WEST SIDE STORY IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL
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I O W A C I T Y, I A 5 2 2 4 6
W S S PA P E R . C O M
VOLUME 52 ISSUE 5
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APRIL 24, 2020
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PHOTO FEATURE
OWEN AANESTAD The boys’ basketball team made their tenth consecutive trip to Wells Fargo Arena for the state tournament on March 11, making them the only team in Iowa high school basketball history to reach this many state tournaments. The Trojans finished their historic season 21-3 after falling to Ankeny in the state quarterfinals 68-54.
Hello from a distance! (For reference, six feet is approximately the length of 6.9 WSS issues.) What you’re holding in your hands right now is history in the making! This is the first issue WSS has ever produced while school was not in session. I never thought that we’d be producing our last full issue as a staff from home. Yet, here we are. While we can’t be in the company of many of the people closest to us, we are still incredibly lucky to be able to have the technology to communicate. As journalists, we’re still here to communicate in our own way — to bring you stories, spark curiosity and inform you, our readers, during this trying time. I hope that reading this paper makes you feel more in touch with our community. This issue holds the untold stories of many people in our community: from the struggles of an ELL student to the quiet sacrifices many families are making during the coronavirus pandemic. This is our last issue before the new staff takes over, and so, to the 2019-20 West Side Story staff: thank you for your hard work and for being the highlight of my day. I’ll miss working with every single one of you. (Look for a new face in the next issue!) To those of you still going about your daily lives as if nothing is amiss, I can’t word it more simply: stay home for Pete’s sake! To those of you risking your lives to help us get through this pandemic, whether it’s working at a grocery store or in the emergency room: thank you. Stay safe and stay healthy,
NATALIE KATZ
CONTENTS
FOLLOW US @WSSPAPER
NEWS
HISTORY IN THE MAKING 4
FEATURE OVERCOMING OBSTACLES 6 PREOCCUPIED 10
PROFILES
WHERE’S WALLING? 12 TACKLING TOURETTE’S 14
COVER VIRAL . 17
ENTERTAINMENT
NO PLANET B 24 POS 26
SPORTS
NEXT LEVEL 28 ADVANTAGE WEST 30 BREAK POINT 31
OPINION
REMODEL THE MODEL MINORITY 32 I AM NOT A VIRUS 33 VOLUNTARY 34
STAFF LIST Owen Aanestad Fareeha Ahmad Abdul Ahmed Caroline Barker Sara Baroncini Paras Bassuk Aditi Borde Kiley Butcher Sarah Callanan Misha Canin Alex Carlon Caroline Chandler Carmela Cohen Suarez Alexis Dick Natalie Dunlap Maddy Ephraim Bess Frerichs Brenda Gao
Asst. Online Sports Editor Kailey Gee Photographer Reporter Joe Goodman Yearbook Copy Editor Renee Gould Yearbook Editor-in-chief Photographer Emma Hall Photographer Jack Harris Yearbook People Editor Photographer Annabel Hendrickson Videographer Vivien Ho Photo Editor Cymry Hieronymus Social Media Editor Selina Hua Photographer Natalie Katz Yearbook People Editor Edward Keen Reporter Mariam Keita Yearbook Staff Hanah Kitamoto Online Managing Editor Tosh Klever Online News Editor Luke Krchak Asst. Sports Editor Online Copy Editor Youjoo Lee Online Entertainment Editor Marta Leira Online Reporter Amy Liao Online Editor-in-chief Abby McKeone Reporter Business Editor Alice Meng Yearbook Business Editor Jessica Moonjely Online Feature Editor Entertainment Editor Jillian Prescott
Designer Reporter Sports Editor Online Reporter Book Critic Artist Online Reporter Film Critic Copy Editor Feature Editor Photographer Art Editor Print Editor-in-chief Arts Editor and Critic Online Reporter Reporter Videographer Online reporter Columnist Designer News Editor Design Editor Online Graphics Editor Online Reporter Reporter Managing Editor Profiles Editor Broadcast Editor-in-chief
Cameron Reimers
Ella Rosenthal Alyssa Skala
Maddy Smith Nicole Trout Sumner Wallace Jenna Wang Gwen Watson Sam Westergaard
Ken Wilbur Sydney Wildes Isaac Young Xiaoyi Zhu Sara Whittaker
Artist Yearbook Clubs/ Academics Editor Designer Humans of West High Coordinator Photographer Yearbook Managing Editor Photographer Yearbook Student Life Editor Yearbook Editor-in chief Columns Editor Copy Editor Editorial Editor Photographer Photographer Podcaster Videographer Podcast Editor Photographer Videographer Reporter Podcaster Designer Yearbook Staff WSS Advisor
A timeline of COVID-19 developments in the world and our community. BY JESSICA MOONJELY
INTERNATIONAL TRIPS
Based on recommendations made by the Iowa MARCH 6 Department of Public Health regarding international travel, the ICCSD sent out an email advising faculty and students against going on international school trips due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“PARTIAL ACTIVATION”
MARCH 7 Although there were no reported cases of the virus in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that she began activation of the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston to help state agencies be prepared for COVID-19.
FIRST CASES
MARCH 8 After returning on March 3 from a cruise that traveled to Egypt, three people who live in Johnson County tested positive for the virus. The people who tested positive were identified as middle-aged and self-isolated in their homes.
PANDEMIC
ERRAND-ERS
MARCH 12 A University of Iowa student named Allie Stutting created a Google Form to match immunosuppressed community members unable to leave their homes with young volunteers. Stutting used the power of social media to publicize her program.
MARCH 11 Officials at the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 to be a pandemic, as reported cases exist on every continent except Antarctica. WHO called on nations to learn from each other and come together.
NATIONAL EMERGENCY
MARCH 13 President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a national emergency, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to access billions of dollars and mobilize personnel to aid state and local agencies in combating the virus.
CANCELLATION
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MARCH 15 Just three days after Des Moines Public Schools became the first district to close all facilities, Gov. Reynolds recommended all Iowa schools close for four weeks. The ICCSD announced it would cancel all school, extracurriculars and athletics until April 13 (on April 2 the ICCSD extended the postponement to April 30 following the governor’s recommendations).
GLOBAL LEADER
MARCH 29 After the U.S. surpassed Italy and China to have the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, Trump adjusted the federal government’s recommendations to extend social distancing guidelines through the end of April.
THE CARES ACT MARCH 27 The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a $2 trillion economic stimulus bill. Democrats and Republicans worked together in order to pass this legislation and provide relief for individuals and businesses negatively impacted by the outbreak.
EXPANSION
Hours after the state reported 179 reported cases MARCH 26 of COVID-19, Gov. Reynolds expanded the state public health emergency procedures by ceasing “non-essential” surgical procedures and increasing the length and reach of business closures.
FIRST DEATH
The governor’s office announced that the state MARCH 24 of Iowa experienced its first death linked to COVID-19. The individual was between 61 and 80 years of age and resided in Dubuque County.
DISTRICT MEALS
The Nutrition Services Department and ICCSD established driveMARCH 23 through or walk-up meal pick-up locations at numerous school sites, allowing students to receive lunch for the day and breakfast for the following day Mondays through Fridays. On the first day of serving, 1,000 meals were prepared but only 300 were picked up.
COLLEGE BOARD MARCH 20 Since a majority of U.S. students are missing school due to the pandemic, the College Board decided to make AP tests exclusively 45-minute online exams, covering a shortened amount of material. The College Board is also providing free AP review courses and exam cancellations.
PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER MARCH 17 With reported COVID-19 cases in all 50 states, the Iowa State Legislature voted to suspend the session in order to give Gov. Reynolds more power to respond to the crisis. The governor declared a public health disaster, ordered the closure of many businesses and limited gatherings to 10 people and under. ART & DESIGN BY SELINA HUA NEWS
APRIL 24, 2020
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OVERCOMING OBSTACLES The ELL program at West High represents many different countries and languages. Although West embraces this diversity, the ELL students face barriers and obstacles throughout their daily lives.
BY HANAH KITAMOTO & ISAAC YOUNG PHOTOS COURTESY OF MISHKA MOHAMED NOUR & ESTHER SADI E DESIGN BY YOUJOO LEE
L
anguage is everywhere and it’s surely unavoidable. Homework, tests, socializing and even a quick trip to your local coffee shop will require you to use language. With English being the most common language in America, it’s not rare to be surrounded by it in our daily lives. Transforming thoughts and words from one's native language to English does not establish overnight. This provides a unique obstacle for many students who lack proficiency in English and are working on learning the language, on top of their regular education. The English Language Learner Program works to ensure that students with less English proficiency have an equal opportunity to succeed.
TESTING PROCESS AND ELL CLASSES
Mishka Mohamed Nour '22
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The first step for a student to get enrolled into an ELL class begins with home language survey questions that every student is asked upon registration. If a student marks a language other than English as their primary language, their English proficiency will be tested. Students are tested every spring using the English Language Proficiency Assessment, also known as ELPA 21, which provides a benchmark of their knowledge by assessing reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. After they are assessed, the students are recommended a place in the ELL program, which they can choose to accept or deny. Assuming they accept, students will be placed in ELL classes that are appropriate for their proficiency level. These courses go beyond just learning the language. “At the beginner levels, the process of getting them familiarized with the American culture is super important. But on all of the levels of ELL, we focus a lot on their English language development,” said ELL teacher Cat Haxton. The ELL classes take advantage of the technologies that are offered in the district. By using online resources such as GimKit, Quizlet, Kahoot and Google Translate, it supports the students’ learning. “We read texts together, use pictures to support the text, include videos to support their learning with concepts and use Google Translate for words or key ideas,” said ELL teacher Sarah Heenan. “Students can work with partners or peers to help with their learning [as well].” While technology can be a useful resource for the students to help expand their vocabulary and develop their English skills, getting support
ELL Testing Process
1. Home language survey is given to every student upon registration. 2. Students who mark a language other than English as their primary language are tested using the English Language Proficiency Assessment.
3. Based on the student’s proficiency of the test, they are recommended for the ELL program. The student can choose to either accept or deny the recommendation.
4. The student is placed in an ELL program appropriate to their proficiency level. from their West High peers is just as important. “This school year we have had the opportunity to work with students who are working on their Seal of Biliteracy and they worked on French or Spanish while also helping the ELL students work on their English,” Heenan said. “It was a great partnership to help both groups of students.” Unlike non-ELL classes, ELL classes focus on each students’ English development throughout the school year. “[We] teach them vocabulary, grammar, reading strategies engaged with texts that are at their level to increase their comprehension,” Haxton said. For Hussein Mohamed ’21, the ELL program impacted his overall English development. “I like everything about the ELL program,” Mohamed said. “It helps me learn [English] faster, [and] my teacher teaches me a lot.” At West, there are science and American studies courses that are offered for ELL students to have a better understanding in the topic accommodated for the students to fit their English proficiency level. According to the ELL program coordinator Sheila Neels, as of two years ago, all Iowa City Community School District schools have an ELL program. “Even [in] districts that might have one or two English language learners, there needs to be a program in place in order to support their needs,” Neels said. There are over 70 different languages represented within the ICCSD. To ensure that ELL students develop their proficiency in English, it is crucial to know their backgrounds as well. “[The key to develop the student’s proficiency in English is] kind of just knowing that not everybody is the same,” Neels said. “There are a lot
“When there’s reading stuff, I don’t usually participate because I am afraid that I’ll make a mistake in front of everyone. It just terrifies me.” me - Mishka Mohamed Nour ’22
of different dialects in different languages too. It’s just kind of being familiar, but that comes with getting to know families and having conservation with families and just being aware of the students and their background.”
VERBAL OBSTACLES
In order to effectively integrate English learners into American education, it is necessary to help them be a part of the larger scholastic community. However, sometimes this can be complicated because of communication limitations. “It was a little bit difficult because I didn’t have the confidence to talk [in class] and I was also afraid that I’d make a mistake,” said Mishka Mohamed Nour ’22. The fact that Weiling Lin ’22 wasn’t used to communicating with others in English before coming to the United States made it difficult for her to adjust to the speed of others talking. “[Students] speak really fast and we cannot understand what they’re saying,” Lin said. “That's the biggest problem that I have in school when I want to talk to somebody.” Although the end goal is to blend English learners into the rest of the student body, joining in the student population is not always a simple task to do for the students. The ELL program provides them with an opportunity to form a tight knit group amongst ELL students. “Some really, really strong friendships are formed in those classes based on their backgrounds [and] their ability to speak in their first language with their peers," Haxton said. "I think that is really good for them." FEATURE APRIL 24, 2020
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“Every student is treated fairly, but that fairly does not mean every student is treated the exact same.” same - Garrett Hartwig, English teacher
Esther Sadi '21
Mohamed Nour felt it was difficult to make friends with non-ELL students because the students already established their friend groups. “Most of my friends I met [through] ELL classes, and I think that’s just because we’re in the same situation,” Mohamed Nour said. “It’s hard to make friends when everyone [else] has their friends that [they] grew up with.” For Esther Sadi ’21, the difference in English development with others made her hesitate to make connections with someone who speaks a different language from her. “It’s kind of hard to make friends with someone who speaks better English than you, so I am kind of scared to make friends with others,” Sadi said. “I feel better [in ELL classes] because I have more friends in [the class].” The ELL program is not only a place for students to become more proficient in English, but also a place for them to be in a safe and comfortable atmosphere. “[I speak out more] in my ELL class because in other classes sometimes you feel like you are a little bit scared to talk,” Lin said. “When you are in ELL you’ll feel more comfortable because everyone is at the same level as you.” According to Haxton, students being afraid to speak up outside of ELL classes is a common
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problem from ELL students. “Sometimes we see ELL students in grade-level content courses where they’re in the class but they’re almost afraid to participate because they are self-conscious of being an ELL student and they’re afraid to speak up, they’re afraid to [be] made fun of,” Haxton said. "Whereas in the sheltered courses, there is no fear.” The students in the ELL program come from various cultural backgrounds and countries, making the environment at West unfamiliar. “It was scary and [I was] shy because it's all new,” said Azucena Mendez-Perez ’23, who came to the United States from Mexico at the age of five. “Meeting new people was the scariest part].” Mohamed Nour, who learned British English in Sudan, believes that learning the language was a challenge, but speaking it was a harder one. “It was difficult to speak [English as your] daily language because you just learned the language. But now, speaking it, it was hard … it was hard to adjust,” Mohamed Nour said. For Lin who came to the United States in 2016, the transition into a new school in a new country was not easy. “When I first came here, I didn’t know any English, so I [didn’t] talk any time in school for like the whole year. It was just a pretty difficult time,” Lin said.
Participating in class has been part of the list of barriers for the ELL students. Although this may seem effortless to most, it is a topic that runs across many ELL students’ minds. “When there's reading stuff, I don’t usually participate because I am afraid that I’ll make a mistake in front of everyone. It just terrifies me,” Mohamed Nour said. “[When I have to talk] I would just take the risk and start talking. [And once] I go home, I just start thinking about it ... I just start thinking about what I said and if I made a mistake.” Mohamed Nour’s shy personality and fear of making a mistake with her English leads her to feel excluded during collaborative activities. “I am so quiet and I would never talk. Even without a language barrier, I am kind of shy,” Mohamed Nour said. “[I don’t know] if it’s just because I was too quiet, [but] when we do projects in groups, people don’t usually listen to me and I feel like that they are thinking that I don’t understand.” Even though the stereotypes and assumptions about an ELL student may not severely impact ELL students at West, they still vaguely float in the air. “You just have this feeling that people don’t understand you and that you’ll make a mistake and they’ll laugh at you,” Mohamed Nour said. “That’s not true, but I think everyone feels that way in ELL.”
1,835 ELL students
Diversity at West created an opportunity for Mohamed Nour to meet different people with different cultural backgrounds than her by joining the Successful Students Inspired through Knowledge, Education and Diversity Club. “I like it [because] it’s very diverse, you get to meet new people with different languages, different religions and cultures,” Mohamed Nour said. “I would never have thought that I would meet different people at this age.”
LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT
As the number of ELL students has only been seeing an increase throughout the years, Neels seeks to find improvement in the ELL program. “The state likes to look and to make sure that students are progressing and of course, we look at those results as a district to see what areas do we need to improve on as far as our instruction,” Neels said. A required course that is not offered through the ELL program is health class. In order to graduate from West, every student is expected to take the health class unless waived due to religious reasons. For Lin, the lack of a health class specifically for ELL students led to her struggling outside of school. “The health course was pretty hard for me. I did a lot of work outside of class. I have to come home and then use Google Translate to translate everything on the sheet and then write that stuff in Chinese and then use Google Translate to translate it back to English, so it was a pretty hard class for me,” Lin said. “I wish there [was] an ELL health class because that might be very helpful and easier for ELL students to learn that course.” Not only is there an absence in an ELL health class, but there’s a lack of other necessary classes that prepare students for the future. To combat this problem, Heenan recommends having business class offered to ELL students to give them the opportunity to learn where to apply for jobs, how to pay bills and develop money management skills. “Many of the ELL students only have a very short time to learn English before they graduate and either continue their schooling in a post-secondary setting or go directly into the workforce. I think it would be great to have classes that
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attend West High (10.92% of school) additional students qualify for but are not in the ELL program
“When they are to celebrate little milestones of being able to learn the language and communicate with their friends … that’s when I think they’re realizing what this program has in their destinies.” destinies
- Sheila Neels, ELL program coordinator
Source: Sheila Neels, ELL program coordinator
The ICCSD has
helped them with more life skills in adjusting to life in the United States and how to survive in the United States,” Heenan said. Compared to non-ELL classes, the class size for each ELL class is smaller, something that Mohamed Nour found to be a benefit. “[The smaller classes size] makes [us] feel that someone cares about [us] ... It helps us feel welcome,” Mohamed Nour said. In an effort to have all students feel safe in his classroom, when ELL students are enrolled in English teacher Garrett Hartwig’s class, he does not require them to participate. “Participation in my classes is largely voluntary. My goal is to make all students feel comfortable speaking in class, no matter their English speaking abilities. I try to develop relationships with every student so they feel comfortable to share their perspective on class activities. I also try to present a wide range curriculum so all students find interest or have background on class activities at some point,” Hartwig said. “When students like and enjoy the content, they will participate in most classes.” According to Hartwig, it is crucial to make connections with every student, regardless of their proficiency level in English. “I always remind myself that ELL or not, students are students. Most want to learn what a course offers and are nervous, excited or ready for a class, but they are all students first,” Hartwig said. “Every student is treated fairly, but that does not mean every student is treated the exact same.” With the ELL program continuing to increase in the numbers, Neels hopes that the program helps the students to be able to communicate more and to give them more opportunities. “When they are to celebrate little milestones of being able to learn the language and communicate with their friends … that’s when I think they’re realizing what this program has in their destinies and what we are able to provide for them,” Neels said. FEATURE
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PREOCCUPIED
Procrastination is something everyone has struggled with at one point or another. More recently, smartphones have become a huge factor in this dangerous game of continuously pushing back tasks. BY MISHA CANIN & ISAAC YOUNG
“S
ecure your phones!” You’ve heard it before in the West High classrooms, a common phrase teachers use to remind their students to remain on task throughout the period. However, outside of school it’s much harder for students’ phone usage to be regulated. This often results in a large amount of time spent on cellular devices rather than doing homework and other important tasks. It becomes even more complicated when the usefulness of cellphones as a resource is taken into account. Students are able to use their cellular devices as a valuable tool for studying. Dictionaries, calculators, music and video recording are just a few of the very easy-to-use academic features smartphones boast. While there are many positive aspects to having one of these devices, they are still a leading cause of procrastination among students at West. With the introduction of an extended break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students
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“ MY PHON E CAN BE VE RY D I STR ACTI NG AN D I CAN BECOM E TOO R E LIANT ON IT.” - H ELEN ZHANG ‘22
are finding their screen time increased and motivation lacking. Teachers are no longer there to tell teens to “secure your phone” — this time it’s all on the students. There are no required assignments during this time, though teachers are posting optional reviews and lessons to stay on track. The ICCSD has chosen to continue this method of learning at least through April 30. Without having the motivation of a time frame that exists in school, the days pass quickly and can start to blend. For Emily Shian ’22, her screen time has increased dramatically since she started practicing social distancing and remaining at home. “Being cooped up at home 24/7 has been boring and uneventful. The only way I stay entertained is by watching Netflix or going on TikTok for most of the day. Also, because I can’t hang out with friends due to social distancing, FaceTime is my only option, so my screen time has increased by 57% now,” Shian said. Her screen
time is now around 8 hours a day. Many West students are currently feeling that way. The question is how to find a balance between connecting with others through social media platforms and spending academic time keeping up on school work. For those in AP classes, the College Board has decided the AP exams will still take place, but with two different test date options and a shortened 45 minute exam. This leaves the studying entirely up to the students, and a deceptive feeling of having all the time in the world. It is, however, a common theme among students that studying for their cumulative exam is what they plan to do with their extra time while at home. “I am studying for my AP U.S. History test. I review 2 [time] periods weekly using my AP book, videos and assignments posted on Canvas,” said Emma Selby ’22. A multitude of other students are doing the same, but phone distractions can be hard to regulate without a teacher there to monitor. There are a lot of solutions to this problem. Finding a quiet space that can act as a school zone is important. While the comfort of a bed may seem appealing, it can quickly lead to procrastination. Any surface can work, just make sure it’s clear and a space big enough to get the job done. To prevent having to continuously get up and disrupt the flow, lay out all materials — including snacks. Often times, the sheer amount of work that needs to get done is so overwhelming that it’s hard to even get started. To combat this, make a to-do list to stay on track and focus on one or two big tasks a day. Here’s a surprise ... there are actually ways that phones can be helpful in reducing technology use! Huh? Using apps that regulate screen time is one way to prevent overuse when working to get tasks done. Most phones allow time limits to be set on apps that can be distracting and keep work from getting done. These limits can only be overridden by a password. Having a family member set the password can prevent any self-control slip-ups. If this doesn’t work, there’s also the trusty technique of just leaving the device in a different room while buckling down on work. This works well for Natalie Young ’20. “If I really need to get something done, I’ll try to put my phone far away so I can’t reach it easily, or I’ll set a timer on my phone and not open it until the timer goes off,” Young said. Not even having the option of the distraction is sometimes the best way to go. Cell phone usage is seemingly inescapable for high schoolers. According to NPR, around 84% of teens have their own smartphone as of 2019. The increase in ownership has been drastic since 2012, when ownership was merely 41%, accord-
STUDY SOLUTIONS MAKE A 1-3-5 LIST
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work you have in the upcoming days, this list is for you. Everyday you should do one big task, three medium tasks and five small tasks. Forcing yourself to narrow down the never-ending list of to-dos can lead to better focus and more motivation.
GOOGLE KEEP
Google Keep, an application that is already attached to any Google account, is a perfect way to store a multitude of lists and make sure you’re able to stay on track with your work schedule.
SCREEN TIME APPS
Most phones have this feature in settings already. This allows you to set limits on certain apps that tend to distract you the most. In order to prevent yourself from overriding the screen time limits, have someone else set the password for you. This makes it that much harder for you to avoid your to-do list! (Which, by the way, we hope you made on Google Keep.)
FOCUS TO-DO
Available on the app store and for installation on a computer, Focus To-Do is a time management and study help application that uses the Pomodoro technique. Twenty-five minutes of full focused work followed by a five minute break, all timed for you. There’s even a space to make to-do lists for “today,” “tomorrow,” “upcoming” and “someday.”
FOREST: STAY FOCUSED
Downloadable on both the App Store and Google Play Store, Forest: Stay Focused is an app that helps you stay away from your cell phone and focus on your work. Whenever you want to stay focused, you plant a virtual tree. As you work and remain focused, the tree grows. If you leave the app without finishing your task, the tree will die. You are able to grow a forest by continually staying on task and making your trees grow.
THROW YOUR PHONE ACROSS THE ROOM
If all else fails, there’s always the option to physically distance yourself from your phone in order to make progress. Leave your phone in another room or have someone keep it from you until you are finished with whatever task it is you are wanting to accomplish.
ing to USA Today. Following national trends, a large population of West students are smartphone owners. Many of these students feel their phones are a big interruption and a leading cause in their procrastination. Though it is easy to recognize how addictive a phone can be, it is often hard to break these habits out of one’s own sheer will. Helen Zhang ’22 feels as though her phone is too much of a diversion and wishes to spend less time on her device. “[My phone] can be very distracting and I can become too reliant on [it],” Zhang said. “For example, I use autocorrect a lot so when I am without my phone, I can have a harder time spelling words.” Many might think that the simple solution would be to distance themselves from their phones. For most students, this isn’t practical. Often, students rely on their phones for applications like Quizlet, which help them study for tests and quizzes. They can also be a valuable resource for staying in contact with peers over text, for help with assignments and projects. Being able to confer with other students that take the same classes can be very beneficial if one does not understand a certain assignment or was absent in the class that day. Massa Suleiman ’22 remembers multiple instances in which her phone came in handy to study. “Right before an exam if I need to review a term or topic that slipped my mind, and I don’t have enough time to use any other resource. Pulling up a Quizlet or reviewing materials last minute as a refresher have probably saved me so many points on exams,” Suleiman said. Cellphone usage at West High continues to be a problem, even with the implementation of the new cellphone policies this year. Outside of school, the quick access to a distraction can lead to hours of homework procrastinated; one quick text message check can lead to hours of procrastinated time on TikTok. For some students, they are easily able to control their phone usage when it is time to finish their work, but others struggle greatly with this task. Learning how to adjust homework habits and finding tools that can help regulate phone usage is a great way to ensure that procrastination is kept at a minimum. FEATURE APRIL 24, 2020
DESIGN BY SELINA HUA
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WHERE’S WALLING? Feeling cooped up at home? Take the extra time to plan your next trip post-social distancing times using chemistry teacher Carolyn Walling’s experiences from around the world.
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aving been to roughly a fourth of the countries in the world (and counting), traveling is something that has always been a priority for science teacher Carolyn Walling. From sleeping in hostels in Europe to meeting a lifelong friend during a summer in Uruguay, the excitement of seeing new places and cultures is a feeling that hasn’t diminished over the years for Walling. Though she’s visited amazing places in all seven continents, Walling tries to stick to a rule of only traveling to a destination once, giving her more opportunities to discover new people and cultures. Here’s what she has to say about some places that stuck out from her trips across the world.
BY ANNABEL HENDRICKSON PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAROLYN WALLING ART & DESIGN BY XIAOYI ZHU
South America - Patagonia “I loved going to Uruguay because the people were so nice and Ecuador [because] the Galapagos is amazing,” Walling said. “But one of my favorite things we did in South America is go ‘glamping’ in a national park in Patagonia. If I get to go to South America again, I would really love to see Machu Picchu and then take a trip to Argentina and Brazil.”
Antarctica
“My rule is to only go to a place one time — with a few exceptions,” Walling said. “[My favorite place] was Antarctica. By far the best trip of my life. It was the most beautiful place with amazing wildlife and very few people. That is one place I want to go again.”
Cambodia
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“[Being a teacher] gives flexibility in the summer, but no flexibility in the school year. We spent a summer in Nome, Alaska. My husband was doing a rotation there in a hospital during his residency,” Walling said. “Nome is not pretty at all — there are no trees and the mosquitoes are as big as fat flies — but it was so interesting to be part of the community. I think of many of the places I have traveled in my life, it is one of the most foreign.”
North America - Nome, Alaska
“We also went to the Demilitarized Zone in South Korea last summer. From there, we were able to look in telescopes across this river to see the people in North Korea,” Walling said. “It was strange to know they were so close but that we were not allowed to go there. Although, I did find out there are tours you can take to North Korea, so now it’s on my list.”
Asia - South Korea
Australia - Sydney Vietnam “When I was growing up, going to Eastern Europe was not a possibility. So, now that we can go to those countries, I am super interested in hearing about their history,” Walling said. “Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic have all been amazing countries to visit. There is so much beauty there and not much tourism. I hope someday to get to Poland and Croatia.”
“Funny enough, I won a trip to Australia in 2000,” Walling said. “It was just for a week and only for Sydney, so we have since been back. We got to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef the second time we went. It was there that I found out that I am afraid of heights under water too. When you look down it is so far down, it is scary.”
Europe - Eastern Europe
Laos “I have only been to South Africa. Of course, my favorite part was going on a safari. Being so close to all of those animals is amazing,” Walling said. “I would love to go to Africa again, like Botswana or Tanzania. I also want to get to northern Africa someday and see Morocco and Egypt.”
Africa - South Africa
PROFILES APRIL 24, 2020
13
TACKLING TOURETTE’S Two West High students describe their experiences with Tourette Syndrome, also known as Tourette’s: a neurological disorder involving tics, which are involuntary movements or sounds. In order to be diagnosed, individuals must have motor and/or vocal tics lasting more than a year, according to Tourette Association of America. BY FAREEHA AHMAD & ALICE MENG
TY B
efore his diagnosis, Ty Waters ’20 did not understand why he was experiencing certain uncontrollable twitches. He began to notice them more frequently in fifth grade, but because they weren’t very severe, he tended to ignore them. A couple years later, he went on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It was on that bike ride when he began to question these movements. “It’s RAGBRAI, and you get a lot of time to think,” Waters said. “And I was just kind of like, that’s really annoying you know, doing the whole blinking thing.” Waters’s symptoms include uncontrollable tics of the face and mouth and continuous blinking. However, even though he had these constant symptoms, he never understood why they happened and did not seek out an answer until much later. “The biggest thing is that I felt alone because I didn’t know anyone else who had similar symptoms. I think that’s a big reason why I didn’t immediately say [something],” Waters said. “I was just like, ‘This isn’t really that big of a deal, so I’m just gonna keep it to myself, and hopefully nobody notices.’” During his first years of high school at Mid-Prairie, Waters met Cooper Thomas. While the two were in class, Thomas started twitching and believed Waters had noticed. Thomas then explained what Tourette’s is and why he was having these movements. Waters described this to be the moment when he connected the dots between the condition and his own symptoms. After the interaction, Waters decided to visit the doctor, and he was officially diagnosed with Tourette’s. “It’s honestly kind of relieving to know that other people are with you in this, [and] you’re not alone,” Waters said. “I think just having something that’s categorized and knowing that there are other people out there with Tourette’s is really comforting.” Although Waters came to terms with his condition, others did not. Even though Waters nev-
14
PROFILES
APRIL 24, 2020
er experienced any extreme cases of judgment, he has experienced moments where individuals haven’t been very kind or understanding. He has also seen other kids with Tourette’s be bullied for their mere motions. “In high school, kids can be really quick to put labels on people,” Waters said. “They can be really quick to judge people on literally anything.” Because of this, Waters was reluctant to be open with others about having Tourette’s for a long time and attempted to suppress his tics. “At first I was just like, ‘I don’t want to be different from everyone else. I don’t want to be seen as different,’” Waters said. Waters’s confidence grew as he transitioned into West High. He became more open and honest about his tics as others were more kind and understanding. “I’ve always felt like the people who I’m close to here at West High are really good about accepting me because in previous environments that I’ve been at or worked at, people don’t understand,” Waters said. “But here it’s different. It’s not ignorance, it’s not that people are ignoring that I have symptoms of a condition. It’s people accepting that I have a condition and not caring about it and just accepting me for who I am.” Even if Waters couldn’t always rely on everyone to understand, his hobbies were something he could always fall back on. Waters emphasizes that there may be a direct correlation between stress and tics, but it is not a cause and effect relationship. So, whenever Waters feels stressed or is having severe tics, he relies on “The Office,” snacks and music. “It just kind of sucks because sometimes your body is really, really tired if you are ‘ticing’ a lot. One of my tics used to be grinding my teeth a bunch,” Waters said. “And to me it’s always been, I have to find a way to get my mind on something else.” Music is the outlet that Waters relies the most on. He first picked up the trombone during fifth grade and started to scat, or imitate jazz instruments with his voice, after hearing a particular song. Since then, he hasn’t stopped either one. He’s practiced the trombone incessantly and has
“ IT’S PEOPLE ACCE PTI NG THAT I HAVE A CON DITION AN D NOT CAR I NG ABOUT IT.” -TY WATERS ‘20 participated in marching band, Jazz Ensemble and a prestigious marching band called Drum Corps International. Waters has also participated in All-State Choir and All-State Jazz Band. “I think it’s just something that’s constantly running through my brain. [Music] kind of found me,” Waters said. Former West student, Thomas Duong ’19, played in jazz band with Waters and knows him as being an eccentric and quirky person. The two formed a close friendship, and Duong witnessed how Waters developed a deep connection with music. The two even meet up to play together nowadays. “He hasn’t changed ever since I left high school,” Duong said. “I mean, I think he’s grown as a person like everybody else has throughout high school, but Tourette’s has never affected his ability at all in achieving great things.” Because Waters never lets anything stop himself from achieving his goals, he wants to let all kids know that Tourette’s does not hinder their potential for success. “It’s really, really important for people who even think that they have Tourette’s to know that they’re not alone, and they’re not abnormal,” Waters said. “It’s something that’s normal ... No one should judge you, and if they do judge you, they’re not worth being around.”
KAYLEE E
arly in her elementary school years, Kaylee Gibson ’23 began to notice she had occasional tics, but never thought much of it. It wasn’t until junior high, when she started to develop vocal tics, that her worries started to arise. Since she developed anxiety early in life, which worsened during junior high, she initially thought her tics were anxiety-related. However, a trip to the doctor at the beginning of her freshman year proved otherwise, and she was quickly diagnosed with Tourette’s. In her particular case, she has both motor and vocal tics, and more specifically, echolalia, which causes her to repeat phrases others say. Because none of her family members have the condition and Tourette’s is oftentimes genetic, her tics were unexpected. However, her diagnosis brought about relief since she finally had a true explanation for her symptoms. “I actually wasn’t too frustrated or anything,” Kaylee said. “It made me feel good that there was something actually going on, and I wasn’t just being weird.” At first, she only openly informed a few close friends of her diagnosis. When she initially started having symptoms of Tourette’s, they helped her navigate her confusion and showed their support. “They were just helping me emotionally, because I was like, ‘What’s going on in here?’ [and] they were like, ‘It’s okay, we still love you,’” Kaylee said.
“ I R EALIZE D THAT I F I J UST TE LL PEOPLE OUTR IG HT, TH E N IT’ LL PROBABLY BE BETTE R .” - KAYLEE GI BSON ‘23 One of Kaylee’s close friends, Tess DeGrazia ’23, reaches out to her regularly to check in. “Most of the time if she’s having some bad tics, I’ll go to her and I’ll be like, ‘Hey, are you alright?’ And we’ll laugh it off because she thinks her tics are funny,” DeGrazia said. “I think her way of coping with it is laughing it off, and I think that’s good for her.” Through it all, her family has been the backbone of her support system. They suggested
therapy to help figure out strategies to relieve her tics, and she currently focuses on containing one tic every week. Kaylee describes the feeling before a tic as a “premonitory urge … kinda like when you have an itch and feel the need to itch it,” and the tic itself as a “relief of an uncomfortable feeling.” The therapy works to target where and when she feels the premonitory urge for that specific tic, figure out its patterns and find a countermovement to eventually stop the urge. Emma Gibson ’20, Kaylee’s sister, has noticed the toll Tourette’s has taken on Kaylee’s mental health. This became more apparent as Kaylee got older. “As she grew up she got a little bit more reserved, and then recently she’s had lots of problems with anxiety and just all of those things that normal teenagers feel, but she feels them more strongly,” Emma said. With Kaylee’s anxiety and more recent development of obsessive-compulsive disorder adding up, she has come to Emma in times of need. “There’ve been times when she’s been having a big tic attack and she’ll just text me and say, ‘I need to come to sit by you,’” Emma said. “I think just having a presence that understands what’s happening and won’t judge her for anything she does [helps].” However, not everyone is understanding of Tourette’s. Kaylee believes the media has pushed the stereotype that individuals with Tourette’s swear frequently, and many assume this applies to her case as well. In reality, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, only around 10%-15% of individuals with Tourette’s swear involuntarily. There have been many other instances where others make assumptions without understanding her situation. “I’ve been told many times to be quiet during class, and it’s frustrating because I’m trying,” Kaylee said. She often tries to suppress her tics, and some of her strategies include wrapping her legs around chairs to prevent stomping and keeping her arms straight to avoid punching. However, she often finds her attempts unsuccessful in the long run. “Something that’s used a lot of the times for people [without Tourette’s] to connect with [suppressing tics] is trying not to blink,” Kaylee said. “You can hold back a blink for a little bit, but eventually you just have to blink.” Additionally, people have assumed she is faking her tics, and in one instance, she was imitated by a classmate when having a motor tic. When going to crowded public areas where others don’t know her condition, Kaylee often prepares beforehand to know what to expect, es-
pecially in the possibility of a panic or tic attack. “It’s definitely something she’s had to overcome and learn to not care about what other people think,” Emma said. “I think she’s still working on that.” Though she faces judgment from others around her, Kaylee has received mostly positive feedback from her teachers and classmates. “I’ve walked into class a couple times and approached a teacher and said, ‘Hey, I’m having a bad day today,’ just as a heads up, and they’ve been totally fine with it,” Kaylee said. “They’ve even pulled a couple students aside to tell them what was going on with me.” She eventually became more comfortable with her Tourette’s and began to openly inform others about her condition. “I realized that most people are probably going to be fine with it, they’re not gonna be mean about it as much as I thought they were gonna be,” Kaylee said. “I realized that if I just tell people outright, then it’ll probably be better.” Kaylee has found the tuba as an outlet. She has noticed that when playing she doesn’t tic, so when she has a tic attack, she can turn to her tuba to find some relief. Earlier her freshman year, Kaylee auditioned for SouthEast Iowa Band Association honor band, where Emma saw a growth in Kaylee’s confidence. “[The SEIBA audition] was really stressful for her because she could tic at any moment; she can’t control when that happens,” Emma said. “When she went into the audition, growing as a person she was able to just tell the judge, ‘Hey, I have Tourette’s and I might tic, and if I do, please just ignore me.’” Emma noted that since Kaylee was a freshman auditioning against upperclassmen, she faced more pressure, but felt more encouraged to work harder to meet her goals. As a result, she earned second chair tuba. “When she got in [SEIBA], I think that just solidified the fact that she can fight through the difficulties,” Emma said. Since her diagnosis, Kaylee has learned to accept Tourette’s as a part of who she is and has become more accepting of those around her due to her heightened empathy. “I think everything she’s gone through has made her a better person, better able to relate to other people,” Emma said. “Now she has gotten a better handle on everything that’s happened to her, and she’s a really good person.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAYLEE GIBSON & TY WATERS DESIGN BY ELLA ROSENTHAL PROFILES APRIL 24, 2020
15
PHOTOS BY CAROLINE BARKER ART & DESIGN BY VIVIEN HO
VIR AL . BY KAILEY GEE & MARTA LEIRA
WSS examines the effects of the novel coronavirus at a local level.
HALFWAY
ACROSS
THE THE WORLD,
the impact wasn’t immediate. It all started in late December, when a few individuals in Wuhan, China, were diagnosed with pneumonia from an unknown cause. As cases spread throughout the world and death tolls soared, on March 11 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a global pandemic. Eventually, the virus reached Iowa City. By then, scientists had given the ominous new threat a name: the coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19.
CLEARING THE AIR
Because of the mysterious nature of COVID-19, medical professionals have had a hard time finding out more about the virus, and how to combat it. Meanwhile, hysteria and misinformation were spreading. Referring to COVID-19 as the ‘coronavirus’ can be misleading because there’s more than one type of coronavirus, which is an umbrella term for a category of respiratory diseases. Other branches of the virus, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), have been around for much longer. They were discovered in 2002 and 2012 respectively. Dr. Stanley Perlman, a professor of
microbiology and immunology at the University COVID-19 directly affects her, and there’s no of Iowa, has been studying strains of coronavirus opportunity to dismiss it with a family member for years. What sets COVID-19 apart is that it’s at risk. “[It’s difficult] hearing somebody say ‘Oh, it’s far more difficult to detect. “[SARS and MERS are] both really deep lung not going to affect me; it’s just a glorified cold.’ diseases, so you weren’t contagious until you That may be a glorified cold for you, but for the were pretty sick. This virus is different person in my family it may be deadly,” Terry because it’s much more contagious said. … and much more lethal,” For Terry, it can be offensive Perlman said. At first, the to hear the remarks people media and the public are making about the “THIS ISN’T A JOKE. AND compared COVID-19 to virus and the populations the flu, saying that the it can affect, and she EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY, flu kills more people attributes the comments MY MOM AND BROTHER each year and there’s no to ignorance. ESPECIALLY, ARE IN need to worry about it. “They’re acknowledging DANGER.” Even now, many dismiss that there’s a group of health warnings because it people who this is going to - REAGAN YAMASHITA ’22 doesn’t affect them. affect negatively, but because Teenagers and children often they’re not in that group of experience only minor symptoms, immunocompromised people, they such as a cough, runny nose or fever. don’t care,” Terry said. This leaves older adults and anyone who is Drew Peterson ’21 is part of that immunocompromised, or those who have immunocompromised group. He was diagnosed impaired immune systems, at risk. with Type 1 diabetes in September, which is Lila Terry ’20 has a family member currently an autoimmune disease that affects insulin undergoing chemotherapy, which severely production. limits the body’s ability to fend off infection. Because of this, Peterson and his family have
limited their contact with the outside world to ensure the virus does not reach their home. “I’m doing my best to avoid people and that’s really all I can worry about, so I’m not letting it freak me out too much,” Peterson said. “I still do stuff outdoors and I try to maintain six feet from people when I’m outside.” It wasn’t until Peterson saw a tweet about somebody’s symptoms that he realized the unique risk the virus could pose due to his condition. “[They] couldn’t keep food down for nine days,” Peterson said. “That made me a little worried because if I can’t eat then my blood sugar will be low, and I need to keep that up or else I might pass out.” Since Peterson was only recently diagnosed with diabetes, his family is unaware of how he would react to any common illness, let alone COVID-19. “I haven’t been seriously sick since I got diabetes so we don’t know what having the flu would do to me,” Peterson said. “Having this unknown pandemic go around the world is even more scary.” More recent data has shown that COVID-19 isn’t just scary for those who are immunocompromised or high risk. The virus affects a larger percentage of the population than one would have initially believed. According to the WHO, the mortality rate of COVID-19 could be as high as 3-4%. That’s about the same mortality rate as the flu in 1918, the most severe global pandemic in recent history and one of the flu’s most deadly years. At that time, there was no vaccine for the flu, just like with COVID-19 today. According to Perlman, because of these similarities, COVID-19 and the measures to prevent it shouldn’t be dismissed as unimportant. “If you have 3% mortality and the disease starts becoming common, that’s a big deal,” Perlman said. Iowa has seen the impact firsthand. As of April 15, there were 1,995 confirmed cases in the state. These numbers can be frightening to look at, but there are ways to slow the spread of the virus. This is often referred to as flattening the curve, meaning limiting the number of people who might get infected at any given time. This is important as a large number of cases could overwhelm the healthcare system. Thorough handwashing, refraining from touching the face and sanitizing frequently-used possessions are all ways individuals can help stop the spread of the virus. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social distancing is the one of the most important ways to keep others safe. On April 3, the CDC recommended that when going outside, people wear face coverings. Hand-made cloth masks are simple to make, and only require an old t-shirt. It’s important that the public hand-make their own masks, as hoarding of medical-grade masks
COVID-19 TIMELINE DEC 31 First few cases of unknown virus in Wuhan
JAN 11 First death in China JAN 20 First confirmed case outside China: Japan, South Korea and Thailand JAN 21 First confirmed case in U.S., Washington state
JAN 31 World Health Organization (WHO)
declares the virus a national health emergency
FEB 29 First COVID-19 death in the U.S. near
Seattle
MARCH 6 ICCSD recommends cancellation of annual international trips
MARCH 8 First three cases in Iowa reported in Johnson County/Iowa City MARCH 11 Trump suspends travel from Europe (except Britain) for 30 days WHO classifies the virus as a pandemic
MARCH 13 Trump declares virus a national
health emergency, allots $50 billion for states to use to combat virus
MARCH 15 CDC recommends no gatherings
of 50 or more people in the U.S. ICCSD announces schools will not resume until April 13
MARCH 17 Iowa legislature votes to temporarily close recreational centers like restaurants and theaters, as well as decide that Iowa students will not have to make up any missed school time with added days into summer
MARCH 18-19 ICCSD announces teachers are not allowed to instruct students over the break
MARCH 26 U.S. has highest number in the world of confirmed COVID-19 cases
APRIL 2 Gov. Kim Reynolds orders Iowa
schools to be closed until April 30, and each district must decide whether to continue with voluntary or mandatory online schooling
APRIL 10 ICCSD decides to continue with
voluntary schooling for the rest of the closure WANT TO KNOW MORE? CHECK OUT THE FULL COVID-19 TIMELINE ON PAGE 4
*A SOURCE IN THIS STORY HAS BEEN GIVEN AN ALIAS AS THEY CHOSE TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
can leave hospitals out of supplies. This exposes medical staff and makes it dangerous for them to treat patients, and even go home to their families. Sophomore Reagan Yamashita’s mother works in a nursing home, where the majority of residents are at very high risk of being affected by the virus. At the same time, Yamashita’s brother has a telomere biology disorder which, among other things, makes his lungs weaker. As a respiratory disease, COVID-19 largely affects the lungs, meaning he’s at an even higher risk of complications. Because of this, Yamashita and her family have to follow a lengthy list of precautions. “Every time you enter the home you wash your hands and change clothes,” Yamashita said. “My mom has started wearing a mask around the house. We aren’t allowed to touch her or enter her bathroom. If she starts treating infected patients, she will have to live in the basement.” For Yamashita, it can be frustrating when people dismiss the dangers of the virus and don’t take the necessary precautions. “It makes me so angry I can’t even begin to tell you,” Yamashita said. “It is estimated that between 100,000-250,000 Americans will die before this pandemic is over. This isn’t a joke. And everyone in my family, my mom and brother especially, is in danger.”
FAR AWAY
Before COVID-19 hit Iowa City, there were outbreaks all over the world. The virus started in Wuhan, China, where residents were quarantined for 76 days. Mr. Jia* lives in Wuhan, and took careful precautions throughout the quarantine. He is choosing to remain anonymous due to concerns about making statements to the media that might be screened by China’s government. The most difficult aspect of being stuck inside for Jia was the effect it had on his personal life. Jia’s grandchildren go to West High, and because of the quarantine, he can’t visit them, nor any of his other friends or relatives. “Before the quarantine we had more outdoor activities, such as meeting and chatting with our neighbors and colleagues, going shopping, doing some physical exercises and hiking,” Jia said. “All the above in our daily life cannot be conducted after the quarantine. We have to stay at home nearly all day long.” Although the disease originated in China, other countries such as France have been hit hard in recent months as the pandemic spread. Kat Hagan ’19 graduated early last year to complete a Rotary Youth Exchange in France. She is currently staying with her third and final host family in the small rural town of Bourganeuf. The novel coronavirus disrupted the final months of her stay. After a Rotary-organized parent meeting, Hagan decided it would be safest for her to remain in France, avoiding airports and public transportation.
The country began its quarantine on March 13, and the country is completely shut down until at least May 11. “Before this whole coronavirus thing, my exchange was going pretty great. I got to learn a new language, I got to meet a lot of new people, eat new foods and be introduced to a completely new culture,” Hagan said. “I was having a great time, but it’s hard now to stay inside all the time.” For French residents to leave the house, they must have an official document listing the reason they are outside. Without this, they face a 100 euro fine. Hagan is thankful to go on walks, one of the few acceptable reasons to go outside. “When I arrived in France, it was really hard. I went through culture shock and it was weird to be separated from my family at 17 years old … When the coronavirus started, it kind of brought that feeling back for me,” Hagan said. “It’s made me stressed, it’s made me homesick. It’s given me some anxiety just about being away from home during a situation like this.” Because the virus was spreading fast, on April 15, her Rotary district made the decision to send all exchange students home. On the other side of the equator, Paige Albright ’23 was also stuck inside. Albright and her family traveled to Peru for spring break. While on their trip, they were informed about quarantine measures being put into place: if they didn’t leave the country in 24 hours, Albright and her family would be quarantined in Peru for at least 15 days. “When we were trying to … fly out, we were like, ‘We could fly to Chile, or Panama,’ because that’s where we came in,” said Albright. “But Panama had closed their borders. Chile closed their borders. Ecuador [at the time had] just closed their borders.” In the mad rush for a place to stay, Albright was lucky to have had a hotel room. “There [were] still around 100-200 people stuck in the airport because they closed everything down at midnight [the day before]. They weren’t able to get a taxi or hotel room to leave,” Albright said. Despite the health risk, travelers had nowhere else to go. Approximately a week after the quarantine was enacted, those stuck at the airport were bussed to nearby hotels. Once the quarantine was over, Paige and her family were able to make it back to Iowa City. For Hagan and Albright, the virus and restrictions have caused an unprecedented amount of stress. The pandemic led to the cancellation of many activities Hagan was looking forward to such as a Rotary conference, a two week bus trip and her parents’ visit at the end of May. “The end of every exchange is usually the best part,” Hagan said. “It’s when your language skills are the best so you get closer to people because you can communicate more … For me, it’s just been kind of a bummer that this is happening now.”
LOCALLY
When the first three cases of COVID-19 in Iowa were announced, panic set in. It had finally hit Johnson County. But weeks before the virus arrived in Iowa City, it seemed like it would never affect the country, let alone the community. Because of this, activities such as the semi-annual orchestra trip to Florida continued as planned. “At the time it was still kind of a distant threat to most people, it didn’t seem that dangerous even though it probably was and we probably shouldn’t have gone,” Julian Wemmie ’20 said. When they got back, they were strongly advised by the school to self-quarantine. Wemmie stresses the importance of following those guidelines. “The sooner people will self-isolate and socially distance, the fewer people that are going to be affected and the better we can manage this whole pandemic,” Wemmie said. The back parking lot, usually filled with activity of students and athletes, sits vacant due to school closure and the cancellation of spring sports.
Businesses all around town were temporarily shut down on Tuesday March 17, when Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that there could no longer be gatherings of more than 10 people in a given place. This meant all restaurants, gyms and theaters were to be closed due to the virus. The closure of local businesses meant a loss of income for students with jobs. While many restaurants still offer takeout, staff numbers have been cut drastically. Kearsten Lenth ’22 works at 30hop, a local restaurant. The closure doesn’t just affect her, but her whole family. “My siblings are in more need of the money. I have three other siblings that work there,” Lenth said. “Two need money for rent and the other, my sister Mikaley [Lenth ’20] needs the money
for college.” Meanwhile, families who own businesses have struggled as well. Claudia Chia ’20 and her family own Sushiya in North Liberty. Being primarily a sit-down restaurant, they’ve been hit hard by the transfer to take-out only. “The business’s sales has dropped more than 30%. The impact on our family is small but we need to lay off many employees. It is very sad,” Chia’s mother, Li-Kuei Chiou said. “The food chain has been affected and it is hard for us to get some food supply, and the cost has increased ... When the cost keeps increasing, it is hard for the business to stay open.” The family has been working hard to ensure customer safety by enacting new policies such as curb-side pickup, where customers can pay without physical interaction. There have also been other safety adjustments, such as a guest facing credit card reader and giving new pens whenever customers have to sign. Despite the challenges, Sushiya has made sure to give back in this difficult time by donating money to a local food pantry. “My parents are busy working hard from the time they wake up to when they go to sleep. They both have definitely been working harder to help the business and taking the necessary precautions to make sure everything runs smoothly,” Chia said. Besides businesses, the medical community has been affected by the lack of supplies, long hours and time spent away from family. Junior Carly Norris’ parents are both medical professionals: her dad, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University, and her mom, a family physician at the Free Medical Clinic. Due to the contagious nature of the virus, the family made the decision to isolate themselves from each other to stop the spread by living in separate parts of the house. “They are taking the quarantine very seriously. If I go out and I carry the virus back home to them, it would be very bad, because then they could have the possibility of spreading it to their patients,” Norris said. “They were also worried about me because they are in contact with a lot of people.” Due to the pandemic, Norris’ parents had been spending most of their time at work, which left her feeling lonely. To combat this, she’s been staying at junior Gwen Watson’s house. “Before I moved to Gwen’s it was so hard because my history of anxiety and depression — when it’s at its height is when I get lonely,” Norris said. “I’m doing a lot better now that I’m living there, it’s like a thousand times better.” Both of junior Jacob Gehlbach’s parents work as physicians, so he has also experienced changes in his living situation. His father is staying in the family’s basement to avoid contagion ever since he contracted a cold. “If you get corona with a cold, it’s just going to be more to try and fight off, and he doesn’t want to go into work with a cold so that people will
SWEEPING THE NATION
worry about it,” Gehlbach said. “So that’s why he was downstairs, he didn’t want to give it to any of us.” Although his parents are not yet taking care of COVID-19 patients, according to Gehlbach, when the virus worsens they most likely will. “The reason that they decided to do things the way we are doing it is to flatten the curve,” Gehlbach said. “The precautions we are taking are a form of doing that, especially if they are going to be working in the hospital with patients who could be sick, then it’s even more important that we are careful.” Besides impacting the economy and health in the community, the virus has perpetuated racism throughout Iowa City. As a Chinese American, Zoey Guo ’22 has experienced discrimination due to the virus and her race. “Sometimes at West when we were still going to school I’d hear people talk about the coronavirus and get mad at China because a lot of their trips were canceled,” Guo said. “I can tell that people would stare at me sometimes in the hallways or move away from me.” Guo was also frustrated when she heard President Trump refer to the coronavirus as the Chinese virus. “People are already discriminating against the Chinese because of the coronavirus,” Guo said. “The fact that the President of the United States is also encouraging that, I just feel a little unsafe.” Outside of West, Guo’s sisters have experienced discrimination in the medical field. According to Guo, staff members have racially stereotyped them as having the novel coronavirus. “This hasn’t just impacted me, it’s impacted my whole family,” Guo said. “I know my sisters are both responsible … they are taking the necessary precautions to stay sanitary and I just feel like it’s not fair for them to get stereotyped just because they are Chinese, even though they are doing what everyone else is doing.”
was still available for our most food insecure,” Demory said. As for education, schools must be accredited On March 15 Superintendent Steve Murley an email out to teachers and parents in online instruction in order to provide announcing the ICCSD would be closed until online courses to students. A process that, April 13. The decision, he said, did not come according to Murley, can take up to two years. “Obviously, we do not have two years to as a surprise to most. “I think people expected [school closure] get things up and ready for kids, so if the at that point in time,” Murley said. “They’d Department of Education holds us to that seen the closures happen in other states, so standard that puts us in a position where I think that there was some anticipation that we have very little flexibility to offer online learning to students during this closure,” we were moving in that direction here.” What came as a surprise to many however, Murley said. To combat this issue a task force has been was that school closure meant no required put together by the Department of Education education, online or otherwise. composed of educators from “The programming that we around the state. offer has to be accessible to “THE “We hope that the outcome all kids, and that certainly [from the task force] is is a challenge for us,” PROGRAMMING that they will provide Murley said. “We’ve been THAT WE OFFER HAS guidance to us on how working with the state TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL we can provide online to better understand KIDS, AND THAT CERTAINLY learning opportunities what their expectations IS A CHALLENGE FOR US.” to students that may not are for us to provide free require us to go through and appropriate public - STEVE MURLEY, that full accreditation education.” SUPERINTENDENT process,” Murley said. As of press time, Gov. School closures and state Reynolds extended school guidelines have forced teachers closures until April 30. This to get creative with methods of online extended time away left many vulnerable, not only to those who previously enrichment activities. “The faculty has been ready and willing to do received free and reduced lunch, but to those whatever they are asked, including learning who were losing their jobs. In response, the district began offering 16 new skills in order to provide students both meal pick up sites in locations that best met academic learning and social emotional the needs of the community. Meals offer a learning,” said Principal Gregg Shoultz. For now, faculty is corresponding with full breakfast and lunch. According to Nutrition Services Director students once a week via the video conference Alison Demory, sites are chosen based on the service, Zoom. The guidelines for teachercommunity’s need, and 20,232 meals were student correspondence, however, changes by the week. served by the end of the third week. At first, teachers recorded Zoom meetings “We know there are many students in the community who count on school breakfast to be posted online later. However, because and lunch and we wanted to make sure that of the unreliable technology that could
HERE AT WEST
A stockpile of essential household items represents an increase in consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused shortages of certain items.
unintentionally record what is happening in this scenario,” Murley said. “We’d really like students’ homes, and some behavioral issues to see some level of flexibility by the state on the platform, this is no longer allowed. when it comes to giving us options to provide Teachers are now asked to use Screencastify online learning to students.” to record lessons and upload them online. Alexandra Curtu ’22 is also concerned about “Although the Zoom technology is very a potential learning gap for next year, but good, it was developed for the business world thinks teachers are handling it well so far. and not the world 14 to 18-year-olds inhabit,” “I think West High and the ICCSD are doing Shoultz said. “While almost all of the West the best they can to handle the situation and High students have been great, we have had I appreciate my teachers saying they will post some students take advantage of the open study tools to help us, because a few of my nature of Zoom.” classes are prerequisites for AP classes I want Stacy Noble, who teaches AP Government, to take next year, and there is still a trimester strives to support her students with check-in of information that I need to know,” Curtu emails. said. “As far as reaching out to students, I think Others have been impacted by the it is important they know we are still cancellation of the ACT. Izzy Paulsen here,” Noble said. “My emphasis ’21 had a plan to study six weeks has been about [their] wellleading up to the exam. She “HAVING being and safety, and that only got through the first continues to be the case, three when COVID-19 SET THESE GOALS even as we’ve added began to spread, and the AT THE END OF MY JUNIOR moving forward with test was canceled. SEASON, AND THEN TO content.” “When I heard the Noble has received ACT was going to be HAVE IT ALL RIPPED AWAY varying responses on canceled, I was super FROM ME AT ONCE HURTS.” how students are feeling. disappointed because “I have heard from some I had already put in so - MICAH FRISBIE ’20 that do find it difficult to much work and now there concentrate on school, while will be less chances to get my others have said diving into the score up if I am unhappy with work has been helpful in providing the score I get,” Paulsen said. “That a structure,” Noble said. being said, I also knew that it was a necessary Despite varied opinions on voluntary measure in order to prevent the spread of learning, according to Murley, if they do coronavirus.” not find an alternative education method, it Not only that, but the class of 2020 is missing could have severe consequences on students’ out on their final high school memories and milestones such as a traditional prom, senior education. “If we’re not able to provide education for sports season or even graduation. “As a senior, I’m devastated that I don’t get kids … we’re going to have a learning gap that takes place. One of our significant concerns to do the things every other senior has gotten is that some of our students with the greatest to do,” Chia said. “I understand our problems educational needs will suffer the most under seem minuscule to other problems around
the world. However, these are things every senior looks forward to after four years in high school. Everyone needs to be aware of the other problems around us but us seniors should be allowed to feel bad about this too.” Micah Frisbie ’20 is also missing out on some of his goals as a senior on the soccer team, such as making First-Team All State, as well as refining his leadership skills. “I was actually excited to feel the pressure of being a senior and knowing that not only the team, but coaches and even our fans, know us seniors are the big leaders on the field,” Frisbie said. “Having set these goals at the end of my junior season, and then to have it all ripped away from me at once, hurts.” Despite all the challenges during this troubled time, ICCSD administrators believe it’s crucial for the community to band together. “I think more now than ever it’s important that we stay together as a district,” Murley said. “Even though we are social distancing, I’m encouraging people to find ways to connect with others so they don’t lose that social emotional bond that really is such a strength of the district.”
COPING
Social distancing is an important part of stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus, but according to the CDC, isolation and potential stress caused by the pandemic can take a severe toll on mental wellbeing. “I have no hard data but I truly believe that there are many students and even staff in our West High community that are struggling to cope with the feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, anger or other types of stress and do not have the support systems in place that they may need or want,” said special Education teacher Rick Hancox. In the face of all the fear and anxiety that comes with this period, students and teachers have been working hard to stay positive and spread joy. During a regularly scheduled school week, Hancox leads circle talks: structured conversations designed to promote connection, understanding and dialogue within a group. Now that school has gone optional and digital, so have circle talks. Hancox has conducted six since the beginning of quarantine. “Human beings are social creatures and the need for human contact and communication is important for our mental and emotional health. In this unusual time of forced isolation and social distancing it is important to continue to connect with people as much as possible,” Hancox said. “Circle, even a virtual circle, provides the space for everyone to speak, express themselves and to be heard.” Teachers at West have also been using social media to stay connected with students. On
March 26, the science department posted a compilation of teachers waving to students as they go throughout their day in quarantine. Jenny Eustice, who teaches AP Biology, started the challenge at West. “An acquaintance of mine, and friend on Facebook, is a video production teacher on the East coast. He and his friends made a similar video in early quarantine and shared it on social media,” Eustice said. “We are a really big staff at West, so I wasn’t sure I could manage getting everyones videos, but departments seemed manageable, and I thought it could be fun to ‘challenge’ other departments as well.” After the science teachers posted their video, other departments at West accepted the challenge, with waving videos from the English, math, social studies, ELL and special education departments. For Eustice, spreading positivity and remaining calm is important. “I have two young kids, and if I am running around scared, nervous, and upset, they really feed off of that, so I have to maintain positivity to help them keep a sense of normalcy,” Eustice said. “I also think that the people in positions of influence: teachers, coaches, leaders have a huge responsibility in how they react when things go wrong. Are we looking at this as a challenge or an opportunity? A simple shift in mindset can do wonders.” However, with all the cancellations of events due to the spread of COVID-19, sometimes keeping a positive outlook can be difficult. Kaitlin Lamkins ’21 was already getting ready to pack for her first time out of the country, the annual school trip to Spain, when she found out the foreign language trips had been postponed. “I really wanted to be able to see Spain because my mom graduated from West and went on the trip when she was in high school, so I wanted to
MAKE YOUR OWN MASK
FOUR
Place rubber bands around both sides of the fabric, each going about a quarter of the way down the mask.
see it too,” Lamkins said. “We were going to see in 1974. Since COVID-19 hit, she’s been making a lot of the same places so it would have been masks for the community with a unique twist. really cool.” Leo makes her masks out of puppet and dollThere are two options for Lamkins, and many making material. others whose trips have been canceled: contact Leo had originally planned on donating the travel agency and attempt to get their money her masks to the hospital, but regulations back, or go on the trip next year. As of now, requiring masks be made in a pet and dustLamkins is still deciding what to do. free environment prevented her from donating. “I could tell the trip would have been really Instead, Leo has been handing out masks weird and different,” Lamkins said. “This way it throughout the community. gives us a chance to go when things are really “We’re all responsible for each other, so good again.” whatever we can do to help each While Lamkins was getting other out is important. ‘No man ready for her flight overseas, is an island’ as they say,” Leo “IT’S Raymond Yang ’20 was said. “It’s important to stay IMPORTANT preparing to run the as positive as you possibly marathon he had been FOR THEM TO KNOW can. Lift your own spirits.” training for for months. THAT WE ARE IN THIS In the spirit of positivity, “The consequences Danielle Burnett, a TOGETHER, EVEN IF WE of it never really hit me kindergarten teacher at CAN’T BE TOGETHER.” until a couple hours later, Wickham Elementary, I realized like four or five - DANIELLE BURNETT, suggested and helped plan a months of training had been KINDERGARTEN TEACHER staff car parade in the school’s basically wasted,” Yang said. surrounding neighborhood. “And so, after that, I basically just Teachers decorated their vehicles and lost all motivation to do not only running but schoolwork, just basic activities during the honked their horns, in order to obey social distancing guidelines. day.” “We had a wonderful turnout. Many families Upon hearing about the cancellation, Yang was were sitting outside waiting for us and had signs ready to give up, but his friends wouldn’t let him. They set up a time and biked alongside Yang as ready,” Burnett said. “Students were very excited to see us; I think some of them were a little he ran a solo marathon in Iowa. “When it did happen, my track friends texted shocked to see their teachers out in public.” Burnett believes it’s important to send a unified me like ‘You’re not gonna get away with this. We’re gonna make sure you run it. You’ve been message of positivity to the community. “It showed our students that we care deeply working for so long. You deserve some kind of about them and that we are a community of credit for it,’” Yang said. Others have been working to keep a positive learners both inside and outside of school,” outlook by offering help to those in the Burnett said. “It’s important for them to know community that need it most. Monica Leo that we are in this together, even if we can’t be founded the local Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre together.”
ONE
TWO
FIVE
SIX
Find a bandanna, old shirt or any other rectangular shaped fabric. If you’re using a shirt, fold the sleeves in so it forms a perfect rectangle.
Fold both sides of the mask vertically to meet in the middle.
Place the fabric rectangle vertically. Fold the bottom of the short side horizontally to meet in the middle of the fabric. Do the same with the top short side.
Take the rubber bands with each hand and place around ears.
THREE
Fold both short ends of the fabric horizontally to meet in the middle once again.
For more COVID-19 coverage, scan this code or visit www.wsspaper.com
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APRIL 24, 2020
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23
NO PLAN ET B PLANET 120 months. 3650 days. One decade. It doesn’t matter how you put it — ten years is not a lot of time to prevent irreversible damage from climate change. While we are all familiar with social media crazes hopping from one eco-friendly trend to the next, the environmentally sustainable ways of millionaire influencers aren’t always practical. Have no fear though. For Earth Day’s 50th anniversary, the WSS brings you eight easy ways to make your life more environmentally friendly.
BIKE SHARE IN IOWA CITY While the gears haven’t been set into motion yet, the plans for a bike share, a system where you can rent a bike for a short period of time in Iowa City, are on a roll. Biking is not only one of the most eco-friendly modes of transportation, but it’s a great way to get outside and exercise during the spring. The extra commute time might be a slight inconvenience, but consider trying to commute by bike once a week.
BY NATALIE KATZ DESIGN BY BRENDA GAO
HAVE YOUR RECEIPTS EMAILED INSTEAD OF PRINTED The environmental impact of receipts alone is enough reason to do this — the US uses one billion gallons of water, 250 million gallons of oil and ten million trees yearly just to print receipts — but if that isn’t enough for you, the convenience of not having to keep track of these pesky little papers surely is.
USE A REUSABLE BOTTLE OR COFFEE CUP This one’s for all the early morning Starbucks runs that seem to be so popular amongst our students. While Starbucks did recently announce they are using a new cup that is completely compostable, it’s always best to bring your own reusable mug.
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ENTERTAINMENT
APRIL 24, 2020
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE Speedy one-day shipping has not only become a huge convenience, it’s now the norm. However, the environmental impact that individually shipping packages creates is simply not worth it. You can wait one week for your impulse buys, and besides, we could all use a little practice with delayed gratification. While the packaging on your shipped orders may seem out of your control, through a few simple steps on Amazon, you can make your orders plastic free. Simply open your account, go to “help/customer service,” “contact us,” and use their chat option to request all future orders be plastic-free with minimal packaging.
TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS Eliminating showers all together would simply be a stinky situation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t shorten your bathing rituals. The average ten minute shower uses over 17 gallons of water and produces 4.5 pounds of CO2 that are released into the atmosphere.
EAT LOCAL The difference this can make is astronomical. Local foods don’t have to be transported from thousands of miles away which releases huge amounts of fossil fuels into the atmosphere. If buying locally produced foods isn’t an option for you because of the cost, consider eating seasonally, or eating foods that are in season where you live, which helps the environment by using less fertilizers and pesticides, and requires far less transportation.
EAT LESS MEAT We can’t all be vegan, but we all can try to cut down on meat consumption. Beef is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and it takes over 2400 gallons of water to produce a single pound. If going cold turkey with meat is too much for you, try to make it a small part of your week, such as Meatless Mondays.
USE A SUSTAINABLE SEARCH ENGINE Some search engines, such as Ecosia, run on 100% renewable energy and use some of their profits to plant trees. If you’re going to spend all day on your technology anyways, you might as well save the environment at the same time.
ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 24, 2020
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POS Emma Furlong ’21 lets us in on the details of her tight bond with her 2014 Ford Focus, Ziggy. “My car breaks down a lot but you know, she’s still going. She’s not reliable; she’s resilient.”
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ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 24, 2020
T
he West High parking lot has a wide variety of cars — from clunkers to Camaros — but their appearances can be deceiving. This rings especially true for junior Emma Furlong’s car. “My car is super cute ... but like, it’s broken on the inside,” she said. Over the two years since she bought her car, it has deteriorated, but her love for it has only grown. The car has become a solace for Furlong. “Sometimes I’ll get to school early before my open, and I’ll just sit
BY SUMNER WALLACE PHOTOS BY CYMRY HIERONYMUS DESIGN BY MADDY EPHRAIM
in here and listen to music … You know when you’re going home, you get to your house, you’re in your garage and you’re like, ‘I don’t wanna go inside because getting up is a lot of work.’ And you just sit in your car for a while … I do that.” She has lovingly named the car Ziggy after the David Bowie song “Ziggy Stardust” as well as the character from “LazyTown” of the same name. “I just think it’s a cute name … It fits the personality I think.”
“The biggest thing you can’t even see, but like, it’s broken on the inside. It’ll just stop in the middle of the street … The engine light comes on and the oil light comes on and we’ve tried getting it fixed three times and it still does,” Furlong said. “I don’t have money for another car, so I’m just kind of letting it happen.”
“It’s stressful whenever it breaks down because like it broke down in the middle of the Coralville strip and I was just chilling there for 15 minutes and then people kept stopping and asking me if I was okay and I was like, ‘Yeah, this happens all the time you guys. It’s okay.’”
“MY CAR IS
SUPER CUTE ... BUT LIKE, IT’S
BROKEN ON THE INSIDE.” - EMMA FURLONG ‘21 I bumped into someone,” explained Furlong. “Last winter,
“My bumper kinda fell off and then we just put packing tape on it and it stayed together, which is good.”
“It’s scratched [on the side]. It’s kinda scratched everywhere.
I think sometimes I bump into people or people bump into me. I don’t really know,” Furlong said. ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 24, 2020
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Athletes wanting to elevate their games in the off-season are looking towards club athletics. BY CAROLINE CHANDLER
W
hether it’s a frosty winter morning spent weightlifting in the gym before school or practicing drills in the scorching heat of summer, the typical life of a club athlete is demanding. Athletes that choose to participate in both school and club athletics often have a hectic schedule balancing sports, school and social lives. With school athletics requiring hard work and commitment from athletes, club sports are a great way to elevate their game to the next level. Nikki Koening, who coaches the Lady Martin Brothers Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) 2021 team, knows the commitment her players have to basketball. The players are expected to have a ball handling or shooting workout on a daily basis. One of the many benefits to club sports is the added skills that players learn. “AAU can teach new skills and refine what the athlete already has. Basketball IQ is enhanced as the athlete will have more game experience during AAU,” Koening said. While some club coaches discourage their athletes from training in multiple sports, Koening does not. “Playing other sports in high school is vital to mental and physical development for an athlete,” Koening said. Club season at the high school level is typically whenever the high school schedule is not in session. The long season allows athletes to take visits to schools and attend basketball camps. Oftentimes, club basketball keeps players from participating in other school sports, as they feel
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SPORTS
“
PLAYING OTHER SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOL IS VITAL TO MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT FOR AN ATHLETE. - N I KKI KOE N I NG, BASKETBALL COACH
that they have to play AAU the entire off-season. Playing outside of the high school season can look different for every athlete. Michele Conlon, the assistant director of tennis at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex, sees the improvements her players make to their games through tournament play, private lessons and group classes in the off-season. “I think tournament play is key to success for experience, because tournaments present a lot of different challenges that you’re going to have in the high school season. It can be strategic or understanding yourself and what you need to work on. The mental and emotional aspect needs to be practiced as much as the strokes,” Conlon said. With tennis being heavily technique and coordination based, practicing in the off-season is of much importance. “I think that you can reinforce those techniques by playing in the off-season, but you can also add elements to your game. Maybe you want to work on some slice or defensive balls, or specific serve placement,” Conlon said. Training in the off-season allows for players to refine their skills and strategies to enhance all aspects of their game from volleys to serves. David Rosenthal coaches club soccer at the Iowa Soccer Club as well as the varsity girls soccer team at West. Rosenthal says that extra insights are one of the added benefits that comes with club soccer. “They’re playing the other nine months of the year so they’re gaining soccer knowledge. They might have different coaches and they get different knowledge from different coaches,” Rosenthal said.
APRIL 24, 2020
DESIGN BY AMY LIAO
ADRENALINE
$
PHOTOS BY OWEN AANESTAD, ALYSSA SKALA & KARA WAGENKNECHT
TIME
15-17 NATIONAL TEAM
2000 250 + +
2-3
weekly practices
2.5
hours per practice
+ TOURNAMENTS out of state
national championship fee
Source: Adrenaline Volleyball Union
Dec.
HTA
June SEPT.-MAY Monday-Thursday 2 hour classes
405 420
TOURNAMENTS range anywhere from
345
290 250
$20-130
members non-members
cost
Source: Hawkeye Tennis Academy
average number of hours spent training per week
500
3
2
4
days/week for five weeks
$400-2,000
AAU
Many players take advantage of other practice opportunities by practicing for an age group lower or higher. Iowa Soccer Club offers a program called Super Skills, which any age group can attend, and has an emphasis on individual skills. Julia Bernat ’21 participates in both school and club soccer. For Bernat, technique is one benefit from club soccer that has elevated her level as a goalie. “I have trained with many coaches over the years that have taught me valuable techniques and strategies that have helped me become the goalkeeper I am today,” Bernat said. With the high school season and club soccer taking up much of her time, Bernat feels as if there isn’t a set time for the off-season. “Winter is the off-season for high school, in which I’ve been participating in an indoor league and doing private goalkeeper training around five days a week to better prepare myself for spring soccer,” Bernat said. Participating in high school and club volleyball has helped Emma Dunlap ’22 to further develop her volleyball skills. “Skills that I’ve gained from club volleyball would include more advanced volleyball fundamental skills than what I work on during the school season,” Dunlap said. While the constant hours of drills and tournaments have heightened Dunlap’s level, wrestling is an unlikely component that has also helped her to improve. “I have found that although they are quite opposite sports, wrestling has helped condition me for volleyball and also has greatly built my mental toughness,” Dunlap said. Club sports and school sports require a hefty time commitment, leading to many athletes specializing in a sport at a young age rather than exploring all the sports available. Brendon Panther, the strength and conditioning coach at West, recognizes that while athletes who specialize with club athletics might rise to the top quickly while honing in one sport, they might be missing out on something more. There can be lots of pressure to excel at the one chosen sport, and the athlete can miss out on playing other sports. Specialization can often lead to higher burnout rates. “To expect kids to be interested in the same sport year round is unrealistic. It is likely that the athlete will no longer be interested and need a break,” Panther said. If the athlete truly loves the sport that they’re participating in, the pros of club athletics and specialization outweigh the cons. “My advice would be as a freshman, play as many sports and participate in as many activities as possible,” Panther said. “Cast a wide net. You can focus on one sport while still playing other sports. By the time you are a junior you can start to whittle it down.”
membership fee
2-4
TOTAL EXPENSE workouts varies based on team, tournaments, travel, equipment, etc.
ISC June
March
per week
SOME TEAMS ARE SPONSORED BY
MAJOR
SHOE COMPANIES
Source: Amateur Athletic Union & Joe Goodman ‘20
185+690+366 registration
staff
facilities
2 hour practices OUTDOOR 3 practices per week competition every weekend Source: Iowa Soccer Club
$1,241 annual fees per player
2 practices per week occasional league game
INDOOR SPORTS
APRIL 24, 2020
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A DVA N TAG E W E S T With plans to retire from coaching soon, head boys tennis coach Mitch Gross reflects on over a decade of championship-level success and the relationships he has built. BY JOE GOODMAN
I
n a school renowned for its state championships, perhaps none have made winning look easier than boys tennis coach Mitch Gross. A former history teacher at West and current Northwest Junior High administrator, Gross, like many other coaches at West, has created a winning tradition with teamwork and trust. “The thing that really separates us from other programs around the state is that we put a huge emphasis on team,” Gross said. “The other thing we have is what I call the ‘championship mindset’ [which is] really never letting off, going all out all the time.” Gross’s system has certainly been proven. Since his arrival in 2002, the Trojans have posted a 287-30 record, including six state championships since 2012 with a record of 93-3. For the players, winning wasn’t always expected, however. Taking over a 3-12 team in 2001, Gross certainly didn’t turn the team into a powerhouse overnight. Or maybe he did. “When I saw them I thought they were better than a 3-12 team. People had said that players were showing up Saturday mornings hungover or had partied too hard the night before,” Gross said. “The way that we’ll fix that is that [I thought] we will just have them be with me on Friday nights. We still do every Friday night team night together.” The nearly 20-year-old tradition that began as an alcohol deterrent has become one of the core pillars of Gross’s program and something he attributes much of his players’ camaraderie and success to. “I do believe at this level every coach knows X’s and O’s ... but if you can’t connect and motivate your players, it doesn’t matter,” Gross said. “Same with teaching. You can be the smartest teacher, but if your students don’t like you they’re not going to listen to you.” While Gross strives to create meaningful relationships with his players, there’s also a level of expectation and demand that comes from producing so many championship players like junior captain Mukundan Kasturirangan. “[Gross] will give you a lot of advice about life and stuff like that, but also there’s a clear distinction that when you’re on the court, he’s your coach,” Kasturirangan said. “There’s no question about that.”
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SPORTS
APRIL 24, 2020
“ I DO BE LIEVE AT T H IS LEVE L EVE R Y C OACH K NOWS X’S A N D O’S ... BU T IF YOU CAN’T CONNE C T A N D M OT IVAT E YOU R P L AY E RS, IT DOE S N’T M AT TE R .” - MIT CH GROSS ,
HEAD TENNI S C OAC H
As many players like Kasturirangan have found out, the stress that comes from playing for such a highly-touted program is a challenge unmatched in club tennis. “I didn’t expect there to be that much pressure on me as a freshman,” Kasturirangan said. “It’s just a different pressure to play for other people and for your team and for your school.” Most of Gross’ players train through the Hawkeye Tennis Academy (HTA), a high-performance training program run through the University of Iowa. Additionally, the athletes compete in individual tournaments against top competition from around the Midwest. The long-standing relationship between West and the HTA has been symbiotic, with both Gross and the Academy benefiting from the abundance of high school talent in the Iowa City area. “I think overall everybody works well together because if our program is successful, [the HTA] program is successful and vice versa,” Gross said. “I think we helped that program because a lot of young players — because we’ve been so successful — want to be a part of our program.” BJ Wolf ’21 has been playing competitive tennis for eight years and looks to contribute on the varsity team this spring. Wolf, who plays in the HTA with Kasturirangan and most of the other varsity players, has grown up practicing alongside former West High greats like Jack Wenzel
’19 and David DiLeo ’15. “[The older players] definitely had a presence because I was in the same academy with them … so I definitely knew who they were,” Wolf said. “They … were what I wanted to be.” For Wolf and the rest of the varsity players, however, it may be another year until they are able to showcase their talents playing in Gross’ program. The widespread COVID-19 outbreak has suspended the team’s season, leaving the athletes, especially lone senior Piero Ortiz Cruz, devastated. “In my case, as the only senior on our team this year, I was very excited to have an interesting and memorable season with my teammates,” Ortiz Cruz said. “Hopefully ... we can be back outside enjoying playing sports very soon.” The suspension also impacts Gross, who was planning to retire from coaching after this season but has vowed to return in 2021 following this unprecedented turn of events. “There’s no way I’m going to have this year be my last year,” Gross said. “I was 99% sure it was going to be my last year but I can’t go out like this.” While Gross empathizes with the concerns of players and fans, there is also a bigger concern for the health and safety of the game’s players and coaches that extends beyond the court. “I really think medicine and science has to dictate when and if we resume,” Gross said. “I feel horrible that this is where things are but I also ... would not want to be a part of anything that ends up being socially irresponsible that could contribute to something much bigger than high school sports.”
DESIGN BY BRENDA GAO
BREAK POINT Coming off back-to-back state finals appearances, the girls tennis program is looking to start West High’s newest dynasty with a blend of experience and young talent. BY JOE GOODMAN
W
hile Gross plans to retire from coaching in the near future, head coach Amie Villarini and the girls tennis team are just getting started. Villarini, a ’97 West grad, took over the girls tennis program in 2013 from guidance counselor Kay DiLeo, eager to enhance her players’ mental approach to the game. “I was just trying to come in and maintain that winning tradition, if anything maybe adding to it a little more,” Villarini said. “Some of the things that I’ve added which we’ve never done in the past … is actually taking videos of the players and their matches and using Hudl and doing video analysis.” Watching film is just one part of what Villarini refers to as “commanding the court.” In singles matches, being a strong and confident player is crucial in order to dictate the style of the match, something newcomer Ella DeYoung ’23 has been working towards for her freshman season. Being confident with your game is something I’ve really been trying to work [on],” DeYoung said. “Just playing my game and being aggressive, coming up to the net and things like that.” With DeYoung and the rest of the varsity team playing club tennis, Villarini places a lot of her trust in the hands of the Academy’s instructors to prepare her players for the season. The team also benefits from the availability of the Academy’s indoor courts for practice when the weather is inclement. “I usually stay away from the technique because [the Academy is] coaching the players in their private lessons and stuff,” Villarini said. “I’ll tweak certain techniques things if I notice them, [but] I’m really focused on strategy and the mental side of the game.” Since Villarini’s hiring in 2013, the program steadily rose in production, culminating in a team state championship in 2018. Captain Jessica Moonjely ’20, who scored the final winning point, and juniors Caroline Chandler and Audrey Koch remember that championship feeling and are certainly eager to reclaim the title in 2020. “It was a really great feeling, and it was also the year that I was on the same team as my sister Emma [Koch ’19],” Koch said. “A couple of the girls on that team I had grown up with, so [that]
definitely made it super special. Having that feeling definitely gives you something to work for.” Unlike Gross’ dynastic program, few fans outside of West expected the Women of Troy to win the title over Ames in 2018, and even more were surprised to see the team return to the state final in 2019 for a rematch with their top player injured. After back-to-back finals appearances, Villarini’s well-kept secret is out now. With three talented freshmen accompanying DeYoung on the varsity team, the rest of the state will be put on notice soon enough. This team has talent, experience and, most importantly, they know they belong. “I think we have pretty high expectations for ourselves, especially after falling a little bit short last year to Ames and it came down to tiebreakers,” Koch said. “I definitely think we have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder.” Unfortunately, the girls may have to wait until next season to make their statement at the high school level. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, all spring sports have been suspended until further notice. With the West tennis courts closed, the girls have been advised to stay fit and ready for a season that may or may not be played. “These are just really unprecedented times, historic times,” Villarini said. “We’re learning a lot about ourselves as humanity, about what’s important and what we take for granted.” Villarini, sitting at home with the team’s uniforms and balls still in boxes, is still hoping for an abbreviated season, one that would be appreciated in any form by both the players and coaches. “I’m trying to be optimistic that we’ll even have a season, [but] I’m preparing to not even have a season as well,” Villarini said. “I miss the team, I miss bonding, you just miss the family connection with your team.”
“I US UALLY S TAY AWAY F ROM T H E T E C HNIQUE BE CAUS E [T H E ACADE M Y IS ] C OAC HING T H E P LAY E RS IN T H EI R P R IVAT E LE S S ON S AND S T U F F. I’ LL T WE AK C E RTAI N T E C HNIQU E S T HINGS IF I NOT IC E T H E M , [BU T ] I’ M R E ALLY F OCUS E D ON S T R AT E GY AND T H E M E NTAL SI D E OF T H E GAM E .” - AMIE V ILLARINI,
HEAD TENNIS C OAC H
SPORTS
APRIL 24, 2020
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REMODEL THE
PHOTO BY JENNA WANG DESIGN BY AMY LIAO
MODEL MINORITY The model minority should matter to you, whether you’re Asian or not. BY JENNA WANG
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e all know the common Asian stereotype: super smart, math geeks and perfectly quiet. Asians have achieved more success than any other minority and are therefore the model to follow, otherwise known as the model minority. Sounds like a compliment to Asians, right? You’d be wrong. Imagine that someone assumed you were smart based solely on the color of your skin. Forget the hours you spent crying over one math problem or the fact that you didn’t have perfect grades. They’re still going to copy your homework because hey, being Asian must mean you’re a genius. Well, where the heck is my individuality? Growing up Chinese American, my self-image was always a misty cloud, trying to find the clarity between what I actually loved doing versus conforming to the model minority stereotype. Being one of the only Asians in choir and theatre, there was always some sort of subconscious shame that I wasn’t in math club or school orchestra and instead, sung and acted. Questioning the model minority origin, I wondered if this internal urge to fulfill it had anything to do with an immigrant’s goal of the American Dream or something grand. Did a wise Asian God spin divine wisdom and will it to be? The term was actually coined by a William Peterson in a 1960s New York Times article. Cue the disappointment. Nevertheless, after digging deeper, I was surprised at the darkness of its history. Decades before the model minority existed, the complete opposite was an echoed sentiment throughout America, bringing with it a wave of hate crimes and the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was the first law of its kind to completely ban an entire race from immigrating over. Following Pearl Harbor, all Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps. They weren’t American, so they couldn’t be trusted, could they? They were still foreigners.
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OPINION APRIL 24, 2020
Twenty years later, William Peterson arrives. He types up a Japanese American story, and a success story at that. Barely two decades have gone by, but Japanese Americans have “risen above prejudiced criticism better than any other group in our society, even above native born whites.” The model minority is born. Originally meant to describe just Japanese Americans, the term began to spread to all Asians, expanding until people couldn’t be bothered to tell the difference. When the Immigration Act reversed the laws banning immigrants from Asia in 1965, the term became so mainstream that the law only allowed professionals like doctors to come in. And, to my surprise, I discovered that the media had severely overlooked the civil disobedience that Asian Americans had done in protest of unfairness throughout history. As a community, we’re often treated as constant foreigners despite our long history. Ingrained with the notion that Asians were submissive, the model minority led me to believe that Asians were never activists. I couldn’t remember when I last saw an Asian in a protest, but perhaps, that was the media socially manipulating me to believe so. It turns out, the model minority has everything to do with all minorities, not just Asians. The term was made to insult black and Hispanic people, used as media propaganda to drive a justification — to say, “If Asians can become so successful and able to overcome past events like the internment camps, then why can’t you? This proves that racial discrimination and disparities don’t exist.” It essentially drives the idea that blacks and Hispanics are inherently bad, and that their past hardships mean little at all, which is ignorantly untrue. This article isn’t meant to say that the model minority is completely false. There is truth in numbers, which show that generally, Asians are more socioeconomically successful. However, when you examine individual ethnic groups, a clear disparity forms. According to AAPIData, one out of every seven Asians are undocumented, or about 1.5 million people. The reason you don’t hear about this on the news? The model minority plays a big
part in keeping them from coming out and seeking help. They have to internalize their struggle and are expected to display a stable appearance. Not only do undocumented Asians do this, but many Asian Americans as a whole. We are far less likely to seek mental health resources than white people, afraid to crack our external image. I distinctly recall being surprised when I heard just how many of my white acquaintances had weekly therapy meetings. The notion was practically unheard of in the Asian community. However, just because something can’t be seen doesn’t mean it ceases to exist. According to the American Psychological Association, suicidal deaths are 30% higher for Asian American women than their white peers. So why is it important that you learn about the model minority now? It’s because in such an unprecedented time of social distancing and increased racism not just against Asian Americans but all minorities, the world needs to come together now more than ever. We need more stories and more representation to change the status quo. Asians are still heavily underrepresented in areas like sports, politics and the media. A recent study by the University of Southern California’s Inclusion Initiative showed that Asian Americans only represented 1% of all leading roles in Hollywood, even though the census reports that Asians make up 6% of the population. When was the last time you saw an Asian romantic lead, or an Asian running for president before Andrew Yang? Often, Asians hit a bamboo ceiling where they find that top level spots are mostly filled by white people and that they’re only seen as supporters and workers, not leaders. We’ve been socially conditioned to not speak out about racism, minimize it and not complain when it happens to us — when we should be doing the opposite. The model minority erases uniqueness and the issues greatly affecting our communities. We must be conscious of our words and uplift each other, no matter how chaotic the world may seem momentarily. We must remodel the model minority.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOOMIN KOH DESIGN BY ELLA ROSENTHAL
The coronavirus is not an excuse for xenophobia and racism. BY SOOMIN KOH
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t’s a Sunday afternoon, and my dad returns home with a load of groceries after a trip from the store. With a sullen look etched on his face, he sets the bags on the kitchen countertop. I ask him about his day, and he responds with nothing but a dispirited smile. After repeatedly imploring him for an answer, he replies with a puzzling question, “How can people think that it is right to see others as nothing but a virus?” While shopping at a local grocery store, my dad had been suddenly stopped by another shopper. She stared in disgust while she approached him in a rather aggressive manner. With both arms crossed she said, “Aren’t you forgetting something? Gosh, just put on a mask.” Sadly, this interaction depicts the brutal reality of the world today as racism and bigotry towards the Asian race becomes increasingly normalized in our society. In the past few months, a massive outbreak of COVID-19 has engulfed the globe with a wave of panic and hysteria. Originating from an initial outbreak of a respiratory disease first detected in China, COVID-19 is a zoonotic virus that is part of a large family of coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). As of April 9, coronavirus cases have almost reached 1.5 million around the world and surpassed 450,000 in the US alone. As this new disease spreads, so does extreme racism and discrimination towards people of Asian descent.
Starting in January, many more cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed, showing that the spread through person-to-person contact was possible. However, due to the origin of the virus and many east Asian countries being affected, social stigma and xenophobia against Asians became widespread. Although anxiety towards a new virus is normal, the extensive spread of derogatory language and hate have been popularized through racialized media coverage and social media. The prejudice against Asians has been brutal. From America’s leading news sources such as The Wall Street Journal titling an article “China is the Real Sick Man of Asia” while explicitly targeting Chinese people to teens creating new trends mocking Asians on TikTok, the coronavirus has become many people’s justification for racist remarks. Everyone from teenagers to the president has taken part in the xenophobia surrounding the situation. President Trump recently referred to the virus as the “Chinese Virus,” ignorantly downplaying the severity of the outbreak. While misleading and racially offensive, this label puts Asian Americans at risk of being targeted for further abuse. Blaming and falsely accusing one race as the sole cause of a pandemic should not be tolerated. The abuse following the discrimination is not just verbal, however. In California, a 16-year-old Asian American
boy was rushed into the emergency room after being physically assaulted by his classmates who accused him of having the virus. In Illinois, a man was brutally attacked, spat on and told to “go back to China.” In New York City, a woman wearing a mask was attacked in a Manhattan subway station before being called “diseased” and beaten with an umbrella. These racially motivated incidents targeting Asians have sparked acts of protest on various social media platforms. Viral hashtags such as #WashTheHate, #RacismIsAVirus and #IAmNotCOVID19 have been created to fight back against the hate caused by the virus. Movements such as these have gained support from people all over the world, generating empathy and increasing awareness toward the situation. Despite social media movements advocating against these hate crimes, racist ideas have spread and these acts of violence simply cannot continue. Fear of a virus can no longer allow people to be prejudiced and hurtful, nor can it give justification for racialized media coverage to normalize hate. This only reinforces racism, a much bigger and uglier enemy. In this world of uncertainty that we find ourselves in today, it is crucial that we come together and overcome our shared hardship, not divide ourselves further. OPINION APRIL 24, 2020
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VOLUNTARY The Editorial Board discusses plans for a long-term educational solution.
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n a pandemic era where social distancing and confusion remain a constant, there is one thing that has abruptly halted for over 54 million students in the nation according to Education Week: in-school education. In Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered that all schools remain closed until April 30. In response, the Iowa Department of Education has let individual districts decide whether to pursue voluntary or mandatory education. On April 10, the ICCSD committed to the Voluntary Educational Enrichment Opportunities option, where students will not receive class credits or have attendance taken. The decision has been made in part due to the limitation of making online learning available to those living in poverty, with disabilities or without English as a first language. As a result, the ICCSD has continued to encourage teachers to support students with check-ins and optional learning opportunities, whether through email, Canvas or Zoom meetings. In addition, the ICCSD has compiled a comprehensive Student Enrichment document suggesting resources for continual intellectual development. The Editorial Board recognizes the efforts of both the Iowa DOE and the ICCSD to keep students as equitably educated as possible while navigating many hurdles in the midst. However, in the face of an unknown future, should the ICCSD begin implementing a long-term mandatory online education program? The Editorial Board votes 19-2 that the ICCSD should develop a long-term required online education program. While many teachers are making every effort to communicate with students, there’s no feasible way that all students can be accounted for. Because there are no grade or attendance incentives, many students won’t be motivated to
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pursue learning opportunities. Parents can encourage students, but not every parent has the time to monitor their child’s progress while worrying about potential unemployment or other issues. While the ICCSD is concerned about socioeconomic inequality, priorities should be focused on reducing the educational inequality and achievement gap that is inevitably going to grow between districts and states in the long-run. Without any guarantee that school will resume for the foreseeable future, action should begin as soon as possible to ensure that students will graduate, be prepared for AP tests, keep on track with curriculum and not fall behind. Summer school cannot be relied upon, and we should be prepared in case the coronavirus becomes a seasonal occurrence. Even as most students currently relax at home, the ICCSD should be working to actively make a plan by examining the actions of other districts across the nation and emulating them. A public database compiled by the Center on Reinventing Public Education displays in-depth efforts made by 82 districts to transition to online education, and can be used as a reference for the ICCSD to explore options. Most districts, like the ICCSD, provide only links to general resources. 38% of districts surveyed provide formal curriculum, but no instruction. However, national progress is being made daily, and an increasing number of districts are providing formal curriculum, online Should the ICCSD/Iowa Department of Education develop a comprehensive plan for remote education?
19 - 2
THE WSS EDITORIAL BOARD VOTED YES
instruction and progress monitoring. In Iowa alone, Waukee High School students in grades 10 through 12 are beginning to be required to do mandatory online coursework along with Des Moines Public Schools and Linn-Mar high school students. If the ICCSD is unable to do the same for its high school students at the present, the ICCSD should be engaging with the school districts to see what works and does not work to develop a long-term plan. There are many ideas that can work as potential solutions for the barriers the district may be facing. For technological access, many districts are able to partner with businesses, just as Atlanta Public Schools have done with T-Mobile to distribute over 9,000 hotspots. Districts can also look to pair up with a local or remote online school. Florida Virtual School has taken more than 200,000 students from across the world and is training more than 10,000 Florida teachers to teach online. Without question, equity is always an important issue that needs to be addressed. The Johnson County Public Schools in Kentucky are providing resources in five languages and is building a parent toolkit that includes instructional support training and a hotline. Nationwide, 43% of districts surveyed are already providing online resources for parents with special needs students along with follow-up calls. The NYC Department of Education, Houston Independent School District and Anchorage Public Schools all plan to provide special education direct instruction and IEP-related services through technology. Conclusively, the ICCSD has many opportunities to learn and adapt. It isn’t an easy task and is a new learning curve in this unprecedented time. While the ICCSD and the DOE are working hard to do what they can though, more has to be done. It’s the only way to ensure that students do not fall behind and that our school education is resilient and ready for anything that the future holds.
EDITORIAL
APRIL 24, 2020
DESIGN BY XIAOYI ZHU
CAROLINE BARKER The faculty and visitor parking spaces in the front parking lot sit empty as West High School remains closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lot hasn’t been used by students since March 13, and many students wonder if it will ever be occupied again in the 2019-2020 school year.
PHOTO FEATURE FOR MORE COVERAGE, GO TO WSSPAPER.COM
BRAIN BREAK
Take your mind off COVID-19 and juggling Zoom classes with this collection of games. Test your knowledge of West High with this crossword.
3
2
1
4
5
Answers have no spaces.
ACROSS
6 8
7
9
10 11 13
12
14
15
DOWN
1. Your supply of gum, cookies and coffee 2. Let’s go ___! 16 4. It’s a tradition 7. He has a mathematical purpose 9. Number of state tennis team titles Mitch Gross has won with his teams (Hint: found on pg 30) 10. Park your ___ between the yellow lines (Hint: found on pg 26) 11. Oh my gosh you didn’t take AP __ sophomore year? 13. The guy that sends you The Weekly not once, but twice
ANSWERS
TIC TAC TOE
DOWN 1. pumpitup 2. trojan 4. excellence 7. kirpes 9. eight 10. pos 11. euro 13. shoultz
ULTIMATE
ACROSS 3. ceiling 5. courtyard 6. woke 8. firealarm 12. secure 13. symposium 14. victor 15. zoom 16. aft
3. The hallways give off horror movie vibes without the __ 5. It used to be a lunch spot, now it’s a construction site 6. West High __ High 8. “How did your math test go?” “Lucky break, it was interrupted by yet another __” 12. __ your phone 13. Nearly brought you to tears in your freshman year English course 14. This is the name of one of Mary Shelley’s book characters and of the only West staff member with a tail 15. Talk about your assignments and show the class your pet on ___ 16. Chunk of time that used to fall between 6th and 7th period
START
FINISH
BY NATALIE DUNLAP DESIGN BY XIAOYI ZHU
