2017-05-24

WEST SIDE STORY IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE.

IOWA CITY, IA 52246

WSSPAPER.COM

VOLUME 49 ISSUE 6

MAY 24, 2017

STATE OF THE ARTS

P H OTO F E AT U R E KARA WAGENKNECHT Ethan McAreavy ‘18 runs around the “Blue Oval” during the boys 4x800 meter race, placing West 9th overall.

BEHIND THE PHOTO: The Drake Relays is one of the highest profile track and field events in the United States, so I was sitting next to professional photographers from The PressCitizen, The Gazette and even The Des Moines Register. On the ground with me were a tangle of other legs and photographers also focused on getting the runners in motion during the race. It was crowded to say the least.

FOR MORE PHOTOS, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM DESIGN BY CATHERINE JU

CONTENTS FOLLOW US @WSSPAPER

L I B E RT Y SEND-OFF

PA RT I N G WAY S

S TAT E O F T H E A RT S

04 12 14 20 24 30

S U M M E R M O C K TA I L S

S TAT E S P O RT S REWIND

GETTING CAUGHT

LETTER FROM THE

F E AT U R E

PROFILES 1 0 S I B L I N G S I N T H E S P OT L I G H T

C OV E R

E N T E RTA I N M E N T 22 NETFLIX IN THE SUN

S P O RT S 2 3 R I S I N G S TA R 2 6 P I TC H I N G R E L I E F

OPINION & HUMOR 2 8 A F T: A Y E A R I N R E V I E W

EDITOR

Hello devoted readers, I’m Nina, the Print Editor-in-Chief for next year.

Without a doubt, it has been quite the year for our school. Let’s take it back to August, when we feared our cell phones would find themselves locked up in cell phone prison and our data usage skyrocketed to use Snapchat. Or November, when West High found itself on the cover of The New York Times.

Or how about that time in January, when D-list celeb Clay Aiken roamed our fluorescently illuminated hallways?

Now, here we are in May. This is the time when we spend countless hours watching movies in class that are “relevant to the subject” and choosing COVER ART BY ANGELA ZIRBES COVER DESIGN BY CATHERINE JU

which graduation parties to go to based on the food selection.

As the year winds down, returning students have (hopefully) picked their schedules for next year.

Along with lack of participation, art and music programs are among the first to lose funding here and across the nation. We hope our cover story will illuminate the impact this is having here at West.

I’d also like to take this letter as a chance to send off our Liberty counterparts. If you guys are ever feeling too cold because of the air conditioning, feel free to come back. We truly wish you all the best.

It has been real, and it has been fun, but I’m not sure if I’d say it has been real fun.

NINA ELKADI

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F E AT U R E

MAY 24, 2017

LIBERTY SEND-OFF

Left to right: Kathy Bresnahan, Heather Grieser-Yoder, Kim Cranston, Sara Klosterboer, Erika Mundt, Justin Colbert, Benjamin Gast, Tom Van Dyke, Shishonee Hughes, Beth Long, David McNair, Barb Lynn, Brian Brandsmeier, Catherine Wiesley, Peggy Dolson, Melissa Nies, Kay Nigg. Some teachers will be splitting time at both Liberty and West.

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA DACHTLER DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

Not Pictured: Brady Shutt, Carmen Gwenigale, Jenny Saylor, Jonna Hall, Kate Jacobson, Stacey Strief, Jeff Kelley, Jen Secrist, Marianne McGrane, Sakinah Ellickson, Tiffany Roiseland, Randy Dolson.

ACADEMICS As Liberty Principal Scott Kibby and the new Liberty High faculty make the final preparations to open for the 2017-2018 school year, West Side Story offers a look at the future of the new school and a farewell to West teachers leaving for Liberty.

BY WILL CONRAD & EMMA BRUSTKERN

Academics at Liberty was once a big mystery surrounding its opening. At the core of this speculation was the course offerings. Currently, West High and City High differ in which AP courses are offered, so it was unclear which of these courses would be offered at Liberty.

In addition, Liberty’s small initial junior and senior classes hindered their ability to offer a wide variety of AP courses. Reese Hancock ’18, a Liberty High transfer, remarked on this problem.

“I had to change what classes I was taking a couple times,” Hancock said. “There’s only about 30 seniors going, which affected [class offerings] because a lot of the classes I was taking were prerequisite, and because they didn’t offer the requisite, they wouldn’t offer the prerequisite.”

In an effort to respond to this problem, Liberty

elected to offer as many AP courses as possible, and to allow students who desire AP courses that are not offered at Liberty to enroll in these classes at West.

While there has been much debate about academics at Liberty, many are still optimistic about the future and viability of the school, including Dylan Schmidt ’19, another transfer to the new high school.

“Scott Kibby’s been doing a lot of hiring and a lot of good applicants applied so I think it’s going to be a pretty smooth transition as it goes along. I honestly see there being better academics because there will be more one-on-one teaching and Kibby got really amazing teachers,” Schmidt said.

05

F E AT U R E

T E L L U S YO U R FONDEST WEST HIGH MEMORY ...

“I have a lot of strong memories from my first memory coaching volleyball.

Caroline Found was on the team that year. I have lots of strong memories from her and state volleyball. I get chills when I think about the state championship in 2011 the fall after Caroline passed.”

-Catherine Wiesley

“I’ll tell you what. I not only taught here, I also went to school here. This is home to me. Lots and lots of great memories. I want to make sure I also recognize the wonderful students and daily interactions that make West what it is.”

-Barb Lynn “I mean, the great people no doubt about it. Just the outstanding staff I’ve gotten to work with ... here who are hard working and care about kids.”

-Jeff Kelley

“I think one of my memories is with a student ... and him and I did not get along at all. As a senior he came into my room and basically just said thank you for everything I had taught him and more so on the life lessons level than on the Spanish level, and he turned out to be a good young man, and I’ll not forget it and we still stay in touch.”

-David McNair

“I will leave West High with thousands of memories of bright, funny, brave and resilient young adults that I had the honor and privilege to teach. I have always been very proud to represent West High and contribute to our goal of empowering students to do good things in the world. I can assure you I learned as much from them as they learned from me.”

-Stacey Strief

MAY 24, 2017

FACILITIES By far one of the biggest selling points of Liberty High has been the completely new building and campus. With the concept art of the campus appearing front and center on the Liberty High web page, it has been a prominent factor since the school’s inception.

To start the 2017-2018 school year, Liberty will have a 1,000 student capacity academic wing, with a 500 student addition planned for 2022.

There will also be two indoor gyms, as well as an auditorium, media center and outdoor practice fields. Addressing one of West students’ most common complaints, Liberty High will also have a full air conditioning system. Hancock jokingly lists this as one of her favorite reasons for attending, but also acknowledges the nice campus.

“My favorite thing would have to be air conditioning,” Hancock said. “But I’ve been through the building and its really nice and big and there will be less people definitely.”

The allure of a new building as well as new people is something that motivates Schmidt as well.

“I’m just excited to get more involved and start new things up and get to be more of a leader than I’ll be able to here at West High and just have a new building, new people, new everything basically.”

“My favorite memory is when a few years ago, my sewing class made 117 dresses for Haiti that we donated. I thought it was pretty cool that they all came together and did that for people they’ve never met.”

-Beth Long

“I would say the students ... getting to work with them in class to dance marathon to math club to seeing them at prom and homecoming dances ... all of their talents.”

-Kay Nigg

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F E AT U R E

MAY 24, 2017

EXTRACURRICULARS Like any school, Liberty will become not only a place for learning, but a community. Central to this community aspect are extracurricular activities. With mostly freshmen and sophomores attending for next year, it was unclear how many of these activities could be offered.

A similar decision was made regarding sports and activities as was made with AP courses. If a sport or activity is not offered at Liberty, students will have the opportunity to be involved at West.

With a large auditorium, outdoor practice fields and outdoor competition fields to be completed in 2019, Liberty High will field teams in most major sports, albeit most will only be freshman-sophomore teams. It is uncertain what class they will compete in and, as a result,

they will not be affiliated with any conference in 2017-2018. Liberty High also plans to field a dance team as well as a show choir.

Students like Schmidt, a cross country athlete, believe that greatness in sports will come in time.

“I’m really excited. I feel like it’ll take time to get a state title but I think it will come in a couple years,” Schmidt said.

With an opportunity to be one of the first graduating classes, chances to step up and lead the new school are abundant. Schmidt seems to articulate this unique feeling perfectly, “There’s a lot of really awesome people and awesome teachers here that will be missed but I’m also excited to get out there and make new friends.”

MAKING THE TRANSITION: A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

What do you think academics and teachers will be like?

What are you most excited for?

“I’m just excited to get more involved and start new things up and get to be more of a leader.”

-Dylan Schmidt ‘19

“Air conditioning! But I’ve been through the building and it’s really nice and big and there will be less people definitely.”

-Reese Hancock ‘18

What will you miss most?

“The people, definitely, there’s a lot of really awesome people and awesome teachers here that will be missed but l’m also excited to make new friends.”

-Dylan Schmidt ‘19

Do you think it’ll take time to build a Liberty community?

“Probably, I mean I feel like it’s not something you can just set up artificially and have people get into. It’ll take at least one full cycle to get the hang of things.”

-Reese Hancock ‘18 “I don’t think it will take that much time. Everyone’s excited, and it’s right there in town, so I don’t see it taking too long.”

-Dylan Schmidt ‘19

“I honestly see them being better academically because there will be more one on one teaching and Kibby got really amazing teachers.”

-Dylan Schmidt ‘19

“I know a lot of teachers that are going over there so I know what to expect from that.”

-Reese Hancock ‘18

How do you think athetics will shake out at Liberty?

“I’m really excited. I feel like it’ll take time to get a state title but I think it will come in a -Dylan Schmidt ‘19 couple years.”

How will it feel to be the first graduating class?

“Powerful. I keep thinking graduations going to be so fast - like 15 minutes.

It’ll be different because I have a set routine and all that’s going to change. I was one of the first few people to jump at the chance because it’s so much closer to home.”

-Reese Hancock ‘18

How has the transition been?

“It’s been pretty smooth actually. Scott Kibby’s been doing a lot of hiring and a lot of applicants applied.”

-Dylan Schmidt ‘19 “Better than I thought it’d be but still not great. The communication was weird at times, I had to change what classes I was taking a bunch.”

-Reese Hancock ‘18

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F E AT U R E

MAY 24, 2017

H OW H A S T E AC H I N G I M PAC T E D YO U R L I F E ?

WIESLEY “It’s been amazing, I absolutely love it. I love being able to come to a school where everyone’s really excited to do what they do and students are involved in so many different things and it’s inspired me. It’s inspiring to be around and be a part of a community that’s really engaged in doing the things they do.”

-Melissa Nies

“I think, the kids push me to always grow to always change.

You have to always be there for the kids and push what you’re doing and push yourself.”

-Jonna Hall

“Every kid that comes in and out of your class has an impact on you whether positive or negative, and the cool thing about West is that it’s a culture of trying to be the best you can be. And I think that it pushes you as a teacher and it’s a lot of fun; it’s fun to do what I do and the kids make things easier.”

-Shishonee Hughes

HUGHES

“I think it’s just almost a renewed fire within myself to really do my best on a daily basis because of the expectations of our students: them wanting to do their best which means I need to do my best for them.”

NIES “It’s definitely changed it for the better. It’s been an extraordinary experience to meet all the students who’ve come through my door and to get to know them and still be in contact with some of them and be able to go abroad with them for the first time: I’ll never forget that.”

-Catherine Wiesley

-Tom Van Dyke

“Just seeing the success as they leave West High and they come back and you know you had a little bit of an impact in helping making them successful.

That’ll be something I take with me and cherish because it’s made me a better teacher and person.”

-Kay Nigg

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PROFILES MAY 24, 2017

SIBLINGS IN THE S P OT L I G H T

Brandon Burkhardt ’18 and Karissa Burkhardt ’20 are no strangers to performing.

Since their childhood, both Burkhardt siblings have pursued their interests in music, leading them to star in operas and tour countries overseas.

BY EMMA BRUSTKERN

N

either Brandon Burkhardt ’18 nor Karissa Burkhardt ’20 can remember a life without music. According to both siblings, they have been singing since they could talk.

“I remember my mom writing down random words that I would just sing and make up a song to when I was three. Karissa did the same thing when she was able to talk,” Brandon said. “Both of our parents knew that we would be onstage.”

Brandon and Karissa are highly involved in West High music programs. Both are members of the school’s choirs and bands and recently participated in “The Wizard of Oz” and “Les Miserables” with Theatre West, the latter of which was very memorable for them.

“It was one of the shows Brandon and Karissa had listened to all their lives and had always dreamed of doing, so they were so lucky to get to perform in it,” said Kerri Burkhardt, Brandon and Karissa’s mother. “It made me cry much more than any other production I’ve seen. It isn’t just that I’m partial … it was an absolutely amazing production, not just for a high school but for anywhere.”

The two have also participated in several honor choirs, including All State last fall. For Karissa, it

was her first All State experience.

“I’ve always hoped that I could be in [All State] with Brandon. The chances of making it in as a freshman are really slim, so I was really happy that I could do it,” Karissa said.

In addition, both Burkhardts participated in the American Choral Directors Association Na-

“I’VE ALWAYS HOPED THAT I COULD BE IN [ALLSTATE] WITH BRANDON. THE CHANCES OF MAKING IT IN AS A FRESHMAN ARE REALLY SLIM, SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT I COULD DO IT” -Karissa Burkhardt ’19

tional Honor Choir, traveling to Minneapolis this spring after becoming two of 600 accepted vocalists.

Due to their many years of performing, Brandon and Karissa have refined certain skills over

time. Brandon considers his ability to adapt to different roles to be one of his greatest skills.

“I’ve been told by multiple people that they love how I can switch styles with singing and acting.

I can go do an opera show, and then come be the scarecrow, who’s a complete goof, and then go be someone serious, like Jean Valjean was,” Brandon said.

For Karissa, her best skills revolve around her dancing abilities.

“I tap a lot, which not many people at my studio do … It’s really cool because it’s so different from other kinds of dance,” Karissa said.

Brandon and Karissa credit their interest in performing to their parents. Their father, Brian Burkhardt, teaches choral music at Clear Creek Amana High School, and their mother is the artistic administrator for Chamber Opera Chicago. Kerri has also been their vocal coach since they were four years old.

“They were by far the youngest kids in [the opera “Carmen”], and I wasn’t sure if they would be too nervous, but they both knew they really wanted to be onstage and begged to do it,” Kerri said.

As the artistic administrator for Chamber Opera Chicago, their mother has given Brandon

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PROFILES

MAY 24, 2017

COMPILED BY EMMA BRUSTKERN DESIGN BY TYLER THOMASSON

and Karissa the chance to audition for a variety of shows, such as “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” Both siblings have not only taken part in the chorus for this musical, but have played the lead role as well. For four years, Brandon played Amahl, a young boy with a soprano voice. When he got too tall and his voice got deeper, Karissa took over his part.

“I get a lot of acting ideas from him, especially since we played the same role,” Karissa said. “I could see what he would do in the same situation.”

Their connection with Chamber Opera Chicago has led them across the United Kingdom to perform “Persuasion,” a new musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. Sometimes traveling for performances causes some scheduling issues.

In Brandon’s sophomore year, he was overseas when he realized choreography camp for show choir was planned during a travel week for “Persuasion.” Despite the difficult situation, Brandon managed to attend choreography camp and still make it back for his next performance.

“Immediately after doing a show on the tour in Scotland, I got in a car and drove until 2 a.m. I got on a plane and came back here and immediately went to rehearsal. I was awake for 42 hours

that day, starting the day with a show and ending with a rehearsal. Two days later, after show choir camp was over, I did the exact same thing, except ending with a show,” Brandon said.

Over the course of their musical careers, Brandon and Karissa have been in nearly all of their shows together. Through their many perfor-

“I ALWAYS GET NERVOUS BEFORE ANY SHOW, EVEN IF IT’S A SHOW THAT WE’VE DONE MANY TIMES. KARISSA’S THE MAIN ONE WHO HELPS TO CALM ME BACK DOWN.“ -Brandon Burkhardt ’18 mances, the Burkhardt siblings have a handful of embarrassing stories.

“In the middle of a show last year, we had this one dance number where I ended in this big pose. I tore my pants all the way down the seam.

I had two minutes until our next scene went on, and then we had a break of like fifteen minutes,” Brandon said. “I had time to get everything fixed between that and our next big scene, but our little small scene, I had two lines in and Karissa had none. She just walked out and said my lines while I was getting everything fixed. She completely covered the scene.”

While Brandon and Karissa have already achieved a lot, the two are constantly striving for more. Both of them are currently working on expanding their range to easily reach higher and lower notes. Brandon is currently working on achieving a passaggio, the transition area between higher and lower notes. “[The passaggio is] kind of the last step you need to work on once you find your high notes and find your middle notes,” Brandon said. “It’s the biggest key to becoming a completely comfortable, full-on tenor.”

While Brandon and Karissa hope to continue their individual musical careers, they will always have each others backs, on and off the stage.

“I always get nervous before any show, even if it’s a show that we’ve done many times,” Brandon said. “Karissa’s the main one who helps to calm me back down.”

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PROFILES MAY 24, 2017

PARTING WAYS

BY PRATEEK RAIKWAR & SHAWN THACKER

SUE KUEHL

H

aving kids changes the life of a woman in so many different ways.

For Sue Kuehl, it meant an increase in responsibilities along with the realization that she loves working with kids. Having been a Learning Support Teacher at West High for 21 years, she has touched the lives of many with her “wicked” sense of humor and her unconditional guidance and life experiences. Now, she will be moving to Texas where she hopes to enjoy the warmer climate.

“There’s going to be a lot of students who look for her for support that aren’t going to have it anywhere [else]. She definitely knows a lot of the longstanding teachers in the building and develops rapport with teachers that help our students in their classes.

That’s definitely going to be something that we’ll miss.”

- Stephanie Higgins

“She’s always been one of my favorite teachers to work with because her expectations are so high and I think at West High that’s kind of an awesome thing … I will often tell kids in her classes, she’s going to make you work, but you come away with a lot.”

- Beth Belding

ROXANNE HUGHES

E

very day brings its own unique joys and sorrows. Roxanne Hughes believes that these sorrows in particular are growth-producing. However, with the issue of racism still prevalent throughout the country, Hughes feels as though there isn’t enough growth. That’s why she teaches ninth and 10th grade English at West High which includes racially-charged texts.

Through discussions on these classics, she has aimed to help her students understand the state of social justice in our society.

“My room is located in a hallway of rotating [teachers], so I’m kind of isolated … Having an established English teacher down there … has just been tremendous. I really enjoy watching her career and comparing it to where I want my career to be.”

- Cyndy Woodhouse

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PROFILES

MAY 24, 2017

AMY KANELLIS

F

or the past 41 years, Amy Kanellis has dedicated her life to teaching and counseling in the Iowa City area.

Whether through teaching, counseling or helping students cope with mental illness through Behind the Mask, Kanellis has built strong relationships with the West community. With her careful guidance and heartfelt suggestions, Kanellis has impacted the lives of countless students and staff.

Leaving West, Kanellis plans on “taking [life] as it comes” and living the day to its fullest.

“She has been one of the most positive influences in my life and in my time as a West High student and a member of Behind the Mask. She has done so much for me and it would not be possible for me to be living my dreams if it were not for her help.”

- Allison Christopher '17

“I was not a big fan of high school but I do remember receiving a letter in the mail after graduation that had a poem for graduation in it. I don't go and reread a lot of my cards and letters from graduation, but this one in particular I open quite frequently. It is such an incredible feeling knowing that my advisor not only helped me through the rough times but also took the time to send me a congratulations on graduating.”

-Elizabeth Vest '11

“On a personal level I’m really happy to see her go because she has definitely earned it, [but] on a professional level I’m really sad to see her go because she’s one of those people you know you can send a kid to… to find a solution for them.”

-Travis Henderson

PHOTOS BY PAREEN MHATRE DESIGN BY MADDIE MORIYAMA

STATE OF THE ARTS

BY ANJALI HUYNH ART BY ANGELA ZIRBES DESIGN BY CATHERINE JU

Music and art programs are facing major losses across the nation as schools are choosing to cut these programs. Without student support, could West risk suffering these same kinds of losses?

F

rom Summer of the Arts festivals to being dubbed a UNESCO City of Literature, Iowa City has been characterized by its excellence in the arts. But as schools across the nation are being forced to drop these courses as a result of educational budget losses, the question is raised of whether the arts within the ICCSD could be at risk of removal as well.

President Donald Trump’s budget proposed to defund the National Endowment for the Arts and cut the educational budget by 13.5 percent.

However, fine arts programs have experienced decreasing support since long before Trump’s presidency. A national study done in 2015 by Grantmakers in the Arts showed that total public funding for the arts has decreased by 15 percent over the past two decades, which has made a direct impact on the local level as well.

In 2014, the Iowa government reduced funding for education budgets in all school districts across the state. According to ICCSD Superintendent Steve Murley, the district was forced to reduce funding for programs or cut them entirely in order to make up for a $3.6 million budget shortage.

As a result, the music budget lost around half a million dollars, resulting in the loss of the fourth grade orchestra and job positions for music teachers.

Defunding of the band and orchestra programs is expected to negatively impact students at the secondary level of music study.

“Cutting the number of elementary teachers that we have for band and orchestra I think is having long-lasting impact and makes it really hard to get kids a good start,” said band director Rob Medd. “That was something that unfortunately a lot of people have lost sight of. They’ve forgotten that those cuts even happened.”

While the removal of the fourth grade strings program is a fairly recent event, the district has not yet seen the effects of this decision in high school. The reduction of this program is expected to have a lasting impact on strings programs across the district.

“What’s going to happen is we’re going to have some students that have not had the same advantages as others of attending the Preucil School … or having outside instruction when they were young,” said orchestra director Jonathan Welch. “Some students only get instruction here at school, and I’m their only teacher. That is going to put them at a slight disadvantage to other students. It’s safe to say that it’s going to impact certain students that don’t have the same financial status as other students, and that’s a hard thing to see as a teacher.”

For Iowa City schools, there is another problem besides defunding fine arts programs—namely, the lack of student support for music and art.

Choir member Lucy Polyak ’19 believes that West’s music programs are not necessarily looked down upon by the student body, but are not advocated by students.

“I think overwhelmingly, students who aren’t involved in the music department don’t really go out of their way to support it,” Polyak said. “I know the majority of people who enjoy choir and come to choir concerts and stuff are either people who have been in choir or the family members

“YOU CAN’T EXACTLY SHOW UP TO A BAND CONCERT IN ALL CAMO AND CHEER LOUDLY AND BE OBNOXIOUS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE DOING.” -Lauren Ernst ‘18

OUT OF 324 STUDENTS AT WEST HIGH...

31.9%

have taken an art class

52.3% 53.8%

have played in band, orchestra or sang in choir

have played a West High sport

57.3% 82.7%

have attended a concert at West High (excluding Theatre West, show choir or jazzband)

have attended a sporting event at West High

of choir people, and I believe the same is true for band and orchestra.”

Polyak believes that this is because students aren’t interested in learning about music, and choose to focus on other areas of interest, like athletics, instead.

“To really appreciate choir music and band music, you have to have some sort of understanding of what you’re listening to,” Polyak said. “A lot of people don’t really want to make the effort to learn about [music], like how you would learn [the rules of football]. People don’t really want to learn the rules about what qualifies as a good song for choir or band or orchestra.”

A survey done with West students shows that while the numbers of students involved in the arts and in athletics are relatively similar, over 25 percent more students have been to a sporting event than a music concert.

And it’s not just music programs that are suffering from lack of student support; art programs have also seen lower numbers of enrolled students.

Surveyed West students showed that over half of the school population have never taken an art class, which impacted the number of classes able to be offered.

“Like other areas, we have had to drop art classes due to low numbers of students registered or because of budgetary issues,” said art teacher Jenny Saylor. “Every year we make decisions about which classes will run and which will not based on the number of students registered and the amount of staffing we have available … I wish that for other students it wasn’t so easy to choose open hours instead of taking advantage of the many opportunities they have in so many curricular areas in our high schools.”

The stigma against pursuing the arts as a career has also played a role in students not pursuing art past high school. However, a survey done by the National Endowment for the Arts revealed that the unemployment rate for the arts was 7.1 percent in 2013, in comparison to 6.6 percent for all U.S. employees. This marginally higher rate demonstrates that careers in the arts are possible.

“There’s that whole thing about [how] you can’t support yourself as an artist … because [people] don’t think you’re going to have a future,” said

student artist Emily Buck ’19. “That’s false. You can support yourself, and even if it is harder for artists, I think that if art gets more support and the arts become a priority in people’s lives, overall that might change.”

Some student musicians and artists also feel they are not receiving enough support from administrators and the district. This is partially because some students, like drum major Lauren Ernst ’18, feel that there is greater hype surrounding athletics in the community.

“In terms of priorities, I would say music is a lower priority and less important to the district rather than things like athletics,” Ernst said. “Not enough people appreciate music. [Music programs are] not moneymakers.

[People] like the physical aspect of football … but you can’t exactly show up to a band concert in all camo and cheer loudly and be obnoxious like a lot of people like doing.”

Buck believes that the districts may see the arts as an easy area to reduce money from, saying, “I think [administrators] generally tend to [cut from] arts because it’s harder to see the direct benefit … it also gets less support in the community, just on the wheel of, ‘The arts don’t have this much support so I guess we’ll cut it.’ But then, once you cut it, of course it won’t generate as much support, so it’s just that cycle of lack of support, lack of funding until the arts are nonexistent.”

However, contrary to popular belief, funding for athletics is not necessarily greater than for the arts; in fact, it’s actually the other way around.

“When you look at funding for sports, you’re looking at funding for extracurricular activities, and when you’re looking at the arts, many of those are co-curricular activities,” Murley explained. “We have quite a bit of money invested in salaries for staff that support those, so if you think orchestra, band, choir, visual arts … you would find that we spend much more money on the arts than we do on sports.”

In fact, fine arts teachers do believe that the district has been fairly supportive of these programs as well, considering the ICCSD arts programs have experienced much less harm than other districts around the nation.

“A lot of people look at the fine arts as some sort of secondary program or an add on to [curricular courses],” Medd said. “They look at the fine arts as not fitting within that, but complementing that. I think our community especially is very supportive. I think we have supportive people throughout the district.”

Looking to the future of the arts in the Iowa City community, students and teachers alike believe that students can help support their peers through getting involved with the music and art programs.

“I definitely think that if you’re not in the music program ... going to concerts is super important,” Polyak said. “It’s a lot more fun to perform for a big audience than an audience that you know is just everybody’s mom out there.”

Buck seconded this for art programs, saying, “Taking art classes [or] just opening yourself up to taking art classes would help. If more people are enrolled in art classes, then it will give [administrators] less incentive to cut them.”

“IT’S A LOT MORE FUN TO PERFORM FOR A BIG AUDIENCE THAN AN AUDIENCE THAT YOU KNOW IS JUST EVERYBODY’S MOM OUT THERE.” -Lucy Polyak ‘19

18

A DV E R T I S E M E N T S MAY 24, 2017

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T S

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20

E N T E R TA I N M E N T MAY 24, 2017

RASPBERRY SPRITZER INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 strawberry 4 raspberries, add more for appearance Soda water as needed

DIRECTIONS

1. Shake water, lemon juice, honey, strawberries and raspberries with ice for about two minutes

2. Strain into a glass, adding soda water to fill it to the top 3. Add more raspberries as desired for appearance *Makes one serving

Recipes adapted from Town and Country Magazine PHOTO BY PAREEN MHATRE ART BY CATHERINE JU DESIGN BY JENNA ZENG

21

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Looking for an easy, refreshing drink to make on a hot summer day? Here are two recipes for some fruity mocktails.

COMPILED BY DENIZ INCE

BLUEBERRY BOMBSHELL INGREDIENTS

1 cup of blueberries 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 10 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS 1. Let water, blueberries and sugar simmer in a saucepan for about 15 minutes to make blueberry syrup 2. Separate solids and liquids from syrup using a fine strainer 3. Fill a glass with crushed ice 4. Pour one tablespoon of lemon juice into the bottom of the glass 5. Pour two tablespoons of the blueberry syrup from step two on top, carefully trying to not mix the two 6. Slowly fill the glass with water until full 7. Add more strawberries and blueberries to the top to decorate *Makes about 10 servings

MAY 24, 2017

22

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

NETFLIX

MAY 24, 2017

IN THE SUN

Summer offers more time to spend streaming episodes on Netflix. However, with over a thousand television shows to offer, navigating the Netflix library can sometimes be difficult. To help you, here are some West High students’ Netflix recommendations.

BY REAGAN HART

"IRON FIST"

TV-MA, 1 season, 13 episodes Marvel’s "Iron Fist" follows Danny Rand's return to New York City after a plane crash 15 years ago in which he and his parents were proclaimed dead. Although Rand tries to return to his old life, his former friends believe that he is an imposter. Danny returns with kung-fu training and the supernatural power of the iron fist. These skills come in handy when people are threatened by his return and want him dead. "Iron Fist" is one of four shows in the to-be-released Defenders mini-series, a crossover of the shows "Jessica Jones", "Luke Cage", "DareDevil" and "Iron Fist." The title characters of these shows will team up to battle the Hand, an evil organization, in the highly anticipated release on Aug. 18, 2017.

"HOUSE OF CARDS"

“The lesson the show is trying to teach is that if you have a responsibility you need to uphold it or there will be consequences.”

-Owen Fuller ’20 “I haven’t really watched any shows similar to it. If you are into politics at all or find the American government interesting at all, or even if you are just looking for something to watch, it’s just an entertaining show.”

-RJ Duncan ’18

"REIGN"

TV-14, 3 seasons, 62 episodes

"Reign" is a fictional account of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. At the start of the show, Mary is 15 years old and is sent to the French court to marry Prince Francis, the next-in-line to the French throne. However, the betrothal gets complicated when Francis' mother, Catherine de Medici, attempts to stop the marriage and banish Mary. In order to protect Scotland and herself, Mary must take difficult choices as sexual and political tensions rise in the French court.

TV-MA, 4 seasons, 52 episodes

"House of Cards" is about Frank Underwood, a congressman from South Carolina. He helps president Garrett Walker get elected in hopes of being rewarded with a nomination for the Secretary of State. However, he is denied the position, leaving him feeling betrayed and an urge for revenge. Through manipulation, alliances and blackmail he hopes to push his agenda forward even without the position. Frank periodically talks directly to the audience, giving them a glimpse into his dark mind.

"THE CLIENT LIST"

”The mood of [Reign] is like a mystery. It can be romantic and dramatic …. You cannot stop watching it.”

-Mariana Trujillo ’19 ”[The actors] play their parts really well ... I would say the mom [is the most intriguing], because she is going through a lot right now and trying to support her children through some hard things.”

TV-14, 2 seasons, 25 episodes

"The Client List" is a drama that follows the hardships of Riley Parks, a mother in deep financial trouble. She and her husband have been out of work for over a year and are about to foreclose their house. Luckily, she finally finds a job at a spa as a masseuse.

However, several of the clients come for more than just massages; they expect sexual services. Riley must decide if it’s worth the sacrifice of what she considers moral in order to make more money and save her family.

-Drucilla Demeulenaere ’18

ART BY ANGELA ZIRBIES DESIGN BY MEGAN BOLAND

23

SPORTS

MAY 24, 2017

R I S I N G

S T A R

B R Y L E E KLOSTERMAN

BY DENIZ INCE West Side Story: When did you start playing softball?

Brylee Klosterman: I started when I was five with T-ball.

WSS: How did you get started in softball?

BK: My cousins and friends started doing it, so I wanted to do it, too.

WSS: Do you play for a club, and if so, how has that helped you improve?

BK: I play for the Barracudas. We play at a lot of good tournaments with a lot of good college coaches there watching, so it helps [us] see better competition.

WSS: What have you been able to accomplish with your club?

BK: I’ve been able to get in front of a lot of good coaches and have exposure [to them].

WSS: How are you able to focus on softball year-round?

BK: My traveling team plays in the fall [and] school plays in the summer, so it’s kind of year-round for me. I do strength training at Strength U, and I also have private hitting lessons with Gayle Blevins.

WSS: How has training year-round helped you improve?

BK: I’ve become a lot stronger from going to my strength [training] and Gayle has helped me a lot physically and mentally.

WSS: Who are your mentors for softball?

BK: With the outfield part of it, last year when I started high school Taleah [Smith ’17] really helped me through it because she’s been there for a while. A lot of the sePHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY JUNHEE LEE

niors helped me, too. Gayle Blevins [has] helped me a lot with [the] hitting and mental [aspects].

WSS: How would you describe your first season at West?

BK: It was a lot of fun. I got to see that high school softball was a lot different than club.

It was kind of different at first because I didn’t know a lot of people and I didn’t know what they were going to think of me.

I just wanted to go out there and play my best.

WSS: What are some of the differences between your club’s softball program and West High softball?

BK: Club [has] more tournaments on the weekends. A big difference is playing double headers [at West], and the competition is a lot different in high school versus [my] traveling [team]. I think that my club team competition is a little harder.

WSS: What are your goals for the softball season?

BK: I just want to do the best for my team and try to help us get to state this year.

I like to try to help lead the team and show by example.

WSS: How do you motivate yourself when a game isn’t going as planned?

BK: I just kind of shake it off. If something bad happens, you just have to keep playing. If you’re down, you just have

With one season already under her belt, outfielder Brylee Klosterman ’20 shares her experiences in softball that led her to play varsity as an incoming freshman. to get everybody back in the game.

WSS: Why do you like softball?

BK: I’ve met a lot of great people through playing, and [I like] the competitiveness of it.

WSS: Do you hope to play softball in college?

BK: Yeah, I do. I don’t really know [where] right now, but going somewhere warm would be fun.

24

SPORTS

MAY 24, 2017

STATE SPORTS

REW I N D

With the fall and winter sports completely finished, take a look back on all of West’s athletic success at the state level.

BY ELLIE GRETTER

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA DACHTLER, LEAH DUSTERHOFT, ALYSON KUENNEN, SARAH LONGMIRE, IAN PRESCOTT & NICK PRYOR DESIGN BY JENNA ZENG

9T H P L ACE “The ride to state was probably the best memory. Everyone was excited and ready to go,” -Ethan McAreavy ‘18

2 8 T H PL ACE “We lost a lot of seniors last year so having some of our relays qualify was really cool because we had less of the people that could swim fast enough times,” -Mackenzie Voigt ‘17

F IRST RO U N D “My best memory of state would be walking out onto the court with my team and looking around at all the people who were there to watch,” -Colby Greene ‘18

SEMIFINALS “The competition at state is amazing. Every game becomes more and more fun as you keep winning,” -Logan Cook ‘18

25

SPORTS

MAY 24, 2017

5 T H P L ACE “The pressure is there [at state] but as long as you are training and doing the best you can, the worrying isn’t necessary because you have done everything you can and if you win or not it was the best you could have done.”

-Bailey Nock ‘18 (F irst p lace in d iv i d ua l ly )

RU NNE R- U P “The thing in my mind that stands out the most when I think about what led us to state is the senior leadership we had this year. We were talented, but we would have been nothing without the seniors leading the way,”

STATE CH AM PIO NSHI P “My the and [...]

best memory would be the locker room after championship victory. Everyone was so happy excited and it makes you feel accomplished.

I just love to see my teammates happy,”

-Hakeem Odunsi ‘18

5TH PL ACE “I just told myself I deserved to be up in that top 15 because of how hard I had worked alone in the summer and with my team. I always told myself, ‘I did not just work my tail off for five months for nothing,’”

-Kolby Greiner ‘19 (1 1 t h p lace in d iv i d ually )

-Dillon Doyle ‘18

F I RS T P LACE “State for wrestling is unbelievable because the finals have [14,000] plus people booing, cheering and screaming,” -Nelson Brands ‘18

26

SPORTS

MAY 24, 2017

PITCHING R E L I E F

The IHSAA has put into effect a new pitching regulation that requires rest days after a certain amount of pitches thrown. West Side Story looked into how these new regulations would affect the state runner-ups in their coming season.

BY ELLIE GRETTER

A

s the Trojans begin competition, they face a new pitching regulation. This regulation was implemented to minimize overuse related injuries by limiting the amount of pitches a pitcher can throw during a game based on their grade.

“This is a model [based] on workload pitches.

People will be on a pitch-count. It is a little bit different for the varsity guys though, basically you have a set amount of pitches you can throw a day,” said head baseball coach Charlie Stumpff.

“110 [pitches a day], is the maximum for sophomores on up. If you throw that, then you have to have four days rest. If you throw 66 to 90 pitches, you need three days rest and it goes down.

[It was implemented] to make sure everyone is getting enough rest and not getting too big of a workload.”

However, throughout all of Stumpff ’s years, he has not had too many run-ins with overuse related injuries.

“We have had a couple “tommy-johns” back in the early 2000s. I think the jury is still out on what technically causes these injuries: this is their best guess. I think that sometimes things happen, it’s kind of like how ACL tears tend to be in women. If I had a definitive answer I would go sell it and make a lot of money, but there are no definitive answers. They think it’s wear and tear. It could also be the mechanics of how you throw, ” said Stumpff.

Tony Comellas ‘18 agrees that these regulations would not impact overuse injuries due to the fact that there are not many of these at West.

“Coaches usually are smart about it and most players just say when they are hurting. They do not push themselves to the limit and most of the time no one is going to stretch it out,” Comellas said.

West High baseball has used similar, unofficial, regulations for years now but the new required restriction is still more strict.

“We have thrown guys, for example, Monday

THROWING

RELATED INJURIES SHOULDER INJURIES Shoulder tendinitis Rotator cuff tears SLAP tears

ELBOW INJURIES Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Osteochondritis Dessicans (OCD) and Friday to try and maximize the amount of starts for whoever might be our best pitcher. We knew that on Monday and Friday we would try to keep them somewhat low, in the 80s and 90.

For example, if my best guy is pitching a good game and it is going into the seventh inning and he is at 85 pitches he can’t [finish the inning] with less than 90.” said Stumpff.

Stumpf also believes that there is enough depth within the team that the regulations will not impact the performance of the pitchers.

“It really does not affect us all too much [because] we have worked on pitch counts our whole career. So, if you have enough pitchers and work with pitch counts, it just means we need to pay attention closer then we have in the past,” Stumpff said.

Nathan Wilkinson ‘19 gets ready to pitch the ball during a scrimage.

PHOTO BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY MEGAN BOLAND

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T S

MAY 24, 2017

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28

OPINION MAY 24, 2017

EDITORIAL

AFT: REVIEW A YEAR IN

At the end of its first year of implementation, West Side Story takes a look back at the effectiveness of AFT.

P

rincipal Gregg Shoultz confirmed that in the 2017-2018 school year, Academic Focus Time will run four times per week– every day but Thursday. Upon reflection of this year, the West Side Story editorial board believes this to be a good decision.

AFT began this school year to determine whether a built-in study hall makes a difference in grades, test scores and how students interact with their teachers. Data collected over this school year indicates that students have been requested less per week since the beginning of the school year, and the percentage of students who required reteaching dropped from approximately 50 percent to 40 percent from first to third trimester. This could mean that students are developing better study habits, becoming more independent or no longer need as much guidance. Clearly, AFT has had a positive effect; an increase in AFT time will only continue to help students.

A 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey found that high school males spend approximately 54 minutes on homework per night, and females

spend 72 minutes per night. AFT is roughly 20 minutes, which means that students with about an hour of homework per night are getting roughly one-third of their homework done during that time. Finishing one-third of a night’s homework during the day may sound meager, but it ultimately means students can spend more time doing extracurricular activities such as sports or music.

While some students are displeased that AFT isn’t enforced and that peers gravitate toward their phones, AFT allows students the decision to work on what best suits their needs. Not everyone will need to speak with a teacher or complete a makeup quiz; for those that do, however, it is helpful to have that opportunity during the school day. For example, although many students have a car, there are still many who depend on rides from their parents or friends. These students may not be able to make it to school before first period to speak with their teacher, and benefit from having AFT time to do so during school.

While AFT has had an overall positive im-

DO YOU THINK AFT WAS BENEFICIAL THIS YEAR?

7 3

THE WSS EDITORIAL BOARD VOTED IN SUPPORT OF AFT.

pact, there is always room for improvement.

Because there will be more days devoted to AFT, questions have risen over maximizing the use of this time. One request is to allow clubs to meet during AFT, since many people rely on bus transportation or are involved in other extracurriculars and would not otherwise be able to attend meetings. Another suggestion is that students make online AFT requests as teachers do. A common misconception is that AFT is devoted to those with slipping grades; however, students with stable grades may still have questions for their teachers. Because teachers may not know to seek these students out, students could instead request to meet their teachers.

Additional complaints have brewed over the difficulty of being called out after the “request period.” To simplify the process, teachers should be allowed to request students last minute. Oftentimes, a student will have questions regarding a lesson taught on the day of AFT. With the addition of Chromebooks next year, measures should be taken so that if a student’s fifth period teacher suggests they finish an assignment

29

OPINION

MAY 24, 2017

during AFT, the student can add themselves to the electronic list and work with the teacher that same day.

In addition to making it more user-friendly, AFT should ultimately seek to help students in every way possible. If a teacher is backlogged and cannot meet with a student, there should be alternative resources for the student. One possible resource is peer tutoring. Students don’t always need teachers to clarify concepts; in fact, studies have shown that students grasp topics better working with a peer. Research indicates that students often

feel more comfortable when interacting with a fellow student because peers and students share similar discourse, allowing for greater understanding. Interaction between students also promotes active learning, and tutors reinforce their own understanding by teaching others.

In any event, the implementation of AFT was an experiment with positive results. Before the start of the 2017-2018 school year, the administration will need to examine what worked and what did not, and change course as needed.

EDITORIAL CARTOON:

ANTI-CENSORSHIP If the world’s most famous artists are still alive today, they would protest against Trump’s decision to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities.

ART BY BRAEDYN DOCHTERMAN

NEXT YEAR...

AFT will still run for 25 minutes.

AFT will run 4 times per week.

24

POSSIBLE CHANGES INCLUDE: The use of AFT time for club meetings An electronic pass system Peer tutoring

DESIGN BY WINGEL XUE

30

OPINION MAY 24, 2017

GUEST COLUMN

GETTING CAUGHT

Caleb Grieme is a medical lab technician at UIHC. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 2009.

IN IOWA...

$200

fine for use of a fake ID to purchase alcohol.

.08

BAC is the threshold for a misdimeanor charge for a DUI.

48

hours possible jail time for a DUI charge.

Source: CriminalDefenseLawyer

BY CALEB GRIEME

“THERE WAS NOTHING GOOD THAT CAME FROM POSSESSING THAT FAKE ID. I DON’T REMEMBER A SINGLE EVENT OTHER THAN BEING ARRESTED THAT WAS MEANINGFUL TO ME.”

I

f I could offer any advice to incoming freshman college students, I would say to really consider the consequences of your actions to the fullest extent before engaging. Of course, this isn’t anything new to most of you reading this column. I’m sure your parents have been hammering this point home long before you were about to graduate high school, I know my parents did. They told me to take school seriously—I didn’t listen. They warned me there would be consequences if I drank alcohol.

Again, I paid no heed. But in the end their words rang true. I thought I was smart enough to skirt authority but eventually my luck ran out.

It was the spring semester of my first year at the University of Iowa when I was arrested. I was helping a drunk friend home from the bar and in the process, had a run in with a campus security officer.

They called in the police and we were both booked for public intoxication. During the patdown, the cops had discovered the homemade fake ID that a fellow dorm mate made for me. And just like that, I was also charged with making false licenses.

That experience was the most terrified I’d ever been, and it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. If you Googled my record on Iowa’s Online Docket, you’d see my record consists of a few speeding tickets and this occasion. I sought the counsel of a public attorney and was offered a plea bargain where the public intoxication charge would be PHOTO BY ALYSON KUENNEN DESIGN BY WINGEL XUE

dropped if I accepted the blame for making the fake license, a serious misdemeanor.

At face value, this may not being anything real alarming to you. People get in worse trouble and come out just fine, right? Well, I’m twelve years removed from when this incident happened and still, it is something of which I have to notify employers and graduate schools in my application. It will always be a point of concern for anyone looking to consider accepting or hiring me. Now, I not only have to impress people with my credentials but I have to convince them that I’m not at risk of disobeying their policies and that I’m a responsible person. It would be much easier to not have to prove myself every time I wanted something.

Having that fake ID to drink alcohol at bars before I was of age wasn’t worth the problems it has caused me. I couldn’t recite a single memory of having that fake ID during its short tenure in my possession other than this ordeal. What I can tell you is that I am very regretful for acting that way, It was juvenile behavior that did nothing to better the community or me. I’m not chastising the consumption of alcohol, I’m just warning against the participation in illegal activity, no matter how small the deed. Just wait your turn and be responsible. Much more fun can be had if you just enjoy the moment you’re in.

I promise you aren’t missing out on anything that important.