Ineffable
IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
2901 MELROSE AVE.
IOWA CITY, IA 52246
INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1
MAY 2016
Ineffable 05.23.16 Staff: Megan Boland-Design Janelle Beemon-Writer Quiana Starling-Photographer PAGE 1 MAY 2016 INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM
On the move: profile on Artur Wolniak
T A B L E
In with the crowd:
O F
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Board Game club
6 Music review: Page 10: Views by Drake
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Page 11: Lemonade by Beyonce
C O N T E N T S
Teacher profiles Page 4: Kathy Bresnahan
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Page 5: Jeff Conner
Cover story: Stop the Stigma
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Entertainment: Final Farewells
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back to Poland over the summer to visit his friends and family. He will be traveling to the U.K. and will be staying in London for a week. He hopes to visit Eastern Europe also. “After I graduate I look forward to going back to Poland for a little while.” During high school here at West High, Artur has participated in extracurricular activities such as football and theatre, but for him, Theatre West was the best experience. “I met amazing people through theatre. I got to learn new things like how to use power tools, build set, and appeal to people and make friends.” Once he leaves high school he will take away all of the great memories and friends he has made along the way. “One thing high school has taught me is to make good friends.” He plans to go to college sometime in the near future, but he wants to take time off of school to figure out what exactly he wants to pursue in life. “My advice to underclassmen is to join clubs and extracurricular activities, I would of course recommend Theatre West set crew. Just make friends, get out there and be active and outgoing.”
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ON THE MOVE
Artur Wolniak shares his experience moving from Poland to America, and how he keeps in contact with those back home. BY MEGAN BOLAND
PHOTO BY MEGAN BOLAND
Artur Wolniak moved to America his sophomore year of high school after his dad got a job offer here in Iowa. He was nervous about the move but also excited to experience a new culture. The best thing about America for him is the culture and diversity of foods. People may think that keeping in contact with friends and family across the world may be hard, but Artur uses many different platforms of communications to stay in touch with his loved ones back home. He uses social media like Skype, Facebook Messenger, and various online games to communicate with people in Poland. He has four family members living in the U.S. with him, his mom, dad, brother and sister. The rest of his family lives in Poland and only one family member has been to America, his grandmother, who has visited them twice. Since moving to America, Artur has only been to Poland one time. Winter break of 2015 he visited Poland where he got to see his friends and family for the first time in years. He hopes in the future he will become rich and move back to Poland, and when he does, he wants to rebuild his family property in a small city. Looking forward, he is going
DESIGN BY MEGAN BOLAND
In with the
Crowd BY: QUIANA STARLING
While a lot of people at are involved in sports, West High offers a lot of clubs that don’t get as much recognition such as Board Game Club.
Board Game Club Here at West many people
are very involved. Whether it be with sports, show choir, or clubs, West High has endless opportunities to get involved. Here, there are over 60 clubs. There’s something for everyone. Whether you like Anime, gardening, or even math, there is a club for you. One specific club that has grown recently is Board Game Club. Board Game Club was started by Jamie Liu ‘16 in her junior year. When she started it there were only two members. Today, there is already over 20. The growth is due to mostly word-of-mouth. Her goal for this club was to have fun while also staying on top of school work. She experienced first hand what it felt like to be completely wrapped up in school work. “Remember to have fun, it’s great to have some balance in your life.” The members of Board Game Club started out as strangers and now have made genuine friendships. They meet on Thursdays in room 126 from 3:15 to 4:15. The key to the club of course is the food and games. “Food and drinks are the only reason they come,” Liu jokes. There were desks full of different types of snacks and drinks.You know what they say: The way to a highschooler’s heart is through there stomach. In the club they alternate between games that a large group can play, and those that require you to split up into multiple smaller groups. The entire time is dedicated to laughing and eating with your friends while playing any board game imaginable (that doesn’t last hours of course). Because this year is Jamie’s senior year, next year someone new will have the new President of the club. After a unanimous vote, Andrew ‘17 was chosen. He started out rarely coming to the club. “I came like twice and then forgot about it.” Now, preparing to take over the club, he attends every Thursday. The Board Game Club has grown immensely both in numbers and the club members them self. They hope that next year even more people wil be involved.
6 FEATURE MAY 2016 INEFFABLE
“I love watching the club grow!” -Jamie Liu
PHOTO BY: QUIANA STARLING
Ms. Bresnahan
You walk i n t o temporary seven for your first day of health class. If you happen to have Kathy Bresnahan, then you’ll see her sitting at her desk on her computer or pulling up the notes for the day. Bresnahan has been teaching health and PE here since 1987, so this makes her 29th year. “In 30 plus years of teaching, I never once said that I was going to work.” Bresnahan said. “I love what I do. Kids keep you young and I absolutely love relationships with people.” Riley Brunk ‘19 eats lunch with Bresnahan everyday and thinks that she is a great teacher. “ Bres is very outgoing, sassy, funny and she really likes to make people smile and laugh” Brunk said. Before coming to West, Bresnahan attended grad school at the University of Iowa and worked with the volleyball team as a graduates assistant. She had previous teaching experience at Benton High School
hammer, I’d kill you.’ so I ran down to the basement and got him one.” Foundations of science teacher, Maureen Head, first met Bresnahan when she was 14 because she was the coach of Head’s club volleyball team Top Dog. “She’s unique in a good way, she’s crazy and corky and and kind of raunchy at times but she’s probably one of the most loving people I’ve ever met as far as she interacts with her students and seeing the connections she’s kept with her former athletes over the years” said Head. The 2011 season of volleyball was a “I would say think J Lo,if you see life changing year for Bresnahan. This was the year that Caroline Found got killed. “The what J Lo looks like then you’ll have journey and the transformation I saw all of us a good idea of what I look like go through [made us] forge relationships inside visually.” the team that no one outside the team would ever -Kathy Bresnahan understand” Bresnahan said. One thing that Bresnahan is really passionate about this time of year is mushroom hunting. “ You get boocoo bucks for them but I give most of in Wisconsin for four years before them away.” Though, Bresnahan does a crossword puzzle, walks her dog coming to Iowa. Charlie and used to play candy crush everyday. “ I’m out of [candy crush] Growing up in Dickyville, Wisconsin, Bresnahan had two adopted levels now because there’s no levels beyond 1,640” Bresnahan said. Bresnahan hopes to remembered in good way, “I think that people think brothers, one eight and the other that I have a really tough exterior, like I’m unapproachable but people ten years younger than her. “ I really that know me realize that I like people and I hope I made a difference” tried to get one to kill the other one” Bresnahan said. “ One day, Bresnahan said. the youngest said ‘Craig If I had PAGE 4 INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM
Jeff Conner has been a Chemistry teacher here for the last four years. “What I like about [teaching] is that young people are in a position where their minds are ready for change,” Conner said. “They’re formulating more complicated ideas and I like being part of that particular point in their lives.” Conner grew up with three sisters and one brother. “Even though my grades weren’t too good, I was probably the best, performing academically, out of my siblings [while growing up]” Conner said. His two oldest siblings didn’t graduate high school and his next oldest sister got into a lot of trouble with the law. Conner was the first out of his siblings to graduate college. Things got better for his siblings. One of Conner’s sister’s got their GED, two of them have their Bachelor’s degrees and one of them has their Master’s Degree. Conner is into comic books, anime and he likes to use computers all the time. “Well, I would say that I’m a bit of a nerd” Conner said. “I’m into alot of things that people would conventionally consider nerdy.” This is Conner’s first year on the Anime Iowa Convention Staff. He’s the assistant treasurer and he helps organize the convention. He also is the faculty advisor to the Anime and Japanese Culture Club that meets every Friday in room 27 from 3:20 to 5. Conner is passionate about fighting for equality in the world. In class on Fridays, he tries to have a conversation about a diversity issue for the last five minutes of class.
“What’s interesting to me is that a lot of young people, are just not informed about people that are different from themselves and trying to get them to see things from a different perspective is pretty important to me”Conner said. Maureen Head has known Conner for four years now and they met when he started teaching here. “[Mr. Conner] is very aware of his privilege as a white man and he
“ I’m just always trying to learn and read and improve my understanding of the world.” -Jeff Conner
has this idealistic way to make society a better place and sort of live in this Utopian ideal” Head said. When Conner was younger, he was obsessed with making his mark in the world. “I’d get kind of upset because the world it so big and if you think about it, there’s other planets and galaxies and I kind of accepted maybe that we’re not going to have the biggest influence on the world” Conner said. Now, he’s not so concerned with how he will be remembered. As long as he has a positive impact on those around him, he will be happy.
Mr. Conner
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Cookie Dough Dip Recipe Ingredients
BY JANELLE BEEMON
1/3 cup Brown sugar, light 3/4 cup Chocolate chips type 1/2 cup Powdered sugar 1 pinch Salt 1 tsp Vanilla extract 1 Box Teddy Grahams 1/2 cup Butter, unsalted
PHOTOS BY JANELLE BEEMON
8 oz Cream cheese
Directions
1. Using a stand mixer, add in butter and cream cheese and beat on medium until fluffy, about 2 minutes. 2. Drop mixer speed to low and add in brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined. 3. Using a spatula or spoon, fold in chocolate chips until chips are evenly dispersed. 4. Serve immediately with graham crackers, nilla wafers, pretzels, or other snack food. If preparing in advance: Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Dip will need to be returned to room temperature before serving. DESIGN BY JANELLE BEEMON
COMPILED BY JANE;LLE BEEMON
INEFFABLE MAY 2016 PAGE 14
Stop the stigma
STOP THE STIGMA One in five children in the United States, ages 13-18, will be diagnosed with a mental illness. 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness will begin by the age of 14. The age of 14 is also the year you start highschool, which can be really tough. We interviewed students in behind the mask to hear their stories BY JANELLE BEEMON
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Behind the Mask is a club that problem” said Kanellis. “ [We 4:30,” said Kanellis. “I‘ve learned so was created three years ago to talked about] how awkward that much more from the students help people with mental illness, was for the teacher and for my than I can even imagine.” such as depression or anxiety, student from Behind the Mask to “The other members of Behind by Ryan Hansen and Hannah take them on and how hard that the Mask are super welcoming Twitchell. Counselor, Amy Kanellis was.” and friendly. I love being in a is the advisor. Behind the Mask is a great way to group of sympathetic and kind “They both experienced meet new people. Katie Mehaffy teenagers.” said Mehaffy. depression and felt that one ‘19 joined Behind the Mask at the Having a someone to go to in a way to help themselves beginning of the school time of need can sometimes be would be to help reach year. hard, especially if it’s during the out to others and felt “Behind the Mask has school day. Kanellis is the perfect like the school needed a been one of the main person to go to if you’re having a safe place to share their resources of making problem. stories of depression and friends for me this year” “[Mrs. Kanellis] is one of my any other mental illness” said Mehaffy. “I met a lot favorite staff members at West Katie Mehaffy ‘19 said Kanellis. of people when I joined High. She is a complete joy to be Not everyone in Behind and it made my life more around and has the most positive the Mask has mental illness. Some enjoyable.” attitude.” said Mehaffy. “Mrs. have parents at home who have Behind the Mask is a great place Kanellis is awesome, she listens to mental illness. Others join to help to share your story or everyday what we have to say and doesn’t out. struggles. Adriana treat us like children but “Kids just wanted to help stop Peterson ‘16 joined more as equals in what the stigma” said Kanellis. “They Behind the Mask at we have gone through want to tell the rest of the the end of last year. and are going through” school ‘Come on people, do not “The other members said Peterson. be judgemental and understand are great at keeping 70% of youth in juvenile that mental illness is real.’” things private and detention centers have a Behind the Mask meets what’s said in the room mental illness. About 50% Amy Kanellis every Tuesday in room 17 at 3:30. stays with us members” of students 14 and older Sometimes at the meetings, there said Peterson. with a mental illness will isn’t a great show up. Typically of NAMI Walk, National Alliance of drop out of highschool. Behind the 19 members, eight to ten Mental Illness, is something that the Mask helps so that this will be usually show up. Behind the Mask participated in less likely to apply to West High “I wish there was a way to have this year. students. meetings during the school day “We’re not really a big fundraiser “This club has also helped me because I don’t like that kids who group so we don’t do big cope with stress of school and take the bus or kids that are fundraising events” said Kanellis. has taught me many new ways involved in things, like theatre, For the NAMI Walk, Behind the to deal with my emotions” said can’t show up” said Kanellis. Mask was hoping to raise $200 Mehaffy. “I am forever grateful A typical Behind the Mask by selling t-shirts and buttons for Behind the Mask.” meeting starts out with someone and having a change jar called telling a current frustration or “Change for a change” during all something that happened during lunch hours. The majority of the the week. club’s activities are contained to “Last time we had a long the group. Next year, Kanellis is conversation about something hoping for the group to do more that had happened in a class school wide things. where someone was very unkind “It’s probably a favorite part of DESIGN BY MEGAN BOLAND about a mental illness type my life on Tuesdays from 3:30 to INTRO.WSSPAPER.COM MAY2016 PAGE 9
Views Drake Drake started off on the Canadian tv show, Degrassi, as Jimmy and ever since then his career has taken off. He released his first studio album in 2010 and has been a success in the rap game ever since. Drake released his fourth album, Views, on April 29, 2016 that included 20 songs.The songs are Keep the Family CLose, 9, U With Me?, Feel No Ways, Hype, Weston Road Flows, Redemption, With You, Faithful, Still Here, Controlla, One Dance, Grammys, Childs Play, Pop Style, Too Good, Summers Over Views Interlude, Fire and Desire, Views and Album by: Drake Hotline Bling. During his first week, he Review by: Janelle Beemon sold 852,000 copies and his album debuted at number one on the charts. Views features Future, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Pimp C, dvsn, Wizkid, Kyla and Rihanna. Since the beginning of January, Drake has been dropping hints about Views coming out and towards the end of January, he gave the release date. He pre released Hotline Bling, Popstyle and One Dance. Like Drake’s last album, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Views has been much anticipated album. Grammys, One Dance, 9, Hype and Too Good are the ones that I like the best. Three of the five songs feature someone.
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I think he chose really good people to feature because they tie in really great with each song. I also like that Views has a lot of songs so that it gives you a wider variety to choose from and there’s something for everyone. On this album, there were more songs that I didn’t like than I the last one. They just didn’t appeal to me. Some of them were slow beat, which isn’t always bad, except I don’t think that it’s fit for Drake’s voice.I also wished that he added more features to his song, like The Weeknd or Beyonce. If you liked If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late or What a Time to be Alive, Drake and Future’s collab album, then you’ll like Views. There is a bunch of songs that I feel like will become party anthems just like these albums had. Views was worth my money and it will be worth yours. I’ve waited for so long so long and Drake didn’t disappoint me. This album will definitely be what I listen to throughout the entire summer.
Lemonade Beyonce When you think lemonade, you typically think of a nice, cold glass of a sweet refreshment. Recently, Beyonce has changed the game to make you think of her instead. On April 23, 2016 Beyonce’s sixth solo album album Lemonade was released onto Tidal with 12 new songs and a visual album. It features Jack White, The Weeknd, James Blake and Kendrick Lamar. The album was sort of a surprise because Formation, one of the songs Lemonade on the album, was dropped Album by: Beyonce in February and people knew Review by: Janelle Beemon it was coming but they didn’t know when. The visual album was great which features Blue Ivy and Jay-Z. It’s a little over an hour but it includes all of Beyonce’s songs on Lemonade and in between each one is a short poem. The visual album was a great way for me to listen to the whole album and stay interested in it because it constantly had different types of scenery. For example, Beyonce was walking down the street in with a bat and hit a fire hydrant during Hold Up but was singing in a parking garage in Don’t Hurt Yourself.
I didn’t like that she talked about her husband cheating. In eight of her new songs she suggests that her husband Jay-Z, famous rapper, was cheating on her. Like in Sorry she says “He only want me when I’m not there. He better call Becky with the good hair.” It typically wouldn’t bother me that she was talking about her husband cheating except rumors went around that she knew about the cheating for a while. She made it seem like Jay-Z didn’t know that she was going release this album about the cheating allegations but he really did. I can’t blame her though because it was a good money decision. If you liked Beyonce’s older albums, then I’m pretty sure you’ll like this album. She still has the same mixture of fast beat and slow beat songs. Lemonade is definitely worth your time and money. At first, I looked at the price of the album and thought $17.99 was way too much. Then, I actually got it and listened to all the songs and watched the visual album and thought it was very good. I literally have the majority of the album on my playlist and think that you should have it on yours.
DESIGN BY MEGAN BOLAND
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s l l e rew
a F l a n i F
ir e the r a h s ously school m y n s s ano nces thi t n e rie tud igh s iest expe H t s raz We nd c a t s be year
“I broke a light in th e hallway on accide nt.”
“I hit a curb in the parki ng lot and ho nked at so me people. th at was rad .”
nt ss & did la c d e n “I skipp detentio h c n lu get a ee.” heheheh
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“Trying to get som e friends back but I can’t a nd I was crazy thinking that they were my true friends. # reality.”
“Sophomore year was the hardest but I mad e the best friends :).”
in front t u c y ll nta “I accide e in the hall on of some aunts me.” ill h and it st
“Talked t of my o people ou comfo t rt zone side .” sic g mu in k a ds.” ted m “I star y best frien with m
PHOTOS BT QUIANA STARLING DESIGN BY MEGAN BOLAND
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