2019-04-12 by West Side Story

IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE.

IOWA CITY, IA 52246

WSSPAPER.COM

VOLUME 51 ISSUE 5

Inside the marijuana culture at West High.

APRIL 12, 2019

MADDI SHINALL

FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

BEHIND THE PHOTO This was the first time I had gone to Walk it Out, and I was excited to experience it and get some photos of the event, too. One of my favorite parts of the event were the dance groups that performed after each cultural group’s section. While the Latin American group was dancing, their skirts had a lot of movement and created beautiful shapes, so I tried to capture that in a photo.

The Latin American group dances in their traditional skirts during the third annual Walk it Out, West High’s multicultural fashion show, on Saturday, March 9, 2019.

P H OTO F E AT U R E

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 44

LETTER FROM THE

Dear readers, If you expect me to say something cheesy, you are absolutely right. Here it goes: spring has sprung! After a record-setting winter, I’m happy that we finally entered, in my opinion, the best season of the year. The warmer weather and greener grass, coupled with the latest issue of the West Side Story, will hopefully bring a smile to your face. Our cover story this issue focuses on marijuana use, abuse and spread throughout West High. Though a grave topic, the editorial board felt the culture surrounding the substance was one worth investigating and, ultimately, arguing about in the editorial.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS COVER DESIGN BY AMY LIAO

04 NEWS BRIEFS 0 6 I OWA C I T Y ’ S F LY I N G C O LO R S 0 8 R WA N DA N G E N O C I D E 10 TESTING NEW TECH 1 2 C U LT U R A L A P P R O P R I AT I O N 14 A HOUSEHOLD IN HARMONY 1 6 T H E WO N D E R T W I N S 1 8 B AC K S T I TC H I N G T H R O U G H T I M E 2 0 L E AV I N G H O M E

2 4 H I G H S TA K E S

32 GEN Z 34 SIDE HUSTLES 36 SENIOR VS. FRESHMAN

3 8 R I S I N G S TA R S 4 0 W I N T E R S P O RT S R E C A P 4 2 E R I K S OW I N S K I : LO C A L L E G E N D

4 4 S I M O N S AY S : G E T G E O G R A P H - I E D 4 5 S T R I D I N G TOWA R D S E Q U A L I T Y 4 6 B AT T L E O F T H E B OT T L E S 4 8 E D I TO R I A L : C O N S E Q U E N C E S

EDITOR Students earned back a couple hours of instruction time this fall with the absence of Iowa Assessment testing; however, a new test will take place next week, which you can read about on page 10. If you feel the content rush and additional tests toward the end of the year have got you down, take a moment to relax by coloring our back page. This is my last issue as Print Editor-in-Chief before the new crew takes over, so thank you to the 2018-19 WSS staff for all their hard work and to our readers for your continued support. You shall see a new face at the beginning of each issue soon. Much love,

DENIZ INCE

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APRIL 12, 2019

February 25

NEWS

To celebrate its 172nd anniversary, the University of Iowa asked students to share some of their favorite experiences with the University using the hashtag #iloveUIowa. In response, many students shared the prejudices they’ve experienced during their time at UI under the hashtag #DoesUIowaLoveMe. Primarily, these were race- and gender-related prejudices.

BRIEFS BY WILL CONRAD

A lot has happened around West High and in the world since the last WSS issue. Here’s what you might have missed and what’s coming up.

February 26

The West High boys basketball team qualified for state for the ninth consecutive year, beating Davenport Central 72-46. They fell to Dubuque Senior 36-39 in the quarterfinals on March 6. Tate Crane ‘20 shoots a basket during the boys quarterfinal round of the Iowa High School State Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, March 6.

MARCH S M T W T F

March 1

Pakistan released Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was shot down by Pakistani forces. Leading up to Varthaman’s capture, tensions had escalated between the two longtime-rival superpowers, who both have claims to the Kashmir region.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

APRIL

March 4

Doctors announced they had cured a British man of HIV who lived with the disease for 16 years. The discovery was made after the man underwent a bone marrow transplant for an unrelated condition. Scientists are still researching which portion of the transplant procedure may have cured the disease.

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

March 9

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

West High hosted its third annual Walk it Out multicultural fashion show. The event was hosted in the West High cafeteria and included students modeling traditional clothing from around the world.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Ibrahim Barakat ‘19 poses at the end of the runway while walking with the African group for Walk it Out on Saturday, March 9.

28 29 30 PHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT, MADDI SHINALL & ADITI BORDE

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APRIL 12, 2019

March 13

OTHER NEWS

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that they would be prosecuting several celebrities including Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin on various charges related to fraud in the college admissions process. The celebrities allegedly paid a firm known as the Edge College & Career Network to help their children cheat on entrance exams and falsify extracurricular activities, especially athletic activities, which allowed their children to be classified as recruited athletes.

March 17

Selections for the 2019 4A All-State Jazz Band were released. West High had Ethan Buck ‘21 selected for alto saxophone, Nick Stilwell ‘19 for baritone saxophone, James Mons ‘19 for trumpet, Ty Waters ‘20 and Jake Greenlee ‘19 for trombone and Thomas Duong ‘19 for vibes. PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM GREGG SHOULTZ

April 2

Girls and boys varsity tennis had their first meets of the season against Dubuque Wahlert Catholic High School.

Caroline Mascardo ‘22 serves the ball during her single match. Mascardo won her matches 6-2, 6-4 in the season opener against Wahlert on Tuesday, April 2. West defeated Wahlert 8-1.

April 6

West High hosted the inaugural Eastern Iowa Track and Field Festival, a co-ed meet with an emphasis on qualifying for the Drake Relays. Kiara Malloy-Salgado ‘21 runs the first leg of the girls 4x800 meter relay race during the 2018 Drake Relays. The relay team finished second with a time of 9:18.22.

April 11

Theatre West put on their first performance of Sweeney Todd. The show will have four performances from April 11-13. Tickets were sold in the commons during all lunches in the days leading up to the performances, as well as at the door. Sean Harken ‘21 and a part of the ensemble rehearse a scene. ART BY WILL CONRAD & BRENDA GAO DESIGN BY BRENDA GAO

March 7 Russia’s parliament passed bills which would make “blatant disrespect” of the Russian government illegal, as well as sharing “false information of public interest, shared under the guise of fake news.” Both acts could lead to heavy fines or jail time, which has raised questions globally about free speech. The Des Moines Register revealed their 2018-19 All-Iowa Girls Basketball Team. Senior Lauren Zacharias of West High received an Honorable Mention. The list compiles the 45 best high school players across all classes in the state. March 14 The Connecticut Supreme Court allowed a lawsuit brought by the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims against Remington Arms to proceed. The wrongful death lawsuit seeks to hold Remington Arms, the company which manufactured the rifle used in the shooting, accountable for the manner in which it marketed its weapons. The lawsuit could establish legal precedence for more like it. March 21 Boys track competed in their first outdoor meet of the season, the Steve Roth Invitational, at Washington High School. March 24 Attorney General William Barr delivered the principal conclusions of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report regarding Russian interference into the 2016 election. Mueller found that neither President Trump nor his aides coordinated with Russian meddling in the election. Mueller did not find sufficient evidence that President Trump committed obstruction of justice but also did not exonerate the president of this offense. April 28 BPA Nationals in Anaheim, CA, begin. The event will include those who qualified at the state-level competition and will allow students to compete in challenges that relate to the modern business world.

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IOWA CITY'S

FLYING COLORS From From the "Harry Potter" book series to the playing field, the sport of Quidditch’s popularity and legitimacy has soared over recent years with the creation of several official teams in Iowa and across the world. BY ANNABEL HENDERSON

he ball hurtles across the field, pursued by a myriad of jersey-clad players furiously struggling to keep it off the ground. One of the players passes it through a metal hoop, igniting an eruption of cheers from the stands. As a combination of rugby, wrestling, dodgeball and soccer, the crowd witnesses the brutality of the sport firsthand. Oh— and there are brooms, too. This description barely scratches the surface of the complexity of the sport known to many Harry Potter fans as Muggle Quidditch. Although it was originally created as a fictional sport in J.K. Rowling’s popular fantasy series “Harry Potter,” Quidditch has taken off as a legitimate sport since 2005, with over 450 teams worldwide. The basis of Quidditch is simple: two opposing teams attempt to get a ball across a field into one of three hoops. The ball, a slightly deflated volleyball called a quaffle, gets passed without touching the ground by players called Chasers while the Keepers guard their team’s hoops. Meanwhile, the Beaters use bludgers — dodgeballs — in an attempt to prevent the opposing team from advancing the quaffle. Where the sport gets complicated, however, is when the snitch comes in. Eighteen minutes into the game, a neutral player with a tennis ball in a sock tied around their waist is released onto the field. Both teams aim to “catch”

the snitch by pulling off the tail, thus earning 30 points and ending the game, regardless of which team is in the lead. The catch is this: all players, except the snitch, have to hold a PVC pipe as a broom between their legs at all times during the game. One of two Quidditch teams in Iowa is the Iowa Quidditch Club at the University of Iowa. The president of the club, Lily Neumann, cofounded it with vice-president Lauren Bisgard in 2017 shortly after watching the sport for the first time at a championship game. “We attended the 2016 US Quidditch Midwest Regional Championship in Nevada, IA together and had the opportunity to meet other teams and see the sport in person,” Neumann said. “We fell in love with it and began the process of starting our own sport club at the University.” Despite the origin of Quidditch coming from the popular J.K. Rowling fantasy novels, the sport has actually been trying to distance itself from the influence of the books. “A lot of assumptions come with a sport derived from a fantasy novel, such as we're a bunch of ‘nerds’ and it's ‘not a real sport,’” Neumann said. “However, Quidditch is highly physical and competitive, so in order to be taken more seriously and grow our sport, we really try to emphasize the sport itself instead of the 'Harry Potter' fandom.” Though the sport requires a high amount of endurance and stamina, Quidditch draws in people from all levels of athleticism. Neumann herself had never been involved in athletics prior to joining the Quidditch club. “There are teams at the high school and elementary level, but they are very rare,” Neumann said. “I didn't even know about the sport until I came to college. I didn't play any sports in high school, either.”

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FAST FACTS 30 1 2005 2010

members are on the Iowa Quidditch Club official team.

seeker, three chasers, one keeper and two beaters are on the field at a time. The first game of Quidditch at Middlebury College was held.

The U.S. Quidditch organization was founded and the first World Cup Tournament was held in Vermont.

points are given to team that catches the snitch and the game ends, but whichever team is in the lead after those 30 extra points is the winner.

1 “ I N ORDE R TO B E TAKE N M ORE SE RIOUSLY AN D G ROW OU R SPORT, WE REALLY TRY TO E M PHASIZE TH E SPORT ITSE LF I N STEAD OF TH E ' HARRY POTTE R ' FAN DOM .” - LI LY N EU MAN N , CO FOU N DE R OF IOWA QU I DDITCH CLU B

of the few sports that are coed and open to those that are non=binary in gender.

One particularly unique aspect of Quidditch, besides its origin in a fantasy novel, is the sport’s inclusivity. Not only is Quidditch inclusive of all genders and gender identities, it goes out of its way to ensure that there is no distinction between players due to this. “My favorite aspect is the opportunity for growth. I’ve grown as a leader and a player, and every member on the team has the opportunity to step up into leadership and offer up their own ideas. It’s a coed sport, and we welcome players of all gender identities and expressions,” Bisgard said. “The sport itself is so new that it is constantly growing and improving. We’re the only official Quidditch team in the state of Iowa, so we’re always working hard to expand the community here.” Emma Gibson ’20, an avid “Harry Potter” fan since fourth grade, has a slightly different view than Neumann on the separation between the series and the sport. “In a way, I think [the sport] is already distant from the series,” Gibson said. “But if you’re going

Source: usqudditch.org

to use Quidditch, it’s going to be connected to the series no matter what, so I don’t think you can disconnect it too much.” While she has never played the sport before, Gibson hopes that West will bring back the Quidditch team that they used to have a few years ago. “I’d be terrible at it, but I would definitely play Muggle Quidditch,” Gibson said. “I’d probably be a Chaser because I’m not very coordinated and there’s more Chasers than anything else.” As Quidditch grows in popularity and media coverage, Neumann hopes that it will help set the bar for sports of all kinds. “As our society becomes more accepting of all gender identities, it is time for sports to do the same. Quidditch is a leader in this aspect and hopefully as our sport grows, others will follow suit in becoming gender-inclusive,” Neumann said. “Hopefully one day in the future, Quidditch will be as common and respected as baseball or football.” ART BY BRENDA GAO DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

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RWANDAN GENOCIDE BY NATALIE KATZ

100

DAYS

GENOCIDE LASTED:

POPULATION MAKEUP:

75%

of the Tutsi population was killed in the Genocide

800,000

WERE KILLED

300,000

VICITIMS WERE

CHILDREN = Hutu

= Tutsi

At the time of the genocide, about 85% of Rwandans were Hutus, but the Tutsi people had been in power for the majority of the time.

95,000

CHILDREN WERE

ORPHANED Sources: WorldVision.org, 2019; UN.org; History.com, 2018; PBS.org; Huffington Post, 2017

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Twenty five years ago, centuries of tensions came to a head in what is now considered one of the most gruesome events in history. On April 7, 1994, the Rwandan Genocide began, and just one hundred days later, an estimated 800,000 people were dead.

1300s

Tensions began when ethnic Tutsis invaded the homeland of the Hutus. Differences between the two groups are nearly indistinguishable: they speak the same language, practice the same religion and have similar cultures. The conflict that began between them was not a tribal conflict, nor was it an ethnic one; tensions between the two were born from economic competition and a quest for power. From that time to 1900s Prior to the colonial era, Tutsis generally occupied the elite end of the social system and the Hutus the lower. During this time, social mobility was possible, and the two groups were predominantly defined by class.

1916

Belgium colonized Rwanda, introducing a system of identity cards to differentiate Hutus from Tutsis, whom they believed to be the superior ethnicity.

1962

120,000 Tutsi Rwandans fled after Rwanda gained its independence from Belgium, resulting in Hutu leaders taking control of the country.

1990

Fighting exploded in Rwanda, where the civil war began. Hundreds of thousands were killed, and the Tutsi rebels emerged as the victors.

1992

A cease-fire agreement was reached, ending the civil war, but the peace didn’t last long.

Outside world during this time: The United States and the world knew of the violence, yet no action was taken to stop the killings. No international leaders used their authority to question the events. Although the United Nations did intervene prior to the start of the genocide to keep peace, they were ill-equipped and the mission was not considered a success.

April 6,1994

Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down, marking the start of the genocide. The death of their country’s leader led to the formation of an organized campaign against Tutsi and moderate Hutus across the country. Next 100 days Hutu extremists took control of the country and created lists of Tutsi targets to kill. With the use of radio stations, they called on Rwandans to slaughter their neighbors, families and strangers who were on the lists. As the Hutus began to face resistance from the RPF, their strategy turned from experiment to extermination. Along with mass murder, rape was used as a weapon to destroy the Tutsi group by hurting women both physically and mentally.

July 1994

The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a group composed of Tutsi rebels, captured Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, leading to millions of Rwandans to flee to the bordering country Zaire, known today as the Democratic Republic of Congo. A multi-ethnic government was set up but soon returned to Tutsi domination when one of the Hutu leaders was killed.

2004:

In recognition of their failure to intervene and in remembrance of the lives lost, the United Nations observes April 7 as an “International Day of Reflection.”

Today:

The mass number of Hutu refugees and the presence of a Hutu militia in Congo resulted in an ongoing conflict that caused five million deaths. Both countries refuse to lay down arms, fearing another genocide in the future. ART & DESIGN BY SELINA HUA

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APRIL. 12, 2019

Question 1: What is the test called? A

ISASP

ITBS

Iowa Assessments

IGA

Question 2: When will the test be administered? A April 1 B

April 13-14

April 16-18

D None of the above

Question 3: Which subject isn’t tested? A Language Arts B

Social Studies

Math

D Science DESIGN BY RAIN RICHARDS

TESTING

NEW TECH

t’s that time again. A time for students to be surrounded by unfamiliar faces and wander to unknown places. A time of walking aimlessly among rows of desks searching for your name card. However, this year, the faint scent of pencil shavings will be absent. And even more noticeable, the silence will no longer be filled with the scritch-scratching of lead against paper. That

“ TH E MOST I M PORTANT TH I NG FOR US TEST DEVE LOPE RS I S TO MAKE SU RE THAT TH E QU ESTION S WE ’ RE ASKI NG ALI GN TO WHAT STU DE NTS ARE LEARN I NG I N SCHOOL .” -TI M HAZEN , DI RECTO R OF TEST DEVELOPM ENT AT TH E U N IVERSITY OF IOWA

sound will be replaced with the click-clacking of keyboards. Last spring, the Iowa legislature passed a law called House File 2235, which called for the replacement of the Iowa Assessments with a new statewide exam that better aligns with educational standards set by Iowa Core. According to the Iowa Department of Education and school educators, among others, the traditional Iowa Assessments didn’t demonstrate core standards. This was especially true for technological literacy, leading to the development of the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) by the University of Iowa and Pearson, along with input from district staff. “One of the most important things for us test developers is to make sure that the questions we’re asking align to what students are learning in school,” said Tim Hazen, a Director of Test Development at Iowa Testing Programs at the University of Iowa. “When we write the questions [and] develop the materials, we use a lot of Iowa teachers to help us with that … since they’re the ones in the classroom and they’re the experts. We rely a lot on them.” According to Principal Gregg Shoultz, testing days will be April 16-18 rather than in the fall as in years past. Each day will be split in half, one for testing and the other for regularly scheduled classes. Students will also take a practice test during AFT on April 15 to ensure that the program can run 1200 users simultaneously. Similar to the Iowa Assessments, seniors will be excused from classes during testing since the statewide exam is mainly focused on monitoring the development of younger grades. “Monday [before test day] during AFT time we’ll send everybody to their testing room, … [and] we’ll test it out,” Shoultz said. “If it looks like we may need more than one practice round, then we’ll do it a week before and try it again [to] make sure everybody can get on.” Besides the testing dates, a major difference between Iowa Assessments and ISASP is the use of online testing. Individual school districts may choose which subjects are tested online, and the ICCSD has chosen to have an entirely online-based test. “What makes the online test different is it can

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The state of Iowa will ditch the Iowa Assessments and opt for a new, more technologically enhanced test in the spring of 2019. BY ANNA BROWN be read to you. You can put headphones on if you have that accommodation,” Shoultz said. “Anybody can change the settings to be a more comfortable experience. We can [also] get the scores back faster, and we can provide an adaptable testing environment that you can’t do with paper.” Another variation is the addition of an essay and open-ended questions on the math, language arts, reading and science sections. Only fifth, eighth and tenth graders will be tested in science, and social studies will not be administered, as that subject is not required by House File 2235. “On tests such as the ISASP, students’ mastery of the writing standards would be best measured on how well a particular student writes by seeing a direct sample of students’ writing,” Hazen said. “One of the nice things too about the online testing is that we can take advantage of technology for scoring student essays, so that makes them not as expensive to score.” While there are advantages to a technologically enhanced test, there are drawbacks as well. In particular, concerns arose regarding incentive to cheat, as students may look up content online or communicate answers through social media. However, administration holds no concerns regarding the potential increase in cheating. This is because the software supporting ISASP, TestNav, locks down each tester’s computer, making them unable to access the internet during testing. Students are also not permitted to access cell phones and take screenshots of the assessment. “Once you’re in and start that test, that’s the only place you can go to until you’re done with the test,” Hazen said. “Once a student installs the testing app and accesses the test, it locks down everything that’s on that computer.” Standardized tests such as ISASP provide valuable information to students, as it shows the development of individual test takers over their academic careers. Yet, Isabella Hoeger-Pinto ’20 believes this information isn’t always reflective of a student’s abilities. “It’s supposed to be a benchmark of where you’re at. Unfortunately, sometimes standardized testing … ends up having a lot more weight than I really think they should,” Hoeger-Pinto

“ WE ’ RE NOT GOI NG TO USE A TEST SCORE TO HOLD [STU DE NTS] BACK . ” -GREGG SHOU LTZ, PRI NCI PAL said. “The point of [ISASP] is to measure where you’re at. But if someone feels like they’re under a lot of pressure, … you’re not really judging their knowledge, you’re judging their ability to perform under pressure.” While Hoeger-Pinto believes standardized tests aren’t always the most reliable measure of success for students, she acknowledges that they carry a lot of weight for schools. At West High, results from the statewide test are factored into the school’s comprehensive improvement plan. This means that data from testing displays subgroups within the school that are not performing on par with other academic institutions. Administration then analyzes that data and incorporates their findings into the upcoming year’s curriculum. This is one of the reasons Shoultz believes it’s imperative that students take statewide assessments seriously so the results are accurate, but he also acknowledges that tests don’t define a person’s ability to succeed. “It’s very important for us to do this check, … [and] I would definitely let students know to do their best but not to worry about being judged for that,” Shoultz said. “This is like checking your engine. … If a student has a really bad day on this test, but has a desire to take a class, we think that they’re probably going to overcome. … We’re not going to use a test score to hold them back.”

Question 4: What’s new about the test? A

It’s all online

It’s in the spring

There’s an essay

D All of the above

Question 5: Who instigated the change? A Iowa legislation B

West High

C ICCSD D Dr. Shoultz

Question 6: Who developed the test? A ACT B

U of I & Pearson

C Dr. Shoultz D All of the above

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THE APPROPRIATENESS OF

CULTURAL APPROPRIATION BY JENNA WANG

etting caught up in fashion trends is a common phenomenon that is no exception to West High. From thrift shops to popular items, plenty of students are geared into finding the next big trend and what looks instyle. There’s beauty everywhere to choose from, and especially from other cultures. From intricately painted henna to tightly braided cornrows, many of these cultural styles have found their way onto the bodies of students. The only catch is that a lot of the students aren’t of the culture the style originates from. While it seems there’s nothing wrong on the surface, there’s a bigger issue at play. It’s cultural appropriation, a subject that’s only taught at West in AP Human Geography and relatively

unknown to a large population of the student body. According to Dictionary.com, it is defined as the act of adopting elements of an outside, often minority culture, including knowledge, practices and symbols, without understanding or respecting the original culture and context. While some are aware of its presence in music videos and news events, many don’t know how prevalent the issue is among the West High community. “I think that, oftentimes, cultural appropriation results from a level of ignorance,” said social studies teacher Megan Johnson. “I think that [students] don’t necessarily understand that they are taking someone’s culture and turning it

into a fashion statement, something that they do without the understanding and respect that they should have.” This cultural ignorance creates an environment where students are unable to recognize the significance of their actions. “My students were talking about cultural appropriation and they’re sort of like, ‘Oh come on, that’s not that big of a deal,’” Johnson said. “Well, you need to think about it. If you are a member of that culture that’s being appropriated, think about how they might feel, not how you feel.” At West, there are two forms of cultural appropriation out of the many that are commonly seen in the hallways: cornrows and henna.

less of how I feel, that’s just something that’s going to keep happening.” Often, the continued cultural appropriation ends up perpetuating stereotypes about a culture. “There are girls here who will get cornrows and they wear big hoop earrings. And they’ll start talking differently in African-American vernacular. People will put on something that doesn’t belong to their culture and all of a sudden, they think they have a pass to do things that weren’t socially acceptable for them to do before,” Duncan said. Picking and choosing parts of other cultures is especially common among those who get caught up in appropriated fashion trends. “If you’re white, you can tan your skin, curl your hair, or whatever. But at the end of the day, if you get pulled over by the police, you can say ‘I’m a white woman.’ But if you’re another ethnicity, you can’t take that off,” Duncan said. “It’s stuck with you because that’s how you are. That’s how you look. That’s how you were born, and you can’t change that.”

Lilly Duncan ‘20 walks the runway with the Black American group during Walk it Out on Saturday, March 9.

CORNROWS

frican--American hairstyles, such as cornrows or box braids, have a history reaching back thousands of years in African culture and were not only woven for beauty but also signified marital status, age, wealth and rank. During the age of colonialism, slaves wore cornrows both as homage to where they had come from and as a practical way to wear hair during long hours of work. Despite the cultural importance of the hairstyles, there has been a trend where non-black students adopt the styles. “If you want to try to get braids to experience the pain that women in their lives may have gone through into braiding and to better connect with them, I think that’s appreciation,” said Lilli Duncan ’20, who is half-white and half-black. “But if you were like, ‘Oh this is a cute hairstyle,’ then that’s appropriation.” Duncan believes that these situations tend to fall in the latter. “When people tend to do hairstyles that are traditionally black, I’ll get uncomfortable, but I usually won’t say anything because it’s not really anything I can do about,” Duncan said. “Regard-

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The topic of cultural appropriation is only taught in one class at West, yet has significantly found its way among the student body without an understanding of the impact.

HENNA

ith a history stretching back thousands of years in Indian, African and Middle East origin, henna is a practice where the paste of crushed leaves of the henna plant are used to decorate the body in intricate designs. Whenever it is donned, it’s with the intent that the art will bring good fortune and feeling, in addition to holding religious significance. However, the intentions have not been the same at West, and student Mallika Huynh ’21, who is half-Indian and half-Vietnamese, has noticed the situation. “[Henna] is something that I typically use to celebrate at events like Diwali, weddings and festivals but also on a day-to-day basis. It’s just part of my culture,” Huynh said. “I remember being at an [Indian] wedding and there was a [white] college student who was saying ‘Oh [henna] is so cute, but I don’t want to be associated with the people.’ She wanted to be cool in the moment with henna but was ashamed of the whole culture.” Throughout multiple instances, Huynh has disagreed with the justification behind the appropriation. “With henna, people are like, ‘It’s not a big

thing. It’s not clothing or anything big like a hijab, only a little thing.’ People are willing to mock and ignore people’s cultures, but they’re willinging to bring in this ‘tiny part’ that they find ‘cool’ and then reject everything else,” Huynh said. “Appreciation is coming to Diwali, getting [henna] done at a wedding, wearing a bindi, and appreciating the context of that culture. Not saying, ‘Oh my god, it’s summer, and I want to look cultured and cute and get it done for Coachella.’ You don’t look like me. I don’t get to pick and choose my culture. I just have my people.” With cultural appropriation of henna and black hairstyles also comes a double standard when people of the respective culture represent the styles versus when women of other cultures appropriate the styles. “If you see a Muslim or brown woman, they’re a terrorist. If you see a black women with box braids, they look ghetto. If you see me with my henna or my sari, I’m weird and exotic or strange but if you see henna, a bindi or cornrows on a white woman, they’re cool, they’re cultured,” Huynh said. “Other people who aren’t part of our culture shouldn’t be able to take it and be seen in a different light.”

Mallika Huynh ‘21 walks the runway with the South Asian group during Walk it Out on Saturday, March 9.

THE GREY AREA

ltimately, the issue of cultural appropriation is a grey area when it comes to determining what is, and what isn’t. Where does the fine line between appropriation and appreciation exactly fall? “It’s kind of in the eye of the beholder,” Johnson said. “Beyoncé did Bollywood dancing. Some members of the Indian community came out and were like, ‘Oh she’s appropriating our culture, she probably doesn’t understand the underlying meaning.’ And then I also had students who thought that was awesome [and] see it as her respecting the culture. It always depends on who’s viewing the situation.”

The fine line tends to depend on perspective and the context that the cultural appropriation may be taking place in. An event that embodies this ideal is Walk it Out, West High’s annual fashion show celebrates diversity through traditional clothing, music and dance. Occasionally, people from different cultural groups will wear traditional clothing or dance to a genre of another group, raising questions about appropriation. “I think it’s really cool that the group is inclusive,” Johnson said. “And I think if anything, it speaks more to the kind of multicultural aspects of our community, that we don’t necessarily just

identify by our ethnic origins. We have groups that transcend those ethnic origins.” In the future, especially in school settings, Johnson supports increased education about cultural appropriation. “It helps people make better decisions on both sides of the equation. Having a general understanding of cultural appropriation and where the lines are is crucial,” Johnson said. “At the same time, it’s important to understand that there’s a diversity of opinion, and the overall line between appropriation and appreciation is in the eye of the beholder.” PHOTOS BY MADDI SHINALL ART & DESIGN BY SELINA HUA

PROFILES APRIL 12, 2019

A HOUSEHOLD IN HARMONY BY JESSICA MOONJELY PHOTO BY ADITI BORDE DESIGN BY MADDY EPHRAIM

Having a professional musician as a father, it is no surprise that Phoebe Burt ‘21 was humming before she could talk. Phoebe and Kevin Burt discuss how music has helped the two grow more in tune with one another.

tanding onstage in front of a growing crowd of people, Kevin “B. F.” Burt is in his element. His eyes are closed, and he’s feeling every lyric of the song he’s singing. As his performance nears its end, he does something that very few musicians would ever dream of: he calls his three-year-old daughter, Phoebe Burt ’21, up to the stage to sing one last song with him. The unfazed child toddles onto the stage, and the audience erupts into cheers as the two close the show with their rendition of “You Are My Sunshine.” Though music eventually found Kevin, he wasn’t always a professional musician. He played football throughout high school and college and sought to play professionally with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Canada but was cut from the team before the season started. Afterwards, he returned to his home of Iowa City and instead of going back to school, he decided to work five jobs. One day, one of his bosses heard him singing while on the job and encouraged him to join her son’s new blues band. Since then, Kevin hasn’t looked back. For the past 20 years, Kevin has been a fulltime professional blues musician. Throughout his career, he traveled all over the United States and to numerous countries. He has met artists like Bill Withers and opened for Destiny’s Child. One of his most memorable moments is receiv-

“ M USIC I S A LANGUAGE THAT I ’VE B E E N LEARN I NG FOR A VE RY, VE RY LONG TI M E .” - PHOEBE BU RT ‘21 ing a standing ovation from world-renowned blues singer B.B. King during a performance in Cedar Rapids. Over the course of his career, Kevin transitioned from being a part of the band, The Blues Instigators, to becoming a solo artist. The day before his first solo show, he bought his first harmonica and guitar and played them in his performance without having taken a single lesson or being able to read music. “Every time I watch somebody else play, I watch it as if it’s a lesson,” Kevin said, “I watch to learn.

I’ve said that to my daughters. I have a wonderful imagination. For me, when I see somebody else doing something, I really do watch the mechanical part of it.” Music isn’t the only thing Kevin has learned from observing. He’s been able to translate this skill into fatherhood; lacking a close relationship with his own father, Kevin has worked to establish a strong bond with his daughters. “Not everybody shows you things that you want to do, but if you watch long enough you can learn exactly what not to do. My father taught me how to have this relationship by not doing the things that [Phoebe and I] do, so I respect him for that, and I appreciate that,” Kevin said. “He was just doing the best he could with what he had, so there’s no reason to hold animosity about it.” For the past 16 years of her life, Phoebe and her dad have shared a close connection. One of their favorite things to do together is laugh. Sometimes all it takes is a funny look or a mispronounced word, and the two will start laughing to the point of tears. “If you look back at choir concert videos, you’ll see a couple times where I randomly start laughing,” Phoebe said. “It’s probably because I found him in the crowd somewhere, and he started doing something stupid.” Ever since Phoebe can remember, music has been a part of her life. According to Kevin, before Phoebe could even talk, she was always humming. As Phoebe developed the ability to speak, humming quickly transformed into singing. Once she started, she never stopped. It was at her second grade talent show when she sang the national anthem that her passion for music solidified. Kevin has always been an ardent supporter of Phoebe’s music and calls memories like these “proud daddy moments.” His daughter’s aptitude for music is something he takes pride in sharing with the rest of world. Sometimes at his performances he’ll take out his phone, put it up to the mic and play recordings of Phoebe singing for the audience. “Every parent is proud of their kids and every parent tells a story, but not every parent can

Since she was three, Phoebe Burt ‘21 has traveled to different festivals to sing and perform with her father. Today, she shows off her musical talent in curricular choir and in show choir.

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Phoebe Burt ‘21 and her father Kevin Burt sing and play “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers at Wildwood Saloon in North Liberty earlier this year.

prove it,” Kevin said. “When I tell you my baby can sing, I want you to hear it.” Apart from singing the national anthem, another defining moment in Phoebe’s singing career was when she got a solo in Showtime, West’s preparatory show choir, her freshman year. This was one of the first solos Phoebe had received in an ensemble. Kevin believes that because Phoebe has a low range, unique tone and “sounded like an adult woman, not a Disney Princess,” this sometimes prevented people from recognizing her talents earlier. However, he tells her to not be discouraged by other people’s opinions. “I call it the cup of tea theory. You’re never going to be everybody’s cup of tea, but it doesn’t stop you from being a cup of tea,” Kevin said. “Somebody’s going to take that sip and be like ‘Oh wow, this is it.’” Phoebe has already started to amass a growing fan base by singing with Kevin at his performances in Iowa. Since the age of three, Phoebe has traveled to many festivals with Kevin. Each time they sing together, Kevin is amazed by his daughter and her stage presence. “I’m impressed that she is able to keep her eyes open and connect in that sense. I can’t do that. I can’t do a full show and look out and see everything is looking back at me. I’m still of the mindset that I have to make everything disappear and perform,” Kevin said. “She embraces it, and that’s also another impressive and powerful thing that she does.” “Music is a language that I’ve been learning for a very, very long time,” Phoebe said. “I’m not

“ TH E PEOPLE AT TH E SHOW ALREADY KNOW M E , AN D TH EY ’VE H EARD STORI ES ABOUT H E R . IT ’S AN OPPORTU N ITY FOR M E TO LET MY BABY ’S LIGHT SH I N E .” - KEVI N BU RT, FATH ER

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM PHOEBE BURT

fluent in it yet, but I can speak it well enough to the point where it reaches out to different people and other people understand it.” Having the opportunity to sing with Kevin at his performances has taught Phoebe many lessons on how to perform. “He has influenced the way that I sing, especially a lot of my voice, my style of singing, the emotion that I go for, the projection of my voice and just being able to perform,” Phoebe said. Kevin and Phoebe’s signature song to sing together is Kevin’s original song “Your Smile.” Kevin wrote the song when Phoebe was just 18 months old. The song is about knowing the inevitability of his kids growing up and trying to prepare himself ahead of time. Over the years, Kevin and Phoebe sang it countless times and perfected their performance. Longtime family friend of the Burts, McKenna Proud ’21, fondly remembers Kevin and Phoebe’s heartfelt performance of “Your Smile” during the Northwest Junior High Eighth Grade Party. “It was kind of bittersweet because that was when we were going to high school,” Proud said. “It was like his child was growing up and becoming her own woman now.” While music is one of Kevin’s greatest passions, he always considers himself a father first. “Honestly for me, I don’t want to mess up because I don’t want to let her down,” Kevin said. “Bottom line is that the people at the show already know me and they’ve heard stories about her. It’s an opportunity for me to let my baby’s light shine.”

PROFILES APRIL 12, 2019

THE WONDER TWINS BY LILY MENG PHOTO BY GWEN WATSON DESIGN BY JENNA ZENG

Sophomores Ananth and Divya Shyamal are most known for their acceleration in academic courses and success in math competitions, but their interests extend beyond the academic scene. Violin, Animal Planet and graphic design are just a few of their hobbies that many may not know about.

owering at around five feet tall, these two students have dominated the academic atmosphere. You may have seen them in your AP U.S. History class, holding sparkly trophies at math competitions or gracing the stage at orchestra concerts. While they seem inseparable, wonder twins Ananth and Divya Shyamal ’21 are just as different as they are similar. Known for taking difficult classes at a young age, the two sophomores are accelerated in multiple subjects. They took AP Calculus BC as eighth graders, Linear Algebra and Calculus III as freshmen and are currently taking Abstract Algebra at the University of Iowa. Besides excelling in math, the two took AP Economics as freshmen and are currently taking AP Spanish and AP Chemistry. Their academic prowess started in third grade. They talked to the school district to test out of math classes and aced the sixth grade test to skip two levels. “Math class was just kind of boring,” Ananth said. “We thought, ‘Why don’t we take more tests since we know a lot of math?’”

7 8 20+

AP classes college classes

state and national math competitions

They acquired their math knowledge initially through reading and soon had a solid math foundation. They gained further skills by working through math problems, focusing especially on problems from past competition math tests. From there, they went on to take Pre-Calculus in seventh grade and started courses at the University of Iowa as high school freshmen. By taking Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) courses at the university, the twins received the opportunity to try different subjects at the collegiate level, like physics and computer science. Ananth believes that these courses have helped expose him to career fields he wants to pursue. He’s especially interested in engineering, computer science and physics. Meanwhile, Divya found a passion for computer science through taking Algorithms at the University of Iowa. “[Computer science is] kind of like problem solving, and it’s kind of related to math, but I feel like it’s more interesting,” Divya said. “In math, sometimes there’s a lot of repetition, but in computer science, every problem is new.”

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-ANANTH SHYAMAL ‘21

Although Ananth and Divya learned much through their academic advancement, they believe there are drawbacks as well. At times, they find it isolating not having classes with friends. “The first time we were in advanced classes, we were doing geometry in sixth grade,” Ananth said. “The first couple of weeks were intimidating, but [math teacher] Mr. Norton was really nice, and we kind of fit in with everyone.” Even though being the youngest in many classes may elicit stares from peers, math teacher James Kirpes treated them as he would any other student, impressed with their qualities from a young age. “They were studious, they were diligent, they were focused and they were earnest in their desire to learn,” Kirpes said. “From a teacher perspective, each one was an individual.” Although Ananth and Divya are outstanding in their academic advancement, they have plenty of other interests and hobbies as well. They both started playing violin in kindergarten and currently participate in the West High Symphonic Orchestra. “It helps us get away from academics,” Ananth said. “If we’re studying for a test and get super stressed, then we just pick up our violins and practice. Also, playing the violin kind of gets out your emotions.” Ananth and Divya both took part in the Preucil School of Music Orchestra up until eighth grade. The two had the opportunity to travel to the Baltics with this orchestra. “It was the first time we’ve ever been to Europe.

We went to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and it was different, but it was really nice,” Divya said. Even though Ananth and Divya both play violin, they have differing hobbies as well. Ananth, for example, is fascinated by animals and likes to watch Animal Planet during his free time. He received an animal encyclopedia for his sixth birthday and used to always read through it. “When I was in kindergarten, I wanted to be a zookeeper, but then I realized that, after watching shows, I like watching animals, but I’m kind of scared of them,” Ananth said. “I generally like science, like biology. I just find it interesting how all of these animals and organisms interact.” He also likes trivia and combining his knowledge of different subjects to answer questions. “At Northwest, we were involved in Knowledge Masters [Open],” Ananth said. “It’s basically knowing stuff from different subjects. I like that, because I like science. I like math. I somewhat like history. I got to use all my skills in one club.” Divya, on the other hand, enjoys graphic design. She usually competes in the Doodle4Google competition. “I like drawing in general, but I like doing it digitally, rather than on paper, just because it’s easier on an app,” Divya said. “In sixth grade, my dad got an app for it, and I have just been using that ever since.” Divya also enjoys biking, especially with her family. She likes the physical challenge that the activity can bring. “I like biking, especially in the summer,” Divya said. “Sometimes, on a route, there’s a really hard hill to climb, and I just like seeing if I can do

that. It feels good to have done something physically exerting.” Outside of school, Ananth and Divya participate in many math-related activities. Besides being part of West High’s math club and competing in statewide math competitions, they also created their own math get-togethers. Over the summer, they formed a math circle, which they organized with friend Reece Yang ’21 at the public library. They discussed math problems of varying difficulty with junior high students who participated in math competitions or just came for fun. Ananth believes that organizing this group helped him gain valuable social skills. “Both me and my sister are very reserved, but in the math circle, we presented our solutions and kind of directed everyone,” Ananth said. “It definitely helped our leadership skills and our public speaking skills.” Kirpes has noticed their growth of leadership skills along with their mathematical skills throughout his relationship with the twins. “I’ve seen them kind of mature as individuals, … to see how they’ve become more understanding from a social perspective to communicate in a more thoughtful way,” Kirpes said. “I’ve been pleased to see the social growth along with the mathematical growth.” Even though Ananth and Divya have their differences, they have gone through many experiences together and their relationship has strengthened as a result. “We’re really close,” Ananth said. “We do almost the same things, so we’re always there for each other.”

Divya and Ananth Shyamal ’21 pose for a childhood photo in traditional Indian clothing

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE SHYAMALS

“WE’RE REALLY CLOSE. WE DO ALMOST THE SAME THINGS, SO WE’RE ALWAYS THERE FOR EACH OTHER.”

PROFILES APRIL 12, 2019

BACKSTITCHING THROUGH TIME Grace Heller ’19 discusses how she found her passion for historical costuming.

Grace Heller ‘19 poses in a costume she fully finished. The process takes Grace anywhere from a week to months to complete a costume due to the amount of time she devotes to working on it.

BY KARA WAGENKNECHT

sewing machine sits tucked in the corner of a room. A mood board hangs above it with photos pinned all over. A sketchbook lays open on the white desk with measurements scribbled frantically inside. Posters featuring an array of time periods neatly line the white walls. In the middle of the room is Grace Heller ’19. Grace began sewing historical costumes midway through 2018. “I really like history, so I thought that it’d be cool to make historical costumes,” Grace said. “One of my biggest pet peeves is when [costumes] are inaccurate, like in movies a lot of times, so I thought it’d be cool if I remake them and make them as accurate as possible. It’d be

like I had a part of history with me.” To be historically accurate, a costume must follow the same pattern, fabric, colors and modesty of the century they are designed for. Grace prefers searching online for materials as opposed to at fabric stores because the colors and weights of the fabrics are more historically accurate. As a result, they tend to cost more. “[Sometimes] I’ll make a mock [costume] with cheap fabric like muslin, which is like $3 a yard, so that I’ll know all the pieces will work and fit me,” Grace said. “I get that type of stuff at Joann’s, but I order a lot of my fabric online, and you can get swatches before you buy it. I get it off mood.com.” Grace described historically inaccurate cos-

tumes as spreading “misinformation” to audiences because viewers don’t see what the outfits from that time period actually looked like. “[No movie is] completely accurate because then the movie wouldn’t be interesting enough,” Grace said. “People in Tudor times would have been more covered than showing their breasts, and they would have had their hair covered.” Before she began historically costuming, Grace had only sewn in Family Consumer Science class in junior high. “I am trying to teach myself [to use the sewing machine], which I’m still not very good at,” Grace said. “I’m better at hand sewing, but it takes forever, and I stab myself all the time. I should [hand sew my costumes] because that’s

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APRIL 12, 2019

more historically accurate, but I don’t, because it takes forever. I hand sew stays, which are like corsets, … to get the level of precision I want.” Grace taught herself how to sew using online blogs like American Duchess and books. She also looks at pictures of costumes from The Museum of Fine Arts of Boston and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, both of which have large collections of historical garments available online to view. Grace’s mom, Courtney Heller, began sewing when she was in grade school and still remembers how to sew and make the stitches. However, Grace would rather teach herself. “It really makes me proud of her that she knows so much about what she’s doing and that she’s taught herself everything,” Courtney said. “Most of the time, she does stuff without patterns, and I’m just really proud of what she’s done.” Historical costuming exists in a small yet vibrant community in select areas. Living History Farms, a 500-acre open-air museum in Urbandale, Iowa, focuses on educating audiences about 300 years of Midwestern agricultural history. It contains four farms, each centered around a different time period. All the attractions, with the exception of the 1700 Ioway Indian Farm, include live interpreters who dress and act as if they were in that time period. The exhibits include the 1700 Ioway Indian Farm, the 1850 Pioneer Farm, the 1900 Horse-Powered Farm and 1875 Town of Walnut Hill. Behind all of the costumes is Laura Poresky, the Period Clothing Supervisor. Poresky works on repairing, fitting and making the costumes.

PHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY MADDY EPHRAIM

“ I THOUGHT IT ’ D B E COOL I F I RE MAKE TH E M AN D MAKE TH E M AS ACCU R ATE AS POSS I B LE . IT ’ D B E LI KE I HAD A PART OF H I STORY WITH M E .” -GRACE H ELLER ‘19 “All of our fashions are coming from Paris and London,” Poresky said. “Since we don’t do period clothing at the 1700 Ioway Indian Farm, it’s all the European ideas, and we modify them. If you look at fashion plates from 1875 and you look at

A mood board with historical photos and inspiration hangs above Grace’s sewing desk.

Grace Heller ‘19 sews a part of one of her costumes on Wednesday, March 13. “When I use a pattern from the pattern book, I never keep it looking exactly like that,” Grace said. “I like to add different embellishments to it like lace and ruffles.”

our interpreters in Walnut Hill, you’re going to see a lot of things that are from earlier, like five or six or seven years sometimes. The costume that I fitted this morning still has a really long shoulder seam that we see in the very late 1860s and the early 1870s, because that’s how our patterns for a very comfortable blouse is cut.” Grace found her niche in making costumes from the late 1700s and early 1800s but is not afraid to branch out. “I used to hate Regency fashion, but I’ve recently begun loving it because the sleeves are ginormous,” she said. “That’s the same with the 1890s late 1880s, and I recently started to find the beauty in it.” Grace’s passion for history and historical costuming has led her to chase her dreams of living in Europe, and she will attend the University of Glasgow in Scotland next year. “[Historical costuming] really helped me define what I want to do in my life and figure out my career. I want to be a museum curator, but I want to get my Ph.D. in textile fashion because I want to focus on curating that type of stuff,” Grace said. “I love the part of history where you get to learn life stories because it’s like I’m connecting with the person but from the past.”

PROFILE APRIL 12, 2019

‫مغادرة الوطن‬ LEAVING LEAVING HOME HOME BY FATIMA KAMMONA

ENGLISH

PROFILE

Coming from Al-Jazeera, Sudan to Iowa, these sisters left their home for education.

Not many know of the country beyond the screen in front of them. What they see in the media is pain, violence and protests. However, for sisters Hafia MohamedNour ’20 and Mishka MohamedNour ’22, that is not how they saw their home. “Here, people only see what’s on TV about Sudan, and TV doesn’t show the truth,” Mishka said. “The lives of the people in Sudan is different than what you see. They don’t show how people interact with each other, help each other, take care of each other. … What’s unique about Sudan is its people.” Nine months ago, the MohamedNour family immigrated from the state of Al-Jazeera in Sudan to come to the United States for education. “At the beginning, it was a wonderful idea to come to the United States of America,” Hafia said. “But after coming for nine months, I really miss Sudan and I would love to go back.” The MohamedNour sisters miss their house, family and friends more than anything else. In Middle Eastern cultures, spending time with family is a constant occurrence. “People [in the United States] are very busy,

and people are by themselves,” Hafia said. “In Sudan, there is more time for gathering. You’ll know people’s news and anything happening around you.” One of the primary reasons the MohamedNour family moved to the United States was to seek an education that is highly acclaimed around the world, even though the sisters felt their school was more challenging in Sudan. This passion for higher learning was obvious to ELL teacher Cat Haxon. Though Haxon doesn’t have the sisters in her class this trimester, she recalls recognizing the girls’ focus on their education through the way they conducted themselves in class. “Clearly, education is very important to them,” Haxon said. “I just loved looking out into the sea of students in [the] classroom and just making eye contact with them. [From] their level of engagement and understanding in their faces, I could tell they really wanted to learn, and they really cared a lot about learning.” Though Hafia and Mishka miss Sudan with each growing day, the sisters plan on finishing their high school education and obtaining their

APRIL 12, 2019

“ [HOM E I S] WH E RE YOU F E E L TH E REAL YOU I S,” - M ISH KA MOHAM EDNOU R ’22 college degrees before heading back to the place they still call home. “[Home is] where you feel the real you is,” Mishka said. “I still think about Sudan, and I’m worried about the people there and how their life is and when I will be able to see them again.”

‫ف‬ ‫ف‬ ‫الوال�ت‬ ‫القدوم من حمافظة الج يز�ة ي� السودان إىل والية آيوا ي� ي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫الختان ت‬ ‫ ت‬،‫املتحدة‬ ‫غادر� ن‬ ‫ها�ن‬ ‫وط�ما من أجل ي‬ . �‫التعل‬

‫وأصدقائهم ث‬ ‫ ف ي� ش‬.‫أك� من أي ش�ء آخر‬ ‫ال�ق‬ ‫ي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫الوسط قضاء وقت مع العائلة هو عادة متكررة‬. ” ‫‏الناس كلها‬. ‫قالت حفيه “الحياة هنا كل واحد ف ي� حاله‬ ‫هناك ف� السودان ف� وقت ث‬. ‫مشغولة‬ ،‫اك� اىل اللمات‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ي‬ ‫انه ف‬ ‫ ‏أو أي حاجة تانية‬.‫تعر� أخبار الناس الثانية شنو‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ما� وقت‬ ‫ طول الوقت مشغولة ي‬.‫كده بس هنا‬.” ‫السباب أ‬ ‫من أ‬ ‫الساسية لقدوم عائلة محمد نور‬ “ ‫اس‬ ‫إىل الواليات المتحدة هو التحصيل‬ ‫الدر ي‬ ‫أ‬ ( ‫ سنة‬٢٢( ‫مشكاة محمد نور‬‫المتفوق عىل أنحاء العالم ولكن الختان‬ ‫يعتقدان بأن تعليمهم ف ي� السودان كان اصعب‬. ‫العال كانت بديهية بالنسبة‬ ‫الرغبة ف ي� التعليم‬ ‫ي‬ ‫لمعلمة إ‬ ‫كث�اً بالتعليم‬ ‫ هاكسون ال تدرس ”يريدان التعلم حقاً ويهتمان ي‬.‫الي إل إل كات هاكسون‬ ‫أ‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ض‬ ‫الفتاتان‬ �‫ترك‬ ‫تتذكر‬ ‫ولكنها‬ ،‫الفصل‬ ‫لهذا‬ ‫الختان‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ الختان‬. �‫يم‬ ‫حفبه ومشكاة يفتقدان السودان ي� كل يوم ي‬ ‫ف‬ ‫عىل دراستهما من طريقة اندماجهما ي� الصف ينويان أن إنهاء دراستهم الثانوية والحصول عىل شهادة‬. ‫جامعية قبل العودة إىل المكان الذي يدعونه الوطن‬. ‫قالت هاكسون “إنه واضح بأن التعليم بالنسبة‬ ‫ أحببت أن أنظر إىل بحر قالت مشكاة “الوطن هو المكان الذي تشعر بحنيه‬،ً‫للفتاتان كان مهماً جدا‬ ‫الطالب ف ي� الصف والنظر ش‬ ‫ انا الزلت افكر بالسودان وانا قلقه عىل‬،‫ من نفسك به‬.‫مبا�ة إىل عينيهما‬ ‫مستوى اندماجهما وفهمهما أستطيع أن أقول بأنهما‬ ‫الناس و حياتهم هناك و تم� سوف اراهم مره اخرى‬.”

‫الو طن‬ ‫هو املكان الذي تشعر‬ . ‫بحنيه نفسك به‬,

ARABIC

‫ت‬ �‫ال‬ ‫ليس كل الناس يعلمون عن الدول‬ ‫خلف الشاشة ي‬ ‫أ‬ ‫ف‬ ‫العالم هو اللم و العنف و‬ ‫ ما الذي يرونه ي� إ‬.‫أمامهم‬ ‫المظاهرات لكن أ‬ ‫ سنه) و‬٢٠( ‫الختان حفيه محمد نور‬ ‫ف‬ ‫بلدهم‬ ِ �‫ سنة) ال يرون ذ ِلك ي‬٢٢( ‫مشكاة محمد نور‬. ‫ن‬ ‫الل بيشوفوا‬ ‫‏يع� الناس هنا بس ي‬ ‫ “ ي‬:‫قالت مشكاة‬ ‫ن‬ ‫يع� بالتلفزيون ما بيجيب‬ ‫بالتلفزيون عن السودان ي‬ ‫ ‏كل الناس حياتهم‬،‫الل بالظبط كده حقيقة‬ ‫الحاجات ي‬ ‫مثل ما بالتلفزيون هي مختلفة‏ما يركزوا عىل حياة الناس‬ ‫ الناس بتساعد بعضها البعض ويتداخلوا‬.‫مع بعضهم‬ ‫ ال اظن العالم‬.‫ ويهتمون ببعضهم‬.‫مع بعضهم‬ ‫ السودان بناسه ي ز‬،‫”بيتكلم عن السودان‬ ‫متم� بناسه‬ ‫قبل تسعة أشهر هاجرت عائلة محمد نور من محافظة‬ ‫الجزيرة ف ي� السودان إىل الواليات المتحدة للدراسة‬. ‫ف‬ ‫ن‬ ‫يع� ‏انه ش‬ ‫نم� اىل الواليات‬ ‫ي‬ ‫قالت حفيه “ ي� البداية ي‬ ‫المتحدة كانت حاجة حلوة ن‬ ‫‏يع� أي زول بدو‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫‏يع� لما جيت هنا بعد تسعة‬ ‫ ي‬. ‫يطلع من البلد‬ ‫ ‏عن جد‬.‫ مشتاقه ن يإ� ارجع السودان‬،‫شهور‬.” ‫أ‬ ‫الختان محمد نور تفتقدان بلدهما وعائلتهم‬ PHOTO BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY SIMON JONES

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BY SOPHIE STEPHENS

As states across the nation legalize recreational marijuana, the drug has become more socially acceptable. For Iowan students, acceptance of marijuana has grown, but laws haven’t changed. However, concerns for increased teen drug usage and safety still prevail. *Some sources in this story have been given aliases, as they chose to remain anonymous.

t’s a summer night, just a few weeks before you start high school. You are sitting with your friends in the house when they say they’re going outside. Out of curiosity, you follow them to the back porch. Instantly the smell hits you. As you walk closer, you see them passing something around. You watch your friends light a joint and eventually, someone offers it to you. You’ve never smoked, but you decide to try it. You inhale deeply and release. This was how Kai* was introduced to marijuana. Before entering their freshman year, Kai’s friends started smoking the drug, and Kai soon joined. A year later, Kai began dealing. “Once I started smoking, I would only smoke; I wouldn’t want to deal or anything,” Kai said. “Once you start smoking a little bit more, you would have your own supply of a couple grams to yourself. That’s when someone texted me and said ‘Do you have weed?’ and I was like ‘Yeah.’ So that’s when I sold my first time.” After dealing for a year, Kai decided that the extra income wasn’t worth the risks. According to Kai, creating a reputation to attract customers while avoiding getting caught was a dangerous task. Because of the charges they could face for distribution of an illegal substance, Kai stopped dealing. They didn’t want their business to define who they were at West. “My mind changed about it. I thought ‘I can smoke weed, but I shouldn’t be dealing.’ It’s just more work on top of everything and more risk,” Kai said. “I’ve driven down First Avenue and seen four or five cops surrounding one car, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to be in that position,’ so I just stopped. It’s not worth it.” Despite the dangers associated with marijuana possession, Kai still smokes. Before they started smoking, Kai never thought they would get into drugs because of potential health consequences and their parents’ strict anti-drug policy. Now, Kai is acquainted with the culture surrounding marijuana and believes that it’s not as negative as some make it out to be. “Some people are really against it. They literally stay away from every single person who does that,” Kai said. “It doesn’t really affect us if

people don’t want to be with us. They can think whatever, but what they think won’t change what I’ll do.” Kai says that because marijuana is still illegal in Iowa, people in Iowa City connect marijuana to negative actions. This is due to its classification as a Schedule I drug nationally by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. A Schedule I drug is a title given to the most dangerous drugs, meaning marijuana is in the same category as heroin and is considered more dangerous than cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and xanax. Aspen* has smoked for over a year and agrees that the stigma surrounding the drug makes it seem more dangerous than it really is. They use marijuana more for the social experience than a need for the drug, which has helped change their perception of marijuana users. “I was one of those people that was like ‘I am never going to try drugs. I’m never going to drink.’ Then I guess one day I was just bored of the status quo and I was like ‘Alright, I guess I’ll try it,’” Aspen said. “I think it’s one of those things where you can’t judge the people who do it unless you’ve at least tried it once.” Marijuana is slowly becoming more socially acceptable. Pew Research Center found in October 2018 that 62 percent of Americans support legal marijuana, up from 50 percent in 2012, according to CBS News. However, Aspen believes that people can easily reinforce negative stigmas surrounding the drug, which aren’t always accurate. This divide between people who strongly disagree with marijuana usage and people who think it is safe to use deters Aspen from telling many people that they smoke. “I think the people who do know I do it but are anti-drug at the same time definitely see me differently,” Aspen said. “It definitely sucks because sometimes you’ll feel like you lost a friend, … but at the same time if they’re going to think of you differently just because of that, even though you are the same person, then they might not be a good friend for you in general.” Just because there is a growing population of people in the U.S. who support marijuana usage doesn’t mean that legal issues can’t endanger

people looking to buy or sell marijuana. These troubles can also create more dangerous products on the market and less education on the drug. Officer John Van Brocklin, the first certified Marijuana Identification Expert at the Coralville Police Department, believes that because marijuana production is now legal in some states, it is easier to transport across state lines than national borders. Van Brocklin believes that it’s easier to get ahold of marijuana in Iowa in its organic form and original packaging because it is now made in the U.S. “When I first started doing testing, … the marijuana that I typically received as evidence to test was very compacted and had been in a brick or some kind of form to make it easier for smuggling across the borders,” Van Brocklin said. For Iowans looking to obtain recreational marijuana, these laws result in getting products illegally from states with legalized recreational use like Colorado. When Kai was dealing, they would obtain pot from a dealer who bought from another dealer and so on, eventually reaching someone who brought the legallyobtained supply across state lines illegally from a U.S. dispensary. Marijuana has several health effects not commonly associated with the drug, like its addictive properties and long-term cognitive effects. Kai and Aspen believe there are many misconceptions surrounding these qualities. Marijuana, in comparison to harder drugs like cocaine and heroin, can seem like a safer product to use. According to the CDC, heroin and cocaine both have a risk of fatal overdose, unlike marijuana. The National Center for Health Statistics shows nearly 14,000 fatal cocaine overdoses and over 15,000 fatal heroin overdoses in 2018, with no record of any fatal marijuana overdoses that year. The American Addiction Centers lists cocaine and heroin as No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the list of most addictive drugs, with marijuana not making the top five list. However, cocaine, heroin and marijuana all influence dopamine levels in

“ MY M I N D CHANG E D ABOUT IT. I THOUG HT, ‘ I CAN SMOKE WE E D, BUT I SHOU LDN ’T BE DEALI NG.’ IT’S J UST MORE WORK ON TOP OF EVE RYTH I NG AN D MORE RI SK ON TOP OF EVE RYTH I NG.” - KAI *

the brain, meaning marijuana can become as addictive as other drugs with higher risks. The CDC says that one in six teens who regularly smoke pot will become addicted to the drug and that frequent use could lead to anxiety, depression and, on occasion, psychosis, which WebMD states to be a mental disorder that makes people lose touch with reality. The two main chemicals in marijuana are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Both chemicals relax the body, but THC is psychoactive and creates the “high” effect, while CBD calms the mind without the high effect and can be therapeutic, according to Aaron Cadena, the Editor-in-Chief of CBD Origin. Indica and Sativa are the two major types of marijuana plants, with Indica having a higher CBD to THC ratio, creating a more calming effect. “Sativa is more energetic, more creative. It opens your mind,” Kai said, reflecting on their own personal experience. “Indica is more in the

couch. It keeps you in the couch, makes you a little lazy.” With increased legalization, several forms of the drug and THC have arisen. One form is cannabis concentrates, more commonly known as “dabs.” Dabs are small, crystal-like pieces that contain approximately 80 percent THC, compared to 15 percent THC in marijuana plants. There is little information on the effects of dabs, but the Alcohol and Drug Foundation states that because of the amount of THC, there could be an increased risk of addiction and stronger withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, many prefer marijuana or dabs in the form of edibles. Because edibles travel through the digestive system rather than the respiratory system, the effects take longer to occur and are harder to control, which can make it hard for users to predict what the effects will be. Kai says that inexperienced users would buy edibles from them because they seem like safer options. However, “Good Morning America”

found that in Colorado, edible usage accounted for 10 percent of all emergency room visits between 2014 and 2016. Aspen has experienced the effects of edibles firsthand. “When you’re smoking, you can kind of let it sit there and hit you as you smoke but with edibles you’re just like ‘Ok, I’m gonna eat this and then I’m gonna go do something for 10 minutes,’ and suddenly I forget what I’m doing,” Aspen said. All forms of marijuana can have damaging effects on a user’s brain. Recent studies have shown that marijuana could be worse for teen brains than alcohol. Associate Professor Ryan Lalumiere from the University of Iowa works with addiction and relapse. Lalumiere says there are several long-term effects that marijuana can have on a developing brain that many marijuana advocates don’t consider. “With any drug, there are always dangers, whether you’re talking about a legal one or an illegal one, so nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, there’s dangers with all of these,” Lalumiere said.

EDITORIAL POLICY Sources may wish to have their names withheld from a particular story, and some may have valid reasons for this. The Editorial Board will decide on a case-by-case basis whether anonymity may be granted to protect the source. The Board recognizes that a high school is a very confined community of young people, and that some topics, while important to the community, may involve public embarrassment and official sanctions if names are printed. Once anonymity is granted, the Board must stand behind its decision, whatever the pressure. This, therefore, is a weighty decision. Disclaimer: The photo illustrations used for this story were all staged. Oregano was used in place of marijuana, and all paraphernalia was obtained legally.

“ BECAUSE TH E B R AI N I S STI LL DEVE LOPI NG, ANYTH I NG THAT I NTE RSECTS WITH THAT DEVE LOPM E NT MAY LEAD TO VE RY LONG LASTI NG CHANG ES.” - RYAN LALU M I ERE, U I ASSOCIATE PROFESSO R

“You certainly can get addicted to marijuana and, in general, we have lots of evidence that using any drug of abuse can alter the brain in such a way that this can predispose the person to other drugs.” For infrequent marijuana users, the risk of addiction and other drug usage is low. However, marijuana users with an addiction do have the potential of trying harder drugs and developing a dependency on those. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that marijuana users are more likely than non-users to become alcoholics within three years of using the drug. They also found that, although marijuana use does not often lead to hard drug use, most users of hard drugs like cocaine and heroin try marijuana before moving on to those drugs. Most drugs of abuse, ones used for nonmedicinal reasons, create a “high” from the large amounts of dopamine they release in the brain. According to Lalumiere, when the brain experiences high dopamine rushes from drugs, it is unable to produce the amount of dopamine again naturally and needs drugs to feel the same effects. This need for more and more unnatural dopamine at once can lead to maladaptive changes in the brain and may lead to addiction. For Lalumiere’s work, drug addiction references a wide range of behaviors like compulsive drug seeking, using drugs instead of working or going to school and chronically using the drug in a

way that becomes dysfunctional to daily life. Marijuana has potential for both addiction and relapse in users, as any other drugs of abuse do. The way THC reacts in the brain targets the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that doesn’t fully develop until around age 25, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. This part of the brain manages impulse control and a person’s inhibitions, and drugs like marijuana have the potential to alter that development. “Drugs of abuse can actually impair the functioning of the prefrontal cortex. If you have that during development, that becomes a little scarier because that can then perhaps have permanent effects for the rest of the person’s life in that their prefrontal cortex did not develop normally, and that may impair impulse control later on,” Lalumiere said. “We don’t know all effects that are out there, … but because the brain is still developing, anything that intersects with that development may lead to very longlasting changes.” In recent studies, THC levels in marijuana have increased and CBD levels have decreased, which according to Lalumiere can increase addiction liability. The study “Multigenerational and Transgenerational Inheritance of Drug Exposure: The effects of alcohol, opiates, cocaine, marijuana, and nicotine” completed by Yohn, Bartolomei and Blendy shows there is also evidence that marijuana can have

transgenerational effects, meaning that THC effects are not only present in the user but can also exist in subsequent generations even without any additional marijuana usage in the family because of the potency of the THC. According to a survey conducted by The Des Moines Register in 2019, 74 percent of Iowans support medical marijuana expansion and 48 percent support recreational marijuana. Although attitudes have changed recently, Van Brocklin warns the drug can pose a threat to everyday life for those who fail to regulate use. “Whether you want to call it an addiction or a habit, it’s definitely a real problem for some people,” Van Brocklin said. “They use it to the point that they’re impaired throughout their day, walking around, at their job, at school. It affects their mental cognitive abilities both during and permanently after. Perhaps most concerning is when people get behind the wheel. There’s a lot of misconception out there about marijuana usage and driving. People think that you can’t be charged with an [Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)] for smoking and driving, but you absolutely can.” According to the CDC, marijuana users are 25 percent more likely to be in an accident than those who hadn’t smoked. The Denver Post reported that within the first five years of recreational pot legalization, teen usage was on the decline but driving high was still a prevalent

“TH E R E’S A LOT OF M I SCONCE PTION OUT TH E R E ABOUT MARIJ UANA USAG E AN D DRIVI NG. PEOPLE TH I N K THAT YOU CAN ’T BE CHARG E D WITH AN [OPE R ATI NG WH I LE I NTOXICATE D] FOR SMOKI NG AN D DR IVI NG. YOU ABSOLUTE LY CAN .” -JOH N VAN BROCKLI N , MARIJ UANA I DENTI FICATION EXPERT AT CPD

issue. When it comes to driving under the influence, marijuana can harm both the user and the people around them. Aspen regrets their experience driving high. “I felt focused at the time, but I definitely remember whenever I would talk to the person next to me, my focus would go from the road directly to this person and that was it. I would no longer be driving. I just didn’t think at all,” Aspen said. “I remember my foot was on the gas pedal just slowly pressing the whole time and I was up to like 50 miles per hour in a 25. It was terrible, and I would never advise that ever. It’s not one of the safe things to do.” In Iowa, an OWI is punishable by jail time and fines. There are legal limits to the amount of THC that can be in a person’s system while driving, and this limit can be tested by police officers with a blood or urine sample when the suspect is pulled over. These tests for THC levels can detect marijuana in the system several days after use. Minors are referred to juvenile court if they are caught possessing, using or dealing marijuana. Minors may be waived to adult court according to prior offenses or for charges with related felonies like dealing. In addition to Iowa law for minors caught with illegal substances, the ICCSD and West High both have policies in place to deal with illegal substances found on campus. The West High student handbook states that students who break behavioral guidelines on campus, on their way to and from campus, during school events or anywhere that may affect school programs or the safety of students will have consequences enacted by the administration. The school will independently investigate cases

where students may bring drugs to campus, may be using drugs on campus or before class or may even be dealing on campus. Principal Gregg Shoultz says the school receives reports of drugs on campus from several sources, including students, and that the school takes steps to gain information before any punishments are given. The administration starts the investigation process by gathering information and talking to the student. This is then followed by a conversation with the parents and, if necessary, teachers. If the administration finds the allegations serious and believes that the student needs extra support, students can receive counseling or help through the school for addiction. However, any drug-related infractions that break school rules are punishable with inor out-of-school suspensions that can last from one to 10 days. If the offense is more serious, like dealing on campus, students may face a long-term suspension or even expulsion. This occurs after the school board holds a mandatory hearing process with the student and their family to determine the length of the punishment, which has a maximum amount of 90 days. Kate Callahan, the Director of Student Services for the ICCSD, helps process long-term suspensions. Callahan said that in the 201617 school year the ICCSD saw nine in-school suspensions and 40 out-of-school suspensions for drug offenses of several different drugs including marijuana, prescription medication and vaping; in the 2017-18 school year there were 18 in-school suspensions and 36 out-ofschool suspensions for drugs. There hasn’t been a long-term suspension for any offense since 2012. According to Shoultz, there have been less than five drug-related suspensions in the 201819 school year. Callahan believes these lowering rates are due in part to a change in the way the district approaches these punishments. “What’s unique about our district is that collaboration piece,” Callahan said. “We’ve worked closely with juvenile court, our county attorney, our administrative team and our community members to work together on these infractions and what are appropriate consequences … to reduce disproportionality and increase consistency.” Callahan works with principals and Student Family Advocates to ensure that students are reprimanded for their actions but are also aided in moving forward. Students who are suspended for drug-related offenses are not affected academically during their time out of school and can work with teachers to receive homework and class notes. “We work closely with families to work on long-term suspension agreements. At that time, families can be involved in determining what school might look like for students during the time that they are gone from school, so whether or not they attend our TREC [Theodore Roosevelt Education Center] facility, that’s a

possibility. They can work on online learning. We’ve had students that have … decided to graduate early,” Callahan said. “We do not want kids to be detached from school. We want them to continue to progress in their education and graduate with their peers.” School policy is in place to aid students in getting back to school and out of trouble. Shoultz believes that this works best for students because the administration and the police work well together to protect students’ safety while on campus. Although the school does not work with the police to do searches of lockers or parking lots, they work together to keep illegal substances off campus. According to Shoultz, the school works with police to uphold the safety and health of students and to dispose of drugs found on campus. “We have a very healthy relationship with the police,” Shoultz said. “One of the reasons it’s so good is that they respect the school’s rules and how the school may handle things, and they know that their area is criminal behavior.” Shoultz believes that as more states legalize recreational marijuana, there will be more misinformation, which will also affect how teenagers view the drug and its severity. Currently, there are 10 states plus the District of Columbia that have fully legalized recreational marijuana; several other states are working towards legalizing it, such as New Mexico and Illinois. Although some Iowan politicians have discussed creating legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, the furthest the state has gone in marijuana law is restricted medical marijuana accessibility. Van Brocklin believes that even with legalization, there is still the risk of crime associated with the drug. “There’s been a lot of reports in California and Colorado of there still being illegal marijuana sales,” Van Brocklin said. “There’s been turf wars with cartels that used to supply it, and now that their supply has been affected by states having

PHOTOS BY ALLIE SCHMITT-MORRIS ART & DESIGN BY AMY LIAO

legal dispensaries, they’ve still tried to come in and extort people that work the dispensaries or are still doing the private, illegal grows elsewhere. … A thing that always goes handin-hand with any kind of illegal, black market item is violence, exerted on behalf of different actors in the criminal world because they’ll seek to control it.” Substances like marijuana and alcohol are frequently tied to legal issues, whether it be production or consumption outside of legal policy. Although Iowa legalized limited medical marijuana use in 2014 in the form of CBD oils for epilepsy, a law which was expanded in 2017, there are still companies in the Iowa City area selling CBD products to the public, which is illegal to do in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reported that police in some Iowa towns have searched and confiscated CBD products from shops and massage parlors that were selling the products to people to relieve pain, anxiety and sleeplessness. Although the 2018 Farm Bill is slowly paving the way to hemp production, which is used for commercial

and industrial products, over-the-counter CBD products are still illegal. While some politicians are using marijuana as campaign points for upcoming state and national elections, there is no legislation currently being voted on for recreational marijuana use in Iowa. Iowa continues to expand medical marijuana legislation, including the first-ever medical marijuana production facility in Iowa that opened in November 2018. Van Brocklin and Shoultz agree that marijuana has become more ingrained in today’s culture over time, affecting its ability to influence young minds. “The thing we are wrestling with now is the fact that states like Oregon and Colorado … have basically legalized personal use of marijuana, and so we have mixed messages about it,” Shoultz said. “When you live in a college town, I think our students sort of have access to a lot of really cool things and a lot of sometimes dangerous and not-so-cool things. The prevalence of marijuana in our community definitely makes it more enticing to students.”

“ WE HAVE A VE RY H EALTHY RE LATION SH I P WITH TH E POLICE . ON E OF TH E R EASON S IT’S SO GOOD I S THAT TH EY RESPECT TH E SCHOOL’S RU LES AN D HOW TH E SCHOOL MAY HAN DLE TH I NGS AN D TH EY KNOW THAT TH E I R AR EA I S CRI M I NAL B E HAVIOR .” -GREGG SHOU LTZ, PRI NCI PAL

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APRIL 12, 2019

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

GEN Z

APRIL 12, 2019

WHAT MAKES OU R

GENE RATI ON D IFF ERENT FROM ONES BEFORE I T? They are selfie-takers, avocado-eaters and tea-spillers whose lives are phone-centered and carefree. If any of these clichés sound familiar, it’s probably because you’re part of the generation these labels describe. Generation Z is the group of individuals born between 1996 and 2010. In the United States, this crowd consists of approximately 61 million people, which is over a quarter of the total population. As the most diverse, technologically advanced generation to date, Gen Z is already making a significant impact on the world. Here’s a look into some of the components that characterize our generation. BY ANJALI HUYNH ART BY FRANCES DAI DESIGN BY CRYSTAL KIM

SOCIAL MEDIA Everyone knows the stereotype for high schoolers today: they’re always glued to their phones. And to an extent, this is true. According to a 2015 Vision Critical study, Gen Z uses smartphones more than any other electronic device, compared to the Millennial generation, who used desktop computers most frequently. The Center for Generational Kinetics reported that more than 55 percent of Gen Z members use their phones for over five hours a day.

“

I t d efi n ite l y m a ke s u s m o re a wa re of w h at ’s g o i ng o n fa ste r th a n befo re i n g ood wa ys a nd bad wa ys . I a l so fe e l l i ke pe o p l e a re j u st sa y i ng th i ng s j u st to fit i n a nd u nd e rsta nd m e m e s . … I d o be l i eve th at it h a s h e l ped u s be a b l e to co m m u n i cate fa ste r a nd e a s i e r, b ut I a l so fe e l l i ke th e bad i s sta rti ng to o ut we i g h th e g ood . - FAVO U R A L A R A P E ‘ 21

“

We h a ve be e n m o re exposed to th e th i ng s th at g o o n i n o u r wo rl d a nd a re m o re ed u cated a nd i nfo rm ed a bo ut d i ffe re nt th i ng s . N eg ati ve l y, we h a ve l ost a se n se of cu ltu re . A ro u nd th e wo rl d , m a ny p l a ce s l oo k a l i ke a nd th e re i s n’t re a l l y a ny m o re d i ve rs it y. B u l l y i ng a nd h a ra s s m e nt h a s d efi n ite l y i n cre a sed . We sta y g l u ed to o u r scre e n a nd m i s s o ut o n ba s i c h u m a n i nte ra cti o n [be ca u se] eve r y th i ng i s d i g ita l . - M A R I A M K E ITA ‘ 2 2

“

Soci a l m ed i a i s a d o u b l e - s i d ed swo rd . We’re m o re co n n e cted b ut a l so co m pa re o u rse l ve s to oth e rs m o re . We’re m o re u nd e rsta nd i ng of th ose d i ffe re nt th a n u s b ut a l so h a ve s h o rte r atte nti o n s pa n s . - TA R I Q AS H S H A R E E F ‘19

“

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

STUDENT ACTIVISM

93%

of West High students use at least one social media platform

82.2% use Instagram

66.5%

As student-run movements emerge across the country, it’s clear that Gen Z individuals want to stand up for what they believe in and strive to make a difference. The March For Our Lives organization is a prominent example of this, as students nationwide joined together to fight for increased gun control and prevention of school shootings. This was mirrored at the local level with the creation of Students Against School Shootings (SASS).

“

use Twitter

25.3% use Facebook

63.6%

of students follow politics

64% of students volunteer

66.8% of students purchase more items in-person than online

According to a survey completed by 214 West High students

G e n e ra l l y, pe o p l e se e m to be m o re a wa re of th e cu rre nt eve nts w ith n ews be i ng m o re e a s i l y a cce s s i b l e; h oweve r, pe o p l e d o n’t se e m to a l wa ys g o o ut to d o m a ny th i ng s . Acti v i s m of th e pa st h a s cre ated th e wo rl d we l i ve i n tod a y, a nd th e a cti v i sts i n th e p re se nt d a y a re a l so tr y i ng to i m p rove th e wo rl d fo r th e n ex t g e n e rati o n s .

“

- C A L E B K WO K ‘ 2 0

“

I n o u r g e n e rati o n , I be l i eve a cti v i s m i s m o re p reva l e nt th a n it wa s i n oth e r g e n e rati o n s be ca u se we h a ve m o re a cce s s to k n ow l ed g e of w h at ’s h a p pe n i ng i n th e wo rl d . I th i n k we stri ve to i m p rove th e wo rl d a s m u ch a s oth e r g e n e rati o n s h a ve , b ut th e d i ffe re n ce i s th at we a re m o re a wa re of th e se p ro b l e m s th a n oth e r g e n e rati o n s we re w h e n o u r ag e s .

“

use Snapchat

32.7%

APRIL 12, 2019

- A M E L I A WATSO N ‘19

“

I n th e pa st few ye a rs , I th i n k th at th e re h a s be e n a n i n cre a se i n th e a m o u nt of a cti v i s m o u r g e n e rati o n h a s pa rti ci pated i n . I d o th i n k th at th e re i s a pos iti ve i m pa ct to th i s , a nd o u r g e n e rati o n , ove ra l l , stri ve s to i m p rove th e wo rl d a ro u nd u s . … O u r g e n e rati o n n e ed s to ke e p g etti ng m o re i nvo l ved i n a cti v i s m a nd re a l i ze th e pote nti a l we h a ve o n ch a ng i ng th e wo rl d fo r th e n ex t ye a rs to co m e . - M C K E N N A H A AG ‘19

“

CONSUMERISM Growing up in a time where the world is at their fingertips, Gen Z has greater access to purchasing goods and services than any generation that proceeded it. This is demonstrated through a shift in consumerism. According to Deep Focus, Gen Z individuals prefer “cool products” to “cool experiences.” Moreover, increasing numbers of individuals in this generation shop online, although many still prefer to shop in-store.

“

Eve r yo n e wa nts th e n ew th i ng . I t ’s h u m a n n atu re to wa nt th i ng s ; h oweve r, I th i n k th at o u r g e n e rati o n h a s beg u n ta k i ng it to a n ex tre m e . … O u r g e n e rati o n i s co n sta nt l y s h ow n w h at we d o n’t h a ve , a nd pe o p l e m a ke it l oo k ex tre m e l y fu n o r po p u l a r o r so m eth i ng yo u n e ed .

“

- R E N E E GO U L D ‘ 2 2

“

I be l i eve th at o u r g e n e rati o n i s m o re m ate ri a l i sti c th a n oth e rs , a s i n n ovati o n s i n te ch n o l ogy, fa s h i o n , etc . a re occu rri ng at a m u ch fa ste r rate th a n i n th e pa st. Th e refo re , th i s j u sti fi e s o u r m ate ri a l i sti c d e s i re s . - C A RO L I N E M ASC A R DO ‘ 2 2

“

I t ’s n ot s i g n i fi ca nt e n o ug h to be wo rth co m p l a i n i ng a bo ut. B uy i ng th i ng s fo r n o re a so n oth e r th a n be ca u se it ’s a po p u l a r b ra nd i s a n a l l too co m m o n trad iti o n . I t ’s u lti m ate l y a wa ste of m o n ey b uy i ng th i ng s th at a re n ot h i g h e r q u a l it y [b ut] m e re l y m o re expe n s i ve . - W I L L I A M G L E ASO N ‘ 2 0

“

E N T E R TA I N M E N T APRIL 12, 2019

SIDE HUSTLES BY MARTA LEIRA

From math homework to clocking in, many high schoolers have to balance school with work. However, some skip the traditional part-time job to start their own small business.

VALUE OF MONEY A few weeks ago while scouring the internet for products to resell, Joe Westemeyer ’19 and his friend John Li ’19 stumbled across multiple coupon codes for electrical cables that, when paired together, made them free. Westemeyer, who has been “flipping” or re-selling goods found on the internet since the age of 12, jumped at the opportunity. He bought 1700 cables, a 50,000 MSRP value for nothing. “I highly doubted that they would ever show up at my door, but they did,” Westemeyer said. He has already sold a few of the cables but is working on finding a wholesale buyer, a buyer that will purchase all of the goods in bulk. The account Westemeyer bought the cables

CAULKING CONTRACTORS “Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back.” While everyone has heard this famous saying, two West students, Coleson Krupp ’19 and Baraa Suleiman ’19, came up with a solution that makes them money, Caulking Contractors. The two apply cement sealant for customers looking to repair or prevent future damage to their sidewalks or driveways. Krupp worked with concrete over the summer and came up with the idea. He came to Suleiman with the business idea to help him expand. According to Suleiman, their work is manageable with school because most of it takes place in the summer. “Everybody needs to find balance between their work and their school,” Suleiman said. “I focus primarily on dedicating a certain amount of time to each one of them and making sure

they don’t overlap. Both of us have been pretty successful in doing this.” The pair presented their business strategy for the University of Iowa Innovator Competition at the United Leadership Conference and took first place. They also received fourth place for an online presentation at the national level. “It felt good to win, but I have to give it all to Baraa for that win, because he carried us through the competition,” Krupp said. The two have found that one of the most important aspects of running a business is communication. “You need to really understand who you’re working with and the customers and the clients that you have,” Suleiman said. “You’ve got to know how to communicate properly in order to get the job done and do exactly what they need you to do.”

from offered him $6,000 to buy the cables back but he turned them down because according to Westemeyer, he can sell them for more than that. In addition to buying and reselling goods, Westemeyer runs his own business, American Landscapes. His first experience with working was completing everything from snow shoveling to mowing lawns for his dad and picking up trash around his business, Westport Touchless Auto Wash, which motivated him to start his own business. “That kind of taught me the value of money and made me realize there are more innovative ways to earn it than just an hourly pay,” Westemeyer said.

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

APRIL 12, 2019

DESIGN BY THOMAS DUONG

MRL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Max Long ’20 is no stranger to grass cuts, sweat and sunburns. He began mowing lawns when he was just 12 years old. “I started mowing one neighbor’s yard and she started paying me for it, and the money was really good for being 12,” Long said. “So I just kept on going.” Now, he runs his own business, MRL Property Maintenance, named after his initials. Long has expanded from just mowing to other types of landscaping, which he wants to focus more on in the future, and even hired six other staff members. On an average day, Long and his staff start work as soon as weather permits and can be outside all day. “There’s been days where the second the sun

was up you were out, the second it went down you went in.” Long’s hours can be extensive and sporadic depending on the weather. “For snow removal, typically whenever it starts to slow down … we all meet up together somewhere, we get food quick, stock up on water and everything, and then we go start,” he said. “It can be six hours or it could be 16 or 17 [hours].” According to Long, this can make it difficult to balance both school and work. “There’s been days where I’ve been out all night long, and I go home and sleep during first and second [periods], show up for third and the rest,” Long said. “Other days I just don’t show up. Teachers ask me ‘Where were you?’ I say, ‘Making money.’”

WILDES CATERING Ever since she’s been able to hold a spoon, Sydney Wildes ’21 has performed a task that some adults have yet to master: cooking. Now, at 16 years old, she has owned her own catering business alongside her dad for almost a year. “My dad and my grandma are both really good cooks, so I’ve grown up cooking,” Wildes said. “I’ve always wanted to be a chef when I grew up, so that kind of started it. Everyone encouraged me because they liked my food. … [Starting a business] just seemed like a logical thing to do.” Wildes cooks food made to order and transports them to customers and their events. She mostly markets her food through her Instagram page (@wildes_catering) and previous customers.

“When you run your own business, you understand how much you have to rely on other people spreading the word,” Wildes said. According to Wildes, one of the hardest parts of her job is keeping everything fresh on time. “It’s just a lot of running back and forth after school,” Wildes said. “You have to cook [the food] the day of, right before you have to be there, so it’s all about the preparation, and then it’s just the absolute rush of getting everything done perfectly, right on time.” Over the summer, she plans to continue catering while working at Tip Top Bakery. “It just gives me a lot of experience running my own business if I do ever want to open a restaurant,” she said. “It gives me experience I can put on job applications.”

E N T E R TA I N M E N T APRIL 12, 2019

SENIORS VS. BY LILY MENG

PHOTOS BY CAROLINE BARKER, ADITI BORDE & MADDI SHINALL DESIGN BY JENNA ZENG

What’s your attitude towards school as the year is coming to a close? “It’s been getting a lot harder to stay motivated. I still like going to class, but it’s definitely been a lot of trouble keeping up with readings and doing homework on time.” - Maddy Luegering ’19

What was the most exciting thing that happened in school this school year? “It was pretty funny the time the fire alarm got pulled and somebody lost an entire shoe. There was just a shoe in the ditch, and then one of the counselors was just holding it at the end like ‘Who lost a shoe?’ and nobody’s claiming it.” - Claudia Smith ’19

What has been your favorite part about high school? “A lot of kids will take the classes that they find are best to reflect what colleges will see, but I tried to take classes that would also look good but would also reflect what I wanted to do and help me explore. … I think that that was one of the best experiences of high school: being able to really try out what I wanted to do and really become somebody and figure out who I am.”

- Jared Kula ’19

FRESHMEN

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

APRIL 12, 2019

From “senioritis”-stricken seniors to freshmen carrying ridiculously heavy backpacks, these responses showcase the different attitudes between the two grades as they reflect on the 2018-19 school year.

What’s your attitude towards school as the year is coming to a close? “I kind of feel like I’m actually more motivated. It’s kind of unusual for me, but I feel like my classes are challenging me more than they have in the past, so I kind of want to work harder to get better grades.” - Kailey Gee ’22

What was the most exciting thing that happened in school this school year? “I think my All-State [orchestra] experience. It was something that I enjoy, as opposed to school, which is not something I enjoy. [My favorite part about it] was the accomplishment. It was pretty amazing, pretty surprising as well.” - Liam Edberg ’22

What has been your favorite part about high school so far? “Robotics. There’s not much space this year, so all the freshmen, they put into little introductory groups where we come in every month, and they give us some info about it and show us how the robot works so that we’re prepared for next year when we can actually join the team and go on the competitions.” - Akash Basri ’22

SPORTS APRIL 12, 2019

RISING STARS: MAKENNA VONDERHAAR ‘22 & JADA DACHTLER ‘22 BY LUCY POLYAK

After playing soccer for most of their lives, Jada Dachtler and Makenna Vonderhaar cap off their freshman years by playing on West High’s varsity soccer team.

SPORTS

APRIL 12, 2019

MAKENNA VONDERHAAR ‘22 West Side Story: When did you start playing soccer? Makenna Vonderhaar: I started playing soccer when I was seven or eight. My parents signed me up for all the sports as a kid, and that’s the one I liked the most. WSS: What different teams have you played on? MV: I’ve played on club [with the Iowa Soccer Club], [recreation league] and ODP [Olympic Development Program]. WSS: What are some of your favorite memories from soccer all these years? MV: Just hanging out with my team is probably the biggest one, because soccer has been the way that I’ve found most of my friends. So it’s been really fun to just be with my friends every night practicing. WSS: What have been some of the most important factors in your improvement over the years? MV: At first I was really not good at soccer and there were a lot of people on my team that were

better than me. Wanting to be better was just the biggest thing. I just wanted to be better and go to more practices. WSS: Who are some of your biggest mentors right now? MV: My coaches are probably my biggest ones because they know how to play and really care about making you better. Also my parents because they’re committed and bring me to all of the practices and are really supportive. WSS: Do you feel any pressures going into your first year on West High soccer? MV: I feel like I just have to work harder now and keep up a good work ethic so I can make it. WSS: What are you looking forward to about your first year playing with West? MV: I’m excited to make new friends, because I think that’s a big part of being on a team. I’m excited to play with my sister, that’s a big one. I’m just really excited to play on a team that’s outside of my club team.

West Side Story: When did you start playing soccer? Jada Dachtler: I started playing soccer when I was five, and at that time I played softball and danced, too. I was kind of just trying out sports, but then I got into soccer when I was 10 because a friend asked me to come try out for a club team. WSS: What different teams have you played on? JD: I played on Iowa Soccer Club (ISC) for five years and then I recently started playing on Cedar River Soccer Association (CRSA). I’ve also played on ODP for five years. WSS: What are some of your favorite memories from soccer all these years? JD: Just having fun at tournaments with my teammates. That’s usually when we really bond and stuff, so that’s always fun. WSS: What have been some of the most important factors in your improvement over the years? JD: How much my coaches push me. [They] have pushed me by always expecting me to work my hardest. WSS: Who are some of your biggest mentors

right now? JD: I love Alex Morgan and watching her play. My favorite coach right now is my personal trainer, Haris [Hadzalic]. He’s helped me a lot. WSS: Can you tell me about your personal training experiences? JD: I started practicing with my personal trainers in November of 2017 [at] Total Elite Soccer Training and there are three coaches. I train there once or twice a week, and they have helped me a lot. WSS: Do you feel any pressures going into your first year on West High soccer? JD: I think practicing with everybody will be really fun, but I don’t feel any more pressure than I already put on myself from other people. I think it will be good. WSS: What are your looking forward to about your first year playing with West? JD: I’m excited to bond with the team and hang out with them; we’ve already gone for a team breakfast after training. I’m also excited to go to games because they’ll be really fun and competitive.

PH O A R TOS T& BY KA DE SIG RA W NB AG YS E IMO NKN N J ECH T ON ES

JADA DACHTLER ‘22

SPORTS

APRIL 12, 2019

WINTER SPORTS Patrick McCaffery sets new West career scoring record: 1,550 points

BOYS BASKETBALL

17-5

52.5%

Earned ninth consecutive trip to the state tournament

74.4% 39.5%

RECORD

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

FREE THROW PERCENTAGE

62.6

POINTS PER GAME

THREE POINT PERCENTAGE

“Setting the scoring record during the season was a big accomplishment for me. Knowing all of the great players to come through this school, it was a huge honor to me to be able to hold that record.” -Patrick McCaffery ’19

GIRLS BASKETBALL

17-4 RECORD

“We started working together as a team more towards the middle and end of the season. We got to know each other and became kind of like a whole big family. It’s a great experience.”

44.5% FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

30.9% 69.9% THREE POINT PERCENTAGE

FREE THROW PERCENTAGE

63.8

POINTS PER GAME

Handed first losses to City High and Marion

-Emma Ingersoll Weng ’22

BOYS SWIMMING 1st - Izaak Hajek (100 yd butterfly, 49.45) 2nd - 200 yd medley relay (Pinter, Happel, Hajek, Kimball) 2nd - James Pinter (100 yd freestyle, 45.74) 2nd - James Pinter (200 yd freestyle, 1:41.23) 5th - Izaak Hajek (200 yd IM, 1:55.52)

7th

PLACE TEAM FINISH AT 2019 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

1st

PLACE TEAM FINISH AT REGIONALS

“Whenever people join swim team, they actually have fun, so when people are actually interested in swimming and are having fun at it, it’s a good environment to get better at.” -James Pinter ’20

EVENTS WON AS REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

Finished season undefeated in dual meets

RECAP

As the winter sports season came to a close in March, here is a look into what West athletes have accomplished. COMPILED BY DENIZ INCE

SPORTS

APRIL 12, 2019

3-18 2,084.2

GIRLS BOWLING “Our very last meet was the one that we won, and that was our most exciting meet that I think we’ve ever had.” -Kylie Rohm ’20

RECORD

MATCH SCORE AVERAGE

136.1

144.7

INDIVIDUAL GAME AVERAGE

BAKER GAME AVERAGE

BOYS BOWLING

8-13

2,557.6

169.6

172.2

RECORD

“I focus more on how others are doing, not how I’m doing. Once I’m up on the lanes, it only takes me a couple seconds to get in that mindset to do my shot. When I help the team, I can do that when I’m sitting back in the area when they’re bowling.” -Corey Roth ’19

INDIVIDUAL GAME AVERAGE

MATCH SCORE AVERAGE

BAKER GAME AVERAGE

WRESTLING 106 120 138 182 220

8th place Grant O’Dell 2nd place Hunter Garvin 8th place Graham Gambrall 6th place Will Hoeft 6th place Landon Green

Five state qualifying meet individual champions: Graham Gambrall Hunter Garvin Landon Green Will Hoeft Keaton Speicher

PHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY LYDIA GUO

15th

PLACE TEAM FINISH AT 2019 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

STATE QUALIFIERS

3rd

PLACE TEAM AT DISTRICT

46.5

POINTS EARNED AT 2019 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

“After I tore my ACL at the conference tournament, me and my parents had to talk about what was the best choice for me. I decided that I’d worked too hard to give up, and I only had two more shots to wrestle at state.” -Will Hoeft ’20

SPORTS

APRIL 12, 2019

BY MARTA LEIRA

Erik Sowinski is a Nike sponsored track and field distance athlete who competes all around the world and is training in Iowa City for the 2020 Olympics.

f you had told 15-year-old Erik Sowinski that he would be competing in world-class track and field competitions and training for the 2020 Olympics, he would have laughed. Before his sophomore year, his life had been consumed by soccer until his coach told him he was too small to ever play varsity. No one would have thought, not even Sowinski, that this setback would put him on track to compete at an international level in a completely different sport: track and field. Growing up, Sowinski had always played soccer and was on the freshman team in high school. He scored 30 points that season, but it wasn’t enough to put him on the varsity team. Standing at just five feet tall and weighing in at a mere 90 pounds, it became clear that he was very fast, but as his coach told him during tryouts his sophomore year, not big enough to ever play varsity soccer.

“I decided I’d pursue something else. I had a lot of friends on the cross country team so that’s kind of what made the most sense for me,” Sowinski said. “The rest took off from there.” Despite being on the varsity team his sophomore and junior year. Sowinski didn’t place high enough to be noticed by Division I (D1) recruiters. It wasn’t until a breakthrough performance winning the 800 meter dash at the state championships his senior year that Sowinski was given the opportunity to compete at that level. “To be able to win that my senior year kind of propelled me to being able to run at the D1 level,” Sowinski said. “Up until May of my senior year, I was pretty set on going to a DIII school in Wisconsin, but things took off pretty quick after winning state.” After graduating in 2008 from Waukesha High School in Wisconsin, Sowinski moved to Iowa City to major in physiology at the University

SPORTS

APRIL 12, 2019

ERIK SOWINSKI

A LOCAL LEGEND “ I DE F I N ITE LY TH I N K THAT [COACH I NG] I S A WAY FOR M E TO G IVE BACK TO TH E SPORT.” - ERI K SOWI NSKI , N I KE ATH LETE of Iowa. There, he competed as a distance track athlete before graduating in 2012. “I love Iowa City, and that’s why I’m still here. It’s definitely a tight-knit community and it was a tight-knit [track] team while I was at Iowa,” Sowinski said. “A lot of my best friends are still guys that I ran in high school with, guys that I ran in college with. I think that just kind of carried over. The [Iowa] athletic department has been super accommodating with everything … so that definitely plays into it also.” Throughout college, Sowinski worked 40 hours a week at Running Wild, what was at the time a local shoe store, while training. He had a very successful competition season in 2013, breaking the indoor All-American record in the 600 meter dash and winning the U.S. Indoor Championships in the 800. During the 2013 indoor season, he signed with an agent who negotiated a contract with Nike. Sowinski clarified that professional runners are contracted, not employed, by shoe sponsors. This means that Nike is not responsible for his coaching or what meets he competes in, but provides him with a salary, gear, and support. “I’ve definitely always been a very self motivated person, but I try to remind myself how lucky I am to get to do this for a living,” Sowinski said.

“There aren’t too many people who get to travel the world and race all around the world and that kind of stuff, so I try to remind myself of that whenever I’ve got a tough workout or something doesn’t go my way.” When he’s not competing, Sowinski volunteers as an assistant coach at Davenport Assumption High School. He typically fits two practices a week and meets into his busy schedule. “I definitely think that [coaching] is a way for me to give back to the sport,” Sowinski said. “It’s kind of made me look at my own running differently. You see people succeed and struggle and see how they deal with that and how you can help them through that. I think I’ve been able to apply some of those same principles to when I’m struggling with something out on the track.” Before the postseason meets for the 2018 season, boys cross country coach Josh Kidman contacted Sowinski asking him to provide some words of encouragement for the end of the season. The team gathered in the weight room for a half hour as he shared his story. “I think it was good for them to hear that people are watching and listening and looking out for them and rooting for them,” Kidman said. “He talked about his own experience with the sport and not being good at first but giving it everything, going all-in and training hard and having a breakthrough.” One West athlete, Alex McKane ’22, was especially inspired by Sowinski’s words. He remembers the day Sowinski came in, the team had just finished a lighter workout before the state meet. “What I loved about his speech [was] learning how a runner as good as him got to be in his current position,” McKane said. “The talk helped fuel my passion and helped me get very motivated for our state meet.” Sowinski was eager to share his success and words of wisdom with the team. “I was in those guys’ shoes at one point, and never once in my high school career did I think I would be a professional track and field athlete,” Sowinski said. “So even if you can give someone a little bit of encouragement or inspire someone

to follow that goal, … I think that there’s a lot of principles you learn in track and field that they can apply to different aspects of their lives.” One of the more difficult parts of Sowinski’s career has been disappointment at the Olympic Trials in 2016 when he missed qualifying for the Olympics in the 800 by one spot. “At the end of the day there’s always going to be another race,” Sowinski said. “Obviously being able to call yourself an Olympian is something pretty special, but I tried not to sulk on that too much and let it affect where I was going later that year and what other goals I had for the rest of my career.” Sowinski is now focused on his current goal:

“AT TH E E N D OF TH E DAY TH E RE ’S ALWAYS GOI NG TO B E ANOTH E R R ACE .” - ERI K SOWI NSKI , N I KE ATH LETE earning a spot on the U.S. 2020 Olympic team. However, one thing’s for certain, he wants to stay in Iowa City if he can. “I love it here. I’ve been in the Midwest all my life. It’s definitely home and I’d like to call it home for a little while longer.”

PHOTOS BY KARA WAGENKNECHT DESIGN BY FRANCES DAI

OPINION

APRIL 12, 2019

SIMON SAYS: GET GEOGRAPH-IED

Designer Simon Jones ‘19 offers a swell suggestion to learn a thing or two about the face of the world.

BY SIMON JONES

ver since I was little, I have been obsessed with maps. As a kid I spent countless hours drawing over printed world maps and screwing around with Microsoft Paint, lumping nations together or breaking them apart to explore the possibilities of borders, countries and landscapes. I went to the state Geography Bee (basically just a spelling bee, but they ask you geography questions, go figure) in middle school, I hung maps on the walls of my bedroom, etc., etc. Years later, I still have a world map on my wall (now inaccurate, thanks South Sudan; no ill-will towards anyone from there). I could say that it’s still up there for some corny reason like sentimentalism, but I think I left it up there to remind myself about the complexity of the world. Yeah, that’s pretty corny, but whatever, it’s still true. A good example of complexity I can talk about is China and Asia as a whole. The influence of the Chinese language and culture extends far past its borders to other places in East and Southeast Asia. Why? Part of this is due to the incredibly long and complex history of the ‘Middle Kingdom,’ but the underlying reason for the ‘sinicization’ of Asia, the spread of and conversion to the dominant Han-Chinese culture, is the geography itself. East Asia, unlike Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, has no major divide between the lands. While the west of China had hostile and unforgiving mountain ranges and deserts, the east was pure plains and hills, ideal conditions if you want to expand an empire. Long story short, the kings of old conquered their hostile neighbors, ‘pacified’ their newfound ‘citizens’

and had to conquer their new hostile neighbors in an endless loop. China’s geography was a key factor that forged not only its own history but also the histories of its neighbors. Asia’s various

“ H I STORY I S U LTI MATE LY SHAPE D BY G EOG R APHY. TH E REASON S FOR TH I NGS B E I NG TH E WAY TH EY ARE I S B ECAUSE OF OU R SU RROU N DI NGS.” cultures, languages and foods are all thanks to its geography. Another really easy example to explain is the countless wars, invasions and battles of history. Why did Germany invade Belgium in 1914? Why did the ‘Scramble for Africa’ happen so relatively

late to the history of colonization? How did the 13 Colonies successfully revolt against the British? Again, (you really should have expected this) the answer is geography. The flat plains of the Benelux, (a fancy-pants name for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, if you didn’t know) the hostile environment of the interior of Africa and the then-unknown lands of the eastern coast are the reasons. I could go on with countless other examples, but I think that would make this read ever more boring. I’ll just make my point and move on: history is ultimately shaped by geography. The reasons for things being the way they are is because of our surroundings. Geography is one of the most, if not the most, important part to understanding global relations, population distribution and the current state of things. I cannot emphasize this less. So get learnt in some geography, nerd. Peace.

OPINION

APRIL 12, 2019

STRIDING TOWARDS EQUALITY Reporter Annabel Hendrickson ’21 discusses the gap of a couple hundred meters between high school girls and boys track races. BY ANNABEL HENDRICKSON

y first experience with running track last year ensured a flurry of mixed emotions: love for the sport and my amazing teammates, pain as I ran through shin splints and a sprained groin, pride when I shaved those few seconds off my races. But one tiny feeling constantly nagging at the back of my mind was indignation. In Iowa high school athletics, girls running distance events run 1500 and 3000 meters

“ IT SE N DS TH E M ESSAG E THAT H IG H SCHOOL-AG E D G I RLS CAN ’T RU N AS FAR AS BOYS CAN .”

around the track, while boys run 1600 and 3200 meters. Every time I looked at the heat sheet, the distance gap between genders was glaringly obvious. Just a couple hundred meters of difference but exemplifying the continuation of centuries of misogyny. Even in seemingly trivial matters like a couple hundred meters of gap in high school athletics, sexism finds its way to prevail in our society. And that’s what this is: misogyny. Not logistics. Not biological differences. The distance gap is plain and simple: high school athletic officials in Iowa are still clinging to the outdated idea that men are somehow above women. Passing off the issue as a matter of practicality or burying it under a mountain of excuses is an injustice not only to women but to athletics in general. At the collegiate level, running a 1600 or 3200 is practically unheard of, regardless of gender. Even internationally, the standard distance in track events is 1500 and 3000 meters. Despite all of this, boys track distances still remain at 1600 and 3200 meters in Iowa, while girls track distances lie at 1500 and 3000 meters. According to Gary Ross, the Associate Director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU), the distance gap is a point of controversy at the Track and Field Advisory Committee level. The IGHSAU has always run the 1500 and 3000 and wants to continue to do so, while the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) recognizes 1600 and 3200 as their preferred distances. The fact that we still see sexism in something as simple as high school track in the 21st centu-

ry is astounding to me. Having to run that far, pushing yourself as hard as you can and then watching someone else run just a tiny bit further is infuriating. It sends the message that high school-aged girls can’t run as far as boys can. However, it’s not only track where girls run less than boys. According to ESPN, there are still seven states where girls run a kilometer less in cross country races. It’s not very far, but it’s degrading to have to run less based on the old-fashioned concept that girls can’t run as well as boys. Luckily for West, Iowa voted to raise the mileage in girls cross country to make it equal to the boys’ four years ago, but it’s hard to believe that it took until 2015 for it to happen. Although there’s inequality at the moment, I’m optimistic about the future. Since Iowa made the cross country distance equal, we can hope that they will have the sense to change the track distance along with it. We’ve made great strides for equality in recent years, and I hope the movement will continue to grow, even if it’s just for a couple of meters.

PHOTOS BY MADDI SHINALL DESIGN BY FRANCES DAI

OPINION

APRIL 12, 2019

BATTLE OF THE BOTTLES BY KARA WAGENKNECHT

am addicted to my water bottle. It all started freshman year when I needed a new one for school. I tried everything: glass water bottles, plastic water bottles and countless other metal water bottles, but nothing seemed to keep my beverage cold. So, I browsed YouTube to find the perfect water bottle. After hours of watching reviews, I decided I wanted to try a brand I had never heard of before, Hydro Flask, and it is the best decision I have ever made. I have to have my Hydro Flask within five feet of me at all times. Even if I’m going to the gas station ten minutes from my house, it is always in the cupholder of my car. If I’m being honest, I’m more addicted to my water bottle than my phone, and I’m not upset about it. Hydro Flasks keep your water cold for 24 hours and hot for six, and the bottle doesn’t give off any condensation. Let me be the first to tell you that having cold water throughout the school day is a blessing. The fact that I can fill up my water bottle with ice at 6:45 a.m., go to Kirkwood in the morning, fill it up again halfway through the day (sometimes multiple times) and still have ice in it during seventh hour is mind-boggling. There are also Hydro Flask cups for other beverages and food. The company makes coolers and brushes to clean your bottles with, as well. You can even buy Hydro Flask apparel. I mean, who doesn’t want the little Hydro Flask symbol on a shirt? It’s so dang cute. I’ll admit, I never drank that much water until I bought a Hydro Flask. I do not like warm water, and I found that Camelbak water bottles would not keep my water nearly as cold as I wanted, so having a water bottle that keeps my water cold for long durations of time is exactly what I need. Made from stainless steel, Hydro Flasks are very durable and last longer than Camelbak’s plastic water bottles. Hydros don’t make obnoxious noises like Camelbak straws do, but if you want to sound like a dolphin every time you drink, by all means go for it. Honestly, there shouldn’t even be a debate which water bottle is better; there’s a clear-cut winner, and it’s Hydro Flask.

PRICE PRICE Hydro Flasks are notoriously known for being expensive, but it’s worth it. Depending on what size of water bottle you want the price can range anywhere from $29.95 to $59.95, but the fact that the bottles are made from stainless steel as opposed to plastic plays a role in the steep price. You are investing in a durable water bottle one time, so you might as well splurge.

DURABILITY Hydro Flasks are SO durable. The bottle is made of stainless steel, so you will get dents if you drop it, but personally I think that the dents make your bottle more unique and show that it’s being loved. If you are not a fan of the dents, you can buy a boot to put at the bottom of your bottle to prevent any additional denting.

SIZES SIZES You can get 12, 18, 21, 24, 32, 40 and 64 ounce bottles. They come in wide mouth bottles and standard bottles.

INSULATION INSULATION Hydro Flasks are made using a TempShield™ double wall to keep the temperature of the liquid inside constant. The double wall ensures you’ll have cold water for up to 24 hours and hot liquids hot for up to six hours. When you’re hiking around Squire Point, you want a cool beverage to refresh you, and Camelbak’s plastic bottle just doesn’t do the trick. Have fun sipping your lukewarm water!

OPINION

APRIL 12, 2019

Kara Wagenknecht and Thomas Duong have had their fair share of disagreements, but this particular one — the battle between Hydro Flasks and Camelbaks — has reached the extremes.

POPULARITY POPULARITY Camelbak bottles are considerably less expensive compared to Hydro Flask. Camelbak bottles start at $4.50 and end at $40. Who would want to overpay for a portable drinking machine?

WSS conducted an Instagram story poll asking what water bottle brand West High students preferred. 206 @wsspaper Instagram followers participated in the poll.

Free of dents and scratches (ahem, Hydro Flask), Camelbak bottles offer unprecedented durability, making any scenario unfit to destroy these strong bottles.

74% 26% FOR HYDRO FLASK

FOR CAMELBAK

Camelbak bottles come in sizes ranging from 12 ounces to 50 ounces. These bottles are for anyone and anywhere!

Depending on the situation, Camelbak offers different levels of insulation to tailor to your needs. Retaining temperature is your best bet with Camelbak’s vacuum-sealed stainless steel bottles, outperforming Hydro Flask in keeping that optimal temperature. PHOTOS BY MADDI SHINALL DESIGN BY LYDIA GUO

BY THOMAS DUONG

ydration is key. However, while water is an integral part of human life, the container we drink it out of is just as important. Four years ago, I needed a water bottle to quench my thirst after a run, to be effortless to drink out of while long-distance biking and versatile enough to bring to school or wherever I go. With a multitude of bottles to select from, this was an easy choice for a broke high school student to make: Camelbak bottles. Camelbak bottles are extremely buyer friendly, offering unlimited customizability to satisfy your personal style. I like my bottle plain and simple; it’s a dark blue plastic bottle. However, many people can custom order their bottles with different colors, graphics and etching. Also, who doesn’t want a cheap, durable product? With the most commonly used size starting at $15 dollars, compared to Hydro Flask’s at $35, Camelbak provides an almost unique bottle for less than half the price: the perfect payment for the perfect bottle. In addition to its customizability and price, Camelbak bottles are made out of chemical-free plastic and antimicrobial technology. These bottles inhibit bacteria growth that can cause odors, discoloration or deterioration of the bottle and are completely safe. This allows for multiple uses before washing, a burdensome task for even the least busy people. If the situation arises, the bottle is easily washable by hand and by machine. I can confidently say that this is the best water bottle brand on the market. As an amateur biker during RAGBRAI, The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, my trusty bottle exceeded my expectations, keeping my water cold for miles while withstanding the particles flying at it. Months later, I quietly drink out of it during my classes at school. Ever get annoyed by the clanking metal every time a Hydro Flask user tries to open their bottle? Yeah, me too. And can Hydro Flask be as versatile, cheap and durable as Camelbak? Not quite. So why anything else? No other bottle can replicate the more than 30-year success of the Camelbak bottles. Sorry not sorry, Hydro Flask.

E D I TO R I A L APRIL 12, 2019

EDITORIAL: CONSEQUENCES

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SHOULD POSESSION OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES AFFECT STUDENT PARTICIPATION?

YES

Student athletes and participants of extracurricular activities are representatives of their respective organizations. Because the school funds and promotes their organizations and sports teams, the students are under the name and jurisdiction of the school. By choosing to participate in illegal activity, not only is the individual student affected, but their teammates, their peers and their school at large are as well. Thus, the school context plays a crucial role in shaping adolescent behavior, and as long as the student is enrolled, it is within the discretion of the administration, sports coaches and club leaders to punish the student possession and usage of illegal substances on “school grounds, at school events or in any situation in which the school is responsible for the conduct and wellbeing of young people,” according to the 20182019 West High Student Handbook. Students are held accountable to the ICCSD Good Conduct rule that states, “Students who wish to have the privilege of participating in extracurricular activities must conduct

themselves in accordance with board policy and must refrain from activities which are illegal, immoral or unhealthy.” By joining a sport or club, students are committing to meeting such expectations and accepting the consequences that are to follow if they do not. If students do not wish to be held accountable to such standards, they may choose to refrain from participating in school-sponsored activities. Students are expected to abide by the Iowa law that prohibits the possession and usage of illegal substances. In the state of Iowa, a first offense of possession of marijuana, including a few seeds or residue of the substance, can result in up to one year in jail, a $250 fine and a 180-day driver’s license revocation. Furthermore, under federal law, if convicted of drug possession, including marijuana, students will never be eligible for student federal aid. As students spend the majority of their teenage years in high school, it is irresponsible for schools to turn a blind eye when students are found to be breaking the law. If failure to meet a certain GPA can limit a student’s participation in clubs and

sports, the usage of illegal substances that has more detrimental ramifications down the road should have a much more efficacious impact. Moreover, involvement in illegal activities has the potential to negatively affect a student’s performance in their sport or club. Partaking in these activities infiltrate and impact academic, extracurricular and sport performance. According to a research report by The Recovery Village, a network of rehabilitation centers for substance abuse, since the adolescent brain is still developing, hindered motor skills, logic, reasoning and memory function can persist into adulthood. Additionally, substance abuse can affect the mental health of students, leading to higher rates of depression, withdrawal and extreme irritability. The Recovery Village cites that 70 percent of teen suicides are influenced by substance abuse. If the school has an opportunity to prevent such health and mental ramifications from taking place, there is no reason why intervention and later, punishment should not be take place. The effects of illegal substances on athletic

E D I TO R I A L

APR 12, 2019

performances are all the more noticeable. For high school level athletes, constantly maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an expectation for successful results. However, according to The National Institute of Drug Abuse, when athletes consume illegal substances, they are sacrificing their optimal performance level, as combining physical exercise with drug usage can cause the body to experience shock and even shut down completely. If an athlete is caught using an illegal substance outside of school, they should be held liable as they would become a detriment to the team. It is not fair for the performances of other athletes to suffer because of a teammate who has made the poor decision to partake in the usage of illegal substances. Not only does their dedication to the team not match their peers, but they also sacrifice their individual performance and the performance of their teammates, ultimately affecting the team as a whole. High school serves a major role in the transformation from adolescence to adulthood; thus, the school environment, where learning and discipline are deemed most important, must instate punishments for impermissible behavior. According to a 2011 Harvard University study, adolescents have an increased desire for risktaking and sensation-seeking activities, but as a 2009 Brown University study found, they begin to simultaneously form desires to “develop competence and make commitments to particular goals, activities and beliefs.” Therefore, high schools should be prioritizing the development of healthy, lifelong habits and intervening before poor decisions become routine. School administration must not replace the role of parents but rather supplement it. As the 2011 Harvard University study found, the school and home circumstances must be aligned in developmental tasks and contexts of adolescence. The school must be aware of the home environment and facilitating proper communication with the student’s parents. If boundaries are not set and consequences not enforced accordingly, it may prompt students to believe that certain illegal actions, such as the possession and usage of illicit substances, are admissible. In other circumstances, there are more detrimental consequences for partaking in illegal activities. By failing to set proper limitations, the district fails to serve its students. In communicating an “out of sight, out of mind” belief, West High would translate the message that partaking in illegal activities is acceptable. By taking away or limiting their participation in something the students are passionate about, the action is analogous to the more severe punishments that are to incur if such activity were to continue in the future.

A school’s job is to ensure a healthy, productive learning environment. So long as students show up to school in a timely manner and put in consistent work in class and extracurricular activities, the administration should not punish them for the way they act off of school grounds. Penalizing a student for partaking in an activity that is not hindering their contribution to the learning environment is counterproductive. Regulating students’ drug use in their personal lives should be under the jurisdiction of their guardians. A responsible, honest conversation with a student’s caretaker can do a lot of good towards reforming a student’s drug use. A 2008 study from the Journal of Adolescent Health showed that parental attitudes towards drug use is a significant factor in determining whether or not adolescents will use drugs. If guardians establish their boundaries for drug use in a loving, honest way, students are likely to understand and accept them. School-issued punishments are not a substitute for such conversations. If schools punish students for drug use off of school grounds, they may overstep their boundaries and invade a conversation that should be held between the student and their guardians. When parental guidance fails to produce results, it is then the police’s turn to step in. Our criminal justice system is set up to deter criminal activity. Therefore, when a student is caught engaging in criminal activity, the police should intervene. High schools do not have the same expertise as the police department when it comes to effective ways to combat drug use. The police department’s job is to combat drug use; thus, it should know best how to fight it. Granted, the criminal justice system must also work to decriminalize drug use and focus more on rehabilitation in order to take the issue fully out of the hands of the school. Still, if the police department believes it has done a sufficient job to deter a student’s negative habits, why should the school step in with an additional punishment? In fact, an extracurricular ban or suspension would do more harm than good. For many students, extracurricular activities can help keep them away from drug use. If schools take students out of activities they love, it could drive them to further drug use. A 2016 report by Pride Surveys showed that 22.2 percent of students grades 6-12 who “never” participate in school activities report using illicit drugs, compared to 12.5 percent of those who participate in school activities “a lot.” By taking students out of activities for these infractions, we risk driving them further into drug use. Instead, the focus

should be on rehabilitating students. Furthermore, even if the administration is absolutely set on curtailing drug use, severe punishments, such as a total ban from a major activity in a student’s life, are not the answer. An extracurricular ban does nothing to explain why drug use is wrong. A 2013 report by the National Institute of Justice found that “increasing the severity of punishment does little to deter crime.” Similarly, instituting a complete removal from activities would not target the underlying issues at all. Instead, the educational system needs to do a better job of pinpointing the causes of adolescent drug use and trying to find ways to combat them. To institute this ban would be tantamount to placing a band-aid over a gaping wound. While the intentions of a policy such as an extracurricular ban or suspension are good, issues of substance use are simply not under the school’s jurisdiction, and the policies would likely end up being counterproductive. Rather than tough love and strict consequences, students need open conversation and explanation to achieve rehabilitation.

FIRST OFFENSE Suspension from one third of the season’s contest or performance dates with professional evaluation prior to reinstatement where applicable.

THIRD OFFENSE Suspension from an athletic competition for twelve (12) calendar months with professional evaluation prior to reinstatement where applicable.

THE ICCSD GOOD CONDUCT RULE

Source: ICCSD Good Conduct Rule

DESIGN BY VIVIEN HO

S TA F F L I S T APRIL 12, 2019

WEST SIDE STORY STAFF

MohammedHilal Al-Ani Aditi Borde Anna Brown* Alex Carlon* Grace Christopher* Carmela Cohen Suarez Will Conrad* Frances Dai* Jessica Doyle* Natalie Dunlap* Thomas Duong* Maddy Ephraim Aaron Fennell-Chametzky Bess Frerichs Brenda Gao Ting Gao Joe Goodman Lydia Guo* Emma Hall Annabel Hendrickson Vivien Ho Selina Hua Anjali Huynh*

Deniz Ince* Simon Jones Fatima Kammona* Natalie Katz*

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Edward Keen Sidney Kiersch Crystal Kim* Luke Krchak Noah Krchak Marta Leira Amy Liao Holden Logan Lily Meng* Jessica Moonjely* Lucy Polyak* Ian Prescott* Jillian Prescott* Rain Richards Kristina Rosebrook* Allie Schmitt-Morris* Maddi Shinall* Alyssa Skala Sophie Stephens* Mary Vander Weg* Kara Wagenknecht*

Jenna Wang* Gwen Watson Harry Westergaard* Ken Wilbur Jenna Zeng* Sara Whittaker

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P H OTO F E AT U R E C O N T I N U E D KARA WAGENKNECHT Emma Kearney â&#x20AC;&#x2122;21 runs the second leg of the 4x800 meter relay race. The relay team finished first with a time of 9:52.96. The girls track and field team hosted their first outdoor meet of the season on Tuesday, March 26. BEHIND THE PHOTO Track and field meets are hands down my favorite sporting event to cover. I always look forward to the time when I venture down to the track. Some people may find track and field meets boring, but there are so many events to photograph. One thing I like about photographing track races is that you only get one chance, especially during the shorter races, so when you get the perfect photo of a runner jumping over a hurdle, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a weight is lifted off your shoulders. FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM

COLORING CORNER Give your mind a break with this coloring page. DM us your finished project for a chance to be featured on our Instagram story. @WSSPAPER TOP: ART BY GUEST ARTIST LAUREL KELLEY FISCHER ‘19 BOTTOM: ART BY GUEST ARTIST AUSTYN GOODALE ‘20 DESIGN BY BRENDA GAO