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LITTLE HAWK Vol. 104

Iowa City, IA

October 12, 2023

Issue 1

City High administration enforces use of SmartPass for all students

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Spoked to cycle Caius Connolly ‘24 and Laine Forbes ‘24 request a pass to the nurse. PHOTO BY ROSANGEL FLORES RUBIO

Lily Rantanen ‘26 uses SmartPass. PHOTO BY YOMI HEMLEY

This school year’s implementation of SmartPass

By Claire Hartwig

proves to be effective in improving attendance

By Yomi Hemley

“I do think there’s a problem with attendance, but I just don’t know that for the majority of people, it’s an issue,” Rachel Matel ‘25 said.

With the data staff members like Ms. Scudder get from SmartPass, Last year, a major concern of the administration was attendance. With they are able to help students better. Specifically, they are able to see the a daily attendance rate of only 89% last year, the administration decided correlation between time students spend out of the classroom in a week to take action against the many students littering the hallway instead of and how it may impact their grades. being in class. So this year, the new program SmartPass, has been imple“I think they’re effective again because they show us extra data of when mented to stop unexcused absences. a student is not in the classroom and how much time they’re spending “My primary role this year in administration is attendance. I thought outside of the classroom. We only get so much time with our students in that [SmartPass] was a really good way for me to get a better picture a day and it’s really important that we utilize all of those minutes, that way of why students are not always in their classrooms and where they’re we can help everybody learn,” Scudder said. spending their time when they’re not in the classroom” SmartPasses are new to everyone, including member of administration Taylor Scudder said. teachers. Because of this, some teachers have also South East Junior High started using SmartPass last struggled to adapt. year, inspiring City High to do the same.

“I’m pretty much a novice with it. I don’t have a “STUDENT ARE “One of the administrators over there started telling well-informed opinion. I think that’s true for most of us BEING us the things that it does to help us track data around teachers.

It seems like it’ll be a good idea,” Math teacher COGNITIVE.. attendance,” Scudder said, “So we started having those Matt Miller said.

THEY’RE conversations last year, and then over the summer, we Despite the initial struggle, staff has had a generally THINKING ABOUT positive reaction. got integrated with the program, and I started setting it WHETHER THEY up here at City High. This is our first year using Smart“I think anything that helps keep track of where Passes,” people are is a good thing. There are 1600 students in REALLY NEED There are multiple ways that administrators monitor the building. So knowing where people are is pretty A PASS OUT SmartPasses so that they can see who is going where and important,” Mr. Miller said.

OF CLASS” for how long.

Although SmartPasses seem to help administrators Taylor Scudder “SmartPass has a home monitor system. So there’s a and staff, students might not share the same sentiment screen that shows all of the supervisory staff and adminand question the efficiency of SmartPasses. istrators who have created a pass throughout the day, “I feel annoyed when I have to pull out my whole how much time is left in that pass, where that pass is going to and coming Chromebook just to go somewhere,” Rachel Matel ‘25 said, “I’m not sure from, and then which passes are expired” Scudder said. how effective they’ve been this year, but I can’t imagine them being super SmartPasses aren’t just helping students get their attendance up, but effective just because people who would abuse it may choose to just skip they are also helping them learn. class or not use SmartPass.”

“One of the things that I’m hearing from teachers is that students are Administration, however, acknowledges student’s struggles with being cognitive or they’re thinking about whether they really need a pass SmartPasses. out of class because it does take an extra step to get out of the classroom.

“With anything new, there’s some resistance. It’s not a perfect system So if students are not creating passes outside of the classroom, they are right now,” Ms. Scudder said, “I just want to give students the opportuinside of the classrooms getting the learning that they’re supposed to,” nity to contact me if they have any questions about SmartPass, if they still Scudder said. don’t understand why we think this system works, or if they want to give Attendance is a big worry for administrators, but students view the any feedback to me. I am always open to feedback and making the system attendance issue from a different perspective. easier for all of you.”

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City High’s new club starts the year strong with its first meeting

The Little Hawk

As fifth-hour ends and advisory starts, classroom 1401 is filled with students wanting to learn more about the new Biking Club.

Students who are novices to biking and cycling experts alike take up every seat available...

CONTINUED ON PG 5

STAFF EDITORIAL

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

By Isabella Young A new legislation accompanies the new school year, with controversy surrounding it. Senate File 456 states that if a student wants to use a name that is different from their legal name and gender identity, then administrators must notify parents and get their approval...

CONTINUED ON PG 10

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2 NEWS

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October 12, 2023

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Hello Little Hawks!

Welcome to our first issue of the year! We hope you have had a good start to the school year. In this paper, you’ll find a collection of stories from all over City, like Catalina’s parking opinion story and the numerous album and movie reviews in the Culture section. We hope you enjoy the work we’ve put into this paper. Every issue is a labor of love! Please take a paper (or two!) home and share with a parent, neighbor, or friend.

Our friends in Student Senate also ask any adult reading this paper to consider donating to the Adopt A Yearbook initiative which you can find by scanning the QR code in the front of the paper.

We are so grateful for the continued love and support shown towards our little paper and hope you enjoy the contents of these pages! We’ve all chosen a song of the season for you to listen to as a thank you. Bark bark bark!

SONG Amor Completo Mon Laferte

SONG How High?

Ice Spice

STUDENT TRADITIONS A collection of homecoming week pictures. PHOTOS BY FOUNDATION OF JOURNALISM STUDENTS

Have a happy spooky season! Bark Your executives,

, ,

SONG Suddenly I See KT Tunsall

,

SONG She Wolf Shakira

October 12, 2023

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3 NEWS

MATH CLUB

Seeking challenges beyond school math

Students involved in the club have begun to prepare for upcoming math competitions

By Tai Caputo The City High Math Club is exploring math beyond the classroom as it prepares for regional and statewide competitions.

Most of the concepts examined in Math Club are related to the standard curriculum from Algebra I through Precalculus. But Sahleh Al-Herz ‘25, a member of Math Club, explained that Math Club math differs from standard classwork.

“For the most part, it’s looking at the topics we already know about and have been exposed to, but going deep into them and finding the nuances and intricacies inside of them,” Al-Herz said. “We learn a lot of things that you never would’ve been exposed to otherwise.”

Al-Herz said that the problems explored in Math Club tend to be more challenging than those taught in the regular curriculum.

“When people think about solving hard problems, they think of something really tedious,” Al-Herz said. “But that’s not what Math Club is about. It’s about finding creative ways to do problems you’ve never thought of before.”

Al-Herz admitted that he doesn’t usually enjoy the math taught in the standard school curriculum.

“Now that I’m in AP Calculus, it’s different,” Al-Herz said. “But before, I never thought school math was very interesting. . . That stuff feels like busy work, and it’s annoying. I might not even consider a lot of [the] stuff you learn in school math. It’s math, but you’re always following instructions. . .

Math Club is different. In Math Club, you don’t even know what

Math Club member Sahleh Al-Herz ‘25 adresses Room 1212 as the group meets before school. PHOTO BY TAI CAPUTO

to do at the start of the class. It’s a completely different thought process.”

Math Club supervisor Stephanie McLaughlin emphasized the club’s innovative inquiry into its subject.

“We use curriculum school math in the math that we do in Math Club, but we also pull in lots of other things from number theory and combinatorics,” McLaughlin said. “It’s not as formulaic, although there are formulas that help us do what we do. . . but you never know what to expect, so your geometry comes together with your algebra, and with some statistics and probability, etc. It’s often more problem-based than textbook math, where you’re just asked to ‘solve this equation’ or ‘graph this function.’”

McLaughlin finds it rewarding to watch students learn in Math Club.

“I’ve learned that my students can teach me things,” McLaughlin said. “They have creative ways of doing things, and I can always learn something from my students.

McLaughlin has seen the club undergo various changes since its founding in 1997.

“Sometimes we’ve got big numbers [of students] in the club, and sometimes we have small numbers,” McLaughlin said.

Like many City High activities, Math Club was affected by the pandemic.

“We couldn’t go to contests or do anything face-to-face,” McLaughlin said. “We had to do stuff online, and that brought numbers down a lot, but it is coming back

up this year.”

Members of Math Club are now striving to recover from the pandemic and increase their efforts to prepare for monthly competitions in which they compete against other schools’ math teams.

“This year, me and the other members have been putting a lot of effort into planning ahead,” AlHerz said. “Every Thursday in the morning, [someone] will go to the Math Club and present a topic that they learned: some little bit of theory and practice problems, if people wanted to do them. But last year, we’d just pick a problem and agonize over trying to solve it the entire time; and then we wouldn’t even solve it.”

The most common type of competition includes four rounds, beginning with an individual

Sprint Round, which involves 30 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. The questions increase in difficulty and calculators are not permitted.

“We don’t expect anyone to be able to solve all 30 in the Sprint Round,” Al-Herz said. “But what we’re trying to get everybody to solve the first 15 consistently.”

The next rounds include one more individual round and two team-based rounds. Students are allowed to participate in competitions regardless of whether they are members of Math Club.

“Even just going to the competitions will give you the experience of doing the math,” Al-Herz said.

“It’s just that you’re not really getting the experience of learning together that you do in Math Club.

There’s less of a feeling of community.”

Al-Herz offered advice for new students looking to join Math Club.

“I want to emphasize that you shouldn’t be scared of looking dumb, or something like that because honestly, every single one of us in Math Club is not even close to as good as so many people that we see in competitions,” Al-Herz said. “We all experience failure there. We’ve all been there, over and over again in Math Club, and it doesn’t really matter. We expect you to get a lot wrong. If you like challenges, then you will probably be a better fit for Math Club because you’re going to lose a lot, you’re going to get a lot of things wrong, and you’re going to be clueless a lot. But I think in the end, it’s fun. It’s a good challenge.”

The City High Math Club meets in Room 1212 on Thursday mornings at 8 a.m.

POLICIES

City High calls for cell phone policy change Administration cracks down on cell phone usage in the classroom with new rules regarding phones

By Will Hand This fall, City High implemented a new cell phone policy for all students. Created in response to high cell phone usage in class by students, the new policy aims to reduce instructional time lost to cell phones. According to the new rules, students will only receive one warning at the beginning of class to “secure their phone,” before having to immediately put it in a phone pocket on the wall if it comes out.

If the phone comes out a second time, a hall monitor will take it to the office, and the student will be sent to the SPACE, a new student behavior intervention center.

The rules are different from previous years, where students would be warned by the teacher to put the phone away after the first incident before having it taken and put in a phone pocket. The change is part of a district-wide movement to reduce classroom distractions,

including those caused by technology. City High’s movement to crack down on phone usage is in line with what most high schools across the country are doing postCOVID. Many schools across the country are experiencing the same problems with technology distractions that City High is post-lockdown.

Principal John Bacon thinks the policy will help students focus more on their work and not be sidetracked by their phones.

“My hope is that by focusing on our cell phone procedure, our students will be less distracted by their phone in class and better able to concentrate on their education,” Bacon said.

Principal Bacon also stated that teachers reported high phone usage during class to him last school year which was a major prompt of the change.

“Based on feedback from teachers last year, we knew we needed to

keep taking steps forward when it comes to cell phones,” Bacon said.

Most teachers who have experienced class disruptions caused by cell phones favor the new policy. Rob Crawford, teacher of AP Physics, said that cell phones negatively affect his class’s overall performance.

“Anecdotally, I find that there is a really strong correlation between phone use and performance on labs/assessments. The more phones, the lower the performance,” Crawford said.

Cell phones have also been shown to have negative effects on student’s health and achievement.

Increase in technology dependence correlates really strongly with increases in depression and anxiety and correlates negatively with achievement and social well-being.

Additionally, Crawford believes that the policy is necessary due to real-world cell phone restrictions.

“Depending on future plans,

Phone pockets in all classrooms for students to stow their phones. PHOTO BY KATE MEIS

many places have even more draconian cell phone policies where violation of said policies can result in job loss,” Crawford said. “Most places have realized what a useless time suck phones represent and restrict usage while on the clock.”

However, some students view the policy negatively. Lucas Ralston

‘24 believes that the policy excessively restricts student’s personal property.

“I feel the policy is too restrictive, even though its aims are good,” said Lucas Ralston ‘24. “It also seems a bit excessive to send a student out of class just for using their phone.”

4 NEWS

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October 12, 2023

Community Inclusion Club members walk together in this year’s homecoming parade. PHOTO BY MOLLY SAVAGE

Involvement for everyone

COMMUNITY INCLUSION CLUB

Community Inclusion Club’s goals, events, and partnership with Sparkles

By Kate Meis Everyone is invited to get involved when it comes to Community Inclusion Club. After hosting its ice cream social to kick off the year, the organization is on to planning upcoming events for the fall.

“Community Inclusion Club, otherwise known as CIC works to create socially inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. We’re trying to build friendships and connect people in our schools so that everyone feels welcome and no one feels alone,” Club President Eli Foster ‘25 said. The junior has been a part of the club since his freshman year, spending his sophomore and now junior years on the club’s leadership team.

The organization hosts many events throughout the school year, trying to organize an activity for its members at least once a month.

“They’re basically big hangout sessions where we just invite everyone to come, and then we have a party. So just recently, we had

CLUBS

our ice cream social recruitment event.” Foster said.

The club’s recent ice cream social was to aid in one of CIC’s continual goals of growing and expanding as a student organization.

“We want to get this club known to as many people as we can and continue to keep an inclusive space for everyone. Everyone is welcome. [The ice cream social] was for new people to come and to see what our club is about or to come and decide if they want to sign up, and to get the year started off. I know last minute it had to be moved inside because of the pouring rain, but we had a great turnout,” Foster said.

As CIC gets back into full swing the club has begun planning its first events, hoping to change a past event so it’s accessible to all.

“In the past years, we’ve gone to Wilson’s Apple Orchard but we’ve decided not to do that because it’s not fully inclusive for people with wheelchairs,” Foster said. This year the club is looking to have a Fall event at Kroul’s Pumpkin Patch to make sure all can participate.

One of the club’s other events last year took place downtown at Unimpaired. Everyone was welcomed to drinks, pizza, and whatever else they wanted. These types of meetings throughout the year are simply considered to be big group hangouts by Foster. Besides CIC’s casual monthly events, the club has participated in both City High’s and the University of Iowa’s Homecoming Parades, walking as a group.

“Our biggest event last year was the endof-the-year party. We had that down at the Oddfellows Lodge about a block from [City High]. At the party, we ordered Oasis for everyone to eat, had a waterslide, and there were a bunch of fun games we did there too.”

Foster said.

Besides its larger events, CIC also pairs with City High Sparkles, an inclusive cheer and dance team that gives students with and without disabilities the opportunity to participate in a school spirit activity.

“We learn routines and perform at pep assemblies and certain sporting events at City High. We have also been given the opportu-

nity in the past to perform at a public library event, a county event, and arts fest. Sparkles helps form friendships and strives to create a positive environment where everyone feels welcome,” One of Sparkle’s team captains, Katy Harmsen ‘24 said. “[Sparkles] is also welcome to any new members. Anyone is welcome to join, we want as many people as we can in Sparkles.”

Foster said. Sparkles plans to practice Fridays during advisory as the year moves forward.

For more information, you can contact Katy Harmsen, Penelope Wilmoth, or the team’s advisor Laura Schwab.

Community Inclusion Club hopes to begin meeting during advisories in addition to their monthly events. The goal is to meet once a week during the school day to play games and hang out with anyone who wants to attend. “There’s always something for someone to do,” Foster stated. The club uses Instagram (@ciccityhigh) to share fliers and announcements with information about all their upcoming events.

United: MESU’s goals and plans City High’s Multi-Ethnic Student Union elects this school year’s secretary at its first assembly of the year

By Ramatou Diallo The president of the club MESU, Wisdom Konu ‘24, expresses his inspirational ideas for the emerging club MESU: The Multi Ethnic Student Union with the goal to promote diversity and shine recognition on students of color and their efforts towards the school.

Wisdom Konu ‘24 took upon the role of president starting this year, had previous experience in leadership roles similar to this one, “I’m very passionate about the purpose of MESU and I would

say it’s my passion project because for example, Culture Day, which I participated in, was a thing last year that was really well received by many. So hosting more events where people can feel recognized as well as where people can learn more about other ethnic groups is very important to me,” Konu said.

Some of the events MESU has taken part in include Black History Month Week similar to Spirit Week and the annual Black Student Summit Field Trip which includes multiple workshops, keynote speakers, and a variety of food choices to choose from. These

events as well as weekly Monday meetings during advisory draw everyone together or in Wisdom’s words, “United.”

For one of MESU’s first meetings, the group met and held speeches to decide on a secretary.

Senior Edjounise Tertulien was elected Monday as MESU’s secretary for the 2023-2024 school year.

“I’m so grateful and appreciative for this opportunity to help promote diversity in our school and I look forward to being in this position, where I can assist in helping shape our school’s culture,” Tertulien ‘24 said.

President Wisdom Konu ‘24 leads MESU’s second meeting. PHOTO BY ESTHER OYUNGE

Though it’s his first year being President of City High’s MESU, Konu has many different ideas including collaborations with other clubs like Student Senate in ways that could promote both clubs generously as well as the efforts of people of color at City, with the two clubs collaborating on video

projects for every Heritage month that occurs during the school year.

At the end of the day, Konu wants the student body to know that the future of MESU is in good hands and plans for MESU to be “A club that stays branded and distinct from other clubs, as well as a comfort place for POC.”

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5 NEWS

STEM CLUB

Planning begins for shed project at first meeting The group met with a Girls Soccer parent volunteer and structural engineer Matt Mettemeyer for a first meeting

By Kate Meis Blueprints are laid out on the tables of Mr. Crawford’s classroom as the STEM club hosts a go-getting inaugural meeting. STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math, is all about problem-solving and that is just the new club’s goal.

“We’re still growing, our goal is just allow people that are interested in STEM or kind of have an extra little budding twinge that [STEM] might be something that they want to go into career wise, It allows them to come and do whatever they want,” Club organizer James Meggitt ‘24 said.

Meggitt was inspired to start the club by his experience with engineering in Mr. Crawford’s Principles of Engineering class and other similar classes. Additionally, the interest of his friends encouraged James to make a group with a set time to meet.

“So we have overarching projects like this shed and we’re thinking about doing a solar system model throughout our city as well.

But if anyone comes with their own small idea, if they want to work on something, we can help them acquire funding, supplies, or support,” Meggitt said.

The club is aiming to do larger projects annually or bi-annually,

Structural Engineer Matt Mettemeyer shows STEM Club the blueprints for past City High construction projects. PHOTO BY KATE MEIS

while still keeping up with smaller tasks like taking apart computers.

For the STEM club’s first-year and first-ever project, their goal is to design an equipment shed for the women’s soccer team at City High.

“We’re going to be designing a shed for the women’s soccer team that will help hold their supplies during practices and when they’re not present. And it’ll be a lot more efficient for them to not have to

move all their stuff back and forth, and will also give us a great experience and a lot of knowledge,” Meggitt said.

Matt Mettemeyer, a structural engineer at the architecture and engineering firm Shive-Hattery, got into contact with James about creating a shed for the women’s soccer team after having first-hand experience and knowledge of the team’s necessities as a parent volun-

teer. Now he is working with the club in all steps of designing and planning for the creation of this new structure.

“So we haven’t done a whole lot of [Planning] yet, but generally [you] talk it over define the problem, you brainstorm and see possible approaches to that problem that you would make, then you discuss [and] see which of those solutions you think might work

best to fit the problem and its constraints, then you really start us designing and whittling away at your overall plan. In this case construction,” Meggitt said.

Meggitt’s goal is to complete this project before he graduates at the end of the year, to stay on track with that ideal deadline the group plans on meeting on Mondays after school in the trophy room and old wrestling room, home of robotics.

BIKE CLUB

Spoked to cycle City High’s new club starts the year strong with its first activities

By Claire Hartiwg

Members of Bike Club pose for a photo at Terry Trueblood after a going for a ride before school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIRI FELKER

Bikers rode on the Clear Creek Trails for one of the club’s rides. PHOTO COURTESY OF SIRI FELKER

As fifth-hour ends and advisory starts, classroom 1401 is filled with students wanting to learn more about the new Biking Club.

Students who are novices to biking and cycling experts alike take up every seat available.

“It excites me. I really felt like there was a hole in that we didn’t have this club. I felt like it was a need but I wasn’t sure how students would respond and if they would feel the same way. So honestly, I could barely chill myself out enough to like to teach for sixth hour. And I think that what’s cool is that it appeals to many people for many different reasons,” The club’s advisor Mrs. Felker said. The club is made up of a diverse group, from students who bike to school every day to students who don’t know how to ride a bike.

Mrs. Felker grew up riding her bike but didn’t start seriously riding until this past spring, “I rode my bike to work every day, I went on other rides and learned how to start fixing it up,” Felker said. She participated in RAGBRAI this

summer and has continued to ride her bike to school every day this fall.

“Bike Club is not a racing club.

It’s not competitive. It’s not exclusive. It’s really about being just radically joyful and welcoming everybody into a community of people who like to spend time on the ground together,” Felker said.

The club will primarily focus on creating a community within City High. Things like sharing biking trails, learning how to fix bikes, and learning how to ride a bike are all to be included in the club’s activities.

As for the club’s plans for the future, expect events like bike rides with other students, learning trails around Iowa City to get from place to place, and biking to try some new ice cream spots.

A main focus for the club is getting bikes for students who don’t have one. Pairing up with The Bike Library so students can get bikes for free.

“We were able to collaborate with the Bike Library in downtown Iowa City to get three sophomores set up with bikes of their own. The

Bike Library is a non-profit bike shop that accepts donated bikes, fixes them up, and checks them out to community members.” Felker said. If those who are given bikes wish to keep them it’s allowed, The Bike Library also provides bike repair lessons after school on Thursdays.

“I think that some big needs are going to be infrastructure like we need more space for kids to park bikes, and for kids to park bikes safely. So I’m working with the teacher of a geometry and construction class here to build covered bike sheds with racks.” Felker shared, referencing the recent involvement of the construction classes in working to build projects around the school.

The group held their first meeting Wednesday during advisory but anyone interested in joining can find the bike bulletin board near the science hallway. The club’s next meeting as a whole is currently unknown as Mrs. Felker finishes organizing things relating to the club, but students are encouraged to get in contact with her via email or find her in person in room 1401.

6 NEWS

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STUDENT TRADITIONS

HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS Powderpuff, spirit week, football, the parade, the Homecoming dance, Homecoming court and more

CATEGORY

Team Powder Rangers poses for a photo the night of the Powderpuff tournament. PHOTO BY MOLLY SAVAGE

By Kate Meis Homecoming is a week for the school and community to come together and celebrate school spirit.

September 18th through the 22nd was City High’s Homecoming Spirit Week with events leading up to the big football game against Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Throughout the week leading up to the Homecoming game, Student Senate and Spirit Club curated themes for Spirit Week. The 5 days were Pajama Day, Barbie vs.

Ken, Bikers vs. Surfers, Rhyme Without Reason, and Extreme Red and White.

Student Senate organized the Homecoming dance, adopting the theme of “Golden Hour”. Student

Senate described the theme as “The period after the sun rises and before the sun sets. From reds and oranges to golds and blues, Golden Hour is the theme where you dress as the colors of the hour of the golden sky”. The decorations included sunset lamps, string lights, and a special themed entryway.

Student Senate also organized the Homecoming Parade featuring City High’s clubs, sports teams, and band as well as the surrounding elementary schools and community. After the parade was the Powderpuff football tournament.

Teams made up of girls from the Junior and Senior classes competed in a tournament-style football competition for bragging rights. 2 Tough 4 Powderpuff ended up on

Kael Kurtz ‘24 runs off the field amidst the game against Kennedy.

PHOTO BY MEGAN SWARTZENDRUBER

top after multiple games against the 4 other teams.

Leading up to the football game on Friday, 14 Seniors were selected for spots on the Homecoming court. Marina Escandell-Tapias, Murphy Fisher, Rosangel Flores-Rubio, Margalit Frank, Joseph Fullenkamp, Wisdom Konu, Diego Loria-Eivins, James Meggitt, Norah Mettemeyer, Evelyn Powers, Avery Provorse, Lulu Roarick, Sophia Romero, and Iris Williams were voted by their Senior class.

Finally Friday night, Wisdom Konu and Evelyn Powers were crowned Homecoming royalty before the Homecoming game against Kennedy ending in City High Football’s defeat with a final score of 61-34.

Class of 2024’s Homecoming royalty PHOTO BY MEGAN SWARTZENDRUBER

Harley Hammen ‘26 poses for a photo at the Homecoming dance.

PHOTO BY MEGAN SWARTZENDRUBER

Sabina Keller ‘27 cheers in the Homecoming Parade.

PHOTO BY MEGAN SWARTZENDRUBER

October 12, 2023

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7 A&E

CLOCKWISE: Chloe McKay ‘24 claps her hands during the halftime show. Members of the marching band take the field at the Battle for the Boot game. Janie Owens ‘25 conducts during the halftime show.Edward Kenyon ‘24 conducts the band in the stands after a touchdown during the City vs West game. PHOTOS BY MOLLY SAVAGE

BAND

New Drum Majors march on Edward Kenyon, Chloe McKay, and Janie Owens take the field

By Esther Puderbaugh

No football atmosphere is complete without the boom of a marching band. For City, this year brings three new student leaders of the band, also called drum majors.

According to Drum Major Chloe McKay ‘24, a drum major’s main role is to help lead the members of the marching band.

“I have to be a leader in the band and try and connect the directors to the kids,” McKay said.

On the day-to-day, drum majors help lead the band class.

“It’s pretty much the highest student leadership position you could have,” said Janie Owens ‘25, another of the three drum majors. “Every morning [we] have to go and have to set up [the] ladders, get the speakers [and] the metronome, and get all the equipment out on the field. [In terms of leadership,] it’s like the band directors [then] and the drum majors [and then] the BLT which is the Band Leadership Team (section leaders).”

On Friday game nights at Bates Field, however, the role and responsibilities of a drum major is more involved.

“Before pregame (when the band comes out onto the field and plays before the game), we have practice [and] we usually practice about an hour before we go out. We start with

pregame [which includes] the freshmen and then after that, we will move on to halftime show with just the sophomores through seniors,” said Head Drum Major Edward Kenyon ‘24. “So [our job on Fridays is] just running through anything that we need to work on and just practicing for the performance. Once we get down to the field, we set up off field for our pregame show. Pregame is pretty simple. Halftime is where the real marching comes out. And so we [also] conduct through the show.”

McKay, Owens, and Kenyon attended a camp for drum majors over the summer to learn more about their roles. One of the topics covered was learning more about the sport of football. “[We] went to a drum major camp and one of the things we went through was football management. And when I read that on the [schedule], I was like ‘what is this?’ And they explained what football was and when you can play so you don’t get penalties,” McKay said. “I have to like pay attention during the football games so I know when we’re allowed to play [so we don’t] get penalties.”

For Owens, her goal of eventually being a drum major was inspired by friends of hers who had held the position before her.

“I always thought that, especially when I was an under-

classmen, being a drum major would be really cool,” Owens said. “I have two friends, Eva Stadtlander (‘22) and Ella Fast (‘23), who were drum majors. Definitely I aspire to be like them.”

Owens’ love of marching band also inspired her to want to become a drum major.

“I think band is a unique community because there’s a community in band that you don’t really find on sports teams because in band everybody does it because they enjoy it,” said Owens. “They don’t do it for the competitive aspect or to compete. In marching band, you’re all working towards learning your show [and] getting mastery of your show.”

According to McKay, being a drum major is special to her because it has helped her to get out of her comfort zone.

“I had really bad performance and anxiety. To be the person that people have to look at, that’s a big change. And it’s been very nerve wracking, but I think it’s been good for me to get out of my comfort zone like that.”

Kenyon’s favorite memory of being a drum major so far is the volume of the band at the first home game this year against Joliet Catholic.

“It was really cool to see how we didn’t march [or] anything but the music was just blasting in my face,” Kenyon said.

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DRAMA

Fall play to open November third Begets: The Fall of a High School Ronin, a dark action comedy set in a high school, is currently in the works and is set to open the first weekend of November

By Esther Puderbaugh

T

he lights in Opstad are set to rise once again on November 3 with the opening of Begets: The Fall of a High School Ronin, this year’s fall play.

“I had a couple of friends who just had the idea of doing [the play]. And because I already had some sort of acting experience from Mock Trial, I just thought it’d be a fun thing to try out. Considering I wasn’t doing a sport this season and it’s my junior year, I’m like ‘I might as well try as many things as I can’,” City High Drama newcomer Brody Clarke ‘25 said. “So I just went for it, and I wouldn’t have done it if not for those friends.

Yomi Hemley ‘25 plays the lead role of Emi Edwards who Hemley describes as “a geek who obsesses over cartoons, but she’s also a baddie who beats up bullies.” According to Hemley, Begets is a little different from fall plays in the past.

“The play this year is even more unserious and fun than it usually is.

It’s super action packed, fast paced, and has some really important rep-

L: Brody Clarke ‘25 and Molly Savage ‘25 run through a scene from the beginning of Begets. R: Director Lauren Darby leads the cast of Begets in vocal warmups before rehearsal’s start PHOTOS BY ESTHER PUDERBAUGH

resentation,” Hemley said. “Begets doesn’t take itself too seriously and that makes it even more enjoyable to be in and to watch.”

Clarke is excited to be putting on a play set in a high school because of the audience’s ability to relate to the scenarios and characters

onstage.

“I think it’s going to be a highly entertaining play. It’s very different from plays in the past [because] it’s a high school environment so I feel [like it’s] more easily relatable,” Clarke said. “There’s a lot of drama in the high school and there’s

a lot of flashy combat stuff. It’s like a drama action comedy dark [play] and I feel like that’s going to draw a lot of attention.”

Hemley is looking forward to opening night November 3 and is proud of all of the work that has gone into the play.

“The entire cast has been working incredibly hard and you can tell on stage that this play means a lot to everyone,” Hemley said.

Tickets for Begets are available at the door or on City High Drama’s Seat Yourself website (seatyourself.biz/iowacityhs).

SHOWCHOIR

Show choirs begin rehearsals

By Estelle Hartz

C

ity High has two Show choirs, Charisma and 4th Avenue. 4th Ave is the varsity group, while Charisma is City’s entry-level, or “prep” group.

Charisma has not yet begun learning music but is on track to start soon.

“We are currently reviewing choreography from our camp (in show choir, it’s called “cleaning” the choreography), and getting ready to start music rehearsals,” Mr. Walker, City High’s Charisma director said.

4th Ave is currently preparing for the coming competition season which takes place each winter, beginning in January, and running to the beginning of March. Charisma will attend 4 competitions, and 4th Ave will attend 5 this year. Both show choirs take a lot of time and commitment from students.

“The commitment aspect of the group is about the same as a sport.

You are constantly thinking about what you need to improve, how you can help others, and what is going to help you individually. I practice about 9 hours a week with the group, and probably around 5-6 throughout the week on my own,” Grace Kirschling ‘24, a member of 4th Ave said.

Community is a large aspect

4th Ave and Charisma seniors pose with their choreographers. PHOTO COURTESY OF AVERY PROVORSE

of City High’s show choirs, they spend a lot of time working together to improve the show and their experiences.

“It’s really amazing to see so many determined people come into the room and work towards one common goal,” Kirschling

said.

Walker says that there is no “bench,” like in athletics.

“The students are very sup-

portive of each other, and there’s an understanding that every single member of the group plays an essential part in the success of the group. Everyone participates, and everyone plays an active role in the ensemble,” Walker said.

Students who participate in show choir all take part in something that is larger than themselves.

“The students just naturally enjoy what they do, like getting to sing and dance,” Walker said.

“But it’s also the sense of community and camaraderie within the groups.”

Show choir requires a lot of dedication, and commitment. Students not only dedicated a week of their time before school started this year to learn the choreography, but they will also dedicate up to fifteen hours a week, including independent practicing.

“It is so rewarding to see all of the hard work that you have put into show choir pay off. Not only individually, but as a group you’re constantly growing and changing aspects of the show, we always say ‘it’s good to have fun, but it’s fun to be good’,” Kirshling ‘24 said.

Show choir is an opportunity for students to do what they love, and be a part of a community with a common interest and goals.

“There is lots of love in show choir! I’ll enjoy getting to see the students grow and improve as the season goes on,” said Walker.

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Jazz Band kicks off with auditions

BAND

Last year’s Jazz Ensemble performs at Jazz in the Meadows in Chicago. PHOTO BY ESTELLE HARTZ

A

By Estelle Hartz

s the school year begins, band directors Aaron Ottmar and Michael Kowbel prepare for the start of jazz band ensembles.

“Jazz is one of our essential programs here, [and] kids really love it because it’s the closest thing to the music they listen to,” said Kowbel. “Pop, Rap, [and] R&B [were] all born from jazz.”

The beginning of jazz band is exciting for many students.

“Community and being social are absolutely a huge part of playing jazz. Getting to know your bandmates and spending time with them can make playing with them so much more fun, and you’re able to be so much better as a band if you’re working with people who are your friends,” said Linus

McRoberts ‘26.

Jazz band is where a group of people who enjoy the same thing can work together and learn from one another.

“The people there want to be there and care about band and it makes it an awesome community and group of people,” said Janie Owens ‘25.

Owens feels that jazz is a learning opportunity and can help her improve her skills through a different kind of music.

“Jazz music is something I like learning about because it’s different than any other kind of music,” said Owens. “It has a good feel and I like growing as a musician particularly in the jazz field because it helps me in other musical aspects in different groups and instruments because of the different structure and techniques.”

City High jazz bands include Jazz Workshop, Jazz Lab,

Jazz Collective, and Jazz Ensemble. Each band will go on to compete in jazz band competitions across Iowa and attend annual competitions like Jazz in the Meadows, which is held in Chicago annually. To be a part of one of the four jazz bands, there is an audition process, which took place the week of September 4th.

“Everybody has a different approach to what they want to do and I think that allows us to place everyone accordingly,” said Ottmar.

Students were asked to play a couple of etudes, scales, and read an excerpt of music along with an optional improvisation solo in their jazz band auditions.

“It can definitely be stressful at times, but because I know that it will be worth it in the end, it can take some of the edge off,” said McRoberts.

VIDEO

“I am ‘Yung Dough’” City’s rapper, Brandon Davie, in his own words

By Diego Loria-Eivins

SCAN TO WATCH

Davie performs at the City vs. West pep rally. PHOTO BY ESTELLE HARTZ

10 STAFF ED

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October 12, 2023

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Little Hawk Little Hawk Journalism Staff Executive Editors Rosangel Flores Rubio Wisdom Konu Esther Puderbaugh News Editor Kate Meis Sports Editors Ahmed Basheir Jack Rogers Opinion Editors Tai Caputo Isabella Young A&E Editor Esther Puderbaugh Culture Editors Wisdom Konu Sadie Bodzin Broadcast Editor Grace Kirschling Feature Editors Hattie Conover Yomi Hemley Copy Editor Greta Hayek Yearbook Editors Lili Moessner Megan Swartzendruber Assistant Editors Amelie Donovan, Claire Hartwig, Estelle Hartz, Molly Savage Staff Bobby Bacon, Josh B-G, Kaitlyn Brown, Helena Echa, Summer Eland, Zsigmond Ford, Lily Rantanen, Catalina Armstrong, Ramatou Diallo, Gabe Egeland, Samuel Keuter, Diego Loria-Evans, Rito Perez Adviser Jonathan Rogers

Mission Statement The Little Hawk, student journalism newspaper and website of City High School, aims to inform, educate and entertain readers. LH journalists follow the code of the journalist by seeking truth, doing no harm, being independent, and working toward balance in all news stories.

All student voices are enouraged to be part of a LH journalism class. To join the class, talk to your guidance counselor today.

Letters to the editor may be submitted to: LittleHawkPage@gmail.com ICCSD Equity Statement It is the policy of the ICCSD not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or socioeconomic status in its educationall programs, activities, or employment practices.

STAFF EDITORIAL

LEAD WRITER Isabella Young The Little Hawk rises against anti-trans legislation and new name law Should the new law be abolished?

YES: 12 NO: 0 A new legislation accompanies the new school year, with controversy surrounding it. Senate File 456 states that if a student wants to use a name that is different from their legal name and gender identity, then administrators must notify parents and get their approval. This law hinders transgender students’ autonomy under the guise of not keeping secrets from parents.

With the rise in conservative politics, LGBTQ+, especially transgender youth, have been under fire as new laws come out. Just a year ago a law was passed that prohibited transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that do not align with their sex at birth, and prohibited Iowa doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormones to transgender minors. Political tension rises as laws like this keep getting passed, and protests from the people it will hurt, ignored.

Along with these laws, The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization founded in 1988 that is focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth, reported a rise in poor mental health and suicide risk in 2022. They reported that 52% of transgender and nonbinary youth in Iowa seriously considered suicide last year, with 22% actually attempting suicide.

Additionally, 54% of transgender and nonbinary youth in Iowa who wanted mental health care were not able to get it.

Iowa Safe Schools is a small non-profit based in Des Moines that serves all 99 counties in the state of Iowa. They work in a few different ways, including supporting local Gender and Sexuality Alliance’s (GSA) and LGBTQ+ students, especially those who have experienced bullying. They have an education department

that works with adults, educators, and corporations to do professional development. They also have an external relations department that goes up to the Capitol during sessions, talks with our lawmakers, and advocates for LGBTQ+ youth policies that benefit them.

They have been doing their best to support students suffering under this new legislation.

“Throughout session, we had lobbyists up at the Capitol every single day, talking to lawmakers and trying to educate them about what these policies would do,” GSA Coordinator Hannah Mitchell said. “Unfortunately, the policies were still passed, so since then, we’ve been working to build guidance for educators so they can follow the law and maintain their professional responsibilities while also creating a safe environment for students.”

Jennifer Barr, the teacher who runs City High’s GSA, has been advocating for students. She has seen first-hand how this new law is affecting students.

“I’ve had at least one student talk about being afraid to say their real name to teachers, and asked me to advocate for them. I had another student who came to our GSA after school and was like, ‘I’m free to be myself here, but I’m not free to be myself anywhere else.’ I worry about the pressure that students might feel if they keep going like this for a long period of time without being able to express themselves,” Barr said.

While lawmakers claim this new law is intended to prevent students from keeping secrets, they ignore the harm this brings to transgender students. Students are being forced to hide even in schools. What more will they have to be subjected to?

If you believe you (or your child) have been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Director at: 509 S. Dubuque Street (319) 688-1000

ART BY ROSANGEL FLORES RUBIO

October 12, 2023

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MUSIC

GOALS SHOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE

What I learned from seven weeks at a boot camp for musicians

By Tai Caputo

T

he clock strikes 10 p.m. and the girl in the room next door is still practicing Wieniawski. The cabin walls are so thin that I can hear every note. This is her last of seven intense hours today of violin practice.

This summer, I took a hiatus from life on the eternal hamster wheel. Far away from my pursuit of a well-rounded skill set at City High, and my desire to be good–or at least proficient–at seven subjects, I was reminded that in each domain exists a depthless challenge, the possibility for profound growth and knowledge and skill, beyond test scores and grades and what is assigned in a class with a structure that will always be finite.

Starting in late June, I spent seven weeks at Meadowmount School of Music, an intensive camp for string players in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. Located near a town so small that the coffee shop only opens for four hours per week, this summer camp is unique in its focus on solo string repertoire and development. Students are required to practice individually for five hours every day.

Meadowmount’s campus is comprised of primitive cabins scattered around a winding dirt road in the middle of the woods. I could not walk down this road at any time of the day without hearing music emanate from the cabins. The camp is proud to state that it has not seen fundamental structural changes since its founding in 1944. I had no air conditioning in my cabin and my showers turned off after approximately five minutes. Following camp policies designed to promote

ART BY ROSANGEL FLORES RUBIO

an environment of total focus and concentration, I did not use electronic devices for most of the day.

This stringent “summer break” gave me the opportunity to engage in an activity in a way that is impossible to do during the school year. Violin is a skill that requires tens of thousands of hours of dedicated practice in order for the musician to reach a high level. In my seven weeks at Meadowmount, I worked, breathed, and dreamed violin–and as a result, I improved profoundly.

In the classroom, the best possible grade is 100%. This means that in school, the possibility for growth and improvement is finite, and so is the mindset with regards to growth. A student who earns 95% in a class only has 5% more that they could improve, even if the topic taught in the class has infinite possibilities. School academics only manage to scratch the surface of what could be learned in a field.

By contrast, in the world of violin, no one–and I mean no one– ever reaches 100%. Even professional soloists, of which there are very few, work day after day to improve their technique, their artistry, and their ability to listen to themselves and change what they want to improve. The nature of classroom learning limits students to thinking only about what they must do to earn good grades, instead of considering what they could do to be the best they could possibly be in a domain. Why should I be satisfied with earning “good grades,” when I could choose my own individual challenges?

The point of putting sincere, consistent effort into a skill, year after year, is not to achieve a final goal, but to engage in an eternal pursuit. I will never be as good a violinist as I want to be, and that is the point. To quote one of my most inspiring teachers, “I will die long before I reach my goal.”

11 OPINION

12 OPINION

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October 12, 2023

TO PARK OR NOT TO PARK

ART BY ROSANGEL FLORES RUBIO

By Catalina Armstrong

I

n 2022, City High updated the parking lots to give students more space for parking. Parking lots were extended in the upper lot by the newly renovated Arena and Hoover Elementary, which were constructed into extra parking spaces. The upper lot was strictly reserved for upperclassmen, whereas underclassmen had the Hoover lot, and two lower lots for parking. In the 2023-2024 school year, rules were changed and permission for parking in the upper lot was extended to freshmen and sophomores as well, resulting in very limited parking for juniors and seniors.

“I think that a lot of people have been waiting their turn for three years, it is part of seniority, and it’s frustrating to have underclassmen parking in spots that are supposed to be saved for juniors and seniors,” Lili Moessner ‘24 said.

Juniors and seniors have now had to park in what was previously known as the underclassmen parking lots due to freshmen and sophomores taking the closest parking spaces.

“I had to park on the street a couple times this week which made me late for my class, I was very frustrated by that because I would have been able to park in the upper lot if it were just upperclassmen,” August Palmer ‘25 said.

“IT’S FRUSTRATING TO HAVE UNDERCLASSMEN PARKING IN SPOTS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SAVED FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS.” Lili Moessner ‘24

Upperclassmen students have complained about safety with their cars in the upper lot.

Seniors have concerns about inexperienced drivers parking and driving the wrong way down the one-way route.

“Ultimately, it’s a safety issue. A lot of inexperienced drivers are on the road, and I think separating the grades was a lot safer because you have the same amount of experienced drivers in one place. Having underclassmen down in the lower lot, where they can continue to learn by experience, is a lot better for them, and it doesn’t impact upperclassmen who have been waiting their turn,” Moessner said.

Parking lot rules have been changed due to the lack of teachers and administrators available for supervision. Principal Bacon has worked hard to abide by students’ wishes for parking and has worked with the administration to provide space for student transportation. City High has invested in additional parking by adding a new lot off of 4th Avenue to give students more parking near

the teacher parking. Although grateful for the parking spaces, upperclassmen students have voiced suggestions of having underclassmen parking in the farther parking lots to respect seniority.

“Juniors and seniors should be able to get closer parking since we have been waiting for three years to be able to park in the upper lot. I feel it is the most fair solution, the closer you get to graduation, the closer you get to park near the doors,” Palmer said.

Attendance is one of City High’s number one priorities, and the teachers and administration have worked hard to ensure that all students attend Every Day, Every Class, On Time. Having designated parking for all grades would allow every student to incorporate enough time into their morning routine to get to school and class on time every day.

“All last year, I parked in the upper lot, typically in the first couple rows. It was really easy to get to school and find a spot on time to ensure I made it to class on time. But this year, I usually get one of the last few spots

in the lower lot which has made me late for class multiple times as a senior,” Moessner said.

Is it really all-inclusive if upperclassmen students are not able to park in the upper lot?

The graduating class of seniors has shown the most frustration with these new rules.

“Part of the seniority of being an upperclassman is being able to get close spots to park for class,” Moessner said.

As a potential solution, students have introduced the idea of having seniors purchase parking spots and be able to paint or decorate them as each student sees fit.

“I have seen a lot of other schools do this and it has always been something I was interested in,” Palmer said. At the beginning of the year when the annual Senior Sunrise occurs, a new tradition for seniors would be Paint Your Parking.

“It would be a good opportunity for class bonding, it guarantees that everyone gets a spot no matter what open period, it’s an inexpensive way to make it fair for the students that have waited for parking privileges,” Moessner said. However, ideas still need to be inclusive to those who cannot afford to buy a parking spot with their own expenses.

“Fundraising is a really good way to raise money for all students. Another idea could be getting waivers just as students do for free lunch. It would be a great way for grade class bonding and a way to include everyone who is graduating to get close parking in a fun way,” Moessner said.

October 12, 2023

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13 CULTURE

LH MOVIE REVIEWS

Asteroid City A love letter to Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City

By Zsigimond Ford Released in the early summer of 2023, director Wes Anderson’s most recent production has been met with rather undeserved mixed reviews. Taking place in a small American town circa 1995, Asteroid City blends Anderson’s beautiful art style and a nihilistic, yet equally beautiful philosophy on not only the medium of acting, but life itself, while maintaining a humorous tone throughout its runtime.

The film begins as a documentary of the fictional play, Asteroid City. Narrated by Bryan Cranston’s character and filmed exclusively without the presence of color, the scenes of the documentary serve to explain many of the questions one may develop when watching the other portion of the film, the play. Filmed in full color, the play portion takes the majority of the film. Within the play is where we find more of a traditional plot. A family of six, who have recently become five, are on their way to a small town for an award ceremony that the oldest son has been invited

GRAPHIC BY WISDOM KONU

to attend. On their way, the family’s car breaks down, stranding them in the middle of the desert with an outlandish supporting cast, and a traditional depiction of the American military. The cast slowly grows closer, until the banter is cut short by the unexpected appearance of, well, an alien. Post-alien we see how our cast copes with this new discovery, and more importantly, the military.

In the world of the documentary, we find the actors of the characters in the play, and more importantly,

the reasons they have for performing, excluding Jason Schwartzman’s character. Throughout the documentary portion, Schwartzman’s character struggles to find the meaning of the play and his character’s actions, placing his ability to act into question. This slowly leads him to what I believe is Anderson’s philosophy on the art of acting.

The cinematography of the film is, as expected, breath-taking. Anderson’s ability to turn any scene into eye candy never ceases to impress. Watching

Bottoms

Bottoms, a new racy lesbian comedy film reinvents the genre

By Sadie Bodzin and Yomi Hemley If you go into Bottoms under the notion that it’ll be a typical high school comedy, you’re in for a real treat. This movie can be described as many things: horny, lesbian, bloody, incel, violent, etc. But it definitely can’t be described as an ordinary high school comedy in any way, which is why that’s exactly what makes this movie so good.

The movie starts with childhood best friends PJ, played by Rachel Sennot, and Josie, played by Ayo Edibiri, getting ready for their school’s back to school carnival. In an attempt to impress their crushes Isabel, played

by Havana Rose Liu, and Brittany, played by Kaia Jordan Gerber, the best friends accidentally “injure” Isabel’s boyfriend, Jeff, played by Nicholas Galitzine. When rumors at school arise and they get sent to the principal’s office, Josie lies about starting a fight club. The girls end up starting this fight club, but not for the reason of promoting women solidarity, but to get with their respective crushes.

Behind the humor of the movie, there are deeper issues of hypermasculinity, violence against women, and homophobia that are addressed as well. However, these issues don’t have to take center stage and control the characters’ personalities or storylines as they often do in movies about queer people. It’s important to be able to represent queer youth especially, and paint them as regular people and this movie does a great job at highlighting the issues presented with humor instead of cruelty. It’s refreshing to see a movie about LGBTQ+ youth that doesn’t shy away from issues in the community but is also able to flip the switch and be hilarious as well.

The comical cuts make the movie itself even funnier and the self awareness of how absurd the entire film contributes to the humor as well. Every character is played in a believable way that really feels as if they are highschoolers. It also isn’t deep with an underlying message. It’s just a

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING THIS FALL

Twitches

the background of many of these scenes reveals the level of care Anderson puts into his films, which allows for a very pleasant rewatching experience. The props of the film are equally fitting in the scene of a small American town, while maintaining the level of absurdist humor that Anderson is known for.

My only major critique of the cinematography and practically the entire film is its use of special effects.

Although the film does not make use of these effects often, when it does, it’s in harsh contrast of visual style to the rest of the scenery, creating a very off-putting watching experience any time they are used.

The film certainly is not without its flaws, its vague and often confusing connotations and sudden pace changes can be rather overwhelming to process. Yet, its beautiful art direction and flawless comedy more than suffice for the hindrance. Allowing for a pleasant watch for a less invested audience, while creating a much deeper viewing experience for those willing to search for it. Asteroid City is certainly a film undeserving of its reviews.

When I Fly Towards You

By Claire Hartwig

A must-watch for all hopeless romantics!

GRAPHIC BY WISDOM KONU

funny movie that happens to have queer people in it. The majority of queer movies and shows only represent gay men, leading to many lesbians feeling underrepresented in their own community. On the rare occasion there is a lesbian film or show, it often includes some tragic story, but that’s not the case with Bottoms. This is why Bottoms’ representation is so important. It makes lesbians and sapphics feel seen in a lighthearted way that people can truly enjoy.

Looking back at other sapphic movies, there are few that are feel-good films that sapphics can enjoy. Bottoms is opening doors for this type of comedy in queer media. But Bottoms isn’t only a feel-good high school comedy, but also proof that there can be queer and especially sapphic representation in media without the character’s going through some dilemma about their queerness, displaying that all queer people are so much more.

Coraline

Twilight

GRAPHIC BY CLAIRE HARTWIG

Coco

GRAPHICS BY WISDOM KONU

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October 12, 2023

Our 2023 MTV VMAs best dressed Celebrities from all over Hollywood attended the 2023 MTV VMAs – here are our favorite looks of the night

By Wisdom Konu

By Sadie Bodzin

First, we have Megan Thee stallion in a sheer custom black tulle Brandon Blackwood dress. The rapper was also adorned with a matching statement choker, anklet, and bracelet which gave a seductive yet classy look.

Olivia Rodrigo, who performed two songs off of her recently released album GUTS, looked stunning in a custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin dress made of 150,000 Swarovski crystals.

Video Vanguard Award Winner Shakira stunned in a backless gold chainmail Versace dress, styled with Piferi shoes.

American actress and model Madelyn Cline graced the red carpet wearing a custom gold Givenchy dress, styled by Mimi Cuttrell, serving a sleek and classy look.

Chloë arrived in a beautiful blue Roberto Cavalli by Fausto Puglisi dress, paired with Jimmy Choo shoes, and Stephanie Gottlieb jewelry that completed the look.

City Girl JT arrived at the VMA’s with a look fresh off the runway, wearing Mirror Palais SS24, which debuted 3 days before the event. The newly debuted pink dress was paired with Marc Jacobs Kiki boots.

Sabrina Carpenter looked angelic in a custom Vera Wang Haute Couture dress paired with gold Jimmy Choo pumps.

VMA “Best New Artist” winner Ice Spice blessed the carpet with a custom Dolce and Gabbana white dress, inspired by artist Britney Spears, channeling her 2003 VMA red carpet look. The Britney inspired look was paired with a Dolce & Gabbana Small Sicily handbag.

With that, here are our top looks of the 2023 MTV VMA’s.

GRAPHICS BY WISDOM KONU

What is Y2K: an analysis An analysis of the futuristic fashion of the early 2000’s, Y2K

By Wisdom Konu Our future. The time beyond our current existence. Generations have tried to picture our world decades after our lifetime and in the late 90s to the early 00’s, the Y2K Millennium Aesthetic emerged as a vision of a Techno-utopian futuristic future.

The term Y2K was coined by Evan Collins of the Y2K Aesthetics Institute in 2016.

Y2K also refers to the Y2K bug of the 2000’s, which refers to potential computer issues relating to calendar data processing and storage for dates in and after the year 2000. But the Y2K aesthetic is technology based and relies on futuristic looks, signaling the optimism for the 3rd Millennium or 21st Century. The aesthetic itself started in the late 1990’s and came to an end around 2004.

The Y2K Millennium Aesthetic was a collective design trend in the 2000s that was prevalent in a variety of mediums that stretched its way from architecture to pop culture. During the trend, black people pioneered the aesthetic in pop culture, creating a subgenre called Afro-Futurism. Afro-Futurism is a cultural sub-genre that explores the African-American experience through science fiction, history, and fantasy.

Y2K was especially prominent in the music aspect, again pioneered by black people, specifically, artists of the time. Marcy Gray’s music video for her track, “Do Something” is the epitome of the Y2K aesthetic, showcas-

ing the aesthetic through architecture, fashion and biology inspired futurism. Another popular Y2K song is “No Scrubs” by TLC. With “No Scrubs” being one of the most mentioned songs when referring to Y2K, the music video features the 3 in a futuristic space station, where the trio wore silver and blue metallic outfits.

The fashion of the period was a multitude of things, ranging from sporty, minimal to shiny and futuristic. One thing that sets it aside from other fashion or other aesthetics, it is very distinct and recognizable. It is mainly due to its styling and heavy integration of sportswear into everyday fashion. The fashion’s origins stemmed from 90’s clubwear as well as rave fashion from the UK and Japan and also has an influence of 90’s hip hop fashion. The sportswear aspect of the fashion made it an easily wearable style during its age and elements of the aspect include tank tops, oversized pants, and exaggerated chrome silver tennis shoes. For high fashion, the look was much more toned down and minimalistic with eyewear as a necessary accessory.

But as time progressed, the aesthetic did die down but in recent years, the aesthetic has begun to gain momentum but has also gotten confused with another overlapping aesthetic of the time period. The bedazzling usually hot pink aesthetic of McBling has gotten confused with the futuristic aesthetic of Y2K when both are distinctly different.

McBling is the child, not the child bearer.

GRAPHIC BY WISDOM KONU

After the Y2K aesthetic died down, McBling and Frutiger Aero were the offspring of the chrome aesthetic. McBling revolves around excess and luxury while Frutiger Aero is a design style and aesthetic that utilizes glossy textures, cloudy skies, and tropical fish. Both aesthetics overlap each other and with that, McBling is the one constantly being mislabeled as Y2K. But regardless, Y2K is having a resurgence again, especially in music, specifically K-Pop. K-Pop girl group, Aespa, is

the epitome of Y2K in K-Pop. They combine reality and virtual reality together to create K-Pop’s first metaverse group. Global girl group, XG, has also dipped their toes into the Y2K aesthetic with multiple music videos, showcasing the technology elements of the aesthetic.

Y2K was not only a bug or an aesthetic but also a form of optimism for the coming future. Let’s bring back the optimistic values of Y2K and embrace the far future together.

October 12, 2023

THE LITTLE HAWK

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO THIS FALL All I Have by Amerie

Trick by Alex G

timeabout, by YUKIKA

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15 CULTURE

LH Album Review: GUTS Olivia Rodrigo’s long-awaited GUTS is finally here, and she did not hold back

By Kaitlyn Brown From Disney channel actress to pop and indie rock superstar, Olivia Rodrigo never fails to amaze with her relatable lyrics and catchy songs. Released on September 8th, 2023, GUTS is Rodrigo’s debut in indie rock following her iconic album SOUR, and the soundtrack proves her ability as an artist to make honest music in any genre she tries.

First tracks can make or break an album, and Rodrigo started out strong with “all american b****” an intense and captivating rockthemed song. While the strong use of instruments can feel overwhelming at some points, she never fails to keep her listeners engaged and singing along due to the incredibly candid lyricism. Grasping her audience with “i’m as light as a feather i’m as stiff as a board,” the classic reciting of our childhood entanglements with ghosts. The subtle connections between the title and her word choice (i.e. “just like a godda*n kennedy,” and “i’m the eternal optimist”) start the album on the right track.

Many listeners recognized the middle of the soundtrack, with previously released singles “bad idea right?” and “vampire” added to the strong foundation. Songs like “lacy” step back into her original era defined as “bedroom pop” with their soft lyrics and instrumental intros. Each of her songs

GRAPHIC BY WISDOM KONU

set the next in motion with their simplistic transitions, connecting the album like glue. Whether it’s found within the guitar synchronization between the end of “ballad of a homeschooled girl” and the start of “making the bed,” or if it’s a simple connection back to lyrics, Olivia Rodrigo’s music pulls listeners through a bumpy yet unforgettable journey.

Rodrigo’s experimental mentality can be seen throughout the album, its vibrant dimension over

Halle’s Black girl anthem: Angel

many sub-genres makes every song likable in their own ways. In various respects it can be linked to her acknowledged idols, icons like Taylor Swift, and yet even with these inspirations she has made a voice of her own. A personal favorite song on the album “the grudge,” appears like it could be just another teenage heartbreak song, but she manages to share her experiences so vividly that listeners can feel what she feels.

Furthering her dynamic relat-

ability, Rodrigo named her tracks after what someone would see within texts between teenagers.

Messages I know I have sent myself, phrases like “get him back!” and “love is embarrassing,” which not only connect listeners to the songs but to Rodrigo herself. Overall, the album really showcases her growth as an artist and Rodrigo ended GUTS on a great note, with the perfect description of the album itself, it really is a “teenage dream.”

LH Album Review: Get Up

Beatopia by beabadoobee GRAPHIC BY WISDOM KONU

By Helena Echa

Either/Or by Eliott Smith

From her YouTube cover days to movie stardom, Halle Bailey has come a long way and has now debuted as a solo singer with her song, “Angel.” Halle started her music career by making song covers with her older sister Chloe, which mainly included songs by Beyoncé.

Through their covers, Chloe and Halle soon became discovered by Beyoncé, and later on, the starlets were signed under her label Parkwood Entertainment. Recently, Chloe and Halle have ventured into their own solo projects. Chloe was the first of the two sisters to venture into her solo career and earlier this year, Chloe released her first studio album In Pieces.

Halle’s solo projects include her role as Princess Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

From fins to legs, Halle has now begun her journey as a solo artist and released her newest single, “Angel.”

“Angel” is a personal loveletter to Black women around the world

from Halle herself. Through its gentle sound, “Angel” has touched the hearts of many people, including me. The first time I heard this song, I felt seen and felt that my beauty as a Black girl was appreciated, and I’m sure that other girls with my skin complexion can relate as well. “Angel” is a self-empowering piece that delves into the experience of growing up as a Black woman in this world. With her role as Ariel, Halle constantly spoke about being a figure for the Black youth, and how representation like that is extremely important. With “Angel,” she continues to preach that message through her lyrics.

As a Black girl, I think “Angel” is inspiring and uplifting, and I believe that this song is going to help a lot of people through their personal battles. I hope when people listen to this song they understand how beautiful Black women and girls are. They are resilient, strong, and brilliant, and it shows from their unmatched beauty.

GRAPHIC BY WISDOM KONU

By Wisdom Konu HYBE x ADOR girl group, NewJeans, has taken the K-Pop world by storm with their unique concepts and execution as a group.

After much anticipation, they released their second EP, Get Up, this July.

Get Up begins with “New Jeans,” a UK garage inspired beat that is a chill track that contains simple yet repetitive lyrics. The music video was a collaboration between The Powerpuff Girls and NewJeans and while the video was unique, the track is not necessarily something special. Another track on the EP, “ASAP,” is the same thing. Repetitive and simple with a good beat behind it but nothing special.

“Super Shy” is another UK garage inspired track that proves to be addictive with its percussion and bassline. Jersey club rhythms and breakbeats are also prominent within the song as well. The song is the most popular on the EP, trending across multiple different

mediums. Non-Kpop listeners as well as celebrities have shared their addiction to the track across social media.

“ETA” is an experimental song from the R&B group with its loud and lively instrumental. The song’s lyrics contain a warning from the 5 girls to their friend about her cheating boyfriend, and the lyrics are perfect for the upbeat catchy song.

“Cool With You” brings back their R&B laidback sound and continues using UK garage beats where their vocals shine the brightest, with the song containing beautifully layered harmonies of the 5 girls.

“Get Up,” the track, is the shortest track in the EP. It’s a dreamy R&B interlude and is a teaser of the group’s upcoming music, as specified by the members.

Get Up is a short but sweet EP, full of addictive tracks and it does its job showcasing that NewJeans is here to stay.

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October 12, 2023

FRESHMEN Cael Kongshaug

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By Kaitlyn Brown

rowing up in a football family, Cael Kongshaug ‘27 has found passion in the environment and life lessons provided by the sport, and he’s ready to see where City High’s prestigious football program leads him.

“I’m very comfortable in the varsity environment. We have a great coaching staff, which helps a lot,” Kongshaug said about the Little Hawk Football setting, sharing experiences and how the program has helped him already. “I’m looking forward to getting reps and improving as much as I can [this season]. Because of injury, I’m the second string, so I get to play JV. I’m happy to get JV reps.”

Starting in first grade flag football, Kongshaug has “always been around football.” Getting reps has been built into who he is, whether it was playing catch with his dad in the backyard or joining seven versus seven leagues.

Kongshaug spent some time down in Las Vegas, and as he would put it, his team “got destroyed, but had fun.” When asked to comment on his favorite football memories, he often goes back to memories from last spring.

“This past spring was a lot of fun. I’m a freshman but I got to play in the 18U division,” Kongshaug said. “Playing against hard competition and good players like Julian Sayin was an [incredible] experience.”

Football takes up a lot of time, but Kongshaug always “trusts the process.” Hoping to reach the Division 1 collegiate level, he makes sure that he is always working hard and committing enough time to getting better.

“After practice every night, the coaches release practice film on Hudl, and I can just spend 30 minutes watching that,” Kongshaug said of his routine both on days he has to practice, and on Fridays under the lights. “Before a game, I drive to the gas station and buy myself a coffee, and maybe a little meal. I warm up, and then after that, I put my earbuds in and start listening to music and getting into the right mindset.”

A classic rock and country enthusiast, Kongshaug takes after his dad in many things.

His “biggest motivator” and “inspiration,” Kongshaug is grateful for the support he has received from his dad.

“My dad always played football,” Kongshaug recalled. “He supports me so much, and he’s always there for me in so many ways. We can always ‘talk football’.”

With a powerful football program behind him, on top of the support from his dad and so many around him, Cael Kongshaug has a bright future. The Grant Wood Elementary alum is always working to get better, and will continue to play a strong role in City High Football.

PHOTO BY MEGAN SWARTZENDRUBER

Hattie Galloway

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By Amelie Donovan

ith 36 blocks, 34 kills, and 16 aces in the middle of volleyball season, freshman Hattie Galloway is definitely a key player in the success of the City High volleyball team.

At only 14 years old, Galloway has made it as a starter and has played in every game so far.

“Volleyball season started off amazingly. I had a really good first game, which I was definitely nervous about. I started off with a lot of blocks, which is important to my position, so overall, it has been good,” Galloway said.

While being a younger athlete in a tough environment, Galloway still manages to battle the anxiety some may struggle with on that Varsity court.

“It was definitely nerve wracking at first, and now there’s still a little bit of those nerves, but it makes it more fun because then, once you kind of push through that and start playing, it feels like a really big accomplishment. I really like the competitiveness of the varsity environment. I think it’s just really fun,” Galloway said.

Starting basketball in third grade and volleyball in fifth grade, Galloway has loved both sports for quite some time and is becoming a force to be reckoned with on the court, with her energy, fierce mentality, and high stats. Galloway thinks of herself as a “very competitive person,” when asked how she finds passion in her sports.

“It’s nice to be able to work with other people to make myself better and to make us a better team, to be able to win stuff because I’ve really enjoyed that part of sports,” Galloway said.

While only being in the middle of the season, Galloway is looking forward to more team meals and playing harder and competitive teams.

Galloway is a multi-sport athlete and she plans to play basketball during the winter season. Specifically for basketball, Galloway has had one significant person to really inspire her throughout her athletic career.

“My dad has probably been my biggest athletic inspiration, because he played college basketball and he really likes it as a sport, so it was kind of always something I wanted to do. I know part of the reason I just play these two is because these are the two that I’m the best at, and then I’ve worked the most at, but honestly, it’s just really fun,” Galloway said.

“I feel like bonding with your teammates is different than any other relationships you get in your life, so I really enjoyed that part.”

Galloway’s main goals for the rest of her athletic career are to go to state for a sport, get better, and hopefully go to college to play D1 basketball along the line.

“I’m really excited to see what the rest of my City High athletic career looks like in the next few years!”

PHOTO BY LILI MOESSNER

October 12, 2023

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17 SPORTS

TO WATCH Maeve Obermueller

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By Halle Larew

tarting every game her eighth grade season, Maeve Obermueller ‘27 had the highest at-bats (106) and a .245 batting average. She found her passion for softball watching her dad and brothers play baseball reaching the heights of D1 college baseball and the Major Leagues.

Obermueller started playing t-ball at a young age and has now worked her way up to varsity softball. She played travel softball for a while, too, and says that it’s a competitive environment but that she had fun making so many friends along the way.

Going into the 23-24 softball season, Obermueller is excited for the chance to play with all the returning players.

“I always feel really good, and very comfortable, too. The others around you always help you and they all cheer you on,” she commented on City High’s varsity softball team. “Everybody wants the best for everybody.”

Obermueller finds happiness in the game from having fun with teammates at tournaments and games, and overall from winning as a team. She is excited for the opportunities the upcoming season brings to meet new people and have fun.

When asked about the best piece of advice she has received, Obermueller shared an impactful answer.

“Trust the process and always work hard. I think effort and hard work is so important when it comes to improving,” Obermueller said. “I [practice] a lot. The time you put into it will pay off [in the end].”

To prepare for games, Obermueller likes to warm up and listen to music.

“I like to sit down and warm up really well. I always take the time to get into the right mindset for the game,” Obermueller said. “Music always hypes me up for games and Molly Carlson always has a really good song rotation.”

Obermueller, like a lot of student-athletes, is balancing many different sports as well as school. She says the best way to stay organized is making schedules for everything in order to make it to every practice or open gym that she can.

“It gets busy, but when you care enough for something you make it work,” Obermueller said. “I always want to try to get better and better every day, [and] improving is always something I strive to achieve. I want to continue to make new friendships, too.”

Maeve Obermuller’s dedication allows her to set big, achievable goals for herself on the field.

Watch out for number 3 on the field this softball season.

PHOTO BY AMBER SEATON

KingSton Swayzer

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By Kaitlyn Brown

ince he was young, KingSton Swayzer ‘27 has “loved the grind.” Having a dad as a coach has led to a successful career in basketball that he hopes will continue throughout high school.

“I’m really looking forward to playing with the upperclassmen,” KingSton commented on the upcoming City High boys basketball season. “I’m excited to expand my competition by playing against some bigger schools in Iowa, too.”

His first game was played in the Mercer Recreation League, and since then he has come a long way. With ups and downs throughout his career, KingSton has always found a way to stay motivated.

His dad, Coach Swayzer, leads the varsity team, but his coaching goes beyond the bounds of practice. While KingSton’s “obvious inspirations” are the all-time legends, he reflects on how his dad has had the biggest impact.

“I definitely have to say that my biggest motivation is my dad,” KingSton said. “He motivates me in his own ways, saying I suck and other things. I like proving him wrong all day.”

KingSton has one goal: a full-ride to a D1 school, with the possibility of a future in the NBA. His methods of achieving this goal include practicing morning and night.

“The best advice I have received is that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. It’s stuck with me my whole life. I feel like I am gifted when it comes to athletics, but if you have talent and you don’t work hard, you don’t get anything out of it.”

For KingSton, the hard work begins at the start of the day.

“Preparing for a game starts when you wake up, getting your mind right, doing yoga, and stretching,” shares the point guard/shooting guard originally from Decorah. “Right before the game, I turn my country music on. I love Zach Bryan.”

Getting hype is the key to a good season. KingSton is looking forward to playing in front of a student section here at City High, and he also hopes that this season brings more career highlights.

With a long history of playing basketball, KingSton has already achieved the goals that many basketball players share. “My biggest highlight is easily when I got my first in-game dunk. It was in 8th grade, so achieving that before high school was pretty hype.”

Catch KingSton on the court this season with his fellow boy’s basketball teammates, and if you are planning to sit in the student section for these games, “get hype and be loud.”

PHOTO BY LILI MOESSNER

18 SPORTS

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October 12, 2023

INJURED BUT NOT OUT: Drew Larson ‘24 injured his right hand which ended his quarterback playing, but he continued playing on defense.

PHOTO BY AMBER SEATON

MIND OVER MATTER

This fall, star City High football seniors came down with season-altering injuries that changed the course of the season

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By Catalina Armstrong

eniors Drew Larson and Jacob Kehres ‘24 were injured at the beginning of the City High football team’s home opener, and first game against Joliet Catholic. During the first game of the season, linebacker Jacob Kehres was injured to the knee at kickoff during the first quarter.

The injury occurred as Kehres was running down the field.

“I was blindsided because I couldn’t see my opponent from my left side. This caused me to fall and land awkwardly on my knee, but because of the adrenaline I couldn’t feel the extent of the pain,” said Kehres. The result of Kehres’ injury was a torn ACL that will call for surgery and extensive recovery.

Trainers had to help Kehres off the field where he was assisted by City High’s personal trainer, Jennifer McHenry. During the second quarter, Kehres attempted to play again through the pain but because of the extent of his injuries, the trainers would not allow Kehres back into the game.

During the second game of the season, quarterback and safety Drew Larson suffered an injury to the hand in the second quarter.

As the ball was handed off, Larson, who was playing safety, went in for a tackle which re-

“I’M GOING TO MISS PLAYING BUT I NEED TO STAY POSITIVE AND SURROUND MYSELF WITH MY TEAMMATES.” Jacob Kehres ‘24

sulted in his thumb bending backwards.

“I originally thought I jammed it, but I got x-rays the next morning and it was broken,” said Larson. Due to his injury, Larson was forced to quit playing quarterback and will now focus on playing safety for the remainder of the season. Larson has also worked through an injury to the hip since the beginning of training months.

“I am disappointed that I won’t ever play quarterback, but I am definitely optimistic about returning to help my team by playing defense and hopefully another offensive position,” said Larson. His injury was resolved on September 6, 2023 with the surgery resulting in a soft cast for a week and a hard cast for the remainder of the season.

Larson and Kehres will continue to work hard to get back onto the field and keep ac-

tive roles on the team.

“I’m going to miss playing, but I need to stay positive and surround myself with my teammates,” said Kehres.

Unfortunately Kehres’ injury will result in a more extensive recovery than Larson’s.

“I will be out for the rest of the season, but with that I can be a leader by helping my teammates. Linebacker Blaine Heick will be replacing my position, so I’ll assist him in teaching him more about the position.

I want to work to help my team so we can be as successful as possible with the circumstances we’ve got,” said Kehres.

On the other hand, Larson’s injury will allow him to be back on the field in a few weeks.

“I got pins in my hand yesterday, and I have a soft cast now. Next week I get a hard cast and hopefully I should be able to be back on the field without throwing,” said Larson.

Safety will be Larson’s primary position while he plays with a hard cast for the remainder of the season.

“During recovery, I’ll need to work on getting my grip strength with physical therapy as well as studying film. I will also work to help quarterback Bobby Bacon in his position now that he is replacing me,” Larson said. “But I am hopeful that I will be back on the field and able to finish out my senior season with my team.”

Senior Jacob Kehres ‘24 walks off the field after season ending injury.

PHOTO BY AMBER SEATON

October 12, 2023

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19 SPORTS

BOYS GOLF

Golfers win MVC Valley Conference Championship

Ethan Nace ‘24 tees off on his 15th hole in the MVC valley divisional. The Little Hawks won the MVC Conference meet by 26 shots. At the Meadows in Dubuque they shot 302. Jack Rogers ‘26 placed second in the conference and earned 1st team All-Conference honors. PHOTO BY AHMED BASHEIR

By Ahmed Basheir

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oing into this year the City High golf team had high expectations.

The upperclassmen-oriented team are coming off a year where they return all eight of their starters and are looking to improve and build off of last year’s results and try to qualify for state.

This year the Little Hawks have already shown tremendous improvement out on the course.

For the first time since 2002, the City High golf team has won the MVC valley division, shooting a team score of 302. They were led

by Jack Rogers ‘26 who shot a 72, Nick Meredith ‘25 who shot 74, and Ethan Nace ‘24 who shot a 75.

“This year the entire team has shown a lot of improvement. If you look at our scores from last year I don’t think we shot under 320 let alone 302 on the biggest stage. We knew we had a decent lead going into the final round but we wanted to make sure we didn’t let any teams back in it and I think we did a good job of that,” Rogers said.

Other accolades from the meet were Jack Rogers ‘26, Ethan Nace ‘24, and Jake Mitchell ‘24 getting All-Conference first team and Nick Meredith ‘25 getting All-Conference second team. New head

LHSTATS 18HOLE

LOW ROUND

69 Jack Rogers 74 Nick Meredith 74 Ethan Nace 77 Jake Mitchell 79 Zach Meredith 79 Drake Obermueller

coach of the team Derek Birt also was awarded MVC valley division coach of the year.

“I’m super proud of the team and how they have continued to improve throughout the season.

It was a complete team win from the top to the bottom. Each boy has contributed a score this score.

I’m honored to be coaching at the school that Coach Don Brown and Coach Jerry Hora helped get established when I first moved to Iowa City,” Coach Derek Birt said.

Rogers ended up finishing second individually by one stroke to previous state champion Reid Hall of Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids. Over the three rounds Rogers went 70, 69, 72. Now preparation begins for their district meet in less than a week.

“I think we have made tremendous jumps from last year being

TEAMSTATS 300 18 HOLE LOW 312 18 HOLE AVERAGE 155 9 HOLE LOW 158 9 HOLE AVERAGE

last in the conference to being first.

It shows all the work we’ve put in need to continue to end this season with a trip to the state tournament,” Nace said.

The team will travel to Cedar Falls for their district meet at Pheasant Ridge golf course. There are 14 teams in the district tournament and only three teams advance to state. The top teams in this district are Xavier, Waukee Northwest, Dallas-Center Grimes, and the Little Hawks.

“We are City High golf. We have always been the underdog.

We may not hit our drives the furthest or have the best iron player but I can tell you this, we are fighters. We fight until the end with everything we have. Nobody knows our name so on Monday we hope to change that and shock everyone at state,” Meredith said.

ABOVE: The Little Hawk golf team celebrates second lowest team total of the season along with a MVC valley division title. This is the first time the have won the conference since 2002.

PHOTO BY AHMED BASHEIR TOP LEFT: Jack Rogers ‘26 chips his shot on the sixth hole at Pleasant Valley golf course on senior night.

Rogers ended up getting medalist in the meet with a 34. PHOTO BY AHMED BASHEIR BOTTOM LEFT: Jake Mitchell ‘24 putts his ball on senior night at Pleasant Valley golf course. PHOTO

BY AHMED BASHEIR

20 SPORTS

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October 12, 2023

The Road to State: 6AM - 6PM SWIMMING

Diving into the upcoming Girls swim and dive season

Margalit Frank ‘24 prepares to make a splash. PHOTO BY LILI MOESSNER

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By Kaitlyn Brown

ecord-breaking swims, some of the fastest times City High has seen, a season full of dedication, positivity, and enthusiasm, all building up to one big goal: qualifying for state Margalit Frank ‘24 and Grace Hoeper ‘25 are both part of City High’s fastest relay, the 200Y Freestyle. In the past, qualifying all three relays was out of reach by seconds, but this year it’s different.

“We are headed in a really good direction,” Frank, a captain of this year’s team, shared. “We want to qualify all three of our relays for state (the 200 medley, 4x50 freestyle, and 4x100 freestyle) because we haven’t qualified all three in a couple years. This team is the most collaborative team that I’ve been on in my years here, I’m excited to see where that takes us.”

Diving off the block, Frank, the third leg of City High’s 200Y Freestyle Relay, got in the water with the intention of catching up to Dubuque Senior in their meet on Tuesday, September 5th. As Frank shortened the distance between the two teams, Hoeper took her mark. No one on the pool deck was surprised when Hoeper anchored her team with an unstoppable split, beating Senior by 2.8 seconds after they started off behind.

Hoeper leads the state with her unbeatable times in the 50Y Freestyle and 100Y Butterfly, but those times do not just show up: they’re sparked by dedication.

“Personally, my first goal is to qualify for state. And from there, it’s all about looking at those times and seeing where I can go from there, learning what I can fix and im-

Grace Hoeper ‘25 leading the way to her first place victory in the 100Y Butterfly . PHOTO BY LILI MOESSNER

prove on,” Hoeper ‘25 said about her personal goals. But she is not the only member of the team showing up.

With two practices a day, City’s women’s swim and dive have a 12 hour day every day. Between swimming and school, there is nothing limiting their commitment and dedication towards improvement. Saorise Miller ‘25 and Senior Captain Avery Mann ‘24 are proof that hard work pays off. With top 15 times in the state in individual races, both girls never fail to impress their competition in the 100Y Breaststroke and 500Y Freestyle, respectively.

“It is impressive that all of our girls are able to continue to do their best without an audience. They are not proving anything to anyone except themselves.” Frank commented on the lack of student sections and support in general for women’s swimming.

“So much of athletic accomplishment is based on mindset.”

As captain, Frank has had a strong career, though she often reflects on the lack of peer support she and many other female swimmers have received. School records have been broken, at relays the team has swept their competition, and the girls swim team has done it all on their own.

The future of City High women’s swim looks stronger than ever as their times improve and the swimmers get faster.

“I want to leave this program with the idea and perspective of this is City High swimming, this is what we do,” Hoeper said about this season’s team. “It’s important to leave the team knowing that they all hold their expectations high, and leave them with that strong, close-knit community also.”

Avery Mann ‘24 and Margalit Frank ‘24 are all smiles for the City vs West meet. PHOTO BY LILI MOESSNER

West High swimmer, Carlee Wilkins ‘24, and Grace Hoeper ‘25 show sportsmanship. PHOTO BY LILI MOESSNER