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Volume 88 Issue 3
SEE THE PERSON, NOT THE ILLNESS- PG.4 THE BENEFITS OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD- PG. 7 ‘YOU’RE PRETTY FOR A DARK SKIN GIRL’- PG. 10 DEAR STATE REPRESENTATIVES- PG. 11 THE TRUE COLORS OF DES MOINES- PG. 12&13 THE FEAR OF FAILURE- PG.22
scroll - issue III volume-88 2-22-19
TABLE OF
C ON T E N T S STAFFERS: Taryn Anderson, McCayla Dahlberg, Elise Dowler, Estrella Gonzalez, Tayrisha Kipper, Maddie Miller, Cheyanne Potter, Alicia Solis-Palos, Fallon Trenter, Ena Guerra Caballero, Maria Hernandez, Joselyn Hildebrand, Alea Hoof, Brianne Riney, Josh Sales,Sawra Selema COVER: Rylegh Hayworth COVER PHOTO: Laura Squires DESIGN EDITOR: Ryleigh Hayworth FEATURE EDITOR: Fabiana Centeno ADVISER: Natalie NiemeyerLorenz PRINCIPAL:Leslie Morris CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Shelby Alsted, Mayson Williams, Nikki Grove
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ADS & LETTER POLICY-
Ads are available in quarter page, half page and full page sizes. Ad inquiries should be directed to Natalie Niemeyer at natalie.niemeyer@dmschools.org. The Scroll reserves the right to reject ads deemed not in the best interest of East students. The paper is printed by Wilcox Printing in Madrid, IA. NOTE: All contents are the product of the EHS newspaper production staff. Occasional stories are contributed from the Journalism Intern program. The Scroll is a public forum for student expression.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.
DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY STATEMENT The Des Moines Public Schools prohibits discrimination in educational and employment programs and activities based on age, race, creed, color, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. In addition, the District prohibits acts of intolerance or harassment toward employees or students that are not related to the individual’s employment or education.
Page Editor/ S. Alsted
East Scroll Advertising Rates 2018-19 Half Page Ad - $50 Full Page Ad - $100 Full Page Back Cover - $125 page / 3
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See The Person, Not The Illness.
Something that can be just as painful and just as serious as physical/medical issues are mental/neurological issues. About over 450 Million people suffer from some type of Mental health problem making the leading causes of disabilities and bad health all around the world and also making it the leading cause of self-harm and suicide. A mental illness is something that you can’t see physically, like a wound for example. It’s more like you can see symptoms in the way it effects a person by the way they act causing what people would call “unusual behavior”. There are many types of mental health problems ranging from the way a person feels, thinks and behave, thus there being a wide range of mental health disorders, “The most common mental health issues that I work with clients on is Anxiety, Depression and Adjustment disorders,” Therapist Jill Everett said. Patients who suffer from any mental health issues face daily struggles as it takes a lot out of them to get through there day normally without it getting in the way of their lives, ” I suffer(ed) from depression, in my case the inability to see the light in any situation and a constant cloud of apathy around me; my anxiety causes overwhelming fear and dread around anything from socializing to schoolwork to absolutely nothing at all.” East high student Emily Sorenson said.
“I suffer(ed) from depression, in my case the inability to see the light in any situation and a constant cloud of apathy around me.”
Many people don’t really understand what a mental illness is as the only presence it has is in media as its often portrayed to be something false. For example, in many horror movies people with a mental illness is often portrayed as “the killer” most of the time causing there to be stigma around what a mental disorder actually is. “I think they portray it more as a joke then what it actually is.” Lincoln Student Laura Jazmine Mendez said. Which is often the case why its so misunderstood and not taken seriously. Trying to help someone one with a mental illness isn’t easy as everyone is different, but just being there for them and offering love and support and listening to them goes a long way, There’s always professional help out there, therapy, treatments and medications. “Something to help cope is to have a playlist of comfort music for when I feel bad, using fidget toys to help with managing anxiousness; stuff like that.” Sorenson said. Understanding and helping people with a mental illness helps more than you think because these actions often save lives as people with these illnesses can’t think clearly and make irrational decisions, so anything helps them, so they can help themselves and change for the better.
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- DEbunking the Facts & Myths about mental illness -
1. 2. 3.
Myth: Mental illness’s is a result of bad relationship Fact: All mental illnesses have an environmental component and a genetic componant, bad relationships being one of several factors Myth: If you suffer from a mental illness you can never get better Fact: People who suffer with a mental illness can get better. every illness is different so people have different ways of coping and recovering. most people need help from friends and family and with the right help and treatment they can get better and live happy lives myth: Mental Health problems are rare Fact: Mental health problems aren’t as rare as people think and can actually effect over 1 in 4 people
STIGMa
get ove
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“It’s all in your head” Shame
Hopeless
Page Editor/ A. Solis
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It’s not okay Teens are dealing with abusive relationships, often on their own Story/ E. Gonzalez
33%
of teens that were in a violent relationship ever told anyone about the abuse.
81%
of parents believed/don’t know its an issue.
Disappointment
Stupid
Worthless
of parents don’t know the signs.
am e
Hoe Hate Broken Slut t Sad r Toxic Hu Lies Used
sh
Source: www.loveisrespect.org
58%
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Useless
“I felt humiliated, worthless, broken, and hurt. Knowing I had to leave and wondering how I would do it and how I was going to get through it.” One in three young people will be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship. The topic of teenage abusive relationships is real. It is happening in the Des Moines community and is happening in our school. “It’s something that should be talked about, as teenagers are already going through a lot of things. We should be taught more about our worth and what is crossing the lines and what abusive is,” Emma* said. Teenagers aren’t being taught about what is a healthy relationship and what is not. What should be tolerated and what shouldn’t. Students aren’t taught what their self-worth is, what t hey should and shouldn’t put up with. So, what is abuse? There is physical abuse, letting someone put their hands -on you. There’s verbal abuse, yelling, being called names you shouldn’t be. Then there’s emotional abuse letting someone determine what your worth is. “In the back of my mind I knew it was wrong that the things that were happening, the things that were said, it wasn’t something that I was supposed to go through at such a young age,” Emma* said. She was in a four-year relationship from when she was 15 to 19. Being in a relationship at such a young age was already hard enough, she didn’t know what to expect from it and what she should had put up with. When you’re 15 you don’t really feel comfortable talking about this type of things with your parents or don’t have anyone that will tell you the right from wrong. As a teenager you need someone there to give you advice and guide you. “I wish I had someone to teach me what was
wrong and to tell me I shouldn’t be dealing with this stuff, I wish I had someone there to guide and reassure me what I was feeling was right when he said or did something to me that was wrong,” Emma* said. Younger women ages 15-19 experience 10 times more violence in a relationship than young boys. Although, girls aren’t the only ones going through this. There are boys who go through this as well, but it is even more common for girls to be in this situation. “ You’re in love for the first time, so you fall so hard. You probably tell yourself that you can’t picture yourself without them. When relationships go toxic that thought can become extremely harmful to the mental health of both people in the relationship,” Emma* said. Like Emma’s* story there are many girls out there that are going through some hard situations and feel like there is no one who well actually understand them or feel like they are going to be judged for seeking help. There are people out there who will understand and who are willing and wanting to help you. “You don’t see reality, it takes getting away from that person, taking a step back to see what’s being done to you. It hurts at first but after you get through it you grow so much from it as a person and you get to know yourself more,” Emma* said. This is going on around us. People are going through this and they’re probably doing it alone for many reasons either from being embarrassed to being afraid. This is a topic that should be talked about more around young women and men because you are not alone.
“In the back of my mind I knew it was wrong”
*name changed to protect source
Page Editor/E.Gonzalez
A behind the scenes of EHS orchestra teacher Jennifer Luft
W
hen you walk into the orchestra and band room, you hear students struggling to tune their instruments, figuring out how to play that one measure; you see students who are passionate and create music. But what makes these students create music or should it be who helps them? Meet Jennifer Luft the orchestra teacher for East and Roosevelt who is passionate and full of positivity. Growing up in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, Luft grew up surrounded by education due to her mother being a teacher. Her passion for music was inspired by her fourth-grade teacher who made her realize her love for music. Luft went to the University of Northern Iowa for her Bachelor’s degree in music and education. She moved to Des Moines, Iowa due to an engagement, later calling it off. East was her first teaching job and she’s been here ever since. “I’m proud of all my students, I want them to live to their full potential and to know it’s okay to work hard and be good at something,” Luft said. Luft has been a teacher for 22 years. Luft began her career by working in an elementary school. Later she moved to middle school and high school. She’s even had the same students from elementary school all the way to high school. Throughout all her years being at East she’s made connections with many of her students. “We’ve built a trust every year I have had her, I can talk to her about anything and there will be no judgment and she’s very accepting which I appreciate her for that,” senior Daren Nguyen said. Luft believes that she is lucky to have her students for four years to build a connection and create a bond with students that are different from other teachers. Due to her love of the subject, she enjoys seeing stu-
Story/F.Centeno
dents excited about learning a new song or seeing them put in the work and effort, to do so. “She made my passion for music to enjoying and listening to classical music to learning to love my violin,” senior Naudya Chhuon said. As an orchestra teacher she has learned to be more patient, flexible, goal striving and giving everyone a chance. Whether it be helping a student with a piece in music, learn notes or to even talk about something personal. Luft gives her students time. Many students feel they can talk to her about anything. There’s a lot of students that are close with Luft. “She is the most underrated teacher at East. She’s like a second mom to all of us,” Chhuon said. Luft has had many memories at East with students and teachers. One is her husband, ,Mr.Luft, who she met at East. They have two children together, they are 15 and 10 years old. She has three step children from her husband’s previous marriage. During her free time, she plays her cello at church or events such as weddings. During the summer she loves to read and spend time with her family and traveling. “She can live in lots of different worlds and thrive,” Director of Bands Joseph Thering said. Luft has inspired so many of her students. You can even see many of her former students coming back to visit her and talk about how their lives are. She’s the type of teacher that you can build an easy bond with.“She’s been there for me for many years and she’s a great person. She’s one of the best teachers at East,” sophomore Cua Vang said.
Photo/ F.Centeno
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Page Editor/F.Centeno
The benefits of Planned Parenthood What is Planned Parenthood? Why keep it around? Why should you care? Story/ J. Hildebrand
High school students often find themselves very uneducated about all things relating to sex, pregnancy and STIs. This is mainly because some find it uncomfortable to talk about or don’t have the resources they need. This is where Planned Parenthood is such a helpful resource. East is a school full of teenagers who have questions and concerns, this is one resource for them to get those concerns and questions answered. What is Planned Parenthood? Planned Parenthood offers at least 12 services to both men and women. They offer affordable and even anonymous services. Not only are they a great resource for sex education, their range of services vary from STIs, pregnancy and cancer screenings. They help to advance global health. For example, they work with partners in other countries to provide healthcare and education. They also help to advance local health in your own neighborhoods and cities. Former East High student, 24, Cassie Couch said “I went there for birth control, they went over all my options and helped me pick which one is best for me. I’ve recommended PP to many people.” “PP made a difference in my everyday life by allowing me to be protected from getting pregnant when I was too afraid to tell my mother I was sexually active.” Couch said. They offer their services comfortably, making sure you know you are not alone. On their website you can view other women’s stories
Photo/N. Niemeyer
and so you don’t feel alone in what you are going through. “When I was a teenager, I had plenty of friends who went to PP for birth control, I had a friend who had an abortion through them. Even recently, a friend of mine went to PP to go through her options for an unplanned pregnancy,” Couch said. Planned Parenthood is led by doctors and their staff is also educated to make sure they know what they’re doing. The Planned Parenthood official website is a great resource for any person having questions about their body, pregnancy, relationships and sex. “PP made a difference in my everyday life by allowing me to be protected from getting pregnant when I was too afraid to tell my mother I was sexually active,” Couch said. They even offer help for depression, substance abuse and diabetes. Some people are opposed to Planned Parenthood and their services. If Planned Parenthood were to lose funding, 2.5 million people would lose access to healthcare such as birth control, STI treatment and cancer screenings. I respect people that are against abortions for their own personal reasons. Also, understand that abortions
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are less than three percent of what Planned Parenthood does. “So many people benefit from PP. I don’t see why anyone would be against it. To anyone who would be against it, if it was your mother, sister or daughter needing this help would you be against them? Don’t use it if you don’t want to, but some of us need it,” Rinker said. Planned Parenthood offers help to patients regardless of their socioeconomic status, which a lot of medical institutions do not. “There are a lot of people that would be denied help at one place, but PP would be able to find a way to help them,” Rinker said. As of last Spring, President Trump announced a rule that would strip Title X funding at Planned Parenthood. Title X makes sure over four million people get the reproductive health care that they need. In 2016, Title X provided roughly 1 million women with breast exams, 4.1 million STI tests and about 700,000 cervical screenings. “I think we are creating a permanent division among the people of our country, simply because we have differing opinions,” Rinker said. “As a female, it hits
650 Planned Parenthood health centers across the United States help 2.5 million men and women each year.
really close to home that (mainly) rich, white men have more power than I do over my ability to do what I want with my own body.” With legislation coming up every year that threatens the funding of Planned Parenthood, women feel increasingly concerned about the ability to make their own choices. We need to be represented more fairly. “I should have the right to do what’s best for my own health, any being that I might bring into the world’s health, as well as my own well-being and life quality. This situation reflects how jaded our system is for creating and deciding on laws that will be enforced. If a law is going to affect a large group of people, then that group of people should be well represented through the process of creating and signing a law into effect. I think, as a country, we need to step up and do a better job about educating ourselves and being open minded when considering changes that will affect our own people,” Rinker said. As of right now Planned Parenthood is fully funded and the fetal heartbeat law was found unconstitutional. If one day it takes effect, the law would be the most restrictive abortion regulation in the country. Fight for your health and your rights, ladies and gentlemen.
Page Editor/J. Hildebrand
s c i t Athle
vs. s c i m e d a c A
dents u t s g n chievi orts? a h g i p our h and s l o o d o h w Ho ce sc balan
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chool, sports, sleep, work, and little to no time to just relax. High school is getting busier and busier, and our East athletes keep the balance in many different ways. Often times high school athletes are stereotyped as dumb jocks, but for many here at East, this is far from the truth. “There’s a reason ‘student’ comes first in the phrase ‘student athlete’,” Fedders said. Having good grades can benefit athletes in many ways. Athletes seeking college scholarships can get more money depending on their GPA. On the other hand, in Iowa, if an athlete fails a class, they are required to sit out 30 calendar days from their competitive season. “If students aren’t being students first, they probably don’t need to be involved in extracurricular activities” Fedders said. Academics often take a backseat to athletics when it comes to judging the character of a school. It is no secret that East is not always represented positively in the media. Having strong athletics brings positive attention to this school, and according to data, sports teams with higher avergage GPAs have higher winning percentages. “There’s a direct correlation between
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teams that have a high GPAs and their winning percentages. The higher the GPA the better the winning percentage, the lower the GPA the lower the winning percentage. I don’t know if that holds true everywhere. At East, it’s scary how true that is,” Fedders said. It might sound far-fetched, but participating in sports can actually help improve grades for some athletes. To practice or com-
“By this point in the year, I’ve learned ‘who cares?’ It’s high school, make it worth it”- Alex Liu pete, athletes cannot have more than two unexcused absences in a day, encouraging them to go to class. With consistent attendance, students can understand material better, improving their grades. “Sports are something for me to get motivated about, it keeps me in shape, and it’s just another reason I should maintain good grades,” swimmer and runner MaryKate
Walling said. All East coaches and activities directors understand the importance of academics, and wouldn’t shy away from letting a student athlete miss part of a practice to make up work. That, along with SRG, have made being a student athlete easier, according to Fedders. SRG has made it where all assignments can be made up later, so student athletes have a little more flexibility in completing assignments. “Time management is a thing. You gotta get on it, you know. Or don’t, cause that happens sometimes too” swimmer Alex Liu said. Stereotypes of high school athletes can leave real high school athletes with the false perception that they do not need to work hard to be successful. However, this is untrue. It is easy to find data saying that only 2% of college athletes go pro, but it is much harder to find out what percent of pro athletes went to college. No matter what activity it is, involvement in extracurriculars can help students in many ways beyond incentive to do well academically. Extracurriculars teach time management, teamwork, loyalty, dedication, among many other valuable skills. The things we get involved in can be the highlights of high school, and give us our most valuable friends.
Page Editor/ R. Hayworth
At the age of 13 I got into my first fight // I didn’t tell my dad about it though // mostly because I didn’t know how; how do I tell my father I’m losing a battle to myself, how do I tell him that the thoughts in my head are pummeling me making me lose parts of my sanity, // wishing the worst on the body that holds them. // How do I tell him that i’m not okay when he’s devoted his whole life to making sure I was. I always told myself “it can only get better,”// And honestly I’ve been waiting so long for better come or maybe I’m just bad at looking for it // My existence has always been a rerun to a bad sitcom one where the protagonist always seem to fall short from his goals // And my goal was happiness, my goal was to finally be able to wake up and take this world by storm, letting limitations no longer exist and to begin conquering my greatest fears. // I wish I was strong enough, strong enough to stand up to the tyranny that you put my through, // You beat me down without an effort it so weird how I just stood there and took it // It’s almost like I enjoyed being hurt, // My whole life I let you take control, like it was your life to live, you became the puppet master, you played with my strings to make sure I strayed away from anything that could bring me joy. You made me keep silent and warned me of the consequences. You told me opening up would only make situations worse. // That people would start to neglect me, more than I already neglect myself // I took that advice and I made silence my best friend. // That day I took a pen out of a clutter drawer, wrote a scripture of my pain so I could escape my cluttered mind // finally giving me the ability to reach my enlightenment, to grow and not let negativity cut me down, to not be stuck on pause ‘cause honestly my whole life I just needed a little bit of movement get me going, to not see fears as fears but to see them as challenges. I’m blessed to overcome, to not see my mind as an enemy, but to see it as a friend.
POET
MOVEMENT 515
~Christopher Salas // 12
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Page Editor/M. Williams
‘‘You’re pretty for a darkskin girl’’ The mis-perceptions of beauty that darker skin women face and how they deal with it
Story/T. Kipper
Imagine that you and your friends are the popular kids in school, you walk into a classroom and see a girl hanging by herself. You walk up to her because she could be your friend, you start talking to her and she’s starting to get comfortable with you. Your group of friends walk up her and you hear one mumble “she’d be so much prettier if she was light skin,” and your other friend says loudly “you’re super pretty for a dark skin.” You see her put her head down and her mood shifts immediately. You start to feel sad, just seeing her mood shift, but you don’t say anything and laugh with everybody else because you don’t want them thinking anything different about you. This is an unfortunate experience that dark skin girls find themselves in. Dark skin females are the most underrated females. They get bullied about not being light enough. Not only are they bullied by other races, they’re bullied the most by others in the black community. “Colorism causes harm to the community because not only are we dealing with racism, prejudice, and oppression from other races, we must deal with the prejudice and stigmas within our own race,”(Bodylore blog). There’s been a lot of girls that have been through colorism here at East High School, here’s Roda Tut’s story. Tut faced colorism her whole life but the most she’s ever experienced colorism was in fifth grade when she was still in Nebraska. “Growing up I was insecure about a lot. My hair, skin color, and height,” Tut said. “My hair wasn’t like anybody’s hair, theirs was long and silky while I had short and kinky hair.” As a dark-skinned girl, she and other dark skin girls believe lighter skin people get way more privilege than a darker skinned person. “They’re noticed more and seen as better still to this day. They’re literally praised,” Tut said. Growing up with darker skin was hard and it made Tut feel excluded. “It was hard because I couldn’t fit in. I was the oddball and couldn’t connect with other kids,” Tut said. Tut feels like when growing up she wasn’t allowed to have emotions. “In fifth grade my friend got in an accident and died, I was so sad. And, a girl asked me ‘why are
you sad, you aren’t even Mexican like her?’” Tut said. Now that Tut’s older, the colorism doesn’t affect her anymore. “I know my worth now , self-love got me through. Now I glow, all I need to glow is the sun,” Tut said. Every day darker skin girls are faced with these problems because on social media there’s always a different artist photo shopping their pictures to look lighter. This could make dark skin girls bleach their skin because they don’t feel as pretty as a lighter skin girl. “Today, lighter brown skin is still read as a marker of privilege and access class is often divided among racial lines, with wealthier and more powerful Jamaicans generally being white and brown, while poor Jamaicans are mostly black. In this context, skin bleaching becomes a strategic choice,” According to an article in Marie Claire magazine. One prominent celebrity asked for her image not to be photoshopped, but it happened anyways. “One would think that Nyong’o’s public position encouraging darkskinned women to love their complexions would discourage any magazine from lightening her complexion for any spread. Unfortunately, Vanity Fair did it anyway. Lupita Nyong’o knows all about the struggles being dark skin and she knows that when magazines photoshop women it causes problems for the girls that looks up to them. “That is to say that instead of ordering some photoshopper to lighten Nyong’o’s skin, they’ll pretend that the light in the room blew her out,” she wrote. “In an industry where every single detail is manipulated to be perfect, it just isn’t possible that everyone fell down on the job and forgot that her skin tone was totally off. There’s just not a chance that this was an accident.” A story in the Atlanta black star. Or let’s talk about the skin bleaching product Blac Chyna came out with and launched in Nigeria. “X Blac Chyna Diamond Illuminating and Lightening Cream. It’s from the cosmetics company Whitenicious, a skin care line that has been controversial since its launch in 2014.” A story on the National Public Radio.
“I know my worth now, selflove got me through. Now I glow, all I need is the sun.” -Roda Tut
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Illustration/T. Kipper
Page Editor / T.Kipper
Illustration/M.Miller
Dear State Representatives, I am a 17 year old student who attends East High School. I have visited the Iowa State Capitol during the legislative session for the last two years. I just want to be heard and to have a voice for those who don’t. The few minutes that we get with you as you pass from meeting to meeting is never enough. Never enough time to explain the daily struggles and obstacles that students with mental disabilities face. I am an older sister of two younger siblings who have a mental disability that affects not only their academic performance but also completing simple everyday task. Throughout my life not only as a student but a big sister, I have had to sit back and watch them struggle because of the lack of resources. At the time I was we learned about anxiety I was a fifth grader and my sister was a first grader at the time. My family was new to the concept of what anxiety could mean. The anxiety would cause my sister to cry when she was at school or even just when feeling nervous. Anxiety is like this monster that lives with you that makes you do things that you would not normally do. When she would cry, I would then be pulled out of class to calm her down simply because of the lack of support and resources. Never once did I complain about being there for my sister in that time, but I never truly understood why there was no one else to support her in the building other than her sister. The amount of training and understanding given to teachers to help support students just like my sister lacks tremendously. For example, there was a time when my sister was crying and was then
“
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forced to write apology letters to classes pre-K through fifth at my school for something she just couldn’t control. I would then read the letter as I sat surrounded by my classmates on the carpet listening to this. I am now 17 and can fully comprehend what happened that day but still can’t figure out why that happened. If we took a second to hear these experiences then just maybe we would put more money and resources into training and finding better ways to support these students.
I am now 17 and now fully comprehend what happened that day but still can’t figure out why that happened. Medication is also strongly pushed upon parents with students with a mental disability. My eight year old brother is a kind, loving bundle of joy that just struggles to sit still. My brother was diagnosed with ADHD in 2016 in his first grade year. The moment this became known, medication was pushed immediately and he was looked at differently because of his impulsiveness. We have tried multiple medications to help him become more “normal” but is medication really the best idea or is it just because we again have a lack of support and resources to support theses
students so we force medication? The medication will calm them down for only so many hours but what many individuals don’t know is that ADHD is a blessing in disguise. That energy that is brought out helps show their true personality. The love and compassion that is shown and given just helps someone understand that even though they struggle to sit down or slow down doesn’t make them any less than anyone else. Even after a tiring day I always look forward to seeing my brother especially on the bad days because his energy always takes me away from the negative things that are going on. Last year I got the opportunity to come up to the Capitol and try to tell my story and help get the support I want to not only help my siblings but other families and friends that are affecteda and for those who don’t have a voice or no parents to really advocate for them like my parents have. When I went up there I had a purpose and was determined to be heard. Little did I know how long and hard it was to get a representative’s attention. I was then told to make it short and “just get to the point” but something so important and so connecting to some individuals can be hard to sum up so much in so little time. Take a minute and just think
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Story/M.Miller
about what if this was one of your loved ones.
Sincerely, Maddie Miller
Page Editor/M.Miller
Photo/ A. Arroyo
THE TRUE COLORS OF DES MOINES A look into why you should put the shade of Des Moines to rest for good
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W hat is Des Moines? Love, unity, laughter, creativity, diversity,
and walk around with more of a positive and woke outlook on life. Johnson helps facilitate weekly spoken word workand most importantly a place to express yourself. Des Moines is shops with Hiatt and Brody middle schools as well as with all a city full of creativity and even more full of people ready to exfive comprehensive DMPS high schools. Johnson touched press that creativity. Des Moines is a place where people feel safe on the fact that she loves how close knit Des Moines is. By and part of a community. It’s like we’re all part of one big family. that she means how almost everyone knows everyone, and if The amount of support and love between everyone is unreal. Of not directly it could be through a friend or family member. course there’s this little percentage of people who like to throw “It’s very hard to feel isolated in Des shade and diss on one another, but the majority of people in Moines, and I appreciate that,” Johnson said. this city are humble and know how to love themselves and the Movement 515 speaks nothing but each individones around them, while rising above the hate. Des Moines has uals truth, and has made many individuals see cerso many individuals who go to work, school, extracurriculars tain issues from a different perspective. These beauand still make the time to create art or express themselves in tiful, talented poets could change your firm belief in whatever way suits them. Des Moines is full of hard working, something with a quick but outstandingly powerful poem. devoted, and loving people who deserve credit and attention. With all of that information, here’s my outlook on it. Although Throughout Des Moines, graffiti and murals are scattered. I hate the snow, I love everything else about living here. Des These murals are beautiful and show all of these artists’ true poMoines is my definition of home, and not just because this is my tential. JJ Emunah is one of these local graffiti artist. According home but because I feel safe here. I feel to Emunah, it feels very honorable like if i hadn’t grown up here my outto be able to express his creativity look on life and on everything would through his art because the people in so different and not in a good way. our city are very attracted towards it. “We just need one another be Living somewhere where lots of peo“There are alot of people in the area who kindly support local art- and that’s what makes Des ple would call boring is the complete to me. It’s a big adventure to ists, so it’s an honor to have a comMoines so special, and I think opposite live in this city. Growing up here, you munity who will here and there snag don’t get handed anything because we a photo of your art and post it, or that’s the power of this city.” don’t live close to anywhere that fame even compliment it,” Emunah said. - Jalesha Johnson could be reached down the street or Emunah’s favorite thing about 15 minutes away. We have to work Des Moines is how the people in hard to be able to have the things we our community show their affecwant. We have to do everything we can to reach our hopes and tion towards things done in the area. People get happy to see dreams. Growing up here calls for lots of adventures and roamnew things in the community. Whether that be a new landing to find something to do (which there is always something mark or park, and especially new art. Emunjah mentioned going on) but within those adventures and nightly trips driving something that I also appreciate about our city very much. around, we find ourselves in a way that a lot of people anywhere We always have something going on here. For example, get else wouldn’t get to experience. We get to find the things we are togethers that close to everyone attends. Some of these events good at, we get to experience things from many different perbeing Summer Fam Jam, Teen Summit, 80/35, The Asian Fesspectives with and from lots of different types of people. I love tival, 515 Alive, The Color Run, The Des Moines Arts Festimy city because we have to be creative to make fun out of a lot val, and many more. It makes it even better that almost anyof things. Most of all I love my city because there are so many one who wants to can show their special talents. Including people here with amazing amounts of talent. Looking around local singers and rappers of many genres, paint artists, break everywhere in our city, you see crazy art plastered on buildings. dancers, videographers, photographers, and so much more. Downtown especially you get to hear local artist perform, at Jalesha Johnson is a member of Movement 515, a local festivals you get to experience people embracing their culture spoken word group here in Des Moines. This group is huge through their love of sharing their food with the world. The throughout Des Moines Public Schools and the movement people of Des Moines deserve loads of credit and appreciation. has a big impact on students in Des Moines. Being able to be That’s why I love my city, and that’s why you should love it too. a part of this group has made many students more confident Story / S Alsted
Page Editor/S. Alsted / 13
Q&A WITH
W
MARYKATE WALLING STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
hat does being a Scarlet mean to you? “Being a Scarlet means a lot to me. This school has so many fantastic people attending and working at it and being able to represent my school means the world. This school has really set me up for the real world and interacting with people,” MaryKate Walling said . What is your greatest memory you have while attending East? “One of the greatest memories I had while attending East was the first record that I broke in swimming. The immense amount of support made me feel good and only motivated me,” Walling said.
“Don’t be afraid to fail, it’s inevitable.”
How has swimming impacted your life? “Despite my feelings towards it at times, swimming has impacted my life a lot. It held me accountable for schooling and my grades. It also motivated me to become a better me and push myself to do things I never thought I would be able to do,” Walling said. Who is your role model and why? “My role model was my grandpa, I always looked up to him. I saw and heard what he went through and throughout my life I saw the person that he has became. He persisted through many things and has taught
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Photo / T. Anderson
Standing in front of the pool where many records were broken and tons of old memories were made, is senior MaryKate Walling.
me many life lessons without even realizing it,” Walling said. What do you like to do outside of school? “Outside of school I like to hangout with friends. I also enjoy writing a lot so I do a little bit of that sometimes,” Walling said. If you could tell your freshman self anything what would you say? Why? “If I could tell freshman me one thing it would for sure be confident. I would tell her to not hesitate when wanting to try something new. I would tell her to not care so much about what people thought of her
and to not be awkward. I would tell her to be herself and be confident with that,” Walling said. How have you grown from the first day of high school until now? “I have grown so much since my first day of high school. New experiences and new people in my life have helped me become the person I am becoming. I started a journey that I’m not done with but I’m excited about. I’ve grown to be more confident and comfortable with who I am,” Walling said. How do you manage being a student athlete? “Time management is a huge aspect
in being a student athlete. I prioritize both things but school always overrules it. I make sure I get things done and it motivates me in a way to do so,” Walling said. What are your plans for after high school? “I am going to attend college at possibly Iowa State University and major in Communications,” Walling said. Tell us something about yourself that few people know. “Something not a lot of people know I guess is that I love to sing and write. I’ve sang my whole life Story / T. Anderson
Page Editor / T. Anderson
What is Theatre?
Photo Illustration/ B.Riney
An inside look as to what Theatre is Story/B.Riney
If you’re a theatre kid or just interested in Theatre Arts, look no further. Read on to learn the basics of theatre: The basic history of Theatre Arts, some popular productions, and the different types of productions. “I like musical theatre because I can express myself through not only words but songs,” Senior Rachel Reidburn said. The history of the theatre arts is relatively unknown. A theory suggests that theatre started with the ritual and tribal dances as early as 8500 BCE. The performer(s) were masked and costumed in order to represent a personified spirit. Fast forward in time to 600 BCE – 400BCE, dance was still the main form of entertainment, but eventually the people added sound, costume, and masks. Later, the cult ceremonies of the ancient Greeks were the origins of Greek theatre. A Dionysian priest by the name of Thespis, introduced dialogue into Greek theatre, thus, marks the birth of theatre as we know it today. Then, with the rise of Christianity and the fall of the roman empire, theatre disappeared for a while. In 400 CE, theatre was banished because it was thought it was associated with pagan gods. It reemerged in the late tenth century when the Christians introduced dramatic elements into the Easter liturgy to make it more interesting and captivating. “And Then There Were None was my favorite purely because it was something unlike anything else I’ve ever done,” Junior, Elizabeth Bennett said.
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Theatre is an important activity for this generation. It allows students and young adults to express themselves and be who they want to be. The theatre department here at East is one of the safest spaces at East. People in it are allowed to be themselves; in fact, its encouraged. You are allowed to be whatever gender or sexuality you identify with. No one is judged for who or what they are. “I like theatre because it’s a place I can be me. A place where there’s few judgements about me being me. It’s a place I enjoy going to and look forward to,” Junior Chris Tillotson said. The Art of Theatre; in all forms, has an extensive and beautiful history. From the Greeks, to the Jacobean Era, to modern stage; Theatre is a home to some and a lifestyle to others and should thus be respected and loved.
Diffrent types of theatre: .Musical -These are plays that are performed completely in song and dance. .Farce -A type of comedy; relies on overexaggerated events and slapstick humor. .Tragedy -A favorite of Shakespeare. This type of production relies on suffering and emotionally painful events. .Comedy -This type of production could cover various themes. Over the years, comedies have come to symbolize a lot of other things.
Photo Illustration/B.Riney
.Melodrama -In melodramas, everything about the production, including the plot, characters, and dialogue are exaggerated to appeal to an audience’s emotions.
Page Editor/ B. Riney
How to survive high school
Are you trying to get through this year with a bright smile? Read these easy tips!
Have you been feeling like High School isn’t working out? Do you not enjoy going to school because you aren’t attending school? Your grades aren’t doing too well and you are failing your classes, and you have no support system. Well you’re in luck here are some great tips that will make a big difference. Sports and Actives Being involved in sports and activities is essential to surviving High School because you can make new friends and be more outgoing. “It helps you make friends before High School, before freshman year I played volleyball, so it helped me,” sophomore Morgan Demuth said. You learn very important life skills like being a team member, a participant and a leader. “It’s a fast way to make friends and open up more,” junior Niyata Adum said. Teachers and Counselors The type of relationship you have with your teachers and counselor can define your future and help you along the way. “I hope that the relationships that students have with their teachers and counselors is based on respect and trust. Trust that we do want you to learn and succeed on your own terms as much as possible, but also know that we all have to step up even if we don’t FEEL like doing work or being at
Tips for Freshmen page / 16
school sometimes,” counselor Ashlee Duimstra said. Having a great relationship with your teachers and peers at school can give you more opportunities and your teacher might be willing to let you change grades. “Even having just one teacher or counselor can help you be more successful in school and in life outside of school. It helps give you that sense of belonging and provides you with someone to advocate for you,” Randi Fitzgerald, teacher at East said. Classes/Grades Making sure that your grades are good is one of the keys to surviving High School. The certain kind of technique you use to pass your classes is very important. “Honestly paying attention and having a good relationship with my teachers helps me pass,” Demuth said. What else is better than having a teacher that you can lean on when you aren’t doing too well. “It’s frustrating when students tell me they are confused about what is happening in class or that they want to drop a class because it’s “hard” only to see that they haven’t been attending. Of course, it’s hard because you’re not there,” Duimstra stated. Taking notes attending and showing the teacher that you are engaged is very helpful and it shows you want to be there and you’re ready to learn. Friendships/Relationships
The kind of friendships that you have or the people you hang around with can really affect how you’re doing in school. “There are so many times in life when we are scared, frustrated, angry, sad, etc. And it HELPS to be able to vent or talk it out with someone you trust. Human beings are social, and we need to have a good support system in place when life is hard,” Duimstra said. There are also friendships that’s aren’t very helpful, and you must watch out for that. “It’s very unhealthy when they make you skip and peer pressure you to do bad things,” Demuth said. Healthy friendships and relationships aren’t only a high school thing you will use it throughout your life so why not start now. “High school can be tough, and there will be days where you ask yourself ‘when will I ever use this again?’ That is when you should remember two things: one- focus on the positive. (such as, it’s a good thing I live somewhere that values an education, or I have somewhere safe to be during the day, or I get to see my friends today) and twosometimes, in life, in the real world, you have to do things you don’t want to do, or you have to complete silly tasks because you’re told to or expected to. Being able to do this, with a positive attitude, and recognizing that your teachers do want was is best for you will help you get through it,” Fitzgerald said
BE POSITIVE
DON’T SKIP CLASS Make-up work is hard
TAKE NOTES
Having a good attiude can make a big difference
Even if you dont think you will need them Page Editor/S. Selema
Photo/N.Niemeyer
East Science Bound Story/E.Guerra
Freshman Jada Mae Turner
Sophomore Aeelyn Magallanes
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What is Science Bound? You may have heard of it, but do you really know what it’s all about. Science Bound is a scholarship program for minorities students who want to go to college for an ASTEM (agricultural, scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics) career path in the future. Science Bound has programs in the Des Moines Public School District, Denison School District, and Marshalltown School District. Iowa State University oversees the scholarship program and provides many of different activities for each student that is chosen for the program. Students can get chosen for the scholarship program by being an outstanding student in classes and through a teacher recommendation. A handful of students get chosen in their late seventh grade year and go through a progress to officially enrolled in Science Bound. Science Bound has many different projects the students must do. They must do a Science fair project in middle school. In high school, they must do a science fair project, career exploration project, and an ASTEM project. Also, in high school, you must have a
3.0 or higher GPA to stay in the program and a 75 percent attendance to Science Bound meetings. During the summer time, students must do a summer experience like volunteering or interning at different places, recording 40 hours of your own time. They also must do oral justifications. Des Moines Public School Science Bound students go to Central Academy while the Des Moines Public School juniors’ students are taking the ACT. They present to any adult in Science Bound and give them reasons on why we should continue in the program and why they should get the scholarship. Seniors must do a group oral justifications and talk about all their years together and what they learned and how they all grew together. Science Bound students also get to go on Iowa State Saturday Visits. Three to four times each year Science Bound students take time to go visit the University and see different career paths they could follow in the ASTEM path. As freshmen got used to their first year in high school as Science Bound students, ‘’There has been more work than there is in middle
school, but I feel a lot more comfortable because of the help from the upperclassman,’’ freshman Jada Mae Turner said. ‘’It was educational. I learned that I had to work to get into Science Bound, and it was like a good progress,’’ sophomore Aeelyn Magallanes said. Last year Magallanes was a freshman and was going through the progress of getting into Science Bound. “I would say that all these projects really helped me figure out and solidify what I wanted to do later in life, in terms of my career. These projects also prepare your mindset for different types of thinking, by going through the progress of research, presentation, and evaluation. I would say it prepares you for careers based in this type of work, or at least it has for me,” junior Cosmas Nyaika said. ‘’Science Bound helped me be a brighter person and helped me from the shy kid in the back and never had confidence in his answers to the kid that presents at big presentations, and helps others to become great as well as I did so I think the biggest thing is bringing out my inner self,’’ senior Gavin Crippen said.
Junior Cosmas Nyaika
Senior Gavin Crippen
Page Editor/E. Guerra
An inside look at the life of this East science teacher Story/ C.potter
Who is Melinda Hamann? She is an East High School science teacher, a wife, a mother to three children. Hamann has a husband who also works at East High School. She has two sons and a daughter, ages five eight and 12. She is a chemistr y teacher because she believes it’s a subject that is abstract but makes sense. She has a love for both science and math, so chemistry is a great fit for Hamann. She also has a degree in scientific illustration. She went to Iowa State University because it is one of the few collages in the country that offers scientific illustration. “Mrs. Hamann is a creative and hardworking individual,” said Riana Rice one of her students this year. “She’s so fun and I look forward to her class everyday”, says student Christina Tillotson. When asked about how she feels about students really liking her but not her class this is what Hamann said “I wish they liked Chemistry more, but I understand why they don’t. It’s hard work, I try and make it as fun as I can and hope people as we get through it, they find something in chemistry they love”.
Hamann believes having a good relationship with her students is very important and getting to know them. She also believes it is good to know what is going on with them. “You don’t have a good day every day and kids don’t have a good day every day and everyone brings their own baggage”, she said while talking about treating student with respect and understanding them. “She cares deeply for her students and it’s very obvious”, said Rice. When she is outside of school, she spends most of her time with her children but when she has time to herself she likes to read. She also does a lot drawing and painting, during the summer she does murals. “The kids here are like the kids everywhere” Hamann said while talking about why she picked East and why she love East. She also went on to talk about how the kids at East need teachers who care and want them to do well. She knows that East is said to be a bad school and she doesn’t understand why people think that why because she knows the students are great “She was one of my favorite teachers to have, because she was everything a teacher should be”, former student of hers Garrett Krumrey said.
“She was one of
my favorite teachers to have, because she was everything a teacher should be.”
illustration/ C.potter
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Page Editor/C.Potter
Q
&
A Kayla
O’Connor Learn about this East High FCS teacher who just became a mom Open, outgoing , funny, caring, friendly and social. Sister daughter, teacher, mom, and girlfriend. These are some words that describe FCS teacher Kayla O’Connor at East High School. Where were you born and raised? O’Connor was born in a small town.“I grew up in a town with no stoplight,” she said. She was born in Emmetsburg, Iowa and raised in Buffalo Center Iowa. Her class was super small she only had 30 something kids in her graduating class. What’s your favorite thing to do? O’Connor likes to do D.I.Y projects, poetry, make signs. Anything that has to do with
photos/ contributed
arts and crafts. “I get high from deals from shopping,” O’Connor said. “Shopping is something you can do by yourself ”. She has a closet full of discount wrapping paper from deals which comes in handy for birthdays, Christmas, etc. What’s your favorite thing to do with friends? “I have a small, small circle of friends,” O’Connor said. Before she was pregnant, she liked to go to pumpkin patches and wineries with her friends. She loves to go to mom and pop shops. What are some hobbies you wish to pass down to your baby? She would love to past down her creativity, O’Connor’s
mom and sister are very artsy like her. Her mom re-makes junk, one time she brought her a box to redo and it turned out to be a dog’s ashes. She also wants to travel a lot with her daughter. “When she’s old enough to remember,” O’Connor said. What made you want to teach at East High School? O’Connor started off as a kindergarten sub. She hated that job. Luckily there was an opening at East. “I was part time then next year they hired me as a full-time teacher,” O’Connor said. What’s your favorite thing about East? “My favorite thing about East is hands down the students,” Said
O’Connor. Her mom wanted her to teach somewhere close to home, but O’Connor didn’t want to work close to home. With her daughter being biracial she doesn’t want her to grow up in a small town. “I want my daughter to know both sides of her culture.” O’Connor said. What inspired you to get involved in movement 515? Mr. Byam (an old East administrator) said to O’Connor it was needed at East. “I remember leaving there and I was crying. I was so moved,” O’Connor said. She’s a coach and mentor. She’s even performed sometimes. Her favorite poem she wrote was “Shit students say.”
Things Ms. “HOM IES 4 LIFE” O’Connor
“SLAY”
Says A
LOT
”
“QUEEN
“SISTER”
“YASSS QUEEN!” She said that a lot when she was our cheer coach. -Haley Young “OOOUUU girl” - Marisa Anderson
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Page Editor/A. Hoof
Photos/M.Dahlberg
Q&A
WIth Senior Class President Tahzhae Burton.
Not only is Tahzhae Burton the president but he is a poet, a theater kid, and a directer. These are the roles Tahzhae plays everyday.
Story/M.Dahlberg
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Page Editor/M.Dahlberg
Q:Tell me about how you and Vive President Albert Jones Jr. met?
A:“It’s a funny story. When me and Albert met, we weren’t friends. Me and him met in kind of a weird way. our freshmen year. Started becoming friends our sophomore year.”
We met during football
Q: Tell me why you decided to run for East High senior student body president? Did you think that you would win? A:“It was more for a personal reason of mine, just something that grew with me. I wanted to show that I was able to accomplish
a goal when I was in a slump, I was just really in a bad place, I wanted to accomplish something so I can see change in myself and take on a role that was very important for me personally. I had tough competition, like Jazzy Johnson.”
Q:Tell me about how why you decided to run together?
A:“Albert like’s my brother. I was originally going to run as VP with my girlfriend Mayson. The day of declaring who was running for president and VP, I called Albert and asked if he wanted to run with me and he said “yea”. If it wasn’t Mayson it was always going to be Albert. He’s like my brother we are already so close.”
“Just be yourself and let the kids be themselves. Do what you got to do. Live your life” ~ Tahzhae Q: Tell me about the change you would like to bring to East High School, and when it would happen, and why there is A:
need for a change?
“I’d love to bring a lot of change to East High School, but I also have to look at reality. But I intend are to change a lot. I’d love to change the environment, the bad publicity that East gets, the rep we get as a school”.
Q: Tell me about if you had the power to create the best school, what would you do?
A:”I would just let people be themselves. Do what you want to do. But at the same time there’s always going to be rules and regulations to follow. Letting the kids be themselves”.
Q: Tell me about what you’ve been involved in on campus and/or in the community?
A: “I’ve been involved with so much throughout the community but on campus I’ve been a part of the theatre department for three years. Been with Movement 515 for a while here and there since sophomore year. But with the community showing and sending love to the kids at East High school. Showing them that it’s okay to be themselves”.
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Page Editor/M.Dahlberg
the of F
ailure is a part of life, but for some reason it has been ingraved into our brains that failure is not an option. The mindset we are building is detrimental to our confidence, our motivation, and ultimately our ability to achieve. Why is there so much pressure to succeed? Why is it that we aren’t allowed to fail? It is hard to look for positive things in the face of negative circumstances, but the good news is that it isn’t impossible. One of the hardest things for me is recognizing things I can learn from the mistakes I’ve made. Yesterday, I got a grade back on a thesis for my College AP United States History class. The grade: a 1.5. I was shocked and a bit dissapointed. I consider myself a pretty good student, and this grade definitely did not meet my standards. The thing about this thesis though, was that I typed it on my phone on the bus to Central. Reflecting on the methods that earned me this grade, I found my “room for improvement” of this particular failure. More times than not people base their success on the opinions of others.If we let others’ opinions dictate our goals, we most definitely will not be passionate about achieving them and working to become better people, whether that be at a sport, musical instrument, or academics. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, but the opinions of others are not the determining voice of your failure. Criticism doesn’t denote failure, it denotes room for improvement. A few weekends ago, I auditioned to play flute in the Iowa All State Band. That audition was one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life. I didn’t go in expecting to make it, which was a wise call on my part, as I have heard horror stories of kids bursting into tears as the lists of who made it are posted. I
was preparing for and going to the audition as a learning experience. Let’s just say I did not play to the best of my abilities once I got into that room and saw the judge’s face. I did not make it into All State (big surprise), but I did learn that scales are a relatively painless thing to practice for the sake of my improvement. I was able to walk out of there laughing at my mistakes, even though initially I was stressed about the audition. “Look at the bright side, at least (insert unfavorable outcome of your choice here) didn’t happen.” This cliche can be encouraging or infuriating, yet it’s the first thing that comes to mind when something doesn’t turn out as hoped. I struggle immensly with setting unrealistic expectations for myself, and beating my self up when (inevitably) I can’t meet those expectations. I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person who struggles with this. So for those of you who are in the same boat as me, I’m challenging all of us to a new mindset. What if we stopped thinking about our failures as something we did wrong, and started thinking about them as something new to try next time? When I get a 1.5 on an assignment I didn’t try on, I know that next time I can get a better grade by spending a few more minutes on it. When I bomb a big audition, I know that next time I need to practice my scales more. Improvement does not need to come in one fell swoop. If we reach perfection early on in life, we will have nowhere to grow. Imperfection simply means we’re waiting on a glow up. If we take away one lesson (at the bare minimum) from every situation where we do not meet expectations, we will have an instruction manual for our personal improvement.
page 22/ opinion by R. Hayworth
How to pick appropriate classes for your schedule so you will enjoy school more
Our favorite classes @East High
Story/ M. Hernandez
Are you confused or stressed about picking classes for next year’s schedule? Look no future, here are four tips to help better your schedule for 2019-2020. 1. When picking your core classes choose ones you need and like. Core classes include: math, English, science, and social studies classes; these are usually harder to pick than picking electives. First, it is important to pay attention to what the class is expecting of you, for example, if you don’t like math, picking chemistry for a science class wouldn’t be beneficial for you, whereas biology might be better. Challenge yourself though, don’t pick a class just because it seems easy or you already know the information, it will be a waste of a class. “Pick classes that are going to benefit you in the long run for your future,” sophomore Kylea Tackett said. Lastly, a core class should correlate with your plans after high school (or in high school) and give you the correct credits to further your education. “(Students) need to keep track of the required courses and where they are at to satisfy the requirements,” counselor Dana Smith said. 2. When picking your elective classes choose ones you will enjoy and that fit well into your schedule. Elective classes are usually other classes that aren’t as academically educational as core classes may be. If you like writing, yearbook or newspaper would be a good class to choose. If you like drawing/painting, art would be a good addition to your schedule. It can be as simple as that. But electives are not always just fun, extra classes on your schedule, some electives help reach graduation requirements. These requirements may be a foreign language, an arts class, etc. There is also a graduation requirement for elective credits, a certain amount is
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needed. So, when picking electives don’t just pick a random class to fill up your schedule. “(Students) need to think about how to use that elective, to further (their) understanding of what (they) want to do after high school,” Smith said. Be thoughtful while picking because the more you like a class, the better you’ll do in that class. 3. Try to make your schedule diverse. Having a diverse schedule means that you have a variety of different types of classes, ranging from journalism to metalworking, or from Spanish to choir. Diverse classes could even just be in several different places in school. These types of classes help give you a diverse learning environment, meet new people, and gain new skills that you might not have had otherwise. “You can meet new people of different beliefs, etc.,” Sophomore Madison Herrington said. 4. When the time comes to pick your classes be prepared. After picking your classes ask yourself two questions: Am I meeting at least one graduation requirement? Do I feel confident in my schedule? Being well prepared with your classes is important so that you don’t push all the requirements you’ll need for graduation until senior year. Spread out hard classes make your life easier. But most of all don’t be afraid to ask adults if you’re confused or need more help, like your school counselor or a teacher. “I think it is important (to ask your counselor or a teacher) because if you do ask a question, you sort of know what you’re walking into then being blindsided. You also have time to think before actually locking in your answer,” sophomore Heyden Snider said.
Mohamed Saidu -Freshman
Team Games with Mr. Weinheimer
Alex Desantiago -Sophomore AP Engineering with Mr. Jobes
Mayela Chaidez-Lopez
-Junior
Yearbook with Mrs. Niemeyer Page Editor/M. Hernandez
Wrestling photos/A. Armstrong
Competing and enjoying themselves are the East High School wrestlers. Four of them made it to state this year and all four of them placed in the top five.
EAST HIGH WRESTLING Matt Jordan placed Brock Espalin placed Deville Dentis placed Matt Scott placed
3rd 3rd 4th 5th
weight: 126 weight: 132 weight: 145 weight: 182
SHOUT OUT to State Bowlers Richie Reidburn, 12 Kaytlyn Andrews, 11
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Page Editor/N. Grove