B&W the black and white October, 2014
Homecoming
festivities p. 4&5
t
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oct. 2014
Current Events
3
What in the world, current events, voting and a letter to the editor
Photo Essay
4/5
From painting the stadium to dancing all night, students take part in many Homecoming activities
Feature
6 7 8
index
p.2
Rallying for religion FCA organization meets monthly for games, guidance and God Mopeds stir the lot Students share their opinions on the mopeds in the parking lot Trick or treat traditions Students share their Halloween plans and memories
9
The lanyard lowdown Examining the benefits and disadvantages of the school-issued lanyards
Double truck
10/11
High school’s transition to put the environment first
Editorial
12
New security measures not necessary The ‘Black and White’ shares its opinion on the new campus monitor
Opinion
13
90’s kid trend waste of time
14
students learn best depending on teacher style
back to besic
Pictured on the front: While filming for a story about the TPing of the high school, senior Ben Poss sings for an audience. Carly Kinning/BW
b&w philosophy
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 and make all decisions of content. The paper is published ten 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 advisor, 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 editors at jhsblackandwhite@gmail.com The Black and White is a member of CSPA, NSPA, Quil & 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 and sixth in the National Best of Show.
Head editor-in-chief Anne Rogers Print editor-in-chief Clare Farrell Online editor-in-chief Carly Kinning Design editor Zoe Wilson Online sub-editor Natalie Larimer Print sub-editor Sarah Caporelli Sports editor Carly Campbell Opinion editor Senad Besic
15 16
Gamechanger Prejudice in videogames Infinite beauty Focusing on the positives of beauty FCA: a divine divide Supporters and opposers of FCA
Health
17
Edible energy Students and staff share what they eat before and after exercising
Sports
18 19
Breaking the yoga stigma The football team started a new exercise in order to take advantage of the benefits ‘Spirit squad’ subdivides Dance team’s new program causes controversy Smeared eyeliner
Backpage
20
Starstruck Students unexpected experiences while meeting celebrities
meet the staff Staff writers Matthew Berry Erin Bockenstedt Meredith Campidilli MacKenzie Costello Hannah Crooks Max Culbert Jake Dalbey Brianna Erickson Esmerelda Flores Brooke Ginsberg Myles Glandorf Kennedy Graeser Meredith Gwennap Medina Jusufovic Allison Klein
Michelle Kumar Eileen Lagerblade Anna Larson Kate Lichter Allexis Mahanna Kittarah Mangra-Dutcher Carissa Metcalf Jacob Orr Lizzy Orr Caroline Quinn Bryce Schulte Lindsay Soards Staff Illustrator Olivia White
oct. 2014
current events
p.3
compiled | Zoe Wilson
Letter to the editor fordable education can and should be the
City Council.
before have already used.
mindset of people over politics to the Iowa
& White,” but I believe it’s important that
me all the time why I think so many resi-
investing in our schools, growing our econ-
year know where I stand on issues impor-
this election year. I like to think it’s due in
I’m Tom Leffler, and I’m running for state
representative this fall in Johnston, Grimes,
and part of Urbandale. It may seem odd
that I’m writing a letter for the “JHS Black those of you that are first-time voters this tant to you.
I know many JHS students are heading
off to some form of postsecondary education within the next year. It’s a big step in your life, and I don’t believe that choosing to continue your education should burden
bridge to your future career that so many
When I’m out campaigning, people ask
dents are crossing the aisle to support me part to the fact that regardless of party,
learning is critical to a vibrant economy and
changing demands for employment. Af-
So today I’m asking for your support. I
people who elect them — I am too. So I’m
bandale.
I’ve lived in Johnston all my life, attend-
I looked to give back, so I served on the
for community colleges because lifelong
generations to come.
what’s best for Johnston, Grimes, and Ur-
In order to help prevent this, I support
Iowa, UNI, and ISU. I also support funding
omy, and providing clean water and air for
know people are sick and tired of politicians
we should put people over politics and do
ing Johnston Schools and worked 38 years
a tuition cap for our state universities like
statehouse to build bipartisan solutions for
these same folks agree with my view that
you with debt to shoulder for the rest of your life.
I want to bring my experience and my
at Pioneer before retiring. In my spare time City Council. I wasn’t afraid to dialogue and vote with members of both parties because
I believed in representing people, not a party. We saw good results, and I was elected
and re-elected to a total of five terms on the
who only serve their party instead of the
asking you to be part of the solution and join in choosing a state representative who will support your priorities. I’m asking for your
vote for state representative this November 4th.
Tom Leffler
Candidate for State Representative, Dis-
trict 39
www.tomforiowa.com
Interested in writing a Letter to the Editor? Email us at jhsblackandwhite@gmail.com or talk to us in person in room 413.
Students share their voice Students who have turned 18 share their insight on voting in the next election
Ben Davis, senior
“I’ll be voting because I feel that it’s your civic duty to vote and without people voting our political system wouldn’t be used as it is made.”
Rebekah Trost, senior
“I am not voting because I don’t know enough about the candidates to make an educated vote.”
Jasmina Amidzic, senior
“I want to vote for change, and it’s your civic duty and if you don’t vote you can’t really complain about no change.”
around 40,000 years
October 8
Wales A motorist was preSt. Augustine, Florida A marathoner from FL attempted to run from FL to Bermuda in an
inflatable bubble but
was later rescued by the Coast Guard.
tending to be a cop
and ended up pulling over a real officer for speeding.
old might change the
ideas about the origin of art.
zer perform during his audition on NBCs “The Voice”?
“Unaware” by Allen Stone
b c
“Fallin’” by Macklemore “Tethered” by Richard Walters
2 a
Who is retiring from the Senate?
Jerry Kinder
b c
Tom Harkin Tom Latham
3 a
a
b c
Where does the first penguin to
be born using artificial insemination live? Seaworld
b
6
by the secret service?
East room
a
b c
intruder get before being caught
West room
4
a
How far did the White House
Oval office
Henry Doorly Zoo Blank Park Zoo
5 Indonesia Cave paintings that are
What song did junior Grant Gan-
a
c
October 8
events quiz
1
b c
What in the world?
October 1
Current
What did Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher name their baby girl? Wyatt Whitney Winona
What Disney movie has a woman claiming was based on her life
and is suing Disney for $250 Million?
Tangled Frozen Maleficent
answers found on jhsblackandwhite.com
oct. 2014
p.4
Homecoming
photo essay 1
festivities
From painting the stadium to dancing all night, students take part in many Homecoming activities
1.
words | Carly Kinning & Senad Besic layout | Carly Kinning
Before Rock around the Clock Sept. 22, sophomore Carson Mithelman walks through the line to get food at the Best Buddies tailgate. Food from Jethro’s was served, and each meal was purchased at $5.
2.
The varsity dance team performs their hip-hop routine at half-time of the homecoming football game. The theme of the routine was monsters and nightmares. The dance team will perform this routine at the state dance team competition on Dec. 5.
Esmeralda Flores/BW
2
3.
Running out to their first event of Rock around the Clock, advisor Jesse Dowell’s team gets ready for the night’s competitions. Rock around the Clock started off the school week’s Homecoming events.
4.
Senior Travis Kain is lifted into the air by his fellow cheerleaders during the sophomore and junior powder-puff game. The sophomore team beat the senior team, who has not scored a touchdown in three years, to be crowned the champions.
Brianna Erickson/BW
3 4
Esmeralda Flores/BW
5
5.
Senior Tommy Zinselmeier lines up with the ball and prepares himself to kick a field goal. The Dragons faced the North Polar Bears at the homecoming football game Sept. 26. The final score of the game was 42-6.
Natalie Larimer/BW
Senad Besic/BW
oct. 2014
photo essay
p.5
7
6
6.
Band director Patrick Kearney anticipates a pie to be thrown in his face. Each year Best Buddies holds a coin war between select teacher to raise money for their club, and the teacher with the most money in their jar gets a pie thrown in his or her face.
7.
Natalie Larimer/BW
Natalie Larimer/BW
Junior Zach Baer-Deffebaugh dances at the Homecoming dance with his friends. The Homecoming dance lasted from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 27. Administrators said they were happy with students’ behaviors at the dance.
8.
8
Junior Mema Keco twirls her flag in the parade with the marching band Sept. 25. The powder-puff game followed the parade, but the annual car smash was cancelled.
9.
Juniors Analea Couture, Alisha Giesselmann and Michelle Kumar paint ‘NO H8’ on the Gay/ Straight Alliance stadium painting Sept. 26. The GSA’s painting was vandalized Sept. 25 during the night when students TPed the high school.
10.
Erin Bockenstedt/BW
9
10
Bryce Schulte/BW
Carly Kinning/BW
Senior Connor Bast helps pick up toilet paper. Classes went out that morning to help with the clean-up. The annual TPing of the high school ended with the stadium broken into and the school being vandalized. An ongoing investigation with police is taking place.
oct. 2014
feature
p.6
Rallying for religion
Jacob Orr/BW
Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization meets monthly for games, guidance and God words| Hannah Crooks layout | Zoe Wilson
Students and faculty gathered to sing worship songs at Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle September 29. The huddle was held at the Carico household. Last year, at the annual combined Urbandale and
Students who are a part of the group believe that FCA is
to express their faith in a more comfortable setting,” senior
UPCOMING HUDDLES:
attend think the light-hearted atmosphere create a space
DATE: Wednesday, October 22
Johnston Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) huddle,
a way to share their faith. “It gives a lot of people a chance
a giant Nerf war. In the game, Johnston wore purple and
and FCA leader Josh Borwick said. Many students who
students from both schools lined up against each other in
Urbandale wore blue. There was a team on offense, who would attempt to capture the rival team’s flag, and there
that enables students to relax and just have fun.
7:29 p.m.
“I loved it because it was different from anything we had
one person has to describe a word to their partner in order
senior FCA leader Payton Thompson said.
and Nick Lee paired up to play. “The word [Lee] was try-
FCA Movie Night: “God’s Not Dead” will be shown in the auditorium at the high school. Popcorn will be served.
was a team on defense trying to protect their own territory.
ever done and brought a lot of people to hear the speaker,” FCA, has been a long-established tradition at the high
school for years. It is held twice a month, depending on
when the least amount of interference with practices, games and other events can be found. At each huddle,
Last winter, a group of students played a game in which
to get the partner to guess the word. Seniors Marcus Miller ing to describe was ‘food.’ When he described it to me, he
said, ‘what we eat.’ And I instinctively said ‘white rice.’ That was a funny moment I will never forget,” Miller said.
To the students and faculty who are apart of FCA, it is
the group begins by playing games, then they transition
more than just fun and games, though. “FCA serves as a
speaker who talks about the Bible or gives their testimony.
be uplifted throughout the school year,” Shafer said.
into singing worship songs and finally they have a guest “Johnston has one of the state’s longest standing FCA
way our students can share their faith in Jesus Christ and
Many students who attend believe that a big part of FCA
DATE: Monday, October 27 7:29 p.m.
Huddle in the multipurpose room at the high school. There will be a maze and a costume contest. Prizes will be given to the two best costumes. Speaker: Beth Discher, former MVC AllTournament team volleyball player at UNI.
huddles,” FCA supervisor Eric Shafer said. Though he is
is the chance to meet people who share the same beliefs
it isn’t for everyone,” Goodale said. “I have been to one
“I’m sure some students saw how competition and repre-
because it’s a welcoming environment that offers a chance
of it. For me, it felt like more of social event, rather than a
and delve further into those beliefs. “I think it’s important
meeting, which was fun, but I didn’t really get anything out
for people to not only learn more about the Bible, but also
worship event.”
things you do,” Miller said.
and getting to know others on a personal level than simply
great way of meeting new friends and encouraging oth-
reach out to those in our school who don’t know God, and
just too many social things and not as much prayer time.
God. “My sophomore year, Jessie Tindall came up to me
FCA leaders wanted to stress that it is not an exclusive
it didn’t give me a chance to express my own thoughts or
that is totally not the case,” Miller said. “Anyone and ev-
As for how a public school handles a religious affilia-
unsure when or how it was started, Shafer has a theory. senting Christ go hand in hand and wanted to encourage
other athletes,” Shafer said. Since then, many students seem to have taken a liking to the twice monthly huddles.
According to senior Keely Larkin, FCA leader, it is a
get connected with other people who believe the same It is not just for firm believers, however. “It’s a way to
Goodale believes there should be more worshipping
fun and games. “I socialize I promise,” she said. “There was
just love on people,” Thompson said.
We also did a lot of big group activities, which was fun, but
at FCA and asked me about my faith and why I had ac-
group. “Although the name suggests it is for athletes only,
really connect to the other people who were there.”
ally friends with approached me about Christ,” Larkin said.
eryone is welcome, regardless of whether you participate
tion such as FCA, Gary Ross, the school’s athletic director,
Like anything however, FCA comes with controversy.
which students are involved in that doesn’t have a budget
ers to find their own faith and develop a relationship with
cepted Christ and it was the first time someone I wasn’t reThat experience translated into her wanting to do the same
for others so they could feel how she felt as well. She believes it is an opportunity for students to freely share their faith without judgement and create positive friendships.
in sports.”
explained why the club is allowed. ““It’s a student activity in
Junior Olivia Goodale thinks the club has areas where it
account,” Ross said. “We have a school sponsor and sup-
could be improved. “I think FCA is a great program, but
port the participation in the activity.”
oct. 2014
feature
p.7
Mopeds stir the lot Parking spot controversy and the rationale of a moped rider
words & layout | Brooke Ginsberg
Skeptical use of vehicle stall Parking spot controversy has stirred disputes amongst
the lot between cars and mopeds in relation to their size
Brooke Ginsberg/BW
Students who ride mopeds that do not acquire a parking pass are allowed to park their vehicles in the dashed lines. If a rider has a pass, he or she may use one parking spot. Previous moped rider, junior Jacob Cooper, differs that
mopeds do not act any differently than cars in relation to
and the space each vehicle should occupy.
driving and the parking lot. “My driving and thought pro-
administered to students, mopeds should not be able to
in both my car and moped hasn’t changed,” he said. “It’s
Students argue that regardless of the parking passes
acquire an entire parking space due to the size in com-
parison of a vehicle, the inability to see the moped when turning into a spot and the logic that mopeds can inhabit
the convenience dashed yellow lines in contrast of a car.
“It drives me insane how there’s one moped parked in
it’s own spot between the middle school and high school so that when I’m pulling in, there’s that constant illusion that I can actually get all-star parking,” junior Samuel Linder said.
The fact that mopeds have the same individual rights
as a car, with the exception that they are the only vehicles allowed to occupy the dashed yellow lines, spotting these smaller vehicles have caused problems.
“For example, there was an incident involving a mo-
ped a few days ago, because the person on the moped couldn’t control it and ended up hitting the back of the
car in front of them in the parking lot,” sophomore Timon Nadarevic said.
Campus monitor Jan Bjurstrom informs that outside
of the traditional parking lot, there are different laws that
permit where mopeds specifically can or cannot park that
apply to our own concrete. “Mopeds right now are parking in the yellow lined areas of the parking lot so they aren’t taking up a parking space,” Bjurstrom said. “If they are parked in a space, they are like any other vehicle and need a tag and only one per space.”
Confusion between what mopeds are able to do by
law has been a frequent question, seemingly bending the rules due to their compact size and easy way to maneuver around traffic. Senior Brian Bass has mixed feelings
about the mopeds. “I feel that some people who do drive
mopeds think that since they aren’t on a car that they can
do whatever they want, when they should be following the same traffic rules as people who do drive cars,” he said.
cess of taking whatever parking spot is convenient for me high school, you have to learn to deal with that stuff.”
Driver’s dimensions
parking spot
Moped owner’s devotion Ignoring the status quo of using a car for the primary
source of transportation, senior Zach Grenell prefers to
use a moped leisurely during the warm season ever since
7.5ft wide, 9ft long
he obtained his first moped eighth grade year.
“My friend Tanner (Correy) and I ride around together,
it’s so much more fun than a car even though we’ve gotten in some really awful situations,” Grenell said.
One of the two worst accidents Grenell had encoun-
tered involved a road confrontation with a neighborhood mother, her stroller and children passengers. Preceding
1.34 cars = 1 parking spot
the hit-and-run, Grenell attempted a wheelie on his moped and brushed the side of the stroller, his friend foresaw the situation and fled immediately. After startling the mother
and her kids, Grenell picked up what was left of his grazed moped and sped down the street to seek a nearby safe haven in his friend’s garage.
Although Grenell only chooses to navigate around on
his moped when the weather is suitable, he does find it
more beneficial for activities such as baseball. Due to the short travel from field to home, he feels it unnecessary to waste gas from his car, but the distance is too great for
4.67 mopeds = 1 parking spot
Student speculation
walking, turning into a perfect compromise.
However, there are still negatives that substitute for the
benefit of minimizing the expense of gas. “It’s so sketchy at night, sometimes I’ll be waiting at stop light forever
because the sensors don’t detect mopeds,” Grenell said.
Regardless of the damage and complications to riding,
Grenell still prefers to ride his moped locally and neglect the public’s criticism. “Mopeds are a lot better than cars,
you can actually feel the wind running through your flow,” Grenell said.
Zachary Grenell, senior
“Mopeds are a lot better than cars, you can feel the wind running through your flow.”
Samuel Linder, junior
“There’s that constant illusion that I can
acutally get all-star parking”
oct. 2014
feature
p.8
Trick-or-treat traditions Students share their Halloween plans and memories
words | Erin Bockenstedt layout | Clare Farrell
Decking the house in decorations Senior Sam Thielen’s family enjoys decorating the
house for Halloween. “We go all out,” Thielen said. “We have blow up stuff in the front yard and spider
webs everywhere and inside the house we have Hal-
loween stuff up. My mom kind of goes all out for every holiday.”
Childhood costumes
Fright night fun
Thielen’s family also goes all out when handing out
candy to children. “We’re the house that has the big
candy bars,” Thielen said. “We’re the favorite. Everyone always comes down to my house and has to get a
Thinking back to Halloween when she was
candy bar. There’s older kids that come and try to get
how much fun she had trick-or-treating. “I was
Thielen stopped trick-or-treating when she was
five years old, senior Rylee Keith remembers
a candy bar.”
Britney Spears for five years straight,” Keith said.
in eighth or ninth grade. “I like listening to little kids
“She was my hero.”
After Keith decided to stop being Britney
Spears she decided to dress up in a costume
jokes,” Thielen said. “I think it’s more fun for me to sit and watch people.”
Thielen also enjoys going to haunted houses. “(One
commonly named ‘Scream.’ “I had the thing
time) we stayed so late that eventually the people
down it,” she said.
tions with them,” Thielen said. “It ruined the scare fac-
loween tradition for Keith, she likes the feeling of
like, ‘Hey Jim!’”
over and over,” Keith said. “It’s really cheesy and
the fall season. “I love the weather,” she said. “(And)
where you squeezed it and blood would come
came out in costume and we were having conversa-
Scary movie viewings are also a part of Hal-
tor. I had names with scary faces. So I would just be
being scared. “I could watch Evil Dead literally
Along with the holiday itself, Thielen also enjoys
stuff with the gore, but I like it.”
ABC Family is the bomb-dot-com during Halloween because they play movies like Hocus Pocus.”
This Halloween, junior Maddy Bradley is plan-
ning on carrying on the tradition that she shares
with her father. “He always dresses up as a witch and pretends to be a statue and then the little
kids come up and he scares them,” Bradley said. “This year, I’m dressing up as a sumo wrestler, and we decorate our house with ghosts, pumpkins and spiders.”
Bradley said that she has done the prank
with her father for the past three years after she
stopped trick-or-treating. “One year, a girl from
my grade came up and then my dad scared her, and she turned around and fell into the grass.”
One of Bradley’s favorite parts of Halloween is
seeing everyone’s costumes. “[I also] like figuring out who the little kids are.”
Halloween by numbers $6.9 billion
total estimated spending during Halloween in 2013
average total spending on childrens’ costumes
$2.6 billion
$360 million
average amount spent on candy
$2.08 billion
average amount spent on greeting cards Information provided by forbes.com
oct. 2014
feature
p.9
The lanyard lowdown
After two months into school, ‘The Black and White’ examines the benefits and words & layout | Jake Dalbey disadvantages of the school-issued lanyards On the morning of Sept. 31st, several
ID’ing policies
teachers, campus monitors and police officers were called to investigate a suspicious
Comparing school ID rules and guidelines
man walking around the school halls. After
being questioned, it was discovered that the stranger was a construction worker looking
for a bathroom to use after leaving his job
Hoover
near the attendance office. He received ac-
cess to the school after a door was left open from a student entering the building. Another instance involved a student, not affiliated
with Johnston, wandering near the softball
fields. He was threatened with legal action if he returned to the campus. It is situations
like these that make lanyard use seem nec-
Failure to wear ID’s breaks level II dress code of conduct and results in a fine of $1.
essary to assistant principal Jerry Stratton.
“With almost 1500 students in the building
Jake Dalbey/BW
it’s hard to keep tabs on everyone who enters the facility,” Stratton said. “Would he
have caused harm? I couldn’t tell you, but its a scary thought.” However these views
are not mutual among many students and
the new lanyards are among the year’s most controversial items.
Initiated even before school started,
the new lanyards have become a constant
source of controversy for the student population. “They seem unnecessary, why can’t
we just use our iPads from last year?” senior Kate Minney said. The lanyards were designed to enhance school security due
to requiring students to scan their ID’s in
order to gain access to the school. “It was
a culmination of several events we’ve ex-
perienced last year and a general want to increase school security,” Stratton said.
According to Stratton, the main reason
for implementing the lanyards is to keep track of students. “If you were able to find a teacher who knows 75% of the student
population, I would be surprised,” Stratton said,” Even (a student) could find about 400
people in the hallways that you don’t know.” It is because of this that the doors surround-
ing the high school have been locked once class starts, leaving only the attendance
door open for students to enter. The new campus monitor is meant to help combat this problem by supervising the areas that
students gather the most, in this case, the
yards to replace the standard ring holder
we’ll be able to open up more doors for
lanyard useless to opening doors. “The lit-
commons. “With the new campus monitor students to enter,” Stratton said.
Out of the recent changes affecting the
school from lanyard use, one new sys-
tem remains a favorite among students,
shorter lunch lines. The lanyards now let students scan their barcodes to receive lunch instead of punching in the code.
can deactivate the bar code leaving the tle cutout where the clip goes breaks very
easily, and mine does not scan the doors at all, which sucks for seniors,” senior
Matt Evans said. Protective holders have protect the delicate plastic.
Wearing the new lanyards means noth-
ing if they are not enforced. Teachers and
to remember my code anymore,” Minney
their lanyards at all time or be forced into
said. Stratton believes the lanyards are a
great asset to students. “We tried to integrate features into the lanyards that would make them useful for students, if I were a
student I would love using them for lunch,” Stratton said.
Not all the changes brought about by
lanyards have been positive in the eyes
of students. Having to use the lanyards
to unlock and open the doors around the school is one of the main complaints of
wearing a temporary tag. “It’s a constant
battle,” Stratton said. “Most kids think it’s just the ‘man’ trying to get them down.”
Teachers try their best to police students into wearing lanyards with some success,
conforming to the school’s rules. Unlike
most schools who implement ID systems, there is no fine so far for not wearing the student lanyard.
”I may have two to three kids a class
to her broken lanyard clip. From chipped
a discussion and then they’ll usually come
damaged lanyards not only look bad and
annoy students, but also can inhibit door
access. Creating new holes in the lan-
$5 temp. tag fee, after 5 ID’s a detention must be served if a student cannot pay the fee.
but some students don’t like the idea of
period who won’t want to wear theirs, but
corners, broken rings and punched holes,
Lincoln
staff are required to make students wear
students. “Mine can’t even get me into the school anymore,” Minney said referring
Parents contacted after first ID is lost. After fifth offense iPad usage is taken away.
recently been distributed in an attempt to
Lines now move quicker and more efficiently. “It’s nice because now I don’t have
North High
they don’t put up a fight, we have more of
on,” government teacher Ben Knight said.
Unlike most schools who implement ID systems there is no fine so far for not wearing the student lanyard.
Roosevelt
Students who don’t wear their ID’s must pay $1, along with $5 for replacement.
environment
oct. 2014 p.10&11
High school’s transition to put the environment first words & layout | Carly Kinning & Max Culbert
electronics
in the district. Some of the items on the list
include keeping doors and windows closed,
using natural lighting when possible and turn-
ing off electronics at the end of the day. “We’ve
asked [teachers] to go to minimal lighting when students
are not present, so shut your darn lights off when you leave
the room,” Beason said. “Be mindful of the energy you are using.”
Lunch associates say a place that could be greener
All electronic devices in the school district can be recycled. “The recycler we use will basically take anything electronic,” technology coordinator Tony Sparks said. “We recycle several hundred pieces of electronic devices each summer.” The iPads that high school students have been using for three years will either be recycled as well, or possibly sold back to Apple. Apple will recycle the device and may give credit for other purchases.
is the lunchroom. “We are not very well focused on envi-
ronmentally-friendly products in our kitchen,” said kitchen manager Boe Stoebner. Approximately 1,500 plastic utensils are used everyday. Styrofoam trays are also offered
up as an alternative to the hard plastic trays, because offering only hard plastic trays was not cost efficient. “Two
years ago, we had a lot of issues with people throwing
trays away,” Stoebner said. “They’re about $10 a piece, so you can imagine the loss that I had.” The lunch staff had
The current high school As knowledge about human’s effect on the environment
increases, it becomes more and more important for people
to find ways to be “green.” At the high school and other
the same issue with metal silverware. So the less environmentally-friendly styrofoam trays and plastic silverware are offered, in an effort to prevent the loss of hard-plastic trays and metal silverware.
“We thought about a product, it’s a lid and it has a large
schools in the district, efforts are being made to be more
magnet on there, and if you threw silverware in it the mag-
One way the high school has strived to be greener is
$600. With this high price, topping 10 trash cans would not
environmentally-friendly.
through environmentally-friendly technology. The district recently made the switch from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent and LED lights. In addition, solar collecting
lights have been put various classrooms. District Energy
Manager Dave Beason said more of these will appear
throughout the district. “Those were kind of an experimental thing, and it worked out well,” Beason said. “We’re going
to put more of those on interior classrooms that can’t get
net would catch it,” Stoebner said. Each lid, however, was be the best way to utilize funds in the current high school.
Stoebner believes the best chance to be more eco-friendly
is to change our practices. “I think the biggest impact we can make is to have a recycling bin for plastic bottles and
all the beverage bottles that get thrown in the trash,” Stoebner said. “It’s another task that needs to be delegated to somebody.”
Beason believes it is essential to start being more eco-
natural light.”
friendly. “You know, we can’t continue what we’re doing,”
room has been distributed to teachers from each school
be greener.”
In addition, a list of ways to save energy in the class-
Beason said. “We should always be searching for ways to
cafeteria by numbers
270,000
plastic utensils used per school year
51,120
plastic bottles used per school year
LEED certification
LEED certification is a "green building" rating system to measure the sustainability of buildings. The new high school will not be a LEED certified building because it is very expensive to become certified. It is being designed and modeled, however, as if it were one. "We have talked a lot about that at the board level, and decided that [the high price] is just to put a plaque on the wall," Kline said. http://www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen/leed.asp
The new high school
tips from students
Various updates and additions have been made in the
current high school in order to create a building that is more
environmentally-friendly, but all of them will be surpassed when the doors of the new high school open in the spring
Kristina Rice
of 2017. One of the main focuses for the new high school
“Always check to see if something has a recyclable sign on it before you go to throw it away.”
Seth Andrews
“Have one cup or water bottle that you use for everything you drink. This way you are cutting down on all the washing you do, and the disposable cups you use.”
is to make it as sustainable as possible.
Several years ago when the extension was added to
the current high school, a geothermal heating and cooling system was added in the section as well. The heating and
cooling system at the new high school, however, will be
considered hybrid geothermal. “It’s going to have a centralized heating and cooling plan instead of individual heat pumps that’s throughout the building,” director of buildings
and grounds Tim Kline said. “Not that that’s not energy efficient, this is a little more energy efficient.”
The heating and cooling system at the future high school
will not only have centralized heating, but it will be set up differently than all other buildings in the district. “Instead
of having the air coming through the ventilation from the
gas costs
long distance short distance
top of the room and trying to push cool air through hot air, it’s going to come in from the bottom,” Kline said. By doing
this, it will allow the temperature to rise from of the floor at
65 degrees, instead of needing to push through the hot air near the ceiling at 55 degrees.
The different heating and cooling system is called the
air displacement system, and it will also clean the air of
Logan Beguhn ‘15
15 minutes from school Acura RL
19 miles per gallon
cost for whole tank
about
$45
Johanna Miller ‘16
4 minutes from school Ford Escape
22 miles per gallon
cost for whole tank
about
$30
pollutants, CO and odors from bodies. “It’s something that I discovered down in Kansas City when I toured a facility
down there,” Kline said. “When I walked in I knew there was something different about that. It’s better quality of the air, energy efficient and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Many of the features that are friendly to the environment
in the new high school will not cost more than what is being
used in the current high school. The air displacement system did not cost any more than the individual heat pumps
at the current high school, and it helped the district receive more money back on their rebate.
All of the lighting in the new high school will be LED,
which will help save costs as well. “It saves a lot of money
in maintenance because they last longer, (and) there’s not as much heat that comes off of those lights,” Kline said.
Another feature that will be in the new high school is au-
tomatic hand dryers. “We’re going to be doing that throughout the building,” Kline said. He said that the reason for
implementing the automatic hand dryers is to cut back on the use of paper towels.
Some things, however, needed to be taken out of the
design or can only be added in the future to save costs. “We would like to have done solar panels, we have a lot of
large roof areas that would allow us to do that,” Kline said. The upfront cost of the solar panels was too much to pay for, considering the budget for the new high school has already been topped.
Other schools in Iowa have also made changes to
become more energy efficient. Nevada High School in
Nevada, Iowa has been using wind turbines to generate
wind energy into their high school since 1993. “Currently, our best estimate is that the wind energy saves us about
$3,000 per month on our energy costs at the high school,” Nevada superintendent Steve Gray said.
Wind turbines were brought into consideration to be
used at the new high school, but the idea was scrapped when the costs and the amount of wind in the area was
studied. “I’ve been working with pioneer, John Deere Credit, Camp Dodge, trying to figure out if this is a place we can pool our funds together and put up a large turbine,” Kline
said. “All of our studies say it is not going to produce the amount of electricity we would need.”
Though wind turbines are not a possibility for the school
district to use, according to Kline there are still many ways the school will be sustainable. “This is probably going to be one of the most energy-efficient high schools being built in
Iowa, and perhaps the Midwest,” Kline said. “We are an-
ticipating once we get this done, and we will make sure it’s done right, it will invite a lot of people to come in and look and see what we’re doing.”
oct. 2014
editorial
p.12
Allison Klein/BW
Learning on
The new campus monitor was hired this month in order to watch the commons doors for students during the day.
lockdown
Campus monitor is an inadequate way to provide security and safety for students New superintendent Dr. Corey Lunn wasted no time
making security changes at the high school. “Now with the new superintendent on board, we have new eyes on things,” principal Brent Riessen said.
equipment. “I think the new security system will be a positive contribution to our school in order to keep students safe.”
Students feel differently about the new campus monitor.
Lunn looked at the high school and immediately saw
“I think it’s good that they are just trying to keep us safe,
the lanyard system and I found out that kids could get into
much,” junior Rose McAninch said. “There are other safety
concern. “I was at the high school, and I was learning about
any door with these, and I was like “Well where’s the security?” Lunn said. “So I shared that I was uncomfortable
It is not like we have not done anything. When Reissen
says, “We’re always looking at how we can make things
safer around here,” we believe him. Unfortunately, security measures are not full-proof.
Some school shootings involve a student enrolled at the
yet adding another campus monitor might be a little too
school doing the shooting. Where are the security mea-
precautions that can be taken before that is needed.”
tors cannot stop a determined indivudal. Lunn said that
Or maybe the improvements made the past three years,
sures for that? Locked doors, lanyards, and campus monirelationships bewteen staff and students might thwart a
with that.”
some as a result of Sandy Hook, are more than adequate.
“There was concern that there was no office by the student
safety. “I think the last time there was a really big push was
school security. What would happen if there was a school
As a result he requested the new campus monitor. “I’m a
sen said. “There was a big push, and we talked about hav-
“The Black and White” thinks the school has responded
This was the origin of the idea of the campus monitor.
entrance, no checking of kids, no visibility there,” Lunn said. new parent and a superintendent to the district,” Lunn said. “I have really fresh eyes and I have this experience.”
Lunn came from Stillwater, Minn., an area that strongly
Reissen said Sandy Hook changed how schools view
around the time of Sandy Hook which was terrifying,” Ries-
Now all the outside doors are locked. It would take
lunch or yell at people who forget their lanyards at home. Is
dent whose district experienced a school shooting. “I know
Until last week, our lanyards allowed access at only two
could save lives.
that if anything happened here, I would feel guilty,” Lunn
doors, the northeast doors by the fitness center and the
feel like it’s my duty to protect all of the students like they’re
lock classroom doors.
my own children.”
As a result, the district installed a front door phone for
visitors or students that are late and hired campus monitor who started manning the east entry Oct. 13.
Some have critized the hiring of the campus monitor
when the district cut over a million dollars from the budget
last spring. “We talked about the expense, but number 1,
we knew it was an issue,” Lunn said. “But we figured in a $100 million dollar budget to keep kids safe, we figured you guys were worth it.”
Sophomore Biz Foutch approves of the new security
shooting? Could it have been prevented?
to security in favorable ways. However, the campus moni-
due to staffing issues.
some time for a potential shooter to break in. Time that
said. “I’m not only a superintendent, but I’m a dad, and I
There is always that “what if” feeling when it comes to
ing more supervision.” More supervision was not granted
focused on school safety because of incidents that happened in the past few years. He worked with a superinten-
potential situation.
main east entrance. Teachers have been encouraged to
tor just feels like another way to catch juniors who go to it really about security?
A possible solution could be to change the job descrip-
tion of Bjurstrom away from parking tickets and more on
overseeing entry into the building. That could save us the $20,000-$25,000 salary of the new campus monitor.
Maybe other measures could have been taken. No one
Staff has had ALICE (Alert. Lockdown. Inform. Coun-
talked to the student body about its thoughts. The district
teachers and students may want to resist the potential
volve students being the shooters. The new security is not
ter. Evacuate.) training. This new training emphasized that shooter if hiding does not work. The program also advises
escape might be an option. It depends on the situation. “The idea is making sure that everyone gets home safely,”
Riessen said. “You could be locked up in a room, going out
is already tight on money, and a lot of school shootings inhelping us resolve either issue. When it comes down to it,
the campus monitor will not save us if there was a situation where there was a shooter, so why is he here?
While students may say that the security is getting out
a window, or going out a door.”
of hand, administrators say they try their hardest to make
have a full-time SRO, Jessica Jensen, and a full-time cam-
like a prison,” Lunn said.
We have practiced school-wide lockdown drills. We
pus monitor, Jan Bjurstrom.
sure that students are safe. “We don’t want to make it seem The problem is that it does feel like a prison.
The editorial is an opinion held by the editorial board of the newspaper. It needs a simple majority to pass. This month’s vote was 8-1.
oct. 2014
opinion
p.13
90s kid trend waste of time
words & layout | Bryce Schulte
I always hear how the 90s were such a great time. We
had “Furby,” “Pokémon” and even “Spongebob.” Oh wait; we still have those. All over the Internet, Instagram and
Tumblr especially, people are obsessed with being a “90s
kid.” The funny thing is that everything the “90s kids” say makes a 90s kid is still around today.
With YouTube and Google, anyone can practically find
anything online. Yes, even episodes of a “That’s So Ra-
Jumping Generations Popular shows from the
aired 90s that into the
ven,” “Rugrats,” and many other shows I’ve heard associated with the 90s and being a “90s kid.” There is Netflix,
2000s
which has so many old movies, that a good handful is going to be from the 90s.
News flash: everything that happened in the 90s did not
just stay in the 90s. The fashion is making a comeback too.
growing up in the culture, then it is fair to say that today’s youth and teens are 90s kids.
People say that the freshman this school year are not
“Rugrats”
1991-2004
90s kids. When I hear that, I roll my eyes. It should not matnumbers. “I think a lot of it has to deal with these kids were
born before the turn of the millennium,” senior Gillian Kolotsane Wren said. “There were a lot of fun, classic movies in
the 90s that people still enjoy today and cool games came out that are extended long series with 14 or 15 add-ons.”
From what I’ve seen online, most people that boast
“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”
“All That”
1994-2005
“Beavis and Butthead” 1993-2011
history is a hoax, this date was recorded as the day our
congress adopted the Declaration. You could, however, argue about the motives of a political candidate or what type of government would best fit a particular country.
whole time he was explaining his rationale, I didn’t understand it from his point of view. So I rose my hand, shared my thoughts on the topic, debated with him a little bit and
eventually convinced him to give most of the class some
opinion and actually make a change with it. You could even make some pun about how that situation is sort of
like what we’re learning about with representative democracies and the public having the power if they are all willing to unite and stand together for a common goal against some mightier, greater power (i.e. Yenger). Just kidding, that pun was really lame.
They claim that being a 90s kid is growing up and expe-
No, but in all seriousness, the point I’m trying to make
riencing the 90s’ TV shows, movies, books, fashion and
isn’t about some dumb puns. It’s actually about the ben-
celebrities. The funny thing is that most of the people that
efits of standing up for your opinion. I’m not saying you
claim to be the 90s kids were at the oldest, 10. Ten year
The whole 90s kid fad is completely overrated. It is said
10, I think it is safe to say that most 10 year olds are more online that if you were born after 1995 or 1996, then you focused on play dates, dolls and toys in general. are not a 90s kid. “To everyone who complains about ‘90s With time comes change, and with change comes time. kids’ stuff: I’m sorry,” Kolotsane Wren said. “If you’re not 20 Of course things are going to be different from the 90s. The then you’re not really a ‘90s kid.’ I would consider people shows are going to be viewed and showed differently, mu- who were born in the 80s and were teens in the 90s; those sic is going to be expressed in new ways, and social norms are 90s kids.” are going to expand. It just happens. “It’s definitely changed
I was born in 1999, but grew up in the 2000s culture. from strictly religious morals to (being) more open,” sopho- People born in 1995 were only 5 by the end of the 90s. A more Alexis Pottebaum said. “However, I would say racism five-year-old is not going to remember pretty much anyis more accepted towards some groups because of things thing from that age. Everyone that claims to be a 90s kid is like 9/11.” Sometimes those changes are not always the about my age, or a year or two above. If you say that to be best, but they do not automatically make the people born in a 90s kid, you have to grow up in the culture, then you are that generation terrible people. not a 90s kid by your own definition. No one is lesser than anyone else because of the mu-
day besides July 4, 1776. Unless the entire United States
That was a great feeling. Being able to share your
about being a 90s kid were actually born in the mid 90s.
olds do not have any fashion sense. From what I did at age
Declaration of Independence was ratified on any other
points back on a question.
1996-2004 1994-2004
example, you cannot argue with me that the United States
Yenger, was telling us it was a different option. But the
1996-2003
“Friends”
ly about factual, set in stone and nonnegotiable facts. For
us chose one specific answer, while our teacher, Jeremy
“Hey Arnold!”
ter what year someone is born in. People are people, not
lows some room for debate since the class isn’t complete-
70% on a quiz, which is a problem. As a class, most of
“The Simpsons” 1989-present
Government, unlike other history classes, actually al-
time, in Government, about our entire class got below a
1998-2006
ers originated in the 90s. So if being a 90s kid is all about
words & layout Senad Besic
The reason I mention this is because once upon a
“That ‘70s Show”
All the crop tops, platform shoes, and the Ray-Ban Wayfar-
kcaB 2 Besic
Being born three years before someone else does not
sic they like, or the shows they watch. Just because this make you any better. It is character that counts, and how generation has Call of Duty and other video games, along you treat others. If someone wants to categorize others with TV shows and the internet, people assume that this based on the year they were born, then maybe being a generation is so bad. That makes no sense. “90s kid” is not such a great thing.
should go around flaunting your views in peoples’ faces
like those super religious people that visit college campuses, but be more adamant about your beliefs. Don’t
sway to the popular opinion so easily. If you’re thinking
about something differently than the rest are, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong.
Too often do I see students get poor grades on tests,
quizzes and assignments that do nothing about it. They
don’t bother looking over their mistakes or talking to the teacher about questions they don’t understand how they got wrong. It is possible the student is ignorant about
whatever it is they are learning, or maybe they didn’t study for the exam, but it does no harm asking the teacher to
look at one of the questions in a different light. Remember, you miss 100% of the points you don’t argue for.
Standing up for your opinion isn’t confined by the walls
of a classroom, however. This isn’t just about arguing
with teachers to gain points back. In the grand scheme of things, being determined about your beliefs, as long as you do it respectfully, is a very important attribute to have.
oct. 2014
opinion
p.14
Teaching and learning styles determine how much we learn
words & layout | Sarah Caporelli In AP chemistry, Mr. Oldham lets seniors Jon Dolan and Baylee Heiden interactively learn by holding bubbles as he lights the bubbles on fire. This exercise taught that different chemicals can burn in different colors and heat levels.
Math and science have always been my strong suits. I
can go through a lab, listen to a lecture, ask my questions and I excel. Never did I think to attribute my love for these subjects to my learning styles, but also the way my teachers taught. Chemistry is by far my favorite class because
I love learning the way my teacher teaches and the hands
on lab activities make it all the more interesting. There are
reasons why chemistry proved to be more engaging to my brain and why it could be utterly impossible to others.
There are three types of learning styles: auditory, visual
and tactile. To find out your learning style you can take a
quiz at http://www.educationplanner.org/students/ and go to the self assessment tab to find how you learn best.
Psychology teacher Jesse Dowell has a different ap-
proach on learning styles. “Certain things are best learned a certain way,” Dowell said. For example, auditory con-
cepts should be taught with lectures, visual concepts with and projects.
A common mistake is that we think that we are 100
percent one type of style when in reality we can learn in
all three different ways. “Some people have preferences
but that doesn’t always mean you’re going to learn it better that way,” Dowell said.
I learn 40% auditory, 35% tactile and 25% visual, ac-
cording to educationplanner.org.
The evidence mounts against the fact that we can only
learn in one learning style. Articles are published all over,
such as http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/, that show that it is a myth to claim you can only learn, say, auditorily. We
can learn through any of the learning styles, and there is
no evidence saying you can only learn through one style.
I agree completely with the fact that our learning styles do not dictate whether we can learn a concept one style or the other. Where our learning style fails us is where our
Photo by Sarah Caporelli
Photo by Sarah Caporelli
Learning Styles
powerpoint presentations and tactile concepts with labs
Visual
Auditory
that even though Duarte prefers to learn auditorily he does
teachers should find the best way to teach the concepts.
not learn all subjects or concepts best auditorily.
your preference did not stick to one style of learning, it
they do not tailor their teaching to help the students to learn
If you take the quiz and get a result and you find out
will affect your understanding of anything you learn. “I
think sometimes people fall back on that and say ‘well I’m
The way teachers can be deemed ‘bad’ would be that
to the best of their abilities.
The best teachers know this and plan their lessons ac-
tactile so I can’t read a book’ or ‘I can’t do that because I’m cordingly. “What I do is I look at the concepts being taught and I would say that if I’m teaching the neuron I should always visual’ don’t use it as a crutch,” Dowell said. In the defense of other subjects, it’s easier for science
classes to hit all three styles when working with a single
probably teach it visually,” Dowell said.
Learning is proven to be best when the brain gets to in-
concept. In chemistry we get to see the powerpoint, have it volve all three types of learning. I enjoy being involved and working with my hands. That does not mean that I would in front of us to read and participate in labs. Junior Bernardo Duarte recognized his learning style
ask all my teachers to teach me through a hands-on experi-
have to actually care about it,” Duarte said. When the
way the subject is taught does not lend itself to be easily learned then the information is not going to stick.
This is where the teaching style comes into play. Many
teachers can take a ‘boring’ subject and make it fun and easier to learn; that is why they are here.
History and English are the classic auditory taught
classes. I know it may not be the easiest thing in the
world to find a way to teach history tactically. Personally I would not mind participating in a reenactment of a war or turning point in history. In AP Lit we went through an
activity that helps me visually and tactically. I drew out a
plot map and I continue to see it as we analyze the story
through his favorite subjects, too. “I’ve always been
ence everytime. “You wouldn’t always want to do everything in class.
if a teacher is bad then honestly it doesn’t really matter,”
Dowell said.
good at learning by listening and writing stuff down but
Duarte said. The way Duarte learns best is the reason why
visual, or auditory, or tactile you should be using all three,” All of the subjects we learn in school are important to
he enjoys math and science classes the best. That proves learn. “English is one of those thing that I don’t like, but I
Tactile
There are a lot of factors that determine how much we
learn. I urge us all to explore them because if you care
about not being ignorant then you should care about the way you are learning.
oct. 2014
opinion
p.15
Infinite beauty
Focusing on the positives of beauty words & illustration | Eileen Lagerblade
Dove made a video showing how women see them-
selves compared to how others see them.
One at a time the women would walk into the room
with Gil Zamora, a forensic artist. Then they sat in a
chair facing away from him. In between Zamora and
each woman was a full-length white curtain, so Zamora could not see them.
crow’s feet like her mom. Neither of those things, how-
need to change their point of view.
er for 30 minutes, and that person described the woman
looked more like herself in the stranger’s description.
conscious about my face shape and my lips because
described was more accurate of how the women looked.
picking at all the little things like wrinkles and crow’s
girls around me who have slender faces and think that
selves as heavier women, and it showed in the sketch
shown in the strange’s description.
women had defined jaws, which was more accurate.
to each other, some of them were brought to tears. They
tives of my beauty, because the way I see myself can
a big deal about having dark circles underneath her
pared to the rest of the world’s. They almost started to
that could make me prettier, but the things that already
Next the women described themselves to Zamora
and he sketched them. After that they talked to a strangto Zamora. The sketches of the women that the stranger Two of the women, Maria and Jenise, viewed them-
they described. In the stranger’s sketch, however, the
ever, were even in the stranger’s description of her. She Florence was a woman that was getting older and
feet. Like the other woman, those things were not even When the women saw the two different sketches next
Melinda was another women involved. She made
saw how different their version of themselves was com-
eyes. She also talked about how she was starting to get
sound philosophical commenting about the way women
Game changer When the term “video game” comes up, most people
automatically think of teenaged boys sitting in their base-
ment playing first-person shooter (FPS) games. That immediate stereotype is generally false,
many of the gamers I know are girls. “I like ‘Call of Duty’,” senior Kate Minney said. “I enjoy the franchise even though it’s gotten re-
For most of my teenage years I have been sub-
I have more of a round face and thin lips. I look at the
I would be prettier if I had that face shape or prettier if I had those lips, but then I watched this video.
It reminded me that I need to focus more on the posi-
change my life. I should not be focusing on all the things make me beautiful.
The over-sexualization of women in video games is prejudiced words & illustration | Natalie Larimer
they make every girl like the ‘perfect woman’,” Min-
sure and gratification of others.” She gives examples
want to attract to that and they also over-sexualize
her evidence is astounding. I did not
whole different thing.”
sue until I saw her videos.
is a reality that we live with. However, we should not
was released and I am really
towards men and make women look sexier,” senior
wonderful job of providing practical
video games and people would see that girls are
NOT practical) and not over-
ence for everybody instead of just guys.” The prob-
as a woman and you can wear
need to bring it to video game companies’ attention
practical and awesome for fight-
ney said. “I know most gamers are males and they
of women being used as NPSOs in video games, and
men by making them super buff, but I feel like it’s a
comprehend the magnitude of the is-
Video games are marketed towards men, and that
Recently, “Destiny”, a new FPS,
have to. “Obviously video games are more marketed
excited about it. That game does a
Jonah Kragt said. “If girls would start to play more
armor for women (steel bras are
playing video games, they start panning the audi-
sexualizing them. You can play
lem is that women already play video games. We
full body armor that is completely
that they do.
ing.
we feel about the representation of women. If
cy” (feministfrequency.com) where the creator, Anita
gamer population is female and to
offended that we swear off video games forever,
the feminist angle. She has a two-part video that is
to this misogyny makes me cringe.
(NPSO) called “Women as Background Decoration”,
tion of video game companies that
“Sexual objectification is the practice of treating or
biggest part of it is that people see
strument to be used for another’s sexual purposes,”
guys, at least for the time being they do,” Kragt said.
women are valued primarily for their bodies, or body
males and females then they’ll just say ‘Oh lets just
ally repetitive over the years. (I like) mostly
first-person shooters, but sometimes indie games.”
At my job, I only know of one other
employee who plays video games be-
sides myself, and she’s a girl. We talk about the FPS games we’ve played,
what platforms (video game consoles) we use and what are indie games.
A common topic between us is usually how
the game has a good plot and we are not so
we will play that game. Take “Tomb Raider”, for
instance; we hate the over-sexualization, but the plot draws us in. It pains me to spend money on a franchise that sexualizes women, but it
is a fun game. However, things like “Lollipop
Chainsaw”, which grossly objectifies women, we will not think about playing.
“When it comes to fighting games, let’s take ‘Bioshock In-
finite’ for example, they make their [breasts] like gigantic and
There is a video series called “Feminist Frequen-
Sarkeesian, talks about the problems of society from dedicated to women as non-playable sex objects
The truth is that nearly half of the
think that all of them are exposed
We need to bring it to the atten-
and it describes the situation far better than I could.
this is sexist and offensive. “The
representing a human being as a thing or mere in-
video games as something just for
Sarkeesian said in her video. “Sexually objectified
“Even though girls play video games. If these reach
parts, which are presented as existing for the plea-
make it normal. For everybody.’”
oct. 2014
p.16
FCA: A divine
opinion
divide
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is a group created for athletes and Christians to gather together and talk about God in their lives and sports. The group, led by Eric Shafer and his wife, meets twice a month and is not funded by the school.
Support
words | Sarah Caporelli
When we think of Christians, immediately assump-
tions are made that they pray before every meal, never
go to parties, never drink and basically live the life of a
nun. These beliefs are outdated. Being a Christian is lov-
ing Jesus and God above everything else and trying to live a life led by God. Nobody is perfect.
I am not overly religious. I grew up Catholic and got
away from religion early on because I did not agree with the cutthroat rules. Organizations like FCA and youth
groups appeal to people like me. It’s a judge free zone.
“We just want to open it up for anyone that might have questions,” senior Ben Davis said. “If you’re invited don’t
Jacob Orr/BW
feel like you’ll be discriminated against if you aren’t Christian or in athletics it’s open for everybody.”
The word is spread by poster and word of mouth. All
you have to do is stand up in the middle of class before
the bell rings and ask if anyone is in FCA and if you can go to the next meeting. Chances are there will be at least
one member in your class that will give you all the information and probably offer you a ride.
You may think or feel that you are on the outside, that
is not true. “We don’t discriminate, we actually invite our non-Christian friends and it can be any Christian based religion all types are allowed,” Davis said. “Not very many
Eastern religions come, but we don’t discriminate, we invite them. We want it to be a big group of people.”
The point of any club is to attract members to better
their life through the activities of the club. If you want to go
talk solely about God there are youth groups on Wednesday night and any church will welcome you and you can tailor it to your denomination.
Hating on a church group that puts an emphasis on
playing games at every meeting is not really a good reason to be upset, because they invite everyone. The main teaching of God’s word that I try to live by is that we are
all God’s children and we should all love each other the way God loves us.
The reason FCA takes the first part of the meeting to
play games is because the majority of the people there are athletes. “We play fun little games that everyone can
play and participate in,” Davis said. The fact remains that anyone can still go to the meeting even if you are not an athlete or a Christian.
Criticism comes from people saying that people that
go to FCA do not live a Christian life. “The purpose is to open their eyes so they’re experiencing God’s love,” Davis said. “If they do come and they’re not the perfect person, that’s fine because no one is. Hopefully, the speaker can open their eyes so their life can be changed.”
The point we are missing is that there is really no rea-
son to bash a club that you do not go to or understand. There is no reason to judge all based on a few. There is no reason to assume FCA is bad or not doing what it
was created to do: Bring all people together to learn about God.
Oppose
FCA leader Eric Shafer acts out charades with senior Hezekiah Applegate. Every meeting, the group will play a game, sing worship songs and listen to a speaker. FCA is not funded by the school, however the school supports the club.
“Even some of our leaders don’t play sports, so we try to be welcoming to everyone.”
So if you don’t have to be an athlete to come, do you
still need to be a Christian?
“Anybody who’s a Johnston student, even if they’re
not Christian, we want them to come and hear about Jesus.” Shafer said. Not an athlete, nor a Christian.
That sounds a little counterintuitive. A club for Chris-
tian athletes, yet anyone can attend. What’s the point? Let’s start the club for Jewish scientists and Muslim
musicians while we’re at it, and let just anyone come.
words | Jacob Orr
We’ve all seen the posters around the school. We all
know it starts at 7:29, not 7:30. For most of us, we’ve
heard about FCA, and for the majority, everyone just accepts it as another club offered here at the school.
Although it tries hard to encourage and spread the
message of Christianity, FCA might actually have a dis-
couraging effect towards others. FCA is a large program, and is very well established, yet this can come across as threatening to others who may want to start a club
of themselves. It would be hard to get a Fellowship of
Buddhist Athletes started at the school, being a minority group at Johnston, amongst a majority of Christians.
Many also may be discouraged by the title of FCA,
wondering if one needs to be an athlete in order to
attend a meeting or not. “We had some conversations
about switching the name,” FCA leader Eric Shafer said.
If it’s a club for everyone, why do only Christians go?
Why can’t we practice other religions there? Why does hardly anyone know it’s a club for everyone?
Because it’s not. You may scath by if you’re not an
athlete. But, it’s definitely a club for Christians. You’re
going to go there and learn about Christianity, nothing else. What benefit or purpose would it serve if a nonChristian went? None.
If I’m then going to even take an hour-and-a half of
my week night to go to FCA, which I did attend once, I
want to spend that time glorifying God, not singing songs and playing games.
Even though FCA may have their beliefs all over the
wall, they stand true to the fact everyone is accepted.
Some may have had a troubled past, got lost on the way, but yet are still welcome to attend and participate. “We don’t judge anyone here, people can be themselves, share their faith and grow in their faith,” senior Luke
Davis said. Albiet true, their main selling point just might be their Achilles Heel as a club.
oct. 2014
p.17
Edible energy
health words | Meredith Campidili layout | Zoe WIlson
Students and staff share what they eat before and after exercising Senior Hezekiah Applegate arrives home from football
practice and sits down to eat two Jack’s frozen pizzas and to drink an entire juice jug of Sunny D. ”I’ve done this many times, but not like every week,” Applegate said. On a usual
day though, he eats a peanut butter sandwich and drinks a glass of chocolate milk after football practice. “Also, on average I eat about a dozen donuts per week.”
Pre and post-workout snack ideas
After
Before
Junior Maddy Bradley is essentially the opposite of Ap-
plegate when it comes to eating habits. “I always try and
PB
eat a small amount of fruit before I run because it is a quick
natural energy source with sustainable energy from sug-
ar instead of sugar that makes you energetic then tired,” Bradley said. “It is not super filling but it keeps me from
feeling hungry in a race or in practice, and I always feel
MILK
healthy when I eat things like that instead of chips.”
According to WebMD, the best things to eat before exer-
YOGURT
cising include quality carbs, lean protein, and fluids. Quality carbs, which can be found in many types of food such as
PROTEIN
grains, give one’s body the quick energy it needs to perform
in a workout. Girls cross country and track coach Patrick
Hennes always eats a form of carbs before a workout. “If I am running in the morning I will usually do something light
OATMEAL
such as oatmeal or cereal,” Hennes said. “If I am needing a snack (before running) my favorite is a Clif Bar.”
WATER
Protein is valuable to eat both before and after exercis-
ing because it brings nutrients and oxygen to muscles. It is attainable in a variety of forms, even if one is a vegetarian.
Bradley is a vegetarian, but she still includes many pro-
fruits
teins in her diet. “I eat a lot of eggs, nuts, beans and pro-
vegetables
said. “After a hard workout, I drink a lot of water and make
yogurt
tein shakes which are all great sources of protein,” Bradley
myself a protein shake, which I try to get in within about an
hour of the workout or meet because your body needs to
replenish the protein quickly before your muscles get sore.”
PROTEIN BAR
peanut butter (2 tbsp) chocolate milk protein shake
oatmeal
eggs
fluids (16-20 oz.)
protein/ energy bar
Senior and cross country runner Cole Balmer agrees
that drinking water is very valuable both before and after exercising. “I drink a 32 oz bottle of water every single class period,” Balmer said. “It adds up to about two gallons
a day.” Water is important to drink before and after exercising because it acts as your body’s cooling system, because without it dehydration can set in.
Although eating proper nutrients both before and after
exercising is very important, eating unhealthy foods seems to have no affect on some athletes, including senior cross
country runner Haley Daughhetee. “I’ve never had a prob-
lem with eating and running, so I take full advantage of that,” Daughhetee said. “Most meets are on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, which are cookie days, and I have two cookies
pretty much every time. So far, I haven’t noticed eating af-
dent athletes should find what best helps them perform,”
Athletic trainer Chris Wiedmann says that some stu-
to feel full or feel sick while running. Other sports that want
fecting how I run, and hopefully that doesn’t change.”
dents who seem to be able to eat whatever they want with-
out any effect are simply lucky. “At your (students) guys’ age, you can eat anything and survive, but to get that edge
and do well and recover your food choices can make a re-
Bradley said. “For me personally with running, I don’t want
to increase heavy muscle mass will probably eat much more filling and protein rich things, while running you want more natural low calorie choices.”
Hennes wants his athletes to eat what works best for
ally big difference,” Wiedmann said. “(Eating healthy) can
them personally as well. “One of my biggest concerns is
energy to go into overtime and be successful.”
keep their engines running,” Hennes said. “It is easy to get
make the difference between a top five finish, or having the Bradley recommends that athletes should find what food
works for them and stick with that. “I think that every sport
is different and everyone’s bodies work differently so stu-
always that my athletes are getting enough nutrition to caught up in the latest fad or ‘superfood’ but the reality is
that the human body is able to function pretty well off of a great variety of diets.”
oct. 2014
sports
p.18
Breaking the yoga stigma The football team has started to practice a new exercise in order to take advantage of the benefits words & layout | Anne Rogers
‘‘We can do it yoga, we can do it!” The football play-
ers yell out their nickname for the team’s yoga instructor
Bradie Knapp Weeter, reminding her of the scene in “Wa-
ter Boy” where Adam Sandler says ‘Put me in coach, put
exercise, you’re using those muscles in a different way, so yes you’re getting them stronger, but you’re not abusing them.”
Although the stigma of yoga is apparent, the team
me in coach.’
seems to enjoy it, no matter how difficult the poses might
cally, but they were so determined to get this pose called
games because I feel pretty beat up,” senior Reid Sinnett
“It was so funny and they were all laughing hysteri-
the figure four pose,” Weeter said. “You never know what you’re going to get with those boys.”
Head coach Brian Woodley decided that the varsity
team would begin yoga training this year. The team holds
be. “I can’t imagine how the offensive linemen feel after
said. “So there are some poses that are super tough after
games. But it’s relaxing and it’s fun, and we have a good time with it.”
Sinnett said he would attend yoga classes if the school
practice Saturdays at 8 a.m. in order to work out the sore-
offered it as part of a workout. “It’s good and it’s definitely
partake in yoga. “The best thing I like about it is we get the
against Waukee, that morning was really relaxing,” Sin-
ness from the night before, lift weights, watch film and guys out of bed on a Saturday morning to become more
flexible and get all that lactic acid out of their bodies so they’re moving and recovering a lot faster,” Woodley said.
a stress release, especially after we had a rough week nett said. “You kind of get the bad vibes out of you from the night before.”
His favorite pose is the ‘child’s pose,’ in which the
The top benefit Woodley sees from the team doing
players are kneeling and bending their upper body down-
the kids back faster from playing football,” he said. “Foot-
knees. “In the morning it’s just like taking a nap and it’s
yoga is the fact that it helps with recovery. “We’re getting ball is a very demanding sport, that’s why we only play
one game a week. [Yoga] cuts down on injuries, that’s
wards until their head touches the floor in front of their really nice and stretches you out perfectly,” Sinnett said.
Senior John May was not quite set on the idea of yoga,
another factor too.”
however now that he has tried it, he encourages it to oth-
of yoga from a strengthening standpoint. “Yoga is really
a lot better than you do waking up, and it stretches you
Athletic trainer Chris Wiedmann stresses the benefits
good with increasing your flexibility, and a lot of your core strength,” he said. “A lot of people think core as just being your abs, but it would be your whole trunk, the front,
sides and back. So the difference in building the strength
ers. “I definitely see the benefits, like going home you feel out really well,” May said. “There’s been talks of (head
baseball coach Michael) Barta doing it for baseball, so if Wiedmann recommends yoga to other athletes, and
he encourages other coaches to try it with their team.
muscles relaxed and breathing more correctly and just
or whatever body part, they cringe at the mention of the
kind of being at one with yourself.”
Weeter focuses on shoulder strength with football
players specifically. “Basically it’s for when they are putting a shoulder into their opponents,” Weeter said. “We work on asymmetrical holds as well as fast twitch muscle fibers, so when they’re holding their stance on the line
Triangle pose Targets: tight hips
Benefits: Stretches the hips, groins, chest and shoulders; strengthens knees, thighs and ankles
that happens I would really encourage it actually.”
from a weight room standpoint, from just getting big and bulky, yoga is about lengthening, and about getting those
Common yoga poses
“Especially someone who wants to work on this strength weight room,” Weidmann said. “Well you don’t have to go to the weight room. That would be one of many things
they could do. With yoga, it’s something that takes minimal amount of investment in time and supplies, and it can be somewhat fun too.”
Weeter focuses on the fun, while making sure the
Cat cow pose Targets: tight, sore back muscles
Benefits: Stretches the back, torso and neck; massages the spine, relieves tension in upper body
Chair pose
and also to get off the line faster.”
team works hard. “There’s things every single day that
ture, yoga happens to be the perfect exercise. “If they can
think yoga has to be so serious, but I try to get something
Benefits: Stretches shoulders, chest,
and have fun.”
flat fleet
Because high school boys tend to be inflexible by na-
get past the stigma of yoga pants and actually try yoga,
the benefits are great,” Wiedmann said. “It’s a different
amaze me and make me laugh,” Weeter said. “People
Targets: weak ankles
new every time and we just play around and get stronger
calves, ankles and thighs reduces
oct. 2014
sports
p.19
‘Spirit squad’ subdivides Dance team’s new program causes controversy Senior dance team captain Karli Killian stands on the
sidelines during the second quarter of the Johnston football game. She dances to the music with the rest of her
have caused some tension between the dance and “Dance team and cheerleading have always been
compared, even though they are different,” senior cap-
for weeks. As of a few years ago, the dance team now
“They (the dance team) try and be like cheerleaders with
joins the cheerleaders on the sidelines under the Friday night lights.
“Because of the recent changes to the dance team’s
program regarding sidelines, both teams are now considered a part of the ‘spirit squad,’” junior dance team
member Jessica Battani said. “Both teams take part in promoting school spirit together as one group.” Based
tain of the cheerleading squad Kaitlin Pranger said. the bows, poms and recently dancing on the sidelines.
Them being on the sidelines is like cheerleaders cheering on stage when they dance. ”
What the cheerleaders see as taking over is seen
differently by the dance team. Their main goal is to enhance their skills so they can dance beyond high school.
“We dance first by the parents, second by the stu-
on these changes to the dance team program, they be-
dents and half time perform on the field,” Killian said. “As
quarters of football games. Killian says that this is part
students while cheer gets three-fourths of it. I personally
gan to stand on the sidelines during the first and second
of enhancing the dance team’s skills. The dance team coach was unavailable for a comment for this article.
Brianna Erickson /BW
cheer teams.
team, and as the clock dwindles down, she prepares to
dance at halftime to the routine she has been working on
words & layout | Allison Klein
you can see, we dance one-fourth of the game by the would not say that is anywhere near taking over.”
Varsity cheerleading coach Lexi Shafer see’s the pos-
The varsity cheerleaders lead the crowd in the “marching to the beat” cheer during the homecoming football win against North. when it comes to stunting and cheers.”
Fans and football players see the benefits of having
“This is something that all colleges do, along with high
itives in the dance team changes, and she hopes all the
ny and Dowling Catholic,” Killian said. “Our idea was to
“I think it is great that the dance team wants to add to
are there trying to motivate the crowd and to get them
support the dance team like they support us. We are just
nior football player Hezekiah Applegate said, “They both
and performance dances, and hope they do the same
things are going well or not so well on the field.”
girls see it too.
two squads cheering during the games. “I feel both teams
improve our skills and knowledge of how dance team will
the overall school spirit of Johnston,” Shafer said. “We
into the game. That is what I feel is most important,” se-
continue to dance after they graduate from high school.”
careful not to step on their toes when it comes to sideline
do a good job of keeping the crowd entertained when
school dance teams such as Urbandale, Waukee, Anke-
be in the future because the majority of our team plans to These new changes have many positives, but they
Smeared Eyeliner
Fantasy football done right
words & layout | Carly Campbell I love fantasy football. I spend my Sundays switching
between my scorecenter app checking NFL scores and
my fantasy app checking my players’ individual points. You probably don’t think this is that unusual; however, I am a girl. For all my male readers, you can most likely
relate to this. Like how you can probably relate to the struggle of having a Vikings player on my roster. For any female that may be reading this, let me break it down for you.
First things first. In order to become a fantasy con-
noisseur, you need to join a league. Leagues usually
consist of 12 players, or teams. If you’re in a eight-man league, you need to man up because eight-man leagues
are child’s play. Once you and your compadres form a league, you must hold a draft. You can either hold the draft the old fashion way and have a large board and
write down each person’s pick, or you can join the 21st
play, so I will give the girls a few of my best reasons. The
player each round until your roster is full. A roster usually
Kind of like how guys go to yoga to pick up girls. Think
two to three running backs, two tight ends, a kicker and
league. That’s 11 possible prom dates.
want, as long as no one else has picked that player. I
ping addiction. Many leagues play for money. When you
Marshawn Lynch because he is an unruly beast. But if
winner of the league gets all the money. Let’s say you
to judge you.
$600 if you win. Think of all the Uggs you can buy.
other members of your league. Each week you will play
about football than boys. Football is one of the few top-
ers to play each week. All the players will score points
the female population. I personally cannot stomach the
game. If your quarterback throws a touchdown in real
know about football, the better. If you participate in fan-
There are a plethora of reasons that you should play
race which just might be the most important thing I’ve
century and do it online. Each person then selects one
first and probably most obvious one is to pick up guys.
consists two quarterbacks, two to three wide receivers,
of all the possible hook ups. Lets say you’re in a 12-man
two defensive players. You can pick whatever player you
Next, you can use fantasy football to fund your shop-
would recommend picking a running back first, such as
enter a league, you will put money in to a pool and the
you decide to draft a kicker first, I will try my hardest not
play for $50 in a 12-man league. You could possibly get
Now that you have a team, you will begin playing
The last and probably best reason is to know more
a different team. You must pick nine of your total 16 play-
ics that the male population knows more about than
for you based on their indivual performance in their NFL
thought that a boy may know more than I. The more girls
life, he would score seven points for your fantasy team.
tasy football then girls can proceed to win the gender
fantasy. I know that the boys don’t need convining to
said thus far.
oct. 2014
backpage
p.20
Justin Bieber
Singer/songwriter Junior Bailey Clark
Justin Long Starstruck and nervous junior Ciara Mc-
Waiting two hours to meet Justin Bieber
would not be worth it to only get an awk-
Cune met a goofy Justin Long and saw an
what happened to junior Bailey Clark.
others first spotted the couple standing in
annoyed Amanda Seyfried. McCune and
ward hug and silent greeting, but that’s
line for a burger at JFK Airport this May.
“He always says all this stuff about ap-
“We saw her [Amanda Seyfried] and I
preciating his fans and he clearly does not,” Clark said. The singer took an hour-and-a-
was like is that her?” McCune said. She
in July of last year, then took an extra 30
and was hesitant on asking for a picture.
didn’t want to intrude on their private time
half to show up to the event at Wells Fargo
“I was so nervous, I didn’t even want
minutes to eat because he was hungry.
to go up and ask for the picture,” McCune
“When we came in he didn’t say a word
to anybody,” Clark said. “He just stood there.” The pictures taken included Bieber’s sunglass-covered eyes and solemn facial
expression. According to Clark, the hug she received was incredibly awkward and she was dismissed not only by Bieber, but his bodyguard too, when finished.
“In the movies and stuff they always
show him being really nice to his fans and
HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CAMERA
Actor Junior Ciara McCune
messing around with them,” Clark said.
said. She actually had gotten another stu-
only earned the right to say that she had
“He was totally chill with it... he acted
Clearly she didn’t get that treatment, she
dent to ask for them, junior Madie Churchill.
met Bieber.
like he never got attention,” McCune said.
If Clark were to meet the star again she
According to McCune, the “Dodgeball” ac-
he had to talk instead of not saying a word
took a picture with them. However, Seyfried
would try and put him in a situation where
tor was receptive of the meeting and gladly
to her during the meet and greet.
only took a picture with two other girls who
Experience rating: 3 out of 10
had spotted the pair before them until re-
treating back to a bodyguard and golf cart.
McCune said that the actress was standoffish when approached.
Meeting with an actual celebrity was
still a neat experience for McCune, despite Seyfried’s sour actions.
“I’ve never met anyone famous, I mean
I live in Iowa,” McCune said.
Experience rating: 9 out of 10
Starstruck
Students’ unexpected experiences while meeting celebrities.
Shemar Moore
Actor Senior Luke Davis
words | Kate Lichter layout | Zoe Wilson
Ed Sheeran Meeting singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran
When senior Luke Davis went to Cali-
fornia for the first time this spring break, he
did not seem possible to senior Troy Ike-
nary to happen. Seated at a Brazilian res-
107.5 in summer 2013. She actually picked
da when his sister won a contest for Kiss
wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordi-
her other sister as the plus one to attend
taurant, it took Davis and his family 10 min-
the private concert and meet and greet at
utes to realize it really was Shemar Moore
the radio station.
in the room.
When Ikeda was waiting with his sis-
“It was really nerve wracking because
trying to go up to him and say my mom is
ters before the actual meet and greet, he
Davis’s mom works at DCI Crime Labs in
of the winners.
got ushered in with the them and the rest
a huge fan of you, was weird.” Davis said.
“We didn’t really get to talk with him for
Des Moines, leading them to be big fans of the show “Criminal Minds.”
While approaching the “Criminal Minds”
and I never expected to see in real life,”
actor, Davis felt as though he was a fan
Davis said. Moore was friendly and talk-
was eating dinner casually with his friends
him and taking a picture.
with him in the restaurant.
as can be,” Davis said.
taking away time from Moore’s friends. He
ative according to Davis after approaching
and no one else was asking for pictures
”He was as casual as can be but was fly
“He was someone I had seen on TV,
Singer/songwriter Senior Troy Ikeda
Experience rating: 9 out of 10
that long,” Ikeda said. “It was like get your
picture taken with him and then chat for 20 seconds then get the next person.” Ikeda
was mainly excited for the private concert Sheeran would preform.
“It was really fantastic, it was a small
room that he was playing in with great
acoustics that just sounded amazing,” Ike-
da said. That was a better experience than the meet and greet, according to Ikeda.
The siblings and other concert winners
had the chance to listen to “Lego House,”
“A-Team” and “You Need Me but I Don’t Need You” live.
“He was really laid back, he seemed
happy to be there,” Ikeda said.
Experience rating: 9 1/2 out of 10