Agape by Foundations of Journalism

may 2018

agape

P H OTO F E AT U R E

E LL A SM ITH

“On Thanksgiving, my family visited my grandpa. He decided to take my mom, brother, and I on a special trip. He ended up taking us to an Amish town. We went inside their local store and bought honey and apple jam. They also had free, freshly made donuts and coffee sitting on the front counter. They were delicious.” Ella Smith ‘20

CONTENTS

04 06 08 12 14 16

PROFILE

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

C OV E R

F E AT U R E

S P O RT S

OPINION

LETTER FROM THE Dear readers,

EDITOR

As the end of the school year approaches, everyone is itching to be done, even the teachers. Everyone wants to be outside going on hikes, chilling by the pool, or not having to worry about AP tests and finals. My crew and I are here to help take your mind off all the stress. Explore some foods around the world, get a review of a new, local restaurant, and come with us to goat yoga! We will even give you some ideas on what to do on the last day of school. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! COVER PHOTO BY ELLA SMITH COVER DESIGN BY SUMNER WALLACE

ELLIE BROWN

PROFILE

MAY 25, 2018

FAMILIAR HALLS

BY FAREEHA AHMAD A previous student has made their way back to the familiar halls of West High, but this time for a different reason.

t’s not everyday one decides to come back to their old high school to revisit their past, and at the same time begin their future. However, Science Teacher, Jeffrey Conner always knew he wanted to come back to West High. “I think [West is] the best place to work,” Conner said. “I had a really good experience here as a student, and so I always planned on coming back here; that was always my goal.” Conner graduated from West in 2005, and started working here in 2012. However, the journey to becoming a teacher was a rough one. When Conner told others that he wanted to become a teacher, they disapproved and said it wasn’t the right career for him. “I had wanted to be a teacher when I was in high school,” Conner said. “But then I had some people talk me out of it a little bit because I was really good at science and math and they said if I was good at those things then I should go into engineering.” Even though the plan was to teach, Conner decided to take the suggestions and went into chemical engineering. He studied engineering for two years at Kirkwood

Community College and one year at Iowa State. After three years, Conner realized that engineering was not something he was passionate about or wanted to do for the rest of his life. With a new career path in mind, Conner decided to go back to Kirkwood to take classes in education. After a semester at Kirkwood, Conner then went to the University of Iowa to gain his Master’s degree. “I was glad when he got hired here because [...] even as a student he was obviously very curious about science and he was kind of nerdy and he was very intelligent too,” said Michelle Wikner, Conner’s former Chemistry Teacher. “So I could just tell the combination of him being, you know, really bright [...] and just the fact that he cares a lot about people, I thought those would make good combinations for a good teacher.” Becoming a teacher was difficult, but keeping grades up in high school wasn’t much easier. Although Conner found school enjoyable, he was failing a lot of his classes. He was dealing with some challenges at home, which played a factor in how well he was doing at school. “I think the big deal for me was that even though academically I didn’t do super well there [was] a lot of stuff going on in my life outside of school [that] I felt like this was always my safe haven and that was why I wanted to be a teacher,” Conner said. “I wanted to come back here [...] and let my students know that I am here to help them if they need [it] and [that] I care about them. It was really just about doing something meaningful in my life.” Although Conner didn’t get the best grades, that did not mean he wasn’t a bright student. Wikner always knew that he was a very smart teen, just by

PROFILE

MAY 25, 2018

the way he was very passionate about learning. One story that Wikner thought was amazing was when she assigned her class to do a project at the end of the year. Wikner told Conner that since it was inevitable he was going to fail the class, he didn’t have to do the project and he could focus more on his other classes. However, Conner quickly refused and said that he really enjoyed his topic and wanted to do it. Then, the next year when he retook chemistry, the same project was given out at the end of the year. Wikner told Conner it was okay to use the one from his previous year, but once again, he refused and said he wanted to do another topic. “He was more of a learner than a grade chaser,” Wikner said. “So, he didn’t really care as much about grades but he was always very interested in learning and he always asked a lot of questions and I could just always tell his brain was always going going going.” Now that Conner is a teacher, he has proven to be spectacular at it, and he always helps each and every single one of his students with whatever they need. “The first week of class I was taken aback just because he’s super different from any of the other teachers I’ve had. Just in the way he teaches, but also his personality,” said Avrill Gratton ‘19. “He has a really quirky personality and he’s really nice and he cares a lot about his students.” Another student, Rory Connolly ‘19, agrees. “I got to say I like the way he teaches,” Connolly said. “There’s different speeds to learn stuff and he accepts each way of learning.” Conner strongly believes that when a student tries their best, even if they are struggling with grades—they are going to succeed in life. It isn’t about having the best grades in class, it’s about coming to school and learning. He says that high school, a lot of the time, drills into students that if they don’t get a passing grade they are going to end up a failure. However, Conner believes

that that is not as true as some might think. “A lot of students who do struggle, who do end up failing classes, end up going to have perfectly fine careers and doing very well,” Conner said. “The biggest thing for me is that my students will hopefully leave my class with more tools for dealing with the problems they encounter in life. Not necessarily academic but just generally speaking. [...] I just hope my class will become happier and successful human beings overall.”

DESIGN BY SUMNER WALLACE

E N T E R TA I N M E N T MAY 25, 2018

END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FUN

DAN ES DAI RY

When Iowa summers approach, temperatures can be unbearably hot inside and outside West High. After the torture of sitting in unairconditioned classrooms for the whole year , getting some classic, refreshing, and cold ice cream sounds perfect. Gather a couple of friends and head over to enjoy anything from the classic vanilla and chocolate twist cone, to a delicious soft serve shake with your favorite topping. If you are driving, it will only take about 8 minutes from West to Danes, but if none of your friends have a car, it’s still a nice biking or walking range from school. After all, it’s always nice to treat yourself after a hardy workout. Be sure to try a reese’s peanut butter cup twister, it will blow your mind.

THAN K YOU N OTES

Sometimes students don’t realize how much their teachers do for them. It’s easy to dismiss all the education and sacrifices they give in order for you to learn important skills. Taking 30 minutes out of your day to write a quick thank you for all they have done will put a smile on their face and can even brighten your own day. The first thing that comes to your mind when you think of your teachers may be all the homework and tests they gave you throughout the year, but try to think of the many positives they did for you. Their job is to help you succeed in your future, maybe one of the most important things a person can do.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

MAY 25, 2018

S I G N YEAR BOO KS At West High, yearbooks are always a pretty big deal. It is filled with all the best memories and highlights throughout the year. They are distributed a few weeks before the end of the year so it gives you plenty of time to get all your friends and favorite teachers to sign. Write funny notes to your friends throughout the book to put a smile on their face when they look back.. It’s a good way to remember all the people and memories you made with them.

BO N F I R E

One of the biggest reliefs you could feel is clearing out all your binders and folders at the end of each trimester. Want to one up that feeling? Burn. Everything. Roast some marshmallows, create a couple s’mores, and watch in delight as all your sources of stress throughout the past year disintegrate into nothingness. If you want to save your notes for future reference, a bonfire is still a great idea. Plan a big gathering with many friends, play night games, tell stories, and you’re bound to have a great night.

POO L

One of the nicest feelings on a hot day is splashing into a big swimming pool. Luckily, our community has many different swimming facilities to choose from. The Coralville Community Aquatic Center, North Liberty Aquatic Center, City Park Pool, and the Robert A. Lee Community I Recreation Center are all great places to get your splash on. While some of these pools have nothing more than a high dive, others have complex slides and fun floaties. Whatever pool you decide to go to, you are bound to have fun and cool down while still being outside. DESIGN BY ELLA SMITH ARTICLE BY ELLA SMITH IMAGES FROM GOOGLE

EVENT

MAY 25, 2018

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR GOAT On a very special Earth day, the Young family decided to celebrate with yoga and goats BY: FAREEHA AHMAD

n a unique Earth Day celebration, full of yoga poses and goats, it was about time for a baby goat to let loose. “Well, you know yoga,” Susan Young said, as the little baby goat began to pee all over the green grass. “It just works it right out of you.” On a windy-sunny day, a group of women with smiles plastered all over their faces approached a white tent, from which they could hear the bleats of tiny little goats. With their excited hands gripping rolled-up yoga mats, they waited to enter the flapping tent. As the women stood in line to crawl in, they could hear gravel crunch under tires and they could see land beyond the eye. They could also find other animals, such as chickens, roaming around. The sky was blue and the slightest bit cloudy, as two large buildings

stood up tall against it. The Young family walked around in their Lucky Star Farm T-shirts and could not believe their eyes when around 20 people showed up to do goat yoga at their farm. “Well, we’ve seen online the last couple of years a lot of people talking about doing goat yoga [...] and Natalie [Young ’20] and Caroline [Young ’19] said ‘Mom, we should do that’ and I just [...] said ‘That’s silly, people don’t want to come to our farm and sit around with goats. I don’t get it,’” said Susan. “This year, I relented and said ‘Okay, well let’s just give it a try’ and within 24 hours the first class sold out and I said, ‘Okay, wow, I guess people really do want to do goat yoga.’ So we were sold.” The Young family promoted the classes on Facebook, and decided to host their first session at the Lucky Star Farm on April 22.

FOR A GOAT-TASTIC VIDEO GO TO INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM

DESIGN BY SUMNER WALLACE PHOTOS BY SUMNER WALLACE

EVENT

MAY 25, 2018

“We moved to this farm about seven years in my whole life. [...] I had the best time,” said ago,” said Susan. “Initially we just started having yogi, Heather Grieser-Yoder. “It was fun,” said Catherine Carder ‘18, another some chickens, [but] then we added some goats, and then we added llamas and we have turkeys one of the yogis. “It was a good experience.” Miller smiled, laughed, and pet goats as well. coming soon so we just added new things.” The first session was filled with laughter. Inside What she mostly wanted was for people to the tent, 14 baby goats were roaming around just experience time with the goats, and to together in the middle, surrounded by people have a light-hearted fun day. “I just wanted people to do a little bit of yoga on their yoga mats. Individuals couldn’t help but but mostly have fun with goats,” said Miller. “I brush their hands across the goats, even before think that’s how it went. I was the class started. “ TH EY ’ R E A LOT LI K E pleased with it.” The Young family asked yoga Most of the goats stayed instructor Noor Miller to do the DOGS ACTUALLY. together (they are herding honor of instructing their first TH EY ’ LL RU N U P TO animals, after all) but Susan goat yoga class. Miller usually teaches yoga at Shala Hot Yoga YOU AN D SN I F F YOU picked them up and moved on the east side of Iowa City, but AN D N I B B LE AT YOU R them around so everyone was able to pet a goat. Once the this occasion was special. SH I RT. TH EY ’ R E R EALLY goats got a chance to loosen “I was super excited [when I was up, they went over to people’s asked to instruct the class]. I had F RI E N DLY ” mats, went under people’s legs heard about [goat yoga] on the and even got on top of people’s backs. news and things like that,” said Miller. “I thought it “They’re a lot like dogs actually. They’ll run up was silly and fun and I was very excited.” With their instructor and goats ready, the only to you and [...] sniff you and nibble at your shirt. thing left was for the 23 eager yogis to get They’re really friendly,” Natalie said. When the family saw how many people ready for a fantastic Earth Day experience. Miller wanted to do goat yoga, they decided to started off with some poses, but soon enough, many were more interested in where the goats host two more sessions April 28 and April 29. The Young’s also wouldn’t be surprised if they would huddle next. “I didn’t really know what to expect at all. I don’t did it again next year, so stay on the lookout even think I’ve ever seen a goat this close before for another goat-tastic time.

FUN

FACTS

- The Young family moved to the Lucky Star Farm seven years ago

- They came up with the name for the farm in their family group chat

- They have themes for all their groups of baby goats

- They have been raising goats for 4-5 years

EVENT

MAY 25, 2018

MEET THE GOATS MOMMIES

←

Full Name: Petals Theme: Flowers Babies: Cheeto, Frito, and Spud Favorite Food: Grass Favorite Activity: Bossing her kids around

→

Full Name: Luna Status: The real OG Theme: Volleyball Babies: Spike and Ace Favorite Food: Moon Cakes Favorite Activity: Sun bathing

EVENT

MAY 25, 2018

BABIES

Full Name: Gorgonzola Nickname: Gonzo Theme: Cheeses Favorite Food: Anything vegan Favorite Activity: Yelling

Full Name: Spike Theme: Volleyball Favorite Food: Lollipops Favorite Activity: Climbing on his mom

Full Name: Twinkie Theme: Breads Favorite Food: Hostess Cupcakes Favorite Activity: Sleep DESIGN BY SUMNER WALLACE PHOTOS BY SUMNER WALLACE

F E AT U R E

MAY 25, 2018

FOOD AROUND THE WORLD West High School has a diverse community of students from all over the world, and with that diversity comes many different foods. BY: ELLA SMITH, FAREEHA AHMAD, AND ELLIE BROWN

DIEGO RIVERA ‘19 - COCINITA PIBIL FROM MEXICO

Cochinita pibil is a meal that requires many hours to make. After four or five hours in the kitchen, you will have pork wrapped in banana leaves and a delicious top-secret family sauce topped off with a small bit of diced up radish, onion and lime to give the sweet and savory dish a little more of a bitter taste. Cochinita pibil is the perfect combination of all the best flavors at once. “I wouldn’t describe it as sweet but I wouldn’t describe it as savory. It’s kind of a mix in between. It’s the kind of feel you get when you bite into a bar of chocolate, but then at the same time it’s warm, like having hot fudge in your mouth,” Rivera said.

RACHEL DING ‘19 - RICE FROM CHINA

Ding’s favorite food is simply rice. Rice has a very special role for most, if not all, dishes in China and is eaten on a daily basis. Usually, for meals, the Chinese have a bowl of rice as their base, and then they add other foods, such as vegetables or meat to their bowl. “It is such a staple to the Chinese meal. It would be weird to eat a meal without rice,” Ding said.

F E AT U R E

MAY 25, 2018

SANDRAH OCHOLA ‘19 - CHAPATI FROM KENYA

Chapati, flatbread that is thicker and bigger than naan, is a traditional Kenyan meal. This dish can be combined with many other foods, and is usually eaten with family and close friends for special occasions. This mouthwatering buttery and soft bread delight is, however, a food that takes a while to make. First the dough is made, then it has to have time to rise, and then it is fried; but the result is worth it in the end. “I’ve been eating this food since I was a really young child; it’s a staple for every special occasion in Kenya,” Ochola said.

BETHEL TEWABE ‘20 - INJERA WITH WOT FROM ETHIOPIA

Injera with wot is a traditional Ethiopian meal that Tewabe’s family eats often. For Tewabe, this is one of the only dish she eats, but she loves it. Injera is a flatbread, and making it from scratch can take up to six days. While the wot; a hot, smooth, and tangy sauce, only takes a couple hours to make. “The sauce is where it’s at, the injera is just so you have something to eat the sauce with. It’s like chips and dip, you can’t eat the dip by itself even though that’s where the flavor is at, so you get chips,” Tewabe said.

SANYA SAMI ‘19 - CHICKEN BIRYANI FROM INDIA

Chicken Biryani is only one of the most beloved foods in India, and Sami couldn’t agree more. This dish is usually served from a platter of rice covered in spices, and of course, pieces of chicken. It is very filling, and flavorful. “The first time I tried it was probably as a kid, don’t know what age, but I remember loving it the first time I tried it and I [have] loved it ever since.”

DESIGN BY ELLIE BROWN PHOTOS CREATIVE COMMONS

SPORT MAY 25, 2018

A KICK-HEAD TEEN Alexis Dick ‘21 takes on a non-traditional sport called taekwondo, and becomes a better leader because of it everyday BY: FAREEHA AHMAD

hen people ask Alexis Dick ‘21 what she does for fun, she has an unusual response. “I kick people in the head, it’s just normal at this point.” Alexis, a second-degree black belt, has been competing in Taekwondo competitions for five years; training at Anderson ATA Taekwondo in North Liberty. Taekwondo has become a tradition for Alexis and her family. They love to travel and go to different tournaments, as well as spend time together as a family. The whole family got into Taekwondo because of Alexis’s little brother, Ryan Dick. Ryan started Taekwondo just a year before her. With Ryan joining Anderson’s classes, a parent was allowed to enter these classes for free, so David Dick, their father, took up

that offer. At the time, Alexis was doing gymnastics, but she soon realized it wasn’t the best fit for her because she had hypermobility; which is when one’s joints are able to move past what the average person can move them. “I was starting to get injured a lot in gymnastics,” said Alexis. “I figured taekwondo would be a better fit for me. So my mom and I both started at the same time.” Since the moment Alexis joined Lowell Anderson’s class, she loved it. The past five years have been remarkable for her. She has won district and state champion and will compete for the world championship in Little Rock, Arkansas this July. Alexis takes two classes twice a week. Her first class each day is called Advanced and the one after is called

SPORT

MAY 25, 2018

Leadership. In Advanced class, Alexis is able to teach younger kids, called Tigers, taekwondo forms and moves. “There’s a lot of kids that look up to Alexis. I always tell my students that just because I’m the instructor doesn’t mean everybody looks up to me. Everybody’s gonna find their hero in taekwondo classes so Alexis stands out [and is] a hero to other little girls,” said Master Anderson, the main instructor. After Advanced class, Leadership takes place, and this is the class where Alexis practices her own moves. This class also teaches her how to become a better mentor and leader, hence the name. “I enjoy taekwondo because it’s more than just a sport for me. In taekwondo, we call our school our

taekwondo family because I’ve become close to so many people who I never thought I’d talk to at all,” Alexis said. “[It has] taught me how to be a better teacher and leader as well as teaching me how to defend myself, which is pretty cool on its own.” Both Kanndi and David Dick, Alexis’ parents, agree that she has grown up to become more confident and has gained many leadership skills through taekwondo. “Her confidence has grown, [and] she’s a lot more responsible. I think [it has] installed a drive in her, [and it has] forced her to set goals and reach for them. As a father I think that the thing I like the most is [before] we did taekwondo, we always saw the very affable, want to get along with everyone, be everyone’s best friend side of her.

That’s always been there, but when you put the sparring gear on her she turns into a machine [...] but then what’s nice to see as a father is as soon as she takes the sparring gear off, she’s everyone’s best friend again.” David said. “I’ve seen her become more of a leader,” Kanndi said. “As she’s gotten older she’s understood more [on] how to lead. You see that she’s got the confidence to walk anywhere and go anywhere.” Alexis cannot believe how many people she has become friends with, and she can’t wait to see what new ones she will make in the future. She believes that

taekwondo is a remarkable community and does not regret joining it. As for advice she gives to Tigers and others interested in joining taekwondo, Alexis says: “Just keep doing it. It gets more fun and better as far as you go. It’s just amazing. Go to tournaments because tournaments are the best thing to do. And not just because you get to fight someone and possibly win, it’s because you learn things [and] you become friends with your competitors. Like you spend two hours in a small room with someone, you’re gonna be friends with them. It just brings people together so much.” DESIGN BY ELLIE BROWN PHOTOS BY ELLA SMITH

REVIEWW MAY 25, 2018

A PIZZA MY MIND Marquee, a new pizza place that opened up in the Iowa River Landing, is a fantastic restaurant that will satisfy all your pizza-cravings BY: FAREEHA AHMAD

alking into Marquee, the first thing you’ll see is the of a mildly spicy and savory flavor. If you’re lactose beautiful glowing lights hung above. They string intolerant, get your lactaid because this is a must have. around the ceiling as you stare up in awe. The host gives The dish was rated a five out of five. you a warm smile as you look back down, and directs After everyone was satisfied with appetizers, it was you to a wooden table. You can see the pizza oven time for pizza. The first pizza that was served was the flare in the back of the room, and you can feel the Falco. There wasn’t much sauce, causing the cheese and breeze coming in from the outdoor seating. It gives off other toppings to slide off easily, however, it didn’t take an unexplainable vibe; classy but cool. A place where away from its delicious taste.This pizza was rated a three any person of age could come. The whole restaurant out of five. is designed to make you feel welcome, and once you The second pizza that arrived was titled Squashed. This look over to the menu you’ll be filled with even more is nowhere near a traditional pizza, but if you’re willing to delight. Different types of pizzas will be a little risky, it’s worth it. The pizza face you, from the classic Margarita was topped with a sweet yellow“ TH E AESTH ETI C O F TH I S orange squash. The red pickled to the funky Squashed pizza. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, R ESTAU R ANT I S BO M B” onions cut the sweetness with a appetizers are a must. sharp tang. The balance between If you’re a cheese lover, the Milton the two flavors was surprisingly Cheese Plate will satisfy your cravings. This appetizer is pleasant. The dish was rated a four and a half out of a platter with three different types of cheeses: A white, five. soft, truffle cheese, a white and lightly yellow block Lastly, the classic Margarita was served. The cheese on of prairie breeze cheese, and a sharp block of Quark this pizza seemed to separate from the overwhelming cheese. To accompany the cheese, a loaf of bread was amount of sauce. However, the taste was still very served. The bread was very crispy on the outside and pleasant. The cheese was very stringy and gooey, while tasted terrific. The only downside was that the inside the outer crust was very crunchy, giving the pizza an wasn’t as soft as we wanted it to be. Overall, the whole extra bonus point. This pizza was rated a four and a half dish was rated a four out of five. out of five. Another appetizer available on the menu is the Brick The ambiance and the delicious food along with the O Mozza, the most well known dish. This plate is exactly indoor outdoor seating made this the perfect place what it sounds like; brick of cheese. Crispy breadcrumbs for a causal bit to eat. Plus, who could turn down the encased gooey mozzarella in the perfect combination aesthetic?

F I NAL R ATI N G... FOR A PEEK INSIDE THE RESTAURANT GO TO INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM

DESIGN BY ELLIE BROWN ARTWORK BY SUMNER WALLACE

Molly Wilson â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;21 looks at her beautiful surroundings of Lake Superior. Last summer, Smith and Wilson went on a kayaking trip around the Apostle Islands with their Venture Crew. They kayaked over 45 miles.

E LL A SM ITH

P H OTO F E AT U R E

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL? DO YOU LIKE SCHOOL?

YES

WRITE A STORY OR TAKE A PHOTO?

WARM OR COLD WEATHER?

COLD

WARM

PHOTOS

WRITE

POPSICLES OR ICE CREAM?

BONFIRE

Go outside in the cold weather and warm yourself up with a nice bonfire, using all of your school work from throughout the year.

ICE CREAM

D A N E S DAIRY

Head over to Danes Dairy, only a 8 minute drive from West to get some tasty local ice cream.

POPSICLES

GO TO THE POOL

SIGN YEARBOOKS

Remember all your friends and favorite teachers for years to come by having them sign your book.

Cool off with a dip in the pool after being stuck in a hot high school for the whole year. DESIGN BY ELLIE BROWN WRITING BY ELLIE BROWN