black & white
the
three
Check out photos from the
past month, including the re-
cord breaking Meals From the Heartland Student Challenge.
the black and white. sept. 2011. volume 20 issue 1. 5152780449. 6501 NW 62nd ave. johnston. iowa one copy free
in this issue september five Learn about the new silver
ten/eleven Find out the latest on what
cord program, and find out
is happening in Johnston, from
what does not.
ing work on 62nd street.
what volunteering counts and
the new fire house to upcom-
fourteen Read about a sophomore
twenty Check out the latest craze,
who travels halfway across the
planking, and hear from stu-
basis.
selves.
world to Pakistan on a regular
dents who have tried it them-
News
9
Relive the past month through photos
4 5
Newsbriefs Silver cords
10/11
Service hours replace SLP
12
Schedule changes
More flexibility needed when changing schedules
Football admission
Should students be allowed to return to games?
In Plain Sight
Get to know Jack Whitver and Erik Helland
Entertainment
Handicapped restrooms
15
STAFF EDITORS
Zach Winjum editor-in-chief
Taylor Mithelman co-design
Evan Culbert co-design
Lauren Coffey managing
Ian Dunshee photo
On the cover: photo by Ian Dunshee
Fast food
Find out best options for fast food
Quality Clothing Durable clothes that last
Sports 19
Sophomore travels to see family
Learn to say no
Students overexert themselves
18
Swim team to host fundraiser night
Family visits Pakistan
17
Fashion
Swimmer fights cancer
14
Get the scoop on frozen yogurt
Health
School Board election, 62nd avenue and the new fire station
Meet the Legislators
Yo2Go vs. Lemon Tree Titanium Bracelets
What’s up in Johnston?
13
Back to Besic
8
School must value student opinion
Feature
Opinion 7
16
Student input needed
Double Truck
We clear up rumors about DMACC courses
Student Council updates
6
Review
Editorial
Photo essay
Dropping DMACC
19
September 2011
14
in this issue... 3
the black and white
10/11
Horse training
Competitive horseback riding
New XC coach
Backpage 20
Piracy punishment
What happens when you get caught?
Planking
The “extreme laying down” fad
Facebook vs. Google+
SUB-EDITORS Mirza Besic news
Paige Cramer backpage
Mallorie Goodale Sarah Margolin sports
Hannah Soyer feature
Kristine Hayes opinion
STAFF WRITERS Kenzie Foldes Scott Syroka Taylor Joens
Monica Gagne
Wes Monroe
Sarah Margolin
Ben Parsons
Laura Scieszinski
Ashley Shay
Lydia Sinclair
ILLUSTRATOR Lisa VanWiel
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. 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 editors at jhsblackandwhite@ 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 and sixth in the National Best of Show.
news
september 2011
the b&w p.3 1 3 2 5 4
September
in photos
1
At the second home game of the season, the Dragons and the Marshalltown Bobcats faced off hoping to remain undefeated. Unfortunately, the Bobcats won 35-21.
2
Senior Ellie Minor helps out at Meals From the Heartland as the rice at her station is refilled. Thanks to all of the volunteers, including Johnston students, Meals from the Heartland provides meals to thousands of impoverished people around the world each year.
3
Drama instructor Paul Miller goes over a section of a script with members of the Drama Club. This year’s play will be a parody of different classical Greek dramas performed by the largest cast in the history of the club.
4
Juniors Anna Twickler (left) and Mimi Nguyen (right) create spirit posters to decorate the hallways and support the football team during Homecoming.
5
Sixth grader John Leimer stands at attention alongside his fellow Boy Scouts at the 10th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony of 9/11. The ceremony which started at 7:30 a.m. included remarks from Governor Branstad, several first responders from the Pentagon, as well as a fly-over at its conclusion.
Provided/John Timmons
Ian Dunshee/BW
Ian Dunshee/BW
Ian Dunshee/BW
Ian Dunshee/BW
the b&w p.4
news
september 2011
DMACC dual credit causes confusion If a student chooses to drop the DMACC
words & layout Lauren Coffey
course, the high school gets their money back that was used to pay for that student’s
class. By the time this has happened,
When students take a DMACC dual
DMACC has already spent that money on
credit course, they can drop the DMACC
costs, having them lose money by giving it
credit and still keep the high school credit.
back to the school it came from.
A dual credit class is an AP class that
Principal Brent Riessen attended a CIML
one can either take an AP test to get col-
conference on Aug. 30 where other Des
lege credit or opt to get DMACC credit
Moines metro principals discussed this situ-
instead. There are some situations where
ation. They formed an opinion that the high
students can get both.
school credit should still be kept even if the
Last month there was confusion over
DMACC credit is dropped, and submitted it
DMACC dual credit courses.
to the Department of Education (DE). The
“Basically what happened was the
DE will be deciding what is happening with
DMACC recruiters came in, and after all the
dual-credit courses, and put out a statement
students had filled out the ( college credit
sometime in September.
application) form, they said that if students
“The Department of Education makes
dropped the DMACC credit, they would
also have to drop the high school credit.”
AP English teacher Wendy Arch said. “Obviously that upset quite a few people.”
As of right now, students must sign up to
Ian Dunshee/BW
Seniors Nicole Hoffman and Kendra Jensen work on their cell membrane project. The AP Bio classes are some of the classes that would be affected by the change, as well as AP Lit and Comp and AP Stats.
get the high school credit, and then sign up
to get the DMACC credit. If a student decides to drop the DMACC credit, students can choose to do so and still keep the high school credit.
If classes were to be handled in which
you have to drop the high school credit
when you drop the DMACC credit, it would complicate the credits needed to graduate.
If a student drops the DMACC credit for AP
you’d have to take the AP test, or for kids
English credit short for graduation. There
class, and have the option of dropping the
high school credit, that student would be an has not been a decision as to what will happen next year.
who aren’t sure how well they’ll do in the class.”
for each student’s course at the beginning
of the year, and then gives that to DMACC.
words & layout Wes Monroe
for
three reasons. First, it allows seniors who
are new to the district to have updated ID cards for the year. Second, this picture will be used as an alternative for the yearbook
in case a senior picture taken by an outside photographer does not follow the required guidelines. Third, the school would
like Infinite Campus to be updated with a current photo of each student.
through the school.
“(The classes) are a good deal for every-
sure those options are available. We want wants that, DMACC wants that for you, and the DE does as well.”
Voting done online for the first time ever.
tion of 50,000 citizens or fewer. Released
this
tinuing on with providing DMACC courses
define a “small town” as one with a popula-
The school decided require
Both Arch and Riessen support con-
The voting for homecoming court was
13th best “small town” in the nation. They
to
dent rigorous academic opportunities.”
CNNMoney ranked Johnston as the
niors must have a
school picture taken.
schools are responsible for providing stu-
students to have options. Every high school
where you receive the DMACC credit and
For the first time in school history se-
and providing a curriculum guide. The high
their dual-credit courses. The school pays
they receive from the students enrolled in
just cannot drop the class, and one where
said. “DMACC is in charge of giving credit,
one,” Riessen said. “We just want to make
“Next year there could be two different
sections (for AP classes),” Arch said. “One
erything’s equal across the board,” Riessen
DMACC was focused on how the money
Seniors get pictures Johnston ranked 13th news briefs
NB
English, and subsequently has to drop the
sure things are fair for all the schools, ev-
done completely online The idea came about
during the process of
in August, the ranking was based on the
removing scantrons. To
amount of job opportunities, “top-notch”
schools, safe streets, strong health care,
take the place of scant-
cultural and outdoor activities and fiscal
rons the district purchased software called
businesses and an ever expanding trail
marily for voting throughout the school year
strength. “We have great schools, great
system that our residents of all ages use
and enjoy,” Mayor, Paula Dierenfeld said. “And while we have quadrupled in size in the past 20 years, Johnston has maintained its small town feel.”
Edu. Ballot. The program will be used priand is unique because voters see information about the candidates that receive their
votes. The decision was made by the district technology staff to save costs for the district.
news
the b&w p.5
september 2011
Silver cords replace SLP words & layout Lauren Coffey
What to do:
If you have already been volunteering...
Student council has implemented a new
program to replace the Service Learning Project, or SLP. The new program is called
Go to the Johnston high school website to download the forms to track your service hours
the Silver Cord program.
The students that helped create the Sil-
ver Cord program were juniors Katie Marck-
If you volunteered a while ago...
mann, Carly Crist, and senior Scott Syroka. “The new program will benefit the stu-
dents because they’ll be going out to benefit
Any time you have volunteered after August 8 can be used for service hours. Any time before that cannot.
the community, big time,” Katie Marckmann said. “They’ll be building new relationships
and get a whole lot of help from Johnston
If you do not know where to volunteer...
High School.”
SLP used to be a project that was re-
quired by all government classes to do. They had to volunteer for 20 hours, and
then created a portfolio reflecting on their work. The students were graded on the portfolio.
Paige Plaskitt/Dragon
volunteer hours per year throughout high
Graduate Kyle Naig receives a cord for being in the top three% of the Class of 2011 during ceremonies in May. In addition to getting a cord for academics, starting this year students would receive a silver cord for 50 hours of volunteer work.
cord that they can wear at the graduation
volunteering in their community.”
find all these forms on the Johnston web-
hours will get milestone awards, which have
program is making the program optional,
students need to get a pre-approval form
Johnston is not the first school to adopt
chance for all students to receive recogni-
guhn. Then get a sheet to fill out the hours,
“I hope (students) like it because they
the student is done volunteering, they have
do the project and how to spread out their
The student council hopes that this will
The Silver Cord program is instead op-
tional. Earning silver cords requires 50 school. The student then receives a silver ceremony. Students going above the 50 yet to be decided.
the program. Ankeny also adopted the program three years ago.
“The reason we started the Silver Cord
program was first to encourage volunteerism in our students,” Ankeny principal
Brenda Colby said. “Secondly, to honor
those students who dedicate themselves to
student council
The main objective with the Silver Cord
site, via the silver cord program link. First,
instead of mandatory SLP. It also gives a
signed by student council advisor Chris Be-
tion at graduation.
in which the supervisor has to sign. Once
can choose if they want to do it, when they
to fill out a reflection sheet.
time,” Marckmann said.
help increase volunteering and morale
to receive credit for hours. Students can
volunteering.
There are three different forms to fill out
among students, because will want to be
Then you should go to Mrs. Beguhn. She has a list of pre-approved places that government teachers used for the SLP, and she can also put you on an email list to share volunteer opportunities
If you do a job without getting paid...
Say you babysit every Thursday, but for five Thursdays you want to not get paid so you can count them as “volunteer” hours. You cannot do this. Any task that would normally be considered a “job” does not count as volunteer hours.
If you volunteer at church... Most church volunteering cannot be counted as volunteer hours. “The criteria that we established for the program was designed to go more outside of the normal things,” Beguhn said. “If you volunteer at a church, sing in the choir, nursery, teach a class, that’s just being a good church member.”
updates
recent results.
upcoming events.
in-progress.
Meals from the Heartland Student Challenge, which happened on 8/31, had 210 students from Johnston and 441,935 meals were made.
9/26-9/30 Canned food drive in 3rd period classrooms
Homecoming activities are underway: 9/19 @ 1p.m. -Sidewalk Painting
10/7 Bike to school day--prizes for those who ride
9/19 @ 7 p.m. Rock Around the Clock
10/11 Dig Pink night
9/20 @ 9:30 a.m.- Coronation ceremony 9/22 @ 6p.m. Homecoming Parade 9/22 @ 7 p.m. Powderpuff game and BBQ
opinion
the b&w p.6
september 2011
Schedule changes call for revision words & layout Taylor Joens 7:00 a.m. Aug. 9.
My dad and I stood in the schedule-
changing line that started in front of the
guidance office door, wrapped around into the hallway by the small gym and extended
into the commons. It was still half-an-hour before the door opened.
At 7:30 I left my dad in line to attend
the first of two volleyball practices that day.
Lucky for me I did not even get to experience the craziness of what goes on in the
office. He did not make it in the counselor’s
door until 10:30. I had told him to drop De-
sign I and add Essentials of Art. However, Essentials was offered a different period
than Design, which made my whole schedule not work. Dad was unsure what to do, so my schedule was not changed. Three hours, no results.
So after lunch it was back to volleyball
for me and back to the line for my dad. He had taken the day off work to help me make changes to my schedule.
Starting this year, only one schedule
change is allowed, so because technically my schedule was not changed the first time, the guidance office allowed a change the second time.
As a sophomore, this was my introduc-
tion to the high school. For students in-
volved in a sport or school activity or those who have a job, two days to change a
Lisa VanWiel/BW
schedule is a big problem. Lucky for me, I
following year nine months before they
Counselors have good reasons to limit
months. Students change their career inter-
make changes without thinking them
high school classes that should to be taken.
to make choices based on who they thought
search for a career. Or, the college they de-
would like the class to be,” Counselor Sue
Perhaps a better option would be sched-
had my dad.
ever take them. A lot can change in nine
schedule changing. They say students
ests multiple times. This leads to different
through before hand. “Students would start
Students may want to try a class as they
was in their class as opposed to what they
cide to attend may require certain courses.
Baker said. “In some schools, once you
uling online since Infinite Campus is al-
It is understandable that frivolous sched-
do it during that week in November when
have selected a class you don’t change.”
ready set up that way. Students could even
ule changes need to be avoided. However,
we usually do a hardcopy version. The first
Students sign up for classes for their
one could see which ones are full. Then,
what about the ones that are sincere?
kcaB2Besic
words & layout Mirza Besic
Freshmen deserve equal treatment The ninth graders may be across the
parking lot at the middle school, but we still call them freshmen. So why can’t they be treated as high schoolers?
Freshmen do not need more hand hold-
ing. Administrators are constantly trying
to find a way to make sure the freshmen are assimilated, but still not picked on. We should do less forced transition, and more
including in high school activities.
Personally, I never had any trouble at all
“fitting in” at the high school. The move from the middle school to the high school was smoother than coming to the middle school
from Summit, even with unhelpful sopho-
more orientation or “meet and greets”.
Sophomore orientation was a bunch of upperclassmen I didn’t know showing me
year we could put classes online so every-
around a building that I’d been in every year for the Purple Party since I was eight.
So instead of isolating the ninth graders
in the middle school, they should be given more opportunities.
One way that we could include fresh-
men more without boring them with as-
semblies and tours of the school is to invite them to the homecoming dance. As of right
now, the only way any of them can get in
is if they have a date from the high school. Essentially, the only way the freshman can
get into the dance is to have an older date. The problem with that is they are separate from the older kids.
Another possible way to include the
freshmen is to inform them better about
we would have an idea of what we need to
be asking for before we get to the office to schedule change.
Meanwhile, we could be working on set-
ting up scheduling similar to the way colleges do online for the year after. Students could do everything on their own. They
would set up the schedule, choose the
classes, and choose the period they wanted a class. Courses which were full could not be chosen.
What better way to prepare us for col-
lege scheduling? And this method might re-
lieve some stress from the guidance office as well.
high school clubs. They are allowed to join
a club if they want, but how many middle schoolers have heard about Global Perspectives club? Plenty of clubs are so un-
der the radar that even high schoolers don’t know what they do or when they meet.
What the high school should do is promote clubs at the middle school. That is how new people are met, not at orientation.
The focus should not be on the freshmen
feeling welcome because, in reality, there is
no problem with freshmen assimilation. The
only difference between there and here is the high school has slightly harder classes
with different, mostly more laid back, teachers. That is the extent of the change. It really is as easy as crossing the parking lot.
opinion
september 2011
the b&w p.7
Football game policy fumbles: Students not allowed re-entry words & layout Taylor Mithelman Senior Abby Dusen is selling T-shirts for student council
child is. The rule causes unreasonable problems.
before the varsity football game starts inside the stadium.
Urbandale 7th grader, Maddie Carver, had a run in with
With an hour before the game and her shift over, she plans
the rule at last year’s Urbandale vs. Johnston (at Johnston)
Much to her surprise, as she started to leave, she was in-
decided to leave the game. They left the stadium and not
on going out to eat and then coming back to the game.
football game. She was with a group of her friends who
formed at the game that if she left she would not be allowed
long after exiting the gate they decided they wanted to stay
to come back in.
after all. When they approached the gate they were told
This is a situation that many students have encountered.
they would not be allowed back in. “I had no cell phone, I
Some may not know it, but Johnston enforces a rule that
was stuck outside the rest of the game.” Carver said. With
does not allow any student to leave the game and return.
her parents wondering where she was, twelve-year old
This policy was established years ago when an inci-
Carver spent the remainder of the game sitting outside the
dent occurred at a high school football game. A group of
students who were attending the game were intoxicated. They then left the game and the situation escalated in the
stadium. Taylor Mithelman/BW
parking lot into a fight. Afterwards parents became upset
gate. According to Ross, “Students were allowed to come
be attending the football game, not messing around in the
supervised and safe environment.” Team tailgate has been
with the school because they expected their children to parking lot.
Parents questioned why their children were allowed
to come and go as they pleased. To keep the situation
from escalating further the school instilled a “once you’re
in you’re in, once you’re out you’re out” policy at football
in and out of the back gate because team tailgate was a
cancelled this year due to decreased student attendance over the years. Students are starting to come across this policy more often as they are told they will not be allowed to enter again when they exit the game.
enforce the rule. This would allow students who are working on something before the varsity game to leave and still
attend the game. This would also allow students to watch
part of the freshman or sophomore game, go to eat, and then come back to watch the varsity game.
The imposed rule is unreasonable and needs to be
themselves at football games and when they can’t be, it
rule to those who do not even attend Johnston is complete-
not notice the rule for several years because of team tail-
should be the parents’ responsibility to know where their
Illustration Lisa Vanwiel
and come back leading up to the game. After kickoff, then
changed. It is causing unnecessary problems and is not
pened so long ago. Students should be responsible for
In Plain Sight
rule they should at least change it. Allow students to leave
This is too strict of a rule for just one incident that hap-
games. “It was about having a better handle on what goes
on,” Activity Director, Gary Ross said. Many students did
If the school is completely unwilling to take away the
preventing anything from happening. Lastly, applying this ly unfair to other schools.
opinion
september 2011
the b&w p.8
Bring on the balance words & layout Kristine Hayes No. It is a simple word, two letters even, but sadly enough many
said. “I had to pick the one I liked better.” Once you have a manageable
yes. Being overworked and over-stressed causes multiple prob-
is where the focus should be. Some do so many extra
schedule, stress goes down and focus and fun goes up. Quality, not quantity,
people cannot say it. Whenever anything is asked of them they say
curriculars because they want to impress a college.
lems.
Yes, it will add to a resume, but it may not be help-
Many times the sacrifices people take to be involved in
a million things are not even worth the benefits of those
ful. According to CollegeBoard.org colleges want
it caused me to quit Asian Cultures Club and Chess
review your resume, they’re looking for your abili-
like I had to decide what was more worth my time.”
The best way to figure out what you really
activities. “Junior year I was taking a lot of AP classes
a well rounded student. When admission officers
Club,” senior Bhageerath Menneni said. “It was more
ties in leadership, commitment and integrity.
He felt that quitting the clubs would be more beneficial
want to do is make a list. Put your activities in order
For example, I saw a shirt that said, “Eat, show
cause you feel pressured or do but don’t like. Be-
from those that you most like to those that you do be-
in the long run as opposed to dropping AP classes.
choir rehearsal, sleep, show choir rehearsal, repeat.”
ing spread too thin is totally preventable. And it
ally the only thing a person did outside of school.
to say no when someone wants you to join a
is completely up to you to fix. Do not be afraid
This kind of lifestyle would be okay if that was liter-
club you do not actually care about. It is not rude
However, many people have schedules that look
to turn down something if you don’t have the time
more like: school, show choir, basketball, work,
to dedicate to it. Think of it this way: if you are do-
homework, chores, etc. Not to say that some people
ing five activities, you can only focus 20 percent of your
would be able to handle that lifestyle but it would be
time on that activity. Then, even while you’re at that club or volunteering or
hard. For most people, it turns into a hot mess real fast.
sports practice, you are thinking about all the other things you have to ac-
Learning to prioritize and pick and choose what things you re-
complish for the four other activities you have.
ally want to do and what things you can live without is super help-
Instead of always having a million things in your head just cut a few out
ful. It’s not hard to do a lot of things without doing everything. You
and you will be able to be way more involved (hello opportunities for leader-
know what you like and the ones you do just because you feel obligated to do them. Start weeding out the things you don’t re-
ship positions and commitment points) in just a few activities. You can show
Senior Kailey Kerr had this problem. “I had to drop select
a wide range of interests without being over-worked and over-stressed. Take
colleges that you have a well-balanced, well-rounded life through activities in
ally want to do.
soccer because I was too busy between school and basketball,” she
Lisa VanWiel/BW
a step back, organize, and stick to it.
Sitting in line for the restroom words & layout Hannah Soyer
For me, this takes about 25 minutes, but some students
need extra time to rest out of their chair, as outlined in their
IEP (Individualized Education Plan), a legal document deFor most of you, using the bathroom upstairs requires
you to travel about 25 feet. But if you’re me, you have to go down the elevator and all the way to the opposite side
scribing what accommodations students’ need. But, because the bathroom is so far from classes, using it and resting means missing a lot of class.
Many of my teachers are understanding, but it still con-
of the school, where there’s the only bathroom that is truly
cerns them. I often miss a good chunk of AP Psychology,
has a “handicap stall,” this does not mean that it’s accom-
is academic achievement. You can catch up most of the
handicap accessible. Although each set of regular stalls modating to all students’ needs.
For one, these so called “handicap stalls” are often
not big enough for students that need adaptive equipment
or assistance. Some students need a table to transfer to,
and the way teacher Sue Cline sees it, “Our ultimate goal time, in my class anyway, but I doubt that that is the case for every other class, and I doubt that that is the case for every other student.” She’s right, it’s not.
Because the school has only one accessible bathroom,
and some need a lift to do the transferring. Others need an
another thing to consider is that students often have to wait
themselves on a regular toilet.
of students that use this bathroom, but it is enough that
adaptable toilet chair because they are unable to support
for others to finish. Of course, there is only a small number
our times of using it often overlap. As special education
associate Amanda Rynning said, “I don’t feel that it is right that students are late to class because they’re waiting to get into the bathroom.” Amen.
The solution does not have to be a multi-million dollar
project. There are bathrooms around the school that can
easily be modified and made accessible by simply knocking out a small wall to create more space. It’s such a simple
concept, and with a new high school lurking in the near future, it’s a good temporary fix.
So what does this all add up to? One accessible bath-
room, when there should be more. Having only one available unfairly hinders the education and school experience of students that have to use it. As Cline said, “Would the
time you’re missing from class be lessened if there were another bathroom?” Yes. “Then, in my mind, that means there is a need for another bathroom.”
editorial
september 2011
the b&w p.9
The editorial board votes on the opinion behind the editorial. A simple majority is needed to pass. This month’s vote was 10-0
Lisa VanWiel/BW
Student input should matter in school decisions Every decision the school and school board make usually
has an effect on students. Although students do not have much
of a say in policy, we must deal with the ones implemented on a daily basis.
Many new policies and practices have been changed in the
school district in recent years. The start date was moved forward, the way we choose the Homecoming Court is now online, and there are few opportunities for blocked science classes.
Implementing new policies and changing the way we do
things is not necessarily bad. It is wrong however, to create new regulations without the consent of those mostly affected.
Since the new start date for this year was changed, there has
been a lot of negative feedback from both students and parents. Whether or not it was the right decision is up for debate, but lis-
tening to student feedback is a must when something so drastic is being considered.
Student council is an excellent way for students to be in-
volved with the school, but the council is rarely considered in
the decision-making process. The focus of student council usually revolves around coordinating events rather than helping
with school practice and policy. Student council does an excellent job with the things it does, but perhaps they could play an even greater role in governing the school. Students directly vote
for the representatives of student council. They should be able
to do more than decide what is happening during homecoming week.
The solution to allowing students into the governing process
of the school is not clear. Not every student cares about the policy changes, but the ones that do should have a say.
Perhaps instead of wasting our time talking about recycling
and asking questions about school tradition in advisory, we
could make it a useful tool for students to discuss the current issues that our school faces.
Advisory teachers could bring up a topic that is relevant to
what the board is discussing and students would have an op-
portunity to respond. It might even raise attendance at board meetings. If students were informed ahead of time what would
be discussed through advisory, it would give them a reason to show up at board meetings for the issues they care about.
Another way students could have some sort of say in the pol-
icy that governs the school would be to allow students to have representation on the board. The student board member could be directly voted upon by the student body and be consulted on the matters that affect students.
There are many options for students to have a valid voice in
school governance. The only way for it to happen however, is for
those in power to give some to students. In doing so, it will make the school a better place for staff and students.
johnston update police & fire
Public safety
on
ns t
sc 62n h an oo d st d l b ree sa pu oa t, fte bl rd y ic ,
The current fire station has been in use since 1985. In
the past, when Johnston was much smaller, the firemen were only volunteers. Because of this, the current station does not have living quarters for full-time firemen.
Since then, there has been a lot of growth on the west
side of Johnston. More than 10,000 residents live west of NW 86th Street. For that reason, the station that is in op-
eration now is too far away from a large portion of the community to be an efficient fire station.
Because of these setbacks, two new buildings will be
built. One building will be on the west side of town near NW 100th and NW 62nd Street. This will facilitate a satellite fire station annex. The other building will be placed on Merle
Hay Road, north of NW 62nd Street. This building will be the Public Safety Facility, which will house both the main fire and police station. The police station currently operates out of City Hall.
The city just entered into a contract for the buildings.
The satellite annex is projected to be finished by Sept. of 2012. The Public Safety Facility is supposed to be com-
pleted by mid-2013. Until the second one is finished, the
fire station will work out of both the current station and the new satellite building. Once both projects are complete, the school district will gain control of the old fire station
because that was in the agreement when it was first constructed.
construction
NW 62nd avenue
W
h g a
o in in J g
t’s oh on
the b&w p.10&11 september 2011
Every year students complain and beg for a solution
Ian Dunshee/BW
Record turnout for school board winners
to the traffic on NW 62nd Avenue west of the high school.
There might finally be a solution. With the new Pioneer
Greg Dockum
Mike Farrell
Deb Henry
Jill Morrill
the city decided something must be done to relieve traffic.
Challenger
Incumbent
Challenger
Incumbent
building being finished and 633 new jobs coming soon,
1,489 votes
The plan includes widening the road to four lanes from NW 86th Street to Pioneer Parkway, stopping just short of the
two school buildings. A second bridge will be added over Beaver Creek and four roundabouts will be placed along
the street. The project is expected to begin within the next week.
Adding roundabouts originally sounded far-fetched to
some city council members. However, after it was extensively researched, the council thought them to be a good idea. Roundabouts keep traffic flowing rather than stopping at traffic lights. They also help prevent serious accidents because cars must slow down to make the circular
motion. If accidents occur, they will be at speeds of 15 or
20 mph rather than 35 or 40. Also if the road must be expanded again in the future, the plan allows for more room to do so. The project is estimated to cost around $7 million. Construction will take place partially this fall but most will occur in 2012.
words: Taylor Mithelman, Zach Winjum layout: Evan Culbert
Ian Dunshee/BW
1,315 votes
Aug. 15 start date
Year-round calendar
too late.
port that right now.”
The decision was not researched enough. There could have been more options and it was decided
Block scheduling
The block system should be consistent either way.
Student representation
“A student brings a different perspective to the board table. When the board makes decisions that directly affect students, I believe their input is valuable and necessary.”
“There would have to be resounding evidence that supports academic achievement for me to sup-
Student representation
“I support having further discussion around this topic as to what role a student representative would have in this position. The state board of education currently has a student representative and I think it warrants consideration from our district.”
1,264 votes
Block scheduling
We must listen to the teachers and students to understand the best way for it to work.
Year-round calendar
As of now, there is not a lot of research that shows it increases student learning. It must be researched more.
Student representation
“It’s a good idea, it shows high school students they’re important and their ideas are important.”
1,264 votes
Length of school day
“If [increasing the length of the school day] raises student achievement then we certainly should look in that direction.”
Student representation
“Students are directly impacted by the decisions that the board makes — they are the ones walking through the halls and sitting in the classrooms. The student representative would provide an important perspective in board discussions.”
Incumbent school board president, Tracey Orman, was not re-elected with 772 votes. Challengers Jim Gorsche and Lisa Larson received 726 and 622 votes and were not elected.
the b&w p.12
september 2011
feature
Swim team supports teammate with cancer words Paige Cramer layout Evan Culbert
Osteosarcoma cancer may be one of
the hardest words to pronounce and spell,
but for senior Megan Martin, it is just another bump in the road. In May, Megan noticed
that her knee was “a little achy” and decided to go to the doctor to get it checked out,
thinking it was possibly tendinitis. When the doctors found that her bone density was not normal, an MRI was planned.
Three months later, Megan was into 10
weeks of chemotherapy to clear the cancer
in her knee, osteosarcoma. This called for a knee replacement just two weeks before school. “It’s the type your grandma would
get, except mines a little fancier,” Megan said. She was is in a wheelchair to recover from the surgery, but is now on crutches.
Wheelchair and crutches aside, she is
still very active. Before getting cancer Megan was on the swim team. But because
Paige Cramer/BW
Megan Martin jokes with friends at a pasta dinner with the team the evening before the Ames invite.
of the knee replacement, she is not able
gan definitely thinks that this is something
cancer gives her new opportunities and
thing from scarves, to huge tissue paper
mean she does not want to. “If they signed
life long sport, I think I would continue.”
in daily life. “They don’t tell you certain
could not get through this without my par-
to swim anymore; although that does not me off, I would totally get in the water,” Me-
she will enjoy for the rest of her life. “It’s a
Swimming is only one of the things that
gan said. Even through all she has done
Megan still loves to do. She was a coun-
an effort to be involved in swimming as
still plans to be a part of the academic de-
this summer with surgeries, she still makes much as she can, without actually getting in the water. “I’m just going to meets and
some practices to see everybody. I just love
selor at a science camp at Summit, and
cathlon. She still goes out to eat with her friends, watches movies and plans on go-
makes her change some of the little things
things as a cancer patient,” Megan said.
One of these being that her toothpaste op-
tions would be cut short. The new toothpaste she has to use won’t scrape up her mouth, allowing white blood cells to form.
Also, because Megan is a cancer pa-
ing back to work at HyVee.
tient under 18 she gets to be a part of the
meet, Megan was in charge of attendance.
planning an Osteosarcoma awareness
allows kids with medical conditions to re-
start swimming was because her parents
through things like a raffle game called
all the swimmers, it’s a lot of fun.” At the last One of the reasons Megan decided to
had wanted her to do a sport. Swimming seemed to be the best option for her, so
she thought she would go for it. She even began to teach swimming lessons at Sum-
mit Middle School and hopes to see lessons in her future again. Looking back, Me-
The swim team that she loves is also
event soon. The event will raise money
“chuck a duck,” which involves getting a
rubber duck and throwing it in the water at a target. Winners will get M&M’s, a play on
ents and brother as well as my extended
family, all my friends at school and all of
our family friends giving me support,” Me-
gan said. “It isn’t really “end-all, be all” for me. I think it’s just something I have to go through right now.”
At the hospital, Megan found herself re-
Make a Wish Foundation, a charity that
lying on a certain poem in particular, “Invic-
ceive one wish. “You can go anywhere, do
was written while Henley was lying in the
anything, or meet anyone. I was so overwhelmed,” Megan said. “I’ve told them (I’d like to go to) Australia, but we’ll see!”
In this process Megan really realized
Megan’s initials. There will also be other
how important family and friends are. She
Megan has learned that going through
through it all. She has been given every-
games and prizes during the event.
flowers, to a delicious chocolate cake. “I
received plenty of gifts, support and love
tus” by William Ernest Henley. The poem
hospital after an amputation that left him
with no legs. “The poem reminded me that no matter what my treatment ended up be-
ing, or how horrible it was at that time,” she said, “I could still impact the rest of my life
and I was still in charge because someone somewhere had granted me a strong soul.”
Invictus by William Ernest Henley Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears It matters not how strait the gate, Looms but the Horror of the shade, How charged with punishments the scroll. And yet the menace of the years I am the master of my fate: Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. I am the captain of my soul.
feature
the b&w p.13
september 2011
Meet the men in charge Where do the state legislators stand on issues that affect students? words & layout Scott Syroka Just who are these state legislators we elect every gen-
eral election? They can influence a lot: length of the school year and day, school funding, and teacher pay just to name
a few. This month, we introduce you to two state legislators
Jack Whitver
The basics
Name: Jack Whitver Age: 30
The state senator from Ankeny
Family: Wife, Rachel; Daughter, Ella (8 months) Position held: State Senator Senate district: 35
Represents: Ankeny, Grimes, Granger, Johnston,
parts of Des Moines, and rural northern Polk County Term expires: 2014 Party: Republican
Jack on the issues
that represent a large part of our school district — state
Senator Jack Whitver and state Representative Erik Helland.
Length of school day: We need to continue to im-
prove our school systems so that we can compete on a global scale. If longer school days are a possibility,
The basics
I would want to make sure that after school activities are taken into account.
Name: Erik Helland
Length of school year: When it comes to length of
Age: 31
school day or length of the school year, we need to
Family: Dog, Hank
continue to keep in mind that the most important thing
Position held: State Representative
is the education of kids. If we can improve education
House district: 69
by a longer school year, it should be considered.
Represents: Grimes, Granger, Johnston, parts of Des
Teacher pay: I strongly believe that we need
Moines, and rural northern Polk County
to find a better way to reward teachers that
Term expires: 2012
are doing the best job. The big debate
Party: Republican
in rewarding quality teachers is the
Erik on the issues
method to accomplish it. There are disadvantages to using
test scores. I believe a
Length of school year and school day: Our schools must prepare our youth for the real world. We no lon-
hybrid between test
tunities, but the entire world. Sending our students to
uations
ger compete just with other states for jobs and oppor-
scores and eval-
more school seems like a logical step forward, but also
be the best
need to make sure they are learning more and coming out better prepared. The bottom line is our competitors such as China and India will soon have more college
degrees, more researchers, and greater ability to develop new ideas. The answer to better preparing our youth for the future is probably a mix of more school,
higher standards, and tough curriculum. Allowable growth rate & school funding: We will
likely be at or very near 2 percent [allowable growth
rate - the percent increase year-over-year of how much
money school districts receive per student enrolled] next year. We made great strides last year in closing
our budget issue, but we are not out of the woods yet.
If the state collects more tax than expected we may be able to come through with more. I do think we will
see changes in the funding formula in the coming
Erik Helland
may
growth rate &
school funding:
It looks like allow-
able growth [the percent
increase year-over-year of
how much money school districts receive per student enrolled] will
be 2 percent next year, as that is what
was agreed to in the 2-year budget passed
last session. This depends on how quickly the economy can turn around though, and can be
adjusted if there is a change in state revenues. On-time funding: Currently a school is funded based on the number of students from the previous year.
This is a big disadvantage to schools like Johnston that grow every year. In Ankeny this year, there were over 300 new kids that will not re-
ceive funding until next year. Most of the people at the Capitol do not have a lot of sympathy for growing schools because many of the rural
schools are losing kids at a very fast rate. Because there are more legislators
from shrinking districts than growing districts, I think it will be
years.
tough to get this (on-time
Our sys-
funding) passed.
tem is an-
com-
plicated, and not very equal.
State senator, Jack Whitver.
Allowable
The state representative from Johnston
tiquated,
Provided/Dragon
way to go.
Provided/Dragon
State rep, Erik Helland.
the b&w p.14
feature
september 2011
Two sides of normal Student travels to Pakistan to visit family words & layout Kenzie Foldes
there as well. Her Pakistani clothes are
folded and placed away in her closet until they are needed. “I have a tub for my Paki-
It starts with a six-hour car ride to Chi-
cago. Then, a ten-hour plane ride to Barcelona, Spain. Sophomore Zainab Tanveer’s
feet are overcome with a prickly feeling as she sits on her second plane ride — destination Pakistan.
“Your feet fall asleep after the first ten
hours,” Tanveer said. She struggles to sleep and is left watching movies played
on a TV screen in the headrest of the seat in front of her. The attendants serve passengers American-type food such as
sandwiches and crackers, but they also offer food customary to the Muslim religion
such as Halal (blessed meat) with rice and bread.
Every other summer, for about two
months, Tanveer and her family stay with
relatives in Pakistan who are scattered throughout the country in Islamabad, Kara-
chi, Faisalabad, and Lahore. Her immediate family —Dad, Tanveer Hussian, Mom, Shazia, and brother, 2011 graduate Ahmed
Shaharyar makes up the only portion of her relatives living in America.
Tanveer lives an American life in John-
ston, but when she visits family in Pakistan she is
at home with herself
Tanveer’s Pakistan Itinerary Islamabad
stan clothes while my American clothes are
(Mom’s side)
in a dresser.” she said.
“I like this place because my aunt is a great cook and all my cousins get together here so it’s a blast.”
Although they are countries away from
their homeland, Tanveer and her family
practice their culture as well live an American lifestyle. She sees both cultures as “normal life.”
Shazia thinks Americans have mis-
conceptions of Pakistan. “Everybody over there is living a normal life. It’s not like they
are scared and just sitting in their house,” she said.
The streets are usually active with peo-
ple walking or biking from place to place.
The atmosphere is similar to New York’s
congestion. However, Pakistan’s roads are
made of dirt and there are no lane dividers to separate vehicles. “Traffic is all over the place,” Tanveer said.
In addition to the differences in street
life, Pakistan’s climate also differs from Johnston’s. She sees the heat as a nuisance, with only having the air conditioner in one room and power that shuts off multi-
ple times during the day due to energy con-
servation. Windows are left open throughout the house in attempt to keep the rest of the home cool.
Tanveer is kept occupied by her fam-
ily and is content to stay indoors while her mother and
Provided/Zainab Tanveer
Dressed in custom Pakistan clothes, Zainab and her family pose for a family photo. The family was at a social event for Muslims around the Des Moines area.
Faisalabad (Mom’s side)
this type of clothing back in Johnston”,
Shazia said. The clothing she shops for is Pakistani attire that consists of flowery
dresses and baggy pants to wear underneath. “Over there women must be more
covered and over here everyone is wearing tank tops and shorts,” Tanveer said.
Although Tanveer does not wear clothing to completely conceal herself while she is
in Pakistan, she wears scarves to cover
3
Faisalabad
4
(Mom’s side)
“I like to go to Faislabad because my grandma lives there and it means a lot to her to spend as much time with her as possible.”
Jhang
(Dad’s side)
“I like this place because my whole dad’s side is there and I get to see my grandpa.”
her head. Some women cover themselves completely, but it depends on the specific person and her religion.
Life in Johnston and Pakistan share
similarities — sports, shopping, and the love of family. “They are a lot different,” Tanveer said. “But I can live a normal life here and there.”
2
Jhang
(Dad’s side)
aunt enjoy shopping. “We shop a lot here (in Pakistan) because we can not find
1
Islamabad
(Mom’s side)
5 6
entertainment
the b&w p.15
september 2011
Punishment for piracy words & layout Ben Parsons
“Products” is a broad term, and piracy
Approximately 30 billion songs were
applies to many different things. Down-
downloaded illegally from 2004-2009,
loading illegally off of the internet, upload-
setting the media entertainment industry
ing files for friends, filming movies in the-
back $12.5 billion per year. According to
aters before they’re released on DVD all
informationweek.com, piracy has cost the
constitute acts of piracy. Even sharing soft-
music industry 70,000 jobs to date. The
ware across multiple computers is illegal.
decline in amount of music sales means
Piracy is no laughing matter, especially
that less revenue is coming in for the
when one gets caught. The truth of it is,
companies. Therefore, the company can-
though, internet piracy is a widespread
not afford to hire new people and continue
phenomenon, even amongst the student
growing.
body here.
As a result, the federal government
This was the case with senior Cathleen
punishes people it catches. Their punish-
Nelson, who was caught pirating movies
ment is strict. The minimum federal fine
and songs last year. Paramount Pictures
for the illegal downloading of one song,
contacted Mediacom, complaining about
for first-time offenders, is $750 plus legal
the illegal nature of Nelson’s actions.
fees and court costs.
Eventually, her Internet was permanently
And it only gets worse from there. We
revoked.
have all seen the disclaimer at the begin-
Why did she do it? “It’s free,” Nelson
ning of a movie, the one that threatens five years of prison and a $250,000 fine.
The federal government only gets in-
volved in severe cases. Corporations like Mediacom handle most small offenders.
For the most part, piracy goes un-
checked. Tim Gates, who is in the band
Oringe, has this to say about piracy: “By
blowers who report others for acts of illegal
keep music alive by buying their music.”
downloading songs. Most software com-
all means, support your favorite artists and To help combat the rise of piracy, associ-
ations against it have sprung up in the past few years. Some offer rewards for whistle-
downloading, be it counterfeiting DVDs or panies, including Microsoft, have pages
devoted exclusively to preventing piracy of their products.
said. “I think it’s stupid to download songs for $1.29.”
So yes, getting caught is not a common
occurrence, however, the ramifications
could be surprisingly severe. Something to think about the next time you really want that new album.
Changing the way we network words & layout Mirza Besic Facebook has taken over every aspect
of the way we meet with our friends, send-
Chat
Chat
Even when trying to send out a birthday in-
Video Chat
Video Chat
new site lurks in the vast universe of the
w/ a friend
w/ a friend
w/ 3+ friends
w/ 3+ friends
Accessibility
Accessibility
open to all
invite only
Users
Users
over 750 million
over 25 million
Games
Games
ing messages, chats, wall posts, and calls. vite, Facebook has your back. But now, a
internet, and it wants the throne of the kingdom of social networking.
Google+ has everything Facebook of-
fers, and it is not even finished yet. Instant messaging with friends, or video chats with an entire group are some possibilities.
One can create entire albums of pictures. Google+ is almost exactly like Facebook, but so much smoother.
The whole reason that anybody has
even paid attention to Google+ is the fact that it is currently invite-only. The only way to get in is if you know a guy who knows a guy who has a Google+.
Illustration/Duncan Sinclair
One student who is pleased with
Google’s take on social networking is se-
June 28 of this year.
Everyone has years of information al-
nior Grant McDonald. “It’s pretty cool. It’s
ready on Facebook, and they have no
ter,” McDonald said. He also said he likes
move it all over to Google+. But if Google
like a combination of Facebook and Twit-
having friends organized into circles as opposed to just heaping them into a big pile.
The only problem with Google+ so far is
how new it is. It has only been around since
incentive to take time out of their lives to comes out with an app or program to up-
load all the info away from Facebook into Google+, it could change the way everyone updates their status.
Farmville Mafia Wars CafeWorld Petville Zynga Poker
Zombie Lane Flood-It Angry Birds EdgeWorld Crime City
the b&w p.16
review
september 2011
Get the Scoop on Frozen Yogurt New self-serve yogurt shops are a great choice for a healthy sweet tooth! words Sarah Margolin layout Taylor Mithelman & Monica Gagne
Yo2Go is Urbandale’s newest frozen yogurt treat. With 13 flavors that switch out
almost weekly and a full topping bar, there is always something new every visit. The
yogurt, which varies from the normal chocolate and vanilla to the more exotic kahlua cream (non-alcoholic), to even a root beer flavor that fizzes in your mouth. Our favorite
combo was the creamy, but not too sweet, chocolate and vanilla yogurt with graham cracker crumbs, strawberries and chocolate pieces which was worth every penny of the $3.15 we spent on it. The place could also double as a breakfast stop. Just get a
swirl of the Plain Tart (which has an almost tangy taste to it) and top it with one of the many cereals and some fresh fruit. With the short drive there, the locally-owned shop is a great stop.
3816 100th St. Urbandale, IA
r pulalavors F
Po ost
M
VS.
Yo2Go at
gf es 0
ri at calo 4 0g f 1 1 s e i r te calo fat cola 110 Cho s 0g e i r o cal n 101 Plai n ofte tore S nge Tart a h rs c flavo
urs
Ho
s. hur .- T . n u S Sat nd :30 a 9 . i 0 Fr 11:0 10:30 0 11:0
With 14 constant flavors like our favorites, chocolate, mountain blackberry, and watermelon, Lemon Tree is a good choice for a healthier bite when in Ankeny. The yogurt and toppings sell for 43 cents per ounce. Lemon Tree has a topping bar containing 44 different options, not nearly as extensive as Yo2Go’s 63 different options, but they still include tasty treats like brownie bites and Andes mints, to passionfruit poppers and strawberry mochi. Although our shared mountain blackberry, vanilla, and watermelon parfait sprinkled with waffle cone pieces and mixed berries all for $5.15 was delicious, some of the other flavors like the lemon didn’t live up to our expectations. In the end the yogurt wasn’t quite worth the drive out, especially with Yo2Go so much closer.
M
bracelets are said to work by a small holographic chip that is
inside. The chip is said to alter the
flow or energy and minerals inside the body. They have become popular among high school athletes, especially among the baseball
team. Many of the players, such
as senior Matt Zinselmeier, swear by them. Some famous athletes, such as Shaquille O’Neal and
Kobe Bryan, even sponsor this brand.
2
at
gf es 0
ri fat calo s 0g e i r e t calo cola and 110 Cho ree f n ute illa s gl Van urt i -free g o iry ty Mos are da e m so
Do balance bracelets really work? PowerBalance Bracelet: These
Suite 400 Ankeny, IA
r pulalavors o P F ost 110
Metal to help you move 1
1745 SE Delaware Ave.
Lemon tree
s
our
H tore
s. hur .- T . n u S Sat nd :30 a 9 . i 0 Fr 11:0 10:30 0 11:0
S
words & layout Ashley Shay iRenew Bracelet: Unlike the
PowerBalance bracelets that use
oz per0.43 e $ ric
P
the holographic chips, biofield Phiten Necklace: Physical thera-
therapists programmed the
brand of necklace when athletes
frequencies that your body
to quicken the healing process,
needs in order to stay in balance
and relax muscles. It helps keep
bracelets are made for anyone,
Randy Johnson going after 21
like OneRepublic, and even your
pists recommend wearing this
iRenew bracelet with natural
are recovering from an injury
positively responds to and
regulate a constant blood flow,
during times of stress. iRenew
retired New York Yankee pitcher
including busy students, bands
years of playing baseball.
parents depend on them during times of stress.
3
health
september 2011
the b&w p.17
Fast-Food Fundamentals Are the so-called “healthy” versions at fast-food restaurants really all that healthy? Here’s the breakdown of what to eat and what not to eat at these establishments. words & layout Paige Cramer & Laura Scieszinski
Better Worse The Kentucky Grilled Chicken
Popcorn chicken may seem like the right
Wing is the way to go at KFC.
choice considering it looks like a kid-
With 250 mg of sodium and 80
calories this option puts itself
above the large popcorn chick-
VS
en. With 11 grams of protein it
friendly size. However, 1,140 mg of sodi-
um is way more than one person needs in a sitting. With eight grams of fat and 550 calories, this meal can go in the trash.
will keep you going until your
next meal. There is no way to go wrong with this option.
The Chicken Softshell Taco is a flour tortilla
The Chicken Bacon Ranch
and mild taco sauce. It is a low-cal option
on Taco John’s “Healthy
filled with grilled chicken, lettuce, cheese, at 113 calories. This taco’s 14 grams of pro-
tein will fuel and fill you. It contains six grams
Wrap is the first thing
VS
of fat which is less than half the fat of most
Choices” menu. A few ingredients are bacon, cheese, chicken fajita strips, and ranch dressing. It is filled with 23 grams of fat and 1,480 mg of sodium. Needless to say, this is not the meal
things on the menu.
to choose if you’re looking to eat healthy.
et The roast beef sandwich definitely beats
The Oven Crisp Chicken sandwich
your daily value vitamin C and 30% of
with it never being fried, but that’s not
the oven crisp sandwich. This is 20% of
your daily value of calcium. With 235 calories it also makes it a little
presents itself to be the healthy option
VS
easier to swallow, along with
person. And if calories are being watched, this 420 calorie monster isn’t looking so good.
The snack size Fruit and Walnut salad is a popu-
The hamburger is a better alternative to
lar choice at McDonald’s for people looking to eat
any light salad on the menu. With 12
healthy. Just because it’s low in fat does not mean it
grams of protein this choice is satisfying
and filling. It only has six grams of sugar
Walnut Salad. The hamburger doesn’t leave
your stomach rumbling while it also doesn’t fill you with sugars and fats.
be greasy, 940 grams of sodium in a
six-inch sandwich isn’t the best for one
240mg less of sodium.
compared to the over-loaded Fruit and
the whole truth. While it may never
VS
is good for you. It contains 25 grams of sugar. The
American Heart Association recommends 30 grams of sugar per day. This non-filling fruit platter isn’t worth it.
the b&w p.18
fashion
september 2011
Active
words Taylor Mithelman layout Evan Culbert
Apparel
Sperrys
Passion for the sea
Adidas
Tired of your clothing wearing out or your shoes falling apart? Buying cheap clothes is a mistake almost every American makes. We accept the fact that eventually our clothes will wear out, yet we continue to buy cheaply made clothes. Investing in quality clothing may be more expensive but in the end these brands stand the test of time.
North Face
Timbuk2
Imposible is nothing Never stop exploring Designed to keep you moving
In 1935 Paul Sperry was inspired
by his dog’s ability to run over ice and snow. Wanting to create a shoe with the
same abilities, he used a pen knife he cut into the outsole of a rubber sneaker.
This inspiration launched a new and unique shoe that has been changed
and improved to the modern Sperry. These are shoes designed for the ac-
tive person, especially around water. The rubber sole etched with small lines
provides excellent traction. The shoes
are made of specially treated leather to withstand getting repeatedly wet. Sperry makes slip on boat shoes, tennis shoes, and even high heels. Although
In 1920, Adi Dassler, the founder of
North Face is named for the cold-
For 20 years Timbuk2 has been
Adidas, made his first shoe. Since then
est, most unforgiving side of a moun-
making custom bags in the heart of San
pany that includes Reebok and Taylor-
far reaching corners of the globe, they
create good looking and tough bags
Adidas has grown into a massive com-
Made Golf. Over the years Adidas has made continual improvements to athletic supplies in over 11 sports, making a
variety of shoes, balls and clothes. Adi-
das is well known for its soccer cleats as they were one of the first to develop them and continue to improve the de-
sign. Although they provide specific apparel depending on the sport, they also
have a large selection of basic workout clothes.
tain. Through sponsoring trips to the have discovered what is needed to survive on the “north face.” A large part
of the development of the North Face
products is lab testing and field testing by having world-class athletes use
their apparel and make suggestions for improvements. A crucial component
of their clothes is to keep the explorer
warm and dry. Northface has pioneered
new materials, such as PacLit, made with Gore-tex, that pack extremely
small and are lightweight. Although
they are made in a few different materi-
North Face produces heavy-duty cloth-
als the most popular shoes are made
ing for exploration it also produces
of leather.
more casual and comfortable clothes for less-extreme activity.
Francisco with a simple philosophy to that are truly your own creation. The
bags are made extremely durable so they stay on your back instead of sitting
in a landfill. Although they are backed by a lifetime guarantee there is a bag
recycling program for the day when you get sick of having the same bag and
want some money to put towards your
next one. Timbuk2’s biggest emphasis is on individuality. They do not want ev-
eryone’s bags to look the same, so they have created the custom bag product.
This allows you to design your bag from style and size down to number of pockets and color. Styles of bags range from mes-
senger, backpack, and totes. These can be
found in a variety of sizes for your needs.
get it for yourself at
www.sperrytopsider.com
get it for yourself at
www.shopadidas.com
Women’s Angelfish slip on
$80
Women’s Samba Shoes
$60
Men’s Bahama
$55
Men’s adiZero Crazy light shoes
$130
get it for yourself at
www.northface.com
Women’s
TKA 80 Hybrid 1/2 Zip
Men’s
$55
Denali wind pro jacket $199
get it for yourself at
www.timbuk2.com
Custom Swing Backpack
$110
Custom Classic Messenger
$100
sports
september 2011
the b&w p.19
No horsing around words Mallorie Goodale
Horseback riders train, bond with horses
rode together, they earned the title Reserve Jordy Poore
Champion Pony for the whole region of the
reality is, few kids ever get one. Sophomore
Adency Start
years ago when she was nine years old.
is not all about the competitions. While
and watching her ride, Poore knew this
the horse to compete, this method, called
much became my passion,” Poore said.
lationship with the rider and horse.
and Riot, both kept at a barn in Indianola,
and do it now’,” Start said. “Parelli you want
During the off-season, Poore goes to the
the horse almost turns into a robot and
season, April through Nov., Poore travels to
to do stuff for you instead of making it do
Midwest.
Little girls dream of having a pony, but
For senior Adency Start, riding horses
Jordy Poore’s dream came true seven After going to the barn with a friend
other training methods focus on preparing
was something she wanted to do. “It pretty
Parelli Natural Horsemanship, builds a re“Other methods tell the horse, ‘do this
Poore has two show horses, George
about 40 minutes away.
your horse to have fun. Other (methods),
barn once or twice a week. During show
eventually with Parelli, your horse will want
the barn almost every day, equaling about 490 miles of driving a week. “It is a big time
commitment,” Poore said. “If you have a big
show coming up, you have to be out there to train for it.”
Because she spends so much time with
her horses, she has developed a strong bond with them.
“I talk to him kind of like a dog,” Poore
said. “They love that when you talk to them
and tell them that they are a good boy.” Her horses are more than a pet, she considers them more a part of her family. Aly Vukelich
Because of her grandpa’s job as a game
warden for Wyoming, senior Aly Vukelich
Provided/Adency Start
Senior Adency Start with her horse Hobart at Jester Park Equestrian Center in Granger. During the school year, Start is there about five times a week, and in the summer she goes every day. has been around horses before her class-
Vukelich does not compete by showing
mates even knew what a horse was.
her horse like Poore does. Instead, she
she was eight years old and has ridden with
up at different heights similar to a high
Vukelich started taking lessons when
a trainer for nine years. Now, because she has been riding for so long, she does not need a trainer. “I guess I have been doing
this for awhile,” Vukelich said, “I kinda know
what I want to work on and if I get stuck I can look it up in a book or on the Internet.”
stuff for you.”
Riding is not just a hobby Start does
on weekends, it is something she wants
to pursue. “I’m probably not going to go to college,” Start said, “after high school I’m going to take a few months off and save a
bunch of money for California then go in-
jumps horses. This is where poles are set
tern with Dave Ellis (Parelli instructor).”
jump competition, only for horses.
part of Start’s life. Her horse, one that she
you to do,” Vukelich said. “Whoever ex-
family member than a pet.
placed higher.” Vukelich rode with a pony
said. “I would never sell him, he is a best
“The judge calls out what they want
ecutes whatever they want you to do gets named Panda. By the end of the year they
Riding horses has always been a large
rides with nearly every day, is more like a “I have had my horse for 7 years,” Start
friend. A lot of people underestimate how smart horses are.”
Jaschen has big goals for this season. “The goal is to
“Born to run”
see every runner reach their utmost potential and to get
them excited about the program and running,” Jaschen said. Senior Chase Wallace likes Jaschen’s attitude and
New head coach conects with runners, sets goals
positive energy.
Jaschen also wants to build a mentor/teacher rela-
tionship with each runner. Every day at practice Jaschen makes an effort to talk to each of the 60 runners.
Being head coach has made Jaschen a better runner,
words Lydia Sinclair
and in his opinion, a better teacher. While running with the boys after school, he sees a different side of them that he
does not see in his science classes. By talking to the team
Matt Jaschen said he was running as soon as he could
and listening to their comments, Jaschen says he is able to
country team in his hometown of Tripoli, Iowa. Now as a
Sierra Ballard/The Dragon Jaschen meets with senior runners during their first home meet Sept. 8th
boys’ cross country team.
said. Even though Jaschen only started helping on the
the boys cross country season is underway. Jaschen and
15 years but decided to step down after last season.
runners. “He is like an old cousin to the team,” senior Chris
walk. As a sophomore in high school, he joined the cross science teacher in Johnston, he is the head coach of the Dave Beason had been head coach of the team for
“(Jaschen) is young, enthusiastic and energetic,” Beason
team last fall, Beason thinks he has a strong bond with the Caracci said.
incorporate their interests into his lessons.
With meets lined up from now until the end of October,
assistant coach, Pat Mattingly, are making sure the team is
prepared. “Humans were born to run,” Jaschen said. That is what he intends to do.
the b&w p.20
backpage
september 2011
upside-down plank-senior Taylor Kavaya
PLANKING Get the story behind the ‘extreme laying down’ sensation words & layout Evan Culbert
In recent months, planking has transformed from a little
known game to a global phenomenon. To some, it is an in-
tense game of skill, to others it’s a pointless waste of time. Created in January of 2009 by an Australian man, planking has since spread across the globe and is very common in
Asia, Europe and North America. It is not unlikely to see people planking on random objects around Des Moines, or
even celebrities planking. Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, & Usher are just a few who have participated in the fad. Planking
involves lying face down on any surface, with arms at side in
a stiff, plank-like position. Once a plank has been achieved, get a picture and post it on the Internet. The goal is to be as
fountain plank-Urbandale senior Ellen Jeffries
creative as possible while holding good planking position. There are no limits to the planks that can be accomplished.
whe
Trees, camels, signs, underwater, you name it, it’s plank-
able. Although skilled planking generally requires a higher level of fitness and skill, recreational planking is enjoyed
by all ages and fitness levels; from the “baby plank,” to the
77-year-old grandma who succeeded in planking on top of a table, achieving the oldest plank record.
2 picture
1 plank
provided/Maddie Kreamer
3 post
Evan Culbert/EW
basketball plank-senior Lucas Wittman
Hannah Thayer ‘12
Radha Patel ‘11
Jacob Knopf ‘12
Maddie Kreamer ‘12
“It’s kind of like a big fad
“I don’t see the point in
“I think planking is dumb,
“I started when (seniors)
some, but I don’t see why
couch, it’s called laying
ris and I were bored before
right now, people just do it to do it. There’s not really
a point, but it can be pretty fun.”
planking, I guess it’s fun for people go and lay on random objects.”
I plank every day on my
down. I just don’t get it. Kids these days.”
Taylor Kavaya, Janie Norwork. We thought, ‘Hey, let’s go plank downtown.’ It was sweet.”
Evan Culbert/EW