MHS Line O Type March 2015

Pg. 2 - 1% Sales Tax Initiative Pg. 5 - Voter Apathy Pg. 9 - Musical Grease

SIGNALS MHS Photo Cred: Sage Weeber

March 27th, 2015 Volume 98. Issue 6.

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News

2/26/2015

Measles make many miserable By: Will Fisher MHS Signals Editor

A doctor prepares a measles shot in

Ethiopia (Wikimedia Commons)

The number of measles outbreaks in America is on the rise as many wealthy and well educated parents are choosing to not vaccinate their children against the disease. A recent outbreak of measles has had over 150 cases in January alone.

In America, the number of vaccinated children has decreased from a high of ninety-eight percent in 1988 to ninety-two percent in 2014, which is a rate that barely offers “herd immunity” and is well below the rates of other western countries.

The reasons for the recent decrease in vaccination can be traced to a spike in chemophobia and a fear of vaccines in general. In the past, scientific articles have cited measles vaccines as a possible casue of autism in children, however those findings have been proven false and the doctors in charge

Mockingbird is not dead yet!

By: Saneha Borisuth and Pranjal Kadwe MHS Signals Reporters To Kill a Mockingbird fans are in for a surprise!

A newly discovered sequel, Go Set a Watchman, is going to be released later this year on July 14th. The author, Harper Lee, published To Kill a Mockingbird in July 1960, and the book became an instant classic that has since sold over 40 million copies. The novel is an intruging story about fighting for equality and for what one believes in, without regard to what others many think of one’s actions. Despite being highly successful, To Kill a Mockingbird is Lee’s only published work.

Go Set a Watchman will have the same characters as To Kill a Mockingbird, but is from the point of view of Scout Finch as an adult visiting her hometown 20 years after the events of To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, the complex relationship between Scout’s father, Atticus, and Scout herself is conveyed in addition to the tensions that occurred in the depression era Alabama.

Many fans have wondered why Lee waited so long before releasing another book after her first one was such a big success. Lee states that she wrote the draft of Go Set a Watchman many years ago, even before To Kill a Mockingbird, but thought the copy had been lost. Last fall, she discovered the manuscript of Go Set a Watchman in

a secure place where she kept all of her old abstracts.

At first, she wasn’t completely convinced she wanted to publish the copy since it had been decades since To Kill a Mockingbird, but a group of close friends urged her to release it.

Two million copies of the new book are going to be printed and released on July 14th. Fans of To Kill a Mockingbird are very excited to read the newfound sequel 55 years after the original story was written. As Lee says “This isn’t the sequel. This is the parent to Mockingbird.”

How To Kill A Mockingbird Movie. Photo Cred: www. goodreads.com

of publishing those papers have had their medical licenses revoked.

While the scientific community promotes the use of vaccines, celebrities, like Jenny McCarthy, continue to spread misinformation about vaccines.

Rates have also lowered due to several states offering exemptions for religious reasons or a doctor’s approval.

The lowered rates have caused the Center for Disease Control to take measles off of their list of diseases that are extinct in America. The resurgence of measles in America has placed many young children who have not yet been vaccinated in danger Symptoms of measles include fever, rash, and sore throat. If left untreated, measles can cause loss of hearing or even death. As of now, only minor outbreaks have occurred in America; however, the rates are on the rise.

News

3

3/27/2015

Students to gain foreign f l u e n c y By: Will Fisher MHS Signals Editor Early in February, Dr. Moyer announced a new program that will have next year’s class of kindergartners hopefully being bilingual by the 5th grade. The program, called the Dual Language Immersion Academy, is an ambitious effort that will integrate both Spanish and English into the learning curriculum of kindergarteners at Lincoln-Irving Elmentary School.

The reported benefits of a bilingual immersion program are huge; students who have gone through similar programs scored a whole grade level above their peers in both reading and math.

Students interested are grouped into four separate

categories in each grade: spanish-speaking male, non spanish-speaking male, spanish-speaking female, and non spanish-speaking female. To balance out classes, students are randomly picked from each group and put into one classroom. If a student yearns to transfer into this program, requests must be turned in and will be taken into consideration depending on how fast the individual is able to learn and how advanced he or she is in spanish currently. The program will only be offered at Lincoln-Irving, but will be open in the fall for additional kindergarten and first grade enrollment.

The school district is heavily backing the program after seeing the success that a pilot program has achieved.

Wharton floors get a makeover

A P

T E S T

By: Kheya Patel MHS Signals Editor Immediately following the end of basketball season, the ever-famous Wharton Fieldhouse underwent reconstruction. Due to dampness and possible mold building up under the gymnasium floors, the Moline School District has decided to install new athletic wood flooring as well as electrical and mechanical ventilation systems.

The first floor lasted over 85 years. This one was installed in 1997. The district will be looking at the warrentee with the second floor.

The estimated cost of this renovation is $200,000 and is supposed to be completed in time for graduation.

Riverside Dentistry LLC James R Millman DDS Ronald D Riggins DMD Kyle W Peterson DDS www. riverside-dentistry. com

309-797-2001 609 22 Street Moline

*Get a practice book such as 5 steps to a 5, Barron’s, or Princeton Review *Start going over class material at least one month ahead of time *Have study sleepovers, just not the night before *Watch crash course YouTube videos *Get a good night sleep

Wharton Field House floors have been removed and replacement is under way. (Photo Cred: Alyssa Brems)

Students listed in this box are entitled to a free Whitey’s shake or malt. The gift cards can be picked up in the publications office.

Freshman: Jesus Gomez Sophomore: Summer Henderson Junior: Kaili Lasley Senior: Tyler Christianson

T I P S

*Eat a delicious breakfast *Remember a 3 is passing *Do not leave anything blank (you can get partial credit for some parts on free response) *Make sure that you want to take the test because it does cost about $90

4

Editorial

3/27/2015

Funding keeps arts in the picture By: Bill Johnson MHS Signals Editor-in-Chief

This past weekend, as I was watching the Moline High School thespians put on their production of Grease, I began to notice a faint static and sketchy echo coming from the speaker system.

When I asked my friends sitting next to me if they also heard the strange noise, they said that they also heard it, yet could not explain it. Although the actors and actresses had a marvelous performance, I could not forget about that strange noise. The noise made me think of the quality of the audio/ visual equipment that the school has, and eventually I began to think about fine arts and how they are budgeted as a whole.

Moline High School offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students to express themselves. Some of these activities include Band, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Choir, Orchestra, multiple plays, a spring musical, journalism, foreign languages, and several arts/industrial classes. This multitude of courses look good for the high school in its course catalog, but these programs are spread extremely thin in terms of budgeting.

Most of the school’s funding comes from

the state of Illinois. Illinois, being constantly considered corrupt and bankrupt, has had much difficulty finding room to budget arts classes. When schools were told they needed to cut their budget, they were left with the very ugly decision of having to cut either their arts programs or their core classes.

According to Tyleah Hawkins, a journalist for the Washington Post, arts and music programs tend to be seen as less important than reading, math or science, but research has shown that arts education is actually very academically beneficial. “Low-income students who had arts-rich experiences in high schools were more than three times as likely to earn a B.A. as low-income students without those experiences. And the new study from the National Endowment reports that low-income high school students who earned few or no arts credits were five times more likely not to graduate from high school than low-income students who earned many arts credits,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a report titled “Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools: 2009-10.” This study shows that there is certainly relevance to arts programs.

The Moline School District has certainly experienced its fair share of budget cuts.

Many of the arts programs have become forced to rely on fundraisers or charging admissions for their performances. Programs have suffered debt and been forced to work with what they can.

to auction all the cellos, then distribute the money to the schools in the district. All students are encouraged to look at the cello, which is on display across from the Student Affairs Office.

Fortunately, there are still people who are willing to give to the arts programs.

The Quad City Symphony, to celebrate its 100 year anniversary, has distributed 100 unfinished cellos to the several local schools and artists in the Quad City Area. After distribution, teachers selected students from the school to paint the cello. At Moline, Mr. Digioia chose Mary Ade and Alexis Trent to paint Ade’s design. The cellos will be returned to the Quad City Symphony when completed. The Quad City Symphony hopes

This program is one of the many that have surfaced to defend the fine arts from the harsh cuts. Hopefully, as the nation’s economy begins to rise, more money will be given back to the arts, because they are useful skills for students to possess. Our generation cannot be the one to let the arts die out. They are the most effective way to give students a sense of individuality and self-expression, which is invaluable during the trying social inclinations of high school.

Roses and Thorns

Kanye’s recent releases Kendrick’s new album Sam Smith & John Legend’s Collab Recent weather The River Grease Spring Break March Madness Lolla lineup Line O’ Type Signals is the official school-sponsored paper of Moline High School. The Return of baseball paper is published by students under the supervision of faculty advisors for the Moline High Half and Half School community. The staff will strive to accurately report school, local, state and national Milltown Coffee news that affects high school students. Line O’ Type Signals is also a forum open to students, Short sleeve wear faculty, and administration to encourage the airing of opinions representing all sides of an Better Call Saul issue.

All submitted material must be signed, due to a code passed by the school board. All St. Patty’s celebrations responses or questions regarding editorials should be directed to your Editors-in-Chief, Jack Unemployment rate

LO’T Signals Editorial Policy

McNeil and William Johnson, and faculty advisors Sue Blackall, Heidi Norcross, and Jay Bohnsack.

Editors-In-Chief: Bill Johnson & Jack McNeil

Head Photographer: Zach Baker

News Editors: Kheya Patel and Will Fisher

Staff Photographers: Alexis Gerard, Maureen Duffield,

Colin Brown, and Keely Glenn

Focus Editors: Karen Sancen

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Feature Editors: Sabrina Scott Sports Editors: Andy Brill and Darsh Kurani

Business Manager: Brianna Rodgers Advertisement Manager: Hailey McCormick Advisors: Sue Blackall, Heidi Norcross, and Jay Bohnsack

5

Editorial

3/27/2015

The most dangerous form of apathy By: Jack McNeil, MHS Signals’ Editor-In-Chief

With all the technology we have, registration for voting has never been easier. ust as the ice melts at an alarming rate of 13% per Don’t want to wait in lines because you have a bagel in decade (NASA), our voting participation has been meltone hand and a coffee in the other? First, I suggest putting ing, reaching a mere 36.3% voter participation in the 2014 the bagel down so you can vote. If not, vote early or take an midterms. Why does this lack of voting matter? absentee ballot out. It’s never been easier to vote, assuming In addition to every concern of Americans, the Republic harsh voter ID laws in some states don’t affect you. of Kiribati, a small island country, has seen their land disWhat’s sad is that, while technology has been responappear due to the rising sea levels. The last time this much sible for the advancement of democracy in many countries, carbon was in the atmosphere, there was an extinction America, the “shining city on the hill,” has the second worst period; however, some elected officials are climate deniers. voting rate of all developed nations.

Voting matters.

There are a few logical reasons behind why 60% of the Jim Inhofe, the chair of the Senate Committee on Enpopulation doesn’t vote. Most countries automatically regvironment and Public Works, recently ister citizens for voting; we don’t. Most claimed climate change is not an issue countries have elections on the weekend because there is such a thing as snow. or a day off; we don’t. Many countries He threw a snowball on the Senate even force people to vote, or make them floor to prove that climate change is pay a tax if they don’t; we don’t. Most not an issue. countries don’t barr felons from voting Just as we have elected officials even after serving their time; we do. who are denying what may potentially Due to a lack of trust in the government be this generation’s most important and logistical challenges, the voting rate issue, this generation chooses not to for 2014 was the lowest in 72 years. exercise their best way of inciting Presidential elections consistently change; voting. push almost 60% of the population to President Barack Obama spoke vote, but sadly, midterm elections, in on the issue of congressional climate which far fewer people vote, have dedeniers to Vice News. “In some cases, cided the political fate of the country. though, you have elected officials who Midterm elections have put one party are shills for the oil companies or the in control of both houses; allowing them fossil fuel industry and there’s a lot to block whatever the president wants to of money involved,” he said. “Typido. So while 60 percent of people voted cally in Congress the committees of to elect Barack Obama twice during the jurisdiction, like the energy commitpresidential elections, the low turnout tees, are populated by folk from places in the 2010 and 2014 midterm elections that pump a lot of oil and pump a lot has led to a hyper-partisan battle between of gas.” branches that may not be reflective of 37% of Americans voted in the last national election. Hill Street Studios/Getty Images How could these officials ever be what the nation actually believes. elected in a nation that shares informaIn 2008, the under 30 crowd was only beat out by 5% Whether you believe politicians are prioritizing the tion faster than any other? The real problem comes down by the over 60 crowd in terms of voter participation, and interests of those 60 and over because they vote or are shills to one thing: not exercising your vital right of voting.

Obama handily won.

But in 2014, the gap between the two for oil companies, all problems lead to a potential solution: Why, in such a hyper-partisan political nation, can so age group’s voting participation was 25%. voting. many people simply not vote? Part of the problem is my If that gap was more aligned with the 2008 or 2012 gap, With the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and generation: millennials. Millennials, and those over 60, in we would have a more reflective congress to the makeup of the rights of some being threatened due to racial injustice, 2014, had the largest voting gap in history. 12% of millenthe country. voting is more important than ever. If we claim to be the nials voted, while 37% of people over 60 voted.

Instead, we have a chairman of the environmental comfreest country in the world and the strongest advocate for Millennials not only act differently than the generation mittee who is disproving climate change with snowballs. democracy, we can’t just talk the talk, but we have to walk before, but they also trust people less too. According to Whether you like it or not, the idea that you can’t affect the walk.

Pew, just 19% of millennials believe that most people can change by not voting is wrong.

Not only do we need to fight for the right for everyone be trusted, in contrast to 31% of generation Xers, 37% of This upcoming election, you have a chance to vote for a to vote, but as a society, we should never sit back and let the silent generation, and 40% of baby boomers.

1% sales tax on luxury items that would fund your school. our voices go unheard.

So, there’s a lack of trust? Mix that with the overDon’t let your voice not be heard; get in the habit of voting.

Voting takes a few minutes. So does making a pizza. whelming number of questions that the government or Now.

J

political candidates do not answer, and you end up with a generation that doesn’t vote in midterms.

Even in the most traditional routine, during political campaigns and debates, candidates are not fact checked.

After a debate, the canidate’s advisors go to the “spin room” to “spin” how their candidate performed. And the media gobbles this up.

In addition to a lack of trust, there’s a growing lack of agreement between the ones in office and millennials.

While the 60 and older crowd, who vote much more often, would vote for a candidate who supports cutting greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming only half the time, two thirds of the 18-34 year old crowd would.

Focus On

6

What’s with all the hype concerning body type

By: Ashley Oerman MHS Signals Reporter

Recently, Buzfeed introduced an array of “ideal bodies” from different cultures, which were prevalent over the course of the past 3,000 years. The video not only evinces contrast and variety by culture, but also candidly conveys how much the “perfect body” has eroded over time.

For example, 3,000 years ago, a typical woman in Ancient Egypt desired to have slender figure and a symmetrical face; the Han Dynasty prefered women with small feet and big eyes; an enviable woman in the Italian Renaissance had full hips and a round tummy, and as we fast-forward to the Roaring 20’s, where a “boyish figure” was ideal.

These prominent contrasts show that there is no single, ultimate emblem representing the “perfect body.” This creates a paradox: if there is not one perfect body, then what implies there are limited body types encompassing what should be considered beautiful?

A pervasive social concept asserts that women who do not fit culturally dubbed standards of beauty may face scrutiny for their appearances. This gives the subtle impression that society itself constructed these “standards,” further validating the notion that the “perfect body” depends on who you ask and when. If that’s the case, there is no perfect, even the models portrayed on magazines.

One can delve further, and ask “what is the significant entity which governs how people think, speak, and even act in contemporary society?” Presently, the affluent figure of society is anything generated within the apparatus of celebrity and media hype. Hollywood has become an independent, beauty-obsessed culture, and its culture’s erosion into an imperialistic entity has contributed to its dominance in society’s perception of beauty.

If the concept of ideal beauty is a social construct, then it is no surprise modern society’s attitude concerning it is heavily influenced by what the media typically throws at us. As we gradually gain more exposure to a rigid ideology that endorses unrealistic

standards, we may become indoctrinated and swayed to accept them as something worth attaining. Setting the bar for beauty too high can lead to a toxic concoction. The effects can be detrimental to young girls’ self-confidence. Women habitually compare their own bodies with what is exhibited as the ideal and may grow dissatisfied when they feel theirs doesn’t match the ideal.

There’s really no surprise concerning the impact it’s had on women’s outlook on body image; endorsing a constant glorification to a single body type holds a rigid standard in itself. Difficulties arise when young women blur the lines between deceptive fantasies portrayed as attainable realities with the true facets of reality. These young girls may begin to believe boys will only like them if they look a certain way, and it goes both ways-do boys believe a girl is only worth attaining if she looks the way she “should?”

A study conducted in Fiji in 2007 revealed that 2 in 5 Fijian girls purge or vomit to maintain their weight. Just as striking, almost 75% of the girls said TV had an impact of their body image. Before exposure to Western TV, which only became available in 1995, doctors in Fiji reported having only a single case of anorexia in the entire country.

Here in the US, the distortion of body image in the media affects young girls’ self perception. The closer one gets to the heart of Hollywood, the more extreme the measures for conformity are. The natura process of aging is being shelved by botox injections.

Others are resorting to bank breaking procedures to transform their appearance.

Farther from the Hollywood appendage, people utter commonplace phrases like, “hair like Miley Cyrus’ or Ariana Grande’s.” More extreme individuals discuss, “I want J Lo’s nose” or “Kim K.’s butt.” As for the rest, they remain occupied attempting to erase perceived flaws.

Are these rigid standards of beautye the primary cause for an increase in eating disorders among young women? Certainly body endorsement alone is not responsible for eating disorders, but there are many contributing factors, along with psychological

ones, that play a role.

The majority of what is portrayed on TV relies on what people like seeing; if the TV depicts unpopular images, the show’s

A model on the catwalk at Paris Fashion week. (Photo cred: Gonzalo Fventes/Reuters)

less likely to get high ratings, and thus make less money. Hollywood, although heavily pre-conceived as being something of its own, is, in reality, completely dependent on the public for its success and existence. If what is shown on TV is up to the viewer, then it is our obligation to alter what we’d like to see.

Hollywood has a customary impulse to distort what is authentic. It often attempts to present these notions as something completely unique and distinguished, in order to maintain it’s appearance as something contemporary and edgy.

So, what does the influence of the media’s endorsement convey in the outlook on female aesthetics? It is, as it always has been, society’s views which construct what is considered “ideal.” There is no perfect body type, unless you’re an individual who’s inclined to acquiesce to what other people say. When the day comes when society can value all body types, we will be a society free from the media’s allure. We know whatever runs through the Hollywood machine is distorted excessively, and to that notion we must consider that the image we get relies on our own presumptions and opinions.

Women’s history month By: Ila Mustafa MHS Signals Reporter Women have been around for as long as men have, but in the great stage of society, women have changed roles many more times than men. Let’s begin with the oldest act of all: marriage. Women in the early 1800s, especially in Europe, were expected to be genteel.

Their goal in life was to get married to a nice man with a handsome yearly income. It was Jane Austen who spoke the battle cry for women at the time: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

At the same time, women in America were seen as homemakers. They formed a Cult of Domesticity and became the moral heads of the house. Women were supposed to cook, clean, and look after the kids. They were supposed to keep their kids in school and keep their husbands out of the saloons.

As time progressed, women began to demand more acceptance of their gender. Susan B. Anthony’s revolutionary suffragist movement gave women a new and rebellious image.

Despite this national movement and the 19th Amendment allowing women to vote did not put an end to the roles women played in society.

Though many women took to the work force, they were still seen as inferior to men.

Women were now finally able to take a part in national politics, but that did not help their

7

Women’s Month

3/27/2015

Forging a fresh look for feminism By: Karen Sancen MHS Signals Focus Editor The word “feminism” tends to create negative images in people’s minds. Many imagine women who refuse to shave, screaming about the superiority of females.

Today, if you ask people what feminism is, they might respond with a very different definition than what it actually is. When I ask my peers what feminism means to them, they respond with something that resembles sexism, not feminism. Feminism has never been about determining the superior gender, but many people have the impression that is what feminists believe.

Some people would argue that feminism has become obsolete. Most people believe that the majority of women are no longer oppressed and there is no longer a need for feminists. Others remain with the impression that feminists are crazy women trying to prove the supremacy of females over males.

Feminism started out as a fight for gender equality. Those self proclaimed feminists who try to prove themselves superior over men are actually sexist, not feminists.

The truth is that feminism still remains a very important and controversial topic.

Looking at the news, we can see just how far we are from true gender equality. Boko Haram, the Nigerian extremist group, kidnapped

More girls are going into the engineering classses and finding success in former “male” curriculum. (Photo by Baker) more than 200 girls. Those girls have still not been returned to their homes. Sexual abuse in colleges still remains an issue. Saying that feminism is no longer relevant is like saying students don’t text in class. We live in a world where Twitter and Facebook are infested with comments degrading thousands of individual women. True, cyberbullying is not an issue concerning just women, but

h: The show must go on situation in marriage. Women were expected to go to work, take care of the children, do the laundry, and get dinner on the table so it was still hot when “husband dearest” came home. As this routine continued for the next hundred or so years, America was finally met with a new type of woman.

In the 1920s, the flappers emerged as scandalously dressed and incredibly independent women of a brand new age. The flappers joined men in speakeasys; they wore their dresses too short, drank too much, laughed too loud, and they didn’t give a…flapper about what the world thought. They smiled for the camera and danced all they wanted. Regardless, even flappers were not exempt from the traditional role women had to play in marriage.

Now, if we jump into the 21st century, we see our mothers, our sisters, our aunts, etc,. and we wonder what life would be like for them if they were in a completely different time period.

The female gender has done wonderfully in its ability to rise from a position of disregard. We can vote! We can wear sundresses!

We can be crass without bringing scandal to our families! We are women. We began as crew members in the great stage of society and have made it to center stage as one of the leading roles. So, women should always remember to fulfill their roles as strong willed human beings because regardless of what happens in the next ten, twenty, or one hundred years, the show must go on.

a large part of gender discrimination can be seen in social media. To solve the issue of gender discrimination, many people suggest to simply ignore negative comments. This does not solve the problem; it is just a way of coping with the problem.

The only way that we can truly eliminate gender discrimination is to teach people how to see feminism differently. The feminist movement has changed just like how the world has changed since the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention in the United States. The issue of gender equality remains, but how it is dealt with must change. Awareness must be raised to avoid gender discrimination. As I was talking to college administrators, the issue of rape came up. What a Dartmouth alumna told me was that so often young girls are taught to

“not get raped,” but our society should really teach our youth not to rape. Some classes and clubs dealing with women’s appreciation are actually being held in hope of eliminating the problem. There are many factors that influence gender discrimination in our modern society. The best way to combat this problem is to inform people about the gravity of the situation, and try ending the ignorance that surrounds this issue.

Women should not be ashamed of standing up for their rights. It is important for young women to learn how to realize their own worth. Many women believe that the hatred of men is the core of the feminist beliefs; that is simply not the case. Learning the importance of both men and women in society is necessary to achieve equality for all.

Chang ing the roles

By: Marcela Williams MHS Signals Reporter As gender role lines diminish, some people may not be accepting of the changes.

During World War II, the need for women was drastically altered. Since then, women have made up a large percentage of workers. From 37.97% in 1970 to 47.21% in 2010, women have changed the working class.

In recent news, Chris Paul has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for his critique of female referee Lauren Holtkamp. During the Los Angeles Clippers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game, Holtkamp called a technical foul on Paul. In an interview after the game Paul was interviewed and stated that working as a referee for the NBA “may not be for her.” Critics went wild and accused the player of sexism. Paul has been fined for having verbally abused a referee before, so many are asking if this was really an act of sexism?

The issue of sexism has recently become a worldwide issue as many Middle Eastern countries are fighting for equality. From female veterans shamed for parking in spots reserved for vets, to no women present at a Middle Eastern vote for women’s rights, the problem of sexism remains a serious issue. President Obama says, “Now is the moment” to make changes. The President wishes to have equal rights for everyone. He plans to invoke American Civil Rights and make sure that any form of degradation towards another human being - such as sexism or racism - is punishable.

The amount of women taking over roles usually associated with men has risen, but it remains intimidating to many. As we witness comments like the ones made by Chris Paul, we are made aware that sexism is still very much alive. Those concerned with gender equality are left asking if there is a justifiable reason for a men to still be so unwilling to accept women’s involvement in the workforce? In pop culture the importance of masculinity is still pressed on young boys. This is shown to create the idea that they are tougher or more capable than women, creating sexism.

Movies are starting to incorporate strong female characters, but in many movies women are still depicted as weak and need of a man’s assistance. This is only perpetuating the idea of male superiority. Until society is convinced that women are just as important as men, women will continue to be oppressed.

8 Entertainment

3/27/2015

“Battlefield Hardline” in review By: Truman VanVoren, Video Game Enthusiast MHS Signals Reporter

Pitchfork.com

Insurgent surges into theaters

By: Safaa Karoumia MHS Signals Reporter Insurgent starts off where Divergent left off: Tris, along with her boyfriend Four, brother Caleb, and friend Peter, are on the run from the corrupt governing faction, Erudite. The Erudite faction is run by antagonist, Jeanine Matthews.

The search for the divergents among society delve on, and their existence is made more prominent in this movie. They are openly held as threats to society and the faction system.

Throughout Insurgent, Tris continuously blames herself for the loss of her parents and the events that transpire. She endures numerous nightmares throughout the night, feeling grief and guilt. Shailene Woodley (Tris), beautifully portrays the image that Veronica Roth, the author of the Divergent series, sets for the character of Tris.

Insurgent focuses more on the emotions of our protagonist, Tris -- her inner thoughts and feelings, and also bring attention to her struggle with self confidence.

Tris reinvents herself in a way, immediately cutting her hair shorter within the first few minutes of the film.

The world around her views divergents in a very pessimistic way, and this has a significantly negative impact on her self image.

Woodley has a talent for capturing this inner turmoil. The film also sheds more light on the Four’s past, revealing a more rocky past

than first indicated.

Insurgent features the relationship between Four and Tris, a beacon which serves as Tris’s primary support system in the movie. It is also revealed that there is something more significant behind her parents’ sacrifice. We discover what they died to protect and what the Erudite elite are so relentlessly hungry to discover.

All in all, Insurgent is an essential transitional movie for the series between the first movie and the final film. The special effects team did a good job of making the overall scenery realistic. In the film, Tris encounters and undergoes a handful of aptitude tests, in which the special effects and CGI are flawlessly evinced.

Insurgent is a great movie to see with your friends on a Friday night, or even with your family on a Sunday. I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Battlefield Hardline, developed by DICE, Visceral Studios, and EA, does a lot of wrong but also does some good things. The positive elements include sound design, voice acting, and some interesting new game modes. The negatives are the cliche story, amount of content, and map design.

Story/Single Player: The story of this game is unoriginal, just like any other cop drama TV show. Literally, the missions are called “episodes,” and when you enter an “episode,” it says, “ Previously on Hardline.” Some may like this feature, but I personally do not. I don’t want to feel as if I’m playing a TV show; I want to play a video game. The story is about an ex-cop who is trying to get revenge on his boss for framing him. The campaign has really good stealth missions; however, the many of the missions are not that fun.

Acting/Design: On a positive note, the voice acting is phenomenal and deserves a round of applause. The sound design, such as the gun sounds, crashes, and explosions, is done very well. The map design is subpar, most of the maps are nothing special.

Gameplay/Multiplayer: The gameplay has some good game modes, but not all are fun. Heist is a fun mode because it requires teamwork and communication. Hotwire is also the easiest way to get money in the game. Each class only gives about 5 guns per faction.

Battlefield 4, on the other hand, had about 12 guns per class. The Multiplayer is good and actually stable; you’ll always be able to connect. One thing I absolutely despise is that you have to buy differnet weapons depending on whether you play a cop or criminal. If you bought a gun as a criminal, you cannot use it as a cop. You have to buy the same gun (maybe under a different name) again! This wouldn’t be a problem if you could choose what side you were on.

Verdict: Overall the game is disappointing compared to its predecessor. If DICE and EA mess up Battlefront like this, I’ll be disappointed since it is the game I look forward to most this year.Hardline is available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, PS3, and PC

Cello sheds light on music department By: Kiersten Timmer MHS Signals Reporter

Recent Releases

Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp A Butterfly Big Sean- Dark Sky Paradise Earl Sweatshirt- I Don’t Like Stuff, I Don’t Go Outside Action Bronson- Mr. Wonderful

Underrated Rapper of Month: Mick Jenkins

Mary Ade and Alexis Trent standing by their masterpiece -- a painted cello!

Photo Creds: Zach Baker

This year, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) is celebrating its 100th year of the symphony. The QCSO gave out 100 unfinished cellos to local schools in order to be decorated by artists in the area.

Mr. Digioia had students submit designs for the cello, and Mr. Ryser, Mr. Digioia, and Mr. Morton picked which design they thought was best.

The winning design, titled “Night Lights,” was created by junior, Mary Ade. Mary and her friend, Alexis Trent, spent many weeks painting the cello. The cello is now on display across from the student affairs office in the music case where it will remain until April 1st. After April 1st, the QCSO will auction the cello off to raise funds for the fine arts programs of area schools. Mary and Alexis did a fabulous job and represented MHS well. Be sure to check it out and congratulate your classmates on an awesome job!

9

Feature

3/27/2015

Thai food lovers unite

LO’T Feature Reporter Alexa Scott Having trouble deciding where to go for dinner? Interested in trying something new?

Try Lemongrass Cafe located in downtown Moline! Lemongrass serves great Thai food and is a wondrous place to try if you like going out of your comfort zone.

Many popular menu items include pumpkin curry, lettuce wraps, and pad thai.

Critics gave it 4.8 stars out of 5, and reviewer Rachel Pracht says, “Lemongrass is my all-time favorite restaurant in the QCA. I go there usually once a week for lunch and at least once a month for dinner. They are always very busy for lunch, but we can always get through within an hour.” So if you want something new and fun to try, check out Lemongrass Cafe at 1419 5 Ave, Moline. It’s open everyday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The Pink Ladys, Elane Edwards, Reilly O’Tool, Gabby Lenger, Lauren Bozwell, join together to sing “Freddy My Love.”(Photo Creds: Mary McNeil)

It’s “Greased Lightning” LO’T Reporter Divya Badri

Pad Thai is one of the favorite Thai dishes at Lemon Grass restaurant. (Photo Creds Carloseats.com)

Spring break is finally here LO’T Reporter Kiersten Timmer Spring break is finally around the corner!

Students have been looking forward to this week since the day they stepped into MHS after winter break. This year, spring break activities range from trips to sunny Florida, to family road trips, to burrowing in bed watching Netflix in between sports practices.

Whatever your week is filled with, we hope you enjoy every moment of your muchneeded free time. Below we included some ideas to help make your break the best it can be!

--If flying anywhere, remember all liquids must be 3.4oz or smaller to avoid being stopped by security just for them to throw away all of your most loved products.

--Get lots of sleep. This is your time to catch up, so enjoy every moment of shut-eye.

--We all know that wherever you are, you’ll end up watching Netflix. Some popular

series include One Tree Hill, How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl, Breaking Bad, Prison Break, and Archer.

--Enjoy the outdoors! Spring is the perfect time for riding bikes, walking by the river, and exploring parks.

--Treat yourself! Enjoy some ice cream while taking in the warm sun. If it is not sunny where you are, curl up in a fuzzy blanket and eat ice cream. Ice cream is a must.

--Wake up before 10:30 and take the trek to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast; it could really be the highlight of your break. Try chick-nminis; you will not be disappointed.

--If you’re out of town, try some local food places! For those staying in Moline, try one of the many classics like Lagomarcino’s, Happy Joes, or Lemongrass Cafe.

--Sports lovers can go watch one of the many Moline spring sports games,(tennis, track, softball or baseball) or go to Bdubs to watch March Madness!

From March 19-21, 2015, Moline High School theater put on its production of the famous musical Grease as its spring musical. The play mostly stuck to the plot and soundtrack of the original 1971 stage version. However, it varies significantly from the well-known 1978 movie in terms of names and certain songs. Nonetheless, the musical was a great hit, as evidenced from the packed auditorium and the standing ovations.

For those who are unfamiliar with Grease or just need a refresher on the plot, it’s about a group of students at the fictional Rydell High School in the 1950s. Danny Zuko (Christian Frieden), a member of the Burger Palace Boys (JJ Schrick, Colton Graham, Chase Austin, and Jack McNeil) runs into Sandy Dumbrowski (Livvie Lyman), a mild love interest from the summer and a new student at Rydell. Sandy has befriended the Pink Ladies (Lauren Boswell, Elane Edwards, Reilly O’Tool, and Gabi Lenger) upon arriving at the school. The story is basically about Sandy and Danny’s rekindled love story despite Danny’s problematic attempts to maintain his “bad boy” school persona and the adversity Sandy faces for being a “goodygoody”.Overall the acting and singing were wonderful, and if you didn’t get a The cast of Grease performing the popular song,“Greased Lightning.” chance to see it, you surely missed out!

(Photo Creds: Mary McNeil)

10 Retirements Moline honors the first of this year’s retirees 3/27/2015

Hodam will hunt new hobbies By: Kelsey Eilers MHS Signals Reporter Mr. Hodam, an English teacher at Moline High School, will sadly be retiring at the end of this school year. Moline High School has shared many great memories with this exceptional teacher. He has touched the lives of plenty of students over the years with his wide academic abilities. Although he will be greatly missed, it will be a brand new start for him and his upcoming future.

After graduating with a major in English, he accepted his first teaching job at Bettendorf High School from 1974 to 1994. Along with teaching, Mr. Hodam became a football and track coach. He took a short hiatus from teaching and explored his musical interests, enjoying singing and playing his guitar. He then decided to return to the educational field.

Mr. Hodam smiling in B-Wing hallway by his classroom because of all his wonderful students!

Photo Creds: Collin Brown

Mr. Hodam arrived at Moline High School in the fall of 1994. He started here as the Dean of Students for four years and soon became the Assistant Principal for ten years. Since then, Mr. Hodam has worked as an English teacher for his remaining seven years.

He looks forward to relaxing, spending time with his family, and attending concerts, such as the upcoming show by Little Big Town. Some things he will miss about Moline High School are his students, as well as the entire English department. Mr. Hodam felt very pleased and welcomed by the two once becoming a Maroon. We all wish Mr. Hodam his best on his approaching retirement and future endeavors. Students and faculty of Moline High School will surely miss such a great educator and role model!

Vanderbeke takes to books!

By: Rachel Stanley MHS Signals Reporter After twenty- five years of teaching at Moline, Mrs. VanderBeke will no longer be brightening the school with her smiles and passion. She plans to retire at the end of this school year with a total of forty years under her belt. She studied at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and then later went on to get her Master’s at Western Illinois University. She also has thirty credit hours in Library Science. She has taught in Missouri and at other local high schools in the Quad Cities.

Mrs. VanderBeke also volunteers in her community by participating in the teacher sorority, Delta Kappa Gamma.

During her career she has taught the Honors English program, College Writing,

College English, and many more. Mrs. VanderBeke has made many memories at Moline. One major accomplishment was that she wrote and developed Moline’s Remedial Reading program. She will miss her fellow teaching staff in the English Department; however, she definitely will not miss the unruly students who just won’t put their phones away.

After the school year, she plans to spend more time with her close friends and family.

She plans to travel to South Dakota to see her newest granddaughter and to spoil her like crazy. She also wants to catch up on her reading since she can only finish one book each week during the school year.

Everyone at Moline High School will miss Mrs. VanderBeke and everything she does for the school, and we wish her the best in retirement.

One of the many things Mrs. VanderBeke says she will do more of is read!

Photo Creds: Collin Brown

Paul Carther posing for his senior photo in 1969 (Photo Courtesy of Karis Carther)

Peace out PC!

By: Savannah Hampton MHS Signals Reporter After almost thirty years of teaching and over twenty-five of those years in the Moline School District, Mr. Paul Carther is retiring from an event-filled career.

Aside from being a Social Studies teacher who graduated from Illinois State University, Mr. Carther has coached football, basketball, wrestling, and track at multiple schools including Moline High School, Rock Island High School, and Augustana College.

Mr. Carther says that aside from his love of coaching, he also loves helping young athletes “become the best that they can be.”

Mr. Carther has said he doesn’t like the “direction that education is headed,” but all things considered, he will miss the students and staff at Moline High.

When asked of his plans for the future, Mr. Carther is undecided of what it holds, but he is certain that “each day is a blessing.” With such a positive outlook and career, Mr. Carther will surely be missed.

That being said, his lessons both in and out of the classroom over the last few decades

11

Sports

03/27/15

March super duper swagness L’OT Sports Editors Andy Brill and Darsh Kurani

The long awaited sporting event known as “March Madness” is now upon us. From filling out brackets, to watching upsets, to conversing with acquaintances over their picks, March Madness has it all. In a competitive field of 68, teams grind for forty minutes to reach the highest stage in collegiate basketball. Going into the March Madness tournament, one team holds a target on their back: the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats (34-0).

The Wildcats are arguably one of the greatest teams in college basketball history, boasting several projected first-round draft picks.

In the Round of 64, there were multiple upsets, including fourteenth ranked UAB beating third ranked Iowa State, along with another fourteen seed, Georgia State, winning against Baylor on a buzzer beater. Every one seeded and two seeded team advanced to the next round.

Moving on to the Round of 32, Kentucky continued their win streak beating Cincinnati handily. Wichita State knocked off second seeded Kansas in a thirteen-point upset.

Other notable games include: One seeded Villanova being upset by NC State, Michigan State knocking off another two seed in

Virginia, Duke destroying San Diego State by 20 points, and eleven seeded UCLA advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.

Some key games that will be extremely important as well as fun to watch include Notre Dame vs Wichita State and Michigan State vs Oklahoma. These sweet 16 games will be the toughest to decide who will advance to the prestigous Elite 8.

Looking forward to the final rounds of the tournament, several teams have a good chance of reaching the coveted Final Four.

Kentucky is the obvious choice from the Midwest Region, although Notre Dame and Wichita State hope to make things difficult.

From the West Region, the Final Four spot will most likely go to Wisconsin or Arizona, as both teams are playing well and have very high-level talent. The East Region has been covered with upsets, as both the one and two seeds have been knocked out prior to the Sweet Sixteen. Louisville and Michigan State both seem poised to make a run for the championship. From the South Region, Duke Kentucky players, Willie Cauley-Stein (left) and Dakari Johnson (right) display the “We Eatin’ and Gonzaga have both played extremely Fam” sign during a game. The Kentucky squad continues to awe their viewers, as they dominate well to start the tournament, but Duke seems to have the edge in talent and leadership, nearly every opponent. which will hopefully propel them to the Final (Photo Creds: Bleacher Report) Four and beyond.

The preview of pre-season’s prime performers L’OT Sports Reporters Riya Patel and Katherine Douglas As the spring season arrives, all athletes are working hard to succeed throughout the season; however, a few athletes in particular are expected to excel.

Down in the bowl, the girls soccer team is hoping for another season of excellence.

Sophomore midfielder Emily Lindbloom is expected to play a prominent role in bringing Moline another regional and conference title. She stated that, “while we did lose some key players, we still have depth in our positions and plan to be competitive.” Additionally, juniors Katie Stewart and Jamie Althiser are likely to lead the team to many wins this season and help break school records.

Moving to the tennis court, freshman standout Shaddy Khalafallah is predicted to shine throughout the spring season and an-

ticipates a chance to qualify for state with the rest of his team. Also, seniors Darsh Kurani and Bill Johnson are working hard this season and are likely to end their high school tennis careers by leading the team to numerous victories. Exceptional tennis player Darsh Kurani is hoping “to win both conference and sectional titles and to get the whole team to qualify for state.”

On the baseball diamond, seniors Andy Brill and Brett Newberg, as well as juniors Anfernee Crompton and Mitch Owens, have already proven to be skilled athletes from their past seasons and are expected to continue their success this ongoing season. With three triumphs already, the season is off to a great start. The team is hoping to win many titles this year, including conference and sectionals.

Regarding track and field, senior Hailey Cook is a tough competitor and strong

asset for the girls track team. “My goals for the season are to make another run at state in long jump and discus,” she says. She is hoping to qualify in the high jump competition as well. Cook is expected to contribute greatly to team scores throughout the season and will be pushing to land a spot on the record boards whenever she gets the opportunity.

In order to secure the desired conference championship, the track team will also be relying on promising seniors Haley Reagan, and Keeley Knobloch, and sophomore Morgan Madison to post top times.

The boys track team is competing well and is already demonstrating their skill after only a few meets. Sophomore Connor Dessert and juniors Daniel Frazee and Sam Thompson have proven their strengths in both individual events and relays; thus they are anticipated to earn vital points. Along with valuable contributions from every team

member, the track team will continue striving for excellence and the coveted conference championship.

The Moline girl’s softball team is sitting at tenth in the state in the preseason rankings. Senior Stephanie Hay is anticipated to lead her varsity team to a conference championship and a potential trip to state, with the help of strong performances from team members, including junior Megan Medinger.

Hay sees everyone on the team as “a solid player; we seem to work really well together even though we have a lot of new girls.”

As a whole, the cohesive unit creates strong defense that, along with pitching, will be a force to be reckoned with as the season continues to progress.

Overall, the MHS spring sports teams are expected to perform well and succeed this season thanks to the hard work of noteworthy athletes.

Sports

12

3/27/2015

Tenacious take-off for track team LO’T Reporter Nessrine Zbeeb Starting the season on a high note, MHS track and field members presented exciting performances. Many new members have joined the team, putting forth great effort, while retiring members continue to show improvement. Coach Anderson expresses, “I expect to build off from where we ended the season last year.” Having two state qualifiers during the 2014 season, the team hopes to

see more advance this season. Coach Taylor states, “Our goal is for athletes to improve every single meet and display a high effort performance, one stride at a time.”

The track team’s most recent meet was in Galesburg last Saturday. In respect to the girls track team, Keeley Knobloch achieved first place in the 1600 meter race, and Jade Ford finished second in the 400 meter race.

The boys squad had some success as well, as the 4x800 team took home second place,

and Sam Thompson finished third in the 200 meter race.

The girls and boys track teams are scheduled to compete against many teams in a meet at Sterling High School on Saturday, March 28th. Both teams look to continue working hard in order to improve mentally and physically for the remainder of the semester. With the support of Coach Bohnsack, Taylor, Iles, and Anderson, the track team will continue to succeed over the course of the 2015 season.

Girls track members take their starting positions. (Photo Creds: Haley Reagan)

For 25 years, the John Deere-Moline and Moline-Coal valley Schools Business and Education Partnership have promoted responsibility of educating all students for the future.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there” - Theodore Roosevelt

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