2012 Intro. to Newspaper's Photo Essays

PAGE DESIGN BY//AILEEN NORRIS

ABOVE: An icon of the Harry Potter series, Hogwarts stands boldly behind Hogsmeade.

BELOW: The Flight of the Hippogriff rollercoaster slowly climbs to the sky, building suspense for its riders.

BY AILEEN NORRIS aileen.m.norris@gmail.com

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puking pastille head sits in the window of Zonko’s. Candy is seen in abundance in the mint-colored Honeydukes, calling children into its sugared depths. A scream echoes from the Dragon Challenge. Beauxbatons twirl their ribbons in a square.

Everywhere, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is teeming with activity and life.

As a band student, a big question poses itself: do I go to Disneyworld next year? When I got the opportunity to spend a day at Universal Studio this Spring Break, I jumped at the chance for a test drive at the band trip. Is it worth it? Without a doubt.

ALL PHOTOS BY//AILEEN NORRIS

LEFT: The crowd stands anxiously in line to explore Hogwarts. A sign at the beginning of the line suggests the wait will be around 120 minutes. It was worth every second.

RIGHT: Purchased at the Three Broomsticks for $3, this creamy beverage was most definitely magical.

ABOVE: As the sun sets, the Lords Prayer lays in the shadows amongst the plot of a family to guide them to their next destination. Even though this memorial is amongst the older graves, it still has a clean appearance and marks the memory of these families.

RIGHT: On the boarders of the Ridge Wood Cemetery, you will find this haunting scene. The graves of the very first residents of Ridge Wood. Some head stones have been broken but this cluster remains standing tall.

Ridge Wood Cemetery

BY ALYSSA HANCOCK

zazahancock@gmail.com his lonely cemetery is located just on the out skirts of Fox Run in North Liberty. There is a wire arch at the entrance that states the cemetery name, rust lays in every curve.

There are graves found here that had been dug in the 2000’s, and some from so long ago, they either don’t have a date or weather has worn it away. These graves look down on the neighborhood of Fox Run, whether these souls are still with us, keeping watch, or have paced on to something beyond this world. It is up to you to decide.

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ALL PHOTOS BY//ALYSSAHANCOCK ABOVE: Ridge Wood has more then one shaded spot for families of those who are no longer with us to spend time with their loved ones.

RIGHT: The Myers family was a very unfortunate event. Their family plot seemed to be filled with those who passed on at an age much to young. C. Meron, for example, was only five years of age at time of death.

Next to Meron is an other family member who passed away at the age of eight.

PAGE DESIGN BY//ALYSSA HANCOCK

ABOVE: Before getting back on the bus in Segovia tp return to Madrid, students visited the aqueducts of Segovia.

The aqueducts were made in either the first or second century AD by the Romans. Mysteriously, there are no documents today of the construction of the aqueducts from the first or second century AD.

7 Cities in 2 Weeks

BY Alyssa McKeone

RIGHT: While taking a break from shopping in Madrid, students intensely gazed at people posing as statues in Plaza Mayor. A wide variety of outfits were seen on people posing, ranging from being covered in sand to being covered in brightly colored paint.

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alyssamckeone@gmail.com eginning March 9. 18 students from West High began a two week tour through seven cities of Spain. Throughout the trip, students learned flamenco dancing, ate new foods and saw the ancient architecture and history that Spain holds. In addition, students participated in the Falla and Magdalena celebrations that took place in Valencia and Casteólln where their family stay took place.

BELOW: A, Erin Kallsen ‘13 and a professional flamenco dancer danced in a Gypsy cave in Granada, Spain. “I tried to just copy her [the professional dancer’s] hands,” said Kallsen.

RIGHT : Laura and Mireía Guillen García, my host sisters flamenco dance at their dance studio in Castellón, Spain.

They dance one to two hours each week and began flamenco dance at five or six years old.

ALL PHOTOS BY//ALYSSA MCKEONE PAGE DESIGN BY//Alyssa McKeone

PAGE DESIGN BY//AUDREY HOPEWELL

ABOVE: Trees frame the statue of General John Logan.

The statue commemorates Logan’s position as a Union Civil War General and for his role in creating Memorial Day.

Chicago through the lens

BY AUDREY HOPEWELL audrey.hopewell@wss.com

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hicago is a busy place, filled with people, art, commerce, and beautiful architecture. It was especially busy St. Patrick’s Day weekend 2012. Explore Chicago by way of the ‘L’ train or on foot and really see the city.

Imagine its history: the Great Chicago fire in 1871, the glamorous life of well-connected mobsters and the wealthy in the early 20th century, and the students who attend the over a dozen colleges there today. Come see Chicago through the lens.

BELOW RIGHT: Lamps light up lively South Michigan Ave. These, and the building they are on, are a great example of the Art Deco architecture that fills Chicago, where many of the buildings were constructed in the 1920s1930s.

BELOW: ‘L’ train tracks, which run all throughout Chicago, above State St. There are 144 ‘L’ stations and over 220 miles of track.

BELOW FAR RIGHT: A lively colored building along North Michigan Ave. Thousands of people browse the many high-end shops on the street. On St. Patrick’s Day 2012, it was very busy.

ABOVE: A blackbird breifly alights on a flowering tree branch on the Museum Campus in downtown Chicago.

ALL PHOTOS BY//AUDREY HOPEWELL

PAGE DESIGN BY//BRITTANI LANGLAND

LEFT: The Rocky Mountains still have snow on them in March. However, in the late spring and summer only the peaks of the mountains contain snow. To keep a longer ski season, some ski resorts create fake snow for the mountain.

BELOW: Chad and Micah Evans enjoy their day on the slopes in Copper Mountain.

The couple and their kids come up from Texas every year to go ski at Copper for spring break. “I really like the way the mountain is set up,” said Chad.

RIGHT: Many condos and houses nestle up in the mountains in Silverthorne, Colorado. Locals and visitors use these homes for the beautiful view, and easy access to ski resorts. Some are even located at the bottom of ski lifts.

RIGHT CORNER: Lake Dylan in Frisco, Colorado is just beginning to unthaw from Colorado’s harsh winter. Lake Dylan is one of the many lakes Colorado features, and was created by a dam. In the winter these lakes are good for ice fishing, riding a snow mobile, and ice skating.

BELOW: Brittani Langland ’15

skis down a run in Keystone Colorado. Keystone offers a range of terrain from bunny hills to expert.

It also features a gondola lift that has a great view of the village.

Mountain Skiing

BY BRITTANI LANGLAND Langland.Brittani@gmail.com

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any West High students ski and snow board in Iowa, but some students go for a more daunting trek. Driving more than 14 hours away from their home to go to ski and snowboard on the Rocky Mountians. The Rocky Mountains are found in six states including; Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. It also has over 90 ski resorts. Some of the most popular ski resorts are Vail CO., Deer Valley UT., Aspen CO., Whitefish MT., Sun Valley ID., and Beaver Creek CO. However, no matter where West students travel in the Rockies, they will always get the great experience of being up in the vast mountains.

ALL PHOTOS BY//Brittani LAngland

PAGE DESIGN BY//Cat Rebelskey

ALL PHOTOS BY//CAT REBELSKEY

Playing Like a Kid

BY Cat Rebelskey

catherine.cat.rebel@gmail.com Homework, jobs, extra curricular activities, future goals and plans like college all of this is a daily life of a high school student. Remember the good old days of learning ABC’s, arts and crafts, nap time, and of course recess. As high school students get older we forget how to act like kids and just have good old fun, like recess. As the weather gets nicer, stop, take a break and go to your old elementary school and just play like when you were a kid either with friends, parents and even your dog. You are never too old or too bus to stop what your doing and go outside and have recess.

Top left: On a lovely Monday evening on a cool day in front of Coralville Central Elementary school located in Coralville Iowa.

Top right: The classic blue swirly slide still played on even after the new changes to the playground. “I remember when it was first open, there was a line all around the playground just to try it!” Cat Rebelskey ‘12 Left side: This is the updated jungle gym that was built in year 2007due to health regulations plus time for an upgrade.

Lower left: This map helps kids learn the states and where they are located with “state tag.

Lower right: The golden lab looks off into the distance in the square sandbox trying to leave his paw print in the sand.

LEFT: On the lawn of MacBride Hall, where people may freely roam in the Natural Science Museum. In 1904 a new Natural Science building was constructed, and 30 years later renamed after University of Iowa president Thomas Macbride.

BELOW: On the brick walkway, next to dorming/housing and the parking garage.

“I go out here to study a lot,” says one U of I student.

PAGE DESIGN BY//Chandler Myers ALL PHOTOS BY//CHANDLER MYERS

RIGHT: The simplicity of the view from the parkng garage shows great places to study and learn near the Physics Building.

BELOW: Near the busling streets of the Old Capitol mall and bus stop, across the way is a serence place to sit for a while.

Simplicity

BY CHANDLER MYERS chandlermadison03@gmail.com

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owntown Iowa City can be a hassle to some people. Get in, get out as fast as you can. Sometimes though it is nice to slow down and look around to notice the serenity of the place you wish to escape from. “I try to get what I am looking for, and then I leave; I don’t really look about downtown,” said Kaitlyn McCurdy ‘14. Next time you go downtown, relax, and take a stroll.

You might find something that makes you smile.

ABOVE: From the parking garage across the street from the Physics Building, a nice view is shown between brick buildings.

ABOVE: An interesting perspective of a stone wall engraved with glass is located near the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp.

ABOVE: Swimming is the African penguins’ favorite activity. In the wild, they may swim as far as 30 miles in the icy-cold waters off the coast of southern Africa. Children especially enjoy this new exhibit, and frequently tap on and play with the penguins through the glass.

ABOVE: These caribou are “lichen” it --- although it is spring now, caribou’s winter diet consists mostly of this plant-fungi mixture, which is plentiful even in the cold Minnesota winters the caribou at the zoo have to endure.

Walk on the Wild Side

BY FIONA ARMSTRONG-PAVLIK fiona.armstrongpavlik@gmail.com

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ake a stroll on the wild side of life. With the beautiful, warm weather over spring break, it was the perfect time to venture out of Iowa and to the Minnesota Zoo to catch a glimpse of animals not found around here. From coral to camels, the zoo has an incredible variety of life to see.

PAGE DESIGN BY//FIONA ARMSTRONG-PAVLIK

ALL PHOTOS BY//FIONA ARMSTRONG-PAVLIK

ABOVE: No, this is not a piece of kelp.

Since its only natural habitat is found just north of Australia, the sea dragon is in a vulnerable position. Exhibits in zoos like this one have helped bring the species back from the brink of extinction. Now, a healthier population flourishes in zoos worldwide.

LEFT: Minnesota is far away from the black and white Colobus monkeys’ native African jungles, but these creatures, seen here lazing about on the zoo’s Tropics Trail, have been doing well in their new habitat.

PAGE DESIGN BY//frannie rizzo

The Address of Locally Grown ALL PHOTOS BY//FRANNIE RIZZO

Frannie Rizzo

frannie.rizzo@gmail.com

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s the ground starts to thaw from a chilly winter, the whole earth seems to awaken. We all look forawrd to the farm-fresh produce that will make its way to the table in late spring and early summer, but few ealize that the hard work of providing this produce starts long before spring begins. At local places like Friendly Farms, the same farm that helps West High’s garden club, summer is well on its way.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Pots of starter plants, all perennial herbs, sit in the greenhouse until they begin to grow again. They are planted in homemade pots which are bio degradeable.

LEFT: Starter plants ranging from lettuce to herbs will grow in greenhouses, which serve as a protective environment for the plants, until conditions are good and the plants are mature enough to be transplanted.

ABOVE: The tractor is a vital machine in preparing the fram for growing season. Extremely good soil is tilled as early as possible in order to get a jump start.

RIGHT: Sprouts of candy onions have been coming up quickly in the greenhouse. This is a popular summer crop.

PAGE DESIGN BY//YOUR NAME

The Grey Retreat Gage Van Dyke

agvdmaster@gmail.com

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n a grey, dimly lit Tuesday, families arrive to the Devonian Fossil Gorge to see a piece of Iowa’s History. The Fiefw, which was a seafloor 375 million years ago is almost virtually water free, minus some rainfall. The Coralville Resevoir which is situated near the Gorge is a hotspot for fishermen, especially since the lake offers all sorts of species of fish, such as the large mouth bass, white bass, and blue gill. The Devonian Fossil Gorge, which hosts exhibits at the Entry Plaza, is closely gaurded by the army corps of Engineers due to past findings at the Gorge and it being a highly visited landmark acknowledged across the globe.

UPPER LEFT: A family stacks a Leaning Tower of Limestone by the Coralville Resevoir.

Iowa’s economy gains $400 Million from the limestone industry.

UPPER RIGHT: A coffee cup is left in a swampy, moss area by the fossils. On rainy days, swampy areas are more likely to accumulate.

RIGHT: A splash is made after a father and son skip a rock. Water reached up to 712 feet on July 5th, 1993.

BOTTOM LEFT: A mound of copper brown soil lays on a limestone bed. In 1993, the Great Flood removed a ton of soil to uncover many fossils that are shown to this day.

BOTTOM Right: Trees are shown behind a sign. The Resevioir “region” hosts many attractions for hikers. Most of the hills and trees encompass the Resevoir, offering a great view to many toursits.

ALL PHOTOS BY//GAGE VAN DYKE

PAGE DESIGN BY//HANNAH MERRILL

ALL PHOTOS BY//HANNAH MERRILL

ABOVE: Taking time out for a nice nap while baking in the Florida sun, this alligator rests up for its nocturnal activities.

Although these creatures will not show up at the beach, as they prefer freshwater, they are still common and capable of doing a lot of damage to people.

ABOVE: During a beautiful day, some people take to the Gulf of Mexico’s Venice Beach to enjoy sunshine and peace. But too much sun can be a bit much; the perfect escape is a multicolored umbrella!

RIGHT: Searching for the perfect habitat, Florida’s tropical climate is great for palm trees that prefer a warm climate. Of the 2,500 species, many of these are capable of growing in Florida’s humid weather.

Seeing Florida

BY HANNAH MERRILL hannah.merrillwss@gmail.com

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reezy, beautiful, blooming: Florida. Amidst the sunshine and tropical weather lie miles and miles of gorgeous beaches with water as clear as glass and sand as white as flour. Located in the Sarasota, Florida area, which rests along the Gulf of Mexico, the tropical climate with constant sunshine, gives a person that extra dose of Vitamin D, that Iowans especially, need after a lengthy winter. Not only is it a great place for humans to go to, but it is perfect for wildlife--Florida is bursting with growth and animals, including palm trees, alligators, manatees, dolphins, and lots of fish. Florida is an incredible location, filled with peace, happiness and of course, photography!

LEFT: Trying to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, many Floridians race to the beach to run, lie in the sand, swim, look for shark’s teeth, and build sand castles. Venice Beach offers all of this, with the promise of beautiful wildlife and peaceful surroundings.

BELOW: In search of a getaway location, Siesta Key, on the Gulf Coast of Florida, offers flour-like sand, clear water, and a lengthy beach--perfect for a vacation destination.

Ranked number one in Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches, Siesta Key surpassed Hawaiian, Californian, and many other beaches!

Welcome to the Wild West

BY HANNAH MUELLERLEILE hmuellerleile@gmail.com

ALL PHOTOS BY//HANNAH MUELLERLEILE

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ere is Jackson Hole, Wyoming, “The Last of the Old West,” as their unofficial motto (accurately) proclaims. Surrounded by the soaring Teton Mountains, nearby slope-side Teton Village boasts of sensational ski runs and phenomenal food. In between, there is the gorgeous valley filled with wild life, historic sites and chic shops that dot the downtown. Jackson Hole is a balance between the weird and the beautiful; the cozy and the wide-open plains, but whatever you come here for, you’ll always feel like you’re coming home.

MAIN: Since the mountain passes are unpredictable and can LEFT: Bored? Check out be snowed in for the drive into Jackson Hole, fight (or ask Jackson’s unique Teton cinnicely) for a window seat so you can take in a view you’ll never ema, built in 1941 and right smack-dab in the middle forget. First sight (well, second after the mountains) you’ll see is the 15-foot of downtown. Hungry and looking for a bite to arch made of antlers welcoming you in. eat? How about a box of gourmet chocolates made by world renowned chocolatier Oscar RIGHT: Jackson Hole is “The Last of the Old Ortega? Or maybe some diner noms courtesy West.” Architecture in-town reminds you of the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar? Whatever of Buffalo Bill and bucking broncos. Wild- you feel like, Downtown Jackson’s got it. life (think elk and big-horned sheep) can be seen less than five miles from downtown, but don’t let that fool you. Fashionable boutiques and a diverse assemblage of restaurants have tamed the Wild West.

PAGE DESIGN BY//HANNAH MUELLERLEILE

BELOW: The snow is where Jackson Hole shines. Skiers and snowboards of all ages swoon at the miles of terrain, not to mention the new Tram servicing the mountain’s peak. But no fear, there is easier terrain so everyone can ski and ride to their heart’s content.

Konami coding PAGE DESIGN BY//JESSICA DULING

ALL PHOTOS BY//JESSICA DULING

BY JESSICA DULING jessicaduling@gmail.com

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hen asked how he got started in game developing, Paul Yon ‘12 says “I just wanted to make games”. And eight years later he is still doing just that. With only seven meetings so far, Game Developer Club already has attracted members with the same passion for creating games like Yon and Daniel Seabra ‘12. Back at North Central Junior High Yon showed Seabra how to do game making and in their senior year of high school they decided to create this club “We should probably start a club to find other people who want to make games” said Yon describing how his conversation went with Seabra earlier this year.Yon never learned through formal instruction he did was “I googled game making and figured it out” saysYon explaining just how easy it is to do something new. Game Dev. Club meets on thursdays afterschool in the computer science lab.

RIGHT: Veterans in the art of game developing, Paul Yon ‘12 and Daniel Seabra ‘12 take a break from the games and surf the internet. Yon has been coding games since he was 10 years old and when Junior High came he introduced Seabra to game making as well.

LEFT: Tired of writing codes to generate debris, Sam Glenn ‘12 works on his game where the concept of the game is dodging space debri with a space ship. Glenn, while taking a breather from his game says “Creating your own game allows for a lot of complications but you get fun out of it”.

BELOW: To clarify a problem sophmore Rolan Fiscus-McGee (middle) calls over Yon and Seabra for some help with the different codes for his game. Yon and Seabra are there for fellow members whenever they need help with using the somewhat complicated program.

RIGHT: While explaining how to use a grid to store levels in a game, Yon and Seabra start off every meeting with informative lectures and print outs based on the different topics they adress that day. There has been five lectures so far.

Chinatown Lockdown

BY JORDAN ROSSEN JordanERossen@gmail.com

ALL PHOTOS BY//JORDAN ROSSEN

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an Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in North America.

This explosive blend of tourism and Chinese culture became the site of a police lockdown, due to an underground explosion last Saint Patrick’s Day. Entire city blocks of this legendary neighborhood were blocked off by policemen attempting to discover the cause of the explosion and ensure that the public remains safe. The explosion was later discovered to have been derived from an underground equipment malfunction.

UPPER RIGHT: A policeman tells a Chinatown resident that she cannot access her apartment due to the explosion. Police threatened to arrest those who cross the police line. UPPER LEFT: Cherry blossoms surround a Chinese apartment. The trees frequently appear in gardens throughout Chinatown. LEFT: Shops selling cheap, yet interesting Chinese trinkets dot the streets of Chinatown. Numerous shops aimed at pleasing eager tourists help make San Francisco’s Chinatown the

RIGHT: Grant Avenue, a central street in Sanfrasico’s Chinatown, had large parts blocked off by the police following the explosion.

BELOW: firemen on Grant Avenue discuss what to do about the underground explosion. A Ritz Carlton doorman says he felt theground shake beneath him.

PAGE DESIGN BY//JORDAN ROSSEN

PAGE DESIGN BY//KAITLYN MCCURDY

LEFT: The Illinois village was named for the Massachusetts hometown of the railroad’s first agent at the Neponset station. The population is mostly made up of kids and the elderly.

BELOW: Most of downtown is no longer operating, yet the buildings are still there. Only the post office, bank, and barber’s shop are still open for business.

ALL PHOTOS BY // KAITLYN MCCURDY

The Village

BY KAITLYN MCCURDY kaitlynemccurdy@gmail.com

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ustling streets, bright lights, hundreds of stores, and excessive amounts of pedestrians are to be expected in Iowa City. However, in the small town Neponset, Illinois, life is more simplistic.

With only 1.0 square mile of land and few businesses, including one gas station, residents have to love the quiet life.

BELOW LEFT: Windmont Park in a town ten minutes from Neponset is one of the most loved places in the area due to its lagoon, dock, two playgrounds, and various other activities.

BELOW CENTER: The total student population at Neponset Grade School is typically around 100, causing the school to consolidate with another school from a nearby town.

BELOW RIGHT: Neponset High School was closed in 1999 and is still up for sale. The high school was known for its athletic teams. For most of the high school’s time, class sizes ranged from five to the high teens.

ABOVE: Right on top of the infamous Pancheros, Mesa, Iowa Book, and other stores on the corner of Clinton are the well kept secret of the roofs. Although the secret of how to get up there will not be disclosed in the article, you can do your own searching downtown to discover the secret. The roofs are the best place downtown to watch the sunset over the Old Capitol, hang out with friends, or take some pictures. Plus, with it being above Pancheros, you get the BY LILLY REITZ delightful tortilla smell blowing into the air everytime you pay the roofs a visit. lilly.reitz@gmail.com e all go downtown to hang out with friends, grab a burrito from the ever-famous Pancheros, walk around and check out our favorite stores, like Ragstock or Raygun.

But some of the best places in Iowa City aren’t neccisarily the classics.

The best places in Iowa City are what we walk by every time we go down there and never stop inside, or where we have heard of but never really gone to. The best places, not only in Iowa City, but in life, are always just right under our noses.

BELOW; Mesa Pizza is the home to $3 slices of unique and underrated pizza of interesting flavors. Located right next to our beloved Pancheros, it’s easy to walk right by it, but Mesa Pizza is home to some of the best pizza in Iowa City.Next time you’re walking on Clinton street, give Mesa a try.

Under Our Noses

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ABOVE: Over by Bluebird Diner and Johns Grocery is the best antique store in town, Artfifacts, where you can find anything from doorknobs and household items to clothes to board games from the 70s. Walking into Artifiacts is like walking into a memory, whether to browse or to add to your collection of vintage dresses/pins/doorknobs, Artifacts has whatever you may need.

BELOW: With a vast majority of highschoolers buying their music on iTunes, places like Record Collector have long been forgotten. Record Collector has movies, CDs, tapes, and even used and new vinyl records to add to any music fiends collection. Next time you want to buy that old ACDC album on iTunes, check Record Collect first, they’d almost definitely have it

ALL PHOTOS BY//LILLY REITZ

PAGE DESIGN BY// LUSHIA ANSON

UPPER LEFT: In room 109, students are greeted by the projection equipment’s toothy grin.

BELOW: Probably the most famous of these hidden faces, these outlets always seemed to be shocked at something.

BELOW: The joints of this lamp don’t seem to like being in the spotlight all the time.

LOWER LEFT: Seeming to be wearing a wide frown, the bridge of a cello (or any other string instrument) holds up and keeps the strings in place.

LOWER RIGHT: A coincidental arrangement of random objects on a desk produces a somewhat indecisive expression.

The ring and the quarter form eyes; accompanied by a pencil as the mouth.

ALL PHOTOS BY//LUSHIA ANSON

Hidden Faces

BY LUSHIA ANSON

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lushia.anson@gmail.com

ace it; we’ve all done it at one point. We’ll be in class, absentmindedly staring at the projection equipment in the corner of ther room, and suddenly our imagination takes over and the speakers transform themselves into eyes and the projector into a boxed, cluttered mouth.

These faces are everywhere; you only have to look.

ALL PHOTOS BY//Megan Jans

Right: Late on a Saturday afternoon, a seagull pauses for a rest near the waves amidst the commotion of people taking beach walks and its flocks’ nightly activities.

Below: 187 feet tall, this ferris wheel--one of Myrtle Beach’s signature attractions--towers over the nearby pier and restaurants. Despite its expensive price, the ferris wheel still attracts a large number of tourists.

page design BY//Megan Jans

Myrtle Beach

BY MEGAN JANS

jans.megan@gmail.com ith its flashy hotels, diverse tourist attractions, delicious seafood restaurants, wonderfully tacky giftshops, and stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean, Myrtle Beach, South Carolian, is truly a one-of-a-kind city. Filled with ferris wheels, car shows, and palm trees, it attracts fourteen million people a year--and for a good reson. Vibrant and filled with life, the beachside town is unique, fun, and is a memorable vacation spot.

ABOVE: Surrounded by cars, tourists, and condos, a palm tree adds a beachy feeling to its environment.

BELOW: Part of a vintage car s how, a well-kept Camaro is put on display for viewers. Every year, Myrtle Beach’s annual vintage car show attracts many car owners from across the country.

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PAGE DESIGN BY//MEGUMI KITAMOTO

BELOW: Using a camera system connected to the flourescent microscope, the green flourescent protien (GFP) from a jellyfish is implanted into a fly’s genetics is making its brain glow. The discovery of GFP won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008.

FAR RIGHT: Just a normal microscope? The $10,000 flourescent microscope, the Leica MZ FLIII, uses a bright light that activates electrons in a gene, creating a chemical reaction and allows neon light to be seen in a fly. The computer next to the microscope has a camera system and takes pictures for grants and other scientific reports.

ALL PHOTOS BY//MEGUMI KITAMOTO

ABOVE: Though this looks like just a slate with numbers, it does much more. the Drosophila Activity Monitor Version 1 measures the number of times a fly moves across an infrared light, and keeps track of how much the flies move and sleep.

LEFT: Using the device called the Temperature Controlled T-Maze, tubes are connected to the protruding cylinder, and light, which flies like, is shined through the tubes, but the ground is hot, which flies don’t ilke. There, the flies are forced to make a decision.

BELOW: This machine, known as the Drosophilia Activity Monitor Version 2, also uses an infrared light to track flies. Next to it, the superstars of the Kitamoto lab (aka fruit flies) are in the vial, waiting to be used in an experiment.

Fly-Technology

By Megumi Kitamoto

megumi.kitamoto@gmail.com anger! It’s a lab! The mad scientist is going to blow things up!! Have no fear, the Kitamoto lab does not blow anythnig up. It is a lab of neurobiology which studies complex behavior, and the study of sleep control, mainly using the fruit fly to study because their brains are similar to the human’s.

Their reserarch can’t be done without good technonlogy, so I covered the latest technology in the Kitamoto lab.

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PAGE DESIGN BY//Stephon

A Day of Diversity

BY Stephon Berry

stephon.berry15@gmail.com

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arch 8 may have gone a day uninterrupted for most. Just another normal day at school/work. But all around iowa select students, teachers, and other drake bound iowans prepared to voice there opinions, give information, and get informed at the 7th annual Iowa Governors Conference on LGBTQ youth. It was held at Drake University in Des Moines Iowa, and composed of four sessions covering more the twenty issues and categories.

UPPER RIGHT:Jai Rodriguez does his best RuPual impression during his biographical keynote presentation. He’s one of hollywood’s few out actors, and starred on the show Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. UPPER LEFT:West high staff and student’s recap their experiences with presentations so far and plan which session they’ll go to next.

MIDDLE RIGHT: Student GSA leaders from all corners of iowa gather to speak on how to organize meetings or events in their schools with help from Dana Stuehling, outreach coordinator for iowa pride network.

LOWER LEFT: Nate Manson, the executive director of Iowa Safe Schools, does a short activity meant to show the variety of oresponses people recieve during there coming out experince and how it affects there life.

ALL PHOTOS BY//STEPHON BERRY

LOWER RIGHT: While gathering in the dining hall of Drake, Mrs.Woodhouse laughs at Dan ?’s comment on paper printer bandits and gay’s. How they relate? I’m not quite sure. Hmm, maybe that was the joke.

PAGE DESIGN BY//TONG YU

Writings on the Wall

BY Tong Yu

tongtong001@gmail.com ithin the vibrant shopping scene downtown is an infamous art form: Graffiti. It is the ultimate form of self-expression, a way to force the world to notice a tiny voice in the vast ocean of people.These words may be vulgar; they may be nothing more than letters scattered randomly. But sometimes they are cunning; they are poetic, crude, and we cannot help but stare.

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ABOVE: An omniscient figure frowns behind a restaurante on Iowa Avenue. LEFT: A king lives to tell his pun on the backdoor of a building.

ALL PHOTOS BY//TONG YU

LEFT: A delicate paper horsefly eavesdrops atop an electricity box in an alley on Iowa Avenue. ABOVE: Four strange creatures in the same alley observe the downtown scene from the shadows.

PAGE DESIGN BY//VELARCHANA SANTHANA

ABOVE: As the sun sets, a 10-year-old girl squeals as she speeds down the slide.

RIGHT: Playgrounds offer freedom for children’s imaginations. The first public playground was built 120 years ago in San Francisco.

BELOW: From a child’s perspective the height of the slide can be frightening . The highest part of the playground, the slide was invented in the 1920s

by John Edmund Burke who owned a playground company.

Reminiscing About Recess

BY VELARCHANA SANTHANA

B

Velarch9123@gmail.com rrriiiinnng. The bell rings. Running and screaming young children filter onto the playground, playing a game of tag or “don’t touch the lava.” The playground provides infinite possiblilites for the imagination for children. Its been years since most highschoolers have experienced the joys of recess. Amidst all the tests and stress there is a need to let go and look back at a times of carefreeness.

We returned to the best part of elementary school: the playground.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The Van Allen playground, in North Liberty, was built in 2005. It is one of the newest playgrounds in the area. It features slides, monkey bars, ladders and a tire swing.

ALL PHOTOS BY//VELARCHANA SANTHANA