The Line O’ Type
Pg. 5 Freshmen Advice Pg. 6-7 Homecoming 1 Pg. 9 New English Teachers
October 9, 2015 Volume 99. Issue 1 1
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News
10/9/2015
Freshmen check out Chromebooks By: Zamone Perez LO’T Reporter Times are changing, and Moline is seeing numerous changes. Freshmen have started using Chromebooks, and some see this as progress while others see this as overkill. One thing that is clear is that the Chromebooks are here to stay. This new initiative is clearly beneficial because it replicates learning procudures at other higher acheiving schools. On the other hand, the district’s money may not be used wisely in the same way that freshmen may not maturely use their Chromebooks. Regardless, the popular opinion is that technology is a necessity in the modern classroom. Sarah Zavoral, a freshman English teacher, has become quite comfortable with the new Chromebook initiative. “With the Chromebook initiative, I have gone virtually paperless in this class. An overflow of papers and assignments can be a hassle, but with virtual folders and such, the organization is easy as a ‘click and drag,’” she says. Zavoral is also clear to voice her concern on the chromebooks being a distraction in the classroom when students play games or listen to music instead of working. This is also a problem because the chromebook does
not have time to charge and cannot be used for classwork. Despite this, students participating in the new program seem to even be more engaged and excited with technology. Zavoral was originally apprehensive because she was not sure how the Chromebooks would be implemented in the classroom, but as she has become more comfortable with it, she sees it as a great learning tool. With new tehcnology, students and teachers constantly run into issues. When this happens, they use the helpdesk in B224 as a resource. Help Desk students (pictured below) attended a bootcamp over the summer and trained to solve any problems such as charging Chromebooks or supplying loaners. Mr. Bohnsack is involved in the helpdesk and says that it allows students to have a real life experience with helping other people. “In the first month alone, more than 300 students and teachers have been helped,” he says. For more information, visit the help desk twitter: @mhshelpus. With the world constantly changing around us, we are realizing that in order to survive, we must adapt. While the Chromebook initiative may not start off as perfect, it is still speculated to be a successful program.
Help desk students getting ready for distribution of freshman Chromebooks. Left to Right : Hanna Hendricksen, Kayley Hamilton, Brandon Schell Cover photo cred: Quinn Daley
The Republican Elephant and Democratic Donkey party logos. Courtesy of DonkeyHotey
Elections will poll you in By: Sanjana Yerrapothu & Emme Schwabe LO’T Reporters There are two major contemporary political parties in the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans. The Republican party, more commonly known as the GOP was founded on March 20th, 1854 by antislavery activists and veterans. The Presidential Election of 2016 is set out to take place on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. As of now, 15 candidate of the Republican Party are currently running, two candidates have dropped out, and one candidate, Mitt Romney has decided not to run this year. One of the 15 candidates includes Jeb Bush, former two-term Republican governor of Florida. Jeb Bush is a heavyweight political contender who came from a large family of presidents. Bush is considered more conservative than the others in his family, which also differentiates him from the rest of the GOP candidates. Another well-known candidate is Chris Christie. He is the governor of New Jersey, and he provided the state plentiful assistance when Hurricane Sandy left its mark on the East Coast in October of 2012. Ted Cruz is another well-known candidate running for the Republican Party. Ted Cruz is an United States senator, who has attempted to capture the attention of his party’s right wing, or ultra conservatives. Mark Rubio, an United States senator has a great chance at winning according to the polls. Mark Rubia sees himself as a part of the newer generation of the Republic party, which gives him an advantage since a major of part of
America consists of a younger generation. Another candidate that we’re all familiar with is Donald Trump. Donald Trump is an American real estate agent, author, and TV personality. He is known as the wild card in the 2016 election since he has taken the election by storm. Other candidates include Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Jim Gilmore, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, George Pataki, Rand Paul, and Rick Santorum Also setting out to race for the presidential seat is the Democratic party. Leading the Democratic race is Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State under Barack Obama and former First Lady of the U.S. Following her not too far behind is Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Sanders favors policies similar to those of socialist democratic parties. Also in the race are Lincoln Chafee, Jim Webb, Lawrence Lessig, and Martin O’Malley. The big question being asked is if Joe Biden will be running. If so, the current Vice President is sure to secure his place near the top of the polls and might potentially lead the Democratic Party as well. It is unknown who will win this year. As of now, Trump has taken the elections towards his advantage. He is triumphantly coming out with majority votes in most of the recent election polls. Whoever wins will need to show a strong leadership over the United States and forge alliances internationally. Hopefully students old enough to vote will take advantage of this privilege.
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News
10/9/2015
Syrian refugee crisis poses big problems for countries across the world
By: Ashley Oerman & Mihika Rajvanshi
transportation they possess, including their LO’T Reporters bare feet, to carry them hundreds of miles to If you’ve read any news lately, you’ve safe havens. According to the U.N., 7.6 million Syrians probably heard about the migrant or refugee are internally displaced from their original crisis. Syrian war has displaced families who homes and cities. A quarter million individuare now entering Europe in a search for a betals have perished during the course of the war ter life. It is officially the largest severe huover the last 4 years, and all in all, there are manitarian influx since WWII. Unfortunate11 million people affected by displacement ly, many media outlets in Europe and the US overall -in contrast, the population of Syria have reduced the vast numbers of refugees to before the war was 23 million, which means being potential terrorists; in reality, asylum nearly half of the country’s population has seekers are looking for safety. Although these been dislocated. migrants come from a variety of different Because they can’t travel too far, countries for multiple reasons, the majority many families in the are fleeing Syria’s civil region have tried to war. take refuge in the Syria currently has nearest bordering various political, social, countries free of and economic disposiviolence: roughly 2 tions and public frustramillion have headed tions. This led to the the to Turkey, about breakdown of Syria’s 250,000 have fled social structure and into Iraq (and are now frastructure. trapped there as the Government dissatiscountry deals with faction initially sparked the impending threat prevalent anti-government sentiments, which Young Syrian boy left alone guarding fam- of ISIS), 630,000 gradually developed into ily’s belongings as they seek refuge in Tur- have gone to Jordan, 130,000 have made public demonstrations key. Courtesy of Freedon House it to Egypt, and 1.7 that took hold in March million have migratof 2011. The non-violent ed to Lebanon, where refugees compose 20% protests rapidly intensified after the governof the population. There is a dire need for ment authorized a severe crackdown on the supplies in some of these crowded, tiny coundemonstrations, and rebels finally revolted tries. The inclining severity of the situation in against the regime. Army deserters and small Jordan and Lebanon comes from the fact that insurgent groups eventually constructed the Free Syrian Army by mid-summer of that the nations are the most densely populated year. Also consisting of everyday Syrians, countries in the region, which are where the this make-shift militia took up arms to op- majority of the refugees are fleeing. Generally, refugees either seek one pose the government. Conditions of instabilof two paths once they arrive in their host ity created the perfect breeding ground for country: coming by opportunity in their big violence and chaos, spiralling into the wake cities and choosing to dwell in an urban setof a civil war. Caught in the middle of drone ting, or making due in make-shift “villages,” bombings, genocide, crippling war crimes, or refugee camps operated and owned by the and slaughter are civilians and families. U.N. and the governments of their countries. Many people would assume other prominent Camps consist of basic schools and shops middle eastern countries should open their made out of a series of tents and/or shiny doors to migrants. Unfortunately, surroundsteele caravans. Although intended to briefly ing gulf states, referring to the neighboring Arab nations to the east, such as the U.A.E. host refugees, these camps can be occupied and Saudi Arabia have shut their doors to any from a few days to a few months. The struggle for the many refugees refugees, having taken 0. As a result, many who perilously endure the journey and make of the Syrians have been taking to whatever
it safely surely isn’t over once landed; they often face social and economic integration and assimilation challenges once they arrive. More multicultural societies of Western Europe, Central and Northern nations are less flexible regarding their eagerness to take in migrants. As Central and Western Europe generally wrestle with the surge of migrants, countries like France and Germany are expecting to welcome in sufficiently larger numbers. France recently declared to take in 25,000 displaced by the conflict, and Germany, which has been the most generous, has elaborated they will welcome 800,000 migrants this year. More to the west, Britain has responded by asserting they are willing to gradually take 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next half decade. Many migrants are traveling more inland in Europe due to the heavy restrictions on asylum seekers and on immigration in Eastern European countries. In the United States, the story is a bit
different. John Kerry, Secretary of State, stated that the country will accept more refugees every year and reach a maximum of 100,000 refugees in 2016. Response to American action has been divided. Many, including Eleanor Acer, director of Human Rights First, believe that American attempts to contribute are far too little to make significant impacts. However, others feel that the United States government is doing as much as it can due to post 9/11 restrictions. While the new refugee plan isn’t likely to significantly alleviate pressure on other countries, it is a start. Secretary John Kerry states, “We still need to do more, and we understand that.” Recently, Pope Francis has also called on and encouraged the masses to take in their Syrian brothers and sisters in need. As students we should all stay educated on this crisis. By donating money or informing others about the severity of this problem facing our world, we can make a difference.
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Editorial
10/9/2015
Clinton versus Trump is a lose-lose situation for America
By: Tara Krishnan LO’T Editor-in-Chief
With election season in full swing and 21 candidates ruthlessly competing for the presidential spot, it’s about time we got serious about politics. Though this year’s election started early with a large field of potential candidates, it does not look very promising. Currently, there are 15 Republican candidates versus a mere 6 Democrats. Donald Trump leads the polls for the Republican party and Hillary Clinton is the forerunner for the Democrats. These candidates may be at the top of the polls, but are their platforms really presidential-worthy? Donald Trump is a billionaire real estate developer and businessman. On June 16, 2015, he announced his bid for the GOP nomination. Never having held office, Trump has been using his success in business as the main pillar of his presidential platform. A result-oriented person, Trump’s ragged edges could be a fresh change from the smoothness of Obama’s teleprompter. However, recently, Trump made a controversial statement when he told Fox News his thoughts on Mexican immigrants. He said that Mexico was sending crime, drugs, and rapists. These ludicrous statements are what prompted NBC to drop Trump’s Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. Along with
2009. Clinton is a strong supporter of women’s rights and would be the first woman president. She voted to fight economic inequality and promised to keep health care. However, in the same way that Trump has his faults, Clinton also has shown herself to be an untrustworthy candidate. In May of 2015, a controversy arose regarding Clinton’s use of personal email accounts on a non-government email server instead of government email accounts maintained on secured Federal government servers. She stated that no prohibited material was received on the private account. However, a government review of the emails found that some were, in fact, classified. This untrustworthiness is definitely not what most of the population is looking for in a potential president. According to thefederalistpapers.org, Clinton’s polls have dropped about 15 percent among Democrats with as few as 45 percent saying they would support her. Democratic independent Bernie Clinton and Trump face off in the 2016 presidential election. (courtesy of: wikipedia. Sanders has now risen in popularity and is at her heels. Sanders has a very liberal mindset com)
NBC, his connections with Univision, Macy’s, NASCAR, ESPN, and many more have gone up in flames. Trump’s financial behavior has not always been successful, and, in fact, he’s been through bankruptcy and has openly admitted to manipulating bankruptcy laws to enrich himself at the expense of oth-
ers. Trump’s controversial beliefs and trustworthiness make him an unworthy candidate. As Trump towers over his Republican opponents, Hillary Clinton is trying to climb her way back to the top after her recent email scandal. Clinton’s political career started when she served as first lady in 1993 and eventually became the Secretary of State in
LO’T Editorial Policy
Line O’Type is the official school-sponsored paper of Moline High School. The paper is published by the students under the supervision of faculty advisors for the Moline High School community. The staff will strive to accurately report school, local, state, and national news that affects high school students. Line O’Type Signals is also a forum open to students, faculty and administration to encourage the airing of opinions respresenting all sides of an issue. All submitted material must be signed, due to a code passed by the school board. All responses or questions regarding editorials should be directed to your Editors-in-Chief, Tara Krishnan and Colin Brown, and faculty advisors, Heidi Norcross and Jay Bohnsack.
Staff
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and has immense support from the youth of the nation. With Clinton’s support softening day by day, she needs to make a few changes to her campaign unless she wants Sanders to catch up to her. Another major reason why Clinton puts me off is because she not only voted for one of the worst foreign policy decisions in our nation’s history, but she repeatedly went in front of cameras to cheer for it. The Iraq war cost us trillions of dollars, but even more importantly, we lost hundreds of thousands of lives. 23 senators voted against the Iraq war and Clinton was not one of them. Hillary Clinton’s untrustworthiness and terrible decisions are two extremely unpresidential-like characteristics. For this reason, she too would make a poor national leader. This election is not one to decide which candidate is the best. This election will determine which candidate is the least worst. The choice now lies in the hands of the voters. With it also comes the responsibilty of governing our nation for the next four years.
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- Homecoming parade - 2:00 Wednesday dismissals - Snapchat filters - New AP classes - Pumpkin shakes - Homecoming win -New Wharton floor - Sweater weather - ABC’s 13 Nights of Halloween - Froyo machine - Jumbotron - New tennis courts
Thorns - No class floats - No air conditioning - Summer is over - Music at homecoming - Political campaigns - Gym class - Fights - Cafeteria food - Hours of homework - Slow wifi - Essays - Vandalism
Editors-In-Chief: Tara Krishnan & Colin Brown
Feature Editors: Alexa Scott & Ila Mostafa
News Editors: Riya Patel & Pranjal Kadwe
Head Photographers: Zach Baker & Quinn Daley
Focus Editors: Divya Badri and Saneha Borisuth
Staff Photographer: Makayla Penca
Entertainment Editors: William VanVooren & Trumen VanVooren
Business Manager: Manasi Baheti
Sports Editors: Katherine Douglas, Marcella Williams, & Dana Plagenz
Advisors: Heidi Norcross & Jay Bohnsack
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Editorial
10/9/2015
How to make the most of your freshman year By: Colin Brown LO’T Editor-In-Chief
Every year around this time, the hallways of MHS fill up with the anxious faces and wide eyes of freshmen. Looking at all these new faces takes me back to my first days at this school. My mind flashes back to the nervous excitement of being in a new environment and once again being the little fish in a big pond. Learning the ways around the school is the easy part—it only takes a couple weeks for most people to become familiar with the layout of things. The hard part about being a freshman is figuring out how to make the most of your time. As a senior, I feel it is my duty to share my wisdom with the inexperienced 9th graders of this school. High school is a time of confusion, and had I known what I know now, my freshman year would have gone a lot smoother. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer to freshmen is one that you have probably heard over and over again: Get involved! I know it is cliché, but being a part of a sport or a club is often the key to a successful four years of high school. Getting thrown into a sea of new faces can be overwhelming for many freshmen, so making new friends is often a challenge. But clubs and sports are one of the best ways to find a group of friends with common goals and interests. My best days in high school did not start until I put myself out there and got involved with groups like cross country, yearbook, and newspaper. Being a part of these organizations not only gives me a great sense of accomplishment, but also a larger, stronger network of teammates and friends than what I had coming into high school. Working as part of a team or a club isn’t like working on some lame group project in one of your classes. In extracurricular activities, you are working together with like-minded individuals who are there because they actually want to be there. Another huge benefit of getting involved at school is the vast amount of experience you can gain from working on a team. Fortunately, Moline High School offers over 50 different clubs and sports to join. Whatever your interests are, I guarantee there is a group at this school in which you can excel. Whether you choose to join a competitive team like Chess Club or softball, a project-based club like Robotics or Kaleidoscript, or an activity-based club like Interact or Art Club, you will get to practice real-life skills that will be valuable to you some day. Simply working as a group develops your networking skills, and if you become a club officer, you will develop leadership and management abilities. These are all skills that you can slap on any resumé or job application. Had somebody told me about these benefits when I was a freshman, I
definitely would have sought out more activities to join. The most important piece of advice I wish the freshman me would have heard is to just have more fun and don’t sweat the small stuff. Many times, the freshman me became too stressed out over honors classes, test scores, disagreements with friends, sports losses, and you name it. But slowly over time, I started to realize that a bad grade on a test
The hard part about being a freshman is figuring out how to make the most of your time. here and there would not hurt me, and things like grades and test scores are not what define me. Yes, grades and test scores are always important, but it’s okay to fail as long as you try your hardest and get back up when you fall down. If you go up to any successful adult at our school and ask him or her how he or she made it to the top, I guarantee the teacher will tell you that the path to suc-
cess was sprinkled with failures along the way. Above all, I think every freshman should know how to make the most of his or her four years at Moline. Trust me, it goes by in the blink of an eye. Right now I’m filling out college applications, but it feels like just yesterday I was learning about the Romans in World Studies. Looking back on my freshman year, there were too many times when I was stressing about the future when I should have been living in the moment. High school is a time of stress, but it should also be a time for fun, excitement, socialization, discovery, soul-searching, and trying new things. As a Link Crew leader, I tell my freshmen the same tip every year: High school provides you with all the resources you need to be successful. Now it’s up to you to make the most of it. To all the freshmen reading this column, I implore that you heed my advice. To all the non-freshman readers, my words still apply. High school can be whatever you want it to be. It’s up to you to go out and seize the opportunities.
Stretching before a workout, freshmen Bryce Johnson and Spencer Clapper get involved with cross country. Phtot cred: Brown
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Focus
10/9/2015
Seniors shine at Coronation By Mckena Matthews LO’T Reporter To kick off Homecoming week, Coronation for 2015’s Homecoming court took place on Monday, August 21, 2015. Prior to this, Moline’s student population was able to nominate the court in early September, and a later vote the week before Coronation determined who would be king, queen, prince, and princess. At the Coronation ceremony, the Mo-
line Jazz Band played as audience members entered the auditorium, and the MHS Concert Choir sang two songs to begin the ceremony before the emcees, William Vellenga-Clark and Tara Krishnan began introducing the nominees with activity information about each person along with their post high school plans. Dallas Hanson and Manasi Baheti escorted all the nominees to the stage as they were called.
ABOVE: The Homecoming Court of 2015. Front Row, from left to right: Princess Ayde Gallardo, Edward Raya, Brooke Massey, Joseph Son, Sydney Synder, Jordan Borkhardt, Ila Mostafa, Hunter Pauley, and Queen Emmy Ehlers. Second row from front, from left to right: Peyton Tucker, Prince Jake Adams, Nina Tran, Darius King, King Chase Austin, Daniel Frazee, Tony Tonet, and Rachel Powell. Back row, from left to right: Carolyn Wehr, Anfernee Crompton, Olivia Piehl, Mitchell Owens, Rachel Stanley, Mike Hanley, and Maddie Dewilfond. Courtesy of Todd Dewilfond. LEFT: King Chase Austin and Queen Emmy Ehlers. Courtesy of Zach Baker. BOTTOM LEFT: Prince Jake Adams and Princess Ayde Gallardo. Courtesy of Zach Baker.
MHS celebrates Homecoming by dressing in fun and festive styles
By: Alexis Bull LO’T Reporter Homecoming Week is truly a magical time of the school year. Throughout the week, students dressed up in various styles to represent Moline High School and encourage involvement in the week’s festivities. To start the week, Monday was Disney Day; we had fairies and princesses, Minnie and Mickey Mouses, Dalmations and Cruella Deville, and the beloved Monsters Incorporated characters, among many others,who were wandering the halls with Disney flare. Tuesday was Teal Day to raise awareness for Ovarian Cancer, and our students were decked out in fifty shades of teal to represent this worthy cause. We were all thinking the week was dragging on a little more by the time Wednesday
arrived. Good thing it was Pajama Day; everyone was happy to roll out of bed without having to put much effort forth. On Thursday, superheroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and various Ninja Turtles were among us that day warding off bad guys and getting students excited about Friday’s upcoming football battle. Then came Friday, the big day when our football team faced Rock Island. Festives shades of maroon and white filled our halls, and school spirit was high as students painted up and wore camo to the parade and football game. At the end of the game, students stormed the field with excitement because we had beaten Rock Island for the first time since 2011. It goes to show that during homecoming week, miracles can happen; it is a magical time.
H O M E C O M I N G
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Focus
H O M Viva La Homecoming Dance E C O M I N G The Senior (Class of 2016) Float. Courtesy of Zach Baker.
theme was Las Vegas, Wharton was a blaze of lights, music, and dance-off circles. The Eiffel Tower stood out On Saturday, September 26, as one of Vegas’ many attractions, 2015, students dressed up, posted while the strobe lights, music, fancy stunning pictures on social media, dresses, heels, and dance moves did and went out to dinner together in the rest. anticipation of this lively school As usual, students not only dance tradition. danced at Wharton, but they also This year’s Homecoming Dance took pictures together and took adattracted a great turnout of students! vantage of the delicious food and From 7 to 10 pm, Wharton Field pop. House was filled with students dancMany will remember this Homeing the night away clad in their best coming Dance as one that won’t attire. easily be forgotten rather than the As this year’s homecoming famous city’s usual theme of, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” BELOW: Michael Dombrock plays his trumpet on Browning Field, right in front of the new scoreboard. Courtesy of Zach Baker.
10/9/2015
Students compete for best float By Ryan Reed LO’T Reporter This year for Homecoming, Moline decided to do something it’s never done: give clubs and students the opportunity to build their own floats for the annual float-building contest and parade instead of each grade building its own float. Anna Finch, Junior Class President, explained why the school tried something new. “We didn’t have class floats this year because we noticed
that students had lost interest in working on them. Most people are just too busy with their extracurricular activities and classwork. It’s a big time commitment.” Finch was in charge of her class’s float during freshman and junior year. This change came about after Mr. Larson suggested the idea and many supported it. “I think that it was more effective than previous years. It allowed an opportunity for those that wanted to do floats to get a chance to build their own,” Finch declared. Similar to past years, the floats were judged shortly before the homecoming parade, on Friday, September 25, 2015, at 2:00. The winner was announced at the Home-
coming football game that night. The Class of 2016’s float, which was designed by Zach Baker, ended up winning the contest. As for future Homecoming years to come, it is unknown if Student Congress will try this same idea or if they will return to the classic class floats style. Either way, MHS students and the Moline community look forward to this traidiotn year after year.
By Grace Schneider LO’T Reporter
The Freshman (Class of 2019) Float. Courtesy of Zach Baker.
The first four people to follow and retweet our Twitter link (@mhs_lineotype) will get free Whitey’s gift cards, which they can collect in room B321.
8 Entertainment
10/9/2015
Mario Maker celebrates all your favorite Mario experiences
By: Truman VanVooren LO’T Editor Mario Maker, the game that celebrates Mario Bros. 30th anniversary in the best possible way, offers great game play and the ability to build your own levels. What
Mario Maker does well is that it embraces creativity, is enjoyable for all ages, and is very easy to use. Gameplay and Content - The gameplay in super Mario Maker is superb in how smooth it is and how
quick you are able to switch themes. For example, I was building a level in my personal favorite Mario game Super Mario World ,which introduces spin jumps, and then I switched the theme to New Super Bros U, which
has wall jumping and different mushrooms. By just changing the theme, the game plays totally different. In regards to the content, the game has an abundance with over 2 million courses to play. You are also able to build your own courses. Building and Playing Levels - The best part about Mario Maker, in my opinion, is playing the levels other people have made and your own levels that you create. Every day there is something new to play or make. For people without internet access, the game comes with a 100 pre-made levels, and you can build and play local levels with family or friends. However, one of the negatives about the game is that on the star ranking chart, most of the “Don’t touch anything” levels are usually in featured or in the 100 Mario challenge.
Maze Running through the box office By: Truman VanVooren LO’T Editor
“Maze Runner: Scorch Trials” is the second in a trilogy of movies adapted from books written by James Dashner. After finally escaping a large and dangerous maze, the main character Thomas and other individuals (Gladers) find themselves betrayed by a man named Mr. Janson who says he will help them stay safe from the WCKD (the organization that enforced the maze). They end up finding themselves in a deserted land called the Scorch in hopes of not being found by the WCKD. After being introduced to the Scorch, they are exposed to Crankers, a group of zombielike individuals infected by a wide spread disease called Flare Disease. They meet WCKD-defying individuals names Jorge and Brenda. Their from an anti-WCKD group called The Right Arm. Through this time, Brenda finds herself infected, only to be cured by a former WCKD member who proves not be as bad as the many others in the group. As much of this plays out, one of the most dear Gladers to Thomas, Teresa, calls the WCKD and informs them of all
of the group’s location. Though the WCKD seems strong as a group and determined to win, Thomas and his friends are even more determined to save humanity. This action-packed and exciting movie gives the viewer a feeling exhilaration. It is anything but a calm relaxing movie. It is instead a constant nail-biter and gives the viewer something to look forward to after each event. The special effects go above and beyond. Even though there are great special effects, the acting and plot did not live up to expectations set earlier in the movie. At times, the movie seems unorganized and puts more focus on the action than the plot. There was too much time given to the action that would have been well spent towards better story elements. Though it is unstructured and directed towards a more thrill seeking audience, it is still a joy to watch even through its ups and downs. Whether you are looking for an action-packed and exciting movie, or one to watch with your family, this is one to see!
The challenge is where you get a 100 lives to beat 8 or 16 levels that are randomly chosen, and each time you beat the levels, you unlock an amiibo costume for the original Super Mario Bros. On a side note, it takes 9 days to unlock all the building utensils, but you can cheat the system by changing the date in the time settings. The music in Mario Maker has all the great music we know from the past and includes new music. For instance, in Super Mario Bros. there are no ghost house or battleship stages, but in Mario Maker, you can choose those types of stages for the game, which give you new blocks and new music. In addition to the music, the sound design
is impressive in that there is a tab with funny and unique sounds that you can place all over the level. For example, I could place a boss music sound block right before Bowser, so when I fight him, boss music plays. Lastly, the Interface is fairly good for the most part, but you are not able to search levels or creators by name but only by course ID, which each level has. Mario Maker is a one of a kind game that every Wii U owner should own. This is due to the unique concept, great music and sound design, tons of content, and the fact that it embraces creativity, which most things don’t do in today’s society. Overall, I give Mario Maker a 9 out of 10. The game is a Wii U exclusive.
Almost, Maine is almost here! By: Abhi Sodhani LO’T Reporter Almost, Maine is a romantic comedy set in Almost, Maine, a town in the northern part of the state that almost does not exist because of the residents organization. The story follows the residents while they try to find love in this “almost” town. Hearts will be broken. Love might be found.
One thing is for certain: this town will never be the same. Play director Mrs. Griesenbeck says, “Almost, Maine is delightfully charming. Through nine, separate short scenes, this play examines love and relationships with funny intimacy and tenderness.” Almost, Maine comes to MHS on October 29, 30, and 31st. Hope to see you there!
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Feature
10/9/2015
Sherri Hill slays with new designs By: Trevonte Lockhart and Mikayla Carlson LO’T Feature Reporters During the week of September 10th through the 17th, New York had its fashion week, which included the Sherri Hill Fashion show. Sherri Hill launched her 2015 fall collection of dresses and used a wide variety of colors and styles in her collection, including various ball gowns and semi formal dresses. The models in the show carried themselves with poise and confidence. Special guest Sadie Robertson also made an appearance. In 2012, Robertson partnered with Sherri Hill to design a line of “Dad Approved” dresses to appeal to Sadie’s picky father Willie Robertson. Of course, there were a few dresses that caught the eye. The first dress on the runway was a jaw dropper. It was a gorgeous, floor length, blue dress modeled by Sadie Robertson. The second
dress that turned heads was an adorable pale pink prom dress that is a modern take on a traditional ball gown. Then, yet another stunning dress was a purple beaded gown with a satin train. The dress is extremely on trend with a mixing of materials. There was an extensive amount of dresses to pick from, but these three simply stood out the most. Among the gorgeous dresses, there were some duds. There was a floor length cheetah print dress with a deep neck line that wasn’t the most appealing. The cheetah seems very outdated. Also, the neckline was too deep for the design. There was also a black flouncy ball gown with a torn tulle skirt. The dress is so big even though in the past few years, dresses have been getting slimmer following the fitted fashion trend. The fashion show was a success as expected. The models were poised, beautiful, and prepared. The dresses were vibrant and fashion forward.
Two stunning dresses shown at the Sherri Hill Fashion Show.(Photo by: Road to Miss USA)
MHS welcomes four new English teachers to the department By: Ila Mostafa LO’T Feature Editor This year, there are four new English teachers at Moline: Misses Ashcraft, Ranovich, Douglas, and Mrs. Breidenbach. What stands out to you most about Moline? Breidenbach: The school spirit, for sure! I love that the staff and students are so excited about the school! Ashcraft: Yeah, it was really nice seeing all of the Homecoming decorations as well. Rankovich: I love the camaraderie shared between the faculty and between the students. Douglas: I admire the big push they have here about making sure every student leaves the classroom with all the knowledge he or she needs to have. Where were you before coming to Moline? Ashcraft: I was teaching English in Orion. Breidenbach: I was teaching English in Riverdale. Rankovich: I was a student at Augustana
New MHS teachers from left to right: Heather Breidenbach, Brooke Ashcraft and Danielle Rankovich. Absent from photo, Katie Douglas. Photo by Ila Mostafa
College. Douglas: I was teaching Freshman English at Rock Island High School If you weren’t teaching English, what do you think you’d be doing? Ashcraft: Event planning! Breidenbach: I can’t see myself doing anything other than teaching. Rankovich: I would teach junior high math. Douglas: I always thought it’d be cool to work in a museum Who is your favorite writer? Ashcraft: I don’t know about my all time favorite writer, but recently, I enjoyed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Breidenbach: I love Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. Rankovich: When I’m choosing something to read, I don’t really focus on an author or genre, but I do love taking suggestions from others and gaining insight on good reads from those with whom I have common interests. Douglas: I love John Green.
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Feature
10/9/2015
Quantico arrests audience’s attention By: Tashon Wiseman LO’T Feature Reporter ABC’s “Quantico” premiered Sunday, September 27th. The premiere was fantastic full of drama, action, and suspense. It has gained a lot of praise and has been referred to as “Grey’s Academy” and “How to Get Away With Murder.” The show centers around fifty FBI recruits who have been gathered at Quantico to learn how to be special agents. However, a conflict is seen right at the beginning of the show when there is a bombing at Grand Central Station, and it is clear that one of the FBI recruits is responsible for it. Bollywood’s Queen Priyanka Chopra plays the main character, Alex Parrish, who comes to Quantico from Oakland and
is definitely hiding something. She meets fellow recruit and quadmate Ryan Booth, her possible love interest, played by Jack McLaughlin. There is one memorable scene between the two of them that was filled with tension and even a bit of suspense. They are in the midst of a classroom-observed interrogation and Jack is able to make Alex reveal something about her past issues with her family. It is at this point that trainer Special Agent Liam O’Conner (played by Josh Hopkins) decides to put a stop to the interview. Throughout the episode, the audience is given flashes of Alex’s experiences on the day of the bombing. She was found near the blast but was not hurt. Clearly, there is more to the story, and it’ll be exciting to see what this series presents to its audience. ABC’s “Quantico” on Sunday nights is a must watch!
Priyanka Chopra stars in ABC”s Quantico. (Photo by MacTheMovieGuy.com)
WingStop is the perfect stop for your tastebuds and your wallet By: Elizabeth Swank LO’T Feature Reporter Move over B-dubs, there’s a new sauce boss in town! Are you looking for a convenient place to get your traditional game day grub, or maybe just spice up your weekend menu? Well, WingStop is just the place for you! This new restaurant is just off of John Deere Road. Its saucy selections range from classic mild to spicy Korean and every tasty thing in between, includ-
ing savory sides and refreshing beverages. The atmosphere is comfortable, with fun sports memorabilia and plenty of seating. The food is cooked fresh (never frozen), and a 30 piece boneless wing family pack with a side of fries is more than enough for a party of four are for the least amount of money. Flavors at WingStop include traditional ones, such as original
hot, mango haberno, and hickory smoked barbeque, but it has also introduced unique flavors, such as garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, and Louisiana rub. Regulars at Buffalo Wild Wings, who have high expectations for sauce, will not be disappointed! The order took less than ten minutes to complete, and was completed devoured within five! Both types of wings are crispy but not
greasy, and they are well seasoned but not too overpowering. The barbeque has a sweet taste with just the right amount of zing to knock your taste buds off. So, if you’re looking for a lot of bang for a little buck, make sure to stop into Wingstop for fresh and flavorful food with friendly and fast service! You’ll have a wing dingin’ good time!
Apple introduces new iPhone to the tech market By: Rocio Enriquez LO’T Feature Reporter
Apple has released the new iPhone 6s (Photo by Barn Images).
The new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were finally released on September 25th. Apple announced its ninth-generation phones at a media event in San Francisco, California, on September 9th. According to Apple CEO, Tim Cook, “While they may look familiar, we have changed everything about these new iPhones.” The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus now come in a Rose Gold color, as well as Silver, Space Gray, and Gold. They come with 16, 64, and 128GB configurations, and prices in the US begin at $199.
The new design is stronger, more durable, and more comfortable than previous iPhones and has also been updated with a tougher glass. A new second-generation touch ID makes fingerprint detection twice as fast. Furthermore, the camera is much better and has 3D touch, which allows the user to work in an application without opening it completely. Overall, Apple fans will love their new phones, and theirimproved features and durability make them a worthy buy. Mrs. Heidi Norcoss, English teacher and proud owner of an iPhone 6S, is extremely happy with the product. “I like the camera and would recommend the 32GB over the 16GB. “ It seems that though the iPhone has changed externally, the internal changes are beyond enjoyable for its users.
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Sports
Soccer kicks off By Fiona Roehrs Line O’Type Reporter
After eighteen seniors graduated last year, the varsity boys soccer team was classified as an inexperienced team at the start of this fall season. They have proved their classification wrong with their impressive record of 6-1-4. After losing three players that had 59 goals last year combined, many of this years seniors felt the pressure to step up. As well as the seniors, a whole new defensive line that has never had
an opportunity to have the varsity experience last year is rising to the occasion. They are allowing on average less than one goal a game! The soccer team is continuing to grow as each individual rises to the challenge and does their role on the team. The team plans on a successful rest of the season with continuous individual and team growth. The boys only have one more home game left this season on October against Rockton Hononegah. Come cheer on the team as they finish up their season.
By Megan Meyer Line O’Type Reporter The Moline Girls’ swimming and diving team, coached by Amy Hrycyk, Katy Willis, Craig Fredrickson, and Bob McDonald, is well underway in the 2015 season. The team competes in a total of 14 meets over the course
of this year. At the end of this season, the team will compete in the Western Big 6 Meet that will be hosted here at Moline High School on November 7th. So far this season, the swim/dive team has placed their best in the Rock Island Invite and at a dual meet against Sterling. Despite a close loss to Rock
Boys soccer huddles up before a game. Photo courtesy of Gavin Graham
10/9/2015
Serving up Success By Kiya Ritchie Line O’Type Reporter Girls tennis truly embraces the spirit of being a team. Their main focus is growing and bonding as a group, all while improving at their individual skills. “It’s going really well,” says player Madelyn Cunningham, “I love all the girls, and it’s a lot of fun. The game is a lot harder than it looks, too!” The team has strong competition in the conference, but they remain focused
on skill building and team cohesion. “It’s more important to make sure that we’re improving steadily than to only strive for wins,” says Cunningham. Girls’ tennis senior night was on Monday the 28th. “It was awesome seeing the girls and their families walk across the courts and get congratulated,” said player Marcella Williams. Go support the girls’ tennis team in their upcoming meets!
Swimmers dive into a new season Island last Thursday (85100), many team members recorded quicker personal best times, leading to an optimistic outlook on the remainder of the season. The group is smaller in numbers compared to the other teams in the conference, but they make up for the lack of swimmers with
intense training every day of practice. Some integral swimmers this season include Hannah Larson, Laney Krebs, Rebecca Schaechter, and Isabella Volk. The swimmers will take on United Township on October 27th at home, and they will also host the Western Big 6 Conference championship.
Setting the tone
Katherine Douglas flips during a diving competition. Photo courtesy of Kara Christiansen
By Fiona Roehrs Line O’Type Reporter The volleyball team has been very successful in the Western Big Six so far this year with an impressive record of 5-1, losing only to Rock Island. Recently, the team hosted the Dig Teal volleyball event, which supported ovarian cancer; fans were encouraged to wear all teal to show their support for the fantastic cause. On and off of the court, the volleyball squad is continuously working to become the best they can be.
Kiya Ritchie says, “We have a really special connection, and we make each other better.” A main focus for the volleyball team throughout this season is to grow as a group instead of just as individuals. Working together, they plan to be very successful throughout this season. For the first time in five years, Moline volleyball defeated Rock Island! Come support your volleyball team at their next home game on October 20th at Wharton Field House.
Isabel Potter tips a ball for the kill. Photo by Tina Potter
4500 49th Ave, Moline, IL 61265 Phone:(309) 797-9900
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Sports
10/9/2015
Moline Football Tackles the Western Big 6
Daniel Frazee runs at a Cross Country Meet. Photo courtesy of Connor Dessert
XC sprints toward WB6 By: Anna Finch LO’T Sports Reporter “I think that the best thing about running for Moline is getting to be a part of such a close team. The atmosphere that Coach Taylor and my other teammates create really helps each of us grow as runners. It’s just a great environment.” says senior Lori Aguilar. The bonding between runners creates productive and supportive practices that are sure to produce speedy times during competition. This year especially, performing well under pressure is vital because winning con-
ference would result in Moline earning the Western Big 6 title for the eighth year in a row! The Maroons have their conference meet on October 16th. Varsity Cross Country runner Connor Dessert said, “Going out and putting anywhere from 3-8 miles on your legs every day is hard, but the miles make us better, and we’ve got a lot of guys improving all the time.” Recently in the Rock Island Invite, the boys Cross Country team finished 3rd. Come out and support Moline in their race for conference!
By: Britta McNinch LO’T Sports Reporter This year, the Moline football team received a new coach, Mike Tracy, and they didn’t know how the season would turn out. His promising coaching ability gave hope to Moline supporters, and his addition to the team is proving to be a positive influence in the performance of the team. Improving from last year, the team is 2-3 overall so far and 1-1 in conference, and they are expected to continue their success as the season is coming to an end. Their last win was at the homecoming game against the rival team Rock Island, and they ended it with an impressive score
of 28-16. Records show that Moline’s football team has not won a homecoming game since 2012, so this win was long overdue. Jake Adams, senior captain, says, “I felt great after beating Rocky because it was my last homecoming. They are our biggest rival, and it was the last time I’ll ever get to play against them.” Because of the confidence they have gained through this major win, Jake feels that the football team will have a successful rest of the season to finish off his senior year. The team has two more games left against Alleman at the Augustana field on October 9th and United Township at home on October
16th, and they are looking for support as they try to
beat these conference rivals.
Moline football players tacle a rocky opponent. Photo by Quinn Daley
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