the little hawk Iowa City, IA
Vol. 83
April 15, 2022
Issue 4
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Senior Words of Advice As seniors prepare for the next phase of their lives, they look back and share advice to underclassmen and those beginning at City High
ABOVE: Seniors give advice to the student body. PHOTO BY RACHEL MARSH
By Rachel Marsh As the third trimester begins and the end of the school year grows ever closer, seniors are looking back on their years at City High and remembering what they’ve done and how they’ve changed. From the past four years, seniors want to share what they’ve learned as they move on to the next chapter of their lives. Q: WHAT’S THE BIGGEST THING YOU’VE LEARNED IN HIGH SCHOOL? Jake Roth ‘22: This is the time to explore opportunities and yourself. I’ve learned to not hold back and to do what you think you should do. If you think you should try out for the musical but you’re not sure, but you kind of want to, just do it anyway. Ruth Meehan ‘22: The things that you think are a really big deal in the moment actually aren’t when you look back on it. Take a risk, no regrets, just go for it. Lucy Corbin ‘22: I learned to try out as many things as possible, just to see what you like and what you don’t like. If you don’t like it, you learn something about yourself. You learn from the process. Abbie Thomas ‘22: I learned time management and how to build relationships with people you don’t @instalittlehawk
know. Vince Johnson ‘22: Grades don’t matter as much as you think they do. Be active in activities, you won’t regret it. Nathalie Nunez ‘22: The biggest thing I’ve learned is that people can switch up really quickly and you should stay 100% to yourself. Kimberly Marquez ‘22: I’ve learned to love Pitbull throughout high school. Parker Max ‘22: The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Q: WHAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL? Renzo Gonzalez ‘22: Probably how not intimidating it is and how inclusive everybody is. When I first came in, I thought, ‘It’s gonna be difficult’ and I mean, for some people it is. But really everybody here is nice, the teachers and the staff. Vince Johnson ‘22: What surprised me the most was unexpected friendships. Lucy Corbin ‘22: It’s not like High School Musical. There are no cliques. I guess everyone’s just insecure about themselves. People do not look like adults in high school. They still look like middle schoolers. Helena Brown-Rodriguez ‘22: There’s less judgment than I thought there would be. I expected it to be @thelittlehawk
so serious and so cliquey and there are groups of people that do the same things, but in general, people at City High are a lot more open than I expected them to be. Harper O’Brien ‘22: The thing that surprised me the most is just how much fun it is. I think I was expecting it to be very stressful, which at times it can be but, honestly, I would do it all over again just for the fun memories. Kimberly Marquez ‘22: The fights, and how our class was so close sophomore year and then we separated, it fluctuates a lot. Averi Loria ‘22: How much my friend group changed. Abbie Thomas ‘22: It’s not like High School Musical. Ruth Meehan ‘22: Something that you think could be not that big of a deal to someone else actually could have a very large impact. So going out of your way to make someone smile or do something nice for someone else really makes an impact. Q: WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL? Ruth Meehan ‘22: Well, I wouldn’t put a global pandemic right in the middle of it. Abbie Thomas ‘22: I probably would have gotten involved in more activities.
I would have auditioned for more things like in the music department. Averi Loria ‘22: I would have done show choir and more art classes. Kimberly Marquez ‘22: I would have done a business class. Vince Johnson ‘22: COVID. Lucy Corbin ‘22: I would not stress out so much about grades. I know obviously you want to have good grades, but I definitely spent way too much time on trying to get the perfect grade when I’ll forget about it in two months. Q: WHAT DO YOU REGRET ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL? Jake Roth ‘22: I regret stressing so much over the little things. A little assignment or something like that. Harper O’Brien ‘22: I just regret caring what people think. Georgia Kimm ‘22: What I regret most is not making as many friends until junior and senior year. Vince Johnson ‘22: Trying so hard freshman and sophomore year. Helena Brown-Rodriguez ‘22: I regret not focusing enough on school stuff. It’s good to have the social stuff, you really don’t have to put 100% of your time into schoolwork, but you want to make sure to find a good
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balance to actually feel like you’re doing well. Ruth Meehan ‘22: I wish I would have gone out and tried something out of my comfort zone. I think that I tried a lot of stuff within my kind of music branch. I wish I would have branched out a little bit more. Kimberly Marquez ‘22: I regret not doubling up on math my sophomore year, not using the core electives wisely, and I also regret taking the ACT late. Averi Loria ‘22: I regret not looking into colleges sooner, taking the ACT, and not branching out when it comes to friend groups sooner. Nathalie Nunez ‘22: I regret not trying more clubs and sports. Q: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL AN INCOMING FRESHMAN? Jake Roth ‘22: The biggest thing is to just be yourself and just go for it. Do what you think you should do. Be kind to other people. Be yourself and try your best and you’ll be fine. Renzo Gonzalez ‘22: Do not see high school as intimidating. Just try to be out there, explore, hang out with new people. Just ask for help. Don’t stress out too much. Because there’s always going to be people there to help you and support you. Lucy Corbin ‘22: PDA
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is not okay at school. Please do not do it. There are only really ugly boys. No hot ones. Ethan Goodrich ‘22: An advanced class isn’t worth taking unless you’re passionate about the subject. Helena Brown-Rodriguez ‘22: Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I feel like a lot of people think that high school is gonna be everything. And it’s not. It’s a big part of you, but what comes afterwards is even more important. Just go through these four years and do what you can to make them four good years, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to become the person that you want to be your whole life. You have time for that. Ruth Meehan ‘22: Every class every day on time, #stopunexcusedabsences. Also go out for theater. Lucy Corbin ‘22: Go in the right way in the hallway. Park in the right parking lot. Don’t run in the hallways. I see these freshmen, they’re just like, on a mission. No, just calm down. Abbie Thomas ‘22: To get involved in as much as you can. Because you can always quit things you don’t like and you should always just start early and join so you can make more friends and family. Vince Johnson ‘22: Just have fun.
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DEAR READERS,
A2 NEWS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
Hello everyone! Welcome to the bittersweet second-to-last newspaper issue of the year. In the News section this month we touch on current issues such as the conflict in Ukraine, updates on school clubs, and also highlight inspiring action being taken in our community. If you’ve been searching for some life-changing, transformative advice from City High seniors, we have you covered. If you want to read about the ICCSD’s proposed four day school week, a review of the new Batman movie, or our editor’s thoughts on the new Miu Miu skirts, flip to the Opinion and Culture sections. Our A&E section is filled with the stories of wonderfully creative students, and Sports is packed with information about spring sports. Check out the Features magazine for an insight into athlete’s mental health, students’ feminist idols, and so much more. This is the last issue before the new editors of The Little Hawk begin to take over. For now, enjoy these photos of us as budding young journalists. We are so excited for the future editors of The Little Hawk and are thankful to have had such a wonderful year so far!
AALA
REBECCA
All the best,
&
HAILEIGH
SOPHIE
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
NEWS A3
A4 NEWS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
Iowa Stands With Ukraine An Iowa City family protests Russian attacks on Ukraine
By Sophia Lusala & Rebecca Michaeli Natasha Laux has lived in The United States for the past 28 years, although she grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine, a city that Russia is currently attempting to gain control of. Laux resided in the Eastern European country of Ukraine until she was 19, when she immigrated to the United States. To this day, her uncle, cousins, friends, and distant relatives still live in Ukraine. “Periodically throughout all these years, I have been visiting Ukraine. My husband, my daughter, and myself have traveled all over the country, and we visited in 2015, right after the Ukrainian [Revolution of Dignity] in 2014,” Natasha Laux said. Ukraine was formerly a part of the Soviet Union with its bordering country of Russia, until the fall of the Soviet State in 1991. For 22 years, since 2000, Vladimir Putin has been the president of Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the president of Ukraine, having been elected to the position in 2019. The Russian-Ukrainian war has been occurring for over 8 years, though Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 severely escalated the conflict. President Putin hopes to gain control of Ukraine, overturn its current government, with the goal of ending the country’s desire to join NATO. “Right now it’s quite overwhelming because [the war] has been going on for so long. Some days it’s very stressful to listen to the news especially when things are getting worse and worse,” Natasha Laux expressed. “At the same time, I can’t ignore it. My friends who have close ties with Ukraine they can’t ignore it either. We keep watching the news, we watch every update possible.” Natasha Laux’s daughter, AnastaciaLaux, is a junior at City High. Because her mother is from Ukraine, Anastacia has grown up being around and influenced by Ukrainian culture. “I’ve grown up in a family where I’ve been really influenced by Ukrainian culture. The way I’ve been raised has changed my perspective. I have noticed the ways I think have been influenced by my culture,” Anastacia Laux said. “The community I’m surrounded by is a group of Ukrainians and Russians who live in Iowa City, so growing up in this environment has really impacted who I am and the identity that I connect with.” The current reality that Ukrainians in the country are facing has caused concern for their friends and families. Many communicate with their loved ones overseas via Face-
Protesters march through Iowa City’s pedmall. PHOTO BY ANASTACIA LAUX book, WhatsApp, and Skype; all platforms that support overseas use without fees. “We have some relatives we’ve been really worried about, but fortunately they’ve been able to get out of the dangerous, more risky zones. So we have been keeping in touch with them,” Anastacia Laux said. According to Statista, as of March 27, 2022, there have been 1,151 civilian casualties in Ukraine and 1,824 injuries. “For myself, it’s impossible right now to seperate my life here in the United States from what’s going on in Ukraine. It’s not just the Russia/Ukraine war. It’s also a global conflict that is affecting everybody,” Natasha Laux said. Natasha Laux has been receiving inquiries from her friends and family asking how they can send aid to families in Ukraine. In response to the requests, Natasha made a post on Facebook with links to donate to friends and family in Ukraine whom she personally knows. “I wish [the war] ended today, but it hasn’t. We’re just looking for any positive news. Some days are worse than others. I have no doubt Ukraine will win, it might just take longer than we wish. The spirit of the people is so strong, it’s unbreakable,” Natasha Laux said. Natasha and Anastacia Laux attended one of the March For Ukraine protests in downtown Iowa City to show support. “[The march] was very friendly. I think almost the whole world is with Ukraine. It’s important to go and show your support. Even though we live in a smaller town, it’s still important to get out there. It still matters,” Natasha Laux said. Veronica Tessler was one of the lead
ABOVE: Protesters speak in Iowa City. PHOTO BY ANASTACIA LAUX organizers of the protests in Iowa City to demonstrate support for Ukraine. Tessler’s father is an immigrant born in Kyiv, Ukraine in 1950. Because Tessler’s family is Jewish, they left Ukraine in 1973 due to the religious persecution of Jews in the Soviet Union. Tessler’s family is ethically Ashkenazi Jewish, not Ukrainian, though they lived in Ukraine for many years. “When Russia invaded [Ukraine] on February 24, I was shaken. This is so heavy to keep up with. I think we’re all trying to figure out a way to balance keeping up with the news and protecting our own mental health, which sounds very privileged,” Tessler said. “We have the privilege of being able to turn off war like a spectator sport.” After Russia’s attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Tessler connected with a Ukrainian graduate student at the University of Iowa. Together, they have organized two rallies in support of Ukraine, along with creating a Facebook group to create a state-
wide community. “[High schoolers] can help. They can organize, raise money, educate their peers and others about what’s going on in Ukraine, and the misinformation being spread,” Tessler said. “That’s the fight that will continue beyond whatever happens on the ground in Ukraine. We pray that a resolution is found very quickly.” Tessler and her co-organizers have created a Google Document full of resources regarding the war and action that can be taken. Additionally, information on news and upcoming local protests can be found on the “Iowa Stands With Ukraine” Facebook group. “The most important thing is to listen, watch and read reliable sources. The biggest weapon against Russian propaganda is to educate young people on how to select the correct sources of information and follow those sources,” Laux said. “[Truth] is the main weapon we can employ.”
COVID’s Impact on City High Food Service Staff
At City High, lunch and breakfast services have looked different due to short staffing & COVID-19 By Lulu Roarick & Kaitlyn Brown Every morning around 8:15 a.m., students start to crowd around the kitchen doors in the cafeteria. Waiting for a free breakfast, students circle in groups, anticipating the opening of the door to get their breakfast sandwich or bottled smoothie. Though formally scheduled to open at 8:15, breakfast will most likely not open until 8:30. Short staffing of Nutrition Services in both full-time and part-time positions has led to delayed service, creating increased pressure on cafeteria staff to deliver high-quality meals in a reasonable amount of time. “The differences have been significant with COVID,” Allison Demory, Director of Nutrition Services in the district, said. “We currently have 13 full-time openings and 8
part-time. In my ten years as director [before COVID], I’ve never had more than five or so full-time openings at any one time.” Lunch staff at City High outsource to all Eastside elementary schools as well, with some food service staff leaving part way through the day to fill in gaps at elementary schools when lunch is being served. Kate Gluba, a food service staff member at City High and Longfellow both, has spent lots of time traveling between schools. She shares the effects short-staffing has on the amount of staff who need to travel. “I go back and forth between City and Longfellow. In 20 minutes, I’ll leave to go to Longfellow. I’ll do their lunch because I’m the lead over there, then I’ll come back over here,” Gluba said. Sticking with the job is important to our food service staff, as they see the value lunch
and breakfast brings to students and faculty alike. “[The biggest impact is] when you make a connection with a student and you know you have made a difference in their life,” Erin Randall, City High’s kitchen manager, said. This year has brought unique COVID-related challenges, as City High faces the highest percentage of short staffing in the last ten years. Due to short staffing, the sandwich cart has not been able to reopen after COVID. “When you have [staff members] that have to be gone for various reasons and sickness some days, it can make it a challenge to get everything done,” Randall said. “The only line we do not have open right now is our sub shop. Since we already have daily pre-made sandwich choices, it is not a line we have opened yet because of staffing.”
The new edition of City High has helped distribute the rush some, with students being able to line up outside of the assembly area. “I think that our move into the new cafeteria has been very positive for City High,” John Bacon, principal of City High, said. “The new space is lovely. It’s vastly superior to the old cafeteria which was much more institutional in feel.” Acknowledging all the hardships, ICCSD Food Services stays motivated to stick to its full-time mission. “We provide breakfast and lunch to all students so no student goes hungry, and we know that some students rely on these meals as they are food insecure at home,” Demory said. “Our mission is to nourish minds and we know that students are best able to learn when they aren’t hungry.”
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NEWS A5
IJAG Students Host Sticker Sale To help raise funds for the IJAG program and awareness for mental health and the LGBTQ+ community IJAG hosts a sticker sale
ABOVE: Alina Alberhasky ’22 poses with the stickers being sold. City High Student Andrea Lopez is the designer of the sticker on the left. PHOTO BY LULU ROARICK
By Lulu Roarick On the first day of April, IJAG hosted its first annual Sticker Sale, to raise funds for the IJAG program. Inspired by a successful sticker sale by the West High IJAG last year, all three schools IJAGS collaborated to create these stickers to be sold. “This is an opportunity for our students to be able to organize and lead at school.
This is our primary way of funding, so this is a big deal for us.¨ 11-12 IJAG Coordinator, Ms. Whitehead said. Students chose for the stickers being sold to have slogans supporting mental health, and the LGBTQ+ Community. The stickers were designed by all three schools, and through a contest, the final designs were chosen by IJAG students. “The stickers are helping raise awareness
THE MONTH AHEAD
for mental health and LGBTQ, especially with all the recent events with Kim Reynolds and Florida.” Kaitlyn Thompson ‘22 says. The motivator beyond this sale goes beyond funding a program but funding a community. The IJAG programs help support students in discovering career paths, by talking to employers and learning leadership skills. Available to anyone, IJAG serves as a welcoming space for students, regardless of
background. “I’m a first-generation college student, so IJAG helps me figure out what that takes.” Faith Reynolds ‘22 remarks. Available at all three lunches, stickers will be sold for two dollars.more room for us seniors to get first dibs like we deserve. I also think they destroyed our favorite spots to make us appreciate what we have.”
A6 NEWS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
Mental Health Resources in the ICCSD: What We Have and What We Need Mental health activist Abbey Schley and City High’s SFAs provide information and resources for students
ABOVE: Abbey Schley proudly holds a "Just Keep Swimming" flag in honor of her friend she lost to suicide, Dylan Salge. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOROTHY SCHLEY
By Frances Bottorff The Navigating Emotions and Stress Through Training (NESTT) center is a mental health safe space on the third floor of City High. The NESTT is home to volunteers who take shifts in the center, including City High’s two Student Family Advocates (SFAs) Thos Trefz and Katie Vodraska. “It's probably easier to describe what we don't do. I feel like we're the kind of jack of all trades, you know,” Trefz said. Although it's not required to be a social worker in order to be an SFA, both Trefz and Vodraska are licensed social workers. “The way I tend to describe [what we do] is helping students with problems at home or problems in the community or with peers or teachers. It could be because they don't have the resources they need at home, or maybe they don’t have a home. It's our job to figure out what those needs are, and figure out how to best support them with resources we have at school or resources in the community,” Trefz explained. West High, Liberty High, and City High are all equipped with two SFA’s. However, City High is the only high school out of the three to have a NESTT. Vodraska explained that staff members are working closely with West High and Liberty High to create something similar to the NESTT at each respective school. “We are working closely with them to open [a NESTT] in West and Liberty, as well as other schools, like some of the junior highs, and some elementary schools who are also looking at the same model,” Vodraska said. As of right now, Southeast Junior High is equipped with a NESTT, as well as Horace Mann Elementary School. If a student is
struggling, both Trefz and Vodraska encourage students to talk to someone they trust. “The goal is that hopefully every student feels like they have an adult that they could approach,” Trefz explained. Another resource that has been implemented throughout the Iowa City area is the “I’m Glad You Stayed” project, which is a mental health organization created by West High senior Abbey Schley in 2021. “Our main goal is to educate the public, especially teenagers, on real-time suicide prevention actions, like how to help your friend or family member in a crisis. I learned a lot of these tips from real experience. I don't want to see anybody else go through that,” Schley said. Schley also explained that something that can be helpful is having information about your friends and family on hand. In emergency situations, that information can be crucial. “One big thing that I have taken away from this whole experience is having your friend's parents phone numbers and home addresses. If their parents are divorced, and they go back and forth, [make sure] you have both of those addresses,” Schley explained. Schley recommends being vulnerable with your friends, because she has found that when she opens up to people, they end up feeling more comfortable. “If you want someone to open up to you about their feelings, it's going to be hard if you don't feel like you can be honest with them,” Schley said. “I think it's been really helpful for me to open up to people first, and then they're more likely to tell me what they've been thinking and from there, I can see what they need.” Schley has made it clear that the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD)
ABOVE: The "I'm Glad You Stayed Project" has an online store, which sells a variety of merchandise, including a black drawstring bag. PHOTO BY ABBEY SCHLEY
needs to do more when it comes to providing mental health resources for students. “I've been pushing the school district for months to get better mental health resources out [to students]. What they're doing isn't enough, period,” Schley said. Schley created a petition called, “Mental Health Education and Resources in the ICCSD.” As of March 29, 2022 it has 895 signatures. “I'm hoping to get 1,000 signatures on the petition and then share it with the superintendent, to say, ‘Hey, 1,000 people think that this is an issue.’ I just want to show how many people want to see change,” Schley said. Schley strongly believes that there should be more discussion in school about what to do if you’re struggling with mental health. “One hundred percent I think [more discussion] would be a positive thing. I think kids would realize that these feelings are normal for our age. High school sucks. If people can see, ‘Oh, other people are having these thoughts too,’ they won't feel so alone and isolated,” Schley explained. Schley made it clear that conversations around mental health would not be harmful to students, but instead do the opposite. “Kids need the resources. I think the school district is worried that it's going to traumatize us or trigger us. But we're traumatized and triggered every day. If you have to face another friend dying, you'd be traumatized when you go to your friend's funeral,” Schley answered. With the implementation of the NESTT and the “I’m Glad You Stayed” project, there is hope that more mental health aid can be offered to students.
Crisis/Suidide Hotlines: The Crisis Center of Johnson County Crisis Line: 1-319-351-0140 Toll-free: 1-855-325-4296 Chat: IowaCrisisChat.org Your Life Iowa Call: 855-581-8111 Text: 855-895-8398 The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline/The Trevor Project Call: 866-488-7386 Text START to 678678
NEWS A7
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
Ruth Meehan Prepares to Take Her Final Bow in Big Fish Ruth Meehan '22 shares her experience in City High theater over the past four years
ABOVE: Ruth Meehan '22 at rehearsal practicing her role of Sandra in Big Fish. PHOTO BY OLIVIA VANDEBERG
By Olivia Vandeberg & Callista Robertson The lights in Opstad Auditorium dim, the lingering chatter dissipates, and a group of actors takes the stage to begin their afternoon rehearsal for City High’s spring musical, Big Fish. Ruth Meehan ’22 stands center-stage, anticipation brewing along with the knowledge that this will be her last theatrical performance as a City High student. Although this will be her last performance, it won’t be Meehan’s first time gracing the stage in a City High theater production. “When I was 14 years old, I got cast as the head prostitute [in Les Misérables]. I loved it so much, it was an amazing experience. Very daunting, but I had lots of fun,” Meehan
said. While gaining experience from that role, Meehan knew that the missed opportunities due to the Covid-19 pandemic could possibly lead to less than desirable results as she auditioned for this spring’s show. But she was willing to try because of the joy she knew the experience would bring her. “I think that theater is such a great community. It’s welcoming, and I just wanted to continue being a part of that with my friends,” Meehan said. Ever since being introduced to Big Fish by City High’s choir director Tyler Hagy, Meehan was infatuated by the show and was ecstatic to find out that it was going to be this year’s spring musical. “I loved the character of Sandra. I always thought it would be very, very cool to play
her,” Meehan said. After a weekend of anticipation, audition results were posted. Meehan was cast as Sandra Templeton, one of the lead roles. “Finding out that I got a lead role was so exciting,” Meehan said. “I relate to Sandra in a lot of ways, so I’m really excited to dive into [this part].” Throughout her City High career, Meehan has always felt like the musical community was a place for her, and she wants to pass that on to the next generation. “I want people to know that theater is a space for everyone,” Meehan said. “I want everyone to know that when they come into a show, whether it be the crew, in the pit, or on stage, you belong there.” City High’s spring musical, Big Fish, will open on the evening of April 29, 2022.
NSPA Names The Little Hawk Online Pacemaker Finalists The Little Hawk wins NSPA nomination eleventh year in a row By Ava Brewer The Little Hawk was recognized by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) as a prestigious Pacemaker award finalist, putting the team as one of the top 47 news sites in the country, and among one of two Iowa teams nominated. “I am proud of everyone who publishes stories. We have a great group of young people working on our team. We are also a public school,” Diego Loria-Eivins said. This is the eleventh year in a row that the team has been nominated for this award. The news team has won the full Pacemaker award for online news sites twice. The final awards will be announced at the National High School Journalism conference put on by JEA/NSPA in April, where a handful of Little Hawk journalists will be in attendance. The 47 schools nominated for this award are currently still being judged in real-time. For this competition, there are two different categories based on school size. These 47 nominees represent 16 different states across the nation. Each category is judged by six judges who analyze the website’s strengths. This competition is websites only, but the news sites often are associated with print newspapers or print magazines from the same programs. Jonathan Rogers who has who helped students create the first Little Hawk journalism website 11 years ago is amazed at the staff’s digital work. “I am really proud of all the Little Hawk journalists. From great breaking news to podcasts to videos they have really embraced the new digital journalism world. Studies have shown 98% of teens like getting their news on their phones and I think they are doing a great job of informing and entertaining students at City High with their content,” Rogers said.
International Club Fosters Discussion and Celebration of Culture Jeanica Mbuyi ’25, Rebeca Baloci ’25, and Sephora Bikoli ’25 establish International Club to make the City High international community have a safe space to hang out and get to know each other By Lulu Roarick & Marina Escandell Starting this year, the International Club has finally been established, a dream come true for Maria Velina McTaggart, the ELL Instructor at City High. She has wanted an international club for years but had not yet seen the passion from students until this year. “[The purpose is] for kids to get to know one another and learn about their background, their cultures, and their heritage. Then they share it with everybody. This club is not just for ELL, we want to expand it and make it available to every kid in school because we all come from different backgrounds. For them to come and share and teach us what they do, how they celebrate. I think that’d be a great experience for everyone to know,” McTaggart said. International Club meets Friday during Advisory in room 3105 and is open to all students. The goal is to share and discuss the City High Communities’ respective cultures,
through food, clothing, and traditions. “We try to meet every Friday during advisory and we’ve been very successful,” McTaggart said. “I have a very small classroom and sometimes we have to stand. So we’ve been trying to see if we can find a bigger classroom. We haven’t just yet, but we’ll see how that will come along.” The club was launched by Jeanica Mbuyi ‘25, who saw a need for this space for students to share and discuss their backgrounds. “It’s an opportunity for people to share their culture because it’s something that I didn’t really get a chance to do when I first came to America,” Mbuyi said. Future goals for the International Club are a cultural showing event this spring, and to find a bigger space to accommodate all the students interested comfortably. “Everyone should have the opportunity to show their culture, where they’re from, and a little bit of their personality. It’s that mix that shows us a little bit about the personality and their insights [on respective cultures]”
ABOVE: International club students take their bows after a completed rehearsal. PHOTO BY LULU ROARICK
A8 NEWS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
A9 OPINION
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
Little Hawk Journalism Staff Executive Editors Aala Basheir Haileigh Steffen
Digital Execs
Rebecca Michaeli & Sophia Wagner
News Editors
Rebecca Michaeli, Alice Boerner & Callista Robertson
Feature Editor Greta Stanier
Sports Editors Max Berry-Stoelzle & Lauren Koch
ART BY ROSANGEL FLORES RUBIO
Opinion Editors
Four Day School Week Promising But Poses Logistical Problems
Isaac Bullwinkle & Julius Perez
A&E Editors Sophia Wagner Anastacia Laux
Culture Editor Araminta Siegling
Photo Editors Anna Gayley & Rachel Marsh
Art Editor
Rosangel Flores Rubio
Copy Editors
Araminta Siegling, Alice Boerner, Ash Jiménez, Callista Robertson, & Isaac Bullwinkle
STAFF
Matisse Arnone, Oliver Booth, Frances Bottorff, Ava Brewer, Sophia Brenton, Kaitlyn Brown, Isaac Crawford, Jack Degner, Marina Escandell, Forrest Estes, Chloe Froeschner, Benjamin Horwitz, Rachel Johnson, Tristan Johnson, Kaelyn Langdon, Wisdom Konu, Diego Loria-Eivins, Anastacia Laux, Sophia Lusala, Parker Max, Oliver Palmer, Lulu Roarick, Sebastian Robertson, Noah Seebeck, Coleman Shumaker, Tommy Simmons, Eviann Smith, Aaron Stalkfleet, Lucy Thompson, Jacob Williamson
Mission Statement The Little Hawk, student journalism newspaper and website of City High School, aims to inform, educate and entertain readers. LH journalists follow the code of the journalist by seeking truth, doing no harm, being independent, and working toward balance in all news stories. All student voices are enouraged to be part of an LH journalism class. To join the class talk to your guidance counselor today. Letters to the editor may be submitted to: LittleHawkPage@gmail.com ICCSD Equity Statement It is the policy of the ICCSD not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity,veteran status, disability, or socioeconomic status in itseducational 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 at: 509 S. Dubuque Street (319) 688-1000
LH STAFF EDITORIAL
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Lead Writers: Frances Bottorff and Isaac Bullwinkle
he idea of a four day school week has been brought up many times in the Iowa City area. Superintendent Matt Degner presented two structures of the school year to the school board at a meeting in early March. Weeks would run Monday through Thursday, still have a break in the summer, and extended breaks throughout the year. This idea is good in theory, but presents several logistical challenges. As of March 24, 2022 there are four school districts in Iowa that operate under the four day school week model. Those would be the WACO, Cardinal, Mormon Trail, and Moulton-Udell school districts. However, it is difficult to compare ICCSD to any of those because they are all rural communities. The ICCSD has over 14,000 students, where the largest student population from the districts above is 1,000 students. However, if our district was able to implement the four day school week model, it would give a variety of benefits to both students and teachers. Firstly, the subtraction of one day in the week would almost certainly lead to increased morale, lower workloads, and more time to complete assignments. The goal of education should be to maximize learning, and these effects would likely contribute to that goal. A few school districts have found that a four-day week has improved attendance statistics. In Melstone, Montana, their school district found that within two years they had seen attendance increase. It improved as much as 20% with the implementation of four day school weeks. Not only that, but multiple districts have seen a positive impact on test scores and academic performance. A range of states, including Oregon and Georgia saw a gradual increase in graduation rates after changing the schedule. Additionally, the topic of mental health
is one that our district knows about dearly. Many mental health issues stem from stress related to the lack of time and schoolwork overload, and a weekly three day weekend would allow more time for students to relax, spend time with friends, and complete the aforementioned schoolwork. A break during the week offers a reset for students and teachers alike. Teachers would have extra time to plan, but also more time for their personal lives. This could mean that teachers would have more time with their families, or take care of their mental health. However, the four-day school week presents several logistical challenges and potential hindrances at implementation. We believe the primary issue with the four day week plan is that the school district would have to figure out childcare for students during the extra day off. Because working parents would be included in the four-day week, they would still have to go to work on the free day, leaving their child without supervision. This challenge could revert the benefits mentioned before, and introduce new unwanted challenges to students and staff. Childcare is expensive. Most daycare centers in Iowa City cost $100-$300 a week. What would parents do if they couldn’t afford that? Some people might have to resort to leaving their children home alone during the work day, or with a family member. Still, those are inconvenient options and extra stress to domestic lives.
There is a potential way around this problem. One plan the district could employ would be to only implement the fourday school week to middle school and high school. Leaving high schoolers and middle schoolers home alone is wildly different from having a kindergarten aged student or second grader left without a parent. Not only are the students more mature, they also most likely have means of transportation available to them. Another important factor is the food plan that the district offers. Many students rely on the breakfast that is served at school, as well as the lunch. Not only that, but because of the unprecedented times we continue to live in, the USDA made it so that this year was another year of free school lunches. This choice speaks for itself. Now more than ever, students need access to meals. If we lose a day of school, will that necessity still be provided? Shifting to this new schedule could be productive for our school system, but with the lack of information and proposals it is difficult to evaluate whether the obvious logistical problems could be solved in a way that works for families, teachers, and administrators. However, it is encouraging to see that our district is considering such radical changes with an open mind, showing that their overarching goal is to create the best system for everyone.
A10 OPINION
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
The EARN IT Act and What It Means for Your Internet Privacy Senators have brought a bill back to the senate that would allow the government to read all your online messages
ART BY KAELYN LANGDON By Forrest Estes Senators Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) and Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) have reintroduced the massively unpopular EARN IT act, originally proposed in 2020, back onto the Senate docket. As of February 10th, the Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to advance the bill to the Senate floor. From here, the bill will be voted on by the full senate. The EARN IT act was pitched as a tool to hold tech companies accountable for the spread of content exploiting children. The bill removes a lot of protections tech companies currently hold under Section 230, opening them up to the possibility of lawsuits over content shared on their platforms and devices. Despite its seemingly noble ideals, the bill in its current form will help nobody. All it will do is help the government institute the surveillance state they want so desperately. The goal of the bill is to get states to pass regulations that would allow private companies under hire by the government to punish tech companies for utilizing encryption to hide user data. The bill also aims to create a 19-person commission that would determine the “best practices” to end the problem of child abuse on the internet. This will inevitably lead to online service providers being compelled to scan and filter user data using
government-approved software like PhotoDNA. This practice has received criticism from civil rights advocates, industry groups, and LGBTQ rights organizations who are concerned that the regulations will lead service providers to remove legal speech to avoid persecution by the commission. The most popular form of encryption currently is endto-end encryption, where data is encrypted as it leaves a sender and is only decrypted as it reaches the recipient. There is a large concern that companies could be taken to court over claims of illegal behavior by users, and the simple fact that they utilize end-toend encryption at all could be used as evidence to convict them. More than 60 human rights organizations came together and sent a group letter to the committee urging them to abandon the bill amid concerns about online privacy and free speech. Critics of the bill have been quick to point out the fact that Section 230 already does not protect online service providers from prosecutions related to CSAM (child sexual abuse material). Internet service providers are already required to report CSAM when it is detected. These companies make thousands of reports a day, but this number does not necessarily directly correlate to the amount of CSAM found on the internet. Many platforms, such as Facebook, have instituted blanket scanning techniques that have led to an inflated report count as bots
flag non-CSAM material as harmful. Law enforcement has used this inaccurate number to suggest that the amount of CSAM on major platforms has skyrocketed in recent years. These same groups are the ones calling for the removal of encryption through the EARN IT act. Many critics have pointed out that the bill provides a lot of surveillance but not a lot of protection. Several independent child protection experts have made it clear that the removal of blanket encryption and scanning of private messages will not help the situation; it could even worsen it. The main concern is that if the government can see all activity on the internet, it won’t be long until predators tap into that service. These independent experts have implored senators that children, especially those who are already in an abusive situation, need privacy online to be truly safe. No one on the internet, particularly the most vulnerable members of our society, can have the safety and security they deserve without the strong encryption that the EARN IT act seeks to remove. Supporters of this bill want you to believe that it’s all for the children, that tech companies are immoral behemoths with complete legal immunity, and that the EARN IT act will finally bring them to justice. What the bill actually presents is a future where privatized companies working for the government scan through the data of every individual,
treating everyone as a presumed criminal who deserves to have all of their private information scanned and cataloged in government databases. And this is assuming that the committee for best internet practices will stay apolitical. In all likelihood, the government will not pass up the opportunity to identify people who disagree with them or do not fit into the government’s idea of an ideal citizen. This bill will give the government the power to silence you based on your political leanings, your stance on big issues, your sexuality, gender identity, race, or anything else. If you are deemed to be breaking “best practices”, then they will have the legal right to remove your 1st amendment rights. This bill cannot pass if we hope to keep our rights to privacy and security on the internet. The senators pushing this are crafty and know about the bill’s unpopularity with the public. Therefore, if they can, they will try to smuggle the bill into law inside a “Must Pass” legislative package like a Trojan Horse. You can take action by contacting your senator and telling them to vote against the Earn It Act. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has set up a website to help you locate and contact your local representative, located at: https://act.eff.org/action/stop-the-earn-itact-to-save-our-privacy For the safety of not just our children, but of all of us, this is where we need to take a stand against the removal of our rights.
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
OPINION A11
You Need to Tip Servers Why tipping service workers is essential By Chloe Froeschner I have worked in a restaurant for almost a year now and it took no time at all to realize that most teens have never learned how to properly tip or know the significance of tips in general. This is not teenagers’ fault, but it is time to learn. Server’s paychecks are predominantly made up of tips. Servers are paid under minimum wage because they are expected to get a hefty amount of tips. According to NELP, The National Employment Law Project, “The median share of hourly earnings that come from tips account for 58.5 percent of wait staff’s earnings”. Bluebird Diner in Iowa City, where I work, pays their servers seven dollars an hour. Seven dollars an hour is much more than most other restaurants in Iowa City, but is still under minimum wage. Kimberly Marquez ‘22, a server at Bluebird Diner in Iowa City, says that on her Saturday night shifts, which are nine hours long, she will make between $110 and $160 in tips. She will get paid sixty-three dollars from Bluebird for her nine hour shift (minus tax) and take home almost double that amount in tips. Another thing people might not
realize is that servers do not get to take home all of their tip money. They have to tip the bussers, the kitchen staff, the restaurant itself, and others depending on the restaurant’s policies. For example, as a busser at Bluebird, I get tipped about fifteen dollars per six hour shift I work. That is typically the sum of three or four servers tipping me a percentage of their total tips from that day. Most of you are probably asking yourselves, “but why can’t restaurants just pay their servers more? Why do I have to pay them for doing their job?” And to that I would say, I’m wondering the same thing. That is a whole separate issue within the food service industry, but until that is fixed, servers need to be tipped more. Tipping servers more now is a quick fix until we can fix the deeper issue. Before working in the food service industry, I failed to realize that every employee at a restaurant is human too. Obviously I recognized that they were people, but I never truly thought about it. Now that I am behind the scenes, I get to see who servers really are. I work with so many different people. I work with college students who are saving money to pay their rent. I work with parents who earn mon-
ART BY CHLOE FROESCHNER ey to help their family. I work with highschool students who are saving money to go to college. I also get to see how customers have influenced my coworkers. I have seen my coworkers cry and have anxiety attacks because of how their tables have treated them. I have seen how tips and customers impact my coworker’s lives. So how do you tip your server in a sit-down restaurant? The normal amount to tip is fifteen to twenty percent of your total bill. Mar-
quez has noticed that twenty-two percent has increasingly become the new normal tipping amount. A quick math calculation on your phone is all it takes to find out the amount you should tip. (Bill total x 0.22) = how much you should tip. If you are looking for extra bonus points from your server, Marquez suggests tipping in cash instead of using a card which taxes money from the server. As a busser who experiences the behind the scenes of the food
industry, I am also a teenager who wants to save money, so I see both sides. I understand that teens don’t think it is their responsibility to help pay servers more than their actual employers and that tipping can be confusing. On the other hand, from working alongside servers, I can tell you that they deserve every cent they get in tips and more. Until we can change how much servers get paid by their employers, please tip your servers well.
Getting Away from Competition in American Public Schools While many studies have claimed increased competition as a source of better productivity among students, others show that it is actually to the detriment of their learning, and that collaboration is the key to better learning By Julius Perez Rugged individualism is one of the defining characteristics of American society. The deep and dividing competition that comes with this individualism can be found in almost every aspect of American society and culture. American public schools are no exception, competition has dug its ugly teeth right into the heart of educating future generations of Americans. While some claim the potential benefits of greater competition within public schools, it all comes with a cost. And the price is the mental health of students. The recent development of more colleges and universities making admission to their schools test-optional is a step in the right direction. Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are one of the largest contributing
factors to competition among students and across schools. Mark Williamson of the Guardian encapsulates it perfectly, “Relentless focus on exams and attainment instills in young people the idea that success is about doing better than others.” These tests create self-doubt, anxiety, stress, and of course, competition. All the ingredients for an unproductive and unhealthy learning environment. Deemphasizing the importance of tests in secondary education and the college application process is crucial to improving the mental health of students. Despite this, the main argument for competition in schooling is the same survival of the fittest mindset you may expect. Studies cite competition as a source of increased productivity and efficiency. However, it seems rather obvious, considering that the role of a school is to help stu-
dents grow and learn, that this is completely counterintuitive. Can anyone really argue that a system that emphasizes students competing against one another rather than a system where students support each other promotes better learning? Increased efficiency and productivity for those who thrive in our school system, leaving those who don’t behind. Collaboration is not the enemy. Getting away from competition in American public schools is not impossible. Right now (according to the CDC), in the midst of a rapid decline in mental health among teens, increased competition among peers is the last thing we need. Improving what one study calls, “students’ emotional and social learning”, is imperative to public schools going forward. The 2011 study from the Child Development Journal notes some basic prin-
ciples of learning that advocate for collaborative learning instead of competition. The study establishes that “Students typically do not learn alone,” saying that in reality, they learn, “In collaboration with their teachers, in the company of their peers, and with the encouragement of their family.” On top of this, the notion that mental health is a sacrifice made for increased efficiency and productivity for students is false. Former surgeon general David Satcher claimed in 2000, “Mental health is a critical component of children’s learning and general health. Fostering social and emotional health in children as a part of healthy child development must therefore be a national priority.” Competition has not only tainted academics but also nonathletic extracurricular activities, whose original purpose had no
competitive nature. Two transparent examples of this are high school jazz band and journalism. Taking the original goal of a high school jazz band to create music and teach students how to play jazz, and making it about winning competitions, or making high school journalism about winning awards, instead of teaching students about the real role of publication, is a disservice to all those who participate. It creates unneeded competition within the activities and places extra stress on members. While it is understood that one of the most accessible ways to determine the quality of an extracurricular activity, is to judge them in competition against each other, returning to the roots of the program is the best option for schools.
A12 CULTURE
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2021
Movie & TV Guide Twilight Star Plays Best New Batman The newest DC movie starring Robert pattinson arrives on HBO Max on April 19th By Kaitlyn Brown From teenage vampire to brooding superhero, Robert Pattinson’s lead role in The Batman blew me away. It’s nostalgic to see heroes brought up time and time again, and sometimes the new iteration can turn out to be a one and done movie. The Batman took on one of DC’s most loved superheroes, and created what could be argued as the best representation of Batman seen on screen. As the plot was brewing, new characters were brought in every few scenes. All the citizens of Gotham had their heads turning as their local vigilante became a detective for a multiple homicide case. Previously, Batman has been a hero almost disguised as a villain, but the turn of plots forced Pattinson’s portrayal to show the hero’s hidden good side. Constant plot changes and dramatic scenes pushed the plot forward and gave a feel to the almost 3 hour long movie that allowed the length to be forgotten about completely. Going into the movie with some knowledge of cast, length, and even directing, I was still able to stay surprised every minute. Big names and small ones combined to create a cast that hit all the right marks. Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), helped the movie take a large leap. Not only did all these large actors help create such a good plot, they also thickened it with the on screen dynamics. Every voice, every action scene, and every mood
change made the film incredible. Batman has been a source of fear, Christain Bale, Micheal Keaton, and even the smaller DC roles such as Ben Affleck have all played this superhero with the added effect of perfect Bruce Wayne personas. Pattinson took on a new storyline, and blew away the theaters with his dark, almost horror-like Batman entrances. With footsteps that pushed that horror effect, The Batman almost made my mind spin and think of thrillers like Halloween rather than other average superhero movies. The dynamic created in between Batman and Bruce Wayne, allowed Pattinson to take on a younger version of Gotham’s least favorite and most popular billionaire. Many others portraying the two simultaneously, perfected the balance. Bruce Wayne’s arrogance and Batman’s ability to create fear. Robert Pattinson brought it all to another level, and his approach seemed fitting for the story. Alongside this new scary superhero came introductions to other exciting stories, and room for villains to take advantage of Pattinson’s young Bruce Wayne. Jokes versus riddles, the only difference of villains from the 2000s Batman trilogy to today’s newest blockbuster. How many times are directors going to get the perfect casting of evil laughs? How many times are viewers going to love it and want more? The Riddler, played by Paul Dano, used duct tape and scare tactics to leave the audience
Image by Rosangel Flores always wanting more clues. Using the more detective side of Batman, the movie allowed this villain to be intense and creative, and Paul Dano hit every mark. Comparisons can barely be made on all of Batman’s bad guys because the similarities are almost everywhere, but I enjoyed the change of dynamic from the classic Batman and the Joker. Change came from all different directions in Matt Reeves’, The Batman. Reeves wrote the story alongside Peter Craig, and within his creation he allowed the introduction of Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman onto the movie screens. All the thought put into the screenwriting shows on the big screen, from the smallest details of Kravitz’s character owning many stray cats to the hidden stories that all line up. In the newest take on the big vigilante’s story, Batman actually works with somebody other than comic book sidekick, Robin. So, as not only villain and hero dynamics change, character traits also begin to differ from what is expected. Comparisons of villains, heroes, plots, and many others can’t all really be proved when The Batman is put up next to Christain Bale’s
Batman Begins, because one is already a series and the other is a standalone - for now. With Reeves’ movie attracting many views and passing $600 million in the worldwide box offices within the first couple weeks, is there a chance that much of the cast and crew could come back for more? Pattinson’s breakthrough as a superhero has opened up the board to many more. After the ending every movie goer couldn’t have guessed, a series would be incredible to tie up all the possibilities, and open up the screen to more villains and stories. With his past in the romance side of the movie industry, Robert Pattinson had me a bit nervous for his role in The Batman, but every negative thought I had was wiped away as his incredible performance made one of the most intriguing films I’ve seen from a DC Superhero. It will be a long time before I listen to Nirvana’s Something in The Way and don’t think of Gotham’s own vigilante. Next time you’re at the movies, don’t be afraid of the 2hr 56min label, because The Batman will keep you on the edge of your seats, always wanting more.
Image by Rosangel Flores
Pixar’s new film “Turning Red” has turned heads in its direction as it highlights generational trauma and growing up as a teenager By Wisdom Konu In Pixar’s newest animated film, A quirky Asian teenager named Meilin Lee transforms into a giant red panda whenever she has strong emotions. In the movie, Mei bounces between helping her loving but overbearing mother, Ming; and tries to be the perfect daughter and a good friend. In order to please her mother, that means burying her own thoughts and desires. This becomes
a lot more difficult when she goes through changes, which ties into the movie being an allegory for puberty. With that, she soon discovers she’s inherited a genetic trait passed down from her female ancestors — the ability to turn into a giant red panda when overcome with emotion. The movie is as unapologetic as Mei when it comes to certain aspects of teenage life like puberty and crushes. Later in the movie, it casually references menstruation
as Mei’s mother hectically gathers sanitary pads and ibuprofen after mistakenly assuming that her daughter, who has locked herself away in the bathroom in a panic over her panda self, has gotten her first period. The film also tackles the theme of generational trauma, much like the recent Disney hit “Encanto.” Both Ming and Mei deal with the pressure of trying to please their mothers by being the perfect daughters and not feeling worthy for them as well. They both
don’t want to break their connections, but they start to grow apart in the process. At its core, “Turning Red” explores relationships and embracing every part of oneself. At the beginning of the movie, Mei feels the pressure to be the perfect daughter and as we watch the movie more, Mei grows into a character that changes into a person who isn’t afraid to embrace all of her sides. The movie offers a sincere, unapologetic look at teenage life.
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
CULTURE A13
MIU MIU’s New Mini YES OR NO...
This new skirt set is the “it” piece right now and has been seen on the cover of Vanity Fair, and countless celebrities.
By Wisdom Konu
By Araminta Siegling
Yay!
Nay!
I think the Miu Miu micro-mini skirt that’s currently trending is a stylish, versatile piece from the Miu Miu SS 22 collection. Debuted in October 2021, it is already being styled and used for magazine covers and the collection quickly became a favorite among stylists, celebrities, and influencers alike. The popularity of the skirt is gaining traction from fashion websites like Shein, Fashion Nova, etc. Fashion Nova has already created and released their own knock-off version of the set on their site. The skirt has become so popular that the skirt has its own Instagram account, @miumiuset. I can see Miu Miu trying to make more matching sets to match the popularity of this micro-mini skirt set.
ART BY ROSANGEL FLORES RUBIO
I think that the skirt set has been oversaturating fashion news lately, and has overshadowed the rest of the pieces in Miu Miu’s SS 22 collection. I’ve heard it described as “mid”, but it seems like celebrities and fashion influencers are going to hold onto it. The idea of a skirt set/ skirt suit reminds me of Jackie O’s iconic knock-off Chanel pink suit worn when her husband was assassinated in 1963. That outfit has left an imprint on pop culture and fashion history, and I see this new Miu Miu look being the next continuation of matching 2 piece sets in fashion.
KICKS WITH A CHICK
New Platform Converse are Perfect By Sophia Lusala
1917 to 2022, for about one hundred years Converse has been a very versatile, first pick of the shoe. While nobody really seemed to get bored of classic one-colored chucks, or even continuously restocking their same favorite pair. I think it’s appropriate to say that their most famous collab with All-Star basketball player Chuck Taylor back in the 1920s
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brought him more fame than his own basketball career, at least in the present day. Matching them with sweats, keeping it casual or up dressing them, and going for a more classy look, Converse is a very versatile essential shoe, for fashion and shoe lovers.
Certainly a shoe you should own whether it’s a collab converse like Comme des Garcons, old school chucks in all different colors and patterns, or the new chunky platform versions. Recently converse released huge platform converse in this new trendy platform shoe period of time. If you are someone who wants to keep it simple but is looking for a little more height when it comes to your shoe game I recommend getting the “Chuck Taylor All Star Hi Lift Platform converse” these are essentially just platformed chucks that come in all colors and patterns, possibly even
able to design your own. There is also the “Lugger Platform Converse” and the “Hike Platform Converse” as well, these two are considered to be a little more funky or fun. The craziest new ones, which are really bold are the “Star Motion” platform ones which like all the others come in all sizes, many patterns, and have a choice of low top or high top. If you’re not into platforms I suggest trying new colors or patterns to switch up your style, and if you don’t feel like buying new shoes maybe try a sharpie to your old pair and personalize them to you, there are really no rules when it comes to Converse.
Best & Worst Spring/Summer 2022 Collections A look into the newest collections by the biggest designers.
By Araminta Siegling This year’s spring/summer collections as seen at Paris, New York, and Milan fashion week include some of the most interesting and cohesive collections in a long time, along with some disappointing collections that leave you asking “Why?”.
Dior
This collection looks cheap like it is from a department store clearance section. The gaudy colors and cheap fabrics combined with the awkward proportions and unflattering silhouettes make this collection look frumpy. 4/10
Chanel
This is the same old Chanel skirt suit as seen on Jackie O, but updated. Will Chanel ever move on as a brand? They seem stuck in the past, constantly reinventing the same item every year because it is what is expected. Chanel is a good example of a brand that has succeeded to create the image of a “Chanel Girl”, like Lily Rose Depp. They have a target audience and continue to cater to it, but this means sacrificing creativity and innovation. 6/10
Saint Laurent
The photos of this show and collection were hard to look at due to the dark background and dark colors of the pieces. What
stood out to me were the exaggerated proportions, specifically on a white dress. This white dress was androgynous, striking, and beautiful. It was pushing the boundaries of what is feminine, and I love it. 6/10
Chloe
This collection tells a story. With unique construction, inclusive models, and a cohesive color palette, Chloe transports you to a beachy resort. The fabric choices bring to mind sticky, balmy weather. The accessories just further this resort feeling. 8/10
Armani
A cohesive color palette, bold colors were brought in by the other pieces. It was
well thought out and had a mix of interesting construction and innovative pieces. 10/10
Moschino
My favorite collection by far. Moschino takes their reputation for being a bit tacky and flaky, and takes it to a new level- Kitsch. The use of kitschy vintage animals seen on valentines, baby blankets, and ceramic figures from the 50s or 60s, and chunky plastic accessories, make this the cutest collection. The colors were playful and happy, this collection made me smile. The models were the most inclusive out of any of the other shows, which was great. 10/10
A14 A&E
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
End of Trimester Two Art Show
Artwork displayed in the art rooms during the End of Tri 2 Art Show. PHOTOS BY ANASTACIA LAUX
A Student Artist’s Comic Book Tells More Than Just a Story Art student Angelo Amador-Lacson ‘22 creates his first comic book focusing on drug addiction, with hopes of having it published once complete By Anastacia Laux
cause he’s in denial that he is an addict and he doesn’t want help, which is something I Aimed with clenched fists toward the feel like a lot of people can relate to,” Amaonlooker, a colorful character pops out of dor-Lacson said. Amador-Lacson the bold front page became inspired to of Angelo Ama"Making the comic has definitely create the story afdor-Lacson’s handdrawn comic book. helped me come to understand myself ter struggling with himself. The superhero’s face better. For a while, I was just doing addiction He especially beis determined, hidrealism art, but when I got into came committed to ing his struggles of the comic book afovercoming drug comics, I realized i could actually ter fighting his way addiction. express myself through it." through rehab in Amador-Lacson January. ‘22 has high hopes “Making the of publishing the AP Art Student comic has definitely comic as his first helped me come to book, addressing difficult issues around drug usage and recov- understand myself better,” Amador-Lacson ery. Inspired by his own experiences, he puts said. “For a while I was just doing realism his feelings onto the pages with the intention art, but when I got into comics, I realized of showing others who are fighting against I could actually express myself through it.” Exploring the plot of the story had been addiction that improvement is possible. “A lot of [the story] comes from my own an idea of Amador-Lacson’s for years. He life. I’m trying to convey where [the super- wanted to tell the story of a superhero who hero, Powerful Person] is at mentally be- did not conform to all the typical protago-
Angelo Amador-lacson
The front cover of Amador-Lacson’s comic book, the only page done in color. PHOTOS BY ANASTACIA LAUX nist stereotypes. “Most recently, what inspired me was the show called Invincible. I really liked the idea of a non-traditional superhero. There was also the movie Hancock with Will Smith; it had a similar idea about a superhero who is an alcoholic,” Amador-Lacson said. The young artist plans on publishing the comic in several parts, with around ten issues in total. Publishing this book would be the first step at achieving his goals of becoming an author in the comics industry. “I think it would be really cool if I could do this professionally,” Amador-Lacson said. Every panel of the comic is done with tones of gray, intended to convey the difficulty of overcoming addiction. Despite being only done in shades of black and white,
Amador-Lacson describes how the process of creating the comic has been a lengthy one. “I use pencils for the first sketch, and then I use ink to go over it. Then, I scan it and use Photoshop to add the colors and gray tones and clean up the liner,” Amador-Lacson said, going over the tedious steps involved in designing each page. After making five drafts for each page, Amador-Lacson can finally call one complete. He intends for the final result to leave an inspiring message on readers going through similar challenges. “I’m trying to show that it is possible to recover [from addiction],” Amador-Lacson said. “That recovery is possible and anybody can do it if they’re willing to put in the work.”
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
A15 A&E
Show Choir Season Comes To a Close Reflecting on show choir’s success that concluded with the Spring Show
ABOVE: Rachel Marsh ‘22 continues to perform after singing a duet with Whit Jury ‘23 in the song “Happily Ever After.”. PHOTO BY ANNA GAYLEY
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By Matisse Arnone
he bright lights inside Opstad Auditorium dim. Slowly, the chatter of the crowd fades away. The combo band finishes playing its last tuning note. Taking a breath, Ryan Bretner ‘23 walks onstage with the rest of the Fourth Avenue Show Choir to perform their show titled ‘Enchanted’ for the very last time. “I think it was great and I think everybody was super impressed by how far we’ve come and how much we’ve improved,” Bretner said. For Bretner and other members of the show choir at City High, the spring show marked the end of a very long journey through the show choir season. Avery Provorse ‘24 is also a member of Fourth Ave show choir. She thinks that the end of the season marks the end of something special for everyone who was involved with the group. “I feel like I’ve grown an incredible amount, especially [in terms of my] friendships. I was online last year, and starting this year, [being in Fourth Ave] was such a big thing for me. Everybody’s so positive. We get along so well, like family,” Provorse said. “I think not a single person didn’t enjoy some part of this year.” Tyler Hagy, the director of Fourth Ave, was very pleased with the performance as a whole and feels that the final performance was a culmination of the hard work put in by the groups throughout the year. “On the one hand, it feels good to finally put that show to rest at the end of the season, but it’s also certainly very sad to know for seniors that it might be their last time performing in something like this,” Hagy said. Provorse is also sad to see the seniors leave the group after the leadership and guidance that they have offered other show
choir members throughout the years. “It was kind of bittersweet. I was happy and sad at the same time, because [the seniors] are going to move on to better and amazing things, and we want what’s best for them,” Provorse said. “Hopefully, they come back, but it was definitely sad to see them go after helping us so much.” Hagy feels like he has a special connection with this class of seniors because he started teaching at City High the year they were freshmen, which he says makes it particularly hard to see them go. “To watch them grow and develop over the course of the last four years, even in the midst of the pandemic and everything else, and to emerge triumphantly on the other end of it has been really exciting to see,” Hagy said. Looking forward to next year, Bretner is excited to take on a more prominent leadership position and be a role model to younger students as she moves into her senior year. “I’m excited to build more relationships with people. Obviously, I’m hoping that we can get to the same point that we did this year as a show choir, like how connected we were, I just want that for anybody new coming in,” Bretner said. “I want our show choir to be like that always, not just because of who was here this year, but because we want that to be the norm.” After losing many seniors this year, Hagy hopes to continue to spark interest in the group so that there can be a quick turnaround and so the show choir groups can continue to grow. “I’m certainly looking forward to having a hopefully more normal season. We felt the effects certainly this year, of not having a normal show choir season last school year,” Hagy said. “Having more students that have had the experience of competitions will help us immensely moving forward to bridge that gap in experience.”
ABOVE: Show choir combo performs the song “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman. PHOTO BY ANNA GAYLEY
ABOVE: Seniors of 4th Ave saying their goodbyes after a senior special act. PHOTO BY ANNA GAYLEY
A16 A&E
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
United Action for Youth Relaunches School of Arts After shutting down due to COVID-19, the School of Arts reopens classes for 7-12 graders
ABOVE: Yaffa Roarick ‘25 creating a collaborative splatter paint project for the first session. PHOTO BY ROSE FLORES RUBIO By Rose Flores Rubio
D
uring the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, students were forced to say goodbye to the basement of North Hall and walk away from the School of Arts. Nearly two years later, the United Action for Youth School of Arts has opened their doors for young students to express their creativity once again. “It’s a mutually beneficial experience for
us and the students attending, all of us at the University are very grateful for this experience,” Tyler Bubser, University of Iowa art graduate studying to become a teacher, said. The program is a way for up and coming art teachers attending the University of Iowa to earn their teaching credits and deepen their understanding of teaching by working alongside students grades 7-12 for ten art sessions. The sessions are held every Thursday from 3:30pm to 5:30pm, and though
classes have already started this year, they welcome students from Iowa to join for upcoming years. “School of arts [is] a great way to meet new people and try new art forms,” Yaffa Roarick ‘25, a City High Student attending the classes, said. Like other years, classes are being held in the basement of North Hall located on the University of Iowa campus. There they’ll divide into groups and work with their pre-
ferred mediums of art as well as work on collaborative projects. “What we’re hoping to do [at the end] is [to] have an exhibition at UAY,” Allison Rowe, Clinical Assistant Professor of Art Education at the University of Iowa, said. Students will set up and hold an endof-the-program exhibition at UAY’s Art Gallery where family and friends will be welcomed to see what students have been working on.
Knot Your Typical Craft City High teacher expresses her creativity through the art of macrame By Matisse Arnone Staying home during the Coronavirus pandemic led a lot of people to pick up new hobbies. From baking to gardening to music-making, people across the country have tried new things. For City High government teacher Carrie Watson, plant collecting turned into a way for her to express her creativity through macrame. “Over the pandemic, I, like a lot of other people, started collecting plants. I went from one plant to twenty,” Watson said. “As I got more plants, I realized I needed to put them places, so I started making some plant hangers.” According to The Spruce Crafts, macrame is the art of creating various textiles using knots. The thousand-year old practice has gone in and out of popularity, but Watson first heard of the craft from her mom in the 70s. For her macrame, Watson likes to expand beyond the normal plant hangers and wall hangings typically associated with the craft. “My niche and the area that I have really enjoyed is using found objects or primitive tools to incorporate so that it’s a one of a kind piece,” Watson said. “[Doing] different things at different times allows me not to feel like I’m stuck doing the same thing over and over.” Since first starting the hobby at the beginning of the pandemic, Watson began selling her macrame pieces on a mini Ebay store two summers ago. As she saw her business succeed online, she decided to expand more. “I started thinking that the things that I was making were cool, and friends were telling me they were cool. I wanted to see if they
were lying to me, so I did my first farmer’s market and it went well,” Watson said. Watson’s interest in macrame has only grown since she picked up the hobby because of how it allows her to express a creative and artistic flare. “I have never considered myself artistic. I can’t draw. I can’t paint. Since [starting macrame], I find I look at things differently now. I look at things based on their potential, not what they are,” Watson said. “My eye and my view of the world has evolved, and I love that. Anytime you can look at the world in a different way, I think you’ve opened yourself up.” Going forward, Watson hopes to continue expanding her macrame business by making larger and more artistically focused pieces. “People say open up Etsy – I got a job,” Watson said. “Where I want to go is on a larger scale and to start submitting to actual art shows rather than craft shows. I think this summer I might apply for the Iowa Arts Festival.” Regardless of whether you end up making money or not, Watson believes that doing something artistic has immeasurable benefits. Personally, she thinks that seeing other people pleased by the things you make can be a very rewarding experience to have. “It’s not really about people buying, it’s about the process and if you enjoy the process, because even professional artists don’t always make a lot of money. It’s not a money making business. It’s a make things and watch people enjoy life [type of ] business,” Watson said. “It’s really fun to see somebody excited about something that you have created from scratch.”
ABOVE: Carrie Watson poses with a macrame creation for her Ebay store. PHOTO BY MATISSE ARNONE
SPORTS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
ABOVE: Coach Bill McTaggart talks to the referee. PHOTO BY TOMMY JUNE SIMMONS ABOVE: Jerry Mwenemkamba ‘22 fights for the ball against a West Liberty player. PHOTO BY LAUREN KOCH Soccer
Boys Soccer Season Preview By Ben Horwitz, Aaron Stalk fleet, Thomas Ksobiech, Jacob Williamson
The men’s soccer team started their preseason workouts over City High’s spring break marking the start of the 2022 soccer season. The 2021 Boys Soccer Team finished with a record of 11-6, and an appearance in the sub-state finals, losing 2-1 in a heartbreaking match against Pleasant Valley. With the team only having four seniors last year, the majority of players are back and eager to make their run at a state championship. The program has been to state 12 times in their history including a stretch of 9 consecutive appearances from 2010-2018. They have even made it to a state championship game, but have yet to win one and reach the pinnacle of 4A Iowa Soccer. This year, however, the Little Hawks look to do just that. Jose Fajardo has been the head coach of the boys team for the better part of the last 18 years and the team has clear expectations for the 2022 season. “I think the expectations are obviously to qualify for state and to try to win a state title. We didn’t qualify in 2019 and didn’t play in 2020. We didn’t qualify in 2021 after 10 years of qualifying in a row.” After not qualifying for state, Coach Fajardo explained how he wants this year’s team to be different from last years. “The biggest struggle last year
ABOVE: Jacob Eisenberg ‘22 recieves the soccer ball PHOTO BY LAUREN KOCH
was scoring and making one mistake. When we don’t score, we can’t make one mistake.” Coach Fajardo made it very clear that there were not very many things that needed to be fixed. “We didn’t run harder. We have to run harder. We did not take care of the little details and we have to take care of the details. And I think that coming from the players and putting the responsibility on them is positive.” One of the leaders and cap-
tains of the team is center back Aaron Rutherford ‘22. Rutherford was a focal part of the 2021 team and along with his teammates, is looking forward to the upcoming season. “Now that we’ve had a year of experience, everybody knows what they’re doing and we know how to win.” Rutherford said. “So we need to come out and win games, put together passes, cut apart teams and put some goals away. I think now everybody understands what it takes to play at the high
school level, as it’s a little different than club.” Last year’s sub-state final loss to Pleasant Valley lit a fire under the team, and Rutherford ‘22 was quick to respond with what the team is striving to achieve. “Make it to state for sure, because we haven’t done it in the past couple of years. But then go far in state, and we want to win state as that hasn’t happened ever at City High.” Rutherford responded. Rutherford ‘22 is looking to play at the collegiate level next
year, although he hasn’t committed. “I’m looking to play at a Division III College. I’ve looked at a school out in Boston, a school in Chicago, and a School in Milwaukee. I’m just figuring that out right now.” Rutherford said. With such little turnover in roster and the sour taste of losing in the sub-state finals only one year ago, now seems like a great time for this year’s edition of the 2022 boys soccer team to make a deep run in the state tournament.
A18 SPORTS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
Meet Senior Sydney McCleary, City High’s First Female Wrestling Commit By Lauren Koch It’s not often you see a high school athlete try a sport for the first time their senior year, and walk out with a scholarship. Sydney McCleary entered her senior year expecting to take the next steps in her softball career. When City High introduced its first women’s wrestling team, Sydney wasn’t initially inclined to try out. “My softball and wrestling coach, Jeff Koenig, talked me into it. I told him there was no way I am ever going to do wrestling, and now I thank him everyday for making me do it and pushing me out of my comfort zone. It was the best experience I’ve ever had.” Going into an unfamiliar sport has its setbacks. Sydney describes her many challenges early on in the season. “I would get pinned at a tournament and think that I’m never going to be able to do this. I hate to admit it, but I think I left a lot of practices crying, and I was thinking that I never want to do this again, but I think that pushed me even more to learn that I can grow as an athlete”. After a rough start, Sydney talks about how she overcame her major doubts and began to see significant progress. “There was a point in the middle of the season that I felt that I’ve never been stronger. I noticed I was genuinely happier and seeing improvements, even in softball.” Sydney has been playing softball all her life, and has been on the City High varsity team for 4 years. Sydney recounts how surprised her friends and family were
when she decided to commit to wrestling instead of softball. “They all expected me to go play college softball somewhere, and I always thought I would too. But it was a pretty clear decision in my mind when I thought if I wanted to do softball or wrestling, and wrestling was the answer.” Sydney is the first female to commit to wrestle in college inat City High history. Sydney describes the feeling of achieving such an accomplishment. “It’s a pretty crazy feeling to know that in 30 years, I could come back here and see how much the team and program has grown, and to be able to say that I was on the first team ever and that we all paved the path.” Being on the first team can feel intimidating, but the team was ready to work together through the challenges. Sydney recounts how her teammates and coaches helped her through her rough start. “My first match I ever wrestled was at Prairie, and I got pinned three times that day. I went off the mat and I was crying. I was so embarrassed and I never wanted to do it again, until every single one of my teammates came up to me and told me it was going to be okay. They didn’t look at me any different, and they all continued to push me further. They made the whole season really special.” Sydney announced her commitment via social media to William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on March 4, and had her signing ceremony on Wednesday, March 9. She has left her mark on City High history, and has paved the way for more female wrestlers to follow in her footsteps.
ABOVE: Sydney McCleary ‘22 waits for the next period of the match to start. PHOTO BY TOM WARD
ABOVE: Sydney McCleary ‘22 celebrates her win with her teammates and coaches. PHOTO BY TOM WARD
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15, 2022
SPORTS A19
ABOVE: Ultimate Frisbee team poses for a picture. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIANNO BOWEN-BURT
Ultimate Frisbee Seeks New Members to Establish Official Team As the sport gains national attention throughout public schools grounds and university campuses, the largest co-ed sport seeks official sports designation to strengthen program
By Haileigh Steffen
Ultimate Frisbee team captains Elianno Bowen-Burt ‘22 and Patrick Sarsfield ‘22 believe their sport is particularly friendly to newcomers. They encourage interested students to take a chance this late spring by joining their practices. “I think when it comes down to it, [ultimate frisbee] is easy to learn,” Bowen-Burt said. “It doesn’t take much to get the hang of it. When we are at our practices or whenever we play, we try to work on dynamics and the technicality of [the sport] so that new people can start getting the hang of the game and will come back for more.” Since ultimate frisbee is one of the only official co-ed sports, inclusivity is an important part of the game. Beyond that, the captains agreed that the surrounding community offers a multitude of resources for beginners in the sport. “There’s a lot of disc inclusivity around Iowa City,” Sarsfield said. “We try to incorporate other people into our practices and expand outside of City High to make sure we stay active with the game and increase interest around the game. I don’t want people
to think that because they’ve never played or they don’t know anything, they can’t come to learn, because we would love to help teach newcomers.” The team won second in the state last year. Additionally, Sarsfield and Bowen-Burt agree that student participation is at a high this coming year, making for a promising season. The team has started their unofficial practices, which will continue until the official start of their season in late spring. The ultimate frisbee team will start competitions in the summer, in which they will go head to head with other high schools throughout Iowa. Teams compete in a big tournament at the end of the academic year. Additionally the team scrimmages against local high schools like West High School. “The year before COVID-19, we tried to get a team going and it just kind of fell apart. Last year, we did it again and it worked pretty well. We had a good turnout for most of the year,” Bowen-Burt said. “This year, we have a decent amount of kids. The more the merrier for this kind of sport.” At the beginning of last year, the ultiate frisbee team did not have as many people come to the first practice as they had antic-
ipated, just around six people. Then at the first practice this year, despite the short notice and a dreary day, they had nearly double the turnout. While the team can be involved with the sport using seven team members, captain Bowen-Burt believes getting the team up to 14 students would make their team more competitive. “With the rise in popularity, colleges wll actually field Division I frisbee, like the University of Iowa,” Bowen-Burt said. “I think it’d be pretty cool if, in high school, we could get ultimate out there more. West High School is the only school in or around Iowa City that has an official team. We are working on it. You can go to college and play frisbee on a scholarship, which is not a bad way to get your college paid.” In spite of their optimism about this year’s season, the captains have some concerns for next year. According to Sarsfield, it has been difficult to schedule practices, especially with Iowa’s ever-changing weather patterns. Additionally, the team has faced setbacks with booking practices in the gym. Furthermore, extracurriculars and track are at their peak as ultimate frisbee starts. The captains hope that as summer rolls around
and student responsibilities decrease, ultimate frisbee participation will increase. “[A lack of subs] was a problem we faced last year in the final game we played with West High,” Sarsfield said. “They had twice as many people, and they were subbing out after every play. It was different for us, for instance, I didn’t get a break at all during the tournament.” For the sport to be recognized officially, the team needs a sponsor. According to Bowen-Burt, the first step to getting a sponsor is to have a more consistent number of people participating. With both of these things in place, the team is confident that they could also secure funds from the school to fund things like uniforms and equipment. “Finding an adult [at City High] that will sponsor the team would help tremendously because we want to leave [Ultimate Frisbee] as something that continues after we’re graduated,” Bowen-Burt said. “The first time I played was just two years ago. So I haven’t been playing for very long but I love the sport a lot. Anyone can come on and play, and even in just a year or six months,you can get like pretty good at playing. It’s so easy just to go once and get hooked on playing.” LEFT: Patrick Sarsfield ‘22 dives to catch the frisbee. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIANNO BOWEN-BURT RIGHT: Henry Cooper ‘22, Patrick Sarsfield ‘22, Lohman Proverse ‘22, and Edmund Camacho ‘23 pose for a photo. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIANNO BOWEN-BURT
A20 SPORTS
THE LITTLE HAWK THELITTLEHAWK.COM APRIL 15TH, 2022
BOYS TRACK
City Speeds to Indoor State Championship By Lauren Koch and Lucy Thompson
ABOVE: Ammon Smith ‘23 ran in the final leg of the 4x400 at the districts meet last spring. PHOTO BY ANNA GAYLEY
ABOVE: Ford Washburn ‘22 hands off the baton to Ammon Smith ‘22. PHOTO BY ANNA GAYLEY
The City High boys track team brought home a first place finish at the Indoor State Track Meet on March 14th. Along with earning the top spot, the team broke the school record for the 4x800 meter dash. Noah Carey ‘23, Ammon Smith ‘23, Truman Thompson ‘23, and Ford Washburn ‘23 earned a time of 8:08.23. Many athletes placed first in their events, and among these athletes are juniors Akili Mattox, Ford Washburn, and Ammon Smith. The boys discussed how they felt going into the meet. Akili Mattox ‘23 said “I did not expect to jump that far. It was my first meet because of my knee. My goal was to jump 19 feet high and I ended up winning the meet which is pretty cool.” Akili Mattox ‘23 recently came back from a knee injury. “I was on the bike for two weeks straight. I couldn’t squat or anything”, said Akili Mattox ‘23. Junior Akili Mattox placed first in the long jump with a score of 20-9.25. Ammon Smith ‘23 describes his initial thoughts about the meet. “I was able to look at the heat sheets, and I saw that there was one of the guys that I was racing a lot last year. He’s always been right up there next to me, so it was nice to know that there’s another guy there who’s running some fast times.” Ammon Smith ‘23 placed first in the open 800 with a time of 1:57.92. When asked about the team dynamic, the boys described the changes from last year’s group. “I would say after last year, obviously we didn’t have any [events]. So going into last year, none of us were that familiar with each other. This year we’ve become a lot closer. It’s a better team atmosphere [during] the practices”, said Ford Washburn ‘23. Looking forward, the boys discussed their individual and team goals. “As a team, I think we can win
state. We’re ranked number one in the preseason. I think we’re following up to that ranking”, said Akili Mattox ‘23. “We’re easily one of the top teams in the state. We just performed so well in the indoor state meet, I think we have a really good
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team this year. And for individual goals, I want to win a state title in the 1600 or 3200,” said Ford Washburn ‘23. One of the boys’ strongest events this year is the 4x800. The boys commented about the changes they made to improve the relay from last year. “A lot of extra work, last winter I didn’t run at all. Going into this winter, after a good cross country season, I started running a lot. Truman ran too, and Ammon ran for Iowa speed. We definitely worked a lot harder in the winter to prepare for it.” In addition to the top finish in the 4x800, other athletes who finished first in their events are Matt Schaekenback ‘23 in the high jump, Jovan Harris ‘22 in the open 400, and Taeshon McDaniels ‘22 in shot put. City’s 4x400 relay also placed first; the team consisting of Jovan Harris ‘22, Truman Thompson ‘23, Matt Schnaekenack ‘23, and Avmmon Smith ‘23. Coach Moore gives his thoughts about the team win. “Our performance during our indoor season, especially the Indoor State Meet, proved that we are on track to have a very successful season.”
BELOW: Akili Mattox ‘23 qualifies for state in long jump at the districts. PHOTO BY ANNA GAYLEY