LH Newspaper

Caucus Coverage on A8-9

The

LittleHawk

Iowa City High School • Iowa City, Iowa • Vol. 73 Issue 4 • Friday, Febrary 12, 2016 • www.thelittlehawk.com ifuckedyourmom

From Paris to Iowa City: The Climate Crunch

The international community agreed on steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this year’s UN Climate Change Conference.

The same discussion is playing out around the globe as local communities attempt to fight climate change on a smaller scale.

By Riley Lewers & Olivia Parrott

The United Nations Climate Change Conference closed on December 12th, but the global fight against climate change is only beginning. Although the conference resulted in a landmark agreement in which 195 countries agreed to lower their greenhouse gas emissions, this effort alone will not be enough to prevent the catastrophic increase in global temperatures climate scientists have predicted will occur if we fail to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. The success of the UN initiative hinges on whether smaller

communities and individuals can expand on the global progress made at the Conference.

“I think [the UN Conference] will make a difference because it at least provides momentum, and it can set an example for other countries to improve their environmental regulations,” Liza Casella ‘16 said.

Casella, along with other City High students, has been volunteering with NextGen Climate, a nationwide organization that works to identify “climaction voters,”-- voters who promise to make climate change a priority issue when considering which candidates to support.

The organization’s hope is that by collecting and distributing information on the importance voters attach to addressing climate change, they will be able to convince candidates that this issue deserves their attention.

“I’ve also been involved with the Bernie campaign, and I thought it would be interesting to get involved with a specific issue and just try something new,” Laura Cornell ‘16, who also volunteers for NextGen, said. “I think it’s really important, and I’ve learned a lot.”

NextGen is a nonpartisan organization, meaning it aims to pressure candidates on both sides to address the

issue. Cornell is part of the organization’s effort to reach voters through high school volunteers who make calls to voters on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.

The organization’s main goal is for the United States to be powered with 50% clean energy by 2030.

“At this point, we really need to try to fix our environment,” Casella said.

“Global warming is very real, and in this coming presidential election more than half of the potential candidates don’t even believe it exists, which makes it very imperative that we spread awareness.” continued on A6

Teaching the Teachers

By Madeline Denninger For new teachers, teaching their own class for the first time can be intimidating. The Iowa City Community School district is attempting to help these teachers by giving them a “veteran teacher” as a mentor for their first two years of their teaching.

“If we’re not doing our job effectively, they are not going to be an effective colleague,” Alicia Brock, a coordinator for the program, said in a meeting with district mentors. “[The new teachers] are in our profession. They are going to stay, or at least that’s the hope that we have.

Trying to look at the big picture, we want to create someone we know we can work with.”

According to Brock, one of the program’s main goals is to encourage the mentors to meet with their teachers once a week to encourage a better level of communication. University of Iowa graduate and City High alum Danielle Smith Oakes is in her first year of teaching Kindergarten at Lucas Elementary School. Oakes is also taking part of the mentor program this year, with Katie Holland her as her mentor being Katie Holland.

Holland is a , a third grade teacher at Twain Elementary.

“Katie helps me work through challenges with specific students, and gives me advice on strategies to use for classroom management,” Smith Oakes said. “We celebrate successes, and figure out what went well when I tell her I had a ‘good day’ so I can ideally repeat what works well for my students.”

For Smith Oakes, having an experienced teacher has been beneficial as a first time teacher. “[Holland] offers creative suggestions and solutions to problems that I never would have thought of since she has so many years of teaching under her belt,” she said.

City High English teacher Beth Fettweis was mentored by with Daphne Foreman when she first arrived at City High.

“What Mrs. Foreman helped me do was learn how to help high school students more, and how to understand high school students better,” Fettweis said. “That chance to talk to her, and even to go through some of the basic frustrations and concerns of being a first year teacher at a high school, gave me a lot more comfort and confidence as a teacher.”

According to Fettweis, her mentor experience also went beyond helping her adjust to the high school environment.

“I think that as a rolemodel [Foreman] is someone that’s so warm and kind to her students that it was impossible not to learn about human relationships from her too,” she said.

A2 PREVIEW

February 12, 2016

Section A

The LH Feature Magazine

Back-to-Back Champions

3

4

Dance Marathon

By Zoë Hopewell

By Nova Meurice & Sarah Smith Discussion of mental health, once confined to therapists’ offices, has become a social media phenomenon.

By Celeste Chadwick & Claire Noack

Iowa’s topranked graduation rates raise questions of college readiness

hashtagging hurt

8

The City High Debate Duo of Joe Wiedemen and Adam Zabner claims the state championship for the second year in a row.

5

NEWS

13

Movie Review: The Revenant

By Sophia Schlesinger

“get a cat; it’ll love you.”

12

Relationship advice from City’s teachers.

Ellis’s oscar predictions

By Ellis Fontana

By Sofie Lie & Lucy McGehee

the lh sports magazine

4

After west, boys rebound

By Dominic Balestrieri-Fox

The boys have refined their skills both on and off the court and are ready to take on West for their rematch game.

12

queens

By Madeline Deninger The girls won the Queen Pin and the boys put up a close match against West - the bowling season recap

the parents are all right

12

By Caroline Brown & Molly Liu Fact: 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce...or do they?

According to recent studies, this often-cited statistic is no longer true.

A Letter From Your Editors The birds aren’t chirping, the sun isn’t shining, there is no gentle breeze ruffling your hair, and sun-dappled meadows are the last place we would like to be. It’s the depths of winter, and all we want is Netflix, lattes, and cozy sweaters.

However, the smell of love and fresh printer ink is in the air, because the Valentine’s Issue of The Little Hawk is finally here! Within these 56 pages are stories ranging from the gender-based double standard in relationships to love advice from City High’s favorite teachers, a look at the United States’ falling divorce rates, and Valentine’s themed foods. We also have our normal dose of news and sports from around City High. Some of the ones we’re most excited about are a staff editorial about our efforts to curb climate change, a full page of Oscar predictions, and coverage of the City High wrestling team’s victory over West High.

While we love our print issues, we have spent a lot of time and effort on improving our website, thelittlehawk.com. We’ve been striving towards having quality reporting of City High, local, and national events, a constant social media presence (Follow us!), and entertaining videos, all in an effort to be the number one source of news for City High.

This is our second-to-last issue as execu-

tive editors, and after three years on staff we’re starting to achieve the goals we set for ourselves way back in the day (e.g. a re-creation of American Gothic as our picture, and another Pacemaker to use as a doorstop). As our time on staff winds down, we’re hoping to continue to set the pace of high school journalism, and may even do a travel issue in March, using the yearbook’s operating budget as gas money.

With love,

NEWS

A3

February 12, 2016

2016 State Debate Champions

By Celeste Chadwick & Claire Noack After a 20-minute wait, the judge’s decision was finally announced. Joe Wiedemen ‘16 and Adam Zabner ‘17 win the 2016 state championship debate in policy debate in a 3-0 decision.

“It’s the tensest moment in debate,” Zabner said. “Because most decisions will take maybe 20 minutes to sometimes over an hour, depending on how complex it is. So you’re just sitting there, nervous.”

Weidemen and Zabner participate in Policy Debate, which consists of a year long topic, a partnership of two, and intense focus on content. This year’s topic was “The United States should substantially decrease their domestic surveillance.” In the state championship debate, Zabner and Weidemen argued that metadata surveillance violates international law and explained why international law is important.

The tournament consists of six preliminary debates in which each team is for the issue three times and against the issue three times.

In elimination rounds a coin toss decides which side each team argues. In the elimination debate, there are three judges who decide the winner.

“Debate, although it is based in real life public policy, is still a competitive ‘game,’” City High Debate Coach Vince Woolums said.

According to Woolums, the details of judging debates can become very complicated, but in essence a judge’s vote is based on the truth of the arguments, the logic and technical refutation of these arguments, and the person’s ability to speak persuasively.

“There are a lot of criteria for judging debates,” Woolums said. “Some debates are easy to decide -- one team really underperforms while the other does great -- other debates are more nuanced and technical.”

For Zabner, this technical aspect of debate is his favorite part. During the final debate against West High, their team extended many arguments in a short amount of time, trying to pressure the City High team into answering all of them.

“It just clicked that their arguments contradicted each other, and we ended up winning,” he said. “That moment where you sort of can figure out how the different arguments interact is really fun.”

While Zabner admits that it can sometimes be difficult to argue a side he doesn’t agree with, Weidemen sees it differently.

“It’s easy to divide yourself from what you actually believe,” Weidemen said. “It’s just about having fun and learning.”

The City High Debate Duo of Joe Wiedemen and Adam Zabner claims the state championship for the second year in a row.

PHOTO BY MAX GRUBER

United Action for Youth Helps Students Find Jobs

By Bella Pittman & Gabe Weigel

Every Tuesday during Little Hawk Advisory, United Action for Youth, or UAY, will join with students who are in need of a job. Some have already taken advantage of the new program and applied to jobs such as Panera, Lucky Paws, and Hy-vee.

“Our purpose for meeting students at City High is to help them search and apply for jobs,” AmeriCorps Staff Member Ashley Lindley said. “We can help a student with everything from building a resume to practicing interview skills.”

UAY believes that it is important to empower teens. Obtaining a job in high school can help build resume for college and/or a future career.

“At UAY we are dedicated to helping teens achieve their goals.

Sometimes finding your first job can

be intimidating, and we want to be able to help people by giving them the skills they need for success,” Youth Development Specialist Jamie Ellis said.

City High student Esther Raymundo ‘17 is one of many who has gone to the UAY meetings in hope of finding a job. She believes it to be a helpful step to being hired.

“It’s a really good opportunity, and if you don’t know much and have never applied and/or don’t know how to apply, UAY shows you the steps in finding your job,” Raymundo ‘17 said.

First, students decide the field he or she would like to work in and find a job to match with their interests.

“We have an updated job list that we bring for jobs that will hire teens.

We have resume templates and how to tips, the dos and don’ts for interviews, phone and email etiquette, access to interview clothing, and tips on how

to get and keep a job for making a professional resume,” Ellis said.

After the student identifies a potential job, the student and the student’s counselor contact the potential employer. UAY also stresses etiquette in all aspects of applying for a job.

“We go over phone and email etiquette so you are prepared to call or to receive a call from an employer. We also do mock interviews and phone calls to calm nerves and ensure success,” Ellis said.

This program is open to all City High students.There are no requirements to attend any of the UAY meetings.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for your first job or your fifth,” Lindley said. “UAY can help develop a resume that reflects you personally – your skills, experience, and activities can all be laid out nicely for an employer to review.”

Esta Kilima ‘18 looks over job options with UAY specialist Ashley Lindley. PHOTO BY BELLA PITTMAN

A4

February 12, 2016

NEWS

ABOVE: Jim McMillan ‘17, Savannah Hameline ‘17, Sameer Ali ‘17, and Julieta Rangel ‘16 show off their moves at the mini dance marathon on Thursday, February 4th. PHOTO BY INNES HICSASMAZ

Mini Dance Marathon Raises Money and Awareness

By Zoë Hopewell

RIGHT: Lucy Wagner ‘17 was excited to raise money for the UIHC. BELOW: Jonathon House ‘17 crowd-surfs at the dance marathon. PHOTOS BY INNES HICSASMAZ

There were bright lights, decorations, food, and yes, there was dancing. But Mini Dance Marathon was a City High event that was for more than just fun. Funds from the night of the dance and fundraising from the weeks before were donated to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital through the U of I Dance Marathon charity to help children with pediatric cancer at the UIHC. “The main aim for Dance Marathon is to raise money for the children’s hospital, and our money goes to the University Dance Marathon,” Sarah Honson ‘16, a member of the committee that organized the dance, said.

From there the money goes to the hospital. Honson also spoke about fundraising efforts.

“We fundraised at basketball games, and we had a couple

of restaurant fundraisers. It’s been very successful,” Honson said.

The fundraising goal for the event was $3,000 for the University’s Dance Marathon charity. In addition to ticket sales, funds came from local business sponsors, fundraisers at restaurants and basketball games, and the sale of paper beach balls for $1 at school.

Renee Tonning, faculty advisor for Dance Marathon, believes that this cause is one that everyone should care about.

“Who can not care about kids with pediatric cancer?”

Tonning said. “We have some of those kids in our own school that are affected by that, so let’s work for a cure and make it better for them.”

Honson agrees that the cause is one that should be important to everyone.

“I chose to be on the committee because I think Dance Marathon is a very special and

important cause. It’s a cause that I think anyone can appreciate because you’re helping children with cancer,” Honson said.

Honson also spoke about the impacts she wants this event to have on City High and the community.

“I hope this event impacts the community by raising awareness for what Dance Marathon is and what Dance Marathon does for the children’s hospital,” Honson said.

This year’s Dance Marathon raised over $3,000. The Ferentz family decided to contribute a matching donation, bringing the total funds raised to over $6,000 for the children’s hospital.

Tonning hopes that City High’s Dance Marathon continues to grow in the coming years.

“Let’s make it bigger and better next year!” Tonning said.

Making a Mockery of the Opposition

By Serena Collins Mock trial: it may sound like high school students making fun of lawyers, but for those participating it is serious business. The City High mock trial team is back and determined to make it to the state competition.

The young group, led by Jason Schumann and Chip Hardesty, is in its fifth year and has never reached the state competition. This year, Schumann has newfound certainty that both mock trial teams can get there by becoming more detail-oriented and using their practice time more effectively.

Students participating as lawyers write questions for both direct and cross examinations. They also learn to object and use evidence for their advantage. Students participating as witnesses create a character, memorize their character’s affidavit, and prepare for possible questions while being cross examined.

Each year the team is presented

with a new case they must analyze from both sides. The case summary this year states, “Detective Wayne encountered Ozzie Cobblepot, a repeat criminal offender and suspected drug dealer. Wayne thwarted Cobblepot’s attempt to rob a bank, but ultimately Cobblepot escaped arrest. The following evening, Ozzie Cobblepot was shot and killed in the alley of a local bar.” Students work together to analyze the case from both sides.

Robins Mock Trial is City’s main rival. The group is made up of of homeschooled and Xavier High School students from Cedar Rapids.

They have won State six times in the last 14 years.

“They’re super committed to [mock trial], in a way that is probably unhealthy,” Schumann said.

Through greater preparation, the City High team hopes to rise to and exceed the Robins level of excellence this year.

“Ultimately our goal is to beat the best, so if we want to make it to state,

we have to be as prepared as they are,” Schumann said.

Both Schumann and unofficial team leader Riley Lewers ‘16 agree that preparation is the first priority.

“The biggest thing is putting in the work,” Lewers said. “If you don’t put in the work, you’re not going to make it; it doesn’t matter how enthusiastic you are.”

In an effort to send team members to competition as prepared as possible, Schumann plans to devote a majority of practice time to working through evidentiary problems, which are defined as issues with evidence both sides may demonstrate in court.

“Knowing how to object and how to respond when the other team makes objections is going to be the biggest area that we’re going to have to improve upon,” Schumann said.

In addition to practicing how to deal with objections while keeping their cool, students will also be rehearsing what they plan to present in competition. While making sure

team members are well-versed in the details of the case is important, courtroom etiquette is also taken seriously.

“It’s very formal at the competition,” Meyer said. “You have to stand up whenever you talk to the judge.

There are some of these people from religious schools that ask if they can have permission to move. You’ve got to know your etiquette because that’s part of what they grade you on,” he said. “You have to be top notch.”

Students devote their Wednesdays and Fridays from December until March to preparing with the team for the upcoming regional competition, which takes place in early March.

“If you want to do debate but it’s too much work, then you should do mock trial,” Lewers said. “It’s really useful if you want to be a lawyer, and even if you don’t, because it helps you gain confidence when you speak in front of people.”

Lewers believes mock trial teaches valuable skills, including public speaking and analytical skills in an

environment similar to that of a real world profession. Schumann agrees.

“I know from firsthand experience that some of the things that I learned when I did mock trial in high school I actually applied and used in law school and in the actual practice of law,” he said. “It exposes you to what it would be like to be an attorney and to have that particular job.”

While mock trial has many practical benefits, the club is also about meeting people and enjoying the process. Lewers enjoys the social aspect of mock trial.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends through mock trial,” Lewers said. “It’s a really fun atmosphere and everyone’s really open.”

Through the students’ focus, teamwork, and diligence, Schumann has confidence his teams will reach their goal.

“I have no doubt that we have the talent on both teams to potentially make it to state,” Schumann said.

NEWS

A5

February 12, 2016

Iowa’s Top-Ranked Graduation Rates Raise Questions of College Readiness

By Sofie Lie & Lucy McGehee

When the ICCSD school board outlined their plans for 2016, it set three focused goals for the district: higher math proficiency, higher reading proficiency, and the expansion of opportunities across all levels of socioeconomic status.

The rise of graduation rates, according to School Board President Chris Lynch, would then inevitably follow.

“Proficiency in the basics helps [students] to be successful,” Lynch said.

Reading and math proficiency, as measured by Iowa Assessment benchmarks, are, for Lynch, the foundation for high graduation rates. That foundation is then built upon what Lynch says separates Iowa--which graduates 90% of its students according to the U.S. Department of Education--from other states: high expectations within the district.

“The key [to higher graduation rates] are clear standards,” Lynch said. “However, how you do that can be a bit different state-to-state.”

The ICCSD uses a definitive line to gage levels of core-curriculum abilities throughout the district. This line varies by school district, which in return determines how high the standard is set.

“I think it depends on what they’re teaching you in the schools. So if a school has lower standards, it doesn’t necessarily mean that [the students] will be ready for college,” Ayla Canin ‘17 said.

Two things differentiate Iowa’s graduation requirements from those of other states. First, Iowa does not require the completion of Algebra II, and second, Iowa does not follow Policy Organization Achieve’s requirements for college readiness. Policy Organization Achieve sets national standards for educational policy and practice. However, Lynch attributes Iowa’s top ranked rates of graduation to support within the district and Iowa’s history of K-12 academic success, not its lenient requirements.

“I think for a long time, the districts have had very good support for our students,” he said.

While the key to college readiness is clear for Lynch, the correlation between graduation rates and readiness is less clear, mainly because there isn’t an agreed upon way to measure college readiness.

In the ICCSD, students’ ACT scores,

number of AP courses taken, as well as scores on AP exams are the easiest way to put a number on college readiness. Even so, there are more factors that play into it than can be measured quantitatively. “[Graduation rates and college readiness] are probably correlated, but we make sure to check in on a variety of other things to make sure that our students are prepared for college,” Lynch said.

Canin agrees that while the correlation is blurred, holding a GED can prove to be helpful in other endeavors, not just in higher education.

“Even if [graduating] doesn’t prepare you for college, the state of having a high school diploma is helpful to get any job,” she said.

For University of Iowa Professor of Education Nick Bowman, graduation rates are a more of a reflection of the differing levels of lenience in graduation requirements state-by-state.

“You can have these high high school graduation rates if the bar is low,” Bowman said.

Bowman, who has been monitoring trends correlating with Iowa’s rising graduation rate, has found that the exceptional high school graduation rate does not necessarily correlate with the college graduation rate in Iowa. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the graduation rate for Iowa’s four-year colleges is 41.5%, about 50% less than the high school graduation rate. For Bowman, this statistic can be attributed to the changing work ethic from high school to college.

“It tends to be students that have high self-efficacy [that do well in college],” he said. “It’s often students who get involved with meaningful social relationships, whether those occur informally, or through structured co curricular activities, where they’re really connected to campus.”

The relatively steady support found throughout high schools across the state, along with the support of parents, can alter college readiness.

“If what [support] means is not letting [schools’ and parents’] children deal with any challenge in life, it is probably a bad thing,” Bowman said. “Because if you go out into the work world, you’re going to face challenges, and so you need to know how to deal with that.”

SEIBA Takes Center Stage

By Serena Collins

Butterflies filled the stomachs of band students across Southeastern Iowa as they waited for their turn to audition for a spot in the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association honor band. Competing at the high school level for a spot in a SEIBA honor band was a new challenge for Michelle Jennings ‘17, Levi Pugh ‘18, and Megan Bywater ‘19.

With the tough competition, Bywater wasn’t expecting to make SEIBA; only 14 flutes out of 70 made it into the honors band.

Jennings, a clarinetist, also believes there is stiff competition for the honors band. However, her practice paid off.

“It was so close,” Jennings said. “I was last chair, so I barely got in.”

While Jennings and Bywater performed in the SEIBA concert band, Pugh was accepted into the SEIBA jazz band. Pugh, who had previously been awarded a chair in the middle school concert band, says that he prefers playing in the jazz band.

“I like the ability of expression in a jazz band,” Pugh said.

City High band director Myron

McReynolds decided to not take an active role in helping the musicians prepare, giving them more responsibility.

“I don’t really do much because it’s an individual honor group; the students really work on their own,” McReynolds said.

These musicians know that preparation is important to having a solid performance. However, Jennings admits she had a hard time putting that knowledge into practice.

“I was kind of iffy about it because there was one song I didn’t start until two days before the audition,” he said.

Jennings and Bywater both experienced complications on their audition day. Only 20 minutes before her audition, Bywater dropped and dented her flute.

“I didn’t know if I’d actually be able to play,” Bywater said.

Jennings had a similarly rough start that day. She forgot to bring her required score sheet into the audition room.

“I was so pumped and ready, and [then the judge] said, ‘Do you have your score sheet?’” Jennings said.

Jennings had to return an hour

later to audition.

“By the second time I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m really nervous now.’”

The musicians received their music two weeks in advance and were able to come together and rehearse the day of the concert. Pugh thought the hours spent rehearsing were lively and productive.

“We had a lot of fun, but it seemed like when we had to buckle down, everyone was on board,” Pugh said.

Participants in both SEIBA bands rehearsed from 10:00am until 4:00pm, with an hour and a half lunch break. They then had two hours of downtime until the 6:00 evening concert.

“The practice wasn’t as long as I thought it would be,” Jennings said.

“It was like, ‘Oh I can do this.”

Although Jennings enjoyed the time spent rehearsing, she liked the concert most, as it was the culmination of the SEIBA experience “I’d say the concert was definitely the best part,” Jennings said. “We got to show what we had worked on all day.”

Pugh felt the audience response was positive, the solos were solid,

and that minimal directing was necessary.

“It was a very professional event, and I liked that a lot,” Pugh said.

Director McReynolds enjoyed the concert as well.

“The music was very interesting, including a new commissioned piece,” McReynolds said.

The new piece, “Haunted Carousel,” by Erika Svanoe, was Jennings’ favorite.

“It sounded really cool, and we hadn’t played anything like it before,” Jennings said.

While the concert band was playing new music, the jazz band was playing songs like “Goin’ On” by Count Basie, in which Pugh had a solo. Pugh was thrown into a novel situation when he was put in the position to play two songs written by SEIBA jazz band director, Dr. Bob Washut, on the piano.

“The parts were written like he would play them, and so that’s always nerve-wracking -- playing something that the composer wrote for himself -- but I think I did a pretty good job adapting to that,” Pugh said. “He helped me with the parts that he wanted specific ways.”

Dr. Andrew Boysen was the conductor of the concert band.

“The conductor was really exciting, lots of fun for students to work with,” McReynolds said. “[SEIBA] allows students to work with a different conductor each year, which allows them to have different insights and different perspectives on the music they perform.”

While Boysen’s style was different than McReynolds’, Washut gave “different” a whole new meaning.

“He would have us sing through our parts, and if we sang it wrong, we would have to play it,” Pugh said. “It was a really interesting dynamic.”

Although the auditions were stressful, Jennings thinks the experience of SEIBA was worth it.

“It was fun to do something different than just doing band during school,” Jennings said. “It was nice to get a change of pace.”

McReynolds believes SEIBA is a valuable experience as well.

“It gives [band students] a chance to meet students across Southern Iowa who all share the same passion for band that they have,” McReynolds said.

A6

February 12, 2016

NEWS

*Climate Change from A1 The issue of climate change has recently come to the forefront of ICCSD school board discussions in the form of a debate over solar panels.

There is considerable support for a more solar-based ICCSD. The district would receive massive tax rebates for going solar due to the bulk of product necessary. This solar photovoltaic technology works by converting energy from sunlight into electricity using solar panels.

This energy would be fed back into the grid, tracked by a meter that measures energy.

However, there is a debate over whether it’s legal for the ICCSD, or any school district, to arrange business agreements with a private entity.

Iowa’s Dillon’s rule states that school districts have to abide by laws made by the state. This is different from the functioning of cities and counties which abide by Home rule and have more individual power. There have been discussions about locations for a demonstration solar project in the future.

The ICCSD has already taken district-wide measures in order to contribute to a solution for the issue by working to increase energy ef-

ficiency within the district. In 2013 the district began to implement a 10-year plan, with efficiency in mind, that will touch every building in the district.

The $250 million dollar plan includes a new high school, three new elementary schools, and renovations to existing buildings. So far the district has started construction on Liberty High School, completed Alexander Elementary, and renovated Penn, Twain, Van Allen, Hills, and Hoover elementary schools. Duane VanHemert, who became the Director of the Physical Plant for the ICCSD in 2012, was drawn to the ICCSD because of the new construction happening here.

“Most of the new technologies we’re using are just old ones regenerated,” VanHemert said.

“The real story is how farmers back in the 1800s used things like wind breaks, wind mills, and

south-facing windows.”

VanHemert has worked to implement geothermal heating and cooling systems into every building. This technology can reduce energy costs by as much as 60%, proving to be a viable method of energy conservation. Wells in the ground circulate glycol-fluid which picks up heat in winter--heat pump collects heat in fluid--and extracts heat from the building in the summer, depositing it back into the earth.

These systems operate underground and arguably have the biggest impact when conserving energy. Although costs are high upfront, they pay for themselves within five to seven years of installment.

City’s new addition, third floor, and performing arts wing are already heated and cooled by geothermal systems.

VanHemert also works to incorporate natural light and occupancy sensors in district

“AT THIS POINT, WE REALLY NEED TO TRY TO FIX OUR ENVIRONMENT”

LIZA CASELLA ‘16

buildings.

“I think we are making [the buildings] more eco-friendly,” he said.

The district has also implemented bioswales, slopes incorporated in the landscape designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water, retention ponds, which hold rain for flood control, plantings to absorb stormwater, and permease concrete, porous concrete that allows water to sink into instead of skirting over the ground.

“We’re managing our school sites better, and managing stormwater runoff,” VanHemert said.

Students in the district can make a difference by being aware of the energy needed to run the district. VanHemert sites making sure lights are turned off, continuing with recycling programs, and cutting down on paper usage as key things students can help with.

“I think the younger generation does a good job with awareness of things like utilities and cutting down on lights and using your electronic devices,” VanHemert said.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

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NEWS

February 12, 2016

THE SEARCh for Love What’s better than finding a “special someone?” Finding the words in our Valentine’s Day-themed word search.

A7

Top Lesser-Known Valentine’s Date Places In Iowa City

Check out a few of our favorite small businesses that won’t leave you broke this Valentine’s Day.

ux s De L St. e p e r C ollege pes C E 9 30 e: Cre p y T Food

Clinton Street Social Club 18 1/2 S Clinton St. Food Type: Upscale Southern Comfort

ARROW CANDY CARD CHOCOLATE COUPLE

CUPID DATE FEBRUARY FLOWERS GIFT

HEART HUG KISS LOVE LOVEBIRDS

PINK RED ROMANCE SWEETHEART VALENTINES

i e and m i a v h an a A us Tak Iow pe: S 219 d Ty usion o Fo an-F i As

LH Cutest Couple Contest These are the editor’s picks for the Cutest Couple Contest. Go to the littlehawk.com to check out others’ favorites!

Mondo’s Saloon 112 E College St. Food Type: Southwestern

ice .

Thai Sp th Gilbert St ou 1210 S e: Thai yp Food T

Celeste Chadwick & Harris Seabold

Cori Slokum & Charles Johnson

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February 12, 2016

RIGHT: Marco Rubio speaks to supporters at the Marriott Hotel in Coralville, Iowa on January 18th.

PHOTO BY ROBIN MENIETTI

NEWS

Results from the 201

For more extensive coverage of the Iowa Caucus and the 2016 Presidential race, visit www.thelittlehawk.com

Democrats 49.9% 49.6% 0.6%

Republicans

NEWS

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February 12, 2016

LEFT: Hillary Clinton gave a quick overview of her campaign at the Iowa Memorial Union on January 21st.

RIGHT: Donald Trump greets the community at his rally in the Field House in Iowa City on January 26th. PHOTOS BY MAYA DURHAM

LEFT: Bernie Sanders speaks at his rally at the Field House on January 29th. Also attending were Vamprire Weekend, Josh Hutcherson, and Foster the People. PHOTO BY ESTIE DILLARD LEFT: Ben Carson addresses a crowd of supporters at the University Club on Friday, January 29th. PHOTO BY ANTHONY SOBERANIS FERN

16 Iowa Caucuses

Over 800 caucus goers gather at Democratic precint 18 at Southeast Junior High on February 1st.

PHOTO BY SOFIE LIE

A10 OPINION

LH

February 12, 2016

Staff Editorial: Dealing With Climate Change A new agreement drafted in Paris last December is offering new hope for the future of our planet

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 ART BY MAYA DURHAM

Adviser

jonathan rogers

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.

Every generation is defined by something. There have been generations touched by war, population booms, economic hardship, and various catastrophes. But in the future, there will be a new challenge that will confront our generation and, in all likelihood, the generations to come after: climate change.

According to NASA, 2015 was the hottest year on record since the beginning of yearly temperature measurements of the earth’s surface, breaking the record set in 2014. 15 of the 16 hottest years on record have occurred since 2001, and global temperatures have risen by about 1 degree Celsius since the 19th century. According to the EPA, rising temperatures will cause a number of problems in the coming years, including more severe natural disasters such as hurricanes and heatwaves, rising sea levels in coastal areas, and extreme drought in others. If not enough action is taken to slow global warming, the earth we leave to the generations of the future will be a very different, harsher one than the one we know today.

The agreement in Paris between 195 countries to deal with the issue is a huge and historic step in the right direction, and is one of the most important worldwide agreements in the last few decades. The agreement requires the countries to convene every 5 years to set climate goals, the overall aim being to keep the increase in global average temperature

global warming, despite overwhelming evidence and a near-consensus in the scientific community. The main perpetrator of this would be Oklahoma State Senator, Jim Inhofe, who is the author of the book The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future. Inhofe has created an infamous reputation in the scientific community for being very, very vocal against global warming, which he believes is a hoax created by the liberal population in America. This is the kind of resistance stirred up by oil money in politics that has so greatly impeded progress toward slowing emissions, or helping deal with the problem in any real way.

Such an agreement is a very good sign for the planet and the countries of the world. The fact that so many different governments can come together for the sake of the future is refreshing in the midst of the amount of division that exists in the world today. Equally refreshing is the optimism that the agreement shows, as a goal of limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius was recently considered unrealistic with the trajectory of emissions being as high as it was. However, the agreement sets a limit at 2 degrees Celsius, with an ambitious and optimistic goal of keeping warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius.

It’s the kind of positive and united way of thinking that will be needed if the issue is to be properly handled.

Do you think we’ve done enough to stop climate change over the past decade?

since the industrial revolution below 2 degrees Celsius, with an ideal goal to limit the increase to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The agreement outlined a system in which the countries are held accountable by each other for making sure each nation does it’s part, and help will be available should a country have a major issue caused by climate change.

Countries were each required to submit plans to reduce emissions in the interest of making global greenhouse emissions peak as soon as possible, with the plan being to start removing carbon from the atmosphere after 2050.

A large part of the issue has been resistance to change from within our own government. As it stands, there are still high ranking members of the US government that are actively trying to disprove

OPINION

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February 12, 2016

In A Manner of Speaking

Thumbs

By Lucy Wagner and Savannah Haleine Reflecting upon 2015, words and phrases such as “on fleek,” “bae,” “squad,” and “fake” pop into our heads as some of the dominant slang of the year for teenagers. These expressions are nothing but vague and broad, with definitions that have the potential to baffle even the most crafty grammar nerd. There was a period of time everyone called each other “bae.” Everyone had their “squad.” Everyone had to have eyebrows that were “on fleek.” And a lot of teenagers were accused of maintaining a “fake personality,” but were they actually just being polite?

What does “fake” even mean in today’s modern society? Fake is a word that has been around for a long time, and we can all probably agree on its definition. But this past year, the word seems to have grown new legs and walked towards the direction of an insulting slang term. Our mothers warned us that we will (unfortunately) come across some people in our lives who will pretend to be our friends, without actually having our best intentions in mind - fake friends. Recently, this classification has flourished to touch upon anyone who might not speak their mind 24/7.

But constantly speaking our mind can come with a cost - outspoken people may be considered obnoxious or looking for attention. We are faced with a double-edged sword.

Much of our generation is unable to differentiate between a polite personality and a fake personality. Perhaps this confusion springs from the gradual decline America has witnessed in civility. Civility is defined

by Google as “formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech.”

According to “Civility in America,” a nationwide study conducted by Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate with KRC Research in 2014, 70% of Americans believe that incivility has reached crisis proportions. Due to this deterioration of civility - such as people neglecting to say “please” and “thank you” and not complementing one another - much of our generation believes an act of courtesy is simply a ploy to manipulate one another, or that the compliment is secretly an insult (cue the scene in Mean Girls when Regina “compliments” the plaid skirt).

The “Civility in America” study presents how Millennials and Generation X believe the internet is the source of incivility, while Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation cite politicians. Presidential candidate Donald Trump has gained momentous support due in part to his crass and outspoken manner. His often outrageous uncivil demeanor has also turned potential voters against him. On the flip side, politicians such as Hillary Clinton have been criticized for being fake due to “overpoliteness.” Donald is too real. Hillary is too fake. No one can win.

When around close friends, one can be as open, crazy, and outspoken as they choose to be. But it is a universal truth that people act differently depending on the immediate circumstances and the people they are with. But perhaps the word “fake” has outlived its usefulness. Perhaps, in 2016, we can move forward with being “real” and polite at the same time.

Valentine’s Day (we hope) Coin-flip caucuses The presidential race being one step closer to being over Burkle’s now not as new shoes LH canvas pictures in the hallway Vampire Weekend performing for Bernie

Art by Lucy Wagner

Prison Problems

By Jim Geerdes As the United States’ population grows, its prison population skyrockets. This is a problem.

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, surging above Russia, Cuba and China. Even though the United States houses one-twentieth of the global population, it contains a quarter of the world’s prisoners.

The daily news is filled with new offenders being put behind bars, along with the heroics it took to place them there. Sadly, heroism is the worst word to use.

Drug convictions have increased by 400 percent since 1980, mostly due to the war on drugs. The war on drugs was initially started by President Nixon in an attempt to fight youthful rebellion in the 1960s. Nixon’s fight is continued today by many politicians. Drug related crimes make up 50 percent of all crimes prosecuted.

Most involve repeat offenders.

The disproportionate percentage of African Americans that are incarcerated compared to the percentage of African Americans in the general population suggests that racism plays a key factor. African Americans comprise 12% of

regular drug users but are almost 40% of those arrested for drug offenses. African Americans also make up one million of the 2.3 million incarcerated population in the United States, even though they comprise 15.2 percent of its population. These statistics show that equality does not exist in America’s courts and prisons.

The poor conditions of prison facilities is also a major problem with the criminal system.

Yes, the United States is building new prisons at an alarming rate; however, this rate cannot keep up with its world-leading incarceration rate, resulting in severe overcrowding. Nor are enough older facilities getting renovated.

Unfortunately, “correctional” facilities are an empty promise for incarcerated individuals looking to gain life skills in order to return to their families and friends in the real world.

Too many prison systems are designed as one-way roads; once you go down you cannot return. Since 2010, 83 percent of released felons returned to jail after their first sentence. This shows rehabilitation is not effective in prisons.

On top of time served, released felons have their names entered into databases, which are

then made available to the public. Every felon is tracked for at least 15 years and usually longer based on the severity of the crime. This public record-keeping makes it near impossible for former prisoners to apply for jobs and succeed after serving their sentences, resulting in exfelons returning to a life of crime.

Strides are being made to fix the system, starting with America’s top leaders.

“America is the land of the second chance,” said George W. Bush. “When the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life.”

This past July marked the first time a sitting president had ever visited a federal prison.

President Obama said he hopes to change laws requiring a mandatory sentence for nonviolent drug related crimes.

More than laws will have to be changed to fix the United States’ prison system. The war on drugs must end. Facilities need to improve and prisoners’ rights must be maintained. Above all, high rates of incarceration of African Americans must come to an end.

That one dude leaving Vampire Weekend Ziggy Stardust :( Severus Snape :( The sky being so wishy washy about whether it’s raining or snowing Flame-engulfed restaurants stopping traffic

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Febraury 12, 2016

Let’s Get Satirical: A Letter to the Iowa City Students SATIRE... By Stove Harley Hello there, my name is Stove Harley, who is in no way related or knowing of our grandiose superintendent, Steve “Donger Queen” Murley. However, I am here to talk to you fellow students in the defense of Steve “DQ” Murley and the complaints about the “cold”. Now I’m here to give you some of that education that you would be missing if you had decided to have stayed home because of the “big bad storm.”

It all started one Monday when my son woke up at 6:47 and 22 seconds. Which is approximately 3 minutes and 15 seconds later then when he should be up and ready for literally anything, anything. His excuse for this heinous blasphemy to the schedule was “But Pa-Pa! It’s -2 degrees outside and my nose is going to fall off !” Well I just can’t stand for that. I won’t let my son dishonor our good Harley family name by worrying about a couple of stupid fingers. Why, when I was his age I had to walk through four feet of snow every day to school, without clothes. By the time I was 17, six of my fingers had frozen off. And by the time I was 20, three of my new fake fingers also froze off and I had to get new ones. So when one of these vagabond youths talk about losing one of their precious pinky fingers, I get personally, and physically offended. What does he even have to complain about? I’ve known for a long time that my son will never have need for his fingers.

That all being said, apparently my son wasn’t the only one complaining. I was Snapchatting some other parents that morning when they also mentioned that they had a similar problem. Encouraged by

this citywide scourge of cravenness, I immediately set out to prove those punk kids wrong in order to validate my own sense of importance. And lo-and-behold I struck gold. Right there in our- I mean the rules it says “School will be cancelled if the morning forecast shows frostbite times of 30 minutes or less”. Which to me is far more than reasonable. If I were in charge, which I’m totally not, I would make it “5 minutes until horrible frostbite death” You know why? Because education is suffering, the AP tests taught us that a long time ago. By exposing our children to the horrors of nature itself we can finally begin to step onto our Godgiven path of natural selection and begin to weed out the weak from the strong. That way we can finally beat China in education. Damn you China and you’re superior winter wear!

In conclusion, I believe that if going to school isn’t the same as scaling the peak of Everest then it’s not even worth going to PE. So everybody should stop complaining because we’re- I mean they’re just following the rules and sometimes we just need to let our superintendent just do his job! Because sometimes the superintendent would just like to go to the office for ONE DAY WITHOUT ANOTHER GOD-DOOFILY COMPLAINT ABOUT HOW “CHILLY” IT HAPPENS TO BE. YOU UNGRATEFUL PIECES OF POOP.

Sincerely, Stove Harley xoxo

ART BY A.J. BOULUND

“

SILENT

“I won’t say exactly what happened this morning, but picture The Exorcist.”

“Your mom can still ruin your life at age 37.”

-Mr. Rogers

-Mr. Hartwig

“This is all just mathematical bread.”

-Mr. Miller

“If you have nothing nice to say, say it in French.”

-M. Balcaen

“

RIGHT TO REMAIN

OPINION

Electing to Change

By Cody Owen Chances are that the majority of the school has watched a fair amount of TV in the last few months. Which means that the majority of the school, despite presidential elections being many months away, has seen around a quadrillion political advertisements. For the average voter, the presidential election is a long, mind-numbingly tedious process that inspires little other than cynicism in votingage people.

Many countries have limits on their elections. In the UK, each party cannot spend more than $29.5 million in the year before an election. The longest Canadian election in history was 74 days long in 1926.

Switzerland has an outright ban on political advertising. In contrast, the United States has an obscenely long campaign process (the first advertisement for the 2016 presidential election was a Ted Cruz ad that aired on April 3rd, 2015) and allows candidates to advertise across all platforms.

This means that candidates need to spend fortunes to compete; about $7 billion in total was spent by candidates in the 2012 elections, according to the Federal Election Commission. One can only expect that this coming election will be even more expensive, and the one after that even more so. The modern election has become a pissing match to see who can raise the most money.

Barack Obama outraised Mitt Romney by $80 million in 2012. In the 2008 election, the Obama campaign outspent the McCain campaign by $100 million in the area of tv advertising. According to the FEC, financial activity in the 2008 election increased by 80% from the 2004 election, from $1 billion to $1.8 billion. It’s disturbing to think that someone can effectively buy public office, or that a single donor can swing an election in whatever direction they please with a few massive donations and the use of a Super PAC (political action committees which cannot give donations to campaigns and parties but can engage in unlimited political spending independent of campaigns and which can receive unlimited donations from all legal sources).

The first step towards improvement would be to either do away with Super PACs or to limit the amount of money they can spend in total. The power of a small group of fabulously wealthy individuals to effect an election should not be so great. In addition, candidates should not be allowed to begin campaigning until one year before election day in order to prevent voters from becoming sick of an election and deciding not to vote at all.

Check out Politikid, Nerd Nook, Dunkin’ With Duncan, Bradycardia, Overexposed, and lots of other awesome blogs on thelittlehawk.com

OPINION

A13

February 12, 2016

Movie Review: The Revenant

#OscarsSoWhite

By Sophia Schlesinger

Alejandro González Iñarritu’s [Birdman 2014, Biutiful 2010] golden-globe winning film The Revenant is a masterpiece of equal parts high definition camerawork and stubborn artistry. The film follows the journey of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo Dicaprio) across a wintery north American landscape in his quest for vengeance against his mutinous crew mate John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy).

I found that my favorite element of this film was often a complaint for other viewers. Iñarritu is known for films with alternative pacing, and it seems many viewers felt cheated out of an action movie upon seeing The Revenant. Indeed, the film has a relatively slow pace, with many lengthy, meditative shots of wintery woodlands, but all of this contributes to a Londonian themed story of revenge and the disturbed natural world.

Iñarritu shoots human beings in stark contrast to the undisturbed beauty of nature---the viewer notices the quiet loveliness of the snow-covered spruces before letting their eyes settle on Dicaprio.

The director stays true to this theme throughout the movie, sometimes breaking the fourth wall to further juxtapose human presence. In a few shots, the camera creeps impossibly close, until Dicaprio’s breath is fogging up the lense, and in the final shot of the movie he settles his stony gaze directly on the audience, accompanied by no sound but the wind.

This is another way Iñarritu refuses the conventions of the American cinema---he refuses to rely on musical aid to heighten the drama of his

scenes. This was the case in his 2014 film Birdman, where he used a drum score rather than conventional melodic accompaniment. In The Revenant, the bear attack scene is a silent affair and Iñarritu must create all the drama visually, which is a rarity in the film industry. Too often directors rely on dramatic music to heighten the emotions of a scene, a crutch that’s conducive to lazy writing and poor acting. In the absence of audio relief, the scene is high in intensity and romanticizes the sheer power of the natural world; the bear tosses Dicaprio around like a fish and he---a grown, able-bodied man---is rendered completely powerless.

This scene encompasses the overall intent of the film, which is to show that the goings on of man are insignificant in the grand scope of the natural universe. Most of the complaints I heard were that the movie didn’t have enough action, which should show what kind of film this is. It’s not for the action movie fan seeking to watch Dicaprio conquer nature through his bear-wrestling, throat-slash cauterizing, and buffaloliver eating antics. It’s first and foremost an introspective film about the nature of revenge, and goes against the cheap romanticization of revenge so prevalent in the American cinema. This proved unfortunate for fellow director Quentin Tarantino [Django Unchained 2012, Inglourious Basterds 2009], whose film Hateful Eight was released at and takes place in roughly the same time period. Indeed, Tarantino’s devotion to revenge-based films makes him seem a little adolescent and incapable of variance in genre.

Art by AJ Boulund

Top 10

David Bowie songs to remember

1. “Space Oddity” 2. “Changes” 3. “Starman” 4. “Let’s Dance”

5. “Young Americans” 6. “Rebel Rebel” 7. “The Man Who Sold the World”

8. “Fame” 9. “Under Pressure” 10. “Blackstar”

By Maya Durham In 1939, Hattie McDaniel became the first African American person to win an Academy Award. This was a huge breakthrough for people of color in America, particularly in a time of Jim Crow laws.

Now, let’s fast forward to 2016. There are no Jim Crow laws in effect. We have a black president, and we’re supposed to be living in a time of racial equity and harmony. , Yet when the nominations for this year’s Oscars were announced, there were only four people of color nominated for (semi)major awards: Abęl Tesfaye (The Weeknd) for Best Original Song (Fifty Shades of Grey), Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura for Best Animated Film (When Marnie Was There), and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for Directing (The Revenant). All 20 of the nominations for Best Actor/Actress (in a leading and in a supporting role) were white, and thousands of people took to social media to to talk about it, using the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

Actors and actresses, both white and people of color, have announced that they are boycotting the 2016 Academy Awards because of the lack of diversity. Jada Pinkett Smith announced her boycott in a video released on Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday.

She also released a thread of tweets, saying, “At the Oscars...people of color are always welcomed to give out awards...even entertain.

But we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating altogether? People can only treat us in the way in which we allow. With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment.”

Multiculturalism is a key component of America and America’s history. From the Transcontinental Railroad to the Civil Rights Movement, people of color have played crucial roles in the development of this country. People of color are as American as anyone else, and we deserve equal representation in the media and awards shows. This is a problem that is much bigger than just this year’s awards show.

In the past few years, there were a number of films highlighting the lives and challenges of people of color made. Films that featured incredible acting, plots, and cinematography, including Straight Outta Compton, Creed, Tangerine, and Dope. Films that should have gotten recognition from the Academy of Motion Pictures, but didn’t. Creed did receive a nomination, but it was for Sylvester Stallone, a white actor. In a movie centered around the life of a black man, with over half of the cast being people of color, the only person nominated for an Oscar was Caucasian.

The powerful performances and contributions of people of color throughout the years have been ignored, bashed, and ridiculed, and that needs to change. But how do we get the recognition we deserve? In the words of Jada Pinkett Smith, “Begging for acknowledgement, or even asking for it, diminishes dignity, and diminishes power. And we are a dignified people. And we are powerful, and let’s not forget it.”

Valentine’s Day Gift tips here!

w

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February 12 , 2016 A&E

WITH OSCAR ORACLE ELLIS FONTANA

BEST PICTURE

in my opinion. With this list, I have outlined to the best of my ability my choices and the Academy’s choices. One must keep in mind that I haven’t been able to watch every movie or performance nominated, so a few of these are more educated guesses. Well, technically they’re all guesses. But nevertheless, here are my predictions for the 2016 Academy Awards.

What Should Win: Spotlight Spotlight presents a story that Academy members love to drool over: an underdog tale about members of the media exposing the corruption of those in power. A great movie that looks like it can take the award.

What Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTRESS

An absolute powerhouse of a movie that came out of seemingly nowhere. Not only a storytelling masterpiece but also a huge technical achievement. Easily the best action movie in recent memory and it would be nice to see the Academy look to different genres.

Who Should Win: Brie Larson The ability to carry a movie along with co-star Jacob Tremblay in a movie that takes place almost entirely in one room is incredibly impressive, and she certainly deserves this award.

What Will Win: Brie Larson Ever since the award season started picking up, Brie Larson has been the name on everybody’s lips for Best Actress. Plus, she’s already won just about every other notable award in the business for her performance

BESTSUPPORTING ACTRESS

&ENTERTAINMENT

I

’m sure most people have heard plenty about this year’s Academy Awards nominations.

However, despite the controversy, I would prefer to see this as a year full of fantastic nominees who truly deserve the recognition.

This surprises me considering that I had very low expectations for 2015 in terms of movies, and it turned out to be a pretty damn good year

Who Should Win: Alicia Vikander

BEST ACTOR

ARTS

BREAKING DOWN THE OSCARS

Who Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio

The Academy likes topical movies, and the Academy likes Tom Hooper, and Tom Hooper likes topical movies. It’s a perfect system, and Alicia Vikander looks to profit from it for her performance in The Danish Girl, a movie about the first gender reassignment surgery What Will Win: Jennifer Jason Leigh Starting out as a more comedic character with hints of darkness, Jennifer Jason Leigh soon starts to take control of the film by the end of the third act, showing off her incredible talent to make you fear a bloody, beat-up prisoner.

It’s been a long time coming, but Leo has shown his dedication to his craft this time for The Revenant, and he has the fan support. At this point, it might as well be a lifetime achievement award instead.

What Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio

Who Should Win: Tom Hardy

BEST SUPPORTING

ART BY AJ BOULUND

It’s been a really long time, and the joke is getting old.

While he may not have a bigger legacy, Tom Hardy has already shown that he is one of the better actors in this generation. And this especially shows in The Revenant where he is easily the best performance. While others had pretty good performances, Hardy’s really stood out as an clear winner for an Oscar.

Who Will Win: Sylvester Stallone While Sly may not have had the best performance, he does have the biggest career. Namely being the brain father behind one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises (Rocky) . And the Academy has been known to award nominees for legacy instead of just one performance, and it looks like this might be one of those awards.

A15

February 12, 2016 A&E

A Family-Style Serving Kevin Perez’s latest restaurant opened with help from his son Izaak Perez and family members.

By Jonas Geerdes & Sy Butler For most kids, household chores are a common thing, for Izaak Perez ‘16, chores mean a paycheck. Izaak works for his father Kevin Perez at various restaurants throughout Iowa City opened by Kevin and his partners.

“There’s a lot of flexibility,” Izaak said about working for his father. “A negative is that I can’t complain, and I can’t really quit. I have to do whatever my dad tells me to.”

Kevin, who started in the restaurant business bussing tables at age fourteen, keeps high standards for his restaurants.

“I like to control the food. Where it comes from, who makes it, how it’s imported. I never buy anything prepackaged,” Kevin said.

And it’s not just the food; Kevin likes to have a hand in every aspect of the restaurant, from building infrastructure to marketing, doing things himself is important to him.

“I’ve always got to be doing something. Iron working, steel working, the idea of being able to do something is

fun for me,” said Kevin. “I’m not afraid to fail at something.”

Hudson’s Southside Tap, the newest venture by Kevin, serves classic American foods such as burgers and sandwiches, and a variety of normal food. Unlike other restaraunts such as Stella’s and Shorts Burger and Shine, Hudson’s, however, was a first for Kevin in that the restaurant itself was incomplete.

Kevin and his partners designed the interiors of his restaurants.

Construction for his restaurants are a family affair.

“I help build the walls in the kitchens and I help lay the floors. It takes a long time but it isn’t awful,” Izaak said.

But even with his sons helping him, Kevin knew the process would be difficult.

“I thought at the time it would go smooth, but it took twice as long,” Kevin said. “There is always something. It costs twice as much, something takes twice as long, it’s always something new.”

Compared to previous restaurants he was involved with, Kevin said opening up Hudson’s was a very different

experience.

“We weren’t tearing into anything this time. We had to build everything from scratch in order to get something we wanted,” Kevin said. “Since this was the first new building and youngest that I have ever done, we had to rip everything out.”

Starting from scratch allowed Kevin to get creative with his building. The restaurant can fit 80 people, plus an outdoor porch that can hold 25 more in the warmer months. The finished wood floors attract interior design lovers while the eight flat screen TVs draw in sport fanatics.

Patrick Henkhaus, ‘16, knew it was Perez-styled restaurant the moment he walked in.

“It had that Kevin style,” Henkhaus said on the design. “It had a Short’s Burger vibe with a family-friendly feel.”

Kevin said that while, he enjoys the new restaurant, he’s always looking for something more.

“I don’t know what I’ll do next,” Kevin said. “I always prefer to think that we stumble through life, and I’ll just keep stumbling until the next opening.”

ABOVE: Examples of various dishes served at Hudson’s LEFT: The Hudson’s front entrance alongside Highway 6.

Grease-Cast list Danny Sandy Kenickie Doody Roger Sonny Rizzo Frenchy Marty Jan Patty Cha-cha Vince Fontaine Teen Angel Miss Lynch Eugene Florczyck

Actor/Actress (Please Initial Your Acceptance of the Role) Kyle Irish-Gorvin Camilla Strathearn Cole Donahue Jordan LaFauce Elias Perez AJ Boulund Addie Bass Veronica Abreau Genevieve Wisdom Serena Collins Emma Myers-Verhage Lauren O’Brien Noah Freeman Nick Mendoza Jilly Cooke Aidan Smith

ENSEMBLE MEN Andy Stewart (nerd) Chris Winegarden Dylan Davenport Ellis Fontana (nerd) Emmett Adamson (Jock) Fred Ogilvie Gabe Pardekooper (Jock) Hugh Brown (Soda Jerk) Jacob Strathearn Michael Martin Nick Mendoza (Teen Angel) Noah Freeman (Vince F) Nysio Poulakos Tommy Brands (Jock) Zack Kenyon

ENSEMBLE WOMEN Alejandra Revelez-Poindexter (waitress) Amelia Morrow (Doo-wop) Caroline Brown* Cassidy Slater-Scott* (cheerleader) Ciarra Butikofer* Clara Froeschner* (waitress) Eddy Galstad (Doo-wop) Ellen Fields Estie Dillard Jessie Shaw (Doo-wop) Keaton Scandrett (Doo-wop) Lauren O’Brien (Cha-Cha) Marisa Rude* (Doo-wop) Nathalie Alvarado (Doo-wop, cheerleader) Sami Therme*

ART BY MAYA DURHAM

The Grease cast was announced with after school drama selecting both new and old actors.

By Jonas Geerdes

C

ole Donahue ,‘16, walks around frantically in the hallway. Waiting, Donahue find his name on the list and is breathless. This was Donahue’s first and last audition for a high school musical.

“I was really excited,” Donahue said on finding out he made the final cut. “It was a great feeling, but I did feel bad for my friends who didn’t make it or didn’t get the part.” Donahue plays the role of Kenickie, Danny sidekick. Donahue explained he was happy with the part he received, as his father played the same role in Grease during his own high school musical.

“I felt kinda proud,” Donahue, explained. “It was the role I really wanted, mostly because of my dad, so I’m happy I got the part.”

Addie Bass, ‘17, who was casted for the role as Rizzo

is excited for the musical, is excite d for the musical.

However, Bass said the casting process was a little different this year.

“The call back list was a lot longer this year,” Bass explained. “I think that threw everybody off.” Even with the different casting process, Bass had faith in the directors.

“They know what they’re doing,” Bass said “They got a lot a great talent this year.” Bass said that this musical is one to remember.

I expect a really dance heavy show with a car on stage,” Bass explained. “We got a lot of great people involved with the show and the design, tech and choreography and I think that we will make a great musical.”

*featured dancers

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