Dropping Out Getting Harder in Iowa

ire
Lewis Central High School
February 20, 2008
W
the
Issue 5
3504 Harry Langdon Blvd. Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Mounds of Sweets to Benefit Others
In an effort to brighten
the day of local elderly
people, sophomore
Shelby Miller and
junior Ariel Huber,
along with with Foods
teacher Bev Shriver,
frost brownies to
donate. Cooking for
a Cause meets about
once a week and
delivers baked goods
to local organizations.
Photo by Joe Stokes
Dropping Out Getting Harder in Iowa
Maria Jones
Design Editor
At sixteen one thinks about getting their driver’s licenses, being twelve months closer to watching ‘R’ rated
movies, and though one may not be aware, at sixteen it is
legal to drop out of high school.
In the 2005- 2006 school year, the department of education estimated that the state of Iowa had around 1,100
students dropout of high school between the ages of sixteen and eighteen.To lower this rate, Iowa legislators have
proposed a bill that would raise the minimum dropout age
to eighteen. Lawmakers believe that having more students
in school could also help many high schools obtain more
financial aid.
“There are other things that need to be set in place.
We need more support for those students who need the
extra help,” said Principal Chuck Story.
At sixteen, students are sophomores or juniors; if
the dropout age is raised to eighteen, students will be in
school for the majority of their junior and senior years.
This would give the students a chance to get the help
they need.
“Generally when someone decides to stop doing
their work, nothing will change their mind,” said social
studies teacher Dan Miller.
In order to obtain better job opportunities, lawmakers say students should finish high school.
English and Spanish teacher Emily Jacobs said, “I
wouldn’t want them to drop out; I would at least want
them to get their GED.”
In one student’s opinion, such a law would be a positive thing because, “It would be better for them to stay in
school longer,” said junior Ashlei Fender.
This bill has been proposed before, at least three
times in the past three years, and was dismissed primarily
because it would cost taxpayers an estimated $19 million.
Currently, sixteen-year-olds may drop out in twenty-seven
states, while sixteen states have eighteen as the dropout
age. Other states have the required dropout age set at
seventeen.
Raising the dropout age to eighteen will have an impact on high school life, whether it is a positive change or
negative. This bill proposal is just that, a proposal, and the
future is not ours to see, but the answer will come soon
enough.
?8
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page 3
I
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By The
Numbers
16
18
1100
$19 M
27
3
Back in the Day
ce6 & 7
Reminispages
Wrestlers
To State
In 08
page 4
current legal age to drop out
of high school in Iowa
proposed legal age to drop out
of high school in Iowa
number of high school drop outs
between ages 16 and 18 in Iowa
(2005 - 2006 school year)
number of states states where
16 is legal drop out age
number of times bill has been
proposed in last 3 years
Bands
about More
Than Just
green
page 8
estimated cost to
Iowa taxpayers
You’ve
page 11 Probably
Never
Heard Of
[february 2008]
Rosenblatt On The Move
The
Education
Race
Shaley McKeever
Reporter
It’s been a long time debate
throughout the years. Who is
smarter: girls or boys? Does it really come down to who is more intelligent or is it who applies themselves more? Recent research has
shown that girls tend to be more
dedicated and do better in school.
The United States Department
of Education examined students’
commitment to education across the
nation and concluded that girls are
more likely to complete their homework, study, and come to school
more prepared than boys.
Psychology Professor Judith Kleinfeld at the University of
Alaska, Fairbanks found that the
problems are partly developmental
because girls mature more quickly
than boys. They enter school with
bigger vocabularies and better motor skills, so it’s easier for them
to learn to write. Kleinfeld also
believes that many boys are disengaging from school and are losing
motivation as they get older.
Dr. Kleinfeld believes the work
in school is not appealing to the
male students. There is a growing
literacy gap between the girls and
boys in public and private schools
alike. Could it be that the literature
we read in school isn’t sparking interest in some boys at all? That
might just be true because her
research has shown there is no
literacy gap in boys and girls who
are home schooled. Since they are
taught at home, parents are more
likely to let them follow their interests which then produce better
results.
Seventeen-year-old
Doug
Anglin, a senior at Milton High
School in Milton, Massachusetts
actually went as far to file a civil
rights complaint against his school
stating that his school favored girls
over boys. Anglin believes that it’s
not that girls are smarter than
boys; they are just outperforming
boys because the school system
favors them.
“Historically there’s been more
emphasis on boys than girls in school
and the push for education has been
to make it equal because in the past,
girls have been underrepresented,”
explains Assistant Principal Kim
Jones.
Junior Laurel Feller said, “I think
that it’s obvious men and women
were made differently, for good reasons. Women were made to be thinkers and systematic, while men were
made for their physical strengths.”
Could the way men and
women brains function have an
affect on how they do in school?
As studies have shown, men and
women use different tissues in
their brains to think. The brain
is principally made of two tissues
that consist of gray matter and
white matter. Dr. Richard Haier of
the University of California found
that men think more with the gray
matter and women with the white.
His research showed that women
have ten times more white matter
than men, and men have six and a
half times more gray matter than
women. Basically Dr. Haier has
found that human evolution created two types of brains; although
they are different they were both
designed for equal intelligent behavior.
Senior Jessica Formanek believes, “Although there are many
biological differences between men
and women, the ability to make
decisions effectively and achieve
success intellectually is based on
the person, not their gender.”
In 2003 alone the College
World Series brought in roughly
$35 million dollars to the city of
Omaha. Local businesses such as
restaurants, hotels, and the Henry
Doorly Zoo, all benefit from major
crowds that are brought in from
Joe Stokes
all over the United States. Around
Reporter
For over 50 years Rosenblatt the time of the College World
Stadium has been home to the Series businesses in Omaha and
College World Series; however, some part of Council Bluffs do
that may all come to end. In 2010 see some more production.
if major renovations or a new
“I think the College World
stadium has not been built, the Series moving to Council Bluffs
College World Series has the is a bad idea. Having the College
option of moving out of Omaha.
World Series at Omaha is a 50
“I think that if Omaha is going year tradition and that should not
to struggle to rebuild Rosenblatt be changed,” said senior Logan
Stadium then they shouldn’t spend Mundt.
the money to rebuild it,” said
Among
the
numerous
baseball coach
proposals
is
Certain areas of Omaha building a new
Steve Koester.
T h e
across
do benefit from the College stadium
estimated
the river from
cost to build
current
World Series, but I think its
a new stadium
home. With the
is
between that Omaha would cope with new $22 million
$103
and
River
the loss of the money from Missouri
$140 million.
pedestrian
the College World Series
This is not
bridge,
it
easy on the
Council Bluffs
Steve Koester
city of Omaha
would connect
that still owes around $13 to Omaha, just a couple of miles
million dollars for renovations to where the proposed stadium
on Rosenblatt. Omaha also has would be built. Condos and
other unrelated financial issues shopping areas are suggested to
such as one billion in sewer be on the Council Bluffs side of
repair projects and $700 million the pedestrian bridge.
in unfunded pensions and health
Whether the College World
care obligations.
Series moves out of Omaha to
“Certain areas of Omaha do cities such as Orlando, Florida;
benefit from the College World Indianapolis, Indiana; or even
Series, but I think that Omaha Council Bluffs, Iowa, the city of
would cope with the loss of the Omaha has until about April
money from the College World before they start talking to other
Series,” said Koester.
cities about possibly moving.
“
”
It’s A Strange World After All
Athena Burns
Reporter
Berlin, Germany. A burglar got an unexpected surprise when he showed up
at an elderly man’s flat. Not in the form
of police awaiting his arrival, but rather,
the elderly man’s corpse. After finding
the body the burglar phoned police
telling them the address of the house
he was in. It was later discovered that
the 64-year-old resident died of natural
causes (msnbc.msn.com).
London, England. Uruguayan
scientists have discovered fossil
evidence of “the biggest species
of rodent ever found.” Its skull is
estimated to be around twenty
inches and the animal itself is
speculated to have been eight
feet long and having weighed just
over a ton (news.aol.com).
Cartoon by Taylor Basch
A poll of children
ages four to sixteen
shows that clowns
are universally disliked
by children, and even
teenagers find them
scary (msnbc.msn.com).
In Stratford, Connecticut, a 50year-old postcard has finally been
delivered. It was written by a
woman known only as Alice to the
long dead town manager Harry
Flood. Town residents speculate
that it was sent by a collector, as
evidence of the fact it was wrapped
in cellophane (msnbc.msn.com).
[page two - news]
Editorial Policy
We the people ...
Of The Wire (official Lewis Central student newspaper) will distribute to any and all students free of charge. The opinions expressed in
this publication reflect those of the student writers, not Lewis Central administration, faculty, or its advisor. The Wire is published seven
times throughout the school year by the Suburban Times in Papillion,
Nebraska.
The purpose of The Wire is to: inform students of current and
relevant events, interpret and analyze complex events and issues that
affect students, and serve as a forum for discussion of controversial
issues.
Letters to the Editor:
The Wire strongly encourages responses to articles appearing in the
newspaper. Letters may be submitted to room 401 or e-mailed to [email protected]. The letters must be signed, legible, and
concise. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar,
and punctuation. These letters should also be free of profanity, vulgarity,
or words with undesirable meanings.
[the wire]
The Deal With Global Warming
Savannah Greening
Reporter
Global warming affects everyone. Each
time you drive your car, the exhaust pollutes
our air. Each time you turn on your light, energy
is wasted. Each time you wash your clothes or
take a shower, heat and water are used. Yes,
everyone needs to do those things to survive.
However, you don’t need a twenty minute
shower, a road trip just for the fun of it, or your
bedroom light on 24/7.
I think global warming is a big deal, but the
scientists are making it a huge deal. I believe global
warming is getting worse now.Weather is changing
as well as people’s health. Scientists are saying
that global warming is getting worse. According
to news.com, hurricanes in Florida have gotten
worse within the last 50 years. Hurricanes have
increased wind speed fifty percent. Livescience.
com also reported that hurricanes are getting
stronger, but they also mentioned sea levels are
rising, and seasonal allergies are getting worse.
The rapid rise in allergy symptoms may be a
result of quick climate change and more carbon
dioxide in the air.
According to seattlepi.com, 90% of
greenhouse gases are human induced. This
shows that we have a lot to give and take from
Thick smoke from the Mid-American
Energy power plant increases pollution in the area. Photo by Maria Jones
the atmosphere. You may or not believe in global
warming, but you should still care about your
planet. There are world citizens leaving their
lights on all day and night.Why would you do that
if you are not even using them? You could get just
as clean by taking a five to ten minute shower
rather than a twenty minute shower. Your stereo
Run Your Dishwasher Only When Full:
According to helpstopglobalwarming.com, running
Fast
Facts
To Keep
You On
Track
your dishwasher at the lowest possible speed can save
100 pounds of CO2 and save you $40 a year!
Keep Your Car In Working Order:
NCS. org reported your car
emits 10 times as much CO2 when
its not in tip-top shape.
Check Your Home
Thermostat: Turning
down your thermostat 2
dergrees in the summer
and 2 degrees up in the
winter can save you 2000
pounds of CO2 and $98
every year!
Up Goes The Wage, Up Go The Prices
The Wire Staff
Editor-In-Chief
Amanda Goeser
Design Editor
Maria Jones
Photography Editors
Hayley Perrin
Josh Stroeher
Business Editors
Lindsey Lawrence
Reporters
Taylor Basch
Amanda Berg
Athena Burns
Kaitlin Carlson
Baily Clevenger
Damien Croghan
Jake Ferguson
Savannah Greening
Shelby Klepfer
Sara Marshall
Shaley McKeever
Joe Stokes
Sarah Waldron
will work just the same if you put in batteries
instead of plugging it in. Plus, you could take
it anywhere without worrying about whether
there is an electrical outlet nearby.
We don’t just have to worry about this
problem. We can do something about it. Avoid
using plastic bags. According to reusablebags.
com 42 billion plastic bags have been used
worldwide since Jan. 31. Instead purchase a
cloth bag that can be used over and over again.
EBay would surely have them or if you want to
take the cheaper route, pick up extra material
and sew yourself a bag. It does not matter if
you can sew or not, you would be preserving
our planet. Buying used cars also helps because
the factories do not produce as many cars so
they won’t produce as much pollution. Plus they
are easier on your wallet. But when you buy
that cheaper car, buy a car, not a monster truck
or some other gas guzzling vehicle. Need gas
money? Now you don’t if you take your bike
everywhere you want to go. It saves you money
in the long run and you can be more physically
fit. Plus, keep your car in the best working order
possible. NCS.org reported that ten times more
carbon dioxide is released from faulty vehicles
than working cars.
Global warming is currently affecting us all.
If everyone just did a couple things like buy just
one fluorescent light bulb, devote batteries to
one electronic device, or buy products with less
packaging, our earth would be a lot cleaner. It
doesn’t matter if you believe global warming is
a scam or it’s a real problem, you can still make
a difference.
Drive Less: Cars
produce 20 gallons of CO2 per
gallon of gas! And
keep your car well
maintained.
Damien Croghan
Reporter
Like every person on the
face of the planet, I enjoy having
money. When I have it, I can buy
fast food, go shopping, and socialize
with my friends. I can literally buy
happiness with it. When I don’t
have it, life just seems to become
more difficult. It’s like I can never
have enough; I just need more and
more. If the government made it
possible for me to get more, no
matter where I was employed,
this would almost make me
happy. Good in theory, but bad in
practice.
As of January 1st, 2008, the
minimum wage in Iowa was raised
to $7.25 an hour. For many, this has
been a cause to rejoice, particularly
teenagers previously working
tedious jobs for $6.20 an hour.
I personally have been affected
by this, and it seems nice…for now.
But I can’t help but wonder how
I’m going to feel about this once
everything goes up in price to
combat my increased income.
Raising the minimum wage
is only a temporary solution to
a growing problem. Prices for
everyday items like groceries, gas,
and even our utilities continue
to skyrocket. Even if we put
more material money into every
American’s pocket, we’re not
helping anyone. We would have
more dollar bills in our wallets, but
less buying power.
If we were to increase the
minimum wage to $100 an hour,
what would happen? The owners of
mega-corporations would simply
make everything more expensive.
Our dollar would become the new
penny. People could not afford
more; if anything, they will be in
the exact same boat. And not only
will their income be worth the
same, but it would make inflation
worse.
Yes, that’s an exaggeration,
but it demonstrates my point. For
a short time, the poor will get
slightly wealthier, shrinking the gap
between the haves and the have-
[page three - face off ]
nots. But we are not looking at the
long run.A minimum wage increase
is not the cure-all for decreasing
poverty in this country.
We need to make the wealthy
more accountable for their income.
Why should anyone feel entitled to
billions of dollars when billions of
people can’t even afford to eat one
meal a day? Who needs a mansion
when families in the United States
can’t afford to pay rent for a onebedroom apartment?
Though the prices of tools
necessary for making products are
increasing, why should the price of
the product go up? Corporations
need to stop being cheap. Just
because the bottom bracket of
society gets more money doesn’t
mean those on the top deserve it.
Basically, the minimum wage
increase was a good concept, but
is completely useless. The value
of the American dollar at home
and abroad is diminishing, and this
will become a contributory factor.
Maybe I was wrong about money
buying happiness. I now have the
ability to earn more of it, but it
seems as though I can buy less
with it.
Caught
In A Time
Warp
S
Amanda Goeser
Editor-In-Chief
ome days I feel as though I
am stuck in this time warp with
conflicting feelings; I want to
be able to enjoy the moment
instead of looking down the
road constantly. Simply being
able to savor everything that
is today - from waking up late
and forgetting an assignment,
to celebrating birthdays and
just fun conversations.
When it comes to the
height of the season, whether
it be basketball, swimming,
wrestling, show choir, jazz
band, or speech, it can be
all too easy to just wish the
season were over so that
you can have free time again
or less stress. In all reality,
about a week after the season
is over you will wish it were
still going on. It’s just how it
works.
No matter the grade,
school can get monotonous.
February is when it seems to
hit the hardest. You haven’t
had a break for awhile, can’t
really be outdoors a lot, and
are starting to get homework
piled on before the end of the
term. It, too, becomes easy
to wish that summer would
come so you wouldn’t have
hours of homework and a
daily commitment from 7:35
to 2:45. I am here to tell you
not to rush it, even wishing
the weekend would come
sooner, which we can all be
guilty of.
Time seems to have that
sort of effect on us. We can
never get enough of it, but
when we do, we just want to
rush it. I want to be able stop
and smell the roses, like they
say.
Look back to this past
fall. Remember the first day
of school, Homecoming, and
thinking that first term finals
came oh-so-quickly? Some
of those memories seem
like they could have been
last week instead of several
months ago. Even then, we
were all thinking about and
rushing winter break, fun
basketball games, and events
like SnoBall.
Life revolves around
time. Sometimes I wish time
could be transformed into
slow motion
and for us to be able to
pause or, better yet, rewind it,
whenever it is convenient.
Some say these high
school years are the best
years of our life, yet they are
the ones that seem to speed
by the fastest.
[february 2008]
Eight To State In 08
Joe Stokes
Reporter
Cheering for wrestling, junior Dakota Driver, sophomore Callie Larsen, and junior Kaylee McKinley help support the Titans.
Photo by Josh McNeeley
Lewis Central has a reputation of having a very strong wrestling program and
this year is no exception. With four state
medalists returning this season and even a
couple of freshmen hitting the varsity mat,
it is no wonder they are finding success
across the state.
“One of the keys to success for any
team is leadership. When you have a
group of athletes working toward a common goal throughout a season there will
always be obstacles, but with great leadership the obstacles are simply wrinkles that
you will iron out and have a great finished
product with success. Our leaders are
irreplaceable,” said assistant coach Ryan
Barker.
While the junior varsity season is all
ready over, the varsity wrestling season is
reaching a critical point. With the Hawk-
eye Ten Conference championship title
and first place showing at districts, the
team is preparing for the state tournament.
“The first time going to state is the
best ever. Wrestling at state is one of
the most exciting things ever,” said senior Derek Nightser.
With 8 wrestlers heading into the
state championship, the team is expected to do well. The state wrestling
tournament begins February 13 in Des
Moines.
“Making it to state has been my goal
since the start of the season. Now that
I have made it I really want to place,”
said senior Josh Coffman.
Many wrestlers top goal is to make
it to state. Everyone hopes for those
who qualified to place at the state tournament.
“Our goal every year is to leave
Des Moines with a state title. You always shoot for the best and then readjust your goals as needed. Anything can
happen and it usually does at the state
tournament. We know that so we go in
preparing for the worst and expecting
the best,” said Barker
Dreams Shattered and Tears Shed
Josh Stroeher
Photography Editor
Being called the greatest upset in football history, the New
York Giants prevailed over the
powerhouse, New England Patriots, in Super Bowl Forty-Two.
Numerous records were broken,
some of the greatest plays all year
were executed, and many tears
were shed; both good and bad.
The game was as lopsided
as they come with the Patriots
coming in with a 16-0 record, and
favored to defeat the Giants by
more than ten points. In the final
minutes of the game, New England marched down field 80 yards
to score and the Giants’ hopes
seemed to dim until a miracle
catch by David Tyree granted New
York a second wind. They continued to march down the field and
win the game on a fade route
pass from Eli Manning to Plaxico
Burress to upset the Patriots and
prevent them from being only the
second team in NFL history to
have an undefeated season, the
first being Don Shula’s 1972 Miami Dolphins.
“The game was awesome,”
said senior Curtis Dreager. “Tom
Brady failed, and Peyton got to
watch his little brother play, it was
just awesome.”
The game was extremely
close for the first three quarters
and not much happened until the
final minutes of the fourth quarter
when the lead changed twice, with
the Giants ending up on top. The
Patriots’ quest for perfection ended that night. Next season every
team will start off with the same
aspiration that New England came
so close to accomplishing.
Congratulations to the boys basketball team for
being crowned Hawkeye 10 Champs. It was the first
time ever for the Titans. Way to go, guys!
Try to guess this issue’s featured winter sports athletes
life
DAY
in the
...
S
Y
D
N
I
E
dennis
Who am I...
Who am I...
I am a senior at LC taking
I am a senior on the soccer
English Comp and History
team.We have practice on SatSince 1877. I have already
urday mornings during the offcompleted Public Speaking at season and after school during
Iowa Western. I am also the
the season. I also am involved
captain of the Softball team. I in golf where I was city champ
have lettered in softball for 4
my junior year. I currently am
times as a centerfielder. I have
taking personal development
also lettered in golf once and where I hold the squat record
will again in the spring. During
of 320 for my weight class. I
my senior year, I have mainalso placed fourth at state in
tained a 4.0 GPA. When I was
bowling my sophomore year.
younger I was involved in 4H
I work at No Frills. I usufor eight years. While in 4H, I
ally work between 20 and 25
won many classes. I can often hours a week stocking shelves,
be found in the student secpushing carts, and cashiering.
tion at home events. Jake Ferguson
Reporter
george
I
V
A
N
O
V
... a
into
a
LOOK
lives of
sports
STARS
Athletes featured in the last issue were... Sydnie Dennis and George Ivanov
[page four - athletics]
[the wire]
Successful Speechers Conquer State
Hayley Perrin
Photography Editor
Your hands sweat, your throat
gets dry, you shake from head-totoe with unstable nerves, and your
face turns an unseen shade of red
at the mere thought of the word
“speech.”
Public speaking is a widespread fear. Not talking to your
best friend in a public atmosphere,
but standing up in front of a crowd
of peers and reciting an intelligent
piece of writing. You have to capture the audience’s attention and
convince them that your points
are solid by backing up every statement you make with factual information. It can’t be fun and games.
All speeches are serious business,
right?
Actually, there are people
within your very school that give
speeches for fun! The most frightening thing in the world, yet they
find a way to enjoy it. Extracurricular speechers are in full volume.
Of the 38 students that participated in large group speech, fourteen are new to speech including
As shepherds in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, senior Caleb Housley, and sophomores Lauren Petri and Ryan Penney perform at large group speech night. Reader’s Theater received a division one rating at state. Photo by Josh Stroeher
senior Sophia Carlo, who joined
this year as a foreign exchange student.
“Extracurricular speech is
very different from speech class
because you don’t write speeches.
It is mostly acting,” said speech
teacher and coach Laurie Nielsen.
Speech is judged by a panel of
unbiased judges. They give each
group a rating of I, II, or III (or IV
if you violate a rule and get dis-
Club is Fired Up
qualified… but we won’t go there)
based on your acting skills. You
need a I at District competition to
move on to state. With a lot of
hard work and some luck at state,
you may qualify to be eligible for an
All-State nomination. Each category has a time limit and maximum
number of participants. In some
events, characters are allowed costumes and props, while others forbid it and instead require an active
imagination.
Now that large group speech
has come to an end, Lewis Central is proud to announce that for
the first time, all speech members
entered in a district competition
made it to state in at least one category. Groups receiving I ratings at
state were reader’s theater, radio
news, “Sure Thing,” and the improvisation group of Deanna Williams,
Megan Rief, and Josh Stroeher.
Nearing the end of speech
season, individual speechers are
practicing for the district competition in Shenandoah Saturday,
February 23. Categories include
individual improvisation, public address, storytelling, poetry reading,
book/movie/play reviews, and radio news announcing.
This is the perfect time of
year to speak up. “You won’t play
basketball your whole life or probably even play an instrument your
whole life, but you will speak your
whole life,” said Nielsen. With
some practice you will no longer
have clammy hands and a twisted tongue every time you give a
speech.
Athena Burns
Reporter
Most of the student population knows how hard it is to get
into a pottery class. People are
constantly vying to get into at least
one class. In fact, there was so
much interest in pottery that Mr.
Cunningham decided upon making
a pottery club.
The newly formed Pottery
Club meets from 3:00 to 5:00 in
the pottery room on Mondays and
will do so for the rest of the year.
The club has approximately twenty students, all of whom were hand
picked by Mr. Cunningham himself.
“I like all my students, but I
chose the students who really like
to work and have great ideas, who
don’t need to be motivated,” said
club organizer and pottery teacher
Clay Cunningham.
The invited students are all
proud to be a part of the club. To
prove it, they work hard on their
projects, and each of them have
different ideas for their projects,
not to mention what to do with
them.
“I’m working on a set of
bowls. I’m going to put different
flowers on them and sell them for
the craft show,” said sophomore
Deanna Williams.
When asked what his favorite
Mark Your Calendars!
FCA Night of Champions
Friday March 14,2008
6:00 P.M. LC Media Center
Free Pizza
Free Pop
We will watch the DVD Indescribable
Working on his piece, senior Curtis Dreager makes
his point in Pottery Club. Photo by Taylor Basch
thing about the club was, Mr. Cunningham replied with, “We get to
do all types of firing in different
kilns and I love working with the
kids.”
Mr. Cunningham isn’t the only
one who loves the club; the students do too.
“My favorite thing about pottery club is that we’re free to make
whatever we want. If we mess up,
we can just start over again; no
pressure,” said Williams.
Much like with their projects,
the students have different ideas of
what they like about the club. Take
for instance, junior Angela Anderson.
“I like that I get to spend
more time working on the proj-
ects. There’s also more one-onone time with the instructor and
the women who help out,” commented Anderson.
The “women who help out”
are Sharon Hogan, Dawn Otto, and
Diane Knige, past pottery teachers
from other areas who are assisting Mr. Cunningham during Pottery
Club.
The pottery club will not only
be making bowls or teapots, sculptures or boxes, but they will also
be firing their creations in different
kilns, using different methods, and
different glazes. Doesn’t this sound
like fun? Too bad you can’t join…
Unless you talk to Mr. Cunningham
about an invite! Stop by the pottery room and see him today!
[page five - activities]
Indescribable
with speaker Louie Giglio
Indescribable
takes us on an imagerich journey through the
cosmos, allowing us to
peer into God’s universe
to discover the amazing magnitude of His
greatness and grace.
-http://www.268generation.com
Follow-up comments
lead by LC science
teacher Mr. Nathan
Doorlag
The Silver Screen of Our Childhood
Remember that Song?
Taylor Basch
Reporter
Movies. They have portrayed
what we may not otherwise see
in our lives. Places where people
are foxes, when BB guns were at
the top of the Christmas list, and
a person’s imagination (and maybe
a book) could transport them to a
brand new world.
These powerful scenes have
played through the minds of children worldwide, so let’s take a
closer look.
“The movies I liked were A
Christmas Story and The Neverending Story,” said freshman Mikael Scheffel.
Robin Hood, as in the 1973
A Christmas Story, a classic
holiday story with an ironic twist. Walt Disney classic. Still don’t reAnd when Ralphie’s friend Flick member? The animated movie’s
got his tongue stuck on a tether characters were animals.
“I thought it was cool because
pole? Children still replay this
timeless scene, with some painful they were foxes, and they were
results.
“The movies I talking!” Josh continued.
And he’s probably not
For those liked were A Christwho love fan- mas Story and The the only child who thought
tasy, or drag- Neverending Story,” that. Remember Lion King,
ons who look
-Mikael Scheffel. Lady and the Tramp, and
101 Dalmatians? All anilike dogs, a
mated movies with talking
silver screen
wonder may be The Neverending animals, and silver screen classics.
But no matter what movies
Story.This story won the hearts of
millions of young movie-goers. A you loved to watch back in the
boy, named Bastion, comes across day, they’re classics in your eyes.
an antique shop, where he sees a Maybe you sang along to the tune
mysterious book. This very book of “The Phony King of England,”
transports Bastion to a magical rode dragons through a magical
world, or just wished for a Red
world called Fantasia.
“[My favorite movie is] Robin Ryder BB gun, these movies, and
Hood,” said sophomore Josh Law- many more, sparked the imaginations of children worldwide.
rence.
Back in the
Day
Sweetest of Candies in the Sweetest of Days
Fruit Roll-ups:
Though fruit roll ups are still
around, this fruity snack first got its
start in the 90’s. You can now get them
in many colors and crazy flavors.
Orbitz:
This drink was known for the fact
that it had small, Jell-O like flavored
balls floating around in the drink. The
drink is now a collector’s item.
Some creative ideas came up with Ouch Gum and Fruit Stripe, and they
were both popular back in the day. Photos by Kaitlin Carlson
Wonderballs: Remember the commercial
jingle, “What’s in a wonderball?” The chocolate ball shaped treat started off having a
small Disney themed toy, and then later had
candy in it. Sadly, due to the fact that the
prize was a choking hazard, the treat was
pulled from markets in 1997.
Warheads:
One of a kind, Warheads were
popular for a few years.The candy’s extreme sour flavor was known for the
fact that it was hard to keep it in your
mouth.
Zebra Gum:
Baby Bottle Pops:
These unique dip-able suckers
were popular in the 90’s and still are
today.You lick the sucker part, and then
dip it in the flavored sugar, and keep
dipping and licking ‘til the sucker was
gone.
Shelby Klepfer
Reporter
Back in the day, before
Dippin’ Dots and Mountain
Dew Game fuel, there were
classics from the 90’s that are
now hard to find. Hopefully,
this list brings back some good
90’s memories.
This was a childhood favorite! If
you lick the wrapper, you get a free
temporary tattoo for you skin.
From Nirvana to Nimrod, music of the ‘90s was diverse and unique. Some
bands, like Nirvana are now gone, but they live on in the hearts of their fans.
Photo by Hayley Perrin
Jawbreakers:
Boy bands were quite popular in the 90’s.
Remember the simple, straightforward, ultracatchy melody line and cool dance moves that
kept us buying CD’s and watching music videos?
Two major competitors were *NSYNC and the
Backstreet Boys.
Sarah Waldron
“My sister and I were into *NSYNC,” said
Reporter
sophomore Chanda McNeal.
The YMCA and the Macarena can only
Country music has also been a crowd famean one thing: it’s a party, 90’s style. The 90’s
vorite. Many artists began incorporating rock
had many great hits including, Say My Name,
elements into their music resulting in upbeat
Baby Got Back and Waterfalls. Buckle your seat
tempos that appeal to the young and old alike.
belt as we embark on a journey back to the
Some of the leading Country artists of the 90’s
90’s and the music that kept us dancing.
were Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain
Music tastes are just
and Chad Brock.
“When I was younger,
as individual as the person
“When I was younger,
my mom and I would
listening. Although, there
my mom and I would blare
are definite trends in ev- blare country music while country music while cleanery decade.
ing the house. My favorite
cleaning the house”
“The nineties were all
song was “Lightning does
Sam Poehling
about pop music for me,”
the Work” by Chad Brock,”
said senior Lauren Androy.
said freshman Sam PoehSome of the leading pop sensations that
ling.
successfully left their mark in the nineties were
Music has seeped its way into our memories
the Spice Girls, *NSYNC, and of course, Britand our culture. So whether you were into the
ney Spears. How many of you had the ever
pop sensations or timeless country music, take
popular Spice Girl Barbie Doll? What about
a moment to dust off the cassettes and bust a
those *NSYNC or Britney Spears posters that
dance move that swept over the nation in the
adorning your bedroom walls?
1990’s.
Actually, instead of a broken jaw, you
could risk broken teeth or worn out taste
buds when having a jawbreaker in you
mouth. Today many companies have their
own jawbreakers; some even come so big
you can’t fit it in your mouth.
A D a y W i t h Yo u r F a v o r i t e T V S h o w s
packed adventures of the Teenage himself, Arnold from the hit show ange soda. There was also, Clarissa
Mutant
Hey Ar“Rugrats was my fa- Explains It All,
“I loved watching Dou- n o l d . vorite show as a kid be- Kablaam, and
N i n j a
Tu r t l e s ble Dare as a kid because A r n o l d cause my parents didn’t Aaahh!!! Real
and The the physical challenges attempts want me to watch it and Monsters to
P o w e r were really fun along with living an I was rebellious.”
finish the eveRangers. answering the questions everyday
ning.
- Sarah Piercy
Kaitlin Carlson
they threw at you,”
life with
So after
Reporter
-Katie VonMende.
After a
his best
being forced to
grilled
friend Gerald while bed in such a quick moment, laying
Remember those days of flip- cheese sandwich and tomato soup living with his far from boring there in bed recalling all the places
ping through the channels hoping for lunch, up starts the next run of grandparents. Doug soon finishes that have been visited in such a short
for your favorite show to appear shows. Rocko’s Modern Life be- the afternoon cycle before
amount of
“Family
Matters time is quite
across the screen? The bright lights gan the entertaining escapades of dinner hits the table.
was awesome because astounding.
captured your interest for another a wallaby in modern soci
“The Amanda K e n a n Urkel always got away Resting the
half hour until your parents forced ety with his best friends
you
to
Hefer and Fillbert Show was my fa- and Kel with everything and nerves that
“The Rugrats were
I loved was just his catch phrase “did I are still on
change
in hopes to either vorite.
great because I had
Judge
Trudy
and o n e do that?” was a funny edge from
it to the
fight city hall or
always wanted hair
the
dancing
lobnews.
to upset Rocko’s
of
the classic,”
the “to be
like Chuckie’s.”
sters.”
- Lewis Woodward. continued”
neighbors, the Bigs
e
v
e
r
a
l
- Jason Simpson
- Jamie Nihsen s h o w s
The early
heads. The Angry
show that
mornings began at seven with a Beavers soon proceed,
that kept
will comgreeting from the Daise family on the two brothers strive to work kids begging for fifteen more min- mense tomorrow afternoon. Sleep
Gullah Gullah Island with their together so they won’t be forced utes before being rushed off to does more than rest the minds for
brightly colored home and the to move back in with their par- bed. Kenan was the leader of their tomorrow’s adventures. It leads us
infamous Binyah Binyah Polliwog. ents.
poorly planned schemes while to a land where creating all of those
Soon to follow were the action
Next was football head Kel just wants a two liter of or- memorable ideas seems tangible.
Dunkaroos:
Like the Kraft pretzels and cheese,
Dunkroos were graham crackers
shaped like kangaroos. You dunk them
in tasty vanilla or chocolate frosting
and sprinkles.
Ouch! Gum:
Ouch! Gum had a blast of sweet
fruity flavor! Wrapped like band aids,
this gum had a short flavor time, but
was still worth it.
Back in the Day
Savannah Greening
Reporter
Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys,
*NSync, Hansen, and 98 degrees
were the bands of the decade. American Pie, Austin Powers: The Spy Who
Shagged Me, Big Daddy, the Blair
Witch Project, and 10 Things I Hate
About You were the movies today’s
teenagers all watched as they entered
their teenage years. But what did they
do for fun?
Many children growing up in the
90’s enjoyed activities like playing
outside.
“We played outside, running
around and chasing everyone,” said
junior Serena James.
Before teenagers got their licenses, they were forced to travel the
neighborhood via two-wheeled transportation on their trusty bikes.
“Riding my bike because my sister
helped me and didn’t give up,” joked
sophomore Ashley Clouser about
what she enjoyed as a child.
Many students played outside and
did more outdoor activities than they
do now.
“I do pretty much everything I used
to. I’m still a little kid,” said James.
Many things that interested highschoolers when they were toddlers often interest them today as teenagers.
“I play laser tag; hang with my family and friends. We just make the most
of it when we can,” said James.
Today’s teenagers had a different
life when they were toddlers. They
rarely played video games and were
mostly outdoors which is opposite of
what teens do now. Although teens do
different things they still have just as
much fun.
[february 2008]
g
r
w
D o nin in Green
Sarah Waldron
Reporter
It’s 5:30 a.m. on March 17th
just moments before the madness
begins.
People young and old
will hunt through their
closet in hopes of finding
their favorite green
shirt. The insanity won’t
stop there! Millions of
shamrock pins and the Kiss
me I’m Irish theme will be
painted on the faces of young and
old alike. If you haven’t guessed it I
am referring to St. Patrick’s Day.
“I don’t know anything about
Saint Patrick,” said senior Misty
Dew.
According to blackdog4kids.
com, Saint Patrick was the
son of Roman parents
living in Britain. When he
was fifteen or sixteen he
was captured and enslaved
by an Irish chieftain. He
escaped captivity but later
returned to Ireland to convert the
Irish into Christians.
“I think that the shamrock
means good luck,” said sophomore
Danielle Prudhome.
In order to teach
the Irish the Holy trinity,
Saint Patrick held up a
shamrock to show
how the three
leaves combined
to make up one plant just
like the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. The Irish understood
at once, and from that day on
the shamrock has been the national
symbol of the land.
“I think that St. Patrick’s Day
is on March 17th because it was
a day that was set aside to
celebrate Irish freedom,”
said sophomore Colette
Berding.
St. Patrick’s Day
is
celebrated
on
March 17th because
Saint Patrick, the patron saint
of Ireland, died. St.Patrick’s Day
was a religious occasion up until
the 1970’s. Beginning in 1995, the
close to one million people took
part in this festival which featured
parades, concerts, outdoor theater
productions, and firework shows.
Another popular tourism spot is
the Blarney stone. In fact
legend has it that anyone
who kisses the stone will
be granted the gift of
eloquence.
In 1762, the first
Patrick’s Day Parade took
place in New York City. This
parade featured Irish soldiers
serving in the English military
along with the ancient Irish
music. This event not only let
the Irish reconnect with their
roots but also led to Irish aid
societies such as Hibernian
Society. According to www.
nndb.com, the Hibernian
Society was created to assist
in the relief of Immigrants from
Ireland. So what are Americans
doing today on St. Patrick’s Day
Patrick’s Day is
“ I onthinkMarchthat17St.because
it was
a day that was set aside
to celebrate Irish freedom ”
Colette Berding
th
Irish government began using St.
Patrick’s Day as a tourism event
to showcase Ireland. Last year,
besides wearing green?
“On St. Patrick’s Day I usually
hangout with my family and friends,”
said junior Tyler Byers.
While the average American
is hanging out with family
and friends what is a true
Irishman doing on St.
Patrick’s Day?
“I usually get
dressed up, paint my
face, and enjoy some
green beer with my family,” said
junior Eddie Neff.
Not many other days of the
year started out as a holy day and
grew into a nationally celebrated
holiday. With this in mind, before
you go to a St. Patrick’s Day party,
parade or even just hangout with
family and friends you should
take the time to think about Saint
Patrick and the story behind the
holiday. After all if it weren’t for
Saint Patrick you wouldn’t have a
day devoted to wearing green!
The Wrong Place For A Long Time
Kaitlin Carlson
Reporter
The cold air brought about a certain
bitterness as we were welcomed by fences
laced with razor wire informing the mind that
either they want to prevent entry, or perhaps
an escape.
On January 22nd, John Drake’s Sociology
class visited the Omaha Correctional Facility
to get a first hand look into the lives of
prisoners.
Before the actual tour began, we were
instructed to sign in and put away our
belongings in the provided lockers. We were
then led through metal dectors followed by a
pat-down before admittance was allowed. The
first stop after leaving the visitor’s building
was to the cellblocks.
Senior Eric Weber said, “I thought it
would not be fun living in the cellblocks. You
have a roommate that you are forced to live
with and there is not much to do. You work
for $1.25 per day and you can buy certain
approved items once you get enough money.”
The rooms themselves consisted of a
bunk bed, toilet, sink, shelf for toiletries, and
dressers.
Following the sights of the kind of
situation the inmate’s live in, we moved on to
the education building where the inmates may
use computers but have no internet access.
We then had the opportunity to speak with
a few inmate’s to hear what they honestly
experience when behind bars.
Dwayne was in prison for his forth DUI,
while Jeremy and another man were in for
robbery. They each were honest in the fact
that they didn’t want to come off as the
victims, and admitted to the fact that they
were responsible for their actions. They also
mentioned that friends played a major part
in the decisions they made, which led them
to this place in their lives. Causing them to
caution each of us that the choices we make
will paint out our futures.
“I felt that the speakers were surprisingly
intelligent for being in prison. They had a lot
of lessons that we could learn from which they
obviously didn’t,” said senior Taylour Sousa.
Cartoon by Amanda Berg
NASA Lifts Off With New Technology
Maria Jones
Design Editor
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We be innocent, naw mean?
Ain’t nobody never been
shank by me foo, naw
mean? We’s in har ‘cause
we no speakin’ goodly, naw
mean? Fo sho...
25958 McPherson Ave.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Office: (712) 566-2262
Fax: (712) 566-2814
“If You Prosper We Prosper”
Bruce and Mary Bracker - Owners
Robbin L awrence - Office Manager
There are many projects in
the midst of creation at NASA
like building a space station, and
planning for missions to Mars. The
future is here and, “NASA means
business” (as their motto goes)
as they send crews up to work
and live in the International Space
Station (ISS).
The feelings about the space
station vary from person to
person, as sophomore Molly Cox
is overwhelmed with the reality of
the ISS.
“It sounds kind of like Xenon
[from the Disney channel] and it’s
cool that science has come that
far.”
Currently, NASA’s attention
is aimed at the International
Space Station. The latest news
aboard the ISS is the arrival of
the Columbus laboratory, in the
Atlantis. Which was scheduled to
launch on February 7, 2008. The
[page eight - inside look]
many experiments will help the
understanding of how things work
in zero gravity. The ISS will also
help in supporting the missions to
Mars.
“I think the future mission to
Mars will be a good experience to
actually see what’s out there,” said
junior Lisa Doffin.
Researchers have been learning
about Mars through the data
received from satellites and land
rovers. The time has come for man
to step foot on the Martian surface
and explore the red planet.
Junior Eric Thomas is hoping
that NASA discovers some
interesting facts when they explore
Mars on foot because, “It is
something that should be worked
toward, for it is a worthwhile
cause.”
Not only is the Mars expedition
important, but the missions to the
moon and the new vehicles that
will help them get there are equally
essential.
NASA engineers are working
with Boeing to design a new launch
vehicle called Ares One and a crew
exploration vehicle called Orion.
The Ares One will be taking the
place of the space shuttles once
they are retired.These new vehicles
will help in the missions to go back
to the moon by 2020.
It’s been around 60 years since
we last set foot on the lunar surface
and NASA is planning to head back.
The plans for a permanent base on
the moon are under way.
Over the past fifty years, NASA
has come along way; from satellites
to the moon, to the International
Space Station, beyond the Solar
System, and finally to Mars. The
final frontier is expanding along
with the universe.
[the wire]
Epidemic Or Human Nature? Kids Having Kids
Checking herself in the mirror, junior Lacy Stazzoni
spots the camera.
Photo by Josh Stroeher
Sara Marshall
Reporter
This topic is a controversial
one. More important to most
of you than any political debate,
national disagreement, or worldly
disaster. The issue that will stay
with you for the rest of your life
and haunt you in your dreams:
your appearance.
Do you ever find yourself in
the hallways pretending to look
at the awards in the trophy cases,
even though you’re really looking
at your own reflection? How
about going to the bathroom to do
nothing else but look at yourself in
the mirror? Well, if you love to look
at yourself, you are, by dictionary
standards, considered vain.
“I think the world is very
vain,” said junior Josh McNeely
when addressing his opinion of the
world’s status on vanity. And he
doesn’t seem to be the only one.
“It’s more about what’s on the
inside than the outside, but I think
that the world is really obsessed
with appearances,” said freshman
Nichole
Simpson, “Especially
because it would be really hard for
someone to go like a week without
looking in a mirror.”
Don’t worry Lewis Central
students, no one is picking on you.
Although some people seem to
think that everyone is superficial
and vain, I’m here to prove that
you aren’t.
Out of a random poll of 100
students, 23 of you say that you
could probably go a week without
looking in a mirror. Although that’s
not very many people, it’s still a lot
more than I was expecting. So let’s
go ahead and put our dignity where
our mouth is, shall we. Newspaper’s
own Athena Burns has decided to
give this experiment a try.
“Athena seems like she would
probably be the best person for
that [experiment],” said senior
Tiffany Carrera.
But even Athena had some
problems with this project. “This
was one of the hardest things I’ve
had to do in a long while. We don’t
seem to realize how often we look
in mirrors without even noticing
it. I often caught myself starting
to look, only to remember that I
wasn’t supposed to. It’s difficult
because, aside from mirrors, there
are so many reflective surfaces that
you can see yourself in. As much as
it pains me to admit it, I had a really
difficult time doing this. And I don’t
even like my reflection,” said junior
Athena Burns.
So maybe you’re not vain if
you like to look at yourself in the
mirror. It’s possible that it’s just
human nature to want to know
how you look every now and then.
It’s when you need to know every
five minutes of the day that might
be a problem.
Taking A Closer Look At Autism
Sara Marshall
Reporter
“The brain is supposed to
be wired a certain way, and with
autism the wires are just plugged
into different spots then where
they’re supposed to be,” said
special education teacher Allison
Towne when describing autism.
But sophomore Brandon Gill just
describes it as being special in his
own way.
When describing what it’s like
to have autism Brandon said, “It’s
sometimes fun and sometimes not.
It’s fun because I’m nicer than some
kids.”
Mrs.Towne believes that people
with disabilities don’t pick up on the
social habits that other people do.
For example, when a typical student
doesn’t say hi to another student in
the hallway because they don’t want
to be uncool, a kid with disabilities
might go up and say hi and possibly
even hug the person, because they
wouldn’t pick up on those social
cues.
Brandon said, “In autism some
people have trouble learning. Like
me I have trouble learning stuff
like reading and math and writing.
But I’m really good in pottery
and cooking though!” Some of
Brandon’s favorite things are pizza,
Yu-gi-oh, and the color green.
But even “happy-all-the-time”
Brandon gets picked on from timeto-time. “It’s not fun when people
make fun of a person having autism.
I don’t even be mean to people
sometimes when I get made fun of,”
said Brandon.
School Psychologist Todd
Reznicek said that, “The difficulty
is that we need to keep a
confidentiality,” and that, “Most
of the students [in our school]
wouldn’t even know who has
autism.” Therefore they may get
picked on because other kids
wouldn’t know that they have a
disability. “I usually get picked on
from kids who don’t know me real
well,” said Brandon.
Some students are interested
in helping raise awareness about the
disease. For example, the recent
fundraiser called Autism Speaks. It
was held through HOSA, or Health
Occupation Students of America.
Junior Amberley Proctor was part
of the effort at LC. “We raised
over $500, so it was pretty good!”
The money was sent through
HOSA to The National Autism
Foundation. HOSA students are
still collecting donations; contact
one if interested.
A small difference can even be
made just by understanding that
people with the developmental
disorder are the same as anyone
else. If interested in learning more
about autism, visit www.AEA13.
org/Autism/.
“It is [hard] sometimes but I
never wish that I’m not [autistic],”
said Brandon.
Shelby Klepfer
Reporter
The cries of your baby wake
you up in the morning. While you
get ready for school, you also get
your baby ready for day care. After
you drop your child off, you go to
school. Then, as soon as you’re out
of school, instead of hanging out
with friends, you go pick your child
up. Life is the same thing everyday.
With the teen birth rate rising, this
is a reality for many teen parents.
According
to
contracostatimes.com, a study
was conducted concerning teen
pregnancy in December. National
studies found that the number of
teen births has risen three percent
from 2005 to 2006. The last time
the United States saw such a large
increase was in 1991.
At Lewis Central students are
required to take parenting, in which
students take an electronic baby
for a weekend. The baby stimulates
what it’s like to be a parent.
“The number of Lewis Central
students getting pregnant hasn’t
been eliminated, but has decreased
since the implication of the Baby
Think It Over program,” said
parenting teacher Ruth Kreger.
Now, lists of people are
blaming the government policy
that supports abstinence-only
education rather than those with
information on contraceptives.
According to a Planned Parenthood
study, abstinence-only programs
aren’t cutting it, since the study
proved that students involved with
the program were more likely to
get pregnant than students in a
contraceptive education program.
It is estimated that only ten percent
of schools in the United States
have sex education that includes
education about contraceptives
and abstinence.
“What we learned in health
class is pretty much common
sense. People need to be more
careful and less careless,” said
senior Adam Mouw.
Corresponding with the topic
of teen pregnancy is recent movie
Juno. The movie goes through the
experience of a pregnant teen
girl. Sixteen-year-old Juno gets
pregnant and decides to give her
baby up to a couple she found in
the classifieds. This movie shows
the life changing events that occur
during her pregnancy.
Other than movies like
Juno, television shows and movies
make sex look like nothing can
go wrong, according to some
students.
“Television
and
movies
glamorize sex. Teens also aren’t
careful,” said sophomore Josh
Lawrence.
While the rate continues rising,
750,000 girls 11-19 nationwide are
expected to get pregnant this year,
according to statesmanjournal.
com. Many students, parents, and
lawmen alike have hope that with
new studies that are now available
to the public, and may help lower
this rate.
Top
Creek Hall
Located at 722 and 1/2 Creek Top
Council Bluffs, IA
51501
Great for...
Holiday Parties
Family Gatherings
Funeral Dinners
Catering:
Graduations
Wedding Receptions
Business Luches
Serving BBQ or Traditional
DJ Box also included!
Proud of his Valentine’s Day
cookie,sophomore Brandon
Gill shows his love of cooking. Photo by Kaitlin Carlson
[page nine - inside look]
Contact Jimmy Mohatt
712.325.4227 or 402.690.7122
[february 2008]
Do You Know The Music Man?
Shelby Klepfer
Reporter
If you’re one of Michael
Kirchner’s friends, you may think
this freshman is talented.Whether
he is mastering the piano or
hitting a ball on the tennis court,
this kid has skills.
Since he came from St.
Albert’s in 7th grade, he has
enjoyed the “many opportunities”
that Lewis Central has offered
him.
Last fall Michael was on the
golf team. He also plans on playing
tennis this spring. He takes tennis
lessons and plays for a team in
Omaha during the summer.
“Tennis and golf are fun to
play, since I’m pretty good,” said
Kirchner.
His friends also agree that he
is good at sports.
“He’s really involved with a lot
of things, but he is good at what
he does,” said freshman Jarren
Jenkins.
Since first grade, Michael has
been involved with Boy Scouts and
is working to earn his Eagle Scout
award.
“Boy Scouts is not as nerdy
as it seems,” said Kirchner. “We
actually do a lot of fun stuff and go
on trips.”
Michael has had the chance
to go on adventurous trips with
Boy Scouts. So far he has gone
rock climbing and sight seeing in
Practicing for band, freshman Michael Kirchner plays on the
piano. He practices the piano three times a week.
Photo by Shelby Klepfer
South Dakota. He has even been
white water rafting in Colorado.
In 2010 his troop plans on going
to the National Jamboree near
Washington D.C. for the 100th
anniversary of Boy Scouts. This
summer his troop is planning on
taking a trip to Lake Eely, which
is on the Minnesota boundary
waters.
One of Michael’s biggest
passions is piano. For six years,
he has been involved in classical
competitive piano.
He has
practices this talent once a week,
What is the Craziest Dream
you have ever had?
“I was eliminated in the 1st
round in the state wrestling
tournament. I was devastated and cried.”
- Senior Joey Jerkovich
“I was Super Woman and
saved Brad Pitt from a volcano and got married.”
- Junior Summer Turner
“I was running from a guy
and fell in a sand pit and
died.”
-Sophomore Nick Wells
“I sucked up my cat in the
toy vaccum, and it came
out and scratched my
face.”
-Freshman Becky Safarik
and loves to perform. “We get
trophies for competing, and it’s a
ton of fun,” said Kirchner.
Band has also been a huge part
of Michael’s life. He’s involved in
marching, concert, basketball and
jazz band. In marching, basketball
and concert band, he plays the
alto and tenor saxophone. For
jazz band, he plays the jazz piano.
“I love jazz music over any other
music,” said Kirchner.
“Michael is so talented, he’s
going to be the next music man,”
said sophomore Paige Buffum.
In The Mind of Muta
Damien Croghan
Reporter
While sitting in a college
sociology class, she had a random
epiphany. She was supposed to
become a teacher. But it was college
classes in the field of abnormal
psychology that prepared her to
deal with the chaos associated
with teaching kids at the high
school level.
“The nature of the teenage
mind is that it’s abnormal,” she said.
“I think, in fact, if you compare the
brain of a paranoid schizophrenic
and a teenager, they are alike.”
Ms. Muta has been teaching
at Lewis Central for twelve years,
previously teaching at UNI for one
year and in Yuma, Arizona for five.
In order to de-stress from the
patience-taking job of teaching, and
as a pastime, she reads. “I usually
go through authors, especially if
they have a series of books that
have the same characters. Most of
these books happen to be murdermysteries.”
This incredible woman has
been teaching English Composition
exclusively for the past seven
years “I love teaching writing
because I love to read so much,”
Muta explained. “It has to do with
thinking and expressing yourself
clearly.”
“She incorporates humor
instead of being serious all the
time,” said senior Jennifer Ranek. If
you were to put her on a scale, one
being dull and ten being hilarious,
she would be an eleven and a half.
Senior Kyle Croushorn agreed.
“She’s witty, and if someone makes
a joke about her being short, she
has a comeback instantly.”
“I believe when people joke,
it allows me to joke back. It’s how
we show affection,” said Ms. Muta.
“I respond to people who make
fun of me by praying God will give
them a flat tire.”
Staff members also agree that
Ms. Muta is a good teacher. “For a
little whacked-out liberal with outof-control hair who has no contact
with reality, she is an excellent
teacher who the students of Lewis
Central are lucky to have,” said Mr.
Drake. Read These!
Ms. Muta
lectures her
students on
the basics
of life.
The Holy Bible
It might be a cliché to list this book
as a must-read, but it’s true. This is a
book that tells us how to live. It does
not hold back in its directness and its
forthrightness. It tells truths that are
not always easy to read, and it does so
in an unapologetic way.
The Kite Runner
This story shows what human beings
are capable of, in acts of greatness and
in acts of cruelty. In the end, it has a
positive message about the possibility
of redemption for all of us, no matter
how low we have gone.
1984
This novel was a frightening picture
of the future even before we had
computer technology. Now, with the
incredible growth of technological
capabilities, Orwell’s world is not just
frightening. It’s possible. Some would
argue that it’s already here. Teens
should read this book as a warning
against ignorance and apathy.
New Titans Roam The Halls
Lindsey Lawrence
Business Editor
Lewis Central High School
is home to about eight-hundred
and ninety-five students. Since
the beginning of second trimester
eighteen new students have
registered.
Among the many fresh faces,
junior Kalen Boyden mentions the
differences he has noticed from the
previous high school he attended
in Salisbury, North Carolina. “I like
this school because it’s clean,” he
said. “The people are cool too,
everyone is really nice and open.”
Boyden plans to join the wrestling
team next year.
“I think he’s really cool,” said
sophomore Dylan Lightfoot. “He’s
a good lifting partner.”
Another new member to the
LC family is freshman Elijah Sullivan.
Sullivan moved here from BallardHuxley, Iowa. He says his favorite
part about this school is all the
kids. “Everyone I’ve met is really
cool,” he said. He also likes going
to a big school, “My old school had
[page ten - faces]
a graduating class
of
one-hundred
thrity.”
Senior Trent
Williams moved
here from Enola,
Pennsylvania,
where he attended
East
Pennsboro
Area High School.
“What stood out
to me when I
entered LC for the
first time was the
cool art design on
the wall,” he said. “I
just wasn’t used to
seeing something
like that on the
wall and it was
pretty cool.”
Williams has
gotten
involved
in the Fine Arts
D e p a r t m e n t . Working hard or hardly working? Junior
He sings in the Kalen Boyden is reading in psychology,
Chamber
Choir his favorite class. Photo by Maria Jones
and will be participating in the nice and went out of their way to
upcoming musical.
introduce themselves. It made me
“He seems really laid back and feel really comfortable and made
happy,” said senior Michael Lively. “I the transition to LC really easy.”
think he’d be a lot of fun to work
Five seniors, two juniors, four
with.”
sophomores, and seven freshmen
“I actually couldn’t believe later, Lewis Central is home to
how nice everyone was to me,” eight-hundred and ninety-five
Williams said. “Everyone was really Titans and will continue to grow.
[the wire]
Obscure Bands You Should Know About
The Moldy Peaches- Indie/Folk/
Experimental
Odd but good is all you can really
say about this goofy duo.
Sounds like: Your next door neighbors singing good karaoke.
The following song is great to sing
along to: Anyone else but you
Amanda Berg
Cartoonist
Disclaimer: When listening to
a CD from one of following bands,
do not expect their songs to all
sound the same, like a “Cute is
what we aim for” or “Good Charlotte” soundtrack, both of which
are basically one big 45 minute
song.
Music is a gateway to enlightenment and these obscure bands
will take you there along a road
less traveled. These are bands that
perhaps you have already heard of,
but most likely not, which is why
you should stop and listen to their
songs.
Photo taken from electricityandlust.wordpress.com
Bat for Lashes- Alternative
Weirdly fantastic. You’ll see the
world differently after listening to
this Brit’s melodies.
Sounds like: If an old school werewolf and a hippie chick had a love
child.
If you enjoy music that pushes
the envelope, I recommend these
songs: Sarah; I’m on fire; What’s a
Girl to do?
Robots in Disguise- Electronic/Punk/Pop
This fun and crazy duo produce upbeat tunes that are
sure to stick in your head.
Sounds like: Cybernetic life
forms on a sugar high.
If you’re looking for a song
to put a little bounce in your
step, I propose the song: La
Nuit
Phantom for the Phanatics
Taylor Basch
Reporter
Lot 666 is the opera house
chandelier. As the auctioneer
talks of its tragic past, a corner
of the canvas is pulled aside, revealing a confusion of gold. The
music starts, a dark beat in the
background. Then, seemingly of
its own accord, the canvas is
thrown aside, and there lies what
was once the pride of the opera.
Everyone on set disappears. And
the chandelier rises above the
stage, floating, as the dark music
grows. Lights burst upon its surface, and the tiers of gold swing
out from the stage, to hang suspended above the audience.
That’s just the first scene
in the longest running show in
Broadway history, The Phantom
of the Opera. There have been
many renditions, including a 2004
movie, so millions of people
know the story of Phantom. But
this 1986 production from Andrew Lloyd Webber is definitely
top notch.
Set in 1881, Phantom tells the
story of a disfigured man who
lives in the catacombs of the Paris
Opera House. Living in the dark
has changed him, though, and he
terrorizes the people who work
in the opera house. If they do not
do what he demands of them,
terrible things happen in return.
Then there is Christine Daae,
a simple ballet dancer. No one
knew of her beautiful soprano
voice until a twist of fate forced
her on stage. When the Phantom
hears her voice, he falls in love.
Now he has decided that Christine is the star of the show, and
he will do anything to see her in
the spotlight.
The music to Phantom is as
hauntingly beautiful as the story
itself. Not only is there a 17 piece
orchestra, but the members of
the cast have also been in productions of Wicked, Sweeney
Todd, and Fiddler on the Roof.
This alone proves that the show
can turn even the biggest Phantom phobic into a fan. Or is that
phan?
And don’t forget the special
effects, 52 of them. This includes
explosions, 10 fog machines, a
boat that moves across the stage,
and over 470 lighting instruments.
It takes 20 semi-trucks to move
the set between theaters, so this
is definitely not your elementary
school musical.
The show is over, and over
half the audience is on their feet,
applauding. The actors are on
stage, lined in rows as they bow
and smile. Some people even
cheer, me among them, even
though it is against theater etiquette. But I don’t care, for The
Phantom of the Opera, was more
beautiful than I could have imagined. Given the chance, I’d see it
again, jaw-dropped and all.
Dual Screen Lite Hits Hard
Amanda Berg
Cartoonist
With a lighter, sleeker design,
brighter screens, and a laundry
list of entertaining and original
games, the Nintendo DS Lite is an
improvement over its predecessor, the Nintendo DS, and worth
picking up.With its innovative dualscreen, voice activated gameplay
and Wi-Fi multiplayer capabilities,
the DS Lite boasts enjoyable and
unique games no other system can
offer. It is even possible to play almost all Game Boy Advance games
on this system as well. Even with
all of these improvements over the
original, the price is still the same.
Emma-Lee- Jazz/Soul
Gorgeous vocals.
Sounds like: Someone performing in a cozy coffee shop.
I recommend the song: Everything or Nothing
Dragonette- Pop/Electro/Rock
This band will have you humming
their entertaining songs for at least
a month.
Sounds like:They’re having fun making the music they’re making.
Feel like a good time or maybe
even a little reminiscing? I advise
the songs: You Please Me; Teacher,
Teacher
Inara George- Acoustic/Folk
You’ll feel peaceful while listening
to this songbird’s voice and beautiful lyrics.
Sounds like: An easygoing singer/
song writer performing on a corner in the Old Market. She is not
local musician, that’s just an example.
I recommend these songs for a
rainy Sunday morning: Fools in Love;
Oh my Love
Acoustic Café- Acoustic/Classical
Your mind will feel at peace as you
listen to their excellent musicianship and enchanting songs.
Sounds like: Something you’d
hear at an art gallery or as the
soundtrack to some whimsical
place.
If you’re in the mood to think or
even a lack thereof, I suggest this
song: Last Carnival
Demon Barber Strikes Back
Athena Burns
Reporter
“Or we’ve got some
shepherd’s
pie
peppered
with actual shepherd on
top,” croons Helena Bonham Car ter as Mrs. Lovette ,
the co-star of Sweeney Todd,
the Demon Barber of Fleet
Street.
Based off the hit
Broadway musical by Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney
Todd takes place in London,
England in the 1880’s.
After years of toil in
Australia, accused of a crime
he did not commit, Benjamin
Barker, now Sweeney Todd,
has escaped with the help
of a young sailor, Anthony
Hope , and made his way back
to London. Upon his return,
however, he learns from Mrs.
Lovette (the self proclaimed
maker of the worst pies in
London) that his wife is dead
and his child has been adopted by the ver y man who
sent him to prison. Our dear
Sweeney then takes it upon
himself to save his daughter
and kill all those who took
his family and life away from
The only real problems with the DS
are that it smudges and scratches
easy and all multimedia possibilities are stuck in Japan. Overall, I
give this hand held gaming system
9 out of 10.
[page eleven - entertain me]
him.
Meanwhile ,
Anthony,
while wandering about town,
has spotted young Johanna
Barker and instantly fallen
in love . He vows to save her
from her captor, the less
than honorable Judge Turpin.
(Pay attention, this will be an
integral par t of the stor y) As
this is happening, Todd is finishing killing his first victim,
Signore Pirelli, a rival barber
who once worked for Benjamin Barker, the man Sweeney
was. He attempts to blackmail his former mentor with
the idea of taking half his
profits. The barber, in a fit
of panic and anger, brutally
beats Pirelli’s head in with
a teapot. While inspecting
the body Mrs. Lovette has a
stroke of genius. Instead of
bur ying the bodies, what if
they put the corpses in her
meat pies?
Confused yet? That’s just
the first half of the movie!
Not to worr y, this cinematic
spectacle continues its upward movement with dazzling songs, amazing theatrics, and surprisingly enough,
quite a few laughs. Not to
mention, it’s easier to see
than to read. Unfor tunately,
this movie will be out of theatres and on its way to DVD,
so watch for it! All in all, I’d
give this movie a 4 out of 5.
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[february 2008]
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17
24
How do you mend a
broken jack-o-lantern?
2
9
A poul-tree 16
What do you call a
monkey who loves
potato chips?
20
Early Out
25
26
27
23
Good Luck:
Speech,
Corp,
Express
28
1
LC Show Choir
Invitational
FINALS
29
FINALS
No School
LC Show Choir
Invitational
3
4
5
Jazz Band
Concert,
7pm, Aud.
10
11
12
All-City Choir
17
Swing Show
18
19
Early Out
Good Luck
Speech
6
7
8
NEW Informal
Good Luck:
Dance, 8-11pm,
Speech,
HS Gym
Corp, Express,
Jazz Band
13
14
Early Out
15
Good Luck:
Corp, Express
20
21
Mr. LC Contest
No School
22
Dodgeball
Tournament
23
24
25
26
27
28
Girls Golf,
Dodge Park
No School
Where do pigs
park their cars?
Dinner’s
on me
21
22
Band Concert,
7pm, Aud.
Track:
CB Relays
29
Vocal Craft Fair
Boys Soccer,
Home, 4:30pm
In the
porking lot
What did the plate say
to the other plate?
Maze
Can you find your way?
Bring the completed
puzzle to Mrs. Langille in
room 401 for a prize
Life and Times of the Food We Eat
S
T
A
R
T
[page twelve]
!
Maze made with help of:http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/code/BuildMaze.
A chip-monk
19
Happy 3rd
Trimester
----------->
With a pumpkin patch
If fruit comes
from a fruit-tree,
then where does
a chicken
come from?
18