2012-05-23

westsidestory IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE.

IOWA CITY, IA 52246

VOLUME 43, ISSUE 7

MAY 23, 2012

WSSPAPER.COM

TRUE AFFECTION

THE PROGRESSION OF PDA

PAGES 14-15

OF

GOODBYE WEST HIGH

ON DISPLAY

From holding hands in the hallways to passing love notes in class - students have a variety of ways of putting their affection on public display.

[Feature 11]

The seniors aren’t the only ones who will be missed come next school year. Take a look back at the services and achievements of these departing teachers.

Curious about contemporary jazz or andhi? Check out these West High dancing queens and their moves.

ACADEMIC UPGRADE

[Sports 20]

Roosevelt Elementary will be closing its doors for good as the ICCSD schools break for summer. The WSS explores the futures of the students and staff.

[Profiles 6]

[News 4]

SCHOOL’S OUT JUST DANCE

[Profiles 6]

CONTENTS

[In-depth 14&15]

MAY

TABLE

TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

Grade inflation is changing the ABC’s ... D’s and F’s of the high school grading curve.

These West High intramural athletes take a stab at fencing, rugby and other sports only offered outside of school.

WSS STAFF MEMBERS EDITORIAL POLICY

^ ^

PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP

The WSS explores true affection and how students display their feelings.

EQUITY STATEMENT

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. If you believe you have (or your child has) been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Director, Ross Wilburn, at 509 Dubuque Street, 319-688-1000.

COVER PHOTO BY // ABBIE SKEMP

ELEANOR MARSHALL [Editor-in-Chief] ANNA EGELAND [Design Editor, In-Depth Editor] CAROLINE VAN VOORHIS [Managing Editor] JULIANN SKARDA [Copy Editor] POMBIE SILVERMAN [Copy Editor, A&E Editor] QUENTIN MISIAG [Business Editor, Circulation Manager] BRENNA DEERBERG [News Editor] AMELIA MOSER [News Editor] BLAKE OETTING [Feature Editor] SHIRLEY WANG [Feature Editor] OLIVIA LOFGREN [Profiles Editor] ASHTON DUNCAN [Columns Editor, Social Media Editor, Web Staff] DAN ROTHMAN [Editorial Editor] ABBIE SKEMP [Photographer] FRANK WEIRICH [Photographer] ASHLYNN YOKOM [Artist] OLIVE CARROLLHACH [Artist, Designer] ANSEL LANDINI [Writer, Designer, Web Staff] KATIE MONS [Designer] LEAH MURRAY [Designer] TYLER VOSS [Designer] ADAM CANADY [Webmaster, Photographer] HANNAH RUBLAITUS [Web Manager] ZORA HURST [Web Manager, Artist] GRANT LEONARD [Video Editor, Web Staff] SHAMIS MCGILLIN [Photo Editor for the Web] FATIMA JAYOMA [Web Staff] NATHAN PETERSON [Staff] SARA JANE WHITTAKER [Adviser]

A full copy of the Editorial Policy is available in room 111.

The West Side Story reflects the views of the staff and does not represent the school administration, faculty, or student body. Guest articles may be accepted to represent an additional point of view or as part of a collection of reader contributions. The staff will carefully scrutinize all reader submissions.

All ads are subject to approval by the business staff. Those that are libelous, obscene or plainly offensive may be rejected. The West Side Story attempts to publish all letters, which must be signed, to the Editors, but may reject submissions due to space limitations, inaccuracy or poor quality. It is the responsibility of the opinion editor to verify authorship. Editors can make minor edits for the sake of clarity, length and grammatical correctness.

The West Side Story staff would like to dedicate Volume 43 to former Sports Editor Caroline Found.

PAGE DESIGN BY//POMBIE SILVERMAN

Wa h l s releases book

COMPILED BY// POMBIE SILVERMAN

Zhang aces ACT

On Feb. 11, Anthony Zhang ’13 took the ACT for the second time, missing not a single answer in his three hours of testing.

“I [received the letter] in the mail, [and] I was kind of surprised and happy,” Zhang said.

According to Zhang, the test was not difficult, except for the reading and writing sections.

“Math is fairly easy, because they give you all the formulas you need to know. But, I’m not very good at reading comprehension, so that [test] was a bit difficult.

Sentence structure and grammar are weak spots in my school work,” Zhang said.

Zhang recommends taking several practice tests, especially using Princeton Review ACT Prep books.

Zhang reccomends that fellow students “don’t get too hung up on all the fancy words and acronyms in the science section, just ignore them and it will make the test flow a lot more smoothly,”

POMBIE SILVER MAN

City High gets $700,000 from the school board for an astroturf practice field. Check out more coverage of last week’s school board meeting online

@wsspaper.com

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM// ZACH WAHLS

STORIES

ART BY // OLIVE CARROLLHACH

Top teen summer jobs* Food services $ $ $ $ Retail $ $ $ $ Arts & Entertainment $ $ Construction $ *according to Bureau of Labor Statistics -each $ equals 10%

Dr. A’s summer plans

“This summer [my wife] Glenda and I will be visiting California in June to visit our daughter, so I’ll be a beach bum for about a week. I’m always excited to see my kids. Next I’m going to take a trip up to the East Coast with some friends to visit Gettysburg and other historical sites.

Lastly, I’ll be hanging around [West High] to oversee whatever changes happen at home.”

-Dr. Arganbright

ART BY//ASHLYNN YOKOM

Very short reviews

The Only Place by Best Coast Mexican Summer, $12.98 Bethany Consentino at last grows up, deals with mature topics. Fresh vibe makes for a perfect summer album.

Summer sports

ART BY //

side

Anthony Zhang ’13

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

West High graduate and former WSS Columns editor Zach Wahls ’09 recently published his first book, My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family on April 26 through the Penguin Group publishing company.

After addressing the Iowa House Judiciary Committee in a public forum regarding full marriage equality last January, Wahls’s book explains growing up with two mothers. Wahls has already appeared on several talk shows to promote his book, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. So far the book has received national acclaim, and is listed as a New York Times best seller.

“I’m honored that [Zach] dedicated [the book] to me. It really tells a great story about our family,” said sister Zebby Wahls ’12. “The best part of the whole process was definitely meeting Jon Stewart.”

Wahls will be reading an excerpt from his book at the Iowa City Unitarian Universalist church on May 25 from 7-9 p.m.

WSSPAPER.COM Visit wsspaper.com to watch an interview with Zebby Wahls ’12 abouwt her brother’s new book and her artwork.

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MAY THE FACTS BE WITH YOU AS WE CELEBRATE THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS FILM ON MAY 25.

03 NEWS

PAGE DESIGN BY//KATIE MONS

Closing their doors PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

BY JULIANN SKARDA juliann.skarda@wsspaper.com

A

s Roosevelt Elementary’s final school year draws to a close, it is still uncertain what purpose the building will serve next year. The buyer that purchases the property will determine whether the 81-year-old building will still be standing at all in coming years.

The school board chose to sell Roosevelt via the bidding process in order to set guidelines for the use of the property after purchase. According to the board, it has the potential to become offices or to be used for educational, religious and health purposes.

As of now, the building has received only one bid. Al Wells of Place Partners offered a $201, 595 bid and would like to construct a community art space by remodeling the original building. The bid, however, falls short of the school’s $770,000 appraisal value. While the board will not discuss the matter of accepting or rejecting the bid until their next meeting on June 5, Superintendent Stephen Murley says that his recommendation will be to reject the bid.

For now, the board will continue the bidding process in hopes of receiving other offers. It is estimated that the building will cost the district $46, 410 for each year that it sits unoccupied.

04 NEWS

Eight decades have passed since these doors opened the first time. Now they close for the last time as Roosevelt prepares for summer and the end of its 81 year tenure.

Murley says that utility bills will make up a large chunk of the cost, explaining that the empty building still must be heated in the winter so that the pipes don’t freeze.

Next year, a majority of the staff will be moving to the newly constructed Borlaug Elementary School, located west of Roosevelt. However, only around three of Roosevelt’s current students will be making the transition to Borlaug as well. The rest will be divided between neighboring elementary schools. Roosevelt second grade teacher Ruth Temple has noticed a change in the school’s atmosphere during its final year.

“I think that we’re trying to be mindful that the majority of our students are not going to the same school as we are next year, and we are trying to comfort and prepare them,” said Temple. She added that while she feels an emotional attachment to Roosevelt after 28 years of employment, she is also excited for a fresh start and advantages a newer building will provide, such as air conditioning.

And it is Roosevelt’s lack of certain amenities, including space, that lead to the decision to close the building. “[Roosevelt’s age] makes it really difficult to turn it into a 21st century classroom … [We found that] building Borlaug would be about one-third the cost of fixing Roosevelt,” Murley said.

EVERY STAR WARS MOVIE HAS BEEN RELEASED IN MAY.

BELOW: Murals like these decorate the halls of Roosevelt, serving as a friendly reminder of childhood.

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

What in the World?

PAGE DESIGN BY//BRENNA DEERBERG

RUMOR BUSTER

A group of Japanese students drove into the ocean in Australia.

Ignoring common sense, the students followed the instructions of a GPS explicitly while attempting to reach an island.

A man in Alabama suffered a snake bite from a dead Cottonmouth. The man accidentally pierced himself with the still venomous fangs while handling the snake’s body.

A New Jersey man was charged with accidentally shooting a car. The man pulled over to apologize to the women in said car before continuing the pursuit of the car he intended to shoot.

MORE TEMPORARIES?

The body of a Sri Lankan man was discovered ten feet underground. With the help of his friends the man had buried himself in an attempt to break the world record for longest time spent buried alive.

With yet another increase of students it is apparent that more classroom space is a necessity for next school year. According to Principal Jerry Arganbright, there will be four more temporaries holding class at West High next year.

“I wish we didn’t have to [add more temporaries],” said Arganbright.

He says that one of his main concerns regarding the temporaries is that students will have to go outside of the building during adverse weather conditions in order to get to their classes.

CONFIRMED UNDERSTAFFED AND OVERWORKED?

Debate champions

BY AMELIA MOSER

moser.amelia@wsspaper.com It’s not every day an Iowa high school policy debate team wins the Tournament of Champions (TOC). In fact, it’s not even once in 41 years. With a perfect record of 11-0, debaters Liam Hancock ’12 and Jeffrey Ding ’12 put their names down in the forensic history books. “[Winning] was a relief…because I kept feeling like we messed up. But once they announced it there was no more messing up that could happen,” Hancock said. “I think we just...wanted it. Every other tournament was kind of chill...[at the TOC] during a round I felt more motivated to make sure we somehow won.”

PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP

ABOVE: Policy debaters Jeffrey Ding ’12 (LEFT) and Liam Hancock ’12 brought home the gold from the Tournament of Champions with a perfect record of 11-0.

Held at the University of Kentucky, each team of two debaters must qualify to attend the TOC with two “bids.”

Hancock and Ding earned a total of 9, with coaches Melanie Johnson, Megan Johnson and Travis Henderson supporting them along the way. Bids can be acquired by doing well at designated national tournaments throughout the year.

Ding said that, aside from winning, the best thing about the TOC was “seeing all of [his] friends in debate at the last tournament.”

This duo attended around 14 tournaments throughout the year, often leav-

ing the state of Iowa to go to places including Texas, California and Georgia.

They also spent seven weeks of their summer in 2011 at a debate camp at the University of Michigan.

“To win any debate tournament, some of the right [pieces of evidence] have to fall your way and we were fortunate enough to win a lot of close rounds against great teams and get on a roll. After that, momentum is a big part of any tournament and we felt like we couldn’t be stopped,” Ding said.

Ding described the moment they officially won the tournament as “sheer ebullient joy.”

With the plethora of outgoing teachers this school year, there have been whispers that West High teachers would have to take on even more work. However, this is not the case. There will be eight new staff members in the upcoming school year to take care of the staffing need.

“Part of [the reason for the additional staff] is because of people leaving,” said Principal Jerry Arganbright.

The additions will be across many departments at West High.

BUSTED COMPILED BY//BRENNA DEERBERG

CREATOR GEORGE LUCAS ONCE SAID THAT THE SHAPE OF THE MILLENNIUM FALCON WAS BASED ON A HAMBURGER.

05 NEWS

of Methodsmovement PAGE DESIGN BY//SHIRLEY WANG

BY BRENNA DEERBERG brenna.deerberg@wsspaper.com

Ivy Stein

06 PROFILES

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM// CATHERINE STAIB

Bollywood babe

Chacha Chick

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM// IVY STEIN

Many aggravated Spanish students are pulled onto the dance floor in order to save their grades. It’s rare that a high school student will have time and a passion for the Latin dancing. However, for Ivy Stein ’13 Latin dance has been an integral part of her life since childhood.

Stein’s passion for dancing started in a very nonLatin dance. When she was a young child, Stein’s older brother and sister took ballroom dancing lessons.

The pair, who went on to win a Swing competition, would come home from practice and teach Stein what they had learned. When she was older, Stein took lessons with her siblings. It didn’t take long for Stein to grow bored.

Stein describes her family as “very rhythmic,” and many of her friends growing up were of the Latin culture. Therefore, it only seemed natural for Stein to pick up Latin dancing as her new hobby. Initially, Stein just danced Salsa and Chacha.

“Those are my least favorite [dances] now because I’ve been doing them the longest,” said Stein.

Over the years Stein has incorporated several different styles of Latin dance into her repertoire. In addition to Salsa and Chacha, Stein also dances Bachata, Dominican Bachata, Duranguense, Banda, Rhumba, Tango, Cumbia, Merengue and Tribal. Her current favorite dance style is Cumbia.

With each new dance comes new movements and new rhythms to learn. However, Stein says she has no problem distinguishing between the styles.

“They have definite rhythms,” Stein said. “Tango has a deep, slow sensual feeling. [Dominican Bachata is] a lot of fancy footwork. It is about feeling like the music.”

The best part of Latin dance, according to Stein, is that it’s easy to get into, but it’s also tasteful.

Being passionate about Latin dance has made Stein appreciate the rest of the Latin culture all the more.

“All I listen to is Latin music,” Stein said. “[The dances help you to] really appreciate different cultures.”

Stein mainly exercises her skills at parties where Latin dancing is a key component.The minimal amount of time Stein will dance at once is about four hours. In June, Stein plans to attend a friend’s graduation party where attendees will spend approximately eight hours dancing. These parties have been integral in creating some of Stein’s most precious friendships and memories.

“I really appreciate all of the people who’ve asked me to dance because they’ve made me not afraid to try something new,” Stein said. “I love [to dance]. It’s my life!”

Catherine Staib

When the word “dancer” comes to mind, people usually picture pointe shoes and puffy tutus. However, for Catherine Staib ’13, being a dancer means something else entirely.

Last year, Staib, who takes university classes, received an email from the University of Iowa encouraging any and all students to try out for the school’s Bollywood Fusion team. Needless to say, Staib tried out and was accepted onto the team.

“It was very interesting because I didn’t know anybody and they’re all a couple years older than me,” said Staib. However, Staib feels like she has grown very close to her fellow dancers since she joined the squad.

“I’m kind of surprised how close we got,” Staib said. “[My teammates are] very friendly.” The closeness was fostered, according to Staib, in part by bonding events. One popular activity is group sleepovers where there are always an abundance of Bollywood movies. However, the main influence on the team’s close bond is their thrice weekly practice schedule.

The team will practice two hours at a time, and will on occasion have spur-of-the-moment meetings to work out choreography.

Staib has, as of yet, been unable to contribute to the team’s fancy footwork, as she is usually in class during these random meetings.

“I always get texts at like 10 a.m. that say ‘come to choreo [choreography] in 20 minutes,’” Staib said. “[One time] we didn’t finish our choreography until the day before [our performance].”

The choreography will become increasingly important in the coming year. In the past, the group has performed mostly at University of Iowa cultural events like the Vietnamese and Chinese New Year festivals.

Next year the team is facing a change of venue.

“We’re starting to compete next year, but you have to be 18 because of liability issues,” Staib said. Currently, their biggest performance is “Nachte Raho” which is put on by the University of Iowa. Teams will come from other universities, such as Stanford, to show off their skills in one of three styles of dance: Bollywood Fusion, Bhangra and Raas. Bollywood Fusion, the dance practiced by Staib’s team, is a blend of Indian dance and a plethora of other styles. Staib describes both the team members and the various dances they perform.

“Apparently we have moves that are Afro-Cuban,” Staib said.

This broad spectrum of dance is partly due to the diverse dance background of the team members.

“It’s interesting because we come from a bunch of different dance backgrounds,” Staib said.

AL PACINO, JACK NICHOLSON, ROBERT DE NIRO AND BURT REYNOLDS TURNED DOWN THE ROLE OF HAN SOLO.

SophiB Photography Sophi Brenneman (”the lady in the office”) www.facebook/sophib photography.com sophibphotography@gmail.com 319-325-1187

Specializing in unique senior photography!

Diversity Focus’ LENS Student Leadership Series is a collaboration between Diversity Focus and local organizations to promote academic support programs for high school students.

SAVE THE DATE

October 19, 2012

8:00am - 3:00pm at Mt. Mercy University Students & Educators in public, private and home schools are invited to “Step Up for Diversity.” The Student Diversity Leadership Conference will empower and inspire attendees to be more understanding and accepting of all avenues of diversity. This years’ conference will focus on taking a stand for diversity, being proud of who you are, accepting and helping others accept that diversity is the key for success, growth, and knowledge.

Free to attend, schools/educators should register students.

Register at www.diversityfocus.org

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Emma Goldman Clinic

227 N. Dubuque St. • Iowa City www.emmagoldman.com • 319-337-2111

PAGE DESIGN BY//KATIE MONS

Getting the last word

“

COMPILED BY//JULIANN SKARDA, ZORA HURST, OLIVE CARROLLHACH, BRENNA DEERBERG AND EMILY CARPENTER

“ PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP

Muhly

I love being around high school students. I love their smiles and frowns .The fun part of my day has always been teaching. . . I have treasured the positive feedback that I have received from students, parents, administrators and other teachers. A person could not ask for a better atmosphere in which to teach.

I enjoy working with high school age students because of the untapped potential they have; I love to help students realize their potential vocally while also building their self-esteem and confidence. I think it’s such a privilege and responsibility for teachers to facilitate student growth in mind, body and spirit no matter what the academic discipline. I just think music has such potential to change lives, and is one of the greatest means of self-expression.

”

Linda Muhly

” “ ” “ ” Mary Kay Knapp

Knapp

PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP

There is an element and spirit to West High that is undefinable. I never thought a student body could be so united and supportive of one another... West has it all and everything is celebrated.

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

Austin

It was fun to grow and build the policy debate team when I starting working [at West] ... I started here when [Liam Hancock ’12 and Jeffrey Ding ’12] were freshmen, and to have these four years conclude with winning a national debate championship was great.

Melanie Johnson

08 PROFILES

THE CHEWBACCA CHARACTER WAS INSPIRED BY GEORGE LUCAS’ DOG INDIANA.

Amber Austin

Johnson

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

“

“

Caraway

PHOTO BY// ABBIE SKEMP

PAGE DESIGN BY//TYLER VOSS

In addition to all the great memories with individual students, I think I will always remember the student ‘It Matters’ rally last year. It was a very special gift to see high school students supporting their teachers with such dignity and passion . . . I have worked at all levels of education, preschool through college, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the high school level.

It’s such a transition time – exciting and scary at the same time. I like a challenge.

”

Jane Caraway Special Programs

Seeing one of my autistic students get hired at a local business...was special because he had been job shadowing at the business for two years and finally got the job. I’ve also been impressed with how the local community and business owners are so willing to assist our students - whether it’s a job shadow, coming in as a speaker, etc.

” “ ” “ ” Barbara Greene Special Programs

Greene

PHOTO BY// FRANK WEIRICH

Reiland

[I enjoy] getting the opportunity to be a positive influence on students both inside and outside of the classroom.

WWW.WSSPAPER.COM

Log on for exclusive web coverage.

PHOTO BY// FRANK WEIRICH

When I look back over my twenty-two years at West, it’s been a very enjoyable experience both professionally and personally…it had to end sometime, but I’ve had a wide…range of experiences in over forty years in education. The biggest change I’ve been a part of at West is the upgrade in our athletic facilities. We’ve given coaches and athletes a… great setting. We now have the opportunity to host state tournaments and games for some of the best teams in the state.

Marv Reiland Athletic Director

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM//WEST HIGH ATHLETIC OFFICE

Hawkins

D.J. Hawkins

Health & Physical Education Teacher

IN 1996, 37% OF THE TOYS SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES WERE STAR WARS PRODUCTS.

09 PROFILES

“At home I mainly speak in Arabic, I learned both [English and Arabic] when I was little...but when we moved back to Saudi Arabia for a few years, I just strengthened my Arabic. I don’t recall if either [language] was easier to learn. English is easier for me now, because I use it a lot more. It’s easier to communicate with others in different parts of the world to…[understand] each other’s points of views and come to terms [when you know multiple languages],”

language

Layla Siddig ’15

information rates (syllable per sec) top five languages spoken globally number listed coordinates to the country of origin.

Faster than the speed of

e g a u g n La COMPILED BY//OLIVE CARROLLHACH AND AMELIA MOSER

6,700 languages are spoken globally

?

Madame Juhl “Were we all to start at age two, none of this [language-learning] would be hard, younger learners aren’t scared to be wrong [or] mispronounce,” said French teacher Theresa Juhl. “What I’ve seen over time is you start to have more inhibitions. You’re more worried about what your peers are going to say, and school isn’t the [only] thing in your world, there are 50 distractions.”

10 FEATURE

sS uu m m mm ee r r

Mandarin Spoken by over 1 billion people

2 English Spoken by 508 million people

3 Hindustani Spoken by 497 million people

up to 4,000 of these are projected to die within 100 years the number of known dead languages is roughly 450

1

4 Spanish

Spoken by 392 million people

5 Russian

Spoken by 277 million people

Visible language

One of the astroids in The Empire Strikes Back was actually a beet painted brown.

like other languages, sign language differs by country the grammar of american sign language differs from that of english american indians used sign language to communicate with others from more than 40 spoken dialects. babies communicate physically six to eight months before verbal communication. sign language is now the fourth or fifth most spoken language in the united states

PAGE DESIGN BY//TYLER VOSS

PHOTO BY// ABBIE SKEMP

FROM LEFT: Kimberly Bates ’13, Quinn Steigleder ’13, Kenzie Wiskus ’13, Ally Franz ’13 and Michaela Recker ’13 join together to form a peer-to-peer mentoring program for teen girls called Luv Ya Like A Sister.

Sisters by choice

BY POMBIE SILVERMAN pombie.silverman@wsspaper.com

T

here’s the family a girl’s born into - and then there’s the one she creates. Luv Ya Like a Sister, a peer-to-peer mentoring program for girls between the ages of 11 and 18, offers participants a chance to join a wider circle of “sisters” - each offering support and a positive influence.

Originating in Iowa City, Luv Ya Like a Sister is a nonprofit organization based in Iowa and establishes constructive peer-to-peer relationships for girls.

The mission of LYLAS is to help girls become more confident and feel comfortable in their own body. It is also to help girls with leadership skills, passionate self-esteem and being thankful for the things and people they have that support them.

“Having my grandmother as a role model and having a mentor growing up has inspired me to dedicate the rest of my life to helping and educating young girls, who I hope in turn, will continue to pay it forward,” said LYLAS founder Candice Becker. LYLAS offers positive biweekly meetings, community service activities and relationship building ac-

tivities for young girls.

However, LYLAS does not work like most mentoring programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. According to Becker, LYLAS is a unique program that empowers high school girls to be role models to younger girls. Instead of having an individual mentor assigned to one young girl, a group of mentors meets several times a month with the group of young girls, usually at a mentor’s house. Mentors from West High include Quinn Steigleder ’13, Kenzie Wiskus ’13, Ally Franz ’13, Lauren Larson ’13, Rachael Mysnyk ’13, Kimberly Bates ’13 and Michaela Recker ’13.

In addition to meetings, LYLAS also encourages self-awareness through community service and “paying it forward.”

“Paying it forward is when you give a random act of kindness to a stranger every week,” Wiskus said. “For example, every week Rachel [Mysnyk] will go to McDonald’s and buy a meal for the person in front of her in line.”

Meetings take place two to three times a month, where members will usually discuss character development, problems at home and school or just to

have fun. According to Steigleder, the meetings are intended to create a positive, esteem-boosting environment.

LYLAS has already had twenty or so meetings since its founding by Candice Becker in October, with locations ranging from a mentor’s house to La James to Core Fitness.

“We make a lot of posters and then present them to the group to help the girls gain self-confidence,” Steigleder said. “We’ve made posters that define what a good or bad friend is, define courage . . . one of the posters’ themes was to define beauty. It helped the girls look at themselves in a positive light and accept themselves for who they are.”

In order to increase membership, LYLAS plans to create a club at West next year using time during advisory and by making posters to promote the club.

Although LYLAS currently has active chapters in Iowa City and Mt. Pleasant, it plans to continue expansion. According to Becker, a Burlington branch is set to launch in four weeks.

“We might be taking baby steps now, but [we’d like to do] big things. I will actively pursue opportunities that will help girls express themselves authenti-

cally,” Becker said. “I also hope that one day we will have the opportunity to partner with community schools.”

According to Wiskus, after high school she plans to set up a LYLAS club in college.

“My biggest goal would be if [LYLAS] went national,” Wiskus said. “So I plan to start out small. This program is something that every school should have. It lets girls know that there are many other girls that have similarities.

Girls need to know they are not alone.”

For now, though, Wiskus is just happy to be part of the club.

“My favorite part about LYLAS is knowing that there are girls out there that are just like me. I know that the girls that are involved in LYLAS will always be there for me and that shows a lot of respect,” Wiskus said. “[My favorite part of LYLAS] is just watching them progress from week to week and how much change can happen in just a short period of time,” Becker said. “Also, to see the goals the girls set for themselves and watching or helping them achieve those goals.”

FRANK OZ, WHO DOES THE VOICE OF YODA, ALSO DOES THE VOICE OF MISS PIGGY IN THE MUPPETS.

11 FEATURE

PAGE DESIGN BY//KATIE MONS

Upcoming Events

PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP

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12 A&E

THE SOUND OF DARTH VADER’S BREATHING WAS CREATED USING A SCUBA REGULATOR.

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Forget

Justin Bieber nothing is

Registration begins June 3. Sign up, read books, win prizes. “Own the Night” with a zombie extravaganza for Teens, Batman Movie Marathon for Teens & Adults, & special all-ages live bat program. New this year: Book to Movie Club for Teens. Read a book, have a discussion & watch the movie adaptation.

Programs for teens: Tuesday afternoons.

cooler

smoothie!

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Expires June 24, 2012 PLU 2402

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Responding to Sexual Abuse and Harassment Since 1973 “My back pack was stolen…”

YOUR REACTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE

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When someone tells you they’ve been raped,

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the eyes of others

True

affection

The standards and opinions of physical affection throughout the decades.

BY OLIVE CARROLLHACH AND BRENNA DEERBERG

before our time Our country sends mixed signals. The wholesome notion of a happy family with mother in the kitchen and father with his feet up in the parlor plagues the sweetheart stamp collection every February; yet in movies lusty hookups and meaningless fun run rampant. It seems like more than ever, young people must walk the thin line between what’s deemed taboo and what’s acceptable.

According to some people, things have always been this way. Society can sweep sex under a rug, tell it to behave, lock it in a box and tie it with a ribbon, but no amount of denial will hide the facts that lead to our very existence.

Sex is a part of life. The true question is what has lead to American discomfort with affection.

Teen romance is the admitted bane of teachers and parents alike. “[Teenagers] don’t understand the love they’re expressing. It’s endearing on one level, but the uncontrollable aspect isn’t as cute,” said English teacher Nathan Frese. “Every generation claims they didn’t do those things. Nobody wants to green light the lower generation. Nobody wants to remember that they were [once] the same.”

Although human nature transcends generational gaps, some societal changes are inevitable.

“I think that what our generation and the generation before ours do in public would be outright shocking to people from the 1950s and earlier,” said Lili Agrell ’13.

The constant evolution of the United States is the trademark of our relatively young nation, which sprang from Pu-

ritan roots. Throughout U.S. history, many things are considered to be taboo that are perfectly acceptable in other countries.

“Our [founding principals of social restraint] are hard to let go of. Other nations are older, they’ve had hundreds of empires rise and fall and rise again.

Here, we’re still on number one,” Frese said.

The United States has come a long way from the corseted, bonetted culture of years past, or even from the 1950s. Yet in many ways, more options for conduct only lead to more controversy about which choices are correct.

Ultimately, there are no one-size-fitsall solutions to romance. According to Agrell, the most important voice to listen to when making romatic choices is one’s own.

“If a kid’s not ready for [a relationship] then props to him or her.You have to be secure with yourself first,” said Agrell.

Spring is in the air. Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and relationships are blossoming in the halls of West High. It’s not uncommon to see an affectionate pair lost in each others’ eyes between classes. The world is beautiful and they are free from societal constraint. Or are they?

Student have opinions ranging from approval to strong distaste regarding affection in the halls. Rachel Ruback ’12 decided early in life that it wasn’t in her best interestto date in high school.

“I have a very specific idea of what I want in a relationship,” Ruback said. “I don’t think that most people, including myself, are mature enough [to handle a relationship] in high school.”

However, she doesn’t harshly judge students who decide to date.

“I don’t necessarily think there’s something inherently wrong with public affection,” Ruback said.

She said she only has a problem with PDA when a couple becomes an ob-

struction in the hallway.

Mariah Weston ’15 agrees with Ruback’s assessment.

“If it’s just a little [PDA] it doesn’t really bother me, but if you have to go around them it’s just weird,” said Weston. “I just feel like school is supposed to be a place for learning. It’s not a date.”

On the other side of the spectrum are students who are currently in a relationship. Rachel Buser ’13 has experienced harassment for being affectionate with her boyfriend in the hallway.

“Somebody has actually said to me ‘make room for Jesus’ and we were just hugging,” said Buser.

While she is okay with some forms of affection, Buser believes there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed at school. She strives to be aware of others’ comfort zones.

Not only students struggle with appropriate reactions to public affection.

According to social studies teacher Tyson Smith, it is important to respect people’s feelings and limitations.

PAGE DESIGN BY//OLIVE CARROLLHACH

[ [

“There are some people who would finding less responsible ways to learn.] love to be in that relationship but I think that if we ignore problems, they’re not likely to solve themselves,” aren’t, or can’t be,” Smith said.

Smith Some said. teac her s D u e combat to the blatant personal d i s p l ay s nature of afof physifection, cal afw h i l e fection, others m a ny prefer faculty to take a memhands-off b e r s approach. struggle “If we’re w i t h going to h o w try to to apdiscourproach age those -Rachel Buser ‘13 the issue. signs of Dr. Arganbright says that although physical attachment in the school, one thing that would be a mistake would be most students are compliant with policy, to pretend it doesn’t exist. That sort of faculty does face some disciplanary isphilosophy leads to us saying ‘let’s not sues. According to West policy, “We do have sex-ed’ [which results in students not have kissing in the building...It’s a school,” Dr. Arganbright said.

“Sombody actually

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for Jesus’

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flash forward

LIV

A generation by definition is a collective mass of people, born over the course of twenty or thirty years. A generation is united by the elders, the experiences, the struggles and beliefs of a culture.

Although times are changing, when predicting the future of today’s high school students, many people return to the past. When coach and teacher Kathy Bresnahan looks at the students around her, she sees few changes in romantic interactions.

When she was in high school, “You always shared your locker with your boyfriend and walked hand-in-hand, Bresnahan said.

Many students, though, feel that there are more changes in the mentality behind the relationships than hallway conduct can reveal. More often than not, students understand the transience of a high school relationship.While a more realistic sense of the world does not affect the intensity of first love, it does affect young people’s

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plans for the future.

Our culture is more accepting of sex and affection at a young age as a method of preparing for future relationships.

“Generally, high school relationships are just for fun,” Agrell said.

Although she recognizes that some relationships have greater significance, Agrell believes that today more than ever, “people are getting married later.

We’re more career oriented [right out of college], when in the past people would put family first.”

Society may be changing, but humans’ brains are slower to evolve. “[Experimentation] is human nature.

When you’re younger, you’re in the process of figuring out who you want to be,” Frese said. “[Exploring romance] is a matter of identity- I didn’t know who I was at sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen. [Growing up was] a matter of being rounded into form and discovering the type of person I want to present to the world.”

PAGE DESIGN BY//POMBIE SILVERMAN

ON THE ARTS

JOEY ABREU ’13 YOU WERE JUST ACCEPTED INTO A SECOND CITY IMPROV PROGRAM THIS SUMMER IN CHICAGO. WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THERE? I’ll work on my technique for about three weeks; maybe become a better comedian or get a contract with Modern Family [laughs].

Honestly, I’d really like to get the most out of it, though. I decided to [audition for Second City] because people say my tweets are funny. I’ve been able to make people laugh a lot and I felt like I had a shot in getting in. I say witty things. I’m just goofy, smart and think of clever things to say.

WHAT WAS THE AUDITION LIKE? [The audition was] held in a classroom in some building in Chicago.

First the judges gave me a topic for improv. They told me, “Tell us about something you might see at the mall,” and gave me a couple minutes to prepare and then I had to improv for two minutes. I talked about kids on leashes. Actually, I was thinking about kids on leashes two days [before I auditioned].

So then it was like the torch of humor in the depths of hell ignited in a fiery inferno.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START DOING IMPROV? My mom signed me up for an improv class at the Englert Theatre three years ago because she wanted me to do something over the summer besides sit on my butt all day and play video games. I liked it at first, but after three years it started to get repetitive. Also, it wasn’t strictly comedy, like I wanted; there was some Shakespeare which I find boring...I make jokes every day, but I’ve never really had any formal improv training. Com-

pared to [taking improv classes at the Englert], Second City already sticks out a lot more. It’s weird going from such a little group to Second City.

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION? Bill Cosby was the first comedian I ever listened to. When I was seven I had two Bill Cosby live standup CDs that I would listen to all the time. I listened to them so much that I memorized every joke he said...I’m pretty sure I can still recite them. [When I listened to the CDs] I knew that when people laughed it meant that what [Cosby] said was funny.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST JOKE YOU EVER TOLD? It wasn’t even funny. In kindergarten, my class went on a field trip to the old University art building. The tour guide showed us a statue of a mom holding hands with her son. We were all sitting on the ground, looking at the statue, when the tour guide asked us what we thought the child was saying to his mom. No one raised a hand except for me.

I said, ‘Maybe he’s asking for a cracker!’ and for some reason, everyone laughed. I thought, ‘Oh my god, I just said something funny!’

For the rest of tour, I just tried to say things I thought were funny.

The more jokes I made, the more people started to get annoyed. All I thought though was, ‘Dang, I can make people laugh.’ ...[I was able] to learn what was funny and what wasn’t ... I’m constantly telling offensive jokes all the time, and don’t know where to stop until it goes too far. I think it’s funny, but others don’t. Some of their reactions are priceless.

COMPILED BY// POMBIE SILVERMAN PHOTO BY// FRANK WEIRICH

16 A & E

THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS MOVIE WAS THE FIRST SCIENCE FICTION FILM TO BE NOMINATED FOR A BEST PICTURE ACADEMY AWARD.

PAGE DESIGN BY//ZORA HURST

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY//ABBIE SKEMP

MENTAL FITNESS Training your brain via physical exercise can improve your academic performance in addition to tangible health benefits.

BY POMBIE SILVERMAN

I

pombie.silverman@wsspaper.com magine a hardworking, dedicated student at West High: he’s enrolled in a few challenging classes, has good grades and high expectations. However, one subject stands in the way. He’s tried tutoring, Cliff Notes, crosswords, even Vitamin Water to make himself smarter, but nothing seems to work. However, the answer to a better brain may simply be lacing up a pair of tennis shoes and going for a jog in the park.

New studies have shown that exercise not only makes you physically fit, but can make your brain fit as well. Research development has shown that exercise stimulates the production of neurons, slows down the aging of the brain and even reduces the chance of a stroke or dementia. Exercise appears to build a better brain: one that resists physical shrinkage and

enhances cognitive flexibility.

“This [new research] is just another great reason to exercise,” said University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics neurologist Dr. Enrique Leira.

cording to Leira, exercise stimulates neurogenesis-the creation of new brain cells- especially in the hippocampus.

According to Leira, exercise can slow down the aging and physical decay of the brain, similar to the way it does in muscles. Neurons can improve intellect only if This [new research] is just they are constantly stimuanother great reason to lated, such as with exercise. However, many brain cells are not stimulated, and instead stay inside the brain for a while before dy-Dr. Enrique Leira ing. Exercise, on the other hand, fuels neurogenesis.

As for which form of ex“There’s plenty of credible data out ercise is best for boosting brainpowthere from trials that concluded that er, “There is no definite answer of exercise increases the stimulation of which kind of exercise is best,” Leira the hippocampus.” said. “The [American Heart AssociaThe hippocampus, a part of the tion] recommends 20 to 30 minutes brain, plays a major part in shortof exercise three times a week, so term and long-term memory. Acenough to get short of breath.”

[ [ “

exercise”

THE CHARACTER LUKE SKYWALKER WAS ORIGINALLY NAMED LUKE STARKILLER.

17 HEALTH

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

ABOVE: Braving the heat, Wade Nash ’13 perfects his bunting during a varsity team practice. The Trojans have an upcoming game tonight at Davenport West.

TOP LEFT: At the third base position, Maddy Miller ’15 practices for the 2012 softball season. There is a home softball game tonight at 5:30. The girls ranked fifth in the state last season.

BELOW: During the regional meet on May 10th, Mondo Williams ’12 takes first place in the 100 meter dash. At the end of the day, the West boys took home five wins.

PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

ABOVE: In the City vs. West game, Anna Hausler ’14 plays midfield at the latter of the game. West High won the game 5-0.

18 SPORTS

IT TOOK THREE DIFFERENT ACTORS TO PLAY DARTH VADER: DAVID PROWSE, JAMES EARL JONES AND SEBASTIAN SHAW.

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

PAGE DESIGN BY//ASHTON DUNCAN

PHOTO BY//ABBIE SKEMP COMPILED BY// ASHTON DUNCAN

Stealing home

As the school year draws to a close and temperatures rocket even higher, some sports are just heating up. Softball, baseball and other sports will continue into the summer while others prepare for next year’s wins.

However measured: by innings, by matches or by games, West’s sports teams have had a lasting impact on the school’s history. The 2011-2012 teams will be remembered.

Check out wsspaper.com and follow @wsspaper for continuing sports coverage this year and next.

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

ABOVE: In a game aganist Cedar Rapids Prairie on May 15, Paris Martins ’13 takes the ball down field in an attempt to score a goal. The boys ended up winning their game 2-1.

BELOW: Determined to prepare for an upcoming meet, Tim Yu ‘12 serves to his fellow teammates during practice.

LEFT: Jumping yet another hurdle, Rebecca Tanner ’12 got first place in the 100m hurdles during the regional track meet. The team placed second overall.

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

JOHN WILLIAMS, WHO WROTE THE SCORE FOR STAR WARS SAGA, ALSO WROTE MUSIC FOR JAWS, JURASSIC PARK AND THE FIRST THREE HARRY POTTER FILMS.

19 SPORTS

ART BY//ASHLYNN YOKOM

PAGE DESIGN BY//BLAKE OETTING

INTRAMURALS:

Students at West this year have started several new competitive sports team this year including rugby, ultimate frisbee and soccer PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH

Rugby

BY BLAKE OETTING

During an intramural rugby game, Jackson Peplow ’13 loos downfield.

blake.oetting@wsspaper.com First it was soccer that made its transition from a European phenomenon to a highly played American sport. Now a new activity has burrowed its way into the pastimes of many this side of the pond. It has even found its way into the confines of West High. That’s right folks, rugby has arrived. For now it is classified as a club, but with the pastime gaining more and more popularity, one might want to watch out for the first West High

rugby team.

Chuck Adolph ’13 and Joel Hurt ’13 founded the club earlier this year with the intention of it becoming a competitive team - playing matches against other teams across the state.

“Joel and I [started the club]. Our football coach told us about it and got us interested in the sport,” said Adolph.

This initial interest has produced a full-fledged squad with around sixteen people participating in practices and games. The team holds two to three practices a week where they work on various aspects of the sport such as hitting, running and passing. However, with the nature of the sport being the

Ultimate Frisbee

BY BRENNA DEERBERG

brenna.deerberg@wsspaper.com On many a Saturday afternoon several West High students can be found fighting over a frisbee or two in Willow Creek Park. While there are occasionally newcomers who attend these Ultimate Frisbee games with their friends, this group is made up of a select few regulars who are part of a Facebook team. Darra Stuart ’13 started playing last year after becoming a fan of the game during Early Bird PE with her

older brother and her friends. Stuart said she enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee because it’s good exercise and good fun.

Fellow frisbee thrower Andy Rosse ’13 also said he enjoys playing Ultimate for the exercise. However, that’s not the only reason he enjoys playing. “[I like] the thrill of the game ... It’s great exercise and lots of fun. [I also get] to spend more time with Cort Pugh ’13,” said Rosse.

Like Stuart, Rosse was first intro-

PHOTO BY//FRANK WEIRICH duced to Ultimate Frisbee during the sunrise hours in Early Bird PE.While busy schedules may occasionally keep these intramural athletes away from their game, they both agree that they love having Ultimate Frisbee in their lives.

“I’m not able to go all the time, but I really like [playing Ultimate Frisbee],” said Stuart. “It’s always the highlight of my week when I can go.”

Soccer

BY BLAKE OETTING

PHOTO BY//ADAM CANADY During an intramural soccer practice, Kasra Zarei ’13 fights for possession of the ball.

20 SPORTS

blake.oetting@wsspaper.com Soccer has a long-time tradition of excellence here at West High. The Trojans have won six state championships and passed along many players to division one athletic programs. What many people aren’t aware of is the existence of another soccer program at West High. West’s intramural soccer team has been passed down through the generations and placed in the hands of the team’s current leaders Zach Hingtgen ’14 and Kasra Zarei ’13.

Hingtgen and Zarei got the idea of reviving the intramural squad from their

The name R2-D2 comes from film jargon meaning reel two, dialogue two.

way it is, people are bound to get hurt.

“We’ve had two concussions, a root canal and several broken fingers. It’s a pretty violent sport,” Adolph said.

All of the injuries and the practices will pay off when they challenge the plethora of other teams in the Quad Cities, Cedar Falls, Muscatine and several in Des Moines.

Even though traveling around the state sounds like a promising venture, the team’s favorite part of rugby remains clear.

“Hitting people,” Adolph said.

While practicing in the courtyard, Katie Harper ’13 practices her passing. older siblings who participated in the club during their own high school year, “Kasra’s and my older siblings used to do it when they were in high school.

We would go along with them and it was a lot of fun. So we decided to continue on the team,” said Hingtgen.

The decision to gather up a group has produced a team consisting of around 14 players who play against each other each Sunday evening. The games can sometimes get intense, but in general, they are laid-back and fun, “We always play [at practice]. It can get serious, but it’s not too hard core we’re there to have fun,” Hingtgen said.

For many of the players on the team, the less intense intramural team provides an opportunity to play soccer in a stress-free environment.

“We’re more into just having fun with it. I still love playing on a team though,” Hingtgen said.

QUALITY OF Equal Opportunity A bill was recently introduced that would rid American workplaces of LIFE INDEX discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity PAGE DESIGN BY//BRENNA DEERBERG

MAY AP tests over The long awaited reprieve is finally here. After months of laborious studying (or at least keeping up the pretense of studying) we have finally arrived at the last beautiful weeks of school.

Whether you participated in AP testing or not, the rest of the year in those notoriously headache-inducing classes is scheduled to be full of tomfoolery and general summer fever.

Plus 8

Finals I take it back. I’ve still got about 3,000 tests and projects left in all of my other classes with my hard-fought grades hanging in the balance.

Minus 3

Summer break Summer is a beautiful time where teens run free in their natural habitat (namely their beds) and the homework demons go into hibernation. (Obviously, I will not be doing that optional review packet!)

Plus 10

Summer jobs Summer is the only time of the year when it is legal for us to work 40 hours per week.

Minus 9 Total: Plus 6

COMPILED BY// BRENNA DEERBERG

It’s eight o’clock on a Saturday morning and everyone in your place of employment is bleary-eyed and slow to fill out their timecards. Friday nights are all fun and games until the working people begin the day.

You work at a place that employs a diverse group: Sarah, a bookish girl who likes her hamster more than people, Kelly, who rarely smiles but delivers deadpan humor from behind the register, Derek, who’s been banned from all work parties due to that incident at the park, Travis, the nice one, Bailey, she brings extra snacks for the break room so everyone loves her, The Other Travis (no explanation needed), and Finn (you remember him the best because his boyfriend saw you throw up once at the movies).

Imagine if Finn (or someone with his sexual orientation) wasn’t allowed at your workplace? Wouldn’t we call a business prejudiced if they wouldn’t hire girls who wear the hijaab, or wouldn’t let anyone of the Jewish faith

wear a Star of David necklace?

Yet, many non-religious, privatelyowned businesses and federal contractors do this very thing. Gay, lesbian, trans* and bisexual applicants may be turned away because of their sexual preferences or gender identification.

ENDA (The Employment Non-Discrimination Act) would change all of this.

Proposed to President Obama earlier this month, “discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity by civilian, non-religious employers with at least fifteen employees” would be prohibited. Proposed by nearly every Congress since 1994, the bill is closer than ever to passing.

President Obama, who has recently expressed his support of same-sex marriage, and was largely responsible for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has expressed similar sentiments toward this legislation, and even had a hand in having ENDA expand to the trans* community.

Obama has our support, and hopefully, he’ll make good on his word. A job isn’t just a place we tolerate for a check

at the end of the week; it’s an environment where we make new friends, meet new people, and learn how to get along with others. Equality shouldn’t be spurned at the workplace; everyone should have an equal opportunity to make a living.

Would the passage of ENDA have a notible, positive effect on workplaces?

11-0 The WSS editorial board voted for the passage of ENDA.

2011-2012

EDITORIAL BOARD Juliann Skarda Olive Carrollhach Ashton Duncan Brenna Deerberg Pombie Silverman Blake Oetting

Amelia Moser Katie Mons Shirley Wang Abbie Skemp Zora Hurst

Out of bounds After private donors helped West High pay for Barker Field, the ICCSD school board voted to give $700,000 to City High for a field of its own West High is known for its many great achievements. Its students have high average GPAs, high ACT scores, multiple sports state championships, nationally ranked speech and debate and BPA teams and outstanding teachers who are always ready to offer help and support. There is one thing that all of these activities require: dedication. The Go for the Goal Campaign to build West High’s soccer field is no exception.

On May 11, after over two years of campaigning, the Go for the Goal Committee raised nearly $570,000 and has cut the ribbon on the new Barker Field. Five days later on May 16, the Iowa City School Board approved a $700,000 budget for City High’s artificial turf practice field.

Additionally, the campaigning for Go for the Goal must continue. Plenty of expenses still have to be paid which

means more fundraising for these West High athletes and parents. The Iowa City School Board declined West High’s request for donation, and now after two years of hard work to earn that money, they are going to simply hand it over to City High.

There is an abundance of other issues in the district that the money could be used to address. For example, it could be spent hiring additional teachers, improving district technology, or raising the salaries of our hardworking teachers. So ifWest High’s field project wasn’t considered a priority for funding, what makes an almost identical project at City High any more important?

Although the school board has separate allotments for budgeting, it is hard to justify funding this endeavor when it is clear that City High could raise the money on its own terms in

the same way that West High has done.

There were many private donations to the Go for the Goal Campaign that may now be overlooked, most notable being from former principal, Ed Barker, who donated $270,000 to the cause. If the school board can find a way to budget in a $700,000 practice field for City High, why was it that West High had to fund their’s with the help of private donations?

There is one thing that no amount of money can buy. The student athletes of West High raised the money to make the dream of playing on a home field a reality. They will forever understand the concept of working hard to reach their goals. West High will be able to look at Barker Field with pride, knowing that it was their dedication that brought them the victory.

21 OPINION

PAGE DESIGN BY//ASHTON DUNCAN

BY BRENNA DEERBERG brenna.deerberg@wsspaper.com

When I’m in a conversation with my friends, it’s common for one of us to throw a popular culture reference into the mix. Puns relating to The Hunger Games can send an entire classroom into a fit of giggles.

I’m a fan of these jokes as much as the next person. However, most of the time when I let myself become comfortable enough with a group of people to make what is, to me, a funny reference, people usually laugh for an entirely different reason. This is what happens 90 percent of the time when I make an anime joke.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand and respect a person’s right to never watch anime, or even to think the joke’s not funny at all.

Anim(at)e me

What I don’t understand is why so many students think it’s acceptable to laugh because I’ve made a joke referencing an anime show. Even some of my friends will laugh, and expect me to laugh right along with them at the idea that I even watch anime. I’ve had people close to me say things along the lines of, “Oh, come on, Brenna. It’s just funny that you watch that show!”

As a student at West High, I should feel free to spend my time engaging in whatever hobby I so desire without the fear of being teased.

To me, watching one of my favorite shows, Fullmetal Alchemist, is the equivalent of watching any other TV show. I watch shows because I love the characters, the entertaining plot twists and the elaborate and involved storylines.

Sound familiar?

Watching anime should be viewed

Walkin’

BY GUEST COLUMNIST BRIAN FLECK

Substitute teaching is a lot like wedding photography.

Back in the 1990s, I shot a couple dozen weddings and decided that they came in two varieties. At some, there was a general sense of happiness and contentment in the air as everyone shared in the joyous occasion of two people pledging to partner with each other for the remainder of their lives. At others, there was nothing but tension in the air- usually emanating from the mother of the bride- and everyone was on edge to make sure everything went pictureperfect regardless of whether anyone was having a good time. I enjoyed the one kind so much that I didn’t feel I needed to be paid, and disliked the other to the point where there was not enough money in the world to make me do another.

Standing in for a day for the regular 22 OPINION

teacher has the same sort of duality.

If the students are moderately well behaved I can usually get through the lessons and make the experience fun for everyone with stories and jokes.

If they are jerks, then I’d rather have a root canal or watch the Cardinals win in extra innings.

Most of the weddings fell into the positive category, but I can’t say the same for the pinch-hitting teaching gigs.

This is because humans are creatures of habit and routine and even slight variations can set them on edge. In a lower elementary class, for example, one of my first duties of the day was to gather the class on a carpet while I sat in a rocking chair and read out loud. Easy-peasy. I got the 18 little darlings all crisscrossed applesauced, opened the book and set the page marker on my right knee.

“That’s not where Misses G puts it,” one of the urchins offered. “Is too,” another piped up. Quicker than you can say Nintendo DS the class erupted into a heated discussion over who was correct.

Also, acting up when a sub is in the room seems to be part of the human

no differently than watching any other show, but for some reason, it is. So what’s the difference exactly?

Is it the fact that it’s animated?

South Park anyone (M’kay)? Here’s where I would like to point out the fact that we, as high school students, commonly watch (and enjoy) movies such as Finding Nemo in our language classes over and over (and over) again. So the problem must not be with the animation, right?

So how about the storylines?

There is a common misconception that all anime is silly and without plot. I’ll grant that this is true for some anime (and that I indulge in that type from time to time). However, isn’t this also true of shows like Jersey Shore (*fist pump*)? I’ve never watched it, but I respect your right to reference it to your heart’s content. So it’s not the storylines.

I’ve got it now! It must be the

over-the-top characters, right?

Some characters in anime are unbelievable with their superhuman strength and frequent use of magic.

Before you say “Avada Kedavra” to those characters, may I remind everyone of the beloved series, Harry Potter? So maybe it isn’t the unrealistic characters either.

Well, as I’ve failed to find a significant difference between anime and other popular media, I guess I’ll just say this: You don’t have to go home and watch a bunch of anime. You don’t have to like anime.

However, you should be tolerant of those who do enjoy watching it. Some shows are silly, some are serious, but it’s entirely up to the viewer’s discretion. I’ll accept your viewing habits if you’ll accept mine - “Equivalent Exchange.”

*PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM// THE NORTH LIBERTY LEADER

DNA. In our distant past there must have been an evolutionary advantage to sitting on the wrong rock and acting the clown when Ms. Troglodyte was gone and Mr. Neanderthal entered the cave. Not only do normally well behaved students act up, but they must emit a subtle pheromone that let’s the entire school know that there’s a sub in the room so students can begin acting the fool even before they come through the door.

At first, I tried short-circuiting the innate tendency to want everything the same as the day before by making everything as different as possible from the start. First off I’d greet everyone at the door so they knew from the get go things were going to be different. I’d write my name in reverse on the chalkboard so you’d need a mirror to read it correctly, and put a small electronic metronome in my shirt pocket quietly beating away. As students filed in not only would they realize that there was a sub for day but he’d written his name funny and he was ticking. My theory was that if the kids were going to be out of their comfort zone then they might as well be pushed over the edge and maybe

they’d turn into a quivering mass of complacency.

I also think every year that this might be the one for the Cubs.

Gradually I’ve changed my approach.

First of all, I never take a job below fourth grade. I stood in as the gym teacher for lower elementary students one Friday and when done went home to sleep through Saturday. One way to solve this country’s energy shortages is to see if what keeps kindergarten teachers going can be extracted and bottled.

Secondly, I try to keep as low of profile as possible. Instead of meeting students at the door I sit hunched down behind a desk. When I talk, I try to keep my voice low and void of inflection.

Finally, I’m a lot quicker to call to the office for help. When I first started subbing I felt it was a sign that I couldn’t handle my job but now making sure I have the correct number to dial for help is one of the first things I do. If they don’t want me back I can always dig out my Nikon camera.

They still shoot with film, don’t they?