ARROWHEADTHEWaukee High School, 555 SE University Avenue, Waukee, IA 50263 Volume 21 Edition 2 October 5th, 2015

Starting the school year off with a new staff has been nothing less than chaotic for the newspaper editors here in room 602. A little chaos, how-ever, is just what we needed to push our creative and editorial boundar-ies. With a packed schedule of events to cover, The Arrowhead staff was kicked into gear right off the bat.

Our new staff, composed of newbies and veterans, have been work-ing hard the last 42 days to make sure that this edition of The Arrowhead would impress our audience. Although it’s been awhile since the last edition, our staff has not been idly twiddling our thumbs while waiting for this current edition to be published. We had a lot work to do. Our staff has been operating almost 24/7 to stay on top of their journalistic games. From the endless nights of writing copy, jogging alongside with parade floats for the perfect photograph, spending entire football games taking notes on the game and interviewing costumed students, The Arrowhead staff members have been fine tuning their articles to create content for www.waukeearrowhead.com and the pieces in the following pages.

As editors, we are impressed with our new staffs’ motivation and ability to learn so quickly. Starting off the term with low expectations, we pushed the fresh picked journalists into their first interviews, drafts, and edits. Along the way, we did our best to offer them advice as they gathered in-formation and wrote their stories, and meanwhile tried not to put too much pressure on them. After everyone worked incredibly hard, final drafts were handed in and we were floored by what we received. Our expectations had been exceeded and excitement grew for the issue in your hands.

This is only the first of many more newspapers to come. We look forward to watching the staff grow more and more with each edition. Here is where we create something more than ink on paper. From the printing presses to the hands of the readers, what we create here will have an in-fluence on Waukee High School’s culture. We are excited to have a group of talented staff members to generate such influence.

A Note From Your Editors...

TWEETS OF THE MONTH

To say that the second week of school, especially August 31st and September 2nd, were eventful would be an understatement. Waukee High School students were evacuated and moved to a secure location. From there, administrators informed students of what was happening and that no one was was allowed to enter or exit the building. Panic, confusion, and hunger, due to the interruption of lunch, were all feelings felt among students. While students have returned back to their normal routines and have caught up in fourth block, some of those feelings have faded away. It is also an ongoing investigation with the authorities, who are confident that a $1000 reward will bring them to the person who is behind the threats.

Judi Roland, assistant principal at the High School, sat down for an interview to share her thoughts, put some rumors to rest about the way things were handled, and to reassure students after the two threats.

Roland shared her initial thoughts when the events occurred “My first thoughts were all the students in the building and how they would react.” But later, she shared she was surprised at how well students and staff were able to stay calm and move from one place together with no trou-bles. She admits that it was a tough call, deciding to pull students out of class to evacuate the building, but felt that the information presented was enough for them to do so.

Once the decision was made, Roland expressed how comforted she felt when responses from state and local authorities flooded in to help. Roland also credits the staff at both schools “ I was so impressed with

our staff… [they] stepped up in ways I can’t even fully describe.” Such ways include how well they kept students calm and the counselors that were made available for students to provide comfort and reassurance. Roland adds that if anything positive were to be taken away from from this situation, it would be that.

Criticism from students and news channels followed the evacuation. Roland commented, “Waukee is a public entity and a big school...all I can say is that there are things in place that you don’t see that are pre-cautionary measures.” She later explained the location of where students were put and how they got there, “You can’t plan for every event… All you can do is rely on the experts to tell you this is what we need to do.” This is exactly what the administrative staff did, relying on the help of police and other local and state officials that came to help the school during the two evacuations.

When asked what she would say to students who maybe still feel uneasy, Roland said that if there are students feeling that way, she hasn’t been informed of it. However, Roland stated reassuringly that she is confi-dent not only in the way the two evacuations were handled, but also in all of the school’s other safety procedures.

In conclusion, Roland expressed how safe Waukee schools are because of how much the staff strives for safety. Each time Waukee goes through a situation like that which occurred during the first two weeks, the school learns; not only that but the safety plans for each event are constantly revised.

PROCEED WITH CAUTIONKyndal Lindsay

This article series is meant to give the students a perspective on everyone’s lifestyle and how our differences make us unique and special. Were promoting embracing our personal talents, respecting everyone’s passions and understanding why we do what we do.

Paul Bird started his 9th year of being a special education teacher along with English II and Concepts at Waukee High School this year. Bird said, “I was in the popular group and I put a ton of my energy into being in the in-crowd for fear of rejection or denial.” Bird informed The Arrowhead that he had been the student in high school who targeted kids, whether it was socioeconomic status or because of a disability.

After high school, Bird attended Wartburg College to study human relations. His most memorable experience was their trip to Long Fel-low elementary school. For the first time, Mr. Bird became aware of the hardship and poverty surrounding many schools and the children around Iowa. “The kids there were so thankful for what they had and their faces lightened up whenever people put interest into them.” This was the turning point in Bird’s career, he decided that he wanted to change as many lives as possible.

Read more about why Mr. Bird became a teacher, how he changed after the birth of his son, and his words of wisdom to the students ofWaukee on www.waukeearrowhead.com.

Why We Teach...Maddie Ryan

Paul Bird has been working at Waukee High School for years as a special education teachers, making an impact in many students’ lives.

MONDAY: To kick off homecoming week festivities, students came to school dressed in paired outfits for We-Go-Together Day. Juniors Sam Spackman and Alivia Bergman’s noteworthy costumes as Rapunzel and Finn Rider won them a prize from the Waukee Student Council.

TUESDAY: Although the Annual Ironman Volleyball Tournament and Home-coming Picnic were canceled due to the rain, students still prevailed by showing their school spirit for Beach Day. From brightly printed floral shirts to grass skirts, students did the impossible and brought the beach to Waukee. Senior Shay Witte’s Beach Bum attire won her best costume for the day.

WEDNESDAY: Stars and stripes adorned students’ clothing Wednesday for USA Day. The hallways were full of red, white, and blue students. While showing her ‘Merica pride, Lady Liberty also known as Amber Holloway brought home the prize for best costume.

THURSDAY: -ER Day gave students the freedom to dress however they like as long as their costume ended in the suffix -ER. Senior Jordan Allen dressed as a Prisoner, more nota-bly Crazy Eyes from Orange Is The New Black and was recognized as having the most creative costume. Later that night, Waukee organiza-tions and high school clubs gath-ered for the Waukee Homecoming Parade. Following the parade, Adam Rose and Sara Wadle were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Ending festivities, the junior class conquered the night as they took home the winning title for the first Waukee Powderpuff game in two years.

FRIDAY: Waukee students unleashed their school spirit in their best War-rior wear. The winner being none other than the Warrior mascot himself. Later that night, Waukee’s varsity football team squared off against the Marshalltown Bobcats for the 2015 Homecoming game. The lights lit up the field while Warriors lit up the scoreboard. The Warriors ended up winning 41-14, declawing the Bobcats. (See www.waukeearrowhead.com for full recap of the game by reporter Sam Cox).

HOMECOMING DANCE: Students rolled into the high school doors at 8 pm Saturday night for the Waukee Homecoming Dance, the entire student body sharing the award for best dressed as everyone showed up dressed to the nines. Students danced the night away, ending the perfect week with an equally perfect celebration.

WAUKEE HOMECOMING 2015

The Tacos first descended from the Bananas two years ago, from there they became known as the Hot Dogs. The Hot Dogs had a memorable year last year traveling all the way to the UNI Dome for the State Foot-ball Tournament, and this year the Tacos are hoping to do the same thing. In order for the Tacos to power their school spirit, the football team must be able to bring in wins. More wins equals more confidence for the Tacos to cheer louder and allows them to boast about their football team on Twitter. “They play better we get louder, the louder we get the better they play,” expressed senior Jason Anderson, a first year Taco. The newly formed group of Tacos believe that they cannot live up to the Hot Dogs glory, but for now they are just trying their best. Members of the group were chosen by the junior Hot Dogs, who are now seniors. Tacos are chosen based off if they are funny on twitter, loud at games, or a leader in their grade somehow. In order to be a Taco, one must be willing to step out of their comfort zone. Senior Mitch Dalsing stated, “You have to be crazy if you want to be a Taco.” They also must be loud and fun spirited and not afraid to speak their mind. Six of the remaining Hot Dogs returned to form the Tacos with the addition of three juniors and three seniors. Juniors Andrew Hub-bard, Dillon Flynn and Jason Shryack were added to a group message by an anonymous person that included returning group members and new additional members. Hubbard didn’t really know why he was cho-sen but stated, “I think I was chosen because I can come up with funny things,” and being funny is a part of what Tacos do.

Tacos have certain requirements for every game, being loud, creating a humorous atmosphere and getting things going. “We try to respect the principals and teachers if they tell us we’re stepping out of the lines and respect that as much as we can,” commented Anderson, but when asked if the adult supervision holds them back, Dalsing answered, “Ab-solutely not.” Tacos encourage the student section to also participate in getting things going, they want the crowd to get out of their seats and to participate cheering with them. The Tacos have a message for the sophomore section at the football games: “Stop taking pictures and start cheering.” The Tacos believe it not only adds to a better and more fun atmosphere, but also helps support the Warriors football team.

One of their primary goals is to create an environment where students

can go crazy and cheer on the Warrior football team to help lead them to victory. Tom Mclaughlin, senior and a former Hot Dog, said that their goals as Tacos are to help lead the Warriors to the state cham-pionship with the help of the crowd. “I’d like our team to win the state championship with the help of the student section,” stated the two year veteran. He also wants the parents to get more on deck with the cheers. Another big thing he mentioned was being prepared, The Tacos have a lot of preparation before games that people don’t really think about. They make sure that students know the dress out before the game, and they buy all the materials, such as baby powder, confetti poppers, and streamers. While also paying attention to the little things such as making sure the colored powder won’t stain students clothing. The Tacos’ motivation for all this is clear, they want to have fun. Grace commented, “It’s socially acceptable to do basically anything you want as a Taco compared to sitting in the stands.”

The life as Tacos isn’t a hard shell, but it’s stuffed with excitement, loudness, comradery, campus fame and a hint of Warrior spirit. “You get the best seat in the house,” said Grace in response to what it’s like being a Taco, “You get to lead everything that’s going on.” Leadership is a key role in being a Taco, the crowd follows what they chant, do, and cheer at football games. The Tacos give the crowd a reason to get pumped. Hubbard stated, “It’s nice when people look up to you, when-ever we walk into the stadium all the little kids there are always wanting to give us high fives… It’s fun being a Taco.” Another crucial part of being a Taco is the ability to “chirp” on Twitter. It may seem like a way of attacking someone through social media, but to the Tacos’ defense is a way to hype up the game and get in the other team’s head. For the Tacos, being a part of the group is a way they get to meet new people and step out of their comfort zone and step into the party zone.

This group of students have shown everyone that these Tacos are not for eating. They have also shown that they can bring the student section to a whole new level. Through their creativity and determination, these students have created a tradition that will last for years to come. Make sure to check out the fiesta at the football games to come, and cheer loud and proud with the Tacos as they help lead the Warriors to victory.

WAUKEE’ING TACOSGenesis Ramos and Sam Cox

They’re loud, they’re proud, and they’re Tacos. As crazy as it sounds, you can find a group of high school students dressed in taco costumes, leading the student section at the Warriors Stadium on Friday nights. Clouds of baby powder fill the air as colorful confetti and

streamers tumble their way on to the Waukee student section. This elite group of juniors and seniors impact football games by making a wild and noteworthy environment. The students are continuing a tradition that will hopefully go on for the years to come. these games seem like a once in

a lifetime party. For the Tacos, it’s another Friday night.

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As the students of Waukee sit here, reading this article, m

illions of innocent people in the M

iddle East make the trek across

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ainly Syrian, requested for asylum in nearby countries. So far,

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seal on their border, causing many im

migrants to be stranded.

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The halftime buzzer blares out across the field as the football play-ers shuffle off and pass their nerves along onto the halftime performers. The excited chatter coming from the swarm of people in the crowd only is a bunch of random jumble to the performers standing on the sidelines, their nerves becoming more and more overwhelming as the minutes tick on. By the time the dance team is done performing, there is only thirteen more minutes before Sparkle Cheerleaders must go on.

The beating hearts of these performers continues to echo the rac-ing tempo of the drums as the marching band comes to the conclusion of their show. The lump in their throats becomes almost suffocating as it is finally time for them to take one last deep breath and step up to the sidelines to show their true sparkle.

The Sparkle Cheerleaders are one out of the three football cheer squads at Waukee High School. The role of a Sparkle cheerleader is to get the crowd amped up for the football games and to spread school spirit. “It is fun and I make a lot of new friends,” said Bri Franz, a senior at Waukee High School. This squad is a way for students with learning and physical disabilities to not only get involved with an extracurricular at school but also gives them something to look forward to during the fall.

Their main job is cheering, of course but, for the squad members there is more to it than just that. Sparkle Cheerleaders wear their

Ellie Everitt & Grace Culbertson

Sparkle Cheer Squad performs for the student section at the Waukee vs. Dowling Team on September 11th. The Cheer Squad performs at all home games and practices on Thursdays. The other cheer squads and the

dance teams assist them during all performances and practices.

Sparkle Cheerleading

uniforms at the games not only so they can support the Warriors but to also express their love for cheer and for their school. During our interview with some of the students, we asked them about their role as a Sparkle cheerleader. “I like cheering at the football games, it is fun!” replied Jessie Brown, a member of the squad who has been a part of the extra curricular for all three years it has been offered to the students. “(I like) to see Waukee win so, go Warriors!” said Brown right before she went to be a part of the tunnel that starts up the game. Along with making them happy, being a part of the squad has also taught them to try their best in everything they do, a lesson that they will carry with them through the rest of life. We asked senior Marcus Gillespie, what Sparkle has taught him over the years and he replied, “To have fun and try.” The other interviewees also agreed that cheering at football games and having their friends cheering alongside them has been an enjoyable experience that they will never forget.

One of the most important things about being a part of any cheer squad is having spirit. Spirit is driven by energy and teamwork, which also applies to not only the squad but the crowd too. The squad not only cheers for their own personal joy but to also share their joy with the rest of Waukee. “Being with everyone[...]and being around people matters to me,” Gillespie expressed about the crowd and his fellow squad members. These amazing students bring a special kind of joy to the games and that is what brings the true sparkle.

Going the DistanceClaire Simmons

As the clock strikes three and school is let out for the day, the vast majority of the student body at Waukee High School hop in their cars and head home. For a select group, their afternoon has just begun.

Lacing up their running shoes and filling their water bottles, the boys and girls cross country teams hit the ground running as they make their way around the city, adding steps to their FitBits, growing as people, athletes, and as a unit every stride of the way.

“It’s harder than any sport I’ve ever been in,” senior Noah Levere revealed. “Not counting the extra stuff we do outside of practice, roughly eighteen hours a week is spent running.” Levere, among others, is a veteran of the running program and finds that all of the hard work pays off in the end.

“Every time you finish a race, there’s nothing better than running a good time,” junior Kevin Kato agreed. Keeping a positive attitude and an open mind is difficult when you’re running 3.1 miles straight on a hilly course, but deems to be a critical component to all runners’ success. “It takes a dedicated and strong person to stop negative thoughts and turn them into something positive,” sophomore Lily Campbell expressed.

“It gets boring sometimes running for forty minutes,” senior Jordan Allen joked. “My dad said ‘We Allen’s aren’t made for distance’ when I first joined. I surprise him every year with being able to win and be on varsity.” The ability to challenge themselves and take chal-lenges from others are what drive this dedicated team to their success year after year.

After being pressed to the breaking point and running more miles than most of us ever will, WXC’s runners keep a sense of humor that is evident in the halls of WHS and on their Twitter feeds. “Really, the only good part is hitting the weight room twice a week,” junior Andrew Hubbard confessed. As well as gaining muscle mass, Hubbard has gained friend-ships through cross country that students won’t find anywhere else.

With a great team comes great coaches and role models. Levere places the key to his success in the palms of his coaching staff. “I would have never gone out for cross coun-try if Maxwell hadn’t convinced me to,” Levere admitted. Josh Maxwell, Jeff Grassmeyer, Heather Every, Abby Schmitz and others mold their runners into dedicated, hardworking individuals. “WXC has a strong enough program that no one is ever slow,” Lenz stated bluntly. “Being with the team makes it worth it.”

Through twelve mile workouts and weekly tempos, WXC comes back every afternoon with a new outlook, ready to take on their next challenge, workout, or whatever is thrown their way; a daily routine that deserves a lot more credit than the student body provides.

Seniors Jordan Allen and Elli Lenz and Junior Taylor Tornberg pose for a picture before race time.

Senior Noah Levere and Junior Kevin Kato make their way around the purple oval during preseason time trials.