February '08

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FEBRUARY 2008

The student council proposed an idea for new murals at school.

Read more on page two to see some of these student mural drawings.

VOLUME 17 ISSUE 6

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NEWS

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Staff writer Bryan Lippincott writes about the induction of senior David Cox into the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

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JOHNSTON, IA

SPORTS Learn about the success of the Drake basketball season and staff opinions on the team.

FEATURE

Boys’ basketball team puts on game face

Abby Weaver/Dragon

The varsity boys’ basketball team huddles for a group meeting before the start of a game. Before every game, the players participate in warm ups and have a group meeting. The team played on the road against Dowling Catholic on Jan. 4 in a CIML Central Conference match up.

Johnston ranks in top Advanced Placement schools LEE YOCUM

sports editor The high school placed 12th in BelinBlank Center’s Top 50 Advanced Placement schools in Iowa.

A .79 index places the high school first in the CIML (Central Iowa Metro League) central and second in the entire CIML behind Ames.

The school is rated 12th of the 385 schools acknowledged by the Iowa Department of Education. Of the 385 schools 277 offer AP courses.

Belin-Blank calculated its index by taking the number of AP tests taken divided by the number of graduates.

According to the Belin-Blank Center, last year, 240 AP tests were taken and 302 students graduated, resulting in a .79 index.

The index for the entire state is .27.

The high school offers 12 board-approved AP classes on-site, as well as opportunities at Central Campus. Being rated so high means a lot for guidance counselor Curt Larkin, “It gives us a reputation for being a high

academic school, not just for AP, but in general.” Larkin said. “Look at Project Lead the Way (PLTW), Post-secondary education (PSED) opportunities at DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College), and Central; they all are offerings for advanced opportunities.”

In the previous two years, Johnston was raked 23rd and 24th before the 11-place jump for the May 2007 testing. According to the Belin-Blank Center, the high school had a .52 index in 2005 and a .57 index in 2006.

Larkin credits the jump to fluctuation and students challenging themselves.

“We offer lots of challenges with the number of possibilities for students that will help increase scores,” Larkin said.

Studies done by The College Board have shown links between AP classes and high college graduation rates.

“High level classes allow students to learn and perform better beyond JHS,” Larkin said.

Senior Tyler Wengert is taking three AP classes through the high school (Spanish, calculus AB, and English) and will graduate with 19 college credits.

“AP classes help us get a jump on college,” Wengert said. “It challenges me and helps me prepare for the next stage in my life.”

With 424 seniors, 335 tests will have to be issued in May to achieve a .79 index, and meeting last year’s mark.

As of last year, all AP classes have to be certified by The College Board. Through an audit process, uniform curriculum, was put

in place, allowing colleges to make better decisions for credit.

Larkin nominated the school for the Siemen’s Award as an AP scholar school. The Siemens’ award is a nation-wide program that gives a $1,000 grant to the winning school in each of the 50 states to be used for math, science, or technology programs.

The average AP score for the high school is confidential information.

Johnston’s AP index

240 302

a th Iow in

Number of AP exams taken

12

Number of graduates

Index

= .79

Information provided by the Belin-Blank Center for May 2006 AP exams

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February 2008

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New mural designs proposed for hallways

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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.

SHAWNA POLEN staff writer

Coach passes away

Former teacher and coach ends long battle with cancer Coach and teacher, Rick Rynning finally lost the battle of cancer. He passed away on Wed. Feb. 6 at four in the morning.

“It was very emotional for me,” senior Obsie Birru said. “Coach Rynning was the one that got me started in cross-country.”

His visitation was held Feb.8 from 4:30-7:30 and funeral was the following Saturday.

Plays take stage

Provided/Senuri Jayatilleka

Sophomore Yimming Qin drew this mural as an idea for one of the new murals that might be painted on the walls after spring break. “I chose to put Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on my mural because this is the first time in our history that both a woman and African American are the front runners for the next election,” Qin said.

Students bring in proposal designs to decorate halls

Red Peppers and Mark Twain’s diaries of Adam and Eve, performed and made it to the State Iowa High School Speech Association speech competition.

Red Peppers is a one act comedy that is about a feisty married couple that argues and fights all the time, hence the title.

Mark Twains diaries of Adam and Eve, on the other hand, is an epic account of Adam and Eve’s lives, from birth, marriage, loss of a child and to death in the end.

“Adam and Eve’s story goes from whimsy to oblivion,” the director of the drama department Paul Miller said.

Both plays were preformed on Jan. 19, and competed at the state competition on Feb. 2.

“We didn’t make it to All-state, but we tried our best and we’re already looking at new plays to preform,” Miller said.

BRENNAN WINGET staff writer

GSA bake sale

BEN VANDER PLOEG staff writer

The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) sold cake, banana bread, cookies and many other items at their bake sale in honor of National GSA Day. On Jan. 30, GSA’s all around the country demonstrated their activity in their schools and communities.

The GSA raised $126.75. They plan to use the money to help fund other projects throughout the year.

The bake sale was also a way to gain awareness and to encourage interest for the alliance.

The GSA is made up of students, both gay and straight. The two teacher sponsors are English teacher Ed Walker and guidance counselor Stephanie Guthrie.

“The bake sale was very effective, everyone loves sweets,” GSA member Heidi Bibler said.

A fire was set in flame, and destroyed much of middle school principal Brian Carico’s office.

School officials have asked the Polk County Attorney for $19,237.02 in restitution. This amount does not include cleaning costs. “(The fire) was started with all the contents of my office piled in the middle of the floor and burned,” Carico said.

Carico said only a couple CDs were saved, everything else was burned. This included textbooks, personal books, magazines, staffing plans and research concerning the transition to an 8-9 building.

According to The Des Moines Register eighth grader Hezekiah Smith broke the window to start the fire.

Currently a lot of reconstruction needs to be done.

“They have to replace the carpet, because the water damaged the glue,” Carico said. They also need to do some

Students may get a chance to view more paintings on school walls if plans for the new murals go through.

“We are planning on starting to paint the new murals after spring break,” junior Senuri Jayatilleka said. “ The guidelines are the murals just have to reflect society now, in high school and the world positively.”

The new paintings would be in the hallway running south of the big gym, which intersects with the big hallway opposite of the bathrooms.

“When the construction for the new wing is complete, that hallway will go all the way through,” Jayatilleka said. “Later on new murals can be painted along that hallway.”

Provided/Senuri Jayatilleka

Senior Lindsay Tosch drew the above mural of accomplishments of the ‘07-’08 school year.

“The paintings are more of time capsules from what happened back in the year when they were painted,” student council overseer Chris Beguhn said.

“However, there hasn’t been one painted since ‘96.”

Most of the paintings were painted in the late 70’s. Student Council wants students to get involved since no murals will be painted for awhile.

“Anyone can enter a design to be looked over and discussed to be put up.”

Beguhn said. “There is a council that looks over the drawings to make sure they are appropriate to put on the walls.”

The council is made up of students from student council and administration.

They will look at each design and make sure it is appropriate and is not bias toward anyone.

“We have a beautiful design that was turned in however, it only has democratic representatives that are have running for president,” Beguhn said. “ We might need to make some changes to show that we are not bias.”

Student fire damages principal’s office rewiring, and all the furniture needs to be replaced along with the window.

All of the staff that had offices on the same side the fire occurred were temporarily moved to the attendance office.

Assistant principal Brent Riessen and Carico shared an office in what used to be a conference room. There have been some benefits.

“We spend a lot more time together,” Riessen said jokingly.

“We’ve had some difficulties getting to certain records,” Carico said, “because they are on the other side.”

The fire did not directly affect students, but many complained about the smell of an ozone machine. The machine was used to rid the smell of smoke and ionize the air.

“It just kind of made it smell bad,” eighth grader Cory Upton said.

Lieutenant Lynn Aswegan of Johnston Police Department said Smith was charged with second-degree arson and second-degree burglary. His brother, junior Joseph Smith was charged with interference, because he refused to have

Ben Vander Ploeg/BW

Construction worker repaints the walls of middle school principal Brian Carico’s office after the fire. the police execute a search of their house.

Police tracked Hezekiah’s footprints in the snow to locate him at his house.

February 2008

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Coakley car, garage catch fire KARI DOCKUM

editor in chief While watching House on a Saturday night, senior Courtney Coakley did not sense anything was wrong. Suddenly, she heard her father shout a warning to the family.

“He saw smoke coming through the (garage) door and yelled to my mom, my little sister and me to get out of the house,” Coakley said.

Unbeknownst to the female Coakleys, the 1998 Ford Windstar parked in the garage had begun smoking. Around 11:15 p.m. on Jan. 19, Mike Coakley, Courtney’s father, smelled smoke, but he was not sure where it was coming from.

“He went to see if it was something in the basement,” Courtney said. “He didn’t see anything so he came back upstairs, and when he walked by the garage door, he could feel the heat coming through.”

Upon the alert from Mike, the family evacuated the house. Immediately after, the car set on fire.

“As soon as we were outside, we heard another loud bang, so we ran down to our neighbor’s house,” Courtney said. “Soon the fire department showed up with other rescue units and they got the fire out.”

Courtney said that the car had not been driven since 5:30 that afternoon, when her mom returned home from work.

The fire caused a lot of damage to the home Courtney said. United Services is currently rebuilding the Coakleys’ garage.

“Our garage and everything in it is gone and has been thrown out,” she said.

“We had 100 percent smoke damage on the first floor and 75 percent on the second floor. All of our clothes, sheets and curtains had to be cleaned to get the smell out.”

The Coakleys were unable to live in their house for about three weeks. They

Provided/Courtney Coakley

After her mother’s car caught on fire, senior Courtney Coakley’s garage, along with her house, suffered damage. “It’s still weird going to my house because it’s so empty and the garage is all torn up,” Coakley said. The garage is currently being rebuilt by United Services. stayed with their grandparents during this time.

“The whole next day, all we did was laundry and clean everything we brought from the house,” Courtney said. “It’s still weird going to my house because it’s so empty and the garage is all torn up.”

Insurance has covered everything so far, from the car to everything in the house and garage, Courtney said. The family went car shopping on Jan. 25 and bought a 2006 Dodge Durango.

While the Coakleys do not know exactly why the van exploded and have not

talked to the Ford manufacturers about the incident, they have been offered one possible explanation.

“A police officer who lives down the street from us says that a lot of car fires happen during the winter when it’s extremely cold out,” Courtney said.

Governor reveals goals in Condition of State BRITTANY DEAL managing editor Gov. Chet Culver unveiled his plans for the year in the Condition of the State address.

Affordable health care for all Iowans was among these plans. Culver’s goal includes giving Iowans the same insurance coverage elected officials receive.

To do this, he proposes reducing the cost of group rates by expanding pooling options for associations, small businesses, and organizations; eliminating exclusions and waiting periods for those transitioning from group plans to individual plans; and allowing parents to cover adult children up to age 25 on a family plan. “(Culver’s proposed change in health care) would help me since I won’t be earning that much money while I’m in college unless something sweet works out,” senior Sam Han said.

Sophomore Kiley Kinsey thinks Culver’s plan is a great idea.

“Kids in college are going to have a hard enough time as it is to pay for health insurance; but on the other hand, it also makes kids dependant on their parents, and that could lead to a weak generation,” Kinsey said.

Government teacher Ben Knight said that he can see how this will appeal to students.

“Most private (insurance sector) planes will let parents cover their children through college,” Knight said. “Now we are up to the age of 21 (with this type of coverage). The idea is that you will be out of college and have your own job and coverage.”

Along with his general plans for improving health care, Culver asked all Iowans to join both him and Lt. Gov. Patty Judge in the 100-Day Lighten Up Iowa Challenge, which began Jan. 16.

“As a former coach, I used to say, if you want to talk the talk, you better walk the walk,” Culver said.

Meanwhile, Culver had intended to double the bottle deposit from five cents to 10.

“One more cent will go to your local recycler, one cent to permanently protect our environment, and the rest goes right back into the consumer’s pocket

Major Major Achievements Achievements of of ‘07 ‘07 office of Energy Independence • established and created a $100 million renewable energy research and development fund

• raised minimum wage Resource Enhancement and Pro• supported tection Program (REAP) discrimination and harassment in • fought schools and the work place Provided/Alissa Brammer

“Last year we proved that our collective hopes and dreams for Iowa are worth fighting for.” - Gov. Chet Culver

Gov. Chet Culver where it belongs,” Culver said.

The one cent reserved to “permanently protect our environment” would have supported the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program (REAP).

However, as Culver announced Jan 31, although he will continue to work to expand the program, he has dropped his recently proposed plan.

Culver also addressed education through expanding Iowa’s new Model Core Curriculum statewide standard by 2010 to every school district.

“We must raise the bar and expect more from our students in the classroom,” Culver said. “Our goal is simple, to teach our kids to ‘love to learn’; to love to learn more chemistry, more physics, more algebra, and more trigonometry.”

Senior Becky Cooper does not believe the Model Core Curriculum is necessary.

“Students will be trying to get their core requirements

done leaving them less chance for elective classes,” Cooper said. “Why not just make some of our engineering classes a math credit because really we do a lot of the same stuff in math and science that we do in there.”

On the other hand, senior Doug Haefele thinks it is a necessary step for the school.

“Emphasizing math and science development is going to be key for our country as we move forward, and the Core Curriculum is a good step,” Haefele said.

Knight agrees that the plan has its merits.

“Increasing standards of students is not a bad idea,” Knight said. “It really comes down to the legislation. That’s where it’s at.”

The address took place Jan 15. This was Culver’s first Condition of the State address since his election into office, as former Governor Tom Vilsack gave it for 2007.

opinion

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rchestra

The music department currently supports band and choral students, but an orchestra program remains hidden. An orchestra program would benefit our music department.

It is 7 a.m. and herds of band students file into the school. They line up in the “band hallway,” anxiously waiting to play their instruments. In the fall the choir students trying out for All-State scramble out of bed an extra 30 minutes early in order to make their 7:30 a.m. quartet practice.

The vocal and band programs at school have been a huge success, but has the school forgotten those students who play other instruments? What about the students who play bass, cello, viola or violin? The school should enhance the music department and provide an orchestra program.

By developing an orchestra program, it would give students the opportunity to play different instruments, students would not have to participate in other schools’ orchestras, and it would help increase spacial reasoning and mental imagery.

Different instruments With our school not having an orchestra program, we are limiting students’ opportunities to succeed in other instruments besides wind, brass, percussion and vocals. Shouldn’t our school be providing as many opportunities to students as we can? Why not provide a new set of instruments.

Stringed instruments are a lot different than any band instrument. Yes, playing any instrument is rough at times, but stringed instruments take a lot of patience and discipline. A person has to multi-task by moving the bow and holding the instrument with the other hand

staff staff KARI DOCKUM editor in chief

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remains hidden at same time. Students should be able to have the opportunity to expand their horizons and try new instruments.

Convenience Not having an orchestra program at school makes it harder for students who play stringed instruments. Instead they have to take time outside of their school schedules, work schedules and extracurriculars to participate in other local orchestras.

Sophomores Lyssa Bailey and Kevin Hu play stringed instruments and agree that not having an orchestra at the school is an inconvenience.

“Everyday for first hour, I drive to Roosevelt High School and take their orchestra course,” Bailey said. “As you can imagine, it is quite a hassle.”

Not only do these students have to take time out of school to play, but they do not get to experience as much group work and do not know how they are ranked individually when it comes to AllState and other competitions.

“It’s hard to get the experience in large ensembles like other kids do,” Hu said.

“I don’t know how well I compare with a general group, and where I rank as an individual. However, from my experience with Youth Symphony, I can say that ensembles give us a good practice with cooperating as a group and learning how to play together.”

Another convenience of having an orchestra program is that students who play for another school, but register through Johnston, would not have to go through as much confusion during All-State and

other state competitions.

“Johnston’s lack of an orchestra is confusing due to scheduling during the week of All-State, as well as registering,” Hu said. “I went to my audition without my registration form. It was a disaster.

Thankfully the All State Auditions were very understanding and provided me with a spare.”

Increase spatial reasoning

A common misconception of classical music is that by listening to it or playing it, a student will see an increase in test scores. Studies have proven this false, but have shown that it helps with mental imagery and spatial reasoning.

On the web site www.fortunecity.com, it states that neurologist John Hughes, of the University of Illinois Medical Center, did a study on Alzheimer patients, who are impaired of mental imagery and spatial reasoning. Through his study he found that a patient’s score increased by three-four correct answers out of eight test items after listening to 10-minute increments of Mozart.

His studies show that by listening to classical music or playing classical music a student can improve their memory and spatial reasoning, but not necessarily intelligence quotient (IQ).

Expenses

The major issue with developing an orchestra program is the funding that would help support it. Band instruments and vocal compositions are expensive, but stringed instruments are extremely

expensive.

On the Reimans Music web site, the least expensive violin, the U.S. Contemporary Strad Model Violin, costs approximately $3,000 with tax. If 30 students played these violins it would cost approximately $90,000. This is an extreme amount of money.

However, what if each individual student in the orchestra rented out their own instrument through Reimans Rentto-Own program? This program would allow students and their families to rent out a stringed instrument paying a specific dollar amount per month. The Rent-to-Own program would help reduce the costs of the instruments themselves, which would leave less for the music department to pay. Roosevelt High School orchestra director, Phillips Peters estimated the cost of each stringed instrument around $1,000 a piece. However, he said that the main expense would be for the salary of the hired teacher.

Another expense alternative would be to share a program with another school.

This would cut down funding significantly and would spread out the cost between two or more schools. Vocal director Sara VanWaardhuizen agrees that an orchestra program would be beneficial to students.

“So many times we take (funding) for granted, and the programs disappear,” VanWaardhuizen said. “However I think anything given to the arts is a good thing.”

Expense is a major issue with the development of an orchestral program, but with the help of rent programs and grants, an orchestra program could be made possible at our school.

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

February 2008

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Fighting the fast food frenzy

Inmy my

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Veronica Roshek

the not-so private truth

First smoking, now obesity: eliminating obsessive fads BRITTANY DEAL managing editor The habit of smoking tobacco has always been part of American culture. Finally, in the last 40 to 50 years, actions have been taken to diminish its impact.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site, in 1964 Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service Luther L. Terry, M.D., released a report concluding that cigarette smoking is a cause of lung cancer and laryngeal cancer in men, a probable cause of lung cancer in women, and “the most important cause of chronic bronchitis.”

Then, in 1965, Congress passed the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act. This act required a health warning on all cigarette packages and banned cigarette advertising in the broadcasting media. And, in 1969, the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act called for an annual report on smoking and its health

consequences.

The American public now knows the truth about smoking and this has led to a decline in smokers. More and more public institutions have created smoke-free environments.

According to an article in the Des Moines Register, the University of Iowa will become the first Iowa public university to ban smoking on campus. This change highlights how people now understand the consequences of smoking.

Smoking is gradually becoming less of an issue in America. However, in its place is a new peril: obesity and fast food.

The fast food industry thrives and America is helping it by continually buying the fattening food it produces. In 2004, Kathbur Pictures released Supersize Me, directed by Morgan Spurlock.

This film documented the phenomenon of McDonald’s “supersize” meals and their impact on the consumer. It was an eyeopener for some Americans; however, it has not decreased the lure of fast food.

Obesity itself has drastically increased since the mid-70s. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site shows that the prevalence of obesity in the 1976-1980 survey was at 15% for adults ages 20-74 and five percent for those ages 12-19. Now, according to the 2003-2004 survey, the prevalence of obesity in adults is at 32.9%. For teens, it is now at 17.4%. Obviously this raises concern.

A national health objective for 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of obesity among adults to less than 15%. However, obesity is not improving; it is actually becoming worse.

America as a whole needs to work together to shun what has become the “fast food frenzy.” The temptation of unhealthy food does not assist the nation in reducing obesity. How long is it going to take for people to realize that they cannot eat this type of food 24/7 and stay healthy? Is it going to take 40 to 50 years for America to take action?

Grading scale deserves an F AUSTIN HARTSOOK staff writer

As I sat in the computer lab of the Hard Rock Hotel, I quickly rushed to the Johnston High School web site. I was 2,000 miles away from home on a post-finals vacation in Orlando, and instead of being excited about the Sunshine State, I spent the whole plane ride wondering what my final grades were. After paying an eight dollar computer lab fee, I quickly rushed on my Infinite Campus account, and to my surprise, I saw a very disturbing sight.

I had received a 79.4 percent in one class and an 89.3 percent in another; it was disheartening to know that once again, I was screwed by the grading scale.

Now, before you read this, you must know that I am not mad about the grades I received; only mad about the way these grades are calculated.

Our school, like many others in the CIML runs on a four-point grading scale.

This simply means that you receive a 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0, depending on what range of grade you get. This system does not care the specific grade received in that range. So, that means if a student gets an 80 percent, he or she receives the same amount of credit as a student who got an 89 percent.

This system is great, if the students are always in the low range. But if a student is awarded a grade in the high range, then the student in turn is punished. Principal Bruce Hukee feels that a student’s perception of the system is based what end of the scale he or she falls into.

“I feel perception is the key,” Hukee said. “Depending on what grade you get you might love the system.”

This is very true, especially in my case.

If I had gotten a 90 percent instead of that 89.4, I would have been psyched to have received an A. But, just because it might benefit some students, does not

What Do You Think?

JEREMY YENGER

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teacher

I imagine the grading scale is a wash for most students.

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CORY GAGNE

senior

It’s nice for students now, but it’s not realistic for how its going to be after high school.

mean it benefits the entire student body.

Hukee wants a system that will make kids want to push themselves, but our current grading scale is doing quite the opposite. Take semester finals for example. If a student is in the middle percent bracket of four to six percent, it is almost impossible for a final to move a grade up or down. Students have figured this out, and in turn have studied less or not at all for those finals.

“If I know there’s no difference between a B- and a B+ then I’m not going to kill myself studying for a final grade that will earn the same on the point scale,” senior, Alyssa Burcham said.

So what is the solution to this grading fiasco? Transition into a 12- point grading scale. This scale counts pluses and minuses, and would give more credit to kids who put the effort in to get a high range number in class. An A- is still worth more than a B+, but it would still give those who got that B+ a higher grade point average than one who gets a B-.

The topic of changing the grading scale has been buried beneath the school boards agenda for the last couple years.

“I asked our Board Secretary to look up the minutes from 2003 - 2005 which is the time period that I believe the discussion (on grades) took place,” school

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AUSTIN JENSEN

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junior

It isn’t right for someone to get an 80 and another to get an 89 and both students get Bs.

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board member Jill Morrill said. “Unfortunately we could not find anything in the Board minutes or the Academic Affairs Committee reports.”

If the grading scale would happen to change, Hukee would predict it would take some time.

“I would take at least two years to implement a different grading scale,” said Hukee. “If we did happen to change, then we would have to transition the scale much like were doing with scheduling this year for the sophomores.”

According to Hukee, learning is the key.

“We don’t care about grades as much as we care about learning and preparing kids for post-secondary education,” Hukee said.

Our school needs to prepare student for college and life after high school.

However, the crazy thing is that this grading scale does just the opposite. Instead of giving someone a 3.3 for a B+, such is the system at Des Moines Area Community College; our school gives us a 3.0 and calls it even.

Our school can not change overnight, but at least give the future students of this great institution a chance to put in the hard work, and receive the correct amount of credit.

Applying for a job, the information on my Facebook and Myspace accounts is the last thing I picture being taken into consideration. When working over the summer, however, my employers’ way of checking up on employees gave me a new perspective. Although there was nothing suggestible up in sight under my name or any of my coworkers, if there was something there, my bosses would have brought it up.

The possibility of the school checking up on students on Facebook and Myspace is only with reasonable cause.

Within a smaller workplace, it was much easier for either of my bosses to be going through the online networks for information through their own pages.

My past job is not the only one out prowling for job candidates’ information though. According to MSNBC, a company that works across the country hiring people for hospitals and clinics takes a second look through these popular networks once finding well qualified candidates. If they come across information like partying pictures posted for the public to see, they won’t be getting the job.

Not only are people out applying for jobs being watched by this company, but many others as well. As technology advances, the main targets for these network searches are college graduates.

Especially when you don’t have a lot of experience in the field of work and there aren’t former employers to call, Facebook and Myspace can give a lot of insight.

A major part of the controversy with this is that applicants feel like their pictures, comments, or other information posted about them is being misinterpreted. However, hiring managers are not going to take the time to look for an explanation, they have no good reason to be taking a chance on you.

This seems reasonable under the circumstances of how much information people put out about themselves.

“Facebook is getting out of hand,” senior Julia Steggerda said. “It’s a good way to keep in touch with people though.”

According to iTWire, a professional technology Web site, 44 percent of employers in the US use Facebook and Myspace as part of their informal hiring process and 39 percent of those also use this to check up on current employees.

“If you’re responsible and have common sense, it shouldn’t be a big problem,” senior Ben Mulaosmanovic said.

According to Wired magazine, Facebook is not really as private as we all want to think it is either. I was disturbed to find out there are Web site searches that can get around the privacy you set your account to. So, thinking that hiring managers won’t be able to see your pictures and blogs is out of the question, along with anyone else who takes the time to look.

It’s bizarre to think that everything you think is private up on the Internet really isn’t. But why take the chance of exposing it to the world?

The increasingly cruel and mindless activity that has taken part within our own school’s network up on Facebook leaves me embarrassed. Countless teacher hate groups, individually targeted groups, drinking pictures, partying comments, and other unnecessary comments aren’t creating any type of positive reputation and one day might come back around and bite you. Whether it happens when the school starts to more deliberately check these sites or you don’t get the job you wanted.

In the end, the idiotic drama, postings, and pictures might not be as worth the risk as you would think. This unattended behavior hasn’t gotten the attention it’s begging for yet. But, go ahead and post up your innocent little lives and see where exactly it turns up, and then how they perceive it.

opinion

6

February 2008

B&W

Acting on, remembering King’s vision KIERA MORRILL staff writer Martin Luther King Jr. was a hero to people of color who had few fair rights to their names, as well as to people who experience injustice in their lifetime.

He not only planted acceptance into the hearts of citizens; he also spread the most powerful message of all, love.

Caring is something few people remember to do for each other, or in some cases, do not want to do. A day like MLK Day should be a chance to reconsider our definition of kindness. Try committing to a service project in the community or spending extra time with someone in need. Web sites like www.mlkday.org share places in cities across our country that could use our help.

For those of us still working or attending school on Martin Luther King Day, we should take a few minutes from the busy day to recognize the man who created so many freedoms for us all. We are already here for a day of school, but we could redirect our time to include King in the curriculum.

It has been suggested by teacher Jason Jauron that each day of the week that MLK Day falls on, different departments use their field to talk about MLK. For example, MLK Day is Monday; the English department could read over his speeches, Tuesday math teachers could review numbers of marches and participants in boycotts.

“There’s just little conversations they could have each day,” Jauron said. “Then it wouldn’t seem like that’s all they’re being told.”

On MLK Day I spoke with my dad, Jim Morrill for almost two hours over the subject of how our society today is moving on and how it is hopefully becoming more acceptable to be different. He shared with me what an impact King had made on him.

He was young when the civil rights movement occurred, but he lived in Massachusetts were they were not so immersed in the subject. Sophomore year in college, he took an African American Literature Class, where he discovered Letters From a Birmingham Jail, written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963.

“The classic part of it is, here I am, a 20 year-old in college worrying about girls, rugby games, passing classes,” Jim said. “Here he was, at the heart of his

Provided / Andy Hummel

crusade, writing these letters and speeches. It all gave me perspective. I felt that I understood the plight of colored people that I didn’t understand before.”

Hearing this, I realized that I could never truly understand it myself, unless I found an immediate witness of what happened.

I looked for Letters From a Birmingham Jail online and found a direct copy of King’s work. Reading the words written by him changed my idea of good character

and challenged me to do more than argue over lack of knowledge on the matter.

Some students complain about school on MLK Day, but he would have wanted to us to stay in a learning environment. It fuels our mind to reach out with one another and may even keep this generation from repeating history’s mistakes.

We can educate ourselves by reaching out to one another, like in King’s vision.

Reading, science review necessary for ACT prep JEREMY MULLEN staff writer

The clock says two minutes left as your peers frantically fill in the bubble for C. “Time’s up, pencils down please,” the instructor says.

Students dread this phrase during standardized tests. A solution? Study and review. However, the only review currently offered is an ACT math review.

With the school and its students increasingly dependent on ACT and ITED test scores, we need an alternative to stressing, cramming and studying 700-page review books. The answer is a comprehensive review of all four areas — reading, language, and science — before each test.

According to the Johnston Community School District annual report for the 2006-2007 school-year, the average composite score on the ACT was 23.2, exactly two points ahead of the national average.

Students scored lowest on the math and language portions, showing that a review session is still necessary and proves to be beneficial.

It could be useful to more students and the district itself if review sessions were held for all subjects, creating a higher composite score.

ACT’s are not the only test where a review could be useful. On ITEDs, 11th grade students scored highest on math, second in science, and considerably lower on reading. With the low numbers that continue to repeat, it is clear that classes

Jeremy Mullen/BW

Math teacher Vickie Borich educates students on calculator use at the ACT math prep session on Feb. 7. Math is the only portion of the test with a review session offered through the school. such as Read-180, which were designed to help reading, are not reaching enough students.

Sarah Wessling, English teacher, said taking practice tests in a timed setting may be the best review for reading because it is a skill acquired over a long period of time.

“You can’t prepare for (reading) the night before,” Wessling said.

Students agree with this.

“Holding a reading review wouldn’t do anything. You either understand what you read or you don’t,” senior Jenny Pray said.

A solution to the belief that reading

is an non-reviewable subject would be to have a teacher-led review where students would read a variety of short stories and answer comprehension and analysis questions on them. Once finished, the instructor could go over what the answers are and give a brief explanation for each.

Then, the student could use this logic while testing.

As far as ITEDs are concerned, the school cannot do as much to help the low scores besides implementing the Read-180 class. This is because the school cannot force students to perform well on the ITEDs; it does not affect their grade or future unless they are going to college.

However, according to principal Bruce Hukee, 75% to 80% of students take the ACT every year. Every student that takes the test is hoping it will help him or her get into college and get more scholarships. Therefore, students would be more willing to go to and participate in almost any review session they could.

Also, going to a review session with actual people and instructors would be superior to any three-hour computer test or 700-page book.

With No Child Left Behind threatening to shut down the nation’s public schools, our school needs to show it is capable. With the success of the ACT math review, we need to hold reviews for science, language, and reading to improve our scores for individuals and the district as a whole.

Johnston has always been an educational leader, and our title needs to hold to its name with continued progress on our standardized tests.

February 2008

opinion

7

B&W

Theorists take theories too far Controversial Conspiracies

VERONICA ROSHEK opinion editor Every time the world hits a major crisis; assassinations, celebrity car accidents, terrorist attacks; you name it-the corrupt and disrespectful conspiracy theorists search for a way to rationalize it. Even if these terrifying events have been historically proven, it is hard for many to grasp that such a horrible catastrophe could logically occur. Our natural instinct as humans is to seek out the reasons why; we long to have a sense of closure, a longing that falls too often in the comfort of exploiting conspiracies.

According to BBC News, opinion polls have found that around 80 percent of Americans believe Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in killing President Kennedy while 46 percent believe the Japanese are conspiring to destroy the American economy. These statistics should give off a major disturbance and mistrust in our country.

However, these do not bring the disgraceful burden as the hoaxes concerning the first man on the moon, the Holocaust and the 9/11 attacks.

The most recent conspiracy attention has been brought to the 9/11 Truth activists, along with a documentary entitled Loose Change. According to The Villager, an Internet magazine, the video has been downloaded 20 million times on the Internet and was number one on Google Video’s most downloaded list for the majority of the year.

The close to 80-minute documentary stacks up numerous facts and quotes about the 9/11 attacks, attempting to prove that the Bush administration set up these attacks to gain support to go to war with the Middle East.

Senior Sam Han watched the video with an open mind deciding there was nothing to lose by seeing it.

“I would definitely have to say there was some fishy activity going on (during 9/11),” senior Sam Han said.

“Some of the evidence (that the video provides) is too hard to throw out.”

Senior David Cox also saw the video, but is very skeptical about what exactly the scheme is claiming.

He believes that this conspiracy is not necessarily disrespectful to those who died during 9/11, but that it is not something the country needs to be dealing with.

“I thought it was dumb,” Cox said. “The problem with Loose Change is that it poses a lot of questions and no answers.”

The skepticism we have created about this event has left many weary of the acts of our government. This should not be a problem living in our society. We should be mourning the loss of those who passed away during this tragic event instead of thinking up absurd reasons on how we were scammed.

Loose Change is making money out of the Web site

1 9/11 attacks 2 JFK assassination 3 Holocaust Princess Diana

4 car accident

5 MLK assassination man on the 6 First moon

7 Watergate scandal 8 Area 51 9

Secret wars throughout Central and South America Provided/Andy Hummel

by selling DVDs. A YouTube blogger summed it up in a popular sentiment: whoever owns Loose Change should be sent to jail for life for making money off of 9/11. This is a disgrace.

The three young men who created the video, however, have convinced many Americans of this hoax. According to The Villager, a Scripps Howard poll indicated that 36 percent of Americans believe it is very likely or somewhat likely federal officials participated in or had advanced knowledge of the attacks. Another 16 percent of the population think that explosives, not just airplanes, brought down the Twin Towers.

Some people think that a missile shot down United 93 when going over Pennsylvania, some think the plane landed in Cleveland and dropped off the passengers first, and some think the government is responsible for killing the passengers. When all three of these possibilities are given in the exact same documentary against the 9/11 attacks, how can you believe it?

No clear answers have been found against this or from many other conspiracies that have been created.

However, theorists still persevere to pile up statistics making their theories believable while leaving out the

solid facts, such as the thousands of families affected by them. Also, the outrageous amount of people who would be required to keep their mouths shut that would be in on the scam. All the publicity leaks have proven this impossible.

The goal of Truth activists is to get literally everyone to agree that the government has cheated us and lied about what really happened during the 9/11 attacks. According to The Villager, they have 33 percent of Americans supporting them already.

It is not very hard to think our government makes mistakes by hiding substantial information from us, or that at times they have good reason to. Yet it is absurd that one-third of our population accepts the idea our own government is underhandedly involved in creating self-inflicting terrorist attacks.

Broadcast news, newspapers, magazines, airlines, all of our government, explosives experts, and possibly some passengers on the planes would all have to have been informed of what really happened and kept the dishonest secret from everyone. It only takes one person to slip the breaking evidence but seven years later, no one has proof. What more evidence do you need?

Study hall wastes credit, time Philip Mortens Staff Writer

Whispers from back, gum popping in the front, a blank expression from the teacher who has stopped caring, these are common occurrences in any study hall. The fact is people just do not really care. It is a waste of time.

Now mind you there are a select few who actually use these 45 minutes of study hall for actual constructive work, but the majority do nothing but listen to music, talk and sleep.

A study hall on its own can be tolerated, but when it takes up an eighth period slot, there is really no point. I would rather be in the comfort of my own home, my own chair, my own desk, and my own environment. But alas, I am stuck in a cramped school desk.

Generally when its an eighth period study hall, people have been using the same class room for classes all day and let me tell you, it gets hot. Once again, in the comfort of my own home, I control the thermometer; I decided whether it is hot or cold. If I feel hungry, I could eat a yogurt. I can even get up and walk around, no questions ask.

To fix this mess, we need to have every-other day elective type courses. The electives could range anywhere from family consumer science, to classic problem solving which is a class that uses math to play games.

“If we had classes opposite P.E. they might have credit with them,” Guidance Counselor Sue Baker said. “The credit would be less than .500.”

If these classes were worth just a partial credit they would still be more beneficial and not to mention more fun than a study hall which is worth a big fat zero.

At the eighth grade level, students are given the choice to participate in these types of classes or a study hall. Most students that are older than the class of 2010 would decide to take an early out during the last period. But no, the class of 2010 does not get that luxury; we have to wait until we are seniors. Only then will we get one, maybe two periods off. This is better than nothing.

Why must we stay in that hot, boring class for the last hour of the day as juniors? The administration is afraid that we will not graduate. So because of their unfounded fears, they put us into a class that gets us right on the way to graduation: study hall. Whoa, lets take a step back. Study halls are not worth credit, so do they really help?

Philip Mortens/BW

Eighth grader Joy Tan receives game-winning advice from Classic Problems Solving teacher Dennis Stevenson. The class is offered every other day.

So, once again, I suggest an alternative to study halls and early outs. I suggest that the school gets some every-other day elective-type classes.

Unfortunately, to get these classes passed we have to have them formally proposed to the principal, then go through the Building Leadership Team, then the

Academic Board, and finally to the school board. When all is said and done, about a year has gone by and even then it still might not get approved.

All I can leave you with is that if you can find a teacher who is willing to teach a class, then that is the first step to the goal.

ENTERTAINMENT

8

February 2008

Winter wake up

B&W

The snow survival guide compiled by Stephanie Ivankovich review editor

On the road

to survival Industrial Tech teacher, Mitch Eagles, shares his advice on winter driving in the snow.

Tools “Check your condition of tires, have the correct type of tires for driving in the winter- MS (Mud and Snow) and check the pressure.”

Accidents “If you would fall into a ditch call 911 and stay in your car and clean around the exhaust pipe if snow is surrounding it.”

Type of car “The best kind of car to drive in the winter is a four wheel drive and front wheel drive, but when it comes to stopping, none stop well on ice.”

All photos by Stephanie Ivankovich/BW

(Above left) Junior Hunter Connelly brushes off the snow from his car after school. (Lower left) Junior Jake Marshall finishes brushing the snow off of his car.

(Center) Cars remain parked as the snow falls down in the student parking lot. (Above right) Sophomore Brad Kruse scrapes ice off his car after school. (Lower right) Johnston High School covered in snow at the peak of the blizzard which gave us another snow day.

s p i t y s a 3 E for your car

in the snow

1 2 3

w o n S Ordinances

Johnston’s snow ordinance policy states that parking vehicles on public streets during any time when snow/ice removal operations are in progress is a violation. Anyone that breaks this rule receives a $25 ticket (www.cityofjohnston.com). Since January 17th, 34 tickets have been given out to the violators. Two of those are juniors Alan Nagel and Nate McGinley.

How did you feel when you received your ticket?

“I was pretty dang angry”

Defrost is a quick way for one’s car to heat up and melt the snow.

Instead of using one’s hands to eliminate piles of snow on top of the car, a brush with an ice scraper is a cheap tool that will save time.

Always keep cat liter in your car so if it gets stuck in the parking lot, the cat liter could act as friction, helping your car not skid.

Do you still park in the street?

McGinley“Yes, right now actually. I probably got another ticket” How did you received your ticket?

“What did I do wrong? It turns out, I was in violation of the snow ordinance.”

Nagel

Did you realize what it was?

“First I didn’t realize it because it was buried in a bunch of snow”

10&11

teeth talk

doubletruck Sensitivity symptoms Junior Steph Ferguson has experienced some of the most common side effects of teeth whitening, gum and tooth sensitivity. Ferguson began using Crest White Strips about two months ago to help brighten her smile.

In order to speed up the whitening process, Ferguson decided to do double Ferguson the treatments.

“I did two whitening sessions in a row, so for an hour total, because the box said I could.” Ferguson said.

Shortly after, her teeth began to ache.

Then I woke up at 3 a.m.,” Ferguson said. “I couldn’t go back to sleep until five because my teeth hurt so bad.”

Other than tooth sensitivity, Ferguson did not experience any other complications.

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

Products to try Crest Vivid White Toothpaste, $3.49 Aquafresh Whitening Trays, $29.99 Crest Whitestrips, $24.99

?

All products are available at Target

u o y Did ow kn What are wisdom teeth?

George Washington had hippopotamus, cow and sheep teeth

q

&

a

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to grow into the mouth and are commonly referred to as third molars. They commonly come in between the ages of 17 and 25, “the Age of Wisdom.” A tooth is impacted when it has developed underneath the gum and not broken through, it is also possible to have a partially impacted tooth. Impacted teeth are typically the most painfully and have a greater risk of infection. As wisdom teeth grow, the roots become longer, which lead to more pain and possible complications. Therefore, it is best to get wisdom teeth removed sooner rather than later.

It is predicted that approximately 85% of wisdom teeth will have to be removed.

February 2008

A Chinese dentist built a tower out of 28,000 teeth

Sharks have at least 40 sets of teeth in their lifetime

What are sensitive teeth?

Tooth sensitivity is a temporary pain that presents itself after eating cold food, drinking cold liquids or breathing cold air. It is caused when the dentin (the underlying layer of the tooth) becomes exposed as a result of receding gum tissue. The dentinal tubules that are left uncovered allow the stimuli (hot, cold, or sweet food) to reach the tooth’s nerve. Common causes include brushing too hard, gingivitis, cracked teeth, age, teeth whitening products plaque build up, acidic foods, and mouthwash. To reduce tooth sensitivity, dentists recommend using a soft bristled toothbrush, using desensitizing toothpaste, using a mouthwash with fluoride and avoid eating too many acidic foods.

B&W

Wisdom teeth removal causes minor inconveniences

The lowdown on teeth whitening

Groggily, senior Jordain Skarphol places an ice pack on her swollen cheeks, just one of the possible side effects of the wisdom teeth removal procedure.

While some people never develop wisdom teeth, Skarphol developed four and had them removed rather than risk letting them grow in and crowd her other teeth.

Skarphol was given laughing gas through an IV and fell asleep shortly after that. After waking up, she slept through the rest of the day and watched a Skarphol movie.

Due to the pain, Skarphol could only eat soft foods such as oatmeal, soup and ice cream.

“I ate fish sticks, but it was hard to chew with my front teeth because you can’t taste anything and that’s why you eat,” Skarphol said.

Following her surgery, Skarphol was given a prescription for the painkiller Hydrocodone. She also takes ibuprofen regularly to help reduce the swelling.

“I have to sit out of P.E. and gymnastics for a week because I can’t risk hitting my face,” Skarphol said. Other than that, Skarphol said she has not had any major inconveniences due to the operation.

Possible side effects from the wisdom tooth removal procedure include numbness, nausea, inflammation and bleeding. Skarphol said she did not experience any of these.

Whitening procedures can be painful, and whitening guidelines should be strictly followed.

Side effects of teeth whitening include tooth sensitivity and gum irritation.

Crest Whitestrips is the #1 dentist-recommended brand of at home kits.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, bleaching is the procedure in the most demand for 20-50 year olds.

According to the Des Moines Dental Group, in-office bleaching costs approximately $400. A dentist first makes custom impressions of the mouth and the molds are sent to a lab to be created. A few weeks later, the patient is fitted with the whitening trays, and then takes the home and uses them for two-four weeks. Results are usually visual within three-five days.

Senior struggles with second go-around of braces

Peroxide and sodium carbonate are the main active Ingredients in teeth bleaching kits.

Student loses two teeth

Senior James Stone was a freshman when he suffered a major fall from the bleachers at the 8/9 building, knocking out his two front teeth.

“I was in the gym playing basketball and I went to the top of the bleachers, Stone said. “I was climbing down them and my foot got caught and I fell.”

Stone, along with his friends Darin Davis and Zach Guyer, both seniors, was unsupervised in the gym when Stone the incident occurred. Although he avoided major surgery, Stone received artificial teeth, called “flippers,” to replace his missing two front teeth. Artificial teeth are most often made from porcelain or plastic.

They are bonded to the root of the missing tooth using various substances, like collagen.

Stone’s teeth are not permanent and can be removed. According to Stone, they have been replaced a few times.

Stone’s fall serves as a humorous memory for his peers. According to fellow students, Stone’s teeth imprints can still be seen on the gym floor of the 8/9 building.

“I think they’re still there,” senior Hunter Warne said of Stone’s imprints.

M O U T H

Anger and confusion were the only emotions senior Colleen Kinsey could feel. Just one year earlier, her orthodontist, Dr. Langwith, had removed her braces. Now, however, she was told she would have to wear braces a second time.

“My orthodontist didn’t pull enough teeth the first time, and the new ones grew in crooked,” Kinsey said “so the new teeth had to be fixed.”

After finding out, Kinsey’s parents were mainly concerned with the cost. Dr. Langwith’s office took responsibility for the mistake and ended up covering the cost for the second set of braces.

“It still sucked because it was braces all over again,” Kinsey Kinsey said.

After having braces removed, patients must wear a retainer to help minimize the chance that the teeth will shift back to their original positions. While most patients wear the retainer at night, Kinsey must wear hers all the time.

“My teeth move really fast,” Kinsey said. “If I don’t wear my retainer for three hours or so, I can start to see my teeth moving.”

Kinsey had the first set of braces put on in sixth grade and didn’t get the second set removed until the summer before her senior year. Total, she wore braces for four years.

INCISOR

An adult human has eight incisors. There are four types of incisors, and they are chisel or wedge shaped, very sharp and are used for biting into food.

incisors

canines

An adult human has four canine teeth, also known as cuspids. They have long roots and are used for tearing food.

Males tend to have larger canines than females.

premolars molars

CANINE

MOLAR

An adult human has four pre-molars and six molars in each jaw. They are the flat-topped teeth located on the side of the mouth and are used for grinding food.

MADNESS

review

12

February 2008

Zimbabwe zones in on awareness

MICHAEL LUNN

B&W

The BookWorm

staff writer

If you die will I get word that you’re gone will I hear it in passing conversation or will I stop short and fall to the ground distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found. These words, sung

by Dispatch in the song EIias, tells the story of a Zimbabwe native, his two sons Honest and Emmanuel, and his wife. The story starts with Chad Urmston, guitarist and vocalist of Dispatch, a ska/reggae/ acoustic/any type of music you can think of band. Urmston met Elias and his family in 1994 while visiting the country. Urmston soon learned of the hardships faced by natives daily such as the increasing AIDS/ HIV rate of 8,500 residents each day, an unemployment percentage that continues to grow, or the fact that like Elias, parents wonder if their kids are ever going to live a better life than they themselves had.

It’s these very views that founded the Elias Fund a few years after Urmston’s visit. Today the non-profit organization focuses on hope and spreading opportunities to Zimbabwean youth through education and taking an active role in their communities.

July 14, 2007 Dispatch put on a benefit concert consisting of three nights in which all proceeds went to helping the people, and more importantly the youth of Zimbabwe. What originally started out as a one night benefit concert quickly turned into a three night awareness show.

Dispatch became the very first independent group to ever sell out Madison Square Garden, let alone sell it out three consecutive nights.

The final piece of the project is the Dispatch: Zimbabwe DVD CD compilation available on DVD, HD, and Blu-Ray. The DVD consists of several minor clips of the band members teaching Zimbabwe kids their songs. It adds a little more to the DVD than just a music dimension, it adds a sense of hope and joy when you watch the kids get ecstatic on each and every single note. Putting these little glimpses in increases the awareness of the problem

BY: Shawna Polen

Green Angel (B)

Provided/Pamela Littky

(A)

(C)

(A) Brad Corrigan of Dispatch plays in the community center for Zimbabwean youth. (B) Chad Urstom, Pete Heimbold, and Brad Corrigan started Dispatch back in their college days at Middlebury College.

(C)The Elias Fund is a non-profit organization that provides hope and opportunity to Zimbabwean youth. through kids emotions around the band members.

Also, the documentary portion adds a little humor by interviewing people on the street on whether or not they had ever heard of the band, not a single person said they had and one guy was right outside the concert, completely oblivious to the posters, shirts, and banners outside of the arena.

The concert starts out with the single “Here We Go” from their second major album, Bang Bang. It was a fitting song, seeing as how I didn’t take my eyes off the screen for the next three and a half hours of concert mate rial. I wish I could tell you which songs to skip over or fast forward through but I can’t, I didn’t find a single performance I wouldn’t have listened to again, but I guess if you’re a slacker fan and only appreciate the popular songs, “The General,” “Outloud,” and “Elias” are

the last three songs.

The only thing that could have made the performance better would have been an addition of a couple of songs, such as “Carry You,” “Hey, Hey,” and “Drive.”

Other than that, the performance is flawless. Urmston gives facials that can only be compared to a less “free-spirited” Dave.

The fact that not a single member of the band played the same instrument throughout the whole concert is a rarity when it comes to popular/up and coming bands. Where as many bands focus on their individual parts such as vocals, bass, and lead, which can cause conflict in a band Dispatch broadens their talent with different instruments.

Overall, go out and buy it, sixteen bucks at Best Buy for in my opinion and should be yours too, Dispatch is the best independent band.. Period. It is!

Old Castle brings in new, foreign taste

BY CHELSEA NELSON

staff writer

Old Castle, an informal Bosnian restaurant, replaced the 5 & 9 Diner on 86th street in November. The new style remains a consistent theme, but the dining experience changes with each visit.

When walking in, there is usually a table available and service is immediate. The background noise is a mixture of techno European music and men chatting in Bosnian at the bar, and the walls are decorated with photos of Bosnia. While the songs add colorfully to the atmosphere, the 50’s style booths and wallpaper that remain from the 5 & 9 Diner clash with the new theme.

Depending on the time of the visit, clothes may smell of smoke when leaving the restaurant. At lunch time there tends to be several people at the bar smoking, so going for dinner is most optimal.

The menu is composed of both traditional American and Bosnian foods, and is nicely designed. However, most of the menu is written in Bosnian and hard to understand. There are also no descriptions of most of the food, making the server have to explain what each dish is.

The food smells good, but visually it is less appealing and a little bland in color.

The veggies seem to be tossed on for the sake of decoration. Nevertheless, the fork dives into the dish, slicing the chickenwrap into bite-sized pieces. The strange

Stephanie Ivankovich/BW

(Left) On the left side of Old Castle is the bar that plays European music. (Right) On the right side of Old Castle is the tables and chairs where one eats their dinner. combination of a somewhat chicken-like taste mixed with the mushiness of the vegetables and gravy is noticeable first.

A slight crunchiness from the breading adds to the combo, making the new food taste even more different from most typical American foods. The rough texture of the outside and the texture of the inside have a somewhat appealing quality.

After taking a drink from the semi-flat root beer, the lightly salted and large sized fries look delicious enough to draw attention from the main dish. The hot fries are mushy but full of flavor, and with a dash of salt the turned out to be very good.

The next dish is the Cevapi, a Bosnian hamburger made with pita bread. While still lacking in appealing colors, the dish smells appetizing with its assortment of veggies on the side. Using a knife and fork with the pita bread, as the bottom bun tends to be soaked with juice. It adds

a delicious touch to the meat, and eating it plain without the extra food like lettuce and tomatoes it the best way to fully enjoy the food’s delicious flavor. The pita bread is sweet and adds to the juicy flavor of the meat. Not as dry as typical burgers, it has tasty juices soaked up into it and is very filling.

Almost all of the food on the menu is less than $10. The cost of the entire dinner is cheap compared to many of the sitdown restaurants around Johnston.

Old Castle is all right in its attempt to add a bit of cultural diversity to our city of run-of-the-mill restaurants. However, the diner is a hit and miss in some places, and the experience differs between the time of day and the dish. If going to a movie at Wynnsong, which is right next to the restaurant, Old Castle could be a good choice to go to, if one makes the right time and food choices.

Alice Hoffman created a masterpiece when she wrote Green Angel, a tale of a young girl losing her way and finding it again.

When Green’s family along with the other towns people burn in a fire, she and the lost children must learn how to survive on their own. The few adults left distance themselves from the children, believing that they are scoundrels and thieves.

While the other children choose to dance, take drugs and steal, Green chooses to lose herself in the ashes. She lost most her sight when burning ashes got into her eyes, she inks herself with drawings of vines, dark roses, bats, ravens and covers herself in thorns. She also takes on the name Ash. She must now rely on her other senses to tell her right, wrong, left, right, and truth from lies. But when she can do all this just by feeling, the people of the city both fear and respect her.

With the help of a hawk, two dogs, two sparrows, her garden, a kind hearted neighbor and another youth named Diamond, Green must search for herself in the ashes.

The character Green has depth that goes beyond the pages of a book. She harbors the feelings of most teens and reacts in similar ways, connecting to the readers.

Hoffman weaves her story so well and with so much detail that while reading it, the audience feels as though it has a movie reel playing in its head. She leaves no stone, pin, or vine not described.

Hoffman’s imagery sets the bar for other authors. I would even go as far to say that Green Angel has the best imagery out of all the books I’ve read over the years. This is one of the books fighting for first on my ‘favorite reads’ list.

The final thing Green Angel offers to its readers, would be it’s symbolism. The best example from the book would be the meaning behind the ink she uses to mark her skin. While in her depressed form, Ash, the ink is black and makes her cold inside. But as she finds herself again, Green’s ink marks turn green and beautiful, reflecting the love and her name that she had to re-fined.

At only 116 pages, Green Angel is an easy but amazing book, bound to touch your heart.

ReadingTip

When searching for a book to read, pick a topic you’re interested in, then expand your readings from there.

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

feature

13

Moody

February 2008

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aking

Hunsberger accepted to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago LAUREN GEHRKE

staff writer

Sitting in his brother’s car, letter in hand, senior Nick Hunsberger knew the next four years of his life depended on what the envelope contained.

“I was really nervous,” Hunsberger said. “I’m usually calm, but I was freaking out. My brother made me open the letter in front of him so he could see what it said, too.”

Hunsberger had applied to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, right before the Dec. 1 deadline.

Moody is a non-denominational school that only offers majors in Biblical teachings or missionary work.

It is a difficult school to get into because there is no tuition. Tuition is free because it was Dwight Moody’s vision that students could come and learn the word of God and go straight out into ministry without a lot of debt. Moody has hundreds of supporters around the world that help make that vision possible. Students only have to pay for room and board and the annual fees.

“I chose Moody because they focus on some academics, but mostly they focus on your spiritual life and what you want to do with that,” Hunsberger said. “I have good grades and it helped, but not much.”

Former youth pastor, Matt Mayse, attended Moody from 1991 - 1995, when it was much easier to get in.

“It’s a 100 times tighter to get in now,” Mayse said. “The demand is so much bigger.”

If Hunsberger had not been accepted to Moody he was looking at Liberty University in Virginia, or Grace University in Omaha, Neb. He chose Moody for its close location, the fact that it is an elite school, and the free tuition, which will help because he has to pay for his own college. Hunsberger knows people who have attended Moody, and a speaker came to his church last year that inspired him to go to Moody, too. Getting in just made Hunsberger’s choice easier.

Moody offers only Biblical teachings, and Hunsberger eventually wants to be a senior pastor. He is a student leader in his youth group at First Federated Church and he is on the worship team for the whole church as well as the youth group.

Getting into Moody is not hard only because of the free tuition. It was not easy for Hunsberger either. Hunsberg-

Students THOMAS LASHIER

“

Provided/Nick Hunsberger

(Above) Senior Nick Hunsberger waits for his cue during a rehearsal for show choir. (Below) Hunsberger sings at Des Moines Christian School for a Wednesday night chapel. He helps lead the youth group worship team and helps in the main church worship team at his church, First Federated. Hunsberger will attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago this fall. He eventually wants to be a senior pastor.

”

I knew if God didn’t want me to go there, I wouldn’t make it.

-Nick Hunsberger

er had many essays to write about his spiritual life, how he was a leader in his church, and his beliefs on secular things such as drinking, smoking, and dancing.

“I didn’t exactly skip classes but I spent my time in AP Stats working on essays instead of paying attention,” Hunsberger said.

Essays were not the only hard part about applying Moody. Hunsberger broke up with his girlfriend over his deciding to go to Moody because is Catholic and did not agree with his decision. He felt God’s calling and went with it despite the obstacles.

Things were not really easy, but faith and prayer are what Hunsberger believes got him in.

“I knew if God didn’t want me to go there, I wouldn’t make it,” Hunsberger said.

Provided/Nick Hunsberger

BRAKE on driving desire

staff writer

For most students, the ability to drive represents individual freedom and an escape from parent pick-ups.

However, not all students are so excited to get behind the wheel.

“I just was never really that excited by driving,” Chris Oatts, a sophomore, said. “I never really saw what the big deal was.”

Oatts is 16, making him eligible for a driver’s license, but he has yet to obtain his driver’s permit.

“I just never really was dead set on driving like most other kids,” Oatts said. “Thus far it hasn’t really been too much of a problem.”

Oatts is not alone. Junior Zach Stevens, 17, still has not taken the permit test.

“Never tried,” Stevens says of the test. “I got a good bunch of friends who pretty much take care of me in that department. I don’t really need it.”

Oatts has taken the permit test once. “I tried, but I didn’t really study so it didn’t work out too well,” Oatts said. “I’ll get it eventually.”

Oatts and Stevens are just two examples of several students who are eligible to drive but are in no hurry to go through all the hassle of getting a driver’s license or permit. However, they are in the minority.

According to a June 2007 study by the Iowa Department of Transportation, there are 33,212 16-year-olds in the state of Iowa that have earned their driver’s license or permit. That number jumps up to 35,482 when the person is 17 years old. There are 8,160 people with their driver’s permit in Polk County alone.

Driving Data qualified Iowans have a 73% ofvalid driver’s license people in Polk county with a valid driver’s license or permit

11.5

267,800

students with school permits are 11.5 times more likely to be involved in a crash than students with a regular permit

Stats from Iowa Driver Records from Iowa Dept. of Transportation

The study also showed that there are 1,778 more teen girls with driver’s permits than teen boys across Iowa.

Both boys recognize the disadvantages of not being able to drive. Without his own license, Oatts is forced to rely on others for his transportation.

“My brothers take me to school and band stuff,” Oatts said. “We’re in a lot of the same stuff so its pretty convenient. I do take a lot of crap, as you can imagine, for my brothers driving and not me.”

Stevens agreed that being on someone else’s trans-

portation schedule can create problems.

“Sometimes you get stuck without a ride, which sucks,” Stevens said. “But usually it’s not a big deal at all.”

Since most of their peers have permits or licenses, the boys often find themselves on the receiving end of some good-natured jokes. Oatts says that some of his friends give him a hard time about not having his permit.

“They do (give me a hard time), but I just brush it off because it doesn’t really bother me,” Oatts said. “I get around just fine.”

Although there are several disadvantages to not having a license, Stevens thinks the positives are nice, too.

“I don’t need gas money or insurance,” Stevens said.

Oatts also enjoys not having to worry about extra responsibilities.

“I don’t have to worry about getting blamed for accidents and such,” Oatts said.

Although the boys appreciate all the free rides from friends and family, Oatts and Stevens both plan on getting their permits in the near future.

“I’ll probably go get it soon so I can drive by my senior year,” Stevens said.

Oatts has more time before senior year than Stevens does, but he is still feeling the growing pressure to drive.

“I’m thinking that I am probably going to be forced to drive in the near future,” Oatts said. “So I’ll keep you updated on that.”

14

feature

February 2008

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{ }

Provided/David Cox

Left: The mess hall at Bancroft Hall. Bancroft Hall is the only dorm at the Naval Academy. Middle: Senior David Cox with Iowa Representative Leonard Boswell. Cox received a congressional nomination from Boswell. Right: The Naval Academy bus. The bus transported the applicants from the airport to the Academy.

Senior seeks entry into Naval Academy BRYAN LIPPINCOTT staff writer

Stumbling down an a hallway to what he knows will be a grueling day senior, David Cox starts his sea trials at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland at 4 a.m.

The trials are approximately 12 hours long, according to Cox, and consist of a three mile run, followed by various stations where applicants do sprints, leg lifts, and work as a team to lift timbers. This is followed a one mile endurance obstacle course and swimming for an hour. “We also participated in martial arts bouts, wrestling where eight people were put in a ring and competed to stay in the ring and the last person in the ring wins,” Cox said. “There were also tug-a-war contests with ropes that are used to dock ships at the Academy.”

After the physical test, applicants were given five minutes to shower and line up in the commons where they were subjected to a mock hazing where they are lined up in the commons of Bancroft Hall, the only dorm.

“You basically have to keep staring forward without moving while they yell at you, and make you recite rates (ranks of the Navy and Marine Corps and mission of the academy,” Cox said. “I remember one of the kids was (overweight) and the officers lit into him until he started crying. He ended up slumped against the wall at the end.”

Cox was one of the final 1,800 applicants to be considered for admission into the Academy this summer.

He had to stay at the academy as a part of its summer seminar program. “It was really interesting to meet and work with all the other candidates.”

To apply at the Naval Academy, there are no set requirements, except a congressional nomination. Cox received nominations from Iowa congressman Leonard

Boswell and Senators Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley this fall. The Academy also looks for a strong academic background, high test scores (Cox received a 31 on his ACT), and leadership qualities.

Cox is also an Eagle Scout, which according to him, is a definite plus because only about 10 percent of midshipmen are Eagle Scouts.

Cox has wanted to go to the Naval Academy since eighth grade, and wants to enter the Marines as a career and someday become a general. He was medically disqualified because of a shoulder injury, but he is currently waiting to see if he will be granted a waiver. If he gets the waiver, he is confident he will get an appointment (be admitted). If he does not get in, Cox plans to attend Iowa State, and join the Marine Corps after college.

March is the latest he could be informed.

Cox will be following in the footsteps of his father Steve, who was a First Lieutenant in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam conflict. “I think my experience has had some influence on David,” Steve said. “I know what demands he will be faced with, and I hope he can cope with the rigors, stay focused and be successful.”

Cox’s mother, Jennifer Wilson, is a little wary of him entering the military with the way world affairs are. “I worry that he will be on active duty somewhere,” Wilson said.

Both parents recognize that this has been a goal of Cox’s for some time, and they are behind him 100 percent. “I hope that he gets to do whatever he sets his mind to, and that he is happy,” Wilson said. “I’m very proud of him.”

Steve knew that Cox’s goal of a career in the military would be helped by a degree from the Academy. “I think it’s great,” Steve said.

If Cox gets in, he will have to pay an up front cost of $10,000, which is the only cost for an education at

Candidate

Fitness Assessment

three-minute rest between each activity

[2 minutes]

11

[2 minutes]

55

Pull-ups

Push-ups

Basketball Throw

80 95 max

[from baseline]

Sit-ups

[2 minutes]

Mile Run

(minutes)

(feet)

6

30-feet Shuttle [seconds]

8.5

the Academy, valued at $350,000. The $10,000 covers things like uniforms, a sword and his computer.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the military, and I’ve always wanted to be the best at whatever I’m doing,” Cox said, “and the Naval Academy will allow me to do that.”

No more pencils, no more books

Students cram in their required courses in order to graduate early Jordan Van Essen staff writer As 10:00 a.m. arrives, eighteen year-old Kayla Birmingham heads off the to the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) Campus in her Honda Civic for her first class of the day, usually Marriage and Family. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she will have to climb out of bed even earlier to go to class at 8:00, after which she will have a two-and-a half-hour break until her next class. In the afternoon and evening, Birmingham spends most of her time working in the dairy department at the Hy-Vee in Johnston.

Unlike most of her other peers, Birmingham made the choice to graduate at semester. She is one of five or six students who have decided to graduate early, either at the end of their junior year or the end of their first semester during their senior year.

According to guidance counselor Stephanie Guthrie, Students who want to graduate early must first set up a meeting with principal Bruce Hukee, their counselor and their parents. In this meeting, they will be asked why they want to graduate early and if they have enough courses and credits to graduate.

“The students will need to have at least 21 credits by the time they plan on graduating early,” Guthrie said.

“And they must have a legitimate reason or explanation for why they want to graduate ahead of time. Obviously they must be passing classes and be ahead in credits if they plan on graduating early.”

Guthrie said that students planning on graduating a semester early must take second semester government their junior year. Students desiring to graduate a year

Jordan Van Essen/ BW

Senior Kayla Birmingham stocks milk in the dairy department at Johnston’s Hy-Vee. Birmingham graduated at the end of first semester. early must double up on their government and history courses, take four English classes, double up on P.E. classes, and take any of their other required core classes as well.

“To graduate early, I had to complete all the courses that were required for me to graduate early.” Birmingham said. “I didn’t take second semester government in my junior year, so I had to complete an independent Kirkwood (Community College) government secondsemester course. I took three English classes my junior year so I only had to take one writing class my last se-

mester. I also took P.E. everyday.”

After finishing her studies at DMACC in the fall, Birmingham said that she plans on attending the University of Iowa where she will major in education, although she is unsure which area of education to study. She said that she also plans on joining the National Guard soon.

Birmingham said she decided to graduate a semester early because of boredom with high school and a desire to continue on to her secondary education as well as a new phase in her life.

“For me, I feel like I have more time, freedom, and a lot more responsibility. There is no one there watching over you and making sure you get your stuff done; its either you do it or you don’t and suffer the consequences. Also, (the) classes and grading are different (in that) most of my classes have no other grades than test grades. So either you go to class and take notes and read or you’re out of luck for the test.”

Guthrie said that she believes that the reason there are so few students who graduate early each year is because many students want to graduate with their friends and experience all the perks of being a senior. Guthrie said that although she encourages anyone who plans on graduating early, she suggests that they should first look into the opportunities that Johnston offers such as post secondary courses that can be taken at the Des Moines Central College and DMACC campuses.

Birmingham, on the other hand said that graduating early is a great opportunity for students who can handle the rigorous amount of coursework that is required to do so. She advises any student who is planning on graduating early to have their post-graduation plans in the bag, and to not graduate early just to get out of high school.

She said that it is not something to take lightly.

feature up-and-coming

15

Your t c e p Mother Res

February 2008

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UPTON Sophomore, Katie Upton, blows away the music department with her talent and determination

KALLEN KRAMER staff writer

Cosmetics Kill Sharks CICELY GORDON backpage editor Oceana, the international marine conservation organization, is engaged in a campaign to end the use of sharkbased squalene in cosmetic products.

Europe is a major force in the production and trade. The campaign has included an investigation of fishing ports and cosmetic shops, as well as discussions with cosmetic companies and squalene manufacturers to gather information about this product and the sharks it is coming from.

Recently Oceana has received notice that Unilever, a company famous for many name brand products has decided to remove shark squalene from its cosmetic brands, such as Pond’s and Dove. The shark squalene will be replaced with a plant-based version.

These new animal friendly products are expected to appear on market shelves beginning April 2008.

With temperatures plummeting and furnaces running non-stop, it’s hard to maintain moisturized skin. Squalene is a key ingredient in various cosmetic products that help. Shark liver is a main source of squalene merely because one shark will produce a great quantity. Deep-sea sharks are especially targeted because their livers can compromise up to one-third of their total weight. Sometimes these animals are hunted specifically for the oil they provide and have consequently contributed to the dramatic population decline of certain species. Some are even listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Oceana has been campaigning to end the wasteful deepsea gillnet fishery for sharks in the Northeast Atlantic since 2005.

The frustrating thing about sharkbased squalene is that there is a readily available substitute on the market.

Squalene can also be obtained from olives. It has the exact same qualities of animal-based squalene and it is less expensive than the animal-based version.

Unilever has joined other European-based cosmetic companies with their decision to end using the sharkbased product. L’Oreal is currently in the process of switching to the plantbased product, but Beiersdorf, LVMH, Henkel, Boots, Clarins, Sisley, and La Mer have either made the decision to stop using animal-based squalene, or had a policy to never use it in the first place.

Because sharks are slow-growing, long-lived, and produce few young, they are especially vulnerable to over fishing. Their populations can not recover at the same rate they are being exploited. This becomes a problem when you think about what a crucial role they play in the balance and health of our marine ecosystems. Today over one-third of European shark and related ray populations are threatened with extinction.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this column, send email to swizzles17@hotmail.com.

long have you been Q: How involved in music?

A: I became interested and involved in music when my older sister, Jessica, began to take piano lessons. I wanted to be just like her, so I began to take piano lessons too, and I really loved it.

Q: A:

How much time do you spend practicing?

Q:

What was the audition process for the Honor Band of America?

A:

When I auditioned as a freshman, all that I had to do was make a recording of myself playing an etude or concerto. When I auditioned again last fall, it was a lot more complicated. They gave everyone who wanted to audition a program called SmartMusic for their computers.

You put a microphone on your instrument and the program listens to what you’re playing and follows you. To make a recording to submit, I had to read music right off of the computer screen that was pre-selected by the judges. I could only make 15 recordings of each piece of music, and once my teacher, Mrs. Heidbreder, and I had the recording that we wanted, we sent it electronically to a panel of judges.

Provided/Katie Upton

you plan on pursuing a Q: Domusical career?

It depends on how much homework I have, and if I had a study hall that day to practice in, but usually about 20-30 minutes on each of my main instruments. Sometimes when I’m done, I’ll just mess around on some of my notso-serious instruments if I feel like it.

A:

Fa ll 2005 SCIBA Honor Band

I really love how so many people from so many different backgrounds can come together to make a beautiful, unified sound that everyone can appreciate. It’s almost like you get a glimpse of how the world could be if music applied to everything in life.

Yes, I plan on getting involved in movie score music, and then hopefully when Jeff Nelson, the horn player in Canadian Brass, is done in the group, I’d love to audition.

I want to pursue a musical career because I love the way that music can reach out to someone and affect them so much. I’d love to have the chance to really touch someone through a simple and beautiful moment in music.

are you involved in Q: What at the school musically?

A:

I’m in symphonic band, wind ensemble, marching band, pep band, jazz ensemble, Synergy Band, and Innovation Band.

does your family inQ: How fluence your music?

A:

Spring 2003 Spring 2005 Winter 2005 Solo Contest Solo Contest IBA Honor 1+ 1+ Band Spring 2004 Solo Contest 1+

do you enjoy band Q: Why and music?

A:

My family has always been really supportive of me. My mom and dad come with me to almost all of my auditions and performances, and they’re always willing to go out of their way to do anything that will help my music. They also give me advice on a lot of things like performance etiquette and which pieces of music they like versus other music. My grandparents help pay for all of my lessons, and my sisters like to give me advice from their experiences with their music. Jessica is probably the most involved of my sisters, especially when it comes to composition.

She is always ready to give me her opinion.

Fall 2006 Selected for Honor Band of America

Fall 2006 Spring 2006 Solo Contest 1 Selected for All-State

what she plays...

Winter 2006 SCIBA Honor Band Spring 2007 Awarded 9th grade Band Director’s Award

INSTRUMENTS AGE Piano

6

Trumpet

9

French Horn

10

Guitar

12

Clarinet

12

Trombone

13

Mellophone

14

Baritone

16

Ukulele

16

Fall 2007 Selected for All-State Fa ll 2007 Selected for the Des Moines Youth Symphony

Winter 2007 Selected for Honor Orchestra of America Winter 2007 SCIBA Honor Band

February 2008

Duane

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dungeon

16

HATFIELD Compiled by Kyle Hanson

Stats

Provided/Bruce Badgley

Junior Duane Hatfield grapples his Urbandale opponent at a home

meet on Jan. 17. Hatfield uses his relatively smaller size, and quick speed to his advantage, to get around larger opponents.

Junior takes on new role for team

HEIGHT: 6’2” WEIGHT: 230 lbs WEIGHT CLASS: 285 lbs YEARS WRESTLED: 2 NICKNAME: “Suki”

At 6’2” and 230 pounds, junior Duane Hatfield has never been known as an underdog. However, he has taken on a new role for wrestling this year.

As a sophomore he wrestled at 189 lbs and this year made the jump to heavyweight (285). Although many of his opponents are larger and have more wrestling experience, Hatfield compensates by being quicker and even stronger. Every pound in wrestling gives the wrestler an advantage. This puts Hatfield a great disadvantage and causes him to work extremely hard.

“A lot of the same work ethic and effort he showed in football he brings to wrestling which is a great thing,” head wrestling coach Mark Schillerstrom said.

Hatfield is getting used to his new role and has lots of goals for his senior year.

“I want to continue to wrestle and place at conference and districts.” Hatfield said.

“Many times his reactions are faster because he isn’t as big, and his athletic qualities help him where others may struggle,” Schillerstrom said.

Q&

A

with Duane Hatfield

Favorite wrestling move?

“The ‘turk.’ It’s pretty easy, you just lift their leg and put yours in between.”

Most memorable match?

“My match against Urbandale because I dominated. I was up 7-0 when I pinned him in the second round.”

What are your wrestling aspirations?

“I want to continue to wrestle and place at conference and districts.”

Provided/Bruce Badgley

Duane Hatfield, junior, takes down his Urbandale opponent. Hatfield pinned his man in the second round while leading 7-0.

February 2008

sports

17

Guyer to kick off career at I.S.U.

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JULIA MANNING

staff writer

Standing in at 6’3”, 175 pounds, the guy who got fans cheering, “Guyer is good,” has achieved more than good. Senior Zach Guyer has recently signed a letter of intent, for a full ride scholarship, with the Iowa State University football program.

Guyer, is “honored” to be one of only two Division I football players to come out of Johnston in the last ten years, Quinn Sypnewski, who went on to play at The University of Colorado, being the other. Although, playing college football hasn’t always been his dream. “I didn’t know I could kick, I always just thought I’d play college soccer, but then I realized I had a shot at kicking for football, and made playing Division I my goal, “Guyer said. He reached that goal when he signed the 6th of this month.

Guyer first realized he had a chance at kicking, his freshman year during a summer camp where he kicked with coach Matt Todd.

Achieving his goal wasn’t always easy, Guyer suffered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his junior year, which took him four months of hard work and physical therapy to recover.

He also had to go through the long monotonous process called recruiting.

The summer going into his senior year, Mark Heide, a hired recruiting agent helped him to fill out a statistic profile, and make a highlight tape that was sent to almost every college in the nation, it was then a waiting game to see which colleges would contact him.

Guyer also attended many football camps in effort to get noticed, some major ones took place in Nebraska, Ames, Wisconsin, and Houston. Some of the big colleges that took interest to him included, The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Texas Tech, and Illinois. Coaches constantly contacting him with interest took its toll, “I have missed church league games before because I am always on the phone, and I receive many random nightly calls from various colleges, it sometimes got annoying, with the smaller colleges that I had no interest in always calling, and I would still have to be nice, “ Guyer said.

Guyer decided to commit to Iowa State’s offer after he met with their coaches and went on visits; they also waited to offer until their season was over. “To finally commit was such a relief to just have it all be over with, to not have to be

(LEFT) Senior Zach Guyer signs his letter of intent on National Signing Day, February 6th.

He will be predominately kicking, and possibly being the back-up punter at Iowa State University.

(BELOW) Senior captains Nathan Clock, Taylor Young, Zach Guyer and Darin Davis, take the field for the coin toss to begin a game. The last Johnston student, other than Guyer to receive a Division 1 scholarship for football ended up in the NFL (Quinn Sypniewski).

Provided/Deena Byrd

Provided/Larry Guyer

Amanda Gabbert/Dragon

Provided/Deena Byrd

stressed with it anymore,” Guyer said.

Although, Guyer will have a bit of a transition to make, going from playing a high school level versus as collegiate one, there are many differences. One of those changes being the fact that he will now have to kick off the ground instead of a block, which, according to Guyer, makes the sweet spots harder to the ball. There are also smaller more narrow goal posts, which will make things more difficult, but Guyer says that they are not that much

different. “ The atmosphere is going to be a huge change, going from playing in a stadium of 8,000 people to college stadiums that can hold 60,000 people, with all the fans, and the pressure of being a freshman coming in a potentially playing is going to be crazy,” Guyer said.

Potentially being the key word there, Iowa State has also just signed Grant Mahoney from Linn Mar as another kicker. They did this because they didn’t

want a freshman to be handling all the kicks, so the two will have to compete for their spots, and share to work. According to Guyer, the coaching staff has talked about having one of them do kick offs, and the other field goals, but it’s all still up in the air.

Off the field, Guyer is planning on being some sort of a business major at the University, and is looking forward to that.

“I am really excited and anxious to begin play at the collegiate level,” Guyer said.

Injuries shrink girl s’ lin eup Te a m l o s e s f o u r ke y p l ay e r s NELS ENGBLOM

staff writer

As practice begins, the team huddles around coach Rich Gradoville. The huddle is smaller then usual though. Four starters are missing.

Since the beginning of the season, the girls basketball team has been without senior Leah Kron, juniors Abby Sonner and Katelyn Sunde, and freshman Tory Knuth.

“It has been really hard not being able to play, but I learn some things by watching the team,” Sunde said.

As a result of the injuries, the depth chart has been stretched very thin, especially at the post position where three of the injured players frequently played. To fill the position, sophomore Rachel Chapman has been playing varsity.

“She is doing a great job playing varsity after leaving her sophomore team,” Sonner said.

In addition to lacking experience, the team has missed inside height this year.

“I was one of the tallest players on the team,” Sonner said.

As far as recovery, each player is facing a different situation. Kron is recovering from several injuries, eer most recent a severe case of tendonopothy. Tendonopothy is like chronic tendonitis she said. Doctor’s recommendations and severe pain will likely keep her sidelined for the rest of the year. Kron hopes to play intramural in college depend on the future condition of her knee.

The player expected to return the soonest is Sunde.

After fracturing her foot early in the season, she recently returned to practice. Before she was cleared to participate in practice, Sunde rehabbed on the sidelines.

“I did some exercises when I could during practice,” Sunde said.

She retuned to games on Feb. 1.

After tearing two ligaments in her shoulder over a year ago, Sonner is not expected to return. Prior to the season, she underwent surgery to repair her shoulder.

“I am actually ahead of schedule for recovery,” Sonner said Knuth has not played since suffering a stress fracture in her foot in the third week of the season. She is not expected to return this year.

Junior Katelyn Sunde

pushes the ball down the court in a game at Dowling Catholic. Sunde returned from a foot injury on Feb. 1.

Abby Weaver/Dragon

February 2008

sports

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18

FANS OF The

Game

PLayers

(From left to Right)

#15 Adam Emmenecker #23 Josh Parker #4 Brent Heemskerk #20 Josh Young #5 Leonard Houston

Fans

(From left to Right)

Drake seniors Justin Howell and Keith Gorczya

With the second-best record in the country and the best in school history, is it time for you to jump on the Drake basketball bandwagon?

DWIGHT LYKINS

staff writer

Here in Iowa, everyone knows “The Big Four” you’ve got UNI, ISU, U of I and um...ah?

Until this year Drake was not at the forefront when someone thought of the basketball scene in the state, but now after winning the mythical state championship and with players like Josh Young, who is only a sophomore and will return next year, Drake’s fan base is growing larger then ever.

The thing everyone knows is Drake is off to the best record in school history, (22-1 overall and 13-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference) and for the first time ever, Drake has sold out six consecutive home games, packing the Knapp Center with 7,000-plus fans a game.

Junior Zach Jensen has stayed faithful to Drake over several seasons.

W L L

“I’ve lived though awful seasons, it’s good we start having a good one,” Jensen said. “Selling out games is crazy, it never happens it makes everything better. Every Drake fan has been waiting a long time for this. It doesn’t really bother me that there’s a bandwagon.” Jensen said.

Teacher Tim Brickley admits to jumping on the bandwagon.

“I’ve gone to the games before this.

But now if someone starts to say they have Drake tickets, I always take them,” Brickley said. “Yeah, I guess I’m part of the bandwagon. (But) being a basketball coach, it’s fun to have a good team in town.”

Drake fever is not only in occurring in Des Moines, though. Drake is gaining national press coverage, with coach Keno Davis making appearances on ESPN, and conversations that never happened last year on shows like “Sound-Off” on local channel WHO.

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Note: At the time of press, Drake’s record was 22-1 and 13-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

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“Even if the Valley was down, it would be a good mix of that and talent from players like Josh Young. That kid’s a sophomore.” Brickley said.

Freese shares the same sentiment as Brickley.

“I don’t think its just luck,” Freese said. “We haven’t had all easy games at all. I think the hard work is giving a well deserved season.”

Do true fans have faith that next year will be the same, or will Drake be a team forgotten? “Faith, yeah, to be a fan, you have to have faith,” Freese said. “(As to next season,) I have faith, I guess it really depends on who shows up and who steps up.”

Drake continues its regular season with games against Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, ninth-ranked Butler, and Wichita State. See what staff members think will happen below, and see how far they think Drake’s win streak will take the team.

HOW OUR STAFF THINKS DRAKE WILL FINISH

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“Coach (Keno Davis) really learned a lot from his dad, Dr. Tom,” sophomore Meredith Freese said. “And the atmosphere inside (the Knapp Center) is so good. So I thing it really helps the team.”

But what makes a Drake fan? “I’ve been going to games for 18 years,” senior Tucker Vasey said. “It hasn’t always been bad seasons. This year is just the best in a while.”

Jensen has also held season tickets for several years.

“I’ve been going since I was about Zach Jensen eight (years old). My dad works (at Drake), so I just kind of grew up a fan,” Jensen said. “The games are better now too, like the white out against Creighton wouldn’t have happened and wouldn’t have been as cool last year.”

Is this season just luck and the result of a down season for the rest of the Missouri Valley? Everyone seems to agree that the answer is no.

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IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

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sports

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February 2008

B&W

Leah Kron/Dragon

State champs continue success

The state championship girls’ volleyball team lines up before a match. All but a couple of the girls from the team are competing together on a USA Volleyball Junior Olympic development program, coached by guidance counselor Curt Larkin.

Athletes continue playing together, compete in Junior Olympic volleyball development program SCOTT MONROE

staff writer

The varsity volleyball team won the 4-A state championship in November of last year. One would say said feat was a storybook ending for the graduating seniors, pending college play. One would be wrong, for most of the volleyball team

continues to compete, participating in a development program for the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic program (USAVBJO).

The recently formed team, coached by counselor Curt Larkin, includes nearly every varsity player from the championship team, and most of them play for the Johnston Volleyball Club (VBC). Currently, Larkin is the only CAP certified coach (Coaching Accreditation Program) with any national championship experience in Johnston VBC. While most of the players play on JVBC, Taylor and Tory Knuth compete on a club called the Iowa Power Volleyball Association (IPVA) out of Ankeny.

The Johnston and Ankeny teams are scheduled to play each other in an upcoming tournament. Players on both sides are looking forward to this highly anticipated match.

“It will be interesting because I have

played with them and I know what their strengths and weaknesses are,” junior Kari Queck said. “It might give me an advantage because I know how they play, but it will still be tough because they are both really good players.”

Some of the differences between the two clubs include the level of coaching and competition. Clubs like IPVA play nationally, varying from National Qualifying tournaments to Regional invitationals throughout the country, hoping to gain exposure to national and college coaches from all over the country.

The USAVBJO is a grass roots effort to increase the participation and level of skill in volleyball.

The team practices on Thursdays and Sundays, 7:30-9:00 p.m. The practices usually take place in the middle or high school’s gym. They are perfectly normal, with one exception.

“We do a lot of different drills,” ju-

nior Taylor Chesnut said. “We don’t do sprints because that’s one of Larkin’s philosophies, but we run back and forth a lot during drills, like to get balls.”

Playing together in the off-season has its benefits for the players, and they’re able to get to know each other better, even though some of the players are not active right now because of injuries or other commitments.

“Some of the people aren’t on the team, but we’re all good enough friends that the chemistry of the team isn’t really affected during the regular season,” Queck said.

The players’ feel they are improving, as well as having fun doing it.

“We have fun because we are all friends, so we joke around a lot,” Chesnut said. “At the beginning we were all terrible at it, because we weren’t used to the new techniques, but now I think we are all a lot better with it.”

Students shovel track in preparation for season HALEY JOHNSON

staff writer

The official track season starts in February, but some members of the track team have taken pre-season training to an extreme.

Running in below zero weather, while snow is falling, would be considered torture to most people, but for seniors Mike Schultz, Grant Jacobson and David Cox, it is just considered another workout.

“Most of us get out of school after sixth period, so that’s usually when we start shoveling,” Schultz said. “Usually one of us will begin to shovel, while the others warm-up and stretch, and then we’ll rotate to take turns.

The boys contacted the Drake University track coach to see if they could use the practice track, located next to the stadium, but it was unavailable for use. They had used the high school’s track last winter to train on, so after their unsuccessful efforts down at Drake, they decided to use the track at school.

“We get the best workout on the track, it is where we have always run, and it makes it easier for us to breathe if we’re outside,” Cox said.

Although treadmills, and indoor tracks, are a cozy alternative to running outside in the cold, the three boys seem to agree that it trains them better.

“Running on a treadmill can be tedious and at times boring,” long-distance coach

Patrick Mattingly said. “I would rather have athlete’s run outside with the correct amount of clothing.”

Mattingly feels running on a track will decrease the amount of injuries, and increase endurance. It is better to run against the wind when starting out with your run, and then finishing up with the wind on the way home.

“The track is longer, and it has everything measured out already, plus people don’t get in your way,” Schultz said.

Schultz, Jacobson, and Cox believe that running outside helped them with their season last year, and feel it will have the same effect this year.

“I think it always makes a difference when you have your athletes prepare for their season prior to the season actually starting,” Mattingly said. “The better shape they are in the less apt they will be hurt and more possibilities for them to be successful.” By engaging in pre-season training the boys hope to be built up as best as they can, so they can enter the season with that already out of the way.

“It’s sort of like weight training; if you train out of season it makes it better when you are in season,” Schultz said. “We did the same thing last year, and I think that it makes a huge difference.”

Pre-season training is important to every sport. “The one thing that every athlete needs to keep in mind is that there is a chance that overtraining can lead to injuries and the nervous system weakening,” sprinters’ coach Patrick Honkomp said.

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Tips from the coaches

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“Sprinters/Throwers/Jumpers, should be in the weight room working on explosive exercises and plyometrics,” Honkomp said.

“Go out and run 20-30 miles each week,” Mattingly said.

“Distance runners should be putting in miles. Their weight room activities should consist of higher repetitions and possibly circuit training to keep the cardiovascular system working during the strength training,” Honkomp said.

“It is a good idea to get one to two long runs in a week with shorter distances incorporated in your workout through the week,” Mattingly said.

backpage

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Primer

February 2008

B&W

Planned Parenthood

Katie Bradshaw Marketing generalist

Mission Statement

The mission of Planned Parenthood of Greater Des Moines is to be a leader in providing accessible reproductive health care, education, and advocacy; responsive to the needs and rights of families and individuals.

Services

Planned parenthood provides a variety of reproductive services including annual pap smear and breast exams, all forms of birth control and emergency contraceptive prescriptions, STD testing and treatment, vaginal infection checks and treatments, sexual assault attention, confidential HIV testing, and pregnancy care, counseling and treatment.

Confidentiality

By policy, Planned Parenthood offers strict confidentiality to all patients. Employees cannot provide information to parents, even upon request. Staff asks during registration where to call and mail results and will not identify themselves.

Patients can receive services through a discounted program if they do not want to file with family insurance. “Although we do this, we highly recommend talking with your parents and making decisions like this together,” Morton said.

Pregnancy

When a female comes in with a pregnancy, the staff or a clinic physician sit down with the individual and discuss her three options: to carry the baby and raise it, go through the pregnancy and place the baby up for adoption, or to terminate the pregnancy.

“We don’t make decisions for people,” Bradshaw said. “We don’t tell them what to do. We give them all the information about all of the options. We want to make every child a wanted child.”

Payment

Payments for service by Planned Parenthood vary based on procedure and patient income. Private health insurance can provide funding if it falls under a personal plan, or individuals can qualify for the agency’s discounted program.

PlanSmart is a program specifically designed for free birth control, exams, and counseling. To qualify, an individual must be between the ages of 13-44, be an Iowa resident, U.S. citizen or qualified immigrant, and provide proof of moderate to low income.

Importance

“Planned Parenthood is about empowering women to do what’s best for them and their families,” Morton said. Morton stressed the importance of having at least an annual exam, even if one cannot afford it.

“What you do today impacts the rest your life,” Bradshaw said.

Locations 1000 E. Army Post Road Des Moines, IA 50315 (515) 285-6200

10534 New York Ave. Urbandale, IA 50322 (515) 276-8005

2304 University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50311 (515) 280-7002

200 Army Post Rd.,Ste. 26 Des Moines, IA 50315 (515) 953-7560

Compiled by Cicely Gordon, Backpage Editor, and Torey Robinson, Feature Editor.

Jennifer Morton Outreach Coordinator