October 2009

the black and white. oct 2009. volume 19 issue 3. 5152780449. 6501 NW 62nd ave. johnston. iowa one copy free

ON THE COVER designed by Kallen Kramer

check us out online www.theblackandwhiteonline.com

NEWS 3

Race for the Cure

4

Study skills class

p7

10 11

Student body starts a team to help the cause New class helps improve skills

Generation Un-handy

Lack of communication in the high school

OPINION

Antidepressents

7

Dress Code

Pro vs. Con on the meds

Look at the most talented dudes

are POINTLESS! nobody likes carnations

DUNGEON

FASHION

20

Best shoe for you

14

Looking at fashion inspiration from back when

FEATURE 15

Reggie’s Sleepout

16

Good Samaritans

Pray travels to record for new musical group Kara Anderson helps animals

Drop Outs

ACT prep

8

Not sure on the change

ENTERTAINMENT Funny Internet sites

9

p18

STAFF JM KK LG

EDITORS IN CHIEF Julia Manning

17

Black&White profiling

Kallen Kramer layout

Lauren Gehrke managing

21

Boys in Brazil

22

Drew Jackson

23

Hockey

18

Isaac Laffey

24

p8

Philip Mortens opinion

Eric Oatts entertainment

Kelly McGowan fashion

Kiera Morrill photo

Purple/Gold teams prepare for swimming

Parking lot etiquette

How to act and not make people mad

i

p4

SUB-EDITORS

news

Overcoming injury

BACKPAGE

Students enjoy a break in wildlife

CC PM EO KM KM

Father and son, coach and athlete

B&W explores

Jake Perington

Catherine Caracci

Michael Stoeker

Story behind the trophy

F my life, failblog, ect. explored

p21

Gentle Giant

SPORTS

Where do they go?

is unecessary

CPR requirements

Caffeine

Dangerous addiction

DOUBLE TRUCK

Needs to be looked at

NHS fundraisers

19

Best boy singers

index

6

HEALTH

Which is the scariest of them all?

12/13 ACT profile

EDITORIAL 5

p20

p8 and 12-13 Classic horror movies

BW KK MK DL KS

Brennan Winget lifestyle

Kelsey Kruse feature

Matt Knoedel sports

Dwight Lykins online

Kyle Soyer photo

STAFF WRITERS Jon

Houp

Monisha Kumar

Michael Knoedel Alyssa Czapla Chris Caracci

Blake Schlawin

Cathleen Dutcher Ryan Smaha Mike Shi

Dahlia Gordon

Kristine Hayes

Zach Winjum

Lauren Coffey

Kevin Hu

Andy Halterman

Evan Culbert

Alex Grapp

Michael Carlson

Scott Monroe

Spencer Vasey

Ethan Meng

Liz Waller

The Black and White is published solely by the Johnston High School newspaper staff. Its goal is to inform, enlighten and entertain Johnston students. It is an open forum. In accordance with Iowa law and board policy, students assign and edit material. The paper is published nine times per school year.

The paper will avoid material that is libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. The law does not require parental permission to use student quotes. Ethically, we believe students can speak for themselves.

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

Letters to the editor must be signed. Like all material, letters may not be libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. Bring letters to room 413 within one week after publication to be considered for the next issue.

The Black and White strives to report accurate and timely information. If you believe that an error has been printed, please contact the editor at jmanning867@gmail.com.

The Black and White is a member of CSPA, NSPA, Quill & Scroll, and IHSPA. Recent issues of the paper earned these honors: Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist, National Scholastic Press Association First Class rating, Quill & Scroll Gallup Award, IHSPA state placings.

news

Oct 09

p3

Horizon named Blue Ribbon School words & layout Catherine Caracci Horizon Elementary has been selected as

the first school in the district to be a Blue Ribbon

School by the U.S. Department of Education. Horizon is one of 314 schools nationwide receiving the award.

The school was nominated last fall. “Nomina-

tion is done by the state, so we don’t know exactly who it was that nominated Horizon,” Principal Tim Salmon said. “Regardless, we were very happy to be nominated.”

Each state has a different standard for the

award set by its education department. The Iowa Department of Education considers Iowa schools

based on scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS).

Kiera Morrill/BW

states to nominate a school if at least 40 percent

A sign inside the front doors welcomes visitors to Horizon Elementary School. Horizon is the first school in our district’s history to be selected as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

ground, including students with disabilities and

out an E-mail and official letter to each school.

The U.S. Department of Education also allows

of its student body is from a disadvantaged backstudents who are not proficient in English; these schools are required to dramatically improve student performance in accordance with state as-

sessment systems in order to be considered for

nomination, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site.

Horizon was selected based on high ITBS

scores. “Our ITBS scores for the past five years

were over the 90th percentile nationally,” Salmon said. After school officials received the notification that Horizon had been nominated, the building’s

leadership team had to complete an application by February in order to be considered for the award.

On Sept. 15, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne

Duncan announced the winning schools and sent

NB

and fifth grades. Ottley believes that her teachers at Horizon helped prepare her for middle school

teachers to teach in a way that isn’t as beneficial to the students,” Ottley said. “At Horizon, the teach-

West Lyon HS, Inwood

ers expected a lot out of us, but in a challenging way. They didn’t baby us.”

Central Springs Elementary, Manly Earlville Elementary, Earlville

Administration is planning a school-wide cel-

ebration, which will take place Nov. 2. Salmon

and teacher Wendy Quam will travel to Washing-

Nixon Elementary, Hiawatha

ton, D.C. to attend the awards ceremony on Nov. 2-3, where they will receive a plaque and a flag to commemorate Horizon’s status as a Blue Ribbon School.

Scavenger hunt helps hungry Culver orders budget cut

Porter wins R.O.S.E. award

On Nov. 19, Student Council mem-

On Oct. 8, Governor Chet Culver ordered

Technology specialist Tom Porter was awarded the

cut for the Johnston School District is

ing. The award is given monthly to a person who

ing for canned goods to benefit

local families “We go door to door

words & layout Spencer Vasey

Resurrection School, Dubuque

and high school. “It’s easy for elementary school

bers will be going door to door ask-

news briefs

Iowa’s Blue Ribbon Schools

Senior Claire Ottley attended Horizon in fourth

for canned goods because it lets

people from our community help out others who live in Johnston,”

junior representative Jordan Adams said.

a 10 percent cut to the state budget. The about $2.5 million. The school board de-

cided that cash reserves will be used to cover the costs. The hiring of new staff

members and textbook purchases will be limited.

R.O.S.E. Award at the Oct. 12 school board meethas encouraged students to succeed. “Tom puts in countless hours of work, quietly finishing up projects so that students and staff can use the technology in meaningful ways,” Ann Wiley, who works with Porter, said.

news

Oct 09

p4

Johnston celebrates its 40th words & layout Blake Schlawin Johnston went “over the hill” as it cel-

ebrated its birthday last month. A little over

40 years ago, Johnston was nothing but cornfields and dirt roads, much like what

you would see in rural, northern Iowa today.

Now, Johnston is a busy city with an estimated population of nearly 18,000, compared to 1,460 in 1960.

According to the Johnston Historical So-

ciety, it all started back when Ezekiel Hunt

established a sawmill near Northwest Beaver Drive. A railroad ran through that area,

run by John Johnston, which brought more people to the Midwest. After Henry A. Wallace came here and started Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Company, people came flocking in.

In 1917, Merle Hay Road was laid with

bricks from Douglas Avenue to Hyperion

Provided/Johnston Historical Society

The original Johnston High School building in 1937 located where the current fire station is.

Golf and Country Club.

“I came to Johnston in 1927, when it

was mostly cornfields,” Bob Thomas, resi-

dent and citizen of Johnston, said. “There were no stoplights or sidewalks, and some of the streets were not paved.”

After people started coming, one-room

schoolhouses and buildings began appearing. Lawson was the first elementary only school. It was built in 1958 near the site of

the one-room schoolhouses. They were lo-

cated one mile east of the current school

rently stands. It sold everything from typical

atteneded was west of Merle Hay on 62nd.

1960, the grocery store was replaced with

on N.W. 62nd Avenue. The school Thomas “I went to the same school building from

kindergarten through 12th grade,” Thomas said. “It was where the fire station is today.”

That building was later demolished in 1985 once the current schools were built.

The grocery store in town, owned by

Denny Elwell, was where Walgreens cur-

food items to furniture and clothing. Around

For students seeking help with study-

ing, the guidance department has begun a study skills group.

study skills group -all skill levels

1954 and the high school attendance sec-

downtown Des Moines.

Judy Briles, a resident of Johnston since

retary for 17 years, described the changes.

-no more than ten students

what is taught:

-learning styles -study environments -study skills -organization -test taking tips

when:

-study strategies -once a week -during school -changes period each week

where: why:

-seven weeks

Baker

Her family lived in a little brown house

aters, both of which were downtown.”

post office when I got here,” Briles said.

encompasses all skill levels.

“[The group] is open to any student, [the

guidance department] made announce-

ments, [we] got recommendations from teachers, and [we] got phone calls,” Baker said. There is a limit on the number of peo-

semester.

The group was formed based on feed-

the sophomores, study skills was one of the also requests for a group from parents and teachers.

The group meets during school, causing

conflict for some students. Some students

how to make them:

-write info on note cards -only main points -no details -write info in own words

everyone’s schedule.

-use pictures and diagrams

school because of the difficulty to fit into The study skills group meets once a

lasts seven weeks and is taught by coun-

group and no late entrances are accepted.

-one skill taught by the group

study. The group cannot meet outside of

This semester, seven students are in the

-teachers, parents also

cram cards what:

do not want to miss class to learn how to

week during the school day. The period

-guidance office

-feedback from sophomores

Students may sign up for the group next

ple. In order to keep a small group dynamic, the group is limited to ten students.

said. “There were really only two movie the-

Always procrastinating? Doing poorly on tests? Never getting your homework done on time? The guidance department has a group for you.

top vote getters,” Baker said. There were

or Sue Baker said. Study skills

“I remember we had to go downtown

to the Ingersoll Theater for movies,” Briles

study skills, especially with

strategies,” guidance counsel-

entertainment was either in homes or in

“There was really only a gas station and

back from students. “Last year, we surveyed

taking tests and note taking

Back in the 1960s, before Johnston

became incorporated, the only source of

“The idea behind the group

was to assist students with

who: -anyone can join

right next to where the interstate is now.

the fast-growing chain, Hy-Vee.

Studying how to study words & layout Mike Shi

on Merle Hay Road, in front of QuikTrip,

they meet changes each week. The group selors Stephanie Guthrie and Baker.

how to use them:

-always have them on hand -study them during downtime

editorial

Oct 09

Rudimentary skills are extinct Students not proficient with everyday tools The final bell rings. As students bundle up to face the

Now this is not to say those other skills are not important,

harsh winter day, senior Caleb Wagner is right there in the

that is far from the truth. Skills like being able to change a

hurries out to his car and to his dismay finds his back right

know at the current stage in your life. It is not until you are

midst of it all. Taking that initial step into the cold, Wagner tire has sprung a leak.

This problem has a simple solution, change the tire. But

unfortunately there is an immense obstacle blocking Wagner from his goal. He has not the slightest clue how to jack up a vehicle or change a tire.

Is Wagner so different from the rest of the student body?

tire or being able to fix a leaky sink may seem useless to faced with a moment when you will need one of these skills that you will understand their true importance. And when

the time comes that you happen upon a situation that requires these skills, you will be very happy if you know how to utilize them.

This knowledge can and will save you lots of time and

How many of you would be comfortable to go outside right

money to be able to fix that pesky sink yourself, rather than

it with another? Then, from there be willing to take a risk

your over-friendly neighbor who is willing to lend his skills

now, elevate your car with a jack, take off a tire and replace

and go for a nice drive up and down I-35 to test out your handy work.

The majority of students will not be jumping up and

being forced to call a local plumber or even, God forbid, on the sole condition you listen to his stories of the good ‘ole days with nothing but smiles and nods while he works.

If that scenario does not work for you, try to imagine

down for a chance at this opportunity due to the fact they

getting a flat tire while driving to work one day, if you knew

on their car. To keep the record straight, there are those

in no time.

probably do not even know where the spare tire is located who are perfectly capable and comfortable doing such a

how to change it yourself, you would be back on the road

But if you are like Wagner, you would be forced to wait

task, but they are becoming a dying breed.

until someone who was willing to offer a helping hand did

changing a tire and broaden our specifications to include

might even be forced to call a car repair company to come

And when we decide to change our project from just

all sorts of rudimentary handy skills, such as basic car repair, plumbing, or even electrical work. Doing this shrinks

just that. And in the event that such help never came, you do it for you, for a large fee of course.

So the next time you decide to hop on your computer,

the list of the applicable to near nothing.

take the time to think that there might be other skills worth

as Windows ’98, they are continually replaced by the newer

never know, you might just get lucky and find a resource

The fact is, these handy skills are becoming as outdated

and seemingly more applicable skills of our time. The bulk of these can be found orbiting around the computer technol-

ogy category. These new skills can range anywhere from writing complex new programs for a computer to just being able to log on to one and search the web for a photo.

This change in skill distribution can be attributed to

many things, the biggest being the simple fact that this certain genre of skills, ones of the technological nature, have become so much more applicable to our daily lives.

learning. Go out and ask a parent for some wisdom, you

filled with endless amounts of knowledge pertaining to fixing that faucet or changing that tire.

If you strike out there, hope is not lost, you can always

use that magical mastery of the Internet you possess to ask for guidance. When it comes down to it, what would you rather be able to do, look up

ber online, or fix that pesky

a plumbers numsink yourself?

p5

Oct 09

opinion

p6

Antidepressants evoke mixed emotions Life on Antidepressants

Not worth the temporary fix

words Lauren Gehrke

words Kallen Kramer

Tears streamed down my face, makeup all over the

The majority of people at some point in their life go

place. Sobs ripped through my chest. I could not breathe

through what they may describe as depression or anxiety.

ing up at the ceiling as she came over and asked me the

More students than I ever imagined are taking antide-

because I was crying so hard. I lay on my mom’s bed, look-

But to complement these low times are the high times.

question I was dreading. “Are you taking your medicine?”

pressants regularly. A decision to take this type of medica-

when I did not take my medicine and sometimes thought I

not only a dangerous decision, it is the wrong one, in most

No excuse was going to be good enough. She hated it

did it on purpose, which I would never do. If I just stopped taking it, it could potentially cause serious side effects.

tion is inarguably a risky one. I would argue that it this is cases.

What people do not understand before taking these

“No, I keep forgetting,” I said, preparing for her to get

pleasure pills is that while initially they seem to pull you

Mom just smiled at me. “Lauren, that’s why you feel like

confusion, panic, thoughts of suicide, insomnia, nervous-

mad.

this! I know you.”

Anger at myself flooded me. This could have been

solved if I had just taken my medicine.

through a tough time, they have side effects. Drowsiness,

ness and agitation, and weight gain are some of the most commonly reported ones.

What a great deal of antidepressant users are actually

I have been taking an antidepressant for over a year

experiencing is “normal” sadness, “situational” sadness

with it caused me to feel depressed. My mom suggested

once or twice a month for no longer than a couple days

because of chronic back pain. The restrictions that came an antidepressant.

After a little bit of pushing, I decided to take the medi-

cine especially when my doctor agreed with my mom. Not only do I have chronic back pain, I have a rare problem that

affects my autonomic nervous system. Because of that, my brain does not correctly release the right chemicals which

or grief. “Normal” sadness would be feeling down or blue without a significant disruption of daily life. This is not a

reason for antidepressants. Support of family and friends, social activity and other proactive tactics help to control this

depression. Antidepressants can cause unnecessary problems in situations like these.

“Situational” or “reactive” sadness is the result of a life

causes depression.

event, change, transition or stressor. Sometimes a medical

ing an antidepressant were the side effects. Some people

these situations are the same as depression, but they will

One thing my mom and I talked about when I began tak-

experience suicidal thoughts, and that was something I would never thought I would experience. But it was not like that for me. I had those thoughts.

When I would be upset or hormonal or fighting with my

problem may trigger this kind of depression. Symptoms in

ease or decline with different treatment, or even on their own. This should be treated with counseling, psychotherapy, family and social support.

Many researchers believe that an imbalance of neu-

parents, if I were alone, I would find myself thinking. I would

rotransmitters are what cause depression, however levels

take my life. Crashing my car was out of the question to me

(selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (sero-

often think of how, if things got bad enough, how I would

because then we would lose the car. Stabbing or shooting

myself was out because I did not want to make a mess. I

wanted to provide the least amount of inconvenience for anyone.

of serotonin in the living brain cannot be measured. SSRIs

tonin and norepinephrine re uptake inhibitors) seem to get rid of symptoms of depression, but researchers are still not completely certain of how they work.

Instead of taking medications, it is healthier to make be-

These thoughts were because of the medicine. I am

havioral changes that improve quality of life in the long run.

causes me to have these thoughts, and even though I have

sants. A recent research study done at the University of

not suicidal, the medicine I take because of my problem them, I would never follow through with them.

Since this summer, I have not had thoughts like this as

much. There is not really a reason for this according to Philip Fischer, M.D. but I believe it is because I have learned how to better control my thoughts.

Despite all that I have been through with antidepres-

sants, I still feel they are a good thing. When I am taking

Exercise lifts emotions as well or better than antidepresTexas at Austin shows that 40 minutes of exercise has an

immediate effect on mood. Not only will this improve mental health, it increases physical health including sleep.

Eating healthy, protein-rich foods increases levels of

tryptophan in the body, the amino acid from which serotonin is made. (Read p. 19 for Caffeine’s influence on mood.)

Physical and mental dependence on a drug of any kind

my medicine, I feel like my normal self. Without it, I would

is serious, but antidepressants in particular can control

the side effects.

Taking them often causes more problems than it helps.

be a mess and am glad I am taking this medicine despite

mood by flat-lining them and not allowing peaks in emotion.

opinion

Oct 09

p7

Addressing the dress code words & layout Kristine Hayes I walk down the halls of the school,

the outfit itself is degrading?

guys, I do not know why you would want

be bigger, but not this big. Of all the things

why the students, both boys and girls, dress

waddle around like a penguin just to keep

to be shocked just watching other students

gle person in school dresses questionably,

completely lost and in awe. I knew it would

I expected when moving, I did not expect file down the halls. As I get to homeroom

on the first day and receive the handbook I immediately flip it open to the index looking

Now I am starting to understand exactly

the way they do. Not to say that every sinbut there clearly needs to be a few more rules defining what is appropriate.

That problem would be solved if the

to have your pants down so you have to them up, and for what? So everyone else can see your boxers? I understand that, in

both cases, your clothing choices are dictated by fashion.

This is where the school should get a

for the thing that had been bothering me all

school made some kind of standard that

bit more proactive. Staff should not be the

Moving from Ogallala, Nebraska, a small

pal Bruce Hukee explained how he deals

be more than a sentence or two on what

morning. Dress code.

town of 5,000 people, I expected some differences. My school had roughly 400 students grades 9-12. The teachers and principal saw more students, leaving less room

every single person had to follow. Princi-

with student dress. “I try to look at who the student is, and then what they are wearing, and how they are wearing it,” Hukee said.

When students are pulled into the office,

for dress code violations. Here, however,

they can say they did not know the rules

there still needs to be specific rules so stu-

think it was appropriate. If no one can de-

my grade alone has 400 students. But, dents know what is expected.

So, I sit down and look for the student

dress section and what do I find? Hardly

then the principal can only say he did not

or ethnic group are prohibited. Yes, those

are good reasons to ban a shirt but what if

rules then, when a problem arose, administrator’s could have the student refer to the handbook.

Being from a small town naturally I

all we had to do was follow a set of guide-

ing. Other girls agree, “Contrary to popular

aimed towards any specific gender, sexual,

an administrator’s. If students knew the

It does not matter how cute a pair of

what is too much and what is okay?

gans and pictures on clothes. T-shirts that ages, slogans, or diagrams that could be

propriate could be completely different from

would see things a little differently. At my

shorts are, if you are walking down the hall-

have possibly offensive or degrading im-

is “appropriate.” One students’ idea of ap-

fine “appropriate” then how do we know

anything. A simple paragraph and list toward the back of the book about the slo-

fashion police either; however, there should

way pulling on them, it is not very appealbelief, [shorts that look like] denim bikini

bottoms do not count as shorts,” senior

school the dress code was pretty relaxed, lines. We had five simple rules, the five B’s.

All an outfit had to do was cover the “B’s” to

be wearable. It had to cover the back, butt, boobs, bra, and belly button.

Most students do well with a few rules

Megahan Batterson said.

and it would provide some kind of specif-

leave something to their imagination. And

means.

Ladies, please, as a credit to our gender,

ics on what exactly the word appropriate

Kristine Hayes/BW

Carnations sales wilt: NHS needs new fundraiser words & layout Kyle Soyer Honor always comes at

a price. Hard work. Dedication. Sacrifice. And $32?

When I put my name in

for National Honor Society

(NHS), I was prepared to

take my turn peddling carnations. I was not prepared

for the requirements about said peddling.

According to the carna-

tion sales info sheet given to each member, “EACH

PERSON MUST TURN IN

A MINIMUM OF $16. Ever try to sell carnations? It is

not lucrative. (If you do not sell your carnations, you

are still responsible for turning in $16.)” Double that by

adding in Valentine’s Day sales and it totals $32.

This sounds like an en-

trance fee. If being inducted into NHS is indeed an honor

and a privilege, why should members have to pay?

“The goal of the carnation

sales is to raise money for

indirectly being required to

sponsor Sue Baker said.

does not seem fair. What

scholarships,” former NHS Essentially, NHS members are being required to make a donation for someone

pay for my graduation? This are non-members paying for their diploma?

While making the $32

else’s education. Making

required may be the only

So what happens if a mem-

ey, those who do not sell

donations implies choice. ber decides not to pay?

“It’s considered a fine,”

Baker said. “They would not receive their diploma until all fines are paid.”

Wait a minute. By being

inducted into an academic

honor society, am I now

New Fundraising Ideas

way to collect enough mon-

caramel apples

kleenex

powdered drink mixes

should not have to empty

Instead of

Individualized

Powered

their own pockets. A new

delivering

packets of

lemonade

fundraiser

carnations,

tissues. Be-

or any flavor

needs to be found.

how about

cause paper

you choose.

Maybe something with

delivering

towels are

All you need

food. Carnations would sell

apples with

no fun on the

is a water

much better if they were

caramel?

nose.

bottle.

edible.

Yum.

desperately

Oct 09

opinion

Act on the ACT: Prep seminars do little

p8

words & layout Kevin Hu review math skills that the ACT will cover.

Just a few weeks ago, I

had the lovely opportunity to partici-

Supposedly.

dinners, and Polaroid moments it of-

identify as of right now. First and foremost,

tunity.”

help kids on the ACT. That is 25 percent of

entire weekend to stay locked inside

the school will only offer help with one, that

dates of SATs, ACTs, and upcoming

one or two points, if you are lucky. Another

playing a little bit of Xbox on the side, it

a task for a few seminars, specifically two

does too little for ACT preparation.

should look into teaching these kids test-

pate in Homecoming and the dances,

fers. Heavy emphasis on the “oppor-

just covering math does not adequately

Instead, I took the time during the

your total score! If out of the four sections,

my office, brooding over lurking test

can only improve your composite score by

college applications. And while I was

issue is that covering all of “math” is too big

occurred to me that our school district

seminars before a test. The administration

It is true that many students have

taking strategies, that will actually improve

little worry or bother to raise his or her score. Many people

Instead of practicing on the ACT-provided booklets, look into studying test taking strategies in books published by Kaplan, Princeton Review, Barrons, etc. These will offer helpful strategies that will help struggling students excel more than repetition of problems.

performance on all four tests.

Many of the issues that arise during the

understand that standardized

ACT test comes from poor use of time, lack

college admission and that

be prevented if test-taking skills had been

tests are only one aspect of

of focus, careless issues, things that could

test scores do not mean that

covered.

are many students striving to

would not only benefit the ACT but other

30 to be applicable for scholarships and

What the school is doing currently is inad-

gious schools. To address this, the school

tier schools are not getting the support and

much.

Kevin Hu/BW

There are several key issues that I can

Nevertheless,

there

Helping kids develop test taking skills

get the required ACT score of

tests, such as MIALTs, ITEDs, and SATs.

certainly set their targets for more presti-

equate. Those kids looking to go to higher

offers preparation seminars that help kids

opportunities they very well may need.

New state law adds CPR requirement for schools How to perform CPR

words & layout Catherine Caracci

(cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

Imagine pulling over to the side of the road after wit-

People who are not certified in CPR should follow these guidelines when faced with an emergency.

nessing a car accident. You see that one of the victims is

not responding, and you know they need help. But do you

1. Call 911.

know how to help him?

If the patient is unresponsive, call 911. The operator can help you perform CPR.

Most students here, unless they are lifeguards, do not

know how to help. However, starting this year, students will

2. Pump.

be required to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in health class. This new requirement will be very beneficial to students.

The new requirement is actually a state law, the Healthy

Kids Act, and was established on May 13, 2008, although

it was not implemented until July 1, 2009. According to the Iowa Department of Education’s Web site, the law requires students in public school to complete a course in CPR that

would allow them to become certified before they graduate, although students are not required to actually receive a certificate.

The new law also requires students to spend at least

two hours each week in physical activity, whether it is dur-

Provided/Dragon

Check for a pulse. If there is no pulse, position your hands in the center of the patient’s chest and firmly push down two inches.

Continue pumping until professional assistance arrives.

P.E. teacher Dave Beason grades sophomore Maggie Ingham as she performs CPR during training for health class. Beginning with the class of 2012, graduates will be required to be trained in how to perform CPR.

today, it would have been more beneficial to have been

ing P.E., school activities, or non-school activities. Nutri-

ministration should have been proactive and added a CPR

tional guidelines are also being established under the law.

While the Healthy Kids Act is valuable to education

Source: depts.washington.edu/learnCPR

passed much earlier. CPR training should have always

been a part of the graduation requirement. Johnston adtraining unit to health classes long before it was s required to by state law.

Oct 09

FMyLife words & layout Kelsey Kruse & Alyssa Czapla

]

[

entertainment THE WEB SITE THE BOOK FACEBOOK TWITTER

p9

It all started when a couple of guys in France started chatting about their daily grievances online. Their chats then turned into a forum, and in January 2008 it became a blog. Interest in the blog grew rapidly, and the decision was made to make an official Web site, FmyLife.com. The founders began to realize that day-to-day sucky life experiences are something all individuals, all around the world, have in common.

FML Facebook Info

Website: http://www.fmylife.com Company Overview: Fmylife.com is a weird and wonderful addition to the Web. It’s a collection of everyday anecdotes and stories likely to happen to anyone and everyone, sent to us exclusively by our users, which we then publish on the site. This is a space where you can let it all out and unwind by sharing the little things that screw with your day, and maybe realize that you are not alone in experiencing day to day crap. Posts start with 'Today' and end with 'FML'.

The site is meant to be fun to read and can be enjoyed on a daily basis.

Mission: To make you laugh.

“Today I crashed my mom’s twomonth-old van. I am now grounded for the rest of the summer.

FML.” Sophomore Abby Dusen

“Today I was complaining about smokers to a stranger. His friend offered him a cigarette. He accepted. FML.”

“Today it was raining so I ran inside. Unfortunately, I got there by shattering a glass door.

FML.” Senior Laura Cross

Sophomore Scott Syroka

entertainment

Oct 09

p10

(classic)

Horror movies words Eric Oatts and Dahlia Gordon layout Eric Oatts

If one fancies themself as a horror flick “fanatic”, then they by-golly better have seen these classic thrillers. Cinematically speaking, the following movies were the first of their kind, and have been

re-done dozens of times, whether that be in movies based on their theme’s, or movies based precisely on the same plot, but no remakes can, or have topped these originals.

Scary movies:

watch them

provieded/Stanley Kubrik Collecton

provided/Everett Collection

provided/trutv.com

provided/alstarpl.com

THE SHINING-

THE EXCORCIST-

(the original)TEXAS

the dreams of thousands. Though the idea of a haunted

The first is the idea of mixing religion with horror. Many

up to today’s standards the plot of this story makes up for it.

Red Rum anyone? Yet another old time movie still haunting hotel seems to be stereotypical for a horror flick, this movie is anything but average. Its unique use of film techniques

adds much of the disturbing feelings toward the film, but the real horror comes from the plot itself. In the beginning

you learn about a young boy and his imaginary friend, Tony.

The imaginary friend seems to be normal and harmless,

but through the story you realize that Tony is anything but normal, instead a warning sign of what is to come. A family, including mom, dad, and a young boy, move into an old haunted hotel for a job the dad took. Just when it seems all

This movie becomes a classic horror for a few reasons.

people feel as though religion is one constant, safe thing in their lives. So when a mother loses their daughter to being

possessed by the devil, you can believe it strikes terror in many peoples minds. When Regan, a young girl, starts acting different and all medical options have failed, her mother

calls to a priest for help. The priest believes Regan is being possessed by the devil. Throughout the movie the priest

and mother desperately fight for Regan’s soul before it is too late.

-Gordon

is going well, the father of the family turns into a physiologically deranged character that no one can predict.

-Gordon Most cliches about scary movies come from “The Shining.”

The twins standing at the end of the hallway, the crazy ax-

bearing killer chase scene, the little boy talking to ghosts.

The opening scene to the movie uses simplicity and overall, plain eeriness not found in most thrillers made today.

Knowing the fact that there are isolated hotels like this setting create a scary illusion in one’s head that a scenario like the plot of this movie could happen to anyone. Especially those who work a lot (watch the movie if that makes no sense).

Related Movies:

“Silence of the Lambs” “Hannibal” “Halloween”

-Oatts

Putat nim vullandigna commy nonsequat lortion venim ali-

quat, volobore tation henisim acipis exer si te diam accumThis movie scared the be-jebus out of me. Given the san eugait ate magna consecte consequatue ex eum nim time period it was made it makes the special effects semiillummy niSequat. Dui tin utetuerilit adigna accum nulput cheesey, the movie has several scary moments including a lum ver sis nonsequam, qui et dolobore tat. Tue ming exlittle, demented/possessed girl’s head turning 360 degrees. ercipisse mod dolorper adio odion ut eugiam vel eugait inci The most memorable scene, however, was when the girl tate modio delit nostin henim zzriuscin venissequam, quat crawls down a flight of stairs backwards “crabwalk”-style. in eu facipsuscil do consequat lor illa am nonumsan henis (The producers hired a gymnast to perform this scene,) niam quismolorer alis adit iuscilla facin veliquat. Duis nos which is basically “fast-forwarded” to add to the spin-chillnismod molutpatem autat, veliquis nibh ea ing effect. I would say that this movie is one of the scariest ever made, and contains the most memorable scenes.

-Oatts

Related Movies:

“The Unborn” “The Excorcism of Emily Rose” “Paranormal Activity”

CHAINSAW MASSACRE

Although this movie doesn’t have the brutal goriness to live

The story starts out with five teenagers picking up a hitch-

hiker on a old Texas road. When the hick-hiker laughs hysterically after cutting his hand then procedes to stab at one

of the teens, they drop him off at the nearest gas station.

After dropping him off they think their problems with him

are over, but they have only just begun. While out in the country they decide to visit their deceased grandfather’s old house, but instead end up at a nearby farmhouse. At the farmhouse they reunite with the hitch-hiker from earlier that day and realize he and his family are much crazier

than they originally assumed. The cannibalism and goriness of the movie icreate no doubt as to why it’s a classic.

-Gordon The most frightening part about the original “Texas Chain-

saw Massacre” doesn’t exist on film. It’s technically not shown in the movie, rather it is imagined differently by anyone who watches it. The villain in this movie kills every one

of the main characters, but the worst part is one never actually views any type of raunchy torture scene; one hears

screams, and is aware of what is happening, but we are never shown what is taking place. This creates literally no

sense of closure and one is left never wanting to travel through rural Texas on an isolated back-road, ever.

Related Movies:

“House of 1000 Corpses” “Last House on the Left”

-Oatts

entertainment

Oct 09

p11

A review W of guy singers

Are these guys angels? Nope, just talented, giving musicians. ith huge sums of money and international fame, what’s a man to

do? Support charities and causes, of course. With the world watch-

ing, celebrities are under pressure to act pretty and be at least not a total

jerk. But some of them go beyond society’s expectations and actually act

with good intentions

proactively in selfless service of those perhaps a bit less fortunate. These

gentlemen are many, and it would be impossible to give them all the recognition they deserve. Here are just a few.

words Alex Grapp

layout Eric Oatts

Justin Timberlake.

Winning six Grammys and two Emmys, Timberlake is a force to be reckoned with in the popular world. Once a member of *NSYNC, appearing on Saturday Night Live with Andy Samberg, and enjoyig a healthy acting career, Timberlake is known to a huge audience, and he uses that to others’ advantage. Besides bringing the obligatory “sexy back,” Timberlake is known for his various acts of charity. On his Australian tour, he donated a hefty sum (100,000 Aussie dollars) to Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors organization. Timberlake was honored by the Grammy Association with an award for his humanitarian work in Tennessee. His environmental efforts have not gone unnoticed either; his European tour was the most environmentally friendly tour in history.

provided/Daragh Mc Donagh

Serj Tankian.

You may know him from the popular band System of a Down, but lead singer Tankian’s off doing his own thing now. His

2007 album Elect the Dead was his solo debut, and has achieved success. Tankian keeps up System’s notorious antiwar message and adds his own spin on things, in his personal life and his new music. He is a vegetarian and with Rage

Against the Machine drummer Tom Morello has formed the Axis of Justice, a non-profit organization of musicians, fans, and some political organizations to fight for social justice.

Moby.

Richard Melville Hall took up the name of Moby due to a

supposed relation to Hermann Melville, author of Moby

provided/Nick Harvey

Dick. Moby sings and plays the keyboard, guitar, bass guitar, and the drums, and has experimented with everything

Twenty-one of this country singer’s singles have hit number

from deep house techno to soft rock. But his career was

one, and the man has won three Grammys among other

awards. Besides being one of the country titans of our time,

provided/moby.com

McGraw has poured his Southern soul into giving back to

his album Play crystallized this feel, landing movie and advertisement deals left and right. You may recognize his

the world. When Katrina destroyed New Orleans, McGraw

song “Honey” from the movie “Holes,” or the iconic “Ex-

was there, aiding in the recovery efforts. He is also involved

treme Ways,” featured in the “Bourne” movies. Moby is a

with the American Red Cross, and gives many charity con-

vegan and donates lots of his time and funds to various

certs benefiting others, once giving proceeds to relieve

charities, such as MoveOn and the Humane Society.

families of sailors who died in a terrorist attack.

Tim McGraw.

spawned from the ambient electronica scene in clubs and

provided/Rick Diamond

fashion

happy feet

Oct 09

Click clack. Slap. Thud. The sounds of our steps fill the halls as heels, flip flops, and

tennis shoes take you on average 10,000 steps everyday. You walk from your car to the school, from class to class, at work, at home, and anywhere else you may go. Add this to

running around in sports and other activities, and without the right shoes, sooner or later you will be feeling the pain.

Your foot is aligned with muscles, ligaments, tendons, and 25 percent of the bones in

words and layout Kelly Mcgowan

5 tips from Steve Bobenhouse owner of Fitness Sports athletic store

*

the human body, which is 52 bones. These groups of parts work together to form a flexible arch that distributes your body weight evenly and helps you adapt to various surfaces with each step.

In a lifetime, an average person will have walked far enough to circle the world, four

times! And with this complicated part of the body taking all the stress from these steps, the wrong level of support, wrong size shoe, or worn out shoes can affect your knees, hips and back.

A huge number of shoes we see are flip-flops: a flat piece of material attached to your

foot with straps. If you have not noticed pain in your feet already, you should know these

shoes are terrible for your feet. The Black and White found some alternative choices and tips that will make a noticeable difference in the pain you may be feeling from flip flops and other flat footwear.

p14

*

Picking out athletic shoes based on appearance is a big mistake. I realize this is a factor, but pay more attention to the fit.

For sport shoes, most of the time from a season to a season and a half, shoes will be shot, and need replaced.

*

Just thirty minutes of activity will make your feet swell one half to a full shoe size, remember this when picking out a shoe.

*

Heels are the worst thing for your feet. (Limit the time you spend in them)

*

Arch supports can be added to flats, and other casual footwear.

Find your perfect athletic shoes Step in a bowl of water, then on a large paper bag. Choose the picture below that your imprint looks most like to determine the last you should look for. The last is what the inner part of your foot looks like as a result of arch size, how your weight is distributed and other factors. When looking for athletic shoes, the bottom of the shoe and the bottom of your foot should be as similar in shape as possible. All brands carry shoes for each foot type. Some examples are listed to get you started.

Semi curved last try: brooks adrenaline

Straight last try: new balance 1123

Curved last try: nike streak

feature

Oct 09

p15

words & layout Michael Knoedel

Ben Cigan

Alex Grieve

“It’s like lincoln logs “It looks big on paon steroids.” per but in real life, I’m just blown away by it.”

Ryan Francois

“It’s more than just building a cool box, it’s about making a difference in the community.”

“This ain’t your Grandma’s Fort” Ryan Francois and his team, the Los Toros Blancos, competed in Reggie’s Sleep Out for the third year in a row, the last time the team will be together. This time, they pulled out all the stops. “This has become a bigger project then any of us could have ever imagined,” Francois said. “The last two years we pretty much just showed up on the day of with a bunch of cardboard and no idea what we were doing, but this time it has been a two-month-long project. This time, we’re here to win.”

There are two parts to Reggie’s Sleep Out: the fort-building contest and the fundraising contest. For the first time in Reggie’s Sleep Out history, a team won them both, and that team was The Los Toros Blancos.

With the help of a variety of donations, sponsorships, and T-shirt sales, they successfully surpassed their initial $5,000 goal, and came in with a final total of approximately $13,000. Reggie’s Sleep Out as a whole raised a total of $93, 986 in donations.

Design Features

Length- Stretches over 40 ft. long from wing to wing.

Height- Reaches heights of over 15 ft. on the atrium.

Domes- Five domes with one having an 8 ft. diameter.

Two Story Sections- At ends of wings for extra room.

Size- Includes over 440 square feet of livable space.

Sliding doors- Sliding doors between wings for heat.

Skylights- Interior skylights to have natural lighting.

Bunk Beds- Sets of cardboard bunk beds in wings.

Preparation

Once they decided on making the Capitol Building, Francois got to work on the designs using AutoDesk Inventor, which he had been using for three years in his engineering classes. “It was difficult because while there were four identical beams per frame, each one had to be designed differently because they each fit into specific notches,” he said.

Practice

They had a major problem with framing support when they started building so they decided to use the thick tubing that carpets come in.

“We used a lot of power tools,” Francois said. “I don’t think that many people would associate power tools with cardboard, but these tubes were thick. It was very labor intensive.”

Preparation

Francois spent a couple days researching cardboard domes when he came across geodesic domes at desertdomes.com. A geodesic dome is an arrangement of polygons, in this case triangles, that approximates a true sphere. He used the Web site’s dome dimension calculator and got the ratios of lengths of the triangles and the dome map, pictured on the left. “I actually had to do some trig and pre-calc to solve some of the measurements,” Francois said.

Practice

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Members

Luke Ausenhus Tyler Bradley Luke Bubeck Ben Cigan Justin Coaldrake Ben Fincher Matt Gonner Alex Grieve Justin Handel Ben Jacobson Brad Kruse Jake Perington Matt Rose Alex Schultz Malte Schwafferts Andy Verhasselt Ben Warrick J.B. Williams

Meet the Team

Justin Coldrake said enthusiastically about the cardboard capitol building the Los Toros Blancos built for Reggie’s Sleep Out.

Leader

• Ryan Francois

Using giant 6x6 sheets of cardboard, the team got to measuring, drawing and cutting all 300 squares they needed for the five geodesic domes. When all the triangles were cut, they worked together to put it all together.

“I would hold the triangles while someone else would tape them together while yet another one or two people hold the dome while even another person checks the dome diagram. Teamwork,” Francois said.

feature

Oct 09

Kara saves kitty A busy street is no boundary for a brave animal lover words & layout Monisha Kumar It was just another day for junior Kara

tion of being the guy who helps every-

headed to her home because she was sick.

one out with the little things he does. Out

Suddenly she stopped right in the middle of

of habit he opens doors, picks up trash,

the road and got out as a few cars started

and does a lot of things that categorize

to build up behind her. Some of the cars

as common courtesy. “I don’t know, I

blocked the street so that on coming traffic

just see it as being nice and just helping

would not hit her.

people out if they need it,” Davidson

“I was just going to my dad’s house and

said. He pointed out that he’s never

I saw this little kitten about the size of my

pushy but makes sure that if someone

palm, and I had to just stop and help it be-

needs help they are helped. He credits

cause that’s just how I am!” Anderson said.

his mom, Marcy, for some of the things

The kitten was not easy to help because it

he has learned. “When we were grow-

was innocently chasing a leaf without real-

ing up my mom just taught us to, you

izing the fate it would have had if she had

Anderson, an animal lover, has two

dogs and a few cats herself and could not

bare the thought of leaving the injured kit-

Monisha Kumar/BW

After recovering the kitty, Anderson took it to this Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa headquarters. The ARL is located on SE 14th Street in Des Moines.

ten on its own. Noticing that the kitten had a

cut on its side from days earlier she rushed it to the nearest vet. With out any sort of

supplies to aid the little kitten in her car, An-

derson had to drive with it on her lap the whole way.

“...I just see it as being nice and helping people out...”

Junior Blake Davidson has a reputa-

Anderson as she was driving on 86th St.

not stopped to help.

p16

“ When I got there the people at the vet

“I had no other choice, so I took it all the

said they couldn’t do much because it was

way to the ARL in a box,” Anderson said.

Having a lot of animals already at her house

since she left it to the care of the Animal

not my cat; it was a stray,” Anderson said.

Anderson could not keep the stray kitten.

She has not seen or heard about the kitten

know, open doors and stuff like that for everyone and after that it just became a habit.” Davidson also mentioned his admiration of his older brother Rex, a 2007 graduate. “ I saw [Rex] helping

people all the time and I just thought it

was really cool! Seeing the way people

acted towards him made me want to do the same.”

Rescue League.

Gillaspy deals with dropping out words Liz Waller layout Lauren Gehrke Dropping out... Some flinch when they

hear the words, knowing they could never

though.

Before you are 16 you cannot drop out.

do that to their future.

The state has decided that you are not ma-

1.2 million students drop out every year.

hit 16 you can drop out, but only with paren-

Others make that decision to do so. Over Johnston dropout Gage Gillaspy is one

of these students. “I didn’t need school.

Everything will work out in the end. I’m not worried,” Gillaspy said.

While dropping out can have bonuses

tal consent. Also, a meeting with your prin-

theft auto,” Gillaspy said. “And when they

help you decide if this will be a good deci-

getting my GED instead, I took it.”

cipal and guidance counselor is required to sion for you.

“My parents were okay with it,” Gillaspy

While making it big, traveling the world,

After turning 18 one can drop out at any

for me than going to another school,”

rocking out in your band is everyone’s ideal

point without consent. Studies have shown

the reality.

come back to get their GED.

You cannot just decide to drop out

People that are thinking about or have

dropped usually have a worthy reason.

said. “They thought it was a better decision

way to drop out of school, it is not usually

program yet.”

ture enough to make the decision. After you

for some, many think they would not outweigh the disadvantages.

on getting my GED, I just haven’t done the

that a majority of students that dropout Gillaspy plans to do the same. “I plan

“I was already on probation for grand

gave me the option of quitting school and Race is a big factor that contributes to

drop outs. Black and Hispanic youth are more likely to drop out than whites.

“School just wasn’t for me,” Gillaspy

said. “I skipped a lot.”

To help with this problem, schools are

trying to come with more options to help students who wish to drop out by helping them catch up with their work.

Kiera Morrill/BW

High school drop out Gage Gillaspy pursues his passion of auto mechanics.

feature

Oct 09

Get to know

p16

Jake Perington

[

]

With over 1000+ students attending our school, it’s impossible to know everybody. Each month the B&W will randomly select a student from a class list we have and use a calculator to generate a random number, coinciding with a student. This month’s student was senior Jake Perington, get to know him!

words & layout Julia Manning

W

B&

iz

qu

Kiera Morrill/BW

Kiera Morrill/BW

Jake Perington shows his funny side along with his love for sports, kids, and his friends.

Saturday morning. It’s 9 am and Jake

are something that are very important in my

and authority,” senior Ryan Francois said.

He meanders downstairs and is greeted by

big part of me enjoying life.” He has played

is a hard working, level headed leader. You

mon rolls, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Af-

play, as a mid fielder for the high school

always fun to be around,” Coaldrake said.

Perington rolls out of his queen size bed.

life,” Perington said. “They contribute to a

the scent of his mom’s homemade cinna-

soccer since he was six and continues to

ter stepping outside to breathe in the crisp

team.

ors around him, he decides to take his lab

cels and is his sport of choice. “When I’m

to tailgate, and watch some Cyclone foot-

helps me let go of things and is an outlet

gets back into town and meets up with his

better, Perington said. “It helps me to feel

ite movies, “The Hangover.” This is a day of

Both this season and last, he has been

fall air, witnessing the leaves changing col-

Although cross country is where he ex-

Senior Justin Coaldrake agrees. “Jake

he can be a comedian. “The funniest thing

“He also has a very good sense of how far

bunch of families got together for a murder

he can push different individuals with out discouraging or putting too much pressure

running, it’s just a really good feeling, it

ball. In order to make the day complete he

for when I’m stressed and helps me think

working with young kids; he helps coach a

friends to relax and watch one of his favor-

accomplished.”

forward to fatherhood someday.

perfection for Perington.

chosen by the team to be the captain by

tight knit group of friends. “As a friend Jake

nior enjoy watching football and supporting

describes as relaxed and encouraging.

said. “You never know what to expect from

ing sports are also a huge part of his life,

time. And he never loses his temper or con-

demonstrating a leadership style that he

the Cyclones and Chicago Bears, play-

“Jake leads by example 100 percent of the

through cross country and soccer. “Sports

trol, which validates his leadership position

When with his friends, Perington feels

would never catch him slacking off yet he is

Molly for a walk. He then heads up to Ames

Not only does the 6’2” easygoing se-

Francois describes him as, “thoughtful,

caring, and likeable.”

on them.”

Along with sports, Perington also enjoys

youth soccer team, and says he also looks Another important part of his life, are his

is always entertaining, yet calm,” Coaldrake him be it ghosting in the mall or arguing

with 10-year-olds about who would win in a fight, a taco or a grilled cheese sandwich.”

Jake has ever done is last New Years a

mystery dinner. Jake was given the character of Poindexter Milton, super nerd,”

Coaldrake said. “The entire night he was dressed in a collared shirt with a plastic

pocket protector, jeans that were too small, socks and sandals, and glasses tapped together in the middle. Also at one point in

the evening his character had to propose to

another character, who just so happened to being played by one of our friends 40 yearold mom.”

Next year he will most likely be major-

ing in accounting or physical therapy, at an undecided in-state school.

feature

Oct 09

Laffey lengthens legacy words Lauren Coffey layout Kallen Kramer

Lauren Coffey/BW

As Isaac Laffey enters the Blank Park

He makes about $40 per hour. “I actually

Zoo, he is anxious. He is holding dulled

get paid a lot for the amount that I do, but

definitely nervous, because I was afraid

Laffey said.

Laffey said.

ing juggling as a job. “First off I’m not very

“I always tell a really cheesy joke,” Laffey

but not for the world. I wouldn’t be able to

knives, but they still have a point. “I was

that I might drop them [on the audience],” He does have a quick fix for his nerves.

said. “My best one is that ‘My best trick is dropping things.’ ”

He was getting ready to perform for dis-

abled and handicapped children. This is a

I don’t do it enough to take place of a job,”

He says he is against the idea of hav-

good,” Laffey said. “I’m good for Johnston, make any real money doing it.”

Although Laffey enjoys juggling he still

has a long way to go.

Nick says that while Laffey may not be

typical job for sophomore Laffey, who has

the best, he has a good reason. “I don’t

he was 13. He started off with a cascade

gling as I have, but he seems to have a lot

been juggling knives, clubs and balls since

think he’s taken as much of a liking to jug-

and gradually worked himself to harder

of other hobbies that water down his time.”

cascade],” he said.

does not interfere with his extracurriculars,

erations. “I started juggling in college,” Lon

wrestling. “I balance a lot, with schoolwork

er did, so it was just natural that [Isaac] did

wants to try and take as many opportunities

Laffey looks up to his brother, Nick

what if I do that,” Laffey said. “It’s just one

best juggler I know,” Laffey said. “He’s just

Nick is supportive in all of his brother’s

tricks. “It took about two hours[to learn a

Laffey still plans on juggling as long as it

Juggling had been in the family for gen-

which include football, marching band, and

Laffey, Isaac’s father, said. “Then his broth-

and after school activities,” Laffey said. He

too.”

as possible. “It’s just like what if I do this,

Laffey, as a juggling role model. “He’s the

more thing off the list.”

really good, like to a professional level.”

activities. “I’m glad that he’s involved in so

he did not get there easily. “Considering I

right for him.” Laffey hopes to improve jug-

Nick is proud of his skill level but says

many other things so he can find what’s

practice about 20 times more than [my dad

gling over time.

pointed if I wasn’t [one of the best jugglers

er,” Laffey said. “But it’s something to do,

and Isaac],” Nick said. “I’d be pretty disapin the Des Moines area].”

Both Nick and Isaac are in a juggling

organization called Des Moines Juggling

“I know I can’t be as good as my broth-

sometimes I’ll just walk around with three balls in my pocket, just in case.”

Both Lon and Nick support Laffey. “I

Club, (DMJC), which occasionally gives

hope he continues, it’s a great sport,” Lon

times, and the zoo,” Laffey said.

until it’s not fun for him anymore.”

him jobs. “I’ve juggled at libraries multiple

Juggling terms.

said. Nick agrees, “I hope [Isaac] does it

cascade: juggling pat-

tern in which the object are thrown from left to right in a clockwise pattern

orbit: when a ball follows

another ball in a circuar motion

u-ball: throwing from hand to hand in a u-pattern

rubenstein’s revenge: orbit with a u-ball

flourishes: swinging a club around your hand

mills mess: a three ball

juggling pattern, although it can be done with four or five balls. Its a cascade with the hands moving underneath.

p18

health

Oct 09

Caffeine

p19 Joe Payne‘10

The number of 18-to-24-year-olds who drink coffee daily has doubled from 16 to 31 percent

according to a featured story in “U.S. News & World Report” in 2007. Many of us look to sodas,

Consuming caffeine: 2 Years

coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages as soon as we get up in the morning. Maybe it’s because you spent all night studying and need something to

“I started using caffeine products because school was getting hectic and I needed it to help get all my stuff done. It’s a good way to stay focused and help yourself out when you have a ton of stuff to do.”

wake you up for that early test. Maybe you just like the taste or feel better after drinking a few gulps. No matter what the reason, each generation is consuming more and more caffeine to get through the day.

But is caffeine addictive? Research has stated that regular use of

Morgan Meyer‘11

caffeine does cause mild physical dependence. Anyone who stops

taking caffeine after regularly having the drug in their system will

experience symptoms of withdrawal for a day or more. Caffeine does

not have the severe withdrawal that more powerful drugs or alcohol

have. For this reason, most experts don’t consider caffeine dependence as an addiction.

Caffeine abuse is a growing concern for our generation and simply

knowing the facts, or being aware for how much you take can help pre-

vent you from becoming more and more dependent on the most widely-

Consuming caffeine: 3 Years

used drug in the nation.

“I have a diet Mountain Dew every morning. that’s all we have at my house to drink so I’m just used to drinking it now. Also it helps get me up for morning band practices, well most of the time.”

Pros Cons

Decrease fatigue and speed up reaction time

Increase your reactions to daily stress

Improve memory, mental function and short-term memory

Boost risk of heart disease Daily consumptions of soft drinks lower bone density in women. (not men)

Drinking coffee may help prevent type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s and liver disease, and even liver cancer.

400

Caffeine per serving (milligrams)

Consuming caffeine: since college “I didn’t start drinking coffee for any benefits, I drink it for the taste. I don’t feel any side effects if I don’t have it or if I have a lot. And I’m an American gosh darn it and that’s what we do.”

357

300

280

200

160

144

100 0

Patrick Hennes

Withdrawal symptoms include: headache, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood and difficulty concentrating.

80 8.4 oz

16 oz

23.5 oz

16 oz

22 oz

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) defines Caffeine Intoxication as a clinical syndrome.

Information compiled by Brennan Winget and Andy Haltermen

dungeon

Oct 09

p20

[THE GENTLE GIANT]

Michael Stoeker

]

words Chris Caracci layout Kelly McGowan “I’m not afraid of nothing ‘cuz I’m ‘da man!” Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, weighing in at 291 pounds, it’s

not hard to believe. Senior Michael Stoeker’s a gentle giant, though, always playing pranks and trying to inject humor on the field. If he’s not stealing his teammates’ keys during practice, he’s hiding their helmets.

“Everyone always knows it’s him,” senior Jordan Thompson said.

He never fails to be unique. “He comes up with a slogan for each week of the season, like ‘we’re going to

shine light on the Black Raiders’ (Sioux City East’s mascot),” senior teammate Travis Merritt said.

Even off the field, Stoeker enjoys joking around with his teammates. “At team camp two years ago at North-

west Missouri State University, took the empty pizza boxes from dinner and put them outside peoples doors, all while laughing hysterically,” senior Alex Recker said.

Stoeker hasn’t always just been a football player either. “I used to be a fast swimmer in all four competi-

tive strokes when I was in elementary school. I swam for the Urbandale Sharks with Duane Hatfield and John Temple, “ Stoeker said.

Stoeker started playing tackle football in seventh grade, and began his varsity career during his junior year.

But will Stoeker be hanging up his cleats for good after this season? He’s still unsure whether he will play ball in college or concentrate on his major, which will be either biochemistry or chemistry.

Whether his football career is over or not, he’ll leave behind a legacy of funny stories, like the time he came

to practice with just his pads and no jersey, or the way he eats salmon salad sandwiches everyday at lunch.

And what about the way he performed the Ice Cream and Cake dance after each victory? The list goes on and on…

]

Michael Stoeker Alex Peichl/The

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sports

Oct 09

pg21

Sophomores strike in Brazil words Zach Winjum layout Lauren Gehrke Dribbling the white and black ball across

the grassy field in the diverse town of Belohorizonte, Tyler Nuemann kicks the ball

past the anxiously awaiting faces of the

Brazilian professionals. He sent the ball into the net, declaring a tie game. Josh Dicken

and Nuemann defended American soccer

in the foreign land of Brazil. Both sophomores and both varsity starters, Nuemann and Dicken competed against some of the

youngest and best soccer professionals in the South American town.

Preparation

Dicken was surprised to find out his na-

tive Brazilian soccer coach Marcelo Serrano

was inviting his whole 15-year-old Olympic Development Program (ODP) team to play professional soccer teams in Brazil.

“I was very excited and I thought it would

be one of the most fun things I’d do in my life,” Dicken said.

The ODP league consists of the best

soccer players in Iowa. Dicken and Nuemann had to try out for the teams that are

divided based on age. Most of the play-

provided/Bart Casey

ers on their ODP team took part in the two-

Top Left- Josh Dicken beats out a Brazilian player in a game. Top Right- The team huddles up to listen to coach Marcelo Serrano. Bottom Left- Tyler Neumann battles the Brazil players. Bottom Right- Neumann goes in for the shot against the professional team.

week trip. Nuemann along with a few others from an older age group were recruited from their ODP team to compete as well.

Dicken and Nuemann played a team from a club that Serrano played on at their age.

Because of Serrano connections to other Brazilian coaches, the team was able to make the trip to South America.

Games

They spent a total of two weeks in Brazil.

During this time they played seven games.

Culture

pared to football or baseball in America.

to hang out with some of the Brazilian play-

one sport while in Brazil kids only play soc-

Nuemann and Dicken also got a chance

“When you buy things there it is always

weird because there is no change, it’s usu-

ed to live with their team in the same com-

“Most of the time you barter with them.”

before a game.

Next Year

Belohorizonte is a poverty stricken town

their entire trip playing soccer. Serrano

and trying to improve. As they prepare for

firsthand. The majority of the houses were

taking them to repel down the mountains.

mind the skills they’ve learned from play-

space, placed close together behind walls

backwards down the mountains. Another

Brazil.

rugged area of Belohorizonte was an area

nessed were the kites that Brazilians flew.

because we’ll have more team chemistry

200 kites flying,” Dicken said.

mann said.

clubhouses.

“It was difficult to understand them

sometimes because of their accent but

sional teams that were paid to play.

Dicken said.

“We got destroyed by some of the pro

ences through purchases.

cer,” Nuemann said.

ers. They spent time at the professional’s

The ODP team went 4-3. The three they lost were to 16 year-old Brazilian profes-

“Most kids in America play more than

They also experienced cultural differ-

they were cool and we all had a great time,”

The Brazilian professionals are obligat-

plex along with practicing four times a-day

Nuemann and Dicken did not spend

ally one dollar or fifty cents,” Nuemann said.

They are always working on their skills

teams,” Dicken said. The closest loss of the

which Dicken and Neumann witnessed

gave them a taste of Brazilian culture by

the upcoming season they still keep in

both of the ODP’s team goals. He consid-

small rundown shacks with little living

They used bungee chords while jumping

ing against the soccer players they met in

on the hilly mountainous terrain. The less

popular hobby Dicken and Nuemann wit-

“Hopefully we’ll improve from last year

for monumental houses of the wealthy.

“You would go to a park and you would see

three had a score of 3-2. Nuemann scored ers himself lucky to have scored at all,

“The pace of the game was a lot faster

than what we were used to and made it more of a challenge,” Nuemann said.

In Brazil, soccer is life. It could be com-

than what we started with last year,” Nue-

sports

Oct 09

Runner works towards second wind

p22

Front runner Drew Jackson works towards a recovery and the chance to run in the district cross country meet. words & layout Michael Carlson

what it was finally,” he said.

Jackson was immediately placed in a

boot and constrained to using a hand bike “Let’s ask God to give us strength, and

and upper-body lifting. In addition, he went

that us, and the teams running along with

to the Summit Middle School pool where he

Junior Drew Jackson leads the cross

his fitness and stamina. After three more

meet Sept. 10. He suffered a stress frac-

in an air cast, which has allowed him to use

us will have no injuries, Amen.”

jogged laps in two of the lanes to keep up

country team in prayer prior to the home

long weeks of waiting, Jackson was placed

ture but was able to finish the meet in sec-

the stationary bike and run once a week.

ond place with a time of 17:01.

Going from 50 miles a week to about one

Jackson had to be carried from the fin-

was not so ideal. “It hasn’t been as bad as

was enough pain in my leg that I couldn’t

“I have taken it for what I have been given,

ish line back to camp after the race. “There

I thought it was going to be, “ Jackson said.

even put my right leg on the ground or any

to lead and still be apart of the team.”

everywhere and I couldn’t take any steps.

Ben Jacobson, Jackson is one of the cap-

weight on it,” Jackson said. “The pain was

There were sharp pains that shot through my leg when there was weight on it.”

Along with seniors Jake Perington, and

tains.

Through his hard work in the last two

Jackson’s stress facture occurred in his

weeks, Jackson has been able to make a

too much training. Throughout the summer

Prior to the meet he was mentally prepared

varied, but some weeks I ran more than

anxious. My goal is to run well and finish,

miles a week on average. I ran everyday

Jackson said. “I want to do as best as my

Two long weeks after the race, Jackson

run, I don’t think I will do that badly be-

lower tibia as a result of over exertion from

comeback and ran at districts on Oct. 26.

he ran a total of 430 miles. “The weeks

to race. “I am not really nervous, I’m more

others,” Jackson said. “In August I ran 50

I don’t know how good I’ll be able to do,”

I could.”

body will physically allow me to do. If I do

was told his prognosis of a stress fracture.

cause running is a very mental sport, I’m

on the other hand I was relieved that I knew

pain.”

“I was hoping it wasn’t a stress fracture, but

OVERTIME

pretty tough, so I think I can get through the

What is better than spending Friday

Panthers? A couple thousand more fans.

ons have won this season with double the

for everyone’s favorite team: their own high

pretty good football team. Last year, after

say we would have two lossses. Maybe.

field, players will do anything to win. High

ber three in the state rankings. This year,

nights at the football stadium, screaming school? With the lights beating down on the

Yet another quality column by Scott Monroe

Kiera Morrill/BW

Junior Drew Jackson cycles on a stationary bike in the fitness center. He has been rehabilitating from the stress fracture he suffered in a September meet.

school football is so passionate for so many people. At least it’s supposed to be.

The players have the passion, but it

doesn’t extend much farther than that at Johnston. Week after week opposing stu-

dent sections make us look pathetic. And at

Over the years, we have become a

mauling S.E.P, the Dragons rose to num-

after blowing out Hoover, we hit sixth in the state. Last time I checked, Permian doesn’t get much better than that. So we have the talent, no question about that. What about the facilities?

A couple years back when the bond was

away games, the crowds make our home

passed to start remodeling the district, the

not a Friday night football game. Read “Fri-

was the football field. When compared to

crowds look like a week night soccer game,

day Night Lights.” If you are lazy, watch the

movie. Compare Permian football to Johnston football. The differences may seem ridiculous, but when you break it down, what do we need to play at the caliber of the

first thing built wasn’t the new schools. It

attendance per game? If I had to guess, I’d We should have beaten Marshalltown in the first place, so picture that game with double

the fans. And the Urbandale score was mis-

leading. The game was always close. What would have happened if the entire school hadn’t skipped the game to attend an overrated concert by an overrated band? Ankeny was not good, should have beaten them,

and who knows what will happen against Dowling.

People in this town need to understand

other high schools, Johnston has one of

the significance of a crowd. I understand

aren’t a factor. What’s missing? Thousands

ing for 20,000 fans. I’m asking for a fourth

the best stadiums in the state. So facilities of dedicated, hungry fans.

How many more games could the Drag-

that football is life in Texas, and I’m not askof that. Think Valley vs. Dowling. If they can do it, why can’t we?

sports

Oct 09

p23

Hockey players vote to stay separate Coach John Burns of the Gold team

words & layout Ryan Smaha

agreed. “This is a league where the kids come to win, but to also play and have fun,” Burns said. “We may be more competitive

When senior Matt Rose first ran into se-

if we combined, but that would defeat the

nior Jordan Costello, he thought it would

purpose of the league.”

be an ordinary conversation. Little did he

Last season, the two different teams ex-

know, he would hear a rumor that could po-

perienced two very different results.

tentially affect the two hockey teams in the

The Gold team finished in a school re-

league for which he plays.

cord third place in the regular season as

“When I first heard the rumors about the

well as in the playoffs, but graduated six

teams combining, I was mad,” junior Jacob

seniors.

Hjelmaas said.

The Purple team finished eighth place

The Des Moines Youth Hockey Associa-

in the regular season and seventh in the

tion high school league first started in 2003,

when Johnston was only represented by one team. For the past three years there

have been two teams, Purple and Gold, because of a surplus of players. Players come

not only from Johnston, but other metro

Kyle Soyer/BW

Senior Matt Rose attempts to score on Jacob Kellow, a junior from East High School, during the Gold team’s Oct. 18 practice. swer of no, with hardly anyone in favor.

surfacing when the coaching staff sent out

maas said, was less playing time for ev-

an e-mail at the end of the season to try and gauge interest.

The players sent back a resounding an-

Purple team struggled last year, senior cap-

tain Dwight Lykins expects big things from his team this year. “I know that we are going for first (place). I’m not trying to have a big

schools that do not have teams.

Rumors of the teams combining began

playoffs, but only lost one senior. While the

only a couple lines, as opposed to five or

head or anything, but I expect nothing but

Junior Alex Hjelmaas offered a different

“I think we should be a very good team this

teams level of play goes up because they

Both teams play all games at the Metro

six if we combined,” Hjelmaas said.

the best from this year’s team,” Lykins said.

eryone.

point, saying that with more ice time both

year.”

get a lot more ice time because there are

get more practice and have a closer team.

Ice Arena in Urbandale.

The reason for their disapproval, Hjel-

“When we have two smaller teams, we

Every trophy tells a tale Students don’t know the story behind some of our school’s greatest trophies. It is my job to find them. first round of the tournament, then Cedar

words & layout Matt Knoedel They say a picture says a thousand

words. If that is true, than a trophy is a

thousand pictures. Every trophy represents the hard work and dedication of a team

that spent hours each week training and

putting their hearts into what they did.

Unfortunately, hundreds of students pass by these trophies every day, and never give them a second thought. I realized

Iowa City West was at hand. The game was a clash of titans, with each team having a player that would eventually play in the NFL. We had Quinn Sypniewski who eventually went to play for the Baltimore Ravens. Iowa

The 2000 boy’s basketball team.

kicker for the San Diego Chargers. The

with a 14-point lead. It was a disappointing

the Iowa Hawkeye’s kicker and is now the stage was set for a showdown.

Athletic director Gary Ross remembers

we want future students to look back at

attended and bought tickets,” Ross said. “It

decided to get the story behind just one of

were a huge amount of people who was a big deal.”

As the game started, it was a fairly

these trophies. This is the tale of the 2000

even match. Students watched in eager

Johnston was on a hot streak that year.

rang, Nate Kaeding gave Iowa City West

boy’s basketball team.

The team made it to state for the first time

since we became a 4A school. One by one, opponents fell. First Marshalltown in the

Matt Knoedel/BW

City West had Nate Kaeding, who became

the atmosphere around the school. “There

our achievements and remember them. I

In 2000, the boy’s basketball team went to the state tournament and took home the runner-up trophy.

Finally the championship match against

that it is important that we look back at the achievements of our past teams because

Matt Knoedel/BW

Rapids Kennedy in the second round.

anticipation. As the third quarter buzzer

the lead, by sinking a three-pointer. As the fourth quarter began, Iowa City West started

to kick things into gear and ended the game

loss for Johnston, but the team put their

hearts into that game and played it the best they could.

They received the 2000 state runners-

up trophy that sits in the trophy case by

the gym doors. One thing that is for sure, the athletes involved in that game: Quinn

Sypniewski, Andy Sundblad, Kyle Mertz, Steve Rude, and Ryan Johnson remember the trophy they received for their efforts. The

least we could do is stop for a few seconds and admire at the trophy they worked so hard to earn.

backpage

Oct 09

PARKING LOT tidbits and info Here’s a list of things you shouldn’t do in the parking lot

p24 The parking lot. We’ve all seen the driver who tries to look

cool by peeling out, blasting their stock speakers, honking at the freshman who happen to be in their way. Everyone

can take into account some important parking lot pointers

to learn how to NOT look like a jerk, but more importantly prevent the use of anyone as speed bumps.

words Evan Culbert and Eric Oatts layout Eric Oatts

(It annoys your peers)

Safe driving is never frowned upon. People won’t judge anoth-

er for following basic traffic laws. However, they will judge some one if that person drives like a pissed off teenager (given that

might in fact be your current status), so don’t put others safety at risk because you want to show others that you are the coolest person ever to walk the earth.

Justin Nicolet ‘12

- Don’t peel out.

- Don’t go more than 10 mph.

- Don’t blare loud music.

- Look before you turn or change directions. There is almost always someone traveling in a direction perpendicular to you.

- Don’t congregate in the middle of the parking lot.

- Don’t park in staff parking.

Jenna Devens ‘10

“The bad part about park-

“So many people speed,

ing on the back road is

and they are only worried

how long it takes to walk

about themselves, and

to the high school, usu-

not looking for anyone

ally 10 minutes in good

else. They’re just trying

weather.”

to look cool but they’re really not.”

- Let some one in front of you go if they are trying to turn. After all, everyone will be in that same situation at some point..

- Wear your seat belt.

- Safety first is the bomb diggity. (Don’t drive over anybody)

Approximately 40-50 students park on the street alongside Walgreens For many of the 200 students who were denied parking passes, the back road, located just behind the Walgreens,

has served as an extended parking lot. Last year, approxi-

mately 15 students used the back road to park. This year, due to the large number of students left without passes,

Charlie Hagget ‘12

Lincoln Eppard ‘11

“No one should turn up

“I hate it when people

their stereo if they don’t

try to look cool by rev-

have after market speak-

ving their engines and

ers, especially if they

trying to do burnouts or

don’t have good music.”

doughnuts, they just look stupid.”

40-50 students have been using the back road on average each day, not including the students who park at City Hall.

Around 200 were denied parking tags this year Before you complain that you weren’t chosen for a parking pass this year, or whine about the amount of open spaces left in the

lot each day, take into account the amount of parking passes that

Alex Hawks ‘11

were handed out this year. Currently, our school has given out

Maddie Morris ‘11

140 more passes then we have capacity for in the parking lot.

“I think younger students

“People think they can

That means, that if everyone decided to drive one day, 140 stu-

who

activities

text and drive or do two

dents would be left without a place to park. More parking passes

should be given parking

things at once, when in

will continue to be issued throughout the year, as the lot is moni-

passes, I hated having

reality, it’s just danger-

tored to see how many spaces are left open on average, and

to wait for parents to pick

ous, you can’t multi-task

temporary passes are given to students who participate in an

me up after sports.”

when your driving.”

in-season sport.

(Do not duplicate)

are

in