The "May" Issue

THE

VOLUME 109, ISSUE 6 MAY 9th 2014

ORACLE

MOVEMENT_515_SLAM

PAGES 6-7 NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 501 HOLCOMB AVE DES MOINES, IA 50313 A PUBLIC FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION

TOC THE

MAY ISSUE

THE_Snaps

2

THE_FEATURES Profile; M. Carey

pg. 3 Washington

Pg. 4 Waughtal

Profile; Castagnoli Pg. 5 Garcia

Profile; Dreier

THE_SPREAD movement 515 Pg. 6/7 vargas/Castillo

THE_O'S_Opinions_ Cats rule Pg. 8 Natale

Pg. 8 Natale

Drivers Stink!

Pg. 8 Ambrose A change of heart Pg. 9 gibb High school love, Real Love?

A lovely tune Pg. 9 Linebach Pg. 9 Tuombmeungu

honor of the flag

THE_News Pg. 10 Houska

E2020

Pg. 10 Sanderman

E2020

THE_LOCKER_ROOM Pg. 11 WHISLER

SPORT UPDATES

COVER_PHOTO_CREDIT:

MICHAEL_PHAM

oracle staff

On the Cover: Junior Hatte Kelley puts her entire soul into a poem at the Temple for Performing Arts in Downtown Des Moines on Thursday, April 3.

Executive Editor & Chief Storyteller – Chanbopha Sam Executive Editor & Master of Design – Cameron Fisher Assistant Editors- Laura Abuhl, Aminah Lothi Social Media Director – Michael Pham Sports Director – Brennan Whisler News Editor – Kelsey Ambrose Features Editor – Sammi Linebach Opinions Editors – Esperanza Vargas Creative Arts Editors – Leah Waughtal Copy Editors – Jacob Sanderman, Iliana Castillo Photography Editor – Saleena Lovan Photographer - Colt wyatt

Photo 1: Senior Warren Krieg doing 110m High hurdles.

Photo 2: Senior Danny kanyavimaonh performs in the outsiders Photo3: Freshman Toriana Buttrey performs at a Movement 515 poetry slam.

Photo 4: North highs school 501 holcomb Avenue Des moines iowa 50313

Reporters; Kolby Chup Valerie Natale Celina Horsley Tanna Jones Alejandra Magallanes Rayshawna Collier Rachael Nash Alejandra Hernandez

Photo 1: 4 memebers of movement 515 after qualifying to go to pennsylvania this summer.

Photo 2: A Polar Bear paw drawn on the sidewalks of North High school Photo3: Senior Michael pham practices his serves for tennis during a practice.

Photo 4: junior Angleina Padilla gets a block against Peery

MICHAEL COLON-RAMOS Madison Houska Anna Garcia Ciattle Washington Eli DALTON Moise Tuombemungu Marina Song Hannah McNichols

3

Features

“The inside of a melon is sweeter than its core” says looking back on her experience.

When Carey gets to William Penn she plans to major in pre-med and physical therapy. Keeping her grades up and becoming better in track is her main focus in college.

What led Carey? Perseverance. She has been through more than some of us can imagine, but she’s come out even stronger than before.

“I refuse to be anything but successful,” she said.

By: Ciattle Washington Losing both family and people she thought were her friends along the way, senior Mikayla Carey hasn’t given up yet. With $12,300 from grants. She will be attending William Penn University in the fall and all she’s thinking about now is graduating.

Throughout her high school journey, Carey believes she’s changed in a positive way. “I used to be loud and ignorant and just do reckless stuff,” she says. Although the road hasn’t been anything nice, her nephew keeps her motivated. “She’s more serious, she’s learned to be mindful” says Denny McDonnell, an academic advisor at North.

One thing one might not know about Mikayla is she has a beautiful voice and has been in choir at North since her sophomore year. She’s participated in concert choir, chamber choir, senior board, basketball and track.

“I just like staying busy, it keeps me out of trouble and helps me get away”. Throughout her four years at North High, everything that Carey has accomplished will be remembered. “Mikayla is similar on and off the court, hardworking and never giving up” McDonnell also says of his experience in watching Carey grow.

Terry Buban, the AD secretary, has also worked with Mikayla throughout all four years of high school. “Mikayla is a great person and will go far cause she is a survivor,” Buban said.

“If there is no struggle there is no progress” Fredrick Douglas Carey has been kicked out of homes seven different times. “I’ve lost people who I thought were my friends and even had family turned their back on me,” Carey says. She still has managed to attend all the classes that she can and earn enough credits to graduate. “I made it too far to look back now,” she

“I‘ve lost people who I thought were my friends, and even had family turn their back on me.”

-Mikayla Carey I have been with you during the good and bad times. I will miss you and your smile greatly.

Goodluck girl, I love you!

Xo, Terry Buban

For more stories

by Ciattle go to:

Senior Mikayla Carey will study at William Penn University next year.

Photo by Colt Wyatt.

www.northhsoracle.com/ super-freshfreshman

Features

4

(Dedication) when added (+) to (Passion)

divided (/) by Story by

(Farewell) Equals (=) 42 Years of Excellent Teaching

Leah Waughtal

Marsha Castagnoli

I

f you’ve taken a math course at North, chances are that you’ve had Marsha Castagnoli. I sat down with her on a warm Spring afternoon and let her teach me something new. This time it wasn’t about numbers, or formulas, but instead this little thing she has a lot of experience with: life.

We sat together in the same classroom she has taught me math in for three years. From algebra to calculous, she’s shown me that sometimes it isn’t always about the right answer, but instead the path you take in which to find it. She is a North figurehead, a keystone. She has taught in this building for 36 years. She describes this building as her home.

“Teaching is my sanctuary its the one place I can control. No matter whats going in my life, (and there was always a lot) - I can always relate to people because my life wasn’t easy.” She’s faced adversity in her life but has found some sort of remedy in the way Monday always follows Sunday and that her students would always be there, in her classes.

Castagnoli’s greatest feat is her ability to keep adapting. She has never “burned out”. She has taken each year as a new challenge. Each classroom has taught her something new. “Every year they [students] are coming to you with different things in their minds at all different levels. And I was challenged all the time. I remember graphing calculators being introduced, and how much they taught me. I was scared to death because I didn’t grow up with technology. I loved that I could keep learning though.” She loved math and she loved people, and the two met for her inside teaching.

History

Growing up in Des Moines, she attended Roosevelt High School and graduated in 1956. Before Hoover even existed, her graduating class consisted of 800 students. A number that rivals even the largest high schools in the district today. She was the baby of her family, with older sisters. It was simpler. Riding the bus across town from the west side to Forest Park for swimming lessons is a modern mother’s heart attack. But for Castagnoli it was the way of life. Everything west of 61st street was dirt and corn field; no suburban sprawl had eaten away Iowa farm life yet. She grew up in this community center and was a counselor for kids every summer.

It became a part of her life. There she was, a young lily white female, looking after children of every color of the spectrum. Castagnoli will tell you she didn’t see color. “I was raised that way – that people are people.” Spending the summers with children was a just reminder that no one is born racist - that small children several shades darker didn’t hold any hate with them. It was just shades between them, and not enough to make any difference. She touches on how thankful she was for her upbringing. “God bless my parents, they did a great job with me.”

Times were evolving though, and her last summer there she was asked to not come back. In the 1960’s race riots had begun to shake the nation, and the advisors were worried about her safety. That was just the beginning of her life, and the foreshadowing of how much she would later fall head over heels in love with connecting to people.

She attended Drake University, and majored in Math, and teaching to appease her father. She had to petition the university nine times, over the course

Marsha Castagnoli gives special attention to Reagan Clay. She will retire this year after 42 years of teaching.

When she started teaching in 1972, her salary was just $6,000/year. Photo by Saleena Lovan. of three years for her business degree, something she desperately wanted. By the time she graduated, she was tired of fighting. But some of her fellow classmates had a bone to pick with college officials.

Math was like a second language for Castagnoli, and she tutored fifteen other male classmates for a business final. When grades were posted, her peers were ecstatic. She had helped them pass with high marks.

But she walked away with a ‘C’. Her peers were outraged, how could Marsha, the math guru, score lower than they had? It was brought to the dean who called in her professor. Her professor admitted that he gave her a low mark because she was a woman.

He believed females didn’t have a right to be apart of the business field. The dean fired the professor on the spot. Discrimination was bred in every aspect of her life. Moments like these, felt like victories.

They seemed like they were moments of celebration, Rosie the Riveter Style feminism. Castagnoli shares this perspective, “It was just life. You rolled with it.

It was the time period. And now its almost even. Its getting better.”

Career

After graduating she had three options, three paths to choose from. Two were focused around business.

It was a field that she was warned was deeply sexist.

The third was a teaching job at Hiatt Middle School.

At the time, teaching was hard to get into and she took the job. The year was 1972 and her starting salary was $6,000. That is a fraction of what starting wages for teachers is today. At the time Math was a predominately male field, this however was combated with the fact that most teachers were women.

It was a fine line, a paradox she would face for the rest of her teaching career.

After teaching at Hiatt she knew that middle school wasn’t where she belonged. It was exhausting, but like any good teacher - she picked up and kept moving. She was offered the chance to work at North, one day before the school year began. Her advisor said she belonged at North. At the time, teaching wasn’t about test scores. It was about getting kids into the classroom and connecting with them. And if you’ve had Castagnoli, you know that she is gifted in the art of being able to talk to her students, and listen to them. “I wanted the high school math challenge. I thought my math teachers were magic, but then I figured it out and I wanted to show kids how to understand, like they had shown me.”.

At the time, North was only 600 students strong. She

had one day to create entire new curriculum, and she welcomed the challenge.

On her first day of classes she faced an interesting conflict, that ended empowering her. “My first day I was down the hall and it was mainly men in the hallway – history and the two math. I started the day with homework. Whoever I replaced didn’t do that.

Three men from the history department, marched down to my classroom, and I was brand new so I hadn’t met any of the faculty yet, - so they marched down and said “we want to know who the bitch is”.

I thought “oh good, I got them, its me, right here.”

It was funny, the kids weren’t happy, but I was going to make them work. ” This event wasn’t an offensive stab at her femininity, instead it was a compliment to her work ethic, her assertiveness, and boldness in the classroom.

But when it came down to it, the world wasn’t as complicated as it is now. “Kids wanted to learn back then.” She explained that students are now faced with a new dilemma. That we are raised connected, to our cell phones, to the internet and electronic distractions. Each student comes into the classroom with ten people connected to them via texting, facebook or email. With ten students in class, with ten students connected to each, imagine how crowded that classroom has become. Sometimes it is impossible for any of them to pay attention. She shares “I have frustrations now because my kids aren’t learning how to learn.”

But somehow, Castagnoli has been able to get them to unplug and reprogram themselves. To this day if you were to sit in on her classes you would hear the echo of her voice asking each student if they were following, if they were keeping up with her, and if they needed any extra help. Marsha grew up in a supportive family but understands the adversity students face today. She was raised to not see color, but has appreciated watching North transform, in every spectrum that diversity has cultivated here.

She said “As I’ve aways said, if everyone in the world got along the way North people do - it’d be a great place.”

Reflection

Marsha has watched thousands of students graduate. If you created a web, connecting Castagnoli to every student she has taught, it would be thousands thick and span across the state. She now even has the children of her past students in her classroom.

She shares a story , “Back then, there was senior

skip day. All the students skipped but they all came back, it was Lisa Klien’s age/friend group. [Yes, the same Ms. Klien who teaches gym here at north].

The students came back for my math class because they didn’t want to miss it. It was great, I felt like I had reached them. I had something good to tell them, and I kept moving.” She’s the type of strong woman who woke up early every morning some years to give certain students rides to school, if they needed it. Castagnoli shares “Even if you’re teaching the same thing every year, if you aren’t learning, then you’re doing something wrong.” Castagnoli is comfortable in this building. She has outlasted countless administrations. She shares “The staff here is good because we want to try new things – if you aren’t willing to try new things – then you’re in the wrong school - the way we work together, we share everything it is great.”

When we left the interview she promised that she believed North is in a good place. “Education isn’t perfect, it hasn’t been yet, but I believe North will try everything in the process to get there.” She knows the value of each student and that all of us learn differently. She finds value in each of our strengths and believes North needs to celebrate these feats, whether they’re in academics, sports or creative arts.

Teaching is a profession you take home with you.

“The hardest thing is the energy and the work.

People don’t realize how much teachers do at home.

Saturdays are lesson plans, for hours. You get to know your kids well enough to know what they need. Its exhausting. I’m getting old, and I’m tired.”

You will sacrifice an endless supply of Saturdays to create lesson plans, and stew for hours on how to reach the unreachable, broken kids in your classrooms. Shes proud of the way North students always get back up and keep moving. Shes dedicated to her students, and when she wasn’t capable of defusing escalated situations in class she felt like a failure herself. She wouldn’t blame them, and that fact is what makes her such an excellent teacher.

This year has been incredibly difficult with the loss of her daughter. But being able to come back to her classroom, to cards from parents and students and the basketball team’s promise to win a game dedicated in her honor made it easier. Teaching has become her sanctuary. I ended our discussion by asking what advice she would give to an incoming teaching taking her place. These were the words she gave; “I would want to know who it was first. I would tell them they were lucky. I would want them to know this is a great department and to treat my babies good. That would be the hardest thing. They need to have the love for math and passion for kids.

They wont hire someone who doesn’t.” Castagnoli had learned to rise and fall with the tide, and has cultivated the kind of wisdom that has anchored her, and kept her strong.

Commencement this year will be a difficult battle.

It falls on the date of her daughter’s birthday. But it means a lot for her to be there, and watch the students she has seen grow up for the past four years. Over the course of this interview Castagnoli wasn’t teaching mathematics, but instead strength, endurance and above all else, passion. I can only hope that this article can serve some sort of purpose in capturing her. “My babies, I’m always so proud of my babies,” is a quote that this teacher embodies.

I hope she knows that the students she is so proud of, are just as honored and proud of the teacher who has given 36 years of her life to this building.

For more of Leah’s articles go to: http://www.northhsoracle.com/ luminaryleah

Features

5

A Whole Lot Of Heart

Dreier instructing her 3rd block AP Language and Composition. Photo by Saleena Lovan.

by Anna Garcia Walking into room 2430, you meet a passionate blonde woman with a bright happy smile. When you meet her, both joy and positivity is overwhelming.

Amanda Dreier is one of the most positive people at North, despite trying to overcome a rare illness.

Since before Dreier can remember she has always loved children. When she was young she would help take care of her brothers and sister.

“I was kind of always around kids, so I guess I just stuck with it,” Dreier said.

Realization hit that she wanted to be a teacher when she was a senior in high school; her high school allowed her to participate in an exchange program where Dreier helped teach sixth grade students multiple times a week.

“I just knew that I wanted to do something with kids and something where I was interacting with people all day long. Teaching just seemed to make sense,” she said.

Dreier went Iowa State University; her time there affirmed that teaching was the right thing for her. She chose to be an English teacher because that’s what she was always good at in school; English was her favorite subject.

“I like that there’s usually not a right answer, and English has a lot of room for personal interpretation,” Dreier explained.

Dreier felt the pressure to be successful from her parents. Her grandpa was always the one to tell

her, “No matter what you do, I’m proud of you.” Her grandpa was the balance between the stress and he often told her to do whatever made her happy.

Her parents weren’t as supportive when she decided to become a teacher. Both her mom and her dad asked, “Are you sure you want to do that?

Are you going to make enough money to support yourself? Are you going to get tired of it?” Dreier’s parents understand it now, because they see how happy she is teaching.

As a freshman in college she met her husband, Alex. They were both going to ISU to be English teachers.

“We were friends for a couple years, and then just realized maybe we would work well together,” she told me.

Dreier and Alex have been together for five and a half years now, but they have been married for ten months.

As Dreier recalls her wedding, a huge smile spreads across her face, “My wedding was amazing.

I have a huge family and my husband is from a small town and we didn’t want a big wedding.”

Dreier and her husband decided to have a destination wedding. They were married in Mexico at a resort on a beach. They liked it better because it was just thirty to forty close friends and family members.

“It was kind of like a gigantic family vacation. It was a lot of fun,” she said.

She and Alex combined their wedding and their honeymoon and stayed in Mexico for another two weeks.

Over the past year, a marriage is not the only big change Dreier has had to face.

In October of last year, Dreier was diagnosed with a condition called pectus excavatum. Dreier was born with it, but she never knew she had it until October when she had a virus that attacked her heart.

It’s a problem with the bones in Drier’s chest, but it’s causing problems with her heart. The bottom of her sternum dips farther into her chest than it’s supposed to, which causes her sternum to push against her heart.

When she is doing physical activity, it’s extremely hard for her because her heart can’t expand like it should. So her heart starts beating really fast.

If this happens for a long time, Dreier’s body doesn’t get enough oxygen, which can cause her shortness of breath or to faint. It makes the normal activities she used to do everyday harder because she doesn’t have a lot of energy anymore.

Dreier says it makes work harder. “It’s kind of changed my teaching style a little bit, and I don’t like that,” she said.

Dreier is not as active or as social anymore because she’s always tired, but everyone has been understanding. Her students have been especially

understanding when Dreier misses school.

“My students are super sweet, asking how I’m doing and what my doctors have said.”

Her coworkers have been very supportive and understanding of the fact that she can’t do as much.

Whenever Dreier misses a day of school, she has a lot of people checking up on her. “[North] is like a second family to me.”

But in the end, everything comes back to Dreier’s passion for teaching. She is on fire with love for her students, coworkers, and family.

“Now that I’m a teacher, the reason why I like it so much is because I love getting to see kids grow and learn new things.”

Dreier loves teaching AP Lang because it gives her the chance to help her students shape their opinions about what’s going on in the world. “ You just have to hope what you’re doing has some positive impact, no matter how big or small,” she explained.

Dreier says it doesn’t matter what it is but she tries to do something positive everyday, whether it’s helping a student be better in school, telling a joke, or giving a student that missed lunch a granola bar.

Even though Dreier has battled an illness this year, she always manages to find something positive to look at. Dreier is a strong young woman, who loves everyone around her. Teaching is her passion.

“I go home happy at the end of everyday,” she said.

“I go home happy at the end of everyday.”

-Mrs. Dreier

6 The_Spread OUR BRAVE NEW VOICES E s p er a n z a V a r g a s

Il i a n a Ca s ti ll o

Being young usually means being mute. Part of this condition is due to our words falling on deaf ears. The other part comes from the fear of being judged, or even worse – ignored.

Getting your voice heard at our age is one of the hardest things to accomplish. Spoken Word gives our peers a chance to voice their opinions and thoughts to the world. It allows them to speak shamelessly about the things that matter to them without feeling judged or feeling any remorse or guilt.

It’s an outlet, a form of expression.

As teenagers, there’s a lot we are angry about, a lot we question, and a lot that we don’t talk about. But we want to. For some kids, it’s turning emotions and passing thoughts into spoken words. It’s taking the stage and presenting their opinions, their feelings, and their thoughts for the world to see. This is Slam Poetry.

On April third, eight of North’s students participated in an emotionally riveting slam. A lone microphone graced the center of the stage, a DJ system was set up in the corner to add to the mood, and colored lights to created an ambient undertone.

To break the ice, the first performance was made by a sacrificial poet, who paved a path for the rest of the poets to follow.

Meet the competing team

ment 515 thanks to one of the workshop leaders, Kristopher Rollins. He first started off rapping in Hip-Hop class, where he and a few friends formed a crew called the “Heart Attacks.”

When the group broke up, he branched off on his own and started writing poetry. “My writing process is thinking of what I can write that’s clever and original, something that no one did before, and also having word play and a rhyme scheme behind all of it.”

“I was nervous,” he says about the recent slam he competed in, “but I got over it. I went to the stage and did my thing.”

The first piece he performed was called “Lost King,” which received the scores 9.3, 9.5, 9.8, 9.9, and 10. “It’s not really about the scores though. It’s about getting up there and getting your voice heard. It’s about building character.” His second piece was called “Be Strong” and received the scores 9.7, 9.8, 9.8, 9.9, and 10. “I like that it’s a competition,” Johnson tells us, “Slam Poetry is my time to shine.” And his final piece, titled “Trapped,” earned straight 10’s from all judges and secured him a spot on the team headed to Philadelphia in July to perform in the Brave New Voices competition.

“I’m looking forward to being on the team because I wanna get my voice heard. And it means a lot to go out and spend time with my family. To go out there and tell our sides of the stories.”

Senior, Leah Waughtal has been involved with Movement 515 since her sophomore year, but was first exposed to spoken word a year or two before. “I remember watching this special on HBO about Brave New Voices with my father. And like, crying and being like, ‘Oh my god, this is perfect.’”

She tells us that sometimes writing can be a long and painful process, but other times, it’s easy to get the words that you need to say out.

“Slam poetry is like your burden on an alter, and then someone is expected to give a numerical value to your soul. It’s hard,” Waughtal says.

The first of Waughtal’s pieces was about mental illness and the concept of suicide. Her second was about female power and giving self love back to people who deserve it. Her final piece was an open letter to a woman named Barbara Harris who was in a program that gave poor, drug addicted women money to sterilize themselves. “It was about how I come from a home of addiction and I know there’s value in that human experience.” All three of Waughtal’s pieces received straight 10’s from the judges, earning her a three-way tie as Grand Slam Champion.

“Of course I’m excited. It’s a phenomenal experience to be able to travel, to be a part of the team, to represent Iowa, and to shed light on the history I have.”

Photo credit: Iliana Castillo

Photo credit: Michael Pham

Sophomore, Russhaun Johnson got involved with Move-

Photo credit: Iliana Castillo

Photo credit: Iliana Castillo

Senior, Bao Luong was invited to attend one of the Movement 515 workshops by one of his friends. “I was hooked,” he says about his first time taking part in the workshop. When asked about his writing process, Luong just laughs and tells us that it’s completely random. “A lot of times I’ll be like, ‘okay, I’m gonna write about this’ and it ends up turning into something completely different. It mainly starts out with a line, and then I go off of that. It’s natural.”

“All three of my pieces (for the slam) were very personal.”

None of Luong’s pieces actually had a title. The first piece he performed was Disney themed. “That one was just really about my girlfriend and how she makes me feel. That sounds really corny but that’s just kind of the motivation my girlfriend gives me and I wanted to show her I appreciated that.” His second piece was actually the first piece he’d ever written.

It was about where he wanted to go in life and his aspirations. “It was a venting-type of piece.”

His final piece was about his relationship. “It’s essentially the same inspiration as my first piece, just done in a different way.”

“I didn’t think I would make it on the team,” he says, “I just went in there hoping I would get to perform all three pieces. It’s a chance represent Des Moines on a national scale. I know people sometimes look at Iowa as this backwards place and it’s not like that. I want to represent Des Moines in a positive way. And from the slam we did here, I know I wanna do more of it.”

Freshman, Julio Delgadillo’s pieces were about his life and how far he hard come in life. His second piece was about immigration and some of the struggles and unfairness people face.

His last one was a unique piece about time travel.

“Writing is a way for me to express myself,” he says, “I like it because its fun and I get to share my feelings with other people and see what they have in mind.”

It takes him about three to four weeks to prepare a satisfactory piece. Delgadillo explains, “After I write it, I try and get feed back from my peers to see if they like it. If they like it, I’ll edit it.”

Julio has been involved with Movement 515 since middle school.

“This will be my second year on the team. I love it because it’s competition from all over the world, it’s so crazy. Last year there were people from Africa and France so I’m really looking forward to seeing and meeting new people this year.” *** The final two members of the competeing team are Susan Stacy (Hoover High School) and Elhondra Brazzale (East High School).

7

The_Spread Meet the Rest Of North's poets Movement 515 is filled with talent. The following people also performed engrossing pieces at the Temple for Performing Arts.

Photo credit: Iliana Castillo

Photo credit: Michael Pham

Junior, Hatte Kelley was first exposed to spoken word in a seventh grade speech class. “My teacher showed a video of a Sean Bell BNV piece and I cried my eyes out in the middle of class. And I knew I wanted to do that - on a stage.” When it comes to writing, Kelley channels her anger towards an injustice in the world.

“I feel like the space we were at was the best space we could slam. Because it was really personal and the stage wasn’t big, so it was really nice to perform.”

Her first piece was written for bulimic sufferers, her second was about MLK, and her final piece was a love poem to herself. This was not Kelley’s first time competing in a slam. Last year, she was Grand Slam runner-up.

“I think Slam Poetry is something I want to do for the rest of my life. It is social activism on stage. It is the expression and culmination of everything I feel every single day.”

Freshman, Davonte Binion has been a part of Movement 515 since middle school. One of his teachers challenged him to start writing and he took to the challenge. He brings inspiration about by pairing solitude and gangster music. His hard work paid off when he made it to the third round. "(Slam poetry) is exciting. I love competition and I love the thrill of it all," Binion says.

This year, his first piece was an original about slavery and slave masters. Another one of his pieces was about himself. He exposed his vulnerable side as he talked about his mixed nationality and the expectations that came from being both white and AfricanAmerican.

Photo credit: Iliana Castillo

Photo credit: Michael Pham

Freshman, Brionna Lam has been a member of Movement 515 since middle school. “I feel like I could get better, like I can always do it better,” she says about performing. Her writing process might actually cause less of a headache than others.

“I normally don’t force an idea. Whenever I feel upset, or irritated, or really passionate about something, these poetic lines start forming in my head.”

“I love being on stage and sharing my story. I found the hardest thing is writing about yourself and letting people know how you feel.”

The first piece Lam got to perform was about her birth mother. “I knew it would hit the judges and I ended up crying, but I’m really glad I got it out because I feel like I’ve grown as a writer and a poet.” Her second piece was about black power. “I’m an activist. So doing a piece like that meant a lot to me because of who I am and what I support.” Lam also made it to the third round. Her performances and pieces were powerful and stunning.

“A writer will always feel modest for their artwork.”

Freshman, Torrianna Buttrey started writing in October of 2012 because of an experience she had gone through that caused her to need a release. She has been writing ever since.

For her pieces in this slam, Buttrey says, “I did a piece about how high school is just a prison pipe line. Students give up, teachers give up, and that leads to drop outs which then leads to prison. My second was an emotional piece about how it feels to be a slave. Urban Leadership 101 inspired me to write both my pieces. So when something inspires me, I just write what I think.”

“It’s nerve-wreaking,” she says about getting on stage and performing her pieces, “but it’s fun, and it makes you challenge your thinking.”

Although her pieces didn’t get her on the team, they were equally as fresh and creative as those who did make it.

Want to see these talented poets perform? Check them out May 9 at the Des Moines Social Club (900 Mulberry Street). The event starts at 7pm. Tickets are $1 for students, $5 for adults. All proceeds benefit Hope 4 Africa.

Opinions

A C H A N G E OF H E A R T

By: Kelsey Ambrose

The phrase “I can’t wait to go to high school” has now turned into “I can’t wait to be done and get out of here” you can say high school isn’t close to what it’s made out to be in the movies. This is no High School Musical, and as hard as it is to say, we’re not “all in this together.”

The summer before I started my freshman year I was so excited, I couldn’t wait. It’s the last four years of school before I go to college, this meant finally being independent, and taking total control. In a few months, I would be starting what was said to be the best four years of my life.

Almost two full years into high school and all I can say is that I want out--fast. There’s not enough hours of sleep, or days of vacation to prepare me for the hell that takes place seven hours a day, five days a week. I admit it’s not always that bad. There are times that I wouldn’t take back for anything, but in most cases, the good surely does not outweigh the bad.

Lately, my grades have been at an all time low. I try to raise them, but once the percentages get low, it’s hard to bring them up. It’s not that I don’t want to fix things it’s just that it’s hard. It’s really hard.

I’ve began to receive brochures and letters from

colleges about coming to view campuses and thinking about my future. It makes me nervous. Not because I’m actually growing up, but because the time I have to fix things keeps getting shorter and shorter.

The stress keeps piling on, and I’m constantly thinking of how I’m going to do this.

I start to second guess myself, I wonder how I’m going to be able to keep my grades up, work as many hours as I can, keep up with friends and family, and still be stable.

I once heard, “be careful who you give power to, not everyone you meet in life is around to see you do great,” and looking back at the past few months, I’ve never heard a sentence so true. People I walked into this school with are people I definitely will not be walking out with. I’ve learned not everybody you meet is a friend. Far from that. If I could go back to

changed. For both the good and the bad.

In reality, who’s really going to be there for you in five years? Who’s going to be there when you’re stranded on the side of the road and you need a ride home? Who are you gonna be able to run to when you need someone to trust that the things you want no one else to know will be kept unknown?

Boys are gonna break your heart into pieces and throw it all away, all within the same day. You’ll get the sweet texts, think you like him, then he’ll drop you just as quick as he picked you up, sometimes for unknown reasons, but I guess that’s just how it works until you actually find someone who’s worth the time. If you think about it, relationships aren’t always worth it in high school, they’ll make or break you. But in high school, it’s hard. I don’t think anybody really knows what they want, we’re

my freshman year I would do so many things differently, from the people I talked to, to the choices I made. It all would’ve been different.

Every now and then, I begin to miss how things used to be, and realize in some ways that I’ve

all young and incredibly naïve, so there’s no need to rush when there’s a whole life ahead of us to figure it all out.

If all that isn’t hard enough, there’s always the listening and gossiping of rumors that come along

“I’ve matured, gained and lost some pretty important people in my life, and I’ve made some of the dumbest mistakes one could ever make, but I’ve learned from it all.

Every bit of trouble or hurt I’ve ever been in, I’ve realized and learned a lot. I now know that it’s true when it’s said everything happens for a reason.”

CATS RULE You would think having a cute, fuzzy cuddle buddy every night would be an amazing experience, right? Well, you’re wrong. It’s purr-fect for cold nights but when it gets to around 10 PM, you want to flail your arms and pout.

Smokey, is almost 10 years old and he still sits in my lap, eats your yogurt and cries to go outside.

for more stories by Kelsey Ambrose: http://northhsoracle.com/1332/uncategorized/ kelsey-ambrose/

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with being in high school. Regardless, they’re around and you can’t get past them even if you gave it your all. It’s a trending topic, who’s been with who, who’s done what, and so many people let it bother them. Half the people who say things that may hurt you now, you won’t even remember in a few years, let what they say not define you or ruin you, let it better you. Ya know?

You’re in denial if you tell me you’ve never wanted to just give up and quit. As rough as it is, and as much as I do just want to get out, high school has taught me things I never would have learned if I wasn’t in school to experience them. I’ve experienced more in the past 2 years than I have in probably my whole life. I’ve matured, gained and lost some pretty important people in my life. I’ve made some of the dumbest mistakes one could ever make, but I’ve learned from it all. Every bit of trouble or hurt I’ve ever been in, I’ve realized and learned a lot from them. I know now that everything really does happen for a reason.

It’s not as bad as it seems, or as bad as I’m possibly making it sound. This has also been some of the greatest few years I’ve had, sure I have two more years, so it all could change, but so far I couldn’t ask for anything better.

High school is enough to make you want to rip your hair out and roll down a steep hill, but it’s worth every bit of hurt, stress and fun that’s involved, so hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Drivers Stink

Sure, he’s my best friend and an You would think that drivers excellent heater on bitter winter would be responsible, especially mornings, but sometimes, he acts when you’re fresh on the road and like a brat on a sugar rush. He’s trying to park in a busy school been through my appendicitis, parking lot. You see a dark-colored By: Valerie Natale broken bones, burning my hand and Honda taking up two parking spots losing friends over the years. He’s and blaring music loud enough always been my therapy cat. for you to hear on the other side of the building.

I can’t tell you how many times I wake up to him Hearing the honking, the yelling, the many music chewing on my nose or laying on my face. At 15 genres blasting out of the blown out speakers and pounds, he isn’t a great face mask. He steals my amateur subpillows, vintage 1960s suitcases, blankets, clean woofers. It gets laundry and even my lanyard. We can’t eat ice cream to be a lot of or our favorite Domino’s pizza around him or it will nonsense, and be all over his little grey face. Being 10 years old then you notice doesn’t mean a thing to him. He’ll still want to go people flipping for car rides to Saylorville for a nice swim or he’ll each other off. want to sleep outside on top of the dog house in the First you think summer sun. Adopting him with a coupon 10 years it’s the students ago was the best choice an 8-year-old girl could ever acting like kids, made. but it’s really the parents. Parents Smokey, pictured left, is a cat. Photo courtesy of everywhere Valerie. honking, trying to get through to their children Photo by: Sammi Linebach because they think they’re more important and unlike everyone else, they’re in a rush.

Many teenagers learn how to drive from their parents. If the parents are chaotic road-raging psychopaths, then most likely, the fresh-on-the-road teens will pick up on those habits as well.

No matter where you go or what you do, teens are more likely to be labeled as bad drivers partly because of this. For example, you could drive down Hickman and see multiple people talking or even texting on their phone. You’re then left worrying if that person is going to be the cause of the new dent in your brand new Lexus.

After school is one of the most chaotic experiences when you’re a North High student. You have students backing up into other students, lots of honking, people screaming, and especially those people who go the wrong way, not even bothering

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8

to pay attention to the signs that clearly state “exit only.”

It all gives me a great reason to be 17 with no permit. Walking through the front student parking lot, my friend and I had noticed that out of all the cars, at least 20 of the them were dented, badly parked, had paint from another car scraped on, or rusted to death. When people will realize cars are privileges, and not toys, I have no idea.

Sammi Linebach, Junior, tells about her driving experiences.

“I have a nice sporty Taurus, sure it has a dent in the side, but I didn’t cause that dent. I bought it like that.” She admits that it was a cheap car so why not, and the speakers are amazing, so it sealed the deal. “I have a little case of road rage,” she says sarcastically.

“I use my turn signals, I go at least the speed limit if not more sometimes, and I pay attention to where I am on the road like I don’t drift over or ride in the middle.

Why others cannot do the simplest of things, it puzzles and angers me deeply.”

Hunter Adrian, Senior, says “I had a guy nearly sideswipe me when he was changing lanes without looking. He swerved back to his lane when I honked.” He then tells about his incident here at North, “I also got T-boned in the parking lot last year when a girl wasn’t paying attention. No serious damage or injury luckily.”

Laura Abuhl, Senior, tells about her hectic driving situation, “An unknown driver was speeding through the parking lot and cut me off and I slammed my brakes and hit the curb.. A$$hole.

Opinions

9 High School Love, Real Love?

Mariah Gibb

L

ove is not just a feeling. It’s a verb, an action, an attitude. Some argue that love comes with age and maturity. While others realize love can transpire at any time, any age. But who are you to judge whether someone is in love or not?

Teachers, parents, even family will say, “It’s just puppy love.” But is it? Opinions are made, but feelings are a fact.

Different viewpoints were received when asked the simple question, “Can you be in love in high school?”

Senior Will Cantrell expressed his opinion, “Yes,

love is the spirit of devoting yourself to someone important and close to you, it is expressed by caring for and protecting that person regardless of the situation.”

Love is something that can be felt throughout your entire body, just as any other feeling. If one can feel excitement, or hunger wouldn’t they be able to feel love?

Sophomore Dakota Mattos, who has claimed to have not yet experienced love, shares her opinion, “I

think if two people are both willing to give their all, they can find love in high school.”

“Love is the spirit of devoting yourself to someone important and close to you, it is expressed by caring for and protecting that person regardless of the situation.”

-Will Cantrell How could there be such a thing as high school sweethearts if true love can’t be found at such a young age? It could be that those who disagree just haven’t found themselves in that situation. Whereas ones who agree have in fact, been in love once

A Lovely Tune Sammi Linebach

L

ove, it seems like 80% of songs today are talking about it. Whether it’s the raunchy language used to describe every sensual detail or the way it can break your Akey-Breaky-Heart.

It’s everywhere around us as we are raised by one or many people who love and care for us.

We grow up learning how to respect and love one another. We learn The-Way-Love-Goes and eventually develop our own feelings toward someone that relate to this whole love thing. But as we developed into these hormone-crazed teenagers, we weren’t warned about the side effects or causes of this Crazy-Little-Thing-Called-Love.

We go head over heals on some significant other that has caught our eye and sooner or later we experience heartbreak. This tummy-turning, heartwrenching, sickening feeling that has us FeelingSome-Type-of-Way. Our world is surrounded and completely involved in all things love. It controls us to a certain degree.

Young girls are pressured into looking like a PrettyYoung-Thing for some unimportant male. Boys try to be the biggest and strongest not only for their own personal ego, but to pick up some fine looking honey.

Pre-adults are continuously looking for someone to share their life with. They either go clubbing to find Somebody-To-Love, or go to the closest CandyShop. Mid-aged people are either drinking their sorrows away or turning to the Internet in hopes for some Old-School-Love.

Everyone, no matter the age, is trying to find somebody that will put their Love-On-Top. We as humans have this incredible urge to have somebody Adorn us. We want to be someone’s Treasure and we want to Feel-The-Love. We want to have an admirable Love-Story and write our own Love-Song.

We can get so Clumsy and make mistakes, but we always know that one person that will always be our Boo in the end. From start to end, we Don’t-GiveUp, and usually, we find ourselves Crazy-In-Love with someone. And that’s just who we are.

We Bump-n’-Grind then reach the Climax and next thing you know, the Circle-of-Life has happened and the cycle repeats. We are back to being raised by those who love us.

-Akey brakey heart—Billy Ray Cyrus -the way love goes —Janet Jackson -Crazy little thing called love—Queen -Feeling some type of way—Drake -Pretty young thing—Michael Jackson -Somebody to love—Justin Bieber -Old school love—Lupe Fiasco -Candy shop—50cents -Love on top—Beyonce -Adorn—Miguel -Treasure—Bruno Mars.

-Feel the love (tonight)—-Elton John -Love story—Taylor Swift -Love song—Sarah Bareilles

before.

Just like when someone will tell you, “Don’t knock it until you try it.” What if love is the same way?

What if you just simply don’t agree because you haven’t ‘tried it’.

Whether you agree or disagree about love in high school, people will claim to be in love. People will call bullshit. People will claim that to understand what love is, you have to have a mature mind.

But maybe, you just simply don’t know until the time comes.

For more stories from Mariah: http://www.northhsoracle. com/mariaaahgxo

Songs Used:

-Clumsy—Fergie -My Boo- Alicia Keys ft. Usher -I won’t give up- Jason Mraz -Crazy in love —Beyonce ft. Jay-z -Bump n’ Grind —R. Kelly -Climax —Usher -Circle of Life —Elton John

For more stories from Sammi:

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Honor Of The Flag Moise Tuombmeungu In the words of the brilliant Henry Ward Beecher, the American congregationalist clergyman, and social reformer, known by his supporters of the abolition of slavery, and his emphasis on God’s love, “A thoughtful mind, when it sees a nation’s flag, sees not the flag, but the nation itself. And whatever may be its symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag, the government, the principles, the truths, the history that belongs to the nation that sets it forth.”

The American flag, a remnant of the history of the American people, is viewed in different ways by different people. To them, where it has done deeds in which we’re displeasing to their eyes and ways of life, they burn it in the name of hate, objurgating to its philosophies and way of life , as an indication of enmity towards the people it symbolizes. For in its name, imperfect men have carried it committing horrendous atrocities, which becomes one of its colors . And so forth to some it is a symbol of prosperity, freedom, hope, and deliverance from the dark terror of tyranny and oppression, thus apt to partake of the flag’s worthy philosophies.

Let us take our school to account along with the actions of our student body and teachers therein, as I suppose it is evident that all eyes and ears have beheld and heard of the morning scenery. When the birds are patiently waiting to sing meraculous melodies, when the sun brightly covers the sky with

mystical ever glorious colors.

The junior ROTC cadets of our school, are lined up in rows standing still at attention, like discplined mountains unshaken through all seasons. They do not make any sort of movement since before them the flag of their nation is about to be raised. Thus after a moment of silence, the commanding officer orders to,“present arms”, and at once the cadets hands go up in salute.

The flag unfolds, as it is released in the air, its stars shinning ever bright. The white stripes of the

flag shine, as the red fades, in reality soldiers must fade, and are stricken by death’s shadows so that the light of freedom may still shine ever clearly and bright among us. The United States’ athem song, “The Star Spangled Banner”, written on 1814 by a 35 year old lawyer and amauter poet Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment attack of Fort Mc’Henry by British ships in the War of 1812, fills the air. The song ends, and the commanding officer orders, “ order arms” , and like falling trees, all the lifted hands go back to their proper places, as an

end to their daily tradition. The commanding officer ordes “fall out”, and they go about their day.

Do you honor the flag, by stoping and putting a hand over your heart?,I am a cadet in the JROTC, and sadly people stare at us, bewildered when we honor the flag in the morning. None find it proper nor fiting to stop and look up the flag. So where have we gone wrong? Our renowned philosophy of our day is that we give repect to those whom give us respect, yet the soldiers who fell , those who are about to fall, and those who saw their comrades fall, give more than their respect, they give, and gave their lives. What better illustration is their of love or respect than laying one’s life for another?.

So it makes me more than angry to see you all walk by the flag bewildered as if we are foreingners.

Thus I encourage and rebuke you to stop, proudly and humbly, show respect to your country’s flag, anytime you see the JROTC honor it. Take only 1 minute out of your time to see your colors soar up in the air like engel.

“To have really live, you must have almost died. To those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavour the protected will never know.”

For more stories from Moise: http://www.northhsoracle. com/moise Photo of ROTC students during Veteran’s Day

Features e2020:

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Is it really what it seems?

By Madison Houska Behind two weeks, there is a want. Behind two weeks, there is a need. For some students here at North, e2020 is their only hope to graduate on time. 188 of our students are enrolled in the e2020 program here at North.

Some students prefer taking e2020 over a regular class. “I’d rather take e2020, just because I can work at my own pace,” senior Sam Williams said.

This year alone, there are 127 seniors in e2020 (21 of them are 5th year or more), 58 juniors, and three sophomores. As of March 26, 238 classes were passed and 119 credits had been earned.

But those numbers just go to show how important e2020 really is. Without it, the 21 fifth year seniors plus wouldn’t be able to graduate. It is e2020 that makes this possible.

As helpful as it may sound, some students feel like it’s not fair. They feel like e2020 is a way of cheating the system. Students wonder how exactly 18 weeks of material can possibly be squeezed into anything less.

“Some kids work on these classes day and night, it’s all they do since its online, they have access to work on assignments, quizzes, and exams anywhere they have wifi” e2020 teacher, Amy Shafer said.

Students have finished a class two weeks to all semester, it just depends how much they work on it.

So far this year, 11 students have graduated thanks to e2020 and there will be way more on the actual graduation day. Last year, approximately 70 students graduated by using e2020. From the fall, the top course class was Earth Science. English had 42 classes passed, 18 in math, 41 in science, 54 in social studies, nine in electives, and 15 in fine and applied arts.

The hardest part about e2020 for senior Angelica Espinoza is staying on task. When asked if she would take e2020 for all her classes, she said no, because it kind of gets boring after a while. Senior Sam Williams says that e2020 is easy for him because the same questions that are on the pre-test are on the end test. But is it easier than a regular class?

“No, it’s harder because there is no teacher to teach you. You are on your own,” Williams said.

All in all, e2020 is very helpful for students here at North High School. Not enough credits to graduate?

No problem, because e2020 can help with that.

“Although you can never replace the experience of having a regular teacher. It should be in addition to, instead of in place of,” Shafer says.

Senior Ashan Green-Brooks sits on a computer in the E2020 lab during third block, photo

by Colt Wyatt.

AS OF May 2014

301_courses_Completed 150.5_Credits 188_Students

Top 5 Courses

32 Math 37 Electives 50 ________English 67 _______________Science 73 ________________SOICAL_STUDIES

The traditional classroom didn't work How SRG and e2020 are changing North High

By Jake Sanderman

T

hroughout all my years in school, our education system has been diseased with a fatal flaw that antagonizes all students who won’t join in on the charade. At least, up until recent times.

Previously, the public education system, and the curriculum involved was based heavily around your abilities to follow orders. It wasn’t difficult to fake your way through courses, so long as you were capable of completing projects and assignments, with no guarantee that you would actually learn the material.

The ending result of this toxic system was problematic in two ways. For one, many students who maintained all the knowledge required were dragged behind by huge projects, as if these kinds of assignments were representative of what they had learned.

On the other side of that coin, many students that can be applied to almost all subjects, with very were given an infallible strategy for faking their few exceptions (art classes, graphic design, wood/ way through. When graded the traditional way, the metal crafting). The opposition lies primarily within inability for a student to prove their knowledge on students who cannot handle the new system. That is a test rarely hindered them, so long as they could to say, the students who aren’t actually putting forth pretend they understood their own wording on all the effort to learn the material within the course, papers beforehand. and would rather simulate the knowledge. ConsidFinally, just in time ering the opposition, for my years in high there’s no true argu“Online courses offered to school, a grading ments against it. recover lost credit opportunities, infrastructure with far Branching from more potential has hit that topic directly, done so using the exact the light. Standards e2020 ties right back same methods as SRG.” Reference Grading, the to this ideal grading answer to everything system. Online I’ve been arguing against courses offered to since elementary, could very well be the change recover lost credit opportunities, done so using the that was needed in order to correct the direction of exact same methods as SRG. The grade given for American Education. the course is based on tested knowledge, nothing At its core, SRG is the fair, universal algorithm further. Both implementations are huge steps in the

correct direction for our education system.

There are flaws in the e2020 program; however, they are outweighed by the positives. The problem does not lie in the amount of time it takes to finish a course, nor the fairness in it, but rather the prevention of cheating, or lack thereof. It’s far too easy to scan the Internet for an answer on a test, and there’s little monitoring done to prevent this. If left unsolved, this could break the program in the foreseeable future.

Despite this, e2020 has proven itself as a vital program within our education structure, and a necessary gear in ensuring students have the ability to graduate without being hindered by previous mistakes or issues. To fight it is to fight the progression of the American education system. That being said, all personal issues, and declarations of fairness are best left out of any conclusions made about e2020.

For more articles by Madison Houska go to: www.northhsoracle.com/sparkles

Mr. Bern, a teacher in the e2020 lab has been working with kids in e2020 for about a year now. “My favorite part of this job is working with the different kids and working with them on a daily basis,” Bern said. Photo by Colt Wyatt.

Students work on their computers to complete their courses just a few weeks before the end of the year. Photo by Colt Wyatt.

For more articles by Jake Sanderman go to:

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sports

Girls_Tennis

Boys_Tennis At this point in the season the boys’ tennis team is winless and have scored 12 points with two meets left in their season.

Nick Lovan, a senior, has earned the majority of the points with five between both singles and doubles.

They recently lost two matches in two days, losing to Lincoln 4-7 and Ottumwa 4-7, a far cry from their season opener where they lost 11-0 at Johnston.

At this point in the season nearly every member of the team has contributed a point in either doubles or singles.

The varsity team consist of seniors Michael Pham, Calvin Lovan, Brennan Whisler, Tim Hanson, Nick Lovan, Jalin Newsome, Galvin Thiphavong, junior Kevin Le, sophomores Thomas Gomez, Binh Doan, and freshman Caesar Marfal and Akai Thiphavong.

The team has also undergone a coaching change this year, going from a more laid back experience to a much more intensive training regiment.

--Compiled by Brennan Whisler

Senior Calvin Lovan leaps to make a return during early season practice.

Senior Chyna Kavan serves versus Ballard. Photo by Ben Graeber.

Boys Track

Girls_Track

Q&A with Greg Holand, Head Boys Track Coach Q- What drove you to become a track coach?

A- “When I was coaching football I started coaching track to make sure my football players were doing offseason speed drills.”

Q- What do you expect to accomplish in a season?

A- “We expect the times and performances of our athletes to improve over the season. Then, if conditions are right, qualify people for Drake and the state track meet.”

Q- Do you ever feel you push your athletes to far?

A- “No, sometimes I dont push them hard enough.”

Q- Out of all the seasons you coached at North, what season was you favorite?

A- “2008- we had several athletes qualify for state. Five medaled in different events, we finished in the top 15.

Or 2009- when Omet Kak was two time champion in 1600 and 3200.

Munir Abdulahi (right) and Moise Tuombemungu (left) compete at East High School. Photo by Colt Wyatt.

We have five seniors on the track team this year. Kajuan Davenport, Emmanuel Zeo, Warren Kreig, Jamal Dudley, Munir Abdulahi. Three of them plan on going to college to run track.

--Compiled by Eli Repp

Freshman Alicia Richardson sprints around the curve of the track during a recent practice. Photo by Ben Graeber.

Boys_Soccer

An interview with freshman Cassady Kelly Q: How do you think your first track season went?

A: “Good learning experience.”

Q: What do you look to improve for next season?

A: “I need to be more confident and less intimidated by the events and the runners.”

Q: What are your goals for your high-school track career?

A: “I want to qualify to state for hurdling and the 4x400.”

Q: Did you give it your all every meet and practice this season?

A: “The best I could. But some meets I had attitude but I got over it and ran the event.”

Q: Have you ever thought of running track in college?

A: “Yes, but not very serious.”

Q: If you could give advice to someone that is new at track what would it be?

A: “Stick with it, don’t give up and quit.”

Q: Favorite track you ran on this year?

A: “Drake Stadium” Q: What are some routines you go through before running.

A: “Stretch by myself and listen to music.”

Q: While your running and the pain starts to kick in, what keeps you going?

A: “ I don’t want to let myself down because it lets the team down, and I don’t want to be the one to let them down.”

--Compiled by Eli Repp

Girls_Soccer

Q & A with the Head Coach Mark Carlson Q: How long have you been coaching? How long at North?

A: “41 years total; three years here at North.”

Q: What is your current record?

A: “We are currently 3-3. Beat East 1-0, Bondurant 2-1 and Ballard 3-2.”

Q: What is one thing that you think your team could improve on?

A: “Quicker passing.”

Q: One good thing?

A: “Playing together as a team overall.”

Q: What is your overall goal for this year?

A: “Have a winning season and overall player improvement.”

Q: How did you become a coach here at North?

A: “I was asked to come as an assistant coach by a friend.”

Q: Do you think you made the right decision to come here?

A: “Yes, without a doubt.”

Q: Who is the “MVP” so far this year and why?

A: “We play, win or lose, as a team, no one player is more valuable than another.”

--Compiled by Colt Wyatt

The girls’ team may be small in number but they have a big win on their season after they beat their cross town rival, East by a score of 9-2 at Birdland Tennis Courts.

The all senior roster that day included Sara Cathi, Chyna Kavan, Gabby Guerra, Natasha Gomez, Mikalina Low, and Guadalupe Casas. All but Casas won their singles matches versus East. They also won four of their five doubles matches. This is the girls’ first and only win this season.

Most of the seniors have been playing tennis for three or more years, so this year has been interesting to watch from a technique and growth point of view.

Much like the boys, the girls have undergone a coaching change this year as well. The girls team experienced a growth of novice players this year as well as their male counterparts. After losing only one player from last year, the recent surge of athletes has been a welcome sight for the somewhat smaller squad As the season comes to close, one can’t help but wonder what the future will hold for this senior laden team in the years to come.

--Compiled by Brennan Whisler

An interview with junior Autumn Klootwyk Senior Javier Solis makes a save in the goal during a practice in April.

Soccer player Autumn Klootwyk.

She plays both defense and forward for the Polar Bears.

Head Coach Mark Carlson. This is his first year as head coach and he has been an assistant here for the previous two seasons.

Q: How long have you been playing soccer total? How long for North?

A: “Since I was five and I am 17 now. I’ve been playing for North since my freshman year and I’m now a junior.”

Q: What position do you play? Have you always played that position?

A: “I play either defender or forward. Yes, for most of my life I have always played those positions.”

Q: How is your current season going? What’s your record?

A: “Better than last year by far and still improving.”

Q: What is your ultimate goal for this year?

A: “My goal is to get the girls that are new to get better and to keep them playing.”

Q: How did you get started playing soccer? Why did you start?

A: “I started with my cousin and my mom wanted me to play and I liked it a lot so I stuck with it.”

Q: If you plan go to college do you plan to play in college? Do you know what college?

A: “I don’t know yet it depends on if the college I go to has a team because I don’t know where I’m going yet.”

Q: What is your favorite thing about soccer?

A: “Well, I love my team. I like the violent sports good way to take out the anger.”

Q: Do you play any other sports at North than soccer?

A: “I just play soccer. I used to play basketball and used to play volleyball for a little bit but hated it.”

Q: What is some advice you would give new players?

A: “Don’t give up because you won’t be a professional after one day of practice because you need practice. Practice makes perfect.”

--Compiled by Colt Wyatt

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