October Pelladium

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At press time, the varsity boy’s cross country team was competing for their fifth consecutive trip to the state meet.

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PASSION. Junior Rachel Wiley flourishes her hand while narrating the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award winning show entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;States of Mind.â&#x20AC;? This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show won the band first place at Davis County, Valleyfest, the Iowa State Marching Band Contest and Mid-Iowa Marching Band $IBNQJPOTIJQT t1IPUP CZ 4FUI 7BOEFS )PSTU

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CHAMPS. Senior Nathan Buchheit runs UIF DSPTT DPVOUSZ -JUUMF )BXLFZF $POGFSFODF meet at Central College Oct. 12 where he finished sixth. The girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; teams both claimed top honors as six boys and five girls finished in the top 15 as all-conference SVOOFST %JTUSJDUT XFSF 0DU t1IPUP CZ )BOOBI 7PMMNBS

SERENADE. Sophomore Joella Gerber and senior #FO 1BMNFS IBSNPOJ[F EVSJOH DIPJS T ĂŤSTU DPODFSU of the year Oct. 19. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Choir has been really fun so far this year because the music has been really challenging, but fun at the same time. The concert went really well, we even did better there than we EJE JO PVS QSBDUJDFT w TBJE (FSCFS t1IPUP CZ 4FUI 7BOEFS )PSTU

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Halloween is the second most commercially successful holiday, next to Christmas

Since our debut was so mind-bendingly fantastic, we, UIF #SPT LOFX XF E IBWF UP EP TPNFUIJOH FQJD UP IBWF any hope of outdoing ourselves. We enlisted sophomore $BJUMZO $PSXJO BOE KVOJPS /JDL 4IFQQFSE UP KPJO VT UIJT month. Now, all we needed to do was find an adventure XIJDI JT FYBDUMZ XIBU XF EP CFTU

Completing our roster of compatriots, we set off in search of the strange and unknown wonders that awaited us in the metropolitan Wonderland we call â&#x20AC;&#x153;Des Moines.â&#x20AC;? It was there, in the central populous hub of Valley West Mall, we heard rumors among the mumbles and mongering of the food court drones.

Rumors of a haunted house on the outskirts east of the city reached our ears. Needless to say, the four of us locked HB[FT BOE XF LOFX UIBU UIJT XPVME CF PVS EFTUJOZ #VU ĂŤSTU B HIPTUMZ CFBSEFE ĂŤHVSF DMFWFSMZ EJTHVJTFE BT B 5BDP #FMM employee, imposed on us these words of wisdom: i#F XBSOFE ZF MBOEMVCCFST GPS JG ZF FOUFS UIF IPVTF PG which I speak, then a curse will be placed upon your souls

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for eternity!â&#x20AC;? he shouted as he shook his hand into the air, which happened to be holding the tray with our order on it.

We took no heed to his warning, as we were distracted by the sight of Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheesy potato burritos flying through the air. Hastily, we ate our meals and searched with excitement for the fabled house we had heard so much about. #Z UIF UJNF XF IBE SFBDIFE PVS EFTUJOBUJPO BO VOOBUVSBM darkness had settled all around us. We entered the into the dilapidated shack and explored the rooms of the house, which looked as though it had been set ablaze many years ago.

Caitlyn discovered a room full of old childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toys, many of which had been warped by the fire. The faces of dolls were contorted into devilish grins and abominable faces of horror. Nick went upstairs, and found the most disturbing bathroom ever seen. The mirrors were all smashed, and there was a stain on the ceiling above the toilet that looked suspiciously like a blood splatter.

With the sights we were encountering becoming

increasingly grisly, we decided to leave before we saw something truly terrifying. However, standing in the FOUSBODF XBT UIF #MVFT %FWJM IJNTFMG UIF #MVFT %FWJM CFJOH different from the regular devil in that he always wears a TVJU BOE MPWFT UIF ĂŤEEMF

He told us that because we hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heeded the advice of UIF HIPTUMZ NBO JO UIF 5BDP #FMM VOJGPSN XF XPVME CF cursed to become undead skeletons every full moon for BMM FUFSOJUZ ɨF GPVS PG VT KVTU MPPLFE BU FBDI PUIFS BOE shrugged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound too bad, actually,â&#x20AC;? said Nick.

And so, we exited the house, and a curse was placed upon our heads, an invisible mark to show our foolhardiness in the face of danger. Forever we will carry this emblem of our folly, and every month it will manifest itself for us.

We really hope that Halloween is on a full moon. Can you say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;best costume ever?â&#x20AC;? t3BOJFS 8PSTUFMM SX QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN t#FO .VMMFS CN QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;One day during lunch I was innocently sitting there and a friend of mine decided to come up behind me and pull my shirt down a little. My shirt must have been relatively loose because not only did it fall down, but my bra did as well. I gave the entire room a show!â&#x20AC;? -Sophomore female â&#x20AC;&#x153;At school I was in a hurry and really needed to change, so I went to a teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room. I shut off the lights and closed the door so no one would come in. That didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out too great because two younger guys came in while I was topless and half naked. Talk about embarrassing!â&#x20AC;? -Senior female â&#x20AC;&#x153;During P.E. I decided to do squats and hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t securely tied my shorts. So, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m mid squat, and a friend decides to pull my pants all the way down. Not only was I wearing small purple boxer briefs, but five girls were right there to witness it all. I had to finish my squat; it was fun.â&#x20AC;? -Sophomore guy

Dear Dating Gurus, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m shy and moderately insecure. As a result, I find myself tongue-tied whenever I try to ask the girl of my dreams on a date. Every time I start to lead into the â&#x20AC;&#x153;big question,â&#x20AC;? I freeze. Because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m such a wimp, my Friday nights are filled with endless hours of playing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nazi Zombies,â&#x20AC;? and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re no closer to sharing that special something. Please help me!

Sincerely, %%%%--Zombie Slayer Looking for Love Dear ZSLL, Fear not! Even though we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help you conquer the next level of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nazi Zombiesâ&#x20AC;?, we can aid ZPV JO ZPVS MPWF MJGF EJMFNNB 'JSTU PĂŞ XF CFMJFWF ZPV IBWF "/% BDVUF OPO WFSCBM EJTPSEFS

This is a common condition among teenage men, especially when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex. Symptoms of this disorder include stuttering, sputtering, sweating and speechlessness. Fortunately there is a cure! To stop making such a fool of yourself and win over your woman, follow these prescribed steps:Â

%FTJHO B QMBO PG BDUJPO UIF XIFO XIBU XIFSF XIZ BOE IPX BSF DSVDJBM GPS B HPPE prognosis.Â

$POĂŤEFOUMZ XBML VQ UP IFS USZJOH OPU UP GPSHFU ZPVS %VUDINBO 4XBHHFS Î&#x2030;

#F EJSFDU XIFO ZPV QPQ UIF RVFTUJPO CVU JG UIJOHT CFHJO UP HFU TIBLZ NVTUFS VQ TPNF DPVSBHF CZ QMBZJOH ZPVS TFDSFU UIFNF TPOH JO ZPVS IFBE XF LOPX ZPV IBWF POF Î&#x2030; If you follow these steps correctly, your Friday nights will no  longer be lonely. We wish you the best of luck in love and war!         --The Dating Gurus

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There was a new girl in my grade and I decided to try my hand at courting her. I walked up to her and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you know how much a polar bear weighs?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. She responded with the answer, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Enough to break the iceâ&#x20AC;?. I simply walked away frustrated at my failed attempt.â&#x20AC;? -Senior guy t#FOKJ .D&MSPZ CNF QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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As of February 2009, approximately 55,000 United States troops were still deployed in Afghanistan.

Liz Core (ec.pelladium@gmail.com)

Like a Parachute There are some pretty questionable things about humans today, but none quite as distressing as our affinity to spend money.

Although no one has really come out and said it yet, I think it’s pretty obvious that this whole mess we’ve gotten ourselves into with the economy can be easily explained with the modern American’s obsession with shopping. Think about it. Is there any other country that can boast the purchase of 250 billion dollars worth of clothing and accessories last year? Think that’s impressive? Factor in the fact that America’s total credit card debt reached 972.73 billion dollars in 2008. Yeah…that’s where things get kind of awkward.

As citizens of the United States of America, we are born with certain unalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the property. Thanks to my second period government class, I have learned that the latter of the three principles is widely accepted as the freedom to be fiscally comfortable, or, translated into a more modern version, the freedom to open up as many credit card accounts as you can possibly afford (or can’t, for that matter). What’s troubling to me about this assumption should be fairly obvious. Credit cards are not the equivalent to money that one actually possesses. This flimsy piece of plastic has been acknowledged as an acceptable form of monetary transaction for decades, yet many Americans have disregarded (or possibly have just never been told) that it is inevitable that you have to pay for all of the stuff you buy. If credit cards were advertised truthfully, they would be defined as a modern IOU. Maybe if Master Card and Visa would just let people know that they’re expected to put money

into their credit card accounts, then they wouldn’t have to deal with all of today’s massive credit-induced debt. But then again, if they did that, how would they get the money to pay the loan sharks?

I recently heard someone describe today’s youth as the “Gimme Generation.” Even though I would have liked something more along the lines of the “High Standards Generation” or “Comfortably Living Generation,” I think that the first label describes us pretty darn accurately. It is so easy to take advantage of the fact that financial assistance is offered to you at any time with the help of Mom and Dad or the ever-faithful savings account.

You wouldn’t think that receiving large amounts of money on multiple occasions in a small span of time would be a bad thing. However, as easily influenced and under-developed young people, our decision making skills have not yet grown into maturity. Getting money in the first place is hard enough, but choosing the right things to spend it on is the real challenge.

Like throwing it into a donation bin at a charity event, or into an offering plate at church, or even saving it for a time when it is actually necessary.

Although economic prosperity is what our founding fathers had in mind for their nation’s people, I think they would have probably dropped dead at the sight of the sheer abundance we have today. I’m going to go out on a whim and say that 250 billion spent on clothing is a little much for a country with only 300 million people. So, next time you have the chance to spend a little cash (or abuse a little plastic), please spend wisely.

"#$%$&% !

Nathan Kooker (nk.pelladium@gmail.com)

Reading is Dangerous I saw this on the History Channel, so I thought it best to warn you all: On December 21, 2012, time will cease, all that is living will perish, and everything we figure to be actuality will collapse into nothingness. Prepare yourselves because in three years, we’re toast.

More than likely, many of you have already been enlightened. But, for those of you who aren’t up to date on your doomsday lore, or who aren’t quite as enthralled by Wikipedia as I am, allow me to explain what I’m rambling about.

While cosmologists are proclaiming this day to be “the end-times,” many sane intellectuals have been coining the term “2012 phenomenon.” Either way, December 21, 2012 is the hippest prophetic trend since Y2K, and is becoming increasingly more fashionable as it draws nearer. In short, historians have discovered that this date will mark the end of the 13th cycle (known as a baktun) of the Mesoamerican Long-Count Calendar. It was predicted by the Mayans that the turn of this cycle would prompt the death and rebirth of our current era of existence.

Not a believer? Many weren’t at first, but what makes the 2012 phenomenon more viable than any other prehistoric prediction is the fact that it correlates with a plethora of other apocalyptic divinations by various prophets of various periods. Links to the significance of this single December day have been reputedly unearthed in ancient Chinese mathematics, in the visions of the French seer Nostradamus, in modern astronomical discoveries, and even in the Bible. Everything points to 2012.

As comforting as it would be to slough off the 2012 phenomenon as ancient

mythological garbage, we must consider the undeniable coincidence of these similar predictions that transcend culture, geographic location, and time.

Still not a believer? Don’t bother saying, because your verdict isn’t the point of this essay. I don’t want to debate the impending apocalypse. I would rather opt to explain how it is manipulating us.

Prophecy is just one little aspect of a wide realm of what is known as pseudoscience, or superstition. As pseudoscientists, we analyze things that aren’t physical, that aren’t real. A prophecy can’t be proved or disproved until it either occurs or doesn’t occur. Life after death can’t be described until one dies. We wrack our brains over these philosophical abstractions, and it’s all the History Channel’s fault.

Pseudoscience has even invaded our every day lives. We throw pennies into fountains, avoid black cats, and don our lucky pairs of socks for important events.

It’s logically impossible for these actions to have an effect on our futures, but we secretly have this kindling faith within us that some undiscovered force will fulfill our hopes. Our minds aren’t yet functioning with pure rationality.

I have a challenge for you: Pick a side.

Are there such things as visions, bouts of luck or prophets? If you believe so, have faith and enjoy your last few years before the end of the earth. If, on the other hand, you personally consider the bounds set by modern science to be realistic, discard any remnants of pseudoscience left in your mind. Turn off the television next time there is a documentary on ghosts, and close your mind to the magic of herbal remedies.

As for me, I’ll take gravity over prophecy.

Is military presence in Afghanistan justified?

Reaction: Action In late September, the Pentagon rejected a timeline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. According to chinadaily.com, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates opposed the timeline, saying that the decision to withdraw troops would be a “strategic mistake” in the success of their attempts to shut down Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. He backed this up with the theory that in the event of a withdrawal, the Taliban would take it as a victory, increasing their morale and status in the

“I think that we should keep fighting the Taliban and AlQaeda so the past few years won’t be a waste.”

Freshman Ryan Sievers

“I don’t think either [removing or adding troops] would be a good idea at this point [in the war] with the situation we got ourselves into.”

Sophomore Brody Van Berkum

area. President Obama is debating the increase of troops into the area. The Afghan people are resisting additional troops, saying that the money would be better spent on building up domestic forces. Police officials in some of Afghanistan’s most turbulent regions also object to a new influx of troops because the local people would take it as a hostile invasion, turning public opinion against the United States, rather than a resistance against the Taliban. !"#$%&'()%*+,-)++./#01231.#+4,'15

“I think if the troops believe they are making a difference and things are changing, then they should stay. As long as morale is good, then things will get better, and they’ll come home eventually.”

Junior Hope Wadle

“I think we should send more troops. We should finish what we started.”

Senior Emily Lyng

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In comparing the test scores of the United States internationally, the U.S. ranks 19th in math and 16th in science for students in Grade 12.

What would you think of two more hours of school every day coupled with a four-day school week? !"#$%&#'(($)*$+%,-%'%)$.%&$)/012% 3$4')3%4,1$%/54$%5)%/#$%&('++1,,467 5#)6$0)78&9/#/%:&;</+/=& (-$7$(7&(7&)01%/8$(7 $7&8>)&?7$8)0&@8/8)6,

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love it because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d get a three day weekend every week. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of bed and here at school, the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already been dedicated to school, so an extra two hours wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a difference.â&#x20AC;? -Junior Caitlan Murphy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less time for homework at night, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good idea. The extra day off would be nice, but you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough time to get your other homework done.â&#x20AC;?

- Freshman Connor Naaden

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<.(==+*-$.&/$(8 Seek diversity in any way possible Each day, residents grow accustomed to the concept of familiarity. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon for a day to pass without thinking of life outside this sheltered bubble we so proudly call Pella. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Touch of Hollandâ&#x20AC;? is a term many might have heard from proud parents or boastful children when describing our town. This phrase is commonly used by individuals to convince others, and possibly themselves, that Pella is a unique town. What other town IBT DIVSDIFT B GFTUJWBM GPS UVMJQT UISFF TUBEJVNT XJUI BSUJĂŤDJBM UVSG BOE B XIJUF population? Super unique.

Variety is the spice of life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it truly makes things interesting. What if everyone looked exactly the same - one type of female, one type of male, one type of flower, one type of music, one political party? That would be soul-crushingly boring. We have an amazing amount of variety in this world - even in Pella! However, not everyone appreciates the value of variety. Many just stumble through life and never open themselves up to new experiences. To get the real â&#x20AC;&#x153;spice out of life,â&#x20AC;? we have to intentionally stop and look at different flowers, listen to different music and get to know â&#x20AC;&#x153;differentâ&#x20AC;? people. When we do this, we usually develop an appreciation for the differences in people and things. If we do not take the time to stop, look, listen, learn and appreciate new and different things, we miss out.

Diversity has an impact beyond our personal lives and friendships. It is also essential for organizations that want to excel. Diversity brings more ideas forward, helping organizations solve problems and create new ways to better society.

If diversity is so awesome, why do so few people embrace and appreciate it? Many people fall into the practice of ignorance. In the absence of information, we frequently assume something or someone will be negative. Often, simply spending time around different people or ideas will lead to respect and appreciation. We live in a community where essentially every school, public and private, has a religious feel. Students and citizens who practice other faiths other than Christianity are generally questioned, making it difficult for people to truly express themselves. Instead of judging others who possess different beliefs, embrace others for their differences and learn to appreciate new perspectives. Each person is unique, and every day presents the opportunity to learn something new about others and yourself.

Sometimes people assume that one negative experience with someone different from them means that all similar experiences with members of that group will be negative. To appreciate diversity, sometimes we need to be patient, forgiving and persistent.

Pride - it exists in all of us. We all like to think we are right. If we surround ourselves with people who think like us, our ideas probably wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be challenged very much. Reaching out to different people means some of our ideas will be challenged. Less secure people will shy away from these experiences.

Surround yourself with diversity. Do something unpredictable. Attend a cultural event, talk to a stranger; explore ways to expand the boundaries of your life and gain new perspective.

The staff voted 20-0 in favor of this editorial

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like how it is now. Kids might not pay attention and zone out if we had longer school days.â&#x20AC;? - Sophomore Emily Taylor â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like how it is now. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in extra-curricular activities, you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough time to do homework.â&#x20AC;? - Sophomore Rachel Schawb â&#x20AC;&#x153;Looking outside the educational aspect, if there are single parent families or families with both parents working, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be disruption of their home life.â&#x20AC;? - Athletic Director Bill Van Horn t+PDFMZO 7BO %ZLF (jvd.pelladium@gmail.com), Eric Moore (em.pelladium@gmail.com)

>8.4+?*@;A+!"##"$%&'"() ! The floor of the United Nations has seen many a peculiar sight, but most would be IBSE QSFTTFE UP ĂŤOE B IBQQFOJOH TUSBOHFS UIBO -JCZBO MFBEFS .VBNNBS BM (BEEBĂŤ T NJOVUF TQFFDI 4FQU (BEEBĂŤ T speech could be likened more to a rant, as it touched on an eclectic spectrum of topics, ranging from H1N1 possibly being used for military purposes, the IsraeliPalestine conflict and JFK assassination conspiracies. Despite this, there were a few legitimate points amid the avalanche of random and radical connotations.

(BEEBĂŤ TUBUFE UIBU UIF 6/ TQFDJĂŤDBMMZ the Security Council, had become ineffective due to it going unchanged for so long. For those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know the Security Council is made up of 10 DIBOHJOH NFNCFST BOE ĂŤWF QFSNBOFOU membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: the United States, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia. While the other 10 members of the council have some power, the real authority resides with the permanent members as any resolution voted on by the council can be vetoed by one, just one, member of the permanent states. This has led to inefficient and slow decision making by the council as numerous resolutions have been deadlocked by the stubbornness of one nation. Remember the Rwandan genocide? A large amount of it could have been prevented if the veto power system wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in place. But, due to one nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unwillingness to vote yes, the tragedy in Rwanda was proliferated to such a heinous extent.

The case for change also goes back to IPX PME UIF 4FDVSJUZ $PVODJM JT ɨF ĂŤWF permanent members havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t changed since the inception of the UN, making it over six decades of unchanging imbalance of power.

The current model was created in a time when World War II had just ended, making the circumstances in which this power was dealt very different from the current political climate that the world is in now.

The real power is held in the hands of the permanent members, making their interests the only ones likely to be considered. These nations donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take into consideration the vastly different number of nations who are now members of the council, their different needs and the number of nations who want a say in world affairs.

This makes the council highly unreliable when dealing with the current brand of ethnic genocide and resource oriented conflicts so widespread in our world today.

(BEEBĂŤ JT OPU POF PG UIF NPTU SBUJPOBM characters in our world today, but often times the most radical and disenfranchised of thinkers have great ideas. In this JOTUBODF UIF XPSME DBO MFBSO GSPN (BEEBĂŤ and change the UN so that it actually becomes something that both people and nations take seriously. If changes arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t made, the UN will remain an ineffective organization which only appears as the punch-line of an SNL skit every other year. t"OESFX 4BHFST (sagers.pelladium@gmaill.com)

Pelladium Staff Executive Editors: Andrea Huffman, Caroline Phillips, Andrew Sagers Page Editors/Reporters: Morgan Anderson, Megan Card, Liz Core, Michael Ge, Andrea Huffman, Nathan Kooker, Eric Moore, Caroline Phillips, Andrew Sagers, Addie Smith, Kelsey Van Tassel, Ranier Worstell Photographers: Ben Muller Cartoonists: Michael Ge, Eric Moore Reporters: Heidi Gritters, Jakub Martisovits, Madeline Meyer, Ben Muller, Jessica Salpor, Jocelyn Van Dyke, Shaun Van Weelden, Alexis Zwank Adviser: Ann Visser The Pelladium is a monthly tabloid produced by the high school journalism department to serve as an informative, educational and entertaining communications media and to provide an open GPSVN UP TUVEFOUT BOE SFBEFST t-FUUFST UP UIF &EJUPST BSF XFMDPNF BOE FODPVSBHFE ɨFTF MFUUFST NVTU CF TJHOFE BOE TIPVME JO OP XBZ CF MJCFMPVT JSSFTQPOTJCMF PS PCTDFOF -FUUFST NVTU IBWF WFSJÍFE facts and should deal with issues. The Pelladium reserves the right to edit grammatical errors, libelous content or length due to the space limitations. Letters may be brought to Room 201 or sent to 1FMMB $PNNVOJUZ )JHI 4DIPPM #PY 1FMMB *" tɨF 1FMMBEJVN XJMM TUSJWF UP EFMJWFS JOGPSNBUJPO JO B GBJS BOE USVUIGVM NBOOFS ɨF 1FMMBEJVN XJMM GVODUJPO JO BDDPSE XJUI BMM BQQMJDBCMF MBXT CPUI JO SFHBSE UP UIF SJHIUT BOE SFTUSJDUJPOT PG KPVSOBMJTN tɨF WJFXT FYQSFTTFE JO UIJT QVCMJDBUJPO BSF UIPTF PG UIF JOEJWJEVBM XSJUFS BOE OPU OFDFTTBSJMZ UIPTF PG UIF 1FMMB $PNNVOJUZ )JHI School Administration or the Pella Community Schools Board of Education. The Pelladium will make retractions in the event of errors made in the content of printed stories. Retractions will be QSJOUFE JO UIF JTTVF JNNFEJBUFMZ GPMMPXJOH UIF JTTVF DPOUBJOJOH UIF FSSPST tɨF 1FMMBEJVN JT B NFNCFS PG UIF *PXB )JHI 4DIPPM 1SFTT "TTPDJBUJPO

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It is believed that about 100,000 people in America have Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Syndrome.

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Despite being affected by Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Syndrome, a neurological disorder, sophomore Alex Ropes perseveres, participating in cross country, marching band, jazz band and track while maintaining a rigorous academic schedule.

This disorder is usually characterized by involuntary movements called â&#x20AC;&#x153;tics.â&#x20AC;? Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is sometimes associated with verbal tics called copralalia, consisting of the urge to use obscene words, but Ropes has not encountered this. Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is linked with OCD, or ADHD, which include many like symptoms, such as compulsions and attention deficit.

Most cases of Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are mild, but there are also severe cases involving continuous tics.

When did you start getting tics and what kind of tics do you have? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I started getting tics when I was around two. I can notice tics when I have to jerk, grunt or flare my nostrils. Tics are kind of like sneezes. Usually tics start getting worse if you are tired or sick.â&#x20AC;?

Do your tics bother you? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It bothers me when my tics start acting up. They act up when I get stressed out or when I get really tired. I also get really bad tics when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sick, and it can get really annoying when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to sleep. My tics get kind of annoying, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lived with them my whole life, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned to deal with it.â&#x20AC;?

Are you getting treatment for it? â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can treat Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disorder cases, but you usually donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t when it is not a severe one.

There is medicine for this disorder as well. My case is not severe enough to treat, but it still affects me.â&#x20AC;?

How do you feel about the negative stereotypes that are associated with Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Syndrome? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a big deal. There are very few people who swear and have the vocal tics. Thankfully, people around me are open-minded about it, and I usually donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get asked about it often. I think people should know that kids are not bad if they are swearing just because they have Touretteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. t.JDIBFM (F NH QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

A staple of autumn recipes is the use of pumpkin. For a new spin on the typical bars and pies, try a pumpkin dip with ginger snaps, a sure party pleaser.

Combine all ingredients except the ginger snaps in a mixer until smooth. Place in a bowl and serve with the ginger snaps on the side. For a more festive touch, try presenting the dip in a hollowed out pumpkin. t P[ DBOOFE QVNQLJO t UTQ WBOJMMB FYUSBDU t P[ DPOUBJOFS DSFBN DIFFTF

t UTQ OVUNFH t CPY HJOHFS TOBQT t D TVHBS 1 tsp. ground cinnamon t

SPEAK! Senior Nicole Stafford speaks during their home debate Oct. 20. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing really well as a team and * SFBMMZ IPQF XF DBO NBLF JU UP ĂŤOBMT BT B UFBN w TBJE 4UBĂŞPSE t1IPUP CZ 4FUI 7BOEFS )PSTU

Debate affirms dominance with practice Aftre three weeks of competition, the varsity debate team holds a winning record. #PUI WBSTJUZ BOE +7 XPO UIFJS ĂŤSTU EFCBUF in Knoxville, 2-2 and 5-2, respectively. A week later in Carlisle, Oct. 13, varsity won BHBJO +7 XPO 0DU WBSTJUZ XPO BOE +7 XPO JO B IPNF NFFU The team of 13 meets three times a week under the supervision of history teacher and debate coach Dak Rasmussen. To prepare, the debate team first plans and researches their argument for both the affirmative and negative sides. Then, the team practiced for the actual debate, speaking their arguments and finding ways to weaken their opponentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; arguments.

In a typical debate, the two sides first recite their arguments before a judge. After the initial assertion of evidence and claims, the teams ask each other questions in an effort to weaken and eventually refute their

opponentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; claims. The entire debate lasts about an hour, at the end of which the judge decides the victor based on whether the affirmative team upheld their case. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The hardest part is having to think of questions on the spot. You need to be able to think on your feet,â&#x20AC;? said senior Landon Baugh.

This year, the team, captained by senior "OESFX 4BHFST KVOJPST +PDFMZO 7BO %ZLF BOE 5PSJ (FOTDI BOE TPQIPNPSF +FTTJDB Salpor presents evidence and logical arguments for and against a federal ban on tobacco and tobacco products. The team competes again today and Nov. 6. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am excited to have a great experience meeting new people. I hope I will be successful, and I hope to improve my speaking skills,â&#x20AC;? said sophomore Shenstone Huang. t+BLVC .BSUJTPWJUT KN QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

Birthday party benefits Threads of Hope Instead of recieving presents for their birthdays, seniors Morgan Anderson and Liz Core decided to help others.

"OEFSTPO BOE $PSF IFME B KPJOU th birthday party Sept. 19. They knew quite a few people would attend, so they took this as an opportunity to aid others. Instead of asking for presents, the pair gave away Threads of Hope bracelets used to meet the physical, educational and spiritual needs of at-risk families in the Philippines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to do something beneficial for our birthday, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really need anything, and we wanted to help some people that do,â&#x20AC;? said Core.

Threads of Hope, Inc. is a non-profit organization which was started by Alex and Chris Kuhlow, missionaries in the Philippines. The original idea for their organization started when Alex bought $100 worth of bracelets from a struggling Filipino family. He picked up the bracelets at a later date and was surprised to receive 1,300 bracelets. The couple returned to the United States and started selling the bracelets at a summer camp. They are currently available at their website threadsofhope.com.ph. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you get older birthday presents arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as exciting as they use to be, so I thought it was a really neat idea to give out the hope bracelets. It was a selfless gesture for Morgan and Liz to have us donate the money we would have spent on a present and give it instead to a good cause,â&#x20AC;? said party goer senior Caitlin Mock.

Anderson first learned about the bracelets while working at Hidden Acres Camp this past summer. When the pair began planning for their party, they thought this would be a great chance to help the cause. The bracelets cost a dollar each and resemble friendship bracelets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We chose this cause because we knew it would go to people specifically in the Philippines, and we knew it would make a small difference in somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life,â&#x20AC;? said Anderson. t+FTTJDB 4BMQPS KT QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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The chance of having â&#x20AC;&#x153;quadsâ&#x20AC;?, or two sets of identical twins, is thought to be as high as 1 in 25-36 million.

Rempe family defies odds, raises two sets of twins

BOO! Kelsi and Karissa Rempe, at age 3, help younger siblings Austen and Taelor, age 15 months, during Halloween. The four were dressed as QVNQLJOT t1IPUP $PVSUFTZ PG 3FNQF 'BNJMZ

Three percent. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the odds of having one set of twins.

When it comes to beating the odds, the Rempe family does just that.

Juniors Kelsi and Karissa Rempe are not the only set of multiples in their family. Taelor and Austen Rempe, are eighth graders at the Middle School. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am older by 42 minutes, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome,â&#x20AC;? said Austen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crazy having two sets of twins. We are always busy,

whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to Taelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball games, taking Austen to youth group, and Karissa and I both have our own activities to be at. Even though it is sometimes really hectic, it is always comforting to have someone there for you when others are out and about,â&#x20AC;? said Kelsi.

The Rempes moved back to Pella during Christmas break last year. Their mother Lori believes their relocating experiences have had a positive impact on the girls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kelsi and Karissa have had to move every six years, and I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made them more adaptable, more open to diversity and more open to change. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pretty resilient girls,â&#x20AC;? said Lori.

Both members of the varsity volleyball squad, the girls are versatile and naturally competitive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Austen and Taelor probably get along better because they are not constantly competing against each other. I remember Karissa crying because Kelsi learned to ride her bike first, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been competitive ever since,â&#x20AC;? said Lori.

So, is there such thing as twin telepathy? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I tell people there is such a thing as twin telepathy, and I made him try to do it once. He got two out of the three things right I was thinking about,â&#x20AC;? said Taelor.

Having had four children under the age of three was a definite challenge. However, the Rempes seemed to be able to cope with it all. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Austen was very ill[when he was born], so he came home when he was six months old with 24-hour nursing care. I was very thankful for the nursing and support of our church family. Mark was a very involved father and raised Kelsi

and Karissa while I was in the hospital for 12 weeks prior to Austen and Taelor being born. He even potty trained Kelsi and Karissa on his own!â&#x20AC;? said Lori.

With faith, love, and maybe a few arguments, the Rempe family remains grounded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a lot of work, but our reward of seeing them grow into Christian men and women is worth all of it,â&#x20AC;? said Lori. t.BEFMJOF .FZFS NN QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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Take necessary measures, prepare for college

Searching for college commonly results in procrastination for some prospective students. Many neglect thinking about what to do after high school until senior year, which can have adverse effects. From Central College to an Iowa university to the Ivy League and beyond, many schools are available. Four tips to keep in mind when selecting a college are included from past graduates.

Identity

Initiative

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never too early to start thinking about college.

Potential college students should begin the college search during junior year, at the latest. Simply â&#x20AC;&#x153;Googlingâ&#x20AC;? different colleges will bring about plentiful information that will be beneficial. Getting a head start will also allow more time and chances to take the ACT or SAT. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Believe it or not, the ACT is one of the most important aspects of the admissions process. One should think of these tests as course finals. Please, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take the test at one point and then take it again, expecting you will do better, without preparing yourself in some other way. Fifty-five percent of people get higher scores when they take the test a second time because they prepare. Moreover, if you do not adequately prepare yourself, you will waste a Saturday and $40. I encourage you to not only take the test two or three times, but also prepare yourself before taking the test. It is fine to gamble with life, but what if you end up losing all your chips? Take this test seriously, and you will have the opportunity to double, triple or quadruple your coin,â&#x20AC;? said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 graduate Josh Borgerding.

812 University 641-628-5285 www.central.edu

Investigate Arguably, the most important step in choosing a college is visiting the campus. A person might feel positively swayed after months of researching a college. However, this outlook might change after visiting the actual campus.

When choosing a college, an individual must undergo a process of introspection.

Ask questions such as, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important to me in selecting a college?â&#x20AC;?

Asking questions will help a student examine personal motives for attending college. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think it is really important to choose your college based on what you want to do. Depending on what your main interest is, you will probably be spending a ton of time doing it. I spend 5-6 hours a day doing basketball related activities, and if I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like it, school would be miserable,â&#x20AC;? said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 graduate Kirk Korver.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I began going on campus visits my junior year and continued throughout the fall of my senior year. I ended up choosing Gustavus because I loved the campus community and I could see myself being a part of it someday. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get that feeling anywhere else I visited,â&#x20AC;? said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 graduate Katie Allen.

Never decide wholeheartedly on a college without first visiting the school. Staying in the dorms, testing the cafeteria and talking to fellow students is vital to making a final decision.

Individual

A mistake some make is attending a college based on social reasons. Many have trouble letting go and therefore fall into the trap of friend following. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Placing myself in a completely different environment, one where I have no acquaintances, is difficult, but it also allows for beneficial and exciting opportunities. I can be whoever I want to be with no one around to criticize or compare,â&#x20AC;? said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09 graduate Josh Van Ee. t$BSPMJOF 1IJMMJQT DQ QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. ~ The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America

Together Through Difference

College Hunting

While Pella may seem like a homogenous town on the surface, there is far more diversity than meets the eye. p. 6-7

The Pelladium analyzes what makes a good college search. p. 2

School dances raise eyebrows, concerns Dances have evolved over the past few years along with the music played at them. They have elevated to the extent that UIF ATJNVMBUFE TFYVBM BDUJWJUZ at dances has disturbed some parents and students to the point that the situation has demanded some attention.

The administration has asked student council to compile guidelines for school dances as well as to think of other ways to stop students from becoming so physical. i8F SF XPSLJOH XJUI TUVEFOU council to set parameters for high school dances. Our goal is to have an understanding of appropriate guidelines, and guidelines that can be enforced by the sponsor or sponsors,â&#x20AC;? said assistant principal Eric Nelson.

Student council has two ideas already. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are looking into an alternative music selection and specialized dances, like disco and salsa,â&#x20AC;? said student council QSFTJEFOU .BSJB .BUF ,PEKP Junior Devon Dawson approved of shaking up the genres a bit. i* XPVME FOKPZ IFBSJOH EJĂŞFSFOU BTQFDUT PG UIF NVTJDBM XPSME TP MPOH BT * EPO U IFBS B XPSE PG DPVOUSZ NVTJD w TBJE Dawson.

The other idea of themed dances was less popular with TPQIPNPSF 8IJUUOFZ 3FJOJFS

Junior Ben Palmer echoed her feelings, seeing dances as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;...

SPDLJOH TPDJBM QMBDF XIFSF * DBO get my groove thang on and let out some energy.â&#x20AC;?

Nelson agreed, seeing a high school dance â&#x20AC;&#x153;...as a place for students to socialize in a positive school environment.â&#x20AC;?

4FOJPS $ISJT .FZFST BHSFFE regarding the social aspect, but does not approve of the dancing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The school dances are o.k. for the social part, but with our school dances, the grinding and ATFYVBM CFIBWJPS BT * MJLF UP QVU JU NBLFT NF TJDL 8F SF JO IJHI TDIPPM BOE * TFF HSJOEJOH BT B negative thing. We just need to have more appropriate dances,â&#x20AC;?

TBJE .FZFST A number of parents are also worried about behavior at high TDIPPM EBODFT i* IBWF IBE three personal contacts from people who say they represent numerous other parents. The major concerns are about R &&/-., .#)(5 35 ,# 5 )), simulated sexual activity on the dance floor and whether that is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dancing freely is the only fun way because when we BQQSPQSJBUF BU B TDIPPM EBODF * IBWF BMTP IBE BU MFBTU UXP dance to a theme or in a routine it takes the fun out of it,â&#x20AC;?

PUIFS QBSFOUT TBZ UIBU UIFJS TUVEFOUT XPO U HP UP EBODFT OPX TBJE 3FJOJFS CFDBVTF PG JU w TBJE TVQFSJOUFOEFOU .BSL 8JUUNFS The one thing most students seemed to agree on was that With the January Winter Formal as the next planned having fun and socializing was key to a successful dance. dance, student council has three months to make decisions i1FSTPOBMMZ * N OPU B GBO PG HSJOEJOH CVU * EP FOKPZ on how to fix the problem. going to the dances to socialize and dance with my friends,â&#x20AC;? t#FOKJ .D&MSPZ (bme.pelladium@gmail.com) TBJE TPQIPNPSF ,BUJF 4VOEFSNBO

Green Committee petitions for prairie Only 200 years since scouring the entire North American frontier, the amount of prairie grasses in the United States has dwindled to a mere one percent within the country. Taking notice of this declining habitat, the Green Committee has proposed a form of action to promote prairie conservation. With the use of available land around the district, students and TUBĂŞ IPQF UP QBTT B QMBO UIBU XJMM OPU only benefit the environment, but also the awareness of the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to restore the land back to its original habitat. The area, at the moment, is not useable in any fashion. *O DSFBUJOH B QSBJSJF XF BSF SFEVDJOH SVO PĂŞ UIF VTF PG IFSCJDJEFT BOE UIF money needed to maintain it. Our school has done so well at recycling and limiting the use of paper, but * UIJOL XF BMM OFFE UP SFBMJ[F UIBU these actions are only the first step.

Going green is a lifestyle,â&#x20AC;? said green DPNNJUUFF GBDVMUZ BEWJTFS .BSL $PSF The initial idea for a prairie was first developed last spring during a green committee session. After careful

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to restore the land back to its original habitat.â&#x20AC;?

-Committee faculty advisor Mark Core

for water retention or educational purposes. The proposal did not meet either, and at the moment, it has been JOGPSNBMMZ EFOJFE CZ UIF DJUZ *G UIF TUVEFOUT BOE TUBĂŞ XBOU UP DPOUJOVF UP work on this cause, they will need to reform their plans to the appropriate ordinances,â&#x20AC;? said Nardini.

Though their plans have been initially denied, work on the prairie has continued. Now with the ordinance restrictions, reformation of the original plan is in action. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The prairie would by far be an BTTFU UP PVS EJTUSJDU *O UIF MBTU UXP consideration, plans were drawn, months, we have cut down our use of placing the prairie around the back of QBQFS CZ TIFFUT TP * UIJOL the high school, around the aquatic the addition of a prairie would only center, and ending next to Vermeer SF FTUBCMJTI PVS CFMJFG JO HPJOH HSFFO 3PBE ɨF QSPQPTBM XBT UIFO HJWFO UP and hopefully influence the rest of the 4VQFSJOUFOEFOU .BSL 8JUUNFS XIP city to become involved, too. Already, then approached city administrator B HSPVQ PG TUBĂŞ NFNCFST BSF XPSLJOH .JLF /BSEJOJ GPS BO JOGPSNBM on plans to integrate the use of the exchange. Plans for the prairie came QSBJSJF JOUP UIFJS DVSSJDVMVN * IBWF to a halt, with the city being less than high hopes for a good result,â&#x20AC;? said enthusiastic with the idea.

Wittmer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;According to city ordinances, the t.FHBO $BSE (mcpelladium@gmail.com) suggested area can not be used unless

NEWSÂ Â BRIEFS t4JY EBODFST IBWF CFFO BDDFQUFE JOUP UIF "MM *PXB Honor Dance and Drill Team. They include senior Lauren Cooper and junior Jessica Van Wyk in kick routine, and seniors Jessica Brown and Hillary Nossaman and juniors Leah Engelbrecht and Elizabeth Shrout in pom routine. t4FOJPS 3FCFDDB .PSFMBOE BOE IFS TJTUFS ,SJTUFO B 2007 graduate, spoke to AP human geography and world geography classes Oct. 20 about their recent FYQFSJFODFT JO UIF 3PUBSZ &YDIBOHF 1SPHSBN t-BTU ZFBS T 1FMMBEJVN XBT IPOPSFE XJUI TXFFQTUBLFT JO writing, photography and graphics/design in its class BU UIF SFDFOU *PXB )JHI 4DIPPM 1SFTT "TTPDJBUJPO 'BMM Conference at Southeast Polk High School. pelladium. com was named winner in web page design for last ZFBS *OEJWJEVBMMZ KVOJPST /BUIBO ,PPLFS &SJD .PPSF Jake Anderson, Seth Vander Horst and sophomore #MBLF -BOTFS XFSF XJOOFST JO XSJUF PĂŞ DPOUFTUT t+FTTJDB 4BMQPS (js.pelladium@gmail.com)

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Ellenwood fosters hope while struggling through system, against odds While the thought of living at home with your biological parents seems hardly out of the ordinary, life presents itself in a unique way for junior Kyle Ellenwood. He has lived with a foster parent for the past three years. He has had to fend for himself while tackling the system, otherwise known as the foster care system Ellenwood moved from his home with his mother in Newton to Pella, and has been with the same foster parent, Jean Verros, since. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really shy, so sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to tell people what I have been through if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know me,â&#x20AC;? said Ellenwood.

Ellenwood also has an older sister who was in foster care, but they were separated when they went to different foster homes. This has become a common occurrence within foster care families, though social workers try to prevent this. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really hard being separated from my sister when she went to her foster home in Norwalk because we

were really close. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really talk with her very much at first because she ran away from her foster family, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve recently got back in touch with her because she had a baby,â&#x20AC;? said Ellenwood. $PVOTFMPST XPVME PGUFO DPNF JO and talk to him about his options,; what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go, when Verros decided she would take Ellenwood in. Ellenwood was elated by her decision. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really awkward talking to the counselors at first, but I would have the same two coming in and talking to me multiple times so I got used to it. At first I was really scared about going to a foster family, but I knew Jean so it made the transition a little bit easier for me. Living with a foster family is practically just like living in a normal home. I get treated just like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m one of her own kids,â&#x20AC;? said Ellenwood.

Ellenwood was brought into foster care, because he has a mother who is terminally ill and is diagnosed with

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Teen finds harmony between adverse cultures

$01% DISPOJD PCTUSVDUJWF pulmonary disease), Idiopathic Fibrosis, and heart failure. He would have to stay home from school often and take care of his mother, which is difficult for any adult, let alone teenager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At first taking care of my mom was difficult because I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really know what to do.

It was really hard leaving my mom because I had taken care of her for six years, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay because I still go and visit her almost every weekend,â&#x20AC;? said Ellenwood.

Ellenwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother was taken to a nursing home in Newton for a short time when he was taken into foster care. She now lives at her house in Oskaloosa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This experience has been a good thing for me. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m at school more, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made more friends here,â&#x20AC;? said Ellenwood. t,FMTFZ 7BO 5BTFMM (kvt.pelladium@gmail.com)

Q&A:

A teen growing up Hindi Sophomore Ramya Puliadi, along with her family, practice Hinduism. When they moved from India, they brought their faith with them. Hinduism is the third most popular religion world-wide, but is mainly concentrated in Southeast Asia, especially in India. Many consider it a way of life rather than a religion.

Pelladium: When did you move to the United States?

Puliadi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We moved in 1998, so I was only two-and-a-half years old. We moved because of my dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job. We ĂŤSTU MJWFE JO ,BOTBT $JUZ UIFO NPWFE UP 1FMMB XIFO * XBT JO UIF TFWFOUI HSBEF w t(SBQIJD CZ 3BOJFS 8PSTUFMM

Pelladium: Can you speak any other languages besides English?

Puliadi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;English is my second language, I can speak Suarushtra, which is a dialect. I can also speak some Hindi.

Pelladium: What kinds of gods are in Hinduism?

Puliadi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are three kinds of gods: goddesses, god--like the creator, and other gods that maintain and balance the universe.â&#x20AC;?

Pelladium: Where do you go to worship?

Puliadi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We go to the temple in Madrid, Iowa, about once a month.â&#x20AC;?

Pelladium: What are some Hindu rituals and traditions?

Poll:

Is Pella a diverse community?

What is diversity?

26%

Yes 9%

Puliadi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat beef because the cow is considered a sacred animal. We pray at sunrise and sunset to any god. We read sacred texts called the Vedas, but they are in a different language. There are also a lot of celebrations in the Hindu faith, like when a baby is around six months old and eats solid food for the first time.â&#x20AC;?

Pelladium: What is one of the major holidays in the Hindu faith?

Puliadi: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The main holiday is Diwali; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oct. 17 this year. It is kind of MJLF $ISJTUNBT 8F HFU B MPU PG QSFTFOUT *O *OEJB UIFZ IBWF ĂŤSFXPSLT BOE B lot of garlands and flowers. It celebrates the legend when the gods banished demons from the country.â&#x20AC;? t.PSHBO "OEFSTPO NB QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

No 65% *65 students surveyed t.FHBO $BSE (mc.pelladium@gmail.com)

Vue escapes persecution, finds solace in American life Imagine yourself lost within the thick, impenetrable jungles of Laos. The sounds of machine gun fire and explosions are all around you, as you race on, hardly aware of anything but your destination, when suddenly you stop. If you continue on, you fear that death may strike at any moment. However, if you turn back, you know that death at the IBOET PG UIF 7JFU $POH XPVME CF inevitable. Your heart racing as you hear your own breath, heaving from a mixture of fear and exhaustion. In the distance you can see your goal: the immense river, the only thing separating you from your one chance at escaping and finding a new life.

For Xe Vue, a resident of Pella and mother of senior Jennica, junior Pafoua and sophomore Jeconiah,

along with six Pella High graduates, this situation was an all-too real moment in her life. As a young woman, she, along with her family, made her way through the war-torn wilderness of northern Laos to its western border. Once there, they had to swim through the treacherous waters of the Mekong River into Thailand, where she would live as a refugee displaced by the Vietnam War. A woman from a war-torn country.

Her reason for making the perilous journey was that she was told that American soldiers, allegedly working GPS UIF $*" XPVME HJWF UIFN paperwork that would help them come to America to start new lives.

Vue took a bus south to Bangkok, and began living in refugee camps

7

all around the country, searching throughout the camps for the soldiers that she had been told about.

Living conditions varied from camp to camp. Most of the food she ate was left by the American Air Force personnel in the area. Despite being in a near-constant state of fatigue, she continued to travel between camps. Her regular routine at the camps consisted of farming, finding food, and gathering other necessities.

In one camp, all the Hmong families were locked in the camp. If they attempted to leave or escape, the soldiers guarding the camp would gun them down without a single warning. In another camp, barely any food had arrived for the refugees, and the police threatened

to throw her and her entire family in jail and beat them if they attempted to leave in search of more food.

After five years of living in refugee camps in Thailand, she had finally found the soldiers that she had been looking for. With their help, she was able to get the proper paperwork to finally come to America.

The reason she was able to come to America lies with the ties between the Hmong people and the United States military. A Hmong general named Vang Pao allied with the US once Laos fell to communism, and rallied many Hmong troops to his side as the two groups worked UPHFUIFS PO B $*" DBNQBJHO DBMMFE â&#x20AC;&#x153;Operation Barrel Roll.â&#x20AC;? As a result, many of the Hmong people were allowed to migrate to America in

From speaking Tamol at home to eating Tandoori chicken for dinner, junior Ebbi Joseph is a prime example of a student immersed within two cultures. Along with his brother, freshman Ester, both are surrounded by Indian influences within their home, which ultimately shapes their lives as Indian teenagers growing up in the United States.

After being born in Tamol, Nadu, in southern India, Joseph would spend the next seven years of his life within the country. Then as his father was transferred to the United States in early 1999, Joseph, his brother and his mother soon followed near the end of the year. As a seven-year-old Indian immigrant, Joseph only knew limited English, which made integrating into American schools a challenge. After years of taking classes to improve his English, Joseph remembers the challenges he faced as an adolescent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember coming here, and I had no idea what anyone was talking about. It was frustrating; I just wanted everyone to speak Tamol so at least I could be understood. I really just remember the language classes when I first started school, and how I would spend hours on certain grammar points. Now in high school, I am taking Spanish, and I can definitely say that English is the hardest language to learn and speak correctly,â&#x20AC;? said Joseph.

Even though Joseph has lived in the United States for the majority of his life, his family continues to retain certain Indian traditions within their lifestyle. An example would be their names. It is a common tradition in India for the son to take on their fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first name as their last name; this is just the case for both Ebbi and Ester. Their fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name is Joseph; hence their last name is Joseph.

Another tasty tradition comes at the dinner table, with the serving of mostly Indian food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grew up living off of Indian food, so it would be hard for me to just stop and eat the stuff produced

return for their help, including (FOFSBM 7BOH 1BP She took an airplane to America, and ended up living in Hot Springs, AR, where she worked for several years as a farmer. She enjoyed her newfound freedom in America and was heavily relieved to have escaped the Vietnam War with her life. Eventually, she got married and settled down in Pella to raise her family where she now lives a quiet life selling vegetables at the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market. While she still loves her home country of Laos, she enjoys living in America because of the good education for her children.

Finally, she has found some measure of peace in her heroically remarkable life. t3BOJFS 8PSTUFMM (rw.pelladium@gmail.com)

in America. I mean, I do eat pizza, but I love Indian food. Fried rice, Tandoori chicken, everything is spicy and it is a way to keep our Indian identity here in the United States,â&#x20AC;? said Joseph.

A common expectation within India, that Joseph wants to continue as he gets older, is the responsibility of the sons to provide and support their parents. After Joseph leaves his house and begins to carve out his own career, he would begin to pay for their expenses, just as they do now for his grandparents. Another expectation, which has been falling out of style in India lately, is the use of arranged marriage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My parents and I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really discussed this matter too much.

Their marriage was arranged, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if I want that. At the moment, my marriage some day will be my choice, but things might change. My parents havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enforced any such decision on me yet, so I will just have to wait and see,â&#x20AC;? said Joseph.

As a way to see Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extended family members, their family tries to go back to India every other year for an entire summer. During this time, the foursome first travels to different parts of Tamol Nadu, greeting each family member. After this cycle ends, they ultimately end up staying at one of their auntâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. For the next

few months, Joseph experiences a completely new culture, full of open markets, original Indian cuisine with fresh ingredients and the social differences between Indians and Americans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People in the United States are so much more laid back than Indian people. In India, people are always working or studying. It seems like a lot more is expected, especially at school. Indian schools, there are no such things like art or music classes, there is math and physics. Education seems to be taken a lot more seriously, and kids are put under a lot more pressure by their parents to do well in school,â&#x20AC;? said Joseph.

Though he has spent much of his life in America, Joseph wants to continue his Indian traditions as he gets older, and possibly move back to the country someday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I actually prefer India, and maybe that is because I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live there the whole year, but I love staying whole summers there. I know my parents would like to move back there someday, and I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind being closer to my whole family. I think I would like to move there eventually, but I think I would miss the way people are in America and the friends I have made here,â&#x20AC;? said Joseph. t.FHBO $BSE (mcpelladium@gmail.com)

INTEGRATE. Junior Ebbi and freshman Ester Joseph pose for a family photo in India while paying a visit to relatives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spending whole summers in India is the best part of the year by far. I like getting to see where my parents came from, and see how my life has been altered by living in the United 4UBUFT w TBJE &CCJ t1IPUP DPVSUFTZ PG +PTFQI GBNJMZ

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Student Diversity Response

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think we appreciate each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultures, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think we care about each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultures. Diversity is in Pella, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see it often, so no one really believes that our town is diverse.â&#x20AC;? - Freshman 4UFQIBO $SPTCZ â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think ethnically, Pella is a very accepting community, but religiously, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that people are as open to others. I think sometimes, certain churches or religious groups believe that their way is the only way to live, which doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make Pella appealing to PUIFS DVMUVSFT w 4PQIPNPSF $BJUJF )POFT â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that we are as accepting to other religious groups, but that happens everywhere. I do believe we are welcoming to other ethnic groups, though.â&#x20AC;? - Junior Mariah Vande Lune â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think as a community we are accepting of others, but I think we should be welcoming, especially the churches. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that means they have to denounce their own beliefs for that culture,â&#x20AC;? Senior Heidi Schulte t.FHBO $BSE NDQFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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The Booster Club gave $20,000 back to athletics last year.

Booster Club gives back to athletics

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When spectators line up for pay $2.50 for a walking taco at a ball game, they might wonder where that money goes and how it is used.

Profits form the concession stands at volleyball, football, basketball, wrestling and track competitions go into the booster clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget. Profits go into the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fund, which is used to support various projects. The club has paid for senior plaques, football video equipment, cross country and track record boards, and much more.

'JSTU ZFBS #PPTUFS $MVC QSFTJEFOU BOE 1FMMB )JHI HSBEVBUF .JLF 7BOEFS 8FSU JT JO DIBSHF of approving the requests by coaches for supplies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I first joined the Booster Club to support middle school and high school athletics. I enjoy being a part of the club because then I get to see all the benefits from the supporters,â&#x20AC;? said Vander Wert.

The volunteers have given time but are glad to see the outcome of their work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The most fun has been seeing all the upgrades. It has been a blast to watch in the past couple of months. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting because I was in high school when the athletic facilities first opened, and now 32 years later, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to see how much we have expanded and improved,â&#x20AC;? said Vander Wert.

Not all athletic funds for sports teams come from the Booster Club.

As an example, if a team wishes to raise money for new uniforms, that amount must be earned on their own. This year the volleyball team parked cars at the Newton Speedway in the summer to buy t-shirts and supplement end-of-the-year banquet funds. t"EEJF 4NJUI BT QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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Spring sports train early

CHEER! Junior Lindsay Bentzinger gets support from her teammates during the match against Norwalk. It was also senior night, and the crowd and the team was decked out in pink in honor of beat cancer awareness.

The Lady Dutch beat the Warriors 3-0 to clinch the conference title outright for the first time in school history. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a great match and an awesome feeling to be a part of history. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all been working hard throughout the whole season, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s showing on the court and paying off in our results,â&#x20AC;? said Bentzinger. t1IPUP CZ +FTTJDB 7BO 8ZL Name: Senior Richie Bales Position: Receiver and safety.

Background: Playing tackle football since seventh grade Reaction: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even though our record isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as good as I would like it to be, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve still had a blast just being with the guys.â&#x20AC;?

Results as of 10/22: Varsity: 5-3; JV: 8-0; Frshman: 5-2-1

Soccer and softball seasons are very distant thoughts for most high school teams, but the high school girls are taking advantage of this time to improve. Both sports teams have started preseason training already; softball began mid-August, soccer started Sept. 29. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good thing we are starting early. It is very time consuming, but hopefully it will pay off during the season,â&#x20AC;? said junior softball player Taylor Veenstra.

Soccer and softball both have their preseason practices twice a week. The Name: Sophomore Zach Buchheit Background: Running cross country since eighth grade Reaction: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This season has been extravagant. The bonds between the cross country team are unique.â&#x20AC;?

Personal Record: 16:28 as of 10/11/09 Results as of 10/22:

soccer girls have pickup games and go for runs while the softball girls lift weights and do sprints in between their lifts. All of the girls out for either sport are expected to participate in the preseason workouts if they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t involved in a sport at the time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For those of us who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play fall or winter sports, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to stay in shape, so when the season comes we are already in shape, and we can focus more on the skills instead of trying to get into shape,â&#x20AC;? said senior soccer player Hannah Vollmar. t,FMTFZ 7BO 5BTFMM (kv.pelladium@gmail.com)

Jock Talk Name: Senior Jordyn Vande Lune 1PTJUJPO .JEEMF #MPDLFS Background: Playing since sixth grade Reaction: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have worked really hard to get better each time we step on the floor.

We also play with the mentality that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter who is on the other side of the net. We play our game no matter who it is.â&#x20AC;?

Results as of 10/22: Varsity: 35-5; JV: 14-14-1; Freshmen: 16-8-1

Varsity Girls: 70-32 Varsity Boys: 90-15 JV Girls: 77-15 JV Boys: 84-16

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The Marching Dutch received its 34th consecutive â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;? rating at state marching band contest Oct. 17.

Band finishes season with top performances WINNERS. Junior Karissa Schaudt, below, ends the performance with a smile on Oct. 17 at the Mid-Iowa Band Championships in Ankeny.

Freshman Zach Siewert, left, plays the trumpet during the state marching band competition. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Color guard was amazing this year because everyone got along so well, and the performances were tons of fun,â&#x20AC;?said Schaudt. The marching band wrapped up their season with top honors.

At the Valleyfest Showdown Oct. 10, the band placed first in Class 3A. They recorded their 34th consecutive â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;? rating at state marching band contest held in Pella Oct. 17. That evening, they were first in Class 3A, third overall, at the MidIowa Band Championships in Ankeny.

They also won caption awards for best DPMPS HVBSE BOE CFTU ESVNMJOF t"MFYJT ;XBOL t1IPUPT CZ 4FUI 7BOEFS )PSTU

Senn expands opportunities for future aspirations During the summer, senior Drew Senn worked with the crew of â&#x20AC;&#x153;High School Musical 2â&#x20AC;? at the Des Moines Playhouse, helping to build the set and shift. He worked there 15 hour days, including three hour rehearsals, everyday for six weeks.

Working there, he met Tech Director Kevin Shelby. Their job was to build parts of the set including staircases, platforms, character stands and Hollywood flats. After building things for the set, Senn participated in the

rehearsals. Senn completed building sets two weeks before the performance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about stage managing and design,â&#x20AC;? said Senn.

Senn said he would definitely help again, but for a different play because â&#x20AC;&#x153;...it got kind of tiring listening to all of the same songs over and over again.â&#x20AC;?

Senn currently participates in show choir, All-State preparation and speech and drama. He is a captain in show choir; he re-teaches the choreography

when needed, and helps the members with questions outside of practice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The musical arts are great because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great with leading you towards your future,â&#x20AC;? said Senn.

In the future, Senn hopes to be either a set or costume designer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an extremely creative person, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really fun to see a finished project. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something I really enjoy doing and it will be 10 times better when I get paid for it,â&#x20AC;? said Senn. t"MFYJT ;XBOL (az.pelladium@gmail.com)

Local casting agency available in community

Actors and actresses of Pella! You may have found your opportunity to make it big. PMS casting, owned by Anne Wilkinson, has made its debut in Pella, located behind Embellish on the square. Wilkinson is a film, theatre and television actress and was a casting director in Los Angeles for almost 20 years before teaching at Central.

Wilkinson has directed many of Central and Union Street Playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performances and is on the board of the Pella Opera House. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hired by outside producers looking for local talent who can do [speaking lines] in film,â&#x20AC;? said Wilkinson.

Occasionally extras are cast as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pella is exceptional for

a small city to have such a huge selection of things to do. The Community Center has good programs.

The Opera House is wonderful,â&#x20AC;? said Wilkinson regarding local talent and opportunities.

Even though Pella is bursting at the seams with talent, filmmaking in Iowa has taken a turn for the worse with the recent situation regarding film tax credits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I serve on the board of the Iowa Motion Picture Association, and while we completely agree that there need to be reforms and we back the investigation, we feel that the freeze is absolutely disabling our industry. I have personally lost several projects in the last few weeks and anticipate

Pella Branch

801 Broadway Street 641-628-2121

usbank.com

Member FDIC

that others will either go on hold indefinitely or just disappear,â&#x20AC;? said Wilkinson about the reforms.

The basis of PMS casting is to continue working on quality films in Iowa.

Some roles being cast are principal roles (speaking) in upcoming films and extras. Auditionees need to first mail in resumes and a picture. Wilkinson will bring potential hirees in to read lines in front of a camera (scripts can be picked up at any time in her office or downloaded from the website). She will pick the best three or four to audition in front of the director in callbacks. t)FJEJ (SJUUFST

(hg.pelladium@gmail.com)

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Where the Wild Things Are was written by Maurice Sendak and published in 1963.

/0*#Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Contemporary artwork has a peculiar way of beguiling me. I had 10,000 other things to be doing on a Sunday afternoon, each of them more relevant to my life than a self-guided tour through a sculpture garden. Yet, over the years I have developed this conception that if I can just dip my toe into the waters of modernism, I magically become that much more chic and cultured. It was this mentality that +,$"- Pappajohn Sculpture inspired me to drive into the heart of Des Moines, Park where I could experience the recently-opened John +,).)- Between Locust and Grand Avenue, Des Moines and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

The park is situated on two full bocks from 13th to 15th, between Locust and Grand Ave., just south of Blank Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital. Its official webpage states that the park was initially created in efforts of an â&#x20AC;&#x153;ongoing revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood.â&#x20AC;? However, the concept of a sculpture garden was envisioned only after a very charitable donation of 24 sculptures, valued at over $25 million, was gifted to the Des Moines Art Center by philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn. The installation of these pieces began in May and finished in September of 2009.

As I walked the paths of the large plot, I began to analyze the landscape before the artwork. There were three or four artificial hills, alien to the topography of the rest of the city. Into these hills bowed large concrete alcoves that encircled the sculptures. This clever landscaping effect accented the dimension of the artworks and provided a feeling parallel to a display case.

The sculptures themselves were surely artistic, but not particularly breathtaking. One of UIF NPSF DBQUJWBUJOH XPSLT XBT +BVNF 1MFOTB T SFOPXOFE i/PNBEF w B GPPU UBMM CVTU PG a man formed by hundreds of individual letters. It dominated the scenery and was clearly the most popular piece on the day of my visit. Other notable sculptures included Mark di Suveroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;T8,â&#x20AC;? an industrial, red tangle of steel I-beams, and Barry Flanaganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thinker on a Rock,â&#x20AC;? a grotesque statue of a meditative rabbit.

Altogether, I was not dissatisfied with my journey into this dominion of contemporary sculpture. Admission was free, and most importantly, the people were diverse, so I felt comfortable, as unknowledgeable as I was. This garden is the perfect means for providing urbane artwork to the average citizens of the population.

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Note: Want to see more photos of the Sculpture Park? Go to pelladium.com

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1))*#â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where the Wild Things Areâ&#x20AC;?

Converting childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books to the big screen has been a growing trend in the movie business.

By directing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where the Wild Things Are,â&#x20AC;? Spike Jonze has revived a classic into an imaginative and exciting cinema experience.

In the movie, Max runs away from home and sails to a forest island populated by the Wild +,$"-# The film adaptation Things. He becomes king and leads the monsters in of Maurice Sendakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many activities. However, the original picture book book. only contained 10 sentences. This is where things +,).)-# Playing in a theater came into the hands of the writers. The dialogue is near you. random and cleverly childish, giving the younger viewer an easier understanding of the movie, while reminding the older viewer that it is based off of a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book. This can become annoying at times, but aids in creating the image seen in Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagination.

The CGI (computer generated images) in the film are strikingly realistic. The monsters look as if they could actually exist. Their odd figures and awkward movements are particular, but one of the more striking attributes is their personalities. Each boasts a particular emotional trait or attitude, and perhaps represent Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life in one vague way or another.

Their conflicting ideals arouse conflict in the movie and help to revitalize the very simple book as a film.

Albeit a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book, the film version of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where the Wild things Areâ&#x20AC;? can get a little dark at times. The nighttime chase scenes and loud arguing of the monsters can make the movie overly fright inducing , and the more subtle details (comments the monsters make, Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real life problems) make the movie equally negative for all audiences. Reconsider taking a young child to the movie, or perhaps reconsider even going yourself if you are unable to handle the suspense. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where the Wild Things Areâ&#x20AC;? has been a classic childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s picture book for over four decades. This movie is very visually pleasing and humorous, and it carries a message we can all learn from.

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ABSTRACT. This sculpture, entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;air gets into everything even nothing,â&#x20AC;? was molded by Swiss sculptor, Ugo Rondinone. According to DesMoinesRegister.com/ sculpturepark, the tree was cast out of molten alluminum and stands about 13 feet tall with brances that reach a width of almost 10 feet. His tree stands among 23 other PSJHJOBM QJFDFT PG BSU JO %FT .PJOFT PVUEPPS NVTFVN t1IPUP CZ /BUIBO ,PPLFS

/0* Wicked

/P POF NPVSOT UIF XJDLFE CVU ZPV DPVME be in mourning if you missed the Broadway production of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wickedâ&#x20AC;? while it was on a fourweek stop of its national tour at the Civic Center in Des Moines. This musical tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba and Galinda +,$"-#The Broadway production the Good from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wizard of Oz.â&#x20AC;? It chronicles â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wickedâ&#x20AC;? their lives from birth to school to being best +,)'-#Sept. 23 - Oct. 18 friends and going to the Emerald City, even their +,).)-# The Civic Center, Des lives after Dorothy dropped in.

Moines Upon first walking into the theater, I was immediately impressed by the massive dragon looming over the stage. The stunning staging continued with a larger-than-life clock backdrop, a floating bubble for Glenda, and other props and backdrops coming down from the ceiling.

The costuming was yet another astonishing aspect of the play. The gowns that looked like they were straight out of a fairy tale and monkey suits that were eerily realistic were incredible. Even the ordinary townspeopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothes were so extraordinarily unique that they made the audience member baffle as to their construction.

Undoubtedly, the most awesome part of the play was the acting. The actress who played Elphaba came on the national tour directly from the Broadway cast. The actress portrayed her perfectly as the talented outsider, who stuck to her beliefs despite adversity. Glenda was beautifully cast as the shallow, perky, popular girl who was always concerned about what others thought but also tried to help others and be encouraging. The singing, not only from these two main characters but also from the rest of the cast, sent shivers down my spine and goose bumps to my arms. Ballads like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;For Goodâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Defying Gravityâ&#x20AC;? practically brought tears to my eyes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wickedâ&#x20AC;? was marvelous in every way. I honestly was unable to take anything negative away from my experience. From the stunning staging and singing to the incredible acting and plot, this musical made my heart sing and my spirits defy gravity. t"OESFB )VĂŞNBO BI QFMMBEJVN!HNBJM DPN

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