake being a server.

“Black has a lot of good qualities about him as not only a coach, but a person as well. He is encouraging to all his athletes and pushes them to their full potential. He is extremely animated and always knows how to make people laugh. He is also very forward-thinking and is always two steps ahead of something, and is always pre pared for what is to come,” Olsen said.

If you want to join the team, he will be holding tryouts for the basketball squad.

“If you’re ever scared to try out for a sport, just do it. If you’re willing to hear constructive criticism, if you’re willing to have an open mind, and grow as an ath lete, then cheer is a perfect place for you,” Black said.

Being such a supportive and kind per son, his athletes have grown to know and love him. Being more than just a coach, but a shoulder to lean on. A support sys tem and a person who will push you onto great things, Black truly is more than just a coach.

“

If you’re ever scared to try out for a sport, just do it. If you’re willing to hear constructive criticism, if you’re willing to have an open mind, and grow as an athlete, then cheer is a perfect place for you, ”

Welcoming Renata Rice

coach

You walk into Williams stadium on a Friday night with your friends. You smell the aroma of fresh popcorn and pizza in the air. You go to buy some pizza because the smell of it makes you hungry. As you’re walking toward the student section with your food, everyone begins cheering and chanting. “Touchdown!” the crowd screams. You look at the score board and it reads 23 to 14 and East High is winning. Then you hear the band start to play East High’s Fight song. Then, you look onto the field to see a new coach jumping in excitement. You’ve never seen her before, so you ask your friends. “Who is that?” Meet Renata Rice, East High School’s new assistant coach. She just started this year and is super excited to see the Scarlets soar. More importantly, the coaches are just excited to make these young people into adults and let them go into the world. “I don’t get mad when we lose, I get mad when players don’t play to their full potential,” Coach Tyrone Tyler said.

Coach Rice grew up in Des Moines and she just loves it here. She used to work at Hoover as a basketball coach. She decided she wanted to give East and football a try. “I’ve loved playing football since I was a kid. The opportunity to play was not always there,” Rice said. So far, she loves the environment. Rice loves how inviting the team and coaches are, they make her feel so welcome.

“I feel like this is a program I can grow with,” Rice said.

Coach Rice is excited to see East High to its full potential. There are a lot of stereo types about East but that didn’t stop her

from coming to the East High football team. There is a lot of stereotypes about a female football coach but according to Coach Tyler, there isn’t anything different.

“I think it’s more about football and having the understanding of the game and coach ing the position you are supposed to coach. She understands the game and she know the drills, at the end of the day it’s still do your job,” Tyler said.

There are many reasons why Rice would coach football. “I love the competitiveness of football,” Rice said. She just likes to be a part of coaching these young individuals and she wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. Rice is the first female coach in the state for high school football. “The Scarlets have been amazing and welcomed me with open arms,” Rice said. Tyler just likes how Rice is doing and wouldn’t trade her for anyone else “Coach Rice is doing a pretty awesome job,” Tyler said.

There is a lot of emotions that can occur when people bring up a female football coach but the coaches and team both let her in with open and loving arms. “Just feels like a coach, she’s good and we like her,” Demetrious Hilson said. The head coach Tyler loved the idea of having her join the staff and likes her wanting to help with the team. “If she says something then it’s just as solid as what one of the guy coaches would say,” Tyler said. She just loves being able to have the opportunity to work with these young football players. “Best thing we can do after a loss is analyze our strengths and weaknesses and continue to get better every day,” Rice said.

CoaCh Tyler

Who is the new coach at East High School?

It is a Friday night game at Williams stadium. You can smell the popcorn and feel the excite ment from the crowd and athletes. East takes the turf for another game. On the sidelines is the proud new head coach, Tyrone Tyler. His athletes all know Coach Tyler as the East High School football coach but who is he off the field?

Coach Tyler could be considered a normal guy off the field. Like any other person, he has a few interesting hobbies. He enjoys taking pictures with his drone or camera, roller skating, and he also DJs for different events. Tyler also has another job outside of football, he is an insurance agent. Coach Tyler may be a busy per son, but he has no problem dedicating himself to his players.

Coach Tyler is grateful for the opportunity to coach at East since he grew up on the East side. He finally came home to the East after coaching somewhere else for 13 years.

“To me, when you’re an East sider, you’re always an East sider so it was awesome for me to

Where Was CoaCh Tyler

finally be able to come back to the East side and coach,” Tyler said.

Coach Tyler has a few goals for his players. He not only wants to see them succeed, but he also wants to make his players better for their future on and off the field. Tyler is a new coach, so making a bunch of changes could come with good or bad backlash from the players.

Many of the players feel like the latest changes were good changes but there are still a lot of improvements that are needed. One thing they all can agree on is that they want to win.

“My biggest goal is to win as a team and build chemistry,” Junior Quarterback Jecari Pat ton said.

Football can be an emotional sport, especially with teenagers. The players may bump heads with players from other teams, or bump heads with their coach, or even each other. Regardless, they know they need each other. They all want the same thing right now, to win.

‘’We just got to keep getting better,” fresh

man WR Braiden Johnson said.

On September 9, 2022, the Scarlets beat their rivals, the Lincoln Rail-splitters and after the game there was a well-earned celebration. Players congratulated each other for their effort and thanked their coaches for their support.

Tyler brings new energy to East football, and he is just a positive change for East and football in general. “I’d like to see action, I’d like to see accountability, and I want to see commitment,” Tyler said.

Coach Tyler feels like he will stick with the Scarlets for a while. He wants to be the positive change East wants and needs. He hopes to be an inspiration for as many Scarlets as he can. He has grand expectations for East, and he plans to stay for a while to carry those out. Tyler is a great person and an even better new addition to the East coaches. He is headstrong, disciplined, and ready to bring back that East side fire.

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