Le Mondrian by Foundations of Journalism

AP Stress as west high begins to offer ap classes for freshmen, le mondrian explores how first-year students are dealing with the pressure of ap tests.

Le Mondrian iowa city west high school . intro to newspaper . June 2015

LE MONDRIAN june 2015 Table Of Contents /03/ 1 in 2000: Annie chen /04/ summer activities /06/ nepal earthquake /07/ ap testing stress /10/ summer smoothies /12/ downtown pizza /07/ AS AP TESTING FINALLY COMES TO AN END, FIND OUT HOW FRESHMEN ARE FARING WITH THE NEW AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY CLASS AT WEST HIGH. /12/ OF ALL THE PIZZA RESTAURANTS DOWNTIOWN, LE MONDRAIN EXPLORES WHICH SERVES THE BEST PIZZA.

/14/ prom preparation guide WINGEL XUE- EDITOR IN CHIEF & DESIGNER SHAWN THACKER- WRITER & designer COLIN WALDRON- WRITER

FEATURE JUNE 2015 Le Mondrian 03

1 in 2000: Annie Chen ‘18

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WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY WINGEL XUE

A single bow flies across an array of quivering strings. A solitary figure stands on a stage at the center of a fluent melody, carefully moving to each note in perfect time and pitchall under the scrutiny of a panel of judges. Everything about the piece must be flawless in order to stand out among the hundreds of other competitors, creating an atmosphere buzzing with tension. However, Annie Chen ’18 is no stranger to scenes like these. Chen competitively plays violin and participates in many exclusive orchestra chamber groups. Last fall, Chen auditioned into the Iowa All-State Orchestra, the most prestigious honors music group in Iowa, and played in the chamber group, comprised of only the top 12 violinists that auditioned. “I have basically been practicing my whole life to get into all-state in high school. [...] Getting into All-State was a really amazing experience,” Chen said. But violin is just one of Chen’s many musical talents. Outside of violin, Chen also plays piano, guitar, ukulele and sings. “I’ve gone to the Piano Music Teach-

every year since I was five [...] and did the Iowa Music Teachers Association too, and won Level E, one of the highest levels,” Chen said. One of Chen’s biggest inspirations is her family. “My mom is a piano teacher [...] she’s always wanted me to get involved in music. My grandma was also involved in church playing hymns and my aunt is a professor teaching music in Taiwan,” Chen said. This background of music has guided Chen for all of her life. Even when she’s not on the stage, she spends hours each day practicing these instruments. “About everything I do is music-centered. I’m almost always listening to music,” Chen said. Chen’s enjoyment of music, however, mainly comes from the community of musicians. “My favorite part about music is meeting all the inspiring people who have a common interest in music and are really dedicated to it through competitions and events,” Chen said. Her comment stands true- Chen

plays in many quartets and other musical groups with fellow students, such as Catherine Ju ’18. “[Chen] and I are playing a duet together for our orchestra chamber groups. [...] Whenever we get a little off or not together, she’s really good about watching and listening to my part to get us together again,” Ju said. Chen’s outgoing personality and dedication extends outside of the music community. In her free time, she volunteers at a local church youth group and at the UI Hospital. “I love volunteering because you can see how lonely some of the patients are and it’s really uplifting to see how happy they are when they have someone to talk to,” Chen said. Even with her active involvement in music and volunteering, she still isn’t sure where she wants to go with these activities, but she still holds a positive outlook. “ I made a personal goal that if I ever get first chair at All-State I’m going to major in music,” Chen said, laughing. “Eleven chairs to go.”

FEATURE 04 JUNE 2015 le mondrian

SUMMER ACTIVITIES AS THE END oF THE SCHOOL YEAR QUICKLY APPROACHES AND FADES INTO WARMER WEATHER, EVERYONE’S MAKING PLANS FOR THEIR SUMMER. WHETHER YOU’RE TRAVELLING TO ANTARCTICA OR LOCKING YOURSELF IN YOUR ROOM AND BINGE-WATCHING ALL SIX SEASONS OF GOSSIP GIRL, LE MONDRIAN HAS A SAMPLE oF All THE cool THINGS WEST STUDENTS ARE DOING THIS SUMMER. COMPILED AND DESIGNED BY WINGEL XUE

SPENCER ROETLIN JUNIOR “I’M GOING TO DEBATE CAMP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IN ANN ARBOR FOR SEVEN WEEKS. THERE I WILL RESEARCH NEXT YEAR’S DEBATE TOPIC WITH HUNDREDS OF MY PEERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.”

lEAH DUSTERHOFT SOPHOMORE “I’M GOING TO NATIONALS FOR THROWING DISCUS AT VIRGINIA BEACH. WE’LL PROBABLY GO TO A BUNCH OF MUSEUMS BECAUSE MY FAMILY IS REALLY INTO THE HISTORY OF PLACES AND EAT A LOT.”

JOHN SUNDERLAND SENIOR “THIS SUMMER, I WILL BE TAKING A LOT OF TIME FOR PREPARING FOR MY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY IN OMAHA, NE. EARLY IN JUNE, I WILL TRAVEL OVER THERE FOR ORIETNATION [.. ] HOPEFULLY I’LL DO ENOUGH THIS SUMMER FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION INTO COLLEGE.”

DAVID WANG SOPHOMORE “I PLAN TO GO BACK TO CHINA TO VISIT RELATIVES FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS. I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM IN SEVEN YEARS AND I MISS THEM. I’M EXCITED TO TRAVEL AROUND CHINA AS WELL.”

FEATURE JUNE 2015 lE mondrian 05

HARRY ZIELINSKI

SEAN CHI

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

“I AM GOING TO THE INDIANA SOCCER CAMP IN JULY AND THE ISC SOCCER CAMP IN AUGUST. I AM GOING TO BANFF, CANADA BUT I DON’T KNOW WHEN. I AM ALSO GOING TO WORK THIS SUMMER FOR MY DAD’S BUSINESS LIKE I HAVE FOR PAST YEARS. I ALSO ENJOY TO FISH OVER THE SUMMER.”

“SO DURING THE WINTER, I HEARD ABOUT THE SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, SO I DECIDED TO SIGN UP. I APPLIED FOR AN INTERNSHIP IN A BIOCHEMISTRY LAB AND I GOT IN. NOT SURE WHAT I WILL BE DOING, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET A FEEL OF WHAT WORKING THAT JOB WOULD BE LIKE.”

JOEL TANSEY

WALA SIDDIG

JUNIOR

FRESHMAN

“[I AM] PLANNING ON VOLUNTEERING AND DOING MUSIC CAMPS, AS WELL AS COLLEGE VISITS AND PREPARING FOR STANDARAIZED TESTS. [I WILL BE] VOLUNTEERING THROUGH MY CHURCH AT LOCAL SOUP KITCHENS AND MONTH LONG MUSIC CAMP.”

“THIS SUMMER, I’M GOING TO QATAR FOR TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO SEE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT’S REALLY HOT BUT REALLY BEAUTIFUL. IT’S A GREAT MIXTURE BETWEEN WESTERN CULTURE AND ARAB CULTURE. I’M REALLY EXCITED.”

opinion 06 JUNE 2015 le mondrian

The

Nepal

Earthquake

“Le Mondrian takes a personal look into the effects of the earthquake in Nepal”

BY SHAWN THACKER

thacker.v.shawn@gmail.com

The earth is shaking. Buildings are violently swaying. The sky is filled with dust. The cry of a mother’s child is heard from beneath the avalanche of debris entrapping the city. There is no electricity. No clean water. Medics are frantically trying to calm the situation, but there are too many injured and dead, and not enough doctors. These are all challenges and descriptions of the tragedies that Nepal has had to face in the last months. On April 25 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Nepal. This devastating earthquake has killed more than 8000 people, with countless others injured or unaccounted for. In addition to tragedy of the immense loss of life in Nepal, the capital city, Kathmandu, was severely damaged and many small villages were completely destroyed. In the wreckage that ensued, many ancient temples, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites were flattened to the ground. Many of the redbrick, wooden pagodas, famous of Kathmandu were turned to not much more than rubble. This terrible occurrence has affected me personally. I remember standing in the heart of Kathmandu’s Durbar Square,

surrounded by ancient shrines, pagodas, courtyards and palaces from various stages of Nepal’s history. White-washed palaces beside red-brick pagodas, interspersed with vendors selling their goods and statues of Hindu gods and deities. Surrounded by the smell of spices and incense, immersed in the sea of tourists and locals alike. The sounds of Nepalis haggling for the best price, tourists chatting in their local tongue, and the occasional burst of a car horn engulfing my hearing. The whole experience was unforgettable. Today, where I stood lies the rubble of Nepal’s pride and history. The rubble of the product of generations of architectural innovations of the Shah and Malla dynasties. Now, the only incense you’ll smell is that of a small altar paying dues those who passed away. Even still, as aftershocks continued to shake the nation, another earthquake hit Nepal. This time it registers a 7.3 on the Richter Scale, and not even three weeks had yet come to pass since the first earthquake. More than 8 million people were affected by the earthquake that hit Nepal in late April. More than 1.4 million Nepalis are in need of food aid. Aftershocks continue to jolt Nepal to this day. But even after all the troubles that Nepal has faced, Nepal will recover. Nepal has had a history of troubled politics among its many ethnic, linguistic, political and religious groups. In the last 15 years alone, Nepal has

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undergone a civil war and changed from a monarchy to a democratic republic. In spite of these challenges under the new system of governance, the people of Nepal will come together to rebuild their nation. These earthquakes have the potential to bring Nepal together and to unify the diverse nation. The Nepali people can come together to rebuild their nation to its former glory.

HOW TO

HELP

Red Cross The Red Cross initially donated $300,000 and many supplies when the first earthquake struck. They are still fundraising.

Save the Children Save the Children is an international charity that has been in Nepal for many years. They have already dispatched medical teams.

Global Giving Global Giving is an online fundraising platform that has set a goal of donating $5,000,000. They have currently fundraised $3,115,773.

Fundraise One of the most effective things you can do is go around the community and fundraise for an organization like the ones listed above.

Any donation makes a big difference

DESIGN AN

D IMAGES BY

SHAWN THAC

KER

STRESS RELIEF

FEATURE 08 JUNE 2015 le mondrian

BY COLIN WALDRON AND SHAWN THACKER Advanced Placement, or AP, tests come around once a year. The dreaded test that determines if all the late nights spent studying piles upon piles of review books and flashcards were really worth it. These cringeinducing tests run early in the morning and take upwards of three hours to complete. The idea of taking a cumulative test over everything from main ideas to the minute nuances of a course in a cold band room is not appealing to many. For freshmen at West, this stressful experience is coming earlier. These tests, once limited only to second-year students and above, have been made available to freshmen through the new AP class offered for underclassmen at West - AP Human Geography. Though the class is still in its early stages at West, Mrs. Nies, the sole teacher of AP Human Geography this year, is working to make the class as easy for younger students as possible.

“I definitely believe in AP Human Geography for students in all grades levels, but it is a particularly good fit for freshman as a first AP course [...] The [Free Response Questions] tend to be very accessible to students who are taking their first AP class,” Mrs. Nies said. Even though AP Human Geography is a class predominantly made up of freshmen, there are still many sophomores who take the class. However, all students in the class have put lots of time into preparing for the AP exam. Shay Raffensperger, one of the sophomores enrolled in the class this year, has developed her own method to study. “[To study] I reread the notes that I took for every chapter, and I also bought a book which I’ve been looking through,” said Raffensperger. Simply studying for an exam as important as this one can be a demanding experience. While monotonously flipping through notes is practically a mandatory part of preparing for AP exams, students have also made it into a fun and stress-reducing

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COMPILED AND DESI

HEAR IT FROM WEST: “How did “I take breaks, but instead of watching TV, I tend to my Clash of Clans village” - Ryan Braverman ‘18

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IGNED BY WINGEL XUE

FEATURE JUNE 2015 lE mondrian 09

activity. Ryan Braverman ’18, is just one of many students who took a lighter approach to studying for the AP exam. “I use my practice book [to study], as well as many other online sources. My favorite way to study by far, though, is to hold a Skype study sesh’ with whoever is on,” Braverman said. However, no matter how students prepare for this huge final exam, stress and angst will be an inevitable part of the AP testing experience. The constant fear of failing is a huge factor of the exam for many. This holds especially true for Pareen Mhatre ’18. “I was super stressed out a week before the AP exam because I didn’t think I could handle that and school work at the same time. The night before the exam, [though], I felt like I could handle it because I reviewed some notes,” said Mhatre. The hard work and agonizing mental preparation that that students have put into studying for this transitioning AP course has helped many students prepare for more difficult AP classes in the future, especially

true for Pareen Mhatre ’18. “I was super stressed out a week before the AP exam because I didn’t think I could handle that and school work at the same time. The night before the exam, [though], I felt like I could handle it because I reviewed some notes,” said Mhatre. The hard work and agonizing mental preparation that that students have put into studying for this transitioning AP course has helped many students prepare for more difficult AP classes in the future, especially freshmen like Lauren Ernst ’18. “I think AP Human Geography [...] is a nice introduction into how AP classes work. It’s really helped me improve my studying methods,” said Ernst. AP Human Geography has given many underclassmen the opportunity to experience the difficulty of AP courses and has taught students the stress-handling and time management skills needed to succeed in future classes.

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d you relieve stress for AP testing?”

I eat chocolate, play with my cats or watch Supernatural” - Shay Raffensperger ‘17

“I take breaks, to play tennis and make time to relax,” -Chirag Jain ‘18

FOOD 10 JUNE 2015 le mondrian

SUMMER SMOOTH As summer approaches, everyone’s looking for a way to cool down; whether it’s taking a dip in the pool or getting froyo at Yotopia - but there’s no healthier (or tastier) way than with some homemade smoothies. Just to make life a little easier, Le Mondrian brings you original recipes for all the easiest and yummiest smoothies to make over break.

Classic Strawberry Banana Smoothie Ingredients: 2 cups of fresh strawberries

1½ bananas 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey) 1 cup of ice

Everyone knows what a strawberry banana smoothie is, and there’s a reason it’s a real classic-it’s really good. This smoothie is perfectly sweet and the milk and ice help turn these fruits into a nice smooth blend. Regardless of what you’re doing, a strawberry banana smoothie is perfect as a little snack. WRITTEN, COMPILED, AND DESIGNED BY WINGEL XUE

FOOD JUNE 2015 lE mondrian 11

HIES Cool Watermelon Smoothie Ingredients:

There’s no fruit more perfect 2 cups of fresh strawberries for the summer than water2 cups diced watermelon melon, and this smoothie will 1 tbsp sugar (or honey) instantly cool you down. It has ½ cup plain yogurt just enough honey to keep it 1 cup ice sweet, but the watermelon and strawberries are definitely still tasteable. Even better, this smoothie only has a few simple ingredients and is still delicious.

Green Pineapple Smoothie Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt 3/4 cup baby spinach 1 banana 3/4 cup diced pineapple 1 cup ice 1 teaspoon honey

While the color of this smoothie may be a little off-putting, it’s one of the healthiest smoothies you’ll find (that still tastes good). The pineapple gives the smoothie a perfect extra tang, and the banana keeps the texture really nice and smooth. In fact, you can barely even taste the spinach. Either way, it’s a great option for a breakfast smoothie to start a hot summer day out.

FEATURE E. JEFFERSON

12 JUNE 2015 le mondrian

MESA PIZZA 114 E. Washington St.

EAST A

PIZZA

E. WASHINGTON ST

PIZZA PIT 214 E Market St Cost: $3.76 per slice Pizza Pit is a chain restaurant that serves pizza as well as Greek food. Pizza Pit doesn’t have a huge variety in choices for pizza, so we decided to get a nice ol’ taco pizza. The pizza had a thick crust and was really soft with Doritos on top, but it was slightly messy with all the toppings and fell apart pretty quickly. The taco sauce was delicious as well, but one downside was that there was no seating indoors, which forced us to eat outside on the sidewalk. The pizza isn’t very expensive either, so if you’re looking for a quick bite and you’re in the area, Pizza Pit is a good option. S. CLINT

Pizza is practically everyone’s favorite food, but with the huge number of pizza places downtown and throughout Iowa City, it can be difficult choosing where to go. Nothing can ruin the excitement of going to a new pizza place quicker than discovering cheese that’s somehow crunchy or a crust that’s burnt to a crisp. But not to fear-Le Mondrian has taken the dive and gone on a journey to explore some of the various restaurants downtown and is bringing you all the pizza worth eating in Iowa City.

Mesa Pizza is a fairly small and niche pizza place tucked in between a few buildings downtown. Their menu offers strange varieites of pizza flavors, ranging from traditional pepperoni to mac and cheese. We ordered a Pesto Penne Pizzakind of a strange combo- but it was really good. The pesto was perfect, the cheese wasn’t too stringy, and the crust was thin and crispy. The only qualm we had with this pizza was that it was just slightly too oily, but a trip to Mesa is definitely worth your time and money, and there’s plenty of variety to keep you going back.

ON S T

DOWNTOWN

Cost: $3.75 per slice

COMPILED, WRITTEN, AND DESIGNED BY WINGEL XUE

FEATURE JUNE 2015 lE mondrian 13 CITY PARK

A&A PAGLIAI’S PIZZA H IS

302 E. Bloomington St.

6 US IC TO R

GILBERT ST

LINN ST

Cost: $9.95 for a 10’’ pizza The first thing you’ll see when you walk over to A&A is a bright window, with chefs kneading freshly-made dough, greeting you with a smile and wave. A&A is a little more formal than the rest of the places we visited, with formal seating, which means a slightly longer wait. Here, we ordered a shrimp pizza. The sauce was perfect, and the crust was really crispy, but the shrimp was a little salty and there wasn’t enough cheese on it. Still, A&A is definitely worth a visit, especially in a large group.

IOWA AVE

FALBO BROS 457 S Gilbert St

Cost: $2.50 per slice

LU CA S S T

Falbo Bros is a pretty large pizza place on the corner of the street. The inside is pretty barren, and the only seating available are on some old-looking and slightly sticky benches. There were only a few types of pizza available, so we decided on the basil tomato garlic pizza. The dough was extremely puffy and really good, but the pizza was kind of cold and pretty bland, compared to the pizza at the other restaurants. The pizza here is very cheap though, so if you’re in a hurry, Falbo Bros is definitely a viable option.

FEATURE 14 JUNE 2015 le mondrian

Prom Preparation With the end of the school year around the corner and the stress of studying and tests finally coming close to an end, juniors and seniors are more than ready for prom. But prom comes with plenty of worries and preparation too. Who to go with, what to wear, and an endless cycle of questions about how to prepare for the last dance of high school. Le Mondrian is giving you a sneak peek into the lives of fellow students who attended prom this year and the preparations that they took to ensure a perfect night.

Josh Chen Senior “To get ready for prom I got my hair trimmed and rented a tux [...] most of the preparation was done by someone else who formed the group. She made dinner reservations at Iowa River Power Company a month in advance, and [we took] pictures at North Ridge Pavilion.“

Kai Trepka Junior “I went with a group [and] spent no money because I had a tux from band. Bought tickets the day before. Then went stargazing because Party After Prom’s too expensive for me.”

Audrey Hopewell Senior “Before prom, I got my hair done because I am incapable of doing it myself, then I went to my friend Lauren’s house and we hung out and did makeup together. After prom, we went to Party After Prom to eat the free food and embarrass ourselves by dancing.”

Mary Li Junior “We had a friend visiting and she hosted us all at her house. We got to do hair and makeup in the bathroom, [and I] burned my hand on a hair curler a few times, it was fun.”