April 2008

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APRIL 2008

Staff writer Austin Hartsook believes the athletic department would benefit from creating a sports Web site, like that of Urbandale’s. Read more on page five.

VOLUME 17 ISSUE 8

5 OPINION

Former student Rachel Mullen returns to Johnston as an English teacher. Page 14 provides more details.

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Jazz crazies? You decide. Read more on page 16 about the Oatts triplets.

FEATURE

Kiera Morrill/BW

Volunteers at Recharge pack food into boxes as part of a service project. The event was hosted by The Bridge from April 4-6.

Recharge rejuvenates students THOMAS LASHIER

staff writer

The Bridge hosted the 30-hour fast Recharge, an event where students from around the metro joined for a new experience: fun without food. The event took place from April 4-6.

Sophomore Austin Polson was among students who chose to fast.

“I heard it was a lot of fun and some of my friends were doing it too,” Polson said.

The focus of Recharge was to help students experience the church community, whether or not they are regular church-goers.

Coordinating the event took lots of teamwork.

Senior Tim Clay was involved in the preparation of Recharge.

“It was planned and put together by the youth group ‘Leaders on the Horizon’,” Clay said. “We picked the weekend, decided on the name, purpose, activities, and speak-

ers.”

Junior Emily Meng is also a member of the Leaders on the Horizon (LOH) youth group.

“I decided to do it because my LOH group was going to do it,” Meng said.

“It’s good to have a weekend every once in a while to just focus on God because we all get distracted during the weeks.”

One distraction the participants had to deal with throughout the weekend was the absence of food.

“It really wasn’t too bad,” Clay said. “I got a pounding headache at the end, but really I never got terribly hungry.”

Although participants were not able to eat, they were provided with drinks to keep themselves hydrated.

“We were able to drink water, juice, milk, and such to keep us hydrated,” Clay said.

During the 30-hour period, the participants played games to take their minds off eating.

The Bridge used their own facility to accommodate some sports competitions while other games were held outside The Bridge.

“They had fun things planned for us the whole time,” Meng said. “They had us play broomball at Metro Ice Sports Arena, volunteer, do a picture scavenger hunt, and play dodgeball.”

Also during the event the youth leaders encouraged participants to find entertainment in spiritual discussions.

“We had small group sessions led by LOH kids where we talked about the purpose of the weekend and tried to focus our thoughts on God and prioritizing our lives,” Clay said.

Not only did the participants have to keep occupied to stay away from food, but they also had to deal with some lighthearted temptation.

“The most difficult part was when they brought in brownies and cookies to

taunt us,” Polson said.

When the participants had completed 30 hours, they went to Perkins restaurant to enjoy a big meal together.

“The worst was when we got to Perkins on Saturday night, because our food didn’t arrive until about 12:30 a.m., and that was the most tormenting part,” Clay said. “But once the food came, a lot of people found that they could only eat a few bites because their stomachs had shrunk.”

After Recharge, Meng said she established many fond memories.

“I had a lot of fun doing it. You got to hang out with a lot of people from other schools that you don’t see as much during the week,” Meng said.

Meng also thinks more students would find the experience rewarding.

“It really isn’t as bad as it sounds,” Meng said.

“And it is something that they will always remember doing.”

Brittany Deal/BW

Kiera Morrill/BW

Students involved in the Recharge participate in various activities during their 30-hour fast.

Students played broomball (top), worked on service projects (middle), and took part in spiritual discussions (bottom).

Kiera Morrill/BW

Construction spurs move to new fitness room for food services

NELS ENGBLOM

staff writer

Many noticeable changes due to construction spurred the move from the original cafeteria to the new fitness center. The cafeteria, which included kitchen, dish room, office and eating area, is being renovated.

“We are expecting the cafeteria will be finished by the start of next school year,” principal Bruce Hukee said.

The renovations will bring several changes to the cafeteria. A wall is being built just outside the west wall which can be seen out the cafeteria window. The current windows will be removed and the cafeteria will be extended further west. The kitchen and offices will be relocated and also renovated. Hukee said that the new entrance will be near the current rest rooms.

“The new kitchen will be segmented off from the eating area,” kitchen manager Boe Stobner said. “It will be a cross between the Summit (Middle School) and 8/9 Building cafeterias.”

The design of the kitchen and cafeteria will also give

Brittany Deal/BW Brittany Deal/BW

The new fitness center area is serving as the lunchroom for the rest of the school year. better flow to students getting their food. It will have a buffet style layout where students can go down the line and get their food. There will no longer be long tables, but a combination of booths and various tables. How-

ever, unlike the 8/9 cafeteria, the high school cafeteria will not have bar areas to sit at.

The biggest challenge for food services staff has been working without an operating kitchen. The fitness center is going to be an eventual weight room and has no place for food preparation. As a result, lunches for the high school must be prepared at Beaver Creek and then transported to the school via truck.

Stobner said that there are three cafeteria workers stationed at Beaver Creek to accommodate the excess amount of food.

The menu has also changed. Options now include one hot entrée and two kinds of a cold sandwich. Side dishes, including salad, have remained the same. Because all the food must be prepared quickly, variety in choice is limited.

“We tried to pick foods that will be able to stay in the warmer for some time, but still provide quality food,” Stobner said.

The move to the fitness center occurred on April 15.

news

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Students “Get a Kick out of Sharing”

news

JULIA MANNING

staff writer

Advanced Placement (AP) World History classes are holding a soccer ball drive as a part of a global service learning project. The drive is taking place from March 24 and will go until May 23.

This service learning project, led by AP World History teacher Jason Jauron and his students, is part of World Vision’s “Get a Kick out of Sharing” nationwide drive.

The drive calls for brand new to slightly used balls with no obvious blemishes or scratches and small hand pumps. When the drive is over, the balls will be deflated and shipped to a distribution center in Denver, CO. The equipment will then be sent to kids in a total of 40 separate nations, predominately Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. The Jauron balls are being collected in room 108; there is also a box for donations going toward payments for the shipping.

The drive is open to anyone.

According to Jauron, the inspiration to do the drive came from students.

“It became apparent at a certain point that the students were motivated to do something,” Jauron said. “After we would have discussion about things that are going on in different parts of the world, there were more and more instances that kids would come up after class and want to know what we were going to do help.

“I got enough feedback from students that I decided to research something we could do.”

Soccer, being the world’s most popular sport, is something that the students and Jauron can all relate to easily. The balls will be sent to children who, according to World Vision, live in poverty and play with balls made of rags, banana leaves, or wads of plastic tied together with string.

“For children in this country, it’s wonderful, (but) unfortunately it’s not the same everywhere,” Jauron said. “I just want to see kids happy.”

At time of print, 70 balls had been collected, with still about a month to go in the drive. In the national drive, 75,000 balls have been collected, and the goal is to reach a total of 250,000 donated balls.

Jauron has been pleasantly surprised

staff writer

On March 18, an undercover task forced arrested junior Garret Manuel in Newton. According to the police report, Manuel was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Lt. Neil Schultz of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said that according to a field test, the substance recovered was not opium, but admits this is not a conclusive test and is only an indicator. Further testing is being done to determine the toxicology of the substance.

According to the Des Moines Register, Student Resource Officer Kenny Agan was the first to report the possiblity of an opium trade involving a student. Futher investigation is taking place to see if more then one student is involved.

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Corrections Clarifications

The Black and White strives to be both accurate and fair. Readers who believe the paper has printed an error should call 515.278.0449.

In the “Walk-zones, save money, bad idea” opinion in the March issue, the statement stating Johnston paid for Urbandale buses to transport eighth grade students to Sleepy Hollow for a field trip was inaccurate. Busing was arranged and paid for by Sleepy Hollow.

“All participating schools, this includes Johnston, use a package called Learn to Ski,” Mary Flatt, Sleepy Hollow events coordinator, said. “(Sleepy Hollow) pays for the transportation to and from the park.”

Brittany Deal/BW

Julia Manning / BW

Junior Haley Johnson displays the soccer balls she has donated to the “Get a Kick out of Sharing” drive. Johnson has donated a total of two balls. with the number of soccer balls donated so far.

“It is sort of sending a message in a soccer ball. It’s a group of students who want to portray America differently,” Jauron said.

Students have also liked the feeling of donating.

“I thought it sounded like a good idea because we have so much and they don’t have the opportunity to have toys like we do,” sophomore Andrew McCrea said.

He donated three balls that he already had at his house.

With the help of athletic director Gary Ross, the community will also have a chance to get involved in the drive.

On May 8, there will be a collection bin

Drive Stats 70 balls----already donated 100 ball school goal 75,000 balls in national drive

for any ball or money donations during the Dowling Catholic-Johnston girls’ soccer game at Johnston Stadium.

Opium bust sparks further investigation DWIGHT LYKINS

briefs

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April 2008

“I didn’t even know it was in Iowa,” associate principal Jerry Stratton said.

The biggest reported drug bust of opium in the country took place in Pella, Iowa, in 2004. Over 22,000 plants were removed and three individuals were arrested in connection to the operation.

The investigation on this trafficking threat is still ongoing and could lead to more arrests in the future. This will be based solely on the final diagnosis of lab work.

Opium is a highly addictive drug, which contains over 16 percent opium. The part that is smoked is extracted from the immature poppy seed.

Until World War II, opium was mostly grown in the Middle and far East. As the need for pain medications grew in the US, a surge in opium production occurred stateside, and has increased steadily in the years since.

Opium flowers grow in a field in India.

The sap can be harvested as a drug.

Provided/Wikipedia

What is

Opium The Drug Extremely Addictive Taking from the immature poppy seeds

The Origins Grown mostly in the Middle and far east Popularity grows state side after WWII

Junior Erin Smalley donates her spare change to her fourth period precalculus class with math teach Adam Retzlaff.

Students battle in coin war Student council challenged students to raise $1,000 for cystic fibrosis.

Each fourth period class had four days to donate spare change. To motivate students, student council instigated a coin war.

Dollar bills and checks cancel out money raised in coins. Classes could sabotage other classes by donating dollar bills and checks into their total.

The three classes that raise the most money will participate in a mini dodge ball tournament at the next assembly if the goal of $1,000 is reached. If the goal is not met, the highest earning class will get a pizza prize.

Student council will award leadership scholarship Student council executive board will award two individuals $500 each for showing leadership. “(The scholarship is awarded for) things like if they were in leadership groups, if they were leaders in any groups, or if they Helgeson showed in all aspects the general leadership Johnston exemplifies,” student council member Adam Helgeson, junior, said.

The money for the scholarships was gained through profits of various activities and fundraisers throughout that year that were not already for a cause.

Applications are due April 29. The 2008-09 executive board will choose the recipients of the scholarship.

Seniors ready for challenge

Seniors signed up in teams of 12 for the fourth year of senior challenge.

“This year there’s a special twist that we’re adding that no one knows about,” sophomore Libby Elmitt, member of student counElmitt cil, said. “That’s kind of exciting.”

Student council accepted 17 teams to compete in two rounds. The event is May 7 at 6:00 p.m.

Compiled by Brittany Deal, Managing Editor

April 2008

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Spring Fling week adds new changes VERONICA ROSHEK

opinion editor

Student council has been working to renovate Spring Fling week. Music played in the hallways during passing periods and new dress-up days were added.

In accordance with the dress-up theme of the day, songs would be played over the PA system in between classes. Senior student council members Cory Gagne and Jenny Pray were in charge of the week’s events.

“I think that (the music) was something that just came to mind,” Pray said. “(Student council) was thinking of ideas that other schools did and the music idea came up, we got approval for it so we decided to go ahead and go for it.”

A Backstreet Boys song was the first to be played for the week.

“The first time that it came on, everyone’s reactions were so priceless,” Gagne said. “The people on my right-side hated it and then the people on my left-side loved it and you could tell some of them wanted to sing along.”

However, this is not the first time student council has played music over the PA system between classes.

“We have done it before for ‘Stop the Bop’ to raise money a couple of years ago,” teacher Chris Beguhn said. “This year, we’ve taken a new approach to it.”

While the music began getting played for the purpose of Spring Fling, positive feedback has provoked the idea of having music played in between classes permanently.

“At least five different people have came up to me and told me we should (have music playing in the halls) every day,” Pray said.

“It’s not for sure yet but we’re also trying to see if we can get music in the new cafeteria next year.”

Other than the music, student council threw out the usual crazy day and cowboy day and added “-er” day, blast from the past day and twin day, trying to gain more student body involvement.

Junior Ethan Nutter, along with others, brainstormed clever ideas for this day during their ELP class, especially for “-er” day.

“The idea of being (teacher Jerry) Kinder popped into my head,” Nutter said. “I decided

Jenny Pray/Provided

During Spring Fling week, students participate in pirate day on April 17. From left, junior Alan Nagel, senior Jarrod Steen, senior Madie Fiedler, junior Zach Swallow, sophomore Jessica Pray, senior Jenny Pray, senior Brad Halbersma, and senior Lauren Kacere. Teacher Chris Beguhn gave extra credit for their classes. “It’s awesome,” junior Eric Everett said. “It really cool because it’s fun to do and extra credit is always nice.” to go with it because I find him hilarious.”

Nutter also participated in the other dressup days throughout the week as a 50’s greaser on Tuesday, junior Hannah Emmerson’s twin on Wednesday, and as a pirate on Thursday.

One of his teachers, Beguhn, gives extra credit to students who participate in the dress-up days.

“My classes always do it,” Beguhn said. “I give them two points a day extra credit for dressing up.”

She feels it is important to participate in the fun week’s events.

“It’s a chance to be silly,” Beguhn said. “It gives us a break from every day, and gives an opportunity to show a little school spirit.”

D

ress-up ays

Tuesday

Blast from the past

Wednesday

Students are allowed to dress up for dress-up days. Some teachers gave extra credit for wearing a costume to school.

Thursday Pirate Day

Twin Day

Friday -ER Day

The Dragon captures Gold Crown Yearbook award KARI DOCKUM

editor in chief

Katie Norris/The Dragon

Cutting open the box, yearbook adviser Leslie Shipp unveils the award-winning Blown Away books as seniors Leah Kron (left) and Ciera Lundgren look on.

Blown Away, 2006-07

The Dragon’s recent honors:

2007 Pacemaker Finalist 2008 Gold Crown Yearbook Identity, 2005-06

2006 Yearbook Pacemaker 2006 All-American Yearbook

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) named The Dragon a 2008 High School Gold Crown Yearbook.

“It’s a really big honor to win an award at the national level,” junior design editor Erin Funk said. “It’s awesome to be in the same category with Wings (Redlands, CA’s award-winning yearbook).”

Six high school books earned the distinction as Gold Crown yearbooks at the Scholastic Convention at Columbia University. 1,355 yearbooks, newspapers and magazines submitted work for judging.

“It was pretty exciting because it’s such a big honor,” senior coeditor Leah Kron said. “Our yearbook has come such a long way in the past few years.”

Kron credits the success of Blown Away, which covers the 2006-07 school year, to its unique design and interesting layouts.

“The fact that our book is horizontal makes it stand out to judges,” Kron said. “All of our layouts had a scrapbook feel, which is something dif-

ferent for judges to look at.”

Although the 2005-06 yearbook was also horizontal, Blown Away follows a less traditional style of design.

“The book feels like it was actually put together by a person, like it’s an actual scrapbook you made yourself,” Kron said.

Along with being named a Gold Crown Yearbook, the 2006-07 book has also been named a 2007 National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Yearbook Pacemaker Finalist. A total of 54 high school yearbooks made the finalists’ list.

“It’s sweet that it’s our second year being a finalist,” Kron said. “It’s really cool because we’ve been getting e-mails from schools in other states wanting copies of our book.”

Winners of a 2007 Yearbook Pacemaker will be announced at the Spring NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Anaheim, CA, April 17-20.

“I would feel really honored to win another Pacemaker, one for each year I’ve been on the staff,” Kron said. “It just feels really good to know that all our hard work is paying off and being recognized.”

The 2005-06 yearbook, titled Identity, was one of 23 Yearbook Pacemaker Award Winners in 2006. The success of past books does not put pressure on the current staff members, though.

“The past two books have been really different from each other, so we aren’t relying on one idea to get us by each year,” senior design editor Bethany Christenson said. “We’ve never had a problem thinking of unique ideas, and that’s how it is this year, too.”

The 2007-08 yearbook, Pieces, has a distinct design scheme from past years.

“We had ideas from last year that we wanted to incorporate into this year’s book,” Christenson said. “It’s a lot different from last year’s book because we wanted to have more defined lines and clean, consistent layouts.”

Kron appreciates the recognition that the awards have garnered for The Dragon; however, she realizes that the honors are for books from past years.

“It’s nice to win some awards, but we’re just working to make this year’s book the best we can,” Kron said.

“Pieces is what we’re focusing on now.”

2006 YEARBOOK STAFF MEMBERS Megan Browning Bethany Christenson Matthew Courtney Sam Dearden Kiley Dewhurst Azra Feriz Erin Funk Amanda Gabbert Cory Gagne Felicia Hoover Megan Kellogg Leah Kron Caitlin Larkin Ciera Lundgren Sammy McConeghey Allison McGrew Grace Meiners Alle Moffitt Katie Norris Antonio Rodriguez Emily Roeser Olivia Schiefelbein Hanna Souhrada Dani Stansberry Nikki Ward Abby Weaver David Zorn

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April 2008

B&W

Adopting energy efficiency

From Victoria’s Secret’s eco-friendly bags to Sprint’s green phones, it seems as if everything is going green. By looking past the materialistic things, it is obvious that there is so much more that can be done.

seems as if many of them are not properly set up.

“Every time I go into the bathroom across from the counselor’s office, there is always a faucet dripping. I always try to make it stop because I hear that that wastes a lot of water, but I can’t ever get it to stop,” sophomore Kara Highfill said.

As our experiment showed, the automatic sinks run for too long, and some of the manual sinks are dripping. Both are wasting water in ways that could easily be fixed.

Saving energy According to a report for the Department of Energy, about two-thirds of energy used by computers is wasted by machines that are not in use. With 200 computers in the high school adding to this waste, the school ought to seek ways to help reduce it.

Teachers and lots of classes use computers for a good majority of the day, so turning the computers all the way off would not be practical. Also, after school hours the computers are updated, so they cannot be shut off.

Most of the computers and printers in the school go into a sleep mode after a period of time so they are not wasting as much energy. By simply switching off the monitor after use, we can save a lot of energy and it is easier than having to turn the computers completely off and back on when they are needed for use.

Along with computers, other things such as vending machines and coffee makers are left on at night when no one is using them. In addition to turning these appliances off, they should be unplugged at the end of the day because if they are attached to the socket they are still conducting energy.

Saving electricity On television, there are commercials about changing the light bulbs in your house to fluorescent lights. Fluorescent light bulbs use only about one-fourth of the electricity that regular light bulbs use and can last up to 10 times longer.

Carbon dioxide is a gas that is let off by regular bulbs and also plays a big role in global warming. The environment can

Talented instrumentalists deserve chance to succeed With the transition of the ninth graders to the 8/9 building in the fall of 2004, the possibility of a band or vocal participant making All-State became impossible. Freshmen cannot try out for the honor. No more students with four allstate medals around the neck. ”The main reason is because the ninth graders have Opus Honor Choir and that is basically like All-State for them,” choir director Sara VanWaardhuizen said.

staff staff KARI DOCKUM editor in chief

Saving paper

Photo Illustration/Haley Johnson

be spared from 450 pounds of carbon dioxide by using fluorescent bulbs. Using fluorescent bulbs is something that the school is doing well.

“Our school uses very energy-efficient bulbs, and even better ones are going to be put in the newest additions,” head custodian Dan Golbluff said. “Also, in the new classrooms there are going to be occupancy sensors that will activate when someone is in the room and shut off when they leave.”

Although these things are good, people should always shut off lights when they are the last one to leave the rooms. If it is sunny outside, lights do not need to be on; the sunlight can light up the room.

Saving water Nearly one-third of the people in the world are living in areas where there are water shortages. The sinks in the school are contributing to that waste.

Another staff member and I wanted to see how much water is actually being wasted, so we decided to conduct an experiment. We placed a graduated cylinder underneath a faucet in the bathrooms located next to the journalism room, turned the water on, timed how long it ran for, and then recorded how much water filled the graduated cylinder.

We found that the average time that our bathroom sinks run is 45.99 seconds.

By timing 10 students, the average time used to wash hands was about 10 seconds, not including the many that just pushed the button to make it seem like they lathered up. In fact, one sink ran for 144.59 seconds, causing at least 3,200 mL of water to run straight down the drain.

“The reason the school does not use manual ones is so that people don’t leave the sinks running,” Golbuff said. “The automatic sinks are also adjustable.”

Even though they are adjustable, it

2things

If the student has the potential to make AllState as a ninth grader, they should be allowed to come over to the high school. If they want to put in the time and work outside of school, they should be able to do so. May the best instrumentalists be honored for their achievement.

According to wasteonline.org, paper is a biodegradable substance, so when it is thrown out and sits in a landfill, it produces a potent greenhouse gas called methane. Along with carbon dioxide, methane is a gas that contributes greatly to global warming.

At the end of every year, the lockers are cleaned out, creating huge piles of loose paper and notebooks.

“All of the cardboard and paper products that are able to be, are recycled,” Golbuff said. “I’d say we fill up 25-30 of the 55-gallon garbage cans that are in the lunchroom with paper products.”

People should take the notebooks and other things that they can save out of their lockers every year, so that they can use them for next year instead of wasting them. We could prevent a lot of this paper from sitting in landfills, and save the energy that it takes to recycle by cleaning up after ourselves.

Another way that paper could easily be saved is if teachers cut back on how much they used. In the class Experiences in Writing, the students must conduct a survey of 40 people. The survey questions are printed out, wasting 20 pieces of paper per person. Students could easily use one piece of paper to tally the answers.

Simple things like this can easily save water, electricity and trees, and help prevent global warming.

that we care about this month

Convenient prom plans Prom is both a time of stress and excitement.

Establishing plans, finding a dress or a tux, finding a place to eat, and transportation can be hard to accomplish.

However, what about those students that spend hundreds of dollars on a dress or a tux, or to rent a limo? Is it really worth all the money spent?

Students should be more convenient and simple in their prom plans. Instead of renting a limo, carpool with your friends in decorated cars. Boys can rent a tux instead of buying one. Rather than an expensive dinner, have some parents make a special dinner for the group. Channel your crafty side and make your own corsages and boutonnieres with green tool and flower of your choice.

Yes, prom should be a wonderful time to get all dressed up, but students should not have to pay hundreds of dollars to make it an experience that is meaningful and unforgettable.

BRITTANY DEAL managing editor

VERONICA ROSHEK opinion editor

JENNA WILLSON double truck editor

LEE YOCUM sports editor

LAUREN PROFFITT design editor

ALLISON KANE news editor

STEPH IVANKOVICH review editor

TOREY ROBINSON feature editor

CICELY GORDON back page editor

AMY LOVEJOY design editor

The Black and White is a publication produced solely by the newspaper staff. Its goal is to inform, enlighten and entertain the Johnston students, faculty and community. It is an open forum.

In accordance with Iowa law, students assign and edit material.

Publications are released monthly during the school year.

The paper will print nothing libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. The law does not require parental permission to use student quotes. Ethically, we believe students can speak for themselves.

Staff editorials represent the opinion of a majority of the editorial board. Editorial and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the adviser, school officials or the district.

Letters to the editor must be signed. Grammatical and spelling errors may be corrected and length edited. Like all material,

letters may not be libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy.

Bring letters to room 413 within one week after publication to be considered for the next issue.

The Black and White strives to report accurate and timely information. If you believe that an error has been printed, please contact the Editor at karidockum@yahoo.com or contact the school via phone at 515-278-0449.

The Black and White is a member of CSPA, NSPA, Quill & Scroll, and IHSPA. Recent issues of the Black and White earned these honors: Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist, National Scholastic Press Association All-American, Quill & Scroll Gallup Award, IHSPA State Champion, IHSPA First Place Photography Second Place Layout/Design and Honorable Mention Writing.

staff writers: Erik Anderson, Nels Engblom, Lauren Gehrke, Kyle Hanson, Austin Hartsook, Drew Houp, Haley Johnson, Kallen Kramer, Thomas Lashier, Bryan Lippincott, Michael Lunn, Dwight Lykins, Julia Manning, Scott Monroe, Kiera Morrill, Philip Mortens, Jeremy Mullen, Chelsea Nelson, Shawna Polen, Jordan Van Essen, Ben Vander Ploeg, Brennan Winget

April 2008

opinion

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If Urbandale can do it...

my

In my

Shoes

Veronica Roshek

Breaking no-breakfast habits

why can’t we?

Austin Hartsook/BW

Urbandale sports a top notch athletics site in J-hawks.com AUSTIN HARTSOOK staff writer Our school is usually ahead of the curve when it comes to technology.

Whether it be flat screen televisions or new Apple iMacs, the JCSD usually has it covered. But when it comes to developing an Internet site for our athletics, we are far behind. In fact, by searching on Google for the Urbandale J-Hawks, one can see what a professional, well-done sports site looks like.

It’s called www.J-hawks.com, and it can rival any high school sports site in the state. Up-to-the-minute scores, stories, and videos are just some of the site’s many features. Not to mention mug shots, email addresses, and phone numbers for all the favorite J-Hawk coaches.

“Urbandale has an outstanding web site,” athletic director Gary Ross said.

“It’s something that the entire CIML looks up to.”

The Web site was created by the Urbandale Booster Club in 2005 and is run strictly by the athletic department.

Athletic director William Watson spends at least 15 minutes a day updating the Web site and thinks J-hawks.com is a huge success.

“When I arrived at Urbandale, my number one priority was connecting with our community is a positive way in terms of proactive and student centered communication,” Watson said. “The Web site has been a huge success averaging 750,000 to 1,000,000 hits a month, and has been visited regularly by places as far away as Denmark.”

So the question is, if Urbandale can do it, why can’t we? Ross admits that the problem is not that we do not want to have a site like the J-Hawks’, but our athletic department does not have a primary focus on creating a Web site as expansive as our rivals from the south. “(Urbandale) has made it a priority to make a quality athletics site,” Ross said.

“They have people who are skilled in web design, and they do a great job at it.”

Right now, the primary sports site is located in the high school section of the school district Web site. Here, there are links for schedules, the IHSAA and IGH-

SAU Web sites, and directions to all the fields and gyms in the CIML. Basically, the site has information, but it does not have the flair or organization that Urbandale’s has.

So what are some solutions to this problem? First our school district can hire a web designer that has the sole purpose of updating the athletic Web site by working with the athletic department.

This is how Urbandale’s system works.

Or the district can go the cheaper route and make a web-masters club, whose job is to work on the entire high school Web site, including the athletic portion. This way students who want to go into web design can get hands-on experience that they can use in the future. Plus, it is run by the students, for the students. What can be better then that?

In almost every instance, the last school we would ever want to follow is Urbandale. But in this case, answer this question: if Urbandale can develop a high-quality Web site, then why can’t we make our own Web site that is even better than their’s? Like they always say, a little competition goes a long way.

Overpopulation, killing inhumanly SHAWNA POLEN staff writer

The world is becoming more over populated with each passing year, humans and animals alike.

Humanity’s solution to the animal side of the problem? Kill them, and when we do, it’s not always humane.

There is no problem with killing animals for food or use in some other appropriate way.

However, it gets vague when the killing gets out of hand, and the animals begin to suffer and feel pain.

In South Africa, it is once again legal to kill elephants after 50 years of the animals’ protection. In Japan, whaling has resumed. In Canada, baby seals are being clubbed to death. And here in America, we kill many things, most just for fun.

Iowa law 717, part 717B.3 states that “mutilating, beating, or killing animals by any means which causes unjustified pain, distress, or suffering” is against the law.

No one can say that with every kill, the animal is quick and humanely disposed.

In recent history, a hog farm/slaughterhouse in Ohio was killing sows by hanging them off a fork lift by a chain, taking up to 10 minutes for the pig to die.

The normal way of killing the animals is to stun them and make one fatal shot to

Shawna Polen/BW

the brain with a gun, a quick death.

Dr. Paul Armbrecht, a Iowa veterinarian, testified as a paid witness for the defense in the court case concerning the killings, stated under oath that strangling pigs to death does not constitute cruelty to animals.

The Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine decided not to take action against this remark that represented Iowa.

So, in Iowa it is okay for any farmer or

vet to treat animals this way.

If and when the shoe is on the other foot, how will we handle human overpopulation? Will there be a humane answer?

With all the discoveries in medicine, humans have cheated Mother Nature and her job of population control.

Humans live longer and fight sickness.

When we become overpopulated, will we turn on each other? Would we be willing to kill hundreds and thousands of people, just to live another day?

Better yet, would we be willing to kill our mothers, fathers and siblings? If not ours, then someone else’s?

Though solutions for the human population are tough, we could always quit using medicine, but then how do we undo what we have strived for from the beginning of time? It would be years in the future, but we could even look to live on other planets.

For the animal side, we need to offer forms of contraception and spay or neuter some of the males and females. This way, we can hold the population where it is now, not making the herds any bigger.

Then, the offspring can live their lives the way they were meant to be.

We as humans need to put ourselves in the animals’ hooves. We need to enjoy the animals’ company while we can, because once they are gone, there is no getting them back.

11:58… 11:59… Finally it hits 12:00 and the bell for fifth period blows through the speakers. It’s not that my fifth hour class is extremely boring, but I’m starving by the time lunch starts. A simple solution would be to eat breakfast every morning; however, I already do that every day. I cannot even imagine what it’s like for all those who are not eating breakfast before going to school.

I can survive until B lunch with my breakfast, but without it, I would have a terrible time focusing. If more students were eating breakfast, they would be able to focus better during school and not miss out on the most important meal of the day. To encourage this, the district, or at least the 8/9 building and the high school, should designate a free period between first and second hours where all students would be able to eat breakfast.

The apparent issue would be taking time away from other classes, so the school day would have to be extended around 20 minutes to fit it in. Although this would mean staying at school longer, students that come earlier in the morning to eat school breakfast could get a little bit more of some much needed sleep.

“Some students like to sleep up to the time they go to school and miss breakfast,” LaRae Doll, director of nutrition services, said. “Something else we could do would be to bring in healthy vending machines into the cafeteria at the high school, and maybe into the middle school. Summit (is the only school with) a healthy vending machine.”

Teacher Alicia Rollison often skips breakfast because it is hard to find time to eat in the mornings.

“I seem to not get up early enough to make myself something to eat before class starts,” Rollison said. “I wish I had more time, in the past when I had first or second hour off I ate breakfast more.”

Some students do get up every day, though, and come to the school to eat breakfast.

“Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day,” senior Jake Highfill said. “I eat (the school’s breakfast) every day, because it’s decent and I like talking to my friends while I eat.”

This school breakfast program that has already been implemented has been very successful, especially in the high school.

The district also has breakfast offered at the 8/9 building and Summit, and recently started offering it at the elementary schools. Doll said it is serving roughly 450 students a day, allotting 100 from the high school; 50 to 60 from the 8/9 building; 20 to 25 from Summit; and 300 from the elementary schools including Kids/Teen Connection breakfast.

“The 8/9 building and high school are doing the best,” Doll said. “Probably because the high school has study hall in there around the beginning of the day so the students can get it easily.”

If there was a set time when everyone could get breakfast within the school day, a lot more students would be eating the most important meal of the day that have classes during first and second period while breakfast is still being served.

Breakfast is important for more reasons than not feeling hungry, though. According to Healthy and Fit magazine, eating breakfast elevates your mood at the beginning of the day and it boosts your metabolism. Skipping it also causes you to overeat during your next meal, which slows your metabolism even more.

By simply organizing a time during the school day to have the option of eating this meal, our school would be promoting what all schools should be striving for.

While academic performance is a major importance, transforming students into well-rounded people should be an overall goal and serving breakfast could be part of the solution.

April 2008

opinion

6

B&W

Stage needs repairing

Auditorium is in desperate shape, disrepair JORDAN VAN ESSEN staff writer

Brittany Deal/BW

The auditorium stage in its current state. The last renovation of the auditorium was done in 1998 .

It is the last marching band performance of the year, and everyone is in the auditorium getting dressed up in their uniforms. Senior Joe Evans has all of his uniform on except for his socks. Suddenly he jumps up onto the stage and runs across it, trying to slide to a stop. Then, without warning Joe lost his balance and stumbled across the stage some.

“I kept walking, but my foot felt a little different.” Evans said. “I didn’t notice the severity until I walked out into the hall and pulled my foot up to examine this 1 1/2 inch long splinter that had gone into near the center of my foot and was poking out near my pinkie toe. (My first thoughts were) something along the lines of, ‘Does anyone have a pair of tweezers?’”

In an instant Evans’ night was ruined; he could not go onto the field and march one last time with his friends before he graduated, all thanks to the auditorium stage.

With incidents like Evans’ happening there is no doubt that stage in the auditorium needs to be fixed, or at least remodeled. A torn up stage with giant splinters

and ripped curtains is not something safe to have in a school.

It is no mystery how the stage got in such a state. Every day the stage is heavily trafficked by band, show choir and drama. All of these activities have to drag their equipment on and off the stage. This equipment scratches the stage up until it is in disrepair.

It is not surprising that the stage is dangerous considering the fact that the last time the auditorium received any updates was when new seats, carpet, and paneling was put in during the summer of 1998. Hukee isn’t aware that any work has been done to the stage since its inception.

By having a stage that is in poor condition we are representing theDeal/BW school Brittany negatively. We are showing others that we do not take care about the school, and that winning state championships is more important than the maintenance of our school.

But how can this be done? Principal Bruce Hukee said that the school has an improvement plan.

“There is a process for repairing the stage,” Hukee said. “We have put that on our capital improvement plan that goes to Central Office. From there, a determination is decided about the cost of the repair. A priority list is created for all projects.”

Hukee said that the new show choir room will hopefully decrease the damage being done to the stage. However, until legitimate action is taken to repair it, the stage will remain in it’s state of disrepair and a danger to any bare skin that it comes in contact with.

Decrease pill popping with diet, exercise STEPHANIE IVANKOVICH review editor

Forcibly given drugs someone’s entire life for a condition on which they cannot help but have- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD/ADD), is not acceptable. The pills given to the person with those conditions should be replaced with a proper diet and exercise.

Diagnosed with ADD, senior Alex Conrad has used Ritalin, but has since stopped taking it.

“I quit taking my medication,” Conrad said. “The medication has an anti-social, this makes you not interested in other people.”

Conrad has negative side effects when on the medication.

“When I am on it, I am more talkative, social and happier overall,” Conrad said.

In all reality, both ADHD/ADD are incurable conditions. The most popular medication given are the pills Adderall and Ritalin. The pills do not, in any way, help cure ADHD/ADD, they just cover it up for six to eight

Adderall is a medication commonly used to help people with the condition of ADHD/ADD. A pill lasts six to eight hours.

Stephanie Ivankovich/BW

hours. Why give the person a drug that lasts a school day, when diet and exercise helps the same without the bad side effects?

In Adderall, the main ingredient is amphetamine, which also is the main ingredient in methamphetamine, a highly addicted and illegal stimulant drug.

A 7.5 mg pill contains 4.7 mg of amphetamine. The amphetamine is a highly abused and addictive substance; it even says that on the label. This is getting kids, which most kids start taking it at a young age, to become addicted and dependent of it.

Dr. June Beetler of the Johnston Pediatric Clinic gets about five new patients of ADHD/ADD a year. She believes that there are other ways to help children with ADHD/ADD other than giving them pills, with diet and exercise.

“When (children with ADHD/ADD) are active they are less likely to be in trouble and have a better sleep,” Beetler said. “With a diet they eat less sugar and this gives the brain healthy foods to help the brain develop properly.”

Although this is an incurable disease, diet and exercise would benefit and make people less reliant pills.

The pills give the people nothing but bad side-effects and a concentration for an average school day. How long would the pills still be needed once school is over? How long would these people be taking these? Diet and exercise will help the person in the long run, without the addiction and side-effects.

Students should have positive P.E. outlooks LAUREN GEHRKE staff writer

Walking into my fifth period P.E. class, I hear someone asking coach and P.E. teacher Brian Woodley what we are doing today. As I walk past the room, I hear whining as another student complains about P.E. and how pointless it is.

“Woodley, why are we doing badminton? I hate badminton,” the student said.

That makes me upset, I love P.E. It is a great time to unwind and run around.

It helps get rid of pent up energy from sitting in desks and listening to teachers lecture. I love competing in a non-stressful way and trying new sports that I don’t have much experience with.

Students claim that P.E. is a waste of time and if they participate in sports and exercise on a regular basis, they should

not have to take P.E. “I would love to have it (P.E.) every day,” Woodley said. “There needs to be more activity for every (grade) level.”

There are some students who do not get any physical activity other than P.E. Depending on the track students choose to take, they are able to take the physical fitness skills they have learned in class and use them outside of class.

“Some students would get no physical activity if there were no P.E.,” Woodley said. “It helps students know where their fitness level is.”

When students complain about the waste of time P.E. is Woodley tries to tell them that physical activity in the middle of the day can really help. It stimulates brain activity and improves people’s moods.

Some students recommend we do contract P.E., a class where students have 45 minutes of physical activity outside of

school and get it signed off, then they do not have to participate in P.E. classes at school, which wastes time. This would not always work because there are students who would not really do any physical activity and still manage to get it signed off. It completely defeats the purpose of having required physical fitness.

Students complain that 45 minutes of physical fitness, every other day will not do anything for your health. But, there are students who those 45 minutes of activity every other day is the only form of exercise they get. Although it is not long, it’s better than the zero minutes they would get otherwise. If students put in an effort and actually try a little bit in P.E. they really can benefit, even if it is a small benefit.

Students need to put more effort into P.E. The more students try, the more fun it is and the more it actually helps with schoolwork as well.

Lauren Gehrke/BW

Sophomore Sydney Christiansen kicks the ball in a game of matball. Woodley and fifth period students engaged in the game due to the weather.

April 2008

opinion

B&W

7

Recycle, or go to Hell (says Vatican) TOREY ROBINSON feature editor

For the world’s Catholics, failure to recycle those soda bottles without confession will condemn one to an eternity of Hell. The seven deadly sins put in place thousands of years ago by the pope suddenly have been updated to “modernize” the church and to improve the decreasing number of Catholics going to confession.

The generalized sloth, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, wrath, and pride have been thrown out the window only to be replaced by pedophilia, abortion, genetic modification, taking drugs, polluting the environment, causing social injustice, and becoming obscenely wealthy. According to the Vatican, these sins are far more serious than the old and for the sake of one’s soul, should not be taken lightly.

Are you kidding me? As a member of the Catholic Church, I thought this was a joke. Not only are these sins particularly specific, but assigning an afterlife in Hell for littering seems slightly extreme.

Making more common occurrences sinful will not increase confession goers; instead, it will drive followers away from the religion.

Upon first glance, it seems like the church is looking for even more ways to send people to Hell. Catholics have stood by their church despite outdated, old-fashion standards, sexual oppression and failure to keep priests from the alter boys, but this is just getting ridiculous.

The whole situation reminds me of when the Vatican released a similar announcement stating the 10 commandments of good driving, prohibiting things such as road rage and violating traffic laws. If I died right now, I would be going to Hell because I have a speeding ticket and have yet to confess.

Perhaps the Catholic Church should focus on the benefits of going to confession rather than stressing going to Hell.

I am not saying all of the new deadly sins are uncalled for. Abortion and genetic modification consistently have not been supported by the Catholics. But where did they come up with the others?

Did they just sit around and brainstorm ideas for weeks, sharing them with each other? I can see the conversation taking place: “Well, how about murder? Maybe that should be a deadly sin… Or perhaps rape? Or abuse?”

“What are you thinking, Benedict? Pollution and wealth are obviously more threatening to the world.”

So pot smokers, lottery winners and those who throw trash out the window while driving beware. Even you boy-touching clergy, confess quickly or be prepared for an eternity of Hell.

(aided by alex guns)

Provided/Andy Hummel

Schools need to keep an eye on eyes JEREMY MULLEN staff writer

On a Friday afternoon instead of hanging out with my friends and having my usual weekend fun, I had a scheduled eye doctor appointment.

Unconcerned, I went to the doctor thinking it would be a check up, they would tell me I need glasses and I would be out in under an hour.

My trip quickly turned scary. The doctor had discovered the vision in my right eye is a partially normal 20/25 vision, while my left eye showed a severe difference at 20/200.

This means the normal human eye can see the same image at 200 feet away that my eye can only see at 20.

The night did not get any better. A 3-D image taken of my eye at the beginning of the appointment had shown that I have a hole in my right eye, the good one.

My eye doctor scheduled an emergency appointment with an ophthalmologist.

Because the hole was in my good eye, it needed to be looked at immediately.

According to Dr. Mandy Mataya, when one has a hole in his eye, and about three out of 100 people do, fluid can get behind it, pushing the retina forward until it becomes completely detached at which time one loses his sight.

The problem with the current system is that kids are not getting treatment early enough for their eyes. If problems like a lazy eye are not found early enough, they can become permanent.

The average person blinks 12 times a minute, or 10,080 blinks in a day.

An eagle can see a rabbit up to one mile away.

Information provided by optima-hyper.com.

Luckily, some states have begun to provide free eye exams for children. According to the Vision Council of America, in Tennessee, a student is required to get a free eye exam before elementary school.

In Arkansas and Massachusetts, students are required to take an exam if they fail a simple vision screening.

Another 29 states require vision screenings for students. However, they require no eye exam even for students who failed the screening, defeating the purpose of the law.

“We got hearing testing but I don’t remember getting tested for eyesight,” junior Nickie Meyer said.

Meyer attended Jordan Creek Elementary School in West Des Moines until fifth grade.

Bever Creek nurse Kristin Farrell said

vision screenings are done in kindergarten, second, fourth, and sixth grades. If a student is found to have vision problems, a note is sent home to the parents.

However, vision screenings often miss common things, such as amblyopia.

District 32 Senator Brad Zaun said that a law was passed April 10 in both the Iowa Senate and the House that would require schools to highly suggest getting eye exams to the parents of incoming kindergartners.

“Eye sight is a very important part of learning,” Zaun said.

However, the bill is not able to make an exam mandatory due to a lack of funds for people who could not afford the exam.

Thankfully, in Johnston, the Lions Club can provide funds to a student who fails a vision screening and needs an eye exam.

“To fully assess the health of a child’s visual system and reduce the risk of future problems, a comprehensive eye exam is strongly recommended before entering kindergarten,” Mataya said.

Fortunately, for new students, laws are getting better for eye care. What needs to be established is testing of students’ eye care every year through high school so they do not wind up helpless in the future because of failure to recognize a simple thing such as a lazy eye, or something even more serious.

Also, insurance companies need to start taking vision care more seriously, by providing vision insurance to more people. With vision care taken seriously, students can be more effective in the classroom, in sports, and for the rest of their lives.

entertainment

8

Pieces of April

April 2008

B&W

Top Trends of Spring in 2008

2

3oversized clutches

4bold florals

5vests

colorblock

Britney Solid Squareneck Tunic Delias, delias.com

Black, gray and white halter Target, target.com

Black jeweled clutch Aldo, aldoshoes.com

Striped sweater vest Heritage 1981

6light leather shoes White leather wedges Aldo, aldoshoes.com

runway TO hallway

Students share their essentials for Spring

1 ruffles

“ I can’t wait to buy sandals and dresses.”

Jououich-hawk for Target dress Target, target.com

Caitlin Larkin

“ I want to look for more dresses.”

Whitney Wheeler

entertainment

April 2008

B&W

9

One Dollar Goodies

[

Tired of having to spend $5 on a school notebook or looking for cheap party supplies for an end-of-the-year graduation open house? Here are $1 items you can purchase at the “dollar section� at Target. Add them to your shopping basket.

The Beach

{ { Sandbucket Water balloons Flip-flops

Back to School

[

{ { Binder Scrapbook supplies Pens

Personal Items

Party Supplies

{

Hand lotion/lip gloss, Contact case and glasses, Lint roller Hangers, Eye mask, Blanket

{

Compiled by Allison Kane, news editor

{

Hawaiian plates Napkins Bowls

{

April 2008

doubletruck

10&11

Going r e e n With the growing environmental concern, we take a look at students and stars who are helping to solve the problem, and little things you can do to help.

What Hollywood is doing...

For every one hundred pounds of garbage thrown away, 39 pounds is paper.

Use a wire-bound notebook with 20 percent post consumer fiber; they cost less and help reduce land fill waste.

Compared to sending a text message from a phone, e-mailing and text messaging from a computer uses more than 30 times the electricity per message.

Send text messages, especially quick one-liners from a cell phone rather than a computer; you will save time and energy.

Americans consume 17 billion quarts of popcorn per year (54 quarts per person), 30 percent of which is eaten at movie theatres, sporting events and entertainment venues.

Consider buying a larger popcorn and sharing it with friends to help cut down on paper packaging and save money.

If all of the taxis in New York City were converted to hybrids, the result in terms of reduced exhaust emissions would be equal to removing 24,000 cars from the road.

Next time you are car shopping or even in need of a rental, consider a hybrid vehicle, which can go three times as far as a standard sedan on one gallon of gasoline.

As going green becomes an ever popular fad, more and more students are working to protect the earth, using earth-friendly products and practices.

Eco-friendly senior Jenna Schissel does what she can to help the environment.

Schissel uses natural hair and makeup products as a way to reduce her environmental footprint. Schissel is an advocate of recycling and energy saving, using smaller and easy tactics such as turning off the lights whenever she leaves a room.

She also uses makeup and hair products with natural ingredients, despite their sometimes higher costs.

“I love Aveda and Arbonne,” Schissel said. “They are sometimes a little bit more pricey, but it is definitely worth it.”

Sophomore Claire Ottley also does her

part to help the environment. She uses the same makeup products as Schissel, from the natural cosmetic line Arbonne, which uses natural botanicals in all of its products.

“My mom sells Arbonne cosmetics, which is basically a Swiss, organic version of Mary Kay,” Ottley said.

In addition to this, both Schissel and Ottley try to conserve energy, like using energy-saving lightbulbs, such as Energy Star bulbs.

The Ottleys also try to limit the use of their heat and air conditioning, keeping their house relatively Ottley cool in the winter and warm in the summer.

“It’s not hard to, if you’re cold, put on a sweater and some warm socks instead of turning up the heat.” Ottley said.

In addition to these more standard, energy-saving techniques, Ottley also plans to

help the environment in a different way.

“My brother, who lives in California, has planted a tree every Arbor Day since he was about 13,” Ottley said. ” I think I might start doing it, too.”

Ottley recognizes the benefits her ecofriendly behavior has on the environment, as well as her wallet. Turning off the lights, turning down the heat, and even reusing water bottles both save money and the earth.

“Going green doesn’t have to be a chore, it’s a lot easier than people think,” Ottley said. “It’s as easy as flipping a switch.”

The motives behind the Ottley and Schissel’s eco-friendly moves are the same, to help keep the planet clean.

“I try to help the planet because it’s beautiful,” Schissel said. “It’s where I live, where my friends live, and where my family lives. You take care of your house, you should treat the planet the same way.”

Compiled by Jenna Willson, doubletruck editor; and Amy Lovejoy, design editor.

Brad Pitt’s love and talent of architecture and design led to a partnership with Global Green USA, where he designs eco-friendly homes in New Orlean’s Lower Ninth Ward for survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

Provided/Wikipedia

Possible Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama sponsored the law that provides $40 million for the commercialization of a combined flexible fuel car within five years, and pledges to invest $150 billion over the next 10 years to develop climate friendly Provided/Obama for America energy supplies.

Singer Sheryl Crow participated in a campus tour in which she traveled on a biodiesel-fueled bus to raise awareness about climate change. She designed a line of shirts with a “detachable sleeve” which replace the necessity of a paper napkin.

Hopeful Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has stated plans to create an energy fund, invest oil companies “windfall profits” in renewable energy projects, and guide the nation to obtain 20 percent of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020.

Longtime hybrid car owner Leonardo DiCaprio planned the environmentally-friendly celebrity arrivals at the 2007 Academy Awards and is currently working on his own global warming documentary, The 11th Hour.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain has said global warming would be one of the three key issues for his campaign, and cosponsored the first bill in the Senate calling for reductions of greenhousegas emissions in 2003.

Provided/Wikipedia

Provided/US Government

Provided/Wikipedia

Provided/Wikipedia

earth-friendly products

Students choose conservation over convenience AMY LOVEJOY design editor

B&W

Energy Star light bulbs use 75 percent less energy than a standard light bulb, produce 75 percent less heat, and last 10 times longer. Also, these bulbs cut energy costs for their users.

Victoria’s Secret launched a new organic line that is targeted to the younger, ‘eco-conscious’ crowd.

It has a more playful line of lingerie, lounge wear and accessories.

Whenever possible, Aveda uses ingredients from pesticide-free plants, and has awarded funding to communities to assist in planting organic cosmetic agents.

Sprint encourages its customers to recycle old phones , like this Green Rumor, through the Sprint Project Connect program.

All proceeds go to support Internet safety for kids.

review

12

April 2008

B&W

Chase This Light fades kdbvgorepaskoow

KALLEN KRAMER staff writer

into a stereotype f a n favorites

Faithful fans of Jimmy Eat World flocked to stores to purchase the highly anticipated album, Chase This Light on Oct. 16, 2007.

After three years of waiting, following the album Futures in 2004, this album failed to be distant from typical.

On April 18, a concert was held at the Val-Air Ballroom.

Jimmy Eat World has been around since 1994 when their debut, self-titled album was released. Directly out of high school, these four musicians were offered a major record label and went on tour.

They were one of the early leaders in the power-pop/hard core emo genre. Their sound is strategically layered; guitars are constantly harmonized with Jim Adkins’ vocals.

The band is made up of four members: Adkins on lead vocals and guitar, Tom Linton on guitar and vocals, Rick Burch on bass, and Zach Lind on drums.

They have one past member, Mitch Porter, who has been replaced on bass.

It’s clear that the band reached its potential in the album Clarity, with the sensitivity of the lyrics and rhythm. This possibly more rebellious album is a contrast from the more recent Futures and most recent Chase This Light.

Chase This Light is a characteristic emo album not unlike Yellowcard or Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Its most popular song, “Big Casino,” sounds comparable to The Killers.

There is no single song that stands out in the album. Many of the songs sound similar.

“Dizzy” was an attempt at a mellow song, but the lyrics could not match the tenderness of “Hear Me You” from the album Bleed American. “Dizzy” begins with these lyrics: “You close your eyes and kiss your hand then you blow it.

But it isn't meant for me, and I notice If the choice was ours alone, Then why'd we both choose letting go?

The BookWorm

Listeners v oted for their favorite song from the new album on a poll. The poll is pos ted on the Jim m y Ea t Wor ld Web site.

Big Casino

BY: Shawna Polen

Tomorrow when...

13%

Let It Happen 13%

the War Began

Always Be 10%

Following the book club this month, I chose Tomorrow When the War Began, the first book of the series, by John Mars6% den.

The book starts out with Ellie, the Electable (Give it up) main character, writing to the readers, 5% telling them why and how she came into writing the series of events that happened Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues recently in her life.

5% It is Christmas break and Ellie and six other friends decide to go camping in the bush of Australia, where they live.

Feeling Lucky When they return to their homes, 2% they’re met with the disappearance of their family and the deaths of the pets Here It Goes and livestock.

12% Confused and scared, they gather supplies and return to their camp in Hell, a Chase This Light ravine that serves as the perfect hideout 8% and shelter.

After receiving a note left by family, Firefight they figure out that Australia is at war 6% Kallen Kramer/BW and their town was invaded.

Jim Adkins sings and plays the guitar for the concert It is these invaders who have taken the Dizzy townspeople and have been holding them at Val-Air Ballroom on Friday, April 18. Paramore co-head21% at the city Show Stadium under gun and jimmyeatworld.com lined with Adkins’ band Jimmy Eat World. gate. Separating the town from the kids.

Does it end like this?” catchy, and while the lyrics may not be Ellie and friends must decide what The lyrics are not authentic or poetic, as sensitive as the previous albums, they they want to do. Save their town? If so, but merely forgettable. still have a hint of genuineness. This is a then how? Or should they leave and run With Jimmy Eat World’s new crowd- fun CD to have playing in the car or as for their lives, like their families would pleasing sound and lyrics, Chase This background music for a party. want them to do.

Light was not new and improved, but Sadly, Jimmy Eat World has not enTomorrow When the War Began is writnew and cliché. dured as the unique band they once were; ten as a fiction book, but given the conWhether or not this album is worth however, they will always be remembered tent could possibly happen. buying can be argued. The songs are as the icon of punk.

Marsden has written this book really well in pulling on his knowledge of living in Australia, he gives readers a glimpse of the land down under.

Marsden must have done some research of the World Wars, because his account of everything war related going on, seems to jump from the pages into reality. Making readers see into the land of war.

I also liked the perspective he has with Ellie. It is set up so that she is the author of the story, recording the account of the group like; their camping fun and their plans of what to do, so that people in the future will know what happened to Australia, keeping them alive in the pages of the book for years.

The ending is not a good one in terms of a drop off. It is not abrupt, but it does make you want to continue reading the series. One of the characters gets shot, leaving you guessing wether or not they Provided/Universal Pictures live. But I will not say who.

As of now there are seven total in Jimmy “Dodge” Connelly, left, prepares to shake hands with former teamthe series. With Marsden having passed mate and now rival Carter Rutherford, right, while a referee looks on. away, his daughter has taken up writing therford (John Krasinski), a WWI hero. field rivals, and the story continues in that the story. She has already written the sevHe meets up with Connelly in Chicago, same fashion. enth book.

This movie gets extremely boring at and is convinced to drop out of college in And so the story continues... times. It sounds horrible, but without order to play professionally.

The final key member of the story is Clooney’s name involved, this picture Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger). A would have been a major bust. Scenes Start a book journal. When you top-notch reporter for the Chicago Tri- were predictable, especially the promised get done reading a book, write “thrilling ending.” bune, Littleton is assigned to dig up dirt down the title and a quick reMy advice to you? Wait a month or two, on “perfect” Rutherford. After Carter is minder what is was about. This convinced to play professionally, Little- and rent it at your nearest Blockbuster, way you can come back to it if ton gets whisked away to Duluth, MN, unless you have a burning desire to spend you need it. home of the Bulldogs, to try and save the half a paycheck at the theatres.

I’ll give this movie three stars. But I pro league of football.

Eventually, the two football heroes, also admit that I could never bring myself For questions, comments or feedback, young and old, simultaneously fall for to give a Clooney movie below a threee-mail me at Batty_forlife@yahoo.com little Miss Littleton, become major off- star rating. Yeah, he’s that good.

Carry You

Leatherheads fumbles, misses point SCOTT MONROE staff writer

Just a heads up: it is incredibly difficult to focus on a movie that is more predictable than the sun rising in the east. Many daydreams were experienced while viewing the movie Leatherheads. Don’t get me wrong; it wasn’t like I was trying to not pay attention. It was merely difficult.

The main reason I chose to watch this film is because of George Clooney. I value his ability to act, enough to bestow upon him the honor of my all-time favorite actor. Said reason happens to be the only motivation I would ever have to squander my life away in order to view it again.

The movie starts off rather leisurely.

You watch some guys playing football back in 1925, when the rules were simply, if you score, you score. No one cares how you do it.

You see Jimmy “Dodge” Connelly (Clooney) tearing up the gridiron, even though he was old enough to be the father of the players he spun past.

Finally, a plot arises: the Bulldogs lose their primary sponsor, go bankrupt, all while the entire league faces certain collapse. Connelly decides that he wants to attempt to resurrect the league from its current state of havoc, but in order to achieve that goal, he must first acquire a strong fan base.

Along comes pretty-boy Carter Ru-

ReadingTip

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April 2008

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Senior’s surgery grants new outlook Student pays for, reaps benefits of LASIK eye procedure CHELSEA NELSON staff writer As senior Chris Anagnost sat in the operating chair, he waited for the anesthesia in his eyes to take effect so that the surgery could begin. While he was lowered back, his eyes were propped open and the laser began to reshape part of his eye.

“I couldn’t feel or see a thing, but I could smell the burning flesh from my eye,” Anagnost said. “I got a whiff from it and I thought ‘Holy crap, it’s my eye!’ ” Anagnost went to the Wolfe Eye Clinic and received LASIK surgery to correct his nearsightedness.

“I was looking at it for a while, but I always thought it was for older people, but then I saw that you only had to be 18 to get it,” Anagnost said.

In LASIK surgery, a surgeon creates a thin flap of cornea tissue. Then, a laser is used to reshape the cornea of an eye. The flap is folded back to its original place after the procedure is complete. LASIK is used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

“I’ve been playing for basketball with glasses because I don’t like to wear contacts,” Anagnost said. “I had dry eyes, so I never wore contacts because they would always start to itch.”

Physicians review applicants for the surgery before approving them for the operation. Due to his impairAnagnost ments, Anagnost met criteria for the surgery.

“It’s definitely not for everybody,” Anagnost said. “Me, with my case, I needed it. And I wanted to be done with it all, just roll out of bed without putting on anything and be done with it.”

The cost to get LASIK for Anagnost was about $2,200 per eye. Anagnost chose to pay for the procedure himself because he did not want to burden his parents with the large amount.

Anesthetized eye drops are given so that patents don’t feel anything but a little pressure from the laser and the surgery lasts about one to two minutes for each eye.

“I thought it was going to take a while,” Anagnost said. “Between getting (the eye drops and the surgery),

Chelsea Nelson/BW

Senior Chris Anagnost aids a customer at Best Buy, his place of employment. Because he had the surgery, he is able to search for items without use of glasses or contacts. it only took about 20 minutes. I was in the waiting room longer than the actual surgery.”

There are some after effects from LASIK. Anagnost had to wear sunglasses when he went outside for several days because the surgery caused his eyes to fluctuate in direct sunlight.

Anagnost must now take special precautions to avoid damage to his eyes.

“I can’t be getting into fights anymore cause apparently a punch in your eyes can mess them up,” he said.

However, in the case that he does need slight repairs, the cost of touch ups is covered.

Essentials perfects

painting

compiled by torey robinson, feature editor

Mindy Dickerson/The Dragon

Megan Kellogg/The Dragon

Mindy Dickerson/The Dragon

(Above) Junior Leah Belknap carefully paints along the lines of her project. Belknap and fellow Essentials of Art students mixed their own colors for a painting assignment. (Close right) Sophomore Kelsey Fiala demonstrates various stroke use in her project. Students were required to develop an abstract piece without a focus point. (Far right) Senior Breon Smith, left, and sophomore Brandon Neely focus on painting straight lines and completing their assignment during the class period.

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Your t c e p Mother Res

April 2008

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Graduate lands job in high school

Continuous Pet Overpopulation Problem CICELY GORDON backpage editor As a nation, we claim to love cats and dogs. Most American families have at least one pet, and each year, billions of dollars are spent on pet supplies and food for these animals. One statistic about these cute friends at home is hard to look at - millions of cats and dogs are given to shelters or left to die on the streets.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, there are between 4,000 and 6,000 shelters in the United States. About 6-8 million cats and dogs enter these shelters each year. Out of those 6-8 million, about half are euthanized and the other 3-4 million animals are adopted.

Cats and dogs getting euthanized in a shelter or dying from an injury, disease or neglect is a result of irresponsible people who don’t fix their animals. That animal could make an amazing companion, if given the chance. The angering part of this problem is that it can be solved so easily.

Don’t allow your animals to breed.

Only by spaying and neutering all companion animals, will we get a handle on pet overpopulation. Consider the fact that in six short years, one female dog and her offspring can give birth to hundreds of puppies. And, in seven years, one cat and her young can produce hundreds of kittens. By decreasing the number of pets reproducing, there won’t be as many roaming the streets, getting hit by cars, and starving to death.

Successful pet population control programs range from subsidized sterilization clinics to cooperative efforts involving local veterinarians to mass media educational campaigns. Bob Barker did an excellent job of promoting this idea.

Only through the continued nationwide establishment of such programs will we bring an end to the tragedy of pet overpopulation.

Legislation can have the most powerful impact simply by making a law requiring that every pet adopted from a shelter be sterilized within a certain period of time. This gives owners an initiative to do the right thing.

Education is also an essential part. Future generations need to know about why pets need to be fixed. Unless we know the facts about pet overpopulation, we are helpless to stop it.

The single most important step we can take as a community is to have our personal companions spayed or neutered.

Don’t let yourself contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. The next time you’re thinking about getting a new pet, adopt from a shelter. These animals don’t have much time before they are euthanized. You can play a role in not only saving an animal’s life, but also decreasing the number of animals that die in shelters each year.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this column, send an e-mail to swizzles17@hotmail.com.

Veronica Roshek/BW

Senior Brianna Stone asks the substitute teacher for her AP French class, 2003 graduate Rachel Mullen, a question about her homework. Mullen was hired at the high school as an English teacher for the upcoming school year while her younger brother, junior Jeremy Mullen, will still be a student in the building.

Former student Rachel Mullen returns to Johnston as a teacher instead of a student VERONICA ROSHEK

opinion editor

Grabbing his phone as it receives a text, junior Jeremy Mullen opens it to read the message from senior Tyler Wengert. It simply states he had his sister, 2003 graduate Rachel Mullen, as a sub during school. Jeremy laughs it off, being the third text message from his friends saying they had her in their classes that day. “(Rachel) has caught me (texting) before and she just tells me to put it away,” Wengert said. “(Jeremy) gets a little annoyed with the texts because I send one every time I have her for a class, and I’ve had her a lot lately.”

Rachel will be returning to the high school as a teacher instead of a student in the upcoming school year teaching creative writing, myths and legends, and sophomore English while Jeremy finishes out his senior year.

“Initially, I just found out that she got an offer,” Jeremy said. “I wanted her to take the job because I knew it would be best for her. I wasn’t thinking about myself at all.”

Rachel first decided to apply for the job because a lot of her former teachers wanted her to, but she was not expecting much more than an interview. “(I was) never ever thinking that I

would get a job at Johnston my first year teaching,” Rachel said. “When (Principal Bruce) Hukee called me I said something like, ‘are you kidding me?’ I was very shocked and very excited.”

Rachel was a practicum student during the spring of 2007 in Sarah Wessling’s class and now she is also enjoying her experience as a sub this year.

“Probably because Jeremy is such a good kid, I’ve turned into a cool sub without really doing anything,” Rachel said.

“It’s a lot of fun because the Johnston kids are so good, and I get to remember what it’s like to be a student here too.”

Students enjoy having Rachel sub in their classes and often know the relation between Rachel and Jeremy.

“She’s great,” Wengert said. “I know her brother pretty well, so I have a connection there.”

There is a possibility Jeremy could have Rachel as a teacher because he is not sure which English classes he will be taking yet next year.

“If I had him for English, I think there would definitely be some funny moments,” Rachel said. “I would probably embarrass him a lot of the time.” Jeremy would not want to have her as a teacher, though, he would try to switch out of her class instead.

“I don’t mind seeing her in the hallways and just saying hi to her and stiff,” Jeremy said. “(But I wouldn’t want her as a teacher,) she would be harder on me and expect more out of me.” Rachel agrees that she would be expecting a lot out of him, however, in the end it would be up to him to put in as much effort as he wants.

“I know Jeremy’s potential,” Rachel said. “Unfortunately for him, I have known his potential the last 17 years of his life.”

Along with Rachel’s interaction with Jeremy next year, she will be experiencing new interactions with former teachers. Although some of her past teachers have retired; she had Tim Brickley, Jerry Stratton, Mary Moermond, Leslie Shipp, and Sarah Wessling for classes.

Wessling had Rachel in class for freshman English, sophomore English and AP English.

“I served as a mentor for her,” Wessling said. “She did a practicum with me and we have had a lot of professional discussions about her coarse work and her teaching experiences. She has also came in and done book talks for my classes and thing like that.”

Wessling describes Rachel as a very student-centered, nurturing and diligent as she pays great attention to detail, which has blossomed her into this profession. Rachel has got to go through a lot of great learning experiences like studying abroad in France. This has broadened her understanding of learning as she constantly is putting herself in learning situations, which has transformed her from a student into a teacher.

“I’ve always had good relationships with my teachers,” Rachel said. “It’s made it much easier (of a transition) because they always respected students with having as much knowledge and information to offer.” As much as she appreciates being seen as a colleague, there have been times in the high school when she has still felt like a student.

“At any school, I feel like I’m a student still because I look like a student still,” Rachel said. “When I was at East High School subbing one time, someone asked me for a hall pass.”

Rachel does not perceive her student appearance as a bad thing, though.

“It’s good to still be somewhat like a student so I can relate to them,” Rachel said. “Some of the teachers think it’s really cool to be back as a student, so I can see moments (of other teachers thinking me of as a student), but I’m lucky so many teachers respect me.”

Overall, Rachel is thankful for her opportunity to teach at Johnston next year and is excited for the experience.

“I am so, so fortunate, because Johnston has such a good reputation,” Rachel said. “Johnston is a school that a lot of veteran teachers would some day like to teach at.”

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DMB fans find rhyme and reason

Students, teachers share bond over popular band MICHAEL LUNN

staff writer

Provided/antsmarching.org

Seeking a

setlist AUDREY BELL Ants Marching Everyday Sweet Up and Down Louisiana Bayou Eh Hee Bartender #27 Say Goodbye The Song that Jane Likes Lie in our Graves Steady as we go Sister Cornbread Warehouse All Along the Watchtower

Fans share their list for DMB show

PAT SHOCKEY

ROD WIEBERS

ZACH DICKEN

Still Water/Don’t Drink the Water #41 What Would You Say Bartender Hello Again Crush Grey Street The Idea of You Dancing Nancies Warehouse Ants Marching Everyday Lie in our Graves All Along the Watchtower Recently Jimi Thing Tripping Billies

Pig #41 The Dreaming Tree Say Goodbye Ants Marching Crush Lie In Our Graves The Stone Last Stop Halloween You Never Know JTR Proudest Monkey Song That Jane Likes Two Step

Granny When the World Ends One Sweet World Warehouse Stay #41 Tripping Billies Everyday The Stone Two Step Drive in Drive Out Ants Marching Lie in our Graves Don’t Drink the Water Old Dirt Hil Grey Street

In the 60s, The Beatles topped the charts; the 70s had Pink Floyd; the 80s experienced Prince and U2. The music scene changed with the creation of Dave Matthews Band (DMB). Since its creation in 1991, DMB has formed bonds between students and teachers alike.

“I remember hearing them in high school, right around 1996, and I’ve been listening to them ever since,” teacher Rodney Wiebers said.

Wiebers is not the only teacher that considers themselves a Dave fan; teacher Audrey Bell recants starting to listen to DMB in college.

“I first started liking Dave when I heard ‘Satellite’ and ‘Crash Into Me’ years ago, back in the good old days at (Buena Vista),” Bell said.

Wiebers rewards students’ good behavior with Dave Matthews tunes on a regular basis.

“Being in Wiebers’ class is tight,” senior Zach Dicken said. “I think it’s a little extra incentive, it’s nice for me because I listen to DMB when I do my homework.”

With DMB having such a wide variety of music, it is easy to see how not only teachers, but students listen to Dave as well.

“I just think that his music is so universal,” junior Jordan Bussanmas said. “It’s not like he’s just trying to aim at a certain age group.”

Various students are inspired by the music of Matthews.

“DMB has such a unique style of music,

and such an inspiring way of expressing themselves through their music,” senior Pat Shockey said.

Shockey, who has been listening to DMB since his cousin first popped in the Crash album in 1999, has attended eight concerts, one of which was released on CD. “My first concert was Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The concert attracted more than 60,000 fans, and Carlos Santana ended up coming and playing with the band for three songs. I did not expect the concert to come out on CD, but it did, which was dope” Shockey said.

After the anticipation of the 2008 summer tour dates that were released in late March, students and teachers alike jumped on the opportunity to buy tickets online.

Wiebers, Bell, Shockey, Bussanmas, and Dicken each plan on attending various concerts throughout the summer, with a majority emphasizing the July 22 concert in Omaha, NE. For the majority of the concerts, fans have two options: buy tickets on Ticketmaster.com or buy them straight from the Dave “Warehouse.”

The Warehouse is essentially the Dave Matthews Band fan club. Fans pay $35 a year and gain exclusive benefits such as on-floor tickets, access to special recordings, and entered in several merchandise contests.

To join the club, simply go to www.warehouse. davemattewsband.com/ and select the “Join” link.

Junior continues, advances in national history competition TOREY ROBINSON

feature editor KURT HOUP

staff writer Junior Lindsay Fredrickson glanced at the clock. She had been so immersed in her research that she lost track of time.

Fredrickson, however, was not studying for schoolwork. Rather, she was gathering sources for National History Day, a competition she has been involved with for five years.

Fredrickson, a clarinet player, competes each year to better round herself.

“I wanted to participate in an activity outside of music,” she said.

Fredrickson said National History Day requires that a student or group adopt a research topic and then present it

in a paper, exhibit, documentary, or performance in accordance to a theme. This year’s theme was “Conflict and Compromise Throughout History.”

According to the National History Day Web site, History Day aims to motivate students through the excitement of competition and through recognition for their work.

In addition, National History Day hopes to provide students the opportunity to work with and analyze historical documents and other primary source material. By doing so, students then learn substantial research skills that can be applied inside the classroom and out alike.

In middle school, Fredrickson wrote papers for her entry. Once she entered the senior division for high school level students, she chose to develop exhibits for her project.

Fredrickson featured South African Desmond Tutu, who fought against apartheid.

“I spent hours and hours collecting sources and more time designing your board and making it fit the regulations,” she said.

As a result of her work and final project, Fredrickson advanced to the state competition held in May. She was one of four exhibits to progress to the next level to represent the Des Moines area.

If she is selected as one of the top four projects at the state contest, Fredrickson will participate at the national level at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Junior Lindsay Fredrickson proudly displays her state-qualifying National History Day entry.

Provided/Lindsay Fredrickson

z z JaBROThERS

April 2008

Dungeon

16

}

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} OATTS

CHRIS BIO:

playing alto sax in o “Ithestarted fourth grade. (I) got one for Christmas.”

is my main (instrument), o “Alto and my least favorite is the clarinet.”

Influences: o

“Sonny Stitt, Stefano Battista, Paquito D’Rivera, and Kenny Garret, but I have a bazillion sax players on my iTunes.”

JEFF

BIO: o o

“I started playing the trumpet in fourth grade and I figured out that that blew.”

“I play drum set and various percussion instruments.”

Influences: o

“(It’s) music that really grooves well that’s my biggest influence, like Dennis Chambers, David Garibaldi, and Mel Lewis.”

Compiled by: Philip Mortens and Dwight Lykins, staff writers; and Hannah Emmerson, guest contributor.

ERIC

BIO:

been playing) since fifth o “(I’ve grade. That’s when band was cool.”

play tenor saxophone, and o “II can doodle with everything else.”

Influences: Getz, John Coltrane, Ben o “Stan Webster, and Dexter Gordon.”

April 2008

Boys’Soccer sports

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Ciera Lundgren/Dragon

Promising start for soccer team The boys’ soccer team has started off the season 5-0, including an upset over Waukee and a shut out against Lincoln.

The soccer team defeated sixth ranked Waukee on April 10. The Dragons are currently ranked ninth.

Both varsity and junior varsity boys’ soccer teams shut out the Lincoln Railsplitters on April 7. Varsity won 7-0 and JV won 10-0.

Three matches have been postponed due to bad weather.

Ciera Lundgren/Dragon

For more on soccer, see page 19...

Ciera Lundgren/Dragon

(TOP) Senior Josh Camos (left) leads the way for ball carrier Ryan Lay. The Dragons defeated Lincoln at Cownie on April 7.

(ABOVE) Josh Camos races to get to the loose ball before a Lincoln opponent. Both varsity and junior varsity shut out their opponents.

(LEFT) Junior Tyler Smith looks up field for an open teammate to pass the ball to. Dragons won the game 7-0.

W.O.W. strengthens softball players, team (LEFT) Senior Holly Von Fumetti catches the bar to finish her hang clean.

(BELOW) Von Fumetti cleans up her station after lifting. She attends Women’s Off-Season Workouts during the scheduled times.

BRYAN LIPPINCOTT

staff writer

Junior Abby Sonner pumps her arms up and down, running through a speed ladder. Sonner, along with the rest of the softball team and girls not involved in a spring sport, participates in W.O.W. (Women’s OffSeason Workouts).

W.O.W. is derived from the same lifting system, Dragon Power, strength and conditioning coach Brian Lutter has incorporated.

“It’s geared for the female athletes who want to improve their strength, agility, speed, etc. in order to become a better trained athlete,” head softball coach Todd Merical said.

Merical has also implemented a point system for his softball team. “(The girls) are divided into four groups,” Merical said. “We keep track of individual and team points.”

The softball players get points for their lifting teams by attending workouts. Currently, the girls lift four days a week, but they will cut down to three during the season. The winning team gets a reward.

Merical tried to divide the girls into groups with girls from different grade levels, so they can get to know each other. He also tried to put one good leader in each group to motivate the other girls in her group.

“It definitely makes you depend on your teammates a ton because you have a group and all of your total points add together, so it’s a friendly competition,” junior Annie Gray said. “It’s also nice because if one of your teammates isn’t pulling their weight and doing their part, it

Brittany Deal / BW

gives you a chance to encourage them to try harder and show up.”

As with any training program, the goal is individual improvement, and in this case, team bonding.

“I feel that the I have gotten noticeably stronger since last year, and without a doubt much stronger since I first started going to workouts in eighth grade,” senior Holly Von Fumetti said.

The workouts have been even more beneficial for Sonner while she’s been rehabbing from off-season

Brittany Deal / BW

shoulder surgery.

“I do think that I am getting faster and stronger,” Sonner said, “especially since I had shoulder surgery in November. It is helping me recover faster, and I am way ahead of where I should be with recovery.”

There is a prize for the winning group, but Merical has yet to decide what it will be.

“I think it’s a great program because it keeps us in shape and ready for our upcoming season,” senior Leah Embrey said.

April 2008

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Fitness center biggest in state

Haley Johnson/BW

Construction workers finish last minute details on the new fitness center before it was used as a lunchroom. The fitness center is four times the size of the current weight room, making it one of the biggest in the state.

KYLE HANSON

staff writer

Among the additions to the high school in the current construction project, the fitness center is the largest.

The first big difference is the size. The current weight room is approximately 2,000-2,500 square feet, whereas the new fitness center will be 8,000 square feet, athletic director Gary Ross said.

“I think it’s the biggest in the state for high schools; if not, it’s towards the top,” varsity football coach Brian Woodley said.

The name will also be different after construction.

The current area is called the weight room because it contains only weights. The new fitness center will have all of the weights it currently has, as well as cardio equipment such as treadmills, bicycles, and ellipticals.

The cardio equipment will benefit everyone, especially hurt athletes looking to rehab their injuries. With the current weight room, injured athletes have limited exercises to do, and often stay in the training room. The

new area will allow these athletes to stay active.

The new exercise equipment is going to cost $350,000-$400,000. The fitness center will also include an office, as well as windows, fans, and speakers. The old weight room lacked all of these features.

The large size and numerous types of equipment will allow for the accommodation of more athletes. Two physical education classes will be able to hold class in the fitness center at one time, which is not possible with the current weight room.

The new additions will also be varied enough that all of the P.E. tracks will be able to use it. This was one of the first priorities of the project.

One of the biggest advantages will be the space it opens up. The old weight room will become a multipurpose room, but mainly it will be used for storage.

P.E. classes will also no longer be required to use the wrestling room for class.

“Everyone is going to benefit because it benefits the P.E. program and extracurriculars,” Woodley said. “I think it will spark a lot of interest, especially with the younger kids.”

Kyle Hanson/BW

Strength and Conditioning coach Brian Lutter can oversee lifters from his elevated office in the fitness center. It also has the controls to the sound system.

Track meets provide opportunities for athletes LEE YOCUM

sports editor

Sammy McConeghey/Dragon

Current senior Nathan Clock runs in the Drake Relays last year. Both boys’ and girls’ track teams were scheduled to run at Drake Stadium in the Jim Duncan Invitational on April 12, but it was canceled due to weather.

Bad weather in April has canceled many track meets that have limited both the girls’ and boys’ track opportunities from, what at one point, looked to be a promising schedule for both teams. This schedule included a chance for the athletes to run at Drake Stadium.

The boys’ track team schedule now has three home meets, as compared to one last year. However, two of the meets was canceled due to bad weather.

The Johnston Early Bird Special, scheduled for March 27, was canceled, as was the Urbandale Invite on April 17.

The CIML Central meet is scheduled to take place on May 5.

Senior Nathan Clock feels that it is beneficial to have more track meets at home because of the environment.

“You are more confident running on your own track, and there will be more people there to support the team,” Clock said.

The girls have four indoor meets, doubling last year’s total of two. The team competed at Wartburg, the Central Invite, the Iowa State indoor meet, and the State Indoor meet at the UNI-Dome.

Four indoor meets is the most scheduled in one season for the girls’ team.

Track coach Chris Siewert said the increased number of indoor meets was due to the fact that it worked out in the schedule around spring break.

The Wartburg and State indoor meets were added to the schedule from last year. Senior Leah Embrey prefers outdoor meets; however, she feels that in-

door meets have their benefits.

“You don’t have to deal with the weather,” Embrey said. “Everything is so close together; it’s all right there.”

Weather has been an issue early for the girls as well. Four girls’ meets have been canceled or postponed, including the Craig Oldham Johnston Invite, which is named after the retired track coach.

Though there have been a lot of cancellations, Embrey still enjoys the spacious outdoor meets.

“There is so much more space outdoors,” Embrey said. “Indoor meets have smaller tracks, so it feels like you have to run farther.”

The Jim Duncan Invitational at Drake Stadium was scheduled to take place on April 12, but snow led to it being cancelled. For the first time, high school athletes were going to participate.

Senior Mat Dickerson feels that having the chance to run at Drake Stadium would have provided good experience for those who qualify for the Drake Relays, which will take place April 24-26.

“Drake has one of the fastest tracks, and we would have got to run and compete against some good athletes to push ourselves even more,” Dickerson said.

Boys’ track coach Patrick Honkomp felt that running in the Jim Duncan Invite against all the CIML teams would have been a good indicator as to an athlete’s position among top runners.

“Athletes would get a chance to see where they will likely place in State,” Honkomp said.

The girls’ team has qualified eight events for the Drake Relays.

Both girls’ and boys’ state is scheduled for May 15-17 at Drake Stadium.

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Track, soccer teams share turf space KIERA MORRILL

staff writer

Soccer players share the track and turf space with runners during practice time.

Coaches planned this to control the amount of unintentional interaction between the sports. “(We do that) to avoid accidents,” varsity boys’ soccer coach Matt Todd said. “We’re a big school now and all the teams need to work together to be successful.”

The reason for the change was because of the complications the two sports brought.

Soccer players could not control how fast and where their balls would go during practice, which was seen as a threat to the runners on the track.

“When they’re kicking the balls, there’s a chance of them going across the track and injuring someone,” athletic director Gary Ross said.

Everyone was flexible when a new schedule was created.

“I met with Todd and (varsity girls’ soccer coach Matty) Smith at the beginning of the year to make a schedule,” Ross said. “They have the ability to go from 4:30 to whenever, and they can use the lights.”

Boys’ varsity and junior varsity soccer meet regularly on the practice field behind the parking lot at 3:45.

“We play half our games on grass, so it’s good (to play) on there,” Todd said.

Track athletes need to have first priority to give all the students a chance for practice time, as middle school runners are on the track right after school.

Reducing chance of injury is the main priority for the coaches and Ross.

“I’d hate to have someone get severely injured, when we can prevent it by not letting (soccer practice) happen until 4:30,” Ross said.

Soccer players do not mind the change in schedule, as it is not much different from past years.

“Usually, we practice during track practice on the turf or on the practice field after school,” sophomore soccer player Jennifer Ross said. “I’m fine about it because usually we get the whole turf.”

Varsity players normally practice for two hours after school. Junior varsity uses the turf at least once a week; it ordinarily meets on the practice field after school.

Kiera Morrill/BW

Girls’ track practices from 3:20-5 p.m. Boys get to the track around 5 p.m., depending on exercises they are doing.

Track starts by warming up on the turf for about 20 minutes, and then begin to run the track. Soccer players warm up and stretch on the turf, usually while track is running.

Scheduled practices break up turf space to give different teams the areas they need while they practice together.

Players compromise their practice time and also share space to meet everyone’s expectations.

“They want to have their own practices, and we want to have ours, and now everyone gets what they want,” junior Shelby Brose, a soccer player, said.

Kiera Morrill/BW

Shelby Brose (left) steals the ball from her opponent on the soccer turf. The junior varsity team played against Fort Dodge on April 14 at Johnston.

(ABOVE) Junior Shelby Brose (right) kicks the ball to teammate, freshman Spencer Vasey, during a junior varsity soccer game against Fort Dodge. The new policy keeps soccer practices off the turf during track practice.

“We always use the practice fields, varsity always uses the turf, and then we get (the turf) at least once a week,” Brose said.

Upcoming movie features cheerleaders BRENNAN WINGET

Cheerleaders appearing in the movie

staff writer

South Dakota

9 10 12 11 9 12 10 Dahlia Gordon

Bethany Hoogenakker Jordain Skarphol

Shelby Brose

Jocelyn Schneider Natalie Cunningham

Courtney Kimble

Amanda Gabbert/Dragon

Sophomore Courtney Kimble (right) assists in holding up senior Jordain Skarphol during a football cheer. Both cheerleaders will appear in the movie South Dakota.

The cheerleaders were given the opportunity to try out for a part in an upcoming movie that will be filmed in Earlham, Iowa.

“Urbandale choreographer Kati Anderson first contacted me asking if any of the Johnston cheerleaders would want to tryout for a part in the movie South Dakota,” cheerleading coach Lisa Boge said.

“We had tryouts on March 31 in the high school cafeteria,” senior Natalie Cunningham said.

There were two required stunts, a toe-touch baskettoss and a prep. The girls also had to tumble and perform two chants and a cheer.

The movie is about a 14-year-old girl who is on the cheerleading squad and gets pregnant, so they originally wanted only the girls on the freshman squad to try out.

“They didn’t have enough girls for all the parts, so they opened it up to the other high school squads as well,” cheerleading coach Kim Lane said. “However, this movie is based on a true story so they had to have so many blondes, girls with braces, straight and

curly hair, and so on.”

“They wanted the girls to look like the people do in real life,” Boge said, “so it was more based on looks since the stunts required weren’t at a difficult level.”

Also, since the leading actor in the movie is supposed to be playing a 14-year-old girl, all the girls cast had to look younger. “(Junior) Shelby Brose was cast as the stunt double for the lead actor,” Boge said.

Brose is anxious to start filming for the movie.

“I’m sure I will be way nervous on the first day we shoot,” Brose said. “I just hope I don’t screw things up and have to reshoot the same scene a billion times.”

The girls chosen for parts will start filming on April 23 and continue on April 26.

Both shoots will take all day.

“They haven’t given us much information about what we exactly will be doing,” Brose said,” but I know most of the filming will be at Earlham High School.”

Because of NCAA rules, the cheerleaders cannot be paid for their stunting.

“Instead, the money will be a fundraiser for the program,” Boge said.

20

April 2008

backpage

teacher TRIBUTE

B&W

DWIGHT LYKINS

staff writer

K ry s t a l L e w i s ‘ 0 9

Favorite teacher?

Mrs. Bell C o l i n C h r i s t i an s o n ‘ 10

Favorite teacher?

Mr. Kimpston

What grade was it?

Seventh What made that year fun?

I liked that year because a lot of my friends were in that class. He also passed out Jolly Ranchers when you answered questions.

K at e D i c k e y ‘ 0 8

What grade was it?

Favorite teacher?

10th Social Studies

Mr. Siewert

What made that year fun?

What grade was it?

She never talked at us, she made class fun. I really liked when we played games like "Hot Spot" in class.

11th Bio-Tech What made that year fun?

We had sweet B-Tech parties with all 10 of us that were in the class, and he put up with all the "cheer talk" in his class.

Mrs.`Bell Mr.`Kimpston

Mr.`Siewert