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Lewis Central High School Issue FiveMarch 2013

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Co-Editors in ChiefBlake Huber

Cassidy MillerDesign Editor

Taylor Underwood

Copy EditorBrook DeMarque

Co-Business-EditorMonica Nikseresht

Claire Fischer

Photography EditorJenny Pedersen

ReportersAbigail Bergsten

Chelsea EretCarey Jacobs

Seth SchlemmerMadison ShortHalle Stichler

Madie Verschoor

PhotographerEric Finnegan

2323 W. Broadway(712) 328-9792

1745 Madison Ave.(712) 322-9260

Open 24 hours a day,7 days a week!

Editorial Policy:The Wire is the official Lewis Central student newspaper, and it is distributed free of cost to the students. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the student writers and not Lewis Central administration, faculty, or its adviser. The Wire is published seven times throughout the school year and 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*serve as a forum for discussion of controversial

issuesLetters to the Editor:

The Wire staff strongly encourages responses to articles appearing in the newspaper. Letters may be submitted to room 401. 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.

cassmiller@msn.combhuber@cox.net

Advertising

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Managing EditorAlex Tucker

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-table of contents-

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Sports

pages 10-11

Girls basketball travels to

State

Teens must face the decision of risking their health to get a “tan glow.”

AROUND THE SCHOOL P. 4-5

Does violence in video games alter one’s reality?

ENTERTAINMENT P. 13

LC students express themselves through their unique and individual styles.

FEATURE P. 8-9 OPINION P. 14-15Alex Tucker takes a closer look at reality television and its effects on our society.

NEWS

A look at the history behind St. Patrick’s Day.

P. 12 ADVERTISING

Hy-Vee is a proud supporter of Lewis Central with multiple students currently employed.

P. 2 & 16

Mock Trial members spend long hours preparing for state.

FINE ARTS P. 6-7 Onthe

CoverLC students pack the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines cheering on the girls’ basketball team as they compete at State.

PHOTO BY JENNY PEDERSEN

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MR.HALE’S EVERYDAY JOBWhere does all the

sports money go?

1. Use indoor tanning lotion.Helps you tan faster so you don’t have to tan as muchReplaces the moisture lostHelps reduce the signs of agingHas SPF to reduce the chance of burning

2. Wear eye protection.Protect eyes from UV damage Remove contacts because tanning dries them out

3. Moisturize with lotion between sessions.Makes your tan last longer

4. Slowly build your tan.Tanning quickly over and over increases your chances for skin cancer more than slowly building a base tan and maintaining it.

TANNING TIPS

Around The School

TO TAN OR NOT TO TANIn the days that follow, teens must make the decision whether to

accept the risks of tanning or say no for their health

The golden glow being all the rage makes it hard for teens and young adults to say no, leaving it an option to risk their health for the benefits now.

Have you ever wondered exactly what an athletic director does? Everyday Mr. Hale has to make sure that all activities go as planned, but first, he has to schedule all sports and other activities for the high school and the middle school. “I have to make sure all activities happen,” says Hale.

Last summer, the school installed a new football field and the track got resurfaced. It cost just under one million dollars. Iowa Western paid for half of that. The school gets the fields and courts resurfaced in cycles or as needed. The soccer and track teams get to play and practice on their own turf now.

Depending on if the school gets new uniforms, every year the school spends forty to fifty thousand dollars on sporting equipment. Each sport gets new uniforms every five years, spending about fifteen thousand dollars per year. So far this year, the school has spent twenty thousand dollars on uniforms between volleyball, boys’ basketball, and boys’ soccer. Each year the total sports budget depends on the money brought in by ticket sales. “The more people that come and pay admission, the more money we get to spend on sports,” says Hale.

Even though a lot of stress goes into the job, there can be fun with it to. This year the girls’ basketball team went to State and Mr. Hale went up with them. “It felt great going with the girls. They had a great year and they represented us very well. There was a great student body and other support from parents and other adults. Even with the bad weather, everyone got there and got home safe,” said Hale.

Mr. Hale has to face new challenges each day with his job. “Every day comes with a new challenge. I don’t know what I have to deal with until I get here. It could be a student not coming to school to having to reschedule a game or come up with more funding,” says Hale. When Mr. Hale isn’t working, he is busy traveling, doing work around the house, and playing with his two golden retrievers. He has to make sure that each sport has up-to-date and good quality equipment as well. Mr. Hale is the reason all sports and other activities happen.

Photos by Madison Short

MADISON SHORTREPORTER

ABBY BERGSTENREPORTER

Are you taking your chances tanning? The outlook on tanning has changed drastically over the last few years causing people to question whether or not to take the chance. Since tanning in a UV bed was invented in 1979 by Fredrich Wolff, many of the people who tanned then and after are beginning to develop skin cancer and deep wrinkles. Because of this, researchers are now pushing tanning to become illegal.

People strive for the golden glow, making it hard to say no to indoor tanning, especially in the winter months when outdoor tanning isn’t possible. Everyday more than one million people tan indoors; seventy-one percent of them being females. So how can tanning be stopped? Well, until there is a law set against it people, especially teens, will continue to go tanning thinking only of the outcome now, not later.

Besides indoor tanning, there are still health risks even tanning outdoors. The truth behind the matter is one in five people will develop skin cancer throughout their lifetime, while indoor tanning increases basal cell carcinoma cancer six times to seventy-three percent. “My aunt had skin cancer and we were very worried about her. It was really hard on our family, but luckily they caught it early enough. The doctors thought that she had got it from sun exposure over the years without

using sunscreen,” says junior Maggie Miller.But before you say, “Oh, I don’t tan

all of the time like some people,” remind yourself that every time you go increases your chances. One person dies of melanoma every 57 minutes. In 2012, 3,010 people were accounted for dying because of UV radiation from the sun and tanning beds.

On the other hand, there are some benefits of tanning. A study out of Oslo University Hospital shows that moderate levels of tanning can produce a healthy amount of Vitamin D, which helps maintain healthy bones and is crucial for your metabolism. Senior Alex Friend says, “I know it gives me a chance to get cancer, but I like to look good so I take the risk. I take breaks here and there so I don’t get gross sun spots, but I break out easy and tanning helps my face so much.”

-around the school-

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“I’m also on the Twitter.”Tweets

Top

I WISH I WOULDN’T HAVE SENT THATStudents reveal their social media regrets

Social media and texting are part of the average high school student’s routine. A staggering 98% of all 18-24 year olds have some kind of social media account, so obviously it’s part of our lives, but what about the texts, tweets, and statuses that we never meant to post?

Morgan Shockey JUNIORI was texting my friend talking about this guy I liked and accidentally sent it to him.

Ricardo GueveraSENIOR I was texting the guys and sent one of the texts to a girl. It was super embarrassing!

Sarah Drummey JUNIORI called Toby [Korner] the wrong name in a text. He was super upset!

Kristen Ahrens SOPHOMORE I tweeted that I hated all the girls in my grade… It was not good!

Megan Brayman JUNIOR I regret posting our Harlem Shake video.

Everyone has sent something they regret, but in the end, all you can do is laugh it off. Embarrassing moments happen, but it doesn’t help that they are saved forever on the internet.

A ‘SWEET’ FLASHBACK

Aubrey Norville

Senior@aubrey_Norville

“Thank you everyone for all the support today! You guys exceeded our expectations!! Definitely a season to remember. #titannation”

Sarah Drummey

Junior

@Sdarruamhmey

“Everyone should have seen the LC lunchroom. We were going crazy! So proud of the girls bball team! You guys did amazing!”

Mia Blackman

Junior

@MisPlayaa

“#ProudTitan #GBB #BPA”

Maggie Miller

Junior

@maggiemiller54

“Be proud of who you are, not ashamed of how someone else sees you.”

Alex Hillers

Senior

@AlexHillers

“I just want high school soccer season to start.”

Photo by Jenny Pedersen

CASSIDY MILLERCO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

‘Tis the season to buy cookies. January, February, and March are the annual Girl Scout Cookie selling months. The traditional cookies will still be for sale, but bakers have added a new Mango Crème cookie.

“I started as a Daisy and have been in it my whole life,” says senior Ronette Bruner. The Girl Scout Foundation was first started in 1912 to give girls opportunities to grow spiritually, physically, and mentally. Bruner says she loves being a Girl Scout because she gets to make a difference.

“I encourage them to speak out for themselves and to lead. Currently as sixth graders, my troop is doing more of the leading planning and decision making on what badges they want to earn and how they want to earn them,” says Lewis Central Staff Member and Girl Scout Leader Lorna Woods. Her motto to her girls is “practice by doing.”

Girl Scouts started serving their community many years ago. One troop in Oklahoma decided to sell homemade cookies at their school to help finance their troop. Then a recipe was given out to the current Girl Scout troops, including 2,000 girls.

The Girl Scouts worldwide started selling the cookies by the dozen costing approximately 25 to 30 cents.

Then in 1934, Greater Philadelphia became the first council to sell boxes of cookies commercially. One year later, they labeled the boxes with the words “Girl Scout Cookies.” And in 1936 they began to get a license that would allow them to sell commercial cookies nationwide. Over 125 Girl Scout Troops had been selling cookies by 1937.

Girl Scout Cookies started coming in different varieties in 1951. The first ones were the legendary Peanut Butter Sandwich, Thin Mint, and Shortbread. They eventually started making cookies that were either vanilla-based or chocolate-based filled.

By the 1980’s, bakers started offering up to seven variations of cookies. And a year later, they added an eighth option, varying between bakers. Then the 21st century rolled around, to find that all cookies are kosher. Girl Scouts are still selling eight varieties of cookies, with the Thin Mint, Peanut Butter Sandwich, and Shortbread still being mandatory but now costing $3.50 a box. In fact, the Thin Mints are the most popular selling cookie, outselling Oreos.

Here in our high school you can find a few students that are still involved in Girl Scouts. Seniors Ronette Bruner and Angela Sellers and juniors Taylor Underwood and Morgan Montgomery sell their cookies in pride for their troops.

AMANDA STEPHENSREPORTER

Fine Arts

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MOCK TRIAL Students get the opportunity to recreate a courtroom setting and compete to go to State

Practicing cross examination, freshman Abby Brickley questions freshman Haley French. The mock trial team practices twice a week in preparation for competition. Photo by Chelsea Eret

-the briefs- What’s happening outside of LC

Jazz orchestra strives for excellence in the 2013 season

SMOOTH JAZZ

MADIE VERSCHOORREPORTER

HALLE STICHLERREPORTER

Junior Brayden Krahn hits the perfect keys and notes to “Chicken Scratch” and plays with his fellow Jazz Orchestra members. Photo by Eric Finnegan

Briefs by Seth Schlemmer

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether or not a group of Colorado college students broke any rules by making a “Harlem Shake” video on a plane. The concern from the FAA is based on what stage the flight was in during the making of the video.

“The defense now rests.” And with that, the case goes into the hands of the judge, who will have the ultimate decision in the conclusion of the case. A case is always presented by those who have spent years getting a degree and creating a solid career in law for themselves, but LC’s own students have had the opportunity to create a courtroom scene with an assigned case, featuring plaintiff and defense attorneys who present opening and closing statements, complete with witnesses undergoing cross examinations. Mock Trial members have had the opportunity to reenact and depict a case in a courtroom setting with the help of TAG teacher, Lorraine Duitsman, and have a chance to compete with other schools in a contest at the Mid-America Center on March 12.

Mock Trial has been meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the past month in hopes of presenting a strong case and preparing for the upcoming competition. “My favorite part of Mock Trial was the rehearsals because they’re always really fun and it’s essentially acting. Plus, the witnesses have to be obnoxious, so

“Jazz is fun to play and listen to, so people should come support us,” says sophomore and baritone saxophone player Matt Johnstone. Students in jazz orchestra take pride in their musicianship. Whether they are away at a competition or performing at a band

concert, jazz orchestra strives for excellence. Doctor Kurt, the middle school band director, started off many of these students in Jazz. Matt Johnstone, Brooke DeForest, and Nicholas Nichols all say they joined jazz with Doctor Kurt back in middle school. “The environment is a fun environment to be in,” says Johnstone. Jazz orchestra has an exciting and comfortable environment for students to enjoy while improving their musical

skills. When asked if he would recommend joining jazz, senior and drummer Lucas Johnson replied, “Yes, very much so for the family aspect and environment.” Jazz is not all fun and games for these students though. There are many challenges these students have to face, from stage fright, to learning their part and holding that part. Playing in front of people challenges junior and trumpet player DeForest. Stage fright is not the only challenge for these members, “Sometimes I get lost and just laugh on stage,” says Johnstone. These musicians work endlessly to overcome these challenges. Jazz orchestra has had several home performances and will continue with excellence through the season. They will also have a competition coming up this April, in which they are sure to represent us well.

it’s funny,” says sophomore Claire Edwards. The way the competition is set up is that our

prosecution competes against another school’s defense and vice versa. Every school shares the same case and is judged by an attorney.

In preparation for the case, the Mock Trial members visited the Douglas County Courthouse and worked with an attorney. “It was weird being inside the courthouse, but it was a really cool experience, getting to watch the sentencings,” says Edwards. The sentence hearings gave them the opportunity to observe a real courtroom setting.

“I joined because I’m thinking about becoming a lawyer,” says Edwards, who went on to further explain that Mock Trial gave good insight into what it’s like to be someone who works in the courtroom.

With all their hard work and long hours putting together a compelling, two-sided case, it is sure to pay off when they go to competition and present their work. LC students will be filling the roles of plaintiff and defense attorneys and witnesses for a day. On March 12, LC will be cheering on the Mock Trial members as they head off to compete against area schools.

First a baby cow, now a mother deer. Trapped on a frozen lake, rescuers had to think of how to get the deer to the shore safely. Helicopter plus high wind power plus ice equals smooth sliding. I think these animals just want to be on YouTube.

Want to get into a mass brawl? Go to your local evening mass. Police were called to handle a fight, which involved 30-40 people at a church mass. No details so far as to why the fight broke out.

Hannah Kreitzinger

Samantha Mohr & Emily White

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LC show choirs take off during competition season MOJO IS BACK

Have you heard about how well the show choir is doing? Corporation and Company have been doing very well. The show choir has been to numerous competitions. “The kids are starting to get a mojo,” says choir director Brian Johnson. While at UNO on February 13th, they received 1st place. Corporation and Company competed at the annual Bishop Heelan competition on February 23th. Corporation made finals at the annual Bishop Heelan competition. In their 4A division, Corp got 2nd before finals. In finals, the group received 3rd runner-up. Company received 1st place. This was the second competition in a row that they received 1st. If you want to catch the award-winning groups, they will be in action on March 9th at the Westwood Show Choir Invite.

Show choir members have worked long hours to perfect their performances, which appears to be paying off.Photos by Megan Braymen

COOKING FOR A CAUSEStudents bake to fight hunger in Council Bluffs

CLAIRE FISCHERCO-BUSINESS-EDITOR

CHELSEA ERETREPORTER

There is an estimated 1.6 million people homeless seeking emergency housing through shelters. In town, Council Bluffs provides two emergency shelters, Mohm’s Place and the Micah House. These organizations are very appreciative of volunteers willing to donate, such as Lewis Central’s Cooking for a Cause club.

On a monthly basis, Cooking for a Cause meets to bake, cook, and package different treats to send to the shelters.

“It’s fun to get together after school with friends and bake, but knowing you’re helping someone else makes it even more fun,” says junior Allie Montgomery.

Volunteer work like this is the reason these emergency shelters can even exist, since their services render no profit in return.

“I can’t imagine being in the position where I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from or if it would even exist at all,” says Montgomery.

Although Cooking for a Cause isn’t providing full meals to the people at the shelters, the service is still very much appreciated because it’s giving a small treat to someone who otherwise wouldn’t have it and that can brighten anyone’s day

“I think it has blessed many people. A lot of people are surprised that high school students would stay after school to cook and bake to help other

Whipping up brownie mix, sophomores Dani Doeblin and Hannah Shea help each other out while helping others out.

Photos by Amanda Stephens

people. They are always very appreciative and think it’s a really positive thing to do. It definitely makes a difference,” says Mrs. Shriver, the sponsor of the club.

Being a part of groups like this in high school and throughout a person’s life can teach them valuable lessons, like how to be selfless, a leader, and not expect anything in return.

“We know that these people cannot do anything to repay us, but doing this is important enough to me that I want to do it, knowing that nothing will be given back to us,” says Montgomery.

Volunteer work also looks great on college applications and future career applications. So consider getting involved in Cooking for a Cause for some easy volunteer hours and listen to the announcements for future meeting dates.

Kristina Vang& Krete Bullington

Ellen Overholtzer & Dylan Smith

Feature

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Whether we realize it or not, we pick out what we wear for a reason. A good first impression can start off with the right outfit, a comfy outfit can help you feel better all day, and a new outfit can even lighten your mood. But your style can come with a cost: both money and opinion wise. It can be expensive to outfit a teenager and not to mention, the majority of the people who see you have a comment in their mind whether it’s good or bad. For some, what you wear expresses your personality, for others they could get ready in the dark and it not affect them. But is what you wear a right or a privilege? In some countries, they don’t have a choice. And what would happen if Lewis Central decided to have uniforms instead of whatever you felt like that day? These are all topics that will be displayed in this special feature.The government hasn’t only controlled the

citizens, but their appearances as well. In North Korea, men are required to trim their hair every 15 days and their hair can never be longer than 2 inches unless you are 50 or older, you can grow it an extra ¾ of an inch. Women are not allowed to wear pants

and if they disobey this law, they are sent to a labor camp. How would some girls like to wear a skirt every single day? In Bhutan, one of the happiest places in the world, men are forced to wear a knee length robe called a gho. Women must wear a kimono known as a Kira when in public. Saudi Arabia is home to some of the strictest laws on the planet and are known to constrict the fashion of their citizens-especially women. As well as requiring a male guardian, a Saudi Woman must also wear a niqab and abaya in public to not expose any bare skin. Compared to America’s laws and constrictions, there are some tough laws. Of course there are dress codes and c o n s t r i c t i o n s ,

but we are lucky to not have some of the laws that are present around the world. We have the freedom to choose what we wear to a certain extent. Now comes the topic that has been

discussed and observed in other schools, but we still haven’t even thought about the idea very much: uniforms. Some students would love this, saying that they can just roll out of bed in the morning and put on the same or similar outfit every day. No more basing cliques on what they wear, but create a more unified look for the school. For some, that could mean a few extra minutes of precious sleep time or staying up a little bit later at night because they wouldn’t have to wake up as early. Deciding what to wear can be a dilemma to some. But on the other hand, some students love being able to choose what to wear every day and having the choice to display their style and mood through what they wear. Another big disadvantage is cost. If not everyone can afford the uniforms, how can they expect the students to obey that dress code?

MONICA NIKSERESHTCO-BUSINESS-EDITOR

They simply can’t unless they find enough money to supply every student with an adequate amount of uniforms. Then the question is brought up would it just be for certain grades such as just high school or the school district as a whole? This is all hypothetical, but it is something we can keep in mind when getting ready for school every day.Whether you want to call it fashion,

style, comfort, or just clothes, it displays your feeling and is a privilege, in a way, to not have to have the government or a school uniform constrict that. If you just shop once a year or a little more than you should, it’s one thing that we have control over: our appearance.

STRUT YOUR STUFF

Alyse Higgins

Madie Verschoor

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Showing the school their style sophomores Kristen Ahrens, Austin Thielen, Madie Verschoor, Kaley Lightfoot along with junior Kyle Smith and David Garcia and senior Alyse HIggins look their best everyday. Photos by Monica Nikseresht and Jenny Pedersen

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Consider yourself lucky...

David Garcia

Kristen Ahrens

Kyle Smith

Kaley Lightfoot & Austin Thielen

Austin Thielen

Kaley Lightfoot

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Sports Scoreboard

Lewis CentralVS. Cedar Rapids

Xavier

45-50

Cedar Rapids Xavier

VS. Bishop Heelan

68-57Cedar Rapids

Xavier VS.Harlan

53-52

HarlanVS. Waverly-

Shell Rock

41-36

HarlanVS. Benton Community

52-42

Girls Basketball

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MARCH MADNESSCan they keep the tradition going yet another year?

DIDN’T MISS A BEAT Girls’ basketball makes a run at State

You know it’s a great season when you have not accomplished it in eight years. The girls’ basketball team made the Iowa State tournament for the first time since 2005. Some people had questions about this season with two freshmen starting and a coaching change. But first year Coach Derek Archer did a fine job balancing out senior leadership with new-coming players.

Not only did the girls’ basketball team make it to State, but they also won the Hawkeye 10 for the third year in a row. This is a great accomplishment because rival Harlan was in the state championship and the girls beat them twice. The only two losses the Cyclones had on the year before the state championship were against Lewis Central. The Titans had one loss in conference play at Kuemper Catholic. Going into State, the Titans were 20 and 3. The Titans first round opponent was Cedar Rapids Xavier. Cedar Rapids Xavier has a rich

girls’ basketball tradition and many “experts” would have considered the Titans underdogs, but the Titans were not intimidated. Cedar Rapids Xavier was ahead the majority of the game, but the Titans had no quit in them and always just hung around. Going into half, the Titans were down four. Mid-way through the 3rd quarter, star player, senior Aubrey Norville, committed her fourth foul, having to go to the bench for the rest of the 3rd quarter. Cedar Rapids Xavier capitalized and had a nine-point lead going into the fourth. Norville came back in the game to start the fourth. With just under a minute to go, freshman stand-out Paige Beacom hit a fall away 10-footer to cut the lead to three. The Titans got the ball back with about 30 seconds left on the clock. This is when things got dicey. Freshman Beacom had the ball in her hands, barely getting pressured, when the referees called five seconds. Coach Archer was signaling for a timeout, but it was not granted, which gave the ball back to Cedar Rapids Xavier, who ended up making two free-throws and winning the game by five. Norville’s last career high school game ended with her having 28 points and first

Photo by Jenny Pedersen

BLAKE HUBERCO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BROOK DEMARQUECOPY EDITOR

team All-State honors. Fellow senior Natalie Madsen also had five points and three assists. With only two seniors graduating and losing to the eventual state champion, it is clear that the Titans will be a serious contender to win the Hawkeye 10 again next year. This year is sure one to remember for the Titans girls’ basketball team

March is now upon us and there is only one thing on sports fans’ minds: March Madness. This season in particular has been eventful because no one has been able to keep the number one ranking for more than a couple weeks. There have been more upsets than people can even handle. What does that mean? Hopefully it means an exciting and unpredictable tournament.

March is the time that teams grind it out and try to win their conference tournament and get an automatic berth into the 68 team tournament. There are some local teams that have legitimate chances to do something in the tournament, such as Creighton, who started the season red hot, getting to nearly a top ten ranking. Another is Iowa State, who can flat out score, and have lost many close games to ranked teams

in regulation and overtime. Iowa State and Creighton are both potential bracket busters.

This year is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments in years, making the bracket challenge the hardest it has ever been. Selection Sunday is on March 17th on ESPN, so tune in to see if your team makes the tournament.

The girls’ varsity basketball team played Indianola and Atlantic during district finals for the opportunity to go to State, which they later qualified for.

Photo by Jenny Pedersen

Knocking out the competition, who will prevail?

Photo by Jenny Pedersen

One step at a time is the only way to victory.

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ago, they played in the Carrier Dome, (which is Syracuse’s home court), for the last time. Neither fan base wants this rivalry to end, I can guarantee that. This is not the only realignment going on though. Just a couple of years ago, Nebraska ended up leaving the Big 12 for the Big 10, with money as its biggest purpose. The Big 12 teams made 10 million dollars in 2009 for being in the conference. The Big 10 offers

the teams in the conference 20 million dollars each year to be in the conference, plus a television network. Ohio State versus Nebraska may be an awesome rivalry one day, but it isn’t Oklahoma or Texas back in the 80s and 90s when Tom Osborne was the coach.

The bottom line is colleges are way more wrapped up in greed about

making money, then what tradition and rivalries really does for the fan bases, but the fact of the matter is, this is where things are headed, a lot more conference realignment ahead of us.

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWNRealignment is killing college athletics

News came today last Thursday that seven Big East schools are officially leaving the conference to create their own conference, which will be called the Catholic 9. The two schools added to the Catholic 7 are Xavier and Butler. The original Catholic 7 are DePaul, Georgetown, Marquet te , Providence, St. Johns, S e t o n Hall, and Vi l l a n o v a . These teams will start their own conference next season in every s p o r t .

T h e problem, in my opinion, is colleges are way more concerned about how much they can make, then what the fans of colleges want. When you think of rivalries like Syracuse and Georgetown in men’s basketball that dates back decades and decades, and just a couple of weekends

ON THERunners Take Your Mark

The track season is quickly approaching. The boys and girls are getting into shape by running and ab workouts. The kids are looking forward to running and spending time with the team. The runners have their goals set on making it to state. “I want to make it to state and improve my 200m time,” said sophomore Adriana Campos. She is excited for track season to start.

The boys started practice on Monday February 12th. The boys first track meet is

March 12th at Iowa State University. The girls first meet is March 23th at University of South Dakota; the boys will also be competing. Last year, Riley Blay, Jacob Barents, and Alexis Mitchell qualified for state. Blay qualified in high jump. He finished 16th at state last year. Barents qualified in both shot put and discus. Barents finished 10th in discus. Jacob hopes to get first this year. The girls qualified Mitchell in shot put. She ended up finishing 21st. The first home track meet is April 16. Come out and support your Titans.

Conferences are not necessarily regional anymore, because West Virginiq has to travel thousands of miles to play in the Big 12. Xavier and Butler are in the new Big East and will be traveling to the Northeast to play in their new conference. Photo by Google Images

Lewis Central’s girls’ basketball team made the state tournament for the fourth time in school history and the first time since the 2005 season. The Titan’s last minute comeback was halted by a controversial call, giving Cedar Rapids Xavier the five point win.

Olympic runner and double amputee, Oscar Pistorius, shot and killed his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day in his home in Pretoria, South Africa. Pistorius claims that he thought his girlfriend was an intruder and shot her. He has been charged with premeditated murder and has been let out on bond.

Golden State’s guard, Stephen Curry, gave the New York Knicks all they could handle February 27th, exploding for an NBA high 54 points in the loss. Curry went 11-13 from behind the three point line, a franchise record.

Quarterback Alex Smith was traded from the San Francisco 49ers to the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith was the starting quarterback for the 49ers until he got a concussion in week 11. This could possibly be the spark at quarterback the Chiefs need and maybe the push to put the Chiefs back in the playoffs.

The Penn State Nittany Lions got there first, and maybe only, conference win of the year, shocking number four ranked Michigan. Penn State is 9-18 on the season, and a Big 10 worst 1-14 conference record.

BLAKE HUBERCO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CLAIRE FISCHERCO-BUSINESS-EDITOR BROOK DEMARQUE

COPY EDITOR

SPORTS SHORTSFAST TRACK

12

THE HISTORY OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY

Mosque, regimes, and headdress’ called Hijab—the general image of what Americans think about Iran. What do Iranians think of Americans? Lazy, scandalous, heiracy? You would be surprised to think otherwise. One brave journalist was able to travel across Iran (without trouble) and interview everyday people of Iran. Nicholas Kristof is a columnist for The New York Times “Upfront” magazine. Kristof recently spent eight days traveling almost 1,700 miles across Iran for his column, “On the Road in Iran.” One common misconception Americans have about Iranians is that they are devoutly religious. Contrary to popular belief, Kristof found answers otherwise. “Young people don’t really go to the mosques,” said a 23-year-old man in eastern Iran. Some people have even abandoned their religious views. “The biggest factor that has turned people against Islam is this government,” one woman told Kristof.

Even though the West has many economic

News

Photos by Carey Jacobs

CAREY JACOBSREPORTER

SETH SCHLEMMERREPORTER

THE ROOTS OF IRAN “Iran may actually be the most pro-American nation in the Mideast.”

It’s not all fun and games

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sanctions imposed on Iran for its pursuit of nuclear weapons, many think it’s their own government’s fault for their economic troubles. In his interview with a man who lost his job as a salesman, “We can’t do business as we used to and our quality of life is getting worse. We blame our regime, not Western countries.”

A corrupt media central and a ban on satellite television (though widespread) mean the next best option for information is the internet. Two thirds of Iranian households have computers. The threat of getting your satellite taken away by police and a $400 fine still does not discourage one-third of Iranians from having it. “You recognize that it’s the police taking the [satellite] dishes away and you just don’t answer the door, so they take the dishes and go away without imposing a fine,” said a shop owner in Gorgan that Kristof interviewed. Change is on the way. Rising education, an expanding middle class, economic frustration, and erosion of government-controlled information should only bring about the demise of old methods in the Middle East. We should bet on the youth, not bombs, as agents of change.

- Nicholas Kristof

Most people know St. Patrick’s Day is just some Irish holiday in March. Another wide belief is that everyone is supposed to wear green or else they get pinched. Few people actually know the history or what the day really symbolizes.

St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th, and it was started in Ireland to celebrate the Saint Patrick, who wasn’t born in Ireland at all. He was born in Roman England sometime during the late fourth century. He was brought to Ireland when a band of pirates kidnapped

and sold him into slavery at the age of 16. Saint Patrick eventually escaped, and decided to study to become a Bishop. Saint Patrick came back to Ireland after having dreams of voices telling him to return. He was credited with bringing Christianity to the Irish and explaining the Holy Trinity with a three-leafed shamrock. Saint Patrick died sometime in the middle of the fifth century, however the exact year is hard to determine. The holiday started in the tenth century as a day in which the people of Ireland would feast and drink (sometimes excessively), much like Thanksgiving, in remembrance of Saint Patrick. Huge parades for the holiday started in the United

States in 1762 when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through the streets of New York City singing and dancing. Irish immigrants in the U.S. spread the holiday and made it popular among citizens making parades more common with green shamrocks, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. Since then, the holiday has changed from remembrance to celebration. With ideas of leprechauns and four-leaf clovers popping up everywhere, it’s hard to see the holiday was once for a good cause. Keep the history in mind when looking for your green shirts or getting your pinches.

As St. Patrick’s Day nears, sophomore Dakota Delaney digs up as much green as possible to avoid the dreaded pinch.

The youth of Iran holds the promise of coming change throughout the Middle East. Photo from mustafij.com

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EntertainmentMovie Releases

VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES CAUSING VIOLENT REALITIES?

It’s a first person battle between yes and no

As unfortunate as it is, mass shootings have been in the news a lot. In most crimes, the shooter’s reason is unclear. So one question psychologists are asking is: Do violent video games cause violent behaviors and crimes?

With so many life-like shooter games like Call Of Duty or Battlefield, it seems like a legitimate possibility. It’s easy to tell a difference in attitude when someone is playing one of these games. The player gets a little jumpy and almost instantly develop a “colorful” language during game play.

James Eagan Holmes, the shooter of the Aurora, Colorado shootings, was a gamer. One theory as to why he committed the crime was that he had become so involved in his video games that he felt the need to make the gaming fantasy a reality and the violence in the games corrupted him into doing it.

A recent study at Iowa State University, conducted by Christopher Bartlett, showed that after a period of 15 minutes, undergraduates playing “Mortal Combat: Deadly Alliance” were noticeably more aggressive than those who did not play at all. This study proves the short-term effects of game it does not suggest anything on long-term effects of playing violent video games.

One way psychologists have tried to determine if video games cause crimes is by correlational studies between sales in video games and crime spikes. Based on a study done by the Entertainment Software Association, as video game sales have increased from 1996-2007, violent crime offenses have actually decreased. This may disprove the idea that violent video games don’t cause crimes, but with so many different contributing factors, it’s still hard to find a concrete answer.

As time goes on, psychologists will continue to search for trends as to whether or not violence in video games cause violent behaviors or crimes. There is enough evidence to argue either side, but the debating can only go so far without getting more concrete evidence.

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RED CARPET RUNDOWNBecause you probably didn’t

watch them

in Skyfall; bet you didn’t see that coming. Brave stole the best animated feature from Wreck It Ralph. Christoph Waltz and Anne Hathaway got best supporting actor and ac-tress respectively. Jennifer Lawrence fell down while accepting best leading actress for Silver Linings Playbook, and Daniel Day Lewis pulled another best leading ac-tor award out of his stovepipe hat. Then, to finish the night, Michelle Obama, live from the White House, announced that Argo won Best Picture. So there you have it, the Oscars in a nutshell. There was a lot less suspense, the jokes were more tasteful and it didn’t take three hours to get the information you wanted, but you still should have watched it.

Graphic by Taylor Underwood

Oz: The Great and Powerful - Mar. 8

The Call - Mar. 15

The Croods- Mar. 22

The Plane Beyond the Pines- Mar. 29

From the red carpet to the after party, the Grammys always prove to be a memorable event. Taylor Swift opened the awards show with a theatrical version of “We are Never Getting Back Together” with a shout-out to her recent ex-boyfriend, mocking both their previous relationship and his accent. Throughout the

CAREY JACOBSREPORTER

ALEX TUCKERREPORTER

THE GRAMMYSRed carpets, long dresses, and

high profile musicians

It is still somehow possible that you don’t know what happened at the Oscars a few weeks ago, luckily for the rare few of you who were able to totally avoid the biggest night in Hollywood, I am here to prepare you incase someone were to talk to you as you made your way back to that rock you live under.

Seth MacFarlane hosted this year and was expectedly long-winded, overly musical and not that funny. The cast of The Avengers surprised everyone by being funnier than the host, while Life of Pi surprised no one by tak-ing home a bunch of special effects and editing awards. Its director, Ang Lee, won best director. Meanwhile, Tarantino took home best original screenplay for Django Unchained which now also holds the current record for most uses of the n-word in an oscar winning script. Amour got best foreign film while it was also nomi-nated for best picture because it was scientifi-cally designed to make you cry. Adele got an Oscar for Skyfall which was her original song

night, other performers hit the stage. Some of the most memorable performances of the night included Justin Timberlake’s comeback performance and the performance of later Grammy winner, Frank Ocean.

Turning heads on the red carpet and on the stage, Katie Perry and Jennifer Lopez both got noticed wearing especially revealing dresses. The attention these dresses got ranged from the viewers at home to even the men in the audience, but the media certainly took notice. Although they took a risk with their dresses, most people thought it was a good choice. However, some people missed the mark a bit. Some of the worst of the night included Alicia Keys’ cat-woman-like leather gown and Adele’s umbrella-shaped floral dress. Ultimately, the most important part of the Grammys is the musicians and the award winners. One of the biggest upsets of the night was Frank Ocean beating out Chris Brown for Best Urban Contemporary Album, which earned him a standing ovation, along with the award. At the end of the night, Gotye stole the show, winning Best Single of the Year with “Somebody That I Used to Know.” Despite the outcomes of the night, the Grammys are a great time to reflect on the year in music. The musicians were all proud to be there whether they won or lost because in the end, they wake up every day and do what they love.Graphic by Jenny Pedersen

CHELSEA ERETREPORTER

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Sometimes in life, you just want to jump into a person’s skull and just see what the heck they are thinking when they make certain decisions. Wednesday, February 14th, (Valentine’s Day) is a day I would have liked to know what Oscar Pistorius was thinking in his South African mansion. Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder to his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. If you do not know who Oscar Pistorius is, then here is a closer look. Pistorius became the first athlete in the history of the Olympics to compete with no born legs. Pistorius is a track athlete with two prosthetic legs. He was on the South African track team in the 2012 London Olympics.

Pistorius is said to have shot his girlfriend three times in the head and in the arm. There was also a cricket bat at the scene of the crime that had blood all over it. Pistorius claims that he thought that there was an intruder at their house so he thought he was beating and shooting a burglar, not his love. I find this ludicrous and pretty irrational because one, Pistorius lives in a gated mansion, so it would be pretty hard to even make it to the house. Secondly, if you are a burglar, I don’t think you are going to be hiding in the bathroom, you’re going to be stealing as much as you can, and getting the heck out of dodge. I also think you would know if your significant other wasn’t lying next to you in bed. I am well aware that the defense has to come up with something to try to get their client off, but this defense is not logical at all. Maybe you can justify shooting a burglar one time, but not three times and then beating him with a cricket bat, when that turns out to be your girlfriend.

In my opinion, this looking a lot like OJ Simpson round two. I think Pistorius will end up getting off with it because he was and may still be such a hero and powerful man in South Africa. The Olympics started in 1896, and he is the first man to compete in the Olympics with prosthetic legs. I really hope he can get peace with this situation, but in my eyes, he is guilty.

THE ONLY THING ON TV THAT WILL ACTUALLY ROT YOUR BRAIN

What is Reality Televison, Alex?

IT ALL STARTS WITH YOUTHE BLADE GUNNER

Don’t settle for second bestPistorius faces charges of

premeditated murderBLAKE HUBERCO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CASSIDY MILLERCO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Reality television is the worst thing ever to be spurned from the depths of basic cable. It destroys creativity and gives our youth the worst possible role models. I understand no one actually wants to be Honey Boo-Boo or 16 and pregnant, but that does not stop these shows from lowering the standard of what is allowed in our country.

Now, I have no real problem with competition type shows, I’m all for people chasing their dreams, but the shows that just follow people around are a detriment to our society. These reality T.V. shows are taking the place of shows that require even a minute bit of thought to produce, destroying jobs of writers, actors, and the various people that work in a studio. Instead, we are supporting and publicising the dregs of society.

In “Toddlers and Tiaras” awful parents are paid to be the horrible attention hungry people they are so that they can continue to teach their children that the important things in life are how pretty they can look and winning competitions.

Just think about these kid’s future, will these shows that highlight what will probably be the worst aspect of their childhood come up when they apply for jobs, or colleges, will they be remembered when they make it to high school? For their sake, I hope not.

It is amazing what these networks are willing to do for a quick buck; on Tru tv. “Hardcore Pawn” is a “Pawn Stars” rip-off that, instead of basing itself around interesting historical artifacts, makes a profit off of reinforcing racial stereotypes for comedic value. On Lifetime, which is quickly becoming a clone of the rotting corpse that once was The Learning Channel, there is a show coming out called “The Preachers’ Daughter’s” which is just an excuse to follow around a bunch of teens so we can watch as they fail at becoming productive members of society and generally horrible people. There are countless shows that are currently glamorizing the extravagant, wasteful lifestyle of reality stars, not only are we paying these people to be wasteful and unproductive, they are slowly becoming a model for success. Reality T.V. is changing the American dream from finding success through hard work, and a will to do good into being, frivolous, wasteful and rich for no good reason, and that is why reality T.V. is awful.

Theses reality T.V. shows are sucking up the ratings and money that could be going to hundreds of other, more productive and impactful, shows. The only solution is to do away with them entirely. Why do we need this trash when shows like “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead” prove that Americans will watch well produced shows with an actual plot and compelling characters? There is no answer, we don’t and they should disappear before they do any more damage than what they’ve already done.

ALEX TUCKERMANAGING EDITOR

When I was little, all I ever wanted to do was to be on TV. I wanted to be the star. I wanted to act and sing and dance and have everyone think I was the most beautiful girl in the entire world. Sometimes, I still wish for that. Now I realize it isn’t what the entire world thinks, but the person in the mirror. Now, I’m not trying to be sappy, and make everyone depressed, but maybe the only plastic surgery anyone needs is on their attitude. Curves are beautiful, but so is being thin. You were born a certain way. Conformity is the most boring thing in the entire world. I see so many beautiful young people trying to be something they see in the movies or in magazines, when those are just superficial traits. Society worships the “bad girl” and makes it okay for a guy to treat you badly, as long as he says you are beautiful. People need to have more respect for them, especially young girls. Females need to stop settling for less. They need standards like, must have a job, and a cell phone contract, and goals in their life. Women need to respect themselves, because it all starts with you, ladies. You have to raise your standards for yourself. Wear clothes that reflect well of you, and act the same way you’d act in front of your grandmother all the time. Class is something that has been lost in this generation. It takes just a few girls to change a whole group. Men don’t want a girl, they want a lady. They settle for girls who are dependent and greedy. Gold digging is a trend now, and guys are being duped. Once girls start raising their standards of themselves and for whom they are with, things will fall in to a place. I’m just tired of seeing young men and women who deserve the world, settle for less than the best. Just remember to never settle for a frog when you could have a princess or prince.

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Walking onto the campus, seeing a half-dozen buildings, students flooding across the college grounds, and having the opportunity to meet and mingle and explore the campus. This is the beginning of a college career and a taste of the years that await a young student. Choosing a path for the future is undeniably the most important role a student makes coming out of high school, and for most, college is the expected and most obvious route to take. Choosing the right college to get an education from in hopes of obtaining a degree from is an important decision and can make all the difference in one’s success. This is why college visits are so highly recommended and seen as one of the most important things for a student to partake in when deciding on a college. “It’s the best way for a student to know if the college is a good fit because no matter how good the college’s webpage may look, you have to step on campus to get a true feel for a college,” says 11th and 12th grade guidance counselor Jackie Bode-Steinke. On Wednesday, April 17, juniors and sophomores will have the opportunity to visit Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Juniors will be given the chance to sign up first, and if juniors don’t fill up the 46 slots available, sophomores will be given the opportunity to join the juniors and sign up. Standard information given at a college visit includes financial aid

information, as well as housing and program details. Not only do students get the opportunity to hear helpful information, but they will also get to go on a detailed tour of the campus.

Mrs. Bode Steinke talked about the importance of college-bound students visiting multiple college campuses before the time comes for them to make their decision so they can be well-prepared and make informed decisions. Visiting a campus can also get students to begin thinking beyond high school and about the direction they want to take with their future. A college visit can also allow a student to get a true sense of if a campus is a good fit for them.

If students are interested in signing up for the visit to Northwest Missouri State University, there will be opportunities and information released in the daily announcements approximately one month prior to the visit. Interested sophomores and juniors should sign up with Bode-Steinke when the opportunity to do so is announced because there are limited slots available.

FINDING THE PERFECT FITCollege-bound students get the opportunity to find their

ideal school through campus visits

Senior Amber Huttman signs with DMAC, planning to set in volleyball on college level.

Photo by Mr. Hale

HALLE STICHLERREPORTER