Goats on the Go comes to the Iowa City Community School District Story on A5
The
LittleHawk
Iowa City High School • Iowa City, Iowa • Vol. 73 Issue 5 • Friday, April 29, 2016 • www.thelittlehawk.com ifuckedyourmom
Electric Cars in Iowa
By Anthony Soberanis-Fern
Local students and members of the ICCSD School Board dig into the new Hoover acreage at the official groundbreaking ceremony, Tuesday, April 5th. PHOTOS BY MOLLY LIU
ICCSD Launches Construction of New Hoover Elementary By Molly Liu
When the ICCSD announced its decision to close Hoover Elementary in the summer of 2013, school board discussion shifted towards plans of compromise in the building of new facilities. Now, the building of a new elementary school is under way-- and could hold many promising benefits for the future of Eastern Iowa City and the school district as a whole. The New Hoover Elementary school, located at the intersection of American Legion Road and Barrington Road, is set for completion in 2017. The current plan for new Hoover flaunts a 65,000 square foot, two-story design; the school will also feature more than 20 classrooms, an outdoor learning space, and a wing specifically dedicated to preschool and kindergarten education. The East side of Iowa City has not seen a new elementary school since the building of Lemme Elementary in the 1970s. For City High Principal John Bacon, the lack of East side school developments in the last 40 years strongly contributes to his support of the district’s decision to construct new Hoover. “My entire life has basically been dedicated to serving the East side neighborhoods, and I want nothing but the best for the East side of Iowa City,” Bacon said. “A decade ago, [the building of a new school] was supposed to happen, and it did not. The
need for an elementary school East of Scott Boulevard is long overdue.” Although the two schools will share the same name, the new Hoover will not be a “relocation” of the current Hoover elementary once it closes. “Because the naming committee decided to choose the same name for the two schools, it creates some confusion. It’s really more like closing one school and opening another,” superintendent Steve Murley said. “Each school will have different populations of students.” The new Hoover’s official groundbreaking took place on April 5th, drawing in a modest crowd of teachers, students, parents, and district officials alike. Lindsey Andrew, a parent of a first grader at current Hoover and attendee of the monumental groundbreaking, is eager to see the outcomes of New Hoover. “[My son and I] thought attending the groundbreaking would be a great opportunity because we are very excited about a new school being built on the East side,” Andrew said. “I think that we do need more schools in this area, and it will be really exciting for my children to be able build a sense of community with their neighbors and be able to attend the same school as them once the new Hoover gets going.” Aside from the excitement surrounding the plans to build the new
elementary school, certain groups of citizens, such as the Save Hoover Committee, continue to fight for the preservation of the current Hoover. Although no definite resolutions have been made, the topic of keeping the current Hoover open continues to be addressed at school board meetings. Murley considers the proposal a possibility. “There seems to be definite interest among the board at this point in time in continuing [the old] Hoover,” Murley said. Although Bacon recognizes the arguments made by the proponents of Hoover’s conservation, he believes that the new district layout will be more logical. “It’s a very complicated issue, and there are pros and cons. On one hand, I completely respect people that want to see Hoover stay open. It’s a great school and I understand how hard it is to think about changing,” Bacon said. “On the other hand, the East side has grown. I believe in the new facility master plan, and I believe that the pros of the plan outweigh the cons.” Bacon also believes that using the extra land provided by the current Hoover will have long term benefits for City High, creating equity among the district’s three comprehensive high schools and providing valuable additions to campus, such as a new gym, new classrooms, and an
improved cafeteria. “The new Liberty High School will have state-of-the-art facilities. City High is growing, and I do believe that it’s important to have equity among facilities. There are some additions to City High that could not happen without the expanded land [from closing Hoover],” Bacon said. “We hope to see amazing facility enhancements.” The new Hoover will also have considerable effects on the redistricting of surrounding neighborhoods. Bacon hopes that the construction of Hoover will attract more families to the East side of Iowa City. “Building a new school can be very attractive [to families]. I think that the new Hoover will bring in the continued growth and development that we have not seen since the building of Lemme in the 1970s,” Bacon said. Some students and parents, however, still feel greatly impacted by the proposals to close the current Hoover. “There definitely is a sense of loss, and I think we have to acknowledge that. That is one thing that played into the decision to name the new school ‘Hoover Elementary’,” Murley said. “We wanted to make sure that people would still have that sense of tradition and connection as they did with the old Hoover.”
With a sleek design, the Tesla Model X, released in 2015, is a fully electric SUV with a battery providing 257 miles of range. Electric cars like the Tesla have been gaining momentum in the Iowa market. “That’s really the first mass market [electric] car, where, in the first week, they sold over 300,000 cars,” Daniel McGehee said. McGehee is a professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Iowa. He works with driver performance and new driver technologies. McGehee has worked to develop safety technology in electric cars, and suspects they will gain ground. “The prices [of electric cars] are going down drastically, although they’re still very expensive given how cheap our fuel prices are,” he said. “When we have cheap gas prices, there isn’t real incentive to spend an extra $20,000 on electric cars. But in the future, there will be more incentive.” Manufacturers are now addressing the issue of high prices that put electric cars out of reach for many Americans. Cheaper models of electric cars are around $23,000, which, although too expensive for high schoolers to purchase themselves, are cheap enough for the average American family. Despite the price barrier, the environmental benefits of the cars are prompting more construction of charging stations in the U.S. “Electric cars don’t have any footprint;they’re much better for the environment,” McGehee said. As of 2015, there are over 32,672 charging stations in America alone. However, there have been complaints the manufacturing process takes up more power and releases more emissions than a standard gas-powered vehicle. Overnight charging and dependence on the power source can release a lot of emissions, something the electric car and its producers strive to reduce or even erase entirely. “I think we’ll have to lean towards more of a Hybrid car instead,” Mary Lestina said. “If we had a zeroemission car, that would be amazing. But we also have to consider how much goes into its production and maintenance.” Another concern, at least for Tesla’s line of vehicles, is their sales model. Tesla goes through their own dealership, which has elicited negative reactions from car salesmen, who have pushed to block electric car sales in four states. And in Iowa, West Des Moines test drives have been halted. Many are optimistic electric cars will become more prevalent. “They will become common in the future,” Joey Schnoebelen ‘17 said. “They are better for the environment than cars that run on gasoline.”
A2 PREVIEW
April 29, 2016
Section A
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Iowa City Farmers Market Expands Use of SNAP Benefits
NEWS
The LH Feature Magazine
4
Improved US-Cuba Relations By Sofie Lie
By Zoë Hopewell
12 3
Senate must Consider Garland By Cody Owen
sticks & stones
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By Nova Meurice & Sarah Smith Understanding the politics and power dynamics of words and who gets to use them can be a tricky balancing act, even for those involved in reclamation movements.
10
veg*n for a reason By Sonali Durham
Hancher Announces Collaboration with Joffrey Ballet
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Ellis says NO: To network T.V. By Ellis Fontana
By Jim Geerdes & Lucy McGehee
the lh sports magazine The joe cress photography spring tribute sports magazine special edition
alumni profiles: cora & katrina ‘15
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By Caroline Brown & Lucy McGehee
Katrina Scandrett ‘15 is studying beauty and hairstyling in Des Moines while Cora Bern-Klug ‘15 is taking a gap year in Ecuador and documenting the experience on her blog Ecuacora.
A Letter From Your Editors
By Dominic Balestrieri-Fox, Sonali Durham, & Claire Noack
Hello, dear readers. Or perhaps we should say goodbye. Because ((somber) drumroll please) this is our last issue as executive editors of the Little Hawk. That’s right: after one year, seven issues, and a LOT of sour gummy worms, we are moving on. Father bird Rogers will shove us through a hole in the wall of the newslab, since we don’t have windows, and we will (hopefully) flap our wings and fly (get it?). It’s been a good time. Learning and writing about our school, designing pages late into the night, and of course working with the lovely members of our staff are memories that each of us will cherish forever for a long time. The same goes for the lessons we’ve learned, or at least tried to learn, along the way: cooperation, meeting deadlines, critiquing and accepting critiques. These are lessons that can be applied not just to the cloistered world of room 2109, but to life in the real world (or at least we hope that’ll be the case; we haven’t left the News Cave in several months, so we don’t know exactly what the real world is). This issue, in particular, has presented new challenges and opportunities to think about problems relevant not just to high school students. From a story about legislation on por-
nography in Utah to one about how U.S.-Cuba relations will impact the state of Iowa, the staff of the Little Hawk has tackled topics on a new level of importance throughout this paper. We’ve had conversations about how to frame these issues maturely, and how to present them fairly. It’s been a learning experience for everyone involved, and we hope you enjoy reading and thinking about this final fruit of our labors before we hand things off to a new batch of fresh-faced journalists. Love,
NEWS
A3
April 29, 2016
Bucksbaum Academy Expands to Include Sophomores By Celeste Chadwick
The University of Iowa’s Belin Blank Center has offered early entrance to the university for juniors and seniors in high school from across the globe since 1999. However, recently the academy received a $10 million donation from Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan and Patrick Scanlan to build a center at the Belin Blank Center for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). This new center integrates arts and humanities into the STEM program. “[The program] gives students a headstart on their degree program at the university. In addition, through the Belin Blank Center, there are a lot of extra learning opportunities,” City High guidance counselor Linda Hoel said. The Bucksbaum Early Entrance Academy is for high-achieving 10th graders. These students enroll at The University of Iowa the semester following the completion of their sophomore year as first-year university students. Gabriel McCormick ‘18 is one of many who has considered the academy. She considers the rigor of college versus high school. “I could definitely be more academically challenged. However, taking into account extra curricular activities, I would say I’m being fairly challenged. Although I could handle more,” McCormick said. Students who enter the academy are considered university students. In their first year, students are required to live in the honors residence hall, Daum Hall, which attaches to the Belin Blank center by a skywalk. However, second-year students may live in any residence hall on campus. “I think for a mature student then it can be a really good idea because they can get started with their college and become attached to the University of Iowa or a university setting,” Doug Lestina, sophomore English teacher at City high, said. “Although, I think for a student who isn’t [academically] mature, that they would be better off to stay in high school and get a more
rounded education before heading off somewhere that academically rigorous.” The majority of students who plan to attend this following semester will enroll at The University of Iowa in Fall 2016. McCormick would like to continue with her high school career as she values exposure to a wide variety of topics. “I like the broad spectrum of things that I’m learning at City High, so I don’t think I would do [the academy],” McCormick said. In addition to the Bucksbaum Early Entrance Academy, The Belin Blank Center offers many other additional educational opportunities for high school students. “There are a lot of online learning opportunities for our students to take advantage of,” Hoel said. During the summer there are several of special programs that are available to both highachieving students and students needing special support. These programs will benefit both students attempting to get into the academy, and students who are interested in more help in high school. The Belin Blank Center staff plans many social and cultural social events throughout the year including theater events, Thanksgiving lunch, spa days, and an annual graduation luncheon which gives students an opportunity to get to know upperclass students and staff of the program. Educational acceleration policies vary from state to state. Iowa allows the school board to decide policy involving the acceleration of students. The University of Iowa hopes to admit between 12 and 20 students from across the country into the Bucksbaum academy this upcoming semester. Once admitted, students will be learning with other teenagers also in the academy. “I would recommend it to the right student,” Lestina said. “[The academy] is just one more opportunity for students to get a jump start on their college career.”
INFOGRAPHIC BY OLIVIA PARROTT
The Little Hawk Earns National and State Recognition By Madeline Deninger
PHOTO BY JIM GEERDES
Hancher Announces Collaboration with Joffrey Ballet By Jim Geerdes & Lucy McGehee
Eight years and $176 million has led to the architectural feat that is now Hancher. In 2008, Iowa City was crippled by the flooding of the Iowa River. The high waters devastated everywhere from Downtown to Lower City Park, where the old Hancher resided. Flood damages accounted upwards of $750 million. Student dorms, roads, and the theatrical center of Iowa City, Hancher, all took severe hits during the flood. Historically, Hancher has hosted a variety of shows, including Hamelot and other works of art. The razing of Hancher in 2008 offered a new canvas for theater in Iowa City. The University did not shy away from the project to rebuild Hancher. Chuck Swanson, the Hancher Executive Director, is very excited about the rebirth of Hancher. “It’s going to be a world class facility,” Swanson said, “We’re creating history on this stage.” On Tuesday, April 12th, Chuck Swanson held
a press conference concerning Hancher’s near completion. The world class facility will be host its premier show, The Nutcracker, on December 7th as part of its partnership with the Joffrey Ballet, a world-renowned performance group based out of Chicago, to create this $4,000,000 performance. Ashley Wheater, Joffrey Ballet artistic director, announced the collaboration between Joffrey Ballet and Hancher Auditorium alongside lead Joffrey dancer April Daly and Hancher executive director Chuck Swanson. Wheater has danced for The Nutcracker for a total of 50 years, starting at the small role of “The Naughty Prince”, and working his way up to lead roles such as the “Nutcracker”. Joffrey and Hancher’s relationship started in 1974, when the tour, initiated by the National Endowment for the Arts, first introduced the Joffrey Ballet Company to Iowa City. In addition, the ballet company also performed The Nutcracker on Hancher’s original stage in 1987. “You have always had a world class theater and world class art,” Wheater said of Hancher.
This December, the brand-new Hancher stage--facing 1,800 seats--will host The Joffrey Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker, directed by Christopher Wheeldon. Wheeldon is a well known choreographer throughout the theater community. He most recently won a Tony Award for choreographing An American in Paris. According the Wheater, in addition to the intricate choreography by Wheeldon, a sophisticated set will also be created -- featuring an enormous Christmas tree, snow, and around 400 local children. “There are other magical things that I’m not allowed to talk about,” Wheater said. April Daly is the leading Joffrey artist for the production. Daly performed The Nutcracker in the original Hancher as her ballet career was just beginning, starting in a small background role and working her way up to lead roles, such as the “Sugar Plum Fairy”, and now, the lead artist. “I’m excited for new dancers to experience this [production],” Daly said. “[Iowa City] has always been so kind to us. Being here and thinking about the future is very exciting.”
The winners of the Online Pacemaker Award are announced at the conclusion of the annual Spring National High School Journalism Conference. This year, The Little Hawk was among the 15 schools in the country to be awarded the Pacemaker by the National High School Press Association for its website. “I think that digital journalism is really important, and to be awarded in this field is great,” City High journalism teacher Jonathan Rogers said. “It was great to see The Little Hawk be awarded for all of the innovative story techniques they’re trying this year.” Following the conference was the announcement of the Iowa High School Press Association’s spring contest winners. The Little Hawk was awarded first place for web design. “I started being web editor my freshman year, and [the pacemaker] was something we always wanted to get,” Little Hawk web editor Sarah Smith ‘17 said. “We’ve been working so hard that I think finishing off the way we did was really satisfying. I’m really confident about the staff we have. I think they did really well this year, so I’m extremely happy, but I’m not surprised with the people we have writing.” Along with the award for web design, the Little Hawk staff won several individual awards for writing, online stories, and design. In all, the Little Hawk won ten first place individual awards. Claire Noack ‘16 and Innes Hicasamaz ‘16 won first place in the sports stories category with their profile for City High cross country coach Tom Mittman’s battle with cancer. “It’s cool that we get to be recognized at a state level for doing something well, and writing a story that people respond to,” Noack said.
A4
April 29, 2016
NEWS
Increased Trade with Cuba Could Have Implications for Iowa A City High graduate and a marketing director for the Iowa Soybean Association discuss Cuba’s role as a world power and the prospect of Iowa tapping into Cuba’s agricultural market. By Sofie Lie The U.S. has been isolated from Cuba for nearly 50 years. But now, following President Obama’s March visit to Havana--the first visit by a U.S. president in 88 years--there is talk of further normalization through lifting the trade embargo, which brings to light a potential beneficiary: Iowa farmers. “We know there will be a benefit [from naturalized relations]; our national organization has been actively trying to open up the Cuban market for soybean and soybean product exports,” Grant Kimberley, Director of Market Development for the Iowa Soybean Association, said. Iowa is a key player in both the soybean and corn industries, and, therefore, tapping into the Cuban market could prove to be beneficial for American farmers. As for Cuba, Kimberley says, relative proximity to the U.S. could be advantageous. “We want to have as many open markets and growing markets as we possibly can,” he said. Anton Buri ‘15 has lived in Havana, Cuba, for the past year, a decision aided by both his dual Canadian-American citizenship and his connection to a friend of his grandfather, who is the sole foreign lawyer residing in Havana. He agrees that lifting the embargo would be beneficial for both parties involved. “The Cuban people are 100 percent ready for the end of the embargo. Absolutely. I think they deserve it, and they should support it,” he said over email from Old Havana. Buri first visited Havana for a week after graduation before deciding he would spend the year there. “A lot of big things are happening here,” he said. “[Cuba is] kind of on the world stage right now.” Since Buri’s move, Havana has seen many rarities: the influx of American tourists, Raul Castro’s taking questions from American reporters, and the Cuban National Baseball Team’s first game against a big-league team since 1999. “The tourism is booming, and I think this just adds to a busy Cuba,” Buri said. “Hotels are being built, streets being repaired. Things like
that are happening right now that apparently haven’t happened in a while here.” Buri, who spends time volunteering in Old Havana, was in the midst of the energy sparked by President Obama and Secretary Vilsack’s visit.
“You knew that the whole country was doing the exact same thing, in this case following Obama on TV. It was all people talked about, people were crowded waiting for his cars to pass,” he said. And the energy, Buri says, was im-
mense. After years of hostility, the visit by a U.S. President was a milestone. “It felt very special,” he said. “People here absolutely love Obama and loved the way and things he said.” Since Obama and Vilsack’s trip, the Cuban agricultural market has be-
come more open. The Iowa Soybean Association now conducts restricted trade with Cuba. “It’s really new, and we haven’t been able to do much with it yet, but later this year, and going into next year, we’ll be able to start doing a lot more work, so that will be a great opportunity,” Kimberley said. And for Cuba, the first step towards becoming a world power in trade, according to Kimberley, is economic modernization. “If they have a bit more income potential and their GDP improves, [then] they will have to start adding more food, which will, in turn, be good for us,” Kimberley said. However, he says it’s too soon to tell exactly how bettered relations with Cuba will benefit the Iowa agricultural market. “We don’t know how it will translate yet, but it will be a net positive for [Iowan] agriculture, no doubt about it,” he said. But with talk of Cuba progressing, concerns arise: for Buri, it’s the potential loss of the Cuban lifestyle. “The big idea is that Cuba has a rich, rich history. And this has created a very special culture and population,” he said. “Now Cuba has an incredibly unique opportunity to finally move forward, which is totally necessary, but with a little bit more caution and knowledge than the rest of the world had. It should try and do so without losing the values and things that make it such a special place.” Kimberley is less cautious; he believes that opening trade can help reform past conflict. “[Trade] can help solidify and improve overall relations between countries and cultures,” he said. “Over time, if you have a growing economy and strong bilateral trade, usually, those forces win out all of those others political things.” Buri is more skeptical, and while advocating for free trade, he warns against countries exploiting the Cuban market. “This will require the right leadership within Cuba, as well as awareness and respect from foreign entities looking to do work with and in Cuba,” he said.
City High Choirs Perform in Annual Cathedral Concert By Molly Liu
The sounds of sacred choral music filled St. Mary’s Cathedral on Wednesday, April 13, as the City High Choirs sang in their annual Cathedral Concert under the direction of James Berry and Dr. James Thompson. “Holding a concert at a cathedral is more true to what this kind of music was written for,” Berry said. “We want students to sing this music in a cathedral setting because the sound is very different [than] in most auditoriums.” Even though the concert is held at a different venue, Berry says that he prepares for the cathedral concert in the same manner as he would for a concert in Opstad Auditorium. “The only difference [between the cathedral concert and our home ABOVE: The City High Singers, under the direction of James Berry, perform their first piece. PHOTO BY MOLLY LIU
concert] is that there is more of a focus on sacred music,” Berry said. Although not everyone involved in City High’s choirs is religious, Berry believes that it is important for students to experience different styles of music. “There is great music that is secular, and there is great music that is sacred, but I think that it would do a disservice to the art of choral music to just be doing [one genre or the other],” Berry said. “You have to have some kind of balance.” Danielle Tang ‘17 agrees, and acknowledges the prominence of this concert. “We can experience different styles and become versatile singers,” Tang said. “The concert is very special, and I would consider it to be one of my favorite performances of the year.”
NEWS
A5
April 29, 2016
One to One:
City High Welcomes New Club
ICCSD Moves Closer To Chromebooks
By Olivia Parrott
On the tech trail to one to one, City High is taking its first steps in the 2016-2017 school year to make one computer per student a possibility. In considering the size of this major district initiative, the ICCSD technology committee deemed Chromebooks the best choice as they offer the accessibility of a computer at the cost closer to that of a tablet. “Chromebook stood out as, by far, the logical choice because it’s the best of both worlds: it’s the closest thing to a laptop at a fraction of the cost,” City High Principal John Bacon said. The project began about five years ago when then-assistantprincipal Terry Coleman and Bacon teamed up to push One to One conversations into the district agenda. With the expertise of assistant superintendent Matt Degner, who has led One to One initiatives in other school districts, and a “good deal” on Chromebooks, the ICCSD has been able to move forward in its goal to outfit each student in the district with a computer, although the plan has not yet been finalized. “I want to be clear that this is
By Claire Noack & Lucy Wagner
not 100% yet, Bacon said. “But this is what we’re striving to do, and I’m confident this is going to happen.” The current district plan is to purchase 300 Chromebooks each for both City High and West High schools and 150 for each of the junior high schools. This breaks up into 10 carts of 30 for each high school. However, Bacon recognizes that in order to accommodate large class sizes, computer carts will have to be strategically reconfigured. City and West are also working closely to keep their uses aligned. “The administrators at both schools felt like it would be nice to do this together so that we don’t become really different in terms of how we’re using [the Chromebooks],” Bacon said. The two schools decided it would be best that Chromebooks be first introduced to the English department, with one cart in each classroom. “I think it’s a great step because that way an entire department really starts to get familiar with how to incorporate this device into their instruction, use it to enrich what they’re able to do, and use it as a tool to enhance instruction,” Bacon said.
Bridget Brown ‘18 is already using Chromebooks in her English and science classes, where she utilizes the computers for video projects, bibliographies, narratives, and Google Classroom. “At first it was harder [to use computers] because I’m not completely computer-savvy, but I’ve gotten used to it, and it’s actually a lot easier because you can upload assignments from anywhere,” Brown said. The ICCSD decided it best to assign Chromebooks to entire sections at one time after debating a system where teachers would submit an application to state their specific uses for the Chromebooks. The advantages to this system, according to Bacon, would be that Chromebooks would go to innovative, interested teachers. However, the district ultimately decided that keeping consistency with use within a school and between schools is most important. “What I fear is if you have one section of World History with the Chromebooks, our two sections within our school of that class would look very different,” Bacon said. “Depending on which teacher you have, your experience in that class could be very different.”
Brown appreciates the accessibility of the Chromebook cart in her classes. “If we have them full time, we can use them for everything without having to compete for them with other teachers,” she said. Bacon sees first-hand the strain lack of computers has on teachers’ lesson plans. “As I walk in the door at City High, a common complaint I get from teachers is that our computer labs are constantly tied up,” he said. “It’s really really hard to get lab time. It’s like a traffic jam; teachers rush to sign up to get lab time. A lot of it, at times, can be Language Arts teachers using it for paper-writing and such that doesn’t require a full, powerful computer lab, but they still need the computers.” Bacon sees Chromebooks at City as a way to provide full time access to computers while allowing classes who need functionality of a powerful computer more availability. “It’s like a double-positive: not only do we get Language Arts teachers to be given these carts, but it’s going to free up our labs for everybody else,” he said.
Up-and-Coming Goat Business to Work in ICCSD By Sofie Lie
In 2012, Goats on the Go Founder Aaron Steele employed the use of five goats to clear out his two acre property in the country. The goal, he said, was for the goats to eat the extra pasture and to provide chores for his son to do in summer before being sold in the off-season. But Steele instead kept the goats, a decision he said was motivated by both his love for the goats and the increasing demand for a goatpowered sustainable business. “We had some idea that a business like ours existed elsewhere,” Steele said. “However, there were very few businesses like ours in the midwest.” Steele began to watch YouTube videos and research similar companies, mostly based in the west, to see whether there was a market for his business. But, Steele said, Goats on the Go was not promoted in its first months; customers, rather, sought the service out. From there, his business, based out of Ames, only expanded. “We got more customers than we ever expected, and we’ve been growing ever since,” Steele said. Now, Goats on the Go houses upwards of 120 goats, 40 of which are sent to eastern Iowa to work in the spring. The goats work best in unused environments with dense vegetation; recent projects include clearing landscape at Prairie Rose State Park in Harlan Iowa. “The goats are kind of like bushwhackers, they get vegetation down to a manageable level,” Steele said. And the goats’ next project? Two ICCSD elementary schools: Penn and Shimek. Last fall, the school board contacted Goats
The goats working to restore prairie. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOATS ON THE GO
on the Go about the idea. Now, they have set a tentative date for the project--the 16th of May-although the plan isn’t yet finalized. According to Steele, one of the appeals of goats are their sustainability. They replace herbicides and have good balance, and can, therefore, prevent erosion otherwise caused by machinery. “[The sustainability aspect] is important,” Steele said. “It’s something that just makes sense in a lot of places.” Laura Cornell ‘16, who works with sustainability group, NextGen, believes that the prospect of using goats to clear landscapes in the ICCSD could bring environmental awareness. “I think that [Goats on the Go] has a really
bright future; I think it’s great,” she said. While Steele says that sustainability is important to him, it’s often not the most important aspect to his customers--the goats themselves are. “I think that all of our customers appreciate the environmental benefits of our service and they appreciate having their vegetation problem addressed, but I think that, for many of our customers, it’s at least as big of a motivating factor to just have goats around,” Steele said. Although Steele still holds an off-season job, he doesn’t see his Goats on the Go customers dwindling. “I see [the business] expanding; I see a lot of demand for it,” he said.
The sound of heavily-accented English mingling with the voices of earnest highschoolers rose towards the ceilings of the City High commons. Roughly 20 people sit in a half circle, ready for City High’s Welcome! Club to commence. “I’ve been around a lot of ELL students, and I knew that a lot of their parents struggle with not knowing English and not being able to be very involved with their kid’s lives,” Bihotza James-Lejarcegui ‘18 said. James-Lejarcegui, a native English and Spanish speaker, started the club to help immigrant parents learn English after volunteering for a similar program at a church in North Liberty. She named the club Welcome! and hopes the club will assist City High parents in everyday communication. Welcome! meets each Sunday in the City High Commons from 2:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m. The club pairs students, many enrolled in French or Spanish classes, with each parent. Each week has unique lesson plan, like introductions, basic communication skills or using Powerschool. “A lot of these people went to college back in their countries,” James-Lejarcegui said. “They had good jobs, they were important people. When they came [to America], they aren’t really like anybody. Their challenge is that they can’t contribute to society here the way they could in their home country.” James-Lejarcegui’s mother Izaskun Lejarcegui, a tutor at City High for ELL students, assists with Welcome! each week. “The club was Bihotza’s idea,” Lejarcegui, a native English, Basque, French, and Spanish speaker said. “I was telling her about my students and how their parents can’t get involved in school because they don’t speak English. I try to do as little as possible in order to give her a leadership role -- Bihotza teaches the lesson.” Lejarcegui was an immigrant to America herself. She understands firsthand the complications of being unable to speak fluent English in America. “When I came to [America] 15 years ago, I had to make phone calls, talk to the teachers of my children, and talk to the neighbors [in English],” Lejarcegui said. “I could not drive or pay bills. I could not talk to a person at the supermarket and say: ‘I don’t want this milk, I want the other one.’ I could not communicate.” James-Lejarcegui is impressed with the amount of support Welcome! has garnered, as well as how smoothly the program has run. “So far there haven’t been any problems,” James-Lejarcegui said. “All the people that come really want to learn English so that they can get a good job and support their family. It can be different with the different cultures -- you have to figure out where they’re from and what they’re like, and you have to accommodate to them. It can be hard to put yourself in their place because you don’t know where they came from or why they’re here in the first place.” Matthew Dodge ‘17, a volunteer at Welcome!, believes the only issue of the club stems from the language barrier. “I speak English and Spanish, and a lot of the [members of Welcome!] speak French,” Dodge said. “Communication can be difficult, but we make it work.” The club is almost completely run by high school students, an aspect that connects the City High students with different generations as well as different cultures. “I just really love being around all the immigrants that are really trying to learn English and being around all the volunteers in high school who are willing to do this,” JamesLejarcegui said. “I think it’s really cool seeing a bunch of teenagers getting involved with adults that don’t speak their language. That doesn’t normally happen.”
A6
April 29, 2016
Martin’s Battle for Life For Martin Luna ‘17, life has been nothing but hospitals, surgeries, and cancer. But through it all, he keeps the positive perspective that everyone knows him for. By Bella Pittman
Ever since he was a 2 year old boy, Martin Luna ‘17 has been in and out of the hospital enduring surgeries, tumors, and cancer. He battles through it all despite his emotions on why this happened to him. “It’s damaging my organs, and it can go back to my spine. It makes me tired, weak, and pale, and it makes me lose my appetite” Luna said. “I was sad and confused and I thought ‘why did this happen to me at such a young age?’” Recently, Luna has been in and out of the hospital more frequently as his cancer has grown and become more severe. He has gone through multiple treatment options like radiation, chemotherapy, and surgeries. As of now, treatment options are limited, and Luna cannot do much else to treat his situation, nor does he know how long he may have. “The doctors have said that they can’t do anything else to help me. They have said that there is no cure for my cancer,” Luna said. On June 15th, 2014 Luna was diagnosed with a disease called NF1, also known as Neurofibromatosis Type 1. This particular illness causes the cancerous Malignant Peripheral Sheath Tumor which grows in the cells surrounding peripheral nerves. As his tumors grow, his doctors ordered him to eat a limited amount of food based on his condition with his cancer. “No, I can’t eat anything but I chose only to eat junk food on Saturdays,” Luna said. Through everything Luna endures, he choses to look on the bright side of things. Enjoying his friends, family, and himself, he continues moving forward day by day even if he cannot be in school. He spends his days at home hanging with family, fishing and playing games such as Madden 16, Call Of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto 5. “I have been doing well with everything. I’m just trying not to think of the situation. Having friends over and my family really helps me not think about it.” Luna said. “Life at home is good, and it’s better than being in the hospital.” Martin has been supported by numerous people in numerous ways. He is grateful for everything everyone has done to assist him and his family. “I have been supported by a Gofundme page created by Coach
Sabers. My cousin had a fundraiser for a BBQ,” Luna said. “There has been a lot of support and it’s been helping me and my family.” Sabers and the rest of the City High Football team have been a big help to Luna. He has been unable to play his favorite sport, football, for years now. Though starting this year he was able to be a part of the team as a manager. “I loved being a part of the City High football team. Since I’m not able to play I might as well be a part of the team in a different way,” Luna said. “The thing I enjoyed the most was going to round 3 in the playoffs. But I have confidence that we will go all the way next year.” During Martin’s dinner benefit, gathered by family, friends, and the football team, Coach Dan Sabers made an announcement that from now on every football season there will be an award given out to one player. The Martin Luna Award will be given for a player’s acts of courage, team sportsmanship, and positive attitude to reflect Luna’s outlook on the team and life. The very last game of the season against Bettendorf, Luna wasn’t able to make the game as he was in Boston to see Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady, and the rest of the Patriots NFL team. He was surprised by some of the coaches and his family when they arrived with posters, balloons, and a sign that read “Martin, you’re going to meet Rob Gronkowski.” The Make A Wish Foundation was able to sponsor Luna’s trip. “It was really fun. It’s something I will never forget, and it was one of the best days of my life. The players were all really nice and funny,” Luna said. “I think going to the game was the best part because it was my very first NFL game, and I saw my favorite team.” Luna made many memories during his trip to Boston to see The Patriots, but through all he is going through he has many more important and memorable memories he will never forget. “I’ll always remember my family coming to visit me while in the hospital,” Martin said. Martin keeps pushing forward without looking back with his help of friends and family. He tries his best to keep his head up high and stay positive no matter what the outcomes may be. “I just try not to think about my situation and focus on the better things in life,” Luna said.
“I’M JUST TRYING NOT TO THINK OF THE SITUATION. HAVING FRIENDS OVER AND MY FAMILY REALLY HELPS ME NOT THINK ABOUT IT.” MARTIN LUNA ‘17
NEWS
City High Takes on Model United Nations By Maya Durham
In a global society, students at City High recognize the importance of understanding international relations. City’s club Model UN aims to help students not only stay informed, but to have students participate in the discussion. Each year, economics teacher Steve Dodge advises City High School’s Model UN club, a group that simulates a United Nations conference. Each participating school is assigned one or two countries. The students then get assigned to one of the countries and a specific topic within that country. Each student writes a position paper, which helps them better understand what they’ll be discussing with students of other Model UN clubs at the conference. “The whole point is kind of arguing and debating and acting as your country,” Edie Knoop ‘18 said. “[The paper] is your preparation; it’s your practice.” This year, City represented the United Kingdom and Kenya at the annual competition, which was an honor for the team. “[When assigning countries] they give us one of our top choices based on how many people have attended in the past,” Dodge said, “If it’s an important country like the United Kingdom, they look at how well we’ve done in the past.” The competition took place at the University of Northern Iowa from April 14-15. During the conference, each student meet in several mock UN committees to discuss current global issues. “The committees were definitely superinvolved,” Lottie Gidal ‘19 said. “Everyone was really good at articulating their cases.”
Iowa City Farmers Market Expands Use of SNAP Benefits By Zoë Hopewell
The Iowa City Farmers Market has been a staple of summertime in Iowa City for over four decades. Now, the benefits of local food will be accessible to more people. It will be easier for vendors to accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, meaning those who receive government assistance to help purchase food will be able to use it at the farmers market as well. “The city decided that we needed to make it easier and more accessible for those that use SNAP,” said farmers market coordinator Tammy Neumann. Customers will be able to purchase wooden tokens with their
SNAP card, which can then be used throughout the market as currency. Neumann also says that many make assumptions that shopping at the farmers market will be expensive, but that the potential extra cost is minimal and it is worth it for fresh food. “I have heard some say it is more expensive than a grocery store. My answer would be that it is the freshest you can get and likely not treated with chemicals,” Neumann said. “In fact, I think that those that assume it is more expensive are pleasantly surprised if they actually come down and shop at the market. Many items are not as expensive.” City student Shayna Jaskolka ‘18
agrees that the farmers market is a good source of fresh, local food with a wide selection. “It’s a great place to get fresh foods and try different foods you normally wouldn’t find in a grocery store,” Jaskolka said. Neumann says that local foods has many benefits, both personally and for the community. Buying local helps to support local producers, and personal benefits include fresher taste and potential health benefits due to less pesticide use. Those shopping at the market may also be looking for a more personal approach to buying their food. “Many of our customers have developed relationships with our
vendors and have become very loyal to [them],” Neumann said. Lois Pavelka, co-owner of Pavelka’s Point Meats, which sells at the farmers market, also says that benefits include health and personal relationships with vendors, but that some may not realize these benefits. “Sometimes, non-customers are not aware of the benefits of local, fresh and wholesome foods,” Pavelka said. It can be difficult to find local food during the winter months, when the downtown farmers market is not open. However, Pavelka says that these foods are still available to customers. “In this area, there are farmers
markets year around. In Mt. Vernon there is a farmers’ market through the winter, November through April. In Iowa City,w the Johnson County Fairground farmers market is [from] November through April when the downtown outdoor markets are closed,” Pavelka said. Neumann agrees that the benefits of local foods can be enjoyed yearround thanks to new technology. “While having access to local produce can prove difficult during the winter months, more and more vendors have developed ways in which to allow them to grow produce nearly year round,” Neumann said. “So those local products are still out there.”
Wisdom Teeth Removal
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NEWS
A7
April 29, 2016
2016 Spring Pep Assembly The final pep assembly of the 2016 school year offered magic, dance, and an assortment of games and competitions.
RIGHT: Erick Flethcher ‘16 dances with Marisa Millavatz ‘17 in the annual guy-girl dance. PHOTO BY NATALIE JONES
LEFT: A magician demonstrates his skills to Mr. Bacon and the school. BELOW: City teachers and their children throw Cheetos onto each other’s faces. PHOTOS BY NATALIE JONES
ABOVE: Little Hawk students and teachers play Musical Chairs with a twist. PHOTO BY NATALIE JONES
A8
April 29, 2016
NEWS
NEWS
April 29, 2016
A9
INFOGRAPHIC BY OLIVIA PARROTT
A10 OPINION
LH
April 29, 2016
Staff Editorial: The Road to the Future Electric cars are becoming more common, and are looking to keep gaining popularity
Executive Editors
dominic balestrieri-fox, sonali durham & claire noack
News Editor olivia parrott
Opinion Editors
cody owen & ellis fontana
Feature Editor caroline brown
Sports Editor
jonathan house & Brady Vanlo
Photo Editors
caroline brown & max gruber
A&E Editor
jonas geerdes
Copy Editor
madeline deninger
Ad Manager bella pittman
Online Editors
nova meurice & sarah smith sadie hobbs
Online News Editors
sofie lie & lucy mcgehee
Social Media Editor claire goodfellow
Media Editors
innes hicsasmaz & sophia schlesinger
Online A&E Editor rasmus schlutter
Online Opinion Sadie Hobbs
Staff
sam bloom, serena collins, joseph cress, estie dillard, bianca esquivel, victor fesenmeyer, gabe gibbens, jim geerdes, zoe hopewell, shanice johnson, lucy mcgehee, robin menietti, sam naylor, lilly o’brien, anna pienta, jake russel, frederick stumbo, aminata traore, a.j. boulund, paige etten, sy butler, daniel massey, miles pei, micaela selck, maya durham, duncan forbes, molly liu, brittney pirkl, karl thomas, gabriel weigel
Adviser
jonathan rogers
ART BY NOVA MEURICE
Online Bios and Stories
www.thelittlehawk.com/staff
mission statement
The Little Hawk, the student newspaper of City High School, aims to inform, educate and entertain readers; to provide an educational opportunity for the students who produce it; and to provide a medium for commercial advertising. Equity Statements
It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District 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 educational programs, activities, or employment practices. If you believe you have (or your child has) been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Director, Ross Wilburn, at 509 S. Dubuque Street, 319-688-1000.
America has always been about change, and we saw that change back in 1908 when the affordable Model T was released and ushered in a revolution of the road. Since then, we as a country have been practically obsessed with the automobile, which is one of the reasons why so many people oppose the electric car. People see the electric car has trying to usurp the cultural aspect of the good old-fashioned gas fueled highway blazer. However, this simply is not true. Instead, we are simply seeing yet another cultural revolution here in America and a vision for the future. About 23 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions related to energy, or roughly 6.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide, were the result of transportation in 2010, according to the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Electric cars have long been a hope to eventually combat this, with the expectation that they would eventually catch on with the general public. Electric cars have spent most of their existence as a relative novelty, making up just .1 percent of the billion cars on the road today. But this might be about to change. The public has already taken massive interest in the new Tesla Model 3, getting 276,000 people to pre-order the car within a two day period (to put this in perspective, most of the bestselling cars in the U.S. reach around 300,000 sales a year). This isn’t all that surprising. Despite being far
the groundwork for electric vehicles to be a practical alternative for the average consumer, and to eventually have a country where a majority of the vehicles are electric. The fact that there’s so much interest in modern electric cars is great news because electric cars are safer, ultimately cheaper, and far better for the environment. The other reason to be excited for the interest in electric vehicles is that it’s part of the growing interest in preserving the environment. The Paris Accord drawn up back in December is a sign of recognition that the world needs to change the way it’s operating. Public interest in electric cars is a sign that that sentiment is shared by many people. The road to change begins with a willingness to change, and this shows that many people are opening their mind to the different lifestyle necessary to improve our environmental situation and outlook. Though this is a huge step forward, much more work needs to be done. Not nearly enough of the cars on the road are electric. But the fact that there is large public interest means that it’s certainly possible. A few years down the road, when there are far more efficient batteries and charging stations, and electric cars are a little cheaper to buy, there’s a fair chance that they’ll rule the road. Which will be good news for the Earth and wallets alike.
Do you think electric cars will be the vehicles of the future?
more expensive than many gas-powered cars, both electricity and repair is overall much cheaper for electric cars (electric cars can travel the same distance on $1.14 of electricity as a gas powered car on a gallon of gas ($3.56)). The only problems that have been holding them back is that there hasn’t been enough public interest to lower the prices to make it accessible for the general public and give cities/states reason to invest in increasing the amount of charging stations available for drivers. However, the recent sky-high preorder of the Model 3 has led to some changes. The massive number of Model 3s that were preordered has prompted Tesla and other motor companies to begin constructing more charging stations around the country, laying
OPINION
A11
April 29, 2016
Ellis Says NO to Network TV
Thumbs
By Ellis Fontana I’ve gone mad, and I can’t take it anymore. And by “gone mad”, I mean I’m pretty ticked off for a while. And by “can’t take it anymore”, I mean I’m not going to do crap about it except complain on an opinion column in a high school newspaper. But still, I don’t like it and would rather not have to deal with this. And by “this”, I mean AMC. That’s right, I’m talking about you “American Movie Classics”, more specifically about your basic cable television channel. Recently, the AMC channel has been seen as a standout channel in terms of quality television on basic cable with critically acclaimed shows such as Breaking Bad and Mad Men. However, you simply cannot talk about AMC these days without talking about one of the 21st century’s greatest cash cows: The Walking Dead. This would be the point where I would describe TWD to any readers who may be unfamiliar to the show. However, due to it’s massive popularity that AMC has been milking for six years, I assume that anyone who says that they don’t know what TWD is, is lying. It is easily the biggest show on cable with 13.15 million people on average viewing every episode of this last season. Not even including the hour-long aftershow dedicated to discussing every episode or the new spin-off show about to enter its second season or the many conventions that the cast visit to meet thousands and thousands of fans. You would think that with such a large and dedicated fan base stretching over six years that AMC might try to treat one of their greatest creations with regards to its quality instead of a money machine to be abused as much as they please, right? Well you would be horribly wrong. In short, The Walking Dead has been hyping up their season finale and the introduction of a whole new villain for several weeks, also alluding to the death of a main character. However, when the time came to swing the barbed-wire covered baseball bat, AMC noped the hell out
and left the audience on a cliffhanger and wondering who died for the next six months. That’s right, a big, fat, swollen, oozing, CLIFFHANGER. Expectedly, the viewers did not react well and the showrunners, Scott Gimple and Greg Nicotero, came under fire from those upset fans still upset. While those behind TWD’s creative team assert that they made this decision for creative reasons, this thinking still reeks of network involvement. And it wouldn’t be the first time that AMC have stepped into the show. Way back in the ancient times of 2011, AMC responded to the overwhelming praise of the show’s first season and critical acclaim of its director, Frank Darabont (AKA the guy who did Shawshank Redemption), by downgrading the budget, increasing the episodes, and firing Darabont when he protested and replaced him with Glen Mazzarra (AKA the guy who did… Crash). And sure enough, the next two seasons of the show under Mazzarra are now known as the show’s definitive low point. Some people might be saying “But what about Mad Men or Breaking Bad?? Those were really good and AMC didn’t mess those up!” Well that’s because both of those shows were half owned by other studios, Bad is owned by Sony and AMC, and Men is owned by Lionsgate and AMC. This way AMC handles the airing of the show and all of the financial stuff while the actual creative aspects of the show are left to the other production company where they actually care about the show’s quality and not just how much money it can make. On the other hand, TWD is owned solely by AMC, which means they can do whatever they want with it. Which means they’re going to do their best to just milk the hell out of it until it runs dry and dusty and they can discard it and move to the next fad. Obviously this isn’t exactly a good practice for dedicated fans. I think the one simple lesson to take from this system is this: Let’s be more Bad, and less Dead.
School’s just about over Sour gummy candy Things that are figuratively “on fire” Grease Prom? The Sun hath returned 4th place at Jazz Championships
Confederate Flags ART BY AJ BOULAND
Prince :(
No Time for a Time Change
Preparing for the AP tests and finals
By Kim Bates By this time many students are aware of the new school times that may be set next year. The most prominent argument about these new times is that it will allow more time to sleep. This is incorrect. Think of it like this; since school is later, so will be sports, homework, clubs, activities with friends. Not to mention activities outside of school, jobs etc. Everything will be pushed back, causing entire schedules to just get pushed back. The result? The same amount of sleep, with a later bedtime. I remember earlier this year I was talking with one of my friends who spent a fair amount of time playing sports after school. “I didn’t get home till ten for sports practice. I hadn’t eaten dinner yet and I still had a ton of English and math homework, I ended up staying up till midnight trying to get it done,” a City High freshman said. Already a lot of City High Athletes, through and outside of the school, aren’t getting home until very late at night; practices and meets can
end anywhere from 6:00 to 11:00. Imagine what time they’ll be home when school is pushed back another hour. What will track do in the spring when athletes have to leave at one 1:00 pm for a track meet? They’ll end up missing three hours of school. That is a lot to make up, and it builds up over the course of the spring. Athletes need good grades to continue to participate in sports, but if they end up missing hours of school to leave because they have to travel to other schools, there is a chance they will fall behind. Grades may slip, and the school may lose athletes. Another thing at risk with these new times is jobs. Yes jobs are flexible, yes managers and bosses are completely aware of high school hours. But jobs can only be so flexible. Managers may start getting fed up with unavailability, and give jobs to people who have more flexible times, like college students. Losing a job because of the new school times is a possible outcome. However another possibility is the
uncontrollable assignment of the later shifts that go late into the night. Later shifts only further illustrate that students would not get more sleep. Now some of students may be thinking, “This doesn’t effect me because I’m not in any sports or clubs, nor do I have a job.” This may be true, but it still affects friends who are in sports or clubs. It may also affect parents who work in the mornings. They may not be able to give their children rides to school on cold mornings, or at all, because the school times conflict with their work schedules. The new school times may also take away from time with friends. Since school will let out later there won’t be as much time to spend with friends, and not everyone has the luxury of staying out really late. Before deciding to brush this under the rug because it doesn’t affect all students, remember that it may affect friends and family.
Paying for prom Bad haircuts (like really, really bad) When things are literally “on fire” The return of rain
A12
April 29, 2016
Senate Needs to Consider Garland By Cody Owen The fight between Democrats and Republicans on the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court is a pretty sickening example of how bad party relations have become in recent years. Garland was nominated by President Obama after the recent death of Antonin Scalia left a vacant seat on the Court. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has sated that he will refuse to bring the nomination to a vote until the election of the next president, saying that it is the responsibility of the next president to decide who will fill the seat. However, this sort of behavior hasn’t been precedent since 1852, which was the last time the Senate refused to act on a nomination in the last year of a presidency. Since then, 9 nominees made in the last year of a presidential term have been confirmed by the Senate. Likewise, Garland is a nominee who’s had support from Repub-
licans in the past. GOP Senators Thad Cochran, Susan Collins, Dan Coats, John McCain and James Inhofe all voted to confirm Garland to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1997. Orrin Hatch is even quoted as saying “playing politics with judges is unfair, and I am sick of it” in 1997. The refusal to bring the nomination to a vote is a bunch of partisan garbage. It’s one thing if the vote fails, but it shouldn’t be the decision of a select few men to hold up the entire Senate as well as the Supreme Court for the sake of acting childishly stubborn. McConnell refuses to even meet with Garland. This is ridiculous. The principle of a democracy is that majority rules. McConnell should bring the nomination to a vote and see what the majority decides, not force his own views onto the country by acting like a child.
ART BY A.J. BOULUND
“
SILENT
“Dolphin rape happens more often than you think it does.”
“Things are getting dark in the journalism room.” -Mr. Rogers
-Mr. Burkle
“Oops, I proved it again.” -Mr. Miller
“I don’t care what you say, a trillion lions wouldn’t beat the Sun.” -also Mr. Burkle
“
RIGHT TO REMAIN
OPINION The Little Hoax: Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Flower Girl
By Lucy Wagner As the pollen-infested summer approaches, there is only one thought on my mind: which of my 80 cousins are getting married and can I be the flower girl? Ever since my eleventh birthday, I have hoped and dreamed that one day I may flaunt my satin ribbon and bonnet as my distant aunts coo and ahh at my delicate flowerthrowing and bubble-blowing expertise. My grandparents would chuckle softly to themselves and whisper to my mother, “Oh Jennifer she’s cute as a button!” That magical moment never came. My relatives never admired the bounce of my curls and the rosiness of my cheeks. Alas, my pre-teen years abandoned me and I was forced to reconcile the fact I had outgrown flower girl-dom. Two summers ago, my aunt Hattie pulled me aside at one of our infamous family reunions. “Lucy,” she said, “it would do me a great honor if you would be a bridesmaid at my wedding.” I immediately started to weep. This was not the way things had turned out when I wrote them in my diary as a four-year-old. Let’s face it - when I was four years old I had only four goals. Avoid the lava monster underneath my bed, catch the tooth fairy in action, convince my baby sister I was actually her step-mother, and, most importantly, be a flower girl. Amidst my tears of heartache and fury, I managed to sputter out a faint “yeah, sure”. Aunt Hattie looked dreadfully bewildered, but eventually she shrugged and made her way to the casserole table. My Cousin Buffy recently got engaged to an alternative rock lyrist. During a brunch of corned beef and cabbage, Cousin Buffy plopped besides me. I gave her the side-eye. You bet I knew what was coming. “Lucy,” she said, “I’m getting married soon and I would adore it if you would be my maidof-honor.” I looked her dead in the eye. “Read my lips,” I said. “N-O.” The perplexed emotion illustrated upon Cousin Buffy’s face made it apparent she understood my stance on her invitation. No longer have my relatives requested my role as bridesmaid at their weddings. I look forward to a time in which some sympathetic future bride will gaze past my 5’8 frame and instead hand me a bouquet of purple gladiolas and white daisies. “Go on sweetie,” they will say. “Live the dream.”
Check out Politikid, Nerd Nook, Dunkin’ With Duncan, Overexposed, and lots of other awesome blogs on thelittlehawk.com
OPINION
A13
April 29, 2016
Making Sense of the Democratic Race
All Lives Matter
By Sophia Schlesinger
By Maya Durham
Art by AJ Boulund This debate in the democratic nomination process is whether it is more of a feminist act to vote for a female candidate, or whether one has to examine the feminist history of each candidate. This debate has rocked the feminist boat, separating it into groups such as the secondwave feminists, such as Madeleine Albright and Gloria Steinem, who firmly support Hillary Clinton, and groups of millennials defending their decision to vote for Bernie Sanders. My real problem with Albright and Steinem’s claim that women have an obligation to vote for Clinton is that it reinforces the idea the feminism is a structured collection of rules for modern society, rather than a fluid and changing understanding of equality between the sexes. When Madeleine Albright declared that “there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other,” at the New Hampshire Clinton rally, she was delivering a rule for all women to follow under the guise of feminism, and I personally find that unacceptable. It’s true that it’s historically been difficult for women to enter politics, and that Clinton has undoubtedly worked her ass off to achieve what she has, but to say that women have an obligation to vote for her diminishes the political power of voting women. How could you call yourself a feminist and then make a comment that dismisses the political voice of a young generation of women that are fiercely dedicated to creating political change? If you’re Gloria Steinem, you make such a comment in an offhanded manner in order to shoot down the presented argument that there is a significant female population choosing to vote for Bernie Sanders. “When you’re younger, you think: ‘Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie,’” Steinem said to Bill Maher, insinuating that female votes for Sanders are irrelevant because they’re just millennials chasing boys. But both Steinem and Albright neglect the fact that Sanders has had a record of racial justice since he was a young man marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, and that many black young women are choosing to vote for Sanders because
he recognizes the existing injustices for much of the young AfricanAmerican population. The modern feminist decide which of the democratic candidates has the best agenda for women’s rights, but this question is only effective if you can think about the women’s agenda as it applies to women of all ethnicities and races. One has to recognize that white women have an advantage in society over women of color, and that a women’s agenda drawn up with white women in mind will not likely aid the concerns of women of color, and that there should extra measures taken to protect the rights of the many African-American, Indian-American, ArabAmerican, and Native-American women. With this in mind, I’d like to call to attention to the difference between the two candidates in responding to female representatives from the Black Lives Matter movement. Two videos have been circulating the online political universe, and have begged comparison in terms of each candidate’s response. In February of this year, Clinton threw a private fundraiser in Charleston, South Carolina, where the entrance fee was $500. Ashley Williams, an activist from the Black Lives Matter campaign unfurled a banner that read “We have to bring them to a heel,” a quote from a Clinton speech in 1996, where she defended that anti-crime legislation passed by Bill Clinton. In the video, there’s a brief and heated verbal exchange between Williams and Clinton, who says, “Can I talk? And then maybe you can listen to what I say,” before staff escort the activist out. Conversely, at a Bernie Sanders rally in Seattle, the Vermont senator is interrupted by activists Marrisa Johnson and Mara Jacqueline Willaford and chooses to stand aside and let them have the podium for the next 20 minutes, despite the crowd booing and yelling at the two women. So then, is it really fair for the media and feminist groups to label Clinton as the feminist candidate as long as incidents such as this are on her record? Feminism is not exclusive!
Eric Garner. Sandra Bland. Michael Brown. These are three names of the 102 unarmed Black Americans who were killed in 2015 by law enforcement agents, according to Mapping Police Violence. That means almost twice a week, someone was shot by the people who were supposed to be keeping them safe. Now, police brutality against people of color, particularly black people of color, didn’t recently become an issue — it’s been happening for centuries. However, in an age of technology and social media, the knowledge and details of such crimes have become much more easily accessible. With the ability to spread information and agendas at monumental volumes and speed, political movements have become increasingly common on social media. One of these movements is #BlackLivesMatter. #BlackLivesMatter was founded by three black women, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman for shooting Trayvon Martin, when Garza wrote an ode to black people, and Cullors replied “#BlackLivesMatter.” Since the movement began, it has gained an immense following. It has shut down the Mall of America, made it into history books, and aided in making a change for Black Americans in the future. But, as with any political movement, there have been some people who don’t agree with a campaign that focuses on one race or group. Thus was born #AllLivesMatter. #AllLivesMatter surrounds the idea that all lives matter, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or sexuality. And this is a great idea, in theory; living in a world where we valued all lives equally, and stood up against violence would be pretty great. However, that’s not what happens. In the case of violence against black people, All Lives Matter supporters generally either stay quiet or talk about how society shouldn’t be focused on just black lives. And, in other acts of violence, most stay quiet. After the Planned Parenthood shooting, there weren’t protests in the name of All Lives Matter. There wasn’t a surge of the hashtag on social media. These responses seem to indicate that many of the people who use #AllLivesMatter aren’t vehemently in favor of total equality — some just want the attention off of black people. As you can see, the statement #AllLivesMatter is often used by people who believe that the BLM movement is taking attention away from other lives; after all, black lives aren’t the only lives that matter. While that statement is true, there’s one crucial aspect to the BLM movement that those people are missing. While all lives certainly do matter, black lives are the ones that are having a much harder time living.
A14
April 29th, 2015 A&E
ARTS
A Fashion Fiesta
ENTERTAINMENT
& & ABOVE: Shawn Phantavong ‘16 poses sitting along a brick wall behind City High. BOTTOM LEFT: Sasha Chapnick-Soroin lies against the front wall of the school . PHOTOS BY JIM GEERDES
Flyover-Fashion Festival is a new fashion based festival that will be coming to Iowa City next month. By Rasmus Schlutter & Jonas Geerdes This spring, Iowa City’s very first fashion festival will be touching down across the city. FlyOver Fashion Fest is a two-day fashion festival featuring primarily local Iowan talent along with other national and international acts. Simeon Talley, co-founder of the Iowa Fashion Project and the lead organizer of FlyOver Fashion Fest, has helped organize the festival. “[FlyOver Fashion Fest] is an effort to showcase fashion talent from across the state in a fun and engaging way,” Talley said. “Some of the talent include DJs, bands, fashion designers, models, and other artists.” Talley, an Iowa City native, has been organizing the festival as a way to give both emerging and established artists and creatives an opportunity to try something new. He hopes the variety of organizers will help give the festival greater depth. Acts include musical talents such as Le Youth, Mansion on the Moon, and newcomer band Maids. Besides music, the festival includes other art prospects such as painters and fashion designers. “We’ve got a great lineup. Designers from all across the state,” Talley explained. “It’s all a bunch of people that are
generally interested in fashion or who work in fashion.” The festival is something new to Iowa City. While the city has a number of other art and music fests, this is one of the first fashion-focused festivals in the city. “Iowa City is a great place: a college town, progressive politics and cultural values. It just made the most sense to do this here in its first year,” Talley said. Another organizer, Andre Wright, Owner and Creative Director for Born Leaders United, has helped behind the scenes with concepts and design ideas. For Wright, a fashion designer himself, fashion was a way of expression. “This was an outlet for me to express how I felt and to cast a wider net for others to join me on a movement,” Wright explained. Wright believes that the festival will present an excellent opportunity for both young and established designers to express their own fashion style. “I think exposure will be the big thing,” Wright said. “I hope all ages come so they can see the possibilities.” Talley participated in a fashion show last May, and thinks that event has opened the door for future largerscale festivals. “There’s a lot of momen-
tum for what we’re doing, elevating fashion, in the area. It just made the most sense to have it take place here.” Both Wright and Talley agree that this festival will pave the way for future events, both in Iowa City and beyond. “I see it being a state wide event held in other ventures and an opportunity to grow the footprint and give our region a voice when it comes to fashion,” Wright said. City High student Ailsa Kieran ,‘17, is also excited for the event. Kieran commonly attends culture and other art festivals in the downtown area. Kieran said she is excited as she enjoys other shows such as Summer of the Arts and the Gallery Walk. “I really like attending them because it’s such a nice atmosphere”, Kieran explained. “I love meeting different artists and seeing new styles.” Kieran feels that Iowa City is a perfect town for this type of festival. “It’s a university town, we have a lot of people,” Kieran said. “We have a huge amount of diversity and variety in this city. It’s a great place to hold festivals like these.” Wright is also excited to see how the festival goes. “There is a culture and fashion here that lives right here in Iowa City.”
A15
April 29th, 2016 A&E
New Ideas For the Same Scene
After the red curtain falls on the Spring Musical, the projector will be brought back to Opstad auditorium for the annual City High Film Fest.
By Adelaide Bass
ART BY ESTIE DILLARD
This year, film submissions come from students and film fest veterans alike. The event is being hosted by City High seniors and Large Group Speech legends Sophia Schlesinger and Ellis Fontana. While Fontana is no stranger to the stage, this will be his first year submitting a film to the festival. Film projects will range from 20 minute full length movies like Caroline Brown ‘16 and Estlin Dillard’s ‘17 “Curse Of Trish”, to music videos for original sounds by seniors Max Gruber, Shawn Phanthavong, Yassine Filali, and junior Nick Shymansky, who are submitting the music video to their new song, “Trappin In the Stove”. “Film Fest is a fun night where everyone’s there to have a good time,” veteran AJ Boulund ‘17 said. “It really doesn’t matter how technically well made your movie is; the audience will probably love it.” Boulund submitted a film he wrote and directed as a
Great Gatsby project for his US Literature class. “Film Fest is the one time a year where it’s mainly students there and running it, and it gives a chance for people to have the spotlight who normally wouldn’t,” he said, “It’s all-inclusive and there’s no prestige about it, in a good way.” Other submissions taken from school projects include Spanish 5 final class projects and the famed Dante’s Inferno video projects, one of which is being submitted by 50% of our hosting team, Ellis Fontana. While Film Fest has always been a fun time for kids to dress up and get together to watch one another’s school projects, there is also a small following of film junkies who take it upon themselves to write, direct, and produce independent feature films. One of these students is first time participant Caroline Brown ‘16. “I just thought it would be kind of funny. It’s senior year so i figured this was my last chance [to submit a
film],” Brown said, “My film stars a few of my friends and it’s about a family who has a baby that turns out to be possessed.” The film, believe it or not, is a comedy set to premiere at Film Fest. Though the Festival is mainly operated by students, with members of art club choosing the winners at the end of the night and making the trophies, art teacher Michael Close plays a major part in the first steps of Film Fest. Close is the person who reviews the films and accepts them before presenting them to his students. “Film Fest has been going on since the mid 90s’,” Close said, “It’s a City High tradition, and I don’t think there are many other high schools who have a film fest as long running or as fun as ours.” While the event may be informal, with students either arriving in street clothes or intricately coordinated group costumes, the talent and energy is never mediocre. Film Fest will be held on May 6th in Opstad Auditorium.
ALBUM REVIEW Kanye West
The Life of Pablo AAAAA
Kanye aficionado Max Gruber breaks down Yeezy’s unorthodox new album, The Life of Pablo.
K
anye West’s latest project has seen anything but a smooth release. Constant name changes, an ever evolving tracklist, and the project’s “in progress” status make this Kanye’s most untraditional album release to date. Only hours after the album’s “official” unveiling at an event in Madison Square Garden, Kanye scrapped the tracklist and was back in the studio. This manic adjustment and tweaking is apparent in the structure of Mr. West’s eighth LP, The Life of Pablo. An amalgamation of musical genres and sonic influences. The Life of Pablo is a synthesis of Kanye West’s entire discography into a diverse and excellent return to form for the prolific producer, MC, and fashion designer. The Life of Pablo begins with the enormous “Ultralight Beam”, a gospelinfluenced ballad with appearances from high profile gospel singers as well as a guest verse from Chicago MC Chance the Rapper. The gospel choir is powerful and Kanye’s performance, while restrained, is surprisingly emotive. However, Kanye takes an immediate 180 with the tracks “Father Stretch My Hands pt1/ pt2” which feature Desiigner and Kid Cudi as well as production from Metro Boomin. Similar to “Ultralight Beam”, Kanye’s performance isn’t always the spotlight of these tracks, but he skillfully draws from his features to create an Atlanta trap influenced song. The contrast between the first two songs is an important indicator of the album’s feel; it blends all of Kanye’s previous aesthetics as well new ones into the eclectic sonic smoothie that is The Life of Pablo.
Lyrically and musically, Kanye isn’t afraid of controversy. Some of his most successful songs have been constructed from musical samples too venerated for most artists to go near. However, Kanye is back to his old tricks on the song “Famous” as he has Rihanna singing Nina Simone’s hook from the classic “Do What You Gotta Do”. As Kanye’s verse begins he wastes no time in throwing more gas on the fire with lyrics about Taylor Swift and the MTV music video awards incident, his exes, and finally a sample of Simone’s original performance. Another standout song on the album is “Real Friends”, a simply produced meditation on fame and family. It’s on songs where Kanye seems to be reaching for family and support that he seems most earnest. “Father Stretch My Hands”, “Wolves”, and “FML” continue this motif and feature vocal performances from The Weeknd and Frank Ocean. Kanye West is at his best when he’s orchestrating the sound of his record. His greatest achievement with The Life of Pablo is the way in which the guest performers fit into each track. When Kanye does get on the mic, his performances are diverse with peaks of bravado as well as moments of honesty and vulnerability which characterize previous tracks such as “Runaway” and “Welcome to Heartbreak”. Kanye fans will get a small dose of his entire discography with The Life of Pablo, everything that makes Kanye Kanye is on display. Because of this, Kanye isn’t really treading new ground here and won’t be making any fans out of nonbelievers with his latest effort. But for those who’ve enjoyed his work in the past, The Life of Pablo is a sonic playground for all things Kanye.
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By Max Gruber
A16
Q&A
Sandy & : Danny
April 29th, 2015 A&E
By Sy Butler
Camilla Strathearn ‘16 and Kyle Irish-Gorvin talk about their favorite parts of the musical Grease and their roles as main characters Sandy and Danny.
LH: What was your favorite song from the musical and why? CS: I think “Summer Nights” is probably my favorite because I would just listen to that song as a I was a kid. I never really thought that I would be singing it. KI: Goodness! My favorite song would be “Summer Nights” in Grease due to the fact that it is a song about different dimensions of one event. Seeing Sandy and Danny’s take on it is very amusing, and it has good choreography and vocals in it. LH: What is your favorite scene from the musical and why? CS: Probably the scene where she first comes in and sits down and talks with the Pink Ladies because I kind of can relate to that scene. I was new this year so I felt like I went through that and knew how she felt. KI: It’s at the beginning, right after “Summer Nights” when Danny and Sandy meet for the first time. It shows the duality of Danny -- he’s singing about being with Sandy in this crass way and then immediately after he sees Sandy his eyes open up and he’s happy to see her and it’s only them in their own little world. He realizes that the rest of the world exists and he has to go back into that world that he just sang about.
Camilla Strathearn ‘16 Kyle Irish-Gorvin ‘17
LH: How do you get into character before you perform? Do you have any pre performance rituals?
LH: What will you miss the most about Grease?
CS: It took a little bit to get used to. I think that’s just the case with acting in general. You get more used to a person as you act with them more. But I’m pretty comfortable with him now.
CS: I really liked how before we started rehearsing for Grease Mr. and Mrs. Peters organized a meeting with all the characters and we did a character analysis of what our motivations were for our characters and why we do specific things. That really helped me understand Sandy more.
CS: I’ll definitely miss the unity of the cast being together. It’s really magical when a group of people all come together and work on something bigger than themselves. It’s been such an awesome oppurtinity to work with such talented kids who’ve come together to make this production great.
KI: It is very fun to do so, she really brings out that character and I really can work with it. I don’t know if that’s an answer to the question but it’s a really fun time working with her. Our characters work out and our chemistry works together on stage. So, very good.
KI: I usually kind of like talk in my Danny voice for a while. I get into character, I do some walks and I kind of just get into the general jerkish qualities. If it gets too much and I act like too much like a @#$% then I tone it down a bit and then I’m all good.
KI: What I’ll miss most about Grease is the energy that the show possesses and working with such a talented cast.
LH: What was it like acting as opposites?