2024-05-30

The Working Class

(room)

Wesal Haroun ‘24 leads Africa and Middle East in performing a Sudanese cultural dance at Walk it Out, West’s annual multicultural fashion show, April 27.

PHOTO FEATURE

By Zoe

Photo

Smith

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Hey there Trojans!

You’ve made it to the end of the 2023-24 school year… congratulations! Thanks for keeping up with us this year! Here’s one last issue as a parting gift before summer break.

Say yes to everything this summer. Say “yes” to new adventures, and to learning that TikTok dance your friend has been begging you to learn because TikTok might not stick around after this summer. On page 6, dive into the implications of the TikTok ban.

West is always working hard, especially over the summer. To read more about the concerns and recent development of Iowa’s new child labor laws, flip to page 12.

The summer means endless amounts of time to explore new passions, so how about cooking? Don’t worry if you lack experience in the kitchen, because WSS picked out the tastiest and easiest treats for you to recreate. Flip to page 18 to get cookin’!

Enjoy the last issue of the WSS, and for real now, goodbye Trojans!

SINCERELY,

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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.

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FRONT COVER DESIGN BY TYLER SHANE

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STAFF LIST

NAMES INDICATE SENIORS *Editorial Board Member

Zaira Ahmad * (she/her) Print Editor-In-Chief

Grace Bartlett* (she/her) Profiles Co-Editor

Maddy Cook* (she/her) Profiles Co-Editor

Lilly Graham * (she/her) Managing Editor

Carter-Birch Houchins-Witt* (he/him) Entertainment Editor

Reem Kirja* (she/her) Profiles Editor

Kamakshee Kuchhal * (she/her) Copy Editor

Jane Lam * (she/her) Assistant Copy Editor

Jessie Li* (she/her) Copy Editor

Gianna Liu* (she/her) Print Co-Editor-In-Chief

Ginger McCartney * (she/her) Art Editor

Helen Orszula (she/they) Artist, Designer

Mrudani Ramkumar* (she/her) Managing Editor

Celia Sadewasser* (she/her) Sports Editor

Shanza Sami* (she/her) Feature Editor

Tyler Shane* (he/him) Assistant Design Editor

Zoe Smith * (she/her) Online Editor-In-Chief

Anna Song* (she/her) Design Editor

McKenna Stephens (she/her) Designer

Marie Stier* (she/her) Print Co-Editor-In-Chief

Henry Timmer-Hackert* (he/him) Opinion Editor

Erinn Varga * (she/her) Design Editor, Opinion Editor

Sara Whittaker (she/her) Adviser

Athena Wu* (she/her) Entertainment Editor

GIANNA LIU (she/her)

MARIE STIER (she/her)

NEWS BRIEFS

BY GIANNA LIU ART & DESIGN BY MARIE STIER

TENNIS

As the school year approaches its end, read about West’s last few hurrahs before summer.

WALK IT OUT

West hosted Walk It Out, the annual multicultural fashion show, in the Arganbright Auditorium April 27. At the pre-show dinner, Walk It Out served dishes from regions of East Asia, South Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Over 70 students participated in the show, modeling their traditional clothing, performing and dancing or helping set up as stage crew.

Crosstown rival City High competed at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex (HTRC) May 1, and the Trojans did not disappoint. The boys finished with a 9-0 sweep, and the girls took a victory of 7-2. The girls also celebrated their four graduating seniors at the end of the night.

MATH STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

On April 27, the Iowa City West High School Math Club achieved the State Math Champi onship title for the 20th consecutive year with 254.7 points, marking the team’s 25th champi onship in the event’s 26-year history. Edward Li ’26 took first place as the individual State Math Champion; he and 10 other West mathletes will compete in Nationals at St. Louis May 18.

West High math team poses with their trophy after winning the team test event April 27. PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF ATHENA WU

PHOTO BY GIANNA LIU

PHOTO BY JOSIE SCHWARTZ

Claire Hahn ‘25 hits a volley in her doubles match against City High May 1.

East Asia Kpop group poses between dances at Walk it Out April 27.

CHICAGO ADVENTURES

West choir ensembles and the Business Professionals of America (BPA) club traveled to Chicago this trimester. West Singers drove to Chicago April 25–27, and spent time training in clinics and exploring the city. West BPA took 41 students to the BPA National Conference May 10–14. Layan Ahmed ’25 ran for the BPA National Executive Board and returned home as the new BPA National Secondary President.

GLOWING AND GLAMOROUS

West upperclassmen danced the night away at prom May 4 at the Hyatt Regency in Coralville. This year’s theme was Glowing and Glamorous. West hosted the Prom After Party which included activities such as bingo, an inflatable obstacle course, minigolf, a mechanical bull and more. Students who stayed until 1 a.m. collected prizes such as X-boxes, an iPad, gift cards and baked goods.

AP AND FINALS

Advanced Placement (AP) students tested their year’s worth of knowledge in the final exams, which took place May 6–17. After the College Board announced the new addition of AP Precalculus in 2023, 50 students at West took the first-ever exam this year. College Board is not the only one trying something new; West has worked with the administration to develop a new finals schedule with only two class periods each day, allowing one hour and 25 minutes for finals on their assigned days throughout the week.

Students

Students pose for pictures before the Glowing and Glamourous Prom.

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF JOSIE SCHWARTZ

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF DIANE FICKEL

Layan Ahmed was named the new BPA National Secondary President, the first in at least 20 years.

took AP exams May 6-17.

PHOTO BY GIANNA LIU

THE TIKTOK TRIAL

West High students share their opposing opinions and explore the implications of the recent TikTok ban.

BY REEM KIRJA & MRUDANI RAMKUMAR

DESIGN BY TYLER SHANE

Fters

to text messages and in-person classes to YouTube tutorials, the ease and accessibility of phones dominate today’s digital world. Younger generations have created virtual lives that serve as a creative outlet. Within those small screens, TikTok, a short-form video app owned by Chinese internet company ByteDance, has come out on top. Previously known as Musical.ly, the app has shifted focus from lip-syncing entertainment videos to a diverse range of content such as news, fashion and do-it-yourself projects. However, its credibility is being questioned within the United States, specifically citing national security concerns due to the app’s Chinese origin. While these concerns have been around since 2020, this led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bipartisan bill — alongside a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel — requiring ByteDance to either sell the app and divest itself from China within nine months or be banned within the U.S. The U.S. Senate passed the bill on April 23 in a 79-18 vote, and it officially became known as the National Security Act after President Joe Biden signed it April 24. On May 14, eight undisclosed TikTok creators filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government on the grounds of First Amendment rights violations. TikTok itself has pursued legal action and spent around $2.1 million to promote the voices of users in the U.S..

The West High community is especially affected by the ban, both positively and negatively. Students Layan Ahmed ’25 and Minna Abdalla ’26 share their opposing views on the Tiktok ban’s potential implications.

ANTI-BAN

For some, TikTok serves as an informational hub. In fact, over 40% of Americans use the app as a search engine. Ahmed, a frequent user of TikTok, describes how the app has been useful for her.

“A lot of government stuff, like with Roe v. Wade especially, [is shown to me through TikTok],” Ahmed said. “At first, I knew what Roe v. Wade was, but I didn’t really know the influence [of it]. Seeing different opinions about that on TikTok and being able to learn from different creators about the impacts helped keep me more informed about the issues.”

However, the ban will make information on TikTok inaccessible, which Ahmed sees as an infringement of free speech.

“It’s a little bit of a violation to me because TikTok is such a huge place for people our age to share their ideas. Now that they don’t have that major place of communication, that takes away half the speech teens have,” Ahmed said. “Compared to other social networks and media platforms, TikTok is a lot more of a casual, comfortable space for teens to speak up about issues... To me, [the ban] just doesn’t make sense, and it contradicts freedom of speech.”

Because of Tiktok’s strong digital presence, Ahmed believes social media’s structure will change after the ban.

“[The ban] is definitely going to cause some shifts in social media trying to mimic and emulate TikTok. There are already platforms doing that, like [Instagram] Reels and [Youtube] Shorts, but there’s something missing about them that TikTok has,” Ahmed said. “In general, I would say that it’s going to lead to a lot of disconnection within the [Gen Z] culture. Hopefully, teens can find an alternative. I see people already talking about it, like, ‘We should get on this platform once TikTok is done.’ But in general, [the ban] is going to have a lot of negative effects in terms of the connections within our demographic.”

Layan Ahmed ‘25 believes the Tiktok ban would have a negative effect on teenagers.

IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF A VIOLATION TO ME BECAUSE TIKTOK IS SUCH A HUGE PLACE FOR PEOPLE OUR AGE TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS.

Once the ban on TikTok is in effect, Ahmed and millions of users will lose many of the app’s features. Ahmed shares specific features she’ll miss about the app.

“The search feature is definitely the best feature [TikTok] has. I use TikTok search more than I use Google search [because] it’s computer-generated and suggests things to you,” Ahmed said. “It’s a really strong search option feature, and I’m going to miss that.”

Many platforms, like Instagram and YouTube, have tried to imitate TikTok’s short-form video format by creating Reels and Shorts, respectively. Ahmed discusses how these could be potential alternatives to TikTok after the ban.

“I think the first choice would be [Instagram] Reels. Honestly, Reels might be better than TikTok in some ways, but no matter how user-friendly it is, no matter how many videos are posted on it to mimic the style of TikTok, there’s something that’s going to be different,” Ahmed said. “I don’t think there’s anything that can really replace TikTok, but I think there are definitely some alternatives that come close.”

PRO-BAN

While some view the TikTok ban as an infringement of free speech, others view it as beneficial for productivity. Abdalla, a previously frequent user of the app, describes how her lifestyle has changed after deleting the app.

“TikTok had a bad influence on me and made me addicted to my phone,” Abdalla said. “I think the ban will make me more productive and motivated so I’m not constantly on my phone and continuously scrolling.”

[THE BAN] WILL BE A DOPAMINE CLEANSE FOR ME, AND I THINK I’LL FEEL HAPPIER AND MORE CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE AROUND ME. -MINNA ABDALLA ‘26

Abdalla emphasizes how this addictive behavior of constant scrolling on TikTok can cause psychological harm.

“I saw a study about TikTok and it being bad for your dopamine since it’s almost like a drug. The more you scroll, the more dopamine gets released, so the more you want to watch,” Abdalla said. “[The ban] will be a dopamine cleanse for me, and I’ll feel happier and more connected with people around me.”

Abdalla is also grateful for the ban because

she believes it will decrease the time individuals spend on their devices, allowing for more faceto-face interactions.

“I don’t know the government’s reason for implementing the ban, but whatever it was, in the end, I think it’s a good thing that they are banning it. I feel like it will have a positive impact on our society, with less people using their phones constantly,” Abdalla said.

TikTok’s negative aspects expand beyond the addiction. A study from the University of South Carolina discovered that the type of content people view TikTok has a strong correlation with body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. Abdalla agrees, affirming that TikTok facilitated the spread of unachievable beauty standards, leading to increased insecurities among teenagers.

“I have learned from TikTok that you should never believe what you see online, especially with all the staged TikToks and editing, and I learned that people will do whatever it takes to get views and interaction,” Abdalla said. “For example, [creators will] say something out of pocket to make [the audience] mad and comment.”

After the ban, Abdalla predicts Tiktok users will shift more toward other social media platforms.

“I do think [the ban] will have a long-term impact on the social media landscape because TikTok was probably one of the most-used social media apps, so we’ll be shifting more to Instagram Reels,” Abdalla said. “Maybe people will also use social media less.”

Abdalla looks forward to a TikTok-free future and plans to stay off similar apps.

“I want to use this ban as a way to reconnect with the space around me and focus more on school and taking more care of myself, so I won’t go searching for alternatives,” Abdalla said.

Minna Abdalla ‘26 believes that banning Tiktok would positively affect West students.

Walking through West’s hallways, it is not uncommon to hear a variety of languages fill the air. Aside from studying a certain language solely in school, many students and staff practice other languages independently by going on foreign trips or using apps, such as Duolingo.

Language teachers have incorporated Duolingo into their daily curriculum to enhance the learning experience. Megan Boehme, a Spanish teacher at West, believes having a curated lesson for each student greatly benefits their learning experience.

“For my students, I do a [Duolingo] XP assignment every two weeks, and they can do whatever lessons they need to or want to, and it’s at their level,” Boehme said.

She notes that Duolingo can be helpful for students because of the repetition the app provides.

what you’ll need them for in every situation? No, but it’s a really great starting point.”

Solomon Shaffer ’26 is one of the many students at West who uses Duolingo daily to learn Spanish. He finds that the interactive programs within the app are most helpful in his language learning journey.

“It’s a very easy app to navigate around, and it’s also good for keeping the user engaged,” Shaffer said.

Because of its ease and engagement, Shaffer emphasizes how Duolingo can become addictive.

“It’s very addictive because of my streak. I have a 500-something-day streak, and if I break it, or

ing flashcards and using it with French speakers. I’m not saying [Duolingo] is bad, it’s just not how I learn,” Juhl said.

However, she notes language learning is becoming increasingly more accessible because of the many new opportunities to learn languages online.

“I am continually fascinated with language changes as time goes on. Now that we have streaming services, where I can watch things in French. The internet has changed [everything]; I used to really have to travel and avidly seek different immersive types of situations to use French or to think about French,” Juhl said. “Because I have more access, I don’t have to travel

“WHEN YOU LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE, YOU OPEN UP A LOT MORE DOORS TO OTHER CULTURES, FOODS AND JUST EVERYTHING THAT SURROUNDS ITSELF AROUND A LANGUAGE.”

MEGAN BOEHME, SPANISH TEACHER

“I really like Duolingo for a reason that a lot of students maybe don’t like it, and that’s the repetitiveness of it,” Boehme said. “Yes, it might get a little boring but you’re never going to forget the words or the grammar topics that are being repeated so many times. Are they always exactly

if I’m about to break it, I feel very anxious, so I need to complete [a level] and fulfill my streak,” Shaffer said.

However, not all teachers believe Duolingo is useful for supplementing foreign language classes. Theresa Juhl, a French teacher at West, explains why she chooses not to incorporate Duolingo into her curriculum.

“It’s not something I know how to use to learn. Back in the olden days before the internet, I had to learn [French] by making lists, repeating it, mak -

LANGUAGE L VERS

BY MADDY COOK & CELIA SADEWASSER DESIGN BY ANNA SONG

West High language enthusiasts share their experiences and learning processes with language.

to a French-speaking country to get that.”

Despite having these apps and methods to supplement learning, West language teachers also express overall struggles of fully immersing students in foreign languages.

“It’s only my class that [students have] in Spanish, so the rest of the day is in English. They’re only hearing and seeing anything [Spanish] usually in my classroom. It is pretty impossible to become fluent in a language without immersing yourself; it takes a lot of self-motivation to really fully grasp another language,” Boehme said.

Juhl agrees that it takes a lot of effort it takes to learn an-

“IT’S VERY ADDICTIVE BECAUSE OF MY STREAK. I HAVE A 500-SOMETHING-DAY STREAK, AND IF I BREAK IT, OR IF I’M ABOUT TO BREAK IT, I FEEL VERY ANXIOUS, SO I NEED TO COMPLETE AND FULFILL MY STREAK.”

SOLOMAN SHAFFER ‘26

a new language.

other language.

“The more you put into it, the better you get at it, even though you can’t see it right away. That’s really hard for students to experience. You want to think, ‘Well if I do this right now, the payoff is going to be within the next week or on the next test,’” Juhl said. “I also know that it’s really hard to keep your eye on the prize when you have to work so hard for so long, but it really does pay off. It just takes a lot.”

Even with the challenges of learning foreign languages, West teachers share the benefits of teaching and studying another language.

“When you learn a new language, you open up a lot more doors to other cultures, foods and just everything that surrounds itself around a language,” Boehme said.

Similarly, Juhl notes that she’s gained a new perspective on making mistakes.

“What learning French has taught me is [that] you can make mistakes, and it’s not a big deal. I say that from the standpoint that every single mispronunciation and grammatical error happens in a very public place,” Juhl said. “You feel a little silly about it, you feel a little embarrassed about it, [but French] taught me to just keep moving forward. Making a mistake wasn’t the worst thing that could happen in the moment.”

Gathered from her teaching experience, Boehme offers advice to students who strive to expand their knowledge or learn

“I would say just don’t get discouraged. Don’t give up because it is really hard, especially when you don’t have friends or people around you that speak that language,” Boehme said. “It takes a lot of self-motivation. The confidence will come later. Just keep listening, talking to yourself and one day you’ll get there.”

Being in an environment where the language is spoken plays a crucial role in the learning process. Students and teachers have explored languages by immersing themselves in different cultures through traveling internationally.

Sam Zimmermann ’24 traveled to Spain on a school trip his junior year, and he expresses how going to a new country broadened his horizons.

“It shows you the side of another country and culture that you don’t typically get to see as a tourist. I got to live the way Spaniards lived. I got to go to school as a kid in Spain. I got to go hang out with friends as a kid would in Spain and just experience what it is like to live in Spain,” Zimmermann said.

He expands on how influential the experience was in growing his language skills.

“I’ve learned a lot from West Spanish classes, but I’ve never learned so much so quickly as when I went [to Spain]. When you [are] fully immersed in a culture and language, you pick it up astronomically quicker,” Zimmermann said.

In addition to taking foreign trips, some students have gotten the opportunity to study abroad. Eli Maze ’25 lived in Japan during his sophomore year, which significantly expanded his knowledge of Japanese culture.

“I thought I knew that coun-

“I’VE LEARNED A LOT FROM WEST SPANISH CLASSES, BUT I’VE NEVER LEARNED SO MUCH SO QUICKLY AS WHEN I WENT [TO SPAIN]. WHEN YOU [ARE] FULLY IMMERSED IN A CULTURE AND LANGUAGE , YOU PICK IT UP ASTRONOMICALLY QUICKER.”

SAM ZIMMERMAN ‘24

try; I thought I knew that atmosphere, but it took having to go there in-person to really understand what it was like,” Maze said. “If you go on a vacation just as a tourist, there’s sort of like a barrier between you and the actual real life of that country.”

While foreign trips and studies abroad are beneficial to learning about another culture, they can be difficult adjustments. Maze explains the hardships he faced with a language barrier.

“All the signs you see [and] all the words you hear in Japanese was such a weird feeling for me, and I felt like I had more confidence in my Japanese [speaking] ability before I went than I should have. I realized, I don’t know all this academic language, I don’t know all this slang,” Maze said.

Even though traveling abroad brings many challenges, Juhl, who has gone on many foreign trips with students, believes it’s ultimately worth it.

“One of the reasons why I continue to go on these trips, even though it’s exhausting and a whole lot of planning and responsibility, is experiencing somebody’s first when it might be my 50th,” Juhl said. “For example, going to the Eiffel Tower is time-consuming and stressful, [but] seeing the look on [students’] faces when they’re on the Eiffel Tower and then looking at Paris, that’s why we’re in education, to be able to experience those moments with somebody. It’s so fun.”

TWI NNI NG

BY GRACE BARTLETT & JESSIE LI ART & DESIGN BY MRUDANI RAMKUMAR

West twins share their unique perspectives growing up together.

AIDAN AND JOCELYN JACOBSEN ‘24

WSS: Do you believe in twin telepathy?

A.J.: No.

J.J.: No, but I feel like when you’re really close to someone, you just have a connection. Like how you are with your best friend, I feel like it’s no different.

WSS: What are some similarities or differences between the two of you?

J.J.: It’s hard [to get mixed up] because we’re brother and sister.

A.J.: It’s kind of the opposite, like people that I’ve known for a while, they would be like, “Geez, I didn’t realize you had a twin.”

J.J.: A lot of people don’t know. People are usually surprised, they always ask what it’s like.

WSS: Is there anything that makes you different from other twins, or any fun stories?

J.J.: Whenever I picture us growing up, I picture the photo that’s in the hallway of our house. We were at our grandparents’ house, and Aidan was in this little car; then I tried to open it up. The first picture is just him in the car. Then it’s me. And the third one is me crying, walking away.

Aidan and Jocelyn Jacobsen ‘24 pose as kids.

AUDREY AND MYRA CRAWFORD ‘26

WSS: Who’s older, and by how much?

M.C.: I’m older; I think it’s around ten minutes.

WSS: Do you believe in twin telepathy?

M.C.: Honestly, I don’t think it’s like twin telepathy. We’ve just experienced so many similar things together. There’s so many inside jokes, and we think very similarly because of what we’ve experienced.

WSS: What are some similarities or differences between the two of you?

M.C.: I guess like fashion wise It’s like, same color different fonts. Like we are always are slightly off, but if you look at our Pinterest boards you would like see the similarity.

WSS: Is there anything that makes you different from other twins, or any fun stories?

M.C.: We have an older brother and two younger brothers who are also twins. I think just having family members that are also twins, like my brothers. My aunt also has twins and she’s a twin; my dads side also has a pair of twins. There’s just a lot of twins in our family… And people always ask us if we’d ever switched places in school to take tests or whatever. We’ve never done that, but one time in fifth grade, we were like, “We’re gonna switch places.” I was getting all these side eyes and everyone was glancing. But when Audrey walked in, she just had to play the part, like nobody knew. We didn’t carry it on for very long; it was like 15 minutes and then everybody already knew.

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF JACOBSENS, THE VARGAS, THE STONGS AND THE CRAWFORDS.

EMILY AND MARISSA STONG ‘25

WSS: Who’s older, and by how much?

E.S: I’m older by two minutes. When we were younger, we used to joke about it a lot.

WSS: Do you believe in twin telepathy?

M.S.:: A little bit.

E.S.: Since we spend so much time together, we’ll finish each other’s sentences sometimes, more often than other people.

WSS: What are some similarities or differences between the two of you?

E.S.: We definitely have different hobbies because she likes art a lot, and I mostly do sports. I can’t draw to save my life. And personali ty-wise, we’re also opposites. I’m more of an extrovert, and she’s more of an introvert.

WSS: Is there anything that makes you different from other twins, or any fun stories?

E.S.: We have four siblings. I think we’re both closer with different sib lings than each other.

M.S.: People will mix up our names. When we were younger, like six, we would get mixed up [by looks], but we have started looking more and more different.

E.S.: And once, we were in the grocery store, and our mom was talking to some random lady. She was like “Oh yeah, I have twins” and they’re like, “Oh my goodness. These two, they look so alike.” It was me and my brother, and Marissa was just over there.

AIMEE AND ERINN VARGA ‘24

WSS: Who’s older, and by how much?

A.V.: We don’t know; it’s a complicated story.

E.V.: Our mom went through 48 hours of labor and then had an emergency C-section. There were two teams of doctors, both grabbed us at the same time. And if our parents do know, they won’t tell us.

WSS: Do you believe in twin telepathy?

E.V.: I kind of [believe in twin telepathy]; maybe just because we’ve been around each other [so much], it feels like I know her better…when I was younger, we would often talk a lot without words.

A.V.: Twins, when they’re babies, have their own language. I forgot what it’s called, but we called each other “Lala.”

WSS: What are some similarities or differences between the two of you?

E.V.: We have a lot of the same interests, but we’re also very different. A.V.: We did gymnastics for eight years, and that’s a long time commitment.

E.V.: Aimee was definitely the more outgoing person as a kid. She always made all the friends and then I kind of stole them all.

WSS: What makes you different from other twins?

E.V.: We’re just closer. A lot of twins are like, “Oh, we hate each other,” or they’re always competing over this and that. I’m just like, “No… she’s my best friend.”

A.V.: What reason to compete if we’re gonna share the same life?

E.V.: Everyone always says like, “Oh, you never fight or anything.” Yeah, I actually like my twin.

Erinn and Aimee Varga ‘24 stylishly pose in 2014.

The Working Class(room)

WSS explores students’ concerns and experiences in the working industry with changing child labor laws.

By Carter Birch Houchins-Witt, Shanza Sami, Henry Timmer-Hackert

From the establishment of the National Child Labor Committee in 1904 to the International Labor Organization in 2000, the United States has undergone substantial change as a part of a greater international movement to restrict child labor. However, Iowa legislators revised Senate File 542 — which mandates safety standards for teenage workers — by implementing the Youth Employment Law. As a result, Iowa child labor laws were loosened July 1, 2023.

Under this new legislature, 14 and 15-year-olds can now work longer hours, and 16-year-olds can take on more commitments such as serving alcohol. Although SF-542 received general approval, with a 29-18 Senate vote, it actively infringes upon the conditions of specific federal laws. Despite this, alterations to Iowa child labor legislation were ultimately issued amidst a growing nationwide movement to repeal state protections for child laborers.

For Trueman Arnold ’24, working as a minor was an opportunity to earn money while honing his interests in trade work. Arnold was first thrown into labor-based jobs at eight years old, immersing himself in projects such as diesel tech and roofing. Now, he works various largescale jobs for farmers, ranging from welding to operating equipment. These jobs enable him to save money and gain work experience, with the goal of attending a welding trade school after

high school.

“I’m a jack of all trades. I do a lot of trade work: farming, roofing, mechanics, welding, fabrication, framing, plumbing,” Arnold said. “I [will]

IT’S HARD ON YOUR BODY AND TERRIBLE FOR YOU, BUT YOU MIGHT GET MONEY OUT OF IT.

’24

probably go to a trade school down in Wyoming, called Western Welding, to be completely certified for pipeline work. I want to be one of the people who weld live gas lines that are on fire or underwater.”

Although Arnold finds personal fulfillment in his trade work, the working conditions are often dangerous. He admits that the hazardous envi-

ronments make these jobs unsafe for teenage workers.

“When welding, I’ve been on fire a couple of times. If you ever see a hoodie that I wear [and] you look on the right sleeve, it’s burnt,” Arnold said. “About every single one of [my jobs have physical risks]. It’s hard on your body and terrible for you, but you might get money out of it.”

In contrast, Tessa Pitcher ’25 previously worked at an ice cream shop over the summer. While her job wasn’t dangerous, she echoes Arnold’s point that working conditions for younger teenagers weren’t ideal.

“[My previous workplace] wasn’t firmly planted on the ground, so a lot of times, it would shake [and] didn’t feel solid,” Pitcher said. “The [floor] of the building was a lot dirtier than you’d expect. I had dedicated shoes [for my job] because you could hear the sound of ice cream [under your shoes] — it was a really disgusting sound.”

Despite this, Pitcher believes that her summer job was worthwhile both for having an income and the skills it taught her.

“A job is super valuable, especially for young high schoolers. For me, it helps with calmness, shyness and patience, but also a lot of high schoolers aren’t in the position where their parents are going to pay for college, and starting to save up for college is a really important idea to have entering high school. Because college gets

A LOT OF [GUARDIANS] WON’T HAVE MONEY TO PUT THEIR KID THROUGH COLLEGE, AND THE BURDEN IS ON THE CHILD TO DO THAT, SO I THINK [A JOB] IS

expensive fast, a lot of [guardians] won’t have money to put their kid through college, and the burden is on the child to do that, so I think [a job] is valuable no matter if you’re rich or poor,” Pitcher said.

While working as a teenager has its benefits, there are also many concerns. A study from the University of Washington found that students who worked more than 20 hours a week had,

on average, worse grades than their peers who worked less. Diane Rohlman, the Director of the Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest, has done research on how working can affect students.

“If we’re thinking about high school students and even college students, you’re required to go to class from eight to three, so work has to occur either before that time or after that time, and

depending on how many hours you’re working, there are some restrictions on that,” Rohlman said. “Usually [sleep is] what [gets] sacrificed, and if you’re doing sports or you’re active in other civic things like the scouts, a band or show choir, all of that takes a lot of time too, and you still have to do your homework.”

This is part of why jobs are often regulated based on the age of the worker. However, these regulations don’t always apply. Given that Pitcher worked at a small business, working practices weren’t often enforced. As a result, Pitcher and her teenage coworkers often performed tasks outside the scope of their job when their boss wanted them to.

“Weird stuff would happen because there was no one to keep [my boss] in check — no real higher-ups. The only comfort you had were the managers, or the people one step below her, which are high schoolers,” Pitcher said. “There wasn’t really a system for [my boss] to be balanced out. She would yell at you and do whatever she wanted to you in a way that wasn’t checked.”

Pitcher occasionally did other parts of running a small business, including going off-premises to

What Senate File 542 means

before:

after:

14 and 15-year-olds can work 4 hours per day on school days 14 and 15-year-olds can work 6 hours per day on school days

Serving alcohol is limited to above 18

Performing work operations including operation of many power-driven machines, roofing work and excavation are limited to 18 or above

Performing work operations including light assembly work and loading and unloading from motor vehicles are limited to 16 or above

After training and with adult supervision 16-year olds can serve alcohol

Available at 16 if approved by the state agency.

Available at 15 with a state approved waiver.

pick things up.

“[Workers would do] a job for [the boss] that involved going off site, so we would have to get in the car with [the boss] and usually another co-worker. We all went up to [their] farm,” Pitcher said.

Rohlman also acknowledges the long-term effects that working within regulations at a younger age can have on development.

“When you’re born, your brain is developing, but that also continues when you hit puberty and doesn’t really stop until [the age of] 25, and [even then] people keep growing and getting stronger. Working long hours, because it can be risky, can lead to injuries and long-term disabilities. [But] it also has a lot of benefits; it gives you a sense of purpose and teaches responsibility [in addition to] putting money in your pocket. Some youth work because their families need their income in order to survive [while] other youth work for their own expenses,” Rohlman said.

Rohlman goes into more detail about how younger workers can risk their physical or mental health by overworking themselves if work isn’t regulated.

“Sleep is probably the biggest factor, and if you’re doing a physically demanding job, you

could be very fatigued, which then increases your risk [when] driving,” Rohlman said.

These risks are often compounded by teenage workers putting themselves in more danger. Teenagers are less experienced and less likely to know how to handle new situations, which puts them at risk of injury.

“All workers can be at risk, but because of

[teens’] inexperience and their reluctance to say, ‘Should I be doing this?’ or ‘Am I doing this right?’, [their risk is] increased. We know young workers are more likely to get injured on the job than older workers, but we also know this [is true of] new workers, and it doesn’t really matter what age you are. If you didn’t really work until you were 25, you’re still at risk just because of

WORKING LONG HOURS,

BECAUSE IT CAN BE

RISKY,

CAN LEAD TO INJURIES AND

LONG-TERM

DISABILITIES. [BUT] IT ALSO HAS A LOT OF BENEFITS; IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND TEACHES RESPONSIBILITY [IN ADDITION TO] PUTTING

MONEY IN YOUR POCKET.

-DIANE ROHLMAN

1904: The National Child Labor Committee is established, aiming to eradicate systemic child labor and promote early education.

Source: Library of Congress

1936: The Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act is passed under the New Deal, establishing minimum wage, safety benchmarks for working conditions and child labor provisions.

Sources: Iowa PBS, 1915 Iowa Code Supplement

1915: An Iowa child labor law is passed under Section 2477-a, deeming it illegal for minors to skip school for work. Kids under 16 are prohibited from working in mines, bowling alleys or other potentially dangerous workplaces.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

that inexperience,” Rohlman said.

This danger is often more prominent in agricultural fields, where labor laws are often not applied. Rohlman has seen how family farms take advantage of these loopholes.

“If you’re working on your family’s farm, there are [almost] no restrictions on what you can do or how long you can work. Most of our farms here in the United States are family farms. If you work for an agricultural employer, like your neighbor or runway farms, which makes those baby carrots and other [small crops], then there are some restrictions, but they’re less protective than if you’re working in any other industry,” Rohlman said. “Agriculture is one industry that has fewer regulations. Because of it, we know that more young workers are injured or even die on the job than they do in other industries.”

This lack of regulation allows teenagers to work in farming and run machinery that wouldn’t normally be approved for. Arnold has worked during harvests and ripped fields using large machinery because of the exclusions around agriculture.

“[During] harvest time, I was running [a] grain truck, grain cart and the harvester at the same time; I was working the fields,” Arnold said. “[I work for] four months because I rip the

field four or five times, and we’re jumping from field to field to field.”

Despite some of these risks, Iowa is one of many states that has lifted restrictions on child labor laws. These laws allow students to gain skills by joining the workforce. However, it puts these teenagers in danger. Rolhman believes such policies emerged due to a recent job shortage across the country.

“Employers are having trouble hiring enough workers. What some states are doing to address this is making the youth labor laws less restrictive. They’re letting youth work longer hours during school time, and in some cases, in jobs that are considered dangerous,” Rohlman said.

Still, for some, this work opens the door to more work experience, even if it’s just over the summer. Pitcher still thinks that working a job during high school is valuable, even if it’s not exclusively for the money.

“It’s important because we’re at an age [where] everyone is so socially awkward that it’s good to be forced to interact with people. If you’re not doing a bunch of extracurriculars, or you’re not feeling super stressed, it’s better to be productive with your time, gain skills and get experience, than going into the job market with no experience at all,” Pitcher said. “For a really long time,

I was pretty socially awkward. Doing something where you had to directly interact with people, [and also] be nice and patient, has helped a lot with understanding that other people are just [like you]. You have to work together for everyone to get what they want.”

Even dangerous work can serve as an opportunity to gain experience in high-paying trades. For Arnold, this means getting a well-paying job and the ability to travel.

“There’s so [few] people in the trades. If I become a pipeliner or weld pipe for a living, I can travel all over the United States. I could probably go up to Canada [or] Alaska,” Arnold said. “I had a rough childhood, and I’m trying to escape it and get out as much as I can.”

Rolhman also thinks that entering the workforce is important, although she stresses the need for workplace safety.

“It’s important that everybody learns how to enter the workforce; most people will work at some point in their life. My only concern is to make sure they know how to protect themselves and create a place where people can work and gain the benefits, but also not be at risk for injury,” Rohlman said.

Design by Tyler Shane

2000: Convention 182, established by the International Labor Organization, is the first official international law condemning inhumane child labor practices.

Source: International Labor Organization

1938: An amendment is placed into the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, serving as the first piece of U.S. legislation officially prohibiting child labor.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

2023: Under Senate File 542, Iowa minors under the age of 16 are permitted to work in hazardous workplace environments during school hours, while child labor permits are no longer mandated.

Sources: Iowa Division of Labor, Iowa Legislature

THE NEXT LEVEL THE NEXT LEVEL THE NEXT LEVEL

next level

Want to play a sport in college? Read on to learn more about the recruitment process and future plans of committed West athletes.

BY GIANNA LIU & MARIE STIER

GIANNA LIU

Each year, thousands of high school athletes tirelessly research schools, draft emails and contact coaches in hopes of playing their sport in college. However, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), less than seven percent of those athletes are recruited. Of that percentage, only two percent get recruited to Division I (DI), the highest category.

Following DI schools are Division II (DII) and Division III (DIII) schools, which are categorized by the school’s reputation for its sports teams’ skill level and size. Most athletes are drawn toward DI schools because of their elite training programs and generous scholarship offers. DI schools have the capacity to invest more into their programs, and in return, expect high viewership and profit, allowing for more money for recruitment. To put it into perspective, the NCAA generated a total of $18.9 billion in revenue across all three divisions, and 96% was from DI schools.

While DII schools may not provide the same level of financial support, such as full-ride scholarships, partial scholarships can still be offered to athletes interested in their program. DIII schools offer no athletic scholarship money and instead provide merit or academic scholarships depending on the school, the student’s grades and the student’s qualifications. It is important to note that even if a school is DI, scholarship money varies on the type of sport.

For some, recruitment is a long and frustrating process that differs based on the sport played. However, there is more than just one option for contacting schools. Athletes go through many stages of trial and error, sending scores or times to coaches without the promise of a response. After self-reflection, Max Gerke ’24, who has committed to Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) for swimming, decided to email coaches, show interest and see where the road takes him.

“I was in this weird zone, where I was like, pretty fast, but I wasn’t fast enough for a school to latch onto me and be like, ‘We want this guy. We’re gonna pursue him.’ I had to do all of the emailing and contacting and hope for some schools to get back to me,” Gerke said.

Emma Potthoff ’25, who recently committed to DI University of Iowa for soccer, lives close to her dream school and had the advantage of meeting with coaches prior to her recruitment process.

“Overall, my recruitment process was good, and it went quickly looking back at it now. It was very stressful overall, but [the University of Iowa] was always somewhere that I knew I want-

ed to go,” Potthoff said. “I’ve lived here since I was five, so I’ve been around the [program]. Having the opportunity to go to camps at the university and to get to know the program, the coaching style and the culture [made] … choosing a really easy decision for me.”

Potthoff feels that her greatest recruitment success was making herself familiar with the coaching staff.

“I started mostly in person, and then would email the coach more than once because they get so many emails every day,” Potthoff said. “Being persistent with emailing, and then keeping my face familiar in their brains — it was definitely something that I had to be really persistent through and continue to email.”

Dillon Croco ’24, like Gerke and Potthoff, reached out to colleges without assistance. However, unlike swimming and soccer, golfers only compete in the spring season, which prevented Croco from showing his score improvements.

“My [recruitment] followed a pretty standard golfer’s recruiting journey. I started sending out emails in February of my junior year, showing scores and showing interest, but it’s hard during the winter months, especially up north where you’re not getting new scores. I [sent] some initial interest, and then waited again until May when I got some scores,” Croco said. “It’s a lot of waiting, and a lot of getting no response, which is probably one of the hardest parts for me.”

Serene Hamzeh ’24, who signed with DII University of Nebraska Kearney, switched soccer club teams to get more recognition when she found it difficult to get noticed by recruiters. After the transition, she played in showcases against other competitive teams that college coaches attended. However, Hamzeh still struggled with recognition because of her graduating class, so she hired a recruiter to help connect her with colleges.

“We had to hire a recruiter for me, just because it was difficult to get my name out as a 2024 [graduate] because everybody’s still taking their COVID years. Teams weren’t looking for 2024 recruits, whereas for the 2025 class, [Nebraska Kearney] already had nine recruits,” Hamzeh said.

Because Hamzeh started her recruitment process later than others, staying optimistic about playing in college was difficult throughout her journey.

“You see a lot of people getting recruited and committing and [it’s difficult]. The coaches are hard to read; it’s really, really hard to figure out what they want,” Hamzeh said. “They aren’t exactly the most transparent people all the time. Instead of telling athletes, ‘We’re not interested,’

it’s more like, they ghost you. So it can be tough on players, and it’s a competitive environment because a lot of kids want to play college soccer.” Due to the competitive environment and discouragement from unresponsive coaches, recruiting can negatively affect athletes and their performance.

“[Recruitment] was long and it was stressful at times, especially … for golf. It’s constantly new updates and information, so I was always pretty stressed about how I was playing,” Croco said.

Despite the stress from the recruitment process, Croco had known he wanted to pursue golf since the beginning of high school.

“Early sophomore year, I made a decision that I wanted to play. I didn’t care what division or what school, I just wanted to pick the best fit for me and for my passion. I wasn’t ready to give [golf] up, especially for it being a lifetime sport,” Croco said. “If I had an opportunity to continue competing, I’d want to do that, and I was hoping it would give me some good opportunities to go to some schools.”

Similarly, Potthoff knew she wanted to pursue collegiate soccer long before she began the recruiting process.

“From a pretty young age, I was like, ‘Okay, soccer is it. I want that.’ The dream was to play in college, and then try to go to the [collegiate] level,” Potthoff said. “For me, [division] wasn’t that big of a deal. Obviously, everybody thinks [DI] is the highest you can go, but going to the next level is an accomplishment in itself. For me, it was like, ‘Where can I go that’s going to challenge me the most, push me and [have] a good culture?’”

For many athletes, the division of the school they will compete for has significance when determining where they will sign. Gerke notes that although he looked at many schools of differing divisions, he ultimately decided to sign with IUPUI, a DI school. For Gerke, the division didn’t matter as much as other aspects when choosing where to sign.

SUMMER SWEET TREATS

With summer right around the corner, WSS shares some fun and easy recipes to keep you busy during the break.

YOGURT-COVERED BLUEBERRIES

You can never go wrong with yogurt-covered blueberries; not only are they healthy, but these are the best treats to end your day off. For this recipe, you will need three cups of blueberries and one cup of blueberry-flavored greek yogurt. Start by prepping a baking sheet with wax paper, then spear blueberries on toothpicks to dip them into the cup of yogurt. Once all your blueberries are fully covered and placed on your baking sheet, remove the toothpick and place them in the freezer overnight. When the blueberries are fully frozen, gently peel them off the baking sheet and enjoy!

BY GRACE BARTLETT

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

When you need a sweet and refreshing drink this summer, try strawberry lemonade. This recipe calls for one pound of strawberries, four lemons, onethird cup of granulated sugar, two to three cups of water and ice. Begin by juicing the lemons in a blender, then add sliced strawberries, water and sugar. Blend until the mixture is thoroughly combined, then strain the juice into a pitcher. Once this is done, add ice or lemon/strawberry garnishes to complete your lemonade.

AVOCADO TOAST

If you are craving something creamy, crunchy and salty, avocado toast is the perfect snack to make. For this recipe, you will need bread, one avocado, one egg and salt. Begin by toasting your bread to your liking, then mash your avocado on a separate plate. Once this is done, spread your avocado paste on your toast and add a pinch of salt. To spice things up, add more toppings! Tomatoes or bacon are popular contenders.

smoothie bowl, which only takes about five minutes to complete. For this recipe, you will need one cup of frozen mixed berries, one peeled banana, two to three teaspoons of your milk of choice and any toppings of your choice. Start by blending the frozen fruit and banana on low for one minute. Then, blend in milk until the smoothie has reached your desired consistency. Finally, add some granola in your bowl and pour the smoothie on top. Feel free to add your favorite toppings!

At my funeral, I don’t want a single suit or dress there. I’m rolling over in my grave at every person without sweatpants. Society is divided into two groups of people: those who feel comfortable dressing up and those who hate it. For some, dressing up can be awkward, and thus it shouldn’t be expected of people to dress formally.

Moving away from the typical practice of wearing formal clothing in most environments would be difficult, so the transition should start simple. It’s important to note that there are two major reasons for wearing nice clothes, excluding humor and personal preference. The first of which — the one that’s harder to change — is to impress someone, worn for job interviews or dates. In these instances, formal clothing is reasonable… for now. The other major reason to wear formal clothes is to show respect at significant events, such as weddings, funerals or graduations.

However, there are better ways to show respect than just attire for all of these events. Respect can be shown through gifts, attitude and conversations. At funerals, formal clothing is only worn to show respect to the deceased. However, if you haven’t shown respect to the person in life, your respect shouldn’t matter in death.

Another environment in which people always wear formal clothing is weddings. I’m not arguing that to-be-weds should wear hoodies — I’m not that crazy (although, if they wanted to, no one should stop them), but when you’re attending a wedding as a guest, formal clothing shouldn’t be required. In an environment like a wedding, wearing formal clothing fosters self-consciousness among guests. If you’re worried about wedding pictures, you shouldn’t be. You’re paying wedding photographers to get good pictures, so it’s their job to adapt to whatever guests are wearing.

Another concern is financial access. Buying fancy clothing can quickly build up expenses, making it unaffordable to many. The average new suit costs around $300. Even used suits can cost a lot and are typically lower quality, which decreases durability. Anyone who consistently needs to wear a suit will need to own at least two, which costs significant money. Furthermore, the social effects of formal clothing to garner respect in the workplace or at weddings are classist. Many studies, including a 2019 study about the general public’s perceptions based on attire, have shown that those who wear formal clothing in the workplace end up receiving more bonuses and raises. Classism can be a major effect of requiring formal clothing.

Another good reason for not wearing formal clothes is to eliminate discomfort. While not applicable to everyone, many people find formal clothing uncomfortable. It shouldn’t be required to be worn as much because some people feel unnatural in such environments. A 2009 study about the relationship between perceived comfort and exam performance shows that the more uncomfortable a person is in their clothing, the lower they score on tests, proving that wearing formal clothing reduces proficiency when performing certain tasks.

There have also been many recent changes to this efficiency. COVID-19 has an interesting effect on workplace dress code expectations. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Zoom meeting outfit: a formal button-up shirt paired with pajama pants. The existence of this trend is the epitome of what I’m arguing for. People don’t want to dress up. They don’t want to dress up so much that it’s become a popular sentiment to avoid wearing dress pants on a business call. The needs and wants of the working population are reflected through jokes like this. Ultimately, society should accept that people can go to work and not be required to wear formal attire.

COMFORT OVER CONVENTION

BY CARTER BIRCH HOUCHINS-WITT

Formal clothing is overrated. I said it. Stop wearing it. There are many downsides to wearing formal attire, and here are just a few of them.

DESIGN BY ANNA SONG