2023-11-16 by West Side Story

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WEST SI DE STO RY IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE.

IOWA CITY, IA 52246

WSSPAPER.COM

VOLUME 56 ISSUE 2

Raise_the_Stakes WSS looks into the rising trend of gambling and betting among youth.

NOVEMBER 16, 2023

Ceci De Young Butali Butali ‘25 slips past Cedar Rapids Washington defender Oct. 6. West won in a 58-8 landslide.

PHOTO FEATURE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Hey there Trojans, I hope this first trimester has treated you well! You’ve worked hard, so take a moment to relax and read this issue of WSS. With the chaos that is high school, it can be difficult to keep up with the news at West. Flip to page 4 to catch up on what you might have missed. Speaking of news, starting on page 19, you will find our cover story which explores the recent college gambling scandals and how gambling affects students at West. After the stress of finals, perhaps you are in need of a laugh. Head over to page 23 where teachers finish the lyrics of some of your favorite songs. Sadly, this is the last issue of 2023, but I’m grateful to have shared stories with you this year. So as the year comes to a close, take a moment to think about what you are grateful for and flip to page 24 to read some student and staff member’s answers. Take care of yourself and stay safe. See you next year West!

NEWS NEWS BRIEFS. . .................................................................................... 04

HEALTH & SCIENCE 1-2-3, EYES ON ME. . .................................................................... 06

FEATURE BEHIND THE COSTUME............................................................... 08 GROWING WINGS . . ....................................................................... 10

PROFILE HOBBY DUALITY.............................................................................. 12

COVER RAISE THE STAKES.......................................................................... 16

SPORTS TRAINING WITH STYLE. . .............................................................. 20

ENTERTAINMENT TEACHERS TAKE THE MIC. . ........................................................ 23 WHAT’S WEST GRATEFUL FOR?............................................ 24

SINCERELY,

OPINION ZAIRA AHMAD (she/her)

THE PC ADVANTAGE................................................................... 25 E-PASS EXPLAINED . . ....................................................................... 26

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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

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EDITORIAL POLICY

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STAFF LIST

*Editorial Board Member

Zaira Ahmad* (she/her).........................................................Print Editor-In-Chief Grace Bartlett (she/her). . ................................................................................ Reporter Maddy Cook (she/her)...................................................................................... Reporter Lilly Graham* (she/her). . .................................................................Managing Editor Carter-Birch Houchins-Witt (he/him).. ..................................................... Reporter Reem Kirja* (she/her)............................................................................. Profiles Editor Kamakshee Kuchhal* (she/her)............................................................ Copy Editor

The Editorial Board will select editorial topics. These editorials will not be signed by the writer, but will reflect the opinion of the majority of the Editorial Board. The Board takes full responsibility for all editorials. Any person with an interest in the Iowa City community who has an opinion to be voiced is encouraged to submit letters to the editor or guest columns, and they must be signed. For our full editorial policy, visit: wsspaper.com/policy.

Jane Lam* (she/her)............................................................. Assistant Copy Editor

EQUITY STATEMENT

Celia Sadewasser (she/her)................................................................................... Intern

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, martial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or sociaeconomic programs, activities, or employment practices. If you believe you have (or your child has) been discriminated against or treated unjustly at your school, please contact the Equity Director, at 509 Dubuque Street, 319-688-1000. Please contact westsidestorypaper@gmail.com for questions or comments. FRONT COVER DESIGN BY MCKENNA STEPHENS

Jessie Li* (she/her). . ................................................................ Assistant Copy Editor Gianna Liu* (she/her)............................................... Photo Editor, Sports Editor Ginger McCartney* (she/her)................................................................... Art Editor Helen Orszula (she/they). . .................................................................Artist, Designer Mrudani Ramkumar* (she/her). . ............................................................News Editor Shanza Sami (she/her)....................................................................................... Reporter Tyler Shane (he/him).................................................................................................. Intern Zoe Smith* (she/her) . . ........................................................... Online Editor-In-Chief Anna Song* (she/her).. ...................................................... Assistant Design Editor McKenna Stephens (she/her)........................................................................ Designer Marie Stier* (she/her) . . ......................................................................... Feature Editor Henry Timmer-Hackert* (he/him).......................... Assistant Opinion Editor Erinn Varga* (she/her)........................................ Design Editor, Opinion Editor Sara Whittaker (she/her).....................................................................................Adviser Athena Wu* (she/her). . ......................................................... Entertainment Editor

OCT. 21

ART & DESIGN BY ANNA SONG

OCT. 20

OCT. 2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

FORECAST

WSSPAPER.COM

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PHOTO BY CECI DEYOUNG

Izaiah Loveless ‘24 runs past a Liberty defender agaist a game against Liberty.

Varsity football ended their regular season with a 4-5 record. Jack Wallace ’25 set a new school record for most passing yards in a single game against Cedar Rapids Prairie Oct. 20 with 484 yards.

FOOTBALL SEASON RECAP

PHOTO COURTESY OF DILLON CROCO

Emery Crawford ‘25, Jack MacLagan’26, Dillon Croco ‘24, Cole Collier ‘24, Jack Jensen-Fitzatrick ‘26 and Tate Genkinger ‘26 pose with their State Qualifier banner.

For the first time since 2009, the boys golf team qualified for the state meet, placing second in their district at the Mississippi Valley Conference. Team captain Dillon Croco ’24 finished first with five-under 66 and earned medalist honors. The team placed 12th at the state meet after a historic season.

BOYS GOLF STATE

Gabe Conrad ‘26, Lexie Vogt ‘24 and Maya Hanna ‘25 were accepted into the IHSMA All-State Choir. PHOTO COURTESY OF LEXIE VOGT

Over 80 West orchestra, band and choir students auditioned for All-State at Washington High School Oct. 21, with 26 students from orchestra, 12 from band and four from choir accepted. They performed at the annual Iowa All-State Music Festival Nov. 16-18 at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

ALL-STATE AUDITIONS

IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

West Side Story NEWS BRIEFS

BY JANE LAM

NOV. 16, 2023

04 NEWS

OCT. 31

OCT. 27

SIDES:

RICE SWEET POTATO CHUNKS

ENTRÉE:

TERIYAKI CHICKEN PRETZEL BEEF HOT DOG FISH FILET ON BUN

TODAY’S LUNCH MENU

NEWS

FORTUNE COOKIE

DESSERTS:

END OF FIRST TRIMESTER!

OCT. 23-27

With the first trimester coming to an end, WSS recaps memorable moments for the Trojans.

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WHY DOES HUMPTY DUMPTY LOVE AUTUMN SO MUCH?

TRIMESTER ONE HAS FINALLY ENDED! A NEW ROUTINE WILL SOON SET IN, EMBRACE THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE NEW TRIMESTER. IT’S BEEN A FULL WEEK OF DEADLINES, FINALS AND STRESS. TAKE A LONG RESTFUL BREAK, YOU’VE EARNED IT.

RIDDLE OF THE DAY HOROSCOPE

Claire Hahn ‘25, Jeffrey Conner and Anjali Lodh ‘25 wear matching outfits on PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAIRE HAHN “Twin Day”.

Donations to UNICEF can be made by scanning the QR code on boxes. PHOTO BY GIANNA LIU

UNICEF club held its annual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF fundraiser, distributing collection boxes to classrooms and students. They raised over $100, which will go towards numerous causes such as delivering vaccines and providing people with winter clothes.

West celebrated the arrival of fall with a spirit week, culminating in a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. Student Government sold pink merchandise during lunch, including heart-shaped glasses, bandanas and cowboy hats, raising $608 for local non-profit Team Breast Friends.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOYS CROSS COUNTRY INSTAGRAM

The boys cross country team state qualifiers pose for a picture outside of West High.

UNICEF HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER

FALL SPIRIT WEEK

4 Eight West runners individually qualified and competed in Fort Dodge, Iowa, at the 2023 State Championships Oct. 27. Susanna Olson ’27, Kate Van Waning ’26 and Kalli Titus ’25 placed 73rd, 100th and 127th, respectively, in the girls 5000-meter. Moustafa Tiea ’25, Michael Lee ’24, Cade Benson ’24, Sam Showers ’25 and Brice Wahe ’25 placed 47th, 81st, 85th, 107th and 115th in the boys 5000-meter, respectively.

CROSS COUNTRY STATE

BECAUSE HE HAD A GREAT FALL.

NOV. 16, 2023

1-2-3, EYES ON ME

Teenage attention spans are shrinking with the rise in popularity of social media and gaming. BY CELIA SADEWASSER & SHANZA SAMI

uzz — a single notification may only cause a small vibration, but it commands the attention of the typical teenager within seconds. Teenagers are constantly bombarded with notifications: a median of 237 per day, according to a 2023 Michigan Medicine study. Technology use often worsens during the school day, with students struggling to balance attention between devices and lectures. This rings true for Angel McCambry ’26, who recalls the difficulty of remaining focused throughout class at the start of the school year. “[During] summer break, you can be on your phone as much as you want. Now at school, I’m so used to being on my phone,” McCambry said. “I won’t even realize the teacher [is] talking, and I’ll pull up my phone and be like, ‘Wait, what am I doing?’” As technology companies compete for user engagement, teens face the consequences: technology addiction. Most consume social media and gaming content heavily, with the average screen time reaching eight hours and 39 minutes in 2021. “[I spend] three hours a day on my phone,” Sawyer Smith ’25 said. “On my computer, it’s six or seven during weekends.” As students browse online platforms, notably TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, many get engrossed in the content and lose track of time. “You don’t notice how much you’re scrolling until you look at the time,” McCambry said. “[Social media] has taken a lot of my time and messed with my attention span.” Additionally, with the rise of addictive video games containing hyper-realistic graphics and immersive audios, gaming has become popular among teenagers who dedicate hours to the activity. “Every day, I play video games — ‘Titanfall’ and ‘Apex’ [in addition to] ‘Terraria,’” Smith said. “I have [spent] 2,000 hours in ‘Terraria.’” Students play computer games to combat boredom in class, with a plethora of options ranging from “Tetris” to “Slope” being one click

06 HEALTH & SCIENCE NOV. 16, 2023

away. “If I’m really bored in class, I have ‘2048 Cupcakes’ [bookmarked], but I [don’t frequently play] computer games,” McCambry said. Dr. Shaun Vecera, a professor at the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department of the University of Iowa, acknowledges that the short-term exhilaration from video games often appears more valuable than other content. “The [dopamine] reward, coupled with the fact that a game is very attractive, makes [play-

[SOCIAL M E DIA] HAS TAKE N A LOT OF MY TI M E AN D M ESSE D WITH MY ATTE NTION SPAN . -ANGEL MCCAM BRY ‘26 ing video games] compelling,” Vecera said. “It makes it easy to choose the video game over the chapter in the textbook that you need to read.” Students’ attention spans decline approximately 10 to 15 minutes into instructional time due to the brain’s constant desire for reward. Educators, such as Psychology teacher Camille Crossett, have responded to this by adapting their curriculum to be more engaging. “A lot of teachers are looking into what we call ‘gamifying’, where you make learning [similar to] what [students] are doing on their phones or Chromebooks,” Crossett said. For Chemistry teacher Jeff Conner, this involves incorporating shorter, more engaging videos instead of longer alternatives. “An educational video that’s 45 minutes long, compared to the variety of videos on Snapchat and TikTok and YouTube … that

DESIGN BY GINGER MCCARTNEY

[students] normally consume, is going to be way drier,” Conner said. “If I do bring videos into my class, it’s usually something short.” Teachers struggle to keep students engaged during class, especially with the increasing prevalence of student multitasking. Crossett notes the downsides multitasking has on students’ ability to comprehend class material. “We have a lot of students who firmly believe that they are good at multitasking, which is something that the human brain is not good at,” Crossett said. “[They] will be like, ‘I can switch between this game on my Chromebook and what I’m doing in class,’ and they are not as good at it as [expected]. It’s really diminishing what they are able to do in class.” Despite this, multitasking has become a common practice for students outside of the classroom as well. “I’ll watch a YouTube video in the background [when completing homework],” Smith said. “[But when] my Spanish assignment was due, I didn’t submit it because I was tired [as a result] of watching YouTube after I got home.” Vecera elaborates on how multitasking increases distractions, weakening cognitive functions such as thinking, learning and memory. “[Multitasking] is the worst thing you can do for your learning,” Vecera said. “If I put you in a situation where I had you multitask, you would [perform] worse than if I had you focus on a single task. Individuals who engage in multitasking have a harder time focusing.” Divided attention is shown to worsen content retention. Multitasking poses harmful impacts on student performance and productivity.

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“For homework, I had a long [reading] passage. I tried to skim through it and look for the key points, but that doesn’t work, especially with longer texts. I’ve been late on every reading assignment,” Smith said. Additionally, diminishing attention spans negatively affect mental resilience and comprehension during standardized testing. “My favorite subject is English, but when it’s a [standardized test] and there are long paragraphs, it [doesn’t feel] entertaining. I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do it,’” McCambry said. Conner also emphasizes that the rapid consumption of media results in students facing greater difficulty with reading passages. “It takes a lot of attention to keep your mind focused on the task of reading. We’re so used to consuming media quickly, flipping from thing to thing, that reading an individual paragraph is hard.” Limited user attention spans perpetuate the development of engaging graphics and algorithms, which are designed to hook users through stimulating feeds, eye-catching colors and vivid imagery. According to a 2021 Stanford Medicine report, bright colors activate the visual cortex; this overstimulates neurochemical pathways, notably dopamine, thus increasing user addiction to such platforms. “[Attention] goes back to [a matter] of salience — how distinctive something [is]. One way of thinking about salience is with the kinds of ads and other media present on social [platforms],” Vecera said. “The flickers and motion tend to be very dynamic and can capture your attention in potent ways. You can contrast that with something that’s more static, like a bunch of text.” Pairing short-form content with intriguing thumbnails are among the most effective marketing tactics employed by content creators. “I choose the [YouTube video] with the most interesting thumbnail. Sometimes, I make it into short-form content,” Smith said. “I watch the video for two seconds and refresh the page [to] look for a different video; it’s like, ‘this is so boring.’” In addition to reduced attention spans and cognition in teenagers, a 2014 study identified additional effects of technology addiction, including depressive symptoms. “[High schoolers] don’t always have the best hearts, so they get on social media and [cyberbully] for no reason,” McCambry said. “That can really impact somebody’s mental health and make them depressed.”

Vecera echoes McCambry, stating that negative thoughts affect students’ mental states and focus. “It’s not just external distractions, it’s also internal [distractions] and mind-wandering — things that you can’t stop thinking about,” Vecera said. “One type of internal distractor is intrusive thoughts, which are [typically] negative thoughts.” With various internal and external distractions preventing sustained attention, Vecera stresses the importance of understanding how the brain processes information to increase attention spans effectively. “‘Metacognition’ is thinking about thinking. It’s important to have good metacognitive skills as a learner, because in order to learn effectively, you have to be able to reflect on your own learning process. You have to be able to know when you’ve learned something, and more importantly, when you haven’t learned something,” Vecera said. McCambry follows this principle, revising her study strategies to reduce distractions in the surrounding environment. “Recently, I’ve been trying to [focus on] school, so I’ve been [putting my phone on] ‘Do Not Disturb.’ It’s still tempting, but it’s [getting] easier.” Although this issue is most prevalent among teenagers, declining attention spans is a universal struggle. 42% of children already own a phone by age 10 as of 2023, according to the Child Mind Institute. McCambry’s experience around toddlers has made her realize how dependent kids are on overstimulating children’s TV shows that prioritize engagement over educational value. “Those kids are [heavily reliant] on iPads … Their brains aren’t fully developed, [and] they’re running around [watching] CoComelon. I would actually learn something from [older] shows,” McCambry said. Children’s TV shows are often hyper-stimulants, shifting from frame to frame in seconds. This creates a feedback loop that encourages children to continue consuming the content. Technology addiction impairs neurological development throughout childhood, setting the stage for reduced cognitive function in teenage years. “The [brain’s] developmental timecourse is affected by adolescent [distractibility] because [they] are in environments that are more distracting,” Vecera said. Crossett notes how the impacts of technology addiction affect everyone, from children to adults alike. “It’s not just teenagers who fall victim to [technology addiction],” Crossett said. “I go home and scroll on my phone for hours after school — it’s something that everybody does at this point. We’re going to continue seeing the impacts of that [in the future].”

1,500 Sources: Association for Psychological Science, Supportive Care ABA, TecMark & C.S Mott Children’s Hospital

HEALTH & SCIENCE NOV. 16, 2023

BEHIND THE COSTUME BY KAMAKSHEE KUCHHAL & JESSIE LI ART & DESIGN BY ATHENA WU PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARLY EPHRAIM, ANIKA NGUYEN & RIVER SMALL

The cosplay community at West shares their craft and dispels common misconceptions.

et-black hair, tinted sunglasses, a simple black suit with a dress shirt open at the collar and a comically large gun are only a few notable characteristics that distinguish Trigun Stampede protagonist Nicholas Wolfwood. Some have watched him on television, while others have seen him walking down the street. This blend of fiction and reality is just one glimpse into the world of cosplay, a multifaceted art form that combines self-expression, craftsmanship and performance into a dynamic community. Cosplay, short for “costume play,” involves individuals dressing up and imitating mannerisms of characters featured in media, such as movies, video games and anime. Originating in Japan in the early 1980s, cosplay has risen in popularity from the widespread use of social media platforms. Carly Ephraim ’24, Anika Nguyen ’25 and River Small ’26 all share a common introduction to cosplay: the COVID-19 pandemic. TikTok’s growing influence led them to view more cosplay content through various online

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creators. For them, the hobby is an ever-evolving skill that develops with time and experience. “Cosplay is expressing yourself through design and being someone you feel comfortable [being],” Ephraim said. “It entails wigs, makeup and making and sewing [costumes]. It’s really cool to see people put their own twist [to] it.” Given Ephraim’s passion for dressing up and love of fiction media, they embraced the opportunity cosplay provides to experiment with self-expression. “I used to do what is called a closet cosplay. I got things out of my closet and made an outfit for a character. I started posting TikToks, people started liking [them], and I was like, ‘This is really cool,’” Ephraim said. “I like to cosplay because I think it’s really fun to dress up like my favorite characters; I’ve always loved Halloween. It’s very cool to express myself, besides how I normally dress, through makeup and creativity.” Ephraim and Nguyen value the freedom cosplay allows in interpreting characters. “My favorite aspect of cosplay is being able to express a character the way that I see them. I don’t go for accuracy, I go for how I want to cosplay them,” Ephraim said. “I made my own unique makeup style on TikTok, where I match my eyeshadow color and color contour on my nose to the [color I associate the] character with.” Despite their mutual enthusiasm

for cosplay, Nguyen acknowledges its drawbacks: the expense and time commitment. “When I first started cosplaying, I did not have a job, so I had to work with what I had. Most of my costumes are homemade,” Nguyen said. “Some characters are simpler than others because [they] are realistic, while others are fantasy. I spent a month [designing a] costume and the props. It’s not too much time compared to [what] some people put in, but it’s still hefty for a high school student.” Cosplaying characters with cultural identities different from one’s own can raise concerns, including cultural appropriation. This is when individuals from a majority group adopt cultural elements from a marginalized group in ways that can be exploitative, disrespectful or stereotypical. Ephraim describes the influence of a specific form of cultural appropriation in the cosplay community known as “Asian Fishing,” where people mimic an Asian appearance for aesthetic purposes. “There is a character who [wears] a kimono, and people were cosplaying her and wearing the kimono wrong and being disrespectful. People started educating others [by making] TikToks like, ‘Hey, this is how you wear a kimono’ or ‘You can cosplay her in a different outfit’ or ‘You can wear a short kimono because short kimonos aren’t considered traditional,’” Ephraim said. “People are constantly learning and

You should know that this is not right.’” While cosplaying publicly, Small has observed that these comments originate from harmful generalizations. These stereotypes include the belief that cosplayers have an obsession with anime and a fixation on fan service, which is content aimed at pleasing the audience, often sexual

AT TH E E N D OF TH E DAY, IT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT TH E constantly changing. We don’t support people PU BLIC CAR ES who [culturally appropriate].” While social media has the potential to provide information, it can also have detrimental effects. ABOUT YOU Ephraim, known as @cardboarcos on TikTok with over 18,000 followers and 341,000 likes AS LONG AS as of Nov. 2, creates cosplay content featuring trending audio and dance routines. Yet, their so- YOU ’ R E HAVI NG cial media audience subjects them to judgment and hurtful comments. For their mental health, FU N . they have restricted comments to only their friends. “People think it’s weird. They are like, ‘What is this? You’re ugly. You don’t look like blank.’ People expect you to be beautiful if you want to cosplay [a] person,” Ephraim said. “People don’t usually [leave negative comments] if it’s a young cosplayer, but as I get older and more experienced, people hold me to a higher standard. Like, ‘Oh, you’re older. You should know better.

- RIVER SMALL ‘26 in nature. “A big misconception is that all of [cosplay] is sexualized. In the media, people who randomly see cosplayers see the extremely sexualized side of it,” Small said. “A couple of years back, a YouTuber [Belle Delphine] used to do cosplay sometimes, and she was incredibly sexualized. She was pretty mainstream, [so] I feel like people correlate her with cosplay.” Due to the negative stigma surrounding the art form, Nguyen has lacked the confidence to cosplay in public. “[People are judgemental] because it’s not part of the social norm to dress [differently],” Nguyen said. “Cosplay is also associated with anime in a negative way, often with questionable fans, so people loop everyone into that label.” Amid these challenges, Small emphasizes simply enjoying cosplay and the importance of personal growth within the hobby. “At the end of the day, it’s not about what the public

cares about, as long as you’re having fun. Cosplay is very expensive, so you can start out by just using your own clothes or your own hair and keep progressing,” Small said. “It’s a learning curve. Don’t give up because you feel like you’re not as good as other people who have been doing it for years.” At the heart of cosplay is a strong sense of community, where participants often collaborate on coordinating their attire. This camaraderie extends to cosplay conventions, or cons, where fans can network, connect with creators and explore merchandise from vendors. Ephraim attended Animate! Des Moines 2023 and won their first costume contest as Nicholas Wolfwood. “[Attending cosplay conventions] has impacted [my] confidence [because] many people [give] compliments and take pictures,” Ephraim said. “I’ve also met a lot of cool people at cons; I’ve made friends. It’s a very welcoming environment. You don’t feel like you stick out. You get to bond with people who share the same interests and make amazing memories.” Ephraim appreciates the inclusivity of cosplay, emphasizing how there is no wrong way to participate. “Anyone can cosplay no matter skin color, height [or] weight. You express yourself how you want to express yourself because you are unique. You’re making this character unique because it’s your way of viewing them,” Ephraim said. “Everyone is going to look different. There is no set way; you don’t have to look exactly like [the character]. Even if you don’t get recognized, you’re still doing you. Keep doing you.”

FEATURE NOV. 16, 2023

Members of Wings, West High’s Ultimate Frisbee team, share their experiences with the club and plans for the upcoming season.

Erwann Charles ‘25 jumps to catch the frisbee with his teammates close behind.

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NOV. 16, 2023

ART, DESIGN & PHOTOS BY HELEN ORSZULA

players across the field. Some work on the basics, while others practice their technique for the forehand throw known as the “flick”. This is the beginning of a Wings practice. The main objective of Ultimate Frisbee, also known as Ultimate, is to catch the disc in the endzone, scoring a point each time. Players are not allowed to move once the disc is caught, and if the disc touches the ground, possession goes to the other team. Wings, West’s Ultimate Frisbee club, has a strong history at West. Established in 2012, Wings is a seven-time Ultimate Frisbee State Champion and placed 12th in the nation at the Ultimate Frisbee High School National Invite in 2017. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wings’ 2020 season ended early. Turnout has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, preventing Wings from competing in the state tournament, a sum-

very Wednesday and Saturday night at the University of Iowa rugby fields, players start their warm-up drills as the sun sets. High knees. Lunges. Sprints. Then, they get down to business. Frisbees fly between pairs of

BY GRACE BARTLETT & MARIE STIER

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mer tradition. “It really died [during] COVID and then there weren’t a lot of people,” Waylon Houchins-Witt ’25, a Co-Captain of Wings said. “[During] our freshman year, probably 10 to 12 people showed up for practice. So nothing was happening, and then people forgot about [Wings], and then the same thing happened our sophomore year as well.” In 2021, Wings lost a volunteer coach from the University of Iowa and since has become a student-led club. Wings Captains Sam Abdel-Malek ’25 and Houchins-Witt hope the club will grow this year a n d are working hard to get the word out about the club. Their aim is to build an inclusive community that encourages new people to try Ultimate Frisbee. “Wings is a great club because we take anyone of any skill level and encourage them through time and dedication to become great frisbee players,” Abdel-Malek said.

Though many members have never played Ultimate Frisbee before joining, they see Wings as a welcoming place to learn how to play. Avanley Jones ’25 joined Wings this year after hearing about it from friends. “I think everyone’s really great at helping out if you’ve never played before,” Jones said. “It’s nice to have an excuse to get outside and hang out with my friends every week.” In addition to players of all skill levels, Wings includes students from neighboring schools, such as Clear Creek Amana and Liberty High School. “One of the things I love about Wings is that you get to meet new people from other schools,” Jones said. Due to its recent decline in participation, many members new to Ultimate Frisbee were unsure what the club would be like. “When I showed up, I didn’t know what to expect, but the important thing was that I showed up,” Jones said. Wings hopes to get back into competitions but has struggled to find clubs to compete against, as many other schools also lost their Ultimate Frisbee teams during the pandemic. “There’s a lot of people interested at all these schools. It’s just that a lot of them aren’t able to create their own club,” Abdel-Malek said. Because there aren’t m any

WINGS COMPETED AGAINST THE WEST BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM NOV. 4. SCAN TO WATCH THEIR GAME HERE.

opportunities to play against other schools, Wings has looked closer to home. This year, the boys cross country team started playing Ultimate Frisbee recreationally after their practices. Soon after, Wings challenged the team to a game. “[Our rivalry] started when they started talking about how they play ultimate frisbee every couple of weeks, so I brought up the idea [of playing each other], and they all loved it,” Abdel-Malek said. As Wings’ first game of the year approached, both teams began to practice more regularly. More Wings members began to practice, playing on the fields or inside the Hawkeye Tennis Recreation Complex when it was cold, anticipating the upcoming game. “[The cross country team] has been trying to practice every single day,” Abdel-Malek said prior to the competition. “So I think it’ll definitely be a competitive game.” Many participants of the cross country team also are members of Wings, so the game was highly anticipated. “The hype around it makes [the game] a much more official thing,” Abdel-Malek said. “It’s become a lot more competitive and has definitely given people a goal to work towards.” The Wings v. boys cross country game took place Nov. 4.

Team captain Sam Abdel Malek ‘25 reaches for the frisbee at the goal line.

Henry Lawyer ’27, Brice Wahe ’25 and Colin Whirley ’27 brought their instruments and played the national anthem before the game. The boys cross country team won the disc toss, and the game began. Both teams competed with high energy, but Wings won with a final score of 14-3. The game left spectators and players excited for future competitions and Ultimate Frisbee’s future. With the ultimate goal of reclaiming their state championship title, Wings members are working hard to encourage attendance through social media and posters. Wings will continue practicing and competing through the school year and they hope to revive the state tournament this summer. “Right now I really want to get the state tournament going. I think that’d be really impressive if we could get a whole league going and influence more schools to get their own teams so that we can play,” Abdel-Malek said.

Sam Abdel-Malek ‘25 flicks the frisbee around defender Waylon Houchin-Witt ‘25.

FEATURE NOV. 16, 2023

HOBBY DUALITY Ahmed Mohammed ’24 describes how his two passions, videography and powerlifting, have shaped his life. BY: MRUDANI RAMKUMAR DESIGN BY TYLER SHANE

right lights shine down on the football field as players run onto the wet grass. Energy radiates through the stands, and the sound of the band warming up fills the atmosphere. Amidst the chaos, Ahmed Mohammed ’24 is on the field with his camera, focused and ready to record highlights of the game. This is how he uses his love for videography to bring the West community together. Videography and photography have always been a passion of mine. I just never had the opportunity to pursue that passion until my senior year,” Mohammed said. “I would watch TikTok or Instagram Reels, especially those showcasing cinematography or sports content, which has been a source of inspiration for me.” For Mohammed, his interest in videography began at a young age and later led him to document and craft sports highlight reels. “At first, I would edit gaming videos, record myself with words of inspiration and upload them onto YouTube in hopes of inspiring others,” Mohammed said. “That’s what got me into sports videography; I enjoy building a connection with individuals and showcasing their dedication and determination to the sport.” Mohammed’s sports videography journey began with hopes of inspiring others but has grown into much more. His social media pages, meddmedia, have reels of local sporting events and can be viewed on various social media sites. “At first, I just [filmed] West, started uploading my videos online and I got some recognition,” Mohammed said. “Then, I started shooting for one page, IA Sports, for free. I [then] reached out to Bound. [Now], they [tell] me where to [film], and I get paid for it.” Mohammed delves deeper into how shooting for Bound IA, a page that features Iowa high school sports, has impacted his videography. “Shooting videos for Bound has played an important role in my videography journey. It has allowed me to reach a broader audience and connect with videographers across the state of Iowa,” Mohammed said. “I was fortunate enough to have opportunities to work

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NOV. 16, 2023

with several different schools due to the exposure I gained through Bound.” When he’s not filming sports on the sidelines, Mohammed is a competitive powerlifter. The process of competitive powerlifting entails squat, bench and deadlift. The heaviest lift out of the three attempts for each lift counts towards the total, which is how placements are determined among the competitors. Mohammed elaborates on how he got into powerlifting. “Freshman year was COVID, so I gained a lot of weight. I felt like I wasn’t myself anymore. Then, sophomore year, I did performance PE,” Mohammed said. “There was a time [when] one of my friends noticed the progress I was making and that bit of encouragement pushed me to get into powerlifting.” Alex Mammon, a coach at a local

powerlifting club, works with Mohammed to help him achieve his powerlifting goals. “I met Ahmed at a meet in Des Moines, Iowa. I was coaching a few of my clients from the Des Moines area and Ahmed came to the meet. He started talking to one of the people I coached. Me and Ahmed started to get to know each other,” Mammon said. “He didn’t have a coach and was pretty new to the sport, so we formed a relationship and started [communicating]. We officially started working together after that.” After jumping deeper into the sport, powerlifting has become an integral part of Mohammed’s schedule.

I E NJOY BU I LDI NG A CON N ECTION WITH I N DIVI DUALS AN D SHOWCASI NG TH E I R DE DICATION AN D DETE R M I NATION TO TH E SPORT. -AH M ED MOHAM M ED ‘24 “It’s become a routine — I can’t go a day without lifting. Maybe I haven’t gone a whole week without lifting ever since I started sophomore year,” Mohammed said. “It’s built my physical and mental strength and makes me feel better about myself. [Powerlifting] is one of my proudest achievements.” Mohammed explains the hardships of competing in powerlifting. “It takes more mental strength than physical strength because it [takes] a lot of factors [into

account], like sleep, mental health, how you feel every day. It’s a lot on us,” Mohammed said. Mammon notes how Mohammed stands out from other powerlifters and how he’s fit for the sport. “From the time that I started working with him in February to now, he’s grown incredibly fast, just in terms of his mental fortitude, and the weight that he’s lifting,” Mammon said. “He’s built for the sport and he has the mentality for it.” The benefits of power-lifting have positively impacted Mohammed in all aspects of his life. “Not many people fully understand the impact that powerlifting has had on me in my high school career. Powerlifting has opened a door for mental healing and building a body that I could treasure, and no one could take that away from me,” Mohammed said. “Powerlifting has taught me the beauty of discipline, consistency, hard work and goal setting, allowing me to take pride in my accomplishments. These principles have translated over to my academic life, empowering me to achieve [my] educational goals.” Balancing a plethora of activities on top of schoolwork can be overwhelming, but Mohammed is able to handle it well. “What I’ve seen from Ahmed in his training schedule is [that] he takes the large load I give him in terms of his training intensity and training volume on top of school, on top of work, on top of other extracurriculars, and he’s someone [who] just balances things really well,” Mammon said. “Even though it’s stressful, he continues to push through. He’s someone [who] will not give up if something gets hard.” Mohammed has set ambitious goals for himself to accomplish within the next few years. “My goal in powerlifting is to reach the national level, either by gaining recognition or becoming a national-level competitor,” Mohammed

AHMED’S LIFTING STATS SQUAT 480 LBS BENCH 245 LBS DEADLIFT 420 LBS

2X USAPL NATIONAL QUALIFIER said. “In videography, I want to turn it into a business, showcase my work to a wider audience and collaborate with big companies and sports teams.” Mohammed shares a piece of advice for students who are in a similar situation as him. “As cliche as it may sound, reach for your dreams and pursue your passion. If you had told me four years ago that I would be in the position I’m in right now, pursuing the hobbies I’m passionate about, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Mohammed said. “I used to be so concerned about what people would think of me, and that fear held me back from taking the first step.”

POWE R LI FTI NG HAS TAUG HT M E TH E BEAUTY OF DI SCI PLI N E , CON SI STE NCY, HAR D WOR K AN D GOAL SETTI NG ALLOWI NG M E TO TAKE PR I DE I N MY ACCOM PLI SH M E NTS. -AH M ED MOHAM M ED ‘24

PROFILE NOV. 16, 2023

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udxgk Raise_the_Stakes BY ZAIRA AHMAD, GIANNA LIU, ZOE SMITH & HENRY TIMMER-HACKERT ART, DESIGN & PHOTOS BY MCKENNA STEPHENS

Recent college betting scandals and online betting popularity shed light on how gambling affects adolescents, including students at West.

eadlines were made, athletes were arrested and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) suspended players. The University of Iowa and Iowa State University recently made sports news headlines nationwide, not for their performance, but for illegal gambling.

THE GAME

ver the summer, 17 University of Iowa and Iowa State University collegiate athletes were suspended from playing after being caught using betting apps and, in some cases, placing money against their own teams. The case that stirred the most attention involves Hunter Dekkers, Iowa State’s starting quarterback, who pleaded guilty to betting on DraftKings between November 2021 and May 2023. At the time, Dekkers was underage and used his mother’s DraftKings account to bet. The NCAA prohibits gambling and betting for its collegiate athletes; the organization addressed

the consequences for those who participate in sports wagering and set rules to protect the future of sports integrity. Since the Supreme Court overturned a ban on sports betting in May 2018 and Iowa legalized it August 2019, the industry has rapidly expanded. In the past five years, Americans have put over $220 billion in sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings. However, it does not stop there. Sportsbooks push their promotion onto television and social media platforms — advertisements flood the screen on ESPN and BIG 10 Network. Adults are not the only people viewing these ads, with sportsbooks also reaching the minds of teenagers, including students at West. In Iowa, the age requirement for sports betting is 21, but teens find loopholes to access apps and start betting. There are several ways to cheat the system, such as minors using off-shore gambling sites that are less age-restricted or taking a parent’s ID to set up accounts. When sports betting was first legalized in Iowa in 2019, people were required to create an account in-person at one of Iowa’s licensed casinos. As of 2021, registration for sportsbooks can be made online at a moment’s notice. Additionally, some sportsbooks only require proof of age when removing money. This creates an easy way for anyone to start betting online, including West students. WSS interviewed one of these students who sports bets with a DraftKings account. “With the social media algorithms, I would start to see more sports betting on TikTok and Instagram. For someone

that is very interested in sports, it seemed like a progression,” an anonymous source said. Algorithms aren’t the only avenues popularizing sports betting. In the past few years, betting companies’ spending on advertising has increased rapidly. DraftKings alone spent $1.19 billion on advertising in 2022, doubling the amount spent in 2021. Companies also gain attention from those who showcase their sports betting on social media. X, formally known as Twitter, is one of the primary platforms bettors use. According to Twitter Insiders studies, 62% of bettors posting on X place wagers weekly and spend 15% more on bets annually compared to those on other platforms. Additionally, the social aspect of betting on media platforms such as X leads to an increase in bets, especially on big games. Seventy-two percent of bettors check X to follow the status of their live bets once they have made them, and 65% say they are more motivated to place a bet on a big event that everyone is talking about on social media. As a part of the younger generation, the anonymous source witnessed the rise in gambling trends and advertisements. “[Betting] is definitely accessible, and the world of sports gambling has definitely grown. There is a push to appeal to a younger generation to get more people into it,” the anonymous source said. These efforts also come from the sports industry as a whole. The NBA, NFL and MLB have all signed major deals with sportsbook companies, including DraftKings, FanDuel, MGM and Caesars Entertainment. Leagues will now advertise these companies as official sportsbook platforms with special perks. Official sources from the

leagues can also mention betting odds and show gambling payouts on air. However, this isn’t to say that leagues endorse betting for athletes; players will still face punishment for betting on matches, including suspensions from games to total bans from playing. Jared Diamond, a Wall Street Journal sports reporter who covered the Iowa and Iowa State betting scandal, has seen the impact gambling has already made. “Look at the marketing around [sports betting.] It’s everywhere. You can’t watch a sporting event without 10,000 commercials for betting. It is in your face all the time,” Diamond said. “It’s [now] legal in the majority of the country and more and more states as the years go by. It is just going to continue to grow, at least for the foreseeable future.” The sports industry has also started to adapt to the increasing popularity of betting with ESPN, launching “ESPN BET” sportsbook Nov. 14. As gambling becomes normalized in sports, so does its advertising. While gambling advertisements can be ignored, the social atmosphere between friends is much harder to bypass. “I was sitting in class, and my buddy was playing [poker] on his Chromebook. He taught me how to play poker and in the next week or so, I started playing on my Chromebook. We started competing for who could win the most amount of money and [we] started going to poker nights together and just kept playing,” said Max Gerke ’24. Sitting around a table, watching the pile of money and chips grow in the center, is a familiar social scene to many high schoolers. Friday

night poker games are most thrilling to Aidan Jacobsen ’24. “[Poker keeps] you on the edge of your seat the whole time. When you see the next card flip over it’s like the craziest, [most] intense feeling,” Jacobsen said. Although the stakes don’t seem high initially, Jacobsen has noticed it can quickly get out of hand. The buy-in for each poker night for Jacobsen’s group is $10. But as the night progresses, people lose, raising the stakes. “If you’re on a losing streak, you’re gonna be mad at people. There’s a thing called being ‘on tilt’ in poker. If you lose a couple of big hands, you’re going to start playing super aggressive be-

cause you want to force your way to win it back,” Jacobsen said. It’s not only losing that keeps the game going. For the anonymous source, winning can be just as big of a motivator. “You can’t end on a loss but you can’t end on a win. There will be nights where I’m running super hot, just winning a bunch, and then you want to keep playing and continue what you perceive as good luck. But if you are losing, you’re like, ‘Oh man I need to win this back’ or ‘I need to get myself out of this rut,’” the anonymous source said. In addition to concerns about money, some also worry about the future implications gambling can bring. “I think the constant playing of [poker] might be a little addictive, but I don’t think it’s causing any problems,” the anonymous source said. “The one thing I’m worried about is [that] it’s breeding a potential [for] when I have more freedom as an adult and can go to casinos.” To Gerke, the potential of a gambling addiction doesn’t weigh heavily on his mind. His buyin to poker isn’t the money but a night of fun with his friends, no matter the activity. “If I’m going to spend money on a poker night, am I willing to spend ten, twenty dollars on a night out just for entertainment? [Would I rath-

[POKE R KE E PS] YOU ON TH E E DG E OF YOU R SEAT TH E WHOLE TI M E . WH E N YOU SE E TH E N EXT CAR D FLI P OVE R IT’S LI KE TH E CR AZI EST, [MOST] I NTE N SE FE E LI NG. -AI DAN JACOBSEN ’24

udxgk er] spend the money to go bowling or to watch a movie?” Gerke said. “I wouldn’t say I’m getting addicted to [poker], but I do like playing it, [and] getting together with a bunch of guys is always fun.”

THE COST

harmless, it comes with risks that teens might be unaware of, one of which includes the cost

GAMBLING TERMS

lthough casual gambling may seem harmless, it comes with consequences. Gambling under the age of 21 is a crime in Iowa and can bring afelony A company, often online, that charge on a first offense if the amount spent handles sports betting and keeps exceeds $500. Gambling under $100 carries a serious misdemeanor with a potential for track of games. jail time. This isn’t the only risk, as the consequences of gambling can be more than just legal trouble. The total amount of money playAccording to the Iowa Department of ers have wagered during a hand. Health and Human Services, almost a quarter of all teens have participated in gambling. Of those teens, 85% have gambled in the past An upfront payment before enyear. tering a game or tournament. “They’re doing it for the social aspect of it, for the excitement of it. These are just kids Source: OxfordLanguages [who] are participating in an activity that young people enjoy. It’s not about money. Most of them probably lost money. These are of playing. Especially when playing with poker just young people having fun,” Diamond said. chips, it can be easy to spend large amounts of Despite many forms of social gambling being money while losing track of how much they al-

SPORTSBOOK

POT

BUY-IN

ready spent. “The hard thing about poker is it doesn’t feel like you are playing with real money because it’s just colored chips in front of you. The thing with sports betting is that you see dollar values. With poker it’s a lot easier to go down that rabbit hole,” the anonymous source said. “Especially with card games and betting in general, you hit the ‘Oh I almost won that one’ or ‘Oh if I didn’t fold I would have actually won.’” Another risk is the potential for addiction or pathological gambling. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, up to 5% of adolescents and young adults who gamble develop a disorder. AP Psychology teacher Travis Henderson explains how gambling can be even more risky for teens. “The prefrontal cortex is not fully developed as a teenager, so the impulse control is harder for them. It’s being driven to get that hit of dopamine, [and] it will be harder to say no to their brain. [That] part of your brain that says ‘Maybe we don’t need to do that today’ isn’t fully developed,” Henderson said. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, gambling can also be harmful and addictive to children’s developing brains. Children introduced to “harmless betting” by the age of 12 are four times more likely to engage

in problem gambling in the future. In fact, by adolescence, around 40% of people have experienced a game similar to traditional gambling. Although gambling may seem like an isolated activity, becoming addicted to it can create other harmful habits. Those who suffer from substance abuse, impulse control, anxiety or mood disorders can have an increased risk of developing a gambling addiction. “[By gambling,] you’re wiring your limbic system and your nucleus accumbens to need that high level of dopamine, and it’s going to continue to need that high level of dopamine. What we call that is ‘cross addiction,’” Henderson said. “Sometimes, a person is like, ‘Man, I’m losing a lot of money gambling,’ so they give up gambling, but they seek that dopamine fix in a different place. Then they find it in maybe drugs or other places.” Gambling addictions can also affect mental health and relationships. According to Cleveland News, gambling rates among teens and young adults are two to three times more than that of adults. Pathological gamblers are also more likely to commit suicide than people with any other addictive disorder, totaling up to around one in five gamblers attempting. These addictions can also strain relationships through financial instability, emotional turmoil, social isolation and family tension. In severe cases, parents addicted to gambling may neglect their children, and teens may isolate themselves from others due to guilt. Without the proper awareness and education, gambling addictions can go unnoticed and untreated; for teens, a harmless poker night can turn into a serious disease. With the increasing popularity of the activity, Diamond believes regulation needs to improve to prevent unhealthy underage gambling in the future. “It’s the responsibility of the adults in the room, which are the state regulators and the gambling operators, to ensure that [students] are abiding by the rules that are in place, and that means ensuring that prohibited bid betters, whether they’re underage or athletes, are not betting,” Diamond said. “And I do think that it’s their responsibility, and I think in this situation in Iowa, it’s very clear that the guardrails failed.”

GAMBLING STATISTICS 10-14% ages 12-17 are at risk of developing an addiction

4-5% ages 12-17 have symptoms of a gambling problem

60-80% of high schoolers have gambled in the past year

4-6% of high school students who gamble are addicted

Source: Sports Illustrated

TRAINING WITH STYLE

Sheila Stiles shares her journey to becoming West’s athletic trainer and her role in supporting student-athletes. BY LILLY GRAHAM

s a four-sport athlete at Boyden-Hull High School in northwestern Iowa, Sheila Stiles had no idea what athletic training was. In fact, her school didn’t even have a weight room. The only space dedicated to treating athletes’ injuries consisted of a whirlpool, countertop table and refrigerator. “I remember there was a time when I sprained my ankle, and the volleyball coach just [used] tape,” said Stiles, who has served as West’s athletic trainer since 2007. “When I hurt my back long jumping, I ended up being diagnosed with scoliosis and went to PT [physical therapy]. That’s what piqued my interest in athletic training.” Stiles entered the University of Iowa as a physical therapy major but soon realized it wasn’t the path for her. She switched to exercise science with an emphasis on athletic training, allowing her to incorporate sports into her career. After earning her master’s degree, Stiles accepted

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ART & DESIGN BY HELEN ORSZULA

an athletic trainer position at Division I Western Michigan University. “I was putting in 70 plus hours a week baseline. I didn’t see myself ever making the money that was needed to even be comfortable. I didn’t see myself having a family with those hours,” Stiles said. “I loved that setting; I loved working with Division I athletes. But I could tell that I was going to burn out.” As a graduate student in the early 2000s, Stiles worked at West to get real-world experience working with athletes. Five years later, she returned as the newly appointed athletic trainer. “The quality of life for me as an athletic trainer is way better here at the high school level than it was at Division I,” Stiles said. “[At West], it’s like a family. My kids have been coming to practices since they were in diapers, and they know their way around the school. It’s a

very accepting place to work.” Kira Howells, who is currently pursuing her master’s in athletic training at the University of Iowa, worked with Stiles earlier this year as a part of Howells’ clinical rotations. Before her experience at West, Howells was set exclusively on a career in DI athletic training. “When I started the program, I didn’t want anything to do with high school. But I was surprised by how many connections I was able to make with the athletes,” Howells said. “It opened my eyes to the possibilities of what I could do with this career.” From serious concussions to torn ligaments to fractured bones, Stiles has seen it all. Training and protocol help her stay calm in emergent situations.

IT’S PHYSICAL TO GET BACK FROM AN I NJ U RY, BUT TH E R E IS A H UGE M ENTAL PI ECE AS WELL. -SH EI LA STI LES, ATH LETIC TRAI N ER “A lot of it is just practicing those really scary scenarios. Can we cut off a jersey, and how quickly can we get a helmet and shoulder pads off? How quickly can we assess [an injured] kid?” Stiles said. “You go into this mode of ‘This is what I’ve learned in school, this is what I’ve practiced,’ and you put aside your emotions in the moment.” Aside from treating injuries on-site, Stiles also plays an integral role in rehabilitating injured athletes. “A lot of [rehabilitation] is making sure [athletes] are confident. It’s one thing to get that strength back, but you also have to believe that you can do what you want to do—you can make that cut, you can jump,” Stiles said. “It’s physical to get back from an injury, but there is a huge mental piece as well.” Lindsey McKane ’25, a volleyball and track athlete, has worked closely with Stiles since she

dislocated her knee last year. “It helps knowing that [Stiles] is always there, and she knows her stuff,” McKane said. “It makes me feel more comfortable if I get injured because I know that she’ll help me through the process—she won’t just slap some ice on it.” This year, McKane experienced two concussions. Stiles has been central to helping her navigate the concussion protocol, where athletes must undergo repeated testing to monitor their symptoms.

Sheila Stiles smiles for the camera. PHOTO BY GIANNA LIU

SHEILA’S FAVORITES

AS TH E Favorite sport to watch: Baseball GATE KE E PE R , MY Favorite sport to play: Volleyball JOB I S TO MAKE Favorite athlete: Andre Agassi Favorite team: SU R E THAT KI DS Childhood: Twins and Vikings Now: Any college athletics AR E H EALTHY AN D SAFE . THAT something that needs to be looked at further by “[Stiles] has been a really big part of emailing my teachers and making sure they’re following doctor, I have those ins in the community.” DOESN ’T M EAN a Stiles the [concussion] protocol. She would always also assists athletes after their appointtalk to my coaches or text [them] to make sure ments, clarifying what doctors recommended BABYI NG TH E M , and diagnosed. She credits her strong relationthey were in on my injuries,” McKane said. “That way I didn’t have to communicate everything … ships with West’s coaches as critical to her sucIT M EAN S I ’ M she had my back.” cess with rehabilitating athletes. During her rotation with Stiles, Howells no“I have a great relationship with most coachticed the importance of the trust Stiles builds LOOKI NG OUT es, so if I say, ‘A doctor said this, or I think we with student-athletes. should do this,’ they listen. I can tell sometimes “People don’t want to hear that they can’t play, FOR TH E M . they’re frustrated,” Stiles said. “But upset is one and it’s hard to talk to coaches about that too. [Stiles] is a great middleman in that sense. She’s very understanding and respectful,” Howells said. “She is everything I hope to be as a person and athletic trainer.” Stiles recognizes that one of her most crucial roles is liaison between athletes, coaches and doctors. “I consider myself a gatekeeper,” Stiles said. “I’m a go-between [for] doctors and kids, kids and coaches, doctors and coaches. I can facilitate the athlete as best I can to get them back to where they need to be.” Aside from an overall shortage of athletic trainers, Stiles believes that

-SH EI LA STI LES, ATH LETIC TRAI N ER one of the greatest challenges in the field is not being widely acknowledged as healthcare professionals. “There are times where I run into that sticking point working with a certain doctor or medical professional—they don’t know who I am or what I can do for kids,” Stiles said. However, she contends that in Iowa City’s medical setting, the expertise of athletic trainers is respected. “What’s good about my job is that I have the connections to get you where you need to be,” Stiles said. “If there’s

thing, disrespectful is another. There’s never [disrespect] here, so it helps me get kids the best care.” Stiles holds that the most important component of her job is prioritizing the longevity of an athlete’s health, not just preparing them for the next game. “As the gatekeeper, my job is to make sure that kids are healthy and safe. That doesn’t mean babying them, it means I’m looking out for them and making sure that someday they can pick up their kids and walk up stairs,” Stiles said. “[That’s] pretty dramatic, but over time, these things can be detrimental. I want [athletes] to see that sports are a big part of [their] lives right now, but [there’s] a bigger picture.” SPORTS NOV. 16, 2023

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TEACHERS TAKE THE MIC WSS challenges teachers to finish the lyrics of popular songs. BY MADDY COOK

DESIGN BY GINGER MCCARTNEY

k ou Chec i d t eo! v the

JAMES KIRPES, MATH - “BARBIE WORLD” Pink ‘Vette like I’m ready to bend I’m a ten so I’m pulling a Ken_____ Kirpes: “Just like all my students.” Actual lyrics: Like Jazzie, Stacie, Nicki By Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj & Aqua

DAVID HAAS, CHOIR - “VAMPIRE”

I used to think I was smart But you made me look so naive The way you sold me for_____ Haas: “parts as you sunk your teeth into me. Bloodsucker, I don’t think I can do the next part ‘cause uh…” Actual lyrics: Parts as you as you sunk your teeth into me, oh bloodsucker By Olivia Rodrigo

TRAVIS HENDERSON, HENDERSON, SOCIAL SOCIAL STUDIES STUDIES -- “KARMA” “KARMA” TRAVIS Karma is a god Karma is the breeze in my hair on the____ Henderson: “Weekend…. I can’t do any more.” Actual lyrics: Weekend By Taylor Swift

AMBER AUSTIN, AUSTIN, ENGLISH ENGLISH -- “HEARTLESS” “HEARTLESS” AMBER Somewhere far along this road He lost his soul to a women so heartless____ Austin: “How could she be so heartless.” Actual lyrics: How could you be so heart less By Kanye West ENTERTAINMENT NOV. 16, 2023

“I’m grateful for the diversity [at West]. I’m working with all kinds of people, not just people that look like me.“

“I’m grateful that our students are intelligent and have a sense of humor so that some of my jokes actually land.”

Beni Nasoni, Paraeducator

Nate Frese, English Teacher

“I’m grateful for the support from the teachers and the dedication they put into bettering students’ school lives and helping them with their grades. I had a really big turnaround from last year to this year, thanks to my teachers. “

“I’m grateful for my friends. This year has taught me who my real friends are, so I appreciate them that much more.” Phoebe Ephraim Gill ’25

“I’m grateful for the diversity of thoughts. It leads to great conversations and debates because you have such a range of opinions on subjects, and it can be anything from politics to sports. You’ll always find someone to debate with if you try hard enough.” Elijah Hime ’25

Lilly Vick ’25

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have my first library job over here at the high school. It’s been a really amazing experience so far.” Sara Siepker, Media Secretary

“The wacky cake slaps.” Aspen Hermann ‘27

“The sports at West are phenomenal, and the coaches are great.“ DiMarco Harris ’26

WHAT’S WEST GRATEFUL FOR? From close friends to school spirit, students and staff share what they are most grateful for about West. COMPILED BY REEM KIRJA

24 ENTERTAINMENT NOV. 16, 2023

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BY A N

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THE PC ADVANTAGE BY CARTER-BIRCH HOUCHINS-WITT ART & DESIGN BY ERINN VARGA

he classic console versus Person Computer (PC) debate has divided the gamer community ever since the creation of the two devices. Console brands like Playstation and Xbox rival computer brands like Alienware and Asus. Nonetheless, PCs are superior because they have better graphics and game modifications, and they’re more fun to play on. Consoles have some advantages, mainly price; they are significantly cheaper than computers. At Best Buy, the newest consoles cost around $500, almost half the price of the average computer build of up to $1,400. Consoles also use split screen, which allows multiple people to play on the same device simultaneously so that you can play with your friends right next to you. Unlike PCs, consoles require almost no setup. After you buy one and plug it into a TV, you can immediately start playing. However, on a console, modifying (or modding) and customization are very difficult; downloading content not supported by the device is virtually impossible. Graphics aren’t that great on consoles, either. Even while using split screen, consoles can only be played by a maximum of four players for most games. If you want to play with more than four friends, you have to be on different devices. That maximum is too small

When comparing the countless flaws of consoles to the constant success of PCs, there is only one real option.

for some groups, whereas computers allow many more people to play most games. There are also the console wars. The 18 all-time top-selling consoles are all made by Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo. Having only these options drives up prices and causes some games only to be able to be played on certain consoles. There are also issues with game mechanics in consoles, such as physics, lighting and aim. Many games, like Skyrim, have bad physics on the console (some objects end up inside walls) but are fine on the computer. It is also difficult to aim on consoles because you don’t have a mouse. To combat this, most 3D games have aim assist, where your crosshair, the center of your screen, locks on to a close target. However, the crosshair is moved by a joystick, which means you can’t achieve the precision or the speed of a computer’s mouse. The aim assist in the console makes skill in aiming a nonfactor and is terrible compared to the smooth movement on a computer. When you play on a computer, you can move your mouse very slowly for a slow turn or very fast for a quick turn. These motions also look much better on a computer, with smoother graphics. The most common critiques of computers are cost and setup, but they aren’t as punishing as they seem. Only one of these two issues is applicable be-

cause you can either buy a PC or laptop, which would be expensive but easy to set up or build your own. Even modern phones can be more expensive than modern computers if they are not prebuilt. It can cost as little as $650 to build your own computer if you are willing to sacrifice the capabilities. However, building your own requires a great deal of research, time and effort, which is the issue with setup. These reasons compel me to say computer gaming is better than the console. Although there is more local playability on consoles, there are too many limitations in options. One such limitation is buttons. The average console remote has four buttons and four triggers — two rarely used due to their uncomfortable positions — and two joysticks. The options are horrendous. A standard computer keyboard, which includes the number pad on the right side, has 101 keys, all available for any purpose. Take a look at Minecraft, where on a controller, there are six frequently used buttons in addition to the two joysticks. On a computer, there are about 11 in addition to mouse movement. Imagine playing a game where you were kidnapped and put in a dungeon, and after having solved hours’ worth of puzzles and defeating enemies to get out, you turn around to see a blocky body. You see a face made out of three pixels swaying halfway through a wall. This guy, who is supposed to be the final boss, starts attacking you. Because of the controls, your counterattacks make your character look drunk. The most important factor for a good gaming experience are game mechanics, which are much better when on a PC. That is why consoles will always pale in comparison to PCs.

OPINION NOV. 16, 2023

E-PASS EXPLAINED

The WSS Editorial Board provides a guide to the new PASS system. BY WSS EDITORIAL BOARD

ART & DESIGN BY ERINN VARGA

n recent years, West High has continuously revised its pass system to achieve the best solution for hallway behavior issues. The district recently developed a new policy to address the matter: an electronic pass system. West Side Story’s Editorial Board provides a comprehensive breakdown of the new system to help students transition into using these passes. The electronic pass, or PASS, utilizes an app called Securly Pass that can be downloaded on any device. To access West’s teachers and classrooms, logging in with a school email is required. The app provides two pass options for students: Now Passes and Appointment Passes. Now Passes are used for bathroom breaks, during passing time and other occasions where a student may need to leave class. Appointment Passes are utilized for Academic Focus Time and additional meetings with teachers, Student Family Advocates or guidance counselors at a scheduled time. When considering departure and destination options, the app offers a “favorite” feature for convenient access to your preferred teachers. The app also allows students to save specific locations, such as bathrooms, offices and the library. Within Securly Pass, teachers can use a Now Pass with a restricted or automatic system. These systems determine how much control a teacher has over how students can leave class. With a restricted system, the teacher creates a PIN to manage student’s requests to leave class. Teachers must enter their PIN to start and stop the pass from their computer or the student’s electronic device. This system will be utilized for visits to offices, the library or other miscellaneous rooms. Teachers may also choose to use this system for bathroom trips. In an automatic system, a teacher doesn’t have to approve or end student passes using a PIN. In this case, the student leaves their computers open with an active green pass on their desks, enabling teachers to monitor stuOPINION dents’ whereabouts via NOV. 16, 2023

Teache r

their Chromebook. Currently, this system only applies for bathrooms on the same floor as the class. Appointment Passes will require the same information to be entered as Now Passes, along with a set date, period, time and the reason for the appointment. The Appointment Pass tab shows five requests are available for students; however, this means a maximum of five requests per day and not per week. After applying for an Appointment Pass, the teacher must approve the request for the pass to start at the scheduled time. The teacher can approve the pass in advance, but it will only activate at the time the pass is scheduled. The Appointment Passes will send two check-in reminders 20 minutes and five minutes before the appointment. The pass system will also include a replacement to the traditional paper tardy passes. Using the Securely Pass, the office can create an online tardy pass for the student to show the teacher before entering the room. The app uses a kiosk system where students can scan their student identification and input the class teacher, creating an automatic pass to the class. Administrators hope to get this tardy system working during the implementation of the Now and Appointment Passes. While the new online system makes passes more efficient for teachers and students, some concerns come with its implementation. One issue is the possibility of tracking student accounts. Location tracking can make students feel nervous about using the app. However, the app’s purpose is only to keep records of student’s passes. Teachers and administrators can access the history of student passes, showing the times and where the passes were administered, but no district reports will track data collected from this app. This information will help administrators aid students who are regularly absent in increasing their attendance. West’s administration plans to fully convert to electronic passes at the beginning of the second trimester. Teachers shared a video on the PASS

Signatu

Switch between Now Passes and Appointment Passes at this tab. APPOINTMENT PASS

NOW PASS

5 REQUEST(S) AVAILABLE

Departing From: Teacher/Location Edit

JOHN B BO OYLAN

GREGOR GREGO RY WI WITT T

BRAD WYMER

ANDREA HARMS

Destination: Teacher/Location Edit

ADD FAVORITE TEACHER/ROOM

Time

Out:

ADD FAVORITE TEACHER/ROOM

Submit

ACTIVE START PASS:

After clicking start, the pass will begin timing.

END PASS:

00:00:11

stop

From:T

Sara Whittaker

Middle Floor Ba Bath thrroom

04:50 PM Auto Pass

ACTIVE

Status:

After clicking stop on the active pass, it will end and will no longer be useable.

00:00:14 From:T

Sara Whittaker

Middle Floor Ba Bath thrroom

04:50 PM

Auto Pass

Status:

ENDED

Auto Pass

10-23-2023 4:50 PM

Scan the QR code for a masterdoc on navigating Securly Pass. Visit wsspaper.com for a more in-depth infographic and link to the Advisory video. during Advisory Nov. 1, and more information on the Securly Pass app can be found using the QR code. While this system may be more complex, PASSes have the potential to offer a better alternative to paper passes.

Da re :

JOHN COOPER

te :

Gianna Liu Riley St. Aubin ’27 leads the Philharmonic orchestra cello section in “Ghosts of Bohemia” at the annual Halloween concert Oct. 26.

PHOTO FEATURE

connections.com

wsspaper.com

https://www.westsidestoryconnections.com

WSS Connections WSS recreates the New York Times Connections puzzle.

BY MARIE PlaySTIER

BY MARIE STIER

Group four words that share something in common.

REGALS

BLECH

HARMS

ICK

BLOOM

FICKEL

ROBINS

CLIPPERS

TROJANS

CROWS

GROSS

EAGLES

HAWKS

WELCH

BOLTS

Be careful of words that could be in two categories. Rotate the page to check your answers at the bottom.

ROBINS

CROWS

EAGLES

HAWKS

GROSS

ICK

Words of disgust

Birds

TROJANS

BLOOM

Teachers

FICKEL

HARMS

WELCH

Mascots

BOLTS

EW CLIPPERS

BLECH REGALS

ANSWERS

Notes