2018-12-21 by West Side Story

WEST SI DE STO RY IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE.

IOWA CITY, IA 52246

WSSPAPER.COM

VOLUME 51 ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 21, 2018

FOSTERING LOVE Highlighting how adoption and foster care challenge the definition of a traditional family.

P H OTO F E AT U R E MOHAMMEDHILAL

AL-ANI A child joyously kicks snow in the air at City Park on Friday, Nov. 30. BEHIND THE PHOTO It’s winter season in Iowa, and the snow keeps coming down. I always like to be different with my work. I went to one of the parks in Iowa City, and while I was there, I met a lot of kids playing in the snow. They were very happy. My camera is always with me; it’s like my friend, so I got this photo of one of the kids who was there.

FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

DESIGN BY VIVIEN HO

CONTENTS F E AT U R E

PROFILES

C OV E R

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

S P O RT S

OPINION

04 14 24 32 38 46

LETTER FROM THE

COVER PHOTO & DESIGN BY LYDIA GUO

Hello dear readers, You made it! About half of the school year is behind you, so take this well-deserved break to relax (with the newest issue of the WSS, of course). We’re deep into the holiday season, a time of gift giving and, as many of us are excited about, gift getting. However, with this issue, we wanted to remind our readers to not forget about the people that surround you, some of whom may be involved in unconventional family structures. Reporters Anna Brown and Lily Meng, cowriters of this issue’s cover story, focus on students and families in the West High communi-

04 NEWS BRIEFS 06 WHEN IT HAPPENS. 08 UNHEARD 1 0 T E AC H E R 12 A FOCUS ON THE FUTURE 14 AN UNEXPECTED ADDITION 16 BEHIND THE BOOKSHELF 20 HANDLING LIFE

2 4 F O S T E R I N G LOV E

3 2 C U LT U R A L C U I S I N E 3 4 A WAC K Y WO R K S PAC E 36 2018 IN FILM: A YEAR IN REVIEW 38 BEHIND THE NUMBERS 40 A SECOND CHANCE 4 2 FA L L S P O RT S R E C A P 44 THE ELIGIBILITY QUESTION

46 PRICE OF ADMISSION 4 7 T H E N A M E GA M E 4 8 E D I TO R I A L : A P R I VAT E P R O M I S E Interested in submitting a story idea or guest opinion? Reach out at wsspaper.com/storyideas.

EDITOR ty who have experienced adoption and foster care, with a goal of revealing adoptee perspectives that can be easy to overlook. Reporter Jessica Moonjely also tells the reality of teenage pregnancy in a story on the experiences of two ICCSD students. As you read through the issue (not during class, though, on the always-important last day before break), we hope you take some time to reflect on your own situation and to be grateful for those close to you. Happy new year! Much love,

DENIZ INCE

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NEWS BRIEFS BY FATIMA KAMMONA

9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24

26 27 28 29 30

N O V. 2 0 1 8

NOV. 23 The federal government published information about climate change, saying that climate change is making natural disasters in the U.S. worse and will cost billions in the future.

NOV. 25 - 26 Winter Storm Bruce passes through Iowa.

NOV. 26 S

S 1

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

D E C. 2 0 1 8

Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg died.

NOV. 30 The 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, died at age 91 in Houston, Texas.

NOV. 30 - DEC. 1 Members of Theatre West produced “Miracle on 34th Street.”

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM SIDNEY KOUT

DEC. 7 Girls and boys basketball teams faced off against City High in a doubleheader. The girls lost 5764 after they defeated City last season at state. The boys triumph with a score of 66-36.

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NEXT MONTH JAN. 9 Show choirs from across the district perform at the annual fundraising event known as “Choirs for a Cause” to raise money for the Great Iowa City Area Dollars for Scholars Endowment.

J A N. 2 0 1 9

9 10 11 12

14 15 16 17 18 19

21 22 23 24 25 26

28 29 30 31

JAN. 10 - 11

JAN. 17 West returns for the Boot in the second West vs. City improv competition in a Comedy Sports style “Battle for the Boot” after both schools walked away with a tie last year.

JAN. 22 - 24 Auditions and tech interest meeting for the spring musical take place. For more information, check the call board outside of room 101.

JAN. 22 Senior photos due to the main office and need to be printed off, 2 ¼ by 3 ¼ inches.

Student Produced Innovative Theatre (SPIT) performs the comedy “It’s Not You, It’s Me” by Don Zolidis and the drama, “The End of Summer” by KT Curran at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theater.

JAN. 20 WHSDM will hold its seventh annual dance marathon in the cafeteria. All money raised will go to the University of Iowa Dance Marathon to support families fighting cancer.

JAN. 24 West High celebrates MLK day by having sessions led by teachers, students and members of the community, all centered around the ideas of inclusion, social justice and community service.

ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY ANJALI HUYNH, ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS & KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY RAIN RICHARDS

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA MOBILE, AL

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY JACKSON, MS

HUFFMAN HIGH SCHOOL BIRMINGHAM, AL

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY NORFOLK, VA

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ITTA BENA, MS

SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SAVANNAH, GA

STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH PARKLAND, FL

PEARL COHN HIGH SCHOOL NASHVILLE, TN

OXON HILL HIGH SCHOOL OXON HILL, MD

LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA, PA

MURPHY HIGH SCHOOL MOBILE, AL

MARSHALL COUNTY HIGH ARSHALL COUNTY, KY

NET CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL NEW ORLEANS, LA

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY MOUNT PLEASANT, MI

MAR

FEB ITALY HIGH SCHOOL ITALY, TX

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY WINSTON-SALEM, NC

*AS OF DEC. 12

GRAYSON COLLEGE DENISON, TX

2018 SCHOOL SHOOTINGS*

DEC. 21, 2018

JAN

SAL CASTRO MIDDLE SCHOOL LOS ANGELES, CA

F E AT U R E

WHEN IT

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School junior Zoe Gordman never considered the possibility that gun violence could affect her community. Empowered through stories like Gordman’s, students have rallied together to raise awareness and make change. BY MARTA LEIRA

he woke up excited; it was Valentine’s Day, after all. Gordman picked out a nice outfit and went to school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The day started off full of joy, as students milled about the hallways, handing out letters, roses, teddy-bears and treats. It was just a typical Valentine’s Day in what the National Council for Home Safety and Security had deemed Florida’s safest city in 2017. “The day was filled with love,” Gordman said. “Everything was so happy.” No one could have imagined what would happen just seven hours later. A fire alarm went off during second period, and students filed out just as they would for any other drill. “[The fire drill] was not a big deal. We have those all the time,” Gordman said. “We just walked outside, and since everything was all good, we continued with the day.” As Gordman sat through her last class, she waited for the bell to ring. But it never did. Instead, the blaring sound of another fire alarm echoed throughout the halls. “It was just weird for everyone, because we had just had one earlier in the day, and that never happens,” Gordman said. The high school has an outdoor campus, so students walk outside to get from one class to another. Gordman and her classmates left the building, meeting the humid Florida air. Then, the commotion began. “All of the sudden, I heard things that sounded like textbooks dropping,” Gordman said. “Then

it just sounded like a blur of screams and loud noises.” The students all looked around, confused. They had barely gotten out of their classroom when Gordman saw a police officer running up the steps with his gun out. “I heard a teacher yell ‘Everyone get back in,’ so I ran to my classroom, and [my teacher] was still getting kids out of the classroom,” Gordman said. “I told her ‘We have to get back inside; let’s go back inside.’” As students re-entered the building, there was frantic speculation about the cause of the chaos. They were not sure if it was an accidental second fire drill or an active shooter drill. “Someone asked ‘Do you think it could be gunshots?’ Everyone said no,” Gordman said. “There were all these different stories but no one believed the worst at all.” What they thought were fireworks or textbooks turned out to be shots from an AR-15. Now more suspicious that there was an active shooter in the building, the students huddled in a corner of the classroom to hide. “It was calmer than you would think because no one knew what was happening,” Gordman said. “It just hadn’t set in.” Because Gordman’s class wasn’t in the building where the shooter was, they were among the last to be evacuated. She and the rest of her peers hid in the corner for over two hours listening to the wail of police sirens. The text she sent her dad while in hiding read:

“I’m in my classroom right now, the doors are locked, I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know if it’s real or not.” While there was a lot of speculation and horrific images circulating through social media, Gordman says the reality of what was occurring outside was unimaginable. “When the SWAT team burst in, that’s kind of when it set in for me,” Gordman said. The SWAT team had the students line up on one side of the classroom. Running one after another, they were rushed out of the room into silent halls, which were now filled with more police officers than students. “We were walking towards the exit and they were just like, ‘Go, go, go!’” Gordman said. “We were holding each other trying to run.” In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Gordman had a difficult time processing the situation. “No one really knew who was gone yet,” Gordman said. “Students were sharing pictures of friends they couldn’t locate, begging others to find them. Unfortunately, those were a lot of the ones that passed away.” More than nine months after the devastating events of Feb. 14, Parkland is still recovering. “I’ve never been through something so tragic before, but now it’s put a label on me for the rest of my life. … I will never have that normal high school experience most teens are lucky to have, and I’ve never experienced such a deep pain,” Gordman said. “It’s the new normal, that’s what they say. I’ve never been prouder to attend

Source: en.wikipedia.org

DAVID W. BUTLER HIGH SCHOOL MATTHEWS, NC

CANYON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL LAS VEGAS, NV

OCT FAIRLEY HIGH SCHOOL MEMPHIS, TN

BALBOA HIGH SCHOOL SAN FRANCISCO, CA

GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY ATLANTA, GA

PALM BEACH CENTRAL HIGH WELLINGTON, FL

NOBLESVILLE WEST MIDDLE NOBLESVILLE, IN

MOUNT ZION HIGH SCHOOL JONESBORO, GA

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL PROVIDENCE, RI

SEP

AUG SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL SANTA FE, TX

DIXON HIGH SCHOOL DIXON, IL

MAY HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL PALMDALE, CA

FOREST HIGH SCHOOL OCALA, FL

SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL RAYTOWN, MO

GREAT MILLS HIGH SCHOOL GREAT MILLS, MD

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM, AL

SEASIDE HIGH SCHOOL SEASIDE, CA

FREDERICK DOUGLASS HIGH LEXINGTON, KY

APR

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HAPPENS. that school despite all the bad things we’ve been through.” Although she will carry this experience with her for the rest of her life, Gordman is using her voice as a journalist to make an impact in her community. She is now the Copy Editor for her school’s newspaper, The Eagle Eye. “After everything that happened I started writing bigger stories,” Gordman said. “I found myself loving journalism even more, because I was able to bring to light so many stories that were bigger than myself.” Parkland has made an impact in Iowa City and across the nation, inspiring students to make change in their communities. One group in the ICCSD that came together to take action is Students Against School Shootings (SASS). A group of approximately 20 West High, City High and Southeast Junior High students established the organization in response to the Parkland shooting. City High student Mira Bohannan Kumar ’20 was one of the students who helped start SASS. She now drafts plans for the organization as the group’s policy director. “In some ways, [Parkland] felt very personal. … Almost every group has a reason to feel strongly about gun violence and because of the increasing prevalence of school shootings, students are one of them,” Bohannan Kumar said. “When Parkland happened, I was at a time in my life where I was really ready to be an activist.” SASS aims to raise awareness and make change by organizing events that bring the community together, a few of these being walkouts, vigils and die-ins. These students helped plan the “March for Our Lives” in Iowa City on March 23, as well as walkouts from the three schools. “[The march was] a way of making people

aware of the things that we can do to help create a safer environment in our country and in our state,” Bohannan Kumar said. “It’s incredibly important that we all work together to create a safer nation.” According to Bohannan Kumar, SASS aims to create events that help people cope and offer a forum for their voices to be heard. “It’s great to feel like you are standing with people, that you are together and united as a

“ IT ’S TH E N EW NORMAL , THAT ’S WHAT TH EY SAY. I ’ VE N EVE R B E E N PROU DE R TO ATTE N D THAT SCHOOL DESPITE ALL TH E BAD TH I N GS WE ’ VE B E E N TH ROUG H .” -ZOE GO RDMAN ‘20, PARKLAN D STU DENT front,” she said. Inspired by the work students are doing locally in the community, Lila Terry ’20 attended the “March For Our Lives” in Washington, D.C. along with an estimated 800,000 other demonstrators. “When I found out about the Parkland

shooting, I was outraged. I was outraged that people were killed, I was outraged that people were wounded and I was outraged that I wasn’t shocked,” Terry said. “A dozen school kids getting killed while seeking an education should not be a common enough occurrence that the headlines that broke the news read ‘Another School Shooting.’” The “March For Our Lives” in Washington, D.C. was the largest event, though there were over 700 sister marches across the country, including the one SASS organized in downtown Iowa City. The atmosphere at the march was powerful for Terry, who remembers feeling everything from anger to empowerment. “It was the voice of democracy and it was the voice of people who are so tired of being silenced,” Terry said. “There were children holding signs pleading with the government to protect their lives. … It was inspiring, and it was heartbreaking.” “March For Our Lives” brought students throughout the country together with common goals: raising awareness and bringing an end to gun violence. “I was marching for all the children that I know could one day be in a school shooting,” Terry said. “And I was marching because it is disturbing how likely it is that someone I know and love will be affected by gun violence,” Parkland became a rallying cry for students around the country to make change and continues to energize students today. “[The shooting has] definitely released a little politician inside each and every one of us,” Gordman said. “It’s made me stronger, and it’s made me more aware of the power have to use my voice for good.” PHOTO BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY AMY LIAO

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DEC. 21, 2018

U NH EARD

Students who experience hearing loss often assimilate themselves into their environments. Though their situations are not always recognized, a number of stereotypes and struggles still exist. BY ANJALI HUYNH

“AREN’T YOU A LITTLE TOO YOUNG TO BE DEAF?”

Mia Dillingham ‘20 poses for a photo in the courtyard on Dec. 5

Mia Dillingham ’20 received this question from a co-worker while working at Chili’s one day. However, it wasn’t out of the ordinary. After all, she knew that being deaf came with an array of misconceptions. When Dillingham was born, her parents realized she couldn’t hear and took her to a hospital to be tested, where she was pronounced “deaf.” University of Iowa audiology professor Carolyn Brown said that deafness is defined as “a condition that prevents someone from hearing.” Brown also clarified that “individuals who have hearing loss that is not total are often classified as ‘hearing impaired’ rather than deaf.” Soon after, Dillingham underwent surgery to place a cochlear implant (CI) in her right ear. A cochlear implant is a device inserted surgically in the ear that sends impulses to an auditory nerve that then carries signals to the brain. Those with implants use a speech processor, a device similar to a large hearing aid, that can pickup sound and send impulses to the implant inside the ear. Once someone receives their speech processor, they need to wear it frequently in order to allow their brains to adapt to the device. However, these devices are not perfect, as they have the potential to malfunction. One struggle that Dillingham frequently faces is what she calls “everything sounding like Charlie Brown.” In these cases, her implant makes it difficult for her to hear the same way others do. Brown explains that while cochlear implants help many learn and understand speech without relying on lip

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C OCH LEAR I MPLANT e -

reading, issues may still occur. “Almost all CI users complain that they have trouble understanding speech in background noise, like in the cafeteria at lunch,” Brown said. “A cochlear implant does not cure or fix the hearing loss. It does, however, make it easier for most CI users to develop functional speech.” While her aids prove to be troublesome at times, they are not Dillingham’s main point of concern. In reality, it’s the stigmas associated with being deaf and the constant fear of being bothersome that cause her to avoid telling others that she is deaf. Molly Abraham, West Vice Principal, is in charge of finding accommodations for students with disabilities. This, however, is more difficult when students are uncomfortable sharing with others that they are deaf. “People don’t like to advertise that they have [hearing loss], especially if they’ve been able to get by this long without people knowing,” Abraham said. “I understand it, but it’s too bad because sometimes if someone knows it, they can help and acknowledge it.” Data from National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) shows that two to three out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. Moreover, one in eight people aged 12 years or older have hearing loss to some degree in both ears. According to the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, there are several misconceptualized facts about people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many false claims include that all hearing losses are the same and that all deaf people can read lips, use sign language and are not sensitive to noise. Perhaps the worst stereotype that Dillingham faces is the “deaf and dumb” belief. This outdated concept stems from before technological advancements, when deaf people were often mute because they could not learn language. Though this has since been disproved, the concept that deaf people are also unintelligent still exists. “It hurts because my mom and my grandparents are always pushing for me to do well in school, and so I’m always challenging myself,” Dillingham said. “If I don’t get a B or above in something, I feel like I need to get better, like ... I’m better than this. I’m always trying to prove people wrong, I guess.” “Think how hard it would be for you to learn to speak a new language if you couldn’t hear the speaker and had to rely only on their lip movements,” Brown said. “It would be almost impossible. Think how hard it would be to learn to read if you had trouble hearing the sounds … Deafness is not related to intelligence.”

\‘ ko-kle - r \im-’plant\ a d evi ce i n s e rte d su rg i cally i n th e ear that s e n ds i m pu ls es to an au d ito ry n e rve that th e n car r i es s i g nals to th e b r ai n

PHOTOS BY ADITI BORDE DESIGN BY VIVIEN HO

“ B E I NG DEAF I SN ’T EVE RYTH I NG. I ’ M DEAF, BUT I ’ M ALSO AN ATH LETE . I ’ M ALSO PLAYF U L . I ’ M DEAF, BUT DON ’T CALL M E ‘ TH E DEAF G I RL ,’ PLEASE , B ECAU SE I HAVE OTH E R ATTRI BUTES, AN D IT ’S NOT J U ST M E .” -MIA DILLINGHAM ‘20

Additionally, there are other issues students with hearing loss face in the classroom. At West, Abraham attempts to ease classroom life for students by developing accommodation plans. These plans include various strategies, such as having students sit close to instruction, teaching more varied vocabulary or making sure teachers have full student attention when talking to them. No two accommodation plans are exactly the same. “There isn’t really a typical plan because it depends on each kid,” Abraham said. “I feel like in high school, we should be doing accommodations and try to help kids figure out things.” For those who want to help make life easier for those with hearing loss, Brown’s advice is simple: be a friend. This can be done in a variety of ways, whether it’s facing them while speaking so they can read lips, finding places to eat that aren’t particularly noisy or educating people who may not understand their situation. “Be patient and think about the challenges they are dealing with all the time,” Brown said. “Deafness can be isolating. Put yourself in their shoes.” Though being deaf is a large part of Dillingham’s lifestyle, she doesn’t want it to be her defining characteristic, and she hopes that others recognize her for more than a disability. “Being deaf isn’t everything,” Dillingham said. “I’m deaf, but I’m also an athlete. I’m also playful. I’m deaf, but don’t call me ‘the deaf girl,’ please, because I have other attributes, and it’s not just me.”

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BY NATALIE KATZ

The Iowa City Community School District fights against the shortage of substitute teachers, an issue that has plagued both the community and the nation for years.

t’s 6:05 a.m. on a Friday morning and substitutes throughout the district already know it’s going to be a demanding day. One just got the call — today — that they are going to be a substitute for a chemistry class. Then American Studies. And then English. With no open periods, not only will they only have five minutes to switch classrooms, but they will also only have those five minutes to read the plans the teachers left for them. Unfortunately, this scenario has become the norm in the ICCSD. However, it has become more problematic during the past six to eight years, according to Jane Fry, Director of Talent and Leadership in the ICCSD. The decreasing number of substitute teachers paired with the increase in substitute demand has placed a strain on the few available. The staff at West High suffers from substitute shortages nearly every day. “[Secretary] Peggy Tucker and I’ll work togeth-

“ IT ’S NOT GOOD E NOUG H , BUT IT ’S WHAT WE HAVE . WE ALWAYS HATE TO HAVE ANY U N F I LLE D POSITION S.” -GREGG SHOU LTZ, PRI NCI PAL

er to figure out how to get everything covered when we’re short subs,” said Vice Principal Molly Abraham. “One day this year, we were short five subs, so some days it gets more complicated than others to figure out what to do.” Typically, when Abraham and Tucker are struggling to fill the spots, they will resort to asking associates with education degrees in the building to watch a class for a couple of periods. This happens frequently and takes away time from the associates’ own work. To try to combat this, substitutes often have to sub for multiple classes. “First we look at the subs we do have, and if they have a planning period in there, they can fill in for another class. It’s kind of like a big puzzle,” Abraham said. Miranda Huebner, a recent addition to the substitute teacher pool in the ICCSD, has experienced this situation first hand. However, for her, the increasing demand for her job has been

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beneficial. Although her days can get stressful at times, it has allowed her to take on more hours. “I get my pick of the litter as to which class or school I want to teach at. Substitute teaching is my primary income right now, so the shortage provides me with a level of job security,” Huebner said. This problem goes beyond the district, extending all the way to the national level. For many years, schools across the country have been struggling to fill open substitute positions. “It will continue to worsen as we have fewer students entering the field of education, which has created a teacher shortage as well,” Fry said. While other reasons for the shortage vary state by state, the trend can primarily be traced back to one specific thing: the state of the economy. “Iowa City has enjoyed a good, stable economy for a number of years now. People have other jobs, so we don’t have a pool of certified teachers that are willing to do the job,” said Principal Gregg Shoultz. “I think one thing that helps us out [is] if the economy goes bad then more people are willing to [sub].” When the economy is doing well, people who may qualify to be substitutes instead find other full-time jobs that provide more stability, as being a sub comes with no benefits and a small income. “The subs just want something more permanent,” Abraham said. “People want to know they’re going to get paid every week for five days of work. And you can’t guarantee that if you’re a sub. Everybody needs health insurance and you don’t get that as a sub.” Having a stable economy makes the substitute shortage a norm in large, popular cities. This factor, which cannot necessarily be controlled by one school district, has led to the implementation of several other methods to curb the problem.

“PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THEY’RE GOING TO GET PAID EVERY WEEK FOR FIVE DAYS OF WORK. AND YOU CAN’T GUARANTEE THAT IF YOU’RE A SUB.” - MOLLY ABRAHAM , VICE PRI NCI PAL Although the district does not see itself in a position to be able to provide benefits to substitutes any time soon, they are nonetheless working towards making it a more desirable job. The state of Iowa has reduced the requirements to qualify to be a substitute, as well as increased the pay to try to draw in more people. In the past, only certified teachers were considered for the job, but now anybody who has a bachelor’s degree and has completed the 20-hour substitute authorization program can apply. ICCSD

IN THE ICCSD... PERMANENT BUILDING SUBSTITUTES EARN

$175

REGULAR SUBSTITUTES EARN

$125

IN A DAY

has increased access to the required class as well by teaching it locally at the Educational Services Center and offering it more frequently. While this has led to an increase in the number of available substitutes, there is one clear drawback. By placing less qualified people in front of students, it diminishes the educational experience for students. Under the previous requirements, there were better chances of adults who had some degree of knowledge on the subject they would be teaching would be chosen for the job. When someone who cannot lead the class due to a lack of knowledge replaces the regular teacher for a day, it can be difficult for students to learn the material and cause the class to fall behind schedule. Another initiative that has begun to be implemented in the district is to hire permanent substitutes. These people are hired on a schoolto-school basis, though they sometimes cover neighboring schools, and report each day to find out where they need to be for that day. Although it is a step in the right direction, the position still does not have benefits or a contract but does offer better pay and the security of knowing there will be a jobs available. West High is in the process of hiring a permanent building sub, expecting to fill the position by the end of the year. As the nation struggles to deal with this issue, many states and cities are taking the initiative to resolve what had once never been a problem. For the ICCSD, this means always putting the students first, and the district will continue to take steps to ensure that these students are receiving the best education possible on any given day. “It’s not good enough, but it’s what we have,” said Shoultz. “We always hate to have any unfilled positions.”

TEACHER ABSENCE FILL RATES for the ICCSD 2018-2019 school year

86 93

percent of spots filled at West High School

percent of spots filled at City High School

PHOTOS BY ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS & MADDI SHINALL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION & DESIGN BY THOMAS DUONG

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Karia Forrest â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20 works on homework during her second hour iJAG class on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

A FOCUS ON THE FUTURE

BY JENNA WANG PHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY JENNA ZENG

A West class focuses on preparing students for future success.

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Eleventh and 12th-grade education specialist Kerry Kilker explains an activity to students during second hour on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

here exists a class that is practically unheard of among West students even though it has been around for four years. The class is called Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG), a program whose purpose is to mentor students who are at the highest risk of disengaging out of school and to work through barriers to create a future plan, such as joining the workforce or college. Potential students may be identified by guidance counselors. “It’s all based on want, need and benefit, so the student has to want to be in there, and we feel anyone could benefit and need some of the services that we provide,” said ninth and 10th grade iJAG education specialist at West Vicky Graff. Graff works alongside 11th and 12th grade education specialist Kerry Kilker and together, their role is to teach students employability skills, build relationships, help them graduate and develop a career path. With one period per day, the class involves many activities. “We do project-based learning,” Kilker said. “It’s not just lecturing; there’s a lot of interaction and student voice and choice. It gives us the opportunity to be very flexible with what we do and cater to what works best for students.” One of the most important components of the curriculum involves businesses coming to talk about careers and what kind of employees they want. “We connect them with career fairs or professional experts so they know that there’s more than the five jobs that every kid wants,” Kilker said. “I had somebody talk about a business once, and a student put in their application. They still work there full-time. That was the connection made through iJAG, and it’s nice to see,” Kilker said. Because the class focuses on skills students will use in real life, iJAG creates ways for them to

practice those skills through competitions held on the state and national levels. Students compete in areas of math, employability and critical thinking by participating in interviews and public-speaking. Although iJAG offers students numerous opportunities to succeed, many initially walk through the classroom doors with barriers such as being first-generation or having experienced traumatic events. The stigma associated with the class adds an extra burden. “We’re not the classroom for kids who have these behavior issues. Sometimes that stigma gets attached to us, that we have students who are super disrespectful. That negative image is hard for us,” Kilker said. Despite that image, the students within the class have become a close community. Miriam Aguirre ’21, who is the iJAG class president, believes that the weekly social-emotional discussions help give a voice to iJAG students. “We’ll talk about problems that we’ve been dealing with or anything that’s going on in the world. A lot of the students are minorities and at-risk youth, so lots of topics are relevant to them,” Aguirre said. “By talking about it, it’s relaxing to know that there are other people that have the same problems as you.” Regardless of what others may think, the overall success of the program has had far-reaching impacts. This includes improved attendance, graduation rates, GPAs and relationships. “My biggest celebrations are that I had a student that ended up going to D.C. last week in a competition — the first sophomore that was selected [in the state] — and the relationships that I build with my students. I had a student tell me that I was their school mom,” Graff said. Aguirre personally believes that the class has helped her with confidence and her studies. “When I first started at West, I didn’t know anyone. Being elected president, I got to meet a

94% 24% 0.30

lot of people and found this confidence that if I ever messed up, I always had people backing me up,” Aguirre said. “It has also helped me with grades. I’ve always struggled with grades for some reason, and as soon as I was in the program, there was structure in my life.” Kilker especially sees herself in her students after discovering the job position from a love of working with kids. “I was an iJAG kid. I didn’t have the program, but I could have used it. I didn’t have my stuff together in high school and struggled to graduate on time. I didn’t succeed in college, worked a lot of dead-end jobs and it took me a little bit to get my stuff together,” Kilker said. iJAG has made a difference in many lives of alumni. Kilker sees this first hand when she has follow-ups a year after graduation. “I get lots of, ‘Miss Kerry, I didn’t realize what iJAG was doing for me until I got into the real world.’ That’s the impact and they don’t realize it until they’re adulting,” Kilker said. Aguirre believes that these impacts stem from the class goals and how different it is. “In other classes, you need to pass in order to graduate. iJAG just wants you to feel comfortable in knowing what you’re doing and to make sure you have a good plan in your life,” Aguirre said. “It’s not just learning, but bettering yourself as a person and learning how to deal with stress and all the problems you’ll deal with the rest of your life.” Ultimately, both education specialists believe that the transformative journeys the students have leave the biggest impacts. “We serve a wide spectrum of students, some who academically and behavior-wise are great,” Kilker said. “But then I also have students on the other end of the spectrum who need a lot more support. And so to have that student who, when I started with them, didn’t think they were going to graduate on time, to see them walk across that stage in May is huge.”

of the iJAG students graduate are in the first generation of their family to graduate high school increase in students’ GPA annually Source: ijag.org

PROFILES DEC, 21, 2018

AN UNEXPECTED ADDITION BY JESSICA MOONJELY

For many, junior year is characterized by college visits and juggling a difficult class load. However, for seniors Noah Breitbach and Sydney Johnston, junior year presented a more unique challenge — a baby.

Noah Breitbach ‘19 and Liberty student Sydney Johnston ‘19 hold their six-month-old daughter Stella Mae Breitbach while sitting in Sydney’s house.

hey knew something was wrong when she couldn’t eat her burger. On Oct. 21, 2017, their one year anniversary, Noah and Sydney sat down like any other teenage couple to eat at Chili’s. However, after taking a few bites of her food, Sydney felt that something was different. Everything tasted disgusting. A week later, she knew for sure. Prior to this incident, Sydney had missed her period, so the couple suspected something was unusual. Chili’s was the defining moment; Sydney knew she needed to get tested. Right before Noah’s football playoff game, Sydney took a pregnancy test. After waiting an agonizing three minutes, her suspicions were confirmed: she was pregnant. “I didn’t believe it,” Sydney said. “But I felt completely different. I was thinking I have to be [pregnant], but I can’t imagine myself. It didn’t register for me.” As Noah approached her after the game, he knew instantly, saying, “She just gave me the look, and I was like ‘You’re pregnant.’” After that, the couple took time to figure out what to do. “Based on my faith and my views, I wasn’t going to give [the baby] up,” Noah said. “But Syd had the bigger decision to make, because it’s her body. … It was her choice, ultimately.” The day after taking the test, Sydney texted her mother saying that she might be pregnant. Shocked, Colleen Johnston immediately picked

“ IT’S STR E NGTH E N E D US AS A FAM I LY. AN D YOU CAN N EVE R HAVE TOO STRONG OF BON DS WITH TH E PEOPLE YOU LOVE.” - PAU L BR E ITBACH , G R AN DFATH E R

up the phone to call her daughter. “I told her that it must be in God’s plan for her,” Colleen said. “She was a little nervous about what people would think: finances, the future, … but I told her that we would support her.” For Noah, however, it took more time to process this information. “It took me weeks to tell my parents, because I thought I was going to be kicked out of the house,” Noah said. “It was one of the harder things I’ve had to do in my life.” According to Noah’s father, counselor Paul Breitbach, he and his wife suspected something had happened. Although the process of telling his family was stressful, Noah’s parents said they would always support him. “My wife knew right away it was one of two things: either he had broken up with his girlfriend or she was pregnant,” Paul said. “We told him that we’re not mad at him. … Though it was hard, I think it was a relief for him to be able to tell us.” The next course of action was for both families to meet and figure out a plan. A priority for both families was that Noah and Sydney finish high school. Because Paul had previous experience working with other teen parents, the planning stage went smoothly. “I kind of wore two hats. I put my counselor hat on and talked to them about this. And then I put my dad hat on,” Paul said. “But, of course, it all blends together when it’s my son.”

While telling their parents was a big step, facing the rest of the world was yet another challenge. “We kept it kind of close knit for a while, and then [word] got out somehow. … The whole school blew up like wildfire,” Noah said. “I had people talk about me when I was in class.” While Sydney’s pregnancy bump elicited stares, she never directly experienced anything negative. One teacher even reassured her that everything would be okay, telling Sydney that she had her daughter at just 19. Still, Noah and Sydney wish more people talked to them directly instead of spreading rumors. “We know [people] have been talking about us,” Noah said. “For them to come to us face to face, it shows maturity and that you can have an adult conversation, and you don’t have to hide behind someone’s back.” The first trimester of pregnancy proved to be the most difficult; Sydney threw up often, and there were days where she just couldn’t get out of bed. However, she still fully participated in P.E., even running the pacer and getting hit in the stomach by a soccer ball. Although a full-term pregnancy typically lasts 40 weeks, Sydney went to her Friday doctor’s appointment during week 41 still pregnant. She expected to schedule an induction for the following Monday. Instead, the doctor came in and said, “We’re going to have a baby tonight.” Caught off guard, Sydney initially objected, but Noah and her family vowed their support. As she began to push, doctors gave her oxygen to stabilize the baby’s heart rate and set up a mirror so Sydney could see the whole process. On June 22 at 10:57 p.m., Stella Mae Breitbach was born. “When they laid her on my chest, it was crazy,” Sydney said. “My life changed right that second.” Noah shared a similar sentiment, saying, “It’s the most rewarding feeling to be in that room … the day that you’re officially a parent, and you get to see your child for the first time.” Despite the joy they felt, the first three days after Stella’s birth were the hardest. “It hits you right there,” Noah said. “She’s up and crying. You got to feed her. You’ve got to change diapers now. … There’s not time for sleep anymore.” Six months later, sleep remains one of the biggest challenges for the couple. They often wake

PROFILES

DEC, 21, 2018

up multiple times in the night, sometimes only getting two-to four-hour increments of uninterrupted sleep. Noah and Sydney live together, so they alternate who gets up. To spend time with both families, the three live at Sydney’s parents’ home from Monday through Wednesday and with the Breitbach family from Thursday through Sunday. Another obstacle is finding time to still be regular teenagers. “Sometimes you think, ‘What would I be doing right now if I didn’t have her?’” Sydney said. However, with determination and parental support, the couple is making it work. “Doesn’t matter what age you are, being a parent is stressful,” Paul said. “But they’ve done a good job of handling the pressure.” Despite the challenges, Noah and Sydney say that watching Stella grow up makes it worthwhile. “She just makes us laugh all the time. We’ll wake up in the morning at like 6:30, and she’ll be sitting in her crib just laughing at herself,” Noah said. “It’s awesome ... to wake up to someone smiling and happy every morning.” As Stella has grown, Noah and Sydney realize they have matured along with her. For Noah, this means a heightened sense of adulthood and for Sydney, a greater maternal instinct. “I think it’s brought our family closer together,” Paul said. “It’s strengthened us. And you can never have too strong of bonds with the people you love.” Despite the stigma against teen pregnancy, the couple hopes that people understand that teen parents are not necessarily bad people. As they grow up with Stella, their goals remain to stay positive and continue overcoming any obstacles that come their way. “Obviously we didn’t plan it, but no baby is ever a mistake in my eyes,” Noah said. “I don’t have any regrets of what’s going on here. Life goes on. The sun comes up the next day, and you move forward.”

A DAY IN THE LIFE 6:30

Wake up AM Change and feed Stella

7:30 AM

Kirkwood classes

10:00 AM

Stella naps Do homework

12:30

Play time until PM Stella gets hungry or tired

5:00 PM

Feed Stella milk and solids Eat dinner together

6:30 PM

Bath time

7:00 PM

Play with extended family

8:00 PM

Bed time

12:00 AM

Stella wakes up to eat

PHOTOS BY ANJALI HUYNH ART BY FRANCES DAI DESIGN BY JENNA ZENG

PROFILES DEC. 21, 2018

B E H I N D T H E BOO K S H E L F West High’s library staff has worked hard to greatly expand its resources and create opportunities to bring diverse perspectives to students. Here are the stories of the two women spearheading this project.

BETH BELDING Beth Belding gives a book ta l k o n “J u s t M e rc y ” b y B r y a n S t e v e n s o n t o M r. C o o p e r ’ s English 9 class.

BY LUCY POLYAK

est High librarian Beth Belding was born in a suburb of Chicago to a small, quiet family. She grew up in what she described as a, “traditional … conservative, Northern European home.” From that experience, she learned a core set of morals, including the importance of integrity. After moving around Iowa throughout her adolescence because of her dad’s job, Belding wound up graduating from a high school in Mason City, Iowa. Though being rather shy, she spent much of her time working with children and animals. This experience helped spark an interest in a career in education. “I had always been interested in [teaching]. I read a lot of books in high school about kids who had emotional problems and challenges with education, so that’s what I was originally headed to, to special ed. It just sort of evolved,” Belding said. Belding then went on to teach at elementa-

“ WE ALL N E E D TO B E I NVOLVE D AN D DO WHAT WE CAN FOR THOSE WHO DON ’T HAVE ADVOCATES.” - BETH BELDI NG, TEACH ER- LI BRARIAN

ry schools in Minnesota, North Carolina and Iowa. When in Minnesota, however, Belding discovered a different vocational calling. “I realized that I could go to school forever. … I was at a picnic with somebody and they said that they had heard there was a grad assistant opening in the library program,” Belding said. “At the time, I was a grad assistant there, so they covered a lot of my expenses. I taught there and ended up with a degree in library science.” After moving back to Iowa, she got a job working at both Longfellow and Shimek Elementary Schools. Belding received an exciting offer for a new job opening in the West High library after establishing herself as a strong librarian in the district. “I had two girls that were little, and to be with little people all day and then little people all evening, I thought I needed a change,” Belding said. “I was looking at law school and other things when a woman I knew who was here at

PROFILES DEC. 21, 2018

West told me that they had been looking for the right person over here and [asked if I would] consider it. I said that as long as I can be halftime, and I gave it a shot. That was 22 years ago.” Since joining the West High community, Belding has loved the supportive environment, as well as being at a school that highly values academia. She especially enjoys working with students to help them build their research and writing skills in an era where she feels that finding authentic answers is becoming increasingly important. One of the teachers Belding has worked closely with at West is English teacher Darci Witthoft. When Witthoft taught English 9, the two frequently worked together on projects to improve student writing skills and increase their overall passion for reading. “I just love how she relates to all students. Especially with book talks, it’s always so fun to see the kids come to life around her. She’s got this knack of being able to pull out the right quote from the book that, if their heads were down, then got their heads to go up,” Witthoft said. “She’s just someone that’s easy to talk to and always makes time for you, whether you want to talk about school or any other interest you might have. It’s great.” Over the past few years, Belding has tried to make the library a comfortable place for all types of students, where all identities and ideas are welcome. “[I hope] that we’re a safe place and safe people, that we can bring in and expand on what teachers are doing or what kids

Beth Belding shelves books in the non-fiction section.

“ TO B RI NG I N SPECIAL PEOPLE OR MATE RIALS THAT M E ET PEOPLE ’S N E E DS SO THAT WE RE F LECT WHAT TH EY SE E WH E N TH EY LOOK I N TH E M I RROR . THAT ’S TH E B I GG EST TH I NG.” - BETH BELDI NG, TEACH ER- LI BRARIAN

need,” Belding said. “To bring in special people or materials that meet people’s needs so that we reflect what they see when they look in the mirror. That’s the biggest thing.” Monica Winterberg, another English teacher, enjoys seeing the dedication that Belding brings to her job. “She is passionate about what she does, so it’s fun to see her get excited about reading. … [She makes] the library a welcoming place. I wish that I had a library like that when I was in high school,” Winterberg said. Belding credits her goals for the library to having done a fair amount of volunteering around the community. This has shown her the importance of helping those around her. “I was involved with the domestic violence shelter for years and years. I think you become more empathetic to people when you understand that you’re responsible to help them in their struggles,” Belding said. After seeing the impact that the library has on West High students, Belding hopes to create many interesting opportunities for students to engage with learning during the school day. Some of these ideas include bringing in visiting authors, lunch programs and writing workshops. “We’ve also thought about doing symposium in a different way where it’s more like, ‘How can you be the change you want to see in the world?’ so that they’re more tied into social justice,” Belding said. “We all need to be involved and do what we can for those who don’t have advocates.”

PROFILES DEC. 21, 2018

JILL HOFMOCKEL Jill Hofmockel smiles in relief to see t h a t s h e o n l y h a s o n e e m a i l l eft i n h e r inbox.

BY ANNABEL HENDRICKSON

rom providing a friendly face for students to feel welcome to designing bulletin boards in the hallways, Jill Hofmockel juggles a multitude of tasks as one of the two teacher-librarians at West High. Growing up in Glenwood, Iowa, a small town just across the river from Omaha, Nebraska, Hofmockel saw firsthand the development of Iowa City when she came to the University of Iowa in 1992. “Iowa City’s changed a lot in the time that I’ve been here with all of the development. It’s almost like a skyscraper skyline,” Hofmockel said. “It’s a lot bigger town than it was then.” When Hofmockel first began considering occupations, she originally aspired to be Secretary of State of the United States. Once she was a few years into college and began looking at jobs, Hofmockel realized her true desire to go into teaching. “I wanted to be a diplomat and travel the world and do international relations, so my degree originally was in political science,” Hofmockel said. “As it came closer to trying to find a job, I just decided I wanted to teach instead, and so I switched to picking up a teaching license along with my political science degree.” Toward the end of her education, Hofmockel was a U.S. Government and American History student-teacher at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School. When she graduated in the fall, Hofmockel discovered the scarcity of teaching jobs in the winter as the school year had already begun. “I was eligible to work in December, but that’s kind of a weird time to be looking for a

“ SCHOOL LI B R ARI ES AN D PU B LIC LI B R ARI ES ARE KI N D OF A PLACE WH E RE PEOPLE F E E L LI KE TH EY CAN J U ST GO ASK ANYTH I NG.” -J I LL HOFMOCKEL, LI BRARIAN teaching job,” Hofmockel said. “So I was substitute teaching, which is pretty common.” In a stroke of good timing for Hofmockel, the teacher-librarian at Prairie had an injury and needed a substitute for two months. Hofmockel agreed to substitute as the librarian and quickly found her passion. “I had no idea that this was going to be what I ended up doing, but I just loved it,” Hofmockel said. “I stopped looking for teaching jobs and went to grad school instead.” After receiving a master’s degree in library

and information science, Hofmockel worked at Prairie High School for eight years but chose to remain in Iowa City with her husband. Upon having her second child, she found that it was too straining to live in Iowa City and commute to Cedar Rapids, so Hofmockel decided it would be beneficial to find a job in Iowa City. This led her to her current position as a teacher-librarian at West High. “I came to West High because of the reputation of the school library program in Iowa City,” Hofmockel said. “It was really great timing for our family and a really nice professional opportunity for me.” Although it was difficult to switch from working full-time to part-time for the first few years, Hofmockel has fallen back into her routine of working full-time. Working as a teacher-librarian was the perfect career that Hofmockel was searching for, and she loves every opportunity that running the library provides her. “The other thing I really like about my job is that my job is what I make it,” Hofmockel said. “I try to reach out and try to find projects and try to find places where we can collaborate with teachers.” Becky Peterson, a library secretary at West High, works closely with Hofmockel on a regular basis. Having been a co-worker and friend for nearly 11 years, Peterson describes her relationship with Hofmockel as being pretty tight. “She is caring for sure and is just very helpful and always looking out for people,” Peterson said. “And she’s smart; there’s just no bones about it. She’s a smart cookie.” One of the most positive aspects of West

PROFILES DEC. 21, 2018

High, according to Hofmockel, is the amount of literature that is fundamental in classes. “My favorite thing about West is the culture of academics and the culture of reading. I love that this is a school where reading is infused in so many of the curricular areas,” Hofmockel said. “The amount of times that kids come in to check out books for fun is fantastic, and I love being a part of a school where there is a natural curiosity among the students and the desire to read.” As a teacher-librarian, Hofmockel works hand in hand with several of the teachers at West by leading research projects and other library-related subjects. One of these teachers is science teacher Maureen Head. “They teach kids how to be critical consumers of information, how to be sure that the resource they are using for research is credible and appropriate, which is so important these days,” Head said. Head initially met Hofmockel in 2011 when Head began teaching at West. Since then, Head has enjoyed working with Hofmockel’s enthusiasm and knowledge about literature. “She is intelligent, passionate and a great collaborator, and she sends great memes with her emails,” Head said. “I love working with her. It’s been a pleasure to have her as a co-teacher for a couple weeks each year.” It is not just in the academic class-

“ MY FAVORITE TH I NG ABOUT WEST I S TH E CU LTU RE OF ACADE M ICS AN D TH E CU LTU RE OF READI NG. I LOVE THAT TH I S I S A SCHOOL WH E RE READI NG I S I N F U SE D I N SO MANY OF TH E CU RRICU LAR AREAS.” -J I LL HOFMOCKEL, LI BRARIAN

es where teacher-librarians play a role. In curricular classes like P.E. and Health, Hofmockel works with the teachers to incorporate literature into the curriculums. “There are so many classes that infuse literature into what they teach,” Hofmockel said. “It’s pretty rare, I think, for there to be books that you check out of the library as part of your P.E. credit or Health, for example, and the librarians had a lot to do with that getting established.” One of Hofmockel’s most notable programs this year is the library book club, These Books are Lit. The group has a main focus of putting a spotlight on books that shine a light on groups that are marginalized. “Our main focus is bringing attention to books that feature marginalized characters as much as we can,” Hofmockel said. “We’re trying to raise awareness, and it’s nice to have a school where there’s that flexibility.” Although she did not initially plan on a career in literature, Hofmockel loves the aspects of her job that allow her to foster the curiosity of all types of students. “School libraries and public libraries are kind of a place where people feel like they can just go ask anything. We get the most random questions, which is wonderful,” Hofmockel said. “And that’s one of the things I really like about this job, is that every day is different.”

M r. C o o p e r ’ s E n g l i s h 9 c l a s s listens to Jill Hofmockel discuss the book “Peeps” by Scott We s te r fe l d .

PHOTOS BY GWEN WATSON ART & DESIGN BY SELINA HUA

PROFILES DEC. 21, 2018

HANDLING LIFE For seven years, Renee Gould ’22 has been showing dogs. Through difficult times and family stressors, dogs were a constant in her life to provide a sense of confidence and companionship.

PHOTOS BY GWEN WATSON DESIGN BY MADDY EPHRAIM

BY NATALIE DUNLAP & COSI BARRY, WSS INTERN

undreds of dogs yelp and run around the concrete building. Every single bark echoes throughout the whole of the room. Along with animals, a few spectators and owners crowd around the performance area watching the dogs prance around the ring. As a young child competing in her very first dog show, this was a new experience. Today it is a common scene for Renee Gould ’22. Gould first got the itch for showing dogs from attending shows with her parents when she was very young. On one of her many excursions to dogs shows, she realized she’d rather be on the

floor than in the audience. Although she wasn’t planning to compete that day, the judges allowed her to show her dog Lacey, a Doberman pinscher. “They let me go in and show, and I got a big ribbon and had a blast,” Gould said. That day was only the beginning. Gould has since competed in hundreds of dog shows, most of them in the Midwest and South regions. At home, she has a plethora of ribbons. “I’m not even kidding, I have a wall of ribbons in my room, and I can’t even fit all the new ones,” Gould said. “Now they are literally just sitting on

my desk in piles.” Gould grew up going to dog shows, as her parents had hosted them in the past. Her parents have been working with dogs since before Gould was born, so her interest in showing dogs excited them. “This is sort of an obsession that began for me and my husband 20 years ago,” said Colleen Mitchell, Gould’s mother. “We would raise puppies to be pilot dogs for the blind, … so that’s how we got our first Doberman puppy.” After her first show, her training intensified to focus on her handling of the animal. Every

PROFILES

DEC. 21, 2018

MEET THE DOGS

“ANY OLD FOOL CAN TAKE A DOG, PUT TH E M ON A PRETTY LEASH AN D RU N TH E M AROU N D TH E RI NG, BUT TH E RE I S SO M UCH MORE TO IT THAN THAT.” - REN EE GOU LD ‘22

weekend, Gould goes to a training class in Muscatine to work with her dogs. “Any old fool can take a dog, put them on a pretty leash and run around the ring, but there’s so much more to it than that,” Gould said. When Gould wanted to get serious about showing dogs, she and her family added a Doberman named Dolly to their abundance of canines for Gould to compete with. Gould’s family has owned two Toy Fox Terriers and five Dobermans over the course of the years, but there have been many other litters of puppies in and out of their house. Mitchell noticed that Gould’s involvement in dog shows has both given her more confidence

and taught her sportsmanship. She has also learned how to communicate her ideas to authority through talking with the judges. However, Gould’s life hasn’t been all blue ribbons and trophies. In elementary school, Gould faced bullying and the shows didn’t improve her social situation at first. “[The shows] just made me feel more isolated,” Gould said. “Here I was missing school to go to something that nobody else knew about or even cared about.” Though the shows made her feel like an outsider at times, the companionship between Gould and her dogs provided an escape while she dealt with bullying. “My dogs had the ability to completely alter my mood,” Gould said. “It was something to lean on besides myself.” Gould became so connected to the dogs that she would feel distressed when one was away at the vet. After some time, Gould learned to accept herself and value her own opinion more than that of others. It made Gould feel good to succeed and that became more important than what others thought. “It’s always nice to see one of your friends break out of their shell,” said Isa Anderson ’22, who has been Gould’s friend since middle school. Besides bullying, the summer before her eighth-grade year, Gould faced another hardship: her mother was suffering from spinal leakage. Gould felt helpless and scared while her mother was sick. For a little over three months her mom was in and out of the hospital. The illness required Gould to take on more responsibility, especially in caring for the dogs. She would wake up early to let the dogs out, feed them and check on the puppies. When not looking after the canines, Gould was visiting her mom and trying to make life more comfortable for her. “Every evening we went and visited her in the hospital if she was there, or if she was home, we would just make sure she had everything she needed,” Gould said. Although her mom has since made a recovery, this startling experience was a harsh reminder that Gould and her loved ones weren’t invincible. She also realized that time is best spent with the ones you love and doing the things that make you happy. “Life is kind of just too short,” Gould said, “to really care what people who you don’t know think.”

SYDNEY

Breed: Doberman Age: Eight years old Weight: 60-90 pounds Loves: Pets Personality: Passive aggressive

MOCHA

Breed: Doberman Age: Two years old Weight: 60-90 pounds Loves: Playing and snuggling Personality: Very smart

A DV E R T I S E M E N T S DEC. 21, 2018

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

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With the Family First Prevention Services Act passed in February to promote families staying together, members of the ICCSD community share the impact adoption has had on adoptees and adoptive family members alike.

rom “The Fosters” to the “Annie” remake, adoption is portrayed more and more often as a sensationalized portion of media pop culture. However, these stereotypical Hollywood images do not encompass the entirety of an adoptee’s story. Dramatized productions often distort reality, as outlets portray adoption as either a horror story or fairy tale. As a result, many misconceptions about adoption and the children involved spread, with the adoptees’ perspectives often ignored. “I think something that gets left out a lot is that adoptive parents have always held the microphone,” said child and family therapist and City High alumnus Olivia Louko. “They’re adults, so people listen to them whereas adoptees, their stories stop after they’re adopted. They’re just the baby who was adopted and has a good life now. If we don’t seek out and listen attentively to adoptees, then we’re not getting the full picture of adoption.” There are millions of people around the world who have a story to be shared but are often overshadowed by the logistics and motivations behind their adoption. According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), over 440,000 children were in foster care in 2017 in the United States alone. However, while there are many cases of children entering the foster system, adopting children from foster care is typically treated as a last resort in the United States, according to Louko. Instead, the priority of many child

welfare systems, organizations created to ensure the safety of children, is the reunification of children with their biological family. “The biological family should always have the priority to raise the child,” Louko said. “In my view, it’s wrong to remove children from their families unless it’s the last resort, because to raise them outside of their family carries with it all of these issues that can become harmful.” Following the goal of reunification to prevent these potential detrimental situations, on Feb. 9, the United States government passed the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFSPA) as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act. “In the past, most of the funding [the federal government] gave to the states for the child welfare system came after [the] removal of children from the home,” said Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services Jerry Foxhoven. “This act says, ‘Let’s put more money upfront to prevent removal,’ and the federal act then allows for more federal dollars to come in if we spend it on preventing the removal instead of removing first.” The mission of FFSPA is to prevent as many children from entering the foster care system as possible by focusing on keeping families together. Some of the services provided to achieve this include offering federal reimbursement for both mental health prevention and substance abuse treatment, as well as training in a variety of parenting skills. But what happens if staying together is not a possibility?

PHOTOS BY MADDI SHINALL AND WITH PERMISSION FROM DAVID MCNAIR DESIGN BY LYDIA GUO

DEFINING IDENTITY

“O

h, I thought you spoke Mandarin.” Anya Emerson ’21 is no stranger to this phrase. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, although Emerson was born in China, she cannot speak the language at all. She lost this connection to her birth country and language at an early age. Emerson was born in Hunan, China and put up for adoption at the age of one. Even though she looks Asian, she identifies more closely with her adoptive parents’ culture and background, as she was not brought up with Chinese traditions. This is due to the fact that both of her adoptive parents are American. However, the assumptions that people made about her based on her appearance have caused her to feel isolated from the group she personally identifies with. “It’s just kind of shocking that sometimes people will just assume something and just ask either rudely or not rudely,” Emerson said. “They wire a certain group like this, and they assume I’m part of that group, and it’s very ostracizing [and] … disorienting.” This is a common experience for many adoptees, especially those that are a different nationality from their adoptive parents. Despite growing up in a specific country and experiencing that country’s culture for their entire lives, the rest of the world will always tend to see them as the nationality they were born with. As a result, not having that connection to one’s roots and culture leaves many adopted children questioning their identity, as they try to balance a multitude of contrasting cultures. “If you’re adopted cross-culturally, you lose a language, all of the customs that you would’ve grown up with, and there’s no replacement for culture,” Louko said. “A lot of adopted children struggle with identity because when you don’t know where you came from, it can be hard to know who you are, and so throughout life, it’s a continuous process of figuring that out for yourself, so I think people struggle with that at different levels, at different times and different ways.” Another West High student who has firsthand experience with conflicted identity is Catie Miller ’20, who was adopted from Beijing, China. Miller celebrates Chinese New Year as a way to keep in touch with her culture. Although celebrating this traditional holiday helps Miller maintain a connection to her roots, this event holds a deeper meaning than just honoring her culture. Through this celebration, she is able to retain something besides her appearance that reminds her of where she came from. “It’s helpful because then it’s like I have at least a part of me besides my looks that helps me connect to my ethnicity,” Miller said. Emerson’s parents also encourage this connection back to one’s roots. In elementary school, Emerson recalls her mother celebrating Chinese New Year with her schoolmates and bringing in

routines about lion dances, as well as traditional Chinese cuisine. Not only does her family celebrate Chinese New Year but also moon festivals with Emerson’s cousin, who was adopted as well. Louko believes this link to one’s origin is imperative to better understanding and coming to terms with one’s identity. “If you adopt a child from Korea and you never teach them about Korea, … they’re not going to know what it means to be Korean, and they might not even think of themselves as Korean,” Louko said. “The problem is that the rest of the world will always see them that way. You can’t escape being Korean just because your parents didn’t talk to you about what it means to be Korean. So, to not do that is to just totally deprive someone from that part of their identity.” For those who have the resources, traveling back to their homeland is a powerful way to stay in touch with their roots. This opportunity allows adoptees to immerse themselves in the language, food, clothing and many other aspects of their culture, gaining a firsthand experience of the place they were born. For example, Emerson’s parents are very open about her adoption and have always told her if she wanted to visit China or look at her adoption papers, they will utilize their resources to try to comply with her request, as they still have all of her legal papers and Chinese citizenship. This openness regarding her adoption has played a significant role in Emerson’s ability to accept and understand her own adoption, as well as her birth parents’ motives for giving her up. By understanding her past, she feels more confident about being adopted. “I honestly usually don’t have a second thought about adoption. … I’m really proud to be adopted. It’s never been something that I’ve hid, … and I think [my parents’] open communication with that has really helped rather than being, ‘Well, you were adopted, but we don’t talk about it,’” Emerson said. “It’s just been a fact that I was adopted, and I have a really good understanding that [my birth parents] couldn’t take care of me. … It worked out in the end, and I don’t blame them for anything.”

“IF YOU’RE ADOPTED CROSSCULTURALLY, YOU LOSE A LANGUAGE, ALL OF THE CUSTOMS THAT YOU WOULD’VE GROWN UP WITH, AND THERE’S NO REPLACEMENT FOR CULTURE.” -OLIVIA LOUKO, CHILD AND FAMILY THERAPIST

“ I ’ M REALLY PROU D TO B E ADO PTE D. IT ’S N EVE R B E E N SO M ETH I N G THAT I ’ VE H I D.” -ANYA EM E RSON ‘21

However, adopted children still tend to struggle with self-identity due to many unknowns: where they came from, who their family was or why they were given away. That, added to assumptions society places on how certain groups of people should act and look, is a huge burden for adopted children. Many feel the pressure to balance how society expects them to act and how they choose to act. “I want to know what my real name is, not the name that my parents gave me, the name that my biological parents gave me,” said Sam Nester ’21, who was adopted at three months of age from the country of Georgia. “That definitely carries on through your life if you’re adopted.” Not only does the curiosity about an adoptee’s history carry on throughout their life, but the emotional turmoil over why they were given up and learning to adapt to a new family do as well. Nester believes that while he personally does not feel disconnected from his adoptive parents, he understands why others do. “[Teenagers are] all talking about how much

we don’t like our parents, and I’m over here not knowing who my parents are,” Nester said. “Living through life not knowing who your real parents are is not that great of a feeling. … It’s as if you’ve been taken in by two complete strangers. It’s like moving, but on steroids.” Although balancing several cultures and not having definitive answers about their identity is something that adoptees cannot control, they limit how those factors affect their everyday lives and influence their sense of self-worth. “Know who you are and don’t let being adopted affect who you are, and if you’re confident that you know who you are as a person, don’t let the assumptions that people make affect you,” Miller said. Nester emphasizes this idea of not letting the opinions of others interfere with adoptees’ self-confidence and that adoption is nothing to be ashamed of. “Stick through it; be proud of where you came from,” Nester said. “Even if it’s a little hard, it’s who you are.”

“ DO N ’T LET TH E ASSU M PTIO N S THAT PEO PLE MAK E AF F ECT YOU.” -CATI E M I LLE R ‘20

MISCONCEPTIONS

MISCONCEPTION #1: Birth parents did not want or love their children enough to care for them. DEBUNKED: “There’s always that assumption, ‘Oh, did your parents not want you?’ I think it’s [that] they’re literally not able to take care of another child. … It doesn’t make the child who is adopted any less than another child that is kept with their birth parents.” -Anya Emerson ‘21 MISCONCEPTION #2: There is negativity surrounding the idea of adoption. DEBUNKED: “People just seem surprised or confused about it. [While] there’s one side where your parents gave you up, [there’s] another set of people [who] adopt you or want you.” -Catie Miller ‘20

“ STI CK TH ROUG H IT; B E PROU D O F WH E RE YOU CAM E F RO M .” -SAM N ESTE R ‘21

MISCONCEPTION #3: Adoption is usually portrayed as a child losing everything, but when given a new family, they will always be fine immediately after. DEBUNKED: “Adoptees are always brought up as a hopeful thing; you’re giving someone a new chance, but for the adopted person, why did they need that new chance? People don’t want to think about that part … and that it has any impact on the adoptee after, but it does, so to leave that part out is to misunderstand a lot of things about adoptees.”-Olivia Louko, Child and Family Therapist

FINDING A NEW HOME

or months, Lee Longmire had stared at a photo of a child. It was a picture of the little boy from South Korea who would soon become her son. Along with her four biological children, Lee has four adopted children: Philip, Jake and Hannah, all from South Korea, and Thad from China. Because her grandfather was adopted, she always wanted adoption to be part of her family. When she first adopted Philip, she filled out a medical checklist asking if she would accept a child with medical conditions, ranging from mild to severe. She initially checked ‘No,’ but due to recent changes in South Korea’s adoption system, the only adoptions they allowed were for special needs children. From there, Lee matched with Philip, and ever since, she has only adopted children with some sort of physical challenge, from vision impairment to missing limbs. “I thought that I couldn’t handle having a child that had a medical condition or some kind of condition. Through adoption, I think it just really opened my eyes and opened my heart,” Lee said. “It opened the world to me that these things that might look scary on paper are just scary on paper, and in real life, these are just normal, everyday kids.” Lee’s children bring cultural differences to the family as well. When the Longmire family decided to adopt Thad, Lee and her biological daughter Mary Longmire ’19 traveled to China. Although there were language barriers, they quickly bonded. “Thad and I were very close, and we were just hanging out, and it was a lot of fun,” Mary said. “It was a really different experience, but it was a good one. I’m definitely happy I went because I feel like I know more about the process.” After fostering seven different children, chemistry teacher Michelle Wikner also understands the adoption process well. Prior to fostering and meeting her future adopted daughter, Eva, Wikner’s previous experience growing up with an adopted sibling influenced her decision to adopt, in addition to Eva already living with her family at the time. Although some parents prefer to have their own biological children, Wikner believes there are benefits to not having children be exactly like their parents. “Some of the interests [of] my kids have absolutely nothing to do with anything that I would ever do or be interested in, but they’re really into,” Wikner said. “I feel like it has expanded my horizons just by going with what things they’re interested in and finding out more about them.” Despite contrasts between adoptees and adoptive parents, these children are just as much a part of the family. “[Mateo has] always thought of our home as his, and as far as he knows, he’s just a part of the

LONGMIRE FAMILY

FIRST ROW: Thad, Hannah and Philip SECOND ROW: Luke, Mary, Rebekah and Jake

family,” said Garth Anderson ’19, who has an adopted brother with Guatemalan-Mexican roots. Similar to Wikner, Anderson’s family was involved in the foster system and fostered Mateo for eight months after meeting him in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where Anderson’s mother works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “There’s some sort of support to really have a family rather than just nurses taking care of you but actually a place you can call your home,” Anderson said. In addition to gaining new family members, Lee says that adoption has opened her family to becoming more accepting of others’ differences. “We have a lot of limb-different friends and Paralympians that we can now count as friends, and it’s just really opened up a whole world to us,” Lee said. “It’s raising awareness that sometimes you think that every family is like your family, and you don’t realize that there are children and people out there … who maybe aren’t as fortunate.” One piece of advice Lee has for potential adoptive families is to educate themselves about the adoption process and background of adoptees. This is partially due to the fact that while adoption is a chance for children to grow up in a stable, loving environment, it does not come without some sort of loss. “A lot of people think that it’s this beautiful hallmark moment when you adopt a child that the child is just running into your arms and happy and everything. It’s not like that,” Lee said. “Anyone who goes through it [needs] to educate themselves … [and] bring the culture into your family, to allow them to experience their culture,

“THROUGH ADOPTION, I THINK IT JUST REALLY OPENED MY EYES AND OPENED MY HEART.” -LEE LONGMIRE talk to other families who have adopted … and really just try to learn as much as you can.” Wikner believes one of the roles of an adoptive parent is to guide their children through times of confusion regarding identity. “[Adoption] worked really well for our family and … teaching my daughter to be an advocate and to let people know you’re adopted [is important]. It isn’t anything to be ashamed of in any way,” Wikner said. “We were always really open about it. … She’s always known that she was adopted. I think we all feel pretty bonded and connected to each other.” With eight children, the Longmire family is a busy household, but they cherish the memories they make together. “Having a big family and having it the way we have it has had a great impact,” Lee said. “I love the way that our family laughs, jokes about things and the experiences that we share.”

LOOKING BACK

magine not knowing anything about your past: family members, your given name, the story of how your parents met and your medical history. To many, this information may seem obvious, but that is not the case for many adoptees. David McNair, former West and current Liberty High School Spanish teacher, has firsthand experience with the struggles of not knowing everything about oneself. McNair wanted to find out about his medical background to see if anything ran in the family before deciding to start a family. However, he was unable to obtain much information about his biological mother and father due to his adoption being closed, meaning there is no identifying information between the adoptive and biological families. Yet, there has always been a curiosity about his past within him. Throughout his life, he went through different phases of emotions, such as anger and guilt. “When you’re younger, there’s all these things rushing through your head. [I was] very confused, and I still have thoughts about that; it never goes away,” McNair said. “I’m just an adult now with experience and know how to better deal with it and to handle it. There’s definitely no anger. That’s completely gone. The curiosity is still there. I think it will always be there.” Similarly, being adopted from China, Louko has experienced the loss that comes with not knowing about one’s birth family. Looking back on her experience growing up as an adoptee, Louko believes one of the most beneficial actions she took to retain more of her culture and background was studying Chinese and joining several Asian organizations. Although getting in touch with this part of her identity helped Louko feel connected to her Asian ancestry, what helped her complete her identity was joining organizations of other adoptees. “I found that even though I might not gel completely with each adoptee, I still have a connection with them and an understanding I’ve never had with anyone else about adoption,” Louko said. “When I’m with another adoptee, I don’t have to explain what it’s like to be sad about adoption, because they already know.” While adoptees often research the culture they were born into, they are not always able to learn about the history of their specific family tree. “The part that’s hard is that I don’t have family history. I can learn about my roots as far as being black in the United States but not my roots as far as my black father. … That’s part of the curiosity too that I don’t know if I’ll ever have answers to,” McNair said. This curiosity has remained with McNair for the past 46 years of his life and still does to this very day, causing periods of loneliness throughout his life, as he is reminded that he does not have a blood bond with anyone. This lasted until the birth of his four and seven-year-old children.

“[My kids] are the only two people on the planet right now that share my DNA, my roots … It’s not like I ever saw my father in me, because … on that biological level, we don’t share any features,” McNair said. “I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse, [but] it’s different, and I’m experiencing that now a little bit through my children. It’s my first taste of that biological bond.” Community plays a major role in influencing how adoptees mold into an identity that is comfortable for them as well. “I think that your community has a huge impact on your identity, so if you have a community that’s really supportive and you feel like you can fit into, it’s going to be different than if you’re surrounded by people who are always reminding you that you don’t belong there,” Louko said. Growing up as a biracial child in Boone, Iowa, a predominantly white community, was not always easy. McNair and his family experienced racial discrimination and harassment — him for having darker skin and his parents for having a black baby. His mother was German and his father Scottish, so the differences between them were painstakingly obvious. “My mother had some run-ins in the grocery store because they were white and had a black baby,” McNair said. “[There were] looks and, ‘Whose baby is that? Is that your son?’” Today, McNair has embraced his black culture and has plenty of chances to delve not only into his culture, but a wide variety of other cultures as well. He believes that if people want to truly understand someone else’s culture, they have to fully experience it. “Unless [the general public] takes the time to learn things and get into that culture, put that lens on and see life through that lens, they’re not ever going to know exactly,” McNair said. “If you

“[MY KIDS] ARE THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE ON THE PLANET RIGHT NOW THAT SHARE MY DNA, MY ROOTS … IT’S MY FIRST TASTE OF THAT BIOLOGICAL BOND.” -DAVID MCNAIR, SPANISH TEACHER want to learn and understand a different culture, … you kind of have to live it a little bit.” Getting to explore has helped McNair become aware of all the different cultures around him, and he has come to realize that is what makes the world so unique. Similarly, having different kinds of people, adopted or not adopted, makes the world special. “I want to know about all the cultures,” McNair said. “To me, that’s the spice of life. To me, the spice of life is that we’re not all the same.”

David McNair, third from the left, and his wife Christine, daughter Chloe and son Ethan pose for a family portrait.

HOW IT WORKS

n a place filled with metal cribs and crying kids, caregivers scramble from room to room attending to the cries of children ranging anywhere from infants to teenagers. All of them are orphans, awaiting their fates and hoping to be taken in by a loving family. The Immigration and Nationality Act defines orphans as children who, due to the “death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from, both parents” have lost contact with their biological parents. They may also be considered orphans if an “[unwed mother or surviving parent] is unable to care for the child properly and has, in writing, irrevocably released the child for emigration and adoption.” These children enter into orphanages, institutions dedicated to caring for children as they wait for permanent adoption placement. The adoption process varies depending on the circumstances of the adoption and the agency handling the case. This is especially true if the adoption is done domestically or internationally, as the two processes differ. “There’s two types of adoptions that can occur. One of these adoptions is from DHS [Department of Human Services], where the parental rights have been terminated by the state because the parents haven’t been able to get their act together,” Foxhoven said. “The other type is … private adoption, and those are where people either voluntarily give up their rights or it might be a foreign adoption.” One of the differences between domestic and international adoption is that international adoptions are usually closed. In addition, if families are adopting internationally, they must fill out an orphan petition to be approved and apply for a visa, since internationally adopted children are considered immigrants in the United States, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Orphanages remain one of the most popular systems for adoption. According to UNICEF, there is an estimated 153 million orphaned children around the world. While these establishments remain in use worldwide, the United States have ceased orphanage usage in favor of the foster system. The foster care system encompasses foster homes which typically only have a small number of children, sometimes only one, living with a single family who is in charge of their well-being. Historically, orphanages were overcrowded and children were kept in poor living conditions. As child protection and U.S. adoption policy laws began forming, traditional orphanages quickly faded. By the 1960s, the foster system became a government-funded program, according to American Adoptions. However, the foster system is far from perfect. “With regards to issues that you see with foster care, and even with adoption, is that … there is

such a shortage of foster parents who are adoptive parents that a lot of times, the adoptive parents or foster parents aren’t great parents, so there is a large number of issues that arise,” said Juris Doctor (J.D.) attorney-at-law Tucker Kraght. In addition to not having experience with caring for an adoptee, many children in the foster care system come from difficult circumstances such as mental, physical and emotional abuse that may have resulted in trauma. This is often difficult for foster families to handle, especially if they do not have access to appropriate resources. “[Fostering is] difficult to begin with, and … foster care can sometimes exasperate that problem because foster care parents aren’t necessarily always prepared to take on some of the challenges,” Kraght said. “There’s an understanding in society that foster care is this thing that you

do because [someone] likes kids and wants to be helpful, but they don’t understand that they’re taking on the legal responsibility … for another human being’s life. … They’re creating a bond that’s meant to last a lifetime, if not longer.” According to Foxhoven, some other problems with the foster system include not putting enough money into preventing family separations, leading to children having to be removed from their homes, as well as the uncertainty of having a permanent, stable family potential adoptees can depend on. “It can get really complicated, and a lot of times it’s a process that is stressful and understandably, has a lot of emotional complexity,” Kraght said. “At the end of the day, the impact on the children … should be minimized as much as possible. If anything, it’s the safety of the child and the best interest of the child that always comes first.”

vary depending on the type P RO C E S S : may of adoption and agency chosen

DOMESTIC 1. RESEARCH: Learn about the adoption process and the laws and regulations. In addition, pick an adoption professional and agency that will help guide the adoption process. 2. PAPERWORK: Prospective adoptive families must submit personal information to their adoption agency among many other things. 3. HOME STUDY: Licensed social workers evaluate the living conditions and background of prospective adoptive families to determine the fitness of the home for a child. 4. REFERRAL: Families are matched with an adoptee or choose from a waiting children’s list. Depending on the type of adoption, open or closed, information about the prospective adoptive family is sent to the birth family for approval. 5. FINALIZE: Adoption is finalized once presented and approved in court.

INTERNATIONAL 1. RESEARCH: In addition to learning about the process, research what country to adopt from. Pick an adoption agency approved by Hague regulations. 2. PAPERWORK: Prospective adoptive families submit personal information and are approved by the government in the country selected. They answer questions regarding preference over the type of child they would like to adopt as well. 3. HOME STUDY: Similar to domestic adoption, prospective families must complete a home study. 4. CITIZENSHIP PRE-APPROVAL: Prospective adoptive parents must be pre-approved by Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) to adopt and travel to the country selected. 5. REFERRAL: Families are matched with an adoptee or choose from a waiting childrens list and sent pictures or medical reports among other information. 6. IMMIGRATION: After traveling to the country to finalize adoption, adoptees are immigrated and approved by CIS, as well as given a visa by the U.S. Embassy in their birth country.

A DV E R T I S E M E N T S DEC. 21, 2018

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DEC. 21, 2018

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T DEC. 21, 2018

C U LT U R A L

CUISINE

BY DENIZ INCE

OMISOKA SOBA

The holidays don’t always consist of roasting chestnuts on an open fire. From potato pancakes to buckwheat noodles to coconut pudding, here are some meals that hold greater meanings for students as they celebrate the holiday season.

Each person often has a unique way of ringing in the new year. Hanah Kitamoto ’22 does so with buckwheat noodles, called soba, and a quarter-daylong TV program. Like many other Japanese individuals, Kitamoto cherishes Omisoka, a Japanese New Year celebration that takes place on Dec. 31. One part of the celebration is a six-hour-long TV program in which several song artists perform; another is soba. “Since this is a type of noodle that is really long, it’s wishing for a long life, and if you eat it on Dec. 31, which is Omisoka, it makes you live longer,” Kitamoto said. Soba, thus, carries a deeper meaning relating to these Japanese values. “This holiday’s basically a pretty big deal in Japan, especially because people in Japan really emphasize the new year and starting everything new,” Kitamoto said. “It’s really a time of year where a family just gets together, and even if it’s a small family, it’s really nice because you get to make the food together and just spend time together.”

PHOTOS BY ADITI BORDE DESIGN BY FRANCES DAI

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

DEC. 21, 2018

TEMBLEQUE THREE KINGS’ DAY

Two cultures. One holiday. Kiara Malloy-Salgado ’21 has had an upbringing that has allowed her to celebrate a single holiday in two different countries. Having lived in France for a short period but also possessing a deep Puerto Rican family history, Malloy-Salgado says each country was special in observing Three Kings’ Day. The holiday’s celebration resembles the gift-giving aspect of Christmas, as it commemorates the Three Wise Men visiting and giving gifts to Jesus Christ. “In France, it’s much more low key, … and then in Puerto Rico, it’s like you get every corner of the family together,” Malloy-Salgado said. Malloy-Salgado claims her mother’s tembleque is her favorite and describes it as a “coconut kind of jello-y thing that you put some cinnamon on the top.” For Malloy-Salgado, the holiday holds cultural and familiar importance. “Honestly, it’s just like my connection back to Puerto Rico,” Malloy-Salgado said.

HANUKKAH LATKES

Lighting each of the nine candles on the menorah one night at a time, Evan Zukin ‘22’s family comes together to celebrate Hanukkah. On the dinner table sit a few of Zukin’s favorite treats: hamantaschen and latkes. “My grandma makes these, they’re (hamantaschen) like triangle cookies with a little filling in the center,” Zukin said. “There’s this evil person against Jews back in the ancient days, and he always wore a triangle hat. So that triangle cookie symbolizes his hat.” Supposedly, eating this cookie serves as an act of defiance against this man. While hamantaschen carries a large cultural significance, oftentimes latkes, described as potato pancakes, are the quintessential Hanukkah snack. In addition to making for a delicious holiday, the foods represent a deep cultural history. “It’s the food that symbolizes the past, and to me, it’s the family coming together,” Zukin said. “It’s just a great environment that’s really important to me.”

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

THE BATHROOM

DEC. 21, 2018

WACKY WORK SPACE Toothbrush hanging from your mouth, you throw your bag by the door before running back to the bathroom to get ready. During this frenzy, you suddenly realize you have an exam but forgot to study. Can’t make it to the library? Here are some unusual study spaces recommended by West High students. BY KARA WAGENKNECHT PHOTOS BY MOHAMMEDHILAL AL-ANI ART & DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

“ I STU DI E D I N TH E BATH ROOM ONCE . IT WAS A MATH TEST … I N GEOM ETRY HONORS. I ASKE D TO GO TO TH E BATH ROOM , SO I HAD A COU PLE EXTR A M I N UTES TO STU DY SOM E FORM U LAS.” - H EATH ER CRAIG ‘19

Forgot about your AP Statistics test fifth hour and need an extra minute to study? Head on over to the nearest restroom and fumble through your Quizlet about probability and standard deviation one last time before heading back to class. Though your teacher might question you for it, they can’t deny you of your “natural bodily functions.”

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

THE CAR

“ I N MY CAR … [I WAS STU DYI NG] SPAN I SH; I WAS STU DYI NG FOR [A TEST] DU RI NG FOU RTH , AN D I HAD IT SIXTH ” - PEYTON TUTTLE ’20

Need an escape from the constant chatter through the halls? Get a bit of fresh air and head on over to your car. Roll the windows down and enjoy the wind blowing through your hair as you cram for your next final without any distractions. Is the silence too much? Turn on the radio and listen to some tunes while you frantically review the Civil War material you should have studied last night.

DEC. 21, 2018

THE COMMONS

“ I N TH E FRONT OF TH E BU I LDI NG [BY TH E GYM] … BECAUSE IT I S TH E ON LY OTH E R PLACE WH E RE TH E RE ’S ACTUALLY TABLES” -ANANTH SHYAMAL ’21

Your legs rapidly move in front of one another as you hustle your way towards the school. After getting stuck behind a red light that went on forever, you make it inside. Take a second to study in the commons in front of the gym. If time runs out, crack your book open while traveling to class. Even though you’ll probably run into a person or two, you’ll still be satisfied with your A- on that test you previously knew nothing for.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T DEC. 21, 2018

2018 IN FILM:

A YEAR IN REVIEW

BY HARRY WESTERGAARD

Web film critic Harry Westergaard offers his thoughts on some of the more popular movies from 2018, as well as a few you may have missed.

Credits: Marvel Studios

Credits: Paramount Pictures

Credits: Tremolo Productions

BLACK PANTHER

A QUIET PLACE

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

When “Black Panther” burst into theaters earlier this spring, audiences and critics alike applauded it for its fresh feeling in a world of stale, formulaic superhero movies. The movie not only broke ground, being one of the first big budget superhero movies to feature a predominantly black cast and crew but is also just a great movie. This is helped by the fact that up and coming talent Ryan Coogler is in the director’s seat. Though he only has a couple films to his name (including the immensely successful Rocky sequel “Creed”), Coogler has already established himself as having a knack for giving genre films humanity and substance. He gives his characters weight, and this couldn’t be truer of “Black Panther,” a film where you side with the antagonist almost as much as the hero. In addition, Michael B. Jordan gives one of his most memorable performances thus far as Erik Killmonger, the film’s antagonist. Very rarely are superhero films this perfect, but “Black Panther” is the real deal.

American blockbusters are traditionally very loud, at least where sound effects are concerned. That’s why it is a pleasant surprise that a film like “A Quiet Place” became a hit earlier this year. Directed by and starring John Krasinski, the film follows a family living in silence because of a creature with an extremely acute sense of hearing. The movie plays like a silent film for much of the runtime, and this requires a lot of restraint from Krasinski as the director. He mostly succeeds, but the film’s biggest flaw is its reliance on the score by Marco Beltrami. Too often does it get in the way of scenes that would have been more tense if they had been without music, utter silence such as the small creeks and natural sounds of everyday life that could lead to the deaths of the main characters. However, it is still a very good film that keeps you on the edge of your seat for much of the runtime like no other film this year.

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor” is a well made documentary that efficiently explores the legacy of Fred Rogers through archival footage and interviews with family members and cast members from “Mister Rogers Neighborhood.” They all lovingly confirm that, yes, Fred Rogers was actually that kind in day-to-day life. Rogers was unflinchingly steadfast in his attempts to take television and used it as a tool to get across his philosophy of universal kindness and respect for all, children in particular. The documentary has a breezy, bittersweet feeling to it, and it is quite easy to get swept up in Rogers’ story. Near the end of the film, the interviewees were asked how they thought Fred would react to the current situation in the U.S. While there is no answer to that for sure, this documentary perfectly captures his ethos and has served to remind many people of him in such divided times when a figure like him is needed.

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

DEC. 21, 2018

THE OLD MAN & THE GUN Robert Redford has had a minor resurgence in recent years with roles in big genre blockbusters such as “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and the remake of “Pete’s Dragon,” so it comes as a shock that he would decide to retire with this film. When you put things into perspective and look back at Redford’s impressive career, spanning almost sixty years and including two academy awards and four nominations, it is safe to say he has had a good run. “The Old Man & The Gun” is the film he claims to be his last; he couldn’t have picked a better film to go out with. As an actor, Redford perfectly captures the en-

ergy of his classic roles in the 1970s. He may be 82 years old, but the performance is a youthful one of a man in his prime. Stylistically, the film emulates the look and tone of his work from the 70s New Hollywood films, almost eerily at times with the weathered effect director David Lowery gives to the movie. The film generated some buzz but wasn’t incredibly successful at the box office. Though the story is by no means groundbreaking, it is a well made film with a lot of charm, a fitting send off for the Redford legend. FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

Credits: Condé Nast, Endgame Ent., Others

HEARTS BEAT LOUD “Hearts Beat Loud” is a low-key character study that stays afloat due to the strong performances of its two lead actors. The film concerns the relationship between widower Frank (Nick Offerman) and his daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) as she prepares to leave for college. The two share musical jams together and have a minor hit with a single the dad cuts and releases independently. Granted, a couple of the plot points in the film are predictable, but the performances feel like a great labor of love from the leads. Offerman, in particular, seamlessly incorporates drama into his role, adding weight to his

character without making this his “serious performance.” He also does a good job portraying the character as a strong male lead without ever being toxic or overly demanding of his daughter. Frank ultimately wants what is best for her, which drives much of the conflict in the film. Kiersey Clemons is also convincing, playing the role like a real person rather than a stereotypical “difficult teenager.” The original music by their band that is featured in the film is pretty solid as well. On the whole, the film is just a sweet, heartwarming little picture, something that is welcome in de-stressing times. Credits: Burn Later Productions, Others

SORRY TO BOTHER YOU In a year that was dominated by high quality genre films, “Sorry to Bother You,” came as something of a surprise. It was even heralded in genre terms as “This year’s ‘Get Out,’” but I think that this description does the film a disservice. As a director, Boots Riley plays up the satire element and downplays the horror. The end result is a grim, yet also vibrant and jumpy critique of race and capitalism in America. Riley’s screenplay is brimming with fascinating ideas, including a “white voice” that Cash uses to excel at his job. There are almost too many ideas for the movie’s own good, and as a result, some of Credits: Significant Productions, Others

the plot points can feel tacked on. For the most part, everything clicks. Though billed as a comedy, it is not exactly a film where you laugh at every scene. There are moments that make you chuckle, but the real draw of the film is its absurdist story and the way it somehow manages to become increasingly strange as the plot progresses. “Atlanta” and “Get Out” actor Lakeith Stanfield shines as Cash Green, the film’s lead, proving that he is just as effective at carrying the film as in character roles. “Sorry to Bother You” is a little jarring, but I saw no other film quite as hauntingly memorable this year. DESIGN BY SIMON JONES

SPORTS

DEC. 21, 2018

BY MARTA LEIRA & MISHA CANIN, WSS INTERN

Players’ jersey numbers allow others to identify them on and off the court or field. They carry these numbers on their back, and for some, it has become an integral part of who they are. Whether they are scoring a goal, shooting a three-pointer or hitting a home run, what makes each individual athlete special is the number they wear on their jersey. Learn the stories behind some of these numbers. PHOTOS BY ALYSSA SKALA & KARA WAGENKNECHT AND COURTESY OF SCHUYLER HOUSTON DESIGN BY AMY LIAO

AUDREY KOCH’21 “My basketball number is meaningful to me, because it’s the number I had when our team won state last year. It’s also meaningful because it was the number between my sister [Emma Koch ’19] and a teammate [Logan Cook ’18] who graduated, and they wanted me to be the number between them. Lastly, the number 23 was also my dad’s number when he played basketball.”

JUSTIN THOMAS’19 “Number three was actually randomly assigned to me in fourth grade football. It kind of became a part of my identity. Some people call me JT3. Since eighth grade, I’ve worn 13, 20, 11 and 46, but I was thrilled to return to number three for my senior season. ... It brought me back to the start of my football career and why I fell in love with the game”.

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DEC. 21, 2018

SCHUYLER HOUSTON’21

E VA BURBIDGE’20

“I always choose 24 after my favorite baseball player of all time, Willie Mays. … It’s more of a comfort thing. ... Every time you look down at your jersey, you’re reminded of some spectacular player that you need to honor.”

“I’m number 13 because that was my older brother’s number when he played baseball [at West], and I loved going to his games when I was younger, so I just decided to be the same number as him in softball.”

CLAIRE OVERTON’19 “Until my freshman year, I had never had a number for more than one season. For club season my freshman year, I got asked what I wanted. I thought about different numbers and decided I wanted number 13 since it was supposedly ‘unlucky,’ and I thought that was kind of a funny thing. I also wanted to make number 13 a lucky number for myself.”

PATRICK MCCAFFERY’19 “I’ve worn the number 22 my whole life. I started wearing it because my dad was a basketball coach, and my favorite player on his team [Ryan Rossiter] was number 22. … It developed even more of a meaning when me and Austin Schroeder [Flash] wore the same number. Then he went on to pass, and so now it has way more meaning than it did before.”

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DEC. 21, 2018

A SECOND CHANCE After moving to the U.S. from Kazakhstan, Val Trussov â&#x20AC;&#x2122;19 joined the boys swim team last year and helped in their journey to a 13th place finish at the 2018 State Swimming Meet. This year, he returns as a varsity team captain with one thing on his mind: a comeback season. BY SOPHIE STEPHENS

PHOTO BY SEAN BROWN DESIGN BY RAIN RICHARDS

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he smell of chlorine hits him as he walks into the recreation center’s pool area. The lights are dim and the pool deck is empty besides him and his brother. The only sound in the building is the water lapping at the sides of the pool. He jumps in and begins another individual practice. The personal training is worth it, because he knows it will help him ensure a spot at the 2019 State Swimming Meet. Val Trussov ’19 trained alone for nine months following what he considered a disappointing performance at last year’s state meet. In his second and final year on the varsity swim team, his comeback season means one thing: winning state. When Val first started swimming five years ago in Kazakhstan, he ranked roughly 172nd in the state, only competing three or four times. Despite the lackluster support swimming received in his community, Val continued to swim, working towards competing in the East Kazakhstan Regionals. “I said to my coach, ‘I’m going to [regionals] this year,’” Val said. “Every single person smiled at me and they were like, ‘Good luck with that.’ Somehow I ended up winning [regionals] which was really awesome.”

“ WE DON ’T HAVE ANY OPPORTU N ITI ES BACK HOM E TO SWI M AN D TO B E APPRECIATE D I N TH E SCHOOL .” -VAL TRUSSOV ‘19 One year after winning a title at the East Kazakhstan Regionals, Val moved to the U.S. for better swimming opportunities with the help of his brother Roman. Roman moved to Iowa to swim for the University of Iowa, swimming alongside West varsity head coach Byron Butler. Six years after moving, Roman invited Val to move to the U.S. to swim in high school to help him prepare for a college swimming career in the U.S. Last year, Val attended Scattergood Friends

DEC. 21, 2018

School, a private school in West Branch. However, he could swim for West because there was no collective sharing agreement, meaning that instead of Scattergood swimmers being connected to one specific school, the swimmers use their address to determine which school they will swim for. After last year, Val transferred to West for his senior year, noting the differences between swimming here and in Kazakhstan. “We don’t have any opportunities back home to swim and to be appreciated in the school,” Val said. “Here, you can be dismissed from school because you have a swimming meet, you can be excused for your homework because of a swimming meet. In my home, it’s not exactly like that. … Some sports they appreciate, but swimming is not one of them.” Since last season’s State Swimming Meet did not go as planned, Val began privately training with his brother, who is now the assistant coach for the University of Iowa Women’s Swimming and Diving Team. Last year, Val developed a case of infectious mononucleosis, commonly known as mono, for two months prior to state. Since his recovery lasted nearly three months, Val believes he was not at his best competitive level. However, he says this will not be a problem will not be repeated this year because of his time spent independently training. Butler has noted Val’s improvement not only in his swimming abilities but also in how he leads the team. “[He is] being vocal and calling guys out when they aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing and positive reinforcement for them when they are,” Butler said. “In terms of swimming, he trained really hard. … His endurance is a little bit better, his top end speed is much better and he’s put on a lot of strength. It’s really been showing up in his performance early on.” As a captain this year, Val leads warm ups and keeps teammates on task. Butler chose Val as a captain because he represents team values. “Most of my captains are at every single practice — morning, night, the voluntary ones — they’re there,” Butler said. “Most of them are pretty vocal, they lead by example, so they are doing all the little things right. They’re team focused over individually focused. … Those attributes are really important.” Teammate and captain Coleman Riss ’19 sees these attributes in Val as well. Riss, being a firstyear varsity swimmer, credits Val’s success to his ability to learn and be coached. “Val is a good teammate,” Riss said. “He’s at every practice; he shows up. He leads well; he leads all of our warm ups. … He’s just a really hard worker, … and he’s a really good listener. He knows his goals and he keeps focus on them

so he just goes after it.” Although Val knows that the private practices with his brother will help him get to the collegiate level, he is excited for West swimming. The most exciting part of the new season is that Val can swim with a team again.

“ WH E N I KNOW TH E RE ’S A GUY RIGHT N EXT TO M E , MY B EST F RI E N D, AN D TH I S GUY DE PE N DS ON M E , HOW FAST I SWI M , I ’ M GOI NG TO PUSH H I M AN D H E ’S GOI NG TO PUSH M E .” -VAL TRUSSOV ‘19 “It’s absolutely fun to start a new season and it’s an amazing feeling to swim with a team … Swimming is a really tough sport in the idea that you have really to love the sport because if you think about it, you’re just making circles,” Val said. For Val, the most important factor that will help the varsity team make it back to state this season will be working as a team instead of competing as individuals. Although some people see swimming as an individual sport, Val uses the team dynamic as motivation. “When I know there’s a guy right next to me, my best friend, and this guy depends on me, how fast I swim, I’m going to push him and he’s going to push me,” Val said. “Your friends on your team know that in the relay you are fighting not for yourself, but you’re fighting for each other. I don’t want to win as individuals, I want us to win as a team. I would prefer us to be third or fourth as a team than to be first as individuals.”

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DEC. 21, 2018

6th Iowa High School Football Ranking

13-23 Record during the 2018 volleyball season

9-2 Record during the 2018 football season (both losses to Bettendorf)

24th Girls team qualified for the state championships for the 24th consecutive year

11th Kyle Spence â&#x20AC;&#x2122;19 tied for 11th at the Iowa High School State Golf Championship

As the season of winter sports are in full swing, West High athletics has been celebrating their success in all six of the fall sports. Here are some highlights of the season. COMPILED BY THOMAS DUONG PHOTOS BY SEAN BROWN & KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

1st Rylee Fay ’20 First Team All-MVC

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3rd

DEC. 21, 2018

Kolby Greiner ’19 finished 3rd at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championship with a time of 15:44.1

“ YOU ARE N EVE R GOI NG TO G ET TO DO TH I S AGAI N , SO YOU M I G HT AS WE LL TAKE IT WH I LE YOU HAVE IT.” - KO LBY G RE I N E R ‘19

6th Place at the 2018 Iowa High School State Swimming and Diving Meet with 143 points scored

7th Boys team finished 7th at the 2018 Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships

2nd Aurora Roghair ’20 and Scarlett Martin ’21 both posted 2nd place individual finishes at the 2018 Iowa High School State Swimming and Diving Meet Sources: MaxPreps, QuikStats, Iowa PGA Jr, OnlineRaceResults, Cedar Valley Preps

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DEC. 21, 2018

THE ELIGIBILITY QUESTION

Every student-athlete dreams of seeing bright lights and raucous crowds as they prepare to compete. Before this vision can become a reality, however, they must be eligible. Athletic eligibility at West has three equally-important components: academic performance, conduct code adherence and compliance with Iowa policies on years of eligibility permitted.

BY WILL CONRAD

Academics At West, athletes must pass all classes to be considered athletically eligible. If a student-athlete receives an F as a final grade in a given trimester, they are ineligible to compete for the following 30 days. However, some coaches have their own stricter sets of rules. One reason for this policy is to ensure that athletes keep academics as their first priority. “We’re students first. And in life, we’re going to succeed by how we do academically and in the classroom,” said head baseball coach Charlie Stumpff. “Very few of us are going to be able to go play college athletics, and an even smaller portion are going to be professional athletes. Enjoy the ride in high school and get on and do the things that are important, and that’s academics.” However, academics and athletics are not at odds. Many times, good work ethic in the classroom can translate to good performance on the playing field. Despite this, head basketball coach Steve Bergman does not always believe that grades are representative of this work ethic. “I have had kids who get all C’s, but when you talk to their teachers you find out they’re really doing their best. You have kids who are getting B’s and C’s and you hear from their teachers that they’re underachieving,” head boys basketball coach Steve Bergman said. “I think if you’re an underachieving student, you’re likely to be an underachieving athlete. Some of those same character traits that make them underachieving students carry over.” While West opts for a “zero classes failed” approach per Iowa High School Athletic Association guidelines, other schools require a certain GPA for students to stay academically eligible. Both systems have benefits and drawbacks. “It’s frustrating if a kid gets four B’s but has one bad class and gets an F compared to a kid who gets five D’s and is eligible,” Bergman said. “A kid who gets four B’s probably [can avoid] getting an F. Usually, [they] got an F for some reason that’s his or her fault.” Ensuring that the requirement is achievable by all students is always a primary concern in potential policy changes. “Some kids struggle with school and they really

Conduct

“ E NJOY TH E RI DE I N H I GH SCHOOL AN D GET ON AN D DO TH E TH I NGS THAT ARE I M PORTANT, AN D THAT ’S ACADE M ICS.” -CHARLI E STU M PFF, H EAD BASEBALL COACH would like to play sports and if it’s not attainable, that could drive a lot of students to not be able to play,” said wrestler Marck Avalos ’19. For many students, staying athletically eligible is a powerful motivation to do well in the classroom setting. A 2014 University of Kansas study found that student-athletes had higher percentages of school attendance and graduation rates and lower dropout rates than their non-athlete counterparts. “They’re at least in an organized, positive environment that hopefully keeps pushing them forward,” Stumpff said. “I’ve known kids that have come through here that have been poor students at West and for whatever reason they were able to stay eligible and they went to a junior college [ju-co], which doesn’t require ACT or GPA. Then they graduated from the ju-co and went and graduated from a four-year institution. If you had taken athletics away from them that wouldn’t have happened, ever. They would not have graduated.”

Conduct codes are another important part of athletic eligibility. West’s student activity conduct code bars students from possessing, using or purchasing tobacco, alcohol or other controlled substances. It also prohibits illegal activities that would lead to arrests or citations, regardless of whether these activities actually resulted in legal consequences. First offenses lead to suspension from one-third of athletic competitions, second offenses lead to suspension from one-half of athletic competitions and third offenses lead to suspension from athletic competitions for 12 calendar months. Violations of this policy are yearly difficulties for coaches. “It’s frustrating to see violations happen, and yet you understand it’s going to happen,” Stumpff said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and unfortunately you see it with a lot of athletes. I don’t know what the reason is, because you always hope that athletics is enough of a carrot to keep them moving in the right direction.” On any team, adhering to the conduct codes is a part of holding oneself accountable to fellow teammates. “We talk about ‘the team before I,’ and that’s hard for people because human nature is to look out for yourself. We all do that,” Bergman said. “To have a successful team you have to get more of the guys who are more committed to the team than themselves and worried more about the team goals than individual goals.” “You can’t have athletes doing whatever they want to just because they’re athletes. If you do something and become ineligible, it affects everyone else on your team too,” said basketball player Even Brauns ’20. In addition, these goals can help athletes prepare for responsibilities that they will have to deal with in life beyond high school. Athletic eligibility is a useful tool to instill these values in student-athletes. “I think it’s important in regard to teaching values of what we’re going to be. Throughout society, we’re always going to have standards,” Stumpff said. “If we don’t meet them, some consequences are going to happen. By and large it’s good training for student-athletes.”

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DEC. 21, 2018

0.81 higher GPA for athletes compared to average students Source: North Carolina High School Athletic Association

Athletes missed 5.6 fewer days of school than average student Source: North Carolina High School Athletic Association

18.4%

of schools require athletes have no Fs

24.8%

of schools have a minimum GPA requirement

40.0%

of schools exceed their state athletic association’s academic eligibility requirements Source: The Sports Journal

9.7% lower dropout rate for athletes compared to average student Source: North Carolina High School Athletic Association

8 30

consecutive semesters of competition allowed for athletes beginning in ninth grade day suspension mandated by the IHSAA if an athlete fails a class

Source: IHSAA rulebook

Years of eligibility In Iowa, student-athletes have four years of athletic eligibility in all sports excluding summer sports, such as baseball and softball. With these sports, athletes are permitted to compete in both the summers following their eighth grade and senior years. At West, however, few rising freshmen compete at the varsity level in baseball. “Most eighth graders for us are playing at a freshman-sophomore level,” Stumpff said. “Very few eighth graders are playing at a varsity level at our school.” Bergman largely agrees that changing the years of eligibility for each athlete would not cause a large shift in West’s teams, citing that many eighth grade basketball players need more development before competing at the varsity level. “It’s hard for even freshman and sophomores to mix in with juniors and seniors,” Bergman said. “Most of the time, I’ve had really good kids that facilitate that and make it work the best it can, but it’s hard, even as freshmen, so eighth grade would be even tougher.” Still, other states, such as Minnesota, have opt-

ed to allow students six years of eligibility for high school athletics, with added years in seventh and eighth grade. The reasoning for this change is to allow students who are prepared to compete at a higher level to test themselves among older athletes. Some, like Brauns, would be in favor of such a change simply because it would provide more options. “It’s something where there’s no reason they shouldn’t have it in place,” Brauns said. “It helps kids. Kids get more years, more playing time. Everyone benefits.” While a change to Iowa’s rules that mirrors Minnesota’s would likely not affect the makeup of West’s athletic teams, it might have a more profound impact on smaller schools in the state. “I would guess if you would ask questions at smaller schools, like Highland in 1A, they would say ‘Yes, I would love to have another pool of athletes,’ because there will be a couple of them that are mature enough to help them out,” Stumpff said. “For us, we’re fine with the way it is, but it would be something to explore.”

“ IT ’S SOM ETH I NG WH E RE TH E RE ’S NO REASON TH EY SHOU LDN ’T HAVE IT I N PLACE . IT H E LPS KI DS.” - EVEN BRAU NS ‘20 DESIGN BY BRENDA GAO

OPINION DEC. 21, 2018

PRICE OF ADMISSION As universities around the country attempt to build more diverse classes, barriers for entry still remain for low-income students. BY WILL CONRAD

s low-income students apply to college, at each step there is another obstacle. When the first colleges in the United States were founded, they were for the wealthy. Although today American colleges have made some strides through financial aid and application fee waivers, the application process still favors wealthier individuals from the start to the end. Low-income students are at a disadvantage from the get-go. Standardized test fees are usually around $50 per session. While students can apply for fee waivers to take the SAT or ACT, these waivers only cover two sessions of each test, as per College Board and ACT’s respective policies. Many high-income students have the

ACT sell. This forces many low-income students to take the test with comparatively less knowledge of the content on it. There’s a proven correlation between family income and standardized test scores. After College Board’s data showed a gradual decline in scores as income decreases, including a nearly 400 (out of 1600) point gap on SAT performance between students whose families earn $200,000 or more and students whose families earn $20,000 or less, College Board attempted to redesign their test to avoid cultural biases. Unfortunately, the gap has persisted. ACT scores follow the same trend, with a gap of 4.1 points (out of 36) between high-income and low-income students. After low-income students fight an uphill

“ LOW-INCOME STUDENTS ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE FROM THE GET-GO.” luxury of using one or two exam attempts as practice sessions, knowing their families can afford to pay for additional tests. Low-income students, on the other hand, have to deal with the pressures of having a finite amount of test dates. A major problem is that fee waivers do not cover the cost of switching a test date. If a student who qualifies for a fee waiver becomes ill on their scheduled test date, they cannot reschedule without incurring fees that could be a hardship to their family, further limiting their performance on standardized tests. Also, high-income families can afford study materials that low-income families cannot. Some of these materials, such as private tutoring sessions and supplementary workbooks, third parties often provide; others, such as study books and practice tests, College Board and

battle through standardized testing, they must contend with admissions practices such as early decision, legacy admissions and application fees. To clarify, early decision admission plans are application processes many private colleges and universities offer in which applicants submit their applications earlier and pledge to go to that college if accepted in exchange for an earlier decision date and often a higher acceptance rate. At face value, it appears to be a mutually-beneficial program that connects students to colleges that want committed students. However, the process becomes more questionable considering that colleges require students to promise to attend despite not informing them on financial aid. For many low-income students, pledging to attend a college without knowing the cost is not feasible. While there are cost estimators available, there

is still risk involved due to changing family income that these calculators may not account for. Backing out of these agreements due to financial strain is possible, but time-consuming, so many low-income students avoid them altogether. Legacy status is a privilege given to applicants whose family members have attended that particular university. Often, legacy status comes with a higher chance of admission. However, most low-income students cannot take advantage of legacy status because few members of their family have attended four-year institutions, considering the average salary for Americans without a college degree is $35,256. While many colleges claim that observing legacy status leads to more alumni donations, the process is undoubtedly providing another barrier between low-income students and prestigious universities. Even after navigating through all previous obstacles, low-income students must face one final complication on the last page of the Common Application: the application fee. For many elite schools, these fees can range from $70-100. Although some schools offer fee waivers, students sometimes do not want to ask for them. The process of requesting a fee waiver can be embarrassing. Why would students want to admit their poverty? When Trinity College restructured their fee waiver program to automatically grant fee waivers to students who were the first in their families to attend college, the number of these students who were admitted increased by 50 percent. Removing the requirement for students to admit their poverty when applying can pay dividends. To continue making our colleges and universities open to all students, we must dismantle the obstructions which keep low-income students out. This includes making standardized test prep materials and test sessions affordable, informing students of financial aid opportunities before early decision deadlines, restructuring legacy status benefits and making application fee waivers more accessible.

OPINION

DEC. 21, 2018

THE NAME GAME Reporter Anjali Huynh outlines why correctly pronouncing names should be more of a priority in American society. BY ANJALI HUYNH

or many students, the first day of school signifies the beginning of a new grade, the chance to begin a period of educational promise and renewed social growth. While these feelings remain true for me, the ringing of the first bell always inevitably brings forward one thought: How will my new teacher butcher my name this time? To put it mildly, Anjali Linh Huynh is not a common “American” name. Having Vietnamese and Indian heritage, my parents gave me a name that paid respect to their backgrounds. I have never been ashamed of this. Because my upbringing lacked customary Asian traditions or nearby relatives, I often fell back on my name as a reminder that my ethnic identity was valid. Yet the same thing that gave me a sense of pride and individuality transformed into a weapon others used against me. Though neither I nor my parents changed my name, others decided to undertake this task themselves. My “foreign” name becomes nothing short of a guessing game, an inconvenient tongue twister for the reader to stumble over. While my name is supposed to be pronounced “Uhn-juh-lee,” I have been called anything from “On-jolly” to “Ann-jol-eye” to even names as baffling as “Angela.” To some degree, I understand unintentional mispronunciations. After all, making mistakes is a part of human nature. However, the biggest offense is the lack of effort when it comes to respecting non-traditional names. It is not so much the initial mispronunciations that are disturbing, but rather, the lack of effort involved. Oftentimes, others take a look at my seemingly-difficult name and give up before they even start. Or, after I clarify the pronunciation multiple times, they still mispronounce it until I ultimately feel too defeated to care. As a result of constant errors, many people with non-Western names, including myself, adapt to a toxic culture of ignorance. This often

involves completely changing names to make them “easier” to pronounce. When I said my name at coffee shops or clothing stores, little expressions of frustration or sighs of disapproval appeared, followed by a rude, “And how do you spell that?” Now, I often resort to saying that my name is “Anna” to avoid inconveniencing employees. Similarly, many of my friends westernized their names themselves, going solely by “English names” rather than birth names. What I came to realize, however, was that by doing such things, we give up a part of our identities solely for the comfort of others. As someone who is already isolated from my ethnic culture, this forced assimilation feels like betrayal. Dismissing name mispronunciations as insignificant or part of the status quo is incredi-

“ TH E STAN DARD SHOU LD NOT B E ASKI NG STU DE NTS TO ADAPT TH E I R NAM ES TO B ETTE R F IT OTH E RS’ STAN DARDS.”

bly ethnocentric. When names are deemed “too difficult” or “too foreign” to pronounce, what this really means is that others do not care about the individual’s culture to begin with. Suggesting that a name is challenging because it is different implies that people get a pass to blatantly disregard correct pronunciation because a name is alien to them. Continuing a tradition of accepting ignorance and indifference does not better the community; instead, it hinders a potential learning opportunity. A person’s name is as integral to their identity as the gender they identify with or the color of their skin. It is the first thing people learn when meeting a new person, the first form of identification that people know. The standard should not be having students adapt their names to fit others’ standards or allowing others to continue failing to pronounce names correctly. Instead, individuals should consider the respect they would like to see with their own names and apply it to others. Being understanding and accepting of other cultures remains a difficult task for many, especially given the current climate in this country. Kindness and respect are attributes that others should be willing to ingrain into their everyday routines. Anyone can adopt these characteristics in a manner of ways through showing regard for other names and building respectful, culturally-aware communities. Simply asking someone to clarify how to correctly pronounce their name can go a long way. So the next time, dear reader, that you stumble across a name that seems to require a manipulation of your tongue in a manner you think not to be possible, I advise you to look again. Each pronunciation, no matter how seemingly insignificant or irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, does matter. I can assure you that these individuals will be grateful for the time and effort exercised in doing so. PHOTOS BY MADDI SHINALL DESIGN BY SIMON JONES

foster care government p r4i8v a t i z a t i o n money victim E D I TO R I A L DEC. 21, 2018

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P R I VAT E P R O M I S Es a f

children chance development life

education regulations

As many states increase efforts to privatize the foster care system, the WSS editorial board looks into the varying opinions and controversies surrounding this course of action.

YES

Government insufficiencies in the foster care system hinder the care of these children. As foster care needs expand, privatization of the system becomes increasingly integral in ensuring the development and safety of foster children. More and more children are in foster care, increasing at a rate of around 11,000 children per year since 2013, according to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting Sytsem. Child welfare programs, such as foster care homes, are the forefront of improving the life circumstances of young individuals, decreasing crime and improving chances for employment through education. However, as the government continues to be unable to finance the expenditures on essential services like foster care, the potential of kids without homes may become a major problem. Provision of private child welfare services is increasing in many states in order to save public money. Critics of privatization argue that private foster care endangers children by focusing their goals towards money instead of towards the well-being of foster kids, stating that it puts children more at risk for physical and emotional abuse. However, public-private partnerships are emerging in many states in order to ensure that the private sector is maintaining good conduct when states allocate money to them. As a result, these privatized systems are held to the same regulations as government-facilitated foster care systems, ensuring that children have safe, stable and permanent living situations. According to a 2011 study done by the National Council of Adoption, annual state and federal expenditures for foster care total more than 9 billion dollars under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which appropriates money for foster care. There is simply not enough money

to fund a purely public system for foster care, as the total of maintenance and administrative costs per child per year is 25,782 dollars. As a result of this, many states contract private organizations and allocate money to them with the expectation to exceed the performance of public run organizations. Because private companies are driven by competition, they would efficiently use taxpayer dollars when in the public-private partnerships, improving the quality of services provided to foster care children and families. As a result, the chances for a child to be reunited with their families or become adopted increases. If the number of children adopted from foster care doubled, public savings will amount to 890 million dollars per year, allowing more foster children to get quality care. The main objective for the foster care system is to limit children in long-term foster care, a notion in which privatization attempts to negate. According to the Brookings Institute, 81 percent of long-term foster care males have been arrested at some point, and 59 percent had been convicted of at least one crime. Because privatized foster care organizations are taking in more children every year, there is a motivation to ensure that children get the best care at a quick pace in order to reduce the amount of foster children in long-term care. It is not simply the money that the private companies are going for, it is to make sure children can receive a family that cares about them. If the rate of imprisonment of former foster youth could be reduced by only 10 percent, it would result in savings of more than 500 million dollars per year. The benefits of the private foster care system do not stop there. In a study by the National Foster Youth Institute, 20 percent of children who age out of the foster care system at age 18

instantly become homeless. After the age of 18, foster children become independent and are unprepared to face reality. In order to keep that number down, privatization advocates say their initiatives will find a loving family for them. The government is already stressed financially to fund other social programs, so privatization would decrease the amount of money needed to help populations in need. Although privatized foster care is scrutinized for abuse, it is up to the government and the state legislatures to maintain quality programs and high performance. Because privatized foster care systems are run on competition, public foster care needs to implement critical, more effective changes to ensure the well-being of children. Many states place the same regulations for both public and private foster care when using the systems in conjunction. However, these regulations must be properly enforced for private foster care as well. The privatized system is put in place not to replace the current public system but to alleviate the costs and the sheer amount of children in need of foster homes that the public sector handles. Without privatizing foster care, thousands of children would not be able to have quality care. It is vital that we place these children in homes. The majority of foster children are in the fundamental ages of development; the median age of children in the system is 7.7. This is when they retain the most information, shape their personalities and become influenced by the world around them. We cannot put the lives of these children solely in the hands of the government who neglect to do more for them. We want these children to have a chance at a better life. So, have trust in the privatized system; children should not fall victim to an inefficient public system.

E D I TO R I A L

DEC. 21, 2018

Should privatized agencies be used in any capacity when regarding the foster care system?

10-16

Making money off of suffering children is absolutely unacceptable. Recent efforts to privatize the foster care system, albeit with benefits of putting more children into homes at supposedly a lower cost, has done more harm than good for these children. As the affirmative side of this editorial argues, privatization of foster care relieves the government of another duty to an overlooked demographic: the nation’s foster children. The issue is not that the government is overloaded with work but that it sees its citizens as a commodity, and a burdensome one for that matter. Deliberately putting these children in danger is an act of malevolence and entrusting private companies with the unwanted task has proved an inadequate alternative. The Los Angeles Times reported that an analysis of more than one million hotline investigations over a three-year period found foster children “living in homes run by private agencies were about a third more likely to be the victims of serious physical, emotional or sexual abuse than children in state-supervised foster family homes.” The reports do not stop there. Buzzfeed News in 2015 told the story of Alexandria Hill, a young girl in Texas that the state separated from her family at the age of one. The state paid The MENTOR Network, a private group that provides health and human services, 39.25 dollars each day for Hill’s care. In Hill’s second foster home, she lived with Sherill Small, a woman who had herself grown up in foster care. According to her sister, Small had dubious maternal instincts and ultimately ended up killing Hill, swinging her head and crashing it into the floor. While we mourn the death of Hill, it is important to remember that her murder was preventable. The MENTOR Network said that they made “poor judgement” in granting a woman with little credentials the ability to foster a child after insufficient background checks on both herself and her references. But how can we be sure that we do not end up with similar deaths? Or, potentially worse, that we have many children enduring these same conditions that only traumatize them? As a matter of fact, we do. According to the Children’s Bureau’s Child Welfare Outcomes 2010-2014: Report to Congress, in 2014, the U.S.

“ DE LI B E R ATE LY PUTTI NG TH ESE CH I LDRE N I N DANGE R I S AN ACT OF MALEVOLE NCE , AN D E NTRUSTI NG PRIVATE COM PAN I ES WITH TH E U NWANTE D TASK HAS PROVE D AN I NADEQUATE ALTE RNATIVE .”

DESIGN BY BRENDA GAO

The WSS editorial board voted against using privatized agencies in any capacity when regarding the foster system.

saw about 702,000 total child victims of maltreatment, defining this as “a child for whom an incidence of abuse or neglect has been substantiated or indicated by an investigation or assessment.” This already overwhelming number may be even higher given unreported abuse. This maltreatment occurs when children are placed in the inimical arms of those unable to take care of themselves. In an effort to pack homes full of foster children, companies, by not employing strict background checks nor using honest references, allow convicted criminals and those who have issues with drug and alcohol abuse to foster. Children may then experience physical and mental health problems, obstacles related to cognitive development and low academic achievement. With outcomes like these, privatized companies are not serving their mission of foster care. It is worth stating that there are many upstanding foster homes that model the respectable ways of raising children; however, the number of dangerous homes and the severity of the abuse to the children outweigh the good that many do. When the goal of private enterprises is to make money, it makes sense that they are shoving children into disgraceful homes. For Hill, The MENTOR Network received 17.25 dollars each day from the state for one one-year-old child. It is not only the private company that fuels from the money incentive; foster parents do, too. Small received 22 dollars each day to care for Hill. Though this money is meant to help the parental figure care for another child, sometimes the parent uses the money for themself and abuses the child, leaving the child, for example, malnourished. A government, corporation, parent or society should never prioritize monetary gain over a child’s well-being. Numbers, accounts and reports have provided enough blunt arguments to warrant a public overtaking of the foster system. What we, and more importantly, these children, need is government funding, legislation (including extensive background checks) and legislators committed to uncovering the truth and playing by the rules. There needs to be increased spending invested in public agencies to protect the youth. These children deserve to be in safe, welcoming homes, not to be superficially-pitied byproducts of a corrupt system.

S TA F F L I S T DEC. 21, 2018

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BEHIND THE PHOTO I have noticed that in my work, I tend to go to the same spot every time. I thus made it my priority to try different angles at every game. In this photo, I tried to utilize a slow shutter speed while panning with the action to achieve a blurry background while still focusing on Koch.

Audrey Koch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;21 calls for the ball as she runs across the court. Koch led the Women of Troy with 23 points during their first home game of the season against Cedar Rapids Prairie on Friday, Nov. 30.

KARA WAGENKNECHT

MAD LIBS:

Directions: Before reading the song lyrics to Jingle Bells, fill in each space based on the instructions given in parenthesis. Fill out the entire page before reading the lyrics. Then, read (or sing) through it with a jolly disposition.

_______________ through the snow (verb ending in â&#x20AC;&#x153;ingâ&#x20AC;?) In a _______-_______ open sleigh (number) (animal) ____________ the fields we go (preposition) Laughing all the way __________ on bobtail ring (plural noun) Making spirits _________ (adjective) What fun it is to _____ and _____ (verb) (verb) A ________ song tonight (adjective) Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way

_____! What fun it is to ride (letter) In a one-horse open _____ (noun) Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way _____! What fun it is to ____ (letter) (verb) In a one-horse _________ ______ (adjective) (noun)

COMPILED BY DENIZ INCE ART & DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM