2022-01-21

WEST SI DE STO RY IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

2901 MELROSE AVE.

IOWA CITY, IA 52246

WSSPAPER.COM

VOLUME 54 ISSUE 3

JANUARY 21, 2022

WE ARE THE BSU

WSS takes a look at the reformation of the BSU at West.

CONTENTS Hi there, 4 NEWS

News Briefs Workers Wanted

10 12 16

HEALTH & SCIENCE Stress Solutions

FEATURE Language Logistics

PROFILES

Everyone Has a Story Aspire to Inspire

22 30

Have you been feeling stressed? Here at West Side Story, we sure have been! If you’re looking for ways to deal with difficult deadlines in these un-brr-leivably tough winter months, flip to our health and science section on page 10 to get some tips.

Learn about the nationwide worker shortage starting on page 6, where reporters Rosemary Timmer-Hackert and Jane Lam investigate how this impacts West High workers at their workplaces.

The below-freezing temperatures and icy weather aren’t any fun, but have snow fear: WSS is here! Turn to page 34 to try out some warm drink recipes from around the world.

Last but certainly not least, this issue’s cover story features the leaders of the Black Student Union, who document why they revived the organization and its overall purpose. Stand with the BSU by hanging up the poster from the inside cover of this issue in your classroom, locker, or room at home!

Until next time,

COVER

We are the BSU

SPORTS Equal Footing

34

ENTERTAINMENT

40

OPINION

Take a Taste-Cation New Year, New West Photo Feature

Trigger Warning: Helen’s Hot Takes

Scan here for mental health resources.

KAILEY GEE

HANAH KITAMOTO

(she/they)

(she/her)

PRINT STAFF LIST Aria Khalil

Artist, Photographer Athena Wu Artist, Reporter Caroline Barker* Photo Editor Caroline Copy Co-Editor, Mascardo* Editorial Editor Defne Bayman Photographer, Designer Ella De Young* Assistant Sports Editor Eva Jordan Artist, Designer Ginger McCartney Designer, Reporter Hanah Kitamoto* Print Co-Editor-InChief Heidi Du* Copy Co-Editor Grace Huang* Health & Science Editor Helen Zhang* Columns Editor Jack Alden Reporter, Designer Jane Lam Reporter, Designer Kailey Gee* Print Co-Editor-InChief Kamakshee Reporter Kuchhal Katherine Shoppa* News Editor

*Editorial Board member

Krisha Kapoor* Lilly Graham Lily Prochaska Maya Chu* Miguel Cohen Suarez Misha Canin*

Sports Editor Reporter Reporter Feature Editor Sports Reporter

Managing Editor, Business Co-Editor Owen Aanestad* Online Editor-inChief Rosemary Timmer- Reporter Hackert* Ruba AhmedBusiness Co-Editor, Abdelmutalab* Profiles Co-Editor Sachiko Goto* Assistant Design Editor Sara Whittaker Adviser Sila Duran* Entertainment Editor Sofia Wells-Lu Artist, Designer Soomin Koh* Profiles Co-Editor William Cheng Artist, Designer Xiaoyi Zhu* Design Editor Zaira Ahmad Reporter, Designer Zoey Guo* Art Editor

NEWS BRIEFS From “Footloose” to the omicron variant, the winter months have had their fair share of news.

BY HANAH KITAMOTO PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH PHOTOS BY OWEN AANESTAD & SACHIKO GOTO DESIGN BY WILLIAM CHENG

WINTER SPORTS

West High winter sports athletes continue to compete in their seasons. The boys swimming team placed second out of nine teams at the Linn-Mar invite Jan. 8. The boys basketball team remains undefeated, and the girls team has a 7-2 record as of print time. In boys wrestling, Hunter Garvin ’22 and Kael Scranton ’22 reached their career 100 win marks this season.

Girls wrestling competed at the Council Bluffs Wrestling Classic Dec. 11, and Lexi Nash ’23 placed second in the 185-pound class. The boys bowling team faced off against City High in the Battle of the Pins Dec. 10, taking home the King Pin with a score of 2599-2451. The girls bowling team lost 1888-2513.

AHMAUD ARBERY’S MURDERERS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON

For the first time in two years, Theatre West performed their fall show live from Dec. 2 through Dec. 4. Arganbright Auditorium transformed into Bomont, a town where dancing and rock music are illegal, for the production of “Footloose.” Seniors Evan Zukin and Sam Croco played the lead roles of Ren McCormack and Ariel Moore, respectively.

Approximately 160 cast, band and crew members collaborated to produce the musical.

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JAN. 21, 2022

Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan, the three white men that chased and murdered Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, in March 2020, were sentenced to life in prison Jan. 7. The judge denied any chance of parole for Travis and Gregory.

HALL PASSES & NEW SCHEDULE

BIDEN EXTEND PAUSE ON STUDENT LOANS Beginning immediately after winter break, the West High administration implemented a hallway pass system to reduce students lingering in the hallways during class. Each classroom has one hallway pass for students to use when leaving class for a bathroom or water break. Students are not allowed to leave class during the last 10 minutes of the period. Additionally, the West High administration will implement a new bell schedule to have AFT every day except for Thursdays starting Jan. 24.

The Biden Administration announced an extension to the pause on student loans Dec. 22, rescheduling the restart date to May 1 from the original date, Feb. 1. President Biden cited the reasons for the 90-day extension as aiding with the continued uncertainty of the pandemic and furthering economic recovery.

OMICRON VARIANT The COVID-19 variant was first reported to the WHO Nov. 24, and the first case in Iowa was recorded Dec. 9. According to the CDC, the omicron variant is more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2.

The seven-day average positive case is 22% in Johnson County as of print time. The CDC recommends wearing masks with layers and getting vaccinated and boosted to avoid the spread of this new variant.

The FDA expanded eligibility requirements for the booster shot to individuals age 12 and older. Individuals aged 16 and 17 can receive Pfizer’s third dose six months after their second shot and 12 to 15-year-olds five months after their second shot. Those ages 18 and above are still eligible to take both Moderna and Pfizer’s booster shots.

NEWS JAN. 21, 2022

05

WORKERS WANTED As businesses attempt to return to normal, one thing is missing: the workers.

BY JANE LAM & ROSEMARY TIMMER-HACKERT ART & DESIGN BY EVA JORDAN

06 NEWS

JAN. 21, 2022

WEST HIGH AT WORK

S

he took a step back as the customer launched into a rant about the wait time, letting her manager step in to deal with the situation. They tried to assure the customer that the food would be out shortly, explaining they were understaffed. Wait times had been longer all day as employees frantically tried to keep up with the steady stream of customers. The woman refused to listen, and her complaints continued. Finally, her food arrived. She snatched up the bag and stormed out of the Chick-fil-A. “Why is she reacting like this?” Mara Caylor ’23 remembers wondering. All of the other customers had been understanding, despite the delays.

Unfortunately, scenarios like this have become increasingly common due to the nationwide worker shortage. Abigail Ghabel ’22 noticed this while working at Stuff Etc at the beginning of the pandemic.

“The behavior of customers changed a lot,” Ghabel said. “I answered the phone and I got more angry callers during the pandemic than before the pandemic.”

COVID-19 also affected worker behavior.

Many employees left their jobs because of safety concerns or were let go when businesses cut costs at the start of the pandemic. Some employees have yet to return. For West High students in the labor force, the consequences of the worker shortage have added to the already difficult challenge of balancing high school and a part-time job.

“It feels like you’re doing two people’s jobs,” Caylor said. “It’s pretty stressful being in high school with a part-time job ... During the school year, they usually schedule me 16 to 20 [hours a week]. It’s more than I really wanted to work, and it’s [almost] every school night.”

According to Caylor, her supervisors do not have any choice but to overschedule their employees due to her workplace being understaffed.

“Over the summer it was really bad. I set my max hours I wanted to work [at] 20 to 25, but it was more like 35 to 40,” Caylor said. “My [coworkers] were having the same problems as me, working way over what they wanted during the summer.”

Overscheduling is not the only reason employees are having to work longer hours. Less people on staff means tasks may take longer to complete.

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WHEN DID WEST STUDENTS START WORKING?

74.4%

25.6%

during the pandemic

before the pandemic

58.1% of students feel their workplace is understaffed. *out of 43 students surveyed

“I usually close [the restaurant]. We’re supposed to get out around 8, but we have a limited number of people,” Caylor said. “Closing, because of the shortage of staff, you don’t get out until like an hour or two after we’re scheduled to.”

Another issue is the lack of control workers have over when they are scheduled to work. Ghabel quit their job at Michael’s because they did not feel like it was a good work environment and their managers could not offer them hours that worked.

“They wanted me to work Thursday from 5 to 9, and at the time that was very stressful because I had to wake up at 6:30 or 6 to get to my Kirkwood classes,” Ghabel said. “There were only three people including myself working that night shift and they said they wanted at least five or six. There was no one there that could do the work [at] the time that they needed.”

Maggie Greer ’23 works at the Coralville Recreation Center as a lifeguard and has experienced similar issues in getting hours that work for her, but for the opposite reason. Her workplace is

dominated by high school workers competing for the same hours, which can lead to unexpected problems.

“There’s a few adults that can lifeguard during the week and there’s about 10 teens that can lifeguard on the weekend,” Greer said. “[While] there are many people working, those people can all work the same hours because we all are busy during the week.”

The worker shortage has also caused higher stress levels for Greer, as more pressure is placed on individuals.

“I think with everyone, you feel overwhelmed for like two weeks and then you’ll get a week where it’s like ‘Oh, this isn’t that bad. I can handle it,’” Greer said.

Despite her job sometimes being overwhelming, Caylor is grateful for the community of employees she found at her workplace.

“We only have a few smaller groups, and everyone that works there, especially the supervisors, are really welcoming,” Caylor said. “I really love the family we have there and that’s one of the reasons I’m staying.”

IT FE E LS LI KE YOU ’ R E DOI NG TWO PEOPLE’S JOBS. - MARA CAYLO R ‘23

”

NEWS JAN. 21, 2022

07

WORKING AT WEST

T

he worker shortage has also affected employment at West High, especially making the process of finding substitutes more challenging. The process of finding a substitute is done through a program called Frontline which allows teachers to input when and why they will be absent. The program then alerts substitutes in the area about available jobs, which they have the option to pick up. Secretary Michelle Minikus is in charge of coordinating substitutes at West High.

“When [the positions] are unfilled, that’s when we have a problem. So that’s when we have two building subs ... and I will put them in the unfilled positions, but usually, sometimes two is just not enough,” Minikus said.

When the substitutes from the area and the building substitutes cannot cover all the open positions, Minikus has to start thinking outside of the box. Each teacher has two open periods, which for Minikus means two periods that a substitute for one class can be pulled into another.

“It turns into a giant puzzle,” Minikus said.

“Let’s say I don’t have enough of those pieces to fill. Then we have to go within the school. So then I’m looking at other people in the building before I use a teacher. It takes away from the learning of all [the students].”

Despite trying her best to avoid it, Minikus has had to pull teachers away from their prep period several times this year due to the shortage of substitutes. However, she is optimistic the new building substitute will help decrease this in the

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JAN. 21, 2022

“

WHO G ETS SHORTCHANG E D? U LTI MATE LY, TH E KI DS I F ... WE HAVE SOM E BODY WOR KI NG WITH SOM EON E TH EY DON ’T KNOW.

”

- MOLLY ABRAHAM , ASSISTANT PRI NCI PAL future.

“Because of the shortage, they allowed us to hire a third building sub,” Minikus said. “I feel like things are going to be so much better here.”

An even greater challenge than finding substitutes for regular teachers is finding them for paraeducators, a role the school is currently short on according to Assistant Principal Molly Abraham. She has had three paraeducator positions

open for a while, and received just three applicants, only one of whom was qualified enough to be offered the job.

“It’s just gotten very hard to find paras and that partly is because we don’t pay them enough,” Abraham said. “They are frontline people for us.

They are right there with kids all day long. It’s a really valuable job, but we pay around 14, maybe a little more, dollars an hour.”

Most of the budget for special education comes from money given to the district by the state, so increasing funding is difficult. Besides preventing the school from raising wages, this tight budget has caused issues with resources.

“We tried really hard to get every [paraeducator] a chromebook and couldn’t make it happen,” Abraham said.

Abraham worries that the low wages, lack of school resources and the eight to 10 weeks off in the summer without pay discourage some people who might otherwise become paraeducators from taking the job. Substitute paraeducator is another role that is difficult to fill.

“It’s hard to find [substitute paraeducators] — that’s a hard role to be in,” Abraham said. “You might get [to school] and your assignment is to go to seven different classes with kids you don’t know and they don’t know you.”

The school ensures the needs of each special education student are met every single day by shuffling around paraeducators, substitute paraeducators and pulling in other people when necessary, but the situation is not ideal.

“Who gets short-changed? Ultimately, the kids if we’re trying to move people around and we have somebody working with somebody they don’t know,” Abraham said.

WHAT WENT WRONG When the pandemic first hit, fewer customers and high production costs forced many businesses to lay off workers. The labor force participation rate in the U.S. dropped to 60.2% in April 2020, a record low since the 1970s. Now, as places start to open up and people fall back into old consumption patterns, businesses are struggling to keep up.

Employees are also quitting at record highs, with one in four workers quitting their jobs in 2021 according to people analytics firm Visier.

COVID-19 concerns, burnout and low pay are some of the driving factors.

COVID-19 brought in a host of questions surrounding safety, especially since vaccines were not available at the start of the pandemic. This was part of senior Peter Adams’ decision to take a break from working.

“One of my grandmothers was getting hip surgery and we didn’t know anything about COVID, we just knew it was a new virus, so I just took a few months off [while] she was recovering,” Adams said.

At Stuff Etc, Ghabel found safety to be the make-or-break factor in staying at her job. “[I quit] because they weren’t able to keep me in a safe environment where I felt like we were doing the necessary precautions,” Ghabel said.

“We did require masks, but most of the people that went there did not care, and it was really hard to keep things clean.”

This sentiment seemed to spread locally within Iowa City and throughout the country.

“A lot of my coworkers quit at that time because a couple of them were still in college and colleges were closing, [and] a couple of them still live with their grandparents,” Ghabel said.

As more job opportunities become available, the motivation to get one remains low, even for workers who were laid off.

“I think it’s just a lot harder for people to get back into that mode where they want to go back to work because everyone’s like, ‘I need to get work. I need to find a job,’ but there’s no motivation,” Ghabel said. “[People are] putting so much stress on the individual to find a job … It’s

“

WH E N YOU DON ’T HAVE E NOUG H PEOPLE , PEOPLE AR E G ETTI NG BU R N E D OUT BE FOR E YOU CAN H I R E MOR E .

- PETER ADAMS ‘22

exhausting.”

Certain jobs also require extra steps and training to get hired, creating more barriers that might discourage potential employees.

“With COVID, a lot of lifeguards didn’t get recertified, and a lot of new lifeguards weren’t getting certified. People found different jobs because pools weren’t open,” Greer said.

Businesses are struggling to keep their current employees from losing motivation. Adams, an

employee at Target, has noticed that the overwhelming work environment the shortage creates has led to a cycle of burnout.

“The current metaphor for the Starbucks in the Target store is that it is a revolving door, because everyone except two of the baristas there quit all at once and our team leader quit in solidarity with them,” Adams said. “There is a lot of demand being put on people and some people were just like ‘I can’t do this.’ ... When you don’t have enough people, people are getting burned out before you can hire more.”

”

WHAT WILL WORK

T

hough it might feel like an uphill battle amidst the worker shortage for business owners hoping to hire, there are solutions.

Some students at West found higher wages and extra benefits keep them working.

“One of the reasons I went to Target is they’re really good about how they treat their employees,” Adams said. “I mean, any place that starts with 15 bucks an hour is great, especially when minimum wage is still $7.25. And then there are other perks: all team members get a 10% discount off of almost everything in the store. They have a lot of resources.”

Another thing employers can do to keep employees motivated is show their appreciation for the work the employees do. These displays of gratitude can make a lasting impact.

“There were two separate occasions where, [human resources], in order to keep everybody’s spirits up, rented out two soft serve machines and put them in an employee break room, and I was just thinking ‘wow,’” Adams said.

For Adams, moments like those and the extra benefits the company provides are vital for keeping Target a place that he and his fellow employees want to work at.

“Those perks really do keep me going, because it might seem small, but it does mean the world,” Adams said.

NEWS JAN. 21, 2022

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STRESS SOLUTIONS Explore the science behind stress, its dangers and benefits, and how some students find solutions.

BY MIGUEL COHEN SUAREZ ART & DESIGN BY GINGER MCCARTNEY

M

ath class made no sense. You stayed up late studying, and the lack of sleep made focus impossible. Upcoming tests ensure that you will need to put in hours outside of class to catch up. Feeling overwhelmed, you struggle through conversations with friends and family, unable to get your mind off the assignments piling up. With a defeated sigh, you tensely finish out the day with a job, homework, club meetings or household chores that add more unresolved tension. A day like this is the norm

for many West High students, most of whom, while familiar with stress, may not know how to manage it.

Stress comes from a broad range of sources, with homework and other academic duties being the most common for students. In addition to mandatory coursework and testing, some West students attribute their stress to extracurricular responsibilities, the ongoing pandemic, and family or relationship issues.

Evan Zukin ’22 faces many sources of stress.

“I feel a lot of stress on an average week because I’m in a lot of activities. That’s always something that’s on my mind,” Zukin said. “I’ve got to do college applications and homework, and teachers love to lay it on.”

In a recent survey of 75 West High students, 90.7% indicated feeling moderately or very stressed, with just 2.7% reporting not feeling

10 HEALTH & SCIENCE JAN. 21, 2022

very stressed at all. Despite an abundance of stress, more than half of students reported not having an effective way to manage it. With this strain being so common, it is vital to understand what stress is, its risks and benefits and how to deal with it.

Dr. Jason Radley is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa, and his research focuses on stress neurobiology. In an email interview, Radley defined stress as the set of bodily responses to adverse events where the individual cannot predict or control their circumstances.

Chronic stress can be a risk factor for bodily diseases and mental disorders. Stress increases the hormone cortisol that can contribute to or worsen metabolic syndrome — a collection of symptoms that increase disease risk. Research suggests that cortisol, even in the absence of metabolic syndrome, may negatively affect brain structures essential for cognitive and emotional functions.

With its potential health risks and prevalence among students, it is easy to view stress as entirely negative. In truth, stress is not necessarily problematic — it plays a crucial role in human survival and function.

The human stress response has been conserved through evolution to promote survival in adverse conditions. According to Greater Good Magazine of University of California Berkeley, stress in the short-term can increase alertness and encourage the growth of stem cells that become brain cells, thus improving memory. Heightened memory and attentiveness can

help animals remember dangerous situations to avoid them in the future.

“The issue is that severe traumatic or chronic stress can lead to negative health outcomes,” Radley said. “So stress is good under short term conditions but bad under chronic conditions.”

Given the risks chronic stress poses to physical and mental health, addressing it is vital to maintain a healthy life.

“The most helpful thing is to get to the bottom of why one is stressed, and then make changes in one’s behavior — termed coping — that will improve one’s situation or reduce the stress level,” Radley said.

Zukin copes with stress by keeping an organized spreadsheet, a habit he picked up during the pandemic. The Google Sheet began as a place to find his Zoom links, but now back in person, he continues using the document, giving each class a column with course-specific details and responsibilities. He also links the class Canvas page, any assignments and other deadlines.

Zukin has found that consolidating all his work in one place saves time and decreases stress.

“The shortcuts on the document are what help me out because I can get to everything I need from one spot,” Zukin said. “When I’m in my document, I can see what the assignment is, click on it, go right to it and start working on it … it really helps me ease my stress.”

Although maintaining a document like this may seem time-consuming, Zukin argues it is helpful in the long run.

“If I’m keeping up on it, it’s not a hassle at all,” Zukin said. “If I let it get away from me and have

to do a bunch of stuff on the document at once, it kind of piles up.”

To avoid pileup, Zukin updates his spreadsheet immediately after receiving or completing an assignment. He recommends having a similar document for anyone who has trouble keeping track of everything.

“I try to keep myself very organized, and that helps a lot,” Zukin said. “On top of the stress of having to do everything, I’m not stressed about having to find it.”

Organization extends beyond keeping track of assignments. Keeping a well-organized living space is often associated with less stress.

According to the Mayo Clinic, cluttered spaces can induce anxiousness. Furthermore, disorganized areas make it harder for the brain to process useful information, hindering the ability to focus. To stay focused, keep a clear desk — and desktop — and set aside a few minutes to organize your workspace before taking on a task.

Adeline Lasswell ’24 copes with stress by keeping a moderate workload and having hobbies to fall back on when they do feel stressed.

“A big part of how I manage stress is managing how much work I take on in the first place,” Lasswell said.

Finding a balance between rigor and relaxation is important for Lasswell.

“I think it’s good to challenge yourself … I take a few honors classes,” Lasswell said. “But if I get a lot of homework or a lot of work, then that kind of adds a lot of stress for me. So I think keeping that workload down is how I manage stress.”

Experts like Radley have found that proactive coping strategies, or controlling a situation before it becomes stressful, can be healthier than reactive techniques, which involve acting in response after a situation has become stressful.

“Proactive [coping] has been shown to be beneficial to our health and associated with better

physical and mental trajectories,” Radley said.

“Whereas reactive coping is correlated with the usual suspects in metabolic syndrome and higher risk for diseases.”

Nevertheless, Lasswell has found some reactive coping strategies helpful in the short term.

“Sometimes just walking my dog outside for a little bit is a good way to get my mind to calm down,” Lasswell said. “I think a lot of the time when you’re stressed, you focus on whatever the issue is and kind of catastrophize it in a way.”

Lasswell suggests that everybody finds an enjoyable hobby unrelated to school which they can turn to when stressed.

“Having hobbies outside of any school or extracurricular activities is good because when you’re constantly being graded or scored on stuff, then that can take enjoyment out of things that would normally help you relieve stress,” Lasswell said.

Coping strategies vary from person to person, and the most effective ones are typically personalized to best address someone’s stress. Everyone should know when stress may be dangerous and explore strategies to help relieve chronic stress.

“When you do [get overwhelmed], prioritize yourself. Take a step back,” Zukin said. “Do what you can in the moment, but don’t let the stress make it so you can’t do what you need, because then it just gets worse.”

As part of prioritizing himself, Zukin notes getting adequate sleep is one of his most successful, proactive stress management strategies.

“If I’m not sleeping, my brain is not working, and if my brain is not working, I’m not getting stuff done, and then there’s more stress, so sleep is my best friend,” Zukin said.

It is important to remember that the stress response is natural and necessary. Evolution explains why stress is beneficial but also how to deal with it if it becomes a recurring problem.

“Humans have evolved for face-to-face social

interaction with one another,” Radley said. “Social support is critical; many of us can’t solve problems on our own. We need help, not only from peers, but from people who have had more life experiences and have overcome adverse circumstances.”

In addition to support through problem solving, social contact and support enhances the hormone oxytocin: a hormone that reduces the stress response.

Those who are very seriously struggling with stress may consider more sophisticated coping strategies.

“Again, social support is key,” Radley said, “but

in cases where stress is severe, getting help from an expert or health professional may be needed or the best approach for finding solutions.”

HEALTH & SCIENCE JAN. 21, 2022

11

TIK LUGHA LOGISTICS LOG OGÍSTICA DE IDIOMAS LUG LANGUAGE ÍSTICA DE IDIOMAS LOGÍS LOGISTICS NGA LOGÍSTI SPRÅKLOGIS IOMAS LOGISTICS TEANGA Language is integral to communication — whether it’s learning English, a foreign language, or connecting back to one’s roots, each student has a unique experience.

BY MAYA CHU, KAMAKSHEE KUCHHAL & ATHENA WU DESIGN BY GRACE HUANG

A

school district in southeast Iowa is probably not the first place someone would think of as “diverse.” But the ICCSD, with a white student population of just under 57%, is a notable exception. From French to Arabic, students across the district speak over 90 languages, according to its 2019-2020 demographic report.

Many students are bilingual, trilingual or even polyglots, people who speak several languages.

Others are trying to learn a second language or simply reconnect with their origins.

LANGUAGE LOGISTICS I

F

or most high school students across the country, learning a foreign language is a requisite for graduation, college admissions or both. According to a West Side Story survey with 76 responses, more than 90% of West students are learning at least one new language.

Currently, the ICCSD offers two languages: Spanish and French.

Helen Orszula ’24 took French I her freshman year. Her experience on Duolingo, a language learning app, was one factor that helped her test into French II for the last trimester of that school year. Only a month into her sophomore year, Orszula transferred from French III to AP

12 FEATURE JAN. 21, 2022

French.

“I think my main problem was that we weren’t moving fast enough,” Orszula said.

Similarly, some students noticed a lack of new material being introduced as they progressed through the language curriculum. From conjugations to sentence structure, teachers often review lessons from year to year.

“In the Spanish curriculum, I feel like we have repeated many lessons from eighth grade to ninth grade. We should move not faster, but in a different direction,” said Vinicius Marra ’24.

Others, like Spanish learner Anna Verry ’22, found value in the slower pace in helping to build foundational skills.

“Having that slow pace at the beginning really set us up for success and later classes because we were really focusing on the basics,” Verry said.

Like other classes, some students who were a part of the online program last year struggled to keep up with their workloads in Spanish and French.

“The assignments didn’t feel real so I kind of put them off,” Orzula said. “Being in a classroom with other people really helps me.”

Aidan Ohl ’22 took AP French online last year.

Despite getting high grades in the class, he opted out of taking the AP exam.

“There’s a couple exceptions, but really, it just felt like everything was based on writing and prepared speech. I think that’s only really half of being fluent,” Ohl said. “So my grade, despite be-

ing good, didn’t actually reflect the fact I didn’t feel great about my skills.”

Verry, who took AP Spanish in person last year, shares a similar sentiment.

“I don’t feel confident enough to go to a native speaker and have a conversation with them,” Verry said. “I feel like if I were talking to other students in my class, I would be able to converse with them because I know we’re on the same playing field.”

Spanish II and AP Spanish teacher Monica Aparicio Ruiz thinks that a focus on speaking, listening and utilizing what students learn in class is key to successful language learning.

However, she believes that practicing outside of the classroom is also essential.

“Many times, we only use the language in the classroom and then we don’t take it out with us,” Aparicio Ruiz said. “We need to put more of an effort into practicing outside of school.”

Aparicio Ruiz suggests volunteering in local Spanish-speaking communities as a way to gain exposure to the language. Though she advocates strongly for real-world practice, she points to alternative strategies for developing language skills outside of class.

“One thing I’ve been telling [my students] is that it doesn’t even necessarily have to be practicing with a native speaker,” Aparicio Ruiz said.

“There are other ways to practice: reading, reading out loud and watching Netflix. Try to immerse yourself.”

GISTICS TEANGA GHA LOGISTICS STICA DE IDIOMAS W STIK A Verry recalls Spanish teacher Jamie Sandhu encouraging her students to get extra outside practice, too.

“Even in Spanish II, Señora Sandhu really harped on finding a good podcast to listen to or going to a radio station that spoke Spanish. The reading and listening was definitely [emphasized]. It was like, ‘You should really do this if you want to be successful,’” Verry said.

Some highly-motivated students continue their studies through either the Seal of Biliteracy program or Post Secondary Enrollment Option classes after taking four years of a language. Students can take Spanish or French V, classes offered by the ICCSD, to obtain the Seal of Biliteracy, which is recognized internationally as the ability to communicate in two languages fluently. Others choose to take PSEO classes at the University of Iowa, where they can simultaneously earn credits for both their high school diploma and college degree.

Nathan Wei ’22 is a Chinese heritage speaker who is currently enrolled in PSEO Japanese. He took the class in hopes that he would learn some of the similarities and differences between Chinese and Japanese.

“I am aware that many [Japanese] words and vocabulary comes from Chinese but I wanted to see the areas that contrasted with Chinese such as hiragana and katakana, along with its grammar and honorific system that Chinese doesn’t share,” Wei said.

Wei took Spanish for four years and noticed the fast pace of PSEO courses in comparison to language classes at West. He says his teacher spends less time teaching simple vocabulary and gives far more tests and quizzes. Wei finds this faster pace more engaging and believes West

classes should follow suit.

“Teachers should pace the students and teach things more quickly,” Wei said. “The reason why Spanish was sometimes more mundane was that the vocab and conjugations were taught too slowly and I was given too many class days to learn it.”

LANGUAGE LOGISTICS II

ith 1.5 billion speakers globally, English is the most widely spoken language in the world. Although the U.S. does not have an official language, English is predominantly used in the government, educational resources and media. It can be difficult for students not fluent in English to integrate into the community.

“In the beginning, it was a challenge because language is really important,” said Marra, a native Portuguese speaker from Brazil. “I feel like there was a barrier. I was really shy in the beginning, so it was a little difficult to make friends.”

The English Language Learning program can help students like Marra with this social barrier.

“Many people from different cultures were [in ELL] and it was a good experience for me because, together, everyone was trying to learn English and I didn’t feel alone,” Marra said.

Another potential challenge for students and families who are not native English speakers is communicating with the school. Although there are accommodations, such as interpretation and translation services, some believe the district can do more. Adrian Rodriguez ’24, whose parents are not completely fluent in English, has noticed

a lack of communication in other languages.

“Every email that the school has sent has been in English. I never see them in Spanish,” he said.

“I think [the district] should add emails in other languages … it would be a great improvement to the whole district if they would be able to do that,” Rodriguez said.

The communication barrier extends to academics as well. Keeping up in classes taught in English as a non-native speaker can be demanding, especially in subjects heavy on reading and writing.

“During an APUSH test or English test, sometimes I don’t understand some English words, but over time, that has [happened less],” Marra said.

However, the language barrier hasn’t stopped Marra from taking on a challenging course load or standardized tests.

“I like to challenge myself and I think my English is improving every year,” Marra said. “I think you always need to try your hardest and find the things you find difficult and make them easier.”

On the other end of the spectrum, there are students learning languages they are already very familiar with. Dr. Giovanni Zimotti, director of Spanish Language Instruction at the University of Iowa, says that language classes can be difficult even for those who can already speak fluently.

“When you go to school, you get hours and hours of English grammar here in the United States. And for [Spanish heritage speakers], the only Spanish they’ve been speaking was the Spanish they were speaking at home … so they can speak Spanish, but they have some issues with grammar because they never learned it,”

English

Français

“My grade, despite being good, didn’t actually reflect the fact I didn’t feel great about my skills.”

-Aidan Ohl ‘22

“Même si ma note était bonne, cela ne reflétait pas que je ne me sentais pas bien de mes compétences de la langue.”

FEATURE JAN. 21, 2022

13

Zimotti said.

Native speakers learn a language through the formal education system of the country they were born in. It is often the first language they have learned. On the other hand, heritage speakers are informally exposed to the language at home through their families. It is not usually their first language, and they use a different language in their daily life outside of home.

Rodriguez moved to the U.S. from Cuba when he was 9. Although he is a native Spanish speaker, he still finds that not all of the AP Spanish content comes naturally to him. He has noticed that writing and analyzing readings are the hardest parts of the class as he isn’t accustomed to using Spanish in an academic setting. He also noted the Spanish taught at West is more formal than what he uses on a day-to-day basis. “[The teacher] showed us an example of writing this formal letter,” Rodriguez said. “There were words that I never use at home.”

Aparicio Ruiz, who is also a native Spanish speaker, believes this is an important distinction.

“We have to take into account that the Spanish we are learning here is very much Spanish used in academia,” Aparicio Ruiz said. “Of course there’s going to be so many dialects and slang that [native speakers] might be aware of but that we don’t necessarily use when writing a letter or presentation.”

Although not everything taught in language classes feels familiar to native and heritage speakers, the AP curriculum places a strong emphasis on cultural learning. This provides some students with the opportunity to connect to their own culture.

“It’s a language that’s connected to [native speakers] personally. It provides an opportu-

nity to communicate in the language that their grandparents speak,” Aparicio Ruiz said. “It carries sentimental value [and it is] important to me that my native speakers are able to connect with that.”

LANGUAGE LOGISTICS III

F

rom communicating with native speakers to future job offers, learning a world language opens the door to many opportunities. Because of this, Verry feels the ICCSD should place a greater emphasis on the importance of language.

“I’ve seen the benefits of knowing another language and I think a lot of people have, so I think there should be more of a focus on learning another language for the benefits [when you] go out into the real world,” Verry said.

Despite there being thousands of languages spoken globally, the ICCSD offers just Spanish and French as high school classes. ICCSD World Language Coordinator Carmen Gwenigale attributes this lack of diversity to the district’s limited budget.

“At one point in time, we had three languages, and due to budget cuts, we lost German. Teaching French and Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and German … would be ideal,” Gwenigale said.

Verry agrees having more languages to choose from would be beneficial, especially because it would allow students to pursue what they are interested in.

“Giving the students more options would help boost motivation to want to learn,” Verry said.

“If they want to learn German, give them that

opportunity, because you know they’ll work hard because they’re passionate about it.”

In addition, Paige Nierling ’23 thinks the ICCSD should offer American Sign Language as a class. Nierling learned ASL to better communicate with her brother, who is deaf, and believes sign language is an important skill. “[My brother] is really lucky because he can read lips and has hearing aids, there’s so many people out there that [can’t] … sign language is just a good thing to know,” Nierling said.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, around one in eight people have some degree of hearing loss in both ears in the U.S., yet only 500,000 Americans know ASL. Nierling’s brother finished elementary school in the ICCSD before transferring to Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs. Through her brother, she saw how a more inclusive environment results in better experiences for those with trouble hearing. “[At the] deaf school, he was just more included with people that he could relate to more.

He had some bullying problems in elementary school because of his hearing problems and … it’s a difficult thing for anyone to go through anything like that,” Nierling said.

Aside from curriculum changes, some believe language learning itself should start earlier. According to a 2017 report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, students in the U.S. have less access to foreign language instruction than students in other developed countries, and Americans are much less likely to be bi- or multilingual. This is sometimes attributed to the fact that many districts in the U.S. begin language instruction in junior high or high school.

English

Español

“When we teach language, we’re not just teaching you how to communicate, but we’re also teaching you the culture.”

-Carmen Gwenigale, World Language Coordinator

“Cuando enseñamos un lenguaje, no estamos solo enseñándoles cómo comunicarse sino también les enseñamos la cultura.”

14 FEATURE JAN. 21, 2022

“I would advocate for language learning at an earlier age,” Aparicio Ruiz said. “It has been proven basically that the earlier we start learning the language, the more it’s a part of our life and the easier [it becomes]. If it’s something that starts early on and continues throughout your education, I think there’s a lot of benefits.”

Younger children have greater brain plasticity, which is the ability of neural networks to change through growth and reorganization. This is why many other countries mandate foreign language learning very early on in students’ education.

Data from Pew Research shows that almost all students in Europe study their first foreign language by age 9 and a second one later on. Because of this early start and a greater emphasis on language learning, 92% of European students know multiple languages. In contrast, this number is 20% in the U.S., which does not have a national requirement for language proficiency.

“If students started learning languages from elementary, their brains are just so malleable at that time to take things in. The younger they are, the more open they are to embracing new concepts,” Gwenigale said. “At that place, too, they’re not afraid of failure. In high school, there’s so much attachment to grades and students shut down right away when they feel or see anything as a failure. In elementary, when the grade is not a factor, it’s just the learning that is the factor, there’s a higher probability for success.”

Not only does language learning open up new opportunities, it also enhances cognitive thinking. Due to the daily exercise of learning another language, multilingual children often have better memories than monolingual children. They outperform in terms of “metacognitive awareness, problem-solving, flexible thinking, and attention span,” according to Science Times.

Verry, who is co-president of the 1440 volunteering club, sees community-building as one of the most important benefits of learning a language from her time working at a nursing home.

“The importance of learning a language is not only to benefit you … but it’s also to benefit other people and can make sure they feel comfortable in the environment that they’re in,” Verry said. “Learning a language makes the community more tight-knit as more people can converse with each other.”

The learning process is a long journey. New vocabulary, grammatical systems and pronunciation pose obstacles for those looking to become fluent. However, Gwenigale believes the end result of learning a language is worth it. “[We] really want students to embrace the idea of learning a language as a gift, and not as just a check-the-box [to get out of college language classes],” Gwenigale said. “When we teach language, we’re not just teaching you how to communicate, but we’re also teaching you the culture. We’re teaching you how to be accepting of differences: different identities, different cultures, different ideas, and understand different perspectives.”

If you have taken/are taking a world language at West, how confident are you in your abilities on a scale from 1 (least) to 5 (most)?

10.5% - 1 21.1% - 2 38.2% - 3 25.0% - 4 5.3% - 5 *out of 76 students surveyed

Language Path 1

Level I Provides foundational knowledge with an emphasis on grammar and vocabulary usage. Topics covered include greetings and conversation, foods, numbers, weather and culture.

2

Level II

3

Level III

4

Level IV

5

6

Builds on Level I and expands knowledge of culture through everyday situations. Topic areas include conversational phrases, cultural studies, and grammatical structures.

Includes comprehensive expansion of vocabulary, proficiency of the language and understanding of the cultures.

Students are exposed to literature, history and culture and increase their vocabulary through authentic sources while using previously-learned grammar to converse on the spot.

Advanced Placement

Students continue to improve foundational skills. This class prepares students for the AP exam and includes discussion of contemporary issues and interaction with authentic texts and media.

Level V (Seal of Biliteracy)

A continuation of learning after AP or Level IV, focusing on advanced reading and writing. The course prepares students to apply for the Seal.

FEATURE JAN. 21, 2022

15

N O E Y H R A E V S E A STORY

BY ZAIRA AHMAD

The world is a big, blank book, waiting to be written in. We all add little stories and footnotes as we walk through life — here are a few that WSS collected.

MORE THAN A NAME

S

erafim Surguladze: a name that stands out.

Seh·ruh·fim Sur·goo·lad·zay Names can often reveal a lot about a person, including their heritage, familial connections and history. Freshman Serafim Surguladze’s name holds a specific cultural meaning.

“My name is kind of confusing,” Surguladze said. “Some people just look at it and say ‘Really?

What? Where’s that from?’”

Surguladze’s name “Serafim” can be traced back to his place of birth: Moscow, Russia. He was named after the Russian saint, Seraphim of Sarov. Although Surguladze’s name has Russian origins, he comes from a multicultural home, with his dad being Georgian and his mom being Ukrainian.

At the age of 2, Surguladze moved from Russia

16 PROFILES JAN. 21, 2022

61

to Iowa. He continues to speak Russian at home while living in America.

Surguladze’s name is not the only thing that defines him; one major part of his life is playing football. For some, football is just a sport — people running around, tackling each other. For Surguladze, it has been a source of growth and learning.

He first connected with the sport when he watched the Carolina Panthers play against the Denver Broncos at a friend’s house.

“Ever since I watched [that game], I just always wanted to be a football player.”

As he watches each game, he remembers what the sport is all about.

“I love seeing [the Panthers] play,” Surguladze said. “Sometimes they lose, but everyone loses in life.”

Now, he plays for the junior varsity football team at West and hopes to continue playing in the future.

“I want to keep playing, trying to get better and better every single day.”

MIXING CULTURES

M

oving is never easy, especially when it is from a different country. Learning the customs and culture of a new place can prove to be a challenge, but one can often learn a lot about themselves through the process. For Layan Ahmed ’25, this was the case.

Ahmed moved to Iowa from Saudi Arabia when she was 6 years old.

“It was a really long process,” Ahmed said, “but I think it was definitely rewarding.”

Iowa was a completely different world from what Ahmed had experienced in Saudi Arabia.

While her city was tall buildings and urban landscapes, Iowa was small towns and cornfields.

Ahmed mainly learned about the differences between the two countries while in school.

“I think Islam was very ingrained into the culture [in Saudi Arabia] … You have to wear a uniform and be modest in what you wear and cover [your] hair, even when you’re young,” Ahmed said. “It was a little unusual for me seeing that people were wearing clothes different from the culture that I came from.”

During her time in Iowa, Ahmed has faced

METAL MUSIC MAGIC

T

o some, metal music is just screaming, loud noises with no real meaning, but to Lucy Abbas ’25, it is part of who they are.

Abbas defines themself as an avid metalhead.

At school, they walk down the hallway: funky turquoise hair, combat boots, battle vest and all.

They first found their love for music when listening to the band Rage Against the Machine on their dad’s CD. “That was my favorite music, and then I got older, grew out of it, then it was Taylor Swift all the way,” Abbas said. “Then in fourth grade, I started listening to that music again. It started with Twenty One Pilots, My Chemical Romance. And then over the years, it’s just gotten heavier and heavier.”

The stigma around metal music is something Abbas has noted over the years. Some may not be impressed by the genre, but Abbas values the technicality of the skill required to perform it.

For example, Abbas admires the metal scream — a loud sound, similar to a growl — that can be done in one long cry or many short bursts. They can sometimes even take up entire melodies.

“People think that metal screaming doesn’t take talent, but in reality, it could damage your vocal cords and make it so you never talk again,” Abbas said. “All the musicians take over 10 years just to learn how to scream.”

challenges as a Muslim student. She has often been put in uncomfortable situations when the topic of food comes up.

“In elementary school, there’d be a lot of celebrations with food,” Ahmed said. “A lot of the food had pork gelatin, so I was put in this awkward position where I couldn’t really participate with my classmates.”

Wearing modest clothes is also a fundamental part of Ahmed’s culture. As a volleyball player, she has noticed that the clothes do not follow these cultural values.

“I feel like I wear mostly modest clothing, and being in volleyball, that’s not really possible,” Ahmed said. “I felt like it was kind of hard navigating what I wanted to wear, what I couldn’t wear and what I could.”

Throughout her journey living in America, Ahmed has learned and reflected upon her beliefs and how her two cultures intertwine.

“My religion, my ethnicity and my culture are definitely a big part of my identity,” Ahmed said.

“I’ve learned that it’s okay to mix both parts of your home life and your school life. I’ve also learned to respect both cultures and kind of take parts from each to form my identity.”

The music that surrounds Abbas also impacts how they dress. They would describe their style as punk, which is usually DIY. One example of this style of clothing is the Battle Vest, which is extremely popular in metalhead and punk cultures. Battle Vests are usually sleeveless denim or leather jackets, they consist of many unwritten rules; typically, the patches you put on them should be homemade.

“I took the sleeves off [the jacket] and hand spiked all of it. All the patches are going to be handmade. I’ll take a shirt, cut out some fabric [and] paint it with acrylic paint.”

Creating outfits every morning is one thing Abbas looks forward to every day.

“The best thing is picking out my outfit. As someone who has an extreme style, something I do collect is clothes and shirts and stuff. It’s one of my things,” Abbas said. “I get to look at my closet and choose what I want to wear, and then I get to do my whole makeup look corresponding [to] it.”

While Abbas feels many at West may define their style as unconventional, Abbas believes that being themself is an essential value in their life.

“After getting beaten down so many times, I remain to be who I am and decide how to live my own life.”

PHOTOS BY CLAY BOPP & SACHIKO GOTO ART & DESIGN BY SILA DURAN PROFILES JAN. 21, 2022

17

BY MISHKA MOHAMED NOUR PHOTOS BY SOPHIE RICHARDSON DESIGN BY MISHKA MOHAMED NOUR

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE Coming from Chicago schools to West High in 2019, Paraeducator Donald Doyle has made an impact at West ever since, inspiring students and starting the hip-hop club.

18 PROFILES

JAN 21, 2022

F

requent greetings, from waves to friendly “Hello’s,” are a common thing students experience once they get to know a staff member at the school. However, once a student gets to know paraeducator Donald Doyle, frequent check-ins on life are what they get used to.

“My whole purpose in life is to spread love, to encourage, to motivate. To bring the best out of people,” Doyle said.

Born and raised in Chicago, Doyle’s high school experience was unique. After losing interest in traditional learning at an all-boys Catholic school, Doyle asked his mom to go to Dunbar Vocational High School, where he tried a variety of skills, specializing in communication and graphic art. Doyle then started working in a music studio, and that is when his love for music developed.

“I like to take the different elements of music, I like to bring everything together to make one sound,” Doyle said.

After that, he had a lot of different jobs, from security positions to selling cars.

“All of this is a reflection of me not continuing my education — for me to be bouncing from job to job to job — because if I had educated myself on something that I can make a career out of, I wouldn’t have had to do that,” Doyle said.

Doyle volunteered at a school program called Safe Passage to help schools ensure the safety of their students at high-crime corners. His volunteer work later became a job, and it sparked his passion for working with students. The road then led him to Iowa City to become a paraeducator.

For Doyle, a paraeducator position is more than just an educator; it is a mentor, a friend, and a role model.

“It’s like being a parent, I mean, me working with the school is like being a parent,” Doyle said. “I don’t look at you as students; I look at you as my kids.”

Paraeducators are assigned to a specific student to accompany throughout the school day to help them with classes.

“As a child, I didn’t have that. We didn’t have paraeducators, and we didn’t have mentors in a school,” Doyle said.

Doyle became a paraeducator at West High in 2019 because of his goal to become a guide for the students.

“I noticed that working in Safe Passage, I saw that students needed someone to connect to. I also realized that from my own personal experiences and when I did some of the things that they can connect and identify with,” Doyle said.

However, he views his job not as just a guide at school, but a guide in life.

“You spend eight hours with me a day; you see me more than you see your own parents, so why can’t I be more nurturing, as well as motivating, to you?” Doyle said. “Why can’t I be the one that not only helps educate you, but motivates you and lets you know ‘Hey you are cared for, you are loved’?”

Students that have interacted with Doyle can attest to his philosophy.

“He is easy to talk to,” said Mo Abdalla ’24.

“When I just need some advice in general, he could be there on my mind.”

Doyle does not just stop at helping one student; he helps every student he sees struggling, and he does not just check on school work, he checks on how they are doing in life.

“He really cares, he just really cares about what he does.He cares about kids. He cares about having an impact,” said English teacher Kerri Barnhouse.

His experience from Chicago influenced how he interacts with students.

“There are times where in Chicago I’ve lost students because of the violence. And so that’s

“ WHY CAN ’T I BE TH E ON E THAT NOT ON LY H E LPS E DUCATE YOU, BUT MOTIVATES YOU AN D LETS YOU KNOW ‘ H EY YOU AR E CAR E D FOR , YOU AR E LOVE D.” - DONALD DOYLE, PARAEDUCATO R when crisis prevention comes in,” Doyle said.

For that reason, Doyle had decided to start Hip-Hop Club at West High this year with assistance from Barnhouse as the sponsor and music teacher David Haas.

“I started [the hip-hop club] to create a bridge of communication in regards to mental awareness, mental health, giving the kids the opportunity to be heard and not judged,” Doyle said.

The club is meant to assist students interested in hip-hop learn more about the industry and have the opportunity to produce their own music within the genre.

“I wanted something involving music because I like writing lyrics. All the other clubs just didn’t

strike a nerve for me … ’til I saw a hip-hop club,” Abdalla, a member of the club, said.

Doyle’s passion for music inspired the students that he works with to join the club.

“A couple of kids came to the hip-hop club that didn’t know a lot about hip hop but they came because of him,” Barnhouse said. “I remember one girl saying, ‘Well, Don loves it, and I loved Don, and so that’s why I’m here.’”

Regardless of the club size, Doyle is giving it his all.

“He could have one person in this club, and that would be enough for him, he shows up every day for that club so committed and so prepared,” Barnhouse said.

Recently, the club hosted a guest speaker from Chicago, Anthony Jordan, a self-made entrepreneur in artist management with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry.

He spoke for a while about the work he does with artists and companies along with why he is doing it. Students then later got the chance to ask him for advice on where to start, how to improve and what it takes to get into the industry.

Doyle hopes for the club to grow over time and to become a space that students find comfort in. “Hopefully we can get this documented to where it can be pushed to the point where hiphop can be a class as an elective. I feel it would be imperative to teach what hip-hop is about, versus just let them get out there say and do whatever it is that they do,” Doyle said.

When conflicts arise between students and their peers or teacher, Doyle prefers to step in because he believes he can be the middle ground that connects both sides.

“I’m not going to take the teacher’s side; I’m not going to take your side, because I was raised by three sides to every story: your side, his side and then there’s the truth,” Doyle said.

He keeps that in mind while roaming the halls to see how students are doing and how he can help.

“You definitely need somebody to talk to you.

Your parents are not going to stand up because your parents are not in the school, seeing how you interacted with that individual, but I will because I saw it,” Doyle said.

However Doyle doesn’t do what he does because of his job, he does it because he was raised that way.

“My mama never told me to look down on people,” Doyle said. “The only time I look down on them is when I am reaching my hand to help them.”

Doyle always provides advice for those he encounters and encourages them to neither question themselves nor give up.

“I’ve always looked at myself as a messenger,” Doyle said. ”If I can deliver a good thought in a good direction to a person, I’ve done my job for the day.”

PROFILES JAN 21, 2022

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20 ADS

JAN. 21 2022

ADS JAN. 21 2022

21

WE ARE THE BSU Following the Nov. 8 BLM protest, students took the lead in reestablishing West High’s Black Student Union.

BY RUBA AHMED-ABDELMUTALAB & KATHERINE SHOPPA PHOTO EDITING BY SACHIKO GOTO & CAROLINE MASCARDO PHOTOS & DESIGN BY SACHIKO GOTO

R

ipping out pages from her notebook in the Little Theatre, Nisreen Elgaali ’22 decided it was time to turn students’ words and emotions into action. Following a meeting with West administration that many students felt was going nowhere, Bernadetta Kariuki ’22 recalls sitting beside Elgaali in confusion.

“I asked her what she was doing, and she told me that she wanted to protest around the school and just have people write on [the papers],” Kariuki said. “So we went back to the Little Theatre and we started writing.”

Shortly after, Annie Gudenkauf, West High’s Student Family Advocate, brought them more materials to use. Once the posters were complete, Elgaali stood outside the Little Theatre to pass them out. Soon, students raised their handmade signs, sparking the protest that would soon ignite the recreation of West’s Black Student Union.

FORMING THE BSU

T

he BSU leaders, including Co-President Maria Kazembe ’22, stress its necessity at West High.

“I felt that a lot of us felt like we had no control or no power, and so by establishing the BSU, we were like, ‘Okay, well, obviously, we can’t rely on the people to give us power, so we’re going to empower ourselves,’” Kazembe said.

After a video of a student making threatening, racist remarks surfaced on social media, West High administration held a meeting in the Little Theatre the following Monday, Nov. 8, to provide a “safe space to discuss and process the harm this has caused,” according to a schoolwide email sent out the Sunday before. However, for students like Rawan Babiker ’25, the meeting was not enough.

“It got to a point where people had to physically show their anger and how frustrated they were and take matters into their own hands,” Babiker said.

After Co-President Elgaali initiated the poster-making and protesting, the group grew. With posters ready, they began marching around the school, shouting “Black Lives Matter” and calling for justice. The group of students continued to grow as they marched through the school, went to the front lawn and made their way to the cafeteria during A Lunch. They used lunch tables as their stage and made their voices heard.

BSU’s Athletic Affairs Advisor Talyia Ochola ’22 describes how she felt throughout the march.

“It was empowering, walking around and knowing that people had to be hearing us. Even if they were ignoring us, they had to [hear us] because we were all right there,” Ochola said. “[People] could no longer say, ‘We didn’t know what’s happening. We don’t know what’s going on. You guys aren’t actually being targeted or anything,’ when we all get together and show

how many people are actually affected and hurt by these things.”

After gathering in the cafeteria, the protesters met in the Little Theatre again for B Lunch. The congregation of Black students in the school for the protest created a sense of unity that Kariuki, Social Media Coordinator of the BSU, had not experienced before.

“That was like the first time I actually felt unified in this school because I’ve never really felt connected … to other students,” Kariuki said. “I was just really proud of us.”

After the protests, members of the ICCSD Equity Board met with the students in the Little Theatre to listen to their experiences. Hearing these testimonies made the soon-to-be BSU leaders realize there was more to be done. Kazembe brought up the idea of reforming the BSU, and she and Elgaali, along with Kariuki and Ochola, united to take action.

“I guess we were all just filled with emotion.

We actually realized things need to change at that moment and the only way that it’s going to change is if we continue to do things like protest and use our voice, and we can’t just leave it up to the administration and going to our teachers,” Kariuki said. “We have to do something ourselves as a student-led organization.”

Throughout the day, some students viewed the protest in a negative light. Fights broke out that afternoon, leading to rumors linking them to the protest. However, these conflicts were unrelated to the protest.

“None of us were violent, and I think that sometimes, yes, it was a little bit disruptive, but has our learning not also been disrupted?” Kazembe said. “Through threats in the hallways, online — it doesn’t matter where Black students go, we are always just being threatened.”

Shortly after the first November protest, the four leaders took their work and ideas and met with the West High administration. They laid

“TH E BSU I S FOR EVE RYBODY WHO SU PPORTS BLACK STU DE NTS, [AN D] NOT ON LY J UST BLACK STU DE NTS, BUT QU E E R BLACK STU DE NTS, M USLI M BLACK STU DE NTS, ASIAN BLACK STU DE NTS.” - N ISREEN ELGAALI ’22

WHAT IS A BLACK STUDENT UNION? A Black Student Union is an on-campus social action group intended to combat racism on school campuses and provide a space for Black students to enjoy the Black experience.

Source: Ibram X. Kendi, West BSU Leadership

America’s first-ever BSU was founded in 1966 at San Francisco State University by student Jimmy Garrett as a part of the Black Campus Movement.

Source: Ibram X. Kendi, San Francisco State University

The term “Black Student Union” was coined by SF State student Tricia Navara to unite a broad base of Black students in a political, social and cultural organization.

Source: Ibram X. Kendi

WEST HIGH BSU’S CONTACT INFO:

SCAN THE QR CODE TO VISIT THE WEST HIGH BSU’S INSTAGRAM PAGE, @ICWESTBSU. Learn about Black history, how to be an ally, current events and more.

Stay updated about BSU meetings and events.

You can also reach out to the BSU at icwestbsu@gmail.com.

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD:

out expectations regarding meetings and communication with administrators and connected with other community members, such as the Northwest Junior High BSU adviser, Taylor Scudder.

WHAT IS THE BSU?

T Maria Kazembe ‘22 (she/her): Founder, copresident, biracial & LGBTQ+ representative

Nisreen Elgaali ‘22 (she/her): Co-president, Sudanese/Middle Eastern & Muslim representative

Bernadetta Kariuki ‘22 (she/her): Social media coordinator, graphic designer, East African representative

Talyia Ochola ‘22 (she/her): Athletic affairs advisor, African & Black American representative

he first BSU was founded in 1966 at San Francisco State University as a part of the Black Campus Movement aiming to reform higher education. Eventually, their mission shifted towards a common goal for all Black Student Unions: to unify and empower Black students in the struggle for equality. Elgaali believes that even though progress towards equality has been made, a BSU continues to be crucial today in fighting back as people become confident in their ignorance.

“Just because Jim Crow is not a thing anymore, just because the things that used to be in our faces aren’t in our faces anymore and it’s just hidden systemically, doesn’t mean that things got all the way better,” Elgaali said.

West High had a BSU last year, which held meetings online due to COVID-19. Former social studies teacher Amira Nash was the adviser.

However, once Nash left for a job at the University of Iowa, the BSU disbanded. Now, the newly reestablished BSU operates differently than last year’s — meetings are in person and student-led.

“I think it was a student effort,” said Assistant Principal Maureen Head. “They just told us, ‘This is something that we need to feel supported, and this is something that we need as Black students at West.’”

Part of the BSU’s purpose is to create a support system for Black students in the form of meetings where they can be around each other and feel like themselves. This is why some meetings are for Black students only while some welcome allies.

The first BSU meeting occurred during AFT in the Little Theatre Nov. 19. After the meeting, some BSU members participated in a district-wide walkout to the Pentacrest, marching and chanting with posters to raise awareness about racism in the district. Prior to the walkout, West administration sent an email to staff and parents expressing their support of students’ right to protest and use their voices.

The BSU’s next meeting was dedicated to mental health. The meeting was for Black students only where they watched Netflix, had snacks, made bracelets and played card games. There was also a restorative justice circle for anyone who wanted to talk about the events happening at school and to have a support system in pro-

cessing them. Kazembe feels this meeting created a necessary place for students to just be kids.

“It’s sad they have to look for places to just be themselves, but I’m happy that I can see people who I have never seen smile before, smile … I can see people that I’ve never seen genuinely laugh, laugh,” Kazembe said. “I’m just so happy that they have a place to be their true, authentic selves.”

The BSU is meant to be a safe space for Black students of all different identities and embraces that being Black does not have a definite “look.”

“The BSU is for everybody who supports Black students, [and] not only just Black students, but queer Black students, Muslim Black students, Asian Black students,” Elgaali said. “There’s so many intersectionalities that go into [being Black].”

Along with providing a sense of community, the BSU is advocating for Black students within the district. Through the formative process, the BSU continues to meet with administration as well as attend school board meetings. Often, board members or workers in the district will ask the leaders for clear examples of things students have experienced to gauge the problems and better formulate solutions. To do this, the leaders share students’ testimonies with permission.

Kariuki wants people to know the BSU strives to make a difference and acknowledges part of that may have to be through making some noise.

“We’re here to peacefully make a difference,” Kariuki said. “We’ve never ever tried to do anything violent, and we’ve never purposely tried to upset anybody, but we also know that upsetting people is the way that we’re gonna get change.”

Part of the BSU’s advocacy for change is done through protests such as the walkout. It saddens Kariuki to hear about peers who feel the protests are only a disturbance.

“I feel like the reason why they also feel [protests are disruptive] is just because the school has done such a poor job of being transparent with the problems within West,” Kariuki said.

“I wouldn’t necessarily just blame them, but also encourage them to try and understand why we’ve done stuff like that.”

Elgaali agrees that administration has not been transparent. However, she believes there has been improvement since the BSU began meeting with administrators.

Through protests and meetings, the BSU leaders hope to raise awareness for racial injustices students are not aware of.

“A big thing is awareness, because I know I’ve heard so many [white] people say ‘That doesn’t actually happen,’ so it’s like, ‘Yeah, it doesn’t hap-

Students at a district-wide BLM protest in downtown Iowa City on Nov. 19.

pen to you,’” Ochola said. “Some people are still just going to want to live in ignorance to ignore the fact that they are the problem.”

PATHWAY HURDLES

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efore starting the BSU or even initiating the protest, the BSU leaders faced their own share of racism throughout their high school years.

“It’s not exactly what people say directly to you, but it’s just the way that people look at you or people treat you [though] they might not understand that they’re doing it intentionally,” Kariuki said. “I feel like for the first few days that you’re in an AP class, you just have to really measure up to your classmates and measure up to your teacher’s expectations.”

Elgaali believes the social culture of microaggressions, along with systemic issues, have led to different high school experiences based on race.

She sees the negative mental and educational impacts these can have on students of color.

“It makes it a lot harder for students to learn when their own teachers don’t believe in them and say things like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna end up working at McDonald’s when you grow up,’” Elgaali said. “It also just causes pressure on Black students to conform to the stereotypes that are in our school.”

Head, class of 2000 West graduate and person of color, understands the need for students of color to sometimes disrupt the learning environment.

“It’s hard being a student of color in an institution that historically has marginalized them before,” Head said.

As Black students at West High, there are many challenges that come at the expense of their education. Principal Mitch Gross assures that the administration does its best to address racially-motivated actions, although they cannot give details on these occurrences. This is because every administrator is bound by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. “[FERPA] prohibits us from talking about specific disciplines. It prohibits us from talking about specific students who have done things,” Gross said.

However, the lack of transparency the law requires can be frustrating for many students. “[Those affected] won’t be able to reach peace; they won’t be able to come to their senses about what happens and they won’t feel as if they’re being comforted at all,” Ochola said.

These feelings of dismissal from administrators can be attributed partially to the difficulties the BSU faced in securing a Friday AFT meeting time. With the required district-wide social-emotional learning lessons taking place during that time, it was difficult to schedule Friday meetings. According to Elgaali, the administration also initially restricted them to one meeting per month, but after some discussion, a weekly meeting time and place were established.

Along with establishment challenges, the BSU leaders have also faced backlash. Ochola has received anonymous death threats via social me-

dia and feels unsafe because of them.

“I think safety is a really big [concern] because we’re not only worried for ourselves, but also … we’re worried for our members,” Ochola said.

“We want them to have that space — to talk and share their testimonies and everything like that — but ensuring that they know the possible backlash that could happen with that is tough.”

Elgaali also received social media threats, which went as far as telling her they would kill or hang the BSU leaders. The school alerted the Iowa City Police Department, or the ICPD, and an incident report was filed Nov. 12. According to Elgaali, she left voicemails for an officer to follow up on the investigation, but those messages went unreturned. The WSS reached out to the ICPD and the officer. As of press time, the officer did not respond, but an ICPD representative wrote in an email, “The ICPD is not always able to speak on the details of an investigation and we cannot disclose the identities of juveniles involved in an investigation whether they are the victim, witness, or suspect … The ICPD always has the safety of students and the community as a top priority and investigates all reports made to us with the spirit of serving and protecting victims of crime.”

With the publicity of the protest and BSU formation, the BSU leaders found themselves and their efforts placed under a spotlight, with many news organizations reaching out about interviews and teachers pressuring Black students about whether they will protest during class.

Although Kariuki feels a significant amount of

Students hold signs created by the BSU to stand in solidarity with their movement. pressure from the attention the BSU receives, she believes it is worth it to continue to work towards their goals.

“Some of it just becomes a little bit nerve-wracking, but we understand that we’re doing something that’s very important, and it’s okay to be nervous,” Kariuki said.

These factors, as well as the struggles that Black students face on a day-to-day basis, can take a toll on their mental health.

“I think, quite frankly, it’s been exhausting for a lot of the kids involved, plus just the exhaustion of going through the school experience as a student of color,” Head said. “I think the most important thing to keep in mind is we all want the same thing.”

With these challenges, having supportive teachers and allies in the school is increasingly important to BSU members.

STANDING WITH THE BSU

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fter the video surfaced and the protest occurred, it was difficult for some to return to the mindset needed for classes due to their mental well-being and discomfort around certain teachers and students. Kariuki feels teachers were more focused on the fact that students had missed their classes than supporting students’ efforts and checking in on their mental health.

“Sometimes you have to put school as a second priority, and coming back to school where teachers are not supportive and they’re just kind of taking it personally really does make it harder for us to do things that we need to do,” Kariuki said. “Teachers offering that space and letting you know that they’re on your side and just also respecting boundaries — that would really help.”

Some of the best ways the leaders believe teachers can support their Black students and show that their classroom is a safe space is to show solidarity by putting up the “Black stu-

dents are not targets” signs or the sign on the inside cover of this issue on their classroom door.

The BSU leaders believe teachers should reach out to Black students and be understanding when students miss classes for protests. Kariuki also hopes they will not fall into the mindset that protests of this nature are excessive or of disturbance.

“When I hear that [teachers are] just saying it’s a disruption, they’re really just skimming the surface of everything, and they’re not even digging deeper to what we’re saying,” Kariuki said.

“It kind of just seems like they’re purposely ignoring us.”

The leaders also encourage teachers to share information directly or open a space for BSU members to talk about upcoming protests and meetings. Sharing information and spreading the message of the BSU is something that not only teachers can do but so can students. The leaders encourage raising awareness and promoting the BSU by following their social media account on Instagram, @icwestbsu, and sharing their posts. Anyone can be involved in the movement regardless of race, and allies are appreciated. Babiker emphasizes the importance of not letting racism slip by, especially in the presence of peers.

“Check your friends as a white ally,” Babiker

said. “You have to check your friends and tell them it’s not okay to say racist stuff [including] stereotypes [and] colorism … don’t let them get away with it.”

Along with actively standing up against racism, Kazembe feels that just checking in on Black friends, especially in the light of recent racist events, can go a long way.

“I think it’d be really good for everybody to check in on their Black friends because our mental health has not been considered in the past,” Kazembe said. “It shows a lot of your character if you’re gonna reach out to individuals who have been hurting.”

One of the biggest goals of the BSU is changing the social culture surrounding race in school, the tolerance of racism by individuals, and the internal biases that some staff members have.

A big part of this, Kariuki describes, is better equipping teachers with more knowledge regarding race.

“Part of it too is implementing teacher training and racial sensitivity and just learning about that, which they already have, but it isn’t enforced well enough, which is why there are still problems,” Kariuki said.

Head recognizes that a big part of creating change will be in training and creating cultur-

“ I WANT TO SE E ACTION TAKE N , AN D WE WANT TO MAKE SU R E THAT ALL SCHOOLS, NOT ON LY WEST H IG H , AR E ACTUALLY A SAFE PLACE FOR BLACK STU DE NTS.” -TALYIA OCHOLA ’22

“ WE AR E H E R E TO MAKE CHANG E , AN D WE’ R E NOT GOI NG TO STOP U NTI L WE G ET THAT CHANG E .”

- MARIA KAZEM BE ’22 ally responsive educators, which has been something the administration had been working on before the protests. However, an obstacle to this is Iowa Law HF-802, which prevents staff from receiving certain implicit bias training they have had in the past.

Another of Ochola’s goals for the BSU is to implement more definitive and specific disciplinary actions for racism. Just like if a student uses their phone three times in class, it gets taken away, there should be a standard set of consequences for each incident of racism. She hopes this will help secure a more safe school environment.

According to Gross, the school follows certain disciplinary actions based on a handbook entitled “Disciplinary Protocols and Procedures,” which contains instructions and consequences based on the issue. This document can be found on the ICCSD website.

“We’re a serious organization and we want to take action. I want to see action taken, and we want to make sure that all schools, not only West High, are actually a safe place for Black students, and it actually does promote equality and doesn’t stand for racism,” Ochola said.

One of the ways the BSU is working to ensure that West High is a safe and receptive environment for Black students is by working with other schools in the area. The BSU leaders hope to inspire other Black students beyond West High and across the district to start or continue their

own BSU. They have gone to Northwest Junior High to connect with the Black students and their BSU as well as Liberty High and City High to help them start or restart their own BSU. They are also working to connect their BSU members to older role models which they can draw their own inspiration from, like students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“We kind of just thought of it as a large scope of just doing stuff for racial injustice for Black people everywhere and for future generations that are gonna come to West,” Kariuki said. “It further inspires us to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Elgaali is passionate about the work the BSU is doing and emphasizes how important the community has been for her.

“The BSU means the world to me,” Elgaali said.

“I feel like with the BSU I have been able to help and reach out to the most students I’ve ever been able to throughout my high school career.”

Looking towards the future, Kazembe is determined that the BSU will always be present to provide Black students a platform to speak and not be judged for who they are and the experiences that they’ve had.

“I want them to know that we are 100% here for them. This is not a show. This is gonna be here tomorrow. It’s gonna be here the next day.

It’s gonna be here in a month, next year, we’re still going to be here,” Kazembe said. “We are here to make change, and we’re not going to stop until we get that change.”

WEST BSU INFORMATION: WHAT ARE WEST BSU’S GOALS? The West BSU advocates for the needs of Black students both across the ICCSD and specifically at West High.

WHEN AND WHERE ARE WEST BSU MEETINGS? Meetings are Fridays during AFT in the Little Theatre.

Some meetings will be available to students of all races, but a majority will be for Black students only. Allies will be notified when meetings are open to them.

WHAT HAPPENS AT WEST BSU MEETINGS? Meetings will serve as a space where Black students can have fun without judgement and organize and engage in activism.

Black students participate in conversations they may not be able to have elsewhere.

Source: West Black Student Union application form

*Tear out the inside cover of this issue to use as a poster to display in your classroom and show your support for Black students.

Students at a BSU meeting Dec. 10 in the Little Theatre.

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO APPLY TO JOIN WEST HIGH’S BSU. NEW MEMBERS CAN STILL APPLY.

28 ADS

JAN. 21 2022

ADS JAN. 21 2022

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EQUAL FOOTING West High athletes reflect on the underappreciation and oversexualization of girls sports and how they impact athletes’ performance.

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JAN. 21, 2022

BY HEIDI DU, KRISHA KAPOOR & LILY PROCHASKA PHOTOS BY OWEN AANESTAD, IJIN SHIM & ALYSSA SKALA DESIGN BY DEFNE BAYMAN

I

t is the final meet of the season — hundreds of hours dedicated to a three-minute race that determines whether her team takes home the state title. A disqualification in the form of a false start or a botched relay exchange looms in the back of her mind, but she is confident in her team’s training and focus. Little does she know, one of the only things that could stop her is out of her control: the way her swimsuit fits her body.

TROUBLED WATERS

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t the Mississippi Valley regionals swim meet Nov. 6, an official approached a West varsity swimmer and asked her to pull down her swimsuit because it revealed too much of her body.

“A swimmer told [the official] that it’s just her build, that’s how her body looks,” said varsity swimmer Olivia Taeger ’22. “The official continued to stand there and essentially harass her because the fact that her swimsuit fit her like that was making the official uncomfortable.”

According to the Swimming Officials’ Guidelines Manual, which the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union follows, officials are allowed to disqualify swimmers if their swimsuit is deemed “non-compliant.” The manual reads, “Bring non‐compliant suit coverage violation to the attention of the coach. The competitor or coach may be notified of suit construction violations.

Coaches should be reminded of what is not permitted to be worn or displayed during competition.” The manual does not specify further on the topic of uniform regulation.

Ella Hochstetler ’22, a swimmer also present at the regional meet, noticed that the vagueness of this rule allows for officials to abuse their power.

“There’s no measurements or anything,” Hochstetler said. “It’s completely subjective to each official, and they can be as loose or as tight [with the rule] as they want to.”

Hochstetler believes swimmers have no control over situations involving suit infractions.

Additionally, a disagreement with an official can put a swimmer’s career at risk.

“You also don’t want to get into conflict with an official because if you do, that can impact the rest of your season,” Hochstetler said. “If they disqualify you, or if you get in trouble somehow with the state, it’s really not a good thing. There’s not really that much power we have on that sort of thing.”

While the swimmer was not disqualified, Taeger started a petition on Change.org to remove the coverage rule after the incident at the regional meet.

“All people are built differently. Your body shouldn’t prevent you from being able to swim

a legal race,” Taeger said.

She hopes the petition will spread awareness of the situation and bring about the manual revision.

“I just don’t want other female swimmers to feel the discomfort that I felt from being on the pool deck, because you should be able to race and have fun and not worry about how you’re looking,” Taeger said.

“ YOU R BODY SHOU LDN ’T PR EVE NT YOU FROM BE I NG ABLE TO SWI M A LEGAL R ACE .”

- OLIVIA TAEGER ‘22 ATHLETES, NOT OBJECTS

S

port appeal, not sex appeal.” This was the mantra Olympic broadcasters used at the 2021 Tokyo Games to prohibit sexualized media of female athletes at the Olympics. According to the Portrayal Guidelines issued by the International Olympic Committee in July 2021, news companies should refrain from “focusing unnecessarily on looks, clothing or intimate body parts,” while “respecting the integrity of the athlete.”

Volleyball player Sydney Woods ’22 believes the traditional cut of women’s sports uniforms leads to the sexualization of female athletes.

“I think a lot of girls’ sports are very sexualized, especially the uniforms, like swimming, gymnastics, dance and volleyball,” Woods said.

“I feel like that’s just how those sports are made.

So whenever people think of volleyball, they think of our bodies because we wear short, tight shorts.”

While at school or cheering at football games, cheerleader Alexa King ’23 has also experienced the effects of the cut of her uniform.

“People at school just stare at us because of our uniforms, especially [our] skirts that are really short,” King said. “It’s very uncomfortable.”

Tatiana Schmidt ’23, who has danced at a competitive level for eight years, has noticed the revealing nature of dance costumes starts early.

“I feel like the appropriateness of costumes is

just kind of stagnant, so little kids will often wear scandalous costumes,” Schmidt said. “There probably are some [adults] that are uncomfortable with the costumes. I feel like you shouldn’t really be thinking about children in that way though.”

In January 2019, UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi scored a perfect 10 floor routine that soon went viral on the Internet, with the video of her performance drawing over 44 million views on Twitter. However, a portion of the comments surrounding the videos were negative ones directed toward Ohashi’s body rather than her skills. Competitive gymnast Bailey Libby ’22 has experienced objectification while training at her gymnastics club.

“I used to train with the boys [gymnastics team], and they would stare at our bodies all the time [and] make comments about what we’re wearing because we train in sports bras,” Libby said. “They made it very uncomfortable to train and feel like yourself in your body.”

Cross country and track athlete Erinn Varga ’24 has also experienced this double standard.

During a run on Camp Cardinal, the girls cross country team was whistled at while training in sports bras.

“It’s so normalized in our culture that [the boys team] can take off their shirts, [but] we’re automatically seen as an object for taking off our shirts,” Varga said.

Athletes have protested the historical precedent of sexualized uniforms at the professional level. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Germany’s female gymnasts protested the sexualization of women’s uniforms by wearing full-body unitards instead of the common bikini-cut leotards.

However, there were consequences for breaking the rule manual. In November, at the European Beach Handball Championships, the European Handball Federation fined each member of Norway’s women’s team 150 euros for wearing shorts instead of the required bikini bottoms.

Taeger believes the way uniforms fit athletes’ bodies leads to the invalidation of athletic ability.

“Oversexualization happens a lot in swimming … and a lot of it just pertains to how girls’ uniforms fit their bodies,” Taeger said, “and I think a lot of the audience of the sports aren’t as interested in how [athletes] actually perform, but SPORTS JAN. 21, 2022

31

how they look while they perform it.”

Wrestler Jannell Avila ’23 agrees that an athlete’s success should be recognized rather than their appearance.

“Women’s wrestlers wrestle because they enjoy the sport, and people should recognize them for the success they’re having instead of the way they look while doing it,” Avila said.

At the girls swimming regional meet, the effects of this rhetoric were made clear.

“This girl’s amazing swim that had a seeded top three in the state didn’t matter anymore because the only thing that mattered was her body,” Taeger said.

“ WH E N EVE R PEOPLE TH I N K OF VOLLEYBALL , TH EY TH I N K OF OU R BODI ES BECAUSE WE WEAR SHORT, TIG HT SHORTS.” -SYDN EY WOODS ’22 UNBALANCED

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omen’s sports have historically been less prioritized compared to men’s sports in the media. According to a Purdue University study in 2019, researchers found that 95% of total television coverage focuses on men’s sports.

At the professional level, media coverage is one of the largest forms of revenue and resources for athletics. Libby believes the viewership of some womens sports is not maximized.

“I do think [gymnastics] is underappreciated, mostly because it’s not marketed very well,” Libby said. “It’s not ever really on TV. The only time it’s on TV is the Olympics and that’s only every four years. If your university or your club is go-

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JAN. 21, 2022

ing to market you well, then appreciation might go up.”

As a varsity basketball player, Zola Gross ’23 notices the difference between support for girls and boys sports at West.

“At the girls boys doubleheader, there’s no one there for the girls game, and as soon as the boys game starts, the stands start packing up,” Gross said.

This lack of coverage can have an ongoing impact on women’s athletics.

“It’s an endless cycle,” Gross said. “If you aren’t getting views, you’re not going to get sponsors.

If you’re not getting sponsors, you’re not going to be put on TV and therefore you’re back at the beginning. It’s just a hard cycle to break.”

Additionally, Gross believes there are many small inequalities behind the scenes. Last year, during the NCAA March Madness tournament, University of Oregon women’s basketball player Sedona Price went viral for documenting the disparity between men’s and women’s weight room facilities. The men’s teams were provided with a full room of equipment, while the women were given a small dumbbell rack and some yoga mats.

“If that video hadn’t gotten millions and millions of views, no change would have happened,” Gross said.

After persistence from the public, the NCAA apologized and provided the women’s teams with equal equipment. Woods commends West for supporting girls athletics but believes that there will always be an imbalance.

“Everything is built around [how] guys are more athletic and successful in the sports world, and I think West does a good job of balancing it,” Woods said. “Regardless, more people will always show up to the boys basketball games than the girls basketball games because of that athleticism and success aspect.”

To draw in more viewers and promote equal media coverage, ESPN made efforts to level the online playing field by launching sub-brand “espnW” in 2010. The brand focuses on providing viewpoints and stories from female athletes. According to ESPN Press Room, espnW and ESPN accounted for 40% of women’s sports television coverage in 2019. In October, espnW launched the “That’s a W” campaign, which emphasizes the accomplishments of women in sports and seeks to put a spotlight on female athletes.

Also in recent years, professional women’s teams have been able to establish and update Collective Bargaining Agreements to make sports more equitable for women. A CBA is a written legal contract between an employer and a union representing the employees regarding topics such as wages, hours, and terms and con-

ditions of employment.

In March 2019, U.S. women’s soccer player Alex Morgan sued the U.S. Soccer Federation, claiming unequal pay and discriminatory working conditions under their CBA. The claims under the Equal Pay Act were thrown out in May 2020, but oral arguments regarding discriminatory working conditions will be presented in early 2022.

Gross believes that gradual pushes for change are necessary for change as a whole.

“There are so many little steps that have to be taken first for any big change to happen,” Gross said. “It’s good their voices are being heard more in terms of what they want and what they need.”

“ PEOPLE SHOU LD R ECOG N IZE [FE MALE ATH LETES] FOR TH E SUCCESS TH EY ’ R E HAVI NG I N STEAD OF TH E WAY TH EY LOOK WH I LE DOI NG IT.” -JAN N ELL AVI LA ’23 2019 COVERAGE OF WOMEN’S SPORTS

5.4%

of television coverage was devoted to women’s sports

5.4%

of web coverage was devoted to women’s sports

4.2%

of Twitter coverage was devoted to women’s sports Source: SAGE Journal

SCAN TO READ AND SIGN OLIVIA TAEGER’S PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OF SEXIST SWIMSUIT COVERAGE LAWS IN THE IGHSAU.

SPORTS JAN. 21, 2022

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TAKE A TASTE-CATION While cooped up inside to escape the frigid winter weather, take your tastebuds on a trip around the world with this collection of warm drinks.

BY SOOMIN KOH

MASALA CHAI, INDIA Ingredients: 2 cups water 2 teaspoon loose leaf black tea 2 cardamom pods 1 clove 1-inch knob of ginger, chopped into slices ¼ teaspoon black peppercorn, freshly cracked ½ cinnamon stick 1 cup whole milk 2 teaspoon sugar Equipment: Fine Mesh Strainer 1. Boil water in a small pot on medium-high heat. Add the black tea and spices. Simmer for two minutes, then bring the heat down to medium and pour in the milk.

2. Bring the chai to a boil so that it starts bubbling to the top. Remove from heat until the bubbles come down. Repeat the process for a second time until the bubbles go back down.

3. Keep simmering chai until desired consistency. Remove from heat when the tea turns dark.

4. Strain chai into glasses or mugs. Add sugar and serve.

Source: Masala & Chai

34 ENTERTAINMENT JAN. 21, 2022

CHOCOLATE CALIENTE, MEXICO Ingredients: 2 cups milk (any plant-based milk works too!)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne (you can omit this if you don’t want it too spicy) 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate 1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add milk, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, chili powder and cayenne pepper (if desired).

2. Mix together with a whisk, add bittersweet chocolate. Heat until it has completely melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling.

3. Serve with marshmallows, chocolate shavings and a cinnamon stick.

Source: Isabelle Eats

MAGHREBI MINT TEA, MOROCCO Ingredients: 3-4 cups of water 1 tablespoon dried green tea leaves or any green tea of choice 2-3 tablespoons sugar Large bunch of fresh mint 1. Add 1 tablespoon of dried green tea to a pot. Add 1 cup of boiling water to the pot and swish around.

Pour this into another cup and set aside. This first cup contains the core tea flavor.

2. Add a large bunch of mint leaves and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar to the pot.

3. Pour the cup of tea-flavored water that you kept on the side back in the pot. Then add more boiling water. This should be around 3-4 cups of water.

4. Place the teapot on the stove, and on medium heat, bring the tea to a boil.

5. Before serving, mix all the ingredients by pouring tea into a glass and then pouring it back into the teapot. Pour the tea high above the glass to get that special Moroccan Mint tea foam.

Source: Cooking with Alia

ART BY ARIA KHALIL PHOTOS BY KAILEY GEE DESIGN BY SOFIA WELLS-LU ENTERTAINMENT JAN. 21, 2022

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NEW YEAR, NEW WEST As students and staff switch their calendars to 2022, a few share their goals for the new year.

COMPILED BY GINGER MCCARTNEY

ANKUR KARANDIKAR ’24 GABBY MONIZA ‘24

To make the West High varsity tennis team.

My New Year’s resolution is to try and stop buying from fast fashion and to try to crochet myself an entire outfit.

BENNETT OLSON ‘23, CHICK-FIL-A EMPLOYEE KERRI BARNHOUSE, ENGLISH TEACHER Slowing down time and being more in the moment.

36 ENTERTAINMENT JAN. 21, 2022

Not eat fries every day at Chick-Fil-A.

BILL CHEN ‘22

HANNAH HOLDAWAY ‘24

I want to expand my content consumption of dramatic visual art forms to other East Asian cultures, namely from countries that start with the letter ‘K.’

My New Year’s resolution is to try and start loving myself more.

HAIDER NASR ’24 Score at least 10 varsity goals in soccer.

ART & DESIGN BY ZOEY GUO

JOSH HURTADO ‘22 Getting closer to figuring out who I am and what I stand for.

LIENAH ALI ‘23 A New Year’s resolution I have is to make use of my planners. I always stop using them in the middle of the school year, so I want to be more organized this year.

AMY SEIDEL, SPANISH TEACHER I want to try and save more money. I would love to take my kids on a vacation this summer with any extra money I can set aside.

ENTERTAINMENT JAN. 21, 2022

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PHOTO FEATURE

CAMERON REIMERS Leigha Pacha ‘22 shows off her stag jump midway through the West High Poms’ state routine Dec. 3. Pacha and teammate Ava Waddilove ‘23 took home eighth- and ninthplace soloist awards, respectively. The team finished third in Poms and fourth in Jazz.

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JAN. 21, 2022

OWEN AANESTAD (From left:) Keira Jones ‘22, Evan Zukin ‘22 and Sam Croco ‘22 perform the finale of Theatre West’s fall production, “Footloose,” which ran Dec. 2-4 in the Arganbright Auditorium.

PHOTO FEATURE

JAN. 21, 2022

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ENTERTAINMENT

HELEN’S HOT TAKES:

PUTTING THE “AGE” IN “TEENAGER” In the first installment of this series, columns editor Helen Zhang argues in favor of casting age-accurate actors in the media’s dramatization of teenage life.

ART & DESIGN BY EVA JORDAN

F

rom cult classics like “Mean Girls” to Oscar-nominated films like “Ladybird,” there is no questioning the cultural impact teen media has. American shows and movies in particular have a habit glorifying the high school years, often giving younger viewers expectations of drama-filled, exciting experiences that will never be met.

While pieces of this genre have made an effort in recent years to be more socially aware and address a plethora of topics, one prominent issue still remains: most teenagers we see on the screen are played by adult actors.

This becomes a problem when these shows market themselves as realistic stories that teens can relate to. A prime example of this is HBO’s “Euphoria.” Receiving widespread praise for its cinematography, soundtrack and acting, the show has been regarded by many as a gritty representation of teenage life. Some of its accuracy can be attributed to the fact that, like the show’s protagonist, its creator has struggled with drug addiction himself. However, despite these accomplishments, almost all the cast members were over the age of 21 when the first season was released.

While using adult actors may be the more convenient choice due to labor laws, it is apparent that, in the case of “Euphoria”, this choice was made for other reasons — a main one being the very explicit sex scenes that require actors 18 or older. Some argue that having unabashed nudeness contributes to the show’s realism. But rather than showing a relatable aspect of teen life, these scenes have a voyeuristic, sexualized tone. Not only might this cater to the wrong audience, but it can negatively affect teenagers, a particularly vulnerable audience. According to Teen Vogue, teenagers are susceptible to the spotlight effect, meaning they have a tendency to overestimate how much other people notice them.

As many teens are already concerned about their appearances, shows that present an oversexualized view of teenage bodies give an unrealistic expectation of what they should look like.

Viewers 17 to 18 years of age are told that these characters they see on screen are the same age as them. In reality, they are seeing actors who have much more developed bodies than them because they are older. Teens who are supposed

40 OPINION JAN. 21, 2022

to feel represented by what they’re shown on screen may instead be easily swept up by beauty standards that shouldn’t exist at all for their age range. The creators of teen media should not take advantage of their actors’ adulthood to make overly explicit scenes — because if a scene about teenagers can’t be made with real teenagers, it shouldn’t be made at all.

When producing media, it is important to ensure it does not promote ideals that could harm

“ I F A SCE N E ABOUT TE E NAG E RS CAN ’T BE MADE WITH R EAL TE E NAG E RS, IT SHOU LDN ’T BE MADE AT ALL .”

- H ELEN ZHANG ‘22 the viewer’s body image. Negative body image affects mental and physical health and in severe cases, individuals can develop body dysmorphic disorder, disordered eating and other issues.

Fortunately, age-accurate representation of teenagers does exist. One example of this is “Skam,” a Norwegian web series that ran from 2015-2017. Its main characters are 16 or 17

years old, and were played by 16 to 20-year-olds.

Details such as their visible acne, juvenile mannerisms and casual fashion communicate to the intended audience that these characters are just like us — awkward, confused and definitely not as cool as other shows make teenagers out to be.

It is easy to believe these characters when they say they are insecure about their looks, because the actors are not excessively glamorized to fit modern beauty standards. Although “Skam” does include sex scenes, they have minimal nudity and feel focused on the characters rather than their bodies.

“Skam” addresses many topics, including bullying, sexual assault, sexuality and racism. Seeing people in their adolescent stages play these roles makes it more impactful because we see the struggle of dealing with these obstacles while being young and therefore less knowledgeable and experienced than adults. Instead of letting teens compare themselves to grown bodies, shows like “Skam” allow its young audience to feel like they are normal. Age-accurate representation teaches us that it is okay to not look ‘perfect’, and we are not supposed to live like grown-ups when we are still figuring out our place in the world.

A TV show or movie is by no means bad if it has actors older than their characters. It can absolutely still be entertaining and have a meaningful message. “Euphoria” is not completely undeserving of its recognition, and the discussions it sparks raise awareness that both educate people and support individuals going through similar struggles. However, for storytelling to accurately reflect real-life coming-of-age experiences, it best communicates the message through actual teenagers who are living through this process of maturing out of childhood. This way, we teenagers will see ourselves and our peers represented in the truest form, feeling heard and accepted.

AVERAGE AGE GAP BETWEEN POPULAR SHOWS/MOVIES AGE (IN YEARS)

BY HELEN ZHANG

8 6 4 2

Mean Girls

Riverdale

Glee TITLES

Euphoria

Skam

Gilmore Girls

Sources: Vice, Vulture

TR!GGER WARN!NG:

!

Teachers should be aware of how the content they teach is potentially triggering to students and use trigger warnings accordingly.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH ART & DESIGN BY XIAOYI ZHU

T

he use of trigger warnings has become increasingly frequent over recent years, especially on social media and TV. They typically precede content with disturbing elements that may affect people with specific mental illnesses or trauma, such as displays of violence and discussion of topics like suicide and eating disorders.

While trigger warnings are often used when it comes to social media posts with thousands of potential viewers, they should also be normalized in the classroom. Trigger warnings would be quite beneficial for classes that require students to consume works that contain racial and sexual violence, among other traumatic themes.

Applying trigger warnings needs to be a schoolwide precedent that teachers follow when the content they teach could potentially harm a student’s well-being.

What exactly constitutes a trigger? In mental health terms, a trigger is a stimulus that reminds a person of a traumatic experience and significantly affects their emotional state. Triggers can be external or internal — an external trigger comes from a person’s environment, while internal triggers are memories or feelings within a person.

The West High English Department has “agreed to warn students of any mature content, of any volatile subject matter [and] of any possibly traumatic situations in the material we analyze,” according to English Department Chair

Nate Frese. The policy also requires English teachers to provide alternative assignments for students who may be triggered by a piece of content. However, the school should extend similar expectations to departments of other subject areas, because triggering topics can occur in any class. A content advisory before instructors begin teaching the material would be sufficient.

The American Psychology Association reports that memories of trauma are more distressing if they happen without warning. The effects of a trigger include panic attacks, flashbacks of the traumatic event and urges that can lead to relapses in harmful behaviors, such as those related to substance abuse or eating disorders. Even if a course requires every student to consume a piece of content, simply having a trigger warning can reduce the likelihood of these issues, as students who have the trigger can mentally prepare themselves beforehand. The effort of looking out for potentially upsetting words or images and announcing the trigger warnings before sharing content with students is well worth the protection of students’ mental well-being.

All teachers should also allow students who wish to avoid such content to step out of the classroom or complete an alternative assignment. In cases where a student’s triggers are severe, they may learn best by only reading or watching things that do not induce symptoms of anxiety-related illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some argue that the use of trigger warnings prevents victims of trauma from fully recovering, as treatment for mental health issues includes exposure to thoughts related to trauma.

However, the classroom is not the place for this.

Teachers are not therapists, and students are not their patients; only trained professionals, who know how to respond to a person being triggered, should perform such treatment.

While not every student reacts to potentially triggering content, a lack of trigger warnings can be detrimental to the learning of all. For example, if a triggered student has a panic attack and requires medical assistance, this would take away from the class time that is meant to be for the lesson. Students should primarily be concerned about learning to the best of their ability.

Also, students susceptible to triggers should not have to worry about facing the discomfort of being triggered in front of others.

It is an educator’s responsibility to teach a curriculum in a way that respects the mental health needs of students. Additionally, it is an administrator’s responsibility to ensure this curriculum is standard. Trigger warnings are crucial to a safe, comfortable learning environment where students are guaranteed the prioritization of their and their peers’ health. Implementing trigger warnings is a crucial step to ensure students are not held back by mental health problems on their paths to academic success and school is an equitable space for people of all abilities and experiences.

This is an editorial. An editorial, like news reporting, is based on objective facts. However, its purpose is to share conclusions and opinions that have been derived by our Editorial Board and are not associated with the news staff.

OPINION JAN. 21, 2022

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READ THE ISSUE FRONT TO BACK BEFORE REMOVING THE POSTER FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE. REMOVE THE STAPLES, FOUND ON PAGE 22, FROM THE BINDING OF THE ISSUE. KEEP THE STAPLES.

HANG UP YOUR POSTER IN YOUR CLASSROOM, LOCKER OR HOME. PUT THE STAPLES BACK IN THE BINDING OF THE ISSUE AND SECURE THEM ON PAGE 22.

POSTER ART & DESIGN BY KAILEY GEE

LISTEN TO YOUR BLACK PEERS

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRIVILEGE

SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT

DON’T CONDONE RACISM

I saw you walking down the hall by the dance room with viola in hand, and I’ve never been the same since. Virgo energy to the max.

–Love, Secret Admiration Pigeon To the sweet, quiet girl in orchestra, I gotta say that you have captured my heart even from a distance <3 –Anonymous To the boy in my AP English class who too often occupies himself with JKLM trivia, answer this: what can I do to score a date with you?

–Anonymous To the hot senior guy who’s in UNICEF and Cadenza, I have fallen so hard for you.

–A freshman deeply in love COMPILED BY MISHA CANIN PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK ART & DESIGN BY WILLIAM CHENG

In anticipation of the rapidly approaching Valentine’s Day, Missed Connections is a timeless tradition that allows West Side Story readers to make anonymous confessions about the relationships that never were but they still have hope for.

To the person who wears pastel pink platform shoes most days, I just want to tell you that you always look so cool when I see you in the hallways.

–Someone who wishes they had your confidence To the girl I became friends with in 7th grade – I developed a crush on you in second trimester, and I was really excited when we had a class together in third trimester, and we sat together no less. Unfortunately that was when COVID happened and we haven’t had a class together since. I still really like you and at least want to be friends. Please for the love of god make the first move because I am just a simple disaster lesbian and I have no idea how to talk to you.

–Anonymous To the cute girl with the blue backpack in my AP art class, is your name Salvador Dali because you are Persistently in my Memory.

–Colorless without you