March - Robert M. La Follette High School

The Lance
Volume 52, Issue 7
The Student Voice of LHS
La Follette High School, Madison, WI
Outside
LHS
Shooting at Metro
Shooting at Madison's East
Side Metro Market leaves
woman dead. pg. 5
Women Rock the World
Do You Know How These Women Have Changed the World? Read On!
Feature
Causing a Racquet:
Go check out how Serena
Williams is the coldest in
the game, pg. 8
Brain
Teasers
What Grinds Your Gears.
See how throwing away our
talent and hard work makes
us feel. pg. 7
Opinion
ACT= A Cruel Test:
Is the ACT a fair reflection
of our intelligence? Find
out on pg. 15
Arts &
Entertainment
How Do You Oreo?:
Check out the history of
one of America's favorite
snacks. pg. 12
Sports
Spring into Sports:
Find out how well LHS did
in our Spring Sports last
season. pg. 10
March 2016
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
SHOUTOUT TO FINN GESSNER
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
We said good-bye to our beloved Sydney
Finn breaks molds again by sprinting his
Support LHS students at the premiere of
Kratochwill. We will miss you.
way to the top!
the school play, Once Upon A Mattress.
Inside LHS
The Lance
2014-15 Lance Staff
2015-16
Community Mourns Our Loss
Editor-in-Chief:
Editor-in-Chief:
Enjoyiana
Nururdin
Andy
Porter
The death of our Syd has hit
us hard, but she will always
be among us.
Assistant
AssistantEditors:
Editor:
Christina
Peterson
Kaylee Hinze
Andreanna
Wright
Alex Wehrli
By Christina Peterson, Enjoyiana Nururdin, and Andréanna Wright
Copy Editors:
Copy
Editor:
Tyki Jackson-Hodges
Rachel
Cammy Hellrood
Carver
Aaron Lucius
Visual Arts/Photography:
Visual Arts/Photography:
Staff Members:
Althea Anderson
Section
Editors:
CammyLucius
Carver - Inside LHS
Aaron
Tyki Jackson-Hodges
Christina
Peterson - Arts & Entertainment
Enjoyiana
DiamondNururdin
Washington/Tevin Sago - Sports
Christina
Rebekah Peterson
Smith - News
Mayty
Rios
Melody
Krishnan - Feature
Erik Scarr
Mitchell Cefalu - Brain Teasers
Linsey Vander Plaats
Martina Seignarack/Rachel Hellrood Danielle Wendricks
Opinion/Editorial
Andreanna Wright
Adviser:
Adviser:
Donna
Kennedy
Donna Kennedy
Consultant:
Consultant:
Tim Stanton,
Plus
Tim
Stanton,Images
Images
Plus
Printer:
Printer:
Images Plus,
WIWI
Images
Plus,Madison,
Madison,
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La Follette High School
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“The Lance”
Madison,
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La Follette
High School
Email:
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2
On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, we lost a
valuable member of our Lancer family;
Sydney Kratochwill, a 15 year old sophomore here at La Follette, lost her battle
with brain cancer. She was born here in
Madison, on May 14, 2000, and she was
the daughter of Jerry and Kathy (Schmitt)
Kratochwill and the sister of Brad.
Kratochwill developed brain cancer in
mid-April of 2015, and was fighting for
about 9 months. Though her cancer made
her very weak and tired, she refused to
let it get the best of her personality. She
continued to light other people paths
until her physical presence was no longer
with us. “She was always happy and hyped
about everything even though she knew
what was going on in her,” Darien Moran
(11) said.
It was at a basketball game a year and a
half ago when Sydney met Darien. “I was
at one of her games and I told her she
had a good game. We just became friends
after that,” Moran added. Some students
got to know Kratochwill on a deeper level
especially Alex Conners (10). “We were
friends since the 6th grade, we didn’t really
hang out in school, but playing basketball
brought us closer. She was always positive,
smiling and happy,” Conners stated.
Kratochwill was overall a well-rounded
person in our community. Those close to
her knew that there was a lot more to her
then it seemed, she could truly be considered both a “girly-girl” and a “daddy’s
girl”. Kratochwill was athletic and adventurous, without a doubt; she definitely
wasn’t the kind that liked to sit still. She
enjoyed being outside, playing sports (like
basketball and track) with her team or her
friends. Sydney was also an honor student.
But when Kratochwill wasn’t sweating it
out, she loved to shop, listen to music and
make crafts.
Until the end of her life, Kratochwill spent
38 days in the hospital under Hospice
The Lance
Care. During this time, she had players
and coaches of the Men’s Badger basketball team come and visit her. Badger
players frequently visit the hospital, so
when they heard that Sydney was there
and that she was a basketball player, some
people at hospice decided to get the team
to visit her, because of her true love for
the sport. They went to see her in early
December. While they were there, they
talked about the season, her being a player,
and just basketball in general. “She wasn’t
awake for much of it. But towards the end
of the visit, she woke up and smiled at
all the boys and gave them a little ‘what’s
up’,” Montana Cruz (10), a close friend of
Sydney’s, said.
Many people have been giving their support to Sydney and her family, including
Coach Bo Ryan, who, for a majority of her
time in Hospice, kept in touch with her
and her parents, asking them for updates.
Sydney’s memory will live on throughout
her closest friends and family. “Sydney
taught me always persevere and carry on
and be happy at all times because you never know what could happen,” Moran added. In honor of Women’s History Month,
Sydney broke the mold. “Sydney had a
heart of gold. I asked her once, about four
months back if she ever wondered why it
was her that had to go through this and
she answered no, she would rather it be
her than another child. She wanted to beat
cancer and become a PICU nurse who
would take care of kids going through
what she was going through,” Sydney’s
mother said.
Sydney may no longer be with us physically, but her spirit and heart stick with us
every day.
March 2016
Lancer Log
March 2016
March 1
ACT Testing: Grade 11 only
8:18am-3:34pm
March 2
Art Gallery Opening 6:00pm
March 4, 5, 10, 11, 12
LHS Spring Musical 7:30pm
March 5
Frozen Five Run/Walk 9:00am
March 7, 14
PCT: Early Release at 2:22pm
March 9
LHS Booster Club Meeting 7:00pm
March 12
LHS Strings Festival 2:00pm
March 5, 12
Lancer Saturday Academy
9:00am-12:00pm
March 15
LHS Latino Parent Night 6:30pm8:00pm
March 16
LHS Band Concert 7:30pm
March 21-28
NO SCHOOL
SPRING BREAK
March 29
School Resumes
March 2016
Inside LHS
Meet the New Lance Staff
The Lance Class rolls out a
new group of writers.
By Tyki Jackson
Enjoyiana
What’s your favorite class? Pro Chef Start
What’s your favorite color? Pastel pink
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Wonder Woman because
she is a boss!
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? Paris, France and go to the
Chanel store
Christina
What’s your favorite class? Music classes,
English and The Lance
What’s your favorite color? Blue
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Alice from wonderland
she’s unique and weird, like me
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? New York, that’s where I want
go after college
Andréanna
What’s your favorite class? The Lance
What’s your favorite color? Orange
If you could be any fictional character
who would you be? Nightcrawler from
X-Men or Black Panther, they’re cool
and they have interesting powers I want
to have
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? Jamaica because the kids there
are cool, it’s beautiful, and you can pick
fruit off of trees
Mayty
What’s your favorite class? German
What’s your favorite color? I’m color
blind
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Ciel Phantomhive because
he gets to meet Queen Elizabeth
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? UK because it’s beautiful
Tyki
What’s your favorite class? History
What’s your favorite color? Dark blue and
dark red
If you could be any fictional character
who would you be? The Joker because
he’s funny, evil, dark, creative, and HE
FIGHTS FREAKING BATMAN LIKE
The Lance
WHAT A SAVAGE BRO
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? I would like to go to Toronto,
Canada because Drake is from there and
4 seasons
Althea
What’s your favorite class? Math
What’s your favorite color? Blue
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Katniss Everdeen she’s
smart and has good leadership skills
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? Greece; to explore the culture
there
Danielle
What’s your favorite class? English
What’s your favorite color? Watermelon
Pink
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Gabriella Montez; I want
to sing with and date Zac Efron and go
to a school like Stanford
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? A tropical place to volunteer
with a great beach view
Linsey
What’s your favorite class? The Lance
What’s your favorite color? Blue
What’s your goals for the rest of the year?
To get a good score on the ACT
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Batman; I’d look good in
a batsuit
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? Somewhere warm I don’t like the
cold
Cammy
What’s your favorite class? Spanish
What’s your favorite color? Sky blue
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Luna Lovegood; she’s super smart, awesome, always herself and
doesn’t care what people think
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? Europe to see all old architecture
Erik
What’s your favorite class? The Lance
What’s your favorite color? Purple
If you could be any fictional character who
would you be? Wade Watts because he
wins 3 trillion dollars from a competition
If you could go anywhere where would
you go? Hawaii; I’ve been there before
and I liked it, and it’s beautiful.
3
Inside LHS
Interested in More Women’s History?
La Follette offers a class
dedicated to women.
By Danielle Wendricks
As March is Women’s History Month,
it only seems fitting to highlight a class
here at La Follette that is unlike any
other class offered: Women’s History.
Women’s History is taught by Ms. Roe,
who truly has a passion for sharing the
adversities women have faced in history.
Sadie Parisi (11) said, “(Ms. Roe) is a
living women’s history textbook, who
really made the class so much more
enjoyable.” The class is a semester long,
and offered for 11th and 12th graders of
all genders, as their elective social studies
credit. This class takes a different approach than other social studies classes
offered here at La Follette. It’s a discussion based class focusing on American
U.S. history through the eyes of women,
who are often marginalized in our usual
courses. During the class, students write
papers, analyze primary source documents, answer data based questions, and
complete research. “It’s not a class to
take for an ‘easy A,’ but it’s definitely
worth the effort,” said Parisi.
For Parisi, it’s worth the effort because
“history shapes the future and having
a generation of people educated on the
adversities women have, and continue
to face, can only have positive outcomes
for change.”
This class has inspired students, boys
and girls alike, to step up and make a
change in our La Follette community,
through POWER club. Their intent is to
advocate and educate the struggles women face on a daily basis, through Lancer
Lessons, toiletry drives, and community
awareness. Anyone is welcome to stop
by their meetings any Tuesday in Ms.
Roe’s classroom in B33.
Ms. Roe stated her favorite part of the
class is exactly that, “passion students
have, but also the awakening students
get that women have faced a lot of challenges and continue to do so.”
If you’re looking for a new, different,
and challenging yet rewarding perspective on history, head on down to
guidance and see if you can get this class
worked into your schedule for next year!
Consciously Changing to Community
MMSD is moving towards
community schools.
By Althea Anderson
Recently, there’s been a lot of talk in
the school district about making more
of our schools community ones. You
may have a lot of questions about what
it means for the district as a whole and
how it could possibly change La Follette. Fear not! Let’s break it down.
So what is a community school? To
put it simply, it brings certain aspects
of the community into our schools. In
practice, it might look like tutors, food
banks, or family nights. It’s all based
around what families and students need
most.
About 5,000 community schools have
been implemented all over the country.
Programs that have been successful include doctor checkups, extra tutoring,
and meals for the families of students.
There is so much variation for what
might constitute a community school,
and most of it depends on how much
funding is available to the schools and
what exactly students are in need of.
MMSD recently received a $300,000
4
grant from the Madison Community
Foundation. Over the next three years,
four schools will have the opportunity to incorporate programs. We’re in
the first year of the grant, so the main
focus for the school board and superintendent is planning. During the 2016-17
school year, two schools will be chosen.
The schools will be open longer into
the evening and will offer services on
the weekends as well. Our programs
will most likely include tutoring, as one
of the main focuses for the district is
academic success.
It all sounds pretty nice, right? I mean
who doesn’t like extra help on math
homework? Even if La Follette isn’t
picked, our students can still take advantage of the resources that our school
already offers. Homework club, peer
tutoring, and Saturday Academy are all
offered to help you bump your grade
up. If all of the perks of community
schools sound exciting, start appreciating the programs that are right in front
of you!
La Follette Special!
$20 off your next carpet cleaning!
We solve the toughest pet odor and
teen stain problems for Your carpets!
251-7025
www.maccservice.com
The Lance
March 2016
News
Gun Violence Strikes Local Market
Shooting at Madison’s East
Side Metro Market
By Christina Petetson
It was on the night of Tuesday, February
2nd - Christopher O’Kroley’s birthday - when he shot and killed a former
co-worker outside of the East Side
Metro Market.
According to court records, he had been
picked up on warrants for unrelated
matters twice prior to the homicide.
Once by Madison police in 2013, and another time in 2014 by the Cottage Grove
police force. Both were tied to civil matters involving long running disputes over
the birth and support of his son. He had
his son, now 8, with Amanda Joers, 26; a
women he met in high school.
Later in September of 2014, O’Kroley
was hospitalized after trying to commit
suicide. Joers found him in his mother’s
home in Cottage Grove, overdosing in a
bathtub, on the day that was set up for
an arranged visitation with his child. The
medication was prescribed to his mother, adding that he was not on any type of
prescription for his mental health at the
time her attempted suicide.
However, state laws don’t specify rules
about barring guns for those who have
attempted suicide. Apparently, only
those who are involuntarily committed
to a mental health institution, or those
unfit to own a weapon by court order,
are prohibited from owning a gun because they pose a danger to themselves
and others. So nothing from his past the alleged suicide, or apparent mental
health concerns - prevented O’Kroley
from purchasing the Smith and Wesson
handgun that was used to kill Caroline
Nosal, 24.
Nosal had been a previous girlfriend of
O’Kroley, but she rejected his urge to
move the relationship forward. On December 26th, he was listed as a suspect
in a sexual assault case against Nosal. A
Madison police report, which was filed
the following day, said the victim fell
asleep at O’Kroleys house while watching a movie and woke to “some of her
clothes not the way they should be,”
March 2016
police spokesman Joel DeSpain said.
Two weeks before the shooting, Nosal
had complained to management that she
was being harassed by O’Kroley, and he
was suspended. He told police that he
planned to kill Nosal and himself if he
was also fired.
On the night of the murder, O’Kroley
knelt down beside Nosal’s car and waited for her to come out. After finishing
her shift at Metro Market at 8pm on
February 2nd, Nosal was walking to her
car outside of the store. When Nosal
turned the corner, he stood up and shot
her in the chest. After she fell, he shot
her once more in the head.
After shots were fired, he sent a message to a co-worker saying, “I killed
Caroline and I’m about to kill myself.
So don’t be surprised when I don’t
respond anymore.”
He quickly decided that he wasn’t able
to kill himself, so his next plan was to
hijack someone’s car at gunpoint.
The next day a tip was alerted to the
police that O’Kroley had been spotted
in the East Towne area, which brought
Officer Michele Walker there. He was
surprised by her and admitted to firing
his gun at her twice. “I’m glad I didn’t
hit her,” he said. “I don’t know what
else, I guess I’m sorry but...I don’t
know if I am sorry, I’m just glad I
didn’t hit her.”
After his arrest on February 3rd, O’Kroley told police that Nosal was “easy to
kill”, that he was a “sociopath”, and that
he killed Nosal out of anger because she
“ruined his life”. He blamed Nosal for
getting him fired after she reported him
for allegations of sexual assault.
He also told police that he would have
shot Nosal one day sooner, except he
wanted time to practice shooting the
gun. O’Kroley apparently bought the
gun after he was fired from Metro Market by phone on Monday afternoon, and
had intended to use it that night.
O’Kroley is charged with one count of
first-degree intentional homicide and
first-degree reckless endangerment.
On Friday, February 5th, O’Kroley
appeared in court. He was brought in, in
a wheelchair, wearing a suicide prevention smock. His bail is currently set at 1
million dollars.
Victim,Caroline Nosal, 24.
Student Lunch Buffet
only $6.00
NE
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Offer only valid with this coupon
The Lance
5
News
LHS Digest Saint Patrick’s Week Schedule
Here’s what you’ve missed
from the month of February,
in case you missed it!
By Althea Anderson
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan continues to be a problem for residents due
to lead contamination in the water from
the Flint River. Flint’s mayor, Karen
Weaver requested over $50 million from
the governor to replace the lead pipes.
The Iowa and Nevada caucuses, and
the primaries in New Hampshire and
South Carolina gave a sneak peek into
which presidential candidates have the
best chance of making it to the White
House. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz
were Republican front runners. As for
Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Bernie
Sanders took over the race.
The Carolina Panthers and the Denver
Broncos played in the Super Bowl 50.
The Broncos won the game with a score
of 24 to 10.
The leaders of the Catholic and Russian
Orthodox churches met for the first time
since splitting over a thousand years ago.
Shamrock Shuffle, Irish
contests, parades, and more!
By Cammy Carver
Saint Patrick’s Day in Madison is here!
Where will you be celebrating it this
year? Madison is home to a variety of
events leading up to this day, that everyone is encouraged to take part in.
For one, the Madison Shamrock Shuffle
is a 5k race that donates all proceeds to
the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, an organization focused on youth
programs and activities. Every year,
hundreds of thousands of dollars are
donated, making the Shamrock Shuffle
one of the top sponsors of the nonprofit
organization, and heavily benefiting it.
So you can run or walk in your decked
out green outfit and feel good about it
afterwards, too, knowing that your registration fee helped make a difference.
The race is scheduled to run around the
week of Saint Patrick’s Day and the date
is set on March 13th. If you’re interested, online registration is already open,
and dates should be solidified by the
first week this month!
The next big event, scheduled on March
13th, after the Shamrock Shuffle ends,
is a series of contests run by the Parade
Committee. Categories include Best
Lad and Lass’ Costume, Best-Dressed
Dog, Youngest and Oldest Participant,
Reddest Hair, Most Freckles, and
Largest Clan. Winners are decided by
the Parade Committee and receive prizes
donated by various local businesses
and get to carry a sign in the parade
indicating which contest was won.
The most popular, and most anticipated,
event starts after the Irish contests: the
St Patrick’s Day parade. More formally
known as “the wearing of the green,”
the St Patrick’s Day parade features a
procession of organizations, dancers,
musicians, vehicles, candy, and everything you expect a parade to be. They
take applications to participate in the
parade right up until the week before,
so if you know or have an organization
that should join in, register online now!
All registration fees and other proceeds
from the parade will be donated to UW
Paul P. Carbone Comprehensive Cancer
Center and Coaches vs Cancer. Even
if you’re not able to make it for Saint
Patrick’s Day of fun, Irish festivals,
contests, and parades are going on all
year round. Our Madison festivals might
not be the most culturally accurate, but
it’s the thought that counts, and who
doesn’t want to spend the day eating
green food in an entirely green outfit?
Armed protesters occupied Malheur
National Wildlife Refuge in Harney
County, Oregon. Most of them turned
themselves in to prevent serving their
full sentences in prison. Protesters will
be charged with a federal felony count of
conspiracy to impede officers.
La Follette Alumni Kenny Miller won a
Grammy for Best Choral Performance
and Best Engineered Album, Classical.
Go Lancers!
The Zika virus continued to spread in
South and Central America and now in
the US. The number of microcephaly
cases related to the virus also grew.
US Justice Scalia passed away on February 13. Controversy sparked on whether
President Obama should appoint someone or not.
6
The Lance
March 2016
What’s Hot
What’s Not
By: The Lance Class
What’s Hot: This weather
What’s Not: This weather
What’s Hot: Lava
What’s Not: Guava
What’s Hot: Wearing green
What’s Not: Getting pinched for not
wearing green
What’s Hot: Me
What’s Not: You
What’s Hot: Adidas Yeezy Boost 350
What’s Not: The price
What’s Hot: Dabbing
What’s Not: Getting sneezed on
What’s Hot: Singing
What’s Not: Lip-syncing
What’s Hot: Being in this class
What’s Not: Not being in this class
What’s Hot: An iPhone without a case
What’s Not: A cracked iPhone without
a case
What’s Hot: The ACT
What’s Not: Getting a 14
What’s Hot: Women’s history
What’s Not: Being limited to a month
Random
Facts
Brain Teasers
What Grinds
Your Gears?
Don’t hate, give us a chance!
By Cammy Carver
Hey Lancers, I’m coming to you for
the first time with the first thing that
grinds my gears: when people throw
The Lance away. Yeah I get it, you take
it, look through it, and maybe decide
that this month’s issue isn’t for you.
Maybe the cover picture features someone you don’t like, the headlines don’t
interest you, or you’re just generally
not in the mood. That’s okay. We’re
not going to hunt you down to kidnap
you and demand to know why you
don’t like what we wrote this month.
But seriously, throwing it away? Making it so nobody else can read it; and
all of our hard work goes to waste?
At least recycle it if you’re going to
be that rude. And okay, I’ll cut some
people some slack and maybe let them
give the excuse that they did recycle
it or simply had nowhere else to put it
and didn’t want to leave it on the floor
for the custodians to throw away. But
then what really grinds my gears is that
the amount of students (and teachers,
even!) who throw The Lance away is far
too large for me to think of an excuse
for everyone. We’ve even had teachers
who, on the first of the month when
they’re handed a stack newspapers to
display in their classroom, just plop the
whole stack right into the recycling bin.
Or people who take The Lance just to
rip it up, brutally mutilate it, or use the
pages for paper airplanes. I understand
if you’re mutilating it just to cut out the
coupons or buy-one-get-one-free ads,
but seriously, the material The Lance
is made out of is no good for paper
airplanes anyways. Not only that, but it
costs us over $700 a month to print the
1,200 copies that we distribute. That’s
over $7,000 a school year! And half of
that goes down the drain to satisfy your
elementary school desires.
So why not recycle? I’m not saying to
go grab a stack of our newspapers and
toss them right in the day they come
out. Don’t waste all the hard work and
effort we put into producing a top-quality newspaper for you. And yes, it is top
quality. Don’t argue! Read The Lance
first, give us a chance, and when you’ve
read it all and cut all the coupons out,
that’s when you should recycle.
By Linsey Vander Plaats
•2,500+ left handed people are killed
per year, by using products made for
right handed people.
•March was the first month until the
Gregorian calendar was used in 1752.
•Babies aren’t dishwasher safe.
•The US has more Norwegian descent
than Norway.
•Every time you lick a stamp, you’re
consuming 1/10 of a calorie.
•The Military has a 26 page manual on
baking brownies and oatmeal cookies
•Billy goats urinate on their own
heads to smell more attractive to
females.
March 2016
The Lance
7
Feature
Serena Williams: Causing a Racquet
Serena is changing the
game for tennis players
everywhere.
By Althea Anderson
How many women can you name that
have defied gender and racial stereotypes,
are role models for young women everywhere, and are ranked number one in the
world? One that comes to mind for me
is Serena Williams. At just 35 years old,
she’s accomplished more than most of us
could comprehend.
Raised in Los Angeles, Serena and her
sister, Venus, were coached to be star
tennis players from the start by their father, Richard Williams. Although Serena
beat Venus for the title of number one
in Southern California area, both sisters
were being noticed nationally as children.
When Serena was ten, her father pulled
the sisters out of traditional tournaments
to train them privately instead. His
intentions were to protect them from the
harsh racism that exists in tennis, a sport
that has only high ranking white players.
This set the stage for Serena going pro
at age fourteen. Despite being extremely
talented beyond her years, critics still
said that she showed very little potential.
After winning impressive matches in
1997 against players ranked in the top
ten, she was on track to become the
Women’s Tennis Association’s (WTA)
new star. She ended that year as ninetynine in the world.
Not only is she an extraordinary tennis
player that has been ranked number
one on six separate occasions, but she
has also paved the way for young girls,
especially African American ones. Her
determination and strength should
inspire us all.
Jessica Warner (11), a player on the girls’
tennis team, said, “She’s given a lot opportunities for non-white people to play
in a white dominated sport. She’s opened
the doors for people who want to follow
in her footsteps.”
After being accused of looking too
muscular and not feminine enough, she
continues to be a phenomenal athlete
who is strong and proud of it. As a buff
and powerful woman who could kick
anyone’s butt, she’s shown time and time
again that we should be judging women
based on who they actually are, and not
on their physical appearance.
Serena Williams has proved that if you
work hard enough and chase after your
dreams with all you have, you can do
anything. It matters less where you come
from or where you start, and more about
your attitude and dedication.
Clara Barton, Angel of the Battlefield
Barton inspiring our future
women of the nation.
By Danielle Wendricks
Clara Barton could be considered one of
the most honorable women in American
History, and this March, as it’s American Red Cross Month, she should be
honored by all, for her efforts towards
making our country more inspired and
women friendly.
Barton grew up in the 1820s as a shy
timid tomboy. Barton became a skilled
teacher, and believed in the power of
education. She later opened a free and
public school.
In 1855, she moved to Washington D.C.,
and held the first female position as a
Patent Clerk for the US Government.
When the Civil War began, Barton’s
calling became known. She volunteered
her time caring for wounded soldiers.
Throughout the Civil War, she could be
found on the battlefield aiding the Union
soldiers and doctors. Not only did she
give her skills, but she organized others
to volunteer their time.
8
After the war, Barton used her leadership and organization skills to create the
American Red Cross in 1880.
Maddie Fedorowicz (11), an aspiring
healthcare professional and HOSA member said, “Barton inspires me to challenge
social norms, and to not be afraid of
being the first to do something.”
Clara Barton is a strong example of
someone who took many steps to fulfill
her dream. She never gave up, and kept
working towards what she wanted in
life. Joanna Hagan (12) who is current-
ly enrolled in the Certified Nursing
Assistant (CNA) class, said, “I strive to
be a doctor, so I’m taking the stepping
stones to get there by starting off as a
CNA.”
So next time you’re snacking on the
multitude of snacks after the blood
drive, or receiving treatment from a
nurse, you can thank Clara Barton for
organizing the Red Cross. For not only
allowing you to help save three lives, but
also for inspiring so many individuals
into the nursing field.
3050 Cahill Main  Fitchburg, WI  608-665-3324
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March 2016
Feature
Malala Yousafzai, Equal Rights Advocate
Teenage Malala Yousafzai
is still making headlines
for breakthroughs in equal
rights.
By Cammy Carver
As a part of Women’s History Month,
I’ve chosen to honor Malala Yousafzai,
for all of her efforts in trying to secure
equal rights for women and equal
education opportunities. She has been
an activist for girls’ rights and education
since age 11, and continues to be one
of the leading advocates despite an
assassination attempt at age 15 and
heavy local opposition to her protest.
Born in 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan,
Malala began her struggle for equal
rights in 2009 when she began writing
an anonymous blog for the BBC; using
the name “Gul Makai” to speak out
anonymously against the Taliban and
limited education rights. During that
period, the Taliban slowly took over the
area where Malala lived, banning women
from going shopping or receiving an
education beyond elementary school,
and girls’ schools were frequently
bombed or blown up. When her father
suggested that they give up their fight
for equality in fear for their safety,
Malala is said to have replied with, “How
can we do that? You were the one who
said that if we believe in something
greater than our lives, then our voices
will only multiply ever if we are dead.
We can’t disown our campaign.”
After the BBC blog ended and her
identity was revealed, she was featured in
a New York Times documentary. She is
also probably most well known for being
the youngest person and first Pakistani
to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Her increased popularity drew the
attention of the Taliban, whom she had
been publicly criticizing. On October 9,
2012, when Malala was just 15, a masked
gunman shot a single bullet through her
head, neck and shoulder, and injured
two other girls who were with Malala at
the time. Malala survived the shooting in
critical condition, and later awoke from a
coma in Birmingham, England. She made
a full recovery, but her assassination at-
tempt launched worldwide protests and
sparked a petition for equal education in
Pakistan. The petition, which operated
under the slogan “I Am Malala” and “In
support for what Malala fought for,”
included a request for all countries to
outlaw discrimination against girls and
a request for international organizations to ensure every child is given an
opportunity of education. The petition
also lead to Pakistan’s first Right to
Education bill, and in 2012 a $10 million
education fund and the Malala Fund for
girls’ education were established by the
Pakistani President and the Vital Voices
Global Partnership in Malala’s honor.
Although the official title this month
is for women’s history, I think Malala
Yousafzai deserves to be remembered
for what she’s already accomplished
at such a young age, even though her
struggle for equal rights isn’t history
just yet. The global struggle for equal
rights for women and equal education
opportunities for everyone isn’t over
yet, and I think the world needs more
people like Malala to stand up and make
a difference.
Changing the View of Women in Music
Madonna was an
unprecedented role model in
our generation.
By Erik Scarr
Madonna is a pop culture icon and
massively enduring musical artist, having
sold more records than any other female
artist ever (300 million and counting). Her
music is iconic, a staple of 80’s mainstream
pop, and many, many songs she wrote
and/or sang are still being played on pop
stations today. She was unmistakable,
unavoidable, and changed the landscape of
mainstream music. Even today we can feel
the ripples she left. Before Madonna came
around, most pop stars were men, and
played rock music. After her, most pop
stars were women, and sang pop tunes.
Everybody in pop wants to be Madonna;
she had the glamour, the sex appeal, the
March 2016
attitude, the singing power, the great
songwriting, everything that could make
someone massively powerful. Plus, a little
of that “star quality” that can really make
or break a pop artist.
Madonna is most important for the
controversy she caused. Yes, her hits were
undeniably great, and she as a figure did
a lot of good, but it’s easy to look at her
and not realize just how polarizing of a
figure she was back in the 80’s, which
were comparatively sheltered. Nobody
in the business was as risqué and feminist
as she was, completely unrelenting in her
own image. Nowadays it’s easy to look at
Miley Cyrus and the outrageous stunts she
pulls to stay relevant in the mainstream.
Madonna was doing stuff like this in a
time before the internet, and when people
were much, much easier offended. She was
attacked on many occasions by religious
organizations and parent watchdog groups
for being unabashedly open about her
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sexuality and feminist viewpoints. She laid
the groundwork for controversial pop
female pop stars after her to thrive and
challenge cultural norms. Madonna was
also crucial in the development of modern
feminism. Her music and image reached
out to young girls and taught them to not
be scared of their sexuality, and to be their
own people. The positivity she exuded in
her music and in interviews really showed
just how wonderful she was. She was also
a businesswoman, one who could manage
her own empire and image. She did it all,
without missing a beat. But her music?
Timeless and indescribably influential.
Even after all these years, she’s still doing
what she loves: music, interviews, and
business. She’s still important in the
mainstream, and hasn’t lost her integrity
(sold out). Anyone would be smart to take
her as a role model. She’s been doing well
since she started out in the 80’s, and hasn’t
lost it yet.
9
Sports
Growing Back Into Sports SB 50
La Follette Lancers Ready to
Dominate spring sports.
By Danielle Wendricks
La Follette is full of students itching to get
back to their court, track, course, or field,
and the wait is almost over! Spring sports
here at La Follette include softball, soccer,
and track for the ladies, and track, tennis,
baseball, and golf for the gentlemen. The
season of 2016 is highly anticipated, as all
the teams are hoping to be the best that
they can be!
Girls’ softball, coached by Bob Stalker, is
looking forward to having a strong team
full of upperclassmen after only losing two
seniors last season. “We’re looking forward to working on our team chemistry
when we go to Florida for Spring Break
to play some games down there,” Maddie
Fedorowicz (11) said.
The softball team isn’t the first to take a
team trip out of state. Girls soccer headed
down to ‘(Ala)Bama’ last spring break, and
are looking forward to bring the Southern
heat back this season! Katie Feller (11),
one of the two captains for the team, said
she’s excited to “help build a new (and
quite young) team and to prank all the
newcomers.”
Girls track has been taking these past
winter months gearing up for a solid
upcoming season. The distance girls have
been braving the cold outside running
since the end of the Cross Country season. The throwers and sprinters have been
hitting the gym, with a new workout plan.
They’re confident in having a successful
season, after doing an abundance of winter
training.
After running, weightlifting, and working
on speed training during the off season,
the boys track team is also ready to attack
and make their debut. Josh Freitag (10),
said the goal of the season is to “defend
ourp
city h
champ
for the
con-p h
o title,
t fight
o g
r a
ference title, and then ultimately try and
make it to state.” He’s confident in the
team, as everyone has a lot of potential for
greatness.
The boys’ tennis team is looking forward
to the unveiling of their new courts.
“There’s only one senior on the tennis
team, and we have a lot of sophomores
and juniors. This season will be our growing year, but the next two years will be
really bright!,” Evan Loken (11) said.
The boys’ baseball team is happy to have
Coach Verhage return to their squad. The
baseball team has lost a lot of their senior
talent; however, there are a lot of skilled
upperclassmen ready to fill the void.
They’re looking forward to a solid season.
And lastly the guys’ golf squad, is ready
to make their appearance on the courses
this spring. “I’m looking forward to being
competitive, and enjoying the season with
the team,” Tyler Trickle (12) said.
If you want to be a part of one of these
teams, don’t hesitate! Alex Schroeder
(10), a member of the boys’ tennis team
said, “Come on out and give it a try. High
school is the time to try new things.” If
you’re interested in joining one of these
top notch teams, go head down to Mary
Schneider’s office, and pick up the needed
paperwork. And if sports aren’t your
thing, try and make it to a game, match, or
meet this spring, and support your Lancers
as they crush the local competition.
rystal
Images
10
By Linsey Vander Plaats
The Super Bowl satisfies a ton of desires:
football snacks, commercials, the half time
show, the National Anthem, etc.
This year’s SB, I was rooting for the
Green Bay Packers but unfortunately they
didn’t show up. It was a short moment of
sadness. But the Carolina Panthers and the
Denver Broncos were the two teams that
duked it out in SB 50.
The big game took place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. The Panthers
finished the season with a 15-1 record.
The quarterback, Cam Newton, was
named most valuable player of the
season. The Broncos took an early lead
scoring 10-0 in the 1st quarter and kept
scoring the rest of the game. The Panthers got their first touchdown with the
extra point in the 2nd quarter.
The 3rd and 4th quarter were similar to
the 1st and 2nd quarter. When time ran
out in the last quarter, the final score was
24-10 leaving the Denver Broncos walking
out with the title of the champions of
Super Bowl 50. What lead to the Broncos
performing so well?
“It was a very defensive game and the
Broncos came in with a better game plan
and executed. It just goes to show that offense win games, but defense wins Championships”, Darien Moran (11) said.
SB 50 was a remarkable one, from team
dabbing to an amazing half-time performance, to the Broncos’ win.
rystal
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rystal
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March 2016
Sports
Gessner Sprints to the Top and Beyond
Gessner’s talent takes State
and much more.
By Andréanna Wright
At La Follette, we are lucky to have
so many talented athletes. From cross
country to volleyball, everyone has a
chance to be the best that they can be.
Well, one person has succeeded in doing
that and becoming so much more. Junior
Finn Gessner has won the Gatorade
State Boys Cross Country Runner of
the Year for the state of Wisconsin.
He raced to the Division 1 individual
championship this past season with a
time of 15:44.6, leading the Lancers
to a second-place finish as a team. As
the 2015 Wisconsin State Journal Area
Runner of the Year, Gessner took fourth
at the Nike Cross Nationals Heartland
Regional championships, crossing the
line with 15:14.2. He then went on to
compete at the Nike Cross Nationals
Final, where he finished eighth with
15:18.2. He cruised to an eighth-place
finish at the Foot Locker Midwest
Regional championships with a time of
15:17.1, qualifying for the national Foot
Locker Cross Country Championships
and crossing the line in 11th-place with
a time of 15:29. He was one of only
six runners in the country to compete
in both national title races, he earned
All-American honors in each. All according to usatodayhss.
“I was very excited, it’s quite an honor
to be named Gatorade Runner of the
year along with the best runners in the
nation. Competition day was all about
staying focused on my race and not
letting anything else get in the way of
being the best on that day. Every competition day was different, some were
more stressful than others but every race
has a purpose. Some just require more
focus,” Gessner said.
Gessner has been running since he was
in 8th grade and teamed up with the
Lancers when he was a freshman. “I run
because I’m extremely competitive and
I hate to lose. I keep running because I
March 2016
want to find out how much I can achieve
as a runner and how many records I can
break. My biggest challenge in running is
dealing with all the pressure that success
brings.” Gessner added.
Gessner is very confident that running
will become part of his career, and he
hopes that his continuous efforts will
take him all the way to competing in the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA).
Gessner couldn’t of achieved any of his
accomplishments without the persistent
help of his coaches, “I’d like to thank my
coaches Brady Nichols, Cory Hayden,
and Alex Brill for grinding with me and
always giving me great advice on how to
be a better runner and person. I’d also
like the thank the runners who came before me and inspired me. Finally I want
to thank my current teammates who
work hard with me everyday,” Gessner
finalized. We wish you the best of luck
with your goals!
Finn Gessner won the individual title while also going undefeated the entire season. It was the 11th
consecutive trip to state and this group capped off one of the most successful seasons in Lancer history.
Success • Confidence • Motivation
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11
Arts & Entertainment
YOLO: You Obviously Love Oreos
Oreos...what’s more to say?
By Andréanna Wright
They are everywhere, at sleepovers, parties, or even in your backpack. Whether
you like to dunk them in milk, lick off
the cream or put the whole thing in your
mouth, the Oreo cookie has been the
best-selling cookie in the United States
since being introduced in 1912. “I like
Oreos because they don’t taste like any
other cookie,” Laila Jenkins (9) said. The
food company, Nabisco (National Biscuit
Company), had an idea to create two
chocolate-flavored biscuits and fill them
with cream. On April 2nd 1912, Nabisco
announced that they were introducing
three “highest class biscuits,” in a grouping
they called the “Trio.” The Oreo Biscuit,
apart from the other two, was described as,
“Two beautifully embossed chocolate-flavored wafers with a rich cream filling,” the
Oreo Biscuit was sold for about 30 cents
a pound (about $7.13 today). The only
difference between the Oreo that is made
today and the Oreo that was made in 1912
is the design.
The name Oreo is a pretty catchy name
when you think about it, but nobody actually knows where it came from. However,
there are many theories. Oreo comes from
the Greek root for appetizing. One theory
was that the “re” in cream was taken and
smooshed in between the two O’s of the
cookie to create “Oreo,” which is pretty
clever.
One thing that separates the Oreo cookie
from any other cookie is the composition. It is the most mysterious part of the
cookie because nobody knows what the
design symbolize. Historians have decided
that the design is a symbol for quality,
which suits the cookie since it’s made with
a perfect cookie to cream ratio; 71 percent
to 21 percent.
The following information may stop
you from eating oreos ever again, so read
with caution. Until 1997, the Oreo we all
know and love was made with lard, which
is pig fat. But fortunately, by December
1997, the Oreo cookie was lard-free. The
replacement for the lard was partially
hydrogenated vegetable oil which does no
good for the heart. So after another nine
years, a healthier Oreo cookie was born.
March 6th is National Oreo Cookie Day,
so whether your favorite type of Oreo is
double stuffed, peanut butter or lemon,
let’s all come together on that day (or any
other day) and share our delight of the
Oreo cookie.
March Movie Madness Sneak Peek
Don’t get stuck with spring
fever just yet... March movie
run-throughs are here!
By Cammy Carver
Looking for something to do this rainy,
almost-but-not-yet-spring month?
How about a movie? Whether you’re
with friends, family, a date, siblings, or
just alone, there’s a movie out there for
everyone this month.
Nobody’s ever too old for Disney movies, right? I hope not, because Zootopia,
the 55th Disney animated feature film,
is coming out on March 4th. Starring
the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin and
Nick Wilde, a determined rabbit becomes the first hare to join the police
force and is forced to cooperate with a
wily fox to help solve a mysterious case.
The movie is set in a New York-style
metropolis ran completely by various
types of animals.
If Disney animated movies aren’t your
type and you’re on the opposite side of
the spectrum, two horror-drama thrillers, The Other Side of the Door and Eye
12
in the Sky, are coming out on March
4th and March 11th, respectively. The
Other Side of the Door stars Sarah
Wayne Callies, an inconsolable mother
whose family is struck with tragedy
after the accidental death of their son,
played by Logan Creran. When she
learns of an ancient ritual that will
bring her son back for a final goodbye,
she unknowingly upsets the balance
between life and death. The Eye in the
Sky is less of a horror film and is more
centered around thrills and action, and
stars Helen Mirren as a military officer
in charge of a secret mission to capture
a terrorist hideout. The objective turns
to kill instead of capture, but morals
are questioned when a nine year old girl
enters the kill zone.
Not interested in Disney, horror, or
action thrillers? If so, there’s no way
you can’t be excited about the release of
the Allegiant and Batman v Superman:
Dawn of Justice this month. Allegiant,
the third installment of the Divergent
series that has so far grossed over $585
million, premieres on March 18th. It
stars Shailene Woodley as Tris Prior, a
girl who, without giving away spoilers
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from the previous movies, is forced to
quickly decide who to trust and how
to survive outside the walls of her
city. Batman v Superman, or the DC
equivalent to The Avengers, stars Ben
Affleck as Batman, who sets out to
try to put Superman, played by Henry
Cavill, back in check. When Doomsday
is created by Lex Luthor, the two must
put aside their differences to stop him
on March 25th.
London Has Fallen, Hello, My Name Is
Dorris, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,
and The Little Prince are a few movies
coming out this month from a variety
of genres that are sure to please a variety of people. So don’t get stuck with
spring fever yet, pack up your friends
and family and go see a movie.
March 2016
Arts & Entertainment
Don’t Sleep on Once Upon a Mattress
Don’t be shy! Come on out!
By Danielle Wendricks
The La Follette Music Department has
been working diligently on this year’s
musical, Once Upon a Mattress, and are eagerly awaiting their time in the spotlight in
the Vandermeulen Auditorium on March
4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, and 12th at 7:30pm
each night. This show sure won’t be putting you to sleep on your own mattress!
Hannah Wollack (12), who plays Minstrel, the narrator, said, “The show does a
great job intertwining the three subplots,
while bringing in a lot of high energy
through dancing, singing, and comedy!”
The story begins with the expecting Lady
Larken, played by Lydia Anderson (12),
and her lover, Sir Harry, who is played
by Terrill Oliphant (12). There has been
a law placed on the town that no one can
marry until Prince Dauntless the Drab,
played by Elias Lyman (12), marries
someone himself. Sir Harry searches for
a girl for Dauntless, so he can marry his
lover before the birth of their own child.
They stumble upon Princess Winnifred
while in the midst of a swamp. She’s not
your average princess, as she’s unladylike,
and different from all the other girls in
the kingdom. The musical follows the
love story of Dauntless and Winnifred,
and their colliding worlds. The couple
has a lot of obstacles to face, the biggest being Queen Aggravain, played by
Sydney Saunders (12), trying to interfere
with their love. Caty Abitz (11), who
plays Winnifred, described the story as,
“Winnifred’s journey to find her own
version of happily ever after.” Abitz also
thinks the most important message the
story displays is that, “not all princesses
have to be pretty and perfect, and you are
truly a princess when you express who
you really are.”
It’s not all about love though. The musical is labeled as a comedy, and will be sure
to bring the whole audience to laughter.
Saunders stated, “There’s a ton of funny
surprises, and despite taking place during
Robin
the medieval era, it really relates to our
modern age.”
A musical isn’t a musical without music,
so don’t worry, this show has plenty of
it! Saunders says, “Mr. Blakeslee, our new
director, is very skilled at directing music
specifically, and brings his own unique
style to La Follette productions.” However; the music wouldn’t be complete
without assistance from the pit orchestra.
They are led by Levi Olson, the orchestra
teacher here. The group has been working hard since the beginning of January
working to nail the peppy music full of
key changes. Sierra Mueller-Owens (11),
an ensemble member, said that, “It’s not
just what you see on stage (even though
the cast is awesome), it’s the music director, the prop creators, lights, sound and
many more people who put hard work
and many hours into the show.”
Make sure to support all your dedicated,
and hardworking peers, and catch the
very exciting Once Upon a Mattress, when
the musical debuts on March 4th, 5th,
10th, 11th, and 12th!
Laura
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March 2016
The Lance
13
Editorial
ACT: Sweat it or Brush it Off?
Does standardized testing
reflect a students real
intelligence.
By Linsey Vander Plaats
Junior year, sucks doesn’t it? The stress
and pressure of grades, GPA, colleges,
and the one aspect that could possibly
make or break it all is your ACT score.
The ACT is overwhelming. I’m a junior
myself, so I know the feeling all too well.
Is the ACT really worth your time? Well
yes of course it is, especially if you have
plans of going on to college but, the real
question is it really worth sweating over?
The fact that it determines what college
and how good of a college you get into
is an intense feeling. Teachers and staff
members might make you feel that the
rest of your life depends on your ACT
score. It makes me sweat just thinking
about it that’s for sure. Here’s a tip to
help with dealing with ACT sweat, stop in
at Copps right down the street, go to aisle
ten, pick a deodorant of your choice, I
recommend the Arm & Hammer. It really
helps me. Carry your deodorant with you
at all times, and reapply as often as needed
until March 1st. And if you’re feeling
anxious or down in the dumps about the
ACT just think of this; if you’re a junior
and your birthday is March 1st like me,
well I now feel sorry for both of us. If
it’s not your birthday, you have at least
one reason to walk into the ACT with a
smile on your face. The time you get on
the ACT is another nerve-racking aspect.
If you’re not a good test taker like me,
you might feel as if you spend more time
asking yourself questions such as, “How
much time do I have left? How many
answers did I get wrong? What will my
score be?” It’s as if the clock sounds as
loud as a ticking time bomb and it keeps
going faster and faster.
“I think the passages on the ACT are
from real world texts like magazines and
very important authors and it’s really important that kids who want to go to college can read those but, I think it’s gross
that ACT expects people to read those
passages and answer dense questions in a
really short time” said Beth Steffen, the
literacy coach and ACT prep teacher here.
There are positive effects to the ACT,
which can benefit the student and make
them feel good about how they did. There
can be negative effects that can make the
students feel more nervous and worse
about how they did.
“I think afterwards there can be some
very positive effects, it might open some
doors for students to start colleges that
they were hopeful to attend. There can
be negative effects. It can make them
feel really like they’re not a good student
or they’re not smart or inadequate. A
lot of times they might not be great at
taking a test, especially a test that lasts
five hours. That’s a long time to take a
test” said Lauren Cabalka, an AVID and
history teacher.
Is the ACT a fair test is what a lot students might feel that it is not a fair test.
In my opinion, the ACT is not a fair test.
You might be thinking, Linsey, you are
just saying that because the ACT is on
your birthday. But, that’s not at all true.
I believe that the time and the amount of
reading and questions they give is not fair.
Sometimes the best gift you can give a
student who struggles with tests such as,
the ACT is the gift of time. For certain
students all they need is time to show
what they know.
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14
The Lance
March 2016
Editorial
This Election Season Comes in with a BANG
It’s a polling palooza.
By Erik Scarr
It sure has been an exciting time,
watching the polls, the debates, the
Iowa Caucus, the media circus, and,
of course, the candidates this election
season. I can’t remember ever really
caring about the election in years past,
but all the weird things going on with
many of the candidates have kept
interest and ratings high.
Early on in the season, we were all
shocked to hear Donald Trump’s announcement that he would be running
for president in 2016. At first, many
thought that it must be a joke, or maybe
he was just doing it for the publicity
to sell something. But the campaign
dragged on, and it slowly dawned on us
that he really seemed to be serious about
this; attending debates, running commercials, speaking on television shows.
And as election day is near, it’s obvious
that he’s really, actually running. And
the strangest part is? He has supporters. Lots of them. Despite presenting
himself as a very bigoted, simpleminded
human being, he has won many Republican voters by being more bigoted
and simpleminded than even Ted Cruz
(another Republican candidate).
The Iowa Caucus held some surprises
for both the Republican and Democrat
parties. The Caucus, for those who
don’t know, is the first real big event
of the elections. It involves a meeting
Photo credit: lifeplanningtoday.com
As candidates speak, how much of the talk really influence the vote?
of the various delegates from only
Iowa to select the delegates who will
then vote to decide who their votes
will go to in the electoral college.
(Confusing, I know, but just think
of it like this: a caucus is a bunch of
people coming together to decide
who will decide who the votes for the
state to go to.) Republicans saw Ted
Cruz come out on top, with Donald
Trump trailing along at only second
place. Democrats Bernie Sanders and
Hillary Clinton ran the closest race in
the history of the caucus, with Hillary
eventually winning out by the slim-
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The Lance
mest margin: only a few tenths of a
percentage point. But in all fairness,
the Iowa Caucus doesn’t really matter.
It’s not a gauge for who’ll win the
election; in 2012 Rick Santorum won
Iowa but didn’t even come close to
winning the election. The event itself
isn’t particularly important to the
whole of the campaign. The only reason it’s covered so heavily is because
it’s the first of the events like it held
across the US.
Personally I’m really looking forward
to how this election is shaping up. I’m
a Bernie Sanders supporter myself;
Trump is a certified nut and Mrs.
Clinton is trend-hopping and trying
way too hard to young voters and not
hard enough to make actual policies.
So if you’re 18, or turning 18 before
the election, please don’t forget to
vote. People like to talk about how
your vote doesn’t matter, or how
voting is just a waste of time, or that
it doesn’t affect them, and that’s fine.
But don’t count yourself out just because your friend doesn’t think voting
is worth their time. And even if you
think your vote won’t do anything, do
it anyways because it’s your duty as a
citizen.
15
Lancers of the Month
Athletes of the Month:
Anderson and Hagan Flying High
Stellar athletes and
students.
By Enjoyiana Nururdin
Blending academic and athletic ability, these two Lancers
are effectively showing their
Lancer Pride and skill on and
off the field. The two athletes we are recognizing this
month are Joanna Hagan and
Collin Anderson.
Collin Anderson not only
plays basketball but he also
comes in clutch when it
comes to baseball. However,
he isn’t the only player in his
family, “I played baseball a
lot when I was younger, my
dad played for the city and
he showed me how to play,”
Anderson said. “I’m a pitcher
and I love facing the batters.
It’s like a chess match.” Anderson also has been shooting
Senior Collin Anderson
Senior Joanna Hagan
hoops throughout his high
school career. He played
twice for La Follette and has
been playing with MSCR for
the last two years. “I love
playing basketball because it’s
really fast paced, but I love
both sports.”
When Collin isn’t found in
the field or on the court, he
is a Pride guide at LHS. “I
define pride as being able to
look back on what you’ve
accomplished and be proud
of it,” and with a 3.8 GPA,
Anderson has something to
be proud of. Anderson plans
on attending UW La Crosse
majoring in business management, and hopes to start his
own business. We wish you
the best of luck Collin!
Our next athlete, Joanna
Hagan has been achieving all
of her goals on and off the
field since she was four years
old. “I don’t remember why
I continued with it, I just
thought it was really cool!”
Hagan said. She has been
playing soccer not only for
La Follette’s Varsity team,
but for the club Rush as well.
Hagan even got Honorable
Mention last year, and she is
now captain of the Varsity
team at LHS. When Hagan
isn’t on the field, she can be
found volunteering at St.
Mary’s Hospital, with her
church, or helping freshmen
at LHS by being a Pride
guide.
After LHS, Joanna plans on
attending the University of
Minnesota and majoring in
Physiology and Psychology,
and then returning to Madison for medical school. She
hopes to become a pediatrician, and her 3.97 GPA will
get her wherever she needs to
go. Good luck Joanna!
Artist of the Month:
You can’t throw
shade on Ramirez’
talent, this kid can
draw!
By Tyki Jackson
Edwin Ramirez is the dude
who is never rude, has a great
attitude, an awesome senior,
who also has some pretty
cool sneakers and, well yeah
he’s the artist of the month.
Ramirez has a GPA of 3.8
and with a passion for art,
he does amazing drawings.
“Sometimes I’m in a situation where drawing is good
16
Ramirez’ Future is Drawn Out
for me and I can also waste
time doing something I like,”
Ramirez said.
Edwin is an amazing person
with passion for art and he is
pretty good at it. He doesn’t
give up on drawing and
doesn’t want anyone else to
either.
“If drawing is your thing and
you like to do it, keep at it.
Everyone can be an artist.
Just find your place; there’s
something for everyone,”
Ramirez added.
Edwin took drawing classes in the past like Drawing
and Prints 1 and he plans on
taking more in the future.
Edwin has the rest of his
school years planned out
after high school.
“My goal for the rest of the
year is to graduate from
high school and keep going
no matter what. Then go
to college, attend 2 years in
MATC, then go to UW-Milwaukee for 3 years. “It’s
up to you to succeed and it
depends on you, you can’t
depend on other people
for you to succeed. It’s up
to you; if you want to get
something go for it and earn
it,” Ramirez said.
Edwin Ramirez is one pretty
awesome dude and he is an
outstanding senior who has
the potential to become the
The Lance
next Leonardo Da Vinci,
Donatello, Michelangelo, or
even the next Raphaelle. We
hope you achieve your goals
after high school and finish
college and go further in life.
Good luck Edwin!
Senior Edwin Ramirez
March 2016