ECHOES Issue 1 | Volume 114August 2014

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The Independent Voice of Abraham Lincoln High School | Council Bluffs, Iowa | ALechoes.com

Sept. 1Labor Day

Sept. 4:Schedule correction sheets due

Sept. 20 :Homecoming8-11:00pm$10 tickets

The summer has been no longer than usual, but due to a late last day of school, classes have started today, Aug. 28, later than almost all the other schools in the area. Students and staff believe the late start is due to Iowa wishing for schools to start after the Iowa State Fair ends, which was held this year from Aug. 7-17.

According to iowastatefair.org, Iowa state law requires that classes begin no earlier than the calendar week of Sept. 1, unless Sept. 1 falls on a Sunday. In that case, schools

can begin any day the week before the 1st. School districts can avoid this by filling out a waiver and submitting it to the Iowa Board of Education.

Council Bluffs Community School District starts the week before Labor Day. With the later start, teachers do have more of an advantage by getting prepared for the new year and cleaning up their room to welcome their students.

“The later start has given me more time to prepare for this year, get in a few training sessions and clean up my room a bit,” reading teacher Libby Foster said. “The downfall to starting school later is worrying

many kids have checked out and it becomes harder to bring back kids’ focus after Memorial Day. By then kids

about my family and making sure they are taken care of for school or daycare.”

Foster said that starting

earlier is beneficial for kids because by mid-May,

are more concerned about summer, that school is no

Special First Day iSSue

longer a concern. One of the pros about a later start is now more people are able to attend the Iowa State fair and enjoy time with families. Before, attending was a problem since the fair started about the same time as school was about to begin.

For one student in particular, the later start for school has helped her out more for getting ready for the year.

“With the later start it has opened up my schedule more since I am super busy in August,” junior Sarah Widick said. “Although getting out later messed me up a little since I am more used to getting out in May,

not June.” Administrators have also

noticed positive changes in the school board pushing back the first day, benefiting students both in school activities, as well as outside of school.

“I’ve noticed kids are getting in more activity practice, and the kids also have an opportunity to work more to support their families,” Principal Todd Barnett said.

Although the first day has created quite a bit of stress for some people, others are thankful for the extra time given to prepare for the upcoming year and what seems like more time for summer.

“With the later start, it has opened up my schedule more, since I am super busy in August.”

-Sarah Widick, junior

School kicking off before holiday

“Get involved, try new things. Step outside of your comfort zones.”-Michael McLaughlin, Assistant Principal

“Don’t stress, have fun.”- Karlie Petersen, junior

Students and staff give advice to upcoming freshmen“Choose the right people to be friends with.”- Addie McClain,junior

Nathan VorceCo-Editor in ChiefDani RamboOpinion Editor

Photo taken by Tanner Hochsetler

Feature2 3Spread Designed By Jessi BorwickAugust 2014

Get Involved! What alhS haS to offer...SPORTS!

MUSIC!

CLUBS!Robotics Club ROTC Journalism

Beautify ALHS FCS iJag

Speech Student Council 10-1 Book Club

ALL-IN Latino Success CLub Mock Trial

DECA Organic Gardening CLub CAP

Football Soccer Wrestling BasketballSwimming Track Baseball TennisSoftball Cheer Volleyball Dance TeamGolf

Marching Band Jazz BandConcert Band Show ChoirConcert Choir Jazz ChoirOrchestra

Photos Courtesy of Crimson & Blue Yearbook

Echoes Will Schademann | Sports EditorSports4 August 2014

Bikers partake in state-wide race

With the hot sunny weather summer is known to bring, most are just itching to go outside to enjoy it. There are a variety of activities to partake in, but there’s one in particular that brings in a lot of attention in the late weeks of July.

RAGBRAI, which is shortened for Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, is just like the name implies. The ride is always west to east because of headwinds and the mid-afternoon sun. Towns who would like to host the riders for a night send requests, and then the directors looks for possible routes. Starting on a Saturday, most riders head to the starting town and stay the night to begin riding to the next overnight town in

the morning. It’s common for bikers to have a group, because with three or more people they are eligible to bring a support vehicle. There are only 1,500 vehicle passes for each ride though.

“As a driver, I am responsible for getting the teams gear to the next overnight,” RAGBRAI driver Jean Carson said. “Luckily the drivers take a different route than the riders but we still have a lot of traffic to deal with, all kinds of other vehicles that carry gear.”

For riders who do not have a support vehicle, there are semi trucks that can transport a large soft texture bag of no more than 50 pounds, sleeping bag, and tent. Don’t forget your tent, because chances are you will be sleeping outside a few nights. Most overnight towns are small, so hotels and motels can’t hold everyone so its first come, first serve.

In late January, the route for the next summer is released, and people always call ahead to reserve the rooms. People who apply may be set up with a host house in the overnight town that will allow the team to set up tents in their yard. Tent city is a large field arranged so riders may set up tents there. If nothing else is available, riders may have to stay in tent city, and may be a block away from the nearest port-a-potty.

“Sometimes we would walk to get street food, or we had food on the truck,” RAGBRAI rider, Kerry O’Grady, said. “After that we would sit around in a circle and talk.”

The 2014 route started in Rock Valley on July 20, and ended in Guttenberg on the 26th. You can buy passes to ride on individual days if you can’t ride the whole week. Week riders are traveling a total of about 431 miles when they reach their

final destination, so a decent amount of training is needed to help get you through the week.

“I start trying to eat healthy and ride my bike as often as I can,” O’Grady said. “I do longer distances and more hills.”

2014 was the 42st year of RAGBRAI. It began 1973 with John Karras and Don Kaul when they wanted to ride across the state and write about what they saw. They invited the public to join them. 300 people in the beginning, 500 at most, and 114 who did the whole ride. The ride gained some popularity, and it was scheduled for August 4th the next year. RAGBRAI has passed through 780 towns and stayed overnight in 125 towns. It is a great way to travel the state, meet new people, and get exercise. To register, head over to ragbrai.com.

Young runners bring fresh talent to team

The 2014-2015 school year brings a fresh new start. The boys and girls cross country team is on its way to bigger and better opportunities. The young teams this year face new goals to accomplish. Being such a young group there’s no telling what kind of spark they are going to ignite this year.

“The upcoming freshman are promising. Most of them keep up with varsity so I believe we will have a lot on varsity this year. I’m excited to see what the season holds and to improve myself as a runner,” sophomore Mikayla Olsen said.

Cross country coaches Traci Stoop and Scott Milner have been at it since the beginning of summer working hard and training these athletes. Summer

conditioning consists of running, running, and even more running!

“We do hill days, speed days, and long distant days.” Mikayla Olsen said.

Summer conditioning helps the athletes get to know their fellow teammates, and it also helps the team build stamina. During meets, stamina is a key ingredient

Hailey CarsonReporter

A team of riders riding in this year’s RAGBRAIPhoto by Diane Hobbs

The girls cross country team posing with Coach Traci StoopPhoto by Kaylee Willadsen

Tanner Hochstetler Reporter

Friday 8/29 7:00Varsity vs Sioux City North

Saturday 8/30 10:00 A.MJV at Sioux City North

Friday 9/5 7:00 Varsity at Lewis Central

Monday 9/8 7:00 JV at Lewis Central

Friday 9/12 7:00 Varsity at Thomas Jefferson

Saturday 9/13 10:00 A.M,JV vs Thomas Jefferson

Friday 9/19 7:00 Varsity vs Sioux City East

Saturday 9/20 10:00JV at Sioux City East

Homecoming Dance

Friday 9/26 7:30 Varsity at Des Moines Lincoln

Monday 9/29 6:00JV vs Denison- Schleswig

Friday 10/3 7:30 Varsity vs West Des Moines Valley

Monday 10/6 6:30JV at Ralston

Friday 10/10 7:00Varsity at Des Moines Hoover

Monday 10/13 4:30JV at Gross Catholic

Thursday 10/16 7:30 Varsity at Sioux City West

Friday 10/24 7:00Varsity vs Ankeny Centen-nial

2014 Football Schedule

because players run in “packs” to stick together and to push each other. It’s not always about running though. Cross country requires strong mental focus. One must keep a manageable pace while pushing himself/herself to pass the person ahead.

“I mainly focus on keeping my pack together, but I push myself to pass the guy in front of me.” junior Kevin Branigan said.

This year’s season is all about setting goals and achieving those goals.

“My goal is to arrive at practice everyday with a positive mindset so I can continue enhancing my performance as the season progresses,” senior Kaylee Willadsen said.

The first official meet for the boys and girls will kick-start the season into full swing on August 30. Meets are fairly short and are held at either golf courses or a campus.

“I

mainly focus on

keeping my pack

together, but I push

myself to pass the

person in front of

me.”

-Kevin Branigan,

junior