April 2009 by JHS BlackandWhite

BLACK WHITE the black and white. april 2009. volume 18 issue 8. 5152780449. 6501 NW 62nd ave. johnston. iowa one copy free

Planet Earth: Discovery Channel page 9

change into spring

pages 10 and 11

Healthy Skin page 19

in this issue

blackwhite

entertainment

news

The cover photograph of the Earth, excluding the background, was taken from Apollo 17 on Dec. 7, 1972. This photograph is public domain and provided by NASA. Cover designed by Kallen Kramer and Brittany Deal.

3 4 5

Newsbriefs

{ Senior picnic returns

Class day shortened policy { Fee Burglaries and Break-Ins

Low drop out rate { Educator of the year is...

editorial

cover

{ Technology kills interpersonal skills

opinion

7 8

to the Editor { Letters Grades over knowledge littering now { Enforce Hu Cares

review

Earth 9 { Planet The Bookworm

the

BLACK&WHITE

Brittany Deal/BW

news editor Caroline Byrd

opinion editor Catherine Caracci

copy editor Brittany Deal

editor in chief

Kallen Kramer

double truck editor Haley Johnson

backpage editor Shawna Polen

review editor Jeremy Mullen

feature

13 14 15

of Hollingsworth { Life Luke Bubeck eats ducks

{ Student copes with OCD { Five ways to improve school

dungeon

{ Jenny Ajluni: four year tennis star

sports

17 18

{ Senior stud makes comeback from injury it to the next level: sports { Taking Sports bits

{ Keep your skin healthy

backpage

20 { How to save a life

Kyle Soyer/BW

STAFF 2008-2009

Stephanie Ivankovich

{ Comics

health

doubletruck

10{ Change into spring! 11

Lauren Gehrke

feature editor Julia Manning

sports editor Kiera Morrill

photo editor

managing editor

STAFF WRITERS: Lauren Coffey, Evan Culbert, Chris Caracci, Nels Engblom, Jonathan Houp, Kevin Hu, Matthew Knoedel, Kelsey Kruse, Amy Lovejoy, Dwight Lykins, Kelly McGowan, Aaron Meyer, Scott Monroe, Philip Mortens, Chelsea Nelson, Eric Oatts, Jocelyn Schneider, Kyle Soyer, Ben Vander Ploeg, Brennan Winget

what we’re about

“The Black and White” is published solely by the Johnston High School newspaper staff. Its goal is to inform, enlighten and entertain Johnston students. It is an open forum. In accordance with Iowa law and board policy, students assign and edit material. The paper is published nine times per school year. The paper will avoid material that is 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. 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 bblosee@gmail.com. “The Black and White” is a member of CSPA, NSPA, Quill & Scroll, and IHSPA. Recent issues of the paper earned these honors: Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist, National Scholastic Press Association First Class rating, Quill & Scroll Gallup Award, IHSPA state placings.

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news briefs

Compiled by Aaron Meyer, staff writer

Students and staff give blood for a good cause

Aaron Meyer/BW

Sophomore Austin Kinsey gives back to the community by donating his blood. A total of 75 students and staff signed up for the blood drive sponsored by the Iowa Blood Center, and a total of 17 walk-ins brought a grand total of 92 donors. Of these 92 donors, 55 units of whole blood were donated, and 9 units of double red were donated. Out of all 92 donors, 44 were first-time donors. Abby Hausmann is the public relations for the blood center. “Altogether, thanks to the students and staff, 192 lives will be saved from all the blood donated,” Hausmann said. The blood drive took place March 24.

NEWS

Picnic returns despite problems Catherine Caracci copy editor

Senior picnic, which had previously been canceled, has returned as a senior activity. The picnic was originally canceled because of problems with last year’s picnic. “In order for the students to get out of school, they are required to give some sort of community service,” senior activities director Drew Wilson said. “Last year, all the students were separated in several buses all heading to a different location to give back to the community, such as picking up trash.” However, this was not popular for many students. “A lot of kids messed around the whole time and did not participate as much as they should have,” Wilson said. “In a lot of cases, there wasn’t enough for some kids to do.” Several students also left the picnic or were picked up by friends. Because of these problems, student council was forced to reconsider offering the activity to students in the future; however, they decided to offer it after hearing the student demand. “We began brainstorming new ideas to make it more organized and get more support from the administration and the staff,” Wilson said. “The student council brought a proposal that was worth looking at,” principal Bruce Hukee said. “Right now, it is still in the planning stage.” The new plan for the picnic still involves community service; students will be required to donate toiletry items. Now, students will be able to go directly to the

Provided/Alex Guns

Alex Guns, 2007 graduate, talks to fellow classmates Josh Kintz, Ross Jennings, and Chase Baumgartner at their senior picnic. The screenshot comes from Guns’ documentary, Know Your Seniors: Senior Picnic Edition. picnic. The picnic, which will take place on May 26, will be similar to last year’s; food will be provided, and students will be able to participate in outdoor activities and play board games. Student council hopes the last year’s problems are not repeated.

“We are all hoping that we can trust all the students to take advantage of spending their last day with all their friends of the senior class and not cause any troubles by running off,” Wilson said. “The school was gracious enough to give the seniors this opportunity, and we definitely don’t want them to regret their decision.”

Class day cuts down program length Lauren Gerhke

Concert choir offered for women only In the 2009-2010 school year, a new section of Concert Choir will be offered to women only called Concert Choir-W. The new choir is offered because 60-plus students will participate in choral activities next year. “We had to expand in the choral department for next year,” choral director Sarah Van Waardhuizen said. “We’ll have a total of 240 students participating in choral activities.” It will be codirecSarah Van Waardhuizen tor by Van Waardhuizen and Brimeyer and can be taken as a core choir which is required for participation in show choir. Students involved in Concert Choir-W will participate in the Madrigal Dinner, the Fall concert, Spring concert, and other choral events throughout the year.

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feature editor

Hannah Emmerson/Dragon

Senior Audrey Henning shakes hands with principal Bruce Hukee as she accepts her academic chord. Last year, Class Day took place on Friday, May 29.

Class day is undergoing some changes in order to shorten the usually long day of sitting in the gym. “It was agreed that two and a half hours was too long,” Junior/Senior board advisor Jackie Sapp said. A way that time could be significantly cut would be to take out all of the recognition for all the Dollars for Scholars. If the companies agree, only the large donors will make an appearance and present their awards. It is being considered that everyone is just going to stand to be recognized as a whole for Dollars for Scholars. The reason that the Dollars for Scholars part of class day has not already been cut out is that the business use that announcement as advertising. The businesses need to be contacted to see how they feel about the situation and see if they would be willing to forego their attendance at class day. These changes were talked about with the board as well as the administration. About 20 minutes will be cut out by not announcing all the names. The seniors will

walk out as a whole like. These changes will keep the purpose of class day the same, but shorten the time significantly. It was agreed by the board that things just took too long to have to sit and listen to the program. Seniors did not object to not having their name called off. It was easy for them to recognize that it took a long time for names to be read off. “This may be sad for a parent who wanted this to occur,” senior member Cody Lenz said. “Not only will it reduce time, it will be easier for the Junior/Senior board because we won’t have to read all the names and maybe mess up.” The students are still going to be seen and recognized for their hard work. They just are not going to be individually announced to save on time and keep the crowds interest in the assembly. “The true purpose is to honor the seniors,” Sapp said. “But it also show the underclassmen that they get rewarded for their hard work.”

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NEWS

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Burglaries increase; action taken

keep your house SAFE

Evan Culbert staff writer

Communities in and around the metro area have experienced an increase in residential burglaries over the past six months, many of them taking place in broad daylight. The Johnston Police Department issued two E-lerts in January and February alerting the community of the recent burglaries. “In addition to E-lerts and additional patrol attention, we have been communicating regularly with other area law enforcement agencies in a joint effort to develop leads and suspects,” chief of police Douglas Nichols said in a recent letter to the city council. “We participated in a task force type meeting in West Des Moines and very recently exchanged forensic photos with Ankeny police.” The police believe that the same thief is responsible for many of the burglaries. Although Johnston has not experienced as many breakins as some of the other towns, residential burglaries have increased since last year. “Johnston has had a total of three confirmed residential burglaries along with one apparent attempt between Nov. 26 and Feb. 17,” lieutenant Lynn Aswegan, of the Johnston police said. “We have also received and documented several reports of suspicious activity occurring during the same time period.” Suspicious activity that has been reported includes footprints in the snow, people observed looking in windows, and strangers ringing a doorbell. Although no arrests have been made, some current suspects have developed from the evidence found. “Most of our crime scenes have generated minimal leads and evidence,” Aswegan said. “No suspects have been identified that can be directly linked with the crimes that have occurred in Johnston.” Some evidence found in Johnston relating to suspects has been compared to evidence in other communities. “Detectives have been trading and comparing information, including similar foot wear impressions found in Johnston and Ankeny,” Nichols said. Each of the Johnston burglaries has been during the day, and a front or back door broken into. Of the three burglaries that have occurred in Johnston, stolen items have consisted of jewelry, laptops, money, and in one break-in a family’s social security cards and passports were stolen. “My husband was the first one home,” Lynn Albright said. “He came in through the garage door so he did not notice anything wrong until he looked in the bedroom and saw all our drawers dumped out. Then he checked the front door and saw that it had been kicked open.”

{

Don’t put the box to your new TV outside! It’s just an advertisement to take it!

Trim your bushes! This way a robber has less to hide behind.

{

Illustration/Yiming Qin

Albright was the first of the three households to get broken into on Nov. 26. “At first I was shocked,” Albright said. “I never expected a break-in on our quiet street in Johnston. My next reaction was anger because the thieves took some things that had sentimental value. However, these feelings were quickly replaced by relief that no one in my family had been hurt.” The Johnston police have taken many precautions to try and prevent any future burglaries similar to Albright’s. “We have tried to provide the area (West of Beaver Creek) with as much extra patrol as our time and manpower will permit,” Aswegan said. “We have also tried to increase our traffic enforcement in and around the area not only as a visual deterrence to the criminals, but also in hopes that we might unwittingly stop the responsible offenders on a traffic offense going or coming from a crime scene.” Some communities have begun putting together neighborhood watch programs to prevent any more crimes. According to Aswegan, the police department has always had the ability and the opportunity to begin a neighbor-

}

Turn your phone volume down. Loud rings can be heard from outside, telling people your aren’t home.

Installing motion sensor lights can prevent burglars from approaching your house in the dark.

}

hood watch program, but until now they have had trouble getting communities to take interest in it. “We have encouraged community awareness and promoted our neighborhood watch program,” Aswegan said. “One community has responded with strong interest and we are meeting with that community in April to get their program started.” The Johnston police have begun offering residential security checks for citizens that want input on ways to improve house security. Albright has already made changes to secure her home. “We have made significant changes, Albright said. “The unfortunate thing about a robbery like this is that it makes the victim far less trusting. I am more suspicious when someone knocks on my door now. The good thing about a robbery is that it encourages residents to be more vigilant. Now I notice cars that do not belong at a neighbor’s house, and I pay attention when I see someone knocking on doors.”

State brings changes to school required costs Nels Engblom staff writer

In 2008, Ames school district was cited by parents for excessively charging students with fees. This led to statewide changes in the way schools are allowed to charge it’s students. “(The district) was planning on making changes anyway and then the state made revisions to the field trip policy,” Executive Director of Financial Services Jan MillerHook said. Miller-Hook said that under the new policy, students cannot be charged for activities or needs that fall under the curriculum. The reasoning behind this is because children in the state of Iowa are entitled to a free education. Charging them for things within the curriculum was deemed wrong by the state.

“I am figuring out the building allocations in this transition year,” Miller-Hook said. The new field trip policy is being worked into the district this year before it takes full effect next year. Starting in the 2009-’10 school year students will not be required to wear school issued Physical Education uniform. Instead, students will be required to bring their own clothes for classes. “If we really wanted to we could have found a way to keep P.E. uniforms, however we decided not to,” Principal Bruce Hukee said. Despite some of the policy not taking effect until next year, other aspects took effect this year. Examples include funding for, as the policy name indicates, field trips. Miller Hook said that field trips that have no teaching value will not be taken. Field trips of this nature should not have been taken in the first place, however. Field trips with large budgets were some-

thing impacted. Traditionally the Advanced Life Sciences classes would take a trip to the Omaha Zoo. “The school would pay for the bus and the driver and students would pay admission and lunch,” science teacher Kyla Burns said. This year the class started going to the Blank Park Zoo. Burns said that while the Blank Park Zoo is a great experience for the students, it does not offer the same diversity in exhibits as seen in Omaha.

“I think it’s a good thing. One less thing to worry about buying.” Soph. Matt Darland Darland

“I ’m glad we will be able to wear our own Mozga

clothes next year. My current P.E. clothes don’t fit right.” Soph. Jessica Mozga

“I think we should be able to fund raise for the

Advanced Life Science trip to Omaha.” Junior Danielle Stansberry Stansberry

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NEWS

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Borich receives educator award Stephanie Ivankovich news editor

Math teacher Vickie Borich won the Educator of the Year award. She found out about winning during her fifth and sixth period blocked pre-calculus class. Superintendant Clay Guthmiller and principal Bruce Hukee came in. “(I was) incredibly overwhelmed; there are so many good teachers at Johnston,” Borich said. “I’m really overwhelmed someone would take the time to honor me.” Junior Morgan Foldes was in the class when Guthmiller and Hukee told Borich that she received the award. “I thought she deserved it,” Foldes said. “She does so much for our school, and I thought I was great she got recognized for all of it.” Borich has been teaching for 19 years, seven of them at Johnston. As well as teaching math, Borich is the ninth grade girls’ volleyball coach and the head girls’ golf coach. Senior Ashley Williamson took Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics with Borich and had her as a golf coach for four years.Williamson believes Borich is a good teacher. “Mrs. Borich just wants to make sure every student understands,” Williamson said. “She realizes that different people work at different paces, and she is willing at any time to help anyone who is struggling, while also making sure the fast paced kids aren’t too bored.” Borich’s bases her teaching around her students. “Teaching is not about me,” Borich said,

Kiera Morill/BW

Coach Vickie Borich instructs junior Meredith Freese at Jester Park golf course. Borich coaches both golf and freshmen volleyball on top of teaching math. “but it is about the kids in the class and what the kids want to get out of the class.” The Educator of the Year is chosen anonymously by any parent, student, or other staff member. Who made the nomination is never revealed. Jill Johnson Miner, the current math

and science district coordinator, was on the committee on the foundation that puts together the awards. “(Being chosen for outstanding educator depends on) how much the person contributes in the community, what they do outside of school such as coaching and if

they are a role model,” Miner said. The ceremony was held on April 17. The other educator chosen for the Educator of the Year award was freshmen teacher Lisa Horsch. The students chosen for student of the year were seniors Alan Nagel, Abby Sonner and Taylor Chesnut.

Student dropout rates continue to remain low Chris Caracci staff writer

Although other schools in Des Moines are having problems with dropout rates, Johnston continues to keep rates low. Only seven students dropped out of the Johnston school district in 2008. In order to drop out of high school, a student must be at least 16 years old. “When students reach that age at the end of the current school year, they or their family can state that their student is not going to continue with school,” principal Bruce Hukee said. There are many reasons why a student would drop out of high school. “Some do not see a need for a diploma. Others have excessive at-risk behaviors that cause students to make poor choices or to become credit deficient,” Hukee said. Others feel it is too late or that they are too far behind in school to get their diplomas. “We have some students who are one class shy of earning a diploma,” Hukee said, “and we are constantly contacting them or trying to contact them to finish.”

Johnston offers many options to assist students in graduating. Students may attend an alternative high school, MetroWest, take courses through DMACC full-time or parttime or take night school classes. “We are currently looking at online courses for credit recovery as well,” Hukee said. Administration always tries to counsel students to keep them in school and earn their diploma. “We are constantly working with students and families to create a plan to make them successful,” Hukee said. He also adds that “there is so much research that shows the financial success for students who earn a diploma.” However, the administration is not always successful in their efforts. “Unfortunately, in some cases, we just run out options and alternatives,” Hukee said. Although administration’s efforts lower dropout rates, other factors can affect rates as well. According to the Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) Web site, family engagement can also have an effect on achievement; it is “the most accurate predictor of a student’s success in school.”

It is also important for struggling students to receive aid early in their education through tutoring or mentoring. Students who attend after-school and summer enhancement activities are less likely to drop out of school. These programs “help eliminate information loss and inspire interest in a variety of areas,” according to the DMPS Web site. Environment can also affect dropout rates. “A safe learning environment provides daily experiences, at all grade levels, that enhance positive social attitudes and effective interpersonal skills in all students,” according to the DMPS Web site. After the 2007 school year concluded, the rules for dropping out changed. A rollover student, one who did not graduate with the rest of their class, can now return the following year to earn his or her diploma. If that student earns his or her diploma sometime during the next school year, they are included in the previous year’s graduation rate. While the graduation rate is decreasing slightly, the school is trying everything it can to meet each student’s individual needs and

Percentage of graduating senior student body Johnston Valley 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08

98.2% 96.3% 98.7% 99.4% 98.6% 92.3%

89.64% 89.48% 90.95% 91.74% 93.00% 92.10%

situations. “We hope to put into place other initiatives that will assist students who are struggling to earn credits,” Hukee said. “I think we will provide opportunities for students to graduate if it is possible.”

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EDITORIAL

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Technology: a setback Interpersonal communication skills placed on the back burner

Philip Mortens/BW

Sophomores Janelle Galang and Erik Anderson text some friends while sitting together at the kitchen table before heading to the vocal auditions for show choir. Technology has changed our world forever. It has had its share of both positive and negative effects. To many the positive aspects outweigh the negative, the increased ease of communication, the multitude of information at every ones fingertips, that requires only an Internet connection. But with these great advantages, there comes a equally devastating price. Our generation, generation Y, unfortunately receives the worst of the burden that technology brings. We have become hooked on technology. From our birth we are taught the ways of the computer, the cell phone, the TV. But one of the most important skills is lost in the transition. Interpersonal communication, interpersonal communication is the act of communication between people. Many will read this and scoff, but if they take the time to really think about the consequences that this has, they will be astounded. Our world used to be driven by face-to-face communication back when our parents were young. No one had heard of things like portable telephones, text messaging, even computers were considered childish dreams. People were forced, no matter how uncomfortable it was, to talk face to face with each other. Now in the 21st century, things like cell phones eliminate the need to have this must needed face time. Kids can now just send a lackadaisical text message if they want to hang out with friends instead of facing the fear of actually talking to someone unfamiliar on the phone, like someone’s parent. The Internet has given us the ability to look up menus, closing times, and pretty much everything that would require a phone call to find. Back when our parents were young, you could not succeed without basic communication skills. Now, in our time, if you do not posses the basic technology skills you are in the same boat as the people who lacked the communication skills from the previous generations. Unfortunately not many people are aware of how much this can affect society. The concept that people cannot grasp is that the generation leading and making the decisions in this country will soon be gone. Then it will be our turn to step up to the plate. But how are we supposed to effectively function in a society, in a world that relies on face-to-face

communication skills that we severely lack. Its like going to the big leagues and trying to play with a Wiffle ball bat. The answer is we can not and will not be able to function. The reality is our nation will crumble and be used to the whims of any one who has the capacity to talk and think on their feet. Our future leaders will be locked behind the subtly glowing blue screens of the blackberries and cell phones, not able to compete with the rest of the world that’s not lacking in the interpersonal communication department. Imagine what life in this country would be like if our president lacked such an important skill that is an absolute necessity for a job of that magnitude. If President Obama, the figurehead for our country, was socially “handicapped”, what would this bring upon us? The results of something as seemly meaningless as a fear of speaking would be catastrophic. This man is the one that represents our country, at home and abroad. What type of message are we sending to other countries when our very own president, the head of the United States of America, is incapable of effectively talking with unfamiliar and powerful people about things that can and will directly effectively the safety of Americans and the way that we live? We would be come the laughing stock of the world if Obama couldn’t even introduce himself to a fellow world leader without stumbling all over the place and ending up burning up on reentry. This is something we as a nation, we as a generation cannot let happen. But do not lose hope just yet; there are still ways that this problem can be alleviated. For many of us, the main problem is just fear, or a lack of experience with the whole face-toface thing. The solution is quite simple and quite easy. All you need is a little practice; it can be anything from talking to a waiter at your favorite restaurant, asking a stranger for directions in the city, or making small talk with someone in the lunch line. Anything that gives you some face to face talking time with some your unfamiliar with will do wonders for you. It will not just stop at your skills with strangers but it will also directly transition into the rest of your life skills. Remember, we are the future of this nation, lets try to not screw it up.

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OPINION

09 To the Editor: Kevin Hu’s article regarding the removal of late arrivals for the junior class is right on. I too, think that the vital life skill of time awareness is one that you need to learn before entering the realm of college life. By allowing late arrivals for juniors or seniors-to-be next year, the opportunity for late starts can implement this skill and help the students of Johnston High School after they leave Johnston. In my senior year, I have to fill my schedule with nonsense classes because I have taken all or the majority of classes that I want to take. I should be applying for college or working on volunteer hours that I normally couldn’t do due to after school activities. I have taken harder classes that are offered here including the dual credit DMACC classes, such as AP Stats, Spanish 4, and next year AP Calc. So the next question is why not go to DMACC? Well, I’m planning to do just that. I am planning on taking a medical class there as a senior, so why should I fill my schedule with easy “filler” classes when I can enhance my college transcript with things like volunteer hours?

PAGE To the Editor: The idea of busting athletes on photos on Facebook is one of the worst ideas I have ever heard in my 18 years of life. I do see the point of view where athletes are to be drug and alcohol free, but when they are on vacation and having nothing to do with high school or high school sports, I see no harm. Principal Bruce Hukee said, “A student is not subject to punishment of the good conduct policy; however, if made aware of underage drinking in Mexico, administration would likely sit down with the student and discuss the situation.” I agree with that because some of the students were 18 (myself included) and were not “underage drinking in Mexico.” What happens outside of the school grounds is not the school district’s problem. They need to worry about having a safe and productive school and not try to control students’ extracurricular activities. Drinking in Mexico should be a decision made between the parents and the students.

Matt Kretzinger

Travis Merritt

Letters to the Editor To the Editor: In the article “No changes made to prom,” it said, “We spend roughly $16,000 to host an after prom.” This after prom is full of activities such as inflatables, a hypnotist and free refreshments. Last year, I wanted to get the feel of after prom, so I participated in quite a few activities, and after an hour, I left. I think that it is crazy that we are spending that much money on after prom when many people left early. This is a safe way to spend the night, but this money should be donated to something that will really benefit the senior class. One idea would be to donate a majority of that money to Dollars for Scholars, or in these hard economic times, maybe the businesses should think of saving their money.

To the Editor: I am in full agreement that Drew Wilson does a great job of being student activity director. Week in and week out, this individual is trying to figure out ideas that could be suiting for almost everyone to participate in. Drew has come up and asked me and also many members of the student body on what he can do as an individual to make things even better. I just wanted to write and say you did a good job on giving this experienced and qualified young man the credit and recognition he deserves. I thought it was a very good article and I think that you should give out some more recognition articles to the other people who fill out the important roles of our student body.

Greg Larpenter

Brett Brones

Knowledge benefits far more than grades Jon Houp

staff writer What’s more important: grades or the knowledge you gain from your classes? If you response is “grades,” I beg to differ. Since when have good grades guaranteed greatness, or vice versa? Take the example of Albert Einstein, who I’ve read did poorly in school. He turned out all right in the end. And I’m sure many other people have done well in life after failing to impress anyone in the classroom. Rather than killing yourself to earn all A’s in AP classes, I feel it’s much more important to have the personal ambition to truly learn from whatever you happen to be studying. For example, I am currently taking Photo Art 1, and although some may not consider it as difficult as some other classes, I’ve learned so much. I now see the world in a totally different and more interesting way. That’s not necessarily because I’m doing great in the class; I earned a B last quarter, and prospects for this quarter are lower. But

now I see some of the simplest things as beautiful, and I’m able to recognize design elements in everyday life. Thanks largely to the way Daniel Weiss teaches, I’ll leave the class a more enlightened person than I was when I walked into it. The goal of a school system is to provide you with the knowledge you need to succeed and be prepared for the “real world.” I hear politicians talk about how we need to compete in today’s world; what will you say in 10 or 15 years when you’re working at a job, and you don’t know the answers you need to know to succeed? “Sorry I don’t have the skills I need to do my work, boss, but I got A’s in a lot of my classes in school.” Some sophomores I know feel that although they might have earned an A in English this year, they’re not prepared to move on to their junior year. They feel that although they may have earned good grades, they’re taking away nothing important and usable. I don’t think that’s the kind of result our school wants. I think parents should lay off their kids

Jeremy Mullen/BW

Students constantly brag about what grade they have in a class, but never do they brag about what they learned. This will be their downfall. about grades and encourage them to truly learn instead. Parents, if you hound your kids constantly, they are less likely to have a passion for the classes they’re taking. High school students do need to take responsibility, as they’ll soon be adults in the

real world -- but it’s more important to be responsible for making sure you truly learn, not just earn good grades. Gaining knowledge is a lifelong skill; you’ll only earn grades for so long, but you should be learning until the day you die.

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OPINION

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Iowa fails to prevent littering

Iowa legislature is not doing enough to keep roads clean Matt Knoedel

Matt Knoedel/BW

Pictured above: A water bottle found lying near 62nd Street. Iowa doesn’t put sufficient laws in place to prevent littering on the highways and roads. Most litter found along the roads include cigarettes, plastic bags and water bottles.

cares

Kevin Hu

staff writer

Tennis courts locked Every morning, I summon up all the energy left in my sleep deprived body to drive to the school. As I park my car groggily in the tennis court parking lot, I suddenly find myself tangled in a yellow caution tape at the tennis court entrance. “Has there been a mur-

der? A crime scene investigation underway?” Heeding the sign’s warning, I did in fact, proceed with caution. Only to find that the only interesting feature that morning was the giant padlock, halting my path to the school. I stood there, stupefied momen-

staff writer

How long does it take litter to decompose?

I was driving down Merle Hay Road the other day and saw a car in front of me toss a cigarette out the window. Sadly, this is a more common occurrence in Iowa than people think. It makes me infuriated whenever I see it happen. Iowa needs to be stricter on the littering policy. When I went to California for spring break, I saw a sign on the highway that read, “$1000 fine for littering.” I didn’t see anyone litter the entire trip. A litter-free highway is a reality in California. This begs the question: is Iowa too lenient on littering? California’s highways, although crowded and congested, were litter-free. In an eco-friendly world where we strive to go green, why doesn’t Iowa follow this trend? One simple way to make Iowa greener would be to adopt a law that raises the fine for littering. I guarantee you that our highways would be a lot cleaner. According to Steve Spacek, a government consultant who analyzed litter removal in each state, Iowa is ranked eleventh objectively. This is based on the removal of litter from taxpaid roads, parks, streams, and other areas. “Iowa stands out for its high statewide livability score, for having beverage container deposits, and for being one of the fewest public servant corruption conviction states in America,” Spacek said in a report about littering. Being ranked eleventh isn’t horrible, but we can do more as the citizens of Iowa. Currently, there are programs in place to prevent littering, such as the Keep Iowa Beautiful program. The program works to increase public awareness of the costs of littering, provides anti-littering programs, and creates beautification programs for the community. Jerry Schnepf, the executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful, thinks the program is doing a great job, but feels that legislation is too lax about monitoring littering. “You make a judgement about a community in 30 seconds,” Schnepf said. “If you feel negative about it, then that’s what your view is going to be for the entire community.”

That is why it is important that Iowans take some of the responsibility into their own hands; we care about our state and want to make it a nice place to live. The problem is that this isn’t reflected with the laws Iowa currently has in place. We need to provide legislation that will prevent people from littering. “The penalty for littering is $70 on the highways,” Schnepf said. “That tells me that the legislature doesn’t feel strong enough about its state.” In 2006, the Iowa legislature changed the fee for littering from $35 to $70. Although we are taking a step in the right direction, it is nothing compared to the fines in other states like California. California also has a beautification program called Keep California Beautiful. According to the Web site, California adopted the $1000 fine for littering because it receives so many visits from tourists, and the excessive cost of cleaning up and regulating litter began to be too much. It is estimated that Iowans spend over $13.5 million annually to clean up litter based on estimates by Keep Iowa Beautiful. This figure is incredibly costly when it simply does not have to be. There are several things you can do to help change this. You can contact your state legislature and push them to change the fine for littering. A raise in the fine for littering would help pay for some of the costs that Iowa spends to clean up litter. If you ever see someone littering, take some pride in our state and report him or her using the litter hot line. You can call 1-888-NOLITTR to report any perpetrators. Think green and prevent littering. If you do your part, you too can help keep Iowa beautiful for everyone.

tarily by the predicament. Of course, I did the only sensible thing in my mind: jump the fence. Every morning, I waste the limited amount of energy I have jumping that fence. On days that my backpack weighs more than a ton of elephants (which is ironically only one mature elephant anyway), I risk injury while teetering dangerously on the fence. Why? The tennis courts are in bad shape. Our school hosts districts in May. With a concession stand and rest rooms outside, it’s an embarrassment to have cracks, trash, and debris all over the field. Stop spitting gum out on the courts. Stop walking across them; it wears out their texture. Hold on to your trash for just a second and throw it away when you get home!

-) Cigarette butt.........................1-5 years -) Plastic bag..............................10-20 years -) Aluminum can........................200-500 years -) Newspaper..............................3-6 months -) Glass (bottles) ........................1 million years

Illustration/Yiming Qin

Students cause cranky bus drivers As high school students, many of us probably don’t ride the bus anymore. It’s understandable; With access to friends, peers, and family member, I would rather die than suffer a bus ride with junior high punks being all obnoxious and loud while I slowly drift off into slumber. However, ever since an incident a few weeks ago,

involving a pissed off bus driver and running late to tennis practice, I reached an epiphany while losing in a tennis drill, 13-27. For the longest time, I despised certain bus drivers for their lack of human kindness and heart. But it suddenly became apparent to me: students are the creators of their own monsters. How many hours do

these men and women have to tolerate 70 screaming, yelling, kicking, punching, obnoxious kids everyday? How much of their lives are spent lost, having to shuttle students to school every morning, rain or shine? Next time you’re on a field trip, give your bus driver a hug. You’ll be surprised how big a gesture it would be for them.

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REVIEW

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ENVIRO-CONSCIOUS

lkjhvs

broadcasting

PLANET EARTH Kallen Kramer

double-truck editor I wrap up in a blanket as I watch polar bears struggle through the windy arctic tundra. I laugh at the two bear cubs tripping over themselves, learning to live and adapt to the climate and follow their mother to safety. The high definition world is right before my eyes. The deepest trenches of the ocean to the high-flying birds of the air, places I never knew existed couldn’t be more real. It’s an experience that’s unimaginable considering we can’t all get in the helicopters and submarines with the filmmakers of “Planet Yeoman Braggs/US Navy Earth.” The key to the world is in your remote A polar bear searches for food in the arctic ice. Planet Earth explores all corners of the world with the newest filming technology to bring the won- when flipping on the “Discovery Channel.” Shows such as “Man vs. Wild,” “Mythders of nature to our screens at home.

The BookWorm Two Hearts

Crystal Magician Princess

BY: Shawna Polen

Ever written a story with characters that already exist? When I was younger, I remember writing a story using my favorite Pokemon as one of my characters. Vulpix (my favorite) got hit by a car and came back to be my best friend in the whole wide world. At the time I had no name for what I had created. It was not until a few months ago that I realized what I had written: fan fiction. Fan fiction has been around forever and many have written it without realizing. Sure, anyone can write a story with scenery and atmosphere, but the characters are the hard-

est thing to create. Surfing on the Internet one day, I stumbled upon the site Fanfiction.net, and was instantly sucked into the thousands of stories written about every TV show and book under the sun, created by regular everyday people just having fun. Fan fiction is not in violation of copyright laws, because each person that writes something has to clearly state that they do not OWN any of the characters or background if already created and copyrighted. And each “author” has to basically give up their rights to the stuff that they do create. Professional authors such as James Patterson even provide a link to fan fiction on their home pages. Therefor most professionals tend not to be bothered by fan fiction. Skimming, I read one called "Two Hearts”: a 28-chapter tale weaved by Crystal Magician Princess (Fanfiction.net makes everyone use pen-names.) She happened to use characters from Yu-Gi-Oh (mainly Atem and Tea) that did not have anything to do with cards and whatnot, just a story with already created characters.

"Two Hearts" is a romance story between Atem and Tea. (As they would say online, no flames please.) Atem is a workaholic and has no time to live the life he has always wanted. Taking advise from a good friend, he wanders into a small cafe to relax. It is there that he meets Tea -who works there- and it is love-at-first-sight. Tea does not want a relationship right away, instead accepting a friendship. As the pair learns more about each other, there is trouble lurking in the shadows. Rachel -a money hungry crazy lady- will stop at nothing to get Atem and his company to herself, even if it means hurting Tea in the process. Friendship slowly buds into love, and Atem and Tea are finally dating. Months later, Atem is ready to take the next few steps; moving in together and getting married. With both of those out of the way, next on the list is starting a family and to enjoy life. Just when you think that the story draws to a close in chapter 18, Crystal Magician Princess drags the readers five years into the future, continuing the story for another 10

busters,” and “Deadliest Catch” are all ideal examples of the distinctive filmmaking and substance that Discovery brings to HD television today. However, “Planet Earth,” in my mind, stands alone. This Emmy Award-winning BBC nature documentary is in a league of it’s own. It captures its audience, no matter the age, nationality, or beliefs. As human beings, we all share a love and sense of awe and amazement with the beauty of our planet that we do not completely understand. What’s unique about this mini series produced by Alastair Fothergill is that the nature is allowed to write the story. The filmmakers took their helicopters, submarines, boats, Jeeps, and various transportation vehicles literally to the ends of the earth for a glimpse into life beyond our comprehension.

and counting chapters. I was decently surprised when reading "Two Hearts" because most things on the Internet have tons of spelling and grammatical errors, but this did not. The writing style was very descriptive and kept me reading a lot like professional authors works do. Crystal Magician Princess is a novice writer with a really good start; it would not surprise me to hear in the future that she writes for a profession. Even though Crystal Magician Princess has borrowed characters from Yu-Gi-Oh, the story is all hers, with love, action and comedy. To me, if she can write a story like “Two Hearts” as fan fiction, I would love to see what she could create using her own talent. To read "Two Hearts" go to http://www. fanfiction.net/u/1249559/Crystal_Magician_ Princess and join the fun world of fan fiction.

For questions, comments or feedback, e-mail me at Batty_forlife@yahoo.com

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DOUBLETRUCK

feel good about your

fresh wardrobe

10&11

PAGE

Organic clothing

Organic clothing is about saving lives rather than saving the earth. These clothes are made in non-sweat shops around the world, and are made from natural materials for good health. They provide good, safe jobs for people in third world countries, keeping these countries and their people alive.

made

Plato’s Closet LOCATION

West Glenn off Mills Civic Pkwy. next to Super Target.

Clothes from Plato’s Closet

printed by

AMERICAN APPAREL Local organizations and bands Many T-shirts designed and sold by small organizations or bands design and print their shirts on American Apparel wear.

SMASH

Downtown in the east village, SMASH designs unique T-shirts sold exclusively in Iowa.

bustedtees.com This Web site was created by the makers of collegehumor.com. They make lots of funny and comfortable T-shirts.

americanapparel.com

ONE FOR ONE

interview with Allison Dominguez

TOMS in-house PR

WHAT DIFFERENCE DO A PAIR OF SHOES MAKE IN A KID’S LIFE THAT THEY’RE GIVEN TO?

Features girls and boys clothes, shoes, and accessories for teens. Most items under $15. Brands featured are Abercrombie, Delia’s and Ed Hardy.

SMASH

a pair is donated.

I was vacationing in Argentina in 2006, and I met so many children who did not have shoes. They had cuts and sores and infections in their feet, and I instantly felt the need to make a difference. I imagined a shoe company, that for every pair sold, would give a pair of shoes to these children. One for One.

A consignment store is a place where one can take used clothes and exchange them for money.

For every pair of shoes purchased,

WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR TOMS ORIGINATE?

Consignment

American

TOMS shoes

Fashion Junction

Walking is the primary mode of transportation in developing countries. Children walk miles just to get food and water, to make their way to school, or to reach medical help. In some communities, children can’t even attend school unless they have proper footwear. And the leading plague in these countries is soil-transmitted parasites. Shoes are such a simple answer to these problems children face everyday.

LOCATION

Off Beaver Road, right after Urbandale Avenue behind ACE hardware.

Features men’s and women’s clothes and accessories as well as furniture. However, most of the items may be for older people rather than teens.

TIPS FOR CONSIGNING CLOTHING In order to consign clothing, it must be in excellent condition. At Fashion Junction, you receive 40% of the price they will sell the item at. Quality and appearance makes your item worth more.

Designer

ONE T-shirt Edun Clothing

Cheap

Simply Vera

featured at Kohls

Marc

by Marc Jacobs

Fred F lare

fredflare.com

Fabrik

Jordan Creek

TOMS One for One provided/TOMS shoes Blake Mycoskie, a traveler for TOMS shoes, delivers shoes to kids in Argentina. On these “shoe drops,” footwear for the kids provide safe traveling from day to day activities, and 100 percent protection from diseases caused from walking barefoot.

photos: (American Made) senior Ethan Nutter, (One T-shirt) junior Courtney Sabus, (Consignment) sophomore Alexa Probst, (Cheap Designer) sophomores Chelsea Waltz and Briana Wengert page compiled by: Kallen Kramer(Double-truck editor), Jeremy Mullen(Managing Editor), and Jocelyn Scheider(Staff Writer)

ONE is an organization that fights against poverty and preventable disease. They work closely with influential people and groups to bring change mainly in Africa. Juniors Courtney Sabus and Steve Williams have started organizing a ONE campaign in our school that will hopefully be in full swing next year. There will be events to attend to raise awareness for causes such as poverty and disease. By simply buying a T-shirt on ONE.org, you support the ONE campaign and Edun clothing, the organic manufacturer that makes the shirts. Edun clothing also makes other clothes that you can buy from their collection and learn more at, edunonline.com/community.aspx.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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Comic book industry marvels with sales Scott Monroe staff writer

Marvel Comics is home to many of the most well-known and most popular comic book characters of all time. Today they are a part of the mega corporation known as Marvel Entertainment which has massive worldwide revenues and influence. Last year they grossed a total of $139.8 million. It was a long journey for Marvel to get to where it is now, featuring some down periods as well as some periods of explosive popularity and innovation. According to the Marvel Officla Web site, Marvel Comics was originally founded in 1939 and was then known as Timely Comics. At the time, they introduced several super hero characters including Human Torch. These characters proved to be rather successful and gained popularity throughout the United States. With World War II gaining obvious social

The Superhuman Registration Act has just passed, and now every mutant is faced with the choice of registering with the government or continue the vigilante lifestyle. Afraid of the consequences which could arise due to the unavailing of their wellguarded secret identities, many mutants elect to continue fighting crime while still masked. The most noteable moment in the comic is when Peter Parker (Spiderman) decides to register, and reveal himself to the entire world after years of hiding. This resistance to the new law is headed by the once admired Captain America. After a freak accident in the small town of Stamford, Connecticut, which leaves several children dead, many mutants change their stance on the registration act, citing the positives which could be gained under the new law. Tony Stark (Ironman) becomes the poster child for this pro-registration agenda, followed by the Fantastic Four. And now with two opposing ideologies, the mutant community is in a civil war, to determine who is right.

traction and importance, Timely introduced what would be a mega-hit: Captain America. Captain America and other Timely heroes of this time were often confronting Nazis and other worldwide enemies. Stan Lee briefly was the head editor until interrupted by his service in World War II, after which he would return and serve for several more decades. After World War II however, interests and styles began to change. The costumed super heroes that were popular steadily declined while other themes emerged. During the 1950s Timely became known as Atlas Comics. Atlas ventured out into a variety of other themes including horror. After a disappearance, some of the popular super heroes returned under the influence of Stan Lee, only now battling communists instead of Nazis. The comic book industry came under intense political scrutiny however in 2005 and needed to change its way. They had neared

bankrupcy. Thus, the Comics Code Authority was formed which would serve as a means of regulating comic books and their content. The next year, Atlas Comics grossed $250 million. Following this period, super heroes began a major reemergence into the comic book scene. The Silver Age featured bright, exciting new artwork and creative storylines. The super heroes of old were transformed into new versions of themselves, with more personal and emotional stories and backgrounds. Comic books surged in popularity and Marvel Comics emerged from its ashes. Stan Lee introduced the Fantastic Four in 1961, following a path paved by DC Comics and their own super heroes. The Hulk, X-Men and Iron Man were all created in subsequent years and would of course go on to great critical acclaim and long lasting popularity. The Marvel Universe is the concept that all Marvel comic books and their characters fall into. Essentially, all Marvel super heroes,

villains and story lines take place in the same Marvel Universe. Therefore they can all technically be intertwined, characters can coexist and storylines can weave between each other, incorporating other popular characters and plots. This idea led to increased popularity and diversity amongst their comic books. Stan Lee ceased being the editor of Marvel Comics in 1972, becoming the publisher of the line. Under his eye Marvel Comics continued to grow in popularity, creating many new characters and themes, and branching out into unexplored territories. Their characters began great successes in the world of television cartoon shows. Recently, many of the Marvel Comics most popular characters have had a revival due to the movie industry and the level of effects and animation that can make a comic book story and character come to life. Many huge Hollywood blockbusters owe themselves to the original Marvel Comics of the 1960s and beyond.

Claudio Sanchez, the lead singer and guitarist of Coheed and Cambria, writes both the songs for the band and a comic book. The band’s songs are visually represented in the comic book The Amory Wars. The CDs all follow the story line in the book though there lyrics. And when read and listened side by side they offer a soundtrack to the book making for a original reading experience. The story line centers around an entire alternate universe in which God created other species besides man. The story follows Coheed and Cambria, a mother and father, who are forced to battle. Coheed’s crazed brother who teams with the other species. This comic book with its in-depth story line may be better for someone who has read some comics before. This particular book is very hard to find at local stores. Mayhem will order it for you but they do not stock it in there store. Your best bet to get the book as soon as it is out is through an online distributor. Ebay has every edition for reasonable prices and you can even get signed copies for under 60 bucks.

“Civil War” Price- $39.99 Availible at Mayhem Comics

Compiled by Dwight Lykins, staff writer

“The Armory Wars” Price- $15.99 Availible at Online (Ebay) photos on page provided by Marval and Image Comics

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Teacher travels world, furthers knowledge Ben Vander Ploeg staff writer

“I was at the governor’s (of the state of Zulias) banquet,” Spanish teacher Gerald Hollingsworth said. The suits came and tapped him on the shoulder. “I was told that at 8 a.m. the next day I would be the interpreter to the dignitaries and press corps at the palace of the president (of Venezuela) for a press conference.” The people there would either know English or Spanish, but not both, so he was asked to help with communication. This happened during the 1970s when the transfer of control over the Panama Canal was being negotiated. “The President of Venezuela was very much in favor of Washington D.C. returning (the canal) to Panama’s control,” Hollingsworth said. “He made it very clear that if it was not returned, he could not guarantee our safety (meaning the safety of the 50 or so people there).” After the President heard that control over the Panama Canal would go to Panama, Hollingsworth was invited to lunch. The event was not as serious as it seemed and did not last long. “I was not held hostage,” Hollingsworth said. “It was a power moment to show the president was in control.” His experience interests his students. “I never dread walking into fifth period class with Hollingsworth,” junior Cody Walkup said. “It’s amazing how much I seem to learn without completely knowing the language. Whenever we talk about any place we want to go or have gone, you know he has already been there.” Hollingsworth has traveled to over 40

countries. “The world is a classroom,” he said. “Sometimes I am a teacher; sometimes I am a student. That’s one of the reasons why I travel: to recognize changes and then apply them back to the classroom.” At the age of five, Hollingsworth learned the meaning of hard work selling newspapers on the street earning a half penny for every one he sold. Since then he has been going nonstop. As a junior in high school, he worked at a factory pulling metal out of a press. He would arrive at work at 11 p.m., go home at 7 a.m. and then head to school only to start all over again. When asked when he slept, he said, “I do not remember.” This is the life of Hollingsworth. “I have never had a job,” he said. “My feeling is that a job is something that you regret doing. Life is an opportunity and most people close the doors themselves.” For 42 years, he has had the opportunity of teaching; he spent 39 years teaching at Hoover, and he is now on his third year here. He started teaching Spanish not only because it was something he knew, but also because he recognized the importance of it. “I knew either Fidel Castro would be a good friend of the U.S. or a great enemy,” he said when referring to one of the reasons he teaches Spanish. “All of the relations south of the U.S. required a working knowledge of the language. I knew it would be a service to the community and to the world.” For all the time Hollingsworth has spent teaching, half that time he has spent going to school as a student. He has attended at least six universities earning two degrees. “My parents never gave me a penny,” he said. “I never had any scholarships. I didn’t

Provided/Dragon

Hollingsworth takes food and school supplies to a school in the Andes Mountains in Peru. The schools do not get much money for supplies. know that people would give you money.” Hollingsworth worked his way through college without any scholarships or money from his parents. “I worked the railroad for a while in the section gang making sure that the trains did not come off the track,” he said. Hollingsworth had to work hard for his money. “I grew up in poverty, and it was probably the best thing I had going for me as a stimulus,” he said. “I had to overcome.” After all that he has experienced, apathy is the thing that bugs him the most. “(Students) have all these personal natural resources that are going to waste,” he

said. “It irritates me because we teachers are here for the student. We are not asking the student to be something they can not be. We are just here to open up doors, and sometimes (students) are not even willing to touch the door knob.” He does not want people to think that is the case here. “I have had a lot of luck here,” he said. “There are a lot of students who are ready and willing to learn.” Hollingsworth views life as one big opportunity. It is either an opportunity to give in or to stick it out and succeed. He is not done living. Hollingsworth continues to press on. “I have had so many opportunities in my life to give up,” he said. “I will not do it.”

Dainty ducklings to delicious duck dinners Kevin Hu

staff writer With a quick, simple motion, the knife junior Luke Bubeck uses will complete the purpose of the duck he has raised: a meal. From ducklings to maturity, Bubeck raised and slaughtered 19 ducks last year. “The ducks don’t serve much of a purpose to me besides food,” Bubeck said. “The cuteness doesn’t stop me from viewing them as dinner.” At the beginning of every spring, ducklings go on sale at farms and online stores. “As ducklings, they don’t cost much; each duckling costs about $3.50,” Bubeck said. “However, as mature adults, ducks can cost around $10 or $20, so it’s a lot cheaper to raise them (when they’re young).” As the ducks age, from a duckling that could fit in the palm of someone’s hand to a mature duck, raising the ducks gets more and more difficult. “When they’re small, you can (keep) them in a small container or a cage and they won’t cause you much problems,” Bubeck said.

Provided/Luke Bubeck

These ducks have a couple days until they reach maturity. “But as they get bigger and bigger, you got to start letting them walk outside and exercise, and keeping an eye out on them can be trouble. One time, a duckling escaped from the pool and landed on a mousetrap on its back. Not the snapping ones, but a stick pad. It lived though.” Bubeck keeps his ducklings in a small plastic pool when they are still young. However, after two weeks, he transfers them into

a coup surrounded with wires. Costs also come with raising ducks. “Feed costs $14 for a bag of 50 pounds of feed,” Bubeck said. “The bags usually last two weeks and start going faster as they mature.” Ducks do not cause a lot of commotion. “They don’t make too much noise.,” Bubeck said. “They only start making a racket when you’re about to slit ‘em; when they

know what’s going on, they start going crazy. Sometimes, if someone they’re not familiar with walks by, they might start quacking.” When the day comes, the ducks finally are mature enough to be slaughtered. “The ducks I get (White Pekin Ducks) mature in about nine weeks,” Bubeck said. “When those nine weeks are over, the fun begins.” His method of finishing the ducks is quick: one quick slit of the throat ends the life of the duck, albeit leaving a mess of blood and feathers all about. Even his parents participate in this, although his mother only watches from a distance. “I slit their throats out in the yard,” Bubeck said. “After we kill them, we throw the ducks into boiling water, and afterwards we pluck the feathers off of them. It leaves a bit of a mess.” Once defeathered, Bubeck and his family keep the ducks in a cooler. “We usually eat them during Thanksgiving, Christmas, other occasions,” Bubeck said. “As of the moment, we only have one or two ducks in the cooler. I’m going to buy another half dozen next week.”

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Student copes with OCD Julia Manning sports editor

Brittany Deal/BW

Junior Kari Ross opens her math book to study after work. Initially, Ross’ OCD largely affected her ability to concentrate in the classroom. Since finding the right medicine, Ross is better able to focus.

OCD

oms t p m

O O O O

C C C C

D D D D

obsessive compulsive disorder

Junior Kari Ross curls up in her favorite black and gold Hawkeye blanket with a strawberry Propel in hand, takes a seat on the navy blue couch in her living room and prepares to watch her favorite show, “Biggest Loser.” But she isn’t really watching. Instead, she focuses on the wall behind the TV, where four framed pictures of her and her three siblings line the wall. She counts the four pictures and then the grouping as a whole so they will add up to five. She counts, and recounts all the objects around the room until they accumulate to be multiples of five. This has become an everyday process for Ross since she was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. “It distracts me from everything I do, mostly in school. I have to do it. I don’t know why I have to, but I do, and when I try to stop it just makes it worse,” Ross said. Ross was diagnosed in late September 2007. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is defined as a psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions. According to WebMD, the individual who suffers from OCD becomes trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to overcome. Ross only suffers from the obsession part of the disorder, not compulsions. The disorder is also hereditary, which holds true in this case: two of Ross’s first cousins on her dad’s side have the disorder as well. A specific incident stands out in her mind for when she first began her counting obsession. “I was with my family watching the Cubs game, and my sister muted the TV,” Ross said. “The captions started rolling on the screen and I couldn’t stop counting the words until the end of the line was in a five or zero.” At first, Ross dismissed the symptoms just as weird habits she developed. She told her mom, but nobody took it too seriously. The summer progressed and she started noticing more and more unwanted habits. For example, whenever she is in a car, or watching TV, the volume on the stereo, or screen, has to be a multiple of five. After learning

common obsessions:

about OCD in health class, she realized that her unwanted thoughts could be a medical disorder. She told her mom again and got an appointment with her physician. After speaking with her physician, he diagnosed OCD and prescribed medication. This medication caused more harm than help, giving her side effects such as nausea and loss of appetite. She was referred to a child psychiatrist who prescribed other medication that helped. She currently sees the psychiatrist about once every two months. The diagnosis was a surprise to some. “It’s just weird because I wouldn’t expect it,” Ross’s twin sister, Kayla, said. “I just thought my mom was blowing the whole thing out of proportion. It was just different.” School has become more of a challenge. “In my first year of being diagnosed, it affected my grades a lot,” Ross said. “With the different side effects of the medicines I couldn’t concentrate in class; I get so distracted and I can’t focus on anything besides counting.” Even the lunchroom contains distractions. “Sometimes during lunch you’ll see her just staring off in space, and we all know she’s counting the windows, and is finding a way for them to all equal ten,” junior Emily Kane said. OCD also affects Ross when participating in athletics. “When I’m running in cross country I always have to count people, since we run in packs,” Ross said. “I count the people so they are in groups of five or ten.” Being diagnosed with OCD has been a battle for Ross. With the help of her psychiatrist, Ross has been able to find a medicine that works for her. The only time it changes is when she is stressed out; then she ups her dosage. Thanks to that, she has seen her symptoms dramatically improve. “I only notice it about once a day now,” Ross said. “It’s not taking over my life like before.” The unwanted habits aren’t totally gone, and Ross has even noticed new ones. “Every morning I eat Lucky Charms for breakfast,” Ross said. “I always have to add three marshmallows to the end so they’re the last thing being poured in. If the flake is the last, I add three more marshmallows until it’s the way I want it.” Most of us have weird little things we do. Some say “I’m so OCD,” or “that’s so OCD.” For Ross, it’s the real thing.

common compulsions:

Fear of contamination or germs by dirt

Repeatedly bathing, showering, or washing hands

Fear of causing harm to another

Refusing to shake hands or touch doorknobs

Fear of thinking evil or sinful thoughts

Repeatedly checking things, such as locks or stoves

Need for order, symmetry, or exactness

Eating foods in a specific order

Excessive doubt and need for constant reassurance

Repeating specific words, phrases, or prayers

Information provided by WebMD

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FEATURE

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FIVE ways to improve our school Amy Lovejoy staff writer

No school is perfect, and Johnston is no exception. We have excellent teachers, technology, and a new fitness center, but there are still a few things our school lacks. The Black & White staff developed a list of improvements. After asking students, staff, and parents for input, the B&W staff have developed a list of ways to make the school a better place.

>>1better student-staff relationship

Kurt Larkin and Heather Dickinson

Around the time of every major event, like homecoming week, this issue always seem to resurface. The complaint is always the same: the administration doesn’t do enough for the students. They don’t approve our shirts or our dance themes. But the truth is, this is a give and take relationship. Our administration has to deal with the backlash of parents and the community, worrying even what elementary school children will think of us. That is why they exercise such caution when approving events, t-shirts, and days of the week. So we ask you, students, to help make peace with the administration. Help us meet in the middle.

>>2 revising the cell phone policy

Nearly all teenagers have their cellphone glued to their hand. These technological wonders are part of our everyday life, and we will soon be using them in all aspects of it, including our future careers. Certain cell phones, like Blackberries, have e-mail, texting, and calling capabilities essential in today’s fast-paced business world. It is important that we learn how to use technology courteously, responsibly, and ethically. The B&W proposes a policy similar to Urbandale’s, where students can use their phones in the between class periods and during lunch, and only during class with teacher permission.

>>3increased school spirit

Having pride in our school not only benefits athletes on Friday nights, but it helps everyone, from staff to students, and it is easy to see that our student body is clearly behind the spirit department. Game, activity, and dance attendance not only show support for the students who play in and organize events, it has a uniting quality, bringing the school and community together, whether it’s to support the boys’ state qualifying basketball team or a show choir event. That’s why we are so pleased as a staff to see the increased participation in Spring Fling Week; it helped to add anticipation and excitement to prom.

>>1

>>2

Allison Rawls

>>3

>> 4 going green

The “eco-friendly” movement is no joke. It has influenced nearly every aspect of our lives, from the gas we buy, the food we eat, and the clothes we wear. It is important for our school to be just as environmentally conscious as the rest of the world. In a big school, even the smallest tweaks can make a huge impact. On average, about 1,000 students eat lunch every day, which means we use 1,000 Styrofoam trays daily. If we began using the plastic trays again, imagine how much waste we would save on a daily basis.

5 more clubs

While Johnston offers a lot of different academic clubs, it is seriously lacking clubs in other areas. Instead of focusing so much on activities that look good on college applications, we need to explore different fun and unique activities that really play to our interests. Other metro-area school offer activities like a Disc Golfing Club, Anime Club, and a “Gamers” Club, along with more substantial clubs like Young Republicans and Democrats Clubs and a Business Professionals of America club. These organizations allow students to pursue their interests, learn, and have a little fun.

>>5

>> 4 John Puffet and Zach Buckley

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DUNGEON

PAGE

JENNY

AJLUNI high school ends. “I can’t really see myself stopping,” Ajluni

a team at Hickory Park, and the varsity girls usually have a

school tennis since freshman year and played

said. “They have adult competitions that I will do, and coach-

dinner the night before a meet. At the actual meet, you are

much before that with her family, friends and

ing is really fun too, so I will do some of that in college.”

there for three to four hours, so it’s a really good social envi-

in leagues.

ronment.”

Another reason she loves tennis is the team. “The coach-

Playing throughout the years, she feels it has become a big part of her life. “It is a motivator in itself to be on the team, and I love the competitive aspect of it,” Ajluni said.

Ajluni encourages younger students to give tennis a try.

es are really laid back and fun, and it’s a really different group

“Get out on the courts and start hitting,” Ajluni said. “The

of kids than I would normally hang out with,” Ajluni said.

more you improve your game and get into it, the more fun

The varsity group is very close. “The girls went out,

you will have.”

did some shopping for the uniforms,” coach Ben

She does not plan on ending her tennis career when

Fast FastFacts: Facts:

Years on varsity: Years playing: Varsity members: Favorite shot: Ajluni’s record so far:

4 9 12 serve 4-1

Knight said. “After the Ames meet, we eat as

Ajluni at the Johnston Invitational vs. Pella Christian:

won

vs. Newton:

won

vs. Clark: vs. North Polk:

won won

*Played Ames’ #1 player at the Ames invitational, and lost.

“

Tennis is a trying sport, mentally and physically; but competitively and socially, its a lot of fun. -Jenny Ajluni

Practice Schedule: Monday: Tuesday: * practice

3-4:45 * hit with Drake players

* plays

a match

Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: *

practice 3-4:45 with Drake players

* hit

plays a match

practice 3-4:45 * agility training clinic (every 4 months) *

Saturday: *

plays a match

Compiled by Kelly McGowan (staff writer) Photos by Kyle Soyer (staff writer)

enior Jenny Ajluni has been playing varsity

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Senior athlete surmounts repeated injury

[ ]

After two ACL tears, Colleen Shannon overcomes obstacles to achieve dream of college soccer Caroline Byrd opinion editor

The game was tied. It was the semi-finals of the 2008 Iowa High School Girls State Soccer Tournament in Muscatine, Iowa, a game that is hard to forget. Colleen Shannon, senior, fell to the ground after being taken out from behind by a Cedar Rapids Kennedy opponent. It was a pain she had felt before; she knew the damage. She rolled onto her back and noticed a friend jump up in the bleachers, ready to pounce. Tears streamed down her face, and screams of anger and pain filled the soccer field as Shannon had just torn her ACL, for the second time.

THE FIRST TEAR. Shannon first tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on Oct. 15, 2005, playing in the State Cup tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa. While coming down from a jump, her knee was knocked out of place. “I heard it tear. It was disgusting,” Shannon said. “It’s like if a rope snapped and your ear was right next to it. It was the most unreal noise you’ve ever heard.” The trainer at the tournament did a low task test to determine if Shannon’s ACL was torn. She couldn’t relax enough for the test to work, so she was put on crutches and was left to sit on the sidelines in anger, watching her team compete for the championship. “I was mad because it was the State Cup final and I knew I wouldn’t be able to go back in,” Shannon said. She visited her orthopedic surgeon when she got home and was referred to a knee surgeon. At that appointment, the surgeon took some X-rays, but could not determine anything so he did an MRI. At the end of the week, Shannon’s parents came home from work with some news that would have a lasting effect, but she was already well aware of the truth. “That was when it hit me that it was at least a six-month recovery,” Shannon said. “I started thinking about college and how I would miss out on recruiting opportunities.” A month later, Shannon went in for surgery. Despite the risk involved, she wasn’t scared. “I remember talking to the nurse and she asked where I went to high school,” Shannon said. “She went to Urbandale, and I said, ‘I hate Urbandale’ before I fell asleep.” The doctors used a hamstring graft to perform Shannon’s surgery; this is when they take a strand of the patient’s hamstring, and then screw it into the bottom part of the femur and the top part of the tibia. Expecting to wake up in a lot of pain, Shannon was surprised to be out of it after the surgery, until she arrived home. By that point the anesthesia had worn off, and the pain was so unbearable her mom had to ask her friends who were visiting to leave and let her get some sleep. Shannon then began the six-month long recovery process. The first three months were the most frustrating. Step 1: Pick your leg up off the ground-a task that becomes difficult when the surrounding muscles are deteriorated. The mind-set of the first three months is to re-strengthen your quad muscles. The overall goal -- to run. “I was really antsy to start running,” Shannon said. “You would run for two minutes, walk for a minute, run for three minutes, walk for a minute, etc.” The last three months of the recovery were very slow. The main goals were to be able to cut different directions, and to

[

]

Provided/Joey Gowdy

Shannon dribbles the ball past a Cedar Rapids Kennedy opponent just seconds before tearing her ACL for the second time.

eventually be able to sprint. Reaching these goals had to be gradual. “Even if you are strong enough to do those two things, they don’t let you for six months,” Shannon said. “The new ACL takes six months to heal.” With a positive attitude, visiting physical therapy up to three times a week, and being surrounded by a strong support system of family and friends, Shannon went back to playing the game she loved, six months to the day. “Well, first I ran around by myself in the backyard,” Shannon said. “Then I got together my brothers and played in the backyard.” Returning to competitive soccer wasn’t going to be easy, but she made it happen. Shannon got back into shape, and hit the field, where she found some new fears. “It was scary because there’s scar tissue in there,” Shannon said. “Sometimes when you plant and turn it pops, and it sounds similar.” THE SECOND TEAR. On June 16, 2008, Shannon tore her ACL for the second time; she instantly knew what had happened. This tear was from contact, unlike her first, and brought many different emotions along with it. “I cried this time,” Shannon said. “I knew I would have to sit out that summer, and that’s your prime time to get recruited. I remember telling someone I was done because I was so upset.” It took a while for Shannon to accept the situation and realize what she had to do. Her family, friends and faith really pushed her through the recovery process. “I had seen what my brother went through (Shannon’s oldest brother, Cory, made a full recovery after being paralyzed from the neck down in a car accident in 2005) and knew I hadn’t gone through anything like that,” Shannon said. “He was the one to say, ‘You really don’t have it that bad.’” By this time most of the recruiting process for colleges was done, and the coaches wanted to see Shannon one more time before they would make an offer, but she was unable to play. Knowing she had fallen behind, Shannon decided to seek the right school for her. “I knew I would still find a school that would fit me,” Shannon said. “I found a Christian college and talked to the

[

]

Provided/Shannon

Abby Sonner, Kari Queck, Emily Schwartz, Annie Gray and Kate Nielson gather around Shannon after her first ACL reconstructive surgery in 2005.

coach. It turned out he had seen me before.” The coach had seen Shannon play in the summer of 2007 and had written himself a note about her. Her club and high school coaches sent letters to him, and the Shannons sent in tapes of their daughter playing. He then offered her a spot on the team at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. “I give that to my faith because I asked for it so much,” Shannon said. THIS SEASON. After two recovered ACL tears, Shannon now begins her last season on the soccer field wearing that purple jersey proudly, and starts preparing to become a Rockhurst Hawk come fall. “My dream has always been to play in an NCAA tournament,” Shannon said. “I saw [Rockhurst] play last year in the tournament, and I thought, ‘That could be me next year.’” Although there are risks of playing the spring before she hits the college field, Shannon is confident in her decision and thinks there is great potential for the team. “I just want to make sure we have a good time at whatever we do,” Shannon said. “We have the depth to go far in the tournament, but we are going to focus on one game at a time.” Shannon is not afraid to yell when necessary, but wants to keep the overall mood light this season. She plans to get her goals across to the team by leading by example. “I want them to know we all believe in each other and can work together to achieve a common goal,” Shannon said. “I want them to know they can be great soccer players.”

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athletics

Take it to the

Next Level Eric Oatts

staff writer

State Finish 1998-99 Football

D.N.Q.

Girl’s x-Country

D.N.Q.

boy’s Basketball Softball

D.N.Q. D.N.Q. D.N.Q.

Baseball

D.N.Q.

Girl’s Basketball

D.N.Q.

boy’s Track

D.N.Q.

girl’s Track

D.N.Q.

Volleyball

State Qualifier

boy’s Swimming

D.N.Q.

Girl’s Swimming/Diving

D.N.Q.

boy’s Soccer

State Qualifier

Girl’s Soccer

D.N.Q.

boy’s Golf

D.N.Q. - did not qualify for state tournament

So far this year, the Dragons have qualified for state tournaments in three times as many sports as they did ten years ago. In the 1998-1999 school year the only programs that qualified for state were the men’s soccer team and the women’s volleyball team. The tremendous leap in improvement for the athletic department can be attributed to many factors. “One of the big differences has been the transition from 3A to 4A,” Athletic Director, Gary Ross said. “There’s a lot of differences because there’s a higher level of competition.” Within the 4A class, there are four different districts: the CIML, MVC, MAC, and MIC. Johnston, a member of the CIML, moved to class 4A in the late 1990’s and has been finishing seasons ranked higher and higher in every sport since. Proof of the climax, capturing the 4A championships in volleyball and baseball in the 2007-2008 school year. The rest of the CIML, in general, has also been statistically improving alongside the Dragons. The CIML used to be set up having two different conferences, each with nine teams. Shortly after Johnston joined a change was made so that there would three conferences (Metro, Iowa, and Central ), with six teams in each. This smaller division size increases overall competitiveness within the conference because the teams have a better shot at winning their respective division. Another reason for the statistical improvement in season finishes in almost every program has to do with the fact that the high school currently has 1,300 students who participate in the different activities the school has to offer. Many students who participate in one sport most likely participate in at least one other, several competing in four different sports. “Our coaches understand that it is vital that they work together and share athletes. In general, the school is still not big enough yet to have kids only do one sport,” Ross said. “We’ve tried to stay small in that sense; not to specialize kids so they can cross over that belief in achieving.” According to Ross, the community’s setting contributes to success. With new facilities and a community and school board that supports the school’s programs, it’s easier for teams to do well and enjoy doing it. “It has to do with the belief, and attitude of the community, coaches, and players,” Ross said. “The community has had the taste of winning and (now they) want more.”

State Finish 2008-09

(1)

Junior Gabrielle Liljedahl Kiera Morrill/BW

4th at State

Softball

D.N.Q. 1st in State D.N.Q.

* boy’s Track (4x400)

3rd at State

* girl’s

7th at State

Track

Volleyball

2rd at State

Boy’s Swimming

5th at State

Girl’s Swimming/Diving

8th at State

Soccer

* Girl’s

Soccer

D.N.Q. 3rd at State

* 2007-2008 season

photos by; Matthew Courtney (diving) and Zach Jensen/Dragon

compiled by Lauren Coffey, staff writer

Girls’ Golf

(3)

Girls/Boys’ Soccer

The varsity girls’ team season has yet to start, but junior Meridith Freese and senior Ashley Williamson have already begun to lead the team. Their next meet* will be at the Valley Invitational on April 20. The JV team will play on April 21* against Ankeny at Ankeny Briarwood Course.

Led by senior Coleen Shannon junior Jennifer Ross and sophomore Katie Lashier, varsity girls played against Norwalk on April 10. Varsity won with a score of 5-1, while the JV team won their game 8-0. The boys’ varsity team has a record of 2-1 so far this season. Their next game is April 21*.

*updated information was not available at time of print

boy’s Golf

* boy’s

Girls/Boys’ Tennis

(2)

The varsity boys suffered a loss against Ames, with the score of 0-11. Their next meet is April. 21* vs. D.M. East. The girls varsity team competed at the Johnston Invitational, where they placed 2nd. The JV girls have defeated Ames and Mason City so far, giving them a record of 2-0.

(4)

3rd at State

girl’s Basketball

Girls/Boys’ Track

(1)

boy’s Basketball

*Baseball

Big Hits&sports bits The girls’ team have potential to qualify up to five relays and seven individual events for the Drake Relays*. A qualifier for the boys’ team is junior Tommy Larson in the high jump. The relays take place on April 23-25.

Girl’s x-Country

10th in State 4th at State

Football

(4)

Senior Brad Meek Kiera Morrill/BW

7 APRIL

HEALTH

PAGE

tips

for

clean

skin

1. Don’t dry out your skin. Avoid alcohol-base facial cleansers because they can strip your skin of the natural and protective oils. They can also cause irritation and worsen acne.

2. Use an oil-free moisturizer. Find a moisturizer with the word “noncomedogenic” on the label. It will help keep your skin moist and won’t clog your pores.

3. Drink lots of water. Also eat fruits and vegetables with lots of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is involved in the formation of collagen; a protein that helps keep your skin firm and reduces wrinkling.

4. Avoid make-up with an oil base. Splash your face with cold water before applying foundation because it will close your pores. Remember to always wash make-up off before going to bed.

5. Keep hair and hands off your face. They both contain oils that can cause breakouts. Don’t use greasy hair products and apply face makeup with applicators rather than using fingers.

6. Don’t over wash your face. Washing your face too much is bad, it can cause irritation and can strip skin of necessary natural oils.

7. Don’t pop your zits. It will cause additional inflammation, redness and potential scarring.

Kiera Morrill/BW

recipe to renew dry skin:

foods good for skin:

: ingredients

oons - 2 to 3 tablesp nate fresh pomegra seeds s sugar - 3 tablespoon live oil - 1 teaspoon o bowl - small mixing n - wooden spoo

: how to make it l, combine pomeall mixing bow

In a sm on sugar. ith 1 tablespo w s d e se te a n gra ther using the e g to ts n ie d re Crush ing ey’re wellspoon until th n e d o o w a Add f o back seeds remain. le o h w o n d n f sugar, combined a tablespoons o re o m 2 d n a olive oil ughly. redients thoro g in ll a d n le b and

-fish -nuts -olive oil -cherries -spinach - asparagus -lima beans -citrus fruits

how to use it:to any rough spots on your Apply the scrub d the feet upward an body, working from y, dr otion. Rinse, pat using a circular m tion. and follow with lo

information provided by WebMD

Break out myth: If you’ve heard that greasy foods or chocolate will make your skin oily, that is false. Acne is caused by overactive oil glands in the skin. Avoid foods that you notice cause breakouts specifically with your skin. compiled by Haley Johnson (backpage editor)

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PAGE

spare some time

save a life. “I like knowing CPR so that Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a combination of chest compressions and if someone rescue breathing given to victims thought to be in cardiac arrest. When in caris in need of diac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood. CPR can give a small amount of assistance, I can blood to the heart and brain until the function of the heart is restored. Get help them.” certified in CPR by finding a class through the American Red Cross.

learn CPR.

- Mason Johnson ‘11

“Making people wear their seatbelts is an According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts save easy precaution over 12,000 lives each year. However, nearly two-thirds people killed in I take to protect motor vehicle accidents were people not wearing their seatbelts. Although myself and others not wearing a seatbelt in the back seat is not against the law, all pasin my vehicle.” sengers of a car are encouraged to wear them. Buckling up is an easy way to keep yourself and your passengers safe. - Amanda Korkow ‘10

wear your seatbelt.

give blood.

“A surprisingly low amount Blood donors can save up to three lives with every donation they make, but of people dofewer than 8% of Iowans donate. More than 100,000 units of blood are nate blood, but needed every year to meet the needs of the Iowan community. There are two it’s easy and quick. blood banks located in the metro area. Visit one in West Des Moines or I feel like I have in downtown Des Moines. There are also several mobile donation sites contributed to helping set up. people.”

- Connor Gyles ‘10

“It’s good to give to someone who doesn’t World Vision has dedicated time and money to help bring families, children, and have something. communities in several countries out of poverty. Getting involved is easy. Go to We give because worldvision.org and click on “sponsor a child.” You can sponsor one child or we have extra and a whole family. You can choose the age, gender, and country of the child. we can.” It costs just $35 a month and that money gives the child clean water, nutritious food, health care including AIDS prevention, educational opportunities, spiritual nurture, care for parents, and HIV and AIDS counseling. - Sarah Cleveland ‘11

sponsor a child.

compiled by Lauren Gehrke (feature editor) and Haley Johnson (backpage editor)